I couldn't wait to get near my bookshelf, today. I read that Nobel Prize-Winning Laureate, Toni Morrison passed away at age 88 and I craved touching the place where my physical books were. Why? Because that is where my first & favorite work by Ms. Morrison is housed. I cropped this picture for privacy matters, but it still has my name written on the pages. My aunt teases me about writing my name on my old book. But hey, I went to school when folks would steal a book.
Most of the day, I remembered when I first read Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison. I was 17 and a Senior in high school. It was probably the most modern book a teacher had ever assigned to be read. I remembered quite a few scenes from the book. Like when the main character, Milkman walked against the crowd and when his oldest sister finally told him off. And who can forget when the family's inheritance was revealed. Then I thought about all the symbolism & life lesson in this tale. Self-worth is one of them.
I even remembered one of the assignments we did with the ending. Spoiler Alert! Song of Solomon ended in a cliff hanger. Our teacher had us write a "final" ending with up to 10 profane words in it. I put 10 cuss words in my ending and the teacher noticed. LoL A few years later when Morrison's Beloved was made into a movie. I was a little upset. I've read several of her works, but I had only cast Song of Solomon. Darius McCrary was to be Milkman & C.C.H. Pounder was his aunt, Pilate. I don't know who would be the characters now. Maybe Oprah could get behind this tale, someday.
Toni Morrison will be deeply missed. Her works were profound & magical. And their tones will linger on and on, and on. Rest Well, Beloved Laureate, Rest Well!
I bet I should wait to see if another story will come out but I'm going to go with these two stories as the shoes that have dropped. So, Macy's & Forever 21 are in the news for none other than for possible "body-shaming" it's customers. Not one of the stores who carry an abnormal amount of floral print A-line dresses in only one section. *insert shocked face* And not a store who doesn't even have a true plus-size section in each of its stores.
Macy's just removed a line of plates that had messaging that could've been seen a tongue in cheek or damaging. I who think society laughs at its pain a lot think the plates were both. The plates measured food on them with trendy messages like Skinny jeans, Mom jeans, and Food coma. And even though, I personally think American dinner plates are too large, these plates aren't any different than photo-shopping bodies on the magazines. It's passive-aggressive marketing.
They say it's an oversight and all sizes randomly got an Atkins weight loss bar. Many plus-size customers took to Twitter to complain about the sample in their Forever 21 online orders. I saw the news after Forever 21 released a PR statement, so I decided to sift through the complaints and finally found one from a non-plus size customer. It's common for companies to put samples in orders. I remember Just My Size(plus size underwear, shapewear, & comfort wear) would put Lanacane Anti-Chafing Gel samples in their online orders. But a company should pay attention to who they get in bed with. That rapport can affect their bottom lines.
Everything Has a Meaning! I think when people understand that they would watch how they present their statements. Say what you mean to say, but remember somebody is listening.
This is probably a boring title, but all others are possibly stereotypical or culturally ignorant. So, Boring it will be.
I love how cabbage is prepared in Caribbean restaurants. Though being a Southern American, I never liked leafy vegetables boiled with pork products. It decreases it of its benefits.
Low in fat
Low in carbohydrates
Contain an abundance of vitamin c
Lowers blood pressure
Packed with vitamin K
Helps to lower cholesterol levels
Improves digestion
Sauteeing & Steaming does keep more of the benefits. So, my discerning palate (don't like coconut oil) & dietary needs made the recipe suitable for me.
Caribbean Style Cabbage
Ingredients
2 tbsp of canola oil
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 small onion, sliced
3 sprigs of thyme
1 cup frozen mixed vegetables (carrots, peas, corn)
1/2 a head of cabbage, sliced
1/2 scotch bonnet, minced (or use 1/4 tsp of chili powder)
1/4 cup vegetable stock or water
1 tbsp of butter
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp allspice
Directions
Heat the oil on medium heat then proceed to saute the onion, garlic along with the sprigs of thyme until soft and tender.
Add the cabbage, mixed vegetables, and scotch bonnet, fold, and stir. The pan may seem overcrowded but the cabbage will reduce as it heats through.
Continue to stir and fold until the cabbage reduces in volume, this should take up to 5 minutes.
Once reduced, lower the heat and add the water, ready for steaming.
Cover the skillet with a lid and steam for 15 minutes (10 minutes or less if you want crunchy cabbage).
Remove the lid and season with the allspice, black pepper, butter, and salt to taste and stir.
Serve accordingly.
Now, I want some cabbage, a beef patty, and a Ting. There is a nice cookshop in my path on my way home. I may pick up a plate. This is why I usually eat before blogging about food. LoL
I asked you guys on Instagram, what topics did you want me to debate and Alcoholic Beverages was one of them. Here is the kicker, I'm not a major drinker. I can't even truthfully say I am a social drinker anymore. I can be in social events(even Brunch) and won't drink. And have a great time. But I will voice my opinion, anyway. Because these hot takes don't tell themselves.
Whoever made this meme deserves a full arm hug from me. Yes, a hug with Both arms. I don't understand the love for Hennessey. Why are folks willing to over-pay for mediocrity? Previously, I thought because I don't drink dark liquor straight but preferably with Vanilla Coke was why I didn't. So, I tried it by itself. And I stayed baffled. At least the price tag of Paul Masson says it's from JC Penney. It doesn't play like KG is favored quality. But if y'all want to give Henn, Ted Baker praise, praise on.
Speaking of cheap, I don't understand wine brands changing to twist tops. Twist tops cheapen the look of the bottle in my opinion. Recently, I saw that Cupcake replaced its cork and it broke my heart.
Cupcake is one of my affordable favorites. It's just like the brands that have the names Red or Pink Moscato on their labels and not Roscato or Rouse Moscato(Who surprisingly enough have twist tops, also). Bring the consumer's knowledge of the product up. Don't dumb yourself down.
And we all are trying to live a Champagne live. But let's tell the truth. Champagne taste like salty wine with bubbles.
Yes, I said it. I can't begin to imagine what "Swill" Sophia Petrillo created. Because even the "good stuff" has slight saltiness in it. But I won't be too opinionated about champagne. It does taste great in mimosas, poinsettias, & bellinis And those are nice drinkable items during brunch.
Finally, let's talk about this peer-pressured social past time with drinks called Shots. I wished shots were Never invented. The song by LMFAO & Lil John is good.
But I can't remember a time where I've had one & foolishness like N&V, falling & reenacting BBD's Poison video like I have good knees has not occurred. And nobody before ordering shots asks who would like one. The shots buyer comes back to the table and expects (demands LoL) everybody to take it. Shots need to be shamed out of popularity, point-blank period.
Y'all can come in the comments and give your opinions about alcoholic beverages. I will ban you from the blog if you slander;
Vodka Punch
Moscow Mules
Paul Masson & Vanilla Coke
Amaretto Sour
Pinot Noir
Pinot Grigio
Oak Leaf Sweet Red Blend.
And the ban will be forever and ever. LoL, No it won't. But please if you do drink, Drink Responsibly!!! I Care that You Live.
Time to answer your questions. And this one is a doozy.
Q: Do you believe in Light Skin Privilege? Have you ever used it to your advantage?
A: I hate Colorism. There are several posts on here stating my disdain. If you have been with me from the beginning of this blog you know it goes under my belief, "Massa Really Screwed Us Up". And I do call it out when it comes up in my presence. I have an older relative I will stop mid-conversation if colorism comes up. And yeah, I do believe "Light Skin Privilege" exists. But I have never purposely used it to my advantage. I hate the fetishized conversations that some like to have when "complimenting" my lighter skin. I'm not exotic.
I'm a Black American. My family's story has slavery all through it like most Black Americans. Also, my Light skin perpetuates many to assign me as a "Good Girl". I remember the first time I heard, "I know your cute light self ain't cussing. You're supposed to be playing nice". That adult didn't say crap to the girl, who was darker that was cussing also. Back then I felt non-human. Wonder what lesson did that girl learned. And of course, I have seen the lingering pain colorism has affected others. My sister & I avoid this one cashier's line when we grocery shop. She dotes on my sister's light brown eyes & my skin color to the point she starts self-hating herself. That's no advantage. It's heartbreaking to see & hear.
So, why would I ever use my light-skinned privilege to take advantage? It Hurts!
Thank you for the questions. I can't answer them without you guys. And if you ever have questions you would like for me to answer, send them to C.OUT.SPOKEN.DIVA@gmail.com. And I will answer them.
I do be bored. Being on a dating app is just part of the game for me. I humble females. And Miss "CuteandReady" needed to be taken down a peg. We were supposed to meet earlier this year, but I had a wreck. I tried to follow her on IG and she came into my DMs and told me off. Something about me having her phone number didn't give me the right to find her all over the internet. I decided to take the high road & be silent, but she declined me anyway. Then her dating profile went away, too. She came back a few weeks ago after a few months. I sent her a hello and she told me I must be bored and went off again with her words. She was right, but I couldn't let her know that. Somehow I begged for a second chance at a first impression. I called or texted her every day, I think. Then finally after a week, I told her I wanted to meet up. She picked a Starbucks not far from either of us. I get there and she was there with her book club.
Fellas, if a lady ever tells you "I Pay Attention", you might need to check if she does. I told "WaitOkayGo" that, but this player didn't listen. He may have had a wreck the first time we were to meet, but that is not the whole story. He asked me out but was silent every day until that day. And I only found out about the wreck, because I was running late. Two days later I didn't hear from him, I deleted his number. A week later he found my IG. I told him off once. I think I told him everything cliche "diss" except, "I ain't no back burner chick". And He still tried to follow me 3 more times after that. And yes, I took down my dating profile. I only online date twice a year, for a month. It amazes me how engaging some people are online, but will pass you by offline. It's strange. He may be the answer to my amazement. So when I came back to the dating site, he hit me up. I gave him a 2nd chance and he communicated with me well. But many times I let people naturally tell me what I need to know. In his ramblings, he mentioned he's just bored online & scrolls and laugh at how serious some of the ladies were at finding love online. That struck a nerve. So, when he said he wanted to meet up, my serious behind and I decided to protect our hearts but hurt his feelings. And he didn't even stay & pull up a seat. Just Rude!
I was busy on that day. That is also the day I "founded" my business, 15 years ago. So, celebrating that took precedent. But you guys know I have enough for you also.
There will be an addition to the blog. Poetry Corner will be a partner called Prose Corner. I write short stories of many genres & moods from time to time. One day, I remembered writing short stories with my high school friend, Kim (I need to look her up. Wait, I saw her grandmother in Walmart once and gave me the stink eye. Maybe I should leave her be.) about our celebrity crushes. (I think they call that Fan Fiction, now.) And now I am inspired to release some of my adult age writings. (I said some. When I leave this world, 1 of 3 certain friends will release some of the unreleased works. LoL I know they will.) I can't wait for your "feedback"
Happy Blogiversary to Thoughts of an OUTSPOKEN Diva. Here to many more posts. And Thank You for Reading It!!!
