“At First” — a poem with photos, plus some rambling about The Pea of late.

at first
the stars’
hearts
started
beating

and
the moon
flicked on
the lights
above the
ocean’s
dance hall
floor.

then
music
began
wriggling
from the
cracks in
the cooled
lava and
raining

from
morning’s
suitcase

to root
in pebbles
and ash.

quite a lot
more stuff
happened,

until
finally

children
sprouted
from the
sunshine
to sing.

now…
some say
it was really
the children
who arrived
first, followed
by the music

and that
may well be.

all i know
is i’m here
to enjoy
the song.

~~ END OF POEM, with photos from school choir competition a couple Fridays ago in San Antonio.

I had a blast helping chaperone a 4-bus trip of 200 choir boys and girls. Spent the rest of the day at Six Flags. Left school at 6:00 a.m. , returned at 8:00 p.m.

Kelly is pretty-much always the shortest one. But she’s growing great, I had to let her choir gown hem down all the way for that performance!

Here they were in the warm-up room before they went on stage…

They won first place.

And it’s kinda cool that the girl with the side braid in the top 2 photos was the 3-year-old in the yellow dress ten years ago. (Kelly in white lace, with robins’ egg blue ballet leotard beneath.)

Braid girl, Kelly and the choirgirls with the green satin sashes will begin high school this fall — 9th grade.

(The choirgirls with the black satin sashes have just finished 7th grade, going into 8th. Kelly would actually only be going into 8th too this fall, but the way her Montessori schoolin’ went in elementary, she had “Skipped” a year when she integrated into Public school in 5th. (That’s Grade Five to us Canadians, right Talon?) 🙂 🙂 🙂

Kelly’s last day of Middle School was this past Friday!!!! And a week before that I got to enjoy the last few songs at her high school’s Incoming Frosh dance when I arrived to pick her up.

Kelly does wow the general school populace with her gymnastics.

Caught mid-aerial. She’s getting really good at those, steady on her feet.

But back to things choir…

Here was one I took with a much lesser camera at her Christmas 2014 concert…

See how high up Kelly’s hem was then?!!! She’d grown so much, I didn’t realize until I saw her on stage that night.

And a photo taken at a high school graduation party yesterday…

The gym mate Kelly is sitting atop is going off to college at U of Wisconsin this fall, where she will continue gymnastics.

ONE more photo!

Kelly picking out her friend’s graduation card on the way to the party yesterday. That skirt was well below her knees when she wore it last fall. Growing, for sure!

Now my lovelies, I could include at least 50 more recent awesome photos here. And I could tell you how Kelly was the only student in all 3 of her school’s 8th grade classes to make 100% on a recent major algebra test, advanced algebra — 9th grade level!!! And remember — that’s a 7th Grade aged brain we’re talking about!!! 🙂

But….. I really must end this post now, to get back to laundry and packing. Then vacuum my car. And finish giving Jim his pedicure. Going away on vacay tomorrow!!

Take care y’all!

xooxoxoxoxoxoxoxooxoxoxoxooxoxo

“Everybody’s Buttocks Are Beautiful” song lyric

I have changed / improved the below lyric since this post was originally written. ~~ Jannie

Verse 1
my buttocks are looking oh so flabby today
i overheard her say
at the coffee shop yesterday
she was lamenting to her friend
that she’d gained weight in her rear end
she feared her gluteous maximus
was losing it attractiveness
so i leaned over to her table
and said excuse me lady, don’t you know…

Chorus
everybody’s buttocks are beautiful
no matter the shape or size
everybody’s buttocks are beautiful
in God’s eyes

Verse 2
she replied from her pie, skinny ma’am please get real
you don’t know how i feel
you probably got buns of steel
i said, oh no — quite to the contraire
i’ve not been exercising my derriere
my fanny is a little flat
but i don’t worry ’bout that
i know what really matters
is the beauty here in my heart, and…

Chorus
everybody’s buttocks are beautiful
no matter the shape or size
everybody’s buttocks are beautiful
in God’s eyes

Bridge
then her friend said, i agree
your butt is a beautiful sight to see
a glorious gift from God above
made of grace ‘n made of love

if it’s big, medium, little
hard as rock or gotta lotta jiggle
your heinie’s fine as fine can be
so shake your booty down with me…

then we all got up
and danced, and sang

Chorus
everybody’s buttocks are beautiful
no matter the shape or size
everybody’s buttocks are beautiful
in God’s eyes

Repeat Chorus

~~ (rear) end of lyric.

An offering for my next Open Mike.

O.M.s are a hoot!! Usually you play 3 tunes, but sometimes a couple more if not a lot of performers show up.

Posted with love, by Jannie

xoxoxooxoxoxoxooxoxoxooxoxoxoxoxoxo

P.S. When I started that index card months ago, 4 of those 6 songs’ lyrics were still not finished, so — yay me for my progress!  🙂

“They Took Us In” a poem of gratitude for angels

they took us in like
a doorstep basket baby,

like a hatless hitch-hiker
into a February car.

they anonymously paid our
first and last month’s rent

and keep slipping hundreds
and hamburgers under our door.

we hail from a northern
nation of funny words

and funnier traditions, like
sky painting and snow gambling,

yet, they see something
in us, something similar

to themselves — love maybe
trust, hope, loyalty, goodness

or possibly we remind them
of church supper smiles they
haven’t thought of in years.

~~ end of poem, posted for no other reason than Poetry Rocks, and so do YOU!!

Photo #2 from an hour ago, the pets all facing in my direction to remind me it was almost dinner time.

And since I like threes, one more pic!

Kelly with besties in Dallas last month, just before she was to accept 2 gold medals, first on bars and first on vault.

xoxooxoxoxooxoxoxooxox

p.s. For those of you with whom I don’t do FaceBook / Instagram, the top photo was taken Feb. 22nd, our 23rd wedding anniversary.

LOVE IS THE ANSWER LYRIC. GETTING QUITE CLOSE NOW… I Know I’ve Been Promising You “Other” Posts, But…

OCTOBER 13, 2016

This is IT pretty-much, after a few years working on this lyric on and off, more off than on…

“Love Is The Answer” Rewrite #1265 by Jannie Funster & Kelly Funster

V1
as i’m floating here with you beside the ocean blue, drifting in a dream
as the music of the leaves is laughing in the trees, evergreen
spinning ‘round and ‘round, seeking to be found
in the thoughts i think and do and say to me and say to you, i see…

Chorus
Love is the answer. Love is the dancer
light on its feet, pretty and sweet
Love is the answer. Love is why we’re here

V2
as we hum a summer tune beneath the lilac moon, twirling (or… tangoing with) in our time
as the music of the stars is pouring from our hearts, born to shine
spinning ‘round in space, glittering with grace
as we keep on turning i believe that we are learning as we go…

Chorus

Bridge
do you know, do you know
what’s running the show

Break 9 bars

V3
as the flowers and children sing and winter melts to spring, spun from heaven’s light
as the music of the wind is playing violin, day and night
spinning ‘round as one, safe in the arms of the sun
in this blaze of blessings full of lessons, if we question we will see…

Chorus

Ending:
Love, Love, Love. Love. Love!

a href=”https://janniefunster.comwp-content/uploads/2015/02/Kelly_Needle_2014_FLicks-Photography..jpg”>

So….. here’s what I have for this on Sept. 25th, 2016…

“Love Is The Answer”    94 bpm             by   Jannie Funster

Intro…    C ,   Em   /     Am ,   Em    /    G  ,   Gsus    /     Gsus…   /

VERSE 1

Am                       /          F                 /              Am                 /      Em     /

as i’m floating here with you beside the ocean blue, drifting in a dream

Am                /          F              /                     Am    /   Gsus      /  

as the music of the leaves is laughing in the trees,     evergreen

Am          /                 Em   /  Am        /        Em       /   

spinning ‘round and ‘round, seeking to be found

Am          ,          Em          /           Am        ,         Em     /         G,  Gsus  /  Gsus… /

in the thoughts i think and do and say to me and say to you, i see…

FM7           /             FM7                 /      C    ,      CM7   /   C       ,     CM7    /

Love is the answer, Love is the dancer light on its feet,    pretty and sweet

FM7             /          FM7         /             C       /     G       /

Love is the answer. Love is why we’re here.  

VERSE 2

Am               /               F                    /            Am            /              Em     /

as we hum a summer tune beneath the lilac moon, tangoing with time

Am               /           F                     /               Am    /   Gsus        /  

as the music of the stars is pouring from our hearts,    born to shine

Am            /            Em   /    Am        /       Em        /

spinning ‘round in space,   glitterin’ with grace

Am          ,        Em         /        Am            ,        Em       /         G,  Gsus  /  Gsus… /       

as we keep on turning do you see that we are learning as we go…

hate you

FM7           /             FM7                 /      C    ,      CM7   /   C       ,      CM7    /

Love is the answer, Love is the dancer light on its feet,     pretty and sweet

FM7             /          FM7         /             C       /     G       /

Love is the answer. Love is why we’re here.  

                                                                         “Love Is The Answer”     Page 2.

Bridge:

       Am    /     Dm7   /   Em            /             Am          /

do you know, do you know,      love is running the show

Break:

Am        /         Dm7        /       Em       /         Am      /       Em     /

VERSE 3

Am                         /             F                     /               Am          /              Em     /

as the flowers and children sing and winter melts to spring, in this gift of light

Am          /                 F              /       Am   /   Gsus         /

as the music of the wind is playing violin,      day and night

Am            /            Em    /    Am         /         Em        /

spinning ‘round the sun ,     twirling here as one,

Am          ,       Em        /            Am       ,        Em          /         G,  Gsus  /  Gsus… /           

in this blaze of blessings full of lessons if we question we will know…

FM7           /             FM7                 /      C    ,      CM7   /   C       ,      CM7    /

Love is the answer, Love is the dancer light on its feet,    pretty and sweet

FM7             /          FM7         /             C       /     G       /

Love is the answer. Love is why we’re here.  

Outro:

FM7  /  GM7  /  FM7 / GM7 /  FM7 /  GM7  /   AM7 /

Love,                 Love,             Love,  Love,    Love!The updated lyric, today — edited into this post that was originally posted long ago.

Today’s date being June 24th, 2016…. Here’s what I have now… (and lyric still subject to change…) 🙂

“Love Is The Answer” 94 bpm

Intro… C , Em / Am , Em / G , Gsus / G , Gsus /

VERSE 1
Am / F / Am / Em /
as i’m floating here with you beside the ocean blue, drifting in a dream
Am / F / Am / Gsus /
as the music of the leaves is laughing in the trees, evergreen
Am / Em / Am / Em /
spinning ‘round and ‘round, seeking to be found
Am , Em / Am , Em / Gsus / Gsus /
as we keep on turning, i believe i am Iearning as we go…

FM7 / FM7 / C , CM7 / C , CM7 /
Love is the answer, Love is the dancer light on its feet, pretty and sweet
FM7 / FM7 / C / G /
Love is the answer. Love is why we’re here.

VERSE 2
Am / F / Am / Em /
as summer hums her tune beneath the lilac moon, twirling in our time
Am / F / Am / Gsus /
as the music of the stars is painting with our hearts, born to shine
Am / Em / Am / Em /
spinning free and high, through the beautiful sky
Am , Em / Am , Em / Gsus / Gsus /
in the thoughts i say and do and think to me and you, i see..

FM7 / FM7 / C , CM7 / C , CM7 /
Love is the answer, Love is the dancer light on its feet, pretty and sweet
FM7 / FM7 / C / G /
Love is the answer. Love is why we’re here.
“Love Is The Answer” Page 2.

Bridge:
Am / Dm7 / Em / Am /
hey… everything is okay

Break:
Am / Dm7 / Em / Am / Em /

VERSE 3
Am / F / Am / Em /
as flowers and children sing and winter melts to spring, in this gift of light
Am / F / Am / Gsus /
as the music of the wind is playing violin, day and night
Am / Em / Am / Em /
spinning ‘round the sun, doing as we’d have done
Am , Em / Am , Em / Gsus / Gsus /
everything’s a blessing or a lesson and our questioning will show…

FM7 / FM7 / C , CM7 / C , CM7 /
Love is the answer, Love is the dancer light on its feet, pretty and sweet
FM7 / FM7 / C / G /
Love is the answer. Love is why we’re here.

Outro:
FM7 / GM7 / FM7 / GM7 / FM7 / GM7 / AM7 /

Love, Love, Love, Love, Love, Love!

So… I am editing this on July 18th, 2015, because I’ve done even more writing on the below tune. Herewithin quotations is the latest, and probably finished lyric (w chords.) After the quote marks represents the original post. Cheerios!

And now I am editing on October 26, 2015 to the top version… which I think is pretty close to what I’ll be recording. I’ve only been writing on this song for like, 4 years. But on and off, and took like, a year+ break on it…

“Love Is The Answer” 94 bpm by Jannie Funster & Kelly Funster

Intro… C , Em / Am , Em / Gsus / Gsus /

VERSE ONE
Am / F / Am / Em /
yes, i guess i could get mad but that would feel bad, so i will keep it chill
Am / F / Am / Gsus /
i will choose to be the peace i wish i could see, yes i will
Am / Em / Am / Em /
everything’s good, here in the ‘hood
Am , Em / Am , Em / Gsus / Gsus /
‘cause in the thoughts i think and do and say to me and say to you, i know…

FM7 / FM7 / C , CM7 / C , CM7 /
Love is the answer, Love is the dancer light on its feet, pretty and sweet
FM7 / C / G / G /
Love is the answer to why are we here

VERSE TWO
Am / F / Am / Em /
why be somebody else when you can be yourself, made of grace and light
Am / F / Am / Gsus /
do the things you like to do and be nice to you, shining bright
Am / Em / Am / Em /
spinning around, safe and sound
Am , Em / Am , Em / Gsus / Gsus /
turning turning turning, do you see you are learning as you go…

FM7 / FM7 / C , CM7 / C , CM7 /
Love is the answer, Love is the dancer light on its feet, pretty and sweet
FM7 / C / G / G /
Love is the answer to why we are here.
Love Is The Answer, Page 2
BRIDGE…

Am / Dm7 / Em / Am /
do you know, do you know, why the children and the flowers grow?
Am / Dm7 / Em / Am / Em /
( instrumental, something with lots of notes )

VERSE THREE

Am / F / Am / Em /
let’s keep drinking up the stars and thinking with our hearts, in this gift we’re given
Am / F / Am / Gsus /
all we really need to know as seasons come and go, life’s for living.
Am / Em / Am / Em /
twirling free and high through the beautiful sky
Am , Em / Am , Em / Gsus / Gsus /
everything’s a blessing or a lesson and our questioning, will show …

FM7 / FM7 / C , CM7 / C , CM7 /
Love is the answer, Love is the dancer light on its feet, pretty and sweet
FM7 / C / G / G /
Love is the answer to why we are here.

OUTRO…

FM7 / GM7 / FM7 / GM7 / FM7 / GM7 / AM7 /
love love love love love!

““Love Is The Answer” 94 bpm by Jannie Funster

Intro… C , Em / Am , Em / Gsus / Gsus /

VERSE ONE
Am / F / Am / Em /
i suppose i could get mad but that would feel bad, so i will keep it chill
Am / F / Am / Gsus /
i will choose to be the peace i wish i could see, yes i will
Am / Em / Am / Em /
everything is good here in the neighborhood
Am , Em / Am , Em / Gsus / Gsus /
in the thoughts i think and do and and say to me and you, i see…

FM7 / FM7 / C , CM7 / C , CM7 /
Love is the answer, Love is the dancer light on its feet, twirling sweet
FM7 / C / G / G /
Love is the answer to why are we here

VERSE TWO
Am / F / Am / Em /
you could be somebody else but please be yourself, born so you could shine
Am / F / Am / Gsus /
do the things you like to do, and be nice to you, all the time,
Am / Em / Am / Em /
with a quiet mind, seeking you will find
Am , Em / Am , Em / Gsus / Gsus /
everything’s a blessing or a lesson and in questioning you’ll see…

FM7 / FM7 / C , CM7 / C , CM7 /
Love is the answer, Love is the dancer light on its feet, twirling sweet
FM7 / C / G / G /
Love is the answer to why we are here.
Love Is The Answer, Page 2
BRIDGE…

Am / Dm7 / Em / Am /
check it out. check it out, ask me what i think it’s all about
Am / Dm7 / Em / Am / Em /
( instrumental, something with lots of notes )

VERSE THREE

Am / F / Am / Em /
let’s keep drinking up the stars and thinking with our hearts, in this gift we’re given
Am / F / Am / Gsus /
all we really need to know as people come and go, life is for livin’
Am / Em / Am / Em /
flying free and high through the beautiful sky
Am , Em / Am , Em / Gsus / Gsus /
turning, turning, turning, I believe that we are learning as we go…

FM7 / FM7 / C , CM7 / C , CM7 /
Love is the answer, Love is the dancer light on its feet, twirling sweet
FM7 / C / G / G /
Love is the answer to why we are here.

OUTRO…

FM7 / GM7 / FM7 / GM7 / FM7 / GM7 / AM7 /
love love love love love!”

I am SO EXCITED!!! that a recent lyric manifestation has evolved one of my songs to this…

“LOVE IS THE ANSWER”

1.
i suppose i could get mad but that would feel bad so i will keep it chill
i will choose to be the peace i wish i could see, yes, i will
sailing by the chart painted in my heart
in the thoughts i think and do and say to me and say to you i see…

chorus:
love is the answer
love is the dancer light on its feet
twirling sweet
love is the answer to why we are here

2.
you could be somebody else but please be yourself, born so you can shine
do the things you like to do and take care of you, all the time
flying free and high through the beautiful sky
as you keep on turning do you see that you are learning as you go…

Chorus

3.
i believe in kingdom come and doing as i’d have done, spinning as i go
i believe a holy plan too good to understand is running the show
’round and ’round and ’round, seeking i have found
everything’s a blessing or a lesson and in questioning, i see…

Chorus

~~ end of lyric.
[“Final” edit 🙂 April 4th, 2015! My 51st birthday, whooohooooo.]

Yay!!!!!!

I was never 100% happy with the lyric, and it lay fallow for over a year, until last week when the verses started magically rewriting themselves. Glad I had not done the “Final Recording.” Plus, my singing voice is so much better now!

I hope to be back in the studio in a few months to continue recording my 2nd 12 songs, whooohoooooo.

My wonderful friends, as I post this we are in Dallas for another gymnastics meet, she competes tomorrow.

Don’t ya just LOVE her new competition leotard?!! Even more stunning than last year’s, which was a hard one to top.

And what an amazing gymnast she is! Been at it for quite a few years as you probably know.

Hoping you will laugh / have laughed much today. And wishing you a super Valentine’s Day!

xoxooxoxoxoxooxoxoxoxoxoxoxoooxoxoxo

P.S. More photos from this meet in comments!!

“Homeless Man” — The Lyric

1.
i see an old man with a long white beard slowly walking
shufflin,’ shufflin’ across the street, ragged shoes on his feet
where is he going all alone tonight?
i wonder as i wait in my car at the red light

homeless man, i see you there
with your albert einstein hair
are you going to a cardboard castle somewhere?

2.
the trench coat he’s wearing is brown and wrinkled like columbo’s
maybe he’s really some kind of spy, with the fbi
maybe he’s an alien sent from outer space
does he think his own planet is a nicer place?

homeless man, where do you go
when autumn winds begin to blow?
where do you sleep when streets are covered with snow?

take this dollar
from my hand…
homeless man

(8-bar break)

3.
i hear him singing handel’s alleluia as he makes it to the corner
sounds a lot like nat king cole, yeah he’s gotta lotta soul
he turns around, opens his cardboard sign
i laugh ’cause it says “her lawyer was better than mine”

homeless man, thanks for the smile
and your happy hippie hobo style
maybe next time I’ll stop and sing for a while

and God bless you too
homeless man

alleluia, etc…

~~ a new tune of mine born about 10 blocks north of where that first photo (by Gregg  Klar) was taken.

(That’s the Texas State Capital in the distance, in case you didn’t know.)

I thank Kelly for pointing out that the song initially seemed to “drag on and on”, prompting me to slice the verses from 16 bars to 12. Thanks, Kelly! Sometimes less is more…

The second photo is by Steve’s Digicams.

And that’s pretty-much that for this!

Posted by Jannie for the occasion of this magic moment.

xoxooxoxoxoxoxoxxoxoxoxoxoxoxooxxo

P.S. 1 more pic of our beautiful downtown, by Frink’s Photography.

Kelly actually had the great fortune of attending 1st through 4th grade at a small Montessori school at the edge of that big park!

I loves me some Austin, Texas!!

P.P.S. Unrelatedly… every month I plan to feature 7 Friends in my sidebar, those first 7 some of my very earliest blogging buddies, been friends now for 6 years.

xooxoxxoxoxoxo again.

NOVEMBER FRIENDS OF THE MONTH WERE…