Sep 23
0

I Don’t Wanna Grow Up

By | Baby Jade, Blog, Uncategorized | No Comments

From the time I could remember, I have always loved magic. Growing up a Disney kid, I was swept away with the idea of castles, princes, princesses, curses, villains (who I always seemed to have an affinity for), duels, fairies, and EVERYTHING else I haven’t mentioned.
I’d dream of being part of a mystical world where the fight for good and evil was apparent yet much simpler than the reality we live in today. And where good always, ALWAYS triumphs.
Lately, my dreams are more realistic as the ABC show “Once Upon A Time” embodies everything I’ve listed in a world I am dying to one day join, but enjoy in my dreams……for now.
Unfortunately, the world we live in doesn’t allow for such thinking. We’re told, as we get older, that magic doesn’t exist and we’re supposed to “grow up”. To which I gladly throw up my middle finger. My inner Peter Pan wouldn’t allow it anyway.
I don’t question whether or not I’m right anymore, I just accept it as who I am: that I do in fact, believe in magic.
As an artist, be it actor, writer, director etc. an imagination is our most powerful tool and source for coming up with ideas to put to the screen. The bigger the imagination the more inventive the idea. It was when I decided that film was my life that I knew that remaining child like would be an asset. I’ll take it!
Moral of this blog is don’t listen to others. Who on earth is going to know more about what you need than yourself.

*Thank you for continuously reading my blogs. For more content check out my YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/c/bethlehemawate*

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Xo, B

Sep 11
0

Namaste

By | Baby Jade, Blog, Uncategorized | No Comments

What I’m starting to realize about life is, we get from it that which we give.
In my line of work, I stay up late and wake up early (for the most part). When I do wake, the first thing I do is check my phone/email for assignments and deadlines. Many times, not eating or drinking anything til I’ve set my days’ itinerary. It’s a fast paced career.
And it’s becoming to wear on me. I’m sluggish, tired, ornery, and without peace. I see it in the way I lead my day-to-day life and it’s not one of happiness but rather duty.
Does it mean I hate my job? No. But it does mean I’m making it a possibility. Not really sure what the antidote for this particular problem is.
Or at least I thought I didn’t………..’til yesterday.
Yesterday I chose to start my day in peace. Before I looked at my phone, or checked my computer I took a moment for myself. I cleared my head and thought on what it was I wanted to accomplish for the day, and where it was I needed help. I simply prayed. (If you prefer meditate, that works as well,) It’s all a matter of taking time for yourself. To calm yourself before you start your day.
I coupled that with a warm cup of lemon water and off I went.
I gotta say, it was one of the most productive days I’ve had, in which, when I finished I wasn’t cranky or ready for a nap, but rather ready to do more in my day.
And so this is my tbt to better days.
We forget how important it is to start our day preparing ourself for the day.
My challenge to you. Namaste

*Thank you for continuously reading my blogs. For more content check out my YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/c/bethlehemawate*

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Xo, B

Aug 19
0

Eritrea: A culture not defined by its food, but certainly enhanced by it.

By | Baby Jade, Blog, Uncategorized | 2 Comments

Food is an essential part of any culture. I remember waking up some mornings, to the familiar aroma of foul mudammas being made. My mouth would water as I’d drag myself out of bed and scurry (as fast as possible while still half asleep, mind you) to the bathroom to brush my teeth and wash my face. As the water would clean away the previous night’s rest, I’d become more alive and my excitement for what laid in store for breakfast would heighten. I’d say a quick “morning” to the family and find my place at the table. I’d pour myself something to drink, and look at the spread presented before me. No matter what other dishes laid before me, my gaze always rested on the foul mudammas. The savory combinations of favabeans, peppers, tomatoes, onion (which I’d pay for later but didn’t care) a splash of lemon and oil, always gave me a sense of comfort.

That’s what I loved about growing up in a habesha household: sitting together and eating familiar foods that, not only brought us together, but also would place joy and comfort in our #hearts. That may seem outlandish to some but to those that can relate: *fist*

It’s because of these moments that I treated myself to a nostalgic lunch. Yum!! Eritrea: A culture not defined by its food, but certainly enhanced by it.

*Thank you for continuously reading my blogs. For more content check out my YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/c/bethlehemawate*

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Xo, B

Aug 06
0

Leftie is out of here!

By | Baby Jade, Blog, Uncategorized | No Comments

Far too often we get stuck in our daily lives/routine and time just passes us by. Why do we allow for such things? Having diagnosed myself a nomad (shout out to my Kunama clan) I’ve started to feel this itch. I couldn’t for the life of me figure out what it could be. I certainly didn’t think it was my living in LA because LA is the land of opportunity and whatever was going to happen to me was going to happen here. Clearly I’ve watched too many movies. So I got to thinking (uh oh) and my thoughts led me to the decision I so happily made about a month ago: to start somewhere new.

What does this have to do with my photo you ask? Well, I had to blame SOMEONE, and my brain seemed to be where the culprit lay. SO, I’m turning off the left side. It somehow got turned on in the past few years (silly little brain gnomes) and I’ve been gliding through life thinking logically instead of creatively. My #creative side is what brought me to #LA to begin with!! I think as we get older, leftie starts to take over because it’s the side that makes “sense”. *eye roll* If there’s one thing life has taught me, it’s that it doesn’t make sense. So why should I? If you wanna seek adventure then you have to SEEK ADVENTURE. Duh! So in 6 weeks it’s bye bye tinsel town, hello adventure, by way of London (with a stop in MN to be with family) I’ve seen how lucky and blessed I am to be able to experience life; the last thing I’m going to do is waste that ability because of someone’s idea that it may not be logical.

*Thank you for continuously reading my blogs. For more content check out my YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/c/bethlehemawate*

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Xo, B

Jul 28
0

Where Are We Now?

By | Baby Jade, Uncategorized | No Comments

This weeks blog is a flashback to my 24 year old self. It was January 2009 and Obama had just been inaugurated, and I was on cloud 9:

“From slavery to abolishment, from sitting in the rear of the bus, lynchings, beatings, fire hose, colored vs. white, sit-ins, pickets, marches and not being able to vote or count as human beings, to civil rights. From segregation, to integration. From Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X to Rev. Jesse Jackson, one thing carried them through all the pain: HOPE! From fear to strength. HOPE! Hope begot drive, drive begot strategy, and strategy begot results. HOPE!
Results lead us to a man, a man who rose above all expectation of him with pride, faith, dignity, drive, and confidence. His was a message of unity and togetherness to get us through the tough times, and an urgent craving to live as one race and to embrace our differences. Barack Obama has done the inevitable; he’s done something many thought they’d never see in their lifetime. He became the 44th, first African-American President. President Obama has a long journey ahead of him, but he believes we can make the difference, all of us, not just for the present time but for the future. What he asks of you? To unify and embrace one another and help those we can; to coexist with each other and to bear our fellow mans heartaches and joys as if they were our own.
There’s hope now. Hope for my brother Samuel, for Noh, for Alem, for Lulia, for Henok, for Naomi and for all children regardless of their color/creed/faith. A hope that was once only dreamed has become a reality. January 20, 2009 marks a day where dreams and aspirations are encouraged and doubt is nowhere in sight. On this day, as an African-American woman, I feel invincible.
We have overcome.”

As I sit here and re-read this idea of my 24 year old self I ponder the past 5 years and wonder if that HOPE is still alive. Have there been any changes? You decide. And if the answer is no, do something about it. Don’t remain silent.

*Thank you for continuously reading my blogs. For more content check out my YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/c/bethlehemawate*

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Xo, B

Jul 03
0

Wonder As I Wander

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“The Kunama are a nomadic people” Well no wonder I can’t sit still in one place.
For as long as I can remember, I have always sought adventure. Whether through fantasy or making an actual move, it’s always been the thing I’ve craved. Until very recently. I’ve found that life has become rather stale and stagnant. It’s no one’s fault other than my own. I’ve found a comfort in LA and have stayed in that comfort. But, alas, fate always has different plans and when you veer too far off course, it has a way of bringing you back. On my recent annual trip to MN I was given the opportunity to go to the UK next year! The friggin’ United Kingdom!! Yes, please! England to be more precise but still! I went through every emotion you can imagine. Excitement, fear of the unknown, excitement, anxiety, excitement…..you get the idea. No matter what negative feeling came over me, it was followed by in insurmountable feeling of excitement! That’s how I knew that was fate giving me a second chance. What many don’t know, is that before moving to Los Angeles, I was actually going to backpack through Europe. When advised against it, I took the LA route. I think I’m all the better for having lived in LA for the past 6 years but I also feel that my journey here has come to its end and it’s now time for me to seek journey elsewhere. It’ll be tough leaving LA, I’m sure a very sappy and lengthy blog will surface days before I leave but for now the only thing in my line of vision is taking life by the horns and making it the best I can! So cheers to eating life!

Aladdin knew what’s up: ♪ All you gotta do is juuuuuuuuuuuuuuuump! ♪

*Thank you for continuously reading my blogs. For more content check out my YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/c/bethlehemawate*

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Xo, B

Jun 02
0

Gooooooaaaaaaallllllllllllll

By | Baby Jade, Blog, Uncategorized | No Comments

After getting this question far more than I imagine I would if I weren’t female, I’ve decided to answer. Why am I such a futbol fanatic?
Simple, my Baba. Futbol is the one thing my father and I alone share. The two of us would watch games together while my sister was off somewhere and my mom was busy making coffee or whatever. Honestly, I didn’t love it at first, but after a while I started to look forward to those moments, and soon came to love them! I mean, watching my father react to close goals would have me in stitches. He couldn’t understand my laughter (he thought I was foolish) but it was in those instances that I grew even more in love with him (if that’s possible). They were our moments. It wasn’t long before I was sitting alongside him yelling and cheering!
Over the years I’ve had an appreciation for the game that is all my own. With the World Cup right around the corner my excitement is peeking! I mean, nothing else on the planet unifies countries quite like the World Cup. The respect that fans have for the players, players for the fans and players for the players is not matched with any other sport. During some matches, teams will even swap jerseys as a show of respect for one another and to own a piece of history. 32 world teams qualify to see who the best team is in the WORLD?! Crazy! The Olympics have similar traits, sure, but there’s just something about futbol and its fans that you won’t see anywhere else. Not even the Olympics.
That being said, I absolutely couldn’t enjoy this year’s World Cup without my father, so I am happily heading back home to enjoy the Cup with my father. Our next goal is to actually GO to the World Cup but for now, a trip home will suffice.
Even though I am an “adult” now, I’m still daddy’s proud little girl. To this day my first, and only, phone call before a game is to my father. I am my father’s daughter.
Plus I’m African, what are you going to do? 😉

Dedicated to my father Elashe Awate!

*Thank you for continuously reading my blogs. For more content check out my YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/c/bethlehemawate*

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Xo, B

Jun 02
0

Ajaa Nachle

By | Baby Jade, Blog, Uncategorized | No Comments

Rain pours down while a beautiful woman sings and searches. Searching for what you ask? For answers, her lover, her voice, the truth….the answers are endless, but the scene is priceless. It’s a scene you’re almost always guaranteed to find in a Bollywood film.
Growing up in an Eritrean household there are two movies guaranteed to be in your possession. The first of these films is “The Gods Must Be Crazy” and the second is “Mother India” Without knowing, we grew up on Bollywood. Of course the love I have for it now is one that had to be discovered. When one first sees a Bollywood film, and isn’t necessarily aware of what goes on in one of these films, their response is usually one of “huh?” but like anything, it gets better and better every time you watch it. I rediscovered a love for Bollywood, one I didn’t even know I had, when I saw “Bride and Prejudice” a remake on the Jane Austen classic, “Pride and Prejudice”. If I’m honest, I was taken aback by all the colors and the random outburst of song. The first time I saw the film I actually thought I’d wasted money in purchasing the film. A few days passed and I decided to watch it again, this time I found myself involuntarily tapping my foot, working my hands as they did in the film, and singing along. And by the third time I was ready to pack my bags, move to Mumbai and audition for a Bollywood film. Obviously, that didn’t happen but I did want more! Much more of what it was I just watched.
As if by fate, a cousin of mine told me of a Bollywood film showing on Netflix. Duh! Netflix was bound to have a Bollywood section and it did! I watched movie after movie until I ran out of films to watch. I became familiar with names like Shahrukh Khan, Amitabh Bachchan, Priyanka Chopra, Akshay Kumar, Aishwarya Rai, Rani Mukherjee, the list goes on.
One becomes seduced by the colors, song and dance, the overly dramatic love stories, and the heartfelt ways lovers find their way to one another against all odds. Definitely a much different take on films than that of Hollywood and that’s okay. It works. One needs to understand that Bollywood is not a reflection of what happens in India but more a way for the citizens to escape into a world of make believe, while still keeping with the tradition of the people. It’s absolutely beautiful!
My only problem? I now find it difficult to watch Hollywood cinema. Not a bad problem to have.

*Thank you for continuously reading my blogs. For more content check out my YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/c/bethlehemawate*

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Xo, B

May 23
0

Live Below the Line

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Did you know that there are 1.2 billion people around the world live below the poverty line? What’s the poverty line you ask? Imagine living on nothing more than $1.50 a day. That’s it. That means when you go to the grocery store for your weeks’ worth of groceries you are only allowed to spend $10.50. That is just what thousands of people across the US, UK, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and Colombia are doing. They’ve dedicated five days to living on $1.50 a day while also raising money for a charity of their choosing. Living as someone who shops and cooks for herself, I realize the true commitment this would take. I spend roughly $30 a week on groceries, not to mention a the occasional happy hour 😉
Unfortunately, I found out about the cause too late to join but I still wanted to be a part of this brilliant journey that was taking place. If for no other reason than to feel for myself what a billion of my fellow people feel everyday of their lives. So I embarked, I went to the store and spent $6 on ramen, a box of cereal. I have to be honest; I had apples in the house that I added to my meal plan but even then I couldn’t believe how little the food was. I tried to stick to a getting as many nutrients as possible (a luxury so many people don’t have). I was irritated, upset, and found myself asking why I was even doing such a thing. The moment that feeling came it was followed by an even bigger feeling: shame. I couldn’t believe my thoughts and behavior. Here I am complaining about having so little to eat for 4 days when there are those around the world happy to have at least that much to put in their bellies on a given day.
As the days continued that thought was in the forefront of my mind. Every time my stomach would growl I would think about the fact that this was only a temporary feeling for me and would fight through it. I started to look forward to the feel because it reminded me of all that I am lucky to have. Unfortunately, I can’t save the world from poverty but I can definitely do my part in helping the few that I can and paying attention and appreciating all that I have.
If you’re interested in helping the cause visit: https://www.livebelowtheline.com/ let’s all play a part and better the world.

*Thank you for continuously reading my blogs. For more content check out my YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/c/bethlehemawate*

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Xo, B

May 06
0

We’re All Monkeys

By | Baby Jade, Blog, Infomation, Uncategorized | One Comment

“Clap if you lost a racist grandma in the last year or two…..You know what I’m talking about. We all have them. You have that one grandma who passes away and, it’s like, ‘Oh, it’s so sad … Eh, she was kind of a racist piece of shit.’” – Aziz Ansari

Is racism really dying? Coming off the victory of Meb Keflezighi, and the support he received, I began to think so, but maybe I’m wrong. What with the shooting at the Jewish center, the Sterling/Clippers debacle and, for futbol fans, the Dani Alves situation that took place just a few days ago, I’d say we haven’t broken nearly as many barriers as we should have. This upsets me to no end; especially in the world of sports where it’s all about unifying fans, and people of all different backgrounds coming together to cheer on their favorite teams/players.

In the Sterling case, the racist remarks are made by Sterling himself. A man who owns a team made up of African Americans makes negative comments about African Americans?! I mean, what? The beauty in this situation was the amount of responses. Legendaries, Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson voiced their sadness at Sterling’s behavior. The Clipper team played their game without showing the team logo. Clipper sponsorships have even been suspended and statements given voicing the belief of Sterling are his and his alone. As for Sterling himself, Adam Silver issued him a $2.5 million dollar fine and a lifetime ban from the NBA.

With the Dani Alves scenario it was a bit different. Alves was gearing up for a corner kick when a fan threw a banana to Alves on the pitch. Alves, not skipping a beat, picked up the banana, peeled it, took a bite, wiped his hands then took his kick. Amazing! What a way to, literally, kick racism in the teeth. The fan was given a life ban, and players came to Alves side in support (some even posting pictures of themselves eating a banana on their social media outlets) but my mind still can’t get past the reason as to why, in either situation, such matters have to be taken? We’re in a time where we have an African American as President, a time, where a female President may happen sooner than later, a time where an actress like Lupita Nyong’o is named “People Magazine’s” most beautiful person, and yet we still have racists in our midst.

The shooting was the worse offense because it ended with fatalities. May the victims and their families find peace.

If there’s one thing life has taught me, it’s that hate is taught. No one is born to hate. So when I re-read Aziz’s statement I can’t help but think maybe he’s an optimist. Racism may not be as blatant as it once was but it’s definitely still around, and will remain so until we stop teaching hate and start teaching love. Are you doing your part?