Music Therapy with Miss Moon

" 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

Music Therapy with Miss Moon

Happy Monday, Everybody!!! This week's pick was seemingly MADE for the morning commute! I think this time of year brings out a lot of hostility in people... The weather is beautiful, they want to be on vacation, on a beach maxin' and relaxin'.

Unfortunately that isn't the reality for some (Myself included)... instead they're riding a crowded stuffy train, or stuck in traffic on the freeway, trying to keep from screaming. It's my belief that this is why there have been so many reports of people fighting on the trains and buses here in NYC... and how ridiculous are those videos?!?

I will tell you from personal experience, playing this song on your headphones while riding the bus or train (or playing it on your car stereo while in traffic!) will get you in to work in one piece... as well as the other people getting to work along side of you! LOL




There's a tree in the city
It ain't lookin' pretty
Blessed with stress
Smog clogging feelin' shitty
There's a river on the highway
Things aint goin' my way
Turn around, go away
Come again another day
To the bed I go
Stumble to and fro
Tired from another day of lookin' for my glow
It's hard to get up
You can say I'm fed up
One things for certain
I gotta keep my head up

Keep your head up - keep my head up
Keep your head up - keep my head up
Keep your head up girl, keep your head up
Keep your head up - keep my head up
Keep your head up - keep my head up
Keep your head up girl, keep your head up

The sun ain't hard to see
Just turn off your TV
Everything around you is just part of every other thing
I am a tree

Why you gotta do what you do
Why you gotta tell me how to be
Gee, make me feel like you do
I'm tried of messing around
It's time to let these people know
A tree in the city
It needs somewhere to grow

River on the highway
I've never seen a grayer day
It's sad, its crappy, it needs somewhere to play
As for me, I'll sit under the tree
Cuz there ain't no better place to be

Keep your head up - keep my head up
Keep your head up - keep my head up
Keep your head up girl, keep your head up
Keep your head up - keep my head up
Keep your head up - keep my head up
Keep your head up girl, keep your head up

The sun ain't hard to see
Just turn off your TV
Everything around you is just part of every other thing
I am a tree

Aahh, aahh

Yo, what a freak
Are you all staring at me? I'm a tree
Yo, what a freak
I'm a tree! (no you're not)
I'm a tree! (stop lying)

Keep your head up - keep my head up
Keep your head up - keep my head up
Keep your head up girl, keep your head up
Keep your head up - keep my head up
Keep your head up - keep my head up
Keep your head up girl, keep my head up

The sun ain't hard to see
Just turn off your TV
Everything around you is just part of every other thing
I am a tree

The sun ain't hard to see
Just turn off your TV
Everything around you is just part of every other thing
I am a tree

Aahh, aahh x2
I am a tree
Aahh, aahh

Music Therapy with Miss Moon

Happy Monday, Everyone! If you feel me on this, let me know:

Sometimes it seems that most of our time is spent at work. We give five days (or more!) to the J-O-B, and the remainder of us time is spent with our families, cleanings, doing laundry, running errands and if we're lucky... relaxing.

It can at times feel frustrating, but I am sure that most of you, like me have adopted an "It is what it is" state of mind: we pull up our bootstraps, put on our big girl (or big boy) drawers and do what we have to do... which for most of us is simply, "Living for the City" (See what I did there?! LOL). I hope that this week's song pick for Music Therapy will help to remind us all that as bad as we can sometimes feel we have it... there are many, many others out there you have it infinitely worse.



A boy is born in hard time Mississippi
Surrounded by four walls that ain't so pretty
His parents give him love and affection
To keep him strong moving in the right direction
Living just enough, just enough for the city...ee ha!

His father works some days for fourteen hours
And you can bet he barely makes a dollar
His mother goes to scrub the floor for many
And you'd best believe she hardly gets a penny
Living just enough, just enough for the city...yeah

His sister's black but she is sho 'nuff pretty
Her skirt is short but Lord her legs are sturdy
To walk to school she's got to get up early
Her clothes are old but never are they dirty
Living just enough, just enough for the city...um hum

Her brother's smart he's got more sense than many
His patience's long but soon he won't have any
To find a job is like a haystack needle
Cause where he lives they don't use colored people
Living just enough, just enough for the city...
Living just enough...
For the city...ooh,ooh
[repeat several times]

His hair is long, his feet are hard and gritty
He spends his love walking the streets of New York City
He's almost dead from breathing on air pollution
He tried to vote but to him there's no solution
Living just enough, just enough for the city...yeah, yeah, yeah!

I hope you hear inside my voice of sorrow
And that it motivates you to make a better tomorrow
This place is cruel no where could be much colder
If we don't change the world will soon be over
Living just enough, just enough for the city!!!!

La, la, la, la, la, la,
Da Ba Da Da Da Da Da Da
Da Da Da Da Da Da
Da Ba Da Da Da Da Da Da Da
[Repeat to end]

Music Therapy with Miss Moon

Here's a little secret about me. When I am having a day from hell, there is one song that never ceases to lift my spirits and makes me smile. And I truly had such a day today... so much so, that I was at Food Town checking out the bottles of cheap wine.

I am proud to say that I didn't succumb to the urge to drown my anxiety in vino. I instead bought a lovely bouquet of flowers for my bedroom, my dinner (a bowl of yogurt), some green apples (for my honey to juice in his juicer)and some Kettle Cooked All-Natural BBQ Potato Chips (which are delicious as hell!).

So I am sitting at home, drinking green apple juice and listening to this song... A song that I cannot explain my love for. All I know is that it soothes the savage beast that is a tired Customer Service Representative! LOL





I hope you will enjoy this AWESOME Sims 2 version of Tony Orlando & Dawn's "Knock Three Times"... don't judge me! LMAO

I'm REALLY Diggin': The New Cree Summer Wallpaper I made

So part of my new job involves assisting customers with their photographs. Which requires a rudimentary knowledge of Paint (which I have) and Picassa (I'm getting there!)... so as a way for me to practice, I created a picture to use as wall paper for my desk at work.

Of course, I couldn't think of a better subject than my IDOL, my SHE-RO, my LIFE LONG role model... Cree Summer!



What do you think? Nothing fancy.. but I like the border I created from the screen capture.