Madonna is Lady Gaga!

Madonna is famous for reinventing herself.

So much so, in fact, that the word reinventing didn't apply to people at all until Madonna started doing it.

From Blonde Ambition to Evita, from Mom, and woman with the crazy-cut-muscular arms, she paved the way for people like Lady Gaga, Britney Spears, and Rihanna.

But after listening to Lady Gaga's latest tome, Born This Way, I kept hearing Madonna's famous Express Yourself in my head.

Apparently I'm not the only one who has noticed the resemblance, as several online bloggers have mashed up the two songs together to illustrate their similarities. Questions like "Did Lady Gaga rip off Madonna and does anyone care?" accompany a poorly edited photo collage of the two women and their respective songs.

But the following question occurred to me:

Where is Madonna?

She's not been in the limelight or pop-news lately....

So....

I think Madonna is Lady Gaga!

I mean, what better reinvention than to transform yourself into a younger, slightly less fit, less attractive (beauty is in the eye of the beholder, so this is just my opinion), make-up and wig-clad (to hide the plastic-surgery required to pull off this transformation) twenty-something (year right) antics-ridden artist?

Madonna, you have outdone yourself this time. Unpredictable, once again.

It's all really, about magic. 

Well, it's all really about catchy songs and magic. 

Magic is the art of illusion and part of illusion is distraction. You draw the audiences eye away from the thing you don't want them to see (that Lady Gaga really is Madonna), to the meat-suit-dress or astral-ring-dress or egg/pod-thingy to achieve the desired effect. Also, notice that people don't talk too much about Lady Gaga, I mean Madonna's personal life anymore. She may be guarding it closely to her bosom, but her antics draw our attention away from her personal life and straight to her stage life and crazy outfits/makeup/accouterments.

Case and point: 

Madonna's Express Yourself is blatantly similar to Lady Gaga's Born This Way - in both message/theme, melody, beats-per-minute, vocal range, and musical structure.

The only counter to this potentiality is that Gaga's dancing isn't quite as good as Madonna. However, this is probably just part of Madonna's rouse.

Material Girl, you have outdone yourself.

Long Leg, Small Face - Sojourn to Japan

In 2005 I took a trip half-way around the world and received my native name.

Like Stands With a Fist in Dances With Wolves, I did not pick my name. Rather it was given to me by the tribe I joined briefly in Japan...

My good friend Koko was teaching English to high school students in Osaka, and since I was on hiatus from my job at the time as Production Manager on a FOX television Managing show, I decided to visit Ms. Koko and see a little slice of Japan.

It was one of my favorite trips. We had so much fun. Here's one of the more memorable experiences.

As a musician and singer, I often sing for my supper, and/or basically do a little song and dance (without the dance if I can help it) while traveling, visiting or otherwise saying hello to friends. It's just something that has happened. Flattering and fun at best, annoying at worst, but on this particular trip, I was happy to play music at the school where Koko was teaching. Also, even when I don't feel like playing, I always end up loving it once I get going. For those who haven't tried it, singing and playing music is absolutely a natural high. Or maybe that's just me...

So I used the guitar Koko had, and I played and sang a few songs.

Well, apparently the kids liked it.

Remember, I'm 5'8" which is tallish in Japan. But there are certainly taller women than yours truly in the U.S. and especially in Los Angeles. But in Japan...

Several times they referred to me when speaking to each other about me or directly with me as long leg, small face.

It seems they were referring to my stature as well as the size of my face. Plurals seem to be optional with beginning English if Japanese is your first language, so "leg" (no s) was sufficient for a description. Also, I didn't realize my face was particularly small, in fact I think I have a rather strong jaw-line, but apparently, it was a compliment through and through.

So...my honorary Japanese name is Long Leg, Small Face.

Also worth noting, one 16-year-old kid came up to me and said, "please me." because he wanted to meet me. You see, sometimes they leave out the more complicated or hard to pronounce words like, "introduce," so he went with the simpler, "please me." After briefly smiling (Koko) and giggling (me), Koko promptly introduced me to this eager young fella.

Overall, the kids were very appreciative that I played music and shared my long legedness and small face-ity with them. I'd do it again in a heart-beat.

Though next time, I'll remember to accentuate my Long Legs, Small Face.

Discovering my purpose

The other day I had the opportunity to help one of my friend/clients with some stuff that was coming up.

In the interest of maintaining confidentiality, and because this blog really isn't about the specifics about what was happening, I'll just say it was generally physical pain that had some connection to detoxing and, like most physical pain, there was an emotional component.

If you haven't read books by Dr. John Sarno, you really should. Everyone should. But alas, this blog isn't about Sarno either. I'll just say generally that he writes about the emotional component in chronic pain, and I would say his findings are as important as penicillin.

This blog, though teased to be about other things, is about finding purpose. Sometimes in seemingly every-day events.

For almost ten years now, Marcus has been helping people with their health. The easiest thing to call him is a health expert, but since most people don't know what that is, let's just say he has a gift for retaining information about how the body works, as well as an intuitive gift to tap into what people are experiencing so he can help them to release - through body work or nutrition or herbs or exercise or meditation or assigned exercises/tasks - whatever stands in the way of their highest good.

He's good at it. Really good. I've been around and seen a few healer-types and he's one of the best I've ever seen.

The other day when our friend/client was over, I was a part of the process. Since he's wildly more experienced in this than me, I am sort of his wing-woman. But I will say that I think we compliment each other well. I tend to have a softer touch, and I'm also quite good at taping into my intuition about what someone needs to hear, do or release. Though I also know a vital thing that every wing-man and apprentice should know; that everyone should know, in fact: when to shut the fuck up.

A take-charge person by nature, it's also good for me to be a wing-woman. I'm no slouch, for certain. The spiritual psychology and hypnosis training have served me well; also I have years of helping friends and myself through the trials and tribulations of life. No small feat.

Here I think it's worth mentioning that I have discovered something; something I continue to grow and expand within myself, even though it goes against something I was raised to believe in:

You can sometimes help people by telling them what they want to hear, but you cannot always help someone by telling them what they want to hear. In other words, being a people-pleaser, or someone people like will not always work if your aim is to help people. If your aim is to always be liked (a fruitless aim in my experience and estimation), you've actually got a tougher road than to help people and my advise is to let that one go. People are too fickle, too unpredictable, and their responses to others are too rooted in past experiences to ever predict how they'll respond to you. Also, it's exhausting. I worry less what people think of me, but I still carry the concern. Less though, much less than when I was younger. Thank goodness.


That's one thing Marcus excels at and he expresses it to his clients so I know the speech: My biggest concern is your health; not whether or not you like me. I am a pit-bull advocate for your health and healing and sometimes that means you won't like me. Guess what? I don't care. My biggest concern is to get you well. 

I must admit. I sort of like that speech. It gives me the tingles. In part because he's my man and in part because I think it's a really powerful thing to fight for someone's health and healing once they've hired you to do so. Also, I think it's one of the biggest acts of love I've ever seen. Marcus loves all of his clients, but with a sort of detached sentiment; he doesn't care if they love him back, only that they release what blocks them from experiencing happiness and connection.

But here's where my realization comes in. The next morning, as soon as I awoke, I realized something about myself.

You see, for many years, most of my life really, I thought my purpose was music. It's understandable. I started singing at age 3, or so my parents say - I don't recall when, I just don't remember a time I didn't sing. I started playing piano at age 5, and composing songs soon thereafter. As a teenager, I went to an arts school for music and have recorded 3+ albums. Also, it's one of the things I feel most at home doing. I love it.

Well, the other day forced me to realize the following:

Music is my gift; helping people is my purpose.

Honestly, it was a relief to realize this.

Here's why: I was confused a little about the music thing. I love it and I'm good at it. But other musicians, remarkably less talented musicians, seemed to be getting more than their share of success because of their music while I remain largely unknown (besides to my few hundred fans, friends, and family - thanks, guys!). But that didn't change the unpredictability of my gigs. Sometimes I'd have a full houses for performances, which could be anywhere from 40-500 people, depending on the venue, to crickets chirping along with the 4-5 people that are there for me or just randomly at the venue. It's worth noting the 500 people was at UCSD when I sang and performed in The Vagina Monologues - it wasn't my biggest audience as I had a solo years ago in front of 2000+, but they weren't all there to see me. This is not to make you feel confused or sorry for me (hope that didn't happen), but to illustrate part of my confusion. Not only do I not have top 20 hit singles, I also have unpredictable fan following. Most likely a marketing issue, it still has confounded me. Until recently.

It's worth noting that I've had hints of this before, though this time seems stronger. A few years back during a meditation, I had a ringing voice of clarity wash over me so I asked this thing, this higher wisdom of sorts, if my life's purpose was music (I would've bet the bank that it would have said yes, so certain was I of the music-purpose correlation in my life). The response was almost jovial and hilarious in it's simplicity: think bigger. That's all that came forward. Think bigger.

You see, this realization, that music is my gift; helping people is my purpose has liberated me from that confusion and I feel more free than ever to share my gifts, which include but are not limited to music, while embracing a larger purpose of helping people. I'm not sure exactly how that will look or unfold, but I intend to proceed with an open heart and mind.

What are your gifts? What is your purpose?

More Interesting Katie Strand World Post

• Avatar Characters - from Human to Nav'i
• All About Steve
• "David! Paul! Strand!" - The Power of Purpose & Dedication
• The Fountain of Youth
• Think about your whoo-whoo (Driftwood, part 2)
• Driftwood
• These books are made for laughing
• Laughter every day keeps the doctor away
• Worry vs Choice
• A New Homeostasis, the third installment
• Memorial Day Dreams
• A New Homeostasis, part deux
• A New Homeostasis
• Boobies & Kittens...especially for overcast days
• The One-Minute Happiness Quiz
• Qi Pao! My hips in China.
• Raw Milk has been pulled from Whole Foods shelves
• How Betty White deals with the Census
• Anxious or calm?
• Sunscreen may increase the risk of skin cancer!
• What happened to Kathleen Turner?
• Hairiosity!
• And All the Cows Said Moo, TWO!
• A Luke-warm Mess
• Let Go! Your Children Know More Than You Think
• Are you hungry for change? So is Food, Inc.
• Liberating yourself from your own fears
• The smallest non-child, non-midget person I've ever seen
• Stupid trumps hot
• The 15 Things that Pasteurization Kills
• A hugging, laughing, happy mess
• The HPV vaccination could be more dangerous than what it "prevents"
• Is Jake Pavelka a douche bag?
• It's all about interpretation
• Have you forgotten how glorious you are?
• The best reason for DONUTS
• Dr. Mercola recommends raw milk!
• We'd all be pillars of salt
• James Cameron was robbed!
• What do you want?
• The Real British Invasion or...Hey there Brit, how's your American accent?
• Andre Agassi is now Open
• Farts
• Love & Hate. Drugs & Rebellion.
• Occam's Razor - It's a Life & Faith Principle
• If Richard Pryor had a period...
• If you're prone to nudeness...
• Hello, my name is Temple Grandin.
• Blog tease, yelling to no one & the secret to long...
• My Addendum to "Choose a Job You Love..."
• The Primal Diet & Running
• Chop Wood, Carry Water, Do Taxes
• The male member revealed
• Play with the Girls
• How to tame the psycho hose beast
• Oh boy, that's a good question! or How to Deal with the Census
• These boots were made for walking
• If I were a Ninja, I'd wear these shoes
• How my friend Sally became the new First Lady
• My Boyfriend has Autism...Maybe
• Raw Primal Papaya Custard - The Nectar of the Gods
  
• And All the Cows Said Moo!
• If you were John Mayer, you would too
• Tiredness - Varieties of and unforeseen side-effects
• Foreplay is overrated
• Food should be As God Intended or Why isn't everything we eat organic?
• Yelling - One of the Highest Forms of Compassion
  
• The Cove - Louie Psihoyos' Oscar speech & a guide on how to create change...
• My Favorite Things...Arrabiata Recipe - Fresh, Organic, Vegan or Primal
• My Favorite Shows on Television...or how David Duchovney & Jesus are likely Good in Bed
• The Hawaiian Islands and Washington D.C.’s sand-paper circle-jerk about Health Care
• My Buddha has Termites...A Lesson in Infinite Joy
• The One-Date-Wonders!
• I had to learn SIGN LANGUAGE when I moved to Los Angeles
• Guys can make a game out of anything
• Hello? The power of CONNECTING and how technology has changed things
• Popping the question is better than porn!
• Bravo, Stephen Colbert & Co! and your Olympic Vancouverage
• Songwriting is like SEX
• Born To Run by Christopher McDougall - Inspiring a inspiring all of us to be more in the FLOW
• A moment of silence for all the plastic surgery casualties
• Ricky Gervais should be the new Simon on American Idol
• Muscle SURPRISE! The key to physical, mental & emotional fitness
• I think my boyfriend's a snake...
• Release... Sweat & Power
• MY FAVORITE THINGS! - Vibram's Five Fingers
• Dick Morris... How do you sleep at night?
• Rusty DePass, Gorillas, and Obama, oh my!
• Michael Jackson - Troubled Genius

New Music

&
Posts 

at
Katie Strand Music

• To Make You Feel My Love
• Please Don't Leave Me
• Going To California
• Come Back
• Home

A New Homeostasis, part deux

As promised, here's part two of A New Homeostasis.

Predictably, ironically, and hilariously, I read part one yesterday after it went out, and found several odd typos and grammatical errors. I typed most of it from the park on my iphone, and frankly, it types a little funny for me, even after over a year's ownership. But how funny, a blog about being patient and gentler with myself, and I got on my own case about typos in my blog. Geesh! This growth is right on time! Fortunately, it didn't last long as Marcus and I started laughing about it soon after I made a disparaging comment about my typos.

But back to the promised answer to the question, What on earth is happening in your life that you're experiencing such resistance?

Well. It's worth noting that I haven't experienced this level of resistance for years. Perhaps it's because  I've been unknowingly training myself to adapt to change for many years. All that hobby-whoring and moving around helped abate resistance from ordinary levels of change.

So the change that's happening for me must be profound.

But it doesn't seem that profound... so I suppose that's why it took me a minute to realize the irritability was a sign of resistance to change.

Here's what's happening, in list form to help me keep it straight.

• I'm in a relationship with a man who I can actually see myself spending the rest of my life with, and he feels the same way! Though other men have teased about marriage or I'd fantasized a little about men I thought I wanted to marry, never before has it been so...easy and sure. (Though I'm in no rush to make it legal, truth be told.)
• I'm training as a hypnotherapist, and subsequently receiving hypnotherapy and exploring my subconscious programming. I thought my degree in spiritual psychology would've brought up serious resistance, and I suppose it did, but for some reason during my two-year master's program, I had the perpetual medication of talking things out in class sessions - therefore giving my ego lots to distract it as I was changing, which I did in profound ways during that experience. The hypnotherapy stuff seems to deal more deliberately with the subconscious mind, and so my RM is bucking more profoundly.
• I'm setting a foundation for the life I've always dreamed about. I've always fantasized about a life that is some combination of having a family, great friends, a career in music and entertainment, teaching and helping people, starting a spiritual and educational center, expressing myself through writing and music, eating and living healthy, being happy, successful, and actualized. Well, all these things seem to be...in the works. Marcus and I are writing books on relationships. I'm writing a blog on a regular basis. I'm recording music that is much more commercially viable (my past recordings were great for me, but their marketability was much more narrow than what I'm creating now.) We just created the name and title of a spiritual center. I'm helping people through my spiritual psychology and hypnosis training. I'm enjoying life and laughing every day. The ball has started rolling on a television show Marcus and I are creating with a friend. You get the idea? A ground swell is starting.
• Also, I've been doing a process called Mental Bank (MB) that I learned through HMI (Hypnosis Motivation Institute). Basically, it's something you do for about 5 minutes before sleep and it helps reprogram the subconscious mind so you continue doing things that are positive and help propel you forward into the life you want, as well as creating more income. Well, since I've been doing MB, money has indeed started to come in from unexpected sources. As much as my RM wants to excuse this as other things, realistically, I've gotten more checks in the mail than I did prior to doing the MB.
• 
  

All of these things are creating the perfect storm for my RM to freak out a little. Look at the definition:

Homeostasis: the tendency of a system, esp. the physiological system of higher animals, to maintain internal stability, owing to the coordinated response of its parts to any situation or stimulus tending to disturb its normal condition or function.

From what I understand, humans are designed to return to homeostasis. For most of human existence it was essential for survival. But in modern society, that means that when we are making any change, especially positive change, our RM will fight the change to bring us back to homeostasis.

About twenty-four hours into this resistance, I realized I'm simply creating a new homeostasis, so that I can have the life that I truly want. It's a bit uncomfortable at times. Actually, it's a lot uncomfortable at times, but since I realized what's happening, I can sort of weather the storm.

Share if you've noticed this for yourself. It can be in the form of yo-yo dieting or weight loss/gain, sabotaging a new job, resisting a new exercise regimen or injuring yourself within one, or it can be in the form of bailing on a new relationship because it was different than previous relationships. 

Just know that creating a new homeostasis is what's happening and the discomfort will abate once the new homeostasis is established.

By the way, one of my favorite books that talks a lot about resistance and art and self-expression is The War of Art by Stephen Pressfield. I highly recommend this book.

 

More Interesting Katie Strand World Posts

•  A New Homeostasis
• Boobies & Kittens...especially for overcast days
• The One-Minute Happiness Quiz
• Qi Pao! My hips in China
• Raw Milk has been pulled from Whole Foods shelves
• How Betty White deals with the Census
• Anxious or calm?
• Sunscreen may increase the risk of skin cancer!
• What happened to Kathleen Turner?
• Hairiosity!
• And All the Cows Said Moo, TWO!
• A Luke-warm Mess
• Let Go! Your Children Know More Than You Think
• Are you hungry for change? So is Food, Inc.
• Liberating yourself from your own fears
• The smallest non-child, non-midget person I've ever seen
• Stupid trumps hot
• The 15 Things that Pasteurization Kills
• A hugging, laughing, happy mess
• The HPV vaccination could be more dangerous than what it "prevents"
• Is Jake Pavelka a douche bag?
• It's all about interpretation
• Have you forgotten how glorious you are?
• The best reason for DONUTS
• Dr. Mercola recommends raw milk!
• We'd all be pillars of salt
• James Cameron was robbed!
• What do you want?
• The Real British Invasion or...Hey there Brit, how's your American accent?
• Andre Agassi is now Open
• Farts
• Love & Hate. Drugs & Rebellion.
• Occam's Razor - It's a Life & Faith Principle
• If Richard Pryor had a period...
• If you're prone to nudeness...
• Hello, my name is Temple Grandin.
• Blog tease, yelling to no one & the secret to long...
• My Addendum to "Choose a Job You Love..."
• The Primal Diet & Running
• Chop Wood, Carry Water, Do Taxes
• The male member revealed
• Play with the Girls
• How to tame the psycho hose beast
• Oh boy, that's a good question! or How to Deal with the Census
• These boots were made for walking
• If I were a Ninja, I'd wear these shoes
• How my friend Sally became the new First Lady
• My Boyfriend has Autism...Maybe
• Raw Primal Papaya Custard - The Nectar of the Gods
  
• And All the Cows Said Moo!
• If you were John Mayer, you would too
• Tiredness - Varieties of and unforeseen side-effects
• Foreplay is overrated
• Food should be As God Intended or Why isn't everything we eat organic?
• Yelling - One of the Highest Forms of Compassion
  
• The Cove - Louie Psihoyos' Oscar speech & a guide on how to create change...
• My Favorite Things...Arrabiata Recipe - Fresh, Organic, Vegan or Primal
• My Favorite Shows on Television...or how David Duchovney & Jesus are likely Good in Bed
• The Hawaiian Islands and Washington D.C.'s sand-paper circle-jerk about Health Care
• My Buddha has Termites...A Lesson in Infinite Joy
• The One-Date-Wonders!
• I had to learn SIGN LANGUAGE when I moved to Los Angeles
• Guys can make a game out of anything
• Hello? The power of CONNECTING and how technology has changed things
• Popping the question is better than porn!
• Bravo, Stephen Colbert & Co! and your Olympic Vancouverage
• Songwriting is like SEX
• Born To Run by Christopher McDougall - Inspiring a inspiring all of us to be more in the FLOW
• A moment of silence for all the plastic surgery casualties
• Ricky Gervais should be the new Simon on American Idol
• Muscle SURPRISE! The key to physical, mental & emotional fitness
• I think my boyfriend's a snake...
• Release... Sweat & Power
• MY FAVORITE THINGS! - Vibram's Five Fingers
• Dick Morris... How do you sleep at night?
• Rusty DePass, Gorillas, and Obama, oh my!
• Michael Jackson - Troubled Genius

New Music

&
Posts 

at
Katie Strand Music

• To Make You Feel My Love
• Please Don't Leave Me
• Going To California
• Come Back
• Home

Cinco de Mayo (My Favorite Day)

The whole Cinco de Mayo song for your listening pleasures available today. After today it'll be on itunes for purchase as soon as I get my a$$ around to doing it...

The one, the only, Cinco de Mayo song. By Katie Strand.

Thanks, Carl Hansen, for the inspiration.

Please share with your friends, and have some guacamole and jalapeños today!

Enjoy!

P.S. It's supposed to be funny & I mispronounce jalapeño on purpose... it's all for the rhyme.

More Interesting Katie Strand World Posts

• The smallest non-child, non-midget person I've ever seen
  
• Stupid trumps hot
• The 15 Things that Pasteurization Kills
• A hugging, laughing, happy mess
• The HPV vaccination could be more dangerous than what it "prevents"
• Is Jake Pavelka a douche bag?
• It's all about interpretation
• Have you forgotten how glorious you are?
• The best reason for DONUTS
• Dr. Mercola recommends raw milk!
• We'd all be pillars of salt
• James Cameron was robbed!
• What do you want?
• The Real British Invasion or...Hey there Brit, how's your American accent?
• Andre Agassi is now Open
• Farts
• Love & Hate. Drugs & Rebellion.
• Occam's Razor - It's a Life & Faith Principle
• If Richard Pryor had a period...
• If you're prone to nudeness...
• Hello, my name is Temple Grandin.
• Blog tease, yelling to no one & the secret to long...
• My Addendum to "Choose a Job You Love..."
• The Primal Diet & Running
• Chop Wood, Carry Water, Do Taxes
• The male member revealed
• Play with the Girls
• How to tame the psycho hose beast
• Oh boy, that's a good question! or How to Deal with the Census
• These boots were made for walking
• If I were a Ninja, I'd wear these shoes
• How my friend Sally became the new First Lady
• My Boyfriend has Autism...Maybe
• Raw Primal Papaya Custard - The Nectar of the Gods
  
• And All the Cows Said Moo!
• If you were John Mayer, you would too
• Tiredness - Varieties of and unforeseen side-effects
• Foreplay is overrated
• Food should be As God Intended or Why isn't everything we eat organic?
• Yelling - One of the Highest Forms of Compassion
  
• The Cove - Louie Psihoyos' Oscar speech & a guide on how to create change...
• My Favorite Things...Arrabiata Recipe - Fresh, Organic, Vegan or Primal
• My Favorite Shows on Television...or how David Duchovney & Jesus are likely Good in Bed
• The Hawaiian Islands and Washington D.C.’s sand-paper circle-jerk about Health Care
• My Buddha has Termites...A Lesson in Infinite Joy
• The One-Date-Wonders!
• I had to learn SIGN LANGUAGE when I moved to Los Angeles
• Guys can make a game out of anything
• Hello? The power of CONNECTING and how technology has changed things
• Popping the question is better than porn!
• Bravo, Stephen Colbert & Co! and your Olympic Vancouverage
• Songwriting is like SEX
• Born To Run by Christopher McDougall - Inspiring a inspiring all of us to be more in the FLOW
• A moment of silence for all the plastic surgery casualties
• Ricky Gervais should be the new Simon on American Idol
• Muscle SURPRISE! The key to physical, mental & emotional fitness
• I think my boyfriend's a snake...
• Release... Sweat & Power
• MY FAVORITE THINGS! - Vibram's Five Fingers
• Dick Morris... How do you sleep at night?
• Rusty DePass, Gorillas, and Obama, oh my!
• Michael Jackson - Troubled Genius

New Music

&
Posts 

at
Katie Strand Music

• To Make You Feel My Love
• Please Don't Leave Me
• Going To California
• Come Back
• Home