LifeWithKaishon asked, "What do you enjoy most about being a black woman?" This may sound totally ridiculous but I love the color of my skin. I love that in the summertime, I turn a darker shade of brown. I love that as a Black woman, beauty comes in all hues. I admit that there are times when I stand out in a crowd, if I'm the only black person around but I don't view it as a negative but a positive. I hope that what I emulate is a confident, friendly, well rounded lady who doesn't mind joining in. I'm proud of my heritage. I have Native American Indian on both sides of my family, German, Irish, and Jamaican, to name a few. I don't mind at all being a part of this huge melting pot. "What preconcieved ideas do you think many people have about black women?" I'm not really sure what preconceived ideas there are but I know what I am not: I'm not an angry Black woman. I don't have a problem with White women dating Black men (or vice vers...

Bless his heart....a young guy was at the cash register when he struck up a conversation with me. "Your name is Simone?" he asked. "Yep, sure is," I replied. "Do you know what your name means in Spanish?" he asked, testing me. "Sure do. It means, "right on!" I replied. I hated bursting his bubble but I had heard that so many times while growing up. People were constantly telling me the "meaning" of my name. I went on. "You know, my mom didn't name me that because of the Spanish meaning. She named me after the French version." He didn't take long to digest that one. "So are you Mexican?" he asked. "Uh, no, I'm Black." "Serious?" he asked, looking totally shocked. I walked towards the door. He yelled back, "Where's your mom from?" I smiled and said, "From the U.S." It got me thinking about the many times I'm asked what I am. Have you ever had anyone come ...

1) Where has Nutella been all my life? I can eat it with a spoon...forget the banana or pretzel sticks! 2) In N Out Burgers does not deliver to Oregon! 3) Living close by to a bar and grill makes for a very restless, noisy night. Thursdays are the longest nights of all - karaoke night. They sing until 2 am. 4) When Single Boo is talking on Skype using her webcam, I should NOT go into her room unless I am completely clothed. 5) Brand new tires cost a lot of money considering they are nothing but rubber and steel. I wish there was a such thing as a lay away plan. 6) I get weirded out when someone asks to befriend me on Facebook and I have no idea who they are. 7) I think deep fried butter is taking junk food a little too far. 8) The best pictures are those that I see when I don't have my camera with me. 9) I will not spend 95.00 again on an oil change. I will learn how to do it myself. (Do any of you ladies change your own oil?) 10) Spiders love hanging out in bathroom drains. What h...

I now live in a TOTALLY different environment. I used to live in the land of plastic. Plastic surgery that is. I was a minority, not because of the color of my skin but because I hadn't had a boob job, a chin lift, veneers or lap band surgery. The majority looked down on those that weren't size 5 and below. The majority were ages 50 and up. The majority wore designer clothes, mainly golf attire even if they didn't golf, their husbands did. The majority weren't worrying about the money they spent or how many times they ate out each week. I didn't fit in. I wasn't a part of the majority. When I moved here to Oregon, I immediately felt embraced. I looked for the plastic and discovered that paper or carry your own bag, was the way to go. I discovered that thrift stores were eclectic and fun. I discovered that a good cup of coffee was better than sitting in a country club talking about retirement plans, any day. I discovered that wearing shorts, tennis shoes and a sw...

When I was a kid, my grandmother, being the social butterfly she was (hitchhiking with strangers to share the Gospel) met four sisters who held church in their home. What was intriguing about the four is that none of them had ever married. They actually had a baby sister who had married and divorced and a brother who had also married. They all played a role in their "house church". One of them played the drums. (Imagine a lady in her 50's behind a set of drums). Another played a keyboard while another sang. One of them was the "pastor". Their church was open to anyone in the neighborhood that wanted to worship. There was a couch and folding chairs (if there were more than 5 people there.) My grandmother was faithful to attend and when one of us was too sick to go to church with my parents or we just didn't get up in time, that's where we were....at the church of the four sisters. They also had vacation Bible school at their house. The ladies weren't ...

Joanna at The Fifty Factor has given a challenge that I'm going to attempt to try. The challenge is to list 84 things about myself and to challenge other bloggers to do the same. I hate to talk about me but it's a challenge I can't refuse.....here goes... 1) I had my four front teeth knocked out when I was 4 from hanging upside down from a pole. 2) I hate dentists and would rather have a shot or give blood. 3) My first daughter was almost born in the car. 4) I love caramel apples and will bypass the apple just to eat the caramel. 5) I eloped in my first and only marriage. I regret that I did. I wish that I had had a big ceremony but then, it didn't last so maybe it was for the best. 6) My fingernails grow really long without even trying very hard. 7) I learned how to cook when I was 8. I've been cooking ever since. 8) I never took any art classes yet, I am told that I'm a very talented artist. 9) My favorite cartoon to watch is the Flinstones. 10) I can eat cra...

1) Chilling comes easy when the weather is JUST right. Sam has the right idea. Go outside, sniff the air and then relax. 2) I've never felt so far away until I heard that my daughter in California had been taken by ambulance to the hospital after fainting and hitting the pavement, not once but a few times. I wanted to fall apart when I realized how impossible it was for me to be there for with her but then, realized that she has a great husband and is in good hands. (By the way, after stitches and tests ran, she's doing much better.) 3) The most irritating sound is the sound of my dogs licking their feet. I mean, why do it for 20 minutes without a pause? 4) What signifies home for me is find the local library and getting my "official" library card. 5) Why didn't someone tell me that there are huge spiders in Oregon? There was a hobo spider in our house and I about jumped out of my skin. Not good. Not good at all!! 6) I really can live without television. Single Bo...

I don't know if I've ever mentioned that I've written not only poetry but also some songs with my ex (before he was my ex)...some have been published and others still sit, waiting for an opportunity to be uncovered. Some may never be uncovered. I realized that I have put some things on a shelf that had value to me. One of those things is my passion for writing not only stories but songs and poetry. I am finding the spark again. I feel it slowly igniting once more and there's the excitement coming right along with it. Years ago, 1987 to be exact, I wrote this one... Meant To Be You're everything I've always wanted, my every dream come true you've brought about the magic in the love I have for you. You're my sweet and smelling aroma like the fresh breath of spring you're my strong, harmonious music note, in every song I sing. You're my hope and inspiration, and so much more to me I've come to this conclusion, that we were meant to be. You'v...

I have heard someone say, "Live like you're dying". Single Boo reminded me that we are all dying, minute by minute because this life here on earth is just a moment in time in our forevers. I didn't realize how locked into things I had become. For instance, for years, I've loved the color, cobalt blue. In fact, scattered throughout my kitchens in each place I've lived, were my cobalt blue dishes, canisters, resting spoons, bakeware, etc. (You get the idea, right?) Then, there was a chair that I had fallen in love with. It wasn't an expensive chair, just a comfy one that I often used by my easel. It was my kneeling chair. I grew used to the sounds of the houses I've lived in, the people in the neighborhood and the stores that I shopped at. But, I've learned that it's not bad to let go of what seems like normalcy. Normalcy can often be construed as a crutch or a security blanket. It can hem a person in to not wanting to explore further outside to ...

If I had been told three years ago that once again, my world would be turned upside down, I probably wouldn't have believed it. I longed for stability and honestly, boring. I wanted nothing more than to find my happily ever after story and live it out until the day I died. That's not what happened. The first mistake was when I fell head over heels in love. I forgot how to be afraid to love and fell head first. I pushed away the nuances between us. My deal breaker list was thrown out the door. In plain simple words, I settled for what became familiar. Familiar wasn't comfortable to me at all. In fact, it went against many of my own "must haves" or "must not haves". I discovered that I was going through this thing called life, holding my breath. I feared saying the wrong thing, doing the wrong thing and even being myself. I saw him angry. I was afraid. I heard hatred in his voice and little by little, I began to feel the courage to leap. I prayed for a sig...

I'm here in Oregon and loving it. The next post won't be as lighthearted as this one as I explain some of the how's, why and what's that a few of you have asked about. In the meantime, here are the things I've learned.... 1) Dramamine works wonders for dogs. My two endured a 18 hour drive and not once did they barf, pee, poop or attempt to fly out of the car window out of sheer cabin fever. In fact, they were the perfect traveling companions. 2) Living across the street from a pit bbq place can either be a bad thing or a good thing. It all depends on how you view it. (Btw, they have karaoke nights on Thursdays...I WILL be there!) 3) Never buy an air mattress from a thrift store. Apparently, they don't test them before they sell them. I was just thankful that it wasn't a life raft floating out to sea! 4) I was so happy to have internet once again that I almost kissed the technician. (I said, "almost"). 5) Dogs love Lunchables, Chex mix and cookies. ...

There are words that appear in a cloud over my head like a comic strip. Here are those words... Love Leave Learn Let Go Leap I have loved much of my life here in California. There have been some tough times that even blogging wouldn't do justice. Aside from being unemployed, I've had to Let GO of things that I hold close to me because the lack of money and because it was time. One of those things that I Let Go was my piano. Have you ever had something that you know is an object yet, it heals and restores and quiets you? That was the piano. The good thing is that I know deep inside my heart, that I will one day have another and I will once again make beautiful music. For now, it's bringing joy to another family's hearts and that makes me happy. I am Learning that all relationships aren't forever. I'm having to let go of a love that has been a part of my life for three years. I know in my heart that it's for the best. But, with Letting Go of that love al...