For the last couple of weeks I have been running on empty. It’s not new for me. Periodically, I slow way down. Family issues, world events, self-doubt and other issues overwhelm me. But, my misery does not love company, besides, everybody has problems. The day after Christmas I went out and seemed like everybody was pissed off. And today because of the snow back east a newscaster was talking about a “misery map”.  Anywho, this is my reason for not posting lately.  So, while looking for a photo on Google Advanced Images for this blog I typed in “Misery Loves Company: and got “the freeze”. Because I have such a weird sense of humor this picture cracked me up. This guy looks miserable. The fact that I laughed when I saw this picture lets me know I am still my old self-silly. And I am not as miserable as he looks. In fact, January has started off well for me (I had the best day with my daughter and her honey) and I do hope this year brings all of you happiness.

I have multiple library presentations coming up. I have met two lovely people, one who is going to help me genealogy-wise, and the other I will be helping with their social media needs. At the end of the month I will have a YouTube video up and running promoting my book. I discovered that a television station in Staunton, Va. aired my father’s last movie Mr. Adam’s Bomb as recent as 1983 and I have sent off an email trying to find out if they have knowledge of a physical copy of the movie. Meanwhile…..

I want to touch on a subject that is important to me. Today is the birthday of Zora Neale Hurston. She was born the same year that my father, Eddie Green, was born. She was born in Alabama, and moved to Eatonville, Florida, with her family in 1894. Eatonville would become the setting for many of her stories and is now the site of the Zora! Festival, held each year in her honor. Incorporated on August 15, 1887, Eatonville was one of the first self-governing all-black municipalities in the United States. I saw this quote from her online today and it touched something in me. She wrote these words in her 1950 essay, What White Publishers Won’t Print. “For various reasons, the average, struggling, non-morbid Negro is the best-kept secret in America.”

There is more, of course, but these words spoke to me. They said what I feel, that I am simply an average, struggling, female human being who happens to be Black and who just wants to live the best life I can. I go to work. I’ve raised a child. I pay bills.  I’m not pissed off because I am Black. I just am who I am. I decide what I want or need to do and I do it. Eddie was like that. When he was asked about Blacks being able to get into radio back in the 30s he said: “Radio for Negroes is a very hard field to get into . . . very hard! But the returns are so great that it’s worth the try.” Commenting further he also said: He found one thing to be true, “Talent is appreciated . . . you get respect if you know your business.” Eddie also said: “If you’ve got the talent, you can’t miss in the long run, even if it’s mighty long!”

It’s about living life.  Find something you like to do, and do that the best you know how. Treat others the way you want to be treated. And smile, brother, smile. Because “Misery” does not love company.

Thanks, for stopping by. KCB

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Thanks Wikipedia.