My Life In Music: Soundtrack to Me 2014

It's that time of the year! The time when the end and the beginning are oh-so near. The time for great food, great friends, resolutions, and reflections. I do it all through music which speaks to me. As is my annual tradition; I, generally, review the year through the songs that have spoken to me, touched me, hugged and squeezed and held me close at some point during 2014.

Indulge and enjoy!

MY LIFE IN MUSIC: Soundtrack to Me 2014

• Beyonce - Blow
• Jamie Holden - Hard To Let Go
• Reba McEntire - So Far Away
• Melanie Fiona - Wrong Side of a Love Song
• Antonique Smith - Hold Up, Wait A Minute (Woo, Woo)
• Sam Smith - Restart
• Alice Smith - Fool For You
• Paulo Nutini - Let Me Down Easy
• Angie Fisher - IRS
• Whitney Houston - So Emotional
• Jennifer Hudson - Dangerous
• Nicole Renee - Ain't Nothin' Changed
• CeCe Winans - Come On Back Home

As I always say, to me music is a therapy: it relaxes me, it inspires me, it becomes my voice to express myself when I cannot find the words. Put your life to music. Which songs capture you?

With love,

Xx



 
 
*Not included in video playlist

Podcasting: Putting Myself On-Air

Yes, I am co-hosting a podcast called The THRST. For those unfamiliar, a podcast is essentially the modern-day equivalent of a radio show, except most aren't broadcasted live and are available for you to download and stream anytime and anywhere you get the chance to listen.

With the incomprehensible advances in technology, one can do pretty much anything they want to do -- at affordable prices while maintaining complete control. Want to produce a music CD? Not a problem. Want to shoot a (short) film? That can be done, as well. Is it possible to produce your own radio show? A piece of cake!

I never thought I would actually do a podcast or radio show. I've always wanted to host a television show, but never thought I actually had a chance, because -- you know -- I speak to quickly, I speak too softly, and my Southern accent has a tendency to make an appearance whenever it wishes. Those three things are definite NO's in the public speaking world. At least in the "old" days, but not today.

I am going to say the journey, officially, started with my interest in voice acting. A few years ago, I started attending a voiceover workshop where I learned skills for radio and television commercial voice acting and eventually acquired the equipment I needed to record and submit audition pieces. Then, one day, I was walking with one of my friends and we're having this ridiculously funny conversation and realized we should have our own reality show. That was a bit much, but I realized we could do a radio show (or a podcast) and I already had the equipment. We discussed it for a few weeks and then just did it. The THRST was born!

No sugar- or cream-added, enticingly evil, wickedly funny conversations between two friends on life, dating, pop culture, and every issue in between.  It's humor, attitude, shade, and opinionated-truth!

I'm extending a personal invitation for you to hang out with us: follow up on Twitter, like us on Facebook, and join the conversations. You can listen to us via the player below or subscribe and download us via iTunes and the other networks listed beneath the player.

FIND US HERE:

• iTunes
• Stitcher
• Spreaker
• Blubrry
• TuneIn
• Blackberry
• Microsoft (Windows Phone/Xbox/Zune) 

See, it's possible. No more waiting on others to grant you access or to tell you yes. What do you want to do? Go.Get.It.Done!

"Bring snacks, the tea is on us!" (click to tweet)

My Journey to the Alter

When: December 2013

What: The realization that friends were getting married. Friends were moving away. Friends were making and birthing babies. Friends. Not me.

Thanksgiving was a dinner for one. Christmas was celebrated on the couch. The new year was brought in while watching The Bodyguard -- I always love my moments with Rachel Marron (Whitney Houston) and Frank Farmer (Kevin Costner), but this seems to have become tradition. I'm not mad about it, but it is a tradition that could possibly be enhanced by sharing it with a special someone. Possibly; provided they don't smack, chew with their mouth open, or chat (God forbid snore) during the movie.

I, also, realized that a Gentleman-Of-Interest (GOI) typically enters my life every other year. 2013 was the year, but it didn't happen. That added fuel to a friend's argument that it was time for me to get boo'd-up on the penthouse level. Enter...Married By New Year's.

As one of my all-time favorite movie quotes sums it up:

"I'm not your average 24 year old girl who's waiting to sit around and count the days. I'm 33...and I still look good!" - Whitney Houston as Savannah Jackson (Waiting To Exhale)

My ultimate 2014 social adventure: 365 days to find Mr. Right (For Me) and get married. 12 days in and it's already a journey; an interesting one nonetheless. I love that it's inspiring me to me more active and present in meeting new people; it's also causing me to sit and think about the small aspects of dating and socializing that people often neglect -- like body language and signs of openness.

Feel free to follow me on my journey, offer suggestions and tips, and introduce me to some eligible bachelors.

2014...we're doing this!

Keep Up With The Journey:
Married By New Year's Blog
Follow Me on Twitter

My Life In Music: Soundtrack to Me 2012/2013

It's that time of the year --- the end of it -- where I reflect on my favorites and things that have touched my life. Yes, music continues to be a significant part of my life and who I am as a person, so I have returned with what I consider my personal soundtrack.  

With all that happened in 2012 [primarily, the loss of Whitney Houston --- and a few other things], I didn't supply a set for last year, but don't worry -- the music continued and I have included songs to cover 2012 and 2013. I have listened to the "soundtrack" and enjoyed reflecting on the songs and the moments in my life that made them significant to me over the past two years.

I present to you the latest edition of My Life in Music.  These are songs that have shaken my world, played with my emotions, and reflect aspects of my personality; contain lyrics that touched my soul; or just made me shout "That is my song!" (over and over, again) during the span of 2012 and 2013.

MY LIFE IN MUSIC: Soundtrack to Me 2012 + 2013

• Emeli Sandé - Read All About It (Part III)
• Robin Thicke - The Good Life
• Fantasia - Get It Right
• Bruno Mars - When I Was Your Man
• Beyoncé - Love On Top
• John Legend - Shelter
• Lina - I'm Not The Enemy
• Tamar Braxton - Love & War
• Whitney Houston - All The Man That I Need
• Christina Aguilera - Here To Stay
• Mary J. Blige - I Feel Good
• Whitney Houston - Oh Yes
• Bruno Mars - If I Knew
• Katy Perry - Walking On Air
• Whitney Houston - Don't Cry For Me (live)
• James Blunt - Miss America
• Tamia - It's Not Fair
• Jill Scott - Shame
• Patti LaBelle - Not Right But Real
• John Legend - Tonight (Best You Ever Had)
• Katy Perry - Roar
• Robin Thicke - Get In My Way
• Jonas Brothers - Pom Poms
• Adele - Set Fire To The Rain
• India.Arie - Just Do You
• Brandy, Tamia, Gladys Knight, Chaka Khan - Missing You
• Tamia - Smile
• Ledisi - I Blame You
• Beyoncé - Schoolin' Life
  

As I always say, to me music is a therapy: it relaxes me, it inspires me, it becomes my voice to express myself when I cannot find the words. Put your life to music. Which songs capture you?

Black Friday and Cyber Monday

Deals! Deals! Deals!

Buy this. Buy now.

Limited time only...

Chiiiiiile, bye. These shopping shenanigans stay doing the absolute mostest (and yes, I meant 'mostest'). From Black Friday dipping into Thanksgiving Day and Cyber Monday starting the Saturday before. I know times are tough, the seasons and other things change, but a 'day' is still only a specific 24-hour period. Friday is Friday and Monday is Monday; black, white, online, or off...they don't change.

These shopping holidays [read: gimmick days] are unbelievably entertaining: from the way consumers line up, camp out, and act like raging fools over limited supply, cheaply-priced, about-to-be-phased-out-or-discontinued products to re- and e-tailers trying to lure you into purchases with 'deeply discounted' marketing and advertising. Hi-la-ri-ous!

From the commercials and print advertisements I've seen along with the influx of promotional emails; many of the special sales are pretty much sans special. Far too many are identical repurposed  Friends & Family sales specials from a few weeks prior. I just knew I'd had enough when a luxury retailer send an email advertising their Cyber Monday special as Free Gift-Wrapping. After realizing I would have preferred for them to use the term "complimentary" in lieu of 'free,' I wanted to toss my laptop around the room, but quickly realized that the computers being promoted for the special days had lower specs than my current machine and a higher price tag. No losing to win there.

In short, stop acting like you've never gone shopping before and giving into the hype; retail employees would like to spend time with their families and enjoy the holidays. Shop strategically; it may be promoted as the best sale price, but the lowest price may actually occur at another time. Also, do a cost/time analysis -- will the cost outweigh the amount of time and energy you consumed waiting for stores to open, waiting in lines, and wrangling yourself through hordes of people?

Shopping Seasons's Greetings!

Unemployed People's Problems: Check A Box

Have you ever looked for a job? Any job? A real job? An interesting job? A challenging job? A likeable job? One that's worth-while and worthy of your time? Yeah, it's a process. Yet, while each company's online resume submission tool will likely make you want to toss your laptop, tablet, and universal remote across the room, pull out your hair, duct tape your eyes shut, remove your fingernails, AND scream, there's always that inevitable, "voluntary" survey. 

Yes, that one! The Race/Ethnicity/Equal Opportunity/Disabled/Veteran/Non-Discrimination survey....or, should you prefer it's more lotto-centric, joke amongst some crowd name: The Pick One. Only one.

All are someone interesting, some are wordier than others, and each one makes you wonder: what happens if/when I choose "not to disclose/respond"?

The options below from a section on of the surveys was rather side-eye inducing:

Race:
What is your race? Select one of the following race categories.

	White A person having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, the MiddleEast, or North Africa.
	Black or African American A persons having origins in any of the Black racial groups of Africa.
	Asian A person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia or the Indian Subcontinent, including, for example, Cambodia, China, India, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Pakistan, The Philippine Islands, Thailand, and Vietnam.
	Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander A person having origins in any of the peoples of Hawaii, Guam, Samoa, or other Pacific Islands.
	American Indian or Alaskan Native A person having origins in any of the original peoples of North and South America (including Central America), and who maintains tribal affiliation or community attachment.
	Two or More Races
	I Choose Not to Respond

Anyone care to play Name That Company?

Celebrating & Remembering Whitney Houston

The greatest diva of all would have turned 50 years old today. It has been a year and a half and not a day goes by that she isn't thought of and missed.

I can't sing...at all...so I'll express in the way that I know.

Aptly titled with the words she often proclaimed with warmth, "I Love You, Back!" is my tribute to and celebration of the icon and legend...WHITNEY HOUSTON.

Happy Birthday, Whitney! RIP.