Well, here goes EVERYTHING. As shared in my previous post, I've stepped out on faith and made a significant investment into myself. Tomorrow (12/6/17) will be one of the most AMAZING days of my life. As a visionary and designer, I am so looking forward to seeing the reaction to my one-of-a-kind shirts. See, I'm advertising on...The Shade Room's Instagram page! Yes, indeed. This is HUGE. To make the buying process seamless, I am posting pictures of each shirt separately, as well as instructions on how you (NOT including family/friends) can win up to $300.
I've given all I have. I've prayed, cried, been frustrated, faithful, and doubtful. Now, it is in God's hands. I anticipate greatness and for my expectations to be EXCEEDED. Winners will be announced on 3/3/18. The shirts are available in various sizes, styles, and colors. To place an order, see the appropriate link under the MERCHANDISE link. Thank y'all for being a part of the journey.
God and I have a very unique relationship. Truth be told, I've cursed a few times when engaging in dialogue with the Most High. See, I am very transparent with Him. A few days ago, while driving home, I petitioned God to make his promises REAL. See, He said I can have that which I am willing to work for. I rattled off the names of people who were able to found brands and industries: Diddy/Brother Love, Tommy Hilfiger, Oprah, Tyler Perry, Russell Simmons, etc. I see absolutely NO reason why my dreams should die and theirs be allowed to thrive and flourish. Now, I am in competition with NO ONE. I do not have to have their success; I simply want what's MINE.
One thing I've learned to do is be SPECIFIC when praying. My sincerest hope is that God will facilitate the development of nurturing relationships with the RIGHT people. People who share my vision and have a true desire to serve. Once I had outlined my expectations, I SURRENDERED ALL to Him: my worries, fears, expectations, anxieties, and uncertainties. The funny thing about surrendering is that the resultant peace can be FRIGHTENING. I'm trying. One day at a time. Peace and blessings to you all!
I'm a risk-taker and visionary by nature. When I was writing country songs and wanted to immerse myself into the culture, I convinced my sister to travel to Nashville with me. Now, I didn't get discovered, but I had a good time at the Bluebird Cafe, The Basement, and the Grand Ole Opry. In my early 20s, I relocated to my home state (New York, baby!) with only the promise of a job interview. Despite my current lot in life, which is not bad by any stretch of the imagination, I am determined to manifest my hearts' truest desires.
Today, I made a significant financial investment into MYSELF. Like any entrepreneur, I'm a little nervous because there is absolutely NO guarantee of a return on the investment. Y'all, before I took the leap of faith, I prayed and sought the counsel of trusted friends and family members. Despite their feedback, I had to make the ultimate decision, and I did. The money has been spent. Faith tells me my expectations will be exceeded. God rewards faithfulness, even when it wavers just a little bit. Had I not trusted my gut, the end result would have been a forgone conclusion: failure. I now have a platform onto which to my products will be displayed to MILLIONS. I wanted exposure, and I'm gonna get it.
I've been in similar positions before. This past summer, I nearly had one of my songs recorded by TWO artists. Despite the various setbacks I've experienced, I can't stop dreaming, planning, and executing my visions. I'm in the process of finishing The Alchemist. That book is full of memorable quotes, but my two favorites are "And, when you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it" and "It's the possibility of having a dream come true that makes life interesting." I've been dreaming for a very long time. One day, I will see my dreams in LIVING color. Keep me in prayer, my lovelies!
It's that time of year again. Thanksgiving is less than 2 weeks away. Y'all know what that means, right? It's time to chow down on holiday favorites, like chilled potato salad, macaroni and cheese, greens, cabbage, dressing, yams, ham, turkey, green bean casserole, corn pudding, cakes and pies. Sweet potato pie in particular. Despite residing in the South for the better part of 15 years, I'm still not a fan of pumpkin pie. I baked a few about 4 years ago, and my family loved them. I even made bean pies a few years back. Let's just say the Nation of Islam has nothing to worry about.
Now, I make a mean sweet potato pie. But 2 years ago, I joined the thousand of people trying to get my hands on one of Auntie Patti's pies. I must have driven to about 5 different Walmart stores. Still, I was told the pies were selling out as soon as they arrived at the stores. My understanding is that people in Northern states were able to purchase the pies readily. When I FINALLY bought one, I brought it home, heated it in the oven per the instructions, and partook with my family. Truth be told, I was disappointed. Terribly. Okay, at least it was SWEET. The texture was airy, not solid. I also found the cinnamon to be overpowering. Y'all, I can eat an ENTIRE pie by myself; I ate one slice of Auntie Patti's and called it a....lifetime. That's right. I'm not buying it EVER gain. Nor have I purchased her cakes, bread pudding, banana pudding (I'm allergic to bananas), or cobblers. Now, don't get me wrong: I know her goods are being mass produced, which undoubtedly affects the quality. I guess my expectation were too high. These "play-play" goods are not a true indication of Auntie Patti's culinary skills. Not at ALL.
Which brings me to my final point. If possible, I would LOVE to partake in a meal prepared by Auntie Patti. I'm talking about real-deal cooking. I hear her fried chicken is legendary; she cooked a batch during an episode of MTV Cribs. I need to taste the sweet potato pie that her son was raised on. That's right. THAT pie. Fresh from the oven. Y'all, I will fly to Philly IF the offer is made. Keep a brother in prayer.
That's right! Mrs. Union-Wade is 45 today. I am so grateful for her metamorphosis and continued growth. See, I wasn't always a fan of hers. Truth is, I knew she WAS a mean girl. I watched movies like Bring It On and Deliver us from Eva and thought to myself "She's not acting; she's being her authentic self." The reads and elitist disposition were too perfect. Then came the speech she gave at the Black Women in Hollywood Luncheon in 2013.
On that day, she admitted to the world that she hadn't always wanted the best for her peers; to the contrary, she thrived on the misery of others (I'm paraphrasing). Further, competition for limited roles attributed to her believing that the success of others would diminish her shine. I watched the video and marveled at her willingness to be transparent and receive the judgment that followed.
I had the pleasure of meeting Gabrielle on October 20th at SCAD Show, right here in ATL. She was in town promoting her bestselling memoir We're Going to Need More Wine. What an experience that was. Much to my liking, she has a potty mouth and uttered just enough cuss words. Having read the first half of the book, I was familiar with many of the stories she shared. Y'all know she's from Omaha, Nebraska right? What about the rape she experienced while working at Payless? Gabrielle once "stole" a young lady's boyfriend and was stalked/attacked by the girl's friend, Queeshaun. As an adult, she once tried to treat a yeast infection by using a McDonald's straw to insert vanilla-flavored yogurt into her vagina. Gabrielle is a proponent of reciprocal sexual relationships. If you want fellatio, be prepared to perform cunnilingus; eat a little ass while you're at it. Now, speculation has been rampant on the internet with respect to whether she eats the booty like groceries. I don't know. I didn't ask. Sway did (see below). The highlight of the evening was high-fiving her when she complimented the "Dear God" shirt I was wearing. When asked to offer words of wisdom (actually, just four words) to young women, her response was "Have your own shit." That message is germane to men as well.
One of the highlights of the book is the discussion of the significance of Prince. I won't go into too much detail, but Gabrielle opined that he was responsible for facilitating critical networking opportunities and questioned who would/could function in that capacity now that he has transitioned. Well, my answer is simple: You can do it, Gabrielle! And when you have a function in Atlanta, please make sure my black ass is on the list. Oh, I hope you enjoyed the contents of the gift bag I left for you: rainbow-colored teddy bear, gold crown, and a Welch's grape juice.
If y'all haven't purchased the book yet, here's the link. Good night, my lovelies!
Thank you for visiting my blog. It's been a minute (years) since I've regularly documented my past and daily experiences. Why did I stop? Truthfully speaking, I got bored. If I have nothing of substance to articulate, why bore people with meaningless words and waste my time? I respect the art of writing too much to insult my lovelies (I don't believe in having followers) or myself. But now, I'm on an upward trajectory and want to take you all on this journey with me. I vow to not sugarcoat anything and magnify the ugly as well as the pretty. Next, a little bit about myself.
I entered my 4th decade on earth this year. I wear many hats: mental health professional, novelist, songwriter, and active wear designer. I'm single. SGL (Google it). I love to cook. Family means everything to me. I cuss quite a bit, but not as much as my girl Gabrielle Union. I went to her book signing last Friday. Have y'all read her book? It's titled We're Going to Need More Wine. Anyway, back to me. I'm an excellent storyteller and love to laugh. I'm observant and opinionated. My mood is variable (good most days). I'm a loyal friend and don't handle betrayal well. I have the capacity to forgive, but will dead - cease communication with, NOT kill - a MFer in a minute. I'm a recovering perfectionist and people-pleaser....
We've got time to become better acquainted. This platform will be educational as well as entertaining. I'll tell some wonderful story or share an observation on a weekly basis. This is going to be such a wonderful experience. I'll end this post with some encouraging words from Grandma Maya. Welcome to my virtual world!
