I have failed, I've gone too many days without a first :"(.
No excuses but it's been hard to do something for the first time everyday since starting school, Leilani starting school and my other blog/site, Teen Mom NYC, taking off and developing at the speed it has. Then the few that I had before my lapse of First were earased off my dry earase board by Leilani, whom thought it was hilarious by the way.
However, I am very excited to say that I have NOT lost sight of my goal and that I am still trying things for the first time.
I am happy to announce that I have tried many things for the first time and I'm even more excited to tell you all about them!
Friday, September 16, 2011
Friday, September 9, 2011
Sept 4th- Skin
September 4th- Skin
I was laying in bed continuing my do absolutely nothing weekend when I got on Netflix and found this film. I watched it and WOW! I was cringing at the raw non-fiction elements just 10 minutes into the film, by 15 minutes I was tearing up and at the end I was...
The life and story of this woman was so appalling and then I found out it was based on a true story of Sandra Laing.
To not give away too much, the film is about a White South African family who has a child that is biologically theirs but she comes out "Black." I say "Black" because she is biologically "White" but has the complex and "characteristics" of a "Black" girl. The family has to balance the tightrope of race, racism, prejudice, the legal system, the institution of education and be parents all the while trying to not make their daughters appearance a big deal. The father has an especially hard time with EVERYTHING both "good" and "bad" along the way.
There was one scene at which I became particularly emotional on. The young girl, tired of the problems her skin color was causing her and her family, mixed household cleaning products and rubbed them all over her body in a desperate attempt to literally was the black off. The result was her completely covered in burn marks and unable to sleep. The film is a series of racial battles both within the main character and the world around her and how to two coexist or the lack of co-existence plays out.
Often times film about racism are "back in that day" and about the Civil Rights movement and along the same, sorry to sat it, sorry, boring, played out story. In short they lack originality. However Skin is very "up to date", produced in 2008 and because racism was JUST outlawed in South Africa in 1994.
And although it was LEGALLY outlawed the principles and thoughts that racism create in generations of families still remain at large! Black South Africans still live in tin/ wood homes in townships and are treated like second class citizens. With little to no education about many things in life and sadly enough the basic education of sexual health and health it's self.
If you think about how far America has come and how MUCH FARTHER it still has to go imagine what South Africans are experiencing.
Have we as a human race become and allowed ourselves to become so vile despite the historical "lessons" we have and the ability to THINK? Just THINK!
All in all I really and truly enjoyed the film, the thoughts and questions it made me ask myself about myself and the world at large. Watching Skin made my thirst to go to South Africa even stronger!
WATCH THE MOVIE you wont be sorry. I also found out that there are two documentaries about her as well,Sandra Laing: A Spiritual Journey and Skin Deep: The True Story of Sandra Laing.
I was laying in bed continuing my do absolutely nothing weekend when I got on Netflix and found this film. I watched it and WOW! I was cringing at the raw non-fiction elements just 10 minutes into the film, by 15 minutes I was tearing up and at the end I was...
 | |||
| Source |
To not give away too much, the film is about a White South African family who has a child that is biologically theirs but she comes out "Black." I say "Black" because she is biologically "White" but has the complex and "characteristics" of a "Black" girl. The family has to balance the tightrope of race, racism, prejudice, the legal system, the institution of education and be parents all the while trying to not make their daughters appearance a big deal. The father has an especially hard time with EVERYTHING both "good" and "bad" along the way.
There was one scene at which I became particularly emotional on. The young girl, tired of the problems her skin color was causing her and her family, mixed household cleaning products and rubbed them all over her body in a desperate attempt to literally was the black off. The result was her completely covered in burn marks and unable to sleep. The film is a series of racial battles both within the main character and the world around her and how to two coexist or the lack of co-existence plays out.
Often times film about racism are "back in that day" and about the Civil Rights movement and along the same, sorry to sat it, sorry, boring, played out story. In short they lack originality. However Skin is very "up to date", produced in 2008 and because racism was JUST outlawed in South Africa in 1994.
And although it was LEGALLY outlawed the principles and thoughts that racism create in generations of families still remain at large! Black South Africans still live in tin/ wood homes in townships and are treated like second class citizens. With little to no education about many things in life and sadly enough the basic education of sexual health and health it's self.
If you think about how far America has come and how MUCH FARTHER it still has to go imagine what South Africans are experiencing.
Have we as a human race become and allowed ourselves to become so vile despite the historical "lessons" we have and the ability to THINK? Just THINK!
All in all I really and truly enjoyed the film, the thoughts and questions it made me ask myself about myself and the world at large. Watching Skin made my thirst to go to South Africa even stronger!
WATCH THE MOVIE you wont be sorry. I also found out that there are two documentaries about her as well,Sandra Laing: A Spiritual Journey and Skin Deep: The True Story of Sandra Laing.
Sept 1st- Sept 3rd
So my next few First are not going to be especially exciting for you but they were both essential and none the less exciting for me in the path to get my life on track here in New York City.
September 1st- Orientation
I was awarded a work study and had to attend the orientation in order to be able to apply for a job. The orientation was short sweet and simple however, to this date I have been unable to locate a position for my work study.
September 2nd- #9 bus, HSCA and Dunkin Donuts cold Apple Cider
On this day I had to go pick up my father's check and once again it was a wonderful wild goose chase. I went to the office I had to go to before only to find out that I had to go on the OTHER side of the Bronx and pick it up at a different location. On the way to catch the bus I stopped in and rewarded myself with a cold apple cider from Dunkin' Donuts. One thing about me is that I LOVE LOVE LOVE apple cider, any type of apple cider or apple flavor. The drink was good but I like warm apple cider better. I had to ride the #9 bus to get to the location, finding the #9 bus proved to be more difficult then I thought. I literally walked around in circles and stumbled upon the bus stop. Riding the bus was pretty exciting because it allowed me to see other parts of the Bronx I have never seen before.
September 3rd- Morning Star
Since I am still early in my quest of vegetarian-ism I was experiencing some carnivorous withdraw impulses. Lol. I went down downstairs to the OVERPRICED and annoying grocery store to buy some Morning Star Meal Starters to include in a pasta dish. My "review" um... it taste like rubber pencil erasers, not good...lol.
I mean I'll try them in a chili, but other then that... yeah no.
September 1st- Orientation
I was awarded a work study and had to attend the orientation in order to be able to apply for a job. The orientation was short sweet and simple however, to this date I have been unable to locate a position for my work study.
September 2nd- #9 bus, HSCA and Dunkin Donuts cold Apple Cider
On this day I had to go pick up my father's check and once again it was a wonderful wild goose chase. I went to the office I had to go to before only to find out that I had to go on the OTHER side of the Bronx and pick it up at a different location. On the way to catch the bus I stopped in and rewarded myself with a cold apple cider from Dunkin' Donuts. One thing about me is that I LOVE LOVE LOVE apple cider, any type of apple cider or apple flavor. The drink was good but I like warm apple cider better. I had to ride the #9 bus to get to the location, finding the #9 bus proved to be more difficult then I thought. I literally walked around in circles and stumbled upon the bus stop. Riding the bus was pretty exciting because it allowed me to see other parts of the Bronx I have never seen before.
September 3rd- Morning Star
Since I am still early in my quest of vegetarian-ism I was experiencing some carnivorous withdraw impulses. Lol. I went down downstairs to the OVERPRICED and annoying grocery store to buy some Morning Star Meal Starters to include in a pasta dish. My "review" um... it taste like rubber pencil erasers, not good...lol.
I mean I'll try them in a chili, but other then that... yeah no.
Saturday, September 3, 2011
August 31st:Enrolling into Kindergarten
If you may have no noticed by now I am an emotional mess when it comes to my daughter... going to school. Lol.
Being that New York City makes it virtually impossible to get your child into a kindergarten doesn't help and on top of that having her all the way in the Bronx while I'm in Manhattan isn't a settling feeling either. However, after calling numerous schools, visiting the office of enrollment, going through the "process" of "requesting" that she be placed in a school closer to were I WORK an go to SCHOOL, you know because that makes more sense, I kindly got a letter from the New York City Department of Education SEVEN days before school starting saying in short: Hell No.
The race was on to find a school for Leilani because of several reasons but the top two most important being that
Talking about a WONDERFUL, convenient system... NOT!
Luckily I was one of the select few to be there in time so she is now enrolled in school. BUT I learned that all the back to school clothing I bought her is now obsolete because her school requires uniforms. Lol.
My First for August 31st was enrolling my baby into Kindergarten! :*)
Time flies when you have a child! Lol
Thank you for reading and MANIFEST POSITIVITY!
Being that New York City makes it virtually impossible to get your child into a kindergarten doesn't help and on top of that having her all the way in the Bronx while I'm in Manhattan isn't a settling feeling either. However, after calling numerous schools, visiting the office of enrollment, going through the "process" of "requesting" that she be placed in a school closer to were I WORK an go to SCHOOL, you know because that makes more sense, I kindly got a letter from the New York City Department of Education SEVEN days before school starting saying in short: Hell No.
The race was on to find a school for Leilani because of several reasons but the top two most important being that
- I told her I had a school for her, and
- If she's not in school that means I'm not in school. Which means F__ !
Talking about a WONDERFUL, convenient system... NOT!
Luckily I was one of the select few to be there in time so she is now enrolled in school. BUT I learned that all the back to school clothing I bought her is now obsolete because her school requires uniforms. Lol.
My First for August 31st was enrolling my baby into Kindergarten! :*)
Time flies when you have a child! Lol
Thank you for reading and MANIFEST POSITIVITY!
August 30th: First day of classes
Today's First was my FIRST day at Baruch College!
Yes I
I am taking a literature course and arrived late however, finding the class and navigating the campus wasn't hard at all. Which was refreshing because that's what my biggest apprehension was about, being able to get around. While I was at school I realized a few things:
Thank you for reading!
Yes I
I am taking a literature course and arrived late however, finding the class and navigating the campus wasn't hard at all. Which was refreshing because that's what my biggest apprehension was about, being able to get around. While I was at school I realized a few things:
- This was the first college course I've been in in a YEAR
- I hope my brain remembers how to work
- Doing something for the first time everyday could go either way now that I am in school again.
- I have no text books and no money...lol
- I think I want to join a sorority...?
Thank you for reading!
August 29th: Odwalla and Luna
This was my FIRST day of class at Baruch!
I woke up extra early, got ready, woke up Leilani, fed her and got her ready, bought my unlimited metro card and we were off to the schools early child development center to drop her off. Since it was the day after Irene the subways had a bit of a delay so I was going to be late to class! Then I remembered that I didn't pack Leilani a lunch and had to stop and buy her one, which was going to make me even LATER! After stopping into an extremely expensive grocery store and spending a small fortune on yogurt, bananas, juice and a sandwich we were off, RACING, to the daycare center.
Imagine my surprise when I get to the center and one of the teachers informs me that class... were... canceled!
I felt like saying seriously?! WTF?.
The night before I was on the website and checked to see if classes were going to be canceled and it said NOTHING! UGH
On the BRIGHT side it was a beautiful day so we had lunch at Union Square park. Then we went for a walking tour of Gramercy Park, Greenwich village and the meat packing neighborhood!
So I tried Odwalla's Mango Tango juice for the First time!! That juice is AMAZING! It was soo good and thick and taste like real juice! Now the price.... was a too much but worth it so I guess it works.
My other First of the day was trying the Luna bar flavor Vanilla Almond and it too was very good.
Another First of the day having a worksheet appointment with an academic adviser. The appointment was AWESOME the adviser helped me so much and helped me put a lot of thing into perspective for me.
Total First of the day 3!
I woke up extra early, got ready, woke up Leilani, fed her and got her ready, bought my unlimited metro card and we were off to the schools early child development center to drop her off. Since it was the day after Irene the subways had a bit of a delay so I was going to be late to class! Then I remembered that I didn't pack Leilani a lunch and had to stop and buy her one, which was going to make me even LATER! After stopping into an extremely expensive grocery store and spending a small fortune on yogurt, bananas, juice and a sandwich we were off, RACING, to the daycare center.
Imagine my surprise when I get to the center and one of the teachers informs me that class... were... canceled!
I felt like saying seriously?! WTF?.
The night before I was on the website and checked to see if classes were going to be canceled and it said NOTHING! UGH
On the BRIGHT side it was a beautiful day so we had lunch at Union Square park. Then we went for a walking tour of Gramercy Park, Greenwich village and the meat packing neighborhood!
So I tried Odwalla's Mango Tango juice for the First time!! That juice is AMAZING! It was soo good and thick and taste like real juice! Now the price.... was a too much but worth it so I guess it works.
 |
| Yummy (overpriced) Mango Tango |
My other First of the day was trying the Luna bar flavor Vanilla Almond and it too was very good.
Another First of the day having a worksheet appointment with an academic adviser. The appointment was AWESOME the adviser helped me so much and helped me put a lot of thing into perspective for me.
Total First of the day 3!
August 28th: The Bluest Eyes
Being that this was the "day of" hurricane Irene the subway and most of the city was still shut down so I had a simple First.
I began reading a little bit of Toni Morrison's The Bluest Eyes. There has been a lot of controversy about the movie The Help coming out and how against popular beliefs it is NOT non- fiction and that there were real non- fiction books about such subject matter and The Bluest Eyes was one of them.
Not that big of a First and I didn't get too far into the book on account of Leilani was extremely bored and wouldn't leave me alone.
Total First: 1- Beginning to read The Bluest Eyes by Toni Morrison.
I began reading a little bit of Toni Morrison's The Bluest Eyes. There has been a lot of controversy about the movie The Help coming out and how against popular beliefs it is NOT non- fiction and that there were real non- fiction books about such subject matter and The Bluest Eyes was one of them.
Not that big of a First and I didn't get too far into the book on account of Leilani was extremely bored and wouldn't leave me alone.
Total First: 1- Beginning to read The Bluest Eyes by Toni Morrison.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)