✨IM JUST HERE ✨

New Year's Eve was a special time for me, made so by the efforts of my grandmother. I wrote about how we used to spend the evening together in Lucky Child chapter 74, "Red vs White."

I love the New Year's Eve chapters of the story. I'm reflecting on them and my grandmother tonight. My wish for all of you is to drink some sparkling cider or champagne, sing "Auld Lang Syne," be safe, and hug your loved ones as we enter 2026.

With that said, that also brought in times where our cultures would essentially collaborate to fight against a common enemy. Similar with our dance and rap battles, there was this sense of admiration for fighting, without the use of guns. Guns were very final, too many lives are easily taken away through it. So rap and dance battles became the less violent and safer alternative, but we still needed a way to defend ourselves from violence period

Lots of Black people wanted to learn martial arts to defend themselves from gangs, but also from law enforcement and colonizers. Which is another thing these martial arts movies tackled. They tend to involve characters that are fighting against, or even defending themselves from military, law enforcement, or gangs that threaten their community. It's another connection these two communities shared

So with so many martial arts masters and teachers now in the US, Black people had access to learn and become masters themselves

Wanted to also point out that martial arts was more than showing people through punches and kicks. There was an element of how one should always be smart in any combative situation. Which when it comes to rap or dance battles, you have to be clever about it. Come up with a strategy. Which I think martial artists overall worldwide reach this same point of understanding

shower. not a bath, a shower. use water as hot or cold as u like. u dont even need to wash. just get in under the water and let it run over you for a while. sit on the floor if you gotta.

moisturize everything. use whatever lotion u like. unscented? dollar store lotion? fancy ass 48 hour lotion that makes u smell like a field of wildflowers? use whatever you want, and use it all over. 

put on clean, comfortable clothes. 

put on ur favorite underwear. cute black lacy panties? those ridiculous boxers u bought last christmas with candy cane hearts on the butt? put em on.

drink cold water. use ice. if u want, add some mint or lemon for an extra boost.

clean something. doesn’t have to be anything big. organize one drawer of ur desk. wash five dirty dishes. do a load of laundry. scrub the bathroom sink. 

blast music. listen to something upbeat and dancey and loud, something that’s got lots of energy. sing to it, dance to it, even if you suck at both.

make food. don’t just grab a granola bar to munch. take the time and make food. even if it’s ramen. add something special to it, like a hard boiled egg or some veggies. prepare food, it tastes way better, and you’ll feel like you accomplished something. 

make something. write a short story or a poem, draw a picture, color a picture, fold origami, crochet or knit, sculpt something out of clay, anything artistic. even if you don’t think you’re good at it.

go outside. take a walk. sit in the grass. look at the clouds. smell flowers. put your hands in the dirt and feel the soil against your skin.

call someone. call a loved one, a friend, a family member, call a chat service if you have no one else to call. talk to a stranger on the street. have a conversation and listen to someone’s voice. if you can’t, text or email or whatever, just have some social interaction with another person. even if you don’t say much, listen to them.

update 11/1 - 🙃🙃🙃

the reason i made this and the reason this feature is rarely seen in nose appreciation posts is because wide and flat noses are something that is mostly associated with people of color, Black people especially

these types of noses are rarely spoken of as elegant or referred to in poetic ways. and i don't think i really have to spell the reason out!!! i just said it

i didn't want to be ~annoying and say that bc ppl will probably see it as a guilt trip, bc this is how this webbed site is and i wanted the post to be positive !!!

but the responses are irritating me