Memories

I've been very very busy creating a new line of jewelry for my Lifelines collection. I call them Memories. They are just the small precious parts of a Lifeline that I have slipped onto a stainless steel rod. Each one has at least one of the artisan-produced artwork glass beads that I have collected from artists around the globe. Each one of them is unique and beautiful- just like the wearer! I've put a big ring at the top of each Memory so that it can be worn even on large chains or cords.
If you're interested in seeing what they look like you can see them at my online Web shop: www.lifelines-caegauntt.de Just click on the "Shop" button and then choose "Memories" from the drop-down category menu.

EPK

Yesterday Eddie and I traveled (again in the snow) to Landau to finish the filming of the EPK. (Electronic Press Kit) The guy who is filming and directing, and producing and lighting and making coffee is haegar. That is really not his real name, but nobody but his mother knows what his real name is.
He already filmed our final Christmas concert in Heidelsheim and now he was collecting some statements from us to cut into the EPK. He asked us about the album and about each other and about life and the meaning of it and we tried our best to sound wise and clever and funny and all that in German. I think we mostly sounded a little weak in the head. But, hey. Now it is his job to cut and paste all this together to make us look good.
He had a little room set up all draped in white and lit brightly. Hopefully that will make the wrinkles look a little less obvious and our complexions a little brighter. Every little bit helps. He stood precariously on a big tall table with the camera. Nobody can say we are not all very flexible.
After that he forced us into our coats and scarves and gloves and across the street to a little park to film us walking in the snow. He also took a couple of stills. Here is one of them. (above)
We look like we're in love.....

Media Blitz

Tomorrow: Big Media Day for Cae & Eddie, organized by Gerth Medien and ERF. We've been invited to interviews for ERF TV Shows "Calando", "Werthe Gäste" and Radio Shows "Aufgeweckt" and "Pop". So we are relaxing today, getting our beauty sleep, eating salads and trying to lose 20 pounds by tomorrow. :)
What we should actually be doing is reading the Bible and thinking of wise things to say. And praying that God will use us to speak to someone's heart. And being thankful for the opportunity to actually do these shows. This kind of "Media Blitz" has never been organized for us before. It shows me how much Gerth medien and ERF believe in our new album, "Inner Sanctum".
We are humbled. We are thankful. We are excited.
And I will definitely try out my new hot hair rollers......

Tremors

This morning I was out scraping ice off my windshield in the pre-dawn darkness and complaining about it. And I got in the car to drive to school, turning the heat up to full and thawing out nicely, thank you very much. I was listening to a radio interview with Bob Poff, the director of the Salvation Army in Haiti. He was describing the situation in the middle of Port-au-Prince. Horrific. Beyond comprehension. So painful to even contemplate.
Suddenly I felt very small and ashamed to have complained and lost my temper over having to scrape my car windshield.
When I got to school, I felt particularly magnanimous towards the children. They always respond to generosity of spirit by being particularly charming, and pleasant, and teachable.
I felt tremors from the Caribbean earthquake in Karlsruhe, Germany.
Wishing you a reflective day.....

I left the candle in the above picture burning too long and the wreath caught on fire. I was sitting in the living room making Lifelines and glanced up to see flames shooting about a foot up in the air. I yelled and Eddie jumped up before I could move the beads out of my lap and grabbed it and ran (!) to the kitchen and put it under water. He let me clean up the mess of scorched and melted leaves and plastic.
I went up later to bed to find my side of the bed soaking wet. We puzzled for a long time over what in the world this could be. I was actually afraid to sniff it. :) But when I did, it smelled liked water. And we looked up, and the ceiling was dripping. It has snowed so much here and the wind has blown so hard that snow was blown up and under the roof tiles, piling up in the attic. As it melted, it found its' way through the ceiling paneling onto my side of the bed. (Lucky me! ) So, we got to tape plastic to the ceiling and change the sheets on the bed. The local roof specialist is coming to see what has to be done tomorrow.
Let's see, what else....? Oh yeah, Eddie's car was totally destroyed by a young driver who was driving too fast on this snow and ice. Neither of them was injured and we are thankful for that. But it meant finding a rental car for Eddie and now considering what kind of a car he can buy for the small amount of insurance money he will receive as compensation for his loss.
This year has gotten off to a dramatic start!
Today I recorded 3 demonstration tracks for Michael Heise. He used to play bass in my band. But since I don't have a band anymore, we hardly ever see each other. Lately, he's been writing a lot of music. I've written some texts for him. And he has hired me to record some of his compositions so that he can shop them around to producers and arrangers who are looking for repertoire for their artists. You never know!!! He might have written a hit!!!
Hope you're all staying nice and warm.

I feel like I have sailed over continents and swum oceans since my last blog entry. But actually it's just been a normal Christmas and New Year's for us.
Eddie, Luke, Florian and I had 7 wholly enjoyable Christmas concerts that were all sold out except for the huge 1200- seat Gedächtnis Kirche in Speyer. (and there were 600-700 people there)
Lifelines sold: 89 !
My son came home for Christmas- the first time in 7 years.
6 wonderful people came to stay at our house for a week. We went to the opera, rode in a big horse-drawn sled, visited a gorgeous castle, ate in Karlsruhe's tallest restaurant, shot off mega-tons of fireworks on New Year's Eve, sang karaoke, and drank astonishing amounts of beer.
Someone threw up in our basement on New Year's Eve.
The dog stuck a stick in her eye and now she's partially blind.
After 9 washing machine loads of bed linens and guest towels we are finally caught up in the laundry department.
As you can see from the picture, my Christmas candle has almost burned itself down and out, so that means it is time to take down the Christmas decorations. Time to get back to work. Time to go back on Weight Watchers.
Ugh.........
I need a vacation.