Martha Ann was born in 1934 and passed away in 1998 after having multiple strokes - that was ten years ago today.

She was the daughter of Lucille, a fine woman in her own right, and the oldest of 6 girls.  She was the mother of three girls and two boys.  She was the grandmother of 9, one of which she never knew.

Her versatility as an all-around human being has been un-matched in my lifetime.  She could meet someone and literally spend hours talking and laughing with them as if she knew them her entire life.  She loved children - she worked as a teachers aid for many years - one reason she started this job was to be close to her youngest son when he started going to school all day.

She had class coming out of her pores without ever acting as though she was above anyone.  Nobody was unworthy of a smile and conversation.

She was an excellent cook all around, but she made the best dinner rolls in the world.  This, according to anyone who had the pleasure of tasting them.

Martha Ann was the glue that held her family together.  Not just in life, but her loving influence holds her family together ten years after her death.  She was the rock, a best friend and someone people loved to sit around and talk to.

Martha Ann was my mother and I miss her today like I did ten years ago.

You can make an argument that the year 1968 was the most pivotal year in the 20th century, and many would agree.  The deaths of Martin Luther King Jr. and Bobby Kennedy clearly changed the future of the country.  One of the happenings that may not be talked about enough was the performance of the United States athletes in the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City.  Without question, the performance of the track and field team was the greatest of all-time.  The reason people do not talk much about the performances of the athletes because they remember or have seen the “Black Power” salute by Tommie Smith and John Carlos.  It was only 40 years ago, but today it seems like a lot longer than that.

Kobe Bryant and Lebron James may be the most recognizable faces performing for the United States in the Olympics.  They are the most popular players on the “Redeem Team,” and arguably the most popular basketball players in the world.  During last season, both Bryant and James spoke out against the injustices committed by the Chinese government in their support of the Sudanese government in Africa.  The Chinese buys oil from and provides arms to the Sudanese government, a government responsible for a genocide that murdered 400,000 Sudanese in Darfur.  Both Bryant and James said that they would be making comments later on about the injustices, but mysteriously, that has not been the case.

The Chinese government has been going to the limit in order to have a situation-free Olympics in Bejing.  They even revoked the visa of Joey Cheek, a former Olympic medalist turned human rights advocate, because they did not want him mentioning the genocide in Sudan.  Well, doing that to Cheek is not that difficult because no one knows him, but they could not do the same with either Bryant or James since they are global icons and are immensely popular in basketball-crazy China.  Had Bryant or James continued to speak out against the Chinese, they would have exposed the public to China’s policy, but they have not.  Instead, they have fallen into silence, which is exactly what the Chinese government wanted in the first place.

One would have to wonder how disappointed the U.S. athletes from the 1968 Games are with those from the 2008 Games.  The major difference between the athletes is simply political involvement.  It has been a major criticism from the athletes of that time period, especially Jim Brown, that the athletes of today not only do not get involved politically, but the reason they do not has to do with the amount of money they make.  Both Bryant and James should be ashamed that they choose not to speak out on the subject, especially when it comes to basic human rights that are violated by the Sudanese government, with help from China.  They have the platform to do so, but have chosen not to, with the excuse being that they need to focus on the Games.  Maybe someone should tell them that the greatest athletic performance that this country has ever seen came 40 years ago, with the athletes protesting while performing.

Ok, so tell me, isn’t it the most awkward thing to have to ask somebody for money they owe you? According to etiquette, what is the proper way to ask for it?

I am getting older, and my memory slips me at times, and maybe I owe someone money, but trust me, not on purpose. If I owe any of you that are reading this, please tell me and I’m sorry.

So here’s the thing.  Several weeks ago, April 26th to be exact we had a garage sale.  We sold our loveseat to a nearby neighbor.  They said they didn’t have the money at the time and in good faith, my husband and I decided to go ahead and let them take it.  We agreed they could pay us a little later.  When my husband helped carry the loveseat across the street,  John (the names have been changed to protect the not-so-innocent) told my husband that they would pay us the next time he got paid.  Here we are 14 weeks and nine pays later and not a dime!  Is your thought, maybe the still can’t afford it?  Ok, but why the new John Deer $75.00 cutesy sprinkle?  My sprinkler cost $5.99!  And why the new cement bird feeder?  I don’t even feed the birds that come into my yard.  I leave that to Mother Nature.  How can they, with a clear conscious, buy somewhat costly things, things that I can see they have bought and still not pay me my money?

My husband, being my husband, will barely speak to them (yes, they still speak! as if nothing!) and they probably realize he has changed, thus bringing tension to the block. I speak to them and talk to them the same way I did before the loveseat incident. I never want to hurt anybody’s feeling or humiliate someone, but I needed to at least revisit my loveseat dilemma. So here is what I did. I wrote a note and put it in their mailbox. Here is what I wrote:

Hey John and Jane,

This is an awkward letter to write, because we are neighbors and hopefully friends, but I felt forced. The loveseat…I understand forgetting, and I understand initially not having the money, but it has been several weeks, and I have heard nothing from you regarding payment for the loveseat. $40.00 is not going to make or break me, but I did sell it in good faith. If you haven’t paid for it because, maybe you don’t really like it or need it, I understand that too. We will be happy to take it back. It was my mother’s furniture. She is gone now, so it does hold a little sentimental value and we would probably use it in our garage, if nothing else. But if you are happy with it, great! We just need to finalize the sale! Please and thank you!

Kathy

How’s that? Was I too harsh? This is such a sticky situation that borrowers invariably put lenders in. If you think I dealt with it ok, please tell me so I will feel better. If you think I should have handled it differently, tell me that too, I will try to learn from my mistakes and from your advice.

Really, what can you say?

I’m sitting at work this afternoon and my daughter nonchalantly, and without warning, texts me and says Bernie Mac died today. Hold on, we all know by now, he didn’t. But I surprised myself and instantly began to cry. I am at work trying not to go into the ugly cry (a new job. they don’t know me yet) and simultaneously going online to get the scoop. The scoop is: somehow rumors got to flying saying Bernie was dead when in fact he is very ill but expected to make a full recovery! Let the melodious chorus begin! My spirit was lifted! My Bernie is still with us!!!

So as usual, I had to sit and analyze what just happened. I guess I didn’t realize how much I loved me some Bernie Mac! The Mac man is all that! My first time for truly acknowledging and giving credence to Bernie Mac was Kings of Comedy. (Summa ma…) Anyway, I love hearing that man talk about beating kids down to the white meat. I have never beaten my kids like that, nor do I think it is legal or right, but child… I love hearing Bernie Mac talking about it!

The thing I love about Bernie is, from everything I have seen; he is just a decent guy. He doesn’t stay in the rag magazines. He gives credit to others. He doesn’t wife hop. And it is clear he loves his family. The guy is a good guy! I loved watching Guess Who, Ocean’s 11 and 12, etc., but that doesn’t compare to the many times I would be doubled over laughing at him on the Bernie Mac show. Especially when he would get on Jordan!

Bernie Mac is a naturally, gifted, talented funny man! I am so glad he is still with us, aren’t you!!!

My husband finally told me that he got stopped by the MP (military police) on post the other day. Being in the military as long as he has, typically he doesn’t break the law, especially on post. He doesn’t speed. He usually comes to a complete stop. He doesn’t make illegal turns. I just couldn’t imagine what they could have stopped him for. I’m sitting there in anticipation as he runs down the details of where he was. He gives very explicit, detailed explanations, it took a minute, but finally he got to it; he was stopped for playing gospel music too loud. lol. I was just floored! In my many years, I have never seen a car get pulled over, with the flashing lights and sirens, for playing loud music! And gospel to boot!

I know it happens; I have just never been witness to it. I guess my shock was because it was gospel. When they stopped him, he was bouncing around and as he called it, “getting his praise on”. I wonder if their real concern was not how loud the music was playing but how rowdy he appeared while driving. He probably did look a little crazy. But it was gospel music! Music that is spreading the good news! Truthfully, there are times when getting my praise on in the car and bouncing around like I ain’t got a lick of sense, is the difference between my sanity and breaking down in tears! Sometimes I just need that time to change the course of my day and my mind-set. So it just makes me wonder, how could he possibly get stopped for playing Kirk Franklin’s Hero?

I stopped and thought about it. I guess loud music is loud music. It can be distracting and annoying regardless of the genre. This is one of those things that made me really think. Maybe deep down, I thought he should be entitled because of the type of music it was. This is one of those things where we as Christians, well let me speak for me, I sometime get on my high horse and think I will receive special treatment because I am living a life “better than the average person”. Not so and how dare I think so! My husband got pulled over for loud, Christian, gospel, foot stomping, church music as if it were hard rock, profanity filled rap, heavy metal, etc.! At 51 years old, he was no better than the energy filled teen, driving down the street with the bass so loud; you can feel it beating in your chest. At that moment he was just another violator! lol. My husband a lightweight, short-lived criminal!

I guess there is no real point to my story except: apparently the police either have nothing better to do than to stop someone just because, or they are very diligent in keeping the noise pollution down, even if I don’t consider it pollution! Loud music is just that, loud music!

What do you think about getting pulled over for playing gospel music? Holla back but not too loud…

I am almost ashamed to admit that this post came about because of a not so nice thought I had.  Today my husband and I were in a place of business.  The woman that was waiting on us walked toward us and I thought to myself how unattractive her legs were.  I actually said to myself, her face is not bad and the rest of her body is not bad but her legs are just not attractive.  As we head toward Sunday and the 7daybuzz.com WWJD 7 day challenge, I thought about what I was thinking and instantly became ashamed and mad.  The reason I got mad was because, like her, I have many body parts that many would say aren’t attractive.  But the real reason I got mad is because I bought into that way of thinking!  Who in the world, and I mean who, decides what is attractive and what is not?

I have a dear friend name Rose.  Rose lives in Nairobi, Kenya in Africa.  I had a job that afforded me the pleasure of spending time with Rose while she was in the US.  She taught me many things about how another culture lives.  One thing we talked about at length is how different our countries feel about a woman’s body.  According to Rose, if a woman is thin or small she is considered unattractive, especially if she is married.  If you see a married woman that is not (Kenya) healthy /thin (US), her husband is not doing his job.  Families can become upset at the sight of a slight woman and that husband will be told to feed his wife and take proper care of her.  A curvaceous woman, on the thicker side of life is considered beautiful in Kenya.  A size 16 or 18 or even higher is not a problem in Kenyan!  Sweet dear Rose was what we would call thick.  Because she had become somewhat Americanized, she decided she didn’t want to gain anymore weight.  I was with her when she bought her first pair of jeans!  She saw how women here looked and she wanted to emulate that look in her country!  Rose was absolutely beautiful.  One of the most beautiful women I had ever seen!  But now she was in our country and doubting that beauty because she understood what we say beauty should look like.  Don’t get me wrong, I am all about healthy living, a healthy size, and a healthy weight to go with it.

I don’t like it when I hear men say they wouldn’t even consider dating an overweight woman.  What if that woman is his actual soul mate?  Not someone he has a forced relationship with, chosen because she fit the appearance criteria.  I don’t like it when I hear a woman say she wouldn’t consider dating a bald man.  What if he is everything on her list with the minor exception that genetics didn’t afford him the luxury of hair past age 30?  How many people do you think have missed out on the true love of their life because the individual didn’t meet the standards of what we call beauty?  I will admit, as much as I love this country, there are times when I wish I was in a place where beauty was not based on how thin you were, or how long your legs were, or how hard your abs were.

It is so unfair.  The reason I think it so unfair is, none of us were given the options of who our parents were and what genetics we would inherit.  If how we look was predicated on what we ate only and how we took care of our bodies only, then that rating system would be alright, but my eyes, nose, legs, midsection, back parts, feet, hands, etc. all came from a combination of those before me.  Little of who I am is mine exclusively, but what is, was there from the start.  No matter what I eat, I still have chicken legs!  No matter how many Pilates stretches I do, I am still 5’¼”.  Nothing is going to plump up my legs or make me taller!  So then why can’t I be considered just as beautiful as Halle Berry or Janet Jackson or Eva Longoria?  But I know I will never be seen that way.  And that’s ok.  I’m good with who I am.  I am a creation of God.

If I ever see that woman again, I will consider her just as beautiful as my friend Rose!  Tell me what you think of American’s standards for beauty.

As many of you may know, for the first time Kim and I are about to become parents.  I think we would both agree, this is something we have been looking forward to for quite some time and are taking this new responsibility seriously.

I know Kim will have a special bond with our daughter because that is something nature builds into this whole process.  But I know and feel that special something that has me joyous on the inside - a feeling which is new and somewhat expected at the same time.

At 7daybuzz, we try to be just what the name implies: a place that talks about the buzz 7 days a week.  We have been blessed to write about relevant issues both of a serious nature and sometime not so serious.  During this special time I must stay true to our format and refrain from making this all about the addition to my family.  For that reason, I would like to tell you about Proud2parent.

I’m approaching this life change with pride and I have some things I want to share from a father’s perspective.  Not only do I want to share what (very) little I know and will learn along the way, I want interaction with other parents, both fathers and mothers, so I can learn along the way.

Today is a special day at Proud2parent and I hope you will go and check it out.  Let’s get real, most men (the men I know at least) want a son and I was no different.  I may have wanted a little boy, but God said no and our destiny was a little girl.  If you look at the site, you may understand what I’m talking about more.

Before the thought comes to your mind, I’m not going anywhere and 7daybuzz will continue to grow (come on, help us) and improve.  We are going to bring it to you everyday, a guarantee Proud2parent doesn’t necessarily have.  Similarly to how the baby will be an addition to our family, the new site is an addition to our family here at 7daybuzz.

I will see you there…and here.

Here we go again!  I guess you could say the other shoe dropped with Jesse Jackson.  Some media outlets are calling him messy Jesse and this description seems to fit the former presidential hopeful lately.

Apparently saying “I would like to cut his nuts off” wasn’t all Jesse said concerning Barack Obama.  Apparently, Jesse also said “Barack…he’s talking down to black people…telling n–s how to behave.”  Yes, Jesse used the N word also, which is hopefully the nail in his coffin as a public figure.  What exactly is it that Jackson does that benefits anyone?  I really don’t know how relevant he really is anymore - that is assuming he ever really was relevant in the past.

At this point he has become an embarassment to people of all colors and someone who needs to stay out of the limelight as much as possible.  Doesn’t he have a child he could be raising?  I know that is a low blow, but it is still true.

The most obvious reason for Jesse’s actions seem to be pure jealousy.  He had his time to shine and it just didn’t work out for him - we would have been a laughing stock to the rest of the world if he was elected.  So, since he didn’t advance as far as Obama, he is apparently going to do what he can to hurt his campaign.  He sure is drinking those 40-ounce bottles of Haterade!  How many of us actually believe he didn’t know the mic was on?  It seems rather suspicious given the amount of time he has spent behind a mic and camera.

Jackson’s main problem with Obama is what he (Obama) says or doesn’t say about issues which affect African-American people (there is that term again).  There is a fine line between discussing race issues and continuing the cycle by repeatedly throwing up the race card.  If he is smart, and I think he is, Obama realizes this and acts accordingly.  We really have to do something to get past race issues and I don’t think past actions will work.

You can say what you want, but if elected Obama will have to be the President of the United States not the president of the black people of the United States.  At some point he has to push forward with a message of equality and address other issues affecting us all.  Harping on issues primarily dealing with African-Americans will get him nowhere.

Here is the question:

1. Does Jesse have a point and Obama isn’t discussing minority issues enough?
2. Is Jackson totally off base and Obama is doing as he should?
3. Do you think this has been brewing within Jesse for some time now and he finally went public on purpose or inadvertantly?

Leave a comment and tell us what you think.

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Here’s the first line from a recent ABC news story.  Hold on! (http://abcnews.go.com/Health/story?id=5302756&page=1).

“Thomas Beatie, the transgender man who made headlines as the so-called “pregnant man,” gave birth Sunday to a healthy baby girl, ABC News has learned.”  What in the world?!?!?!

Let’s go back to April…

I can now say, the person Oprah and Good Morning America called a man, is not a “man.”  I watched the preview of that Oprah show over and over and heard them call him “the first man to be pregnant.”  How misleading.  Then of course, we all found out he wasn’t biologically a man.  This person was born a female, and somewhere in life decided she wanted to be a man.  Reality is, she didn’t do everything necessary to become a full fledged man.  But for all intents and purposes, and to the naked eye, he is a man.  So imagine society’s surprise when they pass “him” on the street and “he” is in a state, that until now was exclusive to women only, pregnant!

I don’t know about you, but before I knew the whole truth, I did lay in bed a time or two and rack my brain to figure out how a man could possibly carry a child.  I wondered if this man had a uterus.  I wondered if this man had a uterus implanted.  With today’s technology, I guess anything is possible yet I told myself, nobody but God could do this and I felt certain, He wouldn’t confuse mankind this way.  And then I heard the truth.  This man, was not completely and 100% a man.  And let me say, I think it is all wrong!

The story also states:  “Beatie was impregnated with sperm from a donor. His wife, Nancy, inseminated him at home with a device she said was like a syringe without the needle. They bought it from a veterinarian and it is typically used to feed birds.”  Again, what in the world?!?!?!?!?!

Why on earth did they do this?  And furthermore, why must we be worried with yet another crazy headline as this?  I am an Oprah fan but I have to wonder why she didn’t sit this one out.  To be honest, I would rather have had an update on her school in Africa than overworking my brain with this unbelievable story.  I guess for some the bottom line is, business and making money comes before anything, thus, the most watched woman aired the most talked about subject!  But why when there are so, so, so many important, real earth shattering, pressing matters that require the lion’s share of our attention?  This isn’t one!  People… I think it is wrong.

I know there have been other issues surrounding this story.  I am not even bringing all of that into it.  The raw, bare bones story alone is jaw dropping enough.  I heard one newscaster say, “this odd man/woman had one foot in, one foot out.”  Bless his/her heart, which foot is in the pump and which foot is in the loafer?  I guess the pump is the one that carried the baby!

Let me reiterate, I think this is wrong and I believe the baby girl is the one that will suffer the most!  Certainly, our lives are not our choice.  We don’t get to pick straws to select which parents and families we will be born to however, this just isn’t right!  If Oprah is still doing her thing in about eight or nine years, guarantee, that same child will be sitting on Oprah’s couch explaining why she is so confused!

Ain’t this one a mess?  Talk back!