a belated welcome to ihartangie.com!

i was waiting for my lost photoshop program to reappear, so i could post you some lovely pics with my latest lot of waffle. if i wait any longer, it’ll be 2009!

i had my computer cleaned up and reworked, as it was running like a glob of molasses. hence, i did not post whilst it was giving me grief, nor in it’s absence, and not when i received it back, running like a racehorse without a saddle (ie. missing iphoto, the link to my blog site, etc.).

what it does have, is a new battery. i am longer chained to the nearest power point for fear of losing everything i just typed and going back to january the 1st, 1970 (no lie, that’s what it was doing, which confuses me to no end, seeing as this computer was not even born in 1970 and neither was i!), every time i try to move to a more comfortable corner of the house.

i am now out on the porch, my position of choice in all weathers, biting the bullet and writing to you, pictures or none.

i won’t try to recap every event since i last wrote, but if anything comes to mind, then i’ll mention it. this could be a little bit rambling and out of chronological order in events, as a result. who cares?

i am the great unwashed today. the benefits and drawbacks of working at home. if i were to be honest, i’d tell you that i’ve been wearing the same outfit for four or more days running, but so you can keep a lovely picture of me and my glamorous life, let’s say i’m sipping a martini, whilst lounging around in a velvet jumpsuit with a fully coifed up-do. ha!

this year feels like it might be my year. not only is it year of the rat, which is my chinese astrology sign, but everything tells me it’s going to be on my terms. imagine that! i am relaxing into the rhythm of my own schedule and watching things eventuate without all of the stress of last year.

i vow to operate under less stress this year.

it did not bring me anything i could not have achieved in a leisurely fashion. that is not to say i won’t work hard, but i will not labour over things that cannot be changed. it’s amazing how smoothly things run, when you agree to work this way. i only stressed over things, because it made me feel less guilty. i think i equated stressing with working hard. we all know that doesn’t add up.

the whole idea of creating space, so that the creative juices can flow with ease, is thwarted if you think you can do it with a head full of useless worry. nuff said.

i am expanding my horizons with a few hobbies, dotted amongst my career-based callings. i realised that i was focussing too hard on the outcome of my actions and forgetting to have fun with them. great things can come from a little bit of play time. music is such a playful, enjoyable vocation, when you respect yourself enough to have fun with it. i mean, when did the arts get serious?!

so! to start the year off with a bang, i have a few new tricks up my sleeve.

with the help of a team of willing friends/specimens, i will be teaching a small class of yoga once a week (when the touring schedule permits), taking guitar lessons (i’m learning theory!) and even more excitingly, i will be doing a series of interviews/documented casual chats with some inspiring women i am privileged to know.

the latter will be posted on my site, for us all to enjoy. the former? i will keep to myself, thank you very much.

i’ve decided to bring back the newsletter of old. i miss the zine style mail-outs i used to do, when i was in splendid. i want to share some poetry (unfinished songs), photos, and bring some insight into some of the people i share my time with, that inspire me to do what i do.

first thing i need to do, is get a program that will allow me to lay out such a multi-facetted page, then get cracking on my social skills and interview style. i have five incredible women lined up, ready for me to do my worst, a tape recorder and my trusty old camera.

i hope you all enjoy my foray into journalism. it won’t be very writerly, more of a documented chat.

meanwhile, i’ll still be blogging and i have a swag of dates lined up for feb/march.

the cooking and gardening is still going strong. i’ve been in a passionate cupcake stage. cream cheese, pistachio and rose water icing, or a stunning lemon icing, with carnation petals muddled through. the good old chocolate cupcake has also served me well.

drink of choice through the holidays: frozen berry mix, blended with vodka. kind of like a daiquiri smoothie. take in your antioxidants, as you taketh away with the vodka.

thanks for hanging in there during the dry period. sometimes, i just have nothing to write about.

lots of love,

ang x