Beyond Words

Happy Friday everyone!

A simple judge of character is how you treat a person who can do absolutely nothing for you.

You may or may not have noticed, but I haven’t been very motivated to write my blog lately.  It’s been a crazy time getting Kristen back to college and getting ready for the start of my school year.   I’ve thought about some good topics but I just haven’t followed through on sharing them with you.  Leave it to God to get me going again.

Just yesterday Smitty asked me if I had ever read the “Peace Prayer of St. Francis.”  I told him it’s always been one of my favorites, hangs next to my bed and on my desk, was sung at our wedding and at Princess Di’s funeral, and that the statues in our backyard are St. Francis.   We talked a little about it all and went about our day.

This morning we go to mass and what’s one of the songs being sung?  Yep, the Peace Prayer.  Not only that, but the entire homily was about humility, which St. Francis was known for; Pope Francis, who took his name in honor of the saint and who is also known for his humble actions; and even Johnny Manziel who we were told didn’t demonstrate God’s humility during yesterday’s A&M game.  It all literally gave me chills and brought me to my knees.

Finding Peace

The first part of the “Prayer of St. Francis” reminds us what we should strive to be while the second part reminds us what not to be.  In short, Father God help me to sow, or give, faith, hope, forgiveness and love to others and not focus so much on my own struggles and injuries.  The secret is doing all of this, we were told in mass, is not just to talk the talk, but to walk the walk.  As St. Francis himself is quoted as saying, “Preach the Gospel at all times, and when necessary, use words.”  Do your actions always sow love?  Do mine?  Lord, please help make me a channel of your peace.

Prayer of Saint Francis of Assisi

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; and where there is sadness, joy.
O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand; to be loved as to love. For it is in giving that we receive; it is in pardoning that we are pardoned; and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen

Being Humble

Today’s readings were also inspiring.  We were reminded that we are all “poor” in some way and that only through humility do we achieve true heavenly strength.  It’s always important to remember that even rich men need God and scripture encourages us to think of others first and to invite the poor to our tables.  This, as we all know, is not always easy.  Try as we may, we often fail.

In the book of Sirach we are told:  My child, conduct your affairs with humility, and you will be loved more than a giver of gifts. Humble yourself the more, the greater you are, and you will find favor with God. What is too sublime for you, seek not, into things beyond your strength search not.

And Micah 6:8 teaches us:  You have been told what is good and what the Lord requires of you:  Only to do justice and to love goodness and to walk humbly with your God.

As we humbly walked to our car, I noticed a lady carrying a dog.  Smitty and I both thought, “who brings a dog to church?”  Then it dawned on me, no one would be happier to see that then St. Francis, the lover of animals.

How can one not believe in God and that He is working miracles every day after experiencing all of this?  Not me, and hopefully not you.

I’ve always thought a fun drinking game would be taking a sip every time someone on “Keeping up with the Kardashians” (yes, I’ve been known to watch the show with Kristen!) says something or someone is “so annoying.”  You see, I find it very annoying they say it constantly.  You could say it’s a pet peeve of mine.

I recently saw the above and died laughing and it got me thinking about pet peeves.  We all have them and here is a sampling of mine:

• Disorganization
• People talking on cell phones in public places
• Those round stickers runners put on their cars with how many miles they ran (should I put “hole in one” on mine if I ever make one?!)
• Older, mature women dressing like teenagers
• Those AT&T commercials with the man asking kids questions…soooo annoying!
• Starbucks drink sizes names.  (why isn’t “grande” the biggest and what the heck is “venti?”)
• Alarm clocks
• People wearing sunglasses indoors or when being interviewed on TV
• Short on-ramps on freeways
• Solicitors at my front door
• When the person at the front of the right lane at a red light isn’t turning right
• Cabinets or drawers left open after someone gets something from them
• That Norah Jones’ debut album beat Bruce Springsteen’s “The Rising” for album of the year after 9/11 at the Grammys
• When celebs complain about being famous
• That the IPhone 5 requires all new charges and IHomes than the IPhone 4
• The fact that, regardless of anyone else’s score or his, Tiger Woods always gets the TV coverage
• That our regular trash bin is green but the recycle one is blue.  Shouldn’t it have been the other way around?
• Jennifer Aniston’s “no bra” look on nearly every episode of “Friends.”  (We get it…you’re sexy but enough already.)
• I hate that the carts at Target always stick together and getting one is nearly impossible
• Bad grammar (irregardless is not a word and “axe” does not mean “ask”)
• Over-plucked eyebrows
• Hand blowers in bathrooms instead of towels
• The fact that eye appointments, glasses, and lenses are not considered standard on insurance coverage.
• Masseuses who talk the whole time or who try to fix every ache and pain in one hour.  (Just rub!)
• People who start every sentence with “I mean…”

And last, but certainly not least…

Do you agree or disagree with any of my pet peeves?  What are some of yours?  Please share!

Very powerful.

“Don’t seek the blessing, seek God and the blessing will come to you. Make pleasing God your highest priority.”

Joel Osteen

Have you ever felt unappreciated for your efforts, talent, and hard work?  Did it bother you?  If so, then back-up singing is probably not the industry you should get into.

Proof of this, somewhat, is the fabulous docu-movie I saw today entitled “20 Feet From Stardom,” which chronicles the careers and lives of many talented yet often unknown background singers.  As the movie poster says, you indeed “meet the unsung heroes behind the greatest hits of our time.”  If you like music, you’ll love this movie!

Giving these amazing singers their due, “20 Feet” spotlights a handful of black background singers who brought gospel to both R&B and rock ‘n roll. Coming from church choirs, they brought with them the “call and response” technique that sets background singers apart.   They also brought soul, style and the “hooks” of so many songs that we all sing along to, perhaps most notably “Gimme Shelter” by The Rolling Stones.

Louisiana native Merry Clayton sings that distinctive “it’s just a shot away” chorus that made everyone ask, “who is that girl singing with Mick?!”  In the film, Clayton recalls the late-night recording session of the 1969 hit song and Jagger himself speaks of her significance and genius.   Clayton also recalls singing back-up for Lynyrd Skynyrd on their famous but at-the-time somewhat politically charged “Sweet Home Alabama.”  She didn’t quite understand why this Southern roots rock band would want a black woman singing with them, but sing she did and the song is better for it.

It’s funny.  I saw the movie with my daughter Kristen, and as we’re walking out of the theatre I asked her if she liked the film and she said, “yes and it makes me want to go out and buy a Rolling Stone CD to hear that song.”  No worries, little one.  Momma was more than happy to provide it for her via my Ipod as we drove to dinner.  Old does not always mean old-fashioned!

In another Rolling Stone twist, singer Claudia Lennear, who left the industry to become a teacher, is featured in the film as well and is often cited as the inspiration for the Stones’ hit “Brown Sugar.”

“20 Feet” also introduces Lisa Fletcher to the audience.  I found her singing and humility mesmerizing.  Unlike many who simply have singling talents, the New York native’s voice is a true instrument.  Without uttering a word, she will captivate you with her wide, high-reaching vocal range.  She toured for 22 years with the likes of Tina Turner and Luther Vandross and has a Grammy of her own for her 1991 single “How Can I Ease the Pain,” but she opted to forego being a solo artist to return to back-up singing, stating, “some people want to be famous.  I just want to sing.”

Darlene Love also plays a prominent role in the movie.  She was one of the first black artists to introduce a new style of singing to back-up singing, which had been done predominantly by lackluster white women.  She sang with none other than Frank Sinatra and Sam Cooke before signing with legendary (and somewhat odd) producer Phil Spector.  From there, her career took a somewhat current pop turn, as her vocals were credited to another group.  Still, the likes of Bruce Springsteen consider her voice one in a million.

Speaking of today’s over-produced pop, one of the most interesting quotes from the movie was from a music exec who said that today’s music contracts have budgets for “tuning.”  When asked “why don’t the artists sing in tune?,” he could only shake his head.  Over-dubbing and auto-tuning can virtually make anyone sound good, but the fact that some artists with way less talents then many a background singer are rich and famous just isn’t fair and isn’t right.

Although the fabulous women of background bee-pops have enjoyed some success, one of their counterparts who stands alone in doing so in Sheryl Crow.  I remember Crow as a back-up singer for Don Henley when I worked at the Erwin Center and I distinctly recall the audience at “The Backyard” booing her off the stage.  Little did we know she would go on to sell more than 50 million albums worldwide and win nine Grammys!

Crow was a background touring pro though and definitely paid her dues before hitting the big time.  In addition to Henley, she also performed backing vocals for Michael Jackson, Tina Turner, Stevie Nicks, and Bob Dylan.

She’s also musically educated, earning a BA in Music Composition from the University of Missouri and working as a music teacher, which allowed her the opportunity to sing in bands on nights and weekends. Her first success came in the way of advertising music jingles and she eventually toured with Michael Jackson as a backing vocalist during his late 80’s Bad World Tour.

In 1992, Crow recorded her first album with Phil Collins’ producer, but the self-titled debut was ultimately rejected by her label. In the meantime, Crow’s songs were recorded by major artists such as Celine Dion, Tina Turner, and Wynonna Judd.  She soon joined an ad hoc group of musicians that called themselves the “Tuesday Music Club.”  Their album of the same name featured many hit singles including “Strong Enough, “Can’t Cry Anymore, “Leaving Las Vegas,” and the career defining “All I Wanna Do.”  Crow went solo and has since enjoyed hit single after hit single.  She too is interviewed in “20 Feet” and has nothing but respect and admiration for the singers who today back her up.

Young Judith Hill is hoping to follow in Crow’s commercial footsteps and also boasts a Michael Jackson connection.  The amazingly talented singer who is fluent in both English and Japanese was selected as MJ’s duet partner for his “This Is It” world tour however, the pop legend’s untimely 2009 death put an end to both the tour and Hill’s global debut.  Following more back-up singing years, she auditioned for NBC’s “The Voice” and impressed not only all four judges, but the viewing public as well.  Her somewhat early elimination is still considered one of the most shocking in the show’s history.  Today Hill continues to work on her solo career and has all the talents and energy to hopefully succeed.

So, what’s the message here?  I’m not sure.  One message I definitely want to send you on your way with is what an entertaining and educational film “20 Feet” is, but there’s also the message that the best don’t always become the most famous and that the most famous aren’t always the best.  Do what you love and love what you do.  In the end, wouldn’t you rather be respected then famous anyway?

Love the commercial.  Cracks me up every time!

Happy Friday everyone!

“Poor is the man whose pleasures depend on the permission of another.”  Madonna

Has it really been 30 years since Madonna released her first album?  Say it ain’t so!!!!  If I didn’t feel old before, I certainly do now.

July 27, 1983 was the date that then unknown Madonna Louise Ciccone released her self-titled album and the rest, as they say, is her-story.  Her story is one that forever changed the face of music and a story that continues to be unfold.

I was living in Oklahoma when Madonna’s rag-tag-Lower-East-Side style hit the radio and lit up MTV. (the network actually showed videos back then!)  Unlike many, I didn’t dress like her because I was graduating and working in TV, but I wanted her confidence and her swagger.   I loved everything about her and to this day, “Borderline” is one of my favorite songs ever.  Her film “Desperately Seeking Susan” captured my imagination and set off my love affair with New York City.  I adore the song “Get into the Groove” from the movie, I followed her romance with Sean Penn, and even liked her in “Dick Tracy.”  Madonna owned music and specifically MTV, whether it be in her “Like a Virgin” wedding dress or successfully competing with the likes of Michael Jackson, U2, The Police, Cindy Lauper, and others whose albums helped make it one of music’s most exciting and influential times.

Fast forward 10 years or so and I was living in Austin and working at The Frank Erwin Center.  By then Ms. Ciccone was unmistakably a one-name wonder and had morphed into a glamorous Marilyn-like music mogul.  I remember loving “Vogue” and doing the dance with co-worker Liz and anyone I could find who would do it with me.

Then, Madonna got nasty, and I don’t mean cruel.  She released her “Sex” book and “Erotica” album and my respect for and admiration of her ended as quickly as her movie career did.  Things picked up for her a bit years later with the release of “Music,” and I really like the song “Don’t Tell Me” and its accompanying video,  but it’s never been the same for me.  Today’s version of Madonna bores me.  I’m not impressed with her style, her music, her phony British accent, or her ever-changing plastic surgery face.

“Rolling Stone” magazine once described Madonna’s voice as “irritating as hell,” but keep in mind this is the same publication that just put an alleged terrorist on its cover.   She may be more ambitious then talented, but she’s talented nonetheless.  She is the top-selling female artist of all time and has sold more 300 million albums…300 million!!!!  Early on she invented her own brand of controversy, singing about an unwed pregnancy in “Papa Don’t Preach” and dancing with saints in “Like A Prayer,” but she brilliantly mixed those questionable tunes on CDs with beauties like “Cherish” and “Live To Tell.”  At the very least, Madonna single-handedly paved the way for all the subsequent Lady Gagas and Keshas.

Much like Britney Spears will always be Kristen’s all-time fave though, Madonna will be mine.  Unlike Britney however, Madonna does possess some real talent and musical skills.  I’ve always liked that she writes her own music, controlled her own career,  and did things her way.  She sported a “Boy Toy” belt but wore the pants in her family.  She didn’t ride on anyone’s coat-tails or reinvent already popular styles.  She was a style…one that millions imitated.  She also didn’t become addicted to drugs or close down Hollywood nightclubs with fellow wannabees.  No, this is the woman who famously told Dick Clark on “American Bandstand” that she wanted to “rule the world.”  I’d say the University of Michigan drop-out did just that, at least when it comes to pop music.  She may live in England now, but the Detroit native will always be the All-American pop princess and my favorite material girl.

It Doesn’t Grow on Trees After All!

“It’s good to have money and the things money can buy, but it’s good to check in once in a while to make sure you haven’t lost the things money can’t buy.”  George Lorimer

I find it amazing that an entire city (Detroit most recently) can go bankrupt.   More on that another day, but today I’d like to share some financial advice from money guru Suzie Orman.   Americans are still living way too much in debt, making me ever grateful for my husband’s savvy savings habits.  As much as I hate to admit it, his frugality and acumen have kept us financially stable.  If you are not in this boat, perhaps Orman’s “Three Keys to Financial Happiness” can help.  They are:

1.  Every time before buying something, ask yourself, “is it a need or a want?”  Orman recommends everyone should live without credit card debt and have an eight month emergency fund.  However, if you really need it, buy it.  But if it’s a want, don’t buy it.  From this day forward and until you don’t have debt and have an emergency fund, buy only needs.
2. Live below your means but within your needs.  Even if you can afford that big home or expensive car, do you really need them?  By living this way, you will find you have extra money…money you can save!
3. Get as much pleasure out of saving as you do spending.  Take that money you might spend on something you don’t need and save it instead.

Great ideas, right?   Another very easy way to save for a rainy day in a less serious way is to keep every $5 bill you get.  They are not as common as $1, $10, or $20 bills but you’ll be surprised at how they add up if you keep them out of your wallet and in a safe place!

Finally, here’s an interesting idea I came across on Pinterest:

Today’s economy makes even saving a little bit difficult for many.  Maybe those old Finnish writers said it best in their proverb, “Happiness is a place between too much and too little.”  Maybe it isn’t even that deep though and all comes down to good ole’ Mary Poppins, when she told Elizabeth and Michael Banks, “Enough is as good as a feast.”    Feast on what you can afford friends and leave keeping up with the Joneses to others.