Still A Friend Of Mine

The past two years have been years of transition. I've moved, had another child, changed jobs, grown hair(!!!), grown spiritually, and emotionally. (Thank goodness I haven't grown physically;) During my transition some of my friendships have become closer. I have gained so much from my angelfriends (yeah, I'm talking about you!). You enhance my life, my family, my spirit. You keep me refreshed.

During my transition others friendships have become more distant. I am grateful for the strong relationships that I've been able to continue, but I truly miss those friends who I don't talk to as much as I used to. I miss their laughter, views, conversation, families, children and just basic...friendship. I know we all get caught up in life...work, family, activities, etc. So, I assume that we all are experiencing similar life-things and have an understanding about the frequency of our calls or visits. I know that sometimes I am guilty of thinking that my Girls know me...they know I'll come up for air when I'm finished riding this roller coaster, or when I can get situated, or when I finally feel like talking...when they actually might not. My mistake.

This year, I am making an effort to talk to friends that I haven't in awhile, and to keep up with those I have. Now, I'm not saying this is going to be easy, but making a call or writing an email message, or even sending a card, just to say I'm thinking about you is often all it takes to let someone know you care and keep the friendship rolling.

I treasure all of the friendships that I have, whether they be close or distant, at the moment. I love my friends and as the Incognito song says, "Here and now, still somehow, still a friend of mine, oh you're still a friend of mine...Seasons come and seasons go...I'm gonna be right here for you! Still a friend of mine, oh you're still a friend of mine!"

Dancin' Queen

Not to be outdone by her baby brother, Princess gave us a show too. She just has sooo many moves. The hair thing really cracks me up! She is such a girly girl.

Boogie Fever

We here at the Rhythm Nation were having some fun on our SNOW DAY! Juicy Boy can't help but feel the beat! Go Juicy...Get Busy!

I'm sending you a Valentine...

Happy Valentine's Day BEAR! I love you more today than yesterday...but not half as much as tomorrow!

I hope everyone who reads this enjoys a day filled with positive energy and love from family and friends.

Puff le Dragon Magique

Today was a special day for Princess. It was the annual school concert. She, her classmates, and peers sang for their adoring photo and video frenzied parents. They recited an opening Peace Poem and followed up with two songs about working together. Then they sang two songs about content they've learned, "Tell me the Oceans" and "Tell Me the Continents." After those big hits...(The songs stay in your mind..."Tell me the name of the five big oceans, tell me the names if you can! The (short e) Pacific! The (long e) Atlantic!...") they sang in French. Now, I didn't understand a thing they sang, but I knew the tunes of the songs...and the program confirmed my thoughts. They sang the Itsy Bitsy Spider (Princess' favorite song as an infant and toddler) and What a Wonderful World (Louie Armstrong would be proud). Now the finale, and the best part of the concert was when they 3, 4, and 5 year old students sang Puff le Dragon Magique!

When Princess first started singing this song at home, I thought she was making up the lyrics. I know that sounds terrible, but she had just recieved a wonderfully illustrated version of Puff the Magic Dragon from a colleague of mine with a CD of the song. Princess is really intrigued by languages, and has been known to create her own when she hears someone else speaking a foreign language. So when I heard her sing, "Puff le Dragon Magique..." at home, I thought she was in her creative mode and just decided that she would enhance the song. Little did I know!

I was such a proud mommy when I saw her reciting and singing in English and French. Princess is a wonderful blessing. She is intelligent, caring, funny, silly, inquisitive, conscious of who she is, creative, and a part of me. My beautiful girl is growing up. Sometimes I just look at her in awe of just how good God has been to me. Thank you Lord!

Click for Cancer

I received an email earlier this week asking me to visit The Breast Cancer site. This is a wonderful site that provides information on breast cancer, shares survivor stories, as well as informs the reader about projects. The best thing about this site is everytime someone visits the site, and clicks the pink button on the home page, sponsors in turn pay for a free mammogram for a woman. It's very simple...visit the site daily, click the pink button daily, and sponsors pay for mammograms. Let's take a moment out of our day to make a difference in the life of someone else. One mammogram can save a woman's life through early detection. PLEASE CLICK FOR CANCER! Your click can allow a woman to LIVE through life's challenges of breast cancer with strength and grace.

It's time to D.E.A.R. (Drop Everything And Read)

What are you reading? Although my time has been filled with extra Juiciness since Juicy Boy was born, I still try to read good books. Well, let me rephrase that. I try to read good literature. I like to read books by some mainstream authors like Jane Smiley, Michael Crichton, Amy Tan, and Wally Lamb, but I really enjoy reading good African American literature.

Now, let me be clear, I am not speaking of the new "street lit" category of books being passed off as literature in some books stores and libraries. Zane doesn't do it for me. Neither does Sista Souljah. I am talking about books by writers like Zora Neale Hurston, Marie-elena John, Pearl Cleage, Benilda Little, Toni Morrison, Martha Southgate, Alice Walker, Lalita Tademy, Gloria Naylor, Suzan-Lori Parks, Bebe Campbell Moore, Ntozake Shange, and even Zadie Smith. I could go on and on, but you get the idea. I am talking about books that transport me to another place and/or time; books that make me think; books that explore people from the African diaspora; books that challenge my current thought; books that inspire; books that move me; books that make me laugh; books where the characters are people I know in real life; books that sometimes slip in some new vocabulary; books that share the Black experience that I know; books that tell a wonderful story.

I have been trying to find good literature to read for the past two years and...it has been difficult. I go in the bookstore and see what's on the newly released shelves and find...little or nothing. I go to the featured new writers shelves and find...little or nothing. I peruse the shelves in alphabetical order looking for new releases from my favorite authors to find...little or nothing. I've asked some of my friends for suggestions of titles that I may have missed only to find out they are in the same situation. What is going on? Why the dearth of good African American literature?

There may be several reasons that African American literature is not hitting the shelves the way it used to. One reason is that "street lit" is extremely popular and profitable. Another reason is that many great authors take awhile to write quality novels. Martha Southgate, author of Third Girl from the Left (which I enjoyed), wrote a book review for "The New York Times" that may explain a few more reasons for the limited supply of quality African American literature. You can read her article here.

To assist people like me who are searching for works by African American authors, Southgate and a few colleagues created a new blog called ringShout. It is a very basic blog, and is in it's infancy, but it has a book list that carries out its mission of "recognizing, reclaiming and celebrating excellence in contemporary literary fiction and nonfictionby black writers in the United States." YES!

If you are as excited about this website and specifically this book list, please take a look at it here and go to the book stores, libraries, book sale websites and request these titles and authors. Maybe if we request these books and others like it, publishers will take note and print more quality literature in larger quantities. It's worth a try...

Happy reading!

I'm treading...

I have been feeling like I'm going under. I can see the water rising from my hips to my stomach...my stomach to my shoulders...my shoulders to the top of my neck. The water is rising and I'm standing still. Have you ever had that feeling?

That feeling lets me know that I am becoming overwhelmed. I have had at least six major deadlines at work within the past month and a half. I have had team meetings, off site meetings (it was fun), parent meetings, administrative meetings, after school meetings, before school meetings, school wide meetings. I have been reviewing goals and planning lessons. I have been working with an intern observing in my classroom. I work hard to do and be my best at work.

I come home and try to be the best mommy and wife I can be. I play. I laugh. I chase (did I tell you that Juicy Boy started walking at 9 months?). I read (to and with Princess (She is doing well reading her beginner books. I didn't push. It's all the work of her teacher. My master's degree in reading education means nothing to her!). We dance. We sing. We eat...yeah, I cook too. I spend time with Bear talking, singing, dancing, loving, listening, watching television/movies. I enjoy spending time with friends, talking to friends...this is so good for my soul. I am connecting better than I have been in awhile. And yes, I even try to make time for me. I am just like you. I am just exhausted. I need a break!

I feel like Kindred the Family Soul sometimes. "I wanna go to a place where lovers go. Do the things that lovers do. No stress, a sweet caress from me to you. I wanna do the things we used to do. Say the things we used to say. Just lay, everyday (all day). Far away from here, far away from here, far away from here. Just jump in a taxicab, pack a bag, and get away fast." I can hear Miami and California calling me, but I don't really have to go that far for a break. I can have my break right here.

I thought my break might have come in the form of a snow day by now. I know we've had Christmas break and MLK off from school, but nothing beats that unexpected (or expected) snow day. You know the kind of snow day that happens when nothing is falling when you go to sleep at midnight, but by the time you rise at 4:30 to check the weather stations, a beautiful white blanket has covered the area and CLOSED THE SCHOOLS. (Ooh, I'm getting excited just thinking about it.) I thought we had one day coming, but alas it turned into a two hour delay. I was grateful for the extra sleep time...well potential of extra sleep time since Princess gets up like an alarm clock no matter what to tell me that she is hungry.

Old Man Winter seems to have a thing going on with Sister Spring and she's got my "man" all hot and bothered. It was 71 balmy degrees in Reston, VA yesterday! She's really working her magic. Now, don't get me wrong, you know I love the warm weather! It was wonderful to feel the warmth against my skin and feel the balmy breezes last night, but it would also be nice to cuddle up with my family while drinking hot chocolate in my pajamas, making stew, chilli, or some other comfort food in the crock pot while surfing the web, taking naps (whenever Juicy Boy is down...so am I), catching up on magazines or books, or just vegging in front of the television...all because we had a snow day. The snow day would relax me and give me the mental health break (thanks Daddy!) that I desperately need.

So, I'm going to hold my breath and try to tread water for a couple of weeks longer to see if this snow is going to appear. Although it was a balmy 71 degrees here yesterday, tonight it is 40 degrees and it is supposed to be 36 degrees on Monday. I'll keep looking for chances of precipitation with chilly temperatures in the forecast. When I hear that there is a chance of accumulating snow I will show Princess how to do a real good snow dance with our pajamas inside out and have sweet dreams. I'll wake up at 4:30 (well, I'll already be awake and leaving Juicy Boy's room--yeah that's one of his eating intervals) and check the weather while holding my breath.

If it doesn't snow, I'll be taking a Monday and/or a Friday sometime soon to lounge, love, and laugh with my family...maybe while wearing my pajamas inside out...all in the name of mental health:)

How do you get yours?

Hope He's proud of me...

It's my birthday today! Yup, 38 years ago, Glo and Nick birthed this baby girl. I am blessed. I am healthy. I am happy. I am loved and in love. I have wonderful children. I am exploring me...and enjoying the journey while living, loving, laughing, & learning...in beauty, abundance, and strength with ease and grace.


I have decided that this is my year to live my life like it's GOLDEN, as my fellow Girls' High girl would sing..."representin' His glory, hope He's proud of me!"