From An Upbeat Rock Tune to a Jazz Standard in the Key of G

I am going completely off the top here with a goal of finding the right words to let the excitement for this life I have lived and am living, roar out louder than a lion in the Sinharaja Jungle in Sri Lanka. I will go as far as saying that the wellsprings of integrating my norm with experience has given me just a bit more modes of expression to work with. I won’t be stretched too thin trying to translate my words into a language that you can understand. Instead, I will use this point in my scribing as a key moment to let my thoughts unravel in such a way that they manifest a response to the topic at hand; my getting old. Hopefully someday we will be hanging in a village together near you to discuss it in person, but for now, I will try to let the words flow in the best manner that I can.

Who I Am

Through education, exploratory work and support, I have been able to maneuver through life in the time frame that was set for me by the person who custom created me to do so. I wish I had a handful of photos to prove it, though I am known to keep momentum of my journeys by taking selfies to post on Instagram in these exotic places I have discovered the harmonic depths of, but most of my memories which stemmed from these personal adventures, stay frozen in time in my mind and so I have the intimate agony of trying to let them flow out into your capture as sweet as the Kelimutu Crater Lake in Indonesia.

I was able to connect with cultures that were not exactly in my lane but I wanted to know more about what was beyond my picket fences. I Mean behind them was a great upbringing, quality education, culture, family and love. Beyond them was something quite different than what I had called home after I learned how to no longer crawl and walked right into the thing we call life. 

Some of my habits I encountered were as draining to them as theirs was to mine. Culture you call it. How can you extract someone out of their nature? Others will call ways that are different to them annoyances.  I wanted to experience life for myself anyway. I trusted my instincts and withstood the criticism while I tried my best to nip other people's  weirdnesses in the bud. I mean, I was having a good time, so why not?  I thought then that no one should ever wipe clean from their agenda, experiencing the vibrant hues of another cultural more if able to take in the goodness of it and allowing yourself to be exposed to other methods of getting through the days and nights. I have learned that with understanding comes tolerance and to let go of the blinding vision of just what I know and what I am told is important can be a good thing but then again, who said that other ways are better? Yet, you never know if you don't see for yourself.

As my age continues to rise to a climax, I look at all my striking features and see the past epochs of time deep in the abyss of my eyes. My smile shines like the brightness of heaven. I remember so many different events that made me transpose the version of me from who I was to who I have become. All the obstacles I had to overcome to get to this place makes the oasis in which I stand today, the most beautiful thing I have ever seen.

I know that the world keeps on turning no matter what earthquakes come to bring turbulence into my life. I have a foot wedged into the door of tomorrow and yet, my head sometimes still faces yesterday as I revive old mistakes from the days of my youth. At some point, I will eventually spare myself the headache of stressing over what could have, should have, would have been because I know it is pointless. What is, is what matters the most.

Who I Was

My life was once an upbeat rock tune that was way too darn hot, with mature language and rated R. I had exterior perfection but what’s it all mean if you do not have presence of quality mind? I didn’t look at the world I inhabit as ambitiously as I do now though the rhythm of life in that particular moment was totally gnarly. But nothing changes if guilt does not gnaw at you sometimes. And that is when I knew that it was time to adjust my sails and simmer down the beat.

My Song and dance started to change for the better. I had the desire to know more about how I could revise my being and to make better decisions. Even the smallest effort could result in a monstrously big change. I learned Jeet Kun Do under the guidance of Bruce Lee, kicked my old torrent in the bud, increased my knowledge which made me change in direction and thought and social situations, and now I am a jazz standard with horn and piano solos in the key of G.

My senses have reconvened after all these years. Everything along the path that lead me to this cakewalk has facilitated my current stance. Life has been a constant giving of myself and taking pieces of who I never thought I would be.  I guess you can say, attitude sometimes can be like a Broadway play for the enjoyment of many. I can admit that I have extrapolated from the strings of a Marionette in many instances. I mean, we have all done things that we wish we didn’t do in the past because we didn’t have discernment to choose what was right. Or maybe we did, but we took a detour and then suddenly, reality came gushing at an alarming speed and it forced a shift in focus.

And Now For the Feature: Who I Am Becoming

Who said that there was an appropriate age to craft a new strategy? Who said we couldn’t react to our own messes and decide to clean them up? And who said, we couldn’t create our day around planting new seeds in the garden to flourish into the sun?

What I can say is, I have seen and done a wealth of things. I have been through much wear and tear and now I am trying to simply stay proactive while getting by in this world.

I was once addicted to pain, not letting go and pivoting back to all the hurts that I never forgave myself for. I lived like a talebearer reprising stories in my mind and letting my heart shatter countless times. But knowing that experience sprung from blood, sweat and tears are the mere fabric of life. I see all these greys on my head and I know that I have lived. Now I use my past encounters as inspiration.

I stand in the mirror looking at all the unique foundational elements of the woman God created in me. I am a person of poise. I have pride and belief in my own heritage. Blessings fall fresh on me like the therapeutic waters of Montecatini. I know for a fact that I am a multidimensional, complex character and I am okay with that. And I look at all my wrinkles and realize that I have come a long way. And I look at all my scars and am grateful that I have won victory over numerous battles. And today, I weep with joy as I thrust into my birthday week with nothing but history in front of me, songs to sing about it and a voice to let them ring.

A new age and a new purpose is about to be mine and I know age is nothing but a number but, I am talking about 1,229,904,000 seconds of breathing in life. Time has moved along fast. When a parent says their child is 4 going on 20, they are not kidding. Time waits for no one and if you do not pay attention, you will let it pass you by without even flinching. Every anniversary of my birth date makes me a little depressed as I think about the years of experimentation and atmospheric turbulence that preceded my today, but then it makes me realize that there has been so much more of the insanely stylish positives to fashion around my heart and a promising future to think about. 

So many breakthroughs and so much to be thankful for in this life that did not break me because God has always been there interceding for me. I am so loved and very thankful to sit in this iron throne of age coming to grace my life. 

There is Always a Reason to be Jubilant; Enjoy Life

In the most mundane moments when you fall deep into thought, and you feel like you want to penetrate into solitude based on your situation that leaves you experiencing doubt, let your soul be inspired by painting a picture in your mind of something great that happened in your life which once delighted your eyes. Don't let doubt control the way that you maneuver this world. Just a thought but . . . who did God uniquely and wonderfully custom create to be ruler over many things?

There is always a reason to be jubilant.

Encourage your own self by remembering all the good about you and about your current position, and let that add the spring in your step that you need to allow joy to grow in the fertile corners of your heart. You are so very blessed!  Don't ever let your doubts hold you in as a prisoner. God is bigger than all of that. That's the mustard seed. Don't let go of it and don't ever forget to let God's faith empower you. 

How could you not feel full of life and warmth when you find a reason to smile about your own self?

Let the good you have experienced be etched in your mind and create for you a catchy and upbeat song and dance (some call this life) for you to take on your existence and the world. I mean in all actuality, who’s world is this? 

Haitian Culture Falls Fresh On Me Like Waters From the Saut

“When you have unity. Nothing is heavy” – dad

It is weird how things come into play. Somebody says, hey try this and you do or you don’t. That’s the way it goes. You might have your own way of doing things and choose your own path. But there are times you think, hey why not and the results are amazing.

So I tried something completely different. I was Ushered into a transformative moment by my folks to write a song about Saut D’Eau (Sodo), which is located about 60 miles north of Port au Prince. Saut D’Eau is also the French word for waterfall, with this area in the Mirabalais province of Haiti being known for the most beautiful and peaceful waterfall you could find in the world.

Every year in July, there is a wonderful feast celebrated on the 16^th of July known as the feast of Mount Carmel where hundreds gather to celebrate this wonderful day together. This is part of my culture. I am Haitian and was raised with knowledge of my background, traditions and the peoples from whom we came. I have been to the feast once while I was in high school and it was such a beautiful celebration. So many people. Such a great gathering of like-minded beautiful people that left me with such an amazing feeling.

I was asked to write a song about this very place. Usually, I am not one who needs direction. I write songs based on what is in my heart and that is it. But when my family asked me to do it, I did. Who knew that going with someone else’s inspiration would let the words and music shed out of me like water weight while on the treadmill at the gym.  A few hours later, the song, Saut D’Eau Song was born. I guess you can say the weight of the mission I was tasked with was not heavy because it was with my folks in mind.

I hope that you’ll check it out. It is mostly in English as my Haitian Kreyol is not the best, though I did add a few words of Kreyol here and there because I am Haitian and this song is about Haiti. Saut D’Eau Song was written and produced by Stephanie Jeannot. All lyrics, music and vocals are by Stephanie Jeannot.

  

Anyway, here is the link to the song: https://soundcloud.com/stephanay-jnote/saut-deau-song 

Thank you so much for checking out my blogpost. 

Excellent book worth reading: TD Jake's "When Power Meets Potential"

"When Power Meets Potential: Unlocking God's Purpose in Life" by TD Jakes makes me feel that Lord Byron was right when he said that “a drop of ink may make a million think” (Lord Byron).

You should definitely get your hands on this book. Oh my goodness. 
Such an empowering read.

I did not know that TD Jakes was a NY Times best selling author. Actually, I probably would have never read one of his books until I heard a podcast with him being interviewed by Success Magazine; one of my favorite magazines to indulge in. I both read the periodical 
publication and subscribe/listen to their wonderful podcast. Check it out for yourself. Success Magazine is one of my favorite magazines to read. 

        

I can honestly say that it was God orchestrated thing for me to pick up the book "When Power Meets Potential: Unlocking God's Purpose in Life."  Excellent!

My favorite of TD Jake's quotes in the book reads, “It is everyday moments that prepare everyday people for extraordinary exploits” (TD Jakes).

This statements makes me feel that my plowing the field is preparing me for my breakthrough. The extra sweat in these everyday moments is so worth it. I have diligent hands. I drink deeply and delight in overflowing abundance. I have potential to transform the planet. I am inspired! 

Are you ready for your "Breakthrough?" 

Dedicated to the Sweet Essence of a Father's Love! Happy Fathers Day!

Some things never leave you. 

Like, if you shoot me a wide smile, I might remember your face forever because you were my shelter from the wind when I needed refuge from the storm. It is like a flower in the rain that stands tall after all the others have lost its petals due to the heavy droplets from the sky; unforgettable! That simply is a gift of the moment. 

Dedicated to the Sweet Essence of a Father's Love!
Happy Fathers Day! 

But can you imagine how much of a froth of inspiration you could actually be to someone else? And then we have our fathers. 

Fathers Day Weekend

This weekend, fathers are being celebrated worldwide. We celebrate those that many of us call dad, who showcase their true strengths by being an active and caring poppa bear to us. 

Through the years, unmatchable friendships may have even blossomed between you two. You may have lived a troubled teenage life that was a bit distracting from the truth. But once you broke up with your childhood, you became even more aware of his importance when you were lured into the direction of adulting.

In truth, we face many responsibilities in life that are demanding yet, it feels good to take time out to celebrate even just one day when we can shower our fathers with accolades. Scatter seeds of kindness into his life so that while he is still here and able to smell the flowers, you can show him how much he is truly loved.

Pops Story

Me and my dad

There is a saying that goes father knows best. (Mon pere connais tou le chose.) My father probably embodies that when he is always giving me some kind of advice to showcase himself as a large influence in my life. He provides emotional strength to carry on and propel to the next level.  Honesty surges through his words when he shows concern for me and my actions that sometimes I would not even bother thinking about myself. He always seems to make an overwhelming effort to show that he cares. Even a thousand miles from home, his words sting and makes me think through things.

Like for instance; my father is always concerned with my physical being. I hardly sleep because I am always out doing something. And when I am home, my focus is entangled in something that keeps me from getting a good nights sleep. I admit that it is important to take some time to decompress but, I rather be whipping around in the sky, doing something beyond exciting.

So when I was in Arkhangelsk, I said to myself, tonight I am going to get some sleep finally. It had been my 7^th day in Russia and I felt that I really needed some of that heavenly relief. My father’s words stayed firmly planted in my heart and so I said I would soak in moments of REM when it got dark.

10PM during the white nights season in Arkhangelsk, Russia

As I completed a performance at an Arkhangelsk Pomorya region museum with the musical group, the Art Ensemble, my eyes bulged in astonishment when we walked outside into the 7 degrees Celsius weather at 10PM and the sun was still shining bright. Sure day fused into night but moments of darkness never came. The sun sets at about 11PM during the summer season, but there is a lasting gleam of light in the sky until the 2:30 AM sunrise.

A professor of mine told me about white nights but I had never considered that I would be someone who would experience it. Seeing it with my own eyes made me take on a new perspective of the world. How regal are the works of God when you delve a little deeper into his works and discover more and more, how amazing he is!

Luckily, the impact of the cold temperatures and the heat that the hotel I stayed in provided, helped me to cozy up and do just what my father told me I should. Believe me though, I had to muster the courage to not run outside and let the sun sparkle through my hair in the still of the night, because all I saw was daylight during the day and the fascinating midnight sun during the night. Who wants to sleep when there is sun to enjoy? 

White nights of Russia

Song for My Father

Who would have thought that seeing something like this could forge a measure of confidence in me? To think that while I pondered on the unlimited nature of time, while I dreamt the night away, the sun was pointing my dreams into the direction of possibility. And it made me figure out a few things about life. 

I guess it is always scary to let go of the hand of your father and to forge your own path. Panic wells inside of both you and your father. But there is also joy that sparks when you can say you are confident because he instilled a sense of faith in you. You are staying on the course because of the impact he made. You can move along paths with drive and intelligence because he helped you to develop tough skin. In truth, while he was nurturing and loving you, his eyes were always fixed on the long journey of future ahead.

Check out my live performance with the Tim Dorofeev Art Ensemble in Arkhangelsk, Russia as in the midst of the night, we did a cover of Horace Silver's "Song For My Father." The blending of American jazz and Russian folk made me consider my upbringing, my culture and all the wisdom my father shared with me. He told me that there is more to the world than just what we know. To see and be part of the sharing of art within another culture, as I blended a part of what I knew with what I came to know just a bit of, made what he said ring even more true in me. Thankful to have been able to duet in such a way with Russian folk singer Nadezda Mironova. 

https://youtu.be/bCzbHfslmZg

Thank you, dad, for using your pillars to protect me from every blow that might have stymied me from resetting in a new set of 24. And thank you for being the cushion on this bumpy ride through all the phases of this life that I have lived and am living. And thank you for going to the extremes of standing by me even when I have my character flaws that are not very agreeable to yours. It is because of you that I maintain a certain degree of optimism. You deserve moments of celebration. You are the epitome of love and I love you very much! 

Dedicated to the Fathers

Check out the father's day special for my radio show Jazz on the JNote which will air this Sunday evening 6/18/2017 at 7PM EST and can be accessed by logging onto theenglishconnectionmedia.com or by going to MixLR using the following link: http://mixlr.com/the-english-connection-media/

Happy Fathers Day to all the loving and caring fathers out there. We love you! 

Y is for Youtube.com/sj1and0

As we cluster together, I want to invite you to see me in my essence. With my feet firmly planted on earth, I come to you in hope that you might take the time to water my seed of destiny a bit. May I invite you to drift into the arms of my video feed on Youtube to watch at least one video+, and hopefully subscribe to my channel at http://www.youtube.com/sj1and0 .

I think I have flourished a lot since I put up my first video and it is great to see my own growth and transformation. 

I have original videos on there. I have cover songs performed in a live setting on there and lots of other things. I have band videos on there.

Maybe I can get your undivided attention for at least one minute and maybe you can take me at full value and check me out.  My Youtube channel is sj1and0 and I not only post but also watch lots of cool videos as well. Let’s vibe, if you don’t mind.

https://youtu.be/NjjRlsX8aH8

So! Are you on Youtube? I’d love to catch a glimpse of who you are. What is your Youtube channel? Can we follow each other? Hope so! Drop me your handle.

Alright then, hope that this post invokes good thoughts that knock on the doorstep of your mind. Have a great day. Peace and love everybody!