I picked up the guitar at 12 years old; somebody showed me three chords; enough to play "Michael Row your boat ashore"...and I was hooked. I got a book that showed me more chords and I learned more songs. I played, relentlessly for hours until my fingers bled...every single day. I began writing songs as soon as I learned chords; it was as natural as breathing to me. Certainly the songs were cheesy but they were songs and my parents loved it.
As I grew older and my vocabulary grew, so did my songs. As I experienced more of what life had to offer, both good and bad...my songs became my voice. I learned early on that I would not compromise my lyrics to not offend some people; this lesson came while I was in high school and auditioned for a talent contest. I sang a song I wrote that had the word "damn" in it. The panel of judges allowed me to sing in the contest as long as I didn't use that word. I agreed but when it came time to preform I sang the song as I intended it to be sung; I said "damn"....because the word expressed the emotion I felt when I wrote it. I was disqualified from the contest although I got a standing ovation. One of the judges confronted me as to why I broke the rules and my reply was, "because I wrote the song intending it to say what it said and I didn't feel it was your right to tell me to change my lyrics". At the age of 16 I already knew the meaning of never compromising to please somebody else in fear of offending them by my message.
I had my first kid at 19, my second kid at 22, and my third at 24. Then my first marriage went to hell...and like a fool, I married again...and it went to hell...but my lesson had not yet been learned; I married one more time...and yep...that didn't work either. Marriage seemed to stifle me; made me feel like I was owned...at least that's how my ex's made me feel. I'm too much of a free soul to be held down so I made myself commit to the "three strikes and you're out" contract. I won't marry again; I'll live happily with my mate who also feels the same way I do about legal marriage...it's a legal contract between two people; my mate and I decided a verbal contract is just as good and that's how we get along. All marriages combined, I was married for less than 8 years total...and part of those 8 years I was separated from my spouses.
anyways...getting on with it....I raised three kids as a single parent. I worked crappy jobs, paid the bills (sometimes) and amazingly made it through to the other side. My kids are all grown up now...all in their 20's and living their own lives.
In 2006 I resigned from a good paying job and moved to Florida to care for my sister who was dying from cancer. I was with her until her final breath; this is when my life changed completely. I realized that life is way too short to put off dreams that are all so attainable. I moved back to Kentucky and enrolled in college.
This past April, 5 weeks short of finishing my second year of college I was diagnosed with a brain tumor...smack in the middle of my brain on the pineal gland. That's the little bugger that regulates your sleep cycle and secretes other important hormones to keep your body systems working properly. I spent about 2 weeks or so in a daze...mad at the world, detaching myself from everybody in my life. I was two click away from booking a flight to Key West Florida where I planned to do whatever until I was no more. Then one day I woke up, kicked myself in the azz and told myself no damned tumor is going to control my life; I CONTROL MY LIFE. I had already submitted my resignation from my job to move to Michigan after I had finished my last semester and that resignation couldn't be dismissed. I was, however, able to keep my health insurance, which costs me a pretty penny, but it's better than not having any at all.
This take me to where I am today. Living in Michigan with my mate, doing free lance writing to bring in a few bucks, and living day by day until I know what the hell it is that is growing in my brain. Now...here is the irony of the whole thing........After I spent all that time taking care of my sister, I decided to go back to college and get a degree in psychology and specialize in the mental health care of individuals who have been diagnosed with life-altering and life-threatening diseases. I am my own first patient. I love irony...because it makes you analyze the whole situation bit by bit.
I don't intend to let my condition rule my life; I'm living, breathing, and participating in the things I enjoy most in life...that being...life itself. it's not always perfect...life is what it is...and all you can do is roll with it until you find your feet again.
So that, my friends...is the short version of who Debbie Strange is.
After I complete my college...and get my doctorate degree...I will be called "Dr. Strange"...how f'cking cool is that?
As I grew older and my vocabulary grew, so did my songs. As I experienced more of what life had to offer, both good and bad...my songs became my voice. I learned early on that I would not compromise my lyrics to not offend some people; this lesson came while I was in high school and auditioned for a talent contest. I sang a song I wrote that had the word "damn" in it. The panel of judges allowed me to sing in the contest as long as I didn't use that word. I agreed but when it came time to preform I sang the song as I intended it to be sung; I said "damn"....because the word expressed the emotion I felt when I wrote it. I was disqualified from the contest although I got a standing ovation. One of the judges confronted me as to why I broke the rules and my reply was, "because I wrote the song intending it to say what it said and I didn't feel it was your right to tell me to change my lyrics". At the age of 16 I already knew the meaning of never compromising to please somebody else in fear of offending them by my message.
I had my first kid at 19, my second kid at 22, and my third at 24. Then my first marriage went to hell...and like a fool, I married again...and it went to hell...but my lesson had not yet been learned; I married one more time...and yep...that didn't work either. Marriage seemed to stifle me; made me feel like I was owned...at least that's how my ex's made me feel. I'm too much of a free soul to be held down so I made myself commit to the "three strikes and you're out" contract. I won't marry again; I'll live happily with my mate who also feels the same way I do about legal marriage...it's a legal contract between two people; my mate and I decided a verbal contract is just as good and that's how we get along. All marriages combined, I was married for less than 8 years total...and part of those 8 years I was separated from my spouses.
anyways...getting on with it....I raised three kids as a single parent. I worked crappy jobs, paid the bills (sometimes) and amazingly made it through to the other side. My kids are all grown up now...all in their 20's and living their own lives.
In 2006 I resigned from a good paying job and moved to Florida to care for my sister who was dying from cancer. I was with her until her final breath; this is when my life changed completely. I realized that life is way too short to put off dreams that are all so attainable. I moved back to Kentucky and enrolled in college.
This past April, 5 weeks short of finishing my second year of college I was diagnosed with a brain tumor...smack in the middle of my brain on the pineal gland. That's the little bugger that regulates your sleep cycle and secretes other important hormones to keep your body systems working properly. I spent about 2 weeks or so in a daze...mad at the world, detaching myself from everybody in my life. I was two click away from booking a flight to Key West Florida where I planned to do whatever until I was no more. Then one day I woke up, kicked myself in the azz and told myself no damned tumor is going to control my life; I CONTROL MY LIFE. I had already submitted my resignation from my job to move to Michigan after I had finished my last semester and that resignation couldn't be dismissed. I was, however, able to keep my health insurance, which costs me a pretty penny, but it's better than not having any at all.
This take me to where I am today. Living in Michigan with my mate, doing free lance writing to bring in a few bucks, and living day by day until I know what the hell it is that is growing in my brain. Now...here is the irony of the whole thing........After I spent all that time taking care of my sister, I decided to go back to college and get a degree in psychology and specialize in the mental health care of individuals who have been diagnosed with life-altering and life-threatening diseases. I am my own first patient. I love irony...because it makes you analyze the whole situation bit by bit.
I don't intend to let my condition rule my life; I'm living, breathing, and participating in the things I enjoy most in life...that being...life itself. it's not always perfect...life is what it is...and all you can do is roll with it until you find your feet again.
So that, my friends...is the short version of who Debbie Strange is.
After I complete my college...and get my doctorate degree...I will be called "Dr. Strange"...how f'cking cool is that?
http://songsbydebbiestrange.weebly.com/
You've certainly had some life changing circumstances and seem to have weathered the storm. It's good to be happy with who you are instead of working all your life to be who you think people want you to be. Congrats on being your own person. As far as marriage goes, I went with the one strike and you're out rule. I've been happily divorced for about 20 years now and will stay that way. Good luck in all your endeavors.
Sorry, I am known more for my brutal honesty than my bedside manners.
