I've loved music for as long as I can remember.  Not sure when the obsession began, I just know I can't live without it.  As a '70s baby, I had no idea about the true art of soul and even less knowledge of what it meant to be funky.  No pizzazz along with no clue of how to groove to the sound and the feel of the music.  It made sense that I was clueless. I was a kid surrounded by larger-than-life afros, bell-bottoms, short dresses, wild colors, and music so funky it caused people to make the ugly face when they heard it.  

To understand and appreciate the art, which is music, you have to go back to where it all began, for you.  Each musical journey is personal and special.  From the music your parents played, to the songs you sang in the church choir music will forever be a vibe that will set the tone for your musical flavor, forever! 
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I had the true honor and pleasure of chatting with my friend, Mr. Richard Wilford.  He is not only an amazing writer, author and creative soul, he is a respected pastor, motivational speaker, Army veteran and the list goes on!  Take a look for yourself and get to know him, he has a lot to say.
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◆ How are you doing on this amazing day?
I’m feeling great, and I am super excited about sharing this moment with you. 

◆ Writers are known for having thoughts at any given time.  When do you have your best ideas? 
I agree!! It’s at any given moment. My writing moments seem to come between the hours of 3am- 6am.  Six years later and four books later, it’s still the same and like clock work and without an alarm clock.

◆ If you had to give a title to the blueprint of your life, what would it be called? 
Finding my way!!! I often say, If any of us had to draw the path of our life on a graph, the line would consist of ups, downs, twist, turns, loop to loops, several steps forward and too many steps backwards. It seems as if it has been a long search for who I am and what I am supposed to be doing. ​

◆ Do you remember the first time you brought ink to paper?
I didn’t get good grades in school, but English was my favorite subject. The first book I started to write was called, “What to do when it’s not your turn!!” It stayed an idea for almost 15 years later when I published it.​

◆ Where do you pull your inspiration from? 
​Everywhere!!! I travel, read, and surf the internet and for it. I sit on benches and people watch for it. I watch documentaries of people who have pressed their way through life to be great. I absolutely love seeing people flow in their passion and gift. Just this week, I randomly asked a lady at my job, “What is your dream job?” It was almost as if I had woke her up out of a trance.  It startled her, but she rattled it off so fast that you could tell, she knew it. She said, “I want to open my own cafe. I want to know all of my customers on a first named basis and I want you to be able to walk in and smell that warm cup of coffee brewing.” This is what I am talking about!!! People are walking around day after day like zombies daydreaming about places they would rather be and what else they would prefer to be doing.  It always unctions me to seek harder to find the things that I love and am good at. There is no greater feeling than doing what you love to do and it pays for your lifestyle and the ability to continue doing it. I think those who have found and operate within their love, gift and passions, should be extra loud advocates for pushing and challenging the rest of the world to find their place in this world. The world would be a better place if everyone was doing exactly what they were designed and purposed to do in this life.​ ​​​

There are two sides.  

Side A: You believe that a new year means a brand new you, along with the opportunity to re-invent yourself, possibly make a few necessary changes that you weren't able to in the previous year.  It's a fresh start, your goals are prepped and ready for full implementation.  You love everyone and your new profile pic is an image of a cute furry animal!  

Side B:  You are the same exact person you were before the clock struck midnight and there is absolutely nothing you want to change about yourself.  Simply put, it's just another day and you are ready for the weekend so you can be left alone.  Your profile pic is the same as it was last year, because once again, nothing has changed!
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The new year is upon is, goals have been set and are perfectly in order however there is still so much disruption and unbalance that we continue to be thrown off.  Adjustments are necessary in order to set our lives back into a forward and positive motion.  It's as if we were hired as extras in a movie we didn't ask to be in.  How do we escape what seems to be a scene straight out of The Matrix?  Watching the world unfold is heartbreaking, terrifying and absolutely discouraging.  

I grew up in Gary, Indiana at one time known to be the murder capital of the nation.  If you calculate the number of residents against the number of killings the statistics might frighten you.  It was and still is the place I call home.  Hearing the news of another killing was just another day in the life of a girl from the hood.  Moving away from my hometown in my early 20s I truly had no idea of the differences between two sides, the race wars that were brewing and the fight for justice and humanity that will forever be an ongoing battle.  I was young, I had not a care in the world.  I grew up, I started listening and my views changed which is the natural progression of most.  So we hope!

The events of the past year were heavy which made it understandable that the world was ready for a fresh start, a new beginning and hope for a better outcome.  Re-building as a nation is long overdue and it starts with the men and women who were deemed worthy enough to lead this great place of The United States of America.  The stakes are high, the people are watching, the people are nervous and in high anticipation of a day when we can exhale and get ready for a much-needed woosah!  

We all know what's going on in the world, there is no need to call out names and put folks on blast, they did a pretty amazing job of doing that all on their own.  With all things there is a little rain even on a bright and sunny day.  I'm highly optimistic however I would be telling a tale if I wasn't wondering where the silver lining was in all of this.  The dawn of a new day brings about hope for change.  Hope that the great people in this world can come together and join forces instead of continuing to widen the gap with confusion and anger.  I choose to smile through it because frowning causes lines I am not ready for.  And I pray because I believe in the power it brings.   

Be good to one another, learn from the mistakes of yesterday and let's pick up the pieces and push forward.  ☀️

~AJ

I've spent the better part of this year trying to simply figure out the agenda behind it all.  What direction will I travel in, what do I do now and what exactly do I say.  While those are clearly questions, they are also the boldest statements and facts of 2020.  It firmly goes without saying this is the year we all want to forget, and for many reasons.  The year of unknowns, heartache, new revelations, fear and dismay.  A barrier is defined as a fence or other obstacle that prevents movement or access.  I think you catch my drift by now.  

One of things people hate more than anything is being told what to do, how to do it and when they should do the things they have grown to love each and every day of their lives.  Some of us conformed and some fought back with the stubbornness of a toddler who was just forfeited play time.  You can turn it upside down, sideways, look at it through rose colored glasses, the picture remains the same.  This isn't the time when you get to change the narrative without adjusting the plot twist just a bit.  
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🎶 Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday dear momma, Happy Birthday to you! 🎶  

If I could scream from the highest mountain top I would let the whole world know that today is your special day and just how much you mean to me.  It's not everyday that angels come to greet us here on earth but I know that is just what you are.  A smile that can light up a room, a heart made of pure gold and a spirit that is unmatched, you are truly one of a kind.  As I took time to have a moment with God this morning I thanked Him for you.  You have selflessly been our nurturer, provider, care-giver and shown us the meaning of compassion, love and humility.  What do you give a person who has all of those things?  Any and everything that puts that beautiful smile on your face.  

When you admire a person so much you can't help but wonder every little thing about them.  Did you always know you would be a wife and a mother?  What were your dreams?  Where did you tell your friends you would go when you graduated?  What music did you dance to?  Who taught you how to draw?  Do you know how much your are loved?  

​This year seems to have been a blur at times.  The challenges and obstacles placed before us have only made our faith stronger and our testimonies worth hearing.  May the flowers brighten your day, may the gifts serve as a token for how much we care and may the love shown to you on this day overflow into the next, and so on and so on.  
 
Wishing I was there to celebrate with you this year.  Even though the miles separate us I carry you with me through every single step I take because you showed me the way.  I honor you, I adore you, and I love you from this side of the world all the way across this magnificent universe, right back to you.  Happy Birthday to my favorite person in the world, my Mom! 🎁

I love you always and forever...Your Lisa 

~AJ

From the looks of it, I have it all together, I'm centered and focused, my zen zone is at an all time high, my elbows are perfectly even and I have mastered my at home workouts.  If you glance over to the right you will see my strategically placed five pound dumbbells with the mood lighting glowing ever so softly in the background.  You are probably thinking I am listening to a Mongolian chant while brewing a fresh pot of ginger tea.  While some of that is spot on, let's just say my workout music is overflowing with words I cannot say around my mother accompanied by copious levels of bass. 

Any workout session worth your time is going to be painful, sweaty, and it will have you running to the mirror to see if you acquired a six-pack after twenty abdominal crunches or taking a picture something like this.  Gotta start somewhere so set the timer and post up!
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Seems as though Christmas was just yesterday.  Plans to travel home were made, prepping to spend hours in the kitchen cooking for family and friends and the only care in the world was to remember to get everyone a gift to put under the tree.  The events of this past year have caused quite a shift in the atmosphere and proven to be a challenge for most.  Learning new ways to entertain yourself, keeping your children occupied and thinking outside the box is essential if you want to re-introduce the feeling of normalcy back into your life.

If I had to describe this year there are a few choice descriptions but the most accurate would be likened to a 5000-piece puzzle with 1000 of those pieces missing.  Seems quite hopeless right?  You can't return it or exchange it for another because you got the very last one in stock, so then begins the challenge of dealing with it and attempting to make the best of a baffling situation.
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