Tag Archives: Stories

How To Unlock Caterpillar Logic

Growing up in New Orleans for me was a privilege, that I don’t take for granted in my childhood. It meant good food, lively music, snowballs, and a rich culture. It also meant around spring time caterpillars would hang from my grandparents oak trees!

 

I dreaded caterpillars because they were very thick and sticky. There was often a host of caterpillars all crammed together like a pack of sardines. April and May, in particular, meant caterpillars would be everywhere from the sidewalks, bushes, and my grandmother’s porch. This did not mean much to my grandfather when he’d want assistance in cleaning the sidewalk.

“Come on out here boy, this sidewalk won’t brush itself!!” He’d yell.

“But he’s hysterical of those caterpillars!” Gammie would plead!

I’m thankful my Gammie always had my back and considered how I felt! It is through her care and concern, I never had to help my pops clean around outside during the spring! Luckily, I had a brother who didn’t mind as much! 😀

I never shook my fear of them until I left New Orleans. I didn’t see them at all in Texas although I noticed on occasion, I’d catch small moths and butterflies. I’ve grown to appreciate the caterpillar because of its developmental changes. I reference their process often in my life. Looking back at how afraid I was, I now see a misguided fear. Was I afraid of growing? Could I soon break free from the cocoon? The more I learned about their process, the more I appreciated their relevance in all living existence.

I made a short video breaking down an allegorical connection between caterpillars and the flow of your ideas!

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Nightmares In Jeopardy

A nightmare came to me like a morning dream. I was fooled by the bright lights from the sun and a soft voice in my ear. Yet, there I was – stuck in a thick sweat – drowning and crying out for help. Reflections of my childhood came as a series of bright flashcards. My old church // Childhood Trauma // My dog Rocky I had when I was 12 // Making food with my grandmother in the kitchen // Marbles dropping on the newly laid tile floor // When I realized I could talk in my head // The Time I tasted a rainbow on the ground for the first time.

These all came to me like bright visions all entwined in a early cold sweat.

I screamed in terror because I couldn’t understand what was happening to me. In my waking life, I’m reminded of the words and stories that have been hidden in various pockets of my mind’s eye. Stories I neglected to share because I didn’t know what they could mean or reveal for the future.

Maya Angelou said it wonderfully:

“There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.”

Inside of us are stories that are untold. Some terrifying while others are delightful. Stories that must be told, otherwise they reveal themselves through my dreams and our subconsciousness. The freedom and dare I say – vulnerability in speaking those hidden stories can mean several things for different reasons. Scars remind us of the pain that came before. The evidence of such experiences isn’t always what the mirror wants to face. These scars are a record of the numbers that have been calculated and those calculations are the visible framework of those experiences that are added and subtracted.

Upon the math of these scars which visits my dreams, I have more questions to ask. These questions narrate which direction I’m headed. The very act of writing is liberating. It entices thoughts unvisited in speaking range. It’s such a divine feeling to write. To get it right with what’s written. Feels so casual and simply conversational. Writing makes room for where there isn’t any. It just gets in the way and then before you know it – you start asking the hard questions that visit you in your nightmares. Jeopardy finds a new home in my nightmares, but it’s cool because those questions build the story inside.

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What makes our experiences true is what gives us clarity to the lie in why we beLIEve.

 

A Sound Proof Destiny

Sometimes life is filled with unpredictable sentences which leave you dumbfounded. No matter how much you read into what is before you, it doesn’t seem to process. The connections make a draw and you’re left with thoughts about things you never knew could be conceived.

Ever talk to someone and then suddenly you got lost because they went on and on about something you never quite – caught up to?

When they just seemed to go on tangents about issues you never knew were issues until they classified them as such?

Ever been caught off guard completely by life and how one reasons with reality?

Ever just burst into laughter because you crossed something in your mind, trapped in some distant part of your imagination – which then created joy and made you laugh?

You can even climb trees in the winter time right after the snow falls.

What you just saw happened (in your mind) can happen and that’s just life answering back at you.

It’s Sound. It comes as proof of some kind of destiny.

Or maybe it just doesn’t make sense?

You can climb a tree at home while not having to go out in the cold after it snows 😀

Take A Listen…

Prince / A Sudden Transcendence

A flood of emotional experiences parades my mind in light of the N.E.W.S of April 21st, 2016. I don’t think any of us expected it to come so soon. On A full moon, Prince transcended this earthly dimension into a higher place. His kingdom in the heavens. It’s been an emotional roller-coaster 2.0 as everything just seems to linger at the center. If I am being completely honest, it feels as if the universe made a huge mistake.

Prince has been the soundtrack of my life for as long as I understood the depth of sound. He has a song for every emotion and experience. Which makes it extremely difficult. He’s everywhere. (The song ‘Everywhere’ from The Rainbow Children) If I want to get Mad // I think of the song ‘Mad’ composed in 1994 released on the NPG Music Club. When I listen to his songs about Joy // I then Rave Un2 The Joy Fantastic. It goes on and on. A song with every feeling and emotion which carries me into a very intense realization.

Prince is one of those artists that constantly challenges and creatively keeps you on the edges of wonder. His music has really affected me in ways deeper than any other artist has, and this expedition is eternal. There seems to be an explosion of where to go when examining the large body of work he has! If you want to know anything, look deep inside your soul!

I was taken by surprise when I realized the soundscapes capable of being explored each and every time. Each time he took the stage, he could rearrange a song in a completely different form. Effortlessly he could combine several genres into one. He became one song and this one song was free.

Prince represented, stood for and embodied Freedom. There are no walls. There is no time. He made an example of this anytime he released a song, he would prove there was always more to find. Hidden treasures buried underneath multiple layers of sonic nirvana. I can speak forever about his music. I use to review his albums on my YouTube channel – it was only recently (about 2 weeks ago) when I decided to remove my album discussions. I enjoyed making these videos as it was so fun exploring the production and story that is enveloped in his songs. I removed my album discussions because I became aware that my opinions of his songs evolved with my experiences. I realize that music is one of the best diaries to any experience. I also realize that I didn’t feel it was necessary to review everything that was released. I can display my appreciation for the music in light of the inspiration that Paisley Park brought me. (I will upload those reviews online as landmark anniversaries come along 🙂

I’ve had amazing experiences and I am considerably thankful for all I learned since my journey began. Each of us has a Prince story. A time where we heard a song and were taken to a place or maybe even a one on one encounter with him. He’s touched the lives of so many and the reason for this, causes to us to celebrate.

It’s been marvelous to see all of the stories come out which display how many lives he has touched. From young to old. Musicians to Politicians. If you’ve heard his sound at all, you have been moved into a place of true respect. I’ve had the privilege of being closer to some of the magic by experiencing Paisley Park on the regular. Conducting the Studio Tours there, was a dream I never could imagine. Several times I was brought by surprise when he would show up. He’d always say Hi, and was quite the joker. One distinct time I remember is when I was at a private rehearsal with his newly formed band. Kirk Johnson On Drums, Mono Neon on Bass guitar , Donna Grantis on Lead Guitar, Adrian Crutchfield on Saxophone, and Prince primarily on keys (although he played guitar when he felt it)

I was working the teleprompter. Can’t mess that up right? Just scrolling up the lyrics as the music played along. Sounds easy enough right? Well, this one time the set list was not followed in order of the list. Which is to be expected, as Prince shuffles through his songs on a whim. I couldn’t exactly find the lyrics for Free Urself, and the band was playing as normal. Prince was in front of me and he noticed this and would always smile and look back. He had this smirk on his face that he kept giving it as he noticed the lyrics were not there. I was so nervous and was trying hard to find the lyrics. He stopped the music and laughed and said: “The Lyrics just seemed to disappear huh?” I explained they weren’t in the file, and he said “Cool – we can do something that is there. You pick.” So I choose ‘What It Feels Like” and he went through it. I felt so relieved but also felt I needed to step my game so that this could not happen again.

Couldn’t be more than ten seconds and he changed it up after saying “I’m feeling something a bit harder…” then we went straight into “Xtraloveable”. It was so funky, I could barely scroll up on the teleprompter and he looked back and said “You’re free to dance if you want to! You can dance and clap your hands…we’ll just jam! We know the lyrics to this one! Clap your hands and dance! It’s Alright!”

He made it possible to be free. (Even while you were at ‘Work’) To inspire for higher and to reach for broader places. He encouraged and demanded it. It was a necessity to reach out and to do the work. I am extremely thankful for the opportunities that have been given. I’ll always celebrate and remind myself that I was as close to the magic as I could be. I got to see a side to him that was music personified. A gift I’ll treasure for a lifetime.

We in the #PurpleArmy should feel blessed at the amount of music we have because of Prince. We can be captured by simply listening to the sound and for this, I’ll be eternally grateful. Thank you, Prince, for being a mentor, teacher, and the embodiment of music. You have forever changed and transformed the landscape of sound.

#Luv4OneAnother

Prince / A Sudden Transcendence

A flood of emotional experiences parades my mind in light of the N.E.W.S of April 21st, 2016. I don’t think any of us expected it to come so soon. On A full moon, Prince transcended this earthly dimension into a higher place. His kingdom in the heavens. It’s been an emotional roller-coaster 2.0 as everything just seems to linger at the center. If I am being completely honest, it feels as if the universe made a huge mistake.

Prince has been the soundtrack of my life for as long as I understood the depth of sound. He has a song for every emotion and experience. Which makes it extremely difficult. He’s everywhere. (The song ‘Everywhere’ from The Rainbow Children) If I want to get Mad // I think of the song ‘Mad’ composed in 1994 released on the NPG Music Club. When I listen to his songs about Joy // I then Rave Un2 The Joy Fantastic. It goes on and on. A song with every feeling and emotion which carries me into a very intense realization.

Prince is one of those artists that constantly challenges and creatively keeps you on the edges of wonder. His music has really affected me in ways deeper than any other artist has, and this expedition is eternal. There seems to be an explosion of where to go when examining the large body of work he has! If you want to know anything, look deep inside your soul!

I was taken by surprise when I realized the soundscapes capable of being explored each and every time. Each time he took the stage, he could rearrange a song in a completely different form. Effortlessly he could combine several genres into one. He became one song and this one song was free.

Prince represented, stood for and embodied Freedom. There are no walls. There is no time. He made an example of this anytime he released a song, he would prove there was always more to find. Hidden treasures buried underneath multiple layers of sonic nirvana. I can speak forever about his music. I use to review his albums on my YouTube channel – it was only recently (about 2 weeks ago) when I decided to remove my album discussions. I enjoyed making these videos as it was so fun exploring the production and story that is enveloped in his songs. I removed my album discussions because I became aware that my opinions of his songs evolved with my experiences. I realize that music is one of the best diaries to any experience. I also realize that I didn’t feel it was necessary to review everything that was released. I can display my appreciation for the music in light of the inspiration that Paisley Park brought me. (I will upload those reviews online as landmark anniversaries come along 🙂

I’ve had amazing experiences and I am considerably thankful for all I learned since my journey began. Each of us has a Prince story. A time where we heard a song and were taken to a place or maybe even a one on one encounter with him. He’s touched the lives of so many and the reason for this, causes to us to celebrate.

It’s been marvelous to see all of the stories come out which display how many lives he has touched. From young to old. Musicians to Politicians. If you’ve heard his sound at all, you have been moved into a place of true respect. I’ve had the privilege of being closer to some of the magic by experiencing Paisley Park on the regular. Conducting the Studio Tours there, was a dream I never could imagine. Several times I was brought by surprise when he would show up. He’d always say Hi, and was quite the joker. One distinct time I remember is when I was at a private rehearsal with his newly formed band. Kirk Johnson On Drums, Mono Neon on Bass guitar , Donna Grantis on Lead Guitar, Adrian Crutchfield on Saxophone, and Prince primarily on keys (although he played guitar when he felt it)

I was working the teleprompter. Can’t mess that up right? Just scrolling up the lyrics as the music played along. Sounds easy enough right? Well, this one time the set list was not followed in order of the list. Which is to be expected, as Prince shuffles through his songs on a whim. I couldn’t exactly find the lyrics for Free Urself, and the band was playing as normal. Prince was in front of me and he noticed this and would always smile and look back. He had this smirk on his face that he kept giving it as he noticed the lyrics were not there. I was so nervous and was trying hard to find the lyrics. He stopped the music and laughed and said: “The Lyrics just seemed to disappear huh?” I explained they weren’t in the file, and he said “Cool – we can do something that is there. You pick.” So I choose ‘What It Feels Like” and he went through it. I felt so relieved but also felt I needed to step my game so that this could not happen again.

Couldn’t be more than ten seconds and he changed it up after saying “I’m feeling something a bit harder…” then we went straight into “Xtraloveable”. It was so funky, I could barely scroll up on the teleprompter and he looked back and said “You’re free to dance if you want to! You can dance and clap your hands…we’ll just jam! We know the lyrics to this one! Clap your hands and dance! It’s Alright!”

He made it possible to be free. (Even while you were at ‘Work’) To inspire for higher and to reach for broader places. He encouraged and demanded it. It was a necessity to reach out and to do the work. I am extremely thankful for the opportunities that have been given. I’ll always celebrate and remind myself that I was as close to the magic as I could be. I got to see a side to him that was music personified. A gift I’ll treasure for a lifetime.

We in the #PurpleArmy should feel blessed at the amount of music we have because of Prince. We can be captured by simply listening to the sound and for this, I’ll be eternally grateful. Thank you, Prince, for being a mentor, teacher, and the embodiment of music. You have forever changed and transformed the landscape of sound.

#Luv4OneAnother

The Creatures OF Backward Metamorphosis

It’s not often I wake up with the anticipation to have your arrival AT the front of my window. Being hesitant to interrupt the meeting of intended vibrations, I was very reluctant to even give into the fervent pot of its taste. We all know how it is, to perform ‘manners’ when within a business. We can’t eat without a sense common courtesy in waiting for the other guest. It seems as if the utensils were slowly picked up. My digest reads at the enlargement of your entree.

When the waiter came by my table, she delivered a coy smile, which literally made the butterflies seem to arrange metamorphosis backward. Those caterpillars in my belly stung out the very taste for my food. NOW, that the proposal is laid out on the table, I find myself in joy; as I actually entertain the thoughts of perplexed passion, in an exotic abyss. I’ve been awarded a trophy, but I have never even run the race for a prize. I simply ran because I convinced myself; a monster of annihilation beckoned, my very existence. I’ve never been one to go into the closets of life; I rather become threatened by the horror of those who have the power to conclude my every direction.

I’m simply aware of the coming days of summer, which can linger in the memories of the stories of THOSE OF YOUNG and old. I’m about ready; to scatter those seeds of the matrix on the cracked floors I stand on. NOW, when the door becomes of reach, I am able to turn the knob a little closer to my own codes. I am the only one, who understands the initiation of my beginning and end. Those lines are extremely easy to find out, but when the letter is being written for you, BY SOMEONE else, you begin to wonder why do we write out a plan? Maybe the plan is that a squeal will appear as the premier.

 

The nature of my flow has now reacquainted; the once shy friend of mine. Friendship has sharpened the sword of revenge. Now, the rain is going to come down. We know, that the very sound of thunder; is not to scare us or intimate us. rather remind us, we were ENLIGHTENED before the sound.

This light never sleeps, it only reveals itself when it’s simply ready to inform you of what is felt. I’ve gained knowledge by the advice of my past, and don’t we all know, those scars and bulges somehow indicate the injury that has been healed? SO, as I ponder through the images of laughter of ecstasy, the sun rises upon the number of clouds which have vanished back into the sea.

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