Kwanzaa in the 21st Century: Nia

Author's note: Anyone  who knows me knows that I am notorious for for mixing up the fifth and sixth days of Kwanzaa.  Nia is usually celebrated on the fifth day while Kuumba is celebrated on the sixth.  For the purpose of this series, Nia will be celebrated today.  Thanks! ~SKG

Nia, meaning purpose, is celebrated on the sixth day of Kwanzaa. It means to make as our collective vocation the building and developing of our community, in order to restore our people to our traditional greatness. (Source: The Official Kwanzaa Website)  Any African American that moves forward the causes of our people as a whole practices Nia.  We learn, build and contribute with purpose.  This is why we have been able to achieve, and continue to achieve, greatness.  Will we reach the greatness of our African ancestors?  That remains to be seen.  However, if we are steadfast in our commitment to reaching that goal, then we are off to a pretty good start.


Nia has to be the most American principle among the Nguzo Saba.  If our nation's founding fathers did not exercise Nia, then where would we be?  Can you imagine how different the world would be without the United States of America?  What if General George Washington just threw up his hands and said, "We give up, Your Majesty!"  and ran back to the United Kingdom and left the colonies as they were.  Would we still be under British rule?  Would we still have to give honor to Queen and country...that isn't ours?  Would your ancestors have made to the new world?  If we did not have Nia in our plan, how would America look?


Your task for today:  As the new year dawns, take a moment to set goals, not make resolutions.  Make it your purpose to make 2013 better than 2012.  Start small!  Every goal is special, no matter what size!

Kwanzaa in the 21st Century: Kuumba

Today marks the fifth day of Kwanzaa, Kuumba, meaning creativity.  It is defined as always doing as much as we can in order to leave our community more beautiful and beneficial than we inherited it. (Source: The Official Kwanzaa Website) I can't think of a more creative people than African Americans.  For centuries, people of African decent were ridiculed and condemned for expressing creativity.  How we wear our hair, how we speak, how we dress, our traditions.  All have been reviled and rejected...until the 20th century.  Our influences are felt in music, art, business and in popular culture.  It's now cool to embrace the things we were once hated for...how we wear our hair, how we speak, how we dress and our traditions.

The single most modern day example of Kuumba is the internet.  The digital age has taken creativity to the next level and beyond.  It has enabled each of us who are able and are comfortable with it, to create within our own little slice of the web.  Graphic art, music, journalism or blogging (like myself) has multiplied a gazillion-fold, giving each of us a voice that we may not other wise have.

I dedicate this post to the most creative person I know, my mother Roseann.  She can take the most rudimentary of objects and create a work of art.  She can take a group of friends and create the Classy Chassis of the Red Hat Society.  She can take bits and pieces of different items and create my beautiful wedding dress.  Roseann can take a hodgepodge of resources and talents and create a stellar event. Roseann is an absolute genius with a needle and thread, a diva of style and the best artist I know.  (A side note: A lot of that Kuumba skipped me and landed right on my only daughter! I guess it skips a generation.  Don't worry, I cultivated my own Kuumba over the years...LOL!)

Her creative love was able to take a big ole' mess like me from the 1990's and create the woman of God I am today in the 21st century.  In the name of Jesus, I thank you Momma.

Your task for today:  Create something!  Create a song. Create a poem.  Start that novel.  Get jiggy  with that term paper next semester.  Create a solution for a problem.  Create a way out of no way.  Make it happen!

Kwanzaa in the 21st Century: Ujama

The fourth day of Kwanzaa observes Ujama, cooperative economics, defined as building and maintaining our own stores, shops, and other businesses, and to profit from them together.(Source: The Official Kwanzaa Website)  African Americans have been practicing Ujama since our arrival in this country.  Despite our limited resources, African Americans have invested in our communities, thus making our nation stronger.  Frederick Douglass wrote, "We must become valuable to society in other departments of industry than those servile ones from which we are rapidly being excluded. We must show that we can do as well as be; to this end we must learn trades."(Source: The Root).  To that end, African Americans have found their place not only as business owners, but as major developers of their respective communities and the country as a whole.

Not sure of you practice Ujama?  Think of the words "Made in America".  If you regularly purchase goods that are American made, then you practice Ujama!  Buying books at a family owned bookstore, supporting a locally owned franchise or investing in an American built car are also prime examples of Ujama.  President Obama succeeded in Ujama by investing in the American auto industry, creating new opportunities in growth and competition in the market,  enabling our auto makers to compete on a global level once again. 

If you would like to support your locally owned businesses, start with your own neighborhood.   You'll be surprised at all the wonderful things businesses in your community are able to offer you.  

Your task for today (weather permitting):  Instead of driving out to your regular mega store, take a moment to visit that little shop your drive past everyday.  Introduce yourself and make a purchase if you are able.

Kwanzaa in the 21st Century: Ujima

The third day of Kwanzaa observes Ujima.  Ujima, collective work and responsibility, means to build and maintain our community together, and make our sisters’ and brothers’ problems our problems, and to solve them together. (Source: The Official Kwanzaa Website)  African traditions dictate that we are to not only take care of our own houses, but to also provide for others.  Think of the phrase "It take a village to raise a child."

If you are an active part of your neighborhood, then you practice Ujima.  Our family is fortunate to be part of an area that is very diverse and family oriented.  Before our area school closed, it was the hub of the east side.  When ever a family needed something, someone always came forward to take action.  Whether it was food, clothing, help with bills or a place to go until Mom got home from work, Bingham Bulldogs always looked out for each other. 

One of the best and most recent examples of Ujima occurred after super storm Sandy.  Generosity poured in from all over the world  to provide clothing, household goods and funds for those families who were affected. Americans, in turn, are quick to come to the assistance of foreign countries in need, whether its AIDS awareness in Africa, disaster relief in Haiti, and rescue efforts in Asia and beyond.  The country still continues to rally around Newtown, CT and the families that were devastated by the violence that took place at Sandy Nook Elementary.  We all continue to feel their loss.

This is the only world God gave us.  It is our sacred duty to take of it and each other.

Your task for today: Do one or more things to take care of your community.  Shovel the snow of an elderly neighbor, invite your kids' friends over to bake cookies, volunteer to feed the hungry, etc...no matter how big or small, leave your community better than how you found it.

Kwanzaa in the 21st Century: Kujichagulia

The second day of Kwanzaa observes Kujichagulia (Koo-je-cha-gulia), which means Self-Determination.  Kujichagulia means to define ourselves, name ourselves, create for ourselves and speak for ourselves instead of being defined, named, created, and spoken for by others. (Source: The Official Kwanzaa Website) This has been a common theme among people of color in America.  In the past, African Americans have been defined as a fraction of a White man, savages, coons, criminals, thugs, slackers and the like.  For far too long, we've had to endure the labels and stereotypes that have tarnished our image to other ethnic groups in this country.  The truth of the matter?  African Americans are increasingly defined as educators, healers, business owners, artists, intellectuals, activists, and leaders.  By and large, we have finally begun to define ourselves as Americans.

Who or what defines you?  On more than one occasion, I've allowed myself to be defined by what I did for a living or who I hung out with.  It wasn't until recently, that I was able to establish my own identity outside being a wife, mother and a servant to my community.  After a long, difficult journey, I can now say that I'm a woman who loves writing, reading, and creating.  I'm a die-hard native Detroiter and Michiganian who makes no apologies for it.  I'm a Christian who believes in the right for all to worship without judgement.  I'm a lifelong baseball fan.  I'm a praise dancer.  I'm still discovering what it means to be me.

I define myself as Sasha.  That's good enough.

Your task for today:  Take a moment to remember what makes you unique and nurture it.  Define yourself.

Kwanzaa in the 21st Century: Umoja

Kwanzaa is a week-long celebration held in the United States (and, more recently, Canada) but also celebrated in the Western African Diaspora. The celebration honors African heritage in African-American culture, and is observed from December 26 to January 1, culminating in a feast and gift-giving. Kwanzaa has seven core principles (Nguzo Saba): Unity, self-determination, collective work and responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity, and faith. It was created by Maulana Karenga, and was first celebrated in 1966–67.  Kwanzaa celebrates what its founder called the seven principles of Kwanzaa, or Nguzo Saba (originally Nguzu Saba—the seven principles of African Heritage), which Karenga said "is a communitarian African philosophy," consisting of what Karenga called "the best of African thought and practice in constant exchange with the world."(Source: wikipedia.org)

For more information about Kwanzaa, please visit the Official Kwanzaa Website.

Many still question the relevance of Kwanzaa, even within the African American community.  While Kwanzaa celebrations are being attended by a more diverse audience, it has often been criticized as useless, unnecessary and even racist.  This couldn't be further from the truth.  If one were to take a moment to learn about each of the seven principles, each embodies an aspect of our nation's strengths that make it great.

The first day of Kwanzaa is Umoja, which means "unity" in Swahili.  According to the Official Kwanzaa Website, Umoja means "to strive for and maintain unity in the family, community, nation, and race."  Where our country is concerned, unity is seen everyday.  Whether we unite after a national tragedy or a national victory, one thing is certain: We are all proud Americans who project unity to the rest of the world.  Of course, we have our differences, a byproduct of democracy.  However, at the end of the day, we are united by a set of inalienable rights that make America the great nation it is. In a time, were radical political change is happening in nations abroad, one thing is certain: We are the perfectors of unity and democracy.  That is something we can all be proud of.

Your task for today: Do one (or more) thing(s) that will further the cause of unity in your home, place of work, your place of worship, within your community or to further unity in America.

Thank you for sticking around...

Now that summer is over and the kids are back in school, I'm ready to get back to doing what I live to do...giving you my two cents plus one!

There is so much to talk about!  It's an exciting time to be a blogger like me.  The only down side is deciding what to write about...

Stay tuned!  I promise not to disappoint!

Mitt Romney and the NAACP

Hello all!  I know its been a minute...thank you for bearing with me!

There are so many things I could be writing about right now.  It's been a fantastic week (and month) for news!  But when I saw this tagline, I had to say something:  "Romney to attend NAACP convention" (thegrio.com)

The GOP is no stranger to this annual event.  The NAACP convention is an important stop on the campaign trail for those who are trying to court the Black vote.  Not surprising, Black Republican voters were out to spread their message.  The National Black Republican Association attended the 2008 NAACP Convention in Cincinnati and was well received by many of the attendees. Read about it here.  Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) attended during his run for president against then Sen. Barack Obama.  Sen. McCain looked very comfortable among his fellow Republicans of Color.  That doesn't surprise me at all.  Sen. McCain has always struck me as a genuine individual.  I thought he handled his address to the convention goers well, considering he was in a decidedly "pro-Obama" crowd.  His remarks were centered around education, an issue that has been a central focus of African Americans since our ancestors' arrival in this country.  Sen. McCain received a standing ovation, seen by media outlets as "polite" or "tepid".

Times have certainly changed since the 2008 election.  Since President Obama won the White House, racism has made its presence explicitly known, sexism has made a 50's style comeback, and homophobia (or what I like to call "sexualityism") has taken prejudice to a whole other level.  The current presidential race has taken a very divisive and ugly turn, splitting the country along racial lines.

Gov. Romney has is work cut out for him.

The former Massachusetts governor will walk into the 2012 NAACP National Convention in Houston, Texas in July to convince Black voters that he is the right man for the job against a president that can truly understand what it means to be Black in America.  I can't help but feel a little skeptical. He has some serious damage control to do on behalf of his party.  I believe he waited waaaay too late to rally new Black voters.  That's not to say that Black voters are not throwing their support behind the assumed GOP nominee.  The African Americans for Mitt Romney Facebook page has only about 280 likes as of today, however, I see that number growing as we get closer to November.  Further, he doesn't strike me as the most charismatic.

Whatever Gov. Romney decides to say I wish him luck, in a manner of speaking.  He is going into very hostile territory at a time where I believe many of the attendees will be looking for solutions instead of the Obama bashing that as become a regular fixture on all GOP fronts.  Rhetoric is not going to fly here.

To my brothers and sisters attending the convention, I trust you all to be the dignified representatives that I know you will be.  If you are still on the fence, make him address your concerns.  Make him answer your questions.  Make him earn your vote!

Look for my continuing coverage of this story during the 2012 NAACP Annual Convention in Houston, TX., July 7-12, 2012.

The Beautiful Stress

I was flipping channels tonight and came across of one my most favorite scenes in one of my least favorite movies.  The scene where  Miranda & Charlotte talk about motherhood in "Sex & the City 2" seems to resonate with me.  After watching it, one fact became crystal clear...

Motherhood is hard.

Think about all the times we've made our moms crazy with the littlest things, and how the big things made them even crazier.  Even now, when we think we have it all together one moment and it all crashes down the next.  As much as we want to control our day there is always that wild card named Life.  

It happens...

Somehow, that's the beauty of motherhood.  No matter where we are in this life's journey, in this exclusive sorority we all have something in common.  We stress out about our kids.  What has the potential of diversity among us is what causes the stress in the first place.  Of course, we stress out about our children's health, education, future...you know, the basics.  But then, there are mothers who are dealing with children with unique issues.  Some big. Some small.

The stress is, in a "strange but true" way, is the mark of motherhood.  We want our children to be happy, blessed   and prosperous.  And in many, if not most, cases, a certain amount of stress is a given.  From the fruits of that stress come the victories.  That first word.  Those first steps.  The first day of school.  Graduation.  A first job.  A first love.  Marriage and that first grandchild.  It goes on and on...as long as it equates to our children's happiness.

It doesn't matter where a person goes in life, if they are happy with where they are, there is a mother who loved enough and cared enough to stress out about them.  Through the hills and valleys, we are there to shape the masterpiece and pick up the pieces if it is dropped.  Our perseverance is glue that put those pieces back together.  Our hope proudly puts the masterpiece back on display.  

So, here's to the beautiful stress.  It's what makes us go the extra mile for the trip to the zoo work, even if you are dead on your feet. It makes us endure the pain of our child's broken heart after a friend let's them down.  The beautiful stress makes us concede to the prom dress we hate.  It makes us sacrifice our want of that new trinket or bauble so our child can visit a museum.  It makes us do want we have to do in order to give our children the life they deserve. 

It's what we do...and we do it beautifully.

He went there...Obama supports gay marriage

Is it just me?  I just don't see what the big deal is...


The President took a definitive stand on the issue of gay marriage.  He supports it, no doubt about it.


The first question that popped into my head:  How will this affect his re-election?


The Obama Presidency has been plagued with divisiveness.  The economy, immigration, the war on terror, a woman's right to choose, race, gender...the list goes on and on and on.  All of these issues are on the table from now 'til November...and it's about to get ugly.


He took it there..gay marriage!


Honestly, again, I don't know what the big deal is.  I've seen how hard gay couples work, how they raise kids, how they plan for the future and how they struggle...LIKE EVERYONE ELSE!


I know I'm going to catch a little hell from my conservative readers, all 3 of 'em (smile) but consider this:


I am a card carrying member of the United Church of Christ which is, by most standards, is pretty doggone liberal.   I'm reminded of a very important mantra from the UCC website (ucc.org) that I live by everyday: "No matter who you are or where you are on life’s journey, you are welcome here."  I'm very bothered by any church using the Bible as an excuse to exclude anyone from the Lord's Grace.  I'm even more disturbed by any politician who uses this social issue as a way to get votes...on both sides of the isle.


I want to close by reminding my readers that there are real people behind the rhetoric.  Gay Americans have the right to grow old with the ones they love...and have it acknowledged by the country they love.

Ten Year's Later...Life Without Left Eye

Who remembers how excited you were when the new TLC disk dropped?  How hyped were you when TLC was on the MTV Video Music Awards?  Where were you when Lisa "burned the house down"?

Oh , how much has music changed since we lost our gem of the 1990's, Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes.  Gone are the days of the girl power attitude, the anthems: "No Scrubs", "Ain't Too Proud to Beg", "Creep".  Music was in the prime of a happy marriage of hip hop and R&B...and it was good.

Lisa's presence touched so many and her death affected us all.  I'll never forget Dale Earnhardt, Jr. and his NASCAR team paying tribute by donning black stripes under the left headlights of their cars during the Pontiac 400 that year.

I've been a Dale, Jr. fan ever since...

My last memories of Lisa Lopes came from the VH-1 documentary "The Last Days of Left Eye".  I saw a very different side of her.  She wasn't angry about her past.  The free wheeling and, sometimes, self centered artist was gone.  My only regret was that the world was unable to share the joy she felt towards the end of her life.

While the last ten years quietly slipped by, music had to evolve and evolve quickly.  The TLC era was essentially over. TLC moved on with their lives and so did we.

I hope she knows how grateful her fans were, and still are, for her everything she has done for music.

I, for one, was and still is.  Thank you Lisa.

The Ugly Is About To Come Out...

Now that we're dealing with a real case in a court of law, I feel the need to say a little more about Trayvon Martin and George Zimmerman.

During his hearing today, George Zimmerman apologized to Trayvon Martin's parents for shooting their unarmed son.  Yahoo! News reports that his apology was "disingenuous" in the eyes of Martin's parents.


That wasn't what bothered me.  It was the comments that followed....My goodness!!


"Why are they suing?"  "Where's Jesse Jackson?"  "Al Sharpton said..." "He had it coming!"


All I could do is shake my head.  I though we saw the worst America has to offer during President Obama's first term.  We ain't seen nothing yet...


Check out the comments after you read the online news about this.   You'll see what I mean.


Let me know what you think! Find "My Three Cents" on Facebook and sound off!


To be continued...

My American Childhood: Thank you, Mr. Dick Clark

Who remembers Saturday mornings as a child?


Before 24-hour "toon-a-thons" and the magic of "On Demand",  all we had were after school cartoons and Saturday mornings.  Let's see what I can remember...


"The Smurf"s, "Super Friends", "Pac-Man", "Scooby-Doo" (an American Icon..thank you!) and many others.


My Saturday mornings in the 1980's consisted of some yummy cereal, my pajamas and my cartoon favorites.  As I got older, I still enjoyed some ink and paint, but as all pre-teens do, I began to gravitate towards pop culture.  So I took the step of watching TV beyond Noon.  Even then, options were limited.  There wasn't as much pop culture in the media as we know it today.  MTV was in its infancy and there was no internet to speak of. We had the radio, cassette tapes and TV.  


Growing up,  music was very segregated.  There was "Black music",  basically R & B with a younger, hipper sibling called hip hop, and there was "White music" generally pop music, rock and dance music.  These were very clear barriers that were seldom crossed...


...until "American Bandstand".


Dick Clark made the impossible possible in my eyes: creating a level of musical diversity that I never experienced before.  For years, I watched such artists such as Madonna, The Gap Band, Rick Springfield, and Sheila E., all of whom performed on the same stage.  


I'd never seen anything like it.


Young people have so many options where music is concerned these days.  My daughter, for example, can be watching Drake on BET, texting her friends about Kesha, has Mindless Behavior on her desktop and download all kinds of music to her computer (with my approval of course!). I wish I had it so good at her age. All we had were "American Bandstand", "Soul Train" and (for those from the "D") "The Scene".


I'm very grateful for what I had.


My first and lasting exposure to diversity in American music is credited to Dick Clark.  Thank you for bringing rap music to TV, thank you for allowing me to appreciate pop groups like Wang Chung and Talking Heads.  Thank you for putting my favorites on the air: New Edition, Bobby Brown, The Time, Madonna, Stevie Wonder, Blondie, Prince, Cyndi Lauper, Jody Watley,  The Gap Band and so many others...


You changed the game forever.  Spin the hits for the angels, Mr.Clark.

My Friend...The Season

Like it or not...sports is our escape.

It's been a tough month for the fighters of social injustice.  Between the ongoing Trayvon Martin situation (Unfortunately, I still can't call it a "case".), to our local school district putting 12 year old girls in the same building with 18 year old boys and call it "restructuring", the socially conscience and politically active have been pretty close to, if not, exhausted.  I've seen protests at the State Capitol, watched the marches take place all over the country, and I think we've all been "Romney-ed" and "Santorum-ed" to death.  Dare I say it, I'm even sick of looking at the White House Press Secretary.  I, for one, have been tweeting, posting, commenting and now blogging and still  find myself pretty stressed out because I think I'm not doing enough.

The good news is...the day I've been waiting for is finally here.  It's circled on my wall calendar, I've saved it on my phone and I've paid homage to it on my Facebook page.

Major League Baseball has returned when I needed it the most.

I don't pretend that most of my friends out there are as enthusiastic about baseball as I am.  Plenty of my friends and family are following the NBA and getting ready for the playoffs.  My husband is continuing to follow our hometown Red Wings.  The Masters is making its grand return.  And we're keeping up with the NFL off season.  Many of us are in the throws of an NCAA hoop hangover and I, for one, am still waiting for the Mayweather/Pacquiao match up that will NEVER HAPPEN!!

Sports takes us out of the drama that is our lives.  Its the only venue where Blacks and Whites, liberals and conservatives, Democrats and Republicans, union members and their employers, and the "lefts" and "rights" can agree on their hometeam, on who is the champion favorite, the best shot, the fastest pitcher and the most entertaining pregame show.  Sports was the only thing, in my opinion, that reunited a country after the September 11th attacks.  Sports kept us calm after an intense presidential election in 2008.  Baseball is keeping my nerves in check as I prayed for the shooting victims in California and on the eastside of Lansing this past weekend.  My Detroit Tigers kept me from crying hours after I learned that my son will be born with Down Syndrome.

Sports has it's place.  It knows its place.  It never pretends to be the most important thing on Earth even though it is for many of us.  Sports is there for us when we lose our jobs, when church folks are tripping out and when the mourners go home after we bid farewell to a loved one.  The Tigers are there when we fight with our friends.  The Steelers are there when you worry about your family.  The Bulls are there when a natural disaster strikes.

Sports is here for us when we need it....always.   Embrace it. Appreciate it.

Enjoy your season.

Seal Pictures - Sea Lion Wallpapers - National Geographic

Seal Pictures - Sea Lion Wallpapers - National Geographic

Finding Oprah...the next chapter suits me.

Okay, admit it...you have that favorite talk show that you TiVo, DVR, find On-Demand, or rush home from work to watch.  For drama junkies, there's "Maury" or the ever reliable "Jerry Springer", both of which make no apologies about  showcasing everything wrong with society...and make it look so entertaining!  Then there are the health conscience talk shows, like "Dr. Phil", "Dr. Drew", and "Dr. Oz".  Beneficial? Yes!  Exciting? Sometimes.  Then there are the Foodies, shows that remind us how much we love to eat and how bad we cook.  Thanks Rachel Ray and "The Chew"!!

But once in a generation, we are graced with a phenomenon that changes lives and changes the world. 

In a word...Oprah.  

Just the sound of her name can create goosebumps in the average American homemaker.  For years, millions tuned in to hear her words of encouragement and inspiration. Books would become best sellers at her mere mention.  She made stars out of everyday people.  When Oprah spoke, people bought. Her favorite things became the favorites of others.

By and large, I wasn't part of that massive group of fortunates...and I make no apologies for it.

For years, I was quite cynical about "The Oprah Winfrey Show", especially towards the end of its run. I thought my head was going to explode when she announced The Oprah Winfrey Network, or OWN for short.  By the time it hit the air, I couldn't help but be intrigued.  What was she going to do?  What was the next level? Was she about to go intergalactic?!

OWN debuted at a time that I became serious about changing my life.  I began to take the needed steps to heal some serious spiritual wounds.  At this point, I was willing to give OWN a shot.

Like any new network, there were hits and misses.  There was still some residual Discovery Health and some occasional true crime.  But I do enjoy Oprah being out in the world, "gettin' out the house", so to speak.

Do I have a favorite, you ask?  I do.  I really enjoy "Oprah's Next Chapter".  Only she can bring out the best in the likes of Steven Tyler, bring understanding about Hasidic Judaism, make George Lucas look like the genius next door and bring elevated dignity to the memory of Whitney Houston.  I just watched the new episode with Lady Gaga and her mother.  Quite impressive.

Now that I've outed myself as a "later in life Oprahphile", I plan to start "Oprah's Lifeclass" online.  I doubt if I'll follow the tour starting this Monday, but I'll explore the lessons already on the website, at my own pace, of course.  I'll let your know how it goes!

I look forward to discovering what Oprah has to offer in the future.  I have a long way to go before I get to where I want to be.  I'm glad she'll be along for the ride.

Creativity is HARD!!

Have you ever tried to think so hard you head began to hurt?  I think that happening to me right now. 


 I have a bad habit of trying to force the inspiration.  I see people like Lady Gaga or a Nikki Giovanni, who make it look sooo easy!  I hate that.  Sometimes, many of us put too much pressure on ourselves to come up with the next big thing.  It's almost not fair.  James Patterson can spin a mystery like nobody's business but I can't keep up with a blog. (Blogging is supposed to be simple, right?)  I'm resolved to the fact that I'm one of the ga-zillions who actually have to work to make there literary mark.


Let's learn together: Let it come.  The moments of inspiration are there.