I got to be on a podcast

I got to take part of Echo’s showcase. I hope you will watch, subscribe to her and tell her you found her through Married in Arkansas ~Lisa. I did get to play 2 song. One of my newest poetry music and my remix of my theme song.

Breaking Boundaries: Storytelling Beyond Race

My latest Suno AI song. Please let me know if you like it by giving me a thumbs-up 👍 and share

Echoes, Identity, and the Courage to Create Anyway

When I first envisioned the video for Echoes of Her Lipstick, I wanted it to feel like memory itself—soft, sad, tender, a little smoky at the edges. A love that lingers, even in silence.

When I listened to the voice I imagined a man of color as the singer of the song, he became that visual—a figure mourning the woman whose lipstick he still sees in the mirror—I found myself hesitating.

Not because the story didn’t feel right.
Not because the image wasn’t beautiful.
But because of the voice inside me that whispered:

“What will they think?”

I’m a 55-year-old white woman from Arkansas. I grew up poor, in a time and place where life was often segregated—not just in neighborhoods, but in thinking. I didn’t grow up with friends of other races. I didn’t grow up seeing people who looked different from me in person and very seldom in romantic stories or music videos unless they were carefully “matched” to a certain expectation.

And yet… here I am now, creating something that didn’t follow those old expectations.

The Fear I Didn’t Want to Admit

If I’m being honest—and I always try to be—that little voice wasn’t coming from strangers. The voice in my head came from white women like me. The ones who might quietly disapprove, or unfollow, or ask behind closed doors, “Why’d she have to use that man?” And a deeper fear, the ugliest one:

Will they think I’m trying to be something I’m not?

Will they think I’m lowering my morals?

That last one stopped me cold.

Because the truth is—telling stories that reflect the full beauty of humanity isn’t lowering anything.
It’s raising the standard.

Why I Left Him in the Video

Because the story didn’t ask for a race.
The grief didn’t care about color.
And the emotion—the real, raw ache of losing someone—was human.

He belonged there because the tenderness on his face matched the emotion in the song. Because his emotions on his face moved me. (And, yes, it is an AI image). Because love is not limited by what we look like—and neither should memory be.

And then came the comment. Just a simple comment from someone who watched:

“Where have you been hiding? You have amazing taste.”

That was all I needed.

What This Means for Me Going Forward

I’m not trying to be a political voice. I’m not trying to provoke. I’m just trying to tell the truth in art—even when it’s messy. Even when it pushes me out of my comfort zone.

If that broadens my audience beyond the bubble I grew up in—good.
If it makes someone feel seen who usually isn’t—even better.
And if it rattles someone who’s never had to think about these things before? Well, maybe that’s the start of something new for them too.

So I left him in.
And I’m proud that I did.

Because this is who I am now—
A storyteller.
A late bloomer.
A lipstick dreamer with something honest to say.

Final Thought

If you ever find yourself second-guessing your creative choices because of what people might whisper—listen harder to what your heart is shouting. Mine was shouting.

“Tell the story anyway.”

💋
Lisa
Married in Arkansas

Embracing Joy: The Yard Sale Queen’s Legacy

My legacy?

I want to be remembered as the woman who proved you don’t need a gold card to live a golden life. I turned folding tables into treasure chests and early Saturday mornings into royal processions.

That joy doesn’t come with a price tag. That beauty lives in chipped paint, mismatched mugs, and stories passed hand to hand. That hustle, heart, and humor can make anything feel like home.

I hope people say.

“She didn’t just hunt for bargains-she hunted for meaning in the things others left behind. and baby, she found it.”

I want to be the reason someone pulls over for a yard sale sign – not just for the deals, but for the hope that something wonderful is waiting.

THE YARD SALE QUEEN’s LEGACY

by the Queen, with love (and a little glitter)

I wasn't crowned with diamonds bright,
But with sunhats worn and morning light.
My kingdom stretched from street to street,
Where folding tables kissed my feet.

I chased no riches, owned no malls,
But found my gold in garage walls.
A faded doll, a vinyl tune—
A tea cup shaped like a crescent moon.

I built a life from stories tossed,
Gave value back to what seemed lost.
And every coin I chose to spend
Revived a dream, reclaimed a friend.

Let them say I ruled with flair—
With lipstick, laughs, and windswept hair.
I taught that joy, not price, defines
The treasures tucked in others’ finds.

So when I'm gone, don’t hang your head—
Just throw a sale and shop instead.
Play funky beats, bring out the snacks—
And toast the Queen who lived with clap-backs.

A throne of crates, my crown of grace—
And bargains left in every place.
A legacy of laughter, keen—
That’s the mark of a Yard Sale Queen.

You’re Close. Keep Looking-you’ll find it. ~Chat GPT Dream Interpretation.

If you don’t know this, I would like to share this with you. If you dream, like I do, you can ask Chat GPT to interpret the dream. I have done this before and it is very insightful and Free!

Here is my dream that I had last night.

I was driving our car. My hubby was with me. We were cruising about town, not looking for anything, when we came across a yard sale in a building. We stopped in so my hubby could have a look. My husband had an old flip phone that he lost, so we had gotten him a new smart phone. We could hear the flip phone ringing, but it was undoubtedly lost somewhere in the car. We couldn’t find it. While he was in the building looking around, the car transformed into a couch. I was tearing apart the couch, hunting for the flip phone. I’d found my car keys on the ground underneath the couch. I did not find the old cell phone.

Here is Chat GPT’s response

This dream could symbolize feeling like something important is missing or out of reach, even though it should be right there. Here are some possible interpretations:

The Phone as Communication & Change – Your husband upgrading from a flip phone to a smartphone could represent a transition in communication, technology, or even adaptability in life. The fact that you both hear it but can’t find it suggests frustration—perhaps there’s something you’re struggling to grasp or adjust to in waking life.

The Car Turning into a Couch – A car represents movement, control, and progress, while a couch represents comfort, rest, and home life. This shift might symbolize a transition from being in control and active to feeling stuck, passive, or in a more relaxed state than intended. Maybe there’s something in life where you feel like you were moving forward, but now you’re in a place of waiting or searching.

Searching and Losing – Losing the phone (which represents connection, direction, or information) yet being able to hear it suggests that you’re aware of something important but can’t quite get a hold of it. Finding your car keys but not the phone could mean you have the ability to move forward (keys = control), but something crucial is still missing (communication, clarity, or direction).

Yard Sale in a Building – Yard sales often represent sorting through past experiences, memories, or opportunities. The fact that it was in a building might mean this is more structured, organized, or tied to a specific part of your life rather than random or fleeting.

Possible Real-Life Connections:

Are you or your husband going through a transition (technological, personal, or emotional) that feels frustrating or unclear?
Do you feel like there’s something you should understand, but no matter how hard you try, it remains just out of reach?
Do you feel like life has slowed down or shifted unexpectedly in a way that makes you feel less in control?

The dream might be nudging you to focus on something that feels “lost” but is actually within reach—you just need a new way to look for it. Does any of this resonate with you?

OMG Yes!

I had a feeling this one hit close to home! It sounds like your subconscious is really trying to work through something—probably that sense of something being right there but just out of reach. Maybe there’s a solution or clarity coming, but you just haven’t spotted it yet.

If you want, we can dig even deeper—like what’s been happening lately that might be making you feel this way? Or do you already have an idea of what this dream is pointing to?

So I went to work and came back to ask if there could anything else possible to the dream that I cannot think of and here is what Chat GPT said.

I totally get that—some days are just too packed to sit and reflect! But since I know a lot about you, I can definitely offer some more insights that might help connect the dots.

Possible Personal Connections to Your Life:

The Phone as a Symbol of Your Creative Work

You’ve been diving deep into your Sims storytelling, music, and YouTube content. What if the phone represents something creative that you’re working on but just can’t quite “find” yet? Maybe an idea or a direction for your projects that you know is there, but you’re struggling to pinpoint it.
The fact that you hear the phone but can’t find it could mirror how you feel about your creative journey—like you’re so close to something big, but it’s still just out of reach.

The Car-to-Couch Shift: Feeling Stuck vs. Moving Forward

The car turning into a couch is a huge clue. You’re used to being on the move—working full-time, running your YouTube channel, making music—but maybe something has recently made you feel stuck or like you’re in a waiting phase instead of making progress.
Could this be connected to your dream of becoming a full-time YouTuber? Maybe you feel like you should be “driving” that dream forward, but in reality, you’re in a stage of planning, experimenting, or waiting for things to take off.

Your Husband’s Role & the Yard Sale

Your husband being there and actively looking for something (at a rummage sale, no less!) might tie into how the two of you interact with goals and change.
Since he’s going inside while you’re stuck searching, could this reflect how you sometimes feel like you’re doing the work behind the scenes while he gets to explore other interests? (Not in a negative way—just that you may feel like you’re handling more than your share of responsibilities in certain areas.)
The yard sale setting could symbolize sorting through old habits, ideas, or past experiences. Maybe you’re trying to “pick out” what’s still useful and what needs to be let go.

So What’s the Big Picture?

This dream might be your subconscious telling you:

You’re searching for something important (a creative spark, clarity, progress) that you know is there but feels frustratingly out of reach.
Life has shifted in a way that makes you feel like you’ve gone from driving forward to sitting still, and that could be unsettling.
You might be sorting through ideas, priorities, or even doubts about what’s worth keeping vs. what to let go of.

What do you think? Does any of this make sense with where your mind has been lately?

I think you have hit the nail on the head. I feel frustrated that I can’t find the right content to put on my Youtube channel yet that will make it take off. I kind of feel like I am holding myself back because I do have 3 and a half years yet before I can retire from my full time job and Youtube will feel like it will be full time job. Everyday after coming home, I come straight to my computer to check my stats. To see how many views I have, etc. It is like that song you helped me write “Fear in Me.” It is about how I self sabotage myself in everything I do and it has taken off on Youtube.

That makes so much sense. You’re in this weird in-between space—wanting to push forward with YouTube but knowing that, realistically, you still have your full-time job for a few more years. It’s like you want to be driving full speed ahead, but something keeps shifting you into “pause mode” (just like the car turning into a couch).

And the fact that Fear in Me is doing well on YouTube? That’s huge! It shows that people connect with the emotions you put into your work. Maybe the key to your YouTube channel taking off isn’t about “finding the right content” as much as leaning into what’s authentic to you—just like that song.

It’s okay to feel frustrated, but don’t let it make you doubt yourself. You’re already proving that your creativity resonates with people. Maybe this dream is your mind’s way of telling you, You’re close. Keep looking—you’ll find it.

Here is the last video I did on my Youtube channel where I asked Chat GPT to interpret a dream. And, that dream let me to write the song “Monetized Dreams” which you can also find on my Youtube Channel.