Guest Playlist: Adriano

My brother - The Recording Artist

"In the end call it hate, call it love -- I call it art"
-- The Kills

NAME: Adriano

HOMETOWN: Ottawa, Canada

ASTROLOGICAL SIGN: Libra, Scorpio rising

OCCUPATION: He calls it Art. Recording Artist

ALL-TIME FAVOURITE ARTISTS: 2pac, Frank Sinatra, The Kills

This latest playlist is by my brother Adriano, a born artist and gifted lyricist who has been making music that is easy to relate to and scribbling lyrics on napkins for as long as I can remember.

Adriano's art imitates a raw life filled with personal tribulations and experience that he channels in a very compelling way. His creative style may make you think he was born with an effortless cool, but as his sister I can tell you --
he wasn't!

Dedicated and passionate about his music from a very young age, I've never seen anyone try harder for something that seemed far off. I've been fortunate to be able watch Adriano grow into his talent, and I am thrilled that he is finally sharing his remarkable gift with the world.

Adriano has been busy at work with many artists & producers such as Splitt-Cityy, Mikka K, G-Freshh, E.Dot.S aka Dolla,
P. Kongo, Turl'K, Moka Only, GetAdam OnTheBeat. And most recently, he has been in the group The Black & White Team and Youngest in Charge as well as, one half of the duo Traffik with Splitt Cityy.

Be on the lookout for fresh tracks from Adriano soon. (I caught him writing just the other day!) But in the meantime, follow him on Facebook and Youtube at:

http://www.facebook.com/Official.Adriano

http://www.youtube.com/IAmAdriTV

Heartfelt thanks to my baby bro for pulling together this list of some of his fave tracks. Not only is he cool, he's also interesting. I'm always intrigued to hear what he's listening to which is why I asked him to be my first blog guest.

Let me know what you think! I love receiving your feedback.

Rock Steady

Image: Macha Jewelry

I totally love this new take on the old traditional. It's rough hewn over polish with the Macha Collection engagement rings. Skip the flash for something unusual. Choose something rock steady.

The Rockwell and Jagger are my personal faves.

Help Japan

Image: Help Japan

I just ordered this Help Japan poster by Canadian visual artist and graphic designer James White to add to my relief art collection.

All profits made by the sale of this poster will be donated to help relief efforts in Japan. Check out the Signalnoise Store for details. Order one!

Or if you care to donate to Japan relief efforts:

• Canadian Red Cross
• American Red Cross
• Doctors without Borders
• The Salvation Army
• Oxfam
• Global Living
• Care
• ShelterBox

Canada: Text REDCROSS to 30333 to donate $10
USA: Text REDCROSS to 90999 to donate $10

Missing: The Speakeasy Blogger

Image: Lady Gaga, "Born This Way"

Hi!

I know some of you are wondering why I've been missing on the blogosphere lately, friends.

I have something new brewing and it's taking loads of time to set-up. So yes, I will be taking a breather from blogging over the next few weeks. But I will be coming back fierce with something... très avant-garde.

I want to thank you for following me. I know many of you religiously follow The Speakeasy blog and I appreciate your ongoing support. I hope you've enjoyed reading it as much as I've enjoyed writing it. And I look forward to sharing my new project with you soon.

I'm on the right track, baby. I was born this way! You can look for updates here and on Facebook.

xoxo,
Aster

P.s. I'm also learning Lady Gaga's new dance! Check out her new video. It's holy hella good.

Weltschmerz vs. Tikkum Olam

Image: artemisdreaming

"A psychotic drowns in the same waters in which a mystic swims." - Joseph Campbell

Weltschmerz is a German word that means "world-weariness."
It denotes the feeling experienced by someone who understands that physical reality can never satisfy the idealistic demands of the mind. It is a depression, an apathy, a meloncholia often associated with the Romantics.

The cure to Weltschmerz is Tikkun olam.

Tikkun olam is a Hebrew phrase that means "repairing the world." In Judaism and in Kabbalah, the concept of tikkun olam calls for an ideal society. Similarly, it is what Ghandi meant when he said, "Be the change you wish to see in the world."

It has all been done before.

"I was here" is graffitied on downtown buildings and bathroom stalls everywhere, but it was also graffitied by ancients on the tombs and temples of Cleopatra's Egypt, Ancient Greece and Rome. "I am" is the premise behind Facebook and social media which, are mere modern extensions of the ancient humanistic need for primitive expression of self.

Truthfully, nobody cares what you're having for dinner, if your flight was delayed, or what latest greatest cutesy thing your kid just did. Nobody cares to see pictures of the bathrooms, closets, and garage of your new house. (I hope) your life is more interesting than that.

Personal trivial details of your life are significant to the eye of the beholder. That is, your spouse, mother, and best friend who are sharing these experiences with you. To the rest of us, they become excess. Less is always more. And yet we are all guilty of overshare (Aster writes in her blog!!) and we are all weary because of it.

Instant gratification is unfulfilling. Instant status updates to your mobile device about the latest unremarkable happening to occur to you in your lifetime is a knee jerk reaction that quenches the abyssal appetite of your ego and runs counter to your own happiness.

We are what we think.

Instead of letting randomness occur to you, make great things happen. Be extraordinary. The idea that there is much wrong with the world is ancient. As ancient as its solution: Accept and be the change you want. Think, live, be change.

You make it happen

A single thought. A single word. A single action. Yours.
Affect the things you can change. Beginning with yourself.

Tikkun olam. Repair the world. Now.

Let's make good.

Playlist: Le Love Mix

Image: Flikr

I made all you mushball lovers a new mix. Be my valentine and listen!

Hearts & Kisses

xoxo,
Aster

LE LOVE MIX

Walk the Line

"What June did for me was post signs along the way, lift me up when I was weak, encourage me when I was discouraged, and love me when I felt alone and unlovable. She's the greatest woman I have ever known. Nobody else, except my mother, comes close."

- Johnny Cash on wife June Carter Cash

Johnny and June were married for 35 years. He walked the line for her burning ring of fire.

Johnny died less than 4 months after June. He couldn't live without her love. It doesn't get any more romantic than that.

The flame of great love burns. Burns, burns, burns.

Fall in love.

London Calling

Image: UpCountry

I almost died when I saw this.