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Thread started 04/05/17 3:23pm

PennyPurple

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The Most Beautiful: My Life with Prince Book Club: Part 2

[For Legal Reasons: NO POSTING OF IMAGES OR PICTURES OR CONTENTS FROM THE BOOK, posting the front cover of the book is okay. THE ORG DOES NOT HAVE PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE THE BOOK OR ANY OF ITS CONTENTS - anyone caught doing so shall be dealt with accordingly - luv4u]


[No flaming, baiting, flinging poo of any sort. Discussion to be held in a civil manner. Remember all rules of the org apply. - luv4u]

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51t2klh6bhL._SX329_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg


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Ok here we go...Chapter 1, Pages 11-29

Talking Points

1. Both sets of Parents

2. The Sister

3. Leg Braces

4. Family Friend

5. The Parents Relationship

6. The Grandparents

7. That's Incredible

.

Ok... GO lol

NOTE: Here are some rules to follow

Chapter by chapter and hopefully Michelle will create a timeline for each chapter.

Civil discussion, if trolls or flamers enter into the discussion, do not respond and just move on.

We will start the next chapter discussion when the previous one is finished. No skipping ahead.

.

And last but not least:

.

The Most Beautiful: My Life with Prince Book Club

1st thread - http://prince.org/msg/5/440423

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Reply #1 posted 04/05/17 3:45pm

revolution75

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PennyPurple said:

Ok here we go...Chapter 1, Pages 11-29



Talking Points



1. Both sets of Parents


2. The Sister


3. Leg Braces


4. Family Friend


5. The Parents Relationship


6. The Grandparents


7. That's Incredible


.


Ok... GO lol



NOTE: Here are some rules to follow



Chapter by chapter and hopefully Michelle will create a timeline for each chapter.


Civil discussion, if trolls or flamers enter into the discussion, do not respond and just move on.


We will start the next chapter discussion when the previous one is finished. No skipping ahead.



.


And last but not least:


.


The Most Beautiful: My Life with Prince Book Club



[For Legal Reasons: NO POSTING OF IMAGES OR PICTURES OR CONTENTS FROM THE BOOK, posting the front cover of the book is okay. THE ORG DOES NOT HAVE PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE THE BOOK OR ANY OF ITS CONTENTS - anyone caught doing so shall be dealt with accordingly - luv4u]






[Edited 4/5/17 15:30pm]



The parents had a very strange relationship.
I wasn't expecting it to take the turn that it did.
Her ability to accept certain things were shaped from that.

...and damn that "family friend"
That kinda sets the tone for the book.
She doesn't even bad mouth that person the way she could have.
minor keys and drugs don't make a rollerskate jam
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Reply #2 posted 04/05/17 3:51pm

PennyPurple

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revolution75 said:

The parents had a very strange relationship. I wasn't expecting it to take the turn that it did. Her ability to accept certain things were shaped from that.

Maybe this is why she always thought her and Prince would get back together.

.

I was surprised that the mom didn't realize she was pregnant until she was 6 months along.

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Reply #3 posted 04/05/17 4:13pm

NotACleverName

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I agree....we learn what we live (until we wise up and decide to discard that which doesn't benefit our life in a positive way). Her parents had extramarital affairs. So, it would make sense for Mayte to not question Prince dating several women at one time. It was her normal.

I also feel that the parents divorcing and remarrying multiple times did shape her belief that she and Prince would resume their marriage/romance again in this lifetime.
"Go placidly amid the noise and the haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence......." ~ DESIDERATA ~ Max Ehrmann
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Reply #4 posted 04/05/17 4:28pm

LBrent

I can't listen to the book anymore right now so I guess I'll give my thoughts on Chapter 1.

I agree. Mayte's family disfunction matches P's and it's easy to see where she got the personality to sorta not wanna rock the boat.

That family freind assh*le will get what he deserves. Karma's a b*tch.

I had no idea about Mayte's level of professional dancing. I just thought she was a pretty girl who seemed to make P happy.

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Reply #5 posted 04/05/17 4:40pm

SweetKathleen

PennyPurple said:

Ok here we go...Chapter 1, Pages 11-29

Talking Points

1. Both sets of Parents

Prince's parents:

Hardly discussed in this chapter. Mayte says he hardly talked about his early childhood. Perhaps because it was too painful or perhaps because he had already worked a lot of those issues out to a point where he didn't need to talk about it too much and had really moved on with the life he had created for himself. This is the first time I'd heard that he'd been locked in a closet--not cool.

Mayte's parents:

Weird situation but such is life. It is strange about Janell (Nelly?) not knowing she was pregnant until she was 6 months along. I know it can happen--there are stories of women not knowing until they actually give birth--but probably not very common. My instinct tells me she probably knew before then but waited for whatever reason. Maybe fear or perhaps this woman who Mayte sort of portrays as a planner waited so long so that there were less options available.

edit: I always thought Mayte's mother's name was Janell and she went by the nickname Nelly. The book seems to indicate her given name is Nelly--anyone else have input on that?

I miss you my friend --jj, me, and many others
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Reply #6 posted 04/05/17 4:42pm

revolution75

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LBrent said:

I can't listen to the book anymore right now so I guess I'll give my thoughts on Chapter 1.



I agree. Mayte's family disfunction matches P's and it's easy to see where she got the personality to sorta not wanna rock the boat.



That family freind assh*le will get what he deserves. Karma's a b*tch.



I had no idea about Mayte's level of professional dancing. I just thought she was a pretty girl who seemed to make P happy.



Me too!!!
I just thought she was on that's incredible and that was it.
minor keys and drugs don't make a rollerskate jam
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Reply #7 posted 04/05/17 4:44pm

PennyPurple

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What is sad was when she said that the man stopped coming around the house when her mom moved out. Leads me to believe that he was one of her mother's flings. The Dad seemed pretty protective, wonder why he didn't do anything, when she said the adults didn't listen to them. ?

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Reply #8 posted 04/05/17 4:45pm

206Michelle

Timeline for Chapter 1

June 7, 1958 – Prince Rogers Nelson is born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA.

..

1969 – Janice Garcia, Mayte’s sister, is born.

1969 - The Garcia family starts living a typical military family life of movind from base to base.

..

November 12, 1973 – Mayte Garcia is born on a military base in Enterprise, Alabama, USA.

..

Mid-1970s – Belly dancing is a popular activity at the Garcia family's local YMCA.

..

Around 1976-1977 – Mayte starts dancing at age 3.

..

Around 1978-1979 – Matye starts taking dancing lessons in North Carolina at age 5.

..

Around 1980 – Video cameras are available for everyday people.

1980 – Prince tours with Rick James.

1980 – Mayte and Nellie (Mama) have a busy schedule of dance performances and seminars.

..

Around 1980-1981 – Mayte appearsn on a syndicated show called PM Magazine.

Around 1980-1981 – John Garcia goes to Korea. The relationship between John and Nellie becomes strained.

Around 1980-1981 – A family friend molests Mayte and Janice.

..

Around 1981-1982 – When Mayte is 8 years old, the Garcia family travels to Atlanta, Georgia, USA in order to take dance classes from belly dancing stars Ibrahim “Bobby” Farrah and Amir.

Around 1981-1982 – Amir and George Abdo watch Mayte dance with a sword. George Abdo calls Mayte the “Eighth Wonder of the World.”

..

Early 1980s – Mayte appears on the show That’s Incredible.

Early 1980s – Mayte and Jan spend summers with their grandmothers in Puerto Rico.

Early 1980s – Mayte and Jan’s paternal granmother, Grandmother Nelly, records VHS tapes of MTV, and sends the tapes to Myte and Jan.

..

1983 – Just before she turns 10 years old, Mayte and Jan see Flashdance at a movie theatre in North Carolina, USA.

..

1984 – Jan, Nellie (Mama), and Mayte go to see the movie Purple Rain.

Live 4 Love ~ Love is God, God is love, Girls and boys love God above
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Reply #9 posted 04/05/17 4:46pm

PennyPurple

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Thank you Michelle! That is awesome!!

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Reply #10 posted 04/05/17 4:46pm

80tomato

SweetKathleen said:

PennyPurple said:

Ok here we go...Chapter 1, Pages 11-29

Talking Points

1. Both sets of Parents

Prince's parents:

Hardly discussed in this chapter. Mayte says he hardly talked about his early childhood. Perhaps because it was too painful or perhaps because he had already worked a lot of those issues out to a point where he didn't need to talk about it too much and had really moved on with the life he had created for himself. This is the first time I'd heard that he'd been locked in a closet--not cool.

Mayte's parents:

Weird situation but such is life. It is strange about Janell not knowing she was pregnant until she was 6 months along. I know it can happen--there are stories of women not knowing until they actually give birth--but probably not very common. My instinct tells me she probably knew before then but waited for whatever reason. Maybe fear or perhaps this woman who Mayte sort of portrays as a planner waited so long so that there were less options available.

i dont know how old her mum is ,but maybe she was really young with the 1st pregnancy and couldn't acknowledge it....The mum seems really controlling and like a dance mum

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Reply #11 posted 04/05/17 4:50pm

PennyPurple

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SweetKathleen said:

PennyPurple said:

Ok here we go...Chapter 1, Pages 11-29

Talking Points

1. Both sets of Parents

Prince's parents:

Hardly discussed in this chapter. Mayte says he hardly talked about his early childhood. Perhaps because it was too painful or perhaps because he had already worked a lot of those issues out to a point where he didn't need to talk about it too much and had really moved on with the life he had created for himself. This is the first time I'd heard that he'd been locked in a closet--not cool.

Mayte's parents:

Weird situation but such is life. It is strange about Janell not knowing she was pregnant until she was 6 months along. I know it can happen--there are stories of women not knowing until they actually give birth--but probably not very common. My instinct tells me she probably knew before then but waited for whatever reason. Maybe fear or perhaps this woman who Mayte sort of portrays as a planner waited so long so that there were less options available.

Probably scared. Janelle's mother seemed really strict. Her fathers mother seemed more relaxed.

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Reply #12 posted 04/05/17 4:59pm

206Michelle

My thoughts on chapter 1:

- Mayte had a lot of dysfunction in her childhood, just like Prince did. (For the record, it's kind of hard for me to relate to that kind of dysfunction because I had a very stable childhood. My parents had a good marriage, I lived in the same house for my entire childhood, and I was never abused or neglected. )

- I can relate to being teased in school, although I was not teased for the same reasons (racial) as Mayte.

- I like Mayte's explanation of the origin of her name. Mayte is not a common first name, so I was wondering how her name came to be.

- I thought it was interesting that Grandma Nelly sent tapes of MTV videos to Mayte and Jan. I never asked my grandparents to let me watch MTV, and even if I did so, I don't think that my grandparents would have encouraged me to watch MTV.

- I knew that Mayte started bellydancing when she was a child and that she appeared on some TV shows, but I had no idea how much of her childhood was spent bellydancing. I also had no idea that she was making money as a bellydancer at such a young age.

Live 4 Love ~ Love is God, God is love, Girls and boys love God above
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Reply #13 posted 04/05/17 5:00pm

SweetKathleen

PennyPurple said:

SweetKathleen said:

Prince's parents:

Hardly discussed in this chapter. Mayte says he hardly talked about his early childhood. Perhaps because it was too painful or perhaps because he had already worked a lot of those issues out to a point where he didn't need to talk about it too much and had really moved on with the life he had created for himself. This is the first time I'd heard that he'd been locked in a closet--not cool.

Mayte's parents:

Weird situation but such is life. It is strange about Janell not knowing she was pregnant until she was 6 months along. I know it can happen--there are stories of women not knowing until they actually give birth--but probably not very common. My instinct tells me she probably knew before then but waited for whatever reason. Maybe fear or perhaps this woman who Mayte sort of portrays as a planner waited so long so that there were less options available.

Probably scared. Janelle's mother seemed really strict. Her fathers mother seemed more relaxed.

I agree she was probably scared. Not only did Mayte's grandmother seem strict--but very judgmental. I'd be planning a route out of that household too.

I miss you my friend --jj, me, and many others
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Reply #14 posted 04/05/17 5:00pm

SpookyNopetopu
s

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Yeah, reading how her life was explains a lot, doesn't it? She's a tough chick, definitely. Tough in her her own way.

I imagine myself inside your bedroom; oh, I imagine myself in your sky.
kitty cop
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Reply #15 posted 04/05/17 5:10pm

nyse

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I read the first chapter on break at work...

In a way she was a child star. In the spot light from a early age.

Interesting sentiments about her father being unfaithful to her mother. .

heartbreaking, what happened to her sister and her.

.....looking like this is going to be a good read
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Reply #16 posted 04/05/17 5:26pm

lotusflower000
0

-I thought it was funny how Mayte described her mother only dating men from the ROTC so she could get away from Puerto Rico lol

-I would say the "family friend" story surprised me but it didn't. It's such a shame that a young girl's innocents can be taken in the blink of an eye. So many young girls share the same story & it affects the rest of their lives

-The description of her grandmothers mentality didn't surprise AT ALL lol I'm glad she mentioned it though. I've heard this 1000x over about MANY (NOT ALL) Puerto Rican grandparents not wanting ANYONE in their family to associate with darker skinned black people. I'd bet they'd have a heartattack if they found out what's in their dna mixture. lol

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Reply #17 posted 04/05/17 5:28pm

PennyPurple

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She said her parents names were John and Nelly and her middle name Jannell came from a combo of her parents names.

SweetKathleen said:

PennyPurple said:

Ok here we go...Chapter 1, Pages 11-29

Talking Points

1. Both sets of Parents

Prince's parents:

Hardly discussed in this chapter. Mayte says he hardly talked about his early childhood. Perhaps because it was too painful or perhaps because he had already worked a lot of those issues out to a point where he didn't need to talk about it too much and had really moved on with the life he had created for himself. This is the first time I'd heard that he'd been locked in a closet--not cool.

Mayte's parents:

Weird situation but such is life. It is strange about Janell (Nelly?) not knowing she was pregnant until she was 6 months along. I know it can happen--there are stories of women not knowing until they actually give birth--but probably not very common. My instinct tells me she probably knew before then but waited for whatever reason. Maybe fear or perhaps this woman who Mayte sort of portrays as a planner waited so long so that there were less options available.

edit: I always thought Mayte's mother's name was Janell and she went by the nickname Nelly. The book seems to indicate her given name is Nelly--anyone else have input on that?

[Edited 4/5/17 16:55pm]

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Reply #18 posted 04/05/17 5:32pm

PennyPurple

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What about when Prince wanted to change her name & if she did she knew she would get the wrath of her Mama. lol

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Reply #19 posted 04/05/17 5:36pm

LBrent

lotusflower0000 said:

-I thought it was funny how Mayte described her mother only dating men from the ROTC so she could get away from Puerto Rico lol

-I would say the "family friend" story surprised me but it didn't. It's such a shame that a young girl's innocents can be taken in the blink of an eye. So many young girls share the same story & it affects the rest of their lives

-The description of her grandmothers mentality didn't surprise AT ALL lol I'm glad she mentioned it though. I've heard this 1000x over about MANY (NOT ALL) Puerto Rican grandparents not wanting ANYONE in their family to associate with darker skinned black people. I'd bet they'd have a heartattack if they found out what's in their dna mixture. lol

The kicker being that the grandmother is half black.

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Reply #20 posted 04/05/17 5:42pm

206Michelle

PennyPurple said:

Thank you Michelle! That is awesome!!

You are welcome. I'm happy to contribute. It actually helps my comprehension of the text.

Live 4 Love ~ Love is God, God is love, Girls and boys love God above
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Reply #21 posted 04/05/17 5:48pm

206Michelle

lotusflower0000 said:

-I thought it was funny how Mayte described her mother only dating men from the ROTC so she could get away from Puerto Rico lol

-I would say the "family friend" story surprised me but it didn't. It's such a shame that a young girl's innocents can be taken in the blink of an eye. So many young girls share the same story & it affects the rest of their lives

-The description of her grandmothers mentality didn't surprise AT ALL lol I'm glad she mentioned it though. I've heard this 1000x over about MANY (NOT ALL) Puerto Rican grandparents not wanting ANYONE in their family to associate with darker skinned black people. I'd bet they'd have a heartattack if they found out what's in their dna mixture. lol

Interesting points about racial dynamics. I happen to be 1/4 Afro-Colombian by heritage (via mother's biological father). My mom was adopted, and I've never met her biological father, so Colombian cultural traditions have not been passed down to me. But I wonder if when Mayte says that her grandmother was half black, the blackness was Afro-Puerto Rican or African American.

Live 4 Love ~ Love is God, God is love, Girls and boys love God above
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Reply #22 posted 04/05/17 5:50pm

lotusflower000
0

LBrent said:

lotusflower0000 said:

-I thought it was funny how Mayte described her mother only dating men from the ROTC so she could get away from Puerto Rico lol

-I would say the "family friend" story surprised me but it didn't. It's such a shame that a young girl's innocents can be taken in the blink of an eye. So many young girls share the same story & it affects the rest of their lives

-The description of her grandmothers mentality didn't surprise AT ALL lol I'm glad she mentioned it though. I've heard this 1000x over about MANY (NOT ALL) Puerto Rican grandparents not wanting ANYONE in their family to associate with darker skinned black people. I'd bet they'd have a heartattack if they found out what's in their dna mixture. lol

The kicker being that the grandmother is half black.

Lol I just don't get it.

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Reply #23 posted 04/05/17 5:54pm

Strawberrylova
123

lotusflower0000 said:

-I thought it was funny how Mayte described her mother only dating men from the ROTC so she could get away from Puerto Rico lol



-I would say the "family friend" story surprised me but it didn't. It's such a shame that a young girl's innocents can be taken in the blink of an eye. So many young girls share the same story & it affects the rest of their lives



-The description of her grandmothers mentality didn't surprise AT ALL lol I'm glad she mentioned it though. I've heard this 1000x over about MANY (NOT ALL) Puerto Rican grandparents not wanting ANYONE in their family to associate with darker skinned black people. I'd bet they'd have a heartattack if they found out what's in their dna mixture. lol






Yea thats the part that stood out the most
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Reply #24 posted 04/05/17 6:00pm

SpookyNopetopu
s

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PennyPurple said:

What about when Prince wanted to change her name & if she did she knew she would get the wrath of her Mama. lol

I died laughing at that. "Wouldn't it be cool... "

"Dafuq? NO."

falloff

I imagine myself inside your bedroom; oh, I imagine myself in your sky.
kitty cop
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Reply #25 posted 04/05/17 6:02pm

lotusflower000
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206Michelle said:

lotusflower0000 said:

-I thought it was funny how Mayte described her mother only dating men from the ROTC so she could get away from Puerto Rico lol

-I would say the "family friend" story surprised me but it didn't. It's such a shame that a young girl's innocents can be taken in the blink of an eye. So many young girls share the same story & it affects the rest of their lives

-The description of her grandmothers mentality didn't surprise AT ALL lol I'm glad she mentioned it though. I've heard this 1000x over about MANY (NOT ALL) Puerto Rican grandparents not wanting ANYONE in their family to associate with darker skinned black people. I'd bet they'd have a heartattack if they found out what's in their dna mixture. lol

Interesting points about racial dynamics. I happen to be 1/4 Afro-Colombian by heritage (via mother's biological father). My mom was adopted, and I've never met her biological father, so Colombian cultural traditions have not been passed down to me. But I wonder if when Mayte says that her grandmother was half black, the blackness was Afro-Puerto Rican or African American.

That's good question! I'm willing to bet that it was Afro-Puerto Rican.

[Edited 4/5/17 18:02pm]

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Reply #26 posted 04/05/17 6:03pm

206Michelle

Regarding the tumultuous nature of Mayte's parents's marriage, I wonder if some of the instability comes from the marriage basically being a "shotgun" marriage done as a result of a pregnancy. Getting married because of a pregnancy was definitely more common in the 1960s and 1970s than it is now.

Live 4 Love ~ Love is God, God is love, Girls and boys love God above
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Reply #27 posted 04/05/17 6:03pm

purpletbird

PennyPurple said:

Thank you Michelle! That is awesome!!



Great Job Michelle!
Life is death without adventure
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Reply #28 posted 04/05/17 6:08pm

AbstractPoetic
91

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LBrent said:



lotusflower0000 said:


-I thought it was funny how Mayte described her mother only dating men from the ROTC so she could get away from Puerto Rico lol



-I would say the "family friend" story surprised me but it didn't. It's such a shame that a young girl's innocents can be taken in the blink of an eye. So many young girls share the same story & it affects the rest of their lives



-The description of her grandmothers mentality didn't surprise AT ALL lol I'm glad she mentioned it though. I've heard this 1000x over about MANY (NOT ALL) Puerto Rican grandparents not wanting ANYONE in their family to associate with darker skinned black people. I'd bet they'd have a heartattack if they found out what's in their dna mixture. lol








The kicker being that the grandmother is half black.




That mindset doesn't surprise me, some Puerto Rican's even now think this way. I simply shook my head, her grandmother was doing the damn most but let's be real some black folks right here in America are no different, we have that mindset too sometimes.
"I'm The N-To The A-to the S-I-R and if I wasn't I must have been Escobar"
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Reply #29 posted 04/05/17 6:11pm

JANEMT0413

Chapter I Parents & Family -

I focused on Mayte being an Army Brat with a military family. I don't know how many other org members come from those roots, but it hit home to this Brat.

Some, probably way too much, generalizations about military families:

1 - the family itself is as tight as tight can be. Functional or not. Your parents & sibs are the only consistents.

2 - you make friends fast, and prepare to leave them behind almost as fast FAMILY IS YOUR LIFE

3 - your behavior can impact your parents social and career status - not kidding.

you learn early to sit nice and smile.

4- Nellie being an officer wife is no joke. Its an important thing!

5 - Most military kids can spot another one a mile away. They grow up early

Thanks Mayte for bringing 'standby' travel memories back to me

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