Laura Scott : My New Shero

I have blogged about this hot button topic before: to have kids or to not have kids. Well writer Laura Scott has blown the lid off of couples who choose to remain childless in her new book "Two is Enough: A Couple's Guide to Living Childless By Choice".
The writer clearly states that her maternal instinct never kicked in. I admire Scott for that alone. Not every woman is a nurturer, nor desires to be. This does not make Scott a monster but someone who knows her limitations.
I also like the fact that her husband was in total agreement. I look at husbands and their wives and wonder how many of them if given the chance to do it over again would make the choice to have children. A former friend of mine was always too worn out from being a working mom with 2 kids to have any romantic time with the husband. I'm not saying they had a sexless marriage, but there were no date nights, no weekends alone, no spontaneity. Scott stresses that conversation about whether or not to have kids needs to be done before the vows take place. What baffles me is that there are women and men who don't even bring up the subject of children during the dating stage, and then act all shocked and surprised when after the vows their now spouse scoffs at the idea of kids.
Girlfriends and Sex and the City took on this subject very well. Joan had fallen hard for sexy Brock and was ready to marry him only to find out he was not interested in starting a family with her. Carrie on SATC also fell hard but for a fiftyish artist who had already raised a family and was not interested in starting another one at his age.
There are other factors listed in the article which play a factor in a couple's decision: economics, careers, leisure interests, etc. Let's face it as cute as Shiloh, Zahara, and Nahla are, their asses are expensive. Fortunately for them their parents have money and can hire help with the kiddies when it's time for them to go to a premiere, or jet off to some exotic locale to make a movie. We average Janes and Joes can't do this. Finding a sitter that you trust enough to leave your kid with for 2 hours so you can catch a movie at the theatre and not wait on Netflix to release it is a feat in itself.
Feedback please people. I love your comments and if you want to read the article I based my blog on, here's the link:http://www.aolhealth.com/healthy-living/relationships/childless-by-choice.

Who The Hell Does This Judge Think He Is?

Regardless of what your personal opinion is, the judge in the forefront of the Beth Humphrey (now McKay) and Terence McKay case was dead wrong. In case you aren't familiar with the story, this is the judge who refused to marry the interracial couple in Louisiana. He claims that interracial marriages are wrong and always end in divorce.That is out right ignorance. Look at all of the same race couples that divorce. Another thing the judge said is that his main concern was for the children. Ha!! His main concern is not seeing yet another one of his precious White Queens settle down with a lowly Negro? Sound off below in the comment section!!

People Who Don't Pray

I was watching The View today, and the ladies were talking about this man who was kicked off of a flight for praying out loud and being unruly. Barbara made a comment and said that she does pray before flying and that it's the only time she does pray. I have always known Ms. Walters was not a spiritual person. I remember her clearly stating that she does not believe in a heaven or hell so that spoke volumes. I do find it disconcerting that someone of her intelligence, and a woman whom I often wanted to emulate (pre Oprah) for her journalistic skills, from all accounts does not believe in God. It's funny that this should be in their hot topics, because I prayed at length about the trip I will be going on , my luggage, my pet who is being boarded, etc before hitting the sheets last night. What is your take on prayer readers, and do you in fact judge people (in your head) who freely admit they don't pray at all?

Pet Peeves:What R Yours?

I am the Queen of the pet peeve. I have several: people not listening to me, not responding to you when you greet them, talking on their cell phones (loudly) in public places, slow drivers, etc. A lot of these pet peeves were born from my days in the retail industry where rudeness runs rampant. A fellow church member of mine gets heated when people come to church late. I'm not talking a mere 10-15 minutes late, I'm talking walking in after the service has been in session an hour or leaving before it's over. I want to know what your pet peeve is, and how you deal with it. Do you let folks know when they are "peeving "you off (HA!),or do you just suck it up and deal with it?

Paying For Companionship: Is It Just A White Woman's Game?

Tyra did an interesting show today on women who pay for male companionship. Now this does not have to include sex, but it can if both parties consent. I believe a weekend with this one guy was five grand. One lady who puchased his services said that she was a single mom with a high pressure career who had no time for romance,so a dalliance was all she wanted anyway. Of course she wasn't Black, but the question I pose to my chocolate covered sistas is this: would you or have you ever paid for it and what do you think of a woman who does?

Movie Review: I Can Do Bad By Myself

Tyler Perry is constantly criticized by the black bourgeoisie for his portrayals of our community on the big screen. I often ask myself what is it people find so offensive about him. I get that his films are not on the same level as Spielberg or Scorsese, but what's wrong with films with a clear Christian message, no nudity, and very little profanity?

In his latest ,Tyler touches on the story of April a hardened nightclub singer who is forced to take in her orphaned niece and nephews. Taraji Henson in another starmaking turn plays April and she cements herself as the actress to watch as far as Afro American leading ladies go. She has the uncanny knack of playing someone unlikeable and selfish, but yet sympathetic enough to make you care for her. Adam Rodriguez, who is best known for his work on CSI: Miami plays Sandino the handyman and boarder who falls for April and helps her to see the value in caring for family as well as him. Needless to say the chemistry between the two of them is one of the main reasons the film works.

Another I must say is the casting of the young actors who play April's kin. Hope Olaide Wilson is the standout as Jennifer, the sixteen year old who's lost a mother to drugs and is left to look after her two younger brothers (portrayed by Frederick Siglar and Kwesi Boakye). One has health issues and the other has special needs. Wilson is a strong young actress and held her own with Oscar nominee Henson in each scene they shared together.

Singers Mary J. Blige and Gladys Knight did well in their supporting roles, as did Pastor Marvin Winans. The character of Madea was in the movie along with Uncle Joe briefly, but not long enough to tick off the viewers of Perry's films who find his antics as the pistol wielding grandma buffoonish and tired. I am personally not offended by Madea, but I felt the story did not need her. Taraji and co. did a perfect job all on their own and I for one vote this as Perry's best work so far!

My Passion

My passion is writing. It always has been. I like to make up stories in my head and at one time dreamed of writing for television. Shonda Rhimes and Mara Brock Akil are two sisters who have hit the big time in Tinseltown by creating images of black people you don't normally see on network television. Even though my life took a different turn, I use my blogs to help quell the beast who still longs to write for a living. Who knows where my life will take me? I have applied at Tyler Perry's studio here in Atlanta in hopes of working myself up to becoming a writer's assistant on one of his features. I will keep trying because God knows that I am a creative individual who would be lost without her blogs.