Overcoming Life’s Challenges

May 24, 2023, the day I got the results from my recent MRI. I was neither surprised nor depressed by the news, just one more hurdle placed in front of me to get over. As I have run through one year after another, one marathon after another, I have learned to just focus on the immediate challenge and continue continuing. You may not be able to run up that hill, but just get through it and then reach into your reserve of energy and get back to the task at hand, completing the race.

Fortunately for me that evening I was scheduled to work the Cleveland Magazine Silver Spoons event, the best restaurants in Cleveland (we are quite a foodie town), for the benefit of The Arthritis Foundation. So I was able to move forward to something joyful and keep my focus on the day, one day at a time. I always enjoy this event as I get to walk amongst so many people, dressed well, treated well. I also get to see quite a few great friends, a few whom I hadn’t seen in a few years. And, oh yeah, I get to eat and drink to my hearts content! Yes, I took great advantage of the drinking part of that.

I recently purchased this t-shirt (along with one other, click here), which I paired with a black pencil skirt and a lovely blazer to complete my look. As silly as this might sound, these t-shirts are perfect in a blazer/skirt combo. The shoes were worn out of necessities. I would have preferred heels, but one must be sensible about her outfit when on her feet for a few hours.

Here we are in one of the rooms featuring some of the restaurants.

Pictures like the following always fill me with pride! These three lovely ladies greeted me with hugs and wanted to continue our friendships outside of this event.

One elderly Caucasian and three beautiful young ladies! Honestly, if you do this one time, you are fortunate. Me, not sure why, but it happens all the time!

The following day, May 25, 2023, I met with my friend Jackie. She interviewed me for an upcoming book she is working on about diversity and inclusion in the fashion industry and we shot a video to raise funds for our charity, 88 Unity Street Foundation.

See that picture above? How lucky am I to be in that photo and then this one the following day?

For anyone that may remember this, Tomeka and Alashia, seated left, are the two people that I went on a nightmare flight back home from Mississippi with a few years back. We were supposed to arrive back in Cleveland about 2:00PM, but didn’t arrive until around 2:00AM the following day, with us navigating from Gulfport to Biloxi in a rental car, me, a 10 year old and a blind woman. Arguing for the rental, dragging our luggage, booking a new flight, getting there and on the next flight, getting home and driving these wonderful human beings home. All in the same makeup I had put on about 48 hours prior, knowing I was personally recreating An American Werewolf In London (the only time I was thankful for those wretched masks). I finally got home about 3:00AM, only to arise an hour later for work…..driving all day!

In case you think I make up this stuff, your honor, I provide photographic evidence!

It felt good to get myself grounded and around people I love (I always have someone I love at home, but this is different, it’s the love of those in the general public), while doing good things for others and society in general.

While I was there, Jackie helped me shoot the following self-audition tape for a prospective movie role. This clip is only about 14 seconds and should secure my first Oscar, or get quickly deleted by the director, never to be heard from again! At least you get to see that I am, indeed, a real person. I walk, talk and don’t shy from the public eye!

Life’s challenges, life’s beauty, life’s joy, then you stick your head back into the blender and hope you come out the other side. I should write a book, it would blow your mind…..