It’s been a crazy year in the land of Norahville. I’ve managed to go from Broadway to Broadway. One being a honky-tonk laden avenue filled with sidewalk guitar pickers and the other a 13 mile stretch of  everything from 5 star restaurants to Letterman to homeless men eating donuts out of the garbage. Nashville to New York; apple butter to the Big Apple. Moving to New York City is something I’ve wanted to do for a long time and ideal for someone in the advertising visual’s industry. The choice was pretty clear. If nothing else, moving to a city like New York is a sure-fire way to see what you are made of. It is the city of the dreaded laundromat, $18 cheeseburgers, and general inconvenience. I finally understand what good ol’ Frank sang about so many years ago; if you can make it here, you truly can make it anywhere. After being here for only a few short months, I don’t think I can be so bold to make the statement of “I’ve made it”, but time will tell.

Being a born and raised southerner, there are things I miss dearly. I miss my mother’s chuckle, grocery shopping only taking 30 minutes, “y’all”, Cracker Barrel, college buddies, and of course people who love the SEC as much as I do. (Roll Tide). I will say, though, every time I discover a new brunch place, meet a new friend, see a tranny on the subway, or hear the Michael Jackson cover band in Herald Square, my hunger pangs for all things southern are satiated.

Since moving, I’ve observed some interesting things. There are a few New York stereotypes that I feel the need to squash. 1) The only gentleman is a southern gentleman. False. I have yet to be on the subway where a guy hasn’t offered up his seat if I am standing. Ladies, chivalry is alive and well in the city that never sleeps. Which brings me to my next point, 2) The City That Never Sleeps. Oh yes, my friends, you leave a dive bar in midtown at 2:30 in the morning on a Wednesday and you might as well count the tumble weeds rolling down 7th Ave. The city does take naps. Finally…3) Carriage rides in Central Park are both cool and romantic. No and no. You look like a page out of a failed Dickens novel and there is a 9 out of 10 chance that the carriage driver is on meth. Now, I know what you are thinking…”but Carrie and Big rode in one on Sex and the City!” Yes, yes I know, and 99% of the time I hold everything in that series with the utmost respect and admiration but on this one Carrie and Big missed the mark…big time.

Do I want to live out the rest of my years in The Big Apple? Maybe, maybe not…but for this season of my life, I couldn’t have picked a better place.

This all started with a conversation I was having with my dad. Now, a conversation with my dad can go in 1 of 2 ways. 1) Random hilarity that contains -6 ounces of seriousness or 2) Profound and enlightening ideas and thoughts about this thing called life. This conversation would fall in the #2 category. I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it since. We were talking about relationships which is something that is always on my heart, usually on my mind, and never out of sight. We were talking about the difference between “someone” and “somebody”. Most would argue they are the same word but to me there is a world of difference between them.

I think one of the biggest problems with my generation when it comes to finding relationships is everyone is looking for “somebody.” And that is just what that is…some-body. People confuse what is right on the outside with what should be right for them on the inside. By “outside” I don’t just mean appearance, I’m talking about possessions, status, success, family, friends and everything you might find on a checklist. In layman’s terms; the resume is a whole lot better than the interview. These criteria are the weather equivalent of the foggiest day. They keep you from seeing what you need to be seeing. The most frustrating thing for me to see is two people together for the sake of having somebody. Who wants to spend their life with just somebody? Not I. Please don’t think I’m casting stones, I have been guilty of this which is one reason why it was such an epiphany for me.

Someone. One. The one. Your person. The one God has for you and not the one man thinks you should have. The one that enhances you and not your reputation. It just sounds good to me. It’s appealing to me. There is an exclusive ring to it. It’s like the VIP of relationships. I choose you and you choose me not because you’re lonesome or desperate or bored, but because you have a choice. A free choice and I’m it, and for the right reasons. The true reasons. Ok, think about it this way and flip it around to the other side of the relationship. Wouldn’t you rather be a “someone” rather than a “somebody”?

I pray for the discernment to always see the difference.

So, people of the single super-highway, put all your somebodies back on the shelf where they belong. You don’t need to be playing with another person’s someone, they aren’t yours to begin with. Use all that time and effort  for the continued search for your someone.

With the definition of success adapting itself to each person, I feel there is one universal element; the rejection of complacency. I am not saying, of course, that complacency is entirely a bad thing, but their is something to be said about its stillness. When you are complacent, there is no moving forward or up. Stagnancy. I think the most successful people in the world reject this feeling. They are constantly addressing this area of dissatisfaction that pushes you to do more, to learn more, to better yourself and your situation. This, of course, does not mean that you should relinquish happiness, or self pride, but  in allowing yourself to not quite reach full complacency there is mobility. Always moving for the better. Always improving. Never settling.

The irony of this is by rejecting complacency throughout our lives, I believe it prepares us to be more complacent when the time comes. I hope that by the end of my life, when I’m old and grey, I can look back and feel nothing but complacency. To feel 100% satisfied with the way I spent my time. That to me, is true success.

What is my definition of success? First and foremost to find a wonderful husband and with him raise an amazing family. To fuel my pursuit of spreading art in as many mediums and through as many vessels as possible. To live my life as a good and faithful servant and to show kindness. This is my success.

It was 1995. I was 11 and had snuck in the other room to catch the MTV Video Music Awards, which I wasn’t allowed to be watching. I had, of course, heard of Michael Jackson, but at 11 years old I really hadn’t discovered a lot of “good” music yet. Like any young girl I was listening to mainly boy bands and bubble gum pop music (thank God I grew out of that quickly). About half way through the show out of the fog and laser lighting appeared Michael. He started to sing “Billie Jean” when out came a man with a top hat, long curly hair, and round black glasses. It was Slash who, at the time, I knew absolutely nothing about. Keep in mind, I was 11 people! What I remember most about that performance is that it was one of the first times I ever had a reaction to music. I remember thinking, “look at what he is doing to the crowd!” This was before I discovered all of his classic albums which are my favorites to date. Even though I prefer that era of his career, it is not what I remember most about him. I was there through Michael in the 90′s.

I remember the music video for “Scream”, his duet with little sis Janet. It was brilliant, and I knew this even at a young age. When the double album HIStory: Past, Present, and Future was released, I had saved my money and bought it. I had to hide it because if my dad had known I purchased a Michael Jackson album, he would not have been happy. I was so taken by the melodies and I remember thinking how different it was from anything I had ever heard before.

Since his death a few days ago, there has been  constant media coverage and continuous radio play. MTV is actually playing MUSIC VIDEOS, instead of its usual ridiculous line up of reality shows. I have watched special after special of his life, accomplishments, downfalls, legal troubles, and overall strange behavior. Many people are comparing him to the late Elvis Prestley. He is the Elvis Prestley of our generation. He had a new sound that was completely original and can never be duplicated. No one will ever be able to be like him. That is, to me, what makes a music legend.

We all know the amazing influence he had on music, but what about how he transformed the art of the music video? He revolutionized the way music videos were made and pushed the envelope on their production. Two monumental things happened in 1984. 1) Norah Curlee was born and 2) Michael Jackson realeased one of the greatest albums of all time; Thriller. When it came time for the music video of the single Thriller, Michael dreamed up a 14 minute long stream of entertainment. He was the first one to treat a music video like a mini-movie. Celebrities would agree at the drop of a hat to make cameos in them. Michael even had Martin Scorsese direct Bad. No one else at that time was doing this. He single handedly changed the face of MTV. He redefined the art of entertaining.

On a completely different note, on top of the music and entertainment, there was all that fancy footwork. He danced like water. So fluid. If you watch any concert choreography today, odds are you can easily spot influences of his original dance moves. He basically invented the robot. He created his own movement. Never replicated or duplicated. Simply the best.

Although his name was surrounded by controversy, it was not enough to even slightly tarnish his music abilities. It is easy to be cynical about him, he is an easy target. All of that being said, he was one of the greatest recording artist of all time which few people would dare argue. He was able to carve out one of the most exceptional careers of the millennium. He redefinede the term “star power.” He will be missed.

Having a degree in Advertising (removes spectacles; places frame tip in mouth) , I have always been fascinated in the common consumer and the strategies companies use to lure them in. We have all repeatedly heard the claim “sex sells” and all personal beliefs aside, I feel this to be 100% true.

This is a print ad for the new BK Super Seven Incher sandwich at Burger King. Let’s break this down. First of all, referring to the burger as a “Seven Incher” has enough innuendo on its own to call it a day. The multi-million dollar company continues with an image of a open mouthed girl about to take a bite of the conveniently shaped product. If you notice her appearance she looks unmistakably like a plastic blow up doll; for those of you born before 1950, a sex toy. Moving on to the most obvious and strategically placed tool of this message…the tagline. “It’ll Blow Your Mind Away.” I should hope I don’t need to go into detail of its meaning or intent.

So, now I have to ask just how effective will this be? This all depends on Burger Kings main demographic. I think what they are trying to do here is go in the same path that, in the last few years, Hardees has traveled down. Hardees has had more edgey, sexual campaigns and has seen major profits because of it. Does this cross the line? Will it really make people want to eat more burgers? It is true that this ad will appeal to men ages 18-24, which is probably the demographic they are targeting. I highly doubt that men ages 18-24 are the only ones who like to “Have it Their Way.” This ad in no way appeals to women and/or families. I’m going to have to mark this one as a fail. Way to go BK.

Norah in a nutshell. Passionate, fiery, and stubborn as hell. As hard as I try and claim this cool and effortless exterior, the truth is I am just a romantic softy with a big heart and an even bigger sense of humor. But shhhh, don’t tell anyone. Ok, well maybe that was more of a coconut shell…