Late Night Laugh

I heart Gabby Sidibie. Seeing her on Conan's couch makes me smile. She's plus, sized, chocolate, and you totally fall in love with her.

She was also the last interview I conducted at my old gig. I was laid off the day before it was to be turned in, so technically I didnt have to write it up as many of my coworkers shut down right after getting the news.

But of course I did because Precious is a story of many nameless and faceless girls around the country, and Gabby was an enigma I wanted to share, as she was just like and nothing like Precious at the same time. We laughed at her purple obsession and her living with two HOTTIES, including the guy from Precious's fantasy scenes. She giggles with Conan on her N'Sync obsession. For girls like Precious, it's great to see the glow of Gabby. Oscars better recognize . . .

I Got Laid

tis true, I got laid, and Im loving it!

I got laid off from my first job . . .

I was ready and am embracing the opportunity to go full throttle with the things that make me happy and fulfilled.

And as it seems to be with the story of my life, their is a juicy story.

The coworkers and I read the day before all the news of company wide layoffs, and after a streamline of the work of the department, we knew our department would somehow be cut.

Well, after the majority of our team was sliced and popping bottles and eating sweet potato, i headed to Saks with a coworker for a special event with Maya Angelo.

"Nice to meet you Ms. Jackson" she said, with her warm hand around mine.

Her quotes were pinned in my cube, on my mirror and the bottom of my emails. Her life has touched MILLIONS. I was spellbound and grinning at such a day for me.

Laid off for the first time from my first job out of college. Excited for the rest of my life.

And I have been settling into my new life (watching some daytime TV . . .How you doin Wendy:), making plans for the future and enjoying a moment to have the summer I skipped to go to work.

Me and the bf have even started a new blog to share our laid off life stories as we pursue our passions and live life to the fullest.

see the latest posts and please email your stories to post: http://www.gotlaidco.com/

Oprah Did What?

You've heard the news. Oprah went on her show and laughed about being blackmailed for having multiple relationships with young people on her staff just hoping for a break. Many right out of college.

Guests give her high fives for being such a player in middle age - though she is in a relationship.
Her ratings go up as more people tune in to her one woman show of workplace romances and she's on the cover of magazines for how she is dodging such a big bullet.

Oh wait. That wasnt Oprah. That was David Letterman.

Because if Oprah, who is not married like Letterman is, had been having sex with young staffers it would have been treated as an abomination even for the Queen of Media. No one would be laughing along with her as she confessed to multiple trysts.

So why is Letterman getting such a pass for cheating on his wife at work with young impressionable women? Why is that so cool?

Dont tell me racism and sexism dont exist.

Dont Live For Them

I have this theory that I mostly keep to myself, but our First Lady made me want to share.

Real Talk From Reah: Parents, don't fall too deeply in love with your kids.

Yes, you should love them and want more for them and make sacrifices to provide for them. But you cant stop living your life or indulging your interests. Because though you birth them, kids aren't possessions that you will control forever and they have their own life to go off and live. So if you are only living for them, what happens when they go start their own family? Love them and help shape them to make the most of their own life - while continuing to love yourself.

So seeing Mrs. O's quote on feministing from Prevention magazine made me smile, on learning what not to do from her mom, which is to sacrifice your entire being for your kids:

"She'd say being a good mother isn't all about sacrificing. It's really investing and putting yourself higher on your priority list."

"Throughout my life, I've learned to make choices that make me happy and make sense for me. . . So I have freed myself to put me on the priority list and say, yes, I can make choices that make me happy, and it will ripple and benefit my kids, my husband and my physical health."

"That's hard for women to own. We're not taught to do that. It's a lesson that I want to teach my girls."

See why I heart her?

Faithful in the NFL

Gasp. There are good guys who happen to play a sport for a living. And I had the pleasure of interviewing one.

Meet Thomas Jones, everything you thought an NFL player wasn't.

Yeah, he rocks the big diamonds, Gucci belts and plenty of tats. But he's also finishing his Master's degree in Education, and still says yes ma'am and no sir to his parents - who happen to be married for 35 years and raised seven kids (they had to take two trips to church on Sundays to get everybody there in their one car).

He has shown his little brother the ropes, who also plays professional football, and shares proudly how happy he was to retire his mom, after she worked 20 years in a Virgina coal mine.

As I sat and chatted with this man, I was estatic to see guys like him existed and hope more people encounter Black men like that - who credit their dads for their success (Niema has a great post on the impact a good day makes up now), who give back till it hurts a little, know where to give credit for the success to, and appreciate the love of a strong and spiritual woman - his happens to be actress Megan Good.

He's not perfect. But he is trying his best and making a difference.

Gotta Have It

I need this series on DVD in my life!

Did some serious digging for a gallery of Black couples on sitcoms today and came back across Jill Scott in Botswana in "The No.1 Ladies Detective Agency." I didnt have HBO when it was on the air and now really want to see. Found out it is on DVD - at $50. Mamas working on being a better budgeter (saving for the big things) so this has to wait a little. And if you want it for a gift, I wont mind at all:)

But the tough time I had finding Black couples on TV made me sad - and miss all the shows that have come and gone. (Cosbys, Different World, Family Matters, Fresh Prince, In The House, Sister, Sister, Amen, Girlfriends, Martin, The Parkers, Moesha, Everybody Hates Chris, shoot - Id even take Out All Night with Morris Chestnut's sexy behind)

So excited for Sherri Shepherd's new sitcom on Lifetime. Theo . . .I mean Malcolm Jamal Warner plays her ex-husband. I stopped by the set of the show to interview her about her weight loss and realized how much I missed Black sitcoms still on the air.

I mean, for a lot of people the Cosbys were one of few examples of happily married Black couples they knew. Just imagine if those reruns werent on now, what would the kids have to see?

Cupid Doesn't Lie

"I just went on a date," I said, all giddy on the phone.

My boyfriend wasn't as amused on the other end, as he called last week to see if I was wrapping up at work.

He asked if I was going to elaborate. I relayed the fun afternoon of coordinating a date for actress Yvette Nicole Brown - her first blind date.

She had dropped by the office earlier in the week discussing her new show "Community" on NBC. Of course we had to ask how the dating scene was going in Los Angeles. She was candid on the lack of interest men give women with natural hair and curves in Hollywood. She also mentioned how much she was enjoying the attention from guys in New York, and being called 'sis.' So we took the bait and asked to set her up on a date.

Me and the fab BB went through our rolodexes for men and I stumbled on a possible great guy. Poet and professor Mo Beasely. I met him at Howard's Kwanzaa event (who doesn't love a Bison man:), and loved his energy. And the man can sure write and perform a poem. I called and he was right up her alley, 41 and up for a fun and no pressure or strings date.

After appearing on Wendy William's show last Thursday, Yvette came on by the office. And while on the show Wendy of course asked her about dating, and Yvette slid in we were hooking her up!

We chatted withYvette about dating, passed her some beauty goodies, talked natural hair, showed her picture of Mo who she thought was Cute and then it was time for the date! We walked over to the restaurant and I went to meet Mo. He looked great walking up and was excited to meet this down sister. He walked in and the two embraced like old friends and were off to their date. We sat giddy at the bar as they headed off and enjoyed an afternoon lunch, for Yvette had to head to a acting gig. I felt like cupid:)

Monday, Yvette called into the Wendy Williams show and described the date, and meeting Mo. Then today Wendy shouted out the date photos and story featured on Essence.com.

Bang, Bang. Cupid just bought a gun, as the homie Hal Linton says. Saw him this week at Singersroom.com event on Bowery with my fellow GA peach Bethani. Good times. Love does make your soul crawl out from its hiding place, as Dr. Angelou says and we gotta something different if we want new results in our love lives! For Yvette, it was her first blind date!!


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