if Michelle can do it...

I've been working out like a gladiator for about 2 months now; I wake up on most days at 6:15 to go for a quick run around the hood then when I get home from work my trainer kicks my ass for about 45 minutes.
Here was the weekly work out progression -
I HATTTEEEE THISSSS. Lawd why?!?!
Pick 'em up, put 'em down. You can do it! (Even though it hurts)
Ain't nothing to it, but to do it. What is pain?
Push it to the limit!

Now when I go for runs I actually enjoy it. Working out isn't what I'd call fun times just yet but I feel better both physically and mentally. Why did I decided to get active, put down the chicken wing and dust off my sneakers? Just take a look at our First Lady! I like to call her guns, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness. I'm not on her level just yet, but your sister is getting there.

If Mrs. Obama; First Lady of the United States, mother of two, wife, lawyer, community activist, sister, daughter, friend, volunteer, and the list goes on can wake up at 4 am every day to exercise then I can find an hour each day to tune up and take care of the body God gave me. Its the only true vehicle we have, and it needs to be taken care of with due diligence. It isn't about vainity or purely about looks, its about women understanding that it is good and necessary to take stock of one's health and do everything possible to perserve and maintain.

So if Michelle can do it, so can you. Now to find my own Obama.

hey mona lisa

I first learned about this Faith Ringold story quilt, "Dancing at the Lourve" from the fabulous Mr. Biles' art class back during my halcyon yet hood days at A. Philip Randolph H.S. (Mr. Biles, if you're reading this, please know that you've had such an indelible impact on my life - from worldview, art apreciation, musical tastes, who else but you would play Take 6 and After 7 in class? But most importantly had us understand that blackness did not have to equal a lack of exposure to the wider world).
In class we talked about the word "gauche" and how the girls dancing around the painting could be seen as having behavior or home training. But we decided that they were just excited to be at the world's most famous art museum. And now that I've made that sojourn I couldn't agree more...
I'm just a little girl from Bed-Stuy. But by luck and a whole heap o' blessings and good credit I've been able to see a lot of the beauty of this world - man made and God ordained. There is much more to see do of course, I just want to stay on the journey and remember to order more pages for my passport.
I just want my fellow kids from hoods across NYC and the country to realize that this world is for them too. The block is hot and too small to contain them.

in motion

My homegirl and I just got home from our slammin' trip to London and Paris.
London was even better the second time around and Paris lives up to the hype. Even my plane rides were super smooth, mad love to British Airways for the excellent service and the lowkey bomb food.
Observations on London and Paris:
London is truly NYC's first cousin; the Indian food there pops like no other, SOAS is the NYU of England, going to TopShop is a contact sport, the OysterCard is better than the Metrocard (MTA step your game up!)
The Parisian African Diaspora is real deal; that city is slick diverse, the Metro makes our subway system seem stuck in the 20th century (missing a train in Paris is no big deal. There will be another in 3 mins at the most), the Eiffel Tower is truly a thing to behold, the Parisians were so nice to this American girl whose language skills are limited to bonjour.
Post-vacation ennui has hit harder than the serious jet lag. But its always nice to come back home, back to the hood where I belong.

the comeback

After a 2 year absence my homegirl and I will be headed over to London for Spring breaky Break. One of my heros, Nelson George produced a dope travelogue his time there in Feb. I'll definitely be doing my thing there in a few days and revisiting some of my old stomping grounds.
London calling indeed