Sewing

I just finished stitching up a makeshift shower curtain to cover the pink tile in the bathroom and am feeling very accomplished. If anyone feels like taking advantage of this temporary empowerment before I start making more items out of old T-shirts, now would be the time to let me know.

Gina and Kasil

For those of you that haven’t met my friend, Gina, she isn’t one that speaks everything she thinks, but when she speaks, she speaks her mind in a fashion that is both succinct and clearly congruent with her exact emotions in the moment she opens her mouth.

I think there’s something extremely admirable about sharing one’s opinion right in the moment when it is most appreciated—probably because that’s what I’m terrible at doing. For instance, Maria and I were coming back from Blockbuster Sunday night to find Gina sitting on the porch waiting to be let into the apartment. Granted, she’d only been perched for a few seconds, but when she turned around and saw us coming she said, “There you are! I like you people!” Clean, clear, and refreshing. It doesn’t get any better than that.

It is my personal position that we forget the value of a genuine compliment. Something beyond, “I like your necklace” to a positive observation about the person’s qualities. Something that is, inevitably going to brighten their day, their smile, and sometimes their opinion of you. Not to be calloused, but a lot of good and bad can happen when you choose to open your mouth.

Today, I was approached by the Smart&Final cart collector guy—at least that’s how I would’ve described him before he said a word to me. As he reached for my cart he very articulately told me I carried myself well, and he just wanted me to know that I was beautiful, even if I had a boyfriend.

…Awwwwwwww. It didn’t matter what he said after that because my view of him had entirely changed. Now he’s transitioned in my mind from the cart guy in the parking lot to the young gentleman who offered to take my cart back for me. He asked for my number and I declined because I’m slightly paranoid about stalkers who know my last name, which is unfortunate because he didn’t have access to steady internet, so we couldn’t do the email thing. I walked away feeling a little sad that I wasn’t going to get to talk with Kasil again, but he called me beautiful, and I’ll think on that all day.

This, my friends, this is why I always call people by name and try to be a little more than cordial to strangers even if they think I’m flirting. You never know how you might change their outlook on life for an hour or two. God bless Kasil because it took guts, and Lord knows I needed to hear what he had to say.

Stevie Wonder Fries My Chicken

I gave the “cherish the pillow” talk to Rachel Tanner last night, so I’ve decided not to share that theory here for a while. It takes a bit of gusto for me to adequately provide the impassioned explanation necessary of such a theory. And I think I spent most of my pillow gusto last night, we’ll have to save it for another time.

However, Jess suggested I begin all my explanations by saying, “I have another theory about that…”

So, I have another theory about music that truly soothes the soul. The next time you are stressed, feeling depressed, or need to feel loved, I have the perfect solution for you: listen to classic R&B.

First off, you must know that I use the phrase “classic R&B” loosely. This musical genre can range from Marvin Gaye to Michael Jackson, but listeners will soon realize that any number with the potential to fall into the same category as Stevie Wonder in all of his glory will do.

Some key examples:
PROBLEM: Feel like there’s no hope for some people in the world?
SOLUTION: I’ll Take You There, The Staple Singers

PROBLEM: Need to see yourself as desirable?
SOLUTION: Can’t Get Enough of Your Love, Babe, Barry White
P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing), Michael Jackson

PROBLEM: Just plain worried about all the things you need to get done?
SOLUTION: Lovely Day, Bill Withers

PROBLEM: Want more time in your day?
SOLUTION: It’s Your Thing, The Isley Brothers

PROBLEM: Looking for moral support?
SOLUTION: Reach Out, I’ll Be There, The Four Tops

No problem whatsoever? There’s music for that too.
She’s a Bad Mama Jama, Carl Carlton
Blame It On The Boogie, The Jacksons
I Heard It Through The Grapevine, Marvin Gaye
(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher, Jackie Wilson
Cruisin’, Smokey Robinson
Ain’t Too Proud To Beg, The Temptations
I’ll Be Around, The Spinners

Call me crazy, call me old school, but try putting Stevie Wonder into Pandora and tell me you don’t feel better. Better yet, you’ll probably quickly cultivate this innate desire to don spandex or gold lame and prance around with an imaginary microphone.

We’ll start a feel-plumb-good club and dub it boogie fever, and the next time you pass me on the street you’ll say, “Won’t you take me to funky town?” And I’ll respond, “I’ll take you there…after the dance.” Ultimately people will wonder what they’re missing, so we’ll have to warm them up to our epiphanic discovery with an enthusiastic rendition of What’s Going On?