My Raggedy Ann Lesson!!

Well folks you know I always have a “story”. So this weekend I went to visit my cousin and spend some time with the family. As always we had a great time friday and saturday and then came.....what we now call the “Raggedy Ann” Incident!! I got up on Sunday and was preparing for my cousins BBQ and while curling my hair, my hand slipped and my curling iron dropped ON MY FACE!! I was mortified and in pain! It happened so quick and it barely touched my cheek. I quickly applied some lavender essential oil so that it wouldnt blister. I couldn’t believe I had done that and as the day went by it got darker and darker, when I woke up the next morning I walked past a mirror and just screamed! I had a complete round circle scar on my cheek, now I’m not talking about a little dot, I’m talking about a quarter sized, dark mark! I just didn’t know what to do, I didn’t want to go outside but I had so much to do. I tried putting on make up but the mark just sucked it up! I went to Pooka and they tried to make me feel better by telling me that it like “cute” like raggedy ann!! They even suggested I mark the other cheek to match! I was so annoyed all day and so self concious but then I started thinking about people with real scars or who have been disfigured and what they go through every day or those who have been really burned and the pain that they had to suffer, instantly I became very aware of how blessed I am. Sometimes it takes something small to appreciate all that we take for granted, so as I wait for my Raggedy Ann cheek to heal I will not complain, I’ll just grin and bear it! Lesson Learned!



Jackson 4 or Snore!

Hey Pooka Family! I just really have a poll question this week! I saw in the news today that the  Michael Jackson's  brothers (minus Randy, Hum?) are going on a reunion tour this summer.While we all loved the Jackson 5 and Michael Jackson, I saw a short clip of them saying how much Michael's spirit is with them sounded a little desperate to me. I asked my mom would she go and see them and she said NO, They look tired.......and why are they all wearing Ray Charles shades? What do you think?

Out of the Mouth of Babies

Hey Pooka Family! Hope everyone is enjoying the onset of summer! Although this is a little embarrassing, I have to share this with you family. Last week while I was getting Taiye ready for school I told her she had to wear her jeans because it was raining outside so I thought it might be too chilly for her to wear her shorts or a skirt. She turned to me and said, “You’re not wearing your jeans Mommy?” I said yes, you’re right but because Mommy works from home I get to come back home after I drop you off at school then Mommy takes a shower and will put on my jeans. So of course I drop her off then come back home and start working on my computer. As my day progresses like most other days, I take a break to prepare dinner then go back to work but I don’t get a chance to take a shower because on this day I am negotiating a contract that needs to get signed by end of day. When I go to pick Taiye up from school she runs to me and gives me a big hug…then she steps back and looks at me and in front of all her teachers she says, “Mommy you didn’t shower today and put on your jeans!” LOL!! What more could I say, she was right! I looked over at Ms. Dottie and she looked at me and said, “They remember everything!”

Scout Dawn!

Hi Pooka Family!!! This weekend I was asked to be a Keynote speaker for the Girl Scouts! I was quite honored and began working on my speech, “What am I going to say to motivate these young ladies, how can I share some inspiration?!” Well let me tell you, when I got there and met them, the tables turned! They motivated and inspired me! The girls were receiving the Girl Scout Gold Award, which is the highest award given by the Girl Scouts. In order to receive the award each girl scout has to choose an issue thats important to them and investigate and research everything about that issue. Then they have to get help and support from others and create a plan to achieve a measurable impact. Once they present their plan to the GScout council, they have to take action and carry out the plan, educate and inspire others and share the experience. This is no weekend report, these young ladies work on their projects for 2-3 years! I also learned that A Girl Scout who has earned her Gold Award immediately rises one rank in any of the U.S. military branches. The projects these young ladies presented were amazing and I realized that these were our future leaders and innovators! When the time came, they announced me and I gave my Pooka speech and it was well received. They were happy to learn about Pooka and our story and congratulated me on the success. After my speech, I had my “AHA” teary -eyed moment, when one of the African American Girl scouts approached me and said, “Can I have a picture? because when I see you I see me?” OMG, why must you make me cry little Girl Scout!!! I was so proud and I think she was too! We have to remember our young ladies need to see us doing all of the positive things that we do! We are all role models and at that moment I was so glad that I was there for her to see! During my speech, they were laughing and clapping for me and I got so caught up in the moment that I announced to the entire group that I was going to become...... a Girl Scout!!!! Now, when we were young, Donna and I were brownies, no pun intended, but then we........dropped out. So although I may be the biggest girl in the Girl Scouts Daisy troop, I don’t care, I’m gonna do it!!! And If you come to the Pooka boutique and I’m trying to make a fire or tie some knots, just nod your head and keep it moving, Scout Dawn is on the move!

I’m back!!!

Well Pooka family, yup, I’m back and still trying to get a few more minutes of my 15 minutes of fame, LOL!! This week is the Black Enterprise Entrepreneurs Summit and because of my social media endeavors and March Cover, I’ve been invited to speak. I’m very excited and looking forward to making lots of connections. I plan to not only speak but learn as much as I can. The fun part is April is going to fly in from NC and join me at the conference so we are going to have a great time! I’m looking forward to meeting Daymond John, who knows you might see Pooka on Shark Tank! Michael Baisden, will also be speaking and he’s been such a great friend to Pooka so I’m looking forward to chatting with him too! All in all, I’m just excited about this opportunity and know that GOD is guiding my path! So stay tuned and see what HE does next! You know I’m going to blog and video and post about it all weekend long, so stay tuned!

With age comes political activism?

Morning Pooka Family! Hope everyone is enjoying the April showers of this spring season as we prepare for the summer! You know….I’ve always been a socially conscience person. Many of us are if you’re a part of our generation (born in mid to late 60’s). Our parents were first hand recipients of the civil rights movement so as a result we were taught of the inequities in our society and how we had to support other Black people, businesses and leaders. And although that was a part of my upbringing and I knew what I had to do (or was supposed to do) I didn’t always have the money or the time to support our Black programs, leaders or organizations. Now as I get older, I find myself making the time to do these things. So when an email or post comes into my inbox, instead of marking it as a follow-up item, I take the time to read it now and act upon it like the Change.org petitions for Trayvon Martin, rescinding the Shoot first laws, and even Michael Baisden’s petition to stay on the New York airwaves. And even the numerous emails I get from the Obama campaign…if we really want him to continue as our President for another term then we have to contribute to his campaign because it is very naïve of us to think that he’s going to be able to stay in office without our financial contributions and our going to the polls to vote. And even the dccc.org. We need to financially support the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee if we want to ensure that the Democratic’s control the house to help President Obama’s reforms get enacted. Like I said family, I know this in my head, now I am showing in my actions. I hope you will too!

If you got it.................

Recently I read an article in an online magazine about celebrity women in their 40's dressing too young for their age. What exactly does that mean I thought. I read about how Jada Pinkett Smith should give her daughter back her jeans,and I'm staring at the picture and really, Willow could be wearing her mother's jeans they were the same size! Is it Jada fault she's not fat and out of shape? NO! And how about Madonna? Yes the material girl is in her 50's but dog gone it, her body looks good! Should she just cover it up because of a number? NO! And how about Mariah Carey?............ Ok, I'll give you Mariah but its not because of her age, she just can't dress. I've seen lots of women in their 20 who don't look half as good as a woman in her 40's. Why is it that some people think its okay to dress a certain way because of your age but not because of what your body looks like? What are women in there 40's supposed to be wearing mumus?!! Get out of here! I'm gonna work it till the wheels fall off! Or at least untill my knees are too wrinkly to be seen! But then again at that point I probably won't care!