Before all the bad press and the allegations of child molestation, I remember the Michael Jackson that I grew up loving. The man who could create songs that made me want to dance, sing and inspired me to take action.

As a kid, I remember going to the street vendors in Center City, especially around City Hall, and collecting my MJ pins for my red and black “Thriller” jacket. I remember the white socks, the white glove and my sad, sad attempt to do the moonwalk. LOL

I will miss the Michael of my childhood. The Michael Jackson who reminded you of Peter Pan … never quite growing up … taking you along for the ride.

In memoriam, I’ve included a link, (for as long as it lasts), to one of my all time favorite MJ songs … Man in the Mirror.

“I'm Starting With The Man In The Mirror
I'm Asking Him To Change His Ways
And No Message Could Have Been Any Clearer
If You Wanna Make The World A Better Place
Take A Look At Yourself, And Then Make A Change”

Rest in Peace

Michael Joseph Jackson

I have crossed over from contemplation to action.

After agonizing for a week on how I wanted to celebrate my birthday I finally decided on hosting a murder mystery dinner. I then spent another torturous week trying to decide what murder mystery I wanted to host. The web is chock full of interesting choices and my OCD would not allow me to make a simple decision. It got so bad that I was forced to ask Hubby to choose for me.

Now that the decision has been made I can relax for a nanosecond and reflect. I think Hubby actually made a good call. I can now move on to the planning of the menu. Needless to say, I am very excited.  I hope the party goes over well and everyone has a good time.

If you’re interested in knowing what murder mystery I finally chose you can click here.

I saw this commercial and laughed my ass off. Sad to say, I can relate ...

My 99, soon to be a 100, year old grandmother was interviewed on Inauguration Day by NBC 10. The piece was focused on Centenarians and their viewpoints. Check out my beautiful grandmother and see for yourself why I love her so much.  She’s wearing a white sweater over a purple blouse.

If for some reason you experience difficulty viewing the video, click here, to go directly to the website.

Forty four years before my beloved grandmother was born, the 13^th Amendment of the Constitution was ratified freeing all slaves. My grandmother grew up a free person of color and only knew of distant relatives who had formerly been slaves.

Merely seven years before the start of the Civil Rights Movement, my mother was born.  Segregation could be found throughout the country but in Philadelphia it wasn’t so bad. My Mom didn’t really see Jim Crow in full force until she went to visit family in the South.

My mother has not shared many of these experiences with me. She says she doesn’t remember. However, my grandmother told me once that while traveling the bus to Maryland, she would not permit my mother and my aunt to drink water. Instead she treated the kids to ice cream. Why? Well ice cream was less likely to make the kids want to use the toilet and she hated the idea of taking the kids into a segregated bathroom. She spoke of how filthy and ill maintained they were.

Thirty seven years before another monumental event in the fabric of African Americans, I was born.  Truly spoiled by my mother and grandmother’s perspective I know nothing of slavery and segregation except through the history books and by the stories of those who walked before me. Racism and prejudice were, (and are), still cancers on the skin of humanity but it was no longer as blatant. It was more insidious as it hid out of plain sight.

Regardless, I have always been encouraged by my grandmother and mother. Told that I can do whatever I want to do and be whatever I want to be. And for once they believe in the words they speak because the world has truly changed. Not necessarily as good as it could be but certainly better than it was.

One hundred years from my grandmother’s birth to today. One hundred years of change. Today a man of color is taking the reins of the most prestigious position in the United States of America.  And I, my mother and my grandmother get to witness history in the making.

A representative from the Census Bureau came out to our church this Sunday past. He was taking applications and giving a ½ hour test to those individuals interested in ft/pt employment gathering data for the 2010 Census.

Since I’m always crying broke, I immediately signed up. The assignment will last from 5 to 10 weeks and the pay is not too bad. One of the stipulations is that you must be willing to participate in 40 hrs of paid training. They would try to accommodate your preference of day or evening/weekend training hours but there is no guarantee.

A couple of folks have expressed an interest so click here for the link.

As we come into the New Year we all make resolutions on changes we want to implement in an effort to improve on our physical and spiritual well being. One of the things in 2009 that we as human beings need to learn to do is let things go especially when it will impact or hinder your own personal growth. The following inspirational message was printed in our church’s bulletin and I also found it online under the T.D. Jakes Ministries. I’m not sure who the original author is but the message is powerful nonetheless.

LET IT GO

There are people who can walk away from you. And hear me when I tell you this! When people can walk away from you: let them walk.

I don't want you to try to talk another person into staying with you, loving you, calling you, caring about you, coming to see you, staying attached to you. I mean hang up the phone. When people can walk away from you let them walk. Your destiny is never tied to anybody that left.

The Bible said that, they came out from us that it might be made manifest that they were not for us. For had they been of us, no doubt they would have continued with us. [1 John 2:19]

People leave you because they are not joined to you. And if they are not joined to you, you can't make them stay.

Let them go.

And it doesn't mean that they are a bad person it just means that their part in the story is over. And you've got to know when people's part in your story is over so that you don't keep trying to raise the dead.

You've got to know when it's dead.

You've got to know when it's over. Let me tell you something. I've got the gift of good-bye. It's the tenth spiritual gift, I believe in good-bye. It's not that I'm hateful, it's that I'm faithful, and I know whatever God means for me to have He'll give it to me. And if it takes too much sweat I don't need it. Stop begging people to stay.

Let them go!!

If you are holding on to something that doesn't belong to you and was never intended for your life, then you need to …

LET IT GO!!!

If you are holding on to past hurts and pains …  

LET IT GO!!!

If someone can't treat you right, love you back, and see your worth …

LET IT GO!!!

If someone has angered you …

LET IT GO!!!

If you are holding on to some thoughts of evil and revenge …

LET IT GO!!!

If you are involved in a wrong relationship or addiction …

LET IT GO!!!

If you are holding on to a job that no longer meets your needs or talents …

LET IT GO!!!

If you have a bad attitude …

LET IT GO!!!

If you keep judging others to make yourself feel better …

LET IT GO!!!

If you're stuck in the past and God is trying to take you to a new level in Him …

LET IT GO!!!

If you are struggling with the healing of a broken relationship …

LET IT GO!!!

If you keep trying to help someone who won't even try to help themselves …

LET IT GO!!!

If you're feeling depressed and stressed …

LET IT GO!!!

If there is a particular situation that you are so used to handling yourself and God is saying "take your hands off of it," then you need to …  

LET IT GO!!!

Let the past be the past. Forget the former things.

GOD is doing a new thing for 2009!!!

LET IT GO!!!

Get Right or Get Left. Think about it, and then …

LET IT GO!!!

"The Battle is the Lord's!"

Amen!

It’s a beautiful feeling I’m telling ya. It’s damn near euphoric.

Last night Hubby and I brought 2009 in by attending Watch Night service at our church. Watch Night service is always held on New Year’s Eve. I’ve attended this service off and on throughout the years and never thought about its significance or its origins. I simply assumed that it was just where the religious folk went who didn’t want to hit up the clubs.

While surfing the net I found this essay about the origins of Watch Night. Basically Watch Night can be traced back to December 31, 1862. On that night, Americans of African descent came together in churches, gathering places and private homes anxiously awaiting news that the Emancipation Proclamation had become law. According to Abraham Lincoln’s promise, at the stroke of midnight on January 1, 1863 all slaves in the Confederates states were legally free. Click here to read the article.

When I was younger, I kept a journal. I was very faithful to that journal and wrote in it almost every day. At the end of the year I enjoyed going back, rereading my journal and reliving some of the memories. Some made me laugh, (i.e. I can’t believe I liked that boy); while others made me cry, (i.e. the day my grandfather died). I would travel the whole gambit of emotions. I always considered it a very cathartic experience … sort of an internal house cleaning.

After toiling with the idea for some time I begin blogging in June 2008. I initially intended my blog to be theme oriented. I wanted to have a written record of my experiences being pregnant with our first child. Unfortunately I lost the baby through spontaneous abortion, (miscarriage), and with the baby I also lost my motivation. I floundered for awhile before just deciding to write myself through the experience. I was free to write as I saw fit … the good, the bad and the so very ugly. That is one of the reasons I enjoy using live journal. It allowed me the flexibility to be public when I wanted and private when I needed to be.

Two thousand and eight has definitely been a roller coaster ride. (I’m sure many of you can say the same.) Some great things have happened. History has been made both on a personal and national level. Through it all, I thank God for it was through Him that I was allowed to see the end of 2008 with my family and friends in relatively good health.

I was surfing YouTube and I came across this gem. It’s a must-see for a good laugh and some good music too…

It was nice spending some time with Gram this afternoon. She had come to enjoy the Christmas cantata. This year’s theme was Born to Die with music inspired by Glenn Burleigh.

The cantata itself was awesome. I had been invited to attend last year by my cousin, who was already a member of the church, but I had often found a reason to decline. This year as a member of the church I still had no intention of going until I learned Gram had planned to attend.

Music is as integral to Gram as breathing is to you and me. It’s my understanding that she took professional singing lessons when she was around my age and it was at one of those lessons that she met that the man who later became my grandfather.

I am glad that circumstance presented itself in a manner that changed my mind about attending. It was definitely worth the two hour investment of my time. All of the songs were well executed and performed, but I was especially blown away by the multi-part harmony of the song Well, The Savior Is Born. My words cannot do that song justice but for those few folks who remember singing “Row, row, row your boat” as child may have an inkling of what I’m referring. The first child sings “Row, row your boat gently down the stream …” At the word “stream” the second child begins singing the verse from the beginning. This goes on until you have 4 parts singing the same line at different intervals.

Two powerful solos were performed that had me tearing up. The first was by LoTosha Wray singing Mother’s Lament and the second was by Joseph Barton Jr. singing Not ‘Till I’ve Seen Jesus. Both performances were powerful in bringing home the message of this season’s cantata which is that Jesus was born so that He could die for mankind.

After the performance I waited with Gram until CCT arrived to transport her back to the nursing home. She thoroughly enjoyed herself despite the cold and wind of the season. I do declare that at 99 years of age, that woman has a more active social calendar than I.  LOL

Everyone needs a Mental Health Day. A day to just relax and rejuvenate while healing whatever ails you. My job stresses me, (a lot), and I felt myself teetering on the edge for the last week.  Today I decided to take some time off for me. I left work around 12:30pm and just went home and chilled. Hubby was at work so I had the house to myself. I put some Christmas music on and relaxed in bed until I fell asleep. I slept for a solid 3 hours. I must have been tired.

Okay. So I have officially crashed and burned.

I tried. I failed and surprisingly I’m not bummed out about it. I’m 22 days in from the finish line. I’ll just get up, dust myself off and pick up from where I stopped. Surely I can blog daily for another 8 days right?

Today was the office Christmas party. There was so much delicious food. There was fried chicken, turkey, pig feet, greens, various salads, specialty rice dishes, macaroni and cheese … I could go on and on. The desserts were just as plentiful. Elastic waistbands were a godsend by early afternoon. LOL When I got home from work I had to take a nap. I was sooo sleepy.

I think for the New Year I’m going to treat myself to a gym membership. Planet Fitness has opened a location in South Philly. The monthly membership is $10 without a contract. The price is definitely right for my pocketbook. My only concern is the distance. It takes so much for me to motivate myself to get up and exercise. I don’t want the ½ hour drive to become a deterrent from me working out.