Josh o' Trades

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Turner Classic Movies TCM Remembers 2008

"People do not die for us immediately, but remain bathed in a sort of aura of life which bears no relation to true immortality but through which they continue to occupy our thoughts in the same way as when they were alive. It is as though they were traveling abroad." ~Marcel Proust

Friday, December 05, 2008

Every Little Bit Helps....

A Little Bit of Everything
By: Julie Pici

“A painter paints pictures on canvas. But musicians paint their pictures on silence.” ~Leopold Stokowski

To completely rip-off paraphrase F. Scott Fitzgerald, “Let me tell you about the talented, they’re not like you or me.” Or something like that. Such is the case with a very dear friend of mine, Julie Pici.

To say that Julie is talented is like saying that water is wet. Or that the Great Wall may be China’s way of overcompensating for something. Or that Bill Gates got beat up every day until he was in his 20’s. It’s a given….

No, Jules is one of those very rare individuals that can only make the rest of us look bad. Her stats are impressive: Actress, photographer, painter, dancer, writer, princess, professional mover (and shaker), and master jewelry maker. And that was just last week! What have you done lately?

However, it’s her music I’d like to take a little time to talk about right now.

During the past 12 months - in-between the 83 moves from Texas to all 7 continents and 4 or 5 coasts along the way - Julie decided to use her powers for good and make the world just a little bit brighter because of it. She took a sampling of all her life experiences and poured them into a little CD titled: A Little Bit of Everything. And it’s one of the best I’ve heard in a while.

The album starts off strong with several praise songs, including I’m Free, an energetic number complete with electric guitar and a great chorus. Did I mention that Julie recorded all the vocals and played all the instruments herself? Yeah, just to make us feel better about all those music lessons we didn’t take. This leads right into U.R., a fun little song with a steady beat and a great message. Jennifer’s Song is perfect when you’re reminded that all of God’s people don’t always have all the answers. The King Is Come is a wonderful telling of the Good News in just under 6 minutes.

A couple of my favorites include My Life Is So Much Better, a song dedicated to Julie’s Mom, and My Heart Is Beating For You, an up-tempo number with a beat that stays with you. Seriously, I find myself humming it while I’m stuck in client meetings. Another favorite has to be It Is What It Is, a humorous accounting of Julie & Ralph’s latest relocation to warmer climates. And while I’m pretty sure Might As Well wasn’t written about me, there’s always a chance it was.

The two most powerful tracks are I’m Home, written for several friends fighting in the Middle East, and I’ll Remember You, a haunting performance dedicated to the memory of a close friend. These 2 songs alone are worth the purchase price.

All in all, there are 18 tracks for you to listen to and fall in love with. Please order a copy for you and a few more to give as gifts. And it’s all for a good cause.

Not that you should need any other incentive to purchase this fantastic album produced by an amazing talent.

But, after 12 years of married bliss, there’s still one area that Julie hasn’t mastered: Motherhood. She and Ralph are trying to raise funds to help the growing costs of adoption. Trust me, you’ll never meet more deserving people.

If you’re able to contribute, please do. Every “little bit” helps…

Hope everyone has a great weekend!
-Jos

"The course of life is unpredictable... no one can write his autobiography in advance." ~Abraham Joshua Heschel