You got the game twisted HE takes care of the kids..NOT YOU

Everything was all good just a week ago and now everything seems to be going totally different. The woman that you once loved because she was loving, caring, at times independent, and birthed your kids is now acting like a evil, conniving, self-centered , bitter, bitch ( excuse my language). The relationship has gone left and there is no going back RIGHT so you leave. You love the HELL out of your kids however and would never want them to experience struggle. You do all the right things see the kids, and pay for half their living arrangements BUT that is NOT ENOUGH! Your kids mom wants MORE she wants you to still take of her, she believes after all she’s with the kids more than you are since they live with her. She calls you when she needs HER necessities taken care of and while you might take care of her at 1^st it gets old. You come to the realization that you’re being BAMBOOZLED!! You two are no longer an item, her necessities are just that HER NECESSITIES. The only concern for you is the kids and if they are taken care of.  

Women have moments when they rant and rave that the HE is not taking care of the kids when the truth is HE’s NOT TAKING CARE OF YOU. Really is that the man’s responsibility to take care of you since you had his kids?? I hope you’ve answered NO, because even if you took him to court the only thing they are asking you is what is the CHILD expenses and lifestyle. Ladies YOUR lifestyle should be able to be maintained by you once there is a break-up between you and the Dad. It is NOT his responsibility to take care of you, it’s only up to the Dad to decide if he still chooses to contribute to YOUR expenses. No need to deem him BAD if he’s taking care of what he’s suppose to be taking care of THE KIDS. While we women may have “Angela Basset, Waiting to Exhale” moments (YES, just mad at the world, because we ain’t sign up for this shit) keep in mind your kids is your main focus. If at the end of the day you have to make a big sacrifice on some things you LIKED/LOVED to do then so be it. If you take the path of being a BITTER woman you’ll be wasting ample amounts of energy on irrelevant emotions when you could have put that into keeping your child content and in high spirits.

And on that note, I’ll say again “Don’t get the game twisted He’s there to take care of the kids”. Although break-ups can be ugly, I hope that at some point the sea goes from rocky to smooth sailing. I anticipate that both parents will ultimately come to some type of agreeable terms for the kids to LOVE them as if though they still lived in the same home together. As a single mom all I see are my kids they are reason for me being, and as for their Dad he’s there like he should be, SMOOTH SAILING.

~Mom’s & Dad’s are the kids everything..take care of them while their young, they will be your caregivers when you are old~

*Ms. Bank$*

-This is my blog post I presented on my good friend Marckens Pierre site www.seriously-maybe.com . Go check him out!! Good reads and conversational pieces.

Guide the Youth! TEACH/SHOW them what was not shared with you!

As a young girl I don't believe I had the opportunity to have volunteers come into my class to talk about Financial Literacy. I found it GREAT that The Junior Achievement organization helps to educate students about workforce readiness, entrepreneurship and financial literacy. The program has been around for years and it allows volunteers from the community to come into the class and deliver JA curriculum while the volunteer uses their own person experiences as examples. I know you think that's a GREAT idea because what better way to reach the youth than to share your own experience!!

Well on March 30, 2011 myself and my co-worker Lara Belle volunteered for JA, we were to teach a class of 8th graders Financial Literacy. We walked into a class of VIBRANT (but not yet so excited..because it was still early am) kids. Standing there infront of a class about to express out thoughts on what it meant to be thoughtful about the actions you make today and how they can effect your tomorrow was an experience for both of us. Lara & I taught lessons on knowing what your values, interests and skills are, the benefits of continuing school vs entering the job force, budgeting and credit (good, bad and FICO scores). The students were BLOWN away at the hands on activities in which we played. The games showed them how financial decisions aren't as easy as they believe them to be. We shared our credit history with them, our current roles at our jobs and what we like to do on our spare time (Lara - singer, Myself- writer & motivational speaker). The students had BIG PLANS for themselves many of them want to live a lavish life. We advised them those lifestyles can be acheieved but you have to work for them they don't just HAPPEN. I went further just to ask them did they have VISION BOARDS and some had no idea what that was (I got them a homework assignment....sorry kids! lol). The purpose of them needing that was so that they could see where they want to be next year and to look back to see if they've achieved that goal. The session was full of energy and the kids really came away with knowing more about not only themselves and their future actions but they've also learned about their classmates and their talents. KUDOS to JA for such a LIFE CHANGING service!!


Special thanks to the students teacher Ms. Calendar. She was AWESOME and provided some great input as we taught each lesson.

In this economy today we can all use a touch up on some part of our financial savviness whether it's knowing more about credit, saving or budgeting. There's help out here for each one to learn so do share your story. Some of us are back in the job market trying to figure out what the next job will be. I suggest list your skills, interest and values, with knowing those things you'll know if you should enter a people, data, things or ideas field of work.




~You can sit silently and do nothing or speak up when you know something...each one teach one~

*Ms. Bank$*

Art at it's BEST!!

Recently I had the opportunity to attend an art exhibition held in LA at the Pounder-Kone Art Space. My good friend Tamara Natalie Madden was one of the artist at the exhibit, her work was shown along side of the AMAZING actress CCH Pounder-Kone. Tamara Natalie Madden is a fine artist whom self-taught herself the craft of painting, she is one of my good friends, I absolutely LOVE HER!! Her art in my words tells a story, behind every painting lies a meaning, a meaning of struggle, joy & happiness. She has various series of work, however her most recent series is of Kings and Queens. Per Tamara Natalie Madden, "she decided to turn regular folk into representations of nobility. It seemed, in her view, to be the only way to allow them to be represented and appreciated for who they were intrinsically; kings, queens and warriors, in their own right, who never had a chance to shine, their austere appearance setting the tone for others to judge them." The paintings are original and handcrafted by her, the use of color is unbelievable and is sure to bring any room in your house ALIVE!!

CCH Pounder-Kone was also full of TALENT she has unique jewelry and is also a photographer. CC was such a sweet woman, she's welcoming and a GREAT person overall. CC was gracious enough to share her story of attending Trinidad Carnival, she had some AWESOME shots of the activities that were going on there. They were so clear and vivid I wanted to know how she enjoyed the experience, she said "She loved it but should had did it when she was about my age. She suggested I do it soon." (I haven't been yet so I am on it!!)

Thanks to both the ladies for having me there! It was a pleasure!! I had the opportunity to met so many people, I am beyond grateful!


If you would like to take a look at these Wonderful Women work do click the link for their website.
CCH POUNDER-KONE: http://pounderkoneartspace.com/CCH_POUNDER.html
TAMARA NATALIE MADDEN: http://www.tamaranataliemadden.com/


~Creativity is in everyone, let go and be willing to tap into it~

*Ms. Bank$*

Mom & Dad..Be more than a image, Be THE IMAGE

As we grow up we look to our parents to show us the meaning of respect, honesty, integrity, and LOVE. We also want our parents to show us the importance of being responsible, education, determination and so many other things. As a parent we should be the one's to show them all those things, doesn't matter if your a single parent you should be the example for your kids. When I say be more than a image I mean be more than MOM or DAD, be who you would want your child to reflect or who you would like your child to love. Being more than IMAGE is so much more gratifying, you knowing you raised a well rounded, stand-up kid and whom ever is lucky enough to have them will be BLESSED.

I write about this topic because oneday a man will be lucky to have to me and that MAN I hope possess some of my Dad qualities. It is about 100% true when they say a girl wants her man to be like her Dad (the qualities her Dad had). My Dad was more than an image (God bless his soul), I didn't see him sometimes instead I saw him all the times, he was involved in my life (school, care, play, etc). He and my Mom relationship presented what love is, he showed me what a MAN is. As a kid I probably didn't see all that was done for me but as a adult and a parent a appreciate it all so much. My Mom & Dad gave me a example of things I should do but it also showed me things I shouldn't do (no one's life is perfect). I like to take away from it all that they were more than a IMAGE they were/are the IMAGE. I have in me qualities I learned from the both of them and it is truly a blessing ( I could go through a few but I'll save the extra long post..lol). Somethings I do I will silently whisper & laugh because those are things one of them would do.

I try my best to do as I say, I tell my oldest daughter education is important it doesn't just stop after high school, whether you go to college or go into the workforce your going to have to exert yourself to move on to the next thing. I worked and went to school while pregnant with both my kids because it was a goal of mine to educate myself properly for the type of work I really want to do. My oldest daughter (I only say her because my youngest won't have a clue what's going on) will see me walk across the stage in June and she sees how serious I am about education (Yes, I sit in her class..lol). I am Being More than THE IMAGE. With that being said..Parents your kids are looking up to you, the smallest things they pick up on so do good by them.

~Being a parent is just the beginning, the future is literally laying in your hands~

Ms. Bank$
R.I.P to the MAN that was more than just an image.. My Dad- Jr. Ellis Battle

Movie Premiere of Mars needs moms!

My daughter A'laijah, her friend Abby, and I had the honor to attend the movie premiere of Mars needs Moms (3D) by Disney which was released 3/11/11. While I don't want to give the details about the movie away I will say it was a heart felt movie. I could hear the ladies behind me saying "oh no he didn't talk to his mom like that" and the crowds "aaww's and aahhh's". The young boy who was very rude to his mom came to find out that all his mom ever did was LOVE him like any mom SHOULD.
The movie made you realize the necessity of moms. Moms are very important as well as Dad's but I'm speaking about moms now. lol. Mom's have that motherly love they know what to say and do to make you feel better. There is no love like a mother's love, great mom's make the impossible possible on a hard day and make it look easy.
I asked my daughter what she thought about the movie and she said "some parts were sad, she didn't see how the boy could say a mean thing to his mom, she almost thought he wasn't going to get his mom back from Mars". She also said "Mom's love us, we just have to learn to listen to them". Now, I'm not to say my daughter is a angel but you have to see the movie to see how this child spoke to his mom.
I'm sure you've had your spats with your mom and said something or did something that you knew would tick her off, but after you did/said it how did you feel?? Did you feel like you just needed to cool off and then go and apologize?? If not then you should've felt that way, especially with the way the world ordeals are moving today. Tomorrow is not promised give people the roses they deserve while they are still here. Your MOM bought you in this WORLD she deserves more than flowers but that's a start.

~As a MOM I sacrifice...not only sacrificed my life once but twice..Lord knows I love this LIFE~

Ms.Bank$

(Mention: Thanks to The 135th Street Agency for the invite)

The Artsy Chic: How to Save a Life- Inspirational

The Artsy Chic: How to Save a Life- Inspirational: "How to save a life is an inspirational book written by Lina Banks and Rahfeal Gordon. In this book Lina banks give helpful tips on how to b..."

Is FB/Twitter consuming Your Life?

As busy as we all are these days we can only find time to stay connected to one another via quick meetings or social networks. We mainly stay in touch with each other via social networks. The opportunity to stay in touch with family and friends is at the touch of a finger as of now we can access the sites through our cell phones. We not only stay in touch with our close family/friends but we also use the sites as a business tool to market ourselves. The sites can also be used to portray a different you, you can be a good guy instead of a bad guy, etc (let your imagination wonder here).

I recently went to a networking event here in Atlanta and when I asked a young lady if she had either FB/twitter her response was “No, I don’t have either one of those because I found myself being too concerned about other people lives. I would find myself comparing MY LIFE to THEIR LIFE and wondering why I wasn’t that happy or why those things weren’t happening to ME”.  I told her that just because people post they are smelling roses doesn’t mean they aren’t smelling sh*t. According to what you post people will LOVE, HATE, ENVY or draw their own assumption about you.  Life is what it is and we all know sometimes it can be rough. People are going to pick and chose to post what they want and you should be fine with that and move on with your life. After talking more with her she agreed, besides the type of business the young lady was interested in doing I think social networking would help her.

After having that conversation with her I researched how social networks affect people. What I learned is people are affected by their surroundings (the power of attraction), yes even through social networking!! The emotions or dealing of others can affect your living in some way, meaning either you want to help in some way or you wish you lived that way.  The example was given that “I’m happier if my friends are happy and so on”.  I personally have 436 friends on my FB page and not all of them are my close friends, but they all have some sort of tie to me. It doesn’t matter if I met them just once they are there. Although I don’t visit the site as much as I use to I still visit it just to post something post worthy.  I once in the blue delete my pages to cease myself from reading other peoples world and focus on mine, I however never compared my life with any ones else’s or made assumptions about their life. I could however understand where the young lady was coming from.

~If your overwhelmed set yourself free..there is no better place you’ll rather be~

Ms. Bank$