Where or When

Fun with images

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~~~~~

one thing bout music,

is when it hits you,

you feel no pain

~ Bob Marley

"...a song we all oughta sing sometime..."

sing it!

OTIS REDDING

 “…a singer of such commanding stature

that to this day he

embodies the essence of soul music

in its purist form.

His name is synonymous with the term soul music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm & blues

into a form of funky, secular testifying.

Redding left behind a

legacy

of recordings made during the four-year period

from his first sessions for Stax/Volt Records in 1963 until his death in 1967.”

-- Rock n Roll Hall of Fame

As I was digging out some old favorites from my collection this afternoon,
background music to complete my day,
I was moved by this song and its message.

In honor of one of my favorite legends, I spotlight his soulful performance.  

The ebb and flow of the dynamics that usher feeling...emotion...passion.  

This is music.

Lemme hear you say…

YEAH!

Time to Recharge

T       H A      PB G

TKPW      O              D

T           A   E         S

T  P    RAO EU        D

Taking the day off today, I was able to sleep in a couple extra hours.  Wow.  Two hours.  That’s a bonus.  My body should be very happy with that treat and respond favorably with added energy and mental focus. 

B    R      EU

                EU          T

             O         PB

I need to take a minute to prepare my checklist of THINGS TO DO today so that I won’t mismanage my time, so that I can make the most of my day off. 

I’ve focused heavily on perfecting my realtime skills this week, and I feel that I’ve made a good bit of progress. I seem to “hear” everything through my steno, as a result of the added focus and attention to my writing style and skills, differentiating the nuances of the English language that most people never even think about when listening to the spoken word.  I automatically write it in my head, I see it in steno with my brain.  An involuntary reflex.

(...So is that "cent," or is it "scent," or is it "sent" ...)

For instance, I attended a Republican Women’s fundraising dinner last night, two friends and I having been invited to sing as part of their “entertainment” – call it what you will – following dinner and before the introduction of candidates and slate of speakers.  As the speakers took the podium and laid out their itineraries, rallying the support of those in attendance, I found myself taking their speeches down in my head in shorthand.  It wasn’t intentional.  My mind just automatically started processing their words in “steno” in my head.  I tried to relax my brain and just LISTEN to the context, but having been immersed in a concentrated study and practice of writing more cleanly over the past week, it was hard to flip that switch. 

I’m used to rhetorical courtroom technology -- briefs and pleadings, rules of evidence, citations, objections, stipulations, motions for this, that and the other – legalese that has become so automatic and second nature for me.  A campaign speech, I found, was a bit more challenging.  I was hearing words in a whole different context, and it’s amazing how that can affect one’s ability to process information.  That initial element of hesitation:  What?  Do what?  The brain is an amazing machine, and it CAN learn and respond, but only after given a chance to adapt to the new stimuli through repetition, practice, and commitment. 

I think that applies to most areas of learning any new skill or habit.  The first few attempts at “new territory” can be humbling, confusing, frustrating, even disheartening.  But given the chance, our bodies in concert with our brain can quickly adapt and progress.  We are most capable of mastering whatever hurdle is set before us with patience, commitment, dedication, determination and perseverance.

It’s been a busy week, mentally challenging.  But I’ve made progress.  And yes, I’m glad it’s Friday.  I welcome the opportunity to get some other things accomplished, play Taxi Mom, fiddle with a project, work out, stretch, take a long bath with a glass of wine and some relaxing tunes, and UNWIND.  Recharge.

A nice steady rain would be fabulous.  Like the gardens and flowers of late summer, I’m tired, THIRSTY for that long overdue cleansing and renewal.

My World at Rest

Last night was the perfect evening
to spend outside on the porch.
The summer air was mild,
welcoming.
My world
was at rest,
swaying with
the slow
rhythms
a simple serenade
of soft
soulful
melodies.
My back porch is my haven...
at every season
A place that I retreat
to unwind
and
reflect
and
celebrate

life's

little 

moments.

It's
just what I need
at 
times.

Seriously Sexy

TIME TO SPOTLIGHT
THE EYE CANDY...

Josh Holloway

Blue Ridge Mountain boy

"Being Southern and being the guy I've been all my life, I've lived more on the lighter side of life."

Love the hat
Could that smile
be
any
sexier?

"I could completely do without the fame," he says. "It makes me self-conscious. It is a responsibility. I believe that if people look up to you in any way, especially kids, then you have a responsibility to inspire them, both in your work and in your life. So, for me, that is a weight."

rugged refined

Favorites:  fried chicken & chocolate pie

penny for your thoughts?

.........simply arresting

[workin’] the classics


M.E.R.C.Y.
that's all i gotta say about that

License to Indulge!

Refreshing reminders, compliments of Yahoo's "Shine" page.  
I read these while drinking my
  COFFEE this morning:

Drinking Caffeine
No one is saying that you should drain the coffeepot twice over before 10 a.m., but research shows that a reasonable amount of coffee does you more good than harm. Not only is coffee no longer associated with heart disease and stroke, but it also has antioxidants. It's been shown to fight Parkinson's disease, type 2 diabetes and liver cancer.

New research published in The Archives of Internal Medicine also found that women who drank two to three cups of coffee daily had a 15 percent lower risk of depression than those who didn't, as the coffee helped regulate their moods.

If coffee isn't your thing, other caffeine sources are just as good. Various studies have shown that caffeine increases memory, detoxes the liver, increases stamina during exercise and fights Alzheimer's. As with all of these habits, make sure not to get carried away-more than four cups per day can have adverse health effects like insomnia, irritability and restlessness.


Chocolate
Something tells us we might not have to work too hard to convince you of this one. But in case you're still resisting your co-worker's snack drawer, we'll tell you that The Daily Beast compiled 11 different research-supported reasons that chocolate-especially dark chocolate-benefits your health. Here are some of the standouts:

-Eating 45 grams (about two bars) or more of chocolate per week reduces your risk of stroke, thanks to the dessert's antioxidants.

-One weekly serving of chocolate prevents blood clots.

-A compound found in chocolate may prevent the growth of cancerous cells. It can lengthen your life: The oldest woman on record lived 122 years and ate 2.5 pounds of chocolate per week.

But I’m  pretty sure this is not

the type chocolate they’re speaking of.

But I got this.  I keep this STOCKED.

August -- Here already?

I can't believe how fast time flies.  August is here already.  Another month, and we'll begin getting teased with cooler temperatures in the evening or the occasional afternoon, only to be blasted with taunts of Indian Summer for ... who knows how long.

• School begins in August
• Football training begins in August (or sooner)
• Back to college (and football) for my middle son
• Composition notebooks and school supplies begin filling the aisles in the stores
• Tomatoes begin ripening sooner than we can eat (or prepare) them
• Flowers in the garden lose their lushness from the mid-end summer heat
• Stores begin stocking their shelves with Halloween candy

What?

Yes, and we'll all begin seeing Christmas decorations any day now.

Why do we rush the seasons?  

We must put an end to this madness.

As I reflect on this past year, I realize that it was August -- August 15th, to be exact -- that I began prepping for my first figure competition.  I remember my feelings of anxiety and self-doubt.  Questioning my sanity.  The butterflies in my stomach at the thought of getting on a stage in a teeny bikini in front of a sea of scrutinizing judges.  I remember feeling embarrassed to tell anyone of my plans; only a handful of people knew.  Gathering the support from my friends and family members was crucial to my success, that much I knew.  But it was myself that I had to convince first -- Do I have what it takes, or am I living in a dream world?

One year later, random thoughts enter my mind...One more time?  Or am I finished?  Am I too old for one more shot at this?  Am I up to it?  Do I have the time?  Will I have the support?  Is it worth it?  What will it prove?  Are my priorities out of order?  Should I be focusing on other (more important) goals?

And as I drive by the gym every day...

Or read Oxygen articles, past and present...

As I pull on my training gloves each session --

Or lace up my shoes --

Or down my BCAA's before a workout --

As I hear "deja vu" tunes on my MP3, taking me back to "that time" ...

As the adrenaline races through my veins with each rep, each drop of sweat ...

I ask myself:

Is it over?  

Are you finished?