New York is great but every now and then you just have to get away.  I decided to take a trip to Houston and visit my good friend Erica.  This was my first time visiting the great state of Texas and it was a very interesting experience.

Anytime I visit another city, I always plan a trip to their local cupcake shop.  After completing my Google search the top Houston based cupcake shop was Crave.

Crave’s shop has a nice clean layout when you walk in.  It was crowded with patrons trying to purchase cupcakes for Memorial weekend barbeques and parties.  What I liked about the shop was that you could see employees making the cupcakes.  It reminded me of how Georgetown Cupcakes have the open kitchen similar to Crave’s.

Crave’s has a variety of cupcake flavors and the sizes are similar to Sprinkles.  After looking reviews, many people suggested the Red Velvet but I was in the mood for a fruitier refreshing flavor so I selected a Strawberry cupcake.  My friend picked out a Chocolate Espresso.

The strawberry cupcake was delicious.  It was the best strawberry cupcake I EVER had.  The cake and the frosting was mixed with real strawberries.  The cupcake had a great cake to frosting ratio.  I believe that is what makes a cupcake great.  You never want too much frosting.   My friend did not like her cupcake.  The frosting was bitter and it was probably made with dark chocolate.  The Chocolate Espresso cake was dry unlike my moist strawberry cake.

Crave also makes seasonal cupcakes and on display was a Margarita cupcake for adults only.  The staff told me that the frosting was made with real tequila.

As my friend and I ate our cupcakes I asked some regular customers about their experience.  One couple stated that Crave’s fruit cupcakes like strawberry, apple, lemon and banana along with their basic flavors like vanilla, chocolate, dulce de leche and red velvet are great choices.  The couple was not fond of the experimental flavors.

To sum up my trip to Houston, I found it to be a city of franchise establishments.  However, I was glad to discover new places like Crave and the Breakfast Klub, home to the best chicken & waffles ever!  The best part of the trip was spending time with my friend and watching her build her craft as a DJ.

Sunday at church, the pastor did not use a scripture but he wanted to have a discussion on Dr. Howard Thurman’s 1980 commencement address at Spelman College:

Dr. Howard Thurman: The Sound of the Genuine

(Excerpts from Dr. Howard Thurman’s Baccalaureate Address – Spelman College, May 4, 1980. Edited by Jo Moore Stewart, Editor of the Spelman Messenger).

“There is in every person something that waits and listens for the sound of the genuine in herself…

There is in you something that waits and listens for the sound of the genuine in yourself. Nobody like you has ever been born and no one like you will ever be born again – you are the only one. And if you miss the sound of the genuine in you, you will be a cripple all the rest of your life, because you will never be able to get a scent on who you are.

Do you remember in the Book of Mark, Jesus and his disciples were going through the hills and there appeared in the turn of the road a man who was possessed of devils as they thought. In the full moon when the great tidal waves of energy swept through his organism and he became as 10 men…screaming through the hills like an animal in pain and then he met Jesus on the road. And Jesus asked him one question, “Who are you, what is your name?” and for a moment his tilted mind righted itself and he said, “That’s it! I don’t know. There are legions of me and they riot in my streets. If I only knew, then I would be whole.”

So the burden of what I have to say to you this afternoon is: “What is your name? Who are you, and can you find a way to hear the sound of the genuine in yourself?” There are so many noises going on inside of you, so many echoes of all sorts, so many internalizing of the rumble and the traffic, the confusions, the disorders by which your environment is peopled that I wonder if you can get still enough – not quiet enough – still enough to hear rumbling up from your unique and essential idiom the sound of the genuine in you. I don’t know if you can. But this is your assignment. “

Tara Rodden Robinson explains in her blog what the genuine means to her:

“…Way back when I was still a nurse, I had a profoundly deep desire to realize my then undefined reason for being. I knew I was supposed to be doing something and I had no idea what that was. Looking back on it now, I believe that yearning was coming from the something in me that was waiting and listening, straining its ears, parched and starving for the sound of the genuine in myself.

I think this something that waits and listens for the sound of your genuine is the Real You. I mean, really, by the time we’re adults, we’ve put on layers and layers of protective clothing. We’ve had to hide our real selves so we can stay sane and whole and functional. The world is a pretty cruel and prickly place, after all. And it’s sometimes totally necessary and desirable to put the Real You into protective custody. Unfortunately, however, the Real You can get misplaced. It can be frighteningly easy to forget who the Real You is.”

And for me?…

It’s almost two years and I  still have an unsettling spirit.  It’s yearning for something.  It’s anticipating something.  I, too, have felt that there is a greater purpose for me living in New York.  I always had the option to leave, but something keeps me here.  Even though I may not have my dream job or the man of my dreams, New York just feels like my dream.   Whatever reason I was lead here, I feel like I am close to a revelation.

When I moved up here two years ago, it did not take long before I began to feel lost when things were not going to “my plan”.  I looked around and it seemed as though “my plan” was working out for everyone but myself.  I felt out of place, alone and misunderstood.

This year has taken a positive turn.  I am learning how to courageously  live in the now.  Because what is happening to me now is helping me discover who I am.   I don’t want to miss out on the “genuine” Brittney.  I don’t want to be suffocated with societal pressures and opinions of who I should be or where I should be or how I should live.  I want to genuinely become Brittney.  I was lost but I am slowly finding my way.  The little light of mine is shining a little brighter because I am listening to the genuine me.  It’s the best thing that I could do for myself!

Happy New Year everyone 2013 is here!   I’ve had a hectic schedule lately and I meant to share this post with you awhile ago, but I wanted to share with you all some of my favorite things of 2012.

When it comes to style there were a couple of trends that stood out.

Braids

This summer was the return of the braids.  Many ladies rocked the box braids or the “Poetic Justice” braids.  I loved this style because it gave my hair a break from the flat iron.  It also gave me the chance to play with different styles because of the length.

Ombre

The ombre effect was a head turner this year.  Although I did not get a chance to wear this look, it was definitely a trend that I loved seeing.  From  Keke Palmer to Kloe Kardashian, women around the globe rocked the ombre.

Check out Tayla’s Ombre Hair Coloring Technique video.

Sneakers

This year was the return of the sneaker.  Ladies everywhere were rocking the causal look with a wedge heel sneaker.  Beyoncé made this sneaker popular in her “Love on Top” video wearing Isabel Marant.  However, this style has been made affordable for people like me and you. Now just about any shoe brand has a wedge sneaker.

Leather

Leather has returned, but not just in jackets.  Leather pants, leggings, skirts, dresses and shirts were the new craze this fall.  The popular material accented even jeans and pea coats.

Tailored Pants

Colorful tailored pants caught my eye this year.  Whether it is straight or wide leg this look is great for the workplace and a night on the town.

2012 was a great year for television.  I believe scripted television made a comeback.

Scandal premiered in the first quarter of 2012 and became an instant Twitter favorite.   Shonda Rhimes out did herself with her third primetime show.  Every week there is another jaw dropping twist that keeps you wandering what could possibly be next.   With a history making diverse cast that featuring Kerry Washington as the main character, you must tune in next year to this great addition to the Shondaland franchise.

Oprah’s OWN Network is still trying to find it’s place in the market, but one gem that this network possesses is Oprah’s Next Chapter.  I believe this show is popular because it is similar to her talk show.  What better formula than to have celebrities in their environment answering Oprah’s tough questions.  Some of Oprah’s best interviews of the year include Rihanna, Usher, Jennifer Hudson, Justin Bieber and she did a great interest piece on Hasidic Jews.

ABC Family’s Switched at Birth and VH1’s Love and Hip Hop Atlanta are honorable mentions.  Switched at Birth is a great family drama about two families whose world turns upside down.  I love the character development on the show and I love plot’s twist and turns.  And of course Love and Hip Hop Atlanta has capture my inner ratchet.  This show reminds me of the some people that I grew up with in Tennessee.  The Southern mentality and the hustle of the show was quite the Internet craze this summer.

Music

I did not do a great job with keeping up with the music scene.  However, I listened to a lot more rap than usual.  Mostly, mainstream.

It was The Weeknd’s year.  Sold out tour and millions of downloads later he has become a household name.  You have arrived when I hear your music playing on a Nashville radio station.  I’m looking forward to what is next for this artist.

It was also Frank Ocean’s year.  He released what many people claim is the “Best Album of 2012” .  He leads in Grammy nomination.  Like The Weeknd he sold out his concert tour.  Frank’s stand out quality is his honesty after revealing is sexuality to the world.  He is smart brave and creative and that combination will get you far.

The Made in America was a great addition to the festival scene.  Thousands of people crowded Benjamin Franklin Parkway in Philadelphia to hear the likes of Jill Scott, Janelle Monea, Pearl Jam and Jay-Z.  The crowd and the music reflected the uniqueness of our country.

I’m loving the cliques.  G.O.O.D Music and MMG had a great year.  The two music groups were everywhere especially this summer.  And MMG’s Meek Mills and G.O.O.D’s 2 Chains had great debuts  this year with the help of their clique.

Rihanna and Beyoncé impressed me this year.

Rihanna is the girl that I have a bittersweet taste for.  She’s like sour punch straws.  The first bite makes you frown and then you get over the sour and you just can’t stop.  She is that for me.

I frown at her interaction on social media.  The pictures are too much and her Twitter content is too.   She just does not care about what people think or feel about her actions.  I personally feel that with celebrity comes responsibility;  I feel she could use her platform for good.  I’m not a fan of Chrianna and I hope it goes away in 2013.  They can do what they want but I just don’t want to see it all over Instagram, Tumblr and whatever blog I’m reading.

Despite the disappointments, this woman does something that makes me like her.  I loved how vulnerable she was on Oprah’s Next Chapter.  I connected with her  during that 40 minute segment and it changed some of my opinions about her.

Rihanna is BAD.  She slays.  Did you see the GQ cover?  If you got it flaunt it and that is what she did.  I love the sex that oozes from her.  When so many people believe that women should shy away from their sexuality, she proves that there is nothing wrong with showing skin.  She is the total opposite of me and I think that is why I like her.  The BAD that I tame inside of me is living vicariously through her.

Beyoncé did not release any new music and she did not tour, but she did sting us with the launch of her social media pages.  The Beyhive was created and everyone had to see what King Bey was up to.

Beyoncé is notorious for keeping a private life.  However, in 2012 Bey started to let us in little by little.  She started a Tumblr and then she sent out her first tweet this year.  This fall she set up an Instagram.  Her influence is powerful.  For example people were rocking box braids and high buns all year but when King Bey rocked them it became a revolution no matter where you turned a bun was around the corner.

Her publicist and team always impress me because Bey has always been able to control what information we receive.  No longer do we have to wait for E! News, we can just go to Tumblr to see how much Baby Blue has grown. Her social media interaction definitely changed her brand.  I’m looking forward to how her partnership with Pepsi plays out in 2013.

My favorite moments of my life in 2012

My trip to the Bahamas earned me my first passport stamp.

Homecoming this year was my first trip back to the Mecca as an alumna.

Nielsen because I feel steps closer to my dream.

In 2008 on Election Day, I worked with Howard University’s News Service to capture the voting experience in Washington, D.C.  I arrived at Gage Elementary School, which is now closed and turned into a dog park (gentrification of course), before the polls open to interview the line that waited outside.  The line consisted of blacks, whites, college students and retirees.  Vans even unloaded voters who needed assistance getting to the polls.

It was a beautiful day and I witness people go through great lengths to cast their vote.  It reminded me of people who went great lengths to have the right to vote during the Civil Rights era.

After I gathered the information that I needed, I sat in the lab and wrote two articles about Election Day 2008:

Military: Political Views Not Uniform

Reflections of the Dream

Later that night I went to the Blackburn Center at Howard University to watch the election results.  There was an air of nervousness 45 minutes before a winner was declared.  I stood with my friend Erica holding her hand tight waiting for the announcement.  When they announced Barack Obama was the winner a deafening noise of celebration rung through the campus.  We chanted with the rest of the student body and sung songs like “Lift Every Voice and Sing” and “We Shall Overcome”.  Tears of joy ran down our faces it was a great day!  It was a day that I will always remember and I hope today will be a day just like it.

The videos below are great representations of my 2008 Election Day experience, I make a 10 sec cameo in the ABC clip (3:30 mark).

In four years I’ve witnessed and experienced many things that influence the choice that I made today.

No everything is not perfect but we are on the right track and I think it would be a shame to steer off course now.

I’ve been a victim of this cruel economy that undermined my skills and collegiate education.

I’ve been poor, unemployed and then underemployed.

But with the rain, I’ve seen a promising rainbow.  I’ve seen an increase in jobs and an increase of my peers obtaining them.

I’ve seen my friends return home from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

I’ve seen my immigrant friends attend four-year universities.

I’ve been able to maintain healthcare benefits even when I was not working.

I see progress but it takes more than four years to turn this economy around.

I want us to move FORWARD as a country and I pray that you all make the decision to keep our President in the White House and allow him to finish what he started.

“One isn’t necessarily born with courage, but one is born with potential. Without courage, we cannot practice any other virtue with consistency. We can’t be kind, true, merciful, generous, or honest.”

-Maya Angelou

It is courageous to tell the truth.  It is always easy to tell a lie, but to be honest is extraordinary.    I love honest people.  I love their ability to be honest with themselves and with others.  I especially love those who have the courage to me different but honest with one they really are, honest with what they believe and honest with with what makes them happy.  They never conform to what people think they should be or do what everyone else is doing.  I wish I had that courage,   like those men and women who decided to be openly homosexual in the United States military.  Or what about the college graduates who start up their own entrepreneurial endeavors instead of working for “the man”.   And just like the 18 year olds who leave their hometowns to live in a new city or country with no family or friends to support them.  Not too forget all the young lovers who do not see age or race, but only see the person that makes them happy.  And I have a special place for the active citizens in this world who serve their communities without gaining a dime and who are passionate in taking a stand for what they do and do not believe in.

I love witnessing this courage.

There was a girl that I called my best friend at one point in our lives and one day she pulled me to the side and told me that she envied me because I was smart.  I blamed myself for her feeling that way and I tried everything in my power to make her feel special for her individual talents.  However, deep down I knew we would never be best friends again, because no matter what I did she would always feel that way.  To this day, I do not think she realizes why our friendship did not work.  We have not been friends for years now and there is a strand of envy still standing between us.

Envy is the root for most teenage drama.  It is what made my middle school and high school years one crazy ride.  What I could never grasp is that everything that people envied me for they could have obtained on his or her own.

The green-eyed monster comes out of most teenagers and some people seem to never shake the monster out of them, as they become adults.  It can become quite tragic.  Envy is a terrible thing to hold in one’s heart.  Just let it go.

I am a victim of theft.  It’s happen to me twice personally and several times professionally.

I never could wrap my head around why people steal.  I believe that if you live right and work hard, you will be blessed.  Very simple, indeed but in the world of instant gratification people will go great lengths to get what they want or need.

My parents are hard working people.  They never cheated the system and they were always fair.  I am a hard worker and I never cause them any problems therefore whatever I want or need they provide for me.  It seemed simple to me until I was exposed to a different reality when I left home.

Growing up in Clarksville, I heard about my peers robbing houses or stealing from the mall.  They would take things like underwear or jewelry from stores like RAVE or Claire’s.  From houses they would steal shoes and electronics.  What was interesting about the kids, who stole, was that their parents worked hard and if they asked for those items they would get them.  I, also, worked at a store in the mall and I witness men and women scheme to steal from my store.  There was a time when I chased two women out of the mall for trying to steal.  Why spend so much time on becoming a professional thief, when you could use that time to go to school or get a job? I just did not understand. Then I left Tennessee for D.C. and noticed that people started stealing lives.  Killing is stealing to me and not only was it prevalent in D.C. and other major cities, but my hometown started to see a lot of it, too.  Then I left D.C. for New York where corporate America was stealing from the rich.

Stealing has no ethnicity, religion and no economic disparities.  Many people are doing it and for all the wrong reason.

Below you will find the video for “Stole” by Kelly Rowland:

“Et tu, Brute?” - Julius Caesar (III, i, 77)

Even though scraps, bruises, headaches and illness can cause me pain.  The worse pain for me however, is the heartbreak of betrayal.  There is nothing worse than having a love one betray you.

That time of pain is hard to get over and hard to mend.  Loyalty is gone, trust is broken and the relationship has ended.  But how do you deal with the pain when it’s family?  When your blood and their blood are the same and that fact is something that you can’t erase or walk away from it.

 I’ve experience pain from former friends’ betrayal and even though they created unnecessary drama, it was always easy to walk away.  However the recent pain that I’ve experience from family still pesters me like an annoying fly.  I can leave the room where the fly is, but it will eventually make its way to where I am again.  

My love is still there, but so is the pain.  I guess the saying, “pain is love” is true in this instance.

As of late I have been receiving the message of timing and perseverance.  It’s amazing what I will find on my Tumblr’s dashboard.  It’s great to know that I am not alone in my feelings.  You are all being used to show me what I need to know.  Below are some of the messages of strength, patience and faith that came across my dashboard recently:

“Strength does not come from winning. Your struggles develop your strengths. When you go through hardships and decide not to surrender, that is strength.”

—

Mahatma Gandhi

“Learn to balance a dream and a job until your dream becomes your job.”

“No course, no degrees, no external validation will ultimately empower a person. That shift in thinking happens internally. The more we examine our strengths and weaknesses, like any good warrior who is preparing for battle, the more we know who we are.”

—

Ambika Wauters

“If you’re feeling frightened about what comes next, don’t be. Embrace the uncertainty. Allow it to lead you places. Be brave as it challenges you to exercise both your heart and your mind as you create your own path towards happiness, don’t waste time with regret. Spin wildly into your next action. Enjoy the present, each moment, as it comes; because you’ll never get another one quite like it. And if you should ever look up and find yourself lost, simply take a breath and start over. Retrace your steps and go back to the purest place in your heart… where your hope lives. You’ll find your way again.”

—

Everwood

I received my 100th rejection on Friday.  It’s nothing new, but the way I deal with it gets worse each time.  It’s only this way because I’m trying to figure it all out, but there is nothing to discover.  It’s clear that it is not my time.

I do believe God has something amazing planned for me.  I just need to wait on Him and he will reveal it all.  It’s easy to say but yet I stray from remembering this.  I can attest to His power because I am alive, I have the necessities in life and I am loved. I’m blessed.