Delivered from his church...

If you can't make it through this let me recap:
Mayor: I'm sorry I got busted.
Wife: You didn't have to put all our business out like this.
Mayor: In between my rendezvous' I still accomplished some things for you guys.
Wife: I still love him.


Me: I'm glad he apologized. I'll even say a prayer for him. I NEED my city to rise from ashes and right now, he's in charge. So until the investigation is over...he's 'da mayor and whatever pain and embarrassment he's doing through, he deserves it!

Just because you're the first...

...doesn't make it historic.

Recently I reported a story about the Kentucky African-American Encyclopedia Project. This is to be the first of its kind anywhere in the country. An entire encyclopedia complete with 16-20 essays on the history and life of Blacks in the state. Estimated to be more than 1000 pages and 1000 entries when completed in 2011.

One of the editors, a woman who is a MASTERFUL librarian and now a Ph.D. student of history, said that just because a person may be the first at something, they may not make the book. This isn't just a chronicle but a recount of history and how things significantly impacted future generations.

This made me think because I have been critical of our local sororities and fraternities for giving out baseless honors to people in the community while skipping our first Black city council woman who is in her second year of a two year term. But when I think about it, what has she done? She won in the smallest district where less than 2000 votes were cast between her and her opponent. It is a district that has always had Black male representation so it wasn't a stretch for a Black woman to be elected. And she hasn't bucked the status-quo too much except on expanded liquor sale hours. Nothing ground breaking, she's just the first.

Then I recalled a family "discussion"/argument about Condoleezza Rice. My sister in laws husband said that we should be proud of Condi because she speaks several languages and plays piano and she is an example to our young people of what they could be. My husband and mother in law jumped on him with both feet! Basically they said she stands for nothing on her own and represents a corrupt regime. So how is that historical? She was just the first.

Does first make you worthy of a footnote in history? Should it be based on impact? What should make history?

Have you thought about what history will say about you?

I've got so much trouble on my mind...refuse to lose!

The state of Black business has really got my head aching.

Obviously it's hard out here for non-Black businesses too or Lil' G (Pres. Bush to some) wouldn't be handing out cash hoping people don't spend it on necessary things, but go blow it on flat screens. Can you smell that? That's the smell of money burning holes in pockets across America!

But how many of the people will go spend that money in a BOB (Black owned business)? We've GOT to do better. We have to be much more concious about WHO we spend our money with and WHAT we spend it on.

This year, I upped my Blackness game. I'm banning non-Black designer bags from my wardrobe. Lemme tell you, I rocked Coach, LV and Gucci HARD for YEARS. I still have my first coach from 1984 and my first Gucci tote from 1988. If it ain't Tracy Reese or Alek Wek or some other fly sista', I can't do it. (Note: I can't afford any of these yet so I am going purseless for a while. I carry my stuff in a generic tote and take what I need into the store). I gave up white designers years ago. Since becoming a Muslim, most of my suits are custom made by my Black seamstress. I'm bringing my A game to this one.

I give books as gifts to nephews, nieces and my godson. I've always given them books about Blacks or with Black main characters, but I'm now going for Black authors only for the yungins to teach them a lesson in support. The rest they can borrow from the library. These are things that may seem small to some, but for me I need to make everything about me a statement of support for Blacks and thier busiensses.

It's vital to me as a Black business owner to lead the way on all fronts.

I already shared, a few posts back, how I shop at the African Caribbean Market first, the Halal market second and the big grocery store DEAD LAST for food.

We can't go out like this. Just this week I've read about 2 Black record stores in Harlem and a Black book chain in the northeast going out. Here is Big City Wanna Be, the largest Black owned mortgage company just merged with a white company and now is majorly owned by whites.

Just $5-$10 each week in a BOB is great and easy start. Most communities have a Black business directory. Ask around.

Too much for words....

I'm so mad I can't quite get anything together. For two days I've started and stopped posts dedicated to this non-sensikal madness but I can't get it together...


Some bloggers with a little emotional distance from it have taken ol' KK to task:

Check out one of my favorite bloggers here.

And a new found gem here.

What say you?

My time is NOW!

There comes a time in everyone's life when they just stop.

Stop making excuses. Stop blaming. Stop complaining. Stop hiding.

My time is NOW.

There comes a time in everyone's life when they ask, why?

Why am I not financially secure? Why am I overweight? Why don't I attract people who are like who I am striving to be?

My time is NOW.

There comes a moment, no matter how brief, when we see ourselves for who we really are.

I am unorganized and lack discipline.

My time was last week.

There comes a time when we go to work fixing that which is wrong, without excuse.

My time is NOW.

Soon, I hope that you no longer recognize me.

I hope to be a new woman, formerly known as Sister P.

I realize that I have so much more than I could have ever dreamed of, but at the same time I have more baggage than ever before. I prayed for this life and did not prepare myself for the work that comes with it. The book I'm reading is making this all so clear. I'm reading, "Do You!..." by Russell Simmons and his life is so parallel to mine that it's almost like I'm looking into the future and reading my own story 20 years from now, if that makes sense.

I am getting so organized that I'm running out of things to do. I'm taking on new projects around the house because I'm finally getting it together. And I knew that when I got my proper rest (which comes with peace of mind) and reduced my stress, I could get my families diet right and the weight would take care of itself. I saw someone yesterday who said, "Man, you must be hitting the gym hard! You look good." I haven't set foot in a gym in months. I'm just doing my thing and staying on my grind and following my own plan for eating, rest, work and family time.

To my blog readers: If I'm missing from time to time, I'm just doing me. No offense, but I blog for me. When I need it, I do it. When I don't, I don't.

Wishing me and YOU the best,
Sister P

Looks good to me!

Diddy In ?Raisin In The Sun"
Uploaded by PeteRock

Shout out to "The Happy Go Lucky Bachelor" for this one.

I'm looking forward to this. I wanted to see it on Broadway when Diddy was in it, but never go around to it.

I just saw the original on DVD last year. (I'm behind on my Black classics, you think?)

Would you watch this?

Ahhh...the weekend

I have been making a conscious effort to enjoy my weekends. Even the Creator took a rest and He knows I need one. I've been successful for two weeks straight. I only work a bit finalizing my radio show details for Sunday evening. But thats IT! I focus on my family now each weekend.

This weekend...
Hubby, Baby-Girl and I went to our local African-Caribbean grocery to buy as much of our groceries there as we could. We can get whole wheat flour, farina (for farina muffins, which are like cornbread just with wheat instead of cornmeal), parboiled rice, real shea butter and my husbands stinky soap, LOL. It smells good on him but on it's own it is funky. It's called Dudu-Osun. Oh and of course we buy Ting too.

Then we went to the Halal butcher. There we purchased some lamb. My husband goes into the freezer and looks at the carcasses (sp) to pick which we want to cut from and then they cut it for you right where you can watch. We got chops and some for a "pot roast". We brought it home, Hubby seasoned it and I separated it into serving sizes and froze it using my Food Saver. They have other meats and a grinder so you can pick your meat before its ground so you know you're not just getting random parts of something. We've been vegetarian for a while but decided to eat some Halal meats for a little change.

Then, based on what I could get from our special stores I planned our two week menu.
Sunday I got up early and hit the grocery store for everything I couldn't get at the other markets.

Over the weekend, I also got a couple more lesson plans written up. I'll share my lesson plan book soon. Hopefully it can help anyone who is homeschooling full time and for everyone else who SHOULD be homeschooling part time. (Even if you send your children to public and private school you have to supplement with your family's cultural and religious practices. And also a child can never get enough reading and math.)

Overall, it was relaxing and just chilled.

Dear Gossip Junkies: Didn't I tell you?

Dear Gossip Junkie,

As with most junkies, you're probably somewhere 'trolling the gossip sites right now and won't see this message. But if anyone has a "cracked out" cousin who needs this could you pass it on to them?

Very little attention is being given to the new revelation surrounding the circumstances of the death of Dr. Donda West. I knew it would play out like this in the mass media.

I warned you

You have this hunger for information and don't even care if it's factual.

Stay off those celebrity gossip sites. Quit watching Entertainment To-Nite. Listen to C-N-N- carefully.

Just pump your brakes and next time just wait. How about spreading the truth now that you have it?

While you're at it, spread the facts about Gerald's death too.

Signed, Your friendly PROFESSIONAL journalist

Alexander Moment #001

"If you're an all true wo-man, you need an all true man, yeah!"

Kirikou and the Sorceress-DVD Review

This movie was highly recommended by members of a Black homeschooling e-group that I belong to. I rented it on Netflix first to check it out and all I can say is WOW!

This one is good for all ages! The synopsis from the website can tell it better than me, but by all means CHECK THIS OUT. It is a wonderful adventure.

SYNOPSIS: A tiny voice is heard from inside the womb of a pregnant woman : "Mother, give birth to me !"
"A child who can speak from his mother's womb can give birth to himself", replies the mother. And so a little boy is born, cuts his own umbilical cord and declares : "My name is Kirikou"

The tiny Kirikou is born into an African village upon which a sorceress called Karaba has cast a terrible spell: the spring has dried up, the villagers are being blackmailed, the men of the village have either been kidnapped or have mysteriously disappeared. "She eats them !", the superstitious villagers declare….

Karaba is a stunning and cruel woman, surrounded by fearless and servile fetishes. But no sooner has Kirikou delivered himself from his mother's womb than he wants to rid the village of Karaba's curse and understand the cause of her wickedness.

His adventure-filled voyage leads Kirikou to the Forbidden Mountain, where the Wise Man of the Mountain, who knows of Karaba and her secrets, awaits him.

NOTE: There is nudity but after a few minutes even my 13 yo nephew quit giggling and got into the real story. Also, it is much cheaper at www.kirikou.net than in stores. My favorite bookstore wanted $30 for the DVD but it's only $18 on the official website.

I know...but I've got a good excuse!

I haven't seen the movie. But it's like this. I have a stressful job a times. I just had to do battle with some "race baiters". The one's who call you a reverse racist at every turn. Well, I am just not up for any movie that shows any racial tension. I live it and don't feel like watching it dramatized. Sorry, D. I'll have to catch the DVD in a couple months.

Reflections...

I've been reading a lot of blogs lately. Checking for New Year's resolutions and reflections.

I now realize I was doing it as a way of avoiding a real look at my own '07. It was HARD AS HELL.

My marriage survived a near walk out on my part. I communicate for a living but couldn't get my point across and made a mess of things in the process. I said waaaaaaay too much about some unimportant ish and said too little about the big stuff. But my husband is patient....

My business (and household) survived by the generosity of damn near everyone in our family. For the first time I felt that the "love" we've shown over the years was reciprocated without hesitation.

I went to a food bank for the first time (and last time) in my life.

I pawned something for the first and second time (and last time) in my life.

I was feeling so whacked out I tried to get therapy (which I've always believed to be BS) but the most highly recommended Black therapist in town wasted my $75 an hour by doing just what the hell I told her I hate. She tried to pitch me stories for my paper and she told me her son thinks "the lady who own the Black newspaper doesn't like me" and tried to convince me how great her 40 year old son is (who I think is a fake azz insecure yet arrogant re-tard[my apologies to the mentally challenged]).

I had to "lay-off" someone I adored who I believe was "using".

Everyone I really love (besides my husband and daughter) is 300 or more miles away.

I have forgiven a group of people who wronged me, but because I still don't trust them I am without a religious home and I'm mad about it. I used to feel bad that I couldn't trust them but they keep doing the same ish and I know it's not my fault but I'm suffering out here.

I now know that you only have one chance to make a first impression and I've blown SEVERAL. I have some instances where I didn't speak up for myself in the beginning and now some people are tryna run all over me. My low self esteem makes me feel like I'm too much for people so I try to be less. But that's not real and then when I slip up and "do me" then they get all shocked. I'm going through the painful rebuilding process of those relationships. I need to be consistently authentic.

2008:

I am in a great place right now.

I put a time limit on my current publishing venture. Either I'm doing VERY well with it by 2010 or it's a wrap!

I am planning for my next business. It's an idea I had before publishing but had to do this first. I am excited about it. So much so that I often can't even sleep! So either I'll have 2 businesses in 2010 or just one, either way it's ON!

I finally have the proper balance of work and home-life now that I put my office back in my house.

I am glad to be blogging after years of lurking. It's cheaper than therapy and it's the same damn thing. Talking out your problems in front of someone you vaguely know.

I am glad to be me. I love my life, it is the one I chose. A happily married homeschooling Muslim woman entrepreneur.

Admittance is the first step to recovery.

Our collective self-esteem

I am not one of those who allows the weight of the Black community to be put on my shoulders. I am not the one who cringes when I'm with a group of whites and a "ghetto" brother or sister walks in doing their thang. I say, "Do you, baby!"

But I tell you what. Today I feel happy for US ALL. Black children can dream a new dream. I feel like I can hold my head a little higher and walk a bit taller. I may be 6 foot today, I was just 5'10" before the Iowa caucus!

Thanks Barack! I was going to do it anyway, but Monday I am changing political parties so I can vote for you in my states primary election.