Diva Taunia's Backstage Pass Official Blog

NEW MUSIC VIDEO: "UNDER THE IVY" (Kate Bush)

REVIEW: THE VOCALIST STUDIO

The Vocalist Studio:  http://www.thevocaliststudio.com

As a professional vocalist and voice teacher, I'm always interested to read about new vocal sites, teaching techniques, trends, etc.  One thing that I've always been very aware of is the disconnect between many voice teachers and a modern approach to singing and to vocal training.  This has always been my "niche" as a voice teacher and an approach that I think can often be lacking in many voice teacher's studios today.   I am always interested (and happy) to see other qualified and trained teachers taking the same approach, especially in a genre outside of my own.  

Today I checked out a site that I can whole-heartedly endorse:  http://www.thevocaliststudio.com.  Robert Lunte is the mastermind behind The Vocalist Studio, and deserves big kudos for creating an educational site devoted to vocal training and vocal health for the rock singer.  Lunte is college-educated (University of Miami) and trained in classical techniques that he applies to modern, contemporary music.  He studied with the legendary Maestro David P. Kyle and studied the classical Bel Canto technique with Dr. David Alt.  Robert has used his training in both vocal performance and music education to create an interactive site for the contemporary vocalist, and has an impressive website that is inspirational to both students and teachers alike. 

The very first thing you see upon entering the site is Lunte in action, singing and teaching with an impressive range that any rock singer would envy.  Additionally, he utilizes the very best of social media and internet availabilities - this is a smart man, and a smart teacher.  He offers studio lessons, online lessons, DVD tutorials, tutorial downloads, youtube videos throughout the site, workshops - it's a veritable vocal empire, with something for everyone.

One thing on the website that impressed me was "The Screaming Pillars."  Essentially, a "mission statement" from The Vocalist Studio.  In particular, I found the third "pillar" the most impressive: 

"3). Mentorship and giving back to others.  Leadership means you help others. Screaming Pillars are commited to helping other developing singers of the TVS studio and may be involved in other community activities that benefit from thier energy, talents and knowledge on music, singing or just serving something else in good faith."

The vocal community can sometimes be cut-throat and catty, and it's really refreshing to read this.  To give back to the community, to really extend your love for music and singing and understand the importance of instilling that in others, well that mantra alone gets this site five stars from me.  But add that excellent attitude and mission to an already impressive site, and you've got a site that offers you an excellent music education. 

Go check out Robert Lunte and The Vocalist Studio, and rock it like it's hot (yes, I really did just say that).  Thumbs-up from this jazz diva!

BAD NEWS FOR DIVA

SITE REVIEW: WWW.COUPONSAVER.ORG

Have I mentioned that I'm a little obsessed with coupon sites?  Did you miss that?  Impossible, because if you know anything about me, you know I love to work a good deal.  I also love a good money-saving website, so I've been on the prowl for good ones recently.  And do you know what makes my little heart skip a beat?  A good money-saving website that's really well-organized, like www.couponsaver.org.

Ok, let me just get this bit out of the way:  I don't like stock photo that looks like stock photo, and www.couponsaver.org has one big-ol' stock photo as it's header, which is a shame because it's otherwise a really nicely done site.  That's such a minimal complaint, so you can actually just ignore that and read on to the good stuff.  Like the codes.  Oh, the glorious, glorious codes.  And articles.  And free samples.  And printable coupons.  Oh my!

Everything on www.couponsaver.org is organized in such a clean, user-friendly way.  Sorted by store, category, printable coupons, free samples, and money saving tips, you can pretty much find anything you looking for, any way you want to look for it (cue Journey, "Anyway you want it...that's the way you need it...anyway you want it!").  It shows the days best deals, has coupon-related articles, and is overall just chock-full of great money-saving information.

The printable coupons just seem to link to coupons.com, but I like that I don't need to go to a separate site to get my printable coupons.  There's a HUGE list of stores to select from, and while the category section can feel a bit overwhelming, that only serves to prove there's something for everyone here.  There's just no way you CAN'T save money using this site.  Nicely done, very user-friendly, and from the (albeit limited) interaction with Dave, who runs the site, I can tell he's a pretty swell guy.

So go on and give www.couponsaver.org a try.  I've got them linked over on the side, and I'll be using them as one of my go-to sites...you should too!  Go save yourself some dough, my lovelies.

MONTH # 18 WEIGH-IN UPDATE

STAGE HOG? ME? NOOOO. UM, MAYBE.

Got a great new review of "Cocktail Napkin" today.   Click here to read the review!  Many thanks for Wildy for the nice review. :)

BACKSTAGE RADIO PREMIERE: DATE CHANGE! (10/5/09)

For those of you who are anxiously anticipating the premiere episode of the Diva Taunia's Backstage Pass Radio Program (cue rolling of the eyes), I just wanted to let you know that the premiere episode and start of the regular weekly show has been changed to:

Monday, October 5th, 2009
6:00-7:00pm
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/divatauniamusic Please be sure to bookmark the page, sign up, login in, add me, all of that goMod stuff!  The radio show streams live (EST), so you can listen to it anywhere!  I'll also have the shows archived, so you can take me on a walk or run if you'd like.  :)

I'll be posting the lineup of topics, featured WLS and New Music people, and all the other crazy antics soon.  Thanks for your support!

SITE REVIEW: COUPONCHIEF.COM

Ok, so you all know that I have recently become the Diva of All Things Coupon.  Whereas once I used to talk on and on about my weight loss surgery and music (and really, I still do), I now talk and talk and talk about my favorite couponing sites, deals, etc.   I mean seriously, how can you shop these days WITHOUT using a coupon or coupon code, huh?  Who doesn't love to save money?!

So today I checked out a new coupon code site:  couponchief.com.  At first glance, the setup and organization of the site looks very much like some of my other favorite coupon code sites, but hey, they are very user-friendly and easy to navigate so I don't blame them for following a successful lead there.   And honestly?  The setup isn't nearly as important as what they have to offer, so let's see what they've got...

The front page boasts featured stores (eh), popular coupons (yay!  that means they actually work), and new coupons (saves me the hassle of having to search for those, so thanks).   Immediately I see a coupon for Benefit Cosmetics, so I'm starting to fall in love.  (I'm a Diva, yo.  I like all-things girly, and Benefit is one of my favorite makeup lines EVER.)  I check it out and find a page packed with great coupon codes....score!

Ok, so now I need to know if I can find some printable coupons.  I click on the "Stores" feature and find a full list of the stores on the site - which is great.  Easy to navigate, and I can even find some stores that might have otherwise slipped my mind.  I click on the Wal-Mart store, and find a ton of coupon codes that I can't really use, but nothing really printable.  I decide to search the Target store as well, and find no printable coupons, but a long list of really great coupon codes...nice.

So far, I'm not really impressed with printable coupons, but the online coupon codes are really fantastic, and that seems to be the focus at couponchief.com. I then see the Pays-2-Share feature at the top....anything that infers that I can be paid is A-Ok with me. You can upload your own coupon codes and any time someone uses one that you've uploaded, you make 2% of the sale.  Hells, yeah!  That works for me.  I think that is a pretty awesome feature....sign me up.

I think the Pays-2-Share program is going to be what keeps me coming back.  The coupon codes are great, but that program will keep me returning to the site and checking how my own coupons are doing, and in turn, I'll likely use them for my coupon and promo codes as well.  It's a clean, easy-to-use site that provides and incentive for me to return again and again.  I'll link to them over on the side, so give them a try (hey, the more we all use the site, the more money we can all potentially make, peeps) and get to saving some money, my fellow divas!

FREE REDBOX MOVIE RENTAL

Many thanks to Miss Thrifty for posting this info!   If you're not familiar with Redbox, you can usually find these in the grocery stores.  They have all the latest releases and the movie rentals are only $1.00.  Here's the info I got from the fabulous Miss T:

T46T3Q7 (good today (Monday 9/7)only)

Here are some other codes that still may work but you can only use them once per credit card.......


DVDONME

DVDATWAG

BREAKROOM

Go on and get yo'self a movie rental tonight!

ONE YEAR AGO TODAY

It's hard to believe, but today marks one year that Rob and I are together.  It's pretty crazy how much can change in a year:

• I lost the last 90ish lbs of my weight
• I met Rob, fell in love
• I moved in with Rob...and moved to NH!
• I gained two stepkids and another dog
• I gained an entirely new family and new set of friends

I don't think words can adequately express how much I love this guy, and he truly is the most amazing man I have ever met.  Don't get me wrong, he has his faults.  He's a little OCD about details, he asks me a gazillion and one questions when I'm in the middle of something, and he doesn't always understand my need for complete silence in the house when I'm working.  Still, he's amazing, and the best thing to ever happen to me.

When we had met, I was just at the beginning stages of my stupid kidney issues.  I remember saying to him (because I thought it was true), "I was sick, but I'm all better now."  Um, yeah.  After only four months of dating, the nightmare began.  I was constantly sick, constantly in and out of the hospital, constantly in pain, and as we all know, I almost died.  Seriously.  I literally was peeing gallons of blood, I blacked out in front of him while he was on a phone conference, and he had to call 911 and get the ambulance here to revive his girlfriend of only 6 months.  That's a LOT to take in, don't you think? 

And he was there in the hospital(s) with me the entire time.  He hugged and kissed me while I was covered in blood, sweat, cords, you name it.  And he didn't flinch.  He just reminded me how much he loved me.  I'll never forget that.  As long as I live, I will always remember that he loved me when I was about at my most unloveable.

But beyond him being a saint to me whilst in the hospital, he's also a saint to me on a daily basis.  He still tells me every day how beautiful I am to him, he tells me every day how much he loves me and that he's a lucky man.  He helps around the house.  He tells me of his future plans to get me a big ring and a big house (not necessary, but pretty nice to know he wants to do those things for me).  He does the laundry.  He washes the dishes.  He loves my friends and enjoys spending time with them.  He loves my family, and knows how important my family is to me and family is equally important to him. He LISTENS.  (Yes, I said LISTENS.  Takes in what I have to say, and applies those things to bettering our relationship.)  He supports me musically, and in pretty much everything I do.  He makes plans for us to do fun things and spend quality time together.  He's going back to school to better himself and our life.  I could go on and on about him and his many wonderful qualities, but most of you reading probably already know them.

He's a good, good man.  And he's mine. :)  I'm a lucky girl, and I'm looking forward to a lifetime of more anniversaries with him.  

Happy Anniversary, honey.  I love you!