Parent – Child Relationship II

So, I posted this story/rant earlier this month. Well, I’ll be danged if something else didn’t come up to make me go, HUH?!

The Jonesboro High School Dance Team Get Suspended @ Yahoo! Video

I am so old school, but I think kids <—- (you are under the age of 21, you have NO REAL FULL-TIME job with benefits, stay with someone (i.e., parent, aunt, grandfather, etc.), and are most likely, still in school somewhere) these days just are exposed to too much sexuality in videos, games, ASSOCIATES, etc. My bet is some of this fast-tail girls have done this routine for some ole’ tack-head BOY already, for attention and God knows what else….

I can’t believe this show wasn’t stopped by an adult…..

If EVER there was a time for mentoring kids and teenagers is now!

Ancestry – A Newsweek Story

How cool is this story!

Beyond Words: Two Heirs to Two Great Americans

Archiving History..

With all that has taken place the last year, so many of us want to PRESERVE the memories. I’ve found a great website that has FABULOUS advice and great archival products to preserve the memories.

Me being a scrappy, photography, memory-preserving type person, I’ve been looking for ways to preserve newspapers, photos, etc. I’ve collected GREAT newspapers to keep for memories, but newspapers are printed on the worst possible quality paper you can print on they don’t keep if they are touched with your bare fingers, body oils, etc.

Newspapers, especially, they should be kept in a poly bag and in an archival box. Here is a great product to do just that. Archival Methods has other great archival products. Check them out!

Parent – Child Relationship

Growing up in our house, there was never a question of who was the parent and who were the children. None of this “let’s all be friends and talk to our parents like we would our peers”. Don’t get me wrong, I thought my parents were some devil-sent people who wouldn’t let me have my way, until I got in high school. Then, I guess I started growing up and realizing that our parents are PEOPLE that we can go to with our troubles for their opinions, chew the fat or whatever.

When the Columbine High School incident occurred, it was a sad day. BUT, I often say that something like that would have NEVER happened in our house for several reasons:

1. We could never be in our bedrooms with our doors closed UNLESS we were changing clothes. I was once told that when I started paying bills in the house, I could be in my room with the door closed.
2. Our parents were always “walking by” or having to PHYSICALLY come in your room when speaking with you about something, while side-eyeing everything in your room (Mom and Dad, you are not SLICK!).
3. We all sat down and had dinner TOGETHER, as a family (we still do when we come home for visits) and things of the day were discussed.

So, our parents knew our every move, what was in our rooms, where we were going (though I tried that “lie-about-where-you-were-going bit and it BACKFIRED…..never did it again), etc. We also knew that they were our parents and that we should respect them as such.  They reviewed homework, answered questions (if they could…if not, they sent us to those 1962 encyclopedias in the study…LOL).

I said all of that to say this:  YOU SHOULD ALWAYS CHECK YOUR CHILD’S HOMEWORK (see below).

I’m Slowly Coming Back…

I know it’s been A LONG TIME since I posted. Let’s just leave it with life happenings.

I have also moved my blog from Blogger to WordPress for increased personal creativity. I have additional downloads and changes to make on the blog, but I am adjusting things for my MAC and WordPress so they can work together.

Smooches…

Commitment

Commitment.

(NOTE: This was in my draft folder and was never published from July 2008 )

I received several emails, texts, etc., this morning about the potential membership acceptance of Michelle Obama into Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. If she accepts, I say kudos to her. If not, life will go on. If she accepts, I hope that she can be committed to the organization and serve, as that is something that all members of all greek organizations lack in this day and time. Commitment.

I have the utmost respect for Mrs. Obama. She is a full-time working woman with a family to look after, too. Being a mother is a full-time job in itself (hats off to all of the working Moms out there……..love you!). ANY woman that can carry a full-time job and be a mother and be a wife, HATS OFF!

When I person is TRULY committed to something, I’ve usually seen a display of tact and class associated with it. We all understand that passion plays a large role with commitment, but how you CARRY yourself during these times is also a huge part.

For example, my Mom ALWAYS shows tact and class (unless she was angry with me…another story for another day). She is consistent in her speech and how she treats others. She is fair. No matter the skin color, age, pedigree, etc., she is by the book and consistent. My Dad, as silly as he may be at times, is the same way: class and dignity (unless he has a joke going with a crowd…..after that, give it up). They are both COMMITTED to exemplifying how one SHOULD carry themselves, knowing that at all times, they represent God, their family, organizations, etc. They are committed to improving their family and community and what is around them.

My Mom, sister, a few cousins and aunts are members of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. I chose a different route. I sought membership, was accepted, after my 2nd try (first time via my undergrad institution and the second time via an alumnae chapter), pledged and made a commitment to another sorority, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Why, as so many have asked, would I “break” tradition? It’s not about breaking tradition. It’s about how I want to serve the community and how I observed it to be served by various organizations. As for me and my character and how I wanted to serve, I liked how members of Delta were committed to serving the campus and communities they were located in. Not saying that others were not (please don’t go there). I just saw more consistency from members of Delta. Know that all of the Divine Nine are in this SERVICE commitment TOGETHER.

My parents and family showed me how to be COMMITTED to something through their service to their respective organizations and work (church, AKA, Kappa Alpha Psi, The Links, Jackson State, etc.). I look at how they were dedicated to serving, not for prestige and fame, but because it’s the fabric of who they are. That fabric continues to be woven with their children, grandchildren, students, and the lives that they touch. Their commitment exemplifies that we should all bring someone else (if not more) with us as we travel UPWARDS.

May I make a suggestion to everyone? Before you join something, check our commitment meter and look WHY we are looking to join certain organizations.

Whether we wear red, blue, green, or whatever, know what your calling is and SERVE, not look to be served. Stop haggling on past failures and issues. Move on knowing that you stand on the shoulders of many and it’s your job to pull other along with you who are lagging.

You Know What Happens When You Assume

Never judge a book by its cover. Never assume you know someone’s life and background without KNOWING them. And never………EVER assume that all women and black people are the same.

I am a nerd and a geek. No qualms about it. LOVE it. I am a gadget queen and will talk you under a table about sports. I am not your “typical” female. Don’t get it twisted, though. I am a heterosexual MARRIED female. That other side is not my team. It may be yours, but hey, do you. Not my role and not in agreement with that.

My career is in a technical and strategic role. Sad to say, I am used to being the only female and/or the only black in offices, meetings at work, etc. It is 2008 and I am still getting second-guessed on my abilities because I graduated from two HBCUs (if you don’t know, go Google it), looked at as being the admin at an office (get your own dang coffee and take your own minutes!) and rarely presumed to be an active, knowledgeable participant in the meeting that is about to start. Yeah, I hold an undergraduate and graduate (thesis-option) degree in electrical engineering and an MBA in finance. Yet, people come still have this preconceived notion that I am the admin or I must be the note-taker for the meetings or I am the “MS Office” guru (definitely not MS Excel because that requires me being analytical and knowing something and gee, this black girl couldn’t know that!). NOT!

I chose to go into engineering because of my LOVE of math and science and I am very analytical. I LOVE the combination of technology, policy and strategy and law. That is my passion. I love being a nerd and learning new things. But the reality is there are very few of us (female and blacks) who are going into engineering. Articles have shown that younger kids view engineering as pocket-protector having, coke-bottle glasses wearing, Urkle-looking folks.

Just a rant for the day….