February 14, 2007
Two weeks ago, I talked about sexual abuse. Some said I was pretty graphic, but we live in a visual society and my goal is not to focus so much on my delivery as I would like the focus to be on my message.
I’d like to take some time to talk about appropriate attire. Now I know I could go to image consultant Ramona Logan of Image Advantage or Debra Jones of Jones 2000, but I am capable of focusing on a few things.
Let’s start with hair rollers. Why wear them outside? And if you have to, why not put a scarf on? This is really simple. No need for me to go into long explanations. Some things are best left inside.
Like bedroom slippers, or some call them “house slippers.”
Well, guess what, it does not take a college degree or even a high school diploma to understand what the purpose of the slipper is. They are clearly described as “bedroom” or “house.” So why would you step out to the supermarket in those slippers? No need for explanations.
Just imagine that you are walking down the street, into stores, at the gas station and any number of other places where people are throwing trash, spitting (we definitely have to talk about this later), urinating and doing a number of other things. Then there are also animals out there leaving their marks.
Your slippers have become a magnet for all of those germs that you eventually bring right into your house. You prop your feet up on the coffee table or your bed with those same filthy, nasty slippers.
Have I said enough?
And what about your pajamas? Oh, you’re just stepping out for a minute, but you’re bringing all kind of filth back into the sanctity of your home.
Which brings me to bathing. I guess I have seen enough of those CSI-type shows that I have become overly sensitive about this issue.
Whatever you do, don’t go to bed at night without bathing or showering. You may say that you like showering in the morning. Well, take one in the morning and again at night then! And I don’t mean this for just your time of the month—which is definitely a time when you take as many as you have to, but especially one before bed and before you go out into the world. That smell is no joke, but you will become the target of jokes if you smell.
You see, when you go out in the world, you are just collecting DNA from everyone you come into contact with. Even when you are talking to someone, depending on how close they are to you, they can splatter saliva on you and your clothes.
If you don’t take a bath at night, you are getting into the bed with all the crud of the day, so you are really sleeping with a lot of demons. I know that sounds extreme, but just think about the people you come into contact with and how there are just some folks you don’t want to take to bed with you.
Of course you change your sheets twice a week, or at least once. And by no means do you let anyone coming off the street plop themselves on your bed. And you should not let them come off the street and open your refrigerator door or take the lids off your pots.
People can be a trip. You don’t know where their hands have been and that’s really not the issue. If they don’t have the decency to wash their hands, don’t feel bad about calling them out.
Now when you go to bed, you need to feel fresh and clean. You may not wash your hair every night, especially if you are of African descent, but tie it up. And there are sprays that you can use to help sanitize things. You will sleep better, believe me when I tell you. As you get older, you will appreciate your home more.
Don’t let anyone take your pleasure away by disrespecting your home and don’t you disrespect it by taking things out of the house that belong inside and bringing things inside that don’t belong there!
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