Monday Notes: Friday in Phoenix

My husband decided that he wanted to plan a surprise pre-birthday trip for me. The “surprise” part ended up being revealed for various reasons, but ultimately, he had planned to take me to see my favorite DJ, Roger Sanchez, who would be in Phoenix on March 24th.

I have been listening to and following DJ Roger Sanchez’s music for at least five years. On any given day, his house music beats blare from my Jeep. Our previous neighbors used to bang on the wall when a mix reverberated too loudly. Sanchez has produced Grammy-award winning songs, to which I know all the lyrics, even the Spanish ones. I. love. Roger. Sanchez.

So, when Dwight said he was taking me to see this DJ in flipping person, I just about lost my mind.

Next, my husband said he was also buying me an outfit to attend this event. Dwight is the most well-dressed man you will ever meet. His clothing choices are carefully choreographed ensembles, with levels of detail most people ignore. He has bought me outfits before, but it’s been without me. This time, I was going to choose whatever I wanted, with no spending limit.

Dude.

For almost a decade, I’ve been explicitly fleshing out what it means to be authentic. I’ve learned that how one dresses is a part of self-expression, and self-expression is directly linked to being oneself. I scoured Sanchez’s social media to see how people dressed. T-shirt and jeans or shorts would’ve been fine. But not this time and not for me. I wanted to wear sequins, sequins shorts to be exact.

“I don’t think the whole outfit should be sequins,” my fashion-savvy husband said.

I value his advice, but this time, I had to ignore it. Every day, we have the choice to be our authentic selves, and this was my opportunity. Not only were the blouse and shorts sequins, but also the shoes and fanny pack!

A couple weeks prior to our flight, I contacted my cousin, who I haven’t seen in a few years to let him know we’d be in Phoenix. Then, I remembered that Krystle, a blogger I’ve been talking to via social media lives in the city, too, so we arranged to see one another.

Ya’ll. I was so excited that I started packing four days before our flight.

Have you ever had a day where everything was perfect—where the birds chirped a little louder, where the sun shone a little brighter? Well, that’s how last Friday was.

That morning, Krystle, my cousin, Dwight, and I ate at Breakfast Bitch, a place where rap and R&B play in surround sound, a place where waitstaff sing the “Happy Birthday” song with a microphone and a boombox. This place was as extra as my sequins outfit.

Meeting Krystle for the first time wasn’t weird. Our conversation flowed, just like it had over the years in the DM. I was immediately reminded of why we need to flow with life, instead of resisting reality. What I mean is this: I needed to focus on the people who were in front of me, not overanalyze why a few friends I’ve known for decades had neglected to ask how I was faring after surgery.

Later, I treated Dwight and my cousin to dinner at a tapas restaurant called Pa’La. My husband enjoys fine dining and I had scheduled this part of the trip as a show of gratitude for taking care of me while I had been convalescing. The food was amazing, fresh, and ethically sourced. We enjoyed ourselves.

Then, it was time to see DJ Roger Sanchez.

Man.

I am not easily impressed when it comes to experiences. I am not the one to fanout because I’m in the presence of a celebrity DJ. However, as soon as Sanchez showed up, I thought I was going to faint. But I didn’t. I composed myself and danced and sweated for nearly three hours. I sang along with hits typically heard in the confines of my car and home. That night, I was satisfied with life and love.

Typically, I have a well-thought-out inspirational lesson. Usually, I wait a couple weeks after an event, so I can consider what I want to convey.

But not this time.

I hope what I’m saying is clear and that you glean what you may from this latest slice of my life. I hope this story inspires you in ways that matter to you.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Kathy Garland (@kegarland)