REFLECTION & REASON

Before I begin, I want to credit the images used in this post. They're from an outstanding artist named Cidne Wallace. Her artwork, stationary and other products can be purchased online at MBSgifts , It's A Black Thang , or Afrocentric Gifts . Do you ever wonder kind of friend you are? This is a question I often ask myself, and I take a moment to reevaluate my choices, words, actions, and surroundings probably more often than I should. For a lot of us, our girlfriends are our family. We love them, look forward to their company, depend on their compassion...and they are an important part of our daily routine. We we get older, friendships inevitably change. Some attachments grow stronger...others grow apart. Some resentments develop and animosity grows...some appreciations increase and respect grows. The people we spend our time with at different stages represent our lifestyles, our standards, social preferences, and even our mental state. There are friends you party with, and...

To each his own! This week I've read a few random Facebook discussions, a feature in Essence Magazine's online newsletter , and listened to a friend praise her own current interracial dating experience, so the topic is on my mind. Is it even "issue" enough to discuss anymore? " Single black women outnumber single black men "..." Most black men are babydaddys or incarcerated "..." Black women are too difficult "..." That's it! I'm only dating white men from now on! "..." A brother shouldn't bring any woman home that can't use his mama's comb "...if you've heard one comment, you've heard them all. So what kind of hypocrite would I be to say that interracial dating bothers me, when I have very close female friends of ALL races. ALL who have dated black men at one point in time, if not currently. I'm sure a lot of you fall into the same category. If you can spend countless hours having numer...

I'm sure one of your girl friends must have told you about this book by now, if you haven't already read it for yourself. Steve Harvey's "Act Like a Lady, Think Like A Man: What Men Really Think About Love, Relationships, Intimacy, And Comittment" is like the new "He's Just Not That Into You." Equally entertaining, and very truthful. And with any of these relationship "self-help" books, the author is never really telling you something you don't know deep down already. Even if you're happy, secure, and in a wonderful relationship already, I would still recommend that you take the book in. Steve Harvey is a comedian, so the book is funny if nothing else. The truth is refreshing, and he puts his message together in a very light and accepting way. The 15 chapters are divided into 3 sections: 1) The Mind Set of a Man, 2) Why Men Do What They Do, and 3) The Playbook: How to Win the Game. Here are some of the highlights I found from each ...

[Fanning face...] This book is HOT! Written by Canadian author Sophia Shaw , "A Rare Groove" is a sexy and enticing love story about the vacation romance that sparks between Simone St. Claire and Maxwell Harper. The two meet while attending a wedding in Jamaica, and have an instant connection despite Simone's inevitable return to Atlanta, Georgia, and Maxwell's to Toronto, Ontario. Without giving the story away, I can safely say that it doesn't disappoint. The drama is juicy, the romance is alluring, and the characters are likeable. Most importantly, the love story is accompanied by a tale of a family trying to reconnect and reestablish relationships after nearly a decade of silence, as well as a dangerous encounter sparked by a high-profile criminal investigation. Succesful and strong, Simone is a portrait of a confident woman who is faced with the opportunity to be the official girlfriend of a professional athlete, but knows herself enough to not get caught up i...