Recently in Relationships Category

4/18/8 Update: You know. I had a day to think about this, AGAIN. And I put myself in the other couples' position. I would be pissssed...lol, if I knew Serena Williams sent out mass emails on behalf of my competitor in a contest trip to Jamaica. Who knows how many thousands of people she has on her mailing list...?? I felt kind of guilty, after I posted this post, but I left it up. I guess that's the softy in me. Steve should just send them all, and give the top winner the honeymoon suite. *sniff.sniff*

This is an e-mail from 'Serena Williams Official Site' Message: Hello All, Now you know I love to write on my blog about relationships. I know of this couple that truly embodies love, devotion, and respect for one another. The guy in the relationship name is James. He does everything in his power to make sure Kimdra is undyingly pleased with him and their relationship. Kimdra as most of us women gives James the utmost respect and relishes his love for her. This is the type of relationship we all wish for and one day we all will have! I received word today that James and Kimdra are in a contest to win a wedding and reception in Jamaica!!!! This would be the ultimate gift to a couple that works diligently to uphold openness, thoughtfulness, love, and respect throughout their relationship. So, please go read Kimdra P. and James A.’s relationship story and vote for them to win the Ultimate Jamaica Wedding Contest via the link below. http://www.steveharvey.com/weddingcontestvote Xoxo, Serena

Here are current results:

Kimdra P. age 23 and James A. age 25
Farmington Hills, MI

Votes:6492

Chidonna B. age 36 & Larry W. age 35
Columbia, SC

Votes:5394

Melissa W. age 27 & Lester J. age 29
Kansas City, MO

Votes:2791

Looks like they're going to have to name their first born after Serena if they win this honeymoon to Jamaica...lol

Follow the jump to read their contest profile, and go to the site to vote for then at the link if you are touched by their love story.

Newlyweds Kelli Edwards, Scott Halyard IV, and Emily Jones, Preston McGowan were listed in the January 20th Weddings/Celebrations section of The New York Times. I had saved that section of the newspaper and forgotten about it. Now that St. Valentine's Day approaches, I thought the time would be appropriate to introduce them.

One habit I have, and why, I am not totally sure, is when I check the wedding section of newspapers, I check to see if any black people I know were recently hitched, and of those who do marry and are listed, I look to see if it appears as if the in-laws on both sides are still married. Sometimes in-laws aren’t together and still have the same name, but if they are located at two different residences, this is a clue that they may not be together.

I guess my point is, and my thinking is with all of the divorces, single, and alternative parenting we have in this country, it is revitalizing to see two people who love one another starting a life together with a complete family unit. Both have parents who from what I can ascertain who are still together. If they should decide to have children, both are educated, gainfully employed, and appear to be able to afford whatever number of children they decide to have.

I am not suggesting people who don’t marry and come from broken homes or lack advanced degrees don’t have a chance to experience a successful marriage. There are living examples of people who do just fine and surround us everyday, and some of us are testimonies to the fact that a lack of an advanced education or cohesive extended family or an average paying job aren’t indicators of a life of failure and doom.

However, it is hard to deny, with these factors (education, career, family) in place, these two lovely couples are already starting out with an enormous advantage. And these factors should be stressed more within our community.

Read Emily Jones, Preston McGowan Announcement & Watch Video

Kelli Edwards, Scott Halyard IV Annoucement

Photo Credit:

Left: Photo of Edwards & Halyard, NY Times/Shawn Connell/Christian Oth Photography
Right: Photo of Jones & McGowan, NY Times/

Dekalb County police officer, Teresa Shover admitted using classified law enforcement computers to look up personal information of Samara Ferguson and mailed “Homewrecker” flyers to the woman’s friends and family. She wrote “Ashamed!” and three bible verses across the flyer. Ferguson's driver license photo was used.

Shover found out her ex-husband, Tony Shover was dating Ferguson and wanted to get even. The officer has received a 5-week suspension. Her superiors stopped her before things really got out of hand, and that's a good thing before someone wound up hurt.

Should someone like this remain on the police force or should she be re-assigned? Should we hold cops to a higher standard than say a grocery store clerk? She is supposedly getting counseling, hopefully it helps her to move on. READ MORE... WATCH VIDEO

Fox News reports Davita Fuller, 26, of Indiana was arrested on charges she gave her 11-year-old daughter alcohol and marijuana as a birthday gift.

According to reports, she offered beer and weed to her daughter and the daughter's friends. The daughter accepted and it has not been reported on whether the friends followed suit.

Another case of whatdahellwasshethinking? READ MORE...

Photo Credit: FOX59.com

According to the Press Association, Shanell Monique Mosley, 33, is accused of traveling to Nigeria to meet a guy she met on the Internet, and leaving eight children at home with little food or money. The children’s ages ranged from 1-16 years old.

Authorities met Mosley after she exited an Air France jet in Houston.

This is a travesty. There were not any nappies, baby food or formula, and authorities reported rotting food was found and there were not any sheets on the beds. The children were found starving and are currently in foster homes.

This all occurred around New Year’s Eve. Cleary, this woman was living in a fantasy land. A glaring example of lunacy + mind control + penis power…whatdahell was thinking?

The rates of teen pregnancies are decreasing increasing overall, but there are still teens living the life a single parent, or married with children, and now that the baby is here still have problems to face.

Therefore, if you are a single teen parent and need, some questions answered about issues and concerns, which affect your life, please send us your letters or questions. We will post them anonymously for other people who have been in your shoes to answer.

We just ask that you include your age and city and state. The reason we request city and state, is in case you have questions, which require referrals to services in your area. Any names you list in your correspondence will be changed. I hope that someone will be able to provide helpful suggestions. Send email with “Teen Parenting Questions” in the subject line of your email. We're not social services professionals, but someone can provide life experience examples, which may help.

Check out this babies having babies story: Article: Teen pregnancies in Q-C region: Baby starts new role for teenage mom

Update 12/5/7: How ironic it is that after I write this article, this evening I see a news headline “First Rise in U.S. Teen Births Since '91.” READ MORE...from the U.S. News & World Report.

Both sites are filled with real concerns and advice from real people, not politically correct answers typical of relationship columns in various publications. There is a male companion site www.DearBlackWoman.com.

My preconceived notion was: Oh no....not another black male bashing site. But I found it to be more of a tool for dialogue to some serious concerns black woman have about black men. Visitors can submit open letters for response, hopefully by the opposite sex. There is a message forum also. The men's site appears to be younger and developing.

My biggest questions for both men and women would be 1) Why don't we marry? 2) Why do we have children first, then maybe school, then maybe, maybe marriage? I struggle with answering those questions. I think it is time to stop using slavery as an excuse. Check them out.

Photo Credit: Xbox.com

There is nothing more unattractive or hurtful to my eyes than a grown man spending time with his Xbox. Correction... a grown man and his grown friends hogging the TV, huddled around the living room furniture or floor playing Xbox for hours. I do not think I could ever marry or date an XBoxer. When I was growing up, we had Atari, that was fun, and I outgrew it. Then along came Nintendo, Game Boy, and other games. At some point, we are supposed to outgrow these games, right?

The reason I mention Xbox is, that it plays a role in the strain in many relationships. Some men are addicted to playing Xbox games, and do not even realize it. Addicted? When many people think of addiction, they think of gambling, alcohol, drugs, shopping, food, or perhaps even sex addictions, but gamer addiction is growing, especially online gaming. Many people are in denial and do not seem to think they have a problem. They rationalize and say things like, “Well, I am not out cheating,” or “At least you know where I am. I am at home with you,” or worst, “I’m just having harmless fun.”