St. Lucia

May 27, 2020 by L'Homme Noir in Travel, Love/Dating

For the past four years I have been going to Trinidad Carnival (this deserves a post on it’s own which I will definitely get to!) and 2020 was nothing short of awesome only one missing thing was missing otherwise it would have been the perfect year, I had a ton load of fun. This year I decided to treat myself to a vacation after the vacation so after spending five days feteing, drowning myself in alcohol and leaving my dignity in the streets of Port of Spain I decided to head to St. Lucia for a few days for a well deserved breather.

Okay so if you really want to talk about heaven, let’s actually talk about heaven!

Wait, no that’s awkward.. Heaven as in St. Lucia. Hopefully we are on the same page now.

From the landscape to the people I enjoyed every second! Saint Lucia is a sovereign island country in the West Indies on the eastern end of the Caribbean Sea. Because of its history of a “toss up” between British and French colonial control, St. Lucia is known as the “Helen” of the West Indies and consequently they have a French/English dialect they converse in but which is not taught in school (bits and pieces of what I learnt on this ATV excursion I went on whilst there - I’ll get to it!).

I landed in St. Lucia on Ash Wednesday around 10 AM, in their domestic “airport”, this place reminded me of the back room at your grandma’s house where she keeps all the good stuff that she doesn’t use all year round but pulls them out at Christmas time since everyone is coming over, yes that room. Quaint and simple airport and it gives you the Caribbean feel that people spend money on to come and enjoy. As you land, you are greeted by the warm temperature and the warm smiles, you literally step from the plane and onto the streets. That was my first time travelling on such a small plane and I was terrified but I fortunately made it with my heart in tact. Depending on where you are coming from though, there is an international airport further south, I only landed here because I was coming from Trinidad.

George F. L. Charles Airport (SLU), formerly known as "Vigie Airport", is located on the outskirts of Castries in the north and is used for inter-island flights. — George F. L. Charles Airport (SLU), formerly known as "Vigie Airport", is located on the outskirts of Castries in the north and is used for inter-island flights.

I hurried along to pick up my rental car, I took all of five mins to step through the airport (as I said, from plane onto street, lol). The roads in St. Lucia are not as narrow as in Trinidad thankfully because that’s a fear of mine but I am not used to the deep ditches to the side but the streets are generally clean and the motorists are decent (coming from a Jamaican that doesn’t really say much but hey).

It was a little baecation actually and our reservation was at Royalton, the resort was beautiful, as soon as you pull up the view takes your breath away. The hotel compliments the natural beauty of the island and blends in seamlessly with that polished tourist feel. The hotel lobby is open air so as soon as you step out of the car you can see straight through to the ocean. Being all inclusive the food was pretty good (nothing to really write home about though), I have no complaints even though it was a bit generic and there was a lot of options.

The staff was so friendly - our concierge was wonderful and led us to our room. She took time out to explain how everything on the property works and how all the gadgets in the room worked as well. She was sweet and helped us to a bottle of champagne. The only negative I would give the hotel is that there was was an oldish smell at times which I think they could easily get rid of and the staff who are eager to invite you to the presentation to buy into their deals - outside of that I would say it was perfect.

Image from RoyaltonResorts.com, an exact representation of the room.

The pools were great and we had mimosas flowing and flowing as we chilled in our little cabana set up. The place was chill and quiet, the bartenders did a good job too. For the most part we ate at the buffet but one of the nights we tried The Steakhouse and that was a pretty good experience.

A vacation is incomplete without mimosas.

I’m a believer that regardless of where you go on vacation, your time should be spent however you would like. If you want to sit your little cheeks in the sand all day long without moving, do that. If you want to have every hour of your day planned on a color coded agenda, well why not do that? For the first day we decided to rest and in the night we went for dinner at The Harbour Club. It is a hotel under the Hilton brand so they have day passes as well as rooms available for accommodation. We went to the 14° North Restaurant which sits the sixth floor, overlooking the beautiful marina in a modern yet comfortable romantic setting. It offers Asian-Caribbean Fusion cuisine and one can experience the seamlessly and masterfully blended rich flavors of two different cultures, that of Asia and the Caribbean.

The following day we journeyed to Soufrière, a town on the West Coast of the island. Originally Soufrière was the capital of the island as it was colonized by the French. There are a few sights to see in the town, such as the popular catholic church - Church of the Assumption as well as markets and other monuments. Soufrière is also the home of The Pitons, Sulphur Springs, Soufrière and Fond Doux Estate amongst other popular tourist sites.

It was pretty much a day trip as the drive from our hotel was about two hours, along the way we stopped at a look out point to view The Pitons. The twin volcanic peaks of Pitons rise up from the ground like two great ogres (some beautiful ass ones!). They are definitely one of the most beautiful sites on the island, no trip is complete without coming to see Pitons. It really is one of the best things to see in St Lucia. From there we headed to Sugar Beach, A Viceroy Resort - it cost US$20.00 per person for a day pass which gives you a shuttle ride (you can walk for free - not recommended in the blazing sun) and access to a beautiful beach and pool smacked right between The Pitons and we lounged and had our Aperol Spritz there. We then traveled to The Sulphur Springs and Mud Baths which is the hottest and most active geothermal area in the Lesser Antilles and is famous for being the Caribbean’s only “drive-in” volcano! It is an important site for historians who believe that the entire Caribbean basin was founded here. Tours to the springs will take you through the crater and past tranquil pools and hissing hot springs after that quick geography lesson, we dipped in the mud baths, they are also a St. Lucia must. The mud baths at Sulphur Springs attract people from all over the world and according to the guides it detoxifies the body and helps heal sun burns, eczema, arthritis, sore joints, and more.

Our final full day was spent on a 3-hour adventure in St Lucia riding an ATV (all-terrain vehicle) through lush tropical forest. It started with a quick orientation and test drive then we took off down paved roads and dirt paths, through beautiful scenery and local village areas, stopping at historic sites and ending up on the top of the mountain with a lovely view of the Atlantic Ocean, peering down at a turtle sanctuary beach (Grande Anse Beach) as we stopped in Marquis. We used Aanansi ATV Tours in Babonneu, the guides were friendly, patient and took care of everything, even serving us water and juice at the top of the mountain and letting us enjoy the view for awhile. The ATVs are all automatic -- didn't take long to get the hang of it. It does take you on a bumpy, off-road ride with some hills and turns (which I thought was part of the fun!)

I loved the fact that Anansi was so close to where we were staying in Cap Estate. Our tour guide was so cool and laid-back. Kareem, our driver (lol) big props to him for stopping to let us grab something to eat on the way back. We stopped at Keylargo Italian and got some nice ass pizza before we got back to the hotel.

For me, a vacation is not complete without a nice full spa treatment so just before heading to the airport we took the day to relax and be pampered with hour long massages and mani-pedis.

Have so much fun in Saint Lucia! I know I did and I can’t wait to go back!

Photo by Nappy from Pexels — Photo by **Nappy** from **Pexels**

FRIENDS?!

Kingston, Jamaica

May 22, 2020 by L'Homme Noir in Motives & Thoughts

“My friends, real friends, better than your friends
That’s how we keep poppin’ out that Benz, yeah
No foes, real friends, we ain’t even got to pretend, yeah
Get bands, get bands, spend it all on my friends
Gon’ pull me up, pull me up, pull me up
And never let me down (they never let me down)”

— Lyrics to 'Friends' by The Carters (Everything Is Love, 2018)

I have been thinking a lot about friendship lately about those friendships that actually mean something to me, something deeper than the title. The true, real and dirty friendships. The ones where those in that tight inner circle see us and all of our parts, our truly true selves - vulnerable and naked (both figuratively and physically). The ones where you don’t have to pretend to be happy all the time, the ones where you feel as peace and at home. The ones who see us at our worst. When we have broken down and are lying on the floor without a hope in the world. They know when to allow us to break down through a failure or even a breakup. To cry. To let it all out.

Even though Beyonce says her friends always pull her up, they never let her down, there comes a point and time in every friendship where something goes wrong, disagreements arise, tempers flare and even best friends fall out of sync. It happens - everyone isn't always going to get along all of the time especially if there’s a strong personality dynamic which is almost always synonymous with great friends.

About a year ago I experienced my first ever situation where I almost lost a friendship (which would have shifted the structure of a group of friends) that I considered really close and dear to me and it sadly was a situation that included a third party outside of the friendship. The real issue wasn’t this third party it was the principle of the horrible situation and ultimately how things were dealt with. It made me take a step back and look into myself and evaluate the ways I go about living my life. Friendships prior to my mid-20s didn’t cause much challenge for me as there were certain factors that were never fully at play I didn’t have to take much into consideration as I navigated life - they were generally hallow friendships to be quite honest. Today, I have come to love and appreciate those I consider my friends - the true ones who have seen me actually grow, those who I would actually go above and beyond for.

A tweet I read earlier that said:

“You disrespect yourself everytime you rekindle a friendship or relationship with someone who disrespects or humilitaes you without seeking redress. Forgivness is one thing however boundries are important. We have to understand too that people have feelings and they hurt and it is sometimes up to them to forgive us and on their time.”

But just like the trials that lovers endure and arguments among family members, the true testament of a friendship is how the people involved rise above the rocky moments. The challenge is finding a way to apologize, hash it out and get back to the golden era of friendship you once knew. Disrespect has no place in an authentic relationship.

This season of Insecure (one of my favourite TV shows) focuses on Molly and Issa’s friendship. I’ve always said that a friendship break up is more painful than a relationship break up. Whether you are #TeamMolly or #TeamIssa there are two things I want to point out as important facets of viable relationships:

Effective Communication

If Molly & Issa had spoken about their issues from they realised there was a strain it wouldn’t have reached to a point where there was a blow up and they end in the streets disrespecting each other.

Support (Mutual Celebration of Wins)

I’m not sure that Issa & Molly even realize they’re kinda afraid to see each other grow so much so that what was once cute, playful, sarcastic wit has turned into hateful, toxic jabs that is chipping away at the love. Once my friend is winning I should be able to be happy for them and support them even if that’s not how we are used to them.

With that being said, not all “SHIPS” are meant to sail forever, I have outgrown friends, and friends have outgrown me. I don’t know if it’s my non-confrontational personality or just that outgrowing a friend sometimes coincides with reaching different milestones in life. I haven’t had a lot of the messiness of outgrowing a friend. For me, a lot of friendships have just sort of faded away. I think we sometimes outgrow the relationship or the energy it takes to maintain it. I haven’t had a lot of disruptive ends of friendships since high school, but I don’t know if that’s better. Sometimes it’s just best to live with the fact that you outgrow people and that’s okay.

I feel grateful for my inner circle. Literally, the strong set of crazy ass people that reside in my inner circle. They lift me up. They help make me who I am today. And tomorrow and everyday. They are a part of me and I am a part of them. This kind of friendship, this kind of love is what makes the world such a beautiful place.

The Ultimate Couples Bucket List

Kingston, Jamaica

May 15, 2020 by L'Homme Noir in Love/Dating

My partner and I have been officially dating for two months now, it is a long distance relationship, they live in St. Kitts and I live in Jamaica, we have decided to come up with a list of things that we wanted to do before our one year anniversary as a couple. To help us curate a list, we did a few Google searches but we realized that a lot of these lists are regurgitated and appeals to a particular dynamic (of course!) so I shared our list below.

The couples bucket list is a great activity for a number reasons – it helps one to learn about your partner (the things they want to do, the things they’ve never done before, their fears, their strengths etc), it also helps you both to plan for the future and to see how you’ll will fit into each other’s plans – it gives a sense of security and longevity and exciting things to look forward to and it helps you to hold each other accountable for promises made.

Before I go into what we came up with lemme give you an overview of our date night (over Facetime):

- Curating the Bucket List (30 mins)

- Playing ABC Fast or Slow (15 mins)

- Facetime Naughtiness *wink* (2 mins, I kid)

- Netflix N Chill-ish (1h45) Koffee & Kareem (It’s funny as hell!)

“ABC Fast or Slow” by The Sweet Life JA on Tumblr.

So here’s the list of 25 we came up with:

◦ Have at least 3 date nights in person;

◦ Visit 2 countries other than our own;

◦ Have at least one completely tech-free weekend together (Friday to Sunday);

◦ Cook a themed dinner together (Italian, French, etc);

◦ Go camping together;

◦ Take a spontaneous road trip;

◦ Run a 5K;

◦ Go hiking/camping;

◦ Do a couple’s photoshoot together (iconic album covers) eg. Tina and Ike; Jay and Bey

◦ Read a book together;

◦ Do a “private” boat ride together;

◦ Do a mock “Youtube” video as a couple (edited and all);

◦ Make an “Our first year” time capsule;

◦ Write a couple’s love storybook with pictures and all;

◦ Create a tradition;

◦ Host a dinner party for our friends;

◦ Go bar hopping;

◦ Do at least one carnival together;

◦ Do an at home paint and sip (unless we’re in a place that allows us to do it);

◦ A crazy roadtrip;

◦ COCKtail night;

◦ Have a drunken living room Youtube karaoke night.

◦ Watch each other’s favourite movies;

◦ Couples at home spa day;

◦ Have sex in a car;

Go ahead, use some of our ideas and yours and come up with your own version of the couples bucket list, it will help you to add some spice to your relationship.

Thank You!

Kingston, Jamaica

May 11, 2020 by L'Homme Noir in Motives & Thoughts

Right now, our healthcare workers are on the frontlines of battling the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) that’s spreading rapidly throughout the world we call home. They are putting themselves in the path of this virus in this unprecedented crisis. This post is just to say THANK YOU, we appreciate all that you have been doing.

We’d also like to thank Feedspot for featuring us on the Top 20 Black Millennial Blogs, check out their site. It features your favorite plus new interesting Blogs, News Websites, Youtube Channels, Podcasts, Magazines, RSS feeds and Social Sites accounts in one place. Check them out today!

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My Skin Care Regimen – Uncomplicated ASF!

Kingston, Jamaica

May 08, 2020 by L'Homme Noir in Self Care

Gentlemen, how many of you out there actually have a men’s skin care regimen? Probably not many, I know the struggle I hate hate sticking to routines – not really hate but I have a big problem actually following through but I have come to learn that things like skin care and fitness routines kind of map your way into your mid-life, if we think it’s hard now, imagine when you’re kicking forty and have to start from scratch? There no argument that taking care of your body is important we just have to find simple, effective and creative ways to get them done without a lot of time, effort or money into skin care. That’s why I will give you an overview and show you the products I use.

Note will I am a heavily melanated oily skinned young man from the hot ass Caribbean so you may want to keep that into consideration as you develop your own routine. Research products convenient to your climate – you may even want to keep your “summer routine” a little different from your “fall/winter routine”. You may need to keep into consideration convenience and affordable product. Let’s be real, makes no sense to buy expensive products and can’t maintain the regimen.

Here are a few general summary steps:

1. Remove Build-Up—Get rid of the old, dead skin cells and reveal younger skin with a SCRUB or EXFOILATOR. Feel your confident best while sporting a more youthful good-looking face like mine. (Twice Weekly)

2. Cleanse Your Mug— WASH using a facial cleanser removes grime and leaves your good-looking mug glowing with your unique awesomeness. (Twice Daily)

3. Do Away with Excess – Astringent OR Toner. The astringent (oily/combination skin) is the stronger form which removes left over cleanser and removes excess oil from skin whilst the toner (dry and normal skin) is milder form which only formulated to remove excess cleanser and helps to hydrate skin. (Twice Daily)

4. Protect Your Good Looks—Use a morning daily moisturizer which should be locked and loaded with 20 SPF sunscreen to protect your good looks and should keep your face hydrated. (Once Daily)

5. Sleep on It—Use a PM moisturizer which should work hard when you are sleeping to repair, replenish and regenerate your manly features. (Once Daily)

6. Be Super Dude—SERUMS are power packed with everything a guy needs to look super all the time, clearly if you buy one for men. They should be loaded with antioxidants, vitamins and anti-aging ingredients, you will notice improved skin tone and reduced fine lines and wrinkles when you see yourself in the reflection of your favourite piece of chrome.

Here are some the things I use as a part of my daily skin routine:

Burt Bee’s Natural Pore Refining Scrub (4 oz) $9.99
Burt Bee’s Natural Cleanser (5oz, Purifying Gel) $9.99
Burt Bee’s Natural Clarifying Toner (5 oz) $9.99
Shea Moisture 100% Virgin Coconut Oil Face Lotion (3 oz) $10.99
Shea Moisture 100% Pure Shea Oil Head to Toe Moisturization (1.6 oz) $10.99
Shea Moisture’s Core Men’s Kit (Includes Body Wash, Beard Oil & Balm) $38.96
The Ordinary’s High Strength Vitamin & Mineral Serum (30 mL) $19.99

Other General Body Care Mentions:

Quip Toothbrush & Toothpaste Set
Dolce & Gabbana Light Blue
Every Jack Man Natural Deodorant
Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Formula

A Midweek Drink

Kingston, Jamaica

May 06, 2020 by L'Homme Noir in Mental Health, Motives & Thoughts

We deserve something nice and strong, don’t act like I’m lying - let’s treat ourselves. One of the things I want to take up when this COVID thing is over is mixology, I plan to go take some classes and become one of the best mixologist you’ll ever meet (in my mind of course) plus it’s just something I’ve always wanted to do as a hobby so why not? Grab your glasses and mix with me, it’ll only take five minutes.

PREP TIME: 5 minutes

TOTAL TIME: 5 minutes

Serving: 1 (Spritzer)

Ingredients

· 6 oz vodka (3 oz equals 1 full shot)

· 1/2 tbsp sugar

· 1 medium lime

· 1/4 cup pomegranate juice*

· 4 oz lemon lime drink (4 oz equals ~ 1/2 cup)

· 3-4 ice cubes

· 3 drops of bitters

· 3 tsp pomegranate seeds

Instructions

1. Mix vodka and sugar, in the serving glass, stirring well until the sugar is mostly dissolved.

2. Add pomegranate juice and squeeze in half your lime. Then add lemon lime soda and stir.

3. Drop in ice cubes and sprinkle with pomegranate seeds, garnish with a lime slices and serve.

The past few weeks have been some of the most challenging ones in a while largely due to this raging epidemic. COVID-19 has changed the way we go about our daily lives for outgoing folks and homebodies alike. I was just in Trinidad in February jumping up and down in Port of Spain to the sweet sounds of soca having the time of my life. I left there and went to St. Lucia for a few days to wind down before heading home (I’ll tell you guys about that later) – now I’m locked in at home with an island wide curfew in hopes of trying to “flatten the curve” which is another task in and of itself the struggle of dealing with different minded people.

Instead of trying to approach the situation negatively, I tried looking at it as an opportunity to do some introspection and come up with novel ideas aimed at self-improvement and sharing that journey with you guys thus this blog. I also found this exercise (would be cool to kinda journal them) that I want you guys to try with me, it was a Instagram stories series by Chad Lambert IG: @chadcalm (a trained clinical psychologist) and I found it to be a really smart way to use time positively to “FACE COVID”:

F - Focus On What's In Your Control

To reduce anxiety around the uncertainty, focus on the elements that you can control. Start small, focus on controlling your body by moving your muscles, stretching and paying attention to how your body feels as you release the tension, as well as your breathing throughout. You can also take charge of how you spend your day whether it's video-calling or online games with friends or rediscovering old hobbies, ensure to include ways that will replenish your energy levels.

A - Acknowledging Thoughts and Feelings

Document these through journaling, creating a song/poem, drawing or painting, recording and playing back to yourself. After acknowledging, you can challenge some of the negative thoughts by introducing different perspectives.

C - Coming Into Your Body

Shifting your focus to the different sensations your body can experience using grounding exercises. The 5,4,3,2,1 exercise allows you to pay attention to each sense (Observe 5 things your are seeing, 4 things you're hearing, 3 things that you're feeling/touching, etc)

E - Engage In What You're Doing

Being mindful (in the here and now) allows you a break from incessant thoughts concerning the past and future. Eating mindfully can give you this break as you take the time to savour your meal, focusing on nothing else but the flavours each bite brings.

C - Commit to Action

We may be unable to do many of the activities we typically would at this time. However committing to at least one task a day will increase your focus of control and improve your internal motivation.

O - Open up

Ask yourself, am I truly being open and honest with myself? How have I been managing this pandemic? Try not to go into judgmental or problem solving mode (I could have, I should have). Allow yourself to just express freely, either to yourself or with a trusted source.

V - Values

Becoming more attuned to your values by describing them in relation to the various domains in your life (family, friendship, intimate relationship, career, education, health, spirituality) e.g. to be a caring friend (friendship). Rate (1-10) each domain according to its importance as well as how successful you have been in living in accordance with the respective values.

I - Identify Resources

Have a list of reliable resources on hand when your own tank is low. Whether it's for emotional or informational support, being able to identify your go to sources can bring a sense of relief.

D - Disinfect and Maintain Social Distance

We all know of the various ways to keep ourselves safe. Encourage yourself and others to continuing practicing them and remember, social distance does not equate to social disconnection. Stay connected to your loved ones from a distance.

You guys can choose one or two per day to do – write them down so you can check back on your progress and so you won’t forget.

Let’s do a cheers to a newness that will be birth from this “setback”, and thanks in advance for the celebration we will have when this is all over.

Photo by Glenn Carstens-Peters on Unsplash

Letter To My Sixteen Year Old Self

Kingston, Jamaica

May 01, 2020 by L'Homme Noir in Motives & Thoughts

Dear Kiddo,

Listen my nigguh, you’re gonna be fine.

Please trust me. Don’t panic, I am writing to you as your 29 year old self hopefully you’ll be confident enough to take my advice – it’s not as bizarre as you think trust me.

When I look back now, there are a lot of things that I wish you opened your eyes to at your age that I really didn’t take notice of. Take advantage of all the opportunities available to you, it might sound cliché but trust me – if you don’t, you’re going to regret it. Go on that trip that they invited you to, be a part of the swim team’s Saturday practice. Don’t be afraid to ask because you think you’ll hear no. Enjoy the things you love, you’re not doing anything wrong and you really can’t turn back the hands of time. Be confident dammit, don’t beat up yourself and try to be so perfect that you miss out on the fun of doing things.

Your mom did a good job of placing you in fit and capable hands, always appreciate them. Your family means a lot to you, your grandma is your biggest ever cheerleader – cherish her dearly. Regardless of how you feel, nobody is against you – it’s an internal fight caused by teenage hormones. If you trust your sister more, she will have your back. It will be so much easier for her to understand your point of view further along the line.

The chapter of your life you’re currently flicking through is a difficult one and I know that the positivity you used to hold on to so tightly is rendered with unwanted feelings. They’re growing like weeds and you’re finding it tricky to pull through those that weave around your feet, tripping your every step but you will be able to break free soon. Trust me when I say that it really does get better.

Enjoy the hell out of high school, you have great friends who aren’t going to be there for much longer. You guys will grow apart (not in a bad way) but you will always remember and appreciate the times you guys spent together. Next year is graduation, enjoy the hell out of that experience - you did well, let them leave you and find your way home.

Listen, you’ll learn that sometimes the biggest challenge can be transformed into something with purpose. That purpose will turn into strength, your strength. Whilst you still come face to face with dilemmas and you find yourself in another muddle, you’ll find things that will guide you through, even when you least expect it.

So hold on tight, it’s going to be a bumpy road but there will be smooth and narrow stretches ahead, always focus on those moments.

Stay strong and stay determined.

You’re going to be ok.

Now chin up and work hard! You are definitely going to reap the rewards.

Love you,

You, Age 29 & 7 Months !

Photo by Brad Neathery on Unsplash — *Photo by* *Brad Neathery* on *Unsplash*

Hello & Welcome

Kingston, Jamaica

April 24, 2020 by L'Homme Noir in Motives & Thoughts

"The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now."

Ugh, it happened again! I got the vision to start this blog - I kept fighting the urge but here I am finally, I really couldn’t resist it anymore. The thing is, I have a lot ideas, thoughts and knowledge that I would like to impart and share with you, my readers - trust me when I tell you that it has been an interesting journey, you’ll see. In conceptualizing the blog and scouting for possible content, I dug deep into my past experiences to share with you, not to mention the amazing new things I discovered along the way and the things I learnt about myself.

With that being said, welcome to the launch of the new L’Homme Noir website and my first official blog post! I am so excited to share with you what L’Homme Noir has to offer! There are a lot of ideas, how-to’s, what-to-have’s and inspiration whirling around in my head is ready to jump out. I wanted to start by telling you why I created this blog and what you can look forward to seeing in my posts.

1. Why did I start this blog?

One of my faves, W.E.B. Du Bois’ questioned “How does it feel to be a problem?” through a treatise entitled “The Souls of Black Folk” and this was in relation to how we as a people were treated and are still treated today. Du Bois was pointing to not just having problems, but being a problem. Like when you look at yourself how does it really feel to be a problem?

I love being black. I love my skin... the colour of it... the texture. I love how there is not one crayon that matches its brown pigment exactly. I love the various shades we as black people cover. I love that our hair, a lot like our history, will not simply lay down... it rises... defying gravity... bucking against the weight of it all, and creates a rich proud culture.

But then we are the problem? I feel like one of the ways of combating negative energy is always trying to find ways to improve one’s self (in the grand scheme of things it doesn’t eradicate unfairness which is an argument for a whole other day) but improving one’s self does not mean bowing down to societal norms, it doesn’t mean always agreeing to what is “acceptable”. Sometimes it means just making yourself happy and better than you were yesterday and that’s how the idea of this blog came about.

What makes the black man powerful is the richness of his history, the power of his ancestors and the possibility of black love.

2. What will you be seeing in my posts?

I love that there’s not just one way to be a black man and you will see a lot of that being displayed in the posts. The blog will dive into a lot of self-improvement in terms of general lifestyle, health, education, finance, mental health, leisure and travel as well as love speaking directly to a coming from the perspective of men of colour.