Magical Moment 378, "Bull's Eye"

There are times when I wonder if I'm living in a parallel universe. It's that intense feeling of deja vu when it seems like I'm living a past moment and present one all at once. Like that time on the subway when all five senses took me back to the moments right before I jumped out of a C-130 in the Army - the way I stood, the jerk of the train, the smell, the cramped discomfort. Or the time I walked through my hallway in the middle of the night and heard Latin music blaring from what seemed like my bathroom. I swore I was dreaming, I even tried to wake myself up until Eddie reassured me I was already awake. Today I had another one of those odd sensations.

I sat perfectly still and quiet. I adjusted the muscles of my body, my shoulders, my arms, my abs. I looked straight ahead. I took a deep and deliberate breath. I did this over and over. Each breath drew the same amount of air into my diaphragm. Each exhale relaxed my shoulders to same height. I found myself reciting these words over and over: body position, breathing, trigger squeeze, sight picture. This is how you hit the target. Only, I wasn't at a firing range, I was in a recording booth.

Just like in a dug out, concrete hole, I was surrounded by the enclosed, gray space of the sound booth. Just like on a live firing range, I was nervous and cautious. Just like the ear protection that silences the outside noise, I could hear every sound my breath made through the sensitive ear phones. I was alert, aware, focused. I'm gonna hit it today. Ready, aim, fire.

Here are posts as I chronicle my album recording with Modern Vintage Recordings:

1. Optimistic Gamble

2. Sophie's Choice

3. Pre-Production Meeting Two

4. Redeemed

5. To Accordion or not to Accordion, that is the Question

6. Fifth String

7. My Story

8. A Good Problem

9. Move On

10. The Drums!

11. The Strings!

12. The Double Bass!

13. The Piano

14. Vocal Lesson

Magical Moment 625, "Thailand - the Elephants"

Needless to say, my favorite part of our Thailand vacation, was our week long volunteering at Elephant Nature Park ! The logging industry was banned in Thailand in 1989, leaving thousands of elephants unemployed. These elephants are now used for tourism. You may have heard of elephant shows featuring the animals playing soccer or painting pictures with their trunks. They are no doubt amazing to watch, but the sad truth is that these elephants have gone through a series of torture and abuse to "break their spirit" by their trainers. This short clip is very hard to watch, but it will give you an idea of what the elephants in captivity in the country of Thailand go through. The only elephants in Thailand who do not endure this, are the very few baby elephants who are first generation born in "safe captivity" at places like Elephant Nature Park. Every other elephant at this park has been brutally abused. Some have been blinded by their owners, le

Magical Moment 620, "Lilac Garden"

Eddie and I visited the Lilac Gardens at Ringwood Manor in New Jersey, a pristine and beautiful state park with 8 species of lilacs and several varieties within. We went on a rainy afternoon, which turned out perfect because the rain stopped for us when we got there, and began again as soon as we left. It also decorated the plants with gorgeous rain drops, adding to their beauty. And now for a quick game of "Where's Elizabeth?" And "Where's Eddie?" ~~Have a great weekend! ~~

Magical Moment 280, "The Eleventh Hour"

The Veterans Day Parade, NYC On July 29, 2001 , five exceptional men were honored by the President of the United States for their remarkable military service. They were involved in a top secret mission that required unfathomable intelligence and as a result, literally won a battle which was instrumental in winning the war. Not the war that was happening in 2001, not even the Gulf War. It was World War II, and they were the Navajo Code Talkers who were largely responsible for winning the bloody battle of Okinawa. The only problem with the ceremony was that just 5 remained of the original 29. Our country was too late in thanking the other 24, and nearly too late in thanking those 5 men. On March 10, 2010, three hundred women won the Congressional Gold medal for their outstanding war service. Unfortunately, 800 received the award posthumously. These were the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) of World War II, who devoted themselves to flying military aircraft like the B-26 and B-

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