February 2017 Accomplishments and Happenings

February was a month riddled with surprises for me. By the middle of the month, I loosened the grip on my personal plans because circumstances began to do their own thing. One of my friends told me once, “When we make plans, God laughs.” I guess God was guffawing with me for 28 days with a blend of cutesy and dark humor. Here is a brief overview of the happenings during this whimsical month and the things I accomplished.

I Was in a Theatrical Narrative

The theatrical narrative coincided with a documentary about lynching. I had not acted in a play since 2009, so it was exciting to be on stage again. We performed at Harris Stowe State University, Florissant Valley Community College and Bread of Life Church. This opportunity added interest and sparkle to my month. It was one of my main sources of fun for February.

I Showcased My Art Along with Other Creative Artists

I was the featured visual artist for the dance performance “Africa We Dance.” It was held at the Lux, a beautiful and stylish venue. I was glad that I was able to gain more exposure for my art. The performance was absolutely amazing. I had never seen so much dancing and drumming in my entire life.The night was bursting with smiles, rhythms and a more. It was a festival for the eyes and ears.

I Worked With Children for Several Weeks

I was involved in an after-school program and it was a refresher for me. This experience showed me the artistry of teaching. My proudest moment was when the second graders performed “Harlem” by Langston Hughes. It was my first time directing anything solo with a group of youth.

Art, Writing and Online Store

I am not surprised at the little amount of art and writing I did during February. I made two art pieces and wrote one poem. The first art piece was titled “Lotus” and it is about the Afrikan-Indian connection. The second piece is part of a series about the Kabbalah. It is the 72 names of God and this piece’s title represents the second name: “Yud Lamed Yud” or “Return to the Embryonic State.” I received rejections for some of my poems but that is my fault because I sent shoddy work just to test the waters…As far as submissions, I sent nine writing submissions and five art submissions. I made about ten products for my online store and wrote seven blog posts. Not bad for someone with a strange schedule.

I Was on the Radio Again

I was on my friend’s radio show “Soul-lutions” which is on Ferguson Hot Talk Radio USA. We talked about the documentary and theatrical narrative. We also discussed my artwork.

Readings

The only slots of time I could find for reading were on the bus. I read four books this month, though my goal was to read five. The books were:

-Claiming God’s Promises for Women: Daily Devotionals

-The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success by Deepak Chopra

-As a Man Thinketh by James Allen

-I Kissed Dating Good-bye by Joshua Harris

My blue bookshelf looks like a theology student’s mini daydream. It is a mixture of spiritual books, self-help books, meditation instructional materials, devotionals and a couple of reading pamphlets. I try to read them all for different purposes. One purpose is to get rid of them. I dislike getting rid of a book without getting the chance to know it. Sometimes I find that I actually grow fond of the book. I still have a habit that I developed as a child. I keep certain reading materials because I know someday I will have the maturity to understand it. I was about to ditch the “Claiming God’s Promises for Women” but it ended up being a cute little book. “As a Man Thinketh” was so intriguing that I may read it several more times. "I Kissed Dating Good-bye" was a book I had avoided since I was a teenager. I thought the title and concept were lame when I first saw it. Reading it as an adult, I still find it kind of lame, but there were some good parts too. The advice was strangely sound though it was a bit extremist. Other parts I laughed at it because it was so unnecessarily dramatic. I will keep it though and see if I can implement it into my own life.

Random Happenings

In the midst of all that occurred during the month, there were pockets of daily living. I attended two book fairs with my job. It was entertaining watching people scramble over books. I got my hair cut because it was getting out of control. On my streak of vanity, I was inspired by a book about Korean beauty secrets. The author wrote about paper face masks and I ended up using one. Though I looked like a killer mime, my skin was so moisturized I became a bit obsessed about them.

I began to give away some of my possessions after reading about the Law of Detachment in Deepak Chopra’s book. As a result, I started to realize how many things I did not want anymore. I let go of the “maybe I’ll use this for” items and the “someday I’ll get to it” items. Ironically, as I began to do this, more items from my past manifested into my life. I was surprised, but not really. It is Fire Rooster Year, the year to sound the alarm. The year of karmic rectification. Past things come to the surface for you to deal with or transform. So when piles of old art, old clothes, used books and unwanted possessions dramatically entered back into my life, I knew just what to do: face it and take action.

So here's to winning in March 2017!