I Need Your Help

Rants and Tantrums, , , ,

I have been trying to locate a document for some time now, and I have been unable to find it.  I cannot find anything close to it.  So I am desperately seeking everyone’s help in finding this important document.

I am looking for a law.  You know, a set of rules and guidelines that tells what we can and cannot do.  Anyway, I don’t know if the law that I’m looking for is on the local, state, or federal level, but it must be out there somewhere because I’m often called out on certain things.

I am looking for the law that says that just because I am a black female:

  • My natural hair should not be shoulder length, otherwise people might think it’s a weave.
  • I should always be prepared to convince people that my hair is not permed/relaxed because it’s “so soft” and “pretty.”
  • I have to like Beyonce
  • I have to watch Tyler Perry movies
  • I have to watch basketball wives reality tv shows.  (I don’t even know the name of the show.  All I know is something about Atlanta, basketball, and wives.)
  • I have to listen to “black music”
  • I am expected to cuss and use slang in my everyday vocabulary
  • I must gossip.  ALL THE TIME.
  • The farthest I can travel for a vacation is the 4-5 hour drive to Illinois for the Taste of Chicago (food festival) and the Cincinnati Jazz Festival.  Florida and the Caribbean are a no-no.
  • The only channel I can watch is BET (Black Entertainment Television).  CNN (Cable News Network) is not allowed.
  • Under no circumstances am I supposed to read comic books and attend comic conventions.

Whew!  That’s a lot.  See why I need your help?

Stereotyping.  We are all guilty of it.  What I listed are just a few of the stereotypes that I encounter on a daily basis.

I was chastised by a black female for not liking Tyler Perry movies.  I tried to explain to her that I don’t dislike his movies, it’s just not my preferred genre.  I am into horror, action/adventure, fantasy, and sci-fi.  A white female overheard the conversation and said, “YOU don’t like Tyler Perry movies?  I like Tyler Perry movies.”  I didn’t feel the need to further explain myself, so I shrugged my shoulders and walked away.

Back in the fall I was chastised and belittled for watching Thor:  The Dark World (IMAX, 3D of course) instead of The Best Man Holiday at the movie theater.  Yes I know that the handsome Morris Chestnut was a lead character, but I chose to put my love of superhero and action/adventure first.

I won’t even tell you how several black females got on my case for not watching Precious.  They were mad at me because I refused to watch that movie.  But what they don’t know is, I don’t care for black drama.  My life has been full of family drama for as long as I can remember.  Why pay to watch it at a theater when I get it for free all the time?  I didn’t tell them any of that because it’s none of their, or anyone else’s, damn business.

Do I need to tell you that people wonder why I read comic books?  And the suggestions of books I should be reading because that’s what they’re reading?  I find it funny that people recommend shit for me to read, although I have never seen a book in their hands.

I am going to end my tantrum here because I’m starting to type bad words.  Remember, cussing is expected of black females.  I think.

I am going to search for this law until I find it.  If and when I do find this set of rules, I am going to read them.   And then I am going to continue breaking them.

Children Do Not Belong On Social Media Sites

Random Thoughts, Rants and Tantrums, , , , , , , ,

There is no reason for children, including TEENAGERS, to have social media accounts.  Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, and other sites I may have missed, should not be on the minds of youths.

My oldest child (12 years-old) recently asked the age requirement for a Facebook account.  My response was:

You’re old enough to have a Facebook account when you’ve been out of high school long enough for at least one class reunion, have a job, and have your own residence.

I went on to explain to him that social media sites is a great way for adults to connect with childhood friends, and former classmates they may have lost contact with over the years.

Social media is also a great way for networking.  I have accounts on Facebook, Twitter, and Tumblr, and I network with a lot of people whether it’s professional, hobbies, or just plain socializing.

But I can do that.  I am an adult that graduated from high school and college years ago, I have a husband, kids, job, and my own residence.  In other words, I have something to talk about.  Not giggle and post/tweet kid talk about something I’ve already said in 4th hour.

There is no reason for kids to have a social media account because they see each other at school, church and in their neighborhoods.  They even talk to each other by phone.

A child (I know this person well) sent me a Facebook friend request recently.  I was shocked.  I still haven’t told my son because I don’t want him thinking that he can create an account.

But I was shocked even more a couple of days ago.  Under the People You May Know section on Facebook were the names of two children, both in the single digit age range.  A what the f**k came out of my mouth before I knew it.  I rarely cuss, so you know I was frustrated.

PARENTS:  Keep your kids off of social media sites.  They have no business on there.  We are not around our children 24/7 but we should be aware of what they are doing.  And I’m damn well sure you know that your young children (maybe even your teenagers) are on Facebook and Twitter because they are on your friends list.

There are all kinds of predators lurking the internet.  Some may even pretend to be a child just to lure your children to their dungeons.  For the kids on media sites that are shy, timid, and bullied, watch out.  These sickos are just waiting to pounce on them.  But this won’t happen if you make sure your kids stay off those damn websites.

PARENTS SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE if they know their kids are engaging on social media sites.  They should be charged with child exploitation and indecent exposure, because they’re handing their children over to pedophiles, and other sick scumbags, on a platter.

If children insist on surfing the web, then steer them to educational sites like:

Brain Pop is used at my youngest child’s school.  There is a password, but some areas of the sites do not require a password.  He even wanted a home subscription for his birthday last year, and of course I got it for him.

My youngest also discovered Kids Health a couple of months ago while surfing the web.  He is special needs and was searching for EEG, a test he was scheduled to have within the next few days.

There are plenty of kid-friendly websites available for kids.  Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Tumblr are not on the list.  Well, they’re not on the list in my home.

I must be immortal because every time I get stabbed in the back, I fall down and get right back up.  – La Cracha

Parenting Tip #2: Little Smart-Mouth Girls Are Not Cute

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NOTE TO PARENTS (especially mothers):  little smart-mouth girls are not cute.  They’re not funny either.

Smart-mouth kids is a pet peeve of mine, probably because I wasn’t mouthy while growing up.  I turn my head so fast in the direction of kids talking smart to their parents, or any other adult, that I’m surprised my neck haven’t snapped by now.

This blog post focuses on toddler and preschool-aged girls.  Those little 2-5 year-old girls that stand with their hands on their hips while talking.  They can barely pronounce their own names, yet they are able to say an assortment of smart-alecky words.

My niece was one of those little mouthy girls at that age.  She was around age 3 or 4 when one day, out of nowhere, she said, “For your information.”  I had no idea what she was talking about, and neither did she.  She now has a 5 year-old daughter who’s even mouthier.

For some reason, and I don’t care to know that reason, a lot of women think it’s cute and funny when toddler and preschool girls talk smart.  Well it’s not.  And I can’t stand the following:

  • “Oh did you hear her?  She’s so cute.”
  • “Ain’t she cute?”
  • “Ain’t she grown?”
  • “Look at her lil grown self.”
  • “Gone girl with yo’ bad self.”

These little girls walk around, talking smart to whomever they like, and their mothers don’t say a word.  Well, not all mothers keep quiet.  Some mothers, or other female figures, don’t allow that madness.  My mother, sisters and I didn’t allow my niece to talk smart around us.

A few years ago while I was at work, a little girl around 4-5 years of age, was standing at the nurses’ station talking smart and sassy.  She responded sensibly when asked her name and age, but the attitude was definitely there.  One of my co-workers laughed loudly and said, “Ain’t she grown y’all?  Ain’t she grown?”  My other co-workers and I told her no, that she was not grown.

A few minutes later, the child’s aunt arrived while she was talking.  The aunt quickly put an end to that madness.  She told the child that she didn’t know why her mother let her talk that way, but that she was going to stop it.

Mouthy female toddlers and preschoolers are not cute.  And they’re not grown.  They are disrespectful.  But I can’t blame them because they don’t know any better.  I blame their parents, especially their mothers.

Class Reunions: Should You Attend?

Rants and Tantrums, ,

I was recently informed, by a childhood friend, that my name was submitted to serve on our high school class reunion planning committee.  Actually, she is the one who signed me up.  I told her that I wasn’t going to participate because I don’t plan on attending our next reunion, just like I didn’t attend the first two.  Well, I couldn’t attend the first one because I was in Jamaica getting married.  But I wouldn’t have gone to the reunion anyway.

So the question is, should you attend your high school class reunion?

The answer should be that it depends on the individual.  But a lot of people don’t look at it that way.  They feel EVERYONE should attend class reunions because it’s going to be fun, and you get to see your old classmates.  But I look at it like this.  I HAD to go to school, I DON’T HAVE TO attend class reunions.

I don’t do class reunions.

Of course those that are excited to the point of hyperventilating about their high school class reunions were the popular kids.  Jocks, cheerleaders, and class clowns.  Loud mouth, gum-popping girls.  Cliques.  Don’t act like you don’t know what I’m talking about.

I wasn’t popular, but I wasn’t an unknown either.  I lived on the honor roll, was active in sports, band, and even had a column in the school newspaper.  I didn’t belong to a clique, I was quiet and shy, and preferred to keep to myself. And I didn’t like half, if not more, of the kids anyway.

Most of the people I hung around back then don’t attend our class reunions either.  That’s because we don’t care:

  • who is fat now
  • who is still skinny
  • who can still dance
  • who still can’t dance
  • who is still pretty
  • who looks ugly now
  • who is still hoeing around
  • who has a boatload of kids by different daddies
  • who don’t know who their baby daddy is
  • which guys don’t take care of their children

I don’t pass judgment on anyone, so I don’t care to be around such nonsense at my age.  Again, I had to go to school, I don’t have to attend a high school class reunion.

Besides, I already keep in touch with a select few, so I don’t need to attend a reunion.  I can talk to my friends anytime I like.

Around the time of my last class reunion, I got into a heated discussion with a childhood friend.  She told me that I am supposed to go to the reunion.  We attended the same elementary school, but different middle and high schools.  She was always the pretty and popular girl who could dance.  Boys loved her, girls hated her.  She couldn’t understand my point of view at all.  She was very sarcastic.  But what she don’t realize is that, unless you walk in that person’s shoes, you won’t understand jack shit.

So I ask the question again.  Should you attend your high school class reunion?

It is an INDIVIDUAL PREFERENCE.

Have you attended a class reunion?  Why or why not?

UPDATE:  June 27, 2015
I wrote this blog post 1 year ago.  And my decision remains unchanged, I don’t do class reunions.  However, my 25 year high school class reunion is near.  Not only have I been asked if I’m attending, I’ve also been TOLD (by my closest classmates) that I am going.  After a lot of in-depth thinking, I am now considering making a cameo appearance at the meet and greet.  I may even slip in the cabaret.  But nothing more than that.

I’m sure you will want to know whether I go or not.  I’ll post my answer soon.

5 More Questions I May Never Find The Answers To

Random Silliness, Random Thoughts, , ,
  1. Why is marble cake always dry?
  2. Will a racehorse ever travel faster than gossip?
  3. I know that I before e, except after c.  So why do I always spell niece and receive wrong?  (thank you spellcheck)
  4. Men have two heads.  Why do they use one more than the other?
  5. Where is Waldo?