The Rose that Grew from Concrete

Did you hear about the rose that grew from a crack in the concrete?

Proving nature's law is wrong it learned to walk with out having feet.

Funny it seems, but by keeping it's dreams, it learned to breathe fresh air.

Long live the rose that grew from concrete when no one else ever cared.

Bag Lady

I've always been a big Erykah Badu fan. She makes the type of songs that allow you to groove to the beat, while delivering a message. Sometimes I have to listen to her songs over and over to actually understand what that message is lol, but once I get it, it makes it that much more special.



Bag Lady - the first release off her 2000 album 'Mama's Gun' - has recently become one of my favorites. It has taken me 10 years, but I've finally figured out what she's saying. Well I guess I kind of already got the jist of the song, but I've just recently personalized the message. I mean after all what's the point of listening to music if you cant relate to it?



The first line of the song says: "Bag lady, you gone hurt yo back; draggin all them bags like that" Now when I was younger I figured hmmm, maybe she's talking about a lady with a lot of purses...Dont judge me lol. I was a kid.

I now hear this song and realize that I can't continue to hold on to excess baggage and negative energy because all that it will do is hold me down and hold me back. Whether it be grudges, bad relationships, or other people's problems. "All you must hold on to is you, is you, is youuuuu." Its just time to live for me and do what makes me happy!

Nothin' Runs Like a Deere - My First Day

So I'm mid way through my summer internship with John Deere and I must say its been a great ride!



Going into this internship was crazy...any emotion that one could possibly feel was inside of me and slowly, but surely brewing over; nervous, excited, anxious, afraid. You name it, it was there. People are afraid of the unexpected...the path less travelled, and I was (past tense) one of those people. I mean who was I, a black girl from Kansas City, MO, and student of Wilberforce University to be walking into "Corporate America" like I knew what I was doing? I had no idea what to say, how to say it, what to wear or what not to for that matter...my hair...oh God not my hair! Would it be an issue? How would people respond? Could it possibly be an issue that would limit me at such a conservative place like John Deere?



Corporate America - this unknown place to me. Almost like being in a foreign country! I mean don't get me wrong I've interacted with important business people and I felt comfortable being in a room full of strangers...but not for 3 MONTHS!



First day jitters! Is this business casual? Is my hair neat enough? Am I speaking "proper" english? Lol it's funny looking back on it, but I seriously assessed my whole being. You know the saying, "First impressions are lasting ones." I HAD to make a good first impression. Paperwork. Met My Supervisor. Blah Blah. Tour of Building. Meet the rest of the team. Shake hands (God I pray they wash their hands). Department Lunch. Awwwwkward! So 4 of us get into the car on our way to Bandit Burrito and the driver changes the radio station. Usher comes on. Thinking in my head "this is my JAM!!!" Of course right. So now everyone is probably expecting me to sing a long right? WRONG



Bandit Burrito. Okay..this is my chance for my personality to show. I have to get involved with the conversation. Can't be anti-social. Casual conversation...shouldn't be too hard right? WRONG!! My co-workers talk about house renovations, marriage, kids, car insurance. I don't know too many people who own house...I don't know too many people that are married...I could name a couple with kids lol...and who really has car insurance?! I didn't have any type of input on any of these topics...#fail!! This was going to be a loooooong summer!


By the end of the first day I HATED Corporate America! I even contemplated switching majors. I had to put so much thought into just going to work. I didn't even feel like it was worth it. I kept saying "I feel like I'm conforming" or "I feel like I have to be something/somebody that I'm not." I didn't want to stress about hair, clothes, my speech...it was overwhelming to say the least. Honestly, I wanted to quit!