Happy Thanksgiving!

An American tradition that I have tried to maintain since moving to England is celebrating Thanksgiving. For my family, this holiday was just as big as Christmas and much effort was made for the entire family to get together.

I've been five years now in the UK and I've noticed the trend of restaurants and pubs offering a traditional Thanksgiving meal. In fact, Neal and I are headed to London to have a vegetarian Thanksgiving dinner. I'm hoping that Thanksgiving will be even more celebrated in the UK, because the essence of this day is simply giving thanks and we all have a reason to be thankful!

I have so much to be thankful for so I thought I'd take a few moments on this Thanksgiving day to express my gratitude. I'm blessed to still have both my parents, Christine & Arthur Miller who are in their early 90's. Last Sunday I celebrated being married for five years to the man of my dreams. I'm thankful to the City of Portsmouth where my business is based. The city's acceptance of me as an entertainer and business person has been amazing. Honestly, my life plan did not include moving to England and starting a business, but that is what has happened and the success of my business so far is largely due to the faith that the venue owners and companies in the Porstsmouth area have shown by booking me and many of my acts over the past two years. Special thanks to the following clients for their continued business: The Jolly Sailor, The Wine Vaults, The Piranha Bar, and Tinkers Team Rooms just to name a few.

Finally, I want to thank all of the GME Acts that I am blessed to represent! I renew my commitment to each of you to do my best to find quality work for you because you really are the best in the business and it's an honor to work for each of you.

What are you thankful for today?  

Happy Thanksgiving! 

Gloria Miller Entertainment

Laughter!

I met the lovely Lisa Sturge of Laughterlines Coaching last year at a networking event, and earlier this year I attended her Visioning Day! Meeting Lisa was like meeting a kindred spirit and I love her encouragement to use laughter as a foundation for everything being it personal or business. In her latest newsletter she shared some insights into laughter and I'd like to share them with you. Enjoy and remember to laugh often!!

8 Surprising Things About Laughter:-
1. It clears the drains
Laughter is an essential part of who we are. It is a powerful tool that expresses how we feel and helps us to be free. Our laughter can be grumpy, tired, joyful, elating and surprising. It also clears the airwaves, making us cough at times and clearing our windpipes. It is a constant release valve that helps us to get rid of yucky, stressful feelings or emotions and also lets us celebrate life wholeheartedly; mind, body and spirit dancing in laughter unison!

2. It makes us go aaaaaaaaaaaah!
After laughing comes relaxation. The peace. Knowing that everything really is ok despite our mind’s ability to knock loudly on brain’s door with worries, ’shoulds’ or ‘have to’s’. It relaxes our muscles and our grip on trying to control life, be perfect…etc. It helps us let go and ‘be’ rather than constantly ‘do’.

3. It lets us out to play
When we laugh with someone there is an instant bond, an invisible connection that goes beyond words. Even a twinkly smile signals a readiness to play and have fun. Life is so much better when we are having fun, yet to some people it can seem a dirty word or a waste of time. Our laughter reminds us that playfulness is a gift and that we are here to enjoy life as much as possible.

4. It’s cheap as chips
If you think back to the most positive memorable times of your life, they were probably with people you loved, where you were having fun. Not expensive fun; fun of the gleeful kind, where you were maybe creating spontaneously, sharing happiness with others without the need for expensive surroundings, preparation or equipment.

5. It heals from the inside out
Shared laughter can be very healing and incredibly powerful. It can mend not only grievances but also strengthen relationships. It can break down barriers in an instant. Laughter can be very forgiving.

6. It acts like spinach
Our bodies are healthier with laughter. When we laugh regularly, we are less prone to colds, flu and infections as it strengthens our immune system and re-balances our para-sympathetic nervous system. It activates the whole brain and refreshes our body with a boost of oxygen. We can choose to smile and laugh daily to enjoy these benefits, either with simple exercises or by looking for laughter opportunites. By choosing a playful attitude we can transform a dull, boring day into a lighter experience.

7. It can turn on the tap
Laughing lots can mean crying lots too. It’s important to embrace sadness as well as joy. It is a kind thing to let go and immerse ourselves in tears if that is what we need. Being human is a complicated business and if we are to embrace laughter and joy then that means welcoming all of the emotions. Some of them feel very uncomfortable but it would be unrealistic and exhausting if life became a laughter fest from dawn to dusk.

8. It is our choice
The key to laughing more is realising that the source of real laughter lies not outside but inside us. It is realising that our laughter never leaves us, it is always present in the body, waiting to be tapped into. Sometimes we just need to give it a little encouragement and get to know it better.

When we start to laugh and play a little, then a little more, we can recognise and welcome this joyful part of ourselves that is unaffected by time, work, problems, family hassles, deadlines…etc. We can discover our true self underneath all the rubble; our magical, playful self where we can enjoy unlimited imagination and unlimited play, unlimited joy and unconditional love.

It’s a colourful journey, the laughter journey. To embrace our laughter and let it free we need to embrace all of ourselves. Even the messy, difficult bits. And it’s all worth it.


I hope you found this information helpful. Click here to learn more about Lisa and Laughterlines Coaching. 

Personal Invitation ... Fundraising Event for Portsmouth Cathedral Innovation Centre!

I want to personally invite you to join me as 'Supremely, Diana Ross' for a fundraising event I am doing for the Portsmouth Cathedral Innovation Centre!

I am supporting this organization because they are supporting me. In January of this year I started running my business from the Innovation Centre who have taken GME under their wing offering me office space at a hugely discounted price, mentoring and marketing support. There are several small business who are benefiting from the Innovation Centre and they are able to offer us all these cost savings by putting on fundraising events! I am partnering with LinkedUp Fundraising, another small business benefiting from the Innovation Centre, to put on their next fundraising event and we need your support to make it a success!

Please buy tickets to attend this fantastic fundraising event! Tickets are £12.50 per person and can be booked on-line at: www.linkedupfundraising.co.uk. Dinner, Dancing & Diana!  Sounds like the perfect combination to create a fun-filled night out! Contact me or clare@linkedupfundraising.co.uk for more information or to purchase your ticket!

I hope to see you on the 9th of May!

Gloria

Letter to Beyonce

Dear Beyonce!

I'm watching 'Beyoncé Takeover' on demand in the UK and I want to thank you for the inspiration. At this place in my life being a 47 year old woman in the music business, I no longer want to be in pursuit! I just want to enjoy the very blessed life that I'm now living. As a child I wanted your life, but I now realize that any step that would have taken me off the path of meeting my 'Jay Z' would have been the wrong path for me. Four years ago my amazing magician husband put a ring on it and now I'm drunk in love! I perform on a regular basis, and I share your attitude that you should feel what you sing about and pour the whole of yourself in every note! I've had my share of loses, but I'm learning the lessons and moving on. 

Sometimes, there's only a few people in my audience, not the adoring thousands that you perform to like the show I just experienced at the O2 in London! However, I experience what I can only imagine you do when I connect with those few people. I try to connect with each person in the room, but if just one is moved in some way, I feel like a super star! Then I get in my car and return to the arms of my man, and I feel like the richest woman in the world!

I feel like I'm performing better than I ever have, and the difference than just a few years ago is that I'm living in the moment, showing up in front of the mic, and surrendering to the flow! Going with it and not against, leaving my ego at the door! Performing for British audiences has been an education in itself! They don't like what they're told to like, they like what they want to like and they will shut you out if you're fake. I had to learn quickly to put aside what I needed from them, and to focus on what they as my audience needed from me! I try to 'see' my audience and connect. When I was at the O2 I felt like you saw me among the thousands! And I saw you ... not the superstar, but the woman.

I want to be the best at what I do, not better than anyone else, just my best! I just heard the announcer say that when you're faced with any situation, you take a step forward! I love that! I'm incorporating that philosophy into my inner dialogue. I will step forward no matter what! 

Thank you Beyonce for being fearless with your vision, your dreams, your sexuality and your life! When I watch you I see a whole woman that's not afraid to flow in her own power! I believe that this comes from a deep sense of knowing who you are! At 47 I feel like I know who I am better than I ever have, comfortable in my own skin and free to celebrate me! No apologies, I am who I am and finally, that's enough!

Thank you Beyonce for helping me see myself through your amazing life! Love you XO!

Merry Christmas!

Balloon Art by Rob Driscoll

After what has been a very busy year, it's very nice to have some time this Holiday Season to spend with friends and family. I have to admit it has been amazingly easy to not think about work since my last gig this past Saturday with the Vixens, and Neal and I are looking forward to a lovely Christmas lunch today with our friends Rob & Nat at Cafe Rouge in Portsmouth.

From my family to yours, here's wishing you a Very Merry Christmas and I hope that your day is filled with love, peace & joy!

Cheers,

Gloria

GME Year In Review - 2013

Please join me in taking a look back over what has been a fantastic year for me and GME! I have put together a photo collage of GME events, shows and performers in remembrance of a great year and as a way to look forward to 2014 with hope and anticipation! If you spot yourself in any of these pics, please drop a line on the comments section! It would be great to hear from you!! Gloria

GME Week In Review - 13 December 2013

Opus 20 Next Show

This week started with a dream-come-true performance in Bournemouth Square with Opus 20 Jazz Orchestra. I had the priviledge of lending my vocals to this amazing orchestra performing some Jazz and Holiday favourites. The Orchestra formed about 3 months ago under the leadership of Mike Hopkins and 9 December was our very first public appearance. Our next concert is scheduled for 16 December at the Conservative Club in Poole.

On Wednesday I went to a Talk Network event at the Square Tower in Portsmouth and had the most amazing two hours of laughing, playing and galloping!  You must try galloping, it's quite liberating! Lisa Sturge, Creative Director of Laughlines Coaching, presented some fantastic information about laugh theraphy, the mechanics of laughter and a bit of laugh yoga!  The galloping was introduced by Robin Brinkley of Maxwell Communications and thankfully, Lisa incorporated it into her talk because we were all in hysterics after being given permission to laugh and play! I'm looking forward to attending the Visioning Workshop with Lisa in January. Please visit Laughlines Coaching website to learn more about laughter therapy!

I also had the pleasure of meeting Steve who runs the Square Tower, which is a lovely, unique venue that's available for hire, and Steve also hosts events in this venue. The Square Tower was the perfect venue for laughing and galloping, and it just may be perfect for your event too.  Visit their website to learn more about this venue or to see 'What's On!'

Talk Network Meeting

After a couple hours of laughter, I headed just up the road to the Cathedral Innovation Center to discuss office space and hot desking. I had a lovely chat with Francis and I'm happy to announce that I have secured myself a bit of office space which will allow me to work a few days a week away from home and the various distractions that come with working from home. In addition to office space, they also offer mentoring and other help with growing my business. Thanks to Lee of Addo Accounting for recommending me to Francis!!

Earlier this year I put together a Diana Ross tribute show and have performed Supremely, Diana Ross a few times around Portsmouth. Next summer this show will be hitting the high seas on the cruise ship circuit, and yesterday I had a meeting with Tommy Bond of Upstairs At Eric's Studios and Grahame Laurence of writemusic.co.uk who will be working with me to get orchestra charts and professional backing tracks done. My last public performance of Supremely, Diana Ross is on Saturday, 14 December at The Jolly Sailor in Southsea. 'Move On Up' party band will be joining me bringing you two shows in one ... Diana Ross Tribute for the first set, and upbeat party set for the second set featuring the best in Soul, Funk & Rock music!

Kathy Fitchett - Food Fiend Exp.

Tonight, I am so looking forward to spending an amazing evening at 'Food Fiend Experience' where Kathy Fitchett will be laying out quite a spread of home cooked food. The menu is a surprise, but I'm m not worried because I've enjoyed Kathy's cooking before and I know tonight's meal will be fabulous. Just hope I can still fit in my slinky Diana Ross dress on Saturday!!

That's it for now ... 

Gloria