Small Biz

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November 30th is Small Business Saturday! I think it’s an incredibly cool thing. It’s really hard to find good mom and pop establishments these days. For quite obvious reasons, I’m partial to Black and WOC owned businesses. Here’s a list of my favorite small businesses:

 

Rachel Stewart http://rachelstewartjewelry.com

She makes extraordinary pieces of jewelry. I love how Afro-centric and modern they are. Rachel’s also an artist and her painting are often for sell as well. My very favorite item was a peacock feather headband (it’s discontinued), the craftsmanship and quality was great.

 

Melody Ehsani http://www.melodyehsani.com

Whenever I wear my custom necklace or ring, people stop me on the street trying to figure out where I got it from. I’ve been a fan of Melody for years. My best friend put me on to her and I’ve been a goner ever since. I made a visit to her flagship store 424 1/2 N. Fairfax Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90036 to get my nails done at Candy Paint. It was a nice treat to meet her. Her jewelry line is very LA fly style. You could close your eyes, pick out anything and I’d probably LOVE it.

 

LBay Bath and Body https://www.etsy.com/shop/lbaybathandbody

How fortunate am I to have such creative friends?! One of my homies, Lauren, started a bath products business this year. She’s always very crafty. I’m talking amazing detailed party decor and such. I ended up getting a couple of items for Christmas gifts as well as a little something for myself. I love the shampoo bar and clay cleanser. I did not know the joys of lip scrub and how much it’s been missing in my life until now. Quality products that smell fantastic. Tell her, Tish sent you 🙂

 

Whipped Goods http://whippedgoods.com/

I had issues with my dry and itchy scalp for the longest. The scalp creme therapy has been a life and game changer. It’s literally been the only thing that works. Lauren Wiley’s always been into this type of thing. She grows a lot of her own food, makes her own butter and such..so it was a given her body care products would be great. She makes everything from incense to oil blends.

 

Africa Store  https://www.etsy.com/shop/THEAFRICANSHOP?ref=l2-shopheader-name

GORGEOUS garments made of genuine African prints, Cameroon, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania and Kenya to be exact. The prints are absolutely fabulous and lush. I love the dresses, skirts and blazers the most. They have gear that can go for something more formal as well as casual or work. I’m a fan.

 

Love Affair  http://www.shoploveaffair.bigcartel.com

Love Affair was started by my good friend of 20 years and her sister. Chiquista and Simone are both very stylish and put together, I was excited to see what their jewelry line would look like. I’ve purchased a few items already and I love them. They have cute and stylish pieces that are both trendy and durable. I wear my bow earrings on a regular basis. I always get compliments on them.

 

ldkkids https://www.etsy.com/shop/lkdKids?ref=l2-shopheader-name

I think the holidays are mostly for kids. This site has thee cutest dolls, quilts, art and such. I think I swooned looking at all the cuteness! I love the baby doll slings. I got the warm and fuzzies thinking about the dolls and pillows my Gram would make for me when I was a little girl. A handmade toy will always be more special than anything you can get off the shelf at Toys R Us.

 

Miss Zee http://misszee.net

I love this children’s line of t-shirts, decor and stationery. The adorable, simplistic design caught my attention right away. The character Miss Zee has a big afro! That’s just the positive reinforcement a little girl needs to love her hair.

I was so hard to dwindle my list down but I hope you end up purchasing some merchandise for these small businesses.

 

Honorable Mentions:

Sir & Madame http://www.sirandmadame.com

junkprints https://www.etsy.com/shop/junkprints

Boutique deBandeaux https://www.etsy.com/shop/BoutiqueDeBandeaux

Asili Body https://www.etsy.com/shop/asilibodyproducts?ref=l2-shopheader-name

Peace, Love and Sunshine products https://www.etsy.com/shop/peaceloveandsunshine

Republic and Company http://www.republicandcompany.com

 

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Allergic to Fun

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So Best Man Holiday opened in theaters over the weekend. There was a lot of buzz about it because the original was such a favorite. A couple of bloggers went to advanced screenings and promised that everyone would enjoy it. Word, I’m in there like swimwear!

 

Well Saturday after the opening, a meme started circulating giving away a major part of the plot. I saw it a good 4 times and not to mention the replies in that pesky ticker on Facebook. At first glance, I just looked at it as a balloon popping dick move and that was it. I wasn’t pressed and I didn’t even want to know why it was done…no explanation would’ve made sense to me regardless. Then in true Tish form, I gave it some more thought. People are just allergic to fun. Period.

 

I’m not going to go deep into the conspiracy theorists and their drink more Ovaltine decoder rings. The whole thing just reeks of the same tactics that religious zealots use to keep people in bondage and fear. I should know, I’ve been in that same bondage because of fear. I thought every little thing was a spirit that was going to jump in my body like Oda Mae Brown and make me evil. So yeah….

 

Years ago, some friends and I went to the final of weekly party that used to be held on Sunday nights in Chicago. It was called Supa Soul Sundays (long before the OWN network, by the way) and it was a time to cut a rug all night. The DJ didn’t play any top 40, just good soul music. So there was this one guy who was just standing in the middle of the dance floor with his arms crossed. At first, I just noticed that he had a halo of fuzz around his much need of a rebraid cornrows. When we got a little closer, I saw he had this grimacing look on his face. If he didn’t want to be there there were 2 exits and a row of couches to sit on…nah this wasn’t that. He came to fight. This song is on and you’re standing there like this …nah dog. I made sure my guy friends stayed out of his way. The truth of the matter, PLENTY of people go places that are meant to be fun to wreck havoc. They fight and shoot up nightclubs, parties, amusement parks, movie theaters, hell even Chuck E. Cheese. Allergic to smiles, fun and laughter.

 

Lately, I’ve noticed a trend with their inability to be entertained…and the need to openly judge those who are. I don’t know if it’s the influx of “reality” shows or what that keeps people from knowing fact from fiction. I’m also intrigued by people and their selective morality. Murderous, drug dealers are fine but having a fictional affair is the end of the world as we know it. Every song, every show, every movie gets dragged. Granted, there are some kinds of movies that I don’t care for. I don’t like Madea Goes to Camp movies and I’m vocal about that but I can’t see myself trying to purposely ruin it for someone. It’s not just a movie for some. It’s date night for some, it’s a “we got a sitter let’s go see a movie that’s not a cartoon for once”, it’s a time to connect and socialize with loved ones. It’s fun. The thing we’ve become allergic to. As a society, we’ve become uncomfortable with being content. Everything from ruining a movie for people to implying that sports games are always rigged, we just don’t know how to lay back and have a good time. I’m not on a high horse because I’m guilty of it at some level too. I don’t like crowds and I always end up complaining when I go to concerts. Hell, I’ve even shared memes that gave me instaguilt. I’ve done and laughed at some funny jerk moves. Even today, I got a good chuckle out of someone writing an “f” in front of a sign for an art show. So I don’t really have a dog in that fight. While I don’t understand the fun in ruining the plot for someone on purpose, I’m not really in my feelings about that. Scratch that…the person who made this meme though, full blown assnugget. Someone said it best, we need to treat the cause, not the symptom. Well, I’m going to “treat” the cause…in the Chicago sense of the word.

 

Dear Person who took the time to find a meme generator and ruin the plot,

So you probably saw the movie on opening night or got in one of those advanced screenings and that’s cool or whatever. Clearly, you weren’t that much above the Best Man Holiday to spend your time and/or money to see it. The part you gave a way was a major part of the plot and it could’ve really destroyed someone’s experience. I’m sure you thought it was cute to make a meme to spread like bacteria on Facebook and Instagram but it’s trying too damn hard. Perhaps you aren’t funny and witty like myself and this is what you have to do for humor. The funny thing is your probably enjoyed yourself at the movies, like most people did, this is just your brand of humor…your sad, pathetic brand of humor. It’s like having a piece of cake and then pouring salt on it so no one else can have any. I pity you, douchelord.

Seeing that meme several times and seeing the discussions in my ticker didn’t ruin my date night. I still had a fantastic time with le bew and our friends. It made me look at how I view my relationship, friendships and even my role as a godmother with so much gratitude. Knowing that part, did not ruin MY experience at all. Nice try though.

Best Regards,

Tish

So yeah, it’s okay to take off the blues, smile, laugh and do something fun. It’s really not a bad thing at all. Go see a movie, play a board game, dance to a stupid song, become the sofa side life coach of a TV character who makes bad life decisions…something.  It’s bigger than a spoiler meme, it’s what we’ve turned into as a society. Our default setting is hater. Just don’t let the ills of the world consume you to the point nothing that brings you joy comes in.

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Unsee

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I’m never ascribed to the “ignorance is bliss” theory. There’s no reason to not know anything with so much accessible information. Granted, I’ve been snipped at by elders for being “intelligent” and laughably seen people get offended by my extend vocab but never felt the need to dumb myself down for anyone. Ever.

 

However, there are some things in life I wish I didn’t know. You know how once you see something you can’t unsee it. Wrote a list about it, like to read, here it go:

 

(no specific order)

 

1. Hulk Hogan’s sex tape. Man listen, I could beat curiosity’s ass for this one. Hulk Hogan is one of those figures that just takes me on the express train back to childhood, brother. Unfortuanely, someone posted an article with a link on FB…I was. not. thinking. Ugh, I know far too much about Hollywood Hulk. (emphasis on: TOO MUCH)

 

2. Food deserts and insecurity. The difference between grocers in one neck of the woods to another is damn near ridiculous. One of the major reasons why I refused to move to one hood to another was food. I lived in the Woodlawn neighborhood briefly and went to the corner store to get some milk for a recipe. The store had the following: pop, fake juice called Mr. Pure, lotto tickets, chips and melted cheese for your chips. Umm really? Meanwhile, I’ve gone to corner stores in Lincoln Park and found brie and organic fruit. Most people don’t care that grocers don’t respect them enough to provide fresh produce, meat and canned goods that aren’t expired. I wish I was oblivious to it, really. Finding out that school lunch is the only meal some kids get a day makes me sad in a real way. I HATED school lunches in public school (until I got to Jones HS). With SNAP benefits being cut, I can’t help but think about how many kids are suffering and hungry. Grrr.

 

3. These damn gray hairs right in the front of my head. I have a reverse Cruella Deville patch and I hate it so much. I’m far from vain but my grays age me. It’s bad enough I’m at that wacky age where no one really makes clothes for me. Juniors look too young and misses look too old. I obsess far too much about looking old even though I’m sans wrinkles. I like to use black color (shout of to racially insensitively named Bigen Oriental Black hair dye) because it covers my grays so well. Yet, the grays are popping against the dark hair when they grow in. Woe is me, dammit. I always zero in on those 8 strands of hair (yes I counted) and it drives me bonkers!

 

4. How men perpetuate colorism more than ANYBODY. I don’t have enough time nor do I feel like dedicating enough keystrokes necessary to unpack this but men got this shit bad. Women cut eyes at each other, drag each other in forums, get defensive…basically over men’s standards of beauty. When are we going to learn to stop letting them throw the rock and hide their hands? Chicks stay compromising the value of sisterhood over the attention/affection of somebody’s son. Do better, ladies.

 

5. The bloodlust to harm children. There’s nothing topic I’m not going to go mad deep into now but there was a rash of evolved slave beatings under the guise of discipline that went viral. Most people said “if that was my daughter, I’d beat the shit out of her, etc, etc” but nobody once said “I’m not worried about my child doing (insert stupid thing) because I’ve taught her better than that and to love and value herself.” Nope, not a one. Telling isn’t it?

 

6. When people who I think are otherwise smart show me how incredibly gullible they can be. I think growing up in church, I had a ringside seat to scare tactics. I know the scare you from getting knowledge horse and pony show when I see it. I’m so sadden by the Chicken Littleism that the internet has created. I know it’s an escape. I also a way for people to not have to responsibility to their actions and/or inactions. Still sucks to see though, it makes me feel like I’m in Guyana seeing people I care about drink the koolaid.

 

7. Leggings as pants. I know I’m treading the line of respectability politics but shit…c’mon, son. It’s one thing to have a showing panty line but do I need to see all of your pannies though? Leggings look best with a tunic or if they are a quality pair that look tasteful.

 

8. Luxury items that are so out of my price range. Gotdamn you, Louis Vuitton Neverfull..you bastard. You too Goyard tote!

So there’s my list for now, this might become a series. As you can see, much like my moody ass, some are serious and some are more lighthearted. What do you wish you could unsee or unknow?

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