Artsy Fartsy
Love the labels that are you...
“Every thought is a dream
Rushing by in a stream
Bringing life to the kingdom of doing
Take a ride in the sky
On our ship, fantasize
All your dreams will come true miles away” - Fantasy | Earth, Wind & Fire
Has anyone ever called you something where you stopped in your tracks, and at first you thought… what? quizzical in the middle of being you, nodding your head sideways …yes, yes, is that me? do I want this title ? that would be me!
“Artsy fartsy! I love it” I said to my bestie in Boise.
I have arrived. I am artsy fartsy and it’s a compliment.
I do not care if your hair is a mess, or there’s ice-cream all over your face, if your clothes don’t match, shoes stand out, or if you break out in a funk in the middle of the store when Earth, Wind and Fire is playing, bobbing your head along, saying over and over and over “I love this, I love this, “come look at this,” awwwe, that little ceramic bird needs a name.
If you fart, I might make a fart sound back and roar with laughter.
It’s a far cry from all the grief that life throws your way.
I can’t paint or I haven’t learned yet and I’m a bit too artsy fartsy, with fartsy emphasized so best to take pictures, go limp over street art, feel all the textiles up and down hanging on the store racks, weirdo, freeze into a trance whenever encountering colored glass and hold pottery as if a world famous artist made it, while remembering a story, that I must indeed tell the random stranger near me, because my friend is purposely on the other side of the store, me never believing it’s on purpose.
I’m not so fartsy that I’m ditzy and don’t see what’s going on you know? But it’s so hard not to be me.
“Me” who was ready to throw myself away in 2020.
So next time someone gives you a compliment like, “you’re so friendly,” chatty, or you’re strange, deep, artsy, different? take it like the best fried green beans with chipotle sauce. Tuck it in the pocket of your favorite corduroys in summer, wear your Beatles band shirt or the Police one from one to 100 years old (if you make it), buy the shoes that everyone points to and says, “those are ?????” FUN, yes, that’s it! fun! Who cares if they are a combo of camo, leopard, the American flag with silvery laces. Heck, it’s better than asking my mom to make them? I mean, she’d say no now. They match literally everything.
I’ve said it so many times here. It’s important. Don’t change the unique person that God made you to be. Sure, change bad habits. Change your diet if you need to. Listen more. Work on your library voice or know when to be loud. Work on the things that will highlight the unique framework of you so it shines through.
Love the labels that are you.
“As you glide in your stride
With the wind as you fly away
Give a smile from your lips and say
I'm free, yes I'm free, now I'm on my way…”
Earth, Wind & Fire is a multi-talented original American band formed in Chicago, Illinois, in 1969 by Verdine and Maurice White. Their music spans genres of jazz, R&B, soul, funk, disco, pop, Latin, and Afro-pop. They are among the best-selling bands of all time, with sales of over 90 million records worldwide. I used to roll into high school, in my dad’s mustang, from 1977 to 1978 blasting their music on the 8-track, windows down, like those obnoxious people that do that. Now I play it for my grandkids and make them jump on the trampoline to it. Love me some brass section.
There is nothing like watching Verdine White, the original Energizer Bunny and bass player. You’ll have to find live videos of him if you want your cheeks to hurt from smiling so much. Above, is the album recorded version of Fantasy, produced by Maurice White, lead singer, with the incredible range. He sadly passed away February 4th 2016 from Parkinson’s Disease. Verdine, at the time, said, "my brother, hero and best friend Maurice White passed away peacefully last night in his sleep.
At 72, Verdine is still rocking that bass, smiling, gliding, striding and doing Verdine.
This is so fun, you had me grinning from ear to ear the whole read ☺️. I, too, feel up the fabrics. I might have a not so secret fabric hoard. Beautiful message of encouragement to just be you, I love it. Thanks, Deb ❤️
I absolutely love how you embrace yourself, and love who you are—that’s beautiful Deborah! I recently discussed self love with another writer. There are those moments you get a glimpse of yourself accidentally in a mirror or video or photo and you think, “who is that person?” And you realize it’s you, and you like who you see. I love how we can see ourselves through these different lines. Our own glasses, and through those of others. Thank you so much for writing this piece. I enjoyed it so much. Of course one of my favorite bands of all time is earth wind and fire! Thank you for the music! It makes me happy!