local-alerts.com

The evolution from analog to digital recording has made it extremely easy to trivialize the impact and importance of music. Cutting vinyl never really caught on, although my dad did find just such a recording device. It records by melting blank platters rather than by cutting as a master recording would be cut on metal, and we didn’t have a personal stereo, the walkman, until 1979.

After that, recording our own tapes, and later CD’s, MP3’s, AAC’s (essentially MP4’s), and lossless compression for audiophiles, is one of the many joys of our day. Although MP3 players have replaced tapes and CD’s for most of us, we still call our compilations mixtapes. Whichever musicians and genres we enjoy, we can always make new mixtapes of whatever we want, be it Hip Hop, Rock, Jazz, Classical, or whatever.

It is all too possible to have too much of a good thing, not to mention of mediocre things or things we’ve grown out of. I like to imagine back to when all music was live, to before music was recorded–before the MP3 player, the CD player, the walkman, the portable radio. A time when the only way to hear music was in person, when the greedy tentacles of record companies didn’t control this form of expression and creativity that we so enjoy.

Hard to fathom? There really was a time when music wasn’t everywhere; when every store, lobby, elevator, and car didn’t crank out tunes, and when it was unheard of for movies, phones, and video games to have music. Different phases of audio recording and amplification advancement occurred during the late 1800’s and the early 1900’s.

Atmosphere is created through architecture, decoration, art, lighting, but without sound, without music, the impact is incomplete. The ease of playing songs in public and in private can create opportunities not possible with live performers. As much as I would love to effectively concert hop when at the mall and elsewhere, I think it would be too much, too distracting for customers, for better or worse.

I’m all for giving musicians venues for more consistent employment, but the space and personnel required for staging, sound, and lighting equipment would be too much for most businesses to handle. Because we can listen to what we want to through our own mixtapes, we have increased power over what we allow to influence us. Our mood can be affected; we can be calmed, inspired, or pumped, depending on the music. There are many benefits from seeking out and enjoying good music.

Growing up in a family of musically inclined people meant that the piano was a major focal point in our home.  Holidays were spent gathered around the piano singing holiday songs with a group of siblings, splitting off into three and four part harmony.  Each kid in the family took music lessons on some kind of musical instrument of their choice, but everyone was required to start learning the piano, everyone but me.  Instead I started on the violin, which I played for several years before quitting and switching to another instrument.  But to this day when the family gathers around the piano, I wish I would have chosen to take piano lessons instead.  Learning piano is a great foundation for any kind of music and any other kind of instrument.  It gives a music student the opportunity to develop a strong knowledge of music theory.  For someone wishing to get into music or to get kids into music, the piano is a great place to start.

If you are a parent in New Jersey looking for the right musical instrument for your kid, perhaps you should consider the piano.  It will be the foundation of any music theory or knowledge they gain in the future.  However, learning how to play piano obviously requires the use of  piano.  Freehold Music Center is a music store specializing in wide variety of pianos in NJ.  Whether you’re looking for a small upright piano, a baby grand, or a full grand, Freehold Music Center has a wide selection to choose from. 

Hollywood has been the big apple to catch up with for many decades but other cultures and movie industries are making headway with the big guys.  Bollywood makes more films and more money currently than does our American filmmakers.  Shear numbers may account for a lot of that, but it is an interesting industry to study trends and dollars spent and earned.

African Movies are making a splash on the scene with some very well done movies and acting.  Check out Africanmovies.com to watch heartwarming and often tragic movie trailers depicting life in Africa.  Some of the most popular titles include:  Tears of Womanhood, Loy Enemies, Torment, Beloved, Material Girl, My Flesh My Blood and A Sting in a Tail.  There is plenty of action and spice to light up any screen.  For .99 cents per part you can watch the movies online. There is tragedy, love, abandonment, violence, mature themes and just about anything you enjoy in a movie including great acting and beautiful people.

Movies are alive and well all around the world as directors, producers and actors portray what they feel passionate about and what social ills and problems need addressing.  Some movies are purely entertaining while others tackle difficult tasks.  Just like America movies there is a difference in directors and actors but one thing doesn’t seem to be lacking and that is passion in all its forms.  Hollywood may still be the industry standard for many people but keep your eye on Bollywood and African Movies as runner-ups.

If your tastes run to the elegant and the French, you should plan on stopping by FrenchTapestries.com and explore the exquisite selection they have in store. Some home decorative items are true works of art, and French tapestries along with similar companion items represent the paragon of this genre. Here are just a few of the many reasons why FrenchTapestries.com should be your choice for finding something truly unique and timeless.

Beautiful Selection

Our website features a wide selection of French tapestries designed and created in their country of origin. We carry the most popular products from the greatest manufacturers and styles in France including Gobelin, Halluin, Loiselles Stitch, Meurins and Tissages. You’ll find whatever you are looking for, from ancient motifs to modern designs: there is literally something for everyone.

Our Experience Show

Unlike some other online vendors, we’ve been dealing in French tapestries for over 30 years! This experience means that we know what quality is and what is not in the marketplace. You can trust us to offer only the very best  so that you can decorate your home with confidence.

Variety

We also offer other French decorative items to complement your new tapestries.

–Beautifully framed decorative lithographs will bring a touch of whimsy along with old-century style to your boudoir, bedroom, or even your staircases.

–Footstools and pillows add a touch of elegance to any room and come in a variety of styles and colors.

–Table throws with traditional French designs will satisfy the Francophile in everyone while adding a splash of color and panache.

When it comes to bringing French elegance and tradition into your home decorating, you can count on the experts at FrenchTapestries.com to help you do it right.

Every year as Christmas approaches, my mind begins working to come up with unique gift ideas for family and friends.  I want to give something that I know they do not already have, that shows I put some thought into it.  I want it to convey the fact that I care about them, but if possible, would obviously prefer it if it does not break the bank.

I have come up with some pretty good things in the past.  Being a big board game fan, I will occasionally come across a game that is really fun.  I have gotten games like this for my brothers and it has seemed to be a very good gift.  The best part about it is that it gives us a good reason to get together for a fun game.

Probably the best unique gift I ever gave my wife is a pencil portrait of our engagement picture.  I have a friend that is an artist and really good at photo art.  I provided her with a photograph, and paid her for her time to draw this picture into a portrait.  It has been hanging on our wall for seven years now.  Another thing I gave to my wife on one of our anneversaries is a book about how me met, how we fell in love and up through getting married.  I discovered a service offered by Costco online where I could provide photos and text, organize how I wanted the book to look, including the cover, and they would make it and ship it to me.

The film industry is not limited to Hollywood.  Many countries are trying to get their hands into the pile of money that making films produces.  Probably the most well known outside of Hollywood is Bollywood, India’s equivalent to the American film industry. 

The African movies are relevant themes to Africans with comedies, horror and suspense, romance, drama, action and thriller,  Akin, family, Yoruba, Caribbean, Christian and Hausa.  There are up and coming directors, actors and behind the camera and scene personal to give these movies a distinctive flare.  In looking over some of the trailers for AFRICANMOVIES.COM it seems that a large majority of them are drama bases with some incredibly dramatic acting.  Stories of pain and suffering and lost romance.  Themes common to Africans and the world.

Movies often depict the social and moral paths of a country, but not always, sometime they depict the social and morals of the film makers,  These movies seem to follow the same suit as American films.

Film is an important part of any culture.  If the film makers stay true to the culture and problems facing their people they can be a part of history or they can pave the way for improvement giving voice to the common man.  Film can be used for good or bad depending on the priorities and agenda of the makers. There is a lot of romance in these movies also, which again may be reflective of the culture or a dream of the film makers.  Oven they go together.

For great films, check out the international film section of your local video store, Netflix or the internet to see what is being produced around the world.  Hollywood is not the long movie maker.

Janet Sheperd is a Chicago interior decorator who loves helping her clients make the most of their living space. Let’s face it: most of us could use a little help transforming our homes at one time or another, and Janet created Just Re-Arrange It Interiors for that specific purpose. She makes Windy City-area residents happy to come home again with her expertise, taste, and commitment to complete customer satisfaction. Here are some of the services offered through Just Re-Arrange It Interiors.

One-Day Interior Design

If you love the furnishings you already have, but are at a bit of a loss as to how to best arrange them within your space, experienced Chicago interior decorator Janet Sheperd will offer her one-day design and consulting services that will help you make the most of what you’ve got. Her discerning eye and talent for detail will result in a plan for “tweaking” your existing decorating scheme that will make a huge difference. She will suggest furniture arrangement and give recommendations for paint colors, window treatments, and accessories that will transform any room from “blah” to “wow.”

Full-Service Interior Design

If you need more extensive assistance, Janet uses CAD technology to help formulate a decorating plan for your home that is both functional and beautiful. She also provides expert shopping assistance, taking into account each and every customer’s individual sense of taste as well as lifestyle. Janet believes that home accessories are the things that either make or break a room: when you trust Just Re-Arrange It Interiors, every corner will reflect your unique style.

Downsizing Services

As many older Chicagoans start downsizing their homes, they need help figuring out how to fit a houseful of furnishings into a much smaller space. As a Chicago interior decorator, Janet uses CAD-drawings to help home owners visualize their current belongings in their new space and decide how to use them to best advantage.

Janet is a widely recognized leader in the Chicago interior decorating field: let Just Re-Arrange It Interiors turn your house into a real home.

I grew up in a neighborhood that was pretty traditional.  The men had their roles, and the women had their roles.  The men worked, and the women stayed at home with the kids.  There were no business owners, only employees.  If there was one thing that men did not do, it was certainly dancing.  The thought never crossed my mind.

A couple semesters into my university studies, a good friend of mine and I went on a double date together.  We ended up going to a dance, but in my naivety I just figured we would watch or waddle around.  As it happened, my friend and his date knew how to swing dance and they taught my date and I some moves.  The best part about it was that we had a blast. 

The next semester I enrolled in a social dance class taught at the university. I was not very good at the beginning but I got better.  The next semester I took another dance class, followed by another, and another.  In total, I think I took seven dance classes until I graduated.  My favorite is Latin dance, although my hips do not quite move like they are supposed to.  When I got married, my wife and I enrolled in dancing lessons in Ashburn VA and have had a lot of fun.

For those guys like me who thought dancing is sissy stuff, I will agree and disagree.  There is still a lot of dancing that is sissy stuff, however, the type of dancing where you get to dance with a partner is a heck of a lot of fun, and nothing sissy about it.