All Hail Michael Richards!  No, I'm not insane, I am actually elated.  Kramer's bigoted actions on stage have given us all pause...at least for a moment.  Personally, I am a bit perplexed. L.A. being my hometown and all, I am still trying to figure out how he managed to get out of that club without an ambulance, a police escort or at least a big burly Security Guard giving their account on how they saved him from near death.

But I digress.

So now, folks are earnestly talking about eliminating the N-word (in music in particular). Can we do it?  Can this Nation actually give up its self-ordained license for Hate Speech neatly disguised and labeled as "Free Speech?"  Does that mean I can actually get on the New York subway and not hear beautiful brown-eyed Latinas y Latinos calling each other "Nigga?" 

Damn J-Lo & Ja-Rule's asses for that!

We shall see.  In the meantime, I will continue to listen to my edit versions of my favorite gangsta rap songs.  Maybe "Bitch" and "Ho" are next on the list.  Maybe me and the girls should go pay old Kramer a visit!

 

 

It has been forever since I last "blogged" with good reason...New York has been running me ragged!  I am heading home to sunny, sensibly slower California today and I am ready to be replenished.  I am looking forward to seeing the fam-bam and visiting all of my old haunts (Roscoe's Chicken & Waffles is #1 on the list).



Seriously...



During this time of "thanks," I would like to express my gratitude to those of you who have purchased my first book.  Thank you for using your hard earned dollars to support my dream!



Blessings to you and your families!

Trust…easy to lose and hard to regain. Trust is particularly difficult to recapture when you lose it at an early age. Trust in a parent, process or principle during the developmental years can leave one scrambling when trying to be a good, strong, moral “grown up.”



I think I am grown. Seriously. I have been an old lady since I was about three years old. I am wise beyond my years when it comes to certain issues, dumb as dirt on others. Relationships? Dumb as dirt. Spiritual principles? Sharp as a Ginsu knife. One would think that love and spirituality would go hand-in-hand. What you don’t realize is that fear creates unimaginably stupid talents. I have the talent to separate what should be clearly connected and make them seem like they are polar opposites. How you may ask? Simple…I don’t trust “The Process.” I don’t trust the people who are going through the process. I don’t trust…well, you get the picture.



Albeit, I am slowly trying to re-acquaint myself with trust. Not easy and not fun. As an Artist, I believe that everything happens for a reason, corny but true. However, that is in immediate conflict with my analytical side that collects the data from the past and finds an appropriate equation and sums up what the probability of X event happening may be.



The funny thing is I suck at Math but I did well in Statistics. Thus, my equation is likely wrong, but call it dumb luck, the probability that I get the answer right is pretty high.



Sometimes.



So, I want to give this trust thing a try. Of course that means I have to trust myself. But remember, depending on the situation—dumb as dirt or sharp and on point. Let’s see which side will be the victor.



Peace & Blessings.

Someone told me that during the rough times is when your true character comes out. I have a different take on that. Experiencing my own “Valley moment’ as Iyanla Vanzant would dub it; I have found that the rough times have shown me the exact areas where I need to focus on in prayer. I honestly believe that before I can be the divine being the Creator has intended me to be, I have to deal with the ugly or else the ugly will deal with me. If you are reading this, that means that either you can relate to this or you are trying to find yet another reason to hate on me.

Quick sidebar: I know that when everyone loves me, I’m not doing a damn thing with my life. It is only when I am really doin’ me that I get hated on. So, if you are experiencing a little “hateration,” rejoice! You are setting it out, lovely…keep up the good work!!!

In my state of ugly, I have seen every single one of my insecurities. They have come to visit me like ugly, unwanted company…that is asking to borrow something I treasure most. Luckily, I have been blessed with some amazing people who too, have allowed me to experience their lives as they deal with their own ugliness. Family members, my Beloved, my Sista-girls…we have all been there for each other during our times of ugly. I think this has been most important at this point in my life, because it helps me be humble about the times of beauty I experience. I have a tendency to forget just how blessed I really am and I need a nice (or not so nice) reminder of my reality. During this time I have thought quite a bit about the story of Job in the Bible…now that Brotha really went through it. Even after losing it all and being afflicted in his body, the only thing he held onto was his faith.

However, just because he held onto God’s “unchanging hand,” that doesn’t imply that he was the most pleasant person to be around. He did let his humanness show while others surrounded him with their assessment of what should be done. He did what he knew, knew it was the right thing, but there was something that needed to be brought out of him in order for him to truly appreciate not only what he had, but what he was to be granted next.

Long story longer, he received far greater than he began his journey with. He was even blessed with three extremely beautiful daughters, one of which was named Keziah.

So, to honor father Job, I am thankful for the dark days I have had and the ones that are to come. Joy comes in the morning and it is officially 6:00am in my life!

Blessings.