Trouble In Mind..

A place of Refuge

Hello Jazzlovers,

It is a beautiful day today..

To Beautiful to be troubled!!

But I am troubled so I must write it out..I am giving it to the Universe and letting it go...

I am normally a very happy person and don't let things I have no control over get to me..but I think I am a little venerable right now..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q6eg2ppX2tU Nina Simone "Trouble in Mind"

I am back in my home town after being gone for most of my adult life, I have visited and have stayed a while, but I always knew I would be leaving so it was OK.. I knew what it would be like coming back and I really don't have a problem with it...I am actually happy to be back, I need to be clear on that front..My family is absolutely wonderful!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YKqn-aCL4KU Della Reese "Being Green"


One of the things I have always had a problem with is hypocrisy!!I have lived my life openly and honestly..So I was very surprised at something that happened last sunday!!( To be honest I expected it) Yet it did surprise me..LOL. For some reason last Sunday I decided not to go to church,It is a community event so I do enjoy going and being amoung people I have known all my life..So My decision not to go was unsual...When my Family returned they were a little vague as to how it went...Until a little later in the evening when they let it drop that the sermon was on Adam and Eve not Adam and Steve...(They can not get pass that one!!Can They?)!!!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1mdrQpNnHk&feature=relmfu Della Reese " Fire and Rain"


I felt betrayed because before I started going back to church I had the conversation with the Minister, and asked if they had a problem with it I would not return,,and I was very comfortable with that decision...I was assured that it would not be a problem..I think the Universe for keeping me home last Sunday..I don't think I would have kept quiet...You see I am a Child of this Universe and I did not ask for this GIFT of being me...I am going to live this life and play the hand I have been given until the end...I have a strong loving and giving heart,that I am so grateful for..I see and work at creating Beauty!! If there were no Adams and Steve's there would be very little Beauty on this earth and what a dull place it would be...I really believe this..


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GRu1xAu5NxY Della Reese " The Games People Play"


The Controller of this Universe is amazing and does not make mistakes and I am a true Child of This Universe...I celebrate that!!! I can only answer to The Universe for me no one can answer for me and I can answer for no one else..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dXMTsQBZeYI Della Reese " I've Got to be me..."


One More..... To say thanks for listening Jazzlovers I feel much Better..


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2GNg5nyeeD4 Loving Spoonful " Daydream"

Ok One more!!

See I amfeeling better....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2GNg5nyeeD4 Mama Cass " Dream a little Dream"

Well Jazz Lovers

I've Come This Far By Faith

Faith Is Personal...

Hello Jazzlovers,

It is a rainy Day Here today...

I have never written about Religion or Faith because I feel like it is personal.... Sitting out on the front porch having a fag,this post started running through my head...So that I am clear I am only writing about my personal faith..no one Else's, only mine...I feel like we are all trying to get to the same place, it is just that we are taking different highways...My route is different now than it was when I was a child...I am becoming disillusioned with Church and Religion..Don't get me wrong,I do belive that there is something in this Universe Bigger than me.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aXTi1UCzWuI James Clevland " I don't believe he brought this far"

I am very grateful that I had the Church,and the Masjied in my life as a child, it taught me many lessons on goodness and discipline in my life..Those early days have been my Rock and my Faith runs deep!! But Not like everyone Else's...I am having much trouble with Church and with religion right now..I grew up between three religions and realize that the messages are almost the same..But I cannot live my life looking at the end of my life!! I was put down here to Live, to Learn to be free..I can not believe I was not meant to make mistake's , to enjoy pleasure, to love someone,That is what forgiveness is all about! Isn't it?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AYhY3Z4QwTo The Barrett Sisters " I don't beieve He brought me this far"

I have been a "Child of the Night" and loved every moment! But I have never done anyone any wrong,Langston Hughes once wrote " Children of the night will give a snake a break" and that is the truth...I loved the Night Life,I enjoyed the people and I have had much fun,and I have met some wonderful people and made friends that will last a life time..I also still have friends from my child hood..But the discipline I learned at My Very religious Grandmother stayed with me and kept me safe!So I have to believe that there is a Creator of this Universe..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HxwSP38hRi0 Aretha Franklin " Going down Slow"

When I was out there loving the Night Life, People were real!I loved the music and the dancing better than eating...Mater of fact I saved lunch money to have the price of a ticket and a couple of drinks,LOL before I could afford it.. I wanted to experience it all and I did,but it does not mean I lost my faith or my belief in A Creator of This Universe..I just found the People of the Night more honest if!!If they were a Thief,You Knew they were a thief!!They did not hide it..You Knew a Lier when you met them!!They too did not hide,,A Loose man or woman admitted the were fast..A Nice Guy or a Lady was respected and left an alone or/and Procter!! Langston was right...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wCGsPWv1nKk Cassandra Wilson " Children of the Night"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2wqHOXXe_QM The Jones Girls " Children of The Night."

I have always been honest and open with my life, even when I did not know I was, it is hell tryi,ng to live a double life..and for safety there are times you have to try...You must allow other people to fool themselves at you expense..Don't get me wrong I have made mistakes in my life lots of them,but I have learned from most of them and tried not to repeat them...But that's like!!I have Loved and I have been Loved,and I can find no wrong in that..I found a book in a junk shop when I was just a kid,The title was "The Lord won't Mind if it is Love" I am so happy I found that book, It saved my life in many ways..It came along when I was having a serious Identity cries,it helped me to decide to life my life as I was,,,To play the hand I was dealt,and I have no regrets..and I think that is what the Creator of This Universe want of us !! My God does Not make mistakes...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OzQkX-IZDbQ Nina Simone " My Way"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h3rvos6CRCM Shirley Bassey " My Way..

Well Jazzlovers Until next time.

Keep the Peat...

It's Is MY Life

My Life

Hello JazzLovers

It is such a beautiful Day today..

My head today is both looking back and looking forward,being home is very interesting..
I am so grateful for my life and the way I have lived it..but sometimes I think those who did not leave might be the lucky ones..It amazes me that a lot of people I know and have known all my life are still in the same place, I just can not figure out if they are happy,they say they are but there is a sadness in their eyes that can not be denied..The jokes are the same,the laughter a little brittle and too loud,slightly brittle,also basically doing the same thing..playing the same games..

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EMSyXuvNpeM&feature=fvst            Skip Intro..


Don't get me wrong I am not saying there is anything wrong with their lives,it was their choice and I can accept and live with that..I am making new friends and I am also a person of interest right now...(LOL) and I am also enjoying their company..Oddly enough they are interested in my life,and realize I am still the same person that left all those years ago..I am reconnecting with people that I enjoyed before I left and all of them also have traveled and have a lot to talk about..It is all positive and I am loving being home it was time..even reverting to my initials as I was called as a child and i realize there are people even in my family that don't know my name...Amazing!! One of the things I am discovering is I have never been invisible...Thank God I have never tried to hide my like.(People were paying attention !

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bS0rF4VovC0              Lena Horne "Maybe"


I became an adult when I was molested by the school janitor when I was 6 years old, I vowed I would never be venerable ever again..that is when I decided to make my own way in this world...That is about to soon to lose innocence!! My whole life changed at that moment..I do still trust easily until it is broken and then it can never be regained,don't get me wrong I have friends in my life that would trust with my life and vise verso...But because of that incident my sense of awareness is is very high,and I can spot devious people a mile away..(The Book "Blink" explains it very well) which keeps my heart open to new people and experiences..


 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OzQkX-IZDbQ                 Nina Simone " My Way" 


I plan to write about how my life has changed from the time I was 6 years old until now..and why I am happy with my life as it has been until today...My life has been fascinating I have done things I only dared to dream as a child, But I never felt I could not do anything I set my mind to do and I have never been afraid of hard work...I dared to dream bigger than what I knew...Life is for the living!! So go out there and get yourself some live Honey!!!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lIyJb8GlboY&feature=related              Shirley Bassey" My Life"


Well Jazzlovers Until Next time,

Keep The Beat.

DW Jazzlover...

Finding My Way Home

Thursday, April 12, 2012

Finding My Way Home

Thoughts!


Hello Jazzlovers,

I have been away for a very long time. I hope you have not forgotten me but it has been ragingstorm for the last 6 months and there as been very little music running through my head. So let me try to tell you about it, just the fact that I am sitting here writing this post is a Mirical with in it's self... I went in for some test and woke up from a coma 4 days later!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-MI7NEwIaJE


Now in a coma a person can hear everything being said you just cannot respond, I heard the Dr. Say D-----P----- will die tonighr..So I waited to die amazingly there was no fear,(I belive the journey just continues at a different level) But I did not die that night, I don't know if it was the first night or the 3rd night because I woke up on the 4th day wirh my best friend sitting by my bedside....


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjgWly1dVDI

Nine Months later I am home with my Family and I feel fine...My Family have been remarkable in their Love and Care of me,,,My Thing have arrived and Iam seeting up my room as I like..so I am surronded by things I love..I am back in the area I grew up inand friends are so great in their joy of seeing me once more..It is Fantastic...I am also accepted just as I am now....But in the past I feltlike a "Stranger on This Earth"


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FMmolZG_j_c


So Jazzlovers Life is really for the Living and as the Old Folks use to say "Just keep Living Sugah" And "Never say Never". I am Very happy right now..I do miss my friends but a Group of us plan to meet in Amsterday{My Favorite City in The whole World}this summer..so there is something always to look forward to....!!!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wkWMdux53-Q


Well Jazzlovers I leave you with Love..and Miss Della Reese...My Favorite Song...Never give up on Love...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5WVBkNez4bU&feature=relmfu


Well Jazzlovers until Next time ,

Keep the bear!

D W Jazzlover.....

Do You Button Your Shirt from The Top Or From The Bottom?

How Many Projects can you spot?

It is another beautiful Day

Hello Jazzlovers,

I am getting dressed to meet some friends, and I noticed something, I have been paying "attention" to mindless activity!! In other words I am catching myself when I am  unconscious in an activity, because I am doing something all the time, but my mind travels when I have started doing something,in my mind starting it is also finishing it so mentally I go on to the next thing...

A good example is the photo! But I will come back to that! Today while getting dressed after I put my shirt on, I noticed I remember picking the shirt out, and taking it off the hanger...But I don't remember putting it on and buttoning it up!!My mind was already on something else..Now here is the funny, I have never missed buttons on a shirt or buttoned one crooked because My Grandmother taught me to button a shirt,She said "Baby feel down to the last button on the shirt with your right hand and feel down your shirt to the last button hole with your left...now Sugah put those 2 together, now feel up to the next button and button hole..all the way up and don't look down at the buttons"!! Try it it works every time! So for me buttoning a shirt is a mindless activity because I don't have to think about it..

So my aim, today is to see just how many things I do without thinking about it..Like leaving one room to go into another room to get something and get there an not know what I came for!! Did I forget or once  I started to go get it did I mentally go  on to something else? Good example if you look at the photo, I started cleaning that little table and the legs fell off, I went for Hammer and nails, but had to wait for it to dry before nailing it back together, while waiting I decided to read a while until I could work on it again..I looked up from the book at the quilt in the corner  that I am working on, and left the room to get a fabric I had just bought to lay against the quilt to see if it would work!!! Looking at the photo everything looks disconnected but but they were all in the process..Now my question is was I conscious the whole time ? Or am I as dizzy as I think I am some times!!!LOL

So I am going to try today to monitor every time I come back into focus!!!and what I am doing at the time..Because you see I am a Dreamer...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8kEjwm_me_s      "The Loving Spoonful"


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2xN9r0bWe78&feature=related  The Mamas and Papas...

And My Most favorite song about being a dreamer....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ajwnmkEqYpo&feature=related  The mams and Papas... I love this song..

So you see Jazzlovers If I can button a shirt and not be aware of it, how many other things have my mind learned to do with out thought? But  it is wonderful being a Daydreamer...So Dream a little dream with me... !

So Jazzlovers
Until Next time keep the beat...

DW Jazzlover..

Southern Smothered Chicken

Hello Jazzlovers..

I have louisiana cooking on my mind today...The above photo is of My Aunt and Uncles Cafe which was a staple in my life growing up..I am craving their cooking today..But making one of My GrandMothers dishes and decided to share it...So enjoy...

Smothered Chicken
1 Can Cream of Chicken soup or Cream of Mushroom soup your choice
One Whole Chicken Cut into pieces.
3 or 4 or 5 good shakes of Lea&Perrin
Season Salt to Taste
Black Pepper to Taste
Red Pepper to taste.
One or two Small onion Choppled
2 Stalks of Green Onion Chopped,
1/2or more of a  Small bell Pepper Chopped.
Garlic to taste chopped, ( I like a lot)
1/2 to 1-Stalk Celery chopped..
1 Tablespoon Soy Sauce..
1 /2 Cup of Corn oil or sunflowere oil or crisco your preference, it will not affect the taste..
1 cup flour in paper bag..

Place chicken is large bowl, season with salt, black and red pepper add Lea and Perrin and soy sauce cover chicken well with seasoning, cover and place in fridge, for 1to4 hours or longer but Minimum 1hour...turning chicken in the bowl every hour..
In the mean time chop the trinity of Bell pepper, onion and garlic and green onion and set aside..(.I know There are more than 3 but it is called the trinity at home)

Heat oil (Not too hot) in a skillet that has a cover a cover, place chicken in paper bag with flour and shake until well coated, add to frying pan piece by piece and fry until golden brown on all sides,as you remove each peice of chicken place back in to bowel with Marinade until all chicken is done...
after all the chicken is cooked pour off oil except 1 table spoon, turn heat down to low and add onion garlic bell pepper and celery stir until onion is cooked pour marinade and juices from the chicken into frying pan and stir to loosen sticky brown bits in the bottom of the pan, now add the cream soup stiring until smooth and one can of water and return chicken to frying pan and cover, simmer over low heat until chicken is tender stirring frenquently to keep from sticking...cook for 35 to 45 minutes..

 

Serve over Rice...( I like rice and potato salad with this dish...)

Enjoy!!!

 

You can also use Pork chops instead of chicken..

 

Now for a little cooking music!!

 

Miss Katie Webster,

 

 I have loved this woman all my life and she is where I am today!!!

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LaiG_HVZmZY      Red Negligee

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gwC--VUA6Q0&feature=related    Whoo Whee Sweet daddy

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IIvUFWoenVM&feature=related     Trouble Blues ( Great for stirring the chicken!!!) In the kitchen Music!!

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xu1mKfl5Zyc     Since I Met You Baby

 

Now if this is for dinner!!  It is ok to open a bottle of wine, and put a lot of love in this dish!!!!

 

 

Well Jazzlovers

until Next Time,

 

Keep the beat!!!

 

Much Love DW JazzLover

 

 

Josephine Baker Day The First Black Superstar

Repost..

It is Josephine Baker Day Today 20 May

Hello Jazzlovers,

I have just returned from a working Vacation in Amsterdam and Paris, I will write about Amsterdam later. Paris I had not seen for a few years and was amazed at the changes, which I will also write about later.

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4aUjrxQehcM&feature=related

 

What I do want to write about is Josephine Baker and the fact that even almost 30 years after her death she is still revered in Paris. Her image is everywhere and very often in places of HONER ! She is still a symbol of beauty and grace even school children know who she is, I seriously doubt it is the same at home.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?gl=US&v=MsXyDrf9HO0

Today 20 May is Josephine Baker Day, so instead of me giving a history lesson I have decided to let her speak for herself. Thanks to all the wonderful people on You Tube who loved her too and they have made my research very easy.All the links today are about her wonderful courage and great heart, her Beauty and her bravery during the war. If you are like me it took me all this week to listen and view all the wonderful videos of her life, and I hope you enjoy them as much as I have. I will continue to remember her and her beauty, she had a fascinating journey.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H46uf5-Way0&feature=related

My and Contributors to You Tube's Tribute:Enjoy

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D8M6vSZMB2U&feature=related

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NlP7nOSIgBY&feature=related

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8QEbG-c6tmI&feature=related

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M-Z5hygBnuU&feature=related

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O1R06xNDGOI&feature=related

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SUDvjxg9wKE&feature=related

Ms. Josephine Baker

I think Ms. Josephine Baker has spoken very well for herself, and I hope you have enjoyed this as much as I have. I am so grateful to my mother for making sure as a child I knew who Josephine Baker was. But as a child I had no idea of just how wonderful she was.

 

I am grateful for my days in Paris to have reminded me of this Gracious Legend, and for their continuous love for her.

 

Untill Next time Jazzlovers

 

Keep the Beat...

 

DW Jazzlover