Christmas Jazz and Anime

If you are growing tired of the same Christmas jazz selections on repeat, do yourself a favor and check out Christmas with The Believers (1986). Chris O'Donnell (not the actor) called it " 31 minutes of Christmas jazz perfection." and I couldn't agree more. And it's free.

The trio is composed of Donny Schwekendiek on piano, Neal Heidler on bass and Barry Puhlovski on drums. The jazz pianist's style is reminiscent of Vince Guaraldi's A Charlie Brown Christmas, but with less angst. So uplifting and smooooth. It truly is "the best Christmas jazz record you've never heard of."

In fact, I wondered why I hadn't heard more of Schwekendiek's work, so I went down the rabbit hole. First, I found his official website, which google translated from Japanese. Then, I found an anime theme song attributed to him. Intriguing.

Turns out, Schwekendiek is from Atlanta. Two years after The Believers' Christmas album was released, he moved to Japan and now lives in Nagakute, Aichi. He keeps a full calendar of performances and has worked with Keiko Lee, a Japanese jazz singer.

One of those collaborations is the opening theme for the horror/crime/mystery anime series Requiem From The Darkness (2007), composed and performed by Keiko Lee. Donny Schwekendiek wrote the lyrics:



HT: COD (NTA)

My wedding shoes

At the beginning of this year, I was on staff at Premier Wedding Magazine where I wrote for I Do Y'all, a southern wedding blog based in Ridgeland, MS. My job was interpreting modern wedding trends, from venues to shoes, as inspiration for southern brides for the blog and planning guide.

Which means, SOMEONE FINALLY PAID ME TO BLOG ABOUT SHOES.

Then, I got married in September, which means, I GET TO BLOG ABOUT MY WEDDING SHOES ON MY BLOG.

I started RRnR in 2005, during the height of Sex & the City-induced shoe mania. It was as if fans of the show looked down one day and suddenly realized they have feet. That need shoes. That cost more than rent for a one-bedroom apartment in Atlanta.

SHOES! Because shelter is overrated. 

I like shoes almost as much as I like not being homeless, so I occasionally blogged about shoes instead of buying them. Sometimes, I'd choose a special pair to celebrate a milestone or honor a friend. It was fun and cheeky.

Almost exactly 13 years after my first shoe post, I got the job at Premier Wedding writing for IDY. It was like Devil Wears Prada meets Steel Magnolias. God, I loved it.

Oh, honey. We would never...

Weddings in the South are unlike weddings in the rest of the country. If you are unfamiliar, they're over-the-top events with a dozen or so attendants, explosions of flowers, towering cakes, designer trends, faith, family and heaps of tradition. In other words, we put on the dog.

I saw "we" because I was recently a southern bride (for the third and final time. Don't be petty.). On September 29, Mike and I got married in the garden behind Jackson City Hall, and it was beautiful. The weather was perfect. My dress was amazing. My husband was incredibly handsome. I'll blog about the details another time. But let me tell you about my shoes.

Everyone close to me knows how important shoes are to me. A friend even messaged me to say, "I can't wait to see your shoes!" No pressure.

The silhouette of my dress was 1950s vintage, tea-length A-line with a plunging V-neck. The shoes had to match the classic style without fading into the overall look. They also had to be comfortable without looking matronly. I wanted people to notice the dress first, then look down and say, "Oh my gosh, your shoes!!"

Mission accomplished.

Me and my sole mate, right after we met

These blue cuties are Nick of Time by Irregular Choice. After searching online and visiting five local stores, I found them at Vintage Rec, a locally-owned boutique in Flowood. Just a mile from our apartment. Last pair, and they were my size.

I didn't even know what I was looking for. I just walked in...and there they were.

Just look at them...💓

If you love them as much as I do - as if that's even possible - you can find them online. Too bad the blue is out of stock. So sad for you.

If you're local, Vintage Rec also had this shoe in pink and red. Their clothes and accessories are equally fantastic. They have new fall/winter stock and are located in Dogwood next to GameStop. Go see them. And follow them on Instagram.
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Hello. I'm a white woman, and I'm here to help.

About six years ago, I became aware that I'm racist. It's a long story. The details aren't as important as the milestones, though. Here's a shorter version.

One of the many powerful things about therapy is that it gives a cynical, emotionally stabby person the safety and space to discover how they perpetuate a pattern of learned behavior. Once I got into the practice of examining my motives, I started to notice several troubling things:

Sometimes, I think I'm being helpful but I'm not.
Sometimes, I actually make things harder for the person I think I'm helping.
Sometimes, the person I've decided to rescue doesn't need or want my help.
Sometimes, helping is really about me and I'm being selfish, controlling, arrogant, presumptuous and racist.

A year later, a coworker called me out. We often had discussions about racial dynamics and social constructs. In response to something I said, he pointed out how white women love to fix things because we think we have all the answers. "Everything is going to be okay, everyone!" he announced to an otherwise empty radio room, "The white lady is here!"

We laughed. But I also thought: Oh, damn. Message received.

When Michael Brown was murdered by a white police officer on August 9, 2014, I caught a glimpse of just how pervasive racism is and how it profoundly affects the daily lives of people close to me. I thought I knew, but I had no idea. When I shared this revelation with a friend who regularly covered social justice issues, including the protests in Ferguson, he characteristically deadpanned, "Welcome to the party."

In other words, this is just another day in a black man's world, but thanks for noticing. That was a tough pill to swallow.

I wasn't a very good ally. Hell, I didn't even know how to be a good ally. As I became more familiar with terms like "complicity" and "microaggression," I recognized I was guilty of those things. But I certainly didn't think it made me racist.

Fun fact: subtle, unintentional acts of racism are still racist. Just because I don't fit the stereotypical definition of racist doesn't mean I'm in the clear. Implicit racial bias is complex and it sneaks into every aspect of our lives, including mine. But does that mean I'm a bad person?

Robin DiAngelo explains how that either-or, good-bad binary shuts white people down in conversations about race and keeps us from discussing, examining and addressing our biases:



If the other half of the story is how we address our racial biases, how do we do better? A recent discussion with a friend led me to the newly released Me and White Supremacy Workbook by Layla F. Saad:

Part education, part activation, the Me And White Supremacy Workbook is a first-of-its-kind personal anti-racism tool for people holding white privilege to begin to examine and dismantle their complicity in the oppressive system of white supremacy.

This resource is available for free.

Even the way that white allies talk to minorities often demonstrates a lack of sensitivity and self-awareness. According to a new study from Yale University, white liberals' reliance on old stereotypes makes them appear less competent when interacting with African Americans.

That's not just code switching. That's intellectual downshifting. And it's racist. And guess what. I'm guilty of that, too. Here, I thought I was being relatable. Instead, I sound lame and condescending. Ouch.

Now that I know better, I vow to do better. I want to have the hard conversations and continue to peel back the layers of my own racism. When I feel the urge to be a "helpful white woman," I'll leave my ego and privilege at the door.

Cliche Book Review: Of my own book, because I wrote it

Alright. I'm ready to do this blog thing. First, I needed some time to plan. After all, it's been a while. A lot has changed. I'm not an Objectivist. I'm barely homeschooling. My youngest is in [gasp] public school.

There goes 90% of my former audience, so who's even reading this right now? How do I entertain an audience of total strangers without being cliche or self-indulgent? With a book review of a book that I wrote, obviously.

Yes, it is.

I first read 100 Things To Do In Jackson, MS, Before You Die as I wrote it. And again as I proofed it. Then countless times while making changes. Several more times while praying before sending it in as a final draft. And once more through my fingers when the final copy was sent prior to publication. Suffice it to say that there is no one more familiar with this book than I. 

I made this for you. I hope you like it.

100 Things To Do In Jackson, MS, Before You Die is a handy, concise local guide to 100 places and events primarily in Jackson, Mississippi. People often ask me, "But are there really 100 things to do here?" I tell them: No. This is a book of lies.

Just kidding.

This selection was actually narrowed down from a list of over 350 things, and that was just an arbitrary stopping point. We could have added more. Take that, cynical haters.

In the preface, I defend explain how selections were carefully edited down to help readers get over it understand the criteria: locally owned, locally relevant, affordable, inclusive, engaging and generally not lame. Yes, your favorite dive bar probably should have made the cut, but it didn't. A lot of really cool places didn't. Folks were mad.

Write your own damn book. 

And now, a review:

100 Things To Do In Jackson, MS awkward comma Before You Die is broken into five parts with 20 entries in each section: Food & Drink, Music & Entertainment, Sports & Recreation, Culture & History, and Shopping & Fashion. 

Interspersed among the entries are photos, tips and trivia. For example, if you want to sit in the original part of Walker's Drive-In, be sure to tell them when you make a reservation or you may end up sequestered on the upper level. The Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame and Museum has the largest collection of Dizzy Dean memorabilia in the world. Parts of Fondren and Belhaven, two Jackson neighborhoods, were featured prominently in The Help (take a tour). And, Ole Tavern on George Street is totally haunted. So is Fairview Inn. 

Each entry includes the address, phone number, and website along with an honest assessment. That last part is important. To keep it authentic, I wanted to have the same experience anyone walking through the doors might have.

Before visiting, I didn't contact business owners or event organizers.  Most didn't know there was a book much less that they'd be included in it until after it dropped. The whole team did a great job of keeping it quiet. I'm terrible at keeping secrets, so I'm proud of that.

100 101 Things!

So, what would a typical weekend be like in Jackson? Where should you start? These entries are like my children, and I love them all equally. Don't make me choose. Besides, there are no simple answers to those questions. It depends. What do you like to do? 

Do you drink? Me, too. We have local beer, vodka, wine and bourbon. How do you feel about art? Me, too! Fine art, emerging art or street art? Are you a theatre buff? Would you prefer a literary tour or blues experience? Which part of Mississippi's vast history do you want to connect with and how much time do you have? On a scale of basic to bougie, how foodie are you, really? Wanna see some incredible architecture? Did you know there's a place where you can fish, camp, canoe, hike and play golf, and visit two family-friendly museums smack in the middle of the city? Do you enjoy motor sports? Collecting vinyl? Collecting fashion? Collecting vinyl fashion? 

Jackson, Mississippi is a fascinating city to visit and the book is an excellent comprehensive guide, in my humble opinion, but perhaps I should create with a flowchart to help readers distill these overwhelming options into a manageable menu. 

Stop asking me this question.

Of course, you could just buy a copy. 100 Things To Do In Jackson, MS, Before You Die was published by Reedy Press in November, 2016. Almost a year after it was published, it really caught fire. Literally. And now it's more difficult to find.

There are no plans for a second edition at this time, but I already have something new in the works. In the meantime, there are still a few copies available at Lemuria Bookstore, the King Edward Hotel downtown (behind the lobby reception desk) and Barnes & Noble in Ridgeland. There are also new and used copies available online at Amazon (also available on Kindle). Once those are gone, it's gone. 

I hope you enjoy 100 Things To Do In Jackson, MS, Before You Die as much as I enjoyed writing it. Thanks for reading my review. 5/5 stars. Would definitely recommend.⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

31 Days of Blogging? Okay, fine.

I've been tagged in a 31 Days of Blogging Challenge. Make that 29 22 days, and you have a deal. It's been a while. I have a lot to say. But first, coffee.

This counts as Day 1.