BBF- All the cool kids have one

So while my twins were away the other week with the grandparents I did see Eat, Pray, Love, but for some reason I was hesitant to talk about it here and I wasn’t quite sure why. I enjoyed the movie well enough though I wouldn’t call it a rave. It was clearly a like and something I would see again once it comes out on video or on cable.

The scenery was lush and beautiful as I knew it would be, Javier was lush and beautiful as I knew he would be and Julia was lush and well, you get the point.
But the movie as I feared it would, did not live up to my love of Elizabeth Gilbert's book. The book (which this is part of its criticism) was a perfect escape from life at a time when I truly needed it and the movie somehow made light of that. Turning what were much more real characters in my head into caricatures.

Now my biggest problem with the movie which I had going into it as soon as I saw the trailer many months ago was the Viola Davis character of Delia who for the life of me I could not remember from the original. Where did this Black best friend come from and why is she suddenly in the movie when she wasn’t in the book? The book that sold millions and I thought was near perfect, but suddenly Hollywood thought needed a Black sidekick to what, throw us a bone to get us into the theater? I was insulted and continued to be throughout the movie.

I talked to my DH about this (probably more than he would have liked) getting into characterization and internal dialogue all trying to reason out the reason for this character. In the end I couldn’t do it. I didn’t need to be pandered to in that way. You see I would have seen the movie either way because I loved the book and Julia and well there was Javier.

And being a lover of good acting and people who know their craft I would love to see Viola in her own starring role which this Oscar nominated and Tony award winning actress deserves. It doesn’t matter that she is a Black woman, but me being a black women, yeah that would make me pretty happy too. So are you listening Hollywood? More money from me and I think more women like me if you just smarten up and get a tad bit creative and open minded.

But the bottom line is this….I am over the Black sidekick role. How long is this tired role going to be replayed because at this point Netflix is becoming my BFF.

For more on the BBF check out The Root here.

Love You, Love Me,
Kwana

Brilliant

image from here !





Love You, Love Me,
Kwana

Congrats or Not? NOT

So I’m just sitting down in on my favorite no frills on the water restaurants while my DH goes to order food after one of THE most stressful days ever when I feel a tap on my shoulder. So I turn and it’s a lady I know by face only coming to say hello. She saw me from across the restaurant and wanted to say hi and congrats on my being pregnant. WHAT? Stop the presses. Hold. The. Phone.


Now I have my issues with food and weight that I’m dealing with and this is not the first time I’ve heard this congrats line in the 16 years since I’ve had my twins and my stomach was stretched beyond the great beyond.

After I got a hold of myself I looked at the women and said, no baby here it’s just fat and she tried to cover by saying that she’s got weight to lose herself, but by then I was done. I could barely enjoy my food or my husband’s company (he had returned to our table by then and missed the comment but could see I was put out).



Part of me wanted to say to her what was her deal assuming something like that when she was not sure? What is it about people that makes them think that whatever is in their head can come out of their mouth and we should all be ridiculously food and body obsessed? Can we just get some manners or do I have to wear a tee shirt and label myself?



Maybe I could go couture with Gaultier?

Whatever. I’m going to try and not let it get me too down. When I left the house I thought I looked good, my husband told me I looked good so, I can’t let one comment ruin my self image.


Love You, Love Me,
Kwana

If Only

If only good old Bernarr was right in 1937 I could be pain free. But I'm guessing he wasn't because right now I'm on day 2 of what I suspect is a 3 or 4 day migraine that so far none of my prescribed meds are working out. This stinks because it's my week of FREEDOM. Oh well I can't have a little debilitating pain stop all my teen free fun. Must. Carry. On.






Love You, Love Me,

Kwana


Image from here

Freedom

This dedication goes out to me in honor of having a few days of Freedom without the teen twins as they are gone for a week with my Mom and Step-dad. I hope to take many luxurious baths and get lots of writing done. There be self imposed deadlines and challenges thrown down there. So I gotta get on that.



George Michael - Freedom '90
Uploaded by jpdc11. - Watch more music videos, in HD!

Oh and can we discuss how fab the women in this video still look 20 years later? Naomi makes me almost want to slurp down maple syrup and cayenne pepper (almost).

But I think Christy's route of yoga and meditation may be more enjoyable just check her out in this year's Louis V ads below. The woman is timeless.

Either way whatever they are doing is working for them. Here's to finding what works for me. I sure hope catch-up sleep and bubble baths count.

Love You, Love Me,
Kwana

Waaaa!!!

As a wife and mother of teens I have to come to the realization that at any given moment one or more people in the world are probably going to be pissed at me and I have to accept that that's ok. I can't make the world happy.

That said I have to figure how to still have The freaking (snort) Best Year of My Life while at any given moment I'm may not be having the best day.

How does one do that when they have to deal with a host of emotions from all different directions? I think the only answer is to say bring it on, then you take it in and then you have to let it go.

Sure it would be nice to put up your Wonder Woman deflector bracelets announce to your family and to the world, "sorry I'm not taking your emotional mess because I'm HAVING THE BEST YEAR OF MY LIFE", but we all no that's not going to work.

So you have to take it on, feel what you feel when the world of friends, family, etc. are feeling what they are feeling but somehow still stay on course with your plan to nurture yourself, love you and pat yourself on the back for being there and loving through all the Waaaas!

Love You, Love Me,

Kwana

top image from here

Not Passing By

The next time I pass a flower stand I'm not just walking by but I'm going to stop and treat myself.




This is a reminder to just do it. What little thing have you done for yourself lately?

Love You, Love Me,

Kwana

Love Your Best Life

It would be so easy for me to have The Best Year Of My Life if I could have a fantasy year like in Eat, Pray, Love one of my favorite books.

Hop a flight and just sort of check out and go off on a new and uncharted adventure and come back with a bestseller tucked in my Gucci bag, but, uh, that ain’t happening as there is a hubby and teen twins that are seniors in high school this year at chez Kwana and come 7:00 somebody would be getting mighty hungry and notice something was up.

So to help me deal with the desire to have the best year in MY reality I’m reading Debbie Ford’s The Best Year of Your Life (very slowly) and I have to say it’s an excellent book filled with Oprah like aha moments that say I have the power to make THIS life of mine better than ok. To make what it is, to me and for me, pretty great, well, at least good enough for me.

If you are thinking of going on your own Best Year Journey or have some things in your life that have been running you down a bit I say give this book a go.

Love You, Love Me,
Kwana

Big Jet Plane

This video from Angus and Julia Stone perfectly conveys my feelings today as I amble slowly around the house from task to task with Jack at my feet and now with the teen twins racing around I'm in a daze and currently in a strange haze. Yeah, my mind is in the air today. How about you?

Angus & Julia Stone - Big Jet Plane from TSL on Vimeo.

Wanna take a ride on a Big Jet Plane. Thanks to Black Eiffel for this video post.



Love You, Love Me,

Kwana

Nightly Joe

Care to join me in a nightcap? You'd me shocked up how fast I can go to sleep after this fully caffeinated cup of Joe.



What keeps you up at night. Is it the kids, hubby, bills, worry or could it be something more fun? Or does nothing come between you and those oh so important nightly zzz's?


Love You, Love Me,
Kwana