New Days Ahead

Osbey Books is moving to NYC! It's a time of renewal and change. Too much to process on this end and packing my life into boxes and rearranging myself as I relocate is very involved but I am excited. Hopefully I can update this blog by next week with new work.

Currently I am teaching literary classes at an elementary school (with parents). It is very fun and creative. As a group we are really having a great time. We are covering prose, poetry, creative writing, personal essays, and commentaries. We are working on using metaphors, figurative and descriptive language, similes, and concrete words. So far, it's been good.

Besides that a short appearance at this years Printer's Row Book Fair went fairly well. I am letting my non fiction title rest as I organize myself for living in NYC.

2 other novels are brewing and will be re-edited for release in late fall. Besides that, just enjoying the rest of the summer in Chicago.

I always thank God for seeing me through my new paths in this life. It is fulfilling and makes me feel like I'm walking in my purpose.

Be blessed everyone!

Mocha Sistah

Repeat This

Often in class, I find myself repeating a lot of things. So I snuck and wrote a poem about it, using repetition basically.

Enjoy!

REPEAT THIS!

repeat this...is what i gotta say everyday.
repeating things as i stand at the front of the classroom
being tested by 30 students palming their grimmy pencils
and white paper with scrawled names
repeating abc's
repeating 123's of poetry
repetition is the name of a poetry teacher's game
and please don't be lame
cause kids will laugh in your face
sometimes i cannot think because i am constantly
repeating..
please-stop-doing-that!
repeating in my head (lord don't let me have to utter
that syllable again!)
repeating errands that i must do in my head like
memorizing math multiplications or substracting
the times i've had to stop class because of inappropriate
or distracting behavior...
i just don't want to forget... what i was teaching
what was i teaching?
anyway...
i repeat steps as i walk my walk
i repeat steps as i dial momma in between classes
and laugh about my crazy 3rd grade class at koz
i sometimes laugh inside at the kids...
they are like instant entertainment...
distracting little play performers on crack
jingling this way
wiggling that way
spotlight on the main performers as they keep me
entertained
this repeating days and moments feel like
lyrical mathematican's running a crazy conference
about lack of self control with behaviors that
tintinnbulate the verses of their syllables
that constantly tumble of their mouth sounding
so unephonic...
i rehearse my little spiel and hope they get something
from the lesson, close my bag, slid papers in them and
then return to the first time i entered the learning
tool box as i know... that lessons beyond poetry
are always shared and learned
and those will be repeated in future generations of
writers who experienced a little sharing of words
with me in a class somewhere in between the midwest
and south, so i retire my pen and my soul
even for a little while maybe the hungering for new knowledge
will have been planted by a forty minute session in a class
where language was the fore front, not just slight interruptions
of human behavior

(c) 2009 by Mocha Sistah

The Many Things of Mocha

I know it's been a while, so I'm updating this blog! It's been more than a few months since I've blogged seriously, so here goes.

Although I do have my company, Osbey Books, I am quietly building a client base and revamping certain aspects of what I do. Focusing on providing the same services, I have a new site @ http://osbeybooks.webs.com/ which will be updated as things are progressing.

Current book projects for my author Onika Pascal, Collections of a See Through Soul Portraits, is now on sale at http://www.authorsbookshop.com/ and http://www.amazon.com/.

I am finishing up a few of my schools currently and in transition as I either head for Atlanta, Hawaii or Japan this summer. Yes, I said that! I have planted the seeds of change and going where the universe is sending me. I am leaving open the options and seeing where God wants me to plant new roots. All three locations would be very different and give me the curiosity i seek as well as something exciting to look forward to.

On my contracts I have four weeks of teaching left; and although it's one of those ending periods for me, I am happy that I am ending on good notes at all schools. The turmultous air that has followed us all during the recession has embarked in the murky waters of artists every where. Because of funding issues in the state of Illinois, I have decided this is my last go around in the schools as a teaching artist. However I have thoroughly enjoyed it. I believe God allowed me to spend as much time being an advocate in the schools to prepare me for other educational roles which I am qualified to do. Going back to school and getting my Masters in Reading and Literacy is a goal I hope to achieve in the next 2 years either here in Illinois or abroad elsewhere.

My trip to Atlanta was great (a few weeks ago) and I got a lot of information that will help me make some decisions regarding my summer trekking to Georgia if I do not decide to go to another location.

Japan and Hawaii may have to wait if Cobb County or Gwinnett offers me the opportunity to work with students and parents in Georgia. We'll see. Only time will tell.

I was speaking with a recruiter the other day and he wanted to know why I wanted to relocate or start over during a recession and my response was, "why not?" I'm single, strong candidate in any area that I've focused on, and have no other pressing responsibilities which would keep me in Chicago. So why not try? Why not explore? What is holding me back? ONLY ME! I know a few people are wondering why leave during a recession but my theme of the year is to keep pressing on despite challenges and to challenge myself to not be stagnant. If you want true change you must be willing to be the CHANGE you seek!

I'm off the air for a week and will return with great authors. You may want to check in with me and Juisee Da Queen next Monday on www.blogtalkradio.com/literarypizzazz. Next Wednesday I interview Chamein Canton and then in April I will be hosting some fabulous authors and poets during the National Poetry Month.

Performance wise, I am scheduled at a few venues, so check back for the updates on my locations.

Trying to catch up with me more and wanting to see new work posted weekly, check me out on Facebook. Wanting to know if I am still writing books, yes, I am. I will be releasing something during the summer of 2009, so thanks for that continued support.

I am hoping you have a wonderful day ahead!

Mocha Sistah

Change of Me...

I have crossed a mile stone. I'm 40! I enjoyed a birthday that was special with those who love me. The dinner was awesome. The weekend was great and the weather was perfect. I couldn't ask for more.

For me it means.. a New number, different mind set. I'm happy. Things are okay and flowing the way it should. I'm deciding on some important matters. I'm making some transitions. I'm watching the political race and I"m involved.

I find that 40 (for me) is freeing. I'm more honest about things. I'm not as concerned with other's thoughts of me. I'm working hard on my goals and dreams. I'm focused more on family, and small moments of time...

I've taken more time out in the last 2 weeks to slow down and enjoy the little things. Laying out by the lake, writing in my journal, and breathing slow to enjoy time as it spins very serenely. Going to Millenium park, walking around town, taking care of my health is sooo important to me. That's it.

I find also that this 'age' has helped me to cut the fat in my life. Not fat but people. People who mean me harm, who have never really supported me who need to be out. So I've slowly begun to transition the not so good elements, cutting down to the ones that really are for me, and not against me. I really don't have the time or the attitude to have people around me who are negative spirits who PRETEND to be something they aren't.

My intuition is running things along with the spirit God has instilled in me.

So yes, I'm being very focused on what is working in my life and what isn't.

I'm excited about my background melodies (good things in progress), along with the radio show, new books, and other haps.

I challenge you to be the change you want to see in the world. As Ghandi said, because you'll be waiting forever for someone to change what you want to see. It's like Nike says, just do it!

Mocha Sistah

Over Kill

Yes, I'm to the max. I always am. So when I woke up on Monday morning to no DSL service I was petrified, but it proved to be something of a blessing. See I spend countless hours online promoting, emailing people, updating blogs, contacting clients, etc. Having spent almost 6 days offline proved a few things -- I'm loved -- missed -- and of course, the time off was needed. I work hard. In fact the last month has been my most hectic. I'm lucky that I didn't have any health issues for I did push myself beyond my normal limits.

My cellular phone pretty much blew up when my primary account was inactive. People worried about me kind of surprised me but also was cool because it meant, some really did miss me. In my interim time offline I lost a family member; another reminder that life is important and that I don't have a lot of time myself, as I don't know what my 'number' is. God does though. The family member that passed away was only 57 years old, and I'm nearing 40, so that was startling to me.

On my flip side, this week wasn't all bad. I received an award from a school regarding my years of service as a Literary Educator, and two of my programs went extremely well.

I got rest, had time with my family (more time than I usually have), and that was a blessing in itself. As a great friend reminds me, that my superwoman cape has to come down sometimes (smile) and I'm allowing people to actually take care of me. I surely appreciate those who contacted me during my offline time , especially those who called or emailed me to just check in to say hi. That is very important. I know sometimes I don't seem to be available or that people believe I am too busy to slow down, neither are true.

It's just that I am more like my Grandmother (r.i.p "Ma Davis") who always keeps it moving. But learning to slow down ain't bad either.

With that said, I'm heading over to the Chicago Gospel Fest this weekend to restore my spiritual soul and hang with a few sister friends.

It's another nice day outside and as I smell the flowers in my house today, I'm reminded that quiet and solace is a blessed thing.

Here's to wishing you a bountiful weekend.

Mocha Sistah

Thinking of Many Things

Well, I hope this blog finds you doing very well. It's almost Mother's Day, can you believe it? I've spent the last month hopping around doing this and that. Time spent at the Romance Slam Jam was pretty hectic but very good. It was the first time I ever spent talking to others about my short stories and pitching publishing houses. I got some great feedback and I'm working on sealing up several stories to get to the pub houses for review of possible contracts. I'm just excited that I can get some more short stories either in e-book or paperback format. I will probably have the books published under another pen name though.

I'm in the middle of a lot of planning for culminating events for several programs with Poetry Center of Chicago and Family Focus, Inc. Students are performing at schools on May 15, May 27th and May 30th. In addition, I am on stage during the week of May 21st with John Beer and his "poetry theatre series". I will only have a short amount of time to study and learn my lines before I hit the stage. Then there's Career Fair events on May 10, May 20th and May 21st. Let's not forget the Gwendolyn Brooks Poetry event on June 5th with the Words @ Play program. I hope I still have air in my lungs by the weekend of June 7th to attend the Sox game on June 8th.

And to think I thought I would be relaxing between April and July. Didn't happen.

There is also a book in production with O.B.I, and a few new projects from other authors during the summer of 2008 including, Loving Your Life.

I'm excited to say I will be attending a wedding of a friend in August 2008 in St. Louis, MO so that's going to be very nice. I cannot wait to see my friend and her fiancee seal the deal. It's such a beautiful thing to see black love in motion. It still exists folks.

Well, right now, I need to get ready to go to the Career Fair at Senn High School. I will be working with teen girls, some pregnant or young mothers. The workshop will focus on self love, self care and self worth through reflection and creative expressions. I hope they get a lot out of it, I am just excited to be with 25-30 women to dialogue about life and their world.

Don't forget to hug your mom, your sister, or your daughter's this weekend. This is a wonderful weekend to remember Mother's who are now in God's cloud of love. This is a time to enjoy mother's and what they bring to the world. Never forget to enjoy your Mom's while they are still in your world.

I am wishing you many blessings.

Mocha Sistah

Many Things

It's been a while, so I thought I'd post something....here you go. An update of sorts. I'm working on balance (a constant thing with me...) There's never a shortness of work with me. Things are bursting all over but as far as balancing it out in real life, I have to do a mental check and make sure I am not shorting my self or my family. That's the most important thing for me.

It's been a quiet saturday, and yes, I'm late on my taxes. I normally don't even sweat it cause I know I will owe money because I am self employed and yes, that means my lil stimulus check will be applied to any owed taxes. In fact that works for me big time. Unfortunately us self employed folks have to pay out of pocket fees because of the way we are paid (untaxed dollars) but in general terms I am okay with it. At least I can sleep at night when I know I am able to work my schedule the way I want it and it flows right that I don't have to hit the grind 24/7 or work unlimited hours at a 9 to 5. My grind is my grind. 3 years gone by and I'm still standing (yeah yeah yeah). On to other things.

The next few months are huge for me in terms of exposure and community re-connections. I am performing a few times between April and June, and of course I am teaching community after school programs in parks and schools. I will be at the Romance Slam Jam, Senn & Simpson High Schools, and performing at the Chicago Park Library on two occasions. I also will be traveling to St. Louis to participate as a vendor in a Literacy Book Festival with fellow authors in the St. Louis, Missouri area. I'll try to post something so everyone can be aware of where I'm at. You can also checkout my show listings at www.myspace.com/dapoetess.

Writing grants is my new hobby. I finished up a grant a few weeks ago and I'm working on one for the Neighborhood Arts Grant. I'm hoping to get approved by the ASM folks by Summer 2008. If not, I may go back to the private sector for a few weeks during the summer. I am helping a few folks get their businesses off the ground and doing some consulting with other authors and publishers. Summer 2008 I might be able to get to the Harlem Book Fair for it's 10 year anniversary with my author Onika Pascal.

Yes, I know I said I'm slowing down and it's true. I have a special someone in my life who is my inspiration for such enjoyment of real life off the 'net. That's a good thing too. As I creep up towards my 40th year on this earth I am always reminded everything is not always about words, baby poets, teaching poetry or staying busy as a writer and publisher.

I plan to move into a new phase of my life, to include relationships, having a family, and maybe marriage. But I'll let God work all those details out. You know with me, you never know. I am extremely grateful though. As I think about the last few months of things that I had to deal with, I am happy that I can even breath and still know that God is who he is and that he's allowed me to exist in the space I do without drama and health issues. I am extremely favored and I will say it out loud, "thank you lord."

Many things continue to pull me in many directions, I know that I'm coming soon to a phase of life where things will be more simplicist. I cannot wait for that. It's not always about the "mocha sistah" thing either. Sooner or later I'll have to take a year off and just be 'pam' and I'm okay with that.

Anyway, I bid you adieu for the moment. I hope you have a nice weekend and enjoy whatever it is that makes your soul sing.

Mocha Sistah