And remember, no matter where you go, there you are. ~ Confucius
So I interviewed the two people in my life that have known me the longest and the best, my granny and mother gave some quite interesting and very different answers. But that’s kind of what I was expecting…. I asked them the following three questions:
What was I like in the first five years of my life?
Mom: “Bad, bad, bad. Cried every day for the first year of your life. Inquisitive. Very advanced for your age. Very shy like me. Good with your hands. You liked to build things. Talkative with family.”
Granny: “When you were a little baby, you cried a lot but after that were a sweet baby. Wasn’t normally friendly with strangers and you’re still like that. Liked clothes. Traveled a lot. Mimicked people just like most kids in a derogatory way. Typical child. Didn’t like to share. Only child syndrome. Kind of bossy.”
What things did I love, what games did I like to play, what did you think was unique about me?
Mom: “You loved LEGOS, Barney, Jell-O, Goldfish crackers, coloring, Winnie the Pooh, Board games like Shoots/Ladders, Candyland. Your unique qualities were one bow leg like your granny, big lips and hated the baby bed.”
Granny: “You loved your baby swing, back seat of the Jeep truck, Barney, liked to play house. Hated a blue teddy bear. Your unique quality was that you had a mind of your own even as a child. Very stubborn child.”
What did you think I would become when I grew up?
Mom: “I thought you would be an artist or a writer. Definitely something creative. You’re very emotional and artist and writer are very emotional.”
Granny: “I thought you would do something with leadership and directing people. Like a teacher or something. You’re kind of bossy but still sweet.”
Next, I had to ask five of my closest friends to list what they thought my greatest gift/strengths were and here’s what they said:
Melanie (who I have known for about year and we were suite mates last year): “Confident. Speaks your mind. Loyal. Supportive and available to your friends in a time of need.”
Brittany (who I’ve known for a few months but has always had my back): “Pretty bold personality. Outspoken. Considerate. Good listener.”
Amanda (who I have known for about year, we were suite mates last year and we’re pretty close): “ No bullshit. Strong black woman. Very organized and clean!!!”
Julian (my oldest friend): “You show initiative. Don’t hesitate in doing what needs to be done. Very direct and open about certain things. Pay it forward. Isn’t phased by others opinions. Doesn’t crumble under pressure. Good planner. Well organized. Sensible when it comes to relationships and sex. Always conscious of certain situations.”
Raphael (a guy I dated for a while and remained friends with): “You seem very focused and you know what you want. That gives you a big advantage over people your age. People your age don’t really know what they want wan or what they want to do. In short, your resolve is your greatest gift.”
Now on the last bit of business…that didn’t go quite so well. I chose to go out and buy something for a homeless person. I was downtown today doing some light shopping and became brave enough to ask an older black man sitting on the street if he’d like me to buy him something to eat. He cussed me out and said he didn’t need a thing from me. I quickly walked away but still felt sorry him. Then I asked a homeless woman roaming the streets if she’d like me to buy her something to eat or anything. She gave me a crazy stare and quickly walked away. I was done after that. It just shows that even though you’re homeless and have very few worldly possessions, you still maintain some pride, self-respect and refuse to take handouts. I really wanted to help these people but I understand their reactions and respect it. I just pray that those people and everyone homeless finds away of the streets and a better life.
Thank you for reading.
Peace and Blessings.
Kierra AKA “HumbleDiva”
Monday, January 26, 2009
Monday, January 19, 2009
Ask questions from your heart and they will be answered from your heart. - Omaha Proverb
After the reading the syllabus on Blackboard and kind of having a general idea of what I'm getting myself into, I'm genuinely looking forward the rest of the semester in the class. I hope to gain several things from this course:
Because of some issues in my family in my youth and somewhat wonderful selective memory, there are huge holes childhood memories which I'm actually alright with. There are just somethings I'd rather not remember. One of the few things I do remember loving as a child and still to this day are LEGOs. I love LEGOs. I don't know how many I own today but its a whole lot of them. Right there in my Granny's basement. I would sit down with crates of LEGOs surrounding me and just go into another place. Just turn on the latest boy band CD and I was gone. I could look at blank LEGO plate could imagine and create almost anything. I really felt that the possibilities were endless at that point in my life.
After my LEGO calmed down (but will never die), I moved on to painting. Most of my friends don't even know I used to paint. For about 5 years painting used to be my THING! It became my new outlet to escape from everything falling apart around me. My hands and clothes would be covered in acrylic paint and I would be exhausted but I always felt fulfilled. Painting always allowed me expressed the things I just knew I could vocalize. I would at a blank canvas, see one thing and two hours later be looking at something totally different. My work was always living and breathing pieces that had a soul of its old.
I was a constant daydreamer as a child and not much as changed. I was an inside child. You know that kid you never see on the block playing or causing hell. Never saw me riding a bike (because I never learned to) or making mud pies or whatever kids do outside. I was inside with my family playing with them or myself and ok with that. I never missed the part. I had plenty of toys and things to keep me entertained. I was SPOILED! I admit it now. I think my parents gave me a lot to make up for working a lot and for breaking up and turning my world upside down. So I had plenty to daydream about:
I still dream about love in various forms. Being an educator is one of the few dreams from my child that has carried on through the crazy teenage years to today. Its the one thing that I feel was meant for me. Nothing has ever felt more nature to me. Only time will tell what God has in store for me.
Thank you for reading.
Peace and Blessings.
I've never looked forward to the beginning of a school semester like I did for the 2009 Spring Semester. I had a great class schedule with professors I was pretty familiar with and looking forward to being back in my dorm and the classroom. When I choosing class last semester one of my first choice was Professor Rockquemore. I had her African American Family in the United States course in the spring of 2008 and enjoyed her course immensely. She always class enjoyable and education. So I had planned to take Research Methods with her this past fall but the class was dropped because of low enrollment. So I signed up for this class not really knowing what it was about but I knowing it would be enjoyable regardless of the topic. (FYI - I'm not blowing smoke or kissing butt. I'm just telling it like it is. LOL)
After the reading the syllabus on Blackboard and kind of having a general idea of what I'm getting myself into, I'm genuinely looking forward the rest of the semester in the class. I hope to gain several things from this course:
- I hope to get what I'm suppose to get of the course which is to learn my strengths and gifts and how to utilize them in the future.
- To learn leadership skills for the future
- To form more and better relationships with my peers in the class. (There are too many black people in that and only know about half of them)
- And, of course, rediscovering myself. I find that I'm constantly finding new things about myself and redefining myself and my views every year or so. Honestly that's one of the things that love about myself. I'm never afraid to dig into the deeper levels of myself.
Because of some issues in my family in my youth and somewhat wonderful selective memory, there are huge holes childhood memories which I'm actually alright with. There are just somethings I'd rather not remember. One of the few things I do remember loving as a child and still to this day are LEGOs. I love LEGOs. I don't know how many I own today but its a whole lot of them. Right there in my Granny's basement. I would sit down with crates of LEGOs surrounding me and just go into another place. Just turn on the latest boy band CD and I was gone. I could look at blank LEGO plate could imagine and create almost anything. I really felt that the possibilities were endless at that point in my life.
After my LEGO calmed down (but will never die), I moved on to painting. Most of my friends don't even know I used to paint. For about 5 years painting used to be my THING! It became my new outlet to escape from everything falling apart around me. My hands and clothes would be covered in acrylic paint and I would be exhausted but I always felt fulfilled. Painting always allowed me expressed the things I just knew I could vocalize. I would at a blank canvas, see one thing and two hours later be looking at something totally different. My work was always living and breathing pieces that had a soul of its old.
I was a constant daydreamer as a child and not much as changed. I was an inside child. You know that kid you never see on the block playing or causing hell. Never saw me riding a bike (because I never learned to) or making mud pies or whatever kids do outside. I was inside with my family playing with them or myself and ok with that. I never missed the part. I had plenty of toys and things to keep me entertained. I was SPOILED! I admit it now. I think my parents gave me a lot to make up for working a lot and for breaking up and turning my world upside down. So I had plenty to daydream about:
- My parents getting back together (THANK GOD THEY DIDN'T!!!)
- About being a teacher
- Having more friends
- Being an artist
- Being loved
I still dream about love in various forms. Being an educator is one of the few dreams from my child that has carried on through the crazy teenage years to today. Its the one thing that I feel was meant for me. Nothing has ever felt more nature to me. Only time will tell what God has in store for me.
Thank you for reading.
Peace and Blessings.
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