No Stomachs Were Hurt in the Making of this Meal

(In photo: Our well-fed family)

(In photo: The family after some hearty eating on Thanksgiving 2009)

Yeay! Thanksgiving dinner was a success! And to think you were worried!

Ok, I admit, I was pretty darn scared. I will be honest, too. The pumpkin pies were not that great, but, hey, who is counting when the turkey was divine!

(In photo: The little one was in charge of table decor.)

(In photo: The man of the house injects the bird with some taste goods)

(In photo: The beautiful bird. And, yes, it was slathered in olive-oil based mayo)

(In photo: Our spread-- green beans, corn, sweet potatoes, turkey, gravy cranberry sauce & mac & cheese with a twist)

So, hopefully you are up to speed on my cooking tribulations. I am not the world's greatest cook. I am not the greatest cook on my block, nor in my house. That award goes to my dear partner who has the cooking skills of any of those on the Food Network. I swear. His skills are that good. But, he only lets those of us with lower skills and palates partake of his skills when (a) he is in the mood to cook (b) when it is a holiday or special occasion or (c) when he feels like it, which is really the same as (a). For the meal yesterday, he bestowed upon us the most heavenly sweet potato casserole ever and mac & cheese to die for. He also was the muscle behind flipping the bird during the three hours it cooked and injecting it with the seasoning.

I, however, take full credit for everything else regarding the bird. I brined it, rubbed it down and talked to it tenderly, begging it profusely to not burn, go dry or taste unseasoned during my first Thanksgiving run at cooking. It didn't disappoint.

Nation-Sanctioned & Societally Supported Shout-Day

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays... and one of the major reasons is the eating to be done on this day. Yes, the food. The yamming down. The munching and crunching. The eats, the sweets and the drinks. It is this society's only day when it is acceptable to gorge oneself on the best meat, vegetables, starches and desserts you can find. Who doesn't love that?

But, most of all, what other day do you get to gorge yourself and tell your family you love them and are grateful for them in a crowded room or on a blog and not be self-conscious or be perceived as just overly geeked and pressed? Valentine's day is mainly for sweethearts and Christmas is mainly about giving big-ups to Jesus Christ. No, Thanksgiving is the only nation-sanctioned, societally-supported day to give the entire family shout-outs (or at least the members you actually want to give shout-outs to. Let's be real, everyone doesn't get props).

So, here is my list of Thanksgiving shout-outs (in no particular order) to my family who I love beyond words:

• I am thankful for my dear spouse of 5+ years of co-parenting rigor. Without his easy demeanor, calm and patience, there would be no example of balance for our daughter when she sees us two--her parents together
• I am thankful for my child. Her beautiful face is only a glimpse of the beautiful spirit she is. Her feisty energy coupled with her artistic ways never cease to amaze. I am so blessed that her spirit chose me to mother her.
• I thank my mother for always loving me. This has been a hard year for her, particularly with my brother being deployed, but she still maintains and supports all of her children in the best way she knows how. I love and appreciate her for that.
• I am thankful for my daughter's paternal grandparents. Any parent knows how important grandparents are in a busy parent's life and boy, my daughter has some of the best grandparents. Through all of our traveling this year, they kept our daughter whenever asked and never fail to love her--their home is her home. They are also very loving to me as well and I couldn't ask for better in-laws.
• My siblings-- all four of you, I am thankful for you all. You all being born have allowed me to be a big sister and allowed me to know that one child was quite enough for me when I started having kids of my own ;-)
• My step-daughter, I am very thankful and blessed to know you. You are a stunning young woman both inside and out. Watching you grow into a teenager has been amazing.
• I am thankful for you, my little nephew. You are funny and talented and I am looking forward to seeing an upcoming tennis match.
• My Uncle Butch, you are always there when I need software and computer hardware. Though I have no idea where you get your hook-up, I am grateful always for the hook-up you give me.
• Amenta-Maat, my cousin aka Valerie-- I am thankful for your support of all of my artistic endeavors. Seeing your face at two of my events this year and receiving your emails of support has made me so thankful for your love.
• Bella, our family dog, I am so thankful for you. I am particularly thankful that this Thanksgiving you are trained enough to not use the bathroom when out of your crate. Please keep up the good work. I want this kind of thankfulness to extend into the new year.

If you are reading this, I want to thank you for reading! And, yes, I am thankful for you, too! Happy Thanksgiving!...and most importantly, Happy Eating! (fingers crossed the turkey comes out ok. Will post dinner story after Thanksgiving)

How Not to Poison my Family & Other Notes to Self

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving. I have never prepared a Thanksgiving meal by myself. I have never hosted people over for Thanksgiving. Technically, I won't be doing either tomorrow. But, alas, I will be preparing the Thanksgiving bird. Of course, my spouse will be supervising all activity I'm involved in in the kitchen, but, I will be in charge of the turkey ultimately.

For most women, this is expected. For me, this is a totally new experience because I have always been the family eater. When folks needed a test subject, that was me. I have honed the gift of eating other people's cooking. Hence, my own cooking skills have never fully been stretched to their potential. Of course there are the common food concoctions I've mastered-- spaghetti, grilled chicken, heating up of canned items, etc., but a big, whole, turkey? No. Never did it. Seasoning is a big thing for me (I admit I do make spicy foods well because I love seasoning) so the prospect of seasoning a big ole bird is a bit daunting. Seasoning injector? Brine marination? If you know what these things are, then you probably are a good cook already. If not, then you are in the same boat with me. I learned yesterday while perusing the Food Network's recipe list of turkey suggestions what brine is. I never knew it was a good thing, it has a sour, putrid ring to it.

I had posted on Facebook my decision to follow a co-worker of my spouse's suggestion to cook the turkey after rubbing it in mayonnaise. The co-worker said it will make the turkey come out juicy. My Facebook friends immediately wrote on my wall to drop the mayo immediately and DO NOT put mayonnaise on the turkey. See what happens when you share your next moves with folks. They save you...or confuse you even more, it's up to you to take it for what its worth. I'm a bit in the confused boat still and I have less than 24 hours left to make a decision on what I'm going to do with this damn bird.

In my other Worlds...

I've begun to lessen the number of involvements that I'm a part of. I am really in touch with my internal workings and lately I've been noticing an energy drop. I've disengaged myself from things that have been really important to me this past year, specifically the Saartjie Project and my writing stint for a paper that I've written for for almost four years. I have loved both opportunities immensely, but, I am now narrowing my focus to two projects I'm hoping to drop in the next year. I hope I am able to share them before the end of next year. Wish me luck...

Unexpected Spirituality

I've been to four states in the past month along the east coast and in the midwest-- Florida, North Carolina, New York and Kentucky. While New York was for business (presenting in a conference), Kentucky and North Carolina were travels that were more personal. Kentucky's visit was one to determine if Kentucky will be our new home while North Carolina's visit was a sad send-off of my little brother to war in Afghanistan. So, the Florida two-day visit was a very well-needed vacay that didn't require much thinking, emotion, or prep. The biggest concern was deciding between going to the pool or heading to an amusement park.

Everyone needs a break. Not sure if mine was long enough though.

When I returned from Florida yesterday, the feeling of stress quickly grabbed ahold. I had to get into producer mode for the 7pm Liberated Muse event--Capital Rhythm and Soul. This was especially challenging because my business partner actually had another event he was co-producing with co-workers at his day job and he was not able to really contribute to the promotion of the event nor be present during the logistics. The show was a benefit concert for the nonprofit Southeast Ministry that I've worked with this past summer, so, there were volunteers from Southeast Ministry that I needed to confer with as well prior to the event. When I got back from Florida, I was running very late and did not have the opportunity to drop my daughter off at her grandparents (her dad was still in Florida for business). Between getting myself ready and getting my daughter ready, we were already a half hour late. Did I mention that I was supposed to perform as well?

Well, I called my back vocalist Angie, a good friend of mine, and gave her a heads-up that I was running late. She was already there and had immediately stepped in as the contact for the volunteers and other artists who were performing. She did this without me even asking. When I arrived, all was fine, with several other performers having time issues as I had but everything working out overall. I took a grateful inhale and exhaled deeply.

Prior to the start of the show, we (performers and volunteers) met in the back and did a peace blessing acknowledging everyone who was present, praying for those who had to call out of the show last minute and allowing the volunteers , performers and members of Southeast Ministry to get to know each other. This moment really helped ground me.

When the show began, the hostess, a beautiful spirit named Dehejia Maat, began her MC duties by settling the crowd. She did this by reading passages from the book "The Secret" before engaging them with her poetry. The spiritual tone of the evening immediately began to take shape.

This wasn't a typical Friday evening of music. It was very warm, magical and almost spiritual. There was a very small turn-out, but that did not impact the performers, each one who gave their all to the audience. My own performance was very heartfelt as I sang out to MJ in my rendition of "Never Can Say Good-bye" and poured my heart out in my song "My Tragedy".

I felt refreshed, invigorated and deeply grateful for having the experience on Friday at the Capital Rhythm and Soul event at the Potter's House. I experienced the support of a friend, enjoyed reflective moments with friends and strangers alike and fellowshipped with others through music and song. What more can you hope for? I found unexpected spirituality in an everyday setting and it blossomed gratefulness in my heart.



(In the Video: Footage from last night's Capital Rhythm & Soul and other past events that I've produced through Liberated Muse)

Channeling MJ, Adoring Minnie & Passing the Hosting Duties

(In photo: Me performing earlier this year. I'm anticipating my set this Friday)

So, this Friday, I will be performing in a show I'm producing for Liberated Muse Productions. What most folks don't realize is that I am reactivating a performance career that was pretty much put on hold for about four years when I became a Mommy.

Now, I didn't disappear from the arts during those four years-- I still actively wrote and produced shows for the jobs I had since giving birth, but, I wasn't performing--singing, specifically-- like I had been doing before becoming Mommy to Khari. So, the task of putting together a set, getting yourself vocally ready and just being stage ready is something I am still growing into again. I've been performing this past year and a half with the Saartjie Project, singing and acting, but a set that has you singing for 20 minutes + straight is a bit different.

The performance at the Green Fest last month was my debut doing a full set. Gary and I had worked together in May for a benefit show, he playing guitar as I sang the Janelle Monae song "Sincerely Jane". He was naturally the person to turn to accompany me for last month's set at the Green Fest. Gary and I went to college together and came back in touch with each other about three years ago, mainly via Facebook and Myspace. It was only this year when we connected in person again and its been awesome.

Gary has really helped with putting together the set. He wrote a song I performed last month at the Green Fest about the earth and its children and he has a musical ear that is phenomenal. He has really done magic with the original piece I perform "My Tragedy" and the other cover tunes I hit. This coming Friday, I will be singing a song by the Jackson 5 and Gary picked up the melody in minutes. He is brilliant.

(In photo: My friend Gary is a phenomenal musician)

I must admit that I am nervous with the MJ tune. I miss MJ, as if he were a relative, and I am hoping I don't cry during the song. I will also be doing a Minnie Ripperton cover. Now the fear with that one is the hope that my voice doesn't crack. No, I'm not hitting those ceiling reaching notes like she did, but I will be singing pretty high. I hope that my voice doesn't decide to go "sike-a-boo-boo. we don't do that!"

My good friend Angie is doing backing vocals and I am thrilled to be on stage with her and Gary. Their presence lends some comfort to the performance for me. This will be our first event at the Potter's House that I haven't hosted. This will be new for me being there as a performer and handing over the hosting reins. The hostess is a phenomenal poet named Dehejia Maat. I hope you can come out. Check out the flyer below for details.

First Art Opening Helps Me Learn the Art of Chilling

(In photo: Me with artist Marshetta Davis who is in the book Liberated Muse Volume I: How I Freed My Soul and in the Celebration of Freedom exhibit.)

Yesterday afternoon was the first art opening hosted by my group Liberated Muse Productions. Our exhibit, Celebration of Freedom, was inspired by the book I edited Liberated Muse Volume I:How I Free My Soul. Artists featured in the book and artists part of our network http://www.liberatedmuse.com/ who are part of the exhibit were on hand yesterday to talk about their art, mingle with guests and sell their art.

(In photo: Artists featured in the art exhibit-- Pru Bonds, Sherry Burton-Ways, James Terrell and Sharon Burton who is in the exhibit, created the cover art for the book Liberated Muse Volume I: How I Freed My Soul and curated the exhibit)

Almost all of the artists (8 of the 10) showed up last night, supported by friends and family members to take part in the artist talk and enjoy refreshments provided by the venue hosting the exhibit, the Potter's House.

(In photo: Artist Shan'ta Monroe and her piece "Pandora's Box". Shan'ta is a painter and photographer and is featured in Liberated Muse Volume I:How I Freed My Soul and was the photographer for the Capital Hip Hop Soul Fest this past year, an event I produce each year with Liberated Muse Productions.)

I had never produced an art opening before this one and I learned a grand lesson in the art of chilling out. I've produced dozens of performance art events-- including festivals, concerts, cabarets and panels--often serving as the MC-- and a high amount of energy necessary to multi-task, keep things moving along and always have a plan B is always required. With an art opening, especially one that was as casual and community-based as this one (as opposed to upscale and exclusive), the energy required is on a much smaller level. For a busy bee like me, it was a teachable moment.

(In photo: Stephan Cox and his pieces which are part of a series he started as a student in Morgan State University.)

At an art opening, when people come in to view art, converse and navigate a room, the atmosphere is so different from a programmed performance. I was able to chill and just allow folks to find their way in the gallery area, offering smiles when necessary and just having the opportunity to catch up with folks I hadn't really just talked to. I especially enjoyed conversing with one of the artists in the show, Stephan Cox.

Stephan is a young man who I worked with when I worked at Morgan State University. I have been so happy keeping in touch with him and seeing him grow more comfortable showing his art. He is not only a visual artist but a performing artist as well. I got to know him very well when he had a singing role in my play Shades of Black: A thought in progress. His sister, brother-in-law and nephew came to support him at the reception last night and I was surprised to recognize his brother-in-law who was in my photography class I took earlier this year with the Washington School of Photography in Bethesda, MD. Such a small world.

(In photo: Me and Sharon Burton who led curation of the exhibit.)
(In photo: The artist Choke and her pieces. Choke sold the first piece to be sold from the exhibit when it soft opened in September)

I didn't have to be "on" and got to socialize which I really don't get time to do at the events we have. (excluding our event two weeks ago which had a really low turn-out)

While socializing with the artist Choke, I learned that she just got a license to do hair "art" as I call it (hair design) and she just returned from California where she is now taking classes in glass art. I am really impressed with her exploratory nature and as a young artist (only 22), she is utilizing her youth wisely, exploring areas of interest and not being mired in thoughts of playing it "safe".

(In photo: The group the Ash Lovelies were at the Potter's House rehearsing prior to our reception and decided to stay during the reception, actually providing the event music. Synchronicity is amazing. I had purposefully not invited any performing artists, not sure how we could swing that when the area in front of the art is usually the stage area. The Ash Lovelies were practicing in a corner of the room that did not encompass the gallery area. It was wonderful to meet them. They actually performed the same day I did at the Green Fest and I had caught them on that day when my family stuck around to enjoy the fest).

I had a good time. Sharon and I made the decision to push back an art exhibit we had originally scheduled for December (the Potter's House exhibit ends on Dec. 1) at Meroe Gallery in Baltimore, MD. We are shooting for the spring to ensure that we get more submissions and get a breath of air to relax. Maybe.

The next event I'm producing is this Friday. If you are reading this, I hope you plan to attend. Click here to RSVP on Facebook.

Thanks for reading!

Celebration of Freedom Art Exhibit Reception @ 4pm

Today is a reception for the artists in the art exhibit Liberated Muse is showcasing in the "Celebration of Freedom" currently up at the Potter's House. It's from 4-6pm at the Potter's House.

I've been really happy that my organization Liberated Muse has been able to create venues for visual artists as well as performing artists. Our social network http://www.liberatedmuse.com/ has been a community full of all kind of artists-- from literary artists and performing artists to visual artists and fiber artists. Exhibitions were only a matter of time.

It's thrilling to see the community grow and the events increase. If you're reading this, hope you can make it today. If not, make sure you mark next Friday, Nov. 20 for your calendar. Click here for the details. I'm performing with Gary & Angie and there are other fabulous artists performing.

As I get ready today, I grabbed a snapshot of a piece my daughter was working on this morning. "Aliens from outerspace". She said that this is me and her. What a great way to start the day.