“…more than a magazine, it’s a movement”

B.da and the winner of the “Name the Newsletter” contest, Red-G Phillips.

april 2008
“Humble before God…BOLD before man”
This is the essence of…

To the world we show ourselves as strong, secure,

unmovable, successful and all-around FABULOUS
individuals. When people see us, our star is shining
bright – we juggle it all and never miss a beat.
But at the end of the day, when no one is looking, when
our worldly armor comes off and we stand naked, with
nothing but the weight of the world on our shoulders,
we look to our Father, our comfort, our strength for
guidance, assurance, and supply.
We are God’s children.
Through Christ, we are family.
In love, we are sisters.
We bond through fellowship.
My prayer is that StarChild will speak to every part of us.
May you continue to read, be enlightened and be blessed.

“B.da”
 BEAUTY IS MY NAME?
I was having a conversation with a male friend of mine the
other day and in the middle of our convo, a "well endowed"
video chick came on tv. His attention went from what we
were talking about to the hips and hair that was strewn
across my tv screen. On and on and on he went about how
beautiful this individual was... and granted, she was
attractive. Everything about her was a 10 (no homo).
However, as a female who often comes across similar
compliments, I am flattered by their sentiments, but also
slightly offended. My response is oftentimes, “…thanks, I'll
tell my mom you said so" because I feel that she had more
of a role in my genetics than I could ever have.

Granted, I'm no punk when it comes to rocking the MAC

lipglass, 2857 signature mascara, 4 inch stilettos and skinny
leg jeans... but there is so much more to me than what is
perceived by my outward appearance. I feel that calling a
woman beautiful may be an understatement once you get to
know how great and wonderful that person is.

Don’t get me wrong... flattery is NOT the

enemy. If I'm looking good, you
acknowledging that is not a bad thing.

I'm just saying, there is more to me than

meets the eye. **wink**

- The Sassy Diva

 CAREER ADVICE: 101
Like the old saying, "Today is the first day of the rest of your life," it's
never a bad time to start moving your career in a better direction.
Below are a few tips from Monster.com writer Dan Miller that can
help you make the most of your current employment:

Pay Attention in Class

Treat every workday like a school day. Be sure you learn something and use it to
make yourself more productive. It doesn't have to relate to your skills set. It may be
as simple as understanding how to work with specific peers or emotional
intelligence. Take mental notes. Don't sleepwalk through the day.

Understand Company Goals

Make sure you understand how your job contributes to your company's business
objectives. Are you in a revenue-generating role? A brand-awareness role? Is your
mission to delight the customer? Knowing how your job fits into the big picture will
give you inspiration and a sense of accomplishment -- and will help you understand
your job's impact.

Be Ethical
Bring integrity to your job. Whether you're running the company or cleaning its
bathrooms, be honest in all you do. Don't call in sick just to get a day off -- that's
stealing. Put in an honest day's work. Be accountable. If you're working remotely,
be sure you are. Do what you say you're going to do. Honesty and reliability mean a
lot to your manager.

Stretch Your Role

Occasionally think how you can go above and beyond. Are there projects outside
your defined role you could help with? Be proactive; ask to join. Come up with your
own ideas, and work with your manager to implement them. If you're a hamster, step
off the wheel and poke your head out of the cage. Stretch a little. This won't go
unnoticed.

Manage Up
Make sure you and your manager are in firm agreement on what you're doing. Be
proactive and get on his calendar to ensure you're meeting or exceeding
expectations. Don't assume he's paying close attention. There are bad managers. If
there's a disconnect between what you're doing and what your manager wants, you're
partly to blame. Don't wait until review time.
P •h •o •t • o • g • r • a • p • h • y
Paparazza.diva@gmail.com
www.myspace.com/paparazza_diva
219.381.1285

Family…all because
two people fell in love
 cut & pasted
The GOOD LIFE For Real…
Kanye West Launches Travel Website

Grammy-award-winning performer Kanye West is extending his brand by launching a

travel company,Kanye Travel Ventures. His aim is to offer quality low airfares, hotels and
rental cars without service or membership fees.

KTV is "geared to serve the business and leisure travel demands of Kanye's world-wide
fan base“, Mr. West said in a statement. Consumers can expect the KTV travel
experience to be reflective of Kanye's style and approach to living. Travel packages will
be available that include tickets to his concerts and concert merchandise.

To experience the good life, Kanye-style, visit www.KanyeTravel.com.

For the ladies in love with
the thugs…don’t knock his
hustle, put him on to a
more legal game:
Medical marijuana is a thriving industry that continues to
gain ground as researchers prove its effectiveness in
treating everything from Alzheimer's to arthritis. It should
come as no surprise then that training people to grow and
dispense it would be the next logical step.

Enter Oaksterdam University; a trade school in Oakland,

California that aims to put the “high” back in higher
education. Oaksterdam trains people for jobs in
California's thriving — and state-sanctioned — medical
marijuana industry.

Unsurprisingly, spots sell out quickly for the two-day

weekend course. For a mere $200 (plus textbook fee),
students learn how to grow pot, use cannabis in cooking
and choose the best strains to treat different ailments.
Students also get a crash course in the legalities of a
business that's still against federal law, despite being
sanctioned for medical use by a dozen states.

If the feds don't shut them down, pot clubs offer a lucrative
career track. Trained “budtenders” make over $50,000 a
year while top managers command upward of $100,000.
For more information, go to oaksterdamuniversity.com.
www.internetbumperstickers.com
On an All About MeNote…
(Questions from readers that only I can answer)

“What is a B.da and

where did you come
up with that? Also,
how the heck do you
pronounce it…?”
– A (precious) and inquiring mind

B.da (pronounced BEE-duh) is my spiritual nickname. It is derived

from the nickname Bee-Dee-Bee (yes, like Martin called Pam ☺).
I’ve heard people say that, once you are saved, the Holy Spirit speaks
to you with a voice that sounds like your conscious. Well, my creative
conscious wound up calling me Bee-Dee-Bee, sounding like, “Come
on Bee-Dee-Bee, don’t even sweat that. What’s the Word say? Touch
not my anointed, right. God GOT you in this. Chillax!”
Over time it went from Bee-Dee-Bee down to just B.da. No longer
thinking it weird, I began to embrace it and playing around with it, I
realized that it could also be slang for “B” the. So I started to use it as
a way to demonstrate how limitless my being is. I’m “B” the mother,
“B” the friend, “B” the poet, “B” the Christian, “B” the writer, “B” the
singer…
In Exodus 3:14, God informs Moses that He is “I AM THAT I AM.”
B.da is my way of proclaiming to the world that I’m the B that is! It is
my name of encouragement, my name of edification and my name of
correction. It is the name that He who loves me most has blessed me
with, and I wear it with boldness as a testimony unto God.
MOTHER’S DAY SPECIAL!
(Starting at $35)
Unsure of what to get for the woman who has everything?
How about a personalized photo creation made from a
favorite picture. Simply e-mail your photo to
paparazza.diva@gmail.com and let us create a timeless
piece, sure to bring smiles for years to come.

For more information call Brandee @ 219.381.1285

I’m the wind beneath

my mommy’s wings!

ORIGINAL PHOTO
 The Threshing Floor
Comfortable
Or yet seemingly so
I mind my own business
And forget about God
Pseudo-
Pseudo-sunlight becomes my Son
And I bask in the things
Which seek to damage my soul
Knowing I don’
don’t belong here
And so out of place
I put on a good show
Paste a smile upon my face
I go through the motions
And righteously so
What would the devil say?
An angel wants to know
My flesh goes about
Trying to gratify itself
Ratify itself
To the chagrin of the souls health
Pleasure seeker
Flesh be weaker
We fall down
Yet don’
don’t want to get up
Stuck
In a place where its lie upon lie
Now I want out
Yet my flesh refuses to die
Conflicted, restricted
And rightfully so
Tell me, what would an angel do?
The devil wants to know
Out of no where I am taken
From my imagined comfort zone
Completely alienated
Feeling all alone
I can feel the hand of God at work
Yet I refuse to yield
Doesn’
Doesn’t matter, He’
He’s almighty
Those nasty layers he begins to peel
I see myself for who I am
And am appalled at what I see
My soul cries out for intervention
My spirit longs to be set free
Set upon the threshing floor
The Word divides my flesh from soul
Oh how painful is this process
Torn apart to be made whole
Paradigms shift
And reality hits me in the face
I’m at a place
Where I have to be real
No more hiding
Nor merely abiding
It is no longer about how I feel
I have a choice
Retardation or growth
I can be comfortable or outstanding
But I can’
can’t be both
My actions will indicate which one I choose
Sin or salvation – which way will I go?
I want nothing more than
to be pleasing in His sight
What would an angel do?
This angel wants to know
-B.da
(Because unreliable cell phone
web access is never a good
look….)
One of the most annoying things about having ‘net access through your cell phone is not being able to access all of the
content that you need in a fully-functioning format. Ladies of the new millennium need optimized cell phone web access.
Be it for at-the-ready online banking, checking our e-bay auction item, or checking out the new cutie who sent you a
myspace friend request.

With Opera Mini 4 (downloadable to your cell phone) you can take your full web experience and digital lifestyle with you —
SECURELY - everywhere you go.
The program loads your requested web pages at over twice the speed of other mobile browsers on the market. And
because Opera Mini 4 compresses the data before sending it to your phone, your content is delivered faster and costs less
to receive.
Opera Mini 4 has other cool features. It gives you a virtual mouse, so you can easily scroll in any direction, similar to how an
iPHONE scrolls. Move the mouse cursor towards what you want, and then it quickly snaps your view to the link or content.
Want to view the Web on a wider screen? Just hit * # and flip your phone to the side to enjoy browsing in Landscape mode.
To get started with Opera Mini, just go to www.operamini.com on your cell phone and the server auto-detects your device
and gives you the right download link. (Note: If you get a message that says “your phone model could not be detected”
scroll down and click on the “Try the new opera mini 4” link).

Installation is very quick. If you happen to try it out, hit me up and let me know what you think about the program.

ARE YOU H.A.P.P.Y.?

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www.HouseofTrueBlue.com www.marykay.com/tamecika_travalta
Reader Question of the Month
Here’s a hypothetical yet interesting question for you all to
ponder:

If the government proposed

a law to make it mandatory
for all newborns to be DNA
tested before the child left
the hospital, would you be
“for” or “against” the law?
And why?

Please send your responses to our new e-mail address:

Starchild.pub@gmail.com
Last month, a “CURIOUS” reader
wondered what our reaction would be
if we found out our son or daughter
was gay. SEVERAL of our readers
offered their insights and personal
stories.
We ran all responses past “CURIOUS”
and here is the response that hit
closest to home for our dear reader:

Dear Curious,
My job as a parent is to love my children unconditionally. That
means that no matter what, I'll love and support them
regardless. We don't always have to agree with what your child
does in life. We also shouldn't put "conditions" on
"unconditional" love . I feel really sad for the parents out there
that shun their sons and daughters just because they live a
different lifestyle outside of the "norm". You are only missing out
on precious time to spend with them while they're here on
earth. It's bad enough that they may encounter ignorant stares, or
rough treatment by others on the street. So why put them through
even more unnecessary pain?

I say LOVE and EMBRACE your children. Be there and support

them. Life isn't promised for any of us tomorrow. Enjoy each
other now!!!

Mocha Li'

Need advice? Do you have a question you’d like to run past a network of savvy and experienced ladies? Would
you like to hear what men have to say about something that’s been bugging you about your guy? Our on-site/on-
demand cadre of men-folk are willing to discuss anything… so are our readers. Send your questions to
starchild.pub@gmail.com and we will work on getting an answer for you…
 Potent \’pō-tənt\
(adjective)
1. Having or wielding force, authority, or influence : powerful
2. Achieving or bringing about a particular result : effective

We are potent individuals

Created by God
Filled with a destiny
That must manifest
We will not be satisfied
Until we have…
What we want…
How we want it…
Sounds like we expect a lot, huh?
But we also give a lot
Women, mothers, friends, girlfriends, wives
All are we
Or have been at some time
But the time is now
For us to BE
Unhindered
And uninhibited
For we are potent individuals
Created by God
Filled with a destiny
That will manifest
-B.da
 Recipe of the Month

StarChild Tortellini Alfredo

(Feeds 4)

16 oz spinach and cheese tortellini ½ cup chopped onions

2 ½ cups cooked grilled chicken breast strips ½ cup chopped green pepper

16 oz (or two jars) of creamy alfredo sauce 1 pinch of cilantro

*I recommend Ragu’s cheesy alfredo sauce
2 tsp kosher salt
1 lb. bag of frozen vegetable medley
lemon pepper seasoning
2 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp ground pepper
2 tsp virgin olive oil
4 cups of water
2 tsp lemon juice

- Pour water into a saucepan and bring to a rapid boil; add tortellini,
vegetable medley, 1 tsp. minced garlic and 1 tsp of kosher salt and let
cook for approximately 10 minutes or until tortellini and vegetables
are tender.
- In a pre-heated saute or frying pan mix chicken, 1 tsp of garlic, 2 tsp
of olive oil, 2 tsp of lemon juice, 1 tsp of kosher salt, chopped onions
and peppers and a pinch of cilantro. Season mixture with lemon
pepper seasoning and 1 tsp of ground pepper. Stir and let cook until
chicken is slightly browned.
- Strain the tortellini and vegetable mixture to get rid of excess water.
Add the mixture and the alfredo sauce to the pan containing the
chicken. Stir and then cover, letting it simmer over low heat for
approximately 10 minutes.
- Serve and enjoy! ☺
 PICS FROM THE OFFICIAL LAUNCH PARTY
The Ladies McClendon
came all the way from
Flint to kick it with us!
Love you all. *MUAH*

Elena Luv
representin’
with her
StarChild tee!

saaang B.da…

YOU LADIES ROCK! Thanks for coming out!

Tee Tee Leslie, you
were a LIFESAVER!
Love ya!
 Thanks Patricia! ☺

…best deejay this side of Heaven!

thanks for coming out!

Get it Chelle!

(thumbs up)

she’s
comcastic!
 Sing it, spit it or say it… it’s about being heard

e
i nc
Lik Shoot Down the Stars – Gym Class Heroes – Pr
e AS r
tar
– A Sta
Cor
rine ’m
Bail
ey R b yI
ae Ba
Superstar – Luther Vandross
The

Ultimate Playlist
Rock Star
10 songs we love because it has “star”
– R. Kelly f/ Ludacris and Kid Rock
in the title. ☺

ix)
( r em Stars - Kindred
r
Sta m
R oc k
n e , Ji
a ay
L i ke i l’ W
n aire 2 6
t y L illi o Wi
Par f/
o y s C ha m shi D ay
o p B
d ow ng –
t ar
h n W on
– S ne s a w aS
Jo Bo tar o -s
d –J C
an ay
rion Z
a
– Om
r
Sta
o d
Ho

Go to www.myspace.com/bda_starchild to listen to our Ultimate Playlist

…and add us as a friend while you’re there!
 I LOVE your newsletter, girl…seeing my
name made me feel good! :-) Can't wait to
see the female survey coming out, woohoo!!
-Walida

I had such a nice time at the launch
party/poetry event last week. I'm
loving what your doing with the
newsletter. Its so nice to see women
doing positive things these days!
-Krystle
Your Newsletter is soooooooo cool!!!! I read it
each month knowing that something in it will
inspire me to embrace my "womanhood". Keep
up the good work and keep us girls bonded the
way you have, so far. You are DOING what alot
of us have only been able to talk about. - Angie

I really like this. If you don't mind I will send this to a

couple of my friends to see what they think. If they want to be added
to your distro list I'll send you their email address. I look forward
to sharing and commenting on the page as well. You go Girl!
Love you! - Leah
“the ‘unnamed’
unnamed’
newsletter was
remarkable as
Go head girl, you are very talented and blessed. Great job keep up the great
usual”
usual” - Stephanie
work.... sign me up!!! - Seneice

I got the newsletter yesterday. I love PHENOMONAL WORK, BRANDEE!!!

the name. It is wonderful. I liked the
newsletter also. Keep up the good
work. Oh, and your picture on the front
was sooo cute. -Toshia
Love your newsletters!!!
Keep it up Blossom. -Cresia
Thanks so much for the newsletter. I
enjoyed it so much. I'm so happy that
someone is actually stepping out and
following their dreams.
This is exactly how business are formed.
Keep it up! -Tammy
I ENJOYED IT FROM STATISTICAL TO
POLITICAL AND ALL THAT WAS IN
BETWEEN! I FEEL YOU:
"...I got a passion stirring up that’s innate
It fuels my ambition to know God for myself
And waters my mustard seed faith..."
DON'T MAKE ME CALL YOU TO THE MIC
ON THE 20th. HA, HA!! ONE LOVE... GOD'S
LOVE!! CONTINUED SUCCESS &
BLESSINGS, ELENA-LUV

I got your newsletter.. luv'd it!!!!! My mom wants you to put her on the
mailing list also...she said she is tooo happy for you that you are doing Nice job with my
sooo many positive things with yourself :) She luv'd the newsletter condo
also...she told me that you work downtown and have a very busy job...it advertisement. -
amazes me that you do that, take care of Pélen, and have the energy to JP
run the newsletter as well! I'm proud of you also:) - LaTreacha
 Publisher
Brandee Cartwright-Jones (B.da)
starchild.pub@gmail.com

Vice President/Director of Innovation

Angel Campbell

Senior Editor-in-Chief
Erica M. Robinson

Regional Distribution Manager

Danyalle Lee
The newsletter reaches more than 200 readers nationwide and the
mailing list keeps growing! For advertising opportunities, contact
Brandee Cartwright-Jones at 219.381.1285 or
starchild.pub@gmail.com

Special thanks for this issue go out to Walida, Red-G, Mocha Li (you did it again, homey!),
C.Blake (my technology advisor), Shiree, Elena-Luv (a constant encouragement), Robee and
Solea, DJ Lowe Ki, Tamecika, “Tee Tee Leslie” and Pélen.

Sayonara…
Sayonara…
not to be confused with cyanide,
which is, of course, goodbye in any language.
See you next month….