tag:chantellesings.com,2005:/blogs/blog?p=4Blog2019-08-19T12:06:18-05:00Chantelle Constablefalsetag:chantellesings.com,2005:Post/63810322020-07-09T13:58:41-05:002020-08-29T07:47:01-05:00The Menu at La Maison Macabre<p><a contents="Cheese Tortellini with Tomatoes and Corn" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/cheese-tortellini-with-tomatoes-and-corn/">Cheese Tortellini with Tomatoes and Corn</a><br>* added pearl mozzarella</p>
<p><a contents="Brussels Sprouts and Sausage Soup" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/brussels-sprouts-sausage-soup">Brussels Sprouts and Sausage Soup</a></p>
<p><a contents="Chili Con Carne" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l9sjrjr06K4">Chili Con Carne</a> w/ mashed sweet potatoes</p>
<p><a contents="Lamb Shepherd's Pie" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ET9EoS7-HC8">Lamb Shepherd's Pie</a></p>
<p><a contents="Oatmeal Blender Pancakes" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.erinliveswhole.com/oatmeal-blender-pancakes/">Oatmeal Blender Pancakes</a></p>
<p><a contents="Country Turkey and Veggie Soup with Cream" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.butterball.com/recipes/country-turkey-and-veggie-soup-with-cream">Country Turkey and Veggie Soup with Cream</a></p>
<p>Pork Chops<br>-- marinated in peach bourbon BBQ sauce, cooked with onions in the slow cooker, served with mashed sweet potatoes seasoned with cumin</p>
<p>Curry<br>-- Madras curry powder, butter, coconut milk, chicken broth, potato, sweet potato, onion, apple; served with brown rice</p>
<p>Variation on <a contents="Chopped Brown Rice Salad with Grapes and Pecans" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-chopped-brown-rice-salad-with-grapes-and-pecans-recipes-from-the-kitchn-190988">Chopped Brown Rice Salad with Grapes and Pecans</a><br>-- Shredded rotisserie chicken, grapes, cucumber, quinoa<br>-- Dressing: champagne vinegar, walnut oil, Herbes de Provence<br>-- Served over a bed of spring greens</p>
<p><a contents="Tuna &amp; White Bean Salad" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.budgetbytes.com/tuna-white-bean-salad/">Tuna & White Bean Salad</a><br>* with avocado</p>
<p><a contents="Chicken &amp; Pumpkin Soup" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.budgetbytes.com/chicken-pumpkin-soup/">Chicken & Pumpkin Soup</a></p>
<p><a contents="Lentil Soup with Beef and Red Pepper" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.bhg.com/recipe/lentil-soup-with-beef-and-red-pepper/">Lentil Soup with Beef and Red Pepper</a></p>
<p><a contents="Gingery Meatball Soup" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/food-recipes/a15341/gingery-meatball-soup-recipe-ghk0215/">Gingery Meatball Soup</a></p>
<p><a contents="Skirt Steak With Lemon and Chili-Roasted Potatoes" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/browse-all-recipes/skirt-steak-lemon-chili-roasted-potatoes">Skirt Steak With Lemon and Chili-Roasted Potatoes</a></p>
<p><a contents="Chicken With Creamy Spinach and Shallots" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/browse-all-recipes/chicken-creamy-spinach-shallots">Chicken With Creamy Spinach and Shallots</a></p>
<p>Spaghetti with Lentils</p>
<p>Potato Soup</p>
<p>Chicken/Salsa/Cheese bake served with Rice</p>Chantelle Constabletag:chantellesings.com,2005:Post/63635212020-06-23T11:11:42-05:002020-06-23T11:11:42-05:00Manifesto<p>I believe Black Lives Matter and that Trans Rights are Human Rights. I’m an anti-capitalist, antifa, Democratic Socialist. I’m divorced and I am now in an open, queer, kinky, wonderful relationship. I’m Pro Choice and Pro Sex Workers. I am a searching/agnostic/pagan/Buddhist (and a little bit pretentious). </p>
<p>I am a college student with my eye on a degree in folklore; a classic literature and classical music / musical theatre nerd. I love space and neuroscience. I love cats; dogs, not so much. I don’t really care for sports. I am a struggling artist. I have a shaved head, piercings, and tattoos. I’m on medication and in therapy for severe depression and anxiety. I value freedom, creativity, and intelligence. </p>
<p>And I am tired of hiding in the shadows. If you can accept all of who I am: Welcome. If not, kindly feel free to shove off.</p>Chantelle Constabletag:chantellesings.com,2005:Post/63147002020-05-13T07:56:56-05:002020-05-13T07:56:56-05:00Book List May 2020<p><strong>Currently Reading: </strong><br>- Why Bother (Jennifer Louden)<br>- The Molecule of More <br>- Lost Connections: Uncovering the Real Causes of Depression - and the Unexpected Solutions <br>- The Faceless Old Woman Who Secretly Lives in Your Home <br>- The Boy Who Lost Fairyland <br>- You Are Enough (Panache Desai) <br>- The Five Invitations: Discovering What Death Can Teach Us About Living Fully <br>- Gideon the Ninth <br>- Bow Down: Lessons from Dominatrixes on How to Get Everything You Want </p>
<p><strong>To Be Read: </strong><br>- Chasing the Scream: The First and Last Days of the War on Drugs <br>- The Gifts of Imperfection <br>- Everything Arises, Everything Falls Away: Teachings on Impermanence and the End of Suffering <br>- The Body is Not An Apology <br>- The Ethical Slut <br>- Why Buddhism is True <br>- Buddha's Brain </p>
<p><strong>To Re-Read: </strong><br>- I Capture the Castle <br>- Flappers and Philosophers <br>- The Van Gogh Blues</p>Chantelle Constabletag:chantellesings.com,2005:Post/58627142019-08-19T12:06:18-05:002022-03-10T23:36:27-06:00I stole these interview questions :)<p>***So, how did you get started on Your Musical Path? Perhaps which Songs, Musicals, albums, etc.. </p>
<p>Some of my earliest musical memories are at my grandparents' house -- my grandma had two VHS tapes of Calamity Jane and Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (I was smitten with Howard Keel and his big, booming voice). My grandpa was always singing old honky tonk country songs, like The Wabash Cannonball. I was also obsessed with a cassette tape of "contemporary Christian music" soprano Sandi Patty. </p>
<p>***Do you have a vocal coach, if so ~ What age did you start lessons? </p>
<p>I began piano lessons at age five, joined a children's choir at ten, and had my first voice lesson at twelve. I studied with various teachers all the way through college, and have been singing with the same local choir (that I was fortunate enough to tour Europe with) since I was sixteen. </p>
<p>***What musical genre do you consider yourself besides Classical Crossover (aka: which way do you lean in the Classical Crossover genre)? </p>
<p>I love taking the songs of Laurel Canyon - women songwriters such as Joni Mitchell and Laura Nyro - which are naturally very melodic and emotive - and putting my classically trained spin on them. (This is something I'm working on; I haven't shared it publicly yet.) My own original music is a hybrid of my love for the symphony and classic Hollywood musicals alongside traditional folk music. I love darker art songs, such as Mahler's Kindertotenlieder, and I like to take the opposite approach and sing art songs as if they are folk songs - which in a way, as songs of the people, or based on traditional texts, they are. </p>
<p>***What are your all-time favorite theatrical musicals & why? </p>
<p>West Side Story - Leonard Bernstein is my favorite composer - and The Scarlet Pimpernel. Honorable mention to Hamilton because it was so innovative and successful; Lin-Manuel Miranda is a genius. Funny Girl will always have a special place in my heart since I was able to play Fanny Brice in 2012. </p>
<p>***If you could sing with one singer who would it be ~ (can be living or deceased)? </p>
<p>Douglas Sills - best known for the lead role in The Scarlet Pimpernel </p>
<p>***Any Special Musical Performance Plans for 2019? </p>
<p>No performance plans, but recording wise... <br>1) I am really trying to focus on writing original music. I like to write whimsical folk music with a dark twist, and I'm also learning Acid / Magix software to create electroswing tracks. <br>2) I have a set of art songs and American folk music that I hope to record in the near future - the songs are united with a theme of mysticism, death, the afterlife, and fairyland. <br>3) I really hope to record at least a few tracks with my bandmate Justin Trowbridge (we are known as Hotel Gypsies, but will be re-branding soon) of our original songs and murder ballads. </p>
<p>***What is Your Ultimate Career Goal? </p>
<p>I would like to be a prolific writer and collaborate with other musicians around the world. As a bucket list item, I'd love to sing at Carnegie Hall someday and/or appear on NPR's "Live From Here" (fka Prairie Home Companion). </p>
<p>***What do you consider to be your best recorded song? </p>
<p>I'm fond of my "The Summer Night" EP; I was fresh off Funny Girl when I recorded that and I had discovered a more natural, musical theatre side to my voice. </p>
<p>***Which songs would you consider the most fun to perform? </p>
<p>Since I am a very introverted person prone to stage fright, I like performing in groups best. Playing with my rock band Echopod was always nerve-wracking (I played a keyboard with multiple effects pedals as well as manipulating a voice effects kit) but so much fun to make loud rock n' roll noise with my friends! Soloing with a choir is something I really enjoy, as well - being somewhat in the spotlight but having that wall of sound behind you is thrilling. </p>
<p>***What would you consider your signature song? </p>
<p>"I'd Rather Burn" is probably what I'm best known for performing / having written. </p>
<p>***What is your favorite color dress and/or style to wear when you sing? </p>
<p>Liza Minnelli is a huge influence on my style; dramatic black, red, and sequins. If I'm performing folk or original music, I might wear something more flowing and gothic, like Stevie Nicks. </p>
<p>***So, what are your tricks to keep your voice in shape, do you eat/drink or not eat/drink before you sing, what are your tricks for warming up? </p>
<p>I break all the rules; I like to have a shot of bourbon before a show and I firmly believe in hot toddies for curing a cold / sore throat. I do try to avoid processed sugar before I sing, but dairy doesn't really bother me. I like to warm up with silly cartoon voices; it limbers up my voice and also helps shake out some of the nerves. </p>
<p>***How many singing competitions have you performed in and/or won? </p>
<p>I've notoriously lost every competition I entered; I eventually gave up in my late teens. There was one particular singer - who was a friend from choir and is the sweetest, most talented person you will ever meet - that I always seemed to lose to in my age group, as she sang more "country" flavored songs that were popular with the judges. Although, in college, my particular "opera scenes" castmates and I were chosen to perform at the National Opera Association's annual convention in Atlanta.</p>
<p>***Do you have any pets? What are their names? What are your favorite pets? <br>I have two cats, Aggie (after Agatha Heterodyne, Girl Genius) and Teddy (Theodore Nostradamus Trowbridge). I love garden animals: snails, hedgehogs, honeybees. </p>
<p>***Do you have any other hobbies outside of singing? </p>
<p>I write everything; not just songs. I love reading, and watching British murder mystery shows. I used to be fairly good at web programing / coding but I've fallen behind with the latest versions of coding languages. I don't have space for a garden, but I love flowers and gardening. Since I have a shaved head, I like to loom knit hats for the colder months. </p>
<p>***What country do you live in? What countries would you like to visit? </p>
<p>I have always lived in (or near) Manhattan "The Little Apple" in northeast Kansas. Iceland is at the top of my list to visit, and after that probably France. I'd love to revisit Prague. </p>
<p>Favorite Songs: Nicole Byblow "Without a Soul", Jennifer Knapp "Letting Go" <br>Favorite Movies: anything from the "Classic Hollywood" era, Crimson Peak, Inception <br>Favorite TV shows: almost anything BBC: murder mysteries, Sherlock, QI, Doctor Who, the "Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell" miniseries <br>Favorite Books: I'm going to play the "I can't choose!" card -- I'm a huge reader. My favorite author is probably A. A. Milne; I'm very into non-fiction as well. <br>Favorite Food: Sushi... Pasta... Steak... <br>Favorite Desserts: lemon cheesecake <br>Favorite Color: pink & champagne <br>Favorite Subject in School: Physics, English <br>Favorite Singer: The name that jumps to mind is Cecile McLorin Salvant; in the opera realm, I love Leontyne Price and Christine Schafer <br>Favorite Actor/Actress: Again, all of the classic Hollywood greats! Judy Garland, Ingrid Bergman, Cary Grant, Leslie Howard, Jerry Lewis, Louise Brooks...</p>Chantelle Constabletag:chantellesings.com,2005:Post/58575002019-08-14T09:04:53-05:002020-11-17T05:20:10-06:00Envision Your Ideal Life<p>WHERE DO I LIVE <br>WHAT DOES MY HOME LOOK LIKE <br>WHERE DO I WORK <br>WHAT DO I DO (AT WORK) <br>WHAT IS MY DAILY ROUTINE <br>WHAT DOES MY WARDROBE CONSIST OF <br>WHAT DO I EAT <br>WHAT DO I READ / WATCH / LISTEN TO <br>HOW DO I CARE FOR MY BODY <br>WHAT IS MY 'LIFESTYLE' <br>WHAT AM I SPENDING MONEY ON <br>WHERE DO I TRAVEL </p>
<p>WHO IS IN MY LIFE <br>WHO DO I HANG OUT WITH <br>HOW DO I HELP PEOPLE <br>WHO IS MY IDEAL PARTNER <br>HOW DO I EXPRESS LOVE <br>WHOSE APPROVAL / RECOGNITION DO I CRAVE <br>WHAT BOUNDARIES DO I SET </p>
<p>WHAT DO I DO FOR FUN <br>WHAT ARE MY SIDE HUSTLES / PASSION PROJECTS <br>CAN MY PASSION PROJECT BE MY JOB <br>WHAT ARE MY LONG TERM GOALS <br>WHAT AM I WORKING TOWARDS <br>WHAT ARE MY TALENTS/SKILLS <br>WHAT ARE MY PRIORITIES <br>WHAT DO I WANT TO LEARN <br>WHAT'S ON MY BUCKET LIST <br>HOW DO MY CHILDHOOD DREAMS INSPIRE ME <br>IT IS IMPORTANT TO ME TO BE KNOWN FOR _____ <br>WHAT ARE MY CRAZIEST DREAMS </p>
<p>WHAT GETS ME FIRED UP / WHAT AM I PASSIONATE ABOUT <br>WHO INSPIRES ME <br>WHAT IS ON MY MIND <br>HOW IS MY MENTAL HEALTH <br>WHAT ARE MY VALUES / #COREDESIREDFEELINGS <br>WHAT DO I *NOT* WANT TO REGRET <br>WHAT AM I AVOIDING (GOOD/BAD)<br>DO I HOLD BACK IN ANY AREAS <br>WHAT IS MY INNER DIALOGUE <br>WHAT DO I BELIEVE IN <br>WHAT AM I GRATEFUL FOR <br>IN WHAT WAYS AM I AUTHENTIC <br>AM I MISSING ANYTHING IN MY LIFE <br>WHAT MAKES ME HAPPY, WHAT SPARKS JOY</p>Chantelle Constabletag:chantellesings.com,2005:Post/56149892019-01-27T12:37:37-06:002020-09-25T02:35:30-05:002019 Reading<h3>I've set my reading goal for 2019 at 75 books. Including all the books below, that gives me a little wiggle room to add a few new discoveries! As you can see, I'm particularly into neuroscience, brain chemistry, and the consciousness / emotions this year.</h3>
<h2>FINISHED READING: </h2>
<ol> <li> <p>Put Your Dream to the Test - John Maxwell </p> </li> <li> <p>The Bullet Journal Method - Ryder Carroll </p> </li> <li> <p>Welcome to Night Vale - Jeffrey Cranor </p> </li> <li> <p>The Witch's Vacuum Cleaner - Terry Pratchett </p> </li> <li> <p>Shadow & Bone - Leigh Bardugo</p> </li>
</ol>
<h2>CURRENTLY READING: </h2>
<ol> <li>The Shadow Effect - Marianne Williamson, Deepak Chopra, Debbie Ford</li> <li>Beauty Sick: How the Cultural Obsession with Appearance Hurts Girls and Women - Renee Engeln</li> <li>Finding Your Element - Ken Robinson PHD </li>
</ol>
<h2>WANT TO READ: </h2>
<ol> <li>Music and Mantras: The Yoga of Mindful Singing - Girish </li> <li>F*ck Feelings - Michael I Bennett MD </li> <li>Wild Tales: A Rock & Roll Life - Graham Nash </li> <li>How Emotions are Made: The Secret Life of the Brain - Lisa Feldman Barrett </li> <li>Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life - Anne Lamott </li> <li>The Art of Asking - Amanda Palmer </li> <li>How Champions Think - Bob Rotella </li> <li>The Dark Tower novels - Stephen King </li> <li>The Night Circus - Erin Morgenstern </li> <li>The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society - Mary Ann Shaffer </li> <li>Mind: A Journey to the Heart of Being Human - Daniel J Siegel </li> <li>From Bacteria to Bach and Back: The Evolution of Minds - Daniel C Dennett </li> <li>White Fragility - Robin DiAngelo </li> <li>Wired to Create - Carolyn Gregoire </li> <li>Buddha's Brain - Rick Hanson PHD </li> <li>This is Your Brain on Music - Daniel J Levitin </li> <li>The Tell-Tale Brain - V S Ramachandran </li> <li>The Brain: The Story of You - David Eagleman </li> <li>Musicophilia: Tales of Music and the Brain - Oliver Sacks </li> <li>The Secret Life of the Mind - Mariano Sigman PHD </li> <li>Self Comes to Mind: Constructing the Conscious Brain - Antonio Damasio </li> <li>Anatomy of the Soul - Curt Thompson MD </li> <li>The Emotional Life of Your Brain - Richard J Davidson PHD </li> <li>How the Mind Works - Steven Pinker </li> <li>The Hazel Wood - Melissa Albert </li> <li>The Healthy Mind Toolkit - Alice Boyes PHD </li> <li>The Mind-Gut Connection - Emeran Mayer </li> <li>Designing Your Life - Bill Burnett </li> <li>The Untethered Soul: The Journey Beyond Yourself - Michael A Singer </li> <li>I Contain Multitudes - Ed Yong </li> <li>The Human Superorganism - Rodnery Dietert PHD </li> <li>Drink: The Intimate Relationship between Women and Alcohol - Ann Dowsett Johnston </li> <li>Pure - Linda Key Klein </li> <li>Little, Big - John Crowley </li> <li>Consciousness Explained - Daniel C Dennett </li> <li>Busman's Honeymoon - Dorothy L Sayers </li> <li>The Compass of Pleasure - David J Linden </li> <li>Consciousness and the Brain - Stanislas Dehaene </li> <li>Molecules Of Emotion: The Science Behind Mind-Body Medicine - Candace B. Pert</li> <li>The Girls at the Kingfisher Club - Genevieve Valentine</li> <li>Her Body and Other Parties - Carmen Maria Machado</li> <li>Joy, Guilt, Anger, Love: What Neuroscience Can--and Can't--Tell Us About How We Feel - Giovanni Frazzetto</li> <li>Radiance - Catherynne M Valente </li> <li>The Enchanted Places & The Path Through the Trees - Christopher Milne </li> <li>A is for Arsenic: The Poisons of Agatha Christie - Kathryn Harkup </li> <li>Under the Pendulum Sun - Jeannette Ng </li> <li>The Voice is All - Joyce Johnson </li> <li>We Have Always Lived in the Castle - Shirley Jackson </li> <li>The Year of Magical Thinking - Joan Didion </li> <li>Words Without Music - Philip Glass</li>
</ol>Chantelle Constabletag:chantellesings.com,2005:Post/56079872019-01-22T19:37:06-06:002020-10-22T22:19:30-05:0015 + 15 Personal Questions #4<ol> <li>
<strong>If your 5 year old self were looking at you today, would it recognize you?</strong><br> In a goofy inner self sort of way, sure. Situationally? Nope.</li> <li>
<strong>Who is the one person you'd love to have as a mentor?</strong><br> Leonard Bernstein OR Jerry Lewis</li> <li>
<strong>What is one thing you always get when you go to the store?</strong><br> I'm always buying more pens. Especially colored pens.</li> <li>
<strong>Do you get seasick?</strong><br> I wouldn't know. I've only been on a boat on a Norwegian fjord.</li> <li>
<strong>Have you ever gotten sick from eating too much?</strong><br> I get sugar headaches...</li> <li>
<strong>What is your favorite thing to put in the freezer to eat or drink that normally isn't?</strong><br> As a kid I used to eat mozzarella sticks still frozen. Still get an odd craving every now and then... haven't indulged, though!</li> <li>
<strong>If you started training for the Olympics, what event would you have a realistic chance at?</strong><br> Archery</li> <li>
<strong>If you were going to join a music band past or present, what band would fit you best?</strong><br> Crosby Stills & Nash (& Young)</li> <li>
<strong>How long do you think you could last without your smartphone or internet?</strong><br> Oh, one day, tops</li> <li>
<strong>Is someone's word enough for you or do you need more?</strong><br> If someone matters enough to be promising something to me, then I take them at their word.</li> <li>
<strong>What is your favorite eye color on someone else, why?</strong><br> Brown/hazel -- why? Sentimental reasons.</li> <li>
<strong>Does anything make you feel claustrophobic?</strong><br> Being pressed-in all around by too many people (duh)</li> <li>
<strong>What do you have on your fridge door?</strong><br> A wedding souvenir from my best friend's wedding</li> <li>
<strong>What is the most unusual thing you've done on a date?</strong><br> Checked out the liquid nitrogen and looked at bacteria through a microscope</li> <li>
<strong>Have you ever been laid off from a job?</strong><br> No, but I've had seasonal / temporary jobs</li>
</ol>
<p> </p>
<ol> <li>
<strong>If a genie offered you three wishes, what would you wish for (not more wishes)?</strong><br> - mad piano skills<br> - immortality for my cat(s)<br> - the ability to listen to 5 symphonies (or whatever) at once, like Data from Star Trek</li> <li>
<strong>What housework/chore do you absolutely refuse to do?</strong><br> washing dishes by hand</li> <li>
<strong>Name something you had a close call with?</strong><br> drinking too much & being dangerous to myself</li> <li>
<strong>If you could live one week with an uncivilized tribe to learn their ways, would you?</strong><br> Honestly, no. I value indoor plumbing too much.</li> <li>
<strong>What one thing are you worried will never change for you?</strong><br> Financial (in)stability</li> <li>
<strong>How do you resolve conflict?</strong><br> "Conflict? What conflict?" (It's not healthy, I know)</li> <li>
<strong>If you were going to write an essay about your life what would your essay be called?</strong><br> "In Which Our Heroine..."</li> <li>
<strong>Do you think there should be a salary cap for actors in movies?</strong><br> No cap, so long as the women are paid equally with the men</li> <li>
<strong>Do you have a favorite furniture designer, if so who?</strong><br> I love anything mid-century modern</li> <li>
<strong>What is your favorite outfit?</strong><br> Leggings, tank top, big snuggly cardigan</li> <li>
<strong>What is your point of no return?</strong><br> The midway point? This one requires more thought.</li> <li>
<strong>Are you godparent to a child, if so whose?</strong><br> Nope. It would be cool, though.</li> <li>
<strong>What did you think was stupid until you tried it?</strong><br> feminism</li> <li>
<strong>Would you ever date someone with a kid or kids?</strong><br> Again, honestly? No. I don't want kids.</li> <li>
<strong>What is the worst thing you've ever tried?</strong><br> Oyster dressing (as in, Thanksgiving stuffing with oysters) -- unfortunately it's a family tradition</li>
</ol>Chantelle Constabletag:chantellesings.com,2005:Post/55351892018-12-01T14:23:47-06:002021-08-11T13:10:34-05:0015 Personal Questions #3<ol> <li>
<strong>Do you have any old friends you wish you could meet up with again?</strong><br> I miss Megan. Not sure how we fell apart.</li> <li>
<strong>If you joined a rock band what position would you want?</strong><br> HAHAHA. Lead singer & keyboard player. ;)</li> <li>
<strong>Do you know your own worth?</strong><br> Probably not.</li> <li>
<strong>If you were designing your own fragrance to represent you, what would you call it?</strong><br> Ennui</li> <li>
<strong>What did you do for your 21st birthday?</strong><br> My best friend Sam took me out to Aggieville (what else do you do in MHK?)</li> <li>
<strong>What is something that gave you buyer's remorse?</strong><br> Every time I shop at Marshall's! lol</li> <li>
<strong>Do you know how to jump rope?</strong><br> No....</li> <li>
<strong>When it's your birthday do you always wear a birthday hat?</strong><br> I try not to. But I don't mind for other people's birthdays.</li> <li>
<strong>Have you ever been to Legoland?</strong><br> NO BUT I WANT TO</li> <li>
<strong>What is your favorite ride at any amusement park?</strong><br> The Sizzler at the Marshall Co Fair</li> <li>
<strong>Describe your most independent decision or moment without others' influence?</strong><br> Getting my nose piercing on Dec 31st, 2009 / Going to New York for 3 months in 2008</li> <li>
<strong>Have you ever made a scrapbook for yourself or someone else, what was in it?</strong><br> No, but I cherish the scrapbook my mother-in-law made for my wedding photos</li> <li>
<strong>Do you think a full moon can have an effect on a person?</strong><br> ABSOLUTELY</li> <li>
<strong>In a relationship do you believe in joint or separate bank accounts?</strong><br> SEPARATE</li> <li>
<strong>Do you think friends make better lovers or that friends should never cross that line?</strong><br> I believe in every relationship beginning with friendship.</li>
</ol>Chantelle Constabletag:chantellesings.com,2005:Post/55351872018-12-01T14:16:33-06:002018-12-01T14:29:23-06:0015 Personal Questions #2<ol> <li>
<strong>If you lost everything you worked for tomorrow, what's the first step in starting over?</strong><br> Finding a reason to get up in the morning. Finding a reason to put one foot in front of the other. Living 10 seconds at a time.</li> <li>
<strong>Something you believe in that others think is not real.</strong><br> Tarot? But I use it for journaling and creative writing, not predication.</li> <li>
<strong>What social media platform are you most active on?</strong><br> Facebook / Twitter / Instagram</li> <li>
<strong>What's the simplest way you have fun?</strong><br> Watching Martin & Lewis on YouTube</li> <li>
<strong>What is your favorite personality trait you like about yourself?</strong><br> My easily-amused sense of humor</li> <li>
<strong>Does the sight of blood make you queasy?</strong><br> Definitely *uncomfortable*</li> <li>
<strong>What makes you feel unstoppable?</strong><br> <a contents="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nP0VBB7BO64" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nP0VBB7BO64">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nP0VBB7BO64</a><br> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/265039/d0b84a04e5f1f10c6b367c13417c15f56e4d58c6/original/csny-silhouette1.jpeg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpeg" class="size_m justify_left border_none" alt="" /><br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> </li> <li>
<strong>Do you think you need to slow down and enjoy life more?</strong><br> Slow down? No. Enjoy life more? Yes.</li> <li>
<strong>How do you cope with loss or death?</strong><br> Honestly? Avoidance. Crying a lot.</li> <li>
<strong>What book from your childhood would you want to read to your children?</strong><br> No children, but, Winnie the Pooh</li> <li>
<strong>What moment from your life would you love to live over and over?</strong><br> Wedding night sex *blush*</li> <li>
<strong>What news story are you tired of hearing about?</strong><br> Anything validating #45</li> <li>
<strong>How did you meet your significant other?</strong><br> We were in a band together</li> <li>
<strong>Who made the worst first impression on you but then later became your friend?</strong><br> Honestly, the opposite happens more often. I thought someone was OK but they turned out to be evil.</li> <li>
<strong>Have you ever slept outdoors?</strong><br> I've napped on top of a hay bale...? lol</li>
</ol>Chantelle Constabletag:chantellesings.com,2005:Post/55193982018-11-18T21:01:24-06:002018-11-18T21:01:24-06:00Firsts<ul> <li>
<strong>First friend</strong><br> Megan or Kayela</li> <li>
<strong>First love</strong><br> First crush was a cowboy, first celebrity crush Jim Craig / Tom Burlinson in "The Man From Snowy River"</li> <li>
<strong>First record / CD bought</strong><br> Jennifer Knapp - Kansas</li> <li>
<strong>First foreign holiday</strong><br> Norway when I was 7</li> <li>
<strong>First job</strong><br> General office lackey at a recording studio</li> <li>
<strong>First car</strong><br> '97 Dodge Dakota</li> <li>
<strong>First concert</strong><br> Rebecca St. James</li> <li>
<strong>First school</strong><br> homeschooled</li> <li>
<strong>First kiss</strong><br> on Manhattan Hill when I was 21</li> <li>
<strong>First teacher</strong><br> my mother, first music teacher was my piano teacher Loretta Petr</li> <li>
<strong>First alcoholic drink</strong><br> Bacardi & Coke in Budapest at 19</li>
</ul>Chantelle Constabletag:chantellesings.com,2005:Post/55187622018-11-18T09:41:06-06:002018-11-18T09:41:06-06:0015 Personal Questions #1<ol> <li>
<strong>What common pitfalls do you find yourself dealing with in your work life?</strong><br> Sleepiness</li> <li>
<strong>Do you tend to follow your heart or your head?</strong><br> Wish I followed my head, probably follow my heart too much</li> <li>
<strong>What celebrity or TV show in your opinion set a bad example for youth today?</strong><br> I've never even seen it, but gonna go ahead & say "Keeping Up with the Kardashians"</li> <li>
<strong>How do you feel about jazz music, if you like it who is your favorite?</strong><br> I love jazz! #1 fav who comes to mind is Cecile McLorin Salvant. (Plus all the great classics, natch.)</li> <li>
<strong>Have you even been diagnosed with something that's challenged you, if so what?</strong><br> My diagnoses of depression and anxiety challenge me daily</li> <li>
<strong>What is your favorite precious stone?</strong><br> My birthstone, ruby</li> <li>
<strong>If you had your perfect dream house, what kind of tree/s would you want in your yard?</strong><br> Catalpa and weeping willow</li> <li>
<strong>Describe your "poker face."</strong><br> I have none.</li> <li>
<strong>If happiness were the national currency, what kind of work would make you rich?</strong><br> Reading & drinking (tea! I mean... tea?)</li> <li>
<strong>Do you keep up with current events, why or why not?</strong><br> I try to; I listen to NPR / BBC World News daily. I think it's important to be informed.</li> <li>
<strong>Did you ever have a mean nickname that kids called you, one you didn't like?</strong><br> Not kids; hated when adults sang "Chantilly Lace" at me.</li> <li>
<strong>What childhood dreams have you neglected?</strong><br> I should maintain my piano skills better. Also, I LOVED writing as a child; struggle with it today.</li> <li>
<strong>Do you ever compare your life to anyone else's, if so who?</strong><br> There is a certain local female musician who makes me feel inadequate, as much as I admire her. Also, instagram celebrities in general make me feel slimy.</li> <li>
<strong>What's the craziest thing you've done in a car?</strong><br> Been kissed while driving.</li> <li>
<strong>What's something weird you do before bedtime?</strong><br> On my phone too much? I don't know!</li>
</ol>Chantelle Constabletag:chantellesings.com,2005:Post/53977912018-08-22T18:18:31-05:002020-12-18T23:35:13-06:00Favorites<p>Favorite song: “Without a Soul” - Nicole Byblow </p>
<p>Favorite music: <a contents="https://www.last.fm/user/missnewyork/library/artists?date_preset=ALL_TIME" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.last.fm/user/missnewyork/library/artists?date_preset=ALL_TIME" target="_blank">https://www.last.fm/user/missnewyork/library/artists?date_preset=ALL_TIME </a></p>
<p>Favorite book: Once on a Time (A. A. Milne), Sherlock Holmes</p>
<p>Favorite movie/TV show/miniseries: “Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell” </p>
<p>Favorite childhood TV show: Wishbone, Bill Nye the Science Guy</p>
<p>Favorite composer: Gustav Mahler</p>
<p>Favorite educational video: Leonard Bernstein Norton Lectures "The Unanswered Question: Six Talks at Harvard"</p>
<p>Favorite audiobook narrator: Stephen Fry</p>
<p>Favorite comedian: Dean Martin & Jerry Lewis</p>
<p>Favorite graphic novel: Agatha Heterodyne Girl Genius</p>
<p>Favorite meal: sushi or manicotti or steak </p>
<p>Favorite candy: toffee, anything peppermint </p>
<p>Favorite ice cream: Ben & Jerry’s Cinnamon Buns </p>
<p>Favorite perfume: Chanel Chance </p>
<p>Favorite dog breed: corgi </p>
<p>Favorite big cat: tiger </p>
<p>Favorite animal at the zoo: penguins </p>
<p>Favorite pizza topping: chicken + red onion + pineapple </p>
<p>Favorite tipple: a Manhattan </p>
<p>Favorite cartoon: The Amazing World of Gumball </p>
<p>Favorite Actor/Actress: Cary Grant, Judy Garland</p>
<p>Favorite musical: West Side Story, The Scarlet Pimpernel </p>
<p>Favorite city: New York City </p>
<p>Favorite color: pink </p>
<p>Favorite car: Chrysler Crossfire, 1967 Impala </p>
<p>Favorite soda: Vanilla Coke </p>
<p>Favorite cereal: Cinnamon Toast Crunch </p>
<p>Favorite quote: For a person remains of consequence not so far as he leaves something behind him but so far as he acts and enjoys, and rouses others to action and enjoyment. -Goethe </p>
<p>Favorite magazine: English Home </p>
<p>Favorite season: summer </p>
<p>Favorite candle scent: coconut milk mango </p>
<p>Favorite flower: red geranium, lilac, lily of the valley, violet </p>
<p>Favorite coffee order: peppermint breve or cold brew with cream</p>Chantelle Constabletag:chantellesings.com,2005:Post/53305502018-07-03T22:38:37-05:002021-10-23T14:49:58-05:00July To-Read List<p><strike>Wuthering Heights - Emily Bronte</strike></p>
<p>Songwriting Without Boundaries - Pat Pattison</p>
<p>Writing Better Lyrics - Pat Pattison</p>
<p>Last Call - Daniel Okrent</p>
<p>The Left Brain Speaks, The Right Brain Laughs - Ransom Stephens</p>
<p><strike>Strong Poison - Dorothy L Sayers</strike></p>
<p><strike>Walking in this World - Julia Cameron</strike></p>
<p>Creative Recovery - Eric Maisel & Susan Raeburn</p>
<p><strike>Make Peace with Your Mind: How Mindfulness and Compassion Can Free You from Your Inner Critic - Mark Coleman</strike></p>
<p>Why Smart People Hurt - Eric Maisel</p>
<p>How to Write Short: Word Craft for Fast Times by Roy Peter Clark</p>
<p>Make Your Creative Dreams Real by SARK</p>Chantelle Constabletag:chantellesings.com,2005:Post/50987202018-02-25T19:08:34-06:002021-10-24T11:47:43-05:00MHK Public Library Book Sale<p><img src="https://scontent-ort2-1.cdninstagram.com/vp/27bf2b49075de4921a7a9dc2fad91131/5B1273C4/t51.2885-15/e35/27893751_160386538093862_6628953469262757888_n.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" width="300px" /> <img src="https://scontent-ort2-1.cdninstagram.com/vp/89400710ec46b0b272bca1399fa80c7f/5B2D7F06/t51.2885-15/e35/28154082_350984932054198_2995919338852057088_n.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" width="400px" /></p>
<ol> <li>North by Northwest (DVD, starring Cary Grant) </li> <li>Amelia's Family Ties - Marrisa Moss </li> <li>Prozac Nation - Elizabeth Wurtzel </li> <li>The Midnight Raymond Chandler </li> <li>The Bell Jar - Sylvia Plath </li> <li>Daniel Deronda - George Eliot </li> <li>The China Governess - Margery Allingham </li> <li>The Artist's Way - Julia Cameron </li> <li>The Angels of Darkness - Caleb Carr </li> <li>Seven Types of Ambiguity - Elliot Perlman </li> <li>The New York Times Menu Cookbook </li> <li>Awakening to the Spirit World - Sandra Ingerman & Hank Wesselman </li> <li>Handbook for the Soul - Richard Charlson and Bejamin Sheild, editors </li> <li>The Tenth Power - Kate Constable </li> <li>Pirate King - Laurie R King </li> <li>Folly - Laurie R King </li> <li>Creating Women: An Anthology of Readings on Women in Western Culture vols. I & II </li> <li>African Pygmy Hedgehogs As Your new Peg </li> <li>The Best of Bon Apetit </li> <li>The Virtues of War - Steven Pressfield </li> <li>The Facts of Life and Other Dirty Jokes - Willie Nelson </li> <li>Eat, Pray, Love - Elizabeth Gilbert </li> <li>Music & Society: The Later Writings of Paul Honigsheim </li> <li>Eye of the Crow (The Boy Sherlock Holmes) - Shane Peacock </li> <li>Danton: A Life (The Giant of the French Revolution) - David Lawday </li> <li>Barbra - Christopher Andersen </li> <li>Rag and Bone - Peter Manseau </li> <li>Strange Candy - Laurell K Hamilton </li> <li>The Go-Girl Guide - Bourland </li> <li>The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society - Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows </li> <li>Salad Gardens - Luebermann </li> <li>The Incredible Incas and Their Timeless Land</li>
</ol>Chantelle Constabletag:chantellesings.com,2005:Post/49952682017-12-27T08:55:59-06:002018-07-31T17:39:24-05:0040 Books to Read in 2018<ol> <li>Music and Mantras: The Yoga of Mindful Singing for Health, Happiness, Peace & Prosperity by Girish, Rolf Gates </li> <li>You Are Enough: How To Elevate Your Thoughts, Align Your Energy & Get Out of the Comparison Trap by Cassie Mendoza-Jones </li> <li>The Mind-Gut Connection: How the Hidden Conversation Within Our Bodies Impacts Our Mood, Our Choices, and Our Overall Health by Emeran Mayer </li> <li><strong>Steering by Starlight: The Science and Magic of Finding Your Destiny by Beck PhD, Martha </strong></li> <li><strong>Judgment Detox: Release the Beliefs That Hold You Back from Living A Better Life by Gabrielle Bernstein </strong></li> <li>Dark Mirror: The Pathology of the Singer-Songwriter by Donald Brackett </li> <li><strong>You Do You: How to Be Who You Are and Use What You've Got to Get What You Want (A No F*cks Given Guide) by Sarah Knight </strong></li> <li>Zelda Fitzgerald: The Tragic, Meticulously Researched Biography of the Jazz Age's High Priestess by Sally Cline </li> <li>The Collected Writings of Zelda Fitzgerald by Zelda Fitzgerald </li> <li>Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald by Therese Anne Fowler </li> <li>Something Is Always On Fire: My Life So Far by Measha Brueggergosman</li> <li>Witches, Sluts, Feminists: Conjuring the Sex Positive by Kristen J. Sollee </li> <li>Warrior Goddess Training: Become the Woman You Are Meant to Be by HeatherAsh Amara </li> <li>Saturn Returns: Thinking Astrologically by Tom Jacobs </li> <li><strong>The Dark Side of the Light Chasers by Deborah Ford </strong></li> <li><strong>Finding Your Own North Star: Claiming the Life You Were Meant to Live by Martha Beck </strong></li> <li>Buddhist Scriptures (Penguin Classics) by Donald Lopez</li> <li>The Ode Less Travelled: Unlocking the Poet Within by Stephen Fry </li> <li>Post-Traumatic Church Syndrome: One Woman's Desperate, Funny, and Healing Journey to Explore 30 Religions by Her 30th Birthday by Reba Riley </li> <li>Breaking Up with God: A Love Story by Sarah Sentilles </li> <li>Feminine Endings: Music, Gender, and Sexuality by Susan Mcclary </li> <li><strong>At the Existentialist Café: Freedom, Being, and Apricot Cocktails with Jean-Paul Sartre, Simone de Beauvoir,Albert Camus, Martin Heidegger, Maurice Merleau-Ponty and Others by Sarah Bakewell </strong></li> <li>Shakti Woman: Feeling Our Fire, Healing Our World by Vicki Noble </li> <li>Wild Tales: A Rock & Roll Life by Graham Nash </li> <li>Rise Sister Rise: A Guide to Unleashing the Wise, Wild Woman by Rebecca Campbell </li> <li>Own Your Glow: A Soulful Guide to Luminous Living and Crowning by Latham Thomas </li> <li><strong>Origin: A Novel by Dan Brown </strong></li> <li>The Shadow Effect: Illuminating the Hidden Power of Your True Self by Deepak Chopra and Marianne Williamson </li> <li>Beyond the Self: Conversations Between Buddhism and Neuroscience (MIT Press) by Matthieu Ricard and Wolf Singer </li> <li>Buddha's Brain: The Practical Neuroscience of Happiness, Love, and Wisdom by Rick Hanson and Daniel J. Siegel </li> <li>How the Mind Words by Steven Pinker </li> <li><strong>Make Your Creative Dreams Real: A Plan for Procrastinators, Perfectionists, Busy People by SARK </strong></li> <li>How to Create a Mind: The Secret of Human Thought Revealed by Ray Kurzweil </li> <li>Joy, Guilt, Anger, Love: What Neuroscience Can--and Can't--Tell Us About How We Feel by Giovanni Frazzetto </li> <li>Consciousness and the Brain: Deciphering How the Brain Codes Our Thoughts by Stanislas Dehaene </li> <li>Mind: A Journey to the Heart of Being Human (Norton Series on Interpersonal Neurobiology) by Daniel J. Siegel </li> <li>The Mind Club: Who Thinks, What Feels, and Why It Matters by Daniel M. Wegner, Kurt Gray </li> <li>The Tides of Mind: Uncovering the Spectrum of Consciousness by David Gelernter </li> <li>The Sun & Her Flowers by Rupi Kaur </li> <li>Magic and Music : The Language of the Gods Revealed by Juanita S. Wescott</li>
</ol>Chantelle Constabletag:chantellesings.com,2005:Post/49879892017-12-21T10:58:41-06:002021-10-22T13:25:29-05:00Top Albums of 2017<p>In no particular order...</p>
<ol> <li>Aubrey Logan - Impossible </li> <li>Camille - Oui </li> <li>Sarah Slean - Metaphysics </li> <li>Jennifer Knapp - Love Comes Back Around </li> <li>Bjork - Utopia </li> <li>Dhani Harrison - In///Parallel </li> <li>Kate Dowman - Whispering Tides </li> <li>Halsey - hopeless fountain kingdom </li> <li>Cécile McLorin Salvant — Dreams and Daggers </li> <li>Lucky Soul — Hard Lines </li> <li>Viva Trio — Nothing Else Matters </li> <li>Alice Francis — Electric Shock </li> <li>Carly Paoli — Singing My Dreams </li> <li>Nolwenn Leroy - Gemme </li> <li>Brigitte - Nues</li>
</ol>
<p>Bonus: Older albums I discovered in 2017</p>
<ol> <li>Dorothy — ROCKISDEAD </li> <li>Ivy Levan — No Good</li>
</ol>Chantelle Constabletag:chantellesings.com,2005:Post/49722622017-12-11T15:47:31-06:002017-12-11T15:47:31-06:00Christmas Wishlist<p>Here's a little peek at what I asked Santa for this year!</p>
<p><img src="https://i.imgur.com/6ROdB9v.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /></p>
<p>[Left to right, top to bottom]</p>
<ol> <li>Sprouted Kitchen cookbook</li> <li>QI DVD set</li> <li>"Leatherbound" tea blend</li> <li>SodaStream Jet</li> <li>"Cool Story, Poe" mug</li> <li>"The Leonard Bernstein Letters" book</li> <li>"Secret Gardens of the Cotswolds" book</li> <li>Danielle LaPorte Desire Map 2018 Daily Planner</li> <li>Remi - "Into My Imagination" CD</li>
</ol>Chantelle Constabletag:chantellesings.com,2005:Post/49561142017-11-30T10:04:56-06:002022-05-22T22:44:03-05:00Hygge<p>Lately, I've been obsessed with the Danish concept of "Hygge": <em>a Danish word used when acknowledging a feeling or moment, whether alone or with friends, at home or out, ordinary or extraordinary as cozy, charming or special.</em></p>
<p><strong>Here are some hygge concepts that I've been incorporating in my life.</strong></p>
<p> </p>
<ol> <li>Fresh flowers</li> <li>Coffee-shop coffee (today I ordered a peppermint breve)</li> <li>Knitting a hat with bright, beautiful yarn</li> <li>Burning candles</li> <li>Snuggling with a cat & reading a book (yes, I do this a lot (see: previous list on self care))</li> <li>Sitting by a fire in the backyard while writing / if the weather is nice enough, just sitting on a blanket on the grass while writing</li> <li>Shopping at a used book store</li> <li>Laughing with friends while playing <i>Apples to Apples</i> or <em>Cards Against Humanity</em>
</li> <li>Baking homemade bread</li> <li>My daily power combo of Danielle Laporte's "Desire Map Planner" and Sarah Ban Breathnach's "Simple Abundance" daybook</li>
</ol>Chantelle Constabletag:chantellesings.com,2005:Post/49516092017-11-27T21:40:22-06:002021-09-12T16:29:10-05:00Take a Page from Her Book<p>"Succulent Wild Woman" by SARK</p>
<img src="https://i.imgur.com/tf5KvpO.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" />Chantelle Constabletag:chantellesings.com,2005:Post/49453502017-11-22T20:24:15-06:002017-11-24T13:57:47-06:00Chantelle's Songwriting Tips<p>Don't take my word for it, because I beat my fist against the blank page as must as anyone. But here are 10 of my personal songwriting tips. </p>
<ol> <li>
<strong>Write songs you would listen to.</strong> Pretty self-explanatory. </li> <li>
<strong>Write as someone else.</strong> Future you? Alternate reality you? Fantasy you? Put yourself in the someone else's shoes. </li> <li>
<strong>Write in the voice of someone you admire.</strong> Have a song idea but stuck on execution? How would your favorite writer say it? </li> <li>
<strong>Outline your song plot.</strong> You don't have to write the words, just the structure. To start with, verses usually set up the conflict, and choruses offer resolution. </li> <li>
<strong>Get out of the house.</strong> Take just your notebook and pens. Go to the coffee house, the library, or any other favorite place. My favorite place to write is the back patio of a local restaurant, with pita & hummus and a cold gin & tonic close at hand. (Shoutout to Rock-a-Belly Deli!) </li> <li>
<strong>Unlined paper.</strong> Really, just be sure to work with tools you really love. But I highly recommend unlined paper, especially in the song-plotting stage. </li> <li>
<strong>Write in a different style; re-arrange later.</strong> Two of the songs I've written recently took shape in my head as modern top-40 pop songs. Will I record them in that style? No. But the lyrics flowed, and it was fun. Later I can arrange them as the folk ballads I usually sing. (But don't force it, just let the song happen in whatever style it wants to happen.) </li> <li>
<strong>Use a word generator.</strong> For when you're really stuck, or you're looking for a starting point, try <a contents="https://www.textfixer.com/tools/random-words.php" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.textfixer.com/tools/random-words.php">https://www.textfixer.com/tools/random-words.php</a>. </li> <li>
<strong>Sing into a recorder, then transcribe.</strong> Unless you're NOT like me, and have perfect pitch, then sometimes your initial idea for a melody can get lost when you sit down at the piano. When composing your melody, hum into a recording app on your phone (I like WavePad Free for Android) and then sit down to transcribe it. </li> <li>
<strong>Random chord progression.</strong> You don't have to write the melody first. Pick a key, write a random progression of chords (best to do this quickly, don't over think it!) then play them repeatedly until you start naturally humming along. There's your melody.</li> <li>
<strong>Bonus: Read. </strong>Read, read, read, read, read, read, read.</li> <li>
<strong>Bonus: Imagine yourself performing the song live. </strong>Sometimes visualizing performing the song in front of an audience can help pinpoint words or phrases that do or don't work best for the song. Also, writing the song along to a music video in your head can help generate some great visual/imagery lyrics!</li>
</ol>Chantelle Constabletag:chantellesings.com,2005:Post/49433782017-11-21T18:05:46-06:002017-11-21T18:29:07-06:00Shave it Off!<p><img src="https://i.imgur.com/qEDuRrr.jpg" class="size_orig justify_right border_" width="250px" /></p>
<p>A few weeks ago I shaved my head. It's the most liberating thing I've ever done.</p>
<p>Today, as I re-buzzed it down to nothing, it occurred to me that shaving my head is a kind of self care for me. When it gets "too long" (a mere fuzz!) I can just buzz it all away -- buzz away that unnecessary extra -- the fluff -- the unwanted. (Sorry, hair. Love you.)</p>
<p>After a long day at work, shaving my head was as much of a relief as hopping into the hot shower afterwards. Shave it all away, wash it all away...</p>
<p>In that vein, here are ten of my favorite self-care treats.</p>
<ol> <li>Shaving my head</li> <li>A hot cup of a new flavor of tea</li> <li>Snuggling with my cats while reading a book</li> <li>Working through the questions in Jennifer Louden's "The Comfort Queen's Guide to Life"</li> <li>Eyes closed, headphones on, music blasting (Mahler, anyone?)</li> <li>Sitting down to play piano, <em>just</em> to play. Not to practice, not to write, just to play and feel the weight of the keys under my fingers.</li> <li>A trip to the library, coming home with a stack of books. Maybe a stop by the coffee shop.</li> <li>"Dressing up" and taking a cute selfie</li> <li>Inner child artwork -- coloring, making a messy painting or scribble drawing. I'm no artist, but I love my crayons!</li> <li>Pinterest. Lots of social media can bring out the green-eyed comparison monster, but there's something very soothing about scrolling through recipes, crafts, gardening ideas, or pretty dresses.</li> <li>Bonus: This time of year, I love gift shopping for my friends!</li>
</ol>Chantelle Constabletag:chantellesings.com,2005:Post/49281482017-11-10T19:18:41-06:002017-11-10T19:24:32-06:00A Simple Supper: Tomato Soup & Garlic Flatbread<p>Sometimes you can't beat the classics. ;)</p>
<p><a contents="Marcella Hazan's Tomato Sauce Recipe" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.thekitchn.com/marcella-hazans-amazing-4ingre-144538">Marcella Hazan's Tomato Sauce Recipe</a> makes an excellent tomato soup, as well. Up the tomato content, thin with chicken broth, and/or add evaporated milk, all to taste. This summer I've been cooking with fresh tomatoes from the garden, so very rough measurements.</p>
<p>Then, make TheKitchn's "<a contents="The Best Homemade Thin-Crust Pizza" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-homemade-thin-crust-pizza-recipes-from-the-kitchn-45499">The Best Homemade Thin-Crust Pizza</a>" recipe, mixing in a heaping tablespoon of minced garlic to the dough. Flatten small sections of dough (very thin!) with a rolling pin, and fry in a dry cast iron skillet on high heat. Brush with butter as you remove the flatbread from the skillet.</p>
<p>Serve warm, and enjoy!</p>Chantelle Constabletag:chantellesings.com,2005:Post/49108242017-10-29T14:28:28-05:002017-10-29T14:28:28-05:00Van Gogh Blues<p><strong>I've been reading "Van Gogh Blues" by Eric Maisel, and already I have several paragraphs of quotes copied! This is the first book I've read that accurately portrays the relationship *I feel* between my depression and creativity (with a nod to Elizabeth Gilbert's "Big Magic").</strong></p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Creators have trouble maintaining meaning. Creating is one of the ways they endeavor to maintain meaning. In the act of creation, they lay a veneer of meaning over meaninglessness and sometimes produce work that helps others maintain meaning. This is why creating is such a crucial activity in the life of a creator: It is one of the ways, and often the most important way, that she manages to make life feel meaningful. Not creating is depressing because she is not making meaning when she is not creating. Creating but falling short in her efforts is also depressing because only insufficient meaning is produced if her products strike her as weak or shallow. Even creating well can be depressing because of the lingering sense that what she is doing is only veneering meaninglessness." - Eric Maisel, Van Gogh Blues</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"The cliché is that creativity and depression go hand-in-hand. Like many clichés, this one is quite true. But creators are not necessarily afflicted with some biological disease or psychological disorder that causes them to experience depression at the alarming rates that we see. They experience depression simply because they are caught up in a struggle to make life seem meaningful to them. People for whom meaning is no problem are less likely to experience depression. But for creators, losses of meaning and doubts about life’s meaningfulness are persistent problems—even the root causes of their depression." <br>"What is clear is that some people grow up doubting and questioning while the majority don’t. These meaning investigators are our creators, and they are prone to meaning crises and consequent depression by virtue of the fact that they find meaning a problem and not a given." - Eric Maisel, Van Gogh Blues</p>
<p> </p>
<p>What sort of task is the task of meaning-making? The painter Dianne Albin summed it up beautifully: "<em>As a woman and an artist, and also having reached my 50th year, I find I have many questions about the life I have chosen. Having searched the literature on what it means to be an artist, on what it means to be creative, I am no less puzzled. As with art, there is no all-embracing answer or point of view. And perhaps that is the crux of this paradoxical life. We embrace a life of solitude in order to embrace our creativity. We live outside the mainstream of life and struggle endlessly to survive both emotionally and financially. And we wonder why do we do this thing that causes so much pain and also joy. In seeking therapy for a bout of depression, I began to search for answers and then better questions. Both the depression and the deep creative block I was experiencing prodded me ruthlessly to find some meaning in my dilemma, some way to survive the ordeal and heal the wounds if possible. Most self-help books were too shallow and offered merely a Band-Aid remedy to deeper issues, while current psychology was a theoretical nightmare. From the many bits and pieces, I did garner a pair of essential questions. Why have I chosen this life and to what end? Obviously, it wasn’t for financial gain or success, as measured by contemporary values. Nor can I say the endless solitude or financial dependence is something one would actually choose if given a more practical, thoughtful moment. What then is the answer? Whom can I ask? In the end, I think it is the search for the real, but also the search for the self, the search for what it means to be human. Perhaps this will sound trite to many, but it really is that simple, I’m afraid. With the dawning of human consciousness, the search for meaning entered the equation of survival. It was not enough to have food and shelter; the questions of who am I and what is it that brings meaningfulness to life also became significant. It is our ability to think and feel, I believe, to see beyond the immediate concerns of the given moment that plunges us into an eternal search that seems to defy our finite existence. We are limited by our frailties, our fears, and yet we pursue the endless question to find some meaning. For an artist, it is a driven pursuit, whether we acknowledge this or not, that endless search for meaning. Each work we attempt poses the same questions. Perhaps this time I will see more clearly, understand something more. That is why I think that the attempt always feels so important, for the answers we encounter are only partial and not always clear. Yet at its very best, one work of art, whether produced by oneself or another, offers a sense of possibility that flames the mind and the spirit, and in that moment we know this is a life worth pursuing, a struggle that offers the possibility of answers as well as meaning. Perhaps in the end, that which we seek lies within the quest itself, for there is no final knowing, only a continual unfolding and bringing together of what has been discovered. For years I have struggled with discovering my own voice as an artist, a way of seeing that came from deep within myself, that belonged to no other. Why this deep and abiding need to have one’s own voice, one’s own vision? This struggle in itself has proven more difficult than I could ever have imagined. Why this need to separate and distinguish my deepest self, my own true thoughts, feelings, and beliefs from the accepted norm of society? That, I think, has been both the gift and burden of human consciousness. As much as we cling to one another and desire to be part of our human group, we know that we are truly separate. For all the many devices we utilize, we can never quite overcome our separateness. We find some solace in our groups of shared belief, thinking this will mollify the sense of isolation, and to some extent it does. But as we grow older the question “Is that all there is?” becomes more paramount, more insistent. For those called to the life of an artist, this question of meaning, of singular identity, comes sooner rather than later. My own experience came at the somewhat early age of six when I encountered the artwork of another. What was it that I experienced at an age when I lacked the words or understanding to process this encounter? In time I have come to understand more clearly that what I felt was quite simply that I was not alone—separate perhaps, but not alone. That there were those who had the capacity and ability to invest paint, canvas, stone with our deepest feelings, thoughts, and experiences and make an art that both embraced and explored our humanity. To create, to express the depth and experience of our consciousness of being alive, all the while knowing that death hovers nearby, that is what we do. If all this sounds a bit esoteric, I can only suggest that after we fill our bellies and find shelter from the raging elements, we occasionally pause—and in that pause we desire more than anything to understand and feel our humanness and perhaps see more clearly, if only for a moment, the wonder that surrounds us. I can only shudder when I think of life without our handiwork. The sheer paucity of living only for the sake of survival and empty diversion would be that of an empty vessel. My own life as an artist helps me to fill that vessel, and on occasion I am able to share that with another. Is there meaning in my struggle, my endless solitude? Yes, I believe there is, for at the very least I have found greater meaning for myself in that search. And as those artists who have come before me have perhaps more clearly expressed, our ability to ponder the questions that denote our humanness are worthy of a life of solitude. That is where I find my solace and my courage. In the final analysis, it is the art that I make that allows me to pause and briefly see. Only now do I begin to understand and accept both the burden and joy of my life.</em>" (Eric Maisel, Van Gogh Blues)</p>Chantelle Constabletag:chantellesings.com,2005:Post/49104102017-10-28T20:40:20-05:002017-10-28T20:45:32-05:00#LikeABossGirls<p><img src="https://scontent-dft4-3.cdninstagram.com/t51.2885-15/e35/22344968_1933800506871846_2166637402548862976_n.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="250px" width="250px" /> <img src="https://scontent-dft4-3.cdninstagram.com/t51.2885-15/e35/22802268_1938394069815035_7695135094259843072_n.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="250px" width="250px" /> <img src="https://scontent-dft4-3.cdninstagram.com/t51.2885-15/e35/22794363_1856313838032081_6892673115596259328_n.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="250px" width="250px" /> <img src="https://scontent-dft4-3.cdninstagram.com/t51.2885-15/e35/22277614_1629844447061725_3621159074118238208_n.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="250px" width="250px" /> <img src="https://scontent-dft4-3.cdninstagram.com/t51.2885-15/e35/20987290_265348503952312_6397017302474162176_n.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="250px" width="250px" /> <img src="https://scontent-dft4-3.cdninstagram.com/t51.2885-15/e35/19932140_248363365653590_4785888380124659712_n.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="250px" width="250px" /> <img src="https://scontent-dft4-3.cdninstagram.com/t51.2885-15/e35/19533651_119664588640954_4195557563514748928_n.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="250px" width="250px" /> <img src="https://scontent-dft4-3.cdninstagram.com/t51.2885-15/e35/19120241_1865223053798778_2342493214985945088_n.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="250px" width="250px" /> <img src="https://scontent-dft4-3.cdninstagram.com/t51.2885-15/e35/18581214_1939829122969684_824953880579145728_n.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="250px" width="250px" /> <img src="https://scontent-dft4-3.cdninstagram.com/t51.2885-15/e35/18512971_476585932672551_8519200814256881664_n.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="250px" width="250px" /><img src="https://scontent-dft4-3.cdninstagram.com/t51.2885-15/e35/18380785_1976230212663636_6964524181836791808_n.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="250px" width="250px" />
<img src="https://scontent-dft4-3.cdninstagram.com/t51.2885-15/e35/18252791_692264910959910_7123774297792839680_n.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="250px" width="250px" />
<img src="https://scontent-dft4-3.cdninstagram.com/t51.2885-15/e35/18381780_1527721100634528_837994895938420736_n.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="250px" width="250px" />
<img src="https://scontent-dft4-3.cdninstagram.com/t51.2885-15/e35/17934049_1946045082284277_8341557006934474752_n.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="250px" width="250px" />
<img src="https://scontent-dft4-3.cdninstagram.com/t51.2885-15/e35/17126482_1918557361724329_1956829822097293312_n.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="250px" width="250px" />
<img src="https://scontent-dft4-3.cdninstagram.com/t51.2885-15/e35/17076840_1277581928996482_6381407888081944576_n.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="250px" width="250px" />
<img src="https://scontent-dft4-3.cdninstagram.com/t51.2885-15/e35/17125383_732527073573692_7636597447384367104_n.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="250px" width="250px" />
<img src="https://scontent-dft4-3.cdninstagram.com/t51.2885-15/e35/16906829_421699764877095_400146344733310976_n.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="250px" width="250px" /></p>Chantelle Constabletag:chantellesings.com,2005:Post/49047872017-10-24T15:42:37-05:002017-10-24T15:42:37-05:00Unfuckwithable<p>What would it look like to wake up and be <em>unfuckwithable</em> every day?</p>
<p>What would it look like to feel threatened by no one; to not worry about the flowers next to me, but just bloom in my own way.</p>
<p>What would it look like?</p>
<p><strong>This afternoon I wrote down 20 things on a "Vision Board / About Me" list.</strong></p>
<p><strong>Here are a few of them.</strong></p>
<p>#3 Adventuress Librarian Muse</p>
<p>#12 Be able to keep up while running with The Doctor! (goal=exercise more)</p>
<p>#4 Let my inner child out to play</p>
<p>#7 Hygge. Silk + candles + flowers.</p>
<p>#20 You have as many hours in the day as Beyonce (also: If Beyonce wouldn't worry or cry about it, then neither should you)</p>
<p>#13 CLASSIC</p>
<p>#16 Inner Goddess - embrace the delicious feminine</p>
<p>#18 Luxury! Value!</p>
<p>#8 Tea + books + cats + gardens</p>
<p>#11 "Comfort Queen" -- don't focus on making things clean, but rather, <em>beautiful</em></p>
<p>#9 No comparison. No competition. Except with self. </p>
<p>#19 A queen doesn't guzzle gutrot. She sips champagne from crystal.</p>
<p>Bonus: <strong>The lion and tiger may be stronger, but the wolf doesn't perform in the circus.</strong></p>Chantelle Constabletag:chantellesings.com,2005:Post/48965252017-10-18T07:20:53-05:002017-10-18T07:20:53-05:00Finding a Niche<p>"Wouldn't it be better for you to discover a meaning in what you write than to impose one? Nothing you write will lack meaning because the meaning is in you." - Flannery O'Connor</p>
<p>Paraphrase of quote: "Authenticity is more valuable than originality." [unable to locate source at 7am...]</p>
<p>I fight an eternal battle of immediately dismissing my own work because I feel it lacks "authenticity" or "originality" or anything that makes me a Real Artist. (I suffer from Velveteen Rabbit syndrome, apparently.)</p>
<p>Recently I was explaining the plot of one of my new song (concepts) to my friends. "It's about a flower, or a seed, buried under the soil and the snow by a gardener, feeling abandoned and longing to feel the warm sunshine again. Except," I cackled, with only one shot of whiskey in me, I swear, "it's actually about a baby buried by its mother, longing to feel her warm embrace and smile again."</p>
<p>They looked at me aghast with horror while I continued to giggle.</p>
<p>Writing about dead children shouldn't bring me such glee, but it does. In an abstract sense, of course. The morbid fascinates me. And to heck if it is 'authentic' or has 'meaning.' This is what I enjoy writing about, what I am good at writing about, so I guess it has meaning. The meaning is within me. Thanks, Flannery.</p>Chantelle Constabletag:chantellesings.com,2005:Post/48917712017-10-14T10:42:53-05:002017-10-14T10:54:38-05:00Resources<p><strong>Last Updated 10.14.17</strong></p>
<p>HOW TO WRITE YOUR NEXT SONG IN 7 FAST & EASY STEPS - <a contents="http://speedsongwriting.com/" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://speedsongwriting.com/">http://speedsongwriting.com/</a></p>
<p><a contents="JOIN THE 5-DAY #BOSSBABE BUSINESS BOOSTER CHALLENGE" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://my.leadpages.net/serve-leadbox/141df6ed3f72a2:12ccdb557b46dc/?doing_wp_cron=1460188909.6783819198608398437500">JOIN THE 5-DAY #BOSSBABE BUSINESS BOOSTER CHALLENGE</a></p>
<p>FREE 30 DAY CHALLENGE - MIRACLE MONTH - <a contents="http://femaleentrepreneurassociation.com/miracle-month" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://femaleentrepreneurassociation.com/miracle-month">http://femaleentrepreneurassociation.com/miracle-month</a></p>
<p>"Artist Development" worksheets & more - <a contents="http://www.localmusic.online/artist-development/" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.localmusic.online/artist-development/">http://www.localmusic.online/artist-development/</a></p>
<p><a contents='Cari Cole "The 7 Steps to Stardom Worksheet"' data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.caricole.com/programs/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/7-Steps-to-Stardom-Worksheet1.pdf">Cari Cole "The 7 Steps to Stardom Worksheet"</a></p>
<p><a contents='"Creating a Successful Marketing Plan (for the Artist"' data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.saskmusic.org/uploads/ck/files/funding/fundingtool_MarketingPlans.pdf">"Creating a Successful Marketing Plan (for the Artist"</a></p>
<p>"Chapter 2 - Inner Child Needing Growing Down" - Tools for Healing the Inner Child - <a contents="http://coping.us/growingdown/innerchild.html" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://coping.us/growingdown/innerchild.html">http://coping.us/growingdown/innerchild.html</a></p>
<p>Seasonal Workbooks, business growth, and more! - <a contents="https://www.femcity.com/" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.femcity.com/">https://www.femcity.com/</a></p>
<p><a contents='Goal Setting Worksheets, inc. "How Do You Want to Feel" &amp; more' data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://thischerishedlife.us3.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=414ceefa566cc980f698add88&id=159b2d38aa">Goal Setting Worksheets, inc. "How Do You Want to Feel" & more</a> (2017)</p>
<p><a contents="Ink + Volt Goal Worksheet / Calendar Printable" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://inkandvolt.com/2016/09/2017-calendar-printables-goal-planner/">Ink + Volt Goal Worksheet / Calendar Printable</a> (2017)</p>
<p>Goal Setting form template - <a contents="http://getbuttonedup.com/tools2/free_printable_goal_setting_form_template.pdf" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://getbuttonedup.com/tools2/free_printable_goal_setting_form_template.pdf">http://getbuttonedup.com/tools2/free_printable_goal_setting_form_template.pdf</a></p>
<p>#Empowerista Personal Branding Makeover Checklist - <a contents="http://www.alexwehrley.com/personal-branding/" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.alexwehrley.com/personal-branding/">http://www.alexwehrley.com/personal-branding/</a></p>
<p>Dream with a Deadline 5 Day Challenge Workbook - <a contents="http://maryshores.com/dream-with-a-deadline" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://maryshores.com/dream-with-a-deadline">http://maryshores.com/dream-with-a-deadline</a></p>
<p>Goal Setting & Action workbook (2017) - <a contents="https://liveyourlegend.net/make-2017-epic-goal-setting-and-action-planning-workbooks/" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://liveyourlegend.net/make-2017-epic-goal-setting-and-action-planning-workbooks/">https://liveyourlegend.net/make-2017-epic-goal-setting-and-action-planning-workbooks/</a></p>
<p>Danielle LaPorte "Desire Map" Ultra Lite Edition - <a contents="http://www.daniellelaporte.com/download-free-desire-map-ultra-lite/" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.daniellelaporte.com/download-free-desire-map-ultra-lite/">http://www.daniellelaporte.com/download-free-desire-map-ultra-lite/</a></p>
<p>"Goal Digger" workbook - <a contents="http://www.catinspired.com/goaldigger/" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.catinspired.com/goaldigger/">http://www.catinspired.com/goaldigger/</a></p>
<p>Printable Library of worksheets - <a contents="http://whitneyenglish.com/library/" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://whitneyenglish.com/library/">http://whitneyenglish.com/library/</a></p>
<p>Wellness Worksheet 21 "Your Personal Identity" - P. 56 - <a contents="https://www.integration.samhsa.gov/health-wellness/wellness-strategies/WELLNESS.pdf" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.integration.samhsa.gov/health-wellness/wellness-strategies/WELLNESS.pdf">https://www.integration.samhsa.gov/health-wellness/wellness-strategies/WELLNESS.pdf</a></p>
<p>Personal Branding Canvas toolkit - <a contents="https://bigname.pro/personal-branding-canvas/" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://bigname.pro/personal-branding-canvas/">https://bigname.pro/personal-branding-canvas/</a></p>
<p>Transforming Your Life with Affirmations - <a contents="http://delightfulstruggles.com/transforming-your-life-with-affirmations/" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://delightfulstruggles.com/transforming-your-life-with-affirmations/">http://delightfulstruggles.com/transforming-your-life-with-affirmations/</a></p>
<p>Byron Katie "Tools to do The Work" - <a contents="http://thework.com/en/tools-do-work" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://thework.com/en/tools-do-work">http://thework.com/en/tools-do-work</a></p>
<p><a contents="Berklee: Free Songwriting Handbook" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://welcome.online.berklee.edu/berklee-online-songwriting-handbook.html?pid=6963&gclid=CjwKCAjw64bPBRApEiwAJhG-fq4HUCI4mAIwNmUZLng44AigN5id5JpB1nySoWgSgHeT_5FiJlQznRoCCSgQAvD_BwE">Berklee: Free Songwriting Handbook</a></p>
<p>Danielle LaPorte "White Hot Truth" illustrated insights - <a contents="http://www.daniellelaporte.com/illustrated-insights-download/" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.daniellelaporte.com/illustrated-insights-download/">http://www.daniellelaporte.com/illustrated-insights-download/</a></p>
<p>Resources for Musicians - <a contents="https://femusician.com/" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://femusician.com/">https://femusician.com/</a></p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>Chantelle Constabletag:chantellesings.com,2005:Post/48917372017-10-14T09:41:56-05:002017-10-14T09:43:40-05:00Fighting pt. II<p>Art is a process, not a product.<br>Art is a process, not a product.<br>Art is a process, not a product.<br>Art is a process, not a product.<br>Art is a process, not a product.<br>Art is a process, not a product.<br>Art is a process, not a product.<br>Art is a process, not a product.<br>Art is a process, not a product.<br>Art is a process, not a product.</p>
<p>Maybe if I Philip Glass this enough, I will get it through my thick skull.</p>
<p>Riding high on my recent success of writing <strike>four</strike> five new songs, I've desperately wanted to record them and share them on bandcamp / social media.</p>
<p>Yesterday evening at twilight I went into my backyard, armed with my notebook, "Bearded Man" (named for a pattern in the wood grain) Alvarez AF60CK, and a high quality recording app on my phone, DETERMINED to get at least one good take of one song, and to continue the process each night until I had a lo-fi EP ready to launch.</p>
<p>Well, first of all I broke a string. Mid strum, on a mid-tempo song. Come to think of it, *the universe* broke the string, not me. *side eye at my Comfort Queen* *</p>
<p>* Jennifer Louden's book "The Comfort Queen's Guide to Life: Create All that You Need with Just what You've Got" has been a game changer for me. Maybe I'll post about it soon.</p>
<p>To my relief, "Mama Lion" (my first full size guitar, another Alvarez, golden and loud!) was recently restrung (I'd forgotten that) and ready to play. So back outside I went... to provide a full-service buffet for an army of mosquitoes. Needless to say, I didn't last long. I probably have 3-4 takes that send with a naughty word and a <em>smack</em>.</p>
<p>Art is a process, not a product. <br>Art is a process, not a product. <br>Art is a process, not a product. <br>Art is a process, not a product. <br>Art is a process, not a product. <br>Art is a process, not a product. <br>Art is a process, not a product. <br>Art is a process, not a product. <br>Art is a process, not a product. <br>Art is a process, not a product.</p>
<p>I was dealing with an especially vicious bout of depression yesterday -- and honestly I think it was partially due to trying to "force" more art. There's something to be said for maintaining momentum, but on the other hand, once the tap is on, you can't force the water to flow any faster. You've just got to let it flow. And once your kettle is full, you've got to wait for the water to boil. Then you have to wait for the tea to steep... I guess what I'm trying to say with this metaphor is that not only is art a process, art is a multi-step process. And you can't hurry any part of it. You've just got to let it go, and let it flow, baby.</p>
<p>Not to mention, the only reason I was trying to hurry out a new release was 1) to appease impatient fans (and seriously? am I so vain that I actually think I have impatient fans?!) and 2) money... I'm a starving artist, honestly guys... And neither of those are good reasons. In fact, they are decidedly bad reasons.</p>
<p>So I'll be over here "arting" (art is a verb?) away, at my own pace, be that slow and steady or quick and heady... and when I reach the point in the process where I'm ready to share my new songs with the world, you'll be the first to know.</p>Chantelle Constabletag:chantellesings.com,2005:Post/48888962017-10-12T14:20:36-05:002017-10-12T14:21:24-05:00Letter to my Younger Self<p>Hey, little me.</p>
<p>Let's establish something right away. You are strong, you are brave, you are smart, you are funny, and you are loved. Your smile lights up the room and your enthusiasm, even for quiet things, delights those who know you</p>
<p>People say you are precocious. So mature for your age. Well, you are precocious, but not for your age. There is an old soul in your tiny body, and sometimes it overwhelms you and makes you sad. You are aware of how big the world is, and it infuriates you to not fully understand all the knowledge in the universe.</p>
<p>You are voracious -- you are a kitten -- growling others away from the dish so that you may devour it all yourself.<br>You are a quiet thinker, you are a reader, you are a ponderer and a planner. <br>You are funny, silly, and spontaneous. You revel in making others laugh.</p>
<p>You don't fully appreciate the creativity you possess right now, your absolute lack of inner criticism. Finger painting, crafts, using your Easy Bake oven, constructing forts and swings and mud waterworks outside, playing with the cats... You absolutely REEK of innovation -- I wish you could hang on to it forever.</p>
<p>For you, art is a process. When you're older, it will be a product. Please cherish the process.</p>
<p>Please don't ever be disappointed in your body. It may not be the most coordination or the most athletic, but it takes you hiding and on adventures and exploring where others wouldn't dare tread. It takes you wading in the creek, climbing in the hay loft, and riding your horse. Most of all, it is a vessel for your teaming, blossoming mind. Cherish it, and treat it like it's the most special thing in the world. Because it is.</p>
<p>At some point, you will learn to suppress emotion -- it makes other people uncomfortable, and frankly, makes you uncomfortable -- so you keep your emotions and feelings locked away in your already teaming mind. It's so busy up there, so very very busy. </p>
<p>It's OK to entertain, to bring others joy and laughter, just remember to entertain yourself, to give yourself the same delight and amusement.</p>
<p>What potential you have. As a frail, one in 7 billion human being, a dot on a speck in space, what potential you have. There has never been, and never will be, anyone just like you. You are a combination of all the forces that have come before you, good or bad, and you are made of stardust. You are a part of the universe, just as it is part of you, down to a butterfly in the rain forest.</p>
<p>So sparkle just as damn fucking hard as you can sparkle. Don't let anybody tell you it's too bright, too loud, too obnoxious, too silly, too overwhelming, "TOO MUCH." You are never too much; you are infinite.</p>
<blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-version="7" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:658px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);"><div style="padding:8px;">
<div style=" background:#F8F8F8; line-height:0; margin-top:40px; padding:50.0% 0; text-align:center; width:100%;"><div style=" background:url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAACwAAAAsCAMAAAApWqozAAAABGdBTUEAALGPC/xhBQAAAAFzUkdCAK7OHOkAAAAMUExURczMzPf399fX1+bm5mzY9AMAAADiSURBVDjLvZXbEsMgCES5/P8/t9FuRVCRmU73JWlzosgSIIZURCjo/ad+EQJJB4Hv8BFt+IDpQoCx1wjOSBFhh2XssxEIYn3ulI/6MNReE07UIWJEv8UEOWDS88LY97kqyTliJKKtuYBbruAyVh5wOHiXmpi5we58Ek028czwyuQdLKPG1Bkb4NnM+VeAnfHqn1k4+GPT6uGQcvu2h2OVuIf/gWUFyy8OWEpdyZSa3aVCqpVoVvzZZ2VTnn2wU8qzVjDDetO90GSy9mVLqtgYSy231MxrY6I2gGqjrTY0L8fxCxfCBbhWrsYYAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); display:block; height:44px; margin:0 auto -44px; position:relative; top:-22px; width:44px;"> </div></div>
<p style=" margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BX0xaP0gsAl/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">"Be the woman you needed as a girl." Yes, that is lil' me next to giant model rockets. #nerdalert Just one corner of the motivation / #affirmation board I'm making. #crafting</a></p>
<p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A post shared by Chantelle (@cctrowbridge) on <time datetime="2017-08-15T18:30:34+00:00" style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;">Aug 15, 2017 at 11:30am PDT</time></p>
</div></blockquote><script async defer src="//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js"></script>Chantelle Constabletag:chantellesings.com,2005:Post/48875332017-10-11T16:56:42-05:002017-10-11T16:56:42-05:00I love my local library!<blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-version="7" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:658px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);"><div style="padding:8px;"> <div style=" background:#F8F8F8; line-height:0; margin-top:40px; padding:28.14814814814815% 0; text-align:center; width:100%;"> <div style=" background:url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAACwAAAAsCAMAAAApWqozAAAABGdBTUEAALGPC/xhBQAAAAFzUkdCAK7OHOkAAAAMUExURczMzPf399fX1+bm5mzY9AMAAADiSURBVDjLvZXbEsMgCES5/P8/t9FuRVCRmU73JWlzosgSIIZURCjo/ad+EQJJB4Hv8BFt+IDpQoCx1wjOSBFhh2XssxEIYn3ulI/6MNReE07UIWJEv8UEOWDS88LY97kqyTliJKKtuYBbruAyVh5wOHiXmpi5we58Ek028czwyuQdLKPG1Bkb4NnM+VeAnfHqn1k4+GPT6uGQcvu2h2OVuIf/gWUFyy8OWEpdyZSa3aVCqpVoVvzZZ2VTnn2wU8qzVjDDetO90GSy9mVLqtgYSy231MxrY6I2gGqjrTY0L8fxCxfCBbhWrsYYAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); display:block; height:44px; margin:0 auto -44px; position:relative; top:-22px; width:44px;"></div>
</div> <p style=" margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BaHW55shWiA/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">Don't mind me. Just the last couple hauls from #mhklibrary. I'm addicted. ("The Encyclopedia Sherlockania" was a purchase ❤❤❤) #sherlock #shelfie #bookstagram #library</a></p> <p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A post shared by Chantelle (@cctrowbridge) on <time style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;" datetime="2017-10-11T16:47:19+00:00">Oct 11, 2017 at 9:47am PDT</time></p>
</div></blockquote> <script async defer src="//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js"></script>Chantelle Constabletag:chantellesings.com,2005:Post/48833452017-10-09T09:30:17-05:002017-10-09T09:32:00-05:00Fighting<p>Yesterday I wrote four songs. <br>Sometimes, to silence the inner critic, you have to allow yourself to write "bad songs." <br>Now, I didn't set out to write bad songs, but I did write in a non-typical genre (for myself), so the self-imposed regulations were a little more lenient. <br>So, as I said, I wrote four songs yesterday. <br>And it was HARD. <br>I am on a variety of medications for depression and generalized anxiety disorder, and I recently started a new medication to affect my dopamine receptors, in the hopes of making me more "productive," and to give me a sense of accomplishment to reward my brain for doing things. <br>And... I have been more productive. I have also been making some more healthy lifestyle changes, so that could be helping, but I have definitely noticed an increase in my "desire" to do more unpleasant tasks... I only look at the dishes and groan once or twice before loading the dishwasher, instead of putting it off completely! <br>So I thought I'd test my "new found" motivation on songwriting. <br>Did I mention it was hard? <br>I fretted. I fussed. It took me all day. <br>I drank coffee. I drank tea. I snacked. I took a supplement. I sat down, looked at the blank page, got up and walked around outside. When I was notating the music on the computer, I took off my glasses and rubbed my temples, staving off the pending headache. I completely ignored housework -- I was trying to focus my... focusing... on music! <br>And it worked. I not only wrote the lyrics but also the melody/chord progressions for FOUR SONGS. <br>You guys, I haven't written a "solo" song in months. Echopod has been pretty productive with songwriting lately, but even our most recent song was a solid three-part effort from all of us in the band. <br>The last song I wrote for Hotel Gypsies was... well, okay I guess I did write a triplet of songs (maybe they come in bursts? or mayyyybe once I get rolling I need to keep up my momentum?!)... several months ago. You may have heard Kerouac Heroine, Last Peal of the Bells, or Down to the Water at one of our gigs lately. But that's been it. <br>I'm hoping to throw together a demo of these four songs for the classical crossover audience and put them up on Bandcamp soon as a fundraiser. Maybe they aren't the greatest songs (being written in one day, I'm sure they could stand revision). But I wrote them. And I'm proud of myself. </p>
<p><strong>NEW SONGS: <br>After the Winter <br>Lioness <br>Empty (Overflow) <br>To Your Soul</strong></p>Chantelle Constabletag:chantellesings.com,2005:Post/48794372017-10-05T20:33:47-05:002017-10-06T16:12:04-05:00this petty pace from day to day<p style="text-align: center;"><em>SEYTON The queen, my lord, is dead. <br>MACBETH She should have died hereafter; <br>There would have been a time for such a word. <br>To-morrow, and to-morrow, and to-morrow, <br>Creeps in this petty pace from day to day <br>To the last syllable of recorded time, <br>And all our yesterdays have lighted fools <br>The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle! <br>Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player <br>That struts and frets his hour upon the stage <br>And then is heard no more: it is a tale <br>Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, <br>Signifying nothing. </em></p>
<p>Hello everyone, </p>
<p>Justin is at the pick-up rehearsal for Mary Poppins at MAC here in town (he's running the sound board) and I just started sketching song ideas for an EP about... disturbed children... and then got distracted, as I always do, and decided to write this blog entry. That has been my day in a nutshell: productive, but scattered. It was a day off of work for me, which was very nice. I went to the library (I always walk out with more books than I can hardly carry!) and cleaned the house some, and I have a lovely bean-tomato soup (I made up my own recipe) on the stove. I also went to the second open house of "my" gym (ha!), 9 Round, which officially opens Oct 12th. Never fear, I shan't become another Insta #fitnessfreak. However, I am looking forward to punching things on a regular basis! #kickboxingbabe Okay, okay, enough with the hashtags... </p>
<p>Speaking of the library, lately I've been reading (okay, collecting and then procrastinating actually reading) books about songwriting. You'd think I would know how, by now -- to write a song, that is. But my problem has always been too many new ideas, and not enough finished songs. I get an idea, write a few lines, maybe play with a chord progression... and then the well dries up! I need to learn how to push through and complete a first rough draft, if not a perfect, polished song -- but no, I let myself fiddle away and bounce around to other things... like writing a blog post... </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/265039/ffa03c4a3d37f6345453e898b8c400aef69642b9/medium/20171005-195132.jpg?1507251739" class="size_m justify_left border_" />Speaking of books about music, these are two I recently bought for myself -- and I'm greatly looking forward to reading them. As I am writing songs about the whimsical and the macabre (hat tip to my collaborator for a project in the pipeline, Stacy Fahrion of Whimsically Macabre music), I thought it would be interesting to learn about the mysticism of music itself.</p>
<p>I like to listen to murder shows on Netflix *while* I write. Lately I've been on my second binge watch of Midsomer Murders, but tonight I've switched over to Sherlock (lost count of how many times I've watched through!) for a change.</p>
<p>Time to get back to the piano before it's time for supper.<br>Spoilers: working titles include <strong>"Dear Diary (Mother's Gone)" "Under Snow" </strong>and <strong>"Star Dust"</strong> (or maybe "<strong>Stars and Dust</strong>")<br>Talk to you again soon!</p>Chantelle Constable