Music is a truly inspirational force. For example, when I listen to rock 'n' roll, I'm inspired to dance, take drugs and have sex — sometimes in that order. But rock's muselike qualities don't end there. Check out GigPosters.com and you'll see what I mean. Sixty thousand concert posters from over 5,000 different artists across the globe, indexed by designer, band, venue and city. To familiarize yourself with the local talent, browse through the portfolios of Kevin Mercer and Eleanor Grosch (whose work is pictured), two outstanding designers based here. Or just type in a band name and juxtapose dozens of startlingly different images all inspired by the same act. My favorite? A textured ear outlet designed by Emek for Air's '04 Electric Factory show.

Illustration by Amy Ignatow

My tolerance for alcohol has never been high, but ever since I've been carb-free on the South Beach diet I have a glass of wine and I turn into a giggling maniac. Two glasses of wine and I'm swaying, drooling, and using my cell phone to call up everyone I've ever met to tell them that I love them, they rock, they're the best and that I will kick their asses with my love. It's very attractive. Losing 25 pounds has never been so humiliating. On the plus side, I can nurse a gin and juice for two hours and be tipsy the entire time.

As a professional singer, I am always looking for ways to stave off illness and congestion. Since it's not always possible, it is comforting to know that there are tools out there to help you make it through that next performance without sounding like a complete frog. My new favorite gig-saver: the (jala) neti pot. The practice of nasal irrigation is an ancient yoga and ayurvedic practice from India. It clears up the nasal passages, using a small pot filled with warm salt water. You pour the water into one nostril, it runs through the sinuses and out the other side. Brilliant! I can breathe easier, I think I may even sound better, but most importantly, I am not missing that gig tonight!

The phrase "open mic" usually sounds as intriguing as nonanesthetized surgery, but Philly Rising at World Café Live makes me look forward to Mondays. Every week, musicians come from Philly, New York and farther, bearing guitars and a desire to please. World Café Live is a "smoke-free" environment, so I wait until there's a bad performer to go outside. Thing is: I'm jonesing most of the time. There are regulars and surprises, like the unassuming boy who brought down the house with his version of "Psycho Killer." I sit close to the stage, order hummus and a $2 Yuengling, and trust Mondays.