Views from a BrewTown Sista (aka The Chronicles of Kayleah H. Madison)

It's nice to know that almost 1,600 people have looked at what I have written on my blogs during the past year and change. All of these blogs have had me chat about everything from my possible future transition into womanhood to old childhood memories. The list keeps growing with no signs of stopping anytime soon. Why should it? You never know what topic or idea will come out of my head! The last few days I have been told by some friends online that I should go ahead and write an actual book about all the adventures I have had over the years.  Seriously, I never thought my life would be THAT interesting to have a potential best seller about my past events. The last thing I'd expect is my autobiography being spotted on the New York Times'  list! Earlier this year, I tried to write up a screenplay-not a book, mind you-on the time I had during the ever-so exciting weekend at Be-All Chicago in 2010. The working title was called  The Sistah's Weekend . It would be an R-ra...

Today was the day I had been wondering about how well I would sing Oh Happy Day on the anniversary of my mother's passing 34 years ago. When I was first told about the Sunday I was going to sing it, I told Janel,my music director, not to be surprised if I wore black that day. Of course, I explained why that day was so important to me. Janel understood where I was coming from. My friend Judy told me that this wasn't a coincidence. Maybe she knew a day like this was going to surface one day in my life. I got up this morning at the usual time, around 7:00am. Yes, I knew today was the day that I got the chance to sing in front of the congregation for the third time since joining the church a year ago. So I had planned to rehearse the high notes near the song's conclusion using the downloaded music on my laptop. I'm not a show-off, but since today was also our post-Service Thanksgiving Dinner, I tried to look a bit decent. I did my normal duties of shaving,showering an...

November 20,2013                                    Loves Park,IL Dear Mom, This coming Sunday will officially mark 34 years since you left this world. The last time I got to see you alive was at St. Joeseph's Hospital in Milwaukee in 1979. I know that the last thing I would ever say to you would turn out to be something I would regret saying to this very day. I have constantly asked God for forgiveness for my comment. It was in the heat of the moment,and I wasn't crazy about hospitals. Remember, I was only 9 at the time. somehow, I am hoping that this message does get to you, one way or another. Dad did take care of me after you left. I don't think he cared if he motivated me or not. Some days I would be a good kid, some days I'd do something stupid and he'd get angry at me. I will admit that I'm no Rhodes scholar,but I did try to have a little fun here and there while getting my educati...

I was out and about getting ready not only for singing "Oh Happy Day" in church this Sunday, but also preparing for Thanksgiving. A memory came to me when I received a text message from the local PFLAG (Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays) chapter asking me why don't I dedicate that song to my late mother, who passed 34 years ago this coming Sunday (November 24)? So I thought about it a while. I may do that. However, I was reminded of a moment that rocked my core when I was in my third year at college.  During this month back in 1991, my step-cousin was days away from getting hitched to his girlfriend. I was thrilled for him, even though to this very day I have no plans on doing the same thing. I was also part of a group of students that weekly attended this C.O.G.I.C near downtown New Orleans. I got to meet the pastor and his wife, and they got to know me and the other students that worshiped there as well. That pastor, who these days is now a bishop, looked a bi...

Above is the actual recording of the song Oh Happy Day, sung by the Edwin Hawkins Singers. This was made over 40 years ago. What's the importance of this song? I'll make it easy for you...yours truly gets to do my own version of this gospel classic this coming Sunday at Spring Creek United Church of Christ. This will be the church's annual Thanksgiving Dinner, which follows after the service. However, this Sunday will also mark the anniversary of my dear mom's passing. I told the choir director about this, so I will say a few things before I sing it. I have had a few facebook friends tell me not to dwell on the past so much. They're right. I guess when you don't have as many friends to hang out with, old memories linger around a lot.  I spent too much time taking about this in "Thanksgiving Memorium" last year. That's over with. So I am working on a tricky part near the end of the song. No, it won't sound anything like the original record...