Solange Leaving Interscope?

Is Solange going independent? Ms. Sol Angel posted the following message on twitter about 10 minutes ago. 

" Although it's been a wonderful journey & experience at Interscope Records, after truly recognizing what's important to ME as an artist......I decided it was time for me to continue my path on a more independent platform. I thank Ron and Jimmy for believing in me as an artist and supporting my journey...and have nothing but respect for the Interscope family. I'm excited about continuing to dive in, experiment and creating music and art with no boundaries, fears or expectations. Gonna be fun folks."

Solange received a ton of support from her followers saying they would  continue follow her music where ever it is released. I happy to be a fan of "Sol Angel and the Hadley Street Dreams" so I'll definitely continue to support. Gone head Solo!!

"Sick of It" remix-Michelle Williams

Michelle Williams just released the remix to her song "Sick of It" on Twitter. She said it was a gift to her fans and supporters. Check it out here and let me know what you think!!

zSHARE - SickOfIt Remix.mp3

Happy, Happy Friday!

Good morning FABULOUS people!!

Just checking in to wish everyone a Happy Friday!! I don't have a specific topic or agenda today; mainly because I've been up all night trying to find different templates and formats. Hopefully, I'll  soon find one that suits my personality and my purpose for being here. So don't be surprised if you see a different format when you return TOMORROW!! :) That brings me to another topic. I'm trying to build my audience here, so if you enjoy the concept that I'm bringing (empowerment, uplifting, networking, positiveness, etc.) and have ideas of things you would like to see, please feel free to share your thoughts in comments or email them to me at omarble.gmail.com. Also, please share the site with your friends, coworkers and family!!


As always, remember to enjoy life, surround yourself with positive people.  At every chance today, do something to help someone. Trust that it will make YOU a better person; not them. Finally,  Believe that the best is within you and can be unleashed at your will! You just have to be willing to UNLEASH!!!!

My Battle With Anxiety

June 15, 2009-"My mind is about to burst! Recently I've been experienceing some of the most bizarre thoughts and feelings. These feelings are different than my "usual" worries. For some reason, I can't seem to stop thinking about death. This fear consumes my mind to the point that I literally cannot focus on anything else. My entire being is plagued by fear. Seriously."

This is a real exerpt from my personal journal. Unfortunately, I am one of the 40 million adults in the United States that suffer from anxiety. I wrote this journal shortly before I came to accept the fact that the excessive worrying and fear had gone too far. Unfortunately, This realization came long after the headaches, the inability to sleep, the body aches and the acid reflux; all symptoms of Generalized Anxiety Disorder. I was literally miserable. So why did it take so long for me to realize that I needed help? Shame!! I was too ashamed to admit that despite how "together" my friends and family thought I was, I was dealing with a problem that I couldn't fix myself.

Once I overcame the shame, I saught help via counseling. I remembered my pastor saying in church one sunday "we think we're crazy for seeking mental help, but we're crazy if we don't seek the help. This is what we pay insurance for." I knew that message was for ME. Seeking counseling initiated the start of a new life for me! My "friend" (as I like to refer to my counselor) has helped me put my life back into perspective. Surprisingly, I haven't learned anything in counseling that I honestly didn't already know. It was a matter of "accepting" the things that I can not change, understanding that GOD is ultimately in control and then trusting GOD to do HIS job! I am currently on my journey to a "worry-free" life. I'm taking steps that fear would not have premitted me to take before!

For more information on anxiety, visit the sites below. Please also feel free to share your stories of anxiety and how you were able to overcome it.

http://www.medicinenet.com/anxiety/page3.htm
www.anxietypanic.com/understanding.html
www.webmd.com/anxiety.../understanding-anxiety-basics

Rewind: NeNe & Michael Lohan’s War of Words

Rewind: NeNe & Michael Lohan’s War of Words

Can't believe I'm dedicating a post to NeNe Leaks, but y'all know how I'm always trying to diagnose someone's mental problems!! LOL Anyway, our "not-so-favorite" housewive/moose is at it again!! Why does NeNe Leaks seem to attract drama everywhere she goes? I'm not exactly sure what sparked this argument between her and Michael Lohan and I'm not saying that she was wrong for defending herself. I'm just saying that wherever she goes, she brings along that negative vibe. Could she have not been the bigger person here? There's a way to defend yourself without being so negative. What's with all the screams and threats? But then again, doesn't she always seem to be the victim no matter what the situation is? Maybe the problems surrounding her not knowing who her real father is affects her more than she realizes. We've all had hurful experiences in our lives, but somehow we must find ways to learn from those experiences and and leave them in the past. We can't allow them to live on inside of us. If we do, EVERY aspect of our lives will become tainted with dram and upsets. Get over it and move on!!

Are We Ready Yet?

Imagine that you were suddenly given a golden opportunity at the career of a life time; something that you’ve always dreamed of doing. Would you be prepared to accept it? Would you jump at the opportunity?

Often times, we dream, but don’t take action to make those dreams come true. Why is that? If we really want something, shouldn’t we work at it to the point that when the opportunity presents itself, we can jump right at it instead of making excuses as to why we can’t really pursue it? This reminds me of the R&B group “Brother”. Remember this family that had the reality show on BET about pursuing their music career? Can you recall how each time they were asked to sing, the lead singer would belch out “He’s my brother and I love ‘em like myseeeeelf” and the others would chime in!!! I mean it was instantly that they began singing. They didn’t think twice about sharing their talent. They were R-E-A-D-Y!! Shouldn’t we all be ready at all times?

Even if at this moment, we aren’t at a point to jump directly into our dream career, we should be so focused on it that we constantly think about it and are taking small steps towards preparing ourselves for that grand opportunity. Just imagine yourself in a career that fulfils you to the point where money is not the most important factor. How cool and rewarding would that be!!!!

Hey! What do you think about the new format? Share your opinion in comments? Is it too much pink?

Laugh A Little

For me, one of the most therapeutic methods of overcoming some of life’s most challenging moments is to laugh (even if it means laughing at myself). Those who know me know that I probably worry more than the average person; however, I can also find humor in almost any situation. Some people take life so serious that they forget to enjoy it! I don’t choose to live my life that way. I want to be happy. Plus laughing makes me feel better. Sometimes I have to find humor in stressful situations in order to overcome them. Even the bible says “a merry heart doeth good like a medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones (Proverbs 17:22.)”

Studies also show that there is healing power in humor. According to the website http://www.psychcentral.com, laughter reduces pain, strengthens the immune function and decreases stress. Laughter also has positive impacts on our intellectual and emotional health. It helps us to overcome fear (true for me), it triggers our creativity and enables us to take ourselves less seriously and just have a good ole time.

It’s also good to surround ourselves with people that have similar senses of humor and those who feed our spirits with laughter and positivity. Life is so much better when we can SMILE :0)

What's Your Vision?

Everyone has goals and visions of things that they want to accomplish in life. In order to achieve the things that we want, we must stay focused on our goals. Our goals are things that we should think about and work towards every day. One of the most effective ways to stay focused on our goals and aspirations is to create a vision board. A vision board is simply visual representation or collage of things that you want to achieve or become. The purpose of the vision board is to activate the law of attraction by constantly reminding you of your goals (I recently spoke about this during my blog about the book "the secret") or those things that you desire to have. Having your goals displayed front and center is a constant reminder. By thinking of them continuously, you will eventually bring them into your lives. My vision board definitely helped me remain focused in my last few weeks of school. Having this board front and center is a constant inspiration for me to keep progressing.

Vision boards are simple to make. Basically, all you do is cut out pictures of words, things or people that represent things that you want in your life and paste them on a board. All boards are different and are as creative as the owner wants them to be. It is important that you keep your board in a visible place where you will constantly look at it. On my board, I have pictures of Gabrielle Union, Selena Williams, Tarjai Hinson and Michelle Obama. These women represent strength to me and I know in order to achieve any goal, I must maintain focus, which requires strength to do so. I placed my board in a frame; however, many people simply create theirs on poster board. It serves the same purpose. I will soon be working on a board for my son and my cousin. Do you have a vision board? If so, how long have you had yours and where did you get the inspiration for your board?

Learn to Appreciate the Little Things

It's now day five of the hospital and I sooo miss my "pre-flu life". The saying is true that "we don't realize what we have until it's gone". Oh how I miss the bickering between my 13 and 9 year olds. I would trade that over the sound of a dysfunctional IV pump any day. Waking every morning at 5:30 to get the kids ready for school doesn't seem so bad after all. Although the nursing staff has been super supportive to my son and me, I now realize the richness of my normal life at home. Being away from my home and my daughter has really put things into perspective for me. Sometimes in life, we tend to focus on the things that aren't going so well (bills, work, school) instead of simply appreciating life as a whole. Those things are important, but also minor in comparison to good health and family. I encourage everyone to take a moment to enjoy and appreciate the things around you. Look for the simple things that you wouldn't otherwise appreciate unless they were taken away. The one thing that I am able to appreciate at this moment is the beauty of conversation with my son. Regardless of the conversation or how tired I may be, having a conversation with him today is a blessing and I will continue to treat it as such in the days ahead.

Be Careful of Your Thoughts

A few years ago, I read a powerful quote by Frederick Douglass that went something like this: "the things that you continuously focus on will eventually manifest themselves in your life." I've looked all over the internet for the exact wording, but couldn't find anything. I have it posted on my desk at work, so I'll share with you later. But my main point is to remind everyone to be careful about the type of things that we are thinking about. When I first read this quote, it moved me so I typed it up, put it in a frame and put it on my desk. From that day on, I tried to think positively about things going on at work and at home. What I didn't learn until about a year later is that this quote relates to the positive AND negative thoughts. Could I seriously be bringing negative things into my own life? Apparently so! According to the book "The Secret" we have a magnetic power emitted through our thoughts. We actually attract  those things that we think about the most!!It's called the law of attraction. I'm sure you're heard of it by now. So, if we're thinking positive thoughts, we will eventually see those things manifest in our lives. And unfortunately, if we continuously think negative thoughts (whether intentional or not), those things will manifest in our lives as well. Another point to mention: Also in the book, I learned that the only reason we don't have the things that we want in life is because WE FOCUS ON THE THINGS THAT WE DON'T WANT MORE THAN WE FOCUS ON THE THINGS THAT WE DO WANT! Again, I'm no guru at anything, but I do believe in the law of attraction. This is why I try to minimize the drama in my life. If you have people in your life that don't mean you well. Get rid of them. Change the way that you're thinking. If you're going through tough times, think about how great you will feel when things get better. Better yet, act as if they've already gotten better. Whatever you do, be careful of what you think about and your life will change for the better. Whatever we want to happen, focus on that. Don't focus on what we don't want.

For more information on the law of attraction, go pick up your copy of "The Secret". The author is Rhonda Byrne.

Must Be The Music!

Growing up in the 80's and 90's, music was as much of a necessity as was food. Okay, okay maybe not to that extent, but we have to admit that most of us grew up with some form music in the home and it definitely had it's place in our homes!!. For some, gospel was the remedy of choice. For others it was rhythm and blues. For my generation, it was old school hip hop. During times of sorrow as well as happiness, we turned to music. Something about the messages in the music had a way of bringing things to reality for us. It allowed us to play our lives out through the lyrics. Somehow the lyrics spoke directly to us and the situation that we were going through at that moment. Doug-E-Fresh's "La-di-da-di" got the party jumping, while Shirley Murdock's "As we Lay" made us think we were grown and "really" in love for the first time!!

Isn't it quite amazing how an artist can share their lives through song and have the whole world feeling their pain? Some artists have the ability to capture the hearts and sympathy of millions! Whitney had us all feeling like "Team Whitney" when she hit the charts with her comeback song "I Look To You". Queen MJB continues to share her life story with each album, and most recently Usher returned with what some are calling his divorce track "Papers." In the song, Usher sings about the personal issues between he and his soon to be ex-wife Tameka Foster Raymond. There's been alot of talk about the song on urban radio, Facebook and of course Twitter. Some are applauding the track, while others feel like it's TMI. Besides the fact that he seems to gloat about signing divorce papers, I am actually glad that Usher has at least returned to his R &B roots. Anything is better than the POP of a mess he made out of his last album. Much love to Tameka Foster Raymond and I hope this track doesn't lead to an ugly, public divorce, but I happen to like the song. What do you think? Is Usher using his personal life to sell records? Does he deserve the same appreciation as MJB when she first began dishing the dirt on her rocky relationship with K-Ci? I'm just saying....

Monique Show (my last comment about the show)-Since I was already awake, I watched Monique’s second show. Her guests included Tiny and Toya, Faizon Love and the two remaining members of B2K; Anyway, it was nothing special and if Monique doesn't invite more celebrities that we really want to see, her run will be shorter than Tiny and Toya and B2K put together!

Just Do It!!

Do you ever think, think and re-think and idea before finally giving up on the idea altogether?
Does fear of judgment from others play a role in your decision making?
Do you become overwhelmed or immobilized by fear of making bad decisions?

If you answered "YES" to any of these questions, you could be a victim of analysis paralysis (indecisiveness). To put it simply; you are a procrastinator!

For some people, the act of "doing" is quite simple. They "just do" whatever it is that must be done. For others, making a decision to do something is easier said than done. Excessive procrastination or indecisiveness can have a negative affect on personal and professional growth. So, why do we procrastinate? Life Strategist, Lorraine Cohen offer 7 reasons as to why we procrastinate:

• Fear of Success/Failure
• Desires or dreams aren't strong enough
• Not inspired by goals/dreams
• Loss of motivation
• Negative self talk and beliefs
• Overwhelmed with ideas
• Too many distractions-causes us to lose focus on our goals

While I'm no guru or life coach, I am a victim of procrastination. I can honestly say that "FEAR" itself has plagued my life in many ways. We must stop over-analysis and “just do it”. As women, we are creative, smart and wise beyond measures! We have so much to offer this world, but we allow opportunities to pass us by all too often simply because of fear. We can accomplish anything that we desire if we simply TAKE ACTION!

Take a moment to identify how procrastination and indecisiveness has crept into your lives. Don't worry; I'll wait (in my Katt Williams voice.) Okay, now commit to taking ONE action TODAY (not tomorrow or next week) that will lead you in the path of reaching a goal that you have yet to accomplish.

On the other hand if you have overcome procrastination. Please share how you did it in comments. Be a blessing or inspiration to others. After all that what this site is for!!

For help with overcoming procrastination, check the book "Live Without Procrastination. How to stop Postponing your Life" by M. Susan Roberts Ph D.


MONIQUE'S NEW SHOW
Monique debuted her night time talk show on BET last night! Did you see it? What did you think? Share your thoughts below.

The Gift of Giving

IT'S COLD THIS MORNING!! As I drove my children to school this morning, I thought about the fast approaching WINTER Several thoughts came to mind; "I need to get my daughter more uniform pants and undershirts, how should I adjust my thermostat this morning before I leave for work?" The most disturbing thought that came to mind was the many homeless families in Charlotte and the grueling fight that they will encounter this winter.

Homelessness is a serious problem in Charlotte and other parts of the United States. Let me tell you, the faces of homelessness and hunger is no longer limited to the men and women you see standing by the highway asking for money. Don't be confused. Homelessness and hunger cloesly resembles the faces of our own!!! I learned this last year while volunteering at the men's shelter. You would be surprised at the caliber of men visiting the shelter for food and a safe haven to sleep for the night.

According to the website http://awayhome.org/ ,approxiatmely 5000 people are homeless in Mecklenburg County. These totals include people who live on the streets, in shelters and with family!! More than one-third of these individuals are children!

I believe it is everyone's duty to help when we can. I challenge my readers to do something TODAY to help with this problem. We can all help by donating old AND new items to people that need them. Go to a local Salvation Army center or even donate items to a Goodwill store near you. We can also help by donating time to serve food to the homeless. Check with some of the churches around the city or call to one of the centers below:
Harvest Center (704) 332-4280
Uptown Day Center (704) 334-3187
Urban Ministry Center (704) 347-0278

For more information on the homeless and how you can help, check out http://awayhome.org/. You may also access this site to register for the 2009 HOPE FOR THE HOMELESS WALK on November 21, 2009.

Checking In

Nothing special to add today. I'm still in the process of researching this whole blog business. I'm taking notes on the types of updates I want to make and what features to add. Nothing special to post other than reminding parents of Charlotte Mecklenburg students to check the Parent Assistant site to keep up with their student's progress. I love Parent Assistant and I log in almost daily. I have one student at Vance High School and one student at Nathaniel Alexander Elementary. My kids' teachers are pretty good about posting their grades. As long as parents are checking Parent Assistant, there should be no surprises when progress reports and report cards are released.

For information on Parent Assistant, please check out CMS website at http://www.cms.k12.nc.us Once you're on the main page, look to your left and click on Parents. It will lead you to the site.

Toodles until next time.

Oh yeah, follow me on twitter. I am @misstiss1500!

Welcome

Welcome to my blog. My name is Tissa. I am a native of Charlotte, N.C. and a single mother of two beautiful children. I am very new to blogging, but look forward to an interesting experience in the blogsphere. My goal is to use this blog to share information regarding topics that may be of interest to young professional women and mothers. Please feel free to leave comments and advice as you feel necessary. I look foward to an interesting journey!!