"We could sell these for a couple thousand each and fly to Paris for a pastry," I said to my friend. She was dubious. She wasn't a Springsteen fan either, but she was as obsessed with music as I was and argued that his live shows were supposed to be the holy grail of all live shows. "I know," I said, "but...Born in the U.S.A? Cheesy ole Clarence Clemons?" We went back and forth until she finally convinced me - "It's free, he's a legend and his fans are hot and know how to work on cars." So off I dragged myself via subway, commuter train, bus and cab to Brendan Byrne Arena for an evening of ho hum music alongside New Jersey's luckiest fans.
Cut to:
We spend our whole lives viewing our worlds from the inside of our heads out. We can get so tripped up by the squirrels running around between our ears that we can't think or see straight - ever notice how much easier it is to figure out other people's problems than your own? This is because your perception of them is squirrel-free. And so it goes for your friends. Lots of times what is so baffling to us is crystal clear to the people around us. Ask your friends what they think your best qualities are and what they could see you being happiest doing. Obviously the final choice is up to you, but you can get some great perspective looking through other people's eyes.
So remember to stay open, don't be a snob about the things you like and don't like, listen to your heart and your friends and follow the things that make you happy, step by step, and eventually you'll wind up standing on your chair, fist in the air, sobbing.
Pay Attention
What sort of activities make you lose track of time? What magazines do you gravitate towards in a bookstore? What sorts of things fill you with nervous excitement? A lot of times the answer is standing right next to us, but we're so caught up in worry and indecision and panic over choosing the wrong thing that we walk right past it. Pay attention to what makes you happy, down to the teeniest tiniest little things, and do it without judgment or any thoughts about what should make you happy. It's just like what happened to little Patty Scialfa, singing back-up for Bruce, pining away while he went off and married a supermodel. When he finally stopped living the I'm a Rockstar So I Have to Marry a Model dream and woke up to find his girl still waiting for him, he found his true love. Or that's my version of how it went down at least.
Don't Wait For The Thunderbolt
Inspiration and enlightenment usually trickle in rather than showing up all at once. If you're waiting for the big bang to go off in your head, for everything to come together in one giant undeniable bolt of clarity, you may be waiting your whole life. Answers can come in strange packages, and you never know the gem that might be lurking behind something you'd normally pass over. Just keep moving forward with what feels right, take it step by step and stay open. - "I love music, I hear he's a great performer
Jordan Q4 Women, it's free, his fans are hot
CAT Men Shoes, etc." and soon enough you might find yourself swept up in the very thing you love.
Listen to Your Friends
Here's what I learned about finding your passion from The Boss:
Springsteen takes the stage, plays one, two, maybe three notes and I am standing on my chair, fist in the air, sobbing. I saw every single show he did on the east coast after that and staunchly defended his honor to any pinheads who badmouthed his music or even lame old Clarence Clemons. Because here's the thing about Bruce Springsteen: he played every single note as if there was a sniper in the audience who might take him out at any second. He was 100% in the moment, giving it everything he had, pumping us all full of red-blooded Jersey sweat and tears and all us girls wanted to be Mary barreling down Thunder Road in his GTO with our head on his shoulder and a beer between our legs.
Within a year she'd fattened her savings account and gathered a long list of retail and wholesale handbag clients. She quit her job and moved to the mountains of eastern North Carolina, a part of the country she'd always longed to explore. Savannah had finally realized her dream of owning a successful design business in the fashion industry. Sales increased every year, and so did the prices of her handbags.Then she met Greer at a trade show, the publicist for a national chain of designer boutiques. Their marriage only lasted three years, long enough for Savannah to realize the quiet man, who made her laugh with his offbeat sense of humor, was actually a depressed and angry person. She left when she grew weary of his chameleon nature, when she understood his irate moods were no fault of hers, no matter how verbally abusive Greer became, no matter how often he accused her.
When I lived in New York I worked for a big fancy record company that signed a lot of big fancy artists. We got free CDs and tickets to just about everything that came through town, so I'm not proud to report I was pretty blase when I snagged 15th row seats to Bruce Springsteen on the last night of his sold out world tour. In New Jersey.
By the time I first saw him it was 1993 which meant he had long-ago earned his status as The Boss, and had probably forsaken his humble Jersey roots for a mansion in Westchester somewhere, but he was still a hard worker, was still connected to his message and he still loved what he did. And by golly so did I.
Now she's thirty-five, divorced, and living in South Carolina, the place where she met Ravena for the first time. Back then her handbags sold at craft fairs throughout the Southeast instead of upscale boutiques, department stores, and gift shops. Ravena's booth had been next to hers at a craft show nine years ago in Columbia, one of Savannah's first craft fairs, and she had marveled at Ravena's sales savvy, feeling as green as the grass beneath her booth. Instead of ignoring a newbie, Ravena befriended her, offering lots of tips to increase sales, which worked and made the show a profitable one for both women.Savannah knew without a doubt the Goddess had placed this Wiccan sister in the Craft on her path that day
Nike Mercurial Vapor SL - FG, and they have remained best friends ever since. It's no wonder Ravena suggested Savannah should move to South Carolina after her divorce, encouraging her young friend the to start over on friendly ground.