naming things

I really like to name inanimate objects.  Been doing this my whole life.  I have named every car I ever owned:

Dakota 
Piccolo ("pick-uh-low") 
Isabelle 
Bruno 
Bella 
Big Blue (this name came with the car, actually)
Bessie
Moose
Charles Xavier
Lucypearl

I even nicknamed two of Neighbor's cars:
Delores
Comanche



I also nickname my favorite people:

Mig
Wee
Sithy
Neighbor
Mendell
Reet
A.Y.A
CUZIN
Muffy

This list is not comprehensive because there are too many names to list; however, these names may come from shortened or extended versions of original names. Sometimes I add an extra syllable or make up a new name altogether. I may call them by their last name, first and last name or first name with a faux middle name (usually Lee, June or Mae).  Why do I do this?  Because...

Nicknames are love.  

when god bless you goes wrong

I have noticed an oddly disturbing, awkwardly interesting trend.  People throwing a fit, acting a fool, lashing out or just being plain hateful and then tacking a good ol' God bless you at the end.  I don't have a problem with people throwing fits as I have been know to throw my own from time to time, and hey, we all act a fool now and again.  Lashing out and being hateful can happen to the best of us if the irritations align just right.  To have our differences, air our grievances and live with the consequences, this is just part of the human experience, I guess; however, tacking God bless onto the end of such foolishness is what I find to be intolerable.  "I don't like you.  I never did and you smell like poop, so stay away from me.  Forever.  God bless." 

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Can we stop doing that already? If someone smells like poop, talk about it, deal with it, offer soap, deodorant or whatever.  Address the issue.   And if you can't, agree to disagree and keep on truckin'.  There is no need to do life with people who irk the dickens out of you or insist on rocking the stink.  And by all means, if you aren't received, shake the dust off your feet and keep it moving, but in the name of all things holy, do not tell somebody off and then throw in a God bless at the end for some semblance of good measure.  Keep the faux-grace.  Why?  I don't know... maybe because telling people off and God bless you don't go together.  Or perhaps that God bless you makes vitriolic comments seem justified and palatable.  A faux God bless you takes the ugliest behavior and attempts to pass it off as sanctified.   So please, save the God bless you for a truly sincere, loving and heartfelt expression.  You know, one that is not  crass, caustic, and childish with rapid-fire emotionalism on display.  Let's work through our differences with a deep reserve of love and respect, patience, an openness to seeing the other point of view, and mindfulness.  Because really, to say God bless you is to say, You are God's child and you are loved.  And something about that statement just does not mix well with an attempt to rip someone to shreds. I love you and God bless!!! (hahahahaha I HAD TO!!!) 

But really, God bless.  

dear daylight savings time, you suck

Can anyone tell me why in THE hell we still carry on with this Fall back and Spring forward nonsense?  It's 2am and I'm sitting here wide awake.  (sidenote: I did accidentally drink an iced coffee around 8:45pm which has further exacerbated the situation.) Feels like I read somewhere that all this time travelling changing is to help the farmers.  You know, give them maximum daylight hours for sowing and reaping. And if that is the case, well, OK because I love to eat and I sure do appreciate the farmers who help to make that  happen.  But so help me sweet baby Jesus, if there is no doggone good reason for this chronological tomfoolery, I am going to do something like move to Arizona because at least there they have sense enough to leave time the hell alone.  

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we all have super powers... for reals

The other day on Facebook, someone that I barely know messaged me asking where they could hear my music.  I am in the process of copyrighting my original music (not to mention the ongoing saga that is life: dishes, family time, honey time, self time, home school, dinner, play time... I know you get the drift...) and in the midst of singing and speaking gigs that come to me by word of mouth, it just hadn't occurred to me to put myself out there like that until BAM!  Someone that I didn't know was a'asking.  So, I got my Google on and figured out how to tack some musical goodness onto my Facebook page, which got me to thinking how easy it is to hide our light under a bush for whatever reason.  Whatever the reason--whether it is intentional (you know, playing small to try and make others feel better about themselves), false humility (aka low self esteem) or whatever else that's been pulled from the bag of tricks-- it is wrong.  Wrong.  We are supposed to let our light shine and share our giftedness as a beacon of light, love and encouragement.  *Please note that shine is not synonymous with narcissism.*  It's more of a I shine, You shine, We all shine sort of thing.  That we share our love and passion (whatever it may be!) with others and then listen closely for theirs.  

Thank you, Laura & Tony

There is tremendous freedom in knowing and honoring ourselves and each other. It is a life long discovery, an evolutionary process of course, but as I look back over my life, I realize this: I repeatedly find myself using truth and the power of my voice.  Shushed repeatedly throughout school (Kindergarten to college, no lie!) and even at home, I realize now that this voicebox is my gift to the world.  My money maker.  Effortless and as easy as breathing because it is who I am.  And hate it or love it, I ain't going no where.  Neither are you.  See, we all have a special something to contribute to this mixing pot.  So I really want you to think about what you have to offer.  What consistent threads remain throughout the test of time in your life? Focus on the good (not the bad!) and herein you will find the secret, the truth, really, of who you were born to be.  I change and positively impact the world with the power of my voice by singing, writing and speaking authentic truth.  

That's my super power.  What's yours?