This is my cousin S demonstrating his ability to make a hand print. During this trip, we bonded briefly over my knowledge of the phrase “Dragonball Z” and my usage of that phrase in a conversation about his sweet afro.
Tag: family
Introducing Mama
Before she was my mother she was an oldest daughter and sister to 9 siblings. She grew up in North Carolina, went to school and got her Masters degree. She taught special education. She owned and operated one of the first contemporary jazz clubs in New Orleans and is respected by legends.
She raised four kids and homeschooled three. She participated in every activity I ever remember doing, from dance to karate, and there were a lot of them. She chastised, encouraged, switched, laughed and advised me into the person I am.
She is everything I’m working towards being and today is her day.
Confessions of a Daddy’s girl
When I was younger I heard that phrase a lot. It was delivered scathingly whenever I mentioned that we weren’t allowed to do whatever it was we were planning to do. It was the standard challenge whenever I refused to take sides in the frequent trivial arguments. It was the ultimate accusation of betrayal.
Perhaps because I was my Daddy’s girl, I eventually realized that I was only called a Daddy’s girl when I decided to be the voice of reason or common sense in our prepubescent band of misfits. It didn’t take long after that for me to accept the truth.
Yes, I am my Daddy’s girl, always have been always will be. And if that means that I’m not going to put up with your bullshit then that’s fine with me and I’m proud of it.
So even though he doesn’t even know I have a blog I have to say thank you Daddy. For that and the silliness and the work ethic and the nagging that drives me up the wall and so many other things I would be writing for weeks to get it all down. Because that is what you do on blogs. And because I mean it.
Happy Belated Birthday
Katrina
My sister (and her cat) thankfully evacuated New Orleans and they are currently staying with my parents. Her house is about 8 – 10 blocks from the river and her neighborhood is in a (relatively) narrow part of the city with Lake Pontchartrain on one side and Missisippi on the other. Good news is that she’s closer to the river so the water from the levee break on the lake might not have reached her house. We probably won’t know for a while. We still haven’t heard from all of our freinds and family in New Orleans but that is understandable and hopefully we will soon.
Best wishes to all of those affected.
Image taken from CNN.com and modified.