Been There. Done That. Got A T-Shirt To Prove It

The first time I bought Essence magazine,I remember thinking, not bad. Not bad at all but with each month, they step up the game. Now, I buy it religiously and look forward to each edition because there is always something in there for me. From the personal stories that lift you up to the tips and advice on how to buy a home or deal with that work situation. Fair to say there are things I don't agree with but on the whole, they do a pretty good job. They don't try to be black America, they are BLACK AMERICA. Susan Taylor knows the right words to make your eye all teary. Angela Burt-Murray is a beauty with her words.

I could go on and on about the different sections but what stands out for me are the features. From the rape crisis in the Congo to the issue of Aids that is ravaging black America. They tell it like it is. I appreciate the honesty and even when readers don't agree with them, they publish the letters no matter what the reader is ranting on about.

Running a magazine is cut throat but their house is in order; some good house keeping skills I must say. I could go on and on but they have done it again with this month's issue, "The Bold & Beautiful" edition. The little I have read of it, I can say there is power in forgiveness. If you didn't think it was okay to forgive those that hurt you, please bear in mind that we all have something to learn from Kai Leigh Harriot.

http://www.essence.com/essence/lifestyle/voices/0,16109,1606559-7,00.html

There is power in forgivesness. She may be confined to a wheel chair but she has the power to command the respect of those around her at such a tender age.

I'll say no more except when you get angry at some people, think of Kai and what she stands for. Maybe you too will find it in you to forgive that man or woman who betrayed your trust.

Image from Essence.com
www.essence.com

Stop Killing Us.

The war in Iraq is not the only place America is losing its children. Monday was a stark reminder of the Columbine massacre, the worst incident of its kind. Yet, a few are still touting that a ban on guns won't solve the problem. You would think by now, someone would have woken up and smelt the coffee. Oh, hell no! 33 people are dead and this isn't the first time this has happened. What else is needed to convince a nation that it's time for a change? No matter the message of condolences sent and apologies made, you cannot bring back 33 people and fill the void their death has caused. They all had families who loved and cherished them and you cannot replace that.

Emily Hilscher and Erin Peterson were both 18, Caitlin Hammaren and Mary Karen Read, 19. Erin's father said, "My baby didn’t make it." How do you erase such deep seated pain in the heart of a parent?

Ryan Clark, 22, and studying for a triple major in Biology, English and Psychology; how do you begin to tell his parents that they will never see their beloved son again? His future has been buried and he had no say in it. He was denied the chance to make a decision about his own future.

Bottom line is they all had a future to look forward to. While it remains unclear what motivated the attack on students and lecturers; isn't it time someone locked up those guns? When are we going to stop producing tragedies with our hands? When are we going to stop making weapons to kill each other with?

There are questions to be answered but how about the biggest of all; it was promised after Columbine that this would not happen on American soil again. Yet it is happening everyday on the streets. Where is that promise or were they just words passing through thin air?

There will be verbose reports giving account of what happened but no piece of paper is going to solve this nightmare created to destroy more lives. Get rid of the guns. You may not be able to get all of them today but you can at least try and save one future? What else is there to say but to stop killing our babies, our sons, our daughters, our mothers and our fathers. Stop Making the guns and stop killing us.

How many more tragedies need to be turned into a documentary or film before it sinks in that there is a new epidemic in the land? Get rid of the guns and stop killing us.

Soul searching but at whose expense

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6562785.stm

Stop Killing Us.

Image: Google Images

Giving Your All For Nothing

So, you want to become a Journalist? Then get ready to work for nothing or peanuts before you make it big. Let's tell it like it is, have a backup plan for your life. Journalism was never my first choice of career. Whenever anyone asked me what I wanted to do with myself, I was fast to let them know; "I want to be a lawyer." Well, I am in a poetic justice kinda way. My words make up for the big gown, wig and courtroom. I changed my mind when I realised that I don't have the guts to stomach the type of crimes I read about and the fact that people got away with things that were just baffling.

Now I am a journalist, am I in love with it. Oh, hell yes! You have to love what you do or don't do it at all. That's why when you get those moments when you feel like it isn't worth it, you overlook them and just keep the fire burning or those moments will burn you out.

Sometimes you excel the most in an area you stumbled into. I stumbled into journalism and not for a second do I regret it. It is hard work, a whole lot of late night and sometimes you have to give your all for nothing. That's when it gets hard. I am having one of those moments right now, where I am thinking to myself, why didn't you just go for a career where you have a 9 to 5 job and you don't have to kill yourself for this. But you know something, today is all it is. Tomorrow will be better. It may not look like it but I have a dream. Dr King wasn't the only one with a dream. I have no plans to let go or bury it. It is mine and I am going to make it work no matter what.

This is the tricky part. When it comes to journalism and in order to get to that place you envision for yourself; you sometimes have to give your all for nothing. There are times when it feels like you are playing but I tell you 2am at night over words is no joke. Then you get those moments when you say to yourself and all this for nothing. That can be real hard but as the adage goes, what doesn't kill you only makes you stronger.

It might not look like a whole lot right now but if you keep going, it will become much. That's what I say to myself when I am having a moment like I'm having right now. I am a little angry and if you don't mind, really p***ed off. Then again, that will change in a few hours when the task is out of the way and it becomes an achievement.

No matter what, just keep on walking because the plus outweighs the minuses. I could go on about all that I have gained but I'll stop here and keep giving life my all.

Just keep walking. Your destination is closer than you think.

One Day At A Time

Life has a way of making you sit up and think about yourself. It gives you everything but owes you nothing. At the beginning of the year, I set some goals for myself; fair to say I'm on them and making each goal happen one at a time.

However, I have also learnt that I am not 'Superwoman' and can't take on every task that comes my way. A little while back, I blogged on my ability to say 'No'. I have been practising that a lot lately. Saying no, not very nice and sometimes I still feel funny about it but I must say that I don't feel guilty anymore. Now when I say no, it's like a truck load of stress just dissolved.

I've also learnt to say no to myself. Deny myself of certain luxuries and get the things I really need. That is a good financial move because your dreams don't happen just talking about it. You must be willing to pay for it and it cost more than money. It cost your time and energy too.

So, here we are, April 2007. Do I think I am better off than I was a year ago? Oh, hell yes. You may be wondering how? Well let's say, I am now bold enough to speak my mind and not keep quite because I want to keep the peace. I'll leave that to the UN and their peace keeping force in every corner of the world.

I'm focused on what I want to get done and taking action steps to get there. Working on my first stage play and guess what, I have an artistic director helping me out and showing me the ropes.

Oh, how I could go on and on about myself but that is not what this blogpage is about. I have met people recently who are making their dreams happen and it makes me happy when someone challenges me and helps me realise there is more to be learnt. A theatre company by the name of Faith Drama Productions is coming your way, watch out because they just tell it like it is and we sure need more of that.
check them out at: http://www.faithdrama.org.uk/index.php

I'm plugging it because I know it's going to be bad to the bone. Don't say no one told you about them.

Making friends abroad. You know what they say, someone you know knows someone you need. I'll leave things on that note and tell you more as this cross atlantic friendship develops. One thing is fair, we have journalism in common. What is that adage about contacts. It's all about who you know right?