Born Free

Well, my little mouse, Sasha, jumped out of her cage when I was petting her last night and ran away from me when I tried to catch her. I waited awhile to see if she would show up in the file cabinet again, and she did. She was really unhappy about being put back in the cage and I realized that she needed to be out in the wild where she was born.

Of course, all day the song “Born Free” was running through my mind. I’m just that sappy. When I got home from work I drove Sasha in her cage up to Franklin Canyon. She wasn’t thrilled with the drive, but calmed down after we got to a nice spot in the woods. I put the cage on the ground and opened the door for her so she could go outside.

She wasn’t sure what to do, so I pet her and told her she could go. She got on top of the cage and then climbed down onto the ground. She walked around the bottom of the cage and then ventured off under some reeds. I placed her wooden house with some food and her chewy toys where the cage was and then left. I hope she has a really nice life now.

Blessings!
Laura

Get gig info on the homepage at:
http://www.LauraCohnMusic.com
Where Music Meets Artistry

A Mouse In The House, Part 2

Well I found my little mouse, Sasha, in a file cabinet drawer happily chewing the tops of my file folders. She had the cutest expression on her face when she was busted. I don’t know how she managed to get in there. I know people have told me that mice can flatten themselves and get into tiny places. Sasha proved to be a master at it.

I’m glad she was some place safe and was chewing on paper. That won’t hurt her. She’s been kind of bummed out being in her cage today. She was very happy she got to roam around free. I put an extra fastener on the door of her cage so she won’t get out again. I really can’t have her out chewing things up in my apartment. That doesn’t work.

I’m going to talk with my friend who volunteers at the Wild Life Way Station and see what she suggests. When I looked up White-Footed Deer Mice on the internet, they said the mice did fine in captivity and liked to be pet. Maybe Sasha is bored and would do better with another mouse in her life. I don’t really want another mouse in mine.

Blessings!
Laura

Get gig info on the homepage at:
http://www.LauraCohnMusic.com
Where Music Meets Artistry

A Mouse In The House

This morning when I woke up, I found my mouse’s cage door open with no mouse inside. Shasha, the mouse, was rescued from a cat’s mouth when she was a baby and was given to me a couple of weeks later. She’s a very sweet little mouse. And apparently Sasha is very smart, too. She managed to open the door and let herself out.

I haven’t managed to locate her yet. There are some places where she might be that are hard to get to like behind the refrigerator, under the stove. I’m not strong enough to move the refrigerator and I wouldn’t want to hurt her if she was back there trying to move the refrigerator. I left her cage open with food and water inside in case she gets hungry.

My dilemma now is what to do for her. If she doesn’t show up after awhile, I’m not sure if I should go on a serious mouse hunt, or presume she found a way to get outside. If she does come back to her cage, I’m not sure whether or not I should find a place to release her in the wild or just secure her cage better. I hope she’s happy wherever she is.

Blessings!
Laura

Get gig info on the homepage at:
http://www.LauraCohnMusic.com
Where Music Meets Artistry

Recording At Del Oro Music

It was another fun session of recording guitar tracks with my producer, Robert Eibach. He is really fast on the computer. It’s nice to work with someone who knows what they’re doing, is prepared and easy to be with. We were able to get my parts recorded really quickly and that was a treat.

Here is the song list for the new CD in the order they were recorded in…
1. Miracle
2. Wakantanka
3. Somehow My Heart
4. Don’t Ask Me Why
5. Bright Blue Skies
6. I Was Wondering
7. I Am
8. Life Is Good
9. What People Are Saying
10. Hooray For The Living

Next week we edit the guitar tracks and then Voyce McGinley, III will be adding percussion for all the songs. It’s very cool that he will be playing on this CD. Voyce is a wonderful guy to work with, which is why so many artists choose Voyce to play percussion/drums for them on their recordings.

Blessings!
Laura

Get gig info on the homepage at:
http://www.LauraCohnMusic.com
Where Music Meets Artistry

Heat

My sister called today to let me know that, so far, more people have died from the heat in LA than Israeli soldiers have died in this current war. That was telling. It’s starting to cool down, a few degrees each day, and that’s nice. There have been power outages. I don’t always remember that the Valley is a desert climate. I’m remembering now.

I do prefer the heat to the cold, but in moderation. I’ve noticed that by 4p I’m ready for a nap. I eat a lot of salt in my food and drink a lot of water, but I’m still wiped out. I don’t think of the heat as a problem, but I am making some adjustments. I’m shopping later at night when I can so I’m not out in the mid-day sun. And I’m being quiet when I can.

Air conditioning is right up there in my top favorite things list along with indoor plumbing and electricity. Cold watermelon and lemonade have become staples in my refrigerator. It’s during the summer months that give me an appreciation for my being a night owl. It’s wonderful to feel the breeze in the night air.

Blessings!
Laura

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http://www.LauraCohnMusic.com
Where Music Meets Artistry

Greater Than Myself

It doesn’t take much for me to realize that I’m part of something greater than myself in the world here. I get woken up in the morning and so much is already going on. There was a lot going on before I was born and I’m pretty sure that there will be a lot going on when I die. I’m just doing what I got woken up to do while I’m here.

As an artist, I tend to live from a place in my heart that I see others don’t always get to. It’s a place where I find my center, my motivation, the energy that drives me and the love that’s all around me. When I play my guitar and sing my songs, I’m in an altered state. People have commented how different I am when I’m doing that. It just feels good to me.

I’ve been told that I light up when I play or even when I talk about playing. That’s one indicator to me that I’m doing the right thing. I don’t know what impact my work as an artist has or what, in the big picture, I’m doing this for. I just know I need to do it and that seems to be why I’m here. Do you think bees know they’re pollinating flowers?

Blessings!
Laura

Get gig info on the homepage at:
http://www.LauraCohnMusic.com
Where Music Meets Artistry

Walking On Water

Sunyatha Bhikku is an ordained Buddhist monk and a doctor of Chinese medicine. We were discussing some things about life and death. I mentioned that I heard Elijah the Prophet didn’t die physically when he ascended to Heaven and that I’d like to know how to do that. He smiled at me and then this little “grasshopper” was told a story.

A student was walking in the woods and came across a man who stood up from being in meditation very excited. The man exclaimed, “After 15 years of sitting here in the woods in meditation, I’ve discovered the secret to walking on water. Now I can do it!” The man then proceeded to walk across the river on top of the water. The student was impressed.

Later, the student told his teacher that he wanted to go study with that man so he could also learn how to walk on water. The teacher said he could go after he answered one question. Then the teacher asked him very simply, “Why would you want to sit in the woods and meditate for 15 years to learn how to walk on water when you can pay a penny to ride on a boat that will take you across the river in 10 minutes?”

Blessings!
Laura

Get gig info on the homepage at:
http://www.LauraCohnMusic.com
Where Music Meets Artistry

Vocal Training

Tonight I had my first vocal lesson with April Diamond. April is one of Del Oro Music’s recording artists. She’s a very talented teacher. You can check out what April is about musically at www.myspace.com/aprildiamondmusic. I haven’t trained with many vocal teachers before, but I can say from one lesson that April has a great approach.

In looking at how I speak, April was able to tell me things about my voice that immediately shifted my awareness of how I sing. Then when she took me through some exercises, I could really feel how to adjust some things in a cool way. Then when I sang a song of mine, I was able to start to apply the ideas she gave me and it felt better to sing.

What’s great about training with a recording artist is that April knows what I deal with on stage playing guitar and singing during a performance and how much is involved to be able to do that well. And I can tell that she knows what will be effective in getting results. I’ve taken voice lessons before and this was much better than anything in the past.

Blessings!
Laura

Get gig info on the homepage at:
http://www.LauraCohnMusic.com
Where Music Meets Artistry

NARIP

Today NARIP (The National Association of Recording Industry Professionals) had a networking brunch. It was nice to see some familiar faces and meet new people as well. What’s great about the brunches is the introduction part after everyone eats. Each person stands up and gets to make their 1 minute pitch about who they are and what they need.

Quite a few singer/songwriters come to NARIP events in addition to the recording people. Today a 17 year old girl that is managing an artist who is from Spain stood up to speak. She was with her mom. It’s not very often I meet a young girl who is so seriously focused on a business venture. I’m going to interview her and write an article about her.

Tess Taylor, the president of NARIP, mentioned that, to her, it’s important that we find things we can do to make the world a better place, especially with the political tension and hostility showing up around the globe. I felt right at home. “Be Kind To Strangers” is the name of my prayer request column in my newsletter. We can make a difference in our life here.

Blessings!
Laura

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Where Music Meets Artistry

2nd Winds

Sometimes it amazes me when I catch a 2nd wind. That usually comes in a moment when I’m pretty tired and going to sleep seems like the most desirable option I could have. But when I have things scheduled the thought of sleep and having a night off gets pushed aside so I can focus on the task at hand.

My best hours to be productive are 10-2, am or pm. I’m not an early morning girl, but once 10a comes along an automatic energy boost comes in. Today I was in the mood to go to sleep at 3:30p, but I was meeting a friend at 4p, so going to sleep wasn’t going to happen. Now that my magic hour of 10p has come in, I’m cruising.

In my perfect world, I don’t have to get up in the morning before 8a. I can stay up until 2a and feel like I’ve had plenty of rest on 6 hrs. sleep. I can play guitar and sing for hours on end and feel energized afterwards. People are always incredibly kind to me and treat me in a respectful considerate way. I love being me.

Blessings!
Laura

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Where Music Meets Artistry

Recording at Del Oro Music

I was at Del Oro Music tonight recording guitar tracks with my producer, Robert Eibach. It’s really a treat to be in a well equipped studio with a great studio room and a producer who knows how to get the right sound for an instrument. I had new strings put on the guitar this week and had my guitar looked over to make sure it was set up right.

It had been awhile since I had changed the strings. I tend to play strings a long time unless I have a reason to change them more often. The strings that were on the guitar were so dead, they had black marks on them from being pushed down on the neck of the guitar so much. I’ve been playing a lot of shows, so the strings were well worn out.

I don’t always pay attention to that stuff when I get busy with things. The new strings were so awesome sounding that the guitar seemed magical to me when I was in the big room recording. I’m sure Robert’s engineering expertise had something to do with it. A good headphone mix, a click track, and a good vibe does wonders for me on a mic.

Blessings!
Laura

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Where Music Meets Artistry

TV Pilot

It’s always fun to work on a set of a TV show or a film, even if it’s just for a short bit of time. The guys over at CAP Theater are working on a pilot and asked me to come over to be in a scene. They asked me to wear something sexy and I just happened to have a skin tight swanky dress. So I was showing some leg for a quick shot. It was fun.

They weren’t done shooting, but I had to get some things taken care of for my recording session so I came home. It’s wonderful to be in such a creative environment with so many artists in town. I met some very cool, new people at the theater that I totally connected with. It’s nice to get into conversations with strangers. People are very loving.

I’m starting to understand what makes my artistry beneficial to others. It gives people a chance to have their ideals acknowledged with a way to live them. I can see what sets my work apart, too. I can walk into a room without knowing anyone when I get there and walk out of the place with new amazing friends. How cool is that?

Blessings!
Laura

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Where Music Meets Artistry

Meeting People

One thing I’ve noticed is that connecting with people is pretty easy for me because I genuinely like people a lot. It’s a vibe thing that I think other people pick up on. There’s a comforting energy that shows up in a room when I like the people I’m with. In most cases, I don’t know much about people until I meet them and talk to them awhile.

I do know that because I like people in general, tend to be more supportive than judgmental, and usually find some way to be useful when I show up in a room that I have a pretty good time everywhere I go. It’s when I get caught up in wanting something when I show up with people that I get off balance.

More comes to me when I’m focused on taking care of what people need rather than thinking about what I think I want. I also see examples of that in other people’s circumstances. The person who is busy trying to get what they want doesn’t always see how that looks to others and how different things would be if they could approach life differently.

Blessings!
Laura

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Where Music Meets Artistry

NARIP: Music for Film & TV w/ the Brabec Brothers

NARIP had a great event tonight with Jeffrey & Todd Brabec. They wrote, “Music Money and Success: The Insider’s Guide to Making Money in the Music Business”. They’re identical twins. Currently, Jeff is the VP of Business Affairs at Chrysalis Music Group and Todd is the Executive VP of ASCAP. They know their stuff.

They covered a lot of subjects and there were many things they said that caught my attention. One thing Todd said that Jeff concurred with was that “there’s a market for everything”. That gave me hope. Another thing Todd pointed out was that “once you lose a right or bargain it away it’s gone forever”. That’s a huge lesson to learn.

It was nice to hear them give a quick overview of important business subjects in regards to film and television music. The Brabec brothers’ book is considered a must-read by many professionals. It is an in-depth guide to financial success in the music industry. I bought a copy. It’s great that 2 veteran pros got together to share their knowledge.

Blessings!
Laura

Get gig info on the homepage at:
http://www.LauraCohnMusic.com
Where Music Meets Artistry

Picking CD Songs

My producer, Robert Eibach, and I were at Del Oro Music choosing songs for my CD tonight. I played him roughly 17 songs. He chose the first 5 we will start recording this Friday. Then he picked 8 more that we’ll decide from to get the second 5. It was fun. Robert is a very low key kind of guy. We laughed a lot.

The first 5 songs we will start with for the recording are:

1. Miracle
2. Wakantanka
3. Somehow My Heart
4. Don’t Ask Me Why
5. Bright Blue Skies

It’s very cool to be scheduled to go into the studio to record soon. The majority of my week will be spent rehearsing these 5 songs so I can get the guitar part recorded in a short session on Friday. I’ll also be playing the other 8 songs a lot. All the gigs, sessions, rehearsals and hours writing songs I’ve spent over the years are now paying off.

Blessings!
Laura

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Where Music Meets Artistry

Crystal Skulls

A woman I met had a crystal skull. She wasn’t an ordinary woman. She was more of a medicine woman. She said crystal skulls are a great mystery in the world. Crystal skulls are believed to contain vast amounts of information. Her skull had been in a ceremony with a deer skull that had been in a ceremony with a very famous crystal skull in Canada.

I’m not sure what that means or what it did, but it sounded cool. The crystal skull in Canada is the Mitchell Hedges crystal skull which experts say technically could not be carved today. Apparently there are a number of crystal skulls that have been found in the world and many studies have been done on them to find the information they contain.

She compared the current crystal skull scenario to that of a future civilization coming across a computer. Without knowing how to turn it on they couldn’t get access to the data inside. Wouldn’t it be funny if the crystal skull held ancient versions of computer video games or some form of email system? Maybe if I get a crystal skull I’ll get smarter.

Blessings!
Laura

Get gig info on the home page at:
http://www.LauraCohnMusic.com
Where Music Meets Artistry

Sasha the Mouse

About a year ago, I was given a baby white-footed deer mouse that had been rescued from my friend’s cat’s mouth. My friend had put the mouse back outside and her cat brought the baby mouse back inside. The mouse had been kept in a box in a bathroom for a couple of weeks when I got the call to give the mouse a home.

The mouse was very small and came in a little cage. I named her Sasha. I didn’t know she was a white-footed deer mouse but when she got big I was curious to find out how long she might live. After my internet search, I learned that Sasha could live to be 10 years old. With that being the case, I went out and bought her a 3 story cage with a big wheel.

Sasha enjoys running on her wheel a lot. I was watching her running on her wheel one night and noticed that after she got the wheel going really fast she like to hold on to the wheel so she could have the wheel spin her around a few times. It made me laugh to see her do it. I bet she would like roller coasters, too, if they made some for mice.

Blessings!
Laura

Get gig info on the home page at:
http://www.LauraCohnMusic.com
Where Music Meets Artistry

Living On A Planet

When Dessert Storm was in the news in the early 90s, I wrote a song called “Living On A Planet”. I was frustrated with the news and the way the war was promoted. I would say reported, but it seemed more like a media campaign to me than anything else. I recorded the song with some friends and was lucky to have some Colorado radio stations play it.

I’m about to start a new recording project and with the current escalation of violence in the Middle East with Israel and North Korea’s venture into long range missiles, it’s very possible that I’ll be releasing a new recording of “Living On A Planet” in the near future. I wasn’t thrilled with the invasion of Iraq, but I didn’t really have clarity on what to say.

The lyrics in “Living On A Planet” keep coming back to me. Maybe it’s because I have yet to live a year on this planet without a war going on somewhere in some way. Here’s a sample…”It’s just a ball. We’re living on a planet. Another war I just don’t understand it. It’s for us all, why do we have to damn it? We’re on a ball. We’re living on a planet.”

Blessings!
Laura

Get gig info on the home page at:
http://www.LauraCohnMusic.com
Where Music Meets Artistry

Comprehension

Today I had the privilege of watching a private lesson given to a student by Shmuel Stoch in reading comprehension. I learned far more than I thought I would when I went to the appointment. It gave me a new understanding about how peoples’ minds approach things differently and why misunderstandings can be so prevalent in relationships.

He mentioned that figurative speech is the most misleading form of communication and we use it all the time. He said figurative speech can make understanding what people are talking about difficult for children learning a language. That mainly happens because what we say isn’t at all what we actually mean. He gave examples of one word in figurative speech.

The word HIT is used in many ways. We say, “Let’s hit the road”, or a song is “A big hit” or “She hit it big”. Those meanings are different than saying “He hit the ball”. It made me realize how much I use figurative speech and that isn’t really an accurate use of language. Figurative speech can create confusion and confusion can cause problems.

Blessings!
Laura

Get gig info on the home page at:
http://www.LauraCohnMusic.com
Where Music Meets Artistry

My Plant

Awhile back there was a little seedling that started growing up through a crack in the bricks outside my patio sliding glass door. I thought it was really cool that it managed to find a place to grow like that. As it got bigger, I didn’t have the heart to pull it out of the ground and kill it. It just seemed sweet and I didn’t think it would live long anyway.

After a few rain storms the plant wasn’t looking very good. Things got busy and I didn’t really pay much attention to it. Then I notice after a number of months that my little plant wasn’t so little anymore. It kept growing and seemed to be thriving. It started growing white flower blossoms and getting small round black berries on it. So I just let it be.

I decided that I should move the plant to a better location because now it stretches out along the whole door. When I took a closer look at it the other day I saw that it now has a small trunk like a serious tree/bush. I’m going to have to remove quite a few bricks to free the roots so I can give it a new home. I’m glad my plant has grown up to be strong.

Blessings!
Laura

Get gig info on the home page at:
http://www.LauraCohnMusic.com
Where Music Meets Artistry

The Magic Castle

I’m not usually out until 1:30am, but I was at the Magic Castle in Hollywood seeing my friend, Brandon Scott, perform his show and time just flew by. The Castle is an amazing place. Aside from the great performances, the décor and the cool stuff to look at, there’s a strict dress code so everyone looks fabulous in their fancy clothes.

I personally love a reason to dress up. That’s probably one of the reasons why I enjoy performing so much. I love to wear fine clothes when I hit the stage. It’s just fun. All the magicians dress great at the Castle, too. And the humor in magic is really enjoyable to be a part of. The best magicians I’ve seen make me laugh.

We had dinner in the dining room before the show and the food at the Magic Castle is awesome. There was something about being there tonight that reminded me of the movie, “Titanic”. I don’t know if it was because I was wearing a beaded shawl, or hearing Irma, the ghost, play the piano or if I just felt like I was in another world. It was nice.

Blessings!
Laura

Get gig info on the home page at:
http://www.LauraCohnMusic.com
Where Music Meets Artistry

www.acufitnessplus.com

When I was at CBS Radford Studios for the 4th of July, I met Javier Jacobo, the owner of Hotte Bodies & Wellness Center. He gave me a gift certificate for a free pilates session. I’d never done pilates so I thought it would be fun to try. Pilates has been around for a long time and I know people who swear by it. The session gave me a reason to try it out.

When I got to my session, Javier told me that the machines look different from other work out gear before he took me upstairs. He was right. If he wasn’t there to show me things to do I would have been totally lost. He took me through a bunch of moves that stretched my muscles and my joints in really nice ways. It was very relaxing.

He also worked on my muscles a bit during the stretches and that was great. I liked doing pilates much more than yoga. Now I understand why people swear by pilates. Javier also has different nutritional supplements that he endorses to create a complete lifestyle system for people. You can check his stuff out at www.acufitnessplus.com.

Blessings!
Laura

Get gig info on the homepage at:
http://www.LauraCohnMusic.com
Where Music Meets Artistry

Manhattan Beach, CA

My friends from Boulder, CO are in town for the weekend and are staying in Manhattan Beach. They’re visiting family. I went down to meet them for dinner last night and it was great to see them. The drive down the 405 was a little long. The highway department puts LCD signs on the freeway that give messages to people.

It disrupts the flow of traffic, especially when there’s a lot to read on a sign that flashes 2 screens for a message. Anytime I’m in slow moving traffic I take the opportunity to pray for others and think about the gifts I have in my life. Then I enjoy the ride. I find that when I’m delayed for some reason it usually works out great that I arrive at the later time.

We went to dinner and then took a walk to the end of the pier on the beach. There were a lot of people fishing. We saw people bring up a big lobster and then a baby shark. People were catching a lot of small fish, too. It’s kind of hard to watch a fish gasping for air when it’s out of the water dying. The reality of the food chain gets lost in a grocery store.

Blessings!
Laura

Get gig info on the homepage at:
http://www.LauraCohnMusic.com
Where Music Meets Artistry

When it's Time

It’s interesting to me the way things come together and I need to remember certain moments when I’m pursuing my goals. I’ve discovered that when it’s time for something to happen then it will happen and not a moment before. And it just happens without me doing much. I’ve witnessed that in my own life and in other people’s lives as well.

When it’s not time for something to happen, then I’m on the look-out moving along watching for the sign posts to show up so I can make a turn. Sign posts come in all shapes and sizes. Making certain connections with people can open a doorway to what I’ve been looking for. Until those things come along I just keep going through the motions.

When things are about to change something happens inside of me that gets very quiet and reserved. Suddenly things that were uncomfortable no longer have any bearing on what I’m doing. It’s like the lesson has been completed and I passed the exam. I don’t even have to think about how to gets things done. My direction is clear.

Blessings!
Laura

Get gig info on the homepage at:
http://www.LauraCohnMusic.com
Where Music Meets Artistry

Conversations

It’s fun to talk about things with people. I especially like philosophical discussions. That may come from my political science background in school or I may just be wired that way. I love sharing ideas with people and hearing how they perceive the world. I think when I try to understand how someone defines what they’re doing I learn a lot.

Mostly I learn where their priorities are and what drives them in their motivation. I can hear very quickly if they’re open to shifting how they use language to say the same thing. What’s interesting about doing that is the effect energy has in words that are chosen. I find that certain words carry a more uplifting charge and others are a downer for me.

As I experiment with re-phrasing what I talk about I’ve noticed that open ideas seem to be gentle for me rather than how hard cut and dry sounding things are. I’m not here to judge and I believe that there is a place for gentle and hard. It’s helpful for me to know how to use strong language when I need it in a situation. And I like the gentle stuff a lot.

Blessings!
Laura

Get gig info on the homepage at:
http://www.LauraCohnMusic.com
Where Music Meets Artistry

Negotiations

There was an attorney that was talking to a group of real estate agents about their business. He compared practicing real estate to Japanese sumo wrestling. I thought it was interesting how he used the analogy. He explained sumo wrestling to those in the room who weren’t familiar with the sport.

A circle is drawn and 2 wrestlers enter the ring. Whoever succeeds in pushing the other wrestler out of the ring wins the match. He said in business there are parameters that are set up for doing business and when you get into a deal with someone else, inevitably they will try to push you out of those parameters to do something you shouldn’t be doing.

I do find when I’m involved with people and money a dynamic will show up which is very different than anything else. There’s usually a funky fear lurking in the shadows when someone turns dark and ugly. My aunt sent me a quote once that reminds me of this concept. “A mighty oak was once a little nut that stood its ground”

Blessings!
Laura

You can hear song samples at:
http://www.LauraCohnMusic.com
Where Music Meets Artistry

My Dad

The other day when I was at Whole Foods, I realized how much my Dad taught me about caring for others and being kind to strangers. He made it a point when I was a little girl to let me know that people are important in what they do. He let me know that people matter and it is important for me to be kind to them and acknowledge them where I meet them.

He wanted me to be a caring person who made a difference in the world when I grew up. My Dad was always nice to people who waited on the public. He knew the people in the grocery store where he shopped. He would take the time to talk to janitors in buildings, garage attendants and service people who worked in stores and businesses.

It hit me when I was talking to the people I see who work at Whole Foods how much I’m like my Dad in that way. I know that what my Dad taught me about caring for other people and how important it is for me to be kind to others influences my motivation as an artist. I have a deep love for people and it was something I was taught.

Blessings!
Laura

You can hear music samples at:
http://www.LauraCohnMusic.com
Where Music Meets Artistry

Celebrating the 4th of July

It was an interesting holiday. It started out in LA in an orthodox temple at 8:30am for a bris. I was upstairs with the women and didn’t bother to look down at where the baby was in the main sanctuary with the men during the ordeal. I heard the baby cry and knew their work was done. The singing was very happy. Then there was lots of food for breakfast.

Next it was off to CBS Radford Studios for some magic and fireworks. My friend, Brandon Scott, was performing for the Magic Castle along with some other very talented magicians. The show was great and the air conditioning made me forget that it was summer outside. CBS can really cool down a stage. The electric bill must be huge there.

I saw some friends and met some great new people. We got to hang in the VIP stage for a bit with a few of the press people Brandon knows. Then we went on the roof top to see the fireworks. The music was awesome and the show was beautiful. We could also see the Hollywood Bowl’s fireworks show from where we were. I call that being styled.

Blessings!
Laura

Get gig info on the homepage at:
http://www.LauraCohnMusic.com
Where Music Meets Artistry

Bargain Shopping

Some people already know this about me and some people don’t, but I am a huge bargain shopper, especially when it comes to clothes. There is a sweet thrift store close to where I live that gets great clothes in. There are a lot of women in LA that buy designer clothes and only wear things once or not at all. Then they donate the clothes to the thrift store.

So a lot of the garments that I find still have the tags on them. Every so often, the store runs a half off clothing sale and today was my lucky day. They had gotten in a whole rack of new items, most of which were priced between $3 and $5. And all the clothes were half off. And we’re talking really nice stuff that fit me perfectly.

After an hour and a half of shopping I left with 10 tops, 2 skirts, 2 dresses, and a pair of really cool pants for $31.00. Now I have a great summer performance wardrobe and really fun clothes to go out in. Needless to say I have been smiling bright as a sunbeam ever since I left the store, got home and hung everything up in my closet.

Blessings!
Laura

Get gig info on the homepage at:
http://www.LauraCohnMusic.com
Where Music Meets Artistry

Getting Organized

Every time I get something new for my apartment it gives me a chance to re-organize my stuff. My neighbor moved today and I got a really nice cabinet from her with closed shelves and a drawer for hanging files. It is exactly what I needed. And the best part was that I didn’t have to go shopping for it and her movers brought it down to my place.

I’d been thinking a new cabinet would be nice to get for my office. Then within a few days I saw my neighbor’s ad with a picture of the cabinet by the mailboxes in the building. Before its arrival this morning I had moved around some things and love the new set up. It’s great feng shui for what I need in my life now.

It’s also given me the motivation I need to re-arrange my closet. Having closed shelves for storage is perfect for my business supplies and that gives me more space for other things. I love how things work out when I just go with the flow. It’s so much easier. I probably wouldn’t have thought to get a cabinet like this one and it’s wonderful.

Blessings!
Laura

Get gig info on the home page at:
http://www.LauraCohnMusic.com
Where Music Meets Artistry

Success

I don’t remember where this came from, but it seemed like a good thing to share. The original version said to expect problems where I put expect miracles. I would rather expect miracles in my life and they seem to show up when I do, so I changed it.

Select your goal
Unlock your personal potential
Commit yourself to your plan
Chart your course
Expect miracles
Stand firm on your commitment
Surrender everything to God

Blessings!
Laura

Get gig info on the home page at:
http://www.LauraCohnMusic.com
Where Music Meets Artistry