Before it comes out from someone else’s post….I want to be the one to tell you that I will be FINE, better than fine actually. I’m a warrior with no choice but to win. I am joining 1 in every 8 women born today who will be diagnosed with breast cancer, and I have the inspiration of the warriors who have fought before me. I was just diagnosed with breast cancer- caught it at the EARLIEST stage. I feel immensely grateful, lucky and blessed for the hindsight and experience of my parents who are both survivors. I was diligently watched and the only reason we caught it when we did is that I insisted on yearly MRI’s as a high risk candidate. My mammograms and ultrasounds were CLEAR! I am having the “Angelina” , just a beat behind. I’m having my surgery (a double mastectomy) on 7/26 and will be ready to tour with a new set- in more ways than 1- by Winter! For those of you who see my kids, please understand that they only know Mommy has an “owie” in her booby and the doctors are going to make it all better. We’re keeping it simple and they are my biggest concern right now. Jette has made sure to tell the checkout clerk at the market, the pharmacist, the mailman and everyone at a birthday party about Mommy’s boobie. So I thought I would tell you before my 4 year olds secretly open a twitter account. I have the best friends and family a person could ask for – and we’re Stronger Together. Now you know where that song came from  XO pnut

July 15, 2013 Update:

I’m thinking of having a Boob Voyage party.  The party games will include the bra toss (into a fire pit).  Woke up staring at the two things that infused life into my children for a year while I played “Love Will Keep Us Alive” (Eagles) in the back ground.  Cow’s milk is off the list.  I guess I finally have an excuse to buy a pet goat.  You know I love goats….   But I digress.  Meeting today with the Dr. who will upgrade my avatar after it’s been sliced.  I’m currently avoiding tv shows like Dexter.  I realize that some of my posts may be waaaaaay too much for some of you. That’s ok – just block the news feed.  I will try to keep it under control but realize that this is who I am right now and I’ve never been one to edit myself, much to Mommy’s dismay (but she loves me unconditionally ~ and she is with me step by step through this process).  Chip gets to go shopping with me today….I told him there are no catalogues (unless you want to pick up trashy mags), just a few bins of squishy things that look like mini floatation devises for grunion.   Should be fun.

Art Appreciation

 

 

Bobby Prize

July 16, 2013 Update  Resting up in my childhood bedroom. Mommy taking good care of me. This was the booby prize after today’s surgery (Part 1 of hopefully only 3). For those of you whom are not faint of breast, google “nipple delay.” The last thing I remember before I fell asleep on propofol was my smiling surgeon saying “think about a beautiful place you would like to vacation….” I said “The Italian Alps… Perhaps Lake Maggiore.” She said “It’s cold there… Here’s a blanket.” Then I was in a light warm and fluffy place. I just got off the phone with Dr. Lesley Taylor (Goddess/ Surgical Oncologist) and she told me the part of that conversation I completely forgot. She said she asked me “What’s the most beautiful thing you have ever seen?” and I answered “Watching my children breathe.” Thank you all for the incredible emails and posts on Facebook. You are making this inconvenient and uncomfortable adventure a lot easier than it would be without your support. Love, Cindy

 

Wednesday July 17th Update This is a Public Service Announcement. Cancer is NOT in charge. Therefore, today I confirmed a show with Rick Springfield at the Canyon Club on September 20th. It’s good to have a goal. See you there. In the meantime, back to my nap.

July 23 Update

I had a long talk with my boobs this morning – part of the long ceremonial goodbye before Friday’s Boob-Off. For those of you who are just now tuning & may find this shocking – deal with it.   Anyway…. I realized that the first time we became acquainted with each other was in 2nd Grade. March 17th to be exact. I was dressed in Luv-it Jeans with little ice cream cones on the back pockets, and had chosen a super soft light blue long sleeved shirt. It was cold outside. As I got on the school bus, this little jerk named B*** B***** (Mom said I’m not allowed to say his name because after all “he was just a little kid” and “it’s in bad taste to say his name”) pinched my right boob and gave me a titty-twister. This was no minor cop a feel – I got a bruise. Apparently I had forgotten it was St. Patrick’s Day. And apparently so did Mom and Dad, who let me out of the house in sacrificial clothing. Remembering that “To err is human, to forgive divine” I sincerely say: Mom, Dad, and B*** B***** – I forgive you.

 

Spring Thinking….it’s time to get outta the house!

Spring Thinking – Photo by Shannon Treglia

It feels GREAT to be Performing Again!
Putting away the Mommy Uggs to try on some heels and thigh high boots for a change.  I am so lucky to reunite with my friends The Bacon Brothers as well as amazing artists like Vonda Shepard.

 

Links to the Bacon Bros. East Coast dates are below and here is the link to my show with Vonda:

Vonda Shepard with Cindy Alexander
Saint Rocke, Hermosa Beach CA
Wednesday April 24th, 8 pm (Doors are at 5 – Yummy Happy Hour) ***Make sure to enter PROMO CODE:  CINDY for 1/2 price tickets! ***

So how’s your 2013 shaping up? I had a helluva time the first few months getting over that WTF-Flu I got over the holidays. I’m now a proud owner of a nebulizer. So all of you who heard me coughing after shows in February and March – I am much improved! I still have to wonder what little critters inhabited my lungs for so long. I’m sure they came from Perry & Jette (Petri & Dish). They are almost 4 now!!! Time flies – and they amaze and inspire me every day. It seems I’ve already had a profound influence on them . When I asked Jette what she’d like in her sippy cup, she said “Guacamole.” When I asked Perry what kind of music she’d like to hear for long ride to Grandma & Grandpa’s, she said “Rock ‘n Roll baby!”

Part of my goal in getting back out on the road is not only to share “Every Rise and Fall” with you, but also to reclaim myself. It’s easy to get lost being mother, wife, sister, friend….. Come meet me out there and let’s let go of all the identities that are attached to us and just get back to the basics. What makes us tick? What inspires you? What moves you? What makes you feel alive? Yeah, I wanna live and not just exist. Making music helps me do just that.

Oh, I’m still doing House Concerts and in this time of Sequestration…. there’s a sale on House Concerts 😉 So just email me at pnutsings@aol.com and we’ll figure it out. I can make it affordable, memorable, and so much fun. I’ll even make guacamole for the event.

Now, uh…I gotta go clean up a huuuuuuge mess of stickers, paint, play dough and mac ‘n cheese that has been smushed into my tile floor.

Stay in touch and thank you so much for being part of my musical journey. My music would mean nothing without someone listening.
XO
pnut

Opening for the BACON BROS.

“Givin’ it up for your Love” with Kevin Bacon and Paul Guzzone – Birchmere, March 2013 Photo by Diane Mentzer

5/3 Keswick Theater, Glenside PA
5/4 Whitaker Center, Harrisburg PA
5/5 Newton Theater, Newton NJ

Rockin’ with Michael Bacon at the Birchmere in Alexandria, VA March 2013 Photo by Diane Mentzer

Sustenance.

 

Thank goodness my uber amazing friend Kim Ferry took the roadtrip with me from L.A. to Seattle.  She was just going to support my efforts and make sure Janiva and I had good hair (she’s the lead hairstylist for the show The Office) – however, she turned out to be a great tour manager.  Apparently, I need supervision, and a LOT of Chai Tea Lattes.

So this tour….it was really a birthday present to myself, a great excuse to hang out with two of my favorite females (Kim and Janiva) and do what makes me so very happy: Make Music.

I spent the first moments of my birthday (12:00 am on 2/11) on a pitch black offramp of the 5, star gazing and watching possum traverse the road. Why you ask? Well, Kim was driving while yours truly, the Co-pilot, was dozing off. Suddenly I hear “Oh no! You’re car isn’t working! Everything is shutting down! Your car is …. Not working !!!!! What’s happening????”
At which point, I gaze at the mileage indicator in the center dash and it reads -0-. “Kim, the car isn’t working because we are OUT OF GAS!!” Special thanks to Miso (as in miso soup) from AAA / Sellover’s Auto Center for bringing us fuel and escorting us to the gas station. Special thanks to Kim for allowing me to share this story (one of her many birthday presents to me).

How can you be mad when she’s so darn sweet about it????

It gets even more interesting . On day 2 of our drive, Janiva aka Lucy Ricardo, leaves her prized possession (toiletry bag – I must agree, I can’t live without mine…) at the most intriguing place in Gig Harbor, WA.  We received an emergency call to please stray from our path and pick up said item.  This is how I ended up at Wurlitzer Manor.  When Mr. LaVine asked if Kim and I needed to use the restroom, OF COURSE we said yes.  You would too. Go ahead, click on the link.  The place is jaw dropping.  And Mr. LaVine is a gem.

The shows at Jazz Alley were a blast.  I can’t tell you how honored I was to be opening for Janiva Magness ~ the Queen of Contemporary Blues, nominated for 5 BMA’s this year (that’s the Blues equivalent of the Grammy’s).  Her band was stellar, the room was phenomenal, the Jazz Alley staff – wonderful.  Post show we celebrated our birthdays (Janiva’s an Aquarian too!)

Birthday Girls

I spent Valentine’s Day at my friends Annee and Jordan’s.  They were celebrating their first anniversary and Mason and I did a house concert.  My favorite members of the audience were under 5.  I must admit we did a rousing rendition of Itsy Bitsy Spider and a dance version of the ABC’s.

Next was Hotel Oregon in McMinnville.  SOOOOOO many old friends and fans turned out.  Even my family (Chip’s side) showed up – they drove a couple hours to get there.  We had 3 hours to fill so we covered a lot of material.  Mason Stoops showcased some finger stylings on guitar in between sets  and old friend Brian McGinty played a few tunes of his own. Great to hear them both.  Special thanks to Jan Haedinger for arranging that show and a most comfortable bed at The Comfort Suites.  They win Best “Free” Breakfast at a hotel chain.  Belgian Waffles…score!

The ride back to L.A. is a long one.  And by 11:30 pm on Saturday the 16th I was toast…couldn’t keep my eyes open.  So I pulled over, lured by the blinking sign of Travel Lodge.

Actual conversation with front desk clerk at Travel Lodge:
Me: Hi! Can I please have two of those $43 rooms?
Him: We just sold those out, but we have rooms for $49.
Me: oh… Why do you have that blinking sign that says $43?
Him: When they are gone they are gone.
Me: Well, you should turn off that light. Do you have a Triple A discount?
Him: No.
Me: But all Travel Lodges have a Triple A discount!
Him: The owner just uses the name “Travel Lodge.”

Thank you to everyone who came out to support me on the Northwest Tour- old friends and new. Big hug to my family who bore the brunt of my jokes in McMinnville. Extra special and inexpressible gratitude to Janiva Magness for her friendship and for allowing me to share her stage. Kim M. Ferry– If you weren’t there with us, I would have left my head on the Delevan Road exit, my gear in The Space Needle, and my phone in the Nordstrom shoe department. Loooooved my girl time with you both. Thanks Jazz Alley, Hotel Oregon, and Annee Nimziki and Jordan for hosting a fabulous party/ house concert. Mason Stoops – thanks for sharing your talent, time, and most excellent Rdio playlists. This trip would not have been possible were it not for my husband, Chip Moreland, and my parents- thanks for putting in overtime.

2 weeks of family hugs and then I’m back on the road with the BACON BROS. for 3 dates at the Birchmere in Alexandria, VA (March 1-3, 2013).  These guys started it all for me back in 1998 when we played our first show together at the Troubadour in Los Angeles.  When they invited me to tour with them, I had to finish See Red so that I had something to sell!   I love these guys and I love their music, and touring with them has always been some of my favorite moments in my musical life.  Looking forward to reuniting.

Now I need to unpack! 🙂

xo pnut