it all started with the morning news. i was doing something in the apartment, and just letting the swedish language in the background keep me company, when i suddenly realized i was hearing english. it usually takes a while before i realize that there is english somewhere around me. i looked at the tv and saw paul simon doing an interview with some swedish person. huh? then i realized that he had been the recipient of some award, the polar music prize, and they were having the award ceremony on tv here in sweden tonight. i had never heard of this award, but got busy on google and i now know that it is an award, begun by a famous swedish musician (someone behind the work of ABBA or something), and it is given to a musician every year to celebrate his or her contribution to the music world. cool. paul simon this year. not my absolute favorite artist, but i do love me some simon and garfunkle. some seriously classic american 60s/70s music.
the interview was over on the morning news, and it was time to move onto something else. i remembered that last night my love told me that patti smith had a new album, so i thought i’d check it out on spotify. and the verdict is, i love it. and then i decided i’d hunt down some images of her on pinterest. well, that led to a whole mess of fun, resulting in me tagging image after image. god, i love her style & her look.
last year, or earlier this year, i read a memoir she had written. just kids. i wrote a blog post about it here. it was amazing to read about her crazy younger years in nyc… broke, sometimes homeless, sometimes unemployed, but always living the journey of an artist. and she is truly an artist of all sorts, taking an interest in photography, poetry, and music; and combining them all in unique ways. she definitely has had her own path, and has followed it for all of her life, listening to her heartbeat & her soul. searching for intellectual, spiritual, and artistic inspiration all over the world. fighting for civil and equal rights. protesting in word & in song. patti smith is an inspiration for me. rough around the edges, punky, tough, and yet vulnerable, drawn to beauty, a lover of nyc, inspired by the world, dramatic, androgynous.
after my little patti smith tour on pinterest, somehow i ended up finding out that patti smith was the recipient of the polar music prize last year. how weird is that? how random? crazy connection! feels like my little patti smith tuesday was meant to be.
so, all day, i’ve just been in a little patti smith world… feeling her desire for art to permeate every breath she takes. and she has inspired me today to always remember what it means to be my own person, to follow my own path, to never give up on that pull that i feel towards living life on my terms… making a difference, discovering my way to give back to the world, but doing it on my terms. and what i mean by that is constantly living with passion.
you know, there is something happening with my love & me in life right now. we’re trying to grab life in ways that we never have before. we’re talking all the time about taking hold of life, being dramatic, and letting what touches us most drive our life. i guess i can describe it that way. well, it’s hard to explain. but, it feel amazing. and to have people who inspire me is even that much better. and hey, after dropping everything & moving to another country, now i believe that i can do anything. i’ve got the power. power to change & live my life from my soul; & power to share life with others, as we work together to create a better world.
do you have someone who inspires you? an artist? a writer? an actor? a person… living or not. tell me about him/her, why you are so inspired by that person? i’d love to find someone to add to my list!
hope you’ve had a great tuesday! peace & love.
I always liked her.
YOU inspire me! :o)