Yes, I Give Myself Pep Talks, Well, Kind Of

Have you ever had one of those days when you feel as if nothing is going right and no matter what you do, you can't seem to get rid of the little grey cloud above your head? Well, I know I have those days and I have found that just doing something little for myself, no matter how small it may be, can make it better. Instead of counting on others and outside forces to make the day a bit sunnier or less stressful, I have found a way to give myself a little pep talk, a reminder that I can handle anything. 

On one of these most challenging days, a few months ago, I was out purchasing program supplies for work, and randomly sitting on a shelf in the kiddie craft section, completely out of place was this little gem:

Being the shoe lover that I am, I knew it was a sign. I purchased it for myself (who doesn't love random gifts for no real reason, even if they are from yourself) and upon my return to the office, quickly placed it on my desk, not out there for everyone to see, but right where I can see it when I need it. I always say that wearing fabulous shoes can bring an improvement to your attitude, so now, on those most trying of days, I sneak a peak at this little picture, then look down at the soles I chose that day. Then, I take a deep breathe and I swear I can feel my soul smile. 

What little things bring you joy when you are feeling down or overwhelmed?

The Sounds Within Your Soul

Music. A word that has so much meaning, five little letters that together make up something that touches the lives of every person in some way. It is amazing to me! As a true lover of music, I could go on and on and on about what music means to me, which pieces and songs are long time and new favorites. That is not really the discussion today.



Friends are always recommending new music to me, and I love this! Many of the blogs I read put up playlists every so often, sharing what awesome new tunes they are enjoying. I do love discovering a new group, a song that speaks to me in some way (I am a sucker for a good lyric, any day, any time, anywhere). I tend to fall in love with the words of a song, feeling like they were written to perfectly describe the emotions and thoughts that are consuming my life at the exact moment the music wafts to my ears, touching my soul. A good melody, a certain phrase, the rise and fall of a particular movement of a piece, oh the awesomeness! I can convince myself that the composer (probably long dead) put those notes on paper, dreamed that melody into being because it is what I would someday need to hear. (Go ahead, you can joke all you want about this being just another example of it being “all about me,” but if you think about it, we all have songs that speak to us that way.) While we all prefer different genres, different artists, different composers, different arrangements of pieces, different instruments, different sounds in general, the way music speaks to us, to our souls, is something I believe to be absolutely universal.


I have been enjoying some of the new music I hear on the radio, and my Itunes account will definitely show you that. At the same time, I have been going back and listening to songs that are not as current, old school some might say. I prefer to mix my music, to find the most random combinations possible when making a playlist or a mixed CD. I find the putting together of these lists, playing with the combinations of artists and sounds, decades and songs, so interesting, somewhat therapeutic actually. I thought I would share just a few of the artists and sounds I am enjoying right now. Some are old, some are new, some might be your taste and others might make you cringe, but no matter your opinion, I like to share, so leave me your thoughts. What are you currently enjoying? What are your new faves? What oldies but goodies do you find yourself going back to time and again?


Here it goes, the oldies:

1. Neil Diamond
2. Queen
3. Billy Joel
4. Janet Jackson
5. ABBA
6. Ben Folds Five
7. Simon and Garfunkel

And, the (somewhat, in comparison) newbies:
1. Lady Gaga
2. Joshua Radin
3. Lady Antebellum
4. Brandi Carlile
5. Pink
6. Black Eyed Peas
7. Ray LaMontagne




This is not a complete list of who I listen to, and of course many single songs, not by these artists are current faves. Perhaps next time you talk to me my list of who is playing most often in my life will change, but for now, this is just a glimpse into the music in my head. I won’t specify songs, but of course, there are faves there as well.


Whatever you prefer to listen to, put on those headphone, turn on the radio, crank up your Pandora and breathe in the music, let it touch your soul in whatever way is right for you.



“Music and rhythm find their way into the secret places of the soul” ~Plato


“Music is an outburst of the soul.” ~Frederick Delius


“Music washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life.” ~Berthold Auerbach

A Meeting of the Soles

I posted an introduction to some of my favorite souls once and I figured it might be time to introduce you to some of the many soles you keep hearing about in my posts. This idea was brough on by the receipt of an amazing new sole today, which you will have to keep reading to find out about. So, without further ado, here are a few of my favorite souls:





Black and white, always classic, but with a heel that soars to heights that are perhaps a lilttle more sassy than classy:



What girl doesn't love pink. Okay, so perhaps there are some that don't share my love of this fabulous hue, but at least you can appreciate the gloriousness of these (my brother refers to them affectionately as the "unicorn shoes"):



There is definitely something to be said for a pattern, something to spice up an ensemble. These soles were among my favorites this summer:

 Now onto the new sole form today, a lovely early birthday gift from my friend Darlene, aka, Secret Squirrel, SSG - it is a combonation of two of my favorite things, shoes and chocolate. Take a look:

Yes, they look like the perfect ruby red slipper (Dorothy, eat your heart out). Oh, and they look to be just about my size. Delicious is so many way!

These are just a few examples of the soles I love, just so you can start to get an idea, a picture of what I am all about. Hope you enjoyed this peek into my collection of fabulous soles, soles with soul.

What kinds of things make your soul happy?

A Meeting of Souls, Part One

I often write about my life, what is going on, what is affecting my soul at the moment. There are other souls that are an important part of my blog, simply because they are an important part of my life, the matter to my heart, to my soul. The say that some people leave footprints on our hearts, and the people here have definitely left their special mark on the sands of my soul. I would like to introduce you to some of the souls that make my soul happy.

Meet Darlene!

Darlene and I met a few years ago at a mutual friend's birthday party. We became friends right away, having so much fun laughing and being just downright silly! She is such a real person, never fake, always honest and sincere. Darlene always makes me laugh, is always up for anything, and is someonee I can truly relax with, be myself and have fun! I affectionately call her my Secret Squirrel and she calls me the same thing (it is an inside joke, we know it is weird, but we love it!). Just for her, here is a shout out: "Foam Booty Panty, Woo!" Don't ask... well, or ask and you will get a great story! Darlene is a great friend and someone I know will be in my life for a very long time. We all need someone to laugh with, to just chill with, enjoy simple pleasures and many many inside jokes. My Squirrel is definitely this type of friend and her friendship is good for my soul.

Meet David!

David and I have been friends since high school and have been

through a lot together. We have definitely had our ups and downs and have grown as people as we grew as friends. He is someone I can't imagine my life without, someone who has truly seen me at my worst and has continued to be my friend, to love me anyway. Our friendship has changed, matured through the years and has become a comfort, something I know I can always count on. We have been through both high school and college together, lived together for a year, shared vacations, helped each other through countless relationships, family drama, big moves, and everything in between. Some people say we are a lot like Will and Grace, and yes, our relationship may have some of the characteristics of the quintessential gay man/straight woman relationship, but we are definitely us, David and Nina. We don't see each other too often these days, as he has been living in the Chicago area for the last few years. I cherish the times we can get together and share good times. He will always have a special place in my life and in my heart, our souls being connected in a special way.

Meet Erika!

Erika was one of the first people I met when I moved to Phoenix, as she worked at TPS. Erika is an awesome person and always has a smile. She is self-proclaimed "ghetto" since she is from Mesa (which if you are familiar with the Phoenix area, you understand! hehehe) We always had fun doing girly stuff together, shopping, mani/pedis, gossiping, and so much more. We had a great time working in the Box Office together, making the hours fly by with great conversations! She was one of the biggest supporters of this my blog when I started and still is. I also now read and support her blog efforts - check her out at http://amerikasweetness-erika.blogspot.com/; she is awesome! I love Erika's spunk, her good times attitude and how she is always a good listener, making a bad day better with a smile and some good advice. As a married gal she always listened to me babble about men and I am sure was amused by the stories! I miss working with her, but we do our best to stay in touch now that we are 1600 miles apart. I know she and I will be friends for a long time!

Meet Amy!

Amy and I met under some, well... interesting circumstances, but have come to be great friends. She is a sweet, genuine person, and an extremely talented writer. Her blog and her support is what convinced me to start mine, to make a place to share my stories and thoughts with the world and I owe her so much for that! You must, I repeat, must, check her out at http://justatitch.com/. Amy and I started talking online, finding out as we went that we share many interests - good books, baking/cooking, writing, and so many more. We have similar taste in many things - music, books, movies, and yes, even men (and I am glad we can laugh about this now!) Our friendship evolved and we finally met in person a few weeks ago. It was so great putting a face, a real person to voice she shares online. The ideas, the stories, the advice, the "girl talk," well, we share those via the Internet due to our geographical distance, but I know we share a true friendship, a connection that, though it had an odd start, was meant to be. I so enjoy talking with her and sharing our experiences. Amy is a great person with so much to share and experiences that give her a viewpoint and outlook that are fresh, enlightening, empowering, thought-provoking and just plain fabulous! I look forward to the day we can hang out in person again!

These are just a few of the souls that touch my soul, that are an important part of my life. I hope that getting to know these souls you will better know mine. Check back often, as you are likely to meet other souls. What souls touch your soul? Leave a comment and share! I love meeting new souls!