The Remedy For My Bad Day: Just Shut Up And Sing

I had a bad day. It was one of those that pretty much sucked all the way around. It happens – we all have them. And it was one of those overwhelming kind of days. At the end of it all, I felt as if I’d pretty much let just about everyone who was counting on me down. You know – you’ve had them. Just had a bad day. Blah.

As I was driving home, the only thought in my head was “I gotta get home and relax. Forget this crappy day! Chill.”

I walked in, ate dinner and tried to decide what movie I was going to watch. TV therapy is what I needed. Something to soothe my soul, make me feel better and get me out of my head. I needed to quit reflecting on the chaos that had defined my day

I bent down to go thru my DVDs and was looking for Knocked Up. It’s my fave. It makes me laugh and transports me to a happy place. Always. Not to mention, I have a crush on Seth Rogen and I want to BE Katherine Heigl in another life. As I thumbed through the DVDs, I happened upon Shut Up and Sing, the Dixie Chicks’ documentary. And, it turns out, it was just what I needed.

Here’s why.

I refuse to rehash the Dixie Chicks vs. George Bush drama. The subject is kind of polarizing, I know. BUT, it’s old as hell and I’m over it. For anyone not living on this planet in 2003, it happened when Natalie Maines, lead singer of The Dixie Chicks, proclaimed that they were “ashamed President Bush was from Texas.” I have my own political ideas and beliefs and so does everyone else. No need to go over all of that again.

But this documentary is really nothing short of amazing. Every time I watch it, I take a few minutes to look at myself and wonder. I ask myself hard questions, like “what do I stand for?” And I wonder whether I have the balls to really put myself out there and say what I mean, and mean what I say, at any cost. It’s fascinating to me to even consider it. The documentary details the Chicks’ career from 2003 (when all hell broke loose) until 2006, when they released their next CD, “Taking the Long Way” –mind you, a multi-Grammy Award winning CD at that. Like any band, their storyline has trials and tribulations, but it’s the political overtones that make the film so compelling. The documentary takes the audience through the process of those artists being forced to reexamine and redefine themselves, in the face of much adversity and under pretty much constant public scrutiny. I found it inspiring. A breath of fresh air. Chicken soup for my soul.

Here’s the deal. I realized that I was compelled to watch the documentary tonight because I needed to feel like myself again. I got lost today. Yes, I had a bad day, but watching the film made me realize that I can really relate to the three strong women in the documentary, making their way through day-to-day battles. The Chicks’ battles were a little more public than the ones I had to deal with, but the message was clear.  Sometimes you win. Sometimes you don’t. And sometimes things are just gonna SUCK. For a little while, anyway. But, you find a way to make it right for yourself….and my way happened to be a little dusty DVD on my shelf.

What about you? Have you seen this film? Or another that really resonated with you the way this one resonated with me? I’d love to hear about it.