One of Those Days...

Today, I am having "one of those days." You know, the kind of day, that makes you wonder is it all worth it. My Mother taught me to work hard and have a good work ethic, and I would be rewarded, prosper and do well. Events that have taken place at my "day job" this past month has caused me to wonder, is that really true?

I decided to do, what I do, when I am having "one of those days,"

... I cried to the Lord for help.

Just like that, I got my answer! The words of one of my favorite hymns came to me crystal clear, this gave me a second wind, a glimmer of hope.

I would like to share the words of this song with you, just in case you need a lift today...

THE LORD WILL MAKE A WAY

Like a ship that's tossed and driven, battered by an angry sea;

When the storms of life are raging, and their fury falls on me,

I wonder what I have done, that makes this race so hard to run;

Then I say to my soul, take courage, the Lord will make a way somehow.

The Lord will make a way somehow, when beneath the cross I bow,

He will take away each sorrow, Let Him have your burdens now;

When the loads bears down so heavy the weight is shown upon my brow,

There's a sweet relief in knowing the Lord will make a way somehow.

Try to do the best in service, try to do the best you can;

When I choose to do the right thing evil's present on every hand;

I look up and wonder why that good fortune passed me by;

Then I say to my soul, be patient, the Lord will make a way somehow.

Often there's misunderstanding, out of all the good I do;

Go to friends for consolation, and I find them complaining, too;

So many nights I toss in pain, wondering what the day will bring;

Then I say to my heart, don't worry, the Lord will make a way somehow.

(Written by Thomas A. Dorsey)

Putting Things in Perspective

This month has caused me to reflect on my life and reevaluate just what is important.

Last week, a friend and co-worker passed away following a brief but courageous bought with Cancer. This past Monday, my father-in-law passed away. This happen the same day I was given the news that my job of 20 plus years was just going away, "deemed unnecessary" was the exact term. Had I been given that news a month ago, I probably would have been devastated. However, compared to losing a loved-one, this news seemed both trifle and of little significance. After all, the job has served it purpose. I had the opportunity to raise a wonderful child, provide him with a college education and send him into the world as an intelligent educated black man. For what more could a mother ask ?

I have never been the type of person to hold one job anyway. I really should have been Jamaican. I have done catering, floral arranging, written and directed plays, owned a performing arts studio, taught dance, sold clothes, designed greeting cards, and owned a successful web design business, all while holding down a full-time job. Perhaps, it really is time for a change.

I will probably be put into another position (Or out to pasture, LOL), after all I am a dedicated employee. But I will truly miss the comradely I have with my current coworkers. No one could ask to work with a more talented group of eclectic individuals. I will miss seeing their faces each day and the sharing of stories of our life's journey.

Well, I don't know what is around the corner for me, but I do know that God does not make mistakes. This means that there is something wonderful waiting for me, a new adventure, and I just can't wait to see what it is.

It's Hard Out Here for a P...

Y'all know the rest! LOL!!!

OK Y'all, what kind of Memphis girl would I be, if I was not be proud of my homeboys, even if the lyrics to the song appear to be a little foul. You must admit the tune is catchy and it is a fun song to sing.

With all of that said a big congrats goes out to Three 6 Mafia for wining the Oscar for Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Song, It's Hard Out Here For a Pimp from the movie Hustle & Flow (I hadn't been that excited since Isaac Hayes won for Shaft - They say that Shaft's a bad mother shut-yo-mouth!)

Didn't our girl Shug (Taraji P. Henson) clean up well for the show! Shoot I didn't even recognize her! You go girl!!!

Of the three choices, it really was the most "original" song, no doubt. I loved the movie Crash, but I swear, I don't even remember the song In the Deep. And although my other Tennessee home girl, Dolly Parton, was getting down sing Travelin Thru, you must admit the lyrics to that song are no way as memorable as "It is hard out here for a pimp!"

I was disappointed that Terrence Howard did not win the Oscar for his performance in Hustle and Flow, and I was equally disappointed that he was not nominated as best supporting actor in Crash. He did an outstanding job in both movies, and showed his wide range as a seasoned actor.

I was excited that Crash won for Best Motion Picture of the Year. It was an excellent movie, if you missed in on the big screen, be sure to check it out on DVD. It is a must see movie!

Now back to our song....

You know it's hard out here for a pimp (you ain't knowin)
When he tryin to get this money for the rent (you ain't knowin)

Goodbye Octavia

I have always loved science fiction, horror, and fantasy. Being an African-American child in the 60's, sometimes I was considered a little strange. Addicted to things like Lost in Space, the Outer Limits and The Twilight Zone, I think my mom thought me a little weird :-). It was nothing for me to me to stay awake all night to watch Fantastic Features (old horror movies) on TV. I still remember the host of the show ,"Sivad"(Davis spelled backwards) our Monster of Ceremonies. So, it was a natural progression that my favorite books would also come from those same genres.

I read my first Stephen King Book, Carrie, back in 1974 and became a Stephen King junkie at that point. During that financially challenging time of my life, all my reading selections came from the library, second-hand stores (a.k.a. The Goodwill) or mass-market paperbacks at the grocery store checkout. I managed to read a lot of very good books by a lot of great authors.

It wasn't until 1988 that I was introduced to the writings of Octavia Butler. The Book was named Kindred it was part of a Black Women Writers Series. I was absolutely enthralled. It was so exciting for me to see science fiction written by black women with a black heroine. I immediately knew, I had to find out more out this author, and I had to read everything she had in print. I was surprised and embarrassed that this author had so many books in print, and that I had never heard of her. Me, the bibliophile, me the scifi-aholic, had never heard of this queen of sci-fi.

I am proud to say that I own every one of Ms. Butler's books, except Survivor which is currently out of print. (However I have read it thanks to a LA cyber friend who checked it out from the library, fed-ex'ed it to me to read, afterwards which I sent it back to her :-)

If you have never read one of Ms. Butler's books, I suggest Kindred to get you started. This book is classified as sci-fi, but really doesn't have a lot of hard science. It is more a speculative work of fiction. However, once you start to read her other series, prepare yourself for a wild ride. Below please find a list of books by Ms. Butler you owe it to yourself to read at least one of these books.


Bibliography - Octavia Estelle Butler (June 22, 1947-February 24, 2006)

Patternist series (In the Series Intended Order)

• Wild Seed (1980) - Prequel to Mind of My Mind. Two immortals, one who changes bodies and another who has perfect control of her own, struggle to live together over generations, as one concentrates on creating a new race through his own breeding program. - James Tiptree, Jr. Award winner
• Mind of My Mind (1977) - An immortal's breeding program has created a society of networked telepaths that he struggles to control.
• Patternmaster (1976) - Far in the future, regular humans are dominated by a society of networked telepathic humans who, in turn, are ruled by the most powerful telepath: the Patternmaster. Also hostile to the remaining regular humans are Clayarks, mutant humans created long ago by disease unwittingly brought back to Earth from outer space by astronauts. The story revolves around the aging of the current Patternmaster, spawning a battle among telepaths to see who will become the next Patternmaster.
• Clay's Ark (1984) - A colony of people mutated by a disease that astronauts have unwittingly brought back to Earth from outer space struggle to keep themselves isolated enough that the disease does not spread throughout all humanity. (Butler was reportedly unsatisfied with this novel.)

Xenogenesis/Lilith's Brood series

• Dawn (1987) - After the near-extinction of humanity, a woman is resurrected by the alien Oankali as part of a plan to colonize the earth with alien-human hybrids.
• Adulthood Rites (1988) - An alien-human hybrid child is abducted by sterile human resisters.
• Imago (1989) - An androgynous being comes of age and integrates human and alien societies.
  The three volumes of this series are also collected into two omnibus editions, Xenogenesis (out of print) and Lilith's Brood.

Parable series

• Parable of the Sower (1993) - A girl with heightened empathy develops a benign philosophical and religious system during her childhood in a walled suburb in a dystopian anarchic future Los Angeles. When the suburb's security is compromised, her home destroyed, and her family murdered, she travels north with some survivors to try to start a community where her religion can grow.
• Parable of the Talents (1998) - As the U.S. continues to fall apart, the protagonist's community is attacked and taken over by a bloc of religious fanatics who inflict brutal atrocities like rape and murder. The novel contains a harsh indictment of fundamentalism and has been compared in that respect to Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale. Parable of Talents won the Nebula Award for best novel in 2000.
• Parable of the Trickster - Butler had originally planned to write a third Parable novel, tentatively titled Parable of the Trickster, which would have focused on the community's struggle to survive on a new planet. She began this novel after finishing Parable of the Talents, mentioning her work on it in a number of interviews, but at some point encountered a form of writer's block. She eventually shifted her creative attention, resulting in the novel Fledgling (see below).
  

Other

• Kindred (1979) - Often shelved in Literature or African-American literature, rather than with science fiction. Story of a modern African-American woman who keeps falling back through time to rescue her white, slave-owning ancestor.
• Survivor (1978) - With Earth being ravaged by the disease that was brought back from outer space, and telepaths now asserting control over what remains of humanity, regular humans are caught in the middle, and one group of them has decided to escape it all to a new planet, where they now, as aliens, must struggle to co-exist with the race that already lives there. Although this novel can be connected to the Patternist series, it is consider by others to be a stand alone novel. (Octavia Butler, herself, ultimately came to dislike this novel.)
• Bloodchild and Other Stories (1995) - A collection whose title story, "Bloodchild" (1984), won the Hugo and Nebula awards. The collection also includes four other stories and two essays. The pieces span Butler's career, the first finished in 1971 and the last in 1993. In 2005, Seven Stories Press released a second edition of Bloodchild and Other Stories, expanded to include two newer short stories copyrighted by Butler in 2003.
• Fledgling (2005) - A vampire novel. ISBN 1583226907 Although Butler herself passed Fledgling off as a lark, the themes of race and sexual permeate the novel. Although ostensibly about vampires, the novel is connected to her other works through the exploration of race, sexuality, and what it means to be a member of a community, and what it means to be an outsider. Moreover, the novel continues the theme raised explicitly in Parable of the Sower that diversity is a biological imperative.

The "Panic Annie" Mama's Club

I hadn't heard from my son this past weekend. While I was in bed watching the 10 PM news, they reported ice storms in Austin, and that there had been an 18 car collision. Surely, this had to be the reason my only child had not called me. So, being a card-carrying member of the "Panic Annie" Mama's Club, I did what we do best, PANIC!

I text-messaged him to call me right away (he was at work). As soon he got off from work (around 11 PM) he called. By now he too was panicking because he knew something must be wrong with his mother since it was way past her bed time!

I am happy to report; both mother and son are doing well while dad/husband slept right through all the drama :-)

FYI: My girlfriend Eddgra is the founding member of the PAMC Organizaiton :-)

A New Look

OK, I finally gave my Blog a face-lift. It wasn't easy seeing that I didn't know what I was doing. Hey, I have been a programmer for more than 25 years, surely I could figure this blog-code-stuff out.

I started with a blog template created by http://blogger-templates.blogspot.com. I modified this template to reflect my love for Egyptian Art, Stargate, and of course, SHOES. I wanted to add a tribute to Oprah, but it just did't fit (unless I could dress her up like Nefertiti or something.)



Now I need to get my friends to come visit. That's right, I am hosting a Blog Open House.

Relax, Sit a Spell.... Y'all come back now, ya here :-)

What I'm Reading

Right now I am reading "Fledgling" by one of my favorite authors Octavia Butler. I am also listining to to the audio version of "Christ the Lord : Out of Egypt" by another one of my favoirites Anne Rice.

My upcoming to read list include:

1. The Wave by Walter Mosley
2. Cell by Stephen King
3. Chasing Destiny by Eric Jerome Dickey
4. Changing Faces by Kimberla Lawson Roby
5. Nowhere Is a Place by Bernice L. McFadden

Since I got a new video IPOD for Christmas, I guess I will be updating my music library soon also. Check back to see what I am listening to!

Happy Birthday To Ya, Happy Birthday to Ya, Happy Birthday...

Twenty-three years ago today at around this time of morning, I was in labor. Little did I know that at 11:06 AM, I would meet one of the nicest people I would ever know. On December 2, 1982 Kameron was born. He was and continues to be a ray of sunshine in my life. Kam was the sweetest baby, the most adorable child, a decent teen, and has grown to be a wonderful man. I am proud to be his mother.

December 2nd is a special day for me. Not only is it my son Kameron's birthday , but it is my mother Marian's birthday as well. So today I want to wish two of my favorite people a very Happy Birthday.

Happy Birthday to ya... Happy Birthday to ya... Happy Birthday!!!

What Are the Odds?

My Friend Mark just introduced me to the next level of blogging – "Memes" and "Quizzes".

I took the plunge, why not? Memes are little surveys that you can add to your blog. The one I added below is called "Love." You type in you and your significant other’s name and it gives you a mini love story. Scroll down and give it a try.
Next, came quizzes. There is a company named QuizFarm who haz a gazillion quizzes out there. Well being the big SciFi Fan that I am, and also a Horror fanatic, the next logical step for me was to take the Vampire Quiz (I scored Akasha Queen of the Damned) and Star Trek Quiz (I scored Uhura). Both of these quizzes would tell me which charater I most closly matched. (What fun?)

Now neither of these quizzes had any race/ethnic nor gender questions, however, I managed to match an African American Female charater each time.

What are the Odds?

It is a lot of fun, give it a try!

Giddy-up Horsies

This is one of my favorite photos from the AABCS.

Reshonda, Me, Ruffus, Kendra, Stormy, and Jan horseback riding in Cabo San Lucus. It was SO HOT!!!!

October 21, 2005 

The 6th Annual AABCS

Mary, Pam and Peggy at the Registration Desk. 

A Week to Recoup

I have been back exactly one week from the 6th annual AABCS cruise, and I guess I am finally rested. I had a fantastic time, and really enjoyed hanging out with all of my old and new friends. I look forward to this event each year, as it is the only time I see many of my e-mail/phone buddies and I always leave inspired and ready to write the great American Novel.

It is so amazing to see so much talent on on cruise ship. I must boast that we really do have the "bestest" :-) group of authors in the world attending this event. My friend Nina, actually blogged from the ship, but the ship's connection is SO SLOW, I didn't even try. My son told me that he got all my e-mails after I was back.

Well, thanks to everyone who helped make this event a success. Mary Jones, Peggy Hicks, Jan Emanuel, and of course our hard working husbands! To the authors "MUA" (big kisses), to the participants {{{{{{big hugs}}}}}}}; and to our supports many thanks.

I promise to come back a write a little more, but right now I am trying to post the gazillion pictures we took to shutterfly. Check the AABCS web site (http://www..summitatsea.com) for updates and for the answer to the mystery question... Where to next year???

Home Again, Home Again...

Rita is over, and we are back home. We got power, we got wine, life is good.

O.K. What did I miss? I turned in to watch my favorite night on UPN, Monday, and it was all jacked up!!! On "One on One" the show has gone "Saved by the Bell"; "All of Us" is missing ELISE NEAL, so what all of us is there? As a black women (and trust me I have been one for a long damn time) this show has gone out to left field. Who the hell would move back in with there ex-husband? No one I know. I am watching my FAVORITE show "Girlfriends" now, Lord, I hope you haven't jacked this one up too. Ya' need to talk to your audience before you start messing up a great line-up.

I love me some Chris Rock, but the new show “Everybody Hates Chris” is really jacked up!!!! First, every last scene of the first episode was on the previews/commercials. I feel like I stepped into someone’s diary. HELLO!!!! We do not need someone to narrate an entire show to us, even if it is Chris Rock. And… the little boy that plays Chris, as cute as he can be, IS NOT FUNNY. Work with me people!!!!!

What the hell has happen to “Black People’s Night on TV? Monday night football is looking good to me right now.

Evacuating Rita

On Wednesday, September 21, 2005 we knew that we would soon have to Evacuate. We live in Galveston County, in the coastal area League City. After going into the office and securing all of our computer equipment, we got on the highway heading to Austin. It took us 8 hours to travel the 3-hour trip. But I guess I should not complain seeing that some other people took between 13 and 28 hours to travel the same distance.

With all that said, we safe, high and dry. This has been a true "test" of what we are made of. I am thankful for our good friends the Horton's for housing us "through this storm."

The Birthday Girls!

Wanda, Pam, and Debra celebrated their birthdays!

Debra - July 30th
Wanda - July 31st
Pam - August 2nd

We had a wonderful time at our big birthday Bash. We ate, we danced, we laughed and we ate some more!!!!

Thanks to all of you who came out to join us on Friday Night at the Terrace Cafe and on Saturday night at my home. We had a great time and we are glad you were there to share this special occasion with us.

A special thank you to all of my good friends who came in from out-of-town to celebrate this milestone with me. Robert and Debra Bowie (Memphis, TN); Karan Latimer (Berkeley, CA); Jan Emanuel (Oakland, CA); Paulette Robinson (Memphis, TN) and Dr. Moe Anderson and Lawson (Arlington, TX); and Ted and Arlene (Waco, TX). I love you all, and I feel so special that you wanted to be here to share this moment with me.

Now on to one of my favorite topics....

FOOD

Robert and Ruffus put their foot in the Barbeque Ribs and Chicken! Also, I would like to thank Vickie and Heather Long for preparing the "To Die For" Shrimp; Uncle Eddie, for my wonderful German Chocolate Cake.; Karan Latimer for shipping and restructuring :-) another wonderful German Chocolate cake; and my good friend Deon Brown for all of the "Wine for Days!"

Pretty Birthday Flowers from my good friends Steve and Peggy Hicks! (It is shaped like a cake, it even has candles :-) 

Hey, Hey... It's my birthday, it's my birthday...

OK everyone... as you know this is the year for Wanda's and my BIG 50th Birthday CELEBRATION. (Yes, we realize this is hard to believe! :-)

You want to make sure you are in attendance because it is being compared to the Oprah Birthday Bash - but on a serious budget and without the all the celebrities, but otherwise the same!

Wanda's birthday is July 31 and mine is August the 2nd, and although we will be celebrating for an entire month we have decided to have our Grand Kickoff B-day Blast on the following dates:
Friday, July 29th - Girls Night Out - (But the guys are welcome to come) Happy Hour (Place TBD) Saturday, July 30th - Old School Birthday Bash, bring your dancing shoes! (Pam's House, 7 PM)

We will be sending out an e-vite with more details, but we want you to pencil us in :-)

More details to come....

Go Pam, Go Wanda... It's your birthday... It's your birthday!

Thanks for your prayers

I am so fortunate to be a living witness to a miracle. Most of my friends are aware that I have a good friend, Georgetta Jackson, that has been fighting cancer for the past two years. She initially was diagnosed with leukemia. After a stem-cell/bone marrow transplant and a long tough fight, she was finally in remission. The cancer soon resurfaced in her mouth, which was treated with radiation. Next a lump was found in her breast, then another bout of chemo.

Two weeks ago, she was told that the cancer was in her kidneys, so she would have to have more chemo. Soon after the chemo treatments began, she was placed on morphine. This in conjugation with the chemotherapy caused her to have massive seizures. She slipped into a coma.

For 15 days she laid in a coma, this past Friday I received a call no one wants to receive. I was told that my friend had no brain activity, and kidney failure. We were told to come say our last farewells, because she would not make it through the weekend.

Saturday morning, my phone rang and I did not want to answer the call. To my surprise and to God's glory, I was told that Georgetta not only came out of the coma, but was up and talking. This is truly a miracle, and everyone including the staff at MD Anderson Cancer hospital could not believe their eyes.

I soon spoke to Georgetta, and she was her normal cheerful self. I went to visit her today, and I can not express in words the joy in my heart, to see her wonderful smile and her beautiful spirit. So to all of you, who took the time to whisper a prayer for my friend, I give my heart-felt thanks . Please continue to keep her in your prayers, she is going to beat this. I know this is true. Thanks be to God!

Thanks to Linda J. for these beauties! They multiply like crazy and are so beautiful. (can you tell I also have a new camera :-) 

I'm on a roll...