How do we keep our motivation, our magic and our dreams alive on days when it seems impossible?

For me, on those days when the magic just doesn’t seem to be there, I find a lot of comfort in putting first things first, along with as much sunshine as possible. What does that mean “putting first things first”?

A teacher wanted to demonstrate a concept to her students. She takes a large-mouth jar and places several large rocks in it. She then asks the class, “Is it full?

“Unanimously, the class reply, “Yes!”

The teacher then takes a bucket of gravel and pours it into the jar. The small rocks settle into the spaces between the big rocks.

She then asks the class, “Is it full?”

This time there are some students holding back, but most reply, “Yes!”

The teacher then produces a large can of sand and proceeds to pour it into the jar. The sand fills up the spaces between the gravel.

For the third time, the teacher asks, “Is it full?

“Now most of the students are wary of answering, but again, many reply, “Yes!”

Then the teacher brings out a pitcher of water and pours it into the jar. The water saturates the sand. At this point the teacher asks the class, “What is the point of this demonstration?”

One bright young student raises his hand and then responds, “No matter how full one’s schedule is in life, he can always squeeze in more things!”

“No,” replies the teacher, “The point is that unless you first place the big rocks into the jar, you are never going to get them in. The big rocks are the important things in your life …your family, your friends, your personal growth. If you fill your life with small things, as demonstrated by the gravel, the sand, and the water…you will never have the time for the important things.

For me, singing is a personal rock. In fact, any creative piece or work that I have underway is a rock. And if I get my “rocks” in first thing, I can fill the sand of my day with other items. It’s hard on some days – in fact; it’s much easier to do almost anything else.

Comfort can be had from a story I once heard of how the famous conductor Richard Bonyage chided his famous singer wife Joan Southerland away from ironing to work on her Lucia. At least I’m not the only one who can find domestic chores – even ones I hate – to be a pleasant diversion. However I’m aware if I can get that rock in – if I can hit the studio practice room, keep that lesson date, be prepared for that rehearsal – that bit by bit the work I put in will show up and make a difference.

Glen Gould said: “If I don’t practice for one day, I can tell. Two days, my family can tell. If I don’t practice for four days, the audience can tell.”

In addition to seeing what’s new, now and wow in the current international scene, the whole ambience and cultural mix is overwhelming and powerful to say the least. 

Very clean, Swiss, business-like security guards greet you and dot themselves at every conceivable point of movement or exchange.  Not surprising considering the value of the art work inside.

Every language fills the air- and you can see everyone from gallery owners wheeling and dealing their clients work, to investors, to magazine vendors and kiosk merchants.  People straight off the street, just curious rub shoulders with very well-heeled and turned out fashionistas from galleries and salons in New York and Paris making themselves felt and their presence known.  Sexy sheiks drape themselves causually over middle eastern pop stars and all amidst this amazing, beautiful, momentous power of human expression. 

There is good art, silly art, new art, questionable art, amazing art- each piece is capable of moving a space inside you and allowing you to view your life and the world with fresh eyes.  The coloured Kewpie dolls did give one pause, as well as the truck tire fountain- but the wall of floating letters, gave such a powerful impression of language and communication, it made up for those pointy doll heads.  

Why am I writing about Art Basel?  Well, in addition to the fact that it’s the biggest art event internationally and it’s happening in my home town this week, I also have the opportunity to participate in a contemporary original piece of live performance art.  I play an aurafelian, this is a person who hears emotions inside their head. Whenever they have a strong emotion, an aurafelian hears a range of sounds in her head that no one else hears.

Two writers represented the Annet Gelink Gallery in Amsterdam http://www.annetgelink.nl have created an original work The Third Story, already performed in New York and Amsterdam, and featured at Art Basel this week.  Bedwyr Williams and Ryan Gander collide human interest stories they originally found on the internet. The actors are “invited” to come and tell their of their unusual stories to the public in a type of organized, free-spirited expression.  We all met today in the gallery and had a great time working and bringing everything to life.  It’s exciting and thrilling- no matter how large or small to work on original pieces with the creators at hand. 

Okay- I’m off to hear those sounds in my head- walking through Art Basel is enough to make my head ring!

In fact, everyone needs to go to Italy.

On a recent trip to check out the art, music and food, I travelled to Florence with my aunt.

It was a great trip- magical and historical.  For the most part we had “gentle adventures”, except for the scary ticket controller on one of the local busses. We held our ground and even the other passengers supported us. Finally the bus driver kicked Mr. Scary off the bus.  Try that in Germany!

  If you’re thinking of travelling to Florence any time soon, check out the apartments through Homelidays: http://www.homelidays.com/  Great affordable deals in the heart of town that will give you a more local feel.

We stayed here and I totally recommend it. http://www.casabaldovini.it/ Valentina has an apartment that is big enough for two couples or a family of four.  Renovated and pretty, it is a fifteen minute walk into town to get to the world’s best gelato and art. 

The terrifying paintings of “The Last Judgment” at the top of the Duomo cupola look eerily like villains from a super hero comic book up close. 

 Michelangelo’s David really is as amazing as people say it is and at Santa Croce you can visit the tombs and memorials of people who strongly impacted all of Western society- unbelievably all in one place- Florence Nightingale, Machiavelli, Galileo, Leonardo Di Vinci, Michelangelo…

Here is the bruschetta we ate while looking over the river Arno- serves 4

450g/1lb ripe tomatoes, chopped

12 thin slices ciabatta or other crusty bread

2 cloves garlic, peeled

15ml/1Tbsp dried oregano

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

6 fresh basil leaves, finely chopped to garnish or mix in with the tomatoes

Heat the grill/broiler and toast the bread lightly on both sides. Rub the bread with the garlic cloves, arrange the tomatoes on the toast, sprinkle with olive oil, oregano, salt and pepper and grill until the tomato is just soft, about 3 minutes.  Remove from the grill, sprinkle with chopped basil and serve immediately with a good Chianti.

Buon Appetito!

So on Saturday night, we are all going dancing.  Well, I’m going singing, but everyone else is dancing.  The Swiss National Lindy-hoppers are having their big competition at the National Hotel in Bern and I’m joining the Uptown Big Band. 

 If you’re in the country, drive on over to Switzerland’s capitol city, Bern! (it’s about an hour from everywhere here!)

After that it’s Viva Italia- I’ll be visiting Milano, Florence, Sorrento and Rome. 

My good friend, Gretchen Strauch, ever imortalized for teaching us how to play Nertz one winter, works at Rick Steves.  She’s passed on tips of what to see and do. 

I’m really looking forward to a creative break and take some time to go through Derek Sivers new video clips of the MIDEM music conference at Cannes.  Pretty amazing interviews. 

Then it’s off to rehearsals in France for some different projects there- one of which is going to be a killer evening of cabaret music with one of my coolest fans and friends, Mark Carroll in April- so stay posted for more details. 

Currently listening to- The Vermont Jazz Ensemble

Take care!

The tinsel of our cabaret show, Gossip, Glitter & Glam, also seems to be making it’s mark for the holiday season, both for Parachute Productions in Zug and Lang Kino in Zürich. We hope to see you here. Blessings and many cuddles to you going into the Northern hemisphere’s winter season.

Not often, but every now and then, people ask me to come “be” Marilyn Monroe. So I guess, sometimes, I’m an impersonator, too… or show-double as they call it Europe.

Mostly it’s because of my tribute show – Swinging the Marilyn Monroe Songbook. Sometimes one of my agents or manager will get a call asking if I can don the white dress and prrr out onstage dripping in diamonds and famous one-liners. It’s fun to see how people react. And at the same time is a very displaced feeling – much different than acting in a play.

When I was doing the research for my first request as Marilyn – I was pretty surprised to find out what big business it was being a show-double/impersonator. Do you know how often people are hired to dress up and play other famous people- living and dead?

I’m collecting numbers – if you do this, or know someone who does, write and tell me about it. How did you get started? Do you like it? What’s the funniest time you had doing it? Send me an email from the contact section and I’ll send you a free download of Diamonds are a girl’s best friend.

Watching the weather while listening to the music and speaking to a client on the phone, I neglect to notice that the beautiful rain pouring down on my terrace is also pouring into the kitchen through the open doors… is this a penalty for multi-tasking? But wading through the centimetres-deep water covering the stone floor to finally close the patio doors while listening to the thunder outside seems delightful and decadent.

Existing in the world’s most orderly host country, my normally very Swiss and tidy kitchen seems to relax into the warm summer rain. Tortillas and salsa sit happily and languidly on the marble countertop, urging someone to come and take a bite. All the while, violins soar higher and higher – it’s easy to imagine almost anything…

Would you take a recommendation to enrich your life today? Turn on some Brahms; almost any of it will take you away to another place completely when you really listen. Close your eyes, breathe deep and absorb the sound. No rain necessary – although it helps.