Month: August 2025

Posted on

Ebony’s Playlist: What’s on Repeat? Anita Baker

My very first concert at 6 years old was to see Anita Baker. I don’t remember the drive to get there, what theater is was at in Detroit, or if she had an opening act. I do remember sitting on my parents’ lap because they brought my ticket later, and my seat wasn’t with them. I remember I had on a black and white dress, I think my hair was in a bun on top of my head. And I remember how Anita Baker would shake her leg when she was singing the hell out of those songs. I am sitting here listening to music while I put this puzzle together and thought, why not honor Anita Baker today with a playlist.

This playlist includes my top 5 songs in no particular order. These songs will be in the Nostalgic playlist on Spotify for your listening pleasure.

I Just Want to be Your Girl – Chapter 8

Before going solo, Anita Baker was the lead singer of Chapter 8. Per Google, Chapter 8 was a soul group from Detroit in the late 70s and 80s. Yeah, I was a baby so I am not really familiar with the group, but I love this song. I don’t even know how I found it. I just know that this song pops back up on my playlist regularly, and I play it out for a little while.

Angel – Anita Baker

Not much to say here. Timeless classic.

Fairy Tales – Anita Baker

I don’t think I remotely understood what she was saying as a child. As I have aged and listened to this song, I love it more and more. Just a realistic song about love and life when you are with the wrong person sang beautifully by Anita Baker.

You Bring Me Joy – Anita Baker

I don’t know why I picked this one, except that it makes me happy when I hear it. And I love her voice.

Body and Soul – Anita Baker

This was hard. Really hard to pick just 5 songs. I went back and forth on what song to add last and trying to decide if I should delete one to add a different one. Again, as I kept repeating the songs, this just made me happy. Plus, that note she holds towards the end didn’t hurt.

What I think I like most about these songs is they have a bridge. The part we all know and sing at the top of our lungs. Then we end the song singing every little ad-lib. Nowadays, songs are 2 and a half minutes with one versus and the chorus repeated three times. What the hell is that? Nothing beats old school music. Anita Baker found the perfect formula for songs that matched her voice and imprinted them on our hearts. She will always be on my playlist. Do you have a favorite Anita Baker song? Please share. Be well and whole. Much Love 🧡 💚

Posted on

So Much To Do, So Little Time

You would think at this big age I would know what I want to do in life. I don’t. Even when I think I have figured it out, I’m wrong. I have consistently changed what I do for a living. Somehow, I get a restlessness for what I am doing, thinking that there is more to life. Truth is, there is more to life, and maybe I am meant to experience as much as I can. I get a little concerned because I don’t want to be one of those people who are never happy, always looking for something more. I do believe we can find beauty and contentment in the space we are living in currently.  I just don’t want that contentment to lull me into submission. Not solid on this word usage, but struggling to think of a different word.

Where am I going with this? Today, I purchased a membership to Codecademy. Codecademy is a website that assists you with learning computer coding. I briefly learned a very minimal amount of coding when I started my blog 7 years ago. I went in and made a couple of edits on my blog, and I was so excited. I guess not excited enough to keep learning 😆. Now, here I am giving it another shot. I would like to learn a lot more and use that knowledge to truly personalize my blog and possibly create my own website. Why not? I haven’t been happy with the hosting platform, and now they are nickle and diming (not a word) me for everything. I am sure I can’t do any worse.

So here I am, starting a whole new phase of life when I haven’t even mastered the one I’m in now. Smh. I stay doing some shit. I am excited about it though. Maybe this one will stick. And if it doesn’t, I can always try something else. It is much to be and do in life. Do you know what you want to be when you grow? Are you living your dream or still searching? You can tell me. I would like to hear from you. Stay well and whole. Much Love 🧡 💚

Posted on

Café Librerio

If you were going to open up a shop, what would you sell?

Once again, Day One Prompts saving a sister. This is actually the prompt from August 10th. Either I didn’t pay attention to it on that day, or I had something more important to talk about. Who knows? I guess I can always go back and see what I did talk about on the 10th.

Seven years in the future, I am unlocking the door to my coffee shop, Café Librero, in Tulum, Mexico. The smell of coffee greets you as you walk through the door. There are small circular tables with comfortable, plush chairs. Along the left wall are bookshelves filled with books showing Spanish and English titles. On the right wall, there are mugs with Spanish sayings and shirts to match. The walls are beautifully painted in a rusty orange with floral designs that looks real enough to touch. The barista calls out a greeting in English followed up with the same greeting in Spanish. You approach the register to place your order, knowing that you will be understood in either language. You speak slowly, using choppy Spanish, because you are still learning, and you are happy to have a place to practice.

As you wait for your order to be prepared, you browse the books on the shelves. You find the latest romance novel by Jasmine Guillory and tuck it under your arm. You have been looking for this book, but have been unable to find it at any of the other bookstores. You grab a seat at a yellow table with a mandala design painted on the top. The orange and yellow chair you sit in is made for chilling and reading a book. Another worker brings your order to your table, and you have another opportunity to practice your Spanish. They are patient with you as you speak and offer encouragement on what you did say right.  You laugh, a little embarrassed, but happy to be getting real-world experience. As you sip your hot, but not too hot to drink, coffee, you dive into the first chapter of the book.

My dream is to retire at 55, move to Tulum, Mexico, and open up a coffee shop. I want to sell coffee,  mugs with Spanish sayings and t-shirts. I want to allow people to borrow and purchase books in English or Spanish. My cafe will be advertised as a place for new Spanish speakers to come in and get an opportunity to improve their Spanish by speaking with the workers and others who frequent the establishment. I know Duolingo isn’t the way to learn, and others have stressed how important it is to immerse yourself when learning a new language. My café will be a stop  on your journey to mastering a new language. What I’m really selling is an experience. One that you will remember long after you return home.

Your turn. What would be the name of your shop? What would you sell? Tell me your wildest dream. I’m nosy and I want to know. Be well and whole. Much Love 🧡 💚