confessions

The Problem With Oversharing

Social media is a wonderful tool—it let’s you stay in touch with people from high school, people you met in different countries on your travels and helps artist and businesses promote themselves to people who would otherwise be oblivious to their existence.

But we know for every act of good in the world there is a negative to balance—practically Newton’s 3rd law of motion— Since the days the advent of cameras on phones we’ve been inundated with booty pics and selfies and honestly I didn’t think it could any worse oh but how wrong I was!

There is a much deeper problem and I need ya’ll to really here me out. What I’m talking about is something that your facebook friends won’t tell you. In fact if they are like me they may simply stop following your timeline—best feature ever!

Watch this week’s latest Weekly Update and let me know what you think!

September 21, 2015September 21, 2015 by Twilla Amin Categories: EntertainmentTags: America, common sense, confessions, Facebook, instagram, internet safety, oversharing, rant, social media, tmi, Toast Tip, Twitter, video blog, vlog, weekly updates, wtf Leave a comment

Internet Manners

It is true what they say, they internet has no chill whatsoever. I’m learning that people can be so cleaver but lately I’ve been feeling somewhat convicted for laughing at something that in real life is just flat out mean. If our virtual conversations reflect how we treat others in real life then humanity is filled with heartless bullies.

Would you really say what you share on line to someone’s face? Could we get away with the stuff we say in real life? Are celebrities excused because they are famous? Does the rule “If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all” apply to the world wide web?

I want to know your thoughts. Watch my latest video blog and let me know what you think.

September 7, 2015September 7, 2015 by Twilla Amin Categories: My rantsTags: celebs, confessions, current events, Entertainment, Hollywood, Life, manners, meme, rant, smh, video blog, vlog, weekly updates Leave a comment

Why Parent’s Visits are the Best

This past week my mother came to visit us (I have a brother and sister that lives in Cali as well) but I like to think that she came to visit me! If you don’t know, I LOVE MY MOTHER! Steph and I have a bond. One where I can call her Steph just as long as I am not seriously thinking that I am getting away with calling her by her first name. It absolutely drives my friends crazy. They’re so jelly. I also talk to my mom like 8 times a day. Not because we have an obsessive relationship but because our convos are usually cut short because we got to go into a meeting or something. Sometimes we just share a thought and hang up. I would text her but her phone is like the world’s first palm pilot or something and she doesn’t always get my messages. My sibs totally pick on me about how often I talk to my mom. Mom and I have an understanding. I teach her how to use Facebook and she helps me make sound financial decisions. I would never call my mother my friend because of the phrase every kid heard growing up “I’m not your friend, I’m your mother”. But we are kinda like friends. But she will still lecture me and give me unsolicited advice–because as she puts it, “I may not be a manager any more but I am still in consultant position for the rest of your life.” I realized on this last minute there are stages I go through during these visits. The week before I was kind of obsessed with making sure everything was clean and in place. Not because I’m junky but because mom is like super clean and has a way of finding dirt that does not exist. But then the day of, I came to the realization that no matter how hard I tried, mom was just going to end up cleaning anyway. All while making it looking so effortless. When mom gets here. I like to pretend that I am grown. I like to show that all of the hard work and investment has paid off. I am doing well. I can cook, clean, decorate, pay bills on time, have fun and have some sort of balance. This act of showing off or pretending, only last for a few days. If your parents are staying more than a few days it will be hard to convincingly keep this cover. Then there’s the moment when mom does a really mom thing and it tugs at that part of me thats sometimes wishes I could be a kid again. This time it was “Let’s go get groceries, I’ll pay.” OH-EM-GEE!!! Be still my heart! I totally wish I could hop into the shopping cart and pull things off the shelf and put into the buggy–my own version of a real life Throw Back Thursday. Sometimes we all need a chance to relive and appreciate things from our childhood that we took for granted. I’m not even ashamed to say that the grocery store trip was not that moment for me. It was the moment when I had a mini breakdown-tears and all- and mom was there with open arms. Hugs, encouraging words and great advice. My mom has a way of making everything better. When mom left, my house was cleaner, my fridge was full and my self esteem was intact. I needed this time with my mom. Parents are great—mine are the best! I am eternally grateful for the blessing that is mom and dad.

February 22, 2015March 24, 2015 by Twilla Amin Categories: Other NewsTags: confessions, Family, feature, Life, Retrospect for Life Leave a comment

I Work Out

I’m currently in the process of trying to get right. Like everyone else, I came into the new year with goals to drop weight–but not for the sake of resolutions or simply being healthy but because I’m going to Greece in August! I’m going to be on a yacht cruising around Greece and I need to look my own personal very best. I mean there will be Facebook photos and Greek men! When I think Greece I think John Stamos, Greek gods, Kostos (the guy from Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants) and John Stamos again.

So with that in mind, I have made it a personal mission to workout and eat right. However there is one problem. Sure, I miss all the unhealthy foods that I’m not supposed to eat but I can deal with that. It’s the working out part.

Whenever I go for a run, the whole time I ask myself why? What am I running for? Who does this for fun? So then my friends suggest that I try other exercises such as Zumba or Crossfit. Now that I think about it–these are probably are NOT my friends. Who would encourage me to go to a class where I am reminded that I am one of the rhythm-less black girls (see post here) or do Crossfit? Nothing about Crossfit seems fun to me. Actually it seems dangerous. If I was looking for ways to die while losing weight-I’d just go find some FDA unapproved diet pills and take without consulting my doctor.

The problem with working out is also that I am a sweaty girl. That whole “girls don’t sweat we glow” saying is a lie! To the point it effects what time I workout. For example: If I have to be at work by 8, not only do I have to factor in the time to shower and get to work after my workout, I have to take in consideration how long it will take to cool off before getting in the shower. If I don’t cool off before my shower, I will start back sweating after the shower. Yeah that’s a 4:30AM wake up call. No thank you!

Then there is the pain. I get it, no pain no gain. But when the idea of walking down the stairs is too painful, then we gotta reconsider. Who are these folks who endorse “the burn”? That sounds like torture. It sounds like literally walking into the gates of hell and jumping into the lake of fire. After a “great” workout why do my arms feel like spaghetti and my legs have no feelings?

But even with all of my griping and complaining and my eternal hate for working out- I will still do it. Because John Stamos.

January 29, 2015March 24, 2015 by Twilla Amin Categories: HealthTags: Church, confessions, feature, Fitness, get fit, Greece, John Stamos, Life, look good naked, Resolutions, Single, vacation, working out 1 Comment

Confessions of a Black Girl Who Can’t Dance

I’d like to dedicate this post to all my black American sisters who defy the stereotype.

Cue: Spice Girls “If You Can’t Dance”

I think one of the most overlooked tragedies of stereotyping people by race is the stress that it causes those of us who do not entirely fit the mold. There are so many things that black people are supposed to do that I don’t really do…and for the most part I am fine with that. See, growing up with the “Cosby Show” made it socially acceptable for me not to completely fulfill certain stereotypes. However, there was one stereotype that the Cosby show did not exclude me from…

DANCING! Before middle school the idea of my inability to dance never crossed my mind. I mean I was in dance class (ballet and tap) so I mean I could dance but I would soon learn I couldn’t DANCE.

I wasn’t trying to twerk it in middle school but I did sign up for step team. It was here that I should have seen the first sign! It was painful…I was the last one to learn any of the complex steps. The other girls kept telling me just to listen to the rhythm but I just couldn’t figure it out. By the time our step show came around, I only mastered one of the steps…so that was the only I did and I had to sit on the sideline and watch as the other girls all stomped for their lives as the rest of the school yelled “Alright!” “Get it, girls” and “I see you!”

I eventually lived down that disappointment mostly because in between I was able to move to a new town and start over. In my teen years I found myself locked in my room practicing my dance skills. Songs like “Back that a$$ up” and “Whistle while you twerk” were popular and I needed to make sure that I was on point. It was during this time in my bedroom that I realized that my aspirations of dancing like a video girl would never come to fruition. I just didn’t have it.

How in the world was I supposed to go through life as a black girl who couldn’t dance? Not only that, how am I half African without rhythm…how did the ancestors completely skip out of blessing me with the dancing ability? In college I first thought the best way to avoid facing the embarrassment of my reality was to avoid going out all together. And when I did eventually go out…it was mostly “just for the atmosphere.” If I guy asked me to dance, I would mostly decline and I know for that fact there are a lot of guys who assume that I am probably some stuck up girl that wouldn’t give them the time of day but I couldn’t bring myself to say “Oh, I’m really bad at dancing let’s just have a drink.” That would be like admitting that I can’t tie my shoe!

And for the most part I’ve learned to deal. I’ve learned that there are other black girls just like me. Often times we go out together dance in our rhythmless uncoordinated ways and enjoy ourselves. There are times when we see white girls getting it in and we do feel a pang of jealousy. I mean yeah…we were told that dancing was a right that we were entitled to by birth but somehow that was completely snatched from us!

Yes, if we encounter these girls when we are out there would be collection of side eyes from the R&UBGB (Rhythmless and Uncoordinated Black Girls Club).

July 14, 2014March 25, 2015 by Twilla Amin Categories: My rantsTags: confessions, feature, Life Issues, music, rant, rap music, smh 1 Comment