Chelle Ramsey's Blog, page 75

MEMORIAL MONDAY MORNING MOTIVATIONAL MESSAGE_HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY

 photo   © 2009   Jo Naylor , Flickr 

Do not let your fire go out, spark by irreplaceable spark, in the hopeless swamps of the approximate, the not-quite, the not-yet, the not-at-all.  Do not let the hero in your soul perish, in lonely frustration for the life you deserved, but have never been able to reach. Check your road and the nature of your battle.

The world you desired can be won. It exists, it is real, it is possible, it is yours.  _Ayn Rand

Every person whether, man or woman that has ever enlisted in the military must have had the desire to make a difference. Whether they regarded that difference on a regular scale, such as in their own personal lives and those around them; or a monumental scale of making a difference in the world, they did so with courage and strength.

They have doubtless come up against what must have appeared to be insurmountable challenges. Yet, they did not give up or give in, they continued to prevail against all odds. Whether the conflict or challenge was personal or global, they stood their ground, faced their fears, and overcame with the spirit of a victor.

To you I say thank you for serving, sacrificing, and standing strong...be blessed.

 JUST WRITING MY DREAMS,C. Michelle Ramseywww.cmichelleramsey.com

I'M FEELING LONELY_IS THE GRASS REALLY GREENER?" EXCERPT

Yesterday Mrs. Davina Cunningham-Whatley shared some of her personal thoughts on the blog, the story, and obviously on me. Didn't know she felt that way, but...to each his own. Well as she said, yes I do enjoy putting her and her girls on front street. With that said let's get a glimpse of what's going on in her life at this moment:

SCENE: PHONE CONVERSATION BETWEEN DAVINA & PAVI

“Girl I’m sitting out here at this football field. Ronnie had to work again tonight and couldn’t make it. So I’m supposed to be taking in everything the boys need to practice on and report back to him,” Davina said into the phone.
“Do you even understand enough to explain to him what’s going on?” Pavi asked.
“Hell n’all,” Davina chuckled.
“So how are you supposed to report back?” Pavi giggled.
“That’s what I got Riann here for, she videotaping the whole thing. So he can watch it later and determine for his self what Riley and Remington need to work on. I’m just here for support and to cheer my babies on when they take ‘em down…KILL 'EM!” she shouted onto the field.
Pavi laughed at her friend’s antics and paused for a moment while she waited for Davina to get herself together again. “I can’t believe you guys start practicing fall football in June. Why so early?”
“It’s called conditioning sistah…that’s why they’re number one in the state. So what’s up with you?” Davina asked.
“Nothing much, just finishing up workout class and headed home,” Pavi sighed.
“Mmmhhmm…you should be headed home to a man.”
“Girl don’t start with that,” Pavi pleaded.
“I’m just saying…and you should be talking to your girls they all miss you; and my head is going to be on the chopping block when they find out what’s going on and I didn’t say anything.”
“C’mon D, I just called to see how you and the kids were doing, and that fine husband of yours,” Pavi stated.
“My fine husband is doing very well and the kids are hanging in here. But I’m feeling lonely despite having that fine husband of mine,” Davina said in a solemn tone.
“What? How are you lonely?  How have you not shared that with him? He’s your best friend. I mean seriously D what’s going on with you two? And I know you’re about to tell me because otherwise you wouldn’t have brought it up,” Pavi asked in an eager tone. She had been separated from gossip for so long she craved it like a pregnant woman craving pickles and ice cream.
“I’m pregnant,” Davina replied and sat through the long pause.
The only thing that happened for the next several seconds was the breathing of both women into the phone.
“Wait a second…what the hell; do you mind repeating that again, cuz I don’t think I heard you correctly,” Pavi said.“Yes you did,” Davina answered. JUST WRITING MY DREAMS,C. Michelle Ramseywww.cmichelleramsey.com
 

GUEST BLOGGER: DAVINA CUNNINGHAM-WHATLEY ON MARRIAGE

Last week we featured guest blogger Courtney Van Buren, Curator from the Northern Atlanta Museum of Cultural Arts. Today, I would like to welcome her dear friend Davina Cunningham-Whatley. Davina comes to us from "Is the Grass Really Greener?"

Hello fabulous people,

As Michelle stated, I am Davina Renee` Cunningham-Whatley, and I am honored to be here today. Initially my friend Rayne was supposed to be here, but it seems she was experiencing some sort of identity issues, so you have me instead.

Michelle has asked that I take just a moment to tell you about myself. I am an IT Director for global intelligence firm Intelcom, and married for 15 years to my wonderful, sexy husband Ronnie. After having our triplets, Remington, Riley, and Riann we decided that even though God said be fruitful and multiply, three in one whop was more than enough.

Most people consider my marriage "perfect," but I once heard someone say "perfect is a metaphor."
Ladies, first let me just say this, there is no such thing as a perfect marriage. And if you think for one moment there is you're only setting yourself up for failure. When you subscribe to that mentality, you place your spouse on a pedestal that he is sure to fall from. Love your man, give him room to grow, and the marriage room to breathe. Have his back in the most challenging circumstances, and he will love you until the end of time. Throwing his faults up in his face will not endear your husband to you, he will resent you for it.

Ronnie and I have issues just like other marriages. But that's not something that I share with anyone; because I'm such a private person, and that is what makes my marriage successful. Michelle and I had some disagreements about what would and wouldn't be shared. Artists! They're a temperamental sort...passionate, cranky, and all that stuff. Well from all that I can see authors are artists too, and if there's anything to be said about that, she definitely acts like one sometimes. I think she will give you a glimpse of me and Ronnie's issues in the book when it's available for purchase. Can you believe she won't even tell me? And it's my life!

I must say I may not agree with how she puts me and my girls on blast, but I love the way she has with words. I decided to take a look around her blog at some of the things that she does. Inspirational, she may be...but that girl knows she has one wild imagination.

I recently went to her "My Books" tab at the top of this blog, which led me to her other web site www.cmichelleramsey.com. So I decided to purchase her novels "Reflections of Promises" and "Real Secrets" to see what's going on. All I can say is, how does she make the jump from a professional business lady to ghetto fabulous working a pole? Mm mmm mm. I guess. Some of her characters are so crazy and off the charts I wanted to fight them myself, and I promise you I'm such a lady.

So Michelle's working a full-time job, writing books, she's blogging, she's tweeting, sharing, liking, and playing around on all those other social media marketing forums she can be found on; and she now writes for Examiner.com. Can someone please tell me when does this chick have time for her husband and kids? Who's cooking and cleaning? Who's raising her kids? And don't get me started on her poor husband. I'm just saying. But please check her out and give the girl your love and support.

Well, it's been real folks, but I'm not Michelle, I can't spend hours at a time online. My triplets are quiet for a change, and I know Ronnie is upstairs warming up those leopard print satin sheets of ours, with a little Teddy playing in the background. Ha haaaa! I'll see you around.

YOURS IN CHARACTER,

MRS. DAVINA RENEE` CUNNINGHAM-WHATLEY,GUEST BLOGGERhttp://www.writingmydreams.com/2013/04/excerpt-iiis-grass-really-greener.html 

BOOK SPOTLIGHT

I have not completed my current read, so I don't have a book review for you this week. Therefore, I will share with you an excerpt from my book "Reflections of Promises," which recently received a 4.5 star review from blogger Gayle Pace. I hope you enjoy and I'll see you next week for a review of my current read:

 Patricia did not go to sleep that night, a light snow had been falling all evening and had gotten heavier through the night and now the roads were icy.  Each time she tried to call his cell phone it went directly to his voice mail.  She had called and left several messages on his cell and she had even tried his office number thinking that maybe he had gone to the office to crash for the night. 

 At approximately 9:30 a.m. that Saturday morning, she decided that she would get dressed and go to his office and talk with him.  Patricia threw on some jeans, a worn UC sweatshirt, and some dingy Nikes.  Finding her coat, purse, and car keys she ran to the car.  
 She was in an anxious state of mind and couldn’t wait to reassure herself that her husband was okay.  She had called UC, Good Sam, Mercy, Drake and Bethesda.  He wasn’t at any of those hospitals.  She had called the police station and he hadn’t been booked either.  All of this had led her to making the decision to go to his office.  Driving through the fresh, snow plowed streets of the city, she fiddled with the radio station dial. Turning to Q102 she only found commercials, 104.3 was interviewing a guest, and a few other stations were playing music she didn’t much care for. Finally, she found something she had not heard in a long time when she tuned in to 100.9 the Wiz. She began bopping her head side to side to Brandy’s “I Wanna Be Down.”  

Getting caught up in the music; Patricia started snapping her fingers to the beat and after a moment, hit a patch of black ice partially obscured. With slow, but firm application she pressed down on the brakes to regain control of the vehicle and struggled to remain calm in the midst of her rapidly beating heart. Her car had begun to slide and another car was quickly passing through a stop sign that she had been approaching. She was able to regain control before causing a collision, and stopped just past the stop sign. She began to proceed with caution through the stop sign and refocus on driving. After regaining control of the vehicle she maintained both hands on the wheel and listened to Brandy with a little less interest than before. 

Patricia pulled up to All Haven, the outpatient medical center where her husband was Director of Youth & Teen Behavioral and Counseling Services.  As she pulled her 2000 Magma red Mercedes SLK 230 convertible into the back parking lot, she noticed that his Mercedes was parked in the spot that was reserved for him.  He still drove the same Mercedes that he had just purchased when they first met.  She could honestly say about her husband, although he liked having the money, he didn’t get carried away as she did.  He liked to get good quality things that he could use for a while.  However, she liked to get the latest style of everything.  She had gone without enough in her previous life that she never wanted to want for anything again.  Jared did not know about that previous life.  He only knew that his wife liked flashy things but to his knowledge that was what her grandparents had always provided her with.   

Climbing out of her car and setting the alarm, she threw her coat on, but not before tucking her ponytail down into her sweatshirt and pulling the hood on her hair.  She had her own set of keys to enter the clinic, and decided to do so from the rear entrance.  She would not want anyone to see her looking the way that she did today.  Although she didn’t think she would run into anyone on a Saturday she knew that once a month they had group sessions, but that was at the first of the month.  And sometimes some of the therapists held appointments on Saturdays but not often.  After unlocking the door and locking it back behind her, she noticed that the alarm on the building had not been set.  Jared must have been very upset to not reset it after coming in last night.  That was always a precaution that he took whenever he was working late evenings or weekends.   

Patricia walked down the marble tiled floors to the bank of elevators and passed Mamie one of the housekeeping personnel on her way. Ms. Mamie had on a set of earphones and was bopping her head side to side as she mopped back and forth swishing her wide hips down the hall. Pat began making stomping noises to make sure the elderly lady heard her. She didn’t want to scare her when she passed by. Sure enough Ms. Mamie turned around just before Pat came upon her.  

Putting her left hand to her ample bosom, and holding onto the mop with the right hand, she shook her head. She then removed her headset and looked sternly at Pat. 

“Lord ‘a mercy chile, you bout’ don’ scared me half to death,” she said behind a little giggle.
 
“I’m sorry Ms. Mamie, that’s why I started stomping so that you would hear me coming. I saw that you had on your headphones and were dancing your heart out. I didn’t want to disturb you, but I didn’t want to scare you either,” Pat replied laughing with the elderly lady. 

“Honey, I’m okay, just praising the Lord that’s all, just praising the Lord. Whachu’ doing out here this early in the morning Mrs. C?” 

“Coming to pick up a little paperwork that I promised my husband I would help him with,” she replied thinking quick, “you take care and keep on praising Him for me and you both, Ms. Mamie, okay?” 

“Alright baby, tell that husband of yours I said hi,” Ms. Mamie replied.  

Pat took the elevator to the 3rd floor where Jared’s office was located in the rear.  Her steps were muffled by the thick, grey carpeting.  She began to worry in her head that Jared would still be in an argumentative mood as she approached his office door.  But it was too late to have second thoughts now, besides Ms. Mamie had seen her, and she would surely mention it to Jared if she were to see him soon. 

   She had driven all the way from Indian Hills to Clifton and she wasn’t about to turn around now.  Patricia inserted the key, turned the lock and pushed the door open to her husband’s office.  She saw him before he saw her.  He was stripped of clothing, lying on his couch and a blonde’s head was lying on his chest.  She was still covered under the blanket that failed to cover Jared completely.  As Jared made a sudden move, the blonde sat up and looked at Patricia in the face.  It was Lauren, the one everyone told her she wouldn’t have to worry about.

You can purchase the book here:
http://amzn.to/19Yhf71

JUST WRITING MY DREAMS,C. Michelle Ramseywww.cmichelleramsey.com
 

MONDAY MORNING MOTIVATIONAL MOMENT

pixabay.com  
 
"Aim at the sun, and you may not reach it; but your arrow will fly far higher than if aimed at an object on a level with yourself." - J. Howes

REFLECTIONS OF PROMISES by C. Michelle Ramsey

REFLECTIONS OF PROMISES by Michelle Ramsey

I recently had the honor of having my first novel "Reflections of Promises" reviewed by book review blogger "Gayle Pace." Click the link above to read the review.

WHAT MAKES YOU TICK?_IS THE GRASS REALLY GREENER EXCERPT?

Yesterday Courtney Van Buren, character from "Is the Grass Really Greener?" was my guest blogger and I enjoyed having her. Today we will get another rare glimpse into the marriage she is fighting for, and the pain that is racking both her and Nate's life.

This scene opens in their bedroom at the end of a heated argument:


"What’s your purpose Court? Why do you go on living and breathing…what makes you tick every day and get up and go to work and laugh and smile? What the hell is there to laugh and smile about anymore?” “Nate I go on because I have to. Because there’s a little angel in the sky that I know is watching over me and I have no choice! You think I don’t hurt or feel pain? I do, and I struggle through every day to find some peace, some pleasure, some joy and it’s hard as hell! I sit in that little boy’s room and sniff his clothes and hold his pillows. Why do you think I cannot get rid of his clothes, toys, or furniture Nate? Because that would be like admitting he’s gone! And I cannot admit that. A little part of me still holds on to the insane idea that he’s still here somewhere! Does that make me sick and a little crazy, hell yeah! And you know something else? I sometimes still feel him moving inside my belly, or hear his cries all out the blue, or feel him squirming on the bed next to me. But you know what’s worst? The dreams that I have at night that he’s crying out and I’m running to help him, and when I get there he smiles at me with that cute baby grin he has, and then he takes his last breath, that’s the worst,” she cried. She was wiping tears from her eyes with one hand and snot from her nose with the other.

Nate sat at the edge of the bed and his shoulders shook. Courtney stood up and went into their bathroom to wash her face and hands. When she came back into the bedroom she noticed that Nate was no longer there. She lay back on the bed and cried until she fell asleep.  JUST WRITING MY DREAMS,C. Michelle Ramsey www.cmichelleramsey.com  

GUEST BLOGGER: COURTNEY VAN BUREN

 
Hello everyone,

Today I am taking a break and allowing a good friend of mine/character to be the guest blogger. Her name is Courtney Van Buren and she comes to us from "Is the Grass Really Greener?" Show her a little love today please as you welcome her:


Well hello, hello. I'm Courtney Van Buren, today's guest blogger at Writing My Dreams. We will be taking a sneak peek at my life from "Is the Grass Really Greener?" My excerpt was shared on last Thursday's blog post.

Michelle's upcoming novel takes a behind the scenes look into five women's lives, mine and my four closest girlfriends. We deal with the real thoughts of how individuals desire to have what someone else has and they began to wonder is the grass really greener on the other side of the fence. These thoughts can lead down dark and dangerous roads, allowing us to explore the demons of envy, greed, desire, and lust. Well enough of that, let me tell you a little about myself.

I am a curator at the North Atlanta Cultural Museum of Arts. I specialize in collecting African American historical art and artifacts, and abstract and colorful paintings such as the one posted above. I'm also known as the fashion diva of the group, arts extraordinaire, wife of Nate, and mother...mother of no one. My womb is empty and my heart is broken into little tattered pieces on the floor. The gift that I gave birth to snatched from my life rendering me useless. Forgive me if I sound a little bitter, I'm just mentally racked with pain.

Last week you saw a glimpse of what's been going on with my husband Nate and me in dealing with our loss. And you also caught a peek of the not so hot, the lack of heat that's going on in the bedroom.

With that being said I would like to apologize for my husband's nasty attitude from last week and my emotional breakdown. I've heard that a few of the readers have been put off by his attitude.

You know it's not been an easy road for Nate or me as I'm sure you can understand. But we're dealing with some things and bringing it right out of the pages to you here at Writing My Dreams. Our hope is that someone else experiencing similar pain will realize they are not alone and that there is potential for healing.

 Giving birth to that little bundle of joy was the greatest thing that I had ever done in life and the greatest gift God had ever blessed me with. Nothing could prepare me for the feelings that I experienced cradling him in my arms; as he opened his little eyes and looked into my face for the first time. Seeing the extreme pride in my husband's face and realizing we were proud of one another at that time, as well as this gift God had given to us was a momentous occasion. Life was good.

And then one day that all changed. For some cruel reason the gift God had given to us was taken away in a quick moment. It was like Nate and I were being punished for some wrong we had done. And you know for me, when I lost my child it was like the world had ended. I could not imagine anything else that could come along and hurt me. I had placed a shield around my heart to protect myself, from the day that we closed that casket and said our final Earthly goodbyes to that precious gift from Heaven above.

 I promised myself that I wouldn't blame God, but it's hard not to, I won't lie...it's a daily struggle. I think Nate does blame God. He blames me and everyone else and now it's seeped into his heart and made him so bitter and so cold. He was not always that way.

The man you saw last week, used to be loving, gentle, kind, silly, and I was his worrrlldd. Oooweee...that man would do anything to protect me and never had a harsh word for me. I believe it's still right there on the inside of him. Somewhere deep down inside. He just needs my love to keep him strong and pull it out. I know with God's help we can do it. You see, I believe a woman's place is right there by her man, to have his back and keep him strong when he's weak. And that's just what I plan to do.

So when you see me accepting things from him that you may not accept from your man...please don't judge me. If you've not walked a mile in our shoes you wouldn't even begin to imagine what we're feeling.

Now that my husband's hell-bent on destroying the marriage, I am just as determined to save it, if I can. So no, I won't share with my girls the rough patches Nate and I are going through right now. I don't want the world judging him, I will keep on shouldering the burden of our loss and helping him grieve his way through it.

My girls they all feel pity for me, so I don't need pity. I just need someone to try to understand, to try to treat me like the woman I was before this tragedy. But some days I feel so all alone, roaming around in that big old empty house. My man won't touch me, I feel like I'm going out of my mind when I hear my baby's cry in the middle of the night or his squirming on the bed next to me. Well that's what we've got Dr. Fiske for. She's the best, but my husband...mmmm he's not really into that kind of thing. I want and need him to go to therapy, but he thinks it's a joke.

I just want someone to understand me...you know what I mean? Have you ever been in a relationship or in a crowded room and felt so all alone? That's me everyday of my life now. But just when I think I'm doomed for loneliness a visit to the bookstore just may change all of that. Can someone possibly understand me?

If you missed me and Nate's turbulent visit to Dr. Fiske, Michelle placed here on last week you can read it at the following link:
http://www.writingmydreams.com/2013/05/excerpt-vis-grass-really-greener.html

Well thanks for having me and not writing me off as crazy. I'm sure Michelle would love for you to come back tomorrow for another excerpt from "Is the Grass Really Greener?"



JUST COMING OUT OF HER DREAMS,
 
  Courtney Van Buren - Guest Blogger

BOOK SPOTLIGHT REVIEW...DEADLY OFFERINGS

www.goodreads.com  
Fresh from a nightmarish marriage and a narrow brush with death from an unidentified attacker, Anne Mason moves to a Midwestern farm she has inherited to live a life of safety and peace. But when someone leaves a dead body in her cornfields, chills are running up her spine. She's looking to local authorities to find the killer so that the small farming community can move on with their lives. What Anne does not anticipate is that the killings won't stop there. As the body count rises the murderer begins leaving her threatening notes, informing her the bodies are gifts to her.

But when Michael Brandt, the hot new county prosecutor comes to her aid she doubts she can trust him. The former divorce attorney of her ex-husband appears to have ulterior motives in mind when it comes to Anne. But Anne's largest battle is the one between her head and her heart. Her mind is telling her to run away as fast as she can; but her body and heart are telling her to run into Michael's arms as passion threatens to consume them.

Alexa Grace did a wonderful job of combining mystery with an element of romance. I love a good mystery and I found that in Deadly Offerings. It was not overwhelmed with the sappy sweetness of romance novels, but there was enough heat to get your blood flowing.

As you all know I love to be surprised in a mystery novel. I love to discover that I was wrong and that the suspect I identified was incorrect. Well that happened in Alexa's novel. There were hints of people who could have been suspects and I doubted them from the start; however, there were others who never would have crossed my mind. She weaved an intricate tale of suspense with love, and real life danger.

This mystery will surely get the blood pumping and the creative juices flowing as you enjoy the passion flaring from the pages, while trying to solve the suspense of "who done it." Ms. Grace offered up an excellent, hot mystery in Deadly Offerings. I would rate this book a 4- The Real Thang.

Click on the tab up top labeled "Book Discussions" to learn my rating system. I would love to have you join me on my book journey (book reviews, and the impending release of my new novel). Click the "Join This Site" in the right hand column.

JUST WRITING MY DREAMS,C. Michelle Ramseywww.cmichelleramsey.com

MOTIVATIONAL MONDAY...BACK IN THE SWING OF THINGS

Yesterday was Mothers Day...a day I took time off from writing, spending countless hours online, cleaning, and all the other things that I believe I must do in a day before I can consider it productive.

My husband and children cooked, cleaned, and spoiled me like crazy. Not wanting to go out I was allowed to relax all day, which included some reading, napping, and just enjoying their company. But today the week has begun anew and we've been blessed with the start of a brand new day.

Sometimes its difficult to get motivated after you've had fun time, down time, or family time. You can find yourself resenting the start of a new week where you have to get back into the swing of things. Back to the job, back to the traffic, back to dealing with the boss, the hectic schedules of a work week, and everything else that comes along with that.

But it is these moments that allow us to appreciate the downtime, family time, and vacation. Without the hectic schedules and daily living of the work week, we would take the beautiful times for granted. Would they not lose their meaning and purpose if we were granted these days more often? Somehow I think they would no longer hold that special something, which allows us to anticipate these precious days.

So as you start your week anew, as you get back into the swing of things, be appreciative for what you are currently going through and what lies ahead. Just know that these moments allow you to appreciate the highs in life. Be thankful for the traffic, as this is your opportunity to have some me time, or more time to spend in His presence. Be thankful for the job, because there are others wishing they had one. Be thankful for the hectic schedules, you have your freedom and the ability to be in the world living your life. Be thankful for every moment in time as you get back into the swing of things.

Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. (1 Thessalonians 5:18).


JUST WRITING MY DREAMS,C. Michelle Ramseywww.cmichelleramsey.com