Bonus Day...Day 31 -- Pick a Day That I Haven't Described

I pick today. The last day of the challenge. I know I became sloppy towards the end but there were a few events that happened that made me not want to write. Well, I wanted to write but what I wanted to write had nothing to do with the challenge. Just keepin it real witcha. 

But anyway, I'd like to thank my girl, Thee_Kween, for coming up with this challenge. It did exercise my mind. I had to go way back in the recesses of my brain for some of the topics. 

I started off this challenge by saying that I hadn't done one of these in about a year and a half. I do believe it may be another year and a half before I do another one. :-)

To my fellow blog challengers, I apologize for not being more attentive to your writings. You all are a talented group of individuals and it was a pleasure reading your work. 

Aight...I'm outta here. Until next time, folks.

Day 30 -- Proudest Day To Date

Um...this one is hard for me as well. 

I guess it would have to be seeing my two oldest doing well after graduating high school and seeing my baby boy being productive with school, sports, and JROTC. 

Those three are my world. I couldn't be prouder of them if I tried. Knowing that you've done well as a parent is about the greatest gift one could ask for. 

Day 29 -- What I Was Doing Today

Since I'm behind, I guess I'll say what I did yesterday. 

Um...I woke up (obviously) and had an awful sneezing attack and burning eyes. Realized that my dad was cutting grass so that solved that mystery. 

I went to the corna sto for my usual, flirted with the owner's son (when I do that, I get extra squares) and went somewhere else that I can't remember. 

Talked shit on fb, talked to my daughter on the phone, answered a few emails about school. Had some company, went riding out with them, came home around 4am and that was it. 

Day 28 -- The Day You Had Your First Fight...Why?

Remember I wrote about A Day I'd Rather Forget here? Well, the events of that day led to my first fight the next day at school. 

I was in first grade and I remember being in the cafeteria at Laburnum Elementary and standing in line next to my best friend, Tanya. I have no idea what was said or how it even started but all I know is that she and I started scratching each other...first on the hands and then in the face. Our teacher pulled us out of the line and took us to the principal's office. 

The principal called our parents and my mother came to the school and explained why she thought it happened. She took me home, fixed me lunch, sat down and talked with me (don't remember what was said once again), I took a nap and went back to school the next day. Tanya and I were cool again...those were the days that you fought one minute and made up the next. 

That's about it. 

Day 27 -- A Day In Your Life

I wake up (if I sleep at all...which, I must admit, I've been doing since I've been working out)
Shower and brush my teeth
Cook breakfast
If my dad needs to go anywhere that's not in the immediate area, take him around
Job hunt
Dick around on fb
Talk to my kids
Eat dinner
Phone sex
Workout
Shower again
Play Suduko or read until I fall asleep. 
Dream about leaving this God forsaken place


Repeat as necessary. 

Day 26 -- The Day Someone Left And Never Came Back (not death related)

Don't really have an answer for this one either. I'm the type of person that NORMALLY forgives everyone but as of late, that's changed. I'm cutting folks like Ginsu knives and making sure they stay out of my circle. Been hurt far too many times to keep going through the same bullshit. 

So to those folks, I say a resounding kiss my ass and a hearty...

Day 25 -- A Day You're Currently Planning For

I ain't planning for shit because whenever I do, it goes wrong. 

The end. 

Day 24 -- A Memorable Summer Day

A thousand pardons. I'm late with this entry. I had so much going on today mixed in with (can you tell I'm stalling because I can't think of anything) a bunch of nothing so my mind was elsewhere. But I shall try to put something on this page because you, my fans, deserve that. That sounded so conceited but I kinda liked it. Okay, okay...let's begin. 

I guess I was about 10 or 11 and my parents and I went on a mini vacation. We started out in Williamsburg, VA and hit Busch Gardens. My father HATED amusement parks but because my mom and I wanted to go, he really didn't have much choice. So we get there and somehow, my mom talks him into getting on the Scrambler...you know that ride that carries you around in loops and makes it look like you're going to crash into another car. Well, do Jesus, James gets off and he ain't looking too good. It was the first time I've ever seen a black man turn green. So he sat down on a bench for a minute and next thing you know...well, you already know. Needless to say, it wasn't pretty. 

Okay, so after that, we head down to Norfolk to visit some of my dad's people. I'm not trying to stay there all day because I want to go to the beach. Seems like those folks would not stop talking about either absolutely nothing or something that they had already talked about on our previous visit. But finally, it was over and we head to Virginia Beach. 

We get there and walk the strip for awhile and then hit the beach, where I frolic freely for about 2 hours and then I'm told we gotta go because we were headed to my grandmother's house here in NC. 

So about 2 1/2 hours later, we arrive in Littleton and no sooner than I step out of the car, I get a nosebleed and faint. My mom, being a nurse, always kept some smelling salts with her and all I remember is waking up on the sidewalk with the cute dude that lived next door to my grandmother looking down at me. I was so freakin' embarrassed. Anyway, my mom tells me I have a slight fever and to go in the house and take some medicine and get in the bed. Turns out I had a sinus infection.  Psh. 

One good thing that happened is that the next morning, lil dude from next door came to check on me. I don't remember how I felt before he got there but I felt great when he arrived. Ha! 

So that's about it. I think that's enough, don't you? 

Day 23 -- The Day You Turned 21

September 22, 1992. 

I woke up, went to work, got off, met up with my girls for a minute, hung with the boyfriend for a minute (probably had some bad sex), went to the liquor store just because I could, bought something (don't remember what), drank it, and went home. 

It was a Tuesday.  Wasn't too much poppin' off and even if it was, I wasn't pressed. I'd been going to clubs since I was a kid...my Richmond folks will remember Saturday Kiddie Club at the Ebony Island and Teen Weekend at The Polo Bay. Plus, I'd also been going to adult clubs as well. Even though I didn't look old enough, it was (and still is) all about who you know. 

Birthdays then, just like now, are just another day to me. 

Day 22 -- A Day With The Family You'll Never Forget

I could take the easy way out and link Day 10 and be done with this but that would be cheating and since I don't cheat, I'll give you another day. 

Picture it: Kings Dominion, Doswell, VA, Summer 2002. 

I was working for Dominion Power and they would give away free tickets to employees for Employee and Family Day at KD. So my then spouse, my daughter, my youngest son and I go because, well, it's free. 

Anyhoo, my son says he wants to get on the kiddie swings, so my daughter takes him to get on and being that my son's legs were and are rather long (he's about 4 at this time), he would swing them and touch the kid in front of him by accident. 

Kid's mom decided to grab my son and yell at him like she didn't have good sense. I'm on the other side of the swings so I didn't see it but my daughter comes over to me and says, "Ma, some lady is yelling at KJ."  Oh really?!

We proceed to go over to her and I ask her in a not so polite way what the hell was her problem. She tells me that KJ is kicking her daughter hard. My daughter looks at her dead in her eyes (she was about 12 then) and says, "you're not telling the truth lady and you know it. He kicked her swing once and I told him to stop and he did."  So I look at the woman and she decides to run...left her daughter strapped in the swing and everything. She finds a security guard and tries to say that I threatened her. I told him that I didn't and that she put her hands on my son. Now, a crowd (which included my coworkers and my supervisor) was starting to gather and they backed up what I said. 

She got thrown out of the park and we went on to enjoy our day.  

Moral of the story...DO NOT MESS WITH MARIA BRUCE'S BABIES...then and/or now. 

The pic has nothing to do with the story at all. This is The Berserker...my favorite ride at KD...when I was younger and had no sense.  

Day 21 -- The Day You Met Your Most Recent/Last Love

I want y'all to know that I am writing this post under duress. I was threatened by fb inbox that I HAD to do it. I ain't scared or nothing.  I just don't want to hear a certain person's mouth. (If you can't guess who that person is, you haven't been paying attention.)

Anyhoo, guess I'll write about my last relationship...even though he's an asswipe that doesn't deserve to be thought about, let alone have a whole post dedicated to him. I met him on fb in July, 2011, even though I had seen him on Yahoo 360. He sent me a friend request and we started talking on the phone every night after that. 

I went to visit him in September. He picked me up in NYC and drove me back to his crib in NJ. Showed me around...it was 2 days before the 10th anniversary of 9/11, so he took me to a park that overlooked the Hudson and the former site of the Twin Towers. It was beautiful and surreal all at the same time. 

Introduced me to a huge ass sandwich that no one should finish in one sitting...a pound of corned beef, a pound of pastrami and a pound of turkey, I think. Took me 3 days to finish mine but it was good. I miss the food more than I miss him. 

Anyway, that's about it. There are pics but I ain't pressed about putting them up. The best thing about that trip was that I got to meet Thee_Kween and Butterfly Effect and got to taste Roscato for the first time. Mmm...Roscato. 

Day 20 -- The Most Memorable Day Of Your Childhoodch

I had a lot of memorable days in my childhood.  Plenty of vacations (Disney World, Puerto Rico, Bahamas, 2 World's Fairs, etc.)

I think one of the most memorable days was when I went to Philadelphia for 5 days . It was supposed to be a teen church conference but I couldn't tell you what they were talking about. I vaguely remember going to ONE seminar and I think I left early.  I do remember that my parents weren't there. I shared a room with my friend, Irish (who's on my fb friend list) and we had chaperones but the only times I remember seeing them were on arrival and when we left.  I was a little less than a month away from my 16th birthday (the only reason I remember the dates were because on that day, "I Just Can't Stop Loving You" by Michael Jackson came out and I hated it...as I do now) and you didn't keep an eye on me? Psh...yeah, okay. 

During that trip, I fell in lust (can't remember dude's name to save my life but I remember he was from North Carolina, cute as hell and couldn't kiss worth a damn), had my first authentic Philly cheese steak (Cheez Whiz should be outlawed from the planet) and I met Bobby Brown in the middle of the street and took a pic with him that also got damaged in my flooded basement.  This was right after he'd left New Edition. He was not cute at all that day. 

I guess that's about it for this trip down Memory Lane. I hate that I lost all my pics because I remember being cute as could be during that trip.  You'll just have to take my word for it. 

Oh wait...dude's name was Danny! Don't know where the hell that came from. Ha!

Day 19 -- Your Favorite Day Of The Week And Why

*sigh* Another short post.

I have no favorite day of the week. All of the days just seem to run together. I barely know dates anymore. 

I used to have a favorite day of the week. Sunday. I've already written about that here 3 years ago but times have changed, situations have changed and football season is over. 

So The Queen of Deflection (as Thee_Kween calls me) shall deflect once again and...ooh...look over there. 

*WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOSH, I was never here*

Day 18 -- The Last Day Of Your First Adult Job

Not much to tell here either.  18 years old...a month shy of 19.  I was still working for Kmart but in a different department. I was pregnant with my daughter and she was due August 15th. 

It was now August 23rd.  

 By this time, I was going to the doctor every week and she decided that if I wasn't in labor by the 29th, she would go ahead and induce my labor.  So my last day of work was August 28th.  I was given a party and gifts by my supervisor and coworkers, worked my hours and bounced at 9pm.  5 hours later, I was in labor without being induced. Worst pain I've ever felt in my life. 

Oh...this isn't about that, is it?

Oh well...that's all I got. Guess I'll throw some pics or something up here to make it seem longer. 

LaSean at 6-7 months

LaSean at 3 months 

Day 17 -- A Day You Helped Someone In A Big Way

I've helped a lot of people but I don't know how big it was. I'm also not one that keeps a count on what I've done for someone. 

I took care of my mother when she went through her lung cancer until it spread to her brain and couldn't do much more. 

I helped take care of my father through 2 cancer surgeries/bouts and I'm taking care of him now due to his heart issue. 

I've been a mother for almost 23 years so I helped my crumb snatchers but that's a part of my job. 

I worked in nursing homes for years as a CNA helping people but again, that was a part of my job. 

I've helped friends and family in different ways.

So I truly don't have a clear answer to this. So once again, a musical selection will fill the void. 

Pretty much sums up my place in life. 

Day 16 -- The Day Of A Child's Birth

Well, there are 3 that I could choose from and all of them have a little piece of drama in them but I'll choose my 2nd child. 

Picture it...Richmond, April 11th, 1994. 

I was 2 1/2 weeks from my due date and everything was good. I woke up feeling great with no indication of what was to come. My daughter, LaSean, who was 3 at the time, had a dentist appointment and was staying with her dad that day, so I went over to pick her up and drive to the office. Back then, they advised against driving after a certain point in pregnancy but hell, I drove while in labor with my daughter, so whatever. 

Okay, so we arrive at the dentist and sign in and the dental assistant calls us back. She tells me to wait outside the room because they have to do X-rays on Seanie and, of course, I couldn't be in there. So they do the X-rays and the assistant says to me, "we're done. You can come in, Mom." So I do. She said, "you look like you need to sit" and offered me a chair. So I sat. And that's when it happened...

SPLOOSH!

I let out a big gasp and said, "oh shit" and the assistant asked me what was wrong. I told her my water broke and her eyes got huge. She calls for the dentist, Dr. Bussey and Dr. Bussey tells me to go up front and have the receptionist call my doctor. She does and the receptionist at my doctor's office asks me how do I know my water broke. I looked at the phone for a good 3 seconds and said, "because I'm both too old and too young to piss on myself." So she advises me to head to the hospital. 

But me, being Maria, that was too easy. Besides, I wasn't feeling any pain, so I dropped Sean off with her dad, went home to change, picked up my...ugh...husband and then went to the hospital. 

8 hours later, Damian James Henderson was born. I don't have a newborn pic of him. After delivering him, he developed jaundice and I lost so much blood, I was anemic, so pictures were the last thing on our minds. But this is his high school graduation pic from last year. 

*Funny side note to this story...fast forward 6 weeks later. I rescheduled Seanie's dentist appointment and I take her and DJ for her checkup.  The dentist wasn't as quick as she was the first time so we waited awhile in the waiting area. There were two ladies also waiting and Seanie decided that she was bored (remember, she was 3) and went over to the women and started talking. NONE of my kids are shy, btw. 

She said, "my name is LaSean and this is my brother Damian. The last time we were here, my mommy almost had him here. He was in her stomach and wanted to come out but he wasn't supposed to come that day." The ladies laughed and asked me was her story true. I nodded and each of them gave her $5. ALL of my kids are charming as well. Wonder where they get it from? *smile*

Day 15 -- The Day You Graduated

June 13, 1989--I think. 

The day started out like any other prior Tuesday. Even though the seniors had finished their exams, we still had to show up to school to catch the bus to go to the Carpenter Center, the venue where we graduated, for practice. So I picked up my friend, Aderian and we went. 

After about 3-4 hours of practice, we arrived back at school and went home. When I got there, some gifts in monetary form were waiting for me, so I opened them, wrote their names down on a clipboard that my mom had set up for thank you cards and went to sleep. 

In the middle of my nap, my then boyfriend called and asked if I wanted him to take me back up to the school to catch the bus again for the last time. I said cool, got up and started getting ready. When he showed up, my father got upset (he never liked Jemal) and said he wasn't taking my ass anywhere. I asked him what his problem was and he just got more upset. I told Jemal to take Aderian and I'd be up there later. That was the most excitement of the day. 

Fast forward to the Carpenter Center and the ceremony was cool. Our speaker was (most of) our assistant principal from middle school.  His speech was memorable because it was so personal. He broke down because, as he put it, his kids were graduating. I think his son graduated with us too but I can't remember. 

Anyway, they started handing out the awards and scholarships and I had some time because my name was nowhere on that list. And then...the moment of truth.  It's time to get the piece of paper. Being that my last name began with A, I was the fourth person to get my diploma, but there were over 320 more after me and we actually had a girl whose last name began with a Z. I truly don't think any letter of the alphabet was missed except for maybe X. Talk about a long process. 

So they called my name and the thought that went through most girls' heads at that time went through mine..."DO NOT BUST YOUR ASS WALKING IN THESE HEELS ACROSS THAT STAGE."  I got my diploma from my principal (who told me to smile because apparently, I wasn't), shook hands with some other folks on the dais, and that was it. After the ceremony, I went home, changed clothes, headed back out with the boyfriend who took me to dinner (after the argument with my dad, I wasn't in a party mood) and had relations and I went home and went to sleep because I had to work the next day. 

Nothing special or out of the ordinary. I was more excited almost 20 years to the day later when my daughter graduated from the same high school. But I was, am, and shall forever be a Henrico Warrior. 

BEHOLD THE GREEN AND GOLD!!

Day 14 -- The Day You Hate To See Coming

This one is hard for me because I'm not a fortune teller. There are only a few things in life that are certain...death and taxes. And being that I don't fear death and taxes don't affect me this year (the first in over 20 years that it hasn't), I really don't have an answer. I've had plenty of days that I hated but like I said in a previous post, they happened for a reason and something good came out of them. 

I mean, I could say that the day my father passes away would be one but hell, he may outlive me. My grandmother lived to be 96 and outlived 5 of her 8 children, so it's not impossible.  I could say the day the lady that raised my mother passes away but she and I aren't close (that's a story in and of itself). I could go political and say the day the government...see...that's just too broad of a statement because they're trying to do so much and they have no real idea of what they're doing so I know I don't know. 

I've never been one of those mothers that dreaded seeing their children grow up. Two of my kids are of legal age and doing okay. The baby is almost 15 and I'm fine with him growing up as well. I actually can't wait for them to graduate college and get married and have kids...if that's in their plans. If not, that's cool too. As long as they're happy and healthy, Mom's good. 

I really tried to think of something and came up short. Sorry about that. I hope to do better with the next topic. Still love ya, though. 

Day 13 -- A Christmas Day Memory

I'm sure most people's memories in this Christmas Day challenge will be all sweet and loving with pics of food and family and gifts. And yeah, my memory contains family and gifts, but it was more funny/pitiful than loving and merry. 

Every year for Christmas, we would go to my mother's "mother's" house. I put her in quotes because she was actually my mother's older cousin that raised her and her two sisters after my grandmother died in childbirth. The house would be filled with my aunts, uncles, cousins, family friends, etc. I think this year was the first year I brought my then-boyfriend but I really can't remember. 

Anyway, most people know that my father's birthday is also on Christmas Day, so he would get 2 gifts from everyone except from my great aunt...the elder of the family. But she usually would give very nice gifts to everyone. One year, I remember her and my uncle giving me a beautiful black doll that I kept until I moved into my 2nd apartment and she was damaged when my basement flooded. 

But back to the story. Like I said, she would normally give great gifts to everyone.  Most times, she'd give cologne or ties or something like that to the men of the family. So she gives my father his gift. It's wrapped nicely...bow included...and just looking at the shape of the box, you would have thought it was a tie or socks or handkerchiefs...right?  

Wrong!! After unwrapping the gift, inside was this...

I looked at my dad, my dad looked at that box and played it off well. "Aww...thank you", he said. I'm still looking at him but I know he's about to look at me and he does and I lose it! I excuse myself and go to the back bedroom and fall the fuck out laughing!! I stayed in the back for a few minutes to compose myself and come back out when it's time to eat. 

So we're all at the dinner table and one of my mom's sisters is sitting next to me and right before dessert is served, my aunt whispers to me, "should we crack open your dad's gift for dessert? If we split each one in 3, it should be enough for everyone." Sweet tea comes out of my nose, I get "the look" from my mom, I pointed at her sister and had to excuse myself once again. 

So that is my Christmas memory. Oh...the next morning, my father warmed one up in the microwave and ate it as he drank his coffee...mumbling and cussing under his breath the whole time. 

Day 12 -- A Day You Wish You Could Do Differently

To be honest, I actually don't have a day that I would do differently because whether good or bad, whether small or large, a lesson was learned. 

I mean, I could choose my wedding day (the first one) but then, I wouldn't have my son.  I could choose the day I met The Skwerl (for those that don't know about him, he's talked about in other blogs. Go check it out, if you want to) but then, I wouldn't have my Kali. I could choose the day I moved to NC but even though I hate it here with a passion, I've met some cool people in the surrounding areas that I wouldn't have if I didn't live here. 

So...I'm gonna have to bypass this one. I'm going to dig into the crates for this musical selection.  Something I heard growing up in my home all the time and I still like it. 

Ladies and Gentleman, Ms. Dinah Washington with "What a Difference a Day Makes".

Day 11 -- A Daydream You Have Often

Easy and simple...

To move out of Bumfuq, NC.

I HATE IT HERE!  Littleton, NC is a place where either you're born here and you never leave or you come here to die. That's it. For a person like me that spent most of her life in Richmond to come here in the prime of her life, maaaaaaaaaan, just shoot me in my pinky toe. 

I know this is supposed to be about what my daydream entails but look at this shit right here:

See that mess? THAT'S what Littleton is known for. This is about 3-5 miles from my house on the main highway that runs through Littleton. A rock garden representing states. Other states that you would rather live in. That's it. Oh wait...no it's not...

Hardee's...one of only two national fast food chains located in this miserable town. Subway is the other and that's located on the other side of Littleton. The rich folks' side by the lake. No McDonald's. No BK. No KFC. For those, you have to go 20+ miles east on the main highway. 

So my daydream consists of packing my shit, putting it in a moving truck, throwing my middle finger up, saying "fuck you" and not looking back...except to visit my dad, my sister and my niece. Sparingly. 

Day 10 -- A Day I'd Rather Forget

There are a lot of days that I'd rather forget that I have subconsciously forgotten. In fact, that's one thing I'm great at...suppressing memories. But, in the spirit of writing, I guess I'll choose this one...

I was about 5 years old. My parents were having a Labor Day cookout at our house and most of my family was there. I vaguely remember my mother and my aunt (my dad's sister) "discussing" some shit...my aunt was/is too prissy to argue but she wasn't above being slick out of the mouth...and then, it was over. Jump ahead a few minutes later and my aunt comes over to me while I'm playing with my cousins and tells me (and I'll never forget these words), "you know Brenda and La aren't really your cousins. They're your sisters." Just like that. Out of the blue. Without rhyme, reason, or warning. I mean, Brenda and La weren't even there. They were in NC with our grandparents and (whom I came to find out ) our mother. 

So after everyone went home, my parents were still sitting outside and I went over to them and asked them about it. They admitted it was true and I remember crying and asking why didn't she (she being my birth mother, Lillian) want me. They then told me the story about how she became blind and couldn't take care of me and on and on. I'm not sure how someone older would have handled it, but needless to say, I didn't handle it well. That story will come out on day 28's blog...my first fight. 

There's a lot more to the story but I don't feel like divulging or thinking about it. 

That's us...me, La making the crazy face (she hates this pic and that's why I'm using it) and Brenda celebrating my 40th birthday along with our brother, TJ and La's and my great-nephew and Brenda's grandson, Jaiden. That's a day I love to remember. :)

Day 9 -- The Day You Discovered The Internet

I barely remember the year I discovered the internet so I know I don't know the day. I worked for a non-profit organization (Richmond Community Action Program) around 1998-1999 and had access to it at work, but I know the first time I had it installed in my home was around 2000-2001. 

At first, it was AOL...remember, they'd mail you those discs that were bullshit...and then we moved up to one of the local phone companies' service. All I remember was how many calls were missed because of that damn dial up and my then 3 (almost 4) year old signing on to play a game and not signing off. Even then, with nothing to compare it to, everybody knew it was slow as hell. 

Then, in 2002, I started working for the local cable company and they gave us free tv and internet service. I had to upgrade my computer because that stuff was lightning fast...when it worked. Broadband was fairly new to our area so it had moments of weakness. But it was free so I didn't complain...much. 

That's about it for this blog. How about a musical selection (strangely, this came out in 1985 when hardly anyone knew about the internet but we sang the song like we knew exactly what they were talking about.)

Day 8 -- A Day You Realized What You Wanted To Do/Be

Um...I still don't know what I want to be except for happy and successful but as far as career goals go, this story kinda pains me.

I was in high school and the first thing I wanted to be was a lawyer. I liked reading/studying (ha...that changed), I liked debating (my mom called it arguing but whatever) and I liked the thought of helping those that couldn't help themselves. But my mom said that my attitude was all wrong for the courtroom. She could just see me getting upset at the judge and getting thrown in jail for contempt. So I pushed that aside.

I had gotten accepted into Winston Salem State University and had decided that I was going to study English Literature but my mother said that it was too far from home and if something went wrong with my car, she wasn't going to come down and help me so I just needed to stay in Richmond. She also thought that Eng Lit wasn't very lucrative.  So I pushed that idea aside.

A couple of years later, I went to nursing school for a minute and wanted to be a neonatal nurse. But my mom (notice a pattern here?) said  that it wouldn't be a good fit for me because I loved kids too much and I wouldn't be able to handle seeing sick babies that were born. So I pushed that aside as well. Funny thing about this was, my mom was a nurse.

So to be honest, I have no dreams right now because, even though she's been deceased for almost 14 years, I can still hear her voice in my head. I know I shouldn't let that deter me but sometimes, it does.

I have made an effort to support my kids in whatever dreams they have...even if I don't agree with them. There's nothing worse than to be told you can't or shouldn't do something even though you have the resources, knowledge and will to do it.

That's all I gotta say about that.

Day 7 -- The Day You Found Your First Best Friend

I don't remember THE DAY that I met Sheree. Just seems like she was always in my life but I think we met when I was about 4 and she was about 5.  She lived in the house across the street from my aunt and uncle and just a few blocks away from my house. Once my mother switched to day shift, my aunt and uncle would watch me while my parents were at work and Sheree and I would play with each other whenever I was over there. 

I remember going to her house and her parents would treat me like I was their own. In fact, her mom would introduce me to folks as "her other daughter". Her older brothers, Steve and Harold, would treat me like their sister. Playing games with us. Cracking jokes. Taking us trick or treating, etc. 

I can't count how many times I scraped my knuckles playing jacks on my aunt's stoop. Sheree's stoop had carpet so while we wouldn't hurt our hands, the ball wouldn't bounce as high either. lol. We'd skate in the street, TRY to double dutch, play board games and with Barbie dolls. You know...girl stuff. Her mom would  also make Tang. My mom would never buy it so Mrs. Anderson was way cooler. lol. 

As you can see (because I swiped her pic with permission), we are still friends. We're so close that her oldest and my middle child were actually due on the same day. My son decided that he couldn't wait...fast ass.  

Whenever I go to Richmond and time permits, I stop by to see her and her husband and kids. After her mother passed away, she and her family moved back into her childhood home...and my uncle still lives across the street. So it's nice to revisit them in my old 'hood. 

I could write a book about Sheree. She has the biggest heart and the softest voice of anyone I know. Just don't get her mad because it ain't pretty. LOL But she is...look at her up there looking like she's 21. 

So that's part of the story about my first best friend. I loved her then. I love her now. Any questions?

*This blog is dedicated to the memory of my 2nd family, Mr. & Mrs. Anderson and Steven Anderson...RIP Loved Ones*

Day 6--The Day You First Held A Job

First job was at Kmart out of high school. Don't remember the first day except for the fact that I didn't get trained. I got thrown on the floor and fended for myself. My dad worked there part time (he worked 2 other full time jobs and no, he's not Jamaican) and got me on. I HATED IT!!

Kmart was a passion pit. Somebody was always fucking somebody in the stockroom and a few people were fucking the same folks. Being that I was pregnant, I wasn't screwing a soul and even if I wasn't, some of those dudes...chile cheese.

I despised both of my supervisors with a passion. They were these attractive black women that knew that they were attractive and let you know that they knew they were attractive. Give some people a piece of power and they don't know what to do with it...and they didn't.

The ONLY good thing about working there is that you got paid every Friday in cash. Other than that, I don't have anything else to say about that experience except that I'm glad it's over.

Day 5--The Day You First Fell In Love

Maaaaaan...must we really travel down THIS road?

Okay...I'm thinking it was March or April of 1987.

My crew (which were actually 2 sets...my school crew and my church crew) decided that we would hit Skateland because we had nothing else to do. So one of my church crew asked one of my school crew if she would pick up this dude that she wanted to meet. They had talked on the phone a few times and he went to our school so my girl said yeah.

Fast forward to Skateland. My girl and dude WERE NOT hitting it off. But he and I did...go figure. I talked to her about it and she was like, "girl...go head." Don't know if she meant it but we stayed friends so whatever. So I gave him my number. We'd talk at school whenever we would see each other (he was a senior and went to the tech in the mornings), kiss before he got on the bus to go to tech, kiss before we got on the bus to go home and call each other after school...yadda yadda blah blah blah.

I ended up going with him to his prom, went to his graduation, saw him off as he left for Norfolk State and we STILL weren't an official couple. But I was in love way before we made it official on September 25, 1987. (Don't trip...I only remember it because it was 3 days after my 16th birthday.)

We stayed together for 5 years. He's the father of my daughter and that's about all I got to say about that.

How about a musical selection to fill the space?

Day 4---A Day in High School

This one is the easiest of all the school memories. 

Picture it...11th Grade...History Class...Henrico High School...Spring, 1988 (That's me up there with the Anita Baker hairdo WITH rattail...smh)

Anyway, there I am, in Coach Collier's class, and I wasn't feeling well that day. I put my head down on the desk because it was pounding and the dude sitting behind me decided that he would get loud and show off in front of his crew. I turned around and asked him nicely (at first) if he could chill because my head hurt. He proceeded to get louder. I asked again nicely and this dude decided that he would come out of his mouth wrong. 

He was like, "I'm not gonna be quiet, nigger ha ha ha."  I was a bit stunned at first but then again, maybe I wasn't because the next thing I knew, my right fist connected with his jaw. He goes whining to the teacher that I hit him and Coach was like, "I didn't see it." He then asked me if I did it and I was like, "yeah". So off we go to the principal's office. 

Long story short, I got suspended for one day...it was a Thursday...no school on Friday...was that supposed to be a punishment?? He got suspended for 3 days...not for calling me a nigger...but for taunting me when he found out I got suspended and I went home, told my parents what happened, they were like, "oh...okay" and that was that. 

I'm so glad the school days portion of this challenge is over because it seems like all I did was fight. Which I did. But I have a sweet, innocent rep to uphold and this line of questioning is ruining all of that!

Day 3--A Day In Middle School

I can honestly say that absolutely nothing sticks out about my middle school years. I was bused to a school (pictured above) in a predominately white area. Had to pass 2 middle schools to get there. I was placed OFTEN in In School Suspension for cussing someone out or fighting or some bullshit that I knew better than to do but did anyway. 

I guess the day that sticks out is one day, in 7th grade science class, my mother gave permission to my teacher, Mrs. Svor, to allow her to draw blood from my finger. I don't even remember what we were studying. Or why she needed our blood. Or why my mother thought this was a good idea.  The only thing I remember is my teacher saying I almost broke her ribs because I was  pushing against her so hard. What could I say? I hated needles. Still do. Yeah...I know...I have tats. Your point?

Yeah...middle school was boring to me. It was something to do to pass the time. So this is all you get because this is all I got. 

Day 2--A Day in Elementary School

Hmm...I'm sitting here trying to pick just one memory from elementary school. Oddly, I have lots of memories of those days. 

I guess I'll go with 5th grade. 1981-82 school year.  I hated 5th grade.  I was mean. I disliked my teacher immensely and it was the first year I had to wear...*gasps*...GLASSES!!! I remember walking into Laburnum Elementary (shout out to the Lions...speaking of which, why did we have a mascot?) with these God-forsaken Wonder Woman frames looking like I had just been picked for nerd duty. And yeah...the kids sniggled and pointed like kids do (the savages). 

But they must have had some kind of superpowers because, even though I had been on the A/B Honor Roll every year since 2nd grade, I made straight A's the entire school year. Laugh at that, mitches!! Heh. 

#1- A Day Containing Your Earliest Memory

Hello all!

It's Maria, bringing you another 30 Days challenge. Seems like I just did one but according to Blogger, it's been a year and a half. Okay, we'll go with that. 

Anyway, I'm supposed to write about a day that contains my earliest memory. This is kind of hard because I have a lot of bits and pieces of early memories but nothing that jumps out at me as special. I guess I'll talk about a Saturday spent with my dad when I was around 5. Some of you may know this story but for creative purposes, let's say you don't, okay?


I remember this one Saturday in the summer. I was about 5 years old and my mom was a nurse that worked nights, so my dad decided that he and I would just hang out for the whole day. First, we went to Howard Johnson's (who had the best damn pancakes in VA, in my opinion) and just sat there and talked about absolutely nothing. I mean, how much conversation skills could a 5 year old have...especially when they had a place mat that you could color. After that, it was on to the obligatory trip to the barber shop, where anybody who was anybody hung out and no self-respecting 5 year old girl had any business. I learned a lot from those cats that day. What, you say? I have no damn idea but suffice it to say, I listened to every word.

Then my dad decided that it was time to have a little fun. So he took me to a basketball court on Cool Lane in Richmond. He gets out, grabs his ABA red, white and blue ball and proceeds to try and show some younger dudes how it was supposed to be done. My dad was a HUGE Dr. J fan but at 5'8, wasn't dunking on much of anything. But he actually did some moves that were fairly impressive...took it through the legs while in mid-air and put the ball up, for one. But hell, I was 5. Didn't take much to impress me...he was my dad and could do no wrong. 

After the b-ball court, there was a bowling alley also on Cool Lane and he took me bowling. Now, this was the days before bumpers, so I sucked. But it wasn't about winning or even knocking down pins. It was about being with the most important man in my life. 

So that is a day containing one of my earliest memories. The Howard Johnson's, basketball court and bowling alley are all gone now but every so often, the feeling of that day still enters my heart.