Be Right Back With My Post

Hi Everybody,

I'm working on my posts for this week; let's just say it's gonna be some "tortured" logic. I've had more than enough sleep for the day and I'm ready to unleash. Anyway . . . check with you later with my musings.

"Blogger" Format Driving Me Nuts

Hello Readers,

Sometimes you notice I edit a few times after "posting." That is because the "preview" format is not what I see after it gets posted on my blog (which drives me nuts). Today is no different with me seeing letter(s) of a word interlopping to the next line. Instead of wasting my time trying to be "perfect," I've decided to let it go - afterall, the blog should be the "informal" side of me. But that doesn't mean I still don't have a part of me gnawing at the mistake of the format. . .

Cyber Monday Overload

I'm back! Hope you had a great Thanksgiving. I know I did and I'm in a "Turkey Haze" and too much sweet potato pie consumption. But hey, I found out a great tidbit of info today not to make me feel guilty about the latter consumption; Sweet Potato is one of the most nutritious food you can have. So I'm not thinking about all the sugar and other fattening elements which make up a delicious sweet potato pie. But the foundation of the theory is it's HEALTHY and I'm sticking to that story :-)

Now today is Cyber Monday (did you shop on Black Friday?) and I'm having the opposite of a writer's block - I have an overload of "issues" I'd like to blog about. Before today, I had my rant against NBA refs made up in my mind and Lebron's New York drama. But then today is World AIDS Day, Obama rolled out his National Security Team, and the senseless Mumbai tragedy (my condolences to the victims).

I guess that's a good problem to have and I agree. However, there is this issue called time and weighing the best post to actually write . . .

I Wish I Had a Guest Blogger

Hello Readers! As you might have noticed, I'm not blogging as frequently (again). As usual, life happens. But I've been thinking that this blog will go on as usual if only I have a "guest blogger" for those times I need to take time off. Yes I have a penchant to control my work because in the end, it reflects me. This was one of the reasons I didn't consider a guest blogger from the start.

However, I thought to myself what if I could trust (a feat hard for me to come by) this guest blogger to give provocative, informative and yet entertaining posts every now and then. That way I can "unplug" to focus on other aspects of life and come back with some new juice.

I'm picky; the blogger got to have decent writing skills and be well read or informed. I've seen some blogs out there and they can't hold my attention to the next paragraph (I'm just saying). So until I find this blogger, please bear with me not seeing the quantity of posts but rest assured, the quality of posts will remain.

I Got Me An Award

I know the title of this post goes against all my basic training from my parents but I'm allowed to go against my "Queen's English" upbringing once in a while.

So I would like to thank "Sojouner's Place" for the honor. I would also like to thank Skittles' place for starting the honor.

Since I've been so out of the loop off the blogging world in the past month, I haven't been keeping track of my usual blogs but I'm trying to get back in the speed of things slowly but surely. Hence, I will pass this honor to Raw Dawg Buffalo for his unique flow and Electronic Village for being a source of info especially to black bloggers.

I Didn't Forget About Blogging

Here's the deal Readers: When I don't post much on this blog and others I like, it's not that I don't have enough to write about - far from it, but that life gets in the way.

As I've said before, I'm doing more of a career transition. Well, more like career elevation. And with that comes a lot of this unique thing called studying, burning the midnight oil, etc. I'm involved with classes all this week and the Professor gave me the wonderful (psych)news yesterday that the next license I'm studying for will require at least 120 hours study time (besides 40 hours of class) to pass the next level of exam.

Take for example yesterday, I finished a class at 5pm yesterday from the morning time only to rush to the other side of town to another two-hour class for a company starting at 6pm. I hate drinking coffee after a certain time, but I needed what some friends called "crack coffee" from Starbucks before busting into the Monday night class last night.

So as much as I love to write (still do so privately) and post my thoughts publicly on how I see our muddled world, I'm wise to know that though I would love to do it all, I can't do it all at the same time.

I thank you all for your support and I ask that you be patient with me in the next few weeks as I navigate the next phase of my life. And oh, there will be time I need a break from all the industry lingos and tap into my creative side with blogging, and you know where to reach me to get some of my musings . . .

Celebrating My Centennial

No not my birthday - my 100th post on this blog. So I decided to take a little time to reflect on my writing that have drew ires sometimes from some commenters and some laughs from others. I appreciate both sides and those who just read (yeah I see the stats) and don't comment.

So I'd like to this time to thank those commenters from the top of my head:

Joelle, Blackstarr, Freedom (all one person I found out and thanks for the e-mail)

SJP

Shaun In The City

Jarrett Carter

Renee

MsLadyDeborah

Ebony Intuition

Faith in Action

Villager - thanks for the love on Black Bloggers roll and you were great on NPR today

Anonymous - all of you guys

My Brother

And all those I can't remember in one sitting (and friends who send me encouraging e-mails), thank you and here's to 100s more.

Why I Blog

This post has been on my mind for some time now but our political and pop-culture scene has kept me quite busy. But the past few days have brought the post to my mind's forefront especially this morning when Joe Scaborough of MSNBC's "Morning Joe" was trying to explain why bloggers have taken Sen. Joe Lieberman - former running mate of Al Gore in the 2000 election now McCain's puppet (the last word mine - but hey, that's how I see it). Scaborough used this phrase: "these bloggers . . ." It's like saying "these people . . ." and you know what comes after that; a beat down or some stern talking to.

Anyway, I know the Mainstream Media (MSM) consider bloggers a pest who take them to task or are taking their jobs but also an asset - this election season has been filled with bloggers on TV or the radio. If blogging wasn't a great thing (from the nose turning device it was with the MSM just a couple of years ago), why is it that I hear CNN's Anderson Cooper, saying for the upteenth time "I'm live blogging throughout the program." We get it Anderson! You're hip! (love Anderson though :-)

I do have empathy for the MSM (I do). There are budget cuts everywhere in their industry (as everybody else's industry). Just locally, a few weeks ago, 250 positions were eliminated from the Miami Herald. It was a sad sight to see on the local news. The same goes for TV and radio. Everything is being taking over by the Internet.

But I also blame the MSM. Many chose not to take advantage of this new media years ago; they never thought it would take off the way it did. Can you believe some media outlets I've been a fan of over the years just opened a "blog" as a companion to their news sites just a couple of months ago. YES! But they want to get the pulse of the audience - the people the show was supposed to be communicating with in the first place. It's what I've called LAZINESS on the part of the MSM.

Think about that for a moment! Have you seen a lot of "color" on TV lately? Good (nay, great) thing huh! When the Jena Six situation happened last year, where did you think the MSM got the information? The bloggers! That story has been floating on the blogosphere for months and it was just before the march in Jena that the MSM picked it up. And who did it need to give them some analysis? Black people especially black bloggers.

What about this election season when there is a certain black candidate making history? The MSM is always referring to the "blogosphere" on how each candidate is being taken to task on a certain issue - how does it know that if blogs aren't being read? But I digress.

The title of the post is why I blog. I have the gift to write. Even my father told me a few weeks ago that I've always found something to do in the area of writing. He reminded me how I was part of the Press Club in Junior High and very involved with the school's magazine. Afterwards, I wondered how he remembered since that has been years ago. Also, I thought to myself he never said anything about me having a head for business - my numbers gift but he referred to my words gift. Interesting!

But there are things that move me to write: injustice, stupidity, but also, grace and valor to name a few. I believe I have a voice to give a voice to those who don't have any. And that voice can't be imitated. I like authencity even in a sea of blogs. I don't want to be like anyone or everyone else. I'm black but I don't have to lace my blog with Ebonics and slangs because that's NOT who I am. Can I flip the script every now and then? Definitely! But it will still be my voice.

I don't have an axe to grind. This blog would not be an angry black woman rant but yes, there are times you can feel my anger - read my whine to Gramm? Yes, I know the plight of the black man and of course, black folks in general. But I also believe in not seeing ourselves as victims but as victors - so you will notice I don't blog "all things black" all the time.

I'm more concerned in being logical in an illogical world and being authentic in a flaky environment. I believe in making our leaders and the MSM accountable. Also, you will see my serious side when it comes to faith and my silly side when it comes to sports and trends. That's who I am and that's why I blog.

My Blogging Personality

So I visited one of my faves on my bloglist: Sojourner's Place and she posted a "blogger's quiz." I was curious so I clicked the link. I took the test and I couldn't agree more - nailed me to a "t."

Your Blogging Type is Confident and Insightful

You've got a ton of brain power, and you leverage it into brilliant blog. Both creative and logical, you come up with amazing ideas and insights. A total perfectionist, you find yourself revising and rewriting posts a lot of the time. You blog for yourself - and you don't care how popular (or unpopular) your blog is!

What's Your Blogging Personality?

Thanks SJP!

Thanks for the Shout Out

Writing is a lonely profession and sometimes I wonder if I'm just a voice in the wilderness. Once in a while, it's a great to get a shot in the arm, so to speak by a comment left on this blog, an e-mail encouragement to go on or one in blogosphere.

I'm grateful for all forms but I'd like to send a special shout-out to Electronic Village for the "Black Bloggers Power Rank." I started this second blog less than two months ago and I'm thankful for the fast acknowledgement.

Hope to continue and I look forward to your comments even if you don't agree "with me :-)