Making Art and Music, Home and Gardening, The Arts and Culture, Reading and Learning, Travel, Earth-centered Spirituality, Holistic Health, Creative Cooking, Fine Dining, Outdoor activites - camping, kayaking, groovin' with Mother Nature...
Home and family -- With the exception of a couple of years in my post-college days, I have lived in the same house all my life. Currently I share it with my husband and our 'furry family': six dogs: 5 Pomeranians, 1 German Spitz - Mittel (Mittelspitz) and one cat. I spend a lot of my time working on the house and gardens, among my greatest joys - especially if it involves transforming 'junk' into useful things of beauty.
Pet Rescue -- Two of those dogs are 'leftover' foster dogs from the two and a half years that I was a volunteer foster mom for Pomeranian rescue. In that time, I fostered and found forever homes for more than a dozen dogs, but was unable to find a home for my last foster because of his age and health issues, so it looks like he is here to stay. The other one, the Mittelspitz, was returned to me by his adopters -- TWICE! so we have decided to keep him and work on his behavior issues ourselves. The rescue group I was affiliated with disbanded, and I am taking a break from fostering, but I continue to do what I can for homeless pets, volunteering my time and expertise in other capacities, including driving the occasional transport for various pet rescue groups when they have a transport going through my area. The aspect of pet rescue that is closest to my heart is the unique issue of homeless senior pets, and I do what I can to spread the word about their plight.
Online Games -- you can find me on Yohoho Puzzle Pirates (characters: Nattydread and Redmolly on the Cobalt Ocean) and occasionally on Neopets (player names skooches and natureannie)
eBay - My main focus is on my eBay store Especially Fur You Pet Boutique (seller id: dollydoggy) and I also sell new and used items from time to time with 3 other seller id's: books-2-read (books, mostly new) natureannie (new items for body/mind/spirit) and adifrentdrumr (my online yard sale -- whatever I am cleaning out of my house -- it varies greatly)
other places to find me online -- my main website www.adifrentdrumr.com - a webjournal with lots of links, photos, and whatnots. Yahoo group "Witchwood" - the 'official' meeting place for fans and friends of the legendary British progressive folk/rock band "Strawbs"
Music is a big part of my life, yet I am also prone to profound, extended silences -- listening to the music of Nature and the rhythms of the universe.
Making music -- I play keyboards (mostly piano) and percussion. I don't play drumset, I prefer hand drums and world percussion -- and have a big collection of these toys.
My musical education began with piano many years ago. Then I learned to play a little bit of guitar and harp (and 'tried on' some other instruments as well) in school.
I was 'called to the drum' later in life - well, actually, the drum was calling me all my life, but I answered the call as an adult and found my place in the universe in the space between the beats - where the magic really happens...
Listening to music -- I like what I like, and it spans many genres. Prog Rock is one of my greatest loves, but depending on my mood, you can also find me listening to various singer-songwriters, Classical, Blues, Reggae, Bluegrass and Newgrass, Folk-Rock, "Old-Timey" Music, Traditional Folk, Maritime Songs and Sea Shanteys, Celtic, Afro-pop, Latin, Jazz, World Beat, and even some New Age music...
Favorites -- Strawbs, Genesis (especially of the Peter Gabriel era), Renaissance, ELP, King Crimson, Yes, Grateful Dead, John Prine, Bonnie Raitt, Leonard Cohen, Lyle Lovett, Boz Scaggs, Bob Marley, Jimmy Cliff, Traffic... this list changes daily, too! With the exception of Strawbs -- my all-time favorite.
Movies
animation of all sorts, movies that make you think, movies that make you laugh, movies that make you say "awww...."
some totally random favorites: Wizards (Ralph Bakshi animation), Rocky Horror Picture Show, LOTR, Like Water for Chocolate, the Long Riders, Snatch ... (this list, like all my favorites, changes frequently depending on my mood)
history, science, home/garden and travel programs, National Geographic, Discovery Channel, Animal Planet, Star Trek, D.I.Y. programs, movies (mostly old ones), the Young and the Restless (soap), BBC programs - especially British Comedy...
I watch very little prime-time network TV. Not that I wouldn't watch more -- if it was any good. On cable, I am addicted to TRUE BLOOD on HBO - one of the best Vampire series ever! Also eagerly awaiting the return of The Tudors on Showtime, and Big Love on HBO.
Books
fantasy, sci-fi, Arthurian Legends and related topics, mythology, spirituality and religion, metaphysics, body/mind/spirit and holistic health topics, classics of literature, poetry...so many books, so little time...
As far as light reading and sheer entertainment goes -- I ventured into completely unfamiliar turf and found myself hooked on Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum novels - the action takes place just minutes from my home town, and they are such fun! Can't wait to see them translated to film.
I also love word games and puzzles, and can't live without my weekend crosswords!
Heroes
My big brother Skip -- we have been the best of friends since the day I was born. I look to him for advice, support, comic relief and reality checks as often as I can, even though he lives 3 hours away from me now. I know this sounds cliche, but the truly is 'the wind beneath my wings'.
Rider University
Lawrenceville,New Jersey
Graduated: 1980
Student status: Alumni
Degree: Bachelor's Degree
Major: Fine Arts - Combined Tracks (Art/Music/Theatre)
Minor: Philosophy
Clubs: Phi Sigma Tau National Philosophy Honor Society,
Association of Commuting Students
1976 to 1980
Lawrence High Sch
Lawrenceville,New Jersey
Graduated: 1976
Student status: Alumni
Degree: High School Diploma
1972 to 1976
Joannie (a.k.a. adifrentdrumr)'s Companies
Paradise America Mercer County, New Jersey US owner retail specialty store
1987 - 1999
Behr-Wood Pet Motel West Windsor, New Jersey US kennel worker poop scoop and puppy love
2000 - 2002
Especially Fur You Lawrenceville, New Jersey US owner www.especiallyfuryou.com
2006 - Present
Joannie (a.k.a. adifrentdrumr) Strawbs' 40th anniversary weekend in London was AWESOME!! But I came down with nasty chest cold when I got home. Recovering slowly now... Posted at 3:34 PM Sep 23 view more
Music has always been a big part of my life, although I am far better at appreciating it that making it. This hasn't stopped me from trying, though -- I was classically trained on keyboards, beginning with piano, and learned to play harpsichord in college. I taught myself the basic major and minor chords on guitar when I was in school, but haven't owned a functional guitar in years. I have noodled around with upright bass and several other string instruments, and played harp and a bit of percussion with my high school orchestra.
My True Love was always percussion, but back when I was growing up, girls just didn't play drums. I beat on whatever was handy, though, and couldn't stop my foot from tapping... Then as an adult, I had the good fortune of being able to study hand drumming, world percussion and improvisational rhythm-based music with several really awesome teachers, and to own a store specializing in World Percussion instruments. At around this time, I also went deeper into my study of music theory and philosophy, from a holistic standpoint, and especially the healing properites of music on the body/mind/spirit. I am especially interested in the relationship of music to pure mathematics and sacred geometry, and eagerly devour all the information I can find on the subject.
Over the years I amassed a large collection of musical instruments, mostly hand drums and world percussion, which have taken over more than one room in my house. One instrument I have never really made an attempt at playing is the traditional drumset, oddly enough. I prefer the more organic skin-on-skin connection of hand drumming, and the somewhat quieter nature of most world percussion instruments suits my temperament much better. As a person with respiratory difficulties (chronic sinus problems, allergies and asthma) I am afraid I am not too well suited to most wind instruments, but I would have loved to learn to play my favorite - the tenor sax.
Way back when, in the transitional years between High School and University, I briefly entertained the notion of becoming an orchestra conductor. This influenced me to at least make an attempt at studying the workings and mechanics of as many musical instruments as I could get my hands on. But, as I said before, I never really got good at playing any of them. I don't think that was actually the point -- I just wanted to know how they worked. Thats how I am about just about everything in life -- I want to know how things work, how they are put together, why they do what they do...
In the 1990s I facilitated improvisational drum circles and led World Pecussion workshops in various locations, and was, for a short and crazy time, the leader and founder of "The Heart of the Rainbow Rhythm Band" -- an eclectic ensemble of improvisational percussionists.
Around the Turn of the Millenium, I took a break from the public world, and embarked on a period of near-total reclusiveness and contemplation at home. During this time, I have also taken a bit of a break from serious playing, but am now emerging from this hiatus refreshed and ready to set sail for new musical horizons. As my hectic life is settling down for the first time in years, I intend to get more serious about practicing the piano, and hope to some day get back to studying guitar and harp, and perhaps more exotic strings -- like the oud, mandolin, or mountain dulcimer. And then, of course, there is that Theremin I have always wanted...
Visit my online journal:
Let's go Shopping!!!
My eBay Store:
My other eBay stuff: (I use these other accounts now and then)
Leonard Cohen Hallelujah (c) (C) 2009 Sony Music Entertainment
Who I'd like to meet: People of substance and integrity, people who question both authority and reality...creative people, intuitive people, compassionate people....thinkers and dreamers, artists and inventors, spiritual seekers and surfers of the astral plane...in other words, my fellow travelers in this cosmic journey we call life!
<-- To avoid conflicts with the soundtracks, don't forget to turn off the music player on the left side before playing video:
Joannie - So good to see you at White Horse last night! You need to get that harp out again =) Hope to get down to your neck of the woods for a show - New Hope, PA sounds good!
Hi Joannie (a.k.a. adifrentdrumr) ... sharing our 9min. Shaman Strings “holding the breath” video. The ‘strings’ and I were live on our March 29th Concert. Beatrice added her vocals in the studio.
Keywords: Death, Breath of life treasures, mediation & letting go of distractions… Note: 2Gatewhey did share this video with a few friends. Enlighten US, Scot
Wow! So good to hear from you. Yes, a journey indeed, though sometimes I admit it doesn't feel so long - strange how sometimes it feels like those great drum circles were part of another lifetime and sometimes it's just yesterday. Anyway, let's catch up. I'd like that very much. Talk soon, Guy
Thank you for connecting and sharing a little about your life changes around drumming and meeting Layne. I am always happy to hear about the impact she has had around the country.All the best to you, Miranda & WDWW
"THE MAGIC SHOEMAKER - LIVE!" out on Angel Air Records, release date 6th October 2008.
The album features the original members of Fire (Dave Lambert, Bob Voice and Dick Dufall), together with Ray Hammond as narrator, performing Fire's highly collectable "rock fairytale" album from 1970 "The Magic Shoemaker" for the first time EVER!
"THE MAGIC SHOEMAKER - LIVE!" was professionally recorded during Fire's reunion concerts in late 2007, and includes Fire classics "FATHER'S NAME IS DAD" and "TREACLE TOFFEE WORLD". Taster track now available for listening on Fire's Myspace.
The album is available for pre-release ordering from major retailers NOW!
Thanks for accepting my friend request and for being someone who cares about the world. Please check out my site Holistic Local, a place connecting thousands of like-minded people!
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