When writing my posts, I usually have music playing in the background. It's a ritual of mine. I usually go for reggae which is an eternal obsession of mine. On Pandora my favorite station is the Beres Hammond's followed by Morgan Heritage. I could listen to them forever. Sometimes, when I think I have overdone it with reggae, I go for my classics my faves are Etta James, Billie Holiday or Ella Fitzgerald. Otis Redding has me wanting sit at the dock of the bay and waste time. The act of playing music gets my brain in writing mode instantly. Sometimes, I usually don't have an idea what the post will be about and other times I would have something that had been stewing in my head ready to be served. Que the music and I start typing, I'm a plane on the runway, then off I go. Athletes do dynamic stretches, chef's sharpen their knives, some artists run their fingers on their bristles, while photographers give their lenses a quick run through. I am reading a book entitled The Creative Habits by Twyla Tharp and it got me thinking about the rituals we do before diving into anything. My sister Flo mentioned to me that even on her "I don't feel like going to the gym days" as soon as she puts her gym bag on her shoulder, it's on. Her ritual is the gym bag. For me, music is the ritual. As I was jotting this post, my girl Amy Winehouse with her soulful melodious voice crooned back to black and I figured that title was so suitable for this post.

For those who know me as a color obsessed, print manic, pattern loving kinda person, this post might come as a surprise. Roshie, where's the color doll? Well, I have been doing a little thinking and sometimes it's good to change things up. If you follow me on Instagram, you've noticed a smattering of black and white pictures. They evoke elegance. A moment ingrained in time. At first I was a little bit apprehensive about the all black look (insert endless litanies on color..lol) but I shrugged it off. Oh now you have to read my post on January 14th, (if you haven't already) there is a reference to the color black :).

All this talk on black reminds me of a quote by one of my all time favorite designers.