Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Book Club Selection #2

Once again it's that time of year that seems to have snuck upon us too quickly.  We are a month away from 2011!  How will your 2011 look?  In retrospect how was your 2010?  Did you accomplish all you set out to do, did you laugh a little more, meet new people, build stronger bonds and do all you set out to do?  When the last day of December rolls around, will you look forward to 2011 with high hopes and expectations or will you look back towards 2010 with regrets, wishing you'd had more time? 


This book selection was a fairly difficult decision to make.  After considering books ranging from business, fashion, sequels, and a little bee, the final decision stemmed from looking forward towards 2011 and living it to the fullest.  We wanted the selection to be inspirational yet motivating enough to inspire action.  Our desire is that after reading this book as a group, sharing our thoughts, ideas, concerns, aspirations and everything in-between, that we all are ready to eagerly lace up our walking boots and enthusiastically launch our lives forward in 2011.  We present EAT, PRAY, LOVE by Elizabeth Gilbert as the 2nd book club selection for Virtue~Us.  Stay turned for more details and be sure to look out for the upcoming evite.  Also if you know anyone who would like to be added to our evite list, shoot us an email.  We're excited to be reading with you soon!  

-Virtue~Us








Wednesday, November 24, 2010

First Steps

There's something endearing and vaguely familiar about seeing toddlers attempt to take their first steps. For them walking seems such an awkward, scary, and difficult task. Seeing them struggle to remain standing or fall each time they try to walk is very cute and makes you smile as the tiny ones attempt to walk on their own. The other day I thought about first steps. I attempted to imagine what it must have been like as a child to take my own first steps and back then learn how to do what comes so naturally to me now.

When you make a decision to do something you've never done before and you commit yourself to accomplishing it, you have to begin with a step, a first step. Whether you're deciding to start a business, lose weight, choose a new career, go to school, reinvent yourself, find a new network of friends and business partners you must take that first step, regardless of what it is you're planning to do. So often it's the first step that is so intimidating and seemingly insurmountable. But in order to get to the end result, you must take it. And just like a toddler learning to walk for the first time, you must be willing to recommit yourself and get back up each time you fall on your face. You must choose to get back up. You must choose to take another step when you fall down, but you'll never have a chance to fall if you don't take that first step. And yes I know some might say well I don't want to fall, I plan on just getting it right the first time. For those people I say great, wish you much luck and hope you land in the category of being one of the few who are able to do it on the first take. For all the others (myself included), there has to be great pride taken in being able to fall with the first step but still have the tenacity and determination to take the second step, and the third, and the fourth and so on. You see, so many look at failure as the worst thing that could possibly happen, yet, it's what you learn from the fall that determines whether it was a failure. To fall and never learn from it is a failure. To fall, learn from it, and get back up to take another step is what I term a success story.

A lot of people don't have the opportunity or shall I say the complete freedom to take a first step; or to focus on taking a step they have chosen to take. Their life may be filled with uncontrollable issues that they have no choice but to focus on at the present moment. For all those who do have the choice to make the first step in whichever direction you'd like....TAKE IT. What are some goals, dreams, to-do's you've been holding on to for years that you've yet to take the first step towards. Take the first step to recommit yourself on setting out and accomplishing them. And yes, just like the toddler who falls when trying to walk for the first time, it may seem awkward, scary and difficult. But imagine yourself (just as I imagined) trying to walk for the first time. I'll give you a second to think about that. It's nearly impossible! Starting a task is one of the hardest things to do, just remember if you continue taking those steps they will eventually began to seem natural to you. And although some may remember what it was like when you took those first steps, once you've accomplished what you've set out to do even you will have no choice but to actually see where your “steps” have guided you, and applaud yourself for the journey.


Life is a journey, don't be afraid to walk it out  

~Dee


Monday, November 22, 2010

Cool Water

There is a well inside
There is a well still inside of me. I know it. Crystal clear blue, refreshing, and ready to rejuvenate. My well is still alive.  There is a well inside of me. So beautiful and sweet. The water still lives. I know that one day it will be used to heal and nourish. It will be used to clean and quench.  It will be used to renew and restore the dried out hopes and dreams of the many. My well which felt like it had been finished, bubbles up from the core and replenishes itself. She hasn’t gone anywhere. She isn’t dirty. She isn’t used up. She hasn’t been wasted. She is healing. She is calm. She is anointed. She is love. She is unstoppable. This well inside me is a treasure not for the hands of the weak and especially the weak minded. She is the nectar of the gods. Hope for the hopeless and faith for the nonbelievers. There is a well inside of me and she is and will forever be protected because I know her worth now and I will never let just anybody drink her holy waters.
~Chi

Monday, November 15, 2010

Completely NAKED!!!


The table was surrounded with beautiful women.  Women whose hues of brown ranged from vanilla to chocolate, whose shapes were a mixture of curves which fell in various places, whose hair was a mixture of length, style and texture.  Although the setting was a local restaurant in East Point, GA on a Sunday afternoon surrounded by other people, these women were completely NAKED, revealing their innermost thoughts, fears, insecurities, accomplishments, dreams, self beliefs, and goals.  Being brought together with the concept of being a part of something as simple as a book club.  They all sat discussing the "issues-skin, hair, jobs, health, relationships, love, media, beauty", laughing, tapping into hidden emotions and experiences that made them aware that their commonalities far outweighed their differences.  Each of these women walked away revealing some part of themselves which had been covered and unknown by every other woman at the table.  They walked away with some type of information that could have easily caused the person sharing to become quite embarrassed in another setting.  Each of these women were open, honest, curious, and real while at that small table- a table filled with soul food, sandwiches, sweet potato pie, ice cream, drinks, water and coffee.  These women were the first to decide to become a part of a book club and take on the first challenge of being open about themselves and their beliefs.  After discussing the book NAKED: Black Women Bare All About Their Skin, Hair, Lips, and Other Parts, these women walked away empowered in some way, realizing that their circle had just gotten a little bigger with a group of outsiders, who within those couple of hours had become a part.  I must admit, it felt pretty good to walk away completely naked.

~Dee

*Stay tuned for more photos and for the announcement of our next book club event!*

*Also check out

AKMCCOY's BLOG @ http://www.soulatease.com  

Here's an excerpt of one her recent posts.  Hope you enjoy and be sure to follow her blog! 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

untitled

He has taken inventory of my heart, there is nothing there that He cannot heal, handle, or provide. I am no great mystery to the omniscient ONE. His grace is like a second skin, His joy, a garment of silk.......
akmccoy2010

Friday, November 5, 2010

40 Days Strong!

So it's here!  Finally Day 40 of our blogging has arrived!!!  As I write I can't help but smile.  What seemed to be a commitment that started out with great uncertainty in terms of being able to stick with it,  has now become such a natural routine.  Every day checking in.   Every day finding new ideas.  Every day discovering, or rediscovering something.  And yes, there have been days where I thought I had absolutely no thoughts or valid ideas but even then was able to move forward.  So here we are.  Not sure what the next leg of this journey will look like but we made it...We Made It....WE MADE IT!!!!!  And all I can do about that is :)

~Dee

Thursday, November 4, 2010

Change has a cometh!

I have realized that my body can not consume American food and stay fit. I really have tobe on a strict diet in order to keep my girlish figure. I realized that today when the pudge on my back returned after two weeks of bad eating and one week out of the gym. I just have to get my mind right and my fridge right and my workouk right and I'll be back on. Its just funny how my body has changed up on me.

~Chi

Wednesday, November 3, 2010

Stage Names

Have you ever thought of changing your name?  Most artist have considered creating a stage name at least once in their career.  Well the other day I was thinking of a stage name that would suit me.  Years ago I did a show where we had to create our own character's name.  So, as I was thinking of what my stage name could be I thought of the character name I'd used before...but then I realized that part of that name was already taken by another artist (which just happens to be their real last name).  There are artist who choose to use their birth name, some create and take on a stage name, some use parts of their birth name instead of using the full name, and some fall somewhere in the middle.  In the end and beginning it's all gonna be about the name.  When an artist first hits the scene and if they're really hot the first thing we want to know is what's their name.  In the same way, when a group of people get together recollecting the best artist back in the day, it's the name that lives on.  All you have to do is say Marvin Gaye, Aretha Franklin, Tina Turner, The Five Heartbeats, Celine Deion, and you smile, because you remember the name that has so many great works attached to it.  

I take that back and forgive me for rambling, but as I write I'm clear that yes, the name matters, but it's the great collection of a person's work that matters most.  Work that has inspired, motivated, and empowered others in some way.  It's the greatness of the work that will always cause the masses to remember the name.  So while a name selection is important, make sure you perfect the craft, because the craft is what's gonna make the name last forever.  

~Dee  

Tuesday, November 2, 2010

Rumors

Rumors are the funniest things. I was watching Oprah recently and the episode was about a star on the Alley Mcbeal show who suffered from anorexia. I started thinking about how the rumors came out that the women on the show were anorexic and the actors denied it. Then today there was an ad about Ricky Martin confessing that he is gay on Oprah. Remember years ago when there were tons rumors that he was gay came out. I saw somewhere on TV that 75% of the rumors that you hear in Hollywood are true. I think that I am starting to believe that. Just think about all the Hollywood rumors you have heard. That is why it is not good to be closed minded or disregard things. You never know when the info you hear is true. The thing is that can you handle the truth. Becasue sometimes the truth needs to sit with you for a while until you can digest it. You hear it and then years later its ok to believe it. What are some things that you can not face the truth on?
~Chi

Monday, November 1, 2010

Ill Intentions

She waits.  An hour passes by.  She sits waiting.  Another hour of life gone.  She sits, continuing to wait, until finally she hears her name called.  Anxious, tired, afraid but ready to face whoever this stranger is that has invaded her body.  She's ill.  Not sure what is going on except the encounters she's having with fatigue, aches, and sporadic pains.  She's unsure of what doctors will say.  Unsure of how this stranger will continue to affect her body.  Unsure of a body she'd once been so sure of.  Her reality is that she has two choices.  She can choose to be sick, give in to the fatigue, stress and fear and allow her life to be controlled by this invasion.  She can choose to live despite being so rudely introduced to this unknown stranger and push everyday to keep moving forward.  She chooses.  She chooses.  She chooses.  Everyday.  She chooses.  

~Dee