So...What's Next?!?

Best Break-Up Songs

You would think this would be something not on my radar considering I don't have much experience with romantic break-ups. But I do have experience with people letting me down or relationships not working out...or worse - setting up expectations for others that they could not meet.

Those are the times I best related to break-up songs. Awhile ago my friend @leatrice tweeted a request for break-up songs that were not about missing you or wanting you back. I gave her several as a starting point. Yes, I have a long playlist of songs that say "go away!"

I never got around to sharing them with her, but I just heard one on my iTunes and it reminded me that I needed to share this list.

First off Linkin Park  has an entire album (or 2) that qualifies.

My friend Tim Acres has a great song called Shouldaknown "I saw who I wanted you to be" is such an appropriate line.

Matchbox Twenty has a song they played live called All Your Reasons. He calls it the happiest I hate you song ever written.

I absolutely LOVE Keith Urban's Song You'll Think Of Me

A great F-You Song is by Garbage - When I Grow Up

Alright this next song is one that was popular when I broke up with my high school sweetheart and after writing the lyrics over and over again during science class, I kinda lost it when I saw him with another girl and um....kicked his butt in the middle of the hall. He was a football player and some of his team  members saw it...and well that was the best part of it all....but yeah...The song is by Aerosmith, Tell Me What It Takes

This song is for those times you just cannot pull away from what is obviously a disaster. Kelly Clarkston's Beautiful Disaster.

There was time, not long ago, when I was uncontrollably mad at some people (yeah you). My family walked in on me totally jamming to The Dixie Chicks Not Ready to Make Nice That was such a perfect song for me for the time!

I know there are many more in my iTunes...but these are a good start. Anyone have any to add to the list?

UPDATE

I added a widget in the next post with all kinds of songs and I will keep adding to it as I think of more.

Simply in a great mood

Tonight I had a semi-final meeting with my interns for their 8 week project.  We have two more weeks to go and we went over what was expected over the next couple of weeks as well as reviewed the past 6 weeks.

I think we all agreed that we have made some significant progress in 6 short weeks. They all felt they had learned a lot! That is a really good feeling! We agreed to meet on the last day of the internship for a final party.

After the meeting I met my husband at the gym. We were able to catch up with each other and the happenings within the family.

Although admittedly  13 is a very difficult age - I think my 13 year old and I are strengthening our relationship the past couple of weeks. We have always had a strong bond and I am really happy that he is allowing me to stay part of his journey enough that I have been able to guide him along some of the rougher waters.

As far as the company, I am launching a few new initiatives and they seem to be making some progress already. Although I know it is going to be a lot of work and long hours keeping everything in order, I really feel grounded and ready for the challenge now more than ever.

I am working on a few creative briefs - which is very exciting, because I am finally to the point that I am working on more than research and training, but actual campaigns and creative processes. The bigger vision is finally coming to life.

The Enterprise 2.0 society has solidified the next few speakers and everything is moving really well there.

Overall things are going really well. Admittedly there were a few times today when I felt drained or overwhelmed, but I knew it was just the moment and that it was because everything I have been asking for was now on my plate (be careful what you ask for.)

Tonight as I listen to my iTunes, a few songs that used to bring down came on. But instead of feeling down, I listened to them with a "peaceful, easy feelin." I actually enjoyed the memories of the ups and downs that I have been on. It's all good!

Finally, song lyrics - just because -

A FINE FRENZY LYRICS

"You Picked Me"

One, two, three
Counting out the signs we see
The tall buildings
Fading in the distance
Only dots on a map
Four, five, six
The two of us a perfect fit
You're all mine, all mine

And all I can say
Is you blow me away

Like an apple on a tree
Hiding out behind the leaves
I was difficult to reach
But you picked me
Like a shell upon a beach
Just another pretty piece
I was difficult to see
But you picked me
Yeah you picked me

So softly
Rain against the windows
And the strong coffee
Warming up my fingers
In this fisherman's house
You got me
Searched the sand
And climbed the tree
And brought me back down

And all I can say
Is you blow me away

Like an apple on a tree
Hiding out behind the leaves
I was difficult to reach
But you picked me
Like a shell upon a beach
Just another pretty piece
I was difficult to see
But you picked me
Yeah you picked me

Sigh - Ahhh - Wow!

The perfect song at the perfect time

So if you have been following along - you might have noticed some changes in me throughout the past two years. I was telling Tim the other day that sometimes I think I might have wasted the past two years - for many following along this may not make a lot of sense. Basically I lost myself for awhile or you can say I went "exploring." The blog posts that were lost was my "travel journal." I went to find myself.

But I realize I did not waste the past two years, I consider it a retreat from reality - during the retreat I accomplished a bit - and now I am ready to "suit back up" and get to work. What does that mean? I am not exactly sure yet. It does not mean going back to who I used to be in the corporate world - but it is a re-entry into the seriousness and focus of my career growth. What have I found that I might need to compromise again? I promise to not compromise - only to grow.

So I was thinking about this throughout the day today. Where did I come from, where I have I been, where am I now and where do I want to go? I have lots of great advice coming at me and many choices, and I know that I have the right and ability to stay in control of my own path.

I have come up with some clearer ideas and direction, which I am not yet ready to share here. But I will leave you with the very appropriate lyrics of the first song that played tonight when I settled in to work. It was the perfect song at the perfect time.

The Change by Garth Brooks
One hand
Reaches out
And pulls a lost soul from harm
While a thousand more go unspoken for
They say what good have you done
By saving just this one
Its like whispering a prayer
In the fury of a storm.

(chorus)
And I hear them saying youll never change things and no matter
What you do its still the same thing
But its not the world that I am changing I do this so this
World will know that it will not change me.

This heart
Still believes
The love and mercy still exist.
While all the hatred rage and so many say
That love is all but pointless in madness such as this
Its like trying to stop a fire
With the moisture from a kiss.

*chorus*
As long as one heart still holds on
Then hope is never really gone.

*chorus*
What I do is so
This world will know
That it will not change me

Oh Atlanta!

Today I attended the Atlanta Conventions and Visitors Bureau Industry Briefing and sat in the audience with immense pride. One I love the city of Atlanta. Two I love the direction I have seen it going in and
Three they are a client and during the presentation about the social media site they gave me and my team a very complimentary shout out!

So here are some notes from the briefing;

We have about 38 million visitors a year which generates about $12 billion in revenue,

ACVB is passionate about customer service and our southern hospitality. As Mark Vaughn, EVP Sales & Marketing put it, we will never have a beach (of course we never know what global warming may bring us...) but what we do have is our southern hospitality and that is the strength we each need to play to - to be the best and most hospitable city in the world.

I learned from Andrew Wilson, COO of Brand Atlanta that hits to the Atlanta.net site increased by 12% from 2006 to 2007 and is currently the second highest ranking COB site in traffic with Vegas being the first.

They talked about the wonderful blogging team that has volunteered to be the Ambassadors of this city. They also unveiled the desktop widget that was created, which I must say is quite useful You will be able to set you preferences based on what you like to do - eat, go to concerts, sports...and the ACVB events calendar will then push information to your desktop. Pretty Cool.

I have to say this project has been the most enjoyable one to date...and so for tonight's quote - I leave you all with a song by Alison Krauss

Roaming around, oh Lord
I've got all this and Heaven above

Oh, Atlanta
I hear you calling
I'm coming back to you one fine day
No need to worry
There ain't no hurry cause I'm
On my way back to Georgia
On my way back to Georgia

I get a feeling in me
When I remember all those
Crazy days and crazier nights
Can't you hear the music playing?
You must have heard them saying
We're gonna rip 'em up
And light up the night

Oh, Atlanta
I hear you calling
I'm coming back to you one fine day
No need to worry
There ain't no hurry cause I'm
On my way back to Georgia
On my way back to Georgia

Same old place
It's the same old city
What can I do?
I'm falling in love

I'm just an old hound dog
Roaming around, Lord, Lord
I've got all this and Heaven above

Oh, Atlanta
I hear you calling
I'm coming back to you one fine day
No need to worry
There ain't no hurry cause I'm
On my way back to Georgia
On my way back to Georgia

Oh, Atlanta
Hear me calling
I'm coming back to you one fine day, hey
No need to worry
There ain't no hurry cause I'm
On my way back to Georgia
On my way back to Georgia

Music for our Emotions

Yesterday my youngest son was so full of energy I would swear that he was glowing. He also seemed to be wanting to do something musical. So I jumped on the Internet to see if there were any 'concerts in the park' type things going on (yes I know it is winter - but I was hopeful). I did not find anything for him, but what I found were tickets to the Matchbox 20 concert at half price!

There is this site called Tickco - I had never heard of it and the price of $33 seemed too good to be true, so I checked it out the best way I know how - I checked the blogosphere. Over 7000 links to the site - and nothing negative that I found.

So tonight my husband and I had excellent seats at an amazing concert.

It was good to see Alanis Morrissette in the opening act. She still has a strong voice, but through the years has lost some of her edge. It just so happened my seats were 4 seats away from my old boss Bill Mayers. As I told Bill, Alanis made me wish that I did not throw away old journals and writings. She may no longer have the venom that gave her the edge, but she seemed to be having fun with some of those songs. I will never get to revisit some of my best work that was written from intense emotion. Does that mean I will stop throwing away journals and writings - nope...some things I do not need to revisit.

Matchbox 20 was AMAZING! I would say they played all my favorite songs, but all of their songs are my favorite songs. Each member of the band stands out as a top musician, and they are so much fun and  they play so tight.

I love how they can write happy "I hate you and the world is ending songs." I also enjoyed watching thousands of people in the stadium relate to the song Unwell.

Although I could claim that all of their songs are my favorite and that each song has some of the most amazing lyrics, there is one song where the lyrics stand out above all the rest - which I will leave as tonight's quote;

And I'm so
Terrified of no one else but me
I'm here all the time
I won't go away
It's me, yeah I can't get myself to go away
It's me, and I can't get myself to go away
- Long Day