Author: Lady G

I am Lady G 💋💋Lover of family, friends, good food, good drink, and loud laughter. Spiritually aware sky-gazer and maker of good đŸ€— things happening. ✹

A Family Conversation: The Khobar Towers Attack (1996)! A Story About Tragedy, Fear of Loss and Love (Part I)

On By Lady GIn A Family Conversation, National EventsLeave a comment

“A Family Conversation” is a storytelling audio series that features weekly discussions between blogging cousins LadyG and Ron Brown on current events along with favorite posts from each other’s blog.

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February is Black History Month, but it is also the month of love.

This post is about tragedy, fear of loss, and ultimately, love shared between two cousins.

All of this takes place against the backdrop of The Khobar Towers attack (1996) in Saudi Arabia. Of course, we start with a bit of comedy about rent, mortgage and the fact that LadyG cannot pronounce the name “Dhahran.” We also joke about the importance of accuracy and the need for documenting historical events like what happened with the Khobar Towers.

Please enjoy our true family story. Part II will be posted next Friday.

You can learn more about the Khobar Towers attack, which resulted in the deaths of 19 U.S. Air Force personnel, HERE.

As an aside, I have heard it said that the Khobar Towers attack, along with the attack of the USS Cole (2000), were precursors to the devastation of 9/11.

Sadly, we had a family friend, Charone Gunn, killed on the Cole.

You can learn more about that HERE.

And please don’t come for me for talking about the projects; chile plenty of my folks came from the projects so LadyG got mad love for “da bricks!” 😂

R.I.P. To those lost at the Khobar Towers

R.I.P. To Charone Gunn

Peace and Love to the survivors!

Research and Learn Black History in 2021: Thomas Jennings Invents and Patents “Dry Scouring,” A Precursor to Current Dry Cleaning Methods

On By Lady GIn National EventsLeave a comment

In 1820, (Thomas Jennings) applied for a patent. Under the Patent Act of 1793, an individual had to sign an oath declaring that he was a citizen of the United States. Jennings, being a freeman, was a citizen and so was awarded the patent.

–National Inventors Hall of Fame

Thomas Jennings 1/1/1791- 2/11/1859

Unhappy with conventional methods of cleaning, Jennings discovers a more effective method (“dry scouring”) that did not harm clothes.

Jennings emerged as a leader in the abolitionist and civil rights movement in New York City. 

After Jennings’ death, Frederick Douglass stressed that Jennings’ U.S. Patent recognized him as a “citizen of the United States,” a “shocking” designation for many during that time.

Learn more by following the links:

Wikipedia- Thomas L. Jennings’ Biography

Smithsonian Magazine- More on Jennings’ “Dry Scouting” Patent

National Inventors Hall of Fame- Jennings’ Induction

Research and Learn Black History: The Murder of Jimmie Lee Jackson!

On By Lady GIn National Events, UncategorizedLeave a comment

Courtesy of The Time Tunnel.
In this post, Ron Brown, masterfully details one of the UGLY sides of black history.
It’s very tempting to gloss over this portion of our history, but that does a huge disservice to all of the sacrifices that were made to hold our country up to its democratic ideal.
Thanks for this awesome piece Ron, again, it’s hard to look at but we MUST.
Love always,
LadyG

The Time Tunnel

THE ATTACK

On the evening of February 18, 1965, a group of civil rights activists gathered at the Zion United Methodist Church in Marion, Alabama for a night march in support of James Orange, the recently arrested field secretary for the Southern Christian Leadership Conference.

27 year-old, Jimmie Lee Jackson–an Army veteran and church Deacon–his eighty-two year old grandfather Cager Lee, and his mother Viola participated in the protest. After the meeting at the church, state troopers–who knew of the protest thanks to surveillance by the FBI–attacked the protesters.

“I GOT HIM!”

Wandering through crowd, Jimmie finds his grandfather, and the two seek refuge in the nearby Mack’s CafĂ©. Inside, Viola Jackson was attacked by two state troopers and fell to the ground. While Jackson was rescuing his mother, a trooper grabbed him and shoved him into a cigarette machine and shot him twice in the stomach.

A witness to


View original post 419 more words

Fibroid Tumors and Pregnancy: My Successful Pregnancy Despite Fibroids

On By Lady GIn Spirit, Storytime audios, Youtube3 Comments

Fibroid tumors during pregnancy can be extremely worrisome and problematic; but their presence does not automatically mean that you won’t have a successful pregnancy. 

In this video, I share my experience with having had numerous fibroid tumors of various sizes while I was pregnant with my daughter. 

Don’t get me wrong, there were some  difficulties, but I was under the care of an excellent physician, so my pregnancy was well managed. 

That being said it is possible to have a successful pregnancy while dealing with fibroid tumors.

Also, I had a praying Southern Mama who taught me to pray and take things day by day đŸ™đŸŸđŸ˜‚

A Family Conversation: Family Traditions, Beliefs and Superstitions (Part III) New Year’s Day 2020! Where’d We Go Wrong? Why New Year’s Day Brings Feelings of Forboding

On By Lady GIn UncategorizedLeave a comment
Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

“A Family Conversation” is a storytelling audio series that features weekly discussions between blogging cousins LadyG and Ron Brown on current events along with favorite posts from each other’s blog.

Updated 2/7/2021

Adult Language

I’m asking the above questions because we can all agree that The Year of Our Lord 2020, was, for all intents and purposes, a neon nuclear dumpster fire to the millionth power!

That said, we must ask ourselves what in the hell did we DO or FORGET to do on New Year’s Day 2020?

I heard somebody say, “pray!”

Yeah, well that’s a given—chile we pray ev-ery-day up in here!

Alas, since we’re still amongst the living, I’d say that we did receive our most sincere plea!

Praise HIM!

Anyway


Hell, after the first week of 2021, I was beginning to wonder, once again, how I might have broken rules of superstition on New Year’s Day 2021.  

Fortunately, I only had to go back seven days.

As far as I could tell I was good.

So there’s that.

At any rate


Please join us as we continue our family conversation on New Year’s Day traditions and superstitions. 

We’re talking about:

  1. Ron’s illness
  2. More traditions, kissing and orgies
  3. Ron is SINGLE and ready to mingle!
  4. “Merry Christmas and a Prospect New Year!” 
  5. The “First Footer” and a nod to Scotland.  Learn more about “The First Footer” at The Time Tunnel
  6. What Ron’s sister, Aleshia, told “The First Footer” on New Year’s Day 2021
  7. Where’d we go wrong New Year’s Day 2020
  8. New Year’s was NOT a celebration for enslaved blacks. Therefore, we wonder if the following little known fact explains feelings of foreboding–which prompted superstitious rituals among blacks?
    1. Learn about the dreadful tradition of “Heart Break Day, Hiring Day” which occurred on January 1st.
  9. The “Watchnight” Tradition for New Year’s Eve 1862/ Day 1863
  10. Empathy for the brutality experienced by other human beings
  11. Ron implores us to learn our history

Of course, our original inspiration was this post from LadyG.

Links:

Part I

Part II

Time Magazine Article:  ‘The Slaves Dread New Year’s Day the Worst’: The Grim History of January 

Research and Learn Black History in 2021: Henrietta Lacks Unknowingly Contributed “Incredible” DNA Cells That Are Still Being Used in Critical Medical Research Today

On By Lady GIn National Events6 Comments

Today, these incredible cells— nicknamed “HeLa” cells, from the first two letters of her first and last names — are used to study the effects of toxins, drugs, hormones and viruses on the growth of cancer cells without experimenting on humans. They have been used to test the effects of radiation and poisons, to study the human genome, to learn more about how viruses work, and played a crucial role in the development of the polio vaccine.

-Johns Hopkins School of Medicine

Henrietta Lacks  (neĂ© Loretta Pleasant) 8/1/1920- 10/4/1951

  • Diagnosed with cervical cancer after giving birth to her fifth child
  • Lacks’ cancer cells were used, without her knowledge, to create the HeLa cell line which is still used in medical research today.
  • (2013) Researchers published DNA sequencing information of a strain of HeLa cells, which prompted Henrietta Lacks’ family to raise privacy concerns.
  • Lacks’ family is now involved in access and control of HeLa DNA via committee; even still, knowledge and use of her genetic information (and cells) continues to be an critical issue relative to patient privacy and rights.

Learn more by following the links

Johns Hopkins- Henrietta Lacks’ Legacy

Nature – Henrietta Lacks and racial inequities in U.S. research and healthcare

Henrietta Lacks’ biography

Research and Learn Black History in 2021: Pioneering Chemist, Dr. Percy Julian, Discovers Method to Synthesize Hormones From Plant Sources

On By Lady GIn National Events2 Comments

A steroid chemist and an entrepreneur, Percy Julian ingeniously figured out how to synthesize important medicinal compounds from abundant plant sources, making them more affordable to mass-produce.

-Science History Institute

Dr. Percy Lavon Julian 4/11/1899-4/19/1975

  • Grandson of a slave
  • Earned his PhD: Studied at University of Vienna, Harvard University, De Pauw University
  • Dr. Julian’s synthesis methods (using plant sources like soybeans) have been used to produce hormones to treat rhematoid arthritis and to prevent miscarriage.
  • Founded Julian Laboratories which he later sold to Smith, Kline and French.  Smith, Kline and French ultimately, via several mergers and aquisitions, became GlaxoSmithKline

Learn more by following these links

Biography- Dr. Percy Julian Biography

Science history- Dr. Percy Julian’s Scientific Contributions

Research and Learn Black History in 2021: Jo Ann Robinson, The Mastermind Behind The Montgomery Bus Boycott

On By Lady GIn National Events2 Comments

Women’s leadership was no less important to the development of the Montgomery Bus Boycott than was the male and minister-dominated leadership.

-Jo Ann Robinson

Jo Ann Robinson 4/17/1912 – 8/29/92

  • Educator who studied at Fort Valley State University, Atlanta University and Columbia University
  • Organized the Montgomery Bus Boycott after the arrest of Rosa Parks in 1955.  Robinson, had previously began work to desegregate Montgomery’s city bus system in 1950 after having been verbally attacked by a bus driver for sitting in the “Whites Only” section 
  • Targeted, arrested and harassed by police for her leadership role in the bus boycott
  • Published a memoir (1987) entitled The Montgomery Bus Boycott and the Women Who Started It 

Learn more by following the links

National Museum of African American History & Culture-Jo Ann Robinson’s Heroism 

Biography website- Bio-Jo Ann Robinson

It’s A Ramble! Cheap Meat, Clutter, Birthdays and “Abs of Steel.”

On By Lady GIn Rambles and Rants3 Comments

In this rambling video I deal with some cheap meat and 30-year-old paper clutter.

I also plan a birthday tea for my daughter–her gift this year? “Abs of Steel,” of course! No seriously, I gave her this VHS as a gag gift since I noticed that a lot of gen z’ers love laughing at old boomer/gen x aerobic dance and workout videos.

Listen close for my impression of a British accent (an accent that I adore!)

Lots of memories here!

Thankfully, I finished decluttering and I had it all thrown out or donated by Jan 31!

Enjoy!

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