What's Up With the Cowardly Weave?

The last thing I wanna do is criticize successful sisters, but after a week of watching "Wendy Williams" followed by an hour of "Tyra Banks," (job requirement) I have to ask the question. Who said the cowardly lion weave was cute? Am I the only one who wants to skip down the yellow brick road and click my heels when this style graces the red carpet?

One thing you can't argue: it turns heads. You will be noticed, and maybe that's the whole point.

To Facebook or Not to Facebook?

That is the question.

At my age, you hope to be over the whole peer pressure thing. I said no to drugs. I said no to cigarettes, witchcraft, grand theft auto and the other normal teenage angst. Ironically now, more than a few years after high school, I'm being pressured to jump on a social bandwagon on which I'm not sure I want to ride, and I'm beginning to give in to the pressure.

I'm seriously thinking about registering on Facebook.

I've received several invitations from my lovely friends and colleagues, but I'm still contemplating whether to sign up. I've heard pros and cons from folks, and it's an ongoing debate (in my head). OK, so maybe it's not that serious, but maybe it is.

We're in the digital age. I admit that I'm not too big on the whole phone thing. I gave up the pen pal thing after college. So, Facebook seems to be the new millennium's way of keeping in contact. As a matter of fact, I have an irking feeling that I'm missing out on some major events and news in my friends' lives by not being in the Facebook loop.

So, keeping in touch with my friends is a pro, but there are also some cons I've been told.

I actually know one person deleted her profile. Why? She was connecting with guys whose married life she'd rather not know about. A former colleague is still registered but often has to ignore friend requests from people he feels don't fall into the "friend" category in his life. Do I run the risk of reconnecting with "undesirables"? Then, there's the whole cyber-stalking thing. The more you're on the web, the more open your life is, and you can't always control who comes in.

On the pro side, I hear it's a great way to network professionally. Plus, for every person you hear from that you don't care to, there are two or three that you're glad to reconnect with ... or so I hear.

So, help me out. Am I over thinking it? Am I missing out on whole new world? Should I give in to the pressure?

Will Ultimate "First" Diminish Future Achievements?

There are a lot of Black firsts still left to be achieved in this country. One thing that surprised many African Americans in the election of Barack Obama was the timing. There's yet to be a first Black Vice President, and minorities have become accustomed to slow progress. Without consciously thinking about it, a few more stepping stones were expected before the election of America's first Black president. Not that I'm complaining, of course.

However, it dawned on me as Obama considered appointing the first Black Attorney General, that the other "firsts" might seem less lofty now that the ultimate "first" of Black president has been achieved. If Denzel Washington won his Best Actor Oscar today, would it seem so newsworthy? Would it be considered as grand an achievement? Mmmm? I think not.

Maybe it's a good thing that future achievements of Black Americans might not be prefaced with racial recognition. Instead of being a headline, maybe his or her race will just be a sidebar. Either way, the election of Obama might just make more of those firsts possible.

What do you think? Will the first Black person to walk on the moon be as significant now that Obama's been elected? If Black "firsts" are no longer recorded, would that be a good thing or a bad thing?

It's the Holiday Season...?

Mark your calendars. Each year it seems like the Christmas/Holiday season starts earlier and earlier. This year, I'm taking note. On Oct. 15, I heard a Christmas carol on a local radio station. Thus, it has begun.

I agree that the holiday season is "the most wonderful time of the year;" however, I can't help but think that the early sales, mall displays and movie releases are more about earning money that spreading holiday cheer. When Charlie Brown questioned the commercialism of Christmas in the '60's classic "A Charlie Brown Christmas," he was ahead of his time.

However, I still love the Christmas season, and although, I'm irked when I hear Christmas carols in October, I do look forward to hearing them after Thanksgiving and seeing houses decorated with lights, baking, giving gifts and hanging with family and friends.

The holidays can also be a stressful time. When you're busy with day-to-day business, it can be hard to remember to really enjoy Christmas and think of all it stands for.

So, here's a reminder from my friends.

Ode to the Three-Day Weekend

The three-day weekend, an extra day off...
A day without traffic jams, colleagues or the boss

Another day to chill out, relax, catch a movie or read.
An extra day to pamper yourself and focus on your "me".

Spend it staring at the wall, doing laundry or take a trip.
It really doesn't matter how you get your three-day fix.

It's a break from the norm, so no matter what you do...
Be glad you're not at work, and enjoy just doing you.

The possibilities are endless. An extra 24 hours of free.
Will you party hard, visit the folks or sit in front of the TV?

It's a day full of options, and you can make it all your own.
You're the ruler of your three-day. You're the person on the throne.

Do with it what you will. Enjoy it while you can.
The clock is steady ticking. Don't let it slip through your hands.

The calendar offers just a few. This weekend is just one.
Pretend it's the very last, and make sure you make it fun.

Gosh Darn! Who Is She Talking To?

In a high school English class, we had to write a paper about socialects. Those are little phrases, slang, contractions -- just language -- used by certain people who work in the same office, are part of the same fraternities, live in the same geographical area, etc... I found the idea of socialects very interesting, and it's true that every little group has it's own language. It's a way of relating and being comfortable with those in your groups.

So, while I was watching the Vice Presidential debates, I wondered, "To whom is Gov. Palin speaking"? I heard her use phrases like, "gosh darn" and words like "golly," and all I could think was, "She surely isn't speaking to me." She's on a national platform, but speaking to a specific group. The fact that she chooses to speak in vernacular only encourages division; I think. I felt like an outsider.

So, I actually felt a little insulted. I'm a voter. So, why aren't I being addressed? That's not to say that someone has to speak "my language" to communicate with me. I would appreciate it if politicians spoke to all Americans, and that can usually be achieved by following the accepted rules of Standard American English.

I'm sure there are plenty of voters that appreciated her "common folk" approach, but the United States is made up of all types, including those that may have just learned the rules of SAE a year ago. So, do the gosh-darns help them to get her points? I doubt it.

What do you think? Do you like the hometown dialect? Do you think politicians should speak less formally to reach the masses, or is a grasp and use of correct grammar and diction a benefit? Maybe my respect for SAE is making me a stick-in-the-mud. If so, let me know.

So, That's What an Apron's For

I was skeptical that the day would ever come, but it's arrived. Maybe it's a sign of maturity, or just another crazy result of our whacked economy, but whatever the reason, something peculiar is happening in my life ... I've started eating at home.

Crazy. I know.

Admittedly, the food's pretty good, but what's really weird is that moreso than saving money, my motive was just that I no longer enjoy the food I buy from fast food joints and restaurants. As of late, it's been disappointing. Maybe those establishments are secretly cutting down on seasonings to save money. Maybe I've tired of the same ol' entrees. Maybe reports of restaurant uncleanliness have subconsciously affected my appetite. I don't know.

I have noticed a few benefits to eating at home-cooked meals, though. It does indeed save money. (I thought that was just an old wives tale.) It challenges your creativity, and you get home earlier because you're not patrolling the city for vittles. Plus, I think I'm eating healthier, but how can you really tell?

What about you? Do you eat in or go out? Send me your recipes!