The other day or last week me and a friend were having a conversation over Gchat .. and I decided to blog it .. rather than explain it and all that, just check it out::
A: so right, my new co-worker told me that I seem unapproachable. Like when Im walking around and stuff, and I look mean until I start talking to someone and then I look happy and good .. but that she was kind of nervous to talk to me .. .and then she sat with me last week for training and she’s like you know then I really realized ur really nice and funny and stuff
I dont seem unapproachable do i?
is it cuz I’m light skin?
B: lmao. I think its cus your black
A: lol but she’s black too
B: Real talk though, I think part of it has to do with the fact that you/we have this “woman on a mission” look/walk/way about us, that may make us seem unapproachable
that doesnt matter
I’ve had a black person tell me the same thing
A: thats true .. i do have a “woman about my business walk” lol
B: told ya! and your a cutie, so maybe she thought you thought you were “too good” or something
you literally have to go out of your way to say hi to everyone and damn near smile as you walk. lol
A: its true! you have to like be this walking smiling mannequin .. but like who the hell just walks and smiles?
B: heres the kicker though. (I’ve being giving this some thought)What do ppl really think would happen to them if they approached you, especially in the work place??
do they really expect you to give the stereotypical eye roll, head dance attitude?
A: this is true .. like do they expect a sigh and a head nod and for you to keep it moving? I think its a cop out for people being nervous sometimes .. like don’t blame it on me .. just say, “I was new and nervous about my first impressions. ..”or whatever
B: right!!!I can KINDA see guys feeling like they might get shut down
(had a dude that I thought was hella fine at my job tell me that)
but I dont think we run into that problem with older guys (as Ive been approached, even if its just to say hi, by older guys at my job)
women, are a different story though.
A: yeah I agree … men, especially older are diff .. one guy just walks past my office and says hello .. i can’t even remember his name .. just whenver he’s in my building .. women are diff .. which is why I was happy that I started work the same time as another girl so it kinda broke the ice
and almost everyone in my office is under 30 ..
** I might have to blog this ** lol
B: go for it!!!!
its definitely a issue that I think a lot of females face. On the opposite end, do you approach 20 something new black females, at random or not?
A: I always introduce myself to people when t hey start .. and try to make converation, ask where’d they work before .. get a feeel for them
———-
What do you guys think? Has this been something you’ve faced / encountered? Is this real? Why do people judge you off how you walk around?
The other day I made my first reference to my next big birthday, 30! OMG I can’t believe I’m already thinking of 30! WTF! I remember being 16 and saying the perfect age was 22. And I just celebrated my 25th. Sheesh. WOW.
Here’s how the scenario went. I was in the shower, just doing some idle shower thinking (I tend to come up with some novel ideas and premises while showering). And I thought of getting Lasik, and I said “I’ll get Lasik for my 30th birthday gift to myself” Like, it wasn’t even a second thought. I’m miffed. It’s official. I’m old. When did this happen?
I didn’t even get nostalgic when I referenced it. It didn’t hit me until 3 days later when I mentioned it to a friend. I was like woah, did I just say When I turn 30??? I have several friends who are closer to 3o (or past 30) and I totally adore them. I mean, I still have some years to go and I hope to pack them full of interesting and life fulfilling events. I am looking forward to the next few years. I expect BIG things for myself!
Yesterday on twitter I realized what day it was .. see the tweets ..
@Cleosunshine: Damn today is 10-05 … Wow .. Woulda been me an the ex’s __ anniversary … Oh well.. Onward is the only forward ..
@Cleosunshine: Its crazy what you think when your stupid in love.. I thought I’d never get over that relationship .. But I was wrroonnggg lmao
@Cleosunshine: Not only am I over it, I don’t look back!
—
It’s amazing how much a difference time actually makes. A year ago yesterday I was in a relationship with a guy I dealt with off and on since high school and I thought no matter what our ups and downs were that we would make it. I thought if this love didn’t work out I’d be alone forever. Isn’t it crazy? We get so caught up in the person and/or our situation that we forget our own greatness.
Since then I’ve developed a personal style that reflects me, lost about twenty pounds, and gained self-confidence. Am I perfect? Abso-freaking-lutely NOT! But I love who I am .. and I embrace the past that got me here. So, I guess this is really a thank you because without you, I wouldn’t have realized I deserve more
I like to think the core of who I am was still there a year ago, and maybe it was .. but now I think I’m more free and willing to express that. I’m happy, silly, and sometimes a little dark and twisty and I refuse to let someone else steal that thunder. I have a certain patience mixed with a little neurosis that I happen to love. And I embrace the people in my life, even the ones who’ve roles have faded as time has went on.
And HELLO?? have you seen the post from Date Night??? * swoons* Who has time to reminisce over the past when the present and possible future is right there in front of you??
Dubb sent me a GREAT read today about long distance love, I absolutely LOVEEEDD it .. my response: When am I gonna get my e-love? Of course I was joking (i think) but I started thinking of my e-life. And while I haven’t found the e-love of my life like others (barf barf) I have found an E-BFF!! yes, I’m talking about @Jess_Dubb, who I have to stop myself from referring to as Dubb IRL .. because my friends side-eye me like who the fuck is Dubb?? *does this make me weird??*
Me & Dubb’s relationship has progressed sort of like the couple who I read about today. First we were following each other on twitter, and through our tweets & @ replies discovered the other was hella cool. We also checked out each others blogs and commented on each other .. Eventually some emails were exchanged and then we became BBM friends. Now, our BBM relationship didn’t jump off right away .. there were some short convos at first. We were kinda feeling each other out I think, then it later progressed to full on events
.. WAIT WAIT WAIT!!
Lemme back up .. there were some Google Wave 3somes with @HollywoodHeat (Google wave came & flopped huh??) and that was my first 3 as well (Dubb blogged it, check it out) ok .. so BBM progressed to daily BBM convos. We talked about so many different things, relationships, school, random shit, family, etc., Then we started Gchatting during the work day because I mean, we both work and we can pretend we are doing work if we are facing a computer screen (#imjustsaying).. and then it happened last week, We talked on the phone *shocked face* Idk, maybe Dubb didn’t like my phone voice, since she hasn’t called me since ?? (I kid, I kid, BBM suits me just fine!)
And a few weeks back I slowly started planning my trip to ATL this summer.. and Dubb shall be my tour guide .. and when she comes to the Dirty Jerz this summer, you best believe we shall play in NYC and have a blast. And we’re both looking at graduate schools on the West Coast. Me + Dubb on the strip w/ the sun on our backs blogging it up .. Yup .. sounds fun!
Maybe I got what I needed online, just not how I expected??
Sexual Anorexia? Sexerexia? This is a new medical condition apparently that can be defined “an obsessive state in which the physical, mental, and emotional task of avoiding sex dominates one’s life. Hmmm… Really? Thats odd, because the people who aren’t having sex usually want to have sex and the people having sex (or at least the ones I know) want MORE sex! But you have some people who are withholding it willingly? Hmmm..
I always thought using sex to control a relationship never worked? In the article it says that “Like self-starvation with food or compulsive dieting or hoarding with money, deprivation with sex can make one feel powerful and defended against all hurts.” Hmmm… In my mind, lack of sex makes one cranky and a downright bitch (this term does apply for men as well). Could that be all those control issues coming out? Having sex is like a way to cope with stress and problems. It’s like while your in the middle of some good sex nothing else exists, but you and the person and the moment. So, can you imagine using NO sex as a way to cope with stress and life difficulties? Um, NO. Sex is therapy. Yes, Robin Thicke had it right. Give me sex therapy!
How does one go about treating sexual anorexia? Do you suddently decide you’ve had enough of the drought and just go and bang the next person you see? How do you formulate healthy relationships without sex? I’m sorry, but you can’t have a serious adult relationship without sex at some point. You just can’t. That’s my belief and I’m sticking to it.
So, Newsweek published the Top 1500 Public Schools in America this week. I kinda didn’t really pay any attention to it until today, and guess what! 48 of the Top 1500 are in NJ! Yes, that’s right the state that most movies & people mock is cranking out schools worthy of your attention! Too bad my high school wasn’t included, but hey we can’t have it all! There was one from a neighboring town though. Check it out!
85 McNair Academic | Jersey City
170 Millburn |Millburn
175 Ridge |Basking Ridge
198 Bernards |Bernardsville
210 Princeton |Princeton
303 Cresskill |Cresskill
378 Demarest |Demarest
416 Governor Livingston |Berkeley Heights
419 Summit |Summit
452 Glen Ridge |Glen Ridge
474 West Morris Mendham |Mendham
498 Ridgewood |Ridgewood
510 West Windsor-Plainsboro | South Princeton Junction
520 Leonia | Leonia
556 North Hunterdon |Annandale
568 Cranford |Cranford
578 Kinnelon |Kinnelon
608 Holmdel |Holmdel
663 West Morris Central |Chester
678 West Windsor-Plainsboro |North Plainsboro
713 Haddonfield |Haddonfield
733 Voorhees | Glen Gardner
735 Chatham |Chatham
795 Old Tappan |Old Tappan
811 Montclair |Montclair
841 Watchung Hills |Warren
844 Mainland Regional |Linwood
869 Westfield |Westfield
896 South Brunswick |Southport
930 Fair Lawn |Fair Lawn
946 Cherry Hill East |Cherry Hill
970 Madison | Madison
1014 Mountain Lakes |M.L.
1048 Columbia |Maplewood
1075 Bridgewater-Raritan |Bridgewater
1111 Rumson-Fair Haven |Rumson
1118 High Tech |North Bergen
1156 East Brunswick |East Brunswick
1183 New Providence |New Providence
1203 Northern Highlands |Allendale
1224 Wayne Hills |Wayne
1245 Ocean Township |Oakhurst
1277 Cherry Hill West |Cherry Hill
1324 Johnson |Clark
1332 Hackensack |Hackensack
1360 Somerville | Somerville
1404 John P. Stevens |Edison
1449 Wayne Valley |Wayne
1454 River Dell | Oradell
For the whole list or to even look up your state check it out HERE
First there was anthrax.. then it was Bird Flu.. let’s not forget SARS and now we have Swine Flu. There is always some new viral outbreak to worry Americans and everyone else who’s willing to worry. Maybe I just think I’m so tough that I don’t really pay attention to this crap. Maybe its because I’m one of those young people who thinks they are invincible. Or because I just don’t believe the hype..
Either way, everyone is all up in turmoil about this damn Swine Flu. Now I admit, when I first heard the words I was like “welp, its good I don’t eat pork I guess!!” LOL. I know right, how wrong and ignorant. So to prevent other people from being ignorant, I want everyone to know this has NOTHING to do with actually eating pork. I read that places were removing pork from the shelves, one place even removed Turkey Bacon which isn’t even pork! I guess the word bacon began to carry a negative connotation.
I can tell you how to avoid spreading germs and it doesn’t include those ugly surgeons masks that Heidi & Spencer have been wearing around the internet. WASH YOUR FUCKING HANDS!! You don’t believe how many people don’t wash their hands or even use some hand sanitizer. Sheesh. Some peoples bodies are a breeding ground for germs. Also, if you are sick–Stay your ass home! No one wants to hear you coughing and sneezing at work all day anyway! Use a damn sick day. If you’ve used them all, you might have to take the loss because its not worth it for you to come in and infect the rest of the office (or school!). If you don’t have a job that gives you sick days, you need to step your game up!
But for those of you with real concerns over this other, more professional people, over at CNN have answered your Swine Flu questions, here were my top 3 Q & A’s:
Could this new swine flu virus have been manufactured by bio terrorists?(are you serious??? terrorism??? did CNN make this question up??)
That’s the theory on some conspiracy theorists’ Web sites. But experts don’t believe it.
“If you were a bio terrorist you’d want to create something that’s a lot more deadly than this,” said Dr. Gerald Evans, an associate professor of microbiology at Queen’s University in Canada. “The problem with influenza is that the second you put it into people, it replicates and mutates very quickly. Even if you created the perfect bioweapon, within a few generations of transmissions, it wouldn’t do what you planned for it to do.”
Why are large numbers of people dying in Mexico, but not in other countries? (because Mexican health care sucks?? Why do you think everyone is trying to come to America??)
This is the big mystery doctors are trying to solve right now. Many infectious disease experts say it’s most likely a matter of numbers: with more illnesses in Mexico, there are also more deaths. Other explanations: that in Mexico people have, in addition to swine flu, other viruses that make for a more deadly combination than swine flu alone. It’s also possible that the virus infecting the rest of the world is a weaker version than the one in Mexico. Among the swine flu mysteries: Why only deaths in Mexico?
Should I be freaking out?(Um, why do you have to ask someone else about your reactions???)
A new virus spreading quickly around the world. Young, healthy people struck dead in Mexico. Should we all be panicking?
“Absolutely not,” said Dr. William Schaffner, chairman of the department of preventive medicine at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine. Swine flu, he said, “is not spreading all that rapidly. Take the St. Francis School in New York. There’s been very little transmission from the schoolchildren to family members, and it certainly hasn’t spread throughout Queens.”
But, Schaffner added, this doesn’t mean we shouldn’t pay attention to swine flu. “We should be alert, keep up with the information coming out daily, and take control by being attentive to your hygiene. Wash your hands very, very frequently and avoid people who are coughing and sneezing.” (DDDUUUHHH, did you really need someone to tell you that??)
For more of the questions & other swine flu related articles check it out here
I also went to Twitter to see what people are saying, because, well people say the darndest things.. And here are some doozies..
@greedesgirl: Fuck you swine flu! (hahaha, my sentiments!!)
@Pauly666: Swine Flu? It’s a load of Hogwash! (trruueee!!)
@fifeslife: All of this over blown Swine Flu coverage is ridiculous. South Park needs a swine flu episode. (either them or Family Guy!)
@ApexMI: RT @elranchero: So far 1 person in the US has died of Swine Flu, but 36,000 people died of regular flu. (via @captainmicahp) (damn.. very good point.. people don’t care about the norm though!)
@princessarizona: They should have ordered the borders closed once they heard about the Swine flu outbreak. And they do not want people to panic… (that would have been too much like a quarantine & hurt their travel revenue, but its what really concerned people would have done. But we need infected people so the pharmaceutical industry can make more $$)
@rainbowtyedye I read about entire countries slaughtering pigs because of swine flu. What is this going to do to the price of my beloved bacon? (perhaps the best question raised! LOL … I’m sure other bacon lovers are thinking the same thing!)
This lady at my job just told me to make sure I get mask for my upcoming flight (2 weeks away). It never even crossed my mind to do so. See what these damn scares do to people. Now I really have to ponder if I should do that. FML!!
I’m not really into yoga, but one of my best friends is, so I can’t wait for her to hear about Bette Calman, an 83 year old yoga instructor. Yoga Granny can get into poses that my 20-something body can’t even fathom! Maybe I should get into yoga if it can keep me like this. I did always want to try Pilates though. Which one is better?
& no these are NOT camera tricks (at least to my knowledge).
According to the article, Bette was a pioneer of the regime in Australia in the 1950s, ran yoga centres for 33 years and made regular TV appearances in the 70s. She still teaches up to 11 classes a week and doesn’t plan on giving up any time soon. I’m sure she gets business just based on her being a novelty. I know I’d pay for a class just to see her do her thing. But I’d also be scared because what if that was the day her wrist gave out? I mean its great that she can do these things, but even the most viral old people have injuries. Her body is young, but her bones are still old. I’m just saying..
This may be mean, but I find her face hard to look into for long periods of time. I feel like her eyes are piercing through my soul.
I learned something new today, which is always great! Someone said they were in the mood to watch some tribbing-and I had no idea what that was. So, being on this eternal quest for knowledge I proceeded to google “tribbing”. Yes, google is wonderful and I don’t know how I survive a day without it. I can’t think of a day that goes by when I don’t google something… anything.. an image… a name.. a person…
But I digress I found out what tribbing was, or tribadism for the more formal. This is the act of two women bumping kitties!!! (I am going to be PG for the sake that I just don’t talk overly dirty and to say it with the other words would just be too vulgar for me). But yes, tribbing is a lesbian sex act that involves two women who lay, i guess, like scissors and rub their snatches on one another. I was shocked. But then was like oh.. well damn, how did they decide to name it tribadism, sounds like a typo on tribalism. Sssoooo… after I found out what it was, i tried to search for videos since I just had to see this act in progress. But no such luck, but there was site dedicated to “tribbing” but I don’t remember if the videos loaded and I know that there were no good valid links on Xtube, but whatever…
****UPDATE****
I found a video that demonstrates what Tribbing is.. it doesn’t tickle my fancy, but someone will like it!
For a moment, let’s ignore this hideous outfit that looks like it came from Baby Gap and admire the wonderfulness of these shoes. I need more information on them, more precisely where can I find them and how many rent payments will they set me back. Or hell, even if someone knows of a cheaper version, they are MINE! They will be so hot on my Caribbean vacation in May. They are freaking HAUTE!!! I love the details on the heel, I have a pair of brown suede summer shoes that have a heel like that, and I love that little hidden detail with the gold stitched in there. But these, the leather and the straps are making my heart melt. Info please!
For those who don’t know who this is, this is Amber Rose-supposedly Kanye’s new chick. Now this kind of makes sense on her fashion choices, because Kanye is highly into being different, which is admirable, but there is a fine line between different & stylish and this here. This here is just wrong. It’s too much: the scarf, the elastic waist shorts, the mini tee… Maybe the mini tee with some form fitting pants would have worked for me. Or the shorts with a shirt that covered her belly. I guess for me, there is just too much skin! There have been all sorts of internet rumors about her: she’s a dyke, a stripper, and who knows what else. I don’t care. But every time someone says the rumor I think of the lyrics to Stronger:
“Heard they’d do anything for a Klondike
Well I’d do anything for a blonde dyke
And she’ll do anything for the limelight
And we’ll do anything when the times right. “
Well if any of the rumors are true… here you have it! LOL. I don’t care. I love Kanye’s music and don’t mind his arrogance. I mean he does his thing in music and thats what matters. Graduation was my least favorite cd of his, but it doesn’t mean I think its a bad cd, it just wasn’t his best work. But the latest one, 808s & Heartbreak. Well, that goes hard in my Ipod. Love it! He’s some real stuff despite the autotone, which I hate. You can’t deny the power behind the lyrics….
Here’s Stronger, just because I like it and I referenced it!
I recently acquired a pet. A cat named Phoebe to be exact. Now, I don’ t really consider myself a cat person, but ever since living alone I thought getting a pet companion would be a good idea. I toyed with the idea of a cute dog, but then I thought about the time commitment a dog would take. I didn’t think I’d have that much time or dedication to give to a dog, so I began tot tinker with the idea of getting a cat. At first I dismissed it because well, I didn’t see myself as a cat lover and cats are known to mischievous/sneaky pets. But then I saw my best friend get a kitten. Her kitten was so cute. He was so cute and she named him Sookie (hello TrueBlood fans!). I would go to her house and just play with her cat. Even after he knocked water on me while I was sleeping, I still liked him. So then I went on this quest to find myself a kitten, preferable for free since times are hard when you decide to live on your own 30 miles from your job.
I found out that cats don’t usually have kittens in the winter, so finding a kitten would probably be hard, especially a free kitten. I began to look around for cats online at animal shelters and did find a few, but didn’t want to pay adoption fees. So I went to everyone internet lovers friend (or foe if you get caught up) www.craigslist.org. I responded to an ad and decided to go meet up with the people. I had lots of fear instilled in me for fear of being scammed and therefore attacked and maimed all for trying to get a damn cat.
Fast forward 3 weeks later, and I’m adjusting to life with a cat. Phoebe is around 8 years old and she’s such a sweet kitty. She likes a lot of attention when I first get home. Sometimes its a pain in the neck because I need to get stuff done. I will be working on my laptop and she will stand on me, in front of the lapto until she has had enough attention to move. OR while I’m cooking dinner she constantly meows for what reason I don’t know. But I feel an obligation to give her a good home because the people who gave her to me seemed like they gave her a good home. I have learned that I will now need a lint roller for all my clothing. Indoor cats shed a lot because they have no real sense of the seasons. I learned that she rubs up against things to leave her scent on the, not to get familiar with them like a blind person as I initially thought. I learned that scoopable kitty litter is your friend. I learned that cats do NOT always keep it in the litter box. I learned litter follows them all around your house also therefore you need a broom, which I do not have.
I recently learned what declawing does to cats. I didn’t realize its a process where they basically take off the tips of your cats fingers. I feel bad for poor Phoebe Sceebe, but not so bad that I wish she had claws to scratch me. I also discovered cats have a rough tongue, it makes for an interesting feeling when phoebe wants to lick my hand.
I do feel a little crazy when I come home and talk to Phoebe. Its almost like talking to yourself, but I think she likes hearing my voice or at least I hope so. I feel a very strong bonding towards this cat I’ve only had for a few weeks. Listening to her purr is quite relaxing and I am happy with my choice to get a cat, even if I do have a minor allergy.
Last week I read a story about a man who discovered that his co-worker was actually his father. Can you believe that? Apparently Police Sgt. Chris Walker never knew who his father was, and this was constantly a source of discontent with him. It’s kind of a classic story, wife & husband separate. She bangs new guy (this time a younger guy) and gets preggers. She then tells estranged husband that she’s preggers and they get back together. All the while she secretly things separation fling guy is the father. One day Mother told Son that the man he thought was his father, on his birth certificate, wasn’t really his father (this happens all the time believe it or not!). After finding this out Walker was obsessed with finding who his father is. His searched ended with his new co-worker Detective Clay Hamilton. How odd is that, the chance that they both became cops? Is that like some dormant gene that cop fathers pass to their children? A lot of guys, like this kid from my hometown, become cops because of their dads. Anyway, after DNA test proved that he was actually the son of his co-worker they’ve been bonding and all that good stuff.
I love how they are downplaying the fact this this adult (married) woman slept with a 15 year old boy. Not one article I read said anything about this. They weren’t questioning why she slept with such a young boy. I mean, he was barely a teenager, what was he a freshmen in high school? This is some Desperate Housewives crap. This kind of stuff can ruin families. I mean this man, Clay, has a family of his own. And yeah it was a long time ago, but now his other kids – a young son and older daughter (35)- have to deal with having a new sibling. And the wife has to deal with this too. For a kid discovering his father, that’s awesome, but the father now has a lot of explaining to do. But wait, get this. Apparently neither of them (the parents) really knew each others names. He thought she was BIllie Joe Walker somebody and she thought his name was Clayton. Her name is Debbie and his is Claiborne. Tsk Tsk.
Can you imagine how bad this situation could have turned out? Imagine if you thought the person was a total douchebag or they were just a complete idiot. That would make it so much harder to come to terms with. I know for me, there are a few people at work who I’m like, “WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU???” But then there are others who I wonder how they’d respond if I asked “Hey, you’re pretty cool. Do you want to adopt a fully grown college graduate?”
I love/loved www.tickle.com. So imagine my surprise today when I decided I was going to go get my test on and they were closed. IDK what sparked this. They had some good ass tests on their site. I have a folder in my Gmail dedicated to my Tickle results. I have my sexual persona, my personality type, and my subconscious mind among others.
Formerly known as Emode.com, Tickle was founded on the belief that personal insight and connections to others could be both scientific and fun. Tickle was the leading interpersonal media company, providing self-discovery, and social networking services. Their results, if you answered as honestly as possible with the choices, were usually so on point. I read online that they had psychology and marketing experts from Harvard, Yale, Duke, Northeastern, Washington University in St. Louis, SUNY at Albany, and The University of Kansas on staff. I remember when it used to be eMode.com too, LOL. I wonder what the site upkeep was there? They had over 200 tests, some PHd Certified.
If you type in tickle.com they will refer you to other career based sites, but its just not the same. The biggest one they are boosting is TestQ.com, which doesn’t seem as fun or interesting. Sigh.. I’m sad.. I guess I’ll head over to blogthings.com and b.s. over there…
I’ve been meaning to write about Kwanzaa since the day after Christmas, but all types of holiday stuff had me too busy. I can’t say that I actually participate in Kwanzaa, but I think that people have the wrong idea of what it exactly is. Some think of it as an alternative to Christmas when its not actually so. In fact, Kwanzaa is a cultural holiday versus being a religious one. Kwanzaa was “created” in 1966 by Dr. Maulana Karenga, a professor of Africana Studies at California State University during the Black Freedom Movement. t is celebrated December 26-January 1. The name Kwanzaa is derived from the phrase “matunda ya kwanza” which means “first fruits” in Swahili. Its thought to reflect the communities concern for cultural grounding and the unity and self-determination associated with the movement. Kwanzaa was created to reaffirm and restore our roots in African Culture-making it a reconstruction of African Culture.
Kwanzaa is said to represent a time of ingathering of the people to reaffirm the bonds between them. It’s also a time of special reverence for the creator and creation in thanks for blessings and the beauty of creation. It also represents commemoration of the past in pursuit of its lessons and in honor of its models of human excellence, a.k.a our ancestors. Additional first fruit celebrations include a time for re-commitment to our highest cultural ideals in our ongoing effort to always bring forth the best of the African cultural thought and practice, and a time for celebration of the good: the good of life, family, community, culture, the ordinary, the divine, the natural, and the social.
Kwanza is built upon 7 principals. I remember in elementary school during the Holiday play, which was every year no matter what grade you were in, we had to recite the seven principals of Kwanzaa. I remember BET used to have a Kwanzaa special. This was the old BET, not the crap as of late. The BET I remember had shows like Teen Summit. OH yeah! Back to the 7 principals of Kwanzaa,ne is celebrated each day of Kwanzaa.
1. Umoja: Unity
2. Kujichagulia: Self Determination (I just used to love saying this).
3. Ujima: Collective Work and Responsibility
4. Ujamaa: Cooperative Economics
5. Nia: Purpose
6. Kuumba: Creativity
7. Imani: Faith
I think Kwanzaa isn’t widely practice because no one is really taught about it. Sure, in class they glaze over it, but no one is instructing people on how to practice the ceremony. No one is helping kids light the Kinara or anything. Whereas we are socialized about Christmas from nearly birth. Even as a child you are instructed on the art of gift giving. From a kid you write letters to Santa, or Saint Nick however you want to refer to him. Christmas is truly lacking in its origins but people are still caught up in the commercialization of it. Going into massive credit card debt every year while other holidays such as Kwanzaa and even Hanukkahs (did I spell that right) are briefly acknowledged. Who’s fault is this? People or the businesses? If we weren’t inspired by all these shiny and technological they wouldn’t have us in this continuous consumer warp.
Dope. Crazy. Perfectly Imperfect. I'm not the best writer and probably not the worst either, but I am happy while doing it. Stick with me and you'll never be bored! I mean, maybe you won't and maybe you will....
Dubb sent me a GREAT read today about long distance love, I absolutely LOVEEEDD it .. my response: When am I gonna get my e-love? Of course I was joking (i think) but I started thinking of my e-life. And while I haven’t found the e-love of my life like others (barf barf) I have found an E-BFF!! yes, I’m talking about 
(image courtesy of Huffington Post)
I’ve been meaning to write about Kwanzaa since the day after Christmas, but all types of holiday stuff had me too busy. I can’t say that I actually participate in Kwanzaa, but I think that people have the wrong idea of what it exactly is. Some think of it as an alternative to Christmas when its not actually so. In fact, Kwanzaa is a cultural holiday versus being a religious one. Kwanzaa was “created” in 1966 by Dr. Maulana Karenga, a professor of Africana Studies at California State University during the Black Freedom Movement. t is celebrated December 26-January 1. The name Kwanzaa is derived from the phrase “matunda ya kwanza” which means “first fruits” in Swahili. Its thought to reflect the communities concern for cultural grounding and the unity and self-determination associated with the movement. Kwanzaa was created to reaffirm and restore our roots in African Culture-making it a reconstruction of African Culture.