#57 Ain’t Nothing Like the Real Thing (Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell) 👍🏼
Lyrics: Ooh, baby Ain’t nothing like the real thing, baby Ain’t nothing like the real thing, no, no Ain’t nothing like the real thing, baby Ain’t nothing like the real thing (oh, honey) I’ve got your picture hangin’ on the wall But it can’t see or come to me when I call your name I realize it’s just a picture in a frame Ooh, I read your letters when you’re not near But they don’t move me and they don’t groove me Like when I hear your sweet voice whispering in my ear Don’t you know? Ain’t nothing like the real thing, baby Ain’t nothing like the real thing I play my game of fantasy I pretend, but I know in reality I need the shelter of your arms to comfort me No other sound is quite the same as your name No touch can do half as much To make me feel better So let’s stay together I’ve got some memories to look back on Though they help me when you’re gone I’m well aware Nothing can take the place of your being there, oh So glad we’ve got the real thing, baby So glad we’ve got the real thing Oh, Marvin (I know, honey) Ain’t nothing like the real thing, baby (so glad) (So glad, oh, darling) Ain’t nothing like the real thing, talk to me Ain’t nothing like the real thing, baby (ooh, oh, I’m so glad) Ain’t nothing like the real thing
A Radiant Reflection: Projecting Your Authentic Self
“So many women just don’t know how great they really are. They come to us all vogue outside and vague on the inside.”
Mary Kay Ash (American Businesswoman and Founder of Mary Kay Cosmetics, Inc.; May 12th, 1918 ~ November 22nd, 2001)
“Few women know how great they really are. If truth were told, we’d all probably admit to feeling pretty vague about our personal appearance. Many of us would like to trade ourselves in for a sleeker version.”
“…flip through the catalogs. Cut out the pictures of the women you think are attractive and the clothing you’d love to wear.”
“Always remember that dreams–your creative visualizations–must come before their physical manifestations.”
“Create a collage of your ideal woman: find the perfect hairstyle, put together a fantastic wardrobe for home and work.”
“Since you have embarked on this adventure to awaken your authenticity and discover your own sense of style, be willing not to buy another item of clothing unless you absolutely cannot live without it. No more settling for something that’s not you or that’s second-rate.”
“Let the potent power of simplicity begin to work in your life. If it’s not authentically you, live without it.”
“Before my story began…” (Heather 3-9-22)
1972 Me…at my Aunt Carrie’s Baby Shower
“This such a hard space for me to unfold. I have always been in a financial way that to buy myself anything for my wardrobe never went beyond the next racing t-shirt or sweat pants for my work. I feel like I have no sense of my own style and really don’t even no where to begin. My wardrobe has not evolved in over 20-25 years…UGH! I need to save money and hire a stylist to help me find that part of me.” (Heather Houston 3-9-22)
“I yearn to find my authentic style. One that is fusion for my busy life. I want classy, practical, sporty and elegant…LOL! Sounds like am impossible task. However, as a 2-Spirit woman, I believe I can find what works for me. I am in my birthday month and plan to get at least one item I must have.” (Heather Houston 3-9-26)
–Ban Breathnach, Sarah. “Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy”. Grand Central Publishing. (1976). Kindle Page 76-77 of 501.
I challenge each of you on this blog series to post comments so we all can grow together.
41st Academy Awards Best Screenplay, Original: Mel Brooks
“I don’t remember seeing this film. Gene Wilder & Zero Mostel are so funny and play off one another so well. Entertaining flick and such a ‘#uck you’ to the absurdity of the times.”
“I appreciate sleep in Sundays.” (Heather Houston 3-8-26)
“I am grateful I locked in my sourdough pancake recipe.” (Heather Houston 3-8-26)
“I am thankful for a close parking spot at the grocery store so we can get in and out in quick fashion.” (Heather Houston 3-8-26)
“I am grateful for the adventurousness of my husband to create a delicious fusion pizza!” (Heather Houston 3-8-26)
“I am thankful I get the opportunity to live my life where every second is used up. A life where I collapse into our bed at the end of the day completely used up!” (Heather Houston 3-8-26)
“I am grateful to have the love and support of my parents.” (Heather Houston 3-8-22)
“I am humbled and honored to serve the wounded soldiers who have been protecting my freedoms.” (Heather Houston 3-8-22)
“I am blessed to be brave enough to strive for greater self love and acceptance of myself just as I am. I am enough.” (Heather Houston 3-8-22)
“I am thankful for beautiful music🎶…the story of my life!” (Heather Houston 3-8-22)
“I am grateful for pedicures…even if I drool from the pampering.” (Heather Houston 3-8-22)
Lyrics: Lord, I gotta raise a fuss, Lord, I gotta raise a holler About workin’ all summer just to try to earn a dollar Well, Lord, I tried to call my baby, I tried to get a date Sometimes I wonder what I’m a-gonna do Lord, there ain’t no cure for the summertime blues Well, my mom and papa told me, “Son, you got to make some money” Well, if you wanna use the car to go a ridin’ next Sunday Oh, Lord, I didn’t go to work, I told the boss I was sick, said Sometimes I wonder what I’m a-gonna do Lord, there ain’t no cure for the summertime blues I’ve got to take three weeks, I’ve got to have a fine vacation I got to take my problem to the United Nations I done told my Congressman and he said quote, dig this boy Sometimes I wonder what I’m a-gonna do Lord, there ain’t no cure for the summertime blues I’ve got to take three weeks, I’ve got to have a fine vacation I got to take my problem to the United Nations I done told my Congressman and he said quote, dig this boy Sometimes I wonder what I’m a-gonna do Lord, there ain’t no cure for the summertime blues Whoa, there ain’t no cure
“Until you make peace with who you are, you’ll never be content with what you have.”
Doris Mortman (Author; 1944 ~ )
“Simplicity gains importance in our lives as we begin to make peace with ourselves. This is because we gradually come to the inner awareness that we don’t need to gild the lily. Some of the trappings can be relinquished because the Real Thing is finally ready to be revealed.”
“I call this point in the Simple Abundance process ‘taking the plunge’ because it involves a courageous leap of faith in the most intimate way: exploring the way we express ourselves to the outside world through our personal our personal appearance. But this is much more than just how we dress or style our hair. It’s about the many subtle ways we choose either to celebrate or conceal our authenticity. It’s about finally acknowledging and accepting the woman within. It’s about learning to become comfortable with who we really are.”
“We are not born all at once, but by bits. The body first, and the spirit later. Our mothers are racked with the pains of our physical birth; we ourselves suffer the longer pains of our spiritual growth.”
Mary Antin (American Author and Immigration Rights Activist; June 13th, 1881 ~ May 15th, 1949)
“One is not born a woman, one becomes one.”
Simone Lucie Ernestine Marie Bertrand de Beauvoir (French Existentialist Philosopher, Writer, Social Theorist, and Feminist Activist; January 9th, 1908 ~ April 14th, 1986)
“This becoming takes time. We need time to consider, time to reflect, time to make creative choices, time to emerge from the cocoon, time to clean out our closets, and time to clear away psychic cobwebs so that we might pare down to our essence.”
“Some of us have remained dormant for years–oblivious to our genuine beauty–drugged senseless by our own numbing disapproval, nagging doubts, and benign neglect. Coping strategies that once brought a sense of relief now only offers regret. To undo the damage and reconnect with our authentic selves we need to take the plunge, confident that Spirit is holding the net. Above all, we need to treat ourselves gently with the kindness we would bestow on amnesiacs who need the patient reassurance of their true identities.”
“Such a hard pill to swallow. I am definitely not kind to myself as my story tells me I am not worthy, enough, beautiful, valued and wanted. I fight this everyday. Somedays I feel like I am winning and some days I feel worse than a loser. I wish for myself to have more winning days. I deserve that much from myself.” ❣ (Heather Houston 3-8-22)
“I have chosen to give myself grace instead of being my worst enemy and battling and berating myself needlessly. This is easy to say, and it is a constant intention to quiet the stories running in my head. What I have learned that the greater silence I experience at this point in my life is so healing.” (Heather Houston 3-8-26)
–Ban Breathnach, Sarah. “Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy”. Grand Central Publishing. (1976). Kindle Page 75-76 of 501.
I challenge each of you on this blog series to post comments so we all can grow together.
26th Golden Globe Awards Best Film in a Drama, Comedy or Musical
26th Golden Globe Awards Best Director in a Drama, Comedy or Musical: Paul Newman
26th Golden Globe Awards Best Actress in a Drama: Joanne Woodward
“I had never seen this film. It was fascinating how they intertwined Rachel’s fantasies into her daily muddling. At 35 years old and a virgin in more ways than one, to be taken advantage of by several men and woman in the film…one for sex..one for companionship and a woman for love. I would consider watching again so I could glean more of the whole story. I think the acting was spot on.”
“I appreciate our fandom commitment to get up at 4AMish to watch the Arsenal to win against Mansfield in the 5th round of the FA Cup.” (Heather Houston 3-7-26)
“I am grateful my husband engineered a yummy breakfast sandwich with his homemade English muffins. YUMMY!” (Heather Houston 3-7-26)
“I am thankful when I am thinking ‘Hamburger’ for dinner and Neil and I blurt out at nearly the same moment…’Let’s have burgers for dinner.’ My husband and I are on the same wave length/vibration.” (Heather Houston 3-7-26)
“I grateful the best burgers around are coming from my kitchen…Mushroom Swiss Burgers in the house!” (Heather Houston 3-7-26)
“I appreciate an early retirement for the night after getting up at 4AM to support Arsenal.”🔴⚪️ (Heather Houston 3-7-26)
“I am grateful for the color blue as it has been my favorite color my whole life. Midnight Blue crayon is the BOMB!”💣 (Heather Houston 3-7-22)
“I appreciate the smell of cookies baking.” (Heather Houston 3-7-22)
“I am thankful for my spirit animal the snow leopard.” (Heather Houston 3-7-22)
“I am grateful for gin martinis as they are my go to cocktail.” (Heather Houston 3-7-22)
“I am thankful for BBQ Fritos chips…YUMMY!” (Heather Houston 3-7-22)
Lyrics: When I look up to the sky I see your eyes, a funny kind of yellow I rush home to bed, I sunk my head I see your face underneath my pillow I wake next morning, tired, still yawning See your face come peeping through my window Pictures of matchstick men and you Images of matchstick men and you All I ever see is them and you Windows echo your reflection When I look in their direction, gone When will this haunting stop? Your face, it just won’t leave me alone Pictures of matchstick men and you Images of matchstick men and you All I ever see is them and you You in the sky, you with this guy You make me cry, you lie You in the sky, you with this guy You make me cry, you lie Pictures of matchstick men Pictures of matchstick men Pictures of matchstick men Pictures of matchstick men
Matilda Alice Victoria Wood (known as: Marie Lloyd) (English Music Hall Singer, Comedian and Musical Theatre Actress; February 12th, 1870 ~ October 7th, 1922)
“Life requires that we prepare ourselves for the inevitable times that try our souls. This is achieved with a comfort drawer.”
“I don’t exactly have a dedicated drawer for my comfort drawer items as drawer space is not to be wasted. However, I do have my comfort items stashed all over the house to get access to when I need my fix.” (Heather Houston 3-7-22)
“I have a glass blown bowl I made in my kitchen vs. a comfort drawer…call it my comfort bowl. Filled with small sweets to nibble when the urge calls. I find when I actually have a bowl of sweets out, I actually eat less of them than I do when I have a craving. I used to keep a bowl of Hershey miniatures on my desk at the university for students to enjoy when they plopped down in my office. I very often kept it filled and rarely had any. I think this is a scarcity habit from my childhood. Nevertheless, I feel my comfort bowl fills my need for self-care of my spirit.” (Heather Houston 3-7-26)
–Ban Breathnach, Sarah. “Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy”. Grand Central Publishing. (1976). Kindle Page 74-75 of 501.
I challenge each of you on this blog series to post comments so we all can grow together.
My Distilled Life 