July 2017

JUST ME MAGAZINE

JULY 2017

You don't have to be a celebrity to be a star.

THE B-SIDE The Way WE Were . ..

Fine The Way I Am I AM MY SISTER'S KEEPER

Star of the Month

Chayo Briggs

SHAPING LIVES Dee Best

Third Eye Photography by Coy

04 The B-Side 07 Dr. Curt 08 Star of the Month

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10 Shaping LIves (NEW) 11 Let's Support Our Own 13 Out & About Town 14 He Said She Said with Wanda B 15 Fine The Way I Am 17 Who's Nu?

Matar Family

www.PhotographyByCoy.com

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Bernard Creamer Jr

Capitalist Revolutionary???

Nature tends to provide the most beautiful examples of universal connectivity. Inter-connectivity as the way things should be. Ideally. There is nothing in nature that operates against the grain of natural laws. Even the mutations and abnormalities are factored into the grand scheme. Everything has its time, place, and purpose with the end goal of sustaining species and the ecosystems that hosts them.

Giants . .

Elephants are not only among the most majestic animals on earth; they are the strongest mammals on the planet. A single elephant is fully capable of uprooting a decade's old tree simply by applying minimal might to it. The beauty of the elephant is that with all of the power it possesses, it is among the most peaceful animals on the planet with no interest in killing other animals, for food or folly.

Man. .

Man is the only creature on earth that operates in total disunion with nature. Most activities undertaken by man serve to evaporate, dissolve, or destroy all that nature presents as gifts to all of this planet’s occupants. Nature is the great provider. At the pinnacle of nature is the sun. Without the sun, there is no life on this planet. The original occupants of this planet grew to understand the connection between themselves and nature. They grew to acknowledge and appreciate nature and their place in it. Eventually, the veneration man had for nature evolved spiritual systems which featured the various tangible life-giving components of nature; the earth, the water, the air, the animals, the moon, the stars, the planets, and the sun.

Nothing GOoD last forever . .

As time went on and certain mutations and deviations of man lost their way, that appreciation and veneration man had for nature, and the sun turned towards himself, not inwardly, but outwardly. Man began to worship himself, not as gods, but as godly. Man became disconnected, in many cases, living in places on the planet that seemed disconnected; dark, merciless, and mysterious places. Hostile environments where man’s links with nature were rife with whatever death nature could provide, often through a mix of depravity and depression. There were places on earth where man’s existence wasn’t the sun and nature’s abundance, but instead, cold caves and callous climates. The Caucasus Mountains come to mind. In these places, genetically-mutated man mentally crafted mean and mysterious gods that behaved as monsters, taking and rarely providing. Gods to fear, devoid of love. These men eventually migrated to warmer places where nature was a friend, and they conquered, possessing an evil devolved from an existence that was saturated with the mayhem and misery present in life in closer proximity to the earth’s northern pole. They replaced the veneration the original people had for the SUN with veneration and admiration for a SON. The son of a god that interacted with men in a spiteful manner, mannerisms of a monster that sought to punish and purge the planet of those who came up short fulfilling what was ordained as their purpose. Sacrifices were the rule of the day to pacify that angry father in the sky. Dad came to eventually look like his Roman-Greco children, quite unnaturally and in reverse. A son had totally replaced the SUN as the pinnacle of our existence.

Disconnection notice . .

Elephants in some of Africa’s most arid regions wander around as nomads in search of sustenance and the earth’s most precious commodity, water. Generally, larger animals can’t survive the harshness presented as months of scorching high heat and severely restricted precipitation; there isn’t enough water to sustain larger species of animals. Elephants are built for it, along with a few smaller animals that have found creative ways to adapt. Nature is both amazingly inventive and hostile. Elephants strategically and eventually come to locations in these dry places where they sense that there is water underground amidst the death that is the desert. The elephants use their tremendous strength to dig up the earth; large feet, strong, flexible trunks, and tusks as tools. They dig deep enough to expose the treasured hydration hidden beneath the hot sand. The elephants drink, all of them, the less dominant, the children, and the sick. As the elephants quench their massive thirsts, the smaller animals join in getting their fill. The elephants don’t hoard the water, they don’t attack the animals that come to drink, and they don’t dismay at the act of sharing what nature has provided for all. Nature provides for every creature on this planet. .

. .every animal connected.

Unlike the elephant, most men are no longer connected to that very tangible source venerated near our inception as original inhabitants here, the sun. NATURE is the sun’s temple. Our source is not only what nature provides in the way of subsistence for us, but also in the universal and so very natural inclination to consume only what we need to survive instinctively.

Elephants believe in no gods.

Neither capitalism, racism, or religion exist in nature. These are constructs a few men pieced together to serve themselves, to separate themselves.

Wise and intelligent creatures indeed. statusKNO.com #statusKNO

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Coffee Shop Creative Consciousness One of my favorite things to do is visit coffee shops. Not so! One of THE most enjoyable things for me, in the whole wide world, is working in a coffee shop while drinking a fantastic tasting cup of coffee. Why? Because in the coffee shop, I instantly become eager to focus on things that matter to me. It’s almost like the issues that I entered with, began to resolve themselves in a delightful way and solutions began to present themselves to me.

Coffee shops are all about the feelings, emotions and energies derived from the atmosphere added with a small percentage of good coffee.

When I enter a coffee shop, there’s an immediate feeling that there’s nothing that I cannot be or do or have.

I’m not even sure how or why this happens but I do know how it feels and what begins to happen to me. You see, most people in a coffee shop on any given day at any given time seem to be intentional about something. There seems to be a sense of Deliberate Intention among the shoppers. When have you ever visited a coffee shop and the patrons appeared to be unhappy, bitter and disconnected? Have you ever witnessed coffee shoppers looking around, wasting time, or trying to pick up other patrons? Not that there’s anything wrong with those things but from my experience, bars are more conducive.

For those of you who have visited coffee shops, I’m sure you’ve experienced small group discussions, meetings, independent workers and students on laptops, tablets or reading books. The energy may not feel totally off the charts but at least there’s a neutral energy feel, typically.

Most times, from my experience, the intentional energy is present and you get to be on that vibe. Now you begin to feel like you can do almost anything. At least you begin to feel better about what you know you need to do.

With the deliberate intentional energy among the coffee shop patrons you can start to feel a conscious awareness that you’re utilizing your own guidance system of some sort. There is the opportunity to now experience the feeling of knowingness. Don’t you love knowing what you know?

Coffee shop consciousness will allow you to feel a little bit invincible, if you take on the emotional guidance system that we all naturally possess. With this feeling of invincibleness, you are certain where you’re going. There are endless things that you can begin to think and feel in the meantime, all while ignoring some of your challenges you may have walked in with. Forget about the relationship, forget about the bills, and forget about the workweek! Coffee shop creative consciousness ends all blues…for a while, at least.

So, the next time you feel overwhelmed, have hours of work to do, want to just chill out and think or simply want to try and change the world, head on over to your nearest coffee shop and create your world through your conscious awareness by trying these things: Decide that you simply want to get something done (that’s why you came!)

Focus inside on your feelings while taking in the aroma, sounds, and people Get started on your intent

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Yep, it’s that simple. With a continuation of visits to your local coffee shop you will begin to know and feel that you can accomplish the high energetic, creative emotions almost instantly. With the emotions, you will know that what you desire (good, bad or ugly) is on its way. When you’re accustomed to clarity flowing to you, confusion just won’t do any longer. Coffee shop Creative Consciousness will become the next best thing…if you allow it. It will also become transferable outside the coffee shop domain with a little practice. Oh, by the way, don’t forget to try a new beverage of your choice while you’re there and make some new friends. Be sure it’s a total coffee shop and not one of those in-store or food court types of coffee joints. The vibe might not be the same. Comments and suggestions are always welcomed. Love & Light Dr. Curt The Maverick Metaphysician Curtis D. Jasper, PhD, is considered by many to be a Conscious Evolutionary Guide. With the drive to be aware and the experience of the wider horizon of Reality and Spirituality, Dr. Curt has developed an extensive background in the Spiritual and Transformative elements of life; one that is both knowledge and experienced based. Dr. Curt is a Spiritual Practitioner, a Spiritual Counselor, an activist, an entrepreneur, and an Evolutionary Educator. He is a former teacher, principal and educational consultant. With a Spiritual synthesis of education, health & wellness, personal development, entrepreneurship & metaphysical counseling, Dr. Curt is commonly also regarded as a Minister of Education. His focus has always been to Educate, Inspire & Change. His new book and counseling practice will both be available January 2014. Follow him on twitter @DrCurtisDJasper and on his Facebook Community Page- Dr. Curtis D. JasperThe Maverick Metaphysician.

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CHAYO BRIGGS

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The Basics of Credit Repair It’s difficult to rebuild your credit if you don’t know the basics. Because they don’t know where to start, many people choose to bury their heads in the sand when it comes to their credit and not do anything at all.

But that’s a mistake.

Ignoring your credit can mean you are passing up a solid financial future. Your credit score gives you the ability to make purchases you may not otherwise be able to make. For instance, if you are not in the position to pay cash for your home and purchase it outright, then your credit score can be an important factor in a banker deciding whether to approve you for a mortgage so you can pay for your home over time. Without credit, that purchase would be impossible.

So what are the basics of credit and credit repair?

First up, learn the terminology. When looking at your credit report, you may notice collections or charge-offs. Learn the definitions of these and other credit related terms so you can know what these designations mean.

Another basic action you must take in repairing your credit is pulling your credit report. Take the time to get a copy of your credit report. You are eligible to get a free copy of your credit report from each of the top three credit reporting agencies, Experian, Equifax, and the TransUnion, once every year. You can go to annualcreditreport.com to order your credit report. Most people don’t take advantage of this opportunity, but doing so can help you get an accurate picture of what your credit looks like. You can also get regular notifications about your credit by signing up for a credit monitoring service that can alert you to changes in your credit.

When you see your report, you can dispute inaccuracies, and if you are successful, you can have them removed. These inaccurate reports of negative information can drag down your score, so challenging them can help boost your score.

Many people may be surprised to realize that it’s not uncommon for inaccurate or unlawful information to be on a credit report. They assume whatever is on there is correct. And that’s not true. I recall a case where a woman came to me because a law firm was suing her for payment of debt. I walked her through the process and what she should say in court and the case was thrown out! So don’t assume that a creditor is right. Fight for your financial freedom.

Another basic move you can make to rebuild your credit is to start paying your bills on time! Payment history — whether you pay your bills on time — counts for 35 percent of your credit score. That’s a good chunk! So if you continue to fall behind on bills, you will continue to see a poor score. But being disciplined enough to make all payments on time can turn things around.

If you find that you can no longer maintain the agreed-upon payment schedule, reach out to your creditor and discuss the possibility of a new payment schedule.

Many creditors will work with you, if you are proactive and approach them about setting a payment schedule you can keep. Remember, they want to be paid. And if you have a payment that is too high or payments are due on a day that doesn't work for you, it’s possible making adjustments here can help you pay them.

If income is the problem, look at ways you can bring in additional income. This may mean getting a second job, going for a promotion, or even starting a side business. Generating additional income each month can help you to make your payments on time and can also help you start to dig out of any financial hole you may be in.

While it’s possible to rebuild your credit, no matter how bad it is today, don’t expect it to happen in 24 hours. It can take much time to have inaccuracies removed from your credit report or for on-time payments to start to show up on your report. But with diligence and time, these changes can happen.

Your credit is something you can’t get away from, so ignoring it doesn’t make it go away. You can take these basic steps to improve your credit, so you have better financial opportunities.

Chayo Briggs is chief financial officer of Briggs and Lay Pro, Inc., a real estate investment company. He helps consumers rebuild their credit and gain financial freedom. For more information about how he can help you rebuild your credit, send inquiries to chayote23@briggsandlayproinc.com or (800) 216-8871.

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Greetings to all my new Shapers! I am Dwayne Bester, but to most, I am known as Dee Best and welcome to Shaping Lives! I want to thank Just Me Magazine’s, Founder, Alice Boswell for allowing me the space to share my thoughts and footsteps in my journey to get into a better shape, a new lifestyle. That lifestyle is Out Of Shape Fitness. This is a motivational fitness apparel brand I created through the efforts of losing. I know there is somebody asking what do I mean by that. Through the unwanted efforts of losing, you have the greatest opportunity to find out who you are.

You are given opportunities to reshape your life. This life has its moments where being out of shape not only affects your entire being but it can affect the people around you. Being out of shape is more than just physical. Being out of shape can be spiritual, emotional, financial and of course physical. When I started to work out of the shape I was in; I came up with three Shaper initiatives; Realize, Motivated and Inspire, that I applied to my life that set up the 4 Pillars Of Fitness that completes our life’s cycle of operation. (The 4 POF will be explained in next month's issue in detail.)

First, you have to REALIZE when you are out of shape. You have to take a hard, long look at yourself and ask the questions. Are you spiritually out of shape?

Have you lost faith in everything and everyone? Emotionally, are you able to cope with your current life status? Is the pressure to produce getting to you?

Maybe you are financially out of shape? Are bills piling up due to lack of funds or job loss? Or, are you just simply physically out of shape? Have you packed on the pounds due to your hectic schedule or the stress from everything else going on in your life? When you let go of the fear of loss, this realization will allow you to be receptive to become MOTIVATED to change, which is step two.

Some of us need that hard push to get us going. Sometimes it could be something minor or a life-changing event that kicks you into gear. But there are those who need to be thrown overboard with a faulty life jacket. This action should motivate you to stay afloat and swim. Unfortunately, most will drown due to the lack of faith in themselves that would allow them to overcome the obstacles in their path. You have to be motivated to break free from your iniquities.

The third step is to INSPIRE. When you have gone through a life changing experience, you are now held to a higher accord and are left with a feeling to share your testimony, because trust me, there is someone who will look to you for inspiration to workout of the shape they are in and into the best shape that will fit their lives. It takes a positive action to set off the ripple effects of change, which can spread through a community and create a lifestyle.

We would love to hear your stories of getting out of the shape you are in and into the shape that has changed your life. Until the next time, shape up and shout it out, I Am Out Of Shape!

For more information about Out Of Shape Fitness apparel, please visit www.outofshapefitness.com.

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GORJUS WHIPS

COLLECTIONS We offer 10 different collection for you to choose from. With the understanding that our product was created to become part of your life style to feed and nourish your skin this is where nature meet beauty, while using our skin code we have created a product to fit the need of your skin!

These 4 collections were created to describe a little bit about women and who they are.

• Plush: For the women who always want to fill sassy and sophisticated • Alluring: You never know what she going to do next but it will be amazing • Natural: The one who doesn’t require a lot of scent to be seen! (uni sex) • Whimsical: She’s funny and a very free spirited Our Ayurveda Collection The Elementals: This collection was created and inspired with my universal connection: • Water • Fire • Earth • Infinity • Air The Human Collection This collection that was created to nourish his skin 1. Face & Hair Collection 2. Bronzer Collection 3. Masquade 4. Scrubs Our butters has no restriction to age, ethnicity, gender or season it is a universal product that can be used by all.

Find us at: www.GorJuswhips.org 11

APRobersonphotography.com

Eesha Rai

Out & About Town with Alice

Alice Y. Boswell

The Association hosted a wonderful event on Sunday, July 9, 2017, at the beautiful Raven’s Place in Blue Island, Illinois. If you are a Small Business Owner, you should have been at the CEO Summer Black Tie Affair. There was a lot of networking, informative speeches, and great live entertainment. I was even able to tentatively schedule future interviews for Just Me Magazine.

The Association announced the opening of a second chapter and its new members, so look for more terrific events and more Black Owned Business Owners standing together and making it happen. I have so much love for “The Association” they were able to put together an event of such class and sophistication. I talked to the Wolf of Chicago on the phone to get my credentials to cover the event, and he stated, “I want an event that’s not common,” and I must say, the Black Community came out and showed out and showed that we are not common. That there is so much more to us than what main stream media portrays.

When you see that “The Association” is having an event, get your ticket, dress to the nines and grab your business cards. Trust and believe you will not be disappointed. I tell you what; I will meet you there.

To see more photos of the event, go to our Facebook Page: Just Me Magazine and Instagram: @justmemagazineinc,

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Let's Talk Woman to Woman Saturdays at 11am IntellectualRadio.com

I AM MY

Sister's Keeper www.elegantbehavior.com

We had the pleasure of hosting an event for young ladies from the age of 17 to 20 that are currently or previous wards of the State. Early in the planning stages of the event, we decided that we would call it, I Am My Sister’s Keeper. This event included speakers, resume writing and interviewing tips, hair and makeup suggestions for the workplace and more. The event concluded with the young ladies given an opportunity to choose gently worn business attire.

When given some thought, WE are all our sister’s keeper. We should all make ourselves available to lend an ear, share wisdom or assist in time in need. Simply put, we cannot survive life without each other. We must move away from the backstabbing, senseless violence and the need to degrade our sisters and understand that we all are the same. Yes, we differ in our life experiences but at the end of the day, it’s not black or white it is just sister’s! Let’s keep this movement going, we ARE our sister’s keeper!

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Elegant Behavior www.elegantbehavior.com

Body Care Line Nzuri Body Essentials Where beauty meets elegance..

Teresa "TBizzle" Johnson “The Girl From The Wild 100's!

It all started at 10232 S CALUMET in Rosemoor Community Association; there was a pale little bald head baby girl who was abandoned by her mom and saved by her paternal grandparents.

Comedian T-Bizzle was born and raised by the Johnson family, a strict upbringing that made your mind crazy, can't go outside, and if I did, couldn’t leave the porch and other than school, I went nowhere with friends, just family. My grandparents were trying to protect the first grandchild in the Johnson household not knowing they started the beginning of hurt, pain loneliness and fear would create an all-around female comedienne in the Chicagoland area.

In grammar school, T Bizzle found it hard to make friends due to her complexion and naturally long and curly hair so to survive from being bullied or left alone. T-Bizzle would do things to make friends like stunts or play with the boys in sports or make people laugh. These stunts increased while attending an all-girl Catholic High School that she never wanted to attend because it was considered lame but wound up showing her to use all of the talents in life vicissitudes as a teenager and learning how to be a woman.

Finally, after all of the ups and downs, T Bizzle just woke up and started enjoying life by realizing her purpose. To be a comedian, and showing the world you can find yourself at any age, and that it is never too late to start over.

T-Bizzle has appeared at several venues in Chicago, Atlanta, and New York appeared in several plays and currently works as one of the hosts for the hit online radio show CGF Entertainment Show on Intellectual Radio.com, Tuesdays at 9pm CST, and guest hosts for Just Me Magazine’s Out & About Town.

For booking, please contact Alice Boswell: aboswell@justmemagazine.com.

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APRobersonphotography.com

aiden or is it?