I believe in full disclosure…

or at the very least, smart discretion…

Native Detroiters all over the country are probably aware of the snafu our good Mayor Kwame has gotten himself into. I have much to say about it, but not right now. lol.

It’s been a long two days for me, so, to be continued…

*EDIT*

So last night, I watched the video of Kwame’s “apology” to his wife, his sons, and the city of Detroit. I felt like it was Maury, Detroit-style.

I’m so disappointed by all of this. I can’t say I’m wholly shocked and appalled at the affair — the racy text messages, the secret rendezvous…this stuff is almost like a foregone conclusion nowadays. I am disappointed because apparently Kwame forgot that old adage that rings down through the corridors of most young, Black minds, as our mothers warned us ’cause their mamas warned them:

You gotta do twice as much to get half as far.

Kwame, it ain’t fair, is it?
It ain’t fair that you gotta represent Black folk.
And Black politicians.
And Black men.
And Black husbands.
And Black fathers.
And Black husband-father-politicians.

See, I’m not getting it twisted. Just ’cause we’ve been arrivin’ doesn’t mean the standard has stayed the same. The further Black folks achieve, the further we have to go, because this journey toward societal status in America almost like chasing a moving target.

So, no, Kwame didn’t snort coke a la Marion. But he should have understood that he needed to be perfect. He needed to get it right, the first (three) times. He needed to be pristine. The standard jump-off/drug use/foot-in-mouth/bad call ”mistake” just doesn’t fly when you’re black. Ask Jesse. Ask Cosby. Ask Vick. It’s just not the same for us.

I know that’s a whole lot of pressure for a 30-something year-old PK (Politician’s Kid). But Kwame should have known. When he looked into his 3 boys’ eyes, he should have known. What example does he set for them? Why must I now defend another Black man to folks who say, see, tol’ you so? How do I tell my students to aspire to become powerful leaders when even not-so-absolute power is corrupting us absolutely?

Sigh.

Do you have any experiences of having to do better than the others? About being closely, unfairly scrutinized?

I believe in the “quarter-life crisis”

In theory, anyway.

I was inspired today by a movie title I saw on Lifetime:

19 Things To Do Before I’m 30

1. Help stimulate $1million in strategic, benevolent investment by Black families. 
2. Teach a Sunday School class.
3. Climb a rock wall. (I’m deathly afraid of heights, so hey, I gotta start small.)
4. Be a published author.
5. Appear on TV.
6. Cook dinner for Thanksgiving or Christmas for my family (you ain’t met my family or had my grandmother’s cookin’…)
7. Learn to accept (and believe) compliments.
8. Own stock in a publicly-traded company.
9. Learn to play my favorite songs on the piano (it’d be good to be able to sing them WHILE I play too..)
10. Design the interior of my own house.
11. Mentor somebody. (although some may say I’m doing that now, I want to be more deliberate about it.)
12. Get this ‘love thing’ right.
13. Stop drinking so much damn soda! (aka drink 8 cups of water daily)
14. Pay those nice folks at Penn off.
15. Go back to Ghana and visit the Holy Land.
16. Forgive the folks I really haven’t forgiven yet.
17. Ask for forgiveness from the folks I still deny hurting.
18. Actually jump rope double-dutch instead of always bein’ the ‘turner’.
19. RELAX enough to get all the way there every time.

Got any more suggestions for me?

Or got a list of your own? Post it!

I believe in self-reflection

Every now and then I think it’s important to just be honest about yourself and laugh at the things about you that don’t make any sense…

16 Things You Might Not Know About Me:

1. I was born 3 months premature. I’ve always been a little impatient.
2. I try to check out 2 new books from the library every week.
3. I am just like my mother.
4. I am nothing like my mother.
5. I’m a big, unapologetic nerd.
6. I played point guard on my school’s basketball team until the end of 9th grade. Don’t underestimate my jump shot.
7. I secretly fantasize about being a diva vocalist.
8. It’s written all over my face, ok?
9. I hate being misunderstood.
10. Can’t I be short AND have long legs?
11. I am down-to-earth.
12. I sometimes have a superiority complex.
13. I’m an ‘all-or-nothing’ kinda girl. But that doesn’t mean I won’t take ’some’ or ‘a little’ when I’m feelin’ needy.
14. I hate that I’ve gained so much weight. And now I know what “that look” is  — you know when everybody’s thinking ‘Whooo, she’s gained weight!’ but not really SAYING it?
15. I’m a church girl.
16. I am SO NOT a church girl.

Wanna tell me somethin’ about yourself?

So I’m blogging now…

For several reasons:

1. I’m getting a little rusty and need to just write more.
2. I’ve heard blogging is cathartic.
3. I’m an entrepreneur trying to make a name for ma’self.

I’m a beginner, but let’s hope I can blog every day. Til tomorrow!