LIVING YOGICALLY: When you pray, move your feet
Benjamin Franklin said it best, “Without continual growth and progress, such words as improvement, achievement, and success have no meaning”
It’s amazing to think that about two years ago, Monsters vs Me was my sole blog to showcase my photography and has now expanded to numerous contributors who are passionate about what they do.
It gets me super excited every time MvM grows, and today is one of those days. I would like to introduce Natalie Jakymyshyn to the MvM team. Natalie is not only a high school friend, but a very accomplished yoga instructor. A few weeks ago, Nat approached me with the idea of writing for MvM and before I even knew what she wanted to write about, I was already sold. I can always go after creative people to write for the site, but when someone approaches me, I know right away that they are passionate about something and looking for a platform to get it out there.
Every week, Nat will be taking her yoga teachings outside of the studio, living them in her personal life and writing about how the week went. The entire series will be titled “Living Yogically”. I can’t wait to read these posts. After talking with Nat about the whole Yoga lifestyle, this was something I definitely had to try. Myself and Monica (Toe Jam Mondays), went out to a class that Nat was teaching and I got to experience first hand what this ‘Hot Yoga’ thing was all about. Nat was such an amazing teacher and I didn’t know humans could bend the way she does. I sweat more than I ever have in my life and couldn’t believe how good I felt afterwards. I was absolutely stress free. I would recommend to everyone that you try yoga and join Nat’s classes at De La Sol if possible.
So, I’ll stop talking and take this time to welcome Nat to the MvM team and thank her for sharing her passion with everyone.
Enjoy. -jay perry
“When you pray, move your feet†– African proverb
This week, one of my friends was upset because he is in love with this girl who he is currently not talking to. He asked me for advice and I told him what he needed to do- start talking to her! Pretty simple advice you would think. How often do we want something so bad but are not willing to do what it takes to get it? We spend all of our energy wishing it was in our lives, relying on fate to deliver it to our doorstep, but are hesitant to go directly after what we want. We pray for it but are paralyzed when it comes time to move our feet.
I began to think, why doesn’t this guy just go after what he wants? What is paralyzing him? He is extremely jacked and good looking. The ladies love him. What could it be? Then it hit me, the big guy is scared.
“Fear likes to dress itself up and parade around like rational hesitation†– Anne Morriss
I witnessed the act of how we rationalize avoiding fearful situations when a co worker said to me, “I plan on joining the gym but before I do I need to get into shape so I am not the fatty at the gym.†Come on seriously? That is ridiculous. That is why you go to the gym, to get in shape. Yes, entering a gym for the first time is intimidating. I remember my first time, I was greeted by a HUGE, tanned, oily man who wore ripped jean cutoff shorts, leather gloves and who actually licked his lips when making eye contact with me- yes extremely scary! I didn’t avoid going back I just avoided the 6:30 pm time slot that this man faithfully occupied and when another man tried that same technique (the licking of the lips)I would pretend I forgot to wear my contacts, squint and stare slightly to the left of where he stood in a confused manner. It probably wasn’t the most direct approach, but the point is that I didn’t let Hans the gym stud keep me away.
Sometimes we meet our fear only half way and avoid being direct. Like the above mentioned male friend of mine seeking relationship advice who, when I asked why he just doesn’t tell the girl how he feels, he very seriously made a counter offer – “Well how about you pretend to be my girlfriend, we can make out for a bit, she will see us, get extremely jealous and want me.†NO! As tempting as the offer was, you can’t just dance around what you want and you definitely can’t only go half way to get it. We spend so much time just flirting with the idea of facing our fears and are stuck in the comfortable spot between intention and action. Allow yourself to flirt with the idea only for a bit, buy it a drink or two, but ultimately you need to take it home and do it! You will feel so good when you do.
So in honoring my intention of LIVING YOGICALLY I took my yoga practice and teachings outside of the four corners of my mat. This week I took action and didn’t allow my fear of being judged by monstersvsme fans rule my desire to share yoga philosophy and empowering quotes with readers. As a result I sent Jay Perry my first entry and this post was born.
I would like to end with the most empowering piece of literature I have read about facing fear. It was actually used by Nelson Mandela in his Inauguration Speech in 1994.
Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.
-Marianne Williamson
Peace, peace, peace
NAT
NEXT WEEK!
My Dad The Modern Day Buddha
My dad inspires me next week. He is a man that lives a simple life which can be summed up in an acronym – GYG: gym, yoga and gardening. I plan to simplify my life and tread a little lighter on this beautiful earth of ours.
Toe Jam Mondays: The Looking Glass
I look at my dad sometimes and see a great father, creative advertising executive and cottage putterer, but definitely not a rock star. This weekend I had the pleasure of attending a benefit concert for musician Alex Piccirillo in Niagara Falls and my eyes were opened to a side of my father I had never seen.
A couple of years ago as we were cleaning out the garage, I found a box of old pictures that I had never seen before and they looked like something you would find in a 60s version of Teen Beat. I grabbed the old pictures and went inside to ask some questions – the answer I got surprised me. The conversation with my mother went something like this:
“What are these pictures from? Is it a band you used to like?”
“That’s your dad”
“What are you telling me? Am I the love child of a torrid love affair with a rock star? How could you keep this from me?”
“No, that is the dad who lives in this house”
“What!? No way…the same man that wears t-shirts you find in beer cases and watches cooking shows on Sundays”
“That would be him”
Needless to say, this intrigued me. I had to get to the bottom of this. I asked my dad who these guys were he told me they were a band he was a part of called The Looking Glass. My dad isn’t one for re-living the past, so The Looking Glass has been somewhat of a mystery to me and I was determined to find out more.
My questions were finally answered this year when I watched a DVD called The Big Story of Small Potatoes by Paul Miil. This was a look at the history of the music scene in St.Catharines, Ontario during the 60s and my key to the mystery that was The Looking Glass.
The opening clip sets the scene perfectly. When asked who inspired them to get into music, there is an astounding montage of musicians saying “The Beatles” and from there, The British Invasion of bands like The Rolling Stones, The Kinks and The Who. These kids loved the whole package – the look, the sound, the style, but they had no outlet.
Enter Ronn Metcalfe and a place called The Castle. This was the premiere venue for a band to play to an audience. It was a place that kids couldn’t wait to get to on a weekend in hopes of seeing the next big thing or a local favourite. It was a place that Alex Piccirillo, Joe Colonna, Dave Papernick, Dave VanDuzen, Stephen Hogg and Stew Farago would play in separate bands such as The ModBeats, The Druids and Scarlett Wizard before forming The Looking Glass. Ronn was instrumental in guiding The Looking Glass towards stardom, so it was a sad day when Ronn passed away at the early age of 38.
Even though Ronn was a great mentor to the band, they were not successful because of him. They were successful because they wrote and performed timeless music that fans loved – playing packed houses across Canada and into the United States.
I know I am the daughter of a member of The Looking Glass, but unfortunately that doesn’t mean I’m an expert. I learned a lot about this band from Paul Miil’s amazing documentary and doing as much research as I could. But something I do know, is that their album Through The Looking Glass is still relevant, even after 40 years. There is something to be said about an album that I’m sure would have been a hit in 1968, and still makes a weekly rotation on my iPod.
The band released a single called “Get It Down” which got local air play and was supposed to be a teaser for their recorded, but never released, album. Come on, how can you resist that opening cow bell? And the instant intensity of this song makes for a great party jam.
The Looking Glass – Get It Down
[audio:http://www.monstersvsme.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/12-Get-It-Down.mp3|titles=The Looking Glass – Get It Down]
I’m not sure of the exact reasons as to why their record was never released, but my dad said it’s a complicated story, so that’s something for the history books. The music speaks for itself and I think what its trying to say is “watch out world, because we’re putting St. Catharines on the map.”
Here are three unfinished tracks from a 40-year old two-track stereo tape that Dave vanDuzen found of the band’s New York recording session. Too bad it never got finished.
A favourite song of mine from the album is “Elevator Man”. It’s catchy right off the bat and has that classic 60s sound. Simple, yet memorable.
The Looking Glass – Elevator Man
[audio:http://www.monstersvsme.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/02-Elevator-Man.mp3|titles=The Looking Glass – Elevator Man]
Looking for something a little slower? Waterfall is the track for you. I’m no musician, but I think that’s a Wawa peddle, and mixed with the keyboard? I am loving it.
The Looking Glass – Waterfall
[audio:http://www.monstersvsme.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/01-Waterfall.mp3|titles=The Looking Glass – Waterfall]
The Looking Glass parted ways after 2 years together but each member continued to play music, some professionally and others as a past time. It has been over 40 years since the band has played together and although it was the passing of member Alex Piccirillo that brought them back together, watching them felt like I had gone back in time. My grandma used to always say that her body may have been getting older but she was still a 21 year old on the inside. The older I get, the truer this statement becomes for me. I could see the same sentiment watching The Looking Glass perform, it was like they were all back in 1968. I guess our bodies age, but our passion never does.
Alex’s brother Charlie and his nephew Sal put together the benefit to honour Alex’s life and his passion for music. It was an amazing night that included a roster of bands, both old and new, from across the Niagara region. But what I think a lot of people were waiting for, was the reunion of The Looking Glass. The crowd filled the church auditorium and, although they were missing a key member, they began to play – sounding better than the old recordings on my iPod. My dad Stew and Steve took over vocal duties for this show, but it used to be Alex and Stew that shared the duties, and boy could Alex belt out a classic R&B vocal. A good example from the album is on the track “Hold on I’m Comin'”. It’s a great track.
The Looking Glass – Hold On I’m Comin’
[audio:http://www.monstersvsme.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/11-Hold-On-Im-Comin.mp3|titles=11 Hold On I’m Comin’]
The benefit was a great success and I am so grateful for the opportunity to have been able to witness a band of that caliber. I was very proud to be a Farago this weekend and loved watching this band in action.
If you are a music fan, I suggest you check out The Big Story of Small Potatoes on YouTube, its a great look back at what started it all. (4 parts)
This post was only a small look into what The Looking Glass was all about. I would love to hear comments and stories from the members, fans (new and old) of what this band meant to you and the St. Catharines music scene in general.
Happy Listening!
* If you are a member or manager of the above band and you would like your track removed, please contact us and we will swiftly oblige. Fans – new or old – please support these bands by using your coffee money to buy their records.
Toe Jam Mondays: Who Were The Looking Glass?
The year is 1968 – Playboy is sweet not slutty, Pierre Trudeau becomes our Prime Minister, there is a war in Vietnam and the music scene in St. Catharines, Ontario is booming. This was an exciting time for musicians and fans – full of bands that were experimenting with, and embracing rock ‘n’ roll.
There were many bands that had dreams of making it big and being able to make this music gig a living, but there was one band that a lot of people were certain would be a major success – The Looking Glass. You were probably expecting a name you would recognize, and now you’re probably wondering “who were The Looking Glass?” and “how were these 6 guys going to put St. Catharines on the musical map?”
Check back tomorrow, because Toe Jams has the answer for you as well as a rare glimpse at their unreleased 1968 album.
Judging by the song that was #1 during this week in 1968, I would say the critics were right about The Looking Glass – they would have been the next big thing.
The Lemon Pipers – Green Tambourine
[audio:http://www.monstersvsme.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/07-Green-Tambourine.mp3|titles=The Lemon Pipers – Green Tambourine]
And what was voted the #1 song of 1968? you guessed it – The Beatles.
The Beatles – Hey Jude
[audio:http://www.monstersvsme.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/1-13-Hey-Jude.mp3|titles=The Beatles – Hey Jude]
* If you are a member or manager of the above band and you would like your track removed, please contact us and we will swiftly oblige. Fans – new or old – please support these bands by using your coffee money to buy their records.
So your gear isn’t good enough to be a photographer? Excuses excuses.
I would say at least once a week I get asked what kind of camera I shoot with and what my studio lighting set up is and it’s usually followed with a “well, no wonder your photos look the way they do”. Again and again, people always seem to be criticizing their camera gear and blaming their ‘bad images’ on a lack of ‘professional’ equipment and I’m here to tell you that just because a store doesn’t classify it as a professional-grade product, doesn’t mean you can’t use it in a professional situation.
The majority of my portfolio was shot with a Canon 40D. It was my first DSLR and I have used it ‘professionally’ numerous of times. My hope with this article is to motivate you that you don’t need expensive gear to make a career of photography. I started small and worked my way up. I purchased the 40D, starting shoot bands, and small projects. From that, I made enough money to purchase some strobes and the amount of projects increased. I started shooting weddings and more portraiture, again all with a ‘low-grade’ Canon 40D.
Would it have been easier to start out with top of the line gear? To be honest, I’m not too sure. Having minimal gear forced me to use creativity over technology. I learned to be creative and experiment with one light situations because at times I only had one light. If you took all the negative energy you put towards how bad your gear is, and turned it into positive energy and look at it as a challenge, then there is no stopping what your gear can do.
I once sat in on a workshop by an amazing photographer named Zack Arias (www.zarias.com) and he was telling me how for years he has shot with low end Alien Bees strobes and just in general, low end gear. I looked at him and thought, “This man is globally known as a photographer and doesn’t care at all about top of the line gear”. It was super inspiring to see how successful one can be when you use your mind and don’t rely on technology. I think that’s what makes people good photographers. Anyone can press a shutter button. Cameras today are so advanced that sometimes it’s hard to take a bad photo BUT it’s your creativity and drive that will make you successful in this industry for years. Although Zack does say he wouldn’t mind having top of the line gear, but states that it’s more important to feed his family.
I now shoot with way better gear, but I would never tell anyone just starting out to go ahead and spend thousands and thousands of dollars right away. I own numerous strobes, but it’s weird, some of my best shots come from just using one or two lights.
Yesterday, I watched a video online about this same idea which was the inspiration for this post. So if you think you need a ten thousand dollar camera to do an amazing fashion shoot, well don’t tell Lee Morris. Watch the video below and see what kind of camera he shoots with.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TOoGjtSy7xY
Video from FStoppers
Yes, he did the entire shoot with an iPhone and actually uses some of those photos in his portfolio. So don’t say your camera can’t take good photos.
I find it funny that on some photography forums that I visit frequently, the people posting, list their gear they use at the bottom of their post. Sometimes I’ll see people with gear that would total to about $30,000 and then you check their website and they don’t know the first thing about photography. Looks like somebody won the lottery.
I hope this inspires you to appreciate the gear you have and use your head. Figure out how to make it work because it’s possible.
Happy Shooting.