Confessions from the Flip Side (In the aftermath of the Landslide...)

Confession:
I always wanted to be Sarah Jessica Parker.  Well, not actually the actress - though I believe she’s talented and brand incredible - but more the character Carrie Bradshaw (#SexandtheCity) than Sarah.  Which may mean in truth, I always wanted to be Candace Bushnell (Author of #SexandtheCityanthology), as Carrie is her self-proclaimed “alter ego”.  

Honestly, “always” is a bit of an exaggeration - though I think the idea of Carrie - (her writing and her city life) - was a concepts I would have been thrilled to have as early as my teenage years.  I am more a writer of and of and about music (#kwpoole.net).  A profession I quite literally fell into, unaware.  Now with my eyes and ears wide open, I hope to emulate the pieces of that character and lifestyle, as a writer, that I am so drawn to, in my own fashion…

Now this may come as a surprise to those who know me, because my fashion stye is more cowboy boots and jeans than 80s-retro-cool-closet; and I choose high-end skin care products and laugh lines over botox any day.  I do not have a group of gals that I hang with on a daily basis at a local diner or martini bar - but I do have some of the best friends a woman could wish for, spread out all over the country. When we get together - sipping wine or tequila (#tastesandtequila) -it is as if we never skipped a beat.  I am also a theatre person.  I do love dressing up.  I love glossy magazines with the latest style trends and I still dream of attending Fashion Week in NYC, with my friend Jennifer and anyone else who wants to join us!  I am a writer, a pop culture whore, and I honestly care about looking younger than my age.  I am a dreamer and a girl who still believes in fairy tale endings - though a more modern version - where I get my version of “Big” and a cool pad in my city - Nashville - and paid WELL to write about all the things I love and/or reflect upon.  Me, I am independent - and my happiness is not solely based on “catching the man.”  So in that way, I am a bit like the character Samantha, though not nearly as confident, successful, cool, nor - let’s face it in the mirror - do I have the kind of casual attitude towards, or magnetic draw that stops men in their tracks.  Yeah, Samantha is a rockstar in the independent woman’s world. 

Perspective:  
So who am I?  I am a woman who moved from all she knew to restart in her 40s.  In that I may be unique.  I left home, a marriage and my family and friends to be where I wanted to be.  I headed from the Vineyard to Nashville to pursue writing.  And, it has been one hell of an adventure!  Some moments glamorous, many FAR FROM…
And most of all enlightening.

At 52 - Yes that is Fifty-two - and proud of it, though it is sometimes hard to believe - I am starting my blog - a bit like Carrie’s, but all mine. If you are younger than me, please don’t walk away - there are things here for you!  If you are older than me, you will have fun predicting my future enlightenments, based on the speed bumps I face today.  This blog is for all!  I welcome your comments and constructive criticisms. This is the way I gain insight.  Your opinion counts. (#kwpoole.net/thecriticaleye)

With experience comes self-awareness and humor.  The ability to laugh at myself helps me plow through the tough times. I am a writer of many genres and styles.  That is what keeps writing alive and exciting for me.  I came here to write music, which I do, but Nashville and the universe had some other plans for me as well…

In the midst of song, play and novel writing, I found another piece of my artistic occupational hazard,  I write about musicians.  I stumbled into the world of entertainment journalism quite by accident. It is inspiring to me to write about other artists and their experiences.  They bring me perspective.  They ground me.  They make me feel less alone.  

This brings me to the title of my blog.  It is true - you hit a certain age and you are on the flip side of the record.  You do NOT feel as if you are, but you are perceived that way.  It comes up quicker than you expect.  Like flipping the album on the turntable (or tape, in the cassette deck, for those readers who can relate).  And there you are.  And it is exciting.  Side one is over, but side two has the deep cuts.  The unexpected.

I love the B Side of albums.  That is where I have found some of my most beloved songs.  The ones I play over and over, never tiring of them, (like Carrie and her closet full of 80s clothing).  I am embracing and loving the flip side of my lifetime. The one that people only realize is amazing when they wear out the first three songs on a new album, overplaying and resisting to let go.  

Presently, I’m not trying to get back to what was, I’m ready to discover what’s next…  The human condition makes me realize that life is much weirder than I ever imagined. To be present in it, I have to be open and welcoming.  There will always be new artists, new albums and new tastes.  And the good news is, there will always be gems on the B Side.

So, while we each continue to relive the past through listening to our old favorites - I highly recommend dance parties in the living room - I remind us to open our ears to the new music around us.  Find new challenges every day.  It is easy to stay stuck in a rut, like the scratch on a record, reliving, replaying the same old tunes out of habit.  But remember, you have faced challenges you never expected to overcome and stood in the aftermath of the avalanche wondering what the heck hit you.  You made a mark on the A Side.  You are still standing.   So go for the unpredictable.  Embrace change, find new lyrics and look to the B Side for inspiration.  
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Me?  I am still listening. Still writing.  Still singing.  Still here. I am going for it.  Let's see where the B side leads us.  The landslide (#Bsideoffleetwoodmac) brought me to where I am.  I’m not afraid of changing.  I’m building my life around me.

Have a great weekend y’all - See you on the flip side!


K.W. Poole all rights reserved © October 11, 2019