Black Girl Magic Celebrating our Unique Beauty and Flavor across the Diaspora!! #BlackGirlMagic
Month: December 2016
Holiday Empty Chairs
Their places at the Thanksgiving and Christmas tables have been empty in some cases for many years. Some say you have memories but you cannot speak with a memory and you cannot hug a memory. The tears last forever.
For the ones for which I have no photos I pour Libation and speak your name that your memory may never be forgotten. Wounds that will never heal. Tears that flow like a river into seas and oceans far from the distant shore. Ase.
Delbert Callahan, Gladys Young, Linda James, Clarence and Mamie Finney and the list goes on of family and friends most taken from this earth way too soon meaning except for two all died in their 50s and 60s. Every year that I get older the more people my age who pass away. Sometimes I wonder if I’ll be next and in what circumstances I will leave this earth.
Bernadine I still miss you so much. I carry your prayer card in my uniform every day. I still miss your smiling face and your laughter. However I know as much sorrow is in my heart your daughter and two sisters are hurting more than me and this year there will be no Christmas for your Loved ones.
Empty Chairs. Sorrow-filled hearts. Even though my parents have been gone close to twenty years I’ve never completely gotten over their loss and probably I never will. I still feel that ache Thanksgiving, Christmas and especially on Mother’s and Father’s Day which I don’t celebrate. When my parents passed away and I had to go through all their belongings and sort out things in their home one of the things I made sure went into the garbage was the Christmas tree and all the ornaments, even the ones dating back to the 50s and 60s because what sense would it make to have kept those things when the people who gave them meaning are gone? Of course now my space is the size of a postage stamp so I’m glad I tossed that Holiday junk. Since I never married nor had children it made no sense to carry on any type of holiday traditions. I make sure my brother Stephen has gifts and we go out on the town but I stopped decorating and sending Christmas cards long ago.
Fortunately this year I will be working on Christmas day and I am happy for the welcome distraction. My job will help me take my mind off what is a depressing holiday for me.
Mom & Dad
My Dad Edward G. Palmer
My Dad Edward G. Palmer
Mom Mable Palmer
Mable Elizabeth Palmer ~~ My Mom
My Grandfather William J. Palmer with some of his children in Mt. Morris aka Marcus Garvey Park
My Maternal Grandmother Hattie Finney Banks
Crappy Commute
I’m enjoying my new job position with new duties/responsibilities and opportunities to gain my security skills however my night-time homeward bound commute is fast becoming a new level in Dante’s Inferno!!
Mayor Bill de Blasio!! You are about to be a one-term Mayor because the subway trains are filled with the mentally ill homeless. Homelessness is New York City’s #1 problem with the MTA’s poor service a close 2nd. Coming from 77th Street in Manhattan going to Broadway Junction in Brooklyn should not take more than 45 minutes at any time of the day or night. Traveling from Manhattan to Brooklyn should never be an hour and a half trip. Speed up the service. Increase the frequency of the trains. Put Transit Police on all the subway trains! Most of all Please house and provide services/programs these poor unfortunates who have no other choice in this bitter cold weather than to camp out in the trains!!!
Broadway Junction
Arriving L Train
L Train Views & Vistas from Broadway Junction
Tales from the Gross Side
I’m also tired of riding the Vomitus Express. I don’t know whether it is just the holiday season, people riding the trains have addiction problems or they are all three sheets to the wind but every night no matter whether I get on the first or middle cars somebody has decided to live in Barf City. To My Fellow NYers if you can’t hold your liquor please STOP Drinking and/or getting high riding the subways!! The rest of us are tired of stepping over and trying to avoid upchuck land!! Last week on the A train this guy was covered Barf. He did not move so I don’t know if he was just passed out or dead. Either way I let the Transit people deal with the mess. Here’s an idea for two new dolls for the holiday season: UpChucky and Toss My Cookies Tillie!!
Lucky for me I’m not squeamish. Over the years as a Museum Security Officer I’ve seen some of the visiting public/tourists do every body function known to mankind in a public space. Museums are located in rich wealthy neighborhoods so the bulk of the visitors are well heeled but not well-behaved. The Upper-Crust of society can no more control the lower body functions than their brains or tongue. Trust fund babies in every sense of the word. At least the poor mentally disturbed people riding the trains have an excuse. They are sick, have multiple disabilities, homeless, hungry and nobody to help them. I still wonder what is the excuse of people who have more money than God!!
On that note I can truly say that other than having to ride the crazy subway at night I Love and truly enjoy working the Late shift. I’ve found a camaraderie in this new building that I have not had in the previous eight years. I’m extremely happy to work in such a wonderful environment.
I have more subway adventures that I will share in my persona of the Raunchy Rambler. The next train tale will be the Hapless Hermaphrodite!! Stay Tuned!!
A man threatened 2 Muslim women. These Canadians responded with flowers.
Flowers for All My Muslim Sisters from your Christian American Sister. Sending you my Love!
Feline Navidad
Feline Holiday Follies!
Espiritu en Fuego/A Fiery Spirit 