The Big 5 - #Linusday

by Monique Crenshaw


Hello 2020! It’s more like can I have a re-introduction to the year? Remember, in my previous post I spoke about ups and downs and how we have some every year, well 2020, January to be exact started with a gut punch right to my stomach. I found out that another friend, Tova was putting on her armor, actually the armor of GOD (Ephesians 6:11) to fight breast cancer, that news knocked the wind out of me but she’s a firecracker like me so this is definitely about to be a TKO! Plus she has a village similar to mine so when that prayer circle gets going good luck blocking those blessings. Now jump ahead to March and here comes another gut punch named, Quarantine “Corvina” ok we all know it’s really Coronavirus but this thing came in and derailed everything. People working from home, social distancing and masks are now the new norm - I swear we are walking around like the damn Divergent cast (if you don’t know just GOOGLE). I mean its crazy out here and the damn Commander…never mind this is a happy post.

So in between all this craziness a great trip with my friends was being planned to celebrate this 5-year milestone. Now, the planning process was no where near easy, you try getting your friends together with very active social lives and see how easy it is to pull off a trip! Let me stop you - don’t even try because if you are like me (a people pleaser) you will find yourself stressed out. But, finally a trip was planned to spend some time on an island relaxing, communing, posing for the gram (of course a photographer was scheduled to be on deck) and most importantly we were celebrating this momentous journey that I have been on for the past 28 years! Dang, 28 yrs ago I was diagnosed with AIH, I really just stopped typing to smile and this scripture came to me; But by the grace of GOD I am what I am…(1 Corinthians 15:10).

Ok, so back to what I was saying. You know what they say about making plans right…GOD laughs! Since the country is basically on lockdown all festivities have been on hold (notice I said hold not cancelled) because we will go on a trip! I must say I was pretty bummed but I came to realize that sometimes you are supposed to just be still. I’ve had time to reflect, make amends with a lot of things, relax and just be still. Now, I love all this ZEN but a sista does miss outiside. Mostly because I haven’t been able to physically see my sister (my 1st BFF) and my friends. You don’t need much when you have friends like mine. So I decided to have a photo shoot to bring in #5 (thanks to my cousin, Donnell) and we will see how the rest of the day pans out but honestly, I’m just happy to say I’m still here celebrating with my life partner, Linus! Lawd knows we’ve been through some thangs (no autocorrect not things) I said what I said! It’s #linusday!

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Linus Day

Grateful, Blessed and filled with Joy!


Back down memory lane...

by Monique Crenshaw


Welcome back, welcome back, welcome back…why is that song playing in my head as I try to find the right words for this post? Maybe, because I’ve been gone for a minute and what a time to return because this is a celebratory post - It’s the BIG 5 - for those that don’t know what that means well Linus and I have been together for 5 years! So…should we take a short trip down memory lane (insert Minnie Ripperton)? Why not, right?

Well, it all started when I was 15 years old and…wait a minute that is definitely not going to be short so let’s speed it up besides if you want to know the long version just go back and read the previous posts. I’ll just start from 2018…what a year! I took my 1st solo trip to Qatar, Indonesia and Australia causing my family and friends stress levels to sky rocket but turns out your girl was fine and enjoyed every bit of it. I finally got to see my all-time fave artist perform (if you know me then you know) Anita Baker. I hosted the annual brunch at my house with my family and lastly, I was asked to be the Ambassador at the Liver Life Walk (my family and friends came out for me) and lastly my face was plastered in Philly on billboards and in Regal movie theatres! Yup, I made it and I’m a superstar, ok well not a superstar at all but I was honored to have my story chosen for the liver campaign.

Fast forward to 2019, I must say it had its highs and lows but if I’m being honest every year does so really it’s all in how you handle the good and the bad. I traveled to a couple of places I hadn’t been, took a couple of mom/daughter trips, celebrated #Linusday 4 with the original crew and felt blessed and happy because the ones from the beginning were still right there (to be honest where the hell else would they be) and everyone knows my support system is 100! I loss a friend, a friend brought a new life into this world and by the end of the year we were celebrating friendship with the people that matter the most. I mean I’m sure I left out some highs and lows but at the end of the day life goes on and so do you! I left out of 2019 thinking 2020 is going to be so good..I mean isn’t that what everyone says when they make these proclamations. I’m going to get my shit together, I’m going to focus on me, I’m cool being single, I’m going to workout, I’m going…I’m going..I’m going…until they I’m going them self to death. Wait is that me..only some of it ok maybe all of it but let’t get to 2020.

On another day…