LIFE LIST

      I make lists for everything. EVERYTHING. It is the ONLY way to keep me on top of everything I have going on. I have a "To-Do" list for work, business, school, home- everything...and I LOVE highlighting stuff that has been completed on my list...like today- "Blog Post" has been highlighted and checked off lol. But one too many lists can prove overwhelming at some point. That happened to me about a month ago. I WAS OVERWHELMED. All those lists looked like snakes, snapping at me, trying to eat me alive! (super dramatic, I know). I pushed all my lists to the side, and applied something my husband and I had done a year before. We were writing down our family goals, but in order to prioritize what was most important, we listed the most important things in our lives from most important to least. I took that and did it for me. I listed the most important things in my life to the least. As I wrote this list, I realized that I was being pretty efficient in most areas, but I could stand some improvement in how much time was allocated to everything. For instance, I love God and have a relationship with Him, but He wasn't getting the attention He was supposed to get, if I claimed He was at the top of the list. Yes, I pray daily, and I read devotions, but when was the last time I just sang to Him? Or just talked out loud to Him on my car ride home? That is the relationship we have had, and I was not fully nourishing it. 

      Never one to sit back and not be proactive, I finished my list and decided to implement another system I read about from (https://www.facebook.com/groups/HEI.iRead/).. For 30 days, many of my friends and I read 10 pages of a book everyday for 30 days. This not only exercised our brain cells, it was a commitment and test that if you do something for 30 days, it becomes a habit. So here's what I did- for 30 days, I was going to dedicate all of my free time to one thing on my "list". I always want to be intentional about living my life to the fullest, and constantly growing and sharing that growth with others. I am in month #2 of this and it feels GREAT! I have found that although I am in month #2 with my #2 "thing", it isn't hard to keep my #1 thing active. It reminds me that HE is the core and movement to everything. Plus things that are in the #5 spot (that I haven't gotten to yet) are improving, because I dedicated time to the #1 "thing".

       All in all, especially with this government shutdown, I encourage everyone to take a sheet of paper and write down everything/everyone that is important to them, and rank them in order, which will help you to gain perspective on how to navigate through this crazy thing called life.

         Use it as a reference point to keep you on top of what you SAY is important. If your kids are most important, but you're only slightly engaged in activity with them, check yourself. And don't come up with excuses- even if you don't live with your kids, you can do things to be prepared for when you ARE with them...little Timmy is into Airplanes now? #Turndown for a little when it isn't your weekend, and find some documentaries on airplanes. Reach out to a flight school for a tour....DO SOMETHING! 

      I won't get into what should be #1, #2, etc...on your list, but one hint to my method was God is ALWAYS #1, and I can't be good to ANYONE else if I am not good to me first {Insert plane crash/safety mask theory article here}.Here are some of the things on my list, in no particular order ( I don't want to influence your list, so I purposely mixed it up):

1. Education
2. Singing
3. Husband
4. Finances
5. Friends
6. God (the relationship, not religion)
7. Children
8. Me
9. Constantly learning new things/ reading
10. Job
11. Songwriting
12. Family (beyond my immediate household)
13. Physical fitness
14. Traveling 
15. Entrepreneurial Endeavors
16. Philanthropy/ non-profit work

        When you come up with your list, tag me on Facebook at facebook.com/patricejonesmusic or tag me on Twitter and Instagram at @pjnickols and lemme see! Use #lifelist as a hashtag! 

Being Busy vs. Being Fruitful

       I recently watched a YouTube Video by Joyce Meyer entitled "Discipline, Confidence, and Building a Better You". While the whole presentation was very moving, there was one portion that talked about being "busy" and the need to "hurry". I listened INTENSELY as I am, what some consider, BUSY. Joyce talks about how so many of us are so "busy", but we aren't necessarily fruitful. It touched me as I often battle with making sure I am "on my grind", but having direction and focus and consulting with HIM about what we (him and I) are "so busy" doing. I don't believe we were meant to mull around the earth with idle hands, but I do believe we are to stop and have the chance to admire the little things...I'm on my road to admiring the little stuff while "on my grind"...

Life is AMAZING...the more I learn, the more I realize the things I DIDN'T know...hope this blesses you like it did me :-) 



Check out the video here: 

Joyce Meyer:  "Discipline, Confidence, and Building a Better You"

(The first 12 minutes talks about the busy/hurried life) 

ON MY RADAR

So I am so excited that I have had the experience to come out of the mounds of work I have piled up, and enjoy some things lately…here are some things on my radar!!!

MUSIC

I don’t need to go into detail about how I feel about music, but I literally have a relationship with music. We fight, we break-up, we don’t speak, then we fall in love again. Right now, we are “courting”…music is flirting with me a little…so here is what I am listening to:

Sevyn Streeter “It Won’t Stop” Single

I absolutely love this song. It is fresh with an old school R&B “bump” feel…that’s what I call that music that makes you bob your head slowly with your eyes closed…I love her voice, and delivery- very subtle, but clean. Her tone is great. There is a Chris Brown remix, and no shade to him, but she didn’t need it. Probably a marketing strategy to get her more notoriety, but not needed…

Goodie Mob Album “Age Against the Machine” Album

I literally bought this yesterday, so I can’t give my full analysis yet, but I am a die-hard fan…so I hope I am not disappointed!

Gladys Knight “Just For You” Album

I am an old R&B lady, but ahhh- well. This is one of my favorite albums. My favorite songs are “Next Time”, “I Don’t Want To Know”, and “Choice of Colors”. Gladys’ delivery is always phenomenal as she sounds like an Auntie, but is still smooth…someone who could show you a few thangs ;-)

Janelle Monae “Electric Lady” Album

FROM TOP TO BOTTOM…#THATISALL

Schoolboy Q “Collard Greens” Single

Hubby put me on him a minute ago and I just can’t stop listening to the hook on this song… I tried to pretend like I didn’t like it, but my shoulders and arms kept bouncing uncontrollably…“Oh-Oh-Oh- luxury….”  

Paramore “Paramore” Album

I guess I was really under a rock, because I found out about this album like two weeks ago, but it has been out since April…just bought it with Goodie Mob so we shall see! I LIKE “Daydreaming” thus far J

FREEBIE!!

I visited a contemporary & vintage clothing store called Zoubeck on King Street in Alexandria, VA. The clothes and accessories are cute and affordable! The owner is also in LOVE with Christ so I that is icing on the cake. Check out www.zoubeck.com  or visit their Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/zoubeckboutique !!!

A Little Too Long....

It has been so long since I have been here, as the last six months have been a whirl-wind. At first I was upset with myself that I haven't written anything in so long, but then I remembered, I have been CRAZY busy! So starting next week, I vow to contribute more to my blog....I am living, listening, and loving!

Crystal Washington- Social Media Guru!

       I have been raving about this lady for a few weeks now. Love her outlook, and her natural hair :-) I watched this video for an assignment, but the video was SO informative. If you are interested in marketing yourself or your business, interested in understanding social media.....or both, check out  http://www.crystalwashington.com/.

 Look at this video:

SPAMMED! How Twitter got me and how Facebook should clean up their act!

   

    One of my friends sent me a DM on Twitter asking if I had seen a picture of myself and ended with "LOL".  I got a little nervous because I had recently performed a song at her Mother's 60th Birthday Party, and I am known to have some pretty crazy facial expressions when I sing. Anyway, when I clicked on the link, Twitter immediately sent me to a page saying that it did not exist. I didn't understand, and right as I was about to call my friend to ask her about the picture, another friend DM'd me saying "Hey Love, change your password you Spammed me!"

    Spam? I was confused. Doesn't that only happen in the Email world? I checked my DM list and saw that about 20 of my followers had sent the same exact message that my friend originally sent me! I also got a ton of messages that I had sent spam (the same message) to other people!!! I immediately changed my password to Twitter.

   That happening to me, made me realize that SPAM is everywhere- not just in a can.  If Twitter can be spammed, then I really would need to monitor my account, to make sure my "tweets" are NEVER compromised!

    Although I had never had this specific issue with Facebook, I feel "spammed" when Facebook allowed users to send invites to parties and requests to play Farm Games.  I have so many requests for events and parties, that I rarely check that feature anymore and put out a disclaimer to my friends that if they wanted to invite me to anything, use another source.  It is overwhelming, and I am hoping that Facebook will come up with a way to fix this issue as I have heard so many of my peers complain about the same thing.  It is the reason that so many people migrated over to Twitter in the first place.  Seems that Facebook's IPO isn't their only problem ;-)

          

GREAT TEACHER'S MAKE A DIFFERENCE!

     I will never forget the moment in the 8^th grade, when my teacher cursed me out. Her name was Mrs. Jersky, and was known as one of the hardest teachers in my middle school. Of course, because of her reputation, many students opted to leave the “s” in her last name out, and although I wouldn't say she was a “jerk”, she was surely nothing to be played with. The day she “cursed me out”, she never used one profane word--- English teachers do not need to use profanity- they can curse you out courtesy of Webster.

     Anyway, she pulled me outside of the classroom, and told me how disappointed she was in me for falling behind on assignments. She told me that I was one of her brightest students and my actions were unacceptable. She didn't even ask me if I wanted to have another chance to make up for not doing my work, she just simply told me I had better turn in every assignment I missed by the next day or it was my Gluteus Maximus...she made me feel like I was the jerk that day...but believe I turned in all of those assignments the VERY next day.

 

As I approach my final semester before graduating, I reflect upon teachers that made a difference in my life. There have been a few that have done NOTHING for my growth as a human being or scholar, there have been some that have been “hard” without a rhyme or reason, and there have been some that do the bare minimum and you can tell they would rather be somewhere else.

    In a time where the education system and teachers are often criticized, many people forget to thank the ones who ARE doing their jobs, doing them well, and actually care about their students. You don't have to teach a student, to have an impact on their lives- just having integrity and being fair is the start; but there are some of you out here that REALLY care about promoting your students to the next level- even if it means being a “Jerk” and kicking some glutes! So to you all, I say “Thank You” now for impacting my life and pushing me to be the best scholar and PERSON I can be...I can only pray that my children have educators like you in the future.

Peace & Blessings,

   Patrice (Jones) Nickols

DEDICATED TO:

Mrs. Wrenn, Mrs. Jersky, Dr. Carter, Dr. Faux, Professor Caldwell, Dr. Conrad, Professor McNeal, Ms. Davis, Mr. Rose, Mrs. Aarons, Mrs. Nobles- Jones, Mr. Summers..and to any teacher I forgot, forgive my head and not my heart!