Music Monday with Holiday Madness

  Anyone working retail knows that the Holiday seasons are already in full force. Our store is a glitter paradise, filled with customers in questionable moods. They are all either super giddy or down right nasty. There doesn't seem to be much in-between wiggling room.So as I dress for work I need a little pick me up and look on the brighter side. Yes, I may be headed into work way to early, but that means more hours and money talks. So, instead of grumbling about the time I'll think of the Christmas wishes I am helping come true and the money I could seriously use right about now.

  Working the Christmas season is like getting the best and the worst of hitting the lotto. Sure you'll get a little change in your pocket, but everybody and their brother is now seriously needy. Needing an early morning groove to get me moving, I decided I would share a newer song by Exo. I've shared a song by Exo K before as the band was split into two. One side was Exo K (Korean) and one was Exo M (as they sung in Mandarin). Now with members leaving the groups they have pulled the last 9 members together to form one unit who is now simply Exo.




  So, cheers for hitting the Christmas season lotto with a beat to get you going. Happy Thanksgiving and have a safe Black Friday.

Exo- Lotto

Music Monday as if it Were Your Last Day

  

  With my son starting his Senior year in high school and apply to colleges, our family has been planning for our future. Hopefully in the next year I'll get enough training to become a manager, so I'll have more chances for employment when we move back down south. We are looking into jobs, towns, convenience, prices and a point where we can all be happy.

  For me all the planning makes me happy, but stressed. We all have to deal with the worries of the normal every day like work, bills, family issues, trying to keep up with my very minimal social life and helping friends who need help along the way. It's easy to get overwhelmed with everything life throws at you. Of course, we all have those days we wish we could avoid adulting like the plague. What can you do, that's life.

   In book 3 of my Zogone Sagas- Ancient Enemies a few of my characters are dealing with the worst stress imaginable, trying to save the life of a family member they had all thought long dead. We might not have their problems on a normal bases, but problems in life can add up. The problem with having to face the world is that a person can't deal with more than they can handle. Humans have to learn every once in a while to take a step back and think about themselves once in a while. I don't mean be a crazy diva like, "My birthday is this month, so the whole month has to be devoted to me!" That is just crazy. It's ok to think about yourself once in a while, pamper yourself. Even if it is just making time to do your nails or read a good book, anything so that you aren't to busy making a living to actually live your life. Once in a while, its ok to just stop and think about what you will regret missing out on if this were your last day on Earth.

  To keep with this idea, I picked today's song to remind us that we can't deal with everything and some times we just need to wonder, "What if this was my last day?" I'll share two versions of this. The song was originally sung in German and was called Der Letzte Tag. Literally meaning the last day. When this band's album was remade in English they changed the title slightly to Final Day. There isn't a video made for Final Day other than lyrics ones, so I'll share another fan's video. I'll also share the official MV for Der Letzte Tag, because even if you don't understand German the band, Tokyo Hotel seriously rocks this song. Did I mention this is one of my favorite bands and can't resist sharing them.

Final Day (Lyrics) - Tokyo Hotel


Tokio Hotel - Der letzte Tag
 

Music Monday to Get You Going

  Shhhh, we're still sleeping. We wish! Nope it is the dreaded Monday morning again and if you are anything like me, then you are seriously dragging ass. My son being the wonderful, hilarious young man he is told me this morning, "Ma look this up and you'll get a good laugh out of it."

  So, just to make him happy I looked up his video on Youtube and I swear I haven't laughed that much in years. If you need a little something to perk you up and help you get a smile on your face to start the day, then you have hit the right place. Watch this video and join me in LMAO.



The Salt and Pepper Diner - John Mulaney

  Now, if you listened to the whole video I'm sure you have this song running through your head. So, listen to it and try real hard to hold back your snorting laughter.

What's New Pussycat? Tom Jones

Music Monday with Shooting Stars

 Your local slacker is back at it. Being busy or procrastinating or just lazy excuses could be added here, but the truth is I have just been overwhelmed with worries and anxiety. My store must have a curse on it right now. It seems like all my friends I work with are having issue after issue right now.
 

  There have been a number of car accidents, plus a motorcycle accident. We have illness and a number of random operations, not to mention one of those was for our favorite boss man. So, lucky us, we get a replacement store manager for the next four weeks or so. *cringe*  There have been bad customers, no customers and even horrible birthday parties I've hosted. Not to mention the ones who have special needs kids they desperately love, yet get so stressed over.

  On the plus side there have been babies and weddings, graduations and hope for the future. Find new ways to better yourself, like I am by starting to learn a new language, Tagalog. But for now, all of us could use a wish on a shooting star to keep us pushing along. If like us your luck has been on the crap side of the shingle lately here's a shooting star just for you. Take a breath and make a wish for some good luck to come your way. And if it is your birthday soon, don't waste that wish use it to help everyone.

  B.o.B - Airplanes ft. Hayley Williams of Paramore
 

Freaky Friday With My Obsessions

  Finally... it took oh so long, but finally I have finished reading Obsession By Lennard J. Davis. I now have a full understanding of how mental disorders, illnesses and even the vapors first came known to the public eye. There are so many things that I learned from reading this book. Mr. Davis knows his subject and is a brilliant rationalist. For me reading this book was like pealing onions. I struggled, pealing each page back, eyes watering as I squinted to fully understand and digest each word. Some bits of knowledge were left in soggy piles on the side while other bits were rolled up into notes to make onion rings later.

  One such ring of knowledge was about a Dr. Edward Perch of London, England. He believed that the type of obsessive love that leads to stalking is a curable illness like alcoholism, with the proper medicine and rehabilitation it can be cured. To that idea he opened the first stalker clinic Chase Farm Hospital in Enfield, New London.  Here is a news article I found in the Huffington Post.

World’s First Stalking Clinic Opens, Offers Treatment And Rehab For Stalkers

  By taking the time to research the obsessive mind, I think I finally understand how a person can change so drastically, what can send a seemingly normal person over the line and what emotions make them unable to see what they are doing is wrong. People are not ruled by thoughts of right or wrong, emotions.... love, fear, obsession... those are the things that force us to react and not always in an except-able way.

Anxiety, depression, OCD, Aspergers syndrome, ADD, ADHD, Autism and obsession are all just different ways of looking at the world. You may live seeing everything sad or scary, while others can only see what is out of place. Some see the world as strange shapes that simply revolve around their tiny bit of personal space. Then there are others whose mind runs faster so that the world around them seems to go in slow motion. I know people who have all of those conditions and a number of other mental 'disorders' but for me it begs to be seen whether or not some people are normal or just regular, while the ones with these so called disorders are actually the exceptionally gifted ones who can see and experience what everyone else can not.

  I usually don't add songs on Friday posts, but this one is just perfect to describe our topic on what goes through people's minds. Listen to the lyrics and it is easy to see the lead singer James Davis knows a thing or two about our topic. After the link I'll add the lyrics in case you don't catch them all.

Korn: Coming Undone

Coming Undone By: Korn

Keep holding on
When my brain's ticking like a bomb
Guess the black thoughts
Have come again to get me

Sweet bitter words
Unlike nothing I have heard
Sing along, mockingbird
You don't affect me

That's right
Deliver it to my heart
Please strike
Be deliberate

Wait, I'm coming undone
Irate, I'm coming undone
Too late, I'm coming undone
What looks so strong, so delicate

Wait, I'm starting to suffocate
And soon I anticipate
I'm coming undone
What looks so strong, so delicate

Choke, choke again
I find my demons were my friends
Pity me in the end
They're out to get me

Since I was young
I tasted sorrow on my tongue
And this sweet sugar gun
Does not protect me

That's right
Trigger between my eyes
Please strike
Make it quick now

Wait, I'm coming undone
Unlaced, I'm coming undone
Too late, I'm coming undone
What looks so strong, so delicate

Wait, I'm starting to suffocate
And soon I anticipate
I'm coming undone
What looks so strong, so delicate

I'm trying to hold it together
Head is lighter than a feather
Looks like I'm not getting better
Not getting better

Wait, I'm coming undone
Unlaced, I'm coming undone
Too late, I'm coming undone
What looks so strong, so delicate

Wait, I'm starting to suffocate
And soon I anticipate
I'm coming undone
What looks so strong, so delicate

Music Monday With a Sickness

  I'm still struggling along through Obsession: A History By: Lennard J. Davis and learning all about what makes a seemingly normal person slowly slip into a sickness of the mind. Honestly, this isn't my first difficult character to write. Some characters have filled my dreams with nags and complaints, a few even leading to books of their own. But, not once have I ever had a character that has so completely confounded me until now.

  Writing out the books outline was enough to bring me to tears. The monster this young man becomes was enough to make my stomach turn and disgust me. The problem is he doesn't start out this way. To reel the girl in, he is confident and charming. The first few chapters he is everything she could ever want in a lover, but he slowly changes as his confidence wanes and hidden complexes start to show. Fear from the lose of his parents is redirected toward her. Fear of losing her too changes him and turns into obsession, madness, sickness.

  I imagine the best way to describe these feelings has already been shown by the band Disturbed. What do you think? Have they got the right idea?

Disturbed- Down With the Sickness

Music Monday to Find a Monster

  Here is an update on my 'Anikin" dilemma. Not being a psychopath myself, it is hard for me to pull up the emotions it would take to turn someone who is loving, caring, smart and charming into a monster. So, once again  I'm hitting the books and doing research that blows my mind. Surprisingly this is even worse than my zombie research that taught me the ends and outs of a corpse's decomposition.

   

  Picture credit to www.quora.com.

  My main research into the psychology behind this type of character is based on obsession, so I thought it would be a good idea to start at the beginning and see where the emotion came from. To that order, I started reading Obsession: A History By: Lennard J. Davis.

  Not to tute my own horn or anything, but I can honestly say I am a very smart woman.  I'm smart enough to read books on psychology and understand what they are talking about. But, I have to say this book is taking me a while. Its almost like translating words from another language. I understand, but I have to check my mental dictionary with every other word. I'm learning a lot about the human mind. There are a number of topics in this book I already knew people have done, but Mr. Davis explains the when, why and how of things in a way that make me fully understand it. But alas, it is major research and I'm only half way through the book after two weeks. To much info and translating make my head hurt.

  Over the next few weeks, I'll drop in to update everyone on how my research is going. Until then, here is today's Music Monday video to help me find my character's monster inside.

Meg & Dia- Monster

                                                                                                                                                                          

Music Monday For Everyone Who Works to Make a Living

  Lately I've been working 5 days a week and I constantly feel dog tired. Sure I only work part time, but I'm old school. I am proud to have a job, especially one I love, so I make sure to show the boss he was right in choosing me to do it. I work my ass off, run instead of walking, go the extra mile to help whomever needs it and use my best southern manners even to the nastiest customer.

  Even so, some days I just don't want to get out of bed. Tucking into my blankets with our baby ferret snuggling under my chin, seems so much more appealing than dealing with a customer who yells at me about coupons or not having enough stock right after a sell.  Those days are what Dolly was talking about. Back then I was to young to understand, but now I hear ya sister as so many others do.

  To all those tired, anxious, stressed people working to make a living: here is an old song just for you. Be proud that you go to work every day and work your tail to the bone. Without all the working class people, the world would simply stop moving. Remember you are the one who keeps society going. Give that great customer service, because you never know if your smile is the only highlight of someone else's day. And I'll keep up with my writing even if I doze off in my notebook from time to time.

  Dolly Parton - 9 to 5

  And P.S. Just so we know, my boss is nothing like Dolly's. My boss is like a big Papa Bear. He takes care of all of us. Without his support our store would have quickly fallen apart. Three years later and we are known as the friendliest, fastest, cleanest, best stocked store around. A visit from the higher ups actually got us the complement of being Grand Opening Ready. Which is the best complement any store can receive!

Music Monday in Memorial

  Usually my Music Mondays are filled with songs from around the world, that either pull out a certain emotion or help writers pull off a certain type of scene. After the lose of an icon last week I needed to do a shout out to a man who seemed legendary and invincible: a god I never imagined could ever be mortal.

  Growing up in the 80 there was not one person who didn't know who Prince was. In the south I was surrounded by rednecks, country music, bluegrass,  southern rock and sweet soul music. There was no missing how much Prince showed up in music. Even more than I could have ever imagined. I found a video on Youtube of some of Prince's more secret works and how his music effected even other celebrities.  Vox has put together a must see clip on a humble man, who was always ready to hold out a helping hand. He was aptly named Prince.

Prince, remembered in 11 songs you might not know he wrote

 

  To Prince Rogers Nelson, Rest in Peace and thank you for the legacy you left behind. You will always be an idol, a saint, a sinner and a musical icon to us all. Sadly we now know what it really sounds like when doves cry.

 Prince - When Doves Cry (Music Video)

Sensational Saturday

  All my readers know my favorite book I've had published, is the first book in my Zogone series, Old Dreams. In the beginning, I started out writing mainstream romantic fiction. Nothing in the least bit like Old Dreams. The stories were cut and dry. Girl meets boy, they face obstacles. They fix said obstacles, then live happily ever after.

  Sounds like a good plan, but to me it felt like staring at old cardboard boxes. Plain brown cardboard with no extra color or shiny symbols. Just an old box past ready for recycling.

  Not one mainstream MS of mine was ever published or sparked the slightest interest to any publishing company. Looking back I wouldn't have published any of it either.

  There were so many times while I was learning to write that I heard write what you love, so finally I did. From 'the' nightmare rose a story that lead to a fantastic series. There was no mainstream here. I wrote of aliens, vampires, witches,science fiction, and yes romance of the true love variety. And by the grace of God, I finally got published.

  Welcome to the world of futuristic fiction!

My page on my publisher's site!

  Now onto my newest problem of writing myself into a whole. I mentioned recently how I had started writing a story about a young man who goes from being the lover of her dreams to the most disturbing stalker of her worst nightmares. I have the whole full outline written up in disgusting detail. He becomes crazy, obsessive, nasty and down right scary.

  Here is the problem. As I wrote out the story from the beginning, he is charming, smart, sexy, kind, confident and oh so endearing. In short I have fallen in love with this character. So, how can I turn this fabulous character into a monster? It's official; I have turned my main male lead into the young lovable Anakin Skywalker. Lord help me!

  On a brighter note, I've been throwing around the idea of taking my kids crafting experience and coming out with a fun how to book. Have little ones who desperately need cheap fun activities to keep them busy after school, on weekends and during school holidays? Between the kid's clubs, birthday parties and special events I do working at Michael's I've learned tons of new neat activities for little folks. Sounds like something I could have seriously used when my son was small. Any one else think this would be an awesome young readers and children's book?
 

Music Monday to Celebrate Spring.

  Today is the second day of Spring and it should be bright, beautiful and sunny with the fragrance of new flowers in the air. The birds should be singing happily, but... instead my poor feathered friends are squawking unhappily at the 4 inches of snow that has already fallen this morning and still steadily coming down. Why yes, I did want to shovel snow this morning.  

  The  video for my newest music obsession shows what today should look like. Today should have been the perfect day to be happy, wild, young and be thrilled just to be alive and able to love.

Kang Seung Yoon - Wild & Young MV

Kang Seung Yoon- Wild & Young Live Debut with English subs

Tunes Tuesday For a Good Laugh

  I'm hitting you up on Tuesday again, because I was working yesterday and every day before that since last Tuesday straight. It doesn't hurt my feelings any to get the extra hours, but man am I bushed. So, on this precious day off before I go right back to work tomorrow I wanted to enjoy my music with a little laugh to lighten the mood.
  Growing up there was always some comedic music if you knew where to find it. As a child there was the naughty Ray Stevens who just slid over from country to mischievous like this old favorite

Ray Stevens- The Mississippi Squirrel Revival

 And the best reason to giggle as a little girl...

Ray Stevens- The Streak



  On Christmas we always had the 12 days of Christmas, either the pains or the rednecks. Where I came from the rednecks fit right in, Jeff Foxworthy was a norm with my brothers.

Bob Rivers- 12 Pains of Christmas

Jeff Foxworthy- 12 Redneck Days of Christmas

  During my teenage years my husband introduced me to Adam Sandler and his comedic music went over the line to adult content and a lot of F bombs. A.K.A. don't watch this video if you are under age, it is nasty.

Adam Sandler- Piece of Shit Car

Today a number of funny songs have been coming out of South Korea courtesy of Psy. I'm sure everyone has heard of Gangnan Style, but his newest is just too funny and slightly wrong. Either way I can't help laughing whenever I see it. Apparently girls want to know where he got that body from and he is happy to tell them, he got it from his daddy.

Psy- Daddy (featuring CL of 2NE1)

Music Monday With True Love

  It isn't very often than a song comes out that just screams 100 % pure emotion that just kicks you right in the feels. Over the last week I've heard a new song that rivals some of the best old soul songs. Being a romance writer, I couldn't pass up the opportunity to share this great love song. As a child growing up in the south I learned about love and loyalty by watching family. I've shared my maternal grandparent's love story before, but it bares repeating. My Grandpa Adrian died in 1974 and I'm sure many people figured my Grammie Lettie would remarry as she was still young and a lovely southern lady, but she never did. Their love was so deep and faithful Grammie waited for Grandpa to come back and get her in 2000 when she passed away even telling us how happy she was to go home with him to heaven. 

  That is true love. And, yes honestly my family is split in half. There are a few who can never find their one true soul mate, while the other half of us share each blessed day with ours. My soul mate I met when I was 15 years old. We were friends for 2 years then started dating when I was 17 back in 1997. Today we are still together and going strong. We've been blessed with 3 beautiful children (one being of the ferret fur baby variety). I'm so lucky and I know there would be no me without him any more.  

  So, today's song has a special place in my heart. If I was to die today I would go a happy woman.

Thomas Rhett- Die A Happy Man

Music Monday with a Remake

As a die hard fan of The Walking Dead, Sunday night is spent fighting zombies. Being the whacked out writer that I am, that also means spending the night fighting them in my dreams. Monday morning and stupid o'clock comes way to soon, making me desperate for a replay of the night without so many zombies and without me resembling the walking dead myself.



  So, how do I get myself going? A lot of French Vanilla Cappuccino and some rock music with a nice beat is the best way to start the work week. Today I'm sharing both the original and a remake of a song. Usually remakes don't go so well, but the South Korean band CN Blue does some really great remakes live once in a while. The original song by The Calling was released back in 2001 and CN Blue sung it at a live event in 2011. Here are both versions, so let me know what you think. I'm not sure which one I love best as both are fantastic.

The Calling- Wherever You Will Go

CN Blue- Wherever You Will Go

Tunes Tuesday for Those Hard Days.

  Yesterday's Music Monday only made it to the planning stage as it turned out to be a crazy day and had to be pushed to a Tunes Tuesday. Anyone who has ever worked in retail or other types of service industries, knows that there are those days (especially school holidays) where everything just goes wrong. Long lines at the register, phone ringing off the hook, kid's running all over half throwing stuff while the other half screams their heads off and of course the startling background music of something big and probably expensive breaking.

  For those days, you need some type of pick-me-up. One of my favorites is to remember even if a monsoon comes in to surprise you, you have to learn to roll with it and try to find the fun in it. For a good laugh watch this mini concert and see how they deal with their hard day.

SHINee at Hong Kong Dome Festival- July, 1st, 2013

P.S. I feel bad for them until they flop down into a puddle and hear their leader's reaction. :)

Music Monday With a New Start

    Over the last year I've been so busy with working at Michael's, craft fairs and my drama down time that I haven't updated in over a year. I had no idea it had been that long. I've went to do posts a number of times and gotten busy. So starting now, I'm going to put in more effort to keep everyone updated.

    What is happening to my zombie apocalypse book???? That is a good question. I have a few chapters written up and a number of extra scenes, but... Now here is where my inner editor pops up. I started questioning myself way to much. How could that be? Is that scientifically possible? Isn't this rushing it a bit? Why? Why? Why? I do hate myself some days. Shut up brain and just let the story flow. Safe to say, the zombie apocalypse is sitting on the side lines for now. I'm going to let it rest for a few months, then get back to it once I've stopped debating rigor mortis versus natural decomposition.

  Of course, a writer's brain never stops, so while the zombies are napping I am being haunted by this face.
                                                 

  After seeing this young actor in a drama, I started having vivid nightmares about him being a crazy stalker. Just to get it out of my head I wrote it down and now... Well by now you should know how my nightmares go. I already have a full timeline for the major events in this book, notes written all over and the first two chapters in first draft. Not a bad start at all.

   For our new start, I'd like to share a song from a drama remake that I really like. I've never shared a Thai song before, so I think it is about time. They have some great stuff that is highly underrated.

Oh Baby I - Mike D. Angelo feat. Aom Sushar- Full House 2014 OST