Music that Inspires

I love music. I have never been a musician. I do not sing. Well I sing a LOT in the car but I do not sing well. I am a dancer at heart but lets face it, I am not a professional dancer for a reason. However, if I have a choice between watching television and listening to music, it will always be music I choose. Music inspires, music makes you forget, and music can transport you to a different time and place. Sometimes the memories are good. Sometimes they are not. Regardless, music is always powerful to me. In the interest of keeping to the theme of my blog, I want to share my favorite love songs of all time. Songs that really move me. Just for fun…ya know!

• The Truth by India Arie (India speaks the truth. Her lyrics are powerful. She speaks to me in this song and there was a time while I was in a bad marriage to a man who never really made time for me that I used to dream of finding a love like that….and I accepted at the time that I would not.)
• Marry Me by Train (I make fun of mushy stuff all the time and for the most part I am being honest. However, I’d be a liar if I didn’t admit that there was once a little girl who planned out her own wedding and play pretended with a laundry basket on my head as a veil..um I think that’s normal…right?)
• Unchained Melody by The Righteous Brothers (I don’t think I need to say anything more about this one. It speaks for itself.)
• Can’t Help Falling in Love by Elvis Presley (Yes. I love Elvis. Don’t judge me…I love every version of this song but the Elvis version is my favorite version.)
• Cater to You by Destiny’s Child (If I had a wedding this song would be on the CD.)
• Ordinary People by John Legend (This song tells a story of how love isn’t perfect. Once you get past the “new love” feelings…you have to work at a relationship. He gets is.)
• Don’t Change by Musiq Soulchild (come on..who isn’t looking to be loved for exactly who they are? Unconditionally. I know I dream of it.)
• Just the Way You Are by Bruno Mars (mmmmm pretty song about a man who adores his woman.)
• She’s Got A Way by Billy Joel (If I said you can’t judge me over Elvis, you can’t judge me over Billy Joel either. It’s a great song yo.)
• Something by the Beatles (This song is SUPER awesome. Be A Utiful)
• All of You by John Legend (This is one of my favorite songs of all time. I stumbled across it while downloading John Legend music and a few months later it hit the radio. I LOVE this song. I know it is my second John Legend song but his music understands the depths of love.)

There are so many more songs I could share. That really is the most amazing part about music. Music inspires. It creates ambience and it has the power to elevate my mood. There is no moral to this post tonight other than to stop and enjoy the little things that make us happy. I’m going to leave you with a beautiful song. Until Next Time….Ciao!

Say What?? Things You DON’T Ever Really Need To Say

We’ve all done it! We’ve all encountered the type of situation where you just decided you wanted to see what your own foot tastes like. In fact, if I had a quarter for every time I did it, I would have at least $0.75. (yeah I’m kinda sorta lying.) The truth is, I’ve had so many experiences where I have opened my mouth and the words just flew out. I quickly reached for them so I could put them back in my mouth but I couldn’t catch them in time. I knew those gosh darn words were wrong the second they left my mouth but there was no going back. My only recourse was hasty apologies. You see, people like to say that words don’t hurt but they do. Did you know that it takes, 7 compliments to counteract one insult? It’s true because I read it on the internet…derr. Okay, seriously have you ever noticed how much easier it is to believe the bad stuff you hear about yourself. I don’t care if you believe it or not. It took years of positive reinforcement to see myself as who I am today…and I do see myself positively. (No offense..okay..I’m just in one of my über blunt moods. I received a troublesome phone call from someone and I am hoping he gets a flesh-eating bacteria on his butt… the curable “yet painful” kind.) Back to the topic at hand! Let’s discuss some things you should not say..ever really.

• “Not to be rude but” or “No offense but” (If you need to phrase a statement with this type of opening line, follow my grandmother’s advice and don’t. If you know you’re going to be rude, don’t say it! Duh!)
• “To make a long story short.” (All I can think of when I hear this line is..too late.) I know it’s not offensive..it just bugs me so I decided to add it. I think it’s the full moon.
• Do not tell a man you care about that he is a punk. (Or a wussy or anything non manly. It has been my experience that men take that very seriously. It is much better to demonstrate respect to a man-even when it’s only partially deserved. If you treat a man like a man, the chances are he will be encouraged to act like one. Try it…what can you lose?)
• Do not tell a woman you care about anything negative about her appearance-especially non-solicited comments. (Argue with me if you want but a woman will usually blossom under adoration. If you make a woman feel beautiful and adored through kind words and actions, you will assist in creating an empowered, confident woman. The results will blow your mind.)***QUALIFIER: You can’t make her confident as a person but you might make her confident in your feelings about her-this is what I am referring to***
• Do not EVER ask a woman if she’s pregnant unless you know she is. The results could be awful. (Oh I’ve been there and done that..but she straight up looked prego…I swear. I never assume anymore.)
• I do not recommend laughing at a mans actions, thoughts or behavior…well not to his face. I have been guilty of this. Not intentionally..but if I get laughed at over running from a bug, I take it in stride. When men get laughed at (in my humble and limited experience) they take it as a sign of disrespect. I’m pretty sure about this but hey it’s just my opinion-right?
• Don’t ever ask a person to let you know when they are finished talking. (Yes I AM speaking from personal experience. Boy howdy did I make someone at work mad by asking her that…oops)
• If someone angrily asks you why you’re looking at them like they have something on their face..don’t say, “Actually you do..right there” or any variation of that. (That one will cause you problems..been there done it. heehee)
• Don’t ever tell your boyfriend/girlfriend that you would never marry them. Oh and especially don’t tell your boyfriend/girlfriend that you want to be married some day AND you don’t want to marry them. (They seem to get offended by that..go figure..)

I could go on and on but I don’t really want to. What’s my moral? Please think before you speak. This is sage advice I practice all the time. I am naturally forthright; and I always tend to unabashedly say what is on my mind. Sometimes, we really shouldn’t. In a relationship of any kind, it may cause irreversible damage. So if you don’t think you should say it….um don’t.

 

Until Next Time…Ciao!

Romantic Irony!

Okay so I don’t want my friends figuring out I blog about them. (I’m not too worried because I’m pretty sure no one I know in real life reads my blog. Except maybe my ex but whatevs.) BUT in the interest of being fair, I am gonna mix my stories up a little bit.  Ya know…keep you on your toes and stuff..so um yeah. I want to talk about a few instances I have observed.

I have a friend that is a major player. Let’s just say its a male friend and lets just make you wonder if it is really a male or female friend I am really referring to. Hey..that’s how I roll. My player friend is rather handsome and very funny. (Before anyone “goes there ” this friend is just a friend. I could never compete with the type of  women he dates and I wouldn’t want to compete .) Besides, I’m totally and completely vibing on someone. Anyway’s this friend is constantly doing things like: 1. Dating multiple women 2. Getting those women all kinds of worked up 3. Dumping and or never calling said women. 4. Using lines like, “I’m not a player I just crush a lot.” So one day my friend meets his/her match. Suddenly he is jumping through hoops and not getting his calls returned. I’m sorry to be constantly referencing hip hop songs but he’s sprung. So he’s still MY friend and I told him he can do better than that stupid and immature girl. I pointed out the player behavior and it was like light bulbs went on. He said, “I’m not a player.” I said, “um yeah you kinda are.” heehee . Then I let it drop because people can change themselves and he’s not a bad person at all. I’m pretty sure he’s moved on and not losing any sleep over it but for a minute he was calling me with comments like: “She cancelled on my last two dates and went to dinner with another man but I think that’s because she’s scared of being hurt.” Yeah I told him the truth. She was playing him like a fiddle….I just love the irony of it. Kinda like this..

I have another friend who was cheating on her long-term boyfriend. When I use the term friend, I am using it loosely. The truth is I have been slowly losing all respect for her. She has a man who cherishes her. He is clearly in love with her and goes out of his way to show her and do nice things for her. She’s been with him for 5 years and she won’t marry him. He doesn’t know it but I think it’s a blessing for him. I think he can do better. (Just makes me sick that I sat in these crappy one-sided relationships and tried so damn hard but she just abuses this poor man.) Oops...I’m digressing. So I am using the present tense and I shouldn’t. He actually left her the day he walked in and caught her cheating. ICK ICK ICK! Poor man. I last heard he had moved out-of-town. My girlfriend was devastated and I could not commiserate with her. I just couldn’t. Maybe she will learn. She made her bed..she was left heart broken and now realizes what she lost….ironic huh?

Finally, I have a friend who never wanted to be married. He had been married twice and didn’t want to do it again. (Once again, this is just a friend but even if I felt differently, he would be 100% disqualified because he didn’t want to ever be married.) I bonded with him quickly as friends because we were both in serious relationships our entire adult lives and did not know how to date. We actually had a lot in common except chemistry. So we all agree dating sucks right? He’s got war stories that almost make mine pale in comparison. (I have a post coming out on that subject..wait for it yo.) Finally he meets a nice librarian. She is attractive in a conservative type of way and she is soft-spoken and she is VERY nice. She’s a good woman although she is kinda a wallflower and my friend is not. Who cares though cuz opposites attract..blah blah blah. So within 3 months he proposes to her. (What the what???) I softly voiced a concern and then let him know I was happy for him. I mean who am I to judge. PLUS since I will probably never have the opportunity to be in my own wedding (I was so stupid and eloped) I may get to be in the wedding if I play my cards right!!! I mean I would settle for ANY role that gave me a reason to wear a beautiful dress and lose ten pounds. Those hopes collapsed when he announced that I can’t go because he doesn’t want her to meet me.  WHAT? Poof….just like that a friendship bites the dust. For a little while we shared all of our dark secrets and the pain/guilt/anger that comes from losing loved ones. I think to this day he is the only person that understood.  Sucks…and it’s ironic. I just never saw that one coming…and now I’m waiting for another close friend to get married. All I wanna do is be in a wedding AND on a float during ANY kind of parade. Is that too much to ask????  Geesh….

The moral is: Don’t play people, stop cheating on people, don’t diss a friend that really cares about you, and let me be on a float please. I feel good about this post. I think I might help people with this. Like Dr. Phil or something….heehee

Until next time…Ciao!

Love Songs That Suck!

I’m gonna hate a little bit. Sometimes I love me a love song. Unlike some people I know, when I am upset, love songs are not what I want to hear. In fact, all I wanna do is listen to rap music when I get in a mood like I am tonight. However, I can appreciate a beautiful song. (Just not tonight.) What I don’t get is certain songs that make no sense. If anyone reading this can offer an interpretation of one of the songs below that makes sense I would love to hear it.

So just for fun (it really is just for fun), I’ve created a list of love songs or songs of love (heehee) that I have never understood. Let the ranting begin.

• Love the One You’re With by Crosby Stills Nash-Man I’ve never liked this one. Not as a kid when my mother played it and not now. “If you can’t be with the one you love, love the one you’re with.” How depressing. I especially feel bad for the woman he refers to as being with currently. I mean. “Honey I love you cuz you’re here.” That’s how this song makes me feel.
• Creep by TLC – Yeah this may not make the love song category but I gotta include it. First let me say that I LOVE TLC. I just don’t get this song. “I love my man with all honesty but I know he’s cheating on me.” um..ok this isn’t good girlfriend. Then you hear, “Tho I might mess around, it’s only cuz I need some affection.” SO um…..why are they still together? Am I stupid to think this? I am not judging but if he’s cheating and she’s cheating—-why are they still together? That’s all I gotta say about that.
• I’d Do Anything for Love by Meatloaf – What won’t you do Meatloaf? (who kinda scares me by the way) I mean he will go to hell and back for love. That’s a lot! I wish he would make a sequel and tell us what he won’t do. I need closure…just sayin
• She Loves You by the Beatles – I also LOVE the Beatles and I get this is just a catchy lil number but it made the list for the Top 50 Love Songs of All Time..really? http://www.billboard.com/articles/list/1538839/top-50-love-songs-of-all-time?list_page=2
• Unfaithful by Rihanna – I LOATHE this song. When it comes on the radio, I change the channel out of principle. Such a beautiful melody and voice wasted by this. “He’s more than a man and this is more than love, the reason why the sky is blue……and to him I can’t be true.” This whole song is about how she madly loves the man she keeps cheating on. I.Don’t.Get.It. I really don’t. It’s so easy..stop it girlfriend. derr…

I know that some people don’t get why I like the music I do..I just do. Sometimes it’s the anger or the ego behind it. Sometimes the dancer in me just likes the beat. I guess I’m different..pun intended..This song below is one of my favorites. It’s the type of music that can momentarily distract me from depression or anxiety. (but the mother in me has to warn you to not listen if your kids are around or if you’re easily offended by bad language.) I’m not…so there.

Moral for today? Well…If I were to really stretch I guess I could offer that it does not matter what type of music you like as long as you find comfort in it…but that’s REALLY stretching it. Let’s just call it a fun post. Until next time..Ciao!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e2QKlmMT8II