Goodbye 2014...Hello 2015!

Happy New Year!

I won't hold you hostage with a super long post, but I did want to drop by and write something. Writing has been on my mind lately and just yesterday a friend asked why I didn't post anymore. Last post was in July. JULY. Now, I don't need to defend my absence but I will say that is a long time to be gone. Too long. Life was being lived. Feelings were being felt. Money was being made and spent, lol. I will do better, I have to. A lot happened in 2014. In a wide scope, America was being extra ugly towards my folk. Tragedy is never easy, but within the struggle there is beauty and the result of this unrest will be magnificent. People from all over came to Ferguson and the surrounding areas to show solidarity and let the powers that be know that this mistreatment is for the birds. On a more personal note, I got my own place, cut my hair...multiple times, bought a car, went back to school (<<<<<<I'm real excited about this one), I wrote my first guest piece on another site, went to some GREAT concerts, (OUTKAST, anyone??) D'Angelo returned to music and I willingly gave him my coins, I made some good new friends, dissolved some silly relationships, got promoted, switched branches, became uncomfortable. Most importantly, I loved, laughed, cried, lived and reveled in my being different. 2014 definitely had its share of ups and downs. I'm something like an optimist though so I tend not to dwell on the low points for long. I am definitely appreciative of all that happened and all that will happen. As far as resolutions go, I'm not big on them. I do like to have goals set though. My goals change throughout the year. As my mind shifts, so do the goals. I do have a little list for right now though.

 2015 Goals (so far)

• Take more pictures
• Dress up more
• Be more optimistic
• Do more art
• Improve
• Go more places ( here and abroad)
• Take no shit
• Organize
• Save money/make more
• Focus/Be attentive
• Learn more
• Be more awesome
• Be more aware
• Listen more (to God, to music, to myself, to others)
• Love myself and others more 

That's all I have to say right now. What are your plans for this year?
 Stay blessed or be pressed...




*soundtrack to this post was The Internet. Get familiar

2013 : Year in review

Happy New Year!!

I decided to write this post after watching my internet cousin Evelyn's vlog on YouTube. She's pretty fab, check her out. On to my year...It came in just as it went out, surrounded by loved ones and crying from laughter. Lots of things happened, but the most important was that this was the year that I planted some seeds for my future. I began a repayment plan with my former university, Jackson State. (I won't get into the foolish saga of actually getting the payment plan) My education is important to me, and I've decided that this brokeness that I'm experiencing is only temporary. I've always been frugal, but these payments are testing my patience. It's cool though, I'm going to pay the money, get the transcripts, graduate, get the career and the salary I deserve. Point. Blank. and The Period. I confronted some feelings about a boy that I had been burying for far too long. It was cathartic in a way. Real tears came from face. (If you know me, than you know that was a milestone.) I also had to be truthful with another man about how we weren't going to work out. That was hard. I'm built tough, but I'm not here to hurt feelings My besties and I had a friend talk that was long overdue, necessary, and helpful. We've been down for each other for over a decade and decided long ago that we weren't in the business of breaking up so we had to confront some issues. I became closer to them and to some women that we met through African dance class. These ladies have been a blessing. Slightly older, so much wiser and have shown us what our future can look like if we do it right. My folk threw me a surprise birthday party! I learned to crochet and it has made me feel more feminine, and in touch with my elders and ancestors. I read more books. I dated more men. I failed and succeeded.
 I've always been confident, but with each year I gain more self-love, empathy, compassion, knowledge, happiness. 2013 was no exception. It was a year of growth, and progression. I'm glad about it. 2014 is going to be good. It won't be a bowl full of cherries, but that's life. I'm ready for whatever. I'm going to spend my year becoming a better me. Reading more, writing more, loving more, living more.
I got some real advice right before the new year started. My good friend, Annessa said "I've been where you are, I've been 26. So let me tell you something you may not know, YOU'RE DIFFERENT. The End. You may feel like you're just like everyone else, but you're not. Know that. Embrace it." It clicked. She was telling me something that I knew but I don't really act on. So apart of me being a better me in 2014 will be to radiate my being different to as many folk as I can. I hope that your year will be as great as mine. I'll keep you all posted...

No Resolutions needed

Now that bubbly has been popped, confetti swept up, glow mouthpieces turned off, and various superstitious food eaten,  let's get settled into this new year. First, a quick look back. 2012 was a good year for me. I've been blessed beyond measure. I lost some lbs, I'm more active, I found African dance, I met some great new people, I made some extra income, made myself happy,paid off some debt , improved my credit score, and your girl got a lot of play from the opposite sex. I don't know if my pheromones were working overtime or what but they were making themselves known, lol.
 Many people make New Year's resolutions in January. Lose weight, quit a dead end job, learn new languages,etc. Nothing wrong with that or the people who make them. Some actually accomplish these goals, most don't. Check on them around March Madness and many have fallen off their respective wagons. Not I said the cat. I'm just trying to become a better version of me. I know who I am and in which areas I lack. No need to make a list and broadcast it to the world. My goal everyday is to be better than the day before. I want the same for you, so by the end of 2013 we can both look back and say "look at that, that list looming over my head wasn't missed. I made the changes for me and not for onlookers." This is merely a suggestion, if making a physical list works for you then honey don't let me stop you. As for me I'm taking a different approach. I wish for you a blessed, safe, happy, loving, prosperous new year.