Saturday Night Serenade–Heartbeat

That was unexpected.  Who realized that we’d feel the hole we do with the loss this week of David Cassidy?  He hasn’t seemed relevant in years.

David Cassidy was my first celebrity crush.  When I was in second grade, I utterly adored him.  I watched every minute of every episode of The Partridge Family.  I had all their albums, and I knew every word to every song.  Against her better judgement, my mother allowed me to subscribe to Tiger Beat Magazine, and I read it faithfully for years.

Following his teen idol days, Cassidy struggled with personal demons of addiction, and of finding his place in the universe.  More recently, he retreated from public life with the announcement that he was suffering from dementia.  Which is heartbreaking, really.

This morning, I saw that his daughter, by his side at the end, was sharing his last words.  “So much wasted time.”

Well, that will make you stop and think.  I wondered what he was thinking about, but I know where it fits into my own life.  Maybe if we hold onto that takeaway, his heartbeat still continues.

I hope you’re seizing every moment this holiday weekend.  Be sure to hug those you love.  Happy Saturday night!

Small Business Saturday #ShopSmall

Did you know that the day following Black Friday is Small Business Saturday?  It’s a day to support the local economy by shopping at small, independently owned businesses.  Instead of heading to the mall in search of holiday gifts, maybe hit up a small funky boutique for something cool and unique.

And, as long as we’re talking about it, let me just point out the fact that Indie Authors are small business owners.  We’re one-man-bands, so to speak, writing, editing, and marketing our own product.  Buying your next read from an Indie Author directly supports that writer’s work rather than padding the bottom line of a big box publishing house.

So where do you start in your search for your new favorite Indie Author?  Search your go-to genre on Amazon or iBooks.  Read the reviews.  We’re all over social media, too.  Ask people what they’re reading–you’ll probably get some great recommendations.

Remember to #ShopSmall this Saturday!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Warm Thanksgiving wishes to you and your family.
Have a wonderful holiday.

Saturday Night Serenade–Thinking Out Loud

Ready or not, it’s the holiday season.  Seems like as soon as the Trick or Treaters trotted home with their sugar-inducing haul, retailers shifted into holiday mode.  Like aging rocker Billy Mack says, “Christmas is all around us, and so the feeling grows.”

But first, here in the States, we’re gearing up for Thanksgiving this Thursday.  I love Thanksgiving.  I love the way the aroma of turkey roasting in the oven permeates the whole house.  I love to watch the Macy’s parade on television, especially the Broadway performances on the street right in front of the store.  I love the roll-out of classic holiday movies, like Love Actually.

More than that, though, I appreciate having a reminder to be thankful for all the ways I’m blessed.  And I am.  I’m a lucky girl.  I’m healthy, I have a great home, this year I walked away from a job I hated to live the dream of being a full-time writer.

On the domestic front, having survived a season in hell, I’m living my happily-ever-after with a man who loves me more than life itself.  When I first heard Thinking Out Loud by Ed Sheeran, I thought of us, and how thankful I am that we found each other.  Here’s a little snippet of the lyrics.

When your legs don’t work like they used to before
And I can’t sweep you off of your feet
Will your mouth still remember the taste of my love?
Will your eyes still smile from your cheeks?

And, darling, I will be loving you ’til we’re 70
And, baby, my heart could still fall as hard at 23
And I’m thinking ’bout how people fall in love in mysterious ways
Maybe just the touch of a hand
Well, me—I fall in love with you every single day
And I just wanna tell you I am

So, honey, now
Take me into your loving arms
Kiss me under the light of a thousand stars
Place your head on my beating heart
I’m thinking out loud
Maybe we found love right where we are

Our lives aren’t perfect.  We worry about finances.  We have two out of three collective adult children who currently aren’t speaking to us (gotta love millennials).  But we have each other, and we’re a great team.  And so I’m thankful.

Just thinking out loud.  Wishing you and yours a wonderful Thanksgiving.  Be sure and hug those you love.  Happy Saturday night!

Oh, and as a bonus, here’s your old Uncle Billy.

 

Saturday Night Serenade–She Bop

Here’s a blast from the past.  I became an adult in the 80s, graduated from high school, went to college, got married, even had my first son during that era.  And music from that time period always makes me happy.

The other day, I had this song stuck in my head so I thought I’d share it with you.  I have to confess, I don’t remember all the hubbub when She Bop first came out, so it was a revelation when I started poking around.  This snippet is from Wikipedia, and I did a little further research, because, well, it’s Wikipedia.

The song was considered controversial, as it dealt with the subject matter of female masturbation. It was also included on the Parents Music Resource Center’s “Filthy Fifteen” list, due to its sexual lyrics; this led to the creation of the Parental Advisory sticker. (Other songs on the “Filthy Fifteen” list included tracks by Madonna, Prince, and AC/DC.) In an interview on The Howard Stern Show, Lauper stated that she recorded the vocals of the song while nude.

Lauper said she wanted little kids to think the song was about dancing, and to understand the real meaning as they got older. It could receive airplay as she never directly stated in the song what the meaning was.  –Wikipedia

Who knew it was such a naughty song?  According to a Time article, the impetus for the Parental Advisory sticker was actually Prince’s single, Darling Nikki (thank you, Tipper Gore).  But suffice it to say, as one of the Filthy Fifteen, She Bop did indeed carry its own warning label.

Would it carry the same warning today?  And is female masturbation really that threatening?  I’ll leave that for others to ponder.  I’m just going to enjoy a fun song that’s ultimately a feminist call for freedom of sexual expression.

Stay warm on this fall evening.  Cuddle up with those you love.  And hey, if it feels good…  😉

Happy Saturday night!

***I’m including the lyrics.  Read them at your own risk, LOL!

She Bop by Cyndi Lauper

We-hell-I see them every night in tight blue jeans –
In the pages of a blue boy magazine
Hey I’ve been thinking of a new sensation
I’m picking up – good vibration –
Oop – she bopDo I wanna go out with a lion’s roar
Huh, yea, I wanna go south n get me some more
Hey, they say that a stitch in time saves nine
They say I better stop – or I’ll go blind
Oop – she bop – she bop

She bop–he bop–a–we bop
I bop–you bop–a–they bop
Be bop–be bop–a–lu–she bop,
I hope He will understand
She bop–he bop–a–we bop
I bop–you bop–a–they bop
Be bop–be bop–a–lu–she bop,
Oo–oo–she–do–she bop–she bop

[whistle along here…]

Hey, hey – they say I better get a chaperone
Because I can’t stop messin’ with the danger zone
No, I won’t worry, and I won’t fret
Ain’t no law against it yet
Oop – she bop – she bop

She bop – he bop – we bop…

Saturday Night Serenade–Oh, For A Pint On A Fall Night

Happy November!  Can it be possible that the holidays are right around the corner?  Oh, it CAN be–judging by the sudden onslaught of Christmas displays in the stores and the commercials on television.

Last weekend was cool here in south Florida.  A/C was turned off, windows were opened, a fresh breeze whisked away all the stale air from the house.  We even had a fire in the fireplace a couple of nights.  This weekend is more or less back to normal for this time of year–bright sunshine and low humidity with high temps around 80.

But last weekend put me in a mood.  I want to escape to a pub in Galway, and sip a pint of Guinness while listening to a local band.

I love this song by Ed Sheeran, and I adore this video even more.  Join me for a pint, and celebrate this beautiful fall evening.  Be sure to hug those you love.  Happy Saturday night!