Where Pianos Roam

Pimpin'

Aww yeah.  I'd tap that.

-g

Sharing my Story

Last week, I published the newest issue of my monthly newsletter, The Wonderful World of Gordon, (also known as "The WWoG").  So now that all of my subscribers have seen it, I've decided to do something I've never done before.

Over the next week, I will be posting links to the issue on all of my websites and social media. This issue is a very special one and shares a whole lot about the relationship that my father and I had.  Many of you know that my father passed away recently, and I wanted to share my story with a wider group of friends, fans, and colleagues.

This will be the first and only time I will be publicly sharing The WWoG since it is only intended for subscribers.  

Without further ado, click HERE to see this issue.

If you are not subsribed yet and would like to receive a free issue every month, click HERE.  Each issue is loaded with the latest news, subscriber exclusives, images, show dates, original poetry, art, and so much more.

Thank you all for reading.

-Gordon

 

 

Related articles

Gordon Roqué Live in Atlanta on Dec. 10

It's a beautiful morning

It's been a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend, and it's a beautiful morning here in Nashville.

I've been sipping on coffee in my Starbucks coffee cup (I'm a big fan of the very pretty mermaid logo), listening to music, reading a book, and eating delicious leftovers from the big fancy feast.

I hope your day is just as sweet and and relaxing.

Here's a video to celebrate a beautiful morning.  This is a gorgeous video and song by Oren Lavie.  Her Morning Elegance .  .  .

 

Today, I am grateful for a bright sun in the sky, the low rumble of a cello that lingers in the air, and warm drinks on cold mornings.

What are you grateful for?

-Gordon

The Pianist

Last Saturday, my family held a memorial service for my Auntie Mary Lou.  After an admirable battle against the onslaught of leukemia, she passed away on the morning of October 12, 2012.

The photo above was taken on December 18, 1971.  She was in attendance at my parents' wedding, on the day that my own family came to life.  The photographer caught this candid photo of her as the guests were settling in for the reception.  She was beautiful on this day, as she was inside and out, during every day of her life.

She was a loving wife to my sweet and wonderful Uncle Albert and a caring Mother for her sons, my cousins, Aljon and Henry.  I hope they know that every amazing thing they do as they continue their lives will be a testament to her and will honor her graceful legacy.  

Her sons happen to be very talented musicians, and she had the distinction of also being a pianist.  

At her fingertips, she had the power to anger a tempestuous ocean and dance freely in glass slippers on cobblestone streets.  She could whip up the wind onto rolling mountains of arpeggios and breathe harmony into life.  A pianist is a summoner of many things, an interpreter of secrets and truths, a dancer, a dreamer .  .  .  .

Once in a while, I will sit at my piano and play a song for you, Auntie Mary Lou.  

I'll let the piano call your name.

We miss you and will always hold your love and memory in our hearts.

Becoming (Mostly) Vegetarian

All of my life, I have been a carnivore.  I am a meatlover in every fiber of my being.  You name it.  I love it!!

Sushi!

Bacon!

Ribeye Steak!

Tilapia!

Catfish!

Pork!

Eggs!

Clams!

Oysters!

Shake and Bake Chicken!

Hamburgers!

Chicken Nuggets!

Salmon!

Bratwurst!

Lamb!

Beef Tips!

BBQ Anything!

Oh the list is ENDLESS!!

So,when I recently decided to become vegetarian, this was not a decision I took lightly.  In fact, I agonized over it.  How could I live without the succulent moistness of a big slab of beef in my mouth?  Like, seriously and stuff.

Before I could answer this question, I got to thinking about how fatigued I get after a big meal as well as lower energy levels overall.  I wondered about losing a little bit of weight that I could certainly do without.  I reviewed the many things I still want to do in my life and how being at a maximum level of good health will only help these dreams happen.

After factoring all of this in, I decided that I want to make a change, but that at this point in my life, I cannot live without meat completely. 

My solution has been to become Mostly Vegetarian.  As of the last 3 weeks, I've been eating meat only on Saturdays and enjoying greens and natural foods during the rest of the week.

It hasn't been easy, but I've stayed true to my plan.  I lost a little bit of weight during the first week, but I seem to have levelled off for a bit.  Hopefully, I'll lose more.

My energy level has improved overall.  I guess since it takes longer for the body to digest meat, it takes up a certain amount of the body's energy to do so.  I like to think that I've lightened my body's work load, but who knows?  We'll see.

I've been drinking a protein shake every day and eating lots of veggies.

Veggies with noodles in a mushroom cream (along with a protein shake) are a regular favorite:

 

I love fruits and have been indulging in apples and cantaloupes:

I'll check in with you all on how this is going over the next few months.  I'm looking for easy and inexpensive vegetarian recipes, and so hook me up if you know of any.

Saturdays are wonderful days for me.  I call them Beefcake Saturdays and don't hold back on the meat.  Sigh.

Achieving good health for the long term is worth its weight in gold, and with my health in good standing, I'm hoping to have many more adventures in the years to come.

-gordo

 

The End of Summer

Please accept my apologies for the long delay in posting here at WPR.  I've been busy raising funds for my new album project among several other things, but I'm back.  

I am currently working out a way to blog directly from my Windows phone, and so, this will create greater ease and much more regular posting.

So now, on to my new post .  .  .

I have to admit that summer in the southern half of the United States is my least favorite time of the year.  I am not a fan of extreme heat.  This year, we had our share of 100 degree days during the month of July.

It was gross.  Just gross.

Now that September has finally rolled around, I eagerly await colder weather, pimpin' my scarves and other winter garments, and the crunch of fallen leaves when I go for long walks. 

Right now, I wanted to share a little bit of my summer of 2012.  In my family, the bulk of the birthdays happen in the warm months.  My stepfather, a niece, two nephews, and myself were all summer-born babies. 

So, there were lots of celebrations .  .  .  .

First off, a blissful graduation .  .  .

My Mom's garden blooming in the sun .  .  .

Birthdays, cakes, and merriment .  .  .

 

 

Pinatas!!

 

Massive party rubber thingys .  .  .

 

Of course, my own birthday shindig .  .  .

 

And a drag queen, naturally .  .  .

Lastly, sunny days and smiles .  .  .

It's been a truly fun and memorable summer, and since I detest the heat, I am so glad it's over.

Bring on the fall and all new adventures!!! And more blog posts!!!

-

A Birthday for Sofia

It was a beautiful day, and it didn't take much to create wonderful memories.  

All we needed was a happy place .  .  .

Tables for delicious food .  .  .

Something sweet and tasty .  .  .

A little someone worth celebrating (wearing the tiny dress I got her for her birthday) .  .  .

And a family of loved ones .  .  .

 

 

 

My family and I gathered at a picnic area at Hickory Lake this past Sunday to celebrate my niece Sofia's 1st Birthday.  With lots of delicious food, loud music, and much photo-taking, we all had a great time.

Here are some more photos from the day .  .  .

Proud Mama .  .  .

Proud Pimpin' Daddy .  .  .

Just back from swimming .  .  .

My nephew Tyler .  .  .

My nephew Nacho .  .  .

My niece Lai .  .  .

My nephew Bubba with my two sisters .  .  .

A birthday cake courtesy of Dora the Explorer and Diego (Dora's Manservant?) .  .  .

 

Sofia's Godmother Maria .  .  .

 

 

 

Yup, she ate the whole thing .  .  .

Nice shoes .  .  .

 

Cool Shades .  .  .

A candid moment with Grandma .  .  .

A game of dominoes .  .  .

 

A sleepy birthday girl after a long day of celebration .  .  .

 

Sleepy hands .  .  .

Sleepy feet .  .  .

Sigh.

It was a beautiful day.  Perfect for a small family celebration.  

I'll remember it always, and I hope to experience many more.

 

Updates From the Asian

There's just a few things I wanted to update folks on.  Finally, there are several things brewing in my world.

Plans are in motion to raise funds for my new album starting on August 1.  There will be regular updates for this on my website and facebook pages.  In the next few days, I'll be unveiling much more about the online campaign at indiegogo.

Here is the first promo video for this fundraising project.  That's me drawing the heart, and the song you hear is from my album Seahorses.  It's called Pale Sunshine. 

Enjoy .  .  . 

 

I've started rehearsals to prepare for some upcoming live performances that will be connected to the fundraising efforts.  I'm collaborating with guitarist Andew Weitze to re-imagine some of my songs and work on a lovely new cover.  This has been really fun. I'll be announcing these performances soon. 

Making music makes me so happy!

 There's still a mountain of work that needs to be done before I even start recording my new album later this fall.  Arrangements for strings and horns as well as finishing a beast of a brand new song (that, quite frankly, is intimidating the hell out of me) will be taking up a lot of time.

I also will be blogging a lot more about all the stuff I'm doing.  There is a creative renaissance going on in my universe, and I have much to share. 

Lastly, I have joined the world of pinterest.  You can follow me by clicking here:

 

Btw, the actual web address is http://www.pinterest.com/gordonroque

There isn't much on my pinterest boards just yet, but I promise you there will be much more in the next few days. 

Creativity, art, and music abound in my world, and it's time to open my arms wide. 

I hope everyone has a fun Sunday.

 

The Beauty Around Us

I get it.  We're busy.  We're all busy.  Some of us get up super early in the morning to head out for a long commute and work all day.  Others of us have kids and have no free time whatsoever.

There is often so much to do just to make ends meet.  Later in the day, there's dinner to prepare and eat, clean up afterwards, and the onslaught of fatigue and laziness before the eventual complete takeover of sleep.  

I get it, and I understand.  However, I have consciously chosen not to be enslaved by all my responsibilities and daily time constraints.  This choice does not mean that I've gone awol from my life and joined a commune or buddhist sanctuary somewhere (though the thought has occurred to me).   It means that I will make the conscious effort to be aware of the world around me as much as I can.  

Simply put, as often as possible, I look for an unexpected splash of beauty.  I might stop myself for one minute just to look for something crazy beautiful.  I do this not just because I am a creative person and an artist, but also because naturally beautiful things make me happy and inspire me.  

I absolutely cannot let a single day go by without admiring something beautiful.  I refuse to be a automaton or some sort of drone going through the motions and thoughtlessly doing repetitive tasks daily.   If this was the case, I may as well be dead.

Last week, I looked out my window and discovered something amazing.  One of the plants I keep on my window sill sprouted a flower!  This is the first real flower from any of my potted plants.  I felt so proud, and I wouldn't have noticed it if I didn't take the time to look out my window.

 

Speaking of beautiful things, I absolutely adore my nieces and nephews.  I see the beauty in them whenever I look at them, and I admire them constantly.  Here is a recent photo I took of my niece Lai and my nephew Nacho.  Chillin' with their shades on  .  .  .  

 

 

Then of course, there's my niece Sofia (pictured here with Lai). Sigh.

 

When I go jogging or ride my bike, I seek out beautiful architecture and gardens.  When I'm online, I take the time to notice the web design of the sites I'm on.  I always look at what people are wearing.  I notice patterns, colors, shapes, and whimsy.

There is SO MUCH beauty in this world.

So, in congruence with my constant search for beauty, I will be posting more about the beautiful things I encounter every day, things hidden underneath all things mundane and perfunctory.  I can't wait to share what I find.

So, the next time you have a very busy day, just stop for a little while and look for something beautiful.  I promise that it will make you smile and lift your spirits at least a tiny bit.  

Look up.  Look out.  Look closer.  Then, enjoy the view.

 

My Breakfast in Bed

When I woke up this morning, as I usually do with the sun streaming through my windows, I noticed that my bed tray was propped up and sitting next to me.  This is not unusual as I sometimes have my laptop, notebooks, or kindle resting comfortably on its dark wooden surface.

I was trying to remember whether or not I used it last night, when lo and behold, my food arrived!!

I was served breakfast in bed by Oreo and Buttercup!!  Egg, rice, coffee!!  What more can an Asian want?

Sigh.

Well, the fun didn't stop there.  After I ate my yummy food, they brought in a bowl of ice cream!!!  A bowl of ice cream!!!!

Shut. Up.

They ate some too, naturally.

What a great way to start my day!  Yay!!

Have you had breakfast in bed lately?  If not, then you should.  It's so fun!!!!