Some chic who looks like my mom

Not sure who she is, but she sounds like me, and her concepts are oddly familiar, and rather intriguing. Looks to me like she put on eyeshadow and earrings to channel her inner "Heeeyyyyy!", and dared to venture into the scary world of video blogging.
I think I like her!

Digitalroom.com business cards contest!

No, right?! Right! So, here's why this sponsored post rocks, and I rock, and you deserve to get 500 FREE opportunities to show just how much you rock too!

My bloggy buddies over at Uprinting.com have been so helpful in the marketing of this blog, and my overall brand. REMEMBER THESE? I've gotten such great feedback on them, and now, I'm getting (AND GIVING) the opportunity to add 500 spankin' new business cards to my arsenal thanks to DIGITALROOM.COM!

Interested?

Why wouldn't you be? Helloooo, you can choose between 3 different business card sizes! Aaaand...there's the option of die cut business cards, which can usually get pretty pricey, and in my opinion, look very fancy-schmancy :)

Get your "Official" on with 500 new business cards today! There are no pesky logos on the back, and no flimsy paper options to lessen your professional image.

HOW: Leave me a comment telling me what sort of magic you could wield with 500 new business cards. That's it!

WHO WINS: On Wednesday, September 9, 2009, I will post the 2 winners (to be chosen old-school, pull-name-from-hat style courtesy of Vanna Brown, aka my 3 year old, Sage) on this site and on Twitter, so follow me, por favor.

WHAT TWO (2) PRIZE WINNERS WILL RECEIVE:

500 Business Cards

Choose size: 2x3.5”, 2x3”, 2x2";

Choose paper: 14pt cardstock (matte or gloss coating) & 13 pt cardstock uncoated

Choose Color: (4/4) Color both sides; (4/1) Color 1 side , B/W backside; (4/0) Color 1 side, black backside

Shipping must be paid by Winner. Offer Valid for UNITED STATES SHIPPING ONLY.

Alrighty...GOOD LUCK, and pass on the information to your fellow Execumamas who may need some new business cards, won't ya!

Doubt? Oh, that old thing...!

Sure, you and Doubt can engage in brief conversation, but never embrace him, because his only source of sustenance is you; STARVE HIM!

Hopefully, you never get tired of hearing how amazing I know you can be!

I know that I never tire of learning how bold I can be, in spite of reservations, unknowns, and what-ifs. My "sistah from another mister" over at Naturi Beauty Bites just posted a wonderful gem that I MUST share with you. She and I are each other's mirrors, especially in our quest to be of service to others with the use of our talents AND (don't get it twisted!) to live fulfilling, successful, magnificent lives in the process. We not only talk the talk, we take the steps, doubt be damned!

Together, she and I manifest lifestyles filled with travel, speaking engagements, generous donations to our long list of causes/charities, PR appearances, photo shoots, shopping sprees, ... and all the deep and shallow stuff in between!

We claim our daughters' rich lives, complete with all the elements needed to get them wherever their beautiful hearts desire. Mind you, her daughters are not yet here in our physical realm, but that's mere formality; they are here.

We embrace the reality of long partnerships with beautiful, ambitious, God-sent men who embrace every bit of who and how we are.

Here's a snippet from Naturi's Chief Tress Enhancer's Sunshine-infused post...

I wasn’t chosen for this journey to get this far and then state, "I’m not ready". Contrary my Naturi Beauties! I’m more prepared, complete and ready than ever before. So, after I stepped away from the computer, struggling to type what I truly am gifted to know, I shifted my paradigm, and realized...

CLICK HERE TO READ THE REST! I'm certain it will put some pep in your step, and a smile on your face.

Sage on an almost Saturday

I know you'll agree when I say that as a parent, one can never tire of the interesting perspectives our children bring. Here's a hilarious (at least I thought so) snippet from a recent conversation between Sage, Marley and I.

Marley (reading a street sign): Deaf Child Area. Mommy, what are some of the ways that children get deaf?

Me: Usually, they are born that way, but I imagine sometimes a sickness can cause them to lose their hearing too.

Sage: Or, sometimes when children don't listen when their mommy is talking, and she says "You deaf?", then sometimes those children get deaf, right mommy?

---Um, right, Sage, that is correct.

The Sun & The Ocean: A Jamaican Proverb (not really, I just made it up)

Child One = Venti, Double Espresso Macchiato, 3 Sugars. Alias: Marley, age 5.

Child Two = Grande, Soy Chai Tea with a touch of Chamomile, No Sugar. Alias: Sage-Niambi, age 3.

I would not add a shot of Espresso to my Chai tea, nor would I add chamomile to my Double Espresso.

Marley is the "Ta-dah!" type. Precocious, very in-your-face, not the least bit shy, and always ready to try something new. She gets nervous in front of crowds, but her M.O. is to find a common ground with someone in the crowd, then use that to build her confidence; a few moments later, she's "on stage", and in her element. The child draws people to her, and is doing nothing more than being herself, a self that just so happens to usually be a people magnet.

Sage is the "Ultimate Novel" type. The cover is appealing, but not decorated with loud colors or attention-grabbing messages. If you are lucky enough to happen upon it, and open it up to begin reading, you'll find yourself captivated and intrigued way beyond your expectations. Each chapter reveals a previously unseen element; there's wit, intelligence, courage, gangsta (lol), and a dozen bits of magic dust that combine to create quite a force.

I've often fielded the Espresso v. Chai questions from well-meaning folks who think Chai might feel left out, ignored, or somewhat "dimmed" by Espresso's light. Little do they know, Chai does not crave nor need the light, as she is most comfortable in her own head, much like her dad. Chai is not at all shy, she just prefers having her own space to opening up her planet to other stars.

Chai loves the park, much like any other child, and at least seven times per day, Kris and I can count on her reminding us that "it's a beautiful day to be at the park." This includes stormy days, 95 degree weather days, and yes, nights. Suffice it to say, Chai loves being outside. On the days we do go to the park, she is content swinging, sliding, and playing in the areas that are not crammed with other children. Periodically, she approaches a child, tells them her name, asks them theirs, finds their parent, talks to them about super-important things such as her glittery slippers or her grandpa Ken (whom she's renamed Kenny-Benny-Whenny), then she goes back to her solo gig, and prefers not to be approached by other children when she does so. If it were a ratio, I'd say that outside of our home, Chai spends 30% of her times with others, and the other 70% solo; and she's happy with that.



Espresso blogs. Espresso reads chapter books in front of her class. Espresso memorizes poetry and recites it at family gatherings. Espresso approaches strangers and does her best to explain the ills of meat, soda, hydrogenated oils, and high fructose corn syrup. She's okay with that, and so am I; so is her dad; and yes, so is Chai. No one is made less by her shine -bright like the sun -and we embrace that.



When I asked Chai today if she was interested in taking African Drumming lessons, her response was, "No, Mommy, but I'd like to color them". Chai colors. Often in one of the low-traffic areas in our home, such as the corner by the fireplace, or on the futon in the sunroom. Chai plays upstairs when everyone else is downstairs, and comes down periodically to practice rear-naked choke holds with daddy, or to demand diluted lemonade and a granola bar. Chai loves computer time. Chai isn't the least bit interested in dance classes; she'd rather paint pictures of people dancing. Chai wants "to be an artist like daddy." Chai is annoyed by too much attention; always has been, even as an infant. Chai lives in a home with people who get that her wanting to be alone doesn't mean something's the matter. Chai's mom, dad, and sister get that her personality, serene and calming like the Pacific Ocean, isn't dimmed by anyone else's shine. She's blessed like that, and we embrace her.

Do you compare your children? To each other? To other children? To you? Do others compare them in your presence? How important is it to you to speak up for your children's right to be whoever the are, despite the expectations, suppositions, and "insight" of others? Do you play a role in your child being comfortable with who they are, or do you push them to be who/how you think they should be?

JUST ASKING.


Photo credit
Photo credit

My, She's Fly Feature Mama

WARRIOR WOMEN...

...yet another reason why I heart blogging.

CLICK HERE to get the scoop on who I met when she commented on one of my posts! Then visit HER HERE, and experience yet another grab-life-by-the-horns style Execumama who defines herself for herself, and lives her fullest version of SELF.

If you haven't registered over at WWW.EXECUMAMA.COM, I think you should :) There's a handy li'l space on the top right where you type in your email address and miraculously, we'll be inextricably linked! Go on, scoot! You're missing out on some pertinent information and some women you will want to know!

Have a wonderful weekend, and THANK YOU for being you!

Beware, the evil mom (blogger)! Seriously?

I feel no risk in stating that if they'd taken the time to look at some of these "shady" reviews that "federal regulators will be looking into", they'd see that quite often, review posts usually begin with amaaazingly revealing statements such as:

"When Company X sent me this ...." OR
"This post/review is sponsored by..."

IS SHE FOR REAL?

What exactly do they think the term "SPONSOR" means anyway? And what is so wrong with being compensated for one's valuable time? Last time I checked, the exchange of money or goods for a service (let's say writing a blog post, for example) is called a JOB, and it's perfectly legal in all of these United States!

I'm no mom blogger superstar like my home girl Sheena (who did a great job on the segment, by the way) or the many other hard working women who spent no doubt hundreds of hours building their blog, their name, and their reputation, but I do have sponsors, and I do conduct product reviews for which I'm paid either in cash or products, and I maintain that I run a legitimate, ethical, and honest show up in here. I have turned down products, and the reviews of products that make it to the precious space on my blog are truthful, and I know I'm among a crowd of many who do the same. We work hard for the traffic we get, and why in the world would it baffle anyone to find that companies see the value in our opinions? We actually USE many of these products, and though there may be a few "rogue" mamas who don't disclose compensatory factors, they are not the majority, and I say this because I look at mom blog reviews on a very regular basis myself.

My hope is that future segments allow a few mom bloggers to defend the attack (because that's exactly what it was) on our efforts, to (God forbid) work!

Get clarification and perspective HERE.

Yeah, what she said...

Since it took Marley four days to complete this post, I'm not going to spend more time (since I'm the designated blog monitor when she's on the computer working on her drafts) on a separate vacation post. I have to admit though, I enjoyed watching her "work". Periodically, she'd burst into a fit of laughter related to a memory she was sharing, then other times, she'd count out loud to make sure she was telling the story in date order, which I found so interesting, as I didn't think she would even consider that factor. I'd mentioned it to her a few times before, but this time, it has really started to stick, and it is an absolute pleasure to watch this amazing little person share her thoughts on line. Okay, before I start crying, let me go on and invite you to see a snippet of our family vacation from the perspective of our new Kindergartener (sniffle, sniffle), Marley Amai...

CHECK IT OUUTTTT HERE

Still Shinin'...and what?!

I'm still (yes, days later) on a serious satellite high from the results of THIS POST, and I must.must.must make room on this blog for my fellow feminine suns up in here! I feel certain that more of us will accept this challenge, but today I'm going ahead and sharing the light of the women who happened to complete the challenge already. The more the merrier, so I'm still asking YOU to make and share your list!

Okay, brace yourselves. Go on over to their blogs with your sun block and lemonade to bask in their radiance and get a tan from their glow.

Shine on, Sistahs! All of us are born with a special light, and it's our duty to shine! I snagged one of the quotes that Mary Jane over at MaireDodd put on her post because I love it so!

"Self-love,..., is not so vile a sin, as self-neglecting."
-William Shakespeare

Adiaha over at Adiaha.com

Traci over at beauty in rare form

Mary Jane over at MaireDodd

Tameka over at Tea and Honey Bread

Carolien over at MamaUsedToSay.com


Keep 'em coming, ladies! The world needs your SHINE!

Catch a tan in my sunshine: I challenge you to a seance.

In addition to your beautiful comments that had me Kleenex-reachin' up in here, I wanted to share a few others.

ADIAHA chose to share her shine, and I thank her.

Pardon the promo joint, but if you can get past it, you can lend an ear to one of my MOST FAVORITE songs...



During my brief hiatus last week, I was rewarded with the opportunity to fall in love all over again.

With whom, I'm sure you ask? With her.


With me. Imagine that.

I felt the need to take an as-is/no touch up photo to celebrate this.
I felt the need to share, despite the "Seriously, Akilah?" responses it might elicit.
I felt the need to share because I'm all about WOMAN SHINE, and I happen to be a woman who shines.
I felt the need to share this to encourage you to post your very own See Me Shine post, then drop by to tell me you did so.

Don't be alarmed (LOL), but I'm in love with quite a few of you, and I really hope I've conveyed that to you. I'm curious about your See Me Shine lists, and hope that you take the challenge, and let me know when you post it.

During my (ongoing) LOVE seance with all facets of Self, I created an embarrassingly extensive list of things I happen to like about this particular Execumama. It's an odd feeling — quite frankly — to create a "Me Likey" list about my own self. Feelings of narcissism, gloating, and (gulp) arrogance, flitted about in my mind, but never quite made it to the tip of my fingers where the typing was done! Go figure? I've done this type of exercise before, but never like this. Never so selfishly, and never with such great reward.

Before you read the snippet from my list, do me a solid, please? CREATE YOUR OWN LIST & SHARE YOUR SNIPPET. The bootleg camera phone impromptu photo is optional (though quite liberating), but the list is a MUST.

You know what?

I love that my face reminds me of an African mask. A beautiful blend of wide, flat, round brown surfaces that contort and shift to share my Self with others. Actually, my face reminds me of Nina Simone's and my paternal grandmother's face a bit, and that fills me with a sense of pride.

I love that I fall in love more than most. Not the woman-to-man, ooh-I'ma-have-his-baby type of fall; that only happened once, and I married him :) But the subtle yet powerful, rose-scented type of love, and it is always with a woman. I am passionate about The Feminine. A champion of Her cause, and I just can't/won't help it. When I meet a woman who has that way about her—the way my grandmother, Maya Angelou, and Michelle Obama do — I fall in love, and then I paint. I paint the picture of that woman's best self, and I inject it into my growing self, and nurture it like the gift it is. It's these instances of love that have helped shape the Me that I'm walking into. Gotta love Love.

I love that I'm growing less afraid of my own strength.

I enjoy my personality; an amalgam of Butterfly and Cat.

Butterfly
...I tend to flit. Not in the way that prevents me from completing tasks, but in the way that might have been labeled ADHD-esque during grade school. I enjoy (and dare I say thrive, in some instances) moving between tasks to find what feels good and right at any given moment. Writing is the one area that has never lost my interest, but outside of that, depends on the day, the weather, the star pattern...something!
...I'm colorful and intricate. My thoughts run wild like unruly children. At times I can reel them in; other times, I hold on and get wielded around for the beautiful ride; and sometimes, I simply watch and smile.

Cat
...I am an inquisitive, unruly (at times), temperamental (Libra), nap-loving soul whose noctural self sees far better than most. Oh, and I like yarn, seriously.

I appreciate how God is allowing me to figure out my "place" and my purpose, and allowing me more presence of mind in my own life, my decisions, and ultimately my divine path.

TAG! You're it!

A quick check in...

I'm BAAACK!

Refreshed, renewed, and re-energized, just as I expected. Be on the lookout for a blinding array of sun-kissed posts about all the amazing things my de-stressed mind was able to tap into and reveal to my usually too-busy-to-hear conscious self.

I have so much to share with you, and it's going to take me a few days to sift through the euphoria fest to pen (um, or type) the thoughts. But, I did decide to start here, because I got such a good laugh out of reading this post today, I had to share it with you immediately! The 3-year-old client is none other than our Gangsta Boo, Sage-Niambi, and her stylist was so gracious and understanding during the process. When I post our vacation pics, pay special attention to Sage's fly hair, courtesy of Naturi Beauty Concepts.

Go ahead, hop on over, read, laugh, and leave a comment...