I Already Voted 4 Obama?

While trying to get people registered to vote at the 2^nd Street festival in early October (in 90° heat), it seemed as if everybody had the same statement embedded in their brains: “I already voted for Obama”.  This made me laugh and also very annoyed.  Here I am, hot and sticky, trying to educate people on the importance of voting in their local elections and all they can say is, “I already voted for Obama”. Excuse me while I laugh…again. 

            We made history in 2008 and again in 2012.  College students, celebrities, and the elderly (some who had never voted) came out in droves to vote in the presidential election.  I too, voted for the first time in 2008 and was very proud to be a part of that campaign through voting and volunteering.  But ask yourself, really, in these last 5 years, how much has really changed? How many of us sit back and blame Obama for his “lack” of leadership, rising gas prices, the economy, and every other gripe we have with our government?  Do you know why Mr. President has difficulty achieving some of his goals, especially the CHANGE we all voted for?  Because none of us care about our local elections.  Forgive me because this post will be a little lengthy but I need to educate some of yall. The President CAN NOT, I REPEAT CAN NOT truly help the country unless he has the support of the American people.  And by support, I mean going to the polls and voting for your local candidates who directly affect your everyday lives.  Put it like this, your church has a pastor, a board of trustees, deacon board, and etc.  This system operates with a head and then a supporting body to achieve common goals.  If your pastor doesn’t get along with the deacons…well yall know how that goes, he has no power in the church.

The election is on TUESDAY, November 5, 2013. I urge you to visit the websites below which will give you all the info you need to make an informed decision about who you want in office and which issues matter to you.  Remember, “local elections have a more dynamic impact on your every day life: tax rates, funding public schools, economic development, etc.” (thanks to my political advisor @tcoop32)  You can’t complain about your environment if you’re not going to do anything about it! It’s up to us to be the CHANGE we voted for in 2008 and 2012.  Let’s do our part and VOTE this Tuesday.

http://apps.washingtonpost.com/elections/guide/2013/VA/general/
Virginia State Board of Elections

Also, look at these cuties on Halloween.  And best celebrity costume goes to Tisha Campbell-Martin and Tichina Arnold (Pam and Gina) dressed as Tyra and Ms. Jay from Top Model

CrazySexyCool

Thousands (maybe millions) tuned in to VH1 to watch CrazySexyCool: the TLC story.  I mean, who didn’t love the chemistry, sisterhood, and notoriety that made T-Boz, Chili, and Left Eye one of the best selling acts of all time! Did you not, at times, think you were really watching the girls live? This film covered everything from alcoholism, to abortion and sickle cell disease.  But, there was also another story being told here, a story of determination.

You ever start something and when one thing goes bad or gets too overwhelming you just quit? We allow fear of failure to stunt our growth and doubt to mask our dreams.(Amen somebody?!) Fear =False Evidence Appearing Real (@tcoop32).!  Fear is cancerous when we doubt our abilities. Fear will eat us alive, slowly killing our ideas and weakening our character.  We’ve got to step out on faith and go the extra mile. Just because you have faced a few set backs, you can always pick right back up and keep going. Unlike a DVR, we can’t pause or rewind our lives. No one can edit your scenes and no there won’t be any reruns shown! Take a minute and Google your favorite person that you think is successful.  Read their biography, highlight their struggles, and I guarantee you, you’ll find that they never lost hope.  In spite of bankruptcy, illness, alcoholism, absent parents, unplanned pregnancy, even death, TLC never gave up. They never stopped reinventing themselves and they kept moving.  It’s never too late to start again. Some of us just need to GET STARTED!!!  Today is your day. Leave me a comment and let me know the FEARS that you will let go, today!!! #BeFearFree

“Im not invisible, Im right here”-Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes

-GrannyBee

One of my fav TLC songs:

Who do We think We Are?

Lana Michelle Moorer (MC Lyte) was the honoree on this year’s BET Hip Hop Awards.  Amazing woman, beautiful human being!  Her last words during her speech were, “If you want to be treated like a queen, ACT LIKE ONE”!  Those words took me back to Sunday’s sermon about knowing who you are, whose you are, and what you possess! 

We have learned to compare ourselves to others: we compare our physical features, finances, material possessions, and popularity.  I am guilty of this as well. I used to (and still do) look at people who I perceived to be doing better than me and think, why can’t that be me? I was constantly comparing myself to others and becoming frustrated when my life didn’t go as planned.  The comparisons only led to competition!  What I have found is that comparing myself to the next distracts me from my purpose.  When I competed for the wrong purpose, I came up short every time.

We all can’t be millionaires, rappers, world class athletes or Barack and Michelle and, to be honest, most of us couldn’t handle that life.  Instead, we should only compare ourselves to what we used to be (thanks Joe Budden) and to what we want to be.  We have to learn to love what we already have and we will have more to love!  As a child of God, I know that I am “fearfully” and “wonderfully” made (Psalms 139:14)!  It’s time we recognized that each of us has a gift inside, just waiting to be shared.  We should expect greater and live greater than our circumstances.  You never know the struggles or insecurities that chick with the coke bottle shape and 30 inch weave has, or what those guys buying bottles in VIP have been through.  Love yourself for who you are and what you are! Your biggest opponent is YOU!  And I leave you with the words of Janelle Monae:

“Even if it makes others uncomfortable

I wanna love who I am

Even if it makes others uncomfortable

I will love who I am”

-GrannyBee