Being a mixed-race woman comes with a heap of conflicts, the main struggle being that you frequently are forced to argue that your ethnic makeup does not equate to you being half a person.
“There is no such thing as half,” my mama explained to me, “You are a whole German and a whole Black American. Your brother is your whole sibling. How do you even have half of a sibling? You don’t. You don’t have half things. They either are or they’re not.” Welcome to, “Being Mixed 101,” introduced to me by a feisty white German woman, and a tall, brown, fully locked (like…white kids asking if my dad is Bob Marley type of vibe,) black American man in the Bay Area of Northern California.
My creation and presence on this earth were intentional AF. I know my parents, they did this on purpose. I mean yea, I was a product of their love or whatever. But knowing them, I KNOW they couldn’t wait to showcase little me as a product of breaking societal norms, opening the floor to judgment and questions, but of course, being fully armed and equipped with every possible angle and rebuttal in shutting down anyone who even raised an eyebrow at their little mixed “look we’re breaking social norms,” baby. …
What defines whether we are grounded, or strewn? A discussion about how wandering souls find their homes
I made a career change based solely on the fact that I wanted to pursue my desire to see the world in its entirety. I’ve always considered myself a grounded person emotionally, but physically I am a full force traveler. The one thing I didn’t take into consideration when making my transition, is where do I feel at home?
I joined the aviation industry, and with that have earned the opportunity to be anywhere at any time. It’s way more overwhelming than I ever anticipated. …
Part of the journey is discovering your own methods, but it’s okay to add expertise from those who walked before you.
Self-improvement is always trending and will continue to be the cool thing to do. It can be an overwhelming mission but also rewarding and potentially the most important work you’ll ever do for yourself. If part of your 2021 goals and resolutions is to take greater risks or to become a fearless woman, here are some small reminders that may ripple effect great and impactful results on your journey.
Take your girls with you
Yes, this is your journey, but let’s be realistic, the most successful people have a safe, and grounding support system. Girlfriends are vital to maintaining a balance of support, as well as accountability. Your best girlfriends want to see you be the best version of you, don’t overlook or dismiss their words. …
Just when you thought you were doing things right, the trend gods are telling us that it’s a social requirement to participate in ‘Self-care Sunday,’ and there's a new list of things we should be doing in efforts to being better people.
Seriously, what is self-care and why does it feel like I have a self-assigned spotlight on me, that now requires me to participant in additional self-evaluation. Not only that, it’s now necessary to showcase what you’re doing, how you’re doing, and talk about the results. Are you SO, “Zen,” and at mental peace after your cool-mint, cucumber-infused, dirt-scented clay mask? Or are you really googling, “How to remove honey masks that are stuck to eyebrows, without pulling them out?”
Okay let’s get real, self-care is totally a thing, it’s valuable and we really should make it a part of our routine. The truth about it is, you can research thousands of suggestions on what self-care looks like, but realistically it looks different for everyone. Yes, social media is infested with influencers getting all types of skincare routines and luxury massages done. I’m guilty of buying into that, but a simple Google search quickly humbled my expectations and had me realize that that’s not the self-care I can afford. …
We’ve shifted our focus back to needing to participate and become active in our own lives, while corporations continue to profit off us wasting our time with aimless purpose.
I lost a friend this week. Gun violence. The same story we see on the news every day, except this time it was different. This time it was a face that I knew personally, an energy that meant something to me, an individual that directly affected people I care about it. He took his last breaths and never even saw 30. His time ran out.
Since his death, all I can think about is, “What am I doing with my time?” My screentime hit nine hours the other day. Nine-freaking hours. I’m disgusted. My friend’s family would kill to have nine more hours with their son/brother/cousin, and here I am with nine hours I could’ve spent doing SO many things, but chose to spend it committing to aimless scrolling. …
Even if Kanye disagrees, leaving 27 behind has been the most accomplishing thing that’s ever happened to me, and the first time I mentally begged for a birthday.
I’m the type of person who wakes up on the morning of my birthdays, and is ecstatic that, “Today is the day!” I usually sit back and think about how unique the year was, or what achievements I reached, fun trips, etc. I enjoy becoming older and wiser, but I’d be lying if I didn’t say there has always been a smidge of bittersweetness in leaving an age that I enjoyed.
This year I couldn’t concentrate long enough to actually even think about where I’d like to be, or what I want to do in celebration. I felt so pressured to have an extravagant birthday (during the playoffs of the 2020 pandemic nonetheless,) that I froze up. …
Flight attendants are true professionals when it comes to how to make the best of hotel room experiences, but also what to be mindful of, what to avoid, and what is a game-changer.
Luggage Rack
Maybe I’m just an easily impressed hotel visitor, but the luggage rack was an absolute miracle discovery for me. I still just live out of my suitcase when I’m working, but something I never used until becoming a flight attendant is the luggage rack! It’s usually located in the hotel room closet, or sometimes on the side of the dresser. I’m tall, so the two-ish foot rack makes a wonderful difference on my lower back. I also feel classier reaching for my clothes on an elevated platform, versus off the floor. Let’s be real, that’s a peasant move. …
A short story about how I went to the UK and ended up in South London instead of a royal palace
The third entry of my non-fiction short story series, dedicated to telling the tale behind randomly selected photos from my iPhone camera roll.
May 31st, 2019, Croydon, London, United Kingdom
London was never on my bucket list. Literally, none of the United Kingdom ever sparked an excitement or, “need to go ASAP,” attitude out of me. This is ignorant as hell, but I just pictured the UK as a land filled with a bunch of old white guys in 18th-century curlycue wigs, tights, scrolls of parchment that had scribbled plans and plots of how to steal land. In 7th grade, I was Mary, Queen of Scots (or Mary Stuart) in my school play. …
Have you been to a friend’s house and seen their huge collection of shells? A bar stocked with shot glasses from around the world? Are you still wondering what could be YOUR thing to collect? Here are my suggested items.
I used to avidly collect Starbucks’, You Are Here, series of mugs. I still love the idea, but as I started to travel more or when visiting multiple cities in one trip, it became inconvenient to lug around a small coffee shop with me. I didn’t want to have a typical magnet or shot glass collection either, but I still wanted something unique and memorable. The idea for me is to have something that triggers a memory about the trip. Here is what I came up with.
A quick guide to three things that can help you make the most out of your trip
Try new foods, by all means necessary
Obviously, right? You’d be surprised how many people actually shy away from expanding their palettes, and love to stick to what they know. I feel bad for these people because they miss out on so many amazing cuisines. If you’re someone who is fearful of reaching outside of your regular schmegular chicken tenders and fries, it’s time for a change.
Start by trying a new appetizer, a small treat from a street vendor or asking a waiter what the crowd favorite is. I’m not saying ignore dietary restrictions, I, for example, have not ever and don’t plan on ever eating red meat. And cooked tomatoes (yuck!) …
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