Feline Life

I was reading a book (The Ambler Warning- Robert Ludlum) and came accross the saying "Curiosity killed the cat but satisfaction brought her back". Now that just made my smile very broad indeed!

Alright people, time of the year to make sure you're feeling your TATAS for lumps and bumps before you leave home with them pumped up! I know to some of you this is quite a foreign notion but if you don't know what to look out for, how can you know if there's something that's not supposed to be there? Go ahead and take care of them boobies :) Get curious about them and you might end up saving your life!

Let's Eat Cake

Another year is here

Haven't even thought about eating cake

I want some anti-aging eye cream

And perhaps a botox injection or two
Trying to slow down this process

Maybe I'll give Priscilla Presley some competition

But really what good will those do me?

If some soul searching has not taken place...

Have I lived the year as best as I could

Did I give of myself as much as I could

Deep thoughts and prvocative questions

Hmm... I'll by all means have some cake :)

Say what?

I got done getting ready and took one last look in the mirror and thought to myself "self, you look good tonight". Now if you're like me, you have those "ugly" days or days when you feel like even if God slapped a bow on you, you'd still look like sponge bob. (can you tell I'm not a fan of the yellow sponge that lives under the sea?)

Anyways, so the intention as I went on my merry way was not necessarily to turn heads but I figured a few compliments might be nice so wore my sensible heels, put on my favorite lip gloss in the car and touched up my mascara. The darn thing nearly took my eye out. Next time I'm in need of a weapon I might remember to use it. I arrived at my destination and everyone was in flip lops! Seriously! Did I miss the memo that this was a beach party? I'm talking dirty-half-worn-out flip flops! If this does not bother you, then you probably live in the Midwest!

Hanging out with a group of women looking like a bunch of thirteen year old boys is not my idea of fun times. Some people seem to think that in order to put the effort into looking nice another human being has to be the object of that effort. That just absolutely bothers me. Can I just do things for me just because it feels great? Or is that too selfish? It physically drains me to see women looking frumpy all the time. Can you at least pretend to care? Come on, live a little!

Routinization of Disaster

Click cluck click cluck
Goes the sound of her shoes
In and out just like that
Sense of urgency about what she does

"Be right back"
Click Cluck; there she goes again

Back in the twinkling of an eye

Listens, prods, touches, a smile!

Click cluck click cluck

Eight lives all in her hands

Fast bouncy strides she makes

You couldn't tell she wants to cry again

Bladder quivering
Dry as parched land

Not a moment to sit through it all

Finally to sit and chart it all

Dedicated to all the Nurses who bend over backwards for the people they are entrusted with, who endure the abuse and misuse the system dishes out and still manage to make it look like a glorified profession. Click Cluck On!

What is in a name?

Usually when I meet people for the first time, the conversation goes something like this:

Stranger: Hi, I'm  -----, it's nice to meet you.

Me : Hi, I'm Maxine, very pleased to meet you.

Are you ever tempted to use a different name? After all, you might never meet this stranger again. As you have guessed already, my name is Maxine. Maxine is an english name of Latin origin and the feminine form of Max and it means "the greatest". Uhm, how awesome is that? Hello! I was named after a Baptist Missionary who's service in Ghana was so exceptional that my parents fell in love with her servant spirit! I still keep in touch with her and she's like another grandma to me. Guess what too? She is a Nurse! I had no idea what profession she was untill my second year in Nursing school! Coincidence?

Now seriously though if you're African like myself, you know the the meaning of your name has a bearing on the kind of person you are expected to be in life and you had better live up to it. It always buffles me when people tell me their names because I immediately wonder what it means. I love being a Maxine even though it is a really old name :) Hopefully the name will make a comeback soon. I already have about 3 Maxine's named after me! Have you ever wondered if you would act or live differently if your name had been different than what you have now?

What do you think is in a name? Has your name had any impact on your life?

My Beautiful One

How lovely are

My thoughts of you today

As you go about

Your daily activity

There will be several voices

Some for and some misconstrued

Also many guesses

Concerning your value, true

Whatever is noble or kind

However mean or brush

Remember to not be confined

Or conclude in a rush

Keep your head up child

Shine and be a beacon

All your fears exiled

'Cos you're my beautiful one

The Burden of Representing...

Have you ever experienced role conflict to the point where you need a new name for role strain? Have you ever felt like you need to represent everywhere you go? Case scenario: you start a new job and you're the only black/white/asian/middle eastern/christian/young/old etc person in there. Everyday is a struggle to wake up, find your work gear and get your behind to work. Everyone has prejudices and stereotypes and so you feel the need to represent all black people whether African American, Caribbean or African. In that work place you have become the black person. In certain places you might feel the need to represent all women or all men depending on your gender.

I sometimes wonder if anyone has felt like that before. I remember back in college when they would talk about issues concerning Africa or black people in general and I'd feel like a million eyes were on me. I always felt like I had to push myself extra hard because I was the only dark skinned girl in a class of 60 students. Should I have been stressed out?

Growing up I was the pastor's kid and you know "you gotta represent!" You can't be like any of the "other" kids and throw a tantrum when you can't get your way. No marm, that is absolutely not acceptable. You had to be on your best behavior everywhere you went. No wonder some PK's (pastors kids) eventually cracked open and it was not a pretty site when they did!

Right now, I still am the single black female in a certain role. I see myself as older and wiser and don't feel the pressure to represent anyone but myself and ofcourse to bring glory to my maker. There are times when I feel the burden of representing everyone of the groups or roles which I associate myself with but at least now I understand that to be my best or for a certain defined role to bring out the best in me is not so bad after all :)

brainless

A tweet by Rick Warren went like this: Some people are so open-minded their brains fall out! I laughed for almost a minute as I tried to visualize opening up your mind and having your precious brain escape out of that insane asylum! I have a very active imagination. Almost every sentence I hear conjures up images in my mind. It is quite a blessing most of the time. Anyways, back to the initial tweet.

Is our society becoming too open minded that we embrace any and everything in the spirit of being the most understanding, the worldliest or the most learned? I sometimes wonder if half the things we accept are as a result of wanting to fit into today's world. We all know the world is fast becoming a global village but is this globalization costing us our values and morals?

Of course I want to be open minded. Actually, I am open minded but in the way that I want to love and serve without restraint and not compromise who I am. I know that in doing so, I allow others to influence me as well but I hope that in my contact with others, I would leave  a lasting and profound impression.

My favorite book says that everything is permissible but not everything is beneficial. In every single act you engage in, make sure you limit your freedom so that another person's freedom is not infringed on. As I've stated before, your freedom ends where another's begin.

So go ahead and be open minded but be careful you don't lose your brain or yet still that another's brain jumps into the space left! After all, garbage in, garbage out! Word!

excitement

As the title reads, I am way too excited to blog! My parents have been here since the 3rd and it has been such a blessed time! They rock my world absolutely! I have been reminded of His grace and mercies! The lyrics of this song sums up what I'm feeling! Thank You Lord!

I’m running back to your promises one more time,
Lord that’s all I can hold on to,
 I gotta say this has taken me by surprise, but nothing surprises you.


Before a heartache can ever touch my life,
 it has to go through Your hands,
 And even though I keep asking why,
 I keep asking why.

No matter what, I’m gonna love You,
No matter what I’m gonna need You,
I know You can find a way to keep me from the pain but if not,
I’ll trust you, no matter what, no matter what.

When I’m stuck and there’s nothing else by myself,
 I’m just sitting in silence,
There’s no way I can make it without Your help, I won’t even try it.
I know You have Your reasons for everything, so I will keep believing,
 Whatever I might be feeling, God you are my hope, and you will be my strength,

Anything I don’t have You can give it to me, but it’s OK if You don’t,
I’m not here for those things, the touch of Your love is enough on its own,
No matter what I still love You and I’m gonna need You

Kerrie Roberts =)

Discontent is the remedy to greatness

I get a little emotional sometimes. Okay, that is an understatement. I get majorly emotional when I feel like I am being treated unfairly. But that's just it. Feelings! They come and go and change our whole perspective on everything in life. I used to believe in people's ability to be and act fairly but I stopped a little while ago. People will always act in their own interest to the detriment of other people's interests. But as the saying goes, your freedom ends where another person's begin. So in exercising our freedom, we must be careful that we do not step on other people's toes.

I have come to realize without a doubt that my God is the only constant in this life! That is such a blessed assurance! I feel quite discontent in a certain area of my life. Without this discontent, I can imagine that I will be stuck here for a long time but thank God for it. I pray that I burn no bridges in the process because I might need those bridges someday! Quietly and patiently trying to forge a way forward :)