Can Women Really Have It All? And at the same time?

Hello World!

You’ve heard those questions before, right? Can women really have it all? And at the same time? If you haven’t heard these questions before, I am referring to the desire for today’s modern women to be wives, mothers and career women. (For the record, these questions are not asked of men…)

These questions and answers were explored in the first episode of “Mary Mary,” the reality show featuring chart-topping gospel duo Mary Mary which will premiere on Thursday, March 29 at 10 p.m. on WE tv. (The reality show will officially start airing on Thursday, April 5 at 9 p.m.)  I went to the Atlanta premiere of the show which was held at Greater’s Travelers Rest Baptist Church in Decatur last week.

Mary Mary on the red carpet...

Between Erica & Tina Campbell (they are both married to unrelated men with the last name Campbell. Isn’t that cute?), they have two husbands, six (soon to be seven) children as Tina is pregnant, three Grammy Awards and a thriving career in the spotlight…

Erica Campbell, Rosie Pisani, vice president senior vice president of marketing for WE tv; Tina Campbell..

In the first episode, Mary Mary are presented with an opportunity to perform at Macy’s Great Christmas Tree Lighting concert on Thanksgiving Day. Mary Mary are excited about the the opportunity to perform in Atlanta in front of 100,000 people in Atlanta, as our city is a top city for their fans! However, Erica & Tina, the wives and mothers, are not too excited to be leaving their families on such a special holiday, particularly since Tina’s oldest daughter Laiah will be performing at a glee concert during that time…

Mama Braxton also came to the premiere...

 

There is also drama surrounding Erica’s pregnancy as she begins having contractions before a performance. (She has actually had a beautiful baby girl, Zaya Monique, since then who also attended the premiere:) And now Tina is pregnant!) And Mitchell, Mary Mary’s manager, and their sister known as Goo Goo, who is their stylist, have a confrontation! I won’t give it all away…but I will say that if Mitchell had his way, Goo Goo would be good and gone!

Nicci Gilbert formerly of the '90s R&B group Brownstone...

 

Viewers also get to know Erica & Tina’s mother Honey, who was their first choir director at Evangelistc Church of God in Christ in California. My grade of their first show: A. And I’m not saying it because they are a Christian group with their own reality show. I enjoyed the show because it was positive and had enough drama to get my attention. Plus, they are in their ’30s like me, and I appreciate that realistic black women (even if they are superstars) also have a voice in the sometimes unrealistic reality TV genre..More pics from the premiere are below…

Celebrity photographer Derek Blanks was in the house...

 

Comedian & Minister John Gray interviewed the duo about their new reality show...He was hilarious!

 

A pint-sized Mary Mary fan in her quest to win a door prize!

 

They also performed their new single "Go Get It." The album will be available on May 8.

 

Each person who attended the premiere was asked to bring a canned good, and the canned goods were donated to the Atlanta Community Food Bank.

 
Any thoughts?
 
 

In Honor of Beyoncé & New Year’s Resolutions…

Hello World,

Well, according to various news outlets Jay-Z & Beyoncé welcomed a daughter, either Ivy Blue or Blue Ivy, to the world last night in NYC.  Ivy Blue or Blue Ivy is definitely one of those celeb baby names akin to Apple, the name of actress Gwyneth Paltrow’s daughter with rocker Chris Martin of Coldplay. (Aside: one of my Facebook friends said maybe they got the name Ivy because Bey was born on Sept. 4, Jay was born on Dec. 4, and they got married on April 4 so IV or Ivy is a good number for the couple. ) And the couples are reportedly good friends! But that’s alright. I’m happy for them, and I cannot wait to see pics of their new bundle of joy!

Since this is January, the month of New Year resolution setting, I’ve decided to post this spoof of Beyoncé’s song “Countdown” entitled “Student Loan Countdown.” It is HIGHlarious, and I feel her pain. In case getting your financial house in order is one of your goals this year, this video may help point you in the right direction. I, for one, plan to pay down my student loan as quickly as possible so I can continue to build my nest egg instead of giving my hard-earned money away…

Any thoughts?

Retrospect: 2011 in Posts….

Hello World,

Wow, in just THREE DAYS, a New Year will be here! To me it is no coincidence that the New Year follows our celebration of the birth of Jesus. Once we discover and rediscover our Savior, life can begin anew…and so that is where we are three days before 2012 commences…

As has become my custom, I like to take the time to reflect on my year here on After the Altar Call and remind me and you of my favorite posts for every month of the year…So if you have a few minutes, take this journey with me…

January 2011 – Remember our snowstorm earlier this year?! We in the A were hemmed up for nearly a week!!! I wonder what God has in store for us as far as weather is concerned this winter – Divine Hem Ups aka Atlanta Snowstorm 2011

February 2011 – Although I have lived in the A since I was six years old, I went to the Bronner Bros.  International Hair show for the first time in February, and I took you with me! If you haven’t been yet, you definitely need to check it out!  See for yourself why – Saturday in the A – Featuring the Bronner Bros. International Hair Show

March 2011 – I pondered what happens when your girls start getting married and you’re not. This is an issue that continues to evolve as other issues continue to emerge – What To Do When You Friends Get Married

April 2011 – I got it poppin’ on After the Altar Call after I posted my thoughts on Anthony David’s song “God Said.” Tribute to God or Jesus it was not in spite of the title…And David stopped by here to speak his piece making for a very interesting discussion of 31 comments – Controversy – Anthony David’s “God Said” video…

 May 2011 – I wrote a tribute to my mama that I’m proud of. I rewrote Proverbs 31 to describe my mama-girl Alice May – Alice May, It’s Your Day (Happy Mother’s Day to All Mothers)

June 2011 – I “spoke” publicly about my book for the first time…I still cannot believe that in less than two months I will have the published copy in my hands…Goose.bumps. – 2011 Faith & Fiction Retreat aka Debuting My New Book!!!

July 2011 – In July, after a few revisions, my book cover was released…I love it so…what do you think? – The Vision I Had in My Head Debuting My New Book Cover Woo Hoo!!!

August 2011 – I was blessed to interview Dr. Alveda King, niece of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and daughter of his King’s younger brother Rev. A.D. King, about her uncle and his dream the week that the Martin Luther King Jr. National Memorial, which is located on the national Mall, was to be officially dedicated…But God had other plans…A hurricane made it necessary to postpone the dedication to later in the year – Let Freedom Ring: Dr. Alveda King Remembers Her Uncle Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

 September 2011 – In spite of the attack of the enemy, we are still here 10 years after September 11, 2001 – Remembering 9/11 10 Years Later…aka We Won’t Stop…

October 2011 – I never imagined when I began blogging in September 2008 that I would love blogging soooo much!!! And this year, I went to my first blogging convention where I was able to meet other bloggers who love it as much as I do 🙂 – Be Blogalicious! 

November 2011 – My line sister Lola Brown, who is a two-time breast cancer survivor, was featured on 11 Alive and TheGrio.com. Her full testimony is also featured in my book – My Line Sister is a Two-Time Breast Cancer Survivor Under 40 Years Old

December 2011 – And I was so elated to interview Kim Fields (Tootie from “Facts of Life” and Regine from “Living Single” last week!!! And wasn’t “Holiday Love” great?! I hope it becomes a Christmas classic! – Check out Kim Fields in her TV Christmas special “Holiday Love” airing on Christmas Day!!!

Any thoughts?