This Is My Life Episode 10 - REWIND!

Attitude of Gratitude

This year I am remarkably excited about the upcoming holiday season. I am not sure why this year seems to be so rich with possibilities of joy and happiness. Perhaps it is because I will be seeing my favorite niece and nephew. Maybe the idea of spending quality time with family that I have not seen in a long time and some members I have never even met has me feeling giddy! And conceivably it is because the holidays afford me another chance to sample my mother's fantastic cooking! I am pretty sure it is a combination of all of the above. And then some. Sure, this year has been a tough one for many of us. And we could complain and cry about so many things. Yet, here it is another year, another Thanksgiving to celebrate. So when you feel like all the cons outweigh the pros, stop and really think about what is good. It is the simple things like family, friends, shelter, good health, and your mama's cooking that you oftentimes take for granted. Think of where you could be if ... and then be grateful for not being there.

It's time to partay! And this Thanksgiving I am wearing my "attitude of gratitude." It fits just right. Let's all celebrate what is good and great in our lives! There isn't any time to spare. Smile, laugh, eat and be merry! And give thanks for that because that is plenty. . .

Love Life, Love Fashion!

This Is My Life Episode 9

American Pride

In February 2007 when Barack Obama announced his candidacy for president I thought to myself, “He’s black and he’s going to try to be the president?! He has wishful thinking”. To be honest, I didn’t think that America was ready to make such a big step. I mean, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. fought for this very equality just 40 years ago. And as a black American, I have had some experiences to confirm my skepticism. So on Tuesday, November 4, 2008 my eyes grew wide, a smile slowly spread, and tears slowly streamed down my face as CNN announced the next president of the United States of America to be Barack Obama.

I remember my dad and grandma who are no longer physically with me but I know they’re grinning where they stand about how far this country has come. I remember the stories told to me of my mother’s childhood. Her family is from Georgia – the south - where the brunt of racism took place. She would visit them for the summers and not be able to use the same restrooms as whites or eat in the public dining areas. Her grandfather was a runaway slave who never thought that the day would come where black Americans could vote, much less the country elect one. One summer my mom caused so much “trouble” by making her elderly grandmother sit in the front of the bus, she was sent home to New York early. My dad participated in the March on Washington of 1963 and heard Dr. King deliver his famous speech live.

I thought of all the black history that I have been a witness to in my short 28 years. When I was 14, Nelson Mandela became the first black president of South Africa. General Colin Powell was the first black American to serve on the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the first black American to be the United States Secretary of State. Condoleezza Rice was the first black American woman to be the United States Secretary of State and the list goes on. But never did I think that a black American would run my country in my lifetime.

I have to say that I have never been so proud to be an American. This country has truly turned a corner. We have fulfilled Dr. King’s dream. We have judged based on Obama’s competence, future plans and the fact that we were tired of the way things have been run for the last eight years. The color of his skin wasn’t the issue; the way he planned to run the country was. Today, I still smile with wide, tear filled eyes every time I see his face on the news or a picture of him in the newspapers. I have a feeling that my reaction will last for a while. President-Elect Obama has a huge job ahead of him, a lot of hard work, but my faith tells me that if we all work hard, things will get better.

This Is My Life Episode 8

When Opportunity Knocks...

Life should be about exploring opportunities, not missing them. At Sorta Kinda Enterprises, we believe that opportunities are the universe's plan to move us forward to the next level - a successive step in progress. Two years ago, Wilbur was inspired to send a custom gift basket to the pop superstar, Mariah Carey. Although he was sure that she received hundreds (maybe thousands) of gifts and offers, an appeal to collaborate on a philanthropic proposal, he felt, was justifiable. After all, her philanthropic work is of renown. Unfortuantely, it was not the right time for such an endeavor. But Wilbur believes that a collaboration of some type is inevitable. Last week on Good Morning America, the pop diva announced a contest. The winner would design a gown for her that she would wear for a red carpet event that would later be auctioned with the proceeds benefiting a charity fighting breast cancer. Another opportunity has presented itself. But this time, we need all of you, our readers and subscribers, to help us out. Below are links to the 3 designs SK Wilbur has created with Mariah Carey in mind. Please vote for your favorite by November 14. Just click on the image that you like best and it will take you to the voting site. And remember, when opportunity knocks answer the door WIDE.

This Is My Life Episode 7