Saturday Sayings Special Edition-Quotes from the Next President

Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we've been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.

Community colleges play an important role in helping people transition between careers by providing the retooling they need to take on a new career.

Focusing your life solely on making a buck shows a certain poverty of ambition. It asks too little of yourself. Because it's only when you hitch your wagon to something larger than yourself that you realize your true potential.

-Barack Obama

Sister 2 Sister

"Celebrate the truth of who you are. I think that's the long and the short of it. In any high visibility role, along with it comes so much stress and so much anxiety. You take on trying to fit into what you think other people think you should be or how they think you should look, that's too much stress, you know? Baby, you're trying to get your husband in the White House. You don't have time to be on no diet. Put on a Spanx and hit it! You don't have time for no foolishness. You have to walk in the truth of 'who you are' and celebrate that thing. There are so many other things that take precedence over that, you know what I mean? If you need to have a couple of sizes of dresses in the closet at the White House, then that's what you do. If today that size eight slips on real good and the next week you need to put on a size 10, then that's what you do."

-Niecy Nash to Michelle Obama

Saturday Sayings

I've got two daughters. 9 years old and 6 years old. I am going to teach them first of all about values and morals. But if they make a mistake, I don't want them punished with a baby.

-Barack Obama

Exactly Why You Should Wait....

If you’re 13, 14, 15 and you have sex, this is not gourmet stuff. Nobody’s buying you a bottle of wine and candlelight and putting some romantic music on. No, you’re in the clothes closet or down near the dryer or dishwasher saying, ‘Hurry up before my mother comes home.’ That’s why you don’t know the boy’s name.
- Bill Cosby

Now I wasn't even really gonna say anything but when I read this quote...it just came to me. Somebody somewhere needs to do something. Young women are going to die and we're killing ourselves for love. Young women in this 13, 14, 15 year old category are going to die of HIV because they don't know any better. No one is teaching them to watch out for themselves, to have some self-esteem or to know their worth. Some of them have mothers and fathers in jail, while others have fathers who walked out or never knew they existed and still yet there are some with mothers who are tricking in the street because they never learned better.

It saddens me. While I am young, I know what it's like to be wined and dined. I know every man I've been with, what he does for a living and in some cases his Social Security Number. Yes, I've got it down to a fine art.

I digress.

Anyways...sometime I look at soon to be 14 year old cousin and I want to scream because I know I can stop her from having to face pain and heartache and she doesn't even know. Hell, I'm still swallowing those big girl pills. It's just so damned difficult. With an alarming rate of men going to jail, coming out with a trade and going back to his rural (non HIV educated) community and spreading himself around (because he can make money thus telling women no condom) we are rampantly being infected and bearing infected children.

What can be done about this problem? Does anyone think Obama, as the first black president, can try to band-aid the AIDS crisis in Black America?

I don't even know where to start...

I have so many things I want to blog about...every time I take a breath there's something else to blog about!

I guess I should start with where I left off yesterday...I ended mentioning Martin Luther King...but where I was going with that was the following:

People keep comparing Michelle Obama's class and style to Jackie O...Now I love me some Kennedy anything, BUT what about comparing her to the wonderful Coretta Scott King?

Here's a black woman who endured so much pain during her life because her husband was one of the front runners for the civil rights which so many of us take for granted today.

Well, here's what I think: if you are going to compare a strong black woman to anyone you should probably compare her to another strong black woman in history. Someone who, if she were alive, would rejoice in what is going on, who would give advice on everything from how to decorate the White House to fashion choices and even how to stand by him when he messes up (yep...Martin messed up). Kinda reminds me of what Jackie O did for Hillary as she moved into the White House in 1992. Someone tell me you can see the connection I am trying to make here. :) Anyways that's that.

Furthermore, I attended church last evening for Bible Study. I really enjoyed everything that the women's group discussed as well as the general Bible Study. It was my first time setting foot in the church and they were all so welcoming and nice. I learned that I must be obedient to God and his will. Also any trials and tribulations that we go through can come from many different places, we just have to be prepared for all of them. The pastor also said something which warmed my heart....he said many of us think someone loves us because of things that don't really matter. "You don't find love on a hot July night under the sheets, you find it when you go through things and that person stands by your side". He is absolutely right. I know for a fact that I found love when my health was not what it should have been. The love of my life stood by my side through my problems and I am going to stand by him during his regardless. That's what Coretta would have done. In fact, that's what she did. She stood by Martin no matter what he did. She stood by him no matter what things he might have done or been accused of. Yep-that's the kinda woman I'd like to be. I have to say it is difficult sometimes, because you want to put yourself behind them.

I don't know why I feel like that but I seem to always feel as though it is my job and duty to stand behind those I love. Even when it isn't easy. I agree when the going gets tough the tough get going. In my time being loved the way I should have been along I have been told so many things that I cannot believe. I have learned my worth. It is far more than that of diamonds or pearls. It cannot even be described. I think when you realize this, lose it and realize it again, then and only then are you well on your way to learning you...being flawed and trying to fix it.

So even when you totally mess up and hurt everyone around you, especially those you love the most you never, ever lose your sense of being a good woman. You learn that you are and trials will always happen you just have to know when to ask for help. In other words, know when to hold 'em and know when to fold 'em...and I can't even play poker ;)

-In Peace and Joy

Learning to Be You...

I recently read an article discussing Michelle Obama's experience as an undergrad at Princeton. The article details how her white roommate's mother was enraged at the thought of her daughter having to live with a black woman on a campus which up until very recently had been mostly segregated. But Michelle Obama never let that get her down. She has not visited Princeton's campus since she graduated and later went to Harvard to gain her law degree. But how do you separate yourself from the general racial views of your specific institution of higher learning?

First check out the article about Mrs. Obama.

Being that for the majority of my life I have attended predominantly Caucasian schools I can definitely attest to the each institution's need to help white students over blacks. I cannot think of more than two things put on a campus specifically for us and if it is there it is something we have to constantly fight for. Nothing is ever designed for us and our direct benefit.

Which brings to me to a situation currently happening at my institution. There is something there for the benefit of minority students. It has existed almost four years. It took twenty years to get it and now the administration wants to hide it. Hide it or hide the colored faces that peep at you from the full glass windows. Now...if the students take a stand..I mean really work toward getting it together and coming to the administrators and say we don't think this is right why ignore them? You get their tuition dollars too! Yet, if a white girl told you she did not feel comfortable with something you'd blanket the entire campus with it and make everyone feel that pain.

Let's not forget that in any given academic year how many racial incidents can happen. At this particular institution there have been numerous racially charged incidents. HUGE incidents...yet and still they still have no plans to stop these incidents. There was even an incident involving a benefactor for which they escorted him out, sent a ridiculous e-mail and that was that. Yet you want to get rid of something that benefits multi-racial and inter-cultural students? I think not.

Furthermore, we have always had to conform to what they think is the standard of beauty is. We have straightened our hairs, some have even bleached their skin, or slimmed the width of their noses. I saw we no longer have to do that. We can just wash and go...just as they do-straight, curly, kinked. Our skin is beautiful...cafe au lait, bronzed, chocolate, so dark almost purple does not matter. We're all beautiful. Just because we're not exactly what they want does not mean that we are not what we should be.

Everything has to be exactly as they think. Not until this year has a magazine devoted itself solely to black beauty. Italian Vogue is featuring all black models...what a blessing in 2008. Forty years after Dr. King's death...which brings to my next post...

-In Harmony

What the hell is really going on?

Now in the past 24-36 hours, some very interesting things have gone down. Now for my own sake, safety and sanity let me run through them. First Hillary Clinton wins the Puerto Rico primary. Apparently all it really takes is a shot of tequila and some beer. (I think that came from MSN) Next, as I am sure everyone is aware the amount of delegates needed to win the nomination has gone from 2.025 to 2,118. At this point Obama is 46 delegates shy of the nomination while Clinton is 202. Tomorrow (June 3) will be the last two primaries: South Dakota and Montana where there are 48 delegates at stake. At this point we know that Obama has a larger following in these two places than Hillary Clinton. Obama also has more super-delegates than Hillary and he is expected to gain more as of tomorrow which further leads to the question of just why won't Hillary just drop out of the damned thing and let it go? On one hand her fate is pretty sealed, but there's the argument that some how, some way before the convention in August it will get better for her. http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/06/02/election.superdelegates/index.html
I don't know. However, I am starting to feel that perhaps the more we vote for and support Obama the more we are supporting McCain and his Republican cronies. This opens up a whole new can of worms for me, because I cannot for the love of God understand how George Bush could open his mouth and endorse anyone. That's about all he is good for I mean he is the LEAST efficient president EVER in my opinion. I really don't see where he is doing anything other than plundering the American economy and trying to play Captain Save a Country. As he does this Vice-President Dick Cheney insults an entire state of people claiming that there were Cheneys on both sides of his family and they aren't even from West Virginia. I swear I don't even know what to say on that one.
Alright enough of that moving on to things which concern the local area. Tell me how in the FEMA plans to reuse these asbestos filled trailers again?!?!!? After they promised they wouldn't because of the health concerns that come along with their use they have up and changed their minds again. Apparently, since the 2008 hurricane season is expected to be busier than normal they intend to use them for victims of disaster as long as they have the least amount of formaldehyde possible. Well I guess a little is better than a lot. This is going to be extra wrong of me, but is this some sort of plan to kill off black people in New Orleans? I mean I have heard about engineering crack and then HIV. I wonder if we can stir up some things in the earth to cause a hurricane and furthermore if we can cause said hurricane to happen, do we have to tell the people about it or do we just let them perish? Yep-one hell of a conundrum for the white man.

A Quick Recap

So this was my first attempt at blogging about anything since LiveJournal. I really thought I could keep up with it but then life proved too hectic. Just to catch things up a bit here's a quick recap of where I've been since 4/8.

-Finals
-Graduation (had family in town and it was wonderful for them to come and see my new home)
-New Love (amazing and we'll get back to that later)
-Looking for a job and place to live (if anyone has any ideas let me know)

So now I am just in New Orleans wrapping things up and trying to find ways to get on with my life. Don't get me wrong I enjoyed the hell out of my experience but I am too old for it now.

I had a wonderful time with the family in town but sometimes I felt a little smothered and a little looked over. But thank God in every one of those cases I had someone in my corner to tell me to breathe, calm down and it will be okay.

I have to say I am so grateful for that man. I don't think he'll ever know or understand just how much he does for me. It's not like he's doing it because he pities me, but he genuinely loves me and that makes it so easy to love him-which brings me to my next point. I am noticing now that when someone mistreats you, acts like you are their property instead of your own person get the hell away from them because they will drag you down and make you wish you could be anywhere doing anything other than having to deal with them and their crazy ass ways and ideas. Glad I got out. But there's one thing I have to note: I never would have had it not been for this police officer I know. She told me, "Get out or you might miss a good thing". I would have missed a fabulous thing fooling around with a piece of shit.

In other news can someone please explain why Hillary won't just drop out? I mean damned are you serious? Michigan and Florida really aren't going to give you anywhere close to the damned dear 300 votes you need to secure the nomination. I don't even think John McCain is worried about her, only Obama. I have to admit that as a black presidential candidate I am sort of scared of him, but I trust that he will be taken care of. Speaking of Obama....got to love Michelle, more on that tomorrow. ;)

Perfect Peace....getting there