The Help and me

On opening weekend my girlfriend and I ventured out to see the critically acclaimed movie The Help starring Viola Davis. As I watched 1950-1960 Southern culture play out before an audience consisting of individuals of different races, socioeconomic backgrounds and religious makeup. While I watched the movie I thought about Sunday afternoons spent sitting listening to my grandma and her friends talking about the days of  working for The Turnage family or the Fitzgeralds aka the White folk.  My girlfriend got all weepy during certain parts of the movie and all I could think was "Honey this is what I my grandma, great grandma and mom told me about. The wisdom and knowledge of the past should be carried and passed on from generation to generation.

Perseverance is key....

As I approach the 1 year mark....1 year since the absolute worst break up that I have ever experienced, 1 year since I left my job at the methadone clinic(thinking I shouldn't having a problem getting another job), 1 year since my miscarriage, and 1 year that I decided to make some changes.  In this past year I finally concluded my journey through graduate school...YAY for my MS in Clinical Psychology. I persevered through the up and downs of graduate school. I have persevered through the depression and emotional rollercoaster ride of being UNDERemployed.  As this emotional milestone approaches I am still UNDERemployed  while trying to begin my career as mental health counselor. I will continue to perserve to meet my ultimate goal.  Until then I will smile through it all.

With a strand of Pearls and a Smile til next time y'all.

Walk a Mile in my Stilettos

I am currently part of the population that is un/underemployed. Well meaning family, friends, associates and even random strangers want to offer advice or what they believe are comforting words.  If I hear "we are in a recession and people just aren't hiring right now" one more time I will scream. This is my reality I don't need you to remind me. I have been underemployed since September. On the first of September 2010 I had a fulltime and parttime by mid-September I only had my parrttime job to support me. Every morning I wake up and dedicate hours upon hours looking for a job any job. Recently I had a girlfriend ask me why I stayed depressed.. I told her to walk a mile in stilettos and then ask that question. Spending hours on the phone, on the computer looking for a job only to get "Ms. Davis you over/underqualified for the position advertised or you need to have XYandZ in place before you apply". Hear this lovely catchphrases enough in one day for months on end and you would be depressed too. I was recently asked if I had registered with job boards such as Careerbuilder, Monster and the like...I replied of course. Stop assuming everybody that is un/underemployed don't want to work.  Before passing judgment or offering what you intend to be well meaning advice walk a mile in their sneakers, moccasins, flip-flops, sandals, and even my stilettos.

A Beautiful Vision

In recent weeks when I have been out and about I have started seeing something that is rare in the black community.....Fathers/Daddies spending quality time with their children. Last Saturday morning I was out getting something to eat and sat down next to a little boy and his father. The son looked genuinely happy and daddy had borrowed his grin from Alice's Chestaire cat.  The dad was telling his son about his pee-wee football schedule for the upcoming season or Sunday when I was preparing for Super Bowl I saw a dad in most manly attire(football jersey, hat representing his favorite team,) sports attire and glitter on his face... that caused me to do a double take until I looked around his knees and saw a beautiful little smiling face giggling because daddy had just bought her teddy bear.  I remember having a conversation with my own dad about his days coming home from work and seating at table three feet off the floor wearing a pink boa and princess crown that in my opinion went very well with a suit or sport coat and tie.  In the African American community those are rare occassions and a beautiful vision for me to witness. I know how lucky a child is to have a loving caring daddy. I am daddy's girl even at 27.  Children don't care about money that is spent  on them they care about time that is spent with them  I call upon the men with children continue to create those visions of beauty.

Lost Standards

This is my first posting on my blog. In today's society standards about everything from politics to dress has changed since I was young. At 27 years old I find myself having this same conversation with my mom, my girlfriends, colleague, and random people in the grocery store. If we examine American society through the ages standards may not have been spoken but they were most definitely conveyed especially in public. Today standards are lackluster and subpar to say the least. Generation Xers like myself standards are time stamped and based off of  how quick does it provided financial, and relational satisfaction which is problematic. I realize that my standards for life, love, work and happiness are solid and built from a solid foundation. Does your standards change based on money, looks, popular public opionion/perception?