Mark Your Words

I like to laugh and be funny.  I like the clapback portion of events. I like giving the witty and clever comeback line.  It's one of my more charming traits.

One of my friends told me that right now, I am on 0 chill, because of the debate and the trumping of Orange satan. 

Which is true, I am very geeked about it.  I have not held back shade or tea.  I have been quite vocal about certain current events, even on this blog and elsewhere on social media.

But what happens when well-meaning humor and shade-throwing descends into degradation, embarrassment and humiliation?  What happens when funny starts being malicious?

How far is too far?  Do we even know if we've gone too far?

Case in point:  the Miss Universe contestant who was dragged publicly for gaining weight while during her reign.  Now we find out she had an eating disorder.  And the words that were thrown at her during this time were hurtful, malicious and straight out wrong.  Is the person who made these remarks to her, who we want sitting in the most powerful seat in the world?

I know what it's like to be embarrassed by someone pointing out my foibles, mistakes and ineptitude.

In public.  In front of 40+ people.  Loud, and very pointedly.

The person who did it, wanted to make me an example.  And she did so, very vocally, to the point, ya'll I had to go in the bathroom and cry and ask God to help me please.

Why?  Because one part of me was sooooo embarrassed, I never wanted to show my face again.  And the rowdy part of me wanted to toss caution to the wind and give her....well, you know....THE BUSINESS!  I think that was the part I was praying more for, so I would keep my cool.

The outcome? Let's just say that karma will run you over, in the end. 

Two weeks later, she made the recommendation that cost me my job.

But it paled in comparison, to what happened to her and her family. I would never wish what happened to her, on my worst enemy.  I don't work like that.  That does not make me happy, and I didn't rejoice in it.  I prayed for her.  To this day, I still pray for her and her family.

I speak on some things, hold my peace in others.  I will comment here and there.

For me, you get dragged when what you've done has caused HARM to those that I love, or who are DEFENSELESS.  Don't bring kids and the elderly into this. 

And if you're wrong, you're just wrong.

If you want correction, go to God, and ask Him for it.  He will be more than happy to do it for you.  Ask me how I know.

Some of the most painful lessons I learned were when God had to show me my errors through my embarrassment, my pride, my shooting off my mouth when not needed or necessary (especially when I was pointing out others' errors). 

But when correction came, it made me understand that I could have all the fun I wanted, but in the end, what matters is how I made someone feel.  And if it were caused by my words and actions, then I needed to deal with what was missing in me that made me do it, say it, or speak it.

Ladies and gentlemen, your words count.  They can maim, they can cut, they wound and bruise.  Take some time, and reflect on what you say.  Think, then speak.

And sometimes, you don't need to comment on every. Little. Thing.

Hard lesson learned.

IJS

By Any Means Necessary!

I have a very short and simple message today.  If you are over the age of 18, have not committed a felony, and can read, and you have not done so already:

 

GO AND REGISTER TO VOTE!

Deadline is October 11th. You have more than 2 weeks.  Get. This. Done. 

Websites to use:

 

www.iwillvote.com/register/FL

www.vote.org

 

IJS.

I have approved this message.

 

The Morning After

I cannot even BEGIN to explain the joy in my soul this day.

The con artist was caught dead-handed.
The joker LITERALLY got trumped. (see that?)
The emperor was exposed for having on NO CLOTHES (and no brains) last night.

And over 100 million people were witnesses to that fact.

The pundits are talking, the analysts are debating, and so on....

The fact-checkers did their jobs. TREMENDOUSLY, I might add.

But the best comment that I heard was this one:

"A debate isn’t a reality show. It’s a job interview. What Trump’s and Clinton’s performance Monday tells us about their possible performance in office."
So, in that order:

Job Interview for the President of the United States - Applicant #1
Sniffling ALL during the interview: REJECTED
Talking over the interviewer: REJECTED
Not answering the question: REJECTED...
Appearance: REJECTED x 1000
Insulting the other applicants: REJECTED
Qualifications: REJECTED, with receipts (how many bankruptcies?)

Overall ruling: not today, Orange satan, not today, tomorrow or EVER.


Job Interview for the President of the United States - Applicant #2
Greeted the interviewer and the other applicants: CHECK
Stayed calm and composed, even during accusations: CHECK
Answered ALL the questions, even the ones that HURT:  CHECK x 1000 ("I made a mistake")
Appearance: other than them kitten heels, CHECK
Fact-checked the other applicant so hard, he stumbled for the rest of the debate: BODY. CHECK.
Qualifications:
Senator - CHECK ONE
Secretary of State - CHECK TWO
Wife of a FORMER PRESIDENT - CHECK THREE

Overall ruling: Y'all... I'm With Her.

IJS

The Boycott Plan

Y'all, help me out a minute....

I know that on today, we were asked by Isaiah Washington to not go into work, and not spend any money today, as a boycott for all the police murders and abuse of Black men and women that have transpired over the past 2-3 YEARS.

I'm sorry, but unless you have your own business that you run, or you have a job where you can arbitrarily can just take a day off (like civil service jobs) - if you, as I do, work in the private sector - you cannot take a random day off without consequence of reprimand or loss of job and income.

Does this mean that I don't support the movement?   Not at all.

I just wished they had planned it better.

So, to the authors, architects and constructors of the boycott, here are some ideas for the next boycott:

1) Make it tangible - not spending money in places that don't give a damb about us, I'm all down for it.  But if you REALLY wanna send a message:  stop going to football games, stop buying overpriced coffees and lattes, stop going to the fast food restaurants and sit-down restaurants, stop going into clothing stores that don't cater to our sizes and our culture, and for GOD's sake - stop going to concerts and watching TV shows and movies that the actors/artists/singers/musicians are not WOKE!!(yeah, I'm throwing shade at you, Fantasia!!)

2) Make it a day that is historical in our minds, and give us some warning time before we do it.  Because if you're gonna ask me to take a day off from work - it needs to be memorable.  Example: somewhere around the Juneteenth celebrations.  Make sure that if I am going to take a PTO for this, I'm doing something with it: marching, building up my community, reaching out. I don't wanna be sitting at home with nuffin to do.

3) If you're gonna boycott the holidays, give some alternatives:  if there is a Black-owned food company that can cater Thanksgiving/Christmas turkeys, hams, ribs and ALL the fixings for us, set up a website, make it affordable and get it out on social media.  That way, Black $$ go back to Black businesses.  And if we necessarily have to go to a grocery store, give us a list of proscribed companies that we can go to that have been approved.  Myself, I think I may start going to the farmer's market for some of my food items.

This is in an effort to ensure: we make our UNITED voices HEARD, instead of a few just screaming out in the wind to no avail.

IJS

Today Was A Good Day, Part 2

Here are the 90s...which was, to me, the last decade GOOD music was made.

90s R&B - Slow Jamz
1) Don't talk, just listen...
2) On a perfect day, I know that I can count on you...
3) My mind's telling me no....
4) How do I say goodbye to what we had...
5) Early in the morning I put breakfast on your table...
6) And no one, does it like me....
7) Treated me kind, sweet destiny...
8) And I can't stop thinking about, about the way things used to be...
9) I will love you any way, even if you cannot stay...
10) Let me do all things you want me to do, cause tonight, baby...
Bonus: To tha tick-tock, ya don't stop...

90s Dance
1) On the playground, you know, dat's where I saw this cutie...
2) Shot like an arrow thru my heart...
3) Do you remember, when we fell in love...
4) ...I just keep it on the down low, and nobody else supposed to know...
5) It's driving me outta my mind....
6) I wear tight clothing, high heeled shoes...
7) It's Friday, and I'm ready to swing...
8) I wanna take some time out, to think things thru...
9) I can't sleep at night, I toss and turn, listening for the telephone....
10) Whatever you want from me, I'm givin' you everything...

90s Rap/HipHop
1) You drew a picture of my morning, but you didn't make my day (HEY)...
2) 1989, another number, another summer...
3) Ride it, ride it, dip and slide it, that's the way, yeah, yeah you got it...
4) Just waking up in morning, gotta thank God...
5) 1, 2, 3 and to the 4, Snoop Doggy Dogg and Dr. Dre is at tha door...
6) Everybody shake your body, we don't ill, we chill at a party...
7) Some say the blacker the berry, the sweeter the juice, I say the darker the flesh, the deeper the roots...
8) Cash Rules Everything Around Me...
9) To all the ladies in the place with style and grace...
10) Kick this one here for me and DJ...
11) What'chall wanna do, wanna be ballers, shot callers, brawlers...
12) I reminisce for a spell, or shall I say think back
13) You on point, Tip? All the time, Phife...
14) Now you tease my Plug One style...
15) The ladies will kick it, the rhyme that is wicked...

Today Was A Good Day

Since today, we are starting to see some leeway in the rash of killings, I feel the need to do something fun.

In honor of my best friend, Jian, I have listed a few song lyrics that should take you back. I am an 80s-90s hip hop head, with a nod to the 60s and the 70s (cos to me these were the eras of GOOD music), and these lyrics will ahve you pulling up YouTube videos in about a minute:

60s
1) Like sweet as the morning dew...
2) The best things in life are free...
3) You and I must make a pact...
4) I've got sunshine, on a cloudy day...
5) Sitting in the morning sun...

70s
1) Automatic, systematic...
2) Time keeps on slippin' slippin'...
3) We got a real type a thang going down and down...
4) You don't know me, but I'm your brother...
5) Do you remember, when it was nice...

80s (since this is my era, I'll add a few more)
1) A hip, hop, a hip hippity hip hip hop, and you don't the rock...
2) Yo EMD? Yeah, whassup man? There go that girl they call...
3) ...there is none higher, Sucka MC'S should call me sire...
4) Well the party didn't start til I walked in...
5) Taking out all rookies, so forget Oreos and eat Cool J cookies...
6) They told you don't you ever come around here...
7) All alone on a Sunday morning...
8) Everybody's saying silly things, without knowing, that life brings a change...
9) I was alone, I was feeling rather low...
10) Walked in this place, surprised to see everybody gettin' busy ...
11) Get down pretty ladies, around the world...
12) I was dreaming when I wrote this, forgive me if it goes astray...

90s will continue tomorrow....but one that I couldn't forget about... and had to mention:

A MEANY MEANY MEANY MEANY (say what?)

IT'S TOO MUCH!!!

#KeithLamontScott  shot while reading a book.

It's. Too. Much.

Apparently, he also had a gun.

I don't know what is worse:  the fact that he was shot while reading a book, or the fact that he had a gun on him?

What is the crime: having the book or having the gun?

I guess both are illegal if you are Black in the USA.

Unlawful for a Black man to read.
Unlawful for a Black man to possess a gun.

You wanna talk about equality?

Shoot the next White man you see with a book.
Shoot the next White man you see with a gun.

I'll wait...quite possibly, a long time for that to occur.

We are at a breaking point in this country.  This is not the land of the free nor the home of the brave.

Think I'll sit for a while too.

Makes Me Wanna Holla!!

It's been kinda hard to write these past few days...



The murder of Terrence Crutcher is breaking my heart.

The knot that kinda went away in May, has returned fivefold. 

I am in constant prayer to "hold my mule" whilst dealing the other persuasion.

I have to have conversations I don't want to.

I have to tell my 17 (almost 18) yr old nephew why he needs to be careful when he goes to Homecoming next weekend.

I have to have a talk with my baby nephew in about 5 more years, explaining to him why he can't just point at people and say, "why?" (he's starting to understand the differentiations between Black and White people)

I hate that I worry about my brother, my brothers, my cousins, my male friends...who could be stopped at any given time, and shot and killed: for NOTHING.

I posted this on FB this morning:

When will the policing of the POLICE begin? There seems to be no accountability, no remorse, and no one coming forward to say: "we were wrong and we're taking measures to clean this up". Sad part: it won't happen until we make it COST THEM SOMETHING!! Bump administrative leave, bump being fired, take away their pension, and lock. THEM. UP. Make them understand what the price of ONE life means: FREEDOM.

I don't feel safe anymore. Our men are disappearing right before us, and we have a police force who seems to be making quotas on how many KILLS they can make for the month.

Marvin said it right: "makes me wanna holla, the way they do my life, throw up both my hands, this ain't living, this ain't living."

#IJS

SHEroes for today

Good Morning

This is not a complete list, they are not in any specific order, but I personally want to thank these women for being strong enough to make it "do what it do" (i.e. - being a Black woman in this country, being real, being strong and keeping it CLASSY while being SASSY):

First Lady Michelle Obama
Oprah Winfrey
Ava DuVernay
Soledad O'Brien
Donna Brazille
Mothers of the Movement: women who have lost children due to police brutality/altercations

• Geneva Reed-Veal, mother of Sandra Bland
• Lucia McBath, mother of Jordan Davis
• Sybrina Fulton, the mother of Trayvon Martin
• Gwen Carr, the mother of Eric Garner
• Lezley McSpadden, mother of Michael Brown
• Cleopatra Pendleton-Cowley, mother of Hadiya Pendleton
• -Maria Hamilton, mother of Dontré Hamilton

Shonda Rhimes
Cicely Tyson
Angela Bassett
Lynn Whitfield
Nichelle Nichols
Taraji P Henson
Viola Davis
Octavia Butler
Erykah Badu
Janelle Monae
Jill Scott
Beyoncé
Serena Williams
Venus Williams
Iyanla VanZant

The main SHEro I wanna give a shout-out to this morning is the fantabulous Rev. Faith Green Timmons, pastor of the Bethel United Methodist Church in Flint, MI. 

Pastor did not think it robbery to reach back to the ancestoral "Rules of Conduct When Dealing With Idiots". 

She gave ol' boy a chin check, a mollywhop, a straight-from-Big-Mama-slap. 

Pastor Timmons CLEAN corrected and reminded Orange satan about what he was there to do, and kindly cut him off before he. Went. There. On. Hillary.

She did (as sisters are wont to do, when placed in this position) what some MEN in her position could never do: tell an idiot to be quiet and have a seat.

She gave him the Mama "not in MY house you don't!" speech.  Exit, stage lef'. Tail tucked right betwixt his legs.

To you, madam Pastor....you are my SHEro for today...quite possibly forevermore. 

You get all the WINS today!!!

It's CLAPBACK SEASON

For all you side-eye ninjas who succeeded at the old neighborhood game of "the dozens", your season has arrived!!!


Welp, it's been here for a minute, but it needs to be official:  CLAPBACK SEASON IS HERE TO STAY!!

How so, you might ask?

Glad that you did.

Just yesterday, Jussie Smollet had to sit a troll down for coming at him...and I was like: "don't folks know he's learning his game from two of the all-time MASTERS of the clapback, both real AND fictional???" Terrence and Taraji have been schooling the young man.  Click here for the story.

We have, since the inception of Orange satan's decision to run as commander-in-chief (insert laughter and side-eye slaying here), had a season of just...IDIOTIC COMMENTS FROM THE PEANUT GALLERY.  A very small part of it, has been spot on.

However the HUGE (and I mean MONSTROUS) part of it has been, creeping up on the borders of "exactly what were you thinking when you posted/said this?  You need a fact/spell/sense checker..."

But I digress. 

There is an unwritten rule about talking about people, i.e. "throwing shade" - if you are going to come at a person, best make sure your house is not glass fortified. Otherwise, we throwing rocks.

For some of y'all, BOULDERS have left your hands.

Let's review the timeline that CLAPBACK SEASON began (at least for me it did):

1. June 16th - Taylor Swift/Yeezus/KK - Kim (who, if you don't know me, is famous for nothing AT ALL) showed Taylor "don't come for my man...he ran the lyrics by you, you said okay, NOW you wanna act all hurt when it comes out.  No, heffa...I got proof!!" And. Posted. The. Message. 

Award for Savage Receipts - goes to Mrs. Kanye West, Kim Kardashian!

2. July 18th - Melania Trump, in a display of epic FAIL, decided to steal portions of First Lady (of Style and Grace and these United States) Michelle Obama. FORGETTING that people actually LISTENED to Michelle's speech, and took notes.  Jesse Williams (WokeBae4LIFE) instantly took to TWITTER and began a roast-fest of such epic proportions, the likes of which have NEVA been seen until recently. Which also begat the hashtag: #FamousMelaniaTrumpQuotes

Award for Savage Hashtag - goes to WokeBae, Jesse Williams

3. August - The Olympics.  Where the world decides to get past the BS and show the politicians - "it's really not all that serious."  Simone Biles, Madison Kocian, Gabby Douglas, Alexa Morena and Aly Raisman straight killed the gymnastics world - it was cause for celebration.  Three of them took to Twitter to show their celebration, not to mention their swimsuits - and then foolishness raised its' ugly head.

All people saw were three beautiful, in shape girls, celebrating their win at the Olympics.  This troll decided to body shame them.  And then, this beautiful girl named Crystal went for the ultimate clapback WELP!

 

Award for the Savage Twitterply - Crystal!

 

 

4. August 26, 2016 - Colin Kaepernick (my other other WokeBae) sits down during the National Anthem before his game with the Green Bay Packers.  The chaos that ensued from that point... errybody and they great-uncle had something to say.  However, the three images that I'm about to post are to show everyone:  if you HAVE done dirt, and I mean of the MUDDY variety, you first need to have a Coliseum full of seats.  Then, you have also forfeited your rights to come for anyone that DID NOT SEND FOR YOU!!  Cases in point:

 

First of all, Tiki - you can't throw stones at Colin.  You, who left your 8 month pregnant wife, for a skinny intern.  No sir, sitcho sef down in an high school auditorium full of seats.

Tony Stewart, baby - just....no.  No. NO.  By the way, I mean NO!!

 

 

Ben, um, till you learn how to keep your hands to yourself - go sit in the corner. Do not come for Colin, who chose to sit for civil rights.  Agree to that, please.

 

Award for the Overall SAVAGE Clapback Category: Twitter/Black Twitter....and dismount!

 

 

 

MORAL OF THIS STORY:  If you are going to throw stones, make sure your target has the same amount of baggage as you do.  Otherwise, leave them alont.  Don't come for nobody that didn't send for you...

 

 

 

 



 

Daddy's Girl



All my life, all I've heard is "Your Dad has you sooooooo spoiled."

 

To which I would reply, "no, he doesn't!"

 

Today, I had to reflect on that....

 

What does being spoiled mean?  I get what I want? Point to something and say, "buy that for me?" Doing whatever and receiving no punishment whatsoever?

 

In no way, shape, form or fashion did my father even ALLOW that to happen!

 

-My father was a parent, first and foremost.  I didn't get away with ANYTHING.  Even when I thought I did, I didn't.  He was the last line of discipline at home.  The ONLY person I never wanted to get a whooping from was my dad - no mercy.  He didn't do it often, mainly because I didn't like getting in trouble, but when he did - I never forgot it or the lesson it taught me.

 

-he has NEVER given me anything I didn't work to EARN.  He comes from a family that hard work was valued.  He worked as a little boy, a young man, a grown man, and he still works now.  He doesn't believe it just "giving" things to  you:  you had to EARN it.  Bad grades were not allowed, talking back? just, no...and if he said do something, he didn't mean tomorrow: RIGHT NOW!

 

So no, I am not spoiled in THAT manner.  This is how I am spoiled:

 

-he talks to me, both then and now.  His wisdom is so very key in my life.  Lessons he taught me early on, are coming around now. I can come to him if something is bothering me, or if I just need advice, or his opinion.  He'll let me come to my own decision, but it's good to hear another perspective.

 

-There has NEVER been a time when he was not there for me. When he had to go out of town to work, he always called home, took care of the bills, took care of our family, made sure we never went without - HE IS A PRESENT FATHER. He would come to football games, go to different events, take us on family trips, teach us how do different things around the house. If I needed him for an emergency: he was right there until it was over. And stays there afterward.

 

-He instilled a love for God that is still true to this day.  He will not let me slide in my Christianity, and he makes sure that my integrity in that department stays 100.  He is the reason my relationship with God is as powerful as it is: my earthly father taught me about my Heavenly Father, and His amazing, everlasting love for me.

 

-He loves my mother. They've been married for 55+ years. Nuf said.

 

-He loves me, my brother, and his kids.  He disciplined me and Reggie, helped raise and care for my niece, he supports my nephew, and he and Jameir "talk" (smile).  We know he loves us.

 

So, in material ways, no I'm not spoiled.

 

In emotional, spiritual and familial ways....I am rotten to the core spoiled by my dad.  His love for me knows no bounds, and I get what I want - unconditional love.

 

Happy Birthday, Daddy.

 

Love, your Renee.

Because It Was A Good Weekend...

Some quick highlights...

* NEW SORORITY YEAR....yaaaaaasssssssss!!!! Happy to be working with my teen girls again!!!!

*BUCS WON YESTERDAY!!!!! 31-24....saying POW to the Dirty Birds!!!

*Hung out with my niece and MONSTER on Thursday night....which was very coo!!!

*Got a chance to talk with my best friend/aggie/accountability partner all weekend long (which is hilarious, given the fact that we talk almost every day DURING the week!!)

*Actually decided NOT to hang out this weekend... which is a change, but THIS WEEKEND, I'm in the WIND (ain't e'en tryna be homebodied)!!!!

Life is good. I am blessed. Like Ice Cube said: "today was a good day".

P.S. - to my accountability partner....check your inbox later today...around 8pm, I think.

The "CAN" Button Is Broke!

I am OFFICIALLY on a CAN'T rant today:

I CAN'T:
*take Ray Lewis and his Uncle Tom'ing self today.  Have all the seats in Madison Square Garden, sir!  This message also goes to: Cam Newton, Tony Stewart, Tiki Barber, Shaquille O'Neal and any other member of the NFL/NBA/MLB or any other sport who has the supreme audacity to cry out in protest of Colin Kapernick.  If you are not part of the solution, gentlemen....

*listen to one more pundit talk badabout Hilary Clinton, but Orange satan still manages to do no wrong?  His wrongness transcends business, politics, family, etc....

*hear one more person ask "is racism still alive?" You get shade!

*stop laughing at the fact that Wells Fargo has FINALLY realized they've been robbing people blind for the last 10 years?!?!? REALLY 'DOH?!?!?

*sit through another movie about something we have done as Black people without the "available" white person jumping in to take the credit....and they make the money off the movie. Yes, Johnny Depp, I'm talmbout you!!

*read another post, see another meme, watch another video, listen to another talk-show host, read us about bitter Black women.  We ain't bitter.  We THROUGH!

Read very clearly between the lines: I. Am. Tired.

And. Done.

(two fingers in the air) Bye Felicia!

Frustration

Not a good day.  That's the best I can do right now. 

Gone for a Minute...

I'mmmmmm baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaack!!!

Your fearless writer has returned!

I've been enjoying life...warts and all, but all in all, glad to be putting fingers to the keyboard again!!

Some highlights:

*BOULE. WAS. THA. BOMB.

*Enjoying the HELL outta my new car!

*Still dateless, but the desperation has truly passed...

*Making changes to some places I go and people I choose to associate myself with...when God ushers people out of

*The BFF came to town, and got to hear him play with his band (3 chords, man, 3 chords!!)

*Made some realizations about the next phase of my life, and what I need to do to GET THERE!!!

Ready for the next phase...wanna join me??