ABC made a swift and decisive decision to cancel Rosanne. We need to more of this more often to anybody who makes racists remarks. Unfortunately, ABC shouldn't  have hired her in the first place based on her past history of making (_________) comments about many different groups of people in social media and Twitter.

I grew up in a household that if I ever made a comment like that or even thought about saying the N word, my mother had a bar of soap with my name  on it waiting for me. She made no bones about it. My parents were de-segregationalists in Greensboro NC working with Catholic and other religious leaders to fight segregation. She and my father wouldn't tolerate or abide such abhorrent behavior. Luckily, she never had to use the soap because she raised us right; or at least I'd like to think so. 

Based on what I've seen and heard on the news channels, more white people need to condemn racism more often than we do and listen more proactively. Do what's right. Take action. As I've said in a recent blog post regarding Bishop Michael Curry..(I paraphrase) Love is a fire burning in our hearts and where there is Love the darkness cannot thrive. 
Sile

Bernice had a hair shop in downtown Greensboro North Carolina. She did my weaves since 1997. We lost touch for a while, then reconnected in 2013. A few years later she passed away from complications related to her breast cancer. She welcomed me into her shop and made sure the ladies working with her did as well. She lived by the commandment that says we are to love one another and not to judge each other for any reason. See you have to understand the context in order to appreciate this story. Mrs. B, I will forever be grateful to you for standing up for me and standing with me. 

My ex mother in law died of breast cancer in the early 2000's and was a teacher. As a teacher she recognized my ADHD right away. Her expertise in that area allowed her to come up with some pretty creative ways to communicate with me. I felt like she understood me. She was an ally so to speak. She made me feel welcome and loved in their family. I felt like I had a friend in the camp so to speak.  She was soft-spoken with a valiant spirit like my mothers. She also sang in her church choir and had the most angelic voice.  My ex father in law was equally kind to me as he passed away from prostate cancer. He was my second father and he's the inspiration for my Uncle Dave character in I'm Your Mum. 

Both these woman were role models to me and that's why I hope to honor their memories through my TV show I'm Your Mum. I also want to thank Ray and honor him for going beyond the call of duty in making me feel welcomed as well. God bless you all. One day we will all be together again along with my loved one's as well and celebrate the lives lived and our journey on earth completed. 

Several years ago I had a dear friend who ended up in the hospital a couple of times for cutting on herself. I saw the blood I comforted her in the ER and it was tragic. But I could never get inside her head to find out why. All I could do was comfort her, shut up and listen.

Now if self-harm means more than cutting, then I'm guilty. I used to bang my head against a wooden ironing board when I got angry with myself in college. I would punch myself in the head and call myself dumb ass or stupid, stupid, stupid when something went wrong or I made a mistake. Now much of that happened when I was drunk. I'm an alcoholic with 20 years sobriety and I've been tobacco free for 18 years. So I am aware that hitting myself is not a good thing and that I could end up with a concussion or worse end my life as I know it. I have to keep reminding myself not to hit myself. That's why my mother bought me a drum set when I was a little girl,  so that I could take it out on the drums not myself or others. I got quite good at it and played professionally for a few years when I got older. This is not a joke. Many people do it and I'm not talking the "I could of had a V-8 cocktail juice commercial. This is real hard hits. A lot of people like me who are Dyslexic/Dysgraphic and Learning Disabled have trouble with. 

My character Sheila Nott, cuts herself too deep in the I'm Your Mum Pilot and dies;  however, she is eventually resuscitated. I hope that audiences realize that I don't mean to glamorize such actions as that's the last thing I want to do. I hope the #webseries allows us to talk openly about mental challenges we all face in some form or another. One of the actors is an advanced practice nurse specializing in mental health issues. I will consider her as a great resource in writing future scripts for future episodes. I make this commitment that I will treat this issue with respect and dignity and I welcome feedback and advice on future episodes. 
Sile

The news is kinda depressing to watch. Without getting political I just think we need to show some common sense. Our Democracy is under attack. There's no sugar coating it. But I believe that something is about to change for the better starting with me and you.

I started to remember  the good ole' days of innocent comedy shows like Rowan & Martin's Laugh In and Hee Haw & the Smothers Brothers Show. Some of you younger folks may not be familiar with these TV shows, but you can find old episodes on YouTube. These shows were actually subtly politically charged. They reflected the 60's & 70's. Yes, I'm that old. CBS actually cancelled the Smothers Brothers Show because then President Lyndon Johnson pressured the executives at CBS to do so, because they spoke out against the Vietnam War and made fun of him. Sound familiar? Donald Trumps behavior is nothing new. We've been through this before and Democracy won the day then and it will win the day today. 

I believe the change began with Prince Harry & Meghan Markle's Royal Wedding with Bishop Michael Curry presiding. Even the Bishop's first name Michael was derived from the Archangel Michael who smote Lucifer to Hades. The Archangel Michael  did it with Love and a really big sword.

Bishop Curry talked about love being a fire burning in the hearts of us all and that we should spread it to others. My mother used to quote Elie Wiesel who said, "The opposite of love is not hate, it's indifference." That's really profound. It seems like ever since the wedding,  more people are speaking out more often and that's going to drive out the darkness and indifference. The old English Proverb stated that "you can catch more flies with honey than vinegar." Even though vinegar is an anti inflammatory/antiseptic. You can also change more minds with love. I've learned the hard way that speaking in an angry tone or saying stupid shite on Social Media platforms can get you banned or temporarily suspended. It can also lower your Twitter follower count and that's not good. Most importantly nobody will listen to you or take you seriously if you act like a buffoon. 

You may ask me, OK smarty pants what do you believe? Well as a child of the 1970's and a GenXer, I would refer you to the immortal words of Pablo Cruz' song "Love will find a way." It may sound crazy, but when we love each other things can change for the better. Closed minds can be opened. People can evolve. There was a time when the Clinton's, the Obama's and even the Bush's believed that marriage was between a man and woman; however, it was former President Obama who made marriage equality the law of the land. Love changed their minds. Not hate filled rants and emails. 

I also believe that there is more than one path to the promised land. I'm a Catholic and Christian; however, I'm not going to condemn, curse or convict a non Christian or non believer. That's not a Christian thing to do in my book. God said to "render unto Ceaser what is Ceasers." My interpretation is, that regardless of your personal beliefs, obey the law and don't break it. There's also that quote about removing a speck in someone's eye, when you got a log in your own. In other words, make sure your shite don't stink before you go claiming someone else's does. The root message of any spiritual path one chooses should be based in Love. Love one another. 

I believe that the creator of the Universe, God or whichever you call the power "greater than ourselves,"  knew what he or she was doing when Harry met Meghan and they fell in love. 
​Sile
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I wanted to clarify a comment I made on my recent blog. Yes, we should encourage others to be themselves because we're not robots and we we're all made differently. So maybe I should have said that once a person recognizes this truth then we can continue to support them in other ways as well. Be a model for them and stand up with them. 
Sile

Good Evening,
The I'm Your Mum pilot is finished. Not everyone will like it but most will. I hope they appreciate that it actually celebrates life, redemption, forgiveness and second chances. It celebrates how (the Universe, God or whomever you choose to worship) is working on our behalf. We only have to look and see.

I believe that even though we don't see a way, the power (greater than ourselves) will make a way. Many times my character doesn't see a way out and punishes herself by attempting suicide. Despite her cancer diagnosis as well, there's a plan for Sheila as she struggles to make sense of it for her life.

She often wondered why her mom gave her baby Morwenna up for adoption, only to find out later that her mom was prejudiced and her father, (a passive aggressive coward) stood by and did nothing. That must have hurt Sheila at age 16. It caused her to fear telling Richard (who was of Indian decent) that he was the father and that her mom gave their baby away. It wasn't until Sheila found Morwenna thirty-five years later that she gathered the courage to tell Richard in a letter. He was none to pleased and struggles to forgive her in future episodes.

So what's next? I begin writing episode 2 and gather the necessary talent to make it better than the pilot. Make it rock. We will film in the US and UK. But first I have to find an Indian male age 50-58 willing to play Richard and a 35 year old biracial Indian female to play Morwenna. Mowenna has four children and married to a solicitor. One of those children's' name is David and he has down syndrome. I need to cast my characters Sheila's parents. All British accents. In addition there are my characters' two sister who where like her mentors growing up. Actually the photo is that of my real mom who's since deceased pictured center. (See below). My Aunt Margaret on left (still alive) and my Aunt Merze on far right. 
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​In the next few weeks I will be posting a cast list of characters I will be needing for episode 2. Please stay tuned. This is not a SAG-AFTRA project. I do however, I hope to contact them to see if they would allow actors to work towards SAG credit. I've never made a web-series to this is all new to me so please bare with me. As Tony Robbins says...."your gifts will make room for you.." I'm sure with a little help from the creator of the Universe they will. 
​Sile

Confidence is sometimes hard to come by. If you're over confident then you look bad if you're under-confident that can be worse. Where do you reach that happy medium? You don't. You just do what you have to do to make something stick on the walls of success. But what is success? How do you determine if you achieved it? I don't know, but you just have to keep going. But what is it all for? We're dying a little bit each day so maybe in between our success and failure we truly should stop and smell the flowers. Relish our families. Show a loved one how much they are loved and appreciated. It's out of gratitude that our dreams will come true.
​Sile