Embracing Diversity

As you know, I recently hit the 100 follower mark. People from multiple backgrounds around the globe fill that list and it feels great to interact with them all. It's a feeling that I welcome because I wasn't able to experience as a kid.

I enjoy meeting people from different backgrounds. I'm not just talking about someone who may have grown up in the "deep country" or in the "big city". I'm talking about people who have immediate roots in foreign countries.

Growing up in Mississippi, pretty much everything in my school was black and white. Literally. We had roughly eight Hispanics, maybe two Asians and one Indian. I was vice president of our high school Spanish Club, so I knew most of the Hispanics. I had a class with the Indian, Pratop, who was fascinated by blondes and saw little-to-no time to hang out with the likes of my crew. I didn't know either of the Asians classmates while in school, but later met one of them a decade later in a nightclub when she recognized me. My knowledge of her barely went past a brief conversation that night.

So, pretty much through all of my youth, everyone I came in contact with daily was either black or white. I never got a chance to embrace different cultures until much later in life as I got into the workplace. Over time, I got to travel and I met and established friendships with my first Asian, Russian, German, etc. Now I have a melting pot of associates and the blogging world has extended that opportunity even more.

I've interacted with people from all over the world and I would just like to say "thanks." From Paula in Germany or Alice X in England to my Cuban-born blogging inspiration, Annah.

So, regardless if you're a Ukrainian-Canadian redhead named Cherie living on the west coast or a black, Mississippi educator sharing my home state like Diana, then I have much love for you!

If you're one of my readers from out of the country, please say "hello" in the comments below! I'd love to hear from you and find out how you found the blog.

Who's Next In Line?

Photo from first major role in "Strictly Business."

I can only speak for black men, but we have a standard when it comes to beauty. For almost two decades now, that standard bas been Halle Berry. Heck, I even watched that garbage of a movie, "Monster's Ball," just to see her. Many times I've heard black guys (and some women) say, "She looks good, but she's no Halle Berry."

Halle will be 45 years old come August 14th. Now, she still looks stunning, but I do think it's time to name a successor.

I want to nominate five black women (in no particular order) to replace Halle Berry as the next "standard." This person will be referred to whenever someone wants to make a comparison to a beautiful black woman. Who's next in line to be the next Halle?

#1 - Beyonce Knowles

Pros: She is known on a first name basis like Halle, so that helps. She's a world music icon and she has music videos that sets tons of trends in the dance clubs. Most under-30 somethings would argue that she took over the title from Halle at least four or five years ago.

Cons: Is she likable? She tends to have controversy follow her and accusations of arrogance. "Sasha Fierce" was even recently booed by paparazzi. How do you get booed by paparazzi?

#2 - Serena Williams

Pros: Also has first name fame and is a worldwide icon. Her fashion is eccentric and considered a trend setter by some. She also represents some of the dark chocolate goodness a lot of us love.

Cons: Is she a tad bit too much to handle physically and emotionally? She has biceps like Rambo and an attitude to match (given that she's threatened to do bodily harm on a tennis judge once).

#3 - K.D. Aubert

Pros: With lips that would bring a lollipop to tears of joy, Karen Denise started small as the strawberry girl in the Fanta cola commercials. She became more popular after her role in the horrible movie, "Soul Plane" and has now appeared on TV shows, commercials, and movies. She's young enough and has the personality and look to become "the standard."

Cons: She's yet to go mainstream. She doesn't have the name recognition as the others on the list and could get lost in the shuffle unless she has a major movie role coming soon.

#4 - Megan Good

Pros: Physically, Megan possesses some of the same qualities as K.D. She's much more accomplished in television and movies with her latest appearance in a recent release called "Jumping the Broom." She's curvy and has the sex appeal to carry the torch for the next decade. She is gaining steam as a "horror babe" with appearances in "The Unborn," "Saw V," and "One Missed Call."

Cons: Also like K.D., she isn't mainstream yet, but she's on her way. She still has a long way to go to compare to Halle, who is a household name and has done countless of major movies with leading roles.

#5 - Jennifer Hudson

Pros: She doesn't have that iconic first name, but she definitely has full name recognition. Jennifer Hudson slowly became a household name thanks to her performance on "American Idol" and her first movie break, "Dreamgirls." Hudson won 29 awards for her role in "Dreamgirls." She's also a success story with her weight loss after losing 80 lbs. A beautiful woman to match the voice.

Cons: Doesn't have that "boom boom pow." Hudson is more cute than she is sexy. You would be more inclined to pinch the cheeks on face rather than below her waist. She just doesn't have that "come get me" in her.

So, after going through the five that come to mind for me, which one do you think should carry the torch? If it's not any of the five, then list your write-in candidate in the comments below.

So many of the black sex symbols that came to my mind when making this list were over 35 years old: Stacey Dash (45), Lisa Raye (44), Sanna Lathan (39), Gabrielle Union (38), Leila Arcieri (37). I thought that maybe I was stuck in my generation, so I Googled some Top 10 Black Women lists and on three different lists, six of the 10 were over 35.

Maybe it's too soon to pass the torch. Maybe Halle has some "Lena Horne" in her and can hold her beauty for yet another decade.

Now that I think about it, what about black men standards? Denzel Washington was the standard for handsome black men for close to two decades as well. A shout out to anyone who wants to take the reins on this one and run with it: who is the standard the sistas go with now? Boris? Idris? Who?

First lady to comment below and volunteer to put their Top 5 Black Men nominees on their site will get linked to this post.

White guys and girls, I don't want to leave you out. You all have so many in which to choose from the acting stages to the recording studios. Who have you considered "the standard" over the last decade or two? Brad Pitt? Angelina Jolie? Jennifer Anniston? George Clooney?

First white man or woman to comment below and volunteer to put their Top 5 White Men / Women nominees on their site will get linked to this post.

We can do this for all ethnic groups who care to join (I didn't forget about you Iz (Jessica Alba?) and Reckmonster - (Manny Pacquiao?).

Let's find out what each group likes!

Turning heads since 1991.

Cultural Differences

I met a fellow blogger by the name of Paula in the Thank, Q Community on TheBlogFrog. Paula is from Germany and now resides in the U.S. with her American husband.

After reading a few of her comments on one of the forum discussions, I was extremely fascinated with some of the different values that I learned about her German background. Some of those differences are completely opposite of her husband.

As I read some of the comparisons she made to how her husband was raised and how she was raised, it made me realize how wonderful the story of them becoming husband and wife truly was.

We should all embrace the opportunity to learn something about someone else. We should all embrace diversity.

Below, I have included some of the differences Paula mentioned to me in the forum:

Paula
"I am very independent, confident and well travelled, always ready to go for discussions. I mean for truly and hearty discussing and sharing different opinions. I grew up speaking openly about love, sex, religion and politics. I am used to sunbath nude. He is highly protective, considers a discussion an argument, and nudism is not on his plate. He is used to see plenty of violence, blood and guns on the American TV. I am used to see more tenderness, love and sex. This violence thing gives me shivers."

"I never would consider a person a friend if this person wouldnt have proven himself over many years! He very quickly uses the word friend. Makes me cringe!"

"I am used to health checks as often as I want and need. I have access to one of the most efficient health care systems in the world. He constanly considers what and when he is seing a doctor. Copayments and deductibles are foreign to me!"


I encourage you all to visit her blog, "Love is a Journey" to get the full story!