But, I have ben writing new songs, lots of lyrics, and I am so ready to sing, sing, sing.  I have also been brushing up on the keyboards. I’ve gotta say that I’m not yet ready to play in front of crowds but working on it, so that I don’t have to search for someone to accompany for me when you want me to sing for you.

You are going to start seeing some new things (at least that’s what I’m anticipating), with this website, my newsletter, and I vow to be more active on facebook, as my APS (“accountability partner sista”) keeps inspiring me to do so, so that I can really keep in better touch with my friends and fans.

So, I’m going to call this a new beginning. I’m scheduled to be welcoming my new little bundle of joy at the beginnign of March, all the while enjoying my current bundle of joy, my little rambunctious, 2 year old daughter, who just amazes me everyday.  She’s got quite the personality, and she is a non-stop ball of energy.  She is already trying bang out tunes on the keyboard and singing her own songs as she does, lol. Man, I hope she can sing when she gets older, but I know she is going to be able to play an instrument.  Music is in her blood. I guess that’s it for now.

No, no,…wait, I have to comment on Lady Gaga’s meat dress. I guess that answers the question “Where’s the beef?”  I know that was corny, lol!!!!

I finally recorded a couple of videos of personal live performances of You Grant Wish, a capella, and my rendition of ‘If I Could” with some accompaniment music.  My hubby figured out how to get “If I Could” up on YouTube, but I haven’t had a chance to figure out how to input it into my website.  Babysteps…I’ve gotta keep telling myself that i just need to take babysteps when I do things.  I have no nanny, so its just me, so things takes a little longer to get done, so that I can still spend quality time with the family.

I am so excited because the hubby expressed his interest in producing some music for me.  He is excellent at making beats.  So stayed tuned for where this all leads.  We are looking into the cost of putting together a home based studio, and also planning to take some classes on studio engineering and producing, etc… You know I am excited about the possibility of being able to complete a song without waiting to try to get some studio time.  I also can’t wait to see what my baby girl does when she is surrounded by music as she grows up.

Well, tonight I cleared the clutter off of my desk.  It had been piling up for months.  Especially since my desk is enclosed by some great looking mirrored doors, I just let is go and grow and grow.  I had so much junk mail piled up that I almost couldn’t see my monitor,in order to type on the computer or check my email, much less feel good enough to shoot a video blog.

I know you can’t believe that it detered my from my pursuits but it sorta did.  I was avoiding coming into my office like the plague, so instead I would sit in my living room typing on my lap top instead.  It was way more peaceful than seeing all of the clutter on my desk.  I know you can relate if you believe that clutter is stressful to look at and gives you the feeling of overwhelmed and not know where to start.

Well, here are a few tips on getting rid of the clutter fast.  First, if you can, just start putting things in piles…wait, wait…make sure their is a method to your madness.  Makes sure you have labeled your piles.  You should have a keep, give-away, sell, and throw away pile, especially if you have things likes clothes and other nick-naks piling up.  If you haven’t worn or used something in a year and half, get rid of it.

But if you are like me with the mail and bills piling up (I pay my bills, but mostly online and over the phone) , throw everything in a big bag, then start sorting things out.  You should have ajunkk pile that goes straight into the trash, a file away pile, a pay pile and a shred file.  If you don’t get to everything at least that big pile of everything else is in a bag that you can get to later…but make sure its sooner than later.

I have got to admit that that road block also transferred to my exercise time and my practice.  Its been about a week and half since I have a really good workout, a really good singing practice, and a guitar practice.  I wonder if the crazy weather attributed to it.   I know that the traffic to the city has been wearing me out, so I have made  a point to try and take the train a couple of time per week.  It is so much better for me stress wise.  I am not freaking out in traffic for and hour and half to go a distance that would regularly take me 20 minutes if there was no traffic at all.  AAAArrrggg!  It is so frustrating.

For a moment, my mind veared away from my singing and thoughts of another passion of mine, helping and motivating other women to live their dreams too, creeped in and took over for while.  I am formulating my plans to share with other women business owners how to utitlize the internet to take their dream business to the next level, especially mom’s, who feel like there is not enough time in the day for themselves nor their dreams.  I am going to keep developing on that plan but stay the course as far as my plans for my music career.

I finally got some more training on actually doing my website.  There was a little learning curve…a little hurdle that I had to get over.  I couldn’t figure out how in the world to get my videos loaded into the website.  I thought I knew how to do it, but I was sooooo wrong.  I also needed to figure out how to load my Amazon.com recommendations.  This way I can share with you my favorite books, music, and other great trinkets,like the Flip video camera.  I got mine from Amazon at a great price and I love, so why not pass that bit of information on to you.  I also couldn’t figure out why, when you clicked over into my CDbaby.com website, that it did not allow my visitors to buy and download each song from my the Nik-Tash’Ta CD individually.  Finally, after about a month after I sent a “help me” email to CDBaby.com they responded, and told me what was wrong.  I had included our publishing company as the publisher of one the songs that we did on the album that was a remake.  I had to upload the correct publisher for the downloads to work properly.

That was a lot, right?  There are so many things that go into operating this website.  You’ve gotta remember, we just launched ion July, so this is all fairly new to me.  But, stay with me as I grow it and it becomes more full of wondreful music and videos, and other things that I love.  Let me know what you would like to see more of on my website.  I know I need to get the videos up.  As you see, that’s what I’ve been working on… More music and more photos are coming too…anything else?

I was cracking up when I watched the trailor for Chris Rock’s new movie “Good Hair” Movie.   Of course as a black woman I could totally relate.  I remember back in college I actually did an anthrolpology research paper on the relationship black women had with their hair and all the different types of styles the women I interviewed were able to wear their hair.  I took photos of women with short naturals, to twists, dreadlocks, relaxers, jhery curls, and back in the day, my signature look were long individual braids.

I have done so much with my hair and know that black women can do so much with our hair that all of hair is “good hair” no matter how nappy or straight.  I know that we often define ourselves from how we wear our hair…but be on the look out for a song I wrote…I’ll post the lyrics, about hair. What do I mean by defining ourselves?  Well, the longer, silky hair,relxed or weaved is for the board room, dreadlocks are for your artsy spoken word types, braids are your around the way girls…those sort of definitions based on hair.    

I am sort of a camelion, when it comes to my hair.  I like to dye it, fry it, weave it, curl it, twist it, braid it, wig it…I am always changing my hair having fun with new looks.  So, I really don’t like my hair to define me…’cause like many of you, I am just gettin’ on my “grown woman”, trying handle things, and be all that I am.  Whether my hair is straight, curly, natural, or braided, I am still just me…Nichole Ayanna, the multi-faceted woman, singer/songwriter, mommy, motivator, wife, lover, lawyer, and much much much more as so many women are…

So more power to all my “good hair” sistah friends (all of you have “good hair”…don’t get it twisted…or maybe get it twisted? LOL) working your magic daily, as the strong, beautiful goddesses of the earth.  Peace, Songs, and Blessing…Nichole Ayanna.