Some of My Favorites (April is Poetry Month) (Poetry Corner)

So, it is April and this month is known as National Poetry Month. Last year I shared with you some of my works. You can read that post HERE. This year, I will tell you about some of my favorites works from others.

Full Figured Potential by Ga Me (Georgia Me)
I probably would be a Spoken Artist if it was not for the fact that I hate reading in front of people. Reading and Praying out loud are the only parts of public speaking that make me stutter. Now reciting what I memorize or talking from the top of my head, I can do. And for some reason I don't memorize me own stuff. That's why I leave that field to people like this talented lady in the clip above. I love this poem.

Ego-Tripping (there may be a reason) by Nikki Giovanni 
Blame the show A Different World for introducing me to this gem. The descriptive tones are so powerful.

I was born in the Congo
I walked to the Fertile Crescent and built
The Sphinx
I designed a pyramid so tough that a star
That only glows every one hundred years falls
Into the center giving divine perfect light
I am bad

I sat on the throne
Drinking nectar with Allah
I got hot and sent an ice age to Europe
To cool my thirst
My oldest daughter is Nefertiti
The tears from my birth pains
Created the Nile
I am a beautiful woman

I gazed on the forest and burned
Out the Sahara desert
With a packet of goat's meat
And a change of clothes
I crossed it in two hours
I am a gazelle so swift
So swift you can't catch me

For a birthday present when he was three
I gave my son Hannibal an elephant
He gave me Rome for mother's day
My strength flows ever on

My son Noah built New/Ark and
I stood proudly at the helm
As we sailed on a soft summer day
I turned myself into myself and was
Jesus
Men intone my loving name
All praises All praises
I am the one who would save

I sowed diamonds in my backyard
My bowels deliver uranium
The filings from my fingernails are
Semi-precious jewels
On a trip north
I caught a cold and blew
My nose giving oil to the Arab world
I am so hip even my errors are correct
I sailed west to reach east and had to round off
The earth as I went
The hair from my head thinned and gold was laid
Across three continents

I am so perfect so divine so ethereal so surreal
I cannot be comprehended except by my permission

I mean...I...can fly
Like a bird in the sky

We Wear the Mask by Paul L. Dunbar
My Elementary School was named after him so we learned a lot of his poems. Sad to say we still have to "wear the mask, sometimes

We wear the mask that grins and lies,
It hides our cheeks and shades our eyes—
This debt we pay to human guile;
With torn and bleeding hearts we smile,
And mouth with myriad subtleties.


Why should the world be over-wise,
In counting all our tears and sighs?
Nay, let them only see us, while
          We wear the mask.


We smile, but, O great Christ, our cries
To thee from tortured souls arise.

We sing, but oh the clay is vile
Beneath our feet, and long the mile;
But let the world dream otherwise,
          We wear the mask!

Oh! The Places You’ll Go! By Dr. Suess
Many of us heard this one as children but it was not until I was an Adult that I really felt the words.

Congratulations!
Today is your day.
You’re off to Great Places!
You’re off and away!

You have brains in your head.
You have feet in your shoes.
You can steer yourself any direction you choose.
You’re on your own. And you know what you know. And YOU are the guy who’ll decide where to go.

So, those are some of my favorites. What are your favorites? Leave them in the comment box below.

As Always, Talking to You in Adult Terms

So, Did Gwyneth Paltrow Really Fail the Food Stamp Challenge

This post is written by the Kelly Royce Williams portion of OUTSPOKEN_DIVA personality. Please refer to the post HERE for further information about Kelly Royce.

Oh, America and her Food Stamps! Some feel she can live without them. Some say fighting to keep her on them. Some people are on the fence and are trying to understand how the system works and maybe fix the system. A few of those trying to understand the system take the Food Stamp Challenge.
Food stamp or SNAP challenge is a trend in the United States popularized by religious groups, community activists, and food pantries, in which a family of means chooses to purchase food using only the monetary equivalent of what a family that size would receive in the US federal government Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), colloquially called food stamps.[1] In 2012, this amounted to US$133.41 per person per month or $4.39 per day.
CNN reporter Sean Callebs did an experiment where he spent the month of February 2009 eating only as much food as what a person could get with the maximum possible amount of food stamps. Since he was living in New Orleans, Louisiana, this amounted to $176. At the end of the experiment, he said that he had eaten pretty well and that the biggest drawback was a social one, not a nutritional one because he could not go out to eat at restaurants with friends.
In June 2013, Donny Ferguson, the communications director for Rep. Steve Stockman (R-TX), attempted to counter the popular opinion that food stamp funds were not enough to survive on. He spent $27.68 without a shopping list or coupons or discounts and argued that at such rates, the government could afford cuts to the SNAP program as deep as 12%. He further argued that savings could be made by buying vegetables instead of rice and beans, advanced planning, and pooling of resources with a larger family stipend. Ferguson failed the challenge when he went 14% over budget. The items he purchased were highly processed, high in sugar and sodium, and included no fresh fruits or vegetables. Thank You, Wikipedia
While some criticize those that are trying to understand the system by calling them elitists, OUTSPOKEN_DIVA tips her hat to those who are trying to help fix the system. There is even a blog post (called Putting Your Fork in Someone Else's Plate) of me giving praise for even trying.

The latest person of influence to try to understand is Gwyneth Paltrow. She was challenged by Chef Mario Batali. Last week when it was announced that she was doing so I posted on Twitter that I do this blog and I am No Liar.

I looked at Paltrow's food buy and knew she was not going to be able to feed her family 7 days of a week on that. Paltrow is Not Jesus. But it was going to be interesting to see what she came up with. I believe that some fresh foods could be bought with food stamps. It is all about being educated about food pricing in my opinion. I think if not just food stamp recipients but all the American public was taught that it is cheaper to buy

a Bag of apples and cook them down to make applesauce instead of buying a processed squeezable product.

I think that if we all were taught Convenience costs are higher in making fajitas from preseason frozen than from fresh chicken.

All because I still remember when I was a preteen seeing someone buy an $80 cake for a 1-year-old's birthday party with stamps. I am still weirded out by that. Cake mix & frosting are so much cheaper.

I have to say though Paltrow didn't get to feed her family for a week on that bounty, what she did make looks very tasty. I especially like the black bean taquitos. The recipes are on her website. I actually don't think she failed completely. I will say she was wrong for eating at the Victoria Beckham event. That was clearly cheating. But she succeeded in showing it can't exactly be done. Her experience should show that the system is flawed. $29 (she spent under $25) a week for a family of 3-4 is not realistic. The food prices are rising and nutritional assistance benefits are not rising with them. It is easy to criticize and banish a flawed system instead of teaching and fixing it. But the elitists & lawmakers that sit and complain instead of experience and raise awareness are just as flawed.

Crazy that someone with the star power of Gwyneth Paltrow has so many of us talking about food stamps. Crazier to know if you think our system is flawed, take a look at the ramen noodles, doughnuts, and Kool-Aid the US sends to its territory, The Marshall Island (Here is the link). The craziest part is Mainstream Media will be onto something else within a blink of an eye.
*sigh*
Fix the System!!!

As Always, Talking to You in Adult Terms

Preparing for Easter (My Favorite Holiday)

It almost times for my FAVORITE holiday, Easter. If you are new to my blog, go read these blogs HERE & HERE and you will find out fully why Easter is my favorite holiday. I plan to be enjoying services at my church. They are having Good Friday & Easter productions this year. If you would like to watch both or either click this Link on Friday, April 3 at 7:30 pm or Sunday morning at 9:00 am. I hope you will enjoy it. I've been told we will be blessed.

Fun Fact about Me: Yes, that is me as a little girl with Deacon Easter Bunny after an annual Easter program. My Foundation church was a Baptist church that didn't shy away from adding a few Secular symbols to all holidays. If you noticed beside us are some palm branches also. There was probably a cross and a tomb behind us also because of the play that performed earlier. So, you can partially blame them for some of my quirky ways of celebrating Easter.

I have added more facets to my Lenten observances, this year. I grew up Baptist so, I didn't grow up observing Lent. Oh, what is Lent? Here is a definition here on Wikipedia. I didn't start until my second year in college. I shared a suite with two students that were Catholic. One day in their warning me about their increase in eating tuna they explained to me what was Lent.

Well, that year I decided just to sacrifice my vice at that time, Little Debbie Zebra Cakes. Over the years, I studied and incorporated more facets of Lent to my observances. A few years ago, I began going meatless on Ash Wednesday and every Friday leading to Easter. This year, I sacrificed two things this year, Soda & Candy.

I've sacrificed them both at different times but never both at the same time. I have to say my desires for them are lessening for them. Maybe these soda & candy devils will get the behind me for good. But my biggest incorporation this year was in my morning devotionals.

This year, I've been doing very well reading a morning devotion. During Lent, I decided to dedicate my reading solely to this season. The Lenten devotionals were very educational for me. I being a believer that believes the whole Bible (Old & New Testament) is the infallible word of God, loves when Biblical readings bridge both testaments. Most of the Lenten readings linked scripture from the Old to the New. Ok, for example, an easy one God provided a lamb for Abraham instead of him sacrificing his son, Isaac like God had previously asked him to. (Genesis 2:2-18) This incident is one of anticipation of God's sacrifice of his only son, Jesus Christ, on the cross at Calvary, for the world's sin. God's great love required of himself what he did not demand of Abraham. My Lenten readings were like that. I loved them.

Fun Fact about Me: When I was in elementary school, I thought (no one told me) Good Friday was a Baptist holiday that we took the day off to celebrate. Can you imagine my feelings when I learned the truth that my mother just didn't send us to school on that day because she was off? (The truancy laws were Not stringent when I was a kid so taking a personal day was common.)  

Also, this week, which is called Holy Week in the Christian religion, I am reading scriptures & listening to prayers that reference the days that guide us on the path Jesus took to the cross and in the morning he rose. Very simple prayers that acknowledge and thank our God for all that he went through on our behalf. Because God did not have to do it. But he did and he is due all manner of adoration for it.

Some time ago I told the Lord I needed a way for him to pour into me in new ways. God really showed out with this devotional. I am happy to add it to my life.

So, what do you do to "spiritually" prepare yourself for Easter? Observe Lent? Observe Holy Week? Other ways? Let me know in the comments.

Happy Easter to you all.
Remember Christ rose for us so, we should always rise for him

As Always, Talking to You in Adult Terms

Last Choice Speaks Up (Poetry Corner)

Ever had someone in your life that you think sometimes keeps you on the back burner until they need you. I had someone in my life that I felt was doing me like that. For a long time, I had a nagging feeling but I couldn't express my feelings without getting upset (still didn't stop me from expressing them). Also I couldn't pinpoint what or who I was being inched over for. Well in 2008, a significant event happened for this person's family. The person was very upset that two of their other friends were not available for them. They were considered family by the family so to that person, they should have been available. That person called me to express their frustrations about their other friends.

Poem is so old, its page came off the the pad

This poem came to me then. A few years later during a heart to heart, I read this poem to them and express my feeling without getting upset. That person then understood my feelings.

Last Choice Speaks Up

They left you in the cold

So, you need me

Cold and Alone

As usual you need me

Not your 1st, 2nd, 3rd, even 4th craving

But you need me

Can't have who you want

You need me

Hey, beats being by yourself

And well you need me

So you can vent 

And you need me

Your handy dandy Pal

You need me

Then you can forget about me

Until you need me

Of course, I'm always there

Cause you need me

Like it's my career

For you to need me

Like I Need You 

To Need Me

My Boycott List (Wine Brands Edition)

Yes, blame the latest news about wine and arsenic for this post. I'm trying not to smell conspiracy but my favorite, Cupcake is on the list. It doesn't increase my boycott list but I will pay attention so if & when brands start leaving the shelves, I won't be shocked. Oh my boycotting is not limited to just stuff I wear. I boycott lots of stuff.

Let's talk wine. I drink & cook with wine. But there are many brands I had to boycott over the years because they insist on keeping the consumer stupid.

I stopped drinking Moscato for a couple of years a while back. I had to take a wine tasting class in college so I was already a fan.

Now, you can call me boughetto, sophistiratchet, or a hood snob but you will never catch me swimming in a crowded public pool. As soon as Waka Flocka Flame said something about drinking Moscato or 'Scato, everyone bounced on it. I hopped right off of it. I let it's popularity die down for a while. Well, while it was still very liked, I noticed people posting on social media about drinking Red Moscato & Pink Moscato. I instantly knew the masses were about to be "Wine Ignorant". Then, I found the culprits.

Sutter Home, Yellow Tail, Bella Bolte, Barefoot, Gallo, & Beringer are responsible for making consumers of their products "Wine Ignorant". It is bad enough there are people drinking the wines and not knowing it is a dessert wine but this lack of knowledge is Not their fault. All blame goes to the companies. The proper names of the wines are Roscato and Rose' Moscato. Here are the descriptions of Roscato and Rose' Moscato. 

When I finally put 2 + 2 together, I decided that would equal Boycott!!! I refuse to drink any wine from companies that promote lack of information. Do these wine companies think the consumers are too dumb to learn the proper names? Apparently so. What if one of the drinkers of their Red Moscato or Pink Moscato tries to order those by those names in a restaurant? Oh it can happen because Roscato is served at a restaurant called Olive Garden. Here is the link. That would be embarrassing. It might have already happened. 

So, I don't drink any wines from Sutter Home, Yellow Tail, Bella Bolte, Barefoot, Gallo, & Beringer. Oh don't be confused with label that say Sweet Red or Sweet White.

Those are table blends that are not as bitter as the other red or white vintages. They are not dessert wines like Moscato, Roscato, Rose' Moscato. Those labels are good. Add Oak Leaf Sweet Red to your pot roast recipe and you will be a forever fan. 

I just don't like the masses being stupid. Companies that encourage ignorance should be ashamed of themselves. But they won't be stopped until lack of dollars stop them from teaching dumbness.

As Always, Talking to You in Adult Terms

My Boycott List Update (What I Wear)

Congratulations Target! You are off My Boycott List. I hope you left room for Revlon & Dolce & Gabbana.

From my favorite bloggers to friends, I've seen many rave about the newest Ava & Viv collection of in-store fashionable Plus Size offerings. Many are loving this maxi dress.

I haven't had time to shop it yet, but I will lift my boycott because I have heard not just favorable reviews on the clothing but that they are actually in All the stores. That was my gripe. I hate for brick & mortar stores to move certain sizes to online only. Again those who do such practices will Not get my money. Old Navy needs to talk to Target and get their act together.

But sad to say as I take one store off, I have to add a cosmetic company & a designer house. Revlon & Dolce & Gabbana have been added to My Boycott List.

If you follow me on social media, you knew that I already started my boycott on Revlon. Late December/Early January the news came out that Revlon's CEO made some very horrible statements about Jews, Blacks, & Americans
Revlon CEO Sued For Alleged Racist, Anti-Semitic And Anti-American Comments
Lorenzo Delpani, who is Italian, called Americans “dirty,” believes Jews “stick together” and he could “smell” black people when they walked into a room. He also hates living with Americans, believing they are “small-minded” and he can’t wait to return to a “real” country,” the lawsuit says.
The beauty company is standing by it's CEO. Well. I won't be standing by Revlon.

I like their products but my like is not worth fattening the pockets of someone with bigoted views of my race & my country. After I use up what Revlon products I already own, if they have not ousted their CEO, I will Not be buying any more. I just have one question.

Can he smell half of Halle Berry when she models for his companies' ads?

I love the scent Light Blue. I hate to know such dreadful ignorance is behind the making of it. Now, I am learning about Dolce & Gabbana views about gay adoption & in vitro fertilization.
Elton John Leads Boycott Against Dolce & Gabbana Over 'Synthetic Children' Remarks
You know I am not for or against gay marriage. I do know gay men who are against gay marriage. I know gay people who don't want children. I'm heterosexual and don't want to have children of my own. But Mr Gabbana's statements are repulsive. "We oppose gay adoptions. The only family is the traditional one." So, with some many decent & loving people wanting to take care of children, it is okay for children to be live in the foster care system. I don't understand why some places won't let single people adopt. Why is he against any decent person that would want to give a child a better life? Why is he limiting all the orphans in the world? Then if he was not repulsive enough with his stance gay adoption, he then starts calling people born via IVF "synthetic". "You are born to a mother and a father — or at least that's how it should be," "I call children of chemistry, synthetic children. Rented uterus, semen chosen from a catalog." Let me run down a few synonyms for synthetic,
artificial 
bogus 
dummy 
factitious 
fake
false
faux 
imitative,
mimic 
mock 
pretend 
sham 
simulated 
substitute
I hope one of Dolce & Gabbana's prized workers is a person born via IVF. I would love for Mr. Gabbana to see how real they are when he sees how the real impact those views can cause. And so much he knows all people born via IVF are not born in a "rented uterus" and from "semen from a catalog". Many are the children conceive from their mother & father with the aid of science. And to think being called a "Test Tube" baby was the worst insult I had ever heard when it came to the subject of In Vitro Fertilization.

People love to quote Scarface and say "Money, Power, Respect". Amazing how some of the people with Money & Power don't Respect the consumer until we Respect ourselves, snatch away our Money and show them our Power.
#BoycottOldNavy
#BoycottRevlon
#BloycottDolceandGabbana

As Always, Talking to You in Adult Terms

My Online Shopping Tips (What I Wear)

Disclaimer: I will not body shame or fat shame anyone in this post. I also will Not tolerate any comments containing body shaming or fat shaming in the comments below or in the comment section I personally share this post. Gross comments will be deleted. 

So an article on BuzzFeed came across my timeline on social media. Go Read What Happened When This Woman Ordered A Dress Online Captures The Online Shopping Struggle and come back. So this Chinese lady bought a dress saw on a celebrity online and felt like it was an example of why people need to be careful of buying online.

Their example maybe a stretch. The dress fell in a all the right places as it did the celebrity & site model. Now just because the website does not have it's own pictures of the dress on non-industry model size bodies is a matter of splitting hairs, in my opinion. No store shows what every clothing item looks like on everyone's body. I will say the intent of the article, I do agree with. "People Need to Learn to Properly Learn How to Shop Online".

I am a Proud online shopper. I do at least 70% of my clothing & shoes shopping online. Other than shoes & in-season items, I don't feel the need to try everything on. Physical shopping makes me frustrating. It's not the crowds and pushy sales people. Physical store are for trendy shopping. I don't dress trendy a lot. I am more of a classical dresser. I might buy trendy pieces to update a look but most of my base clothing are classics. It is mind numbing to me when I need a basic white blouse and black skirt

and got to a physical store to find it, What do I find? I find the seasons trends.

That's cute!!! I like the look. It is not practical for my life. Physical stores are not so catering to practical. I understand that. They spend a lot of their money from trends. They have to be sure they get those sold. All my classic pieces that I wear, I can Always find online. Here are my personal ways I use to shop & purchase online.

• I Research everything I buy online. This is my money. I work too hard for it to be stolen. I work too hard for not to fit the way correctly. I read reviews because customers can be brutally honest if a product is inferior. I also like to see where the bloggers that look similar me are talking about.
•  I Love to shop around before purchasing. One of the best benefits of online shopping. Who has the better price & value?
• I click on the Sizing Charts. All stores are not alike. At one store I wear a 1X. At another store I wear another size. All Brands are not alike. Take buying shapewear from a national chain for instance. Maidenform, Bali, & Glamorise may have different sizing charts.
• I keep a current records of your measurements. Even in physical shopping this should be done. At least every Spring and Fall (warm & cool) take your measurements. One can't keep trying on clothes like one does in the brick & mortar stores. Some online stores don't have brick & mortar stores to go into. Some stores carry collections that can't be tried on in person (Boycott Update Coming Soon) Having your measurements helps in making wise decisions.
• I know the store, the brands they carry and how you fit in those brand. JCPenney carries Worthington & St John's Bay. I wear those well. Walmart has Faded Glory & NOBO. Faded Glory fits well but NOBO does not. Tried on a Nine West shoe in a 6 1/2 M on at Macy's, it fit well. I see the very same shoes on Amazon's website for cheaper, what size do I buy? If you pay attention to your habits and preferences, it lessens a lot the guess work & headache associated with online shopping.
• I take Risks but don't pay for them. Trends, especially trendy shoes are risky for me. I have an average foot for my not so average body. As cute as many shoes are many of them hurt. I do Not believe in "Pain is Beauty" when it come to my feet. But when I do take the risk, I wait for sales and special deals. And there is always the clearance sections where many items go to before the season is over. 
• I sign-up for deals for every store I shop and will potentially shop. Many discounts are email to shoppers. Some stores send out their deals weekly. Also signing up make you a preferred shopper and preferred shoppers get deals in-store alos. Who doesn't like a deal?
• I believe in Coupon codes. Shipping is painful. I call it the gas prices of online shopping. Like gas stations each store's free shipping minimum varies. I pray for a good free shipping not based on the minimum codes. Many times there are codes to help your cost before shipping. I also use them just to lower the cost period. 30% off is 30% I can put back in my pocket. My favorite to use is Coupons.com. I get my grocery store coupons there also. Search the store's website codes also. And don't be so quick to close the pop-up window when first getting onto the site. Codes may be there.
• If it sounds iffy do Not buy it.

So these are the things I do keep me from looking like this chick from one of my favorite shows from the 90s, Living Single. She didn't have a mirror and had to depend on Regine, the sales person to tell her she looks good. Common sense would have told her to look at her bust and she could see those the top was stretching for dear life. That is the trick to online shopping, using your common sense. That is my top tip, "Use Your Common Sense". Hope I helped someone.

As Always, Talking to You in Adult Terms