Tag: general

My First Comment! – Hard Work Pays Off Part 1

No, not on this blog, obviously.

I started two new blog positions a few weeks, almost a month or so ago that are quickly gaining momentum, adding more features every day to help better the platforms and expand their reach. These blogs are IH Blogs and My Trending Stories.

Don’t look at me like that. I know I didn’t tell you about my blogs on the side. It’s just, I’ve been, well… tied up. In my defense, you can literally see them on the side bar there. Just click on their badges to learn more.

So anyways, I didn’t want to mention anything until I started to see some real results. Even more, until I have done enough research to know MTS was legit (hey, gotta do your research). I wanted to wait and I am glad I did. Anywho, to the point (I have until my husband gets out the shower to finish this post or you’ll be reading this in the morning. Movie Night is a ritual. Gotta keep the spark ladies!)

My Trending Stories had me stumped a bit. Why? Because the platform was different. Since I’ve never blogged outside of WordPress (to include Self-Hosted), I don’t have much experience outside the good ole posts dashboard here. My new dashboard space includes Meta Tags, Meta descriptions, Slugs, the works. Of course, if this is baby talk then you understand what I mean by I’m green to this. Since the typical blog gives you the opportunity to like and comment and share posts, on Self-Hosted blogging sites it’s not so easy to get likes and shares. First, people have to find the article important enough to share on their social media accounts. It’s not like they can just reblog the post or like it right here like you just liked this post. No, they have to share it via their social medias (I currently have no shares but my likes are starting to trickle in!) and comments are usually made by way of Facebook. This means, as I’ve discovered, readers have to find the information extremely useful and I’ve found (both by experience and by monitoring other peoples blogs), that it takes a lot of work to get reactions to a post when you don’t have the luxury of…

Hubby’s out of the shower. Sorry guys. We’ll pick this up in tomorrows post. We’ll call it…Overcoming Blog Learning Curves. I’ll give you a few bullet points on how I managed not to pull my locs out and went from zero followers and zero interaction on my new freelance blog positions until now starting to see some pick me up. Not a lot, but every little bit counts. Hard work truly does pay off.

Click Here to Follow Me at My Trending Stories.

I don't really sleep with a Teddy Bear. I would though.
I don’t really sleep with a Teddy Bear. That’s what husbands R for.

Ask and Receive. Don’t Ask and Don’t.

Move out of your comfort zone. You can only grow if you are willing to feel awkward and uncomfortable when you try something new.”

I’ve recently stepped out to complete a goal that was awkward for me. I am embarking on a journey that required me to ask. Asking. It sounds simple enough but in truth requires humility and courage. You risk potential ridicule. You risk being made fun of. You risk assumption, presumption and all the other ‘sumptions. “What does this person really want from me?” They’ll likely ask themselves. “Do they wish to use me?” Asking is not easy and you risk feeling awkward, uncomfortable and probably the most frightening of all, you risk feeling needed. Ah, there it is, the humility. For everyone needs someone in some capacity, some day. I remember a woman once told me, she said, “No one really works for themselves.” Interesting. How so? The woman said, “The beauty salon shop owner may own the shop, but she still needs the electric company, the distribution warehouses, the janitor, the employees, and even the customers. She works for herself and yet, she is dependent on everyone around her to make sure that shop stays open.” Wow, I thought. I never thought about it like that.

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Asking will make you feel needy, awkward, and uncomfortable. However, asking also opens the door for new opportunities, new experiences, and growth. Like my husband always say, “The worst case scenario is that they’ll say no.” He’s right because no is actually not so bad. Even though they said no, you got something back in return. You got an answer. A definite answer you can work with. Ask and receive. Don’t ask and don’t.

Spirit Words

 

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Stretch your thoughts forward with much care. Hold them in your mind with the fragility of a newborn’s bones and then unfold them from your tongue like ancient scrolls . Let them drip oxygen on the page so that you leave the post just as pure as it was before your spirit left it’s imprint in our souls. Let your words stain peace that I may inhale joy that cuts through bone and marrow. For sticks and stones may break bones but deadly is the venom of a tasteless word. How dull is the stare of a ball pointed pen bleeding empty? Who knew words were spiritual; the invisible breath of life to nostril. There is nothing more powerful than a righteous tone with angels wings let loose in its time. Pen to paper or voice to air. Choose your spirit words carefully. It wouldn’t make sense leaving trails of bodies hanging on top blog post walls.

So, what’s new?

How is everyone doing? I’m missing y’all! So, talk to me, how is life? I’m well. You may have noticed the blog posts have slowed. I think it’ll be like this for a while. Aside from not having the time to post like a crazy person, I think I like posting less…yea right! Not. We’ll see how long this lasts. So anyway, coffee?

If we were having coffee right now, I’ll tell you:

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  • I have a brand new nephew (or nephews rather). If you are on my Fb page you may have seen the cutie.
  • My other nephew just passed on to the 7th grade and he had a birthday yesterday …I feel old. My once little poo man is 12. I can’t.
  • The writing is going well. The manuscript for #TheRenaissance is moving along. I should be finished with the first draft by the end of summer. I’m also looking into adding more products to the store. What would you like to see in an online bookstore?
  • I potentially have a spot at a bookstore in Florida but I won’t get excited until the deal is finalized….wait for it.
  • The Play is moving forward. We’re having our 3rd showing of the black history theatre production Blakk Amerika next month in San Antonio Texas. Speaking of business endeavors, I received a blog offer to write for a blogging site online but I haven’t decided yet. Still checking into it, verifying its legitimacy you know, gotta do your homework on these things. More on that soon.
  • Hubby and I are looking to move which is exciting! I love the new apartment complex. This one is far more spacious than where we are now and will fit all of our things. There’s a lake in the backyard and I’m just hype but were still waiting. Hopefully everything falls through like we would like and we can get started with the long drawn out tiring, yet exciting, process that is moving.
  • Let’s see, umm…oh, I’m still beautiful! lol

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Don’t Compare

Let’s just be real for a moment shall we? There will always be times where you will feel inadequate. Times where you feel that your goals will always be too far to reach. Either your pockets are too thin or your faith just a few mustard seeds too small. In either event, we all have those moments were we second guess ourselves. Some people second guess their ability to be parents, some second guess that they are doing well at their jobs. Some of you even second guess your relationships. Will this last? Is it, is it real? That promotion? Maybe you second guess yourself there too.  Is this really what I am supposed to be doing? Am I supposed to be here? These times are bad enough, I do not need to explain. You’ve lived life. You understand. You don’t need my explanation of how doubt creeps underneath our skins and try altering our minds. What you do need is reassurance that comparing your situation to others is like slamming your head into the desk to try and heal a headache. OK, so maybe that was a violent example but it’s exactly what we do when we play the compare game. When I look at where I am in my life, personally, professionally, or otherwise I see  hope. But when I look at those who are where I am trying to go, personally or professionally, the colors don’t decorate the sky as much. And trust, I ain’t trying to reach for stars, but ain’t no rainbows either. We’ve all been here. The thing is, don’t compare. You can’t look at others to determine your growth because its yours. You’ve lived it and you’ve experienced it and unless someone somewhere know what its like to metamorph into someone else’s soul they can’t know what its like to walk in your shoes. Growth is the difference between who you are today and who you were yesterday. What can you see? It may not be a big rainbow people can see but I promise you there’s some lily’s and sunflowers down there some where, and some roses that grew from concrete. Always compare yourself up against yourself. Nothing more and nothing less. It’s the only way to win.

Keep growing.

Movie Night Friday – Love and Basketball

Its been a minute since I’ve seen this movie, but I had the opportunity to see it this week. I love, love, especially black love. So anything portraying black men and women relationships in a positive light is a winner for me. Firstly, Sanaa Lathan and Omar Epps are great actors, and together they brought it in this film.

Love and basketball is a romantic drama about two young people whose love for basketball and love for each other supercedes time, trial, and tribulation. Plus, they are super cute together. I think I fall in love with my husband all over again every time I watch this film. Lol.

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In 1981 in L.A., Monica moves in next door to Quincy. They’re 11, and both want to play in the NBA, just like Quincy’s dad. Their love-hate relationship lasts into high school, with Monica’s edge and Quincy’s top-dog attitude separating them, except when Quincy’s parents argue and he climbs through Monica’s window to sleep on the floor. As high school ends, they come together as a couple, but within a year, with both of them playing ball at USC, Quincy’s relationship with his father takes an ugly turn, and it leads to a break up with Monica. Some years later, their pro careers at a crossroads, they meet again. It’s time for a final game of one-on-one with high stakes.”

And how can we forget the music? The soundtrack to this movie is off the chain. I think the movie is also well written. The timeline is divided into four quarters (to match the basketball theme) each section chronicling the couples coming of age and their relationship status over time. First quarter is their childhood for example and second quarter their high school days.

Movie Trailer

That’s it people. Thanks for stopping by.

MNF2