July - August 2014
Ah Summer!
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Hi All,
Well here we are in the middle of summer. We've had a particularly warm summer here in Oxnard. Last year it was cooler, never know year from year! Not that we mind as most of the rest of the U.S. is sweltering. Summer is generally the slower months of the music business so maybe now is a good time to get caught up on some administration work. I've been cleaning up our descriptions and metadata. I've also been looking over our titles to try and make them relevant to the music they portray. It seems that metadata is never ending!
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Take A Hike!
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by Robin Munson
So. You've been at your workstation five hours straight -- a point of pride. You have focus and discipline, and you're "in the zone". You haven't even made a pit stop, much less taken a lunch break. You've got a great idea and you want to see it through. In short: You're an animal!!!
Only problem, you've also got a headache creeping up on you. Your neck feels frozen and your bum is numb. Your get-up-and-go got up and went, along with your first flush of inspiration. Suddenly you feel depleted. What can you do to revive yourself and get on with your project?
Stand up and stretch. Of course, take that pit stop. Fuel up with something nutritious and drink a couple of big glasses of water. Maybe take a "power nap" for 20 minutes or so. Then, try taking a hike.
A walk in the great outdoors can do wonders for you! It doesn't have to be very long and you don't have to set a world speed record. In fact, fifteen minutes of sauntering along a country lane beside a lake, up a gently sloping hill, or even on a quiet side street away from too much noise or traffic can be very relaxing and rejuvenating. Some say it stimulates creativity. The cross-crawl action of swinging right arm forward as you step on to the left foot (and vice-versa) is good for balancing out the left and right hemispheres of the brain. Take a moment along the way to appreciate the view, or just close your eyes and take a long, deep breath or two. It costs nothing but a little bit of time. (Come on -- You've spent more time in the loo working the crossword!) It may become addictive, but it's a healthy addiction.
Then, back to the grindstone! See what happens.
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Composer Poll
| Composer Poll: Check out the composer poll and make sure to vote! Lot's of interesting questions such as "How Many Tracks In Your Catalog?", "How Many Different Libraries Do You Currently Have Music With?". Find out what your fellow composers are experiencing. Read More
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Joke Corner
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A double bass player arrived a few minutes late for the first rehearsal of the  local choral society's annual performance of Handel's Messiah. He picked up his instrument and bow, and turned his attention to the conductor. The conductor asked, "Would you like a moment to tune?"
The bass player replied with some surprise, "Why? Isn't it the same as last year?" A drummer, sick of all the drummer jokes, decides to change his instrument. After some thought, he decides on the accordion. So he goes to the music store and says to the owner, "I'd like to look at the accordions, please." The owner gestures to a shelf in the corner and says "All our accordions are over there." After browsing, the drummer says, "I think I'd like the big red one in the corner." The store owner looks at him and says, "You're a drummer, aren't you?" The drummer, crestfallen, says, "How did you know?" The store owner says, "That `big red accordion' is the radiator."
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Robin's Good Eatin'
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Cold Tomato Basil Soup - Courtesy About.Com
Even here by the ocean, it's July, and it's a little warm. I was thinking of making a cold soup, something refreshing and light, and I found it on About.com. You could easily halve the recipe if you're just cooking for 2-4 people. If you're watching your salt (as we are) try experimenting with no-salt seasonings. This one is simple, too - which is the way I like it!
Tomato basil soup is similar to a gazpacho but with little extra flavoring, the natural sweetness of the tomatoes really shines through. This cold tomato soup recipe is low-calorie, low-fat, vegetarian and vegan.
Ingredients:
- 2 pounds tomatoes
- 1 bunch fresh basil, chopped
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- salt and pepper to taste
Preparation:
Place all ingredients in a food processor or blender and process until almost smooth, or until desired consistency is reached. Transfer to a large saucepan and simmer over low heat for 10 minutes. This quick and easy tomato soup is delicious hot or cold. Makes four servings of tomato and basil soup.
Nutritional information (from Calorie Count):
Calories: 84; Calories from Fat: 31
% Daily Value:
Total Fat: 3.4g, 5%
Saturated Fat: 0.6g, 3%
Cholesterol: 0mg, 0%
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Robin's Yoga For The Stressed-Out Composer
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Apanasana - Good for the Back, Good for Digestion
If you're one of the millions of people who have occasional mild low back pain, this is a simple way to stretch the low back and (bonus) massage the internal organs, which is good for digestions and elimination issues. (The Sanskrit "Apanasana" can be translated as "downward energy pose" and is sometimes called "wind-relieving pose" - 'nuff said!) As always, be careful and don't continue with this if it causes you any discomfort at all. It should feel good.
It's very simple: Lie on your back, feet flat on the floor and close in to your body, knees bent. Place your hands on your knees, arms straight. Inhale and lift both feet slightly off the floor. Exhale and hug the knees in to your chest. Inhale and press the knees away straightening your arms. Repeat 5 or 6 times, and you should feel a pleasant release in your low back. You can place a blanket under your low back to soften the pressure on your spine. You can also do this one leg at a time, alternating knees. If you like, you can hold the knees in for 30 seconds to a minute. After completing your apanasanas, extend your legs straight out in front, extend your arms back behind you, catching the elbows, then let everything go on your exhale with a sigh.
Ahhhhhh-OM!!!
(P.S. That's not me! Pictures care of http://yogaforhealthyaging.blogspot.com.)
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Don't Forget!
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Critiques: Want some feedback on your music? Tap the wisdom of MLR's readers. Read More:
Newbie Info: Answers to the most common questions if you are just entering the music library world. Read More: |
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 Well that's it for now. Remember: Patience and Persistence. In the music library business as well as in life. Eat some watermelon!
Art |
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