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November 17, 2008

I told Erin that I would probably head home after the PPT concert and write one of those “I love the world blogs.” So here it is:

Thank you! To everyone who came out to our Pittsburgh Public Theater Show on Friday, it was truly one of my favorite performances to date. It isn’t very often that a huge bulk of my fanbase unites and makes it out to the same show (unless it is a CD Release). So I am super appreciative of everyone who has helped me to get this far. Thanks to a couple people who helped spread the word via facebook and their blogs. And Kudos to word-fm for the last minute interview on Friday afternoon during drive-time. It also isn’t very often that I get to dress all spicy n’stuff! Hooray for Goodwill and that $5 dress! Shhhh! Don’t tell anyone!

Images from the show are uploaded here. Special kudos to Chris Massa, Peace Ike, Erin Erhlich, John D’Amico and Bob Banerjee for taking things up a notch. They are all better musicians than me…which makes everything sound better and challenges me. Lastly, thanks to Rob Zellers for extending the invitation to perform. That’s all for now!

October 31, 2008

Today's blog is in form of picture. So I finally got a new camera! My camera crashed and burned on me a few weeks back and life without pictures is a boring existence. Anyhow, Canons are wonderful creations! It came in the mail this morning and I could not help but take pictures all day. After doing this for a couple hours, I realized that it might make for a dramatic picture-story of what happened throughout my day...involving my grandma's departure to Nigeria, and sad conversation between two old men who were finding it harder to get by on their Social Security checks. Check it out...

October 29, 2008

Seeing Angelique Kidjo at the Byham tonight was one of the most fulfilling, culturally significant experiences I've had in a while. Kidjo is such an inspiration. There are very few people who can discuss important issues of poverty and war while still maintaining a lighthearded atmosphere. Not to mention she was able to get the whole theater to dance! And over 50% of the audience was over 50. That, my friends, is an accomplishment. Extra kudos to the 70 something year old man who danced on stage with his cane. I think every person left the theater wanting to make the world a better place. Inspired.

October 21, 2008

People who quit their jobs to do music full-time are crazy! So yes...I am crazy! But really..."it's a bit like dying. It's a bit like fallin' in love". Its the best of both worlds and I am feelin' the heat on both ends. Cameron Blake is wonderful and you should know this. He and his cronies came up from Maryland last weekend and stayed over. Good memories of cellos, chinese, and the Mt. Washington incline. I am, once again, inspired. Pittsburgh is rubbing me sore. Sore. I am so thankful for people like Ange & Ris and Cameron who are passionate about their faith and making their music relevant to our culture and generation. They give me life! "Do you see a lifeless kingdom? Do you see it on the rise?" Yes, it's on the rise. And I feel passionate about making a difference. Less dying. More loving. More living. More life. Give me life. Give me Christ. Give me truth. Less b.s. Less meaninglessness. By the way...have you noticed that everybody likes God, but very few people like Jesus (unless he's on a homeboy shirt)? Just a recent observation.

p.s. Wondering why some things are in italics? Visit Cameron Blake online and listen to the tunes.

October 4, 2008

I went to the Pittsburgh Public Theater for the first time this evening. I'm sorry to say that I had never gone before...and the only live plays I had ever seen were at the University of Pittsburgh during my college years. Those don't count. Anyhow, going to the Oreilly Theater tonight made me proud to be part of the Art scene in Pittsburgh. I saw Radio Golf, an incredible August Wilson performance about the implications of being a black person with power. That's the short end of it...but it was definitely my kind of topic and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Afterward, Roger Humphries and his band played a beautiful jazz set. The Gallery Crawl on Penn Ave kinda hyped things up. Anyhow, just a blog to say I've found a new love and I can't believe I've been missing out on this side of Pittsburgh.

p.s. save the date. My "cronies" and I will be performing at the Oreilly Theater on Nov 14th after the 8 o'clock show! Its really a great crowd and excellent vibe.

September 30, 2008

Well hi!
Its been a while since i wrote a "real" blog but things have been kinda busy and boring at the same time. In other words, I haven't had the time to bore you. Here are some things that I've been up to lately.

1.) Making turkey burgers. I made 13 last week. Peace and I have eaten all of them.

2.) Songwriting! Yes! I'm back in songwriting mode. Its been a long time coming...maybe a year. But now I have finished 2 songs . I didn't realize how much listening to Brooke Waggoner over the past 8 months had influenced me until writing these new tunes. This new stuff is more poppy-ish with some definite classical sounding stuff. But its not really classical b/c I don't know anything about classical music. I am also hearing all these cello parts in the new stuff...that I can't wait to record...but not anytime soon.

3.) Googling my name. In August I played at the 23rd Annual Mexican Street Festival in Chicago. Today, I ran into Vocalo.org and fell upon a the most beautiful sound bite by this guy David who took the sounds from the street, and meshed it with feelings of nostalgia and both the live and studio versions of my song "Remember". Check it out.

4.) Brainstorming. I'm realizing more and more how short the shelf-life of a CD is. Good Morning hasn't been out long but it is already so much harder to generate as much interest as 3 months ago! Can you beliefe it! So if you got any ideas for promoting, I'm all ears. I'm still pushing and things are generally going very well!

5.) Photoshooting! Thanks to David Eiffel who recently spent a couple hours with me shooting some new headshots, torso images and this super creative feet-and-scarf shot. It was so much fun! David is talented and you should hire him. There's this new generation of young professions with decent jobs leaving their secure lives to pursue their passion of art. David is one of them. We do it because we love it...in the hopes that we will be able to live off what we love doing! So pay us, yo! Check out images from the photoshoot.

6.) Revamping. When things stay the same for too long I get uncomfortable. I need change...which is why I change my default photo every week. Plus, it keeps you coming back to see what's new! So I am cleaning house. New changes have/will include:

***FREE CD Friday every week!: Yep, I'm givin' away a copy of Good Morning every week. If you want to receive a reminder on Friday mornings, just subscribe to this blog.
***Revamping the myspace and website. Be on the looking for new things like a readers polls...and i dunno...other stuff! I'm not completely sure what yet:)

7.) Booking and Looking! There are some most excellent shows coming up in the next couple months and I am TOTALLY excited! Totally!

***The Andy Warhol Museum (this Friday)
***Pittsburgh Young Professionals Espirit Gala
***The Carnegie Museum Christmas Concert Series (band)
***Light Up Night in Downtown (band)
***The Pittsburgh Public Theater (band)

I'm still looking for sweet gigs and thank you for passin' them along. If you want details on the above gigs, check the calendar.

So, once again, THANK YOU for your support! And make sure you continue to spread the word! p.s. today's the last day to vote for me in the CP. GO!

Joy

September 9, 2008

Sometimes I wonder if what I'm doing matters. "I have especially felt like this for the past two weeks. I wonder if all the stress of planning events, driving miles upon miles, staying up late to update websites, send emails, create flyers is "Joy Ike making her mark in the world." Is it? Yesterday (Monday) was a day that I think the answer was 'Yes'. But I think many days the answer is not yes.

I'll first say that the men of Piano's 'n Stuff are intimidating. Walking into the store I get the feeling that they are all wondering what this chic is doing in the store trying to pick up two speakers, two wedges, two drum mics, 1 vocal mic, xlr chords, ¼ inch cables, and a mixer. And b/c this girl is not initially sure of what all she needs, they make me feel a little unqualified. And I think to myself that I feel stupid and should go back to doing non-music things like sitting at a desk all day and making phone calls.

So I start shooting out phrases like "gotta get my gear" and "thanks dude" and "ya, that's cool" to sound extra hardcore…to sound like I can take care of myself and don't really need their help.

And then I wonder if all of the drama with the Student Union was a sign to cancel Back to School Ballyhoo! And then 30 minutes before Ballyhoo I start to bite my fingers and wonder if anyone will show up…and wonder if all the sound will go to crap because we don't have anyone to operate the PA system I had to rent. I just keep wondering things…and wondering things…and wondering. And then I realized that its 6pm and 33.33333% of the bands still aren't here.

But when 6:30 hits and Blvd of the Allies starts to play, people come, and people sit on the grass, and people are comfortable. And the feeling of accomplishment overwhelms me when I see students sprawled out all over the grass.

Marc gets up on stage before the Caleb Lovely Band begins to play and talks about STAND (Students Taking Action Now: Darfur). He encourages students to write letters to their senators about addressing the genocide in Darfur. During tear down, Marc reads one of the letters to the volunteers.

"Dear Senator, please save Darfur. Who knows, one day you might need someone to save you."

It is 9pm and I am overjoyed with knowing that I have just had a chance to share my music, thoughts, and hope w/ random people walking down the street, with students who have just come from dinner, and with professors who have just finished teaching their late night class.

The feelings of inadequacy, insignificance, and inferiority are gone for just a bit…and I think that maybe this is really worth my time.

September 1, 2008

Hey Ya'll,
Ok here goes: The City Paper has kicked off its annual "Best Of" Readers Poll. Could you please vote again for me this year? Every vote counts! I tied for 2nd place last year...and just one more vote would have made the difference. So please, visit PghCityPaper.com and vote for me in the "best solo artists" and "best artist" categories!!! Placing in the top three is very helpful when it comes to getting my name out there! note: City Paper only counts votes if you make an honorable effort to answer some of their other questions (i.e. best place to eat, best public art...etc).
Thanks again,
Joy

August 25, 2008

Ok, watz the deal with technical difficulties? I dunno. The power went out during our set at the Sprout Fund this weekend. Major bummer. It cut about 20 minutes from our program. But the peeps were very understand and we did a little impromptu rapping. Peace broke it down by "spittin' a verb" (is that what they call it?) and I stood in the corner with some backing vocal stuff. Then the sound came back on but everything was a mess. We couldnt hear ourselves on stage...and it was just a trainwreck! But it was so much fun!! Word! Yep, I'd do it again... except for the tight, shiny dress that I couldn't breathe in. p.s. pictures from HotHouse are in my albums.

Well, here's a fun video Peace and I made. I hope you like it!

August 21, 2008

Here are some things about Blessing that have stuck with me...

Blessing thought he was always right. Here is something he said often…and something that is still posted on his myspace page: "When I'm right, I'm right. And when I'm wrong I still could have been right. So I'm still right."

Blessing loved hot sauce! For Christmas in 2007, Peace and I bought him a package of 4 different types of hot sauce.

Blessing hated stupid questions. If you asked him a stupid question he would ignore you and pretend you never opened your mouth.

Blessing knew everything there was to know about any movie ever! He knew what year it came out, all the lead actors and actresses…and a whole lotta uninteresting facts and statistics related to movies.

Blessing loved to hike and go camping and do anything outdoors.

Blessing loved to work with disabled children and got mad at me when I used the word "retarded" out of context.

Blessing loved Basketball passionately. He was such a great player and would have given anything to be able to play again. I'm sure he is playing now.

Blessings always liked to argue about the most insignificant things.

Blessing was so strong-willed.

Blessing liked to be called "Ike" because he thought his name was girly.

When we were kids, Blessing took pleasure in pinching the fat on the back of my arms until I cried in pain. He also did this to my ankles.

Blessing likes all types of music. My fondest memories are of him bouncing his head to Daft Punk.

Blessing thought he was the man. His email was was ithe_man[at] yahoo [dot] com.

Happy Birthday Blessing! Rest.In.Peace

August 17, 2008

The Headhouse Market in Philly was maybe one of the most rewarding parts of my trip. There is something about performing at Farmers Markets that excites me. Everything is so fresh, ears readily absorb the music, and there are so many colors.

Here on the corner of Lombard & 2nd …two blocks away from South street, I begin to remember a song I wrote nearly two years ago, during my last visit to this part of town… about the war between living life freely and living a life planned out by the American Dream.

"…on South Street there are so many places to play my piano …and on North Street there are boxes called buildings with more boxes called cubicles …and on East Street is my future house with future spouse and children. Oh can you hear them?"

I will work to pull this song out of the archives and play it at the next Songwriters Circle (Aug 30)

At the Headhouse, the analytical side of me realizes two things. #1 Everyone all of a sudden assumes that, because you are a musician, you are a very interesting person. As I set up my sound equipment, they watch out of the corner of their eyes. And when I look up, they look away as if disinterested. #2 People don't want to buy CDs but they do want to tip you and pay you with produce. So I have a bin full of green apples, peaches and I dunno what this other fruit is called but it looks like a smushed peach. It is so cute to look at! It was suggested to me that I consider making a pie with all my fruit. I don't really make pie, but maybe I will try. Do you want some apples?

Before leaving Philly, I made a bet with myself that I could make it home without filling up my tank a 2nd time. I lost the bet and paid myself $50 in gas. My drive was primarily set aside for Coldplay and Laura Brino. I think I will talk about Coldplay in another blog, but you should know that Laura Brino writes perfect, tug-your-heart music. Listening to her live at the Songsisters festival we played was such a privelege. Her songs brought back so many memories on the road home. Having to stop for gas in the middle of the CD was a huge disappointment.

Yo, Peace totally killed my Sunflowers when I was in Philly. She claims she watered them, but I dunno man. They're far gone and I hope that I can bring them back. This was the longest I'd ever been able to keep a plant alive :)

Other than the seemingly dead flowers, being back in Pittsburgh feels so good. I am getting geared up for the major Sprout Fund's HotHouse event this Saturday. Wow…can't wait!

note: pictures from the Philly trip are now up on the myspace

August 15, 2008

The only thing I could think of while in West Philly today was The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. Did Will Smith really grow up in West Philly? I dunno.

My drive to Wilmington, DE (right outside of Philly) last night was a smooth 4 1/2 non-stop trip. No music for the first 2 hours...b/c sometimes driving at 1am in pure silence is the only vacation I make myself take. It was priceless. But by 2 1/2 hours, Heather Kropf's songs were ringing in my head and I had no choice but to put her CD in the player.

I think Philly will redeem last week's trip in Chicago. Here is some dissapointing news: many of the keys on my keyboard are no longer working due to harsh treatment from last weeks flight. This tripped me up real bad. The board was totally jacked up, yo! Luckily I was able to fix many keys but cant do anything about the irreplaceable 12 in the higher register or the significant crack. Moral of the story: never fly with you instrument.

Anyhow, today I discovered Chestnut Hill. So far, it my favorite thing about Philadelphia. It is a cozy neighborhood centered around Germantown Ave. The streets are cobblestone and they are chopped up every couple feet by railroad tracks even though the train doesnt run through the town anymore. It is so beautiful! The shops are of course very expensive. So you don't buy anything. You just look. I walked up and down Germantown for two hours with Bizz. It was my first time seeing her since my senior year at Pitt. Totally worth the busted flip flops.

Tonight's gospel event was great fun and I ran into a couple friends who were in town from Houston. I also met a boy named Banjo. Anyone whose name is Banjo can be my best friend.

August 11, 2008

I guess I shouldn't take on a defeatist attitude about anything…but I'm ready to come home. Today I had to part with my keyboard stand. The one and only keyboard stand I've been using since I bought my keyboard three years ago. Even though it fits in the plane's cubbyhole, Chicago Midway would not let me carry it on board and I would have had to check it in for $100 if I want to see it again. I don't get an attitude often. But I got an attitude today. "I just don't understand! This is lighter than a carry-on or baby carriage. They let me carry it on the way here from Pittsburgh." The lady tells me that I might swing it and knock someone down. I say, "Are you kidding me!" I just don't have the patience for this anymore! I leave the metal detector area almost in tears and just know that I am ready to see my city, my car, and my "normal" again. So I am looking to buy a double-braced keyboard stand before my show at the Backstage Bar on Thursday. Do you have one? Will you sell it to me? Even better…will you give it to me? :)

The morning started off sweet. I woke up at 9am and took a walk to Lake Michigan. I have never seen water so blue! It is beautiful! It is God in liquid form, I guess J I hope to have pictures and video from this weekend up very soon. The walk was peaceful but I got lost on my way back to the apartment I was staying at and had to hold off on using the bathroom on the street! *chuckle* I would never do that anyhow! However, in the midst of my confusion, I came across the most wonderful Spanish bakery on Sheridan Ave. I have never had stuffed bread – stuffed with sweet potato! Splendid! But the cashier was totally making up prices as she went along. She charged the guy before me like $4.60 for 10 items. She charged me $2 for 3. But that's ok. It was worth more than $2.

Two things that made the weekend sour. 1.) Losing my independence – especially in the form of relying on others for rides to shows. This was harder for me than it should have been. 2.) I noticed very quickly that the city, though diverse, is very segregated. At least from a visitor's point of view. This visitor. The North is upscale and "belongs" to whites, Africans, and the gay community, the south is a bit worn down and known for its black community. The West is just that part of the city that you don't ever want to go –war torn by gangs and regular shootings (or so I'm told). I never really saw anything that brought everyone together. It was severely disappointing. I think/hope/am sure that there are exceptions to this.

I am very much looking forward to next week's trip to Philly. I will have a chance to reconnect with Ange & Ris and play at the Songsisters festival (3 stages of female singer/songwriters and female-fronted bands! All day! Woop Woop!). And I will roam through the city to my hearts content!

August 9, 2008

My first performance in Chicago was at an annual Spanish street festival. This was such a great experience. I've never had homemade enchiladas before. Splendid! And tanned-skin babies are just about as good as it gets. I had a chance to do some more brushing up on my Spanish. The old lady I passed: Abuela. The little boy playing kickball: Chico. What is your name?: Como te llama? That's about it. People listened to the music, appreciated, and even bought a few CDs. Yah! On the way over, we drove past downtown. And I think if winters weren't as cold as everyone says they are, I would gladly live here. It is so beautiful and friendly. So beautiful!

From the Spanish festival, I headed over to the Southside of Chicago for a Gospel Street Festival hosted by Another Chance Ministries. Really great talent. A group called Joshua's Troop kicked some serious choir butt! An ensemble of 40 teenagers. Black people can sing, yo! I'll upload a video soon. Following, there were these two little 6-year old brown boys. They called themselves The Brown Boys. Apparently they have been on Oprah and Good Morning America for the obvious reason that they know how to get "crunk" *chuckle*.

At both festivals, I received all kinds of reactions…mostly an infatuation with the fact that I could sing and play piano at the same time. Apparently…its not too common in Chicago? I dunno. "You sing? And play too? That's like two-in-one!" "Yes," I said. "It's like two-in-one." *smile* My favorite people so far were the two older ladies at the Gospel event. They looked to be in their 60's.

Lady 1: Honey, come on over
Lady 2: Should we tell her?
Lady 1: Naw, don't tell 'er!
Lady 2: Ima tell 'er.
Lady 1: Aight, go'head.
Lady 2: Girl, we thought you was Chinese!

August 8, 2008

There's a man in the airport walking around with a coffee cup in his right hand. But I don't think its coffee he's drinking because he's staggering a lot. I've had miserable traveling experiences, but this probably tops it. Traveling with a keyboard has always made things extra difficult…like the extra luggage fees, and the pressure of checking bags that are potential overweight (all things that have happened today). Now, as I sit near the baggage claim in Chicago waiting for my ride to come (going on 3 ½ hours now), I know everyone passing me can see the tired in my eyes…the anger…and maybe the sadness too. For the first 45 minutes I sit and stare impatiently…and begin noticing that, compared to Chicago, Pittsburgh is severely lacking in the area of diversity. During the 2nd hour I discover a crossword puzzle book that almost made it into the garbage but didn't. I realize that while I have never been a fan of crosswords before, I now appreciate the fact that this stimulates my brain. During hour three, I repeatedly pull my cell phone out of my purse and say to myself, "It can't possibly be 11:30! Can it?" Especially since I left my house at 2:30 and I was only in the air for 90 minutes. And then I sigh, sit back and ask myself, "When do I catch a break?" and "Can I find a roadie on craigslist?" And then I laugh and decide that things could be alot worse and I should just continue people-watching…like this good-looking, scruffy, facial-haired gentleman in from of me, or the drunk man who is still hiding behind his coffee cup.

August 6, 2008

This is just a little belated, but Tuesday's Drum Circle at the Plaza was FEE-nomenal! I can't remember the last time I had that much fun. I guess lately, I've been feeling like this music has become work (which it is). But I still love music! And a drum circle is the perfect way for me to still play music without the pressure of putting my best game forward. I still fully enjoy playing my PEE-ano but came out of a rough weekend where I needed a good outlet.

Mona Statmore organizes a West New Guinea drum program with a couple of men who are from the country. They host workshops at Dance Alloy and your Inner Vagabond. She brought her crew out...including some children. One of the chicks from Pitt's Drum Ensemble showed up, Kevin who I met @ the Polish Hill Art What You Got, and then my Afro Carribean Dance Instructor from college wandered over! So there was impromptu dancing in the grass! And if you know me...I am definitely one to dance to grass.

Around 7:30pm, as the Carnegie Library neared its closing time, families and little babies began trickling out of the library doors. The little kids were so excited to join in! Yes! So much fun!

I am so excited for the next one and will definitely keep you posted. It will probably be the end of August or begg. of September. (if you wanna join the Circle e-list, shoot an email to joy[at]joyike[dot]com)

August 3, 2008

Thursday
On Thursday I backed into my roommate's car on the way to Club Café. I dented the right rear pretty badly and the car is now in the shop. I've never gotten into a "real" accident before. But I have a very bad reputation with parked things…like my parents garage door (sophomore year of college), my mom's extra large freezer (sophomore year again) and Victor's Honda (junior year). The show was ok.

Friday
Joel Lindsey's Best of the Burgh was really a great time. Good vibes and a great atmosphere of brotherly love. I love Connections. I also realized that AcoustiCafe is the best thing that's happened to Pittsburgh's music scene in years probably. It has created this very tight-knit network of singer-songwriters who enjoy each other's company and music. If you are a musician, check out the AcoustiCafe open stage on Monday nights at Club Café.

Saturday morn
I fell in love with Pittsburgh on this day. Out interview on SLB radio went very well and Larry spent just as much time asking Peace questions as he did me. It made for a well-rounded conversation about music, physical therapy, and our childhood. You can listen to the podcast here: www.slbradio.org/listen.shtml (we're in the very last hour). Afterwards, I made my way to the Strip District to buy some turkey from Wholeys. That sickening smell of raw fish that hits you as soon as you enter is something "uniquely Pittsburgh". It was somehow very inviting that day. And everyone was of course speaking Pittsburghese. "yinz, "dawntawn", "pixburg".

Saturday eve
Stephenie Meyer is a best-selling author so I thought that would generate enough interest. *sigh* The show, however, did not have too great a turnout and was a disappointment. The highlight of the evening was Erin's cello and strawberry smoothies. Also, the turkey burgers that I made earlier that evening. Kick butt! Truly!

Sunday
There were potentially…errrr…600 people in the park? I dunno. I'm really bad with guestimations. I'd say an active listening audience of 150. People sitting in chairs, on blankets, standing, walking…etc. This was the show to redeem the whole weekend. This was it. But I've never had technical problems like I had today. We made it 1 minute into Strongman and then the piano kept cutting out. At the end of Strongman, we did a bit a troubleshooting then start-stopped "Warriors Get Your Gear On" three times. By the end of Remember, it was decided that we would end prematurely on Jacob & Esau. A man came up to me afterwards and asked to be my manager. But he was very unkempt. I decided that, because he could not take care of himself, he could not possibly take care of me.

Monday
I am looking forward to this night. Kristen will be in from Connecticut tomorrow eve. She's traveling with an exchange student from Mexico, she said. So I will brush up on my Spanish and enjoy a chilled out ladies night event at Connections. You can come if you want. It's all ages and it will sooth your soul.

...the ups and downs of it all.

July 27, 2008

Last night's Songwriters Circle was like the feeling of pulling on a pair of white linen pants. Exactly! A room full of people willing to sit on the floor and stand for 3 hours just to listen to, and support quality local music. Mark Williams, you are the man! I truly felt like we were a huge family sitting by the camp fire singing carols or something (I know that sounds cheesy). Check out the video from last night...and save the date. The next circle is Saturday, August 30th @ 8:30pm.

Mark Williams - July Songwriters Circle

July 22, 2008

Ok people...if you've been subscribed to this blog for over a year, you will clearly remember my February 6, 2007 blog about the Mary Kate & Ashley lip gloss I owned that tasted like poison! I stood on my little soapbox and questioned movie star perfumes and beauty products that could potentionally cause cancer and other unknown diseases.

And now, almost 18 months later... the news is out! July 17th the Environmental Working Group has determined that the Olsen Twins have in fact licensed their names to...and endorsed cancer causing products. I am literally tripping over myself!

I still have that lip gloss and it is going in the trash like...5 minutes ago! Read the whole story ....and yea...the rest of you should really subscribe to my blogs . I'm like a prophet or something :)

July 20, 2008

Many, many thanks to the honorable Tricia Chika for taking such a beatiful photo from last week's "Summer Stew at the Union Project. more pictures in the Summer Stew folder on myspace).

"Oh the light, pushes its way through the fog."

click to view larger image

July 19, 2008

My flowers are dead.

July 13, 2008

Today I was told, for the first time, that there is no "in" crowd...that I don't have to worry about fitting "in" because there is no "in." It's just something that exists in our heads. So to celebrate I went to the Strip District and bought flowers. Here are my sunflowers!

July 9, 2008

Hey Friends,
There are so many exciting things happening and I'm so limited in what I can put in my weekly e-newsletter. So here are some things that I've been wanting to say but haven't had a chance to. Read on if you please.

I know I've said "thank you" many times already but I really am so thankful. The last 3 months have been so surreal with the passing of my brother, and the many many encouraging emails, cards, hugs, and love people have thrown my way. I am truly blessed. I honestly don't think I have taken the time to really digest the fact that he's gone but I really miss him.

Things have been going very well on the music end and I feel confident that I can continue to make this work. Most importantly, I feel alive again. If you have any music leads...especially with radio and publications looking for review material, please pass 'em on.

So here are some other things...

Facebook: I've started a Joy Ike Music facebook group. Go ahead, add yourself! (you can only join if you're a facebook subscriber)

SayNow: I've also started a SayNow account. Why? Because it's fun! It's a way for you to call me and leave a message. Say anything! All you gotta do is text "joyike" to 729669 and follow the directions. No fees. Then head to the myspace and listen to all the messages that people have left. There are some fun ones on the home page already.

Coming to a City Near You: I will be in Chicago from Aug 8 - 11th and Philly from Aug 15-18th. Yah! Do you want me to come to your city? Hit me up, yo!

M-M-Media: Here are some great great media opportunities that I'm really psyched about. Please look out for the following

*** tracks from Good Morning will be played on WYEP throughout July.

*** i will be interviewing and performing on KDKA Radio's Life Lounge w/Carol Lee Espy on July 19th at 11pm. Tune in! You can listen online.

*** there are two interview/feature write-ups in the August and October issues of Pittsburgh Magazine. Please grab a copy. (more details to come)

*** there are several other interviews and reviews I've been working on with other publications but air/print dates have not yet been determined.

Funky Band Sounds: Please come to one of the upcoming band shows. The band adds a whole new feel that is totally unreal!!! It is kickin' and I am just soooo excited! Check the shows section to find out which ones are with the full band.

Carnival! The only thing that I am aching to do right now is go to a carnival with fun rides and cotton candy. Will you take me? Puuuuleaaase! I'm serious.

p.s. I'm not too happy with the new Coldplay CD

July 4, 2008

Family trip to Philly! "Woohoo!" *sigh* My family is super great but somethings I like "Joy time." I like extra late night drives at 2am when I can turn my music up loud and cover a 4 1/2 trip in 3 hours and 45 minutes. Nigerians are naturally loud, boisterous people and everyone talks at the same exact time! The exact same time! Can you imagine that! No? Me neither. But I do have the pleasure of experiencing it. There are also a variety of smells in a 5-hour car trip. A mix of cooked rice, curry, sour breath, and stinky feet (I take full responsibility for the stinky feet). Sometimes I regret the fact that I don't own an ipod. But to give my family some credit, the music selection on this particular trip has been extra special. We've been listening to some well-produced Ugandan stuff. So yea...major cowbell action. So no..I don't need more cowbell. One last thing. It is sometimes very scary to see me without makeup. I hope the man at the rest stop will recover and maybe one day forgive me.

June 29, 2008

Whoa what an amazing night!!! I am overwhelmed by all the support that was packed into one room at the CD Release last night. I thank you all so much because you made the night worthwhile - worth all the work spent in recording the CD, scheduling practices with the band, driving across the city posting flyers everywhere, sending out press kits and copies of the CD to media, spamming your individual myspaces, sending facebook invites...etc. I hope you come out and support the band again this afternoon as we wrap up the Tour of Pennsylvania Bike Trek at Market Square's Berry Festival. This is sure to be another kickin' show. We play at 3pm and 4pm. So here are all of my thanks!

***Thanks goes to Seeds of Hope and The Pittsburgh Project who definitely shipped their crews over in vans!!! You are awesome!

***Thanks goes to Brandon who was harrassed by the "flyer patrol" for hanging posters without having a permit. I still think thats cridiculous ( crazy + ridiculous)!

***Thanks goes to people like Aaron who called off from work just so he could come.

***Thanks in general to everyone who bought a CD and supported the not-so-eccentric lifestyle of a starving artist.

***Thanks goes to Angela who is the most honest, trustworthy, reliable, person in my life. If a song sucks, she'll tell me. She couldn't be there because she went into labor 4 hours before the show. But babies are more important than CD releases. Congratulation Mr. and Mrs. Chung!

***Thanks to GetGo for giving me 69 cents off per gallon (this is not directly or indirectly related to the CD or its release).

***Thanks to momma who spent a solid 20 minutes on the phone with me before the release trying to convince me that I needed to eat her Jolof rice. I told her I'd eat it but I wouldn't gaurantee eating it today because I wasn't hungry at the time. But I definitely ate it when I got home. I also had some plantain, spinach, and turkey.

There are so many people who are consistently shooting me emails of encouragement. Dropping me notes. Thank you so much for your graciousness!

I had alot of people asking me where to get Brooke Annibale's CD. Here goes: www.myspace.com/brookeannibale. Girl's got a voice like none other!

If you took any pictures/videos at the release, please email me at joy@joyike.com or let me know where I can find them online.

Also, if you fancy the CD, please tell someone else about it and let them know they can have their very own copy :)

Good Morning!

June 21, 2008

Sometime in the last year...and I dunno how this happened...i crossed over into the pop music category. I passionately hated pop music - maybe because of its association to N'Sync and Britney Spears. Last week I changed my status to indie/pop/soul. I think for me, artists like Kenna, Brooke Waggoner, and Regina Spektor have redefined the definition of pop music and I now feel more comfortable with the idea of teenagers popping their gum-chewing heads to bouncy music. It's ok, Joy. It's ok.

June 9, 2008

Have you ever shaved with butter? I'm watching this specific episode of Seinfeld and I'm really tempted to try this. Kramer claims that it makes your skin smoother than a baby's bottom and I especially love smooth legs. Wish me luck on this one!

June 5, 2008

Ok, I will admit...I am supa dupa stressed right now! Like majorly! What have I learned in the past month? If you want something done, do it yourself. Period. You can only ask for help so many times and then it just gets to the point where you have to teach yourself how to do things. Woop Woop! Empowerment!

I will tell you that I am extra excited for what the next month has in store. Once June 29th comes, I will be able to take a deep breath of fresh air. Supa fresh! I am attempting to revamp my website and myspace in 4 days. Wish me luck! Go check it out now www.joyike.com. Then check back on Tuesday and tell me what you think! Thank God for DreamWeaver and Photoshop. I am also attempting to finish up all promotional materials. by Monday. Also, "Strongman" will be free for download next week!!! Matt and Adam Robusto are genius!!!! Thank you, men. Oh...I almost forgot. Here is the CD Cover!!!



Some things are a blessing in disguise, I know. Borders asked to host the release...which was a very exciting offer because they are very central and I wasn't feeling like a bar atmosphere for the release. But at the same time, they will be taking a cut from CD sales. I'm not the biggest fan of this but it's the biz. But most importantly, they will be helping to promote the event by sending out Press release, handbills by the cash register, posters, and info at the bottom of receipts when you buy a book. Go buy a book!

So, I really need your support on this! For real! I am 6 weeks into being a full time musician. The first week I didnt know what to do with myself. I felt awkward and out of place when my alarm rang and I didnt have to get up. Now, I am overwhelmed with work, publicity, and new ideas!!! It's so exciting. But unfortunately it doesn't mean anything if you don't support. So please...SUPPORT! Thank you so much!

p.s. let me know if you wanna do some grassroots street team stuff and I will recruit you! contact me at joy@joyike.com

May 16, 2008

I get Garfield in my inbox every day. This is just about my favorite one. I hope you like it :)

May 11, 2008

There's nothing like reading the book of Ecclesiastes to put things into perspective. Lately, I've been feeling like I'm living in a dream...or really a ball of glass. And someone (God) is holding that ball. And everytime he shakes it, something different happens. Maybe there's a thunderstorm. Or maybe a car drives by and I can hear its wheels splash through a puddle of rain water. Or maybe the keyboard stand that's been laying agains my living room wall suddenly falls over and makes this loud crashing noise that almost wakes me up. It feels like a dream that I'm partly watching and partly in. "Enjoy prosperity while you can," verse 7:14 says, "But when hard times strike, realize that both come from God. That way you will realize that nothing is certain in life." The certainty of uncertainty is just about the hardest thing I've ever really understood. The permanence of death is hard to grasp but is becoming clearer by the day. And the word "dead" is still very hard to say. "Death" is just a concept. But "dead" means that you're actually referring to something. Like "my phone's dead." Or "my car won't start. The battery is dead." Or, more realistically, "my brother's dead." The more I realize that nothing is certain, the more I realize I need God. Happiness has become so temporary, so short-lived. But for some reason...and I don't understand how this works...pain makes life sweeter. And so, while nothing is certain or permanent other than life and death...and knowing that God holds both in the palm of his hands, I am feeling more obligated to try and understand God. Why he gives and takes away. Why he makes and breaks. Why nothing is for certain.

April 30, 2008

Today I learned that I could have easily prevented the unfortunate death of my ladybug by using granulated sugar to feed my flowers instead chemicalized flower food. I don't really know if ladybugs can swim, but if they can, I'm pretty sure they prefer sweet water over poisonous.

April 26, 2008

My heart goes out to the ladybug that drowned in my flower vase today. My guess is that the ladybug saw the lilies and in its attempt to a walk from one leaf to the next, it fell off of a white petal into the pool of water. The water was contaminated with "flower food" that i believe is a chemically enhanced granulated substance meant to prolong the life of the flower. Sadly it truncated the life of the ladybug.

April 23, 2008



Healer
written April 16, 2008
by Victor Ike (drums)
Peace Ike (piano and backing vocals)
Joy Ike (lead vocals)
audio posted on myspace

Oh my soul does not understand
Still I say it is well with Your plan
Questions and answers are all in Your hands
You giveth and taketh away

Through the storms You've been there by our side
For comfort, to shelter, to lead, and to guide
Bless the Lord, all that's within me
Angels surround him and sing

God is your healer
He will take care of you...now

Strength for the journey and rest in the end
Forever protected in your Promised the Land
Bless the Lord, all that's within me
Angels surround him and sing

He will take care of you now

March 17, 2008

Something I’ve realized about myself in the past year is that I absolutely hate phone calls - not that I hate talking on the phone. I hate hearing the phone ring and wondering whether or not it might be someone I don’t want to talk to. When my phone rings, unless I’m expecting a call from a specific person, I usually don’t look at it. And if I do look at it, I don’t answer it.

I think this has something to do with my teenage years. I know that when I was around the age of 16-ish I had a major phobia of phones. Like...major! I had stuttering issues that made talking on the phone extremely embarrasing. I had the fear of awkward pauses and the worry of forgetting what I needed to say. I remember taking bullet point notes on tiny sheets of paper and pulling the slip out of my pocket right before picking up the receiver.

My hatred of phones these days has much to do with my attachment to computer screens. If you want to get a response back from me in 24 hours or less, you should email me. If you’re calling to ask me something music related, you should check my website and/or myspace first b/c the information is probably already there.

Also, I can’t remember everything so I like to have concrete information in my inbox to refer back to. I also like to CC (carbon-copy) and BCC (blind carbon-copy) people. That’s harder to do over the phone.

Please know that I don’t hate when you call, I just hate hearing the phone ring. I realize this is very impersonal and I’m sorry for that. I like you...I really do. But please work with me.

March 16, 2008

Ever since I was a child, I’ve always had these illusions of grandeur...or, as I like to call them, delusions of grandeur. My childhood was actually a good one. I grew up in a good, safe neighborhood. Parents had good jobs, I had a great education. Never got into trouble. Always made high honor roll. And while I’m thankful for all of God’s provision, I sometimes wish it hadn’t happened that way. I dunno...I kinda like the underdog type story where the girl raises herself in the back of a trailer. She lives off banana peels and half empty soda cans for the first 18 years of her life. And then...against all odds she becomes a nationally known artist. Ya, that actually sounds appealing. But, that wasn’t the case with me. Life has honestly been easy. So when I think of the day four years ago when my brother was diagnosed with cancer, I think of the fact that I didn’t believe it. I definitely said something along the lin es of "Oh, he’ll be better next week." Or something like "Naw, this doesn’t happen to the Ike’s. The Ike’s are perfect."

February 5, 2008

After much thought...I've decide that racisms is just as prevalent as it was 30 years ago...only a little more subtle.

At choir practice, the kids subconsciously split themselves up by color. White kids in one section of the room. Black kids in the other. At the January Transformation hip/hop gospel event, there are sixty people in the room. 5 of them are white. At WYEP's Alternative Superbowl event, held in Barnes 'n Noble, there are black people shopping in the store, but I'm the only black person at the performance area. I start to wonder about things that I've been thinking more seriously about in the past couple weeks: Is the distinction between "white music" and "black music" more than just a figment of our imaginations. Why am I more likely to find a white person in a coffee shop? Why isn't there a Starbucks in any of the black communities in Pittsburgh. Why is there a "black community?" Why is it ok to say "Black Community" and offensive to say "White Community"? Why are there Black Colleges? The existence of black colleges is great in my opinion...especially b/c these colleges were founded during an era when black individuals weren't given the same opportunities to prove themselves just as capable and intelligent as whites. But this is the 21st century. Why, now in the 21st Century, when black people like Obama take on a major task (i.e. running for president), why does he get a pat on the back, major endorsements from the black church, and Oprah's support? Why isn't it just as common to see black people in places of power?

This past week I have been so angry because as much as I try to bring my two worlds together, they don't want to meet. I guess I feel awkward and completely out of place. I don't really feel American, and I don't feel African American. I feel Nigerian - a Nigerian who is actively engaged in the best and worst of both worlds. I think about myself and know that I can do alot better. I need more black friends (not just so I can have someone to braid my hair). I need more white friends too.

This is the charge: Think about your social pool. Do you associate with a diverse group of people? If you think hard enough about it, you'll realize that you probably subconsciously gravitate towards people who look like you because it's more comfortable. The bottom line is that we accept each other but we definitely don't associate with each other. For years this has been the discussion topic of Black History Month symposiums, racial diversity workshops, and speeches. It makes me sad that nothing is changing...at least not as significantly as it should be. Anyone can agree that racism is wrong but most people won't prove it.

I'm interested in what you think about this.
Head to the myspace to comment on this blog.

January 18, 2008

Many moons ago...18 months to be exact, I wrote an extensive blog about
shoes and the women who wear them. This was a blog I felt very strongly about. I believed everything was true - that women who wear pointed shoes usually have a pointed/sharp personality...and that women who wear round-toe shoes are a bit softer, sweeter, and laidback. I sent it out to the women in my office and received an extremely negative response - the beginning stages of my growing unpopularity at work. Well, yesterday, I purchased my first pair of blood red, sharp shoes. They're so hot! Thank you payless. *cheesy smile*

Many moons ago...18 months to be exact, I wrote an extensive blog about shoes and the women who wear them. This was a blog I felt very strongly about. I believed everything was true - that women who wear pointed shoes usually have a pointed/sharp personality...and that women who wear round-toe shoes are a bit softer, sweeter, and laidback. I sent it out to the women in my office and received an extremely negative response - the beginning stages of my growing unpopularity at work. Well, yesterday, I purchased my first pair of blood red, sharp shoes. They're so hot! Thank you payless.*cheesy smile*

ln 1: Have I become what I once hated? *lifts her hands to the sky dramatically*
ln 2: Am I my worst enemy? *falls to the ground and struggles to pull herself together.*
(end Act 1)

As I stood in the store yesterday, I asked myself, "Joy, what will it mean if you buy this pair of shoes? What will happen when people at work see you with these shoes? Will you be able to look at yourself in the mirror?" I didn't have any answers. But 24 hours later, I can tell you that I'm still able to look at myself in the mirror. *sighs in relief then doublechecks herself in the mirror*

In the original blog, I claimed that round-toe shoe people never bite. This is still true. But I think I'm a biter now. I'm a little more opinionated than I was a year ago. A year ago i would have never bought those shoes but now I'm much more driven and I have a plan. I am not as laid back as I used to be, which is a bit dissapointing. I'm also getting better at telling people what to do. This is good and bad. But I'm still an excellent follower. This is good.

So this is the grand finale: It is ok to be the leader. I am fine with this now. It is also ok to have friends who wear pointy shoes. It is also ok to wear both round and pointy shoes. And just in case you were wondering, I will continue to go barefoot at my shoes... but 2nite's Club Cafe was an exception.

This is, in part, a ridiculous blog...but not really.

ooo


January 1, 2008

This is what happens when you write down on a piece of paper all the things you want to let go of from 2007, put them in a bowl, and set them on fire. Here's to 2008!

Photobucket Photobucket Photobucket Photobucket

December 29, 2007

I ran into another girl by the name of "Joy Ike" today. It was the most surreal thing ever! How does that happen? Well...I know how it happened. We actually had the same exact story--Nigerian chicks whose last names are actually 3, 4, or 5 times longer than their shortened American version. Her full last name is something like "Ikenioariooijioiahu" or i dunno....something close to that. I'll admit. I was kinda dissapointed to know that there is more than one Joy Ike. But from past attempts at googling my name (yes, i do google myself occasionally), I kinda knew there were others...i just didn't expect to meet any of them...in Pittsburgh! At the same time, this Joy Ike was very pleasant and we intend to hang out. She told me that she is a Junior at Robert Morris University. She plays basketball for them. She told me that when I performed at RMU 3 months ago, everyone was coming up to her asking her if she was also a musician. She mentioned that her roommate came to that show, got a copy of my CD, and they've both been listening to it for a while. We exchanged numbers. She's in my phone as "Joy Ike." haha. that's funny!

December 14, 2007

It's funny. We walk in. Hair done, purse in hand. A bit anxious actually. Diesel is dark. Lots of silhouettes and random flashing red and blue lights. I've been to Diesel many times. Opened for a band there once. A friend of mine got married there in October. But the air is different tonight and you have to give them you name at the door in order to get in. This isn't my "scene" and it feels extremely weird. Most of my night, in fact, involves standing in the corner of the room and hoping no one sees me. The other part of my night involves sitting in a leather chair on the balcony. Somewhere in between all of that, I am eating…a lot. Peace is with me. Peace: lets go dance! Joy: Lets not. Peace: You are sooo boring. Joy: I'm pretty sure I disagree with you. So we sit and fake laugh about nothing…cause everyone's doing that. What's funny about the City Paper "Best of" event is that you can't really walk around like you're the most important piece of meat in the room…because everyone who's there has won something – even the bartender. But still everyone sticks their chest out, holds their nose up rather high and looks for your name tag to find out "Who exactly is she and what did she win?" There is also a lot of peripheral vision stuff going on too. People are looking out of the corner of their eye to see if they're being seen. It's interesting. So I stare and stare some more at the screen as different categories, and their winners, fade in and fade out. Best looking male: Hines Ward. Best place to see beautiful people: Privelege UltraLounge. Best bar/club to avoid hipsters: Jack Rose Bar. It's actually quite absurd if you think about it. But there are also some really good ones! Best Mural/Public Artwork: East Liberty busway mural. Best place to take a hike: Frick Park. The night wraps up. High heels and extra large egos walk out the door. Nothing has really changed. I go home to a cold apartment…b/c I'm too cheap to turn the gas on.

November 16, 2007

I love Mr. Rogers! He makes me so happy! Today, I woke up and did not go to work. With a bowl of oatmeal in my hand, I sat down on my parents couch, turned on PBS, and watched as Mr. Rogers welcomed me to his Neighborhood. He is so friendly. His talking is slow and melodic like music. He is so comfortable. Ahhhh!
The teletubbies make me wanna puke!

November 5, 2007

Sara Groves has done it again! I suppose it's not hard for her. Good music and good lyrics just bubble out of her! She has just released her 6th full-length album – Tell Me What You Know. If you didn't know, now you know. Actually it comes out tomorrow but I got it a week ago. One of the perks of working at a publishing and distribution company (that was bragging). I hope to start a Sara Groves cult. My commune will probably only accept Sara Groves lovers anyhow. The screening process will be thorough in order to ensure that all members are in fact fully committed to Sara Groves. Are you a true Sara Groves fan? Test yourself. If you are, then you would know that she just popped out her third child this summer. Ruby. And any baby whose name is slightly or largely associated with the color red is a friend of Joy Ike.
Back to the facts. Key tracks are 1, 2, 4, 6, 7, and 9. Go buy it! Quick! I will say, however, that my attachment to Add to the Beauty made it incredibly hard to love this CD as much. But after my 4th listen, I was sold. Right now…at this moment…I wish I were a professional endorser…that my words carried some weight in the matter or good music…enough to influence your music purchases. In any case, something that caught my ear today was her song "Honesty". The song has this great drumline to it. All of a sudden everything dies out and all you hear is her voice singing "Only the truth and truthfulness can save us." It is so powerful! It made me think of "cleanliness". That's the only word that came to mind. The truth is so clean…no attachments and strings of lies to cover up other lies. "Oh honesty. The truth be told for the sake of our souls."
Here is something else I want to tell you. I want to tell you that I can't seem to find any male piano players in Pittsburgh. This bothers me! If you know of any, please shoot me their myspace.
Also, in other recent news, I just found out that there is an Urban Dictionary dot com. How exciting is that! It comes second to Dictionary dot com of course. But wow!
Sometimes I wonder if I suffer from illusions of grandeur…or maybe just illusions.

November 2, 2007

The mess I got myself into with my ear resulting in the use of a syringe, razor, tweezers, sewing needle and thread... For my birthday, I hike myself over to the jewelry store and get two additional piercing in my left ear...taking the count up to 5. They give you this bottle of cleaner and a signed waiver saying that they cannot be held responsible for any unforeseen emergencies, catastrophes...etc. 4 weeks pass...and I've probably only cleaned my ear once! Sometime during that 4th week, I check out my ear in the mirror and the earring is gone! Did it fall out? I look in my bed, assuming it has fallen off in the middle of the night. No signs. I look on the bathroom floor. No signs. I look at my ear (again). There it is! Only...the skin has closed over it and my earring is...yes...embedded in my ear! A little 'diamond' stud is somewhere inside my ear!

Option 1: I find a pair of tweezers in my bathroom medicine cabinet and begin tugging at the earring from the back. Ouch. When this doesn't work, I move on to option 2.

Option 2: I talk to my supervisor at work who is in her mid 50's and is sure to have the wisdom I need. "Numb it with ice," she says, "then rip it out!" Ummm…no.

Option 3: I call Urgent Care in Monroeville. I debated calling Urgent care several times. I mean…it wasn't really urgent. The earring wasn't really going anywhere. I couldn't go to my primary care doctor…b/c they're just good for checking my temperature and height. So Urgent Care was one step down from the ER and one step up from the clinic. Urgent Care says they don't set appointments…that I should just walk-in. So I walk in. At the front desk the lady tells me, "Ya, we get freak piercing cases all the time." I ask her if my health insurance will cover it. "We're in a network with UPMC but there's no way of telling how much they'll cover. A piercing case is usually $140 at the least." I walk out.

Option 4: I talk to momma. I tried not to reach option 4. Momma is a bit of a traditionalist and doesn't necessarily approve of piercings…even though she's really ok with them if you've already done it and it's too late for her to change your mind. I tried to avoid option 4 because of the impending scolding momma would shower me with. Sure enough "honey, why would you do that? I thought you were above that!" I chuckle and say, "Mommy, I'm sorry that I disappointed you. Can you cut my ear open and get it out! It'll be like it never happened!" She tells me she's on-call on Sunday and that I can come visit her in the hospital. On Sunday, I approach the hospital with fear and trembling…envisioning all the ways this is gonna go down. Momma gives me a chocolate chip cookie to ease my nervousness. She then proceeds to open up an emergency kit, pull out a syringe and draw a clear numbing fluid into it. I eat my cookie. Yummy. Suddenly I can't feel my left ear anymore! This affects my taste buds and I can't taste my cookie anymore. This may also have something to do with the fact that I finished my cookie 5 minutes ago. Momma then pulls out a razor and proceeds to cut my ear. I hunch down in fear waiting for the pain to overtake me but it is painless. Thank you Zorthrax or Zanitol or Zinotram…or whatever you were called. After momma cuts my ear, she pulls tweezers from the emergency pack and searches inside for the earring. She pulls out a bloody 'gem'. Now that the hole is open again, momma pulls out her needle and stitching thread. She loops it through my ear to keep the hole open. It is finished. I breathe my last breath (nervous breath, that is). Then I eat another cookie. Yummy.

October 22, 2007

Time of death 12pm EST. I've been "calling it" all day, every day, for the past 3 weeks. There are flies everywhere in my office. It's an epidemic and I've gone borderline insane killing flies, and finding the right music to drown out the constant buzzing in my ears. It's amazing how loud a buzz can get. And it's interesting, because the most random fly references have popped into my life on one-too-many occasions - like the Garfield cartoon that arrived in my mailbox last week. See below. According to our Vice President, when our building was originally built, there was some type of fly colony at a nearby construction site that migrated and made its home in the foundation, frames, and corners of this building…and because of the unseasonable warm fall, they've hatched and "an exterminator will not be able to solve the problem." Because of this, we've all come to a general agreement at work that flies are/were/must have been the worst all of all the plagues the children of Egypt suffered through (next to death of the firstborn).

:)

On a completely very serious note, a new song has finally finalized itself. It's something thats been on my heart, in my head, and at the tip of my fingers for over 2 years. I finished it last night and i plan to record it for posting hopefully by Wednesday. We'll see. There's always that one piece of straw that breaks the camel's back...and due to a couple things that have happened in the past 1 week, well...my back is broken. More to come.

On a whole 'nother and even more serious note, I learned a new word this past weekend - gentrification. Thoughts on gentrification have dominated my mind for about 3 days. And out of curiosity, I came across www.gentrification.org. I'm starting to wonder about those who get ahead and those who dont - what distinguishes the two types of people, which 'agendas' should be unwelcome, and which should be embraced with open arms (because everybody has an agenda). Is improvement ok when it causes unwanted change? The improvement itself is good. But its repurcussions aren't necessarily good...depending on who you talk to. Anyhow, I'm not really getting to any kind of point on this because I'm not sure how I feel about it yet. That's all for now.

October 7, 2007

Today at my friend's wedding, the past met the present. People I had not seen in years. Teens who have become adults. Memories pulled from the archives. Several years back, growing up together in youth group, we were all the same. One thing brought us together- our love, pursuit, and passion for God. This is the same thing that drove us apart. Some of us were called to move to different cities and schools. Some were called to pursue bigger things. Some of us put God on a shelf and convinced ourselves that he was only "a phase" that had passed. Many, many things have changed in 3 1/2 years. I've completely changed. I look back on who I was, and compared to now, I cannot even find a way to reconcile the two. I love who I am today. I am ashamed of who I was yesterday. Back then, the church to me was a cliché. I belonged somewhere and those who were not a part were unimportant. I have become a bit less naive. I didn't know the world was the way it is...b/c I didn't know it was ok to befriend, embrace, and embark on life with those who did not love or live or believe in Christ. It was only after leaving 'the church" mentality that God began to show me what true love, compassion, and human value is. I realized, only in the past few years, that the church is not the community. The community is the church. I realized that emphasizing the value of human life should not be saved just for the unborn, but for the neglected, hurting people I see everyday…and for the neglected, hurting me that I purposely hide from others. There are things I never thought of 4 years ago…like "why do I have clean water?", "does this person live there…or is he waiting for the bus?" , "should I pray for this stranger?" I wonder, if I were still fellowshipping with only Christians, if any of these would be an issue to me. When I left "the church", I became lonely. I began to shrink b/c I was not comfortable. I am more and more uncomfortable everyday…but that makes me comfortable.

October 1, 2007

Today I've promised myself that I will start going to bed on time, I will eat regularly, I will no-longer over-commit myself, and I will start saying NO to people! I've also decided that if work doesn't get done when its supposed to get done, I wont get anxious, and I wont tighten up. I'll simply look at it, blink, then walk the other way. I will also start reading books for leisure again…not just for my job (that's not to say that I actually read those books). I will also spend 5-10 minutes a day stretching on my living room floor. If I continue to try to be perfect, it will be the death of me…so no more. And for all ya'll emailing me about music at my work email…how did you even get that yo! I didn't give that to you, homie! *Tisk tisk* There are of course exceptions…like Nadina. Also, instead of sitting on the edge of my seat, my butt will be all the way against the back of the chair. I might also abandon list-making. If it's that important then I'll remember in my head, not on paper, or on my hand. I won't be doing anymore shows in October and November…other than the ones that I've already committed to already. Do you know how it feels to realize that the world will revolve even if you're not on it. It feels good! Even if it were to stop revolving…well that's not a big deal. Everything needs a break occasionally…even the world.

September 10, 2007

Today I've promised myself that I will start going to bed on time, I will eat regularly, I will no-longer over-commit myself, and I will start saying NO to people! I've also decided that if work doesn't get done when its supposed to get done, I wont get anxious, and I wont tighten up. I'll simply look at it, blink, then walk the other way. I will also start reading books for leisure again…not just for my job (that's not to say that I actually read those books). I will also spend 5-10 minutes a day stretching on my living room floor. If I continue to try to be perfect, it will be the death of me…so no more. And for all ya'll emailing me about music at my work email…how did you even get that yo! I didn't give that to you, homie! *Tisk tisk* There are of course exceptions…like Nadina. Also, instead of sitting on the edge of my seat, my butt will be all the way against the back of the chair. I might also abandon list-making. If it's that important then I'll remember in my head, not on paper, or on my hand. I won't be doing anymore shows in October and November…other than the ones that I've already committed to already. Do you know how it feels to realize that the world will revolve even if you're not on it. It feels good! Even if it were to stop revolving…well that's not a big deal. Everything needs a break occasionally…even the world.

September 10, 2007

I always feel like I'm stuck in nostalgia. Today I listened to the Josh Moyer Band's The Rescue - a compilation of original worship songs. I was reminded of Saturday mornings as a kid...waking up to music playing throughout the house...going to my parents bedroom and seeing my mother dancing before the Lord. Her hands lifted up and her voice lifted up with the sweetest vibrato. She always shook her hips and closed her eyes with the most innocent, content smile of appreciation plastered on her face. And then she would extend her arms to me and ask me to join her. I miss that soooo much!
Today I'm especially appreciative of music that has been created to give praises to God. Music is automatically worship. It is always worshipping something. But it is really something entirely different when it humbles you and causes you to re-evaluate your existence, your purpose, and the way you live. I'm also reminded that dance is also worship...as well as visual art, and all other forms of art and non-art.
Doing things with purpose is worship! Being grateful is worship! Showing love, compassion, and honor is worship. Encouraging others, and serving others is worship! God is so good and I am so excited about this today!

August 26, 2007

I bought a dulcimer yesterday!!! I didnt know what it was when I saw it, but it was so miniature and cute! It was $8 at a garage sale! I learned four notes on it. This is my Dulcimer video.


Joy's other videos

July 27, 2007

There have been three murders on the North Side in the last three weeks. 1 hit-and-run this evening. The Postal Service building robbed. My good friend's apartment was robbed last week…including digital camera, jewelry, and laptop. Tonight some of the ladies of Mosaic got together to pray. Actually it was Book Club…but the last 90 minutes turned into a discussion and prayer time on how to handle what's going on. When our friends lose their children to a drive-by shooting, how do we react? Especially when we're so used to this happening to other people. When the kids of ACAC, Mosaic, Urban Impact, Pittsburgh Project, and His Place lose their friends, what do they do? There's an overwhelming sense of fear on the North Side right now. It's the summer and the kids don't want to be outside…especially since 2 of the three shootings have occurred during the afternoon. Jehru Donaldson, who went through the Urban Impact program, graduated and was off to college in the fall. Somebody wanted his car so they killed him for it. On my drive home, I wondered "is it a sin to live in the suburbs?" (or even in the suburban mindset) …where everyone has their own 2-3 acres of land, doesn't know their neighbor, and doesn't care to. Or, is it a sin to live in the better part of the city…where there are never shootings and you can go home at night without worrying about a break-in? I think I'm asking this for personal reasons. Because as much as I, or you try our best to serve others, love others, and impact others, we'll always take comfort in the fact that we can go back home at the end of the day…unless you can't. I seriously think there is a lack of hope permeating the neighborhoods of Pittsburgh right now. On the flipside there is an overabundance of disregard in the suburban communities. Without trying to trivialize anything or sound cliché, I really think the answer is God...Christ. Nobody has anything to live for anymore. People are dying and killing each other b/c they don't know the meaning of "love thy neighbor." People are depressed because they're lonely…because no one cares about them…b/c we're all so selfish…b/c we forgot to "love they neighbor as thyself." Because we forgot that life is all about community. Because we started isolating ourselves and telling people not to bother us with their problems.

July 23, 2007

Today the idea of being a workaholic passes through my mind. I start to think that, that just might be who I am. Instantly I flashback to a night like many nights back in middle school and highschool. Mom is on-call at the hospital. Dad is sitting at the kitchen table working to finish the work that he could not work on at work. His eyes are red. He scratches them constantly trying to rub out the sleep. Mom's voice sounds tired over the phone as she says, "Baby Joy, you have to be mini-mom while I'm gone". I now realize, that after spending 8 hours in front of a computer during the day, I'm spending at least 2-4 more each night doing more work for myself – updating the website, updating the myspace, making a flyer, telling everyone about the "biggest event of the summer" which really isn't the biggest event (but I have to make them believe that). The result? Well…progress. A lot of good progress. But I am tired. I think maybe I should go to Maui and detox from all marketing initiatives. And then when I come back I can resume promoting "the biggest event to hit Pittsburgh since never before and never again"

July 12, 2007

Well hello friends!
You should know that pictures from the most beautiful wedding of 7.7.7 are uploaded. Go here to check out the slideshow. Go here to check out the video!
I love weddings!
En*joy*

June 5, 2007

I have your number in my pocket
I plan to call and we'll talk it
You know I don't like to get personal
I know I can't live in between these walls forever

I've spent my time down in the valley
I hid in backyard dumpster alleys
It smelled like rotten fish and candy
It was time to pack my tears and dissapear for all time

The say the sun will always find you
It's true, you know I wouldn't lie to you
It's cruel, the way things try to eat at you
Those things, you know they tried to eat me too

But I'm fighting my strongman
I put him in a can
He tried to put me down
I almost let him win

I ran for just a while
I found that I got tired
So I turned right back around
And I burned him with some fire

And I said:
Oooo na na na
Oooo na na na
No way! No! No! No!
Tss Tss Ahhhh!

(c)2007 Joy Ike

May 25, 2007

Today I found out for the first time, that my co-worker is pregnant. She's been pregnant since before Christmas. You can imagine how embarrassed I was considering that her office is next to mine…and that I see her in the lunchroom every day! It makes me wonder if maybe my head is in the clouds a little bit more than it should be. There is a new video store down the street from my house that rents all its videos for one dollar! One dollar! Even new releases! In the past 4 days I've watched Superman Returns, The Devil Wears Prada, Bourne Supremacy, and Night at the Museum (which is an awesome movie by the way). Is this a good thing? If I were white, my skin might be pale from lack of sunlight. I'm thinking I should get out more. I didn't even hit up the park this week. Maybe I should blame Angela for telling me about this rental spot? No, I think I just need to watch fewer movies and meet more people. Oh yea…I also need to learn my inversions (refer to last entry). *chuckle* But I think I should stop being so closed off. Sit on my yoga ball less. Run outside more. Surf the internet less. Surf the waves more. No no, I'm not a surfer…and I have no desire for that schmuck! Water is my enemy. It makes my hair brittle. I love the outdoors. Being at Schenley Park. There are little black boys and girls everywhere learning the meaning of endurance. They sprint a lap, then jog a lap, then walk. Then sprint a lap, jog a lap, walk a lap. Sprint, jog, walk. They're so cute! Some of them cry b/c their coaches push them too hard. The tennis players are cute too. They like to pretend they're really good. They let out these antagonizing yelps every time they smack the ball…like the athletes at Wimbledon. Ahhhh!!! Or Yeeeeee!!! Or Aggghh! And every time their opponent scores a point, they fall dramatically to the ground and say "Uhhhhhh". They hold their heads between their hands, and then in an explosive fit of aggression, try to cut through the earth with their Wilson tennis rackets. Most of them leave the court with deformed equipment. Not really. I'm making this all up! See…my heads are in the clouds again! My eyes are flying out of my head. I've been staring at this computer too long. Time to get back to work and see who else is pregnant.

May 24, 2007

Today was another day of dreaming…of all the things I could/will do – like traveling the globe, meeting Spanish men *chuckle*, and changing people with my music. I'm suddenly thrown back to my senior year at Taylor Allderdice High School. I'm at Oliver High where City Championships for Track & Field are being held on the fenced-in track. I'm really nervous because there are hundreds of people in the stands and the announcer is about to shoot the gun for the 100m hurdles event to begin. I'm really nervous because a lot of people are watching and all the competitors are really good. I want 2nd place. I wont try for first b/c the chic who always gets first has been a consistent 2 seconds faster than me since 9th grade…and I've always placed behind her. I'm thinking about this now because I'm very nervous about music. Yesterday my piano teacher discovered my big setback. Inversions. Something as simple as inversions. If I knew my inversions, I'd be more versatile on the board. I'd be flexible. First inversions, 2nd inversions. 3rd …wait there is no 3rd inversion. I should know that, right? I'm nervous that my hands don't move like I want them to- like maybe something in my brain doesn't translate to something in my fingers. I'm nervous that I feel stupid ever time I drive home from a lesson. Because my skills pail in comparison to his and every other pianist I know. I'm not beating myself up…so don't think this is a pity party. And no…you don't have to console me. You don't have to leave comment saying, "Joy, I love your music just as it is." I'm just a bit nervous. Once again, I haven't been trying for 1st place because 1st place has always been better than me. Some guy...I forget his name...he says "There are only two things holding you back from accomplishing your dreams -fear of failure and fear of success." So…this is the problem. Try for 1st place, Joy. Just try! I don't need self-help cassettes to make myself feel better about achieving great things. I need determination. I need confidence. I need to know my inversions is what I need! Last Friday, I read the most challenging quote by Tyler Perry, playwrite and director for the Diary of a Mad Black Woman and Madea family movies. "If you have a natural talent to do things, and then nurture it, educate it into making it better...No matter what's going on in the world, no matter how many writers, your gift will make room for you...if it's your gift, nurture it and make it the best that it can be." There may be 10,000 people trying for the same exact thing I'm trying for. But if God's calling me to do it, well then he's going to make a way for me to do it exceedingly well – better than I ever thought possible. I intend to honor that. To whom much is given, much is required. Plenty of times, my coach said my legs were too long for me to run the hurdles in 17.3 seconds…that if I wanted to go to regionals, I'd have to push for under 16. I'm back at the track field. I don't get 1st place. I don't get 2nd place. I get 3rd. Its funny how seeing things in hindsight can profoundly affect your future.

April 15, 2007

Things can change if you want them to. After a weekend of benefit concerts, I'm overwhelmed by the amount of need there is. How can anyone be involved in any type of relief work without becoming overwhelmed by the work that needs to be done, the ever increasing number of people needing help, and the lack of people willing to give it? On a weekly basis, I'm learning that I've been living out faith through a pinhole - that touching the heart of God does not just mean learning of him through the Bible, worshiping with others on Sunday mornings, and prayer. Those are all important. Those are my foundation. But going after God more than anything these days means finding need an addressing it. Baridi Night was an awareness benefit addressing the struggles that Sudanese and Zambian refugees face upon arriving in America - prejudice, language barriers, inability to grasp the concept of the unfriendliness and lack of community among Americans…and the list goes on and on. How do refugees get jobs if they don't go to school? How can they get an education without having learned English? How do they learn English but by people who care enough to teach them. Those who receive grace must be gracious. FLUX was an event put together and sponsored by the Three Rivers Arts Festival, Coro Center for Civic Leadership, Braddock Township Borough, Americorps and several other local organizations. It was an event promoting and celebrating community revitalization, local visual and performing artists, and young creative thinkers. I got into a conversation with Americorps' Program Director and we talked on how Braddock used to be one of the most thriving communities in Pittsburgh - home of the oldest Carnegie Library in the country. There used to be a community swimming pool in its basement and a gymnasium on its top floor. Things happened in Braddock. Now, the church where FLUX bands performed has stained glass-looking windows with holes created by baseballs, basketballs, and golf balls. The windows are dirty, the wood floors are cracked, the paint is chipped, and on any other day of the week, the building is abandoned. There is need in Braddock, there is need in Homewood, there is need in Carnegie, there is need in the Northside, Southside, South America, South Africa, Nigeria, Europe, Asia…My pastor once said "To make it in this world people need to pull themselves up by their boot straps. But some people don't have arms and some people don't have boots." What touches the heart of God is providing boots and lending your arms to those who have one, the other, or neither.

April 15, 2007

Release
I am violently cleaving
To every clue you're leaving
I am withstanding
While being demanding
You are eternal
I am internal
Fire burn below me
River come flow me

I saw a white dove
Flying above me
Olive branch and leaf
Tucked in its beak
I thought for certain
You pulled the curtain
I thought it was clear
There could be no fear

Trumpets are blasting
Love everlasting
People are dancing
People are laughing
We've found our purpose
You've helped us discover this
Questions are dying
Answers are thriving
(c)2007 Joy Ike

April 14, 2007

You Followed
It's nothing in particular
I am just a bit peculiar
And I'd appreciate it if you didnt stare
I washed my hands a thousand times
I closed my doors and closed my blinds
And I pretended like you weren't even there
You broke the lock and entered in
And did that talking thing again
And told me that I need to comb my hair
I put on my shoes and left the room
I took a trip out to the moon
You followed, You followed, You followed
I closed my doors and closed my blinds
I closed my ears and shut my eyes
But You followed, You followed, You followed
(c)2007 Joy Ike

April 7, 2007

This weekend, I've been reflecting on what the cross really means to me. I've thought a little on my life in the past year and wondered whether or not everything I've lived for truly honors the cross. The cross is the perfect picture of grace and hope – two words that have come to mean a lot to me this year. Last night at Good Friday service, my pastor referenced Exodus 15. I don't remember what he was talking about, but we read verse 25…about how the Israelites were complaining because they couldn't find any water to drink. They were desperate, cranky, hopeless…because the only available water was bitter. Moses cried out to God for a solution. God showed Moses a piece of wood to throw into the bitter water. Moses threw the wood in and the water became drinkable. This is our lives. The wood, the cross, redeems even the most bitter areas of our lives…even the most difficult situations. The cross is grace, hope, love, and redemption. The cross is the story of my life.

March 16, 2007

Mystery
I ran into a couple people who were talkin' bout the things they thought about
The grace of God
The wrath of God
The love of God

My head was splittin' cause they were hittin' on the things I'd never thought about
Like who is He?
And who are we?
And how can we trust what we don't see?

One person said "It's all in my head
He can be whatever I please"
If this is true, your god is You
And your life must be a breeze
Because He gives and takes away
He pushes until you break
That's not fair
But that's the way that He is
I once was told when I grew old
I would understand the things of God
That's a lie as far as I can tell
But mystery is what's keepin' me
Runnin' only for the things of God
That's the truth as far as I can tell

Because He gives and takes away
He pushes until you break
Don't seem fair
But that's the way that he is

Well, I have been pushed
And I have been pulled
I've been abused just like a mule
To say that life's a daisy is not really true
To say that God is easy, is easy for you
Because He gives and takes away
He pushes 'til you break
That's not fair
But that's the way that he is
so...its taught me to be more patient with me
and...it's taught me that things don't always come easily
and...while fairness and justness are two different things
endure the pain to see the joy that it brings
(c)2007 Joy Ike

February 28, 2007

All I wanna do is a zoom a zoom zoom... People People! Spring is on its way. February 28th. There's snow all over the place where I work. Patches of ice, mounds of snow, and even sharp fang-like teethy icicles. But drive 25 minutes into Pittsburgh where I live and it's as clear as a summer night – minus the towering smoke from the chicken-barbequing grill on the patio! Lovin' it! Ok, I'm getting way ahead of myself. They should make a rule that can only be enforced from 9-5...a rule stating that you can't daydream. Because if they did, I'd get a lot more done. I daydream a lot. I just finished a new song this week about the world inside my head. It's called "The World Inside My Head". Today I'm daydreaming about Art Festivals – how all I wanna do from now until September is play at Art Festivals. Shadyside Art Festival. Lawrenceville Art Festival. Bloomfield Art Festival. Murrysville Art Festival. And most importantly the Three Rivers Art Festival. I also wanna play art festivals in the middle of Hickville…where they line up wild pigs and race them against each other. They also pit little Chihuahuas against each other...the ones they've starved for days in order to ensure that they'll be extra vicious and destructive. I wanna do it all (except be one of those dogs). That's all I wanna do…a zoom a zoom zoom! I want to do art festivals in different cities, in different states, and in different countries. If you know of one, can you tell me? I think maybe in the summer, I wanna organize a one week tour with 3 or 4 friends…musician…also known as frusicians. We'll go wherever we want and hopefully hit Nashville. We'll rock the world with our words, season souls with our serenades, and make moves with our music. Oh yes! "This is the world inside my head!"

February 10, 2007

Bipolar
I stayed up all night talking to myself
And I felt a little bit better
I wrote a long long letter to myself
And I felt a little bit better
And maybe I'm a little bit crazy
Cause I see how we avoid each other by talking to ourselves
I played a couple board games with myself
And I felt a little bit better
It's not so hard to skip a turn
When you learn that you're bipolar
And maybe I'm a litte bit crazy
Cause I see how we avoid each other by talking to ourselves

January 19, 2007

I might begin to classify myself as a jazz artist. If I hit wrong notes, I can pretend I did it on purpose. Jazz music is a mess of notes that don't really fit together. I think the random ones are called "accidentals". I'm not 100% sure on this though. "No no, that was not a wrong note. That was an 'accidental' played on purpose my friend." I had a dream earlier this week that I was on a stage performing. I think it was a high school auditorium. I had my piano and my red stool and Peace was playing djembe. But the longer I played, the worse it got. I kept trying to redeem myself by playing harder, faster, and longer but it just got embarrassing. I think this is why I was late to work that day. I didn't want to wake up. I forced my eyes to stay shut so I could play a song that people would like. If I were a jazz artist maybe I wouldn't have been late to work on Tuesday. I had a piano lesson this week. It's embarrassing, discouraging, and upsetting when you think you know something about a subject and then collide with someone who knows 10x more. Like me and my nalgene bottle. I take it everywhere. I used to call myself "Queen of the Nalgene" but then I met someone who owns 5 Nalgene bottles. I felt extra not-special. And then I found out my nalgene bottle wasn't even really a real Nalgene b/c Nalgene is a brand, not a product. So mine is actually imitation Nalgene. I should have known because mine broke and Nalgene are supposed to be unbreakable. If I were a jazz artist I would still be "Queen of the Nalgene". At tonight's show, I played many wrong notes, but on purpose. I figure I should get some practice. In the middle of my songs, I dictated short monologues. At the end of the night, I realized I'd been talking to an artificial tree all evening. Do jazz artists and jazz wannabes avoid eye contact with their audience on purpose? Maybe in an attempt to look cool? "Uh yea…this is just some diddy I threw together last night…in my dream *looks at tree* "uh it's about the color blue" *looks at an audience member than looks away again* "Uh this song is called…uh 'Blue love in GMinor7sus2add4minus13' uh, yea." (not a real chord but you can fake it in jazz)

December 31, 2006

Thoughts on hope and other things. It's 10:08…1 hour, 52 minutes till the new year and I expect only the best in 2007. A couple months ago my pastor preached a message on the definition of hope…misconceptions n'stuff. I used to think hope was all about thinking and wishing for the best but I realize that it's more like a confident expectation- no wishing, just knowing. If you've ever thought hard enough about it, you know wishing doesn't mean anything. When I blew out the candles on my birthday cake at the age of 11, I wished for a certain somebody in Mr. Letterman's 5th grade class to fall in love with me. That didn't happen. But it was for the better as this certain somebody turned out to be, and look, real nasty by the time we reached our senior year in high school. Right now I'm watching the Jersey Boys on Dick Clark's Rockin' New Years Celebration. I wish they would get off stage! Hope, unlike wishing, makes you work toward something. Last week, I thought about wiping 2006 away. Not with cheap fluid from the dollar store but the heavy duty Lysol cleaner. It doesn't leave any streaks or watermarks or nothing! But then... "HOPE". I'm thinking, I need to change my perspective on things. How you exit is how you enter and I am leaving this year in the best of all frames of mind. I am so excited to see what 2007 brings – great people, great love, great acts of love, and great music! "I know, and you know that there's always hope for better things in the new year!" 10:38 and the Jersey Boys are off stage. *sighs in relief* Happy New Year to you! I wish only the best for you and your family. I pray you find everything you're looking for in 2007 and know that you are loved by the only one that can love unconditionally. Hope for the best! Then work towards it! (visit myspace for lyrics to "Hope")