Dee411

Upcoming Blog Tour!

2010-02-09T02:39:00.002-05:00

Allyson M. Deese is an author and a poet as well as a student completing her degree in Medical Office Administration. She is a native of Asheville, North Carolina, where she resides with her family. The short story "Discovering the Joy Within", was her poetic debut. Allyson along with her sisters of the pen Linda Herman and Tinisha Johnson have penned a moving tribute to the importance of prayer entitled, Somebody Prayed for Me, available now.

http://www.somebodyprayed4me.webs.com/ Ms. Deese is currently working on the novel version of “Discovering the Joy Within” http://www.discoveringthejoywithin.webs.com/

This Thursday, February 11th ... Allison will be blogging here at Dee411. Please tell a friend and be sure to stop by to meet her!

In the meantime, to learn more about Allyson or to purchase her works, please visit http://www.allysonmdeese.webs.com/

Dear Dad

2008-07-06T03:07:00.006-04:00

At the age of seventeen, Father’s Day became a mockery to me and my faith in my Heavenly Father took a serious beating. Almost twenty-six years later, I’ve learned not to see Him with eyes handicapped with biological and situational limitations, but with the spiritual eyes that reflect the brand/receipt of His DNA.

With them, I can see that He’s all that AND a bag of chips! (Y’all know I love food.. lol). He’s enabled me to understand that He despises my act(ions) that go against His word, not me. He’s taught me that the measure of forgiveness I receive is in direct correlation to the measure I mete out. He’s enlightened me with the knowledge that forgiveness is a gift I give myself.

But most of all… He’s always embodied love… even unto death. So when He says the character of love, His character, is quick to forgive, doesn’t hold a grudge, is not puffed up, hopes all things, bears all things, and never ends… He means it and with His help… so now… can I.

This year for Father’s Day, it was my intent to “reframe” the memory/experience by compiling a list of the positive things I inherited, learned or appreciated… dare I even say loved about my Dad. Didn’t quite get to that list as yet, but I believe that this piece is a great precursor.

Hope it is a help to someone out there who’s been where I’ve been.

Peace,
~D

Dear Dad,

Today has been a long time coming
I had to work my way back to loving
back to the me I was becoming
before i woke to the rhythm
of your unsanctioned touch

I was…
free to love unabashedly
trust was second nature to me

I believed…
the world was my oyster
as long as you were in my corner

I lost…
that day… both you and me
your touch reshaped my reality

I became…
no more than a statistic
a dropout with dreams unrealistic

I finally…
reconciled with Dee
my Heavenly Father rescued me

I hope…
you repented before you died
even whilst my soul still cried

I forgive…
you for hurting me
for deserting me

I love you DAD

Upcoming Blog Tour!

2008-06-08T03:12:00.001-04:00

Starting on Monday, June 9, 2008 thru Wedsnesday, June 11, 2008 ... Read Zone Book Reviews will be hosting a Blog Tour for Allison Bottke and her latest book, Setting Boundaries With Your Adult Children!

Travel with us as we find out something new about Allison at each stop:

Stop #1 – Monday, June 9, 2008 – Book Zone

Stop #2 – Tuesday, June 10, 2008 – Shoutlife

Stop #3 – Wednesday, June 11, 2008 – Dee411: Cast Down, But Not Destroyed!

SANITY MAKES A COMEBACK!

“Setting Boundaries With Your Adult Children: Six Steps to Hope and Healing for Struggling Parents” and the SANITY Support Group Network are powerful resources to help parents and grandparents who have challenging adult children gain SANITY in a world spinning out of control. Tell a friend in need…help change a life. Visit http://www.sanitysupport.com/.

Alone At Last

2007-08-31T07:38:00.000-04:00

Seems forever since I've seen you
A glimpse or look from me meant nothing to you
Day in day out I'd peek and pine
But for me you had no time

To everything there is a season
I told myself that was the reason
I told myself to give it time
You'd get tired of the ole bump and grind

Today has been a long time coming
You're awake to see what I'm becoming
No distractions, no other venues
Alone at last, I'm on the menu

8/30/07 written in response to a poetry write off on BP, topic supplied by the poet above me. Feel free to comment.

Read Around the World...

2006-12-27T23:23:00.000-05:00

Hi Folks,

I marvel at the breadth and reach of the Internet from time to time, so I decided to share my awe with you. Below are the stats for the blog for the year of 2006 ... see the many countries I've reached with just the click of a mouse. That kinda kills that ... I'm only one person, what can I do argument doesn't it?

Consider, how you can make a difference in 2007.

Peace,
Dee

Countries		Pages	Hits
United States	us	19610	65853
Unknown	ip	1719	3420
Switzerland	ch	202	232
Sweden	se	195	260
Australia	au	114	1162
Canada	ca	91	1168
Germany	de	90	181
European Union	eu	74	657
Great Britain	gb	49	681
Netherlands	nl	27	191
Singapore	sg	23	483
Iceland	is	23	36
South Korea	kr	19	29
Italy	it	18	76
Japan	jp	13	42
Spain	es	12	52
Taiwan	tw	11	62
New Zealand	nz	11	58
China	cn	9	73
Venezuela	ve	9	11
Hong Kong	hk	8	194
Thailand	th	8	38
South Africa	za	7	69
Belgium	be	7	82
United Arab Emirates	ae	7	29
Turkey	tr	6	9
Mexico	mx	6	82
Israel	il	5	48
Norway	no	5	49
Trinidad and Tobago	tt	5	63
India	in	5	102
Chile	cl	5	19
Malaysia	my	4	48
France	fr	4	85
Philippines	ph	3	48
Austria	at	3	38
Denmark	dk	2	23
Brazil	br	2	18
Poland	pl	2	42
Faroe Islands	fo	2	3
Ireland	ie	2	14
Finland	fi	2	52
Jordan	jo	2	5
Bangladesh	bd	1	2
Russian Federation	ru	1	2
Romania	ro	1	29
Costa Rica	cr	1	1
Kuwait	kw	1	36
Greece	gr	1	18
Hungary	hu	1	23
Guatemala	gt	1	4
Uruguay	uy	1	2
Peru	pe	1	8
Portugal	pt	1	7
Egypt	eg	1	9
Saudi Arabia	sa	1	15
Indonesia	id	1	49
Czech Republic	cz	1	2
Lithuania	lt	1	6
Fiji	fj	1	3
Iran	ir	1	19
Qatar	qa	1	1
Vietnam	vn	1	3
Estonia	ee	1	12
Cameroon	cm	1	3
Antigua and Barbuda	ag		1
Virgin Islands (USA)	vi		1
Bermuda	bm		3
Lebanon	lb		15
Cyprus	cy		24
Kenya	ke		2
Puerto Rico	pr		2
Nepal	np		6
Dominican Republic	do		1
Bahamas	bs		6
Jamaica	jm		22
Cayman Islands	ky		1
Malta	mt		2
Bahrain	bh		2
Yugoslavia	yu		17
Bulgaria	bg		16
Slovak Republic	sk		4
Namibia	na		6
Latvia	lv		1
Barbados	bb		3
Ethiopia	et		3
Croatia	hr		2
Senegal	sn		5
Ghana	gh		3
Pakistan	pk		5
Argentina	ar		3

For My Internet Friends

2006-10-31T14:19:00.000-05:00

Hi Folks,

I received the following ecard about five minutes ago from "an Internet friend". Now I don't want to sound shallow or anything but I gotta tell ya ... I don't recall saying more than a general hello to this person. If I have, it would have been under a different email address because I do not recognize the one from which I get emails and ecards. Everytime I attempt to communicate with this person via email to find out more about them ... I never get a response, so I've relatively given up. However, it always seems that he seems to send an ecard that's right on time or on target ... if you will.

His request for today's card is that I share it with others, so I immediately thought of you ... my Internet friends!

Oh and did I mention the kicker that made it extra special? Playing in the background is the instrumental version of one of my favorite praise and worship songs "Give Thanks" For those of you who don't know it, I've linked to a demo version from the Praise Hymn Web site so you can hear the words and take a moment in your day to "give thanks".

Peace,
Dee

P.S. Now I know someone out there is thinking "Internet stalker" warning signs, but call me crazy ... I've started to see him as my Internet angel always there with a word of encouragement. So I guess the moral of the story is that we need to be aware when we communicate with others on the Internet, whether it be via blog, email or IM, we're making contact with real people. We never know who we touch or how we impact others ... sometimes a hello or a :oD makes the world of difference.

Somehow in this great big world

I found my way to you

My friend across the computer lines

my heart, my soul, that's who.

You try to make me smile

with the mail you send my way.

You never fail to drop a line

each and every day.

Whenever I have hurried home

with something, I must share,

I find it just so comforting

that you are always there.

Encouragement you give me

and a friendship that is true.

I'm glad my soul, while reaching out,

found someone like you.

Have A Wonderful Day

Thanks For Being There

For the Exhibitionist in You

2006-10-31T06:35:00.000-05:00

As a former street vendor and flea market connoisseur I know exactly how hard it is to operate and appear to be the professional you are without functional trade show displays that suit your needs. Picture a book signing where the wind lifts and carries away a book every ten minutes or so. Yup ... true story, been there done that.

So if you're about to show up a bit of the exhibitionist in you ... make sure you don't use any old thing, go for the display that works for you.

Purchasing an Engagement Ring

2006-10-30T17:24:00.000-05:00

If you're looking for that perfect ring to match your loved one's style and taste, DanforthDiamond.com has an incredible selection of engagement rings. You'll find friendly customer service and consultants who are always happy to help answer questions. On the cutting edge of jewelry trends, they also offer palladium engagement rings which create an incredible setting for any diamond you select.

Blog post sponsored by How to Make Money Blogging

New Renter

2006-10-27T02:17:00.000-04:00

Hey Folks,

We've a new renter for this week: Driving Barefoot. As you can deduce from the name, it is a quirky but interesting blog.

He describes himself thusly:

Drivin' Barefoot with the only Red~Headed, Blue Eyed, Freckle~Faced, Left~Handed, Colorblind, Guitar Pickin', Harpoon Blowin', LDS, Wisconsin Army
National Guard Retired, U.S. Army (Airborne), Disabled Vet, On the Net

Here are a few Driving Barefoot-isms:

EMS~ What’s the matter, are our lights not bright enough for you? Is our siren not obnoxious enough for you? Are the big block letters spelling “ECNALUBMA” not legible enough for you? What part of Pull completely to the right and stop Did you not understand?
**ParaTed2k**
EMS~ It’s not like it’s a serious job. I mean, if I accidentally give you a med and it slows down your heart, I’ve got one right here that will speed it right back up!
**ParaTed2k**

To read more, click, browse, comment! And don't forget to tell him that Dee411 sent ya.

Peace,
Dee

DAILY READ: Covenant Relationships

2006-10-12T10:56:00.000-04:00

But I will establish My covenant with you, and you will enter the ark - you and your sons and your wife and your sons' wives with you. ~ Genesis 6:18

The Bible is filled with covenants made between God and people. Six of those covenants were made with Old Testament figures: Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, and David. The seventh was made with His own Son, Jesus Christ. God is always the strongest partner in a covenant relationship.

God made a covenant with Noah in order to preserve the human race. This covenant involved Noah's participation by building an ark. He'd never built an ark before. He'd never had a boat. It was a totally new concept to Noah and the rest of the world. Why would he need a boat in a dry land?

Noah did not have to invent the ark; God gave him the plans-in specific dimensional detail. He did not have to gather the animals-God led them into the ark. God even closed the door when they all came on board. God made it rain to prove why the ark was needed.

The covenant provided all Noah needed to complete his mission in life. When God spoke to Noah to do this thing, he needed only to respond to God's call to do it. Noah could rest in knowing the covenant made with God was going to be fulfilled if he fulfilled his part.

If you have entered into a covenant relationship with God, you too can be assured that God will uphold His part of the covenant relationship. He is committed to fulfilling His covenant with you and to fulfill His purposes in and through your life. It only requires one thing on your part-obedience. He will even provide grace and faith to you to help you fulfill your part of the covenant.

Each of us has a covenant with God. But we also enter covenants with others in our personal and business lives. How are you doing in fulfilling covenants to others? God has given us the example to follow. Ask God if you have any unfulfilled covenants you need to honor. He has called you and me to be covenant keepers.

The one who calls you is faithful and He will do it (1 Thessalonians 5:24).

Copyright (c) 2006 by Christopher Donaldson, Sr.

CALLING ALL AUTHORS

2006-10-09T12:54:00.000-04:00

BOOK CLUBS PLEASE FEEL FREE TO POST THIS ON YOUR WEBSITE...

Donna Hill Promotions invites you to join us in a weeklong jamboree that will take place on December 4, 2006 until December 9, 2006, everyday from 9am to 9pm. Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday will be regular chats about books that are being dropped during the month of December. Wednesday will be throw back day where we will discuss any book that came out during the 2006 year. Friday will be the day we discuss future releases as well as give away a very special gift basket.

We are inviting ALL published authors including self-published, as well as e-book published authors to participate. Any author who wishes to participate has until November 8, 2006 to contact Missy Brown with Donna Hill Promotions at misherald@yahoo.com to confirm that they are interested in participating in this virtual chat.

We at DHP do understand that there are many people who work regular 9 to 5 jobs so that they may not be able to readily participate in a live chat, so the authors will have to hold chats as well as check message boards during the 9 to 5 shift.

More information will be forth coming on all the particulars of how the chats will work, the author lineup, as well as where we will be holding chats and discussions.

Please pass this along to your author friends and your reading groups, as we want this to be a nice big party! All we ask for any participating author is to donate two autographed books to place in our gift baskets. Other than that the whole event is free to everyone.

Thanks,

The Donna Hill Promotions Team

Blessings
Missy Brown

9/11 & KATRINA TRIBUTE - Repost From Newsletter

2006-09-14T23:44:00.000-04:00

Hi Folks!

Well, it's two days away from the official release of AIJAN and I am experiencing a sense of anticlimax.

It probably has something to do with the 9/11 anniversary, about which I feel so much, I can't even put it into words. One stark memory is attending the wake of a church sister. She'd just graduated from college working F/T and going to school at nights. She was about thirty-eight, in her prime. There was no body for the casket, just a graduation picture of her proudly holding her degree--you see, there was not enough of her found to fill a casket, just an arm.

I remember thinking--how unfair! Just as her life was starting to take off. I remember questioning God about it. I don't remember His answer, but I do know that I found peace in the thought that she was fully persuaded that Jesus was the answer. She was enthusiastic, down-to-earth and a joy to be around. I guess her purpose here on earth had been fulfilled.

I continued on with my life, and as each day went by, it became easier to forget 9/11 because other things happened in my life and in the world, KATRINA for instance. I'd like to think that I played a part in helping out, but whenever is the assistance enough in situations like that?

Again, I continued on with my life, and it was not till last August that it really dawned on me how I could ceaselessly continue to assist others through the catastrophic disasters that can become one's daily existence. Said catalyst was a worship service I attended at another church in which a young woman of the congregation was shot by her boyfriend because she attempted to break up with him. She'd just given her life to Jesus and was cleaning out the clutter in her new existence and then she was cut down.

Again I remember thinking--how unfair! Not only that, I remember being grateful that it wasn't me. So many times in my search for love, I've not always made sound choices, but God's grace and mercy preserved me. Why?
Because my purpose was not yet fulfilled. I'd like to think that I now make better choices, that I love and see myself as God sees me--but some days I regress--but resurgent was the burning desire to reach out to my fellow sisters (and brothers) to encourage, caution, enlighten. We have freedom of choice, let us use it, even in our search for love.

I want to thank each and everyone of you for your feedback, support and prayers.

Here's a quick bit of prose poetry I just composed on the fly, dedicated to the victims and survivors of 9/11, KATRINA and the ever present, perpetually silent--walking wounded among us:

We Can Choose

We can choose to be happy
or incessantly be crappy
We can choose to share
or be cluttered with despair

We can choose to care
or remain unaware

We can choose to forgive
or regret the life we live

We can choose to let go
or hold on to what we know

We can choose to move away
or suffer the pain and stay

We can choose to help others
or consider it a bother

We can choose to speak out
or forever have no clout

We can choose to ask for help
or continually count on self

We can choose a good mate
or settle--then self-hate

We can choose to live in the present
or consider days reminiscent
Or we can choose to live most prescient,
give honor to those who've gone before--
like Jesus the Christ, He is no folklore!

Peace,
Dee

DAILY READ: The Way of God

2006-09-11T09:58:00.000-04:00

If My people would but listen to Me.... ~ Psalm 81:13

God has a specific training ground for leaders. There are three patterns of preparation that have been common among most of God's leaders. First, there is a time when the leader is separated from his old life. Consider Moses, Joseph, Abraham, and Paul. In order for God to mold and shape them into His nature, it appears that He had to remove them from the life of comfort. A teacher once said, "You cannot go with God and remain where you are."

Next, there is usually a time of solitude. God often brings leaders into a time of solitude in order to speak to them without other distractions. Hosea 2:14b says, "I will lead her into the desert and speak tenderly to her." Paul was sent to Arabia for two years for a time of solitude. Joseph spent years in the solitude of prison. Moses spent 40 years in the desert herding sheep.

The third characteristic of God's preparation for leaders is discomfort. The setting in which the preparation takes place usually is not a place of comfort. Abraham traveled through the difficult deserts. David lived in caves fleeing Saul. Paul was frequently persecuted.

Are you ready for the classroom of leadership preparation? If God chooses to bring you into this class, you may have one of three reactions to the events. First, you may say, "I don't need it." Perhaps you know intellectually that you do need this, but God wants you to know it in your heart. Pride prevents us from entering this classroom. The second reaction may be, "I'm tired of it." You decide you've had enough. If so, this will disqualify you from leadership. Finally, God's desired response from us in this preparation is, "I accept it." To accept it with joy is the place of maturity in Christ. God often keeps us in these places until we come to accept and agree that Jesus is enough. Is He all you need?

Like the people of Israel, I think we have something to do with the timetable of our education. "If My people would but listen to Me, if Israel would follow My ways, how quickly would I subdue their enemies and turn My hand against their foes!" (Ps. 81:13-14)

Are you ready for the process required for being a godly leader? Ask for His grace to willingly embrace these times of preparation.

Copyright (c) 2006 by Christopher Donaldson, Sr.

Queens Book Fair Update

2006-08-25T12:43:00.000-04:00

Good Morning Folks!

The Queens Book Fair went off without a hitch last Saturday. It was held in the lovely but sandy Rufus King Park. The sponsors Carol and Brenda of C&B Books Distribution, did it up nicely with an act that totally floored me: they'd purchased tents for each of the authors.

Although admittedly a smaller affair than the Harlem Book Fair, which I attended last month, I must say that it was a much more enjoyable experience for me.

The traffic was slower, which was not a bad thing, since it was just me manning my table. However, I practically emptied out my supply of handouts to browsers and fellow authors alike.

My table was situated between that of Faye Thompson, author of In her Mother's Shadow and Bea Joyner, author of A Taste of Things to Come and Don't Need No Soaps, My Life is Soap Enough!--two gracious women. It was a bit of a downer to not have any books to sell and at first the old green-eyed-monster reared its ugly head as I watched Faye enthusiastically autograph books for her customers. However, as the day progressed, I regained my perspective and began to enjoy her moment almost as much as she did. (Thank God!)

After a while, with her mom's vigilant eye on my table, I was free to make my way around to the other tables to do what I love to do best: browse books, meet the authors who wrote them and obtain contact information to stay in touch and to give them a shout out!

So please bookmark this page and check back often as I commence my shoutouts. In the next few weeks I'll be introducing you to some rich and resonant voices of all ages, starting with today's at age twelve.

Yes, age twelve. That would be Zykeya McLeod. A twelve-year-old author I was blessed to meet. I don't know if I was more flabbergasted at her age or her topic, but I was so proud, you would
have sworn that I was her mama. Her book, An Inner Child Speaks, deals with physical abuse. I found it to be a well-written, poignant, yet down-to-earth book, which begs for a sequel. (Hint, hint Zykeya)

I also had a lovely conversation with Zykeya and her mother and promised to help get the word out about Zykeya's accomplishment as well at the topic which gels so closely with mine. I've two things in the works, on their behalf, but I don't want to tip my hand until I get things nailed down, but do give them your support and be sure to tell them that Dee sent you. (By the way... when I say support... I was kinda talking about moving past the "Oh my! How wonderful" right on into the, "I'll have one to go please."

Let's show that we know how to support our community--especially those hurting amongst us.

Till next time.

Peace,
Dee

DAILY READ: The Door of Full Surrender

2006-08-03T09:28:00.000-04:00

But He knows the way that I take; when He has tested me, I will come forth as gold. ~ Job 23:10

I was recently sitting with the leader of a workplace organization as he described a question he poses to workplace believers. "What if there were two doors to choose from; behind one door was the complete will of God for your life and behind the other door was how life could be according to your own preference.

Which door would you choose?" The struggle for most lies in the desire to follow God completely and the fear of what might be behind the door of full surrender. Most of us desire to follow God, but few of us will do it at any cost. We do not really believe that God loves us to the degree that we are willing to give Him complete permission to do as He wills in us.

If we desire to fully walk with Christ, there is a cost. We may give intellectual assent and go along with His principles and do fine; however, if we are fully given over to Him and His will for our life, it will be a life that will have adversity. The Bible is clear that humans do not achieve greatness without having their sinful will broken. This process is designed to create a nature change in each of us, not just a habit change. The Bible calls it circumcision. Circumcision is painful, bloody, and personal.

If God has plans to greatly use you in the lives of others, you can expect your trials to be even greater than those of others. Why? Because, like Joseph who went through greater trials than most patriarchs, your calling may have such responsibility that God cannot afford to entrust it to you without ensuring your complete faithfulness to the call. He has much invested in you on behalf of others. He may want to speak through your life to a greater degree than through another. The events of your life would become the frame for the message He wants to speak through you.

Do not fear the path that God may lead you on. Embrace it. For God may bring you down a path in your life to ensure the reward of your inheritance. "For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all" (2 Cor. 4:17)

Copyright (c) 2006 by Christopher Donaldson, Sr.

Review: The Life of Teenagers Ain't No Joke!

2006-07-15T09:44:00.000-04:00

Living a Courageous Childhood, In An Unforgiving World by Keith G. Wright
Publisher: Ain't No Joke Books, Inc.
Category: Self-Help
Reviewed by D.S. White for Active Christian Media

"No Joke Teen Truth #325: The smartest teenagers have already figured out that anything that can happen to someone else, can also happen to them. If someone else makes a decision that leads to dangerous consequences, then surely, by making that same decision, it will lead you to danger as well. There are no exemptions for the many teens that believe that it won't happen to them." - Pg 57

"No Joke Teen Truth #253: The most successful teenagers have figured out that they were born to be great people, that they were born to make history, and that they were born to leave a legacy of their remarkable lives to the world." - Pg 38

About the Book:
The above quotes are two of the many gems to be found in the teen version of the "Ain't No Joke" book series. Throughout the book the author's pride in his mother and sincere heart for teenagers resounds loudly.

The author touches on several issues that if translated into a letter, would probably read as follows:

Dear Teen,

Many don't expect much of you, but I know they're wrong. I believe that it is because society expects so little of you, that you give little. In this book, I turn that all around. I expect a lot of you and I know you can do it! No matter what society says, you can achieve great things!

You were born with everything you will ever need to fulfill your dream already deposited inside of you. However, this does not mean that it will be accomplished without input on your behalf.
Study - a must
Application of what you learn - a must
Reading - a must
Being open minded - a must
A Spiritual component - a must
Will it be easy? I won't lie to you. No it won't, but it will be easier for you, than it was for the people in history who paved the way for you through their struggles. Your possibilities are endless and the only one who will be able to stop you--is you!

So let's get started!

Sincerely,
The Author

About the Author:

Born in the south, raised in the north, Keith G. Wright is the son, and only child, to a single mother, educatior, and a truly inspirational woman, Evelyn Wright. From childhood, he has gained a real sense of the immeasurable value of women, an apprecaition of the importance of our past, and a love for all people of all colors and backgrounds.

Keith G. Wright is the founder and president of Beyond Color Foundation, an organization devoted to racial harmony, multicultural unity, and "empowering everyday people to live famous lives."

As a young and ambitious entrepreneur, by the age of 30, Keith owned and operated a multimillion dollar real estate and business enterprise. He went bankrupt by the age of 35. He states, "Lost it all?... I know how it feels. It’s a lonely, isolating place at the bottom. Yet, the experience and knowledge gained are deeply liberating. I know who I am now, and I know where my power resides..."

Key Positives:

Highly inspirational
Attempts to raise the bar of expectations towards teenagers
Pinpoints the importance of teenagers in society
Pinpoints the importance of choices
Pinpoints the importance of education
Author's genuine caring for teenagers
Good dialogue starter for parents of teens

Key Negatives:

Point-of-view shifts in book
Absence of positive case studies to balance out the negative ones

Rating:

4.5 out of 5 stars for Inspiration, high expectations and author initiative, however I would have liked to see a few practical steps to facilitate practice of the teen truths. Maybe a workbook is in order?

Recommendation:

I doubt that teens of their own volition would purchase this book to read. However, this book would be a great tool for parents, youth counselors and youth organizations to utilize to get dialogue flowing. Great start Mr. Wright!

-------

D.S. White writes creative non-fiction, and has just completed her first blook (book based on a blog). She is the founder of Dee411 a website with links to articles and resources for victims of abuse and rape and resources for sufferers of bipolar disorder. She has lived in the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, Maryland, New York and now resides in Pennsylvania. Dee receives email at dee @ deeswhite.com. (Remove spaces)

Summer Book Scavenger Hunt!

2006-07-11T17:16:00.000-04:00

Hi Folks,

Have I got a gift for you! A chance to test your Internet savvy and win some books as well.

Fellow author, Trista Russell of EbonyAuthors.com sponsors three separate scavenger hunts. Forty authors, forty books and three chances to win!

The only stipulation, you must join her mailing list in order to participate. So hurry up and join and happy hunting to ya!

Peace,
Dee

Summer Book Scavenger Hunts

The scavenger hunts will be held on:

July 12th, August 16th, and September 13th

Participants will search the Internet to answer the 20 questions that will be listed below (websites will be provided with the questions) on July 12th and also sent via e-mail in the Ebony Authors newsletter. The first person to return to this webpage and enter all of the correct answers will receive 10 books. The second person will receive 3 books, and the third 2 books. All books are signed and will be mailed directly from the authors. Books titles and authors listed below.

Rules:

#1 You must be on the ebonyauthors.com mailing list to participate. If not, click here to join!

Scavenger Hunts Book List

A Dream Come True, by Michael T. Owens

Age is Just a Number: Adventures in Online Dating, by D.S. White

Backroom Confessions, by Rose Jackson-Beavers

Blind Temptations, by Lesley Hal

Caught Up, by Deatri

Changing Faces, Changing places, by Sydney Molare

Daddy's Girl, by Linda D. Wattley

Devil In The Mist, by Diane Dorce

Diary of a Street Diva, by Ashley Jaquavis

Dirt Ball Bad, by Lesley Nowlin

Dirty Little Secrets, by Joy King

Every Woman Needs a Wife, by Lissa Woodson

Fatal Desire, by Jessica Tilles

Going Broke, by Trista Russell

How to Get Over Him and Learn From Your Mistakes, by Honilovee

If I Ruled the World, by Joylynn Jossel

KARMA, by Hashim Conner

Lawd Mo Drama, by Tina McKinney

Love Me Carefully, by A.C. Arthur

Love, Pleasure and Pain, by Corlis Martin

Make You Love Me, by Latonya Williams

Mistaken Identity, by Sylvia Hubbard

Mode One: Let The Women Know What You're REALLY Thinking, by Alan Roger Currie

My Invisible Husband, by Shelia Goss

My Woman His Wife, by Anna J

Peace In The Storm, by Elissa Gabrielle

Second Time Shame on Me, by Erica N. Martin

Sooner or Later, by Cheryl Talley Moss

The Art of Walking through Fires, by Beverly Welch

The Mayor's Wife Wore Sapphires, by Marti Tucker

The Party, by Saundra E. Harris

The Product, by Marcus A. Parker

The Rotation, by Jackie Young

The Roux in the Gumbo, by Kim Robinson

Two's Enough Three's A Crowd, by Brenda M. Hampton

When Death Comes a Knockin', by Vanessa Johnson

Review: He Talk Like a White Boy

2006-06-21T21:24:00.000-04:00

Reflections on Faith, Family, Politics, and Authenticity

by Joseph C. Phillips, Foreword by Tavis Smiley
Publisher: Running Press Book Publishers
Review by D.S. White for Active Christian Media

"...I was determined that if I didn't learn to like rap, I would at least develop a working knowledge of the music so I could discuss it intelligently. I dashed out to the music store and bought CDs by Public Enemy, Big Daddy Kane, and a list of other artists who were hot at the time. The only ground rule I set was that I had to play each album all the way through at least once. As an illustration of my lack of commitment, I soon decided that playing an album all the way through didn't necessarily mean I had to be in the same room while it played. Strictly speaking, so long as the album played all the way through. I didn't even have to be in the apartment. I will never forget putting NWA (Niggaz with Attitude) on the stereo. I almost broke my neck sprinting across my apartment to turn the volume down when 'F**k the Police' began blasting through the building."

The above quote is one of the many reasons completion of this book was mandatory. By its very title, this book makes a provocative statement which is ably reinforced by its content. The author, Joseph C. Phillips is an actor, writer, lecturer, and social commentator best known for his role on The Cosby Show as the character Denise's (Lisa Bonet) husband, Lt. Martin Kendall. He has also appeared in such films as Strictly Business, Midnight Blue, and Let's Talk about Sex. As a writer and social commentator, Joseph's work has appeard in Newsweek, Lost Angeles Daily News, Essence, Upscale, and USA Today. His weekly column,"The Way I See It", appears in newspapers around the country. He was also a regular contributor to NPR's Tavis Smiley Radio Show. He lives in Los Angeles with his wife and three children.

The book is a collection of essays divided into the following themes:

Character

Family

Faith

Idealism; and

Identity

The author's love of his country is interwoven throughout the book. His dispair for the incremental demise of the family rings loud and clear as well as his battle to be all he can be: as a man who is black, is educated, is a conservative, is a husband, is a man of God--but most of all as a man who wants to be a good father.

He declares his political views with such conviction, that whether you agree or disagree with his stance, you're left with a sense of admiration for someone who is not afraid to stand tall and proud for their beliefs. At times the weight of the author's burden to push himself to the next level, while wading against the tide of unpopularity of his political beliefs, exhibits itself as a tad overbearing or maybe even a bit pompous. But right at the point that you're about to say, "Enough already," he pokes fun at himself with a scene like the one above which compels you to laughter; (out loud on a crowded bus) or another moves you to tears, (again on a crowded bus) and yet another fills you with gratitude and pride in being an American. (Swelling of the chest thankfully not readily apparent on said crowded bus.)

This book does what a good book should: it prods you out of your sense of complacency with your accomplishments in life and causes you to question whether you're trying to be all you can be for God, man and country.

Rating:
This book earned 4 out 5 stars for humor, honesty, faith, marital perseverance, parenting efforts, and writing style. However, I would have liked to see a few less big words.

Comparable books (from Amazon.com):

The Covenant with Black America by Tavis Smiley

Letters to a Young Brother : MANifest Your Destiny by Hill Harper

Never Mind Success - Go For Greatness! : The Best Advice I’ve Ever Received by Tavis Smiley

Godless: The Church of Liberalism by Ann Coulter

Race Matters (Vintage) by Cornel West

Recommendation:
I am glad to have had the opportunity to share a piece of the author's heart and soul. I encourage you to purchase yourself a copy.

"Joseph. Thanks for sharing."

-----

Dee S. White writes creative non-fiction, and has just completed her first blook (book based on a blog). She is the founder of Dee411 a website with resources to combat abuse and rape. She has lived in the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, Maryland, New York and now resides in Pennsylvania.

Technorati tag: book review, Joseph C. Phillips, Dee S. White, rap

So Glad We Made It!

2006-06-03T10:56:00.000-04:00

The following article was originally posted on September 29, 2005. This is a revised version. I'm celebrating the fact that despite all the distractions, goals etc. I've made a year of blogging, in fact, we've made a year of blogging. So even though it's customary to repost the first post, I'm going to be a bit sentimental and a bit focussed and repost Flashback or "So Glad We Made It!" now simply entitled--"So Glad We Made It!

Thanks for your patronage:

***

I was reading a book yesterday as I waited for the bus. The main character, a blonde Georgia peach, had just broken up with her fiancé.

While she was out fundraising, he had been cheating on her with a newly hired co-worker: someone Ms. Georgia Peach considered to be loud, scandalously dressed and improperly made up. Someone who although she hadn’t all the advantages in the world, still spoke her mind and was comfortable with her sexuality. In fact, this woman was someone she had never dared to be.

O … K.

That’s the point where Ms. Georgia Peach got me. That’s the point where we connected. I thought of my best friend in high school, Dyan. She didn’t have much in the way of material things, but darn if she didn’t have some smarts, some great dimples and some sex appeal. Whoooooa!

In fact that’s how we met…

It was my junior year in high school. About to pass the ladies’ room, I decided to use it then instead of later. As I swung the door open and entered, I saw four African American girls, of average height, surrounding a petite girl, who appeared to be listening defiantly as the tallest and prettiest girl took center stage; neck circulating and finger pointing as she spewed her venom,
"I don’t know what he sees in you anyway, with your ugly, ball-headed, fast self!"
I paused, as I debated whether to continue any further, cause these folks looked kinda busy, but then Ms. Pretty said, "When we get through with you, you’re gonna think twice before messing with anybody’s boyfriend," then to her "crew" she instructed, "Hold her!"
Now you’d think with the odds at four to one, Dyan would use those smarts of hers to talk the situation down? Nah … that made waaaay too much sense. Ms Thing was reading them left, right and center, setting the record straight with a pithy, "Girl please, I ain’t want your ugly wannabe-a-player-but-he-can’t-hang, boyfriend, he’s the one panting behind me like a dog! Ask my gurl here."
As though choreographed, all six heads swiveled to look behind me, I’d probably have kept on looking for her gurl, but the silence kinda clued me in that I might just be the "gurl" to which she referred. So summoning all my "down" speak, I put on my "cool" face, turned around and said, "Yeah, his simple behind always in our way, talking ‘bout can I buy you and your gurl lunch?"
By that time, I’d walked over to stand beside Dyan; how was I to know that this boy that I’d never seen, mind you, had never offered to buy Ms. Pretty lunch or either of her crew, at that? It was like waving a red flag in front of a bull. En masse, the crew began closing in on us, but their main focus was Dyan.
Then, I, with courage I’d never exhibited before or thereafter, stood firm and said in my most disparagingly adult voice, "Four to one, that’s hardly fair odds, and though I hate fighting, if y’all wanna do this, y’all gonna have to go through me first."
At five-six and solid, I guess I must have presented a convincingly scary picture, because the crew backed down and backed out of the bathroom vowing to catch Dyan when her "bodyguard" wasn’t around.
Do you think Dyan’s mouth was quiet? Noooooo, she was on her tiptoes peeking over my shoulder shouting, "Bring it on!" That is, until I leveled a look at her that brought a half sheepish look to her face.
"I’m sorry," she said. "I didn’t mean to get you involved, but that’s all I could think of at the moment."
"It’s alright," I said, as I wondered to myself, Did she know the guy had a girlfriend? Did things really go down the way she said? She does have a reputation. But heck, even if she was dead wrong, Ms Pretty shoulda handled it herself, instead of tryna pull a black-mama-beatdown!
Out loud I said, "Look, I’ve seen you around my area. If you want, you can ride my bus for awhile and I’ll meet you between classes to make sure there’s no trouble?" Although she shrugged her shoulders and said, “It’s up to you." I could sense her relief.
She became the first inductee into my "Save-a-friend-from-themselves-Caribbean-Club"

I later learned that behind the facade of a perfectly made up face, a sassy mouth, an incredible sense of style, and a quick brain (she was a junior in High School at fifteen), lay the broken remains of little girl who wanted to be a doctor when she grew up, but was being molested by her much older brother, with whom she lived.

My older brother and mother were befuddled at the quick growth in our friend ship. They didn’t see what we could have in common. She was outgoing and bubbly and I was painfully shy. They also were a bit suspicious at the way she was able to come and go as she pleased. Nor could they understand why I invited her to so many sleepovers.

It made perfect sense to Dyan and me: she dealt with abuse; I dealt with guilt and constant thoughts of suicide (symptoms of what I now know as bipolar disorder or manic depression). Neither of us came from touchy feely, express yourselves families but even as opposites, we found a commonality: a meeting place at the point of our need. The need to tell someone.

My mother and brother warned me about my association with her, because of her reputation of being fast. They thought her behavior was of her own choosing, they didn’t realize it was just the symptom of a deeper problem, a cry for help, if you will. However, it was not my story to tell, so I listened, I cried, I ranted, I urged her to speak out--I even offered to go with her but her fear and distrust held more sway.

Suddenly, her popularity with the opposite sex and her earthy sex appeal, were no longer sources of envy for me. Though I must confess that I still did envy her outspokenness and the fact that she didn’t lose her optimism in the face of all she endured.

When I encountered a similar situation a year later, after moving to New York and moving in with my dad, (against the advice of my older sister), I better understood, her urge not to tell. I still don’t know how she managed her sunny disposition or held on to her dreams. Unless she resorted to a panacea of some sort, like I eventually did.

When what we’re taught as little girls is our most prized possession is taken away by force not by a stranger, but by a blood relative or someone in a position of trust, what have we to lose? What boundaries are left to be broken? Who do we trust?

Throughout the rest of our teenage years: our graduation from high school, my subsequent move to New York, her enrollment in college, my year-long sabbatical. Through it all, Dyan and I trusted each other with many a secret.

We lost touch and reunited several times in our twenties and then communication ceased in our early thirties. I’d realized but was unwilling to admit that we'd become different people, each living with the fallout of abuse in our own way.

I felt saddened and hurt that she’d not left a forwarding address or a listed phone number. For a few years afterward, I fluctuated between rabid attempts to locate her and ice cold self affirmations that she brought too much drama anyhow, but she was never really far from my mind.

A few years later, I read an email entitled "reason, season or lifetime". Its premise is that people come into our lives for different time frames, sometimes it's for a reason, other times a season and others for a lifetime. Once we realize which they fall into, we’re more able to let them go when they’ve served their purpose and it’s time to move on.

I finally realized that Dyan and I were each other's season--the season of teenage angst. We'd helped each other make it through and past our teenage years, the time frame when everything is bigger, everything is larger and some never fight hard enough to stay around as the teenage suicide statistics show.

Even though I miss her still I’m so glad we made it!

------

Copyright © 2005-2006 Dee S. White.

Dee S. White writes creative non-fiction, and has just completed her first blook (book based on a blog). She is the founder of Dee411 a website with resources to combat abuse. She has lived in the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, Maryland, New York and now resides in Pennsylvania. Dee receives e-mail at dee@deeswhite.com.

Reprints of the above material are okay as long as the resource box is included. I'd also appreciate an email advising when and where it would be used.)

Hey Where'd They Go?

2006-05-23T19:48:00.000-04:00

The 200 pointers on BlogExplosion.

You leave for a few months and

the site gets sold
minimum battle total is raised to 25 credits
you have to view each blog for 20 seconds; and
folks are bidding 200 points a battle for like eight battles in a row!

Then, just when I shake off the shudders at the thought of losing that many credits in one battle and begin to enjoy the rewards: earning 8 credits per vote (do the math 8 x 8 = 48 credits, just for voting! and I only use 25 per battle, so it didn't matter if I won or lost... I was making back my credits and then some, just by voting!)

They disappear ... spoilsports!

New Renter

2006-05-18T06:39:00.000-04:00

Hello Folks,

We've a new renter of the week in the sidebar: "2 Paperclips"

Hi. I'm Simon. Inspired by Kyle MacDonald's quest to trade up to a house with only one red paperclip as a start, I thought I'd try a similar project/adventure with a slight twist... Everything has to be in two's or an item that technically comes in pairs! Here goes...

Please give Simon a shoutout from Dee411!

The Cosby Show's "Martin"

2006-05-15T13:45:00.000-04:00

A Conversation with Joseph C. Phillips, author of HE TALK LIKE A WHITE BOY

Question: He Talk Like a White Boy! Where does the title come from?

Answer: I took the title from an experience I had in Junior High School. I was in an accelerated English Class and in the beginning of the year I answered a question. A black girl from across the room raised her hand and said, "He talk like a white boy!" That was one of those signpost moments in life when everything from that moment forward is different. The way I spoke--my diction, lack of regionalism etc. would shadow me in everything I did. As I grew older "talking like a white boy" would influence every aspect of my life, from dating to roles as an actor. Ultimately, the title points to this crazy notion that there is an authentic way to speak and by extension an authentic way to think. Now of course I am not so much accused as speaking like a white boy as I am of thinking like a white boy.

Question: What did you hope to accomplish by writing this book?

Answer: I really hope my book can inspire dialogue and get people talking and thinking about moving beyond labels, beyond race. I would like to get people talking again about how to raise our children, honor our wives and husbands, how we love god, love our country and how we define ourselves as individuals and as Americans.

Honestly I didn't start out to write a book. I love talking to people and sharing ideas and wanted to do more of that ... speaking in front of groups and that sort of thing. I have always believed that when you see successful people you ask them what they did to find success, so one day after cutting some commentary for Tavis Smiley I sat down with him and asked what he did to reach his level of success. The first thing he told me to do was write a book. He laid down the gauntlet. He didn't believe I could or would do it. To make a long story short I completed my manuscript, a publisher picked it up and once that happened I began the process of writing a real book.

Question: What is the book about?

Answer: The short answer is: the book is a collection of essays that seeks to explore how the Old School values of family, faith and freedom have shaped my identity and how they have shaped black identity and our American identity.

The longer answer is that the book is about me. In the book I tell my story. I talk about my marriage, my career, raising kids, my faith, the love I have for my country and the love I have for black people. Some of the book is funny, some of it poignant, some political, but all of it is a good read.

Question: What was the most difficult part of the book to write?

Answer: Without a doubt my faith was the most difficult. Faith is I think the shortest chapter in the book. I struggle with my faith and I struggled with writing about it. I am a Christian. I believe in Jesus Christ but like most people I have fears, jealousies, insecurities ... I get depressed, angry, disappointed. It is very difficult for me to reconcile that with my belief in the almighty and in scripture, and to make sense of it.

Still I would say it is also the most important chapter of the book because faith is the anchor for everything else I do in my life. How I raise my children, how I conduct my marriage, my patriotism and my identity are all anchored by my belief in a God that loves families and loves freedom.

Question: How did the guy from "The Cosby Show" get to be such a conservative?

Answer: I will admit to being a conservative so long as I get to define what that means. If by conservative you mean one who wants to conserve the founding principles of this nation--god given rights to life, liberty and private property, the equality of all men and a limited government that receives its just powers by the consent of the governed then I am a conservative. If you mean a man that believes in the sanctity of marriage, the importance of men raising their sons and honoring their wives; if you mean someone that believes freedom and virtue are inextricably tied then yes I am a conservative. If you mean something you scrape from the bottom of your shoe I respectfully decline.

What I am talking about are values. The values I talk about in the book--the conservative values--are values taught me by my parents, both life long democrats and liberals. I do not advocate now anything that I did not learn from them. This suggests to me that values are bridges. Most Americans agree with the founding principles. Most Americans agree with the values of marriage and family, of faith and freedom. We spend a lot of time talking about the things that divide and not about what binds us together.

Question: What links blacks together--race or class?

Answer: If I had to choose one I would say class. But again I think the real answer--the more liberating answer--is values. It is values that bind us together as communities and as a nation. One of the things I love about America is that people become Americans not through ethnicity or religion, but by virtue of adopting a set of values and principles. We may focus on race and class, but it is values that make our families strong, our communities strong and our nation strong.

What I find fascinating is that when you put values aside and begin to focus on race you most always quickly move to class. When one says I want to befriend or know black folks (or white) just any black folks won't do. One wants to know authentic black people and that almost always leads to discrimination based on class.

Question: Is being black skin color or a state of mind?

Answer: Obviously it is a bit of both. Clearly the darker your skin pigmentation the more you are identified as black. However, skin color often has little to do with culture. So, just as the colors of American cultural blackness cover the spectrum from white to blue black so too does the ?Black state of mind.? What I am rejecting is a dogma that says black is only this list of things--this list of sounds, of wants, desires and experiences. I am rejecting a notion that there is a limit on what blackness can be and more importantly that there are some who are anointed to decide what those limits should be.

Free men are able to define themselves as they wish. You can be whatever you want to
be--create yourself and recreate yourself as often as your time, energy, creativity and resources allow. In other words I am a black man. This is how I speak. This is how I think. As the kids say, "This is how I roll!" Therefore, this must be within the spectrum of black thought and speech. It is authentic because I am a free man in a free society at liberty to create myself. It is authentic because it is of my creation.

Question: You write about black authenticity. Why should a white person buy a book by a middle class black guy?

Answer: I think mine is a story that we don't hear very often because it is not seen as an authentic black experience. We need to disabuse ourselves of that thinking. More significantly, the arc of the book is about the universal values of family, faith and freedom. White people with families will recognize themselves in the struggle with faith, the joys of fatherhood and the enigma of marriage. White folks love their country and believe it or not also struggle with notions of identity. This is not a black book.

As I have traveled the country speaking to groups and sharing my story and my ideas, people of all different races have responded not just intellectually, but emotionally. Here I am speaking, sometimes very personally about my life as a black man, a husband and father, conservative etc. and white folks were saying to me: "you were telling my story." It is through the specific that stories become universal. And I can't stress it enough that values transcend race.

Question: Aren't there differences between conservatives and liberals?

Answer: Sure. There are some very fundamental philosophical differences. All of us do not share the same vision of the world. Political differences have been a part of American life from the very beginning. Thomas Jefferson and John Adams didn't speak to each other for years. But their disagreement was on the role of government not on our basic values. Like everyone else, when I hear folks on television talking about things I disagree with I would like to toss something at the set. What I am suggesting is that we begin from a values framework. That is to say a framework that doesn't assume, for instance, that conservatives want to see little children die in the streets. It is a notion that says we are all concerned about the poor, the elderly and national security. Absolutely we will have debates about the best way to address these issues. Democracy demands debate and sometimes heated debate. Let's look first to where we agree and begin to build bridges to those places where we disagree. Otherwise you have a lot of broken television sets and not much progress.

Question: Has being a conservative hurt you in liberal Hollywood?

Answer: To my knowledge I have not lost a job because of anything I have published. In fact I am always surprised when people make a point to tell me that they are reading me or hearing me on the radio. Of course often they make a point to tell me that they don't agree with me, but what is significant to me is that they go out of their way to let me know that they are following what I am doing. Part of that is simply that show people love to see other show people doing something. It's one of the things I love about show people. The other thing it tells me is that there is something I am saying that is resonating across party lines. It tells me that family, faith and freedom mean something to people. I anticipate a similar reception to the book.

Last summer I was at the national black theatre festival and the number of people who commented that they were reading my column and listening to my commentary on NPR was amazing. I knew that many of them didn't share my political ideology, but my peers went out of their way to say, "Hey, I read you every week."

Later, at the inaugural fund raising ball for the African American Museum more people pulled me to the side to talk about my column then they did to talk about "The Cosby Show."

Question: Do you foresee politics in your future?

Answer: I have considered it. In fact at one time I was looking at a race for the California state assembly. Ultimately it proved not to be the right race at the right time. Honestly, I enjoy writing and speaking much more than I enjoy learning the intricacies of state or federal tax policy. That stuff will make your eyes roll into the back of your head. I also appreciate that as a politician you have to compromise and you are constantly raising money. I haven't ruled out politics, but what I am doing now is a lot of fun.

To schedule an interview, please contact:

Seta Bedrossian, Publicist

Running Press
215-567-5080, ext. 234
seta.bedrossian@perseusbooks.com

I Believe the Jeffersons

2006-05-10T13:11:00.000-04:00

said it best.

Well we're moving on up
Moving on Up
To the top
Moving on up
To a deluxe blog system
Hosted on Siteground!

That's right... the move is complete. All the unpacking has not been completed, but visits are welcome at the new address.

I look forward to seeing and hearing from you!

Peace,
Dee

The Perfect Dress

2006-04-26T18:12:00.000-04:00

I Just received this from my sister via email and I just had to share. I know you women out there will appeciate this. I would never have the balls to do this, but I know my sister would... which made it so deliciously funny that I was sitting at my desk chuckling.

Enjoy.
Dee
Jennifer's wedding day was fast approaching. Nothing could dampen her excitement -- not even her parents' nasty divorce. Her mother had found the PERFECT dress to wear and would be the best dressed mother-of-the-bride ever! A week later, Jennifer was horrified to learn that her father's new young wife had bought the exact same dress! Jennifer asked her to exchange it, but she refused.

"Absolutely not. I look like a million bucks in this dress, and I'm wearing it," she replied.

Jennifer told her mother who graciously said, "Never mind sweetheart. I'll get another dress. After all, it's your special day."

A few days later, they went shopping and did find another gorgeous dress. When they stopped for lunch, Jennifer asked her mother, "Aren't you going to return the other dress? You really don't have another occasion where you could wear it."

Her mother just smiled and replied, "Of course I do, dear. I'm wearing it to the rehearsal dinner the night before the wedding."

NOW I ASK YOU - IS THERE A WOMAN OUT THERE, ANYWHERE, WHO WOULDN'T
ENJOY THIS STORY?

Life Lessons

2006-04-21T17:53:00.000-04:00

Hi Folks,

Despite my computer getting fried yesterday in a power outage. I'm trying to be positive and act differently than how I normally would--(A kicking, screaming, rolling on the floor tantrum). I won't even mention the fact that the last revisions for my book were on the hard drive, because luckily for me, I emailed it to myself via yahoo. (Yay Yahoo!)

So here I am at work, getting my last few hours of online fix until Monday. I guess my house will be thanking the electricity, because I'll be on another cleaning frenzy.

In the meantime, I'm looking for the lesson in the circumstance. I hate to say it, but the first scripture that came to mind this morning when I woke up and realized that it wasn't just a nightmare, was "I will have no other gods before me".

Anyway, don't say I didn't come bearing gifts:

Announcing! (drumroll please...)

The new Dee411 website, I would tell you why I created it, but then you'd have nothing to read when you visit. So do drop by, visit and then send me a comment via my contact me page.

This means that by 4/30/06 this blog will be finally obsolete and those of you on my feedblitz list, will be receiving a confirmation email from dswhite@atwc1.com to be added to my PHP mailing list. This change will cut down on the instances where I have to send the same message to different groups. All that cutting and pasting is time consuming.

I've more news, but I don't want to overload you.

Til next time,
Dee