About.... 'My Jump Rope'

So, in case you missed it, I write poetry (spoken word). I haven't shared too many on this blog, but I've done a few. This one is from 2005 and it was wrote on the 'fly'. I was new to the 'open mic' scene, but I jumped right in.. pulling from my memory and combined my new found name (El Boogie), I was compelled to enlighten folks. 'My Jump Rope' is the product of that. I didn't want to format this poem until I found the right photo.. cuz you know.. folk's like 'receipts'.

MY JUMP ROPE

My first mic was a jump rope. It all started when I was two years old. 

‘Call Me’ by Aretha Franklin. Rumor has it; I sang this song from start to finish. When relatives from out of town would see me years later, they may not remember me until I told them my name and who my mother was and then they’d reply.. ‘Oh, you're the one who would sing with your jump rope mic!

To this day that song has a special affect on me. I know it’s probably because my mom played the song constantly, so I had no choice to learn it, but to memorize all the words? At that age?

Almost any song by Aretha has some kind of affect on me; from ‘Chain of Fools’ to ‘Ain’t No Way’ to ‘Till You Come Back to Me’ and ‘Say A Little Prayer’ and how can anyone forget ‘Dr Feelgood’? AnyTIME I hear a song by her and I am transformed to another time. When life was easy and my only worry was where did I leave my jump rope?

As I got older my love for music continued, and I began to define my own taste. There are lists of songs that continue to grow that I wish I had a jump rope for, the magic jump rope that makes everyone a singer. Songs that make me throw my hands up and stop and groove….

'Grapevine' AYEEE!!

Or songs that make you feel like the words were wrote just for you: 

‘Weak’-SWV

‘My Life’-Mary J. Blige

'Have You Ever’- Brandy

And the list just grows.  Now I’ve come full circle. My love for the mic has been rekindled.

But I need your help, does anyone know? Where did my jump rope go?

I only sing from time to time, but if it’s okay with you, I will bust a rhyme.

To let you know that my love for the mic is not new, my quest for the spot light never dwindled.

I just had to find my jump rope.

 

FOR MY SISTERS

They didn't cherish and protect her

Damn, they nearly neglected her

No one to uphold and respect her

For unknown reasons 

they rejected her

That lost daughter that no one claimed. 

Nope she's not filled with pain.

And she won't carry your shame. 

Cuz she knows why she came.

To teach you about YOU. 

Did you catch it?

Too Much To Focus

It's been awhile since I've posted anything so I decided to put some word to paper. So many things have happened since the last time, I truly don't know where to start. From world issues to personal problems and health related issues, I've not been able to really focus on one topic. It's just a daily mission to not spiral down to a low energy level. With my already fragile mental state, it's a wonder I've been able to hold things together. I lost two important tools I used everyday to keep me motivated. My dog and my Eargasms.  I find it ironic that I had folks talking SHIT behind my back regarding both, and now they're gone. I hope 'those people' are happy now.  I'm not, but I will be. I know it takes time. I can't really grieve like I need to because I don't want to upset my girls, most of the time I have to hide my tears.
I'm trying really hard to process things as they come. 

I have more things on my heart, but I'll save them for now. My goal is too be more disciplined in my writing, but since it comes from my heart, I don't like to push anything.. I like to just feel it.  I've had to shut off my feelings.. kinda numb, but I'm tired of holding on to my hurt feelings. Time to expose some thangs.  New month, new goals, new opportunities to find my joy again.

I Found A Feather Today...

While walking my dog this morning, I found a feather. I just so happen to look down and there is was. A perfect black feather. Untouched. Waiting for me to pick it up. 

So I did. Since the feather was rather large I wanted to know what kind of bird it could have belonged to, so I posted a picture of it online. As I sat at my computer.. doing my daily scrolling, another thought came to mind. What does it MEAN when you find a feather. I just don't think things are 'random'.. all things are connected. So, what do I do.. 'GOOGLE'!!! is your friend. This is what I found.

Have you heard the quote “When angels are near feathers appear”? It’s really quite true.
Although angels don’t need wings to fly, wings represent their ability to swiftly carry out Divine will. Angels are also quite aware that they’ve been believed to have wings, and have been represented with wings in paintings, stories, and sculptures for thousands of years. Due to this, when they do show themselves, they often do so with wings so we will recognize them. And since most people aren’t regularly in a high enough vibration to see angels (yet), angels love leaving feathers, as a sign and signal that they are near.

***Black Feathers are a reminder of the protection of your angels, and a signal that spiritual wisdom, and magic are accessible by you within. ~ AskAngels.com

Nice to know.

"Holiday Eargasms"

I, like a lot of people, have a hard time emotionally during a Holiday. Some are more impacting than others, but for the most part Holidays can be a catalyst for anxiety/depression. While most like to spend the Holiday with family and/or significant other, some of us aren't so lucky. Even though I have my daughters and close family, going around extending family tend to make me feel weird because I'm not in a 'real' relationship and don't have anyone to bring. As the years passed, I learned how to handle it, but sometimes it can feel like it's too much to bare. Being single yet loyal makes for a lonely Holiday.

For the past 6 years or so, one of the things that helped me deal with my Holiday blues was listening to V103's noon mix with DJ Jaycee and his 1 or 2 hour live Eargasms set. Now, I know some of you might be like.. huh?.. what's that?.. well it's only the BEST musical journey you can ever experience. Just knowing DJ Jaycee would be on air spinning some tunes gave me something positive and exciting to look forward to, because I knew.. if only for an hour or two, everything would feel alright. You never know what direction his music will go or where it would take you but, it's guaranteed to make you forget your bad mood, if only for a little while.  For the most part his Holiday mixes would be an Old school mix.. ('seasoned box mix'.. inside joke) one that would take you back to your childhood. A time when things were simpler. And while his song selection transports you to another time and space the way he would blend said songs together is indescribable. THAT my friends is an Eargasms!! but some of us call it 'Music Therapy' because we NEEDED it!  We NEED to be able to go back in time.. to feel like a kid again.. to remember.. if only for an hour.. how great life is. 

We came to depend on our Daily Eargasms to get us through our day, but we needed our Holiday Eargasms to get us through life. *Deep Sigh...  My Holiday's will never be the same. 
Fortunately, I'm in a good space mentally since I can no longer rely on my Holiday fix. Thankfully I can pop in a mix tape, or listen to one of his previous mixes online but, the excitement of a live mix on the Holiday has been put on hiatus for now. 
Salute to you DJ Jaycee and thank for all the 'therapy' you've provided in the past. You are appreciated.

How Prince Inspired the birth of 'El Boogie'

From the time I was a little girl, I have always been a 'performer' of sorts. Singing, dancing.. the usual. I was a Cheerleader in Jr High and at that time the cheer squad would stand around at lunch, doing cheers and chants.. Ahh chants.. I had forgot all about them.. Anyway as we would say these chants some folks of us had by nicknames. So low and behold someone named me 'Shorty'. I bring Prince is attached to this part of the story because I can NEVER hear "Let's Work" without thinking of dancing to that song during half time at our basketball games.

Ahhh get it 'Shorty' Shake it!! 

Bet you can't spot me *giggles

Fast forward to the early 2000s. A friend from work was into the spoken word scene. She asked me to be apart of a Poetry Slam Panel as a judge and I agreed. It was a week long competition and Poets from all over the country had come Cali to participate.  At the end of this one 'slam' she invited folks to get on the mic. This was my first experience with an open mic, poetry reading or anything, but like I said.. I am a performer, so I guess I just couldn't pass up the chance to hold the mic. As I begin to walk toward the mic the 'DJ' (cough) started to play Prince's 'Musicology' and so I started dancing my way to the stage. That was the first time I heard it and I was like. 'Aye'!!. My girl Bran is crackin up as well as some people in the audience. So I do my thing, but I'm not really doing poetry more like a comedy routine. Bran calls is 'cometry'. As I leave the stage, once again he plays some music and on que, I dance my way off stage. From that point on, Bran was like.. 'you El Boogie' lol. I look at her like, what you mean? She says 'you just El Boogie, you just be dancing'

"Hey, is this thing on?"

 So the next time I went to the open mic finals, I still wasn't prepared to get up.. but I had no choice. . When I tried to protest, she says.. na uhn.. you getting up there.. I look and Bran had already put my name on the list = L-Boogie. I tell her, I can't be L-Boogie, Lauren Hill is L-Boogie. She goes, 'well, she's not using it right now, you L-Boogie!'

The more I thought about it, and kinda played around with the spelling I liked it. She was right. I am 'the Boogie' which is how it breaks down in Spanish (I hope). Every time I hear music I GOT to move something. I may have did the same for some other record and maybe it doesn't matter that is was a Prince song, but I remember I went out and bought the CD soon after. So, that's why I connect the birth of Boogie to him and I'll always 'shake a lil something for Prince. 
~Shaboogie Pop*

About Prince... of course

WHEW!! 2016 has been rough for the LIVING!! So many souls have transitioned so far this year. It seems a bit overwhelming. In an attempt to get my thought together I created a poem of sorts listing a few artists who have passed this year and included one of their songs. It's a bit corny..but it gave me a distracts of sorts.  I've always wanted to do a piece something like this.

“The Day… Prince Went Home”

When Prince came, Natalie Cole said. ‘Hey Mr. Melody’ and

Maurice White was like; ‘Let’s Groove Tonight!’ 

Looking for

Vanity

Prince said where’s my ‘Nasty Girl’?

Paul Kantner looked at her and said oh good, now you have ‘Somebody To Love’

David Bowie chimed in with of course it is a ‘Modern Love’

Yes! Vanity said Joey Feek sang ‘If I Needed You’ for me

And once Frank Sinatra Jr sang ‘My Way’ I just knew

Just then Phife Dawg said well ‘Can I Kick It?’ and

Merle Haggard jumped in with make sure you don’t ‘Sing A Sad Song’

At the end Glenn Frey made sure there was a ‘Peaceful Easy Feeling’