Sunday, June 26, 2016

Keep on Keeping On....


Hello World...

What's on my mind....that's the opening phrase that facebook gives you.....
I remember when I had a list of things I wanted to learn to do as I grew up....The world was mine...I couldn't wait to grow up!



Thanks to my Granny I was already a musician by 12, I was singing in church at a young age, I wanted to learn foreign languages, wanted to fly helicopters, airplanes, wanted to be a mom, a wife...the world fascinated me. My uncles were in the military which made want to travel the world like they did which I attempted but my DNA gave me full blown rheumatoid arthritis (RA) at a very early age and it's no need to stay in the military if ya can't fire ya weapon. just staying.
But then somewhere along the lines of life my creativity and vision was muted and I was just existing....zombie-like state (and i don't even like zombies), still today a lot of my life is just existing. But EVERY now and then I encounter an individual or individuals that tap on my spirit man and she wakes up and remembers who I wanted to become.
Slowly but surely I'm heading back towards that original path. I have to dust off my journals and read what I planned and jump back into life. I thank the Universe for connecting me with people that are moving and grooving and make me move and groove. When i encounter them I have two options..wake up and join the movement OR close my eyes to my own vision and choke to death. I think I prefer the first option.


 Moral of this #share ? I hope someone is encouraged to keep on keeping on. Is my life perfect? nope. Was my upbringing perfect? not at all. You see me smiling and laughing and encouraging those that I encounter and that's my way of some self-therapy. I figure if I encourage someone else I'll hear my own words and be encouraged too.
I still need couch time to drill through a BUNCH of stuff. BUT guess what I still have to live and explore, I still have to live a stable life and you do too! Anyone reading this having issues....I encourage you to use the positive energy around you to figure out a way to balance everything, use your encounters to balance your issues. you need a quick cry and pit party..yes by all means take a break and cleanse...but then jump back up and enjoy your life!

And believe me I'm talking to myself as I'm talking to you......


Peace and Blessings.....

Sunday, March 13, 2016

Natural Hair...Braids....A new thing?

Hello World...

It's been a while since you've heard from this blogger.  The reason for today's blog is an article from MTV UK posted by the Grio that gave credit for corn row braids to Kim Kardashian, oh wait I mean "boxer braids".    As a kinky texture having individual that has worn braids all 43 (almost 44) years of my life, I am a little ticked off by this article because african americans have been getting flack about our kinky hair all of our existence.  Our African ancestors/elders led the way in the creativity of our kinky crowns and gave us the playbook on how to handle our tresses.


I have an unforgettable memory, as a little girl I asked my cousin Vickie to braid my hair like Peaches of  "Peaches and Herb" with the beads.  I think my mom was taking me to get pictures done at Sears or Montgomery Wards or somewhere like that so I had to be cute.  Well this was 1979(i was 7) and the movie "10" had come out and Bo Derek wears braids in the movie so the photographer says "oh you have your hair like Bo Derek?" I looked at him in shock and amazement and said "No! Like Peaches from Peaches and Herb!" he did a nervous laugh and continued on with his job.  I'm sure he had no idea who I was speaking of.
R&B duo "Peaches & Herb"

R&B artist "Patrice Rushen"

If you look at ALL of our colored, negro, black, african american entertainers, our everyday family and friends pictures, we rock locs, braids, afros and receive nothing but flack about it especially in corporate america and the military.  Our hair is called "nappy" which is as bad as the big "N-word" to me although some have embraced the word and made it an awesome description, I just cannot.   OH but let "someone else" wear the same style and the world goes bananas as if it's the next best thing since sliced bread.  And this didn't start just now, looking back at early movies created about the bible stories which happened in Africa (in real life) they use non-african actors/actresses, with kinky wigs and braid wigs, as the main characters with of course actors of african descent depicting the slave roles.  Yep they paint their faces brown/bronze and hire the ones born with kinky hair and brown skin to be... the help (pun intended).  I've never really dwelled on this because it's a part of a brown skinned person's life, to know that the world will forever try to knock our self-esteem down but this topic keeps coming back to me so I had to put my words to proverbial paper.  It's almost a tad bit comical watching and listening to other criticize us.  Why?  Because the reality is that we are "the shit" and they take our ideas, our looks and use it for their own and get their plastic surgeons to re-create it.  (as close as they can come to it anyway).    Oh but Halloween is THE day that our natural hair, curves and everything else is put out front, this time as a joke.  Yes some of our beloved non-black brothers and sisters find it hilarious to put on wigs, butt pads and other crazy looking accessories to pretend to be some sort of african american character.  So sad.
Elizabeth Taylor as the Egyptian Queen Cleopatra
Braid wig - Halloween Costume

Back to lecture at hand, I emailed MTV UK about the article expressing my disappointment and they responded.  Their response was even more disappointing and dismissive, I almost feel like they listed my points as a formality but verbally patted me on the head as if to say "There, there little black American person, we understand your point but these are "boxer braids" and they are made popular recently by these two caucasian ladies.  That's our opinion and deal with it.  Cheers."  My spirit man's facial expression...
Really?

Yes this email conversation really happened, check it out.  Page 1 is my initial comment at the bottom and MTV UK's response at the top.  Page 2 is my second statement, which apparently did not warrant a response.  Yes this was last month and every time I try to just Let it gooo (you sang that.. lol), something else comes to my attention about this same topic.   Go ahead and read it:


This topic probably does not bother any of the younger generations (and some of the older ones) but I've lived long enough to see and experience face-to-face discrimation.  Made fun of for being too black, hair too nappy, etc and then to see the same group of thought start to inject and tan themselves to mimic the things they once ridiculed...AND situations like this where they take our styles that, again, were publicly ridiculed and have the audacity to make it their own is hilariously sad.  Now, I'm sure there are some reading this that will say "Hey lady,  this is a UK news outlet printing this, they aren't aware of your US history."  My response to that is "WWW".  Do you know what that stands for? World Wide Web.  The internet allows us access to everything about everybody, the African history is a little different in how they were treated in the UK vs the US but no excuse because the information is there.

I've stopped believing that this mindset will ever change, I mean the mindset that sees those of African descent as second class citizens.  Why? Because hatred is taught and learned and the country's behavior towards our current President Obama and First Lady Michelle AND the current Presidential election shows front and center that racism is still alive and kicking.  Yes, the blog topic is about a hairstyle but the sentiment behind it goes much deeper....all the way back to our ancestors.

Let me make this perfectly clear....I don't care WHO wears the style everyone wears braids..but don't give credit where credit isn't due.  That's just wrong on so many levels.  It's like coming to an inhabited country and claiming it as your own....oh wait...that sounds familiar.

Keep living, keep moving forward and keep hope alive....

Peace and Love...
~Are you a female blogger? Are you a female working in the arts? Check out these two support organizations: Women With Gifts   SHECreatediT ~

This blogger can be reached at annissakaye@gmail.com.

Website:
The Grio - Boxer Braids
WikiPedia - Cornrows
WikiPedia - Peaches and Herb
WikiPedia - Bo Derek
WikiPedia - Patrice Rushen


Saturday, January 2, 2016

New Year....New Plan

Hello World.....

It's been a minute since my last entry.  I think about 7 months.  Long enough to be almost about to deliver a baby. LOL!

Well Happy New Year to you! :-D (click here for today's soundtrack)


It's a new year and I have a new and improved plan.  I asked the Lord to keep from being stagnant and allow me to be in a scenario to pull my gifts and talents out of me and let "44" be a very nice experience for me.  And ALL types of things started happening.  The only thing that can keep me from succeeding with everything is this chick right here...this chic typing this entry.

I implore you to get a team around you that constantly pushes you to be your very best!  I truly believe in the statement "if you are the smartest in your group of friends, you need new friends."  

This is going to be a short one....happy new year to you and yours!  ((hugs)) and peace in the middle east!

Peace and Blessings....

~Are you a female blogger? Are you a female working in the arts? Check out these two support organizations: Women With Gifts   SHECreatediT ~

This blogger can be reached at annissakaye@gmail.com.

website credit:

photography credit:
Magic Memories Photography