Beat the norm & rise in the FALL!

 

Summer is always the perfect season for everything it seems. The weather is more likely to be anywhere from 70 degrees and warmer, and activities are more plentiful plus easier to find.

Coming from the Summer’s fun and adventure, Fall can sometimes be a season of preparation for Winter’s colder weather which is bound to visit us days or weeks even before the seasons change again.

While you are sitting and waiting to see just how long the nicer weather of Autumn days are going to last, don’t miss the opportunity to get out there and enjoy it. Here are some tips for having an enjoyable Fall season:

1.) Put away the winter coats. It’s not quite that cold yet. On days that it may get cooler than others, don’t tell yourself it’s “freezing” outside. Dress for the weather but don’t overdo it.

2.) Let the season’s change, don’t let them change you. Summer’s gone for now, but that doesn’t mean you have to stop doing everything you were because the weather was warmer then.

3.) Didn’t get a chance to start your outside aerobics & running? Fall is a great time to begin! It can be much more comfortable to run while the weather isn’t so hot. (As it gets colder add a scarf, a scull cap and a thin pair of gloves. You’ll sweat but at least you won’t have to worry about getting sick.)

4.) Your body really likes cool weather. At least mine does. Try to face the cool weather instead of bundling up away from it all the time. It helps with decreasing body fat and if you’ve tried washing your face over a period of time with cold water (ice cold water) you’d see your skin’s appearance looking brighter and more favorable.

5.) Experts say that it takes a consistent 21 days to make a habit of something. You are guaranteed at least 21 good Fall days. Keep track. And make good habits!

6.) Be open minded, open to learning and trying different things. Don’t close yourself inside of a box. Whenever you feel like you are not doing something because of a reason or season, and it’s something that you have control over, change your own thinking.

7.) Be your own forecaster. Go out into weather yourself and plan your days based on what you want to do. If there are no inklings of a snow storm, be free!

8.) There is plenty to do with the little people. Kids like adventure, their imaginations are open to exploring and you can make fun of most activities with them. It might require a push for you……which is, getting on their level of creativity and you must, ENGAGE!

9.) Try not to turn the heat on too fast. Add more clothing first. When you go out not overdressed, you’ll feel just how cozy your home already is when you return, without adding heat.

10.) Work hard maybe even harder depending on where you are now, because Summer will be back next year!

 

-Veronica M. Benson for Ve Michelle Writing Communications

© 2013

vemichllewritingcommunications@outlook.com

Chicago Sky’s September 11th Game

By Veronica M. Benson

(photography by Veronica M. Benson)

 

The Chicago Sky’s women basketball team faced Arizona Phoenix’s Mercury on the historical day of September 11, 2013.

Before the game began there was a moment of silence in recognition to all of those who were affected by the tragedy 12 years ago.

There was much excitement in the All State Arena with a crowd of over 6,000 as this was one of the games leading up to the Playoffs for the Chicago Sky. The audience was live and in full affect, cheering on the ladies of the team.

10 minutes per quarter, by the end of the 1st half Phoenix had scored a total of 40 points. 21 for the 1st quarter & 19 for the 2nd. The Chicago Sky with 36 points. 18 for the 1st & 2nd quarters. The biggest team lead by the end of the 1st half was Phoenix’s 8 pts to Chicago’s 1. With the leads changing and being tied twice.

Epiphany Prince #10 of The Chicago Sky was a leading scorer for the team with 14 points by the end of the 1st half. Sylvia Fowles with 10 pts and Elena Delle Donne with 8.

The Mercury ladies had the lead for most of the game with the Chicago Sky trailing closely behind.

 

(Photography by Veronica M. Benson)

Leading scorers for Phoenix by the middle of the 3rd quarter were #4 Candice Dupree with 13 pts, #24 Dewanna Bonner with 12 pts & #15 Briana Gilbreath with 9 pts. Each averaging over 20 minutes of playtime.

The half-time performances were lead by the women’s dance team, the “Luvabulls” and the Chicago IncrediBulls. Benny the Bull & The Chicago Sky Guy mascot were always on the scene for entertainment, pictures & also took part in the basketball stunts with the Incredibulls.

Down to the last moments of the the 4th quarter. With the game being tied after Epiphany Prince & Courtney Vandersloot of the Sky each scoring 1 of 2 foul line shots, ties the game to 68 pts, with :05.8 left on the clock. As the time winds down Elena Delle Donne takes the game winning shot for the Sky just seconds before the buzzer on the game clock.

A game that appeared to be headed for overtime becomes a victory for The Chicago Sky.

Post game Q&A Chicago Sky’s Sylvia Fowles talked about the MVP title and joining Twitter. She said “there was no push for MVP” and in a humorous manner, said “she was forced to join Twitter.” The morning of this game being the third time she had used the social media site.

Rookie Elena Delle Donne standing at a towering 6’5’ spoke with humility about being a possible MVP prospect, the playoffs & the shot she’d taken that won the game.

Be sure to check out the Chicago Sky during the playoff season!

(Photography by Veronica M. Benson for VeMichelle Writing Communications © 2013)

vemichellewritingcommunications@outlook.com

www.facebook.com/vemichell

Marques Houston is ‘Famous!’

 

 

I met & talked to former lead singer of the high-demand boy band group,  Immature & IMX.

Very well into his solo career, Marques Houston was as charming, adorable & pleasant as you probably imagine him to be.

I was a fan of the boy band, but as I got older my love and attraction became neutral. Maybe the lack of him in my life was to blame, so it seems…. After having the little girl infatuation for him as Batman in the group Immature all of those years, it may have come to the point for MH and I to take our love to another level.

When I heard he was in town, I knew right away that I would be going to the event. I didn’t need to decide on feelings to know that much. Factoring in everything else as well, I knew it would be good to see him. And, before I got to the event, I also knew I would be meeting him & taking pictures with him. (smile)

The timing was perfect. The night before I attended an event featuring Kindred The Family Soul, Bilal, Teedra Moses & Dwele. Where there was a meet and greet; I hung with the artists and introduced my work and exchanged information.

The very next night it was Marques Houston & me. That’s the way it felt during the time we talked and took pictures.

After pictures & talking, it felt like that wasn’t enough. So with me being me I decided I was going back for a KISS.

And sure enough we kissed! That’s right, I felt his “famous” lips on my cheek. But not before I blessed him with one first from my perfectly glossed lips to leave the impression of them on his adorable face, if only for the rest of the night.

We said “God Bless You” to each other and said our goodbye’s, for now….. feels like part one of a journey that will lead to lasting connections & a wonderful writing adventure. From meet & greets to exclusive interviews. If you’re reading and following this blog, stay tuned!

It’s something to look forward to in the world of writing.

Furthermore, Marques Houston’s new album “Famous” was recently released and he gave out sample CD’s while at The Mask nightclub in Chicago, September 7, 2013.

He hung out in the DJ booth for a few appearances and song introductions. Then spent the rest of the night in VIP, relaxing, enjoying the music and with his phone in his hand.

What’s he like? Well, right away I noticed that his demeanor is very relaxed and cool. While he has a warm and gentle presence and approach.

His body is just as firm as it appears in all of his photos that he has no shame in taking without a shirt on. 

Being Marques Houston, you can do that!

He can sing his heart out over the perfect melodies of music and knows just the words to sing to feel on the hearts and minds of his female fan base.

Like he does on his knew album “Famous” that features irresistible hits “Famous”  which is a favorite of mine. It reminds me of great wording and songwriting that I heard in a previous hit of MH’s titled “Naked.” Of course you remember that song.

This album also includes “Only You” sampled from the popular Marvin Gaye song “Sexual Healing.”  Along with  “The Way Love Is,” that talks about all the difficulties and desires that goes with the territory of love.

You’ll also fall in love with “Fly Away,” “Give Your Love A Try featuring (Problem),”  “Lifetime”, & “Leaving My Girl For You.”

His voice is ear candy by itself & with each song played after the next is a perfectly sewn together blend of music, that grabs your heart and attention.

All from his latest project “Famous.”

It’s in stores & on Itunes now!

It’s a must have!

Make sure you get yours!

 

As for Mr. Marques Houston!

Until next time.

Looking forward to talking and to you making me “FAMOUS!”

LoveArt: In Celebration of my son and his life

On next Sunday my son will be celebrating his 7th birthday.
In recognition of all the things that has come through God because of his love for him, I celebrate my son and & I am thankful for his life and for his LOVE.

This video is two of our favorite songs, plus pictures and video of us. Very, very nice! Check it out.

LoveArt

Relationships: Friendships

 

Friendships.

The key ingredient to a long-lasting, successfully active friendship is loyalty.

To be loyal to someone is to decide to be there for them no matter what happens in life.  Loyalty is a dedication. You dedicate your heart to them and it is unwavering. With loyalty comes the remaining factors such as trust and honesty.

I can’t imagine a successful friendship where one party is loyal and the other is not. In speaking of a person to person friendship. Although I’m sure such friendships do exist.

If you are going to be there for someone through the ups and downs of life, it is human nature for you to expect that they’d do the same for you. That’s an initial thought when processing the concept of friendship to someone. Even if you come to learn their ideas may differ.

Who you connect to as a friend should be automatic. Along the same lines of connecting to people in romantic relationships.

If we interact with people without expectation or any reservations and deal with each other without the sense of entitlement, we can usually see how far we are supposed to go with someone. Without having to enforce the issue itself. Now whether we choose to take heed or ignore these signs are completely depending upon ourselves. Even in those situations where we know the introduction should be the ending with some people.

The reality in crossing paths with people is that, not every good-looking, successful or great characteristic individual is meant for a long-term contract in your life.

In the event that we get closer to someone just to find out that very information, we should have no fear in letting go. Without thinking “it may not be anything better for me.”

You don’t have to connect yourself to anyone. Connections happen on their own.  You don’t have to accept any situation by forcing yourself to it. What you label it or allow it to be, is what it will be.

 

Time.

Time does not qualify as a reason to identify someone as a friend. Specifically in friendships that we hang on to over the years that are stressful and unhealthy. Ones that we see no positive growth in. Friendships do take time, effort, growth, togetherness, acceptance and love. You have to love a person past titles and what you think they should be to you. Not all of them survive and maintain the same status during the times that we experience separate changes in life and growth.

If you’ve been friends with someone for a long time and you question that friendship in your mind and heart, there is nothing wrong with assessing if it is built off of time or the actual friendship.

 

Honesty.

 

You have to have honesty with a “friend” for them to really be a friend to begin with. Honesty meaning truth and not being afraid to disagree or any other consequences that may come as a result of honesty. Telling the truth is more important in a friendship than hiding or bottling feelings in to keep the atmosphere pleasant.

A friendship may be more vulnerable or at risk of loss due to dishonesty. Say what needs to be said beforehand, while things are in good graces. While the climate is pleasant. All parties might be more open to hearing what issues are at hand.

To bring something up that you’ve been holding in,  in a disagreement later, maybe one that you didn’t initiate will look like you were harboring bad feelings. A ticking time bomb waiting for the right moment to explode, with everything.

Deal with issues as they come up, so that there isn’t a need to keep a record of wrong. Especially for those friendships that matter to you.

If you are not going to deal with people on a friendship level, make it known their status to you. As it is true, not everyone that you think is a friend, is a friend forever. Some people really do come in your life for a season for a reason.

Don’t be fooled by categories on social media sites. Real friendships are those of whom you talk to, relate to, and spend time in if there was no FaceBook. After you’ve logged out.

 

“ A true friend never gets in your way unless you happen to be going down.” –Arnold H. Glasow

“The most beautiful discovery true friends make is that they can grow separately without growing apart.” – Elisabeth Foley

“The proper office of a friend is to side with you when you are in the wrong. Nearly anybody will side with you, when you are right.” –Mark Twain

“Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses.” –Proverbs 27:6

Trayvon Martin gone forever, George Zimmerman goes free

    My prayers and concerns are with Trayvon’s Mother and Father after receiving the not guilty verdict from the trial of the shooter that killed 17-year old Trayvon Martin. I especially sympathize with his mother, being a mother myself. I can’t grasp the idea of putting all that love, time and energy into a person and losing them just before they reached the start of their lives and approaching the path of young adulthood.

The Martin’s 17-year old son is gone and his life was wrongly claimed by another individual who chose to follow someone who happened to be an innocent, 17-year old child with no weapon and who was not guilty of any criminal activity. Trayvon Martin.

When I learned of the verdict, my first reactions were disbelief, shock and questions in my heart of “How?” “How could this be?”

Does our laws really override what is right when an innocent life is taken?

Are our laws designed to acquit the guilty and not give the innocent, the victims, the justice that is due to them?

It seems that is so.

Inside of court rooms, from what I’ve seen, reads the common phrase: “In God We Trust.”

In court rooms, where man made laws take precedent over God’s laws.

(If God were the judge in this case, in this trial, what would the verdict be?)

Trayvon’s death cannot be undone. It cannot be reversed. And George Zimmerman, the murderer of an innocent black teenager has been set free. As if he’s done nothing wrong. Due to his sentencing, I feel that he might believe that. Because laws have justified his actions.

What message does that send to the black youth? Particularly young black males?

That their lives don’t matter? That they can be hunted down and killed by anyone because of their skin color and dress code? Because of stereotypes? Misjudgments. Based on their appearance?

In Trayvon’s case, it wasn’t about race.

I want to believe that it wasn’t, so I can cling to the hope that I have for my son and nephews without worrying that their skin color will be an issue as they continue to grow up. But in this case, it was only about race. First. Before anything else.

Whether it was said or not.

Trayvon Martin was preconceived to be guilty, because he was black.

No matter how it’s said, the evidence is in what has taken place. An innocent black boy was killed and his killer walks free. The laws say one thing but now we’ve seen with our own eyes. We can’t deny the truth.

When I try to look at the details of this case with only my eyes, all I see is several events that could have happened to prevent the death of Trayvon Martin. One being, if the gunman, Zimmerman suspected that Trayvon Martin was guilty of more than defending himself against what might have appeared to a 17-year old boy, unarmed and not expecting to be confronted the way that he was, a possible lunatic or madman (since Zimmerman had no authority uniform or badge) someone looking to cause trouble with him. And not that it’s right or that he had a right to pull a gun on him in the first place…. but based on police training and tactics which Zimmerman believed himself to be, the police, while dealing with an unarmed kid, why wouldn’t he instead only do enough to restrain him and keep him from attacking or escaping until the proper authorities arrived?  Instead of shooting him in the chest to kill him as only a cold-blooded killer would. Determining the fate of innocent life. Which was what Zimmerman didn’t think Trayvon deserved a chance of. Life.

As if he knew for sure that he was guilty of anything upon approaching him in the first place.

Which comes off as far more than ill-will.

Still George Zimmerman was set free. A murderer set free. All because of a “stand your ground” law. A law that protects a person even if they are the ones to create the problem. If they are the ones to provoke another individual to having to defend themselves by “standing their ground.” Was Trayvon Martin not protected and covered by this same law? He lost his life, so he loses the case? Is that how our laws are designed?

You’d be surprised to find that there is much more than law  that is considered when making a decision or coming to a verdict in court cases. Theatrics play a part as well. Creating false imagery to go along with the stories is not unlikely and can prove to be effective.  In my opinion the Zimmerman we saw throughout the trial does not reflect the ones in photos. The photos that portrayed him when he confronted Trayvon Martin on the night of his death. He had put on much more weight, as it seems, to soften his appearance. 

When an innocent life is taken and the admitted killer is at hand for the wrongful death, I thought the proper procedure is to convict the guilty and deliver justice to the innocent. To protect society from further possible harm by this individual. That seems like standard operating procedure. Then other evidence might help determine, along with the crime, the length of the sentencing and the extremity of punishment one should face. But never should a killer, someone who has claimed an innocent life without probable cause, walk free.

That is what has taken place in the case of George Zimmerman as of July 13, 2013.

I really did think this was America.

If we have no value for the lives, the prosperity, well-being and complete upbringing of our youth, how can we believe we have and add any value or hope to the future? Which are our children. The world does not end at us. Sometimes it feels to me that’s the way that we live today.

Based upon our laws in the world, we never know which way a case may go or how it may end. With God’s laws they do not change and they mean what they say, as they are written.

In the bible it is written that “The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7)

Proverbs 16:4 reads “The Lord works out everything for His own ends—-“

This is where believers, we as black people in Jesus Christ find an undying hope that can’t be tampered with by the law of this world. We know and believe that God has the final say so. That He is a witness everywhere. To see what we may not have seen. What we don’t understand.

This is also the hope that Sylvia Fulton, Trayvon’s Mother expressed on Twitter after the verdict was released that George Zimmerman was found not guilty.

God is the highest authority. The highest judge and He will have the final say.

 

POWER IN PRAYING

When I found out about this book it was through someone who is married and I was nowhere near to being anybody’s wife. How do I know? Because that was over 4 years ago and I am still single. Happily single I must say!

I went to the bookstore and I ended up buying it. I wasn’t sure why. As I read through the book and saw how it is designed, to show a wife how to pray for every area of a husband’s life, I eventually came to the conclusion that I could pray for my husband before we even entered into each other’s lives. Not in an obsessive manner, but in a way to add another individual to my prayers. That’s different right? The idea felt strange at first. But then I knew if I could pray for a stranger, how much more for someone I know. It opened me up in different ways. So, that’s what I used it for, since I had it on hand.

I like how the book breaks down every area of a man’s life. How each area needs to be prayed for specifically. Most importantly as it pertains to my life right now, I also learned how to use the same methods of praying for my son and myself. To pray, often and to be specific about those things I expect to see real changes in, that I know I can’t change myself. You’d be surprise to find out that could be anything.

It’s amazing how some things manifest into our lives. I think about that when I see this book on my shelf, being as single as I am. Over 4 years worth of single at that! And so far, this is where I want to be! LOL. I’m just patient. That’s all! 🙂

If I found it to be useful as a single woman, I thought it could surely be of value to those who are engaged, soon to be married or already married.

So, here you go!

-Veronica

The 1st Annual End of the School Year Social

When I thought about children getting together and having a good time, the first thought was parties and gift exchange.

Since it is the end of this school year I thought it would be nice for them to get together on the terms of enjoying each other’s company. Their good time would revolve around them interacting with each other. In games of all sorts, outdoor activities, art and yes conversation! Kids have a lot to talk about.

It was great to see the mothers I know including myself together and celebrating the completion of not only a successful school year but a safe one. In knowing the impact violence has had on our youth in and out of schools. We are grateful.

The overall outcome was nice and kids in different age groups enjoyed themselves.
I hope to continue this event every year.

Let’s take it one year at a time!

Have a safe and blessed summer vacation!

With Love,
Veronica

2013

2013

2013