Lighten Up: A Hilarious Memoir and Guide to Reflective Meditation

by Rodney Laney

Overview

What’s your story? We all have one. But what if the retelling of your story does you more harm than good?

Do you understand how your cardinal memories are the keys to your story development? Or how these very same memories may limit your potential?

Lighten Up is more than a coming-of-age memoir. It is an in-depth look at Rodney Laney’s disengagement from his cardinal memories. The book is humorous and provocative as Laney describes his journey into meditation and spirituality.

Once you learn how to release the negative emotions attached to the images in your mind, you’ll free yourself from the habitual thoughts and emotions that cause your circular and limiting behavior. And once you release the emotions weighing you down, you’ll actually feel lighter. And maybe your stories will be funnier, as well.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781637580103
Publisher:	Post Hill Press
Publication date:	09/28/2021
Pages:	272
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.25(h) x 0.60(d)

About the Author

Rodney Laney was born and raised in Paterson, New Jersey and has always been a comedian. Even as a toddler, he would entertain at family gatherings—most often against his will. Years of therapy have helped him recover from these traumatic times. Thanks to Rodney’s school years, school administrators decided corporal punishment was no longer necessary in the school system; they now want capital punishment!
 
Laney’s comedy career started capriciously while in the Air Force. He was stationed at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio where he accompanied a fellow airman—an amateur comic—to a comedy club. His friend bombed, but Rod took the stage and received thunderous applause. It was an instant addiction. For Rodney, it was the stage, for his friend it was…well, you know. He has executive produced and acted in the feature film Pride & Loyalty, which started as a pay per view release. He played Willie in the comedy Tinsel Town, created by Public Defender Pictures, which starred John Palumbo (OZ) and Johnny Williams, (Goodfellas, Honeymoon in Vegas).
 
Rodney Laney has completed pilots for Comedy Central, MTV, and A&E. He has been seen on P. Diddy’s Bad Boys of Comedy on HBO, FOX News Channel’s Red Eye, The Late Late Show and Comics Unleashed on CBS, Comedy Central’s Premium Blend, and the BBC’s The World Stands Up, truTV’s The Smoking Gun Presents, comedy.tv on the HD channel, and two appearances on Gotham Comedy Live AXS TV. He has also appeared at the prestigious Just for Laughs Comedy Festival Montreal and LOL Lounge TBS Presents A Very Funny Festival: Just for Laughs Chicago.
 
Determination may be Rodney Laney’s biggest asset; according to his credit report, his only asset. He is ambitious, professional, and determined. I could go on and on about me, I mean him, but I have reached the end of the page.

Table of Contents

Introduction 9

The Dam Breaks 16

How I Discovered Meditation 17

My "Movie" Begins 22

Momay 26

The Towers 32

Mrs. McNeil 37

Mrs. Offenberg 39

Mrs. Mary 41

Uncle Kenny 50

Mrs. Gatlin 53

The Key 62

The Fellas 73

The Holy Ghost 82

Paper 86

Luther 93

Hoop Dreams 96

Peanut 99

Boy Scouts 107

The Dirty South 112

Noodle 121

Blindsided 124

Straight Street 127

An Odd Year 133

Frankly Speaking 137

Stuck 140

Donkey Kong 149

Hot Dogs 153

Medication 164

Mr. Miller 167

Man Up 174

Eastern Christian 176

Tomas 180

Broken Codes 182

The Slicing 186

Dougie Fresh 194

Crab 201

Michelle 205

Rebellion 207

Mr. Sherman 209

Cheeba 212

Sherice 217

"We Need a Plan" 224

The Oak Tree 229

Party Time 232

The Fall(s) 234

Defender 238

The Question 251

The Big Move 252

My "Movie" Ends 253

The Meditation 255

Epilogue 269

Acknowledgments 271

About the Author 272