Happy Birthday, Kenya!

 

Today is my brother’s 39th birthday! Kenya loved lots of things.  Music, church, time, good food but more than anything, he loved his birthday.  Now he loved his family too, my mama was his “Dear dear”…but that birthday?…yeah he’d beat you down about his birthday if he had to.  As soon as the new year arrived, he’d remind anyone, “My birthday May 16th….” And he’d never…EVER let you forget…that he was a grown man…lol

Now…my sister is his favorite sister.  He would call me sometimes and instead of a hello, I’d get, “YoutalktoKiki?” or “Youtalktoyasista?”  I’d remind him that he hadn’t even said hello to me and he’d give me his famous…”oh…I’m sorry….” then…”You talktoyasista?”

I’m the big sister, the one who made him an uncle.  For whatever reason, he gave me the nickname Jelly Roll when I came to spend one summer at home to work the summer program my mom runs.  I asked why he called me that.  He said…”cause you look like a jelly roll!” I said, “Kenya!  That’s not nice, I don’t look like a jelly roll!  That’s food!”  I proceeded to show him some google photos of jelly rolls.  I said, “see, these are jelly rolls.  Do I look like that? These are not even people!” He said, “yup, that looks just like you!” and he giggled and walked away.  My daughter, he called Billy Goat.  He never would tell us why though, but he delighted in calling her that.  Since I had a nickname, I gave him one…it was Fatboy.  He thought it was funny and we clowned each other with those names.  I finally figured out that the reason he didn’t give my sister a name was because she already HAD a nickname.  Ohhh!

That same summer, he made me feel like a rock star because he said…”You cook well!” Now if Kenya complimented my cooking, then I KNEW I was doing something right.

Kenya and I shared a love of music.  He could be found any evening giving a concert to a private audience in his room.  He had his speaker, his microphone and his CDs and that was all the audience he wanted.  If you wanted to listen, you had to wait outside the door because if you walked in that room, he would pause the music and say, “Wassup?”…like…”What do you want…I’m in the middle of something…” lol….Once, when I was home from college, we were riding in my mom’s car and I was listening to one of my favorite artists at the time…Alanis Morissette’s Ironic on the radio.  I was singing along like I always do in the car, and it got to the chorus, and to my surprise, he chimed in singing and was doing the famous headbanger move….It was hilarious and couldn’t have been more perfect if we’d planned it that way.

One of my favorite things about Kenya is that he constantly reminded you of the time.  Personally, I hate being late and get irritated when others are.  If I said…”come on y’all it’s almost 9, we gotta go!”  Kenya would say…”I got 8:56″.  Basically….almost doesn’t count.  Once, at my aunt’s house he’d reset her clocks.  They were all 15 minutes fast.  My aunt quickly blamed one of my younger cousins because she just KNEW he knew how to do it.  Kenya was never a suspect because unfortunately, no one thought he knew how to do it.  After my aunt fussed and fussed at my cousin who continued to swear he didn’t change the clock, she stormed back upstairs.  Next to me…he said in a low voice…”clock had the wrong time…had to fix it…”  I roared laughing because the whole time she fussed…he’d never said a word…

Aside from all that…my favorite thing about my brother is that he liked to have a good time.  Whether that was at church, at home, at a restaurant or on a holiday or vacation…whenever…wherever, Kenya knew how to celebrate.  He quite enjoyed life and when he was in party mode, you couldn’t help but enjoy yourself too.

People always say rest in peace or rest in heaven when someone is no longer with us.  I’ve always thought heaven to be a place of singing and celebration…isn’t that what they always say? The heavenly choirs of angels will be singing praises all day long? Well in that case I KNOW there’s a party going on right now.  He’s singing in that big ole choir and having him a good ole time…doing what he loved.  I’m glad I got to be his big sister, even though I wasn’t his favorite.  I’ll forever be Jelly Roll (though he’s the only one who can call me that…) and he’ll forever be my Fatboy…It’s our first birthday without him.  I know we would’ve been here celebrating…going to your favorite places and doing whatever your favorite sister had planned…(well…aside from the whole shelter in place thing…)

Happy birthday Fatboy!  Party in Heaven!

Hakuna Matata,

Jelly Roll

 

 

So…What’s your song?

At the beginning of 2013, I was still working in that call center that I still will not name…I remember waking up with a sore throat but knowing I would just go to work.  I figured, I felt fine…just had a sore throat.  Well, I hopped on the phone like always and the more I talked, the more I realized, I was losing my voice.  Every person that said something on the phone said, “oh my goodness, you sound horrible!”  I remember thinking, “but I feel fine.”  Finally, I decided to tell my supervisor that I was having a problem.  She said, “Well, I can understand you.”  Aggravated, I pressed on.  Like I said, my throat was sore but aside from that I felt fine.  So I kept water near me and throat lozenges were my breakfast and lunch that day.  About an hour after I talked to my supervisor, my manager called me and ordered me off the phone.  I went to the urgent care…strep test came back negative…just a sore throat.  Well the next day, my voice was completely gone.  I couldn’t even whisper!

I waited a few days and went back to the doctor because the issue hadn’t resolved itself.  The doc ordered me 2 weeks of voice rest.  Two weeks turned into eight!  Eight weeks, I was supposed to not talk or talk as little as possible.  Considering I sang every Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday at church and worked 8 hours a day on the telephone, I was seeing some serious problems!  I wasn’t mad about not talking…I was mad that I wasn’t going to be able to sing!  Me.  The one who wakes up with a song every morning was not going to be able to sing!  I couldn’t believe it.

Well, eight weeks later, I was better, not good as new as allergy season was upon us at that point…just better.  Something strange happened…I went to choir practice and something irritated me.  I mean I was downright angry!  Then when it was time to sing, either Sunday or Thursday and I’d be either mad or overwhelmed with sadness.  This went on for months and I never told anyone for real because I didn’t know how to express it.  We would sing songs and I would think about the words and it meant nothing to me.  One night, our choir director admonished us to encourage the people and reminded us that we have to believe what we’re singing.

That was the moment I realized my problem.  I didn’t believe what I was singing.  We were singing a song called Higher by William Murphy.  My throat closed up.  I couldn’t sing it because I didn’t believe.  There’s a part at the end that says, “I got my joy back” and it dawned on me that I didn’t have any joy.  It was September already and I had gone the whole year with no joy!

The next morning I woke up very early and couldn’t get back to sleep.  I lay there listening and heard absolutely nothing.  The root of my problem was discovered! I had not been waking up with a song!  How could that have happened I wondered over and over again.  I tried and tried and tried but I could not hear my heart’s song.  The music was gone!  I had lost my physical voice which lead to a loss of my spiritual voice. When I tell you that was the worst feeling in the world! It’s undescribable. I cried many days and nights with no reason I could come to. My friend Nicole prayed with and for me. I literally felt my spirit and flesh wrestling.

Before long, I had it back. It was only through prayer and seeking God that it was restored. So on the cusp of the new year I had my song again.

Now I’m more apt to listen for it. If I don’t hear it I immediately pray and wait for it. When my spiritual ears are opened I get my song and proceed with my day. Back in October or November, our choir began to sing a song written by our fabulous lead guitar player, Quintrell Bruno, called Never Be the Same Again. I was at a low point and close to losing my song again.  The lyrics are just amazing. The melody is haunting but it stayed with me.  I’ve listed the lyrics below but the part I needed…The part I always hear throughout my day…goes..:”don’t you know how much God loves you. Don’t you know how much he cares?” That’s the part I always need to hear. It was introduced to me late in the year but I’d heard it more in my spirit in the last quarter of 2015 than any other song all year long. It’s such a healing song. It’s the balm for my wounded soul. I’m grateful to have the opportunity to experience it.  Read the lyrics here and see what I’m talking about.

This same thing with losing my song happened to me again at the end of 2016.  This time though, I was in a place where it was all black.  I couldn’t sing.  Standing in the choir stand, Watch Night, I know my face told a story that words couldn’t.  I couldn’t even open my mouth to sing and I was scheduled to sing for two services on Sunday morning! I didn’t know it but I was at the door of my breakthrough!  One of my choir sisters prayed for me and I didn’t even know it.  All I knew was that between Saturday night and Sunday morning, a wonderful change came over me.  I had my song back and thankfully, I have come to a place of freedom and I will never be bound again.  I don’t have to wrestle with the darkness for that reason again.

So…what’s your song? Have you listened? Listen to your heart. It’s there.

Until next time,

 

Hakuna Matata

So…I Remember Mama…in a happy way…

Most people I know have heard the song by Shirley Caesar…”I Remember Mama”. It is played in heavy rotation around the holidays and especially around Mother’s Day. In it…Shirley recounts a few memories of her mother. I’ve always loved the song. As a little girl it always made me kinda sad because her mother had gone on to be with the Lord. Even then I knew that my mom was very important to me and I didn’t want to imagine life without her.

Thankfully, I don’t have to know that pain as my mother is still living but I wanted to highlight some of the lessons I’ve learned that have helped me in this adult life and as a parent.

Lesson Number 1 – Do it well or not at all.

My mom has always been good at being of service to others.  She volunteers and does things that need to be done whether she’s been asked to do it or not.  When she does something though, there is no “half stepping”.  It’s done to the nines and while being the best or better than anyone else wasn’t her goal, she always has people wanting for more.  Her things end up being something to use for comparison.  “Well, when Elaine did it…we had blank blank blank….we should do it like that…”.  What that taught me was that you have to be your best for whatever you are called to do.  If you’re going to do a project and you have the resources to get materials, do that.  Don’t just throw something together at the last minute.  Take the time to do it right and everyone you’re attempting to serve will be grateful that you did.  If you can’t do it well, then step aside and let someone else who will give it their all do it.

Lesson Number 2 – Work hard.

My mom was a single mother and she worked her tail off.  I’ve said before that she has always had 2 or 3 jobs when we were coming up.  But in those jobs and along the lines with lesson number one, she taught us to put in the work for what you have to do.  There’s no point in going in there and not doing your best.  In the end, what you do will carries your name and people will look at you crazy if you do something lazy.  It will look like you did it lazy.  No matter who is watching, always always, put the work in whether everyone else is or not.

Lesson Number 3 – Your children are worth it even when they get on your nerves.

There was never a time we went without something.  I can’t tell you the countless activities I was involved in that cost a gazillion dollars.  My mom worked and we had everything we needed and a lot of what we wanted.  As a parent now, I see how expensive it is just to have a child exist.  When you add into that fees for things at school or other activities, you need about 8 streams of income just to make it through and that’s just with ONE kid.  She did it with 3.  When we were ungrateful, she would remind us how hard she worked and rightly so.  In 2003, I had brain surgery and was recovering at her home.  With me, I brought my toddler.  My sister also had a surgery during my recovery time.  My brother has Down’s Syndrome and lives with my mom.  So…what was my mom doing while taking care of the four of us and herself? She was working full time, part time and in school working on her Master’s Degree.  When the tables were turned later that year and she had a surgery that put her in need of care, we didn’t get it right.  I mean, we were helping, but Lord we weren’t doing it right.

Lesson Number 4 – Don’t worry about what other people think.

At the end of the day…you’re responsible for the things you do.  You can’t please everyone.  There will always be someone who is unhappy about whatever you did.  Guess what? That’s their business.  It’s their right.  That doesn’t mean it has to change who you are or what you do.  When it comes down to it, whether someone likes what you did or not, it’s something you did and chances are it has no effect on their lives.

Lesson Number 5 – Sometimes you have to be gangsta.
People who have known my mom for less than 10 years might not know this about her…but my mama is gangsta….lol.  She was She-Ra before She-Ra!  For as long as I can remember she’s been very independent and handles business no matter what.  I watched her move furniture across the room or out of the house without help.  There’s no need to try to act helpless like you don’t have 2 hands.  She did what she needed to do.  Lazy men standing around watching? Psh…not on Elaine’s watch.  “Y’all need to grab a box and help or something, don’t just stand there!”  Once upon a time, we lived in a place that may not have had the best security.  No worries!  My mama had a crowbar ready for anyone who might be big and bad enough to enter our home uninvited.  I once saw her take a glass bottle and break it against the side of a house to defend herself.  There was no fight, but the person who tried her life (as The Teenager would say) knows better and won’t even come close to trying her these days.

I remember in 1994, the Flint River flooded its banks and she went down to Albany State to help bag sandbags to minimize the damage to the school.  While she was there working, we were home and had the news from the local authorities that we’d have to evacuate our home.  When we made it to my mom to let her know, she came home in no panic and packed her some things because we’d packed her nothing (crazy kids).  Then she found cinder blocks and put all of her furniture up so that if our home did flood, maybe the water wouldn’t damage those things.  I was amazed at how calm she was and so proud of her for keeping us calm.

Lesson Number 6 – Never give up.

This is probably my favorite lesson of all.  When I was little, we lived in Washington Homes in Albany…it was a low income housing complex.  My mom was working on her undergraduate degree and our car stopped working.  She had class that night but do you think that stopped her?  Nope.  No one was available to come take her but she didn’t care.  She put on her walking shoes and walked right on over to Albany State.  Right out the projects, across the civic center’s parking lot, across the Flint River bridge on Oglethorpe and right on down to her class.  She was determined.  Her mind was made up and she was going to finish her degree.

My mom has also been on a weight loss journey for a few years.  She’s been the example for me because she has not given up.  She is making a true life style change and it shows in her progress.  The gym is now her second home.  Walking trails are her best friend and she loves to drink water! Each day this encourages me not to give up on whatever goals I’m pursuing.

Lesson Number 7 – Be yourself and be unapologetic about it!

My mom retired from Dougherty County School System in December 2009.  She taught English and Language Arts to juniors and seniors that year.  Some folks were pretty upset that she was leaving.  People called to offer her jobs in other schools in the system.  Some even went so far as to call our pastor to try and convince her to stay.  My mama said, “No.  I’m retiring.  This is my time.”  No explanations.  No apologies.  Just…No…and she was dead serious.  Of course January came and her next opportunity landed in her lap.  She though didn’t care about what anyone thought of her.  She wasn’t insecure.  She didn’t waiver in her decision, she just moved on because the time was nigh and that’s what she wanted to do.

These days though…she’s turned into Patty Pound Cake…She makes these delicious little individual pound cakes and puts so much daggum love in them that you can taste it…No other pound cake is good to me…not even my own!  She sells them…so lemme know if you wanna buy some…but every now and then…she sees where some love is needed and whips up a bunch…told you she’s the best!

I could go on and on and on and on and on and on….because my mama’s lessons are endless.  Just today she helped me to see that sometimes you’ve got to look back so that you can get what you need to move forward.  She’s the coolest….most awesome…supercalafragilisticexpealidocious mom ever!  I’m so glad she’s mine and I cherish each day I have to spend with her.  So while she’s here…I’ll continue to remember her in a happy way.  She rocks!

Until next time…

Hakuna Matata

So…I wrote a love letter to my lady…

This year…I’ve had some friends lose their mothers.  It’s been difficult to read their posts on Facebook or get their phone calls telling me about it.  I can’t imagine how difficult it must be for some folks.  Sometimes we don’t say all we need to say to the folks we love while they are living which leads to regret when they leave this great earth.

Last year…I wrote a Mother’s Day post and I talked about my mom something fierce.  I didn’t do it this year, I think I just reposted the one I wrote last year.  Anyway…my mom’s on my mind a lot these days…so…I decided to write her a love letter!

She’s my favorite lady you know…here goes!

Dear Mumsy…George…Pearl…(those are all her names I call her!)

You completely and totally rock!  I’m so grateful to have a mother like you.  I know you don’t consider yourself my friend…but you really have some great friend qualities.  God gave me the greatest gift when He paired us.  I’m sure you didn’t know where this journey would lead you when I come into the world with all my newborn drama!  I mean…did you look at me and go…”now what am I supposed to do with her?”  I know I would have!

I can’t say enough how much you mean to me.  You’re a great example to me.  I remember when I was recovering from surgery how well you took care of me.  I always had food to eat…I didn’t have to worry about my clothes or even fixing the bed.  But when you were sick…recovering from surgery…I didn’t quite get it right like you did.  You had to ask for things because I didn’t think to do them.  I’m sorry I messed that up, but know that I’m starting to think ahead like you so…I’m learning to be ready for anything.

Thank you for making me understand that no matter what, you’re still my mom.  Even when that meant stepping back and letting me mess up royally…but then you were there to help me put the pieces back together.  I can’t imagine not having you there.  You knew I needed you even when I didn’t say a word and you were right there…helping me.  But you still gave me room to be…

When I was afraid to move forward, you’ve always been right there guiding me.  Convincing me that God’s plans were still going on even though I couldn’t see them.  You’ve helped me see what a relationship with God looks like.  You’re busy doing His work and that includes me!  But you didn’t stop there.  You’ve shown love to my friends so much so that they won’t let you go either!

Since I’m not there, I feel crazy that I can’t check on you with my eyes like I want to.  I have to settle for text messages and phone calls.  But I have my friends that you’ve claimed as your own who check up on you and take care of you.  They can get a glimpse of what I’ve known about you all along.  You’re a great example of God’s love.  You show it in everything you do.  Whether that’s exercising, playing games, praying for us or baking cakes…you’re showing it!

I love how you love me even though my house isn’t clean like yours.  You’ve never come in and said…”ugh..I can’t even sit down to talk because there’s stuff everywhere…”…(I’m working on it…seriously….)….I love how you love me even though I’m not on my fitness routine like you….or that I’m not up on political events like you…(I mean…you know…I’d rather read a book about it than watch MSNBC…lol…)

It might seem like I’m rambling…but these are just things that’ve been going through my mind….I could be selfish and try to keep you to myself…but I can’t do that…then you would be so unhappy to not be able to share yourself the way you do.  I’ll say again..I’m so grateful to have you as my mom.  There’s no one else I can say that I’d want to be my mom.  Yeah…when I was a teenager…I didn’t get you…in my twenties…I was a little crazy…but now…at almost forty…I’ve got it…I’ve really got it.  You’re the best mom ever!

I love you to pieces!  Now I see how folks will fight about their moms.  “You said what about my mama?”  POW! – Right in the kisser!  Yup.  I get it now.  Took me awhile…but I’m there…I hope you don’t mind that I’ve shared your letter with everyone…but I kinda felt like shouting it from the rooftop…

I Love you Mumsy!

I’ve seen this little picture a million times on the web.  It’s true…these are the stages we go through with our moms…but..I’m glad to be on the sane side of it!

Have you talked to your mom today?  If you can…why don’t you call her up…

Until next time,

Hakuna Matata

Relationships…

Sooooo since the author of MY blog is apparently missing…I’m gonna share with you my daughter’s blog….

Kam Says Hi

…HI!

Soooooooooo…

This week I have decided to talk about relationships because I have noticed that am always helping people with their relationships and their problems within it. I’mma give a lil bit of advice on here

Before i say anything, let me just say

1. I am not a professional.
2. I am not allowed to date. 😛
3. and…I am only using typical problems.

here goes nothing……….

• DO NOT go looking for someone. The right person will come to you.
• People will say things you may not like about your relationship. Who cares what they say. Happiness is all that matters.
• If you find yourself falling for another person, choose the second one because if you really loved that first person you wouldn’t fall for the second one
• Don’t show off your new relationship. You’ll look stupid telling everybody that you just started dating and you guys have 3,000 things in…

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So…Paint Albany Pink – Walk for Breast Cancer

Hey all…I know it’s been awhile.  April is the month you want to watch for!  This post though is for something different…

I’ve registered to walk in the Albany Pink Walk for Breast Cancer on March 22, 2014.  This is a cause important to me, and I will be walking in honor of my cousin Ashley Frink, friends Devin Walker, Crystal Brown Tatum and Sharon Williams.  I’m also walking in memory of my aunt Diane Dillard.  Proceeds of this walk will remain local to my hometown of Albany, Georgia and benefit patients of Carlton Breast Center through the MaryLynn Mason Endowment Fund.  You can learn more at www.albanymotorcars.com when you join the fight.

Would you please consider joining me in this fight against breast cancer?  A donation of any size is welcome. You can download the form here and mail the donations directly to:

Albany Pink

c/o Albany Motorcars

805 E. Oglethorpe Blvd

Albany, GA 31705

Please make checks payable to Phoebe Foundation.  Our team name is 31 Miles.

You can also make payments to me via paypal at kimyatta.walker@gmail.com.  Include your information and I’ll complete the donation form for you.  Your contribution is tax deductible!  Every dollar can help change someone’s life!

So…Happy February!!

So…it’s the 2nd month of 2014!  How are you coming with those goals?  Everything going swimmingly?  Perhaps you need to revamp some just a touch.  Were some of your goals too ambitious?  Well, don’t give up.  Each day is a new opportunity…another chance to get it right.  You can do it!

Well, today, I’m writing to tell you that I’m doing something amazing over at Miss Read It All.  In case you didn’t know…it’s my reading blog.  I’ve moved my book reviews and author interviews there.  For the month of February, I’m planning to interview a different author each day.  Most will have book reviews attached.  I’m hoping to broaden your horizons.  Now…all of these authors are African American.  What better way to celebrate African American History month than with some heroes of the literary world!

So, go ahead…subscribe to Miss Read It All if you haven’t already.  There’ll be some giveaways.  Check out an author you’ve never heard of.  You’d be surprised!  It just might change your life.

Until Next Time,

Hakuna Matata

No Do Overs: [Trigger Warning]

So…Best of 2013 – Reading

So…as far as my life as a reader goes…this has been a FANTASTIC YEAR!  Upon the entrance of the new year, I knew that there were LOTS of books I wanted to read….I keep up with book releases like movie goers keep up with movie releases…I’ve already got a list started for next year’s books. I decided that this year..I’d get every book I wanted to read somehow or another.  And boy did I!  As time allowed, I was able to read…everything I wanted to.

Facebook has allowed me to connect with some GREAT people…many of them authors.  Years ago, when I could still afford them, I stopped buying books because I bought a book at 3 pm…and was done with it by 11 that evening.  Now…this was before I understood the importance of supporting authors and what not…but I was upset because it ended too quickly and I was thirsty for more.  I was seriously ANGRY!  lol…BUT…I still would go to the library and still support my authors that way…I continued to do so when I was no longer able to financially support my book habit.

Well in 2013, the library saw me less and less.  Free books started to come to me out of the woodworks!  And while like my friend Kiera, I did not win free books for a year, I seemed to get free books all year long!  I won a few contests which got me lots of books, then I started being asked to review books and was given review copies…I could not believe how I was actually able to read the way I wanted to still!  I felt soooo awesome….The mail man or ups guy surely got tired of seeing my name.  I certainly didn’t care if they did or not…I was getting my books and that’s all that mattered.

About the middle of the year, something happened though…and I realized…while I can’t go and buy EVERY new release I could make room in my budget for a new book every now and again.  So…I was able to go and get a few other titles that I didn’t win.  But when things were tight or I didn’t think I had the money, something else happened…I somehow had a credit on Amazon!  That lawsuit thingie…yeah…I didn’t even do anything and just ended up with a credit….yup!  Works for me!  Then, a few times, I was blessed with a real gift card to Amazon.

The best thing in books that happened to me this year though was a trip to the National Book Club Conference.  Of course, I got lots of books there and I was able to meet some authors.  I was in book nerd heaven!  My mom saw my photos from the event and said she could see the glee all over my face in every one of them.  This was really the place for me.  I felt so at home and among friends and colleagues.  I made some great connections, got some good information and most importantly…BOOKS!  I thoroughly enjoyed my time there.

With all that being said…I must tell you of the best works of fiction I’ve read this year…

Here’s my disclaimer:  These are the best books KIMYATTA has READ….I haven’t read all of the ones I intended to read.  There are some that I wanted to read that I know would be in this list…but I haven’t taken the time to do so because of other obligations…and I’m actually kinda kicking myself!  UGH!  Anyway…here goes…

Parallel Pasts – Julia Blues.  Hands down…this is the best book I’ve read this year…I can’t say enough about it…Check out my review.

Never Say Never – Victoria Christopher Murray.  Get your tissues ready!  I don’t understand how something on paper can evoke THAT MUCH EMOTION from you…Awesome book…Here’s my review.

Dream Girl Awakened – Stacy Campbell.  At the end of the book…you can only say one word…which is uttered in pure disbelieve with your mouth agape.  This is my review.  I’d seen this book posted and talked about so much on Facebook..that I actually thought I owned it.  Imagine my surprise when I went to read it and couldn’t find it on my Kindle app!  I. WAS. THROUGH!  I dreamed about this book!  I had not written it on my list because the cover and synopsis were etched on the back of my eyelids.  When I finally read it though…I was NOT disappointed.

When Baldwin Loved Brendan – Electa Rome Parks.  Here’s another tear jerker…but it’s a quick read.  My review isn’t posted on this blog just yet…but gimme some time to get myself together!  Ms. Parks did something smart with marketing I think…on Facebook, she asked for a few people to promote the book.  We changed our profile photos for a month to the cover…then we posted the link at least twice a day.  Now…what was smart about this…is that the person posting built anticipation of the book..not only for others, but for themselves.  I was so daggum ready for this book to come out that when it came…I dropped EVERYTHING I was doing and read it in a few hours.

Deep Fried Trouble – Tyora Moody.  Very cute story.  If you like mysteries with an element of fun..this is your book.  My review is here.

Now…this is just my top five fiction choices.  The Motherhood Diaries is nonfiction and certainly one of my faves.  I believe this is one for the ages…

Now..there are some authors I discovered this year who had works that were outstanding….you should check them out as soon as possible!

Keleigh Crigler Hadley

Marissa Monteilh

Pynk

Daphine Glenn Robinson

Tyora Moody (realized I have 2 more reviews to write for her books I’ve read this year!)

Iris Bolling

Sheryle Kiser Jackson

Marian L. Thomas

Sadeqa Johnson

Norlita Brown

Brian W. Smith

Raheim Brooks

Rhonda McKnight

There are also some books that were released this year that I own, but haven’t had a chance to read…

A Family Affair – Reshonda Tate Billingsley

Summer Rain – Cherlisa Starks RIchardson

Love After War – Cheris Hodges

Breaking All the Rules – Rhonda McKnight

Breaking All My Rules – Trice Hickman

Phew!  I could go on!  But I know only the book nerds like me have hung in this far…lol….

I also discovered blog talk radio and listened to authors talk about and read from their new books…You have to tune in to some shows…awesome stuff!  I never thought I’d get into radio where I wasn’t listening to music.

Anywho…this is my post about my books I’ve read over the year…I know that I left something out…but please charge it to my head not to my heart…y’all know I’ve got fingerprints on my brain!

Until next time,

Hakuna Matata

So…Best of 2013 – Healthy Me!

So…this year has been full of twists and turns.  I can honestly say it started of with a BANG!  For health and wellness, I was really met with all kinds of blows…from day one!

In January of this year, I lost my voice.  For those who don’t know me…you know that’s a BIG ISSUE!  Though I’m an introvert, I do love to talk…and sing…but on top of that…I work in a call center so using my voice is how I earn my living.  I went to work one morning…and thought that the hoarseness I was feeling would disappear…by the middle of the morning, I was in excruciating pain and was barely speaking above a whisper.  My callers all gave me well wishes, home remedies and blasted my employer for making me work while I was sick.  It was my choice.  While I didn’t feel well, I knew that I should go to work anyway.  After all, I work from home, so it’s not like I had to travel to be near anyone.  If I was contagious, then I would only infect my imaginary friends.

Anyway, I finally had no voice AT ALL left.  I let my supervisor know via instant message.  He had to get it approved from a manager for me to leave.  The manager listened to my calls for thirty minutes before deciding that I sounded “horrible” and needed to rest.  The next morning, I called out.  I went to urgent care and was told I needed voice rest for the rest of the week and to follow up with my doctor if it got worse or if my voice didn’t return.  Well, the pain went away, but I still had no voice.  I was pretty miffed.  I enjoyed my three days off…but I couldn’t sing either!  They called my prescription in to the pharmacy.  When I went inside to pick it up, I had post it notes so that I could rest my voice.  I had written out my note that I was picking up a prescription for myself…OOPS!  The cashier, a Caucasian male, turned the color of beets at first.  It did not occur to me that a note handed to a person behind a cash register could be scary!  When he read it though, he calmed down.  HILARIOUS though…only in hindsight of course.  I saw him hold his breath then start breathing again when he realized what I needed.  But let’s think here…If I was going to rob the store…why would I walk ALL THE WAY TO THE BACK…instead of hitting the cash registers up front?  Oh well..guess there’s no logic when it comes to robbers….

ANYWHO…my voice did not return and I ended up being put on voice rest…which meant for my job, I could not talk on the phone.  When I gave my doctor’s recommendation to my supervisor, he thought it would be fine to ask management if I could perform other tasks as our call center does more than just answer the phones…and because I’d been trained to do the other tasks, and they were behind with them, SURELY, I could do something else while I was on voice rest.  Unfortunately, the powers that be in my organization said…”Well if she’s sick she needs to take sick leave.”  My only problem was that I had no voice.  As long as I didn’t try to talk…I was in no pain…my fingers and brain worked fine…so I didn’t understand why the powers that be wanted me to have to use FMLA to be off for that time frame when there was SOMETHING that I could be doing that didn’t require the use of my voice.  At first, I was like…”you know what…whatever…this is the time I can use to find new employment or work on my book.”  But then…I couldn’t sleep…I was sincerely bothered by the complete disregard for my talents.  Yes.  I had sick leave but I needed to save it for when I was REALLY sick.  They’d been soliciting help for us to work extra time to help out with this other work in the call center, so I didn’t understand why I couldn’t just help out during regular hours because the work was there to be done.  Well, I am my mother’s child…and when something is not right in my world or there’s some great injustice that needs to be undone, I write a letter.  I write to the party involved and copy to everyone in the line of authority above this person who needs to see that I have a complaint.  Maybe that’s not the proper way, but it gets answers.  I was up at 3 am writing this letter.  Sure enough…my phone was ringing off the hook the next morning…with apologies and explanations as to why the decision was made.  Then it was the “I didn’t know you could…blah blah blah”..or the “Sure..we can work that out..”  All of this could have been avoided if folks would just be levelheaded and not get so caught up in titles to think that just because they’re in charge, they know what’s best for all involved.  I don’t like to be a troublemaker, but what makes sense…makes sense…and I’m glad the powers that be understood that FINALLY…because later in the year…I really did need my sick time…because I started having to visit a trillion doctors to get my diabetes care on track…had I used sick leave all of those days…which ended up being 6 weeks of voice rest, I would have had a problem when it came time to see about a more pressing issue.

I’ve gained and lost weight this year…but I finally managed to get my mind right which is the biggest challenge of any wellness program.

I’m grateful though, because not only am I getting my physical self in order, I think I’ve made grate strides with regards to my emotional and mental health.  I’ve learned to accept me…love me…and care about me…I’m learning how to stand up for myself, not hold things in and really really, enjoy this old life of mine.  Breaking the Shell is an experience…an on going process…but it is certainly one that has been life changing.  Super exciting!

I know I have a looooooooooooong way to go with being healthy, but I’m pushing on…I shall persevere!  Here’s to a great year in health!

Until next time,

Hakuna Matata