Shirley Sherrod and the "scary" topic of race...

Okay, I kept seeing Shirley Sherrod's name in my time line on Twitter and I was curious about who she was and why her resignation was so important.



Now, as I was watching Nightly News this evening, they showed the clip that apparently started all the talk and my first thought was "Oh damn, lady! Why would you say that?!" Her losing her job, in that moment, after seeing that snippet, made sense. If I had seen a clip of a white woman making that same comment regarding a black farmer, especially with all the hell they've been going through, I would say "Heck yeah, she should resign!" The way this clip was shown makes one question her [Sherrod] ability to perform her job without prejudice. Now we all see that the comment was apart of something benevolent, not malicious. I've been busy today so I only just now found out what the ruckus was. My opinion on this? Give Sherrod her job back.




Fact is, she was explaining how working with this white farmer caused her to overcome her initial prejudice. She says in the video that she realized she "couldn't live with hate..." and that "we have to work together...it's sad that we don't have a room full of whites and blacks here tonight be[cause] we have to overcome the divisions that we have..." Sounds like someone reformed, to me. So why is the Department of Agriculture's Secretary, Tom Vilsack, sticking with this whole resignation? Why would the White House continue to back the decision, but say that they had nothing to do with the decision? The entire situation that Sherrod was discussing is something that happened long before she began working for the Department of Agriculture. So it's not like she carried her prejudice into the new job, right? Why stick to this decision when it has turned out to be a bad one, born of a sliver of an entire speech?

And the farmer, whom Sherrod helped, the one who was the topic of her story, supports her? He and his wife are appreciative of the work Sherrod did to keep them out of bankruptcy? Vilsack, White House, it is okay to admit a mistake and rectify it. Give Sherrod her job back.

Let me also say that the whole issue of race in the age of Obama is pretty crappy. Why? Because every time a case of race or racial discrimination pops up, folks want to say that the President has to be sensitive about the way it is handled. Now, in theory, this may be fine, maybe even accurate. But my problem is this: why the hell is it suddenly so important for our President to be sensitive to such issues? Shouldn't this have been required, expected, long before now? Every president should be required to handle race in a sensitive manner. You mean to tell me that the first bi-racial (or self-identified Black) President is incapable of handling race? So every white president prior to administration was automatically deemed capable? Were former presidents reminded almost daily of race and held to the fire when dealing with such a sensitive issue? I don't think so...to be fair, I cannot recall ever seeing this much coverage on the way The White House handled race. I could be wrong, but I don't think so.

Oh! And to the NAACP? You stay losing! How can she be giving this speech, in its entirety, at an NAACP function, but the NAACP jumps on the bandwagon against Sherrod? The organization just can't seem to get right...

Welcome to New Orleans!

Last Thursday began the best trip I've had all year, so far. Perhaps it is because I went with a group of close friends? Maybe it has something to do with the fact that I saw Janet Jackson perform live? It might even have something to do with the FINENESS that is Idris Elba and Michael Ealy? I think that the awesomeness of this trip was due to all of the above and then some. The next few post here on Methodical Madness will chronicle the great experiences I had while I was in New Orleans for this year's Essence Music Festival. It's safe to say that I will be in attendance at the festival in 2012, if not 2011 (hey, a girl's gotta live within her means, lol).

My friends and I decided that a road trip would be more financially responsible, so I and one other  drove the first leg of the trip, about six hours, to pick up the other two friends. They drove the last six hours of the trip to New Orleans. The drive was fairly uneventful, with the exception of two things. One, there was what looked to be a one car accident. It seems a car spun off the road and almost hit a tree; from what we could see, there was no damage. That said, the police, paramedics, and firemen were all on the scene. However, they didn't seem to pressed, especially not the paramedics. They were just chillin' on the side of the road. Maybe I overreact but I would think getting the person, who was pulled from the car, to the nearest hospital would be of foremost concern. But what do I know, lol. Two, as my friend was driving along and we were nearing New Orleans, she realized we were going over a bridge. This wouldn't be a big deal but she's somewhat uneasy about bridges. She asks her cousin if this is the major bridge, the one that is supposed to be the longest in the US. Cousin looks at her and tells her that this wasn't the one. Shortly after that fib, girlfriend realizes that this was indeed the bridge and she makes a move like she's about to pull over. I'm in the backseat like o_O, saying "Uh uh! You gotta GO! We can't stop here!" Then she wanted to look at the scenery and see the water that we were traveling over. Now, the sight was awesome, seemed like the water went off into the horizon forever, but for a person who is squeamish about bridges, that did not seem to be the best idea.

Anyway, after the bridge situation, we finally made it to our hotel and it was all about hitting the ground running. We were meeting up with another group who had already been in New Orleans for a full day prior to our arrival. The necessary phone calls were made and we were to meet the rest of the group at The House of Blues. After everyone got their shower time and changed clothes, we saw that it was a little after 10, so plans had to change. We decided to connect on Bourbon Street and out the door we flew.

Bourbon Street. What an experience. The sights! The sounds! The smells...

The first night of walking the street wasn't too bad. Just a bunch of folks having a good time and dancing in the street to the music blaring loudly from the various bars and clubs that line the street. It wasn't extremely crowded, but there were enough people to keep things interesting. People watching as we made our way to a restaurant for something to eat, we saw...eh...um..."Women of the Night"? Would that be the proper term for woman standing in the doorways of various clubs, wearing see-through fabrics and barely there underwear? Suggestively dancing while outright selling "it" on the street? *shrugs* To each his or her own, but I found it disturbing when I spied with my little eye, what looked to be a child walking around in the midst of this. One of my friends pointed him out and he didn't look to be a "little person", so I was blown away by that. I thought I was doing something when we walked Beale Street in Memphis! Nope, uh uh, Beale has nothing on Bourbon.

We made it to a little place called The Sugar Shack and grabbed some dinner there. I had my first crawfish Po'boy and it was DELICIOUS! With a side of fries and a Hurricane, I was feeling quite right by the time we left that place. We continued our exploration and danced to the music, collected beads that were being thrown from terraces above the street. I wasn't the best at catching the beads (my coordination wasn't the best at that time in the morning) but I made off with several necklaces *smile*

After checking the time, we thought it would be a good idea to head back to our respective hotels and get some rest because the festival was set to begin the next day, starting with seminars in the morning. Had to snap a quick photo before the night ended, of course.

Next post: Day One of my Essence Music Festival experience!

"Welcome to New Orleans" photo by thibautmarquis

Blogging While Brown Conference: Things I learned...

After the uncomfortable excitement of late Thursday evening and Friday morning, I was so happy to arrive in DC for the conference. Living in my small town, I get pretty psyched when I visit a big city. Now, don't have visions of me running around, throwing hats in the air a la Mary Tyler Moore via Synclaire James. I can walk the walk and look as though I belong *chuckle*. I took an amusement park ride, or shuttle, from the airport to the hotel. I swear, the driver was insane with the speed and whipping in and out of traffic, but I arrived at my destination safely. The Henley Park Hotel was very nice and check in was quick and smooth. Once I got to my room, I made the mistake of falling onto my bed. I did not want to get up! I was coming down from the adrenaline rush that kept me motivated for the majority of the day, but I jumped in the shower, got dressed and walked down the street to the center where the conference was being held. After registering, picking up my badge, bag, and schedule, I skipped the game night *sad face* and went back to chill at the hotel. I figured that while playing a few games and getting to know other attendees would be fun, but getting up in the morning for the various sessions would be rough if I didn't rest.

This turned out to be a great move on my part because I was wide awake and ready to go the next day.There were so much information given throughout the day. Here are some of the major points I took from the conference:

Stacey Ferguson's presentation focused on the requirement bloggers face regarding disclosure when giving reviews on various products. According to Ferguson, one can make a short disclosure state within the blog post and leave it at that. For example, if I receive a product in the mail, all I need to do is say so. Nothing long and drawn out; just say that I given Product A from Advertiser A.While I think, if taken at face value, it's a good idea, once you add the fact that everyone (like, major companies) aren't required to do the same thing, it becomes completely unfair. Gina McCauley made sure to point attendees to an FTC white paper that shows what the commission has "discussed" and how this can affect all bloggers.

Scott Hanselman gave a wonderfully informative, and funny, presentation and I was left with some cool things to consider regarding my blog. If you're serious about blogging, you need to use analytic tools so you can keep track of the traffic that visits your blog. Google Analytics is a good one to use and it's free. Mr. Hanselman also suggested the use of a "301 redirect". You might ask, "What is a 301 redirect?" Well, apparently there is a little trick one can use to redirect traffic to a different website. This comes in handy when bloggers , who have established themselves on one hosting website, want to redirect their readers to new websites. For example, I plan on using a 301 redirect to direct you to my website once it's up and running; pretty neat, huh?

While it was said that you shouldn't approach blogging as a way to get rich, I believe it was Nichelle Stevens who said that you may not become rich, monetarily, but your life can be rich, more fulfilling.Being able to set your own hours and being able to do something that you enjoy, to me, is a blessing. Now, since the ability to walk away from your 8 to 5 day job will not just simply happen, there are a few things that the panelists for the "The Business of Blogging" session suggested for success. It is important to plan; be strategic and know what you are blogging for and why. Serious bloggers should research and pay attention to what others are doing; I took this to mean, see what others are doing and put your own spin on it to make it your own.Make sure that you know your audience and make sure that your content reaches them. And, of course, keeping up the trends in technology is important for keeping one's blog up to date and relevant.

What I've listed are just a few of the suggestions that will will use to develop a better blog; these are the points that have stuck with me since the conference. I have some serious decisions to make regarding the direction I want to take Methodical Madness.

*photo by Adria Richards*

Planes, Trains, and Automobiles: Making my way to Blogging While Brown

My adventure began last Thursday afternoon, on what I thought would be a great day. See, I bought a round-trip Amtrak train ticket from Chicago to DC to attend the Blogging While Brown conference. Now, if you know my location, you may ask "Why would you drive all the way to Chicago to hop on a train?" Well, my rinky-dink town wanted to charge a price that was almost up there with the price of flying to the conference. So I decided to go with the cheaper of the two modes of transportation. Now, my plan was work until about 3pm that day and hit the highway soon after. You know what they say about the plans of mice and men, right? Well, it applies to women as well. People wanted to hit me with crazy problems at work, which I had to solve before leaving for the weekend...did I mention that I was handling the tasks of a co-worker who was on vacation that day as well? No? Well, I was and that led to my leaving the office fifteen minutes off schedule! Doesn't sound like a big deal, but since I needed to stop by the house and grab my bags, I ended up getting on the highway about thirty-five minutes late.

Not thinking of the fact that it's warm outside and not considering the time, I get on the highway thinking that I can easily do 80 MPH and make it to Union Station in time to board. That was quite foolish of me, I know. About an hour into my drive, and I'm doing pretty well on time, I hit a rough spot. Road construction, which is the enemy of everyone who happens to be running late. Traffic was backed up and I'm in the car, on the verge of breaking out in hives, because the clock is telling me that I'm simply not gonna make it to the train station. I keep pushing onward though, because I'm hoping that there was a delay of some sort (the irony of that wish will come back to bite me later).

After the constipation that was highway traffic, I finally made it to Chicago, for all the good it did. I'm looking for my exit, the one that will take me to the station, and lo and behold, that exit is closed. So I drive around to the next exit and have to make my way back to the right street. Mind you, the navigation tool on my phone keeps rerouting and it began to get confusing. I'm stressed and I have this annoying mechanical voice telling my to make a right when I can't, unless I want turn into oncoming traffic on a one way street (and being a stunt woman is not on my bucket list, I take a pass on that). So eventually, I find the train station and see that there is a self park area across the street. Looking at the on the dashboard, I saw that I was twenty minutes late. After doing a Google search for the train station's phone number, I called and found out that I definitely missed my train. Disgusted with the situation, angry at myself for not leaving on time, I got back on the highway and drove home angry and crying...yes, I cried. I figured I lost the money I spent on my train ticket and the money I spent on registering for the conference. That was a nice chunk of change to waste, so I figure I am allowed to shed some angry tears. I just drove three hours in an attempt to save money and ended up losing out on everything I spent AND I have to drive another three hours to get home!

Of course, as I drove back home, it hits me that there are other options. I simply needed to get home and start searching for solutions; and solutions I did find. I found a decent rate on a one way flight to DC, so I called Amtrak and told the rep what happened, asked if there was a way for me to use the return part of my ticket. Unfortunately no, that was not an option. However, the rep said that she could process a full refund of my money and that brightened my spirit tenfold. So I went to Priceline, after comparing airfares with other websites, and bought a plane ticket for the next day. After getting about four hours of sleep, I get up, shower, throw on some clothes and hop in the car to hit the highway again. This time I take Mom with me so I don't have to pay for parking; I figure she can drop me off, take the car for the weekend, and pick me up when I return. Sounds great right?

Guess what?

I. missed. the. flight.


Got mixed up and turned around with the directions and got to the airport a few minutes after the plane took off.

I know, I know...*whomp, whomp, whommmmp*...

Luckily, there was another flight to DC, albeit three hours later. So I got my ticket transferred and hopped on the plane and was on my way to the Blogging While Brown conference! Happy ending, right?

To be continued...

If you could wake up as anyone tomorrow, who would it be?

Me...I have some rough days but all in all I'm happy being me...

Ask me anything

Methodical Rant: Local NAACP...is there nothing else for which you can fight?

I came into the office today and my supervisor asked me if I had heard anything about the noise ordinance proposal for our city. I had heard some snippets on the news and it hadn't held my attention. Why? One, I am not one who needs to have my music blasting so loud that it will not only make the windows of my car shake, but the windows of your car, as well as your home, shake too. Two, while it is an annoying and frustrating occurrence, there are other things on my mind that I find more important. According to this SJR article, the new ordinance will tow your car on the FIRST offense. I'm silly so my first thought was that the tow truck would have to chase me down because you're definitely not towing my car with me in it and the key in the ignition. I agree with Ryne Goodrich, the current law should be better enforced and the fines imposed on the offenders should be collected more efficiently. Towing a person's vehicle the first time out is completely unfair.

Anyway, my supe goes on to say that our local NAACP is fighting against the proposal, claiming that racial profiling will be used to stop "certain" people (i.e. African Americans). She said that she doesn't think it's a white or black issue because in her neighborhood, there are plenty of "punk white boys" blasting their music and rattling windows in the neighborhood at all hours of the night. I couldn't disagree with her on that point; truth is, African Americans are not the only ones blasting music. So in theory, the ordinance would affect everyone guilty of this irritating habit. That said, after reading this another SJR article, I understand where the NAACP is coming from with the objection to the new ordinance. If the police target a particular area, it is way more likely that African Americans will be affected more than any other group. However, my question for the local NAACP is this: "Is there nothing else for which you can fight?"

My mom has been dealing with a lot of discrimination while working for the county and her phone calls have gone unanswered. She has left message after message after message, asking for help regarding the racial discrimination running rampant in the county. No response from our local branch. According to a family friend who works for an answering service in town, they get tons, TONS, of calls for our local NAACP branch. But all they can do it relay the messages, it is up to the local NAACP to acknowledge the phone calls. So while they are worried about a noise ordinance, folks are working in hostile environments that cause some to simply quit, retire from, or even lose their positions! I'm biased, I know this, it is affecting my mom and it has me pissed off, but even in my bias I know I'm not overreacting. Archie Lawrence, the president of our local NAACP chapter, needs to get the organization's priorities lined up. Some things are worth fighting for, and this noise ordinance isn't one of them.

Methodical Product Junkie Review: The Clarisonic Mia

So, at the end of March I purchased the Clarisonic Mia after watching QVC (it also didn't hurt that they had the entire amount broken down into 3 payments...making it easier to work into my budget *smile*). There were several colors to choose from, so I chose the pink version since Clarisonic makes a donation to breast cancer research for every pink Clarisonic sold. My order was shipped and delivered in less than a week (I placed the order on 3/27 and it was waiting on my doorstep on 4/1).

According to the product description, the Clarisonic Mia is supposed to remove makeup, dirt, and oils six times more efficiently than regular cleansing (you know, using your hands to apply and massage the cleanser into your skin). The company also claims that the Clarisonic Mia reduces the appearance of pores and wrinkles. And, after cleansing with the Mia, your skin is supposed to be more receptive to moisturizers and serums. Sounds great, right? I was extremely excited to purchase the Mia and begin using it as apart of my daily cleansing ritual.

Once I removed it from it's packaging and read the instructions, I connected the Mia to it's charger (which is a really neat thing by the way). I began charging it that afternoon, which sucked since I wanted to use it immediately, but patience is a virtue. I used it the next evening, after giving it 24 hours as instructed. My order came with three different nonabrasive cleansers (normal to oily, all skin types, and normal to dry) as well as a replacement brush. It is important to note that when using the Mia, you are not supposed to use an abrasive cleanser with it. I'm not sure if it would be too much exfoliation or if the Mia would become clogged in some way, but the directions explicitly warn the user to refrain from using abrasive cleansers.

Now on to the good stuff!

Here's what my skin looked like before using the Clarisonic Mia:

Here's what my skin looks like after a month of using my Clarisonic Mia:

My breakouts have calmed somewhat; my skin is not as blemished as it was a month ago. The vibration of the bristles on the Mia seem to aid in exfoliation because my skin feels softer. I think that I may need to try a different cleanser, a nonabrasive one that affects acne breakouts. Another thing, my skin does seem to show the benefits of moisturizers and serums, but I will post a review on that later. I do not see a reduction in the appearance of my pores, which is one of the claims made by Clarisonic. I do not have any worries about wrinkles yet (thanks mom and melanin), so a reduction in the appearance of wrinkles is not applicable at this point.

All in all, I would recommend buying the Clarisonic Mia, but I am hoping that the improvements I have seen after five weeks of use will continue and after another few weeks my skin will be even more improved.

Blogging from A to Z: Today's Letter...M for Mitrice Richardson...

In case you are unaware or, perhaps, have forgotten about this young woman, Mitrice Richardson is still missing. She has been missing since last September, after disappearing from the Malibu police station. I did a blog post about this a while back and you can read it here. Recently, a few things have occurred regarding this case; allegedly, there is a videotape of Richardson at the police station. This is "surprising" because the original claim by the police was that no videotape existed *side-eye*. According to the Malibu Surfside News, Richardson's mother, Latice Sutton, and a small group of others, were allowed to view this "non-existent" videotape. After the viewing, Sutton says, per Malibu Surfside News:

the video “supports [my] theory that [sheriff’s] officers could very likely be involved in my daughter’s disappearance.”

You can read the article here, but the gist is that the claims of the Malibu police station do not match up with what the videotape shows. Richardson looks agitated and is pulling at her hair, and rocking from side to side. This is a different picture than what the police painted originally. They said that they saw no signs of distress and that she seemed fine. They claimed this even after witnesses at the restaurant where she was arrested, said that she seemed to be under some sort of mental distress. Another cause for concern, is that the videotape allegedly shows an officer following Richardson out of the police department after she was released. So what happened after that? Did this officer see which direction she took? Did he speak to her? Did he offer to take her home? What happened? So far no answers. The family wants those who were at the station that night to be investigated and I can understand that completely, if for no other reason than the shady business regarding the "non-existent" videotape.

Another search occurred on March 28, this time in the Skid Row area of Los Angeles. Apparently, there have been "sightings" in that area, so a group volunteered to search the area. It made sense to search this area; according to Chip Croft, who was interviewed by the Los Angeles Times:

With numerous homeless shelters, single-room occupancy hotels and social service centers, skid row is a place where someone like Richardson, who is thought to have had no money and may have been suffering from emotional problems, might end up...

In my earlier blog post, a commenter, arlee, brought up the idea of questioning the homeless community. Since many homeless people tend to have mental health issues, searching the Skid Row area for missing persons was a smart move. If it had been done sooner, maybe there would have been better results. The family of Richardson is also interested in questioning a man who was recently arrested for the sexual assault of a Malibu woman. Apparently this man, Christian Marcus Verdin, was living in the homeless community around the time that Richardson disappeared. Most recently, a drone aircraft was used to search the area surrounding the police station. According to the Malibu Surfside News, this drone was able to search areas that were unreachable by the search teams. The family is currently waiting for the results of this particular search.

Mitrice Richardson is out there, somewhere; my hope is that Mitrice is found, alive, and reunited with her family. I truly with the media would get on top of this case and put pressure on the police department to produce results. The shadiness of the videotape situation should cause concern  and be worthy of some media coverage. What the hell happened the night that Mitrice Richardson left that Malibu police station?

Blogging from A to Z: "L" is for Library of Congress & LOL!

I was on one of my favorite sites today, Twitter, when someone sent out a tweet that said the Library of Congress will be archiving all public tweets, from March 2006 on forward. That's right, folks! If you thought Twitter was nothing more than sh*ts and giggles, you are WRONG! And, according to their website, the Library of Congress wants to congratulate you:

Have you ever sent out a “tweet” on the popular Twitter social media service? Congratulations: Your 140 characters or less will now be housed in the Library of Congress.

That's right! Congratulations go out to all those people out there "tweeting" a ton of foolishness! And I'm not talking about your average jokes. I'm talking about stuff that would make your elders blush and cut their eyes as you. Hey all you "Wang Wednesday" people you're about to be a part of history! And we can't forget those "Twitter After Dark" tweets! Oh this is such hilarity! I can't help but laugh out loud and shake my head at those who don't think it necessary to do a little self-censorship when tweeting. Now, don't get me wrong, are there some of my own tweets that I'm not thrilled about being archived? Hmmmm...no actually I feel pretty cool about it all' I haven't posted anything that I would be embarrassed by or would not want to stand by, so the idea of archiving my tweets doesn't faze me at all. But, I can say that I'm glad I haven't been reckless with my digital fingerprints; once you put stuff out there on the Internet, it's pretty much a wrap. This is how I've approached the entire social networking issue. If you don't want it known, better keep it to yourself.

photo credit: Jacqui Sadler on Flickr

Dewy's 24-Hour Read-A-Thon: Final Update (yeah I know...)

I know that the read-a-thon ended Sunday, but I was so sleepy! Every time I considered posting this update, my bed looked so much more welcoming. I spent Sunday napping, off and on, and Monday I had to get back to work and school, so today I am posting my feelings on the second book I read, Cornered. First, here's the book description:

With Nowhere To Run. . .
Corey Webb is living the American dream—successful business, beautiful wife, gifted daughter—but the dream he worked so hard to achieve is about to become a nightmare. When a chance encounter brings him face to face with the dark past he'd long since left behind, Corey knows the threat to his life and family could be deadly.
. . .It's Do Or Die
Unpredictable, intelligent, and terrifyingly ruthless, Corey's stalker will settle for nothing less than complete submission. He'll stop at nothing, and sacrifice anyone, to get what he wants. There's no point in running, no chance of hiding, and no hope for Corey and his family to escape unscathed. . .

I really enjoy Massey's books; he always writes something full of tension, that keeps you turning pages until you finish the book. This had much of that, but there were definitely scenes that had me upset at the characters. I guess being mad at fictional characters means that the book pulled me in (smile). The parents in this book, Corey and Simone, often made me want to throw the book across the room. Their daughter, Jada, seems to be the brightest one in the bunch and often has some of the most tension-filled scenes involving an especially creepy character. There is a nice twist in the story, but I won't go into much detail because I don't believe in spoiling stories for others. That said, I would recommend reading this book, if only for a quick read (I finished reading this one in about 7 hours).

If I were to compare the two books I read for this event, I would say that the second book is a winner. It got straight to the action and did not slow down the pace with a bunch of unnecessary characters, of which the first book is guilty.Thanks to all who cheered me on! I truly enjoyed participating in the read-a-thon and plan to participate in the next one in October. October is perfect for staying in and reading books, so I'm looking forward to that. Happy reading everyone!

Blogging from A to Z: "I" for Investing...I'm finally doing it...

That's right; after years of proclaiming I was unable to invest and begin to build wealth for my future, I have decided to buckle down and invest. It was a difficult decision, but after thinking about all the money I've been known to waste on things that amount to nothing, I knew it was time. It also didn't hurt that, about a month ago, a study reported that the median wealth for single black women was about five dollars. Five dollars? Now, whether that is true or not is irrelevant, in my opinion. Yes, I know that results can be skewed and that sample populations may not be the most representative, especially if the people performing the research slack on their responsibilities. That said, I can still find a kernel of helpful information in this study. While my wealth is much higher than the median, I can most definitely do better.

So I'm starting off small; I opened a Sharebuilder account since they're offering a $50 bonus when you open an account. Also, since I'm an Inbox Dollars member, I will receive $15 dollars in my Inbox account. Pretty nice deal from what I can tell. I still have a lot of research ahead of me; stocks, bonds, mutual funds, and all that other financial-speak kind of goes over my head, but if I put in the work, I know it will become clear for me. Scared money don't make money (I remember hearing that somewhere). I have to take some risks, smart risks, but risks nonetheless. I'm young, single, and have no extreme responsibilities to anyone but myself, so there is no excuse for not investing in my future.

Dewy's 24-Hour Read-A-Thon: Update #3

*yawning*

Well folks, I sit here on my bed proud, daylight glowing through the curtains. I finished my second book for the read-a-thon with a little time to spare. I read Cornered by Brandon Massey; it was 376 pages and it gripped me from beginning to end. I'll discuss more about this later today, in a final read-a-thon update. I'm exhausted...


Good night...or good morning...whatever one would say when going to sleep after the sun is already up...zzzzzzzzzzzzz...

Dewy's 24-Hour Read-A-Thon: Update #2

Hey everyone! I just wanted to check in briefly and let you all know that this book The Company We Keep actually picked up the pace! It became much more interesting once the focus shifted to where it should have in the first place ("Terri" and "Harrison"). I ate a light dinner while reading and sipped on some wine. That said, the book improved before I had the wine, so don't think that the alcohol made things seem better (smile). I have less than 40 pages to go and then I will start on another book. Perhaps I will be able to finish it before the read-a-thon ends, perhaps not, but either way, this has been a fun challenge. I'll check in again later! Happy reading!

Dewy's 24-Hour Read-A-Thon: Update #1

Sheesh! I almost changed my mind about participating but I would have felt bad, so I'm pushing forward! This morning was hectic, in currently in the middle of organizing and packing, so I didn't get started on this book The Company We Keep until late in the day. That said I've made it through 103 pages and I must say, I'm not terribly impressed with the story thus far. If you read the book description, one would expect that the interaction between "Terri" and "Harrison" would be at the forefront of the story, but this isn't the case. With only 177 pages left, the author is introducing all these peripheral characters as side story plots. The main characters haven't even really reunited! And at some point, "Harrison" is supposed have some deep, dark secret that will cause problems; I need this book to get to the meat of the story real soon because I'm loosing interest. This is surprising me because I love the author's other books, especially her God Don't...series. I feel like this book may have been written with a bunch of leftover ideas, but I'll try to keep an open mind and finish the book before I decide that it wasn't worth my money.

I hope everyone else is having a great day of reading!

Dewy's 24-Hour Read-A-Thon...Read 1 book, in 24 hours?

I think this is something I can accomplish and since I have a ton of books, stacked up and waiting for me to give them attention, I decided to participate in this challenge. I will blog my progress throughout the day, to keep me on schedule and also to take a break from reading. The book I've chosen is "The Company We Keep" by Mary Monroe and it is 280 pages long. I should be able to finish it in the allotted time. Here's a brief description of the book from Amazon.com:

New York Times bestselling author Mary Monroe-s extraordinary novel celebrates life, love, and the power of sisterhood-proving that friends, like fine wine, only get better with age...

Gorgeous, successful executive Teri Stewart spends her days working for L.A.'s hottest record company--and her nights all alone. Her best friend Nicole is determined to find Teri a man, but she hasn-t had much luck...because Teri wants more than Mr. Maybe. She's holding out for Mr. Right and won't settle for anything less. Just when Teri is ready to give up, a man from her past returns to reignite their romance. With his sultry smile and easy-going charm, radio DJ Harrison Starr is one-of-a kind-and Teri can-t deny she's fallen hard for him again.

With her life finally falling into place, Teri thinks her dreams might come true after all. But Harrison may have a secret that could change everything.

To find out more about Dewy's Read-A-Thon, click here! Wish me luck!

Blogging from A to Z: Today's letter....H for Harvard University (and others)...

I received this email this evening and figured it would make for a good and informative blog post for the challenge:

Harvard University Announcement

No tuition and no student loans

Harvard University announced over the weekend that from now on undergraduate students from low-income families will pay no tuition. In making the announcement, Harvard's president Lawrence H. Summers said, "When only ten percent of the students in elite higher education come from families in the lower half of the income distribution, we are not doing enough. We are not doing enough in bringing elite higher education to the lower half of the income distribution."

If you know of a family earning less than $60,000 a year with an honor student graduating from high school soon, Harvard University wants to pay the tuition. The prestigious university recently announced that from now on undergraduate students from low-income families can go to Harvard for free... no tuition and no student loans!

To find out more about Harvard offering free tuition for families making less than $60,000 a year, visit Harvard's financial aid website at: http://www.fao.fas.harvard.edu/ or call the school's financial aid office at (617) 495-1581.

SEND TO SOMEONE WHETHER THEY CAN USE OR NOT. THEY JUST MIGHT KNOW SOMEONE WHO CAN.

This sounds spectacular, right? Students from low-income homes are receiving a great opportunity; just because someone is from a home that is struggling to make ends meet, especially in our current economic setting, doesn't mean that they should be blocked from attending an Ivy League school if that is the school they choose.  After checking around for some more information, I found an article on, CNNMoney.com, that discusses this. Apparently Harvard, and other major schools, are planning on using more work-study programs and grant money as financial aid for low-income students. While there is still the chance that the family will need to invest some money, due to the "expected contribution" amount, which is figured when completing the FAFSA. But the amount contributed will be extremely lower than what was previously expected. According to the Harvard financial aid website, at some point family's had to use home equity to pay for their child, or children, to go to Harvard. And chances are, the student would still leave the school with debt! I think that this program is a great idea and it should be taken advantage of.

Blogging from A to Z...G for Garcelle, what were you thinking?

Okay, this post is devoted to some celebrity news; I say celebrity, but those involved are "major" in my book, but hey, to each his or her own. Today "news" broke regarding an email that Garcelle Beauvais-Nilon apparently sent out an email to her husband's friends and co-workers at the Creative Artists Agency (CAA). According to this email, Garcelle says that her husband Michael Nilon has been having an affair with some woman for 5 years. The two have only been married for about 9 years! Now, of course the most important aspect of this story is that this man was cheating on his wife. But looking at it from a different view, I think that Garcelle's approach to handling this was a bad idea. Why? Well first, why send it to his friends and colleagues? The way I see it, most of those same people already knew he was having an affair. I mean really, five years? Folks were already talking about around the water cooler. Second, what sense does it make to put such scandalous information out in the open and then not want to speak to the media? Now that she let the cat out of the bag, she made this statement to USMagazine.com:

"My focus at this time is on my kids and healing the pain. There will be no further comment."

Why make the comment in the first place? Now you don't want to talk about it? Either someone was in need of attention, and by attention I mean attaching one's situation to the many celebrities going through this same situation (i.e. Tiger Woods and Jesse James), or someone realizes that it wasn't the best idea to throw personal business out there for media consumption. That said, I hope that Garcelle is able to make it through this, shielding their children from the stupidity of their father. I just think that this was a bad move.

Blogging from A to Z...F for Fusion...

I was sitting here thinking of a topic I could use for this post; several words came to mind. I narrowed it down to "forgotten" and "fusion". While I find both interesting, I decided on "fusion" because this is a topic is much lighter than what I would have said had I used "forgotten". Anyway, I was on Twitter and someone was talking about something called afro fusion. I was intrigued and broke into the conversation (because that's what you do on Twitter, lol). Apparently there is this process, afro fusion, that will feed my 'Fro envy. Mu hair is currently loc'd up but I've been considering chopping them off in at least a year; they're getting so long, almost to the point of annoying me. When I do the big chop, I'll have a small afro but I want something major. This is where the fusion process would come in, taking me from here:

To here, in a minimal amount of time:

I'm really going to have to schedule some time to go to Atlanta and visit The Damn Salon (I love the name)!

Blogging from A to Z...E for Empathy

This is a brief post, since I'm now a day behind! Yesterday was a bit hectic but I hope to stay on track now (smile). Anyway, this topic is one that I think of often; especially when I read about children committing, or attempting, suicide. Empathy us nothing and the benefits from it can be far-reaching. According to Dictionary.com, empathy is the "identification and understanding of another's situation, feelings, and motives." The current mindset of many people is that "different" is bad, it is something to be made fun of and, or, despise. Some of the same people, with this mindset, are raising children who go to school and see the differences of others and begin to bully and belittle the "different" kids. Now we have 8 year olds jumping from buildings and  11 year olds hanging themselves because the constant bullying is too much for them to deal with! I know that being picked on is something that happens in life, heck, I've experienced it, but every child handles stress differently. Expecting all kids to "grin and bear it" or "suck it up and deal" is unfair. While it is important to teaching kids that there are healthy ways to deal with the stresses they face, it is also important to teach kids that "different" isn't bad...it's just different. We have to teach kids how to look at the things that make us all different and simply understand those differences. Kids are dealing with so many things, so many adversities; we have to reduce these stresses as much as possible. Teaching empathy can enrich and save the lives of our children.

Blogging from A to Z...Today's Letter...D for Dreams...Crazy Dreams!

Good evening folks! I decided to do a post on the creepy dreams that I often have. I am extremely frightened of spiders. As a matter of fact, I can handle snakes and mice more than I can spiders. I think that this fear was influenced by my mom; she is terrified of spiders. In fact, when I was a kid, we were all at a family reunion in a park and she was sitting under a tree, on a picnic table, with my little sister (who was a baby at the time). A spider dropped down from said tree and my mom ran off screaming, leaving my little sister on the table in her carrier, with the spider! Needless to say, after my dad went over and moved my sister, everyone razzed her about it. This was the reaction that I often saw and I've been scared of spiders ever since. Spiders, being the one thing that I fear (possibly more than death, unless said death involves spiders), often make appearances in my dreams. I've scared everyone in the household because I'll wake up thinking that spiders are crawling all around the room, making their way to me. I've ran into doors, tables, stumbled over shoes, and my own feet trying to get away from imaginary spiders. As I type this, I laugh because I know that it is only a dream. However, in that moment, the moment where I'm falling out of bed, tangled up in sheets, there is nothing scarier in my life.

When trying to understand what these dreams could possibly mean, I found a website called Dream Moods. This is what I found:

To see a spider in your dream, indicates that you are feeling like an outsider in some situation. Or that you may want to keep your distance and  stay away from an alluring and tempting situation.  The spider is also symbolic of feminine power. Alternatively, a spider may refer to a powerful force protecting you against  your self-destructive behavior. If you kill a spider, it symbolizes misfortune and general bad luck.

To see a spider spinning a web in your dream, signifies that you will be rewarded for your hard work. You will soon find yourself promoted in your job or recognized for your achievement in a difficult task.  Spiders are a symbol of creativity due to the intricate webs they spin. On a negative note, spiders may indicate a feeling of being entangled or trapped in a sticky or clingy relationship. It represents some ensnaring and controlling force. You may feel that someone or some situation is sucking the life right out of you. Alternatively, if a spider is spinning a web in your dream, then it could be a metaphor for the world wide web and global communication.

To see a spider climbing up a wall in your dream, denotes that your desires will soon be realized.

To dream that you are bitten by a spider, represents a conflict with your mother or some dominant female figure in your life. The dream may be a metaphor for a devouring mother or the feminine power to possess and entrap. Perhaps you are feeling trapped by some relationship. 

Since I never see them spinning webs, I'm never bitten and I never kill them, the only points that apply are the ones about simply seeing a spider and spiders climbing walls. So it makes me look at my current situation; do I feel like an outsider? Possibly, but that's been something that I've carried for many, many years. I've been a loner, so it's not too surprising that I'd feel like an outsider. This site makes me think about any behaviors I have that could be seen as destructive. I'm not the healthiest person, so maybe that's manifesting itself in my dreams? I find the whole feminine power aspect real interesting; am I afraid of my own power? Running away form what I can be? Most definitely food for thought. Of course, the other point, spiders climbing walls, leaves me feeling hopeful. There is so much I want to do in life and I've been feeling like this is my year to really get to work on accomplishing certain goals, so maybe these goals "will soon be realized." Thinking about my spider dreams in this way makes them seem harmless, less frightening.

But, um, I'm still afraid of those creepy crawly things...what are you afraid of?

Blogging from A to Z: Today's letter....C for "who are you to be so Confident?"

I was on Twitter earlier today and someone in my timeline said something that got me thinking about confidence. This person sent on a "tweet" that said "Part of the problem is [you] think [you're] cute but [you're] just basic"; now, this was not directed at me, but it made me think of the many times I've heard that in my lifetime. I find it interesting when people make that statement; why shouldn't people think that they are cute? Why shouldn't people walk with their heads held high? Why shouldn't people feel good about themselves and their appearances? Some young girls, and some grown women, have this issue real bad; they see another female and whisper amongst their cliques and the refrain that tends to float around is "Look at her! She thinks she's cute!" Well, so what if she does? Why shouldn't she? Is it that women are supposed to walk around feeling lowly and unattractive? That is insane! If I don't think highly of myself, or see the beauty that is in me, how can I expect anyone else to? I often think that those who use the phrase "You think you're cute" are simply projecting their insecurities on others. For some it may be a mild, or not so mild, form of jealousy. But no matter the reason, I refuse to feel bad about myself or allow anyone to bring my confidence down to their level. Pardon my language, but fuck THINKING I'm cute, I KNOW I'm cute. And there's nothing anyone can do but deal with it.

Blogging from A to Z: Today's letter....B for Bereavement

I wasn't sure what I would post today for the second day of this blogging challenge. I was able to leave work early today, they actually let us leave for Good Friday (this is surprising). Anyway, I was able to get home in time to watch today's episode of Oprah. I don't usually, but today Janet Jackson was a guest on the show and I was curious about what she had to say regarding the new movie she's in, "Why Did I Get Married Too?", so I tuned in. As always, she was cute as a button and looked well. However, once the interview began, it was uncomfortable to watch. Why? Much of the interview focused on the death of her brother, Michael Jackson. If you've read my blog, then you know I'm a fan and when the media broke the news of his death, it hurt me, it was a visceral pain. And I didn't even know the man! So, as I was watching this episode of Oprah and saw the clips and pictures of MJ, I couldn't help but think of how difficult this had to be for Janet, his sister, one who grew up with, and truly loved, Michael. I can't watch the clips, or look at pictures, of MJ without feeling sadness or loss, so it doesn't surprise me at all that his sister doesn't want to see "This Is It" or look at clips and pictures of her brother. It shouldn't surprise anyone else either; I found myself giving Oprah the "side eye" because she seemed surprised by this reaction from Janet. Janet seems like such a private person, so being asked all these questions about MJ and where she was, how she felt, blah, blah, blah.

All that to say this: what is the deal with not allowing celebrities the privacy to deal with their bereavement, their grief, out of the view of the public? I think of the way I felt when my grandfather passed away several years ago and I think of the way I would feel if someone was in my face constantly asking me personal questions, gauging my reaction, my pain, and passing it around for the consumption of people I don't even know. A person's bereavement is personal and should be respected as such. You couldn't pay me enough money to be a celebrity and have to deal with this type of thing in the public eye. Everything isn't for everyone to see or know. Would you be able to handle such scrutiny?

Blogging from A to Z: Today's letter...A for Avoidance

For my first blog in the Blogging from A to Z challenge, I decided to do a post on avoidance. We avoid things daily, whether it's for our physical safety or for our emotional safety. The former makes sense, if you believe in survival; the latter is the more interesting one to me. I can be outgoing in certain situations, but there is one thing that I avoid like a plague and that's relationships. I think I may have a disorder or something because I cannot get myself to open up and express myself, for fear of rejection. It is a terrible habit, one that I would like to rid myself of. I know that I have missed many opportunities; I may have let a soul mate slip out of my reach and that really scares me. I think that I immerse myself in school because of my avoidance issues. With school, I have control over the outcome, for the most apart. If I want an 'A' then I put in the work to get it. Yes, I stay in school because the career I want requires certain degrees and certification, but I wonder if I get a slight bit of relief that I don't have time to put myself out there, you know, in the dating scene. I hear it's real rough out there and I'm often glad that I don't have the horror stories that others have. But, I also know I'm missing out; how do I expect to get married and start a family with a man I love, and who loves me back, if I don't get out there and meet him? I have to make a change and because avoidance is getting me nowhere.

I have to thank fellow blogger, arlee of the blog tossing it out, for starting this Blogging from A to Z challenge. I think it's going to be fun! If you want information on the challenge, click the logo, featuring Uncle Sam, to your right.

Janelle Monae's got me wanting to do the "Tightrope"

I already loved the song, but the video makes it that much more catchy. I'm looking forward to her new album, which comes out May 18th. That's right around my birthday...hint, hint, hint...(smile). Enjoy the video!

Armed robery + $11 stolen + no one harmed = Life in prison?

Oh, I forgot to add "innocence" to that equation! Two women, Jamie and Gladys Scott, were arrested and convicted for armed robbery. $11 was stolen and no one was injured or killed, but the Scott sisters were convicted and each sister received to two consecutive life sentences! They've maintained their innocence since 1993 and witnesses to the crime say that they were threatened, forced to lie on the sisters. Insanely unjust! Now, add the fact that Jamie Scott fighting severe infections and receiving substandard medical care, and the situation becomes even more dire! Innocent, in prison for life, and fighting for her health? Why isn't this receiving more attention? That was a rhetorical question...

Please read the press release below (from freethescottsisters.blogspot.com)...




PRESS RELEASE

THE COMMITTEE TO FREE THE SCOTT SISTERS

CONTACT:

Mrs. Evelyn Rasco

P.O. Box 7100

Pensacola, Florida 32534

E-mail: rqueenbee2222@yahoo.com

Website: www.freethescottsisters.blogspot.com
Petition: http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/Free-Jamie-Gladys/index.html
Legal Transcripts: http://www.scribd.com/Scott%20Sisters

MISSISSIPPI INJUSTICE: A DOUBLE-LIFE SENTENCE FOR $11.00!

Scott County, MS ---- In a trial fraught with legal malpractice and witness coercion, Mississippi Judge Marcus Gordon oversaw one of the most blatantly corrupt trials in history, culminating in the staggering over-sentencing of sisters Gladys and Jamie Scott to double-life each in an armed robbery where no one was murdered or harmed and the amount alleged to have been taken was a whopping $11.00.

On December 24, 1993, the Scott County Sheriff’s Department arrested the Scott sisters for armed robbery even though three young males, ranging from ages 14 to 18, confessed to committing the crime. Despite this, the corrupt Mississippi sheriff used coercion, threats, and harassment to compel them to turn state’s evidence against the Scott sisters due to a long-standing vendetta against a family member. The 14-year-old male would later testify that he did not read the statement and was pressured to sign a written statement prepared by the sheriff without an attorney being present.

As if that weren't bad enough, these young women received incompetent legal representation at the lower court trial. Their attorneys, Firnist J. Alexander, Jr. and Gail Shaw-Pierson failed to interview and subpoena witnesses, only calling one witness when there were several. Incredibly, the jury never even heard any testimony from the alleged victims. The sisters were advised to not testify on their own behalf by their attorneys, Alexander and Shaw-Pierson, denying them the opportunity to speak for themselves.

In October of 1994, Jamie and Gladys Scott were sentenced to extraordinary double life terms each in prison, even though neither sister had prior convictions and there was no violence involved in these charges.

The four State’s witnesses provided conflicting testimony and one alleged accuser was not called to testify – he was not questioned or subpoenaed by defense attorneys Firnist J. Alexander, Jr. or Gail Shaw-Pierson. Witnesses admitted however, that reports prepared by the Sheriff, of their descriptions of the event contained no such claim. In other words, the sisters were not present. Jamie and Gladys Scott were not involved in the armed robbery and they did not conspire to plan such. Witnesses all testified that they were coerced and threatened by Deputy Sheriff Marvin Williams. Testimony also revealed that Marvin Williams prepared statements of the events from the night of December 24, 1994 BEFORE obtaining signatures and BEFORE the witnesses were brought into his office. In other words, the statements were not written by witnesses. Three affidavits exist – they all state that the Scott Sisters were not involved in this robbery. One affidavit is written by a trustee of the local jail, his account of the facts reveal that a wallet was located a few days after this alleged robbery and that wallet contained the photo ID of one of the alleged victims of the trumped up robbery and three twenty dollar bills. The trustee also reveals that there was NOT a robbery, he was also threatened to be sent to Parchman Penitentiary if he told the truth.

According to the Request for Commutation of Sentence and/or Pardon prepared by attorney Chokwe Lumumba, the Scott Sisters challenged their convictions on direct appeal; arguing that there was insufficient evidence to convict them, and the guilty verdict was against the overwhelming weight of evidence, which should have exonerated them. The court of appeals found no error and affirmed the convictions on December 17, 1996. As a result, they filed a Petition for Writ of Certiorari to the Supreme Court, which was denied on May 15, 1997. They consequently filed an Application for Leave to File Motion to Vacate Conviction pursuant to the Mississippi Post Conviction Collateral Relief Act. The Supreme Court also denied that application.

This family is shell-shocked, yet determined to fight on. They have tried to have faith that at some point this unbelievable travesty would be corrected and their upside-down lives righted. Yet 14 long years later nothing has changed, the women's five children are still being raised by their now ailing mother, and their father has died of a massive heart attack because of this. The emotional strain this burden has placed upon their family is immeasurable.

Jamie Scott writes, "What began as an implication and outright miscarriage of justice, has catapulted to destroy an entire family. Gladys was a 19 year old pregnant mother, and myself, Jamie, a 22 year old mother during the time of our arrest, conviction and sentencing for a crime we did not commit." She continued, "We are convinced that once this chain of events is exposed and unraveled, the events that occurred, the lives that have been destroyed, the pain and suffering the citizens of Scott County have endured; everyone will be utterly amazed, astonished and compelled to assist us in our plight for freedom. We pray that the people would insist upon an investigation into their misconduct and miscarriage of justice."

Gladys and Jamie’s older brother has recently returned from Iraq and has served in the US Army for 22 years, while his sisters remain victims of wrongful convictions in the very country that he proudly represents. The defendants and their family are wholly depending on support from the press, organizations, and all those dedicated to justice in making this debacle as public as possible.

Please sign petition at http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/Free-Jamie-Gladys/index.html

Also do what you can to help the cause! Please contact the following people to voice your concerns:

BE DIRECT BUT PLEASE BE COURTEOUS -- NO YELLING OR CURSING!
IT WILL ONLY TAKE A FEW MINUTES, PLEASE PARTICIPATE!

Governor Haley Barbour
P.O. Box 139
Jackson, Mississippi 39205
1-877-405-0733 or 601-359-3150
Fax: 601-359-3741
(If you reach VM leave msgs, faxes, and please send letters)

Dorothy Kuykendall
Personal Assistant to Gov. Barbour
(601) 359-3150
DKuykendall@governor.state.ms.us
P. O Box 3150
Jackson, MS 39205

Christopher Epps, Commissioner of Prisons for the State of Mississippi
601-359-5600
CEPPS@mdoc.state.ms.us
723 North President Street
Jackson, MS 39202

Emmitt Sparkman, Deputy Commissioner
(601) 359-5610
esparkman@mdoc.state.ms.us

Margaret Bingham, Superintendent of Central Mississippi Corrections Facility
(601) 932-2880
mbingham@mdoc.state.ms.us
FAX: (601) 664-0782
P.O. Box 88550
Pearl, Mississippi 39208

Dr. Gloria Perry, Medical Department (601) 359-5155
gperry@mdoc.state.ms.us

Attorney General Eric Holder
U.S. Department of Justice
950 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20530-0001

PLEASE CONTACT POLITICIANS AND MEDIA

Congressman Bennie Thompson
3607 Medgar Evers Blvd.
Jackson, MS 39213
601-946-9003(ph)
601-982-5337 (fx)
Benniethompson@mail.house.gov

Congressman John Conyers
2426 Rayburn H.O.B.
Washington, DC 20515
Ph: 202-225-5126
Fax: 202-225-0072
John.Conyers@mail.house.gov

A complete list of the media that we have listed (feel free to send to any others that
you wish to!) is at http://freethescottsisters.blogspot.com/2010/01/119-emergency-update.html

Fools...what would the world be without 'em

I've had this nagging feeling in my head, as if someone or something was lightly brushing against my brain. It started up once I started reading and listening to the comments of others regarding Oscar nominee Gabourey Sidibe and her weight. I hadn't planned on blogging about this until something finally clicked and the nagging feeling went away once I realized what was bothering me. Yes, I was tired of hearing "She's obese!" and "She has to lose the weight; it just isn't healthy!" whenever someone brought up the topic of Gabby. Is it true that much of her weight is unhealthy? Yes, I wouldn't argue otherwise; she should lose some weight. So, you may be asking, what's my issue since I don't think people are mistaken? Well, I have an issue with stupidity. Where is the daily fuss and rude jokes regarding the incredibly thin and anorexic? You know what people? Hollywood has an issue with health in general! As if seeing woman's shoulder blades through her chest is the ideal?! Until overall health is promoted, people should really shut their mouths.

RIP Corey Haim

I wake up this morning feeling great and then I'm thrown for a loop when I logged onto Twitter. Someone posted "RIP Corey Haim" and I'm thinking "Get outta here!" Did some searching and found a link confirming that he actually died. This saddens me, as a "80's baby" because growing up he was in some of my favorite movies. The Lost Boys and License to Drive are still in my movie collection to this day! They're saying he died of a drug overdose; while that isn't surprising, it still feels like another part of my childhood has passed away. No matter what, I hope he is at peace.

Click here to read more about this story.

Know your role! The 'Ho' never gets an apology!

I never gave the Tiger Woods debacle much, if any, attention. It was simple to me; he cheated on his wife with a harem of women and he was about to cost him a whole lot. However, after reading this article, I cannot hold my tongue regarding the foolishness that is now occurring. After last week's public apology, someone else wants an apology. One of the mistresses, Veronica Siwik-Daniels, feels that she is deserving of a personal apology. WTH?! Has she forgotten that she, like several others, played a part in this adulterous mess? She has an attorney and everything! For what reason, I have no idea. She and her attorney responded to Tiger's public apology; Siwik-Daniels' attorney, Gloria Allred, said "He [Tiger] led her to believe she was the only woman in his life other than his wife..." Say what?!Are you serious Ms. Allred?! Your client, Veronica Siwik-Daniles, was A MISTRESS! She is in no position to demand any kind of an apology! Are times rough for Allred? So rough she has to take on every frivolous case she can in order to make ends meet? I seriously doubt it; she looks like a media hog, right along with her client.

Siwik-Daniels says she "had to deal with a lot and too much from him and because of him...It never had to come to this. He knows that I was very straight and honest with him, but for a long time he lied to me." Um...no little mistress, you dealt with a lot because you chose to do so. And you were dealing with a man who was lying to his wife, so you were dealing with a liar. And you what? Expected him to be honest with you? Someone smack her forehead and tell her she should have drank a V8 because she is a idiot.

The fact that this is being fed into speaks volumes regarding the moral issues this country has! The only, and I repeat ONLY, person who deserve an apology are Tiger's family. This means that each and every woman who played a part in the adultery should apologize to his wife and his children! They deserve none of the media attention they are getting and they definitely do not deserve an apology from Tiger! I could be wrong, but I really do not believe I am.



Image via (CNN/KTLA)

Ashamed...yep, I sure am...

Sheesh...

I cannot believe it has been so long since I last posted on my blog. So neglectful...I'm truly saddened by this. I missed sharing my views on the things going on in the world and my life in general. This graduate school stuff is time consuming! I just got through midterms and I'm praying for the best; can't get anything lower than a 'B'. That said, no excuses because I find time to Twitter (you already know this if you follow me there, lol). The thing is, Twitter is so quick and easy to do; I can post a random thought and go on about my business. Blogging takes some time and you have to put serious thought to the topics one decides to post. In any event, I'm getting organized and I am coming out of this hiatus because I really want to take my blogging seriously. So, starting today, I will post more often!

Thanks for bearing with me, folks!

It's dangerous out there...ABW's are on the rise...

ABW's? Your question may be "What is an ABW?" ABW = Angry Black Women. Recently, there have been debates on the temperament of black women. To let the media tell it, we are some of the angriest women on the plant. And fools believe the lie! People are walking around thinking that all black women are loud and angry and extremely sensitive about everything. Tiger Woods cheats on his wife. Well, black women are in a tizzy because none of the women in his stable were black. What?! Get out of here with that! Ninety-percent of black women could not care less about Tiger or his hussies. Reggie Bush is on the cover of Essence's "Black Love" issue. And what? The man is fine (to me, at least). Yeah, it sucks that he enjoys the company of a Kardashian, but heck, I'm not in the running for his affections, so do I care? Nope. I can look at the cover, enjoy the eye candy, and keep it moving.

That said, let me take a moment to bring up a thought that came to mind a little while ago (what prompted me to post anything about this topic). Let's say I was angry about any of this. Why would that be so wrong? Why is my anger such a bad thing? Many women voice their anger about everything from A to Z, but if a black woman does it then it's some kind of strike against her. You know, three white women got angry and glued a man's penis to his stomach, Tiger's wife came at him with a golf club and there are countless other stories of non-black women snapping in anger, but I've heard no media coverage or real discussion of the rise of angry white women. So why is anger in a black woman demonized as if it's a sin? Every being on earth has this emotion, so what's the big deal about it?

Could someone please shine some light on this for me? Am I missing something?