Happy 5th Birthday Leah & Myles

Hey Y'all,

When I found out on Oct 1, 2007 that I was pregnant with twins I think I was in shock for about a month. When I found out that one of them was a girl I was in shock and disbelief for the entire pregnancy. I remember asking the sonogram tech every time she did an exam if my girl was still a girl....  Today we celebrate 5 years of their life!
My babies are 5 yrs old.

They went from this...



To this...

















Then this..

And now this in what seems like a blink of the eye!


Happy 5th Birthday babies! This year you go to school and meet lots of new people. Please continue to be the funny, adventurous, engaging, beautiful children that you are today. We love you.

Until next time...
MUAH!

Whatever Wednesday: Reality Bites!

Hey Folks,

Welcome to a new edition of Whatever Wednesday. I haven't had much to rant about (well not here anyway) so I haven't posted a Whatever Wednesday in a while. Today however I have something I gotta get off my chest.

Reality TV! It is distasteful, annoying and taking over our lives. I just read an article from AdWeek.com that spoke about Bravo increasing their 'original' programming. Why Bravo, why. Isn't all the Housewives drama enough? Do you realize how terrible these 'reality shows' (they are not real people. No one ever goes to work, no ones goes to the bathroom and everybody has drama. Never once has there been an episode of one of these 'reality shows' that someone isn't having a ridiculous argument or fight of some sort) are?

I got suckered into watching a few minutes of Married to Medicine and was confused the entire time. There was two women insulting one another etc and I still have no idea why. It was senseless and a waste of my valuable time.

According to TV Guide the first reality show aired in 1973 and was titled "An American Family," a 12-episode documentary that aired on PBS in 1973. The show chronicled the everyday lives of the Loud family over a seven-month period, showing the tensions that led to the divorce of Pat and Bill Loud, as well as the life of their openly gay son Lance. This was groundbreaking television at the time.

Something like this to me is reasonable it's a documentary of sorts. I mean I used to watch TLC shows about real people, but that reality TV is much better done and just the stories of peoples lives shown for educational, motivational or inspirational purposes. The crap that airs on Bravo, MTV and the rest of the networks is purely salacious, scandalous, ratings grabbing trash. What can one learn from an episode of Love & Hip Hop? I mean I'm sure you can learn the latest slang in the baby mama drama world but what really are these shows teaching? I honestly miss a good sitcom and kiss the feet of Shonda Rimes and Dick Wolf for continuing to give us good scripted TV. I cannot and will not fall prey to the ridiculousness of the Bravo shows...

Do you watch reality TV? Why?????

Until next time...
MUAH!

MTA Poetry In Motion: Rag Time by Kevin Young

Hey Y'all,

I am a New Yorker through and through and I enjoy reading the poems that the MTA selects for the Poetry in Motion program. Here is a little background and today's poem by Kevin Young.

Since 1992, when it first displayed an excerpt from Whitman's "Crossing Brooklyn Ferry," MTA's Poetry in Motion program has brought more than 200 poems or excerpts before the eyes of millions of subway riders and rail commuters, offering each a moment of timelessness in the busy day.

Until next time...
MUAH!

Def Poetry: Sarah Kay "Hands"

Until next time...
MUAH!

Light It Up Blue! It's World Autism Awareness Day.

Hey y'all,

April is Autism Awareness Month, and today April 2nd is World Autism Awareness Day.

Each April 2, Autism Speaks celebrates Light It Up Blue along with the international autism community, in commemoration of the United Nations-sanctioned World Autism Awareness Day. Light It Up Blue is a unique global initiative that kicks-off Autism Awareness Month and helps raise awareness about autism. In honor of this historic day, many iconic landmarks, hotels, sporting venues, concert halls, museums, bridges and retail stores are among the hundreds of thousands of homes and communities that take part to Light It Up Blue.

Everybody remembers the movie Rain Man and from that day Dustin Hoffman and his numbers skills have been our example of a person living with Autism.
What exactly is Autism is what most people have been asking over the last few years. Thanks to celebrities like Holly Robinson Pete, Sherrie Shepherd and Toni Braxton the blue light has shown on this disorder and help is being provided to families who are living with children with Autism. 

Here is some great background information on the disorder for reference from WebMD


What is autism?
Autism is a brain disorder that often makes it hard to communicate with and relate to others. With autism, the different areas of the brain fail to work together.

Most people with autism will always have some trouble relating to others. But early diagnosis and treatment have helped more and more people who have autism to reach their full potential.

What causes autism?
Autism tends to run in families, so experts think it may be something that you inherit. Scientists are trying to find out exactly which genes may be responsible for passing down autism in families.

Other studies are looking at whether autism can be caused by other medical problems or by something in your child’s surroundings.

Some people think that childhood vaccines cause autism, especially the measles-mumps-rubella, or MMR, vaccine. But studies have not shown this to be true. It’s important to make sure that your child gets all childhood vaccines. They help keep your child from getting serious diseases that can cause harm or even death.

National Poetry Month 2013

Hey Y'all,

April is National Poetry Month.
I considered myself a poet once upon a time. That is until I was introduced to the world of Poets in Brooklyn NY. There was a poetry revelation going on within the African American community, these kids were 'crunchy granola's. The first Black people I've ever meet that were vegetarians and politically radical. I was introduced to this new world through my then boyfriend, now husband who  is a drummer. In those days we were students at Purchase College. I was a Lit major and he was a Jazz major. He was always on the look out for gigs, it didn't matter what it was as long as he could play his drums he was a happy man. During this unknown revolution he was provided the opportunity to tour in Europe with a group named the Vibe Khameleons which featured the raw talent of anti pop musicians and poets. It was through him that I was truly introduced to poetry. Not just to poetry you read in school but true black poets. I learned about  Sonya Sanchez and Nikki Giovanni, listened to The Last Poets and visited the famed  Nuyorican Poets Cafe.

This April I will feature some of the great poems and poets from this revolution  I hope you enjoy it.

Dreams
by Langston Hughes
Hold fast to dreams
For if dreams die
Life is a broken-winged bird
That cannot fly.

Hold fast to dreams
For when dreams go
Life is a barren field
Frozen with snow.
- See more at: http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/16075#sthash.Qhgp3eIV.dpuf

21st Century Heroes: Dr. Yvonne Noel

Hey y'all,

I have found that there are three services that as I woman and DREAD having to change when I relocate.

1. Hairdresser - it's been over 10 years and I still can't find one that I love as much as Linda from my old spot in Brooklyn on Nostrand Ave!
2. Dentist - I have been with the same dentist for the past 16 years!!! We've been together through 4 jobs and 2 pregnancies. If my health insurance doesn't cover him I'm willing to go out of network and pay the difference. I don't want just any ole body digging in my mouth.
3. OBGYN - I don't know about you but finding the right Gynecologist is like finding the right man. Everybody can't be down there handling my stuff!!!!

For that reason today's 21st Century Hero is my former Gynecologist Dr. Yvonne Noel. Prior to meeting Dr. Noel (who was recommended by a dear friend, usually how those things happen) I experienced 4 miscarriages and painfully heavy monthly cycles, due to uterine fibroid's.  It is because of God first and Dr. Noel that my husband and I are now the proud three beautiful children.

Dr. Yvonne Noel is an expert in identifying fibroid's and 'killing' them!  In 2003 she did a major operation on me that removed 14 fibroid's from my womb.She was gentle and patient. I remember prior to the myometomy as I was being prepped for surgery, she came in to say hello and encourage me. As she was walking out she kissed me on my forehand to confirm that everything would be fine.  Following the myometomy I was able to conceive and carry a pregnancy full term. She delivered my baby boy who was perfect! When I found out I was pregnant with the twins and went to the office to learn that she was no longer delivering babies I cried!

Dr. Yvonne Noel  is my 21st Century Hero.

Until next time...
MUAH