Why Women Love/Hate Pinterest

By Te-Erika Patterson

Besides the marketing benefits of driving traffic to retail websites, blogs and online shopping sources, the latest rage in social networking is a virtual pinboard called Pinterest.

Created in 2009 by a man named Ben Silberman, Pinterest was named one of 2011's top 10 social networks by Hitwise and it has proven to be a hit with most women who rave about its "no drama" environment filled with "pretty things you love."

But not all women find Pinterest appealing in fact, Pinterest is a site that you either love, hate or use for marketing purposes. As Julia** from Burlington, Kentucky said, "I hate looking at scrapbooks and I see no social value in watching women fawn over dresses. What's the point?"

There are others who share Julia's sentiment. "What is it supposed to be?" asked 36-year-old Wendy Brooks from Miami, Florida. "I joined but left after 30 seconds. Who cares about making fake weddings and pretending like we will ever have this stuff. I want engagement, not imaginary entertainment."

But there are women like 26-year-old graphic designer Maia McDonald who fell in love with Pinterest at first sight. "I became pretty addicted from the beginning," the Oakland, California resident remembers. "It provided a format that I really was craving even though I didn't know it. Before Pinterest I would constantly be bookmarking every blog, artist or interesting and beautiful tidbit I found on the web, which resulted in these crazy, convoluted folders and sub folders chronicling everything I loved."

When Maia changed jobs recently and she introduced herself to her new co workers, a couple of the women revealed that they had been following her pin boards and were already acquainted with her interests through the site.

For Lanti Igus, a healthcare worker in Gainesville, Florida, Pinterest was an instant thrill. "I am a visual person," Lanti explains. "I love pretty pictures and you also find so many random, neat things like recipes, cleaning tips, clothing, travel ideas and so on. Then you can always go right to the website where the picture came from. I love it. It's just random goodness and never boring because you always find something new."

With thousands of women joining the Pinterest craze each day and a similar site called Gentlemint in operation for men, this virtual pinning board must be filling a need that no other social network has met.

Try not to brush off this venture as another web start-up, the site is clearly making an impact on business and pleasure. If you're on the fence about trying it, check out our list of 10 Ways You Can Benefit From Pinterest.

You too, can enjoy the benefits of Pinterest by using it for:

1. Meal Planning
2. Vision boards
3. Bookmarks
4. Craft Ideas
5. Organizing your projects
6. Wardrobe Inspiration
7. Home Improvement Ideas
8. Gift Ideas
9. Blogging (Pinning) your life story
10. Advertising your wares

Happy Pinning!

**Julia's name was changed per her request for anonymity.

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Same-Sex Couple Conceives Quadruplets, Deliver within Weeks of Each Other

FORT MYERS, Fla., March 16, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Imagine having two sets of twins born within two weeks of each other? That's exactly what mothers and same-sex couple Laura Cavin and Sheri Green experienced as they each conceived twins from the same set of eggs and anonymous donor sperm through in vitro fertilization (IVF).

All four children – Brianna, Derrick, Anthony and Cason – were conceived on the same day and technically are quadruplets, even though the two sets of children were born two weeks apart.

The road to parenthood for these two "super moms" has been filled with both overwhelming joy and, unfortunately, indescribable sorrow. Both members of this loving couple always knew they wanted to become mothers. But like other lesbian couples, the native Floridians also understood they would need medical intervention to achieve this dream.

They contacted Dr. Craig Sweet, a reproductive endocrinologist and medical director of Specialists in Reproductive Medicine and Surgery in Fort Myers, Florida. At the time, Sheri was almost 35 while Laura was 24. They decided Sheri, who wanted biological children, would provide her eggs and Laura, who wanted to experience pregnancy, would carry the child. Though Laura conceived identical twins from the transfer of a single embryo that split, they lost the boys, named Aiden and Branden, at 24 weeks gestation because of the extremely rare condition of twin-to-twin transfusion, where one twin was not getting enough blood while the other was getting too much.

Despite the pain of their tremendous loss, Laura and Sheri were determined not to give up. They went back to Dr. Sweet to try another time. Again, Sheri produced an abundance of eggs and high quality embryos. After much discussion and trepidation, a decision was made to transfer two embryos into each woman. Dr. Sweet commented, "The chance that all four transferred embryos would implant and grow was less than 2%, so we were all amazed when the improbable occurred."

The first five months of both pregnancies went well, but at 31 weeks, Laura delivered Briana and Derek on May 9 after her placenta partially ruptured. Meanwhile, Sheri started going into labor and had Anthony and Cason on May 23, 2011.

As Mother's Day and the babies' birthdays approach, Laura and Sheri can look back at all they have endured and smile. Says Sheri, "We have become better mothers because we know what it is like to lose children. We would have given anything to hear Aidan and Brendan scream, so listening to four babies cry at once does not bother us. But our journey also took us to our four beautiful babies. Reproductive medicine made our dreams possible."

Sheri and Laura consider themselves mothers of four children, not of two each. From a gestational perspective, all four children were conceived on the same day. In Florida, however, they only are legally considered the mothers of the children they bore, so they are working with a family lawyer for each mother to adopt the other two. Said Dr. Sweet: "They are a family connected through genetics, reproductive medicine and the love these two women share with each other – an amazing modern family."

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Te-Erika's Blog: My Intuition Says Write A Movie

The other day I read that it was the 15th anniversary of the movie Love Jones. This is a film that is highly regarded in the Black community because it is said to depict a real life romance filled with drama, fun, sex and poetry.

The thing is- I've never seen it and I have no idea why. What was I doing 15 years ago? Let's see. I'm 33 so that would have made me- wait. Gotta grab my calculator. Oh. I was 18. Dang! 18?!!!

Wow. Anyway. I was 18 and in my first year of undergrad and I guess I was having too much fun to see this film but I have seen some scenes from it. After reading the interview with the main characters about this film, something made me say, "If I were to star in a movie, I'd like it to be one like this."

Then my thoughts flowed to- If I were to star in a romance film, who would I want as my romantic interest? I laughed and laughed at the thought of some man pursuing me, even in a film. It doesn't happen in real life, but it could happen in a movie that begins in my imagination.

So who would I like to play my male lead? Ooh! I know! Jaleel White!

I just saw him a couple of weeks ago in the film Judy Moody and the NOT Bummer Summer. It rekindled my childhood crush on him and reminded me that he is still the STEVE of my fantasies.

Then I asked myself- Wait. Why does it have to be a MAN that I am linked to in my romantic movie? Since I don't crush on women based on their looks, nope, no celebrity crushes on women at all, I had to find an actress.

A quick google search to find the perfect lead actress led me to Zoe Saldana. Wow. She's so beautiful she probably wouldn't look at me twice, but this is my imaginary love story and I get to choose whoever I want. So there.

As I manipulated their images to sit next to each other my mind started whirling with ideas about what would happen.



The ideas wouldn't stop as the story developed so I began writing notes based on what my intuition was telling me.

The movie description popped out.

SWITCH - COMING SOON

Brandi (Te-Erika), a down on her luck waitress blacklisted from the acting scene in Miami, LA and New York due to her wayward ways hopes her luck will change once she moves to Washington DC.

In the Chocolate City she doesn't find the connections she needs to make it to the big screen but she does find a new talent and a new dilemma as she is thrust into a tug of war between two charming singles, Derrick and Sasha (Jaleel White & Zoe Saldana) who vow to break her out of her promiscuous ways by offering her the one thing she has never experienced- love.

Today, as I sat staring at the picture of this love triangle I heard- Develop your characters by writing out the details of their personalities.

So I did.

I made a list for each of us.

Character Questions:

1. Name
2. Age
   
3. Occupation
   
4. Education
5. Family Life
6. For Fun
7. Philosophy
8. Strengths
9. Quirks
10. Weaknesses
11. Flaws
12. Fears
13. Secrets

Now that my list is done, I'll just sit and wait for the rest of the instructions. I am a bit nervous because I am not sure what this project will turn into or even if I'll have the time to dedicate to it with so many other things on my plate.

The crazy part is, the last time I was inspired to write a fiction love story that I starred in, I actually met a man just like my main character. They had the same background and everything. What if my writing is magic? What if I do it again?

I am curious to find out!

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How To Be Sexy Without Trying

I am hard pressed to write this article because sexiness isn't usually developed. It's a trait that certain women possess while others spend their lives and fortunes trying to achieve it. But, for those who are seeking wisdom, I'm not against sharing a few tips to help you love yourself more.

1. Keep your vagina clean, neatly trimmed and healthy. Your vagina is supposed to smell like pussy so don't worry about getting rid of your natural body odor. If you get tested for STD's regularly, shower daily and trim your pubic hair you will feel unusually ready for an unexpected romp if you need one and if you don't need one, you'll still have this air about you that says, I have a pretty kitty- wanna see?

2. Wear clothes that fit your body. Instead of buying a SMALL shirt because you can't bear the thought of buying a medium because you think that means you are fat, buy the damn medium shirt. You are not supposed to look like a sausage when you get dressed. There is nothing sexy about looking like you are playing dress up in your child's clothing.

3. Fuck'em. Yes, I said it. FUCK EVERYBODY. No, I don't mean you have to have sex with everyone who wants to have sex with you. You have to have the attitude that no one's opinion matters more than yours if you want to succeed at being sexy. The women who are deemed sexy as hell aren't given that label because of how they dress or the way their breasts sit upright in their blouses, they are sexy because they KNOW they are sexy and they don't give a damn if no one on this earth agrees with them.

4. Smile for no reason. There's something strangely erotic about a woman who seems delighted for no reason. I'm not talking about walking around like an idiot with a huge grin on your face showing all 32 of your teeth to everyone who walks by. Your energy should express that you have a secret, a happy secret, that no one can find out because they aren't special enough.

If you want to learn how to be happy all day, everyday, you can watch this video and it will give you one of my tricks.



5. Enjoy sex when you can. Sex is not a sin. Sex is not bad. You will not go to hell for having sex. You are not a slut just because you like sex. You have to change your mentality about sex before you can ever be sexy. You don't have to actually have sex in order to be sexy but you must embrace the idea that at some point you may have sex and it is okay to enjoy it. You're okay. You'll be okay. You're not a bad person. You can like sex if you want to. You can like porn if you want to. Hell, you can be a prostitute if you want to. As long as you're doing what you WANT to do, there's nothing wrong with it.

Forget the notion that when you have sex you are 'giving it up'. You aren't "giving it up" you are getting something too. Hopefully it's an orgasm but if not, then at least its the warmth of a physical connection with someone you care for who makes your body tingle.

6. Stop looking for approval. You can approve yourself. You can decide you're awesome. You can decide that you're valuable. You can decide that you are worth your weight in diamonds. Once you make that decision you must begin to ACT the part and whatever that means to you is the right way to be. You won't even need to read another article like this because you will know exactly what to do.


So that's it.

A woman who:

• Has a neat and clean vagina
• Wears clothes that fit her body
• Smiles for no reason
• Doesn't need anyone to tell her she's sexy
• Doesn't believe sex is dirty
• Isn't looking for approval

Is a woman who many men and women will find irresistably sexy. Try these tips and keep it sexy, ladies!


For My Savvy Sisters: What makes you feel sexy?

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Home School Success Depends on You

Michelle Bryant, 27, was raised in a Southern Baptist family In Georgia and had heard about the concept of homeschooling through kids at her church. Following the Columbine incident in April of 1999, she was expelled from public high school at the age of 14.

“I was a quiet loner and the school, being afraid that the same horror would take place in our small town, they needed a scapegoat,” Michelle remembers. “My best friend at the time and I were singled out as potential trouble makers and kicked out of school, though we had done nothing wrong.”

Worried that they would get in trouble for being horrible people to raise a loner like Michelle, her parents kept quiet and never pursued the legality action against the school. Since no other school in the tri-county area would accept her, home school was her only option.

“I remember picking out the curriculum with my Mom and choosing some things I wanted to learn. She worked out an assignment list and I jumped right in,” she says. “My parents both worked at the time and my brother was still in middle school, so I taught myself pretty much. My mom would give me a list of chapters to read and assignments to do and I would do them.”

Michelle says she was a bit worried about not seeing her friends anymore but she always loved an academic challenge, so she stepped up and dove into her studies. She also felt she had to prove to the school board that she could finish high school on her own, so she was determined to succeed from the very beginning.

Although she was resistant at first she found that she enjoyed learning at her own pace. “The first thing I can remember learning isn’t something that came from a book,” Michelle recalls. “I remember that I figured out that the public school system was really an education factory that tried to teach every kid the same way in order to churn out cookie cutter model citizens that would be ready for the workforce. I thought to myself, ‘I don’t want to be like that’.

The lack of socialization was a problem for Michelle. Luckily she was 14 and had already had more than 10 years in public school, so she had developed most of the social skills that she needed. The biggest problem that Michelle remembers was that neither of her parents was well educated so when she became stuck on a problem with her studies, neither could help.

Instead of being dependent on her parents to tutor her she looked things up in books or asked people at church to tutor her. “This was pre-Google so I couldn’t just pull out my smart phone and look things up. It made me work harder to learn things, but I think that was a good thing,” she says.

Although she was told that the school district would oversee her home school education, she found that they simply forgot about her. "We were supposed to keep a log of the hours I was ‘in class’ and turn in the log once a week to the school board. We did that for a couple of months, but then just stopped and no one cared,” she says. “They didn’t call or send letters or come to the house asking questions. I think they just forgot that I existed. They were also supposed to arrange for me to take the state required standardized tests, but that never happened.”

“I think home school has many advantages over public school,” Michelle asserts. “Children get more one-on-one learning, children with learning disabilities can be taught in a way that is designed just for them, and you can take the kids out of the classroom and into the world to learn and experience in a hands on way. On the other hand, I have noticed that parents who home school their children have to pay more attention to how their children are growing on a social level. Public school children get their social skills on a daily basis; they learn how to interact with other children and authority figures. Home schooled children don’t really get this type of learning so it is a secondary part of their education that their parents have to be aware of.”

When Michelle turned 16 she decided to take on the GED. She spent 3 months studying for the test at an adult education center and passed the test to receive her certificate. She immediately began working to support herself and at the age of 24 she enrolled in college where she is double majoring in Creative Writing and Religious Studies. Michelle, who now resides in Atlanta, hopes to earn a PHD and teach literature or creative writing.

For home schooled children who feel that their parents were not as involved in their education as they should have been, Michelle offers 3 ways that you can stand on your own and live a good life anyway.

Success Tips For Home Schooled Children

1. Work your ass off. If you want something bad enough, find a way to get it. If you want to go to college, get a great job, have a nice house, travel the world, and/or marry a wonderful person and raise a family, make it happen. If you want to join the traveling circus in Russia, make that happen. Dream a dream and then realize that no one is going to hand you those things, you have to work for them. And it’s going to be hard. But it will be worth it.

2. Figure out who you really are, underneath everyone else’s expectations of you, and then be you. Don’t compromise your true self in order to get the job you want or the ‘perfect’ relationship, because if you sell out, you’ll wind up miserable and have no one to blame but yourself.

3. Take responsibility for your words and actions. Take responsibility for your life. I see it way too much lately that people are pushing the blame for their situation onto someone else. Stand up straight and tell people “This is my life. Yes, I have faults. Yes, I will screw up on occasion. But everyone does. It’s how we learn the lessons we need to learn. So accept me, or move on.”

For My Savvy Sisters: What are your perceptions of home schooling? Are they different from Michelle's experience?

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EDITORIAL: Collaboration Trumps Competition

By Christina Fermin
Politics & Society Columnist


I have recently come to the conclusion that collaboration triumphs competition. The systems currently in place does the opposite, it rewards competition over collaboration. This is where we as a civilization have reached a glass ceiling in terms of growth. I am not referring to economic growth, I’m talking about growth in terms of human consciousness, spiritual growth and living in a world that seeks to make better the human condition. The good news is that this world is possible and everyday we come to a closer understanding of the value of cooperation, collaboration and creating this world.

With such an increase in globalization and the interconnectivity of people we are beginning to understand how current institutions fail in providing the people as a whole basic needs; such as adequate shelter, clean water, nutritious food and an environment where one can grow. Technology, solutions and resources are available, but current systems and institutions prevent the best solutions to flourish and take shape. Academia is beginning to understand this along with the benefits, while the professional world strongly resists this motion, the people are beginning to realize this and ask for collaboration.

Ultimately the people run the institutions and as more people become aware the more people there are that want to collaborate and link bridges, the people will triumph over the institutions. As I have said before, the system is broken and can no longer sustain itself to survive, where it fails, people will come to fix the breaks realizing the benefits of collaboration over competition. While competition has assisted humanity to bring us modern luxury and material goods, it has also created an unintended consequence which has put most of humanity in the throes of suffering, malnourishment, leaving us mistreated, forgotten and lost. Competition creates jealousy and war. In fighting and waging war, we as a human civilization take steps backward rather than forward.

Human civilization is at a very important crossroads in terms of human consciousness and growth. We have brought this planet to the edge of an unknown paradigm where through competition we have polluted, stripped and devastated Mother Earth. This crossroads screams for collaboration if we are to survive the uncharted waters we have purposely stirred. The ancestors warned us, the human condition can get better, but it will take some hard work and dedication. While there may be much happening behind the scenes where one feels powerless, one cannot lose hope if we dedicate ourselves to participate in our own healing. As we realize these truths, we can reach out to one another and grow.

Keep sight of what’s important and realize when you die you take nothing but your experiences on this planet with you. Strive to make every day better than the last and never forget to find joy and happiness in everything you do. At the end of the day cooperating, collaborating and helping one another will be more rewarding than any competition you will ever participate in. A world where the basic needs of the people are met that rejects the notion of human suffering can exist, but it is only the decision of the people that can make it so. Take part in our healing process and become aware by becoming a participant in Life rather than an observer. The power of the people collaborating and cooperating has yet to be seen, but I feel that it will push civilization in an evolutionary bound forward, where an oasis waits and the human potential will become more than we can comprehend.

“To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people exist and that is all.” ~ Oscar Wilde

About the Columnist


With a bachelors degree in political science from Florida Atlantic University, Christina Fermin has always cultivated her love for history, politics, sociology, ancient knowledge and teachings, the outdoors, the ocean and the environment. Christina strives to make our world better by helping us all create a new reality and understanding of all taking place here and now. You can reach her at Christina@MySavvySisters.Com.

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How To Fit In

It's not an easy task to find your place in this world. It's more common to look to those around you and try to imitate their lifestyles, hoping that using them as guides will bring you peace.

Taking this route may bring a sense of fulfillment for a while as you go down your bucket list, checking things off and feeling good about yourself. Hopefully, you won't have to compromise too much of who you are to live a life like this.

For other women, the mere thought of living out someone else's dream seems like a nightmare within itself. You may fumble and fight trying to figure out what to want and you find yourself time and time again, in situations that you know do not suit your personality or tastes. The people you surround yourself seem to be living in a dream world, happily playing roles assigned to them. You can't seem to get into your role and you wonder what's wrong with you. All you want to do is fit in somewhere, somehow.

You search and you search and you can't find that place. You dutifully earn your degrees. You get married. You have children. You vacation in Hawaii. You have long lunches with girlfriends who complain about their lives as though it is a competition to see who has it worst. You're sick of it. All you want is to find your place in this world- your real place.

How To Fit In

You must first understand that you won't fit into a "normal" life. If you were meant to do this, you would have already.

There is a place for you to fill. There is something special for you to do. There is someone out there who needs you, yet, you may not find that place immediately.

You don't fit in because you were not meant to. You are different and that carries its own weight. There are people who exist who are similar to you. They are waiting to meet you but they are on their own journey to accepting themselves "as is" as they learn that it is not important to conform to others expectations of who you should be.

This is your journey. Once it is completed, you will find yourself rising to meet an elite class of individuals who share similar ideals and understand your path, your present and where you are headed. You want more than what you see around you and you will have that.

First, you have to learn to appreciate your differences and celebrate them. By doing this you will begin your ascension.

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5 Reasons To Celebrate Pain

If we had our choice we would completely eradicate the possibility of pain because it's, well, painful. However strategically we try to avoid the aches and pains of life we can use its occurrence to help boost our health and happiness by understanding these 5 truths about the benefits of pain.






Physical Pain
1. Physical pain is caused by an inflammation in our body's nervous system that acts as an alert system to tell us that something is wrong. Pain is our body's way of letting us know that if we continue that activity we will harm ourselves even more.

When you begin to feel physical pain as a result of an activity, stop what you are doing and adjust your activity in a way that doesn't cause so much stress on your body. You can try to celebrate when you feel pain because without it you'd damage yourself permanently.


Emotional Pain
2. Emotional pain is usually present when we endure a loss in life. The pain is not physical yet it can present itself in physical form if we choose to dwell on the loss as a negative incident. There is perfection in emotional pain because it proves that we had a connection or a passion to the thing we are hurting over.

Life is all about making connections with our environment and those around us. If we are living a rich and full life we will become passionate about the things and people we love. If we didn't achieve these heartfelt connections we could never really know the full experience of life. Sadly, a part of the life cycle is letting go and this is when the emotional pain of losing our connection to that experience takes over. If you have ever been hurt by a loss, take it as a sign that you are indeed living a full and satisfying life.


Past Traumas
3. The pain of past memories linger in our minds forcing us to relive the moment and rekindle the pain over and over again. There is one surefire way to alleviate the ache of the pain of the past. You have to recognize first that at some point whatever was causing the pain has ended and you have moved on. If you were able to move past the pain of any situation in your past, you can do it again.

In this scenario, pain is useful because it reminds you that you overcame it the last time and you will move on again.




Unmet Expectations
4. Since we're passionately involved in this life experience, it makes sense that we will open our eyes and decide that we want to see more and experience more. When our desires and expectations for our lives lead us to experience the pain of unmet expectations it can cause depression, a low sense of self worth and emotional trauma.

Just like with the other types of pain, we can celebrate the pain of unmet expectations because we recognize that unlike some people who waft stoically through life with no aim or purpose, we DO have purpose, we DO have plans and we DO have high hopes for our life experience. Our expectations indicate that on some level we want to enjoy this life experience and we believe we can otherwise our unmet expectations would not bother us.

The pain of unmet expectations means that we are ready to enjoy life.


Unrequited Love
5. There's that tingly feeling again. It begins in the pit of your stomach and permeates through your entire body causing you to feel drained yet exhilarated. Yep, that's love. Love is such a beautiful feeling, but it's not so beautiful when the love isn't returned.

The pain of unrequited love is almost impossible to bare. You may blame yourself for not being loveable or you may become frustrated with the object of your attention for not receiving your love in the best possible way. No, there is no quick fix to overcoming the pain of unrequited love but this type of pain does come with a reason to celebrate.

When you experience the pain of unrequited love you must understand that the mere fact that you dared to love someone is an act of bravery. There are so many souls who are closed off to connections with other people due to the fear of being rejected. They will never experience the bliss you feel when you think of the one you love, when you hear their voice or attempt to make a connection with them.

You are so courageous for stepping out and releasing the love you have inside, whether it is returned or not. When it isn't returned and you experience the pain that comes with not being appreciated, take a look in the mirror and tell yourself, "But I did it. I have lived and loved. I am not a stone. I am alive."


For My Savvy Sisters: Can you recall a time when your worst moment eventually became your best moment?

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Dealing With Competitive Women At Work- Let Her Be The Queen

There is at least one of these women at every job. She just HAS to be number one. She reminds you of how many awards she's gotten. She criticizes you every chance she gets and often spreads rumors about your work ethic and personal life so that she can seem to be the most dedicated and the most favored. She's the first to volunteer for extra duty and is constantly walking behind the manager smiling while saying, "Yes Ma'am," hoping to stay on their good side.

You can't even make a suggestion without her trying to one up you. It was funny at first but now it's downright annoying.

How do you handle competitive women in the workplace?

Easy. You let them win.

Any woman who feels she has to compete with you is letting you know that she sees you as a threat. My Savvy Sisters know that there is no competition on the divine plane. What is yours is yours and no one can take it away.

We don't compete. We don't feel threatened. We merely step into our rightful places when the time arrives. We believe in our abilities and never view any other woman as someone who can take away our blessings.

Let the competitive woman at work win. If she is that dedicated to being #1 at a company that she does not own then that is her business. Let her exhaust her efforts in trying to remain on top while she throws dirt on others. Let her be the queen of the office and be okay with that. Your current job is not your final resting place. You will move on from there. You will do much more. She may remain inside those four walls, spinning her wheels, holding firm to her perceived status for the rest of her life. It is none of your concern.




Walk tall. Do your best and do not look to your manager or boss for your sense of self worth. Your self worth comes from knowing you are doing your very best. You are contributing what you have to offer and your poise and patience will be appreciated- when you get the hell out of there and start your own business. Remember, this is TEMPORARY.

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From The Publisher: Wailing Women Are Out of Style

Dear My Savvy Sisters,

Once upon a time women were told they shouldn't speak up so their suffering went unnoticed and unchanged. Then it became a source of empowerment to wage war against the bottled up angst and frustrations that women face by venting our frustrations through song, in plays, movies and books. Today, the trend is changing. It is no longer cool to be a wailing woman, satisfied in pointing out all of the injustices in the world and celebrating victimhood.

Your struggles don't make you seem strong. Your battles don't build you up. We already know you hold the weight of the world on your shoulders as the mothers of the earth yet, there has to be an end to this 'Look at what they did to me' mentality.

Yes, there will be people who hurt you, intentionally or unintentionally but at the end of that day, no matter what their tactics are, you know that you will survive. Why relive those painful moments by dedicating monologues and screen plays to them? Why revive those troubled times by sharing speeches and gossip sessions that replay those petty incidents? It's not cool to be hurt, it doesn't make you a better woman to be a survivor.

We have to let go of the wailing woman attitude that we think elevates our status as women. We are more than survivors. We are more than the remains from our checkered pasts. We are the solution that this world has been seeking. No one can hold us back. None of their tactics will work. Every setback is a springboard because we are savvy enough to flip each and every negative circumstance we face into a situation that will benefit us in the long run.

We are not victims. We do not need to wail and create entire albums and books of poetry to voice the pain we once felt before we learned how to successfully navigate life.

Wailing women are out of style. The new version of cool, strong and trendy is to be HEALED, AUTHENTIC and BOLD.

Join Us.

Love,

Te-Erika

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