My Rant of The Day: INVESTING

When FB had their IPO...I had lots of people asking me if I was going to invest....and I thought long and hard about it but decided they were way overpriced...I mean WAY overpriced.  Had they opened at $8/share, I would've dove in for the long term.... but they were 5x's that amount..no thanks.  With millions of people on FB....they have definite potential... but for now, it's all air right now.

So here's the way I have always looked at investing; Investing in the stock market is a legal form of gambling....if you're going to put money into it, don't put it in unless you have it (don't borrow from someone) and be prepared to lose it, so it's not going to make you or break you. 

Remember the stock market is a roller coaster;  It's great when the stocks you buy go up....but they also go down; it's all cyclical. Use your head and do your homework; Just because people hype a stock, doesn't mean that you buy it..that's why they're hyping it..they convince you to buy and then they sell...you've lost and they've made a bloody fortune.  

Read...Read...Read....the internet makes it easy now inform yourself, financially.  I read everything I could....every publication out there... this was after I asked a relative, who's livelihood is in the NY Financial District, to help me and he refused...I educated myself. Then, and only then should you think of investing.   

I, personally, will never use a "financial advisor"...because in the end, if you're up on everything...they don't know anymore than you do...and now you've entrusted someone else with your money.  Good luck!

©2012 Rebecca Dru All Rights Reserved

Beauty on my Balcony

Well...we may not have been able to see the Solar Eclipse from West Hollywood today...but we could still enjoy the sun....

©2012 Rebecca Dru  All Rights Reserved

Seafood taco from Primetime Cuisine on Wheels

Yesterday, Lovey and I went to LACMA for a lecture on Latin American Art and then enjoyed the exhibits pertaining to the lecture (will get to that in a different posting).  Being that we keep saying we're going to try the food trucks, this was a perfect opportunity as they're always lined up on Wilshire Blvd across the street from the museum.  One thing I always do with truck owners/cooks/chefs...whatever label they give themselves...is..I want to know from where they got their passion to cook and how they have developed their palate. So as I visited the trucks, I asked. I'm only featuring one of the 3 we tried (too full to go on)...because they're the only one whose food fit their passion.  

The first truck is called Primetime Cuisine on Wheels; the owners of the truck are from Mexico. The husband handles the orders and the business and his wife cooks...and boy does she!  She's from a town near the sea outside of Mexico City..next time, I'll remember... (as I want to know what region they come from and are they seaside or inland). We're going to make this one our stop next Saturday...and try some of their other dishes... (and we promised the Hungarian Hamburger guy we'd try a burger and goulash too...  

We also tried the Korean NY Galbi Truck, did not like at all...and the Cali Bhan Mi Truck...his flavor was good but his execution was lousy..the veggies inside were too thickly cut, and his pork was dry and tough which made it unpleasant to eat.  I asked him about how he got into this type of Vietnamese cooking...and at first he seemed incensed that I would ask him..but..I like to know about people's passions....his was from eating it in San Jose....but never had he gone to Vietnam or really studied it.  His bread was good..his spices and flavors were good....I just wish he'd learn how to cook the pork for it...and slice his vegetables thinly...if not via knife..then get a mandolin.  These things make a difference.  I can only wish him well..but I will not be returning...nor will I recommend it.

Okay..so let's get back to the Mexican.....

The first truck we came upon was Primetime Cuisine on Wheels which was strictly Mexican (as opposed to a fusion) so we went up to the window and asked what is their specialty; seafood, with the fried crispy shell....so I ordered only one taco to taste.

I'm not going to go into a food writer's dissertation here...it's plain and simple...OMG...OMG....SCRUMPTIOUS...YUMMILICIOUS... I should've trusted my taste buds and not bothered with the other trucks...and just ordered more from them....perhaps next Saturday, I'll see you there!

©2012 Rebecca Dru   All Rights Reserved

Whenever I Go to a New Doctor, I Say This.....

I hear a lot of people complaining about their doctors...never questioning them on treatments or if they don't quite understand something or feeling less than. Remember, you're paying for a service, you should feel comfortable with whomever you choose.  Don't be afraid to ask questions, to be informed about every aspect of whatever your issue is.  Don't be afraid to say something if you feel intimidated by your doctor.  Here's the way I see it....

Whenever I go to a new doctor, I always start with this....

"Hello Doctor, It's nice to meet you.  I need to say a few things first.   Firstly, I'm not a big fan of doctors...I've had some horrible experiences, so this is what I need from you.  I need a doctor who will treat me with respect; a doctor with a heart, who's kind, caring and compassionate.  I need a doctor who'll speak to me in layman's terms and explain everthing to me so I understand exactly what's going on.   I need a doctor who is a human being and doesn't think he's god.  If you can give me that and your time, then let's continue.  If not, I'll turn around and walk out the door." Generally, it catches them so off guard that they soften right up and are totally different than had I not said this.

Don't ever be afraid to speak up!!

First...let's get down to business....If you live in CA..please make an effort to sign this!

Since this is a California Ballot Initiative, we need in-person, physical signatures. We cannot gather online and have until April22nd to gather 800,000 signatures to get this on the 2012 California Ballot. California registered voters can go to http://www.labelgmos.org/ and find their local area leader and find out where they can sign. :) Thanks for being aware and helping spread the word.

Do you ever think about what you're putting into your mouth....and I don't mean going to extreme's...just basic things...processed things...  Here's just an example..  Ethanol and Shellac are common ingredients in processed food, chocolate, candy and confections... read on to see what these.  Next time you think about eating a candy bar, a breakfast bar...snack food...put on your glasses (if you need them) and read away....I think you might be horrified by what you see and think twice about putting it in your mouth...something fresh... organic, non-GMO might be a better alternative.... 

Ethanol within the human body is converted into acetaldehyde by alcohol dehydrogenase and then into acetic acid by acetaldehyde dehydrogenase. The product of the first step of this breakdown, acetaldehyde, is more toxic than ethanol. Acetaldehyde has been shown to increase the risk of developing cirrhosis of the liver, multiple forms of cancer, and alcoholism.

Shellac is a brittle or flaky secretion of the insect Kerria lacca, found in the forests of Assam and Thailand. Shellac is considered edible and it is sometimes used as a glazing agent on pills and candies. This coating may not be considered as vegetarian as it may, and probably does, contain crushed insects. In the tablet manufacture trade, it is sometimes referred to as "beetlejuice" for this reason. Shellac is known to cause allergies on contact, resulting in skin irritations.

©2012 Rebecca Dru  All Rights Reserved

Rebeccadru on Redbubble.com

Started a new page on Redbubble.com... posting my favorite shots I've taken over the years.

To the "Entertainers" out there and the people who mimic them...."Conversate" is NOT a word. The correct word is "converse". It takes less time to write, less time to say.... Learn it!

Do you pick it up or pass it by?

I was brought up to believe in the value of every coin....and we collect over $100 in coins every year just along our walks...sometimes it puzzles me how many coins we find as though someone just emptied out their pockets at the mere annoyance of coins.


Curious....if you see a coin on the ground...be it a penny, nickel, dime or quarter....do you pick it up or pass it by?

Today, as we returned home from our walk with the dogs, I found $60 today wrapped up in an ATM slip that someone obviously dropped walking up my street... some would say...keep it....but I feel it necessary to go to the bank to return it to the rightful owner seeing as their bank balance wasn't too high..that could be a day's pay....

What would you do?

PUGLIA in October

I'm meeting up with Jami Cakes (and possibly my sis and bro) for 10 days in Puglia... so I've made a tentative list of where we're going....a bit ambitious...but never hurts to do my initial research and then experience it as we go....

Foggia

Lucera

Campobasso

San Severo

San Giovanni Rotondo

Vieste

Mattinata

Monte Sant'angelo

Manfredonia

Trani

Molfetta

Modugno

Giovinazzo

Bari

Polignano

Monopoii

Fasano

Ostuni

Cisterno

Alberobello

Locorotondo

Martina Franca

Ceglie

Torre Canne

Brindisi

San PIetro

Lecce

Acaya

Vernole

Otranto

Casarano

Castro Marina

Santa Maria di Leuca

Gallipoli

Castromediano

Pulsano

Nardo

Manduria

Sava

Oria

Taranto

Massafra

Matera

Gioa del Colle

Aquaviva

Gravina in Puglia

Venosa

Canosa di Puglia

Basilicata: Venosa

©2011 Rebecca Dru All Rights Reserved

Roasted Boneless Leg of Lamb

I'm not a huge fan of lamb...Jerry and Jami are. My favorite part is the bone from the lamb chops with the little bit of meat and carmelized fat lining the edge of the bone.... but...if the lamb is exceptionally made, I could actually start to like it....

Before Jami Cakes left for Tanzania, I picked up a boneless leg of lamb as requested by the boss of our kitchen....except that there was no time left to make her creation. Yesterday, Jerry had a hankering for lamb and I remembered it was in the deep freezer chest...so he fished it out and defrosted it. I'm not about to wait 5 months to use it. We can pick up another one upon her return.

Sorry people....can you believe I forgot to take pix...ME...forget the cam? OY....so we'll have to go by description only.

I fired up the oven to 500˚ for about 20 minutes. While that was happening, the 4 lb lamb roast was close to room temp, tied up and ready to go. Yeah..I know what they say for food safety...out of the fridge and into the oven..but not me...Meat just does NOT cook optimally this way. Timing for me is everything and when that pan enters the oven....I know exactly when it's going to come out by the temp of the meat when it went in...and we're all healthy here.... Personally, I think it's from where you get your food. Mine is from a local butcher and they know the animal.

While the oven is heating... I make a Proveçal paste. One of my "tricks" is I buy a big bag of dried Porcini mushrooms once a year and in a coffee bean grinder, I grind them up into dust, pack them in tupperware containers for the freezer. This way, when I need mushrooms for sauces, rubs or pesto, I use the dust...it's fantastic....and yeah...I know I should make my own herbes de Provence..and I will when I'm out, but a friend brought me back a couple of excellent bags from France and it's convenient. OH...and for you foodies, yeah..I know this is more of a winter dish...but so what....on a cool summer night as it was tonight..it works out beautifully!

Provençal Rub

1 TBSN Porcini mushroom dust

9 minced garlic cloves

1 TBSN herbes de Provence

Rosemary from 3 stalks, chopped finely

1 TBSN ground black pepper

1 TBSN hot red pepper flakes

1 TBSN kosher salt

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Combine the above ingredients in a small bowl and mix with a fork.

Place the 4lb lamb in a dutch oven or a pan..make sure the pan is about the size of the lamb. You don't want it much bigger so the juices and the wine baste it. Cover the lamb entirely with the rub.

Poor in 1/2 bottle of a tasty bottle of dry red wine...and make sure it's tasty. It really is important that the flavor of the wine is happening because otherwise, you'll make a sub par dish!

Pop it into the oven and turn the heat down to 200˚. Check it in 2 hours to turn it over and pour in the rest of the wine.

Notice the aroma....your nose will lead you to the oven when something is ready.... and in this case....about another 2 hours later....you'll have a tender delicious succulent lamb roast ready for the table...if it makes it there! In our case....that's a lot of meat for 2 people...so...I'll be putting mine in a salad or having it with rice and lentils and Jer will be making some sandwiches.

Try it...you might like it! I did and I'm hooked!

In MY LIVING ROOM™ Private Salon #4

Our next IN MY LIVING ROOM™ salon #4 is tonight, Friday, May 6th, 2011....Jami Cakes will be here!!!

Quite an evening...Argentinian, Brasilian, Spanish, Classical, R&B, Pop Musicians, Composers, Writers, Story Tellers, Comedians, Artists, Actors, Triangle Players, people who want to eat, drink and be merry..people who like to cook...people who just want to chat, listen, sing along and have fun!

More to come!

A Day at the Beach....

It was a glorious day at the beach today. I'm so enjoying our warm sunny Southern CA weather hoping it will last a little longer.

Upon our arrivial, I noticed a (about 9 year old) kid take off and run from his parents to the Lifeguard Tower while the parents weren't looking.....panicked parents calling for him...becoming more panicked that he was in the water drowning....father getting angrier and angrier, yelling louder and louder, not asking if anyone had seen him, not thinking about how his voice is affecting anyone...not thinking that had the kid been in the water...the lifeguards would have noticed....kid comes running back...the father with a mouth on him screams after the kid...and the nervously laughing kid runs from his father, knowing full well what his father will do...and it's not hug him. He slams the child's body into the ground...flattens him out like a pancakes and with his 300 lb torso, presses his knees into the boy's back while taking his long arm 3' up in the air...slamming it down on his son's rear end 3 times as the boy's two young siblings (about 2 years and 4 years of age) watch. He then rips him off the ground and the crying child gets no sympathy from his mother who continues the process, screaming at him, grounding him from every possible thing in his life...telling him what could've happened to him. Now I understand their being upset....but never once....did they put their arms around that boy and tell him they were glad he was okay....never once....did they take responsibility for not watching him.....all they did was to show him anger, hatred and instill fear.... and instill a lot of negative attention.... and tell the two young children that their brother is fine. Where was the love?

In the next moment....I see a young hispanic father with his two 18 month old children....and 8 of his friends playing on the beach. The father lovingly walks hand in hand with his children to the shoreline....and as the water washes over their feet, the children squeal with delight and a big smile breaks out on the father's face. Next to them, the 8 men sit in the water as though they were young children, awaiting the wave, laughing every time it sweeps over them; pure joy.

What a pleasure it was to leave the beach today with that picture in my head instead of the first.....I wanted to thank them for that gift.

©2011 Rebecca Dru All Rights Reserved

Stair Climbing on Your Ass for Seniors

Just had a conversation with my dad; he had been asking about Jerry's recovery from recent knee surgery. I playfully told him that Jerry has now graduated from climbing the stairs on his ass to walking them with great agility. My Pops' response, "well, he should keep on doing them on his rear...you know, as we men age, we lose our rear ends and we need to do things to keep it shaped. If you don't use it, you lose it!" . I jokingly told my dad that the next exercise video I shoot of him (we've done "Mr. Wilson's Calesthenics; the YMCA exercises" and "Boxing for Seniors starring Mr. Wilson and Tiger") will be "Stair Climbing on Your Ass for Seniors". I said I see so many men his age installing the seat that rides up the stairs, I wonder if those people actually sat down on the step and pushed themselves up, one step at a time, if it wouldn't be better for them. They'd have to work those muscles with each step. He heartily agreed. So...be ready...next time I see my Pops....expect a new exercise video!

IN MY LIVING ROOM™

Our next IN MY LIVING ROOM™ salon is being combined with our annual DAY AFTER THANKSGIVING party.....Jami will be home...she'll be the boss of the kitchen and it will be truly time to celebrate!!!

Quite an evening...Argentinian, Brasilian, Spanish, Barbershop Quartet, Classical, R&B, Pop Musicians, Composers, Writers, Story Tellers, Comedians, Artists, Actors, Triangle Players, people who want to eat, drink and be merry..people who like to cook...people who just want to chat, listen, sing along and have fun! In My Living Room Friday, November 26th, 4:00PM address given 2 weeks prior to event providing you RSVP

If you'd like to perform, please make sure it's LIVE unless you're singing to track.

If you're not on the invitation list, please ask if there's a space for you. This fills up very quickly.

©2010 Rebecca Dru All Rights Reserved

Check out my guest blog contribution on FIVE SCRIBE: TAKE BACK YOUR POWER

I say it every day....”Take back your power!”. As artists, we give it up so easily. We bow down to authority. We think we’re not worthy and we allow others to disrespect us. So I’ll say it again....shouting it louder...”Take back your power”....find your sense of self....set boundaries and TELL people what you want.

It seems to me as artists, we have two different arenas in which to take back our power… the creative and the market place.

In terms of the creative arena, your instincts are your talent...they’re all you’ve got. Trust them.

As far as the business.... you can’t take things personally. Remember everyone’s brain is wired differently...people don’t necessarily think like you do. We have expectations that one can read our mind (or our novel or our screenplay) and that we all do things the same way. We don’t. It’s not just about men and women being from different planets....everyone is. You can say something 1000 different ways before the other person gets it...but eventually, if you stick with it, they will.

Find the humor... .don’t take things so seriously...take responsibility for that which is yours and put the rest back on the other person. Remember that when an editor or publisher doesn’t shower attention on you or show you respect, it may have nothing to do with you..and usually doesn’t...you just happened to be with them in an inopportune moment.

Think about the people on your creative and professional team. Do they enrich your creative process.... what is your purpose for pursuing them?

Why do you get upset when they’re not available to you...who are they to you? If they’re really someone worth keeping on your team, then start developing communication skills. It’s vital for a successful business partnership that you tell them what you want and expect from them. If they’re not someone that gives depth and meaning to your life; to your career; to your creative process - if the feeling isn’t mutual...let them go...clean house.

Speak up! Find a way to talk to your agent, manager, publisher or editor about what is okay and what is not. Don’t go in there and squirm....Take notes...create bullet points, take a deep breath and get oxygen into your brain, stand up strong and say what you need to say in an intelligent articulate emotionless manner. The people who take risks in life are the ones who get what they want.

Take Back Your Power.

Bucket List?

Today...I had a private lesson with the lovely and brilliant Wendy Hammers. As an opening exercise...she asked me to write a "bucket list". That was going to be a tough one for me.... I don’t have a bucket list...I don’t know that I believe in them....because I like to live my life that if today were my last day here on earth I am complete. Is there anything I feel missing in my life.... anything I haven't accomplished to make my life full? I love my life...I have everything I could ever want and should I leave....the only thing I can think of missing would be my heart....would be the people I carry in it... I would miss being able to wrap my arms around love....

I’ve traveled to the places in the world I wanted to see.....sure there are always more...but how many beaches.... how many cities... buildings... cultures ... food... can one experience before you realize you have everything that you want inside of you.

I used to dream of singing with a full orchestra at the Hollywood Bowl... I've stood on that stage over a dozen times and looked out at the audience..during one of my husband's rehearsals or before one of his concerts...and now....I don’t care anymore. There isn’t too much more that I want...because truthfully...what I wanted most in my life was love...and I have that...my heart is full.

SAND IN MY SHOES Lyrics: Susan Santiago Music: Rebecca Dru

Rebecca Dru...Back after 24 years Live at The Santa Monica Playhouse

On Thurs, May 13...celebrating the launch of Dennis Danziger's novel, A Short History of a Tall Jew at Village Books in Pacific Palisades.....great read....I'll be multi-tasking....baking (since Jami is out of town) and singing some tunes..

An Instrumental A Week: Night Soliloquy

Musical Guest, Rebecca Dru in: Leftist Ladies and THEE Christian Wright

Ann Oldenberg of USA TODAY said...Anyone who listens will fall under the spell of Rebecca Dru's rich vocals and dreamy lyrics... She's back, after 24 years.... Rebecca Dru at The Santa Monica Playhouse ☆•*¨*•.¸¸❤❤¸.•*¨*•☆☆•*¨*•.¸¸❤❤

Please join us on Thursday, April 8th at 8:00 PM for this eclectic evening of talented artists as they present original works of story and song.

Leftist Ladies and Christian Wright is an evening of solo works in progress featuring musical guest: Rebecca Dru, Essayist: Barbara Friedman, Solo Artists: Mara Shapshay, PJ Dwan, Erin Brown, and Jody Vaclav and of course, the one and only Mr. Christian Wright

Produced by Wendy Hammers

Thursday,April 8th at 8:00PM

Santa Monica Playhouse

1211 4th Street

(a few feet south of Wilshire)

Santa Monica CA 90401

Tickets are 10 dollars cash at door. No reservation required

Join Our Mailing List! wendy@wendyhammers.com

CHICKS WHO ROCK at The Hollywood Fringe Festival!!!!

theatre

Chicks Who Rock & Roll

produced by allison cameron gray, rebecca dru & p. j. dwan, 90 minutes, ages 16+

a world premiere.

PJ Dwan and Allison Cameron Gray and Rebecca Dru wil be performing at the Fringe Festival in Chicks Who Rock & Roll on Sunday June 20, 10pm at the Hudson Theater. A world premier event. Ticket prices tbd. It's going be a fun festival, thank you Hollywood.

Sicilian Candied Grapefruit Peels and Grapefruit Infused Caramel with Creamy Pine Nuts

Sicilian Candied Grapefruit Peels

Grapefruit Infused Caramel with Creamy Pine Nuts

I finally caught up with all the peels I had and candied 4 gallons worth of citrus peels. It's interesting to see the variations that arise because, perhaps I got busy doing something else and wasn't paying attention or the peel was a different variety of that particular citrus. In the case of the grapefruit, these peels were slightly thicker than the last batch and took longer to reach the point of translucency. My trick is I slow cook them for HOURS in the simple syrup over a very low heat after initially bringing it to a boil. In this case, the simple syrup became very thick and caramel like and gave a lovely coating to the tangy grapefruit peels. You’ll notice the color is much darker, more orangey than my previous batches, which stayed the color of the yellow fruit. While the flavor is generally intense, so much that it’s hard to eat more than 2-3 strips in one sitting, these are even more so, plus they’re chewy like caramel. I rolled them in sugar and left them overnight on the drying racks, but because of the thicker coating, I had to toss them in sugar again the next morning to lightly coat them.

Usually I save the left over simple syrup and add it to the juice I previously squeezed of that juice. I call it my “Rock Candy Lemonade or Grapefruit Juice” because it gives it that candy type flavor with the acidity of the juice. It really pops in your mouth and is quite refreshing. This time, because the sugar had cooked down, what remained was caramel..it just needed a little butter and cream, but this time I decided against it. I wanted that creamy flavor so I added pine nuts. I decided against toasting them because I was going for the texture of them with the flavor of the grapefruit. I tried it out before actually following through. It was creamy goodness in my mouth...a taste of heaven. In went the pine nuts...I poured it out on silpat and the next morning, cut them in squares, tossed them in sugar so they wouldn’t stick to the jar and filled it up.

The idea is no waste. Every part but the pith of the fruit is used as well as all the sugar. What’s left over from rolling...goes into the pot for the next batch of simple syrup. It becomes a system that works..and draws me into a zen like trance as I go through the process of creating the peels.

I will say, it’s nice to be done....before we go gleaning again...it’s time for a break and to focus on other creative vices.... but the results are delicious.

Rebecca Dru opens Bitter and Sweet Chocolates, The Annual TASTY WORDS™ Valentine's Inspired stories

Thursday was a HUGE day for me as it was the first time in 24 years I sang live. I was invited by Wendy Hammers, the creator of TASTY WORDS™, to participate in her show as the musical guest.

Wendy had been "encouraging" me for MONTHS to sing and I finally took her up on the offer. This show was filled with stories about love and the pursuit of it, just in time for Valentine's Day; a great collection of bitter, bad date stories and romantic tales of joyful and requited love.

She had a terrific line up of writers:

Romie Angelich - Being Mrs Peter Moor

Ken Bank - Velcro Boys
Barra Grant - An Irish Hebraic Love Story
Judith Allen - The Captain (A Love Story)

Dave Kessler - True Stories of Dave Kessler, The Dating Daredevil

Wendy Hammers - Jewish Girl Eats Bacon and Finds God
Dylan Brody - True Romance
with musical guest Rebecca Dru

I loaded my gear in the morning. I'm so glad I bought a new mic. I had picked up a HEIL PR 30 at WLA Music and I love it...it's really responsive to my voice. I just didn't want to start back with a Shure SM 58....it's too abrupt. Once set up, I did the sound check with Marjorie Lewis who stopped by to listen...and dance...had a bite with her...relaxed at home with my dogs until it was time to go. I passed by my husband with a big kiss on my way out as he had just returned from an LA PHIL rehearsal...and on my way I went.

You have to understand...I was never going to sing live again...outside my home..so this was a big moment for me...either I was going to love it or not....and baby..I am BACK!! I took those 24 years...and enjoyed my life...my family..and filled it with love...and it made a difference. I'm not doing this for any other reason then for the pure pleasure of it...and let me tell you I had a blast! I did two songs....ANOTHER ONE OF YOU , I wrote with Susan Santiago, which is about meeting someone who's already in a relationship and wishing he/she had a clone. The other was a love song I wrote for my husband. It's the first song in the 25 years we've been together that I've written for him. I started working on a list of why I loved him and realized...I don't need it...I love him JUST BECAUSE. I collaborated on it with a wonderful lyricist out of New York, Carole Blake. Just to side track...I met Carole via my cousin Susan on Facebook. I haven't seen her since I was 3 (and I'm 51 now). I had never worked with someone I didn't know before...but Carole is fantastic! She connected with me on the sentiment of the song. I already had the chorus and the bridge and the line in the verse, " I love the way you...." and she finished it. Now the fun part is she just got married tonight and had been looking for a love song for her wedding.... THIS was her love song that she used for the first dance!

I'm thrilled....I'm relishing in this first performance...I was pleased.... and now I'm getting ready for the next one at The Santa Monica Playhouse on April 8th...where I"ll be doing more songs...new songs...songs that are pertinent to my life now. I'm excited!