Ang:

 

When Kiana and I started ProperTalks a year ago I was unemployed, living in a new city and in dire need of intellectual exchange. We really wanted to make a place that defied boundaries a bit — not just a political blog, or a lifestyle blog, or an entertainment blog, but a place where we could have the types of random, sometimes insightful, often hilarical conversations that people have in real life. We had talked about starting a blog as early as June of 08, but both of us are chronic procrastinators, so alas, ye olde weblog wasn’t up and running until November 10th, 2008.

 

A year later, I’m still unemployed, but I’m in grad school on a fellowship, so I like to think of it as a more legit kind of unemployment, lol. I really do think that this blog played a major part in me staying sane and focused as I worked freelance gigs and odd jobs (remember the doughnuts?) last year. I haven’t been blogging much recently because I’ve been focusing on my fiction writing, but never fear, I’m not leaving this site for good any time soon (sorry, suckas! :-p). There are a gazillion voices on these here Internets, but I’d like to think that Propertalks offers something unique. Judging by the growing numbers of return visitors and supporters who have contacted us, some of you out there think so, too. Thank you to all of you who comment faithfully, and big ups to all of you lurkers as well (we see you!).

 

Keeks: 

 

Last June when Angela and I started throwing out ideas I was fretting over silly stuff  ahem, boys  that had me in a bit of a ridiculous funk. I remember Angela suggesting that I throw myself into a blog as a distraction. I had no idea that by the time things got rolling here, I would really need one. This space has been incredibly cathartic during one of the most difficult periods of my life. Unexpectedly, a childhood friend and my aunt died.  And, I haven’t found the words to write about it here yet, but after 24 years my parents are divorcing; the entire ordeal has at times made me want to crawl in a hole and hide, indefinitely. Everything that I thought was set in stone doesn’t exist any longer and it’s painful.

 

Thankfully, PT is still here. Some of your comments, cross-links, or private emails and chats have lifted me in ways I could never actually explain. But for the record, Angela, Alicia, Dallas, G.D., Tony, I love y’all more than the number of times we mentioned ‘Obama’ on this here blog. Google that shit, we mentioned him a lot.

 

Also, special thanks to NerdLike, Safiya Beauty, Issa Rae, Bananaclipse, 20 Something Jaz, Barack’s Alter Ego and Rodd (we miss you homie!).

 

I’m not sure how this turned into something resembling a wack rappers’ liner notes but, seriously, thank you, to everybody who has ever dropped by.  

 

Now, because we stopped reading newspapers and practically cut off cable news we have nothing new to say today, here are a few posts from the last year that pissed some people off,  sparked great conversation, had us laughing out loud, and could one day help us land jobs we might actually enjoy:

 

A Shallow Girl’s Guide to the NBA Conference Finals Pt. 1: We use sexiness to predict who’s going to the Finals

 

Common’s Mid-life Crisis: Following her open letter to Rashid, Ang continues to question his questionable moves.

 

Viva la Skinny Jeans: They really aren’t that bad. N.W.A. use to wear them.

 

“Ghetto” Beyonce is Just More Fun:  The trouble with “Sasha Fierce”.

 

TI and Michael Vick – A Tale of Two Publicists 

 

Maia Campbell – The Pretty Face of Mental Illness

 

In Memory of My Grandmother and 25 Million More: Celebrating World AIDS Day

 

What Really Happened to Billy Joe Johnson?:  Did he commit suicide, or was he killed by the police during a routine traffic stop?

 

CREAM: Proper Talk’s Guide to Saving Cash in the Recession Part 4:  Tips on how to deal with with being broke.

 

Busta’s Arab Money- Hands Down Worst Video of the Year - Busta superimposes Yasir Arafat into his video, offends several ethnic groups, and lands on our shit list.

 

 

Tags: Ang and Keeks, Best of Propertalks, Blogoversary