Leela Music Newsletter, March 2010

Michael Stribling
Leela Music, BMI
Newsletter, March 2010

Here's an overview of what you'll find in this issue:

• Musical Memos
• Spiritually Speaking
• Points to Ponder / In Other News
• And the Winner Is ...

***MUSICAL MEMOS***

The results are in, and I'm thrilled (and honored) to announce that The Promise won the ZMR Music Award for Best Electronic Album of 2009.

If the short excerpts of the CD at CDBaby aren't long enough for you, you may listen to the entire CD at Leela Radio. There's also a four-part interview of the behind-the-scenes story of this project.

It's been three years and four CDs since the last award (Songs of Hope and Healing), so this feels especially good. Something tells me it's time to get back into the studio.

***SPIRITUALLY SPEAKING***

You are what you love; not what loves you.

I recently watched the film, Adaptation, and there was a line in there that caught my attention: "You are what you love; not what loves you." It got me thinking.

The first part of this quote reminds me of a definition of spirituality that I like: spirituality is defined as where we invest our time and energy (i.e., what we love). If we spend most of our time and energy around using drugs, or making money, or trying to control the universe, or trying to please everybody, then that's where our spiritual center is, and that's what we love (it's what we care about the most).

If, on the other hand, we invest our energy in improving ourselves, loving ourselves (and, by implication, loving others), and generally striving for higher levels of awareness and consciousness, then our spiritual center is something else entirely. In a very real sense then, "you are what you love."

The other thing about this quote is that sometimes we become so focused on what's outside of us that we forget about what's inside of us. And when we're outwardly focused, we tend to become overly concerned about what others think of us. In fact, much of the social behavior of humans is probably centered around being loved my others (or, at least, not being rejected by others).

The problem is that we begin to determine our self-worth based on how many friends we have, or who "loves" us, etc. That's when we're tempted to think, "you are what loves you."

More than those two points, however, this quote reminds me of another idea. "What you love" is energy flowing outward; "what loves you" is energy flowing inward. It takes both, I suppose, and they need to be in balance. Nevertheless, we define ourselves more by what we love, than by what or who loves us; so choose what you love carefully.

You are what you love; not what loves you.

***POINTS TO PONDER / IN OTHER NEWS***

The Man: Rules of Engagement

We always hear "The Rules of Engagement" from the feminine side.

Now here are "The Rules of Engagement" from the masculine side.

(Some of these below are intentionally "chauvinistic" for humor's sake. A few may make a serious point! The over-all purpose is simply to entertain.)

1. A masculine Man needs a lovely, sweet-natured, loving, deferential, supportive, encouraging, non-competitive Woman who knows how to praise, pleasure, and "pamper" a guy.
2. A good, loving man must NOT be expected to be a "mind reader."
3. Learn to work the toilet seat. You're a big girl. If it's up, put it down. We need it up, you need it down. You don't hear us complaining about you leaving it down.
4. Sunday sports is like the full moon or the changing of the tides ... for some men. (If this is the so for your man, let it be.)
5. Crying is blackmail ... unless it is a real crisis or emergency.
6. Ask for what you want. This is important! Subtle hints do not work!Strong hints do not work!Obvious hints do not work!Just say it!
7. Yes and No are perfectly acceptable answers to almost every question.
8. Come to us with a problem only if you want help solving it. That's what we do. (Sympathy is what your girlfriends are for.)
9. Anything we said 6 months ago is inadmissible in an argument. (In fact, all comments become null and void after 7 days.)
10. If you think you're fat, you probably are.(Never ask your man that!)
11. If something we said can be interpreted two ways, and one of the ways makes you sad or angry, we meant the other one.
12. You can either ask us to do something, or tell us how you want it done. Not both. (If you already know best how to do it, just do it yourself.)
13. Whenever possible, please say whatever you have to say during commercials.
14. Christopher Columbus did NOT need directions and neither do we.
15. ALL men see in only 16 colors, like Windows default settings. Peach, for example, is a fruit, not a color. Pumpkin is also a fruit. We have no idea what "Mauve" is.
16. If it itches, it will be scratched.(We do that.)
17. If we ask what is wrong, and you say "nothing," we will act like nothing's wrong. (Ha! We know you are lying, but it is just not worth the hassle.)
18. If you ask a question and don't expect an answer, expect an answer you don't want to hear.
19. When we have to go somewhere, absolutely anything you wear is fine. Really.
20. You have enough clothes.
21. You have too many shoes.
22. I am in shape. Round IS a shape!
23. Don't ask us what we're thinking about unless you are prepared to discuss such topics as boar hunting, bull fighting, deep sea fishing, motor sports--or philosophy, theology, film making, fine art, scientific research, jazz, the writing field--or anything profound.

(Thank you for reading this! Yes, I know, I have to sleep on the couch tonight. But did you know men really don't mind that? It's like camping!)

(excerpt: WIP): Me Tarzan You Jane: Love's Perennial Fight ©2010 by Philip C. Brewer, All Rights Reserved

*** AND THE WINNER IS ... ***

Every issue, I give away a free CD (autographed, of course :-). If you're on the mailing list, you're automatically entered in every drawing. This month, the winner is Valerie Lawe. Congratulations!

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That's it for this issue. Feel free to drop me a line and let me know what you liked, or didn't like, in this issue, and any recommendations or requests you have for future editions.

If you're new to the mailing list and/or you want to read some of the back issues of this newsletter, just visit the Leela Newsletters page.

Thank you for your support. Please invite your friends to visit Leela Music and sign the guestbook. Oh yeah, it's okay to order some CDs, too! They make wonderful gifts :-).

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I wish you peace, joy, and love.

Namasté,

Michael Stribling
www.leela-radio.com
www.leela-music.com
info@leela-music.com

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