I've been in Los Angeles all week -- taking meetings, writing songs and catching up with friends -- and I'm feeling nostalgic for old Hollywood, so it's only appropriate that I post this one: Marion Robert Morrison, otherwise known as John Wayne, all dressed up as the Easter Bunny. God only knows when or where this picture was taken. Probably on some variety TV show from the 60s, like Laugh In. My favorite John Wayne quote: Life is tough but it's tougher when you're stupid. (Ha.)
Have a wonderful, joyous -- and safe! -- Easter, folks. God bless us, everyone.
I like bucket lists but I don't see any that accommodate me: a dazzling urbanite that's highly creative and still curious enough hope for the kind of fun that I can only have in New York City -- and yes, preferably Harlem. Even though this place feels like an elegant gentrified corpse most of the time, there is a heart that still beats somewhere in these mean streets. In a way it doesn't matter because I know how to make my own fun. On the other hand, it matters a lot because this is New York City -- the one place in the world where I shouldn't have to work this hard to find things that are unique to this city.
Here's what I'll be up to this spring.
The Clean Program -- because nothing recalibrates me from the inside out like this does.
Although it may take another month or so for spring to show up for some of us, it's more than a relief to have a little more sun and blue sky than usual. Everything is waking up -- finally! Time for spring cleaning, inside and out.
I'm especially relieved that my Black Americana album The Other Side will be in my hands and ready for pre-purchase by the end of the month, with an "official" release date of May 1st. The Official Royal PR and Radio Blitzkrieg will begin in mid-April. In the meantime, if you'd like to hear a few more songs, please click here.
"No winter lasts forever; no spring skips its turn." -- Hal Borland
while spring drags its feet to get here, i'm doing a lot of deep cleaning to my body, this apartment and the rest of my life. it was instinctual, like a weird reflex. disappearing into the clutter and disarray that constantly threatens to engulf me means losing myself in a whirlwind of memories more often than i care to admit. sometimes they're not so pleasant. forgiveness is essential. so are boundaries.
the other day, i had an epiphany that full-on stopped me and left me floating in midair for what seemed like an eternity: i love myself, i have someone to love and i am doing something -- a lot of things, actually -- that i love. here's the kicker: i'm doing all of this in new york city. my life is nothing short of miraculous. i'm grateful to God for every moment i get to live it.
i don't know how i got here. there were certainly moments when i didn't think i'd ever get this far. and God only knows where any of this will take me. yes, i'm still perfectly capable of getting in my own way but the mistakes i make have a strange way of paying off in the long run. thank God.
so here's to spring, how ever it comes -- spring cleaning, spring makeovers, springing forward instead of falling backward, spring fever. there's something cathartic about these unexpected snowstorms that that have been happening so frequently this year. i step onto the midst of it as it's happening and everything is so fresh and new and deathly still. there's a purity to all that whiteness everywhere. it's like the world is trying to make it all gleam one last time. the garbage magically disappears and everything feels new. all at once, i have a strange, solitary feeling and yet, i feel so much a part of every single snowflake there is.
and then there are yellow patches in the snow and the garbage begins to reek because no one is collecting it and cars start getting unstuck violently and the snow gets super dirty. and i wonder why i wanted it to snow in the first place. ah, the neverending love and the unquenchable hate of new york city.
well. something is coming down the pike. i wonder what it is. or as my great-grandmother's favorite gospel song goes, 'i believe i'll run on and see what the end is gonna be..."
i'm skipping town for the weekend with my permanent boyfriend. (yay!) we are going to disappear into the lush green mountains, skip down memory lane, write stream of consciously, nosh endlessly and oversleep happily. i should have some colorful and interesting things for you to see and hear soon enough.
