“The courage!” Joey McIntyre has been posting some powerful words on his Instagram Stories, with text written with a white font over a black background, clearly stating, “this is me writing; listen;” and all I can think is, “The courage!”
The texts have no context; they have no title… He went on full Emily Dickinson mode and I think, “The envy!” You know…, 99% of the times I write something, I don’t publish it because I hate writing titles; also, 99,043% of the times I don’t publish my work because I get afraid… “what if people don’t get it? I feel naked…”
I am a cliche; I’ve been writing my novel for the past … “life”, and it’s a tragedy… (not the novel, but the fact that I don’t finish it and send it to an editor; actually… the novel too ????????♀️) I am aware my ADHD doesn’t help…, but still.
Among these texts from Joey, you’ll see on the fifth (V) that he ends it with a “Alright, stop.” I’ve written that too… So, what I find amazing about this line is that even though he stopped the rumination, he didn’t hold back his first and main intention: to share his words. Hashtag chapeau.
How many times we suffer or laugh alone, because we’re too afraid to reach out to someone? “What if they don’t like me; what if they don’t get me?”… What I’m thinking today is, “who cares;” if we have the need to speak up, we should said it out loud; it is actually healing, invigorating…
Besides what we can reflect (and laugh) with Joey’s texts, we could also take the message that lies beneath them: speak up; don’t hold back; don’t give up; “just do it.” And if we fall, oh well… we’re still going to be very much alive to get back up, right?
On a side note: I titled this post “under the hood” because he posted the following photo (and I believe the title goes with his words)
I. NYC Blues
“One last spring.
Joey McIntyre, Instagram Stories, Feb 16, 2021
One last summer.
One last Rover.
One last hummer.
One more grind.
One more find.
One more spin.
One last time.
#nyc”
II. Love in the Zoom Era
“Shout out to all the
Joey McIntyre, Instagram Stories, Feb 17, 2021
ceiling fans on zoom today.
I see you.
Show them some love today
y’all”
In case you’re wondering, I refuse to “decode” this ????
III. The Race
You’ve come a long way baby
Joey McIntyre, Instagram Stories, Feb 17, 2021
Was it worth it
When they cut you down
Did you think you’d be
right here
There’s not a day goes by
that you don’t think about them
You say if that was true
I wouldn’t be right here
I’d have died
By the time the dust settled
If I gave into the darkness
I’d be six feet underground
I’d have been gone
But instead I’m right here
Because of you I chose love
instead of fear
And every time I hear a bang
I go back into that place
I can stay there if a choose
Or I can get back in the race
And I might not ever finish
But I’ll learn along the way
I’ll become a better person
And give (back) what I got today
(*) There are some typos; the text is a transcript.
Hashtag deep stuff, right? This one blew my mind.
IV. This Is 48 (Scene)
“Hi.”
“Yuh.”
“I ah pulled a back muscle shovelling out my car a couple weeks ago when it snowed a bunch.”
“Yuh.”
“And then I had three bags in my hand but I just had to reply to a text, cuz we were having a laugh and social interactions are at premium right now and the phone slipped from my hand and I tried to catch it before it slammed on the sidewalk and I pulled my back again but this time it was even worse.”
“Uh-huh.”
[They stare at each other]
“Well, I just thought…”
[Looks over his shoulder]
“Next.”
Joey McIntyre, Instagram Stories, Feb 18, 2021
Hashtag hilarious. Pharmacy scene? I imagine a man at the counter, paying for a bunch of pain killers, feeling the need to explain to the cashier why he’s getting so many pain killers. (I can relate to this “oversharing” a lot and I would have entitled it “Totally ADHD” ????)
V.
Are you listening to me.
Do you hear me.
Am I not speaking loud enough.
Did I not make you proud enough.Can you not feel me.
Is this not the real me.
The one you said I’m supposed to be.
The guy who…Wait.
You really aren’t listening.
What a fool is
In this ridiculous biz.
What am I a rapper now.
Aw… suck it man.
I’m done, fam.Alright, stop!
Joey McIntyre, Instagram Stories, Feb 21, 2021
VI. The Trial
I understand I’m no
midnight marauder.
But I’m up
in the middle of the night
your honor.I could think of a lot worse
between these walls.
It’s too early/late
to make any calls.Dismissed.
Joey McIntyre, Instagram Stories, Feb 21, 2021
What do you think? Don’t be shy and share your thoughts below on the comment section!
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