Miss Moon's Musing About: My "Just Joan" Christmas...

My Christmas was very much inspired by the "Just Joan" episode of the television series "Girlfriends":

When Joan complains about the dating scene and her social life, Maya challenges her to empower herself, accept her singleness and go out to a trendy restaurant alone.

I decided that being newly single during the holidays did NOT have to be something to feel sorry for myself about! What better gift to give myself on Christmas than the gift of empowerment?!?!? So I got myself all dolled up and headed out on Christmas afternoon.. complete with my new favorite lipstick!!!!

Yes, y'all... I was rockin' a red lip on Christmas!!!!!!! I couldn't afford to dine at a fancy bistro, so I decided to do something within my price range.

So I took myself to the movies. I saw "The Darkest Hour" in 3D... It was actually a pretty good movie. I had a blast sitting in the front of the theatre with my popcorn and soda... dressed up to watch this adventure.

After the movie I walked around Downtown Brooklyn... And it didn't feel awkward, or pathetic to be walking around by myself on Christmas, in fact I saw a lot of people doing it.

It was an amazing day, and one I am very proud of myself about. There's a stigma with many women about going out by themselves to the movies or even to dinner, as Joan expressed in the episode of Girlfriends. Even my Mum who is in her 60s remarked that she had never dined out or gone to the movies alone before. She looked at me with a bit of pride, I think... as I decided to take the holiday into my own hands and set out on my own adventure that day.

Do I feel tremendously empowered? I will say this... I did have a kick ass Christmas, and that alone is empowering!!

A Little [PERSIA WHITE] for a Saturday Night

Artwork courtesy of LilasLace

Persia White is one of those artist (much like Cree Summer) that you forget one talent over the other. I watch episodes of "Girlfriends" and am drawn into Persia's acting in her portrayal of Lynn. Then I hear a song like tonight's choice and I am bowled away, forgetting that she is a phenomenal artist as well!!



I hope you all will enjoy "Wanting" by Persia White, from her 2009 release "Mecca".

DOPE: "Last Night" by Saul Williams

Many things, even poems, aren't always what they seem. Take this poem by Saul Williams, as seen on the (HORRIBLY missed by me!) television program, "Girlfriends". What may sound like a romantic and seductive poem on the surface is actually a poem about the rampant spread of HIV and AIDs in the continent of Africa.



In honor of National Women and Girls’ HIV/AIDS Awareness Day and of course, Rock the Red Pump™ Day, this week's poem with strong imagery and a very powerful message. I dedicate this to the Women and Children affected by HIV and AIDs in Africa, the U.S. and the entire world. Remember that Awareness is the key, so get tested. Click here to find local HIV/STD Testing sites in your area.



Last Night

Last night I laid within your continent
Sought salvation from frustration
with in your loving nation
found the true meaning of homeland
when you let me inland
Swahili tongue knew I hadn’t been there before
kissed for me to stay awhile
I did you one better and stayed forever, in your country
Then you let me tap your virgin drum
releasing echoes of me being free
Free to run through your countryside
touching jasmine, dropping weed
Free to nibble on your Nigeria
Blow on your Botswana
Eat your Opia til there is no more Opia left
Won’t be any leftovers when I’m done
Won’t be anything when I’m done
Just remembrance of that night when I laid within your continent
seeking salvation from frustration within your loving nation
and that’s all we’ll have
That, and a few thousand orphans to read this poem

I SWEAR I'm not Obsessed (But I AM a Little Dorky) About....

Oh, hella... who am I kidding? I am TOTALLY obsessed with what I call *The* handbag. It has become an obsession of mine that has me searching the four corners of the Universe (well, the four corners of the Internet) to find.

Of course I first saw the bag on "Girlfriends"*....

*I got the picture by pausing the DVD and using my BlackBerry. Ghetto as hell, I know.. but you get the idea! LOL

So far, I've discovered that *The* Bag is from Gucci and that its a black leather horsebit hobo. Now, with that information, I know that there is NO WAY IN HELL I will be rocking the same bag anytime soon (I am hardly a lawyer-turned-restaurateur), but it has become my new mission to find a reasonable facsimile for someone making Customer Service Representative money! LOL

I've decided to chronicle my search with a new blog post called ::::drumroll, please::::: Quest for *THE* Bag.. so this entry is actually a crossover blog, as it's a "I SWEAR I'm not Obsessed" and also the first entry for Quest for *THE* Bag... Hooray! My first crossover!!!

In my search, I discovered a better picture of what I think is *THE* Bag, courtesy of Jessica Simpson and the folks at CelebrityArmCandy.com --

Of course any information any of my readers have that will lead me closer to *THE* Bag for insanely cheap (or an insanely identical knock off) would be greatly appreciated!!!!!!!!

Music Therapy with Miss Moon

So my earlier choice for this week's Music Therapy with Miss Moon wasn't one I would choose for that particular posting.. It was more of a DOPE item, and rather than correct it, I decided to post a new song, one I heard today and was inspired to blog about.

I first heard this song on the television show "Girlfriends". While I am not the biggest gospel fan in the world, I found this song beautiful and it resonated deeply for me. The religious aspect aside (saint/sinner, etc.), the message of the song is very true: we can get up again after falling, after making mistakes. If God/Goddess/All that Is can forgive us with no condemnation, why can't we forgive ourselves?

I find that no one in the world is harder on us than we are on ourselves. This is something I am working on and will probably continue to work on for the rest of my life. And this song always serves as a reminder that it is not too late to pick myself up, dust myself, and (forgiving myself) start all over again. Enjoy!

Donnie McClurkin "We Fall Down"