MarriageTwenty-four years ago, a friend of mine gave birth to a beautiful brown baby girl; a brown baby with cheeks not dissimilar in appearance to sweet cinnamon rolls and a pair of eyes that shone like polished pearls. I first met this summer child – Londyn* – when she was six. I had no children […]
GH2013Kwaku Sintim-Misa (KSM) is an acclaimed actor, comedian and talk show host. Last week he invited me to appear on his long-running TV program, the KSM Show. You’ll be proud to know that I kept my cool and resisted the urge to gush for a full six minutes into our conversation prior to taping. Though […]
GH2013Me: Hey, y’all! I’ll be going to the North this month! I’ll be taking a bus and I… Person A: Wouldn’t you rather fly there instead? Me: Of course I would. Person: A.1: So you are going alone? Aren’t you afraid? Me: Well…Of course I am. I’m terrified. Person A.2 & beyond: Hmmm. Let’s pray […]
Marriage“Should I have sex with my husband when I’m fasting?” The question was delivered to me earnestly, without forewarning or a natural segue. At a recent book reading, I mentioned to the room that my husband is a pastor (which is passive and has different connotations than the title Pastor’s Wife) and I woman with […]
GH2013I don’t think this year of return thing is good at all. It seems like more focus is being put on the Ghanaians come from abroad, and we who are here are being left out. Like that guy – the (Steve) Harvey guy came here and went to the dungeons and was so upset. Me, I can tell you I’ve been to Cape Coast (Castle), Elmina…when I enter those dungeons I don’t feel anything.
The South African SeriesRemember I told you all a few months ago that months ago that the family was moving into a century-old Dutch style home? And how excited I was because I know that the original builders never could’ve imagined in 100 years that my big, Black arse would be living in the lodgings so comfortably with […]
MusingsNiggerati: A blending of the words ‘nigger’ and ‘literati’, coined by unrivaled African American novelist, anthropologist and filmmaker, Zora Neale Hurston. Last week I received an email inviting me to participate in a literary initiative targeting young readers on the African continent. The person who referred me is a woman I’ve yet to meet, but […]
MotherhoodBesides, a boyfriend isn’t what she’s really after. What she wants is social acceptance and external validation…which is normal for a person her age. On some level, we all crave this.
The South African Series“As whites, we don’t teach our children about apartheid. For us, it’s not important. But the Blacks…they make sure to talk to their children about apartheid. All the time. It’s the complete opposite.” I had the opportunity to make a new acquaintance in George on Friday night. As I’ve explained on numerous occasions, the demographic […]
Let me tell you about how I got scammed at an Ohio based Marriott hotel/restaurant. Have you ever been scammed by someone in the food or service industry? If so, you can identify with that snowed under feeling you experience when you realize what/how/WTH happened. It’s painful. That’s the most adequate way for me to […]
MusingsMOOOOOOMMMMM SQUAAAAAD!!! I’m mad excited. Can you tell? Some of you guys know that I am the co-founder cum co-creator of a li’l blog that could called Adventures From the Bedrooms of African Women. This year marks our 10th anniversary of bringing the world a peek into the lives of women of African descent on […]
Do you suffer from Diastasis Recti? Has childbirth left your belly looking like it got a 50% score on the attempt? Do you have so much muffin top that people mistake you for a walking Pillsbury ad? No? Then you can skip this post. The rest of you, follow me to Bellefit.com! I’m 9 years […]
“Destroy a man’s soul and they will destroy each other.” – Judge Perry, Bolden It is unlikely that you will hear much fanfare or discussion around the newly released Bolden, a biopic that centers on the life of once-famed cornet player Buddy Bolden. Once dubbed King Bolden, the man credited with inventing jazz died in […]
Have you ever woken up with a start, heart pounding and mind struggling to catch up with your thoughts at dawn? Of course you have. There’s no way you’ve made it into adulthood without experiencing a similar episode. What was it that jolted you from your sleep? A mountain of bills looming on the horizon? […]
MusingsA few days ago, the term “skincare product” was trending online for the simple reason that digital denizens deigned that it must be so. Reliably, mixed in with actual (and helpful) skincare product reviews and suggestions were hilarious proposals. Some of my favorites include: Ronke Lawal is a British PR management and image consultant who […]
MusingsToday is Pi(e) Day! I always feel an intense pang of disappointment – bordering on anxiety – when anyone reacts to this salutation with a flummoxed “Huh”? The glazed over eyes, the furrowed brows and wrinkled noses all serve as a reminder of my evangelical failings. The inadequacy in my fervor in sharing the gospel […]
MusingsI’ve been having strange dreams lately. (And no, Tia, it’s not the gin.) Over the course of the past eight days or more, I’ve dreamt that I’ve engaged in acts that range from the unspeakable to the bizarre. When I eventually find a therapist, I will share those details with him/her. You might not be […]
MotherhoodMothering comes in various stages of learning to unlearn to relearn. Isn’t that what the woke, young folks say these days? “We gotta learn to unlearn…” Whatever. As I type this I am sitting in a bar with a splitting headache. It’s * checks phone * 9:47 am. I’ve ordered a margarita because it seems […]
Madness“You really think I care if some funky fourteen-year-old doesn’t like me?” So, you’re probably wondering how I got here. Those of you with kids can imagine the plethora of scenarios that led to me screaming these words by the marshy shores of a South African lake, but for the sake of those not blessed […]
MusingsEvent: I goofed Time: Feb 22, 09:30 Who is the first group of people you’re advised to approach whenever you have a new idea/product/thing that you want to share with the world? Come and get your cookie if your answer is “friends and family”. For us dreamers, friends and family shoulder the unenviable task of […]
MarriageI started visiting a new church in the city we’ve moved to. It’s as different from Shack Church (our previous house of worship) as peanut butter is from humus. Both creamy, both legumes… and those are where the similarities end. They both have their merits, depending on what you’re looking for. In this new season, […]