My nephew Andrew wants to be a tattoo artist. Over the last few years he’s gotten several, large, tattoos. Recently he applied to become an apprentice at a tattoo shop near his college. 

Back in January he and I had lunch before he went back to school. Since no one in my immediate family has tattoo’s I asked him, “why the interest tattoos?”

You know what he said?

“They’re a way to tell a story.”

Oh, yes, I thought. I can work with that.

“There are lots of ways to tell a story,” I said. “That’s why I love singing and comedy. They are sassier, more entertaining, ways to tell stories.”

Andrew nodded in agreement. “Yeah, they’re more fun.”

I’ve been thinking of that conversation since we had it back in January.

So many ways to tell a story

• Drawing
• Painting
• Graphic design
• Singing
• Podcasts
• Comedy
• Clothing/Hair
• Data
• Speaking/Presentations
• Environments (i.e., home office, workplace, etc)

So many reasons to tell a story

Stories…

• Connect us
• Entertain us
• Give us a chance to reflect and think
• Heal us
• Make us feel less alone
• In business, stories make an important message more compelling

Stories are why I still write and send this newsletter. It’s a way to express myself with the goal of making a connection with you.  My heart sings when I get a response from a reader, like you, sharing your own story and experiences. That’s connection. That’s beautiful music.

The conversation with Andrew got me thinking about my own creativity, recent struggles with writers block and how I can combine my love of singing & humor to create differently. 

The Struggle to Write is Real

No joke, writing “serious” essays for this newsletter has been a struggle since quitting my business. I have a lot to say and share, yet shifting from “expert” to every day person sharing thoughts and feelings (gasp!) has proved challenging. (Wait aren’t we all people sharing thoughts and feelings? 🤔)

You know what hasn’t been a struggle? Writing song parodies. Whether for friend or family birthdays or simply to make fun of things I observe, like work. 

My gosh, they are SO.MUCH.FUN. To pick a song and write lyrics in a humorous, yet truthful way, is freeing. And completely in alignment with who I am and how I see the world.

The bonus? People seem to like them.

A New Way to Tell a Story

You know what I realized? Writers block comes when I’m not sharing or expressing from a place that is true to me. Sometimes the best medium might be writing an essay, like this. Other times it might be jokes for a comedy routine. Sometimes it might be singing a song cover. It might be writing and performing a song parody.

Maybe it’s getting a tattoo.

There are so many ways to tell a story. When I let go of any expectations of how the story is supposed to be told, I can share it with more heart, humor and authenticity. I feel lighter, more in control and more confident telling it.

For Fun & Levity

In the spirit of “so many ways to tell a story”, entertainment and continuing to evolve personally, I want to share with you a song parody I wrote about work. 

This parody is NOT autobiographical. Simply a social commentary written to the 1984 hit song “Somebody’s Watching Me” by Rockwell (I’m totally aging myself, but I don’t care). Having trouble viewing the video below? Click here to view on YouTube.

Your turn to talk to me

• Tattoos – yay or nay?
• What’s your favorite song from the 80s?
• Should I start a Tik Tok account for song parodies?