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Unpacking BaggageJust going through my luggage, clearing out some things to make way for enlightenment Thursday, August 10, 2006Is It Friday Yet??? DAMN!It has been a trying week. I’m recovering nicely from the acute sinusitis that landed me in the local trauma center last Friday night. I’m sending out much love to the alpha male. He checked up on me all week and when I called to tell him I was going to the hospital, he came and sat with me. Keep in mind, this was our very first face to face meeting. We chat on instant messenger all the time, but for some reason we just couldn’t synchronize the initial meet. It would happen with me, laying up in the hospital, looking like death warmed over on wheat toast. He didn’t run screaming into the night, which earns him the 2006 Best New Friend award. Speaking of awards, nominations are now being accepted for the 2006 Black Weblog Awards. There are several categories and I’m encouraging all of my readers to head to the site and nominate Being Bobby Brown Jr. (Not Whitney’s Husband), Adult Swim, Bloopty Blop, In the Mix With Trent, Marz’ Teenage Years, Legend of O… Hell! Just pick anyone from my frequent destinations and nominate them. They are all worthy. I’m declining nominations. Not because I don’t think some of my stuff is good, but I’m all about uplifting others. Besides, I’ve already received some marvelous accolades this week. Earlier in the week I received an email from a former colleague telling me I needed to update my profile. I was confused and called her. It turns out she’s been reading my blog! She praised my writing so beautifully, I almost cried. She’s among an impressive group of people who affected me when I started college. After speaking with her, I decided to call up my white women from the previous post. It seems that a few folks at my former place of employment are reading my blog. Shout out to the silent readers! No less than five women have laid claim to Latasia and Boomshiqua. I even got a call from someone in Georgia that I haven’t worked with in years. “How dare you put me out there like that!” she said. How dare she admit to being dim and backstabbing? How dare any of them. I’m amazed that, of all the Black women I worked with, these five would be so quick to assume such an unattractive description. Poor self-image is what it boils down to. If these ladies are still reading, I will have them know that only one accurately identified. I’m curious as to why the rest were compelled. Dr. Leary gives some suggestions in Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome, which I’m still reading. Latasia and Boomshiqua suffer from Vacant Esteem, which is “the state of believing oneself to have little or no worth, exacerbated by the group and societal pronouncement of inferiority.” She goes on to clarify “that vacant esteem is a belief about one’s worth, not a measure of one’s actual worth. The woman who accurately identified is actually a very competent professional and very adept at her craft, yet she exhibits all the characteristics described. “Another indication of vacant esteem is the effort to undermine the achievements of other African Americans… Associated with this effort is the difficulty that many African Americans have in celebrating the successes of other Black people, particularly those we consider to be closer to our own socio-economic level. In general, the belief that one has little or no value produces behaviors that almost demands the devaluing of others.” When another coworker; a Black woman, announced her engagement to a white man, Boomshiqua immediately began to question this woman’s judgment, basically calling her a fool, incapable of knowing what she was doing. She also blames this woman’s inability to advance, professionally, on her appearance yet I’ve never heard her divulge a single beauty secret. She breaks this woman down behind her back to everyone, but gives the illusion of being the only person who has her best interest. It’s so sad. Speaking of sad… my Aunt Joanne passed away on Friday. She was 51. I am really losing folks this year, but we can’t stay here. I'm keeping folks too! HAPPY BIRTHDAY to great Aunt Letha! She turns 92 today.  
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