Do you know what today is...

Okay, it was actually a few days ago but hey, better late than never. This week marks the start of our 5th (fif!)...

Sorry, couldn't resist. Five years of BnB. We've had good times and bad times, rich times and lean times. But honey, I'm still here. We've gone from seven posts a week to one or two but you're still here. :)

This week, we'll be catching up on Ask a Bougie Chick. We've received over 700 since the beginning of the blog and it looks like I've answered about 70. Apologies to those I haven't answered either I haven't had time, they'd haven't been "blog-appropriate" or they were too ratchet for prime-time. Bless each and every one of you.

So here we are year five. Woulda thunk it? Not I. More to come...

The Blogiversary Post: Because Life is Not a Reality Show

I think long and hard about what to post here in BougieLand. Well, sometimes I don't. Sometimes I'm just riled up and I sit down at the keyboard and fire off a stream of consciousness rant. Most the rest of the time, I think about it. I started this blog talking about what bougenificence means to me and but I very quickly realized that explaining/justifying the bouge lifestyle took up about a month's worth of posts and that was that.

I quite simply blog about my opinions and my life because that's what I know. And even then, I contemplate which pieces to share and which to keep but because bless ya'lls heart, you can take a simple post about snowflakes and turn it into a thesis on blizzards, how to build the best snowman, whether sleet is really snow and whether the term "White Christmas" is racist or not. 

This is also the reason why I only share snippets of the new relationship. And even when I share those, I don't write out the experience word for word, moment by moment. It's an overview not a reality show. And I generally only share what I share to open up a line of conversation. 

The crux of the matter is that I blog to open a forum. Happily, we've built a community of people from various sectors and industries and locations that are vocal and articulate. What I don't want BnB to become is a monolith where everybody thinks the same and cosigns each other constantly. No one grows that way. However, I also don't want an atmosphere where someone can't offer a differing opinion without being shredded, chargrilled and served up on a platter.Oh and last-word-itis? Some of you all have got to let that go. Please and thank you. 

The BougieTales and Ask A Bougie Chick segments are not fiction. These are real people. Granted, some of them have set themselves up to be blog fodder and if someone (Tracey!) writes in begging for a pen-lashing, I'm more than happy to oblige. So I'm not even asking that you sheath your swords when fencing is called for. But I would like to see us add a dimension where we put ourselves in that person's shoes for a minute and then offer them the best that we have whether it's criticism, encouragement, scorn or agreement. 

June 23, 2011 wrapped two years of BnB goodness. Let's take it to the next level for the next two. Thanks for hanging in here with me. Cupcakes and champagne for everybody!

Oops. Happy Anniversary BougieLand!

So much drama went down on the blog this week, I blew right past the one-year blogiversary. June 23rd was the official date. So let's pause for the cause and raise up a BougieCocktail.

Woo-hoo!! Wasn't sure we'd make it. Some of you all have been with me from the very, very beginning (Shout out to BougieSis, JaymeC, My Girl "C", ASmith86 and TiffanyinHouston for being my first "regular" commenters), some of ya'll are brand new but I'm grateful for each and every one of you. Well, 99.87% of you totally rock. :-)

Some stats: 440 posts. 552 subscribers, 231 Google followers, 418 Facebook fans, 778 followers on Twitter, 33 BougieTales. 28 BougieCocktail Moments, 13 Ask a Bougie Chicks, 12 Guest posts, 1 Movie Week, 1 Music Week, 2 Relationship Weeks, 2 Pookies, 1 Ray-Ray, a Romey-Rome, 2 lifetime BougieBans, over 5000 Bougie Thoughts (comments), a Blog Talk Radio Show and one writer/blogger/bougie chick who is having a blast. I've met the bestest folks and look forward to whatever year two brings.

We've talked politics, pop culture, fashion, dating, literature, and cocktails... to name a few categories. And yet, there is so much more bouge yet to be shared. BougieTales yet to be told. BougieCocktails yet to be lifted. Just wanted to let you know you are appreciated. Stick around...

June is BnB Anniversary Month!

BnB was launched on June 23, 2009. (Time flies!)

I haven't decided exactly how to celebrate yet, except with this beautiful new layout it took me forever and a day to design. New pages, new menu items, less drama? We'll see how it works out. It's very sparkly. It's optimized for Chrome (because I hate IE Explorer) but feel free to let me know if you are experiencing any drama with it. I'm in the process of loading all the functionality we had before so let me know if something is missing or not working correctly. Stay tuned and as always… thanks for visiting BougieLand.

Do you know what today is? It’s our anniversary: 6 months of BnB, a giveaway and what's up next

Cue up the Tony! Toni! Toné! Today marks the official six month anniversary of Black 'n Bougie… Woo-Hoo!

Time flies when you're having fun, or ranting, or sharing bad dates or calling bullshiggity. 236 posts, over 9000 comments, 17 Bougie Cocktail Moments, countless side-eyes and 2 Relationship Weeks. I was recently asked which post has been my favorite... hmm - I don't have a favorite but a definite soft spot for the Defending Our Blackness post. It was the first post I did that truly reflected what I wanted the blog to be about.

When I started the blog, I needed a place to put a few writing samples so I could talk magazine and webzine editors into buying my work. Somewhere along the way, it turned into something else altogether. Black 'n Bougie became my own little personal therapy session, sounding board and stand-up mic. And lo and behold, folks started joining in. Ya'lls comments are the best part of my day… yes, even the crazy ones. I must admit to enjoying every single day in BougieLand. And really, we've only just begun. There's SO much more to say.

So what's next, you may wonder? Well, this week I'll no doubt share a Holiday BougieTale or two but next week I'm off to Jamaica. Yes, it's time for the BougieVacay. I might post from the pool but only to make ya'll hate a little bit J. When I return, it will be New Year's Eve and I definitely have things to say about that. And January 1^st, my lovely little book will be in stores. January 3^rd is the next Freedom through Speech Radio show, come on through and take a listen. I had such great reactions to Music Week, Trying Not to Hate Week and I Love Black Men Week that surely another theme week is right around the corner. What might it be? I have a few ideas but I'm always open to suggestions.

So yes, BougieLand – we are six months into the good times here, I look forward to many, many more. And just for something fun, how about a giveaway? The next five people to register on Michele Grant's "Talk to Me" page and mention BnB will receive a gift including a signed copy of my book and some love from Amazon and iTunes. Get on over there and say hi. Again, thanks for coming along for the ride, glad to have you. Come again and bring a bougie friend.

Thoughts? Questions? Comment as you will…