LBrent said:

NotACleverName said:

LBrent said: If only.....*sigh*

I'm pretty much satisfied with the way she wrote what she wrote, but I hate this helpless feeling I have now because I know it.

I can't say I regret it all happened...I don't think she regrets it, not all of it. Sure there are regrets in the various decisions that were made by everyone who lived it, but not all of it.

If one believes in destiny or fate, it had to happen...all of it...Fortunately or unfortunately.

I'm still trippin off her last decision that she said she regretted. Maybe that could've changed everything. Who knows!? This is the same recurring theme that i'm getting from a lot of ppl who loved Prince. "Act on what you can, while you can! Don't hesitate!" I hope you get what i'm saying lol I don't want to spoil anything for anyone...

[Edited 4/5/17 19:46pm]

lotusflower0000 said:

HatrinaHaterwitz said:

I couldn't wait any longer, so I'm listening to the audible version right now and generally, I love listening to audible versions when read by the authors because I love hearing their words, in their own voice as opposed to my mind's interpretation. I am less than 10 minutes in and I just must say that this is about to be a very long night because I can tell already that I am only going to be able to do this one time and one time ONLY. My thoughts will be posted here as they occur.

You don't like her voice?

Her voice is fine with me. Listening to her words, in her voice makes it very easy for me to visualize what she's talking about. So as I'm listening to her...I see what she's saying in my mind's eye...like a movie.

purpletbird said:

PennyPurple said:

Thank you Michelle! That is awesome!!

Great Job Michelle!

Yes, thank you!

HatrinaHaterwitz said:

lotusflower0000 said:

You don't like her voice?

Her voice is fine with me. Listening to her words, in her voice makes it very easy for me to visualize what she's talking about. So as I'm listening to her...I see what she's saying in my mind's eye...like a movie.

Exactly!

It was like we were sitting together and she was talking directly to me...sharing this.

lotusflower0000 said:

LBrent said:

I'm pretty much satisfied with the way she wrote what she wrote, but I hate this helpless feeling I have now because I know it.

I can't say I regret it all happened...I don't think she regrets it, not all of it. Sure there are regrets in the various decisions that were made by everyone who lived it, but not all of it.

If one believes in destiny or fate, it had to happen...all of it...Fortunately or unfortunately.

I'm still trippin off her last decision that she said she regretted. Maybe that could've changed everything. Who knows!? This is the same recurring theme that i'm getting from a lot of ppl who loved Prince. "Act on what you can, while you can! Don't hesitate!" I hope you get what i'm saying lol I don't want to spoil anything for anyone...

[Edited 4/5/17 19:46pm]

Guuuuurl, yes!

So many have said it since 4/21.

[Edited 4/5/17 20:11pm]

JANEMT0413 said:

Chapter I Parents & Family -

I focused on Mayte being an Army Brat with a military family. I don't know how many other org members come from those roots, but it hit home to this Brat.

Some, probably way too much, generalizations about military families:

1 - the family itself is as tight as tight can be. Functional or not. Your parents & sibs are the only consistents.

2 - you make friends fast, and prepare to leave them behind almost as fast FAMILY IS YOUR LIFE

3 - your behavior can impact your parents social and career status - not kidding.

you learn early to sit nice and smile.

4- Nellie being an officer wife is no joke. Its an important thing!

5 - Most military kids can spot another one a mile away. They grow up early

Thanks Mayte for bringing 'standby' travel memories back to me

Thank you for helping us understand what it's like to live that life!

Prince being locked in a closet got to me. I related to that too much as I experienced that as a child, too. I don't think he ever admitted that in any interview, but did mention being locked in his room for a couple of weeks. I always felt like I met a kindred spirit with Prince, but now I wonder if it was just recognizing the same dark childhood behind his eyes.

As for Mayte's parents cheating, I knew a girl whose father cheated a lot and she grew up to marry a cheater. She said she knew about the other women, but she always knew he would come home to her. She accepted it because it was what she had always known, and I think the same might true of Mayte.

LBrent said:

No ones family is perfect. Mayte's was no different. Her parents did the best they could as any of our parents did. BUT it did come across that they loved their kids and took care of them as best they coulld. Both her parents were supportive of Mayte's career pushing her and facilitating her career as best they could.

I'm curious to know if her parents regret letting her move to MN vs going to dance in Cairo. She had a real career and wasn't making chump change. She was making bank before she even met Prince. Upwards of 100k saved up. I wonder if Mayte thinks about what life would have been like if she didn't meet Prince? Something tells me that her mom probably regets letting her go to the US vs remaining in Europe.

I haven't gotten to it yet but someone said that Mani doesn't come off too well in the book. I'm curious to know if they've remained friends after this. I'm also curious to know if she goes into detail about adopting Gia.

DD55 said:

Here were my take-aways on chapter one.

Mayte’s mother … mommy dearest

.

Her mother was hoping for a boy, but after she gave birth and it was a girl, "she end do mad she refused to see me” that doesn’t sound like a loving women who …. idk… that’s cold.

.

I wonder why (what medical condition) caused to be born with 'severely inverted legs’ poor kid. Her mother sounds fierce … not in a totally good way. When did the mother hold the child, cuddle, play, make her laugh? Did She?

.

She was really a ballerina, i wonder why P didn’t use her skills as he did with Misty? He did have ballet dancers on his radar… Who was the lady who danced ballet in Diamonds and Pearls?

.

After her very first attempt at dancing with her mom she got stage fright and didn’t dance… her mom didn’t talk to her or feed her for a week. wtf. Didn’t feed her? Her dad took care of her but seriously?

.

Her parents were cheating on each other, thats interesting that the kids knew it at such a young age.

.

Her father was an 'unapologetic flirt and cheater', funny how she would go on to marry an unapologetic flirt and cheater. History repeats itself. I wonder if she ever made the connection.

.

Hopefully I didn't read antyhing wrong.

mho, this women was starved of real affections as a kid. (added sentence)

.

DD55

[Edited 4/5/17 18:39pm]

Wondered about this as well, although she did dance in many styles when performing with Prince.

Also struck by how there was some tough stuff at a young age.

GimmeThat said:

NotACleverName said:

I agree....we learn what we live (until we wise up and decide to discard that which doesn't benefit our life in a positive way). Her parents had extramarital affairs. So, it would make sense for Mayte to not question Prince dating several women at one time. It was her normal. I also feel that the parents divorcing and remarrying multiple times did shape her belief that she and Prince would resume their marriage/romance again in this lifetime.

It totally makes sense now why she never really moved on. She really did believe that she and Prince would eventually reconcile. I do believe she loved him until the day he died.

GimmeThat, I totally agree.

dreamer218 said:

No ones family is perfect. Mayte's was no different. Her parents did the best they could as any of our parents did. BUT it did come across that they loved their kids and took care of them as best they coulld. Both her parents were supportive of Mayte's career pushing her and facilitating her career as best they could.

I'm curious to know if her parents regret letting her move to MN vs going to dance in Cairo. She had a real career and wasn't making chump change. She was making bank before she even met Prince. Upwards of 100k saved up. I wonder if Mayte thinks about what life would have been like if she didn't meet Prince? Something tells me that her mom probably regets letting her go to the US vs remaining in Europe.

I haven't gotten to it yet but someone said that Mani doesn't come off too well in the book. I'm curious to know if they've remained friends after this. I'm also curious to know if she goes into detail about adopting Gia.

Um. You're gonna have to decide for the 1st question .

I will say this about that...Mayte is way more woman than my NY azz woulda been given the circumstances. You'll see, but if she ever changes her mind about her decision to remain classy about it all, I'm just the b*tch to drive over to EB's house, hold her earrings and make sure she has an alibi afterwards. A good old fashioned mistress azz whoopin has no statute of limitations in my opinion.

Definitely for the 2nd question.

[Edited 4/5/17 20:24pm]

rednblue said:

DD55 said:

Here were my take-aways on chapter one.

Mayte’s mother … mommy dearest

.

Her mother was hoping for a boy, but after she gave birth and it was a girl, "she end do mad she refused to see me” that doesn’t sound like a loving women who …. idk… that’s cold.

.

I wonder why (what medical condition) caused to be born with 'severely inverted legs’ poor kid. Her mother sounds fierce … not in a totally good way. When did the mother hold the child, cuddle, play, make her laugh? Did She?

.

She was really a ballerina, i wonder why P didn’t use her skills as he did with Misty? He did have ballet dancers on his radar… Who was the lady who danced ballet in Diamonds and Pearls?

.

After her very first attempt at dancing with her mom she got stage fright and didn’t dance… her mom didn’t talk to her or feed her for a week. wtf. Didn’t feed her? Her dad took care of her but seriously?

.

Her parents were cheating on each other, thats interesting that the kids knew it at such a young age.

.

Her father was an 'unapologetic flirt and cheater', funny how she would go on to marry an unapologetic flirt and cheater. History repeats itself. I wonder if she ever made the connection.

.

Hopefully I didn't read antyhing wrong.

mho, this women was starved of real affections as a kid. (added sentence)

.

DD55

[Edited 4/5/17 18:39pm]

Wondered about this as well, although she did dance in many styles when performing with Prince.

Also struck by how there was some tough stuff at a young age.

I don't think he was in that creative place yet...But...I have always felt that Misty was partially about his way of getting a bit of Mayte back in his world in some odd way. By Misty he was able to appreciate that part he hadn't with Mayte when he had the chance and if I'm remembering the timeline correctly, wasn't that after his 2nd divorce or thereabouts?

kmama07 said:

SpookyNopetopus said:

I died laughing at that. "Wouldn't it be cool... "

"Dafuq? NO."

LOL! I was immediately thinking what a funny Dave Chapelle skit THAT could be...series of "wouldn't it be cool?"

Oh, could that ever be a great skit. Thanks for the laugh! I need it after all the intensity.

rednblue said:

kmama07 said:

SpookyNopetopus said: LOL! I was immediately thinking what a funny Dave Chapelle skit THAT could be...series of "wouldn't it be cool?"

Oh, could that ever be a great skit. Thanks for the laugh! I need it after all the intensity.

Hey, he had to ask.

Now y'all know I'm gonna be runnin that line on my loved ones when I'm about to ask some random azzed request that I know they won't agree to cuz they won't recognize it as a "P-ism".

LBrent said:

rednblue said:

Wondered about this as well, although she did dance in many styles when performing with Prince.

Also struck by how there was some tough stuff at a young age.

I don't think he was in that creative place yet...But...I have always felt that Misty was partially about his way of getting a bit of Mayte back in his world in some odd way. By Misty he was able to appreciate that part he hadn't with Mayte when he had the chance and if I'm remembering the timeline correctly, wasn't that after his 2nd divorce or thereabouts?

Interesting...and you are right. That was a very different time, after his second divorce. I believe it started with the Crimson and Clover video in 2009. They were on tour in 2011.

LBrent said:

rednblue said:

Oh, could that ever be a great skit. Thanks for the laugh! I need it after all the intensity.

Hey, he had to ask.

Now y'all know I'm gonna be runnin that line on my loved ones when I'm about to ask some random azzed request that I know they won't agree to cuz they won't recognize it as a "P-ism".

" />

LBrent said:

Oh my goodness. Last nite eye read about manuela being the "other woman" and for some reason eye wasn't mad about the fact Prince did it but the fact that manuela would do that to Mayte. if she and Prince knew each other then she should have known he was married and backed off. eye was also really upset when reading the story about "shaking the other girls hand". eye don't know why these stories made me so upset but they really really did.

rednblue said:

LBrent said:

I can't listen to the book anymore right now so I guess I'll give my thoughts on Chapter 1.

I agree. Mayte's family disfunction matches P's and it's easy to see where she got the personality to sorta not wanna rock the boat.

That family freind assh*le will get what he deserves. Karma's a b*tch.

I had no idea about Mayte's level of professional dancing. I just thought she was a pretty girl who seemed to make P happy.

Surprised by how many matches there are. It's an eye opener to learn that she was one of those who grew up seeing her parents grapple with affairs. I figured she expected plenty of promiscuity in the world of rock and roll, but it's something to realize how much she already knew of such troubles.

Also matched him in a lot of ways in terms of sheer passion for her dancing (as he had at a young age for music). Seems they both disappeared themselves into their passions - but also worked so hard at these passions in ways that gained each of them strong self discipline (in ways that are good for success but that also can lead a person to paper over the cracks and just keep going when things go sideways).

312131213121 said:

Oh my goodness. Last nite eye read about manuela being the "other woman" and for some reason eye wasn't mad about the fact Prince did it but the fact that manuela would do that to Mayte. if she and Prince knew each other then she should have known he was married and backed off. eye was also really upset when reading the story about "shaking the other girls hand". eye don't know why these stories made me so upset but they really really did.

Gurl, join the club.

Bgrl said:

rednblue said:

Surprised by how many matches there are. It's an eye opener to learn that she was one of those who grew up seeing her parents grapple with affairs. I figured she expected plenty of promiscuity in the world of rock and roll, but it's something to realize how much she already knew of such troubles.

Also matched him in a lot of ways in terms of sheer passion for her dancing (as he had at a young age for music). Seems they both disappeared themselves into their passions - but also worked so hard at these passions in ways that gained each of them strong self discipline (in ways that are good for success but that also can lead a person to paper over the cracks and just keep going when things go sideways).

I agree. They were both very driven by their individual art forms.

Lot of good stuff already covered in comments.

Learned that Mayte had some tough times with other kids. She was picked on and struggled to find a comfortable place with her peers.

Very sad to again hear that Prince remembers being locked inside a closet, but glad Prince was able to share this with Mayte.

Struck by sweet and bittersweet family descriptions, like her not-so-maternal maternal grandmother.

Enjoyed how Mayte described her dad's Rockefeller persona...at once funny and sad. Good thing the girls knew what mattered: "Daddy, we're the Garcias!" : )

Really liked what Mayte wrote about dance. Learned a lot, including that having a great pirouette doesn't mean you can go 'round with a sword on your head.

And oh goodness...he tried to name her, too. Glad she wasn't going for that. Mayte is such a beautiful name.

[Edited 4/5/17 23:10pm]

Bgrl said:

rednblue said:

Surprised by how many matches there are. It's an eye opener to learn that she was one of those who grew up seeing her parents grapple with affairs. I figured she expected plenty of promiscuity in the world of rock and roll, but it's something to realize how much she already knew of such troubles.

Also matched him in a lot of ways in terms of sheer passion for her dancing (as he had at a young age for music). Seems they both disappeared themselves into their passions - but also worked so hard at these passions in ways that gained each of them strong self discipline (in ways that are good for success but that also can lead a person to paper over the cracks and just keep going when things go sideways).

Such a great point about passions and what they can give and take from a person. You read my mind, too, as I was just reading where she describes dance as a refuge.

LBrent said:

dreamer218 said:

No ones family is perfect. Mayte's was no different. Her parents did the best they could as any of our parents did. BUT it did come across that they loved their kids and took care of them as best they coulld. Both her parents were supportive of Mayte's career pushing her and facilitating her career as best they could.

I'm curious to know if her parents regret letting her move to MN vs going to dance in Cairo. She had a real career and wasn't making chump change. She was making bank before she even met Prince. Upwards of 100k saved up. I wonder if Mayte thinks about what life would have been like if she didn't meet Prince? Something tells me that her mom probably regets letting her go to the US vs remaining in Europe.

I haven't gotten to it yet but someone said that Mani doesn't come off too well in the book. I'm curious to know if they've remained friends after this. I'm also curious to know if she goes into detail about adopting Gia.

Um. You're gonna have to decide for the 1st question .

I will say this about that...Mayte is way more woman than my NY azz woulda been given the circumstances. You'll see, but if she ever changes her mind about her decision to remain classy about it all, I'm just the b*tch to drive over to EB's house, hold her earrings and make sure she has an alibi afterwards. A good old fashioned mistress azz whoopin has no statute of limitations in my opinion.

Definitely for the 2nd question.

[Edited 4/5/17 20:24pm]

You made me laugh, I kept thinking of the Dixie Chicks' song Good Bye Earl!

Hi everyone. Just a thought -- while others who just got the book catch up with us.

We’re discussing Chapter One… that’s literally the name of it ‘Chapter One’ however if you were to give it a real chapter name would would you call it? Remember, just the first chapter!

Ch 1 - What’s in a Name

or

Ch 1 - The beginning and fate

or

Ch 1 - Crazy mama and family values

or

Ch 1 ______________________ (you fill in the blank)

I know mine are lame, but it’s late and I'm tired.

Cheers

~~ DD55

DD55 said:

Hi everyone. Just a thought -- while others who just got the book catch up with us.

We’re discussing Chapter One… that’s literally the name of it ‘Chapter One’ however if you were to give it a real chapter name would would you call it? Remember, just the first chapter!

Ch 1 - What’s in a Name

or

Ch 1 - The beginning and fate

or

Ch 1 - Crazy mama and family values

or

Ch 1 ______________________ (you fill in the blank)

I know mine are lame, but it’s late and I'm tired.

Cheers

~~ DD55

I actually like Ch 1 - Crazy mama and family values

I'm in the UK so going to be late to the party most day...

Anyway, have to rush off to work, but some random first thoughts...

1 I really like the strong sense you get of Mayte as her own artist, and the power she experiences from dance, and how that might have attracted Prince. It makes it clear she was doing very nicely on her own thank you before she met him, and it wasn’t a case of her just attaching herself to his coat-tails. Her genuine commitment to art as a way of life, and to the power of art as a refuge and way of dealing with the world really comes through…something I always find inspiring about P – so much integrity to hold onto that in among all the rockstar frippery - and it makes sense he would chose a life-partner who had the same values and way of being.

2 Also really like the opening passage about the zills, and her use of this whole idea of vibration and resonance, and how that relates to their relationship. I’m kind of agnostic about the whole reincarnation thing…am certainly not closed to it…but that sense of reverberation when you meet someone who turns out to be special, like a tuning fork going off inside you, ‘ahhhh, it’s you,’…that I have definitely felt, and I buy her description of it, totally. Also, that sense of energetic recognition…that’s the main reason he means so much to me as artist…and I think that’s true maybe for a lot of us…it’s not just the music, there’s some vibration in him that just feels really familiar (while also being extraordinary) and that he was incredibly good at communicating…so it makes a lot of sense to me she talks about it in this way.

3 With regard to the dysfunctional family…as people have said, both a sense of connection with him, and also setting her up for having certain expectations and tolerances, which I guess can be interpreted both positively and negatively…maybe she was prepared to put up with stuff other people wouldn’t – as it had been normalized for her to a degree – maybe if she hadn’t taken some of that in her stride, they wouldn’t have ended up married…and who’s to say whether than is something she would change…probably not. One thing that seems very different though, while her family was somewhat chaotic, there is a sense of fierce fierce love, and I never get that from stories about P’s childhood.

[Edited 4/6/17 1:47am]

Lovejunky said:

LBrent said:

312131213121 said:

Oh my goodness. Last nite eye read about manuela being the "other woman" and for some reason eye wasn't mad about the fact Prince did it but the fact that manuela would do that to Mayte. if she and Prince knew each other then she should have known he was married and backed off. eye was also really upset when reading the story about "shaking the other girls hand". eye don't know why these stories made me so upset but they really really did.

Gurl, join the club.

agree. so far i feel sorry for Mayte. she was played every which way. poor young thing