Fourth Thursday

You're right, I don't. Black bastards. White Girls, 2010!

Enough of the joking. Contrary to popular belief, when ya'll ain't making my life a living hell, you're making my life heaven. I came from a black woman, love black women and will always love black women. I love them off all shapes and sizes, of all locations and upbringing, and of all ideas and beliefs. Ya'll mean the world to me, which is why you must be subjected to criticism, the same way you all criticized me and helped mold me into the person I am today.

So, today, I'm taking a break from crazy heifers, dumb heifers, lost heifers and the non-existent slut to talk about the beautiful black women in my life that have had the greatest impact on me.

(Not done in any specific order)

So, apparently, she didn't like me when we first met. Funny, eh? How do you not like lil-ol' AD? Anyway, we became pretty cool in 11th grade and it's been history ever since. From withstanding my hilarious interrogations to offering up really good anecdotes for day-to-day situations, Jeana is one of the women that prove that good things of the XX pair can come out of Hazelwood Central. Although we have debacles over height, I respect her an equal scholastically, as an apt friend and as family. And, as of late, she definitely can roll with the punches when it comes to jokes. She don't take it sitting down anymore...although when she sits down, we're technically seeing eye-to-eye.

I don't exactly know when and where this friendship formed, but it did. She dated one of my boys, which probably kept our deep, unbridled passion for each other from ever truly being realized. In all seriousness, Mychal reminds me that any stereotype about Black women being too this or too that is completely untrue. She may be a coon at heart, but she's a great one, worthy of the greatest respect and love I can give. (Hell, she's the only one to tell me that I have to wear a tux and chucks to a wedding and I NOT balk at her. lol)

One of my black tags at Six Flags, Brittany did more for me than she may realized. At first, we were purely co-workers, but quickly, we opened up to each other and I was able to learn more about the adult side of black women, about expectation over entitlement and how to treat women in general as people, not something to be placed on a pedestal. She always gave me great advice and was one of the few who didn't judge my relationship with a certain melanin-deprived leech.

Audrey is Audrey, through and through. Never met anyone like her. Highly affectionate, blunt and talented. Whether it was in a studio or in a classroom (with me probably surfing the net or dozing off), I could always rely on at least a smile. I don't know if you know, but a smile on a dark day can mean the sun. Yea, we have disagreements on gender roles in the black community. I'm usually right. She can't help it. At the end of the day, she's one of the people who has made my WashU experience exponentially better and has reminded me not to write all you Black bastards off.

On some realness, Naia is the only chick that can go blow-for-blow with my ignorance. Another one of my WashU sisters, she can easily beat you down in life, poetry, rap or jokes. She's one of the few who I can rap with about a lot of things ranging from the little quirks to the "OMG, I think i just fucked up my life" things. She's also the only one who will randomly give you a Domo-Kun. C'mon now, that's gangsta. We got through WU-SLam last year as a team and are getting through this year as family.

No matter how rocky our relationship was growing up, I never lost love for my mom. She is a lady me with more patience and experience. When I was acting up, she set me straight. When I needed some encouragement, she gave it. If I need anything, she'll bend over backwards to get it. My biggest fear in life is not being able to live up to be the man my parents raised me up to be, someone my mom can look back on with her girls in the hair salon and say "My boy did well." She's the woman I'll do anything for and who will do anything for me. I may not always know how to show it, but I love her for that.

There are a lot of women I can't write on this list because...well...that will be a blog in itself. These women have had profound impacts on me, helping to create the genuinely messed up but amazingly perfect me you all love, hate and adore. I love them more all then my pens and computer screens will allow me to type.

To the fellas: It's easy to bash ladies and ish, but sit down and make a list like this sometimes. I know black women can get on our nerves, but also remember that there are more to love. Remember: these women push us to be great, demand us to do the same for them and love us unconditionally.