Hello Everybody,

How are you all doing these days? I am happy to say I’m doing fine and I feel good. I like being able to share things that are important to me so thank you for reading and being interested in what’s going on in my world.

Over the last few months I have been busy putting the finishing touches on my self-titled debut album and researching ways to promote and release it. Keep your eyes and ears open for more about this in the future.

In late October, I had fun attending Works For Me 2011 in Albany, NY. Both my employer (Atria Senior Living) and I received awards for demonstrating a successful employer/employee relationship as New York State’s Office for People With Developmental Disabilities used this event to honor several businesses committed to workforce diversity. These businesses partnered with supported employment programs which work to create opportunities for individuals with developmental disabilities to become gainfully employed. This benefits not only the employee but the employer and communities in which they live. I truly believe that integration is the best education and the best path to changing attitudes and opening doors.

Atria Senior Living in Great Neck was chosen as New York State’s Corporate Employer of the Year Runner Up. I love my job at Atria and want Babs and Marcy and everyone to know how much working there has changed my life! The Center for Developmental Disabilities Adult Supported Employment Program has been instrumental in fostering my successful work relationship with Atria. It was great to celebrate with my friends Cheryl and Debbie from CDD at this event as well as with my mother and brother. Please visit http://www.opwdd.ny.gov/cee/wfm_2011.jsp for more on this and check out the recent photos I’ve uploaded.

By the way, did you know I have been invited to perform at QSAC’s Got Talent 2 in Manhattan’s Midtown Theater on November 29th at 7 pm? This year’s talent search/autism fundraiser is on and the grand prize winner will be crowned on November 29th. Please visit www.qsac.com/talent/ for more information and to buy a ticket to the Grand Finale. It’s for a great cause and I hope to see you there. 

I don’t want to forget to remind you that Thanksgiving is a few days away. Always remember that every day is a gift and life is precious. Cultivate an “attitude of gratitude” by looking for the good and you will make your life happy and positive. We don’t need any more negativity, do we? So let’s help each other out, okay?

That’s all for now. Please let me know what you are thinking by writing me at maitlandsworld@yahoo.com or commenting on this page.

Bye for now,

Laurie Maitland

Hello Everybody,

I have exciting news to tell you. I recently had the opportunity to go into the studio with Jim Morgan of JEMusic Studios in New York City which was a prize I won at QSAC’s Got Talent contest last year. (Thanks QSAC and Jim!) Jim was fun and easy to work with. He shared some great ideas and helped me produce a track I feel really good about. The song is called “Wonderchild” and it means alot to me. It was written by Sam Pottle and David Axelrod. I’d like to dedicate this song to my mother Monica Maitland who has loved me and been there for me all my life in a very special way.

Here’s a link to the short video of Jim and I at work in the studio to give you an idea of how the process works. It’s also included as a post of its own.

http://youtu.be/iN0HJzCz6Q8

I also want to thank Marjorie Camille for including me in the 2011 Youth Empowerment Day at Eisenhower Park in August. I enjoyed singing inspirational songs to encourage people young and old to be the best they can be.

Right now I continue to work on getting my first self titled debut album released and planning for appearances at CDD in Hicksville, NY on September 30th as well as receiving an award in Albany in later October. I should have more details soon about appearing in Manhattan in November which should be fun.

I will keep you posted.

As always my wish is for this world to be a place where we care about each other and we live every day full of hope and inspired to share the good and positive messages. 

I am doing my best to live this way every day. I hope you are too!

Bye for now,

Laurie Maitland

Hi Everybody!

Are you enjoying the summer and taking care of yourself and others? That’s my question to you. I am very interested in good causes these days, things that matter to me and can make your life better. Two events are coming up which I am glad to be a part of and so I am sharing them with you here.

If you can, get out to Eisenhower Park on Friday, August 12th for Youth Empowerment Day where the theme will be “Youth Against Obesity-Accepting A Positive Body Image and Adapting A Healthier Lifestyle”. The event starts at 2 pm sharp and there will be lots of fun and free stuff! You will hear from panelists and artists who will be sharing positive messages and music. Won’t that be a great way to spend your afternoon? I am looking forward to being a role model, performing a couple of songs and encouraging young people to be all they can be. Follow the link here for more information or call Marjorie at 516 451-9879.

http://www.lifeonlongisland.com/index.cfm?currentpage=2&fuseaction=events.bycategory&ECID=24

Also, I am appearing at CDD in Hicksville, NY on Friday, September 2, 2011 to help raise money for the music therapy department. If you want more information about that event, you will have to email maitlandsworld@yahoo.com or call 516 433-8300 x313 and ask for Debbie.

By the way, if you missed April’s Awe in Autism event or you’d like to get an idea of what a wonderful evening it was, please visit www.aweinautism.org. Once there, please look under “Highlights” on the left and click on “read more” under WATCH AWE’S FIRST LIVE EXHIBITION.

There is more news to come but for now I hope you will be kind to others, eat healthy and dance or skate to the old songs which is good for your human body!

Bye for now,

Laurie

Hello Everybody!

I’ve started off the summer right by working on projects that are very important to me. I always love playing, singing and recording my music each week. Meeting many of you at my shows makes me happy too because you like the good old sounds just like I do. I wish we could erase all the negativity in this world, don’t you? Do you believe like I do that we need some relief? I think you do. That’s why I want to share my desire to make this world a better place and ask you to get involved.

I envision a world where people act with kindness, gentleness, patience and encouragement as they participate in wholesome good, clean fun and live in peace and harmony. I feel passionately about changing the world. Through my music and life, I can choose how to live each day. In order for the world to change, each of us needs to examine what is most important to us and to make choices that bring good into the world.

I like to fill my life with love and joy and to let it flow through me to others. I want to bring wholeness and healing to everyday living. Lately I’ve been fueled by an urgency to get my message out. The world seems to be an oppressive place at times. Sometimes I have to close my eyes, cover up my ears and hide out in my basement. But, I’ve decided instead that I will use my voice and energy to fight back and I will live my life to help bring about a better world.

Would you be willing to join me in my efforts to change the world one heart at a time? If so, I am asking you to review the good causes below. Please decide what you most care about. If one of my causes listed isn’t one you are passionate about, write your own good cause or way you would like to make a difference. Contact me at maitlandsworld@yahoo.com to register your concerns and let me know what matters to you. Let’s join together and make this world a better place for you and me. Remember, change starts with each of us! 

                                                    Petition

We feel strongly that this world needs a positive touch. We are joining Laurie Maitland in her efforts to promote what is wholesome so that hearts and lives and the world will change as a result. We choose to focus on the good and make a difference in our everyday living. Laurie has identified several causes listed here that she feels strongly about. I realize I have a choice to support those causes or to name my own.

Laurie suggests that:

1. We need to put old school music back on CDs

2.We need to bring back disco music on CDs

3. We need to overcome obesity, lack of energy and lack of motivation by exercising and eating right

4. We need to put old dance TV shows on DVDs

5. We need to speak kindly and gently to each other

6. We need to avoid the cursing, violence, racism, vulgarity around us on TV and elsewhere

7. We need to learn a good lesson and become healthier instead of sick from the shows we watch on TV

or whatever you think….

Remember to contact me with your ideas at maitlandsworld@yahoo.com!

Thanks and Bye for now,

Laurie Maitland

Hello Everybody! How are you all doing this ‘Happy Spring’? I made some new friends and caught up with some old ones at The Awe in Autism: A Spectrum of Creativity earlier last month.

What a great opportunity to celebrate many talented people and their families who live with passion as they overcome challenges in their daily lives. There was alot of energy and joy present that night. I really had a great time performing and being inspired by other artists, musicians and poets who understand my world. I found myself intrigued by their very personal expressions of what is important to them. Though it was an intimate event with an enthusiastic and supportive audience, I think the experience made all of our worlds just a little bit bigger. It certainly expanded mine.

For a recap, check out the video post in this blog.

Or you can click http://youtu.be/foh92idjSW0. 

You can also visit www.aweinautism.org for more information.

Speaking of passion, I love good old music as I’ve already mentioned. So if you are a fan of it too, read on and I think you will have some fun with my original quiz which will surely put your music trivia knowledge to the test.

Bye for now,

Laurie Mailtand

                                  Calling All White Female Pop Music Fans!

                                         White Female Pop Music Quiz:

• What are the 2 most popular dance/pop hits that are considered to be a 2-hit wonder of the 80’s performed by the Californian dance/pop artist named Teena Marie, better known as Tina Marie Brockert, played by American pop radio stations?

1. Out On A Limb
2. Lover Girl
3. Once In A Future Dream
4. I Need Your Loving

• What is the name of the pop song that has the line “from crayons to perfume” sung by a Scottish pop singer named Marie McDonald better known as Lulu Kennedy which is considered a one-hit wonder of 1967?

1. To Sir With Love
2. I’m A Fool For You
3. Shout
4. A House Is Not A Home

• What is the name of the anti-feminist anthem stating the virtues of being feminine performed by disco/pop singer Leonore O’Malley?

1. Toujours L’Amour
2. C’est La Vie
3. First Be A Woman
4. One Night Lover Man

• Who used to be with the German disco/pop group Silver Convention that sang “Fly, Robin, Fly” and “Get Up And Boogie”?

1. Vicki Brown
2. Denise Nolan
3. Blanche Napoleon
4. Penny McLean

• Who are the 4 white ladies from the Spice Girls that sang the pop hit “If You Want To Be My Lover”?

1. Anne, Bernadette, Denise, Linda, Colleen & Maureen Nolan
2. Patty Brard, Margareth Schreide & Jose Wijdiven
3. Bonnie, Debbie & Rosy
4. Emma Bunton, Melanie Chisolm, Vickie Adams & Geraldine Haliwell

• Who are the 2 white ladies that used to be with the pop band Josie & The Pussycats?

1. Cathy Dougher & Cheryl Ladd Stopplemoor
2. Angela & Chantal
3. Kimberly Wuletich
4. Veronica and Estelle

• Who made the dance/pop hits entitled “Can’t Believe” and “I’m Gonna Get Your Love” which are right before “For Tonight” and “Move Out”?

1. Alsiha Ann Itkin
2. Shana Petrone
3. Nancy Martinez
4. Roni Griffith

• Who sang backup with Norma Jean Wright and Madonna Cicconne behind herself on “Holiday” written by Curtis Hudson and Lisa Stevens?

1. Carmen Bruno
2. Alejandra Lorenzo
3. Sandy Casanas
4. Tina Baker

If you need help with the answers, contact me at maitlandsworld@yahoo.com

                                    Keep checking back for more fun!!