Transformers 2 PickUp lines!!!!

I saw Transformers 2 in the movie theater and had an idea to make a twitter trending topic about Transformer inspired pick up lines! Click on the video above to hear some of the ones my twitter followers and I came up with!!!

Six-figure views!!!! WOOO!!!!

WOW! I just checked the view count on my original song "Danny Boy" on youtube - and the count is 99,961! I mentioned on my stream that I suspected this would be my first video to hit the 100,000 mark... and I can't wait until it does!!!! Only 39 more people need to see it! WOOHOO!!!!!

The capacity for the venue that show was recorded at was only 500 people - it was recorded the night I opened up for Rusted Root's lead singer Michael Glabicki on his solo tour. It's so incredible to think how many people you can reach on the internet. I wonder if it will ever reach a million?! LOL - I know that's a long way off.... but I can't help but be thrilled with this milestone!!!! :)

I'm really thinking about branching out with my videos - I've mentioned in the past my thoughts about doing some cooking tutorials about my favorite foods and product reviews for audio gear and electronics that I've been using!!! So, stay tuned for those, and of course - more songs!!!! :)

Thanks for reading!

Candice

Finding Balance...

They say that when you're working out - or when an athlete is training - that your body can do more than your mind thinks it can.

I understand this concept, at least I thought I did...

When I go running, sometimes I'll get a cramp in my side and I'll want to give up. Sometimes I do actually give up and sometimes I push harder to work through it. So, I know that it's just my mind determining whether or not I can actually make it at that particular moment.

But I recently learned that there are sometimes your mind thinks you can do something that you can't or shouldn't do.

I was doing this lunge workout a friend told me about where you do lunges by stepping forward and then stepping backward... then you do two types of squats and repeat the process 5 times. As I was doing the exercise, I thought "I can do this - just keep trying"

I did the whole exercise and tried as hard as I could! My legs felt like jelly afterward, and I started to get this really tight uncomfortable feeling around my knees... just above my knee where the muscle connects. That tight feeling turned into PAIN!!! Yesterday, stepping up and down stairs was excruciating... bending my knee didn't hurt too bad until I put pressure on it... but it was awful when I put my weight down. I kept myself sitting inside most of the day.... (hence my cabin fever tweet on twitter!)

I've been resting and putting ice and of course taking the recommended dose of Advil. They are actually getting a lot better because I'm resting - and I would put them about 75% healed in just 48 hours. But this has opened my mind to the fact that I have to find some type of balance between pushing myself hard and not over doing it. How do athletes do it?! It's so hard to know your own limits and to be able to raise the bar for yourself but just enough that you don't injure yourself.

Here is my best conclusion:

I bet the key is education - learning to do exercises that will limit the risk of injury and avoiding ones that carry a high risk. (like the one I did the other day evidently!!!) .... and also patience. I hadn't done exercises like that in a long time, so I should have started out with one or two sets instead of five.

Hindsight is 20/20. :)

Thanks for reading!

Candice

Push Ups!

A few weeks ago, I decided to do a push up. I know what you're thinking..."Umm... Candice? Seriously? Is this blog-worthy???" But just hear me out....

It had been about 10 years since I attempted a push up because I have re-occurring tendonitis in both wrists... so being a guitar player, I avoid things that could potentially trigger it... like bowling and push ups.

The first push up I tried - I was so embarrassed. I didn't anticipate my own weight and fell flat on my face!!! No one laughed, but I could feel my face was so red! I tried again and eeked out three.

But it sparked something in me. My wrists didn't hurt at all!!! I know it sounds silly, but I actually felt stronger after I did them!

So, I've been working on it these past few weeks, and yesterday I did 15 pushups! I can't wait to be able to say I can do 25! What's so crazy is that I already feel a change in my arms. My friend's mom and I were putting together an entertainment center for him the other day and she said... "whoah, Candice - look at your muscle!!!" I hadn't noticed it... and it felt so awesome that she did!

Next I'll try chin ups! :) WOOO!!!!

The Letter....

When I was 13, I wrote a letter. The letter was to a man who was battling cancer - the husband of my Grandmother's best friend. I can't exactly recall the entire contents of the letter - but the basic message was that I was praying for his recovery.

It was such a small thing for me - but the man and his wife were really moved by it. They said that I wrote so beautifully that they wanted to give me a gift - a diary, so I would keep writing....

The diary itself was only part of the actual physical gift. They gave me a box that has a brass clasp on the front and in the box was the diary. The box is about a foot long by 3/4 of a foot high and has a brown handle. I've used this box to keep notes written to me in high school, my great grandmother's locket, photos, and of course - the diary. I still open it every once in a while to put something new in.

The diary is a great treasure for me because I wrote in it from age 13 to 21 before all the pages were filled. It's so amazing for me to go back and recover memories I would have never remembered without it - and to be able to see myself grow up in my own words.

But it goes beyond that.

My love of writing in the diary became my love of writing poetry... then became my love of writing songs.... which is such a big part of who I am. So, you can understand that the scope of the gift they gave me is magnificent. It was only a blank book and an empty box... but it changed my life and became two of my greatest treasures.

The man who sent me the diary died many years ago. His wife passed away less than 24 hours ago. I never told them what their gift meant to me. I hope to think that somehow they know now what is in my heart - and how much they changed my life without knowing me. They were beautiful souls that lit up the whole world.

Please keep their family in your prayers. Thanks for reading.

Candice

Time Change!!!!

I'm playing at The Taste of Syracuse Festival on The Clinton Square Stage at 12 noon!!! :) Not 4pm as listed on my website! My set is only 45 minutes long, so get there early! :)

An update of my plans!

Hey Everyone!

After I wrote my last blog, I got a lot of postitive support about my decision to stream less while I'm working on the album! But recently, a few people have told me that they disagree or are upset with the decision.... and I'm writing this because I'm absolutely not turning my back on my fans! So, I thought I'd reach out with my thoughts - and see if I can answer some of the concerns.

First: I want to assure everyone, that after my album is finished, I plan to stream again a lot more often! I hope to release the album this fall... which is only a few months away! Believe me, time moves so fast these days, it will seem like the blink of an eye! :) I appreciate your patience!

Second: I know many people miss the chatroom - and it goes without saying that the chatroom was a wonderful experience! However, as most of the frequent members of the chat know - it also had some setbacks. So here's what I propose....

I am going to reinstate a chatroom soon... but not the one on my ustream channel. I want the chatroom to be a members only place for people who have signed up on my website that people can visit 24/7. A few years ago, I had something like this - and I think it's high time to bring it back!!!!!!!

The social stream on Ustream is wonderful - and I really want to encourage people to use it. Every time you twitter an @candicejarrett to me, it helps bring people to my twitter page and many people have begun following me because of this! With the Ustream chat in place, people ignore the social stream entirely in favor of the chat.

Sooooo... as a compromise - I will be working with my web development team on creating a members only section of my website and brainstorming new and fun ways for my fans to interact! (If you have any ideas - please let me know! The forum is a good place to post them!)

Also: someone asked if I could live stream my recording sessions. I am not opposed to this - so I will stream SOME of the sessions. (Not all - I would get too distracted!!!) :)

LOL - I really hope that this addresses some of the concerns people have been having! You all have been so kind and supportive through this process! Thank you so much!!! If you have questions, ask! :)

Candice