i want to say thank you to

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So let’s start. Well, we want to thank God, or the big man upstairs or woman or whatever you want to call that giver of energy or whatever it is you want to call it. I don’t think it matters. God knows we have a million names for Him and I don’t think he cares if we use an English one. I want to thank my guardian angels that pulled me out of more than one near death experience when I didn’t want to live. I want to thank the divine inspiration for keeping me going even though I felt for a few years that I was never going to make it.
I want to thank David Kirby for being my soulmate, my lifesaver, my mentor, my friend and supporter back when I was a geek in Paulding County and no one would talk to me except to make fun of me. I want to thank him for teaching me how to program and for helping me learn all the technology as well as being one of the few people who would tell me when I was wrong and not feed me flattery. I want to thank him for having integrity and being honest. I want to thank Dawnn Carpenter for being beside me even when it was ugly, for supporting my dream and loving me. I want to thank Brian Sirgutz for being the one who changed my life by reaching out and giving me love, guidance, understanding, and hope, and for teaching me about the music business. I originally thought the music business was filled with a bunch of vampires who liked to suck blood, but he proved me wrong and showed me there are still those left who care about soul, truth, creating and beauty. He also showed me that there are those who want to help artists and who will reach out and do it. Consider him a fire starter -- he knows how to light flames inside of the heart and that is the most powerful gift someone can have.

Thanks to Corey Thompson who believed in me enough to give me a Mackie mixer and open doors for me, as well as buying the website which started it all and for teaching me how to build websites and use the tools. Thanks to Rob Nussbaum who has been a huge support, has helped me in so many ways, has offered me love, advice, friendship, encouragement, and support in the tough times. To Alex Nason who has helped feed me for some time. Without him, you would not be hearing this because he gave me the gift of time to create so I could give it to you. Not only did he do that, but he also helped me see my own potential even though I had lost sight of it. Thanks to Dave Graubert who has also given many hours to helping me work on projects, promotion as well as ideas, dinners when I was broke, the couch, and, oh yes, the coffee. Thanks to David Franklin who has always been behind me and given me unconditional love and support. Thanks go to Anastasia Dorohova for helping me get out there, for her interviews of me which help get my message to the masses and for being around to talk to me when I need some woman-to-woman advice. To Jessica Burner for giving me her support and love as well as an ear and a couch when I was in need. Thanks also go to Sara Grundman and the New York Foundation for the Arts for their generous support which has also helped make this possible; to Ming, who helped me and continues to help me to understand myself; and to David Paul Wyatt Perko and Emperor Penguin Recordings for believing in me and giving me the opportunity to bring this gift to the world.

Thanks to all of the following: Bradley in Atlanta for helping me discover I was a poet; Bill K in Atlanta for introducing me to the underground music scene when I was young; the drag queens who taught me how to dress up and be a freak; all the photographers and filmmakers who hired me and helped fund this creation and who also taught me about everything from art to science; Jonathan Cantrell for being a great sound engineer as well as a source of inspiration; Larry Carlson for always reminding me what it is all about; Joshua Gabriel who made me get over my fear of singing in public; Simon Sinek who is always a wonderful source of colorful ideas; musiclink.com for its support and promotion; all those who have donated the time, energy, money and love that helps keep me afloat; Jonathan Crosby for saving me from Paulding County and introducing me to Depeche Mode; Nick Warren (where are you now?) for those conversations in Atlanta over ice cream that changed my life; Pete at DiscoRound in Atlanta for always filling me with cutting edge music, ideas, and inspiration; Teresa Kellar in Atlanta for getting me started in modeling and opening doors for me; all those who kept me safe and out of trouble as much as possible even though I always managed to find it; Arzhang for believing in us and feeding me and DSK when we were making Beta :) ; Christie for sending me to Milan and to Carlo Bistolfi for keeping me in good hands once I got there; to whoever created Duomo because I found so much comfort and inspiration there; all the people at Fame in Milan and Diva Models New York; Julie Bennack and Sean Rockoff for their friendship and continued support; Badiene Magaziner, music teacher extraordinaire who has helped me and is taking me to new levels; Brett Deschene in Atlanta for all the photos, love, rides, dinners, talks, and on and on; Devon at Digital Sanctuary for giving me the books on Buddhism and for opening my eyes and teaching me about spirituality; the Open Center in New York and to the authors of the books Fit for Life, The Artist’s Way, and 50 Places to Find Peace and Quiet in New York; Francis Hills for all the wonderful images we made; Fred Berger for dragging me to Paris and Lui for being the most amazing stylist and makeup artist and for helping me make so many images; C.J. Carella for his support and help with promotion; Johnny G. for teaching me about physics and life and for helping me create as well as to move forward; Jeremy Paskall for being a collaborator as well as a source of inspiration; Jonathan Bookallil for helping me see the sky when I was staring at my feet; Mick Rock for one of the most inspirational conversations I have had in my life as well as for sharing your knowledge and ideas; Michael Taz for letting me express myself; Corey at Vision Models for being a support the whole way; Paulo Filgueiras for believing in me and helping me create; Ron Capobianco. for helping me see the light at the end of the tunnel and making me eat olive oil; Steve Bodi for his support and friendship, as well as for letting me pick his brain, helping me move, and being a watch dog :) ; Katya, Chynna, Jessica, Gideon, and all my other friends in Italy who helped me out in many ways; Ali in Atlanta for being a little kitty; Brandy Handelman for her continued friendship; Billy at Blendzine for promotion and support; Tony in Philly for being a huge help in many ways; Frank Forgione for support; Kevin at OneModelPlace and all the people there for their support and help; Robert Gregory Griffeth for his knowledge and understanding as well as for teaching me that money isn’t real and what really matters is creating; Emily Marilyn for always taking care of me in Los Angeles; Steve Diet Goedde for reminding me to follow my dreams; Steve Zuckerman for educating me and opening doors; Robert Milazzo for believing in me and helping me get started in New York; Kyle for his support and energy; CJ for watching out for me and taking me under her wing; Conrad for always watching out for me in Chicago; Billy S for helping me and always being a support; Mark Villas for always being behind me in my life and projects; Stuart for giving me a couch and feeding me as well as educating me on the world of show business and making me read far too many books. Thank you even to all the people who hurt me over the years because it wasn’t until I was broken and in the dark that I began to see the truth.

Thank you to my family. To my Mother for loving me regardless of how far away I am and for teaching me to think outside of the box and for keeping me out of school; To my sister and brothers who I love; to my father for teaching me never to do anything unless you are going to do it right and for beating it into my head. A very warm and heartfelt thanks to my aunt and grandma who told me I would be here when I was a child, but who didn’t live long enough to see it happen (even though I know they are watching and smiling down on me from Heaven above).

I am also thankful for the following: the library for allowing me to learn; whoever created the Internet (once again God bless you); the rave scene and all the dead poets, musicians, and artists who I love; Spiru-Tein and Emer’gen-C; the subways, trains, planes and late nights; red wine and love; computers and hard drives; coffee.
Thank you for mittens (mittens, you know who you are and you’re all over this album. Without you reaching out a long time ago, this may not have happened. I know I am bad at giving back sometimes, so here -- consider this a gift of love in return for all the love you have given me. You gave me a gift of love. You’re an inspiration and your love and energy is now a part of this. What you gave me, I now give to all those out there. So, all of you out there need to thank him too.).

Thank you for allowing me to live, even though I should be dead. Thank you for allowing me to love and be loved and for allowing me to make it here. The angels and God give me this so I can give it to you. And all those who have given to me have made this possible. So, you see, it is all just one big gift. Hand to hand, heart to heart. Life is about love and hope. Nothing else matters.

Now, that is all. Well, we can all thank each other too because if we didn’t have each other, none of this would be. Would it?