Gratitude

Making my way to the top...

Kindness and gratitude seem to be buzzing around me this week....and when I say that, I mean reminders to be kind and grateful towards myself.

My body had begun to sort of curl in on itself...like I was truly wilting in the heat.

It seemed I had come to another little period of questioning everything...and feeling frustrated and stuck and alone.

Well...as soon as I expressed this to some of my friends, there was a tidal wave of love and support reminding me that I'm not alone.  In fact, it took a lot of the pressure off of me because I was reminded that since I've put my dreams out there, I have people holding them up for me...so maybe I can relax a bit and ride on the shoulders of all these lovely souls for a while.

I feel much lighter.

What a wonderful reminder that the Universe has your back.  That we don't always need to be climbing that hill...sometimes we need to stop, sit, meditate and relish the moment and the view.

XO

"Sing The Changes"

This week's Creative Dreaming assignment was to create a soundtrack that best illustrates our life the way we dream it to be.

I found this pretty interesting because I normally get drawn to music that illustrates how I'm feeling now...which I suppose could contribute to feeling "stuck."

So here are some songs from my iPod, in no particular order, that make up my soundtrack.  The funny thing is that with the exception of Paul McCartney and Mike Scott, all these songs are the only ones by these artists in my collection. The energy of them stuck with me and I had to download them!
 

I love it when songs "find" us...























I've made a separate playlist with them that I will add to and subtract from as I see fit.  It's good to switch to in between the Glee soundtracks, The Waterboys, and Paolo Nutini...  :)
XO

31 Going on 13

My dorm room of a cubicle wall at TV Guide Magazine

At the risk of looking like a total loon...I thought it would be fun to recount all the things that make me feel silly (in the best possible sense) these days.

~True Blood/Stephen Moyer/Alexander Skarsgard. Ah yes...it all brings me back to the days I'd go to the pharmacy in town to check out Bop! Magazine. The equivalent these days would be trips to the HBO store. Most recently it was when the Tru Blood soda came out. AWESOME.




~Our office's little girlie book club...mostly Charlaine Harris's Sookie Stackhouse series...feeding into all things True Blood.

~My Black & Tan Turtle...now, this would be wrong if I was actually 13...thank goodness I'm not! Black & Tan's are so pretty!

~The Office's John Krasinski...Jim! And of course, "JAM"

~"The Silly Hour" at work. We inevitably crack up about something at around 4pm...give or take. One of my favorites was Sara saying she was "racist against Werewolves..." It set off a string of hilarity that we still pull from. Priceless.

~Paul McCartney in concert = Giggles and smiles all around

~David Tennant as Dr. Who...oh boy. To be honest though, it gets worse when he speaks in his normal (Scottish) voice that I basically jump up and down on the inside all a-twitter :)

~The Waterboys!!! Being introduced to their music has caused me to embark on an album buying spree the likes of which haven't been seen since I "discovered" Terrence Mann when I was 15 and then The Beatles shortly thereafter. Terrence Mann inspired my friend Melodie and I to save up for a bus trip into NYC to see "Beauty and the Beast" and The Waterboys have inspired me to buy tickets for a concert in Dublin in the Spring. Being 31 certainly expands your ability to travel for your fandom.

~The Outlander series, by Diana Gabaldon, which inspired me to visit...

~Scotland.


This started out as a funny little whim of a blog...but I realized through writing out all my little "silly" interests that they have shaped me more or less. Even going back to when I was 15 or so because I was following my joy and in doing so found other things that kept me going in a certain direction.


I think we all need to keep a bit of 13 inside of us :)


XO

Paul McCartney

T-Shirts from all three of the shows I've been to

Hmmm.

What can I say about what Paul McCartney means to me? His music has warmed my heart and kept me company for about 15 years now...though it feels longer. I don't know if it's possible to accurately express why certain artists touch us the way they do. Paul is my first musical love.

I got into the Beatles while in High School...it was pretty much all on my own because my parents didn't have Beatles albums in our basement like so many of my friends. My Dad was a musician and played in a top 40 band for years, but it always amused me how when I asked him, "Hey, you know that song, (insert popular song here)" he would answer..."No, I don't think so..." and then a week later, the same song would come on in my car and he would say, "We used to play that..." ("We" being the band he had played in for years).

He certainly remembered watching The Beatles on The Ed Sullivan Show...something I will always lament not being a part of...The Whole BeatleMania phenomenon...although I think becoming a Beatle and Paul fan when I did was meant to be.

It all started in a very improbable way. I had become a big fan of Monty Python, and because I get obsessed and have to see it all, I rented "The Rutles: All You Need is Cash," which is a (very accurate) Beatles Spoof that Eric Idle did. I was enjoying the silly music and thought, "Hmm...I should get some Beatles music, I'd probably like it."

So, I went out and bought a cassette of The Beatles' Greatest hits...

Game Over.

That was definitely when one of the first little pieces of "Me" fell into place. I then embarked upon my journey of getting all the albums. I taped "The Beatles Anthology" on ABC (and fumed when the VCR broke down) and delighted when my Dad got me the boxed set and book and Beatles memorabilia for Christmas (which includes a pocket knife and set of Beatles cake toppers...genius.) Dad even drove through a blizzard in order to take me to see "Beatlemania" in New London. If that's not supporting a passion, I don't know what is! I was also a member of the Paul McCartney "Fun Club" in its final days before Linda died, and collected photos and books and info like a fiend...I even wrote a paper on the Beatles break up. LOL

I remember packing up all 13 albums carefully when I went to college...and taking comfort in Paul's voice when I went through darker times during my new life in NYC. Many a Beatles and or Paul song inspired my poetry back then.

The first time I saw Paul in concert was incredible (2002's "Driving Rain" tour). I was so excited, I gave myself a headache. I cried like a baby when he played "Something" on a ukelele that George had given him, "Here Today" for John...and inexplicably...during "Your Loving Flame."

The Second time I saw him (2005: Chaos and Creation in the Backyard) I went alone because I wanted to get up as close as I could "afford" and dork out as hard as I wanted to. I can't remember what I cried at that night or if I even did (I probably got a little misty during "Maybe I'm Amazed"). I was completely mesmerized by the fact that I didn't need to look at the giant monitors to see his face and expressions. It was amazing. I do remember how hard "Helter Skelter" rocked and that he sang "I'll Follow the Sun" on a loop because he apparently also thinks it's way too short for how lovely it is.

My view in 2005 at Madison Square Garden

Small snippet of "I Will" in 2005

On Friday, July 17th I had the privilege of seeing Sir Paul for a third, magical, time at Citifield...the new Shea Stadium. He was giving the first concert there just like The Beatles did for the Old Shea. I went with my good friend Krissy who had never seen him live before. Things had come full circle because I had gone with Krissy's sister, Gina, the first time I saw him in concert.

The ticket has a place of honor on my closet door :)

The Sky before the show...hoping it wouldn't rain..

My camera-phone makes the stage look farther away!

What can I say about the show?

Seeing Paul live is such a wonderful experience. He is so full of life and love and joy. He's like a little boy up there. I feel as if I'm seeing an old, beloved, friend and his voice feels like home to me (I sort of cuddle up into it). I basically beam from head to toe simply reveling in the sun that he shines on me.

He came out rather quietly in a very "Beatlesque" ensemble: collarless suit jacket, white button down shirt, suspenders and pointy (Beatle) boots with a bit of a heel (a few songs in he took off his jacket and all us ladies got silly and whooped...and he smiled). For some reason I got teary during the opening notes of "Let Me Roll It" then understandably so when he sang "My Love" and dedicated it to Linda...then miracle of miracles...he played Calico Skies...sigh. I have been wanting to hear that live for years. So, Thank You Paul...you made my night, week, month...how long have you got? :)

The Following Photos are by Madame K :)

He rocked out for his usual super long set, even in the rain, grabbing his heart theatrically after the over the top pyrotechnics of "Live and Let Die" (during which I screamed delightedly). He laughed with his band-mates, ruffling up his wet hair, giggling and smiling...delighting when all the girls whooped and screamed for him.

Live and Let Die!

He also sang "Something" and "Here Today" again as well as "I'm Down" (AWESOME!) which the Beatles played at the original Shea Concert.

"Something" on George's Ukelele

Every time he broke into a song I didn't expect to hear live, like "Flaming Pie" and "Mrs. Vanderbilt" I grabbed Krissy's arm and exclaimed "SHUT UP!!!" LOL

I could literally have stayed there forever...and when he ended with the Sgt Pepper reprise and then "The End" all I felt was love.

XO

Calico Skies
by Paul McCartney

It was written that I would love you
From the moment I opened my eyes
And the morning when I first saw you
Gave me life under calico skies.
I will hold you for as long as you like
Ill hold you for the rest of my life

Always looking for ways to love you
Never failing to fight at your side
While the angels of love protect us
From the innermost secrets we hide
Ill hold you for as long as you like
Ill hold you for the rest of my life

Long live all of us were crazy soldiers who
Were born under calico skies
May we never be called to handle
All the weapons of war we despise
Ill hold you for as long as you like
Ill hold you for the rest of my life
Ill hold you for as long as you like
Ill love you for the rest of my...
For the rest of my life

Setlist - July 17, 2009:

"Drive My Car"
"Jet"
"Only Mama Knows"
"Flaming Pie"
"Got To Get You Into My Life"
"Let Me Roll It"
"Highway"
"The Long and Winding Road"
"My Love"
"Blackbird"
"Here Today"
"Dance Tonight"
"Calico Skies"
"Mrs. Vanderbilt"
"Eleanor Rigby"
"Sing the Changes "
"Band on the Run"
"Back in the U.S.S.R."
"I'm Down"
"Something"
"I've Got a Feeling"
"Paperback Writer"
"A Day in the Life"/"Give Peace a Chance"
"Let It Be"
"Live and Let Die"
"Hey Jude"

Encores

"Day Tripper"
"Lady Madonna"
"I Saw Her Standing There (with Billy Joel)
"Yesterday"
"Helter Skelter"
"Get Back"
"Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise)"/"The End"