Feeding into the stereotypes!

I am in the store. I see two little boys. One of the boys looked to be about seven years old and the other three years old. I wanted to beat both of their hindparts. They both had on baseball caps...turned backwards. But, that is not what ticked me off! I was so mad because both of these little boys were SAGGING their pants. First of all, how are you going to go out in public and let your three year old sagg his pants with a pull up on?

What kind of males are we raising? Are we raising them to fit every stereotype that they have for African American males? I wanted to pull that young mother to the side and school her. However, she was fitting every stereotype that they have for young black women. At that point, I was just confused. I didn't know whether to school her on her or her on her kids. What in the world!

Have you ever been just thinking? LOL!

LOL. I haven't posted from Blogspot in a minute. This site is just for GP. When I am in here, I just want to talk...no poems. I found a new place just for the poetic side of me...blog spot is the crazy me and to help promote my new book!

Okay, getting to my real point,have you ever found yourself, just thinking, but don't know about what? It is so funny. I am sitting here "just thinking" and when I finished, I could not remember what in the world I was thinking about (but I know I was thinking).

I have my God Daugther over. The kids are playing the Xbox and I can't remember what I was thinking! How about that? Is this a sign of old age? LOL.

Oh, come on yall, please don't act like you haven't ever been "just thinking".

BTW...I am promoting my poetry blog at http://hellopoetry.com/-nicole-rountree/...Look me up! also, my poetry website at authornikay.com!

Storms: Change is Good

You know, sometimes change is good. There are times when we are scared of change, but that is natural. If you have ever read the book, Who Moved My Cheese, you would really get a good idea about how important adjusting to change is in our lives.

I have decided to make a change. I am scared, but I know that things will be alright. I know that I will be alright! As a former science teacher, if change doesn't happen, life does not go on. In order for us to continue to live, evolution must take place. Darwin was one of the first scientist to realize this. It makes me laugh when I see the pictures of the short neck giraffes and the long neck giraffes. Why do you think we don't see the short neck giraffes today? Well, because they did not evolve to have necks long enough for them to reach the leaves on the tall trees. No leaves, no food. No food, no life.

Change, evolution....is good for continued growth and life.

Author NiKay

Storms: So tired

Hello everyone. I am now up to Chapter 13 in my book, When It Rains, It Pours. I am so ready for the book to come to an end. LOL. I know that I can do that very easily, but I want it to make sense...right? Well, anyway, I may get through Chapter 13 and let the TV start watching me.

My Sisters

This post is dedicated just to my sisters. Although we are several years apart, as we have grown up the age differences have made no difference. I want to dedicate this post to my sisters: Nikkia Williams and Adrina Skyles. I love you both.

Storms: Angels-Seen and Unseen

Do you believe in angels? Well, I do. God sends angels not in the form of beautiful white visions with wings, but he sends human beings. I had a parent conference today with the aunt of the lady who cursed me the day before and she shared with me her testimony. She was a woman of God. I could tell in my spirit. She was an angel sent by God to give me confirmation. She told me to be encouraged. She told me that God will provide. She told me to listen to God and he will not steer me wrong.

I read a blog today by my soror, Daphine Glen Robinson, who also inspired me to "Be encouraged!" I will not stop what God has told me to do because of the lack of support, the haters, the people who are jealous or envious. Why? Read Psalms 37: 1-4

Do not fret because of those who are evil or be envious of those who do wrong; for like the grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away.

Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.
Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart.

You can say what you want, you can do what you want, you can support my efforts, you can down my efforts...but I put my faith in no man.

THIS JOY THAT I HAVE RIGHT NOW...THE WORLD DIDN'T GIVE IT AND THE WORLD CAN'T TAKE IT AWAY. THANK YOU LORD FOR PEACE!

Storms: The Apple Doesn't Fall to Far from the Tree

You know it is very interesting working in the field of education and encountering a student that exhibits the 3 D's (Defiance, Disrespect, Disruption) only to find that the parents are the same way.

Well, you know what? The Apples truly don't fall to far from the trees.

That is all for tonight.

~Author NiKay

Storms: The Moon Changes People!

Do you ever have those days where you wish you would have just stayed in the bed? Well, today was one of those days for me. When I was driving down the street, on my way to work, I realized that we had a full moon. Now, you may think that I am crazy for saying this, but I believe that the full moon drives students CRAZY. During the phase of the full moon, there are more disruptions (i.e. fights, minor altercations), parent complaints, teacher complaints, and administrator frustrations.

The FULL MOON turns people into werewolves. If I could do "another" dissertation, I would do it on the Effects of the Full Moon on Student Behavior. I know that I am not trying to go back and get another Doctorate, so I will just have to do some side research on this. I swear that this is the case. I bet that if you ask someone who works in the ER, a policeman, fireman, psych ward official, or anyone who works with the public in any way, they will tell you the PEOPLE GO CRAZY during a FULL MOON!

I'm just saying....

POEM: POVERTY

POVERTY

POVERTY IS NOT JUST A WAY OF LIFE! IT IS A FRAME OF MIND.
IT CAN HAPPEN ALL AT ONCE OR OVER TIME.

YOU CAN STAY CONTENT WITH YOUR WAY OF LIFE
OR YOU CAN MAKE UP YOUR MIND TO SACRIFICE.

DO YOU REALLY NEED THAT BIG SCREEN TV
OR WILL A 20 INCH BE GOOD ENOUGH FOR THE FAMILY.

CAN YOU DO WITHOUT THE DOLCE AND GABBANA
OR DO YOU SETTLE FOR THE HAND ME DOWNS YOU MAY GET FROM OTHERS.

ARE YOU TRYING TO KEEP UP WITH THE JONES'
CAN YOU REALLY AFFORD THE CARS AND HOUSES?

ARE YOU MAKING A SIX FIGURE SALARY! BUT TO CHEAP TO GIVE TO THOSE WHO ARE LACKING?

YES! I SAID IT! I AM TALKING TO YOU! POVERTY COULD BE ME OR POVERTY COULD BE YOU?

©Author Ni'Kay

The 3 D's

Disrespect, Defiance, and Disruption.....where are we going wrong as a society? As you may know, I work in the public school system. I am noticing a change in the way children treat adults, each other, and their parents. Unfortunately, parents take up for their children when they are dead wrong. One that really gets me is when a parent gets upset because their child gets suspended for fighting.....SELF DEFENSE! Parents let me tell you what seems to be a secret to some....Virginia has no self defense when it comes to fighting...you hit back...no matter who starts it....both children are in trouble. Does it make sense to you as a parent? Maybe not, but street law and school law is entirely different. Maybe this is the problem. Fight at the 7eleven...police come...your going to jail. Fight at school and you may get a suspension and then you return to school when the suspension is over. Kids are not held accountable. Don't get me started about the accountability when it comes to Special Education...that is a whole different topic. Parents it takes a village to raise a child, where are we going wrong. Prayer taken out of school...cant beat your kids...children raising children....parents and drug abuse....parents and incarceration, grandparents raising grands and in some cases great grandchildren! I am scared for our generation M (new millenium). They can sang Drake "The Motto", but cant read, decode, comprehend, add,,subtract, multiply or divide....:-( Parents, help us educate our children...teach the value of education, money, respect, morals, simple manners, and the list goes on. Raise them up so that if they stray, they will not depart from teachings. You know some of our boys don't own a suit or tie? Men teach our boys to be men! Lead by example! Education is the key to success. Help us promote it. Each one, Teach one.

~Ni'Kay

Storms: Stay In Your Lane

What's up everyone? I am back with another interesting topic. How many of you just want to tell people to stay in their lane? This makes me laugh. People seem to want to always try to tell you how to do your job. They want to come to you with a problem, but they are not trying to think about a solution. I guess I should have stayed in my lane today when I tried to break up a fight. When you don't stay in your lane, you get your feelings hurt. Here is some advice from me...Author Ni'Kay....You do your job and let me do mines.

TIRED OF BEING SICK AND TIRED

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Have you heard people at the work place, at home, or in the community say, “I am sick of being sick and tired?" We all get tired sometimes. However, what happens when you get to the point where you are tired of being tired. What do you do? Well, you have a choice. You have to decide what is making you sick and tired. You hear people say, “I am sick and tired of worrying about bills!” “I am sick and tired of getting up every day to go to a job that doesn’t appreciate me.” "I am sick and tired of getting paid, only to have it already accounted for in bills.” Well, here is a prescription from the doctor. Swallow the pill of faith, take a tablespoon of hope, and give yourself and injection of His strength. You take with or without food. You can store it in any temperature. However, you must take it in the morning, afternoon, and again at night. If you do these things, then the Doctor will bless your situation. You will no longer be sick. You will no longer be tired. This prescription is for neither for the swift nor the strong, but to he who endures until the end.

~NiKay

Storms: Bad Kids or Bad Parents

I am going to side step my normal association to my book tonight. Forgive me for this. However, I work in a field where there has been an evolution that we may not be aware has occurred. Well, children have evolved. Yes. Perfect example: Me: Thank you for bringing your child back to school from suspension today. Parent: Well, I talked to her and let her know that I am tired of coming up to this school. Me: Well, I don't understand the purpose of her bringing this "object" to school in the first place. The parent starts going off on the student once I showed her the "object". Student: Ma didn't I TELL you that we would talk about this when we get home! Parent: Continues fussing Student: I said we will talk about it at home.

Oh, boy! Me: Mom, See, that is the problem right there "she" thinks "she" is the parent!

Okay, was I out of line for telling the parent that? In my day, my mom or granny would have knocked my teeth out of my mouth and then made me pick them back up and put them back in my mouth. Then, they would have said, "And you betta put them back in right, too!"

Bad kids or Bad parents??? That is the questions!

Storms: A Mustard Seed

Well, today, I made a decision that requires me to reflect on the parable that is referenced not once, but twice in the bible. Once mentioned in Matthew 17: 19-20, "Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, 'Why could we not cast it out?' He said to them, 'Because of your little faith. For truly I tell you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you."

I was told that I was crazy for deciding to leave my position. To some, it is a position of status and many work for years trying to get there. This is true. However, 1 Corinthians 7:17 says that each person should live as a believer in whatever situation the Lord has assigned to them, just as God has called them. Everyone interprets the bible in his or her own way; however, I say no matter what you do in life, no matter the path that God has chosen for you, then you must believe that God will see you through and will not let you fail.

I am stepping out on faith. I am living as a believer in the Lord in whatever the position that he may assign me too. I thank God in advance for the blessings that his has bestowed upon me and will continue to bestow upon me. Why is it that I can thank him in advance? Because God says to the apostles in Luke 17:5-6, "If you had faith the size of a mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, 'Be uprooted and planted in the sea,' and it would obey you."

Where do you keep your mustard seeds? I sow mines in my heart! In turn, it reaps a great plant-->

Storms: Doubt Is a Beast! Kill the Beast! Kill the Beast!

Doubt! When it enters your mind, it can be a beast!

It tears you down and takes you to a place that you don't want to be. It keeps you from growing. It keeps you from knowing that your success could grow exponentially. Yea, doubt is a terrible thing to say the least.

Doubt enters your mind and kills your sight. You begin walk in the dark and not in the light. You begin to think that you cannot do, while everyone else around you is thinking that too!

Doubt! When it enters your mind, it can be a beast.

I need a release! I need to be able to kill that beast that we call doubt. I need to be able to remove the word out of my mouth. I need to remove the word, doubt, out of my mind because if I don't my efforts will just be a waste of time. It will be a waste of my time, your time, or time in general.

Doubt! I stomp you out so that I can have a peace of mind....at least for the meantime!

~~Ni'Kay

When It Rains, It Pours from the Pen of Author Ni'Kay has a FACE!

I just received the final design from my designer for my book cover. My new e-book has a face. It is now time to finish the body! Thank you to all who voted.

Storms: Under the Bus!

Why do people try to bring others down when they realize that the s*** is about to hit the fan? In other words, they 'throw you under the bus'. You often work hard only to find that people are secretly plotting against you. When I was young in my profession, I had a principal tell me that there are always people in your organization that will try to sabotage your efforts. I was naive. I didn't think that people would purposely do negative things to hurt their organization. Now that I have been around long enough to realize the wisdom in her words, I look at the people who drive these buses and wonder if there is something in their life that they are lacking. Is it love? Is it security? Is it friendship? Is it self-confidence? Is it self-motivation? Are they jealous? Envious? Starving for attention? Evil? Are they sociopaths? Well, if one or all of the above apply to them, then they are in need of serious therapy.

Well, here is my theory. When people feel that they have to sabotage your efforts, they unconsciously enter into the realm of 'self-sabotage'! This is when someone thinks they are hurting you, but they end up hurting themselves instead. You know how it works; they start throwing rocks, but are living in a glass house. Self-Sabotage! You know, I am rubber you are glue, whatever you say or do will bounce off of me and STICK to YOU! Hey, this is a classic example of what happens to the 'self-sabotager'.

Keep your eyes open for those people who are willing to 'throw you under the bus' for their own personal gain. You can't get rid of those tire tracks once they are on your back because they follow you everywhere you go.

I am going to leave you with this final, yet pRHOfound comment. IF YOU DON'T WANT TO GET THROWN UNDER THE BUS, THEN DAMMIT, YOU BETTER BE DRIVING IT!

~~Ni'Kay

When It Rains, It Pours: Storms: The Little Voice

When It Rains, It Pours: Storms: The Little Voice: I had a conversation today with a person that I consider a close friend. We began to talk about how sometimes things happen in our lives a...

Storms: The Little Voice

I had a conversation today with a person that I consider a close friend. We began to talk about how sometimes things happen in our lives and we don't exactly know why they happen. Now, there are things that we do in our lives that we wish that we could do all over again. In life's race, we think that there should have been another outcome. Sometimes, we think that we should be the WINNER. But, at the end of the day, we are not, we LOST. Well, a powerful tool to use in life is SELF REFLECTION. Let's think about the life of a women or man (yes, man) that suffers from domestic violence. At what point, did they hear "the little voice" that said, "Joe or Jane Blo, he/she is a damn lunatic and you need to leave him/her alone?" This little voice told you this information after the first date, but you didn't listen. "The little voice", told you to stay home tonight, but you go to the club anyway. At the club, there is a big brawl and you get shot (Lord forbid that your dumb butt dies). Yes, "that little voice" that says, "You need to study for your test today because you might get caught". Well, you once again, did not listen to "the little voice" and now you got a zero on the test, a phone call home to mom, and a day in after-school detention. Really, how hard is it to listen to your "inner voice"? God has given all of us "Free Will". Keep in mind, the "little voice" that you hear are the gentle reminders from God telling you that I will always be there for you. However, due to free will, he has given us the option to listen or to mute the voice. Just know that muting that voice, may tune out the true opportunities that God has planned for us. So, "THE LITTLE VOICE" should always be on SPEAKER PHONE!

~Author Ni'Kay

Storms: Are You A Crab?

Have you ever noticed how crabs that are caught in a net, dangling from the end of bait, about to be cooked in a pot, hold on to each other for dear life? I know you have noticed. You can't help but notice. Well, they grab each other by the legs and by the claws and they pull and pull until they damn near break each other's legs off. In some cases, they do break off legs and claws. In extreme cases, they kill each other. I know you are wondering where this is going, right? Well, if you know me, YOU BOUT TO LEARN TODAY!!!

Are you a crab? I am not talking about literally a crab, but figuratively speaking. Are you that person that sees your friend, associate, or maybe a rival, getting ahead and you hate on them, sabotage them, or make their accomplishment seem like it is mediocre? In other words, you young folk, may refer to this "crab behavior" as being a "hater".

Well, I say, don't hate the player, hate the game. What God Has For You is For You! No man, woman, crab, or hater can take that away. Anyway, back to my crabs, they pull and hold on, but failing to realize that the more they hold on to what the other crab has, the more they put themselves closer to the boiling pot. Humph, I think all of us have been a crab at some point in our lives in our lives; however, the crabs that miss the boiling pot are the ones who realize that they must just LET IT GO!

~Ni'Kay

Storms: "Dreams"- Chaser or Chased

Do you ever wonder what your dreams mean? I know I do. I believe that our dreams are our minds way of sorting through life's daily events. I also believe that dreams may be the foreshawdowing of things to come. There is one ocurring dream that always has me wondering its purpose.

In this dream, I am being chased. I could be chased by someone, something, or that faceless being that I believe represents my problem or issue. I hate those dreams. Why? Well, because I am never unable to outrun them. It seems that the faster I run, the faster that "chaser" gets to me. I can never turn around to look it in the face, so I am often not clear as to who or what the "chaser" is. I hate those dreams because I don't ever accomplish anything. I just run and run. Eventually, I awake and I do not have anything to show for it. What a bummer!

Now, there are dreams that I do love. The dreams that allow me to "chase" them. The dream that I had as a little girl of attending a HBCU college. I was the dream "chaser". I attended and graduated from college, Norfolk State University, where I majored in Biology/Education. I dreamed about joining a sorority. Not just any sorority, but a sorority that fit who I was as a person. Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Incorporated was the path that I took. I was a dream "chaser". I dreamed about having a career in education. I dreamed of helping to shape minds. In April of 2002-2003, I was Teacher of the Year for Waters Middle School. I was a dream "chaser". I always dreamed of continuing my education, so I attended Old Dominion University and obtained a Masters in Educational Leadership. I was a dream "chaser". I dreamed of becoming an administrator. I did. I was a dream "chaser". As a child, my ultimate dream was to become a doctor. I thought that "doctor" meant that I had to work in the field of medicine. I found out later that healing the sick and healing minds were one in the same. In June of 2011, I graduated from Nova Southeastern University with a Doctorate in Instructional Leadership. I was a dream "chaser". Now, as I continue to dream, I reflect on my next dream to chase. I dream of becoming a Best-Selling, Self-Published Author. As I look back on all of the other dreams that "I" have "chased", I know that I will capture this dream because "I AM A DREAM CHASER!"

Storms: How to jump HURDLES

You know sometimes God will place stumbling blocks, obstacles, storms, or just plain old HURDLES in your path. When we come across these HURDLES, we must make a decision. We must decide if we are going to avoid the HURDLE, stumble over the HURDLE, or jump THE HURDLE. Now, depending on the situation, avoiding the HURDLE may keep you from getting into a situation that may make you fall to the ground. You may not be able to recover. Then, there may be a time where you may need to stumble over the HURDLE. In this case, stumbling brings your attention to a situation because it knocks you off balance; however, it gives you the opportunity to get up, brush yourself off, recalibrate your steps, and move forward. Now, the jump, is the hardest. Why? Well, it takes strength, concentration, focus, dedication, belief, confidence, persistence, practice, and perseverence.

In high school, I remember my coach trying to teach me how to jump hurdles. I took some deep breaths, looked at the lane leading to the first hurdle, I rocked back and forth and began to run. I accelerated my speed after the first six steps or so. I got two steps away from the HURDLE and stopped. AVOID! (only to realize that the HURDLE was too high) Boy, I could have really been hurt. My coach readjusts the HURDLE. I go back and repeat my previous routine.... I took some deep breaths, looked at the lane leading to the first hurdle, I rocked back and forth and began to run. I accelerated my speed after the first six steps or so, but this time my trail leg hit the edge of the HURDLE. My coach ran over to me and said, "Not bad, but you need to lift your trail leg up about a half an inch higher to AVOID hitting the edge of the HURDLE this time. So, I took some deep breaths, looked at the lane leading to the first hurdle, I rocked back and forth and began to run. I accelerated my speed after the first six steps or so, I lifted my trail leg a half an inch and JUMPED. I continued to run towards the second HURDLE and JUMPED, the third, fourth, fifth...tenth and JUMPED. I ran 50 more meters HURDLE free to the finish line. I am a WINNER.

What are your HURDLES? WHO is your COACH? God says that no weapons formed against me shall prosper.... WEAPONS:HURDLES


WHAT ARE YOUR HURDLES? WHO IS YOUR COACH?

NiKay

Storms: Expectations

How high should an expectation be? Should it be as high as people have set for me? Should it reach to the heavens above? Only I know what drives me to achieve. Could it be that no one thinks about my elevation or my motivation? Expectation is to me; my goals, my dreams, and my creativity. Sometimes their expectations are beyond what I consider to be reality. There are people who rise to expectations. There are people who meet expectations; however, me, I plan to exceed expectations. Not your expectations, not their expectations, but the expectations that I set for myself. Why? Because my expectations are my Reality.

WhenItRainsItPoursbooktrailer 2

Storm: Queen, Worker, or Drone Bee?

What is the difference between the worker bees, drones, and the Queen Bee? Right now, I feel like a worker bee and the drone. Is that even possible? The point is that bees are either or, but they don't play multiple roles. Queen or King bees have to respect the ones that work for them or else their kingdom will fall. So, with that being said, this worker-drone will be leaving the hive and finding one that appreciates the workers. If not, the storm will never end.

Storms

I woke up this morning wondering where I was going to take my character today. It is amazing how you get enjoyment out of being able to do what you ordinarily would not do through your alter ego...

Storms

What does it really mean when someone says, "When it rains, It pours"?   I know for me, it seems that know matter what I do, no matter how far I get ahead, there is always a stumbling block.  What can I do to get out of this rut?  There are days that I just want to give up. Am I alone?  Will my storms ever go away?

......Ni'Kay