Does Tyler Perry Films Make it Seem As Though Black Women Need a Man To Bring Them Out of Their Circumstance

Diary of a Mad Black Woman. I Can Do Bad All By Myself. Meet The Browns. Madea Goes To Jail. *pops strawberry in mouth* Now, Good Deeds. Why is it that all Tyler Perry films plot around a black woman down on her luck, struggling to make ends meet when a handsome rich black man comes along and lifts her up. Doesn't this make black women kind of look bad? I mean, it makes it seem as though black woman do not have what it takes to make it on their own, to get back on their feet when they have fallen off. Don't get me wrong, I love TP because he is a very positive person and loves to help people. I also love his films and plays because they put a smile on my face and are very entertaining. But after watching the trailer for "Good Deeds", I am beginning to wonder if TP and America actually believe that black women that are in a bad season, really need a man to lift them up.
 These storylines are starting to get a little offensive to me. It is bad enough gold diggers are out here sleeping around to keep Christian Louboutins on their feet and Coach on their arms. So to make films like these makes me feel like black women no longer knows what it takes to be independent anymore. Heck, I had to check myself because I found myself wishing that a tall, dark, handsome man with a lot of money will roll up beside me in his Mercedes and take me away from all the stuff I have been going through. It wouldn't hurt for that to happen but still, nine times out of ten no fine man is going to roll up on me in a luxury car and take me away to a mansion, where we will live happily ever after.
  Why should it ake a man to help us get our finances together, our lives in order, our mentality in check. Just like a woman can't teach a man how to be a man, a man can't teach a woman how to be a strong woman. The only man we should look forward to, to save us is Jesus. This is why women are out here seeking a earthly man to do so much for us when we don't have a pot to piss in or a window to throw it out of. Because of these stupid books about how to find the perfect rich man, and these movies about broke down, busted and disgusted single moms, who are about to be evicted and out on the streets, when Prince Charming shows up on their back porches talking about how he knew he was in love with her when he saw her in the food bank line where he volunteers at.
  Its starting to get disgusting and down right degrading. We don't need a man to wisk us off to Rich Land where we never have to worry about a bill and get spoiled to death by King Handsome. This is beginning to make us look bad. Not just black women. ALL WOMEN. Think about it.

The Job Hunting Union, Studying Abroad Trip, and Walking by Faith

Today I got up bright and early to beat the pavement looking for work. Not only was it quite productive but I was also with a group of people. I stepped into iHOP's lobby where a gentleman was filling out an application, and once I retrieved mine I sat near him and began to fill out mine. Slowly more people began to trickle in, and more people sat down in the lobby filling out apps. I thought it was just a coincidence. But when I went next door to Captain D's and asked for an application and the cashier told me it had to be filled out online at least five people that was standing behind me turned around and walked towards the door. I advised them to go to iHOP to fill out a paper app. Basically, all this time I was kind of feeling like I was the only one out here in a dry season, and hunting for a job like a lion hunts antelope. Boy, was I wrong. Dead wrong. We all need to keep our heads up and our faith in God intact.
 When I stepped into Captain D's I browsed their menu to find out what I could get that wouldn't consume my whole five dollar bill. My stomach growled as I hungrily read the menu and I reached into my coat pocket to take out my five dollar bill when all I felt was lint, balled up tissue paper, and a brochure. Panic Button! I reached into the pockets of my jeans but they were empty. After the cashier told me I had to fill out an online app I ran back over to iHOP to check to make sure I didn't drop it. I was looking all over the parking lot and the sidewalk as I walked back over. All of these people out here that needs a job, I'm sure if they found my five dollars they wouldn't put out an APB about a lost five dollar bill.
 I stepped back into the lobby and poured everything out of my bookbag. And there at the bottom of my book bag, balled up in a tiny knot, scared to death was my five dollar bill. I praised God right there in the lobby. Lord knows, I needed my five dollars and not that three piece fried green tomato appetizer I had my heart set on buying.
 I want to study abroad so bad. On my trip to Richmond Wednesday this young lady was saying how she was going to study in Germany. I soooo want to study in London sooo baaadd. But guess what? My school is doing a study abroad trip to Ireland in May, scholarship funding is available. It is right on time because it is right after second semester ends and I really want to gooooooo! What's stopping me? Nothing. So that is so my goal.
  This Christian walk is definitely not by feelings or by sight, I am learning that every day. I mean right now I am tangled up worse than a ball of yarn, though I won't go into detail. To be honest, I dont know how I am going to get out of this mess. But I know I am going to get out of it, and soon. Pray for me. Will definitely pray for you.

My Visit to Church, Facebook Filtering, and Questioning my own College Motives

Last night I went to 6pm Praise and Worship at my church, I felt so much better. I also learned a lot in Bible Study. I felt so relaxed and good afterwards and when I went home my study hour went smoothly and I slept like a baby. I am blessed to have been lead by God to my new church home. Thank God. Something however occured to me last night as I was posting a new status on facebook before bed.
  I have got to do some serious facebook filtering and fast! I have never known people could be so ignorant on the internet. Now I fully support freedom of expression, speech and opinion, but there are people out here who are just crying for attention. At first, I thought facebook was just the devil so I took a little hiatus, you know, a fast from it. When I came back, I realized that it is not the actual website, though it does help. It is some of the people I am friends with and their horrible cries for attention.
  My pet peeve with statuses is that people post their prayers on the website. Even before I was in Christ, I never thought that was a good idea. There are people out here who do not want to see you do good. There are people out here that want you to fail miserably, because misery loves company. There is power in the tongue ( and maybe thoughts). But the tongue is very powerful because once you release words, you can not take them back and swallow them again. So when you put your prayers (Your desires, your needs, your wants) on a public site for everybody to see, of every religion, of every thought.....The enemy can get in the way of that prayer by saying something against it. You can't put everything on facebook! You just cant!! I learned that the hard way when I would vent up there. People start thinking you talking about them, people start getting offended. Heck, you can barely post your own opinion.
  So this is where filtering comes in and "friends" need to be deleted. For one, who wants or needs five thousand friends? I don't. Who wants to log in on a good day and see a depressing status about how they wish they were dead because they didn't receive a call back from their boyfriend? I dont. Who needs to read statuses posted by people who don't even know what the word humilty is? I'm talking about every status is about how much money they have, how they spend their money, how it must suck to be broke, and how they are sooo glad they are not broke. I don't want nor do I need to read that. This is why I need to do a good filtering of my social network.
 Today, after I went to my tutoring session with my Biology professor and after I listened to her tell me how I needed make flashcards for every word in two chapter that was written in bold print, I asked myself why I was even doing this. I love to read and write, and my ultimate dream is to make a living off of my brilliant publications. But then, I remembered that Stephen King got hundreds of rejections and I took my happy behind to the computer lab and printed out my study guides *Smile*.
 College can be so hard, and oh so stressful, especially when you are going through financial strains. I just lean on Christ because I know all of this will pay off in the end.

Rocky Morning, Rubbing Elbows, and Not so Business Etiquette

Today I had a very productive, full, revitalizing, interesting day. The first day of many days that I had a long day but it was a good day. This morning started off rocky due to me getting into petty arguments with a family member. Whatever. Then I found myself in extreme anger due to he said/she said fiasco and began to lash out. Now, anybody who know me or has known me all my life knows I have a horrible temper and that is because I let things build up without saying anything. People who also know me, knows that once I speak up I speak the whole truth and lay out examples. I was out of line, but that is exactly what I did because I have had enough. Needless to say, as usual people want to make you out to be the crazy one. Well, we all know how that goes so lets move on.
   Last week I signed up to go on a "field trip" to visit the delegates as well as the Governor to speak with them about how Tidewater Community College has helped me excel as a student, as well as how it accomodated me. We not only told them this but we also told them what could be done to better our community college, so that we could get funding. Lord knows we definitely need funding.
 I enjoyed speaking with Delegate Algie Howell, who told us about how we are given such a big opportunity and no matter how the going gets rough to stay in school. He explained to us that he had just turned seventy-four years. He was one of three out of sixteen students in his graduating class who graduated college. He also reminded us that he grew up during the Jim Crow days, minorities were not welcome in the military let alone college. So he repeatedly reminded us, with open honesty that we were very blessed to be afforded such a grand opportunity.
 Delegate Howell was also very honest when me and another student told him that were pursuing degrees in Psychology. Psychology, unless you have a Ph.D, is very low in demand in these bad economy days. He advised us to pursue to something close to Psychology, such as Sociology or perhaps something very close that would keep us in the job field.
  I respected Delegate Howell's honesty, and I hold the utmost respect for him. He worked hard in the military despite all odds, as well as through college. I also respect the fact that he is the fifth oldest delegate. However, not so many people felt the same way, and I respect that. But, it is not what you say, but it is HOW you say it.
  There is always this one revolutionary, anti-government, over militant, motor mouth person in a group when it comes to politics. And that is so fine, because when it comes to the tea party conservatives I can get like that too. BUT! I would never act like that if I was in a meeting of some sort with them. Granted, I would tell them how I felt and what I did not appreciate, but I would never be loud, beligerent, and rude.
  This particular person was very loud, rude, condescending, accusing the delegates of lying to their face. Mind you, we are in the House of Delegates, in an elevator full of executives, Letterboys (If you don't know what a Letterboy is, Google it), other delegates, possibly the Governor, and this person is talking trash about the delegates, the governor, and the spokesperson at the assembly. On top of that, other people were upset because our tour guide was trying to tell them  how to act in the building.  I'm talking making threats behind the tour guide's back in front of all the delegates while they are in ear shot. Sadly to say, these were my people acting this way.
  You know what I mean by my people. Black. African-American. Offsprings of sharecroppers. I was so emberassed, my already reddish brown complexion turned even redder. I looked like I had blood rushing to my head. I probably did  I was so  dizzy with emberassment. My African American brothers and sisters has got to do better. I am so sick and tired of my people emberassing me everywhere I go. I mean sheesh, I can't even go to the spa and get a relaxing mani and pedi without hearing or seeing an African American woman being loud, cursing demanding the nail tech that she better do her nails and feet right.
 I am so tired of walking up in Barnes & Nobles and over hearing my African American brothers talk trash very loudly and cursing. It is ridiculous and people we have got to do better, and we have got to act better. Needless to say, I ended up eating my complimentary lunch at the Tobacco Company in Richmond having meaningful conversation with my Caucasian people. At the end of the lunch I was then hit with another wave of emberassment when I heard my African American brothers and sisters cursing loudly at the next table close to where the board members were eating. So sad.

I Had a Bad Day (Dry Season Files)

I had a bad day in Biology class today. We were talking about Protons, Neutrons, and Electrons and adding and subtracting the numbers to get the atomic mass, when my mind totally went blank. I just simply didn't understand how those numbers came up. So I did what anybody would do when they didn't understand something with a test coming up next week. I raised my hand and told her that I didnt understand. Isn't that what any student who wants to keep a high GPA would do??? Right??? Well, not only did my dear professor tell me that she couldnt hold up the class to repeat what she already said, but she also asked me if I even read chapter 2. She also told me that I needed to come to tutoring ASAP. And people were snickering... Little bald headed, pimple faced, too tight clothes wearing....God forgive me. People just be trying me. But its all good, I bet I pass not only that test, but the entire class.
  Why? Because I will be in Tutoring every Thursday afternoon, worrying that lady half to death getting on her nerves. Speaking of which let me look at my syllabus and find out her office number. It is alllllll good.

Tangled up in the Rinse Cycle (First Entry to the Dry Season Diaries)

I am in a dry season...I am a season so dry I found myself  lurking under the couches of the house I live in looking for quarters, nickels, and dimes to do my laundry. I had two loads piled up in the hamper, I had no clean business casual clothes let alone clean underwear. So yeah, I had been walking around commando for the past two and a half weeks. I had to resort to wearing Yoga pants to school on that previous day. A few people I had run into gave me some job leads  and I have class assignment where some of us were going to Richmond on this Wednesday to meet up with the Governor and hear a couple of speeches.
  What is a girl to do? After making phone calls after phone calls asking people if I could either borrow change, or borrow their washer and dryer to get excuse after excuse, all my pride was out of the window. I had to make a move and fast. So I prayed about it, and made a big comical announcement on Facebook asking if anyone either had change...Or laundry facilities.  No one did. Anyway, I ended up really pushing my pride to the side and asking an old friend to borrow some cash to wash.
  He blessed me with it..Thank God..Even though I had to listen to him brag about how many women he had or how much money had in the bank. I'm still thankful.  Praise God...He untangled me from the rinse cycle.