Lori's Old School Mix

Treasure Vs. Clutter: A Battle & A Balancing Act

2011-11-05T12:26:00.000-05:00

The other day, I watched a cute clip of Anderson Cooper teasing his mother, Gloria Vanderbilt, about the storage unit she rents. He obviously thinks the rental is a waste of money and full of useless junk. I know a little something about that. Last weekend, I stopped by my own rental storage unit. I’m determined to empty it, but it’s a struggle.

I don’t think I’m a packrat (or God-forbid, a hoarder) as much as I am a frugal, overly sentimental “curator.” LOL. I mean really, who keeps old Sears Roebuck catalogs? Well, I have a couple, including the Holiday Wish Book from 1998. I also have a collection of Rolling Stone, Spin and other such mags with my boy Prince on the cover. Hey, I had it bad for Prince, back in the day. When the hubby suggested we trash the old microwave we’d packed away 5 years ago, my first thought was, well, maybe we could use it upstairs for popcorn and to heat water for coffee. In the end, I conceded it was probably time to let it go.

My books, I simply can’t trash, even though I know I’ll never read some of them ever again. Truly, it breaks my heart to see a book (even one I found less than enjoyable) in the garbage. I either have to find a place for them in the house or give them away.

What’s really been difficult is letting go of my son’s old toys, baby clothes, school projects, etc, but I’m starting to make a bit of progress in that area. Some items, specifically, anything torn, broken, stained, full of glitter, feathers, etc. or that makes me say, “What the heck is this?” I’ve actually thrown away. Also, after years of talking about it, I’ve finally completed one scrapbook and hope to start and finish a few more. But scrapbooking is a hobby I have to pursue with caution because it can easily become another source of clutter that requires, yikes, additional storage!

As much as my husband doesn’t want to hear this, there are a few things I doubt I’ll ever part with willingly. My grandmother’s old porch glider, for instance. No, it doesn’t glide any more. Yes, it’s rusted in some areas and no, we don’t even own a front porch big enough for it. But I’m keeping it. I’ll happily scrape the rust, slap on a coat of paint and find a nice spot for it some place in the backyard.

That glider was one of the first things I’d see when we’d pull up to my grandparents' house. I’d dare say, most of my aunts and uncles and all of my first cousins on my dad’s side of the family have, at some point, sat in that glider. The times that I sat there, laughing and joking with relatives, chatting with my M'Deah or just rocking and day-dreaming all by myself are too numerous to count. Call it hokey, or overly sentimental, if you want, but the truth is, whenever I look at the glider, I can’t help but smile and think happy thoughts. The last time I checked, happiness didn’t have a price or an expiration date. So, as long as my tendency to “curate” doesn’t earn me a visit from the health department or an invitation to star on a reality series, I think I’m good . . .

Granny's Black Bag (an old essay / posted in honor of Mother's Day)

2011-05-06T10:09:00.000-05:00

GRANNY'S BLACK BAG by Lori D. Johnson (first appeared in Relic Magazine / April 2006)

“Go and get my bag,” is all my grandmother would have to say and off my brother and I would run, like a couple of gunshot prompted, racetrack hounds. Leave it to us to turn the bag’s retrieval into a competition rivaling that of any canine pair’s futile chase of an artificial hare. But we were children and this was, after all, in the days prior to the advent of the Internet, PlayStation, the Cartoon Network or even cable. And while our mindless pleasures were of the simpler sort, they offered rewards, seemingly beyond the imaginative abilities of today‘s youth.

And to the winner of our quick-footed quest to comply with our granny’s “go-get” command, went the honor of making a big production of the task. Whoever reached the suit-cased sized receptacle first reveled in the opportunity to grab it by its straps and wrestle it into submission, as if an unruly rotweiller is what we had writhing in our midst, rather than a lady’s black, imitation-leather handbag.

Indeed, a beast of a bag it was, and one that, for little kids like us, required a series of military-like “lift, swing and drag” maneuvers in order to move it from point A to point B. Seasoned troopers that we were, my brother and I knew all too well the risks involved, some of which included, but weren’t limited to a subsequent loss of breath, use of limbs or permanent damage to any number of fingers or toes. Yet and still, come our turn to grapple with the grip and we’d be there with the quickness--grinning, groaning and occasionally hollering out, “What on earth do you have in this thing, anyway?!”

Not that our granny ever bothered to respond. Likewise, nor did we ever muster the courage to open the bag and brave too long a look within. The butt-beating such an act would have earned us would have hardly made the effort worthwhile. Besides, our contemplation of all that might dwell within the dark belly of the beast was half the fun.

Beyond a billfold, an address book, a rain scarf, some tissues, a pack of cigarettes and the occasional stick of gum, we never actually saw our grandmother pull anything out of her whale of a purse that might account for its stunning girth. That didn’t stop us from teasing her about toting around bricks. Nor could we help but laugh at the thought of some unsuspecting thief’s attempt to snatch the bag and run. Face down in the dirt is surely where he would have found himself, the weight of the beast, which we guess-timated to be a whopping ten pounds or more, having ultimately drug him there.

I, having always been the more imaginative type, suspected the durn thing was rigged. Something was in there, all right. Something that was just waiting for either me or my brother to poke an inquiring hand deep inside the musty folds and then boom!--the nosey culprit would be snatched in and never seen or heard from ever again.

With age and time came an increased awareness of all that my grandmother’s work as a cook in those windowless eating and drinking establishments, most commonly referred to in the south as “cafes” entailed. Whenever I’d spy her lumbering up the driveway toward the end of another day’s toil, big black bag swinging by her side, or else tucked firmly beneath her arm, I’d frequently find myself wondering if ole girl wasn’t, in fact, packing a sizeable piece, as well as an extra box or two of ammunition.

What can’t be denied is that the bag was my granny’s near constant companion. If she made a trip to the bathroom, be it for business or pleasure, the bag went with her. Whenever she ventured out to hang the wash, the bag, more often than not, bummed a ride alongside the wet clothes piled high in her basket. Besides the cozy nest she’d made for it next to her favorite perch at the kitchen table, the bag claimed its very own resting place on the floor next to her bed. Outside of when she had her eyes closed, the only time ole girl’s grip wasn’t somewhere within her line of vision was when she’d determined it safe to leave it alone at her bedside--a determination that hinged heavily upon the house being empty of all belonging to the adult male persuasion.

My granny’s implicit rule never to leave her grip unguarded in the company of men folk was one that for years knew no exceptions, whether kin or non-kin and even went as far as to include her own husband.

My poor grandfather had been home alone with his bag-coddling wife of sixty-some years the day her congestive heart condition necessitated an emergency call for help. Upon receiving word of the crisis, I’d race from my house to theirs and arrived just in time to accompany my ailing granny on the gurney ride out. The ole girl looked worst than I’d ever seen her. Her calves had swollen to twice their normal size and she barely had the strength required to draw a proper breath. But as the paramedics carted her down the backdoor steps and toward the waiting ambulance, my grandmother somehow summoned both the wherewithal and the necessary spit and wind to turn to me and bark, “Go back and get my bag!”

Had it not been for the seriousness of the situation, I no doubt would have laughed aloud. Instead, I did what I’d always done-- even though at the time I was an adult well into my thirties--I ran off and fetched it for her.

In the summer of 2002, I moved from Memphis, TN in order to join my husband who had accepted a job in Cleveland, Ohio. To be perfectly honest, the move was a painstakingly difficult one. Along with having to force my southern roots into midwestern soil, I had to accept that someone other than myself or my brother (whose military career had long taken him out of the competition) would have to see after my granny and her big black bag.

I flew back home to Memphis for the holidays in December of 2002 and got a chance to visit with my granny one last time before her death on Christmas day. In the days prior to her funeral, I found myself faced with the task of searching through the ole girl’s grip for telephone numbers, important papers and the like.

The bag, which had already been plundered by persons both know and unknown, was but a mere shell of its former self. A thorough search of the bag’s contents turned up no hidden monsters nor anything else that might have accounted for the heaviness I so fondly remembered. But shoved way down deep in one of the purse’s inner folds, I did find one small, round, dark-brown object of interest.

No one I asked seemed to know for sure what to make of the durn thing, until I ran it past my granddad. He barely even glanced at the object before announcing with all of the assurance that having lived 85 years brings, “It’s a buckeye. Some people carry them around for good luck.”

I couldn’t help but tilt my head toward the heavens and smile at what I knew to be a parting wink meant just for me.

I took both the bag and the buckeye back with me to Ohio. Every now and then I hear a whisper in my ear and I know it’s her, still beckoning me. “Don’t worry granny, I‘ve got it,” is what I‘ve taken to telling her. “Rest assured that all of the things you held precious, whether inside or outside of your bag are safe with me.”

Must See Movie: I Will Follow

2011-03-18T10:22:00.002-05:00

If you get a chance this weekend, it might be worth your while to check out an independent movie that's been getting a lot of buzz of late: I Will Follow.

I'd been hearing positive things about the movie for a while and I knew it featured Salli Richardson-Whitfield, Omari Hardwick and Blair Underwood, but I wasn't sold until I watched the trailer. A death in the family. A woman at a crossroads. A bit of romance. A serious movie with performances that aren't over the top. I can't wait! *lol*

Recently, I Will Follow expanded to 22 theaters in 15 cities. Fortunately for me, Charlotte, NC is one of the cities and I plan to catch a showing this weekend. Check your local listings for details.

Signed Book Giveaway . . . After The Dance by Lori Johnson

2011-02-04T17:23:00.001-05:00

SIGNED BOOK GIVEAWAY! In honor of Valentine’s Day, I’d like to giveaway some of the mass market editions of my novel, AFTER THE DANCE. If you’d like a free, signed copy, email me your response to the following question:

How many times do Carl and Faye slow dance in my novel, AFTER THE DANCE? Feel free to guess.

The contest ends on Monday, (February 7th) at 5pm. AFTER THE DANCE is a love story and would make a great Valentine’s gift. Unfortunately, the contest is not open to my overseas friends, fans or readers but all others, including past winners are welcome to respond . . .

**You can find my email address on my blog's profile page. You can also contact me via Facebook or my website.**

HAPPY MLK DAY!

2011-01-17T07:16:00.000-05:00

"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy."

Martin Luther King Jr.

Thursday Thirteen #50 . . . 13 Changes In My Reading Habits

2010-11-04T08:30:00.001-05:00

Over the last ten years or so, I’ve noticed a number of changes in my reading habits. Sadly, most of the changes haven’t been for the better and “sad” is also a good way to describe what I felt while compiling this list. Will I ever regain the same sense of joy I once felt when I curled up in bed with a good book or my favorite magazine? Will Nooks and Kindles ever come close to duplicating the warm and fuzzy feelings of contentment I experience when my face is buried in the pages of a book that I can’t put down? I’m not hopeful.

1) I no longer read or subscribe to the local newspaper on a daily basis. I’ve been reading the newspaper on a somewhat regular basis since I was twelve. However my desire to read and subscribe waned upon my move from Memphis, TN to Cleveland, OH, approximately 9 years ago. I’ve since moved to North Carolina, but I still haven’t reclaimed the time or desire to read the paper on a daily basis.

2) I do subscribe to the weekend (Fri-Sunday) edition of the local newspaper. Still, often times, I don’t read any of the papers until Sunday.

3) I no longer purchase or attempt to read the Sunday New York Times. Back in the day, the hubby and I used to love picking up a Sunday NY Times before paying a visit to our favorite pancake house. Eating pancakes, drinking coffee and discussing what we read in the Times used to be a treat.

4) I no longer purchase or attempt to read the NY Times Book Review. For years, even after I stopped reading the Sunday NY Times, I’d still purchase a copy of their book review. Think that stopped around about the time my son came into the picture.

5) I stopped subscribing to “O” magazine several years ago. When I started accumulating large piles of unread copies, I knew it was time to call it quits. I still like “O” and occasionally I’m moved to pick up a copy, but I really wish it was a bit thinner and/or came out every other month.

6) I still subscribe to “ESSENCE” magazine. But the writing on the wall isn’t good. Like “O” in recent years I’ve begun accumulating large piles of unread copies. Unlike “O” though, I think I’ve become increasingly dissatisfied with the magazine’s content.

7) I no longer read several novels and non-fiction titles in a single month. Once upon a time, it wasn’t unusual for me to read 6-7 books (and sometimes more) in a month. Now, if I manage to read 1 every other month, I’m happy.

8) I no longer visit the library on a regular basis. Visiting the library was once something I once did at least a couple of times month. Sometimes I’d visit and read magazines and journals for hours. These days when I visit, I feel like I’m lost in a forest.

9) I no longer visit the bookstore on a regular basis. Visiting a bookstore used to be something I very much looked forward to doing at least once a week. I still enjoy my visits, but they don’t occur quite as often and I don’t browse as long as I once did.

10) On occasion, I still purchase a number of magazines and journals, but I seldom read them in a day or even a week’s time. I hate throwing them out unread, so I’ve been keeping them in boxes and hoping my stash doesn’t land me on an episode of “Hoarders.”

11) Once upon a time, I routinely read in bed before calling it a night. I can’t remember the last time I took a book or a magazine to bed with me. Even if I tried, I’m sure I’d be asleep after a paragraph or two.

12) I used to give my reading material my undivided attention. These days, when I read, either the TV is on, I’m listening to music or I’m simultaneously engaging members of my family in conversation. Oddly enough, on those rare occasions when I do find myself alone with a book, rather than relish the moment, I start feeling guilty, as if I really need to be “doing” something . . .

13) More and more, the news and information I read is coming from online sources. Ah yes, the computer. It’s making our lives easier, providing us with a variety of entertainment outlets and allowing us access to all kinds of information, but might it also be stealing and/or stifling some of life’s simpler pleasures in the process?

Does anything on my list sound familiar? Have you noticed similar changes in your own reading habits?

If you'd like to visit other Thursday 13 participants START HERE

Lots of Links . . . Some Informative, Others Just For Fun

2010-10-13T10:44:00.001-05:00

Who do you write like? Find out @ I write like. My son introduced me to this site. After you type in a writing sample, it will give you the name of the author it thinks you write like. When I typed in a passage from one of my... novels, it told me I wrote like Stephen King. If you try it, let me know your results . . .

Some great advice HERE from Author Tananarive Due. Among the things she mentions in this speech are 4 ways writers sabotage their work: 1) You want to write, but you don't write; 2) You write, but you don't finish what you write; 3) You finish what you write, but don't submit for publication & 4) You submit what you write, but you don't re-submit. Check out the link for details.

Lots of useful info for newbie writers in the following Youtube clip. In Ask Marita!, Author Marita Golden provides answers to the following: 1) How do I write with regularity; 2) What do I do after my manuscript is finished? 3) What does an agent do?; 4)How do I get an agent?; 5) Is self-publishing a viable option? Check out the clip for Ms. Golden's responses.

The following is a clip of my favorite Muppet, Grover, doing a spoof of the Old Spice Guy commercial.

Natural Women: Our Hair, Our Stories (Brandi F.)

2010-09-15T15:57:00.001-05:00

Brandi F.'s Story

(Brandi F.)

Background / I am 30 years old and I live in Memphis, TN. I conduct health research in African American communities with the intent of addressing community and individual factors that cause poor health among minorities. One of our recent projects focuses on increasing access to healthy foods in communities that do not have supermarkets. I have a great husband, but no kids yet . . .

Hairstyle / I wear a variety of styles—a wash and go, twist-outs and curly fros. I’m always searing YouTube for new style ideas. I decided to stop relaxing in June of 2009. I had been reading about transitioning for a few months and decided to do it! I wore my hair straight until I did the big chop in May 2010. I have not used direct heat on my hair since.

Reason for wearing a “natural” hairstyle / My reason for transitioning was to achieve healthier hair. My hair had thinned out over time with relaxers, and I wanted to embrace my natural texture again. I thought that by fall, I would wear it straight again, but I am loving the versatility of my new hair!

Support of your natural look / When I announced my decision to transition, I got a lot of positive feedback from old classmates and friends who had already gone through the process. I even convinced a few girlfriends to join me. My husband is on board now; he likes to joke about all the products and concoctions I’ve been testing on my hair.

Advice for women considering a “natural” hairstyle / Learn as much as you can about achieving healthy hair. Read blogs, watch video, listen to others share their hair stories. This is a learning process that takes time; many of us have never truly cared for our hair in its natural texture. Commit at least two years to transitioning (don’t get hung up on length). If you keep it healthy, your hair will grow.

Any natural hair blogs, websites, books or print magazines you’d like to recommend / There are so many resources out there, but websites that stick out include Mane&Chic and CurlyNikki.com. My favorite YouTuber is —Kimmaytube--she breaks down Hair 101 like no one I’ve seen! Her videos are informative and insightful and I especially enjoyed the one she did on hair growth and maintenance.

Additional Commentary / I appreciate the opportunity to share my story. My journey has been so rewarding.

Definition of a natural woman / A natural woman is confident and comfortable in her own skin!

"Brandi F.'s Story" is part of an on-going series I created that focuses on African American women who wear their hair au naturel. Check the archives (see sidebar on the right) for past segments, features and profiles. If you'd like to participate in the series, please email me for details (go to my blog's profile page or visit my website for contact information). Your feedback is always appreciated. Please feel free to leave any questions or comments you might have about "Brandi F.'s Story," the "Natural Women: Our Hair, Our Stories" series or Black hair in general, in the section below marked for comments. THANK YOU!

My Knotty Truths

2010-09-04T13:46:00.001-05:00

If you're interested in learning more about my natural hair journey, do stop by Michele George's blog "The Knotty Truth." Recently, she asked me a series of hair related questions and posted my responses. So, if you'd like to know how I answered any of the following:

Where are you from and what is the natural scene like where you are from?

Did you transition to natural hair? If so, what were your experiences?
Did you have any support?

Has there been any differences in your life after going natural?

If you were stranded on a deserted island and had to choose three items for yourhair, what are three things you would have to have for your hair and why?
How do you maintain your hair?

What advice would you give someone who was thinking of going natural?

Has being natural inspired you to write?

Please visit Michele's blog

"The Knotty Truth"

for my responses.

Thursday Thirteen # 49 . . . My 13 Writing Essentials

2010-09-01T20:27:00.004-05:00

WRITING ESSENTIALS ( 13 Things I need/want/like having at my disposal when I write)

An article in the September 2010 issue of Writer's Digest, "Essentials To A Writer's Life" by Erik Larson inspired me to come up with my own list of writing essentials. Larson and I share a need for coffee, but some of the other items on his list were things like "Blocks of Undisturbed Time" "Oreo Cookie" and "A Fireplace."

Even though I wrote down the first things that came to mind, I wouldn't necessarily rank my "essentials" in the order in which they appear . . .

1) CAFFEINE: My drug of choice is coffee--General Foods, Hazelnut Café, to be specific. But in a crunch, I’ll go with an ice cold Coke, or a Dr. Pepper or even a tall glass of sweetened iced tea.

2) LOTS OF LIGHT: During the day, I prefer natural light. Thanks to the previous owner, my house has shades, blinds and a number of dark screens on the windows. I’m guessing he must have been a vampire or something . . . I needs my light!

3) A WINDOW: Yeah, the light thing again. Also, I like being able to catch a glimpse of the outside world every now and then.

4) AN INK PIN: I prefer a pen with a thick, bold, black tip. (Stop, don’t even go there, :-D) Uni-ball’s Vision Elite, Bold 0.8mm are typically what I use.

5) ACCESS TO MUSIC: Often times I write with a little jazz playing in the background or on my headset. Depending on the writing project though, sometimes I’ll listen to r&b, blues, hip-hop or rap. Typically when I’m listening to something other than jazz, I’m attempting to create a certain mood-—one befitting of the particular section I’m in the process of writing.

6) A COMFORTABLE CHAIR: Back support and an ability to embrace the tush are the two most important features here. If it swivels, rocks and turns, that’s even better.

7) CALM, QUIET, PEACEFUL ENVIRONMENT: While I’ve trained myself to write just about anywhere (like the ballpark, the dentist office, in front of a blaring television), I prefer a place where the distractions are few. You’re not likely to find me writing in a bar, restaurant or a coffee shop or any other public place by choice, but I have been known to write in the bath tub . . .

8) A DICTIONARY: I can’t spell y’all, so a dictionary is a must. Plus, it helps when I’m not sure if the word I want to use is the best or proper choice. I do keep a Thesaurus nearby, but I don’t use it much—-probably because I’ve heard too many teachers, authors and others speak on the dangers of becoming overly dependent on the Thesaurus.

9) A GRAMMAR REFERENCE GUIDE: The paperback English Handbook I was assigned as a freshman in college has served me well over the years. Yeah, it’s old and some of the pages have pulled loose from the binding, but you couldn't’t pay me to part with it.

10) A YELLOW LEGAL PAD or SPIRAL NOTEBOOK: I prefer composing in long-hand with an ink pen, hence the need for a pad or notebook.

11) BOTTLED WATER: Gotta keep those brain cells hydrated.

12) A BABY NAME BOOK: I like know the meaning and origins of names. Sometimes, when I’m having “problems” with a character, I’ll start going through the baby name book and see if name change is in order.

13) STIMULATING MATERIAL: When I’m really enjoying what I’m writing, it’s like spending a little time in my own private corner of heaven.

If you write (or engage in some other creative endeavor), I'd love to hear what you consider "essential" when you give yourself over to your muse.

If you'd like to visit other Thursday 13 participants

START HERE

A YouTube Review of After The Dance (by Lori Johnson)

2010-06-23T09:39:00.001-05:00

Wow, a reader was kind enough to send me a YouTube clip of her review of my debut novel, After The Dance. Of course, she just earned herself a free, signed copy of my next novel, LOL!

YouTube Review of author Lori Johnson's debut novel

After The Dance

"Happyness is Nappyness" (Natural Hair Expo 2010 in Raleigh)

2010-06-18T07:41:00.002-05:00

Will I see you there? (Saturday, June 19, 12 noon- 8pm) For more info click on the link--

Happyness is Nappyness!

Natural Women: Our Hair, Our Stories (Michele George's Story)

2010-06-09T13:05:00.006-05:00

(Michele George's Story)

Michelle George

Background / Michele George, who currently resides in Columbus, Ohio, comes to the field of Cosmetology with over two decades of passion and experience in Pharmaceutical and Biotech Research Industry. Her first work, The Knotty Truth: Managing Tightly Coiled Hair At Home DIY Survival Guide, lays the groundwork for her desire to impact the cosmetology industry with the beauty and artistry of highly textured hair. A Certified Natural Hair Consultant, Mrs. George, in her 40s, now parlays her passion by educating women on the delicate art of transitioning from chemical hair to highly textured hair via workshops, online classes and seminars in Ohio and nationally.

Hairstyle / I wear my hair in locs that I started August 2006 with 400 braids that I installed myself. I maintain with a 4pt reverse rotation with a 2.5-inch bobby pin. For the past 3yrs, I’ve washed my hair with African Black Soap and conditioned with aloe vera juice and my favorite essential oils: rosemary and lemongrass oil and feed my hair with olive oil infused with the same EOs and seal the moisture in with castor oil.

Michele George

Reason for wearing a “natural” hairstyle / After 10 years of trying to go natural, I finally transitioned successfully in 2004. I chopped off the chemically processed hair January 1, 2005 and haven’t looked back since. I went natural because I wore a lot of twist outs with my texturized hair. I began to stretch my touch-ups further and further apart as I embraced the naturally curly texture that emerged from my roots. I loved it and wanted to see what it was like to look like me. I began wondering--why do I have to severely alter myself in order to be accepted by corporate America?

While on maternity leave with my second child in 2003, I became a Certified Personal Trainer and began living a healthier lifestyle. I became determined to go natural at this point. Outside of these reasons, hairstylists helped me go natural because of lack of good customer service, stacking customers, leaving me in the chair all day, getting out at midnight, stylists hopping from salon to salon without follow-up, chasing them down to get my chair done and a general lack of respect for my time. I wanted to free of the chair. I attempted to go natural three separate times; the third time was the charm.

Negative reactions / when I did the BC (big chop), I received a lot of negative comments: “Do you like your hair that way?” Co-worker “You look like you have a jheri curl.” Auntie “Why are you wearing your hair like that?” Best friend “When are you going to loc your hair?” Cousin “I like your hair.” (it was a wig) Customer

Response to negative commentary / I focused on the big picture and the picture albums of those women in fotki land and Nappturality.com who shared their journeys. When I did that, I could see how my hair might look in 6-12-18 months down the road. The bottom line was hair grows, everyday it grows. If I hung in there until the fall/winter/spring/summer, my hair would grow too, and I would be able to have a testimony if I hung in there for the duration. I decided to commit to staying natural.

Support for your natural look / The Bible helped me a lot. In Genesis, the Word says God looked upon all His creation and said, "It is good, it is Very good!" That includes my hair. I became determined to see me the way Jesus sees me because the Word also said He doesn't give us more than we can handle. We must be some strong sisters to be given this awesome grade of hair!

A woman with natural hair whose style you admire / I was inspired by T. Crystal Keymah from (then) In Living Color. We favor one another and I was hooked since I first saw her in 1990.

Michele George

Advice for women considering a "natural" hairstyle / It took me until 2005 to finally transition back to me. As a result, I don't proselytize and try to convert people; I just try to be an example, a good example. If they decide to go natural, it will happen at an appointed time that is unique to each and every one of us. I just focus on being the bridge that reaches out to my sister to pass, once she makes the decision that this is what she wants. I don't have the energy to convince people any more. The calling is unique: many are called, few are chosen. It's an awareness that must be claimed by the journeywomen alone. And, when she does, I'm here, waiting, smiling, and welcoming her to a new space of self-love.

Books you'd like to recommend / If you are ready to be informed, enlightened and maybe just a little more educated about highly textured hair, my book, The Knotty Truth is for you. With an emphasis on affordable do-it-yourself hair ingredients at home, The Knotty Truth will introduce you to everyday kitchen products that will nourish not only your belly, but also your hair. Natural hair care need not be expensive. If you are not ready to venture into the world of natural hair, The Knotty Truth may just change your mind with its refreshing perceptive and witty candor. The Knotty Truth is for the strong willed inner child who wants to be free to embrace the nap of her hair or begin the journey to a head of naturally cared for hair full of strength and vitality!

Definition of a "natural woman" / A natural woman is a woman who can see herself as God sees her: as His perfect and beautiful creation. On the day I meet my Maker, I want Him to know that I think He did a pretty good job! So nappy I was born and nappy I'll die."

If you'd like to learn more about

Michele George

please visit her website

http://www.theknottytruth.net/

"Michele George's Story" is part of an on-going series I created that focuses on African American women who wear their hair au naturel. Check the archives (see sidebar on the right) for past segments, features and profiles. If you'd like to participate in the series, please email me for details (go to my blog's profile page or visit my website for contact information). Your feedback is always appreciated. Please feel free to leave any questions or comments you might have about "Michele George's Story," the "Natural Women: Our Hair, Our Stories" series or Black hair in general, in the section below marked for comments. THANK YOU!

Thursday Thirteen # 48 . . . 13 Facebook Fumbles, Failures & Fouls

2010-06-03T08:18:00.001-05:00

If you're on Facebook, perhaps you'll agree with me about some of the these:

1) The Non-Stop Feature Changes Just when I think I have it all figured out, the FB administrators change the features and/or layout again. Jeez-Louise, just leave it alone already or at least keep your improvements to once a year.

2) Negative People aka Trolls If you don't like my status reports, ignore them or do us both a favor and delete me from your list of FB friends. 'Cause if the only time you ever comment on my FB status is when you want to disagree, complain or pick a fight, believe me, I will be deleting you . . .

3) Privacy Settings & Re-settings Again, if it ain't broke, don't fix it. All of the constant tinkering makes me feel even less secure.

4) The FB Folks who play deaf, dumb & blind If I ignored the invitation to join your group or be your friend/fan the first 10 weeks in a row that you asked, why are you still asking me? I’m obviously not interested, so why not show a little dignity and just stop asking already.

5) The Games I'm not interested in farming, being a zookeeper, being initiated into the Mafia or living in a sorority house (Hey, I think I just noticed a theme . . .) For those who enjoy the games, great. But fix it so the rest of us don't have to hear about all of the lost chickens, stray cows, pet monkeys, catfights, turf wars and shoot-outs.

6) People Who Write In All Caps WHY ARE YOU ALWAYS SHOUTING?! Come on people, learn how to communicate on the world wide web.

7) TMDI (too much dang information) Just because we're FB friends doesn't mean I really want or need to know/see all of your business. If you're constantly talking about (or posting pics of) your dirty drawers, shady business deals, mistresses, illegal drug habits, visits to the shake 'em up clubs, bunions, hemorrhoids, etc., we won't be FB friends for very long.

8) The Bible Thumpers Okay, I love the Lord and I don't mind a bit of Scripture every now and then. But posting Bible verses and mini-sermons every hour on the hour, can get a little old after awhile.

9) The Graffiti Artists Okay, I don't mind people writing/posting on my FB wall. All I ask is that you keep it clean, PG13, sane and half-way legible.

10) Invitations Since I live in NC, it’s highly unlikely that I’ll be able to make your midnight bake sale at the roller rink in Utah. So way are you even inviting me?

11) The Poke Feature Sorry, I don't get it. I don't want or like people poking me in real life . . .

12) The E-mailers If you are emailing me more than once a day or once a week, STOP. Seriously, I’m probably deleting your emails without reading them anyway.

13) People Who Only Post About What They’re Eating I’m not sure if this irritates me or just makes me hungry . . .

Well, you've heard all of my complaints, but if you still want to befriend me on Facebook, be my guest!

Lori Johnson On Facebook

If you'd like to visit other Thursday Thirteen Participants,

Start Here!

Author Lori Johnson on blog talk radio with Vanessa Richardson

2010-05-29T08:43:00.000-05:00

Recently, my blogging buddy and "goodreads" friend, author Vanessa Richardson invited me to join her on the blog talk radio show she hosts, "The Certain Ones."

Our discussion is scheduled for tonight (Saturday, May 29) at 6pm EST. According to Vanessa, we will be talking about my latest novel, A Natural Woman, the "natural hair stories" I sometimes feature on my blog and the natural and spiritual journey of Black women's hair.

If you'd like to join us, the call in number is: (917) 932-1607. For additional details about the show, click on the link below:

THE CERTAIN ONES.

Thursday Thirteen #47 . . . 13 Noteworthy Author Rejections

2010-05-06T06:44:00.002-05:00

What aspiring author and writer wanna-be hasn't suffered through the pain of rejection a time or two? Okay, more like 15-20 times and sometimes twice in a single day. Well, no need to despair. In fact, it's happened to some of the best . . .

1) The author of the Dr. Seuss series had his work rejected more than 15 times before he found an editor interested in working with him.

2) Jonathan Livingston Seagull by Richard Bach was rejected 140 times before it was eventually published.

3) C.S. Lewis received over 800 rejections before he made his first sale.

4) 20 publishers rejected William Golding’s Lord of the Flies before it was published in 1954. On of the publishers who rejected the Lord of the Flies described it as, "…an absurd and uninteresting fantasy which was rubbish and dull."

5) Agatha Christie has been called by the Guinness Book of World Records as the best-selling writer of books of all time and the best-selling writer of any kind, along with William Shakespeare. However, her first mystery novel received over 20 rejections.

6) James Patterson’s first novel, The Thomas Berryman Number, was rejected 26 times before finally being accepted.

7) Stephen King received the following rejection for his bestselling novel, Carrie: “We are not interested in science fiction which deals with negative utopias. They do not sell."

8) J.K. Rowling spent six years writing the first installment of her Harry Potter" novels, and was rejected by 9 publishers before landing a deal with London’s Bloomsbury Publishing.

9) Alex Haley, author of Roots, wrote every day, seven days a week for eight years before selling to a small magazine.

10) Ray Bradbury has had about a thousand rejections over his 30 year career and claims his work still gets rejected

11) Margaret Mitchell’s Gone With The Wind was rejected 38 times.

12) Madeleine L’Engle’s A Wrinkle In Time was rejected by 26 publishers. After being published by Farrar, Straus & Giroux, it went onto to win the Newberry Award and it is now in its 69th printing.

13) Louis L’Amour who has 300 million copies of his 123 books in print, had 200 of his stories rejected before he finally made his first sale.

So, if you're thinking about giving up, don't! Keep writing, working on your craft and submitting your work. All you need are equal portions of luck and talent and a whole lot of persistence . . .

Start

HERE

if you'd like to visit other Thursday 13 participants.

Have A Look & A Listen

2010-04-18T08:29:00.005-05:00

A Natural Woman really comes to life in the recently released audio version (by Griot Audio/Recorded Books Library) and the audiobook cover is GORGEOUS. If you'd like to listen to a free sample and/or view the audiobook's cover, click on the link below . . .

Have A Look & A Listen!

Sista Girl Book Club of Philly (Fans of A Natural Woman)

2010-03-29T10:18:00.001-05:00

Sista Girl Book Club (of Philly)

March 27, 2010

This past Saturday, I had a GREAT time discussing A NATURAL WOMAN with the members of the Philly-based Sista Girl Book Club. I absolutely adore the picture they sent me of them holding up copies of my novel. Check those smiles!

If you own any similar pictures of yourself or the members of your book club, holding up (waving, reading, etc.) copies of either of my two novels (A Natural Woman or After The Dance), I'd love to see them and it would be my pleasure to post them.

Listen Up! The audio version of A Natural Woman . . . is now available!

2010-03-10T17:44:00.000-05:00

I'm happy to announce that the audio version of my 2nd novel, A Natural Woman, is now available via Griot Audio. I'm looking forward to hearing seasoned actress, Patricia R. Floyd, narrate Professor Aliesha Eaton and Dante's story. Ms. Floyd's acting credits include a part in Drumline and a reoccuring role in Law & Order, among others . . .

Want additional information?

SEE HERE!

(A Natural Woman is entry #12)

Sexiest Songs Of All Time???

2010-02-27T11:29:00.000-05:00

It's been a while since I felt the urge to write a music post. Well, earlier in this week, I ran across something that stirred, if not outright riled my inner DJ! (LOL) It all started when Malcolm, my blogging buddy over at Pop Culture Dish, shared the first 5 songs on Billboard Magazine's List of the "50 Sexiest Songs of All Time."

Upon my review of the entire list, which ranks Olivia Newton-John's "Physical" at number 1 and the Captain & Tennille's "Do Me One More Time" at number 10. My reaction was they've gotta be kidding! Okay, actually my reaction was more along the lines of, "ain't no way in hell" but anyway, you get the point.

So I've been thinking, if I were to compile a list of "The Sexiest Songs," which songs might be on it? Well, you'd best believe NOTHING by the Captain & Tennille. Even though I do like their music, as well as Olivia's, it's hardly sexy. I mean, really . . .

No, I'm thinking at the top of my list would be some Maxwell and some Marvin! Yeah, right up there at Number 1 would probably be Max's "Til The Cops Come Knocking." Coming in at a close second would be Marvin Gaye's "Come Get To This." At 3 and 4 would be Aretha's version of "Something He Can Feel" and Labelle's "Lady Marmalade." At number 5 would probably be Smokey Robinson and the Miracle's "Oo Baby, Baby."

Even though I might tinker a bit with the order, those would definitely be some of my top sexy song choices, but what about you? What songs would rank at the top of your own list of Top Sexiest Songs of All Time?

Natural Women: Our Hair, Our Stories (Brijetta S.'s Story)

2010-02-14T08:14:00.002-05:00

(Brijetta S.'s Story)

Brijetta S.

Background / My name is Brijetta Smith. I currently reside in Flint, MI. I am 22 years old.

Hairstyle / At the present time, I am wearing my hair braided with human hair (zillions) to help my natural hair grow. When my hair is not braided, I wear it natural, accessorized with hair bands. My hair is naturally curly so maintenance is very easy!

Reason for wearing a “natural” hairstyle / I've been wearing my hair natural for about 3 months now. I decided to go natural because I got tired of putting relaxers in my hair every 8-10 weeks. The upkeep (relaxing, flat ironing, blow-drying, styling) was time consuming and I thought it was time for a change. I wanted a new look and I wanted to start my hair-growing process over.

Support of your natural look / I've found a lot of my family members very supportive of my hair cut and wearing my hair natural. I also have a couple of friends from work that encouraged me to try it.

Negative reactions / I haven't received any real negative responses about my haircut. A couple of my friends have joked around and said I looked like Florida Evans from the "Good Times" TV show. Lol

A woman with natural hair whose style you admire / One woman that wears her hair natural that I admire is my Aunt Audrey. I remember she use to wear her hair relaxed and it was so pretty when she wore it curled. When I heard she got tired of relaxers and she cut her ponytail off, I was curious of what her hair would look like. Today, she still wears her hair natural n short n it is very pretty; it gives her a "Queen" ambience.

Useful natural hair care tips, styling techniques or products you’d like to share / The only products I use on my hair are: tea-tree oil infused or olive oil shampoos, and olive oil conditioning hair cream, mousse, JAM conditioning gel, and a curl-boost gel spray by Garnier Fructis. I usually let my hair air-dry and wash it every week depending on much product I use within the week.

Your definition of “a natural woman” / My definition of "a natural woman" is a woman that's not afraid to express their emotions, physical appearance, beliefs, etc.

"Brijetta S.'s Story" is part of an on-going series I created that focuses on African American women who wear their hair au naturel. Check the archives (see sidebar on the right) for past segments, features and profiles. If you'd like to participate in the series, please email me for details (go to my blog's profile page or visit my website for contact information). Your feedback is always appreciated. Please feel free to leave any questions or comments you might have about "Brijetta S.'s Story," the "Natural Women: Our Hair, Our Stories" series or Black hair in general, in the section below marked for comments.

THANK YOU!

Black Women with Natural Hair - A Conversation with Denise Bolds on Blog Talk Radio

2010-02-09T12:16:00.005-05:00

At 1pm (ET) on Wednesday, 2/10/10, I'm scheduled to speak with Denise Bolds about natural hair, Black women and my latest novel, A NATURAL WOMAN.

The conversation will occur on BlogTalkRadio. If you'd like to listen, please visit the following link . . .

A Natural Queen Black Women with Natural Hair Black Women Empowered 2/10/2010 - Denise Bolds on Blog Talk Radio

If you'd like to join the conversation or ask questions, the call in number is (347) 857-2381.

Staying Busy . . . Behind The Scenes

2010-01-28T08:25:00.002-05:00

No, as of late, I haven't been blogging much. However, I am staying busy. I've started a new writing project and I spend the bulk of my free "online" time on Facebook (facebook.com/lori.johnson1).

Recently, I learned A Natural Woman was profiled in the December 2009 issue of BLACDetroit Magazine (see page 15 / BLACdetroit.com). It was both an honor and a thrill to see my novel featured on the same "Hot On The Shelf" page as the 35th Anniversary Edition of The Black Book and Amiri Baraka's latest--Razor.

I'm in the process of scheduling another blog radio interview and hope to share a few more of the details in the coming days. Also, I'm still taking submissions for the "Natural Woman: Our Hair, Our Stories" series. So, contact me if you're interested and please spread the word.

Natural Women: Our Hair, Our Stories (Treasure's Story)

2010-01-16T15:44:00.001-05:00

Natural Women: Our Hair, Our Stories (S. "Treasure" W.)

(S."Treasure" W.'s Story) S. Treasure w.

Background / I am a 28 year old mother of four beautiful children. I am a native of Savannah, GA, who now resides in Warner Robins, GA. I am an author with three published works under my belt.

Hairstyle / At the present time I wear my hair in a natural, baby 'fro. My hair has been natural for about five years now. The decision was made final--after much contemplation--when I was pregnant with my third child. I put a perm in my hair and it felt as if my head was being squeezed by the biggest, strongest hands in the world. It hurt like mad, and so I said, "A'ight! Decision made! Now, let me get this mess out of my hair! LOL!

Reason for wearing a "natural" hairstyle / I'd been thinking of going natural months before I actually did. The reason I did was because I wanted my daughter, who was four at the time, to grow up proud of her hair. I didn't want her to feel as if God had made a bad choice during her creation. I didn't want her to feel pressured by the socieital definition of what looked good.

Support of your "natural" look / Pretty much everyone has been supportive of my natural look. Even those who thought it wouldnt' look good changed their tune once they saw me!

Negative reactions / Once, an ex of mine said I looked like a fuzzy peach. LOL! I was in desperate need of a trim. My own negative reaction, however, only happens when I'm trying to start my locks. Because of all the different textures I have going on--kinky on the sides, curly in the back and straight up top--I tend to get frustrated. That would be the reason I haven't suceeded in having them.

A woman with natural hair whose style you admire / I admire India Arie because she knows who she is and even sings about being proud of it.

Advice for women considering a natural hairstyle / My advice to any woman going natural is to make sure that you are comfortable in your own skin, or should I say hair! Don't be afraid and hold your head up with much confidence knowing tha nobody else has to agree with you. You are beautiful! Natural and all!

Additional commentary / I have come to feel empowered by my natural hair. Once that step was taken to go against the grain of society, I found that it allowed me to dig deeper into my being. I began to act like an individual and not just say that I am one. My visions became more important because I was trusting myself and the Spirit in me, instead of needing to be validated or accepted. I am naturally Me and that's okay.

Your definition of "a natural woman"? / A natural woman is one who is not afraid to just be! Who she is carries much weight with others because she's real. She's authentic. She's one who can be who she was created to be without doubting herself or thinking that anything about her is a mistake.

"Treasure"

If you'd like to learn more about

S. "Treasure" W.

please visit her website

shalondatreasurewilliams

"S. Treasure W.'s Story" is part of an on-going series I created that focuses on African American women who wear their hair au naturel. Check the archives (see sidebar on the right) for past segments, features and profiles. If you'd like to participate in the series, please email me for details (go to my blog's profile page or visit my website for contact information). Your feedback is always appreciated. Please feel free to leave any questions or comments you might have about "S. Treasure W.'s Story," the "Natural Women: Our Hair, Our Stories" series or Black hair in general, in the section below marked for comments.

THANK YOU!

Give It Up For The Fellas!

2010-01-11T11:16:00.002-05:00

If you listen to people they will attempt to convince you that men (African American men, in particular) don't read, buy books or attend book signings. I know better, if only because I've seen and experienced otherwise. The pictures below don't even capture all of the men who attended or stopped by my Memphis booksignings in December.

Johnnie Blue

Memphis, TN / December 2009

From Lori's Picture Collection

The gentleman dressed in red (Johnnie Blue) is someone I met last year at one of my signings for After The Dance. Even though he already had a copy of A Natural Woman, he made it his business to show up at my Waldenbooks signing just to chat. He's also a member of an all African American male book club, which is based in Memphis and meets regularly at the public library.

A young man buying a book for his girl.

Waldenbooks (Wolf-Chase Galleria)

Memphis, TN /December 2009

The gentleman dressed in yellow in the second picture was among the first that evening to stop and purchase a copy of A Natural Woman. He told me he was buying it for "his girl." I laughed and told him he must really be into this girl if he's still buying her gifts after Christmas. He smiled and told me he routinely bought her books as gifts and he got a lot of pleasure from doing so.

The earnestness I heard in his voice truly warmed my heart.

Lori & Mike

Waldenbooks (Wolf-Chase Galleria) / December 2009/ Memphis, TN

From Lori's Picture Collection

Lori & Eric's Crew

Waldenbooks (Wolf-Chase Galleria)

Memphis, TN / December 2009

From Lori's Picture Collection

Now, I will say, I do seem to be able to get more men to buy books in Memphis, TN than anywhere else. At this particular signing, I even had a gentleman of Asian descent stop and look at the cover of my book for a couple of seconds before disappearing. When he reappeared, he had his wife and their two adorable little girls with him. The gentleman not only wanted to buy a book, he also wanted me to take pictures with his girls. I think I know why. Interestingly enough, the Asian gentleman and his African American wife had produced two beautiful daughters who bore an uncanny resemble to the woman depicted on A Natural Woman's cover, thick, black head of hair and all.

Being Prepared For The Unexpected . . .

2010-01-07T10:40:00.001-05:00

A Few Members of the Jackson, TN Branch

of the Page Turners Book Club

Memphis, Dec. 2009

From Lori's Picture Collection

As a new author, you soon learn that book signings and author events seldom go as planned or expected. My best advice to the uninitiated is to shore up on your flexibility, patience and resilience because you will no doubt be needing all of those things and then some.

The pictures in this post are from a reading and discussion of my debut novel, After The Dance, which took place while I was in Memphis over the 2009 Christmas holiday. The event was arranged by my friend Damika and held in conjunction with a meeting of the Jackson, TN branch of the Page Turners Book Club (led by Lakia Newsom).

THE original plan had been for us to meet-up at a local downtown eatery, but for some unknown reason, the owner of the eatery decided not to open his doors at the pre-arranged, appointed time. From what I understand, dude wouldn't even answer his phone . . . However, a few folks swore they spotted ole boy cruising by and gawking at the crowd gathered outside the closed doors of his establishment . . . LOL.

Hey, sometimes, it's like that and the best you can do is say, "Lord have mercy! My people! My people!"

Anyway, my good friend, Stanford Lewis, who'd so graciously agreed to assist me with the reading that day (even though he was entertaining an out-of-town guest of his own) went over and beyond the call of duty, and out of the blue, offered up his HOUSE as an alternative spot for the event.

Interestingly enough, MY original plan hadn't even been for Stan to assist me with that particular event. But my dear old friend not only showed up, he came through for me in a BIG WAY and for that, I will be forever grateful.

In the end, I had a wonderful time meeting with the ladies and the gentleman of the Page Turners Book Club (Jackson, TN Branch) and discussing my work with them. In spite of the unexpected turn of events, each and everyone of them keep their cool and sense of humor about the situation. Now, that's what I call "CLASS" . . . somthing ole boy from the eatery could probably stand to learn a thing or two about.

A Few Members of the Jackson, TN Branch of the Page Turners Book Club Memphis, TN /Dec. 2009 From Lori's Picture Collection The Page Turners (Jackson, TN branch) Holding copies of After The Dance & A Natural Woman Memphis, TN / Dec. 2009 From Lori's Picture Collection

Just An Overview . . . From My 2009 Mid-South December Book Signings

2010-01-04T17:42:00.002-05:00

Yes, I'm back in Charlotte. Brought a cold back with me. But I wanted to post a few pics from my Memphis & Southaven events. I'll have to fill you in on the details later . . .

Damika is one of my favorite fans from the Mid-South Area.

From Lori's Picture Collection

Memphis / Dec. 2009

Me & my homegirl, Charlotte. We attended LeMoyne-Owen College together back in the day and we've been the best of friends ever since! From Lori's Picture Collection Books-A-Million / Southaven, MS / Dec. 2009 Stan is another one of my LeMoyne-Owen buds. He helped me read an excerpt from my debut novel, AFTER THE DANCE. He read Carl & I read Faye. Um, I'm not sure why I'm holding my mouth that way . . . Perhaps I'm still in "Faye" mode . . . From Lori's Picture Collection Books-A-Million /Southaven, MS / Dec. 2009

One of the readings Stan and I did together took place at his house.

We had a great time with the Page Turner's Book Club! From Lori's Picture Collection

Memphis, TN / Dec. 2009

Just in case you're wondering, my hair in these pic is unstraightened and chemical free. Thanks to Angela at Jazz It Up hair salon in Memphis, my hair is pulled back into flat-twists. So you see, I am still very much A Natural Woman . . .

Still On Holiday . . .

2009-12-29T23:43:00.003-05:00

Yeah, I'm still off enjoying old friends and family members. Just so you know, the A Natural Woman signings in the Memphis area went EXCEPTIONALLY WELL! I sold out at the Books-A-Million (in Southaven, MS) and at the Waldenbooks (Wolf-Chase Galleria) in Memphis. Also, I had a ball with the Page Turner Book Club members who turned out to discuss my debut novel, After The Dance. Upon my return, look for me to post a few pictures . . .

HAPPY HOLIDAYS . . . I'M OFF HAVING A MERRY CHRISTMAS!

2009-12-19T11:23:00.003-05:00

Online Chat About A NATURAL WOMAN

2009-12-07T06:39:00.002-05:00

One of my online buddies, Pamella Robinson, has generously offered to host an online discussion of my lastest novel, A NATURAL WOMAN.

The chat is scheduled for Saturday, December 12 at 5 pm eastern time ( 4 pm central). If you'd like to participate in the discussion, ask questions or make comments, all you need is an AOL account with a screen name (or an AIM account). To sign up for an account or to join the discussion, click on the following link:

A Natural Woman / Sat., Dec. 12, 5 pm est/ Online Discussion.

A Few Online Holiday Shopping Ideas And Suggestions

2009-11-29T08:51:00.002-05:00

Have you finished your holiday shopping? If you're anything like me, your answer is probably, "Heck no, I've barely started!" Personally, I can't stand the crowds, the lines or the traffic, which is why more and more, online shopping is starting to look like the way to go. If you're looking to spare yourself some of the aforementioned aggravations, and you like unique, but reasonably priced gift items, you just might want to check out some of the online sites I've been visiting of late.

Lady Kinnks has compiled a "Santa Please" list of Natural Hair Related Products. Her Kinnks tee with the Marcus Garvey quote is something I'm considering, not only as a gift idea, but for myself.

Narmi has a nice assortment of products in her store, Namari Oils & Books. On one of my recent visits, I saw a Lavender soap that has my name of it.

If you have any online holiday shopping ideas and/or suggestions, feel free to leave the info in the section for comments.

A Hair Conversation . . . With Pearl, The Hair Deva

2009-11-18T11:12:00.001-05:00

Well, they say the 3rd time is the charm (smile). Pearl, The Hair Deva & I have rescheduled our conversation a couple of different times over the past few weeks. But today, unless we run into an unanticipated hitch, we'll be chatting about the movie "Good Hair," my novel, A Natural Woman and possibly a few other hair-related issues on her blog radio show, A Kinky Konversation. You can join us today, if you'd like, at 3pm central / 4pm eastern.

To learn more about Pearl and her program, click on the LINK.

Natural Women: Our Hair, Our Stories (Michelle D.P.)

2009-11-13T10:06:00.000-05:00

Natural Women: Our Hair, Our Stories

(Michelle D. P.'s Story)

Michelle D. Petelinz

Background / I'm 53 years old and I'm originally from Long Island, NY. I lived in Boston, MA for over 20 years and currently reside in Raleigh, NC. I am a mixed media artist, creating wall hangings, shadow boxes, mirrors and clocks with an Afrocentric flair. Along with my husband, I own Kindred Spirit Studios, displaying and selling my work throughout the southeast in juried shows and art festivals. I write a blog about my journey as an artist called Artventuring (http://artventuring.blogspot.com/) and show my work online on the Kindred Spirit Studios website (http://www.kindredspiritstudios.com/).

Hairstyle / I wear my hair in two basic styles, mostly according to the season. In the spring and summer, when it's hot and humid here in NC, I wear my hair "natural," meaning I just wash, condition, air dry, and apply locking gel to smooth the frizz and enhance the natural wave. During the dryer months, I use a blow dryer and flat iron and wear it straight. I don't use a chemical relaxer and haven't for over 30 years.

Munira Ancestress of Radiance From Michelle's "Kindred Spirit" Collection

Reason for wearing a "natural' hairstyle / The most compelling reason is ease of handling; I learned that when I don't fight my hair, it and the weather come to an "understanding", and I'm much happier! I decided not to fight my hair's natural tendencies in the summer about 10 years ago.

Support of your natural look / My husband really likes it, and I receive positive comments from friends as well.

Negative reactions / My mother wasn't particularly fond of the look. She was a big proponent of straight hair, and saw to it that I wore it that way growing up. We did the whole home relaxer thing until I left for college. Once I was on my own, I decided not to continue with that. Questions from White women about my hair are sometimes irksome. They seem surprised that both straight and naturally curly styles are possible with my hair. I've had to educate many on the subject.

Response to negative commentary / I don't get negative comments.

Shadow Box From Michelle's "Kindred Spirit" Collection

Women with natural hair whose style you admire / I love seeing Jill Scott in The Number One Ladies' Detective Agency with her Afro; she looks comfortable in her own skin and hair, which is just great! And, I think the model Alex Wek is absolutely gorgeous!

Useful natural hair care tips, styling techniques or products / About 8 years ago, a stylist recommended Jamaican Mango and Lime Locking Gel for my natural style, and I love it. It works, smells great, and doesn't make my hair stiff like other alcohol-based gels.

Advice for women considering a natural hairstyle / Do what feels right for you and your hair. Don't worry about what other people think or say; it's your hair, your look, and your life! Do what makes you happy. Words to live by in all things, not just hair!

Your definition of a "natural woman" / I believe a natural woman is one who is comfortable in her own skin; one who doesn't feel the need for artificial things to be beautiful--she knows she's beautiful, and loves herself.

Tarishi From Michelle's "Kindred Spirit" Collection

If you'd like to learn more about

Michelle D. P

aka Michelle Davis Petelinz please visit her at

(http://www.kindredspiritstudios.com/)

and/or

(http://artventuring.blogspot.com/)

"Michelle D.P. 's Story" is part of an on-going series I created that focuses on African American women who wear their hair au naturel. Check the archives (see sidebar on the right) for past segments, features and profiles. If you'd like to participate in the series, please email me for details (go to my blog's profile page or visit my website for contact information). Your feedback is always appreciated. Please feel free to leave any questions or comments you might have about "Michelle D.P.'s Story," the "Natural Women: Our Hair, Our Stories" series or Black hair in general, in the section below marked for comments.

Thank You!

A Natural Woman News

2009-11-03T18:09:00.006-05:00

In case you're wondering, I've been a bit busy, but I'm still here. I do have a few items to share with you on the A Natural Woman front.

First, on Saturday, November 7, 2009 from 1pm-3pm, at Joseph-Beth Booksellers (SouthPark) in Charlotte, NC., I will be siging copies of A Natural Woman. If you are in the area and not too busy, come on out and keep me company. Even if you already have a copy of the book, I'd love to hear your impressions and chat with you about the novel.

While I'm on the subject of impressions, the following is another nice review of A Natural Woman. If you visit Namari's site, and check out the review, don't forget to leave her a comment and let her know you were there.

Last, but not least, I will be posting another "hair story" soon. Michelle Davis Petelinz, our artist-in-residence, steps forward with her unique perspective on the topic of "natural hair." Check back, 'cause you don't want to miss it . . .

Oh, I almost forgot. I'm scheduled to do a blog radio interview with Pearl, the Hair Deva who resides in my old hometown of Memphis and who holds a "A Kinky Konversation" every Wednesday at 3pm (central time). I'm not sure if I'll be on tomorrow or next Wednesday. I'll keep you posted.

Natural Women: Our Hair, Our Stories (Vanessa R.)

2009-10-25T08:15:00.014-05:00

Natural Women: Our Hair, Our Stories

(Vanessa R.'s Story)

Vanessa R.

Background/ Vanessa R. is an author and playwright. She is in her mid-thirties and is a resident of North Carolina. Vanessa enjoys reading, writing, acting and meeting aspiring and inspiring people. She loves hearing from readers.

Hairstyle/ I have been wearing my hair in a tight up do twists. I am sure there is a name for this style, I just don't know what it is; but I love it! I decided to go natural my sophomore year in college. I attended an HBCU and was in awe of the many natural hairstyles my sisters were sporting on campus. I loved it. I found going natural was a constant on my mind. So, I did it. I just stopped getting a relaxer, after a couple of months. I cut my hair low. I wore my hair natural for a period of three to four years. I was always aware of my hair when I was natural. I knew it required high maintenance. With relaxed hair, I could put some gel on it; put it in a ponytail and go.

Reason for wearing a more "natural" hairstyle/ I consider myself to be a child of the earth. I am natural. The less the chemicals, the better it is for me. I try to eat and live healthy--I do not eat red meats. My aim is to one day become a vegetarian and then a vegan.

Negative reactions/ I have had some comments from people saying natural hair is a throw back to the days when African American women had to struggle to be beautiful. I've even had someone state to me that nappy hair is not attractive and it takes away from the beauty of women. I immediately pointed out the beauty of Lauryn Hill and Erkyah Badu, natural beauties personified.

Additional commentary/ I remember going natural from a couple years back. When I started locking my hair, my hair went through the ugly stages. During those stages, I began to develop a relationship with my hair. A relationship with my hair? I've never had this before. I would just put it in a pony tale and be on my way. I know my ladies understand what I am saying. : ) My growing dreds was not a political statement, nor was I trying to be different. It felt right for me. So, my journey to growing dred locks became a spiritual one. I nurtured and tended to it as I would a garden. I watched it transform and grow.

At the time, certain corporate businesses had strict dress code policies. Locking was unacceptable. I had a choice to make. I wanted to work for a certain company. What do you think I did? Yep, you guessed it, I sacrificed. : ( I went to my stylist, and had her cut my dreds, which were shoulder length at the time. It took my stylist three attempts before I finally allowed her to cut my hair. I cried. those around me didn't understand my tears. They thought I should be happy to get my hair relaxed as this was a thing for modern ladies and that I should stop being yesterday's lady. I am not knocking relaxers, going natural was what felt right for me.

Definition of a “natural woman”/ A natural woman is someone who is secure in her own skin. She walks both in and with confidence in who she is called and chosen to be, (and there is a difference) regardless of what others choose to say or think about her. At the end of the day sisters, friends, natural women, it is natural to be who you are. Do you!

If you'd like to learn more about

Vanessa R.,

please visit her at

http://www.authorvanessarichardson.com/

and/or

the certain ones

"Vanessa R.'s Story" is part of an on-going series I created that focuses on African American women who wear their hair au naturel. Check the archives (see sidebar on the right) for past segments, features and profiles. If you'd like to participate in the series, please email me for details (go to my blog's profile page or visit my website for contact information). Your feedback is always appreciated. Please feel free to leave any questions or comments you might have about "Vanessa R.'s Story," the "Natural Women: Our Hair, Our Stories" series or Black hair in general, in the section below marked for comments. Thank You!

New Interview

2009-10-23T12:25:00.002-05:00

Hey, I'm off visiting with Katrina Spencer. Ms. Spencer is the author of Six O'Clock and she was kind enough to invite me over to her blog for a little Q &A. If you have a moment, why not join us? Katrina's spot is called

Curl Up & Write.

I hope to see you there!

A Natural Woman . . . Reading Beyond The Words

2009-10-19T19:36:00.001-05:00

Recently, a reviewer with APOOO gave my novel, A NATURAL WOMAN, 5 stars!!!!! It's always nice when someone expresses appreciation for your work. It's even better when someone demonstrates a real understanding of your work. I think on some level this reviewer recognized that A Natural Woman is more than just a story about a woman’s obsession with her hair or pursuit of a man.

In a A Natural Woman the real story exists just beyond the words on the page, if that makes any sense. Really, if you engage in a close read, you'll discover the story peeking at you from behind the little things, like

**Dante's fascination with Kafka's THE METAMORPHOSIS

**Aliesha’s office in the basement of building called Sojourner Hall

**The lover who tells Aliesha he wants to be her Teacake and wants her to be his Janie

**The blind, bald clairvoyant who can see what others can’t

** Aliesha’s discussion of the “beloved disciple”

**the presence and power of the dead

** Dante’s 40 day disappearance

** The spider Dante spies on the ceiling

Of course, the fact that I didn't think too many folks would "get" A NATURAL WOMAN didn't stop me from writing it. Sometimes you just have to be willing to go there . . .

Natural Women: Our Hair, Our Stories (Teowonna C.)

2009-10-12T19:32:00.000-05:00

Natural Women: Our Hair, Our Stories

Teowonna C.'s Story

Teowonna C.

Background / Teowonna C. is a 36-year-old self-described "nappy head" living in Columbia, SC. She is a communications specialist for an insurance company by day and a writer, newspaper editor and radio talk show producer by night. Busy girl! But she always finds time for her passion, blogging! She unleashes her opinions or theories on the world at: thatteowonna.com

Hairstyle / Right now, I wear my hair in locs, but I take pride in showing the versatility of locs. Many people think you can't do much with locs . . . boy are they wrong! February 2010 will be 6 years of having locs, but I've been natural for about 7 years.

Reason for wearing a "natural" hairstyle / I am very much a free spirit an independent soul. When I first considered locing my hair about 10 years ago, I knew I'd catch the devil from my husband. I had a relaxer at the time and was ready to go back to the low fro I had when I was in college. So, I wore braids for a few months to let my hair grow out. I told my husband, who was 17 years my senior, that I was going to get my hair cut down. He really didn't have much to may until he came home from fishing one Saturday morning and saw that I had made good on my promise. He was livid! He said, "I can't stand a nappy-headed ass woman!"

When I went to church the next day, my sorority sister told me how nice my hair looked. I told her, "Please, don't say anything about my hair . . . I almost got a divorce over this damn hair!" To my husband's credit, he told me months later, after he got used to my hair, that my short fade looked very nice on me.

My husband passed away suddenly a year or so later. On the anniversary of his death, which also happened to be my 31st birthday, I loced my hair. I don't know if that was an act of celebration (of my birthday) or of deviance (against my husband's previous wishes). Either way, it is one of the best decisions I've ever made. Today, I'd like to think my husband would approve of this nappy-headed ass woman!

Support of your natural look / Actually, everyone. Everyone pretty much knows that I'm gonna be 'me.' Other than my husband, everyone else has been cool!

Negative reactions / My hair is kinda of bronzy now (courtesy of Sunkissed Bronze from Dark and Lovely), but while I was searching for the right color, my hair was 'very blonde' . . . not platinum, but pretty dang close. I had a job interview and wore my locs as conservatively as I could . . . but how conservative could I be? I mean, they were blonde locs! I got the job, but months later, my White manager said, "I hired you even though you had blonde hair." I told her, matter-of-factly, "You should have . . . I would have hired you with blonde hair."

Response to negative commentary / I don't get too many, but as you can see from my response above, I'm a pretty quick comeback!

Advice for women considering a natural hairstyle / I give these two pieces of advice all the time: 1) Locs are not a hairstyle, they are a commitment. If you ain't ready, you just ain't ready. 2) Don't get locs because you want them to look like mine. Because they WON'T look like mine, or anyone else's. Love and accept your locs for what they are . . . an extension of you!

Additional commentary / If you go "natural" don't be surprised if you start to make other life transformations. I think my locs made me more 'me' than I have ever been before . . . hence my blog. A lot of people don't agree with my theories, but most acknowledge that they are 100 percent That Teowonna!

Definition of a "natural woman" / A natural woman is one who is true to herself. She does what makes her feel good. You don't have to rock a natural do or be make-up free to be a natural woman. You just gotta be YOU. That Teowonna, is a natural woman.

Teowonna C.

If you'd like to learn more about

Teowonna C. visit her blog

That Teowonna!

"Teowonna C.'s Story" is part of an on-going series I created that focuses on African American women who wear their hair au naturel. Check the archives (see sidebar on the right) for past segments, features and profiles. If you'd like to participate in the series, please email me for details (go to my blog's profile page or visit my website for contact information). Your feedback is always appreciated. Please feel free to leave any questions or comments you might have about "Teowonna C.'s Story," the "Natural Women: Our Hair, Our Stories" series or Black hair in general, in the section below marked for comments.

Thank You!

Thursday Thirteen #46 . . . 13 People Who Share My Name

2009-10-07T20:57:00.007-05:00

Have you ever “Googled” your name and been surprised by what you found? Chances are there’s at least one other person in the world who shares your name. I’ve stumbled upon a number of different Lori Johnsons in my online searches, many of them bright and talented individuals, like myself, and others I’d truly hate to be mistaken for (LOL). The following are some of the Lori Johnsons I’ve discovered online.

1) There’s at least one Lori Johnson who plays football. (Trust me, that’s not me. My running and tackling days are long behind me. Now, if you give me a good head start, I might be able to grab you and sit on you.)

2) From the looks of things, there’s an “outlaw” Lori Johnson who ran into some kind of legal trouble in the Dakotas. (Again, that’s not me. Even though, bizarrely enough, I did live in North Dakota as a teen and graduated from HS there. But my law-breaking days didn’t start until I got older and moved South.)

3) Evidently, there’s a Lori J. who starred in a $ex tape. (Or perhaps, that’s just wishful thinking on the part of someone aiming to blackmail me, LOL. If there is such a tape out there, I promise you Mom, I don’t know anything about it.)

4) There’s an Asian Lori Johnson who lives in my old hometown of Memphis and either sings in some choir or teaches Kindergarten. I can’t remember which. Possibly both.

5) Several of the Lori Johnsons out there are also authors. One of them writes paranormal fantasy about bears. (No, I’m not making this stuff up.)

6) Another Lori Johnson lives right here in Charlotte and works in banking. (I wonder if she’s ever Googled her name and wondered about some of the other Lori J.s, including me.)

7) There’s a Lori Johnson who not only shares my middle initial, but her middle name is very close to my own. (Equally as odd, I once met a woman named Lori whose brother has the same first name as my brother.)

8) One of the Lori Johnson’s out there is a musician. (One of these days I’m going to check out some of her tunes.)

9) A couple of the Lori Johnsons are real estate agents.

10) At least one lucky Lori Johnson knows a thing or two about cars and teaches other women how to handle themselves under the hood.

11) The Lori Johnson who works as an attorney holds the honor of being the first Lori Johnson I discovered online.

12) Another Lori Johnson works as an image consultant

13) Last, but not least, there’s an animal-loving (or perhaps slightly disturbed) Lori Johnson out there who is raising a monkey as a child.

In case you’re in doubt, I’m the Lori Johnson who writes oddball love stories for Kensington/Dafina. My second novel, A Natural Woman, is scheduled for publication in November.

Okay, now it's your turn. What are some of the stranger or funnier things you've discovered upon "Googling" your own name?

If you'd like to visit other

Thursday 13 Participants

BE MY GUEST!

A Few Things I'd Like You To Know About My Novel, A Natural Woman

2009-10-05T09:22:00.005-05:00

1) A Natural Woman is NOT the sequel to my first novel, After The Dance. To be honest, I'm not exactly sold on the whole sequel concept. It seems too much like the perfect set-up for writing the same story, over and over and over again, a notion that doesn't set my creative juices on fire. However, I haven't ruled it out altogether. Perhaps, in time, I will revisit both sets of characters. Do think there is a lot more I could do with the characters from A Natural Woman.

2) Unlike After The Dance, my first novel, A Natural Woman is not a romantic comedy. The tone in ANW is much more serious and the style, I'd dare say, a bit more literary.

3) While A Natural Woman features a woman who sports a natural hairstyle, by no means is the author (that would be me) any sort of a "hair Nazi." I whole-heartedly support a woman's right to wear her hair any damn way she pleases.

4) While A Natural Woman features a woman who is very involved in her church, A Natural Woman is anything but Christian Fiction. So don't read it looking for any conversion scenes, "thou shalt not" sermons or folks getting the Holy Ghost.

5) A Natural Woman does contain a couple of love scenes that aren't intended for consumption by minors, the prudish or the faint of heart.

6) The main character in A Natural Woman, Professor Aliesha Eaton, is a figment of my all-too vivid imagination. I am not her, nor did I base her on anyone I currently know or I've ever met.

7) A Natural Woman touches on a number of social issues, colorism and violence against women, among them, but in what I hope is a non-heavy-handed kind of way.

8) A Natural Woman is full of symbols, among them: a 40-day absence; a spider on a ceiling; a campus building named Sojourner Hall and the reoccurring role of the dead. It's up to you to catch them and determine their meaning. Sorry, I'm not a "lead you to the water and make you drink" kind of author.

9) If you'd like to read an excerpt of A Natural Woman, visit my website

http://www.lorijohnsonbooks.com/

10) A Natural Woman is scheduled for release on October 27th, but you can preorder today via Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Borders or through your local, neighborhood bookseller.

Natural Women: Our Hair, Our Stories (Michelle F.)

2009-10-01T08:02:00.001-05:00

Natural Women: Our Hair, Our Stories

Michelle F.'s Story

Michelle F.

Background / I was born in Memphis 53 years ago and I currently reside in the city. Having had the opportunity to live briefly in Washington D.C., New York City and Boston, MA, I still prefer home. However, traveling is one of my passions and I have visited many cities in the United States and have also gone abroad. In January of 2010, I may be making my first pilgrimage to Israel.

Hairstyle / Currently, I am wearing my hair in a puff set. This is the look where you use a large ponytail holder and once on the head you twist it into the shape of the number 8. Your hair is pulled back and you gather the hair into the twisted band. I also wear the spiral rod look, which can be done using natural hair flexi-rods or the plastic spiral rod. Occasionally, I wear my hair pressed.

Reason for wearing a "natural" hairstyle / In late 2003, I decided to stop the chemical relaxer regimen and wear my hair natural. The natural look was more "me." Relaxers with all the chemicals in them are harsh on the hair and have a drying effect on one's crowning glory.

Support of your natural look / Many people and even strangers will compliment me on my natural hair styles when my hair do is fresh. By this, I mean having recently left the hairdresser.

Negative reactions / My goddaughter's father feels I should get my hair done when I'm wearing it naturally. He thinks I should wear it straight, relaxed or even pressed.

Response to negative commentary / Other than the above negative response, I can't think of any other negative comments; people may not want to convey their negativity to me. As far as my goddaughter's father, I really don't say anything because I know what is best for me."

A woman with natural hair whose style you admire / The character named, "Mona" in the canceled "Half and Half" TV sitcom is one I admire. Her hairstyle maybe a wig, but I still like the look on her.

Useful natural hair care tips, styling techniques or products / A local sister in Memphis sells her concoction at the Farmer's Market. This product is organic and consists of apple cider, vinegar, rosemary and nettles. It is called herban hair cider. It soothes my scalp and the cleansing feel it gives me is refreshing. This mixture is applied after shampooing and then rinsed off. Olive oil products, deep conditioners and hot oil treatments, I feel are a must.

Advice for a woman who is considering going natural / For a woman who is thinking about going natural, I would say, "Go for it!" It will not hurt anything and I feel it will only make the hair healthier.

Any blogs, websites, books or print magazines, which deal with the subject of natural hair you'd care to share or recommend / A co-worker shared with me the YouTube "Natural Black Hair Tutorial." On this site you can find a variety of hair styles and how to create them. In addition to the models showing you step-by-step the techniques of the hairstyles--you can learn about grooming your natural 'do. Of course, ESSENCE magazine features interesting articles on the natural look.

Additional comments/ My experience over the past six years is: my hair is thicker, softer, and has more length to it and I am pleased.

Definition of "a natural woman"/ My definition of a natural woman is one, like myself who is low maintenance when it comes to wearing a lot of make-up or any at all. And like myself, a natural woman does not like the artificial effect of wigs, weaves, hair color and finger nails. Although, I do like nail polish. I feel a natural woman is someone who likes herself both inside and out and does not compete with other women for her looks. She dresses to satisfy her own taste.

"Michelle F.'s Story" is part of an on-going series I created that focuses on African American women who wear their hair au naturel. Check the archives (see sidebar on the right) for past segments, features and profiles. If you'd like to participate in the series, please email me for details (go to my blog's profile page or visit my website for contact information).

Your feedback is always appreciated. Please feel free to leave any questions or comments you might have about "Michelle F.'s Story," the "Natural Women: Our Hair, Our Stories" series or Black hair in general, in the section below marked for comments.

Thank You!

Thursday Thirteen #45 . . . 13 Things To Expect After You Publish Your 1st Book

2009-09-16T20:48:00.008-05:00

Yes, I am speaking from experience. If it's on the list, it really happened to me.

1) You will be overwhelmed by the kindness of strangers.

2) You will be less than impressed by the pettiness of folks you thought you knew.

3) If you take a bowl of candy to one of your signings, some little fat kid is bound to come along and help him/herself to a big handful or two. Seriously, some little fat bast--um, I mean--adorable tyke will have the nerve to mean mug you while he/she's scarfing down and/or carting off the bulk of your treats.

4) If you show up at one of your signings with a tray of cookies & brownies, some old guy who claims he's a pastor will help himself to two or three pastries before informing you that he doesn't read the kind of books you write.

5) The thrill of checking your Amazon numbers will be a short-lived one.

6) You'll receive unsolicited phone calls, gifts and other such attention from people whose sole intent is to get close to your agent.

7) You'll discover an online "review" that reads more like a personal attack against you, than an objective critique of the book.

8) Folks who can barely navigate the ins and outs of basic grammar will offer to "edit" your next "fictional novel"-- for a reasonable price, of course.

9) You'll uncover inner strengths and talents you never realized you owned.

10) You'll gain a newfound respect for book lovers, librarians, and independent bookstores.

11) Folk who have no real interest in you or your book will stop by the table where you are signing and insist that you smile and pose for pictures.

12) You'll eventually conclude that writing the book was the easy part.

13) You'll learn not to take candy or pastries to your book signings . . . or perhaps you'll just learn how not to sweat the small stuff (LOL).

If you'd like to visit other

Thursday Thirteen participants

Be My Guest!

Drum Roll Please . . . An excerpt of A Natural Woman by Lori Johnson

2009-09-09T15:47:00.000-05:00

In A Natural Woman (scheduled for publication by Kensington/Dafina in November), a young professor's infatuation with the man who cuts and styles her hair sends her world spinning out of control.

A NATURAL WOMAN

by Lori Johnson

CHAPTER 1

Aliesha sucked in a deep breath and pushed open the door. A bell tinkled over her head and seven pairs of male eyes swiveled in her direction. As if on cue, the rhythmic licks and beats of a guitar and a pair of sticks on a set of drums suddenly filled the air. Not more than a second or two later, Johnnie Taylor screamed and launched into the first verse of "Who's Makin' Love?" Aliesha exhaled, smiled, and strutted forward. Beneath the surface of her brave mask lurked the hope that she hadn't made an incredibly egregious misstep. Today, rather than drive past Wally's Cool Cuts like she had for close to six months now, she'd decided to stop.

Don't You Want To Know What Happens Next?

If so, visit my website

www.lorijohnsonbooks.com

and read

Chapters 1 & 2.

You can also *pre-order* a copy of

A Natural Woman

via Amazon, Barnes & Noble and most of the major book carriers and outlets.

Praise For A Natural Woman (by Lori Johnson)

2009-09-04T19:37:00.000-05:00

Essence bestselling author, Lonnice Brittenum Bonner was kind enough to make the following remarks about my soon-to-be released novel, A Natural Woman:

"A Natural Woman is not your staid, tired 'message novel' about the righteousness of Afrocentricity--

this is a juicy read with sexual intrigue, dish and a smart, chocolate-skinned heroine with coily, napptural hair that men can't seem to keep their hands out of . . . ."

Lonnnice Brittenum Bonner, author of Good Hair: For Colored Girls Who've Considered Weaves When The Chemicals Became Too Ruff and Nice Dreads.

I'm Still Here . . .

2009-09-01T17:12:00.000-05:00

Yeah, I know, it's been a while. Don't worry, all is well and I should be back to posting on a regular basis soon.

Among other things, in the coming days, look for me to post another "story" or two in the "Our Hair, Our Stories" series I've been featuring on the blog. Also, I'll be sharing some of the best selling author, Lonnice Brittenum Bonner's thoughts about my new novel, A Natural Woman. Ms. Bonner has authored several books on the topic of "natural hair," among them, Good Hair: For Colored Girls Who've Considered Weaves When The Chemicals Became Too Ruff and Nice Dreads.

Last, but not least, I hope you're ready for that excerpt of A Natural Woman I've been promising for the longest. If all goes well, I should have a couple of chapters for you to read by the weekend. Stay tuned . . .

Natural Women: Our Hair, Our Stories (Sharon J.)

2009-08-06T11:53:00.000-05:00

Natural Women: Our Hair, Our Stories

(Sharon J.'s Story)

Background / I'm a Cleveland resident and native. I've worked as a newspaper and magazine reporter, substitute teacher, telemarketer, shoe saleswoman, hotel maid, hotel reservation clerk. I am currently a secretary at a state university and a graduate student pursuing a master's degree in English.

Hairstyle / I wear a short Afro. It's about a half an inch high. I have been wearing my hair natural for almost eight years. At one time, my natural hair reached my shoulders. I often wore twists and twist outs. Last year, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. I had to undergo chemo therapy and my hair began to fall out. I had thick twists hanging from one or two strands of hair. My sister, who is a hair stylist, shaved my head. I wore a short wig for about five months. My hair is starting to grow back now--a little grayer than before, but that's okay. People told me that my hair might be a different texture than it was prior to the chemo therapy; it would come back "nice" with a soft, wavy texture. I'm happy to say that my hair returned to its nice African texture.

Reason for wearing a "natural" hairstyle / I quit a job around the same time the economy took a nose dive. Rule number 1--don't quit a job if you don't have another one lined up. I couldn't afford to keep up my relaxed hair and it started to break off. Either Christmas Eve or New Year's Eve of 2001, I decided to cut the perm out. It just got good to me, I guess. I wound up with a three-inch Afro. I haven't been to a hair salon since that time. I just can't afford it. Besides, I have always liked natural, African textured hair. I think women who wear natural styles look very modern and stylish.

Support for your natural look / I've gotten mixed responses. I began to wear my hair natural while working as a substitute teacher. One of the students told me I looked like Macy Gray, and she didn't mean it as a compliment. I told her, that's okay, at least Macy Gray can spell. I know I was wrong, but I could resist. Another time I was working in the ticket booth at a theater and these two Black female supervisors called me into the office to tell me they had problems with my grooming. My hair was fairly long and thick. I used to wear a hair band. One of these daughters of Satan told me that my hair style got in her craw, and if I knew how much Black women had to struggle to get ahead that I wouldn't wear my hair that way. I'm happy to say that I do get encouragement from a lot of people that I respect for their fashion sense and pride in being Black.

Response to negative commentary / I usually ignore insults directed at me. I'm braver when it comes to defending other people when they're insulted about their natural hair.

A woman or women with natural hair whose style you admire / Macy Gray, Jill Scott, Michel Martin, Eleanor Holmes Norton, Tracee Ellis Ross and Whoopi Goldberg.

Useful natural hair care tips, styling techniques or products / I got in the habit of washing my hair with baby shampoo daily after my hair fell out. I still do that now that I have hair. I follow that with either Miss Jessie's products or curl activator. My sister works well with natural hair. It's good to find a stylist who knows how to treat your hair.

Advice for women considering a natural hairstyle / Save yourself some money and go natural.

Any blogs, websites, books or print magazines, which deal with the subject of natural hair that you'd like to share or recommend / Missjessies.com is good. It shows before and after pictures featuring twist out styles. MotownGirl.com provides a lot of useful advice on caring for natural hair. Nappturality.com also is great. It helps dispel the myth that African textured hair can't get long. Essence Magazine is a wonderful source of encouragement. It offers lots of options for styling natural hair.

Definition of a natural woman / A natural woman appreciates the way God made her and is not afraid to show it.

"Sharon J.'s Story" is part of an on-going series I created that focuses on African American women who wear their hair au naturel. Check the archives (see sidebar on the right) for past segments, features and profiles. If you'd like to participate in the series, please email me for details (go to my blog's profile page or visit my website for contact information).

Your feedback is always appreciated. Please feel free to leave any questions or comments you might have about "Sharon J.'s Story," the "Natural Women: Our Hair, Our Stories" series or Black hair in general, in the section below marked for comments.

Thank You!

Natural Women: Our Hair, Our Stories (Pamella R.)

2009-08-04T07:33:00.003-05:00

Natural Women: Our Hair, Our Stories

Pamella R.'s Story

Pamella R.

Background / My name is Pamella R. and I am a 53 year old who currently resides in a suburb of Dallas, Texas. I am originally from Flint, Michigan and I spent over 16 years in Long Beach, California.

Hairstyle / Presently, I wear my hair in locs. I wore my natural hair for many years during junior high, high school and adulthood. During the '80s I wore my hair permed and in the dreaded Jheri curl. Through the first half of the '90s I went back and forth between a natural hairstyle and having a perm, until chemicals finally destroyed my hair. My hair had to be cut into a small natural, which grew relatively quickly. On the day I graduated from community college in May 1995, I twisted my hair and never looked back.

Reason for wearing a "natural" hairstyle / I wear my hair natural because it makes me feel good and look good. While I still have to go to the salon to get re-twisted every six weeks, I no longer have to smell chemicals and burning hair, like in the traditional beauty shops, oops, I mean salons.

Support of your natural look / Everyone has been supportive of my hair choice, for the most part. Nobody seems to care whether or not I wear locs; however, I find that some Black women ask me why I do not dye my hair black, rather than leaving it salt and pepper. I usually tell them that it is a personal choice not to dye my hair, as I do not see myself as being defined by hair color or other superficial constraints that society tries to place on me.

Negative reactions / I cannot recall offhand any truly negative comments that I have received regarding my hair choice. If I have, the compliments exceeded any negative response. I do wish I had a dollar for every time someone asked me "how long have you been growing your hair?"

Response to negative commentary / If I had to respond to a negative comment, I would say, quite sweetly, "You wear your hair the way you want and I will do the same."

Women with natural hair whose style you admire / Alice Walker and Toni Morrison are my mentors because they sported their locs when the styule was less popular and made it more mainstream.

Any useful natural hair care tips, styling techniques or products you'd like to share? / Keep your hair clean and don't put a lot of different products in your hair. Make sure you condition your hair after you wash it and remember, "greasing" your scalp clogs the pores and does not promote growth.

Advice for women considering a natural hairstyle / The style is a commitment to a new paradigm and it is not for everyone. You've got to be ready for a life altering change. I guarantee you will feel freeer when and if you go natural.

Any blogs, websites, books or print magazines, which deal with the subject of natural hair that you'd care to recommend? / Yes, the following books:

--Nice Dread: Hair Care Basics and Inspiration for Colored Girls Who've Considered Locking Their Hair by Lonnice Brittenum Bonner.

--Locs for Life: The Root to Well Being for African-American Women by Kalimah Johnson

--Hairlocking: Everything You Need to Know: African, Dread and Nubian Locks- by Nekhena Evans

Additional Commentary / I would like to add to all those reading this-- your hair is a part of you. Nobody has the right to touch you without permission. I have strangers coming up to me, touching my hair, and I find it disturbing, quite frankly. I sometimes try to be diplomatic and explain to them that they would not like it if I came up to them out of the blue and started touching their hair. Just because my hair is long does not mean you can touch it. Sometimes I become downright grumpy about it, because not only are you touching me without permission, I don't know where your hands have been!

Definition of a natural woman / My definition of a natural woman is one who knows herself and stays true to that knowledge.

If you'd like to learn more about

Pamella R.

visit her blog

Traces Of A Stream.

"Pamella R.'s Story" is part of an on-going series I created that focuses on African American women who wear their hair au naturel. Check the archives (see sidebar on the right) for past segments, features and profiles. If you'd like to participate in the series, please email me for details (go to my blog's profile page or visit my website for contact information). Your feedback is always appreciated. Please feel free to leave any questions or comments you might have about "Pamella R.'s Story," the "Natural Women: Our Hair, Our Stories" series or Black hair in general, in the section below marked for comments. Thank You!

Natural Women: Our Hair, Our Stories (Shelley S.)

2009-07-31T11:31:00.003-05:00

Natural Women: Our Hair, Our Stories

(Shelley S.'s Story)

Background / I'm a Cleveland, Ohio marketing professional and freelance writer. I'm over forty. I enjoy reading, writing, photography, knitting and paper crafting.

Hairstyle / I wear my hair in its natural curly state. Technically, I have worn it natural, without the use of chemical relaxers for about three years, but in its natural curly state for one year.

Reason for wearing a "natural" hairstyle / First and foremost is convenience. I no longer have to add twenty minutes to my morning routine to curl or flat iron my hair. I now spritz or wet in the shower, put a little creme on and I am good to go. Second and equally important is the health of my hair. Before I went naturally curly, the stress of heat elements caused regular breakage.

Support of your natural look / Everyone is supportive, now. My husband was not happy at first, but recently admitted that he likes the new look. I also receive a lot of compliments from strangers and folks I haven't seen in a while.

Negative reactions / The only negative comment came from my husband when I first cut my hair and left it in its natural state, "It makes your head look big." Can you believe that? He regretted it as soon as the statement left his mouth. The only other slightly negative comment came from a former co-worker who said he couldn't run his fingers through my hair.

Response to negative commentary / Having not really had any, there has been no real need to comment. To the co-worker, I just told him that he wished he could have the opportunity--NOT!

Advice for women considering a natural hairstyle / Go for it--it is very liberating not to have to be chained to heating appliances and other chemicals to change the look of who you are. I have seen a number of women going natural and most have beautiful locks.

Any blogs, websites, books or print magazines, which deal with the subject of natural hair that you'd like to share or recommend? / Missjessies.com, I use these products, along with carolsdaughter.com, but I prefer Miss Jessie's.

Definition of a natural woman / I believe a natural woman is one who is true to herself and not constrained by the visions that others have of what her beauty is or should be. She is happy within.

If you'd like to learn more about

Shelley S.

please visit her blog

"Consider This."

"Shelley S.'s Story" is part of an on-going series I created that focuses on African American women who wear their hair au naturel. Check the archives (see sidebar on the right) for past segments, features and profiles. If you'd like to participate in the series, please email me for details (go to my blog's profile page or visit my website for contact information).

Your feedback is always appreciated. Please feel free to leave any questions or comments you might have about "Shelley S.'s Story," the "Natural Women: Our Hair, Our Stories" series or Black hair in general, in the section below marked for comments.

Thank You!

Thursday Thirteen #44 . . . 13 Hairstylists & Hair Salon Pet Peeves

2009-07-29T17:42:00.010-05:00

Not unlike, Professor Aliesha Eaton, the main character in my latest novel A Natural Woman, I've had a number of less than pleasant experiences with hairstylists and at hair salons. It is one of the primary reasons, I currently wear my own hair natural and typically do it at home. Hey, I'd rather take a chance on looking crazy, than put up with any of the following . . .

1) Music, conversation or the volume turned up so loud on a TV, I can't hear my own sighs of exasperation. (Even worse are those places where you're treated to a seemingly never-ending blend of the three).

2) The hairstylist who ignores your instructions and styles your hair the way he or she pleases ("What the heck! Now, I know I didn't come in here looking like a chicken, I'll be dang if I leave here looking like one!")

3) Those salons where I'm made to wait 30 minutes to an hour, past my scheduled appointment

4) Hairstylists who tell me WAY more than I care to know about their personal lives (Note, if you have an STD, a crack-habit, a number of crazy folks stalking you or a mole in an unusual place, do me a favor and keep that mess to yourself)

5) Those salons where I highly suspect more than half of the employees are armed, known felons or are listed on some law enforcement agency's most wanted list

6) Stylists who gossip viciously about everybody in the shop, customers and employees alike (Don't worry, I won't be telling you a d@mn thing)

7) Stylists who work on your head like they're weeding a briar patch

8) Stylists who are constantly on the phone, or who routinely hold long, drawn-out, highly animated conversations with other customers and/or hairstylists

9) Salons where arguing, cussing and fighting appear to be the norm

10) Salons where inappropriate movies are shown in color and on the big screen (Look, I am not trying to see anybody's sex tape. Not Paris Hilton's. Not R. Kelley's. Not Screech from Saved By the Bell. And most certainly not your friend or cousin Bay-Bay who lives around the way . . .)

11) Hairstylists who move to a new salon every 4-6 months. (Dang, haven't you ever heard of staying put somewhere and building up your clientele?)

12) Salons where known gang-banger types, petty thieves and girls who work the stroll (don’t act like you don’t know what stroll I’m talking ‘bout) feel free to roam the parking lot and loiter in front of the building

13) Salons where the bootleggers, street vendors and sidewalk evangelists are permitted inside to peddle their wares

Yeah I know, perhaps I need to stay outta the hood and frequent more upscale hair establishments (LOL). But I know I’m not the only one who has ever encountered these kinds of issues.

In any case, if you are a hairstylist, beautician, barber, etc. who has never seen, done or experienced any of the aforementioned, great! I’m obviously, not talking about you or where you work, so please don’t cop an attitude or be offended. In fact, feel free to leave your contact information here in the section for comments . . .

If you'd like to visit other

Thursday 13 Participants

Be My Guest!

Natural Women: Our Hair, Our Stories (Gine)

2009-07-27T11:20:00.002-05:00

Natural Women: Our Hair, Our Stories

(Gine's Story)

Background / I live in Virginia and I'm 48.

Hairstyle / I wear locs. I've been wearing locs for three or four years.

Reason for wearing a "natural" hairstyle / There were multiple reasons, including being sick and tired of sitting in shops, waiting for the relaxer to relax; paying for touch-ups every 4-6 weeks; scalp damage, etc.

Support for your natural look / My mother doesn't understand why I (and my older daughter) have chosen this style. Actually, I'm not sure she knows exactly what it is, bless her heart! But she once told my daughter that it reminded her "of slavery." My sister thinks it's pretty. Mostly, though, friends and strangers--even White people--compliment me on this style.

Negative reactions / I haven't had any negative reactions to my hair (except my mother). At least, not to my face.

Response to negative commentary / I ignore my mother's stance, keep my hair clean and pretty. LOL

A woman/women with natural hair whose style you admire / I love India.Arie's hair. It's beautiful and HER.

Useful natural hair care tips, styling techniques or products / My favorite shampoo is Dr. Bonner's Peppermint. I wash me and my hair with that stuff. It's great!

Advice for women considering a natural hairstyle / Do NOT assume that natural styles are "low-maintenance." If I want my locs, for example, to look neat and pretty, I get a "touch up" every nice weeks. (Better than 4-6!)

Useful blogs, websites, books or print magazines which focus on natural hair / This sister's blog helped me understand what my hair was doing, during the process, and she explained the two (major) kids of "locking":

See Here For Details . . . (www.daezhavoo.com/)

Definition of a natural woman / A "natural" woman is one who loves herself as she is, but isn't averse to improving herself the way she wants to be improved!

If you'd like to learn more about Gine,

please visit her blog

Not at ALL What You Thought.

"Gine's story" is part of an on-going series I created that focuses on African American women who wear their hair au naturel. Check the archives (see sidebar on the right) for past segments, features and profiles. If you'd like to participate in the series, please email me for details (go to my blog's profile page or visit my website for contact information).

Your feedback is always appreciated. Please feel free to leave any questions or comments you might have about "Gine's Story," the "Natural Women: Our Hair, Our Stories" series or Black hair in general, in the section below marked for comments.

Thank You!

Natural Women: Our Hair, Our Stories (Femi A.)

2009-07-23T12:05:00.000-05:00

Natural Women: Our Hair, Our Stories

Femi A.'s Story

Background / I live in Memphis and I am the director of African American Studies at LeMoyne-Owen College.

Hairstyle / I wore dredlocks for 30 years. I just cut them off one month ago, and now wear a short natural. I have worn natural hair since I was 20.

Reason for wearing a "natural" hairstyle / I started wearing natural hair to challenge my own perceptions of what was pretty or ugly. I started wearing dredlocks to expand my interest in the versatility of hair. I remain natural today because to paraphrase a Langston Hughes poem--In an envelope marked personal, I wrote God a question of why my nappy hair was ugly. In an envelope marked personal, and from God, there was a golden dredlock.

Support of your natural look / I have never depended on or looked for support on decisions about my hair consciousness.

Negative reactions / The response to my short, natural hair in 1966, in Memphis was that I looked like a boy. When I started wearing dredlocks in the late 70s and early 80s--some called me "buckwheat," some asked how could I stand not to comb my hair.

Response to negative commentary / I say positive things about my hair texture and curl.

A woman/women with natural hair whose style you admire / When I was younger, Miriam Mekeba and Odetta because they dared to wear the natural. Now, I look past the physical admiration, but I do appreciate Epatha Merkerson and especially Toni Morrison's grey locks.

Advice for women considering a natural hairstyle / Don't depend on compliments.

Additional commentary / Well, "natural" and the "natural look" are contradictory terms in African American life, especially for the African female. I tired so long ago of hearing about managing hair and shiny hair. It was most depressing to see Jessie Jackson revealing the poverty of Sugar Ditch in Mississippi with pictures of permed and slick-haired sisters in shacks with newspaper wallpaper, roaches and no plumbing. It is depressing to see sisters on the continent today who have the straightest weaves I have ever seen, and in the Dakar neighborhoods, braid weave strands strewn at the edge of sandy streets with other garbage.

"Femi A.'s story" is part of an on-going series I created that focuses on African American women who wear their hair au naturel. Check the archives (see sidebar on the right) for past segments, features and profiles. If you'd like to participate in the series, please email me for details (go to my blog's profile page or visit my website for contact information).

Your feedback is always appreciated. Please feel free to leave any questions or comments you might have about "Femi A.'s Story," the "Natural Women: Our Hair, Our Stories" series or Black hair in general, in the section below marked for comments.

Thank You!

Natural Women: Our Hair, Our Stories (Kim F.)

2009-07-19T16:28:00.011-05:00

Natural Women: Our Hair, Our Stories

Kim F.'s Story

Background / I'm an Ohioan, but I'm moving to Cario, Egypt to teach radio journalism at The American Univeristy in Cario. I'll be there for at least one year. I am a lover of hip hop music.

Hairstyle / I currently have locs. I started my locs in January 2000. They are not long as I trim them once or twice a year. I went natural about 2-3 months before I began to loc my hair.

Reason for wearing a "natural" hairstyle / At the time, I worked out a lot; spent a lot of time at the gym, usually in the morning, but I had to work at 8 a.m., so I needed a quick and easy hairstyle where I would not have to compromise a large portion of my workout time to do my hair.

Support of your natural look / My friends have been most supportive. Interesting how my mom often says, "you ruined your hair." I have that 'good hair.' My mom and my grandmother take jabs at my hair whenever they can sneak it in. But recently my grandmother commented that my hair always looks neat. So that's a move in the right direction.

Negative reactions / I am always tempted to correct people when they say 'dreadlocks.' There is nothing dreadful about them. I just prefer the term locs. Most people comment on how neat my hair is. I usually wash it at least once a week and I usually sleep w/a scarf to keep up a nice, clean look.

Response to negative commentary / I'm in the habit of ignoring anyone who makes negative comments. Otherwise, my reponse is to give them an earful and sometimes that will include profanity.

A woman or women with natural hair whose style you admire / Commentator Nancy Giles has a nice natural do. Oh, and I like the Macy Gray look, which is similar to Nancy's. More of a messy afro.

Useful hair care tips, styling techniques or products / I have a dry scalp and I recently discoverd some KeraCare products that I absolutely love. They have shampoo, conditioner and a product called 'glossifer.'

--I try to wash my hair weekly. It ususally takes me about 30-40 minutes to palm roll it and oil my scalp.

--Occasionally, I will get my hair done at a salon. It's too pricey for me though.

Advice for women considering a natural hairstyle / Do it. Natural is less fussy (or it should be) and you can focus on the more important things in life. When I sleep with a scarf on, I can literally get up and go! Love that. I save, at least, 20 minutes since I do not have to do my hair.

Additional commentary / I've been considering getting rid of my loc. Just time for a change. I will probably cut them off when I return from Cario, Egypt. I will more than likely remain natural though.

If you'd like to learn more about Kim F., visit her blog

"Radio Girl."

"Kim F.'s Story" is part of an on-going series I created that focuses on African American women who wear their hair au naturel. I plan to post two-three "stories" per week. Check the archives (see sidebar on the right) for past segments, features and profiles. If you'd like to participate in the series, please email me for details (go to my blog's profile page or visit my website for contact information).

Your feedback is always appreciated. Please feel free to leave any questions or comments you might have about "Kim F.'s Story," the "Natural Women: Our Hair, Our Stories" series or Black hair in general, in the section below marked for comments. Thanks!

Natural Women: Our Hair, Our Stories (A. Jalani)

2009-07-17T11:29:00.004-05:00

A. Jalani's Story

Background / I am 51 years old. I was born in Memphis, TN and have lived all of my life in the Southern States. I'm a writer and student, currently pursing a master's in fine arts.

Hairstyle / Presently, my hair is in dreadlocks. I started wearing an Afro in high school in the mid-70s. I switched to dreadlocks after my marriage in 1992.

Reason for wearing a "natural" hairstyle / My high school years coincided with the latter part of the Black Arts/Black Power Movement. Though I didn't know much about The Movement back then, I was interested in it and emulated the style. Bob Marley and Rastafarians gained popularity during my post-undergraduate days and people began wearing dreadlocks. The man I eventually married was wearing locks when I met him and an old college friend helped me switch styles shortly after the wedding. I admire Bob Marley and enjoy some Reggae music. But I have never been a Rastafarian.

Support of your natural look / The folks that I refer to as my non-biological family have been most supportive.

Negative reactions / Mostly people just tend to stare. Store security sometimes act as if they expect me to steal.

Response to negative commentary / I usually just say that my mother doesn't like my hairstyle either. The implication here is that if I am not changing to appease my own mother, then I am certainly not interested in the opinion of the current speaker.

A woman with natural hair whose style you admire / Toni Morrison. She impresses me as a strong independent woman with a clear spirit and a lot of talent.

Advice for women considering a more natural hairstyle / It's more work than it seems and be prepared for peoples' attitudes towards you to change.

Additional Commentary / When I first moved to Memphis in 1985, a woman with a short afro was considered unfeminine. When dreadlocks first gained currency, many people thought that it was not possible to keep that much natural Black hair clean and that it could harbor bugs, such as ticks, especially in warm weather, which was in keeping with the belief that the kind of people who wore dreadlocks weren't that interested in personal hygiene.

There was a time when natural hairstyles were an expression of identification with African heritage and Black unity. When I first began wearing dreadlocks I knew about everybody in Memphis who wore locks, at least by sight. Now locks are everywhere, including television news, government offices, and on non-Blacks. Dreadlocks are not synonymous with Black culture anymore, but it's good to see that something so culturally specific is no longer considered a social stigma.

Definition of "A Natural Woman" / To me, a natural woman is a woman who is a useful, nurturing part of her community without letting her personal development be confined by the expectations of that community or by the larger society.

"A. Jalani's story" is part of an on-going series I created that focuses on African American women who wear their hair au naturel. Check the archives (see sidebar on the right) for past segments, features and profiles. If you'd like to participate in the series, please email me for details (go to my blog's profile page or visit my website for contact information).

Your feedback is always appreciated. Please feel free to leave any questions or comments you might have about "A. Jalani's Story," the "Natural Women: Our Hair, Our Stories" series or Black hair in general, in the section below marked for comments.

Thank You!

Thursday Thirteen # 43 . . . 13 Quotes by Authors & Writers

2009-07-15T22:10:00.001-05:00

The following are 13 of my favorite quotes by Authors & Writers.

1) If there's a book that you want to read, but it hasn't been written yet, then you must write it." --Toni Morrison

2) Any reviewer who expresses rage and loathing for a novel is preposterous. He or she is like a person who has put on full armor and attacked a hot fudge sundae." — Kurt Vonnegut

3) Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the universe." --Albert Einstein

4) Everywhere I go I'm asked if I think the university stifles writers. My opinion is that they don't stifle enough of them. There's many a best-seller that could have been prevented by a good teacher."

--Flannery O'Connor

5) "Don't tell me the moon is shining; show me the glint of light on broken glass." — Anton Pavlovich Chekhov

6) Write what disturbs you, what you fear, what you have not been willing to speak about. Be willing to be split open." — Natalie Goldberg Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within)

7) "When your rage is choking you, it is best to say nothing. " — Octavia E. Butler(Fledgling

8) Loneliness is black coffee and late-night television; solitude is herb tea and soft music. Solitude, quality solitude, is an assertion of self-worth, because only in the stillness can we hear the truth of our own unique voices." —Pearl Cleage (Deals With the Devil: And Other Reasons to Riot

9) "In a time of deceit telling the truth is a revolutionary act."

--George Orwell

10) "Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away." "--Maya Angelou

11) "To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment." Ralph Waldo Emerson

12) "A friend is one who knows you and loves you just the same."

--Elbert Hubbard

13) "Women and cats will do as they please, and men and dogs should relax and get used to the idea." — Robert A. Heinlein

Do you relate to any of the quotes on my list? Are there any quotes by authors you'd care to share?

If you'd like to visit other

Thursday 13 Participants

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Natural Women: Our Hair, Our Stories (Lori)

2009-07-13T13:09:00.000-05:00

My Story

I'm a 40 some year old Black woman and like most in that particular demographic, I spent a large portion of my childhood wearing my hair like you see in the picture above--pressed and pig-tailed and on special occasions, pressed and curled.

Age 13 (or thereabouts) marked my first experience with a chemical relaxer. Hate to point a finger, but it was my mother's idea (smile). She had the best of intentions and put me in the hands of a capable beautician. Even so, I remember both the burn of the relaxer and my hair breaking off in the weeks thereafter.

Me, my cousins and our M'Deah.

I'm the tall one with the lipstick and earrings (smile).

High School is when I first started wearing my hair in a natural or what some call an "afro." I'm not sure why, but I've never liked the term "afro." My preference for describing my hair when it is unrelaxed, unchemically altered or unstraightened is "natural."

I like wearing my hair natural--always have and I've never viewed it as any sort of fashion or overt political statement. To be honest, it's just who I am and how I've long viewed myself--as a natural woman.

Yes, since becoming an adult, I have worn my hair straightened and relaxed. Versatility and change make life all the more interesting is my personal philosophy. In the picture above, I'm rocking a curl . . Uh-huh, as in Jheri, thank you every much. Mine, I'd like to think, was kinda cute. In any case, it was a phase and those were the days.

In the picture below, I'm sporting a short, relaxed look, not unlike the style I wore until my family's relocation from Memphis to the Cleveland area in 2001.

After a series of less then positive experiences with hairstylists, hard water and rough winter weather in the Cleveland area, I decided the time had come for me to revert to what I know and manage best--my natural roots.

Me and my twists.

Even after moving back down South to Charlotte, North Carolina, where I currently reside, I stayed natural. Typically, I'm a twists (see above), twist-outs or a full out 'fro kind of girl.

On occasion, I will flat-iron or press

my hair (see pic on right) but I haven't

chemically altered my hair in years and I don't foresee doing so any time soon.

(Believe it or not, my hair in the

picture on the right is shorter than

the picture above. I got it flat-ironed

in order to get my ends cut.)

Why fear it or fight it? It's natural . . .

Just a bit untwisted . . .

Look for me to share a little bit more about my natural hair journey in the coming days, but in the meantime, I'll be sharing the stories of some friends and aquaintances--all of whom, like me, consider themselves "natural women."

2009-07-09T21:37:00.001-05:00

Natural Women: Our Hair, Our Stories . . .

An Intro

"In its natural state, as far as most people are concerned, Black women's hair is unpresentable."

Asali Solomon (from her essay "Black Fuzzy Thing" which appears in Naked: Black Women Bare All About Their Skin, Hair, Hips, Lips and Other Parts)

Professor Aliesha Eaton, the protagonist in my novel, A Natural Woman, is a young Black woman whose natural hair is an integral part of the storyline. A number of different factors led me to write A Natural Woman, among them, the variety of responses my own hair has invoked during those period of my life when I've opted to wear it natural.

For the record, I'm not what some might consider a natural hair "purist" nor am I particularly interested in becoming a spokeswoman for the natural hair movement. Even though it's been over four years since I've had a chemical relaxer in my hair, on occasion, I still get it straightened--via flat-iron or an old fashioned hot comb.

Just as I whole-heartedly believe it's a woman prerogative to change her mind, I feel just as strongly about a woman's right to wear her hair any damn way she pleases. At this particular point in my life, what pleases me most days is to wear my hair in its natural state.

In the coming days, I plan to share a bit more of my own personal story, as it relates to hair and why I currently opt to wear mine natural. Joining me will be a number of other Black women who wear their hair natural and who have kindly volunteered to share their own stories.

If you are an African American woman who wears her hair natural (locs, twists, 'fro, braids, etc) and you are interested in becoming a part of this series, email me and I'll send you the list of questions. You can contact me at (after dot dance at hot mail dot com) or you can use the contact feature located on my website or the one on my blog's profile page (click on the profile link in the column to your right).

2009-07-01T21:12:00.000-05:00

Thursday Thirteen #42 . . . 13 Michael Jackson and J5 Memories . . .

1) Getting 3 J5 albums for Christmas

2) Stacking my J5 albums on a turntable and listening to them one after the other

3) Somebody screaming "The Jackson Five are on TV!" and everybody running inside so as not to miss another spin, turn or lyric

4) Arguing with my best friend over which one of us was gonna marry Michael Jackson

5) Watching the J5 cartoon on Saturday morning

6) Buying any books or teen magazines I see on the newstands which have a story or pictures of MJ and/or the Jackson Five

7) Adorning my walls with posters of Michael and the J5

8) Making scrapbooks with pictures of Michael and the J5

9) Michael Jackson's appearance on the Dating Game

10) Michael Jackson doing the Robot to "Dancing Machine"

11) Michael Jackson doing the Moon Walk to "Billie Jean"

12) Missing the "old" Michael long before his death

13) Listening to my son play "I'll Be There" on this alto sax approximately an hour before the news of Michael Jackson's death hit the airwaves

Do you have any memories of Michael Jackson and/or the Jackson Five you'd like to share?

If you'd like to visit other

Thursday Thirteen Participants

Be My Guest!

2009-06-30T11:03:00.002-05:00

A Lil Bit of This & A Lil Bit of That . . .

Well, if you're interested, you can now check me out or befriend me on Facebook.

In anticipation of my upcoming release, A Natural Woman, my website has a brand New Look. As soon as I'm able, I'll post an excerpt.

In case you haven't already noticed, I've posted a new "Natural Hair" link category (move to the right-side of the blog and scroll down). In the coming days, I hope to add a number of other links, which deal with or cover topics associated with natural hair. If you have suggestions or favorite "natural hair" sites by all means, email me or drop me a note in the sections for comments.

In keeping with the new natural hair focus, I also plan to post a few interviews with African American women who sport natural hair styles. If you'd like to be included, let me know and I'll email you the list of questions. If you'd like to participate, but would rather not have your indentity revealed, I don't have any problems with an anonymous posting of your responses.

2009-06-26T12:21:00.000-05:00

MICHAEL (The King of Pop) . . . I'll Miss You . . . Rest In Peace . . .

Yes, even though I plead guilty to having poked fun at the one-glove-wonder and his family over the last several years, I've always had nothing but the highest respect for Michael Jackson's talents as an entertainer, singer and performer.

The first music I ever owned were vinyl albums cut by the Jackson Five, albums I still own to this day. My first school girl crushes were on MJ and his brothers, back when they sported the big 'fros and the bell bottoms. Posters of them from Right On magazine and elsewhere graced my bedroom walls. All it took was for somebody to shout, "The Jackson Five are on TV!" and like all of the other kids who'd been out playing or standing around outside, and I was off and running for the house. I'm old and grown and I still get chills when I see those clips off Mike and his brothers on stage doing those moves and singing those songs . . . "ABC" "The Love You Save" and "I Want You Back."

Damn, he's gone.

An hour before the news of Michael Jackson's death hit the airwaves, my son was upstairs in his room praticing "I'll Be There" on his alto sax. Something tells me that wasn't at all by chance. And I guess it's only fitting that the song is now one I'll always associate with the news of MJ's passing.

I'm sad, but not only about Mike. To be honest, a part of me, the starry-eyed little girl, I suppose, was really hoping Mike would finally get it together and reunite with his brothers for one last concert tour. Seriously. But it won't be until December, when I take my old J5 Christmas album out for a listen and hear that sweet angelic voice, that I'll really break down and cry.

2009-06-17T21:51:00.002-05:00

Thursday Thirteen # 41 . . . 13 Candidates for the OSM's Worst Parents In The World Award . . .

My dear husband is a big fan of MSNBC's Countdown with Keith Olberman. Me? Not so much. Before you get it twisted, yeah, I am very much a liberal, I just prefer my news the old fashioned way--without the obvious bias, the additional commentary and all of that dang shouting. In particular, that whole "Worst Person In the World" segment strikes me as a wee bit over the top. I tend to file those sorts of things under entertainment rather than news.

So, in the name of entertainment, I don't have a problem with borrowing the "Worst Person" concept for the Old School Mix's Thursday Thirteen--The 13 Candidates for the Worst Parents In the World Award.

1) Jon & Kate (minus the 8)

2) Octo-Mom and the Anonymous Sperm Donor

3) The parents who bring their infants, toddlers, preschoolers and/or underage kid (s) into R-rated movies

4) Michael Jackson

5) Penny's Mama (from the old Good Times TV series)

6) Katherine & Joe Jackson

7) The Parents of the Rugrats

8) Homer & Marge Simpson

9) Ozzie & Sharon Osbourne

10) Britney & K-Fed

11) Christina Raines (the woman who, along with her kids, was shacked up with Drew Peterson before his most recent arrest)

12) Bobby & Whitney

13) Any parent who puts full make up (blush, lipstick, eyelashes, liner, etc.) on an infant, toddler, preschooler, etc. and enters them into a beauty contest.

Well, those are some of my pics. Who would you nominate?

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2009-06-12T17:55:00.002-05:00

Why Do I Write? What's The Pay-Off?

Several weeks ago, someone asked me what I perceived as the "pay-off" for what I do and ever since then, I've been pondering the "why" of it all.

Sometimes I wonder. It's certainly not the modest amount of money or attention it's garnered me, thus far. To be honest though, I've never had a burning desire to be rich or a celebrity or even a member of the in-crowd. I'm sure for some, even thinking such is a shocking sacrilege. We do appear to live in a society where just about everybody and their mamas make a point of clamoring for an extended stay in the spotlight, if not the 15 minutes of fame to which they somehow and for some reason feel entitled.

Mainly, I write because I enjoy it. The sheer pleasure of it, when it's going well, mind you, ranks right up there with eating and sex. Over and beyond my own enjoyment, I think I write because I'm in awe of the pleasure it's capable of bringing to others. Nothing beats a letter from a reader who claims my novel, After The Dance made her laugh harder than she's laughed in years. Nor will I ever forget the comments of the woman who attended one of my library readings and said what she enjoyed most about reading my book was that she could actually read the love scenes without cringing or squinting her eyes.

Fan mail and positive feedback from folks who've read and enjoyed my work, make some of the less-than-pleasant crap one is forced to endure on the "author's journey" worthwhile. But please don't look for me to go into detail about any of that crap. I'd much rather stay focused on the pluses and the positives, rather than those things that truly make me wonder if picking up a pen and writing another damn word is worth it.

If you're a writer (or an artist) and you feel like sharing, I'd love to hear your reasons for doing what you do.

2009-06-03T18:36:00.007-05:00

Thursday Thirteen #40 . . . 13 Ways Of Showing An Author Support . . .

Do you have a friend, relative or loved one who has succeeded in making the grand leap from writing to publishing? Nowadays, most everyone does. Well, if you've ever wondered how you might be of assistance to the "author" in your life, the following list may give you a few ideas . . .

1) Buy, borrow or steal a copy of the book

2) Read the book

Okay, now that we have the obvious out of the way, let's explore a few others.

3) Mention the book (That's right, talk it up, not only in normal, everyday conversations, but also on cyber hangouts, like Twitter and Facebook)

4) Review the book (particularly if you read and liked it. A few great places to post reviews on the internet are Amazon and Barnes & Noble. But reviews in print publcations--like magazines, newspapers, journals and newsletters--work just as well and sometimes even better)

5) Rate the book (If you're not up to writing a review, there are a number of web-based sites where you can assign books a specific number of stars or post one word reviews, like--"Great!" "Hilarious." "Moving," etc--and leave it at that. A couple of my favorite places for doing such are Goodreads and weread.

6) Post a blog write-up or interview (Mention the book or post an interview with the author on your blog)

7) Show-up (Even if you've already snagged a signed copy of the book, attend a reading or show up at a signing, just to say "hello" or lend a bit of moral support)

8) Take a friend or two (If you do plan on attending a signing or reading, why not get a friend or two to tag along? The more, the merrier)

9) Ask your favorite bookseller and/or library branch to carry the title (Requests help drive demand for the book. Many libraries will allow users to make requests on-line)

10) Pre-order the book (Why wait? Be among the first to own a copy. If your bookseller believes there is interest, he'll make sure plenty of copies are kept in stock)

11) Make the book a gift item (Spread the word. Exposure is half the battle)

12) Write a note (Send and/or give the author in your life a note in which you express your thoughts about the book or praise his/her efforts. A few words of encouragement go a long way.

13) Share what you know (If you hear about an event, book festival, new bookstore, a contest, etc., that might interest or benefit the author in your life, don't hesitate to pass the info along)

So, how many of these have you done? If you have additional ideas or suggestions, please feel free to share in the comments!

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2009-05-24T08:11:00.004-05:00

A Natural Woman by Lori Johnson . . . Coming Soon!

Dr. Aliesha Eaton is a young anthropology professor who seemingly has it all--a nice teaching gig, a respected role in her church and an adoring boyfriend. However, while searching for the right someone to cut and style her natural hair, she finds herself drawn to a dark, handsome, mysterious barber, named Dante. Unfortunately, Dante's complete disappearance within hours of their first night together leaves Aliesha wondering if he'd been out to play her from the start, or if he's become a victim of foul play at the hands of either her spruned boyfriend, or . . . . yet another man from her recent past.

A Natural Woman contains a hint of mystery and a touch of the paranormal, and is scheduled for release by Kensington/Dafina in November of 2009.

Feel free to preorder a copy via Amazon today!

Preorder via Amazon

2009-05-20T12:34:00.004-05:00

Men Don't Read? Says Who?!

All Caps, Glasses & Teeth!

From Lori's Picture Collection

Memphis, TN 2008

Lori & A Memphis Fan

From Lori's Picture Collection

Memphis, TN 2008

At my last book signing in Memphis, I'd dare say, just as many men as women purchased a copy of After The Dance. The fellas you see above are members of the Men's Renaissance Book Club, a group which meets on a regular basis at the North Branch Library in Memphis, TN. They kept me laughing!

2009-05-14T09:10:00.002-05:00

Thursday Thirteen #39 . . . 13 "I'm not" statements . . .

1) I'm not gay, but I think gays ought to be allowed to marry.

2) I'm not a fan of beauty pageants, but I think Miss California has a right to hold and express an opinion that differs from my own.

3) I'm not typically a blonde basher, but the more Miss California speaks, the dumber she sounds.

4) I'm not typically a basher of big-mouthed, celebrity bloggers, but the more Perz Hilton speaks, the dumber he sounds.

5) I'm not Catholic, but I see more positives than negatives, when it comes to allowing priests to marry.

6) I'm not a heathen or a hussy, but I think Father Alberto Cutie, the priest who recently got caught being "unpriest-like" on the beach, is a total hottie.

7) I'm not a goody-two-shoes, but I think Bristol Palin needs to try practicing abstinence before she starts preaching it.

8) I'm not opposed to the average Joe or Jane trying to claim his/her 15 minutes of fame, but I do wonder why anything Levi Johnston (Bristol Palin's baby's daddy) says or does is worthy of reporting as news.

9) I'm not a bleeding heart liberal, but if Palin, Steele and Limbaugh are the best Republican party has to offer, I can't help but wonder if they truly want to be taken seriously.

10) I'm not much of a cartoon buff, but I do see an uncanny resemblance between Palin, Steele and Limbaugh to the likes of Minnie Mouse, Daffy Duck and the Tasmanian Devil.

11) I'm not a big supporter of the war in Iraq, but rather than subject military service men and women to multiple tours, I'd much rather see the draft re-instated.

12) I'm not typically a gambling woman, but I'm willing to wager all of my meager assets that had the draft been activated, the war in Iraq would have ended months ago.

13) I'm not, by any means, a psychic, but I'm guessing I've said something in this post that will piss off more than a few people (smile). So with that, my work here is through . . .

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2009-05-11T10:31:00.000-05:00

My New Motto . . .

Last week, I caught a bit of a PBS program about the artist/quilter/writer Faith Ringgold. During the course of a discussion about the stereotyping of African American women, Ringold had the following to say . . .

"I don't want to argue about it, I just want to retell the story."

Hmm, I SO love the energy, spirit and simplicity of the statement, I think I'll adopt it as my own new motto (smile).

2009-05-07T10:27:00.001-05:00

A No Show . . . For The Soloist . . .

After watching a news profile of the real characters, I was all set to go see the movie, The Soloist. But then, I read a couple of reviews. The reviewers praised the movie, but both made mention of a peculiar aspect, which unfortunately killed my desire to see the movie at the box office. Both reviewers stated that the schizophrenic street musician (played by Jamie Foxx) came to view the reporter (played by Robert Downey, Jr.) as his "personal God," something which, one perceptive reviewer readily pointed out, didn't appear at all in the book.

I'm not sure why filmmakers feel the need to keep breathing life into this archaic, Tarzan-flavored paradigm. It's either the ole "primitive in need of a Savior" scenario, magic Negroes or the Black wisecracking sidekick or best friend. Why can't we just be equals, sometimes? Why can't we just learn from one another on a playing field where there are no White Saviors or primitives of color in need of rescue from themselves . . .

I'd planned to take my music-loving son to see this movie. But something imbedded deep within my spirit and psyche, won't allow me to shell out good money to sit up in a movie theatre and passively subject him or myself to such debasing, unimaginative and unnecessary mythologies. I'd still very much like to see the movie. But I'll wait until it appears on cable or DVD.

2009-05-04T13:08:00.003-05:00

Violence Against Women . . . A Few Righteous Responses . . .

Granted, my own first response to the alleged Chris Brown & Rihanna beat-down was a glib one and in full keeping with my "sometimes you have to laugh to keep from crying" take on life.

But I do consider violence against women very much a serious matter. When it comes to the aformentioned incident, the apathetic, callous and "she must have done something to deserve it" type of responses I've heard from so many young women, young women of color in particular, truly saddens me.

Even Rihanna's own alleged response to the alleged attack defies what I was raised to view as common sense and sound logic. Okay . . . so you find hard-cold evidence that ole boy has been cheating on you and when you call him out on his low-down, ho-ish, trifling behavior, his response is to go outside your head--choking, biting, punching and all of that . . . But after filing a police report and suffereing through the pain and humilation of seeing both your story and your own bruised and swollen mug flashed across tabloids and TV screens across the nation within days you're laid back up with the fool?!

Umm, with all due respect, that's NOT love baby-girl, that's madness . . . on his part and yours. And to quote Biggie, if I might, "If you don't know, now you know."

Of course being a woman ( and a Black woman at that), I've lived long enough to know my opinion doesn't count for squat. Like a lot of intelligent women (Black, White or Other), I've had the experience (one too many times) of voicing an opinion in a group setting and seeing it nixed or ignored, only to have a man turn around and give voice to the exact same idea and have his opinion heralded as the truth, the way and the light . . . yeah, go figure. LOL

So, I'm thrilled that a few male media types like Kevin Powell and Ed Gordon have been vocal about domestic violence and the abuse of women and young girls. Not only has journalist Ed Gordon been brave enough to speak on the issue (see here), but he's also spear-headed an initiative called, Daddy's Promise, which encourages men to nurture their daughters and to be active participants in their lives. Big Ups to both Mr. Powell and Mr. Gordon for being willing to step up, speak out and do something about such an important issue.

2009-04-29T17:27:00.001-05:00

Thursday Thirteen #38 . . . 13 "Best of CDs" On My Wish List . . .

In a previous post, I joked about my recent purchase of a "Best of " Elton John CD. Yes, I am one of the last remaining CD-purchasing hold-outs and I own a nice-sized collection of "best of" CDs. But as of late, I've been thinking about some of the music I'd love to have, but have yet to purchase. The following list contains a sampling of the artists whose "best of " CD I plan to own one day . . .

1) Eric Clapton

2) Neil Diamond

3) Earth Wind & Fire

4) Jimi Hendrix

5) Jackson Five

6) John Mellencamp

7) Stevie Nicks

8) Parliment/Funkadelic

9) Dianne Reeves

10) James Taylor

11) Temptations

12) A Tribe Called Quest

13) Tupac

Well, do you own any "best of" CDs? If so, what, if anything, would you like to add to your collection?

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2009-04-26T11:04:00.001-05:00

Music . . . For The Road . . .

Recently, I purchased an Elton John's Greatest Hits (1974) CD. So what surprises you more? The fact that I'm still buying CDs or that I happen to like Elton John? (smile)

Anyway, the CD contains lots of great driving music, classics like: Daniel; Honky Cat; Rocket Man; Bennie and the Jets; Crocodile Rock . . . I wish I'd purchased the CD before my family's recent tw0-hour car trip to neighboring Ashville. Sometimes it's hard to find music that the hubby and I enjoy enough to listen for hours on end. The kid, well, he either pulls out his own headset or puts up with his parents' old school choices. Actually, I think the boy is being treated and exposed to a fairly broad selection of music.

Of course, were it left to me, I'd jam to random selections from the likes of Aretha, India.Aire, Jill Scott, Lalah Hathaway, Cassandra Wilson, etc. And when I tired of the sister singers, I'd toss in some Marvin, Al Green, Maxwell, Prince, Eric Benet before switching over to a bit of Miles and 'Trane. Yeah, basically my tastes are all over the place.

On this most recent trip to Ashville, the three CDs the hubby and I both gave the thumbs up for on-going play were: Year of the Gentleman (Neyo); Pleasure Of The Night (Will Downing & Gerald Albright); and Acey Duecy (Anthony David).

Neyo's Year of The Gentleman was one of the hubby's recent purchases. He claims he snagged it for the kid. Yeah, right (smile). Anyway, I gave it a listen, not expecting too much, but found myself head-bobbing to several of the cuts: Closer; Nobody; Mad; Miss Independent; Fade Into The Background; and So You Can Cry in particular. Forget the kid, this one stays in mama's collection.

Will Downing & Gerald Albright's Pleasures of the Night is an oldie but goodie smooth jazz CD that I forgot I even owned. Brother Will handles the deep-throated vocals like a pro while Albright spins his special brand of magic on the sax.

I must admit to being shocked when both of my guys expressed their enjoyment of Anthony David's Acey Duecy. Typically, whatever I can't get enough of, music-wise, they can't stand. This one we all love! For me, David's style has this sort of southern neo-blues feel to it that soothes and moves me like a good home-cooked meal after church on Sunday. Very rarely do I enjoy just about every cut on a CD, but with the exception of two, I can honestly say that I could listen to the songs on Acey Ducey all day long. If I had pick a few favorites, I'd have to say--Something About You; Words; Spittin' Game; Kinfolk; GA Peach and Cheatin Man.

Well, those were some of our recent road trip music selections. Got any you'd like to share?

2009-04-11T12:35:00.000-05:00

Easters Come and Gone . . . In Pictures . . .

"Yeah, that's me . . . "

From

Lori's Picture Collection

"Not So Sure Baby Boy Is Feeling Mr. Easter Bunny" From Lori's Picture Collection Baby Boy's Easter Jig From Lori's Picture Collection My Fellas One Easter From Lori's Picture Collection Nana & Baby Boy In Their Finest Easter Outfits From Lori's Picture Collection

Easter Stylin' & Profilin'

From Lori's Picture Collection

2009-03-25T21:00:00.001-05:00

Thursday Thirteen #37 . . . 13 Areas In Which I'm Woefully Behind . . .

1) Reading -- Don't mean to be redundant, but not only do I have a stack of books awaiting my attention, but the magazine pile is even thicker and taller.

2) Joining The Facebook Revolution -- I really do plan to join one day soon. But I know it's going to be time-consuming and right now, I just can't spare any.

3) Dusting -- Yes, those evil dust bunnies are not only multiplying, they've begun mutating and marauding around here.

4) Decluttering -- I know getting rid of and/or finding better places to store all of my junk would make me feel a whole lot better.

5) Trying new recipes -- I still collect them (which only adds to the clutter), but it's been months since I've tried preparing a new dish.

6) Arranging old pictures in photo albums -- My photo collection is a mess. I stopped regularly cataloging my son's pictures when he was in Kindergarten. He's now a middle-schooler. Sheesh!

7) Doing my taxes -- It's not like we owe anything, at least I don't think we do (smile). As long as we take care of this before April 15th, I guess we'll be all right.

8) Scrap-booking-- Yeah, see #6, 'cause the same applies for all of my son's school and sports memorabilia. Except, it goes back even further. At this rate, he'll be an adult and I'll just be putting together his preschool album . . .

9) Watching dvds I've purchased -- I buy them, but then I don't make time to watch them . . . and then I forget I even have them.

10) Deleting old email -- I kid you not, in one of my email accounts, I have over 500 undeleted email. I read them, but don't take the time to delete the ones I don't need to keep.

11) Updating my blog -- What can I say? One day, I'll get to it.

12) Visiting the dentist -- I'm so ashamed. I still have all of them, my teeth, that is (smile) and I am making sure the kid goes on the regular.

13) Having pictures developed -- I have a disposable camera that has undeveloped pictures on it from last summer. Everyday, I say I'm gonna take them to be developed, but it has yet to happen.

So, am I the only one?

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2009-03-23T12:45:00.000-05:00

Theo & Charmaine . . . Did What?!

Do you all remember "Theo" (Malcolm-Jamal Warner) from the Cosby Show and "Charmaine" (Karen Malina-White) who starred in both the Cosby Show and A Different World? Well, I just learned they got married! Yup, I ran across the item while hanging out at A Diary of A Content Black Woman's blog last night. (Click HERE to view the Content Black Woman's post and to see a picture of the happy couple).

I'm not so sure why the thought of the two of them jumping the broom makes me smile, but it does. Maybe because I have such fond memories of both of those shows (Cosby & A Different World). Or perhaps because the news is a welcome and much needed sign that not all is lost and gone to rot when it comes to young love, particularly in the aftermath of the whole Chris Brown & Rihanna debacle.

Of course, had I learn that "Theo" and "Rudy" had gotten themselves hitched, it might have taken me more than a minute to adjust, if only because those two played siblings on the Cosby Show (LOL). Yeah, I know, it was all make-believe, but in my head somewhere, that whole world still very much exists (smile).

Anyway, I wish them all the very best.

2009-03-19T22:09:00.003-05:00

Books On My . . . Waiting To Be Read List . . .

Yes, I'm still here (smile). At the moment, I'm tied up with a few other projects. I'm so tied up, I don't even have time to read . . . well, not for leisure, anyway. The other day I was reviewing the list I maintain on my "Goodreads" bookshelf and wishing I could dive into a few of the titles. I'm not really sure where I'd start first, but the following are some of the top selections on my "waiting to be read list" and where appropriate, why the books are on my list.

1) Before I Forget (by Leonard Pitts) Just last week I read a review of this one and said, "Hmm, sounds like a winner." From what I understand it's about a man who has just learned he's in the early stages of Alzheimers and who decides to take his troubled son to meet his father (the boy's grandfather) who is dying from cancer.

2) They Tell Me of a Home (by Daniel Black) I read a quote by this author a day or two ago and it piqued my interest about his work.

3) Shifting Through Neutral (by Bridgett Davis) I've had this book on my shelves for a while. Recently, I bumped it up on my "waiting to be read" list after I spoke with the author's mother-in-law (smile). The mother-in-law is a member of the Beachwood, OH book club who recently read and discussed my novel.

4) The Black Girl Next Door: A Memoir (by Jennifer Baszile) Having experienced being the only African American in a number of different school and social settings, throughout my childhood and teens, I figured I might be able to relate to some of Ms. Baszile experiences.

5) Act Like A Lady, Think Like a Man: What Men Really Think About Love, Relationships, Intimacy and Commitment (by Steve Harvey) When I first heard about this book, I wasn't terribly interested. But when I actually heard a few of Mr. Harvey's opinions and observations, I changed my mind. He made more than a few good points, so I'm willing to hear him out.

6) Ralph Ellison: A Biography (Arnold Rampersad) I've had this book for a while and I'm looking forward to reading it, but I just haven't had the time. Several years ago, I bought, read and enjoyed the two volumes Mr. Rampersad wrote on the life and times of Langston Hughes.

7) A Mercy & Tar Baby (by Toni Morrison) For those who don't know, these are two separate titles by the author, Toni Morrison. A Mercy is her latest and Tar Baby is the only other fiction title by Morrison I haven't attempted/or found time to read, as of yet. I do own both of these books and hope to read one, if not both before the end of the year.

8) The Healing (by Gayl Jones) It's been years since I read anything by Gayl Jones. I must admit, in the past, I found her a difficult read (intensity-wise) But a couple of weeks ago, I read an old NY Times newspaper article about her that made me want to revist her work. A couple of my writing pals had good things to say about The Healing, so I figured I'd give it a try.

9) Fearless Jones, The Man In My Basement and The Right Mistake: The Further Philosophical Investigations of Socrates Fortlow (by Walter Mosley) I've read most of Mosley's "Easy Rawlins" mysteries. But Mr. Mosley has a written a number of books I haven't read. The aforementioned are three I hope to find time for this year.

10) Reel to Real: Race, Sex and Class at the Movies & Rock My Soul: Black People and Self-Esteem (by bell hooks) I used to read a lot of bell's work. In recent years, I've fallen shamefully behind (smile).

11) Sexual Healing (by Jill Nelson) I've enjoyed Ms. Nelson's work in the past and I've been meaning to read this for some time.

12) When Chickenheads Come Home To Roost: My Life as A Hip Hop Feminist (by Joan Morgan) Yes, this is another one that's been out forever that I should have read years ago, but haven't. In case you haven't figured it out, I'm something of a "Hip Hop Feminist" myself (smile).

13) The Coldest Winter Ever (by Sister Souljah) Everybody and their mama has read this book. But to be honest, I never had a real desire to read it until the last couple of years or so. I do own a copy, so maybe one day soon . . .

Okay, there are plenty of others, but I think I'll stop there. So, does my list look anything like you thought it might? What, if anything do you think it says about me? (smile)

If you've read any of the titles on my list, feel free to share your impressions of the book. If you haven't read any of the titles on my list, perhaps you could share some of the books on your "waiting to be read" list.

2009-03-11T22:52:00.001-05:00

The Never-Ending Battle . . . Over The Battle Flag . . .

Malcolm, my blogging buddy who runs the show over at Diversity Ink (and Pop Culture Dish, Presented by Malcolm), recently started a discussion about the Confederate flag.

In a separate post on Diversity Ink, are my thoughts on the subject. Even though I've taken the liberty of duplicating my remarks about the flag here in The Old School Mix, I hope you will take at peek at Malcolm's comments on the issue, as well as some of the other topics being discussed by the Diversity Ink contributors. As always, feel free to add your own opinions to the mix.

The first time I was moved to write about this subject was way back in 1989. My essay appeared as a guest column in The Memphis Commercial Appeal and was penned in response to a previous guest column by an individual, who, among other things, described the Confederate battle flag as a "symbol of a proud and honorable people."

While I acknowledged the writer's right to interpret the Confederate flag in a positive light, I shared my own reasons for not being able to do so. The following is a somewhat revised excerpt from my original essay, which also holds the honor of being my first published newspaper piece.

Flag Remains A Symbol of Oppression

by Lori D. Johnson

It is difficult to understand how people can disscuss the Civil War in terms of brave soldiers and battles fought without mentioning that not all of the ideals fought for were admirable. How does one embrace the Confederate flag without embracing the evil beliefs which prompted its creation?

As a Southerner, the Confederate flag is also a part of my heritage. But unlike Mr.____ , I detest it, just as conscientious individuals in Germany, South Africa and indeed all over the world, detest the symbols of Nazism and apartheid as symbols of oppression. For me, the flag does not represent hospitality or regional pride. Instead, it represents the Confederacy's efforts to preserve a caste system, a way of life that was wrong and unjust.

Yes, it is honorable for soldiers to fight and die for the causes they believe. While it is only fair that we acknowledge their sincerity and courageousness, in the same breath we must also condem their convictions when they uphold the degradation of other human beings as proper and righteous.

As an African American, I recoil at Mr. ____'s attempt to equate the battles of the Confederacy with those of the civil rights movement. The former was a struggle to protect the ill-gotten rights of a privileged few. The latter sought to guarantee the inalienable rights of all who choose to live in America and believe in its Constitution.

Let us not forget that the war is over and the South was defeated. The flag served its purpose and is entitled to a place in history. It is not entitled to a place on the flag poles of a country that strives to make real the promises of freedom, justice and equality for all.

As a woman, the flag symbolizes to me the Confederacy's approval of the exploitation and abuse of my gender. It did not wave to defend the honor and dignity of enslaved women and girls subjected to the desires of men who were not their husbands or chosen lovers. It cast no shadows upon the breeding of women like cattle. It did not rise to condem the bastardizing of children destined for the auction block and sold to the highest bidder.

As a human being, my perspective prevents me from ever interpreting the Confederate flag as anything but a symbol of oppression.

It is not my wish to forget the past. There are too many lessons yet to be learned. But what has the South to gain by giving odes to an ancient relic of a lost cause? The challenge of the present is setting forth a new course for the future. Let us create new symbols under which to unite and put away the old ones, which had caused so much pain, for so many, for too long.

2009-03-06T12:05:00.005-05:00

Book & Movie Combos . . .

The idea for this post grew out of a visit I paid to the Bumble's Movie Meme, this past Monday. The Bumble's blog post dealt with books they'd read, which, at some point in time, had been turned into movies. The "best movie adaptations" if you will. Well, I named a couple right off the top of my head. But later, after giving it some thought, I realized I'd read a number of books, which at some point were cast on either the big or the little screen.

Below are the book & movie combinations I've come up with, thus far. As many books as I've read in my lifetime, I'm sure there at least a few others. I thought it might be fun to color code them, so if the listing appears in red, I didn't really care for the book or the movie (smile). If the listing appears in purple, I loved them both. If the listing is in black, I thought both the book and the movie were okay. If you see brown, I enjoyed the movie a lot more than I did the book.

As far as that last item is concerned, I know typically it's the other way around-folks generally enjoy the book more than the movie. But for whatever reason, that seldom happens for me. There are several movies I've enjoyed a whole lot more than the actual books upon which the screen versions were based. Hey, go figure, I'm weird like that (smile).

My list begins with the oldest title first.

1) Their Eyes Were Watching God (by Zora Neale Hurston) the book--1937 / the movie--2005. Yeah, I know, it really is the unpolitically correct thing to admit, but I'm not a big fan of the book or the movie version. I do have mad love for some of Ms. Hurston's other work. The same goes for Halle Berry who played Janie in the movie.

2) A Native Son (by Richard Wright) the book--1940 / the movie 1951 & 1986. This is another one that's liable to get my literary Black card snatched and cut up. Sorry, I didn't like the book nor either of the movie versions. The 1951 version is truly painful to watch.

3) A Raisin In The Sun (by Lorraine Hansberry) A book containing the play came out in 1958. Movies based on the book came out in 1961, 1989 & 2008. When I was a kid, I borrowed (stole) the paperback copy I have of this book from my mother's library (smile). The 1961 screen play, featuring Sidney Poiter and Ruby Dee is my favorite of the three movie versions.

4) One Who Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest (by Ken Kesey) the book--1962 / the movie-1975

5) The Water is Wide (by Pat Conroy) the book --1972 / the movie based on the book was called Conrack and came out in 1974.

6) The Shining (by Stephen King) the book--1977 / the movie--1980

7) The Color Purple (by Alice Walker) the book--1982 / the movie--1985 Okay, I really dislike reading books written in dialect. So, yes, I did enjoy the movie more than the book. Matter of fact, upon its release I saw it at the theatre (with different friends & relatives) on at least 4 different occasions!

8) The Women Of Brewster's Place (by Gloria Naylor) the book--1982 / the movie--1989. 9) Disappearing Acts (by Terry McMillan) the book--1989 / the movie--2000.

10) Devil In A Blue Dress (by Walter Mosley) the book--1990 / the movie--1995.

11) Waiting To Exhale (by Terry McMillan) the book--1992 / the movie--1995

12) How Stella Got Her Groove Back (by Terry McMillan) the book--1996 / the movie--1998

13) A Lesson Before Dying (by Earnest Gaines) the book--1997 / the movie--1999. I believe a couple of Mr. Gaines other books have been made into movies, but sadly, I haven't seen them. I'd like too though, because I loved both the book and the movie.

14) Always Out Numbered, Always Out Gunned (by Walter Mosley) the book--1997 / the movie--1998. Great book and an excellent movie. I know Mr. Mosley has a series with the main character of this book, Socrates Fortlow, but this is the only one I've read, thus far. The movie stars Lawrence Fishburne who is always a joy to watch on screen.

Okay, are there any book & movie combos you'd care to mention? Or, feel free to comment on any of mine, if you'd like.

2009-03-02T10:36:00.004-05:00

Snow Days . . . Yay or Nay?

Baby Boy's First Snow

Memphis, TN 199?

From Lori's Picture Collection

Over the weekend, it snowed, here in Charlotte and in my hometown of Memphis, TN. As the picture above clearly indicates, my young'n loves the snow. The snow we get in Charlotte is not unlike the snow we used to get in Memphis--rare, typically nothing more than one or two inches or a light dusting and generally gone in a day's time. And I must say, that suits me just fine.

The Hubby Giving Baby Boy

A Lesson In Snow Removal

Memphis, TN 199?

From Lori's Picture Collection

Most good Southerners know that as soon as the warning goes out (The weather man said it's gonna snow!), the first thing that happens is a run on the grocery stores. Yes, some of us do shop like we're gonna be trapped indoors for weeks. But the truth is, a lot of time when it snows in these parts, things will shut down. Not necessarily because of the snow, but due to the ice. You see, a lot of times, when the snow melts, it tends to refreeze over night. The resulting ice downs power lines, knocks out electricity and makes driving something you don't want to do unless you're a thrill seeker, have a death wish or you absolutely must.

My Brother & His Buddy

Enjoying a North Dakota Snow Day

Grand Forks, North Dakota 197?

From Lori's Picture Collection

I'm no stranger to the snow as the picture above will attest. I snapped this picture of my little brother, standing outside of our home, when we lived on the Grand Forks Air Force Base in North Dakota. You see how high the snow is relative to the door? Yeah, we had to dig our way out of that bad boy. As a child, I also had the experience of living in Mountain Home, Idaho and Rome, New York, two other places where the snow is plentiful in the winter time.

The Beachwood Bunnies

Nana & Baby Boy

Beachwood, OH 2005

From Lori's Picture Collection

Of course, I've written a number of posts about my days as an adult in the Cleveland area. The picture above is a snapshot of my mom and my son rolling and frolicking, like nuts (smile), in the snowing covering the front yard of our Cleveland area (Beachwood) home.

But have you noticed the one thing missing from the pictures I've post? Yeah, me. That's 'cause, unless I'm taking pictures, or running (slipping, sliding, trudging) to the car or the house, I typically Don't Do Snow.

Yeah, when I lived in the Cleveland area, that first snow was pretty and all. But after that, it was OLD. As far as I'm concerned, snow from mid-November thru late April and early May, just ain't normal. Little girls are not supposed to be dressed up in their cute little Easter dresses, looking for Easter eggs in the doggone snow! No, that mess is SO NOT normal. (LOL).

So when it comes to snow, my vote is a resounding NAY! Really, I prefer to enjoy mine from a distance. Yup, memory, pictures, greeting cards and TV footage of snow (preferably falling elsewhere) is fine by me. What about you?

2009-02-18T19:41:00.001-05:00

Thursday Thirteen #36 . . . Thirteen Places/Ways To Meet People . . .

A couple of years ago, a friend of mine and her husband went their separate ways after 17 years of marriage. Recently, my friend went out with a guy she met through an online dating service. On last report, all went well. While I admire my friend's sense of adventure and willingness to try something new, were I in the same situation, I'm not sure I could go the online route.

Ever since hearing about my friend's choice, I've been wondering about the alternatives and options. If you're single and not particularly into the whole club scene, how do you go about meeting other single people? More to the point, were I to suddenly find myself single again, what type of places might I visit, activities might I engage in or routes might I explore in my quest for companionship?

I doubt if online dating is something I'd ever consider. On the surface, it just doesn't appeal to me, even though I've joined groups and met a number of decent folks offline via my online contacts and connections. But to be clear, I wasn't looking to date or get romantically involved with any of those folks.

As odd as it may sound, I'd probably also automatically rule out grocery stores and religious institutions. First of all, I just don't see a lot of young, single-looking guys (I'm willing to admit, 'single-looking" is an assumption) in the grocery store. I know they've gotta eat sometime, but I'm guessing after a quick run to the beer, chip and possibly the frozen food aisles, most of them are in the store and out. Now, if one is in the market for somebody else's husband, the grocery store is probably just the place to find him. He'll be the one with the lost look on his face and the honey-do list in his hand.

The religious "rule-out" is a bit more complicated and admittedly a bit more biased. Even though I've been a member of and regularly attended many a fine religious insitution in my lifetime, to be frank, "church men" just don't appeal to me. Back in the day, when I was single, I had more than my share of unsavory experiences with men, who though they quoted scripture and went to church on a regular basis, were certified nut-cases and/or straight-up buck wild hypocrites and super freaks. LOL.

And I know that works both ways. I knew this guy who joined a church and a Sunday School class for the sole purpose of hooking up with and getting over on some humble, unsuspecting church girl, only to end up getting a whole lot more than he bargained for . . . I'm talking crabs, people . . . yeah, the little crawly, itchy, all up in the pu&!c hair kind? Can the church say, "Glory! Have mercy! That sho'll is nasty!" LOL

Of course, you can luck-up (or out) and find a creep anywhere. But the following list includes some of the places I'd consider frequenting and activities I'd consider getting involved, were I single and looking to meet somebody

1) A Friend's Family Gathering--My own extended family celebrates a lot of the holidays together and there are always plenty of single men present. Were I single, I'd definitely try to snag an invite to someone's Fourth of July or Memorial Day backyard barbecue. Unfortunately, in my case, I don't think introducing any of my single friends to any of my single relatives would be such a great idea (LOL).

2) Art Exhibits--I happen to have a genuine interest in art, so this would be a natural choice for me.

3) Book Stores--Again, I'm a booklover and I've noticed a lot of folks do hangout in book stores these days, particularly on the weekends. Striking up a conversation with a fellow booklover wouldn't be that hard.

4) College Courses/Adult Education Courses-- Why not look for love or companionship in an environment where others are striving to stimulate their minds, pick up a new skill set and/or better themselves?

5) Coffee Shops--Just about every city or suburb is full of these and they're open at all hours of the day and night. Were I single, I just might choose a different one to vist every weekend. Why settle for sitting at home alone with a book and/or your laptop when you could do both at a coffee shop and possibly meet someone interesting in the process?

6) Dog Parks--Guys who own dogs, generally walk them. If I owned a dog, I would think this might be a good place to meet someone who at least shared my interest in healthy, well-adjusted canine.

7) Group/Association/Club--This seems like a no-brainer. Join something, a professional organization, a neighborhood association, a writing group, Weight-Watchers (smile), the possibilites are endless.

8) Gym/YMCA--Who doesn't need to exercise more? Were I single and looking to mingle, I'd stay away from the areobics class and hang out with the fellas using the machines and the weights or walking/jogging along the track.

9) Library-- I used to work in a library, so I know single guys do frequent and work in such places. Of course, the guy who hangs out in the library everyday in order to sleep, gawk at online porn or actively research the number of Martians and Leprechauns living among us, is probably not the guy with whom you want to strike up a conversation.

10) Outdoor Music and/or Art Festivals-- In addition to people, typically, there's plenty of food and fresh air at events like these. So even if you don't meet anyone, you're bound to have a good time.

11) Restaurant Bar--When eating out, why not try sitting at the bar sometimes rather than a table? I would think a single guy is more apt to approach a woman who's seated at the bar as apposed to the chick who's getting her grub on alone at some table.

12) Sporting Events-- The great thing about sports is that typically the fans out number the participants. If you can't afford to go to an actual game, there's always the sports bar.

13) Volunteer Activities-- Were I single, this would probably be the first place I'd start looking in hopes of finding someone with a generous spirit and who values helping others.

What about you? Care to share any ideas or suggest a few things you've actually done or perhaps, you've avoided doing? (smile)

Interested in

Other Thursday Thirteen Participants?

2009-02-12T10:47:00.005-05:00

Thursday Thirteen #35 . . . 13 Film Favorites Featuring Kids . . .

The recent buzz surrounding Slumdog Millionaire has me thinking about some of the other movies featuring child actors that I've enjoyed over the years. The following are some of my favorites.

1) A Bronx Tale-- I truly adore this movie. One of my favorite scenes is when the little kid, who's been hanging out with the neighborhood gangsters tearfully tells his dad, "Sonny is right, the working man is a sucker. . . " The Dad, a hard-working bus driver, played by Robert De Niro responds, "He's wrong, it don't take much strength to pull a trigger. But try getting up every morning, day after day and work for a living. Let's see him try that. Then we'll see who's the real tough guy."

2) Akeelah and The Bee-- In this movie, KeKe Palmer steals the spotlight from veterans like, Lawrence Fishburne and Angela Bassett.

3) The Bad News Bears--The first two originals films were pretty funny.

4) Claudine--Yes, this is an oldie, but goodie starring Diahann Carroll and James Earl Jones. The kids in this movie do an excellent job of just being kids and I'm always moved by the little guy who when asked what he wants to be when he grows up says, "Invisible."

5) Crooklyn--One of Spike's Lee best, in my opinion. I do wonder if any of the kids featured in this movie are still working.

6) The Harry Potter Movies--Even though I typically wait until the movies make it to cable or come out on DVD, I still enjoy them and I kinda hate that the kids who star in them are growing up (smile).

7) J.T.-- This movie came out WAY back in the day (smile), 1969. But it used to air on television around Christmas time in the '70s. The movie starred a young Kevin Hooks, who played a shy kid from Harlem who finds and nurses an old, injured, one-eyed alleycat back to health. I'd love to get this on dvd for my own kid to watch and enjoy.

8) Poltergeist--The first one.

9) The Pursuit of Happyness--No disrespect intended, but Actually, I think Will Smith's son (Jaden) is a much better actor than his dad (LOL).

10) Ray-- I thought the little boy who played Ray Charles as a youth, C.J. Sanders, did an exceptional job.

11) The Sandlot -- I know there are two, but I've only seen the first one. This is one of those movies, I accidentally stumbled upon one lazy afternoon and found myself enjoying. It's one of my own kid's favorites as well.

12) Slumdog Millionaire -- The performances of the children in this movie are what really made it an outstanding film for me.

13) Stand By Me -- I'd been meaning to watch this movie for years, but just recently got around to it. All I can say is, "Wow." These kids really did a great job. Although, it is kind of sad knowing the twists and turns some of their careers and lives went on to take.

Well, do you agree with any of my choices? If there are others on your own list, feel free to mention them in the comments.

If you'd like to visit some of the other Thursday Thirteen participants, the link is HERE.

2009-02-09T09:48:00.004-05:00

The Latest Entertainment Nonsense . . . In The News . . .

Chris Brown vs. Rihanna

Last night it was reported that Chris Brown was being pursued for questioning about an alleged assault against an unidentified woman. Rumor has it that the woman in question is his girlfriend, Rihanna.

My first thought when I heard this was, Dag, Ole Boy obviously skipped the chapter in the Thug Handbook that advises against striking Light-Skinned women (ditto White women) upside the head. Sheesh, y'all know we bruise easily! Being a member of the Light-Skinned tribe himself, you'd think Mr. Brown would already know this.

All joking aside, hopefully this will serve as a lesson to young Chris that striking a woman, any woman isn't a route he wants to take, unless he's looking to emulate the careers of folks Ike Turner or OJ, both of whom could have readily advised him about the Thug Handbook's Light-Skinned/White woman beat-down rules . . .

Michael Phelps vs. The Richland County South Carolina Sheriff

Okay, so a picture materalizes of Mr. Phelps taking a hit off a bong and now the sheriff in Richland County, South Carolina where the incident allegedly took place wants to press charges. Yeah, right. I mean seriously, I could see if the boy got caught sucking on a crack pipe or snorting something up his nose, shooting something into his veins or standing on a corner dealing. But this just seems pretty doggone trivial to me.

If South Carolina is anything like North Carolina (where I currently reside), then drunk driving is pretty much a daily local news item. I don't know if it's that whole Dukes of Hazard NASCAR mentality or what. But every other day it seems, some drunk fool is driving down the wrong side of the road, crashing into trees, rolling down embankments or worse yet, causing accidents that result in serious injury or death to other drivers, passengers and or pedestrians.

If law enforcement officials in the Carolinas are looking to crack down on drug use and abuse, why not start with all of these speeding drunk a$$ drivers who get these laughably light sentences? In any case, I'm pretty sure the good citizens of Richland County have bigger issues in need of addressing, say like Umemployment. Poverty. Racism. Real Crime.

It's also rather interesting how your average citizen or celebrity can be charged with a crime on the basis of a photo, but you can have twenty minutes worth of video footage of a cop beating the hell out of somebody and somehow, that's not enough proof for conviction. Anyway . . .

The Octuplets Mom (Nadya Sulema) vs Anybody With A Sound Mind

Okay, from the looks of things, homegirl has some serious issues. When I heard that she'd received disability compensation after being injured in a riot that took place in psychiatric facility, my first thought was Well, that explains everything. During the riot she obviously hit her head on something . . .

As I watched an excerpt from the interview she did with Ann Curry, I said to my husband, "In addition to being coo-coo for Coco Puffs, I think homegirl has had a wee bit too much plastic surgery." Really, something about her nose and her lips just didn't seem right. She looked like a mangled cross between Lil Kim, Michael Jackson and some sort of feral feline, the latter of which might account for her incomprehensible desire to give birth to a litter. Sure enough, since my first sighting of Ms. Suleman others have suggested she's gone under the knife a time or two and may possibly be suffering from some sort of Angelia Jolie complex.

Etta James vs Beyonce

You know, I really can't blame Ms. James for being upset about not receiving an invitation to sing "her song" at the inauguration. I'm sure she felt like she'd been overlooked, yet again. But her rant against Beyonce was a bit much.

No disrespect intended, but while listening to Ms. James' spiel, I couldn't help but think about those women I'd sometimes see in those dark, smoky cafes one of my grandmothers used to work in. I'm talking about those women who'd be sitting and nodding at a table by themselves, with a crooked wig on their heads, a cigarette in their mouths and a half-empy forty on the table in front of them. Some of the stuff that came out of their mouths would bring tears to your eyes (smile).

2009-02-03T07:58:00.003-05:00

A FEW SAD SIGNS . . . OF THE TIMES . . .

Remember the bookstore (Brentano's) signings I had back in December, while I was home (Memphis) for the holidays? Well, a couple of weeks ago, the bookstore CLOSED! I was beyond shocked when I heard the news. A steady flow of customers is all I saw on the Tuesday and Saturday that I sat near the front of the store and signed copies of After The Dance. But obviously, that wasn't always the case. I'm particularly saddened by the closing because of its location in a mall (Oak Court) that I used to frequent. I've never known there not to be a bookstore in that particular spot in the mall and its hard for me to imagine anything besides a book vendor being there.

Not too long ago, I experienced a similar shock here in Charlotte, when a nearby restaurant (Good Old Days) that my family and I used to enjoy patronizing went out of business. I remember driving past there one Sunday and thinking it odd that there weren't more cars in their parking lot. While watching the news later that same evening, I discovered why the lot had been so barren--earlier in the day, the restaurant had closed their doors for good. Wow! Had I know it was coming, I would have made a point of eating there that Sunday. They had great service and some of the best hamburgers (smile).

Perhaps even more telling was what I heard with regards to a couple of friends who had the misfortune of having their homes broken into. To be clear, crime has long been off the chain in Memphis--robberies, car-jackings, break-ins and assaults of all kinds happen so often, if a series of such isn't being reported on the local news or discussed around the water cooler, folks tend to think something is wrong.

But I was truly shocked to learn that several folks in Memphis who've had their homes broken into recently have had their freezers and refrigerators emptied in the process. Yup, folks are stealing FOOD y'all. My first reaction was dag--up in somebody's house stealing their dagum tater tots and neckbones out the freezer?! How trifling can you get?! But then my next thought was, you know, you've got to be awfully doggone desperate and/or hungry to break into somebody's houes and bypass the tv and dvd player in order to steal their chicken wings and porkchops.

Yeah, I can only hope and pray that "the new day" gets here sooner rather than later.

2009-01-29T06:30:00.004-05:00

Thursday Thirteen # 34 . . . 13 Things, I Assure You, I Don't Want To See . . .

1) Your drawers -- I don't care if they are clean. I don't care if you bought 'em off Ebay from Puffy or borrowed them from Madonna; I don't care if they're lined in silver and/or gold -- All I'm asking is that you pluck 'em up off the dang floor (ditto the dining room table, chandelier, etc.) before I come over and/or pull up your sagging or low-riding jeans!

2) Footage of you or any of your loved ones giving birth -- To be clear, any home movies containing surgical procedures, blood, gore and/or screaming (in the notable absence of a rollercoaster) I can very well do without.

3) Your corns, hammertoes and/or bunions -- If your tootsies look like they're coated in oatmeal or belong on a rooster, eagle, dragon or some other winged critter (mythical or real), please don't go barefoot or wear sandals around me.

4) Any of your removable body parts -- If any of your body parts come off or pop off, I'm more than willing to take your word for it.

5) Your nail clippings -- Were I into hoo-doo and looking to cast a spell or curse on your behind, your ole nasty clippings might come in handy. But since I'm not, dispose of them properly, please.

6) Your false teeth or your raggedly-looking mouth without them -- It's not often I prefer illusion over reality, but this is definitely one such case.

7) Your boobs -- Okay, unless you're nursing a child (preferably one under the age of 2) or you're experiencing a wardrobe malfunction, I really don't care to see your girls.

8) The sonogram image from your ultrasound -- I understand your excitement at your pending arrival, but unless the image is in 3-D or you're in the last month of your third trimester, I really don't know what the heck I'm looking at.

9) Pictures of you or any of your friends and/or relatives drunk or in the buff -- Fair warning, if you email me some mess like this or invite me to view such on your Facebook or MySpace page, you're putting our friendship in serious jeopardy.

10) Your a$$ crack -- Unless we're in an intimate relationship or for some socially acceptable reason, I find myself forced to change or clean your nasty behind, please spare me this trauma.

11) Anything a physician has removed from your body -- The sole exception being a child, of course. But gall stones, kidneys stones, warts, moles, tumors and other such growths . . . yeah, I'm really not trying to see any of that.

12) The excessive hair growing from your ears, nose, arm pits or covering your back -- Unless you've got paperwork verifying that you are indeed a Cro-Magnon, do me a favor and keep all of that stuff neatly trimmed or to yourself.

13) Any of your bodily waste products -- Really, some things ought to go without saying. But in the event that they don't, wipe your nose, flush the toilet and get thee quickly to the nearest doctor and/or shrink if the situation dictates such measures.

Well, are there any others you'd like to add? As long as you don't get too gross or x-rated, have at it (smile).

For those of you who don't know, sadly, the old Thursday Thirteen site and meme no longer exists. But a new crew has decided to keep the tradition going under a slightly different format. See Here for more info.

2009-01-26T11:09:00.000-05:00

Now That President Obama Is 'The Man' . . . What Are Your 'Yes We Can' Plans?

So what's next?

Now that all of the cheers and tears have come to past . . . Now that all of the partying is over and the songs have all been written and sung . . . Now that Barack Hussein Obama has officially been sworn in as the 44th President of these United States and we've all claimed a bit of the historic moment for ourselves . . . what do we do next?

I'm saying, you do know there's still a lot of work to be done and even with all of his charisma, intellect, and unquestionable ability, President Obama can't do it alone? Really, isn't it time we stopped being the type of people who will show up for the party, but can't be found when it's time to roll up our sleeves and get to work?

No, I'm serious. Did we not all nod in agreement when Obama said, "We are the ones we've been waiting for?" Well, if "Yes We Can" is ever to be more than a catchy campaign slogan, don't we need to take that next step and start asking ourselves, "Yes we can--what?"

Perhaps, like me, you've already done so. When the Obamas, as a family, made a point of getting involved in community service projects on the MLK holiday, I'm pretty sure they were attempting to set an example. But the truth is, some of us, my family included, had already made plans to spend a portion of the day engaged in such endeavors. It's something we've done for the past several years now.

Of course, the truth of the matter is, I was on the Obama bandwagon long before he even announced his candidacy. After reading his book, Dreams From My Father, something inside of me said, you know, this guy just might be The One (as apposed to That One *smile*). But it wasn't until I heard his nomination acceptance speech at the Democratic Convention that I felt inspired to go beyond thinking and griping about the problems that faced our nation and becoming more involved in some community relief project.

The task I've taken on is helping to feed the hungry. In recent months, I've been moved by a number of different articles that have detailed the on-going fight to end hunger. One article in particular told the story about a group of kids, who though enrolled in an after school hunger program, were writing in their journals about being hungry over the weekends. To me, it is both heartbreaking and a disgrace that any child in the United States (or elsewhere in the world for that matter) would spend a day, much less an entire weekend, hungry.

So, I figured since I'm in the grocery store a couple of times a week, anyway, why not pick up a something or a few things for someone else, every time I go? And that's what my guys and I have been doing over the past several months. We keep a box in the kitchen and once it's full of items, we drop it off by the local food bank. It's a small thing, but I think it makes a big difference in some one else's life as well as in our own hearts. And for me and mine, it's a step and a start in the right direction.

Your contribution doesn't have to mimic ours. Your calling might be bigger or it might be something smaller. But I do think it's imperative that those of us who voted for and say we support the ideals put forth by President Barack H. Obama . . . Get Up . . . Go Out . . . and DO SOMETHING!

I've shared a bit of my plans and efforts. Now, what are YOU gonna do?

2009-01-21T15:34:00.003-05:00

There's A New Blog In Town . . . Diversity Ink . . .

I'd like to take a moment and tell you about a coalition I was recently invited to join. A group of multi-ethnic and multi-racial bloggers, led and founded by one of my blogging buds, Malcolm (of Pop Culture Dish, Presented By Malcolm fame) has joined forces to produce a blog called Diversity Ink. The blog will address a variety of issues pertaining to race and with the hope of creating a dialogue between folks of different racial and ethnic backgrounds.

In the first post, Malcolm shares a bit more detail about the groups' origins and purpose . . . "The Purpose of Diversity Ink."

Other recent posts include "White Privilege: Myth or Reality" by Pjazzypar and "Work To Be Done" by Marvalus.

If you get a free moment in the coming days, I hope you'll take a moment to check out the entire blog, participate in the conversation (if you are so moved) and help spread the word about the coalition.

It's a new day y'all. Let's make the best of it.

2009-01-16T15:05:00.003-05:00

Authors Behaving . . . Badly . . .

I'm always fascinated by what folks share with me upon discovering that I'm a published author. At the doctor's office the other day, a woman shared with me a story about a book signing she'd attended at a local bookstore. The popular author was one whose work the woman had enjoyed in the past and she was too tickled at the opportunity to finally meet this person in the flesh.

Unfortunately, most of this woman's good feelings about the author soured when she (the woman telling the story) stepped up to the table and handed the author her book. The author looked at the woman, frowned and said, "This book is old. I'm only signing copies of my new book today."

Well, the woman said she wasn't about to get out of line, grab one of the new books and get back in line again. So, she reached over, snagged herself a book and said, "Okay, sign this."

Rather than happily oblige, the author looked at the woman, frowned again and grumbled, "You haven't even paid for this yet."

The woman was like, "Dag, would you just sign the book already! I am not getting out of line just to pay for this and then have to get back in line all over again."

Well, the woman finally got her book signed. But she hasn't forgotten the experience and her feelings about the author in question are hardly what they used to be.

Granted, everyone is entitled to their own way of doing things, but had I been the author, I would have signed the old book and thanked the fan for taking the time to come out and meet me. Sheesh, isn't that what folks with common sense and good home-training do? Yes, I understand and appreciate the desire to make a profit, but sometimes it ain't about "short money," it's about the long-game and the big picture. Chances are, not only will that woman never buy another book by that particular author, but some of the other bystanders who witnessed the incident will in the futute, no doubt, keep their money in their pockets as well.

That's not the first story I've heard about authors behaving badly. And some of the behavior I've been privelged to see with my own two eyes, would truly be funny, if it weren't so damn sad. I'm sorry, I just I don't get these writers, authors, scribblers and scribes who've decided they're the best thing to hit the scene since barbequed chicken wings. They treat people any kind of way. They talk to people any kind of way.

I remember how much I used to enjoy this one author's blog. I'd never read his work, but his blog was funny and insightful, though somewhat edgy at times. Before I could go out and purchase a couple of his books, I read an exchange between him and a visitor to his blog. The author's comments toward the visitor were so mean-spirited and condescending and in a so much holier and smarter than thou kind of way, it was a complete turn-off. It's been over a year since I read the exchange and till this day, I still haven't read or purchased any of the author's books.

I mean really, people, we write books . . . most of us aren't out here risking life and limb in order to rescue folks from burning buildings . . . most of us aren't actively engaged in searching for the cure for cancer . . . not too many of us are capable of safely landing a plane in a body of water, much less walking across some without sinking.

So, for those of you still out there swinging your big heads through the clouds, and acting like folks are supposed to drop to their knees and fawn all over you when you walk into a room, get a damn grip and stop ruining it for the rest of us.

2009-01-11T13:59:00.003-05:00

After The Dance . . . The Movie . . .

Before anyone gets too excited, perhaps I should take a moment to clarify . . . there are no offers on the table . . . no options are currently being discussed . . . and no directors or movie mogul types are currently leaving voice mail messages on my phone. I'm simply dreaming aloud . . . fantasizing, as we creative types are apt to do (smile).

Yes, like a lot of writers, I'd love to see my novel land on the big screen. But in my on-going discussions with folks who've read After The Dance, I've discovered that the actors and actresses I envision playing Carl, Faye, Nora, Scoobie, Cousin Squirrel and the crew, don't always line up with the ones selected by the novel's readers.

For instance, yesterday, during my teleconference with some of the good folks at the Raleigh Branch of the Memphis Public Library, it was suggested that Don Cheadle might make a great Carl. I was like, "Huh! Don Cheadle?! He's way too skinny and too, ahem, mature-looking to play Carl. LOL. My reaction was very similiar, several months ago, when a friend suggested Carl Lumbly for the role of Carl. Nuh-Uh!

Okay y'all, as much as I admire the talents of both Mr. Cheadle and Mr. Lumbly, neither one of them would really fit the role of Faye's charming next door neighbor. I think folks are paying way too much attention to the characters depicted on the cover of the book and not enough on how those same characters are actually described in the book. In After The Dance, Carl is described as a man in his early 40's, tall, dark, bearded and with a former athlete's build.

The guy who fits my mental image of Carl is someone a number of you may have never even heard of . . . G. Garvin, the good-looking Black chef who has written a number of cookbooks and whose show "Turn Up The Heat" airs on TVOne. Yes, I know he's not a trained actor, but Mr. Garvin not only has the right look, he has more than enough of the Southern, down-home charm needed to properly pull off a Carl.

A couple of folks have suggested Jennifer Hudson might make a good Faye. While that's not a bad choice, even though she seems kind of young for the part. Were I given a real say in the casting of After The Dance, my first choice for the role of Faye would be Jill Scott. Yep, I think Jilly from Philly could more than handle the role of Faye and she definitely has the look.

A friend who lives in the Cleveland area suggested Jill Marie Jones (who played Toni on Girlfriends) as Nora and I actually think that's an excellent choice. This same friend ( I think she must have led a past life as a casting director) suggested Mel Jackson (who played in Soul Food, the movie, starred in the last season of Living Single and in one of my favorite movies, Uninvited Guest)as Scoobie aka Chef Venard Payne) and I absolutely adore that selection.

When one of the fellas from the Renaissance Men's Book Club at the North Branch of the Memphis Public Library suggested Flava Flav as Carl's Cousin Squirrel, I nearly croaked! LOL. No, I'm guessing Chris Rock's little brother, Tony Rock (from All of Us) would make the perfect Cousin Squirrel.

Well, those would be my picks, but what about you? If you've read After The Dance and you feel like sharing, tell me which actors and actresses you'd like to see playing some of these characters. Also, if you know how I might get in touch with the agents or managers of any of my selections, hook a sister up with the info so I can send them a book! Okay, a girl can dream, can't she? LOL

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Thursday Thirteen # 49 . . . My 13 Writing Essentials

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Thursday Thirteen # 43 . . . 13 Quotes by Authors & Writers

Natural Women: Our Hair, Our Stories (Lori)