The Honeybee's Lifestyle

Tag: Girl Friends

  • Road Trip

    Hello Honeybees,

    I do not like long car trips, put me on a plane any day.

    I haven’t always disliked long car rides but as I have gotten older it’s getting harder to sit & ride for long periods.  However, last weekend I did just that. Rikki & I hoped in the car and headed to Hammond, Louisiana. It was great to have some time catching up on life and reminiscing about the good ole days .  As we enjoy our year of 50 we took a road trip with a purpose. One of Rikki’s line sister’s daughter was joining our illustrious sisterhood of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. and we wanted to be a part of the ceremony.  That is one of the best reasons ever for any kind of trip.

    Southeastern Louisiana University, is located in Hammond, LA about 30 minutes outside of New Orleans. We left bright & early Saturday morning, made a pit stop in Jackson, MS and headed into Hammond. Now you know we couldn’t be that close to New Orleans and not pay a visit. After a 20 min rest at our hotel we hit the road again and rolled into NOLA.

    Rikki is a graduate of Xavier University in New Orleans.  I haven’t seen the campus post Katrina & it was an honor to see the growth.  It was nice to see this HBCU thriving.

    The plan was to hit the French Quarter but we didn’t know that this was the same weekend as the French Quarter Festival.  Traffic was a nightmare so we found a quaint café on St. Charles and enjoyed drinks & dinner.

    Sunday was all about sisterhood. It was time to welcome Payton into the land of Alpha Kappa Alpha. Congratulations to the newest Sorors of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc., Lambda Omicron Chapter.

    Love these ladies of the Epsilon Tau Chapter of Xavier University. The true meaning of sisterhood. This is what 30 years of service to all mankind looks like.

    After the luncheon we hit the road headed back to Memphis.  It was so nice to just get away if only for 48 hours. I realized as I was writing this post that Rikki & I never stopped to take a picture together. Guess that means that we were living in the moment.

    I have one more planned road trip in June and I’m kind of looking forward to it. Meet me in St. Louis.

    Who is ready to hit the road?

    Belinda

    Beewisdom-Louise, no matter what happens, I’m glad I came with you. (Thelma & Louise 1991)

  • 4 Lessons Learned in February

    Hello Honeybees,

    Last month I shared the lessons I learned in the month of January . Well I’m still learning and here are the lessons that I learned in February.

    Lesson 1:

    Your tribe is important

    I have always known this but for 24 hours towards the end of the month I was in #Blackgirlmagic heaven. I spent Friday night happy hour with my high school tribe.  Our graduating class was small, 54 total I think, so it’s not unusual that lifetime bonds were formed.  Taking the time to actually sit still and enjoy a drink and a meal was just what we all needed. Saturday I had brunch with a new tribe. Getting like-minded women together to share, inspire, uplift and encourage one another is a great way to spend a Saturday afternoon.

    Girl, get you a tribe!

    ic-tribe

    Lesson 2:

    Don’t be shy about promoting yourself

    It’s not easy for me to promote myself. I always feel a little, NO a lot of, awkwardness when I’m saying “look at me, look at me”! You would think that in order to blog & put myself out there that I wouldn’t have an issue with self-promotion. Believe me I am working SO HARD to move past this.  In order for me to take my blog to a certain level I’m going to have to be the first person to say “Look at me”. So if you get tired of seeing me or hearing about me…….that means I’m doing it right.

    promote-yourself

     

    Lesson 3:

    Reading is fundamental

    People, people, people…. PLEASE pick up a book!!!  It won’t bite, I promise you.  Try it…you might learn something.  Enough said.

    books

     

    Lesson 4:

    Millennials, I truly love you guys but you WEAR. ME. OUT!

    I say this jokingly but in all seriousness, they really do make me tired.  I truly enjoy the go getter spirit, ready to change the world, full of unique ideas, ready to get things done like yesterday. I do love it and them but man they make my head spin sometimes.  Millennials…it’s ok to stop & think before you act.  It’s ok to ask someone that has been there & done that. It’s ok that you didn’t that promotion in 6 weeks….who knows what week 7 has waiting for you.  Chill for a minute…please!!

    mill-meme-copy

    Bet you can’t wait for what happens in March

    BelindaBee pic

    Beewisdom- “It is not so much about what life hands you,                                                                                       but what you do with what you get.” –  Idowu Koyenikan

  • Peggie Russell, I Salute You

    Hello Honeybees,

    International Women’s Month is almost over and I would be remiss if I didn’t pay tribute to a woman that truly impacted my life. 

    Of course my mother is and always will be the most important woman ever to me.  She is the reason that I am even in this world.  I would not be the woman that I am without her influence, guidance and most of all love. 

    There are friends & family members that are still to this day helping & supporting me but for this post I want to share with you how Peggie Russell came into my life and changed it forever.

    Peggie

    I can’t tell you how Peggie & I became friends. We tried for many years to figure it out but we never could put our finger on THAT moment.  What we did know and understand was that our friendship was destined.  We didn’t know how short it would be but we knew that our friendship was a gift.  Peggie was so good at listening to you but she never gave you answers.  She had a way of making you make your own decisions.  Although there was that one time that she flat out disagreed with me and told me so in no uncertain terms.  That should have been my light bulb moment but it wasn’t.  I didn’t listen and to this day I regret it.  Not once did she ever say “I told you so”, she just held my hand and helped me pick up the pieces.  That was just her way.

    She encouraged me as a friend, a woman, a mother, and a Christian.  She never knew it but she also helped to shape my future career.  She led me to programs and connected me to people that would usher me into the nonprofit world, for that I am grateful.  She saw things in me that I didn’t see.  It still amazes me when some of those things manifest.

    B&P

    According to man Peggie left this world too soon.  According to God the timing was right. There are so many friends and family that miss her daily. She left behind a husband, four children, a granddaughter and a host of others though not related by blood, they still called her mom.  She gave not only to her family but to her community. She was a motivational speaker, author, attorney, preacher, teacher and community activist. To me was FRIEND.

    So on this last day of International Women’s Month I salute you Peggie Russell.  May you rest in heaven with your angel wings. 

    Peggie Hat

    Belinda Bee pic

    Beewisdom- There will always be a reason why you meet people, either, you need them to change your life, or, you are the one that will change theirs