Dream thought # 87: Reach for the stars

To put a nice end to Black History month, here is a newly discovered picture of Harriet Tubman! She is believed to be in her 40's in this picture. I tinted the picture in pink to make it dreamier. I am sure Harriet had a soft dreamy side to her. Her quote below says it all.


Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world. -Harriet Tubman.

It's my Blogversary!

Swanofdreamers turns nine today. Nine!!! I love my sweet blog. It has been a haven and healing place for me. I want to thank all of you who come here and leave love via comments, views and good thoughts.😊 I hope that for all of my subscribers, old and new, that Swanofdreamers is a place you can come for good energy and Inspiration.



Sending you all beauty, love and happiness today.

You ain't see the best of me yet...

I was 11 years old in 1980 when I stayed up, with my mom, to watch the Academy Awards for the first time. I went to bed tired and dazzled. I remember going to school going the next day vowing I be there some day.

I be like Rita...



Like Sidney..



Like Halle and Denzel...



But what happens to Dreams when Life takes you in a different direction. Now, I understand the words of Langston Hughes from one of his most famous poems called Harlem.

What happens to a dream deferred?

Does it dry up
like a raisin in the sun?
Or fester like a sore—
And then run?
Does it stink like rotten meat?
Or crust and sugar over—
like a syrupy sweet?

Maybe it just sags
like a heavy load.

Or does it explode?

My husband had a dream to finish college. Jake, born at 28 weeks, needed various therapies to help him. I deferred my dream for my family. As many mothers and fathers have done before me. Here at Swanofdreamers, I'm all about seeing the good in everything. I still do. Jake is in a special ed Kindergarten class and doing well. Sean is scheduled to graduate at year's end and become a counselor for people who have drug and alcohol issues. That is the good I see.



Honestly,it has been painful for me at times. I work on my monologues. I've looked at photographers to plan who I will take my new headshots. I think on the promise I gave Christopher. I am buoyed by my husband, my close friends and my mom who all are not even thinking of me giving up acting. That I can take up where I left off. So dreams do explode. Then you have to decide whether you let them lie on the ground destroyed or do you pick them back up to reshape your dream to where you are at now.



These are the 11 Black Actresses who have been nominated for Actress in a Leading Role. They are Dorothy Dandridge, Cicely Tyson, Diahann Carroll, Diana Ross, Whoopi Goldberg, Angela Bassett, Halle Berry, Gabourey Sidbe, Viola Davis, Quvenzhané Wallis and Ruth Negga. Ruth is nominated tonight for her role as Mildred Loving in Loving. Halle Berry is the only one to have won so far.

Will one day I'll be part of this list? Will I win one? I use to want it so much. For now, I want to get back to acting and work in my craft. I am open. I am hopeful. Whatever your dream was or is. It doesn't have to stay buried. I am 48. I am actor. I'll always be an actor.

The Great Nina Simone

I got turned on to Nina Simone when I saw the american remake of La Femme Nikita, The Point of No Return, starring Bridget Fonda in 1993. Nina Simone's music was all over the movie. As soon as I heard that rich voice, I was hooked. One of the greatest things about Nina for me personally, that my beloved Uncle Charlie loved her too. It was another great thing that bonded us together. Another good movie that used Nina's songs that stands out for me is the 1999 version of the Thomas Crown Affair, that I personally adore.



Nina Simone was proud to be a Black woman. Her lyrics wrote about our struggle, strength and beauty that woman of African descent from all over the diaspora share. I, personally, have found solace and freedom in her music. If you don't know Nina Simone, well I'm about to rectify this. There is a great documentary called What Happened, Miss Simone. Please watch that know about this amazing and complex woman.



Four Women written by Nina Simone is a classic now. It has be redone by many singers. I always had the dream of staging the song as a one act play. One of those ideas floating around in my brain, that I know one day I do. The song takes you on a journey. So stop what you are doing and just listen.

Enjoy!

Betty Davis - They Say I'm Different

Happy Friday. I hope you all have been enjoying the music I have been sharing. Your eyes are not deceiving you. This artist is named Betty Davis.


Like the other Bette, she badass too. Betty Davis is singer who I wish I could sound like. Her sound is funky, edgy and rocking. They Say I'm Different came out in 1974. She has four albums to date. What she is doing now, I don't know. I like to imagine that maybe she dreams about coming back and doing more music. Betty if you can read this, please do. I heard a movie was going to be made about her. Sit down and get ready to be funked out of your mind. Enjoy.

Wordless Wednesday : Betty Neels

Happy Valentine's Day

Hello, my friends. It is that special time of year. Here at Swanofdreamers, I celebrate Love in all it's glory and beauty. If no one said today that they love you, know that I love you. I believe we are born for a reason. Know that you are magnificent and radiant.



Celebrate all the love you have in your life. Romantic, Family, Friend and Self love.



This sweetie wants to wish you a Happy Valentine's Day. Before you go, here is my swoonworthy movie list, if you feel like you want to indulge your romantic side today. For those who don't know, Romance is my word of the year. Romance is a state of mind and action. Yes, you can Romance yourself and feel wonderful. Have a wonderful Love filled day!💝

Lizzo - Good as Hell

Happy Monday. Good as Hell was my jam this Summer. Lizzo,this voluptous sistah, from Minnesota has a great style and chops.

Good as Hell is something you can play when you need to feel good about yourself or tired of your relationship. It's a feel good song. Enjoy.

Acting and The Full Moon

Happy Full Moon Friday. Today is a simple ritual especially for all my artists out there.

Tonight's Moon glows in the royal sign of Leo. Leo's trademarks are passion, success and basking in the sunshine. Leo energy also highlights creativity especially with the performing arts.



Get a lovely yellow candle.On my candle I carved the image of the sun and the words good fame. I sprinkled cinammon and a beautiful sun oil that I got here on it. You can put whatever oil or herb that speaks to you.

Then I said a prayer that spoke from my heart. Afterwards,I put on music that echoed my love of acting and success to me. Whatever your creative endeavor, you can find songs that fits that.

Here are a few of the songs I played
Fame by Irene Cara.
As if we never said goodbye sung by Barbra Streisand.
That's Entertainment sung by Judy Garland.
If you can dream sung by Lena Horne.

This helped me get reconnect to my love for acting and feel hopeful about my future. You are free to adapt this to suit your needs. As I always say, do what feels right to you under a Full Moon. Wishing you all a very wonderful Full Moon weekend.

My second big chop

I have been a long time natural. I stopped putting chemical relaxers in my hair way back in 1998. One day, I was like why am I spending my whole Saturday in a salon to have my hair relaxed? I never looked back. I am grateful I did. Back then there was no you tube videos or few natural hair forums. I got to know my hair again. Taking my time and relearning what worked on my hair.

After I gave birth to Jacob, I kept feeling the urge to cut my hair off, again. Start from scratch. My 40's has been filled with a lot of changes for me. Most good yet some deeply painful. Finally, one Saturday the feeling to cut my hair became too strong to avoid. I told Sean to cut it off.





All the heavy stuff I had gone through just fell away. I felt lighter. This is not to say I don't miss my thick hair. I did. It still felt right to cut my hair.



As the months passed, it felt great to just get up and go. To look at my face in a different way with my hair was short.






























Cutting my hair, as I began to release more weight, gave me extra confidence that I needec.  After I had Jake, I look at pictures and go is that me? Now, I look at myself and see me.

 I feel being happy with the way you look is important. The hair that I have been given is beautiful. I embrace it fully.

Wordless Wednesday : Moon

Diana Gordon - Woman

Happy Friday. In honor of Black History Month, I'll be sharing different artists that I like. Today, I'm sharing Diana Gordon.


An artist from New York, who I heard about a few years ago, under the name Wynter Gordon. She has a long history as a singer and songwriter. She recently co-wrote three songs from Beyonce's Lemonade. Her style ranges from Dance to funk to rock. She does it all.
This song is called Woman;It came out over the summer. It's a great song celebrating being a woman. Enjoy. Turn it up.

Wordless Wednesday: Color My Fro