tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-59556006974558387332024-03-12T19:19:58.202-07:00In Search of Utopia...Myra (Meeshe011)http://www.blogger.com/profile/07478287784290765455noreply@blogger.comBlogger40125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5955600697455838733.post-17924144640140478542012-06-08T21:25:00.000-07:002012-06-08T21:25:26.987-07:00Jilted Love<br />
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Jilted Love</div>
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I am a jilted lover</div>
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and a slave to my emotions. </div>
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Emotions, swirling around</div>
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storm cycle, </div>
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engulf me. </div>
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Me, afraid to move. </div>
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They keep swirling. </div>
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I am a prisoner of my emotions,</div>
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afraid to feel,</div>
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some days, trapped </div>
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in a silent secluded cave.
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Afraid to be. </div>
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Me.</div>
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Afraid to love effortlessly </div>
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and abundantly. </div>
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Shamed. </div>
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Lowered eyes.</div>
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My emotions whisper, “Deal with it.”</div>
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And it hurts,</div>
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as all hope fades away and dies.</div>
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Then,</div>
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Acceptance.</div>Myra (Meeshe011)http://www.blogger.com/profile/07478287784290765455noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5955600697455838733.post-73105857424755316992012-02-12T15:07:00.000-08:002012-02-13T23:28:53.383-08:00Whitney Houston: Connecting Our Past, Present, and Future<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7eZeBLun3S0/TzhkpQ4nsCI/AAAAAAAAAxQ/hQMoHxDX-mE/s1600/Whitney_Houston_Memorial.jpg" style="font-weight: normal; "><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 228px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7eZeBLun3S0/TzhkpQ4nsCI/AAAAAAAAAxQ/hQMoHxDX-mE/s320/Whitney_Houston_Memorial.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5708423187761967138" /></a><br /><br />It is the day after Whitney Houston’s tragic and unexpected death and I’m laying here in my apartment looking at the walls and the furniture thinking, “Am I really here? Ok, come back. Come back to your world. Here. Today.” I find myself not even wanting to say her name, write her name, and I dread thinking it… but my mind at times is like a medley of her songs, it goes from 1 to the other unconsciously. Maybe that is effect that Twitter has on the brain. But somehow I just feel lost in it all. And I recognize this familiar feeling.<br /><br />It is time to say good-bye.<br /><br />I struggle to stay present in this moment while I reminisce about the past and worry about the future. I experience flashbacks of my life and feel pain in my body upon the realization that one day I am going to die and so will all the people who I love. I ask myself, “What am I going to do?”<br /><br />I am aging. Nearing the age of 30, my body has now begun the downhill climb towards the end and yet I have so much more living to do. How will I do it? How will I make it to the end? How will I finish this race against time?<br /><br />Upon the death of legendary Whitney Houston, I am bluntly reminded again that life is only a temporary and fleeting moment. My entire life's existence is put into perspective. I can remember the 80s. I remember the 90s. And then we have today; already so much of it is gone. One day we will not be here and most likely, yesterday will only register as a date on the calendar to our descendants to come 100 years from now.<br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-18iltZJ2IBE/Tzhdw5hwB-I/AAAAAAAAAw4/hvuDp2nC2qM/s1600/Whitney_Houston_and_Michael_Jackson.jpg" style="font-weight: normal; "><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 244px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-18iltZJ2IBE/Tzhdw5hwB-I/AAAAAAAAAw4/hvuDp2nC2qM/s320/Whitney_Houston_and_Michael_Jackson.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5708415622349588450" /></a><br /><br />A Story:<br /><br />When I was in elementary school, we had a pageant once a year and I swear at least 1 little girl in the pageant got on stage and sang, “The Greatest Love of All” every year!<br /><br />Well, six years ago I was baby-sitting my 9yr-old African-American cousin and I mentioned Whitney Houston. She turned to me and said, “Who is Whitney Houston?” I just looked at her in shock! I said, “You don’t know Whitney Houston?” She said, “No.” I thought to myself, “My God, where are we leading our children? So much of our history has been lost."<br /><br />That was a turning point for me. I thought, “A little Black girl who doesn’t know the awe that is Whitney Houston?” I then realized that the younger generation’s experiences are so much different than mine were. I became scared thinking about the type of people they might be.<br /><br />As a result of yesterday's tragedy, I’m sure my little cousin is already getting to know the splendor and awe of the entertainer who was Whitney Houston in all her glory! And I’m sure the late great Whitney Houston would have it no other way.<br /><br />I remember right after Michael Jackson’s death, my friend's 4-yr old son would sing and dance to Michael Jackson songs all day! He told me, “I love Michael Jackson.” I told him, “I heard that I loved him too when I was your age. That was TWENTY years ago. I used to sing and dance to his songs just like you do!”<br /><br />A happy thought connects the past, present, and future. I am able to smile through my grief a little as this memory helps me to accept that all is as it should be. I can only hope that the light of these stars continues to shine bright forever so that they will continue to live on forever.<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YtOEfEQAZBI/TzoKs9_ou0I/AAAAAAAAAxc/Gbf_WtMlPXQ/s1600/WhitneyHouston%2Band%2BMom.jpg" style="font-weight: normal; "><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YtOEfEQAZBI/TzoKs9_ou0I/AAAAAAAAAxc/Gbf_WtMlPXQ/s320/WhitneyHouston%2Band%2BMom.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5708887245317520194" /></a><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gsn37itOyUI/TzhdMg4iubI/AAAAAAAAAwg/xzeH-wsaJ1k/s1600/BobbiKristina.jpg" style="font-weight: normal; "><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 257px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gsn37itOyUI/TzhdMg4iubI/AAAAAAAAAwg/xzeH-wsaJ1k/s320/BobbiKristina.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5708414997259008434" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; ">To Bobbi Kristina, (Whitney’s only child) and to the rest of her family, I would like to send this message for you, out into the universe:</span><br /><br />When I’ve had relatives pass away, I felt heart-breaking sadness at first, but after some time I was comforted by my memories of the times we shared. The memories are what helps to ensure their legacy lives on so that even though they are gone, they will not be forgotten. Whether it’s through my grandmothers’ favorite Caramel Cake or Spaghetti recipe, as long as I live, the talents, gifts, and the love they shared with me will live on forever.<br /><br /><b>Links:</b><div><b><br /></b><a href="http://www.mirror.co.uk/3am/celebrity-news/whitney-houston-dead-the-music-legends-682254" style="font-weight: normal; ">The life of music legend Whitney Houston in pictures</a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/artist?a=GxdCwVVULXe_vW4e3LAP7XRSDMhxC2FS" style="font-weight: normal; ">Youtube's Discography for Whitney Houston</a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLF254E87F997E86C1" style="font-weight: normal; ">Best of Whitney Houston (Favs)</a><br /><br /><iframe width="500" height="284" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/videoseries?list=PLF254E87F997E86C1&hl=en_US" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>Myra (Meeshe011)http://www.blogger.com/profile/07478287784290765455noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5955600697455838733.post-1123281175880321782012-01-02T17:28:00.000-08:002012-02-06T01:31:05.548-08:00Ladies, You Choose<i>Tonight I want to talk about meeting “The One.” </i><br />
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Ladies, it's time to take our power back.
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<b> Holding On.</b><br />
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Don’t hold on to relationships thinking that no one else will come along, ever. I know that people are tempted to stay in situations that they’ve invested in. It’s almost like buying a house… maybe the more money you spent on it, the harder you will work to remain in it… or maybe the more expensive the wedding, the more years you’ve dated, in other words…the more you invest, the more committed you are to making a positive outcome, no matter what. You’re committed to being together not because the person is all that great but because of the time, money, energy, effort you’ve invested in a life with the person. <br />
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If you are not happy and you’re fully committed (married w/papers to prove it), yes there is room for trying, depending on how bad the situation is. <br />
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But guess what? If you’ve never committed to the person…then the easier it is for you to walk away… Not only is it easier, but it’s probably best. Sure all couples have problems but if you are miserable together, what is the point of holding on? Before your health starts to suffer, and you lose more than you will gain…why not just leave and start anew with someone else or even just be alone for a while?<br />
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<b>Letting It Go.</b><br />
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In the past I stayed with someone and put up with stuff I should have let go…but I was convinced that I would never find anyone else like him. And you know what? Maybe I was right. I still haven’t found anyone with some of his best qualities, but I am so happy that I don’t have to put up with his bad qualities. And I keep hope alive that I will find someone who made me as happy as he made me on his best days. I know that all the good was not worth all the bad. <br />
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I take responsibility for my own destiny and having the choice of who I want in my life and how I want them there. Who do I want to let into the most intimate spaces of my mind, my bed, and my heart? I gotta make sure that he’s the right person for the job. I gotta make sure he’s committed to making it work.<br />
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Ladies, let’s take our power back. </div>
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<b>Am I going to play Russian Roulette or the slot machine today?</b><br />
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I have to talk about a few deal breakers for me. Domestic abuse is a deal-breaker. Physical or sexual violence, verbal abuse, and emotional abuse are things that I WILL stay FAR away from!<br />
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In the beginning there was…</div>
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My <span style="font-size: large;">#1</span> Pet Peeve is when a guy does not accept "NO!" for an answer.<br />
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I don’t understand why guys throw a tantrum when I reject their advances. If you can’t take “no” for an answer and you don’t even know me, then that is a sign that I need to run, not walk, in the other direction. <br />
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Another scenario is a guy throwing a tantrum when I’ve asked him to leave me alone. I might say to him, “There is no place for me in your world. I don’t belong there and I’ve tried for months. We’ve talked about it. This is not for me.” <br />
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For once in my life I’d like to hear in response, “Ok, I respect that. I respect your wishes. I care about you and would like for you to be in my life but I want to make sure that you truly want to be here. I want you to feel comfortable.” <br />
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I like Drake’s song “Take Care” when he says, “Call me when the baggage just ain’t as heavy.” He didn’t hit her over the head and say, “You’ve got baggage! Stop being a b***h! You need to drop that s**t and just give me what I want!” No, he was a lot nicer than that!<br />
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Not respecting my “No”, means that you don’t respect me. Period. Respect. R-E-S-P-E-C-T What does it look like? What does it feel like? Especially when I’m sure I gave you the “Let me be clear, NO.” There was nothing soft and playful about that. <br />
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<b>Catch Him and Keep Him?</b><br />
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Once I actually bought and paid for this dating-help program by a man named Christian Carter called “Catch Him and Keep Him.” The focus of this program is on attraction and how women can use attraction to get their man to make a long-lasting commitment. According to Mr. Carter, in order to create long-lasting attraction and commitment you have to get Him attracted to you on a level deeper than just physical, because basically he can get that anywhere (or at least multiple places). So what exactly is it that Mr. Carter says will make Him commit to you for the long haul? Basically it is a deep sense of attraction, engagement, and emotional connection (a concept which men struggle with) that stems beyond anything you can conceive, buy, etc. <br />
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I’ve watched some of the videos and to sum it up, it seems that most important are, 1.) Emotional connection, 2.) Interpersonal relationship strength, and 3.) The feeling of just knowing something is “there.” If these are strong, my friend, your man will know that you are “the one” and will be more than happy to make a long-lasting commitment to you.<br />
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What have I learned from the Catch Him and Keep Him program? The 1st and final lesson I learned from all this: Attraction principles apply to men as well as women. So when “it” comes along, you’ll know. Therefore, I don’t care how big of a shortage of men there are, I will wait on one who I share a deep, long-lasting attraction with. Women, you have your list, and you have your rules, but when you’re deeply attracted to someone, you’re willing to break all the rules because you believe that there is a silver lining on the other side! (Guys, this does not mean that I want you to test me by trying to get me to break all the rules.) <br />
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Now, how you choose to express your heart’s desire is a different story…and that can be the confusing part for couples to figure out. But then, it’s all in the language…the communication, verbal and non verbal. <a href="http://www.5lovelanguages.com/learn-the-languages/the-five-love-languages/">(Five Love Languages)</a> Many try to imitate this connection, but it honestly is not something that is contrived. If it’s real, you know it. If it’s not real, then you’ll know you’re just pretending. <br />
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I think it’s very important for both men and women to find, “the one.” For women this is a lot harder because many times we settle, worried about our biological clock, scared that we’re running out of time, concerned that we may never find anyone as suitable as the one standing before us. We say to ourselves, “Maybe my standards are too high. Maybe I’m chasing a dream that I will never find.” <br />
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And so we settle with the 1st one who says he’s willing to commit. Sometimes we settle with the one who only seems like he’s ready to commit with the hope that one day he’ll grow up and be the one we truly need. We hope and we pray that maybe we can change him or inspire him to love us more and to love being with us more. We say, “Wouldn’t we make a great family? Couldn’t we be together forever?” Yes. But what about having an attraction that is lasting, deep, and that goes both ways? I might look into his eyes and see a friend, a good friend, someone who is irreplaceable in my heart and mind, my best friend, even. But does that mean that the two of us need to get together? Just because his sex parts fit mine? <br />
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When friends and family ask, “Do you love him?” I might say, “Of course I do. He’s my best friend, but he’s not the one.”<br />
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Ladies let’s take our power back.</div>
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<b>Loneliness = WTFever?</b><br />
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What is it about feeling that you need somebody, have to have somebody, need someone to complete you? Why submit to an overwhelming sense of loneliness and desire that causes you to date the wrong people, trust the wrong people, throw all caution to the wind and just say, forget it?! Like playing a slot machine at the casino, all you want to do is throw your hands up in the air and hope for the best.<br />
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<b>A Desperate Woman’s Prayer</b><br />
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<i><span style="font-size: small;">“God please favor me. I have a list and I’ve checked it twice. I’ve been carerful and I’m cautious but I’m still alone and soooo unhappy. God, I just need an escape, some relief. Even if I can’t really trust this person, what the heck? I just need someone right now. So I will settle and I will hope and I will pray that God, you will send me the relief I so desire: the feeling that there is someone out there for me who I can trust, who I can confide in, who I can make love to, who I can share my life with, who understands me, who accepts me, who makes me feel whole, who entertains me, who holds me and comforts me (even if it is through the telephone), and who spends quality time with me. I just pray that you give me this temporary relief Lord, to help me put my feet on the ground and to steady me during life’s storms, because Lord knows I so need this relief. I think He can be trusted but I’m not sure. God, help me. Help him to love me and cherish me the way you would. And if all else fails, and he is not the one, please send someone else for me to play with, to keep me busy, and to keep my mind occupied, to protect me and keep me safe from the evil that is loneliness. And maybe, just maybe, one day He will claim me as His own and I won’t look like a loser to my friends. Maybe we can start a family and I can have the children of my own which I’ve always desired. Maybe, just maybe, this could work out. Or maybe it won’t. But I feel powerless to do without, so I have to make this decision even if it doesn’t work out. I have to make it work, God.”</span></i><br />
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And there you have it… You enter into a relationship that is more than likely doomed to fail because you’ve thrown away your standards and committed to settling out of pure desperation. <br />
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<b>A Miserable Woman’s Prayer</b><br />
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<i>“Oh my God, what did I do? I just want to be free… Free from this madness. I just want it to be over. This game is not fun anymore. It’s too much. Now I feel like a prisoner in a cave and everywhere I go, there it is. There he is. Here we are. I’m trapped.”</i><br />
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Ladies, let’s take back our power.</div>
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<b>Male Privelege: Who’s winning?</b><br />
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I can tell you that I understand your pain because I’ve been through it. Therefore my sympathies for you are endless and abundant.<br />
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Growing up, many days I wished that I could be a boy… It seemed like love and life were so much easier for them. They had power and privilege (which of course they argue they don’t have). When men chose they chose. When men are done, they’re done. But for women, things are different because it would seem that we actually need them more than they need us, so we invest in them more than they invest in us. <br />
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Historically, we needed Him to be a provider and to provide for us and our children. Now we are more independent and we just need Him to start a family with us so we can have children, so that we can attain the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL95D376CB6B2C79F4">coveted two-parent household</a>. But oftentimes, he is not willing to commit and he just wants to 1.) Play games until the end of time. 2.) Tell lies. 3.) Make excuses. 4.) Deceive you into believing what is not the truth, that his bad behavior is all your fault and that there must be something wrong with you. So, the baggage you carry with you are remnants of the mind games that were played and the things that were said and done. <br />
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Protect your mind. Protect your heart. From the very beginning! Before you’ve invested too much! <br />
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If someone says something that makes you uncomfortable then leave. In general, if you feel uncomfortable, then leave. You have that right. Too many people will tell you to stay. They will say that you’re a better person if you can work through the conflict. But those people are not there in your shoes and are not destined to spend countless intimate hours with that other person. They don’t know everything about your relationship and you can never really explain it to them because it happened in real time. <br />
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So go if you need to go. Disconnect if you need to. No one has the right to tell you that you don’t deserve to think for yourself, that you don’t deserve to make your own choices, because in the end when you suffer the abuse, the humiliation, the low self-esteem and when you are the one left trying to pick up the pieces, probably all your advice-givers will have to say is, “Honey, you need to move on. He doesn’t want you anymore.” <br />
<br />
You might ask in response, “You mean he’s not going to verbally and emotionally abuse me anymore? So why did I do this? Why did I stay? Why did I invest?” And they will say, “Because you loved him.” Your reply will be, “But you told me that as long as he showed that he wanted me, I should stay. You said I should stay and give him whatever he wants even if it hurts. But now he says he’s done, after all the children, after all the years, and he doesn’t want anything to do with me anymore! After all that I’ve invested!” Your friend or family member then can only say, “I’m sorry honey. You have to move on.” <br />
<br />
And it’s just that simple. He chose.<br />
<br />
So now what will you do when your friends say these things? “You shouldn’t want to be lonely.” “You shouldn’t want to be alone all the time.” “You’re not looking at the wrong you’ve done.” “You don’t always have the nicest attitude.” <br />
<br />
From the very beginning ladies, if you don’t want him, you don’t need him. And when you turn around and walk in the other direction you can say that neither the past nor the future matter in this situation because it’s over. “I choose.” Ladies, always remember, “To thine self be true.” - Shakespeare <br />
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**<a href="http://meeshe011.blogspot.com/search/label/Love%20and%20Relationships">More of <b>Love and Relationships</b> from <b>In Search of Utopia... </b> </a><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><a href="http://youtu.be/eR7-AUmiNcA">Sara Bareilles "King Of Anything"</a></span></span><br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="259" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/eR7-AUmiNcA" width="450"></iframe></div>Myra (Meeshe011)http://www.blogger.com/profile/07478287784290765455noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5955600697455838733.post-72013333984498814222011-12-16T20:06:00.000-08:002012-02-06T01:30:10.105-08:00Drake, Doing The Right ThingAnd the award for "Most Sensitive Rapper" goes to...<br /><br />Last night before bed I was listening to meditation music when another song kept popping into my head. I could faintly hear a girl singing it...so then I said, "Scratch this meditation. Let me hum this song so maybe I can figure out where I've heard it before." Then I remembered! Oh, that was one of the new songs off of Drake's "Take Care" album! So I went to listen to "Doing It Wrong" by Drake. (The voice I was hearing in my head was actually a cover by HotTottie on Youtube.)<br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HdvZUza9268/TuwkFolLAkI/AAAAAAAAAwA/xVS238z0nYQ/s1600/Drake%2BTakeCare.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5686960108673368642" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HdvZUza9268/TuwkFolLAkI/AAAAAAAAAwA/xVS238z0nYQ/s320/Drake%2BTakeCare.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 180px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 320px;" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.myspace.com/drake/music/songs/doing-it-wrong-album-version-explicit-85194614">Listen to "Doing It Wrong" by Drake feat. Stevie Wonder </a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a class="my_play my_27" href="http://www.myspace.com/drake/music/songs/doing-it-wrong-album-version-explicit-85194614" style="background: url(http://x.myspacecdn.com/modules/common/static/img/playbuttonsprite.png) no-repeat 0 -85px; border: 0; display: inline-block; height: 27px; margin: 0; overflow: hidden; padding: 0; text-indent: -9999px; width: 27px;" title="Doing It Wrong (Album Version (Explicit))">Doing It Wrong (Album Version (Explicit))</a><script defer="true" src="http://www.myspace.com/music/buttons/js"></script></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>[Verse 1]<br />When a good thing goes bad it's not the end of the world<br />It's just the end of a world that you had with one girl<br />And she's the reason it happened, but she's overreacting<br />And it's all because she don't want things to change<br /><br />[Hook]<br />So cry if you need to, but I can't stay to watch you<br />That's the wrong thing to do<br />Touch if you need to, but I can't stay to hold you<br />That's the wrong thing to do<br />Talk if you need to, but I can't stay to hear you<br />That's the wrong thing to do<br />Cause you'll say you love me, and I'll end up lying<br />And say I love you, too<br /><br />But I need someone different<br />You know it, oh ho, you know it<br />Oh ho, you know it, we both know it<br />I need someone different<br />You know it, oh ho, you know it<br />Oh ho, you know it, we both know it<br />Something's been missing<br />You know it, oh ho, she knows it<br />Oh ho, I know it, we all know it<br />I need someone different<br />(Oh ho, oh ho)<br /><br />[Verse 2]<br />We live in a generation of not being in love, and not being together<br />But we sure make it feel like we're together<br />Because we're scared to see each other with somebody else<br /><br />[Hook]<br /><br />[Outro - Stevie Wonder Harmonica]<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://youtu.be/-Xbw4p0fyT4">Drake - Take Care Medley</a><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="301" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/-Xbw4p0fyT4" width="400"></iframe><br /><br />What did this mean? Why was my mind pulling me to that song I happened to have heard only twice before...<br />1.) Well, obviously it sounds good.<br /> 2.) I have to say that I admire Drake for this one because he's doing the right thing by showing that he has a conscience. I just applaud him for that.<br /> 3.) Honesty, morality...wow, he's winning so many awards for just that one song! It is huge!<br /><br />Now as for the rest of the album...hmm, well I dunno. But overall I love the Drake (((sound))) and especially his willingness to be vulnerable through his music. And really, his singing is awesome! <br /><br />Listen to my music playlist: <a href="http://www.myspace.com/meeshe011/music/playlists/best-of-drake-1520785">"Best of Drake"</a>Myra (Meeshe011)http://www.blogger.com/profile/07478287784290765455noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5955600697455838733.post-84567471627766653992011-12-04T14:20:00.001-08:002012-02-24T08:44:37.700-08:00Why I Went Natural...Why did I go natural?<br /><br />The truth? It kind of just happened! Well, not really.<br /><br />Let me start from the beginning. I was natural from birth to age 16, at which point my mom and I decided that it should not hurt me to get a relaxer. At the time I was very active in cheerleading/dance and the constant heat styling had started to break and thin my hair. So then the journey began.<br /><br />I could give you the lowdown about all the popular salon-quality perms but I won’t. Things I worried about: overprocessing, underprocessing, chemical burns (every month), breakage, split-ends (many times the stylist had to cut 1.5in of hair to prevent breakage).<br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7QvYfLhPt5k/TtwJj0YtZMI/AAAAAAAAAvk/az5Y6OERj6o/s1600/hair%2Brelaxer.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5682427340797076674" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7QvYfLhPt5k/TtwJj0YtZMI/AAAAAAAAAvk/az5Y6OERj6o/s320/hair%2Brelaxer.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: right; height: 240px; margin: 0 0 10px 10px; width: 320px;" /></a><br /><br />What I learned from getting chemical relaxers: Relaxers (perms) are not for everyone! My scalp and hair are unique.<br /><br />I was also tired of fighting with salon stylists about what was best for my hair. I always tried to explain to them that I knew more about my hair than they did because I had been working with it my whole life! And many times they insisted on doing something that caused my hair to fall out! I’m like, “This is MY hair!”<br /><br />So, what did I do? With not enough courage to chop it off and go natural, I started braiding and weaving more and more, until I looked up and I had worn my hair in braid extensions or sew-ins for the majority of 18mos. I took the sew-in down in February of 2011 and I had a full head of natural hair! I said to myself, “Great! I’ve always wanted to go natural! Hallelujah! I’m going to make this work and I don’t care who doesn’t like it!” And so it was.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEB10057811E19D4B">Mo'Hair - My Homemade Natural Haircare Videos [Playlist]</a><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="264" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/videoseries?list=PLEB10057811E19D4B&hl=en_US" width="460"></iframe><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"> The four main reasons why I went natural: Health, Beauty, Cultural Pride, and Financial Expense </span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Health</span></div><br />1.) Some people have sensitive skin and/or allergies. I am one of those people.<br />2.) I have become increasingly concerned about the chemicals that I expose myself to. 3.) Chemical burns from relaxers were a very common occurrence.<br />4.) There was always something about the smell of a relaxer and hair dyes that turned me off. I said to myself every time, “OMG, what am I putting in my hair? On my skin? And I hope that after years of using it, it doesn’t kill me.<br />5.) I was told that my hair falling out and/or breaking was a sign of poor health, a hormonal imbalance, or stress. So then a healthy head of hair must be a sign of optimum health. I sought out to find the truth.<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Beauty</span></div><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OB8jU-yxcyQ/TtwG5YPPRnI/AAAAAAAAAvM/BwUtKHGPpGM/s1600/affrodite.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5682424412663400050" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OB8jU-yxcyQ/TtwG5YPPRnI/AAAAAAAAAvM/BwUtKHGPpGM/s320/affrodite.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 254px; margin: 0 10px 10px 0; width: 199px;" /></a><br />I have always loved my natural hair and how soft it felt. I look at afro puffs and I see beauty. It draws me in.<br /><br />I like the way my natural hair feels, looks, and smells. I could lie on it like a pillow for days and days! In between straightenings, I enjoyed rubbing my face with it and smelling it (a habit which really annoyed my mother).<br /><br />I’m a hair fanatic, period. I like hair types 1-4, though. Hair is hair. *shrugs*<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Cultural Pride</span></div><br />There is a lot of pressure for people of color to conform to Eurocentric standards of beauty, labeling Eurocentric as normal and/or right while labeling Afro-centric as abnormal and/or wrong. To many people in our Western culture, Afro-textured natural hair is less desirable than straight hair. Yet for most people of African descent, Afro-textured hair is what they were born with!<br /><br />Since I’ve learned how to do my own braid extensions, I think I could be more successful at relaxing this time around. However, I will not relax my hair because wearing my natural hair shows cultural pride. It's sad that some people feel threatened by me being comfortable in my own skin. "Oh, you’re comfortable being dark-skinned?" "Oh, you’re comfortable having nappy hair?" My answer: "Well, isn’t that the way God made me?" What is wrong with being proud of who I am, my heritage, and my African ancestry? Honestly, some women look at me as if I am an atheist or something because I’ve said “No” to ever getting a perm again. You know what? They will survive. This is my life, not theirs.<br /><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Financial Expense</span></div><br />Hair is expensive! Salon visits, products...<br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_l4_vty1UN4/Ttv9dEUQAqI/AAAAAAAAAvA/7OE8rX-k8N0/s1600/beauty%2Bsupply.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5682414030674723490" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_l4_vty1UN4/Ttv9dEUQAqI/AAAAAAAAAvA/7OE8rX-k8N0/s400/beauty%2Bsupply.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 314px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br /><br />1.) Relaxers:<br /><br />Week 1 $70.00 (the relaxer) + $20.00 (hair-cut or trimming ends to prevent splitting)<br />Week 2 $50.00 (wash and set)<br />Week 3 $50.00 (wash and set)<br />Week 4 $50.00 (wash and set)<br />Week 5 $50.00 (wash and set)<br />Week 6 $50.00 (wash and set)<br />Week 7 $50.00 (wash and set)<br />Total: $420.00/2 = $210/mo.<br /><br />Week 8 Cycle starts over with a relaxer on natural roots<br /><br />2.) Hair Weaving:<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Braid Extensions.<br />(Senegalese Twists, Individuals, Micro Braids, Tree Braids)</span><br /><u>Price</u> - If done by a licensed stylist, these cost usually $125.00 - $200.00. If done by an unlicensed stylist in their home, the cost is about $60 - $125.00. The braiding hair ranges in prices depending on whether it is synthetic, human, synthetic/human blend, imported, etc. $2.00 – $100.00+ per bag.<br />Also, time is a factor. It takes 8-10 hrs for 1 experienced stylist to complete.<br /><u>Wear Time</u> - The style lasts 6wks – 3mos, although it’s recommended for no more than 2mos.<br /><u>Maintenance</u> - About halfway, 3-4wks in, you may have to re-do the edges to keep the style looking fresh. (I wash my hair and scalp weekly nowadays instead of once every two weeks.)<br /><u>Risks </u>- Can pull hair out if done too tightly or left in too long.<br /><br /><i>Sew-Ins.</i><br /><u>Price</u> - The average cost for a licensed stylist is $150.00 - $200.00. The hair (on tracks) ranges in prices depending on synthetic, human, synthetic/human blend, imported, etc.<br /><u>Wear Time</u> - The style lasts 6wks – 3mos, although it’s recommended for no more than 2mos.<br /><u>Maintenance</u> - After washing, it is best to sit under a hair dryer for 30min -1hr to make sure the roots (which are in cornrows) get dry. Some women even pay for salon visits to maintain their sew-in weekly. Also, when the roots begin to grow out, they may go in to get it tightened.<br /><u>Risks </u>- Can pull hair out if done too tightly or left in too long. It is also hard to do scalp treatments with a sew-in. (I soak instead.)<br /><br /><i>Glued-in tracks.</i><br /><u>Price </u>- $50.00 - $70.00<br /><u>Wear Time</u> - The style lasts no more than 2wks.<br /><u>Risks</u> - Bonding glue has chemicals and may take your hair out when trying to remove.<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qy6x0uNhQvg/TtwJ_HErErI/AAAAAAAAAvw/PDN4iA-AReI/s1600/lahlahland%2Bprices.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5682427809669780146" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qy6x0uNhQvg/TtwJ_HErErI/AAAAAAAAAvw/PDN4iA-AReI/s320/lahlahland%2Bprices.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 320px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 226px;" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Resources For Natural Haircare</span></div></div><br /><a href="http://www.curlynikki.com/">www.curlynikki.com</a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.hairlista.com/">www.hairlista.com</a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.nappturality.com/">www.nappturality.com</a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.thirstyroots.com/">www.thirstyroots.com</a><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Products/Tutorials/Other Resources</span></div></div><br /><a href="http://www.hairrules.com/">HairRules</a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.ouidad.com/">Ouidad</a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.missjessies.com/">Miss Jessie’s</a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.carolsdaughter.com/">Carol’s Daughter</a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.mizani-usa.com/?m=86&rid=300">Mizani</a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.originalmoxie.com/pages/3%252dD-Diagnostic%E2%84%A2.html">Original Moxie</a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.asiamnaturally.com/">As I Am Naturally</a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.oyinhandmade.com/">Oyin Handmade</a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.luvnaturals.com/">Luv Naturals</a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.naturallyisis.com/">Sisters of Isis</a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL767487C69D5A9036"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Best of: Natural Haircare Videos</span></a><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="264" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/videoseries?list=PL767487C69D5A9036&hl=en_US" width="460"></iframe><br /><br /><!-- start InLinkz script --><br /><div id=wpImg129970><a href="http://www.inlinkz.com/wpview.php?id=129970"><img style="border:0px" src="http://www.inlinkz.com/wpImg.php?id=129970"></a></div><script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.inlinkz.com/cs.php?id=129970"></script><br /><!-- end InLinkz script -->Myra (Meeshe011)http://www.blogger.com/profile/07478287784290765455noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5955600697455838733.post-38911742671594759132011-11-27T22:48:00.000-08:002012-02-06T01:30:46.325-08:00In Defense of Tyler Perry...After creating the Youtube playlist, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL95D376CB6B2C79F4">“Black Dating and Marriage Videos,”</a> and viewing/organizing most of the vids, I realize that I have learned so much about the unique mixture of gender roles, stereotypes, media representation, and their effect on the Black community/state of Black Marriage.<br /><br /><br /><b>Why so much negativity about Tyler Perry's work?</b><br /><br />I always wondered why so many Black people were hard on Tyler Perry yet the same people either completely ignore (or completely worship), Hip Hop artists who promote misogyny in their music videos.<br /><br />Could it be homophobia? Maybe they don’t like the fact that he dresses up like an old lady. *shrugs*<br /><br />Could it be that the concept of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sexism">Male Privelege</a> (something that exists in our society almost subconsciously) is overtly exposed to audiences through Tyler Perry’s characters and stories?<br /><br />Possibly it is...<br /><br /><br />Here is something interesting that I found out about myself:<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">I trust Tyler Perry.</span><br /><br />Yes, I know it’s weird! But when he cast former porn star, Kim Kardashian, in his upcoming film, “The Marriage Counselor,” a lot of people were very angry. They felt as if he had finally sold out and strayed away from his commitment to make movies that uplift the Black community. Well, my 1st thought was, “Either he is losing his mind or he has a master plan.” Yes, dear friends, I actually trust Tyler Perry. ;) You know what that means! Just kidding... :-P<br /><br />I’m not saying that I would marry him and live happily ever after. No. I’m saying that I trust him to bring me the same content consistently, and to do it from the heart. I’ve seen all of Tyler Perry’s movies except for 'For Colored Girls' (the play he adapted to film) and 'Precious' (the film which he only endorsed). I know the type of artist he is. I know where he’s coming from and I can usually predict where he’s going. Some see him as a money maker but I see him as an artist, a writer, a film-maker. His artistic process surely requires deep thought and almost an emotional purging.<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Tyler Perry vs. Spike Lee</b></div><br /><br />As far as the Tyler Perry/Spike Lee debate, here are my thoughts: I personally have never liked Spike Lee’s films, although I can agree that they are great artistic pieces. I guess I never really bought what he was selling. <br /><br />1.) Sexuality<br /><br />One thing I did notice however were his extremely graphic and unforgettable sex scenes! There is all kind of art! The sex scenes were uniquely Spike Lee! Whereas Tyler Perry’s movies most often don’t have sex scenes and display underlying themes of Christianity. In my honest opinion, that is the major difference seen strictly from this movie-goer’s eyes.<br /><br />Check out these articles about Spike Lee’s sex scenes:<br /><br />* From NYDailyNews.com<br /><a href="http://articles.nydailynews.com/2005-10-27/gossip/18320895_1_jungle-fever-lee-harvey-weinstein">“Actresses Still Steaming Over Spike's Sex Scenes”</a><br /><br />* From TheBlackActor.com:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.theblackactor.com/2007/11/spike-lee-and-t.html">“Spike Lee and those chi chi's”</a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.theblackactor.com/2007/10/spike-lee---wha.html">“Spike Lee - What's with the va jay jays?”</a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.theblackactor.com/2007/09/spike-lees-she-.html">“Spike Lee’s She Hate Me”</a><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flixster.com/movie/she-hate-me">She Hate Me</a><br /><div class="flixster_w"> <div class="flixster_w_buffer" style=""><span class="flixster_w_buffer_fix" style=""></span></div> <div class="flixster_w_box" style=""> <script src="http://www.flixster.com/widgets/blog/styles"></script> <div class="flixster_w_body"> <div class="flixster_w_header" style=""> <div id="flixster_w_title"> <a class="flixster_w_headerTitle" style="" href="http://www.flixster.com/movie/she-hate-me#lsrc=wdgt-mov-title">She Hate Me</a> </div> <div class="flixster_w_headerGet" style=""><a href="http://www.flixster.com/movie/she-hate-me/widget/get#lsrc=wdgt-mov-get" style="">Get Movie Widget</a></div> </div> <div class="flixster_w_content" style=""> <script src="http://www.flixster.com/movie/she-hate-me/widget"></script> </div> <div class="flixster_w_footer" style=""> <a href="http://www.flixster.com/#lsrc=wdgt-mov-ftmov" style="">Movies</a> & <a href="http://www.flixster.com/#lsrc=wdgt-mov-ftact" style="">Actors</a> at <a href="http://www.flixster.com/#lsrc=wdgt-mov-ftflx" style="">Flixster</a> </div> </div> </div> </div><br /><br /><br />2.) Socio Economic Status - “The Class War”<br /><br />An accusation that Spike Lee makes about Tyler Perry’s films is the “coonery and buffoonery” statement. All it took was a simple Google search of these two men’s biographies to find out where the class issue comes into play. Spike Lee was born and raised in a wealthy family whereas Tyler Perry was born and raised in impoverished circumstances. So I think it’s fair to say that their perspectives may be slightly different. Some see the world through rose-colored glasses and some see the world through lavender colored glasses… so maybe their socio-economic background acts as a filter for their artistic expressions.<br /><br />* From Biography.com<br /><br /><a href="http://www.biography.com/people/tyler-perry-361274">Tyler Perry's Biography</a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.biography.com/people/spike-lee-9377207">Spike Lee's Biography</a><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flixster.com/movie/daddys-little-girls">Daddy's Little Girls</a><br /><div class="flixster_w"> <div class="flixster_w_buffer" style="clear:both !important; height:0px !important;"><span class="flixster_w_buffer_fix" style="clear:both !important; height:0px !important;"></span></div> <div class="flixster_w_box" style="padding:1px !important; border:1px solid #b3b3b3 !important; margin:5px 0px; clear:both !important; max-width:450px !important; color:#333333 !important; background-color:#FFFFFF !important; font-family:arial,verdana,sans-serif !important; font-size:12px !important;"> <div class="flixster_w_body"> <div class="flixster_w_header" style="padding:10px !important; border:0 !important; margin:0 !important; background:#F7F7F7 !important; height:16px !important;"> <div id="flixster_w_title"> <a class="flixster_w_headerTitle" style="font-size:14px !important; float:left !important; font-weight:bold !important;color:#0077BB !important; border:0 !important; text-decoration:none !important;" href="http://www.flixster.com/movie/daddys-little-girls#lsrc=wdgt-mov-title">Daddy's Little Girls</a> </div> <div class="flixster_w_headerGet" style="font-size:11px !important; float:right !important; font-weight:normal !important;"><a href="http://www.flixster.com/movie/daddys-little-girls/widget/get#lsrc=wdgt-mov-get" style="color:#0077BB !important; border:0 !important; text-decoration:none !important;">Get Movie Widget</a></div> </div> <div class="flixster_w_content" style="padding:15px 15px 0px 15px !important; overflow:hidden !important; clear:both;"> <div class="flixster_w_contentLeft flixster_w_photos" style="float:left !important; margin:0 !important; padding-right:15px !important;"> <div class="flixster_w_profilePhoto"> <a href="http://www.flixster.com/movie/daddys-little-girls#!lsrc:wdgt-mov-profPho" title="Daddy's Little Girls" track="wdgt-mov-profPho" onmouseover=""> <img src="http://content7.flixster.com/movie/10/87/66/10876637_pro.jpg" width="100" height="147" style="border:0 !important; padding:0 !important;" alt="Daddy's Little Girls" /></a> </div> <ul style="list-style-type:none !important; padding:0px !important; margin:0px !important; list-style-position:outside !important;"> <li style="float:left !important; margin:2px 2px 0px 0px !important; padding:0px !important; background-image:none !important;"> <a href="http://www.flixster.com/photos/daddys-little-girls-12523304?gallery=movie-462957579#!lsrc:wdgt-mov-gallPho" title="Daddy's Little Girls" track="wdgt-mov-gallPho"> <img src="http://content6.flixster.com/photo/12/52/33/12523304_tmb.jpg" width="49" height="49" alt="Daddy's Little Girls" style="border:0 !important; padding:0 !important;" class="photoImg" /></a></li> <li style="float:left !important; margin:2px 2px 0px 0px !important; padding:0px !important; background-image:none !important;"> <a href="http://www.flixster.com/photos/idris-elba-daddys-little-girls-string-bell-9664676?gallery=movie-462957579#!lsrc:wdgt-mov-gallPho" title="string bell" track="wdgt-mov-gallPho"> <img src="http://content6.flixster.com/photo/96/64/67/9664676_tmb.jpg" width="49" height="49" alt="string bell" style="border:0 !important; padding:0 !important;" class="photoImg" /></a></li> </ul> </div> <div class="flixster_w_contentRight" style="margin-left:117px !important; min-width:200px !important; max-width:300px !important; line-height:16px !important; margin-bottom:5px !important;"> <div class="flixster_w_cast"> <ul style="list-style-type:none !important; padding:0px 0px 5px 0px !important; margin:0px !important; list-style-position:outside !important;"> <li class="flixster_w_text" style="color:#333333 !important;display: inline !important; margin:0px !important; padding:0px !important; background-image:none !important;"> <a href="http://www.flixster.com/actor/gabrielle-union#!lsrc:wdgt-mov-cast" title="Gabrielle Union" style="color:#666666 !important; border:0 !important; text-decoration:none !important;" track="wdgt-mov-cast" onmouseover="">Gabrielle Union</a>, </li> <li class="flixster_w_text" style="color:#333333 !important;display: inline !important; margin:0px !important; padding:0px !important; background-image:none !important;"> <a href="http://www.flixster.com/actor/idris-elba#!lsrc:wdgt-mov-cast" title="Idris Elba" style="color:#666666 !important; border:0 !important; text-decoration:none !important;" track="wdgt-mov-cast" onmouseover="">Idris Elba</a>, </li> <li class="flixster_w_text" style="color:#333333 !important;display: inline !important; margin:0px !important; padding:0px !important; background-image:none !important;"> <a href="http://www.flixster.com/actor/louis-gassett-jr#!lsrc:wdgt-mov-cast" title="Louis Gossett Jr" style="color:#666666 !important; border:0 !important; text-decoration:none !important;" track="wdgt-mov-cast" onmouseover="">Louis Gossett Jr</a> </li> </ul> </div> <div class="flixster_w_text" style="color:#333333 !important;">Diary of a Mad Black Woman mastermind Tyler Perry turns the familiar Cinderella tale on its head with this story concerning a successful female <a href="http://www.flixster.com/movie/daddys-little-girls#!lsrc:wdgt-mov-synop-more" title="Daddy's Little Girls" style="color:#666666 !important; border:0 !important; text-decoration:none !important;" track="wdgt-mov-synop-more" onmouseover="">(more...)</a></div> <div class="flixster_w_rating" style="background:transparent url(http://static.flixstercdn.com/static/images/icons/popcorn_16x16.png) no-repeat scroll 0px 4px;"> <div class="flixster_w_ratingText flixster_w_text" style="color:#333333 !important;padding:4px 0px 0px 20px;"> <span class="flixster_w_percentage flixster_w_text" style="color:#333333 !important;font-weight:bold;">80%</span> liked it </div> </div> <div class="flixster_w_details" style="padding:3px 0px !important;"> <div class="flixster_w_details_left" style="float:left !important; padding-right:10px !important;"> <p class="flixster_w_text" style="color:#333333 !important;margin:3px 0px !important;"> PG-13, 1 hr. 35 min. </p> <p class="flixster_w_text" style="color:#333333 !important;margin:3px 0px !important;"> Director: <a href="http://www.flixster.com/actor/tyler-perry#!lsrc:wdgt-mov-direct" title="Tyler Perry" style="color:#666666 !important; border:0 !important; text-decoration:none !important;" track="wdgt-mov-direct" onmouseover="">Tyler Perry</a> </p> <p class="flixster_w_text" style="color:#333333 !important;margin:3px 0px !important;"> Box Office: $4.8M </p> </div> <div class="flixster_w_details_right flixster_w_text" style="color:#333333 !important;float:left !important;"> <p class="flixster_w_text" style="color:#333333 !important;margin:3px 0px !important;"> Released: Feb 14, 2007 </p> <p class="flixster_w_text" style="color:#333333 !important;margin:3px 0px !important;"> DVD: Jun 12, 2007 </p> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="flixster_w_footer" style="padding:0 4px 2px !important; text-align:right !important; clear:both !important; color:#333333 !important;"> <a href="http://www.flixster.com/#lsrc=wdgt-mov-ftmov" style="color:#666666 !important; border:0 !important; text-decoration:none !important;">Movies</a> & <a href="http://www.flixster.com/#lsrc=wdgt-mov-ftact" style="color:#666666 !important; border:0 !important; text-decoration:none !important;">Actors</a> at <a href="http://www.flixster.com/#lsrc=wdgt-mov-ftflx" style="color:#666666 !important; border:0 !important; text-decoration:none !important;">Flixster</a> </div> </div> </div> </div><br /><br /><b>More links:</b><br /><br />From Essence.com<br /><br /><a href="http://www.essence.com/2011/04/21/sound-off-is-spike-doing-the-right-thing/">“Sound-Off: Is Spike Doing the Right Thing?”</a><br /><br /><a href="http://youtu.be/qD5Yf8kn3Wk">Tyler Perry on Criticism</a><br /><iframe width="320" height="247" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/qD5Yf8kn3Wk" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><br /><br /><a href="http://youtu.be/Ciwhh3fB6vE">Spike Lee On Tyler Perry's Movies/Shows: “Its Coonery and Buffoonery” </a><br /><iframe width="320" height="247" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Ciwhh3fB6vE" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>Myra (Meeshe011)http://www.blogger.com/profile/07478287784290765455noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5955600697455838733.post-77418509271906975732011-11-07T08:36:00.001-08:002012-02-06T01:32:26.654-08:00Black Dating and Marriage VideosAll you need is a cup of hot cocoa, your pajamas, and maybe headphones... Then you can sit back and enjoy all of the drama, madness, humor, and warm fuzzies of my youtube playlist, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL95D376CB6B2C79F4">"Black Marriage and Dating Videos."</a> <--To watch on Youtube click here. <iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/videoseries?list=PL95D376CB6B2C79F4&hl=en_US" frameborder="0" width="500" height="284"></iframe>Myra (Meeshe011)http://www.blogger.com/profile/07478287784290765455noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5955600697455838733.post-70051190695503222692011-10-31T21:56:00.000-07:002011-10-31T22:41:40.061-07:00Living Your Life“What is life about?”<br /><br />As I think about all of the people suffering globally during this economic recession I am reminded of my own pitfalls and sometimes I find myself feeling as if I just don’t measure up. I feel like a lesser version of the self I had planned to be and the self I am capable of being. There’s a part of me that feels like a failure.<br /><br />But somehow, I know this isn’t the right mindset. Life is not about how much money you have, how much property you own, or who knows and respects your name. It just is… Despite hard times and struggle, I’m still me.<br /><br />What remains the same? You might lose valued material possessions and you might even go without things you need, but there is still a part of you that is able to find joy, meaning, and hope, because you are the same, human, with or without material things.<br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_-NUPsQS0yE/Tq-EZEDzaoI/AAAAAAAAAuI/JUFRrvLMJhY/s1600/life3.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5669896022004034178" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 168px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 110px" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_-NUPsQS0yE/Tq-EZEDzaoI/AAAAAAAAAuI/JUFRrvLMJhY/s400/life3.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />“Life is what happens when you’re busy making other plans.” –John Lennon<br /><br /><br />Sometimes I think about those people who, at the beginning of the current economic crisis, owned their own home, then abruptly lost it due to foreclosure, and are now homeless. Then I have in my mind the stories about visionaries who had that one wonderful idea then became rich! Then I think about all the people in Mexico who dream of coming to the United States with the hope of making a better life for themselves. Then I say to myself that none of it matters.<br /><br />Whether I am a day laborer in India, a cashier at your local department store, a teller at a bank, or one of the un-named people in Bible stories who roamed around with Jesus and Moses all day, at the end of the day, none of those things are what life is all about.<br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-O-lsFM8vU40/Tq-EFDJVGAI/AAAAAAAAAt8/Y8slkpN3DgI/s1600/life2.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5669895678161393666" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 168px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 113px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-O-lsFM8vU40/Tq-EFDJVGAI/AAAAAAAAAt8/Y8slkpN3DgI/s400/life2.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Life is about living. Living is enjoying the smile on a baby’s face, the aroma of a pretty flower, the soothing sounds of nature, the kindness of a stranger, or the warmth of a friend. It's about taking a moment to lie down in the grass to feel the warmth of the sun on your skin. It's about taking the time to listen to and enjoy complete silence.<br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PBoU5TrhGDQ/Tq-Eeehaq_I/AAAAAAAAAuU/NU_50SL4CvY/s1600/life4.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5669896115006909426" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 168px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 113px" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PBoU5TrhGDQ/Tq-Eeehaq_I/AAAAAAAAAuU/NU_50SL4CvY/s400/life4.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Bask in the charm of the night sky. Look up and take into your being, the beauty of the moon and stars. Try to find the Big Dipper/Little Dipper. If it’s too cloudy but there’s a full moon, observe the way the light cuts in and out of the clouds in the night sky. Over time, these marvels of nature have not changed much and you can feel complete knowing that millions who lived before you looked up and saw the same thing. Just remember to breathe it all in. Forget about the madness in your life, the politics of the world, and lay the drama aside. Take a moment for yourself and be engulfed by the darkness, the oneness, and the stillness of nature.<br /><br />Then sleep. Then wake-up. Then eat. Then work. Then play. But most importantly, live. Your existence on this earth is only fleeting and temporary. When you’re gone, your friends and loved ones will bury you in the ground and say good-bye, forever. Life as you knew it will truly be over. So today while you are alive, be sure to live. Time will keep ticking no matter how much you plan and no matter how much you worry.<br /><br />So don’t ever lose sight of what LIFE is all about. It is about waking up in the morning and just being alive. We can’t really be sure of what the next month or year will bring or even certain that we will be here among the living. But at the end of the day, if you have food, clothing, shelter, and your health, you’re living a pretty good life.<br /><br />And should you get sick and become unable to pay your medical bills, then you will eventually die as did billions of people before you. But until that sad day, what you have left is time. It's time to enjoy the rest of the life you have on this earth.<br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wxkSIA7TcdQ/Tq-DrHVGfsI/AAAAAAAAAtw/jdSq3kGGOfI/s1600/life1.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5669895232607911618" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 168px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 118px" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wxkSIA7TcdQ/Tq-DrHVGfsI/AAAAAAAAAtw/jdSq3kGGOfI/s400/life1.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Meditation: Today I am grateful for every little thing, every peaceful moment, every opportunity.Myra (Meeshe011)http://www.blogger.com/profile/07478287784290765455noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5955600697455838733.post-73726086515714690402011-10-21T08:37:00.000-07:002012-02-06T01:33:59.690-08:00Is The Devil Hijacking Black Youth Culture? Part IIThis is a follow-up to my <a href="http://meeshe011.blogspot.com/2011/09/is-devil-hijacking-black-youth-culture.html">previous blog</a> about the negative, downhill moral journey of black youth culture. I have to admit that I got a little flack for the last article. People said I was being judgemental and that I thought I was perfect... So how bout this one? I know and believe that black culture is (or can be) so much more than just a combination of risky sexual behavior, drug-use, illegal drug activity, etc. And it is my personal opinion that this type of lifestyle should not be glorified! Children as well as adults see their heroes engaged in this type of activity and they seek to imitate it. Then it becomes almost normal or expected to continue the pattern.<br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FTNH5Q_45Wg/TqGfIWCG1kI/AAAAAAAAAtg/29nPwy7curs/s1600/RihChris.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5665984771910981186" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 268px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FTNH5Q_45Wg/TqGfIWCG1kI/AAAAAAAAAtg/29nPwy7curs/s400/RihChris.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />My focus for this article is pop sensation Rihanna, and her new video, "We Found Love." I can relate to Rihanna and I admire her creativity but I still believe that the image she puts forth as a young black woman is irresponsible.<br /><br />I do love her and most of her work, tho!<br /><br />This video was brought to my attention by <a href="https://www.facebook.com/theGrio">"The Grio" on Facebook</a>.<br /><br />The Grio's <a href="http://www.thegrio.com/author/christopher-witherspoon/">Chris Witherspoon</a> published this article--> <a href="http://www.thegrio.com/entertainment/slideshow-15-most-telling-moments-in-rihannas-we-found-love.php">15 most telling moments in Rihanna's 'We Found Love' </a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://youtu.be/tg00YEETFzg">Rihanna's "We Found Love" </a><br /><object height="299" width="530"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/tg00YEETFzg?version=3&hl=en_US"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><br /><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/tg00YEETFzg?version=3&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="530" height="299" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object><br /><br /><br />Here are my thoughts on the video as well as the article.<br /><br /><strong>Risk-taking behavior at it's highest!</strong><br /><br />1.) The slot machine symbolizes risk taking. As does her other video, "Russian Roulette." So does behavior like jumping on tables in public places, doing lots of drugs(and also the way that they do them, like smoking 4 joints, or whatever that was, at 1 time) and last but not least, remaining in an abusive relationship.<br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cAywrsGm8MQ/TqGevewG7kI/AAAAAAAAAtI/etiyTv_lhco/s1600/rihanna-fight-photo.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5665984344754679362" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cAywrsGm8MQ/TqGevewG7kI/AAAAAAAAAtI/etiyTv_lhco/s320/rihanna-fight-photo.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />2.) In the scene where she was passed out, Chris Witherspoon interpreted that the man was trying to "comfort her in a drunken stupor." To me he looked worried. Also, there were ambulance lights flashing in-between that scene.<br /><br />3.) In the end she was balled up into a corner because she realized that she needed to change her life but it was hard...also she was detoxing. She's detoxing from the relationship, which itself was like a drug--> like she said, "wanting the good without the bad."<br /><br />4.) I don't think people realize the reality of how much drug use/abuse can contribute to poor decision making! If I was high on drugs all the time, I might fall in love with a tree!<br /><br />5.) She's sick and she knows it...And she's only 23yrs old. Wow...<br /><br />In the song "Rehab" off her 2nd album, she says, "I gotta check into rehab cause baby you're my disease." (Yeah, the video with Justin Timberlake as her love interest.)<br />Well, this is her 6th album, so it seems like she's been dealing with these issues for at least the length of her entire music career!<br /><br />6.) I applaud her for her creativity! However, I think a lot of kids will watch and think it's just cool to get high and f**k...<br /><br /><a href="http://youtu.be/J174xNgarII">Skorpion Show Review</a><br /><object width="560" height="315"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/J174xNgarII?version=3&hl=en_US"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/J174xNgarII?version=3&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="560" height="315" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object><br /><br />Click here for more info on <a href="http://www.whudat.com/newsblurbs/categories/C80">Rihanna and Chris Brown</a>.<br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cnTxQveRuJM/TqGe6kEqbfI/AAAAAAAAAtU/GOT6ErbrtOM/s1600/chris-brown-blonde-thumb.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5665984535161630194" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cnTxQveRuJM/TqGe6kEqbfI/AAAAAAAAAtU/GOT6ErbrtOM/s320/chris-brown-blonde-thumb.jpg" border="0" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"> More --> <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kevin-powell/chris-brown_b_839638.html">Kevin Powell's open letter to Chris Brown</a> </div><br /><br /><a href="http://youtu.be/QRISRapn4zI">When I Became A Man (Spoken Word)</a><br /><iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/QRISRapn4zI" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>On another note (and completely off topic I guess), the "We Found Love" video reminds me of <a href="http://youtu.be/98WtmW-lfeE">Katy Perry's "Teenage Dream."</a> Although, "We Found Love" reaches a little deeper and kind of looks more like a nightmare than a dream! A drug-induced one!<br /><object height="315" width="560"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/98WtmW-lfeE?version=3&hl=en_US"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><br /><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/98WtmW-lfeE?version=3&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="560" height="315" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object></div>Myra (Meeshe011)http://www.blogger.com/profile/07478287784290765455noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5955600697455838733.post-77458878119726508612011-10-13T09:52:00.000-07:002011-10-19T09:28:38.736-07:00The MRSA-Staph Boogedy ManI was recently bit by the MRSA bug which I previously thought was the equivalent of the Boogedy Man. I rarely watch the news but I had a few buzzlings in my ear about this new so-called killer infection that was going around. I thought, "Yeah, yeah, yeah. Just like bird flu, swine flu, and the African killer bees, right? Yeah, some people got it and died from it but it’s nothing major to worry about, especially nothing to PANIC about..."<br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-K0XvxKXL6gg/TpcY2HTSiSI/AAAAAAAAArw/MskuHr8sj2g/s1600/boil_MRSA_staph%2Binfection.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5663022374393645346" style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 219px" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-K0XvxKXL6gg/TpcY2HTSiSI/AAAAAAAAArw/MskuHr8sj2g/s400/boil_MRSA_staph%2Binfection.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Well, this is a warning to those who are not believers! The Boogedy Man is REAL! You just don’t realize it until he catches you!<br /><br /><strong>My Story:</strong><br /><br />My doctor tried one antibiotic shot and a combination of two oral antibiotics...didn't work, just got bigger. My temp was 99.5 without pain relievers.<br /><br />The next day, he then attempted to drain it...didn't drain. Without pain reliever, my temp was 99.5. I was given a larger dose of the antibiotic shot and told to continue the oral antibiotics...didn't work, but did not get any bigger.<br /><br />The next day, my temp was 100.8 without any pain relievers. The doctor replaced one of the oral antibiotics I was taking with a stronger antibiotic and opened up the hole a little bit more, and it worked... Five days later, it had gone down and did not have any drainage, however I decided to keep covering the incision with guaze and tape (or a band-aid) until it healed completely.<br /><br />From Thursday to Monday I actually lost 7 lbs! No complaints there!<br /><br /><br /><br /><p align="center"><br /><strong>10 days after I 1st noticed the infection...</strong><br /></p><br /><br /><br /><p align="left"></p><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lrB5skuBaEk/Tpn02RdpUYI/AAAAAAAAAs4/YqqrXeHjNoo/s1600/nappy%2Bhair.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5663827219632968066" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 322px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lrB5skuBaEk/Tpn02RdpUYI/AAAAAAAAAs4/YqqrXeHjNoo/s400/nappy%2Bhair.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/mrsa/">Info from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:</a><br /><br />Staphylococcus aureus, often referred to simply as “staph,” is a type of bacteria commonly carried on the skin or in the nose of healthy people. Sometimes, staph can cause an infection. Staph bacteria are one of the most common causes of skin infections in the United States. Most of these skin infections are minor (such as pustules and boils) and can be treated without antibiotics. However, staph bacteria also can cause serious infections (such as surgical wound infections, bloodstream infections, and pneumonia).<br /><br />Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) refers to types of staph that are resistant to a type of antibiotic methicillin. MRSA is often resistant to other antibiotics, as well. While 25% to 30% of the population is colonized with staph (meaning that bacteria are present, but not causing an infection with staph), approximately 1% is colonized with MRSA.<br /><br /><strong>More Links:</strong><br /><br />1. <a href="http://kidshealth.org/PageManager.jsp?dn=KidsHealth&lic=1&ps=207&cat_id=20174&article_set=20992">Staph Article</a> from www.TeensHealth.org <br /><br />2. Click here for a really unbelievable case found on Oprah.com:<br /><a href="http://www.oprah.com/health/Dr-Ozs-Warning-About-MRSA-and-Deadly-Bacteria">Dr. Oz's Warning About MRSA and Deadly Bacteria</a><br /><br /><br /><strong>How can you prevent the spread of Staph/MRSA infection?</strong><br /><br /><strong>1.) Keep your immune system in check.</strong> Your body's ability to fight off infections can determine how sick this superbug can make you, if you even get an infection at all. (See <a href="http://meeshe011.blogspot.com/2011/01/myras-weight-loss-challenge.html">"Myra's Weight Loss Challenge")</a><br /><br /><br /><strong>2.) Don't take antibiotics when you're not sick.</strong> Don't take antibiotics to treat viruses (viral infections) because they will not work. Be sure to use antibiotic ointments sparingly on cuts and scrapes or not at all.<br /><br />Bacteria are living organisms just like humans and giraffes. Years ago, giraffes used to have short necks. Then something happened to the climate where the trees grew taller and the food source was now high up in the air. So the giraffes with really short necks eventually died out and the ones with long necks survived because they were able to get food. Today, all giraffes have long nexts.<br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Ml0hDn8qtpo/TpfIfV2lMII/AAAAAAAAAsI/CC54czCVwMg/s1600/giraffes_natural%2Bselection.bmp"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5663215497209262210" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 177px" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Ml0hDn8qtpo/TpfIfV2lMII/AAAAAAAAAsI/CC54czCVwMg/s200/giraffes_natural%2Bselection.bmp" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Wait a minute...I think that's called natural selection... so maybe it was a little bit of natural selection and possibly a bit genetic adaptation/mutation whereby the genes began to change to ensure the survival of the species. Scientists believe that the giraffes began stretching their necks to get the food and this also caused their genes to mutate. So over time, with natural selection and genetic mutation, all giraffes came to have long necks.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><p><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dyLABXDJfK8/TpfI_z5FPzI/AAAAAAAAAsU/No4S6RbA97E/s1600/lamarck_giraffe.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5663216055028629298" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 143px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dyLABXDJfK8/TpfI_z5FPzI/AAAAAAAAAsU/No4S6RbA97E/s200/lamarck_giraffe.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />So that's what happens to bacteria. The strong ones survive, adapt, and mutate, then future generations are able to withstand a little bit better, that which many of the previous generations could not withstand. That is MRSA. Staph bacteria's new distant cousin can survive and thrive when attacked with many different types of antibiotics which the weaker Staph cousins are unable to survive.<br /><br />Over time, constant exposure to anti-biotics will only give the bacteria plenty of opportunity to practice getting their genetics right. So don't do that!<br /><br /><br /><strong>3. Be clean but not too clean.</strong><br /><br />It's best to bring out the guns when you have an active infection or you know you might have been exposed: Antiseptic hand sanitizer, anti-bacterial wipes, etc. I have seen recomendations for shower/bath daily and at least once per week with anti-bacterial soap, however I continue to use the anti-bacterial soap daily. I do admit that many days I shower/bathe twice daily (short showers)...hmm.<br /></p><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><p align="left"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HKhYqVqu0Ag/Tpe-Bn0xXFI/AAAAAAAAAr8/GDzxXH8VK-s/s1600/Prevent%2BStaph%2BMRSA.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5663203991521156178" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HKhYqVqu0Ag/Tpe-Bn0xXFI/AAAAAAAAAr8/GDzxXH8VK-s/s400/Prevent%2BStaph%2BMRSA.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />However, just as bacteria adapt to antibiotics, they can also adapt to germicides... It only takes a couple of strong ones to live on, then soon you'll have a whole colony of "resistant" bacteria who just won't die! :-(<br /><br />Very, very, scary!<br /><br /></p>Myra (Meeshe011)http://www.blogger.com/profile/07478287784290765455noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5955600697455838733.post-41108219276495986932011-09-18T21:57:00.000-07:002013-11-19T23:24:46.765-08:00Trust Issues<div align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></div><br /><div align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></div><br /><div align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;">If I could find a man I trust... </span></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wKeQPc3EooQ/TnbN5gDvBdI/AAAAAAAAAqg/EVNp9BIQinI/s1600/desert.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5653932769952073170" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 168px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 112px" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wKeQPc3EooQ/TnbN5gDvBdI/AAAAAAAAAqg/EVNp9BIQinI/s320/desert.jpg" border="0" /></a></span><span style="font-size:130%;">I would crawl to him<br /><br />through the desert</span><br /></div><br /><br /><div align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;">on my hands and knees! </span><br /><br /><br /></div><br /><br /><div align="center"></div><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5653936519547285634" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 168px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 113px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pJMnTGCGBwE/TnbRTwY5cII/AAAAAAAAAq4/bo3TDDj03Fo/s320/baby-crawling-indoors.jpg" border="0" /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><p><span style="font-size:130%;">But if he asks me<br /><br />to put a perm in my hair, </span><br /></p><br /><br /><br /><p><span style="font-size:130%;"><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZY-WkZJUDMA/TnbO99frhRI/AAAAAAAAAqw/nWTMLGmod40/s1600/afro_chic_tee.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5653933946085016850" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 129px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 175px" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZY-WkZJUDMA/TnbO99frhRI/AAAAAAAAAqw/nWTMLGmod40/s320/afro_chic_tee.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />I will shake my head<br /><br />and say, "Negro, please!"<br /></span><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></p><br /><br /><br /><br /><p>I'm happy to be naturally nappy! :-)</p>Myra (Meeshe011)http://www.blogger.com/profile/07478287784290765455noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5955600697455838733.post-45390141371278046222011-09-12T20:06:00.000-07:002012-02-06T01:33:59.691-08:00Is the Devil Hijacking Black Youth Culture?<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1mR9QETWKY4/Tm7P0h1XM1I/AAAAAAAAAqQ/JHKRx4QAxbA/s1600/Devil.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 168px; height: 113px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1mR9QETWKY4/Tm7P0h1XM1I/AAAAAAAAAqQ/JHKRx4QAxbA/s320/Devil.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5651683083738886994" /></a><br /><br />Is the Devil Hijacking Black youth culture by way of media representation? And I'm not talking about no illuminati/cult/etc! Just Lucifer/Satan in the form of distorted reality, straight up and pure. What do you think? Think people, THINK!<br /><br />Don't get me wrong, I believe in Freedom of Speech but I also believe in morality... They have the right to say it, but you can be moral and reject it! <br /><br />If the KuKluxKlan released a white supremacy album that went platinum in 1 week, and the video got 1bil hits across Youtube and Vimeo combined, Black people would be marching in the streets! But you have Wiz Khalifa and Too Short release a hit song glorifying drug-abuse and drug-induced rape, and people say "Leave them alone! They've had a hard life." <br /><br />Just think, what other heroes do little 10-yr old Black and Hispanic boys have? That is why this attitude has become our culture and continues to contribute to the association of racial and ethnic minorities with moral deviance. Simply put, in the words of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Young_Money_Entertainment">Lil' Wayne</a>, "This is a culture." <a href="http://youtu.be/0NAKemliRzg">(Click here to watch Lil Wayne's Public Service Announcement.)</a> <br /><br />In the 90s when Tupac was talking about drive-bys, I knew children who were killed due to drive-bys! I understand that "thug-life" may be the truth of their reality, but the glorification of it doesn't help those who are 1.) not making money off it, and 2.) wasting their money by buying it and/or seeking to imitate it.<br /><br />I recently read an article from The Root titled, <a href="http://www.theroot.com/buzz/liberals-still-fighting-old-culture-wars">"Liberals Still Fighting Old Culture Wars"</a> which discussed liberal groups' frustration and intolerance of Conservative Republican leader, Pat Buchanan. Pat Buchanan recently wrote a new book, "Suicide of a Superpower: Will America Survive to 2025?" In it he claims that our nation, born a Western Christian republic, is becoming a "multiracial, multicultural, multilingual, multiethnic stew...that has no successful precedent in the history of the world." Could his concern be due to reports like these? <br /><br />1.) <a href="http://newsone.com/nation/associatedpress1/2010-census-minorities-us-babies/"> "History! Census Shows Minority Babies Outnumber White Babies" </a> <br /><br />2.) <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/gaston-caperton/the-educational-crisis-of_b_877716.html?ref=tw">"The Educational Crisis of Young Men of Color" </a><br /><br />Watch this vid, <a href="http://youtu.be/WjxjZe3RhIo">"Hip-Hop: Beyond Beats & Rhymes" </a><br /><object width="420" height="315"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/WjxjZe3RhIo?version=3&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/WjxjZe3RhIo?version=3&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="420" height="315" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object><br /><br /><br />So what is my <span style="font-style:italic;">solution</span> you ask? After reading this article <a href="http://meeshe011.blogspot.com/2011/06/cultural-diversity-curriculum.html">Click Here </a> for my suggestion.<br /><br /><a href="http://meeshe011.blogspot.com/2011/10/is-devil-hijacking-black-youth-culture.html">(Click Here for "Is The Devil Hi-jacking Black Youth Culture-Part II")</a><br /> <br />1.) <a href="http://youtu.be/h7gUu4DYZO0">Professor Tricia Rose</a>, author of "Black Noise" discusses the corporatization of black culture and states that marketing, rather than creativity now drives the work of artists, drives the sexual exploitation of black women...Yet it's difficult to be critical of young black men. <br /><br /><iframe width="420" height="345" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/h7gUu4DYZO0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br /><br /><strong>**</strong> View the net worth of the <a href="http://www.therichest.org/entertainment/forbes-richest-rappers-2011/">Top-5 Richest Rappers of 2011.</a> Lil Wayne does not make the Top-5 due to his net worth being <em>only</em> $85million in 2011. <br /><br /><strong>**</strong> See what HipHop artists earned, according to Forbes, in the year 2011. <a href="http://www.therichest.org/entertainment/forbes-hip-hop-cash-kings-2011/">"HipHop Cash Kings 2011"</a> <br /><br />Forbes Magazine discusses the possibility of <a href="http://youtu.be/smAtIxlW6qY">HipHop billionaires. </a> <br /><br /><br />2.) <a href="http://youtu.be/ZdbhPO_EQ00">"Glamorized to Objectified: The image decline" </a><br />This one is about our mothers, sisters, daughters, and girlfriends. I tend to write from a feminist point of view, so...<br /><iframe width="560" height="345" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/ZdbhPO_EQ00" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br /><br /><br />3.) <a href="http://youtu.be/hmP7TYtDVUU">Wiz Khalifa "On My Level" featuring Too Short</a> <br />http://vimeo.com/19853681<br /> <br /><br />I realize that some of the images of drug use may be triggers for some people (probably why they made it). I think we all know that there's something wrong with this kind of lifestyle/music. :-( Nevertheless, the music is catchy...sigh. How many kids will begin a lifetime of addiction after dancing to this I wonder?<br /><br />Click here for the <a href="http://youtu.be/m6Tz2wZpyzI "> I'm On My Level Wiz Khalifa Christian Remix</a>.<br /><br /><br /><iframe width="560" height="345" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/hmP7TYtDVUU" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br /><br />"On My Level"<br />(feat. Too $hort)<br /><br />[Wiz Khalifa - Verse 1]<br />It's the champagne pourin'<br />Big joint rollin'<br />Bombay sippin'<br />No blunt smoking<br />Bad bitch gettin'<br />Thick and she got some friends with her<br />I take 'em out pourin' shots of liquor<br />Drinkin' out the bottle, smiling in all my pictures<br />The marijuana loud so them hoes follow like twitter<br />nigga, you know everything Taylored<br />Don't rush to the bar fool, if you ain't got no paper<br />That's the rules, high as fuck, sloppy drunk when I'm passing through<br />Rollin' doobies up, ya hoe who we pass 'em to<br />Hit the club spend this money up, roll another one, drink, act a fool<br />That's what I have to do<br /><br />[Chorus]<br />See after drinking champagne all night<br />Never worry bout a damn thing, y'all might<br />Homie I'm on my level (yeh)<br />I'm on my level (yeah)<br />I'm on my level (yeh)<br />I'm on my level (yeaah)<br /><br />So let me take one shot to the brain<br />And I order three more shots<br />I'm going in, ayy<br />I'm on my level (yeh)<br />I'm on my level (yeah)<br />I'm on my level (yeh)<br />I'm on my level (yeaah)<br /><br />[Wiz Khalifa - Verse 2]<br />Spent a couple dollars on my engine<br />motor roaring when I back out the garage<br />Gin got me drunk as fuck stumbling out the bar<br />Plus I'm struggling tryna find the keys to my car<br />Cause I be going hard, roll the camera<br />Life just like a movie, I'm the star<br />Wish you was in my position<br />You too broke to play the part<br />Of course I keep some bad women with me in the back<br />Sippin' Rose with some hash twistin'<br />All about a dollar, my team in the cash gettin'<br />Straight out the burb, we drinking we smash niggas<br />So when I say I'm balling, that don't mean that I'm playing mate<br />All my diamonds talkin', you can see what they sayin' mayne<br /><br />[Chorus]<br /><br />[Too $hort]<br />In the middle of the night, early in the mornin'<br />From the streets to the sheets with some freaks, I ain't yawnin'<br />I'm wide awake, we ain't eatin', we ain't sleepin'<br />These bitches so high man, we ain't even speakin'<br />We just freakin'<br />You rollin' with short dog baby<br />She was high on that pill so I fucked yo lady<br />Come to my house I give 'em everything they want<br />I might not dot it, but I give to ya women<br />Cocaine, mushrooms, ecstasy, GHB, Marijuana<br />She can suck it if she wanna<br />I got tequila, Ciroc and two freaky friends<br />and this a Wednesday night, this ain't the weekend<br /><br />[Chorus]<br /><br />[Bridge]<br />Man I'm high as fuck<br />Man I swear I'm on my level<br />Man I'm sloppy drunk<br />Man I swear I'm on my level<br />I finna pass out<br />man I swear I'm on my level<br />A nigga get smashed out<br />Man I swear I'm on my level<br /><br />Man I'm high as fuck<br />Man I swear I'm on my level<br />Man I'm sloppy drunk<br />Man I swear I'm on my level<br />I finna pass out<br />man I swear I'm on my level<br />A nigga get smashed out<br />Man I swear I'm on my level<br /><br />[Chorus] <br /><br /><br /><br />4. <a href="http://youtu.be/nwyjxsOYnys">Drake, "Marvin's Room"</a><br /><br /><iframe width="560" height="345" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/nwyjxsOYnys" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br /><br />"Marvin's Room" Lyrics<br /><br />[Woman on phone]<br />“Hello<br />Yeah I just walked in<br />Yeah I’m good you still working?<br />tonight, right now?<br />‘Did I go out’ yeah I went out<br />I went, I went to a couple of clubs<br />I never went to bed<br />shit… wine or water<br />you should see someone about a cold drink<br />I don’t know, I’m delirious… night”<br /><br />[Drake - Verse 1]<br />Cups of the Rose<br />Bitches in my old phone<br />I should call one and go home<br />I’ve been in this club too long<br />The woman that I would try<br />Is happy with a good guy<br /><br />But I’ve been drinking so much<br />That I’ma call her anyway and say<br />“Fuck that nigga that you love so bad<br />I know you still think about the times we had”<br />I say “fuck that nigga that you think you found<br />And since you picked up I know he’s not around”<br /><br />(Are you drunk right now?)<br /><br />I’m just sayin’, you could do better<br />Tell me have you heard that lately?<br />I’m just sayin’ you could do better<br />And I’ll start hatin’, only if you make me<br /><br />Uh, cups of the XO<br />All my people been here<br />I see all of her friends here<br />Guess she don’t have the time to kick it no more<br />Flights in the morning<br />What you doing that's so important?<br />I’ve been drinking so much<br />That I’ma call you anyway and say<br /><br />“Fuck that nigga that you love so bad<br />I know you still think about the times we had”<br />I say “fuck that nigga that you think you found<br />And since you picked up I know he’s not around”<br />(Are you drunk right now?)<br /><br />I’m just sayin’, you could do better<br />Tell me have you heard that lately<br />I’m just sayin’ you could do better<br />And I’ll start hatin’, only if you make me<br /><br />I think I’m addicted to naked pictures<br />And sittin talkin’ ’bout bitches<br />that we almost had<br />I don’t think I’m concious of making monsters<br />Outta the women that I sponsor til it all goes bad<br />But shit it’s all good<br />We threw a party, yeh we threw a party<br />Bitches came over, yeh, we threw a party<br />I was just calling cause they were just leaving<br />Talk to me please, don’t have much to believe in<br />I need you right now, are you down to listen to me?<br />Too many drinks have been given to me<br />I got some women that's living off me<br />Paid for their flights and hotels I’m ashamed<br />Bet that you know them, I won’t say no names<br />After a while girl they all seem the same<br />I’ve had sex four times this week I’ll explain<br />Having a hard time adjusting to fame<br />Sprite in that mixture, I’ve been talking crazy girl<br />I’m lucky that you picked up<br />Lucky that you stayed on<br />I need someone to put this weight on<br /><br />[Drake and Woman on phone]<br />“Well I’m sorry” – [Drake]<br />“Are you drunk right now?” – [Woman]<br /><br />I’m just sayin’, you could do better<br />Tell me have you heard that lately<br />I’m just sayin’ you could do better<br />And I’ll start hatin’, only if you make me<br /><br />[Drake on phone]<br />“You’re not going to come?”<br />“Guess I’m bout to just kick it here then…”<br /><br />Just throw up while I hold your hair back<br />Her white friend said “you niggas crazy”<br />I hope no-one heard that<br />I hope no-one heard that<br />Cause if they did, we gon be in some trouble<br /><br />5.) <a href="http://youtu.be/ad5-pslX3o0">Rap Music Sucks</a><br /><iframe width="560" height="345" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/ad5-pslX3o0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br /><br /><br />Related article: <a href="http://meeshe011.blogspot.com/2011/04/discrimination-part-2-rap-music-and.html">"Discrimination Part II: Rap Music and Skin Color Preference"<br />http://meeshe011.blogspot.com/2011/04/discrimination-part-2-rap-music-and.html</a>Myra (Meeshe011)http://www.blogger.com/profile/07478287784290765455noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5955600697455838733.post-60581020423678063532011-08-28T15:46:00.000-07:002012-02-06T01:42:11.746-08:00Movie Review: "The Help"<strong>"The Help" What have we learned from watching?</strong><br /><br /><br /><br /><div class="flixster_w"> <div class="flixster_w_buffer" style=""><span class="flixster_w_buffer_fix" style=""></span></div> <div class="flixster_w_box" style=""> <script src="http://www.flixster.com/widgets/blog/styles"></script> <div class="flixster_w_body"> <div class="flixster_w_header" style=""> <div id="flixster_w_title"> <a class="flixster_w_headerTitle" style="" href="http://www.flixster.com/movie/the-help#lsrc=wdgt-mov-title">The Help</a> </div> <div class="flixster_w_headerGet" style=""><a href="http://www.flixster.com/movie/the-help/widget/get#lsrc=wdgt-mov-get" style="">Get Movie Widget</a></div> </div> <div class="flixster_w_content" style=""> <script src="http://www.flixster.com/movie/the-help/widget"></script> </div> <div class="flixster_w_footer" style=""> <a href="http://www.flixster.com/#lsrc=wdgt-mov-ftmov" style="">Movies</a> & <a href="http://www.flixster.com/#lsrc=wdgt-mov-ftact" style="">Actors</a> at <a href="http://www.flixster.com/#lsrc=wdgt-mov-ftflx" style="">Flixster</a> </div> </div> </div> </div><br /><br /><strong>Why I went to see “The Help”:</strong><br /><br />When I first saw the advertisement for "The Help" I was on Facebook. I briefly glanced at it then said to myself, “Now why would anyone make a movie like that?” I just shook my head, clicked onto something else, and said to myself, “Definitely won’t be seeing that!”<br /><br />It was just that simple. I didn’t know whether the movie was a comedy or a drama, and I didn’t even want to find out! Why not? Well from the cover I could see the implied racism with the two Black women standing in their maid uniforms while the two White women dressed in their Sunday best, sat on a park bench looking a little bit ditsy. The secondary status of the Black women is obvious and as if we needed some extra help, the title reads, “The Help.” Hmm... They pretty much spelled it out for us... The phrase, “the help” is most often used in a derogatory way to express the secondary status of domestic workers in relationship to their employers.<br /><br />Well, a week after first becoming aware of the movie, I started to hear people talking about it. One of my Facebook friends said she thought it should be a movie that every black person sees. Also, the month before it came out, <a href="http://www.essence.com/2011/07/07/viola-davis-graces-the-august-issue-of-essence/">Viola Davis</a> was featured on the cover of my favorite magazine, Essence. So basically this movie was brought to my attention over and over again in many different ways. I was getting the idea that it would contain important lessons about my history, African-American culture, so I went to go see it!<br /><br /><br /><br /><strong>Background Info:</strong><br /><br />“The Help” was first a best-selling novel (2009) by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kathryn_Stockett">Kathryn Stockett</a>. According to Wikipedia, Kathryn Stockett was born in 1969 (she’s 42yrs old) and was raised by an African-American domestic worker. Although Ms. Stockett was born and raised in the deep south, she didn’t actually witness the Civil Rights Movement. Most likely, her earliest childhood memories are of 1973.<br /><br /><br /><strong>My thoughts and feelings while watching "The Help":</strong><br /><br />1.) Make no mistake. This movie is definitely about WOMEN. The men in it play tiny, unimportant parts. It is a story told about the lives of women through the eyes of a woman...and she covers just about everything a woman might experience in life.<br /><br />What kind of women topics? Miscarriage, Domestic Violence, Marriage, Dating, Child-rearing, Fashion, Girl bullying, Family vs. Career... You name it, it's in there!<br /><br />The Civil Rights theme is almost secondary to the Feminist History kinda theme...but they kind of move along together...as does real life.<br /><br />2.) My only criticism is that there was so much going on, especially towards the end. At 1st it's easy to maneuver through, but towards the end, all of my emotions were conflicted. I didn't even know what I was sad about! :-(<br /><br />I was being hit with such sentimental and emotional experiences, I probably said "Aww" 20 times! It <em>is</em> a tear-jerker, but really funny and heart-warming too!<br /><br />3.) I’ve read a lot of the reviews but I am here to tell you that life in Mississippi is probably not a whole lot different than that today! I was actually surprised at how similar the movie was to my experiences living there!<br /><br />4.) I did like the movie because I felt it was just funny enough not to cause anyone to have nightmares yet it didn’t gloss over the Civil Rights Movement like “Remember The Titans” did.<br /><br />5.) One question I came away with, “Have we ever figured out <em>how</em> and <em>why</em> this type of hatred was able to exist? The movie doesn’t answer that question. However, it does show how delicate and unbalanced the Jim Crow situation had become and the lengths that many white people had to go to in effort to ensure that blacks remained in secondary status.<br /><br />In the movie, all of the characters were being challenged. Blacks and Whites were being challenged to cross the line. It is as if boundaries were being set. It was almost like watching a dance occur, symbolic of the relationship between Blacks and Whites...they were carving it out and defining it.<br /><br /><br /><strong>Moving into the future:</strong><br /><br />Many criticisms that I’ve read about this movie suggest that it leaves the Blacks in secondary status as domestic workers, therefore doesn’t really support any real change. My opinion: If you look at the movie from the historic point of view you might walk away with that, but I challenge you to look at the movie and consider it from a present-day point of view. How do your thoughts change? Consider the fact that we still have minority race domestic workers who are treated as 2nd class citizens. Even worse, we now have domestic workers who are not even citizens!<br /><br />So the question again is, “What have we learned?"<br /><br /><embed name="AOLVP_us_1099872521001" src="http://xml.truveo.com/eb/i/2968981351/a/00572b52370932013c511c0127726ebe/p/1/h/4e5bbc8e3d3ad44:253919e2bd9a8ab8ac067e6703f53acf" width="425" height="239" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" flashvars="videoid=1099872521001&codever=1"></embed><br /><br /><br /><br /><h3 style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; MARGIN: 5px; FONT: bold 0.8em arial; PADDING-TOP: 0px">You’re watching <a href="http://video.aol.com/video/movie-review-the-help/2966567452">Movie Review: "The Help"</a>. See the <a title="AOL Video videos" href="http://video.aol.com/category/spotlight" target="_top">Web's top videos</a> on <a title="AOL Video" href="http://video.aol.com/" target="_top">AOL Video</a></h3><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flixster.com/movie-list/movies-like-the-help">Movies Like "The Help" </a> <br /><br /> <div style="float:left;width:160px;position:relative;font-size:0px;margin:0;padding:0;"><br /> <ul style="width:160px;list-style:none;font-size:0px;margin:0;padding:0;"><br /> <br /> <li style="float:left;display:inline;width:80px;margin:0px 0px 0px 0px; padding:0; list-style:none; "><br /> <a href="http://www.flixster.com/lists.do?createMovieWall="><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><img src="http://content9.flixster.com/movie/11/15/70/11157055_pro.jpg" width="78" height="115" border="0" alt="The Help"/></a><br /> <br /> </li><br /> <br /> <li style="float:left;display:inline;width:80px;margin:0px 0px 0px 0px; padding:0; list-style:none; "><br /> <a href="http://www.flixster.com/lists.do?createMovieWall="><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><img src="http://content8.flixster.com/movie/11/15/74/11157482_pro.jpg" width="78" height="115" border="0" alt="The Secret Life of Bees"/></a><br /> <br /> </li><br /> <br /> <li style="float:left;display:inline;width:80px;margin:0px 0px 0px 0px; 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padding:0; list-style:none;">.</li><br /> </ul><br /> <div style="margin:0px 0px;"><br /> <br /> <div style="float:right;display:inline;font-size:11px;margin-right:0px;"><a href="http://www.flixster.com/lists.do?createMovieWall=">Flixster</a></div><br /> <div style="clear:both;line-height:0; height:0;font-size:0px;">.</div><br /> </div><br /> </div>Myra (Meeshe011)http://www.blogger.com/profile/07478287784290765455noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5955600697455838733.post-43536360895205908982011-07-24T15:08:00.000-07:002011-07-25T19:12:46.976-07:00The Light-Skinned vs. Dark-Skinned Battle: Who’s winning it?At a very young age, children constantly feel the need to define themselves, and they will look outwardly to do so. They are looking to put themselves into a category, sadly to follow and become someone else’s expectations for themselves. When the child or adult grows into, or becomes the embodiment of that stereotype or pre-conceived notion about themselves, it is called a self-fulfilling prophesy.<br /><br />The stereotypes have become so ingrained that it’s not about hate anymore. The hateful words, actions, and thoughts have come to be the ordinary and the effects of them, which are passed on from generation to generation, are pervasive, most times subtle, but many times blatantly obvious.<br /><br /><br /><p><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Uoh3paSUVUU/TizC6HODssI/AAAAAAAAAqA/s676Vs5gsyU/s1600/LightDark.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5633091537559859906" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Uoh3paSUVUU/TizC6HODssI/AAAAAAAAAqA/s676Vs5gsyU/s400/LightDark.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Sadly, there has not been enough peer-reviewed scientific research which examines the role that mainstream media plays in perpetuating and spreading colorism (skin-color bias). I am particularly eager to see a widespread, peer-reviewed study which measures how prevalent skin color preference or skin color bias is throughout mainstream media markets. It would be interesting to see how the mainstream media markets would respond to darker-skinned individuals getting more leading roles and “face” time.<br /><br /><a href="http://youtu.be/6w_NRBu22OU">An Education on Colorism with Kiara Lee</a> <br /><iframe width="425" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/6w_NRBu22OU" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br /><br /><strong>My Personal Colorism Story</strong><br /><br />I don’t have a short and sweet or quick story to sum up my experience as a dark-skinned girl. I experience the negative affects of it every single day! I never know when someone is going to bring it up in regular everyday conversation.<br /><br />The most common statements I hear about myself and other dark-skinned individuals:<br />1. “She is so black.”<br />2. (rolls eyes) “…with her black self.”<br />3. “He was black and ugly!”<br />4. “She’s a pretty brown.”<br />5. “She’s the kind of pretty dark black girl.”<br />6. “Damn girl, you get BLACK in the summertime!”<br />7. “You shouldn’t date him. Y’all’s baby would be so black!”<br />8. “Your hair is nappy.”<br />9. “She needs a perm.”<br />10. “The best-looking people are not too light or not too dark, they’re in-between.”<br /><br />Men sometimes compare me to Oprah, saying that I’m dark-skinned and overweight like her, and that if I were to become rich like her, my life would be easier.<br /><br />And the <strong>most annoying </strong>one of all, <strong><em>“You’re not dark.” </em></strong>:-( Total Fail!<br /><br /><br /><br /><strong>One of my biggest struggles with this has been...</strong><br /><br />“Should I take it personally?” I said to myself, and I heard from others, that maybe the cause of the mistreatment was something else about me, not related to my strong African racial genetic disposition. So I thought, “If I were not dark, what negative comments would I hear most often about myself?”<br /><br /><br /><br /><strong>One preconceived notion about me that I hate is...</strong><br /><br />People think I’m automatically jealous of light-skinned girls because I’m dark-skinned! Right! Those with a self-hating mentality (light or dark) are not able to believe that I could be dark-skinned with nappy hair and not want what the light skinned girl with “good” hair has...and so then there is a lot of disrespect that goes along with that pre-conceived notion about me.<br /><br />Personally, I can only be friends with light-skinned Black women who are aware of and sensitive to these issues. The light-skinned women who are not sensitive of the feelings I might have about this issue, hurt me oftentimes because they actually enjoy the type of privileges they can receive for being lighter-skinned (closer to White) and tend to force the negative stereotypes onto others. When you first meet someone and automatically assume that they are jealous of you, it seems to be that you are really the one who holds the bias.<br /><br />I appreciate the light-skinned people in my life who treat me with respect, kindness, love, and who tell me/show me that I’m beautiful and accepted just the way I am...who stand up for me, and who reject the notion that they are better because they are lighter.<br /><br /><br /><br /><strong>One of my biggest concerns is...</strong><br /><br />Maybe the man I fall in love with will not want to have a child with me because they don’t want a dark-skinned child. I love dark-skinned Black men (and all other types of men actually), but I know that many seek to dilute their African genes as much as possible so that their children will be lighter. A couple of Black men have told me that they did not want to have a baby as dark as them.<br /><br /><br /><br /><strong>Elizabeth Kubler Ross’s “Stages of Grief”</strong><br /><br />I think the grief comes from the feeling of rejection as well as the feeling of shame. Shame is the feeling that you are wrong, not that you’ve done something wrong. For example, because God made you dark, you automatically qualify as a stepping stool for someone else lighter, or you’re hated, or you're picked over. Grief also comes from seeing others being favored for their lighter skin and more Caucasian genetic features, while you deal with being rejected because of your darker skin and African genetic features.<br /><br /><em>Denial</em> “Racism doesn’t exist anymore.”<br />"Chocolate colored skin tone is not really considered to be dark-skinned."<br /><br /><em>Anger</em> “White people are blue-eyed devils.” <br />Fight or Flight Emotional Response: "I don't like anyone with fair skin and I let them know it!" <br /><br /><em>Bargaining</em> "I'll keep trying to be more favorable."<br />“If I lighten my skin or straighten my hair I will be more worthy.”<br /><br /><em>Depression </em> "I give up."<br />“I hate myself because I will always be black, ugly, and rejected.”<br /><br /><em>Acceptance </em> “Life is not fair, and even though I’ve been discriminated against or made to feel less than, I will live my life in a way that demonstrates love of self, love for others, and reverence for life, period.” <br />“Shit happens.” :-))-:<br />"God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.<br /><br /><br /><strong>Medical Intervention</strong><br /><br />Anita Rani presenter of "Watchdog" and "The One Show" for the British television network BBC ONE, went on a journey with her cameras to find out why skin color issues are so prevalent in the world at large and why the skin-lightening industry is currently a billion dollar industry. She starts in her own family (of South Asian descent), with her own mother's preference for lighter skin.<br /><br />What struck me most about Anita Rani's short documentary was the moment she surprised her mother with a painted on dark-skinned tan. The panicked mother actually shed tears because she thought her daughter had done something to make herself dark permanently. She was horrified. It was such a painful sight to her! The first question she asked her daughter was, “What did you do to yourself? Can you change it back?”<br /><br />At that moment, I understood the deep psychological pain that Anita Rani's mother had experienced and suffered through and how she was now mentally and emotionally associating darker skin with extreme suffering. This woman had been so programmed and so conditioned to believe that lighter skin was better, that it manifest itself in a way that made her seem to be racist, hateful, self-hating at the least, and just plain odd (because of the extremes she would go to just to avoid getting a tan darker than the one she was born with).<br /><br />I asked myself, “Is discrimination really so bad that I would put harsh chemicals on my skin or endure plastic surgery in order to look more White? For me, the answer is “No!” Thank God I have at least that much self-esteem and self-pride! Nevertheless, I realize that some people don’t.<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL60AB64A2A079EDB4">Anita Rani, BBC One "Make Me White" </a><br /><object height="385" width="480"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/p/60AB64A2A079EDB4?version=3&hl=en_US&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><br /><br /><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/p/60AB64A2A079EDB4?version=3&hl=en_US&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="480" height="385" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object><br /><br /><br /><br /><strong>So, where do we go from here? </strong><br /><br />Someplace totally different! <br /><br />I recently listened to Elizabeth Kubler Ross tell a story in which she was visited by the mother of a teenage boy. The mother explained that she and her son always fought about him wearing a dirty t-shirt, which he never washed. The mother said she was ashamed of what the neighbors would think of their family and she said that she even hated to see him coming because she could smell how filthy the shirt was. Then one night, as her son left the house to go to a party with friends, she stopped him and said to him that if he were to get into a car accident and die that night, she would bury him in that dirty t-shirt. The mother decided not to let the dirty t-shirt ruin the relationship she had with her son.<br /><br />So the moral of the story is this: We are blessed with people in our lives and we let something as superficial as skin color and hair texture, or even a dirty t-shirt, ruin our relationships with the people we love. So the challenge for all of us is to learn how to be our highest selves and live our lives with all the love we can create.</p>Myra (Meeshe011)http://www.blogger.com/profile/07478287784290765455noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5955600697455838733.post-87206562738728649672011-07-17T19:51:00.000-07:002012-02-08T00:45:57.110-08:00Living With Injustice<strong>My question: </strong><br /><br /><strong>What is the best way for a person to live and navigate through the waters of injustice? </strong><br /><br />I don’t know the complete answer. I can only speculate the answer based on the knowledge that I do have.<br /><br /><br /><strong>Lesson 1:</strong><br /><br />Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. fought for civil rights for African Americans and he was assassinated. Would you say that he made the decision that was best for himself? What he did helped to pave the way for justice but it cost him his life. Would you fight to the death for a cause you feel is just or would you just choose to live your life by coping with and/or adapting to the injustice?<br /><br />Famous Quote: “Give me liberty or give me death” – Patrick Henry<br /><br />My answer: Brainstorm, determine the risks, make your choice, re-evaluate your choice.<br /><br /><br /><strong>Lesson 2:</strong><br /><br />Different serial killers have different motives/triggers. If you’re abducted by one, how do you determine whether your behavior will set them off and get you killed or get you set free? If you fight, kick, scream, and disobey your abductor, the situation may end in your death or the killer may set you free. Likewise, if you go along with your abductor’s wishes, the situation may end in your death or the person may set you free. There is really no cookie cutter response that is the right response.<br /><br />There is definitely a time to fight and a time to be silent. A wise person may be able to recognize the time to fight and the time to be silent…but a truly lucky person will make the right choice at the right time.<br /><br /><br /><strong>Lesson 3:</strong><br /><br />I was in a situation once where I needed to obtain something from someone else. A friend told me, “I know it sucks, but just suck up your pride and do whatever it takes to get whatever you need, then you can move away from this situation and start over somewhere else with something that has made you a little bit better, a little bit more competitive.”<br /><br />I look back on my life growing up, and no one gave me this lesson. I guess I expected life to be fair, and if it is not fair, then individuals have the right to fight for their rights, then all will be fair. Those were the lessons I was taught as a child. As an adult looking back on my life, I have learned that life is not fair and that sometimes when you choose to fight injustice, you will lose.<br /><br /><br /><strong>Lesson 4:</strong><br /><br />What I wish I had been taught…<br /><br />The key to success is often knowing when to fight and when to be silent.<br /><br />When a person is accused of and arrested for committing a crime, they are read their rights. They are told, “<strong>You have the right to remain silent.</strong> Anything you say can and will be used against you.”<br /><br />There are times when people will accuse, judge, and convict you in their minds based on circumstancial evidence or no evidence at all. Though to them, you are GUILTY, bad, or wrong, beyond a reasonable doubt. And one thing you can be sure of is that anything you say, can and will be used against you.<br /><br />There are safe places to voice hurt and frustrations and there are unsafe places to share yourself. You may want to be careful who you share yourself with, because everyone may not take the information you share and use it for good, they may take your story and try to use it against you.<br /><br /><br /><strong>Lesson 5: </strong><br /><strong></strong><br />Never let anger control you, motivate you, or be a driving force in your life, yet realize that anger <em>is</em> a natural and appropriate response in certain situations.<br /><br />Know that some people push your buttons just because they can and they may try to use your anger to control you as if you were a puppet on a string. Horrible things have happened to me as well as you, but I cannot, and I will not, allow my life to be consumed with anger or to let anger dictate my path.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-B4R5mneXBrI/TiPWw2URFmI/AAAAAAAAApw/GetWKpB90Vw/s1600/MARTIN-LUTHER-KING-injustice.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5630580093845837410" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-B4R5mneXBrI/TiPWw2URFmI/AAAAAAAAApw/GetWKpB90Vw/s200/MARTIN-LUTHER-KING-injustice.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />So, I will leave this discussion with a question:<br /><br /><strong>What lessons would you teach about living with injustice?</strong><br /><strong></strong><br /><br /><iframe width="560" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/9wfw9YSbRGo" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Myra (Meeshe011)http://www.blogger.com/profile/07478287784290765455noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5955600697455838733.post-59761173938201177502011-07-10T20:05:00.000-07:002012-02-06T01:33:59.692-08:00"Shades" -Wale ft. Chrisette MichelleWhen I heard this, all I could say was, "Wow!"<br /><br /><br /><object width="480" height="390"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/lhL_aJ3pf8g?version=3&hl=en_US&rel=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/lhL_aJ3pf8g?version=3&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="480" height="390" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object><br /><br /><br />Chip on my shoulda, big enough to feed Cambodia<br />See I never fit into they quotas<br />Sneakers wasn't fittin' and my knees needed lotion<br />Long before I knew the significance of a comb<br />I roam like foam with no vocal reception<br /><br />Immigrant parents had me feeling like a step-kid<br />And black Americans never did accept me<br />That's why I thrive so much winnin' respect, dig<br />I never fit in with them light skins<br />I thought the lighter they was, the better that they life is<br /><br />So I resented them and they resented me<br />Cheated on light skin Dominique, we were 17<br />I figure I hurt her she'd evidently hurt me<br />And all women who have light features see<br />I never let a light broad hurt me<br />That's why I strike first and the first cut's deep<br /><br />From a light skin girl to a dark skin brotha<br />Shade doesn't matter, heart makes the lover<br />Boy, you so beautiful, boy, you so beautiful<br />Shade doesn't matter, heart makes the lover<br />Honey brown, caramel, coffee brown, chocolate<br />Toffee, pecan, licorice, boy, you so beautiful<br /><br />Just another knotty head, nigga<br />Hoping Wes Snipes make my life a bit different<br />In middle school I had the right to be timid<br />I had beautiful words but girls never listened<br /><br />Listen, blacker the berry, sweeter the product<br />Well, I'm fruit punch concentrate and they water<br />Walk into my room thinking how to make moves<br />Ain't thinking like a student but how Ice-T do it<br /><br />Light dudes had the girls looking there<br />Aw yeah, it's not fair, the ones with the good hurr<br />Couldn't adapt to naps I wore caps<br />They napped and slept on me<br /><br />Man, I hate black skin tone<br />I wish I could take it back or rearrange my status<br />Maybe if I was khaki, associating light skin with classy<br />The minstrel show, showed a me that was not me<br /><br />From a light skin girl to a dark skin brotha<br />Shade doesn't matter, heart makes the lover<br />Boy, you so beautiful, boy, you so beautiful<br />Shade doesn't matter, heart makes the lover<br />Honey brown, caramel, coffee brown, chocolate<br />Toffee, pecan, licorice, boy, you so beautiful<br /><br />They say black is beautiful<br />But ask them beautiful light girls<br />If it's black they attract to usually<br />What if Barack's skin was all black?<br />Truthfully would he be a candidate<br />Or just a black in community?<br /><br />We as black dudes tend to lack unity<br />And them blacker girls ain't on the tube usually<br />Right now at 23 I ain't mad at them reds no more<br />But for long time I had gone cold blind<br /><br />Full of my own insecurity, it was holding me<br />Back to reds, I ain't know how to act<br />They would get the cold shoulder<br />And know it was an act, a defense mechanism<br />What I thought that I lacked<br /><br />From a light skin girl to a dark skin brotha<br />Shade doesn't matter, heart makes the lover<br />Boy, you so beautiful, boy, you so beautiful<br />Shade doesn't matter, heart makes the lover<br />Honey brown, caramel, coffee brown, chocolate<br />Toffee, pecan, licorice, boy, you so beautifulMyra (Meeshe011)http://www.blogger.com/profile/07478287784290765455noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5955600697455838733.post-68946117140489303912011-07-03T00:13:00.000-07:002011-07-17T20:27:02.744-07:00Makings of Me: The foolishness that is Satoshi Kanazawa!<a href="http://lovekyei-makingsofme.blogspot.com/2011/06/foolishness-that-is-satoshi-kanazawa.html?spref=bl">Makings of Me: The foolishness that is Satoshi Kanazawa!</a>: "With the constant barrage of negativity in the media about black women, I decided to dedicate this post to encourage my beautiful African si..."<br /><br />I love this article and I think she's a very beautiful girl! I love it when she writes, "Satoshi who? He must not have seen my friends before he wrote that article..."Myra (Meeshe011)http://www.blogger.com/profile/07478287784290765455noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5955600697455838733.post-5219618269665975652011-06-20T08:42:00.000-07:002012-02-06T01:40:48.489-08:00Male Privelege Part 1 - Date Rape<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-r0uo-x1q0io/Tf9qsIspLZI/AAAAAAAAAoU/s8UeYJKY-gA/s1600/mad.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5620328166463188370" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 162px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-r0uo-x1q0io/Tf9qsIspLZI/AAAAAAAAAoU/s8UeYJKY-gA/s200/mad.jpg" border="0" /></a>Male privelege is life without the fear of being raped... also, not having to take into account the importance of personal safety for females. Basic personal safety training can help females recognize warning signs and set healthy boundaries, thereby preventing date rape, druken rape, and domestic abuse...or at least awareness of steps to take when any of these has occured or is about to occur. Our #1 priority should always be to self, keeping ourselves safe is very important.<br /><br /><br />The following is information from <a href="http://www.duhaime.org/CrimeandSafety/LawArticle-53/Date-Rape.aspx" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://www.duhaime.org/CrimeandSafety/LawArticle-53/Date-Rape.aspx</a><br /><br />Some studies suggest that up to one in every four women are victimized by some form of sexual assault in their lifetimes.<br /><br />In an emergency, the human brain is like a filing cabinet and it can quickly recall information once learned. The purpose of this article is to give you a "rape" file so that if you ever need it, you'll have some information to respond with.<br /><br />Girls must be assertive and say "no" when they mean "no." Girls are often raised to treasure other people's feelings and that means not hurting them. Sadly, this also leads some girls to stay quiet even if they are in danger. Assertiveness is different from rudeness (which is aggressive). Being assertive simply means saying directly and clearly what you mean.<br /><br />A simple "no" can resolve most unwanted touches. You could say:<br />"Stop, please. I'm not enjoying this."<br />"Get your hands off me."<br />"I don't want to have sex."<br />"I said "no" and I mean "no"."<br />Another difficulty is that many girls feel they should be in a relationship, mostly because of peer pressure or because of strong messages left by teen television shows. "Having a boyfriend is cool!" This might even keep them in an abusive relationship. Just remember: being single is great too!<br /><br />How do you know if your relationship is a good one? In a healthy relationship, your boyfriend will be a good listener and you will feel free to talk about your feelings with him. You will feel like his equal and not like his subordinate. You will laugh and have fun together and he will make you feel good about yourself. If you have a misunderstanding, he will want to work things out with you.<br /><br />Signs of a bad relationship include jealousy or possessiveness, feeling bad about yourself, criticism or being picked on. In a bad relationship, your boyfriend often ignores or interrupts you. You don't trust your boyfriend and he may try to control you. He may even pressure you into staying in the relationship. He could be violent or frequently display anger. He may show contempt towards women such as calling them "bitches" or saying things like "they should stay at home." He may be nice to you when you're alone but a jerk when his friends are around. If he forces you to have sex, get out of the relationship (at the very least. You should also talk to the police about the assault). Other bad signs are a guy who drinks too much or who likes to get stoned on drugs.<br /><br />Remember: you don't have to date anybody. There is no law that says that you have to date. It's your heart and body. Treasure it and protect it. Think about sex and what it means to you. Decide what your values are and how far you want to go before you get into a situation with your date. Listen to your feelings. If you just want to cuddle, say so! You have the right to say "no" to sexual contact. Any sexual contact without your permission is a crime.<br /><br />Here are some final tips on avoiding date rape:<br /><br />Avoid parties or groups where alcohol or drug use is excessive. Studies of date rape show that 75% of the date-rapists, and 55% of the victims, had been drinking or taking drugs before the rape occured.<br /><br />Avoid people who make you feel uncomfortable.<br /><br />If you're going to a party, establish a buddy system with a friend; watch out for each other.<br /><br />When you're leaving, don't announce that you're walking alone. Try to walk home with a friend or in groups.<br /><br />Don't give a whole bunch of information about yourself to a person you just met.<br /><br />People can't read you mind: if someone's doing something to you that you're not comfortable with, say "no."<br /><br />Always have some taxi money in your pockets in case you want to go home.<br /><br />Never walk home through deserted areas like parkland or railroad tracks.<br /><br />Do not hitchhike.<br /><br />More info: <a href="http://www2.truman.edu/~aweitz/prevent_date_rape/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://www2.truman.edu/~aweitz/prevent_date_rape/</a><br /><br /><em>I originally published this to Myra Speaks on Facebook, February 11, 2011.</em>Myra (Meeshe011)http://www.blogger.com/profile/07478287784290765455noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5955600697455838733.post-40428163572410277042011-06-19T19:00:00.000-07:002011-07-09T13:36:36.180-07:00Cultural Diversity CurriculumIt is one of my lifelong dreams to create a cultural diversity curriculum for elementary school children ages PreK-6th grade. It is my belief that teaching children the truth about their heritage while they are in their elementary school years will benefit them greatly for the rest of their lives.<br /><br />My curriculum would focus on helping adults to help young children foster healthy self-esteem, cultural pride, and multi-cultural awareness. Ideally children would develop a joy of lifelong learning from a global perspective as well as interest in, tolerance of, and acceptance of the world’s cultures. Issues would be addressed such as negative images seen on television as well as any other experience they might have in which they are devalued or are made to feel less worthy because of the color of their skin, cultural beliefs, etc.<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zbN1_11rFZM/Tf6wVJFi9nI/AAAAAAAAAoE/QFfaJJEKoKw/s1600/diversity3.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5620123262267881074" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 168px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 113px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zbN1_11rFZM/Tf6wVJFi9nI/AAAAAAAAAoE/QFfaJJEKoKw/s200/diversity3.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><strong>The Truth<br /><br /></strong>For example, to teach young children, “Christopher Columbus discovered America” is not really providing them with accurate or culturally sensitive information. The truth is that Columbus discovered America for the Europeans who did not yet know about it. Somehow ths story is always told from the Eurocentric point of view, but do we ever ask ourselves what this image does to Native American and Hispanic children (basically any child with ancestors who were indigenous to the North and South American continents)? I would like to structure the dialogue in a way that it at least makes logical sense and reports accurate cultural information.<br /><br />In my curriculum, Elementary School children would really start to learn about colonialism around the 4th grade, and I think they should learn the truth, not watered down versions or versions that show all people getting along or how that system worked well. Slavery is my history…it has shaped who I am and it has shaped America. Africa is my history, it has shaped who I am and it has helped to shape America.<br /><br />It is important for all people to see value in people who look like them. 1.) I want to show children people who look like them, especially Hispanic and African-American children. 2.)I want to send positive and important messages to children about people who look like them daily. 3.)I would like to teach children the truth about people who look like them daily. So not just in February…and not just when celebrating Cinco de Mayo, Kwanzaa, and Hanukkah, although those pieces of culture are important. I do not want any culture to be reduced to celebrations because there is more to it than that.<br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-whXnsL2v1-o/Tf6wYgus5BI/AAAAAAAAAoM/F_0f_2eBSJw/s1600/diversity4.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5620123320154121234" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 168px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 165px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-whXnsL2v1-o/Tf6wYgus5BI/AAAAAAAAAoM/F_0f_2eBSJw/s200/diversity4.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><strong>Global Awareness<br /><br /></strong>When I was in the 6th grade, I remember taking World History. It was very sad that there was very little information there about my own culture, about people who looked like me.<br /><br />Most educational programs nowadays try really hard to engage children in the learning process and encourage young children to become lifelong learners. My curriculum would focus on this as well but it would also help children learn about world events, and help them to develop a more global perspective so that the information learned and the excitement for learning is not lost as children transition into puberty.<br /><br />So Geography would be a vital and neccessary part of this curriculum. In 4th grade, most children can name the 50 states but can they name any of the countries in Africa, countries in South America, or cities in Mexico? Do they know about Australia and India, as well as the European countries? Because that is what it means to be American. Being American means to draw upon different influences…to be a part of that melting pot or mixed salad so to speak, and in many ways, both.<br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lA02RqYz9bw/Tf6wSC6EANI/AAAAAAAAAn8/ArBRRXt7Q9k/s1600/diversity2.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5620123209069494482" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 168px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 112px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lA02RqYz9bw/Tf6wSC6EANI/AAAAAAAAAn8/ArBRRXt7Q9k/s200/diversity2.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><strong>The Social/Emotional Experience<br /><br /></strong>So how do you explain colonialism to a diverse group of grade-school children without scarring them for life? The most important aspect of my diversity curriculum would be helping children/parents/teachers deal with the difficult emotions surrounding the issues. To be successful, the curriculum cannot neglect to help children start to understand the concept of White Privelege at an early age. So my curriculm would be social-educational in nature whereby we teach facts but we have to deal with social and emotional aspects. I would really prefer this to lying to them. Even if the curriculum is only used partially, it has to include the social/emotional supportive piece.<br /><br />We don’t want to over-simplify facts, but we would want to help them to try to see the complexity in it all…because even as adults it is still all very complex. They, as do we, have to understand that everyone is going to view situations differently and have different experiences. But by the time these children reach middle school/high school they will have in their tool belt, the skills needed to combat hatred and to maintain healthy and diverse relationships with others. I think that after years of implementing this curriculum in Elementary schools, cliques in the secondary schools would dissipate, or at least not be represented in the way that they are today.<br /><br />Every child should feel valued by their teachers, principals, parents, and peers...but does every child feel that their culture is valued?<br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mj3iBSHnobc/Tf6wNO9cBJI/AAAAAAAAAn0/_yLSkhYgdoE/s1600/diversity1.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5620123126405530770" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 168px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 164px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mj3iBSHnobc/Tf6wNO9cBJI/AAAAAAAAAn0/_yLSkhYgdoE/s200/diversity1.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><strong>My Motivation</strong><br /><br />One thing that inspired me to write this article is the issue of Colorism/Shadeism and the research that I've done regarding this topic. <br /><br />Colorism or Shadeism is discrimination based on skin shade/skin tone vs discrimination based on race/ethnicity. I have compiled a playlist on youtube for anyone who would like to know more about the topic. This playlist features mostly video documentaries which address the issue of colorism/shadeism. At this point, even I have not watched all of them in entirety…overwhelming.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL378BE293199B2DB5">Youtube Playlist: Skin Color Issues, Colorism, Light Skin vs Dark Skin</a><br /><object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/p/378BE293199B2DB5?version=3&hl=en_US&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/p/378BE293199B2DB5?version=3&hl=en_US&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="480" height="385" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object>Myra (Meeshe011)http://www.blogger.com/profile/07478287784290765455noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5955600697455838733.post-77600373291907203512011-06-13T18:17:00.000-07:002012-05-15T23:53:25.788-07:00My Dating Profile<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7JxuJRMoQ6I/Tfa9mVE2SjI/AAAAAAAAAmQ/BHLlDg6Ni1g/s1600/me2.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5617886051381430834" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7JxuJRMoQ6I/Tfa9mVE2SjI/AAAAAAAAAmQ/BHLlDg6Ni1g/s320/me2.jpg" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 320px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: left; width: 240px;" /></a><br />
What I am looking for…<br />
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1. I am ultimately searching for a Life Partner. At age 28, I’m all for having fun, but I really hope to build a relationship with that special someone who I can settle down and start a family with. Yet even though I’m seeking that life partner, I prefer a partner who is patient and relaxed when it comes to dating. I do not want to move too fast or try to have too much too soon.<br />
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2. I need a partner who can be understanding, supportive, and sensitive of my feelings; someone who will be a support to me throughout life’s endeavors, trials, and tribulations.<br />
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3. I need a partner who can stimulate my mind, who is an intellectual/thinker. I am a lifelong learner and I would like to find someone who is the same.<br />
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4. I would like to meet men who are at least somewhat financially stable and emotionally centered, despite the fact that many people are experiencing hard times during our country’s economic crisis.<br />
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5. I am someone who believes in natural highs, holistic health/wellness, and having fun in moderation. I don’t smoke and I drink alcohol, rarely. I prefer to be around people who are like me in this sense.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UY-SZonZ8Sk/Tfa9rY6LJ2I/AAAAAAAAAmY/1NJ9JIy7JgY/s1600/me3.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5617886138309748578" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UY-SZonZ8Sk/Tfa9rY6LJ2I/AAAAAAAAAmY/1NJ9JIy7JgY/s320/me3.jpg" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 320px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: right; width: 229px;" /></a><br />
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6. I like my partner to be down-to-earth and realistic, yet I appreciate men who are positive thinkers as well, who know how to use positive language.<br />
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7. I have a strong sense of morals and values and I would like to find someone who shares my deep sense of morality.<br />
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8. I would like to find someone who knows how to maintain good boundaries and has respectful relationships with others.<br />
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9. My special someone should definitely have the same interests as I do. I think that people who believe in the same things, and people who like to do the same things, definitely have less to argue about.<br />
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10. I am interested in men who believe in equality between males and females. If we do go further in the relationship, I will know you are someone who will be an asset to our household, physically as well as financially.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DDYNmi2TW90/Tfa9ypCKOfI/AAAAAAAAAmg/syFvqMF4HNo/s1600/me4.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5617886262897293810" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DDYNmi2TW90/Tfa9ypCKOfI/AAAAAAAAAmg/syFvqMF4HNo/s320/me4.jpg" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 320px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 142px;" /></a><br />
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My Interests…<br />
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1. Yoga<br />
2. Church/Spirituality/Worship<br />
3. World Issues<br />
4. Health and Wellness<br />
5. Outdoor Events/Parks/Lakes<br />
6. Festivals/Museums/Attractions<br />
7. Traditional Family Events<br />
8. Movies<br />
9. Theater/Dance<br />
10. Dining<br />
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Important to know about me…<br />
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Something that prevents me from doing a lot with some people, are my allergies. Specifically, I am allergic to pet dander (all cats and all dogs).<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-i8XGZqUjsQI/Tfa-FrxwW6I/AAAAAAAAAmw/asgZXBiVN14/s1600/me6.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5617886590051310498" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-i8XGZqUjsQI/Tfa-FrxwW6I/AAAAAAAAAmw/asgZXBiVN14/s320/me6.jpg" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 320px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 280px;" /></a><br />
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My idea of a great first date…<br />
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Great first dates for me, last only about 2hrs and are during the daytime with very little or no drinking.<br />
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I believe the whole purpose of the first dates (at least the first 5 dates) is for us to spend a little bit of time getting to know each other in a one-to-one setting, and also giving ourselves the opportunity to enjoy each other without the pressure of feeling like we’re already in a relationship. So the date should be something that is mutually fun, inexpensive, and lasts only a couple of hours. I prefer to first get to know someone during daytime activities with very little or no drinking.<br />
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Examples:<br />
1. Museum (self-paced walking tour)<br />
2. Informal Lunch (Starbucks and surf the internet, Cici’s Pizza and afterwards play arcade games)<br />
3. Small (not crowded) festival, water park, amusement park, or fair. (not crowded)<br />
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Bad ideas for a 1st date...<br />
1. Movie Theater<br />
2. Staying in (at either person’s home)<br />
3. A Family Event/Tradition<br />
4. Night Club/Bar<br />
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<embed flashvars="host=picasaweb.google.com&hl=en_US&feat=flashalbum&RGB=0x000000&feed=https%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.com%2Fdata%2Ffeed%2Fapi%2Fuser%2Fmeeshe011%2Falbumid%2F5617888519922323601%3Falt%3Drss%26kind%3Dphoto%26hl%3Den_US" height="192" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" src="https://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="288"></embed>Myra (Meeshe011)http://www.blogger.com/profile/07478287784290765455noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5955600697455838733.post-83236588364468246792011-05-14T22:55:00.000-07:002011-10-18T08:11:48.801-07:00Skin Color and Hair Texture: A Black Woman's JourneyThe color of my skin...The texture of my hair... A black woman’s journey...<br /><br />Quotes:<br /><br />“I have a dream that one day my children will be judged not by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.” –Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.<br /><br />“The blacker the berry the sweeter the juice.” -African-American Proverb<br /><br />“All God’s children got good hair.” -unknown<br /><br />Chocolate - Dark<br />"Dark-skinned" "Black" "Chocolate"<br /><p><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aGr6TTyATTE/Tc9rsKRjXWI/AAAAAAAAAlI/lEZOjPqRUhM/s1600/choco%2Bspread.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5606818467515948386" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 238px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aGr6TTyATTE/Tc9rsKRjXWI/AAAAAAAAAlI/lEZOjPqRUhM/s320/choco%2Bspread.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Caramel - Medium<br />"Brown-skinned" "Caramel"<br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vZcHt_42kNM/Tc9rmJHU4OI/AAAAAAAAAlA/oXAPbcfYZpo/s1600/caramel_spread.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5606818364125405410" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 168px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vZcHt_42kNM/Tc9rmJHU4OI/AAAAAAAAAlA/oXAPbcfYZpo/s320/caramel_spread.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Mocha Latte - Light<br />"Light-skinned" "Fair-skinned" "High-Yellow" "Red Bone" "Yellow Bone" "White"<br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Us3Y4dJV3a0/Tc9riIosBiI/AAAAAAAAAk4/xsxrria05P4/s1600/Mocha%2BLatte%2BSpread.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5606818295277422114" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 241px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 289px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Us3Y4dJV3a0/Tc9riIosBiI/AAAAAAAAAk4/xsxrria05P4/s320/Mocha%2BLatte%2BSpread.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Background Info:<br /><br />I think the content of this article in its entirety can be used to effectively teach children and adults about this sensitive subject matter. Here are a few points I would like you to keep in mind while traveling on this journey with me.<br /><br />The first point I need to clarify is about the audience of Hip Hop music. I think Hip Hop music reaches very far! Probably because some of it is more "Pop" than Hip Hop. Joy Daily (the journalist below) is wrong! The record shows that the largest consumer of Hip Hop music are, by far, white teenagers... I know it's shocking but it's true. I don't know how she missed that very important piece.<br /><br />I think kids will immediately be snapped into what I'm saying, engaged, and interested, because when they look at my photo collages they will see Beyonce and Rihanna who are EXTREMELY popular right now! Also in the photo collages are singers Amerie, Lauryn Hill (like 8 Grammys around 2001), and Faith Evans.<br /><br />When readers view "Complexion Obsession" they see rappers Drake and Rick Ross, also the hot and popular video models...<br /><br />The Chris Rock trailer has Chris Rock, Raven Simone (for previous Disney lovers), etc.<br /><br />Then there is the 2nd Joy Daily video in which she talks about Wale, also popular right now...plus images of sexy video models...pictures of Wale with Lindsey Lohan and Paris Hilton (young white superstars).<br /><br />Singer India Arie would usually appeal to the older crowd because she is usually more Neo-soul (and acoustic guitar) than Pop, however this video features rapper Akon, who is extremely popular right now (and has been for the past 5yrs).<br /><br />I actually think the video of the woman in her thirties speaking about dating and marriage would probably be what turns the kids off...but it certainly does speak to adults!<br /><br />In other words, these images speak directly to most American children! These are the images that they live with every single day! They worship most of these people! They watch BET, MTV, if they have Time Warner Cable, they can watch most music videos for free, and then there is Youtube and Myspace!<br /><br />Also see <a href="http://meeshe011.blogspot.com/2011/07/light-skinned-vs-dark-skinned-battle.html">"The Light-Skinned vs. Dark-Skinned Battle: Who's winning it?"</a><br /><br /><br /><strong>"Complexion Obsession"</strong><br />http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wW_Vtp-JzV4&feature=player_embedded<br /><iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/wW_Vtp-JzV4" frameborder="0" width="425" height="349"></iframe><br /><br />My comments about “Complexion Obsession”:<br />I hardly ever watch music videos but in the past, I have noticed that there's a difference in how much face time they give to the dark-skinned girls in the videos...they might get 1.5 seconds per shot compared to the lighter-skinned girl who may get 3-5 seconds. Then the light-skinned girls always get the close-ups/glamour shots. I'll be like, ok...why did they even put the dark-skinned girl in the video?<br /><br /><br /><strong>Chris Rock’s Documentary “Good Hair”</strong><br /><a href="http://www.flixster.com/movie/good-hair">http://www.flixster.com/movie/good-hair</a><br /><iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/je4IPR-ci5I" frameborder="0" width="560" height="349"></iframe><br /><br /><br />Video I like from youtube user:<br /><br /><iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Le5Ysa3Mtaw" frameborder="0" width="425" height="349"></iframe><br /></p><br /><br /><p>Definitely thumbs up on this one!! I think she is not only intelligent, but wise!</p><br /><br /><br /><p></p><br /><br /><br /><br /><p><br /><strong>From DimeWars.com:</strong><br /><iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/wsFxtIxRqJA" frameborder="0" width="425" height="349"></iframe><br /></p><br />My thoughts:<br />As I mentioned earlier, Joy Daily overlooked an important piece in this segment of "Complexion Obsession." She states that Wale is trying to market his music to black people, but that is not the absolute truth. In fact, in other parts of her documentary, she interviews industry people who try to explain that lighter-skinned black women (and non-black women) are being used more widely in rap music videos to make the videos more marketable to a wider audience... So that means not just black people, but whites, hispanics, etc. I don't believe he was trying to market the video to black people or else he would have had more black women in it. I do think that he is following a paper trail and that he just expects black women to be okay with it. However, he <em>is</em> featured in Wacka Flocka's "No Hands" which showcases mostly black women, and way more dark-skinned black women than average. So in his music career, I guess there's a balance when it comes to this specific issue. But one thing we can do is compare the lyrics to both of those songs and see if the reason for the change is more than just coincidence... :-(<br /><br /><br /><br /></p><br /><strong><a href="http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL378BE293199B2DB5">Youtube Playlist - Skin Color Issues, Colorism, Light Skin vs. Dark Skin</a> </strong><br /><object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/p/378BE293199B2DB5?version=3&hl=en_US&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/p/378BE293199B2DB5?version=3&hl=en_US&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="480" height="385" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object><br /><br />This playlist features mostly video documentaries which address the issue of colorism/shadeism within and outside of the black community. I have compiled them here for anyone who would like to know more about the topic... Colorism or Shadeism is discrimination based on skin shade/skin tone vs. discrimination based on race/ethnicity. In other words, the light-skinned vs. dark-skinned controversy... I haven't even watched all of them in entirety because the content can be overwhelming...<br /><br />Just press play then scroll over the video with your mouse to pick a video. Use the arrows to pull up more videos in the list.<br /><br /><p><br /><strong>Video from the Video-Vixen Summit:</strong><br /><br />1. <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y4TrD_AcQnM">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y4TrD_AcQnM</a></p><br /><br />2. <a href="http://youtu.be/tJj1Sjs6kQo">http://youtu.be/tJj1Sjs6kQo</a></p><br /><br /><br /><br /><p><br /><strong>Multi-colored music videos I liked:</strong><br /><br />1. <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=skhxizRYxps">Waka Flocka Flame "No Hands"</a> (really fair images). Now as for the song, I have no idea what he’s talking about! But I think it has something to do with women working in the sex industry.<br /><br />2. <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ArDXxTsJJoo">Beyonce "Freakum Dress"</a><br /><br /></p><strong></strong><br /><br /><p><strong>Other notable music videos:</strong><br /></p><p>1. <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_5jIt0f5Z4">India Arie "I Am Not My Hair"</a></p><p><br /></p><p>2. <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HtXOVKNazYU">Keri Hilson "Pretty Girl Rock"</a><br /><br /><br /><p><br /><strong>Poems about having dark skin:</strong></p><p>Part 1: Why did you make me black Lord?<br /><a href="http://www.facebook.com/notes/i-love-my-dark-skin/why-did-you-make-me-black-lord-/393646661992">http://www.facebook.com/notes/i-love-my-dark-skin/why-did-you-make-me-black-lord-/393646661992</a><br /><br />Part 2: God’s Reply<br /><a href="http://www.facebook.com/notes/i-love-my-dark-skin/gods-reply/393647831992">http://www.facebook.com/notes/i-love-my-dark-skin/gods-reply/393647831992</a><br /><br /><br /></p><br /><br /><b>Black In Latin America</b><br /><object height="288" width="512"><param name="movie" value="http://www-tc.pbs.org/video/media/swf/PBSPlayer.swf"><param name="flashvars" value="width=512&height=288&video=1822481755&player=viral&end=0&lr_admap=in:pbs:0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><br /><br /><br /> <embed src="http://www-tc.pbs.org/video/media/swf/PBSPlayer.swf" flashvars="width=512&height=288&video=1822481755&player=viral&end=0&lr_admap=in:pbs:0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" wmode="transparent" allowfullscreen="true" width="512" height="288" bgcolor="#000000"></embed></object><br /><br /><p style="MARGIN-TOP: 5px; FONT-SIZE: 11px; BACKGROUND: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; WIDTH: 512px; COLOR: #808080; FONT-FAMILY: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; TEXT-ALIGN: center">Watch the <a style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal! important; COLOR: #4eb2fe! important; HEIGHT: 13px; TEXT-DECORATION: none! important" href="http://video.pbs.org/video/1822481755" target="_blank">full episode</a>. See more <a style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal! important; COLOR: #4eb2fe! important; HEIGHT: 13px; TEXT-DECORATION: none! important" href="http://www.pbs.org/wnet/black-in-latin-america/" target="_blank">Black in Latin America.</a><br />This is a preview for a four part series.<br /></p><br /><br /><br /><br /><p><b>Willie Lynch Letter:</b></p><p><b></b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Lynch_speech">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Lynch_speech</a></p><p><br /></p><p><a href="http://www.finalcall.com/artman/publish/printer_6184.shtml">http://www.finalcall.com/artman/publish/printer_6184.shtml</a><br /></p><br /><br /><strong>Other Articles:</strong><br /><a href="http://uptownmagazine.com/2011/07/skin-deep/trackback/">Uptown Magazine: Skin Deep</a><br /><br /><p><strong>Natural Haircare Websites:</strong></p><p><a href="http://www.asiamnaturally.com/">As I Am<br />http://www.asiamnaturally.com/</a><br /><a href="http://www.facebook.com/asiamnaturally?sk=wall">http://www.facebook.com/asiamnaturally?sk=wall</a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.missjessies.com/">Miss Jessie’s<br />http://www.missjessies.com/</a><br /><a href="http://www.facebook.com/missjessiesfans?sk=wall">http://www.facebook.com/missjessiesfans?sk=wall</a></p>Myra (Meeshe011)http://www.blogger.com/profile/07478287784290765455noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5955600697455838733.post-83802086320140961652011-05-05T09:49:00.000-07:002011-06-12T19:49:11.154-07:00Quick Thought: Osama Bin Laden's DeathIt's madness! Justification for an eye for an eye...celebrating a man's death...what have we become? We are no better than him and his crazy followers! One thing that kills me is how many stories there are about what actually happened to him... ????<br /><br />And yet I understand why US officials chose to deal with him like that (because I watch Criminal Minds). He was nothing more than a crazy deranged serial killer and sociopath... Giving him a chance to live and speak, etc. would only add fuel to the fire allowing him to get more followers worldwide and incite more people to rage!<br /><br />What we should be examining: Why is his WAY so appealing to so many? Is it that many crazies in the world? Is it just extremist religion? Well we all know that religion, and how it is expressed, is about people...beliefs guide thought and actions. But no matter what religion says, we all make our own choices. In other words, I'm sure no religion directly says to anyone, "Become a suicide bomber and kill innocent people!"<br /><br />Whatever happened to Ghandi, Jesus Christ, etc... Peace ppl! Make love not war! <-- :-P JUST kidding! Does making love solve problems...I dunno, go ask a hippie! Lol!<br /><br />Lets try hard to be rational + compassionate human beings...and just use some good ole fashioned common sense! Let's not act like monkeys. We have a higher calling than that!Myra (Meeshe011)http://www.blogger.com/profile/07478287784290765455noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5955600697455838733.post-46259573376485548252011-04-13T16:55:00.000-07:002012-02-06T01:40:48.490-08:00Discrimination Part 2: Rap Music and Skin Color PreferenceBlack people, lets wake up and stop destroying ourselves! Rappers and others in the Hip Hop music industry have historically been known for skin color bias in their music videos. Now, why is it that rappers think it is okay to specify skin color preference in their songs when they speak about females? "brown skin" "yellow bone" "red bone" ...and u know that they are talking about women who are lighter than a brown paper bag, yet u never hear them say, "My girl is so dark." As a matter of fact, black people know this is a putdown, not a compliment.<br /><br />So now they have another excuse to disrespect both the light and dark-skinned females. They say that the light-skinned one thinks she's all that and the dark-skinned one has low self-esteem.<br /><br />And then there was "Becky"...the one that b***p, b***ps... these men don't even respect themselves... If I had children they would never watch TV or listen to the radio! They would be so sheltered! We would be reading books. I would not ...want to teach my children hatred. I don't want them to learn it somewhere else either...especially hating themselves...my little dark-skinned girls watching BET, MTV, Disney, TV One, you name it, and feeling like they just don't measure up because they're too dark...sad and ridiculous...what I call black on black racism.<br /><br />And major news networks wonder what's wrong with the state of black marriage! Ha! How can you really love someone else when you hate yourself? And black men wonder why black women get attitudes!<br /><br />Stupidness and Ignorance are tearing our community apart!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Related articles:</span><br /><br /><a href="http://meeshe011.blogspot.com/2011/09/is-devil-hijacking-black-youth-culture.html">Is the Devil Hijacking Black Youth Culture?</a><br /><br /><a href="http://meeshe011.blogspot.com/2011/07/light-skinned-vs-dark-skinned-battle.html">"The Light-Skinned vs. Dark-Skinned Battle: Who’s winning it?" </a><br /><br /><a href="http://meeshe011.blogspot.com/2011/05/skin-color-and-hair-texture-black.html">"Skin Color and Hair Texture: A Black Woman's Journey"</a>Myra (Meeshe011)http://www.blogger.com/profile/07478287784290765455noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5955600697455838733.post-58469213184895046542011-04-03T14:27:00.000-07:002011-06-12T19:46:31.259-07:00Dating Questions for Self<strong>What do you want?</strong><br /><br />I don’t understand when a man tells me that he can’t find a good woman. Being a woman myself, having been a woman all my life, and having close relationships with women, I think it’s safe for me to say that I know a little bit about women. There are so many beautiful and wonderful women out there who are looking for decent men. Ladies, do you really believe a man who says he can’t find a good woman.<br /><br />The first question I ask him is, “Really? Well, what are you looking for? What do you feel has been missing?” I have learned to accept what men say at face value, but tell them, “Let me help you try to figure this out a little bit because relationships are a complex thing.” I get these answers: “Women are hoes.” “They cheat…my last one cheated on me.” Then I ask the question, “Did you cheat on her first?” What do you think their answer is? It’s always a “yes” followed by, “But I’m not perfect, I’m a man.”<br /><br />I have gotten to the point where I am tired. Just tired of the whole dating scene. I too would like to find a decent relationship, but in a lot of ways I’ve given up hope as well. Many times I feel I just don’t have the energy or the will to deal with all the drama. One major problem is this: “Pick one.” If you want to be in a relationship with me you need to chose me and only me…if you’re choosing others, then I will do my own thing and choose others. Double standards don’t work for me!<br /><br />Then there’s the trust game men like to play, “I want to know that you trust me from the moment I meet you because so many women don’t trust men and I need to know that you trust me in order for me to feel comfortable with you.” Well, sorry to break it to you, but when I first meet you, I don’t trust you! I believe that trust is earned. If you want to be trusted in a relationship, dating, etc. you must first know what you want and communicate this with all your being. You should consistently communicate it verbally with words, through body language, actions, and subconsciously.<br /><br />Great question for you to ask yourself and others on a first date, <strong>“What are you looking for?”</strong> In other words, you're saying to the other person, <strong>"What do you want from me?"</strong> I have been in relationships where the person said one thing upon first meeting then a month later they were saying something different that changed up the whole game! Be consistent. Know what you want or your prospective partner will think you are fickle or even worse, “playing games.” If you say to your date, “Let’s just see what happens,” then you cannot blame that other person when things go awry, because you entered the situation unsure about what you wanted to get out of it.<br /><br /><br /><strong></strong><strong></strong><strong>Persuasion vs. Control</strong><br /><br />Learn the difference between persuasion and control. Ask yourself the question, <strong>“What type of persuasion techniques do I use to get what I want from others?”</strong> Look at your past behaviors and ask yourself, <strong>“At what point did my actions start to become manipulative?”</strong> This has to be one of the fastest ways to drive a relationship into the ground, control and manipulation. You can’t address these traits in others until you address them within yourself. <strong>Are your relationships based on control?</strong><br /><br />Controlling Behavior in Relationships:<br /><em>Calling/Texting Excessively<br />Checking In<br />Financial Dependence</em> (relationships should not be based on this)<br />Having your partner indebted to you<br /><em>Lying/Dishonesty</em><br /><em>Aggression </em>(not to be confused w/anger)<br />Throwing Temper Tantrums<br />Verbal Insults<br />Yelling<br />Breaking Things<br />Getting Physical<br /><br /><br /><strong>Broaden Your Horizons</strong><br /><br />Finally the last set of questions that I will leave you with. Ask yourself, <strong>“Do I have unrealistic expectations for my prospective or current partner?”</strong> Ask yourself, <strong>“What exactly are realistic expectations?”</strong> You can ask your Facebook friends, your mom, dad, grandma, and people you’re not related to. Just get to know different types of people and find out what most consider to be realistic expectations for your prospective or current relationship. This process will teach you how to get to know others and also how to respect differing opinions.<br /><br />I always find myself saying, “I’m sorry, you must have me confused with somebody else.” Respect differences. Respect opinions. Never tell your prospective partner who you think they should be, but allow them to be who they are. Listen. Actively listen. <strong>Ask questions.</strong> Don’t get angry about someone else’s beliefs, opinions, and attitudes. You are allowed to respectfully disagree. Agree to disagree and move on or move forward. It's your choice. But you cannot place the blame on someone else for not meeting your expectations, especially a whole gender of people.<br /><br />Broaden your horizons. Date outside your race. Date within your race. Date outside your culture. Date within your culture. Try online dating, speed dating, a phone chat line…these will help you hone important dating skills (listening without seeing, written communication, setting up a dating profile, answering the hard questions). Determine who you would absolutely never be happy with then cast your net wide and search for any who you might be compatible with.<br /><br />As for praying for God to send you that special someone... Well, faith without work is dead.<br /><br /><strong>Links:</strong><br /><br /><a href="http://www.ehow.com/video_4981821_build-trust-relationship.html">http://www.ehow.com/video_4981821_build-trust-relationship.html</a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.ehow.com/video_4981821_build-trust-relationship.html">http://www.ehow.com/video_4981821_build-trust-relationship.html</a>Myra (Meeshe011)http://www.blogger.com/profile/07478287784290765455noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5955600697455838733.post-45276062765059062802011-03-21T17:22:00.000-07:002011-10-22T22:50:40.126-07:00Finding A Husband: A Woman's ReputationIf I had to think about all the things life/society has taught me about finding a husband I would have to divide it into two categories, traditional and current. Traditional would be what my mother and grandmothers’ generation was taught:<br /><br /><br /><br />5 traditional sayings for women looking to find a husband:<br /><br />1. “Why would he buy the cow when he can get the milk for free?"<br /><br />2. “Keep your legs closed!”<br /><br />3. “Always be a lady.”<br /><br />4. “Respect yourself.”<br /><br />5. “The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach.”<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Well in today’s society, still within the 3rd sexual revolution of the 20th century, all of that has gone straight to hell! Men are still getting used to women having more freedom and power in the workplace as well as the home…yet how we as women view ourselves, sexually, has changed a lot!<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XigPZNeInJ0/TYfsJJDE45I/AAAAAAAAAFk/K7JWZ2CrmKg/s1600/devil.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5586693504568189842" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 113px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 168px" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XigPZNeInJ0/TYfsJJDE45I/AAAAAAAAAFk/K7JWZ2CrmKg/s320/devil.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />10 ways to find a husband in 2011:<br /><br /><br /><br />The most recurring theme “A good woman knows her place and reverberates with all of her being that men are God.”<br /><br /><br />1. “Know your place!”<br />2. Dress and act more provocatively.<br />3. Get a reputation for yourself as easy, appeasing, “down for anything.”<br />4. Never be outspoken if it makes a man feel uncomfortable.<br />5. Let him cheat on you. Just ignore it and forgive him.<br />6. Act like you have no self-esteem so that you appear to be more needy.<br />7. Cheat on him at least once.<br />8. Remain open in the bedroom. After all, “What he can’t get at home, he will find elsewhere.”<br />9. Say yes when you really mean “No!”<br />10. Don’t be fake when you call yourself a “bad b**ch” because you will have to prove it!<br /><br /><br />I think we need to take a look at the messages young girls of today receive about love and marriage. Twenty years ago, you might hear someone say, “It is better to be a lady in the streets but a freak in the bed.” Today it seems that it is more attractive to be the "bad" girl publicly versus behind closed doors. Both women and men today raise the “bad b***h" up on a pedestal. Many of today’s men claim to want the "baddest b***h" sitting on their lap.<br /><br /><br /><br />It would seem to be that today, of the married couples I know in their 30s and under, men flock to women who they know will cheat on them. The reason for this I’m not completely sure of, but maybe he feels success in taming her animalistic nature, or at least trying to. Or maybe it is that he has decided to keep the baddest b***h around for life, while he entertains himself elsewhere as well.<br /><br /><br /><br />So my final question is this: Do I need to make a sex tape to find a husband in today’s society in order to make myself more wifey-like? If I just follow the traditional sayings, what type of husband can I expect to attract, if any?”<br /><br /><iframe width="425" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/QczgvUDskk0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Myra (Meeshe011)http://www.blogger.com/profile/07478287784290765455noreply@blogger.com1