Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Greg Holden..and Me!



I went to the Greg Holden and Ingrid Michaelson concert last night at House of Blues. It was fantastic. Awesome. Stupendous.

Greg was the opener and he stood on stage alone while sang his beautiful songs. I had been a fan for a few months now after a friend sent me a link to one of his many youtube videos. You really should check him out, too. If the world is fair and right, he's going to make it big. (But the music world isn't fair and right, so who knows?)

Ingrid was also great, but today's post isn't about her. So let's get back to Greg.

All night I was saying to my friend, "Oh! He's is so cute." We were talking about how many 18 year old girls must be swooning over him. I said that I also knew of a 40 year old that was swooning...

After the concert, I bought his cd and stood in line to have him sign it. Once I saw him up close and in person I realized how very, very young he is. Then I almost felt embarrassed about my earlier swooning. I sorta felt like a pedophile.

He's a cute boy. And his talent is enormous. Please do a little google search on him and check him out. Here's a little sneak preview:

#49!- Offer Up

Zippity doo dah!
This is song #49 and I've got #50 in my back pocket. I actually wrote #50 a little before this one, but I'm saving it for the last one because it is most fitting, as you will see and hear on my next post.

I write a lot of love songs, as by now you've heard. I could say they were all written about my husband and that would be so sweet of me and reflect so well on our relationship. But if I'm honest, I have to say love is love. And whether it's romantic love, or friendship love, or I-love-my-doggies love, it's ALL love and I am shaped by all of it. This is not about anyone or thing in particular, but I thought it was so appropriate that Zoe wandered into the room while I had my camera on and plunked herself down at my feet to support me!

This song is written for anyone and anything that pulls me out of a slump on a difficult day.



The colors all bleed into one
Where's the shocking yellow sun?
Every day's another lifeless shade of gray
And the melody's the same
A constant repeating refrain
I try to keep myself from falling off to sleep

(chorus)
Then you offer up your hand
And you're the only one who can
Shape me back to life

Some day's I'm lost and then I'm found
I'm still but spinning all around
I get a little dizzy from my head of thoughts
I'm in my shell and can't get out
The inside's dark and full of doubt
It gets a little sticky and I'm stuck inside

(chorus)

Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Don't Believe a Word I Say


You don't know me, or where I've been
The way I see the world, and the way it all fits in
I've laid it out, and had my say
I've told you all my stories before they found their way

(chorus)things get convoluted in their twisted kind of way
it's hard to be coherent when i'm going at this pace
so don't believe a word i say

Everyday, I speak my words
Unpracticed and imperfect and really unrehearsed
Sometimes it's me, sometimes it's you
Mostly I am honest but sometimes that's not true

(chorus)
(chorus)

Monday, September 28, 2009

This is Love

I had a little technological hiccup last night and had trouble posting yesterday's song. WHAT in the world would I have done if I hadn't have worked it out? But fortunately, the little glitch is all worked out. Whew.

I'm down to the wire- I've got to write a new song each day this week until this challenge ends on Thursday. If I have time, I'll post them all.

This is song #47. May your week be full of LOVE!

It's hot and then it's cold. It won't fit into a mold.
It's black and then it's white.
It's complicated so you better think twice

(chorus) oh this is love
love, love, love
or something above
love, love, love (x2)

For better and for worse, it's the last thing and it's the first
I've known it all along
but sometimes I still get it all wrong...

(chorus)

it holds me down, and it spins me 'round
it picks me up, and it crashes me down
(chorus)

It's old and still it's new
It's me and I've added you
It's a little snapshot of everything I've learned
It's a picture growing softer, but it won't turn

(chorus)

Sunday, September 27, 2009

One of These Days

Holy Guacamole!

I've got to get up and at 'em over the next few days, because as you know if you've been following my progress on this "50 songs in 90 day" challenge, the jig is up on October 1st, which is THIS coming Thursday.

Yeah, so like I said, Holy Guacamole!

This is my 46th song and it's called "One of These Days". Like most songs I write, it's not about one person or thing in particular, but a few things rolled into one. The obvious overall theme being, "One of these days I'm gonna RISE UP against some things that have been gnawing at me so, watch out!"

I could joke about it and make light of it
Pretend that it might go away
I could bottle it up, and brush it all off
And hope under the rug it will stay

(chorus)
But one of these days it's gonna come to light
and by then I'll be ready to put up a fight
One of these days it's gonna all come undone
and by then I'll be ready to run

I act like I don't mind, like it's perfectly fine
But it's weighing my shoulders down
I sit perfectly still and it takes all my will
To keep me from shouting out

(chorus)

I am gathering facts and planning attacks
For when I can't sit anymore
Out from nowhere I'll come and I'll knock you down dumb
and I'll finally even the score

(chorus)

Torn

There are two things in particular that I love to do, that I know are good for me, that I make a part of my every day life, BUT that I'm unable to do right now. Running and sleeping.

I've been having this weird pain for a while that's continued to get worse and worse. It started off like just a tight inner thigh muscle. First, it was hard to sit cross legged. Then I couldn't do a lot of yoga poses. Then it started waking me up at night anytime I'd roll over, or move my leg much. It's now hurting when I run.

I haven't officially had it diagnosed with an MRI, but from everything my Physical Therapist can figure out, I have a "hip labral tear". He's been giving me a few stretches and different little exercises to see if they help. So far, nothing is helping.

And today I am pissed about it. Up until a few days ago, if I briskly walked for about 45 minutes, I could warm it enough enough to walk on it, but today even after walking for 1 1/2 hours, I couldn't get to a point of being able to run on it without pain. Crapola.

It's times like these I need to remind myself of all the stuff I'm thankful for. Just in regards to this little current frustration, I am thankful for:
Great weather for walking.
White Rock Lake!!!
The fact that I have two legs and can walk!
The time in my day to take these long walks.
The financial means to seek treatment when I decide I have to have it.
Two little friends named Zoe and Scout that will happily accompany me shorter walks anytime of the day or night.
A husband that will pull on my leg. (That's part of my p.t. prescription, and you can't ask just anybody to pull on your leg!)
A bike!
A gym!
All the stuff I can still do without my leg hurting at all.

Okay, there.
I feel better already.
I really am grateful. I have been bitching and moaning in my head all morning and perhaps now, at least for today, I'm DONE!


Thursday, September 24, 2009

Kitty and Mona Lisa

I noticed the other day while looking at images of Hello Kitty that Kitty has no mouth. And then I read something somewhere that said that her lack of a mouth makes it easy to look at Kitty and reflect your own mood or expression onto her. If you're happy, then Kitty looks happy to you. If you're mad, maybe Kitty looks mad. (Although, I'm not sure that's really possible- Kitty? Mad?) That's a theory anyway.

It made me think about the Mona Lisa. It was once pointed out to me that there are no lines around Mona Lisa's mouth to indicate what her expression is. It's hard to tell if she's smiling, or not.

Both Hello Kitty and Mona Lisa are images recognized by people all over the world. And also loved by many. And both a little mysterious...






Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Well, Hello Kitty!


I go to Masala Wok in Richardson pretty often. About once every week or two. I usually order the same thing. And I usually order it from a girl who has barely ever engaged in any conversation or said hi to me. And I've never seen her smile. I don't mind and I'm not complaining- I'm just saying.

Yesterday when I went up to the counter to order, I laid my keys on the counter and pulled out my wallet. (As I think I probably do ever time I go there, and I've been going for years...) Both my keychain and my wallet are Hello Kitty. The counter girl noticed and said, "Oh, you like Hello Kitty?"

Which then led to a conversation about our mutual love for Kitty. She told me where to go to find a bunch of Hello Kitty merchandise that I didn't already know about. And then after this brief conversation about Kitty, whenever she walked past me, she'd look over and smile.

All because of Kitty.

Friday, September 18, 2009

It's Gonna Be a Bright Sunshine-y Day!

So it's been raining for days and days... and it seems like weeks! I could never live somewhere that didn't have a lot of sunshine. I am thankful that here in Dallas, we usually get lots of it. It was nice to have a break from the September heat, but I've missed the sunshine!

Even though it is currently mid-morning, the sky is still pretty dark.

BUT- I just looked at weather.com, as I very often do these days as I decide if I can run outside or not, and it looks like in a few hours, things are gonna clear up!

And I'll be singing this fine tune:

Thursday, September 17, 2009

Flower on the Wall

This is song number 44, ya'll! :)

I'm just a flower on the wall
and you don't notice me at all
On the sidelines, I'm sitting in the shade
Unlike the other girls playing in the game

(chorus): So I won't win, and I won't lose
and if a coin gets tossed it won't be me that has to chose

I'll just hang back and watch
Stay out of the crowd, 'cause I could just get lost
It's a risk that I'm not willing to take
But my fear of failing could be my great mistake

(chorus)

Is this as good as it can get?
Is there something more I haven't found yet?
What if I laid my heart out on the line?

Maybe I'll change my ways
'Cause this could be my lucky day
I'll never know what this could turn out to be
The door could open if I stick in the key

And I could win, and I could lose
And when the coin gets tossed it could be me that gets to chose

Monday, September 14, 2009

Sum of all the Parts


I am wide, and I'm awake
I am part of the world and it's a big, big place
I am small, and I am great
I'm interwoven into this landscape

(chorus)
I am looking at the dark sky, and as slowly as a sunrise
a constellation starts for form
now with all these dots connected, with the sum of all the parts
there's more


There is silence, between the notes
Simple and basic in what it holds
In the quiet of the soul
Lies the map to guide us home

(chorus)

We ask how
And we ask why
Because searching for the answers
Brings us alive...

(chorus)

Friday, September 11, 2009

Procrastination Succeeds

Some days, you gotta write some crap to pave way for (hopefully) something better that is soon to come!

Anyway, here's a little song about one of my worst habits. I was reading an article in Psychology Today about procrastination. Loved that it explained the big difference between laziness and procrastination. Sometimes I feel lazy because of how little of value I've actually gotten done in a day. But yet, I've done a lot! Anyway, the article explains that if I was just lazy, my lack of productivity wouldn't even bother me. It's the guilt that seems to set the two apart.

Procrastination Suxceeds

Oh it's hard to get started, I slept in too late
Yeah I've been delayed from the start
Yesterday was put off until today
And now today's turning into tomorrow

(pre-chorus)
Anxiety builds and I'm feeling the guilt of what didn't get done because

(chorus)
I get distracted and then I don't take action
Something less important supersedes
and procrastination succeeds

I could make excuses, explain it away
I was loaded with emails and errands today
but the truth of it is there was plenty of time
if I hadn't have spent all those hours online..

(pre-chorus)
(chorus)

I'm not lazy or sluggish or slovenly
I've got intentions, it's just nobody sees because

(chorus)
(chorus)

Superfabulous


Is there nothing better than finding some loose change in a pocket? Yes, dollar bills! And EVEN better than that? Finding an unused Starbucks giftcard in a drawer just when I was needing it most!

It was a Christmas giftcard- It's been mine all along. For about 9 months or so. But it's like a brand new gift for me today because I had forgotten all about it.

So I tried to think back. Who was this fabulous person that so generously gave me this sweet little Starbucks card? And then I remembered! When I bought a Starbucks giftcard for a friend, I decided to buy one for myself as well. I stuck it in a drawer in my kitchen and didn't think about it again until seeing it today.

Great gift idea, Kerri! So kind of you to think of me. Now lemme go buy you something at Starbucks!!!
YAY ME!

Thursday, September 10, 2009

That Would Never Be Enough


I should have walked away that very first day
I saw it in your eyes, it really came as no surprised
But you loved me something fierce, and my heart had gotten pierced
you left your little marks black and blue across my heart

(chorus)
well I thought that I could save you, that maybe I could change you
that I could fix you with my love, but that would never be enough for you

You were misunderstood, oh but I could see the good
A diamond in the rough because your childhood was so tough
There was always an excuse that explained the blown-out fuse
You never were to blame so I could not get off the train

(chorus)

I had to save myself, I couldn't help nobody else
the problem isn't mine to give or take away
I had to save myself, I couldn't help nobody else
the problem isn't mine to give or take away

(chorus)

Wednesday, September 9, 2009

Dare Me


I try to ignore you, I try to let you go
I'm gonna do my own thing, so don't tell me how to grow

(chorus)
I'm gonna block out the noise so I can hear my own voice
And I have to guess the answer's gonna be yes

I'd rather beg forgiveness than ask if it's allowed
I'd rather set my own rules than follow yours around

(chorus)

(bridge)
So don't dare me, cuz that don't scare me
I know it's good for the soul
for me to break out of the mold
So just dare me, 'cuz that don't scare me

I'm not going up in smoke, I'm just letting off some steam
I've broken out of the cage to step into my dreams

chorus
bridge

Estate Sales

Estate sales are funny.
I used to go to them often with my husband, after we first moved into our house. That was about 7 or 8 years ago. For me, I like having a goal in mind when I'm at an estate sale. I need to know what I'm in search of. Once we felt like all of our decorating and furnishing of our home was complete, we stopped going.

But this weekend, I tagged along with a friend who was hitting some estate sales. I forgot how much fun it is. It's fun to see the houses, along with the people and all the stuff in them. What can look so beautiful on the outside isn't always the case once you get inside (I guess that applies to both houses, and people). I actually wrote a song about it here. All the stuff I sing about is true: we saw a mousetrap for sale, the house smelled like ash, and there were plastic flowers surrounding the trees outside.

It's weird going thu other people's stuff. Sometimes it's sad because you have to wonder why are they getting rid of all of their stuff.

Now I've got some new "goals", or things I've decided I want to look for at estate sales. Jewelry bits! And a few things for the house. Now that we've lived here well over 7 years, it's time to change some stuff up I think! I've been watching a little too much HGTV and getting some ideas...

Tuesday, September 8, 2009

Even Your Garden Comes From China

My friend and I went to some estate sales over the weekend. As we walked out of one of the houses, we noticed that along with all the other cheap, plastic items for sale inside the house, there were even plastic fake flowers planted outside around the trees. So here's to my friend, Allyson, who came up with the title of this song...

Even Your Garden Comes From China

We've been digging for treasures in your house
but I'm afraid if we're not careful, we'll find a mouse
'cuz you've got a lot of crap
you're even selling a mousetrap

You've got plastic flowers in your yard
You'd probably have plastic chickens if you had a farm
You may not care about the taste
Think things of value are a waste

(chorus)
Even your garden comes from China
where everything's fast and cheap
Maybe you think plastic foliage
looks and smells sweet

Maybe with all the lights out it's beautiful and bright
So when you have an estate sale, maybe you should have it at night
Because the place, it smells like ash
the expiration dates have passed

chorus

I don't mean to sound snobby, but this place is gross
I'm pretty sure that even your toaster would make gross toast
so I'm gonna walk away
without anything today

chorus

Friday, September 4, 2009

An Accidental Turn

It's a little ironic that this song is about making mistakes and learning from them. I made several mistakes in the making of this particular video. But being brave, like the songs advises, I went ahead and put it up and out there into the world of YouTube.

I learned today lamps don't make great lighting in a video.
I also learned that the ticking of my coo-coo clock apparently makes me bob my head excessively so as to keep the time of my song, rather than the ticking. I could stop the clock, and after watching this head bobbing thing on video, I probably will next time.
I wrote this song very late last night- So late, it's actually referred to as early morning. I wanted to go ahead and record it before the weekend arrived, but perhaps practicing a song a little more before recording it would be helpful.

So, here's the song- It's called "An Accidental Turn".

Take a deep breath and jump right in
There's a big blue ocean for you to swim in
An empty white sketchbook for you to fill
You've got some broken crayons and time to kill

(chorus)
So be brave, and don't ask
Being told the answers only holds you back

Color outside of the perfect square
'cause nothing's really perfect and life's not fair
You learn the most from the falls you take
Your heart grows stronger once it breaks

(chorus)

(bridge)
you're meant to make mistakes both small and great
an accidental turn is how you learn

Thursday, September 3, 2009

13 Most Annoying Facebookers

I just read an article about the 12 most annoying types of Facebookers. They pretty much covered most of them but I have one to add.

And I hope it doesn't make me sound like too much of a bitch.

What sometimes annoys me, is the Facebookers who day after day write the most overly positive and optimistic post status. Stuff like, "Kerri is grateful for all her blessings...", "Kerri is ready to take on the day!", "Kerri is in love with her beautiful husband!", "Kerri is full of awe and wonder."

Occasionally, to write something like that might be reasonable. But daily? Really? Don't you people ever feel crabby and tired? It reads like bragging to me.

So I'd like to amend that CNN article, and list that as the 13 Most Annoying Facebookers.

Wednesday, September 2, 2009

The Path of Least Resistance


I'm not looking for refinement, in fact I kinda mind it
I've no interest in elaborate design
Nothing complicated could keep me captivated
Oh, but you're doing just fine

(chorus)
I want to the path of least resistance
A simple love between us
The kind that just goes on and on and on

Nothing ornamental could be as sentimental
as your love when it's given for free
It's not polished up and gaudy, and nice when it is naughty
when it's just you and me

(chorus)

Don't Hit

Yesterday, after leaving my doctor's office, I walked out onto the parking lot. I noticed papers on the ground, that a woman had obviously just dropped. I then noticed her walking right in front of a car, paying no attention to the car but saying, "GET THE FU*# AWAY FROM ME" over and over. Then I noticed a man walking with her. They didn't seem happy. But it all was happening in slow motion for me. (The car was also slow-moving and stopped for her, by the way.)

More and more people seemed to be noticing this couple since they were a little hard to ignore. Her yelling was escalating, and he was arguing back. As he got closer to her , she began hitting him. He only had on one shoe. I noticed this when at one point he had walked away from her, but then ran back and sorta lunged at her.

A woman yelled out, "Somebody call 911!!" So I did. I think about 5 other people did, too.

I am clearly not one to keep a cool head in a crisis. This wasn't even my crisis, but yet after dialing 911, and not hearing it ring, I looked down at my phone and noticed I had dialed 11911 instead. I had to redial at least once and it may have even been twice. Once the operator picked up, I told the man what was happening- some sort of domestic dispute I thought- and I told him the address where we where located. In a very slow voice, the man continued asking me questions, like what did the people look like and what were they wearing. I stood only about 7 car lengths away from the couple as I meticulously described their clothes. Then the operator asked me if anyone had a knife or a gun. I suddenly felt like the tattle tail of the school bullies and realized if they did have a gun or a knife and noticed me, they might get pissed. I felt so frustrated with the 911 operator's calmness and SLOWNESS. By the time we were hanging up the phone, the man of the fighting couple got in his car and sped off. The woman, now abandoned, just stood there in the parking lot as it looked like others were consoling her.

I don't know what happened before I got out there. All I know is that I saw her hitting him, and screaming at him first. She didn't look like the victim of battered woman syndrome. They looked like two low class and ridiculous people having a big fight. But because he was a man, and a big man at that, it seemed like everyone was automatically sympathetic towards her.

So coincidentally, tonight, Chris Brown will be on Larry King. I guess he's there to discuss his infamous blow out with Rihanna. Obviously, none of us know what really happened between the two of them. I guess Chris must have hit her, and I think he's even been convicted of it. I'd really like to hear the whole story. But if she perhaps had hit him first, or done something extreme that provoked him, and he spoke about it publicly, people would probably just get all up in his face about it anyway.

A man should never hit a woman. But a woman shouldn't hit a man either. Didn't we all learn that in kindergarten?

Tuesday, September 1, 2009

The Sky Starts To Turn


Think I'm just fine, think that I'm good
Think that I've got all that I should
Moments like these, all of my needs
are met and beyond and out of the seams

(chorus)
but it could turn on a dime, in the blink of an eye
the sky starts to turn and so do i...

I am on top of the whole world
My arms outstretched, helping me twirl
'Cuz the suns out, and the skies blue
And from up here it's a beautiful view

(chorus)

When I am sad, when I am down
It won't be long, 'til it all turns around
that's how it swings, and what the day brings
the ups and the downs and the in-betweens

(chorus)