Posted in Blethering, Harp, Weddings, tagged blogging, bluehost, Cynthia Kuni, cynthiakuni, harpmyday, Live music, website, wedding on February 20, 2017| Leave a Comment »
My new website is up and running! www.cynthiakuni.com
I have long worried that my professional site on this platform, which started as a humble blog, has been looking more and more like somebody’s middle school project. I want to thank the endlessly patient tech support people at Bluehost for helping me start fresh.
I will continue to blog here and occasionally share posts on my Facebook page. See you at cynthiakuni.com!
Posted in Events, Harp, Health, Weddings, tagged adam nally, Gary Taubes, high fat diet, Jimmy Moore, ketogenic, lose weight, mark hyman, tim noakes, wedding, weight loss on December 2, 2016| Leave a Comment »
What follows are my honest conclusions after many hours of study and my own health experience. I’m not a doctor and this is not meant to substitute for medical advice. Some resources to do your own research and to get started are listed at the bottom of this post. I wish you the very best health and success being your most beautiful self, inside and out.
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Calories in, calories out? You are not an automobile! You are a wondrous, amazing chemistry lab, in which insulin, ghrelin, leptin and other hormones regulate what your body does with the calories you eat and the calories you store.
In my past, I have done the calorie restriction + exercise method to get my weight under control and I can tell you my experience: it’s very hard, it will leave you in a continual state of hunger, it takes forever, and it can really mess up your metabolism. Honestly, I think it sucks!
There is another way that is so much more natural, easier, healthier, and faster! If you promise you won’t run away screaming, I’ll say it. High fat, low carbohydrate diet.
Most people will admit sugar is not healthy. But did you know that all carbohydrates turn to sugar by the time they reach your bloodstream? Even whole wheat grains, potatoes, and apples — they are all converted to sugar when digested.
The amount of sugar that a human being can tolerate in the bloodstream at any given time is only about one teaspoon. Just 4 grams of carbohydrate. A large Fuji apple contains the equivalent of about 4 teaspoons of sugar. Since high blood sugar will kill a person, your body makes insulin. Insulin’s job is to store sugar as fat, and keep it there. It’s a great mechanism for fattening up in late summer for a long hard winter of deprivation, but not so much for the modern human being fitted for a wedding gown.
The three “macronutrients” of diet are fat, protein, and carbohydrates. In terms of percentages, if you lower your fat intake, the other two must necessarily go up. If protein goes up, you soon hit a limit of useful protein because the body can only use a certain amount at one time and the rest goes into… fat storage (and urine). If carbohydrate goes up, you end up with massive amounts of insulin running around trying to lower your blood sugar levels and locking up your… fat storage. If fat goes up (and the other two go down), your hormones and enzymes do a wonderful little readjust called the adaption period and voila – your chemistry lab now gives you less hunger, more energy, clearer head, clearer skin… and so many other benefits.
People used to know this about sugar. Before the 1970’s everyone knew that to slim down you must avoid sugar, not fat. But then politics and lobbying got involved and the “amber waves of grain” needed a little marketing help. And ever since the low-fat lie took hold, Americans have become heavier and sicker, just as many scientists predicted we would.
Let’s say it is cold and you have a fireplace. If you fill it with little sticks and paper, it’s going to burn very fast, very hot, and then need more fuel very quickly. That’s the “eat every 3 hours” nonsense that a high carbohydrate diet requires. But if you burn big logs, they just keep going and going. That is what it feels like to live on a high fat diet. Be a fat burner!
Becoming fat adapted is not always a smooth transition. They used to call it “Atkins Flu” or “Keto Flu.” The slump many people experience comes because at first you do not have the right hormone and enzyme balances and your body is crying, “where’s my sugar?” Most experience a transition period of 3-10 days, though it can take longer for some.
Random thoughts and suggestions for going forward:
Although I support your desire to be more slender with all my heart, I feel obligated to say that your long term health is the most important part of this goal. There are ways to get thin that will mess. you. up. The good news is that this isn’t one of them! It’s fast and it’s healthy and you won’t be hungry all the time. The price is our beloved carbohydrates. And you may find social gatherings challenging. If you can pay the price, you will succeed.
In conclusion, I wish you the very best in achieving your weight loss goal. I myself am not “naturally thin.” I still fight temptation and sometimes fail. It doesn’t matter. Keep moving forward. Work hard to understand why you make certain choices and you will always find a way to do better. Write to me if you have specific questions I might answer.
Please also check out my older blog post on avoiding sugar and grains, here, where you can find even more motivation and details about this way of eating!
RESOURCES (these are just a few – tons out there!)
Podcasts
Reading
Watch
Posted in Harp, Performance experiences, Weddings, tagged background music, costs, Fees, funeral music, harpist, Live music, Lynne Palmer, prices, Seattle, Seattle harpist, wedding on January 13, 2016|
I am sometimes asked, “Why do harpists charge more for a wedding than they do for background music if they are doing the same thing? Playing harp is playing harp, regardless of where you are, right?”
Well, first let me say thank you. If it seems like I’m playing the exact same way at your wedding as I would in my own living room, then I am doing my job well.
Still, although it seems like I am doing the same thing in each performance, the fact is that you are not getting the same thing in a wedding as in a background music situation. My extra hours of preparation and decades of experience make it possible for me to perform through stressful situations and still play well and keep my head.
First, there is the simple truth that it is generally harder to perform a skilled task when one is being watched. It’s true that one also gets somewhat of a boost from being watched: that adrenaline-spiked “magic of concert day” so to speak. But even that boost is dependent on the performer’s level of experience. A less experienced harpist or a student may not get a boost at all, but rather a case of shakes. Or even a fainting spell. (That actually happened to me in a high school play.) It simply takes greater experience to deliver a solid performance under a spotlight.
Second, things can go wrong. Things do go wrong. A novice who is quite adept playing background music at your birthday party, may come apart completely if she is seated at the front of a church full of staring people, or if your bridesmaid’s silk flower bouquet catches fire during your ceremony (that has happened) or if the harpist suddenly cannot see what is going on because your videographer just planted himself in front of the harp during your processional (that happened more than once). An experienced harpist will not come apart just because the situation does. But her fees will reflect the costs of Grace Under Pressure.
Think of it this way. One thing you are paying for is the raw skill of plucking harp strings to produce music. Then add “points” for various aspects of performance that require more experience: pressure of being in the spotlight; pressure from the magnitude or importance of the event; nature of the audience (is it your book group or will the Governor be there?); and potential for glitches (weddings nearly always have them).
Myself, I have limits. I have played for a Governor, and a Mayor too. And my beloved harp teacher always told me I could do anything I set my sights on, bless her. But I have turned down a few opportunties because they seemed beyond my self confidence or abilities.
What I want to convey is that playing harp is not just playing harp. All performance situations present some level of psychological challenge. We harpists have paid with our lives to meet those challenges. Literally our lives, because playing the harp well under pressure is never a side hobby.
Why do we charge more for a wedding than a cocktail hour? Because we are giving you not just our time at your event, but all the years that came before.
Posted in Blethering, Cranky, Events, Pets, Snoqualmie, Weather, Weddings, tagged Highland Games, house fires, Seattle harpist, Skagit, summer, Viking Grill, wedding, Wildfires on August 11, 2014|
WHEN WILL IT END?!? Don’t answer. I know it ends late in September. Regular readers of my blog might recall that I don’t particularly like summer weather. Of course, I have to write this on the one day (the only day?) this summer which has seen us creep into the 90sF. Wimp.
This morning we awoke to a smokey smell and a warm pool of air, both of which were delivered by overnight express from Eastern Washington. They’ve been on fire over on that side of the Cascade range for the past few weeks, as usual for summer. Now it is nearly my bedtime but we are still in the 80s. (For non-local readers, that is weird. We generally cool off at night.) The thunder clouds are starting to roll in. Tomorrow is going to be a hot, wet, noisy mess.
Source: Weather.com
But it is great wedding weather! Well, not tomorrow, but in general the warm sunny days have been a real gift for anyone who wants to play outdoors.
Sunny and I take the stage at the Skagit Highland Games
What I am doing most outdoors is… cooking! This is the first summer I have really taken full advantage of our grill, which has a little side burner for whatever needs to be cooked in a pot or pan. My rule this summer has been: if I cannot cook it outside, I’m not cooking. 
The hardest part has been finding ways to use my CSA vegetables without turning on the stove or oven. Houses get hot enough without steaming broccoli or roasting chickens.
Source: City of Snoqualmie
Sorry, that’s not funny. These poor neighbors of ours had a 4th of July rocket land on their wood shingle roof this summer. It makes me miss the wet, chilly days even more when I drive by the ruins. It makes me shudder.
Stay cool! Think October! Ok. I’ll think October and you go ahead and enjoy August.
Posted in Harp, Home Life, Running, Weddings, tagged harpist, Marathons, Northwest weather, Seattle harpist, Tacoma harpist, wedding on July 2, 2013| Leave a Comment »
You have probably heard it before… Which weighs more, a ton of bricks or a ton of feathers? This trick question (a ton is a ton, so they weigh equally) takes on a grim angle when it is a metaphor for life. All those light, fluffy, snow-white obligations can pile up fast, and before you know it you are wishing you had just picked one plain old brick to carry on your shoulders.
It is wedding season, and we are feeling it! Brides, I know some of you are contemplating elopement (and possibly subsequent life as a hermit) about now, but hang in there! Take some time to relax every day and try to laugh as much as possible. Maybe this will help:
My ton of feathers this month includes 1) a completely new set of strings (new brand, for me) on my Celtic harp that are not working out as expected – and of course my contact at the company who is helping me figure it out has gone to Scotland for a two weeks. And 2) we are replacing the carpet in my harp studio with a wood-laminate floor. All the furniture and harps have to be moved out and physical chaos reigns. Thank goodness it’s temporary.
In running news
I continue to build mileage for my fall marathon. Most programs take a runner up to 20 miles, but I learned long ago that I need more than that. In fact, I prefer to keep my 20 milers going year-round, and increase to 22, 23, and 24 in the last 6 weeks of training. Last week, as the weather was heating up I headed out for my 20 miler. I knew it would be tough; I don’t “do heat.” I’m lucky if I can avoid getting nauseous while running when the mercury goes over 70F.
So I was darn proud to be chugging along just fine — albeit slowly — in 75F and bright sunshine, 10 miles from home. Only it wasn’t 10 miles. Thank you, Hot Weather, for turning the part of my brain that does math into mush. I mis-calculated my route and ended up with 21.3 miles total, and an excuse to spend the rest of the day on my…
Good luck with all your summer plans, bridal or other, and watch out for those feathers!
Posted in Events, Harp, Seattle, Weather, Weddings, tagged harpist, Seattle, Skansonia, summer, wedding on June 28, 2012| Leave a Comment »
I have good news for the sun lovers among us. “Summer” is almost here!!!!!
Yeah, I know. The national forecast map looks like a ripe tomato. We here in the Evergreen State admire your courage, Tomato People! But for us, the red pen of weather mapping doesn’t really come out until a few days after the 4th of July.
It’s actually very pleasant. Stop laughing! (Excuse me. That guffaw was most of Seattle, all my neighbors out here in the ‘burbs, and the better part of Western Washington. Pay them no mind.) Yes, pleasant I say. We can sleep at night without the AC, we don’t have to water the garden much, and it is beautiful.
How beautiful is it? I have sworn to keep this blog G-rated, so my favorite adverb for conveying emphasis is off limits; just insert your own: it’s ——- beautiful! Have a look through the pages of Everything Washington and you’ll get an idea.
I’m not really in a hurry to see the sun in full force. As I may have mentioned before, I like mild weather. But I am happy for my friends and neighbors, to whom it means a lot.
And I am especially happy for the betrothed who are planning outdoor weddings this year. Congratulations, you are almost there! After months of preparations made on cold, wet days, you deserve all the warmth and sunshine you can get. Also, I don’t play so well with cold fingers!
Sunshine and vows on the MV Skansonia
Posted in Events, Harp, Humor, Seattle, Weddings, tagged event, harpist, Lynne Palmer, Seattle, wedding on June 22, 2012| Leave a Comment »
Back in my student days, I made a small but embarrassing mistake in a performance. At my next lesson my teacher, Lynne Palmer, listened patiently while I wept over my unworthiness to live, let alone play the harp.
“Do you know,” Palmer said very softly, leaning towards me, “how many really perfect performances I had?” I blinked, speechless. “I can count them on one hand.” She held her hand in front of me.
My surprise at her modesty was increased by the thought of how many performances – brilliant performances – that hand must have played. This incredible musician had studied with Carlos Salzedo; had played under the batons of Toscanini, Ormandy, and Stokowski; had won the very first Curtis Award in 1949 (against such competition as the young Leonard Bernstein). I will never forget that moment, her humility, and the sense of acceptance and forgiveness.
Some people are really good at shaking off a bad moment. Others are good at holding on to the memory of imperfection and even cultivating it in their minds like an expert gardener until the thing is positively monumental. I guess I am somewhere in the middle.
If you have ever planned, produced, or served in a large social event, you understand the unpredictability of human endeavors. We do great things and we do our best, but stuff happens. A sense of humor is crucial. To that end, I present Five Funny Things I Have Seen At Weddings and Events (in no particular order).
1. A bride had purchased beautiful artificial flowers, made of some kind of fabric, that her bridesmaids could take home and keep forever. The flowers were arranged on long bouquets, like a beauty pageant winner would carry. One bridesmaid was standing too close in front of the lit candelabra that the church provided, and – poof! – her flowers burst into flames. No bridesmaids were injured in the making of this scenario. A groomsman stomped out the fire and they all lived happily ever after, as far as I know.
2. Many years ago I was booked to play for an evening cruise on Lake Union. I knew the location of the dock, but had not expected such a small ship. Before me lay a somewhat narrow wooden plank that connected the ship to the dock, suspended some 10 feet over the water. The stuff of nightmares. I parked my harp’s dolly and went to tell the hostess that I could not wheel it over. I just couldn’t risk it. The guy she enlisted to carry the harp onto the ship was a workman from the neighboring ship who cursed, in French, under his breath the entire time. I apologized and thanked him, in my own rusty French.
3. I was hired to play for a Renaissance themed wedding in which everyone was dressed in 16th century garb. Including the dog, who came down the aisle just ahead of the bride. Dog of Honor? I was just so glad that the dog didn’t do what dogs do (emphasis on that last word) when they get nervous.
4. This one didn’t actually happen to me personally. I just find it so funny. An acquaintance was hired to play at the Convention Center for an event. She was positioned at the top of an escalator and given a mermaid suit to wear. Keep in mind, in order to play a pedal harp, one needs both hands and feet, but this harpist’s feet were to be enclosed in her mermaid tail. “Not a problem!” The only thing they wanted her to play was glissandi – that’s where you just run your finger up and down the strings, up and down, up and down… For 45 minutes.
5. I was playing with a fiddler for a Scottish wedding and we launched into the processional requested by the bride, “Mairi’s Wedding.” It’s a peppy tune for a processional – usually a more stately piece is chosen – but the bride was certain of her choice. Or so we thought. After playing through the short tune twice, the whole wedding party was out, except for the bride. We kept playing, and playing… After what seemed like 5 minutes, my fiddle player actually walked out of the room and into the hall – while still playing! – to find the bride standing there looking confused. The poor lady thought we were going to play something else and was waiting for the music to change.
I have seen many mishaps over the years: dresses ripping, bee stings, outdoor decorations spoiled by wind, people so consumed by emotion that they could only sob and not say their vows. “The best laid plans of mice and men…” And yet, the imperfect events are sometimes the most impressive.
When you listen to a music CD, the imperfections have been scrubbed out through multiple “takes” and countless technical tricks. But in a live performance, what you play is what you get. And yet, errors are rarely noticed by an audience. That is because the live experience is worth so much more than the sum of its parts. The humanity and the art speak louder than the technical details. And so it is in life. And so shall it be for you.
