A New Season

Well 2011 is officially over and I am happy! Actually happy is an understatement…I’m uberly excited, lol. 2011 was a stressful year for me.  I experienced a lot of personal trails (loved ones passed away, lost of relationships, mental/emotional attacks, physical abuse, cancer) and I’m eager to share the testimonies this year because I made it through!  I normally don’t look at a new year as being a new season, but 2012 is a new season in my life.  I’m ready to move forward and not look back J

Now while my 2011 was not the best I am happy to have made it through, cancer free I might add, without completely losing my mind.  A lot of my friends had an awesome year! My BFF, Angel, found a job and purchased a car! My other BFF Paul purchased a car as well.  My TwitFF, Kim moved to the DMV for a new position and promotion.  My dad made it through the year drug free and got remarried.  My brother passed his insurance agent test.  My friends Ashley and Jeff purchased a home.  I met some wonderful people via Twitter…S/O to my Twit Fam: Kim, Alaina, Shawn, Nat, Jen, Jayce, KB, Swift, and Keith.  Oh, a group of us put together a successful coat drive and I started mentoring.  The mere fact that my friends were blessed after going through a rough season or two increases my faith that my blessings will come. 

With that being said there are some goals I would like to reach in 2012.  I’m actually going to create a vision board in the next few weeks so I can post my goals on my bedroom wall.  That way I can see them every morning….gotta keep my eyes on the prize! One of my goals is to continue to grow as a woman; in all aspects of my life.  For me, that means getting closer to God by developing a relationship with Him.  Learning what His purpose is for my life and have Him direct my steps.  I’m already taking the steps to do so and I plan to continue.  I figure once I do that other things will be added to me.

I would like to purchase a home at the end of the year.  One of the things I lost this year was my home, long story and now I am renting a room.  I really want my own space, in my own name and it is still a buyer’s market.  I created a plan for me to save enough money for the down payment/closing costs.  Since it will be 3 years in mid-December since I purchased my first home, I will be considered a first time home buyer again.  Hopefully I will qualify for closing cost assistance. 

For the past few years I have said I would start my own business, but never took the steps to do so.  This will be the year I will actually start putting together a business plan.  I have a couple of different ideas in mind, I just have to sit down and determine which business I want to work on first.  I’m leaning towards something in the fitness arena.  That will require me to gain certification in group fitness, which shouldn’t be too hard.  I have been told on several occasions that I would make a great fitness leader and personal trainer.  Plus I love working out and helping people reach their weight loss goals.

Last year I started mentoring and it has been an experience.  She has brought me a lot of joy and made me realize that more young people need mentors in their lives.  I would like to start a small mentoring program for the youth in the local area.  It would include both young men and women.  I know of a few good men, Paul and Till, who have mentioned mentoring so I would like to get them involved. 

I wouldn’t mind a promotion.  I have been acting as the EEO Officer in my organization for almost two years while my supervisor is on detail.  Now this increase in responsibility came with no increase in pay.  Now that my supervisor is coming back, I believe I have done just about enough for a promotion.  I was rated the #1 civilian in my organization so a promotion should not be far behind J

Lastly, I just want happiness and joy this year! More smiles instead of tears.  I’m believing in God to restore to me what was taken. I’m sure God allowed these things to happen to me for a reason.  There is a season for pain and another of joy! In 2012 I want to experience God and His joy!

The Best of the Best

**Note: I was inspired to write this blog after reading a fellow blogger's post**

For a long time I thought the best friends had to be formed for childhood friendships, flawed thinking I know. I would always hear people talk about how they have been best friends with *insert name here* since they were both "knee high".  I never had that type of relationship with childhood friends....hell, don't even talk to 99% of them.  See I have best friends, four in all, that I met since HS.  Each one represents a time in my life and has had my back ever since. 

 

My oldest best friend, Nicole, I have known for 15 years.  We have had some CRAZY times together.....cussing folks out, double dates, Dru Hill Sundays, Club Fridays, etc.  Like most best friends we have also had fights and at one point didn't speak for a while.  But since we were REAL best friends we worked out our differences and moved on like nothing ever happened.  Over the past year she has had my back through difficult and I love/thank her for that. 

In 2000, I met this crazy girl named Angel at High Point University.  I will be honest, while we were roommates I could not stand her to a certain degree.  We were like night and day.  When I was sleeping, which was when I wasn't in class, she was up.  I was hip hop and she was rock.  We were really like oil and water.  I am sure I wasn't her friend either until we were no longer roommates.  She saw me through my foolish college years and ALWAYS told me the cold, hard truth about myself even when I didn't want to hear it.  She has been uber loyal to me and me too her. 

In 2004, I met Strawberry Bright aka Chrisna.  We were in the same graduate program at Bowie State University.  It's funny, we became friends because we both took great notes and were committed to education and staying in shape.  I have been by her side through major life experiences, marriage and birth of a child, and she has stood by my side with advice as I have faced challenges.  Nothing like someone to give you GREAT advice when I need it.

Last but not least, in 2005 I met my only male best friend, Paul aka PC, through FB.  I don't even remember how we came into contact with each other, but we had a lot in common (football, football and football).  From the onset he help me with KSAs, talk football and life with me.  He never judged me when we discussed life issues.  There are times when we go months without speaking, but when we do it's like we never loss communication.  He is an AWESOME man!

I say all this to say that no matter what challenges I face I have a GREAT support system that I can lean on when needed.  They have each impacted me in some shape, fashion or form and I am VERY thankful to God for putting these individuals in my life.  I love them much.  I suggest if you don't have a REAL circle of friends, you go get some.....Just not mine #Selfish :-)

Party with a Purpose

A few weeks’ two good friends of mine (Kevin and Jayce) and I decided we wanted to give back to the community in some way.  It’s that time of year when those who are facing hard times need assistance the most.  We all have really big hearts and are involved in various initiatives around the area.  We discussed the different ways we could help….Angel tree, coat drive happy hour, etc.  After little debate we agreed to attach the coat drive to Kevin’s birthday soirée.  In a week we put together a nice flyer, eventbrite and spread the world via Facebook and Twitter.  Social media was buzzing about the event; charity and partying with wonderful people GREAT people! 

The event was held at the distinguished Opera Ultra Lounge in Washington, DC!  The venue was absolutely beautiful and staff was very helpful in setting up the tables/containers for the coat drive.  It started at 8:30 pm with an open bar and free food.  Angel, one of my best friends, and I worked the coat collection table while Kevin and Jayce interacted with all of the guests.  Attendees were bringing in bags of coats! People donated coats for the entire family! It was a wonderful sight to see.  In the end we filled up a 50 gallon bin, 35 gallon bin and two trash bags!!!!! 

Once the coat drive ended, the party started! There were people dancing, drinks flowing, folks networking and just having a good time.  It was great to see young, black professionals have an awesome time in the name of charity! I really hope we can make this an annual event because the shelters in which we donated were extremely happy J  

Taking the time to make a difference is a humbling and gratifying experience! I pray everyone has a wonderful holiday season!  I know mine will be great because we were able to help others and sometimes that’s what life is all about!!!

Rehab

It's been a while since my accident and rehab is going..........ok.  My heart is still attempting to heal and it proves to be difficult at times.  On the flip side, I'm able to do somethings that I couldn't do at first....eat, sleep, walk, talk without crying, smile.  It may not seem like much, but it is!! I still have good and bad days. *shrug*  I long for the time when I have more good ones than bad.  I've actually come a long way and I know I have a longer way to go.  


I credit God for the strides I've made thus far.  Since everything happened I've had a ton of people praying for me and I even started praying for myself.  God is all I have as I go through this situation.  He is the only one that can comfort me in my time of need....comfort me when the tears won't seem to stop......perform a miracle.  I realize the miracle I want may not happen....at least right now, but I am thankful for the recovery process.  


I am of the thought there is a lesson in every situation and God is teaching me a few of them, even though they are VERY painful.  I'm learning and trying to take each setback as best as I can.  I can't end up back in ICU. They say things happen for a reason and God doesn't make any mistakes.  I have to trust and believe in that and continue to press on.

Unequal Justice!

My heart is heavy….even though it has been two days and almost all of society has forgotten how the US justice system failed us………….AGAIN!  This time the US Supreme Court had the opportunity to grant clemency to a convicted murder whose case has been shadowed by recanted witness testimony, police coercion, lack of physical evidence and confessions.  One would think that with all of “that”, there would be cause for reasonable doubt.  There would have been enough to grant a re-trail or at the very least commute his sentence to life in prison with or without the possibility of parole.  Instead the justice system chose to kill a man, not fully knowing if he is actually guilty.  They failed to realize if it ever comes out that he was innocent there is NO way to bring this man back to life. 

There are so many things about this situation that doesn’t sit right with me.  Now let me say this…..I am a Civil Rights Analyst by trade and have been for the past 10 years.  It is hard for me not to look at social issues such as this from racial standpoint.  A quick review of the facts is that this young black man was convicted in 1991 of murdering a white GA cop.  During his trail the state used only witness testimony to convict him.  The weapon was never found and the ballistics from the “alleged weapon” presented at trial linked bullets recovered at or near the scene to those at another shooting in which he was also charged.  He was convicted of murder and various lesser charges, including the earlier shooting.  The witnesses originally testified that they either saw him commit the crime or he confessed the killing to them. 

Fast forward to 2010…..seven of the nine witnesses have recanted or contradicted their testimony.  Some asserted they had been coerced by police.  Several implicated one of the original prosecution witnesses, Sylvester "Redd" Coles, in the crime.  Evidence that Coles had confessed to the killing was excluded as hearsay because Coles was not subpoenaed by the defense to rebut it.  In an August 2010 decision, the conviction was upheld, and the court described defense efforts to upset the conviction as "largely smoke and mirrors”.  He was scheduled to die by lethal injection on 21 Sep 11. 

Let’s contrast his case with that of a white man who was also scheduled of execution on the same day.  In March 1988, he killed a store manager during a robbery at the lumber company in Douglas County, west of Atlanta.  He had previously worked at the store, shot the store manager three times with a pistol, beat him with a crowbar and a pot of paint.  He pleaded guilty to armed robbery and murder and was sentenced to death the following year.  The Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles made its decision less than three hours before he was to be executed, according to a spokeswoman for the state's prisons.  "After careful and exhaustive consideration of the requests, the board voted to grant clemency. The board voted to commute the sentence to life without parole," the parole board said.  "He takes full responsibility for his crime and experiences profound remorse," according to Georgians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty, an advocacy group, who welcomed the board's decision.

In this case there is NO doubt that this man took the life of someone else, yet he gets to live?  Is it because he showed remorse? Because of his color?  Because he killed a store manager and not a police officer?  As much as I hate to admit it, the justice system is not color blind as it ought to be, smh.  The entire world was outraged for various reasons the black man’s sentence was not commuted.  Petitions were signed, protests were staged, money was raised, e-mails/phone calls were sent to those who could have saved a life.  Instead they chose to kill a man, not knowing if he was guilty or not.

It is my prayer that Troy Anthony Davis is sitting in the heavens with my God.  It is not man’s decision to determine life or that, only God’s.  Those that kilt a man who may have been innocent will have to answer for their action on judgment day.  My Troy Davis rest in peace and know that his death was NOT in vain. We have the power to bring about a moratorium on the death penalty by voting out those representatives and senators who are steadfast on its use; by enacting the old saying that government is of, by and for the people I am Troy Davis and his cause lives through me…..I hope it lives through you as well!

Show Me Some Respect

It’s very rare that I actually talk about politics in a public setting.  Yes, I discuss things with family and friends, but never on social media because the conversation can turn ugly.  Since I work in the civil rights arena for the federal government, I feel the need to discuss the racial slander President Obama has been receiving.   It is very shameful and all I can do is shake my head at this utter foolishness.

Rep. Doug Lamborn, a Colorado Springs Republican, was discussing debt-ceiling negotiations on 630 KHOW-AM and said, “Even if some people say, 'Well, the Republicans should have done this or should have done that,' they will hold the president responsible," Lamborn said. "Now, I don't even want to be associated with him. It's like touching a, a tar baby and you get it.  You know you're stuck, and you're part of the problem now, and you can't get away." 

Really? Tar baby!? Is that were we are now?  We are still using racial terms to describe the President of the United States?  It was my hope that people would stop directing racial slurs at our President.  Yes, he is a black man.  What’s the problem? He was elected to sit in this position.  If you don’t like him or his policies why run for Congress knowing damn well you are going to have to work with him!?

Of course Rep. Lamborn’s camp went into spin control as issued this apology, "Lamborn was attempting to tell a radio audience last week that the president's policies have created an economic quagmire for the nation and are responsible for the dismal economic conditions our country faces.  He regrets that he chose the phrase 'tar baby,' rather than the word 'quagmire.' " said the statement from Lamborn's office.

Nope, sorry….unacceptable!!Own up to what you said and apologize directly to his face.  Don’t issue a bogus apology.  The two words sound NOTHING alike.  It’s a shame that the President cannot get an ounce of respect from his political peers.  Lord knows I wish he would just have a “ninja moment” on folks one day.  I bet you they would respect him then.

In Critical Condition

You ever feel like you've been hit by a car? That's what I'm feeling right now. I've been on an emotional roller coaster for the last four months and about 7 weeks ago I got hit by a drunk driver. Instead of dying on impact I survived, but I have SEVERE injuries.  That means I remember everything that happened and I have wounds that will take an unmeasurable amount of time to heal.  Just when I think I'm going to get out of ICU, one of my vital organs fails me and I'm right back to square one.  I want to pull the breathing tube out and breathe again, but I can't.  I'm not strong enough yet. 
The messed up part is the drunk driver survived with no injuries, no charges and is currently living his life while I'm in ICU.  He is out having a blast while I struggle to live day to day.  Everyday I'm reminded of the scars he caused and left to figure out how to go on........God I have a long road ahead of me.  I gotta figure out a way to live even though I feel like I'm dying.  A broken heart is the HARDEST injury to heal from. If i don't make it I want my obituary to read "Ebony died of a broken heart thanks to him [insert his picture]"