The Nickname Phenom

by adiaha on November 15, 2011 · 15 comments

AW003663I am a Brooklyn girl with Southern roots and to prove it, I share with you my nickname, Day-Day. That is right, until I was 18 and had earned the right to respectfully demand adults call me Adiaha (Ah-day-ah-ha), I was called Day-Day by nearly everyone in my life. The only person who called me Adiaha was my mother.**

Having a nickname where I come from is a rite of passage. My brother’s nickname was Ti-Ti, my cousins were/are, Robbie, Nikki, Ray-Ray, Mi-Mi, Danni, and Mikki. I knew a Shorty, Beef (yeah really he was a big fella) Tiger, and Pat.

If you did not have a nickname it was because your parents gave you a name with a maximum of two syllables. More than two and it got shortened. Shaquanna became Quanna. Sometimes the syllables of your name were just changed, i.e., Meta became Mi-Mi. Yet still, you could get a nickname based on your appearance. Skinny girls became Fatty, tall and heavy guys were called Tiny.

children-jump-rope-pc07epan1det017-swFor whatever reason, the coolest kids had the coolest nicknames, and you were not really popular unless somebody had a nickname for you. If nobody cared enough to shorten your name, then something was wrong with you. If you didn’t want your name shortened, then there was something wrong with you. If something was wrong with you, nobody wanted to play with you.

I was reminiscing and then realized that my daughters need the all to important nickname. My oldest, Alana, when asked what her nickname should be said her nickname should be LaLa. I nearly fell on the floor with tears streaming down my face and my body convulsed. She looked at me like it wasn’t that funny, but if you know Alana and you know what La is then you know how appropriate LaLa is for her.

My youngest daughter, Asherah, has already been dubbed, She-She, which is just terrible. But in the tradition of having a nickname and fitting-in, Asherah, which is more than two syllables, needs a nickname. Who better to give it than family.

What is your nickname? Don’t be shy or embarrassed, share it with us.

**Please note I do not answer to this nickname anymore.

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ROSA

by adiaha on November 11, 2011 · 0 comments

Rosa is an epic sci-fi short film that takes place in a post-apocalyptic world where all natural life has disappeared. From the destruction awakes Rosa, a cyborg deployed from the Kernel project, mankind’s last attempt to restore the earth’s ecosystem. Rosa will soon learn that she is not the only entity that has awakened and must fight for her survival.

ROSA from Jesús Orellana on Vimeo.

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Music for Meditation

by adiaha on October 17, 2011 · 0 comments

I absolutely love this song and wish MAGIC for everyone, everyday….AMEN.

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Breaking in Brand New Shoes

by adiaha on October 14, 2011 · 0 comments

In light of current events both personally and on the greater global stage, I find it increasingly difficult for me to approach my everyday existence in a positive manner. The onslaught of national and international news that is almost always negative can really affect my outlook on life. As such, I have been in pursuit of a new perception of the tumultuous happenings across our globe . Quite recently I found a solution. Instead of seeing things as catastrophic, I choose to see that we are changing and growing. Like breaking in brand new shoes, the process can be painful and harsh.

We, world citizens, can no longer walk through life with blinders thinking everything is working in our governing systems. We are being forced to see the resulting perversion of our founding ideals in favor of corporations and religious fundamentalists who ultimately do not consider the needs of populations as important as their agendas. We are being forced to deal with the hoarding of wealth, religious intolerance, institutional limitations on individual freedoms based on gender and sexual orientation.  There is a systematic breakdown requiring us to re-examine who we are as humans and which is taking millions prisoner with poverty and ignorance.

I know it is hard to be grateful for this devastatingly difficult period, but I am overjoyed. Not necessarily for the difficulties we are facing personally and as a global community, rather for the opportunity to grow and evolve. Many people’s fundamental beliefs surrounding wealth and freedom have been shaken. We have gotten to a point in our evolution where we are better able to contemplate not just ourselves but others. We have yet again, another opportunity to define who we are through our governments. What makes this time around so interesting and intense is technology. It has allowed us to see first hand and in real time the plights, failures and success of other nations. We learn second hand what the consequences are of specific decisions. The global classroom is in and we are being forced to learn in trimesters rather than semesters. While many desperately cling to ideals from a long gone era, many still are rising from their slumber. And that is a good thing.

Once you are exposed to a new truth it is impossible to return to the limiting belief you had before. You know too much. The number of different protests around the world and the myriad of different causes illustrate an awakening and a willingness to stand for us. Peacefully at times and with forces others.

I can’t wait to see the result of current non-linear thinking in terms of: government power, gender and sexual orientation civil rights, religious tolerance,  and living standards for “the average person.” Who said 2012 wasn’t going to be a transformational year?

 

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Occupy Wall Street: A Success?!

by adiaha on October 4, 2011 · 6 comments

OWS 2011I am so impressed with the energy and persistence I have witnessed in New York City recently. This is what I am talking about! This is the America I romanticize about in my head. A place where people are empowered to speak their minds.

While there have been a ton of videos showing police brutally beating protestors and spraying pepper spray on large and small groups, I have also witnessed a sense of community and growth. The fact that this protest began without clear goals is amazing. Major media outlets did their best to ignore the protest with many national television programs not mentioning it until day 17 of the protest. Today the White House was asked about the President’s awareness of Occupy Wall St. and if he was concerned for the protesters or the protest! But what has me really impressed is the first official statement from Occupy Wall Street. Not so much because it encompasses everything I believe in, rather because it was created during a protest, discussed and and voted on by participating demonstrators. The synergy that is enveloping this process of dissent is amazing wonderful and I feel privileged to be a witness.

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Easy Self-Esteem Boost

by adiaha on March 1, 2011 · 4 comments

As a single mother sometimes I find myself depleted. I give so much of myself and while being a mother is it’s own reward, sometimes I could stand little more reciprocity. interactions with friends are usually super affirming but I have little time for friends and the T.V. is never a replacement for rewarding interaction. So I have been thinking of simple inexpensive and meaningful ways to replenish myself.

One way I can give myself the attention I need with very little effort is a special Gratitude Journal where I least at least 7 aspects about myself that I really enjoy. I do not list things I have purchased, rather accomplishments that benefited ME and natural things about my body and/or personality. I don’t always get a chance to do this but when I really feel depleted, I give myself five straight days of this exercise and usually will notice a boost in me feeling even better. Does anybody else have any quick self-esteem boosts they would like to share?

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Mis-Information???

25 February 2011

“The most dangerous place for an African-American is in the womb.” Ouch it still stings! That is right folks, a group called Life Always, led by an African American, Pastor Stephen Broden, sponsored this huge billboard in Lower Manhattan. Is this what people really think of African-American women? Why are we under attack from African-American [...]

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Holding Me Down?????

23 February 2011
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And the Winner Is…..

21 October 2010

Congratulations to Mallory Robinson! (comment #21) You have won the Midnight Garden dress Thanks to everyone who entered! I appreciate your participation.

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Stroller Love

18 October 2010

Asherah is walking well now and her stroller days are numbered. I thought a $25 umbrella stroller from Cookies would cut it until she was ready to walk everywhere, but that was wishful insane thinking on my part. The umbrella stroller is demolished and looks really dirty and I need to invest in something a [...]

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