The Secret Life of Petty: 15 Things Only Petty People Will Understand

Being petty is fun when you know how to do it right. For the vets (like myself) the petty actions are hardly ever done with malicious intent, but sometimes you have to be petty to put people back in their place. 

Take it from someone with Petty in her DNA: Don't ever mess with a petty b*tch. We set aside time in our day just to be petty. We usually spend that time being petty with our friends, but if you choose to challenge us we rarely turn down an opportunity to shut you up. Here are some of our favorite ways to put the petty on front street: 

15. When You & Your Bestie Get Petty Together:

14. When Someone Throws Shade After You Decided to Stop Being Petty:

13. When You Realize You Have The Perfect Opportunity to Be Petty (& you're about to take advantage):

12. When you See A Subliminal Post About You & You Like it Anyway:

11. "Oh. We're being petty AGAIN today?"

10. When You Speak to Someone You KNOW Doesn't Like You:

9. When You're Petty and Pretty:  

8. When you didn't start it, but you're still prepared: 

7. That ONE Time When You REALLY WEREN'T BEING PETTY and No One Believed You:

6. It's "You're petty" not "YOUR petty" boo boo: 

5. When You Go To Follow (or stalk) Someone and Realize You're Blocked: 

4. Reminding Folks You Were Trying to Mind Your Own Business:

3. When Someone Who Never Shows Up Comments "Dang No Invite":

2. When You Were Trying Not To Be Petty, But Someone Mentions Your Name:

1. When You And Your Friends Are ALL Petty So It's A Term of Endearment:

Don't be petty tell me whatcha think then share this post. 

Peace. 

8 Ways to Celebrate Mother's Day That Do NOT Involve Buying Gifts (Crazy concept, I know!)

You've gotten the flowers and the chocolate. You've reminisced on all the hell you caused her. You're older now and Mother's Day means more than a handmade card and some chocolate. Mother's Day is a day you get to reflect on the life your mom gave you. Regardless of what you life was like once she gave birth Mother's Day is a day to honor the fact that your mom chose life for you.

I know this week has been difficult for some struggling with the loss of their mom and also those coping with infant loss. There is no one who can take your mom's place or your unborn child's place. I hope you remember God and the universe are restorative. Although you may not have your mom or your child in the physical sense I can guarantee that you have someone in your life that you can love on and that can love you. Try not to focus on the loved ones you have lost. Try to focus on those people who are still alive and stand ready to pour love and light into you.

It is the night before Mother's Day and I know some of y'all are just now shopping for your Mother's Day gifts. Here are 8 ways all of us can celebrate Mother's Day.

8. Take Care of Yourself. The Best way to to take care of the people you love (including your mom) is to take care of yourself. Take care of your own finances first. Take care of your own mental health first. Take care of your own home first. Address any issues you may have and learn to love yourself just as you are.

7. Stop asking women without a child when they will have a child. It's none of your business.  CAN YOU NOT encourage people to have babies who aren't ready to have babies? THANKS. 

6. Stop asking women with a child when they will have another child. Are you gonna help pay for the extra kid? People take for granted the emotional and physical price a woman pays to give birth to a child. If she wants to procreate again it's her choice. You will know she's ready when you know. If she's anything like me you'll know a month after the baby is born.

5. Stop staring at kids who throw tantrums in public. You were once a kid. Chances are you threw at least one tanrum. Chances are your mom felt helpless and hopeless in the heat of the tantrum. The child you're staring at is your younger self. That means the mom you're staring at is your own mom.

4. Forgive Your Mom. I know there are some people who do not consider their moms their best friend. I am one of those people. It used to be so hard on me because my friends all consider their moms a best friend. My mom is not a bad mom we just are not close. I know she will be there for me if I need her, but our relationship is not quite a friendship per se. My point is moms are people too. We are not superheroes. We make mistakes. We forget things. We get tired. We all do the best we can with what we have. Forgive your biological mom if she has ever fallen short in your life. Forgive your motherly figures, too.

3. Celebrate your "bonus" moms. You didn't get where you are without the help, prayers and sacrifice of other people. That "auntie" at work who shares her lunch. That "grandma" at church who loves on you when you need it the most and always has mints. That "sista" who looks out for you when you are too ashamed to ask for help. Celebrate all of the people who have stood in the gap for you to propel you forward.

2. Stop Judging Other Moms. Whether she allows her kid to have Cheetos, Cheerios, or Goldfish crackers every mom doing her best deserves some slack. If you are a mom please support other moms. Acknowledge the challenges. Support her. Tell her she's a good mom. Tell her she's doing a good. Tell her good things.

1. Don't Isolate Your "mom friends." I get it. Moms are busy. We have a lot on our plate. Sometimes we have to cancel plans last minute because the kid gets sick. Don't isolate us. We are still around. We still like to go out. We still want to see you. We still want to talk to you. Yes we are adjusting, but we don't want to lose you as a friend. Work with her schedule to allow time to continue your bond. Trust me your mom friend needs to see adults!

'Tis all. How are you celebrating Mother's Day this year? Are you the perfect offspring and you celebrate mom's day everyday? 

Dear Miss "Too Much": An Open Letter to All Women Seeking REAL Love

Dear Miss "Too Much,"

Girl guess what?

You got "too much" attitude.
You got "too much" hair.
You got "too much" sass.
You got "too much" going on.

How many times have you heard those words? How many times did you internalize them and receive them as truth? Someone said the words and now you believe them. You think you've got too much hair, too much sass, too much class, too many rules, too much ass (ok there's no such thing as too much ass lol), and too much of all the things that make it hard for a lover to love you.

You've got too many rules.
You've got too many things you won't settle for.
You've got standards no one will ever meet.
You've got walls bigger than the ones #thatguy wants to build.
You've got skin darker than midnight.
You've got a painful past and baggage you need to unpack.

I'm not sure when it happened or who planted the seed, but someone told you were too much to handle and it has blossomed into an orchard of doubt. They tell you your "too much" is why it didn't work. If you had just been "less than" things would be different. If you had just had less attitude it would have worked. If you had been more submissive. If you had been less sassy. If you had been more agreeable. If you had lower standards. If you had a different set of standards. If you were just a little bit less of yourself you would be more deserving of their love.

They said you have too much to say. You should be quieter. They told you you have too much hair. You should press it out. They told you your smile needs to be fixed. You should not be proud of your crooked smile. They told you your thighs needed to be thicker. You should gain weight. They told you your thighs are too thick. You need to lose weight. They told you because of your ambitions you don't have enough free time.  You should be happy where you are. They challenged you to change yourself. They encouraged you to alter and shrink yourself. Make your laugh more of a giggle and less of a cackle. Don't curse so much. Don't demand so much. Don't succeed so much. Be more humble. 

Things would be different. Right?

It's time to unearth all the seeds planted by people who have made you feel like you couldn't allow your light to fill every crevice of yourself. Rise up. Stand up within yourself. Accept that you allowed someone to make you feel like you're no good and make a conscious effort not to allow it to happen again. Decide you will not allow anyone else to make you feel small. Decide you will not allow anyone else to make you feel "less than."
You are capable.
You are strong.
You are worthy.
You are enough.
You can do it.

I challenge you to enter into a loving relationship with yourself.
Take time out to fall in love with yourself.
Fall in love with all the parts of yourself people have told you make you hard to love.
Fall in love with all the things that are not perfect about you.
Fall in love with your thick ass afro and your thinning edges.
Fall in love with your wide hips and your itty bitty titties.
Fall in love with your freckles or your acne spots and your caterpillar ass eyebrows.
Fall in love with every mole, every blemish and every unruly strand of hair.
Fall in love with your skinny fingers and that slight 'stache you grow once a week.
Fall in love with the stretch marks.

Love yourself right where you are at this exact moment.

Love yourself at the exact weight you are.  Love yourself and the car you drive or don't drive. Love yourself for the house/apt/condo/basement/bedroom in your mom's house you live in. Love yourself at the exact mental state you're in. Love yourself for all the help you need. Love yourself for all the help you ask for. Love yourself at your current level of "can" and "can't."

Forgive yourself. Forgive those who have hurt you. Deal with the things you worry about and the negative things you feel about yourself. You can embrace who you are and what you are and what you have at this exact moment. Step into self love. You are worthy of unconditional love.

Let me tell you something about real love:

People who love you will love you for EXACTLY who you are. They will love you for your gap tooth. They will love your bow legs. They will love your for your double digit "body count." They will love your kinky hair. They will love your skinny arms. They will love your hairy back. They will love your FUPA. They will love your ugly feet. They will love your long arms and lanky figure. They will love the way your belly has rolls when you sit down (and stand up). People who are determined to love you will always find a way. Anyone who makes you feel like you have to change BEFORE they can love you is not someone who deserves your love. Those people don't know how to love. 

Let your light SHINE, darling. Develop the courage to stop seeking approval from others. Realize REAL love starts with self-love. You don't have to feel like a victim any longer. I hereby release you from every feeling of unworthiness and every desire to be anyone other than your whole self.


With love,

Miss "Too Much"
XoXo

Somebody Has to Do It: In Defense of Tax Refund Stunters

Stunt (v.): To floss or show off one's possessions.

Tax Refund Stunter (n.): One who receives a HEFTY tax refund and spends it frivolously within a few months. See also, tax rich. 

I was once in line at a Walmart Customer Service Center behind a woman who was cashing a $9000 tax refund check. Initially I wondered why she didn't just get direct deposit, but I try to mind my business. She was loudly talking about how she was gonna spend it. None of the things sounded responsible to me. I used my app to check my checking account balance and I didn't have access to that much money. I was also jealous because I had to pay income taxes that year. Before that experience I had no idea people got so much money back as part of their tax refund. 

Every year around the time tax refunds are issued we see an influx of people shopping, taking trips, and getting their lives together. Some people use the money to catch up on bills or save for big purchases like a home, but others use the money to stunt. The "others" get new cars, put rims on the cars they already have and buy their kids ridiculously expensive gifts. The "others" are the Tax Refund Stunters. No need to play the "guess that race" game. We know the people who are the poster children of Income Tax Balling. These people are criticized, hated upon and looked down on because they get a lil "extra" money and seemingly lose their minds. 

Stunters gone stunt.

As a daughter of a single mother who raised 5 kids mostly on her own and still found the resources to take in and take care of extra kids I sympathize with them. I know how hard it can get. Being poor ain't no fun. Still, each year I see my circles divided into 2 groups: (1) Tax Refund Stunters and (2) Those who don't understand them. I realize the popular thing to do is to rank on a TRS, but I am still choosing to defend them. 

Why?

WHY THE F*CK DO YOU CARE? Everyone goes in on a Tax Return Stunter because they're an easy target. They're easy to spot. They're frontin. They're flashin for Instagram tryna impress people who wouldn't spit on 'em if they were on fire. We wonder why they don't put the money away for their child's college fund or some responsible sh*t the rest of us claim we'd do with the money. Why do you care how someone else spends their money? 

Admit You're Jealous. Oh I bet you'll stop reading now. Jealous of what? Jealous of who? You get money year round! You make too much money to get a refund! On some level the criticisms come from a place of envy. It's not deep. It's mostly Person A wishing he/she could blow through an "extra" $9k and blow it like Person B. Person A would be responsible and starting thinking about his/her student loans, or mortgage or the tread wearing on his/her tires. You WISH you could be irresponsible with your money just ONCE. On some level Person A is jealous that Person B is not concerned about building savings accounts, or mortgages or paying taxes. Adulting so hard. 

Mind Your Own Money. Worry about your own bills. Worry about your own pockets. Worry about your own money. If you were focused on your own money you wouldn't even have time to think about how other people are spending theirs. 

Tax Return Stunters Spread The Wealth. Ok maybe wealth isn't the right word, but have you ever been around a TRS when they first get their money? They're wiping their asses with $100 bills. Need to borrow some money? They can let you hold something til you get paid. They won't press you as long as you pay it back by Labor Day. Want some new shoes? They'll buy you 2 pair. Whether it's paying up their mom's rent or helping their sister cover unexpected car repairs TRS' typically take care of the people who took care of them throughout the year.

Stop Acting Like You Don't Know Poor People. If you're reading this chances are you probably know someone who has been evicted. You probably know someone with bad credit. You probably know someone who can only make ends meet with help from their parents. You probably know someone who can only buy groceries when they get their food stamps. You probably know someone who gets $20/month for child support. Don't act like you are just so disconnected from what it's like to be poor that you can't understand how poor people act. 

In reality I don't see it as stunting. Many of the Tax Refund Stunters have struggled all year. Have you seen the numbers one needs to meet in order to qualify for a tax refund? Who can really live comfortably off of those numbers? & with offspring? Have you ever been so broke someone offered you one hell of a deal and you still couldn't afford it? Well many of the people deemed Tax Refund Stunters were so broke throughout the year they had to focus on meeting their needs. In some way knowing they would get "extra" money in late January helped them keep holding on. Now they get the chance to go on trips, and they can buy the shoes and purses they couldn't afford even with the Black Friday and Christmas sales. It may seem like stunting to you, but they are buying the things others don't think twice about. What is a $300 bag when you make $85,000 a year and don't have any children? It's nothing. What is a $300 bag when you make $21,000 with 4 kids? That's a game changer. 

Managing money is hard. It is a skill they don't teach us in school. I had to pass Algebra II to get my high school diploma, but I haven't used not nary algebra equation. I've never been anywhere and had to use the Pythagorean Theorem to solve a a real life problem. You gotta let people live and learn. You gotta love people where they are. If you know an tax refund stunter try to see them in a different light. They're doing the best they can with where they are and what they have. It's easy to group "them" and talk about what "they" do as if we know so much better. Truth is we are all trying to figure it out and we need to be more kind to others who are doing the same. Teach the babies.

Do y'all have any Tax Refund Stunter stories? Are you one of them? Chime in if you wanna. 

Peace. 

How to Date a Single Mom: 7 Things Every Person Should Know

I realize there is now a movement to be more specific about the terms used to describe single motherhood. I am told the term "single mom" is reserved for women "doing it alone" and so I do not "qualify."  Somehow the fact that 7 days out of 7 I put my kid to bed and keep her alive but still receive "help" from her dad 1100 miles away (no shade) means I'm a single woman with a child, but not a single mom. Who has time to say all that? That's too much work. Bish let me call myself a single mom if that's what I wanna call myself. Nobody says anything when you call yourself Tae TooTattedSoBlessed Brown. Can I live?

Anyway. . .

It's been a while since I last blogged. Ya'll missed me? Ya'll see my new short hair? I glow'd up like a mug!

I missed y'all. So I'm gonna try to write more often, but I'm not exactly sure HOW often. I've got A LOT going on. Mostly, I'm launching an online emporium of sorts. A chick has taught herself to sew and I have gotten hella crafty. Yesssss!!! I have sewn dresses for Baby Love (who is almost 2 now! What is THAT?!) and skirts for myself. I'll be making many custom gifts from clothing to purses, to makeup bags, jewelry, blankets, baby bibs and so much more. The dates of the launch have changed so many times I'm just gonna announce the launch when it's already happened. In the mean time (shameless plug) I have an Etsy shop called By KeeKs With Love. The url is www.bykeekswithlove.comCheck it out! Buy something! I'm gonna keep that name, but when I'm ready I'm going to switch to a different platform and brand it in a different way. I'm going to incorporate this blog into it somehow some way. You'll see when it's finished.

**Obligatory Single Mom Post**

Full Disclosure: I'm on a dating fast. That means while I have a few male friends I am not allowing myself to get romantically involved with anyone. Not sure how long it will last, but it will probably be for the entire 2016. That means no dates, no chex, no nothing. It's not my first ride at the dating fast rodeo, but I'm entering this round with a different approach. It's been interesting so far. Some men understand and some think unsolicited dick pics will change my mind. When I roll over and see dick pics on my screen at 5am I feel like Kevin Hart "IT'S A DICK ON THE PHONE!"

Moving on. 

In light of the impending LOVE holiday I chose to write about my favorite subject: LOVE. I know dating for some is a travesty. Hell I get frustrated and send a "You're great, but we can't be friends anymore" text at least once a week. Still, I know some people shy away from dating single moms because of fears and misconceptions. Then again, some people just hate women so there's that. 

If you have a single mom on your radar here are some things to keep in mind: 

1. Figure out what you both want FIRST. 

Don't think every single mom wants to marry you. All of us aren't looking for daddies for our kid(s). All of us don't need a savior. You only want sex? Some of us just want sex too. Not ready for a relationship? Some of us don't have time for a relationship. Some of us don't want the trouble. Be honest and up front about where you are in your journey. Cut the "nice guy" bull and get to the meat of it. Pun! She doesn't have time to play games & you shouldn't be trying to play games anyway.

2. Understand you will not come first. 

You might not come second or third either. Let me say that again: YOU WILL NOT BE A PRIORITY (at first). If she's anything like me there's:
A. God
B. Her
C. Her kid
D. Her Family & Friends
That would mean you would come 5th. I haven't had this issue with other parents, but for non-parents here's the thing: You have to be a grown up and accept that it is up to you to show her you want to be there. If you want to be around for the long run you're going to have to be a mature adult and put in work to get on the all-star team. You don't get to become one of her priorities after 2 or 3 dates. Her time is limited and precious and she doesn't have a lot of it to go around.

3. Be Realistic. 

You cannot ask a single mom at 4:30pm to meet you for drinks at 6pm the same night. She has to make sure she has a sitter and that her kid(s) will be set for bed and ready for the next day. Last minute plans are not the move. Plan ahead or be prepared to be told "no" often.

4. Learn about her relationship with her "baby daddy." 

This can be a touchy subject for some, but it is still an important one. Whether she's been broken up with her co-parent for a few months or a few years it is necessary for you to understand where her and her "baby daddy" stand. You don't have to ask about the details of their breakup right away, but you should know the basics to start: 
Are they divorced/separated?
Is he an active dad? 
Does he live close by? 
Does he come to her home for visits? 
Do they ever sleep over with each other? 
Do they do things together with the child?  
What are her feelings about him? 
What is their custody arrangement? 
What is the state of their relationship? 
Are they one "I want my family back" text away from getting back together? 

As I said, this is a touchy subject so I encourage you to proceed with caution. Don't become obsessed with discussing him. Try to touch on the major things initially and delve deeper as things get more serious. If she is truly ready to date she should be open to discussing this subject with you and she will understand your concern. Be direct with her if you need clarity.

5. Be Involved. 

I don't like this term, but a single mom is a "package deal." When you're dating her you're dating her, but when things get more serious her child will become involved. You may not get to meet her child for a while, but the time will come. You should show genuine interest in the well-being of her child.  Ask questions about how her child is doing and show that you realize it's not just HER.

This leads me to. . . 

6. Don't be PUSHY About Meeting Her Child(ren).  

After a 1st date a guy asked whether I could bring my daughter on our 2nd date. When I declined he became very hostile and defensive asking whether I thought he was a "bad man." He was a "nice" guy. He thought he would sweeten the deal if he offered to buy her lots of toys and to fly us all 1st class to Florida to Disney World. He went so far as to offer to fly Baby Love's dad up here so we could all have dinner together. He just did not understand why IF I liked him I didn't also want him to meet and connect with my child. We were chatting for a month before we both had the chance to go out so he wasn't a complete stranger, but still he was stranger enough. We went on one more date, but his persistent pushy-ness was a huge turnoff. Don't be like that guy. My daughter is very young and I don't want her looking at every man with the "Are You My Daddyyyy?" eyes. Besides, when it comes to my kid I don't trust anyone 100% who ain't me. 

7. Spoil Her. 

Being a single mom is one of the most thankless jobs in the world. We cook, clean, organize and take care of ourselves and our kid(s) day in and day out. We usher them to school each day and go on about our professional lives to make sure we keep food on the table and a roof over our heads. All this while balancing egos and co-parenting to the best of our ability. We rarely hear thank you and often our kids are ungrateful unintentionally. Yes she would love fresh flowers, but does her grass need to be cut (pun, but not really lol)? Can you take the trash out? Can you hire a maid for her? Does something need to fixed around the house? Can you get her car detailed? Can you get her car serviced? Think outside of the box when you want to do something nice for her. Try to make sure your nice gestures are not actually things that will burden her. Nothing is sexier than a man who wants to take some of the weight off of a mom.

BONUS: Listen.  It is not easy doing it all (or mostly) on your own. Sometimes the kid is sick and she doesn't sleep for 3 days. Sometimes she spends 24 hours cleaning up toddler vomit. Sometimes it takes her 4 days to finish laundry. Sometimes she just wants to cry and be vulnerable. Allow her the space to do that. Allow her to talk about how hard it gets and to be honest about her worries and fears. We all fear we're going to make huge mistakes, but we are all doing the best we can do. If you're trying to be part of her life you will have to understand sometimes she just needs an ear to listen and a shoulder to cry on.

If you have decided to date a single mom these are just some things to keep in mind. Do you have any you would add? Any experiences you care to share? 

I know these rules won't apply to every person or every parent. If it don't apply, let it fly.

Happy Valentine's Day, y'all!