Women's Empowerment Weekend

This weekend was a great weekend. Riding smoothly of course on the new wheels. Saturday we had the Annual Womens Empowerment weekend. If you are not familiar with it, it occurs in the last Saturday of march in Raleigh NC. They have guest speakers and national recording artist, vendors showcasing their talents and it is all for the empowerment of women. This year was my first time going. I have to be honest at first..I was not that excited. Even with Patti Labelle being the guest speaker...the recording artist were completely turing me off. By me being a music fan I felt like If Patti was gonna be the speaker...then I just knew that the Artists were going to be off tha chain. Well, Jeff Majors..don't get me wrong..I love his songs...you know with the **cough** harp and all**cough** but he just did not appeal to me more so than the R&B persuasion..until I heard at the last minute that TANK was going to be one of the artist performing. I know you heard me..yes TANK. I have to capitalize his name because it seems like he's not getting that much love lately. I did miss him while he was away. But let me go back a little. I enjoyed Patti...she made me cry..made me laugh..and boy let me tell you if you have never heard Pattil Labelle sang in person....it is a treat. I swear that woman...Lawd halmurcy...hmph. She sanged you hear me??!! She had the nerve to sang "The Lord's Prayer." Whew....amazing....just amazing that's all I can say. I was in awe of her voice. Where she came frome and how well she continued to live. I think that as I get older, I understand the importance of living after a loss. I lost my brother April 1st (I know...April Fool's Day) 2002 and I still grieve. That is the first loss that I have ever experience in close relation to myself. It was like a part of me died. Patti lost 4 sisters to cancer all in 40 year old range and then her mother. I was like "Wow, and she still sung?" It made me realize that even sometimes when we lose a loved one and our hearts are breaking....we can still raise our voices to sing. To let others know that we are still here and that we are still living. That's what I think about it all. I enjoyed her alot and learned somethings from her as well. As far as TANK. I would love to go to a concert where it is just him perfoming live. He give a great performance as well. He is a fine specimen of a Man I tell ya! Lyfe Jennings also performed..he came on after TANK. I think he should have came on before but that's just my opinion. Day 26--Diddy's puppets from Making The Band 4, Cherish ~Lean Wit It Rock Wit It--are we done yet?~, Georgia Mass Choir, Beverly Crawford, and Tiffany Evans (Diary of a Mad Black Woman) were all great perfomances. I must say I will be attending next year. We decided at the last minute to go and had the ~I think that's Patti Tickets~ so of course when we are on the 3rd floor and the row before the last row on the wall towards the ceiling you would think.."Ok, at least I'm here, and I made it....Let's get Empowered.." NO, that is not the case....The seats were so small and so tight...I did tell you that I am P.H.A.T. I felt all circulation from my legs cease...My sister and I looked at each other like wtf?? Those seats were unbearable. In the mist of this pain in my hips I begin to wonder if they intentionally made those seats that way so that you will remember and buy the next level tickets. We moved down to the 2nd level while shopping with the vendors. WE are a talented group of people. I met Vickie Stringer, yes Triple Crown Publications...I also purchased a book from her and received her autograph. She asked me if I was a writer and I said yes. She asked me to go on open mike and recite...my mind went completely blank ya'll. OMG!!! I was so embarassed. She said "That's okay." I told her "I'm not ready for that yet.." But I am...I am so ready. But anyhoo I will have my chance again soon. By the way...the seats on the 2nd floor were so much more comfortable...it was amazing to know what more money will get you. LOL Have a Happy Monday!