Creole Wisdom

you say that like it's a bad thing

I am proud to say that I am a principled person.

I think it's a good thing. It's why some people in my life love me. It is what makes me one passionate woman and balances out my sweetness.

Remember that quote, "if you can't stand for something you'll fall for anything?" I love that. I think I read it for the first time in high school and it has always stuck with me.

Well, I'm not political, really. I used to know what was going on, but lost track sometime in early 2009. I will get back involved during the next election.

Maybe it's where I was raised or the religion I was brought up in, but I have one strong sense of what is right and wrong.

It usually isn't big issues that get me going, it's smaller ones. Yes, I know there are shades of gray, and we all know I'm not perfect, but even after 24 years on this earth I am still surprised when people do blatently "wrong" things in my book.

Perhaps I'm just a little crabby, but what is going on with this world? Where are the ethics? Can you believe how people are acting? As my father would say, "who raised them?!"

I think some folks need to read The Help and check their behavior.

Once upon and time it used to bother me that I would get so passionate. Now I embrace it. I am principled.

Are you?

the jig is up

Source: eplans.com via Katie on Pinterest

I have a little secret and I think it's time to share. No, no one is getting married. My secret is this: I want to live out of the city, out of the suburbs and yes, in the country. Here is how I know: whenever I leave my apartment for a weekend or trip somewhere rural I am immediately happy and I feel at peace. Just getting out of the city, the traffic and all the noise makes a huge difference for my mood. Wait, I know what you are thinking: that's just because you are going on vacation. Perhaps you are right, but I don't think so. It goes a little further than that for me.

You see, my roots are rural. My mother grew up in a small town and my father's dad grew up on a farm. I grew up in the suburbs and they are just fine. Here are my reasons why I would like to live in the country:

-Stars at night. I would like to see them every night.

-Quiet at night. I would like to sleep without hearing sirens, cars and sometimes people.

-Nature and wildlife. Of course I would be photographing everything constantly. I was admiring some heather and golden rod on the side of the highway yesterday, how sad is that?

-Room for a big house. Yes, I would like a huge house someday. I also would like to have about five children. Go big or go home.

-Less shopping temptation. This is ridiculous, I know, but if I didn't live so close to such incredible shopping I might spend less and then save more.

-People leave you alone. Okay so I don't know if that's true, but sometimes you just want your own space to do as you want.

-Nice people. This is relative. Every visit and time spent in small towns (and I've racked it up) has been pretty positive for me. People, I think because they see each other, tend to be better about interpersonal relationships. Maybe I'm wrong.

That being said I currently love where I live and think Minneapolis is perfect. Still, someday I will hopefully live a bit farther out.

Who else is with me?

supporting local artists

I try to buy local as much as I can. It's my way of supporting home grown goods and also artists :) A good way to do the latter is to purchase goods at art fairs. K was very sweet and bought me this beautiful clock at the Edina Art fair, made in South Dakota at Minglewood Studios. Each and every clock is hand designed and hand painted by nice husband and wife Carmen in Sioux Falls.

I feel really good about this clock. I like supporting independent, American artists who work so hard to make a living of their bliss. This clock is beautiful and having the chance to meet Carmen at her booth and chat with her was also a plus. Now I just need a AA battery.

pride comes before the fall

When I was in High School I loved fashion. So much that I used to tear out pages from Vogue and pin them up inside my locker.

During my junior and senior year I was a member and even president of St. Mary's Academy's fashion club. Can you believe it? I honestly cannot.

Well, you know what they say, pride comes before the fall.

I never read Vogue anymore (I should!) and am known to wear a silly amount of fleece. But, I think there's middle ground here. When you go out in public I still believe you should be presentable. I know I'm trying and working at it. We all have limited budgets and nothing to wear. I hate the mornings sometimes because of the choices. When I give myself more time and am patient I make better decisions.

Last Friday was one of those days:

sweater: Betsy Johnson via mom dress: target bag: you know :)

I take photos of my outfits from time to time because it interests me; I like texture and I think it keeps me accountable. Our society is too casual anyway. Money and shape are not excuses and I refuse to waste my days attired in mediocrity.

your questions answered: race

your questions answered: faith

Are we getting to the good stuff now? I think everyone has a faith journey. Many of you have read my experience, were here while I went through the thick of it or were drawn to my blog because of it. I'm very grateful for my faith, it completely sustains me and I mean that in every sense of the word.

on authenticity and being real

On Tuesday I voted. Like many of you my right to vote and voice my opinion is important and up there on my list of "why I'm proud to be an American." A few days before my good friend Lindsay and I were talking on the phone about blogging, bloggers and authenticity. A well-known blogger who we both follow was accused (not sure if that's the right word) for not being real, but instead for creating a persona and marketing/branding that "character" by a fellow blogger who had visited her in her home. I'm not sure, but in turn I think because this can often be a business, and if you have readers you've got an audience, it becomes hard to continue to be yourself. If you post that you're pro-life you might anger some pro-choicers, if you write your disdain for, let's say a book, you could open up the flood gates of people who love that book and call it a favorite. I once read an entry about a woman who was simply painting her woodwork and it made people pissed. Ya'll, she was painting her wood work.

But to be real, this is why I often shy away from controversial topics on this forum because, who honestly wants someone freaking out on them? Here's the deal though, like everyone else I've got my opinions and I've decided to voice them from now on. Which brings me to another point-

I recently had an interaction with a blogger in which I voiced my opinion about a controversial topic. I am always going to stand up for what I think is right, and especially when I think a group of people is being discussed in a patronizing way. I don't care about too many things, and I'll rarely stand up for something in a blogging forum, but that was something I am glad I did, and would do again. It's a core quality of who I am. When I don't think something is right, I'm going to say something, even at the expense of making people angry, uncomfortable.

Which brings me to another point- I really despise homogeneous communities and the above is why. When we surround ourselves with only like-minded people, don't have discourses with those of different races, views, socioeconomic status and so on we miss the mark. The opportunity to truly understand ourselves, our views and the world better. At the end of the day it's natural to be around others who are like us, but you know what? It's good to expose yourself, and it's too bad that people are often so uncomfortable by alternating views.

Like the rest of America I will continue to vote and voice my opinion, and help shape this country. At the same time I'll stand up for what is right and call a spade a spade when it needs to be so. It's just the right thing to do.

Damsels in the Dark

Last night I did my usual bedtime routine, meander slowly to the bedroom and put on my new pjs (thanks Target). Karen and I chatted for a bit in her room and then I headed off to get my rest. Or so I thought…

Then our power went out.

Of course calling our joke of a property manager* several times did not help. Of course he didn’t get back to us. Karen and I were irate. “What if this was a more serious emergency?” “You know damn well he doesn’t go to bed at 11pm” “he looked like a frog in his wedding photos.” Tehehe.

So step one, try to do it your own damn self, find the fuse box in the silence of the lambs basement. All was well down there, and while our main floor power was on the upstairs (where our bedrooms are) was not.

Naturally we started to call every boy we knew. Thankfully Brian and his friend Elliot were at a bar and left to help us. We opened the door, and let’s just say we were happy to see them.

By this point it was 1 a.m. and we were thrilled to be getting some help.

Down we went to the basement again, and I’m not going to even tell you about the animal skeletons in the coal chute. Yuck.  Whoops, guess I just did.

Elliot figured out that there must be a second fuse box, and since our top floor was an addition it had to be up there. And what do ya know,..he was correct! Karen led us all up to Jackie’s amazing closet and we flipped the switches of that fuse box.

And… all was well. We’re so lucky to have these Minnesota boys to help us out, *well some of them…

Of course this reminded me of Girl Scout camp when my leader could not put the tent together for the life of her and I turned and said, “we need a man.” Yeah, that went over real well.

Once and a while, you just need a man, and sometimes, it’s just nice to be rescued.

modern womanhood

I should be asleep, but.  Two instances got me thinking:

1-Somehow Kate has collected a large sum of Best Buy gift cards.

"I'm going to get us something for our apt next year" she told me one night when she was flossing her teeth in the bathroom. "Mm, like what?" I imagined something thrilling like a DVD player. "Girl, do you know they sell stand mixers there?"

A while back our little group of friends vowed that for our weddings we would buy each other mixers. "I told a person at work about our little pact to buy mixers, and they looked at me really weird" Kate told me. I shrugged my shoulders. There's nothing weird about getting your whipped cream whipped fast.

2- Two weeks ago Emma and I went to Patina with baby O. Some rude high school girl made a comment to her friend after staring at me about the show 16 and Pregnant. Hm, last time I checked I didn't look sixteen, but actually twenty-five. Which is a perfectly acceptable age to have a baby, and he's not mine anyway. Moving on.

We spotted the newest version of our mutual favorite cookbook- inspired by the mini magazines "Everyday Food" by Martha. I was kind of envious because Emma bought it right there on the spot.

I was so excited because she was so excited, and well- there are some damn good recipes in there.

So the moral of these two stories?

We are modern women, and we are domestic, too. We like to: cook, organize, bake, admire babies, tie on aprons, enjoy flowers, wear pearls, and get dressed up. We also like to: tell men how it rolls, work jobs, get dirty, drive fast, and stand up for what's right.

I am so incredibly blessed to be surrounded by such women. They are constant reminders to me that I am as much girly girl as a I am strength.

  Boo Boo and I at my graduation party. One year ago (almost). Wow.

my wishes

Last night, as I was watching the Winter Olympics- figure skating naturally, and with Becky, I started to think about what my wishes were for the world. These are just a few:

I wish that violence against women was more openly discussed so that peace and justice could prevail. I wish people knew and recognized that verbal abuse is still abuse, and can hurt deeply. I wish men were raised to know that intimidation and cruelty have no place in a loving relationship. I also wish women recognized that abuse is a cycle, and sadly, most people do not change.

I wish healthy food was more accessible. It's sad that I have to pick through mounds of produce at Rainbow, but can go to Lund's (a nicer and more expensive store) and get a better product immediately. Basically what you can afford = how good your food is. That is sad.

I wish people would recognize and love children for the amazing human beings that they are. Start noticing them, they make the world better. Also, advocate for them!

I wish to end every damn bad stereotype about black women. and black men. and black families. I'm so over it, and I refuse to patronize any form of media that continues to do this.

I wish people could just lighten up. Stop being so crabby.

I wish men could step up to the plate and be chivalrous, respectful, kind, understanding.

I wish women would stop chasing men, and hold themselves accountable for their behavior within relationships.

I wish art was more appreciated. No I'm not going to take your photos for free, would you try and go buy a car for free? Art is an invaluable asset to our communities.

I wish you could still major in home ec in college. I wish motherhood was viewed as a career, because it's a job, too.

I wish people could get over their biases against Greek life, and realize that it gives a lot of meaning, direction, and joy to many people's lives.

I wish their was more fundamental education about finances and wealth management.

I wish more people cared and even knew about today's Genocide. Just because these people are a "world" away, not white, and speak another language/belong to another culture, does not mean that their deaths are just "another" reality of being in the wrong place in the wrong time. Someday there will too be African genocide courses taught at Universities, just like there are Holocaust ones now, sad.

I wish people here in the US would stop disrespecting the office of the President. It is absolutely saddening to me.

I wish people dressed up more, for special events like going out to eat, or even to church. A little lipstick and tights never hurt anyone.

So those are my world wishes for now, and I'm sure I'll think of more later. Happy Monday.