The courage to be genuine


The real Amy Zents

What gives one the courage to be genuine? I recently attended a meeting on branding. People say that when you market something the number one key is branding.
I hate to say it, but to me it all seems fake.

What got millions of people to smoke cigarettes in order to look cool? Would you rather get a sock in the eye then give up your smokes?

Why is it so often when somebody represents themselves on their LinkedIn page they don’t look like that person in real life?

We need to empower our men, women and children to be as real as they can be.

As long as you hide who you really are you will disappoint both yourself and others.

There is nothing wrong in having a mission statement about who you are. There is nothing wrong with maximizing your strengths.

I fear that as long as people put candy coating on reality there can never be real progress.

The truth really matters.

Nobody wants a false front or a cheap fake.

There is only one you. You are special, unique and one-of-a-kind.

Need or needy?

There is a vast difference between needs and wants. But, nowadays, the line is very blurred.

Do you need to buy that or go there? Or do you just want to?

You have 7 basic needs to survive. Love, books, TV, music, coffee, Wi-Fi, and batteries not included.

The seven things you need to live are oxygen, food, shelter, sunlight, water, sleep and elimination.

However, there is a lot more stuff you don’t need.

The media has become very influencial when they convince you that more stuff will make you happier.

In most cases, more stuff creates chaos.

It becomes like a monster that invades and takes over your psyche.

No matter the cause, excess wants are unnecessary and will never stop asking to be fed until you decide to live a simpler, contented life you can control.

Let go and love you!

You deserve flowers!

For years and years I walked around feeling bad. Yes, I felt sorry for myself. There is no pity for someone who feels wounded, hurt and used. Others just don’t know or understand. They don’t want to either.
I came to a point when I quit hoping other people would solve my dilemmas. There was nothing they could do to take back the hurt that was caused anyway.

Most of all, I really wanted to be happy.

I read somewhere that happiness is sexy!

This thought changed my life.

But it was only a start.

I still had issues related to my past.

I still felt discouraged, as I pretended to be happy.

Then I realized I not only need to be happy, so as to be attractive and sexy, but I need to value myself much, much more!

In the past, I was often kinder to others than to I was to myself.

I valued others more, and thought I was worth much less. I seemed to attract only people who were bad for me, who put me down and used me.

As I mature, I look at all my work and my accomplishments, my I.Q.of 143, and I think to myself, while no two people are alike, self-preservation is inherent. It is right to care for others, but it is necessary to love myself too.

Preservation of one’s dignity and sanity comes from self-acceptance and personal responsibility, and no one tells you that.

So, others hurt, used, and abused me. I was the victim of various crimes and emotional cruelty. I let that go.

Every day I choose to become the director of my life. I don’t let others or what they say or do get in my way.

Neither should you.

Time to pull up your big girl or big boy pants and fight for your right to party!

Enjoy your life.

Remember, happiness and high self-esteem is sexy!

Let go and love you!

You deserve to be happy too!

It’s called the Banjolele or banjo uke

Well my husband got me hooked on George Formby. You may not know who he is if you are not familiar with the British musicals that George starred in during the nineteen thirties and forties.
His father, George Formby, Sr. was also a popular and successful musician and entertainer. As a result of dad’s success, George Jr grew up in a life of opulence that belied his Blackpoolian humor that hinted at humble beginnings.

Like his father before him, some of the songs that George Formby jr. performed on stage were full of double entendre.

But that’s British humor for you. They like their shows to include bawdy music hall jibber-jabber, knee-slapping goofy hi-jinks, and I like it too.

My husband asked for a Banjo Uke on his Amazon wish list, and I got him one as a surprise. Here is a video of us with his new banjo ukulele demonstrating the difference between the Hawaiian ukulele and the banjo ukulele.

Ukelele vs. Banjolele

And here is the great George Formby Jr. Playing one of his signature humorous songs.

 With me little ukulele in me hand

I like George Formby’s lighthearted style and it really helped lift up Britain during the darkest days of World War II.

During our cold Minnesota winters, I enjoy listening to George Formby on Google Play while I relax and wait for Spring!

Time to track time

A good way to find out what you do with your life is to track what you do with your time.
Be the boss of who you are. Tell yourself what to do. Be careful not to be distracted.

If you pay attention to the things you do you will start to lead your own parade.

Others will take notice, but pay them no mind. Keep your eyes on your own track, and get what you want.

Keep in mind, you will have a good life when you appreciate the fact that only you are responsible for your self-respect. You can have whatever you feel you deserve. 

Don’t forget to enjoy the journey and focus on the pleasure of your own goals.

It’s important to win. The things others have are things you can have too if you can pay attention to how you control yourself in the time you have been given.

The mind controls the body, so use your head.

Musically yours, Amy Zents

The idle and unfocused

It seems I’ve gained a month of time since I last posted a week ago. I have stayed off Facebook and Twitter in efforts to gain my life back. I think about how TV robs me of my time as well. The main thing in order to live is to be able to concentrate your mind on something that is beneficial to you. There are so many things that can distract us from our purpose and dreams.
I think people are becoming more idle, more sedentary and more fat because they are glued to a screen. Rich or poor people, it doesn’t matter, if you are idle and unfocused you are not progressing, and you cannot feel content with your life. Take charge of who you are, and decide what you want. If you want to be happy, take control of your own mind and don’t let others keep you from reaching your goals.

Less and More

New year. New chapter. New page. But, same old Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. This year I am only planning to go on social media once a week. Today I posted my weekly post on all three social media sites. Lovely. Now I can dive my into real life.

Smiley’s Tavern Open Mic

A beatbox and bongos are part of the mix at open mic for adventurous musicians

I would like to post something daily for the next 16 weeks to develop a writer’s discipline. Last weekend my husband and I attended open mic night at Smiley’s Tavern.

Smiley’s Tavern has a storied history. It is not the most glamorous bar on the planet.

A terrible upstairs fire that threatened it’s existence a decade ago, only seemed to temper it. To my surprise, the owners just fixed it up and put it back in working order.

 I spent a lot of hours at Smileys with my husband in our courting days. It is where we used to sit and smoke cigarettes and drink beer before such things became verboten.

It’s a very informal tavern. Folks play cards in the other room, and there is a full bar with an assortment of spirits and soft drinks to imbibe.

However, we just go for open mic night. The people that belong to NUMOSS, or New Ulm Musicians Open mic society are a talented bunch and a fun group of grown-ups with an eclectic taste in music. Some of the music is original, but most of what you hear are cover songs. 

That’s okay, people like the tried and true.

Smiling at Smiley’s Tavern

Your best present

Your focus is your gift to yourself

Where are you? Where did you come from? Where are you going? 
Today is a very special day. Today you are alive and today you are here. There is a saying, older but wiser.

Facts are when you get older you are less concerned about your future and more concerned about savoring your present. Every day above ground is a good day. Sometimes when people are young they are miserable, when they get older and look back on their youth they wonder how they could have been so stupid to be so worried about stupid things, and why they wasted so much time.

There are studies that show people over the age of 50 are often more content because they know who they are and they know their story.

Young or old, it’s good to be present. To be calm and to be mindful means to take your time and enjoy the journey. Too often we rush for the destination, and never think about savoring the present.

There are 3 things you need to be happy, something to do, someone to love, something to look forward to, but let me add a fourth, something to focus on right now. It is important to do one thing at a time with great love. It is a gateway to supreme happiness and contentment.

You are born alone and you die alone, so make yourself your best company. There’s nothing wrong in loving your life.

Don’t let the greedy marketers tell you that you should be miserable because you don’t have a brand new house or car or wear designer clothes.

You have the best present in the universe. You have now. Make today your day and own it! Okay?

Musically yours,

Amy Zents

Sing your song!

Lazy cat world, holiday rant

Sometimes you wonder if the whole world has turned into a lazy cat.

Why does it seem that getting good service, especially from contractors and sales clerks is like pulling teeth?

Not to be discriminatory, but generally it seems older people are more genuine when they make promises. Much more it seems than the younger crowd.

Nevertheless, with the proper checks and balances, young people with good job supervision are reliable.

These days it seems one has to be almost apologetic in order to garner good service.

It used to be that cooperation and reliability was a given. Now, it seems one has to beg, charm and coerce others into working with dignity and honesty.

With contractors as well as other business folk this warning still holds true: caveat emptor, let the buyer beware.

It’s not so much that they want to cheat you, it’s just that you get the feeling they would rather be someplace else than helping you.

During this Christmas season, I’ve noticed some sales clerks are very rude. They are coarse, careless, avoid eye contact, and they just want to grab your money and get rid of you as fast as they can.

Why is it that so many people have lowered their standards when it comes to courtesy and friendly service? Is it because management has stopped breathing down their necks?

Or are they just genuinely ugly souls?

Is management at fault? 

One imagines good training means good service.

I’ve come to the conclusion that it all boils down to the fact that people have free will. If bad people get a chance to pollute, to destroy, or give bad service, they will. If they can get away with it they will, and oftentimes they do.

I’ve seen it many times. Without rules and regulations, without watch dogs and security or staff overseeing things, some employees go haywire left to their own devices.

Let’s just watch ourselves when we are in business this season, so we don’t become like those bad apples. They’re disgusting.

I was listening to an interview with a football player. He was out for months because of a head injury.

That’s football for you, is all he said to excuse his violent injury and his absence from the field.

Well when it comes to workers who deliver poor service, we don’t want to use the excuse, that’s people for you!

I always thought people were good at heart.

Sad to say, I’m just tired of those who are loser lazy.

Then again, those who are their own heroes and rise to the higher standard, garner my admiration!