Awwww...

It’s March! It’s time for lions to roar and lambs to get ready to lay with them, Irish folks to dye their beards and beer green, and all of us could use a good spring cleaning.

So February was intense, huh? Some little diddies with Iran, gas prices shot up 70 cents per gallon here in Cali, Whitney Houston passed away the night before the Grammys, and Davy Jones took his leave on Leap Day. Personally, I’m looking forward to this month. Daylight Savings starts, and the inevitable march (ha ha, get it?) towards sultry summer kicks in..Also I’m moving. To my very first house. Yep, I’m leaving West Hollywood and moving alllll the wayyyyy…to Atwater Village. Which is near Silverlake. Which is still Los Angeles. Just a different zip code. But it’s a big deal to me, so all warm wishes (and visitors) are welcome!

This is soon to be my house!

I have written a couple of new songs. But I’ve also been sidetracked–with moving, and with going back to my childhood roots in a way. I’ve started working with my folks in their sailing world, and am having a lot of fun with it. (Check out their coolness at setsail.com, if you’re so inclined.) As I learn to balance the two worlds, I’ll get rolling further into new-album land. Until then,  a little poem to march to:

When the springy winds do roar
And cold stuff you abhor
Does knock upon your door
Do not falter or implore
for mercy!
Git your comfy shoes upon your feet
Slip out the back, onto the street
Sing a tune of something sweet
And march into your soul’s good meat.

Um, or something like that. xox sarah

Woof woof! (Translation: Happy New Year!)

All right everybody, 2012 is here! As the ancient Mayans all used to say, “Lllllllet’s get ready to rummmmbbbbbllllle!” (Or was that Abraham Lincoln? I forget.)

Anyway, I for one am really excited for this year. It has started promisingly: my dog and I spent the holidays in Arizona with my parents, then I drove back to LA and wrote my first song in months.  It came pouring out. I sat on the floor and let it come. It’s called “Hold on My Dear”. Which basically sums it all up. I’ll try to get a recording of it up for you soon.

In the meantime, let’s all be healthy and serious and silly and deep and shallow. Let’s frolic and meditate. Let’s do this! (Translation: I know I haven’t performed or released a new album in a while. High hopes for 2012. I’m working on some other stuff too so my time is a bit split. But I’m planning on being more in touch. Etc.)

xoxox sarah

Polka dots!

Well THAT was a crazy year. Without going into too many details, suffice it to say that 2011 was a giant roller coaster ride. And in life, I’ve never been a fan of big roller coasters. Always made me sick. I have a really good friend who tells me that if I can go through the big life stuff roller coasters, then the amusement park coasters will be a piece of cake. Or something.

To which I want to yell, “Oh yeah? Well if she’s so smart what is she doing sitting in the NEIGHBOR’S CAR?!” (That’s a reference to Parenthood, one of the best movies ever. Just go rent it. Go.)

But anyway. Here we are at the tail end of the year, getting ready to ride into another…The year of the dragon, which is supposed to be all about good fortune, good transitions, good stuff. In the meantime I’m working on finishing out this year on a high note. I’ve got my Christmas presents wrapped in cute red and white polka dot wrapping paper, and I put a red and white polka dot collar on my dog to match. (Martha Stewart, eat your heart out.) 2012 promises to be exciting, but until then, I’ve got a wish for you lovely people:

May your love be strong, your judgment be light, your tears be temporary, and your stars be bright. Happy holidays, everyone. And a very VERY happy new year.

xoxox sarah

Well, it’s cold. This morning I woke up to snow on the hills above my parents’ house. Technically, Tucson is the high desert, which means it can get cold, but this was a surprise. When I came out here several weeks ago to work, I brought a load of shorts and t-shirts, my bathing suit, and one very lightweight sweatshirt. Which made walking my dog this morning in the 45 degree post-storm clear light a real adventure…

Brrr!

But that’s not the only thing that’s turned out differently than I thought. In general, this has been a strange year. I don’t think most folks would argue that. We’ve got Occupy Wall Street, the Greek and Eurozone crisis, strange multiples of GOP candidate debates that rival Saturday Night Live for entertainment value, the highest poverty population in the history of the U.S….And that’s just the beginning. There are earthquakes in Oklahoma, freak blizzards in New York in October…There are breakups and makeups and takeups and shakeups galore. And I’m no exception.

I came out here to think about my life and work on finishing up all the songs and demos for my new album. I made myself practice and write everyday. I stayed way longer than I thought I would (hence nothing but shorts), including spending my birthday alone for the first time in my life (it was nice).

The view from my birthday...

And then…I realized something. It wasn’t working. I threw it all out. I went upstairs and turned on the computer and started writing…something completely different.

I can’t define exactly what this project is yet…Can’t let you in on the secret till I know it for sure myself. But I’m losing myself in the work again, which is surely a good sign. Have patience with me, dear lovely blog visitors. I think it’s going to be cool. It just may take a little longer than I thought…xoxox sarah

This summer has been full of trips: emotional trips, family trips, vacation trips, but no drug trips. At least, not unless somebody’s been tampering with my coffee, which would actually explain a lot!

BUT, the biggest trip of all, the one that never ends, is the constant journey of the musician cycle. It goes like this: you write, you record, you go on the road and perform what you’ve recorded, you realize what you’ve missed from your last recording, you go back home and you start to write again. Something like that. That said, I’ve been on performance”sabbatical” in 2011–first time in 10 years. It’s been good. It’s given me a lot of time to write and get re-inspired and bake…

Lemon meringue with a lemon hibiscus!

And…Tackle learning Pro Tools.

The look of a new song!

For those of you who don’t use Pro Tools, my feelings about it can be summed up beautifully in a t-shirt my friend saw on a guy. On the front it said, ” I heart Pro Tools”; on the back it said, “F**K Pro Tools”!

So in other words, I’ve been keeping busy. I’m going to get back to work on figuring out my EZ Drummer plugin now (which I am convinced is an oxymoron). But I want to leave you with a couple things: one, I’m getting that performance itch. Lookout–I’m going to be touring again soon! Two, there’s going to be a new album in the next few months, and I think you’re going to like it. If I may be so bold. And I may.

Some pics from summer follow!

Me happy on a beach..

Kayaking in Kauai...

If you don't get inspired here, you're nuts!

The Grand Finale..