I did a thing this morning. I decided to celebrate every little thing I saw and thought of.
With absolute horror playing out in the world at this moment, it seems insensitive to post anything happy. Positivity helps though. People are depressed. Last night, I learned of an online friend who took their own life.
It's also understanding how seeing nothing but happy smiling faces can precipitate sadness when it seems like you're the only one who is NOT happy. Many of us have come to know that social media can set a false standard and add to a sense of isolation. On occasion, I've posted examples of life's trials and imperfections.
Just now, tears well up in my eyes as the little refugee boy walking alone cries. We are living in terrifying times. Below is a link from The Mayo Clinic with advice on how to identify and support friends and family who may be depressed.
As for me, I'll search for smiles and positivity. I'll post and share. I'll do it to strengthen myself as well as others. My sincere wish for us all is that we can strengthen ourselves enough to participate in the battles to come with strength and perseverance. Any way you look at it, there is a long road ahead. I hope we can find ways to secure our own oxygen masks, and be able to assist others with theirs - so to speak.
Love you all.
I'm down for stretching as far as I can without breaking. Don't break. Keep going.
Let's do what we can because... "Libraries across the country are experiencing an unprecedented spike in censorship attempts" and they need our help to fight back (from ala.org).
There are so many battles to fight right now. Some of them, we have already fought and won. This is no time to get weary.
It feels like a marathon. I am organizing my life. Every time I go through one box of papers, two or three more appear out of nowhere. This IS GOING to get done though. (If I say it out loud like that, my chances are better.)
#KeepGoing
Bit by bit, everything will get done. I'm determined to make room for all the new things waiting just around the corner.
1. Allow anyone to steal my joy
2. March into someone's trap
3. Be swayed from what I know to be true
4. Stop speaking my mind
There are so many important things happening right now. This is no time to be intimidated into silence. Also, there is this wonderful thing called a delete button - and a block - and an unfriend (if it should become necessary).
Buh-bye troll. This is MY bridge.
Have a beautiful week everyone!
And now, if you'll excuse me, I have some fun to get back to - I may even have ice cream. :)
How fitting that the week kicked off with some bowling!
"Om.... I Am the pin" could be my mantra. First there was a scheduling snafu that took a whack at me pretty hard, then Zachary and I had to adjust to our new daily logistics with Russ traveling, then I fought off a cold. I just keep getting up and going.
Time marched onward and before I knew it I was on stage in Boston.
with Gregory (Photo by Gregory K. Lathan)
It was disco time with the "Dancin' Machine" band of talented, fun and super nice people!
With Gregory, Kristina, Rob
Then it was just me.
Here we go again. This week my aim is "resilience."
Well, so much for that "diving in" idea. You know when you're cruising along, making your grand plans...
and then...
they fall completely apart? #Kaboom
Zachary fell ill (he's getting better now) and mommy had to cancel everything. Suddenly my most amazing accomplishment of the week was getting that kid to take a sip of water. He would do it only by squirting the water into his mouth with the measuring syringe that came with his baby Motrin. I had to do a "happy dance" (jumping jacks accompanied by a song), then advance to handstands (that looked more like downward dog with kicks) to get him to take bites of oatmeal!
Am I speaking in hashtags? Yes. I am too tired to think straight and I'm not even going to check this blog for spelling. I have to take him back to the doctor in the morning, it's after 11pm, and I am sitting on the floor in his room with him on the chair behind me, looking over my shoulder. Every time I turn around to see if his eyes are closed yet, he laughs at me. (Smile.) Laughing is way better than crying.
So anyway, this week I'm reflecting on the fact that things don't always (or ever) go the way you might expect. I'm just going to keep the music playing and get through it.
I've resumed the workout and by the time this gets posted, a professional assembly person will have arrived to put together my new exercise bike. #notfoolinaround. Swimming laps was fantastic exercise AND I started Zachary taking lessons! It feels like I'm finally getting it together.
Sometimes it's a long, slow climb just to get to the other side of the room.
But I know at the end of that long tunnel is...
four monster trucks, a dog's butt, a blue bouncey horse and a kid that refuses to say "cheese" LIGHT. So this week is all about "KEEP GOING!" One of my favorite authors reminded me that our true power has to come from within. #ThanksElla
"It never occurred to me to ask advice or assistance of others.
I am glad I did not, for the moment we lean upon any one
These were my thoughts at 7am this morning when I was staring at the popcorn ceiling, trying to pry myself up from the hotel bed. It's now almost 18 hours later and I am still thinking that.
Now, as I rest for a few hours until it all starts all over again, I wonder when I will actually be "there" and where is it anyway??? I think I'll arrive at a point when I can relax for a little while on Thursday afternoon. For now, I'll just keep going.
I don't want to talk about the sickness, the coughing, the traveling anyway, the rusted-out padlock, the messy WD-40, the freezing cold hands or the cracked thumb. I don't want to talk about the contractor who couldn't do the job after all, or the one who stepped in and did a great job - but charged double. I'm not going to discuss the ice rain and the dog who wouldn't cooperate in it, the runny noses and the sinus rinses. There was the crying and the cracked tooth, but that's not worth speaking about here. Neither is the speeding ticket, the Novocaine or the new filling. The spilled coffee in the car, the forty dollar car wash that did not clean up said coffee, and the waking up every two hours in the night are hardly worth mentioning. There were the canceled appointments for the work I really wanted to get done, and the box of receipts that I still haven't looked at. Nope. I'd rather not talk about it at all. There's more - like the broken-down modem, the total lack of exercise and green vegetables, the migraine and the diarrhea at Lowes, but I don't want to talk about those either.
What I WILL say is that one day when I walked into the room, his eyes lit up and he raised up his arms and said, "Mama!"
Come to think of it... there were other things too. There was that perfect serving of rice pudding.
There were warm snuggles and flannel pajamas. There were hats that keep your hair dry, and nice strangers. There were tasty cough drops and warm blankets. There were soft pillows and hot water. There were dry shoes and clean laundry. There were nice stories and people who smiled. There was more.
#findmygratitude
#foundit
#thankyou
There was a little boy who said, out of nowhere, "Thank you for this day. Amen." There was a puppy. Yep. Also, there was a box of soft tissues, orange scented hand soap and chocolate covered pretzels. Yes. OK.
#turnedthecorner
#seewhathappenedthere
A Blessed week filled with health and happiness to us... xo
It was a good week. We relocated back to the NYC area and after months of physical therapy I finally made it back to the gym. (#KeepGoing!) We met friends for a lovely brunch and made some new friends too. I even took the little guy to the beach!
One standout thing was that every time I sought out some bit of wisdom or guidance - it came. There were some great posts and connections that came at just the perfect time. (<Smile> Isn't that always the way? Don't we find exactly what it is we're looking for?)
So, this week I'm going to look out at the endless sea of possibilities. (#ImGoingWithThat)
Thanks to all the hard workers who inspired and created today's holiday! Enjoy your Labor Day everyone! xo
Thank you first to God for making all things possible...
I am absolutely filled with gratitude and love for everyone whose support and encouragement made this song, this video, and this album possible; and to all of you who click, like, tweet, post, share and leave heartwarming comments. Your kindness and love make my heart sing! My deepest thanks to all of you. It is a most amazing Blessing to be able to do what I love - and feel so good about being an artist. Here's wishing all the positive energy you give out comes back to you tenfold and that all you do, in pursuit of your heart's dream, be touched with the magic, power and strength of love...
Namaste!
T
Official Music Video: Only Way Home
"Only Way Home"
On my own in New York City
Missing home for far too long
It ain't how I thought it would be
Still I keep on pressin' on
Longing for the days gone by
Times I lay down and I cry
Thinking back on how it used to be
But I ain't gettin' nowhere
Wishin' for what's not there
Now I think I finally see
**Chorus**
Keep on taking on a new day
Don't look back upon the old way
That old place is lost
It's gone, gone, gone
Next phase, bring it on, ya got me
Steep pace, only way that I see
Boldly forward is the way back home
It's the only way to get back home
Back home, back home
It's the only way to get back home
Back home, back home
It's the only way to get back home
Everybody's got a story
But everybody's all the same
Gotta get to where we're going
But don't nobody know the way
Home is where you just can be
Friends are true and you are free
Overflowing with a sense of peace
But we ain't gettin' nowhere
Actin' like we don't care
When home is where we wanna be
**Chorus**
Somewhere along the way I swear I lost my mind
Panic-stricken in my haste I tried and tried to find
From: Nothing To Prove... Something To Say Written by: Tanya Diona (BMI) and Russell Graham (ASCAP) / Produced by Russell Graham and Tanya Diona for Red Queen Productions / Lead and background vocals: Tanya Diona / All instruments and programming: Russell Graham / Recorded by: Russell Graham at Red Queen Studios, NY and Audio Magic, Buffalo, NY / Mixed by: Russell Graham at Red Queen Studios, NY / Mastered by: Gary Tole for Chelsea Sound Labs
Special thanks:
To Russ: My best friend, love and partner in everything - we did it! :) To Vincent Buccitelli, Meg, Qina and the New York Global Marketing Solutions team: for your continual encouragement to make things better and then even better, and for your swift and reliable ability to get it done! To Jim Bush: for your keen eye, photographic talents and warm spirit. To Chris Tringali and Leon Studio One: for always doing such a great job (and landing me so many hair compliments) - you're the best. To my most amazing band of musicians, vocalists and dancers whose talents make the live shows positively magical... Kenny Hawkins, Big Mike Porter, Richii Valentino, Russell Graham, Joey Diggs, Sharon Banks, Shelly Hirsch, Jenna Beth Stockman, Meghan Hinton - love you all! To Joey Diggs (Unka Doey): for your incredible talent, tireless dedication, awesome humor and true friendship. To Robbie Konikoff: for your constant encouragement and kindness. To all my family and extended family of most incredible supporters: you truly do make my heart sing and inspire me to reach higher heights! My most sincere thanks to you all...
In one week, we will be releasing our first official music video!!! It's for the song "Only Way Home." All week, we'll be posting video snippets, photos and quotes having to do with the song, beginning with this short clip from a live show, talking about how the song / album concept was born...
This past week, as we've been preparing the promotional material, the song's concept has been at the forefront of my mind.
Home is referred to in the song as a place of peace, a place where we all strive to be. We don't always know how to get there, but with faith, if we keep pushing forward, we will find it.
So many things fit this theme over the last week. Whether it was friends traveling to their hometowns for family reunions, heartwarming conversations with loved ones, the sense of celebration and pride that filled so many hearts after the Supreme Court decision on Friday, the magic of sharing the stage with a special family of musicians, the glow in the eyes of a newly married couple, the young couple I know who purchased their first house together, or challenges overcome in the relentless pursuit of health and happiness; there seemed to be a feeling of "home" everywhere I looked. (How cool is THAT?)
The song says that the way to get home is by moving forward - as opposed to giving up or retreating into fear. It says that the way to get back home is by persevering in our dreams and hearts' desires, and pushing through in challenging or uncertain times. If we keep going, we will eventually get home to that sense of peace, that place where we truly belong, that place where happiness lives.
At "Home" on the gig - with Russ and Apollo Joe
As I post about "Only Way Home" this week, I'll continue to think about all the wonderful people, places and things that feel like home - and I'll be grateful for them. :)
