Sexual Harrasment count today:

3 Honkers
7 Craned Necks

Total: 10

Race rears it's head

I didn't want to say "ugly" necessarily. This weekend I took a risk and invited friends from all my circles to a party at my house. I knew it was risky given that most of my friends really speak their minds but have differing backgrounds. Also, I didn't know how my roommates friends would mix in with my friends. Fortunately, only two white people showed up and that was enough. Unfortunately, the white girl in the room stopped by on her way to a costume party. However, none of us knew what her costume was about. Simply, she was wearing a black blazer and no shirt or bra under it and a short skirt with thigh-high stockings. Somehow the party was briefly segregated and all the Black people were in the kitchen whispering about her outfit. Then someone inquired, "What are you, a whore?"

It turns out she was Jessica Cutler . There was no indication and the Washingtonienne scandal happened years ago. Ms. Cutler is no longer water cooler talk. My roommate gave her a copy of the book to carry around so at least she could explain herself.

Then the conversation turned to our other friend who recently moved in with two white men. There was so much discussion of what it was like. I'm sure we all would have been offended if a white person was inquiring about what it is like to live with a black person. I recognize there are differences because I have lived with everyone under the rainbow. However, the same convo different people...disaster.

"What the fuck? Are we not human? What do you mean what's it like? Fuck you whitey white racist ass cracka."

After about an hour the white people left and no more showed up. At first I was wondering why none of my white friends showed up but that's okay. I didn't think about Halloween parties and Hampton's Homecoming when I picked the date. It was for the best though. Race relations haven't come as far as I think they have. When people are trying to let loose who wants to worry about racial offenses? Who wants to explain spades? Who wants to explain why they are slamming the dominos on the table?

She found my diploma!

For the second time, there has been a mishap with my diploma. This time there is at least a funny story to go with it. I get a message on Myspace today saying.

"Hey Aisha did you ever get your diploma? I met this guy on match.com and I mentioned to him that I recently got my MPH. He tells me that he got girls diploma named Aisha M. and she also has an MPH. Might it really be yours?"

Why yes it probably is! So she is going to let him know that indeed I never got my diploma from UNC.

As for Berkeley apparently I really didn't need it. I managed to work for four years before I figured out that I didn't officially graduate. It wasn't until I applied to graduate school that I found this out.

Washington Sports Club

...here I come! Now that my new home is nearly in order, I feel that I can make a return to my workouts. I don't want to waste that $60 that comes out of my account every month. I've decided that I will come into work thirty minutes earlier so that I can take a longer lunch to go to the gym. Since I'm walking to and from work right now, I don't want to leave downtown too late with the impending time change. I estimate I will walk about 15 miles a week just going to and from work. Therefore I can just work on flexibility and muscle strength at the gym during the week. On the weekend I can take one dance class and I should be fine. I talk about my weight a lot because I'm unhappy with it. Hopefully writing about it will keep me more accountable.

I was also inspired to cook this weekend. I managed to make a sesame crusted seared tuna Asian salad, salty oatmeal cookies, and foccacia. The foccacia was disappointing because the yeast was old so it didn't rise. So it became pizza instead. It still had an excellent flavor.

You never get over the death of a parent

On July 12, 2003 my mother died of cancer. It is the event that has shaped my life. Not only her actual death but, her 20 years fight with breast cancer. Every now and then something reminds me of my loss. Something that makes me upset that she's not here with me. I do have to remember how fortunate I am. I could have lost her when I was three and barely have any memory of her. So I am happy that I even have something to remember.

As I continue to unpack I find things I haven't seen in a very long time. This morning I found the book for "Little Miss Los Angeles 1983". As a child my father put me in many pageants. In the booklet people bought advertisements to support me and offer encouraging words. On my three pages are the names of friends and family many of which who are no longer with us. These include my mother, aunt, grandmother, god mother.

The book also shows how much life has changed. Al King, our family mechanic bought an ad. He is now the partner of my cousin Attricia. Also both of my parents Post Office buddies bought ad and now my dad is retired. Another thing I noted is that businesses from Compton, CA bought ads in my book. I may not actually be from Compton but Compton is for Aisha!

It's time to update the book a little bit: We Love and Miss You Mommy-Gina, Trice & Aisha

Stripping vs. Prostitution

I was thinking hard today as to whether I want this blog to be focus or unfocused. I decided that each entry should be focused on something. So I think I 'll keep it to one topic with maybe a mention of a Daily Random Happening.

"Why did she quit stripping to go in to prostitution? Stripping pays a lot more and is safer."

I overhead someone say this the other day. Does stripping pay more than prostitution? Is stripping safer? I think stripping is seen as a more noble profession than prostitution. But does it really pay more? Personally I don't think so. When you get up to strip there is no guarantee that you will ever get tipped. No one has to give you money but if you work it out a little bit you may get a few dollars in your g-string. With prostitution you get to negotiate up front the cost of doing business but, you must attract business first.

Now let's make a few other observations:

Stripping vs. Prostitution

you get to take breaks between each set vs. walking the hoe stroll all night
you're less likely to split money with a pimp vs. more likely to be split money w/a pimp
you collect money in small amounts vs. you get larger lump sums per client
you get "loyal customers" vs. you too get "loyal customers"

I don't really see the benefit to prostitution unless you are a "call girl". Which one is safer? I can't call it.

I have contemplated stripping...just to do it once (or thrice). I mean public stripping, not stripping for my significant other. I was once almost coerced to jump on the stage at amateur night. I didn't do it because people I knew would be watching me. I really think I could do this if I was in a town where no one knew me. I think that ship has sailed though.

I'd like to hear your own stripping vs. prostitution comparisons.

Daily Random Happening: I was eating my morning oatmeal and my pasty white neighbor of mine was making his bed in his underwear. I can easily see into the second and third floors of the houses across the street. I thought I had an advantage having the bigger room with all the light but I have to keep my blinds closed.

We are back!

Rather I should say "I'm Back". I've been inspired to blog again. I just didn't have the time for a Carolina Adventures. Besides, Carolina just wasn't exciting enough. The strangest things have happened since I've been back in DC so I think they deserve my written time.

Since I've been back in DC for about 4 months, I've noticed that I get harrassed/holla'ed at/ogled way more than I ever did before. Yesterday I was involved in an "ogle" gone wrong. I was in the middle of my daily walk from the office. I'm feeling real Ally McBeal these days except I don't dance around in the snow...not yet. I was waiting for the light and I notice someone trying to get my attention. However, he was backing up his Lincoln Towncar while doing this. Unfortunately, he backed into an ethiopian woman. She jumped out of the way to escape bodily injury. He is not aware and continues to back into the crosswalk. So she starts yelling and he doesn't realize she is trying to get his attention. I began pointing so he will notice her. Of course he thinks I'm trying to send him the "yeah i wanna holla at you too boo" signal. Finally, the woman starts banging on his window. All I could do was laugh.

This is the third time someone has caused bodily harm to themselves or someone else in an attempt to get my attention. I'm like my own little public health problem. Aisha Moore the 250th cause of unintentional injuries in the U.S.

That leads me into my next topic "It's All Relative"

I think I need to lose weight and I'm actually doing something about it. I'm the biggest I've ever been and it's not cute to me. The men of DC seem to disagree. So I often wonder what catches their fancy. Everyday I walk downtown and I see stomachs hanging out and pants about to burst. Then I see rather large woman who have learned how to dress appropriately despite the fact that they are a size 22. So in the grand scheme of things I'm on the larger side of small. But if you compare me to the vast majority of woman going to and from PG county on the green line, I'm a drawf. So I suppose on the DC/PG Black Woman scale I'm relatively small?


(note this is my first blog in 2 years. so dont' get confused that the older postings are from october...but 2004)