BOOMERANG EFFECT TO FINDING MY WAY HOME

Greetings All! It's your resident Detroit Girl, Tracie E. Christian here to bring you the Good word in Artistry the way I see it. I know it has been a minute since my last blog but busy is an understatement to describe what my life has been like these last few months. However, in spite of the artistic work of the Live Ladies of Literature & T Elice the B-Side DJ being hard, it's the hardest work that has provided me with the most fun I have ever had in my life. Ironically, out of all the things I have accomplished since pairing up with my Wonder Twin/Sister-Friend, Adra Young, I would be lying if I said that I never fantasized about the magical moments like the ones I have experienced as of late. For me, those moments were very much like dejavu. You see, up until lately, I only got to experience magical moments in artistry in my dreams. Now I find that even when you have lost sight and faith in your gifts, God has a way of making desires boomerang back into your existence with the sole purpose of leading you right back to your dreams. Let me explain.

One example is writing for me. Being an only child, I have always had a knack for entertaining myself. Coupled with my vivid imagination, my little bossy behind always had a lot to say. Ever since I could talk words rarely failed this sister here. In grade school I got decent grades but two's in citizenship for talking my  head off in class. When I wanted to stay out of my Mommy's doghouse, I started writing. I used to write detailed stories chronicling the adventures of me and my friends. I even used to draw pictures to go with the stories. Then, when I told the friends in my world that I loved to write stories and even poetry from time to time, to them, it wasn't all that cool. Now we all know that all an ONLY CHILD ever wants is to be COOL and ACCEPTED among their peers, no matter how silly and hater-ish they are at the time. So I abandoned my silent pastime for the popular stuff, i.e. band, dance and choir all through high school and beyond. Now years later, I am a Published Author, Poet and Co-Founder of an artistic movement created with the sole purpose of uniting budding artists that were or are like me, who need the creative connections in order to be whole. Can we say BOING!!! That's the Boomerang Effect!

God has a way of bouncing you back to what you were always supposed to do anyway. No matter how you try to slide, trip and dodge it, oftentimes it is so much bigger than the elements we try to avoid. It happened to me in radio, cause I ran from it in college due to low self-esteem. Also in poetry because my reciting skills were not up to the level of many performance poets I'd seen in the past. Then again, I ran from my knack of public speaking when I left Detroit Public Schools. Yet without much warning, I now find myself Co-Hosting the MIXX TV (after producing my own radio show). I have performed poetry successfully from crowded clubs and slams to the infamous Baker's Keyboard Lounge stage in Detroit. Lastly, I am happy to flex my Public Speaking abilities doing literary & black college workshops and Hosting, Directing & Writing Monologue shows even in spite of running from it all like the lack plaque at first! BOING again...these are ALL examples of my Boomerang effect!

Know that I am not just speaking of what I've heard, I am confessing what I know. I bet if you look back over your life, you too can think of elements of yourself that you've avoided or even tried to ignore, only to be brought right back to it later on in life...and that's okay.  I guess that's why the Boomerang effect exists. Maybe it's God's way of reminding us of the BEST in US...so when we ask for a blessing, an inner stregnth is displayed to remind us how GOOD we really are! I say all this to help you get to the BETTER YOU! I had someone help me so I am reaching out to help another. After all turn about is always fair play so, Embrace the BOOMERANGS of Life...for they may be bouncing YOU back to the very best parts of YOU that you never knew!

REVIEW of LIFE INTERRUPTED - In the Aftermath of my Son's Death by Karen L. Duffie

Reviewer: Tracie E. Christian – April 6, 2011

When I first got this book in the mail, I thought it would be a large undertaking for me to read because it is literally a pretty, big book. To my welcomed surprise, this larger than life book was such an easy and educational read that by the end, it morphed into a BIG, PRETTY Book! From the on-set, Karen Lynne Duffie walks the reader step-by-step through the tragedy of her son, Kourtney Everett Duffie’s murder. Although death is never an inviting subject, I have to say personally that I am so glad to have read this novel.  It is a gripping tale of a mother’s endless journey through an intentional, life-altering act of violence and viciousness against her child. She then opens up the pages to her very personal inner nightmare called, GRIEF. This book is Raw, Real and Relevant probably even more than the author really knows. Although throughout the book, Duffie is on a journey to put the pieces of her life back together, she probably didn’t know at the time that the journal entries that helped her cope would help ALL OTHERS dealing with grief of any kind.

Personally, this book touched me deeply because it gave me insight that I had never before considered, as to what my own Grandmother must have been going through in the years after losing her son in a car accident at the tender age of 24. He also not having any children, like Karen's son, Kourtney, she too never got the chance to see her son as a Father, nor a Husband. I know now after reading Karen’s book how that fact alone must have been endlessly painful.  Karen also teaches readers the five step process of Grief; DENIAL, ANGER, BARGAINING, DEPRESSION and ACCEPTANCE. This process is yet another example of what I learned by reading this book.  I was not aware of the Process of Grieving although I had experienced each step after the deaths of both, my Grandmother and two months later, my Father. So while Ms. Duffie seems to have written this book with the intention to help other parents of murdered children, her journal entries have reached and helped grief stricken others on EVERY level, including myself. I found myself crying during the book because I could personally relate on some level. It is my opinion that ART intended to stand the test of time will do just that, evoke emotions the reader never expected to experience in the beginning. This is what makes a book timeless and relevant. With Life Interrupted, no matter what time period one experiences grief, they will be able to relate to this story and the Author’s pain.

This book should also be required reading  in schools, juvenile/detention centers and jails because maybe if people knew the true, inner damaging effects of acts of violence on people other than the intended targets, maybe they’ll think twice before committing the acts in the beginning.  This story is also gripping because you get to go through it all with Karen; the tragedy, the grief, trial of the murderer and the wake of its ending which I won’t reveal in hopes that you get this book. It’s a great novel that demonstrates hope in the wake of misery. Kudos to Karen Lynne Duffie for having the courage to look grief in the face and WIN…then the strength to do it AGAIN to help others by writing and publishing this book! It is indeed yet another example of the MIRACULOUS things coming out of Detroit, MI and how the Humanity Workout is ever present when one reaches down and lifts up someone else! This book gets FIVE SNAPS in CIRCLE (the RDAR equivalent to FIVE STARS) from Real Detroit Artistry Reviews (RDAR) and is recommended to ALL!

Written By: Tracie E. Christian – Co Founder – The Live Ladies of Literature LLC

Authoress – The Black College Sabbatical trilogy series

Host/Producer – Creative Enticement Radio

Reviewer – Real DETROIT Artistry Reviews

www.tracieechristian.com

www.myliveladiesofliterature.info

The GLORY of a real DETROIT Story by Tracie E. Christian

What's up Young World? I am your original Detroit Girl and Live Lady of Lit, Tracie "T Elice" Christian! Thanks for taking the time to check out a real DETROIT artistry story. Know that this blog will explore the positive, shining artistic treasures that are alive and kicking right here in the Motor City that you may or may not know! If more of the degrading, negative spin on a city that is surely in the trenches of survival is what you're looking for...this is NOT the Blog for you! However, if you seek uplifting, inspiration and encouragement of a genuine kind...Welcome HOME. This is about Artistic Empowerment in a city many have chosen to give up on. Here we're interested in the GOOD while creatively putting the NEIGHBOR back into the HOOD! Ya Heard ME? Good.

The year 2011 has been good to the local entity known as the Live Ladies of Literature (LLOL) not necessarily because of our individual and collective accomplishments. It is mainly because of the artistic talent we have been blessed to become acquainted with already and it's only April...month number four! Let's start with Baker's Keyboard Lounge or shall I say the "RESCUE" of the nation's oldest African American owned and operated jazz club. Just days before it was slated to close in late January, I was blessed with the opportunity to grace the stage by popular Detroit radio personality Angie Starr of Mason Radio (airing on WGPR FM 107.5 6am-10am M-F) to be the Featured Poet for her Girl Talk Tuesday show. Now while I was elated to be on a stage that has been graced by the greats of Jazz, my performance that night was just the beginning of an artistic dream night in the making. The talent I was exposed to that night was amazing. The neo-soul, R and B band called Street Soul Experience rocked the housed filled with music lovers old and new. This band played music that had old school appeal with a vocalist that could not just "sing" but "SANG"! That notion alone is a rarity these days. Moreover, Street Soul Experience also had a true lyricist that reminded me of the "essence of real hip-hop" with relevant subject matter that left you wanting more once the set was over. I had never heard of them before but thanks to Ms. Angie Starr for taking a chance to give GLORY to another Detroiter's artistic story, I was creatively blessed.

Just when you may have been content in believing the much publicized hype that Detroiters are mean, cold, selfish opportunists that treat each other like Crabs in a Barrel in the urban land of decay, we get a real DETROIT story to the contrary. One Detroiter making moves in radio gave TIME to SHINE without profit to a undiscovered poet in me and a great group in Street Soul Experience. Tell me people, is that a "WINNING" scenario or what? Sounds to me like even in the aftermath of the Charlie Sheen shameless rant on my city after the poorly planned show he gave Detroiters... we still SHINE!! It is my hope that this story enlightens all of at least one more local that is totally willing to do the Humanity Workout by reaching down and lifting up someone else. Ms. Angie Starr if I didn't say THANK YOU loud enough that night...NOW HERE THIS! From one Real Detroit Girl to another...."Many Thanks". If you have dreams and you BELIEVE others will hear your PLEAS!!! This is the GLORY of a REAL Detroit story...Giving Back, without Giving Up! That is DETROIT! See You all again same time, same sandbox...until next time...I wish YOU Motor City Blessings! 

Written By: Tracie E. Christian
Authoress - The Black College Sabbatical Book Series
Host/Producer -  Creative Enticement Radio
www.tracieechristian.com