Good-bye Pia Toscano

I'll admit it. I'm an American Idol fan. And I totally predicted last night's shocker. America said good-bye to Pia Toscano. For those non-fans, Pia is a beautiful young woman with the perfect body, spectacular voice, great hair. She has everything going for her -- everything except that connection with her audience. The judges kept telling her to break through her barriers and to own the stage, but she was more comfortable standing behind the microphone singing her heart out. Her notes were perfect, her appearance was perfect, but I felt nothing when I listened to her.

So, I started thinking about connection and how do you get that energy that exists between two people. When I can relate to someone about their problems, their happiness, their dreams and failures, I'm likely to call it a connection. I've always been so hard on myself, expected so much from myself, wanting to do things right, and yet, when I struggle with life and am okay about admitting it, that's when I feel more connected with people, and they with me. There's a blessedness in vulnerability. There's something liberating about embracing our imperfections.

Pia will probably get a recording contract anyway and maybe Jennifer Lopez will teach her to dance. She needs to rock that beautiful body. She needs to worry less about being perfect and concentrate on being free.

At least, that's what I'm going to do.

Ah, Those Smells

I was out for a brisk walk this morning and as I cut through the parking lot of the private school nearby, and passed employees just arriving and walking to their building, the thought that floated through my mind was "I miss working in an office or a building where people arrive smelling of fresh soap and cologne. I miss people having that bit of purpose in their step." Even my office when I'm working isn't like that. I have to go back too many years to relive that memory.

I wonder if men wear cologne anymore. There's enough of it sold, but I never notice anyone wearing it. Maybe I'm just not around men who do. Maybe it's a young thing. Maybe young men in heat wear it. Maybe men don't know the power they wield in a very small bottle.