Monday, August 2, 2010

She's back - Terry



Number 17
I’m leaving Charleston, SC, to pick up my daughter from DC. I cannot wait. I’m not staying, just getting off the train and driving back down immediately; (a whole lot cheaper than a plane--that sucker cost over $300.00 for one way, whereas the train was $89). Airline fares are again back up.

I want to go to Egypt and London next year. A flight from Charleston to London is $900.00, not including taxes and other surcharges. Two years ago it was about $500 for a round trip to Europe, now the expense is unaffordable.

I remember when I took my first flight. I was 16 years old and working as a summer intern at HUD; I was asked if I would like to take a trip to St. Louis with some of the managers to look at housing divisions. I ran home and told my grandmother, Muh! She had never flown anywhere, and was more excited than me.

My grandmother was born in Athens, Georgia. A place I will visit either this year or next. If I remember my family history correctly, she married my grandfather when she was 14 and moved to DC a year or two later. It was not the best of living during the 40s to the 60s, especially for blacks. My grandparents moved to what is now called Georgetown, DC. You may not know the place. It is one of the most expensive areas on Washington, DC and if you can believe, black folks use to live and work there. My grandmother’s family lived in a huge house with two or three families. I was told bits and pieces of what life was like there, so I will try to jar my memory over the next few weeks and tell you and find out more info for myself.

I came across a blog that I think is pretty good, ’DIARY OF A CONTENT BLACK WOMAN’ --you can just type that title on Google search. There’s one particular article, “Are Black Churches Keeping African American Women Single and Lonely”? By Deborrah Cooper. I also heard about it this blog on the Michael Baisden show. Many people believe it’s true. Some women do go to church to look for a man and in some instances that may not be a bad thing. There are also many men who are players who attend church to just ‘get some’ or someone to hang out with for a little while until someone else better comes along. Many women fall for this because they are just that lonely. To me, looking for a man in church is wrong. You go to church to worship God and if, and this is a big damn if, you are lucky, you will meet someone who has the same ideals as you, but that’s a load of crap too. Too many churches are missing so many black men. So, try going to church because you want to worship God. Look inside yourself to find out what you want in a mate, then look in and outside the church. It will come, it will come when you least expect it.

DEBORRAH COOPER
SUCKA FREE LOVE – HOW TO AVOID DATING THE DUMB, THE DECEITFUL, THE DASTARDLY, THE DYSFUNCTIONAL AND THE DERANGED! - $16.99.

Here’s one of the most celebrated black woman writers on black men and women relationship. TERRY McMILLAN

McMillan is coming out with the continuing story of our much beloved women characters Gloria, Bernadine, Savannah and Robin, from “Waiting to Exhale - $8.99” I was wondering what had happened to them.

You know these women Gloria (who lusted after Marvin played by Gregory Hines), Savannah (who was involved with married man Kenneth played by Dennis Haysbert), Bernadine (who was dogged by no damn good John, who left her for a white woman, played by Michael Beach) and Robin (who was dogged over and over again by married/thug wanna be Russell). I loved that movie. Black woman all over the world filled movie theaters to watch those beautiful women get their grove on. I went to see that movie three times and brought the DVD. It’s a classic. McMillan will always, always be the sister who started the Urban Black Woman Romance books, and I thank her every day.

Terry’s motto, "Too many of us are hung up on what we don't have, can't have, or won't ever have. We spend too much energy being down, when we could use that same energy -- if not less of it -- doing, or at least trying to do, some of the things we really want to do."

Excerpts of her new book are in the Essence magazine (from when – date?). The hardback comes out September 7 - $16.77.

Here are other books by Terry McMillan on Kindle:
THE INTERRUPTION OF EVERYTHING - $8.99

IT’S OK IF YOU’RE CLUELESS: AND 23 MORE TIPS FOR THE COLLEGE BOUND - $11.99

A DAY LATE AND A DOLLAR SHORT - $6.99 (Not one of my personal favorites).

TERRY MCMILLIAN: A CRITICAL COMPANION - $37.56 (Ok, Ok, now that cost too much!!!)

HOW STELLA GOT HER GROVE BACK - $6.99 (I definitely enjoyed the movie with Angela Basset and Whoopi Goldberg)

MAMA –$11.25 is not in kindle format, but is a book you should have in your personal library. This is the Mack Daddy book (What an expression!!!) of all time.
Mildred is broke with no future, living in a Detroit slum with her five children, and a complete jack-ass of a man who drinks, is abusive, and can’t keep a damn job. Mildred stays real and optimistic. When I first read this book, I could not get over the fact that finally a book about “us,” real black women in real talk, not to say there were not others, but McMillan is good. I would read it everywhere. I could not put this book down. I think I will read it again, really good memories with good characters. I love this book!

As my kid says, “Mommy, you have got to stop what you are doing and read this book! Now!!!” Kendra has great suggestions on what books to read, I predict that when she finally reads this one, she won’t stop either.

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