Vocal Expressions

The holiday day season is upon us and this past Thanksgiving I had a lot to be thankful for not only for that day but everyday. The Christmas season is right around the corner and sales are abound, but I wasn’t one of those frenzied shoppers out there on Black Friday. The hassle was simply not worth it. Anyway, across the country many people aren’t so fortunate or blessed to be in a position to splurge because they’re either unemployed, underemployed or partly employed. A friend of mine recently sent me the link below which reflects the state of the economy and the effects it has on some people living in New York who lost their jobs including those who started their business in search of the American dream only to find it deflated by having to close their doors. It’s a sad reality but they still have to give thanks that they have the drive to move on and brace themselves for the unknown (hopefully, better luck!) Here’s the link: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/closetohome/view/

I had a fantabulous (lol)birthday weekend. It's good to know you have family and friends who truly care and remember your very special day. It's also good to know that folks who don't even know you can serenade you at a karaoke spot (I won't mention any names) - it made me feel oh so very special! Here's to another year of blessings, hope and prosperity.

I love music better yet, who doesn’t? Anyway, the other day I heard an old skool (sp, lol) mix and I couldn’t resist going back into the vault and blowing dust off some of the din da da… Anyway, what’s playing on my iPod? Mariah Carey - Obsessed Mario et al - Break Up Trey Songz - Successful Ryan Leslie – Addicted to you Prince – Red Corvette Sheila E – Glamorous Life Rihanna – Live your life....just to name a few!

One of my favorite pastime is reading. I love to attend book signings and I've met some of my favorite authors - Eric Jerome Dickey, Carl Weber, Zane, Kimberla Lawson Roby.

On the flip side of what makes me wanna holler, here's a list of things that bring me joy: My solitude when I need it Writing Community Service Collaborating with others Daycations My book club My writers’ critique group Self-discovery Men who express themselves, good, bad and indifferent (at least they’re communicating) Friends who aren’t afraid to be silly Laughing at myself Day dreaming Being creative in the kitchen Singing and dancing Hanging with my sister friends Exploring new things Breaking bread with the fam Sweating it out at the gym (whew, let me wipe my brow!) Thinking outside the box Shopping (no, I’m not a shopaholic!)

These are things that make me want to scream. So here goes: Black on black crime (crime in general but especially black on black crime) People who spew hate Men who are afraid to express themselves Women who lack self-love, self-esteem, self-confidence People who are not thankful for everything they have Mothers who don’t tell their kids they can be whatever they want to be People who don’t realize they have a choice in all things they do People who are stuck on stupid Selfishness People who live in a vacuum People who risk it all for nothing Men and women who are afraid to love People who can’t commit to anything Men who wear pants sagging off their butts (teenagers...a fad but grown men…should know better) Stalkers of radio and TV personalities and other celebrities (huh? Get a life folks!)

I’m excited because this month is my birthday month. This means that I’ll be celebrating all things ME all month long which includes things that I love to do, places I love to visit, things I would love to do, my musings, etc. To kick off this month, I joined some members of the mentoring program and some mentees to see the movie “Good Hair.” I found the documentary hilarious and quite sad at times especially how much emphasis we as Black women put on our hair. I thought Chris Rock did a good job in showcasing how obsessive some of us are about this issue (not wanting to swim, have anyone put their hands in it, paying too much money for a weave and even putting it on lay-a-way etc.). What I found interesting was that the hair (weaves) that so many of us crave comes mostly from India where women and young girls are encouraged to sacrifice their hair to the temple for blessings such as good harvest and prosperity. The temple then sells the hair for money and the hair e