DIVA TAUNIA'S BACKSTAGE PASS

Tuesday, April 25, 2006

MY DAD'S ALL BEAT UP

My dad has been a master carpenter for over 30 years now, and he's never had one serious accident - until yesterday.

He and his crew guy Al have been doing some renovations on the house here. They had some scaffolding up over the stairs that lead to the basement level and were hanging sheet rocks. The scaffolding went out from under him, and he fell about 10 ft onto his back on the top stair. He broke 5 ribs on his left side, completely smashed up and broke his left wrist, got a huge gash in his left leg, and broke his back in several small places.

This all happened just outside my office door while I was home, and it was the scariest shit I have ever been through.

Anyone who knows me knows that I am the WORST person to have in a time of crisis. I cannot keep my shit together, and I end up making things worse. But somehow, miraculously, I was able to pull my shit together. I called the ambulance and we rushed him over to Lowell General. They've done about 500 xrays, cat scans, and MRIs on him - the poor kept having to get lifted and moved and hurt over and over again.

He's in SO much pain right now, it's almost unbearable to watch. He can barely move and he's on a morphine drip, so he's in and out of conciousness. It's just overwhelming to see my big, burly tough-guy dad so helpless and in so much pain. I was at the hospital all day yesterday and today, and we're taking turns staying overnight with him. He needs one of us there because the morphine makes him really thirsty all the time and he needs to continously do breathing treatments to make sure his lung doesn't collapse - and he can't do any of that on his own. The nursing staff is wonderful, but desperately understaffed, so he doesn't get nearly enough attention without one of us there. So, tomorrow night is my overnight.

If any of you pray, I'd appreciate it if you could say one for my dad. If not, just throw some good thoughts and karma out there for him, ok? He's got a long recovery ahead of him, and he's not completely out of the water yet, so he could use as much positive vibe as you can throw out there. Thanks.

Posted by Taunia @ 3:26 PM :: (1) comments

Wednesday, April 19, 2006

GENOCIDE


My grandmother (Auntie Gram) is Armenian, and her mother (we'll call her GG for great grandmother) came to the US from Armenia many years ago after the the Armenian genocide in 1915 perpetrated by the Ottoman Turks. GG passed away a few years ago, and I vividly remember her decline.

She would often scream out for my Auntie Gram because she had flashbacks to the war...and she always sounded terrified. GG had knife scars in her back from the Turk brutality and family members and friends were taken and killed. She never talked about the war, although we all knew it had happened. In fact, many older Armenians do not speak about it. To them, it is still fresh in their mind.

I was young at the time and I didn't know anything about genocide or the war, or really about what GG had been through, or how the effects of that genocide continue to haunt people today. I am also embarrassed to admit that it was never taught in any of my history classes. I know much about the Holocaust, but I know very little about a genocide that directly affected my family.

My Auntie Gram told me about a program on PBS last night on the genocide. I watched it and cried through the entire thing. People in my family had been through this. It was shocking. There were mass exterminations, rapes, and brutality. Like the Jews in the holocaust, Armenians were often rounded up like cattle and put on a train. They were told they were being deported to other cities, when in fact they were being taken to be executed. To add to this cruelty, they were made to pay for their own train tickets. Young girls were forced to be part of Harems, young children were raped. All told, over 1.5 million Armenians were killed.

To this day, the Turkish government refuses to acknowledge that it was genocide. They do acknowledge the death toll, but insist the deaths were due to inter-ethnic strife, disease and famine due to World War I. In the program, they interviewed many Turkish people, all of whom have been expressedly told and taught that this genocide never happened and denied it's legitimacy. Some Turks who spoke out about the genocide were attacked: bombing of their houses, taken to court, fires, etc. And those are recent attacks. To this day, the Turkish government keeps strict watch over what people say and do about that period of history.

Twenty-four countries officially acknowledge the Armenian Genocide. Still, Turkey takes no steps to heal with the Armenian people. How can a whole group of people heal when the slaughtering deaths of their family and friends goes unacknowledged? What's fascinating to me is that even in THIS country, their pain and suffering continues to go unacknowledged. This is a huge portion of history missing from our education. Why is it not discussed? Why do a large number of students know very little about this?

I spoke to my Auntie Gram today about the program and she was very emotional. She told me more stories about her parents and also some of the people in her church who were affected by the genocide. It's heartbreaking. To hear her talk about it is heartbreaking. And to know that 90 years later Turkey still denies the genocide accusation is atrocious. The Armenians deserve acknowledgement. There can never be open relations between Turkey and Armenia and open borders between the two countries until the genocide is fully recognized.

April 24th marks the day of the massacres began, and it is commemorated worldwide each year as the anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. Many Armenians will gather at the state house here in Boston for speeches, performances, and general recognition. As my Auntie Gram says, it's a small step towards recognition and healing.

Posted by Taunia @ 9:47 AM :: (3) comments

Thursday, April 13, 2006

MORE WEIRDNESS



Straight from my weirdness cache to your computer: OMAROSA in SOUL SISTAHS!

Posted by Taunia @ 4:10 PM :: (1) comments

ANOTHER KEEPER...

well taunia both our waits are over so just get back to me so we cna begin our dream life i do belive it can be that simple im john 48 divorced no kids a psychotherapist so you knwoim a good listener lol but most of all i was raised old school with respect adn integrity please get back to me so we can beign our romantic life journey

Posted by Taunia @ 3:06 PM :: (0) comments

Wednesday, April 12, 2006

OK, NOW I'VE SEEN *EVERYTHING*

One of my students has a callback for the musical 'Peter Pan.' Her mom asked me to help her with one of the songs and to see if I could find music from the show. Admittedly, I know nothing except that I saw a production of it with Sandy Duncan and her one glass eye when I was a kid. Therefore, I decided to Google it.

You know how when you Google stuff you sometimes end up with some weird stuff staring at you? I found something that tops ANYTHING you've seen before. I promise. PETER PAN'S PIXY LAND!



Ok, this dude is SERIOUSLY off his rocker, but I kind of admire him for expressing himself (albeit oddly) in his own way. Don't get me wrong, I think he's nuts...especially since he STARTED HIS OWN MINISTRY, but I'm FASCINATED by him. And the dude SEWS HIS OWN OUTFITS, so he's got some skills.

I could not help but share that with you. There's some wacky characters in this world, and I love that they're out there to amuse me! And Peter (aka Randy), you do whatever makes your bell tinker, honey!

Posted by Taunia @ 7:46 PM :: (2) comments

Tuesday, April 11, 2006

I'M A QUEEN, ALRIGHT. QUEEN OF THE BITCHES, BITCHES!



Ok, I admit right now that I have very little tolerance for the ridiculous. I don't know if that's because:

1. I'm in love with someone right now.
2. I'm truly a bitch.

I still have a few personal ads online that I never took down. I think I keep them up there for amusement purposes, and I am never let down. To be clear: I do not date anyone from online. I haven't in a long, long time since I've been with Bob. I just forget to take them down and when I check them, I'm so amused at the responses I've gotten, that I just leave them up there for more.

Here's one I got today:

Hello, I am sir Bradley, a knight who is insearch of his Queen. May I speak with you?

I just ignored it, but in an alternate universe where I wouldn't scar someone's feelings, this is what I'd like to say:

No. In fact, jump back on your unicorn and head out to slay some more dragons. Either that, or just go and meet your other dorky friends for your weekly game of dress-up and dorkiness that is Dungeons & Dragons. The only Queens in my world are men who wear boas and snap in a Z formation. And I love them. And not you. So go find your princess with your pea somewhere else, Lancelot.

I realize that's pretty harsh and he was just trying to be nice, but I just have little tolerance for that style of romance. You know, the geek hall of fame kind.

But he was fairly innocent and nice. This was another that I got that makes my skin crawl:

All day I picture curves arching under me
Dripping the sweat of passion, the heat
Jeering at the bodies we use to strain for
pleasure
Equaled by no other. We quest together for the
Coolness and calmness that follows it.
Tonight I must make this image into reality.
I cannot live on images. Sustenance craves
Veritability of pleasure, not phantoms of fever.
Each moment stretches into eternity; I
Long to run my hand down the spine, cup
Each buttock in turn, lick a line of
Shivers along the spine hiding behind you.
Soon I will make love to you.

I am Burning with desire for you!!

Help? ;-)


BRB....

Ok, just had to go vomit. I feel much better. I also ignored him, but here's what I'd like to right to him:

I know that you think that you're being poetic and artsy with your prose, but the only thing that's burning here is my eyes after reading that. You know, that intense burning like when you've poured a vat of acid in them. ho do you think you're kidding? I mean, does this EVER work for you? Because to me it screams, "I'm a dirty son of a bitch who can't get laid. Oh, and I use the word buttocks, because it's CLASSY, like me." You probably have those photos of piano keys with a rose strewn across them (circa 1982)all over your house too. I'm pretty sure your picture is hanging up at the post office.

But, alas, I'll just ignore him and vent to YOU, my dear reader. I mean, this is why I HATE the internet sometimes. That is some of the skeeviest shit I've ever read, and you know this dude never goes out - and if he did, he wouldn't be laying this bullshit on anyone in real life, you know? Just because you have the internet and anonymity, that doesn't make you a poet, BOZO.

Eh. I'm a crank today, can you tell? I've got PMS and 4 hours of sleep. Let a girl bitch it out, ok?

Posted by Taunia @ 11:20 AM :: (3) comments

Saturday, April 08, 2006

MY WEBSITE - NEED SOME FEEDBACK! :)




I have no idea why this took me so long to finish, except that I am a huge procrastinator. I still need to put the CD/Store page on there, but it's done. YAY!

I also admit I'm the world's worst proofreader, and I know I've got some readers out there with some mad design skillz. So, if any of you have some suggestions, corrections, etc, I'd appreciate it.

Otherwise, just stop by and take a look-sy, won't ya? Thanks!

www.taunia.net
www.tauniasoderquist.com

Posted by Taunia @ 7:24 PM :: (0) comments

JONATHA BROOKE LIVE!


Last night, my brother and I went to see Jonatha Brooke at Tupelo Music Hall in Londonderry, NH. This was his birthday gift to me - and I couldn't have asked for a better gift!

I've been a fan of Jonatha's for a while now, but I've never seen her live. I am so used to her recorded music that I wasn't sure what to expect. I knew she'd be doing a solo singer-songwriter show, and I was interested to hear the music in such a raw way.

She came out and even though she was wearing just a plain black shirt and jeans,she looked like a total rock star. Gorgeous blonde hair, and lots of eye makeup. And she's SO SKINNY! She's much more beautiful in person.

And the music - gah. Her songwriting is so strong and SO beautiful and moving. Half her songs make me well-up in tears. She's crazy-talented. She mostly played guitar, but used a lot of cool pedal effects and also used a drum loop while she played piano. I wish I could get inside her head and steal her lyrics, I really do.

She was also much funnier than I expected. Her songs are often intense and I guess I just didn't expect her to be so lighthearted and happy. She made everyone feel like she was singing right to them, and when she smiled, you couldn't help but smile back. She's completely engaging in song and just when she's talking.

After the show, I went up and introduced myself because I had sung a cover of hers back on the All About Buford Supercar disc. She immediately knew who I was and was so open with me. I introduced my brother and she said her brother's name was Derek too. I told her it meant we were destined to be friends and she laughed. Then we took this picture.

I just liked her so much. I mean, I LOVE her music and I LOVE her as a musician, but she also made me want to be her friend too. If you ever get a chance to see her live, GO!!

Posted by Taunia @ 3:38 PM :: (0) comments

Thursday, April 06, 2006

OLD DUDES AND THE WOMEN THAT LOVE THEM


Last Wednesday, I took my crazy Aunt Evie to see Englebert Humperdinck, which was my Christmas gift to her. Nothing with her is simple, it's always a pain in the ass, but I love her. I was in full-blown sickness with a fever, but I managed to cart my ass to Wilmington to pick her up, take her to dinner, to the show, drive her back home, then drive ME back home and collapse in bed. It was very worth it, though. She was in love through the entire show - clutching the program book she bought while peering through her binoculars and singing along to every song. It made her very, very happy, so I am glad I didn't suck out and call my mom to take her (like I had very much wanted to).

I'll be honest, my knickers were not in a twist in anticipation of Englebert. In fact, I was kind of dreading it. I thought it would be a cheesy and boring show. Of course, that was the music snob in me, and Englebert proved me wrong. How could he not? He's been doing this for like FIFTY YEARS! The dude is just about 70 years old and he's in AMAZING shape and pretty damn sexy for an old dude. (Layoff the Anna-Nicole old-jokes, bitches!) His voice is PHENOMENAL. Seriously! A big ol' polished voice with none of the old-guy raspiness you'd expect. He told funny jokes and made sexual innuendos and sang his ass off with a KICK-ASS BAND. Such a great show, I'd definitely go see him again. I am now a huge Englebert fan. Anyone who can put on that kind of entertaining show AND be around in this business for 50 years gets a hats-off from me!

And in more OLD GUY news....

Bob came back from Florida. He's been there for three months. His sister has a condo in Florida and during the hurricane in the fall, it got a lot of roof damage. He went down there and fixed it up and then sold it for her. And, of course, hung out with the old peeps down in Sarasota.

He came over and stayed a few days with me. He's all tan, or as Billy Crystal would say "a leather bag with eyes." Still, he's my old man, and I love him:



When I'm with him, I never really notice the age difference, but in this pic it's pretty clear. lol Still, it never has mattered to me. I know a lot of folks (maybe even you) think I'm crazy for staying with him, but sometimes you're blind to a lot of things or just really forgiving when you love someone. Either that or stupid. I'm probably a little of both.

Anyhow, it's a gorgeous day out there! Stop reading my drivel and get yourself outside!! Happy Spring! Go on out and love an old man today!

Posted by Taunia @ 12:35 PM :: (9) comments