Lost & Found Blogfest and Battle of the Bands combo: K is for Kiss

Today is a special edition of Battle of the Bands because I’m combining it with the Lost & Found Valentine’s Edition blogfest, hosted by Arlee Bird, Guilie Castillo, Elizabeth Seckman,Yolanda Renee, Denise Covey, and Alex J Cavanaugh. The blogfest is about love lost or love found. I’ve chosen to reprise a piece I wrote a few years ago during the A-Z Blogging Challenge. It’s a perfect piece for this blogfest and since it didn’t get much readership the last time, maybe this time will be different. Following this will be my Battle of the Bands, which ties in nicely to my piece.

I wrote this about a mistake I made a few years ago. It’s titled “K is for Kiss”:

How I used to long for your kiss. Your soft lips knew how to speak to my body. Your kiss ignited my soul and set my heart ablaze. We fell in love, though we knew we shouldn’t. All the hours and days and nights spent together turned the heat up on our love, especially those nights in front of the fireplace, the sultry sounds of Motown playing in the background and our love smoldering in the hot embers of our passion.

We knew this couldn’t last, but we were in too deep. The more time we spent together, the harder it got to be apart. We were hooked. And it was so amazing. It scared the shit out of both of us because no way could this last. It was too good to be true.

“You’re the Best” by Naleme (c2012-2014)

You used to joke when we’d be out somewhere that people could see us together and know immediately that we weren’t married because we were so happy! That was probably a true statement. We were, after all, living a fantasy. But God, it was an incredible whirlwind. 

And then reality hit. Like an unanticipated tornado. I’ll never forget that night. You paged me, I pulled over to use a pay phone on the side of a downtown street. It was misting rain but I didn’t care. I dialed and you picked up the phone. I think you started the conversation with “I’m sorry” and I knew. I felt a pit in my stomach. My hands were shaking. And as if on cue, the rain started to pound harder, just like my heart.

“Why?”

You said you had tried, but when you told them you were leaving, your kids cried and begged you to stay. And you said you owed it to them to stay. You had to at least try to make your marriage work.

“So this is it?” I asked.

“Yes.”

I started to cry. I could hear the anguish in your voice. I know you heard the devastation in mine. The rain poured on me and I don’t know which was coming down harder, it or my tears.  I stood at the phone booth, crying into the phone, while raindrops splattered down around me, just like my world at that moment. I heard you softly say, “I’m sorry” and then you gently placed the phone down on the receiver. I stood there holding the phone to my ear, the rain washing the salty tears from my face, listening to pellets of water pinging off the metal booth and the stinging sound of the dial tone as the finality sunk in. It was almost cinematic, that scene.

I heard you broke your sobriety after that night. And for that I’m so very sorry. I’m sorry for all of it. What a horrible path we chose to walk together, the whole torrid affair. Five lives crushed. I pray for forgiveness in one breath and yet in another I’m remembering that first time. I know it’s you who calls me and hangs up sometimes. I can tell by how gently the phone hangs up. It’s okay. I think of you too. Maybe in another life.

A few legitimate relationships later and I’ve found that I’m much happier alone. I decided I actually hate being in love. Love fucks with my head too much. It messes with my peace of mind. And that is something I simply can’t tolerate anymore. No way. Peace and freedom – they’re everything to me now.

Although I miss your amazing kiss, the ones I get now are of a whole other kind…and they’re ones that keep me sane. These kisses are way better for me. My heart has never been more full. I guess God forgave me after all.  

-A kiss from Cleo  (me & Cleo 2013)

Copyright © 2014 Michele Truhlik. All Rights Reserved.

Now for my Battle of the Bands:

 

The Song: (If Loving You is Wrong) I Don’t Want to Be Right:

This song was written by Stax Records songwriters Homer Banks, Carl Hampton and Raymond Jackson. It has been performed by many singers, most notably by Luther Ingram, whose version topped the R&B chart for four weeks and rose to number three on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1972.

The song is about an adulterous love affair, told from the point of view of either the mistress or the cheating spouse, depending on the gender of the performer. Regardless, both parties involved express their desire to maintain the affair, while at the same time acknowledging that the relationship is morally wrong.

Although it was first recorded by The Emotions and Veda Brown, those recordings were never released. Besides Luther Ingram, other notable singers to cover it include Isaac Hayes, Rod Stewart, Percy Sledge, Bobby “Blue” Bland, Barbara Mandrell, David Ruffin, LeAnn Rimes Renée Geyer, Ramsey Lewis, reggae singer Alton Ellis, Tom Jones, Cassandra Wilson, Nathan Cavaleri and Rania Zeriri. (Source: Wikipedia)

Here is the version by Luther Ingram. THIS IS NOT PART OF THE BATTLE; JUST WANTED YOU TO HEAR THE SONG AS MOST PEOPLE KNOW IT:

 

For today’s battle, I chose to pit LeAnn Rimes against Rod Stewart. Which one do you like better and why?

Contender #1:  LeAnn Rimes:

 

Contender #2:  Rod Stewart:

 

Time to vote! Tell me which version you like and why you chose that version. And when you’re done voting, please visit these other BOTB participants and check out their cool battles. Be sure to visit the other Lost & Found Valentine’s Edition Blogfest participants too! The list is below the BOTB participants.

• Far Away Series
• Stephen T. McCarthy’s Battle of the Bands Blog
• Tossing it Out
• Mike’s Ramblings
• Curious as a Cathy 
• The Sound of One Hand Typing
• dcrelief ~ Battle of the Bands 
• Shady Dell Music & Memories
• Cherdo on the Flipside 
• THE DOGLADY’S DEN 
• Jingle Jangle Jungle 
• Janie Junebug Righting and Editing
• J.A. Scott
• Novel Brews
• Holli’s Hoots and Hollers
• Quiet Laughter
• Your Daily Dose

Here is a link to the Linky list of Lost & Found Valentine’s Edition Blogfest participants. Please take a moment to visit their posts as well:
http://www.linkytools.com/basic_linky_include.aspx?id=265293

Notable Quotable – Compliments

Your ability to receive compliments symbolizes

how well you receive love.

Be a wide receiver.

                                                  ~ Alan Cohen

I woke up today and forgot that it was Wednesday. I almost missed today’s Notable Quotable. Being short on time, I thought I’d give a self-explanatory quote from Alan Cohen. Receiving compliments with grace and ease is not only good for our own self-love, self-worth and esteem, it’s affirmation for the one giving the compliment. It’s an all-around win-win.

If you find yourself about to negate a compliment, stop yourself and instead, simply say “Thank You. I appreciate that.” It might feel weird at first but it will become a second-nature response to future compliments. Start today. Be that wide receiver!

T is for Tree

On Life & Love

In Life,

I am a young oak. 

My roots firmly intact, I’m grounded.

I stand tall, strong and proud.

Forever surging upward, mighty maturity evolving.

I weather the harsh elements and massive storms.

Undaunted, I reach higher and higher.

In Love,

I transform into a tumbleweed.

Defenseless against the slightest wind,

I crumble to dust.    

©Michele Truhlik

Ironically, while I was posting my poem, I came across a recent video news story on tumbleweed invasions. If these tumbleweeds are anything like me, there sure are a lot of them running from love:

Mother Nature Network’s March 17 2014 story on menacing tumbleweeds

Copyright © 2014 Michele Truhlik. All Rights Reserved.

R is for Rain

Perhaps it was prophetic that I’d be enamored with storms. Now decades later the memory of this vivid dream never fades. Out of the bazillions of dreams I’ve had during my lifetime, this was by far one of the best dreams I’ve ever had. I don’t know why but I remember there being an utter feeling of bliss that accompanied the dream.

I was young when I had that dream. Really young. Maybe 12 or 13. In it, I was carrying a baby in my arms and was heading to the car at the edge of my grandparents property in Pennsylvania. As I was walking down the lawn it started to rain. And quickly it began to pour. Just then I lifted the baby up to the skies, as if in offering, and said, “Learn to love the rain, Baby. Learn to love the rain.”

I certainly have learned to love the rain. When storms blow through, I stop whatever I’m doing, turn off any music or stop any chatter and I indulge and devote all my senses to the storm. It yields for me more than a sheer enjoyment. When the rains come, it’s almost a holy experience for me. It evokes pure joy, awe and a sense of deep gratitude.

I often wonder about that dream. What did it mean? I don’t have children. I never wanted any so it didn’t have anything to do with the baby. It was all about the rain. Maybe it has to do with the fact that dark dreary rainy days turn me on. I’m happier when it rains than when the sun is shining. I’ve always tried to understand why. After a storm passes and the sun starts to peek out from behind the clouds, my first reaction is “Oh shit, here comes the sun.”

Every time I say that I feel like a freak. Everyone else seems to flourish in the sunshine. I flourish on dark rainy stormy days. What does that say about me?? I have only met two other people who are like me in that regard. I’d love to discover that there are more of us out there. What about you? How do you feel about rainy days?

Copyright © 2014 Michele Truhlik. All Rights Reserved.

K is for Kiss

How I used to long for your kiss. Your soft lips knew how to speak to my body. Your kiss ignited my soul and set my heart ablaze. We fell in love, though we knew we shouldn’t. All the hours and days and nights spent together turned the heat up on our love, especially those nights in front of the fireplace, the sultry sounds of Motown playing in the background and our love smoldering in the hot embers of our passion.

We knew this couldn’t last, but we were in too deep. The more time we spent together, the harder it got to be apart. We were hooked. And it was so amazing. It scared the shit out of both of us because no way could this last. It was too good to be true.

 

“You’re the Best” by Naleme (c2012-2014)

You used to joke when we’d be out somewhere that people could see us together and know immediately that we weren’t married because we were so happy! That was probably a true statement. We were, after all, living a fantasy. But God, it was an incredible whirlwind. 

 

And then reality hit. Like an unanticipated tornado. I’ll never forget that night. You paged me, I pulled over to use a pay phone on the side of a downtown street. It was misting rain but I didn’t care. I dialed and you picked up the phone. I think you started the conversation with “I’m sorry” and I knew. I felt a pit in my stomach. My hands were shaking. And as if on cue, the rain started to pound harder, just like my heart.

“Why?”

You said you had tried, but when you told them you were leaving your kids cried and begged you to stay. And you said you owed it to them to stay. You had to at least try to make your marriage work.

“So this is it?” I asked.

“Yes.”

I started to cry. I could hear the anguish in your voice. I know you heard the devastation in mine. The rain poured on me and I don’t know which was coming down harder, it or my tears.  I stood at the phone booth, crying into the phone, while raindrops splattered down around me, just like my world at that moment. I heard you softly say, “I’m sorry” and then you gently placed the phone down on the receiver. I stood there holding the phone to my ear, the rain washing the salty tears from my face, listening to pellets of water pinging off the metal booth and the stinging sound of the dial tone as the finality sunk in. It was almost cinematic, that scene.

I heard you broke your sobriety after that night. And for that I’m so very sorry. I’m sorry for all of it. What a horrible path we chose to walk together, the whole torrid affair. Five lives crushed. I pray for forgiveness in one breath and yet in another I’m remembering that first time. I know it’s you who calls me and hangs up sometimes. I can tell by how gently the phone hangs up. It’s okay. I think of you too. Maybe in another life.

A few legitimate relationships later and I’ve found that I’m much happier alone. I decided I actually hate being in love. Love fucks with my head too much. And that messes with my peace of mind. And that is something I simply can’t tolerate anymore. No way. Peace and freedom – they’re everything to me now.

Although I miss your amazing kiss, the ones I get now are of a whole other kind…and they’re ones that keep me sane. These kisses are way better for me. My heart has never been more full. I guess God forgave me after all.  

-A kiss from Cleo  (me & Cleo 2013)

Copyright © 2014 Michele Truhlik. All Rights Reserved.