Finding My Authentic Voice – NaBloPoMo #5

With the one year blogiversary of Rebirthoflisa coming up this month, this prompt about finding my authentic voice is very timely. It is a time for reflection and self-discovery. I started this blog because I had a need to be heard and I wanted to build my readership to allow more people to read what I have to say. I intended my blog to be a place where I could narrate the goings on in the world that interested me, but never thought of sharing my own guarded life with strangers. I thought of it as a means to an end because I wanted to be a writer and the only way to do so is to actually write. I never expected for it to grow to what it has become. I started with one follower, my sister and wanted to expand to others, but didn’t know how. Somewhere along the way I learned about networking and linking up with other bloggers and found that I am not alone. Everyone wants to be heard and I am now open to hearing those voices in conjunction with expressing my own.

I have come across some great people who share the same views as I, as well as some who are totally opposite in their thinking. I have tried to be fair and not pre-judge people by their profile pics, which we all do either consciously or subconsciously, or by their choice of topics. Keeping an open mind has allowed me to read some very profound poetry and get excited about writing my own. I have read about suicidal thoughts and been brought to tears from reading the brutally honest rantings of people in pain. All of these experiences have allowed me to tap into my own voice and express my deepest, most personal thoughts to the world. I found vulnerability in writing that I never had before and I love it. At first it was uncomfortable and I did not want to write, but I pushed myself and the results were pieces of work that I am proud to share.

As I celebrate my first blogiversary on November 22nd, I realize how much better I have become at expressing myself on a personal level. I look forward to my continual learning by participating in more challenges and courses. I cherish the relationships I am building and I am excited to host my own events on my blog. One such event was an idea I learned from a fellow blogger, Eclectic odds n sods, just today. I am planning my first Blog Party Event to coincide with my annual celebration and the countdown has started. Only 17 days left until the Big Day and I hope you will join me. Keep an eye out for more info on my blog…

October Challenge

Blogging 101: Try a New Posting Style
Today’s assignment: build your storyteller’s toolbox by publishing a post in another format or a style you’ve never used before.

October Challenge:
Once a Week for the Month of October, I challenge my readers to perform Not So Random Acts of Kindness. That means doing something specifically for someone. Plan the deed out ahead of time and give away. (Doesn’t have to be monetary) Once complete please share in the comments on this post. Need help? Here are a few things to get you started:

Is The Truth Too Real?

Blogging 101: Day 12 Truth Serum
You’ve come into possession of one vial of truth serum. Who would you give it to (with the person’s consent, of course) – and what questions would you ask?

If I had the use of Wonder Woman’s golden lasso to interrogate one person I would ask my dad why he abandoned me. I’m sure I would have a few follow-up questions as well. No matter how hard he struggled he would have to give me the reason he never kept in contact with me after he left. I know the story behind why my mom made him leave because I witnessed it, but what I don’t understand is how he could leave and never look back. Sure I received a birthday card almost every year, but there was never any correspondence inside; just a simple “Love Dad”.

All I knew was he lived in the Bronx in New York near Yankee Stadium nothing else. If it had not been for my desire to see him again when I turned 21, I never would have seen him. I have always wondered if he forgot about me or if he simply replaced me. He has lived with a lady for well over 30 years and helped to raise her son and calls her grandchildren his grandchildren. Why did he give the love that was supposed to be mine to another woman’s child?

I wonder….do I really want the answers to these questions? Will it really matter in the grand scheme of things? Maybe the truth is too real.

The Baller of G’Boro

Writing 101: Size Matters
Today, tell us about the home you lived in when you were twelve. For your twist, pay attention to – and vary- your sentence lengths.

The Baller of G’ Boro
(Set to the tune of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air)

Now this is a story all about how
My life got flipped turned home renter
And I’d like to take a minute and be real thorough
I’ll tell you how I became a baller in a town called G’Boro

In West Haven project where I was raised
On the hardwood is where I spent most of my days
Skating, bike riding, shootin’ hoops after school
When this girl from Bmore who was up to no good
Started making trouble in my neighborhood.
I got in one little fight and my moms got PO’d
She said we’re moving to a house on Hooks River Road.

I moved in to the Master Suite
Where my mom made me promise to keep it real neat
My big bro James was right next door
He kept me laughing and made me do his chores.
When I wasn’t sleeping in my bed
You could find me in the willow tree where I read

The best thing about this house was I was home
Mom let us have two puppies of our own
In the back yard they stayed in the shed
I came home from school one day and they were dead.

I channeled the pain into playing sports
Bball, softball and all kinds of sorts
I practiced real hard and became a minor star
Mom said, play sports, be a baller that’s who you are.

Courage To Love Again

Blogging 101: Day 9 – Be Inspired By the Community
Today’s assignment: write a post that builds on one of the comments you left yesterday. Don’t forget to link to the other blog!

The concept of Imzadi is one that is both interesting and scary. I recently read Curly Miri’s blog post with the same title and it made me think. I had never heard of this word so I took the time to look it up and found more than I imagined. It turns out the term originated from Star Trek The Next Generation with characters Troi and Riker. It is a Betazed word most closely translated as “ beloved”. It describes the enduring bond that they share; the first person who touches your soul!

When one loses this type of love people can do some crazy things. People mourn the end of relationships like a death. The pain of the loss of love is real! Love can be a beautiful experience, but when it betrays you it makes you want to hurt someone as much as you are hurting.

Only as time passes does one see that you are usually better off after the relationship is over. You learn from the mistakes you made and you find your true Imzadi. To quote the late Maya Angelou “Have enough courage to trust love one more time and always one more time.”

Blogging 101: Day 4 – Dream Reader

Today’s assignment is to publish a post for your dream reader, and include a new-to-you element in it.

When I first read this assignment I sort of panicked. I had never attempted to identify who my reader would be. I just needed to express myself and I wanted everyone to read my blog. Then I realized that you are “supposed” to have a specific genre and reader in order to reach people on certain levels. At least that’s what they teach in writing classes.

I don’t agree with the idea that when you write you have to speak to one specific audience and that’s it. I had so much trouble with this assignment because I write from the heart and I am the type of person who tries to see points of view from everyone. I can’t shut off who I am and I don’t want to so I have concluded that my writing will continue to reach out to all people one article at a time.

That being said let’s get to the meat and potatoes. This blog is a sort of therapy for me, but I have also found it to be comforting to people who have gone through the same or similar events in their lives. The topics I choose are sometimes taken from my past, the headlines or based on the lives of family and friends. Like most writers, if I observe something I deem as interesting I will let it marinate in the columns of my mind and then cook up what I hope is a great tale.

I am not vain enough to think that everyone in the world will love my style or content, but I know eventually I will run across a specific topic that will touch them. Maybe I can open someone’s eyes to a subject they never thought they would care about. Maybe, just maybe if the planets are aligned I can help someone who needs to hear that one thing God planted in my brain to share. I pray I can be a light to someone. I may not reach a specific type of reader on a regular basis, but I hope to be able to open the minds of readers and help them walk in someone else’s shoes for a few minutes. Change their perspective if you will. This blog is designed to be a sort of Rainbow Coalition of blogs where everyone is welcome, where you can find topics that seem familiar and ones that may educate you. Everyone is welcome and even if you don’t agree with my point of view, we can agree to disagree.

Blogging 101: Say Your Name

Today’s assignment: edit your title and tagline. Make your readers’ first impression a good one!
I love my title so I have chosen not to change it, however I think my tagline could use some work. I took the advice from the assignment and used yesterday’s writing to update the tagline. Below I posted the original one and my new one.

My current tagline: I am a lover of life who woke up one day from a 40+ year slumber. I am opinionated, down to earth and most of all love to laugh. In my opinion, if you’re not laughing you’re not living. I’m trying to bring positivity to a negative world one reader at a time!

New tagline: After keeping the writer in me dormant most of my life, I finally found the courage to set her free! My goal is to speak my mind on topics in the world or in my vivid imagination. I would love to be an inspiration to others so they can find their voices. Join me as I take the journey of finding myself in this world, a rebirth of Lisa!

I may change my mind is a few days but then again I may not. Only time will tell.

Intro to Rebirth…

I wanted to gain more experience in writing a blog so I decided to take the Blogging 101 course. Today is Day 1 and the assignment is “Who am I and why I’m here”. Let’s see…

My name is Lisa Wright-Tetting and all of my life I have been resisting my gift of writing. I enjoyed it in school and for years have secretly wanted to make a living at it. It was such a secret that I hid it from myself and never told a soul. Growing up I never knew that black women could really be writers. Everyone I ever read about and every book I was given was written by or about either Caucasians or males. As a result I never had the ambition to be a writer. It was as if my mind had been told that it was not possible for me to be who I was because I never saw any other examples of people who looked like me.

As I grew older I realized there were very popular African American writers, some of them women, but I had never been exposed to them. I read their books with excitement but still never thought I could do what they did. As an adult the desire to write would not leave so I dabbled a bit in poetry, but never had the courage to read them at open mic nights. I have always had stories in my head since I can remember, but I never thought anyone would care to read them so I never bothered to write them down. Last year at the age of 44 I finally got the courage to start a blog. It was something I wanted to do for years, but was too afraid of rejection and criticism.

Since starting my blog, I have refocused my way of thinking and grown to the point that I have allowed what has been locked away deep in my heart and mind to be released! I finally realized that the writer in me will not be silent and if I don’t let her escape I will be doomed. It felt soo wonderful to open the flood gates and let her out! The first time I revealed something personal in my blog I was nervous, but I received positive feedback from friends and family. My goal with this course is to learn ways to expand my readers and reach more people. I have stories and opinions inside of me that need to be told and expressed and I would love to share them with the world!