This year, God really surprised me for my birthday! I prayed to Jesus and told him that over material things, what I want the most is for my close friends to come to my church and worship in Spirit and in truth with me. And that is just what happened!
I had such an awesome birthday and will always praise God for his goodness and faithfulness towards me!
I love you Jesus!
While I was shopping, I bumped into two of my friends from my college days. I didn’t remember their names and they didn’t remember mine but for some reason we were so happy to see each other.
In celebration of the Thanksgiving holiday I thought I’ll blog about Dr. Naison and his lovely wife who have been married for over 30 years. If family is not one of the main things to be thankful for, what is? By looking at this photo one can tell that they are still happy with one another. It was satisfying to be around them too. They are very down to earth and warm people.
Dr. Naison is the head of the African-American Studies Department at Fordham University and while I was in school, I took his class titled, From Rock and Roll to Hip-Hop.
I learned so much in that class. It was the only class I was able to talk in dept about the music I listen to…and I was a music major. In addition to it being the only class that allowed me to express my love of Gospel music, it was not (and still isn’t) considered a music class at Fordham.
Every time I think about how Fordham doesn’t include music classes that talk about music besides Classical and Jazz, it really annoys me. I tried talking to the Music department but nothing was changed. How Fordham University is going to be in the heart of the Bronx (where Hip-Hop music was born) and doesn’t include Hip-Hop music in its course selection?!
Two weekends ago when I went to Harlem, I ran into an old friend actually she was my french tutor in college.
I was taking pictures of Harlem and came across a store on 7th Avenue between 138th and 139th Street. It had beautiful skirts and dresses on display, so I walked in and who do you think is sitting behind the counter? Amy! We were so surprised to see one another that we kept laughing and hugging! It was a while before I asked about the store’s merchandise! However, I did eventually ask (I know that I have a lot of friends out there who is interested in finding good quality skirts and dresses).
The shop is named Aysa Boutique and sells almost everything! In the picture behind us are baby clothes and on the other side of the store are long dresses and skirts. There are also a lot of African garb since Amy and her family is from Senegal. She told me customer’s can also get their outfits custom made.
It’s a beautiful boutique and I plan making a visit there again. I would encourage you to do the same!
Their contact infomation is:
Aysa Boutique
2363 7th Avenue between 138th and 139th Street
212-234-6050
aysallc@gmail.com
So, I was about to snap her photo really quick but as she got closer I recognized her.
I knew I knew her and we were friends at Fordham but I couldn’t remember her name. So, I just stood her with my arms wide open and this funny look on my face!
Then she started laughing and we both started to laugh. It turns out we work in the same area! New York is so big yet so small.
(Not only did Karilyn remember me but she remembered my name…Gosh, I didn’t know I was that bad with names!)
Before I go, Just wanted to point out that the umbrella in the background matches her jewelry.
Yesterday I had the joy of meeting acclaim writer James McBride, the author of The Color of Water.
Despite the embarrassment I received while taking a video of him, I thought that what he delivered to us was very interesting and encouraging. He had a way of telling stories not too many people have. He is the kind of person who you would not mind listening to. I wonder if he was shy or nervous while talking or if he felt completely comfortable talking to us. Sometimes the speaker would mention that they are nervous or anxious but he didn’t.
He started by telling us about our shared history in America. “Whites and Blacks have a shared history and the best thing that we can do is learn to appreciate our respective history”. I think our history is more than shared, I think it is the same if we are to look past color. It is one history. I am an American before I am African- American. Isn’t the founding fathers of this country, founding fathers of my country as it is any white person?
He continued by telling us that we know how to succeed but now we should learn how to fail. “You have to give yourself the right to fail” he said. Of all the things I have heard as something encouraging I have to say I was at first surprised. Learn how to fail? What could he possibly mean? And what I took away is not to be afraid to fail. Failure will come and is going to come but do not give up. He continued saying When you fail, you attack what ever you are doing or trying to do, harder. He said more but I am dwelling on that for right now. At this moment in my life I have to accept and I have been accepting my failures. I’ve been greeting them and smiling through them and continuing on.
Anyways, let me tell you how he embarrassed me and how somehow right there I connected to his speech. So, here he is talking and here I am video taping him. And towards the end of his speech he said to me: Are you video taping this? Please don’t do that. And instead of feeling embarrassed, I felt great. Number one, I was the only one who was there video taping James McBride- the only one with a camera and using it. I also was the only one who got called out. And was not afraid to fail right there. I put his philosophy into practice. I stopped because he asked me to but the thought did cross my mind to continue. What could he or what would he had done IF I dared to continued. That would have been some story! But I wanted him to sign my book and journal and take a picture with me so I stopped.
He is in my Hats or Hatsnot series because he had a cool swagger about him. I promised him- well didn’t promise- but told him I would not put the video on Youtube so you can’t see it however, it doesn’t mean I can’t put it on my blog. But his poise was very together. Very calm, cool and collected.
He did all of this with a hat and an ear ring. It was like he was the definition of coolness! He even said ‘this cat’ to describe someone. And his word choice? out of this world!
One book you should take time out to just peak in is Fairie-ality: The Fashion Collection from The House of Ellwand. It is amazing to me how David Ellwand took flowers, bird feathers, sail shells, grass, pumpkins, stones, cow parsley…ect and made it into “clothes.” It is indeed a Fairie-ality. The colores are so rich and flowing. He even made shoes out of rose petals and cow parsley; and bathing suits out of snakeskin! My favorite chapter is: ” A Fairie Tale Wedding” The mother of the bride is dressed in duck duck goose! The Groom looks good in crow feathers and have eloquent snail buttons. Of course I liked the Lily Bridesmide who had poppy evanescent for sleeves! The Maid of Honor looks dashing in black and green. The top piece of the dress is silky crow feathers and the bottom is black parrot feathers. I’ll leave the bride out for your imagination.
This dancing dress of lilting lily petals in two colors oozes self-assurance. Trust us. David Ellwand.
Who says feathers are just for the birds? David Ellwand
Today was such a great day for me, despite the few mean people I met on my way.
Today was such a gorgeous day outside, despite the brisk breeze in the night.
Today was such a joyous day for me, despite the chains that tried to lock around me.
Today was such a God-given day, despite the corrupted world.
Today God surprised me with more of his presence then I even asked for.
Today God poured out his spiritual blessing on me and made me full and free.
I had no idea that I felt like a caterpillar until God gave me wings and gave me his beauty.
And the beautiful thing about today is God promise more and better days on the way.
So flowers get ready to bloom and devil be prepared to move cause when God gets ready
YOU got to MOVE and I’ll just Groove
“Caterpillars came from everywhere. Everywhere were caterpillars. One day they just piped up and left“.
Deacon Glassgow
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