race & culture – Page 13

Parkinson’s: Stealing from Grandma

I began stealing from my grandma three years ago. When I realized that one day I would not be able to wake up and find her sitting in the kitchen, watching a 13-inch black-and-white television, I needed something concrete. I needed something tangible to slow the slide of time that had pushed, like a looseContinue reading “Parkinson’s: Stealing from Grandma”

Social Media and the Unfollow Button

Over the past year, I joined a slew of social media networks: Instagram, Twitter, Tumblr, Pinterest, LinkedIn, and WordPress. I’ve long been a Facebook junkie but was reluctant to spread the love to other sites. I run the risk of alienating the real people in the room with me when I delve into my screens.Continue reading “Social Media and the Unfollow Button”

Yay! The Decatur Book Festival is here!

I was the girl who did happy dances at book fairs. Whose mother rewarded her summer book reading…with more books. Who considered books an appropriate birthday, Christmas, wedding, anytime-you-wanna-say-I-love-you gift. I even trawled the campus bookstore buying up the interesting required books from other classes (sorry, Florida State!) Needless to say, my particular brand ofContinue reading “Yay! The Decatur Book Festival is here!”

All Because Two People Went to FSU (and then fell in love)

Four years ago today I married the first black scientist I ever met. Lucky for me, he digs English majors. Go Noles. Go us. Happy anniversary to my black alchemist! Why Did I Get Married (In the Key of Tyler Perry) I married you for the day you came home: “My boss told me theyContinue reading “All Because Two People Went to FSU (and then fell in love)”

Tales from the B-side of a Skinny Twerker

At age 14, I loved dirty dancing. We called it booty shaking back then. But I weighed less than 100 lbs and not much was shaking on me but bones. I would watch my summer camp friends dance while, in the corner, I twitched in a pattern that imitated rhythm to stay unnoticed. The girlsContinue reading “Tales from the B-side of a Skinny Twerker”