fyi’s #BlackLove

While searching through the options on my Apple TV, I stumbled upon the show #BlackLove on the FYI network. Due to this catchy title with its hashtag which encourages social commentary to ensure that it be a trending topic online, I was intrigued. (Random thought: So I’m still pretty new to the social media world. Since there is already a hashtag in the show’s title, would you type in ##BlackLove on Twitter?) Who doesn’t love black love and its representation in our families and in the media, right? Well, in the first few episodes, that’s not what we see. It is the search for black love that drives this show. I was intrigued.

I’m Black and I’m Proud, but It’s Complicated

I am a proud black woman! I have always been and will always be proud of my ethnicity, culture, community, complexions, hairstyles, language, shapes, communication, family, traditions, humor, and so much more. I am proud and appreciative of the foundation that has been laid for me. I am proud to have so many opportunities to be whatever I want to be and do whatever I want to do thanks to my parents and the many others who sacrificed for me so that I could.

Today's Inspiration

It's finally getting cold in the northeast. We have definitely been spoiled by the warm weather that extended through much of December. I loved it! Being able to wear my Fall jackets in December has been the best!

Today's Inspiration

Bullet Journals, Something Old Made New

I have stumbled upon a new interest. As mentioned in the previous post,  Interests versus Hobbies, I experiment with different activities that may not always stick. For instance, for the better part of the last year and a half I painted with acrylics on a weekly to biweekly basis. With that said, I haven’t painted since July.

Back in September, I decided to try list journaling. All I did was write bullet lists of my daily activities, conversations, emotions, and diet for about two months. Since I currently don’t have a lot going on, I began to get bored because my lists were becoming redundant. Again, this was another interest that I let fall by the wayside.

Why I don’t feel like teaching today

Early in my teaching career, I worked at a high school that made people gasp when I told them that I worked there. It was no big deal to me. I did not encounter many disciplinary issues at all. However, the majority of the students that I taught were not motivated to learn. Each one had their own story and I understood, but on this one occasion I was a bit fed up.

Dear Facebook, I accept checks and money orders

Can I have an honest moment? Even though I've taken a break from teaching, the language arts teacher in me is often activated  when reading articles, brochures, flyers, anything. But, there is one specific medium that I visit frequently and leisurely where I am bombarded with so many grammatical errors that it makes me cringe. You've most likely already guessed it. It's you, Facebook.

My Apology to Cart Ditchers (but not all of them!)

I'd like to believe that I am not usually one to beat a dead horse, but I deeply believe that it is my civic duty to maintain order at shopping centers worldwide. Well today I observed an exception to my previous post which cursed all of the careless shopping cart ditchers who breed chaos in our society.

Put the Cart Back!

Today I journeyed out of my apartment to run a few errands: get an oil change, go to the bank, and grocery shop. All was going well. The weather was perfect and the fall foliage was beautiful. I was having a rather pleasant and productive day.

Once at the supermarket, out of habit, I parked near the shopping cart corral because I like to put the cart in its appropriate space. I am particularly anal about this because I absolutely despise when I begin to turn into a parking space only to discover a shopping cart in the way. Usually, I'll move on to a different spot. But if parking is difficult to find, I'll get out of my car to move the cart myself. The second reason why this annoys me is because the carts roll into parked cars causing damage.

Review of After Midnight

Originally posted on March 23, 2014

Last week I had the pleasure of seeing the Broadway play After Midnight starring Dulé Hill. My Guy surprised me with tickets, but he was a little disappointed because he thought that Toni Braxton and Babyface would be the feature singers but they were scheduled for a later date. Since it was all a surprise to me it didn’t matter.

Interests versus Hobbies

Originally posted on April 18, 2014

Here’s a list of activities that I have dabbled in over the past few months:

       1.       Painting
       2.       Interior design
       3.       Sewing
       4.       Photography
       5.       Writing
       6.       Hair styling
       7.       Jogging
       8.       Pilates
       9.       Making jewelry
      10.      Cooking/baking
      11.     Going to the movies
      12.     Shopping

It's Okay to Not Share

Today I came across a video that had been shared on Facebook by one of my cousins. It was not the first time I had viewed this video, but I watched it again as if it was my first time. The video was a spoken word poem titled "Look Up". You may have seen it before. In a nutshell, it suggests that we spend less time consumed with technology, specifically mobile devices, video, games, and the internet/social media. The poet stressed that by allowing these forms of technology to consume so much of our time we are missing the special moments in life and eliminating others from our lives, ultimately isolating ourselves by becoming engrossed in a virtual reality. It also stated that too often we seek validation through social media or we allow it to make us unsatisfied with our own lives because others edit their lives to share only the best parts.