I was catching up with a friend on the phone last week, and he reminded me that I have been traveling non-stop for the past 10 months. The thought had not even occurred to me. But it’s true, I’ve been to 4 continents and nearly a dozen countries in that time. This was not my intention when I initially set out. It happened serendipitously. Last Spring I was having dinner with my girlfriend in Philly, and she urged me to take an impromptu vacation. She’s an avid traveler and I had not been out of the country in 2 years so she was feeling my pain. Needless to say, I took her advice and bought a ticket to visit Salvador, Bahia Brazil.
I should probably give the lead up to this story. I had been living in a city that I grew to disdain, and had a job as a High School Educator I was no longer happy in. Sallie Mae was going to be on my back since I finally decided to culminate yet another degree that I would soon be responsible for paying back. The option of working my ass off for somebody else’s dream and simultaneously cuttin Sallie a check, was frankly not an option. So I decided to quit my job,take my savings, and take a leap of faith!
That was about a year ago, and to date it is the best life decision that I have ever made. I recall hearing God’s voice tell me, as I’d walk to the #34 trolley in nearly zero degree temperatures during the Philly winter, all the while cursing audibly about how I needed to get the hell out of that God forsaken city, I was reminded by the Most High very clearly, “What I have planned for you is far greater than anything you could ever imagine.” I literally remember hearing this message and it was reoccurring for months. And then one day, I ordered Chinese takeout for lunch on one of those sucky days at work, and my fortune read, You will travel the world. At that moment, something just clicked and said, “Why don’t you just move to Brazil?” Mind you, I had never been, didn’t know a single person in the whole country nor did I speak the language, but my spirit was compelling me to GO, so I did.
Now fast forward–Over the course of the past 10 months, I have learned what it is to live on faith. That the Creator gave all of us this life to live more abundantly, as is promised in the word. I moved to Brazil, lucked up on a million dollar immaculate ocean front property next door to a yacht club (a cool upgrade for a divorcee, that was forced to down size and take on a roommate for a year, but alas, my God is good.)
I pranced around the country from the north to south, chased some waterfalls.
Explored hidden gardens.
Lived in Rio de Janeiro and just a 2 minute walk from the world famous Ipanema Beach.
Learned a new language and met the most magnificent people. I have never been so sure of my purpose and more in line with my blessings than I am now, and it all came from SURRENDER—Surrendering fear, the fear that I may fail. I now know there is no such thing as failure, and ANYTHING I can conceive of in my imagination is mine to have.
It’s been a whirlwind of events since then. I was recently in Paris
and met up with some people from the Nomadness Travel Tribe to watch Jay Z and Kanye West perform ‘Niggas in Paris’… in PARIS, for a record breaking 12 times!!
And then traipsed over to Marrakesh, Morocco for some indulgent shopping.
Did a camel ride in the desert.
Each and every one of these experiences has been so precious to me, in ways that even as a writer I cannot fully convey in words. Over the course of my travels I have felt guilty at times that I’m laying in a Hammock at 2:00 in the afternoon taking a nap, or drinking a caiparinha on the beach at 5:00 on a Wednesday but, I’ve discovered we all have the power to live our lives in the most magical ways we desire.
My life is so beautiful, and I say this not to be a braggart, but to make you aware that you too can live your best possible life, in fact it is your obligation to.
I had the distinct pleasure of meeting Erika or “Aussie Girl” (as I affectionately refer to her) while working on a project for Sneaker Freaker magazine in Philadelphia, PA. Her energy was so uber awesome and we connected in an amazing way. No jealousy, no bull-shit, no slyness with this chic; she shoots straight from the hip and I love her for it! Aside from being one of the most down ass chics I have come in contact with, with a pair of lips that do Angelina Jolie no justice, she is also a bonafide sneaker connoisseur and most importantly, the Co-Creator of C.O.P. Magazine, an acronym for (Chics on Power-trips, Crimes of Passion, and my personal favorite Can’t Overstand Pussy.
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What the eff is this yo?…I can’t! Ben & Jerry’s marketing team is genius. I don’t know how they come up with the concepts for the names of their ice creams but I would bet my lunch money that it involved some herbal indulgences. “Schweddy Balls”… for real?
The ingredients seems like the makings of a pretty damn good dessert though. How do you offer someone some of your “Schweddy Balls”? It makes me laugh just to say it!
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The beginning of the millenium was great…we survived Y2K and ushered in the era with loads of good sexy steamy love making on camera from some of our favorite films. It was hard to compile a list of just my top 3 favorites but these scenes were particularly special!
I met Arielle Loren, Director of the aptly titled documentary “Bideology” during my travels in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil. Someway or another in our conversation we began talking about the Black community being remiss in not cultivating safe spaces for gay, bi-sexual, or otherwise queer identified Black men, cornering many brothas into being closeted homosexuals.
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This blog is inspired by my cousin, who shall remain nameless. In a phone conversation we were talking about the finer points of fellatio, and she proudly announced, “Spitters are quitters!” I was truly flabbergasted at her announcement, mostly because she is my little cousin, and I didn’t think she knew a thing about the nether regions of a mans genitalia, let alone ingesting his babies!
I am perplexed! Rarely do I find myself at a complete loss, but this ish right here is mad crazy. I’m amused and marginally offended. Who comes up with this shit? An Obama dildo…really dude? I want to know the political leanings of the creator? What the hell is the metaphoric significance behind an Obama phallic symbol, and who is buying them? Eeeewww, and has anyone ever used it? I don’t know whether to deem it inappropriate or pure genius!
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Rape, child molestation, sex trafficking, and coerced prostitution are major problems that impact women and children all over the world, so it is no surprise that the “Slutwalk Movement” has taken many nations and cities by storm. What started as a reaction to an insensitive remark by a Toronto cop who suggested, “Women should avoid dressing like sluts in order to not to be victimized,” has turned into an international outcry for Women’s Rights. The movement co-founders, Sonya Barnett and Heather Jarvis were deliberate in their intention in using the word “slut” for the branding of this movement. They explain, “Women are tired of being oppressed by slut-shaming; of being judged by our sexuality and feeling unsafe as a result.” They continue, “Being in charge of our sexual lives should not mean that we are opening ourselves to an expectation of violence, regardless if we participate in sex for pleasure or work.” Touche’ my sistren touche’!
Check out videos below of the Slutwalk Movement as supporters march in cities all over the world:
SLUTWALK TORONTO
SLUTWALK NEW DELHI, INDIA
SLUTWALK AMSTERDAM
SLUTWALK SAN DIEGO
SLUTWALK SAO PAULO, BRAZIL
SLUTWALK CHICAGO
In the United States a woman is raped every 2 minutes.
SLUTWALK BERLIN
SLUTWALK CAPETOWN, SOUTH AFRICA
It is estimated that a woman born in South Africa has a greater chance of being raped than learning how to read.
SLUTWALK KOREA
SLUTWALK MELBOURNE, AUSTRALLIA
Happy Anniversary to Michelle and Barack Obama. Nineteen years of marriage is no easy fete to accomplish. I know this personally, as I barely survived 4 years…lol! Although I don’t agree with a lot of Mr. Obama’s policies, I truly believe that the iconography of a nuclear Black family, that are so obviously in love does much for the psyche (for Blacks in particular)…so kudos!
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