2 min read
Why The Girl Next Door is Black?
Well, often when people reference “girl next door” they’re not talking about someone black. Here’s what may be shocking news: sometimes, the girl next door is…black. I know, it’s a lot to wrap one’s head around. Let it sink in. You okay? Alright, cool.
I thought about naming this blog: “You Talk Like a White Girl,” or “Uppity Negress,” but I didn’t think either of those really captured me, nor did I want to scare people off; they make me laugh though.
Ultimately, just like everyone else, black people have varied interests, concerns, backgrounds and experiences. We even get darker with prolonged exposure to the sun!
On TGNDIB you’ll find posts on everything from travel to pop culture to my triumphs and travails in daily life to race and gender (I’m a black woman living in the US; it’s unavoidable) and other socio-political issues. It’s rare that I don’t have an opinion on something.
Who am I?
I’m Keisha (“Kee-shuh”, not to be confused with Ke$ha). I live in Los Angeles San Francisco, California, but I made my way here via a looooooong journey through several states, beginning with New York, a pit stop in the South, and some quality time in Texas (which most Texans will say is not “The South, it’s Texas!”).
I’m told a smart woman never reveals her age, and even though I don’t really care, I’ll play coy and say that depending on who’s doing the categorizing I’m in generation X or generation millennial. Make of that what you will.
I love to quote rap lyrics. Have you listened to rap? These dude/ettes have the most hilarious one liners. I could probably hold an entire conversation just quoting rap songs.
I also like food and I can be snobby about it (but not snooty, there is a difference); whether I actually have good taste is debatable. Sweet and salty foods together are a winning combo. I recommend Sour Patch Kids and butter popcorn.
Alfred Hitchcock movies are awe.some (but, I still haven’t seen Psycho or The Birds. “What? How is that possible?!” I know, right?).
And, in keeping with my gender’s stereotype: I love shoes. They are a gift sent from…well, whatever force you believe is responsible for all that is good in the world.
I am sometimes sarcastic (some would say “witty”). My humor tends to lean either dry or straight up goofy. People who don’t understand sarcasm might say I’m trying to be funny to cover being mean. I say, “nah,” but you can decide for yourself when you read my posts.
I have taken to making up words. The English language, for as many words as it contains, lacks some essential expressions to capture the depth of things. Have you ever tried describing the relationship between you and your mother’s cousin’s daughter’s husband? There should be a word for that! Like Momdauhus! It even looks German! Did you know we use a lot of German expressions in English?.
That’s great and all, but fifty-eleven people have a blog, why should I read yours?
If you*:
- Like to have your thoughts provoked
- Love a great conversation
- Enjoy grins & giggles
- Want to be my neighbor
- Are sitting in a cubicle, in a meeting, or at home bored
then this is the blog for you!
*None of these are mutually exclusive
Thank you for taking the time to visit! Lovely to have you. Leave a comment if you like what you read; I love to hear from people!
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Last Updated: February 2016
October 3, 2015
Great blog! Being a new blogger, I’m sure I can learn from your blog 🙂
October 5, 2015
Thanks so much! 🙂
June 18, 2015
I am so glad I found your little corner of the internet. I love your blog.
June 19, 2015
Yay, thanks Megan! 🙂
April 19, 2015
Hey! Found your blog from Twitter’s #SundayBlogShare. I, too, am an uppity negress, lol! Nice to meet you 🙂
April 19, 2015
Haha! *waves*
March 19, 2015
Sorry about the name mix-up Keisha. That’s precisely what happens when you’re writing and watching Scandal at the same time. It seems I may not have writer’s block after all. 😉
April 5, 2015
Haha. No worries. 🙂
March 4, 2015
How are we not friends? I giggled the entire time I read this. You wooed me with your wit and proper grammar. You are now my friend in my head and I shall cyber-stalk you and you’ll just have to deal.
March 4, 2015
Aw, thanks; love this! Please cyber-stalk away! Gonna check out your blog too! 🙂
February 17, 2015
‘We even get darker with prolonged exposure to the sun!’
HAHA awesome x
February 18, 2015
😉
February 7, 2015
Next time in San Francisco, please, I have got to take you to lunch or for drinks. Or for something.
February 8, 2015
Yes, I’m down! 🙂
January 30, 2015
I am on that Gen X/Millenial cusp as well. It’s nice to be able to identify with either generation whenever I feel like switching it up:)
You have a very interesting, upbeat blog!
January 31, 2015
Yay, anoher one! I like this cusp thing – even though sometimes I feel we’re overlooked.
Thank you for the nice compliment!
January 17, 2015
Hi Keisha. I really love your blog, as well as your sense of humour, and would love to nominate you for the Versatile Blogger award. http://edwinasepisodes.com/2015/01/17/episode-110-the-versatile-blogger-award/
January 19, 2015
Thanks so much, Edwina! I am flattered! I will check it out. 🙂
January 10, 2015
I like Uppity Negress. lol. I tell people here I am that bourgie or “stush” black girl. Deal with that!
January 11, 2015
lol! (What’s a “stush” girl?)
December 22, 2014
Hey Keisha, I really enjoyed reading your posts about you and your adventures setting yourself up as you moved around. Love your humour too! I look forward to reading more.
December 23, 2014
Thanks, Misty! I hope you enjoy your stay. 😉
November 29, 2014
I feel exhausted by outrage about the Ferguson farce of a grand jury. The transcripts point to major prosecutorial sleight-of-hand but what’s going to happen? Zip. And people are moving on despite the nationwide stats about what the police do and are and have become. That’s one reason I wrote my 25th book: http://tinyurl.com/lj8s7lu.
November 23, 2014
Hello Keisha and thanks for the visit and follow on my blog. I’m looking forward to seeing more of your work here too.
Cheers 🙂
November 23, 2014
Likewise, Norm. I like your humor!
November 21, 2014
Hello Keisha! It’s so nice to know more about you. You have a great blog. Thank you for following mine. 😀
November 21, 2014
Thanks for following, Vashti! Glad to connect with another blogger.
November 21, 2014
It’s a pleasure meeting you! Wonderful blog! I look forward to reading about more of your adventures.
November 12, 2014
Thank you for the follow! Glad you stopped by so that we can be blogging neighbors.
November 12, 2014
🙂
November 11, 2014
Love your stories and humor (Also love San Francisco)
Greetings from a old white geezer that could have been living next door. 🙂
November 11, 2014
Haha! Hello “old white geezer”, thank you! 🙂
November 9, 2014
Totally love this ! New to the blogging world and so happy I found this on Sitsgirls !
November 10, 2014
Thanks! Welcome to the blogging world! I hope you enjoy it. 🙂
November 5, 2014
Hello…
I was recently ‘told off’ by a blogger (not a follower I might add), who said my style of ‘welcome’ note was very much against blogging etiquette. Hmm, well I hope not to cause offence, but as you volunteered to become a follower of Uncle Spike’s Adventures, I just wanted to catch up and say “thank you, and that I appreciate your ‘follow’ as there are so many interesting and entertaining blogs out there.
Blogging since June 2013, my aim is to deliver an eclectic offering of posts, from my ‘point n shoot’ attempts at basic photography, to the sharing of my travel adventures over the decades, as well as day to day happenings here on our farm in Turkey. Oh, plus a few observations, opinions and lighter-hearted stuff thrown in for good measure.
I normally keep to a couple of posts a day, maybe 3-4 at weekends if I have something special to share. But if you are at a loose end one day, maybe you’ll enjoy trawling through some of my older stuff too. I have added plenty of categories to help in said digging process. That’s not me trying to be pushy or ‘spamming’, but just want you to know what I’m all about.
Thanks again and hope you have a great day…
UNCLE SPIKE
November 2, 2014
Glad you linked to he hobnob and that I got introduced to your blog. Loved reading about you.
-Priyam @http://priyam-simplejoys.blogspot.com
November 3, 2014
Thanks, Priyam! 🙂
November 1, 2014
You are hysterical! You can live next door to me anytime!! I highly recommend Birds and Psycho. They are both worth the time!!
Glad I found your blog!!!
November 1, 2014
Thanks, Heather! I know eventually I will get around to watching those two films, I just gotta prepare myself for the nightmares that are sure to follow. 😉
November 1, 2014
Hi Keisha. Thanks so much for liking my blog. I enjoyed reading about you, and love your sense of humour. I too like to use a bit of sarcasm at times (mind you, being English, I think it is in my blood)! I will definitely be visiting your blog again soon. All the best!
November 2, 2014
Hi Edwina, thank you! I hope you do come back for a visit. 🙂
Great name, btw! I think it was just on a list of names that should make a comeback.
November 2, 2014
Edwina is actually my middle name and apparently it was the name of a mad aunty of my mum’s! Still. as old-fashioned as it is, I think it’s quite pretty. Yes, it should make a come-back 🙂
November 2, 2014
It is very pretty. Dignified.
Lol @ “Mad Aunty.” I find that I am reading your comments in a British accent (in my head, out loud – I am terrible). I know someone that I think would qualify as a mad aunty. I think that from now on, I will refer to her as “mad aunty” and use a (terrible) British accent when I say it. 🙂
November 2, 2014
Ha Ha! Would love to hear that.Anyway doesn’t everyone have a mad aunty, somewhere in family (probably hidden away somewhere though)! I am a mad aunty myself to 10 nephews and nieces, and make it my business to try and show them up every now and again!
November 2, 2014
Yes, but I would just call her a “crazy aunt.” “Mad Aunty” has more…flourish. 🙂 (Goodness, 10 nephews and nieces!)
October 31, 2014
I don’t care if you’re black, or white, or (just having seen Wicked) green. I might draw the line at purple, though (except those aliens in Avatar were rather attractive. But maybe they were blue). What I mean to say is that I like this post and I like your humor. I’m a poor white boy who lived in New York and Southern California and, if you don’t mind, plan on following you for awhile.
November 1, 2014
Haha! Thanks, Emilio! I hope that you enjoy your time on my blog.
October 31, 2014
Thanks so much for stoping by and liking my post
October 31, 2014
Sure! I like seeing what other bloggers are up to. 🙂
October 29, 2014
I love Alfred Hitchcock too & yet I haven’t seen “The Birds” or “Psycho” either!! I thought I was the only one. 🙂
October 31, 2014
Lol, how funny! We are kindred Alfred Hitchcock fan-spirits (if that’s a thing). 🙂 I am holding out on The Birds and Psycho because I’m fairly certain both will give me nightmares. Hehe
November 1, 2014
Same!!!
November 1, 2014
Hehehe
October 27, 2014
Thank you so much for liking my post. Not just because I like getting likes but because your blog is amazing. I kinda wanted to say this privately because i didn’t want to make the other bloggers jeleous…
I haven’t been this excited about a new (to me) blog in a while. So thank you. Alot.
October 28, 2014
​That is an epic compliment. Thank you!! I hope you continue to like what you read. I enjoyed what I read of your blog so far. 🙂
October 24, 2014
Hey there, thanks so much for your recent comment on my piece on Aidichie. I LOVE your blog and will absolutely be following you in the future. Actually, what you’re doing here sort of reminds me of what her character did in Americanah 😉 Keep up the good work!
Ashley
October 24, 2014
It’s funny you say that about Americanah. When I read some of the “blog entries” in the book, I found it so similar to my line of thinking it was weird. Thanks for the kind comment! 🙂
October 17, 2014
This is awesome. And I love the name of your blog.
October 17, 2014
Thanks so much for dropping in and leaving such a nice comment!
October 16, 2014
Love your blog! I’m so glad you enjoyed my recent post – otherwise I wouldn’t have found you. 🙂 Keep it up!
October 17, 2014
Thanks! 🙂
October 15, 2014
You go girl; love the attitude; love the free spirit;
Thanks fro stopping by my blog ; I look forward to following yours
October 16, 2014
Thank you! 🙂
October 15, 2014
Your blog looks super cute! I completely relate to you, and I too describe myself as a late genXer/early millennial (depending on who’s asking and what they’re talking about). It really is a unique place to reside in this world. I also quote rap lyrics, just because… lol. Great website!
October 15, 2014
Yay, another in-betweener! 🙂 Thank you!
October 14, 2014
This was fun! It’s like we did lunch without either of us eating or being present. I feel like I’ve made a friend. High five!
Looking forward to reading more 🙂
October 14, 2014
What a clever description. Love that. Thanks for your kind words! 🙂
October 2, 2014
Love the name of your blog and the idea behind it 🙂
October 2, 2014
Thank you! 🙂
March 8, 2013
I don’t Follow every blogger who Follows me, but your About has totally grabbed me… so much of it could •be• me, despite being white and not a fan of the sound of rap enough to listen for the lyrics. Mmm, hmm. Thanks for checking out I Call It My Art. I look forward to digging into TGNDIB.
March 8, 2013
Haha, thanks, I appreciate that! Hope you enjoy. 🙂
October 7, 2012
Rap? Even white girls uhrm, women of a certain age, have been known to wax lyrical about the poetry of rap, especially to her younger, hipper friends! Nice to meet another aficionado – and thanks for the follow – I can see I’ve got some Tanzania reading to do. 🙂
October 7, 2012
lol, thanks for following. 🙂
August 21, 2012
You are off & running! Lovin’ the blog and the swanky acronym. Can’t wait to read more…
August 21, 2012
Thanks wanderkat 🙂
August 13, 2012
Woo hoo! You got your blog set up so quickly and you have CONTENT!! It took me months to get to this point. Can’t wait to read the musings of the sassy black girl next door. xoxo
August 14, 2012
Thanks for your support, Eileen! 🙂
August 13, 2012
Love it!
August 13, 2012
Thanks, Heidi! 🙂