Quote of the Day

 

My Favorite Dates - Let's Go

 

Mind Your Dayum Business

Good Afternoon Beloveds

How many of you only visited this post because you thought there was some drama? 😼😼😼😼

I do have a rant to share though.

Hey Y'all, if you live anywhere remotely close to me...is the humidity on your nerves, too? I couldn't sleep soundly, I had to get up and turn my fan on for added measure. 

Since I was up, I figured I would get online for a bit. I didn't post the other day. I was trying to see how it felt to have two non-social media interaction days. I actually forgot and had to put my phone down.

So I post a clip on TikTok today, once I came across the audio for the second time. If it has not been myself, there have been people in my circle making time in the lives for people that don't like them. I often tell my friends, if someone says something to you about me...don't tell me, just handle it according as my friend. It isn't my business what they say about me. If they wanted me to know, they would have come to me with it. Nine times out of ten, if they know of my existence to speak of me, they know how to contact me and speak directly. I posted this lines to the right yesterday, after shouldering a friend. She was allowing herself to get upset about someone she doesn't engage with throwing dirty on her name because she doesn't engage with them. I asked her what does that take from her and why is she letting it take any thing from her? I speak often on the saying, 'I am not in competition with anyone, other than the person I was yesterday.' Now the less mature or educated, etc. always take offense to this. Saying things like, ' you aren't on my level to compete with me or not of the caliber.' The simple fact you respond like shows I am not on your level or of your caliber, because I am above it. I don't have time nor will I make time to keep up with the Jones. I am not trying to out do anyone for attention. Only trying to do me on my terms. 

So after we had a 'remember who you are' talk, she was realigned and I decided to share the energy as I did. I know some folk really get in a bind when someone has no concern for their views of them, I feel sorry for them. Generally, those people are living their lives for the approval rating of someone outside of themselves. I am posting this on the fly, because I need to get back to bed. Forgive the typos, etc. It will give those folk something to focus on, other than the message.

Quote of the Day

 

Good Morning Beloveds

Morning Beloveds

I saw this quote on a friend's Facebook and it yelled at my thoughts.

What fixed your vision?

Lately, I have had a number of situations that have reminded me about heartbreaks that gave me a more clear vision afterwards.

Of course, I was in the dark for awhile. Wrapped up in my pain, just like anyone else. I blamed myself for a long time. But eventually, I realized I needed this as a part of my journey. I have not perfected my vision, but it is better. 

It was also funny that on the same day my friend posted this, in my Facebook memories there some post I made around the time of some heartbreaking events. They tattoos I consider getting to mark this heartbreak. I am so happy that my better vision showed me not to mark my outer body with pain or sadness. I was carrying enough of that in my heart and mind. 

To the right is an edited collage I created as a tattoo. It was to represent myself and the person that broke my heart. As well as the sea of blood I saw afterwards or the angry I felt. I think blood was what I decided to stick with. As calm as I was on the outside, I wanted to cut off his air supply as I felt he cut off mine. Thank goodness, I am not truly violent over emotions. Now touch me and different dance music will play. 

The Phoenix is a standard symbol, I just added the colors. Again, I thought of it when I felt like I was coming out of my dark place. Even though I really like looking at others tattoos, I have never been moved enough to get one of my own. 

Not saying I have not had my heart pained since then but that one has not been topped. Not that I am trying to out do that one. lol. I have yet to be 'in love' with anyone like that either, yet. 

The most important thing, I am not afraid to try to be 'in love' like that again.  

 

My Favorite Dates Series - Take Me to School

 

Good Evening Everyone

How Are You Doing?

I am Kewl with the Gang.

Well I finally finish my main hub site enough to go live. I added the link, The Akua Projects. I still have some things to add and that I want to add. I will be adding this blog there as a page as well.

I have been having a pretty productive weekend for a change. I have done a lot of procrastinating lately. We all know that is not good when trying to get things done, lol.

My social medias have not been a help to me staying focused, either. Mostly Instagram and TikTok. I recently added a TikTok profile. I had been strongly against another account somewhere, but I was intending on supporting a friend and then they changed their mind.

 

It feels good to be blogging again. Helps me sort out thoughts, etc. For example, before the night is out I am adding a new item collection to my novelty shop on Zazzle. I am calling it 'My Beloved'. It is inspired by all of the Beloved people in my life. 

I am going to wrap up here. I still have things to do before bedtime.

Be Safe and Stay Healthy

Namaste

 

My Favorite Dates Series - Under the Starry Sky

 

Quote of the Day

 

My Favorite Dates Content Series - Be My Chef

 

 

Welcome to My Favorite Dates Series

I love to have some cook for me. It is even better when they take the steps to make one of my favorites. Some folk can't do something that totally focuses on another person without any reference to themselves. Cooking for someone is personal and making something they like is intimate. Do you know how to make your loves favorites? Do you even know what they are?

Some folk will actually make light of what you like, but of their on issues. When someone is quicker to make fun of what you like before even trying it, you might want to rethink them in your life. In my experience, that is someone trying to control you or put you in a manageable box. 

Quote of the Day

Good Morning Everyone

 

Just ME via Voila.

Great Day to You ALL,

My Weekend Has Begun!

How is everyone? Thank you for visiting my slice of Blogger. 

In my previous entry, I spoke of the Revitalization of The Akua Projects. I have decided to restart totally anew. I removed all my old articles. You can still see them on my Facebook Page. 

So to some things I want to share with you all.

For part of my revitalization of The Akua Projects' Designs By ASH, I have been posting web content for my social media accounts. My most recent series is 'My Favorite Dates'. Pretty simple, listing some of my favorite types of dates to go on. I also have a 'Quote of the Day' and 'I am No Chef, but I Cook Anyway'. 

While I have been around, it hasn't been like I used. Really just enough to not be forgotten online. So I have a lot of dust to knock off. Disciplining myself to have entries three times day, etc. Getting back into the groove of showcasing and interviewing people that I find interesting and talented. If it sounds like a lot of work, it is. Also preparing myself to be personally more visible. 

During my 'invisibility' I was recovering from a few relationship heartaches and down right breaks. I will save the details for a later article. I took myself on a serious journey to heal. I am not 100%, nor am I just as I was. I also don't think I should be.

This articles cover photo is from one of those cartoon apps. I remember the struggle of using Adobe and other programs to create these effects, now a few key strokes and there you go. I think they are kind of cute. My profile photo is also from the same app.

My weekend has begun. Some of you may remember I used to do event/club security. I still work security, but for a major security company. I am good at it and even though some say I am too talented for it, I like it. 

While doing other types of security, I found the opportunity to teach. I taught an after school class in Jewelry Making, in connection with my personal jewelry making business ( Adorned By Rakia Ari). I loved it and really miss my students. I will find away to do this again. I actually have it in my business plan. 

Those you that personally know me, may question why I am not using my given name. Rakia Ari is a combination of my given name and my son's given name. I am contemplating legally changing my name, but I will always be my given name to many.

An acquaintance of mine made a move yesterday that I can totally relate to. I am going to see if I can get him to sit down with me and have a chit chat, but he is ghosting social media. Sometimes social media can be more demanding than real life and you need to take a break. I just conceded to a tiktok account. At first, it was to support a friend but they changed their mind. Now, I am using to showoff my content series. It can be so easy to get caught up for hours, when you should be being extremely more productive. Then you can feel pressured to check in on all these corners as if you are going to miss something important. 

Since I am returning to this venture and I will be online seriously, I will have two days out of the week where I will have not online activity. I have decided not to make it the same days every week. I used to be quiet on just Mondays. This time, I feel like I will need two days. 

I am going to wrap this up, I don't want to let my Random Entries to be too long.

BE SAFE AND STAY HEALTHY

Namaste

Revitalized

New Logo

Great Greetings ALL

Welcome Back to My Slice of the Internet

Well Everyone, How are You? I have been busy with Life, just like you. So much in my Life has changed since I originally started The Akua Projects.

For those of you who are new to following me, I will give a quick herstory lesson.

The Akua Projects started as group on BlackPlanet.Com. Yeah, that long ago. I remember being among the first 500 thousand. Yes, that meant something back then. I was a member before the site was sold to a Non-Black Owned Governor. Some of you may not have even heard of BlackPlanet.Com. In the beginning, my group was for people like myself. The was a long list of attributes. I later moved the group  to Yahoo Groups and then transformed it into the E-Zine, TheAkuaProjects.Com. No that wasn't the original groups' names, but I am thinking of using that as a trivia question for a later blog event.

I focused my showcase on BBWs (Big Beautiful Women) or the otherwise non-conventual Black Woman. When I say 'Big', it was not as much as about physical size as it was size of personality. I shared my interviews with people I found and met via the internet. In places like:

• BlackPlanet
• MySpace
• Yahoo Groups
• and pretty much anywhere else.

I still have some of the early articles available in this blog. 

I also attached a podcast to the e-zine of The Akua Projects as well as a design store.

I went through a major ruff patch in my Life and needed to 'fall back' for awhile. 

WELL 'BABY I AM BACK'!

I am not sure when that phrase was coined first. I will look it up and post it later.

Now, I only took a break from the online presence. So I have plenty to share. Some will ask why not use the other platforms, I still like Blogger and I want to keep it simple. Yet, I know the importance of and/or convenience for others to be able to use the other platforms, so I have links to find me there as well. 

As a part of the Revitalization of The Akua Projects, it will still be the umbrella for what I do but streamlined. The Akua Projects will consist of the following:

• Designs By ASH (some of you may remember, if you were a patron of mine before);
• Adorned By Rakia Ari (something new that I developed will on my revamp).
• aside from being my Blog.

Some of you may remember originally, The Akua Projects was an umbrella for not only the e-zine, podcast and designs:

• there was publishing (mostly myself);
• events and catering;
• even a social media site.

How is it said, 'you doin too much!' I was. I learned for what happened and took time to revamp and downsize to a more manageable bite.

So, I am coming back. I have a new logo, soon a new address but the same positive energy. 

Speaking of new logo, how do you all like the new logo captioned above? I decided since my revitalization was about simplification, I wanted to tone down the logo. 

As I rebuild my activity here, I hope you would visit often. 

BE SAFE AND STAY HEALTHY