All About Ms. World's World

Ms. World Follows the Guys into the Depths

I read it here and was blown away. He got it from him who has turned his blog into art, then this sexy one got into the act, so now it is my turn.

realised that I'm more a people person than loner. miss my comfortable toyama life. love being on the move whether in a train, bus, or boat. hate looking for places to sleep. like hanoi because i have met some traveling friends there. more lonelier than i care to admit on the traveller's trail. stick out like a sore thumb because i'm black, female, and big. think the body size is more of an issue than race. ultimately don't care. feeling priviledge to live my dream. realise it probably took 5 or 6 generations in my family's history to get to this moment. spent 3 years planning, manuvering, and saving for this moment in time. don't want to fuck it up by not take advantage of everyday. did nothing today since i'm convinced it will rain violently. love the rain. hate getting soaked in the rain in a foreign country. getting use to being laughed at again. worried about overspending. have more money in the bank than some of the people in southeast asia could ever dream of. think that is depressing. think communism is flawed because someone always ends up with a little more (food, money, better job, apartment, priviledges). deep in my heart afraid IT won't happen. know that IT can't happen because i'm so closed to letting IT in. australian woman on tour told me it is ok if IT doesn't happen. wondered why she felt the need to tell me. feel that Black women never get the love, affection, and nurturing they deserve simply because the world believes they are less than. don't they know that we will inherit the Earth. nations have been built on our backs but we get no credit. i'm pissed. without us it would all cease to exist. women are stronger than men. happy that my family gave me enough love, affection, and nurturing to survive. still living on that love even in my thirties. almost 34. don't want to celebrate it alone. but don't think i'll have any choice. worried i'm not writing enough. but still not motivated to write everyday. thank god I remember everything. will write the book no matter what. if i don't write the book, i can't look in the mirror. wasted lots of opportunities in my life. too terrified to waste my current opportunities. traveling is addictive and tiring. i like europeans much more than americans on the traveller's trail. young white american males particularly seem confused to see me on the traveller's trail. secretly delight in showing up at places where i supposedly don't belong. learning about freedom. it is beautiful but can be heavy if you aren't use to wearing it. living your dream can be a little more difficult than anticipated. freedom can be scary too. so use to living with obligations, baggage, labels weighing me down. ha long bay and hanoi saved my Vietnam experience. can't wait to hit next destination.

Happy Birthday Zia Diva Michel'le

I HOPE YOU HAVE A FABULOUS DAY FILLED WITH JOY, LAUGHTER, & LOTS OF WINNINGS ON THE BOAT! THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR LOVE & SUPPORT FOR THE LAST 33 YEARS!

Thip-sexy & Lambert Get Hitched in LAOS!

    

   

Earlier this month, I traveled to Laos for the nuptials of  Diva Thip-sexy to her boyfriend for several years, Lambert-san. Ms. Thip decided to honor her heritage and her elders by having a traditional Laotian  wedding in her family's hometown of Savannakhet in southern Laos.

Ms. World and several adventurous former and current JETs; fellow Divas Adrianna, the newly minted Ecuadorean Spice Zazza, JEN-TE, Spicy Boy Andy, The Hoss, Will, the Notorious Random C.H.I.N., Steve & Sandy, and Yuji-sama showed up to join the festivities.

I felt truly priviledged and blessed to be present on Thip & Lambert's special day which was rich in Laotian traditions, family, and love. I didn't understand the religious ceremony because of language barriers but I know I was in the presence of true love which is a gift.

Once the religious ceremony was over, the wedding reception began. Let's just say that LAOTIANS know how to partay! They love their smooth tasting Beer Lao (so does the HOSS, Spicy Boy & the Notorious Random C.H.I.N.) and delicious food. Basically, I was drunk by noon! Then I had to appease the Buddhist gods by dancing with old Laotian men who were PIMP daddies (that is a compliment).

The official wedding reception ended by 4pm and I got some much needed rest. However, I had to be ready at 7pm for the after-party at the mansion. At the mansion, I downed more premium liquor and finally got my Laotian dance groove going. I also consumed a green pepper which turned my mouth into a blazing hellhole. However, I didn't eat the crickets or drink the homemade baby lamb alcohol (check out the photos on FLICKR).

I had an amazing time at Thip & Lambert's wedding. However, I left Savannakhet the next day because my liver couldn't take any more premium liquor! I drank more at this wedding than I had in the last year! If you want to see the partying, please check out my new FLICKR account.

DIVA THIP-SEXY! - THANKS for inviting me to celebrate your big day! My fellow JETs- THANK YOU FOR THE FUN! DIVA Adrianna- THANKS for being superorganized!

Ms. World`s Favorite Shrine

Another reason I love Kiyomizu-dera is the Jishu Shrine! It is a love shrine and everybody needs some love, even world traveling divas. The teenybopper in me wouldn`t rest until I visited the `love shrine.`

I walked, I saw, I squealed in glee, and I purchased a `love cupid` charm and made a wish for my coming beloved.

The Jishu Shrine is also famous for a lover`s test. If a person wants to gain success in love, she/he must walk between two stones that are set 10 meters apart with their eyes closed. I did the walk with my eyes closed and was successfully!

Thank heavens, I brought those condoms!

                                           

The Diva Has Finally Left The Paddyfields!

                                                                                                                        
It is Saturday night and I haven`t cried yet. I actually think I may not shed one tear of sadness as I depart Japan on Sunday afternoon. It has been much harder than I expected to say goodbye to Toyama. A few months ago, I was counting down the days and daydreamed of a very happy & welcomed exit from my life as an English teacher. However, I think I was glossing over all the emotional ties and connections I`ve formed in Toyama. It has been much harder than I expected to say my goodbyes. My homegirl, Diva Nonnie has summoned it up best, `It (Toyama) isn`t a place but a moment in time` which you will never experience again. It was a crazy, fun, frustrating, intense, amazing moment in time that I`ll never forget.

Stealing from Sista K: What I`m Thankful For

I`ve been floundering in my own world since my little brother called me out. I know deep down inside of myself that I can sink or swim in these rapid waves called life based on my own volition.

In order to get the tide moving back into the direction of light, I`m going to steal from Diva Sista K`s weblog. I`m going to dwell on some of the things I`m thankful for in my interesting life.

*My mother who has supported me threw e-ve-ry-th-ing.

*My brother who really believes in my potential.

*My family who loves me.

*Growing up with my maternal grandmother`s unconditional love

*Always having great friends who will deal with me through my special craziness (a big shout out to my Toyama peeps & SLC Lynd House peeps!).

*Travel opportunities

*My weblog which gives me a voice and empowers me

*Very good Indian food (I love Santoshi`s!) in Toyama City

*My Sunshine 88 apartment

*My bike

*My health

*Watermelon

*My Blogland community (Diva Saffron, Brother OMI, Diva Coffee, my crazy Cousin Ryumi, Diva Sid, Sir Bernie, Diva Yvette, Scorpio Diva, Mr. James, Sir George, Professor Singh, Diva Owukori, Madame Butterfly, Diva Margaret, Diva Chai, ESQ., Lord Sin, Mr. Thad, Lady Danyel, Queen of Aomori, Diva Sibyl, Divo Saurav, Mr. Humanity Critic- Thanks for being nice to me!)

*Doutor `s (Japan`s version of Starbucks) smoked chicken bagel sandwich

*My lovely new camera (It is 7 pixels)

*National Public Radio

*My last official Toyama JETs party on July 23rd @ BANANA`S in Uozu. I can`t wait to see everyone one more time, dance to hip-hop with Diva Melissa, and to down lots of gin & tonics in hopes of stiffling my tears.

*My crazy COUSIN RYUMI for letting me copy off of her!

*My travel fund (I HEART JET!)

*My new addiction Seattle`s Best strawberry & cream shakes with whip cream!

*My students who like me

*The Miami Diva for helping me write my farewell speeches in Japanese.

Hold On! Wait A Minute! It is Father's Day!

I have to take a few minutes out of the regularly scheduled blogging to talk about the man in this photo. This is my father. I don't write about him a lot but that doesn't mean he isn't important to me.

I love my father because he was the first man who loved and adored me. He spoiled me badly by allowing me to eat his Big Mac when I was seven years old. He would buy me music albums, such as the Mickey Mouse Club and Snow White. He never punished me. Sometimes he would try to convince my mother not to punish me. He would let me watch numerous reruns of the Brady Bunch when his favorite Christian radio program was broadcasting. When I celebrated my 13th birthday, he gave me one of the best gifts I've ever received by taking me to a bookstore and allowing me to buy up to 15 books (I was in heaven!).

Over the past years, my father and I have had our ups and downs. We are very different people. I don't know if my father ever envisioned his eldest daughter going off to the big, bad city and making a life for herself or traveling to foreign countries to learn about new cultures and have adventures.

I don't know if he understands me fully but I know in my heart that he loves me and prays for my well-being. And I'm grateful for that. 

Happy Father's Day B.!

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Dear Family, Friends, & My Blogging Peoples-Happy Father's Day to all of you who are fathers or who help nurture and help raise children!

Apparently

It is very apparent to me that I have yet to reconcile my inherited history as a descendant of enslaved Africans in America with the myths of America as the land of milk, honey, liberty, and opportunities for all hardworking individuals (I really don`t think you can get anymore hardworking than the enslaved Africans.), and my personal history as this woman`s daughter, and the knowledge that I am a child of God.

I have no idea how I`m suppose to reconcile all of these histories, myths, stories, and the love and bitterness.

If you have any ideas on how to circumvent all of these emotions in a health way, please leave a comment or send me an e-mail.

15 Things You May or May Not Know About Me

This list was influenced by Mr. Lyons.

1. I`m over 30 years old and I love it!

2. I have over 15 nicknames and alias, including Princess, The Word Girl, and West End Girl.

3. I own various albums by Bananarama.

4. I like to order vanilla lattes that are ``hot as hell`` from Starbucks & Seattle`s Best in various countries.

5. I make friends easily.

6. I don`t think I really understand heterosexual males.

7. I`m a little over trying to understand heterosexual males.

8. I`m very opinionated which sometimes is viewed for being bossy.

9. I know I`ve been very blessed in my life but I`m still a little bitter about some things such as the slavery of my ancestors, the bullshit game the U.S. has runs on African-Americans, and the fact that way too many people underestimated my brilliance.

10. I`m a weird mix of Christian piety and mad horniness.

11. I`ve been ``in love`` once.

12. I know if I wanted to lose my excess weight that I could do it but I'm clinging to the protection it gives me.

13. I like being a big girl because I think I can kick ass (if I need to) and it is very important to me that I can kick ass.   

14. I believe I'm a member of the first generation (born in the post-Civil Rights era) of African-Americans who actually had a somewhat fair shot at the American dream.

15. Sometimes I toy with the idea of joining the Peace Corps.   

Sorry to Interrupt Regularly Scheduled Programming But It is Mother's Day

For once it isn't about me, the Ms. World's BLACK GIRLS RULES! traveling romp, or my medium size Japanese life; it is about the woman who gave me life.

This is my mother. I love her more than she'll ever know. My mother not only gave me life but she gave me books, piano lessons, lots of trips to the zoo and county fair, sent me to sleep-away summer camp, and always encouraged me to dream my wild Black Midwestern ghetto girl dreams. I also love the fact that my mother has given me space and support to be who I'm meant to be. This means I can quit a good job in hopes of going to Japan to make money for my travel and writing pursuits and she feeds me for eight months and lets me store all my stuff in her basement. I thank God for my mother. She is one of the greatest blessings of my life. HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!

Dear Family, Friends, & Blogging Pals-Happy Mother's Day to all of you who are mothers or who help nurture and help raise children.