REALLY (Black People)?!

People are all up in a tizzy because Julianne Hough (a white singer/dancer/actress) dressed up as 'Crazy Eyes' (a black character from the Netflix hit show, Orange Is The New Black) for Halloween, complete with a brown painted face. They are comparing it to a highly racist and negative practice that whites used, way back in the day (and some still do), as a form of entertainment.

Really, Black people?! These are two totally different things, in my opinion. She was dressing up for Halloween, for goodness' sake! She wasn't doing a minstrel show or trying to be funny or derogatory with her actions. I don't know her personally, but I'm assuming that she is a fan of the show (as I am and alot of people are) and thought 'Crazy Eyes' made for a good Halloween costume. According to reports, Julianne was not aware of the history of 'blackface' and she did not mean any disrespect towards the black community. Some have suggested that 'her people' should have known and should have warned her that dressing up as this character would not be a good idea or that she could have done the character without the brown face. I beg to differ. Halloween is a holiday on which people dress up as all sorts of people, characters, things, demons, goblins and monsters. It's a day where you get to be something/someone other than yourself, in the name of fun (for the most part). I see nothing wrong with Julianne being this character and choosing to go 'all the way' with her costume. Sure, she could have donned the orange jumpsuit, put her hair in (some semblance of) bantu knots and kept her own white face buuuutttt......(in my opinion) it comes across so much better with the brown face.

To each his/her own but I think, these days, people jump on any little thing and scream 'racist/racism!' Now don't get me wrong, I'm not some black person who doesn't believe we've come such a long way that racism is not an issue. Oh, it very much is. But what I don't like, and refuse to cosign, are things that are 1)minor sand particles built up into a mountain 2)innocent occurrences (such as this) that get misconstrued or turned into something it is not or ever intended to be 3)jumping on the 'It's racism!' bandwagon just because somebody said it was racism. How are we ever to make more and bigger strides towards less racism if, at every chance (big or small), we are screaming racism and brewing major media storms about small or nonexisent issues? If everything a non-black person does that however remotely looks like they are being insensitive, disrespectful or derogatory is fodder for a race rally, how can we ever get past it? As it's said, perception is reality so, while there are definitely racist folks around and racist practices going down, I think we need to adjust our mind's eye just a little bit. One of my favorite quotes is:

“Your beliefs become your thoughts,
Your thoughts become your words,
Your words become your actions,
Your actions become your habits,
Your habits become your values,
Your values become your destiny.”
_ mahatma ghandi

Choose your battles wisely and fight when it's necessary, but please people, please....stop the 'stinkin thinkin!' Besides, Julianne's face ain't black. Like Tamar Braxton said, she just looks like she has a tan.

p.s. Julianne, stop stealing people's ideas.....you knew I was planning to be 'Crazy Eyes' for Halloween (I really was, y'all)!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS & HAPPY NEW YEAR!

It's 2012, Dear Reader ('DR') and I don't know about you but I feel big change a-coming!  This past holiday season was great and much different from any other I've experienced.  It was my first as a grandmother, which still sounds crayyyyzeeee to me but it is my reality.  My gran'diva (as I affectionately refer to my granddaughter) enjoyed everything from Halloween through New Year's Eve.  She had three outfits for Halloween; one for her professional photo shoot (pumpkin), one for daytime at day care (orange & black outfit wishing everyone a, 'Happy Halloween') and the show-stealing party costume (Little Black Kitty).  Of course, she had no clue as to why she had to don all these outfits and be blinded by a million flashing lights throughout the course of the day but she looked good and smiled (sometimes) for the cameras.  I don't recall seeing her eat any sweets but I'm sure somebody slipped her a lollipop or two at one time or another. 

For Thanksgiving, the little turkey looked extra special in her gold, shimmery sweater dress and brown fur-trimmed booties with hair accessories to match.  She had to look good for all her special appearances scheduled for the day.  Baby had three families looking forward to spending time with her on her first Thanksgiving and, somehow, she and Mom pulled it off....dinner with G'ammi, PahPah and Nana. Whew!  I get exhausted just thinking about it.  She had a great time eating all the wonderful, soft foods her little belly could stand.  Even without a tooth in sight, baby girl savored many flavors of her first Thanksgiving Day.

Baby's First Christmas was the most charming, funny, fun and whimsical Christmas I've experienced in a long time.  It was not only special because of our newest family addition but also because my sis and niece came all the way to the northeast from North Carolina, to spend Christmas with us.  The long weekend was filled with parties, shopping and lots of quality family time.  Our little darling couldn't get enough of her first Christmas tree and the ornaments, of course.  Every day was a joy and a scramble; between her delight with and seeming determination to destroy the holiday decor, we were stir crazy! 

She may not have known what was going on but she enjoyed every bit of it.  The best part of it all was on Christmas Day, when it was time for her to open her gifts.  We weren't sure if she would do the unwrapping or Mommy & Daddy would but boy, did she show us!  There was no mistaking her unwrapping skills; she pulled and ripped and even bit the paper off of her first gift. Her enthusiasm didn't wane as she went on to unwrap her other gifts.  In fact, she was still trying to unwrap other people's gifts in the days following.....LOL   

Of course, her first holiday season wouldn't have been complete without an awesome wardrobe to match.  Check out the gran'diva in a few of her holiday looks:

Our very own little Christmas tree..

Baby's 1st Christmas dinner.....

Golden Girl, all ready for Christmas morning service.....

Merry 1st Christmas, A'shari!

And finally, I brought the new year in with the gran'diva.  No grand parties, glittery clothing and glamorous cocktails for me, this time around.  Up until the last possible minute, I hemmed and hawwed on what I was going to do for New Year's Eve: go out to a party, host a party or forget partying altogether.  I opted to just 'forgetaboutit' because I didn't want to be out on the road and not enough people showed interest in attending a house party.  So, the gran'dvia and I got comfy, sent the #1 daughter/Mommy on her way and watched a movie.  Well, I tried to watch a movie but lil' miss thang wasn't having it.  As tired as she was, she fought sleep with every ounce of energy she had and didn't settle down into a good 30 minute nap sleep until precisely the stroke of midnight.  She woke just before one but went back to sleep shortly after.....then, I wanted to party! 

 

Cheers To The Freakin Weekend.......

In celebration of the upcoming 'holiday,' there are Halloween parties going down, all over town, all weekend.  My sisters, friends and I usually get together and throw a big bash but, this year, we're keeping it simple: On Saturday, a small group of us will get together and have lots of ghould food and drinks, music and cameras flashing (or clicking) everywhere.  We're planning to party at a club or two; I'm sure, whatever we decide to do, we will have a blast doing it.  

Enjoy your Halloween, everyone....and BE SAFE!