July 16, 2016 — That was this week for me, too much everything. I saw new tv shows, heard new records, artists I didn’t know, read magazines, listened to the radio. Much of it seems to cross-over, but honestly, whatever influence that will have on me, I think, is still brewing. Perhaps that’s the way it is when one does too much, and for sure that was this week. Wait, I said that. I started working out again too, or the beginnings of that, walking through the hills with my dogs. By the way, they aren’t so good at it yet either. Today, I started early, a hair-cut at nine, a drive to the oil change/car wash place only to realize I had forgotten my purse; who does that…, then lunch with a friend, then the oil change place again, a viewing of an open house, mowing the grass with my weed eater, then watching my favorite, the long-awaited Game of Thrones premier. Turns out, that was the episode featuring Ed Sheeran singing; there was much news of that of late. As for me, it’s as if I’m on a race, a race to do what, or go where, when, I do not know. The input? Perhaps I have so much input because I’m doing so much.

I’m waiting for an album release too, Lana del Rey; her record will come out this week. I saw a huge sign on top of Ameba Records with the cover for her album, billboards of two others with it as well. I took a pic, but the pic didn’t turn out, so you’ll just have to believe me. This week, I heard a couple more of her advance releases too. I won’t torture you with them, but I’m not sure what I think of them because they have rap on them. There have been other of her songs that did that as well, but not album songs.  I read some Youtube comments, comments that had my initial reaction of, dare I call it disappointment, comments that the songs are a change we do not like. Other people, call them self-appointed Lana experts, chided these people who had my same initial reaction of disappointment for not knowing that one of Lana’s early demos had rap on it. I wanted to write “one, people, one song, at most two,” but I held back not wanting the Lana experts to rake me over the coals. Even that feeling expressed in those comments — wanting “old Lana” back — crossed over too; more input. What do I mean?

A few days before, I was dreaming of having a house in Malibu. I mean if I’m going to dream, why not, right? So I played a song you all will hate, but I think it’s peaceful and sweet, and the entire subject is Malibu, so it fits. Miley Cyrus, apparently “old” Miley, as opposed to that cropped-hair Wrecking Ball Miley is what is present in her latest song, Malibu. At least that’s what her fans say. I know because I took a quick note of people’s comments there too. Miley’s fans were practically crying tears of joy over the song Malibu, happy to have their Miley back, old Miley if you will. I remembered those comments when I read the comments about Lana’s two new rap songs. Having recently read the disappointed Lana fans, you know ones being yelled at by the expert Lana fans, I felt a kinship with these Miley fans, not that I’m a strong Miley fan one way or another, but I was happy they have their “old” Miley back, fearful I’m going to lose my Lana, but happy for the Miley fans.

So I wonder, do we fans have to have a certain sound or we … leave the artist, at worst, or pine for what was, at best? Can an artist change when the audience is so used to a certain style? I am always one to say they can, but I find myself totally apprehensive at the thought of Lana del Rey adding rap to her songs.  Then again, all this input has left me a bit jumbled in my thoughts this week, and I was really excited when I saw that sign on the roof of Ameba for Lana’s new record, so I suppose I’ll wait with some anticipation and see.

In the meantime, I’ll post Malibu. I do need some calm, and the thought of running through the fields of Malibu with my Sheltie makes me feel calm and happy. In case you’re wondering what I’m talking about and don’t actually watch the video, Miley has her Sheltie in the video, and they look calm, happy and wonderful hopping around in the grass. But then again, it’s a Sheltie, and I just love Shelties. And my Chihuahua too; I love them too. Plus, the video makes me feel calm and happy. And I think there’s nothing I would like more right now, in this week of too much input, than calm and happy.