Family Design

I'm so excited, almost excited enough to call up Time Warner and get cable again!! HGTV has a new show, Home Rules, that combines two of my all-time favorite things: life coaching and interior design!!!!!

Back when I had cable (it's been a year now since I last had a cable box), I sat motionless after church on Sundays for countless unproductive hours just drooling over homes on HGTV (shameful I know), meticulously taking mental notes for my own redesign projects. I would love to meet Candice Olson of Divine Design and possibly have a room decorated by her:-)  Home Rules is hosted by former WNBA star Fran Harris.

Fran works to put the function back in the show's dysfunctional families' lives. Simultaneously while redesigning their entire house, she also works with the families about hidden, or not so hidden, reasons for the clutter and imbalance in their homes. I love it!!!

Fran was an elite athlete for over 20 years and has been coaching for over 15 years. She has dubbed herself America's No Excuses Coach because she doesn't tolerate excuses in her life or her clients' lives. She says complacency is the biggest issue she sees. People are just following the status quo. The spaces aren't the most imaginative I've seen, but I just love the concept of someone really trying to tackle the issues within the families on a deeper level as they get a fresh outlook on their homes as well. Yes, if Hulu doesn't air episodes of this series, I'll have to seriously consider making that call to Time Warner.

Below are some before and after pics from a family home she redesigned. Designing hearts and homes, what could be better? Homes Rules premieres March 15 at 9/8c on HGTV. Check your local listings for the channel.

Family Room Before

Family Room After

Little Girls' Room Before

Little Girls' Room After

Wednesday's Woman: Russatta Buford

In the previous post, I thanked Mr. Tyler Perry for his commitment to advance worthy causes. I'm proud to say that for the inaugural posting of Wednesday's Woman I can feature my friend Russatta Buford. I met this petite powerhouse 2 years ago and I've been impressed and influenced by her dedication to serve ever since. She is resolute in her desire to make her community better by her presence and her sincerity of service is commendable. Russatta's philanthropic work was highlighted last month in O, The Oprah Magazine in a Covergirl feature. 

I asked Russatta to ruminate on what that experience and service meant to her. Here's what she had to say...

Dear Mr. Tyler Perry,

It is widely known that I have not been a fan of your creative endeavors. While I respect and applaud your business savvy, as well as your dogged determination, I had very little, extremely low regard for your talent. I believe that as a Black person with influence in the media, you cannot waste it on projects that aren't of substance and quality. I felt in examining the craft from a technical standpoint, you needed to step it up a bit. But who am I?

Taste and quality are highly subjective. These things are learned. Taught to us over time by gatekeepers who want us to buy into what they believe a good story to be. But you, you Mr. Perry, you eschew the machine and do things your way. And I'm finally thankful you did.

Continue ruminating...

Happy 25th Bday Favorite Person

Today is the 25th birthday of my favorite person in all the world. Said person is pictured below. I just love that kid!!!!!!!

Ten Cheers For Ms. Benjamin

The New York Times is running a classic op-ed piece written in 2006 by Regina M. Benjamin, President Obama's newest cabinet appointment for Surgeon General. The op-ed was written to tell the world of her experience in rebuilding the medical clinic she ran in Bayou La Batre, Ala. after Hurricane Katrina. I think her hope and determination as well as the strength of the residents of that community are quite telling about the type of person Ms. Benjamin is and the influences in her life. Click the link and check it out when you have time.

Down and Up on the Bayou

I have a girl crush

Don't worry, I still intend to marry a man but now I'm crushing on Toni. Yes, it's true. I am indeed crushing on the one and only Ms. Toni Morrison!!!!!

This past Sunday I went to Palisades, NY to attend a talk hosted by the Rockland County Public Library. She was awesome. Super wow-tastic!! She was funny, alert, totally present, serious, cerebral, gracious, bold, quick-witted, confident, and any other adjective you would apply to a well-adjusted extremely balanced in personality living legend. I'm going to be just like her when I grow up. I was sitting less than 10 feet away from this beautiful woman and I couldn't stop grinning. I got to ask her advice on writing and she related to my question and said she had struggled with the exact same thing when she began to embark on a writing career. Oh, she didn't publish her first novel until she was 39!!! Whew! That means I still have time to be the well-known international legend I know I'll be. Right know, I'm a bit of an unknown legend, but that will all be over soon enough:-) Still excited about that afternoon. Good stuff indeed!

Enough About Sotomayor

Yeah yeah, I get it. Sonia Sotomayor will be, if confirmed, the first Latina and only 3rd woman to sit on the Supreme Court. But why isn't anyone talking about the other first? President Obama has named Retired Maj. Charles Bolden to be the head of NASA. He'll be the first African-American to hold this position. I think it's awesome. He's a celebrated serviceman and after retiring, enrolled as a fellow at Harvard to study ways to improve healthcare for African-Americans, specifically those suffering with sickle cell anemia. Our kids need to see that there exists exciting careers in science and mathematics. 

Check out Major Bolden at...

Washington Post 

Bloomberg

Wikipedia 

Because She Can't Control Herself

Congrats on the baby boy!!!