Their intentions are well, most of the time, but other people’s plans are other people’s plans. They want their plans to be your plans. They say they mean well and they want the best for you. But other people’s plans usually involve trying to manipulate or control other people.
I am not down with other people’s plans. I have a plan. More importantly I am trusting God’s plan.
Please don’t try to push your plans on other people.
“Fantasy is always better than reality.”
For some the power of life is creating the reality they desire. Fantasy fuels the imagination for what can be, but must be tempered with reality.
With the promise of a new year, may we all dream and live more responsibly. I hope your realties are powered by new dreams, formed by new energy and yield new prosperities.
There are Southern comforts and there are Southern nuances.
Comforts:
Spoonfuls of sugar added to most recipes (rice, grits, spaghetti, greens, anything that will absorb the white crystals)
Extra cheese (melted on biscuits, on top of grits, and 3 different types with macaroni noodles)
Deep fried (wings, legs, breasts, steak, gizzards, fish, fries and pies)
Nuances:
Dialect (you all = y’all)
Hospitality (habit or genuine?)
Heat (hot and hotter!)
Now…pass me a big ol’ cup of sweet tea!
(i am a southern girl at heart, who loves living in Chicago)
“Dreaming all the time instead of working is foolishness. And there is ruin in a flood of empty words. Fear God instead.” Ecclesiastes 5:7 NLT
May you find your purpose in whom you know, and not what you know or who you are. God’s wisdom is far greater than you can imagine. King Solomon is the author of Ecclesiastes, he asked the Lord for wisdom and was granted that along with riches. I hope your dreams, desires and all that you are asking the Lord to bring to pass are just as enduring as wisdom. May you be blessed with the strength to work and make your dreams come true!
Fill the pages of your dream journal with words that excite and provoke you to action. No need for any of us to be wasting our time talking about dreams that are a flood of empty words.
#dreamjournal – Day 19
“Everyone needs a cheerleader, someone to give them their own little personal pep rally. EVERY NOW & THEN”
That was a tweet I sent out on August 7, 2012. It’s OK to be on the look out for, to expect and to want someone special in your corner rooting for your personal victory. When your cheerleader isn’t around I hope their words echo in your head and drown every doubt and bury every distraction. Give some of that echoing cheer to another person, encouragement is important to everyone.
Your chant, your mantra, your cheer – they are the contents of your subconscious.
Mind what you meditate and focus your attention on, it becomes the substance of your dreams.
#dreamjournal – Day 16
“It is pleasant to see dreams come true, but fools refuse to turn from evil to attain them.” Proverbs 13:19
I have spent the overwhelming majority of my career in sales. Great sales professionals are typically optimistic dreamers, resilient, and persistent. Unfortunately, a lot of people view sales professionals with great skepticism. There are often questionable tactics that some sales people have taken just to make a dollar, ruining their credibility and leaving them with no opportunity for return business. I believe there is a BIG difference between a sales person and a sales professional.
In pursuing your dreams, I encourage you to chart your course with integrity in establishing your credibility. People are looking to support those who are pursuing their dreams, passions and gifts, but who are going about it with an upright mindset. Your effort combined with integrity and credibility will attract people who genuinely want to help you succeed. Abandon any foolish ways or gimmicks that you think will help you gain an edge in making your dreams come true. Allow your optimism, resilience and persistence, combined with a rock solid plan of execution to propel your success!
How you achieve your success is as important as the achievement itself.
#dreamjournal – Day 14
Assess whether you have what it takes to achieve your dreams and count the costs before setting out on the journey towards achievement.
“People who end up living their dreams are not those who are lucky and gifted, but those who are stubborn, resolute and willing to sacrifice.”
Taken from an August 12, 2012, New York Times article, written by Jonathan Vaughters, a former professional cyclist.
#dreamjournal – Day 12
Dreaming out loud is only for the brave. Journal and share what you dare. Some dreams are like seeds that need the covering of soil to continue growing deep roots in order to withstand the elements as they develop.
August 4, 2012
#dreamjournal
Day 4
Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a dream fulfilled is a tree of life.
Proverbs 13:12
#dreamjournal
August 1 – September 30, 2012
I like to write lists of things I am thankful for from time to time…here’s a partial list (read mine if you like, but I hope you choose to right your own)
love – powerful & transformative, a wonderful gift from God to be shared
family – mom, daddy, my sisters, my brothers, my nephews, my niece, my grandparents, my aunts & uncles, my cousins, my future husband & my future children
friends – near and far, i am a phone call away
health & strength – a blessing indeed, not to be taken for granted
career – not what you pour your all into, but that which you have no regrets about pouring into
new home – my place to find solace and comfort, personal retreat, welcome and inviting, a place of peace
safety – in my travels near and far; to and from work; out and about; God watches over me
wisdom – life’s lessons
answered prayer – persistently asking for God’s will to be done, struggling to understand, but trusting in His divine wisdom; still believing for things to come to pass
faith & hope – substance of things hoped for, evidence of things not seen
miracles – big and small
forgiveness – happy to see past other people’s faults, thrilled to be extended the same mercy
the past – for it’s memories and lessons learned
the present – to be alive, to have hope, to have strength, to have opportunity, to possess a sense of purpose, the power of NOW
the future – the potential, the dreams, the plans
knowledge – truth shall set you free, pursue it always… PURSUE IT!
passion – that which fulfills your innermost
hobbies – making jewelry and all other creative outlets
thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you God for it all!
“I don’t always talk about how I feel, but I always write about how I feel.”
To Write
Writing allows me to face
the feelings I fear
Writing allows me never
to be upstaged by
anyone until I
stop the pen
Writing is the voice
of my soul
Writing is a collection
of my thoughts
Writing is an expression
of my desires
Writing is my answer to you
Writing is my gift
from the Man above.
Not a traditional blog, but nevertheless this a blog. I can only be me and I don’t want to be held back. I know why caged birds sing and why writers write. There’s a voice, a thought, a movement, a prayer, a declaration, an acknowledgement yearning to be expressed in everyone – some will, some won’t. This is my stream of consciousness – not yours, simply mine.
To write, is my right. To write what I feel, think and question is my prerogative. Some people are expressive and some people aren’t.
Sometimes I am the holding out type – private and reflective. I am the expressive writing type also. Spreading my wings through words – my words & my style.
When I was younger, the mid point in between my recently passed birthday and my upcoming birthday was cause for celebration. I bragged about being 9 and a half, ten and a half…and of course I always wanted to celebrate with cake!
Today, I am thirty-six and a half. I still want the cake, but I don’t need the cake.
Thank God for thirty-six and half years. I still get anxious for what has not yet come to pass in my life, wondering if and when it will happen. That’s what a birthday and birthday-and-a-half does to you.
September 9 is something that I don’t brag about anymore. When I was younger I was anxious to age because of what I thought being older would mean. I was eager to escape childhood constraints, I didn’t want adults in “my business”, and I could be as “grown” as I thought I wanted to be; imagining that “grown” age was cool enough to do what I wanted, when I wanted, with whom I wanted, and where I wanted.
Age maybe nothing but a number, but it has brought a myriad of experiences & wisdom. Minimally anxious about the future, I am patiently enjoying each day and moment as much as possible. Fighting to remember to be thankful for all things, especially for that which I do not understand. Trusting that understanding might not be present now, but may present itself in the future.
Happy thirty-six and a half years to me!
THANK YOU LORD!
Some people are always grumbling
because roses have thorns;
I am thankful
that thorns have roses.
- Alphonse Karr
Dr. Louann Brizendine, clinical professor of psychiatry at the University of California, San Francisco states in “The Female Brain” that “A woman uses about 20,000 words per day while a man uses about 7,000.”
This explains a lot….
Anthony David – Words/SONG TITLE – Acey Duecy/ALBUM NAME - (feat. India.Arie)
CHORUS:
Can’t tell you nothin’ you ain’t already heard
No matter what I say it’s nothin’ but words
Just let me prove to you what I know is real
Let me express to you the way that I feel
—————————
Never short on words, but sometimes I think it’s cool to borrow words from another…
“Be not the slave of your own past – plunge into the sublime seas, dive deep, and swim far, so you shall come back with self-respect, with new power, with an advanced experience, that shall explain and overlook the old.” Ralph Waldo Emerson
I was catching up with a friend on my commute home Friday evening. Aside from some long email exchanges, we had not had the chance to speak live. A text message for my address is what prompted me to try and catch her live that evening. Also, I wanted details on her upcoming nuptials.
As usual, we chatted like it had not been several months since we last spoke, but more like just days had passed since last speaking. I reminded her that was the joy of our friendship, as it is with several other friends. My friend was excited about my move, sad to see me leave, but happy because it was going well for me. She said moving out of state was something she had considered, but it never worked in her favor to leave.
My personal migration north brought many well wishes and gifts. One gift I recently rediscovered, under a mound of stuff still awaiting some order, “The Warmth of Other Suns”, a Pulitzer prize winning book by Isabel Wilkerson. The book is a collection of stories about Blacks who fled the South between 1915-1970. The gift was appropriate for many reasons. I enjoy history, personal stories, and reading in general.
“The actions of the people in this book were both universal and distinctly American. Their migration was a response to an economic and social structure not of their making. They did what humans have done for centuries when life became untenable-what the Pilgrims did under the tyranny of British rule…what the Irish did when there was nothing to eat, what the European Jews did during the spread of Nazism…They did what human beings looking for freedom, throughout history, have often done. They left.”
Happy and experiencing the warmth of Chicago sun. My journey is gutsy to some, but incomparable to those who risked their lives, gave their all, and soldiered to pave a path for future generations of Blacks outside of the South. There’s a call for new risks for all Americans and the realization of an opposite type of Black migration in the 21st century. My journey is personal, unique, and reflective of what we’ve been told to be an American is: to pursue life, liberty and happiness. As the Spirit of God calls and moves you, I hope the warmth of other suns propels you to your new freedoms.
I was leaving the South
To fling myself into the unknown….
I was taking a part of the South
To transplant in alien soil,
To see if it could grow differently,
If it could drink of new and cool rains,
Bend in strange winds,
Respond to the warmth of other suns
And, perhaps, to bloom
-Richard Wright
Sitting at my computer Sunday evening, I caught my shadow (see attached pictures). Tank top and lounge pants, I was reflecting off the wall and casting an image. Shadows have always been cool to me since I was young. The way the light reflects off objects and casts an image can leave a lot to the imagination. Light can reflect a lot – a whole lot.
Introspection –noun
Definitions are important.
When we cast a light on our souls and hearts we can see the shadows of our past and present. Some refer to this as introspection. Our reflections are not always the best definition of our character or our looks. Shadows can appear to be unrecognizable images of ourselves. Examining ourselves can leave us feeling uncomfortable, questioning who we are, wondering who we should be, doubting who we want to be, or worse – chasing imagery projected through various media forms, someone we’ll never be.
Personally speaking, introspection has typically led to growth. Growth is gain. In our hurried lives we don’t often take the time to reflect (denial) or some of us spend too much time thinking/reflecting (depression). I believe healthy hearts and souls need to reflect and examine themselves and their shadows. If you don’t understand where you’ve been, how will you appreciate your future?
I can’t imagine living in the shadows – of my shadow or that of anyone else. Husbands and wives can feel as if they are living in each others shadows. Shouldn’t they be one, projecting one shadow? Siblings often feel like they are living in the shadows of other siblings. Brothers and sisters should grow up in their own light and make their own mark. Friends and coworkers can envy you and loathe the shadow you cast on them. There is no limit on available light, they just need to find their own light and not be so focused on dimming your light.
I hope you catch your shadow and like what you see, but then step into the light – be conscious. Don’t let your shadow define you, become a defining light.
Life is in the light, not the shadow.
Unconscious
my conscious was always
eavesdropping on my mind
leaving me heavy hearted and
paranoid about wicked desires
and evil thoughts; my mind
wrestled with my conscious
always conjuring some rationalization for its
sin and stupidity
with my soul remaining unconscious
(an old poem – from when i used to write them)
conscious – adjective
Friend: Hope all is well. How’s Chitown?
Me: All is well & kicking…it’s been a journey…i have a lot bottled up in me ready to be expressed in one of my infamously long, expressive emails…you know where I am speaking from the heart, butt naked honest and encouraging others to LIVE to the fullest! I’ll copy you on the email
I like it here a lot, loving the summer especially.
Hoping Falcons & Bears can get it on in early September!
By the way, how are you?
(end of email exchange)
Transitions
You don’t realize how many habits you have until you move. I am not just talking about move to a new house, apartment, etc. I am talking about the kind of move where you totally uproot from one city to another. The kind of move that forces you to downsize and finally face all of your collected junk. The kind of move that brings fear, excitement and a host of other feelings simultaneously. The kind of move that takes you far from your comfort zone of lots of friends coupled with the closeness of family. The kind of move where you can’t anticipate everything, no matter how well you plan.
The kind of move that brings needed space from all the distractions that hamper and impede GREATNESS. The kind of move that’s so bold everyone pauses and then congratulates you, because if you are bold enough to make the move all they can do is congratulate you. The kind of move that makes you fight doubt and angst day to day because nothing is the same anymore. The kind of move that takes you from southern drawl and slang to a dialect that does not invoke any feelings because its void of an accent.
How’s Chitown…? I love Chicago and Chicago loves me back. Embracing and choosing to love Chicago is probably why the move is working for me. I have had my moments – a little bit of loneliness, missing family/friends, longing for some familiarity. I have repeatedly looked at picture albums to “remember when.” I have repeatedly wrote in my journal. I have sought the company of the few friends I have here.
I have had adventures on my own (mostly during the day, i am staying safe for those that love me afar). I have met new friends. I have new interests like mole (mo-lay) and red wine. I have resumed old habits – cooking at home, eating out, going to the museum, exercising, enjoying time alone, curiously exploring what’s in the city I live in, etc. I have minimized some old habits – shopping, traveling, eating cupcakes and other sugary treats, etc.
Awkward Positions
HUMILITY…then honor. VULNERABLE…and open to the possibilities God opens the door to. SURRENDER…my all to God. FAITH…substance of things hoped for, evidence of things not seen. TRUST…in the Lord with all your heart. LOVE…is an action word. I made an art project out of these words. It was comforting, when I needed comfort. It was a creative outlet when all my jewelry supplies/tools were still packed away. It was early April and Cubicle Land (where I work is all cubicles) was not sitting well with me and had me in a moment of doubt.
None of these words – humility, vulnerable, surrender, faith, trust, love – make the average person comfortable, they are positions you have to accept and welcome the experiences that accompany them. These words evoke a myriad of thoughts, feelings, and memories. So I humble myself, vulnerable to all the goodness Chicago has to offer, full of love and faith, ready to surrender and not fight the feeling – trust that!
Stretch Me Out
Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. (1Corinthians 13:7 NLT) This is probably the easy part, I am a big dreamer and extremely hopeful. OK, so I have faith that God is in control and His will be done in every circumstance – not always easily understood or readily accepted. Doesn’t mean I am not tempted to give up on people, doesn’t mean that my faith isn’t stretched, doesn’t mean that my hope doesn’t battle doubt, but it means that the Lord provides the strength and encouragement to endure. Endure to a new day and to take advantage of opportunities that are present, not fretting over what wasn’t, isn’t and may never be.
I am being stretched in lots of awkward positions as a result of this transition.
So I want my friend, and others, to know that I am well and taking it one day at a time, not in a rush for much, but hoping certain things come to pass. I am especially happy to be writing and sharing my experience.
It feels like I am chronicling all the GREATNESS I was previously to distracted to effectively work towards.
First, please allow the embedded song to play as you read, this is for your listening/reading pleasure. (press play on the YouTube link above)
Second, imagine you are in a city, more known for its blistering winters, but the best kept secret is that the summers are AMAZING!!!
Third, let’s discuss all the things that make summer a great season:
“Sweet days of summer, the jasmine’s in bloom
July is dressed up and playing her tune
When I come home from a hard days work
And you’re waiting there, not a care in the world”
Summer days are dwindling, soon we’ll have nothing but summer memories. Get out and create summer memories while the season is still here.
Summer days…may they be long and filled with all the possibilities that the summer breeze whispers.
Remix your summer breeze if necessary….again for your listening pleasure, here is a GREAT remix to the Isley Brother’s remake of the Seals and Croft song…enjoy!
Everyone loves the hype man.
Definition of a hype man according to Wikipedia: A hype man in hip hop music and rapping is a “backup rapper/singer who is also responsible for increasing an audience’s excitement with call-and-response chants” according to The Hilltop and author Grant Barrett.
Fatman Scoop & Missy Elliott come to mind immediately in the song “Loose Control”. The song’s beat is infectious, Fatman’s chants make you bob your head almost immediately, and together the beat and the chants have you zoned out in 30 seconds or less. And then it’s official, you have lost control.
What does this have to do with Christmas in July? Holiday hype is one of my biggest pet peeves!
I was curious about the origination of this term. Christmas during its regularly scheduled date is convoluted with so many mixed messages, lies and hype, so who’s idea was Christmas in July.
Thanks to Wikipedia, a quick search yielded the following:
“In the United States, it is more often used as a marketing tool than an actual holiday. Television stations may choose to re-run Christmas specials, and many stores have “Christmas in July” sales. Some individuals choose to celebrate Christmas in July themselves, typically as an intentionally transparent excuse to have a party. This is in part because most bargainers tend to sell Christmas stuff around July to make room for next year’s inventory.”
The American media is the biggest HYPE MAN of all and lots of Americans “Loose Control” with familiar chants of:
I am so guilty of being a sucker for a sale. I have enjoyed when the Hype Man promotes his deals. Being the good friend/sister that I am, I have forwarded and shared all the “good” sales.
What happened to the once a year or bi-annual sales? My email box is littered with retail sales that happen DAILY.
Willingly, along with millions of others, I have fallen prey to the regularity of “sales” and lost control with numerous impulse buys.
No time to loose control. Retail therapy is probably not the best therapy.
Make a list – Check it twice – Santa’s not real – You pay the price!
Beware of all the different Hype Men!
Remember the reason for the season!
this has been on my heart and mind for some time….to write. well to write in a more formal manner. i write in a journal, i write in cards, i write notes, i write random thoughts, i doodle, i scribble words, i jot down ideas, i rant, i express, i exhale, i escape and i dream…i write anywhere and everywhere.
i used to write poems, i hope i get inspired to write them again.
it’s time to capture all of my writings in one collective space.
welcome to the world of cici moore…i have always wanted to write under a pseudonym. it could be like an alter ego type of thing, but it’s more like i just want to have a slight disguise, an air of mystery, it’s like a “who’s that girl” type of thing. truth is i still work a job and it’s kind of nice when coworkers don’t know all of your business.
cici moore was concocted prior to moving to chicago. it’s short for a “CHICAGO CHICK going for more”. i left a comfortable southern city for a bigger metropolis to escape the “southern comforts” and strive for more personally and professionally. i needed to exercise my faith muscle that had not been stretched as it needed to be. i wanted more and knew i had to leave my comfort zone to get more out of life.
i hope you find inspiration in my candid writings. i hope you get the nerve to follow your dreams. i hope you support what i accomplish in chicago. i hope i help cultivate your hope. what are we without love, faith or hope?
here she comes,
cici moore
¿Quién Es Esta Niña?
