New Years Resolution: I will NO LONGER ENVY MICHELLE OBAMA (repeat in the mirror)

In order to fully bring in the new year.... we have to get rid of "old" problems. With the popularity of Steve Harvey's book, Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man, CNN's Black in America, and a lot of other messages about engagements, wedding reality shows, and the LIKE, Black Women find themselves thinking: WHY AM I NOT MARRIED?



- special aired on ABC NEWS

In 2010, we, as Black women need to worry less about the ring on the finger and more on the dreams in their hearts!

The funny thing is history only repeats itself.

During slavery Black women were repeatedly seperated from their Black husbands. And there was a "shortage" of sorts then. Hence the emegence of the torn black family-strong black woman-weak black man phenomenon.

So its not new.... and to be frank- we made through slavery, and we will make it through the 21st century. In my opinion, I do not have to think like a man- I am a woman. That is what makes me special and unique. That is what makes men want me!

The focus of this blog has ALWAYS been fashion, politics, and women... and to be honest all those topics come together in this posting. This to me, is one of the many reasons we have so FEW BLACK WOMEN in POLITICS. This is the new "feminine mystique". Several women put down fabulous political careers for the sake of a husband. Several women refuse to "be too independent" by buying their own Louis Vuitton bag, Gucci shoes, or house for that matter....

Many women love and admire Michelle Obama, but also secretly envy her for finding Barack before we could...

But when it comes down to it, living our lives like this is not smart or fashionable.

#in2010 (for my twitter connects out there) again, let's focus less on the ring on our finger. Let's focus on our careers, let's focus on our children, let's focus on our education, and more importantly, let's focus on us!

Remember, we will always be a man's rib.

Martini's up for focusing on us in the new year!

Martini's up for The Feminine Mystique (by Betty Friedan, one of my FAVORITE books of ALL TIME)

Barack Sent me an Email today, it READ:

Lauren --

Although it's Christmas Eve, I wanted to share some exciting news: The Senate just passed a historic health reform bill.

In all the back and forth, it's easy to lose sight of what this incredible breakthrough really means. But consider this: This Christmas, there are millions of Americans without health insurance who risk losing everything if they get sick.

There are mothers and fathers who wonder how they'll provide for their children because an illness has wiped out their savings. There are small business owners who worry that they'll have to lay off a long-time employee because the cost of insurance is rapidly rising.

If we finish the job, all this can change. We will have beaten back the special interests who have for so long perpetuated the status quo. We will have enacted the most important piece of social policy since the Social Security Act in the 1930s, and the most important health reform since Medicare in the 1960s.

In Decembers to come, millions more will have access to affordable coverage. Parents will have the security and stability of knowing their insurance can't be revoked at a moment's notice. And the skyrocketing costs plaguing our small businesses will be brought under control.

When you make calls, write letters, organize, this is the change you're making -- a better life for your family and for men and women in every state.

There is still more to do before I can sign reform into law -- a last round of negotiations and final votes in the Senate and the House -- and I'm counting on your help every step of the way. But for now, I hope that as you celebrate this holiday season, you remember that the work you are doing is making our union more perfect, one step at a time. For that, I am grateful to you.

Merry Christmas and happy holidays,

President Barack Obama

P.S. -- Organizing for America supporters are signing a note of appreciation to all the senators who have worked so hard to make this possible. I hope you'll join them:

http://my.barackobama.com/SenateLetter

Martini's up for "nearly" universal health care. Our work has just begun!

BTW... we're going to sign the letter!

Sex and the City 2: It's NOT politics, but its Definitely POSH

The trailer isn't enough? Here are some pics as well!

Think MARTINIS not DEATH THREATS: First Lady Threatened

Essence.com today reports that Kristy Lee Roshia (on the left) will appear in court today for threatening the First lady, Michelle Obama.

According to Essence.com:

"In one of many rambling phone calls Roshia made to the Secret Service office in Boston, she threatened to "blow away" the first lady. As far back as 2004 she told agents "although her mission is to assassinate the president she has no desire to hurt him," according to an affidavit obtained by the Associated Press. "

Excuse me, but what happened to the "Sista code"? The Estrogen bond? Are you serious? The Obama Administration is working to do as much for women's rights as it is for everyone else. Not even pointing out that our First Lady has two lovely daughters who would be grow up motherless if the unthinkable happened.

I'm glad to see Secret Service is doing their job, but I am sad to see how much they have to do it. I don't want to say it but..RACISM is NOT DEAD.

The current economic downturn and the holidays also bring out the worst in people.... if everyone drank a martini a day. I don't think this would be a problem!

Read more

SENATE BILL passes MAJOR HURLE: From the Huffington Post

below is commentary from Ryan Grim (ryan@huffingtonpost.com).

READ and tell us what you think!

The United States took a major step closer to the rest of the industrialized world shortly after 1:00 a.m. on Monday morning, voting 60-40 to move forward on far-reaching health care reform that will provide subsidies to million of Americans to purchase health care -- and require all citizens to purchase health insurance or prove that they can not afford to do so. (More on the details of the bill here.)

The vote, which was taken in an unusual fashion, with senators seated and voting from their desks, split along party lines, with all 40 Republicans voting no. Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-Maine) rose and announced her nay vote with an affect of regret in her voice.

The bill does not include a public health insurance option that would compete with private insurers in order to keep them honest. The proposal does include tighter regulations on the insurance industry than currently exist, but the law would not create any new regulatory agencies and would leave policing the new rules to individual states, which have shown an inability to combat the major insurers. Those companies will have billions more in resources if the Senate bill becomes law.

The Senate still faces two more procedural votes, but Monday morning's vote indicates that the bill is headed for negotiations with the House of Representatives. The House bill includes a public option and more generous subsidies, among other major differences, but Sen. Ben Nelson (D-Neb.) and Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) both said Monday morning that if the bill that emerges from the conference committee contains significant alterations, they may again decide to filibuster it.

"I think it has all the elements that we've been talking about from the beginning," she said. "It insures almost all Americans. It lowers costs. It provides a huge opportunity to begin to pay for quality and not just quantity of care. It includes lots of investments in health and wellness and preventive medicine. I mean, I'm not sure most people understand what's underlying all of this and I think it's very exciting. It's a big day." ......


Link to article

Martini's Up! Drink, be merry, we might all be closer to healthcare!

Reflections, Dark Chocolate, and Cadillacs: Atlanta Mayor Race 2009 the Day After

The day after an election is often one of reflection. There has to be one loser and one winner, and several questions that surround how each candidate reached that final position.

Today, is the day after a long, hard, and slightly controversial local election. Yesterday our City Council was finally complete with the selection of Ceasar C Mitchell as City Council President, Aaron Watson as Councilmember Post 2 at Large, Alex Wan as Councilmember for District 6, and Kasim Reed as Mayor.... And in case you favor the Blind Side of things, like Sandra Bullock, and have been ignoring local news stations, let me enlighten you: all of the winners are minorities. All of them are Black except Alex Wan who is Asian.

Many political pundits, Atlanta residents, and current elected officials alike tried to deny the fact that the City of Atlanta was deep in racial politics , but yesterda'ys results obviously reaffirm our reality. A half Black-half White President, (who is often still called "Mr" in several arenas and not given his proper title), does not solve America's race problems and neither did Mary Norwood (who according to her commercial is a Republican who voted for Obama). Mary also said she didn't need a Lincoln Navigator in her commercials as well, but I digress....(and so did she because that had nothing to do with the mayor’s race)

During the campaign season, I heard jokes like: Your President may be Black, but my Mayor's going to be White. Though these were made in fun, there is honest truth within them. I cannot lie as a Black American and Atlanta resident I am proud to say my President’s name is Barack Hussein Obama and my Mayor’s name is Mohammed Kasim Reed.

My President is Black and so is my Mayor- very Black if you want to be specific. The fact that Reed will be one of the darker skinned mayors in Atlanta, gives dark chocolate sisters like me some hope! Atlanta proudly stood together to keep a 40yr long tradition alive, while breaking down an even uglier COLORIZED tradition with traces back to slavery.

There is a debatable statement in public administration and political science theory that states that having minorities in office will have a positive impact on the minority groups in which they represent. With 2 great examples in our President and newly elected mayor, I cannot wait to see if this statement is true. Not just because I am anticipating more support for Reed's recreational centers, Kwanza Hall's 4am club legislation or for Obama's healthcare bill, but because I am sick and tired of being blamed for being proud to be Black.

For years and years, the majority has fought long and hard to keep the majority in power. Whites had fought to keep whites in power, they have voted strictly on color lines, and now that we have a chance to do the same we are racist? We are prejudice? Black people do not have the ability to be prejudice because we do not have the capability to conflict a certain amount of power on those we are being prejudice to.

So in conclusion, I am not recommending that Blacks go out and vote on color lines. I am however recommending that we all be proud on this day.

We should reflect, just as we do on every day after an election. Though I did not support Mayor Reed in the beginning of our election season, I did support what he, himself represents- which is ME. A Black person working to make a difference through public service and public office.

So today, as I reflect, I see great possibilities in the City of Atlanta. I see great collaboration between the Black Mecca of the South and the White House.

And last, but not least, as I reflect, I see ME.

Congratulations Atlanta!

Dark Chocolate Martini's Up!

ATLANTA Get Involved: It's so posh

::June Events to HELP you GET INVOLVED and STAY INVOLVED::

Reimagining Philanthropy in Hard Times: How Business & Non-Profits Can Keep Atlanta Strong
When: Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Where: Commerce Club
Time: 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Cost: $27.00 per person, plus service charge and sales tax

11:30 a.m. Registration & Networking
12:00 p.m. Luncheon & Panel Discussion

Moderated by: Raymond King, Senior Vice President for community and governmental affairs for SunTrust

Panelists:
Penelope McPhee, President of The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation
Michelle Nunn, CEO of Points of Light Institute, and Co-founder of HandsOn Network
Alicia Philipp, President of The Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta, Inc.

Please make reservations by email: events@thecommerceclub.org



Justice Taking Root
Who: Southern Center for Human Rights 4th Annual Atlanta Benefit
When: Thursday, June 18, 2009
Where: LOFT at Castleberry Hill, 170 Northside Drive, Atlanta, GA 30313
Time: 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m
Cost: Tickets $25/ free valet parking/ cocktail attire

Dance, eat, drink, network and celebrate the work of the Southern Center for Human Rights at the 4th annual benefit party, Justice Taking Root, on Thursday, June 18 from 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at the LOFT at Castleberry Hill, 170 Northside Drive, Atlanta, GA 30313.

Visit www.schr.org/action/attend/atlanta to buy your ticket or to become a sponsor today. For more information please contact Moki Macias at mmacias@schr.org or 404-688-1202


Education Panel Discussion
Who: Business to Business Magazine
When: June 23, 2009
Where: Georgia-Pacific Auditorium, 133 Peachtree Street, NW, Atlanta, GA 30303
Time: 7:30am – 9:15a.m.
Cost: Seats: $35

Business to Business is holding its annual education panel discussion to assess how Georgia is doing in three critical areas that connect to strong education systems and identify what more needs to be done to improve education in Georgia now. The three key areas to be discussed are: Early Learning, Recruitment & retention of Quality Teachers and Effective School Board Governance.Expert Panel:Donna Buchanan: COO of United Way of Metropolitan AtlantaAnn Cramer: Director, IBM Corporate Citizenship & Corporate AffairsKelly Henson: Executive secretary, Georgia Professional Standards CommissionGary Price: Market managing partner, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
Moderator: Steve Dolinger: President, Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education

Sponsored By: Georgia PacificNorth Highland AT&T

Program7:30 - 8a .m.: Registration, Networking and Continental Breakfast8:00- 9:15 a.m.: Panel Discussion9:15 – 9:45 a.m.: Q&A

Register online today at www.btobmagazine.com


Legislative Wrap-Up and Advocacy Training
Who: Women’s Policy Group
When: Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Where: Auditorium of the State Bar of Georgia, 104 Marietta Street, Atlanta, GA 30303
Time: 12:00 p.m.-3:00 p.m.

12pm - 1:25pm Legislative Wrap-Up
A panel of legislators including Sen. Nan Orrock, Rep. Virgil Fludd, Rep. Mary Margaret Oliver and Rep. Wendell Willard facilitated by Elizabeth Appley, the WPG lobbyist, will describe the gains and losses for women as a result of the recent General Assembly. How did women's issues fare in the state budget? What went right for the issue of child prostitution? Did women recently laid off, even foreclosed upon, find any relief from the state?

1:30 - 3:00 Advocacy Training
A fun (we swear), interactive, substantive training on how to make your voice heard through email, a phone call and in person with those people who were elected to serve you!! We will demonstrate what works and what doesn't and the tricks to being an effective advocate.

$8 for box lunch and beverage or bring your own. Both sessions are complimentary.

Rsvp: wpgrsvp@gmail.com and let us know if you wish to reserve a box lunch.

Parking: In various paid lots next to the State Bar and across the street, at CNN, or go green with MARTA.


Georgia Go Run
Who: The White House Project
When: Friday, June 26 and Saturday, June 27
Where: Agnes Scott College
Georgia Go Run is a weekend-long training to inspire, equip, and inform women from all walks of life to lead more effectively in your work, community, and politics. The training will focus on communications, fundraising, organizing and other leadership skills.
Take advantage of this unique opportunity to build your skills and network with other women leaders!
This is a national training program that engages local experts, public officials, current and former elected officials, and speakers to help train and share their experiences and stories of success.
The training starts on Friday evening, June 26, and goes through Saturday, June 27.
We make this training affordable for women from all income levels. Scholarships are available

Click here to apply. The deadline to apply is tomorrow, June 17, 2009