“ Life is one big road with lots of signs. So when you riding through the ruts, don’t complicate your mind. Flee from hate, mischief and jealousy. Don’t bury your thoughts, put your vision to reality. Wake Up and Live!”
~ Bob Marley
“ Let gratitude be the pillow upon which you kneel to say your nightly prayer. And let faith be the bridge you build to overcome evil and welcome good.”
~ Maya Angelou
" Joy is what happens to us when we allow ourselves to recognize how good things really are."
~ Marianne Williamson
For someone who is a big advocate of expressing gratitude in the daily life, I have to be honest. Until recently I hadn't been keeping up with my daily gratitude list. It happens. I don't beat myself up for it, but I do realize what happens when I don't take the time to reflect on the good moments of each day.
I noticed that negativity became all I thought about: I was constantly angry, constantly annoyed, constantly disappointed, constantly uncomfortable, and constantly insecure. Even the positive things that entered my life seemed lackluster. It ended with me having a super case of the blues on one lousy, lousy day.
When faced with a sadness that felt thick enough to choke me, I challenged myself to find 10 things I was grateful for that day. And I did it... With facing that challenge and finding gratitude in what I thought was the shittiest day imaginable, my spirit felt lighter. I felt like that awful bad day wasn't so awful and wasn't so bad. And like that... my gratitude list ritual resumed.
I won't lie to you or myself and say I learned my lesson and will never ignore my gratitude lists. But I do know that if I do, I will try to get back into the attitude of gratitude much, much faster.
For this week's song choice for Music Therapy, I decided to use a modern take on a old school message of gratitude. I hope you all will enjoy Omar and Erykah Badu's version of the William DeVaughn hit, "Be Thankful". And I hope that it will remind you to appreciate everything in your life, starting with the fact that you're alive!!
Though you may not drive a great big Cadillac
Gangsta whitewalls
TV antennas in the back
You may not have a car at all
But remember brothers and sisters
You can still stand tall
Just be thankful for what you've got
Though you may not drive a great big Cadillac
Diamond in the back, sunroof top
Diggin' the scene
With a gangsta lean
Gangsta whitewalls
TV antennas in the back
You may not have a car at all
But remember brothers and sisters
You can still stand tall
Just be thankful for what you've got
Diamond in the back, sunroof top
Diggin the scene
With a gangsta lean, wooh-ooh-ooh
Diamond in the back, sunroof top
Diggin the scene
With a gangsta lean, wooh-ooh-ooh
Diamond in the back, sunroof top
Diggin' the scene
With a gangsta lean, wooh-ooh-ooh
Though you may not drive a great big Cadillac
Gangsta whitewalls
TV antennas in the back
You may not have a car at all
But remember brothers and sisters
You can still stand tall
Diamond in the back, sunroof top
Diggin' the scene
With a gangsta lean, wooh-ooh-ooh
Diamond in the back, sunroof top
Diggin' the scene
With a gangsta lean, wooh-ooh-ooh
" To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment."
~ Ralph Waldo Emerson
" Be what you are. This is the first step toward becoming better than you are."
~ Julius Charles Hare
" Let the world know you as you are, not as you think you should be, because sooner or later, if you are posing, you will forget the pose, and then where are you? "
~ Fanny Brice
I am never going to be an effortless beauty, like the women walking around SoHo everyday. Outfits I just throw together do not look like they could grace the cover of a magazine. They look like I just threw them together! LOL
This was a startling realization I made years ago that gave me a serious case of the bummers. While I have grown to accept the fact that I will always be a little too sophistiratchet to be considered polished, I can honestly say that until recently, I never embraced the fact or attempted to love it. And what's not to love? It's who I am.
It's easy to floss and strut about the things that ROCK about you: Your killer sense of humor, your dimples, your dance skills, etc. But the herp derp things about yourself are somewhat hard to embrace! LOL
For this week's song choice for Music Therapy with Miss Moon, I hope that Ani Difranco's "Pick Yer Nose" will inspire you to embrace all that you are, the glamorous and the geeky.
How come I can pick my ears
but not my nose
who made up that rule anyway
how can you say that's the way it is
that's just the way it goes
why don't you decide for yourself
what you can do
and what you can say
how come I can pick my friends
but not my enemies
what is it about me that offends
what is it about me
'cause you know I'm only five foot two
and I'm giggly wiggly
tell me again, what did I do
why are you scared of me
I fight with love
and I laugh with rage
you've gotta live light enough
to see the humour
and long enough to see some change
I think shy is boring
I think depressed is too
I think pretty is nice
but I'd rather see something new
all these plastic people
got their plastic surgery
but we got a big big beautiful
we got it for free
who you gonna be
if you can't be yourself
you can't get it from t.v.
you can't force it on
anybody else
you know they come to clear cut
they come to strip mine
they come for some of my big butt
my big brain
or just a little time
they wanna take me out to dinner
think I'm a bitch if I don't go
seems like the people who actually like me
won't allow me to say no
your idea of a conversation
is the third degree
but I don't really know you
and I don't really want to talk about me
'cause I'm not going to pretend
that I don't pick my nose
that's just the way it is, my friends
that's just the way it goes
this is who I am
what I do
and what I say
if you like it, let it be
if you don't, please do the same
I fight with love
I laugh with rage
you gotta live light enough to see the humour
and long enough to see some change
" You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream."
~ C. S. Lewis
" The secret to a rich life is to have more beginnings than endings."
~ Dave Weinbaum
" Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it, begin it now."
~ Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Confession time: About a month ago, I was seriously contemplating deleting Miss Moon's Musings. I knew I wouldn't give up blogging entirely (I still blogged on my Hindi film blog, Black Girl Digs Bollywood), but I felt like I had nothing else to write about here. I wasn't excited about it anymore. No excitement, no inspiration, nothing to share... I thought perhaps the blog had run its course.
Instead of doing something rash like deleting the blog, I decided to step away. No announcements, no "I'll be back...", I just put the blog on an invisible shelf. And I felt HORRIBLY irresponsible about it. But I put aside the negative feelings I had associated with turning away, convinced that if my relationship with Miss Moon's Musings were to persist, I would be back. There is no shame in starting over after taking time to step back and reflect. There is no shame in making a much-needed redirection, but I was heaping tons of shame on myself or wanting to take a break. I realize the fatal flaw in my thinking, that has been holding me back in terms of this blog, and a lot of things.
I was thinking I was too old (at 35!) to make any type of changes in plans, but that's a crock. I'm old enough to make wise choices from the heart, and young enough to be able to see the journey to completion. There is still ample time!
So for today's song choice for the return of Music Therapy with Miss Moon is from Clare and the Reasons. I hope that "You Got Time" serves as a very important reminder that it is never over until it's over.
Even if you said something so cold
even though you have lies that you told
you got time to turn around and make things right
you got time to turn around and make things right
even if you manipulate us
even if you just caused a big fuss
you got time to turn around and make things right
you got time to turn around and make things right
you got time
you got time
you got time
you got time
even though you just told them goodbye
even though they’re still wondering why
you got time to turn around and make things right
you got time to turn around and make things right
even if you feel badder than bad
even if you got madder than mad
you got time to turn around and make things right
you got time to turn around and make things right
you got time
you got time
you got time
you got time
you got time
you got time
you got time
you got time
Even if you said something so cold
even if you’ve got lies that you told
you’ve got time to turn around and make things right
you’ve got time to turn around and make things right
Even if you feel badder than bad
even if you got madder than mad
you’ve got time to turn around and make things right
you’ve got time to turn around and make things right
you’ve got time
you’ve got time
you’ve got time
you’ve got time
you’ve got time
you’ve got time
you’ve got time
you’ve got time
" You can cut all the flowers but you cannot keep spring from coming."
~ Pablo Neruda
" Spring has returned. The Earth is like a child that knows poems."
~ Rainer Maria Rilke
" If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant; if we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome."
~ Anne Bradstreet
There are times, where I wish I lived in a part of the world that had constant sunshine, year-round warmth. I can imagine living someplace where I can go lie on the beach in February, never have to trek to the subway in the snow, and never ever have to feel that awful chill to the bones one feels when its frigid out.
But the truth of the matter is, how else would we enjoy and appreciate the spring without the winter? And it's just like appreciating moments of peace without struggle.
So for this week's Music Therapy with Miss Moon, I have chosen a classic tune from the great Bob Marley to celebrate the arrival of Spring. I hope you all will enjoy "Sun Is Shining".
Sun is shining, the weather is sweet
Make you want to move your dancing feet
To the rescue, here i am
Want you to know, y'all, where i stand
(monday morning) here i am
Want you to know just if you can
(tuesday evening) where i stand
(wenesday morning)
Tell myself a new day is rising
(thursday evening) get on the rise
A new day is dawning
(friday morning) here i am
(saturday evening) want you to know just
Want you to know just where i stand
When the morning gathers the rainbow
Want you to know i'm a rainbow too
So, to the rescue here i am
Want you to know just if you can
Where i stand, know, know, know, know, know
We'll lift our heads and give jah praises
We'll lift our heads and give jah praises, yeah
Sun is shining, the weather is sweet
Make you want to move your dancing feet
To the rescue, here i am
Want you to know just if you can
Where i stand
(wenesday morning)
Tell myself a new day is rising
(thursday evening) get on the rise
A new day is dawning
(friday morning) here i am
(saturday evening) want you to know just
Want you to know just where i stand
When the morning gathers the rainbow
Want you to know i'm a rainbow too
So to the rescue, here i am
Want you to know just if you can
Where i stand, know, know, know, know, know
We'll lift our heads and give jah praises (repeat)
“ There is only one thing that makes a dream impossible to achieve: the fear of failure.”
~ Paulo Coelho
“ Hold fast to dreams, For if dreams die Life is a broken-winged bird, That cannot fly.”
~ Langston Hughes
One thing that will most likely never change about me is my propensity to daydream. Since childhood, I would spend hours deep in my mind, imagining my life - How it is, how it isn't, how I'd like it to be.
Fast forward to me today at 35, and not much has changed. I find myself on the train, listening to my iPod and daydreaming the same flights of fancy as in my childhood. I've been blessed to make many of my dreams come true, so I know that as the years progress I will continue to bring more from the world of my dreams to the world outside we all live in.
This week's song choice for Music Therapy with Miss Moon is a song I've featured in a post last year, but I felt compelled to bring it back. I dedicate it to the dreamers out there: to you, to me, to all of us.
Have you ever heard
Of a dreamer girl
Living in a world
So far away
You might think that she
Is a bit naive
When she says that someday
She'll be your queen
Isn't it possible?
Is it a crime?
Or is it just a silver state of mind?
Baby baby
Close your eyes
Life's a dream
Maybe someday one day...
I dream of simple things every day
I dream that love will come my way
I dream of many lives
I cross the stage
I dream that in this world I can make a change
Is it possible?
Is it a crime?
Or is it just a silver state of mind?
Baby baby
Close your eyes
Life's a dream
Maybe someday one day...
Tell me that I could have it all
Tell me that I wouldn't change at all
Tell me this road is not too long
Will I give up a few years from now
Will I be strong someway somehow
Tell me that I should keep holding on
Baby baby
Close your eyes
Life's a dream
Maybe someday one day...
Baby baby
Close your eyes
Life's a dream
Maybe someday one day...
" I prefer to be a dreamer among the humblest, with visions to be realized, than lord among those without dreams and desires."
~ Khalil Gibran
" Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world."
~ Harriet Tubman
“ Your vision becomes clear when you look inside your heart. Who looks outside, dreams. Who looks inside, awakens.”
~ Carl Jung
One personality trait of mine that has persisted since childhood is my ability to daydream. I'm still a woman who can be "in her own head" daily. While my daydreams are harmless and they don't prevent me from living my life, I sometimes fear that my dreams make me a bit too picky and adamant about what I want in my life. I wonder if I'm wasting time waiting for a dream to come true, because I'm not getting any younger, now is the time, blah blah blah...
Such were the thoughts in my head when my co-worker John handed me a fortune cookie from his lunch. I opened it and the fortune really knocked me off my feet:
"Hungry is the man that finds salvation in a cookie"
I took it as a sign that regardless of the time spent waiting (though patience is not my best virtue), it is better to actively seek out and wait for what you want in life to appear.
So I won't let fear of disappointment make me settle... not at all. I will expect the rest of my life to be the best of my life. Starting today! And to celebrate the first day of my fabulous future, here's this week's song choice for Music Therapy with Miss Moon, "Vision" by Alana Davis.
I don’t know what I really want in life
Well, of course, I want some love
And I may need something to keep me inspired,
So I don’t drive myself crazy
On the way, I tried to stay on my path
Glad for the things that I’ve learned in my past
And I try not to choose based on old decisions
And soon I’ll get stronger,
Without such divisions
And I want to know the future, yeah
But I can’t look over this day, no
I could work until I’m blue, from the mission
‘Til it’s more than just a vision in my head
More than just a vision in my head
More than just some ‘thing’ somebody said
More than just a lesson to be read
More like part of you and me, instead
I don’t know where to look for guarantees
Well of course, I want the truth
There are so many ways I could go, I think I..
Might just stay in the moment
All I know is I’ve got to make my way
‘Cause I don’t have time that I want to waste
And if I honestly look, I might find:
That I’m dumb in the heart
And out of my mind
And I want to know the future, yeah
But I can’t look over this day, no
I could work until I’m blue, from the mission
‘Til it’s more than just a vision in my head
More than just a vision in my head
More than just some ‘thing’ somebody said
More than just a lesson to be read
More like part of you and me, instead
Oh yeah
Is this a bridge, yeah?
It’s just a bridge, yeah…
It’s just a bridge, yeah…
And I want to know the future, yeah
But I can’t look over this day, no
I could work until I’m blue, from the mission
‘Til it’s more than just a vision in my head
More than just a vision in my head
More than just some ‘thing’ somebody said
More than just a lesson to be read
More like part of you and me, instead
More than just some Thing hanging over my bed!
Oh yeah
More like part of you and ME
" When people believe in themselves they have the first secret of success."
~ Norman Vincent Peale
" You are very powerful, provided you know how powerful you are."
~ Yogi Bhajan
" Be thankful for what you have; you'll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don't have, you will never, ever have enough."
~ Oprah Winfrey
Sometimes it's the simple act of going to work that makes me feel like I will always struggle to maintain. I work in the NoHo section of Manhattan, which is a pretty affluent area surrounded by shops I couldn't afford to shop in (even if they sold items in my size) and while many of us in the area of rushing to get to our jobs, there are countless people hanging out shopping. Because they can.
And I admit to feeling a little... okay a lot of jealously for them. I wish my life was as easy breezy as theirs seems to be and I look at my surroundings and wonder what misstep did I take to end up where I am. Thoughts like that only lead to more negative thinking... and in the end, I generally end up feeling like the biggest loser on the planet. Why do I subject myself to this?
My life is exactly the way it should be right now. I have enough, I am enough. I have a job that keeps me supported and I feel I'm very good at what I do. Furthermore, I have many many more talents to offer the world and when the opportunity arises, I will take it wholeheartedly. I will remain where I am and walk past all the shopping socialites to my job and be proud that I have the means to care for myself.
Like a sign from the Universe, in the midst of feeling this horrible feeling of being stuck I was reunited with today's song choice for Music Therapy with Miss Moon. When I was younger (way before I joined the workforce), it was one of my favorite songs and it always filled me with an incredible sense of optimism for the future. Listening to it again filled me with that same optimism, and I felt like questions I was asking the Universe had finally been answered. Keep going, keep trying, run your own race, and never give in.
If you are feeling disheartened or stuck in a current situation, I hope that "When Am I Going To Make A Living" by Sade will serve as a reminder that your future is bright as long as you remember to shine in the present.
When am I gonna make a living?
It's gonna take a while before I give in.
See the people fussing and thieving.
While the sharks are wheeling and dealing.
Gotta look up and tell yourself,
there's no end to what you can do.
They'll waste your body and soul if you allow them to.
This is time to start believing in yourself.
Put the blame on no-one else.
When am I gonna make a living?
It's gonna take a while before I give in.
See the people fussing and stealing.
Too many lies, no-one is achieving.
Haven't I told you before,
"we're hungry for a life we can't afford."
There's no end to what you can do.
If you give yourself a chance to prove.
We're hungry but we won't give in.
Hungry but we won't give in.
Hungry but we won't give in.
Hungry but we won't give in.
Hungry but we won't give in.
We're hungry but we won't give in.
Hungry but we won't give in.
Hungry but we won't give in.
There's no end to what you can do.
They'll waste your body and soul if you allow them to.
Start believing in yourself.
Put the blame on no-one else.
When am I gonna make a living?.
It's gonna take a while before I give in. Yes it is.
I'm sick and tired of scratching a living.
I am hungry but I'm not gonna give in.
We're hungry but we won't give in.
Hungry but we won't give in.
Hungry but we won't give in.
Hungry but we won't give in.
Hungry but we won't give in.
Hungry but we won't give in.
Hungry but we won't give in.
Hungry but we're gonna win.
" One cannot manage too many affairs: like pumpkins in the water, one pops up while you try to hold down the other."
~ Chinese Proverb
" The butterfly counts not months but moments, and has time enough."
~ Rabindranath Tagore
“ The only reason for time is so that everything doesn't happen at once.”
~ Albert Einstein
I admit it. I suck at multitasking. Well, that's not 100% true...
At work, I'm a beast!! I can answer and email, talk to a customer on the telephone and send an instant message to co-workers at the same time. But when it comes to balancing work with everything else in my life... it's a challenge that I'm trying to learn from and ultimately master.
I know that the time to do everything I want and need to do is available if I seek it out. The greatest challenge thus far is to prioritize and get each thing done in that small window of time allotted to me. So the best way I've found to do this is to fake it like I have everything together and that juggling all that life is throwing at me is effortless. Trust me, it ain't! LOL
Today's song choice for Music Therapy with Miss Moon has become a sort of anthem of mine, that I use to trick my mind and body into believing that I have more time to get everything accomplished than I really do. If you're like me, and you feel sometimes that there needs to be more hours of the day, then I hope that Little Jackie's "Move to the Beat" will motivate you to find the time to get it done and have a little fun in the process!
You move to the beat
Move to the beat
You move to the beat
Can you have it all?
Will you trip and fall,
While you do everything?
What's behind the scene
Hope nobody sees you
Stumble while you walk across that balance beam.
I know it's hard
To try to make it look easy
Try to stay in charge
And please everybody
You gotta move with the traffic
And go with the flow
Hop on one foot while you touch your nose
Trouble taking things with your other hand?
Ahh suck it up and be a man
Can you do it all?
Baby if you're asking
You're looking at the queen of multi-tasking
You move to the beat
Move to the beat
Tap into the insanity, yeah
You move to the beat
You can feel the heat
You embrace the multiplicity
I know it's hard
To try to make it look easy
Try to stay in charge
And please everybody
You gotta move with the traffic
And go with the flow
Hop on one foot while you touch your nose
Trouble taking things with your other hand?
Ahh suck it up and be a man
Can you do it all?
Baby if you're asking
You're looking at the queen of multi-tasking
You move to the beat
Move to the beat
Tap into the insanity, yeah
You move to the beat
Sha la la la
Sha la la la
Sha la la la
Sha la la la
Sha la la la
Sha la la la
Move to the beat
Sha la la la
Sha la la la
Sha la la la
Sha la la la
Sha la la la
Sha la la la
You gotta move with the traffic
And go with the flow
Hop on one foot while you touch your nose
Trouble taking things with your other hand?
Ahh suck it up and be a man
Can you do it all
Baby if you're asking
You're looking at the queen of multi-tasking
You move to the beat
Move to the beat
Tap into the insanity, yeah
You move to the beat
Sha la la la
Sha la la la
Move to the beat
You move to the beat
Sha la la la
Sha la la la
Move to the beat
You move to the beat
Sha la la la
Sha la la la
Move to the beat
" One of the virtues of being very young is that you don't let the facts get in the way of your imagination."
~ Sam Levenson
" The reluctance to put away childish things may be a requirement of genius."
~ Rebecca Pepper Sinkler
" Seriousness is a disease."
~ Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh
One of the things that I am most proud of is that people I meet find it very hard to believe that I am 35. Yep. I am 35 years old and 40 is rapidly approaching.
People's surprise at learning my age is not a source of pride for me because of some vain notion that I look younger than 35. I am 35, so this is clearly what a 35 year old looks like for me. I am proud of this fact because on most days, I feel much younger than I am. I am young at heart, and I guess it reflects in the way I look somehow.
But there are days when I feel OLD. I feel older than 35, in fact. Days where getting up out of bed and being a grown up is a big ole drag! But I do it, because I AM a grown up, and part of being one means that there are responsibilities that must be attended to. So I do my grown up, responsible thing, and then I dedicate one weekend day to just having a fun: watching cartoons, eating junk food, dancing around my room with a brush in my hand as a makeshift microphone... anything I can do to reclaim some of that childish spirit.
So for today's Music Therapy with Miss Moon song choice, I wanted to pick a song that was fun, upbeat and very youthful. One that would bring into mind of being young, without a care in a world, and allow all of us grown ups to take a piece of that exuberant spirit with us through the work week. So I hope you all will enjoy "Perfect Day" by Hoku, and that it will remind you to take time out of your busy schedules, responsibilities, and adulthood to have a perfect day for yourself. You deserve it!
Sun's up, a little after twelve, make breakfast for myself
Leave the work for someone else
People say, they say that it's just a phase
They tell me to act my age, well I am
On this perfect day, nothing's standing in my way
On this perfect day when nothing can go wrong
It's the perfect day, tomorrow's gonna come too soon
I could stay, forever as I am on this perfect day
Sun's down, a little after ten I pick up all my friends
In my Mercedes Benz, wake up don't tell me it's just a dream
'Cause when I've had enough you'll hear me say
Now don't you try to rain on my
Perfect day, nothing's standing in my way
On this perfect day when nothing can go wrong
It's the perfect day, tomorrow's gonna come too soon
I could stay, forever as I am on this perfect day
I'm in the race but I've already won
And getting there can be half the fun
So don't stop me till I'm good and done
Don't you try to rain on my
Perfect day, it's the perfect day
It's the perfect day, nothing's gonna bring me down
I could stay, forever as I am
On this perfect day, nothing's standing in my way
On this perfect day, nothing can go wrong
I'm in the race but I've already won
And getting there can be half the fun
So don't stop me till I'm good and done
Don't you try to rain on my perfect day
On this perfect day, on this perfect day
“ Optimist: Day-dreamer more elegantly spelled.”
~ Mark Twain
" What seems to us as bitter trials are often blessings in disguise."
~ Oscar Wilde
" The optimism of a healthy mind is indefatigable."
~ Margery Allingham
" March on. Do not tarry. To go forward is to move toward perfection. March on, and fear not the thorns, or the sharp stones on life's path."
~ Khalil Gibran
Confession time: I haven' been faring too well in the optimism department as of late. I've been going through the motions with my daily gratitude list, but haven't been putting the love and happiness into it. So it should come as no surprise to me that I've allowed pessimism and negativity to creep into my daily life. No more, though.
I'm learning that a bright and optimistic spirited can change upon circumstance and from the neglect of it. Instead of devoting energy to wringing my hands and dwelling on the "could-a would-a should-as", I will use it to nurture gratitude for my life and acknowledging the optimistic spirit within me.
Days after coming to this conclusion, I received a significant sign from the Universe that I was headed in the right direction. I found a Hamsa, or a Hand of Fatima on my way to work, a symbol I've always loved. I love and am so grateful for the moments in my life when I receive instant confirmation that I've found the better way I've been seeking.
And to celebrate this discovery, I share with all of you today's song choice for Music Therapy with Miss Moon. I hope you all will enjoy Ben Harper's "Better Way" and that it will usher forth a better way for all of us.
i'm a living sunset
lightning in my bones
push me to the edge
but my will is stone
fools will be fools
and wise will be wise
but i will look this world
straight in the eyes
what good is a man
who won't take a stand
what good is a cynic
with no better plan
(hope these words feel pleasant
as they rest upon your ears)
reality is sharp
it cuts at me like a knife
everyone i know
is in the fight of their life
take your face out of your hands
and clear your eyes
you have a right to your dreams
and don't be denied
" The person who sends out positive thoughts activates the world around him positively and draws back to himself positive results."
~ Ralph Waldo Emerson
" Affectation is a greater enemy to the face than smallpox."
~ English Proverb
" The last of the human freedoms is to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances."
~ William James
For years, as a joke I referred to Fiona Apple's "Fast As You Can" as my "relationship anthem". I even went as far as to exaggerate that when I meet my next prospective partner, I would play the song for him... so he would know what he was getting into right from the start.
Even though I said it in jest, I think a part of me really thought that the song was an accurate representation of who I am in a relationship. It's not and I know this now. In retrospect, it would explain a lot about the way I am projecting myself and how men see me... and why I'm single still! LOL
So I meditated on it and I let myself be open to a new anthem to come into my life. And days later, I heard today's song choice for Music Therapy with Miss Moon at work. I hadn't heard this song in years, and I remembered liking it when it first dropped.
In rediscovering the song and taking in the lyrics, I found myself saying "THIS!!! This is me in a relationship!!". And I think that this song is the perfect new anthem to adopt. So I hope you all will enjoy "Clumsy" by Fergie. If you are single (or even if you are not) do you have a relationship anthem? What's yours?
Can't help it
The girl can't help it
Can't help it
The girl can't help it
Can't help it
The girl can't help it
First time
That I saw your eyes
Boy you looked right through me, mmmhmm
Played it cool
But I knew you knew
That cupid hit me, mmm mmm
You got me tripping, stumbling, flipping, fumbling
Clumsy cause I'm falling in love
You got me slipping, tumbling, sinking, fumbling
Clumsy cause I'm falling in love
So in love with you
Can't help it
The girl can't help it
Can't help it
The girl can't help it
Can't help it
The girl can't help it
Can't breath
When you touch my sleeve
Butterflies so crazy, mmm mmm
Whoa now, think I'm going down
Friends don't know whats with me, mmm mmm
You got me tripping, stumbling, flipping, fumbling
Clumsy cause I'm falling in love
You got me slipping, tumbling, sinking, fumbling
Clumsy cause I'm falling in love
So in love with you
Can't help it
The girl can't help it
Can't help it
The girl can't help it
Can't help it
The girl can't help it
You know, this isn't the first time this has happened to me
This love sick thing
I like serious relationships and a
A girl like me don't stay single for long
Cause everytime a boyfriend and I break up
My world is crushed and I'm all alone
The love bug crawls right back up and bites me and I'm back
Can't help it
The girl can't help it
Can't help it
The girl can't help it
Can't help it
The girl can't help it
You got me tripping, stumbling, flipping, fumbling
Clumsy cause I'm falling in love
You got me slipping, tumbling, sinking, fumbling
Clumsy cause I'm falling in love
So in love with you
So in love with you
So in love with you
" For every good reason there is to lie, there is a better reason to tell the truth."
~ Bo Bennett
" By a lie, a man... annihilates his dignity as a man."
~ Immanuel Kant
“ A half-truth is a whole lie.”
~ Yiddish Proverb
Recently I encountered something that put me in a place of panic and fear. Without getting into too much detail (Because I'm really trying to now dwell and to move beyond it), a customer told a lie about me at work and about our interaction over the telephone.
Now I've worked in Customer Support for almost 20 years now and I know with some certainty that there are are people out there that feel exaggeration and intimidation are great techniques to get what you want from a company. Knowing this intellectually, I still was quite upset and shaken by the experience, because I went through a similar situation before.
In that instance, my superiors did not believe me and I was reprimanded quite unfairly, I think. Still do, as a matter of fact. I could have argued and insisted my innocence, but I felt so weak and powerless that I gave up. It's frustrating to have your integrity and your professionalism doubted and called into question when you did everything within your power to ensure a positive outcome.
The blessing in what happened recently is that I was believed! Wholeheartedly! And I didn't feel like there was some silent notation being made on my record. I felt secure that I am in a good place professionally, and that my superiors have my back and recognize my efforts. That's an extraordinary feeling!
I am filled with a sense of gratitude that the people surrounding me in the workplace... see me. They see my humanity, they see my frailty, they see my excellence, and they see who I am and what I do everyday for the company I am so blessed to work for.
Lies have no power over you unless you give it power. Gratitude is the ultimate kryptonite for falsehood, and today's song choice for Music Therapy with Miss Moon serves as a reminder to life your life a different way... the grateful way! I hope you all will enjoy "Lies" by En Vogue.
I'll live my life a different way
Refuse to let myself be called a victim
Lies, lies, using lies as alibis
Lie's, lies, just a devil in disguise
It's the same game
Played in so many ways
Everyone is the victim too
It's just a waste of time
Made for simple minds
So why do people insist on lies
I'll give my life a different way
Refuse to let myself become a victim
Getting caught you in a vicious web of lies
Lies, lies, using lies as alibis
Lie's, lies, just a devil in disguise
The nation's leaders as well as teachers
Practice lies as a way of life, yes they do
So think before you speak
Cause what you sow you reap
The truth will always come to light
Will we ever learn one day
That telling lies always bring to matters
Misery and sometimes pain
I'll live my life a different way
Refuse to let myself be called a victim
Lies, lies, using lies as alibis
Lie's, lies, just a devil in disguise
Lies, lies, using lies as alibis
Lie's, lies, just a devil in disguise
Lies, lies, using lies as alibis
Lie's, lies, just a devil in disguise
Lies and deceit
Yes it's running real rampant
Communities suffering, yo I can't stand it
When we think of lies we tend to think of politicians
But what about the husband who's on a mission
Lying to his wife so he can get it on and get some
Coming back home with a dumb expression
Written on a face that he's guilty as a criminal
It's time to change your attitude
People do you hear me, don't listen
To a funky rhyme that's kickin' knowledge that we need
We lie about our hair
And we know we got a weave
Politicians lie about the things they're gonna do
And everybody's tale affects me and you
A smoker lies about the money that he stole
And a dope dealer never tells you how he got his gold
I guess what Debbie T. is really trying to say
When you break it all down we're all the same
I'll live my life a different way
Refuse to let myself be called a victim
Caught up in a vicious web of lies
" I have accepted fear as a part of life – specifically the fear of change. I have gone ahead despite the pounding in the heart that says: turn back."
~ Erica Jong
" Decide that you want it more than you are afraid of it."
~ Bill Cosby
" Where fear is, happiness is not."
~ Seneca
One of the most frustrating feelings in life is knowing what needs to be done, knowing that fear is holding you back, and not knowing how to get over it. Do you just leap and hope that the net will appear? Do you take a baby step in the right direction? What to do?
I'm 35, and I'm rapidly passing the "there's still time..." phase of my life. So I'm going to leap and instead of hoping the net will appear I will know it. I'm tired of ambling down this path we call life, kept stagnant by fear and unhappy.
I'm going for what I want in life. I'm going to make moves, rock the boat a bit, and my heart will quake with fear, but I will know I'm alive. So for today's song choice, I am sharing one of my favorite tunes by Erykah Badu, "Didn't Cha Know" May it serve was a reminder that life is to be lived, not feared.
Oh hey...
Ooh hey
I'm trying to decide
Which way to go
I think I made a wrong turn back there somewhere
Ooh hey
I'm trying to decide
Which way to go
I think I made a wrong turn back there somewhere
Didn't cha know, didn't cha know
Tried to move but I lost my way
Didn't cha know, didn't cha know
Stopped to watch my emotions sway
Didn't cha know, didn't cha know
Knew the toll, but I would not pay
Didn't cha know, didn't cha know
Cause you never know where the cards may lay
Time to save the world
Where in the world is all the time
So many things I still don't know
So many times I've changed my mind
Guess I was born to make mistakes
But I ain't scared to take the weight
So when I stumble off the path
I know my heart will guide me back
Ooh hey
I'm trying to decide
Which way to go
I think I made a wrong turn back there somewhere
Ooh hey
I'm trying to decide
Which way to go
I think I made a wrong turn back there somewhere
Didn't cha know, didn't cha know
Tried to run but I lost my way
Didn't cha know, didn't cha know
Stopped to watch my emotions sway
Didn't cha know, didn't cha know
Knew the toll but I would not pay
Didn't cha know, didn't cha know
I said ya never know how the cards may lay
Love is life, and life is free
Take a ride on life with me
Free your mind and find your way
There will be a brighter day
Love is life, and life is free
Take a ride on life with me
Free your mind and find your way
There will be a brighter day
“ When one door closes, another opens; but we often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the one which has opened for us.”
~ Alexander Graham Bell
" I'd rather regret the things I've done than regret the things I haven't done. "
~ Lucille Ball
" A man is not old until his regrets take the place of his dreams"
~ Yiddish Proverb
" I never regret anything. Because every little detail of your life is what made you into who you are in the end. "
~ Drew Barrymore
I admit it. I'm a girl that dwells on the "could-a... would-a... should-a's" in my life. I wonder what my life would be like today if I made different choices, listened to those red flags, said "NO!" when I really wanted to. And I guess it's something we all do from time to time... but I really do it a little too much. And I need to change it.
The first step in realizing that all of the choices I've made in my 35 years have lead me to where I am today. And more importantly, who I am today. And I'm... pretty kick ass, I think. I'm getting better with age, and that's due to my experiences. So instead of wringing my hands and shaking my head, I should express gratitude for where I have been, because I am now where I am, and that's someplace fabulous!
For today's Music Therapy with Miss Moon song choice, I share a great song by Darius "Not Hootie" Rucker. I hope you all will enjoy "This", and I hope it serves as a reminder to live your lives without regret, as you're wonderful and so is everything that is and everything's that to come!
Got a baby girl sleeping in my bedroom
And her mama laughing in my arms
There's the sound of rain on the rooftop
And the game's about to start
I don't really know how I got here
But I'm sure glad that I did
And it's crazy to think that one little thing
Could've changed all of it
Maybe it didn't turn out like I planned
Maybe that's why I'm such, such a lucky man
For every stoplight I didn't make
Every chance I did or I didn't take
All the nights I went too far
All the girls that broke my heart
All the doors that I had to close
All the things I knew but I didn't know
Thank God for all I missed
'Cause it led me here to this
Like the girl that I loved in high school
Who said she could do better
Or that college I wanted to go to
'Til I got that letter
All the fights and the tears and the heartache
I thought I'd never get through
And the moment I almost gave up
All lead me here to you
I didn't understand it way back when
But sitting here right now, it all makes perfect sense
For every stoplight I didn't make
Every chance I did or I didn't take
All the nights I went too far
All the girls that broke my heart
All the doors that I had to close
All the things I knew but I didn't know
Thank God for all I missed
'Cause it led me here to this
How I cried when my mama passed away
But now I've got an angel looking out for me today
So nothing's a mistake
For every stoplight I didn't make
Every chance I did or I didn't take
All the nights I went too far
All the girls that broke my heart
All the doors that I had to close
Everything I knew but I didn't know
Thank God for all I missed
'Cause it led me here to this
It led me here to this
" This is the highest wisdom that I own; freedom and life are earned by those alone who conquer them each day anew.”
~ Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
" Today is a new day. Hiding from your history only shackles you to it. We can't undo a single thing we have ever done, but we can make decisions today that propel us to the life we want and towards the healing we need."
~ Steve Maraboli
" Don't let yesterday use up too much of today."
~ Will Rogers
Did you ever have a feeling that something huge is coming? It's a strange feeling, one full of anticipation, longing, excitedness and fear. I don't know why, but I feel like something is coming into my life, just past the horizon. I don't know what, but I have a feeling its going to be the first step of a new phase in my life.
It's a great feeling. Scary as hell, but still a great feeling. So today's Music Therapy with Miss Moon song choice is a soulful rendition of a classic from The Beatles by Dionne Farris. I hope that "Black Bird" will usher forth something new and fabulous for all of us.
Blackbird singing in the dead of night
Take these broken wings and learn to fly
All your life
You were only waiting for this moment to arise
Black bird singing in the dead of night
Take these sunken eyes and learn to see
all your life
you were only waiting for this moment to be free
Blackbird fly, Blackbird fly
Into the light of the dark black night.
Blackbird fly, Blackbird fly
Into the light of the dark black night.
Blackbird singing in the dead of night
Take these broken wings and learn to fly
All your life
You were only waiting for this moment to arise
Blackbird fly, Blackbird fly
Into the light of the dark black night.
Blackbird fly, Blackbird fly
Into the light of the dark black night.
Black bird singing in the dead of night
Take these sunken eyes and learn to see
all your life
you were only waiting for this moment to be free
you were only waiting for this moment to be free
you were only waiting for this moment to be free
" The way I see it, if you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain."
~ Dolly Parton
" Celebrate the wonderful and great days that you have and the occasional bad days will reduce."
~ Source Unknown
" Tough times never last, but tough people do."
~ Robert Shuller
I've learned that bad days aren't as bad as they seem. Surviving 3 bad days in a row without snapping can teach you that lesson. I've also learned that bad days aren't so bad when you are surrounded by good people, and that if you can find ten things to be grateful for, even on a bad day, then you are blessed.
Today's song choice for Music Therapy with Miss Moon is one that reminds us that we are built to survive bad days... even SEVERAL bad days. And if by any chance you are having a bad day today, I hope Nelly Furtado's "Spirit Indestructable" will lift your spirits!!
Through my one square foot window I see outside
I have chains on my feet, but not in my mind
I'll be dancing all day see the sun outside
Don't know how long it will be
Can't stop me
I have a spirit indestructible
A heart that loving was made for
A body that's a miracle
I have a spirit indestructible
A heart that was made pure
Unbreakable and that's for sure
Unshakeable, so give me more
Through my tired eyes I phase out the rain
With a meditation, I erased my pains
There's a rythym flowing through every vein
And the melody is never ending
I have a spirit indestructible
A heart that loving was made for
A body that's a miracle
I have a spirit indestructible
A heart that was made pure
Unbreakable and that's for sure
Unshakeable, so give me more
A-E-I-O-U
And though they may, and though they may
Take you away, take you away
You'll never break, you'll never break
Break
And though they may, though they may
Take you away, take you away
They'll never break, they'll never break
You
I have a spirit indestructible
A heart that loving was made for
A body that's a miracle
I have a spirit indestructible
A heart that was made pure
Unbreakable and that's for sure
Unshakeable, so give me more
" A complainer is like a Death Eater because there's a suction of negative energy. You can catch a great attitude from great people."
~ Barbara Corcoran
" Dwelling on the negative simply contributes to its power."
~ Shirley MacLaine
" People deal too much with the negative, with what is wrong. Why not try and see positive things, to just touch those things and make them bloom?"
~ Nhat Hanh
" Just can't live that negative way...make way for the positive day!"
~ Bob Marley
It's the most wonderful time of the year.... unless you (like me) are working in the service industry. While most people are gathering with friends and family and reveling in each other's company, some people are furious, ravenous, frustrated and feel the need to vent. And that's where people like me come in.
Last week was a tough week at work for me, and today is gearing up to be an even tougher one. On Friday, I decided to make a note of the number of times someone yelled, became irate, or was just straight-up rude to me over the telephone and through email. The list was astonishing. I ended the week feeling emotionally drained and frustrated at the sense of entitlement some people seem to have that makes them feel they are completely allowed to behave in a disgusting manner.
But I started thinking about it. Why was I focusing on the people who were approaching me negatively? And by doing so, what message was I sending to the Universe? I'm a firm believer in the law of attraction (What you think about, you bring about!) and if I am putting focus on the rude and irate customers, why was I surprised that I am getting so much of them? Why not instead put my focus on the customers who are patient, understanding, and most importantly recognize that they are talking to a human beings and not soulless robots created to take their abuse? Why not show gratitude for every single kind word of thanks and well wishes for a good holiday?
So today's Christmas Eve and like many people in the service industry... I'm working today. And I'm going in there knowing that today is not going to be all sunshine and roses.
But I will walk through the day with agility and show gratitude only to the customer interactions I want in my career: ones where I can do my job to the best of my ability, and help as many people as possible, and anticipate happy endings whenever possible. And to get me through the day, I will keep in mind today's song choice for Music Therapy with Miss Moon. I've featured this song before on the blog, but I happen to think it's the perfect song for dealing with negative people during a generally positive time of the year.
So I dedicate "Tightrope" by Janelle Monae to myself, my co-workers and to everyone who works in the service industry today, because we need it. And to those of you out there who have to call Customer Service about an order, or go shopping today, take a good look or listen that that tired-looking person answering your call or ringing up your purchase, put yourself in their shoes, and send them a little joy, because this is the season to spread love and light... to everyone!!
Monae and Leftfoot
Whoa
Another day
I take your pain away
Some people talk about you
Like they know all about you
When you get down they doubt you
And when you tipping on the scene
Yeah they talkin' about it
'Cause they can't tip all on the scene with you
What you talk about it
Talkin' about it
When you get elevated,
They love it or they hate it
You dance up on them haters
Keep getting funky on the scene
While they jumpin' round you
They trying to take all your dreams
But you can't allow it
'Cause baby whether you're high or low
Whether you're high or low
You gotta tip on the tightrope
(Tip, tip on it)
Tip on the tightrope
(Tip, tip on it)
Baby, baby, baby
Whether you're high or low
(High or low)
Baby whether you're high or low
(High or low)
You got to tip on the tightrope
(Tip, tip on it)
Now let me see you do the tightrope
(Tip, tip on it)
And I'm still tippin' on it
See I'm not walkin' on it
Or trying to run around it
This ain't no acrobatics
You either follow or you lead, yeah
I'm talkin' about you,
I'll keep on blaming the machine, yeah
I'm talkin' about it,
Talkin' about it
I can't complain about it
I gotta keep my balance
And just keep dancing on it
We getting funky on the scene
Yeah you know about it,
Like a star on the screen
Watch me tip all on it
Then baby whether I'm high or low
(High or low)
Baby whether you're high or low
(High or low)
You gotta tip on the tightrope
(Tip, tip on it)
Yeah, tip on the tightrope
(Tip, tip on it)
Baby, baby, baby
Whether you're high or low
(High or low)
Baby whether you're high or low
(High or low)
Tip on the tightrope
(Tip, tip on it)
Baby let me see you tight rope
And I'm still tippin' on it
Whether you're high or low
(High or low)
Baby whether you're high or low
(High or low)
Tip on the tightrope
(Tip, tip on it)
Baby let me see you tight rope
(Tip, tip on it)
And I'm still tippin' on it
You gotta keep your balance
Or you fall into the gap
It's a challenge but I manage
'Cause I'm cautious with the strap
No damage to your cameras damn I thought that
Can I passy
Why you don't want no friction
Like the back of a matchbook
That I pass as I will forward you
And your MacBook
Clothes shows will shut you down
Before we go-go backwards
Act up, and whether we high or low
We gonna get back-up
Like the Dow Jones and NASDAQ
Sorta like a thong in an ass crack,
Come on
I tip on alligators and little rattle snakers
But I'm another flavor
Something like a terminator
Ain't no equivocating
I fight for what I believe
Why you talkin' about it
She's talkin' about it
Some calling me a sinner
Some calling me a winner
I'm calling you to dinner
And you know exactly what I mean,
Yeah I'm talking about you
You can rock or you can leave
Watch me tip without you
N-N-Now whether I'm high or low
(High or low)
Whether I'm high or low
(High or low)
I'm gonna tip on the tightrope
(Tip, tip on it)
MMMMMM
(Tip, tip on it)
Baby, baby, baby
Whether I'm high or low
Goblogtainment
(High or low)
High or low
(High or low)
I got to tip on the tightrope
(Tip, tip on it)
Now baby tip on the tightrope
You can't get too high
(You can't get too high)
I said you can't get too low
(We can't get too low)
Cause you get too high
(You can't get too high)
No you'll surely be low
(No, you'll surely be low)
1, 2, 3, Ho!
Yeah, yeah
Now shut up, yeah
Yeah, now put some voodoo on it
Ladies and Gentlemen the funkiest horn section in the tribalist
Yeah, oh
We call that classy brass
Oh
Oh!
Do you mind?
If I play the ukulele
Just like a little lady
Do you mind?
If I play the ukulele
Just like a little lady
As I play the ukulele
If I play my ukulele
Just like a little lady
" Winter makes a bridge between one year and another..."
~ Andy Goldsworthy
" Every mile is two in winter."
~ George Herbert
" Let us love winter, for it is the spring of genius."
~ Pietro Aretino
After 30+ years of living in New York City year round, you would think I would have acclimated to the colder months. But alas, I was not meant to live in the cold and snow.
I am trying to rethink my opinion of winter, and for me the best way to do that is to think of songs that invoke a positive happy feeling of the season. Thus, this week's Music Therapy with Miss Moon post.
Those of you who grew up watching "A Different World" will recognize this version from the episode "Baby, It's Cold Outside", when Whitley and Dwayne dance together to the song. Here's "Baby, It's Cold Outside" courtesy of Ray Charles and Betty Carter.
" Frustration, although quite painful at times, is a very positive and essential part of success. "
~ Bo Bennett
" Success is not built on success. It's built on failure. It's built on frustration. Sometimes its built on catastrophe. "
~ Sumner Redstone
" I've come to believe that all my past failure and frustration were actually laying the foundation for the understandings that have created the new level of living I now enjoy. "
~ Tony Robbins
It's been a month at the new job, and I love my job a great deal. But with the amount of (voluntary) overtime I've been working lately I feel like I'm still struggling with maintaining all of the things I had done in my life while still unemployed that were helpful to my personal growth.
I still manage to walk (I walk from the job to the West 4 Street train station, which is about a mile. Then from the Clinton and Washington Avenue station in Brooklyn to home, another mile), but I'm not making 5 miles a day anymore.
I still start the day with my gratitude list, but I admit that sometimes I oversleep after a late night and rush through it, not really taking the time to really feel and express the thankfulness I believe is necessary for the list to feel genuine.
And the worst hit by this shift in my life is this blog. It has been really difficult to find the time, despite having a ton of (I hope) great ideas that I am very keen on blogging about. And each time I would attempt to put together my thoughts, fatigue would set in, and I would ultimately close my laptop and opt to get the much-needed sleep my body is craving.
So frustration was definitely the dominant emotion I was feeling for the past few weeks. I am very proud of the readers of this blog, and it's a horrible feeling to think that I've let anyone down by not posting. I know that I've let myself down by not putting the care and attention into my life and my self improvement that I had in the past few months.
Fortunately, it seems that the shift in my schedule is becoming more familiar to me now. And my attitude has certainly shifted a great deal as well. Why emphasize the fact that I ONLY walked 2 miles? Why not celebrate the fact that I walked after working a long and tiring shift?
In retrospect, I am grateful for the frustration I felt. I allowed me to reflect on the situation and come to the conclusion that it was my attitude that needed adjusting, not my schedule. I have heard that frustration can be an excellent motivator, but had not really seen evidence of it until just recently.
So today's Music Therapy with Miss Moon song choice is about frustration we can sometimes feel. Honor your feelings, and allow them to teach you and steer you in the right direction. I hope you all will be inspired by "The Way I Feel" by the fabulous Asa.
I feel pain when they try to bring me down
But as long as this world keeps turning round
I know it won't last forever
Ok ok my life is moving
But demons are fighting
Ok ok tears are dry now
But demons are fighting
I feel like I'm floating through existence
I feel like I'm living after time
I feel like I'm forced to break the silence
Is that a crime? Is that a crime?
I feel like we're all following shadows
And shadows they don't know where to go
I feel like I'm waiting for tomorrow
While today wastes away
It's not that I don't know
It's not that I can't see
It's not that I haven't noticed
It's driving me insane
It's not that I don't know
It's not that I can't see
It's just the way I feel
It's just the way I feel
I feel like a child without a father
And mama tries oh lord knows mama tries
I feel like the world is on my shoulder
I wonder why, wonder why
I feel like I'm not the only one who's frustrated
I feel like something's going wrong
I can't escape it
I feel like the destinies of those meant
To be the best
Are in the hands of liars now the world is on fire
I feel like we're not angry enough
That while we wait, time's ticking away
I feel there's gonna be an explosion!
It's not that I don't know
It's not that I can't see
It's not that I haven't noticed
It's driving me insane
It's not that I don't know
It's not that I can't see
It's just the way I feel
It's just the way I feel
My name is Audrey. I have been called many, many things. My Pirate Sistahs dubbed me Pirate Yemaya Chalice Moon, Mother of the Secret Realm (or Yemmy for short), which I remixed P-Diddy style into Miss Moon the Brooklyn Geechee. This blog is basically all about me and my life. I call it the rantings, ramblings and revelations of your average Brooklyn Geechee.
I have a lot of interests, and I admittedly get a bit dorky about them. So this blog will be about music, movies, politics, tv, getting healthy, and as Lisa Jones dubbed her book Bulletproof Diva (a must read!)... tales of race, sex, and hair.
I hope you like it. And if not, I welcome constructive criticism.
My only rule is be nice or leave.
Posts
