Last Saturday, I got to see Amelia dance in her spring recital. She’s been dancing since she’s been a baby & I’m always there to cheer her on. Wait, she’s still a baby, my sweet baby.

Watching her on stage was awesome but it wasn’t enough for me watching her from so far away.

I wanted to hug her. Kiss her. Hear her heart beat. See her jack-o-lantern smile.

Yesterday marks 3 months since I had any change to spend time with my kids since I walked away from the planet that was a destructive force in my life.  It kills me not to be with my kids and I can only wait until this separation is something of the past.

Many told me what to expect but I didn’t want to hear it. So much for being a dreamer.

Over the last few months of this divorce process, I’ve been trying to make myself whole but most days, my life feels like it’s in so many pieces. At least my heart is.

Don’t assume because you really will never know unless you ask.

Don’t judge because that only makes you look like an ass.

Bottom line, operate on facts.

It has been 2 weeks since my momma left and I miss her so. She has said for years, “one day, I’m gonna be out of here,” but I always though it was talk. Once again, like a mother, she proved me wrong.

This is my 1st Mother’s Day not taking my momma to dinner, or lunch or just stopping by with perfume, candy, a, book, a card etc.

On the flip side, I know that my momma is happy. She’s in a better space for her, a better place for her, so I will curb my own feelings and bask in the glow of her satisfaction.

Happy Mother’s Day momma. I miss you Stella!!!

Art Credit: Untitled by MonikaZ

Blue suede shoes may be more popular thanks to rockers, Carl Perkins & Elvis Presley but everybody knows that red suede shoes are hotter and much more versitile…

When I’m walking and the wind hits me just right, I feel a little sexy as my locs flow. Kinda like homeboy pictured here.

As soon as I saw this image, I almost felt like I was looking in the mirror at my alter ego, Mufasah Jenkins.

I’m just saying!

Photo Credit: Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to locate ;(

A little soft. A lot of beautiful. Straight from Africa…..

Since graduating last week, I know that this world is mine.  I will color outside the lines because I can & have the know how.

- I am an artist

- I am a human

- I make shit happen…

“It’s like you come onto this planet with a crayon box. Now, you may get the 8-pak, or you may get the 16-pak, but it’s all in what you do with the crayons–the colors– that you’re given. Now don’t worry about coloring inside the lines or outside the lines. I say, color outside the lines! Color right off the page! Don’t box me in.” “Waking Life” ~ 2001

Yesterday, I was pretty hype to hang with friends in Southwest Detroit to enjoy Cinco de Mayo. I planned on smashing Mexican fare all day and of course, margaritas.

Well, none of this really happened the way that I planned or hoped.

The area where the celebration took place was PACKED with people and there really wasn’t anything Mexican about it. Quite frankly, it was a bore. I did have an OK meal with friends but I could have stayed home for that…

By the time I was ready to leave, I got a text that changed the course of the day. Another group of friends were having a small Cinco de Mayo tailgate style jump off nearby.

I made my way over and the rest is the stuff of what a good Saturday is made of: music, conversational bravado, ghetto controversy & people watching etc.

I think you can say that we were parking lot pimping but I’m still not really sure on the definition of that as of yet.

The night ended with me being at some artsy event in a hipster loft on the east side of Detroit eating a Shawarma from Bucharest grill.

Art Credit: Dirty Sanchez by Verlisa / Bear Boy by Otis

It’s been 19 years in the making and the day finally arrived. The day that I thought would never come. After each statistic class. After every accounting class, After every crazy business math class, I grew stronger, yet wondered if this path would ever end.

Yesterday meant the world to me and all I could think about was how I kept pushing despite the forces that were against me weather they were real or simply perceived. I’m happy that I stuck it out for the long haul.

Tafari Stevenson-Howard, Eastern Michigan University GRADUATE!!!

I am thankful for the Black spirits of my grandparents Essie/Edward Stevenson & Mary/Daniel Howard and most importantly my father Robert Howard that guide me through life. For you, I pour this libation of love, pride and triumph.

I am thank for my daughters Olivia and Amelia who made this hard work necessary as I HAD to show them that it’s never too late to make great things happen. I wish they could have been there for this special moment.

I am thankful for the countless friends who cheered me on after every semester and endured my non-stop complaining about papers and test etc.

To my long time readers, I am thankful for you being there laughing with me as I made my way on this journey.

And to the Black boys out there who were told that they couldn’t, I stand here in testimony telling you that you can. You can!

My next move???? Grad school! Last year I said that I was not going to go but now, I’m feeling invincible! I feel like I can make anything happen no matter how difficult the goal is.

See photos from my Graduation Sip & See Super Jump Off here…

This video is AWESOME!!!

My last piece from my watercolors class… While I learned a lot in this class, it was not the cake walk that I thought it was going to be but at least I have some new skills and new activity that is quite relaxing.

Inspired by Prince: Irresistible Bitch….

POW!

Everybody knows that I love a good Sip & See. Yes, even my boo, Hillary Clinton.

Stay tuned for photos….

Photo Credit: Hillary Clinton by Kevin Lamarque for Rueters