The good news... I have great friends, who are still alive! I have the best husband on the planet and the most intelligent daughters! Obama won! I'm healthy and happy. Life is beautiful and precious. I guess loss just makes it all the more wonderful. Thank you, Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. A little sarcasm never hurt anyone either. :o)

UPDATE ON MY FRIEND, LINDA GRIFFIN, killed by a drunk driver in January this year:

"Man pleads guilty in crash that killed Mill Valley woman" - Marin Independent Journal

http://www.marinij.com/marinnews/ci_10818944




Memory of my dear friend, John Loring. I found out Friday (10/24) that my sweet friend died after heart surgery, perhaps from a blood clot in his lung, while recovering at the hospital. Needless to say I am sad and feeling rather drained after losing 2 friends in a week, and several others this year.







A memory of our dear friend, Mark Buck. Here he is lying in front of a space ship he made for some starry warish movie. Some of you may have met him at our spaghetti sauce contest. Mark died today in a motorcycle accident on the way to work. (10/16/08) He worked with Mike for the past 20 years. His wife and I were pregnant at the same time with Henry and Ruby. Our hearts are with you Marianne and Henry.



And my mom has breast cancer and skin cancer.
And my last surviving grandma died.
And my friend David died due to having ALS.
And prop 8 passed.
And... well, there's more but who the hell wants to think about!

This is a letter I wrote to my family and extended family members. If I am bold enough to tell them my convictions, I think I'd better do it here as well. We all have our beliefs, so if you don't agree with mine, let's agree to disagree and continue our friendship.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dear Family and Friends,

Someone in our family desperately needs our help. He has been robbed. Robbed, degraded and ridiculed! And WE can all do something to help him!!

Please, when you go to the polls, put your political and religious views aside, and think about family. Think about Human Rights. PLEASE think of Kevin, your son, nephew, cousin, friend, my brother-in-law.

If you are in California, Vote NO on 8. If you are outside California, please do what is necessary to help my little girl's Uncle have the same rights as the rest of us in this great country of ours. He deserves this.

Ask yourself if you are willing to take away someone's basic human rights? Especially your own family member's? We all have our own beliefs, but I can't imagine any of you denying Kevin his.

FYI, I don't think I would have sent this had I not received some political humor from dear Uncle Bob. So, thanks Bob, for including me in those emails. Now I feel comfortable enough to share this with all of you, too.

Humbly,
Susan Z

Today is Linda Griffin's memorial service. It has been postponed until today so that her husband, Bob, could attend. He is finally home from the hospital. The accident was January 27th.
Please don't drink and drive.
Please kiss your loved ones like it's the last time, every time you kiss them.
Please tell them you love them.
I love you!
z

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BXypjCSSwGc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D3aQWCu1qLQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i58l4jdXitw

I just found this on youtube. It's the remix of the song I sang for Karaoke Revolution. Trippy!

Still deep in the trenches of motherhood, I am starting to get the hang
of having two kids. My littlest, Rachel, is going to be one next
month. A year? Already?! It didn't go this fast with Ruby, who is
now three. Anyway, the moments are precious, to say the least. Ruby
loves princesses, it's in her DNA, and Daddy is teaching her to "pull
my finger". Thanks, Dad! Rachel is "cruising". That's somewhere
between crawling and walking. They actually have shoes called
cruisers. Ah, marketing.

OK, OK! Enough about the kids. The music is going great. I'm still
gigging with Casino Royale. We have a gig next week in Toronto. That
makes me an official International Superstar. Ha! I'm also gigging
with a band called, Double Funk Crunch, on May 26th, in Sacramento at
the Powerhouse Pub. I'm really looking forward to the club scene... a
total change of pace.

My children's CD, Songs for Little Hands, is now at Hay House
Publishing where the art work is being created. The CD will be in a
kit called, "Sign, Sing and Play", by Monta Z. Briant. She also has a
book called "Baby Sign Language Basics", sold at Target, Borders,
amazon.com, etc... After the success of her first book, she asked me
to write some songs for her kit. I'm thrilled to be partnering with
her in this endeavor. Did I mention she's my sister? We've both done
sign language with our babies and had amazing results. (Babies want to
communicate before they have the ability to talk. Sign language helps
cut down on tantrums and frustration, for both parents and babies!)
The kit will be available in January, 2007, but if you'd like an
advanced copy of just the CD, please email me or come to one of my
classes. Read on...

If you are interested in hearing my kids songs, come and check out one
of my sing-a-longs. After a successful series of classes at "Tu
Photography Studio", (Lisa & Sasha's), we are moving to a new location.
Starting May 16th, I'll be at ART START in San Rafael, at 9:45 AM,
every Tuesday. (1407 4th St. @ D St., free parking in the rear). I'll
be adding more classes in the coming weeks. Currently I also perform
at the Bay Club in Corte Madera, Wednesday mornings, 9:45, in the "Play
Club". You must be a Bay Club member to attend this group.

Well, it's taco night over here, so I'm going to chop lettuce and
tomato.

Much love, and thanks for your support,

Susan

October, 2005

(Click Here for WW&S event update)

I couldn't pass on the opportunity to share my recent road trip with...well, everyone. I went to visit my mother for her birthday. My dad was going to come with me but my grandmother has been ill so he stayed in SF. I took the long trip by myself. The journey down was pretty uneventful, except for a road-rager who tried to run me off the highway.
But the trip HOME was hysterical:

I got up at 4:00 AM.
I drove from San Diego to San Francisco.
I heard Ruby say for the first time:
"Rachel, stop looking at me!!!"
That lasted about ten miles.
I put my hand in poop three different times:
Rachels twice, Rubys once.
I peed on my shoes.
I spilled gasoline all over my shoes.
I threw away my shoes.
I pulled off the freeway, in the middle of nowhere,
to change a poopy diaper and have a quick pee, but was interrupted by a CHP officer.
Fortunately he didnt see me behind the car door. I stood up quickly and went back to sticking my hand in Rachels poopy diaper.
I got a crank sex phone call from someone named Jason: something about sweet strawberries.
And I started my period.

The funny thing is, life couldn't be better. :o)
Hee hee.
Love, Susan

August, 2005

Ok, fine. So I haven't been the best at keeping this site updated with news & notes. But I have been pretty good at making a baby over the last 9 months. Rachel was born on June 9th and she's doing great. My other daughter, Ruby, is adjusting well. We all are. Being a mother is amazing. I'm demented about my kids. They are so incredible. Motherhood isn't for everyone, and it wasn't for me until...well, until it WAS for me. I'm glad I waited until now to raise a family. See photos to view my cubs.

As for music, I am preparing for a performance on Sept 9th in the "Music That Cooks" series in Oakland. Check calendar for details. And I'm gearing up for the annual Wine, Women & Song production on Sept. 25th in Mill Valley. Eileen Grady and I are bringing theater goers another production of "The Breast of Broadway" at the Throckmorton Theatre. Again, check calendar for details.

The acting part of my world is on hold for a bit longer. I just don't feel like waking up in the morning and plucking my eyebrows and making sure my hair looks right for an audition, whether it be "soccer mom" or "secretary". And with two kids in tow it makes arriving on time with a clean shirt a joke. I may audition for a play in the near future. Of course I'll keep you posted. No really. I will.

And finally, just before Rachel was born, I finished more songs for the upcoming Karaoke Revolution IV. I don't know the release date, but you can do a Google search for Konami and get some info.

Happy Summer to you! Enjoy the rest of it.
Love, Susan