The violinist, a maverick in the classical world, explains why she wants her music to disturb

Call them the mavericks. Theyre the increasingly vocal squad of classical musicians who thrive on confounding expectations, whether its in their unlikely combinations of material, their unique, sometimes madcap style of live performance, or the way they flaunt inspirations that lie well beyond the classical canon.

The high priest of the movement is Teodor Currentzis, the Greek conductor who heads the pioneering period-instrument orchestra Musica Aeterna. Then theres the Argentine cellist Sol Gabetta (last heard in the UK singing along to her own encore at the Proms) and the pixie-like Finnish violinist Pekka Kuusisto, or the David Bowie of the fiddle as The Timess Richard Morrison once anointed him.

The queen of the mavericks, however, must be the violinist Patricia Kopatchinskaja (often known as PatKop),

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Patricia Kopatchinskaja: 'Music is not like relaxing in a sauna or spa ... - The Times (subscription)

As voted by UG community.

[+] bio

UG editor. Music lover. Constant searcher of something interesting and unique.

This week's traditional Wednesday Question saw the people of UG community discussing the matter of greatest songs to listen to during a hangover. Based on your votes and more than 200 comments, we summed this one up to a traditional Top 25 rundown, make sure to check it out below.

We'd liketo single outsuch nominations as Sandy's "Texas Song" from "SpongeBob SquarePants" or just "anything by Bob Marley" - as well as our pranksters' nomination "Anal Cunt - Hitler Was a Sensitive Man." Plus another honorable mention will be: "Hangover TV is the Joy of Painting with Bob Ross."

With all these things out of the way, the actual top awaits below!

You folks decided to kick things offwith "Booze Me Up and Get Me High" by Ween. With its lyrics and sound, it's almost an ideal song for hangover.

Slow-pacedand heavy, the masterpiece ofstoner metal gods Electric Wizard, "Funeralopolis" is next - and it doesn't matter are wasted by alcohol or something else.

Relaxing, dream-like "I Will Possess Your Heart" by Death Cab for Cutie is another great addition to your hangover soundtrack.

You're still wasted? Having a really hard morning? Then "Still Wasted" by Liam Lynch will be just ideal.

Are you on your own? Then Green Day's "Brain Stew" is next! And if you wanna escape from your hangover - actual album version of "Brain Stew" is joined with "Jaded," try it 🙂

Up next is "No Excuses" by Alice in Chains with its exceptional mood...

Zakk's voice accompanied by acoustic instrumentation and harmonica - do you need something else for your hangover morning?

Relaxing, almost jazzy mood of this tune by Mike Patton and company held this tune to No. 18. Be warned of the beepingat the end of the song 🙂

Quiet and totally deppresed, "Something in the Way" is ideal if you're in the same mood...

Zakk Wylde again- but now with Black Label Soceity and anappropriately-titledalbum "Hangover Music Vol. VI."

Mellow and trippy, "Space Cadet" by Kyuss will help you to travel with your hangover.

The whole "B-Sides & Rarities" album (which also tops our previous Best B-Sides & Rarities Albumslist) is calm enough to accompany your hard morning, but you vote particularly for this unique cover of the Sade's song.

First with Kyuss, and now with QOTSA, Josh Homme is again on the list. If you have really heavy hangover - maybe this tune will just for you.

You are in a depressing mood, don't want to move - put some Lou on...

Lou Reed takesthe next place as well! "Sunday Morning," performed by The Velvet Underground & Nico, will be great for every morning, not only Sunday.

A frequent participant in almost all UG tops, "Comfortably Numb" by Pink Floyd is next. Just "relax"...

The moody song with its lyrics, "Cheap Sunglasses" by ZZ Top is great for your lazily cheerful hangover. Just go get yourself a CHEAP pair of sunglasses!

Maestro Johhny Cash is at No. 8, bringing his "Sunday Morning Coming Down" for your hard morning.

Not a typically "calm" song, "Oblivion" by Mastodon is next.You voted for this one because of the tune's soothing vocals and guitar solo, which can ease down ahangover.

A genuinemasterpiece by Angelo Badalamenti, whichalso foundits place onUG community's Greatest Movie Scores list, the haunting and touching "Twin Peaks Theme," can easily help you to relax after a hard night.

Are you really tired after the party? Then this classic Beatles' tune is just for you!

The song's title says it all - "The Worst Hangover Ever" by The Offspring will be an ideal soundtrack for your dreadful morning.

And Mike Patton is again on the list, taking the bronze with one of the biggest hits from Faith No More - calm and relaxing cover of Commodores' tune "Easy."

And silver is going to the real masterpiece by Black Sabbath, trippy and mellow "Planet Caravan."

And the gold this week is taken by The Doors! To quote jamoneverdies, "Anything by the Doors is hangover music." It's the timeless "Riders on the Storm" with its trippy mood took no. 1 on our list.

And we decided to put this absolute masterpiece by John Cage on the list too! Hangover is a hard time for any music - with an exception of "4'33""!

That's all folks; we hope you enjoyed the top, stay tuned until next week for another WQ!

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Top 25 Best Hangover Songs - Ultimate-Guitar.Com

News at Rider

Rider Musical Theatre journeys through pop music of the 1980s News at Rider The spring cabaret promises to be a fun and relaxing time for the audience. Trapp hopes they see the variety and talent in the arts programs at Rider and that they take note of just how talented the student performers are; the variety of music from the ...

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Rider Musical Theatre journeys through pop music of the 1980s - News at Rider

Juicy J plays the Fillmore Auditorium in 2014.

Brandon Marshall

Academy Award-winning MC and producer Juicy J has been in the hip-hop game since 1991, when he co-founded the Memphis crew Three 6 Mafia. Juicy J struck out on his own, building his personal music business, producing his own records, touring aggressively, rapping about weed, booze and blow jobs, and eventually securing his own cannabis strain and becoming the spokesperson for Colt 45.

While Juicy J is known for rapping about his decadent lifestyle, he prides himself on being a smart businessman who gets a good night's sleep, enjoys watching movies with his family, and makes sure to keep a close eye on his bank account. We could all use a little life advice, and who better to get it from than J? In advance of his Friday, February 10, show at the Fillmore Auditorium, we gave the inimitable Juicy J a ring.

Westword: How's the tour?

Juicy J: The tour's going good, man.

Where are you right now?

Sacramento.

What kinds of adventures have you been having out on the road?

Man, you know, I've been doing this for so long. To me, everything's an adventure. Meeting the fans the meet-and-greets are the best thing. When I do a meet-and-greet, I get the chance to meet one-on-one with the fans, and they get the chance to tell me they like the songs I did back in the 90s with Three 6 Mafia and the favorite songs they like. That's how I vibe off of that. I get to hear a lot of different things. Some people tell me I saved their lives when they listened to my music. I saved their lives. That's good that I saved some lives. I feel good about that.

That's amazing.

That's what's good about the tour. It's the meet-and-greets.

Are there particular songs people talk about?

Man, they talk about every song. I can't remember everything they say, but they talk about everything in my career from when I first started until now. They go from years back in the day. They talk about everything.

You've had such a long and such a storied career. I'm curious how you keep it up, how you keep moving, how you keep producing fresh content.

I just keep my ears to the street, man. I like doing music. I've been doing this for so long, I just like making music. I like making beats, making songs. I probably got up to two million songs brand-new songs probably not that many, but I've got a lot of songs on my hard drive that I've never released. I just like making music. It's not about the money anymore. It's not about none of that. It's just about me just making music. I'm always going to make some money. I'm not worried about that, but when it comes to being an artist, being creative is what I like to do. Collabs, working with different producers it's great.

You're either the most decadent person I've ever heard or the most traumatized, in terms of how much you're talking about drugs and booze and blow jobs and everything else under the sun. Can you talk about your relationship to that stuff if it's pure joy, if it comes from a place of pure pleasure, if it comes from a place of trauma, perhaps? What's your relationship to all that when you're not rapping about it, when you're in your own life?

When I'm relaxing, I'm smoking some weed, man. You know what I mean? I'm chilling and watching Netflix. I don't really do much. I go to the movies. I've been in this game for over thirty years. I've done pretty much everything. I went all over the world, just about. I haven't been to Australia yet, but I've been to a lot of different places. I just be relaxing. I just smoke some weed and be relaxing. That's what it is. It's just enjoying the fruits of the labor, you know?

It's amazing to hear that you relax at all with the amount of output that you have and your incredible work ethic, both as a businessperson and also an artist.

It's not easy, man, but somebody's got to do it.

Are you still doing the Colt 45 stuff?

Yep.

Is it fun?

It works every time. It's super-fun. I love it. You can see Billy Dee Williams doing it back in the day, and now I'm doing it. It's great.

Talk about the weed industry right now. You're going to be coming out to Colorado. Do you have business relationships out here? Are you doing any of that while you're on tour out here?

Yep. I've got a strain of weed called Green Suicide. I'm just pushing that right now. Hopefully, when I tour and come to Colorado, I'm going to bring some to the show if it don't get smoked all up. I'm going to bring some to the show, smoke with the fans.

Do you sell in any of the dispensaries out here?

It should be out there. I don't know for sure. You'd have to talk to the managers. I let them handle everything. I just sit back and smoke. I used to do stuff like that. I try to let the management handle that. Back in my Three 6 Mafia days I used to do the management, book the shows and all of that shit. I try to free myself from that and let other people handle it. I just like to look at the account and make sure the checks go through.

Talk about your production process. What's your creative process like? How do you make a song from beginning to end?

I'm listening to something, I can get a sample rolling, put a drumbeat behind it, add the bass and anything else the song needs, write the hook and then write the verse. That's how I usually do it. Sometimes I get an idea of a verse or a flow. I might write down scratch vocals or something, and then I may take it home and live with it for a day or two, come back in the studio and then put words in, turn it into a whole song. Sometimes it happens right there on the spot. Sometimes it takes a couple days. Sometimes a week. It depends on what kind of song you've got. If you've got a regular song, I do it real quick, sometimes knock it out. I put more concentration in it if I've got a feature or something on it. I might structure the beat a little bit or whatever. I can make a song in a day and I can make a song in a week.

Has there ever been a song that was a hard nut to crack? What was the hardest song you've ever written?

I don't know, man, it comes natural, but sometimes you can come up with a hook and I might write a verse and I might come back in a couple days and re-change the whole verse up. It comes natural, man. I feel like if the vibe is not there on the song, I just walk away from it. I won't even try to pursue the record. There's songs that I have that may have one verse or may not have a hook on it, and if I feel like I ain't just really feeling it, I go on to the next record. I don't really try to brainstorm an idea. I like things that come natural.

It's always interesting. Different musicians have such different processes. You have someone like Leonard Cohen, who will work for months and months and months on one verse of a song. For a lot of people, it's quick.

Yeah.

It's cool the differences in that, for sure.

I can't wait a month. That's too long.

You do a lot of work with younger rappers and a lot of mentorship. Can you talk about that process, how you identify who you want to work with and how that works for you?

When I hear a producer with dope beats like when I heard Mike WiLL (Made-It) I reached out to him. If I hear a dope beat, it can be some underground guy from my neighborhood, from Memphis or whatever. If I hear a dope beat, shit, I just reach out. Let's do business. I know a lot of unsigned talented people. I know a lot of signed talented people. But I know a lot of unsigned talented people that's on the up-and-coming. I just like to make music. It don't matter the person. It don't matter the name. If I feel like we've got a good vibe, we go into the studio, smoke some weed, vibe, make a song with no problems.

I take it you'll never retire?

I know this is not going to be my last tour, but I'm going to take some time off, as far as the road. But I'll always be in the studio working with new artists and throwing records out here and there, and make some videos. But the road is not easy when you're an artist, and you've got to get up in the morning. You've got to make sure you're on time. The road is hard work on the body. It's fun, but it's a business at the end of the day. I'd rather go on tour, take a good five or six months off, relax and then maybe go on another tour and not just rush out there. I'm definitely going to slow down on doing the shows a little bit and spend more time with my family and stuff like that because that's really more important. My wife is more important. This music, you know, I pay the bills. It's something I love. But there is a real world out there that I've got to live. So I'm definitely going to take a break for a few months and just spend time with family and go visit people I haven't seen in a long time.

What do you do when you're with your family? How do you have fun with them?

Chilling at the crib, cooking. You know, down South, it's how we do it. We cook and sit around and talk and watch TV and stuff like that. I think that's good things. You don't always have to be doing everything. You can just be sitting around with your family watching a good movie and cooking some good food. We might go to the beach or whatever, but it's cool for me to just have the family around the house.

What do you like to cook?

Man, I don't cook nothing, man. I can burn some water. I can definitely burn up some water. But I can't cook nothing, man.

You're not sitting around julienningonions or whatever?

Yeah, man. I'd set the kitchen on fire.

On the road, how do you take care of yourself? What do you do to stay sane, keep it together, stay fit?

Man, you know what? Sleep. Believe it or not, resting the body, resting. Sleep is good, man. A lot of people don't know that I like to get sleep. In my younger days, I'm not going to lie, I used to be up for three days in a row. But sleep is good, so you can be energetic and give a great show without stressing yourself. Just relaxing it's all about relaxing, man. I've been through all the trials and tribulations in the music business and the ups and downs. Now this tour is more about relaxation. I've been relaxing, meeting people, smoking good weed and just watching movies. Chilling, man. Enjoying life. It's about the sleep.

What do you recommend for young folks coming up? If they want to pursue their vision or pursue their dream, what do they need to do? What should they be up to?

I think they need to never give up, keep going, read. Nowdays you can go on to the computer and read about the music business. Back in my day, I had to check out books at the library. Read about the music business. Understand it before you get in it. Know about publishing. Know about producer royalties. Know about artist royalties. Understand the math.

The most important part of the music business is the business. The music will come, but a lot of these artists don't know the business, and it's not good, because you're signing a contract and you don't get a lawyer to read the contract. I don't think that's smart. I know we've all been through certain things and sometimes people can't afford lawyers, but at least try to read up on it, so when somebody puts a contract in your face, you'll know some of the shit in that contract if you want to hire a lawyer or not. And then, when you start getting some money, it's taxes. You've got to pay those taxes, man. I see a lot of artists who buy those watches, they buy those big old houses. You've got to pay Uncle Sam first. Take care of him first and then do what you do. You don't want to be in a situation once you've got a couple million dollars in the bank, you in the club, you kicking it, and the next day, shit's wiped out. You lose your car. You don't want to be in those situations, man. I've never been in that situation, but I've seen a lot of people come up to the top, they didn't pay Uncle Sam, and they fall flat on their face.

That's good advice. Anything you want people to know about you that they don't already?

Man, I don't know. A lot of people think I get high all day, but I'm a businessman. My business is handled. The business part is solid, on my behalf. I know where my money is. You've got to know how to read out here. You've got to know how to add. I've got some real estate. Invest that shit. Invest your money. A lot of people probably don't even know that about me. They probably think I just be sitting at home smoking weed which I do a lot, because I got my business handled. So I can do that. But the business is definitely intact. I don't owe nobody shit, you know what I'm saying?

Has it always been that way? Did you learn that lesson the hard way? Did you always have that business sense?

I read a lot of music books. I've made some mistakes in my life and had some fucked-up deals here and there. It ain't been too many. I've always been on top of my business from the jump. I didn't know how to pay taxes, but I know how to pay taxes. When I got my first check, my daddy was asking me, "Yo, did you pay taxes on that money?" I was like, "No. What the hell is taxes?" He was like, "You know you got to pay the government whatever you get." He put me up on that game, and I hired a CPA. My mama was my CPA at first. Then I hired a real CPA and took it from there.

Juicy J plays at the Fillmore Auditorium, Friday, February 10, at 8 p.m. For more information, go to the Fillmore website.

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Juicy J's Life Advice: Pay Uncle Sam, Sleep, and Smoke Good Weed - Westword

Humane society volunteer Barb Timmer raised enough money through selling T-shirts to have outside play area for dogs like George, a shephard boxer mix. George and many other dogs are available for adoption at the Humane Society of Richland County.(Photo: Jason J. Molyet/News Journal)Buy Photo

ONTARIO - Barb Timmer has been a faithful volunteer at the Humane Society of Richland County for six years.

She saw a particular need almost right away.

"I've been wanting a fence ever since the first dog I walked got loose," Timmer said. "Luckily, I sat down and eventually the dog came back to me."

Timmer raised $4,000 for fencing for play yards through the sale of T-shirts. She found a company called Merch on Amazon that does print-on-demand T-shirts.

Some of the shirts feature pictures of dogs at the shelter.

To get to the site, visit ItsTheTruthDesigns.com.

Humane agent and shelter director Missy Houghton has four or five of the T-shirts.

"They hold their size well," Houghton said. "They're soft and comfortable to wear."

There is a need for dogs to be able to burn off energy. Houghton said the exercise lowers stress levels and makes the dogs more adoptable.

Timmer initially came to the humane society to walk dogs. She developed an interest in the adoption events and started helping with those.

Today she is the volunteer coordinator.

Timmer says she wasn't sure she wanted to be at the humane society.

"I was kind of leery of coming in here," she said. "I thought it was a sad place, but I found it was a happy place. I love spending time with the animals."

During a recent interview in the play yard, a young boxer mix named George romped with the volunteer.

Timmer has been a nurse at OhioHealth Mansfield Hospital for 38 years. The Mansfield native married her high school sweetheart, Mark.

"We met in 10th grade," she said. "He's not the animal lover I am, but he tolerates the time I spend out here."

The Timmers have a dog and a cat at home. Timmer said she's partial to golden retrievers.

Through continued T-shirt sales, Timmer hopes to raise money for "things that are considered luxuries to a shelter." Those include a shed to store equipment and MP3 players for relaxing music.

Timmer said her greatest satisfaction as a volunteer is seeing an animal come out of a bad situation and go to a loving home.

"They're really happy here until they hit the jackpot and get adopted," Timmer said. "They have the care, the attention and the love that they need."

Timmer is a big part of that success.

"What she does, you can't put a value on it," Houghton said. "She is so willing to go above and beyond.

"We wish every shelter had a Barb Timmer."

mcaudill@gannett.com

419-521-7219

Twitter: @MNJCaudill

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Volunteer raises money for dog play yard at shelter - Mansfield News Journal

If youre anything like me, you research all the different kinds of meditation techniques our there or youve downloaded a ton of apps onto your phone. Great, youve got all this information at your fingertips, but you have no idea where to start. The more you look, the more overwhelmed you get, and the more discouraged you are to try meditating. That, or you just have trouble meditating in general.

When I first started meditating, I found that my mind was exceptionally busy and it was impossible for me to stop the hurricane of thoughts rushing in my head. It took me a really long time to learn how to focus so that I could do meditations without letting my mind wander. I want to share some of the tips that really helped me.

Just breathe. If your mind is too busy to focus on any guided meditation, put some soothing music on (or sit somewhere quiet/use earplugs) and just breathe. In your mind, think about this: breathe in through the nose for a count of five-eight, whatever feels natural to you. Hold for five-eight counts, then release through the nose or mouth for five-eight counts. Focus on the counting, on breathing in as much air as you can, and releasing all that stale air on the exhale.

If the breathing technique doesnt work, or even it does, try this one: Go for a five to ten minute walk. It doesnt matter where you go, in the park, down the street, etc. The key to this exercise is noting how you feel while you are walking. Once outside, begin taking mental notes on how the sun feels against your skin. Is there any wind? How does the wind feel? What other things do you feel as you are walking? Try to keep your mind focused on how you are feeling and what you are feeling as you complete this walk.

Another technique that sometimes helped me is listening to relaxing music. Go toy YouTube or SoundCloud or whatever you like and find some relaxing music, something that you think is nice and soothing. When youve found something, sit somewhere comfortably and close your eyes. Listen to the music and focus on the sounds. Is there a piano? A violin? Are there any nature sounds like running water, thunder, the ocean, birds, etc? Focus on all the things that you hear. If you can, begin noticing how the sounds make you feel. Do you feel a little more relaxed? Do you feel happy, sad, or angry? Then, if possible, dig a little deeper to discover what makes you feel that way or why you feel that way.

Find something to look at that calms you. For me, a picture or video of the ocean waves crashing against the shore, the sound of running water in a Japanese garden, or even just watching sakura (cherry blossoms) is calming. Focus on this picture of video (with or without sound, if a video) and just watch/look at it. Start at the top and work your way down as you notice every little detail about it. In your mind, describe the detail. For example, if Im looking at a photo/video of cherry blossoms I might think this: The sky is a beautiful shade of blue and the trees dark bark contrasts against it. The long branches, reaching out everywhere with pale pink, delicate flowers. Green leaves pop out among the clusters of pink. Stray petals of pink cascade onto the ground when the gentle breeze caresses the tree. The petals are raining down onto the ground in pink drops. The trunk is dark and sturdy, deeply rooted into the ground. The green grass peeks out from under the blanket of pink petalsetc.

Find an object and hold it in your hands. For example, I have a small figurine of a wolf, which is my favorite animal. I can hold it in my hands and look at it, noticing all the intricacies of this figurine. Examining it, noticing how it feels in my hand (light or heavy, rough or soft, etc.) the colors that are used, the detail in the eyes or mouth. Run your fingers over it and feel the texture in your hands.

Do stretches. Find a mat or somewhere where you can stretch. Focus on the movements that you are doing and the counting. Stretch out your neck by placing your chin down towards your chest. Hold for ten seconds, then slowly move it up and around in circles, very slowly. When your ear is against your shoulder, hold it for another ten seconds before you continue to move around. Do this again when your other ear reaches your shoulder. Move to your shoulders, raising them up and down, then around in circles one way, then the other. Next, stretch your arms. Lift them above your head, grasp your right wrist with your left hand, and pull your right arms gently towards the left so you feel a stretch in your arm and your right side. Hold for ten seconds, and then do the same to the other arm. Bend forward like youre trying to touch your toes, let your arms hang loose towards the floor or rest them on your legs. Hang there for a moment, and then slowly raise yourself up vertebrae by vertebrae while you head remains down. It is the last thing to come up. Next, do a lunge and have your arms where its comfortable for you. Hold the pose for ten seconds, or more, depending on how you feel. Do the same to the other leg. Lift your left or right leg up slightly and rotate the ankles in a circle, slowly. Repeat on the other side.

The last recommendation I have is writing. Get out a notebook or open a new word document and just let your mind take control of your fingers as you write whatever comes into your mind. Dont think about it, just let your hands move and write/type out words on the paper/screen. You might write how youre feeling, or the thoughts that are troubling you or that are running around in your head. Use this as an emotional release for you and focus on the paper/screen and your emotions. Keep writing until your fingers stop. This is a good way to clear your mind before you start meditating.

These exercises really helped me learn how to focus. Im the type of person that needs to do a variety of things in order for my mind to clear, or even learn, for that matter. I need to see, touch, hear, and write. Maybe one of these works for you, or maybe two work for you. Perhaps all of them work for you. Whatever it is, just keep doing it and when you feel like youve got the hang of one or two, or all of them. Try meditation again, whether its by yourself or guided meditation.

Some apps I really recommend

1. Atmosphere. This app has a variety of sounds and music to help you focus on sounds from a variety of different environments.

2. Calm. This has some background sounds like birds and water. It has a button for deep breathing that tells you when to breathe in, hold, and breathe out in case you need to see it rather than count it. They also have a learn the basics of meditation. It gives you seven days of meditation. Day one tells you what its used for and you start your first session. Its a good guided meditation for beginners. The only thing I dont like about this app is that you have to pay for other features and meditations, but for a beginner, those first 7 days are a good place to start.

3. Headspace. Many people really seem to like this app, including Emma Watson (if you care). Its also a good place to start for beginners and you get Take 10 free, which are 10 free days of meditation. Its kind of a cute app that lets you add friends, see your progress, and has a timeline that you can view or go back to. I dont like this app because its voiced by a man with a British accent. I love British accents, but I find that listening to a man makes it harder for me to concentrate and causes some anxiety. You also have to pay for more content.

4. Stop, Breath & Think. This is a cute app as well with some drawings. It asks you to check in before meditation on how youre feeling and it gives you a list of recommendations based on how you feel. Once you finish meditating, it asks you to check in again with how you feel. You gain awards by meditating for certain amount of minutes/hours and for logging in every day. It also lets you view your progress. Some are free, but most meditations are paid. So, if you like to do different meditations every day, you might get bored with this one fast since your variety is limited as a free member.

5. Pacifica. I havent really played around with this one a lot, but its kind of neat. You log in your mood and it gives you a list of suggested activities to do: for example, I said Im good so it recommended take a moment to relax, journal, set a goal for today, complete a healthy habit, and post to the community. I selected take a moment to relax and it gave me a list of meditations that I can try, a few are free, but the rest are paid. You can track your sleep, exercise, add daily habits and set daily reminders.

6. Meditation Music. The name says it all. You have 12 choices and you can set a timer for any number of minutes or hours, you can change the volume in the app, and pause it.

7. Leaf for Bellabeat. This app is used with your Bellabeat Leaf or Leaf Urban. They have a variety of meditations and breathing exercises that you can do. I dont like the breathing exercises because the pace of breathing is WAY too quick for my tastes and I feel like Im going to hyperventilate. The meditations are okay, but I dont use them anymore because I found an app that I prefer, which is #8. Leaf lets you track your meditations and set a meditation goal for the week. I track my meditations using this app as it allows you to choose the start time and how long you meditated for.

8. Insight Timer. This app is my FAVORITE app. I use this app every single day! During the day, at night, etc. I love this app because there are thousands of FREE meditations that you can use and bookmark. There are tons to choose from! Categories include sleep, pregnancy, music, breathe, accepting and letting go, forgiveness, healing, etc. You can search for anything you want. You can also add friends, send messages, bookmark meditations, and keeps track of your total time, averages, and when you log in. You can also get stars for completing x amount of days that youve used the app in a row.

Eren Wiebe is a blogger at sakuradaisuki, writer, editor, figure skater, amateur photographer, and mom to her fur baby, Piko.

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Healthy Mind: Meditation for beginners, baby steps - The Suburban Newspaper (blog)

Ally Fegley and Kenzi Case look over their music for the OMEA solo and ensemble contest which will be held on Saturday in St. Marys. The students perform in front of a judge and are given ratings on their performance. (DHI Media/Jim Langham)

DHI Media Staff Writer

jlangham@timesbulletin.com

VAN WERT Students from Van Wert area schools are collectively placing hundreds of hours into final preparations this week before the Ohio Music Education Association Solo and Ensemble Contest which is Saturday in St. Marys.

Van Wert flute player Briana Kesler is literally spending two hours a day in practice time in preparation for her participation in a woodwind trio, a woodwind quartet and flute solo.

Theres a lot of time that goes into this, especially the week before, said Kesler. There is one ensemble that is more prepared than the other, so we break things down more in practicing with the less prepared.

Kesler loves music because it gives her an opportunity to express her many-faceted feelings in different ways. When she isnt involved with school music, she plays in the area community band.

Music really helps me relax, said Kesler. Its something that helps me to strive to be better in my life. I like to use music as a way to prove myself.

Like Kesler, Van Wert junior Steele Stabler has been practicing many hours this week for his participation in two different woodwind ensembles and a clarinet solo. Stabler noted that he practices ensemble work during a free period in school but works most of his solo work at home.

I like how each piece of music can be interpreted in a way that is very individualistic, noted Stabler.

Lexi Walker, also a junior at Van Wert, likes the way groups break down into individual smaller groups in preparation for their performance. She likes the way groups with similar instruments bond in their preparation.

Just before performance, Walker said that she always takes a deep relaxing breath.

I always make sure I have a really good nights rest before the performance, said Walker.

At Lincolnview, junior Lainie Jones is preparing to sing in chior, a select ensemble and a solo performance of American Lullaby.

This is definitely a chance to work together with smaller groups of choir members, said Jones. It demands a lot of hard work and team work. It helps us to get over the fear of being in front of people, to be more relaxed to give a better performance.

Jones said that she relaxes all she can in mental preparation, although the last three minutes before performance, she practices her expressions.

I love music because it is an outright way to express a lot of emotions, said Jones.

At Crestview, Ally Fegley and Kenzi Case interact in a different way for contest. Although they are in two different musical groups, they also combine as one for their performances. Fegley plays a trumpet in the jazz band which provides the backup music for the show choir, Knight Vision, where Case performs as a dancer.

The first part of the year the jazz band and Knight Vision work separate, said Fegley. Its important for us to put style in our music so we can execute together in practice.

Fegley said that she takes her trumpet home and practices with discipline because she is first chair.

I have higher notes to play and that takes a lot of practice and work, she said. Im really working hard. This is my senior year and I want to make it count.

Case said that very few people realize all of the preparation that goes into setting things up right before the performance.

Right before performing we pray together, said Case. That is such a help.

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Local students preparing for solo and ensemble contest - Times Bulletin

Shhh. Hear that? No? That's surprising. Odds are, you can hear something right now: A siren, the hum of a fan, the blur of background conversations, the ticking of a watch. It's seldom our worlds are fully silent so seldom that complete silence feels shocking.

Image by Antonis Spiridakis via Unsplash.

We welcome sound into our lives sometimes to our detriment. Silence, perhaps, is our most under-appreciated productivity tool. So let's talk about noise.

It's common knowledge that the jarring sound of a jackhammer or the loud blasts of a rock concert can damage our hearing, but that's not the only type of harmful noise.

Two types of everyday noise can be bad for us. One is excessive noise, such as the prolonged loud noise of being near an airport. The other is simply the distraction of general noise around us, such as conversations or interruptions from colleagues in the workplace.

The former may seem worse, but both can be detrimental to our productivity and sanity.

Being around excessive noise has been found to affect our health quite seriously. Epidemiologists have found correlations between chronic noise sources such as highways and airports and high blood pressure, something that in turn can lead to other health risks, including damage to our brains and kidneys.

Other studies have found links between noise and sleep loss, heart disease, and tinnitus. People who live in consistently noisy places also commonly have elevated levels of stress hormones.

Quite ahead of her time, Florence Nightingale reportedly considered quiet an important part of patient care. Concerningly, modern hospitals have become far noisier than they were in the past. As more technology is added to wards, the average noise level in hospitals is well above the World Health Organisation's hospital noise guidelines for patient rooms, something that is detrimental to patient health and recovery. Such a noisy environment can even cause doctors to confuse similar-sounding drugs a potentially deadly mistake caused by excess noise.

So what about those of us who don't live or work near an airport or a highway? How does general daily noise affect us?

For most of us, daily noise tends to involve interruptions and distractions. Coworkers, meetings, phone calls, bustling cafs, street noise, and our phone's various notification sounds all vie for our attention as we try to work.

If you work in an open plan office, you'll probably find this is an even greater problem. Ollie Campbell, CEO of Milanote and part of Navy Design's multi-disciplinary team, says open plan offices come with their own implicit values. They make team members feel that disruption is acceptable, collaboration is the key priority, and serendipity is worth the interruptions it requires. According to Campbell:

In most workplaces, focused work is left to chance. If nobody's called you for a meeting that day, you might get an afternoon to yourself.

If you're lucky.

Distractions and interruptions are such a common part of our workdays, we don't even think of them as excessive noise anymore. It's often more obvious when we don't hear the noise of distractions around us at work than when we do.. A study at the University of California, Irvine, found that knowledge workers have focus periods of just eleven minutes on average, in-between interruptions. As Campbell said, "if you need to focus, 'work' is pretty much the worst place you could be."

Collaboration is important, but so is focus particularly for those of us who are creators. For knowledge workers, our work happens between us and the blank page. Disruptions and noise only interrupt that process.

Between interruptions, distractions, background noise, and general lack of calm and quiet, the noise of the office can be harmful. With a buzzing office around you, a bustling street out the window, and something distracting you every three minutes, it's almost impossible to create anything of value.

Shutting both types of noise out literal (and excessive) sound, and the more general commotion of the modern workplace can improve our ability to focus and create our best work.

Here's why you should replace noise with silence.

For a long time, researchers used silence as a control in experiments testing the effects of sound or noise. After realising silence was fascinating in itself, researchers started focusing more on the effects of silence than relegating it to control status.

In one experiment testing how the brain reacts to different types of music, silence was used as a control between the different music clips. But silence actually produced one of the most interesting effects. When compared with so-called "relaxing" music or even long silence before the experiment began short, two-minute silent pauses between the music actually proved more relaxing on the brain. It seems the effect of silence is heightened by contrasting it with noise.

Perhaps our strong reaction to silence's relaxing effects is related to how our brains work when they're not bombarded by the outside world. Research suggests our brains are never really quiet instead, they're always working, even when we're not actively engaged in a conscious activity. In fact, science suggests when we do engage our brain in a conscious effort, it actually overrides the brain's "default mode," temporarily diverting resources to what we want to do.

Complete silence, then, allows the brain to return to its normal default state and continue its processing.

Our brain's ongoing background processing seems to be responsible for the sounds our brain makes, too. For instance, when a song you know well is stopped in the middle of the chorus, your brain will often fill in the gap by creating the sound of the next line of the song. You're not actually hearing anything, but rather creating that sound inside your mind, according Robert Zatorre, an expert on the neurology of sound. "In the absence of sound, the brain often tends to produce internal representations of sound," says Zatorre.

Silence isn't simply relaxing for the brain, either. One study of mice found that listening to silence for two hours every day prompted the subjects' brains to grow new cells in the hippocampus, which is related to our brain's memory abilities. While new cell growth doesn't always provide health benefits, in this case those new cells did become new, functioning neurons within the mice brains. In other words, silence could make you a little smarter.

The ability to shut out the world around us can be beneficial, beyond the pure benefits of silence. Both thinking creatively and considering long-term decisions are skills that, according to psychologist Jonathan Smallwood, "allow us to generate novel solutions to problems," and to stick to our plans long enough to reach our goals.

"It seems that the capacity to disengage from the outside world when the external environment is sufficiently benign reflects a skill set that is important to almost every human endeavour," says Smallwood. Put simply, these skills help us achieve success.

Smallwood isn't the only one who thinks getting away from the noise of the world is a useful habit to build. French mathematician and philosopher Blaise Pascal believed humans should learn to be quiet more often, as expressed in his famous quote: "All the unhappiness of men arises from one simple fact: that they cannot sit quietly in their chamber."

Derek Sivers, writer and founder of CDBaby, says spending time alone, away from the noise of the world, provides the best opportunity for creating new work:

It's not that I hate people. The other best times in my life were with people. But it's interesting how many highlights were just sitting in a room, in that wonderful creative flow. Free from the chatter of the world.

For Sivers, spending time unplugged, disconnected, and in silence is where he feels most creative. "Silence is a great canvas for your thoughts," says Sivers.

At design agency Navy, the struggle to get work done in the office was real. The constant distractions and regular noise was such an issue that employees were staying home when they really needed to focus. To fix this, the Navy team instituted daily "quiet time."

Before lunch at Navy HQ, the team agrees to be completely silent. Not just in person, but online, too. No emails, no slack, no tapping colleagues on the shoulder, and especially no meetings. They even put their phones away in drawers so they can really focus. As Campbell explains, "Quiet time is a contract: a few hours a week where we agree to work even if we don't feel like it."

Though it took months to get used to regular quiet time, after doing it for four years the team is now 23 per cent more productive. They're also less stressed overall and are able to take Friday afternoons off because they get so much done during the week.

It worked. "Work has become the best place to get things done," says Campbell.

But when you can, it's worth choosing silence. Perhaps you can start by adding a period of strict quiet time in your workplace. Strive to find small pockets of silence for yourself during the day, and savour the silence. Or, if you can, perhaps it's time to add extra insulation and block out the consistent noise from your home and office, something that might pay for itself in increased focus and direct health benefits.

Finding silence and a calm space for yourself won't just improve your health it will help you do the best work you can.

The Power of Silence: Why You Need Less Noise for Work and Your Health [Zapier] Belle Beth Cooper is the co-founder of Exist, a personal analytics platform to help you understand your life. This post originally appeared on the Zapier blog.

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Sometimes in life you lack perspective. Sometimes youre just too close. To the situation, to the person. Sometimes untenable attitudes or ideas become normalised. Like theyve always existed, like they cannot be questioned. In cases like these it often takes a fresh set of eyeballs, a rogue outsider. It takes that radical voice in the crowd to shatter the illusion. The emperor has no clothes. Today I am those eyeballs. Today I am that outsider. Today I am that voice in the crowd.

Like most people, my knowledge of maths is limited to the skills I need to function in society. (I blame crappy high school teachers for that.) However, the diversity and implications of maths theory is truly fascinating if you're willing to give it a chance. This animated map breaks down the basics.

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Why You Need Less Noise For Work And Your Health - Lifehacker Australia

When it comes to unidentifiable incoming phone calls, Ill admit Im wary to answer them. I feel distrust, even fear, of the unknown caller. Some menacing stranger may be on the other end, poised to steal my identity or my money.

Last June my cell phone blinked with just such a number, the call originating in Lewiston, Idaho. I decided to let it ring, but at the last minute chose to pick up the call. On the other end wasnt a scary monster, but rather a nurse named Morla.

Morla works for the health insurance company Regence Blue Cross as a case manager. At first I was suspicious of her offer to help me. How much was this going to cost? Morla assured me her services were free. I had recently been diagnosed with breast cancer. I expected Morla to be all business, laying out deductibles, covered and not covered expenses, and procedural paper work. After all, she worked for an insurance company. Instead, I was greeted by a woman who truly cared about me. She answered all my questions, and the questions she couldnt answer immediately, she did so within a day. She called me almost daily to see how I was doing, both physically and mentally. For five months, she figuratively held my hand through biopsies, surgery, wound care, and more. Our last conversation was bittersweet. I was happy that my ordeal was considered over by the insurance company, but sad to say goodbye to Morla.

Morla was a stranger who chose to reach out and take care of me. She didnt know anything about me my politics, religious preferences, or sexual orientation. And it was clear that being a Regence Blue Cross case manager was much more than a job to her.

Other strangers reached out to me as well. Women from The Pink Project, a The Dalles group that supports women with cancer, made me soft blankets and a hat and gifted me with relaxing music, chocolates, and other items to pamper me. Finally, there was Earline, a fellow yoga student who happened to lay her yoga mat next to mine. I know little about Earline, other than that shes as tall as me, plays tennis, and has a lilting accent that sounds like its roots are in the deep south. Two weeks before my surgery, while attending yoga class, I began to weep quietly, overwhelmed by thoughts related to my cancer. At the end of class, Earline approached me, gave me a hug, and said simply, You are adored.

Saying You are adored to a near stranger is very different than when someone says I love you, I care about you, or I adore you. Those statements can seem too personal or too trite. For me, on that day, You are adored felt like the whole planet cared about me, and cared about what was happening to me. It was a magnificent feeling.

I read with two Mid Valley kindergarteners each week as part of the SMART reading program. Two weeks ago, I saw them for the first time since early December. Winter vacation and the winter snows had kept us apart for those weeks. As Nancy, a particularly exuberant 5-year old, entered the room, she rushed towards me, arms apart, and said Teacher, I missed you! I dont know much about Nancy, nor does she know much about me. Shes simply my weekly reading buddy. As an English language learner, I doubt shes ever heard or seen the word adore. Still, on that wintery afternoon, her body and voice confirmed to me that I am adored.

At a time when the fearmongers are determined to escalate our collective paranoia, we need to work hard to stem our fear of the unknown. Im as guilty as anyone of diverting my eyes when passing a homeless camp, being wary of a stranger approaching my door, or deciding not to answer the telephone. A dear friend of mine volunteers at the warming shelter, and tells me about the wonderful discussions she has with the homeless who take shelter from the cold each night. She may not tell them, You are adored, but she sincerely communicates, You are cared for; you are listened to.

On this upcoming Valentines Day, lets celebrate the triumph of love over fear. Answer the phone or stop on the street, and without hesitation, tell a stranger, You are adored.

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Cascade Observations: 'You are adored' - Hood River News

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Feb 8, 2017

-Messenger photo by Chad Thompson Michael Wagner, 10, a fifth grade student at Fort Dodge Middle School, responds to a question about a Quidditch Quaffle ball during the after school Quidditch club at the middle school Tuesday. It was the first meeting of the new club.

Theres no shortage of clubs at the Fort Dodge Middle School to spark the imagination of students.

Between cheerleading, the Quick Fixin Young Chefs Club, music and even Quidditch, theres bound to be something that entices students to get involved.

Students can choose between 10 different clubs, according to Kim Bodholdt, culture and climate grant coordinator.

The teachers are responsible for creating the clubs.

The teachers choose whatever their interest might be, Bodholdt said. They design the club, they pick the grade levels and the content of the club.

-Messenger photo by Chad Thompson Trish Taylor, a counselor at the Fort Dodge Middle School, shows students a stick used in the game of Quidditch Tuesday afternoon. One student thought it looked more like a giant Q-Tip. The game, inspired by Harry Potter, is one of many new clubs at the school.

A school climate transformation grant covers the cost for teachers to have the clubs and pay for needed supplies, Bodholdt said.

The different clubs met Tuesday after school.

Connor Thoma, 11, was interested in something in which he could get physically active.

He joined the Quidditch Club.

Quidditch is a game made famous in the fantasy world of Harry Potter.

-Messenger photo by Chad Thompson Noah Glass, 11, left, and Caron Hulsebus, 11, both fifth graders at Fort Dodge Middle School, react to music created by students in previous years who were part of the same after school music club.

Thoma said he liked the Harry Potter movies and even has a Harry Potter video game at home.

You get to throw balls around, Thoma said.

Trish Taylor, school counselor, is leading the Quidditch Club.

She spent the afternoon laying down some ground rules for the game.

At one point Thoma picked up one of the balls, pretending to be LeBron James, a famous athlete from another sport entirely.

In Quidditch, there are two balls one for scoring and one to get people out, according to Taylor.

Taylor held up one of the balls and asked the students if they could identify it.

Michael Wagner, 10, knew right away that it was the Quaffle ball.

Of course, students wont be able to play the game in mid-air like the movies.

But with broomsticks, some rackets and a couple of balls the club is set.

Katlyn Ashenfelter, 12, wanted to join a club that was a little more calm.

She settled on the Yoga Club.

Its really relaxing, Ashenfelter said. After tests and everything during the day its nice to relax.

She added, and its better than sitting on the couch.

Down the hall, the Music Club also made its debut.

Tara Smith, middle school band instructor, is running that club.

The students there will have an opportunity to create their own music using a program called GarageBand, which can be accessed on their iPads.

We have so many ways of composing music electronically now, Smith said.

Within the program, one possibility is to have an orchestra playing behind the students in their music.

Smith showed videos to students of previous recordings that were composed in the club.

One was a rendition of Let it Be by the Beatles.

Students reacted with excitement as they saw the possibilities of what they could create.

Smith said one of the goals of the club will be to have each student make a video of them playing an instrument.

By the end, we will have a recording of you playing a song, Smith said.

A website will also be available so parents can listen to what their kids create, Smith said.

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Ways to be involved - Fort Dodge Messenger