Hi Everyone –
Warm greetings and blessings to you all!
May you be filled with lovingkindness.s
May you be safe and protected from all inner and outer dangers.
May you be well in body and mind.
May you be at ease and happy.
December! Here it is, in all of its glory: short days, unpleasant weather, and all of us rushing around and preparing for the holiday season. Remembering to take care of ourselves can be quite a challenge – AND even small things can help us a great deal; a good night’s sleep, a deep breath, a few minutes of meditation, a short walk, some healthy food (instead of chocolate!), a hot shower, and… the expression of our feelings. With this in mind, I offer you the following link: http://www.vimeo.com/1211060.
Every time *I* watch this video, I laugh and cry tears of joy. Amazing, isn’t it, how something as simple as a silly little dance can change how we see the world? May YOU feel joy this month! 🙂
REPORT
I’m finding it harder and harder to pick monthly highlights; SO many great things are happening in and around me, and I’m grateful for ALL of it. Here are the best of the best:
– Performing my music at The Spiritual Centre for Dynamic Living. I’ve known Revs. Austin and Mary Hennessey for many years, and it’s wonderful to see them living their ministry ever more fully. BIG thanks, Austin and Mary, for all that you do in and for the world, and for the love that you generate every Sunday morning.
– Performing with Bonnie Ste-Croix at Café Deux Soleils in East Vancouver. It was great to perform with Bonnie in my old neighbourhood, AND to share the stage with two other great singer/songwriters: Carolyna Loveless and Melissa Bandura. Thanks to all three for a truly fun night of music making.
– “Sharing the bill” at the Centre for Spiritual Living with my dear friend Gillian Roberts and performing two of my songs, including one that I wrote specifically to compliment her talk that morning. BIG thanks, Gillian, for dancing with me and for helping me to “get out of my own way”!
– Performing (as the bassist in the “house band”) in Brock Tully’s “Kindness Sings” Concerts (formerly “The World Kindness” Concerts). This is my sixth year with Brock and his amazing crew, and every year’s concerts are a highlight of my year. We generate a LOT of love with our music making. Thanks team!
– Performing with my pals in “California Calling” (a tribute band that celebrates the music of The Beach Boys and ALL things related to summer). There’s nothing quite like harmonizing with four other guys. Thanks lads!
– Flying to Calgary for four performances in two days (an in-store appearance, a house concert, a church service and a Christmas concert). BIG thanks to Sheryl Guillaume (for her love and support for what I do), Susan Cullen and Jackie Coyle (for being such INCREDIBLE house concert hosts, and to Susan for opening up her home to me), Bruce Petherick (for sharing the house concert stage with me, and for setting up the whole weekend for me), Anthony Burbidge (who started all this by organizing my first trip to Calgary in December of ‘07), and to ALL who came to my performances. I’m happy and honoured to now call many of you friends.
– Meeting with my songwriters circle, and honouring the creativity in all involved. BIG thanks, esteemed colleagues!
– Slowly but surely, I’m writing the songs for my next CD, and I’m very happy and excited about that. Thanks to all who responded to my request for a “cover song” for it; if YOU have an idea for a song that I should “cover”, please e-mail me at nathenaswell@shaw.ca.
UPCOMING PERFORMANCES
Here’s what my calendar looks like in the coming month. I’d be honoured to see you at any of these events. (AND please remember that I welcome any and all opportunities to serve you with my music; just e-mail me at nathenaswell@shaw.ca.)
December
14, 11:00 AM – Centre for Spiritual Living (1495 W. 8th Ave., 4th floor, Vancouver) – Church Service
14, 7:00-8:30 PM – Tsawwassen United Church (693 53rd Street, Tsawwassen) – Advent Candlelight Gathering, with original music by Sandra Dawn and I
17 – 7:30 PM – Unity of Vancouver (5840 Oak St., Vancouver) – Christmas Candlelighting Service
21, 10:30 AM – Centre for Positive Living (Centennial Park, 14600 North Bluff Rd., White Rock) – Church Service
21, 7:00 PM – St. Andrew’s-Wesley (1012 Nelson Ave., Vancouver) – Worship Service with Curt Allison
24, 7:00 PM – Centre for Positive Living (Centennial Park, 14600 North Bluff Rd., White Rock) – Christmas Eve Candlelighting Service
31, 1:00-3:00 PM – St. Paul’s Anglican Church (1130 Jervis St., Vancouver) – Kirtan (Chanting) with Sandra Dawn, as people walk the Labyrinth
January
2 & 3, 9:30 PM-1:00 AM – Lions Den Sports Bar (Boulevard Casino, Coquitlam) – With California Calling (Beach Boys tribute band)
4, 10:30 AM – Centre for Positive Living (Centennial Park, 14600 North Bluff Rd., White Rock) – Church Service
(AND – I’ve been chosen to perform at the Affiliated New Thought Network Conference in Phoenix AZ in March, and at Harmonizing with Humanity’s Autism Awareness Festival in Scottsdale AZ in May! In future newsletters, I’ll have more details about these and other upcoming events.)
NEW WEB SITE CONTENT
As well as updating the calendar on all three of my web sites, I’ve:
– updated my bio on the “Bio / Press / Page” of my site, and in my EPK on my Sonicbids page;
– added new photos (of my Calgary trip) to my web site, and to my MySpace page;
– added a banner for Harmonizing with Humanity to the “Music Store / Book a Concert / Links” page of my web site, and to my MySpace page.
Happy December, everyone. Go with love!
With love and gratitude,
– Nathen
www.nathenaswell.com
www.myspace.com/nathenaswell
www.sonicbids.com/nathenaswell