Alana Davis | The Letter

I'm back already from my week-long away-from-shop vacation?  Nope.  Just wanted to blog about music. 

I have recently found inspiration in Alana Davis' album, "Surrender Dorothy," which I've had in my collection for over a handful of years now.  The actual CD, folks.  The album has been on repeat on this daylight-savings Sunday.  It is a tangibly-optimistic mix of funk, soul, and jazz--a heavenly, grounding combination for the overwhelmed in thought.

In vain, I searched on YouTube today for the song, "Vision" (which is from the album), but found nothing.  That's what I get for enjoying music by singer-songwriters of the free-spirited, yet relatable, variety.  We are a rare breed, indeed?

However, I did come across a promotional-type video for "Surrender Dorothy."  In the video, Davis sings a song, "Letter," from the album.  The song is prefaced by a short interview with Davis, in which she discusses her musical roots: her Black American father was an accomplished jazz bebop pianist, and her White American mother, a noted jazz singer.  You "get" Davis' vibe right away; she's genuinely down-to-earth and humble--a woman who is comfortable in her own skin.  This mentality/vibe, in my opinion, is so rare today in a world preoccupied with putting on airs and creating false self-images to make ourselves feel better, or worse: in the name of marketing and musical popularity; in response to societal standards and measurements of beauty.   

To get back to the main point of this post, humility and mellow is what I need right now.  Lots of it...on repeat.  This is where I find inspiration, and it feels right:

Be back in a week or so.  Until then, if you haven't already, please consider reading this entry on doing good: http://emeraldcut.blogspot.com/2012/03/one-year-later-japan-earthquake-and.html

One Year Later: Japan Earthquake and Tsunami

Initially, I was not sure if I should blog about this topic, but I have decided to in order to maintain an awareness of the lingering effects of the Japan earthquake and tsunami that occurred nearly a year ago today.  On March 11, 2011, the "Great East Japan Earthquake," a magnitude 9 earthquake that lasted six minutes, rocked the eastern coast of Japan.  Why and how does this matter today...and for the future?

My first ever Etsy shop sale was to a woman who lived on the eastern coast of Japan.  Shortly after the disaster, I found myself wondering about whether or not she, a complete stranger, was affected by the earthquake and/or tsunami.  They were some heavy thoughts, I tell you.

With the first anniversary closing in, there has recently been a few news stories on the Japan earthquake and tsunami of 2011.  Either last week or the week before, the local news reported that Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in Japan, which was directly in the earthquake and subsequent tsunami's path, will need continuous, around-the-clock maintenance for the next 30-40 years to avoid a complete nuclear disaster.  Also, within the last few months there have been a few online articles about how the pets of Fukushima, who were left behind in the designated nuclear disaster site due to their high levels of radiation exposure, have had to face the frigid, cold winter of 2011-2012 without adequate food and shelter.  And there was a short news segment on how the debris from the 2011 disaster in Japan will finally float towards the western US coast sometime in the next year.

In short, the disaster that occurred a year ago will continue to have a lasting effects on our lives, even if the news stories are not highly publicized.  Even as our memories of the event fade into the recesses of our minds, our busy lives. 

***

This is not an impassioned plea for sales, but I have three more items in the HELP JAPAN section of my Etsy shop for sale.  100% of the proceeds from the remaining two pendants and 50% of the proceeds from the remaining collage will be donated to GlobalGiving's Japan Earthquake and Tsunami Relief Fund upon purchase.  To help these items sell, I have lowered their prices, considerably.

To date, I have donated $51.00, and will donate $10.00 for each of the three remaining items after purchase ($30.00 in total).  Yes, I do realize that the listings' descriptions do not state that $10.00 will be donated per item: the pendants are under $10.00 in price, and for the collage, it says that only $8.00 is to be donated.  I will go into my pocketbook to donate the few remaining dollars because it's the least that I can do.

Donating is more than for publicity's sake because to truly live is to remember that we are all connected in this world, no matter how many degrees of separation there may be from the event--or how indirectly we are affected by it.  Every action has its consequences, and donating is my act of connection.

HELP JAPAN

 I have marked nine items in my shop as "HELP JAPAN"--100% of the proceeds of these items (excluding the shipping price) will go towards the tsunami and earthquake relief efforts in Japan.  My husband and I have had a difficult time figuring out which organization to donate through, but this is the first step...getting the funds to donate.  We will figure out the logistics later (UPDATE: We will most likely donate through PayPal).

HELP JAPAN--Unique Carnelian Disk Pendant

This decision to donate the proceeds of nine items from my shop (with bright red, round/oval stones, representing the Japanese flag) was inspired by the Etsy Treasury, "Our Love to Japan," by MagnusJournals, and the sellers it includes.


**PLEASE do not use coupon codes for the "HELP JAPAN" purchases.
Purchases of these items with a coupon code will be canceled.  Thanks for understanding this donation effort--I truly appreciate your support.