Hoping For My Big Break, Wishing On Stars

 Looking For My Big Break, Wishing On Stars

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  All of the positive affirmations I say to myself get me through tough times but for whatever reason they aren't helping me to change my circumstances. I try to keep a postive outlook as it keeps me sane. The underlying frustration is ever present.  It stems from my desire to do something with the savant I was given. I keep trying to throw my stuff out there to see if anyone thinks me talented enough to help me make money with it! I have no clue how to play the game or who I should be trying to get in front of. I only know that I have a burning, yearning desire to do this and to get paid. This time in musical history is so cool! A ton of the older bands/ rockers are still touring! Alot are in their late 60's and 70's. Still doing what they love and making money! Age is no longer a stigma to over come. I venture to say that if I don't make it any where with my savant, my age isn't going to be the reason. I love the fact that so many older artists are still creating and executing great music! Well seasoned voices. Many sound better than in earlier years! This gives me hope. With hope, all things are possible I tell myself. I keep thinking that surely their is a place for me in this vast industry. If even on a small scale! Surely I can do something in music and make money doing it ? I feel compelled to try to use this gift. Otherwise it makes no sense to me why I was given this savant! Why would I have this ability if not to use it somehow. So I try! I work at it like a job.
Even this blogging is part of my effort in getting myself out there. Unfortunately I write a lot of blog
posts that nobody reads. Most of my posts are never read. Most people would come to the realization that they should quit. Give up! Go ahead, see where that gets ya... So I opt to just keep trying within the $ 0.00 budget I have. My Mom had a saying. " For free take, for buy waste time". I post my stuff  on every free site that I can find. The little voice in my head tells me " Never never ever, give up!" Nothing ventured, nothing gained! " Lady luck can't smile on you if you aren't in there ". Lastly, my own original affirmation of " Whatever I touch, there I will prosper. Whatever touches me, I will make better. As an eternal optimist,I couldn't have tried a harder industry to be recognized in omg. The things we do to ourselves! 

 These are just a few of my endeavors. I have worked hard on developing both my YouTube channel and my SoundCloud site. Some help and luck would be muchly appreciated! I feel a bit like a middle age Cinderella. "Someday my break will come, someday my big break will come!"

  All Of Me written by John Legend 

  Nous Vivons Ensemble written by Gordon Lightfoot

Don't Leave Me Now written by Roger Hodgson 

Fool's Overture written by Roger Hodgson

I Believe In Love written by Elton John 

 These are just some of the covers that I do.                      

Casual Conversations, Lunch Included.

I made the most awesome salad for lunch today. A meal in itself, Chef Salad. The ingredients that I put together were slightly unconventional. I'm finding that variations of different ingredients can be a taste treat.
I started with a clean, washed  head of romaine lettuce. I chopped it into salad pieces. I added chopped smoked turkey lunch meat, chopped baby cucumbers, tomatoes, both colby and pepper jack cheeses. Half an apple and would you believe sliced strawberries? I tossed all of this in a bowl with a Vadillia Onion Vinegarette. Sprinkled Some black pepper and Hungarian Paprika on top and there, was lunch! No bread, healthy and the most delicious salad I have had in a long time!

This made enough for two or three people. A nice alternative to a lunch meat sandwhich!

My current life dynamic has me thinking a lot about this song. I have been living the lyrics and playing the melody for years! Here along with lunch is Casual Conversations...

Thank You Rick Davies for this treasure of a song!

A song that I "get", completely! (On so many levels...)

If I could, I was just hug you Rick Davies!

Here is a link to my SoundCloud cover.

Casual Conversations written by Rick Davies. My SoundCloud cover track.

Flowers For The Soul

I was trying to think of words that explain the feeling I get when I listen to the music of Michael W. Smith. The feeling is of flowers for the soul. Nothing can lift my spirit and speak to my soul as much.

I'm not a religious person per say. Something about the music,arrangements and lyrics of his songs are divinely inspired. If ever an angel  walked the earth, I believe he walks among them. An ambassador to the soul. 

That said, I'm sharing this with you...Do You Dream Of Me is a very romantic song. Not related to the religious type of songs he is known for. Purely a romantic and human type of question!

I have always thought this to be a pretty song.

Here is Michael W. Smith's original

For whatever reason this is my most popular cover song on SoundCloud right now. Here is the SoundCloud link to my cover of this song...

Do You Dream Of Me written by Michael W. Smith cover by Tyna J. Metzner

Here is my YouTube video of same...

Thanks Michael for your musical contribution to my soul! 

Pardone My French Haha...

New York style cheesecake with Strawberry Rhubarb topping

I made this yesterday just for the heck of it! I hope that I can entice some of my grown kids and G-kids to come and enjoy a slice. Otherwise sadly, part of it will likely end up in the trash. 

I have been looking over some of my cover videos and after listening to this one I decided I had better check it against the original. I am always nervous about this song because alot of the lyrics are in French. French Canadian to be exact. I learned this all by ear and I often worry that my interpretation of the French lyric is offensive or just plain wrong. 

After scrutinizing this comparison I have concluded that I am close enough? My fear is always that someone watching is French Canadian or worse, Gordon Lightfoot himself! I invision them laughing their ass off at my lyric interp.

Here is my cover of Nous Vivons Ensemble

What do you think? Pretty close?

SoundCloud You Burst My Cloud And Made This Difficult!

What the heck SoundCloud?! Why the hell would you change your App?! I loved the fact that I could record and post directly to SoundCloud! While I was snoozing the past week or so they updated the App and took away the recording capability. As a musician this was a pain in the butt! You can still post to SoundCloud but you have to have a compatable different App to record on! I had to search around to find one. The one I chose allows you to post to SoundCloud but every track I recorded has skips in it! I'm aggravated! I spent like three hours trying to get some decent tracks! I posted them to SoundCloud skips and all... I don't need skips in my tracks, I have less than perfect audio equipment to start with. Recording and posting from an iPad...I guess I will have to research a different App to record to. What a pain! I wonder why SoundCloud would change something so vital ? That was their whole pitch..."record and hear the world's sounds". Awww, so dissapointed! For what it's worth, this was yesterday's effort...

Win written by David Bowie cover by Tyna J. Metzner

Colour My World written by Chicago cover by Tyna J. Metzner

Desperado written by the Eagles cover by Tyna J. Metzner

Downstream written by Rick Davies Cover by Tyna J. Metzner

What a shame that now you have to use a third party to record to SoundCloud. I wonder how many others are upset about this new App?!

Annoyed!

SoundCloud Lover Boy Rick Davies Cover

Quick update regarding my Lover Boy cover. I added a simple version to my SoundCloud account. Here is the link!
Lover Boy written by Rick Davies cover by Tyna Metzner

Here is the YouTube video for this cover.

I guess that sums it up for today lol. Granddaughter Alissa started school today so I have a few hours to myself . I have grocery shopping to do and whatever else comes up.

Alissa and I planted vegetables yesterday. We enjoyed spending a couple hours of our day doing this! I really hope they grow. I would love for her to get the joy of eating something that she planted and nurtured to ready to eat! I want that experience with her!

This child is so appreciative of her new life here with us. Some of the things she says just melt your heart. I'm so grateful to be in a position of stepping up and in...I want to be able to help and make a difference in her life! She doesn't realize how hard she has had it but I sure do...

Watch Out For The Lover Boy

This is a great old Supertramp song that was written by Rick Davies. I love this original. The complexity of the arrangement and mixing of other sounds and instruments.

Here is a my latest cover of this song. I had so much fun getting this one together. What a fun and rather whimsical song. Rick Davies is a terrific songwriter. He in his own right is extremely romantic and humble. I saw a YouTube interview clip in which he was featured. I was struck by how humble he was about being so fortunate to be in the music biz and that it really is an honor and responsibility to the fans to be humble... Rick Davies is also an idol of mine. I really wish that I could meet this man! Haven't a clue what I would say to this man beyond Thank You for your musical contribution to this world! You touched many hearts including mine. Listening to your many compositions put a tear on my face and a smile on my soul!

If I was ever considered good enough to make money doing this, I would want to! I keep trying to get somewhere with this savant. I've become so frustrated at times with the wanting of this. It does however somehow feed my soul to do this so I suppose that is something. 

So I say this Valentine's weekend," Pay me in chocolate! "

From One Desperado To Another, In The Sea Of

I had some me time yesterday! I sat down and decided to post this song to my YouTube channel. This is an old classic semi country song. Desperado. It has been covered to death so I add mine to the sea of Desperado cover videos on YouTube. Glad to make my contribution to the sea...

This wonderful mega hit Desperado written by the Eagles is ageless and timeless...I have played this song for a long time.

Not sure any of this matters to anyone but me. I will however continue adding songs/music to my YouTube channel. I feel another original is in my near future!

Saying Goodbye To Arthur L. Phipps

This week was crazy busy as I dove into the action phase of the grief process. I elected to host and cook for a Memorial for my father. He was not religious and didn't want a funeral service. He was cremated. We wanted a gathering to honor Dad. I felt it was what I wanted to and could do. So all week I readied the house and yard. About 35 relatives attended and it was everything I had hoped for.

The weather was absolutely gorgeous here in Phoenix. I think it was 84 degrees!

Memorial table.

Daughter Britt made a beautiful edible fruit arrangement that was enjoyed by all!

I made three different kinds of meatballs. Hawiaiin, Swedish and Cocktail. I big pot of  rice and homemade mac and cheese. Salad and homemade rolls. 

Dessert was a no bake cheesecake, frosted brownies, a small blueberry pie and my father's favorite lemon meringue pie.

Dad's widow Terry with my sis Joy.

Niece Mary and newphew Isaac 

Lots of grandkids from both my sister and I.

Zoe!

Delcee

All of  my father's great grandchildren were in attendance!

This has never happened all at the same time. I'm sure this would have put a smile on his face!

When all was said and done everyone left around 6:00. Most had a 3 hour drive ahead of them. I spent hours cleaning up as you would expect after a party this size.

Sunday I incorporated my father's urn into my little shrine...

I hope my father would have been happy with how we celebrated his life. He leaves a huge hole in my heart. I really hope that he is with everyone he loved who died before him. I have this left to say to this great man...

Dad, may all of the mysteries of the universe be shown to you! I'll see you on the other side!

R.I.P Dad...

Despair Is In The Air

My Dad passed away night before last. He had been ill for a long time. The dementia was probably the most incapacitating and horrific of his plight here. He had other health issues that had to be troublesome. By far the worst for this brilliant, genius was losing his great mind. I don’t question his wanting to go or the way he chose to for he truly was trapped in a frightening, uncertain world within his own mind. Of all of the things to go for this brilliant inventor. I watched him struggle and suffer with his failing body for so long. It must have been a scary hell on earth experience for him the past few years! He lasted and struggled for much longer than we ever thought he would. I couldn’t/ wouldn’t have asked him to stay here a second longer. That being said, why do I sit here weeping? 

I went down to Tucson to touch base with my sister and Dad’s wife. They have been by Dad’s side for weeks. His wife barely ever leaving the house for a few years now! Bless my sister and his wife for taking such wonderful care of him. They have been angels of mercy. He died peacefully at home in his bedroom. Hospice had supplied all of the tools and meds to keep him comfortable in this process. 

I am going to host the memorial. It’s this Saturday and I hope the whole family will come to remember him. I hope to be able to put this together with lots of pics and a memory book for his wife. I will make food for and plan on about 50. I have a busy few days of preparation here. 

R.I.P my father. May all of the mysteries of the universe be shown to you! I love ya Dad. I’ll see you on the other side…

Playing " House " Elton John And My Reality

House written by Elton John.

An obscure Elton John song fron the 90's. This song captured my heart as well as my attention. I could somehow relate...
I was busy raising my first set of children when I learned this. Every bit of what I do here is all for my own enjoyment. It makes me happy and fulfills me in some way. Playing my keyboard reminds me that I  am a person in my own right. Not just what everyone needs me to be lol. A spiritual connection to the soul. My music is one of the things in my life that I am most grateful for!

I Believe In Love written by Elton John. This is my cover ...

Along with many fans, I admire this artist for the many years of great music he has contributed to society! Thank you Elton John!

Meanwhile in my life, I am currently making adjustments. I have recently aquired guardianship of my four year old granddaughter. I am nesting again. I just set up her room. I had kept bedding and girly things from Zoe's childhood. They are in good shape so I washed them up and they are being used again. I kept enough of Zoes's things to make a charming toddler haven. Lots of stuffed animals, books, and her favorite the purple pee pee lamp. A small touch lamp that is on her nightstand that she can control. She calls it her pee pee lamp if she wakes during the night she can make it brighter. Awwww! So many things about this little gal are so endearing and some are just sad! This kid loves routine and gets excited about a nightly bath. I have rubber duckies that she looks forward to seeing
lol. She loves her room which thrills me.
We went clothes shopping for her yesterday as she came to me with very few. This child appreciates every morsel and tidbit of everything she is given. Awwww such a worthy individual. Talk about melt your heart!