New years, new time, and new music

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Hi guys! I hope you’ve had a wonderful holiday season and a great new year so far! I was just thinking about the concept of a “new year”, a new objective period of time in which to make something wonderful happen, a new trip around the sun. And, perhaps even more importantly, a new beginning. No matter how bad things may be going in December, when January 1 rolls around, somehow it just feels different. For one thing, we happily write down 1-1-18 and then groan as we realize that it’s not 18 but 19, as we’re now living in 2019. Apparently. Or in whatever year corresponds to the next year up in your own particular calendar of choice.

The thing is, this idea of a new year (a return to the beginning of it all and yet a step forward at the same time) is an amazing way to rejuvenate our minds and help us to better comprehend the passage of time as well. Just as a new day helps us to have the strength to bounce back from yesterday’s sorrows…and appreciate tomorrow’s joys, a new year helps us to better understand and appreciate our own lives in the context of a finite (and yet simultaneously infinite) sheet of time.

And speaking of new beginnings and recent time, here are some new videos that I’ve had the chance to record in the last few weeks. I hope you enjoy and I hope that this new year is the start of great things for you! :-)

https://youtu.be/ZGp6K_OcHGc

https://youtu.be/QZijxI9Y8do

 

Take care and I hope you have a wonderful new year!

Tara

The Magic of Tears

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Hi guys!

It’s ok to cry.

It’s a good thing, actually, as those little tears can magically help you to heal and get all of the bad energy out of your body and spirit. Feeling upset about your job? Just have a good cry. Down about your love life? Just cry it out. Feeling lonely, sad, frustrated, and/or angry? Guess what…go ahead and let yourself have a good cry.

I know it may seem funny or sarcastic when I say it like that, but in all honesty, I’m being completely serious. It just sounds “strange” or “funny” (or even “terrifying”) because we as a society are not used to talking like this. We don’t know how  to express our emotions openly and without shame. We’re afraid of seeming weak, of seeming less than what we really are. We don’t want to let others in (or to let ourselves out), and so most of the time our guard is up and our brave face is on…even when we’re already crying and screaming on the inside.

Guess what, you guys? All that internal pain and all those hidden tears can cause a whole lot of damage within us, especially if we have no way to let them out. Just as a house often needs rain gutters to direct large amounts of falling water off of the roof and away from the home’s foundation (thus helping to preserve the integrity of the house itself), our bodies likewise need a productive outlet for all of the pain and emotion that we hold within. Otherwise, the internal pressure and anguish will eventually become too much, and we will suddenly be forced to release it all at once, often in ways that are not exactly productive or helpful: acting out, screaming (on the outside), throwing something, hurting ourselves, hurting someone else (whether in word or deed), basically having an external, impromptu “show” based on the breakdown of our internal state of balance and sense of being “ok”.

So go ahead and cry. Don’t be afraid. I’m officially giving you permission to be yourself, to be human, to cry, to express emotion, to let yourself feel and, in so doing, to heal from the inside out. And after that crying session? Well, then it’s time to take ACTION! You see, crying helps most when it is used as a starting point, as a way of creating a new beginning. Cry out all the bad stuff, feel how you really feel inside, acknowledge it, own it, respect it, and give yourself room to grieve, to process emotion and reality. And afterwards, try your best to use your newfound openness and inner healing to do something positive. Think a new, different, productive thought. Take a previously impossible action. Even if it’s only one new thought, even if your action consists of the simple act of not putting yourself down as much as you did two hours before, of finding the courage to smile at someone, of getting up in the morning and feeling a little less down and a little more alive.

And, most importantly, REPEAT! Life is not an easy game, and life + crying + action is not a one-time thing. Don’t be afraid to cry regularly if you need to. And by all means, please feel free to search for additional productive ways to release your emotions and empower yourself, and don’t hesitate to embrace those methods as well (just off the top of my head, here are some good possibilities: exercise, dance, spirituality, religion, sports, music, writing, reading, spending time in nature, watching something funny — aka “funnying”, talking to a friend or a designated “good listener”, spending time with a pet, spending time with loved ones, etc.).

Don’t be afraid to express how you feel, both to yourself and others–whether you’re expressing sadness and pain, or joy and happiness and love (cuz I know that even “positive” strong emotions can also be scary for a lot of us). And most importantly, don’t ever be afraid to cry. It takes strength to be honest with yourself, to show your feelings on the outside, to acknowledge your inner truth and be brave enough to deal with it openly. Be proud of yourself and use the power of your tears to help build a new, more beautiful version of your life. :-)

Hugs and take care,

Tara

p.s. In case it helps, here are a few positive videos to help get things going in a good direction!

https://youtu.be/nMuJlWJjCZ4

https://youtu.be/zJTfWLK7IkU

 

:-)

Midterms, mass shootings, music performances, Las Vegas, and this crazy world we live in

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Hi guys!

I hope all is well and that you and your families are all as happy and healthy as possible! Sometimes, with all the stress and craziness of daily life, it’s hard to remember what matters most. So I’m here to tell you to just take a moment to chill, give yourself a hug (yes, seriously!), and be proud of the wonderful person that you are and all the things that you have been through and overcome.

And just in case an inspiring song would help right about now, here’s a video of my September performance of “Searching for the Light” at the Human Experience Open Mic in Las Vegas. It’s a very “interesting” performance/video for many reasons (not all of them good ha!), but it just goes to show that even when things don’t go as planned (and even when you have an unexpected 4 min. buzzer threat hanging over your head), the best thing to do is just make the best of it and keep going! :-)

 

https://youtu.be/NAj4XWx4zMg

 

Ok, now that we’re all a little more relaxed, I wanted to share some stuff that’s been on my mind lately. These past few weeks have been more than a little overwhelming (at least for me), what with the midterm elections as well as multiple mass shootings, including those at a Pittsburgh synagogue on Shabbat and a California bar on country night. Honestly, I am so tired and angry about all of these tragic deaths that continue to occur with no tangible gun control action in Congress. The way I see it, mental health is definitely an important issue to consider and help with (both in the context of gun violence and in American life in general), but mental health is not what ultimately took all of these peoples’ lives. Guns did that…  Which brings us to another question: how (soon) can we enact laws that prohibit access to guns for people who are suffering from debilitating mental illness? (both for their own safety and for that of others)

And often, the guns used in mass shootings have large capacity magazines (or have been modified to have such magazines), and this is something else that we could certainly take tangible action against. Little, concrete actions matter, and I hope with all my heart that we can all find a compromise regarding small gun control actions that can save many lives. And you never know if the next life saved might be yours…

Now, to completely change the subject, Halloween in Las Vegas was pretty cool! Nothing like seeing a lot of skeleton body suits (both kids and adults), pirates, Batman, Catwoman, many sets of red Devil’s horns and even one tail, a gladiator, etc. There were also some scary (and a little bit funny) creatures down on the Linq promenade, including this one that appeared to be considering capturing a lady for lunch (though she, of course, was on her cell phone and completely unaware of the danger so close at hand):

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Luckily though, after taking this picture, I made sure that my own picture would be far away from any gigantic monsters — and as luck would have it, I even had a posse of undercover bodyguards behind me. They did a wonderful job, and you can see that each is looking in a different direction to keep us all safe from the monsters :P

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Take care and hugs for everyone!

Tara

 

Welcome to Crazy and Cool Las Vegas!

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Hi guys!

With all of the crazy stuff going on in our world these days, sometimes I just wanna sit back, relax, and think about funny things :P  So for all of you guys who also need a little break from the “real world”, here’s a collection of cool/funny/relaxing pictures from my recent explorations in Las Vegas. I wish I could write something really thoughtful and insightful to go with them, but honestly, I’m a little too sleepy right now. :-) Oh, and there will definitely be more music updates coming soon, but in the meantime, my super cool YouTube site awaits: “Tara Trent Music” on YouTube

Anyway, please enjoy this little bit of ‘stress-free time’ and don’t ever be afraid to smile or laugh if you feel the urge. Haha. =)

 

Take care and good night,

Tara

 

Some Honest Thoughts About Suicide and Suicide Prevention (In Honor of My Friend Tony Bourdain)

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Hi guys.

I wanted to take a moment to remember my friend Tony. Even though I’ve only met him through his television shows and stories, Tony Bourdain was a better friend to me than the great majority of people that I’ve known in “real life”. He had such a unique and passionate way of living life to the fullest and exploring our shared world with an open mind, an eager stomach, and a heartfelt curiosity to learn more, to understand more, to listen.  I looked up to Tony for his openness and honesty towards all people and all cultures, and I will miss him very much.

One of the marks of a good friend is actually being there, actually being present in our lives, and Tony made very regular appearances in my home and my life by means of the magical medium of television. And through the many hours spent listening to and learning from him and the people he conversed with in his travels, I hope that in some small way I can help to pass on his ideals of honesty, passionate curiosity, and open-minded acceptance of and appreciation of human differences and life-long learning:

“Travel isn’t always pretty. It isn’t always comfortable. Sometimes it hurts, it even breaks your heart. But that’s okay. The journey changes you; it should change you. It leaves marks on your memory, on your consciousness, on your heart, and on your body. You take something with you. Hopefully, you leave something good behind.”

“Life is complicated. It’s filled with nuance. It’s unsatisfying. … If I believe in anything, it is doubt. The root cause of all life’s problems is looking for a simple fucking answer.”

— Anthony Bourdain

Also, in honor of Tony, I want to share a few thoughts of my own about suicide and suicide prevention. First of all, I feel obliged to share the standard list of useful resources:

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255 (1-800-273-TALK)

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741 (in the U.S.)

***5 Action Steps for Communicating With Someone Who May Be Suicidal***: http://www.bethe1to.com/bethe1to-steps-evidence/

These may help some people (and I’m super grateful if they do), but what about those of us who don’t feel so comfortable talking on the phone, let alone calling a national hotline? Those of us who feel so down and depressed that we are incapable of reaching out, especially to strangers? Or those of us who honestly need a real, physical person to be there when we are feeling unbearable pain? (or better, BEFORE we get to that point!). I’ve heard some people say that Tony was selfish, that suicide was/is a selfish act — i.e. how could he do that and leave his loved ones behind? I can’t speak for Tony, but I can share my own perspective with you guys. When you’re feeling that kind of unbearable pain, whether it’s chronic and ongoing for weeks (or months or longer) or comes on all of a sudden one night, you aren’t thinking about being selfish. You can’t think much at all really, except to cry out inside for some way to make the pain stop. And often, you feel completely alone with this pain, completely isolated. You feel that your life doesn’t matter, that you don’t matter, that the world is better off without you, that nothing is going to get better. And on top of this, the pain. The horrible, all-encompassing pain. 

In my opinion, the one thing that helps more than anything else is to have social support. Preferably friends or family, people you know, people who will be there in person (or at the very least on the phone) if you’re feeling really bad, and hopefully before you get to that point as well. So if you notice that your friend seems a bit down or moody one night (or doesn’t show up at all…), talk to them, ask them if they are ok. They may be embarrassed by the question, but that’s ok! At the very least, they will know that someone cares. Isolation and feeling completely alone (whether or not one is actually literally isolated) are not good things and can lead to intense pain, sadness, and tragedy.

It’s been reported that Tony didn’t show up for his usual dinner date at the hotel with his good friend the night before he died, something that struck others as ‘strange’, but that they did nothing about! (https://pagesix.com/2018/06/09/the-troubling-signs-leading-up-to-anthony-bourdains-suicide/) Why did no one go to check on Tony that night? Why did no one call him that night to see how he was, or if they did and he did not reply, why didn’t his good friend (or another friendly soul) stop by his room after dinner just to see how he was doing? Tragedies can and do occur even despite our best efforts to prevent them, but I can’t help but understand and relate to how Tony might have been feeling that night. If Tony was already in a dark place and feeling depressed enough to skip his habitual dinner date with his good friend (which could be seen as a desperate cry for help…!) — and no one, not even his close friend, came to check on him after his sudden absence that evening, to make him feel that his presence was truly missed and that someone else cared about him enough to wonder why he hadn’t shown up, to truly be there for him in his time of darkness — this could lead him to feel even more alone and hopeless than before. If you’re already in pain and feeling like no one understands or cares — like no one will care if you’re gone and the world doesn’t need you — and then the pain gets worse and you isolate yourself and no one cares, well it’s heartbreaking and even more painful than before. 

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Ok, now that everyone is thoroughly depressed, we’re going to end on a positive note! I’ve always loved the theme song for Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown, so here it is once more, a great tribute to Tony and to the wonderful possibilities of lifelong adventure, limitless curiosity, and open-minded learning! :-)

https://youtu.be/IWKmBrp8-7A

 

Hugs and take care,

Tara

 

School shootings, gun violence, and the importance of life itself

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DSC00751

Hi guys.

I heard the news about another school shooting in the U.S. today and I felt extremely sad and upset that we are once again in the same dark place as before. You guys, our lives have to be considered more important than our guns! They have to be, because for every second we spend thinking otherwise, more innocent people and children will die. Period.

America is supposed to be the land of the free and the home of the brave… How free can our society really be if our kids have to worry about being gunned down anytime they’re at school and our friends and neighbors have to face the threat of gun violence at concerts, places of worship, movie theaters, etc. etc. etc.???

This is not even close to ok and not even close to honoring the values of freedom and bravery, values that our country supposedly holds so dear. You know what? True bravery often involves sacrifice. Whether this means being brave enough to sacrifice one’s AR-15 semi-automatic assault weapon as part of a national ban/buyback program for civilian weapons of war or being brave enough to support compromise solutions that allow for responsible gun ownership, proper background checks, and gun safety training.

Honestly, having no gun control at all is killing us. Literally. And getting rid of all guns seems highly unlikely. So we need compromises and a comprehensive plan of action (including mental health support etc.) to help stop these horrible tragedies in the future. My heart goes out to all those who died and were injured (and all those who will never again see their loved ones alive) after today’s shooting at Santa Fe High School near Houston, Texas. And after so many horrible tragedies involving gun violence and the thousands of needless deaths of children and innocent civilians, we must be brave enough to take action. Thoughts and prayers are not enough…

For every second that we do nothing to control the ongoing epidemic of gun violence in America, more people will die from guns and one day — yes one day, when you least expect it — it will be someone you know. Don’t wait to act until it touches you personally…

Here’s a song by Eric Clapton that helps address the grief and sadness of unexpected death and loss. Sometimes, when stuff like this happens, I feel like music is one of the only things that helps.

Take care, take action, and please take care of yourselves and be safe,

Tara

 

Searching for the Light (NEW SONG! :-)

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Hi guys!

Well, it’s nice and sunny outside, so of course this would be the perfect time to start absolutely pouring down rain haha. But you know what, it’s ok, cuz now I can just sit down and share my brand new song with you guys! :-) I’m really proud of it, and I hope that it might be able to help you as well — even if it’s just to accept that sometimes life sucks and the only thing we can do is try our best to create some light out of the darkness.

And you know, I really liked the song intro I wrote on YouTube, so I’ll include it here as well! (Why mess with a good thing, right? ;-)

“Happiness can be found, even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light.” – Albus Dumbledore
— Sometimes you just get so tired of being frustrated, overlooked, and forgotten that you write a song about it :-) This song came about after years of frustration, heartache, loneliness, and pain, and it is the song that I’m most proud of (so far!). And as Professor Dumbledore says, even at times when light is hard to find, we just need to remember that we are capable of conjuring it ourselves. All it takes is a little magic, hope, and determination to find our way out of the darkness and into the light!

https://youtu.be/HoYydkGBSeM

 

So just keep searching for that light (sounds cheesy, I know, but I’m dead serious) and never stop believing in yourself and in your ability to do magic in a world that so often seems devoid of it.

A big hug and take care,

Tara

 

 

Baby goslings, Las Vegas, and a brand new song coming soon!

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Hi guys!

I hope all is well and that you’re having a great spring! And even if things seem a little tough right now, sometimes it just takes a goose and a lot of patience to put everything in perspective. :-)

I’ll get to the goose in a second, but first, here’s a music update for you guys! Basically, I was feeling very frustrated about having my music often overlooked and ignored that I decided to use that energy for something good. So, I sat down and wrote a song about it! And about all of the pain of the last few years and all of the missed opportunities and lack of caring on behalf of many others. And it’s also about hope for the future and the good things that will come if we just keep trying and never give up! It’s a song that I think a lot of people can relate to and I really hope that it might help you guys as well if you’re ever feeling alone, frustrated, or forgotten. The song’s called “Searching for the light” and I should have a new video up for it sometime soon over on my YouTube channel (Tara Trent Music on YouTube). (I just have to learn it and memorize it first haha). And anytime that a song makes me cry repeatedly while singing it, well, I take that as a very good sign :-)

Ok, now back to the goose…

In a world full of crazy (yet often entertaining) White House presidential tweets in which facts are magically invented on the spot, an EPA director who has ironically taken up the noble mission of destroying our environment, a Congress that refuses to engage in open and respectful dialogue and speak out against the desecration of the news media and the lack of respect for the truth and for our justice system, etc., well, in this world, sometimes we just need a goose. And a nest. And a goose sitting in a nest on top of a house in a beautiful tree-filled neighborhood in Las Vegas!

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I had the honor of visiting this mother goose every morning for over a week, and she was always there and very alert, keeping her eggs safe and dry and warm. This goose could teach us all a lesson in patience: I have a hard time sitting down for more than half an hour at a time, and this beautiful goose patiently sat on her rooftop nest at almost all hours for nearly 30 straight days. And you know guys, patience pays off! Five beautiful goslings, the return of the proud daddy (who did fly down the street quite often to visit his nesting sweetie), and one long family walk to the entrance pond to begin the swimming lessons!

 

Ahh, sometimes Nature is just so calming and beautiful and it really does help to put everything else in perspective.

So to conclude this post, here’s a friendly neighborhood coyote and a few pics of yours truly enjoying the wonderful seasonal display at the Bellagio!

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IMG_1691IMG_1687

 

Take care,

Tara

 

NEW VIDEO for my NEW SONG: “Choose Love”

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Hey guys! Here it is, the brand new video for “Choose Love”! :-)

https://youtu.be/d-F3YBmp3PU

 

As I’ve noted before, I’ve just been so upset about all of the hate and intolerance and lack of empathy in our society and country these days (and in the greater world as well), and so I wanted to talk about it through music. This is my first ever protest song, and I really hope that you guys enjoy it and find some positive meaning in it! Hugs!!

Take care,

Tara

 

Brand New Song: “Choose Love”!! — It’s a protest song, with new video coming soon :-)

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Hey guys! I hope everything’s going well and that you’re off to a good start in 2018.

And guess what?! I’m really proud to share my first ever protest song with all of you guys! It’s called “Choose Love”, and I feel like there’s been a great need for something like this, as things don’t seem to be getting any better on their own (hence the magical song that will help heal everything… lol, I wish!).

I’ve just been so upset about all of the hate and intolerance and lack of empathy in our society and country these days (and in the greater world as well), and so I wanted to talk about it through music. This song is meant to serve as a wake up call for ALL of us, but especially those who may not practice what they preach (setting aside their own morals and/or ‘looking the other way’ when it serves them best) and those who resort to violence in order to supposedly create a more equitable society. Spoiler alert: violence is NOT the answer, people — you don’t fight violence and violent/hateful/authoritarian ideas and rhetoric with more violence! You fight it by promoting tolerance and cultural understanding and better opportunities for open discussion and respect for differences. Yes, it’s a hard battle, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t worth it in the end! :-)

Anyway, I hope you enjoy the song, and please feel free to listen to it as much as you want (and to share it widely if you can)! I’m also looking for opportunities to play this live and help get this message out there. =) Thanks so much and I hope that you’re having a wonderful weekend!

Take care,

Tara