Enjoyceinglife

Donna Summer & Idris Elba: Taking the Bitter with the Sweet in Jet Magazine

noreply@blogger.com (Joyce The Writer) — Fri, 01 Jun 2012 18:41:00 +0000

I arrived home yesterday evening to find my tribute to the incomparable Donna Summer in the new issue of Jet Magazine - the one with the incredibly attractive Idris Elba on the cover. As always I gobbled up the whole issue immediately: Relived writing my Donna piece (her On the Radio album was one of the first I ever had), salivated over the honesty of Idris (he's getting finer with age), and enjoyed the surprise of seeing my former coworker (Ericka Pittman, VP Brand Strategy, Sean "Diddy" Combs' The Blue Flame Agency) as one of the Jet Set 10 Under 40: Young Gifted & Black.

I'm not really a girly girl, but I'm moved pretty regularly by some of the touching wedding stories in the revamped Love section. Jet is looking great, thanks to the leadership of my talented friend Mitzi Miller, who is celebrating one year as the editor of the 61-year-old pub. Keep doing your thing, Mitzi. Your hard work is paying off - lovely!

Below are a couple of YouTube videos I posted on Facebook as I was writing my tribute to the queen of disco:

Such a clear strong voice...R.I.P. Donna...

When I was a kid I loved this song, but used to cry every time I played it because I thought it was about a real woman distraught that she'd left the cake she'd made in the rain. And it was melting. And she'd never have that recipe. Again. Now ain't that sad?!? Don't listen unless you've got 17 minutes - it's the fab long version....Missing Donna...

This is some pretty brilliant production in "Dim All the Lights" to go from country-westernish to pop dance and even a surprising dip into funky electronica. And it all works quite nicely...

Hope you're Enjoyceinglife!

At Age 81, Artist Faith Ringgold Says She Has Many More Stories To Tell

noreply@blogger.com (Joyce The Writer) — Fri, 23 Mar 2012 21:48:00 +0000

I was thoroughly moved by hearing Faith Ringgold discuss about her path to becoming an artist at Spelman College Museum of Fine Art yesterday.

She was crafty - majoring in education and minoring in art in the 1950s at the City College of New York when women weren't allowed to get liberal arts degrees from CCNY.

She was witty - acknowledging her mindset around keeping a job when she was married to her first husband, a musician.

She was clever - writing her story in her art when she couldn't get her autobiography published. She knew her art would be photographed, and so her story would be told "without anyone's permission," she said pointedly.

And with plans to release a slew of new art through an online gallery, she is still prolific and committed to telling important stories through her work.

Opportunities to get up close and personal with such incredible creatives and intellectuals are some of the primary reasons I enjoy working at Spelman College. Below are the tweets I sent out on Twitter during the event. Follow me on Twitter if you like at Enjoyceinglife. I'd love to connect with in that space. I hope that you are Enjoyceinglife!

My Twitter Posts about Faith Ringgold's Visit to Spelman College, March 22, 2012

@FaithRinggold @SpelmanCollege discussing how her great grandfather went 2 college & she came from a family of teachers

@FaithRinggold said she became art teacher bc she had 2 major n edu & minor n art @CCNY-didn't allow wmn librl arts degrees @SpelmanCollege

It's a lifetime thing being an #artist. The only one who can really stand in your way is you. - @FaithRinggold @SpelmanCollege

@FaithRinggold is 81 years old and says there is no reason for her to stop working. @SpelmanCollege #artist

It was going to Africa that made me realize how important it is to be free. I was in the majority everywhere.- @FaithRinggold  @SpelmanCollege

One of the biggest problems that African American people have is lacking the freedom to tell their story- @FaithRinggold  @SpelmanCollege  #art

It was going to Africa that made me realize how important it is to be free. I was in the majority everywhere.- @FaithRinggold @SpelmanCollege

When @FaithRinggold couldnt get her autobio published, she started writing on her art-she knew her work would b photographed @SpelmanCollege

"As the pictures would be taken of my art, my story would be told without anyone's permission." - @FaithRinggold  @SpelmanCollege  #art

@FaithRinggold says she has an enormous amount of work that she plans to put in an online museum. YEA! @SpelmanCollege #art

My 1st husband was a musician. When you're married to a musician you don't quit anything. You may quit him.-@FaithRinggold  @SpelmanCollege

VIDEO: Tough Love Parenting - Shaming in a Viral Media World?

noreply@blogger.com (Joyce The Writer) — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 01:49:00 +0000

Check out this video where a mother makes her daughter wear an "I'm a Thief" t-shirt after she gets caught shop-lifting.

So The Grio is asking if this punishment fits the crime. And would we do the same thing. I'm not sure for several reasons.

In this day of social media, this 7th grader is not just being taught a lesson in her neighborhood or even her city. She's being "shamed" worldwide. Anyone could have taken a photo of this girl in her "punishment" gear and put it on any number of social media sites. And we all know how cruel kids can be in middle and high school - and how merciless teasing can shape a personality and scar a young person for life.

Even more concerning to me is that this was an NBC news video gone viral. There are more than 1,350 likes of this Grio post. Millions of people will know about this young girl's mistake. I wonder if the mother thought of the possible long lasting effects of this level of coverage when she granted the interview and allowed her child's full name and face to be shown. Her name and likeness will forever be able to be Googled about stealing by any potential recruiter for schools or employment opportunities.

I'm for tough love, but I'd probably choose something more along the lines of long-term exposure to where a life of crime leads you: tours of a juvenile incarceration facility, volunteering stints at group homes of children of imprisoned parents, and definitely lots of reading, researching and writing about the real price of crime. And long hard conversations with anyone that has ever loved or shown interest in her.

But this is just my perspective. What do y'all think?

Missing Talent: FAMU Drum Major & Whitney Houston

noreply@blogger.com (Joyce The Writer) — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 04:03:00 +0000

Getting the scoop from high school and college classmates of FAMU drummer Robert Champion

Thirty minutes after my mom told me that Whitney Houston had passed, I got a call from my editor at Jet Magazine. Late that night I began working on my assignment to chronicle the major moments in the life of the singer, who's vocal talent seemed boundless. From her spine-tingling rendition of "The Star Spangled Banner" to her cringe-worthy interview with Diane Sawyer, gathering together those highlights was surreal.

I didn't think I'd get emotional over her death because after an initial wow moment, her demise didn't shock me based on what I'd witnessed about her life mostly from afar. Maybe I interviewed her or we crossed paths during my stint at BET in the late nineties. Honestly, I don't remember.

What I do recall is tearing up sometimes as I belted out "The Greatest Love of All," while washing dishes, folding clothes, or doing other weekly teen chores. Surprisingly, those tears reappeared during some parts of Whitney's home going services. I was genuinely touched by the remembrances of Tyler Perry and Kevin Costner. I gained a lot of insight about the non-tabloid Whitney from the testimonies of her loved ones - and I appreciated their perspective. Even though I've interviewed tons of notables in the last 20 years, it's still hard sometimes to remember that celebrities are just people.

Through Whitney passing I learned something about myself - from my mother, who told me that in the early eighties she'd been wondering whether my brother or I would inherit my father's singing talent. Turns out that she realized it was me when she heard me singing "Saving All My Love For You" in the backseat of her car. While I sang solos in church and school choirs, singing went the way of dance and softball by the time I reached the 11th grade. Boys and college - specifically Howard University - took over.

While I was at Howard, my mother had an impact on my decision not to pledge a sorority. The thought of hazing frightened her and her threat to shut down the offending line and the chapter scared me - because I knew she. was. serious. College hazing became a thread in another article I recently wrote for Jet Magazine, as well as a video interview [filmed by fabulous Spelman College student Raynette Palmer] that I did with two Florida A&M University alumni, who were classmates of Robert Champion, the FAMU drum major who is alleged to have died from a hazing incident.

I was moved by the commitment of Cassius D. Kalb and B. Rossi to honor their friend through their stance against hazing and a song that they'll use to raise funds for a scholarship in his name. Having won a Grammy award and worked with all types of high profile artists, I am glad to see these brothers use their powers for good.

Superfantastic producer Raynette Palmer, Cassius D. Kalb, Me & B. Rossi. It was nice to connect with some brothers literally from my side of town - the Dec!

Connections matter. I didn't attend the suburban Atlanta Southwest Dekalb High School, like Cassius, Rossi and Champion - but I grew up nearby and hung out with a SWD crew. And my brother is a graduate of FAMU. I feel some kind of closeness to this young man with such promise who lost his life so young. While any song on Whitney's debut could drive me into an emotional frenzy as a teen, my closeness to her had waned somewhat over the years - only to be rejuvenated by a celebration of her life through sincere remembrances of those who truly knew her.

As I'm getting older and watching my daughter grow, I guess I'm getting wiser - and appreciating just how much life means. I'm determined to keep on Enjoyceinglife. I hope you are, too.

For more information visit, please visit Drum Major for Change! Robert Champion.

My 5-Year-Old Gets "The Message" in Hip Hop Music Class

noreply@blogger.com (Joyce The Writer) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 04:01:00 +0000

Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five

"Don't push me 'cause I'm close to the edge / I'm trying not to lose my head," sang my kindergartner as she was preparing for bed tonight. I was in the other room. After I heard her sing it again, our conversation went like this:

"Baby, where did you hear that song?"

"In music class today. Have you heard it before?" she asked, and sang the part she knew.

"I'm trying not to lose my head ah ha ha ha," I chimed in. "It's like a jungle sometimes. It makes me wonder how to keep from going under huh huh huh huh huh...."

"Oh Mommy, Mommy, he didn't sing that part!" Her face lit up like it was Christmas.

"And we saw a picture of him!"

"Who, baby?"

"The boy who sings it."

"What did he look like?"

"He was sitting outside on a bench - resting."

"But what did he look like?"

"His hair was like mine."

Check my baby's hair - mirror image of GMF's Melle Mel (far left in the top picture), who ripped it in the group's blazing 1982 single, "The Message." I was 11 years old when this dropped and since radio stations in Atlanta weren't playing hip hop at that time I probably heard it on a mixed tape - several years later.

"And we saw a man with a big Afro. And do you know who the first black person was to play baseball?"

Huh? I thought.

"I think Hank Aaron was the first to..."

"Yes! That's him. We saw a picture of him, too!"

"And all this was in music class?"

"Our music teacher was not there, so we had a substitute. And he played the accordion. And he made a drum sound with his hands!"

I'm totally confused now, but really engaged.

"How did he do that?"

She cups her hands around her mouth like a beat boxer and, of course, beat boxes.

The Fat Boys ran through my mind.

"He did this and then blew through his hands."

The Fat Boys are back / and you know they could never be wack....

It was a very enlightening conversation - especially because my daughter goes to a somewhat diverse school, which is more mainstream than anything else.

I feel some kind of way - not bad, not ecstatic. But definitely some kind of way.

I've been a lover of music (hip hop included) all my life, and have been an entertainment journalist for more than 15 years. Just today I was at a video shoot at a mega-producer's house interviewing a wildly successful 90s R&B group about their comeback. I get it.

But is "The Message" by Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five age appropriate for 5-year-olds? I've been trying to sing the song to myself, but I think I'm gonna have to YouTube the video to get all the lyrics.

Am I over thinking this? I can't front - I did smirk when I realized what she was singing. As the conversation went on I also sprang forward about a decade in my mind relishing when we'd be able to enjoy the exploration and discussion of all types of music. The way things are going, it'll probably be much sooner than that.

And just who was this substitute? Although he apparently only used two lines of the song, you know how kids are: They sniff out and latch on to the things that may not be appropriate for them. And it is an extremely catchy song anyway - for anyone from 5 to 75.

So it's late. I'm tired. I don't think any harm was done. Clever and intelligent hip hop is out there. And its not like she was listening to Lil' Wayne.

I'll probably just let it go - unless I bump into the actual music teacher in the hall one day soon, when a little clarification may be warranted.

Hope you're Enjoyceinglife....

Who knew this song was more than seven minutes long? That's a lot of pop locking....

Explaining Dr. King's Dream to My Kindergartener

noreply@blogger.com (Joyce The Writer) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 18:46:00 +0000

I've been struggling a bit this week discussing the importance of Martin Luther King Jr. with my 5-year-old. She came home from kindergarten talking about how her class watched a film and read a book about him. After describing the picture she colored of Dr. King ("Mommy I made his eyes tan!), she told me that he was the president of the United States.

It wasn't until a few days later that I saw the posted picture of her Dr. King, which was directly opposite a posted picture of George Washington, which she'd also colored the same week. I'm sure the close proximity of the coloring of those images as well as the constant presence of President Barack Obama in her life led to the confusion.

That same week I read Patricia Pingry's "The Story of Rosa Parks" to her class as the mystery reader. I'd read the story to her numerous times at home. We've visited to the King Center and attended services at Ebenezer and we talk about Dr. King and his dream several times a year. But I've been wondering just how much she understands.

We've been watching the Martin Luther King Jr. Tribute Service at Ebenezer Baptist Church today and I just asked her what she knows about Dr. King:

"He was the president."

"No, baby," I say. "He was a civil..."

"A civil rights leader, that's right," she interrupts. "He was a civil rights leader and he told everybody to get off the bus because Blacks had to ride in the back of the bus. Only Whites could ride in the front of the bus. He tried to help people and they tried to kill him. So he died." And she went right back to beating herself at Connect 4.

She was so matter-of-fact and her thoughts about his death struck me as a little nonchalant, if not gruesome. But I guess I feel okay about what she understands at this point in her life. Moving forward I'm going to focus more on teaching her about Dr. King's dream and his messages. Those teachings that I received from my parents are what I remember most in terms of learning about Dr. King.

Of course at my age, I also remember the hard fought campaign to make Dr. King's birthday a national holiday. I'm appreciative of how my parents educated me about not just Dr. King but also the many unsung activists (some they knew), as well as their own challenges with civil rights.

In reflecting on my family's legacy of civil rights, I remember fondly my grandfather, Detroit Lee, who just didn't take no for an answer very often. He brought a lawsuit in the name of his children (Lee v. Macon County, 1963), which profoundly changed the state of education in Alabama. Below are the outcomes of my family's bravery, according to Fred Gray, the attorney who filed the suit.

"Lee v. Macon started as a simple desegregation case against the public schools in Macon County, Alabama. It has resulted in the following:

1. A statewide order requesting that all of the public elementary and secondary schools in the state of Alabama be desegregated.

2. The desegregation of all trade and junior colleges.

3. The desegregation of all institutions of higher learning.

4. The merger of the Alabama Athletic Association (Caucasian) and the Alabama Interscholastic Athletic Association (African-American).

5. The integration of faculty and staff members of the public schools of the State of Alabama."

Now that is change for you. Detroit Lee was a change agent. I can only hope to instill the vision and fortitude of my grandfather and Dr. King in my daughter.

I hope whatever you are doing on this day, you are appreciating the freedoms won by many who fought hard battles on your behalf. I'm doing my best to live in honor of those freedom fighters and keep their legacies alive.

Keep on Enjoyceinglife!

Word Love - Intrinsic or Organic?

noreply@blogger.com (Joyce The Writer) — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 16:01:00 +0000

I just had an interesting discussion in the office about the difference between the words "organic" and "intrinsic." Oddly enough in the last three days, I've heard the word "intrinsic" used in three different conversations when I was in totally different environments. And each time it was used, I always wondered why they didn't use "organic."

It actually bothered me enough to ask the question aloud in my office, which propelled my equally-interested co-workers to the dictionary and to their memories of college English classes. The conversation was stimulating even if I was not satisfied with the outcome.

Thoughts ranged from "organic" becoming played out (even the citing of a New York Times editorial about "organic" being misused) to "intrinsic" being more closely linked to "inherent."

So I haven't decided if I want to start using "intrinsic" more than the pop culture-oriented "organic" because it just sounds weird to me. But don't all words used less frequently initially feel that way?

I'll probably end up on Team Intrinsic because I have so few other outlets in my life now to indulge my natural rebellious nature. If you're striving to parent to the best of your ability, raising another person keeps you in touch with the characteristics in yourself that are the most beneficial for your offspring. That responsibility also makes you temper those personality traits - like rebellion - that might not always work in parenting situations.

Okay, so I'm getting too deep for myself. Back to work.

One more thing: I have to acknowledge that living as a life-long learner may be the best gift - outside of being a parent - that God and my parents ever gave me. Thanks y'all!

Keep on Enjoyceinglife!

Hobby Jones....

noreply@blogger.com (Joyce The Writer) — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 22:22:00 +0000

When you're a writer, why is it SO hard to develop a hobby that has nothing to do with your paid occupation? I want to do something that doesn't involve media, reading, writing or the Internet. So I exercise (necessity) and I'm a parent (all consuming), but I can't let any of the writer stuff go when I do happen to find some fake-spare-time. Anyone got any suggestions?

Honestly, I'm a wanna be scrapbooker. I lurk around scrap-booking websites and even belong to a scrap-booking e-group (Scraps of Color). But I've never posted an example of any of my creations - because I don't have any that aren't on yellowed pages! I just lurk and yearn and lurk and yearn. I used to scrapbook my writing journals - years ago. Maybe I'll get back to it one day...sigh....

I've got a few important goals on tap for 2012, but I'm still finalizing my short list. Clearly I should focus some time on a non-media hobby. How do y'all do it? I'm wide open to all suggestions. Thanks and keep Enjoyceinglife!

Peace peace peace peace peace....

noreply@blogger.com (Joyce The Writer) — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 22:30:00 +0000

My Creative Little Scientist: Why Aren't More Black Women Pursuing Careers in STEM?

noreply@blogger.com (Joyce The Writer) — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 07:03:00 +0000

Looking at the insides of a bean with a magnifying glass

and then planting it in a Dixie cup of dirt. Because this was the first station, it

meant transporting that dirt through the entire science fair - fun for Mommy!

Science and math are swirling around me these days. I took my kindergarten age daughter to her first school science fair last night and we had a blast learning how plants grow, experimenting with the power of light, and even making ice cream. When I was a kid, I wasn't particularly enamored with science, but I was quite good in math - until about the fourth or fifth grade. Words and the love of reading and writing just surpassed my interest in developing my mathematics abilities. And it appears I am not alone losing interest in science and math around the middle school age.

Checking out the effects of a black light shone for one minute on a key on paper.
Submerged in water for another minute and voila! We've got a cool experiment.
Added counting bonus: We counted to 100 for each one of the minutes needed
to wait for a development stage at this station.

Middle school is when girls start to lose confidence in their science and math abilities, according an article about robotics in the November 2011 issue of Inside Spelman, the digital publication I edit at Spelman College. The lack of interest in science and math beginning as early as primary school was also mentioned in a recent article I read by AP's Jesse Washington on the declining numbers of African Americans in the fields of STEM - science, technology, engineering and math. Washington's piece cited only two percent - 176 - of Ph.D.s awarded in biological and biomedical sciences that went to Black women in 2009. Why is that?

Loved the illuminating effects of looking at the different colors of light
reflected at the end of prisms made by holding different shaped pieces of glass
up to lights of various strengths in the dark.

The thought of my daughter being interested in science and math is only a bit foreboding because I still have to give myself that quick pep talk before trying to understand what may seem like complex theories or problems that I occasionally encounter in my work at Spelman. And of course I'd love for her to choose a career in a creative field. But having been exposed to the amazing STEM accomplishments of Spelman students - from creating iPhone apps to being leaders in the field of robotics - I'm realizing that if my baby chooses a life of exploration and problem-solving in STEM, creativity will most certainly be involved.

For an extra special treat, there were even two very big rodents
showcased by visitors from the Atlanta Zoo. This particular species is found
on every continent. Glad we just caught the end of this session.
I have to admit, I did get the willies looking at those long tails....

And last but not least: homemade ice cream

we made by shaking it up in a bag of ice and salt.

Four minutes of vigorous shaking required a joint effort.
I had to get into the act.

And the reward was sweet!

Homemade chocolate ice cream - Yummy!

Why aren't more young Black women pursuing careers in STEM fields? I'll be hosting an Inside Spelman tweet chat exploring Black women and STEM - TODAY - Wednesday, November 16 from noon to 1 pm if you'd like to share your thoughts. Even if you miss the chat, the conversation will keep going. Follow Spelman College on Twitter and use #InsideSpelman to join the dialogue.

And keep Enjoyceinglife!

Heavy D & MJ: Gone Too Soon

noreply@blogger.com (Joyce The Writer) — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 16:04:00 +0000

This morning I was totally caught by surprise when I heard Heavy D's voice on Micheal Jackson's "Jam," while writing a magazine review of the new soundtrack to Cirque Du Soleil's "Immortal," their MJ-inspired show. I forgot Heavy was on that track. For some reason I'm having quite an emotional reaction to hearing their collaboration. I guess with the news filled with Conrad Murray's conviction and Heavy's passing, I'm just sensitive. I'm enamored with creative souls. And these are two talents who are just, in the words of MJ, "Gone Too Soon."

Join Me Now @SpelmanCollege Tweet Chat - From Civil Rights to Occupy Wall Street

noreply@blogger.com (Joyce The Writer) — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 16:52:00 +0000

Join the Conversation at Noon & Win! - Please Join Me at Noon on Twitter: From Civil Rights to Occupy Wall Street: @SpelmanCollege Tweet Chat, TODAY, Wed, 11/9, 12-1 pm.

In the November issue of Inside Spelman, Dr. Gwendolyn Middlebrooks, C'61, Spelman associate professor emeritus and an original member of the Atlanta Student Sit-In Movement, explores the Civil Rights and Occupy Wall Street movements. Have you been involved in any movements? What are your thoughts on how these and other activist movements have evolved to affect change? We'd like to know your story.

Please follow @SpelmanCollege on Twitter and share with us during this tweet chat. Be sure to use the hashtag: #insidespelman. The best tweet wins!

King of the Evening

noreply@blogger.com (Joyce The Writer) — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 21:57:00 +0000

There is something really touching about Glynn Turman's performance in the little known film, Kings of the Evening. While Tyson Beckford's acting left a lot to be desired, I was quite moved by the complex relationship between Lynn Whitfield's character and Glynn Turman's. He was able to give his character depth, the layers of which he deftly revealed as the story unfolded. The talent of Turman, Whitfield and even the newcomer Linara Washington made you understand how hard it must have been in the 1930s Depression era for black people just trying to make their way. While a little rough around the edges, I find this film to be a gem - one I hope many will get a chance to see.

The Hula-Hooping Puppy's Quest for "Important Things"

noreply@blogger.com (Joyce The Writer) — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 23:35:00 +0000

7:32 a.m. October 26, 2011...walking to school:

"Mommy, what do you know?" She's munching on red grapes.

"About what?" I'm trying to trick my racing brain to refrain from rearranging my mile-long To Do list.

"Just what do you know?" Her brows are furrowed as she scans the ground for pavement breaks not to step on.

"I know that I love you. I know that the sky is blue." Oh, I'm so clever...and I'm rhyming!

"But don't you know any important things?" my precocious kindergartener presses. I'm pleasantly surprised and a bit amused at her clarification.

"Well, like what? What do you think is important?" Turnabout is fair play I think, employing a tactic I learned from a friend.

"Like doing work on the computer...and on the iPad." I'm momentarily proud, then instantly concerned: My child understands technology. My child sees me using technology too often.

"Well yes, I know how to do those things. What else do you think is important?" Now I'm praying the tactic will work better the second time around.

"Well, we read to each other! Yes, we read to each other." Her voices fades as she races ahead.

"Oh yes Amber, that is very important."

She's out of earshot. And I am beaming.....

VIDEO: The Hula-Hooping Puppy

Hope you're Enjoyceinglife...

Shel Silverstein Has a New Book Out!!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Joyce The Writer) — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 14:26:00 +0000

Hooray!!!!

Why I fell in love with Shel Silverstein....

Why I still loved Shel Silverstein at age 25....

If you and your child like weird, whimsy, and witty writing, check out this great NPR piece about the incredible children's poet and illustrator. And make sure to visit Shel Silverstein's website, which has wonderful animation accompanied by the author reading his prose.

His imagination is matched by few.

Enjoyceinglife.....

Healing Work: Spelman 9/11 Video Reflections

noreply@blogger.com (Joyce The Writer) — Sun, 11 Sep 2011 02:39:00 +0000

If I hadn't overslept on the morning of September 11, 2001, I probably would have been on the A train riding directly under the World Trade Center as the buildings were being attacked. Instead I found myself being rousted by an early morning phone call from my father alerting me to the first plane crashing into the North Tower.

I was watching the news and ironing - still thinking I was going to my job editing at Honey magazine - when I got a call from my boss at the time, Ebony magazine's current editor, Amy Dubois Barnett. Together we watched the second plane hit, and realized that we weren't going into the office that day.

Video Series: Where Were You on September 11? / Spelman College: LyaNisha Gonzalez, a professor in the department of drama and dance from New Jersey, reflects on how her life has changed since September 11, 2001.

Some memories of that morning and the next few days are foggy. Like I don't remember if I talked to anyone else on the phone that day - or for several days - because all the lines were jammed with people all over the world trying to reach their loved ones in the New York area. I think I remember sending and receiving emails some kind of way (dial up?), communicating to my family and friends that I was safe and staying put.

By the end of that week, I did have to go into work, as we were closing an issue of Honey that was scheduled to be printed in a few days. I do recall getting off the train at 33rd and Park Avenue and being accosted by the smell of the towers burning - a stench I'll never forget. By the time I walked half a block to my office, my clothes and hair were peppered with debris from the decimated World Trade Center that was still falling from the sky like snowflakes.

Getting off the elevator, my face was streaked with tears from seeing every available space - bus stops, business fronts, light posts, building walls - plastered with "Have You Seen?" signs, desperate posted pleas from those looking for their missing loved ones. I was overwhelmed by the thought that several days before thousands of people tragically lost their lives halfway between my office and my apartment.

As we worked to put the issue to bed, rumors of bomb threats in many of the skyscrapers and massive train stations kept the mood uneasy. We talked of buying sneakers in case we had to walk miles and traverse bridges on foot to get home, as places like the Empire State Building and Penn Station were continuously being evacuated.

My heart was so heavy that I felt like I was trudging along in a daze the last two and a half months I spent as a resident in New York City. You see, I had already been planning my escape.

Even though I swore I'd never come back home to Georgia (God forbid, where my parents lived!!), by the time the planes hit the towers on September 11th, my sensible self had nearly secured a position as the senior editor at Upscale magazine in Atlanta. I'd turned 30 years old earlier in the year and with that milestone came a crack in rebellious runaway attitude I'd let impact my decisions for the last 15 years. I missed home - and September 11th just sped up a transition that was already in the works.

Oddly enough, I don't think it was until these last few days, that I felt the full impact of what my parents must have been feeling a decade ago - their only daughter, their oldest child, operating in the center of the worst terrorist attack the United States had ever experienced.

Video: Where Were You on September 11? [Part 2]: Members of the Spelman College community reflect on their experiences on September 11, 2001.

Interviewing members of the Spelman College community - students, faculty, and staff - for a series of September 11th anniversary videos really brought it all back to me. Their poignant and emotional remembrances and the perspective I've gained about valuing the important things in life has made me realize that the decade since I left the traumatized capital of the world was a seminal growth period for me.

One Spelman staffer who worked across the street from the World Trade Center and lost 10 people they knew when the towers fell could not bring their self to participate in the video project. The person described their feeling about September 11th a decade later as still being "too raw."

I realized, too, a lot later that I was traumatized by my experience on that fateful day. And being a parent now makes the memory even more acute. I am grateful I had the opportunity to shoot my first pseudo-professional videos for the 10-year anniversary of September 11th. The subject matter of this project is historic. The process was therapeutic. And the work allowed me to revisit one of the most terrifying times in my life through the incredible stories of others brave enough to share their reflections.

Continue Enjoyceinglife...

Ninety-one. & a half...

noreply@blogger.com (Joyce The Writer) — Sat, 10 Sep 2011 17:13:00 +0000

Hattie Mae Reid Lee, born in Greensboro, Alabama, February 2, 1920

When I was growing up, my grandmother said the Lord's Prayer - and a Bible verse - over every meal, even if it was just a banana. She never let me get a scratch on myself when my brother and I spent every summer with her and my grandfather in Tuskegee, Alabama. Whether they drove us cross-country to California, across several counties to swim at Gulf Shores, or down the road to fish in the Tuskegee Lake, she started saving for the next summer excursion as soon as we returned. She made the best peach cobbler and salmon croquettes - ever. And she taught me that when seated, young ladies keep their dress down and their legs closed. Even though she's blind, not always clear, and in a nursing facility now, she's still got lessons to share. And I'm still paying close attention....

Fighting the Devil: Procrastation Eased by Library Love (#Write)

noreply@blogger.com (Joyce The Writer) — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 16:13:00 +0000

Okay so you know the most important thing you have to do before writing is cleaning your keyboard, right?!?! It seems the forces of evil are always against me when I'm on serious deadline.

Everything in my personal life just explodes, my computer crashes, and I've certainly gotten no more than 3 hours of restless sleep the night before - so I'm hyped UP on coffee and anxiety in the midst of creativity-suppressing exhaustion.....

So who the heck knows how or why I even do this writing thing!?!?!

And this week not only do I have to write a few articles, but I also have to edit a digital mag - and edit a video that I shot (yea for diversifying my skills! Booooooo for adding to my stress level).

Ugggghhhhh!

On a lighter note, to kick off my crazy deadline-driven work week, I started volunteering in the library of my daughter's elementary school. Nerd that I am, when the librarian gave me the 5 minute tour and mentioned the Dewey Decimal System, I went all gushy - happily catapulting myself back to card catalogs and curled up evenings with books I adored.

As I re-shelved and checked in dozens of books - many that I remember cherishing and being enthralled by more than 30 years ago - I was encouraged about my chosen profession.

Helping out in the library didn't really reduce my stress, but it certainly let me know that I could never have survived an existence that wasn't spent as a lifelong learner through reading and writing.

So...Procrastinators, let me know what you do when the word "discipline" is like Kryptonite and you just. can't. get. it. together.

Alright, enough....

I'm putting some words on a blank document - even if they don't make any sense.

Writer's write - alright? alright......

Feelin' It Friday: Skills Jones....

noreply@blogger.com (Joyce The Writer) — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 17:49:00 +0000

Back when I was in my 20s and flirted - for about 12 seconds - with putting some rhymes on a tape and trying to get it in the hands of a music exec, I would have LOVED to have some dope tracks like this to flow over.

I mean I lived around the corner from Nkiru Books in Brooklyn, frequented by Talib Kweli and Mos Def (pre-Black Star). I rolled up on ciphers pretty regularly back then - and I was just beginning to get my real music journalism career going, brushing shoulders with the digging-in-the crates crowd. Plus, I had the fly Bahamadia afro working. It could have happened.

Anyway...Novi Nicest - a self described designer, music composer, producer and writer - hit me up on Google+ and I checked his intro compilation on SoundCloud....listen and love....

And I hope this counts for my daily 30 minutes of writing....cause this is all I'm getting in today....

Writers write...

Allow Me To Introduce Myself by nicest

Dance Like You Used To....

noreply@blogger.com (Joyce The Writer) — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 19:09:00 +0000

I was listening to this fabulous Stevie Wonder podcast and teared up as "As" started playing.

I remember dancing to the song like tomorrow wasn't coming with my favorite "big sister," Pam, when I was probably no more than 8 years old.

She was a shapely, cappuccino-colored sister with thick lips and hair and a curl-shaped mole on her cheek. Probably seven years my senior, Pam was the best dancer in the world to me. We were part of this multi-ethnic dance troupe that rehearsed in an old church in Atlanta.
Our dance teacher, Miss Annette, choreographed a specific solo in "As" just for Pam. And when her arms, legs and hips swirled from the floor to the sky in dramatic leaps and giving thrusts, I was enthralled.
She was the embodiment of a beautifully talented Black woman. And I loved her. Every chance I got, I was up on her. And when I got the opportunity to dance with her, I never wanted our duet to end.

Back then my crafty momma had me in so many activities that I was changing from my leotard to my softball uniform in the car, munching an apple and reciting my times tables.
I did a lot, but dancing was my love. I feel like I took every kind there was, even mime!

And I never got tired - ever. The energy I had then, I only see glimpses of now at age 40. And for some reason that just makes me plain old sad.

Nobody tells you that you'll wish you could dance like you used to.

And I miss it.
Sure I get on the dance floor a few times a year and work it out until I'm about to pass out.

Or I twirl around a few times at a music festival in the park, Zumba for a couple of hours a week in class, and two step at a several concerts.

But dancing - modern, jazz, ballet - like I did from age 4 until about 14, or even club dancing - college through twenties - just disappears...

Only showing up in classes or infrequent old school parties and unexpected opportunities when this body - often worn out from life's responsibilities (parenting!?!?) - can only do so much.
Dancing disappearing?

Who knew?

And whoever knew, why the hell didn't you tell me?

I guess I'm gonna have to dance as much as I can now.....and dance like I used to - in my head...

And that's all right...cause I have a vibrant and vivid imagination....

And my memories of Pam are clear and strong...

Get it girl.....

Stevie....
Keep on Enjoyceinglife....like James Dean clearly is in this dance class taught by the incomparable Eartha Kitt....dance rules!

3 Shots, 2 Ears Pierced & 1 Cool Book!

noreply@blogger.com (Joyce The Writer) — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 20:32:00 +0000

My big brave 4 year old had quite a day at the doctor.

But after all the tears were wiped away, she'd been immunized against serious diseases and she had beautifully pierced ears.

And to top it off her wonderful pediatrician gave her a super-cool book, Owen & Mzee: The Language of Friendship. Gotta love doctors who care for the body and the mind.

Hope you're Enjoyceinglife because we certainly are!

What You Don't Know About Vanessa Bell Calloway...

noreply@blogger.com (Joyce The Writer) — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 14:32:00 +0000

Who doesn't remember the beautiful Vanessa Bell Calloway comically barking and hopping on one leg as the intended of the Prince of Zamunda in the hilarious Eddie Murphy flick, Coming to America (video)?

Well Ms. Calloway is so much more. The classically-trained dancer shared three little known facts about herself to me in an interview I did with her for Heart & Soul. Like who knew that she can burn in the kitchen (video) and started acting on "All My Children" and "Days of Our Lives?" Or that she and actress KiKi Shepard - an Apollo staple - are good friends who auditioned together in New York in the eighties? Check out my piece and enter to win a DVD of Vanessa starring as Nurse Gail Strummer in the Jada Pinkett-Smith vehicle, "Hawthorne."

My favorite role of Vanessa's is in the film Stompin' at the Savoy (video). She was nuanced and sensitive in her heart-breaking portrayal of a Harlem Renaissance era domestic worker who gets involved in an interracial relationship.

Stay humble and keep enjoyceinglife!

My Daughter: The Actress!

noreply@blogger.com (Joyce The Writer) — Fri, 03 Jun 2011 02:05:00 +0000

I had no idea when I posted this lovely image of my daughter on Facebook that it would lead to her first acting gig.

And here's her first poster! She plays Reisha, the daughter of a woman in a troubled relationship, in the web series, Only God Can Judge Me, produced by Baz Brothers Production.

I am too excited and proud that not only is she smart, but she'll have the opportunity to explore her creative side through acting. Being on set was cool, even if she got a little antsy at times from the understandable number of takes and the wait time it took for her scenes to be shot.

She auditioned by telling the story of Rapunzel, which she'd learned in school and seen in the movie Tangled. And even though she was nervous, she also did a little Michael Jackson-inspired dance to showcase her versatility.

From taking cast photos to filming scenes, her involvement in this family friendly, Christian-based web series has been a wonderful learning experience for us both. Education is where it's at in my house. We stay focused on reading, writing and arithmetic, with a healthy dose of culture thrown in – plays, festivals, crafts, art exhibits and library visits. And she's taken classes in everything from swimming and soccer to gymnastics and dance.

Yes, she's a busy girl. And even though she had one modeling job (above) last year, I must admit I have been a little wary about entertainment driven extra-curricular activities. But if she wants to do more acting and opportunities present themselves, I'll support her as long as she remains grounded in the important values her father and I work hard to instill in her character.

Off the soapbox and back to the excitement: I'd like to give a big old juicy proud mama shout out my super talented, super beautiful daughter, Amber Loyd, who can be anything in this world she wants to be, including an entertainer!

The episode she'll appear in will debut in July. So stay tuned, folks. She's blasting off!

Too Blessed to Blog

noreply@blogger.com (Joyce The Writer) — Thu, 26 May 2011 20:18:00 +0000

Mother's Day: My mom, my niece and my big girl!

Friends and fam, my life is on SUPER 10. So many great things are happening that I should definitely be blogging about. But I just don't have time!

My mom and I at Spelman College's 124th Commencement, featuring powerful speaker First Lady Michelle Obama. Check out my recounting of the day in the piece I wrote about the experience in Black Enterprise.

If I had a super power it would be to multiply myself by 100 - like right now! Thanks for the blessings God. I'll have to communicate about them later y'all.

Amber on the set of her first filmed acting gig!

Got. to. stay. focused. Keeping it moving...

Fab friends Vanessa and Cecilia at a cute swap in my culture-filled house.

Doin' it well and Enjoyceinglife!

With a Heart for Impacting Art - Carrie Mae Weems

noreply@blogger.com (Joyce The Writer) — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 14:30:00 +0000

I just got off the phone with Carrie Mae Weems, an incredible artist who I first met at least a decade ago with my girl Karen at the Zora Neale Hurston Festival in Hurston's hometown of Eatonville, Fla.

This morning, I was interviewing Weems for an article I'm writing for Inside Spelman about the Spelman College Museum of Fine Art, the only museum in the nation that emphasizes works by and about women of the African Diaspora.

Her comments were insightful, impacting, opinionated and passionate - just like her work. If you've never experienced her art, please check out her website (the homepage time line is so engaging) and be blown away.

"A platinum series" - Weems on "The Kitchen Table Series"

Filmed in her Syracuse studio, Weems discusses the impetus for her work "The Kitchen Table Series" (1990), a photographic investigation of a single domestic space in which the artist staged scenes of "the battle around the family" between women and men, friends and lovers, parents and children.

Video: Carrie Mae Weems: "The Kitchen Table Series"

"I was trying to look at the history of photography and the way in which African Americans had been particularly depicted and inscribed through and in American photography....When we're looking at the images we are looking at the ways in which Anglo America, white America saw itself in relationship to the black subject. I wanted to intervene in that by giving a voice to a subject that historically has had no voice." - Weems on "From Here I Saw What Happened and I Cried, 1995" (Audio)

Stay inspired y'all. And keep Enjoyceinglife!