Category Archives: ~ my 2cents …

About me… Be a seed for change


babymeAbout Me

I am a Mom, earned BA and all opinions if any, are my own. I support President Barack Obama and while I do tweet deals I look for them too. I am a buyer/seller/user of new, vintage and gently used household items. I have been a part of the work force since age 18, after experiencing some issues with some folks, I had to quickly learn and become an Activist/Advocate for my children, my family, and myself.

I come from a fishing hunting based family and as a kid I ran track, was a song dance and cheerleader, a gymnast with 10yrs of dance training, love reading, music, food, gorgeous men and movies – Not necessarily in that order. I grew up wearing hand-me-downs as a kid. Unlike most, all the women in my family had/have great taste, we all sew and two of my sisters were fashionistas, all influenced by designers like Donna Karan, Albert Nippon, Mizrahi and Diane Von Furstenberg among others and they all definitely had a significant impact on my love for fashion over the years. I definitely redesigned all my hand-me-down Levis jeans, shortened skirts, dresses and made rompers for summer while at home. When I left home, I became an avid designer & thrift shopper while in college. I have to be honest, where I come from designer and great thrift shopping was an unknown entity, but the move to the city changed that. The city screamed Urban and Thrift shops were everywhere, the prices and the fashion choices beyond right. I say avid because shopping is definitely a sport and by definition avid means having an ardent desire marked by a keen interest and enthusiasm, which describes my state of my mind when I shop for designer and or thrift. After becoming a part of the work force my shopping changed to more designer brands and the thrift shopper waned …not forgotten but my preference changed over the years. Then life stepped in and I became a single parent, which was definitely lifestyle change. It forced me into taking a step backward to look at what is important.

So, going back to shopping … shabby chic and on to refurbishing consignment etc. I cannot begin to tell people how compelled I feel sometimes, to take home- reclaim pieces sitting on the curbside that have absolutely nothing wrong or a slight flaw that might need a little work or that my kids have been beyond embarrassed at times and thankful as well after getting a great reclaimed repurposed item. Yes, we are at a time when going back to the basics makes sense, yet this is not why I recycle, reclaim, or push reuse to be sure and I do not take every piece for obvious reasons. It is important to say that living a more sustainable lifestyle is just more cost effective, it was the way my family lived. My mom, who along with some friends were green living activists in our neighborhood and advocates for those in need, they quilted blankets, jarred, smoked and pickled all kinds of fish but mostly salmon, made soap, and when making soap became too tedious my mom and friends collected “leftover” slivers of soap; created both liquid and bar soap. Hey, do not forget the marble; anyway, my mom recycled everything that can be and anything biodegradable was usually used in her garden -she lived a green life.

photo 1My mom was a teacher while in Florida, she moved from FL to Washington alone, to find a better place to bring up my sibs( 3kids) while my dad worked, they both worked hard over the years to maintain a household of 10 staying active in the community, registered voters, and attended marches for civil, women and human rights with a focus on VETS. mymommieYes, we all had chores but her garden of greens, herbs, etc. worked only by her and often accompanied by food from the fishing and hunting trips family friends etc. went on. My mom was and still is my DIY Mentor and I think about her every day like most children. I definitely was a hand-full as a kid and though none of us could fill her shoes, we definitely reflect upon her as our mentor and power source. After years of watching others be subjected to and having experienced discrimination myself in school and in the workforce I felt a need to stand up against, help mobilize and find solutions for issues like discrimination, child care, landlord tenant/union and worker rights, which came very easy. My grams, pictured below … had her own business .. this is amazing and definitely makes you wonder … she was born in 1893, here she is with her fresh pearls, handmade dress and matching hat! told  she was definitely a force to be reckoned with.    mygrammie

I cannot say Katrina led immediately to,” Be a Seed for Change”, but life experiences, several business ideas and names later had a profound impact on wanting to live a more socially conscious lifestyle.   I can say my family history and a combination of what I have learned loved and have several years of experience in becomes apart of who you are , the job doesn’t define you, but the interests of living green is a choice to go full circle and includes, but not limited to: buying/selling new, vintage, gently used clothes, sewing, recycling, Public Defenders as a docket clerk, started a food bank program at one of my first jobs, onsite Worker Rights Rep., Child Care Canvasser/Organizer, worked in Conference housing, Customer Service , Cold Calling, Brand/Marketing Rep and several years in the Event Industry — Booking Events, Venue Tours, Event Set-up/Tear down, facility management and yes, janitorial duties as well.

                                      

mewithmakeupbigfaceBe a Seed for Change

Virtual Thrift Shop Owner

Act locally ~~ Aim globally  BabyMikel

     Living & Blogging about a Eco-Conscious Life Style

 

   Reuse Redecorate Re-purpose Reclaim

~~ Reduce ~~

The amount of materials going into landfills

and

buy local to Reduce your Eco-footprint

Carmenc@beaseedforchange.org

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

See anything odd about this advertisment ?


 Product Review
After receiving the advertisement below I decided I needed to write . So, on October 14, 2013 I wrote to krysosandchandi.com to express how I felt about the ad and the model‘s representing or misrepresenting what I felt was something other than selling jewelry. In full disclosure … I added more for this post but the question remains the same.
I have a subscription to Daily Candy and while I enjoy some of the articles, there are times when I find there are or their co-horts go beyond the pale… so to speak. It is with great sadness that the ad plays with skin colour and to be quite honest the jewelry is no longer an issue. I saw only the model’s change of skin colour not the jewelry or the colour of it and why old man winter is to blame for the dark days and whatnot. It is sad, I do not know if others will see this ad or the skin colour changes … make up or otherwise… but skin lightening is a bad practice and using it to play games with the consumer is just as bad. I had… past tense intense issues with my skin and spent months under heat lamps meds to take back control. I love my skin now though it’s not perfect I would never tell my daughters or her friends that lighter brighter whiter is the best for those dark days.  We all know great jewelry makes us feel different emotionally and in some cases jewelry of colour such as gold, sterling silver etc. looks great on different organic skin tones. I understand trying to fix skin problems including hyper-pigmentation but to be told that we should lighten up for those dark days is beyond offensive. If you look at the split photo of a model clearly darker on one side the other lighter with the jewelry being sold does look brighter but it is because the model is clearly lighter, this is a definite misrepresentation of what jewelry does …and sad that it appears to tell women that being dark may be a bad thing.
It’s my opinion
 Thank you for your time
I did not receive a response
However, here it is October 22, 2013 and sadly, I get yet the same advertisement from daily candy and i guess Krysos & Chandi, I will admit the advertisement’s words seem a little different, yet my eyes are drawn to the photos of what looks like one dark skin model and one lighter apparently after putting on jewelry? This time I sent it to some family and friends wondering what other inquiring minds had to say, some thought it was an advertisement for foundation some said it is to provoke and get more clicks. I have been writing about stepping away from skin lighteners and find this to be another self-esteem hurdle to jump over for women. This ad pushed several hot buttons of mine so; I announced I could not buy anything from Krysos & Chandi ever . I sell online but the ads are clear lest we talk about the fact that lighter brighter whiter does not always improve your social status … right?
Anyway, look below … what say you
“Surely you can feel Old Man Winter breathing down your neck.Delay the inevitable black cloud (of clothes) with bright pieces by Brooklyn-based designer Avneet Basi.The FIT grad’s love of ancient jewelry opulence led her to launch Krysos + Chandi, a made-to-order line of bracelets, rings, earrings, and necklaces that add pop to even the darkest ensembles.Spice up your weekly sweater rotation with the tassel bangle (spun with silver, gold, and colored cotton) in maroon, navy, and neon; a necklace of the same design brings new life to your favorite tee.Basi’s sterling silver and gold-plated brass Trikona rings, set with green onyx and amethyst stones, put puzzle skills to the test; daring bijou builders can stack until nail beds interfere.Go ahead, fall for it.Available at krysosandchandi.com, $28-$165.”
The text above is by the Companies
krysos + chandi!Photos: Courtesy of Krysos + Chandi 

~~~ 6 tips for putting your words to music ~~~


I am not a songwriter, but I love to read and definitely hear the spoken word.

My interest is in movement, specifically dance, but great words put to music with innovative patterns can invigorate, irritate, and make you feel good. So good that you want to move.

They also say that music is said to soothe the savage beast, or at the very least, we love to talk about how music impacts us physically and what’s inside our souls

…  And

We all love to love …

1) Make it personal because reading someone’s experience with love at first sight, first love, lust, long-term love, or a one-night stand brings a sense of connection that folks sometimes look for. Setting it to music can only make a good lyric better, right?

2) Be authentic because, as a music lover and voracious reader, I make an effort to learn the lyrics to songs I enjoy and occasionally end up loving them. Most can sense that the performer’s passion is real, not an attempt to be someone else. Sincere lyrics can actually be heard and felt through the spoken word.

3) The music that makes an impression on me also provides imagery, a vision of something of what the song is about; even if it is abstract, the image is sort of like a coffee table object. The meaning of the images can change and are sometimes left up for interpretation, depending on who is listening to, reading, or learning the lyrics. Of course, when it comes to love, when someone is singing to you, take the time to listen.

We often hear the music and skim the lyrics, but we weren’t feeling it

 What gets folks onto the dance floor …

4) Rhymes, Reason, and Rhythm, because who doesn’t like movement?  Usually, rhymes, reason, and rhythm are what make tracks work.  That is what kind of music makes great artists move up into the stratosphere.  I dance because I have to, even as a kid, and if you have a great hook, added to a great bass, or syncopation, it definitely will get played more than once in my house.

The rhythm of life

5) Always assume a video of your creation is a possibility, so … be that visionary

6)     🙂  Always believe you were born to make music  (:
 

Source: Nativegrl77

The 2009 summer of my discontent… has become 5yrs of Republican nonsense


Just another rant from 2009

The summer of 2009, filled with what apparently was just the beginning of nasty Teapublican behavior ugly rhetoric and a whole lot of pollution spewing out of all their holes… I called it the summer of my discontent

 I believe in the right to freedom of speech, I do not believe that the speech should invoke fear, hate, lies and death. Americans should not go overseas and speak ill of the President, no matter who is in office. The position of President should be held with great regard definitely not disrespected by any American while in other countries.

 I am a person of colour (mixed decent) from a huge family who has had to live with the fear of being non-white while driving, walking, shopping etc. Fact is, people of colour live this way, and it is not right. In the year 2009, we were blessed to have our first person of colour (Bi-Racial) as our President. I do not know him personally, but he seems to be kind, gentle, calm, cool and definitely not an angry man and has had nothing but angry words, behavior, and hate spewed at him. It is disguised by some as freedom of speech, others as a fear of government take overs; most if not all attitudes exposed a fear of change and (republicans)  definitely get it,  don’t want it  and caused a $24billion shut down to express it. The election in both 2008&2013 results showed a diverse group of say 53% voted for Obama as our next President. It is a worthy reminder to Republicans because they lack a sense of acceptance that these events actually took place. However, we all know Republicans met the same night Barack Obama took the office of President devising a plan a of attack which has turned out to be… obstruction.  The last administration failed us in my view, my opinion and right to freedom of speech. I don’t think I am alone in that feeling but I don’t wish he(bush) were dead, or any ill will on any level to him(bush).  Yet,  the comments from the likes of Joe Wilson or a rush Limbaugh, g beck and so many members of Congress and or Conservatives has taken me back because I feel the hate right through the TV. The lies and the miss-information has reached an all-time peak, I found myself so irritated, I had to join the effort to fight back against the Teapublicans rhetoric . As some ex and current people in politics use our 24/7 news cycles as a platform to spread what they call “news” which sounds and feels like old style Southern propaganda, once laced with disrespectful language against the Office of the President has become an all-out assault. Yes, as a person of colour I am upset, compelled to respond to each tweet that even remotely sounds like racial hate, fear, and whatnot. I was repulsed, it was disrespectful, it was sad, and inappropriate. I ask Congress , where are the grownups, knowing Joe Wilson and his other Teapublican comrades had/have to be told this behavior was inappropriate, told to apologize is beyond my understanding of adult behavior. Yes, this is what the first amendment covers, yet, I would wager that given the right circumstance this gross misuse of our 1st amendment rights by the democratic party would be given the hammer until they apologized on national TV.

 Oh wait, this is happening.

 What we all heard spewed by righties back in 2009 continues in 2013 seemingly embodied by  southern men acting in old style southern political tactics and if you know your history, understand it, it is clear enough. Then add that old cliché : what goes around comes around and its meaning (A person’s actions, whether good or bad, will often have consequences for that person-wiki) is definitely scary but we must all Stand Up Speak Out and fight against that old cliché becoming an ugly reality. The GOP shutdown was just the beginning of a train to derail what could be an improvement of American lives, yet ole’school politics would rather increase the casualties

Our President is a man who wants to put us back on track because some greedy fools derailed it.

 The solutions to our economic problem should have nothing to do with the colour of our President’s skin. It should be about folks who saw the problem, wanted to change it in a bipartisan way and Barack won the office twice.  Though Teapublicans decided, “Just say no” was a much better way to do the People’s business. We all know change is hard, it takes time and obviously a certain group of people have been led to believe that President Obama is not only taking us somewhere else that could be bad for America, they use heritage, his skin colour and edit his conversation to portray him as the “the other.” or worse

These claims are outrageous.

 The President’s agenda seems simple to me. Maybe he is ahead of his time or at least the clock that Teapublicans are trying to push us all onto. Americans deserve a right to live a good life, afford health-care, a life where upward mobility is possible, a right to be all we can be – educated, a right to jobs for the 21st century and equal rights should be the norm not a political football.

 During the summer of 2009, the path to prosperity or the lack thereof was being laid out right before our very eyes by folks like rep. Paul Ryan. I wonder why my fellow Professional Lefties did not see it then because we now have a Teapublican paper trail. I wonder if the PL knows how their members of Congress voted during President Obama’s 1st term, let alone the fact that a number of blue dogs sided with the extreme right. That was then and though most if not all bluedogs were voted out of office in 2010,  members of the tea party not only replaced most but have done their best to make our Government look silly chaotic seemingly without compassion morality and more Wall Street than Main Street

Those in public service , take an oath to do no harm call themselves Public Servants, but if you take a hard look at how the Congress of 112th,2nd Session has acted lest we talk about the 113th Congress

you would be feeling discontented too

Orange and Black : gets another season


Orange Is the New Black

I ~~ just recently heard about the online show from some folks I know online. I did not get the plot line but there were many sides being taken for some of the characters on the show like Piper, Red, Larry, Daya, Vee and more.  Then Saturday morning MPH had some of the cast on her show giving me as well as viewers a better idea and glimpse into the world of those on the other side of the plexiglass for women in lock up. The incarcerated and living what looks like … out loud, intense and worrisome for a couple of the inmate’s flows with great comedic flair. However, if you break it down the realities are quite different. Laverne Cox , who is and plays a transgendered female on the show pulls back the curtain on her life as a black man and the liabilities against the juxtaposition of being a transgendered female in lock up no less with all the complications the relationships and the anxiety of living life, let alone in lock up. Yet, it does look like living loving locked up and out loud seems to have gotten this great cast a 2nd Season. So, I am watching MH/ msnbc and find out that the show Orange is the new Black is based on the book and real life story about life in prison for 15 months of and  by Piper Kerman ~~ you should get the book too!

I say check it out. I am not sure how it helps get folks who are 50% or more likely to be in lock up in a funny mood … just saying

FYI: this show is from the creator of Weeds on Netflix

The comments above are my own …

All the information below about Orange is the new Black is from the internet!

‘Orange Is The New Black’ Season 2: New Set Photos Released On Facebook

‘Orange Is The New Black’ Season 2: New Set Photos Released On Facebook

Update: This one just hit Instagram:  Back in June, about two weeks before the first season was even released, Netflix announced that it has renewed Orange is the New Black for a second season….

‘Orange Is The New Black’ Season 2 Has Begun Filming

‘Orange Is The New Black’ Season 2 Has Begun Filming

Orange is the New Black continues to capture a great deal of buzz on the Internet nearly three weeks after the launch of the entire first season.  Netflix announced that it would produce a second seas…

‘Orange Is The New Black’ Cast Gets New Addition For Season 2

‘Orange Is The New Black’ Cast Gets New Addition For Season 2

Netflix’s new hit show Orange is the New Black has added a cast member for the second season, and promoted a couple of recurring cast members from the first season to regulars for the second one.   …