The Gilded Ones You can listen to the podcast review as well. Scroll down for the link. A A+ A- All the variation of As goes to Namina Forna and her novel The Gilded Ones. I was not sure what to expect when I picked up this book. I was intrigued by the concept of the outcast turning into her community’s salvation. It is an archetypal story after all. My curiosity was rewarded with an interesting, well-crafted story that kept me turning the pages with ravenous intensity.  Forna tells the tale of Deka who lives in a place and time where women and girls are essentially oppressed in every way possible. Yet everyone not only abides by this but they believe it so fervently that they dare not go against it for fear of being shunned and ostracized. Deka finds herself on the wrong side of what is acceptable and what happens to her is beyond imaginable.  Forna had me completely hooked and I finished the book in record time. Deka’s struggle and growth was tackled in such a way tha...

  Without Remorse Tom Clancy’s Without Remorse starring Michael B Jordan, Lauren London, Jodie Turner-Smith, Guy Pierce, and Jamie Bell was released over the weekend on Amazon Prime to poor critic reviews yet favorable fan reviews. It is a story about John Clark, a Navy Seal, whose mission in life is to get revenge on those who murdered his wife and unborn child. I feel fortunate that I have not read the book. It seems those who did were very disappointed with the movie because the screenplay writers make have been very liberal in their use of the creative license. I actually enjoyed the movie though. It is clear from the production quality that the studio did not nickel and dime the budget.  Michael B. Jordan carried this film. He hoisted it on his broad, chiseled shoulders and pushed through some of the cliched nuances that we would expect from a Tom Clancy-inspired film. Now did he do enough to take this across the finish line to start off a new franchise? That remains to b...

My spirit has been disturbed for quite some time now as I've been mulling over the events in the past few years up until this recent GA thing and including people's comments on my TL as well as other SM platforms. The hate is real. It had me wondering about our "progress." I needed this reminder that our resilience is unmatched and our human spirit is unwavering and our tenacity is ferocious.  I want to believe that humanity is better than this and that we will continue to rise not only as Black people on this planet but also as a collective people. Our differences should not alienate us but bring us together to form a worldwide tapestry in which all of our diversity is appreciated. Every single creature has a place and purpose. Our differences are meant to be complimentary instead of leading to adversary amongts us. However, I am well aware that is not the place we are currently in. I appreciate the fighters who will not quite in the pursuit of that Marti...

The best part about being a nurse is, honestly, being able to help people. Nurse's reach out and try to touch the whole person. Sometimes we can get caught up and forget what is really important but at the end of the day, it is the work that sets us straight. Our ability to provide some support when people are at their most vulnerable is a gift that we should not take for granted.  On this National Nurses Day, I am grateful for the ability to do what I do.  There are several places that are giving freebies. Check out Nurse.org for the article. https://nurse.org/articles/free-nurse-week-giveaways/

  You Decide  Image by  Alain Audet  from  Pixabay   “It always comes down to one simple thing, the decision to keep going until you have reached your goal.” - Jen Sincero The choices you make to get through life may look different from day-to-day. Ultimately, you have the power within you to change the course of your life. You have to not only realize that but also accept it, and then make a regular decision to access it. Regular can mean from moment to moment. However many times you need to keep yourself motivated and encouraged.  “You get to choose between achieving success and giving up.” - Jen Sincero

The Suicide Squad slated to be released on August 6, 2021. The cast lineup includes Margot Robbie, reprising her role as Harley Quinn as well as Joel Kinnaman, Jai Cortney, and Viola Davis who are all making a return for round 2. Newcomers include John Cena, Peet Davidon, Storm Reid, Michael Rooker, and Idris Elba to name a few.  Looking at the cast, I am pretty excited, but watching the trailer, I am underwhelmed. I cannot say that I hated it in the least, but it did not grab me and have me in anticipation. Check out the trailer in my reaction video. 

  I Care a Lot  I Care a Lot is currently streaming on Netflix and stars Rosamund Pike, Eiza Gonzelez, Peter Dinklage, and Dianne Wiest as Marla Grayson, Fran, Roman Lunyov, and Jennifer Peterson respectively. It is about a ruthless woman, Marla Grayson, who takes advantage of the elderly by getting assigned as their court-appointed guardian and then basically steals all their money. It is quite the elaborate scheme in which she has a doctor sign off on a patient’s incompetence and dumps then into nursing facilities that are in on it. Was this a good movie? Yes. Did I like it? Absolutely not. It is not my type of movie. If I have to give it an unbiased rating it would be a solid B+. The acting was on point. The casting was amazing. The set gave a perfect contrast again the dark content of the film. It was colorful, beautiful,  and light and airy as if attempting to make the viewer forget that we are watching something very sinister play out. The pacing was well done also....

  You Are a Badass Every Day: How to Keep Your Motivation Strong, Your Vibe High and Your quest for Transformation Unstoppable by Jen Sincero.  Jen Sincero is a motivational speaker, success coach, and bestselling author. You are a Badass Everyday is one of her Badass installments. I took some time to read this book because I myself needed the motivation and pick me up. Also, it was a quick read and reinforced my belief that yea, I am a badass.  As I have always kept it honest with you all, I am a work in progress and am glad you are along for the journey with me. With that in mind, I look for books that will help me and give me the inspiration and motivation to kick my badass in gear. The title attracted me enough that I was hopeful. Again, I don’t believe there are new concepts out there to get us to success. I am not a fan of reinventing the wheel. I love looking for information from different sources because the next person can say something different that resonates w...

Do something different. Shake your life up a bit. Our brains are funny little 3 pound masses that can take us for a loop and we are still learning so much about it. As much as I enjoy having a routine in my life because it gives me the illusion of having control, variety is also key for cognitive health. Soomi Lee, PhD, assistant professor in the USF College of Behavior and Community Sciences reports "findings suggest that active and engaged lifestyles with diverse and regular activities are essential for our cognitive health." I am not a regular baker but I wanted to do something different. I have not baked in quite some time and I probably won't even eat all the cake but it was a fun and different activity to do. So even if you do not do something drastic. Shaking things up even a little bit can help change the trajectory of your thought, attitude and day.  Article Source:  Variety and consistency are essential to keep the mind health My related Tiktok below @wandatob...