REFLECTION & REASON

A true love story always reminds me that no matter what the circumstances are financially, geographically, racially, logically or otherwise...that when you're in love, you're in love. The obstacles may vary, but the feeling never changes. With fictional NBA star Drayton Jones and his undercover lover, Aldridge James (AJ) Richardson, their relationship is a complicated web of money, deceit, fame, and a deep-rooted bond that began when the two men were university students. While AJ has always been comfortable with his sexuality and devoted to Dray, Dray was always hesitant to make their situation public knowledge. AJ supported Dray consistently throughout his college athletic career, all the way up to the NBA, and as a result Dray made sure to take care of him...from a distance. Given the finest homes, clothing, opportunity, and money, AJ was happy being a "kept" man, living his life as a part-time interior decorator, and full-time companion to Dray. While it seems that...

You can follow me on Twitter by clicking the logo. Now, I am admittedly new to Twitter (kind of) and still don't really get how to make the most of it. The trending topics (TT) the re-tweets (RT) and the dozens of other acronyms and routines that I have yet to understand... But what I did find was some humour when typing in "video light" the phrase, in a search, and seeing--out of curiousity--what type of comments/conversation that it came up in. VIDEO LIGHT is the name of my debut novel (available by visiting http://www.staceymarierobinson.com/ ), and is about a dancehall princess in Toronto named Delia Chinn who is always in the spotlight. This is what others on Twitter have been saying about females they know or see in the "video light"... prettygirlnicky : #thoughtsindaclub y dah gyal deh inna di video light like she cute.. Go sit ur turtle lookin ass down NickyBling : U have some #dumbjamaicans that feel it is ok 2 go to a dance 8 mths preggo & in t...

I'm sorry, this may be irrelevant, but I think it's hilarious. I've compiled this list from a variety of random online sources, and can not take credit for any of it! Please enjoy the Top 100 Jamaican Names. Traditional names, common names, old-fashioned names. If you are Jamaican I bet you can find the name of at least 20 relatives on this list! 01. Ainsley 02. Alethia 03. Alton 04. Anne-as a prefix for females 05. Antionette 06. Audry 07. Barrington 08. Beres 09. Bernice 10. Beryl 11. Brenton 12. Bunny 13. Carmen 14. Cecil 15. Charmaine 16. Cherry 17. Claudette 18. Cletus 19. Clifton 20. Dawn 21. Delores 22. Delroy 23. Desmond 24. Donavan 25. Dwayne 26. Earl 27. Eggbert 28. Ernestine 29. Errol 30. Euda 31. Eunice 32. Fabian 33. Ferdinand 34. Fitzann 35. Fitzroy 36. Ford-as a suffix for males 37. Garfield 38. Garnette 39. Glenroy 40. Glenville 41. Hopeton 42. Horace 43. Hortense 44. Hubert 45. Hyacinth 46. Icilda 4...

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...