Learning to Love Herself

Is what has helped to make Lupita Nyong'o a role model for us all.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/11/16/lupita-nyongo-quotes_n_6154440.html?utm_hp_ref=entertainment&ir=Entertainment

Hmmmm

Some of these looks are questionable at best.

Others, spot on.

What do you think?

Be patient.  It took a minute for the pictures to load.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/11/13/stylish-men-instagram_n_6154730.html

Helping or Enabling?

For those of you old enough to remember Elvis Presley, this is clear-eyed view of his cause of death.  The similarity between his demise and Michael Jackson's is uncanny.

http://www.salon.com/2014/11/16/the_elvis_presley_coverup_what_america_didnt_hear_about_the_death_of_the_king/?source=newsletter

Promoting His Movie

Here's Chris Rock.

http://deadline.com/2014/11/chris-rock-charlie-rose-interview-top-five-black-fame-whites-race-1201285487/

Use To It

Long ago, I got used to being the only one.

Growing up, I was the only girl with three brothers.

Once we integrated schools, I was the only black in many of my classes.

That's why going to a predominately black college was so refreshing.  I was surrounded by people who looked like me, all moving in the same direction.

That all-black experience was an aberration though.  An outlier in a life of mostly being in settings where I was the only one.

My point is, as black folks in America, many of us are used to this state of being.

It is what it is.

We're use to being the different one.

We're use to the isolation.

So, we learn to deal with it.

Some assimilate.

Some imitate.

Some isolate.

All of us cope, some better than others.

This article is about a young black woman in the tech industry and how she fared being "the only one."

https://medium.com/theli-st-medium/the-other-side-of-diversity-1bb3de2f053e

We Need Canadians to Vote

From our comrades up north.

Hat tip to Forrest.

Missing Persons

This is a graphic of the states with the most missing persons.

Very interesting.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/11/10/most-missing-persons-state_n_6110476.html?utm_hp_ref=entertainment&ir=Entertainment

Yep

This characterization of President Obama and his presidency is spot on.

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/10/opinion/charles-blow-the-obama-opposition.html?action=click&pgtype=Homepage&region=CColumn&module=MostEmailed&version=Full&src=me&WT.nav=MostEmailed&_r=0

Clever Gifts

The Grommet is a website I visit often for unique gifts.

Check out these map creations.

https://www.thegrommet.com/neighborwoods-handcrafted-cedar-maps?utm_campaign=20141110B&utm_content=13165&utm_medium=email&utm_source=CC&trk_msg=4IB5QDP05TM4H8TU8LBDFOODRO&trk_contact=6PJ17299EJ5SLGM27119G0AQ7K

Be Careful!

Those of you with little ones in your world, be mindful of the laundry pods that kids are getting into that are hazards to their health.  Statistics in the article below states one kid a day heads to the hospital because of these things.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/11/10/laundry-pods-child-hospital/18663007/

Fresh Toilet Seat

A revolutionary way to freshen bathroom air is Kohler's Purefresh toilet seat.

Check it out below.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/11/06/smart-toilet-seat-deodorizes-air_n_6115006.html

The Upside of Aging

There is an upside to aging, and more and more I appreciate it.

There is a calmness now, when there used to be chaos and fretting.

There is patience to see things from other points of view, when there used to be only one way . . . mine.

There is the freedom to be myself, and really, truly not give a hoot, when years were spent trying to please others.

There is peace of mind.  Actually, it's the choice to hand peace of mind, instead of frantic thoughts that clouded my judgement.

This article expands on this . . . the upside of aging.

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/09/opinion/sunday/frank-bruni-gray-hair-and-silver-linings.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&module=c-column-top-span-region&region=c-column-top-span-region&WT.nav=c-column-top-span-region 

Terrific Television

If you've never heard of, or not a fan of, Shonda Rhimes?  What in the world is wrong with you?

This lady has single-handedly recharged and re-energized television by creating smart, creative, entertaining fare.  Her current shows are Grey's Anatomy,  Scandal, and How To Get Away With Murder.  She completely dominates Thursday nights on ABC.

The thing that makes her shows so good is she fills them with brilliant, flawed characters who can solve the problems of the world, but stumble and bumble in their personal lives.  They are brilliant misfits who rule their world.  And, she staffs her shows with incredibly talented actors who are a true reflection of our world.  Her rainbow coalition is black, white, brown, yellow, and at mixture of all of the above, but most of all, they are kickass.

So, do yourself a favor, if you're not already on it, by jumping on this bandwagon if you want to be seriously entertained.

Here's an interesting article by one of Shonda's many disciples.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rachel-braun-scherl/shondaland_b_6058440.html?utm_hp_ref=tv&ir=TV

Toddler Tricks

This is a silly video clip of bedtime antics of a four-year-old portrayed by a man.

This is not at all what my parenting looked like back then, but maybe some of you can relate.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/11/05/convos-with-my-4-year-old-bedtime-_n_6109378.html

I Don't Know

I can't decide if I appreciate what this man is doing or not.

He's a police officer who buys signs from homeless people that they are holding up (for a couple of bucks he says in the video; the article says $5), then takes their picture, and paints it on the sign.

Is he helping them or exploiting them?

Is he trying to bring awareness to the homeless problem in his city/country, or is he a self-promoter, taking advantage of these hard-on-their-luck folks?

Watching the video didn't help.  He comes off slimy to me.

What do you think?

http://news360.com/digestarticle/v9gXCCsRpUmKri-aRfVpeg

What Happens to Our Bodies

This is an intriguing article on the decomposition process of our bodies when we die.  It features a "body farm" that studies this.

Morbid?

Yes.

Engrossing?

For sure.

Warning:

The images in the article are blackened, and if you're queasy like me, you might leave them that way.  Also, there's a video, but I didn't watch it.  My imagination was all that was needed to get the picture.

http://www.vox.com/2014/10/28/7078151/body-farm-texas-freeman-ranch-decay

The Young Builder

This is a kit for a beautiful marble run.  Unfortunately it's not suitable for the little ones in my world, but it's too much fun not to share.

It's featured on The Grommet, but is also available for purchase from Amazon.

Here's to hours of playtime for the young, and the young at heart.

https://www.thegrommet.com/mindware-q-ba-maze?utm_campaign=20141106&utm_content=7986&utm_medium=email&utm_source=CC&trk_msg=VAKCNC2OLRFKV3GTUCM23G0QHG&trk_contact=6PJ17299EJ5SLGM27119G0AQ7K

When in Rome . . .

Heed the warning signs.

http://www.thenational.ae/uae/american-70-held-for-taking-photos-in-restricted-area?utm_source=Communicator&utm_medium=Email&utm_content=&utm_campaign=Abu%20Dhabi%20population%20doubles%20in%20eight%20years

Perks

For locals in my world.

http://m.apnews.com/ap/db_268743/contentdetail.htm?contentguid=IgiKA1l7

Weary in Well-Doing

This is another piece by the writer in the previous post.  It's about the weariness of writing about racism.

https://medium.com/matter/the-racism-beat-6ff47f76cbb6