Keeping up with the Huxtables

Giving To The Needy, Fasting...All One Big Show?

2011-03-11T14:23:00.004-05:00

I wanted to share with you two very powerful Bible scriptures that I have come across a few times in my life, but most recently truly effected me. This isn't a religious blog, so like always, I will discuss a little on how one can apply it to their life regardless of who they believe in.

The scriptures are Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18

Matthew 6

Giving to the Needy

¹"Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.

²"Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. ³But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, ⁴so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

Matthew 6:16-18

Fasting

¹⁶"And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. ¹⁷But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, ¹⁸that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

Both of these scriptures remind me of how much as people we tailor our actions in order to please, be rewarded by, or for the attention of other humans. These scriptures really stand out during Lent season, a time where people are sacrificing, fasting, and working on their relationship with God. A lot of people have decided to fast simply because those around them are doing it, and they want to prove to others that they can be strong. They are totally not focusing on why they are fasting, but what they are fasting and displaying it for everyone to see. This is suppose to be a 40 day journey with you and God, not a spectacle for all to see.

During Lent it is also a time for service to others, but are you giving and doing service so that others applaud you, or are you doing it out of the kindness of your heart? Are you comfortable enough that you can do service in secret?

This scripture really speaks to Lent; however, it applies on a daily basis. Are you doing other things in your life "for the people", or for yourself? Do you simply do things to get attention and for others to praise you? Are you stuck trying to live up to expectations of other humans?

I think hands down really reading and understanding these two scriptures can help you put into perspective your reasoning behind the things you choose to do. I think it is important that you concentrate more on the actual goal you are trying to accomplish, and not who is watching. You will come to realize that who is watching holds little importance in the long run. Also, those who are watching can hold you back from what you are truly trying to achieve. Remember, people are not Gods whom we have to dedicate our lives to pleasing.

I am glad God is helping me to understand this...I fall short often.

-The Socialite

Lent Season...Tis the Season to Sacrifice

2011-03-09T11:01:00.004-05:00

It is crazy how God has given us so much, and how we expect so much more, but we find it hard to sacrifice for only 40 days, or refuse to. For everyone who has decided to sacrifice something for these next 40 days, you are in my prayers. During Lent may you decrease, and he increase. May your relationship with God grow stronger. It is listening time! :)

If you aren't religious, during a random amount of days, you should still try giving up something. You might discover a lot about yourself. Sacrifice and discipline shows you strength you never knew you had; comfort keeps you blind to it, thus keeping you in the same place.

Think of Lent season as a time where you are going to an Island away from all of your normal distractions, allowing you to spend more time relaxing and focusing. For many that will be focusing more on their relationship with God. If you are not religious or spiritual, think of it as a time to discover more about yourself. :)

I am doing the Daniel Fast for Forty Days:

Click here to read more on the fast...

God Bless,

The Socialite

LIVE It Into Existence

2011-02-22T08:43:00.003-05:00

People can end up spending their entire lives WISHING they could do all of the things they dreamed of. They sit around and picture the life they COULD live, but end up either taking forever to bring that picture to life, or never do. WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? Whatever you want out of life you have to LIVE it into existence.

You must wake up everyday and start living exactly how you wish to live. What does that mean crazy lady? How can you live something that hasn't come true yet? I will give you a few examples:

1. You want to be famous. So start acting like it! Put yourself out there. Increase your twitter and facebook presence, blog, vlog, etc.. There are tons of ways to start building a brand for yourself, and with technology you have no excuse on coming up with ways to get your talent out there. Wake up everyday and do one thing that gets 10 more people to know who you are. That is a very small goal for someone who wishes that millions of people will know who they are. Are you waiting for them to discover you? Noooo make them discover you.

2. You want to be married. Start acting like a wife!! Make a goal to make a new dish every week. Stop partying every moment you get. Start hanging out in spots where you can meet guys that share your interest. Start working on your patience in dealing with another person. Test it in as many ways as you can. You have to start training for the perfect wife position now...not later. AND stop stop saying you will never find a man. You never will because you are putting that energy out there.

3. You want to save the world. So at what point do you think that can start happening? Do you think you have to be Oprah with millions of dollars to do so? How selfish of you to say you want to save the world, but you want to wait until someone saves you by giving you success first. START TODAY! Every week come up with one way to give back. Sign up to volunteer somewhere. Save the world one person at a time through small ways...

The point is that unless you start living out your dreams today, tomorrow will continue to seem so far away. Why do we chase our dreams instead of just grabbing them by the neck? Why don't we just claim whoever we want to be right now?

Ill start: I want to become known for helping people live their best lives just like Oprah, in as many ways as I can. To tell you the truth I have no clue what way will bring me the success I want, but all I know is below is how I have started:

1. I blog and share my life lessons with people.
2. I write for other blogs increasing my presence to more people.
3. I tweet inspirational messages and work to increase my followers everyday.
4. I mentor for young girls every Saturday, and even took on a leadership position as volunteer coordinator to increase the amount of work I do to help.
5. I remain happy and strong as often as I can so that I can hopefully pass my energy on to someone else.

These small things bring me one step closer to becoming the person I want to be known for. What are you waiting for?

-The Socialite

5 Reasons Women Should Slow Down When Dating

2011-02-18T14:27:00.001-05:00

Check out my 1st published article on hellobeautiful.com

"5 Reasons Women Should Slow Down When Dating"

Woman are always in a rush to declare someone their “man” or “boyfriend”. After a few dates, we quickly determine that the guy has everything we are looking for, and immediately go on a mission to make things official. Why are we in a rush?

Could it be that once we meet a guy and think he’s one of the “good ones” we have to lock him down first before someone else does? Is it out of fear that we might not run across another “good one” again? Do we think it is the only way to get them to be exclusive with us? I know what it is, we can’t wait to become official so we can declare to every other woman that “HE IS MINE”. Maybe we simply don’t want to be alone.

If the answer is yes to any of the above questions or statements, then we are seeking titles for the wrong reasons and maybe way too fast.

What would happen if we stopped trying to quickly give our “relationships” titles, and we spent more time getting to know the person and having fun?

More often men date with no real expectations at first, so it allows them to simply have fun getting to know the person or just enjoying the moments in general. Women on the other hand want to make someone their boyfriend or man so fast, that they are no longer even concentrating on the person. It is like they determine as much information as they need to know on the first date, and he is already “the one”.

Click here for the link to the original article and the 5 reasons you should slow down:

http://tinyurl.com/6bdbusl

GirlTalkLeaks: Purpose

2011-02-16T15:30:00.003-05:00

ShyahD: So I think I'm at a crossroad re: my career (dramatic but serious). Do you think there's a direct correlation between your purpose in life and your career?

The Socialite: I think everybody dreams of connecting their purpose in life and their career. It is a dream come true to wake up and feel as if you are fulfilling your life purpose and getting paid to do so. While I think that there are some people who are living out their purpose through their careers, there are many people that may never be able to connect the two depending on what their purpose is. I don't think that everyone can. If you feel your purpose is helping kids then maybe you can be a teacher, but what if what you think your purpose is doesn't translate into a specific career? I guess that leads to the question, is passion the same thing as purpose? I think that without a doubt you should connect passion to your career.

ShyahD: I don’t think passion and purpose are necessarily the same; I do believe there will be passion in the purpose. We can have many interest and many things we're passionate about, but your purpose is that gravitation, that force, the thing you do without thinking, the thing that works out effortlessly, because it's in the will of a higher power. While many never tap into their purpose, there are some fortunate enough to eventually find a way to bring everything together. They’re able to marry the passion and career to the purpose. I was thinking about this last night because I'm passionate about so many different things, but they aren't all correlated. I want to find the common denominator that links it all.

The Socialite: The interesting thing is that we are apart of a generation who wants to embrace every aspect of our purpose, combined with passions and make money at the same time. Generations before us didn't really have the means or the opportunities to sit back and discover their true callings. They had to do what made them the most money to support their families and many times their passions and small hobbies were brushed under the rug.

We have an advantage as a generation to truly embrace what makes us happy and to fulfill our life purpose in the right ways, but it is a gift and a curse. The above is the gift, but the curse is that it leaves us confused. I don't how many people I have talked to our age who aren’t a little confused about what it is they are suppose to be doing in life. As a result, everyone feels like they are behind or they feel all over the place as they jump from opportunity to opportunity, never truly building a career in any field or area.

I sit around everyday either praying, meditating, or simply talking to God, trying to figure out how to make my passions into a career. The crazy thing is, like most people these days, I have so many passions but I don't know how they translate into a career. I know one of my biggest passions is helping the youth like you, but I am not ashamed to say that I also want to be successful financially and I know there is very few dollars behind work like that. I am so lost at times...sigh.

ShyahD: I was having a discussion about passion/purpose awhile ago with one of my mentors and he mentioned that sometimes people try to focus in too narrowly on their purpose. He said it should be general but specific to you, similar to a company's mission statement. So your purpose in life can be ‘to positively motivate and inspire young people’. Therefore, everything you do in life should someway positively motivate and/or inspire youth whether your a teacher, author, marketing director, whatever it may be, your work should reflect your purpose. I thought it made a lot of sense and it helps to give your life direction. Before I embark on anything I ask myself why?(am I doing this) and how?(does it align with my life goal/ purpose)

The Socialite: I love that! I think that we all (this includes our readers ) should sit down and think about our life mission statement. It would be a good idea to also write it out and maybe even hang it on your wall. After you know your life Mission Statement you then try to figure out what you are passionate about and how to turn that into a career, hobby, or volunteer opportunity, all while making sure it goes a long with your mission statement. One thing that I am starting to come to terms with is not being afraid to take on an opportunity or do work that you might not be so passionate about to survive financially, but at the same time understanding that while you are working at this "job" that you can always work on your passions on the side, and at any moment it can lead to a career. Also, not being afraid that it will be too late to start the career of your dreams. It is never too late as long as you continue to embrace your passions everyday. Eventually if you are working at them hard enough something amazing will come out of it.

ShyahD: Writing out your mission statement, hanging it up, sending yourself weekly reminders, all that is necessary to keep us centered and balanced. Another thing I believe is we are already living out our purpose, whether we realize it or not. That's why I loved your idea of the Basket List. We have these unique connections and experiences for a reason. There's a reason I went to Howard University and there's a reason I joined Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. I believe all these small things will come full circle. They're all small pieces to that big picture. So remember what you accomplished, reflecting on these unique experience can aid in identifying future opportunities that can take you to that next level, whatever that next level may be.

The Socialite: Agreed! Basket list, mission statement, bucket list, praying, meditating, all these things simply mean that you are taking time out of your day to focus in on what you really are here for. I think if people take at least a few hours out of the day to focus on their passions, either by doing one of the above things or actually carrying out the passion, you will move a lot faster towards connecting purpose with passion, and actually carrying them out. Most of the time people become so frustrated with connecting everything that they just push it all away and give up, and then regret so many things later on in their life or they’re never truly happy with what they are doing. I say carrying out and focusing on your passions start today, whether it be in a big way or small, and most importantly make sure that while you are focusing on your passions that you don't focus on what everybody else has to say. We live in a society that pushes success and so many people are watching and criticizing that we lose focus on what makes us happy and instead we try to make others happy.

ShyahD: Couldn't have said it better!!! Society also defines success by material possessions. It would be unfortunate to reach the end of life with fancy toys, but never identifying your purpose. I think purpose, passion and career can all be directly associated. Embracing your individuality will bring you closer to finding and embracing the correlation between the three.
e three.

-The Socialite and ShyahD

Stay tuned for more leaks from inside Girl Talk!

CashKyle - "I Did It Again" (Prod by PaBO Put-A-BeatOn®)

2011-02-10T11:36:00.002-05:00

Check out the song "I Did It Again" by this dope kid from Philly. I feel as if tons of guys can relate to the concept of cheating in a relationship, but the girl taking them back. I love the mellow feel to this song.

For more songs from CashKyle: cashkyle.com

Wale - The Breakup Song (Extended Version) Howard University!

2011-02-10T11:04:00.002-05:00

Here is the extended version of the video in the last post. This extended version really shows the "500 Days of Summer" concept from beginning to end. Again Howard University Stand Up!

Wale - The Breakup Song (Extended Version) from Walu M on Vimeo.

"The Break Up Song" by Wale ...Howard University Stand Up!

2011-02-10T10:16:00.003-05:00

Check out the new music video for "The Break Up Song" by Wale. Shout out to Howard University and their beautiful campus. A special shout out to Howard University Alum Carmen Coffee for the role of the "girlfriend". Also, shout out to HU Alums Omari Williams and James Hogue for their appearances in the video as well.

I wish that the video was a lot longer, but I love how they used the "500 Days of Summer" concept. Dope! #KeepingUp

Daydreaming and I'm thinking of You...

2011-02-09T15:17:00.004-05:00

Do you ever sit back and daydream about what your life might look like in the future? On my long rides home on the New York subway I drift off into another world. For 30 mins I am not sitting on the dirty seats of the train, I am in my future. It seems so clear to me. At times it seems silly that I am so lost in my daydreams, but the dreams feel so real.

I sit there and imagine my career, family, friends, trips, and anything else that pops into my head. I can see so vividly a world that I have not yet reached. Will it come true? Will my daydreams one day become my reality....yet still dreamy?

I can't help but wonder if we daydream hard enough can we make it all come true? They say there is power in words. They say there is power in believing. I guess there can't be any harm in dreaming.

I think just like many have suggested that we write out our goals or paste them on a poster board so we can visually capture our goals, I think that we should all become lost in our daydreams for a moment out of the day. Take time to picture where you want to be, and really see yourself actually living it out. It is one thing to paste a picture of a big house that you want to live in on a board, but it is a powerful thing to actually see yourself walking, laying, and sitting in that actual house.

It might sound a little crazy, but I think that if you dream of the life you want hard enough and often enough, you will truly start to believe that it will happen. When you believe hard enough, I can testify that there is indeed power in doing so.

So in conclusion, I believe that Daydreaming can lead to believing in your dreams...and believing has always led to things coming true.

So I encourage everyone to daydream....and today finally become lost in them. Believe in them....

-The Socialite

"Love Repair" [EP] - Special Valentines Day Edition

2011-02-09T13:25:00.000-05:00

Miss Mykie is releasing "Love Affair" Check it out!!!! Keep Up!

Miss Mykie, Paul Wall, Kirko Bangz, Papa Reu - Burn It Up

2011-02-09T13:20:00.002-05:00

I love it!!! Behind the scenes of the Burn it Up Video shoot for Miss Mykie featuring Paul Wall. I can't wait to see the final video. Will it get the "Keeping Up" stamp? ;) I love this girl.

Millennial Effect - Answer The Call

2011-02-09T13:10:00.000-05:00

Check out this dope new Marketing Company as they help you Keep Up!

Millennial Effect - Answer The Call from The Millennial Effect LLC on Vimeo.

LE DOUBLE NY - Kept it G (Director's Cut)

2011-02-09T12:58:00.001-05:00

Please check out this video from LE Double NY! I love the snippet of the song and the production of the video. They get the "Keeping Up" stamp. Check out more videos from him on youtube.

GirlTalkLeaks: The Wedding Blues

2011-02-08T14:21:00.010-05:00

The Socialite: So why does it seem like the wedding blues is in the air? I feel as if everyone around me is getting engaged, married, or having children. At 25 I feel so young, but I can't help but want what others are experiencing.

ShyahD: Yeah I agree about the weddings/engagements bug. It's exciting. A few years ago I felt like everyone around me was having babies and I was thinking OH NO! But this wedding thing I feel like I could get with it. 25 is relatively young, but we have also entered the 25-34 age range. That's where the marriages and engagements start happening, so we are really feeling it!!!

The Socialite: Yeah I am trying so hard not to start worrying about when someone will propose to me. I have this timeline in my head on when this whole dating, engagement, and marriage thing should all go down, and with it happening all around me I can see myself becoming fearful that it won't happen to me or at least when I want it too.

ShyahD: Well with all the statistics they throw in our face about Black women, and the lack of black men etc etc., being fearful that it won't happen is expected. What is it they say? 1-in-4 women will get married. That's not promising.

The Socialite: Right and of course you want to be optimistic and think that you are the 1 out of 4 women that will get married. You can't help but wonder if you are simply the rule and not the exception.

ShyahD: True. Some people aren't meant to be married and they'll still live happy fulfilling lives…me on the other hand... marriage is in my picture of a happy fulfilling life. So of course I have to be an exception. The thing is, I want ALL my friends to be an exception as well.

The Socialite: Right!! When women talk about having it all, and it simply includes having a successful career, I can't help but think that alone does nothing for me. I like looking at my mom for example and reflecting on how she succeeded in her career and raised a family. It may sound a little cliché, but I truly want the whole white picket fence, two kids and a damn dog life, of course with a new age twist. I have to have a banging career!! So just like I am taking the steps to have a great career, I feel as if I need to be taking the steps to a great marriage. Are their steps, or do we just sit around a wait? Sigh...sometimes I wish I was a man. They simply ask when they are ready.

ShyahD: I don't think there's set steps. Back in our grandparent’s day I think people got married and together built life, i.e. the wife couldn't survive financially without the husband, vice versa. In our day I think you work on being the absolute best person you can be and you bring two fully competent individuals, two whole people into marriage. So no we don't sit around, we live life, gather experiences, work on our careers and well wait. Men control that aspect of our lives SMH…well God controls, but you know what I mean.

The Socialite: lol I know what you mean...I agree! I think that the main thing that we should do as women is concentrate on becoming the best woman that we can be. But I also think that we can't be dumb. Like we can't just sit around our house all damn day hoping that the man of our dreams shows up at our door (I mean of course that excludes the mailman if that is apart of your dream) We have to position ourselves.

ShyahD: LOL!! @ Mailman.. We definitely have to position ourselves, but we can't be too "successful" we'll scare them all away. SMH (and that's me being completely facetious)

The Socialite: I agree! Basically we need to work on ourselves all around, but we also need to make sure that we aren't so focused on simply becoming a powerhouse that we don't take time to do the normal activities that lead you to interacting with people on a more social level. We must make sure that we are also putting equal energy into hanging out and meeting people. But you have to be strategic about it. Go to places where the type of guy you are looking for would be. Oftentimes women our age only hang out at the clubs and wonder why we keep meeting losers. Duh, you are meeting guys that are simply trying to have a good time that night and maybe take a girl home for some fun. We need to start going to church, charity events, joining organizations, art galleries, wine tastings, happy hours (on wall street that is lol). You get my point! Be where "HE" would be. Go places that really interest you and you will meet someone that shares your interest.

ShyahD: AGREED. Broadening the horizons. Meet new people, especially because the "circle" can be so small we have to expand the circle, go to different places, and do different things. Another thing I've been thinking… a little off topic, but I am trying to shift the weight from constantly thinking about “marriage marriage marriage” to asking God to find a LIFE PARTNER. Marriage, as important as it is to me, is more politics. While it is a spiritual commitment, the reality is marriages fail. They’re built on all the wrong things, they're forced, rushed, etc. etc. I want a best friend, companion, lover, business partner, confidant, travel partner, husband all in one, like real genuine love that becomes a commitment before God in the form of a wedding.

The Socialite: Awwww sounds so perfect! The crazy thing is that most people think it is impossible to find all of that, so they rush into pure bullshit. You can really get all of that if you ask God and actually listen! I think that what is really important is that while we all sit here with the wedding blues that we take into consideration everything that we are looking for in a "Life Partner", and understand that God is working hard on you and your partner in order for this to truly work for a lifetime. Some people find their "Life Partner" earlier in the game, and some don't find them at all because they were simply looking for a ring. We must understand that it is okay to take your time.

Shyah: YES! Everyone’s life moves at a different pace, we learn lessons at different times; we'll experience true love and get married at different times too, so remaining patient and hopeful is key. So next time a friend gets married or engaged, in all of our excitement for them, in the back of our minds there should be peace that ours is ON THE WAY, oppose to fear that we'll get left behind.

The Socialite: Couldn't have said it better! It is normal to get the wedding blues. As women we always have periods in our lives where we feel a little bubble forming in our stomach out of fear of something, but we must quickly get over that small fear before it takes over our lives and we block the blessings that are coming out way...in this case it would be a wonderful Life Partner coming into our lives.

You might already know your Life Partner or they could be connected to the circle you are already in. Link up with a few childhood friends or plan little parties where friends can invite friends. You might just meet or already know "The One"

-The Socialite and ShyahD

Stay tuned for more leaks from inside Girl Talk!

What Up Doe? Detroit Was Keeping Up During Superbowl!

2011-02-07T11:36:00.004-05:00

The Chrysler 200 "Motor City" Super Bowl Commercial makes me so proud to be from Detroit. This commercial gets the "Im Keeping Up" stamp. I loved it so much I wanted to share it with my readers!!!

"Off Topic"...

2011-02-07T11:14:00.004-05:00

Check out the introduction video to a series called "Off Topic" that has just been accepted into the Texas Black Film Festival. "Off Topic" brings together young African American adults to discuss different issues effecting the African American community. I am excited that I will be one of the stars!!

Check out the video and then head on over to No Pounds website to find out more about No Pounds Entertainment, the production team that put this project together.

Hopefully you will see this series on a television screen near you ;)

Milk + Honey Presented by Executive Producer Idris Elba

2011-02-02T13:19:00.005-05:00

If you haven't heard already of Milk +Honey produced by Idris Elba, starring Lance Gross, Faune Chambers, Bryce Wilson, Debbie Allen, and Asha Kamali, you are in for a treat! It's the story of four women in LA "navigating the smoke and mirrors of Hollywood as they go after their dreams."

It is also produced by a production company called Brown Paper Dolls. The founders include Dana Gills, Asha Kamali May, and Jeanette McDuffie (Spelman, Howard U & FAMU grads)

Milk +Honey is a scripted series that will be seen on all platforms (web, TV, mobile etc)

Take a look and let me know what you think. The production team and list of stars already gets the "Im Keeping Up" stamp. I hope the team of HBCU grads and their project inspires you to follow your own dreams!

Keep Up!

milk + honey series trailer from brown paper dolls on Vimeo.

Guest Blogger Series: How to be FLYY | Winter Edition

2011-02-01T13:18:00.004-05:00

Having lived on two coasts we FLYY girls have had to learn about dressing for every type of weather. As the current inhabitants of the East and West coast we would like to offer imkeepingup readers with a few staples that are necessary for winter in whatever city you may be in.

On the West Side: For most California residents winter is something that is synonymous with cute hoodies, cardigans,and great denim. While we may wish for coats and the type of weather wearing donning a fur isn't seen as pretentious we are most often exposed to a mixture of sunshine, wind, temps topping at 70 and maybe some rain.

On the East coast: Temperatures call for materials that are thicker, coats that are heavier, and shoes that are meant for rain, snow, and maybe a little ice. Below we've included some winter options for FLYY girls everywhere.

Cool & Chic can work for either West or East coast winter by just adjusting the layering underneath these staple pieces. Jeans (pictured: Citizens Of Humanity -Thompson) are always a go to for staying warm as they can go on top of long-johns and be worn alone. These boots (pictured: Report Side-tie Boots) are a great option and can be worn with jeans, leggings, and even skirts accompanied with this season's choice for outerwear, the cape (pictured: Topshop Military Cape).

The Haute Hunter look is most likely something a West coaster would wear considering the parka (pictured: Topshop Pac-A-Parka) is not heavy for made more weather that consists maybe more than a little bit of wind. These just below the knee boots (pictured: Steve Madden Perrin) are something you would typically see worn with leggings or jeans but they are paired here with another season favorite, the tapered/skinny sweatpant. (pictured: Topshop Cargo Skinny Joggers)

Make Em Sweat: Sweaters are the prime option for staying warm during winter, but just because it's cold does not mean you have to forgo wearing your favorite item, a dress. This sweater dress (pictured: Annie Greenabelle sweater dress for Topshop) is thick enough to get away with on a nice winter day free of snow or rain. Pairing it with a pair of knee high wool socks (pictured: All Saints Heavy Hand Knit socks) will ensure your legs are warm are you're still flyy. Complete the look with a pair of boots (pictured: Steve Madden Briidge) that are made for walking and you have the perfect sunny winter day look!

This winter make sure you stay FLYY and warm!

L.Camille & CourtneyNicohle

- Ladies of FlyyCoast2Coast

To Keep Up with these ladies:

flyycoast2coast.wordpress.com
http://twitter.com/FlyyCoast2Coast

A struggle to Keep Up...

2011-01-25T13:18:00.003-05:00

What is it about blogging that has everyone across the world wanting to be apart of it? Is it the natural love for writing and being able to share your thoughts with hundreds without having to worry about getting your work published? Is it the fact that tons of bloggers are making money off of their blogs and people see it as an easy way to make money while sitting on their couch watching re-run episodes of Friends and Fresh Prince? I won’t fail to mention the fact that you can blog about any and every topic there is out there from celebrity gossip to eating bugs. Whatever the reason, blogging is one of the biggest things to happen to the internet, and for me it has been rewarding.

Every time you look up you probably see a new blog popping up in your Facebook news feed or someone tweeting a link to check out their new blog. The issue isn’t coming up with a blog idea (or taking from the thousands of blogs out there); the issue is after a few months coming up with content to keep you going.

When you first start blogging you dive into it. You spend hours coming up with the perfect design, you come up with all of these cool ways to market your blog, you research the best ways to connect with other bloggers, and your blog post ideas are flowing out at a rapid pace. You also make sure to allot enough time a day or week to make sure you actually take the time to post. Things are looking up, people are commenting, and you are sure that this moment will last forever.

What happens when this moment passes? What happens when you get writer’s block and you lose the energy you once had? Your blog becomes another URL address lost on the web.

I have been going through that lately. When I first started my blog it was simply therapy for the lost of my mother. The art of simply writing was therapy enough, but the fact that I was writing about issues, current events, and people that affected the African American community, was even better. I can remember winning my first award, receiving tons of emails saying how great of a job I was doing, and spending hours coming up with my next post idea. But then I started a new job and lost my energy for blogging. I also took for granted that blog ideas would always just come. I realized that a successful blog was a job in itself. I also lost my passion for simply sharing my thoughts about our community, and got it confused with the desire to make a big time blog.

I have now come back full circle, and realize that I must go back to my original passion for blogging. I must channel back to the girl who lost her mother and simply wanted to talk about issues that matter most to herself and her mother.

To my fellow bloggers:

I am not sure what reasons you have for blogging, but I encourage you to stay true to the original passion you developed for blogging. Write about things that you know and matter most to you. These are the type of blogs that people will appreciate. It is just like writing a book. The best way to connect to your readers is them seeing that you are truly connected to what you are writing about.

In my journey to continue to keep up…I lost sight of what that truly meant…

-The Socialite

Dorothy J Channel Intro

2011-01-06T13:34:00.000-05:00

Take a look at this intro video of a young lady who hopes to inspire people to join together and help change the world through one vlog at a time. Also check out the DorothyJChannel to see more of her inspirational videos. These videos will not only inspire you, but you are sure to be entertained. Fam I think she is trying to give me a run for my bid to be the next Oprah. We both can do it I guess! :)

NAACP chapter installs its first white president

2011-01-06T11:25:00.004-05:00

A NAACP chapter in Aiken County installs its first white president. As I set and read this article I couldn't help but shake my head in disagreement. It didn't make sense to me that a white man could possibly be able to lead an organization that fights for the rights of the African American community. I also thought, why do they always have to come into the things that we created for ourselves, and take over?

I continued to read the article, and it stated the amount of work that Philip Howell, Aiken County's new president, put into the organization throughout the years, and the high level of support that the other members give him. It started to make me think; does it matter what race someone is if they are truly dedicated to the mission of the organization?

While I pondered on that question, I started remembering different history lessons on how white people have always helped African Americans and their fight for equality. They even helped start some of our HBCUs. Just like those white people back in the day showed their deep concern for the plight of the black man, it would only be fair to consider the concerns of the white man today.

While I would rather an African American President lead a movement for African American rights, after much thought I am now more open to the idea of a white president or any race that shares the concerns that we have as a people. I also understand that the struggle we have as a race needs to be understood by the masses, and what better way then to join forces with other races. Howell is not the only white president of a NAACP chapter and the organization was founded with white men as well. I thank all those out there that have stepped up to take on a much needed fight.

The concern that others have for our race should only inspire you to want to work harder for your own race. Make sure that you join the movement and become a leader for the fight for equality and justice for our people. We should be leading our own movement!!!

What do you think about the NAACP having white presidents lead some of their chapters?

-The Socialite

Original article: http://www.aikenstandard.com/Local/0106-naacp-meeting

The Cougars are Prowling...

2011-01-05T13:34:00.003-05:00

Vivica Fox is engaged to a man that is almost 20 years younger than her, and she is just one example of the many women who are embracing this new trend of Cougars. What is it about younger men that are attracting so many older women?

We are all use to the older man becoming a hawk as he is surrounded by younger girls waiting to be swept off of their feet, but now women are doing the same. What is it for the older woman? Does she like being in control? Does he make her feel younger? Is there a limit on older men or men their age? Whatever the reason may be, this trend seems to be becoming a trend amongst all types of women. It isn't just the woman over 40 looking to get her groove back, it is also the woman who is in her late 20s looking to hook up with a boy in his early 20s. While the latter isn't as big of a gap, there is still a difference between a woman in her late 20s and a man in his early 20s.....maturity level! Either way women are going for the younger man.

What is even more interesting is that younger men are lining up for the opportunity to be with an older woman. From simply wanting to have sex with an older woman to wanting an older woman who will become their Sugar Mama, the line truly is long!

What I really want to know is how these relationships are working out? Men tend to want their women young and beautiful. Are these Cougar relationships only short-term, allowing for both parties to have a little fun, or can these relationships truly be long-term?

I want to hear from you.

Would you date a guy younger than you, and how much younger?

Do you think that these type of relationships are more short-term fun or long-lasting?

-The Socialite

Jabari Inspires: "Bask In YOUR Basket List!"

2010-12-25T14:42:00.000-05:00

Season's Greetings...

2010-12-23T11:06:00.002-05:00

Season's Greetings from The Socialite! I want to wish everyone a happy holidays. I hope that everyone takes time to truly focus on the people that matter most to them. Tis the season to give, and giving is a lot more than material things. Make sure that you are spending quality time with your love ones.

As we wrap this year up, I want you to take time to reflect on all of the blessings that you have received throughout 2010. Think about the good and not so great moments, and reflect on how it has added to your growth process.

The greatest gift that you can receive this year is happiness and being proud of the many blessings you have received. If you are thankful for this alone this holiday, you will give God the gift he always wanted.

I want everyone to also take a moment to rest their minds, cause if you are going into 2011 still reading imkeepingup.com, then you are in for a mind blowing experience. Prepare to JUMP into your goals for next year. I hope you are ready for the ride that will lead you to living the life that was meant for you.

May your holidays be filled with joy!

-The Socialite

Never Let a Rookie Take Your Spot...

2010-12-22T12:47:00.002-05:00

"One piece of advice for next year, never let a rookie take your spot!" -Love & Basketball

Being with your job for a good amount of time can cause you to become really comfortable, especially after you spent months proving yourself and really letting it be known that you deserve to have a place in the company.

You started off always on time, new ideas flowing, networking with everyone around you, and emailed tons of questions to everyone showing that you were eager to learn all that you could.

Then the day came where you were confident that everyone understood your worth and you became "a regular employee". Of course you remained impressive by doing the minimum amount of work to the best of your ability, but the new kid on the block mentality went down the drain. You weren't as eager to show up to work at 7:30am, ideas came when they were asked for, and you figured people should be emailing you questions by now. The rookie attitude was out the door, and the comfortable veteran was sitting at your desk now.

What you didn't realize is that a new rookie would be joining your team. A rookie with the same drive and eagerness to prove would be stepping in ready to shine. You would have to think quick, and figure out how to not get drowned out by this new kid with fresh ideas.

Rookies or new hires come into companies all of the time. You should not become so comfortable in your job that you lose that eagerness to do great at your job. You are always competing and at any moment a rookie can come in and take your place. Don't wait last minute to try to get back on top of your game....stay on top of your game.

When a rookie joins your team, you should be the one that they immediately want to train this new person, not the person they are seeking to replace.

The quote above was sent to me by one of my friends. She wanted to remind me to do just what the quote says "NEVER LET A ROOKIE TAKE YOUR SPOT". This applies to anything that you do. Always remain competitive and number one at what you do.

-The Socialite