My City Like You Never Seen Before (via Jasmandii’s Photography)

My dear friend who enjoys photography as a hobby, should start thinking about it in a more professional way. His pictures are very good. This is my favorite post from him. Enjoy!

Miami has many enchanting places but nothing brings out the romance in me like standing by the venetian causeway at dusk, it simply transports me to another world. If you haven't passed by here I absolutely recommend it during the twilight hours. Summer sunsets in Miami can be magical too, California has nothing on us! Well maybe not, but still if you cant afford to travel at least you can spend an afternoon biking around downtown and you can be … Read More

via Jasmandii's Photography

OST for Cowboy Bebop

I finally worked up the courage to write about the CBB original soundtrack. It isn’t an easy task. Given my lack of writing skills, and because I treasure it so much I would have love to read something about it more than write it myself. On my frenzy, many times I have search for the anime, characters, music videos, etc. But never have I been really interested in looking for information about the soundtrack. Although some have talked about the music, and its widely known to be one the best original soundtrack for an anime, I have not read a post dedicated to the music of CBB alone… or, maybe I have not been paying attention. Either way, I have decided, today will be the day for my bebop muse. And I choose to write of its music, being –in my opinion- one main reason for its success.

The music of bebop was composed by Kanno Yoko, and The Seatbelts, which was a band specially formed just for this project by Kanno herself. They have created a soundtrack with such rich sounds -specifically focusing in Jazz- that it’s hard not to notice. Even more amazing, is the fact that their music has attracted none CBB fans as well.

The OST (for the series only) is a collection of 3 albums; Cowboy Bebop, released in May 21 of 98; Cowboy Bebop No Disc, October 21, same year; and Cowboy Bebop Blue, May 1, of 99. A mini album was also released in June 3, 1998 titled Cowboy Bebop Vitaminless. All the albums performed by The Seatbelts, and produced by Kanno under the label company Victor Entertainment.

Later, they got together again and released the OST for the CBB movie, titled Future Blues, and a mini disc, Ask DNA. Yet again, in December 22, 2004 they released Cowboy Bebop Tank! THE! BEST!. There is also Cowboy Bebop Remixes: Music for Freelance; Cowgirl Ed, another mini-CD; and Cowboy Bebop Box Set, which includes four disc; the first three discs are previously released tracks, and the fourth disc are tracks from the band’s tour. In addition, a booklet with trivia, interviews, track listings, and lyrics. The best! I know, sadly is out of production. I got my hands on one of this soon enough. (Phew)

I used the OST as reference for a school project about Jazz and how it has disappeared in modern times. I believe, it is one music genre that should not be ignored, for it has been ground for many of those “subgenres” youngsters listen to today like; Smooth jazz, acid jazz, and jazz rap, among others.

Now, I don’t know much about music, in a professional level I mean. All I know is how to listen to it and appreciated it… is that enough? I guess, at least for someone like me; a person without a real motif when it comes to music. Perhaps reason why my favorite song from the soundtrack is “Blue”, surely not the best song. I guess it has more of a meaning than anything else, since when I listen to it I remember Spike falling dead (or wounded) at the end of the series. Whatever the reason, is the one song I have chosen to share. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

The video I have to show with the music, is from the anime with images from the last episode. As much as dislike the whole Julia-Spike-Vicious trio, it is what defines Spike’s past and what the final episode is all about.

See you in space Cowboy!

My Blue Unicorn Lyrics Real Meaning (via Sine Cera)

I have made a terrible mistake and I would like to apologize for it. Especially to those who have visit my Blog in search of an answer and did not get one.
If I have to be completely honest, yes! I like to get as much hits on my Blog as I can, but we all (bloggers) want that. It’s inevitable. You write something on your Blog for others to read and agree or disagree with you. You want the attention. However, what I want more than hits on my Blog is for those who visit, to get the answers they are looking for. It puts a smile on my face, and gives me warm feelings; to know I have given someone a little bit of me, my truth. When I write, I do it to share what I know –what little I know. Well, I have made a terrible mistake. I have not been true to that principle. Not completely, no.
On my first Silvio Rodriguez post (“My Blue Unicorn”) I wrote about Silvio a little, and about how I felt. What I didn’t write about was, perhaps, one of the most important things to the reader; the meaning of Silvio’s lyrics.
When I was searching for a video on youtube I came across many comments from fans on that particular song, and one of them caught my eye. It was funny, yet I felt offended. One commenter said the lyrics for “My Blue Unicorn” were written after a blue pencil Silvio treasured and lost. I could not stop laughing, and then when I did, I was offended somebody who likes Silvio would think of something like that. As an artist myself, I know inspiration can come from anything at any time. This is true. However, when you think of Silvio, and you know some of his famous songs; “Playa Giron”, “La Masa”, “Ojala”, “Oh Melancolia”; this songs were not written out of talent alone, there was a motif and significance. Why think a song like “My Blue Unicorn” would be written after a blue pen? Am I being uptight? Maybe.
I didn’t do anything about it since I was focusing on finding the right video to post on my Blog. Now, several weeks later I regret not adding this bit of information to my post. To think that someone found my Blog in search for an answer and got anything else except that, makes me feel disappointed in myself.
So, in hopes that this won’t happen in the future, I have decided to reblog the post “My Blue Unicorn” and give the reader the right information. The real reason why Silvio wrote that song, that it was not because he lost his favorite pen, nor a pencil, nor a marker.
The truth is, it was written for his daughter, who left home to become independent. When you think about it, there are no hidden meanings behind it. But then again, the love a parent feels for his child, is the purest and most honest one of all.

Tonight I’m missing a special someone very much, so naturally it was time to listen to some good sad songs; My Blue Unicorn fit perfectly. My Blue Unicorn Is a song composed and performed by Silvio Rodriguez. He is known to be the best folk Cuban singer, although I can tell you he is not the only best; there is also Pablo Milanes; but aside from that Silvio is a poet, a singer, and an artist, in one word, a troubadour. Some of his songs praise th … Read More

via Sine Cera

Its Not So Bad After All – Think About It

I had the worst morning yesterday (or so I thought). I woke up late for work and didn’t have any ironed shirts to wear, my boss was coming into the office  from his trip to Arizona, and I knew he was in a horrible mood because his Deposition didn’t go well. Then, when I was walking my dogs,  a little dog peed on me and I had to change. Then I went to start my scooter which is how I get to work  and it didn’t start, so I had to go back up to the 27th floor, wake up my boyfriend who has a late work schedule so he must sleep the morning to compensate, and asked him to bring me to work. Oh! and I had to take the bicycle so I could bike my way back home in the afternoon since my second half was at work till 10pm and I get out at 5pm. We of course, got into a huge fight over nothing during the way to work and got me in an even worse mood. As I got out of the car, and as I was coming in to the building – sweating and lets not forget in a  horrible mood, depressed, and thinking how miserable my life was, I stumbled upon a woman in “Au Bon Pain” (the cafeteria where I buy my coffee every morning in the lobby) who had her entire face burned and deformed – she must have been in her 20’s and she was so happy joking with everyone, and she was showing her wedding photo to one of the girls that works there – I had a chance to glance over it and saw the guy she just married – good-looking  in his 30’s – despite her condition she seemed very cheerful and was telling the girl that she was planning on having a baby soon but she first needed to reconstruct her stomach tissue through a surgery because her skin was so burned down there that it didn’t stretch.  I couldn’t stay listening to them talk, because they gave me my order and I had to run upstairs to hell, but let me tell you that I felt like the luckiest person in the world despite all my problems and my sadness – here was I thinking I had problems and was feeling all depressed and ugly because I am a few pounds overweight, and had a few issues in the morning and this girl with this horrible disfiguration was living life to the fullest.  I felt so blessed and so stupid at the same time and immediately I got in a great mood.   I promised myself not to be sad, or depressed for stupid things, because what I experienced this morning was a gift from heaven.  We have to be thankful for life and love ourselves no matter what, because if there are people less fortunate out here with missing limbs and disfigurations, and they can feel happy and move on, so can we!

There is nothing more beautiful than a day after another. Time heals everything! Remember that.

Magic City

The month is ending, and I’m feeling kind of sad. It’s been tough for me, since I like to see friendly posts on my blog -mine are too serious and not that much fun- and my dear friends and fellow authors have not post anything this month. I miss their unique styles and eccentricities. I guess I can be selfish at times… Oh well! Until I read from them again.

Meanwhile, I will share this wonderful piece of music from SimCity. It makes me feel empowered.

Magic City, from SimCity 3000.