Hey friends!  I wanna give a special shout out to my friends, family and loved ones here in SC.  For those of you who live out of state, we are in the midst of a historic flood event, that has devastated my original hometown of Sumter, and surrounding counties, including where I live now in Lexington County.  Here are photos from my neighborhood, where there’s now limited means for getting out.

I am so blessed to be safe and dry, with food and power, and my loved ones accounted for in safety too.  I know folks personally who were evacuated from their homes by boat , and have most likely lost everything they owned.  Businesses that are totally destroyed, and are wonderful Mom & Pop stores, that may not be able to recover.  It’s down right heartbreaking to see all this destruction, and especially the pain of those who are forced to give up their homes, photos and other treausres…now becoming only memories.   How do we cope?  What do we do?  It’s difficult to not feel hopeless.
We must do what we as South Carolinians do best:   Do something about it.  In the midst of the darkness, we must pray, show love to our neighbor, not in lip service…but getting off our lazy butts and help, share, donate and be the Light in a dark place.  And I do see it starting already.  Churches are donating supplies to the shelters. Tennessee firemen have come to aid in the rescue efforts.  Local restaurants in Lexington like The Deli are donating food to the rescue workers. Even Wally World in Clarendon County along with others, are providing food to those with no power.  My friends offering their homes to others who have no place to stay.  This is how we bring The Light back.  I cannot be who I say I am, and that I serve the loving God I serve, if I only tell people “I’m praying”.  Well, let’s just man up, woman up, and take care of those who are in need.  No one will care how many scriptures I post, or words of wisdom I share, if I’m too selfish to bother sacrificing for someone else.  I will give away GOOD clothes, give someone a REAL meal, donate water and items that I would use. 
This is where real love is shown in its purest form.  Helping the widows, the orphans, those who are hungry and homeless…”if you’ve done it to the least if these, you’ve done it unto Me.”
Regardless of our beliefs, politics, or social class, we are all people.  We should take care of one another, because it is simply the right thing to do, period.  If we do this collectively, change for the better will come, and somewhere down the road,  very soon, we will begin to See The Light.  I’m praying for you, and I vow to help and make a difference.   I hope you do too. I love you all so much. 

Hey everybody!   Is it me, or does it seems like nothing is clear anymore?  Everything is shades of grey:  movies, our weather all week, politics, you name it.  Life feels like it’s between Shades of Grey headed towards Hazy Shade of Winter.  And even when I believe I’m finding clarity, it only takes a moment for that 20/20 focus to become blurred lines everywhere.  
I’m one of those folks that can deal with even bad news, better than uncertainty.  Health issues, money problems…whatever life presents that day:  I hate guessing how things are, or wondering what is the diagnosis, or not knowing for sure how much money is in the bank.  That crap drives me cuckoo crazy.
Love and relationships are two of those things that can take us to even murkier waters.  All it takes is one heart misunderstanding where they stand with the other.  Sometimes in our lives, we have friends or lovers that take us to new heights.  They allow us the joy of love and passion, assuming that together, anything be conquered…only to end in horror as words are spoken, that forever change the course of our lives.  Words and deeds and memories of the cloud nines and the pits of hell: that leave precious memories, scars, and life lessons we wouldn’t wish on our worst enemy. 
We must always focus on today’s journey.  We must always remember that even if today isn’t a good day, it doesn’t determine the rest of our lives.  Matters of faith and heart make the difference in the long run.  That’s why we MUST focus on the race that us set before us.  We cannot afford to wish every day was just over, or that things wouldn’t change.  Change is constant and uncomfortable,  but necessary.  And change is going to occur, whether we want it to or not.  Why I’d venture to say despising change will eventually change you too…more bitter, more resentful, and more unforgiving.   It’s something to consider.  
I was listening to some music on Spotify two or three years ago.   And I remember doing a search for songs with the word “clear” in the title.  I discovered “The Clearness is Gone” by the Avett Brothers.  What a song.  It paints mostly imagery with its lyrics.   The words are descriptive enough to stir all kinds of emotions within my soul.  But, the way they tell the story,  it allows the listener to see their own story and interpretation.  I dearly love this song.  I hope you’ll look it up, and give it a try. 
Well, hang in there my dear friends.  If y’all are looking for something to do this weekend, we’re playing at the Frayed Knot in Chapin on Friday night.  We’d love to see you!   Take care everyone.  Love to all.

Wow.  The last two weeks have been absolutely nothing short of a whirlwind.   Let’s backtrack to Labor Day weekend and work our way up.  So, Sanctuary competed at a Battle of the Bands…and WON!!!!!

  I was so excited!!  I sounded like a middle school girl squealing when they make the cheerleading squad.  But, this was my first Battle of the Bands ever, and I’m pretty sure for the Sanctuary Blues Band too.  So, yay!!!!!

Then, the following week, Buck and I fly to Vegas for the Big Blues Bender music festival!  

It was a lot of fun and had all kinds of blues artists playing by the pool, in the theater, and the showcase room.  It was cool.  No, it was hot actually.   Very hot.  But cool music!

Then more jet lag, and back to work.  Well, until Wednesday night around 10:30pm.  That’s when one of the sweetest women ever to grace God’s green earth passed away:  my Grandma.

This is a picture of her and my Granddaddy.  Their names are U.S. and Doris June.  Yes, you’re reading this right.  I can’t make it up.  Their love for each other was as unique as their names.  This year, we’ve lost them both.  Granddaddy died in January, and now Grandma. 
My husband Buck lost both his parents last summer, 2 weeks and 6 days apart.   I have NO idea how he handled that as well as he did.  But, I’m trying to take good notes. 🙂
Grandma was the kind of woman who wanted two things for the family: 1) To love Jesus and 2) keep the family closely knit.  She did a darn good job of it too.  She could cook it, sew it, tell you where to buy it the cheapest, took care of her mama when she was sick (yes, I got to know and love my great-grandma too, Grandma Baker), manage a crew of women around a church or house, wrap it, give it with love, and do it all in her immaculate outfit, with matching broach and “ear bobs”.  I wear the same shade of lipstick as she did:  Revlon “Wine With Everything “.   A woman like her is rare, and comes only once in a lifetime.   What a treasure.   I mean that. 
So, the song I sang at her memorial service was The Anchor Holds.  And, she certainly was an anchor for our entire family. It’s so tough. But we’re gonna be alright.  She loved my Granddaddy for 76 1/2 years.  They were both born in 1918 and married since June 17, 1938.  Together, they raised both sons to be good men, and they’ve in turn, raised us with those same high standards, who continue to pass it on down. 
I’m so glad I didn’t assume I could ask her tomorrow how to make her sweet potato souffle.  I asked her years ago, and I even have it in her handwriting.  Amazing how an index card can be so special,  isn’t it?  Only because SHE was that special.  Please tell the special people in your life how much they mean to you.  Do it today.  Hug your mama, call your daddy, text your brother, Facebook your beautiful children, love on your nieces, and be a friend to all.  No one will believe that what you believe is good, if you don’t exude goodness yourself.  Be good and be for real.  Grandma June surely was.  God, help me be more like her.
Thanks again everybody for sharing these moments with me.  Love you all.

Hey everybody!
      Hope everyone is doing okay this week.  For us Gamecock fans, today starts the kickoff of college football.  This year ought to be interesting.
      I’ve got a question for you.  Do you ever open your mouth and say the opposite of what you’re actually thinking?  I sure do.  Yeah, that’s not exactly a good thing.  But, so far it’s kept me employed, out of prison and avoided a few fist fights…probably saved my life on more than one occasion.  
     Why do we not say what we mean?  There’s a lot of reasons I can come up with for that one.  First off, sarcasm.  Now, this decision has probably caused me more arguments and heartache, than preventive maintenance.   Sometimes it’s worth it.  But, I’ve found the best use of sarcasm is for making people laugh.  Otherwise, it works better as fat lighter to ignite an argument…turning a match flame into a bonfire. 
Maybe we say the opposite of our thoughts, because revealing the truth would hurt someone else.  It’s difficult to admit hard truths.  Some do it to keep secrets and hide the truth, out of guilt.  Others assume no one cares at all.  Some of us do it in defense.  “I’ve been hurt before and I won’t let you close enough to hurt me too”.  Some folks are obsessed with the opinion of others, and will say or do anything to give the impression of perfection.  Heck, I’ve done it, cause I knew what kind of answer they wanted, so I gave it to them.  I am long over the days of trying to prove I’m right in an argument.  The absolute hardest thing in the world, is fighting the urge to lash out.  We think we’ll feel better if we knock ’em out with our clever hurtful words.  We think making them hurt too, eill make us feel better. And even when I’ve proven my point,  most times it still didn’t add any real value to my life or theirs.  Just adding more quicksand to shaky ground.  It really is true that most folks won’t remember what you said.  What they absolutely WILL remember is how you made them feel.
My friend Lori told me a long time ago, “Think about whether it’ll matter 100 years from now.  If it won’t,  then don’t worry about it.”  She also mentioned how very short that list must be.  I do believe she’s right.

     John Mayer is a great musician.  Watching him sing is a little painful for me, but if I’m not looking at his face antics, I can listen to him all day!  He has this one song called, “Perfectly Lonely”.  First time I head it, he was singing a duet with Keith Urban on a CMT Crossroads tv episode.  The storyline is about a guy who is trying to convince everyone that he’s very content being single.  The tempo and melody of the tune are very upbeat, which makes it feel like a get happy kinda song.  Music is always open to the interpretation of each individual listener.  So for me, even though I’m bee bopping to this cheery sounding song,  there is still an element of an opposite truth at work.  The more he sings, “That’s the way,  that’s the way, that’s the way that I want it”…the more convinced I am that’s he’s putting on a good front, to cover his true feelings.  Obviously,  a very clever concept and play on words for the storyline of this song.  I’m still surprised everytime I listen to it, how it just makes me wanna drive down the road, with my hair blowing in the wind and wanna be alone and cry all at the same time.  Now I’m confused, LOL!!!!  Just kidding.   It truly does conjure up several conflicting emotions.  It was also one of the first songs I ever played decent half bar chords on the guitar, and I was proud that I was playing in a key that had several flats too.  Using flats while playing piano or French horn is normal.  But, on guitar, I find more sharps in the key signature, typically.  Now, if I completely lost you at half bar chords and key signatures,  it’s ok.  That’s a musician’s way of saying I played something on guitar I couldn’t do before, without cramping my left hand and my brain!  All of this juxtaposition and hand/brain cramps from one song.  Go figure.
What kinda plans y’all got for Labor Day weekend?  Our band, Sanctuary Blues Band, is performing in a Battle of the Bands show/contest at The Frayed Knot in Chapin, SC in Dreher Island Rd.  We’ll be jamming out on a huge rig and stage, that’s actually out on the water at Lake Murray.

We play Saturday night at 6:30pm & go til 9pm.  But there will be great bands starting around noon on all 3 days.  So, come check ’em out.  And come say hey!!!  It’s gonna be a par-tay!!
Well, whatever you do, please be safe. Have a great weekend, my friends!!!!  We’ll talk again soon.  Love to all.

Welcome back everybody!
    It seems hard to believe that it’s already September. This year has been every bit of crazy.  I’m not sure whether to be glad it’s zooming by, or upset that time is escaping so quickly.   It’s a toss up for me.  My great and awful life events seem to work in tandem.  Why is that?!  I don’t know either….merely a rhetorical question.
    Have you ever heard a song that just felt like it described exactly what you’ve experienced, but couldn’t quite figure out how to say it?  I have.  I live for finding those nuggets of unexpected poetic epiphanies!   Then, I proceed to play them on repeat incessantly, for days…sometimes weeks or more, depending on its personal relevance.  And it doesn’t have to be anything I’m living in the present tense.  A true lyricist can cause their words to stir up memories of the past, and take us back to that story or moment.  I’ve had songs that pinpointed my dreams in life and hopes for the future, for things I’ve not yet experienced.   That poignant poetry combined with a beautiful melody, is the essence of brilliance, in my humble opinion.
  A few weeks back, Ashley Monroe was on XM satellite radio, being interviewed about her new album release.   For those of you who may recall, I am a huge Miranda Lambert fan.  Well, Ashley Monroe also sings with Miranda in a female trio, called Pistol Annies.  They have a lot of parody songs and crass points of view, but are extremely authentic , and keep ya in stitches.
   However, during Ms. Monroe’s interview, there was a song that made me take a double take and just stop.  The song is called, “The Blade”.  Have you ever been in a romantic relationship  that you fell in the deep end, and you knew it was sincere love?  And, you knew how dangerous it was that you fell so hard?  It’s always reminded of me a double edged sword.  I can only speak of my experiences,  but it’s the best and worst happening all at once.  It’s like I’m riding the euphoric high that I’ve never felt before on that level.  But, fully aware how absolutely God awful I will feel when it’s over.  It almost drowns out the glory of basking in that moment of sheer bliss.  “The Blade” has tons of raw emotion and again, the words wrap around the music like satin ribbon on a Christmas present.  This song just does it for me.  There’s lots to choose from lyrically,  but here’s the line I love:
“But you caught it by the handle.  And I caught it by the blade.”
YES!!   Sweet, little, sad song speak for me!!  Now, if you don’t look it up and hear the words in context to the preceding verse, it doesn’t truly reflect its impact.  But, believe me:  it speaks volumes.   I just love when a song takes you there!  For some of us, it’s the only way to salvage the good moments from a tumultuous romance.  Or it allows us to relive a precious moment with a loved one, who has passed away or no longer in our lives.  I’ve been a musician for as long as I can remember.   But, I’m still in awe and mezmerized by the power of a song.  Music is amazing.  I can’t imagine life without it!
    If any of you fine folks are looking for something to do this Labor Day weekend…our band, Sanctuary is competing in a weekend long Battle of the Bands.  We will be on a huge stage, out on the water of Lake Murray at a great place called the Frayed Knot in Chapin.  It’s on Dreher Island Rd.   We will play Saturday night from 6:30pm to 9pm. Come by boat or car, bike, walk, whatever you’ve gotta do to get there.  Food and service are awesome.  They’ll bring food and drinks to your boat!  The winner is based on crowd response, so the more of our friends show up, the better!!  Whatever you do, please be safe.  Life is crazy!!!  Y’all take care and we’ll talk again soon.   Love to all.

Welcome back everybody!!
      Hope y’all had a great weekend!  Mine was busy, but good!   Buck and I got a last minute opportunity to play at the First Baptist Church in the booming metropolis of Bishopville, SC!  Actually, it’s more like a small, rural town.  But, full of friendly folks and quaint charm.  The congregation was some of the nicest folks I’ve met in a long time.  They were so gracious to us and it made it a lot easier to sing and play for the people.  
See, it’s been a while since I’ve played music at church.  Up until 3 years ago, I led worship at 2 different churches, before I gave it up.  It was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done in my life.  Playing music on any level is fulfilling.  But, when your job is to draw people closer to God through a song, for me, it takes it to another level.  And too, it’s a huge responsibility.  I take it seriously, and the last thing I wanna do, is not do it right, or with the wrong motive.  And to admit that your usefulness has ended in a church that you truly love, is painful, and very  humbling.  It’s been a growing experience for me, for sure.
There was this one moment Sunday night…it was the last song, and I was at the piano.  And it wasn’t just any piano:  it was a Yamaha baby grand piano, in an ebony glossy finish.   They’re not only beautiful to look at…they’re beautiful to play.  The keys are very responsive to the touch.  It’s the instrument I feel the most connected to of all the instruments.
So, I’m feeling this very strong compelling sense that we should end with the song, “Give Me Jesus”.  It’s slow, with a gorgeous melody, and 3 simple verses.  The song means a lot to me personally, and I have clung to it for years.  I’ve played it a billion times at home, when no one else was listening, to remind myself that I am not alone. 

So, Buck is playing too with this awesome,
sweet harmonica riff in the background.  We get to the last verse and it gets so still.  And it says:
“When I come to die
Oh, when I come to die
When I come to die
Give me Jesus
Give me Jesus
Give me Jesus
You can have all this world
Just give me Jesus.”

For the first time in over 2 years, I felt it again. I felt this massive surge of creativity, and energy, and belonging in this moment of meaning every word I sang from my tippy toes on up.  Knowing that this was the right song to be sung at that very moment, with this small but beautiful group of strangers I would soon call friends, and y’all,  I went to the stratosphere!!!  I hit super high notes that I have never used before in a live performance.   I am at one with the song, and this amazing piano, and the notes, and what I’m feeling, and what I’m sensing the rest of the folks in there are feeling too.  I think we all had a tear or sniffle we shared together in that moment.  A moment I will not soon forget. 

Faith and music are a beautiful thing.  So is having hope.  Go find yours.  Have a great day everyone.   Love to all.

Hey everybody!   Thank the LORD it is Thursday.  The weekend is approaching y’all…we just gotta hang in there!!!

Some of you may recall the old school Calgon commercial.  It was always a brunette in a bubble bath crying out in her best Scarlett O’Hara voice : “Calgon, take me away”!!!!

Personally, I’m more like something between Forrest Gump and Jennn-naaay.  “Dear Lord, make me a bird, so I can fly: far, far away from here.”  Over…and over…and over.  I’m sure God wonders why I’m so repetitious.  It’s not like He didn’t hear me the first time, or suffers from short term memory loss.  And my guardian angel is probably wishing he could chew God out for being assigned to me in the first place, ROTFL!!!
No matter how bad the urge is for me to run, I learned a long time ago that running away from our problems doesn’t do us any good.  I’ve watched folks run from their lives, and mostly themselves.   Sometimes they’re  changing friends like underwear.  Others drown their sorrows in substances and casual sex.  Some folks hide in the shelter of their homes, and never venture out because they’re afraid.  The tee-totalers think they’ll go to hell if they take a drink or pop a Xanax, so they just go to the Chinese buffet or Golden Corral instead.  We all have coping mechanisms.  But, finding positive ways to cope keeps us steady in the boat, and resolves the real issues sooner than choosing to run away. 
I pray and play music.  I’m pretty good at drowning my sorrows in a song.  I could be the professor of that course:  Music for the Melancholy 101.  ROTFL!!  I can almost aways find a song to fit my mood.  I’ve got songs for road trips.  Songs for riding the Blue Ridge Parkway.  Songs gor practicing drums.  Songs for Friday afternoons.  Songs for Sunday mornings (fried shrimp, shrimp creole, shrimp n’ grits…here we go Forrest).  You get the point. 
Y’all may have seen the meme on facebook that says you can tell what’s on a girl’s mind by what song she’s listening to, and that’s the truth.  If you think your girl is preoccupied in thought and you wanna know what’s going on…ask her what songs she’s listening to this week:  It’s a dead giveaway.  You can thank me later.

I can’t tell you the first time I heard Drift Away by Dobie Gray.  I’m sure I was very young.  But everybody seems to still love that song, no matter how young or old they are.  It’s just catchy like that.  I love singing the harmony parts too.  And besides, the lyrics to the song are literally beckoning to take you away.  I’m pretty sure that obligates me as a musician to like this song.  At least it’s not the Electric Slide, right?  Worst.  Band.  Song.  Ever.  C major for 4 beats, D minor for 4 beats into eternity while saying “Boogie Woogie Woogie”.  Welcome to Musician’s Hell, folks.

There is a lot to be said for a song taking you on a journey somewhere.  It doesn’t matter whether or not you’re a musician.  Music can be therapeutic to the broken heart.  Or a motivator on the elliptical machine at the gym.  Or the song you slow dance to with your lover.  No matter what, it’s a powerful thing.   Taking a breather from the cares of the world is not a bad thing, either.  In fact, I find it very beneficial.  Just don’t get lost.  Keep good friends around for support.  Have faith that things will get better and that you’ll be a better person at that point.   You’ll be in a better position to have more gratitude for the good times. 
Well, I’m gonna see if I can drift away to dreamland.  Hang in there, my fellow insomniacs.  To my snoring loved ones…I’m jealous, and y’all be loud sometimes, lol!!!!   Take care my friends, and we’ll talk again soon. 
Love to all!

Boo everybody!!  It’s Tuesday!!  Yeah, I’m not excited about it either, lol!  Have you ever had one of those times in your life, when life just seems to be kicking your tale?  You know what I’m talking about…when there’s so much inner turmoil,  that you simply feel like a mere shell of your old self?  I sure get that way sometimes.  It’s so easy to let a number of bad circumstances or a couple of opinions, hurt you in places you didn’t know you could hurt.  It could be the classmate at school who is always a punk.  Maybe it’s the parent who never thought you measured up.  Or a supervisor who deep down doesn’t respect you, because they think you’ve done nothing with your life.  It could even be a lover’s quarrel or a close friend.  This can easily trigger a state of sadness, especially for the tenderhearted, people pleasing type. 
Much of my life has been sorting through significant, painful experiences…and learning how to  move on while staying intact.  Sometimes, it can be a challenge.  In the last five years, I have experienced several major intense life changes.  I had several family members, close friends and a dog pass away.  I’ve gone through a divorce, giving half of my belongings away and having to admit I failed.  I lost friends that decided they couldn’t be friends with me anymore.  My old boss of 16 years retired. I moved.  I changed churches. I drive a big red truck instead of a low rider hoopdie.  My mama has breast cancer and is undergoing a very rough chemo regiment. I got married.  I changed my name and my address. My grandma can’t remember if my Granddaddy actually died back in January.  Please dont mistake this as a ploy for your sympathy.  I’m sharing all this to let you know you’re not alone.  We feel alone going through these things.  We feel isolated.  We feel like overwhelming failures and hypocrites, for having hope that we could succeed.  The hardest thing in the world, is to not guide your life by your feelings.   The heart gets overloaded and clouds our thinking.  Top that with some racing a.d.d. brain activity, and it’s nothing short of a nuclear meltdown, if you’re not careful. 
I have to just lay still sometimes and get quiet, and pray.  It’s impossible to fix all my problems by myself, or all at once.  I try to do what I can myself.  Some things require willingness from others to help.   The rest I leave to God to handle.  I hope today’s ramblings will be meaningful for someone out there today.

Ghost In This House is one of the saddest songs out there.  Check out this snippet of lyrics:
“I’m just a ghost in this house.
I’m just a shadow upon these walls.
I’m living proof of the damage heartbreak does.
I’m just a flicker of smoke.
I’m all that’s left of two hearts on fire,
that once burned out of control.
You took my body and soul.
I’m just a ghost in this house.”

This song describes those moments in my life, where I feel like only a piece of the old me.  Songs are so faithful.  I can play this song (or any other one, for that matter) and evoke the same feeling I had, the first time I ever heard it.  The circumstances which are conjured up, may change along the way.  But those same feelings of intensity come right back.  It’s like sharing your feelings with a close, trusted friend.  They share in your joy and cry when you cry.  Songs can hug you tight, inspire you to dream big, or help you get over someone.  Music is a miraculous tool. 
Well, I  appreciate your time as always.  Thank you for being my friends.  We’ll talk soon.   Love to all!

Welcome back everybody!
     We’re back after a wonderful weekend of jamming, performing, camping and making new friends…all for a good cause too!!
        Buck and I filled Big Red (that’s my truck) to the brim with music equipment  and camping gear, and headed for the mountains of NC, to participate in the 3rd annual Ya Mama’s Fest III.  This was our first time, and wow, was it a doozie!!
Imagine a huge bunch of country folks, hippies, cooks and musicians tent camping by the creek and playing music at night.  Donations were taken and given 100 percent to a sick friend for their medical expenses.  When I can make music, eat bbq and hug necks AND help someone in need, I am always down for it!!  And when I say bbq, I mean hickory smoked, dry rubbed savory pork goodness! In addition, to the bbq, we made lots of new friends! One of our new friends is Bob.  And Bob loves to cook over an open fire, and oh my Lord is it good!!!  Check this out:

That my friends, is a Swink Apple Crisp prepared in a cast iron dutch oven.  I can’t even begin to tell you how wonderful it tasted.  Mmm mmm MMM!!!!

Buck and I did something new this weekend.  We weren’t able to have the whole Sanctuary band with us, so we went and played as a duo called Moon Pie.  He played blues harp and sang, and I played guitar and tried out my new stomp box.  This is what it looks like:

It sounds just like a bass drum when you stomp on it, hence the name stomp box.   Very useful for keeping a beat when you’re playing another  instrument at the same time.

Needless to say,  it was a tiring, but awesome weekend. These sweet folks definitely put a smile on my face!  Can’t wait for next year’s Ya Mama’s Fest IV!!!

All good things in life require two things: One, you have to want to do it.  Two, it takes time.  For me, it means a lot of practice, and researching a lot of music.  My relationship with Buck requires lots of love, sacrifice and hard work.  But, definitely worth the effort!
I remember when Cyndi Lauper released her album, She’s So Unusual. And she was most definitely unusual.   But she is a talented musician.  “Time After Time” is a classic.  It’s one of my favorite songs of the 80’s. I love those songs that show flaws and vulnerability in a relationship, and yet stir feelings of loyalty and commitment at the same time.  The lyrics to “Time After Time” pull you both ways, but leave you on a happy note.  I’m a sucker for happy endings, ha ha!!  It’s amazing how songs are a comfort to us.  Music is a faithful friend.
As always, your time is more valuable than money.  Thank you for sharing your time with me.  Have a wonderful day and we’ll talk again soon. Love to all!

Hey everybody!  Did y’all miss me? I sure missed you.  I had a busy weekend, but a very good one.  We played a show on the lake Saturday night, called Buffalo Creek Grill, over in the small town of Prosperity, SC.  It was H-O-T!!  I did everything a good girl should do to stay hydrated, and I still almost passed out from the heat.   We played under a tent cover, but the sun was still catching me from the back.  However, all this was absolutely, totally worth it.  We ended up with an awesome crowd, which is always a critical part of actually enjoying the show.  There’s nothing worse than dragging your butt and equipment to a place, spend two hours setting it up, then pour sweat for 4 hours, singing and playing your heart out…and….. (crickets chirp).  Years ago, I recall when I was a keyboard player and background vocalist for Mama’s Home Cookin’.  We played a gig in Hilton Head at one of those high falootin’ establishments.   Those were the gigs I’d joke that I needed to wash all the snob off of me afterwards, lol!  Well, we were a 9 piece band, with a horn section.  We drove to Hilton Head, about 4 hours, setup, and play, and they start coming up to us saying, “Can you turn down?  We’re trying to talk.”  Okay….then why would you hire a NINE piece BAND to play for your event, if you wanted to talk?!!!!!!  Just sayin’.
Well, back then, I was a much different girl.  I was a complete pushover.  I weighed more back then.  I had no cool clothes.  I wanted them badly, but never made it a priority.  I knew I had so much to give, if given the chance.  But, I always let my circumstances decide what I did.  It determined where I work, what band to play in, what church to attend.  Even worse,  I had to be right.  And when I was right on something huge, I threw a huge fit too.  I had to correct others if they used the wrong word, or if I knew something they didn’t.  I’m certainly not proud of it.  And I’ve had to endure a lot of situations where I found out I was right, but that’s no excuse to lose control of my emotions…even if they’re valid.   The sad thing is, it wasn’t because I thought I was better.  I just wanted acceptance.  Well, I wasn’t pretty.  I wasn’t popular.  And I wasn’t rich.  My brain and tender heart was all I had to offer.  So, I thought if people could figure out I was smart…they might give liking me a try.  But, please remember two things:  1) Being right all the time is over rated.   2) People won’t aways remember what you said…but they will always remember how you made them feel.  If someone is trying to pay you a compliment, please don’t correct them.  WHY would you break someone’s heart whose trying to offer you theirs, on a mere technicality?  Is it worth it?  Do you feel better?  Or they a better person for your eloquent correction?  I bet not.  You’re “right” and they’re devistated, and for what?  Ok, rant over.
We need to be as careful with choosing our word to those we love, as we are in choosing those we love in the first place.   However, this is a grueling process.  I know.  I’m living proof.  Still have so far to go. 
But, I too have made strides.  I’m not the same person I once was.  I weigh my words and thoughts first.  I consider if I’m saying something just to be right, or plain mean, or just to make them hurt like I do.  I go somewhere else and get my crap in one sock,  if I can’t stop crying.  I walk or exercise if I’m angry.  I try my darndest to do something productive while I check myself.  I am certain I’ve lost much innocence along the way, that I can never have again.  It pains me a little.  But, to know I’m overall, a better woman than I was before… is something no family, friend, boss, or anyone can take from me.  We cannot look to others to validate us, when they don’t even see the true value in us to begin with.  Don’t waste your efforts convincing a lover, that you are worthy.  Go find someone who already sees your worth.  Don’t spend your career trying to impress a boss, who doesn’t want to make a difference in your life.  Find a place where you can thrive and go there.  Be pliable and dependable, not a door mat.
Man, it feels good to be standing up :).

Alabama Shakes has a song called, “I Ain’t the Same”.  It’s my mantra, for sure.  And it’s the kind of song that doesn’t sound like anything else out there.  There’s a lot of R&B in the vibe of it, and yet, with all the drive and push of a rock tune.  You really should give it a listen. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised.  You might even find the nerve to make a change :D. Take care, my friends.  We’ll talk again soon. 
Love to all.