Changes All Around

Recently, I've had the immense pleasure to work with
the lovely Mr. Andre Pascher (aka Shadow Wolfen/Shady).
He sings like a prince, and mixes/masters our vocals so beautifully.
We've completed four songs together, and I'm going to dump them all here at once!
(Though if you follow me on other sites, you've probably already
been exposed to them properly: one at a time.)

"A Thousand Years"
This was my first time working with Shady.
I didn't know his style yet, but we quickly found that he's more talented at mixing,
and I can make videos, so that's how we run things now!
And yet... this particular music video is still in production. Heh.

"Can You Feel the Love Tonight"

Here I brought in the wickedly talented Knorr to star as Timon
(his voice is the most narrative I've ever had the pleasure of recording),
and Shady snagged his friend, Paul Dlubis, to play Pumbaa (hello deep voice).
We hope to do more multi-lingual covers in the future!

"Love Will Find a Way"
This project was actually supposed to be completed before the other,
but we ran into so many production problems!
Thankfully we jumped the hurdles and got to finish this little beauty. :)

"Say Something"
I avoid this song on the radio because it's just so sad.
But when Shady sent me his vocals for it,
I couldn't say no -- just listen to that belt! Mm!
I couldn't get through recording this without choking up,
so my part is a little quieter.
I like it better that way though.

Other big changes have happened recently!
If you hadn't already noticed, this website has a shiny new look.
I wanted it to be less cluttered, faster loading, and easier to navigate.
(Hope I succeeded.)

Another change: Husband got a new job!
And we moved to Washington state! Woo!
The picture for this post is what our backyard looks like.
Hello, Secret Garden.

One last change, I will be working from home for the majority of the time now,
so I will have more time to devote to music (and blogging)!
Thank you for making it this far in this ridiculously long post
(I promise not all of them will be like this),
and I look forward to posting much more frequently!

"Raptors, Run!"

There's a fitness app called "Zombies, Run!"  
But my phone is decrepit and refuses to support it,
so I made my own version
with dinosaurs.


MP3 DOWNLOAD

You are journeying as a private volunteer for D.I.E.T.I.D.E.
Department of Investigative Exploration of Time and Inter-Dimensional Eras
when your Rover has a little bit of a hiccup in the Cretaceous Period.
But don't worry, if you follow the voice of your Guide,
you'll make it to a spare jeep without getting toothed by a T-Rex.
...Or any other dino.

Warm-Up (2:40)
"Time" by Antaeus
"Clear Blue Water" by Oceanlab

Running (29:50)
"The Signal" by Bear McCreary
"This Dark and Twisty Road" by Abney Park
"Roslin Escapes" by Bear McCreary
"Just Scarecrows to War" by BBC National Orchestra of Wales
"Evolution of the Daleks" by BBC National Orchestra of Wales
"The End of Days" by Abney Park
"Bushido" by Brand X Music
"Forgotten World" by Brand X Music
"The Doctor's Theme" by Murray Gold
"Exotica" by Brand X Music
"Flight Through Jerusalem" by Jesper Kyd
"503" by Hans Zimmer
"Gaeta's Lament (Instrumental)" by Bear McCreary
"Dethroned" by X-Ray Dog
"Titan Dune" by Two Steps From Hell
"Dragon's Breath" by Brand X Music

Cool-Down (1:38)
"A Future for the Krogan" by Clint Mansell
"Grand Old Lady" by Bear McCreary

Total (34:08)



This was an incredibly engaging project,
from music selection to scripting to voicing to improvising.
And, most importantly,
this will help keep my interest in running.
Give it a download and try the adventure for yourself! 

{music credited above and © respective owners}

{"A Bad Day" © Pygar}

{Velociraptor and Tyrannosaurus Rex © Steven Spielberg}

"Typhoon Lagoon"

"God gave us the gift of life; it is up to us 
to give ourselves the gift of living well." ~Voltaire

Happiest of birthdays to Roomie Chelsea! 
We ate an entire kitchen sink of ice cream and sweets to celebrate!

Then it was off to Typhoon Lagoon
to swim it all off!

Roomies Shayla and Chelsea. :)

I faced my fears that day,
and snorkeled with sharks.
They swam up alongside me!

We roamed, we played.
We soaked up all the sunlight and surf.

Disney is a magical place,
no matter what the celebration. 

{"Let's Get Loud" via Jennifer Lopez}

"Maiden Voyage in the Snow"

"An aged Christian, with the snow of time upon his head, 

may remind us that those points of Earth are whitest 

which are nearest to Heaven." ~Edwin Hubbel Chapin

A good hunk of my life has been spent at the foot of snowy mountains. 

I have hiked them, camped in them, photographed them, 

but never once skied on them.

Until yesterday.

Friend Rob drove me up to Sundance 

and taught me how to "pizza", "french fry", and cut down the slopes.

According to him, I took to it quickly. 

Apparently, you're supposed to fall more than I did.

My posture stayed way wonky 

{I gave a whole new definition to "bandy legs"} 

but I was able to shoot down the mountain fairly well.

Of course, there were times when I lost my footing. 

After a few goes, Rob thought I was ready for a Blue Run.

...And that's when I somersaulted over myself 

and skidded head-first down the icy mountain for fifteen feet, 

scraping up my back.

But you always have to get back up,
no matter how scary the tumble.
As the Japanese say,
"Fall seven times, rise eight."

{♪ "Memories" © Two Steps From Hell}

"Wig Trials"

Once upon a Skype chat, 

Miss Erin Kairi 

suggested I dress-up as Austria from Hetalia. 

SHE dresses as Prussia.

Prussia has a little eaglet {Gilbird}.
She made this! Look how cute~

Prussia and Austria are half-brothers.
They disagree on... just about everything.

Our War of Austrian Succession costumes aren't complete
-and my wig needs trimmed & sculpted-
but we'll get there.

"Don't... touch me."

Erin Kairi also cosplays as Switzerland.

Once we get our costumes assembled,
we'll have a proper photoshoot. 

"Music & Art Commissions: Open"

"On a green stem, a flower blooms." 

I'm doing this, initially, to pay off my puppy's exam fees. 

But also, it might give me some exposure 

and help me develop my talents 

as I work to improve myself
for my commissioners.

There are two buttons on the right side of this blog, now: 

one for Music Comissions

the other for Art Commissions.

Take a look... you might find something to your liking.

{images via WeHeartIt}

"Broomless Witch ~ Colors"

Welp, there you have it.

I'll keep coloring my drawlins

until I find something that works.

My favorite, actually.

HIGHLIGHTS.

Kitschy. Aw well, experimentation is healthy.

Standing on clouds, Cho? What is this, I don't even...

Any of ya'll out there know how to color? Wanna teach me?

{"Cho", "Petrichor" © Ashley S. Harmon}

"Heart Gold Champion"

On my epic journey learning Japanese,

I have studied via many different ways,

playing Pokemon in its original form

recently being one of them.

With my rockin' team of superstars...

Calcifer {カルシファ}

Marybelle {マリベール}

Columbus {コロンバス}

Kazan {火山 meaning 'volcano'}

Fang {フェング short for fenghuang, the Chinese phoenix}

Burin {ブリン}

I have strengthened my Japanese muchly.

In Heart Gold,

there are thousands of speech patterns,

ranging from the 'standard' Kanto dialects

to the country drawls of Kansai

to the gumby prattle of old men

to the I'm-too-tough-for-pants gamble of pre-teens.

From one little game,

I'm learning tons.

{guess what? i'm a geek.}

{pichu girl via here}

"Heads or Tails?"

"What're the two things they tell you are healthiest to eat? Chicken and fish. You know what you should do? Combine them... eat a penguin." -Dave Attell

Fantastic food encounters as of late.

I had no idea how important
drinking parties in Japan are,
how the people bond
as they drink themselves under the table
holding hands
and singing karaoke.
{Not that I've actually witnessed that.}

My first time eating a fish fin.
It tasted like a chip.
{Not a British french fry.}

I was too chicken (ha ha) to eat the cheek, though.

Or the eyeball.

Just... no, please.

Lovely goma-dango balls.

By the way,
though I am consuming all these
rich, cultural foods,
I am remembering my health as well.

Just today, I started learning the hula
via YouTube.
And I bought some running shoes
and use them.
I'm so glad Bryn isn't shallow.
... I don't think I could give up Japanese bakeries for good.

{Music via Joe Hisaishi}

"Pikachu as a Study Buddy"

"Change your language and you change your thoughts."
-Karl Albrecht


I watch quiz shows sometimes.
I listen to the news,
the weather reports.
I read street shoppe signs
and flyers on the trains.
I listen to popular music
and visit ancient cities alone.
I shop at the market
and live by myself in a foreign country.

I began this journey

when I was 14.

And I still do not speak this language clearly.

And so,

I have asked Pikachu for his help.

There are so many ways to learn a language,

so many ways to make it fun.

Let's try something new:

beloved Nintendo games entirely in Japanese.

For a little sugar in my studies,

I need you, Pikachu.

{Images found here}

{Gif found here}