Just Give Me 15 Minutes …
January 1, 2009
of Fame. We all want it! And by golly, if we don’t get it one way, we’ll try another. Then we start questioning ourselves … if only I could be … if only I could do … if only I could meet …. if only I were younger … taller, smarter, prettier, skinnier. You know what I mean. If only …
I, myself, am suffering from this desire for that illusive "15 minutes". But, I have to remember a few things from all my years of studying history. Although, I know fame is a function of the “who-you- know- world”, it’s even more a function of an “already planned” world – not from a religious point of view, but from a Historical point of view – (a cyclical one, not linear).
I’ve recently offered a taste of my thoughts about “cyclical history” in my first article to Blog Critic – “Taylor Swift & Friends – Millennial Entertainers Remove the Gloom”. As I wrote, much of what I believe was validated by the book, “The 4th Turning”, which I still use to uncover likely future events.
Another way I consider FAME, is as a function of “The American Dream – Idol Style”. (I’ll soon have this article written.) Let me just say three words – Skill, Authenticity & Resonance. Last night, for my New Years entertainment, I watched Taylor Swift on GAC (Great American Country) count down the Top 50 Videos of the Year. I was blown away (again) about how adorable and confident she is. The Hottest Girl in Country!
Anyway, out of 30 Videos, there was one that totally got me – Sugarland’s “Already Gone”. It’s one my favorite Sugarland songs. Take a look at the Video and I think you’ll see how it captures their “Star Quality”, especially when they look into the camera at about the 3.40 mark. Awesome – they are 100% transparent – That’s what draws fans to them. That’s why people relate – they are HONEST and TRUE to themselves … and they let us see them for who they are … just like Taylor.
I’m a Country Girl from way back. America - We are Real Deal! Like Miranda Lambert sings, we can be famous in our small towns, and in our own little circles. I’ve got to remember that.
Watch other Videos
Taylor Swift’s You Tube Channel
Miranda Lambert’s You Tube Channel
I’ll Keep Travelin’
December 14, 2008
Don’t Run (out the door, to another city, to another person)
Don’t Scream (at God, at your loved one, at your boss)
Don’t Give Up (your life, your job, your relationship)
Don’t Hide (under a blanket, from your fears, from your perpetrators)
Don’t Be Afraid (to be alone, of death, of loss)
♥
Do Believe (in yourself, in tomorrow, in your dreams)
Do Hope (for a new beginning, for strength, for courage)
Do Remember (everything’s temporary, day follows night, you can make it)
Do Forget (the pain, the terror, the longing for the good ‘ole days)
Do Love (yourself, your life, your peeps)
If you don’t and you do these things, you’ll make it through ..
The question is then, where to?
Well, I can’t answer for you this time. Only you can answer this.
What I just wrote is because it’s a life lesson that I must learn. I’m going through some dificult changes. I feel scared, like I’m in the midst of an Inferno. There are flames all around me and they’re hot and threaten to burn me alive. I can scarcely breathe and I’m alone. I’m afraid, I’m sad and I wish it wasn’t happening to me. But when I woke up this morning, I heard one word – "DON”T!" I began asking myself, don’t do what? My answer is what this post is about. It’s about perspective, and hope, and not giving up.
I will emerge better. I’ll be stronger, more courageous, and wiser, with a chance to rebuild the things that were taken away from me. When “they” say, you have to close a door before the next one opens, it’s people like me that resist the closing of the door with all their might. I just did not want the door to close. Not one little bit, I liked everything like it was. But we all know, we don’t get to call all the shots, do we?
♥
So, friends, I’ll heed this advice. I will "don’t, I will “do”,
and I’ll Keep Travelin’ Thru …
♥
Travelin’ Thru
(by Dolly Parton)
Have a listen to Jason Castro’s "Travelin’ Thru"
from MySpace
Well I can’t tell you where I’m going, I’m not sure of where I’ve been
But I know I must keep travelin’ till my road comes to an end
I’m out here on my journey, trying to make the most of it
I’m a puzzle, I must figure out where all my pieces fit
Like a poor wayfaring stranger that they speak about in song
I’m just a weary pilgrim trying to find what feels like home
Where that is no one can tell me, am I doomed to ever roam
I’m just travelin’, travelin’, travelin’, I’m just travelin’ on
Questions I have many, answers but a few
But we’re here to learn, the spirit burns, to know the greater truth
We’ve all been crucified and they nailed Jesus to the tree
And when I’m born again, you’re gonna see a change in me
God made me for a reason and nothing is in vain
Redemption comes in many shapes with many kinds of pain
Oh sweet Jesus if you’re listening, keep me ever close to you
As I’m stumblin’, tumblin’, wonderin’, as I’m travelin’ thru
I’m just travelin’, travelin’, travelin’, I’m just travelin’ thru
I’m just travelin’, travelin’, travelin’, I’m just travelin’ thru
Oh sometimes the road is rugged, and it’s hard to travel on
But holdin’ to each other, we don’t have to walk alone
When everything is broken, we can mend it if we try
We can make a world of difference, if we want to we can fly
Goodbye little children, goodnight you handsome men
[Jason's version: Goodbye you little children, goodnight to all my friends
Farewell you lovely ladies and to all who knew me when]
Farewell to all you ladies and to all who knew me when
And I hope I’ll see you down the road, you meant more than I knew
As I was travelin’, travelin’, travelin’, travelin’, travelin’ thru
I’m just travelin’, travelin’, travelin’, I’m just travelin’
Drifting like a floating boat and roaming like the wind
Oh give me some direction lord, let me lean on you
As I’m travelin’, travelin’, travelin’, thru
I’m just travelin’, travelin’, travelin’, I’m just travelin’ thru
I’m just travelin’, travelin’, travelin’, I’m just travelin’ thru
Like the poor wayfaring stranger that they speak about in song
I’m just a weary pilgrim trying to find my own way home
Oh sweet Jesus if you’re out there, keep me ever close to you
As I’m travelin’, travelin’, travelin’, as I’m travelin’ thru
Goodbye little children, goodnight you handsome men
Farewell to all you ladies and to all who knew me when
[Jason's version: Goodbye you little children, goodnight to all my friends
Farewell you lovely ladies and to all who knew me when]
Oh I’m just travelin’, Oh travelin’ thru, I’m travelin’ thru, I’m travel’ thru
You can also watch Jason’s "Travelin’ Thru" on YouTube from American Idol
♥
& Dolly’s "Travelin’ Thru" on YouTube
♥
One more - Jason’s Best on You Tube - "Hallelujah"
High Fives & Cartwheels
December 1, 2008
Either will do. I’ve just been clicking away at all my links tonight, testing them out. I’m absolutely amazed at the end result of a dream that started months ago - this website. Personally, I’ve completed the editing and creatives. A few more tweaks from me and another week or so of technical expertise from way across the ocean with Duncan.
As you know, I’m so very indebted to him. I hope you’ll allow him to help you with your Blogs and website development too, as a favor to me. He is extremely patient with those of us "technically-challenged" individuals.
♥
My daughter and I were out today at one of our favorite places, "California Pizza", and we heard the song, "My Wish". A while back I featured that song on a previous blog. We sang the chorus together and gave each other wishes that our "dreams stay big and worries stay small". Isn’t that a beautiful way to go about life?
So may I send that hope to you, too. "Alie James" is my big dream that today, has come true. And for that, my worries seem very small. I’m counting my blessings, tonight.
Everybody Wants to Go to …
November 25, 2008
Heaven!
Isn’t it true? This is my new favorite song. It has the island sound, which Kenny does so well. If you’ve read my book, Secrets to Healthy Aging & Ageless Beauty, you’ll understand why I like this song so much. One of my favorite "country boys" is singing an island-style song. (I’m a Texas girl, who had the good fortune to have lived for quite some time in Hawaii.) To watch the video, just click the arrow below. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do …
Kenny Chesney with The Wailers - Everybody Wants To Go To Heaven
My Wish … for You
August 7, 2008
My Wish Have a Listen
“Look at them boots, she’s gone country” That’s Cindy, Christina’s and my newest friend, (Karen’s “bestest” friend). She gave this toast at the wedding and it choked us all up. So, I wanted to pass it on to you, my friends … along with one of my favorite songs, by Rascal Flats.
Just a little thought to make your life … simple, beautiful and complete!
Never Lie, Steal, Cheat or Drink….
But… if you must lie - lie in the arms of the one you love
If you must steal - steal away from bad company
If you must cheat - cheat death
And if you must drink — drink in all the moments that take your breath away!
River … Dance
August 6, 2008
The River, and its Dance … a Tribute to Karen & Richard
August 2, 2008 … Karen & Richard’s wedding day, and a day that ended up becoming one of My Favorite Days! After you read "Secrets …" and "The Ugly Duck Makeover", you’ll become quite familiar with the expression, "Favorite Days" - they’re life’s little treats that stay with you a lifetime. The beauty of the scenery, the people, the music, the ceremony - "merged" together to create a majestic moment that I’ll never forget.
Christina & I certainly didn’t know what to expect - we just followed the directions to their Cabin in the Mountains. We parked, and as we were walking up the road there was their cabin with our American flag blowing in the wind (along with the Union Jack, too since Richard is English.) Then we looked down the hill … omg …I had no idea we’d be next to a river … it was breath taking!
As they say … a picture is worth a THOUSAND words, so I thought I’d share a bit of this special day with you through these pictures rather than my words.
Rock Me Mama.wma
The Trees will “Getcha”!
June 7, 2008
This is a morning that many only dream of. I’m on the porch of my “dream home”. Behind me are the woods that are filled with birds and they’re singing … wait out of the corner of my eyes are 4 white legs, and for the first time ever here is a deer that’s just ambling down the side of my yard. I’m not kidding he/she just stopped and stared at me and my cat for 2-3 minutes. I’ve seen their tracks but not in person - WOW!
I needed this morning moment to remember why I go to work. There are trees in these woods that back up to a state park and probably are hundreds of years old.
Trees are silent teachers and they SAY that I’m very small, and they help me see that work problems, and life problems are very small compared to this VAST universe.
I work at a job and in an industry that is in MAJOR transition - Home Furnishings. Much of my work in Dream Home ReSolution© is not only to help women all over the world create the home of their dreams, but to offer a way to ReInvent and ReVive the dying-as-we-know-it Furniture Industry.
Problem for me is how to get someone’s attention so that I can do this one ‘little” task. Since it’s a who you know world, I’m at a disadvantage. I just don’t know who I need to know.
So here’s my list - the “Who I want to know” people “Who need to know me”:
Warren Buffett - he’s doing very well in furniture (an old man who has young heart and mind - he appears he has taken a fresh approach to furniture buying & selling approach )
Bill Gates or someone who can bring him the vision - Microsoft has Surface technology needs to give this to homeowners
Here are the “Celebrities” I want to meet to for help in “The not-so-famous Celebrity Makeover”.
Naomi, Wynona & Ashley - I love them all and I respect them because of what they want for women.
Gene Simmons - He’s a major entrepreneur and he loves women and would love it if all women were all happy, healthy, sexy & beautiful.
John Rich - he is a Visionaire Extraordinaire - in fact he produced Jewel’s latest release.
Oprah - well she is the vehicle that will bring life-changing makeovers to women all over the world
Thinking about John Rich - wow - he gets it. “It” being the operative word and being the whole point of this website… Anyway, I just found out that he produced Jewels latest release, which has a song that that I’ve chosen as the theme song for this website - not so much for the story about leaving or not loving another person, but for the message from the chorus.
“I’m gonna love myself
More than anyone else
Believe in me
Even if someone can’t see
The stronger woman in me
I’m gonna be my own best friend
Stick with me till the end
Won’t lose myself again
never, no
Cause theres a stronger woman
a stronger woman in me”
If there’s just one single message that I am trying to convey through my writings and speaking endeavors- it’s about finding and having “IT” that makes it possible to be a stronger woman who loves herself and counts on herself rather than depending on others for their happiness.
Melt-Down Prevented!
May 22, 2008
You probably read the last post and realized I was near melt-down. Then I found relief (well, actually 4 - my sister who told me about Wordpress, her assistant who got me set up, Roy from Cyprus, who wrote me an encouraging email detailing exactly what to do next and lastly, Duncan in England, who knows Wordpress and will get me completely set up.
I’m giving you Roy’s and Duncan’s links because they deserve my support and they are the ones to go to if you want to get into Internet Marketing or Blogging. Whereas Roy has been like a mentor to me for my ebooks, Duncan has saved the day so that I can get them out to the public. He was responsive, professional, encouraging, thorough, and on top of that, patient to teach me the technical side of website making (site development) so that I can actually go forward with this big dream of mine.
As you know, my full time work-a-day world is Furniture sales, and boy has the economy hit it hard. But I’ve studied cycles for years so I know that this is not a linear thing. At the point when all of us salespeople grow weary and begin to pack our bags, I expect the “money tree” will ripen again. Sales is not a fun profession really. Usually you’re in someone’s space (they think) and they don’t like it. But the reason I do it is because it’s like when I went on Easter Egg hunts when I was a little girl, I desperately wanted the Golden Egg. (Can you Boomers remember Mother Goose shoes? If you bought them, you got a Golden Egg! My mother always took us there because of those eggs and somehow my neighbor found them in her backyard on Easter morning (smart marketing even 50 years ago). For a few years, my neighbor was getting golden eggs and I just couldn’t understand why our yard was not.)
Oh, the point - sales is like that - 1 in 10 times of saying hello to folks and showing them around the Showroom, and I’ll finally find a ”Golden Egg”, and it’s so much FUN when I do!
The crickets, the frogs are singing out of my window. Now I’m going to watch one of my favorite shows (with Naomi Judd) “Can you Duet?” I just love the married couple - Joey & Rory - her voice is rich and mellow. UPDATE - Joey & Rory placed 3rd, Will & Caitlin placed 1st. Both were fantastic!! Of course, the 2nd place guys, Brownell & Richey were great too. Be watching for them in the next few months because they’ll be on our country radio stations.
Jewel’s Song
May 10, 2008
This post is to introduce you to the song, STRONGER WOMAN, by Jewel, as well as to formally introduce myself to you.
Strength & Authenticity. That’s what I get from Jewel’s song, “Stronger Woman”, and it’s a message that will hopefully encourage you as much as it does me. I love the subtle message from her “official” video about “real women” underneath all the glitz and glitter. If you want to see that video, click here to go to my UTube Channel and you’ll find it featured under “For the Girls”. Anyway, I just love the words of the chorus:
“I’m gonna love myself more than anyone else
Believe in me, even if someone can’t see
A stronger woman in me
I’m going to be my own best friend
Stick with me till the end
Won’t lose myself again, never, no,
‘Cause there’s a stronger woman,
A stronger woman in me”
I hope through my talks, books, and website that I can bring something new (and of value) to your life. Something that might help you realize your inner strength, as well as help you remember how important it is to love yourself. If there’s one thing I do well, it’s that I really live the words of this song. For as many years as I can remember, I have said to myself - “I love me - just the way I am” - even when people didn’t seem to understand me.
I realize that there has to be a reason for You to want to read my books, invite me to speak at your gatherings, or visit my Website. In the “Making New Friends” post, I mentioned ”resonance”. But resonance only happens when you’re able to relate to the messenger, and to the message they bring. Since I know this is true - I know that before you can even consider my message, you must be able to ”relate to” me, as the messenger. That’s what I hope to accomplish by writing this blog.
I noticed while watching the season premiere of Nashville Star with Jewel, John Rich and Jeffrey Steele that they said over and over in as many different ways as they could say it to the hopeful contestants - ”Who are you? Where are you coming from? Why are you here? Don’t fake it - let me see You.” They were saying - ”Be Real, otherwise, don’t waste our time!”
I’m a MAJOR fan of American Idol, So You Think You can Dance, Can You Duet, Nashville Star, America’s Got Talent and The Apprentice - those reality shows that remind us of the American Dream - that everyday people can (and deserve to) realize their biggest dreams. What I have seen EVERY TIME in these reality shows is that those who win are those with Authenticity, and who Resonate with the audience.
I really do want to WIN your vote (and your family’s and friend’s), and I know there’s only one way to do it - that’s to be Authentic! I promise, I will be real, and be me. So right up front, I want you to know that every thing I’ve written, and will write in the future is, and will be, straight from my heart.
Also I want you to know that in all my writings, I use a pen name - Alie James. Alie is the name I chose to represent myself in my public life, and in my business. My real name is Diane. You might just say that “Alie” represents all that I am (or at least, think I am).
A few years ago I did a little exercise about myself, using adjectives and nouns to describe who and what I felt myself to be. A few days ago I decided to post this list under the title, ”Who is Alie?” I thought that having this list would give you a good start to get to know me - both as Alie and Diane. Diane is just my everyday name, but the name, Alie, is like my ambassador. I guess in today’s terms, “Alie” is kind of like an “Avatar”. She speaks on my behalf and represents all the things I feel in my heart - for myself and towards you. So bottom line - pen name or not, you’ll get the real me in whatever I write.
Getting back to Jewel’s song, now.
I believe we women must be strong - we must be able to look someone in the eye and speak with confidence from a pure, self-loving heart. When we do, I believe we find that little bit of ”Extra”, which we can then add to our “Ordinary”.
My purpose in this public arena is to make a positive difference through my writings and speaking engagements. That’s why we’re in this together - it might just happen that what I write and speak about will relate to you. I think that most of us share a common journey … we want to live a beautiful life - we want to be strong, we want to love well, to feel well, and to be the “stars of all our tomorrows”. Those are the things that are on my mind, and the things that I’ll write about.
… So, here’s to Us! … and let’s thank Jewel for such an encouraging song, one that we’ll rally around and hopefully remind us how good it is to be ourselves!
The Rainbow Connection
May 1, 2008
Dreams we dream, Hopes we hope, Homes we make …
These are the things that help us live a happy, healthy, beautiful life.
Could it be we found the Rainbow Connection?
♥
Why are there so many
Songs about rainbows
And what’s on the other side
Rainbows are visions
But only illusions
And rainbows have nothing to hide
So we’ve been told and some choose to
Believe it
I know they’re wrong, wait and see
Someday we’ll find it
The Rainbow Connection
The lovers, the dreamers and me
Who said that every wish
Would be heard and answered
When wished on the morning star
Somebody thought of that
And someone believed it
And look what it’s done so far
What’s so amazing
That keeps us star gazing
And what do we think we might see
Someday we’ll find it
The Rainbow Connection
The lovers, the dreamers and me
All of us under its spell
We know that it’s probably magic.
Have you been half asleep
And have you heard voices
I’ve heard them calling my name
Is this the sweet sound
That calls the young sailors
The voice might be one and the same
I’ve heard it too many times to ignore it
♥ It’s something that I’m supposed to be ♥
Someday we’ll find it
The Rainbow Connection
The lovers, the dreamers and me
la da da de la da da dooo
la da da de la da oooo
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