All About Them Mysteries.

Karolina Kurkova by Matt Jones

White women stare into the camera lens of their phones with an idea of themselves that will not, or won't change. If they feel their image thrust upon other women is the center of their powers they don't understand how change creates the flow pattern for the return of power to those whose powers were taken by aggression, mean spirits and a specific kind of envy. Power like water returns to its source. Land upon water is land upon water because water allowed land to surface from the below. Awareness is water and moves this way in our state of being alive.

White American women's assumptions of superiority are mere assumptions standing in the water which in itself is impossible to do unless one is standing in shallow waters. At what point does this type of womanhood stand in the depths of water with the grounded strength of being whole in a fluid form? This mystery is a riddle, the riddle being one of existence, and one to ask of the womb! - Gregory E. Woods, Keeper of Stories 6/30/18 


[I wrote this a few days before a stroke, and days after returning to the States from Puerto Rico.]

La Toya Seduction by Roland Dawson, the mystique. 

The mystique has long been an asset for a woman in cultures that held authoritive advantages over the influences of the feminine energies. It is a startling recollection to those among us not cognizant of the vast range of world history on this subject. Sometimes, Roland Dawson, you do this stirring of the intellect and the imagination in simple settings...

You imply a lot in little spaces. That is quite the gift your way of matching; no playing with the sensual tease and the intellect!.... - Gregory E. Woods, Keeper of Stories 11/30/18 

Perspective: FREEDOM Sought.

Motorcycle. Steed Babe circa. 2005 

model this bike for Steed Musclebike Motorcycle Co. 

has quite the drawing power!

"... Strength in the woman that has what draws men nigh unto her bosom is captivated by what is weak within the structure of men's illusions. The machines enhancing, or representative of male force add and create power to the image of the Western male. Strength and power are not from image, but structures based in the revolving and circulatory forces of Nature from Creation in the present..."

- Gregory E. Woods, Keeper of Stories 12/19/18 

"Allure and appeal intertwine on a nice ride similar to the way pleasantness, and appreciation fuel the imagination as an observer." - Dawn Wolf, Keeper of Stories 12/20/18

The aloneness of space isn't a substitute for being quiet within. It initiates this state of being in silence. - Gregory E. Woods, Keeper of Stories 2/20/18 




Female Motorcycle Riders

Independence by Fusion Photo. 2015.

This photo, and the intelligent way it was crafted takes me back to American history 101:

"... Property and substance, in European history as we Indians and Africans learned, were separate, and ne'er were the two to merge into white women's concepts of self, or fuel their esteem. It was hundreds of years before simple declarations like: 'Property of NO ONE' were embedded into their daughters. The dangers are current. The fears earlier white women felt are current. They have gone nowhere. They hid, and now the push for liberation, and freedom of expression..." -Gregory E. Woods, Keeper of Stories 12/20/18 

TO Remember!

"Only when we embrace ourselves is when we will truly love who we are." Typical of the culture online is the lack of courtesy. There is not mention of the author of this observation. - Gregory E. Woods, Keeper of Stories 

images of Marilyn Monroe.

A Riddle to Existence 

"Men dream high, and live with what, or who they need. In terms of marriage or women pursued the women men settle for, or need are not the ones they fantasize about (dreams are too far from truth), but the ones who choose them." 

Gregory E. Woods, 

Keeper of Stories 

November 7, 2018 

Jenny F. back in 2011 stood in this open field. There is no mistaking how wonderful she is, nor is there a dispute about how. What is perplexing is how honesty seems to win out when there is no lie! 

Dance of the West African woman's body is intelligent knowing of...

He Who Controls the Images. . .

Dove ad released October 2017.

Did Dove Just Call Me Dirty?

The actress Danielle Brooks responds to the company's offensive ad. 

By Danielle Brooks

October 9, 2017

"Scrub your knees. Don't forget your elbows. Use more soap," my mother would say as she checked in on my six-year-old self in the bathtub. She knew my body was dirty from all the sticky germs I'd gathered on the playground or at gymnastics practice. Yet even as she ordered me and my brother to use more soap, she never once made us feel that our skin color was dirty.

You might be thinking to yourself, Well, of course she didn't. What kind of mother would make her children feel that way? But the sad fact is that no matter how much adults like my mom built us up and made us feel pride in who we were and what we looked like, there was always a sneaky, vicious monster out there, determined to knock us right back down. That same monster has been whispering in the ears of little brown and black children since before my great-grandmother's time, telling us that the color of our skin makes us dirty.

As much as I've worked to armor myself, to defang that monster and keep it at bay, it ambushed me again yesterday morning, as if to remind me of my vulnerability.

I was scrolling Twitter, as I do every morning during my rise-and-grind routine — catching up on the latest news from Variety and The Hollywood Reporter; scanning to see what funny video has gone viral in the middle of the night, what crazy rant 45 is on now — when something disturbing caught my eye. An advertisement. Four images. Two women: one black, one white. The black woman happily peels off her brown top, which is the exact same color as her skin, to reveal a smiling white woman in a white top. In the bottom right corner of each image is a bottle of Dove body wash.

I pause. Scratch my head. Think for a minute. Wait. Dove, you want me to believe that using your soap will turn my skin into that of a white woman? No — that can't be it. You want me to believe being black isn't clean? You want me to believe that black = dirt and white = purity and using your soap will make me clean? Got it. You're telling me my skin, the deep, rich melanin that I was born with and cannot change, is filthy. Got it.

That's painful.

That stings.

And Dove, I understand that you've apologized for your racist, "missed the mark" ad. Good for you; we should apologize when we offend others. But do you even know what you are apologizing for? I appreciate your expression of "deep regret," but what is it exactly that you regret?

Do you regret that your ad has caused controversy, that people were offended by the ad? Do you regret the negative publicity? The potential damage to your bottom line?

Or do you regret that you put this racist piece of nonsense out into the world? That, apparently, not one person in your organization even questioned its insidious message before approving it for release? That you put it onto Facebook with its platform of two billion users? That you fed that monster of my childhood and gave it the strength to whisper into the ears of another generation of children born a rainbow of shades? Do you own it?

Do you regret that you've labeled one of your products a "nourishing lotion for normal to dark skin"? Do you even have black people on your marketing and advertising team?

Do you regret becoming the most recent addition to the historical legacy of detergent companies using racist images to sell their soap?

In the past, you have shown your commitment to "thoughtfully representing women of color." I even participated in one of those ad campaigns myself, and I was proud to be a part of it. Do you regret taking that feeling from me?

You were disrespectful, Dove. Thank you for the apology, because I was hurt by this. Thank you for reminding me that it's not only about seeing more representation. The way in which we see representation is what truly matters. And thank you for reminding me that the whispering monster still lives, that it has not been vanquished. Thank you for reminding me that the "Black Girl Magic" and "My Melanin Is Poppin" T-shirts and jewelry I rock aren't just statements of pride. They are armor, armor against the sneak attacks like the one I experienced over my breakfast yesterday.

Danielle Brooks is an actress, singer, activist, and designer.

Elegant lady, Danielle Brooks. photo by Matt Sayles.

Woman to Woman!

Helen Mirren Praises Kim Kardashian For Being 'Shameless And Proud

Queen of cool, Dame Helen Mirren has praised stars of today – namely Kim Kardashian – for changing societies perceptions of what is beautiful and acceptable for women.
In an interview with The Telegraph, the Dame revealed that while she is not a fan of the Kardashian’s per se, she loves the way Kim, along with other stars including JLO and Madonna, have "raised their middle fingers to this epithet of 'slut'".
"I’m not into the Kardashians – it’s a phenomenon I just don’t find interesting, but – and this is the big word: B-U-T-T – it’s wonderful that you’re allowed to have a butt nowadays," she said.

"Thanks to Madame Kardashian, and before her, JLO. We’re also allowed to have thighs now, which is great too. It’s very positive."

The 70-year-old actress says that when she was growing up, it was deemed "unbelievably sluttish to even have a bra strap showing".

"Everything was about women conforming. I love shameless women. Shameless and proud!"

by Jessica Bosco

Helen Mirren as contemplation is either an ideal, or the sensuality she exudes is a whiff of confidence born of an assurance she will perform in life, as well as on film excellently. Also, she's beautiful! - Dawn Wolf, Keeper of Stories 

Elizabeths

Elizabeth Montgomery, actress in the 1970's! 

Elizabeth Taylor's pearl white skin and peculiar eyes tinted not by light, or sun but by something in between...

Elizabeth Hurley in a barn.

Elizabeth Keene, fashion blogger windswept in white (June 2014)

Elizabeth Banks, actress 

Elizabeth Perkins was born on November 18, 1960,

in the borough of Queens, New York, and was raised in Vermont.

What A Story!

The Sports Illustrated model issue in February in the beginning was suspected to be sacrilegious. Sports is one of the religions with an unfair amount of absurdity to its structure and as a practice: dangerous. The danger of this religion is the overriding contradiction it enjoyed for a long time that men declared in the spirit of domination! This empowering emotion took pleasure excluding women from the inner sanctum in front of the family TV on any Sunday!

When women stepped outside of their prescribed assignment: serving food and drinks and retiring to another room men would typically get upset because their mental focus on the screen was incapable of venturing in but one direction. When the idea of making bikini clad white models the focus of the holy text of 'the' American sports magazine for February, a lot of men were upset! That was what Playboy was for; not this publication! 

And then was the threat that wives would take exception at the growing excitement, and acceptance of this issue as sensual stimuli legitimized by the respectability of Sports Illustrated! What happened was a bonus! The issued became the proverbial pat upon the head! Wives decided to let their husband's this one pleasure, in part; I suspect, because it was very public. Without secrecy sensuality in this medium was given a status Playboy could not, did not have! Wives could live with this and be amused at the same time.

Over time, the monthly display of flesh in the sun during the worst of winter time blues was welcome and the models began to come from other ethnic groups, straying not far from the white standard of beauty.

It all comes together in this one publication. Western contradictions abound upsetting cultures around the globe. Despite the turmoil Europe created in the images and perception of Beauty, womanhood, and sex they've mysteriously taken over the images that dominate and control billions of people's concept of self in this monthly issue!

It is a powerful demon, at best. It comes alive much like Lazarus from the dead with each publication of the Sports Illustrated's swimsuit magazine, in February. What a story!

- Gregory E. Woods, Keeper of Stories
Jan. 22, 2018

Sports Illustrated model Genevieve Morton in the 2014 swimsuit issue.

Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue cover has been revealed for 2015, and it stars none other than Hannah Davis.

Sports Illustrated model Ariel Meredith (2013)

To See I see.

a Black woman's dream of herself captured by Roland Dawson.

Women pose, I imagine, for a variety of reasons that may or may not be out of vanity. In front of professional photographers it may be for an opportunity to trust an artist to see within her who she doesn't see on a regular basis reflected in her relationships with others! Maybe. It may be for the simple pleasure of expression and nothing more! The reasons matter, but the outcome and how it was achieved can become works of art in the perception of self. If others admire it; it is good, but how one sees themselves evokes the most thought! - Gregory E. Woods, Keeper of Stories 9/6/17 

Big Girls Don't Cry!

Big girl by Roland Dawson! December 2017.

Big girls today often receive veiled compliments saturated with pity for being big; at the same time sounding grateful for their beauty, making over exaggerated exclamations to sound like they approve of the weight, and make sounds like they enjoy looking at a big woman's fashion sense! The truth is many women struggle with how big, big women are because they want to live up to a standard of beauty that defies who they really are physically.

What a conflict!

It is acceptable to pose as a tolerant person and being overweight is considered the worse state to be in, so how do women justify sounding appreciative of big women? It is a big dilemma of the modern American woman. We see it all the time on television. It is absurd, and pitiful to a lot of us men. We like what we like and a lot of us simply like big women. 

It is hard to tell if there is envy or pity in tolerant people pushed into a corner to be accepting.

I wish for authenticity to be found by them at some point in their lives, but people are afraid of it. - Gregory E. Woods, Keeper of Stories 12/28/17

"... [This] big legged Black woman's joy isn't from the hip fashionable panel dress weaving a glorious way around her body, it is the simplicity of how fine she feels, how  fine she is..." - Gregory E. Woods, Keeper of Stories 

Women like this short thick sensuous creature, lurks in the back of men's mind the way the thought of being accepted for who one is, revolves around the story of need! - Dawn Wolf, Keeper of Stories

Dashikis worn by these women are far removed from Black pride, or power. They are just sexually appealing on ideal body types. - Gregory E. Woods, Keeper of Stories 

Tanya Taylor

Look into Black White People tomorrow.

21st century look and image of the Black woman. How many steps backwards is this? 

- Gregory E. Woods, Keeper of Stories 12/19/17