December 3, 2003

On Monday I listened to some of the mixes I've been doing for the album and they sound great. It was the first time I really sat down and listened to it on a disc. I still have more songs to mix and I worked on three of them this morning. I've spent a good portion of the day on the phone making business calls. I have some more paperwork to do in a bit as well. 

Song Of The Week

"Send Out A Prayer" by Anointed from their greatest hits album "The Best Of Anointed," which was released a few months ago. It's a really nice song. Their album is available in stores.

December 6, 2003

Hey guys, how are you. It's 9:43 PM and I've been up since 6AM working. I've been mixing the album and doing paperwork for it. I'm finished working for the day, though.

I wrote an article on the Sound Off page. To read it please click here. Have a goodnight.

December 12, 2003

Good morning, hope everyone is doing well. I'm having a great morning. I just wrote and recorded two songs in less than an hour, but not for my debut album and there really isn't any disc space left on my debut album anyway, it's got a lot of songs on it. I'm still mixing the album, but the mixing is about 60% completed.

The weather here is so lovely. It's sunny, cool and breezy. It's been like this for about a week now and I'm really enjoying it.

I've been getting to bed at a respectable hour each night and waking up early in the morning to start work (hey, most musicians work at night). I've even taken to answering the phone as well, which I really don't do consistently, as I've written on here before, much to the annoyance of my family and friends (it's not deliberate, but I'm usually in the studio recording and I usually shut off the ringer on the phone and let the answering machine get it). You should hear my answering machine messages, lines like "I know you're there, pick up the phone!" and "Why is the answering machine on at this time of day!"  

Like I said (um, wrote), I've been answering the phone, and in the mornings and my family and friends have been making jokes about it...lines like "Aisha, you're up at this hour and answering the phone, oh a hurricane must be coming!" and "You're awake this early, uh lightning is gonna strike." 

"Everlasting" by George Rowe from his new album "Think About That." This is one of my favorite new songs. His story is very interesting. He was put up for adoption at birth, placed in a foster home, but was so severely neglected by the time he was 14 months, that doctors didn't think he would survive. He was then adopted by a couple and his adoptive father gave him his name. He is now George Rowe III. They later sent him to Pepperdine where he earned a law degree. He now has a family of his own. Isn't that a great story. To hear his music and read more of his bio please click here. 

December 19, 2003

Hi guys, it's 8:06 AM. I woke up at about 6:30 AM this morning and laid in bed for about a half an hour listening to some music. It's a tad bit cold right now, which is why I didn't exactly hop out of bed. I have the heater on (even though it's only about 65 degrees outside - yes, a bit wimpy, I know).   

I'm gonna start working now to finish up mixing the album. I've finished mixing a few more songs since I wrote on here last. I've got a lot of paperwork to do today as well. 

A couple days ago we received a really nice Christmas card in the mail from my aunt in England. The cover is so pretty and unusual. Thanks Aunt Rose. She's gonna be spending some time here soon. I've gotten other nice cards as well and I appreciate them. Thanks to everyone who sent one. I've never sent out holiday cards and I really should. I usually give the person a call or send them a card by email if they have an email address.

My favorite track by Delirious is "I Could Sing Of Your Love Forever," which is listed on the info page of this site as one of my favorites. However, they have a new album out called "World Service." The album also features background vocals by Daniel Bedingfield on the track "Every Little Thing." To visit their web site please click here. 

December 25, 2003

Merry Christmas! Hope you guys are doing well. I thank God for this wonderful holiday. It's great being here with my family and we have so much to be thankful for. 

I wrote and recorded new songs this week. On Tuesday, I also mixed two more of the songs from the album. I've got Disciples Dirge and a couple others to left to mix and then I'll be done with the mixing. Then I'll master the record and it will be completed.    

I woke up around 10:30 AM this morning, had breakfast with my family and watched a DVD. There was a sale yesterday, buy two DVD's get one free, so I bought 6 and got 3 free. My mom said that's a lot - to which I replied, "do you think Spielberg got to where he is by buying one DVD at a time." I was just kidding with her and buying movies (DVD's) never made anyone a good filmmaker, as it is a talent.

This morning we watched Daddy Day Care while we ate breakfast. That movie is hilarious. There was a brainy little girl in the movie that made me turn to my mom and say, if I have a daughter, she'd probably say things like that on a regular basis (that's how I was as a child, a bit precocious). My mom laughed and agreed. The character was this smart little girl that was very aware of her surroundings. They asked the kids for suggestions on how they could improve the day care center and while the other kids gave childlike answers such as more playtime and time to do more drawings, she basically told them the curriculum wasn't intellectual enough and they need to feed their minds. 

One of the other little girls had a cell phone her mom gave her for emergencies to call 911 and she did - she used it to call 911 to tell them one of the little boys ripped the head off her doll, while one of the other kids used it to call...Hong Kong. It was a very funny film. 

I'm making the Christmas dinner. It's in the oven now. I'm making a baked chicken, chicken terrine (it's comprised of chicken, mozzarella cheese, canned artichokes, mushrooms and ham), macaroni and cheese (my mom's special recipe, which is superb), a medium sized honey glazed ham, a cheese and walnut pastry, rice and cranberry sauce...all while they watch the basketball game (yes, they're so helpful). I'm kidding, I decided to do the whole thing this year instead of a few dishes while my mom does the rest. I was gonna bake a cake, but my friend brought us a lovely one this morning.       

I've called and emailed most of my relatives and friends to wish them a Merry Christmas. My godbrother and his mom are doing well (yesterday was her birthday - Happy Birthday *cough* again, Michelle (I already told her yesterday). Between his birthday (November 12th) and Christmas, he usually has a few hundred dollars from gift envelopes people give him (which his mom offers to keep *cough* spend for him). 

My dad and sister are also doing well. She says she made the chicken portion of the Christmas dinner, however my dad is skeptical and thinks the housekeeper made it. He jokingly said "Well, we'll know by tomorrow who really made it" (meaning if it sends him to the toilet, then yea, my little sister made the chicken). 

After all, my little sister is the one who said a few weeks ago, "I couldn't survive without the housekeeper," to which I replied "Oh really, little J-LO." My little sister has an entourage comprised of the housekeeper, her cousin and a few friends (No disrespect intended to her or J-Lo, I only joke about it in fun). Trudi, the next time you spend time at my house, I'm gonna make you clean the entire house and repave the driveway. My sister is probably reading this and saying "Daddyyy look what Aisha said about me! (wince)." 

I'm her older sister, I'm supposed to annoy, make fun of and harass her (kidding) and she makes jokes about me as well (our family is like that). The other day after the concert I wrote about, when we were making jokes about what happened to her, she jokingly said, "Why do you want to make me feel bad" to which I said "Cause it makes me feel good." No, I'm not mean, really.  

They get Real Madrid soccer matches everyday, unlike me... no, I'm not jealous, really (Aisha sends bitter email to the cable company). My sister now supports Real Madrid. Goalkeeper Casillas is her favorite, Becks and Ronaldo are my favorites. I sometimes tell her our dad was a very good soccer player. Many people, even strangers have told me that. However, to deliberately annoy him, she never gives him any credit (for anything really)...to which he says, "Well, none of your friends dad's played for the national team." Ouch! 

My dad's working at the station later this evening. He's gonna play, what else...Christmas music for 5 hours. He loves his job and so do I. I'm listening to some great Christmas music right now as well. I'm gonna watch Home Alone 2 later. I'm gonna check on the dinner in a bit, then get ready for dinner. 

So, that's basically my Christmas so far. I hope you guys enjoy your holidays and Merry Christmas to the troops. 

Remember to put God first, as the saying goes, "Jesus is the reason for the season." I know some of you have lost someone close to you, while some of you are depressed due to other things you're going through, but I want to encourage you to not let it overwhelm you. God loves you.

December 27, 2003

It's 4:25 PM. I'm mixing the album again today and adding stuff to the new web site. My Christmas dinner turned out great. Move over Emeril (bam! bam!) ok, maybe not - but the dinner was great. I got some nice gifts as well. 

Album Of The Week