Talking Will Be Talking (Answering Questions)

So, here is the thing about the question and answer posts, you have to send questions for me to answer. But those who asked was I ever making another Q&A post, here is one for you.

Q: I saw you say that you were fighting the urge to talk about a pastor named, John Gray. Why?

A: *sigh* It hasn't even been a full year of being a pastor, and a lot of personal issues have come up for The Grays.  When John Gray said his wife, Aventer "birthed" him on a talk show and wife got very upset at any criticism, I had a feeling there was more to the story. And it has been. An expensive car was bought as an anniversary gift.

Now, there is an admission of infidelity on his part and the lady may be pregnant. And his wife standing at church blaming the devil for her husband cheating on her. *sighing again* I know a loving wife shouldn't publicly admonish her husband. But what she did, looked foolish in my opinion. The devil did his job, her husband didn't do his. I actually wish The Grays step down and do the real work for redemption & family healing out of the public's eye. I think that would show true Christian leadership.

Q: Do you believe the Gillette ad for men to better men was marketing or impact?

A: Time will tell why Gillette made the ad that strongly encourages the ending of toxic masculinity. When we see that Gillette start mentoring programs & also give to positive existing programs that are teaching boys non-toxic ways to manhood, that will tell the True intent.

Alright, all of you who ask me for my definitions of terms that I use in the dating world. You won't have to wait until I write a memoir for a glossary for these particular words. Some rap/ BHM model guy who sent me a follower request on Instagram(IG) had this on his page.

It is such a Godsend. Since high school, I thought these terms were universal. Oh well, study, understand, and use them correctly in your lives. Your rapports & relationships would love you for doing so.

Ok, that's all the questions & answers. Please remember these type of posts can only exist if you guys send me questions to answer. So, send them to C.OUT.SPOKEN@gmail.com and I will answer what I can, as I can.

As Always Talking to You in Adult Terms!!!!

I Got the Tea(OUTSPOKEN_DIVA'S Favorite Recipes)

I am a tea drinker. Coffee smells great but tastes like poison. Cocoa is delicious but too high in calories to drink all the time. Soda is high in sodium and I am constantly trying to kick that addictive monkey out my life. Tea is a perfect balance. I like hot tea. I like iced tea. Oh, I am a Texan and hate sweet tea. I like my iced tea sweetened and with lemon.

Y'all can keep those dark glucose water experiments that keep being served everywhere. My favorite flavored tea is Peach. The best tea at a restaurant is Wendy's Honest Tropical Green Tea. I think Celestial Seasonings tastes the best, yet I am not a brand loyalist to any tea company. Recently, I was asked by my cousin, Janette(blog name) & her friends for tea recipes and this post idea was born.

My life with tea started young. My grandmother was a part of a garden club and her church's mission society. She hosted & went to many teas. Sometimes the grandchildren were with her and we learned to conduct ourselves in tea party culture. We also learned how to prepare teas. My favorite tea I learned was Friendship Tea. It is a very tangy tea. I liked the non-instant recipe better than the instant. That is the one I will post. But both are simple to make.

Friendship Tea

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp Lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 orange pekoe tea bag(black tea)
• 2 tsp sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp orange breakfast drink mix(I've used Tang)

Directions:

1. In small pot combine water, lemon juice, cloves, cinnamon Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove pot from the heat.
2. Add the tea bag and let steep for 5 minutes. 
3. Add the sugar & orange drink milk and stir to dissolve.
4. Serve hot.

He is probably the most consistent man in life. My cousin, D.D. introduced him because our favorite Star Trek commander, Jean Luc Picard hung with him. Earl Grey is a smooth & comforting black tea. His bergamot & orange notes hug me so tight. And when I turn him into a latte, it is like he is using the milk as a blanket he is wrapping around me with both his arms.

London Fog Latte
Ingredients

• 1 earl grey tea bag
• 1/2 cup hot water
• 1/2 cup milk(I prefer 1% or unsweetened vanilla almond)
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
  

Directions:

1. Add hot water and tea bag to a mug. Steep for a few minutes or until desired strength is reached, then discard the tea bag.
2. While the tea is steeping, add milk to a microwave-safe jar that comes with a lid. Secure the lid.
3. Vigorously shake for a minute or until the milk foamy. Remove the lid. 
4. Microwave the uncovered milk until hot, about 30 seconds, and the foam will separate from the milk and rise to the top. Use immediately.
5. Add sugar and vanilla extract to the mug, stirring until dissolved. 
6. Pour the frothed milk on top, spooning the milk foam to top. Serve while hot.

Oh "I Don't Drink Tea" readers I didn't leave you out. I don't always drink tea as tea. And the best way to not-drink drink it is as lemonade. I rarely drink at coffee & tea spots but I will admit they have some very creative & tasty drinks. I had Lavender Tea Lemonade once one summer and I had to create it so I could have it at home. I am a fan of the calming effects of lavender. Hot tea with lavender helps me to sleep. In a cold beverage, it does soothe my anxiety and nerves during warm & hot weather.

Lavender Tea Lemonade

Ingredients:

• 6 cups boiling water
• 4 lavender tea bags(I've used Yogi)
• 3 cup room temperature water
• 2 cups sugar
• 3 cups lemon juice plus 1 lemon, thinly sliced

Directions:

1. Pour the boiling water over the tea bags in a heatproof container and let steep for 5 minutes. Remove the tea bags and allow the tea to cool.
2. Combine the sugar with the room temperature water in a measuring cup or bowl and stir until the sugar dissolves to make a syrup.
3. Pour the lemon juice into a vat or large pitcher, add the syrup and tea and stir. 
4. Add the lemon slices.
5. Chill for 4-8 hours to let the flavors develop, then serve.

So, that's my tea on tea. By the time I post this, I may be drinking a cup of tea. Tea is less caffeinated than coffee. I'm told it is reducing my risk of stroke and heart attack. I just know I like tea. And it seems to like me back.

As Always Talking to You in Adult Terms!

I Survived Y'all Watching Surviving R. Kelly

It is horribly sad to me that it took a docuseries to finally open more eyes to R. Kelly the abusive pervert. It is horribly sad that many only watched the docuseries as gossip fodder. It is horribly sad some still use his song titles to make nasty jokes. It is horribly sad there are still defenders for R. Kelly.

I didn't watch Surviving R. Kelly. Like watching movies about slavery & Jim Crow, I knew it would be very triggering for me to do so. I also knew even if I fled social media (and I did), hot spots of it would still land on my timelines that would further prove why I shouldn't ever watch this docuseries. Yeah, I "saw the tape" those years ago via Limewire

and because I don't believe in the "Fast Girl" narrative, I had to purge myself from my fandom of R. Kelly and any of his music. I used to love Reuben Studdard's "I Need an Angel" & I found out who wrote the song. Well like The Clark Sisters song said, "I've Got An Angel" to help not to be a fan. I now refuse to separate the music from the man.

But if this docuseries help you to understand the pain of the victims of R. Kelly's abuse, I hope you understand it is not just supporting his work that is proof you understand.

.

• The "Fast Girl" narrative promotes abuse.
• Believe Any victim's claim of abuse enough for you to at least investigate and call the police.
• Stop sweeping the true stories under the rug. Call the authorities. Get these victims some Real help. And petition to make stronger and tougher punishments.
  
• Know that adult/child dating, "romantic", sexual relationships are wrong. If you know an adult still trying to date teenagers, why do you still know them?
• Stop bringing up when will Woody Allen, Harvey Weinstein, or Catholic priests will get docuseries. Do they need one for the masses to believe them? You know that answer. Surviving R. Kelly is because the masses didn't believe the "controversy". Only a few did.

And you have now survived my hot take on this matter.

As Always Talking to You in Adult Terms!

It's a New Year (OUTSPOKEN_DIVA's Favorite Recipes)

It's that time of the year for people to reset the clock on their lives in some places that need turning around. Some called the process, New Year Resolutions. Some people say, "New Year, New Me". Whatever you call it I just hope " Learning to Cook" or "Teaching the Young People in My Life to Cook" is on that list of things to do. Matter of fact, since this word is on trend, I CHALLENGE You to Learn to Cook and/or Teach a Young Person to Cook. Not cooking is a common issue in my line of work. Yeah, there are healthy ways to eat out but they are null & void if you never eat healthy in. And the children are being affected. Yes, the kids get underfoot but bring them in to learn to cook. Their future depends on it.

The recipes for these posts are healthy updates to traditional New Year's Day recipes for wealth & luck. I feel they shouldn't only be eaten on that day. People talk about eating more non-animal sources of protein. We encourage the masses to eat leafy greens daily. Yet, we only eat a spoonful of peas once a year and our leafy greens are boiled out of their nutrients.

I love black-eyed peas with snaps beans. But like the rest of the canned foods, I don't love the high amounts of sodium & aluminum. Well, I was lucky to have found this recipe.

Black-Eyed Peas with Snaps

Ingredients

• 1 lb shelled black-eyed peas, or 3/4 lbs dried, soaked
• 6 c vegetable broth or water
• 1 large onion, diced
• 1 Tbsp garlic, minced
• 1 Tbsp dried parsley
• 1 Tbsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp celery powder
• 1/2 c cut green beans (fresh or frozen)
• 2 Tbsp butter or margarine

Directions

1. In a large saucepan bring water, peas, onions, beans, seasoning, and beans to a boil. Save butter or margarine until the end.
2. Reduce heat and cover. Simmer on medium-low heat for 1 hour and 30 minutes or until peas are tender and liquid starts to thicken. Taste for seasonings and add salt if desired.
3. Just before serving, add butter or margarine and stir well.

Gentrified greens & cabbage recipes don't mean they won't have meat in them. We saw those pork pieces in the infamous Neiman Marcus greens a few years ago. But boiling them to death in salted fatted pieces of ham or bacon is still a horrible way to eat them. Yeah, that's not a recipe for Prosperity I want to use.

Healthy Fried Cabbage

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning
• 2 medium carrots, cut into matchstick size
• 1 medium cabbage, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon Cayenne pepper
• 1/2 cup water

Directions

1. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
2. Add onions, garlic, thyme and cook until onion is soft about 2 minutes.
3. Stir in carrots cabbage, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, cayenne pepper and salt
4. Add water, cover and cook for 10 minutes or until cabbage is tender and serve.

Vegan Sauteed Collard Greens

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 pounds collard greens, chopped
• 2 tsp red pepper flakes
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice, or to taste.

Directions

1. Heat oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Cook garlic, stirring often, until golden, about 3 minutes. Stir in red pepper flakes, and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
2. Stir in collard greens
3. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add water & lemon and steam, covered, until greens are just tender and evaporate about 10 minutes. If greens are ready but there is still water in the pan, raise heat to medium-high, and cook, uncovered until completely evaporated.

All adults need to know how to cook

and eat in manners that help maintain a healthy life. It all comes with education and willfulness to learn.

So, do OUTSPOKEN_DIVA a favor. Take the Challenge! Learn & Teach about food, whenever you and while you can

As Always Talking to You in Adult Terms