PENSIEVE

Flustrated 'splanations

You know how you can talk about your brother, but Nellie-bar-the-door if anyone else does 'cause you're gonna have to put a hurtin' on 'em?  That's how I feel about my Southern brethren...and sisteren, I suppose.

"Flustrated" is a word I've heard many a country boy use bless their hearts when they're...well...frustrated, and though the Word Police in me wants to inform them of their linguistic transgression, I know better.  The same way I know it does NO good to tell an adult--Southern or otherwise--that "irregardless" is not (and never has been) a word.  

Fingernails screech across the board and I'm done with it.

Funny, though...this week I am now embracing the word....

Flustrated.  I. am. flustrated!

I've been juggling thorny-clawed-cats and blistering fireballs and razor-edged knives while running in headless-chicken circles; which taught me experiencially the definition of flustrated, which is surprisingly different from frustrated.  

Mea culpa, Country Boyz.  My bad.

Anyways...

I'm workin' on a Big Event which is requiring my time and full attention during the day, and blogging is taking a back seat--no, a TRUNK seat!--to that, especially when you throw in the ol' family with it.  Please note, I'm not complainin', I'm just explainin' why I'm not writing much lately.  

WHICH IS DINGDANG FLUSTRATING WHEN YOU HAVE STORIES TO TELL and CLIFFHANGERS HANGING and VERY IMPORTANT CAUSES TO SUPPORT and $2,500 CONTESTS TO SHARE and CREATIVE FUN to complete and a lot of THANK YOUS to extend to other bloggers!!!

The cool thing is I'm missin' writing more 'n chocolate (but just less than coffee) which feels good!  My uber-secret Big Event will done at the end of the month, but until then thanks for remembering to visit Chez Pensieve.  I will post, it'll just be sporadic.   

To thank you for stickin' around, enjoy this mind-blowing video (borrowed from Baby Bloomr).  I cannot imagine the set up for it or thinkin' it up in the first place! While you might be tempted to stop watching before it's over, the conclusion will make you glad you stuck around.  

{p.s. I'm really fine but I've had a few "concerned about you" emails

so I figured I'd explain :)...thank YOU to those who were

sweet enough to ASK!! xo}

How I learned I have caterpillar eyebrows...

The Inspirational Writing Workshop at Blissdom remains a warmfuzzymemory for me; Hallmark cardwriters Sarah Mueller and Molly Wigand joined bloggers Casey Mullins and Stephanie Precourt for an inspiration-filled session.  It's apparent they love what they do and their hearts lead their writing.  That connects with their readers, whether it's a 30-word card or a 300-word post.  

Later, Sarah Kolell with Hallmark Cards and Fleishman-Hillard's PR team, Liz Hawks and Amy Smith, hosted a booth where conferees could wander through the new kids card collection, and share feedback with creators Sarah M. or Molly.  I had the privilege of doing so with Sarah, and while I had FUN in the process, now I'm cringing just a little--a) I do NOT like my left profile (and now I understand what actors prefer a "side"!), and b) my eyebrows are really, REALLY wiggly and dark, and the left one is higher than the right!  Plus, I have the crazy eyes.  Plus, I never knew how animated I am when I speak...people who know me, AM I ALWAYS THIS EXPRESSIVE???

In hindsight, I'm wondering if Hallmark wanted to hear this much opinion 'cause I was shoveling them like a thoroughbred stall tender.  

I hope you'll watch til at least the four-minute mark; there, you'll find my video is educational...you'll learn what in THE world a "lenticular" is!

Thanks to Hallmark for their imaginative, interactive sponsorship of Blissdom!  For more blogger videos, check out their youtube page.

Baby, It's Cold Outside

While the East Coast is blanketed under Winter's arctic fury, what better way to forget about it than to sing about it?  I woke up humming this tune, and to my mind's ear I sounded just like Zooey Deschanel in her not-at-all provocative shower scene from Elf; oh, how I love her bluesy, richly melodic old school voice.  Elf is one of those movies I like better with every viewing...:)

On the Elf Soundtrack, Zooey shares an impressive duet with Leon RedBone, but I kinda liked the sweetness and naïveté Will Ferrell brings as Buddy the Elf.  Enjoy the clip with a steaming cup of hot chocolate mounded with your choice of whipped cream or marshmallows ~~ 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Want more of the same only different?  Try renditions from:

• Selma Blair & Rainn Wilson (she kinda creeped me out, but he makes me laugh, especially in the closing frame!)
• Jessica Simpson & Nick Lachey (she's a little too breathy for me but he nails it)
• James Taylor & Natalie Cole (I wanted to like this one more 'cause I LOVE JT from back in the day and Natalie's voice is spun sugar...but it sadly fell short)
• Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Jordan (She's the cat's meow but he didn't seem to be man enough for her)
• Willie Nelson & Norah Jones (She's perfect for this song; he isn't)
• Dean Martin & Martina McBride (S'ok...but no cigar)
• Rod Stewart & Dolly Parton (Love him, her warbley voice leaves me cold)

If you've got a favorite, shout it out!  And if you have any fun(ny) stories about how you're staying warm, do tell :).

Beautiful Ending

Barlowgirl, a trio of musically-gifted sisters, has been a favorite of mine since their self-titled debut five years ago.  Lyrically, their music encourages, challenges and inspires; musically, their range will leave you ROCKIN' it OUT one minute, then weeping in confession and contemplation the next.  Their CDs are a must-have for anyone with daughters (especially tweens and teens); their lyrics often speak to issues common to middle and high school girls (boys in this age group will love Barlowgirl, too).

Beautiful Ending is the first release off their new album, "Love & War "; <--- click the link and buy it today.  The song reveals Barlowgirl's softer side and their voices melt into beauty; it reminds you it doesn't matter how you begin but how you finish.

Even though I'm probably not their demographic, I couldn't be a bigger fan.  If they're performing in your area, their concerts are worth the ticket price.  {Even if the worth is found, in say, a middle-age mom dancin' in her seat, totally mortifying her kids so much they have to go find friends to sit with ;)}    

Listen...enjoy...be encouraged!

Beautiful Ending @ Yahoo! Video

To Honor and Remember...

Read this.  Stick with it til the end.

Makes me wanna shout this !

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

Reading "Letter from a Birmingham Jail" has become an annual tradition for me on MLK, Jr. Day.  I don't remember reading this in school, but it's powerful.  Martin Luther King is often remembered only for his "I have a dream" speech...but this letter, imho, is even more inspiring and compelling...and convicting.  Oh, how far we've come...oh, how much farther there is to go....

(* originally posted on my former blog.)

It was just a matter of time 'til Tina Fey had her Palin day...

HT to Scribbit's tweet with a link to examiner.com

Gimme your eyes....................

After publishing "True beauty...", this song by Brandon Heath came to mind (embed feature disabled but worth a click to hear it).

LOVE!  IT!!

And if I could change the "shade" of my eyes?  That is the "color" I'd want.

Sometimes, it's easier not to think about it...

(I'm not a Radiohead fan, but they've gotten my attention lately...here's one of the reasons why.)

Happy Dance

Apparently I have an affinity for "jive"--not "talkin'" but dancin'.

Just five months ago I fell head over stilettos into Helio Castroneves & Julianne Hough when they performed The Jive; now, I'm totally crushin' Kristi Yamaguchi & Mark Ballas. 

Get to the almost two-minute mark and prepare to be delighted--you might just join Carrie Ann in giving them a standing O!  Mark says the dance is all about stamina and being "fun, fast & quirky".   They're all that and oh, so much MORE!

Marlee Matlin is an inspiration; Jason Taylor and Cristián de la Fuente are scorchin'; but it looks like Kristi's destined for gold...again!

Fun Monday ~ Songs in the Key of Life

Julie at Ooh, a Shiny Pen, provided a simple assignment for this week's Fun Monday:

"Music plays a vital role in most of our lives. It is everywhere. I want to hear the ONE song that is you. The song that whenever it is heard, you smile. I am not looking for the soundtrack of your life, just that one song. Your friends hear it and think of you.

The song I chose fits only part of Julie's assignment--"...whenever it is heard, you smile..."--and I chose it because just yesterday in the car it came on the radio, I cranked up the volume and said, "Whenever I hear this, I smile!"  How could I not post it?  I don't have a "theme" song, I imagine the only song, when played, friends automatically think of me is "Rockin' Robin" (<---you might wanna click that link to enjoy Michael Jackson BEFORE his face exploded...or imploded...or whatever it did :/); but James Taylor?  LOVE HIM!  I've had the pleasure of attending two of his outdoor concerts at Atlanta's Chastain Park, and although the ticket was a little pricey...it was well worth it. 

This is a vintage cut of "Whenever I See Your Smiling Face", back in the days when JT had a full head of hair.  Hope it makes you smile, too :).