Naomi Sims Paved the Way for Me

About a year before I was born Naomi Sims appeared on the cover of Ladies Home Journal, and then two months after I was born she appeared on the cover of Life Magazine. Those two magazines were not high fashion magazines like British Vogue or Harper's Bazaar , which allowed black model Donyale Luna to grace its pages for the sake of being chic.

These magazines were the kind that were weaved into the fabric of America. They were found often in everyday homes on everyday coffee tables. Her being on the cover of both of these magazines enabled me to be considered a lady. Not a black woman or black female, but a lady. That's not a title that black women enjoyed in America before women like Naomi Sims paved the way for us. I am sure black babies, black ministers, black fathers, and black brothers considered us ladies, but to mainstream America we were black women not ladies.




Naomi Sims worked extremely hard to become a model. When agencies wouldn't sign her, she went to Photographers. One of them photographed her in the New York Times Fashion Insert, and she used that shoot to parlay her career into much bigger gigs. She helped to make the Wilhelmina Agency a success by acting as her own agent and sending Wilhelmina Cooper the commission. She sent around her photo to Advertising Agencies herself, so that the Wilhelmina Agency didn't have to shoulder any expenses or any work for its commission.

She worked very hard after her modeling career as an author and business woman. You probably have all heard of her wig line. Although I hadn't really stopped to think about it, I now realize that Naomi Sims has been a role model since before I was born. I am thankful to her for that. I wish I had written this tribute before she left us, in hopes that she might have seen it. However, I am a little late she transitioned on August 3rd of this year.



It's not too late however, for me to think of her and the work she has left behind while I am doing my own work. Thank you Naomi Sims.

What Would a Virgo Say?

Okay Virgos It's your time! Let's play the Game, What would a Virgo Say? If you don't remember how the game works. I use the same questions every month for each astrological sign. The answers are what I think that Sun sign would say based on who I think they are. I'm pretty good at this, but feel free to dispute or agree at will.

Here we go:

What would a Virgo say...

1) What Should I wear?

I don't know yet, but I am sure it must be neat, clean, the right length, the right size, the right color, and it must send the message that I've got myself together.

2) How much will I get paid?

I figure if I am working very hard I'll get paid for it. The focus has to be on getting the work done, right!

3) What did she mean by that?

Oh my! She must know about my imperfections. That is the only reason she would say something like that. She knows I am not quite right. But hey, she's not right either. Look at how messy she is, her shoes are all wrong, that man of her's needs a shave.

4) Is he looking at me?

I wonder how I look? Is my hair in place? Are these pants too short? He might want to rethink looking at me, does he think he measures up? Hmph! His pants are too short.

5) How will it get done?

I must think it through first. That's the most important thing. Have a plan. Yes, I shouldn't even do it without a good plan. Then it will be just right.

Do they need me?

They might need me, but I am not ready to do what needs to be done. I need to have a plan. Maybe I might be busy that day. I might need to do something for me that day. I can't promise things without making sure I'm okay first. If I find that I'm okay, and if I find that I feel like it, and if I have a great plan for helping them, then I can do it. Then it will be just right and then I'll work very very hard at helping them.

Beyonce is A Class Act!

I haven't gone on and on about Beyonce on this blog lately, but she earned it last night. First, she was nominated for about 9 (I think) Video Music Awards (VMAs) last night. She won about 3 (I think). One of the awards she was nominated for was Best Female Performer. She didn't win it, Taylor Swift won. Now, personally I think Beyonce should have won because she's such a professional that I think she should be rewarded for walking. However, Taylor Swift won. Taylor Swift is a little talentless, and she will probably be a flash in the pan in the entertainment industry, but last night was her moment in the sun. It was her time to shine! She won an VMA, and she is mostly a Country singer. It was a big deal to her and her fans I am sure.

Well, Mr. Asshole, Kanye West decides to pull another one of his baby capers in the name of defending Beyonce's entitlement to the award. He comes out of nowhere, grabs the mic from the teenage girl (yes Taylor Swift is a teen) and tells her that Beyonce made the best video ever. ...so sick of his baby-ass, whiny-ass, mentally-unstable ass, egotistical-ass antics!. It was just disgusting! Really, I haven't covered how bad it was because there are just no words for such assholism.

MTV Shows

Fast forward-- two hours later, Beyonce wins Video of the Year Award. This is the award that she said she really wanted and the Universe happily obliged. Instead of taking the time to say her thank yous and such, she called Taylor Swift back to the stage to allow her to finish the speech that Mr. Jerk-off ruined. Beyonce showed that she was a class act, not a selfish Diva. She remembered her days as a youth at the VMAs, and how excited she was. She honored the young lady by forfeiting her top spot moment. Beyonce has many, many awards and will be around for many many more years. It was extremely gracious of her to allow Taylor the opportunity to bask in stardom at the VMAs.
Bravo Bey!!!!!

In other VMA news, Janet Jackson did a beautiful tribute to her brother. They edited out her dance routine in the Scream Video and she did it live. It was beautiful. I love that song it's one of my favorite MJ songs. Madonna, did a speech about MJ, that turned out to be a little too much about her (but hey she's a Leo--that happens sometimes). Nonetheless, it was beautiful and appropriate. She looked great too!






Beyonce's performance was AWESOME!!!!! She really engaged the crowd and she just really put on a great show. The crowd was rockin'. Jay-z and Alicia Keys did a nice job on their song about NYC. It made want to scrap my plans for Florida and go to New York.

Lady GaGa thought she was being original, but really she was doing Madonna twenty-five years ago. Yawn. Serena Williams came out to introduce someone after her time being caught "in the moment". I won't judge her outburst after the one I had at the tire shop last weekend. Glad no cameras caught me:). It was really bad.

The rest of the show was a sleeper. I didn't know who half the nominees or performers were, so I basically TIVO'd through the whole show. I would like to thank the person who came up with Digital Video Recording Technology, and TIVO for coming out with it first.

Oh yeah, and all those Twitterites who thought the VMAs would do such a better job giving Michael Jackson a tribute were wrong. Besides his sister, Madonna, and a clip to promote the new movie, they didn't do jack. BET's Tribute was much better, even with the three-day limitation.

Rhodochrosite, I'll admit I need it!

Last year this time was such a hopeful time for me. I was happy to see 2008 on it's way out because financially it had taken it's toll on me. Obama was close to getting into office. I was campaigning door-to-door with my children. Somehow I thought we were all going to singing Kum- ba -yah with lyrics switched out to something Like "Yes we Can Lord, Yes we can.." All was going to be divine in 2009. Well in a lot of ways 2009 hasn't disappointed. Obama did make it in! I went to D.C. on that very cold day to witness his swearing in on the Jumbotron. I've found out that I am expecting a new bouncing baby boy! Business is starting to pick up again, although I am still fighting hard to make things like they were or better than they were. I am very happy with my husband and children. We are really close and experiencing good times together since we have moved everything (school and work) at home. Even our bickering is fewer and farther between and shorter in duration. Yes, 2009 is in fact divine.


Except, yes I guess there's always an except. Except, I am feeling increasingly heartbroken over the hatred, paranoia, intolerance, and lack of compassion I am seeing around. I've been out there on twitter, facebook, and comcast messageboards (which is the absolute worst) and it ain't pretty. I am seeing a bunch of ugly, ugly, ugly on the T.V. too. It's been exhausting. Why? Because I get involved. I've started a website called Love's Gumbo, but somedays all I do is get myself entangled in hate. I'll admit it. I am not going to lie. I see inane comments being made somewhere and I suit up with my armor and go to war! My husband watches me typing furiously (because being at war nowadays is all by internet chatter right?), and he tries to stop me. "Why do you go to comcast?" he asks. "Who are you getting now?" "Oh my baby's gonna get them now?" These are the remarks I get from him, until... Someone pisses him off at one of his frequent pit stops. Then he's off and running, but that's another story.

I read inspirational words everyday. I meditate many days too. I have even started the day off singing hymns, but somehow I keep getting pulled into this bull. Really, I run to it. Obama gives an educational speech, I'm on twitter kicking anybody's ass who has something bad to say about it. That jerk from S.C. embarrasses his wife by saying his mistress is his soulmate, I go on a rant. The other jerk from S.C. disrespects the President, I go to war for two days on twitter.


It's draining me, and I am doing it to myself. I cannot respond to every birther, hater, shouter, anti-healthcarian, righter, neo-con, small-minded racist, bigot. I've got to calm down. I've got to find my peace again. I've been out here using these social media networks to act a damn fool, and today I am going to stop it!


I am using Rhodochrosite to assist me in this endeavor. It's a crystal that promotes tolerance, healing, compassion, self-love, friendship, kindness, and comfort. It also helps people to quiet their feelings of paranoia and irrational fears (which might be something my combatants need). Although I am not going to focus on them, I am going to focus on me. Whenever I look at them I get myself all in a tizzy. I need to grab my Rhodochrosite, look at God and goodness, and find my peace once again.

What I Will Miss about Atlanta

I went to House in the Park today. It's a Labor Day Event that has been happening in Atlanta for about 4 years. House music is played in the park, and lover's of House music dance under a pavilion and where ever they stand for about 8 hours. This was my first year attending. While I was there I saw people that I know from all over the city. I saw my children's Sunday School teacher, my bloggy buddy Renee at cutiebootycakes , I saw parents and teachers from my children's day care center years ago, I saw new babies that I have been anticipating since in their mother's wombs, I saw ex co-workers, people I knew once upon a time, fellow vendors, in-laws, I mean I just felt so much love from all the people I knew. It was a love fest.

For me Atlanta used to be a big party like this all the time. I am not sure if I've changed or if the city has changed, but it hasn't been like this in years. Underneath the smog, traffic, horrible customer service, allergies, bougie snobs, scammers, crime, racists, ignorance, and deliberate indifference, there it was. LOVE!!!! What a vibe.

I am still leaving. I am determined to live in a beach city. I need it for my peace of mind. However, I will definitely miss times like these in Atlanta, even if it's been forever since I've had a time like this.

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