Category: Music

Don’t get scarred by the hard.

We are NOT the hard times we go/grow through, beloveds.

Hare times do NOT force us to become hard, angry and bitter because of what we have gone through.

WE make the choice to become bitter, better, or unbothered by hard times.

I am learning  in real time, that I am the one who chooses to focus on the waves. I am the one who chooses to see/visualize the upcoming shore.

I am the one who chooses to reach out when the toad is especially long, hot and unwieldy.

I am the one to blame myself for not being up to the tests.

I am the one who chooses to give myself extra selfcare and understanding as I make my way through so many storms and hard times.

I have given myself permission to breathe for the rest of this month. Just to breathe. No fretting over or looking for a job. No channel starting. No desperately seeking what in the fresh hell to DO now.

I am just going to breathe. And, enjoy this blog. And, enjoy some coffee. And. Enjoy watching tempura be made and wondering what the world is being happily slurped and enjoyed.

Life is short, beloveds. I just stopped round to encourage someone to keep on LIVING. Not merely existing and worrying about how to pay the grocery bills.

I have no idea what tomorrow holds. I am digging my way out, er, living today…😂

Hang in there. Things really will be okay. Have a good cry if need be. I didn’t know how badly I needed a good cry until I gave myself permission to have a nice one. Man, I cried til my eyeballs fell out. Satisfying. 😁😇😊🥰

Be encouraged.

asking for A Friend,
Cassandra

#YourLifeMattersToMe

Note:

One step.

One step.

One step.

You are loved.

You are NOT alone.

Keep on being…YOU!

The last straw really isn’t the last straw.

That’s it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That’s what I screamed at God.

Tearfully.

Angrily.

Woefully.

Tearfully, woefully AND angrily.

These latest rounds of storms have had me at wit’s end.

Tornado 🌪 sirens blasting. Me hiding in the bathroom wondering if there will be a me, if there will be an apartment, if the damned city would still be standing.

During Easter weekend, no less. Thanks God. Reaaaaall funny. I don’t know why holidays can’t be holidays for me.

Mom died on Christmas morning. The 🌪 destroyed things on Memorial Day weekend. Now, these blasted storms visiting for Easter.

One boom was so loud…whew. Now, my modem has given up the ghost. Nada. No lights. Nothing.

So, I sit here. Modem less. Modem less, God!

That’s it! The lasssssst straw! I’m tired, God of all this damned hard!!!

I’m tired of these tests. Pass or fail me, already!!!

I quit!

I’m done! I….

*Cassandra whirls around at the tap on her shoulder. Cassandra laughs and takes the extra straws from her dreams and good habits. Cassandra gets on with getting on with it.*

Be encouraged, beloveds. Yes, these storms are something else. Yet, we faint not. Grab an extra straw from your dreams and good habits and keep it moving.

Do your best to focus on getting to the other side. Yea, these 🌊 waves ARE terrifying looking. Let’s choose to surf on them! 🏄🏄‍♀️🏊🏊‍♀️

We CAN. We WILL.

I know it’s hard not to see all the hard right now. In the meantime, keep finding the joy in your day. I made myself a cup of ☕ and watching my fave cooking shows. Right now, I’m watching upscale restaurants chefs cook steak and such in such theatrical fashion. 🥰😁

If nothing else, beloveds, reach out to someone who could use some love. It really does help when you take your mind off your own trouble and focus on supporting others. This has helped me. A smidge.

I had a satisfying crying jag on my big bro’s shoulder, via phone. There is something awfully comforting with a loud, crying jag whilst your big bro sits there feeling like an idiot.🥰😇😊

Take care.

asking for A Friend,
Cassandra

#YourLifeMattersToMe

Note: You’ll get through this. So will I. Keep moving FORWARD. Keep looking UP.

One step.

One step.

One step.

You are loved.

You are NOT alone.

Keep on being…YOU!

What are you telling yourself?

I am resilient.

I am brilliant.

I am becoming.

I am beautiful.

I am black.

I am woman.

I am unapologetic.

I am unsatisfied with the status quo.

I am magnificent.

I am merciful.

I am relentless.

I am moving forward.

I am going to find a way.

I am going to make a way. I am going to BE the way.

What are you telling yourself?

asking for A Friend,
Cassandra

#YourLifeMattersToMe

Note: Don’t let anyone define who you are. Lift up your head! We fight on.

One step.

One step.

One step.

You are loved.

You are NOT alone.

Keep on being…YOU!

Find the time. Make the time.

I love my coffee of a morning, beloveds.

I love making a cup and thinking of mom. She loved Folgers Instant. With CoffeeMate. A big, heaping helping of it. Followed by two mountains of tablespoon filled sugar. Ah.

After a while, she would have me make her coffee whilst she prepared her grapefruit she draped with a mound of sugar. Ewww!

I loved, absolutely loved, when I got ALL the portions right! The smile on her face was worth its weight in gold. I learned to perfect her coffee. I enjoyed bringing a small amount of joy to her day.

Now, I make my coffee and think of her. It is our quiet time. It’s OUR time.

Anywho, my kettle heats the water soooooooo hot I am forever halfway burning my tongue.

Here lately, beloveds, I have been learning to do other things, while waiting for my coffee to cool enough to enjoy.

I have found the time to work on a piece. I have made the time to pray. I have found the time to empty my mind of all anxiety. I have made the time to reflect upon today’s possible journey.

All within the span of these coffee cool down moments. Ah. Aha!

Find the time.

Make the time.

Find a way.

Make a way.

BE the way!

asking for A Friend,
Cassandra

#YourLifeMattersToMe

Note: Get after it.

One step.

One step.

One step.

You are loved.

You are NOT alone.

Keep on being…YOU!

Good habits came to my rescue.

Good habits came to my rescue. In the nick of time.

I was really tired from getting up super early all week. The lazy decided to be really sneaky and do some serious reasoning on why I should go ahead and sleep in the next morning.

Comfort joined in, trying  to talk me into hanging out with it. Later was smart enough to be quiet.

Initially, nap had me all about convinced to do so. Reason, reasoned with me to get rested up for the next week.

I almost listened to reason. Thankfully, good habits rushed to my rescue. Good habits reminded me that we had things to do. Good habits told me, we have dreams to fulfill. Good habits reminded me that someone else’s dreams may be mixed up in mine.

God, Life, and The Universe waited on the sidelines, seeing what I would do. They would not interfere.

Morning popped in her head to see what I would do. Lazy was already on the way to the kitchen to make my coffee!

Making good habits take time. It’s going to take a bit of time to get my body back used to a regular work schedule. Initially, it has been tough. the first five minutes have been agony. All I want to do in those 5 minutes is to go right back to bed.

I make myself get out of bed. I make myself head towards the kitchen to get the coffee started. Then, I go ahead and get me started.

Once I get started, I forget about my tired. I look forward to the day. I get into getting into it.

It feels good keeping my promise to it myself.

In a bit here, I’m going to start the frustration show, trying to teach myself how to do these dad blasted, what in the world is going on here, I don’t know what the word I’m doing, motivational videos…. *sigh*

To say that I am technologically challenged would be an understatement. I have no idea what I’m doing. Just thinking about it is giving me a headache. I’m not going to move until I learn something, though. That’s what I tell myself every day.

I’m glad I chose my dreams and got up this morning. I would’ve been disappointed in myself if I had not.

Keep working towards your dreams. Keep moving forward. Keep getting up whether you want to or not. Remember, you have things to do. Let’s go!

asking for A Friend,
Cassandra

#YourLifeMattersToMe

Note: I set a mini goal, for the day, that I am trying to fulfill. What goals have you set for yourself today? If you’re not set a goal yet, go ahead and do so. Then complete it!

One step.

One step.

One step.

You are loved.

You are NOT alone.

Keep on being…YOU!

The great 🥚 egg debate.

I wanted eggs. Boiled eggs, in fact.

I rose, strode to the kitchen and was fixing to fix me some eggs.

Suddenly, a horrifyingly, horrible, horrific truth emerged:

Eggs cost 50 million thousand seventy four bajillion dollars and I only have ONE precious dozen!😳🚨🚧😭🌊

What to do…

What to do?!

I want boiled eggs!

*stamps foot*

🥚🥚🥚🥚🥚🥚🥚😳

*Cassandra, vaguely recalling the last time she had eggs, paced back and forth*

Somebody insert something inspiring here. I am fixing to boil some eggs.

💃🤷‍♀️😁,

asking for A Friend,
Cassandra

#YourLifeMattersToMe

Note: Have an amazing day, today. Work on your dreams, today. Get in your me time, today. Reach out to someone, today. Love someone, today. Starting with you.

The fact that you are here, during this time in history, is NOT an accident. world is hurting. The world needs what you have. You have been born for this time.

You may be looking at all that is going on in the world and may be feeling hopeless. Wondering who can do something about all the negativity being tossed about in the atmosphere.

You can. You must. In your corner of the world, YOU must make your mark. You must make your impact. The world is waiting on you. What are you waiting for?

Destiny is calling you. It really is. These are not just motivational words. They are your action call. They are my action call. This world seems to be going to hell in a handbasket. We can’t let things continue as they are without saying something, without doing something.

I try every day to encourage as many people as I can get my hands on. I try not to get discouraged that I can’t make the impact that I would like to. I would like to do more. I’m doing the best that I can. If I do the best that I can, and you do the best that you can, and your neighbor does the best that he or she can….

We can make an impact. We can be the impact. Let’s try. Let’s go.

One step.

One step.

One step.

You are loved.

You are NOT alone.

Keep on being…YOU!

One second can stop everything.

I have been trying to post my video foreeeeeevveerrr!

For the life of me, beloveds, I could NOT figure out what I was doing wrong. I kept at it. I kept looking. I kept experimenting.

Finally, FINALLY, I saw where ONE extra second had recorded and WordPress will not download a video, longer than five minutes, in the free blog. Oops.

I trimmed the fat. I posted said video. Said video sounded a bit hollow because I forgot to select ONE thing…*sigh*.

Be good to yourself, beloveds, as you work on you. Sometimes, it’s just ONE thing that is stopping the flow.

Keep LOOKING until you FIND the thing holding you back. Don’t get all frustrated and up in your feels. Life is a PROCESS.

Celebrate your try. Enjoy when you finally find and fix the one thing stopping you.

Be encouraged.

asking for A Friend,
Cassandra

#YourLifeMattersToMe

Note: You got this. It’s important to utilize POSITIVE self talk as you learn. Insert the word “challenging” where you would normally use “I hate this”, “This is too hard”, “I can’t do it”,  “This is frustrating”.

It really does help to say “This is challenging” then see it as the challenge it is. Then, you end up turning it into a successful game or challenge.

The second I turned looking for that second into a challenge, the easier it became to find and correct the mistake. It was sooooooooo satisfying!

Before, I would have long given up in frustration and disappointment. Now, I do not allow disappointment to have the last word. Tell discouragements to kick rocks. Life is what we make. Let’s make it fantastic.

You CAN. You WILL.

One step.

One step.

One step.

You are loved.

You are NOT alone.

Keep on being…YOU!

Use your reasons why you have not, as fuel ⛽ to get after it.

My tummy is in rebellion. It keeps rushing me to the bathroom 🚽. 😳

I have thangs to do. I do NOT have time to waste, beloveds.

In the past, I would have allowed lazy to coax me into 🛏 bed. Now, I simply tell later to get going but to take things a bit more slowly. Later is getting in the habit of doing something, if even just small things, to keep my dreams fueled for the day.

I also switched to working on my phone 📱 since it is not conducive being on the computer 🖥 and rushing to the bathroom every other five seconds.

Use your reasons why you have not, as fuel ⛽ to get after it.

Once I learned that trick, life became a lot easier. I wasn’t forever looking for Thanos in every inconvenience…lol.

Life is good. Even with an upset tummy.😁😳🤣🥰

enjoying this boring life of mine,
Cassandra

#YourLifeMattersToMe

Note: Enjoy your life. All of it. Life is so very short. what are you doing with the life that you have? We are all so focused on worrying about things that really don’t matter. We are also focused on how much money we are making or not making. We are not seeing what life really is all about. Have an amazing rest of your day.

One step.

One step.

One step.

You are loved.

You are NOT alone.

Keep on being…YOU!

Dear God, I’m disappointed but I ain’t mad.😳🙏

Dear God, I’m disappointed but I ain’t mad.😳🙏

Okay, I’m a bit disappointed AND discouraged because things are not moving where I can SEE.

I can’t see. Crapola. Sheeeeeeeuuuuut.😳

A friend told me that not knowing what to do can be hard. But, needed or some kind of inspiration or other.

God, I was just too discouraged and disappointed to half listen to his rah rah words.

I promised myself that I would NOT get in my feels because You are currently playing hide and seek when I need to see You the most.

I have learned enough to keep it shut, during these times. Hollering and screaming won’t make You show up sooner.

Ah, God, I will be glad when this test is over. It has been incredibly nerve wracking.

Easter is coming. I know you are super busy getting ready!❤🥰

I just stopped ’round to let You know that I ain’t mad. Just disappointed. This too shall pass.

disappointed but thankful still,
Cassandra

#YourLifeMattersToMe

Note: Be encouraged. Life is good. Even when it’s hard.

One step.

One step.

One step.

You are loved.

You are NOT alone.

Keep on being…YOU!

Folk: Do what makes YOU smile.

I’m going to ask for your patience, beloveds, on the front end.

I am going to do a me. Rather, I am going to BE me and explain something that makes NO sense that will end up making perfect sense. I hope.

I have been lying in bed and contemplating the word ‘folk’. Specifically, I have been musing over the fact that I have been using the word ‘folk’ an awful lot in my pieces, of late.

Why?

Because doing so makes me smile.

Why?

Because I could use a million other words to describe folk but like using the word folk Because it makes me smile.

Why?

Because,…hhmm…*shrug*. No idea. It just does. So I do. Me.

I shall continue to do me. I shall continue to do that, which makes me smile. I suggest you do the same.

We can all be odd ducks 🦆 from time to time. So what?

I write 📝 in such an odd way that at times that spell check and grammar check have NO idea what on earth to do with my words. That’s okay. I know what I mean to say. I say it. I’m MY way.

Keep walking YOUR path. In YOUR way. At YOUR pace. Many, most may/will question what/why on earth are you doing/saying that?! That’s okay. Your path is YOUR path.

Your path does NOT have to be explained. Just taken. You don’t have to be ashamed over your path. It’s yours. Folk may not understand now but will be grateful you built it!

Folk look upon the NOW. Your why knows why you are building and taking this path. Even you may not yet know why your why is building this path and leading you down it. Keep going. Keep trusting your why. God does. Life does. The Universe does.

Your why IS/WILL lead you down the right path!

See? That wasn’t so painful, was it? You folk will learn to trust me sooner or later. 🥰❤️‍🔥❤️‍🩹❤️

Be encouraged. Keep on being…YOU.

asking for A Friend,
Cassandra

#YourLifeMattersToMe

Note: It’s okay to be different. It’s perfectly okay to wonder why your why is taking you to odd places. Enjoy the journey.

One step.

One step.

One step.

You are loved.

You are NOT alone.

Keep on being…YOU!