Me and Nikki Giovanni

Me and Nikki Giovanni! Can you tell that I'm overly excited? 

My smile is so wide it's borderline creepy.

I was among many fellow Gators last Thursday listening to Nikki Giovanni speak her mind and read her poetry. Knowledge spilled from this women's mouth like air and the audience couldn't get enough. A good friend of mine hooked me up with some tickets to a mini dinner they hosted for Dr. Giovanni before the lecture. I was able to snagged a picture with a friend's camera because I came totally unprepared. My hands were shaking as I awkwardly smiled with her. I was also able to get two books signed!! One for my loving mother and one for keeps!

Three points I took away from her lecture:

1) If anyone ever wants to learn how to keep their humanity under extreme cultural extermination they need to first look at the African Diaspora.

2) Language is power. Know the origins of the language you speak, be sure you are never just reiterating colonial domination and subjugation. 

3) Mean what you say. At all times take ownership of your words.

Conference Experience at SHA

Earlier this month I attended my first archaeology conference, Society for Historical Archaeology (SHA). It was a learning experience to say the least and an extravaganza that only Austin could provide to say the most. My biggest concern at first was the cost. The flight there and back, the hotel, and food was enough to empty my pockets till finical aid came in. As it turns out, flying into Austin is costly and staying at the hotel where the conference takes place equates to hemorrhaging money from my wallet. I will not be making that mistake again. The amount of money it cost for food alone was about 40 dollars a day. Mainly because my advisor wanted to take us out to dinner and give us a true Austin experience. The cost needless to say was well worth it. I will forever remember the treats that only Austin could provide.

Side Note: Ken’s Donuts are the best in the world. Well at least my world.

My main academic focus is on African Diaspora Studies with an archaeological lens. I mainly attended presentations that revolved around that focus. The knowledge gained overshadowed the long flights and busy airports.

Let’s clear something up. I’m a woman. I’m a Black woman. I was one of under 20 (that I saw) Black people at the conference. To my knowledge I was the only Black undergraduate. Imagine my new found friends shock when they discovered I wouldn’t be attending the Pub Crawl event with them because I wasn’t of age. The fact that there weren’t many Black people at the conference wasn’t shocking, nor should it be because it’s a reflection of the amount of Black female archaeologist in the actual field. There are few of us.

I speak mainly about the paper presentations as a student new to this field, the literature and the knowledge it produces. I’m hungry for knowledge at all times; luckily the conference filled and pleased my appetite.  A lot of the discussions and paper presentations on plantation and African Diaspora archaeological sites focused on minute details that didn’t translate into the production of new knowledge or engaged in the political implications of their work.

However overall I’m satisfied! For my first conference it was everything I expected and so much more. I made contacts and friends that I intend to keep in touch with and hopefully work with one day.

Peace

Me a Fashionista?

One of my good friends Ju'lia (yes with an apostrophe) once told me that I had a unique sense of style. Needless to say I still don't believe her. She has asked me to post something related to fashion so here's my piece. I recently bought a jacket from Goodwill, here in Gainesville that stole my heart. At 8 bucks it stole my wallet's heart too! I already had a pair of crazy heels and a mini dress to match it perfectly. I haven't worn it out yet, but when I do look out! Check out Ju'lia's  blog, she's pretty amazing. 

The jacket and the crazy heels. I ordinary don't wear heels, in fact I try my hardest to avoid them, yet here they are in my closet. 

 dress + jacket = ?????

blurry picture + messy room = horrible picture

models don't smile right?

Last picture! caption should read: "Look to side and try your best to be cool"

Be A Wildflower!

This is my song of the week. It will be on replay for the next 24 hours!!!! I play this song every time I run at the gym. I'll post my gym playlist one of these days; however it changes every month.

BTW did I mention that I finished my first 5K last weekend in 33 minutes. For my first time I'm pretty excited and satisfied. The gym for the last few weeks has been packed to the brim with folks who seem to have all subscribed to the same new years resolution to lose weight and be healthy. For the most part I'm annoyed, but on the other hand I'm happy so many people are attempting to be healthy this year! I hope they keep it up and stay strong! February is revenge of the new year resolution month, so beware.

Remember When We Use To Speak Kiswahili

Remember When We Use To Speak Kiswahili

At the end of April I’ll be boarding a plan to a new and interesting world, where knowledge flows through the air. There will be mist on mountain tops and people with sunkissed skin tones . My excitement to spend my summer in Tanzania cannot be matched.

To prepare I’ve hassled three good friends to teach me Kiswahili. I have never been more enchanted by a language in my life. The way it rolls off the tongue is poetry. I’ll keep you all posted on my progress.

The great thing about learning a language in 2011 are the free resources online. Between downloading (legally of course) different language software, youtube videos, and language sites, I haven’t spent a dime. I would strongly suggest everyone surf the web for free resources before you cough up 200 plus dollars for any language software.

As for Kiswahili check out the links below:

http://mwanasimba.online.fr/E_TABLE.htm

http://www.kamusiproject.org/grammar

http://complit.la.psu.edu/swahili/archive/audio.html

Till then, Kwa heri 

Gotta Get Up!

We all gotta get up at some point. Tomorrow will, for me, be the first day back to classes and work. After the holiday break and my archaeology conference (more on that later) I really don’t wanna get outta bed. Jill Scott’s song will be on reply throughout the day to keep me motivated. 

Making Time For Yourself

Many of my friends ask me how I find the time to exercise 4-5 times a week, work part-time, and still take 15 credits without losing my mind. To be honest, at first it was hard. I use to always skip breakfast, buy fast food on campus and never exercise. I still slip some days ad fall back to old habits. I use to say that I never had the time to do any of those things. I drilled in my head that I never had the time to make my breakfast, make it to the gym or pack meals when I was on campus till 10 at night. If there is one thing college students never seem to have enough of its time.

Now the one thing I always make time for is myself. And that means taking my health seriously. Getting to this point was difficult. It didn’t happen overnight and I’m still growing and still working out my kinks.

The main thing I had to change was my mindset. Instead of saying I never had time for this or that I trained myself to instead say that I wasn’t making time for myself. By doing so, it made not eating breakfast or not exercising irrational, because it made me confront these self destructive behaviors. This also forced me to reprioritize my time so that my health and wellbeing were not being sacrificed. Nothing but my family comes before my wellbeing. My time is now centered on my family, wellbeing, work, and studying. Things outside of those four categories, as a friend of mine once said to me, will fall where they can.  

As Spring semester begins it is time to get back in school mode. The holiday cheer will linger but the days off won’t. Even with classes, work, and an internship I still make time for myself and the gym. I pack my lunch the night before, put aside the fruit I’ll have for breakfast and have my workout pack filled with gym clothes ready if I won’t have time to get home and change before hitting the gym. I make time for what’s important me.

Task: Make a list of everything you’re currently dedicating your time to. Be honest.

Question: How much time have you set aside for wellbeing?

Same You New Mindset For 2011

When I ask my friends what they want out of 2011 most read off a list they have entitled “New Year Resolutions.” Many times the first thing listed is a new version of themselves; which includes losing anywhere between 10 and 20 pounds. This troubles me. And all the commercials beckoning for weight loss and a ‘newer you for 2011’ are to blame. There is nothing wrong with You. I am the same person I was in 2009 and I intend to be the same ol’ Ayana in 2011. My being has remained the same but my mindset like the world around me in constantly changing. I think instead of stressing over becoming a new person for 2011 people should focus on a new mindset. By doing so people can begin to recognize that losing 20 pounds won’t equate to happiness, but finding balance and peace will. Those can only be achieved with a new mindset. So let’s get started.

Happy New Year

Enjoy January 1st.

Another sunrise. Another new day.

song: Amel Larrieux - I Like The Sunrise