If you’re not familiar with this project, that is so very dear to my heart and always a constant work in progress, go here to learn more. The issue features: Duane Peters & Corey Parks, Franklin Rhi, Ben Weasel, Russ Rankin, Brad Warner and Lord Ezec (snippets from the chats below). CWP #7 comes in a variety of (200gsm cardboard) covers including purple, blue and green, featuring heart cut-outs in its design and a decorative lace feature. I’ve also handwritten the introduction in every single zine! Subscriber zines will be mailed out first thing tomorrow morning. If you’re interested in getting a copy please email me: conversationswithbianca [at] gmail [dot] com.

Duane Peters & Corey Parks snippet:

DUANE PETERS: …Religion is all about fear. Spirituality is all about yourself and tapping into something else that’s bigger than you that’s maybe running the show. Maybe not just one thing but an element of things—you can tap into good shit or you can tap into negative shit.

The word ‘spirituality’ only makes me think ‘hippie’ because of the way I was bought up. In the early punk rock days it was against the law to be spiritual so you never did it. You ran off fear, ego and through battling this that and the other and not dying. You came to the conclusion—if your brain is still working by the time you get to the conclusion—that maybe something else is running the show. Maybe I can tap into some of that. Maybe it’ll help me lighten up. Maybe it’ll help me find something. Maybe it will help me get out of this fear running the show and ego.

COREY PARKS: I’m about nine years off from Duane. He’s a ‘Kennedy era’ kid and I’m more of a Baptist upbringing, the Rapture and a lot of hell, fire and damnation, the devil.

DP: My grandpa was a Baptist minister. There’s all this heavy religion on one side of my family and the other side are cool.

CP: I was born and raised in Southern California in the 70s. My parents were hippies and the only church my mum took us to was self-realisation fellowship, meditation class and the whole concept of there being a power greater than myself. It’s a little bit closer to what I’ve come to believe as an adult. It was a real positive thing. ‘Spirituality’ was a word that I always associated with God not religion that was always too scary and weird to me… like the Revelation, that was all such weird science fiction.

Ben Weasel snippet:

BEN WEASEL: …I had a little revelation when I came home from Baltimore and I knew a door was closing. I knew that it didn’t have anything to do with me in a sense. For years I sat around and had these ideas, almost these revenge fantasies about how I leave music and I’ll make a big announcement and I’ll walk off into the sunset and tell everyone to fuck off! That is like my happiest fantasy [laughs]. That’s not what this was though; a door was closing and one of the things I realised is that, even though this part of my life is pretty much over, it’s not necessarily completely over. I don’t have to close the door completely. I don’t have to go anywhere. I can continue to work with and ideally mentor young bands, which I enjoy doing, and if one day an opportunity comes up to play a set, I’ll go do that. If an opportunity comes up and I can tape some of my songs I have, then sure, assuming I have the time. It’s not a matter of leaving it behind, it’s about leaving behind my attachments to all that. You don’t have to leave music or the scene behind you just leave your attachments to it. Once you do that ironically, you’ll enjoy it more.

Ben photo by Marc Gartner.

Brad Warner snippet:

BRAD WARNER: When someone asked the guitarist from The Cramps – Poison Ivy – if she had some advice for girls wanting to play the guitar she said: Give up, don’t even try. That comes to mind. There are things in the so-called spiritual world and religion that are worthwhile. You shouldn’t just reject everything straightaway just because it seems religious. It’s more to the point of just staying true to you. A lot of the problem is that people just fall into the same patterns, like how the punk rock way of dressing became just a uniform in the same way that everybody else has to have Louis Vuitton bags or whatever the trend is. When everyone in the punk scene has to have a leather jacket, exactly the right leather jacket, it kind of loses its meaning at that point.

Brad photo by Svetlana Dekic.

Lord Ezec snippet:

LORD EZEC: …If you don’t believe in yourself, who the hell will? …I do everything at 110%.  I am like a pit-bull; I can’t do it half assed.  Got to go with all heart and balls!  There is always someone younger than you, smarter than you, better looking than you and more talented than you who is willing to sell their soul to take your place! You can’t let them take your ground.  You’ve got to fight for what is yours and guard it with dear life.  You’ve also got to understand that it is not only about you, your fans are the reason why you are where you are so you got to be cool to them.  Also remember where you came from.  That is why I always tell people I am from Queens!

Ezec photo by Estevan Oriol.

Franklin Rhi snippet:

FRANKLIN RHI: When I was leading a straight edge kind of lifestyle, I did it because I got into the Krishna movement and the Hare Krishna philosophy. I never got into it because ‘Ray (Cappo) of Today’ told me not to have a beer. Getting into those kinds of bands added to my revolutionary spirit at the time, it made me look at things a lot deeper.

The first band I joined was 108. That band had a lot of spirit. You felt that on stage. Everyone in the band was a devotee. The more people you have that follow the exact same thing makes things a lot stronger on stage. Visually people feel it. Vic [DiCara] was living in the temple, Rob [Fish] was living in the temple, and I was living in the temple. Same thing with Shelter. People can see straight up if you’re following what you are preaching. I don’t really want to spill dirt on any body’s lap but, some of the things I saw in those bands also drove me away from the whole spirituality thing.

Russ Rankin snippet:

RUSS RANKIN: …I can think about being a better person all day long. I can think about being a better citizen. I can think about making then world a better place but, unless I’m taking action it’s just thoughts. When I take action my thinking follows. The first few simple steps of hitting my knees and saying these words, saying these prayers – even though I didn’t believe there was anything out there listening to them – the fact that I was taking action caused my thinking to change.

A big thank you to everyone I had a chat with for this issue, love you guys lots! Thanks for inspiring my life with your creations. Thank you to the photographers who let me use their beautiful work. Thanks to my dear friend Franklin Rhi for being all kinds of awesome! Much love to my subscribers for being patient, supporting this project and being interested in it… you all mean the world to me. Thanks Jhonny for the constant inspiration and for being the best person ever! And lastly, thanks to Vincent for the quality control help ;)

Gratitude, Love & Light,

In the midst of all of the holiday hustle and bustle I’d just like to take a moment to breathe and to express gratitude—gratitude to my family, friends, all the wonderful readers of ConversationsWithBianca.com, all the wonderful artists and Creatives I’ve crossed paths with and chatted to this year, all the folks that have helped make this humble little site a destination for tens of thousands of unique visitors monthly!! This year CWB.com has had its best year yet! And it’s only going to get better with all of the exciting things I have in the works already for 2012! Thank you for all of the beautiful, supportive, insightful, kind, encouraging messages you have sent me this year (especially while I have been ill) and thanks for sharing your stories with me and letting me into your worlds. I feel so blessed and humbled that I know so many truly AMAZING individuals scattered all over the globe. CWB.com readers are the greatest!!!

Wishing you all the happiest of holidays!

Love & light,

This Little Extra That Says A Lot that I’ve decided was just too great not to share with you, was sent to me by the super-lovely Jelena Goluza from Australian hardcore band Outright who I recently interviewed (Outright’s Jelena Goluza: DIY, Confronting Sexist Behaviour & Baking Down The Walls). Attached was the little message ‘Because I know you will appreciate this as much as I did’ – I sure do! Thanks Jelena. I hope y’all appreciate this too.

Have a beautiful, thoughtful day!

The Week In Pictures is back, as you would have noticed I skipped a week or so as I’ve been recovering from my recent surgery. Slowly but surely getting back on track. When you get really sick it makes you stop and think about the things that are really important in life: loved ones, your health, having wonderful experiences rather than accumulating stuff, contributing positive things to the world rather than negative, being thankful for simply being alive. A big thank you to all my beautiful friends that have sent well wishes, new music to listen to, handwritten cards and letters, super fun packages that really brightened my day and kept me from feeling gloomy—I love you all so much! You make my world so much brighter!

(Pictured above) Drum roll please… da da da dum! My Golden Stapler Awards! They’re so sparkly! It was so lovely to be recognized for what I do. Unfortunately I couldn’t attend the awards at the This Is Not Art/National Young Writers’ Festival as I was too tender and sore to travel but they did ring me live from the event which was neat. They rang twice, first to tell me I’d one Best Zine Produced in Australia (as a series) for 2011 and a second time to let me know I’d won the Australian Zine Maker of the Year Award! Super thanks to Simon Gray and Format Collective for such a rad event, thanks to my Paper Cuts Collective co-founder Staples for bringing them home for me and to all that voted!

This Week: Golden Stapler Awards!; appreciating being alive in such a beautiful world; discovering amazing new music that I just know people will be soon buzzing about; meeting new truly inspiring, incredible creative people; surprise packages in the mail; and working on my health! 

My magic Interview Questions Notebook. I take this with me everywhere I go – the artwork was handpainted on by an artist from Mexico, I picked it up at a market stall a friend does called Rock City Zombie – it contains interview questions which I’ve used and which I’ve thought up throughout my years of interviewing. It’s one of my favourite things! I write everything down… maybe one day I’ll write a book ;)…you can see my skirt in the background, it’s tribal print – a favourite – I got it at an op shop; my ring is a Goddess Ring from Lotus Mendes; & my nails are done with Rimmel Green with Envy + Kit Cosmetics Move Up metallic tips! I love painting my nails.

Inspiration notebook. While I’ve been resting up I’ve had time to catch up on pasting all my favourite finds from magazines into my Inspiration notebook. I’ve had piles of clippings for months and months that I just never get around to organising. It’s so nice to have a handy reference when needing inspiration. I tend to group things in colours and shades a lot of the time. I’ve been loving black, blues and grey – which is unusual for me because it’s usually the louder and vibrant the better!

‘Unleashing my goddess’ with my Goddess Ring. I just adore this jewel! Its designer Victoria Cheatham sent it to me, she said she loved my ‘vision and passion’ for all that I do. It was such a beautiful gesture… every day when I wear it reminds me of all the positive work I’m doing here at ConversationsWithBianca.com and it reminds me of all the wonderful inspiring creative people that cross my path and come into my world every single day and that help make my site all that it is. Stay tuned for an upcoming interview with Victoria about Lotus Mendes and life as a jewelry designer soon! (FYI: in case you were wondering… I only ever write about, feature and support things I truly love… I always have and always will… I think that’s pretty evident though in how I have conducted myself throughout my 17-year-career doing what I do… just sayin’).

Another JR piece that brightens up the house. This one started life a little differently, he recently made a few changes. To see the transition check out his art blog: All Birds Must Die. I really love this pastel piece and this sketchpad piece too. Artparty all day every day!

Love = his + hers Deathset tees hanging on the line side by side! Love the palm trees in the background too, I LOVE living on the Gold Coast!

Homegrown food is the best! Look how amazing these tomatoes in my garden are! Can’t wait to make a spaghetti sauce with them… nom nom nom! Both Shawn Stern from Youth Brigade and Punk Planet magazine’s Dan Sinker have talked about the joys of homegrown tomatoes in interviews I’ve done with them.

A rose is a rose is a rose is a rose. I love nothing more than stopping to smell the roses in my garden. If the wind is blowing just right I get a rose scent throughout the house. It’s little things like this that make me so incredibly happy… no matter if I’m feeling a little blue, frustrated etc nature always makes me remember the beauty in this world.

 What’s making you happy this week?

Gratitude,

Today’s Insight:

Mexico is a very beautiful country full of traditions, gastronomy and enormous cultural diversity… without a doubt is a beautiful place to visit and learn. When I was a teenager hip hop began to come alive in Mexico, my first impression was positive…

The things that really matter to me are family, friends, my girlfriend – they are a fundamental part of my life – they are my counselors, my supporters, my critics. It make me very happy [to have] so many tokens of affection. I am very concerned that my brothers, my young cousins and my lil’ nephews get a good education, I would like them to avoid making the same mistakes I made before I realized what is truly important in life. I am very interested to make something with my music I hope it leaves messages that will serve and be heard for many generations. I would like people to continue to identify with something I did and serve them even though I no longer physically here…

Success to me is every time I have the opportunity to meet someone to share with them, to learn, to help; when I have goals, every minute of my life, every loss, every moment of sadness, every joy, each time I get to conquer a difficult challenge, every time I have not given up – even if i feel so bad – each time I noticed that one of the people I admire wins, that makes me very happy! When a person is not better today than yesterday they are lost. You should always think big positive…

~York Siddhartha (taken from my in-depth feature on worldwide underground hip hop I’m working on)

York Siddhartha is an emcee from Mexico City he is a part of the Revolt Motion Recordings familia. York’s new record “At The Gates of The Temple” drops this month.

Listen to a track featuring York alongside emcees Life Scientist, Omen Ra, Erks Orion and Kalki:

Cultivate an attitude of gratitude!

This issue is 75 pages, (currently) bound with shiny fuschia cord with a baby pink/silver star bow (this may change as I’m almost out) and has a blue cobweb paper pre-title page. It features conversations with: John Joseph from the Cro-Mags/Bloodclot; Noah Levine the author of Dharma Punx & Against the Stream; Mike Park owner of Asian Man Records; Robert Ehrenbrand from Boysetsfire (who I’m stoked are back together doing a few shows in Europe); Dr Know guitarist for Bad Brains; Louis Posen owner of Sub City/Hopeless Records; and Jonah Matranga solo artist and the man behind Onelinedrawing/Far/Gratitude/New End Original.

Here’s what it looks like:

Photography in this issue is by the following wonderful folks: Oliver Wilke (Germany) – www.oliverwilke.com; Hiro Tanaka (Japan) – www.flickr.com/photos/29615125@N03/; Kate Hiltz (US); Silvere Teutsch (France) – www.photostudio108.com; Jonah Matranga (US) – www.jonahmatranga.com

To order a copy contact me directly at: conversationswithbianca [at] gmail [dot] com. Remember they are limited edition. As of yesterday I sent out the last copies of Conversations with Punx #2/12 ‘Courage’. I only have a handful of CWP #1/12 ‘Truth’ and about 17 copies of CWP #3 ‘Love’. So make sure you get in early to avoid disappointment! :)

In other CWP news the Australian National Library (Australia’s largest reference library) recently got in contact and is purchasing the entire Conversations with Punx limited edition zine series for their collection! They ‘recognise them as an important part of contemporary culture both for their content and design’!

Also within the coming weeks copies of CWP will feature in Dharma Punx author, Noah Levine’s Against the Stream Buddhist Meditation Society lending library located on Melrose in Los Angeles! After working in libraries for so many years it’s such an honour that my work, along with the thoughts, ideas, words of some of my favourite punkers that have inspired me in life, as well as the art of photographer friends from around the world will be preserved in such an amazing collection for years to come. I’m super stoked, excited and proud.

Thank you for all the support, encouraging emails/correspondence, of sharing your stories with me and reaching out. Every day I feel like one of the luckiest people in the whole world!

Create Forever!

It’s almost time to retire CWP Zine One featuring: Ian MacKaye, Don Letts, Omar Rodriguez-Lopez, Johnny Siera, Greg Attonito and Shanti Wintergate. Thank you to everyone who ordered a copy, subscribed, came to the launch or wrote me saying they enjoy reading the site—your correspondence, feedback, encouragement, love & support is appreciated.

I thought I’d share with you some thoughtful correspondence I have received in relation to CWP Zine One:

 I got your zine yesterday and dived into it last night. You know how you stated all of those conversations happened at the right time in your life? Well this has arrived at the right time in my life when I needed such uplifting insight and positive brain food. You will help a lot of people with your words and your interviews and I’m really grateful. ~D.M

I’m similar to you I have at times found myself branching away from punk that meant so much to me growing up. Punk rock Is certainly still a big part of who I am, although amongst our exceedingly desensitized culture I found a large part of my punk fraternity were lacking interest or ability to relate or intrigue with their deeper side, making me all the more determined to go searching mine with other interests and genres. From folk to dub, dance and back again I’ve found some lack of feeling or ways for people to express their beliefs not a thing limited to the rougher genre. Music In its essence I suppose even if only subconsciously allows people to connect with deeper emotions and hopefully provokes thinking for these people like my fav punk lyricists instilled in me long ago. Tis refreshing to read these interviews from such intelligent artists I respect whom share similar views to each other and indeed myself but all have different ways of sharing or expressing how it works for them in their day to day lives. ~R.

Conversations With Punx Zine Two is almost done and will be available for order shortly. The line-up has been finalised. CWP Zine Two features:

Larry Livermore (Lookout Records, the Potatomen, the Lookouts)

Henry Rollins (Black Flag, the Rollins Band)

Dan Jones (God So Loved The World, Seraph’s Coal…)

Jason Cruz (Strung Out, Blackheart & the Pistoleros)

Porcell (Shelter, Youth of Today, Judge, Young Republicans, Violent Children)

Heidi Minx (Built On Respect, Punk Rock Domestics, Franky & Minx)

Ordering options for that particular issue will be available soon here at Conversations With Bianca. All of these conversations are some of my favourite yet! Subscriptions are available now here.

Photo: Dan Jones of God So Loved The World (one of my all-time favourite Australian hardcore punk bands) by Alex Newton.

Cover art by Jhonny Hobo for CWP Zine Two will be posted soon!

Create forever!

PS – If there are any conversations you’d like to see sooner rather than later in a upcoming issue, let me know :)

I am incredibly lucky to have some very strong, creative, forward thinking, beautiful, innovative, independent, inspiring women in my life. I decided that I wanted to help raise the Universal awareness of their awesomeness. They’re ruling their Universe one day at a time, they’re being them and they’re making a positive contribution to their communities, the world and others lives. Let me introduce the first rockin’ lady: Miss Heidi Minx!

You see so much bad stuff in the world, or so many stupid things in the press; banal things that don’t make a difference in the world except to fuel a gossip fire. I have had so many people reach out to me since starting this – offering their skills, wanting to come and work with me while I am there. People I have never met, but who have found out about the project because of people spreading the word virally. I like people stepping up, and saying, “I don’t have a lot of money, but I can build a website, or pitch a documentary movie.” It is a very amazing reminder that we are a global community, one that’s not always dictated by language or lines on a map. ~Heidi Minx, Built On Respect (book extract)

10 Reasons Why Heidi is Ruling It:

1) Built On Respect. As part of Built On Respect it’s Miss Minx goal to embrace the DIY mentality, to personally work to raise funds, and also to directly oversee their disbursement while documenting it, working side by side with different community organizations. The majority of her work has been done in India working with Tibetan communities in exile teaching them sustainable business practices, English and helping at a free art school which works to help keep Tibetan Traditional art alive. For more info check out BuiltOnRespect.com.

2) Punk Rock Domestics is Heidi getting her Martha Stewart on. On PRD she says: Feel more like a home wrecker than a home designer? Tired of 10,000 shows on the home and garden network that DON’T include decorating with spray paint, or vegan recipes? Only know the names of flowers from your tattoo artist? Then you’re in the right place. Never mind Martha Stewart, we’re here to share recipes, decorating tips, even how to make your clothing better!” Check it out for your dose of D.I.Y.

3) Franky & Minx. Heidi has ran and created her own fashion line Franky & Minx. Every lady’s dream! They have super cute handbags (as rocked by Davey Havok, he has a PVC clutch, Mei-Ling Koller has a pink one & Camilla ex-Horrorpops rocks tartan print)! And the clothes & accessories have been worn by members of Sick Of It All, Agnostic Front, H20, Madball and more!

4) Home Rockanomics is a book Heidi has recently released. I just got my copy from Amazon.com in the mail! It’s an extension of Punk rock Domestics. Filled with d.i.y projects and recipes from your favourite bands. For more info on the book click here.

5) Inked For a Cause. Heidi does a regular column for US tattoo/culture mag Inked. She chats with awesome people that do awesome things. Inked For a Cause specialises in promoting people that are inked and that help others.

6) Rumor has it that Miss Heidi is hard at work on a project about Tibetan tattoos/tattooing while on her latest visit to India. Another feather in the cap, another way to bring attention to the cause :)

7) I admire Heidi for using her success for good. She’s been interviewed countless times, wrote for various mags and appeared in magazine spreads. Despite her rising profile Heidi remains grounded and continues to go about her business as usual.

8) I think it’s wonderful that she’s a business woman. She does business without selling her soul. Heidi has a super work ethic—she’s always doing a million things at once and always ready for new opportunities that arise.

9) She sees the world while helping it. As well as working in Dharamsala, India Heidi has also contributed her time and effort working as a volunteer in Haiti. Recently I came across the book 500 Places Where You Can Make A Difference. It’s a travel while helping people, animals and the planet guide. You can serve communities while exploring them in a unique, connected way. Care for orphans in Delhi, India, teach English on the beaches of Salvador, Brazil, track dolphins in Oahu, Hawaii, help build a school in Madagascar, care for baby elephants in Sri Lanka, or teach swimming to kids in Fiji. There’s 500 ideas, surely one will resonate with you!

10) Last but not least, she has cultivated a great network and support group of friends to help her on her adventures. Heidi isn’t trying to sell something to people, she’s trying to connect with them and share information. Finally is you don’t believe me about Heidi’s awesomeness have a listen to what Heidi’s pals have to say:

My & Heidi’s pals The Bouncing Souls:

Heidi visiting Tamding in his studio to hear about his art (he’s a tattooist and musican), how he uses it to promote a Free Tibet, and how he came to live in exile:

Sick of It All Inked for a Casue:

If you know any awesome ladies doing awesome things let me know!

Meow for now,

[comment]

Dear Universe,

Just wanted to let you know how thankful I am that I get to converse and collaborate with inspiring, creative, innovative individuals every single day. I pinch myself over and over to make sure I’m not dreaming. Thanks for allowing me the opportunity to ask: Who? What? Where? When? Why? How? I will be forever that inquisitive kid questioning and trying to understand the world, my place in the world and myself. Thought I’d share a mash-up of some of the punk rock wisdom and hip hop insight I’ve gained on my journey:

Art by Sodium Gum

Tim Armstrong’s greatest aspiration as an artist:

To keep playing music; that’s what we [Rancid] love, that’s what we do. I have new ideas, always new things. People always ask me ‘Is Operation Ivy gonna get back together?’ You know they’re my homies—Matt Freeman is my brother—but it’s like, ‘Nah man, I’m on to something new. I want to do new shit.’ …to live a good life and take care of myself and have my friends and family around me. I’m blessed to still have my family here. My dad and mum are still here and still been married after 50 years. My brother got back from Iraq. My other brother is one of the bookers at Gilman Street. As an artist I just want to keep doing new shit. I got some ideas, always! They never stop… I love playing music! That’s my number one thing. It’s all I have ever done.

Art by Satchoo

Del Tha Funkee Homosapien on success:

It’s achieving a goal that you set for yourself, that goal may not be money. For me, Eleventh Hour was a successful endeavour. It had a lot more to do with me and what was going on in my life than trying to sell the album for money. It wasn’t about that. It was about getting this knowledge in my head to work out everything I need to. It came out dope. On this album I was right there, concentrated and focused. I didn’t want this album to be scattered—that took a lot of work. After years of not focusing and just doing it… I’m used to just doing… after a while I figured that wasn’t enough. I felt like I had to put more effort into it. Realising that was successful to me. There was a lot of things around me that tried to stop me. I just kept going. Now I’m ready to go after more success. I’ve grown.

Art by Ktharsis

Glenn Danzig on what motivates & inspires him:

Anger [laughs] and frustration at how stupid people still are [laughs] but you know what? I read a lot of books from centuries ago and people were stupid then and then they’re still stupid now a hundred years later! They don’t learn. Only a select, I won’t say handful ’cause it’s more than that but, some people are just happy meandering through life and not having to think about anything or have any responsibility for their actions. They don’t want to know either. They just want to wander through life and get their pay check at the end of the week and that’s it. That’s fine but that shit just boogles my mind. I could never go through life like that.

Art by Juart Little

Pharoahe Monch on what it means to be an artist:

It means everything because I don’t think that you can use that term loosely in the art world period. I don’t think that everyone that calls themselves artists is that. You could be an act signed to a label but that definitely doesn’t define you as an artist to me. To me an artist is a person who is instrumental in being groundbreaking and trying to push the envelope and that are very instrumental in what they write and the music choices that they make – they can make you feel a certain way. They’re definitely not cookie cutter; they have a long shelf life.

Love you lots!
Much gratitude,

[comment]

“There is a prayer that I say every morning, it’s actually a long sequence of prayers. The one part of it that really sums up my theology goes something like—actually I know exactly what it is but I’ll take it out of the scriptural language—“Whoever you are you made this energy in me. Whatever it is that keeps my heart beating, whatever in this world is or isn’t, whatever is an illusion or whatever isn’t, we’re alive, whatever that means. While this energy is here and in me for as long as it is in me, thanks.”

~Jonah Matranga, singer-songwriter-guitarist-father- visionary-nice dude.

(excerpt from Conversations With Punx: A Spiritual Dialogue)

When Jonah told me the above, I thought it was one of the most beautiful and right on things I’ve heard anyone say. I believe that we are all energy and everything is energies and daily we come into contact with all types of energy that can affect our well being.

My pal Prue told me about ‘happy shields’ the other day. She was telling me how when you have your happy shield up you can deflect negative energy… ‘phew! phew! phew!’ that’s the sound of negative vibes deflecting off my happy shield! ha… ha.. ha! I definitely had mine up yesterday… in short it was one of those days where everything seemed to go wrong and all I heard was bad news. I put that happy shield up though and by the end of the evening I was back on track.

Waking up and giving thanks, giving gratitude, for our energy and being alive is the ultimate way to start the day.

Get those happy shields up!

PS – A great big Happy birthday must go to my dear, darling big sister Juanita de Valentino. I admire your strength, perseverance and positive outlook on life Juanita despite all the struggles you have endure. You inspire me incredibly by being you. I love you times a million and one and am thankful to have you in my Universe. Good luck with you film work this year Nita! xoxo

[comment]