Soulful Sunday - New Year Edition

Well now-- welcome to the first full week of 2018! That seems so odd to type, mostly because the last time I was all the way "together" was about two years ago before I gave birth to the toddler that is now running through my house. Plus, when looking back on 2017, time seemed to fly by last year. I am glad that 2017 didn't drag-- it was a stressful year-- and I can only imagine that my stress level would have increased tenfold if the year moved at a snail's pace.

When I first started to do Soulful Saturday on this blog, it was mostly the list of songs I was listening to as I got ready to go out (yes!). Occasionally I would post songs that I was listening to as I lounged around the house reminiscing about high school loves, college parties, early 20s shenanigans... you know, all that good shit. Life is a lot different now. First of all, it is Sunday night, almost 10:30 pm and I haven't thought about spending a night out on the town in months. I would trade a night out for a nap. A well deserved, super NEEDED nap. And I would not be sad about it in the least.

So, while my musical tastes have NOT changed, the vibe that I have when posting good music has. I'm not getting dressed, plotting which high heels will stand up to a night of dancing around the club. These days I am typing a sentence or two in between chasing a chubby little girl with bouncing curls from room to room. And life is magnificent. That is the best thing that this blog shows me every year-- nothing stands still. I am ever evolving, ever learning, ever changing. And every day is a gift.

In that vein-- the song for this Soulful Sunday is super fitting for the first full week of 2018. It tells us what this year is giving us time to do... WORK. Work on ourselves. Work on our dreams. Work in our communities. Get to work, ladies and gentlemen. Happy New Year!

Soulful Saturday - Happy New Year, Go Get It!

HAPPY NEW YEAR...

I want to start out this new year with an inspirational Soulful Saturday. I know this is the time of resolutions, new beginnings, renewal; time for people to start over. I'll meet that time with my own bit of musical inspiration for you. I'm not big on gospel music. I mean, I have a few favorites, but generally, I leave gospel music on the shelf with country and rap. I call that shelf the 'um, no' shelf.

However, I freaking LOVE this song! Can you say that you freaking love a gospel song? Is that kosher? Eh, either way, Mary Mary lights my whole day on FIRE when I hear them sing this song. I put the lyrics below so you can read along. It is more than a few months old, but who cares? It fits with starting anew and is totally going to be one of my anthems this year. 2013 is not ready for me (or you either...) Go after what you want! Light a fire under your own ass! WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?!?!?! Go Get It!!


 

Lyrics

It's like you're looking through a telescope/ you see where you gonna be
Growing, getting better/ you're not the person they see
Can't be mad at the things you been through/ cuz they built your muscle
Now you're stronger than you've ever been/ they can't stop your hustle

Your Faith ain't never small/ that's what brought you this far 
See you got your dreams and you got your prayers
and you got Your God he gone take you there
See everybody has a season and I believe this one's yours
Cuz you been workin, waitin, this what you been prayin for 

Go get it, Go Get it, Go get it, Go get it, Go get it Go get your blessing
Go get it, Go get it, Go get it, Go get it, Go get it, Go get it
It's your time, it's your time, it's your time, it's your time

You were made to live a good life and that's what I believe
So hit the floor, say a prayer start working/ you got to do something
It's alright to crawl before you walk, it's alright to walk before you run
But if you wanna get what you never got, gotta do something that you never done 

[Repeat Chorus]

You've been qualified
With his mercy, multiplied
You cannot be denied
Cuz you're finally certified
It's official
Go ahead and testify
He's gonna bless you
You gonna bless him
Now God be glorified

Rihanna, Chris Brown, Raz B and a Death Threat

When will these youngins learn!?!?!

So I was innocently browsing Twitter the other day. By browsing I mean checking every other minute while lying in bed, contemplating the rest of my day. Twitter is a sickness of mine, and I don't mind saying that I visit frequently and owning an iPhone only makes the obsession worse, but I digress. As I was being nosy, I come across a Twitter "beef" between Chris Brown and Raz B, that was SO ridiculous I have to write about it.

We all know who Chris Brown is, but here is the recap- he sings (um...sometimes), dances and he and Rihanna dated. One day they got into an altercation and he beat the hell out of her. Raz B, former member of B2K (boy band) is trying to get with Rihanna since her recent breakup with Matt Kemp, so he takes his campaign to Twitter. Out of the blue Raz B says, "I'm just sitting here thinking how...Chris Brown (and others) disrespect women as intelligent as ... and Rihanna." Um, was Brown just on your mind? Where did that comment come from? Have you actually talked to Rihanna or are you just pulling out the intelligent card to get in her pants?

Ok- I will NEVER stand up for Chris Brown and what he did to Rihanna. No ONE should ever hit the person that they are dating (or anyone else for that matter). He was wrong. He has apologized, gone to counseling and gone to some sort of jail. His album sales have suffered, he is currently not doing as well as he was. Now loyal readers know that I am not into simply forgiving people because they say that they are sorry. Sorry rolls off the tongue a little too easy for me. People say it without really thinking about what they are apologizing for. So I don't really deal with Chris Brown. I don't buy his albums, and I don't promote his music... but I also do NOT just bring his name up out of the blue and put him on blast like Raz B did. Why?? Everyone knows that Brown and Rihanna have Twitter accounts. Why feed the fire? No one should get press for challenging a person known for domestic violence.

The Twitter fight quickly got out of hand. There was name calling, the 'n' word was passed around and Raz B's brother (RickyRomance) got involved, saying that he will "put his pistol" in Chris Brown's mouth if he ever comes to LA. DUDE... seriously?!?! You are going to use a public forum to threaten a superstar? Have you lost your ever loving mind?? What the hell is wrong with people? Ok- beyond the fact that these two "stars" play on Twitter and talk about each others bad deeds and misfortunes, you then have a third party come in with some death threats. OMG- I fear for the future of our country because these assholes are going to be in charge some day...

For the record:

Everyone- keep your hands to yourself!!

Raz B- know your role. Dude, you are so yesterday and starting fights on Twitter is lame, especially if it is to get the attention of some chick who has been passed around the industry. If she hasn't been with you, she doesn't want you... come to that conclusion. Even if she DID want you, she probably doesn't now because you have shown yourself to be a press whore.

Chris Brown- you need NO more trouble. You haven't even bounced back from the last troublesome situation you were in. Damn dude, mind your manners.

Ricky Romance- wait, who are you again? Nobody?! I thought so!

The Times, They are a-changing

There comes a time in every young woman's life... blah, blah, blah. Things are changing. The look of the blog is going to change and soon, the place where I sit when I type out my thoughts will change too. Where am I going? That is still up in the air. I love Chicago and will do whatever I can to stay here for as long as possible. I have built my own lovely life here; filled with friends and laughter. I love this city. I embrace almost all that it has to offer, but when the laughter starts to turn into tears priorities need to be reexamined, pros and cons need to be weighed. That is what I am in the process of doing.

I find it oddly comforting that I am not alone in this situation. Lots of young people are leaving familiar cities for foreign skylines for a brand new start. I must admit that any skyline I see at the end of this process will not be foreign to me. Columbus, Cincinnati, Chicago- all familiar stomping grounds. All on the short list of cities to begin a new stage in my life. The city with the most lucrative job offer will win out. I will keep everyone updated and in the meantime I will be up to my same old shenanigans (blogging and what not). Exciting, right? For your listening pleasure- Eddie Vedder singing a classic. "You better start swimming or you'll sink like a stone, for the times they are a-changing." and... GO! :)