Hello Treasure Seekers! It’s Tuesday! Here I am starting fresh. It is like I am beginning again! I know it has been a while since I have been blogging, and my new schedule will have me writing in this category every two weeks, instead of every week. I really needed a break, and it is time to get back into the Blogging habit. It is a good thing for me to do, and I enjoy Blogging.
I am writing my first book. I have put aside the first draft to begin again, this time with a second draft. The first draft hasn’t been shredded, in fact, it will help me to perfect my second draft. Some of it is definitely worthy of making it into my book. Other parts need to be written with a new perspective, to have it in the correct point of view. I had to get a feel for where I am going with the stories and to do that, I needed time to think about what I did, and what I want to do.
One of my gifts is that I love to write, and tell stories. I have written song lyrics, and a poem or two. I have written a lot here on the Blog, and some people have told me that it is like a journal. In a way, it is. It is written from my heart, and that is where all of my stories come from. I used to write in journals, so maybe that is why it may read like a journal to some people. For me, it is not the same.
There is a lot more thought behind what I write here. My journals were written when I was a teenager and a young adult. They were a lot less polished, more raw than what I write here on the blog. Nevertheless, I treasure all of the words I write, like the hidden gems they are. Some are kept hidden, from my past, and they will stay there. It is where they belong. The Blog is constantly being polished to shine. Every change I make is heading in the right direction for me. I am hoping that you are still going to be reading as I keep writing. That is another one of my treasures. You.
This afternoon, when I got home from work, I checked my Stats. I know the GDPR is coming up, and I am working on preparing my website for the change. I have seen very low activity in the past little bit. Imagine my surprise when I saw a jump in the numbers! It went from 3 or fewer views to 24! Weekend Warrior from this past weekend stirred up some views. That makes me smile, to know that people have been waiting for me to write more Blog stories.
Wow. For those of you that are with me on this adventure, thank you. Really. It means a lot to me when the numbers reflect that you are paying attention. I write for you to read because you matter to me. My stories mean something to you too. I hope that this pattern continues and that you will stick with it and with me. Oh my gosh, this just makes me smile!
So how can I help you to grow in your own way with me? It is something I have been thinking about when I was preparing for this story. I have started so many new projects in the last year and a half. I have tried new things and challenged myself. Sometimes, there have been things that didn’t work. I am too stubborn to just quit. I am just not that kind of a person. I may stop in my tracks to get my bearings, and then go full speed ahead in whatever direction I need to go next. How can you do this?
Trust Your Gut! Ha! If you read my Blog, that is another category, but the title lends itself here with a different purpose. Start with one thing. Something that scares you a little. Or challenges you. Go with it. If it doesn’t work, there are two possibilities. Either it isn’t your thing (which means you need to try something different next time) or you need to rethink what happened, and try it again from a different angle. That is it. It is okay to try things and decide that you don’t want to do them again. The important thing is to keep trying new things. Keep pushing for what you really want, even if you are scared, even if you don’t know what that thing you want is yet. Time is going to pass whether you watch it or become a part of it. I choose to participate, and what an adventure I have begun. I am on my way to things I never thought I would be able to do. I am, in fact, surprising myself. You have the power to do it too, if you decide to participate in your own life, instead of watching it pass you by. Do something new! Let me know what you did in the comments below. I can’t wait to help you discover new things about yourself. I want to know what works for you, and what doesn’t.
Need an example? #DanceWithJanet was something I tried this spring. I thought about it, planned it in my mind, practiced when I got my feet to join in on the project. It took some convincing. I KNEW I wanted to do it. I didn’t know how. I do Zumba. I like it. I make up the moves that work for me to get through the class. That is what I did in my blooper reel. I spent 2 days filming, one with a friend, and one on my own. I did it. This past weekend, Janet Jackson was on the Billboard Awards. She was getting the Icon Award, and she did sing a little. Loved it. The thing that made me want to jump up and down was the little dance section at just over 2 minutes into the performance. She did her dance to IF! That is the song I chose for my audition. I was blown away. I am still giggling and shaking my head. Grinning from ear to ear. She must have watched. She may not add me to her show, but I might have added a touch of Tishspiration to her life. I have convinced myself of this, and that it wasn’t just a coincidence. #Tishspiration. It is a word I made up, with a whole lot of potential. I am going to use it to move forward with my journey. I am playing with my creativity and imagination, and it is really surprising me.
There is one final thing of note for my #DanceWithJanet audition. I did it. I sent it in. No regrets. I was on Twitter after the Award show, and one tweet stood out to me. Someone wrote, “I should have tried out for #DanceWithJanet.” Someone else out there regrets not doing something that I actually did. I am not the person with regrets. That is something I can think back on and smile. Scream a little, jump up and down about, and clap my hands for. I DID IT!
I was wondering today if Janet Jackson has any idea how much she impacted my life just for allowing me to try? Not only have I felt the joy of actually doing something to change my life, but the responses I got from friends and family were nothing short of amazing. The support and comments from so many people really made it worthwhile. Okay, and so did the actual completion of the project, but the reactions on the internet really surprised me. Nothing but positivity. For this, I also want to thank Janet Jackson. I didn’t know how many people truly cared about me and what I am doing in my life. It makes me think that I am on the right path and that I must keep going. #Tishspiration is just beginning. Wait until you see what I am working on next! There is a hint at my Youtube channel, Tishspiration Station. By the way, if you didn’t see the Audition video, or the progress/blooper reel, you can find them there. It is where the word Tishspiration started, with that audition video, so it is fitting that they were my first two videos on my Youtube Channel. I am conceptualizing what to tackle next there. It won’t be anything with music or dancing at this time, due to copyright laws. I am still crossing my fingers that the videos I have posted there keep the music. It was a part of the audition, so it was not in any way meant to do anything but share my adventure. It was never intended to earn money or claim any rights to the music. It was her sone, for her open competition. I can’t just do that with any music I love. There are songs that allow usage on Youtube. I may have fun someday with other songs and dances. For now, I am working on my first Vlog on youtube. Stay tuned! Vlog #1 TBA. I am just getting started on this adventure! I hope you will join me because I am glad that you are here!
Hello Weekend Warriors! It has been a while, but I am trying to get back on track with the Blog. I am currently watching an Award Show after watching a Wedding yesterday. I along with a vast majority of the world, tuned in for the marriage of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. I hope they get to try Sussex Golden Ginger Ale for a toast some day. It is my preferred mix for whiskey.
Let’s back up a bit. Friday night we made the trip outside of the city to a smaller town to watch The Avengers Infinity War Movie. There was a lot to keep track of, but as a Marvel fan, it did not disappoint. I look forward to watching it again, to catch anything I may have missed. I am looking forward to 2 other movies. I want to see Book Club because it looks hilarious. I am also wanting to see Deadpool 2. I cannot wait to laugh right from my toes at Deadpool 2. I really enjoyed the first one, in all its inappropriate hijinks.
I did not get up early to watch The Royal Wedding yesterday. I did record it, so I could watch it on my schedule. I had coffee, not tea. I cried a little, at the beauty of love. I don’t think I cried at weddings until I got married myself. I understand what it means, and the depth of feelings that are wrapped up in the ceremony. I felt it while watching Harry and Meghan.
People have hated on the wedding, the makeup, the dress, and well I have a few things to write about that. I thought Meghan looked beautiful Yes, she is an actress, but she wasn’t working yesterday. She was living her life and marrying a Prince. In real life. She wasn’t over the top, she was respectable and beautiful. The Queen is a tough critic, and there are a lot more restrictions in all things Royal that must be taken into consideration when The Queen of England is going to be an in-law. No pressure, with that and the whole world watching too.
I think it was lovely, start to finish, even with the fanfare, and the wild sermon. It was a memorable event, and I am glad I watched. It reminded me of my own wedding, and how it was very memorable, for a different reason. We got married on the day of Hurricane Earl, almost 8 years ago. If you can’t have yourself a Royal Wedding, then I recommend allowing the weather to make the day memorable. We survived, and they say rain is good luck on a wedding day. I wonder what a hurricane means?
On to Sunday. Today I went to Church, took a nap, fired up the barbeque, and watched the Billboard Music Awards. As you know, I entered the #DanceWithJanet competition. I didn’t get a call yet, so I wasn’t on stage. However, I think I might have made an impression on Ms Jackson. She used the same music clip that I did for my audition. That cannot just be a coincidence! I believe I may have had a teeny tiny success in #Tishspiration, in that she picked the same song I did for my audition for her performance tonight. I wasn’t there dancing, but my heart was singing! The whole experience was so much fun, and it might have just gone over the top!
I am trying to figure out what to do to prepare my website for GDPR. The deadline is Friday. I am going to see what WordPress.org and Bluehost where I purchased my domain name from have available for advice and options. The store is not live yet, so sales are not yet an issue. When I set the store up, I will have a better idea of what to do to be compliant. For now, I just have to get it as ready as I can in the next few days.
Other than that, I have been working on my Youtube Channel Art. Tishspiration Station is a new project.
I had a few trial runs for this project, but I am pleased with this result. Now to get back to things like oh, I don’t know, writing and jewellery designing. I am breaking up the quantity of blog posts to have more quality and more time for other projects. I am trying to get the new concept for my first book nailed down for the second draft of my first book. I am submitting other writing projects for publication in a few different places. I am finalizing the concept for the Cat Tales Jewellery Collection. The Book Bling will have small collections, maybe one piece per book. It is meant to be specific to the book and has meaning for the fans. I have 3 concepts for my first 3 books. I have a lot on the go, all the time.
I have had a lot of success with the #DanceWithJanet video audition on my own sharing of the dance video. I am watching the number of views climb while waiting for a response from Ms Jackson, herself. When something like this happens, it is good to keep your feet on the ground (unless you are dancing, of course)! #Tishspiration Strikes again! I have been Tishspired to share a little more about this adventure with the world.
I am sure that there are some people out there who know me that are worried about my sanity. I am fine. It was something that I couldn’t pass up trying for. Whatever the outcome, I did my best. I think of it as possibly a mid-life crisis at the worst. I am trying to make my mark on this world while I am here.
People have talked to my husband about it. They want to encourage him to support me. He does. We have done the Long Distance Relationship thing twice before. It is not easy, but it would not be a problem. People that haven’t known us longer than 10 years wouldn’t necessarily know that. It’s been done, and it could be done again. Who knows, maybe there would be times for him to visit. If not, we would manage just fine.
People are trying to convince me to make more videos. With the copyright laws, that is tricky. The #DanceWithJanet video has raised flags on Facebook. It knows what song it is and who owns the rights. I have done what I could to explain it in the posts with the video. It has been left with the music, as I am stating with the video that I do not own the rights to the song I chose, IF by Janet Jackson.
One must remain humble when something causes a larger than expected reaction. In my attempt to do this, I thought of sharing a longer video of this project. I do not have the knowledge to edit the video to change the speed of the song to avoid the issue of copyright. I tried. I fought with it. I just don’t have those skills. In time, I may learn how to do this. For now, I am clearly stating that this video is a byproduct of my #DanceWithJanet Audition, in which I claim no rights to the music in the video. IF is a song by Janet Jackson, and she owns the rights.
I hope that covers the legalities. If the sound does disappear in the future, we all know what happened. I am not intending to earn any profits from the music that I am dancing to unless I go #DanceWithJanet as a result of sharing it.
People also said that it looked easy. Let me tell you, it was a lot of work. I had to practice. At the start, it didn’t flow. It didn’t look smooth. I had to find the combination that worked the best together, which is what made the final cut. It was actually the last run through on my last video. I had fun, which will be apparent in the video I share below.
I have no regrets. I am certain that it made people smile to watch me try. What else can a person ask for in an adventure like this? Other than being chosen to go work with Janet Jackson, of course. That is the dream, and the reason I tried. I went for it. If nothing else, it made me try something new. That is one of the secrets to feeling alive, is to try new things.
As I wrote above, I am trying to keep my feet on the ground and be humble amidst all of the positivity and support during this adventure. I am going to share 2 videos. The first one is the behind the scenes blooper reel. It shows that I had to practice and work on the actual project before selecting the 30-second audition video. I will share the final audition video also. This shows the progression to the audition and the final result. Enjoy!
And the final edit!
Thank you to @JanetJackson for letting me try. If youtube or Janet Jackson remove the music…I challenge you to turn up YOUR favourite song while you watch. Let me know if it works with my Blooper Reel!
I am writing a little out of sequence today. I have some Tishsplaining to do about a new Tish-ism, or Two. That’s right, I made up some new words. Tishspiration and Tishspired. I will give you some background information on how these two new Tish-isms popped into my mind today.
Yes, it is Tuesday. I’m aware. Instead of the regular Treasure Seeker Tuesday post that is normally what you would expect to be reading today… SURPRISE! I am always saying that my Super Power is surprising people, including myself. Guess what? My day started with a really big surprise. This is what happened.
It’s Tuesday. I crawled out of bed and made it to my computer. Started catching up before I got ready for work. I saw something that caught my eye. If you follow me on facebook or twitter, you already know what it is. If not, I am going to share a link to this amazing surprise I woke up to this morning… #DanceWithJanet
OPEN AUDITIONS! I couldn’t believe my eyes! Within the last 2 years, I have said to some members of the Zumba Crew that it would be a dream job to be a backup dancer for Janet Jackson. LITERALLY. Here is my chance to try out for it!
I have been putting myself out into the world in a lot of different ways since November 2016. I started the Blog, and moved it here, to the website. I have started writing books. I’ve begun a journey to become a healthier version of myself. I have shared that I am morbidly obese and that I have type 2 Diabetes. I have been going to Zumba for a couple of years. I used to really enjoy Step class and BodyJam, both being dance-based exercise classes (one with a step). I LOVE MUSIC and I LOVE TO DANCE!
I got to thinking today at work. I have been told by more than one person that I am a breath of fresh air. I am funny. I am an inspiration. I know I am determined. I know I am a hard worker. I know I have a really big heart. I know my purpose on Earth is to be a writer because I have stories to tell. I have written songs. I love creating things. I am a jewellery designer. I have danced since I was a teenager. To be honest, I have always been a dreamer.
I made a Facebook Live video on Sunday, asking anyone who has told me that I am an inspiration to them to help me understand what it is that I am doing that makes them think I am an inspiration. I am waiting to see if anyone replies to that request for help.
As I write this, I am trying my first glass of unsweetened almond coconut Silk. I can’t say that I am a fan. I prefer the unsweetened cashew Silk, with or without the vanilla. Surprise! (This random shift in thoughts is brought to you by me trying something new)!
Today at work I pondered about how to submit my 30-second audition video to Janet Jackson. That is not a lot of time. I have to dance, and because I am not a professionally trained dancer, I need to find another way to stand out. If I don’t show my true personality, I won’t be memorable. This is the Big Leagues in my Dream Chasing World! I NEED TO BE MEMORABLE!
How do people stand out in social media in thousands or even millions of 30-second audition videos? They go Viral. What am I good at? Surprising people and myself. I have not gone Viral. YET. My day is coming soon! (I know you saw those hashtags in the picture with the tree).
One way I grab people’s attention is through my writing. Another is through my sense of humour. Still, another is by using my Super Power of Surprises! (I really am full of them)! One that is new to me is being an inspiration to others. I believe it is the next step for me in this journey along the zig-zagging path less travelled with a few side trips along the way.
I was really excited with what I came up with for a concept today. I am not going to reveal the video concept. You will get a link when it is released, here on the website, I promise. I do go to Zumba. I love to dance. I am not a professionally trained dancer. I am making a video anyway. I have nothing to lose, and everything to gain. Well, I take that back. I would lose weight. Dancing is hard work. I would lose the issues I have with my self-esteem. This would be something that I could really work hard at, and success would be something that could literally help me save my own life.
Type 2 Diabetes is at epidemic levels in North America and in some other countries. I was diagnosed in November 1999. At that time I was 24. Adult-onset diabetes is what Type 2 Diabetes used to be known as because people only used to get this disease when they were middle-aged. There are now children getting Type 2 Diabetes before they are teenagers. This is totally controllable and even reversible in some cases. I know that being morbidly obese from poor food choices and low activity levels are the main reasons I am fighting for normal every day. Sometimes I am fighting with every meal. Exercise helps. Making better food choices helps. I can only imagine what a complete lifestyle change with an opportunity like this could mean to not only me but to people all around the world that are like me. Fighting every bite, every meal, and every day just to be normal.
To do this, I am going to have to put everything I have into it. I am also going to need help. One does not go viral all by themselves. If that could have been done, I would have done it already. 😉
By now, you must have figured out the new Tish-isms. Tish doesn’t understand everything about how she inspires people. What she does know is that she has inspirations and can inspire herself at any time, through her own habit of Always Thinking…
It came to me today. My thoughts are Tishspired and I have Tishspirations all of the time. I need to have my own hashtags with my video to get my message to the world, and to Janet Jackson and her team. These hashtags will help, when I share my video (and even before if people want to help me get the word out).
Here they are:
#DanceWithJanet (the official hashtag for the audition videos)
#Tishspiration
#Tishspired
and the one that gives a hint to my song choice…
#IfTishWasYourGirl
Ms. Jackson, if you are reading this, first of all, Thank You. I am honoured that I can even try. Not only would choosing me help me to save my own life, but it would be something that I promise I would not treat lightly, and I would share with the world so that I can Tishspire other people just like me, to put themselves out there, in the real world to make their dreams come true. I can learn routines, and I can dance. I have to try. I will.
