Feeling Happy – New Attitude

by earthriderjudyberman In Movies, Music 35 Comments

Dancing

By Judy Berman

One Sunday, as I was leaving church, I turned on my iPhone and started dancing in the parking lot.

One man smiled as he left the parking lot. A woman, however, seemed to be hurriedly walking past me as she ushered her child to her car.

Probably thought I was crazy. It made me smile.

For anyone who knows me, this is not my usual behavior.

Dinosaur Bar-B-Que owner, John Stage once described the way I threaded thru his restaurant/bar crowd in Syracuse, New York, as “cautious as a hemophiliac in a razor-blade factory.” I always found that to be dead-on and hysterical.

What prompted the change? Rapper Pharrell Williams’ very upbeat song, “Happy.” I definitely caught the vibe. Every time I listen to it, I want to burst out singing or dancing.

As the song says, “Clap along if you feel like a room without a roof … because I’m happy.” It’s a feeling I wish that everyone shared.

The song comes from the film, “Despicable Me 2,” which Pharrell helped create the soundtrack for, according to hollywoodreporter.com.

The song is 4 minutes long and plays in a loop 15 times an hour on 24 hourlong videos found on the website 24hoursofhappy.com. I watched two one-hour segments. Some feature celebrities like Steve Carell. It also includes extras, your average Joe or Jane on the streets of Los Angeles, who just wants to dance and have some fun.

That number might get a little old for some folks. Maybe their ears are bleeding after the first 1 ½ hours.

But, not for me. It was a quick pick-me-up.

Depending on your perspective, you might dance and sing along as well.

How we look at things and how we react to things can make or break our day. Patti LaBelle’s “New Attitude” (1984) in the movie, “Beverly Hills Cop,” sums it up well.

So, if you see some woman rockin’ out to a music video you can’t see or hear, try not to freak out. She might appreciate it if you dance and sing along.

Happy, Happy New Year!!!

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COPYRIGHT NOTICE: Judy Berman and earthrider, 2011-15. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to (Judy Berman) and (earthrider, earth-rider.com, or earthriderdotcom) with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

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Music Video – Pharrell Williams – “Happy” (2013) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y6Sxv-sUYtM  

Main Photo: Dancing – taken by Jesus Solana, Madrid, Spain – April 6, 2009 http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fa/2010_-_A_year_plenty_of_Hopes.jpg/640px-2010_-_A_year_plenty_of_Hopes.jpg

Music Video – Patti LaBelle – “New Attitude” (1984) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWfZ5SZZ4xE

  2. Happy, happy New Year to you, Judy. Yes, John Stage’s observation is a classic! And you could do far worse than dancing to Pharrell through earbuds.

  3. Happy New Year Judy… I like that you like to dance and that makes you happy, Im a dancing freak when at it myself… and giggle at myself after Im done, so I guess music and rythm does infact make for happy ! 😉

  5. New post on TxToons – saw you there. Thys is sooooooooooo talented. Have featured him twice as guest on my blog. Sure wish he’d hook me up with a coupla(well at least one) of those babes he draws.

    1. Love Thys’ illustrations. Now, Carl, with a New Attitude (catch the link to Patti LaBelle’s song), Thys might just introduce you to one of those well-drawn ladies. I have to think of Jessica in “Who Framed Roger Rabbit?” “I’m not bad. I’m just drawn that way.” 😉

  7. Hi Judy,
    Dance on! I dance every day for exercise and for joy and with my vacuum cleaner. I even dance on the spot when I wash dishes. Happy holidays and may the happiness that causes us to dance last all through 2014.

  8. Happy Judy, you are on a roll…and oh-so-contagious. You are the little girl with the big blue bow in her hair, strutting down the street, making us all want to jump in and strut with us!
    What a New Year’s present! Thank you.

    1. I love that little gal and also the many unselfconscious folks who danced thru out the video and just had a great time doing so. I wish I had the courage to do this more often. Glad you enjoyed this, Marilyn. Happy New Year to you.

  10. That’s definitely a dancy feel good song, I can see why you wanted to dance! So dance – and let the rest of the world run away!! 😆 It’s quite weird when you think about it, that signs of overt happiness are often misunderstood as a madness – why is that!??? 😯 Are we that unhappy on this planet that we automatically connect signs of unexplained happiness with madness!?

    That song reminds me so much of Janelle Monáe’s song Tightrope, has a very similar dancy feel – you might like to dance to it! I’ll leave you to search You Tube for her, because if I share it here, the video might come out – not everyone appreciates video postings! 😉

    And Happy New Year to you too Judy! 😀 Can it really be 2014? Sound space age, not that far away from 2020 now!

    1. I’d much rather walk around with a grin on my face and dance than be stodgy. Too often, I feel that I’m just too serious. So it’s nice to be a little daft now and then. 😉

      Thanks for recommending Janelle Monae’s song “Tightrope.” I just checked it out. She certainly can dance. Video, however, is not as upbeat as “Happy.”

      Happy, Happy New Year, Suzy. We’re now about 2 days away from 2014. Cheers!

  11. Thank you very much for following the blog, I really look forward to reading your posts and happy new year 2014. Gede Prama 🙂

  12. There’s been so much insanity these past twelve months. The fact that you’re still dancing (or just starting) says a lot about your resilience and attitude, Judy. Happy New Year!

    1. It’s hard for me to listen to this song and not want to burst out singing or dancing. But I often restrain myself before the men in little white coats descend on me. 😉 Happy New Year to you as well, Charles.

    1. Thank you for the nomination. This is the 2nd time I’ve been honored with the Liebster Award and will add it to my Awards and Acknowledgments page. I see from your blog that you also like Paulo Coelho’s “The Alchemist.” I just read it this week and find it very inspiring.

      1. You’re welcome! Yes, it’s my favorite! You may also like The Prophet by K. Gibran ! 🙂

        note from earthrider to Aurum Eve: I have read that, but it was a long time ago. Thank you.

        I just discovered that after I added your name to the Liebster Award on my blogroll that it disappeared. This is the 2nd time (award) that this has happened to. You are still mentioned along with the award on the Awards and Acknowledgment page. Sorry. No doubt. It’s just “operator” (me) error. 😦

      1. The French loaf is simple if you just follow the procedures and watch the rise time (don’t let it under or over rise, and it turns out perfect). Let me know if you do it, and if it turns out.

        (I’m working on starting a folk-dancing group in our area this year.)

        comment from earthrider to Tracy Lee Karner:
        Best wishes on the folk-dancing. I’ll bet that you and they will have a blast.

  16. Whoa, whoa! Cool be-boppin’ tune! Next time I go for a walk, I’m takin’ a church choir with me– AMEN!!! Thanks for the inspiration, you shimmy shimmy koko popper, you!! : )

    1. Mark, I know I’m going to date myself here. But I do remember that song by Little Anthony and the Imperials (1960). Loved dancing to it as well. And, I agree. I do love that church choir in “Happy.” 😉

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