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The Swirl World

Celebrating and Elevating Black Women - mind, body, soul and spirit!


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A White Man Who Loves Black Women

July 18, 2014 By Michelle Matthews-Calloway 1 Comment

White Man Loves Black WomenSinger. Songwriter. Composer.

(and a Magician, too!)

Link A. Valiant holds all these titles, yet there is another title of which he is most proud: Swirler.

That’s right – Link Valiant loves Black women, and in this podcast episode he discusses the why and the how.

When Did He Know He Loves Black Women?

The Chicago native tells us he came to this realization between the ages of 18-19 and shares the events in his life that led to his discovery.

At the end of the show, Link even sings a few bars from a ballad that he wrote – a Black woman is his muse, of course!

You can also listen to the show on Sound Cloud.

 

Link Valiant 2To visit Link;s website, click here. If you’re on Facebook, you can keep up with Link’s latest and schedule of appearances by clicking here. You can also follow Link on Twitter @LinkValiant.

Want to be a guest on the podcast, or know someone who should? Send an email to Podcast@TheSwirlWorld.com. Be sure to “Like” The Swirl World on Facebook and subscribe to the podcast on iTunes. You can also follow us on Sound Cloud and listen to the show on Stitcher Radio!

Copyright © 2014  Michelle Matthews Calloway, ASwirlGirl™, The Swirl World™, The Swirl World Podcast™,  All rights reserved.

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Filed Under: Podcast Tagged With: Black women, Black. White, Chicago, composer, dating, Illinois, interracial, interracial dating, interracial marriage, interracial relationships, interracial romance, Link Valiant, magician, Music, musician, podcast, singer, songwriter, swirl, swirling, white, White men

I Hope You Dance . . . .

April 19, 2013 By Michelle Matthews-Calloway 2 Comments

Kozzi-krump-style-dancer-1183 X 1774

. . .  ‘cuz I sure do!

This has been a long week. Sometimes you just have to dance it out.

This video is giving me life.

http://youtu.be/9hWAU-lJFaM

Join in the Fray: Do you dance when no one is watching? What’s your song of choice?

I’m blogging every day in the month of April in Blogher’s NaBloPoMo Challenge. Thanks for reading, and feel free to comment!

Copyright © 2013 Michelle Matthews Calloway, ASwirlGirl™, The Swirl World™, All rights reserved.

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Filed Under: NaBloPoMo Challenge, Series, Special, Uncategorized Tagged With: Abba, Black, Black women, Black. White, BlogHer, bus stop, dance, dancing, disco, interracial, interracial dating, interracial marriage, Music, NaBloPoMo, woman

Who Says White Men Can’t Dance???

January 4, 2013 By Michelle Matthews-Calloway 17 Comments

One of the things I want to learn this year is Zydeco dancing.

This, my friends, is why:

I won’t tell y’all how many times I’ve watched this video. Yes, Home Girl has some great moves – no shade on her.

However.

I am not watching her moves.

(I’m just saying).

Coughs.

Sips some cold water.

Fans.

Clicks video again . . . .

(Hey! Don’t judge me!)

In Southwest Louisiana (also known as Cajun Country), MOST of the men – regardless of race or ethnicity) can dance like this.

This guy has some great moves he just needs a stylist.

So, who says White men can’t dance???

I rest my case. 

Join in the Fray: Can you  . . .  . dance?

I’m blogging every day in the month of January in Blogher’s NaBloPoMo Challenge. Thanks for reading, and feel free to comment!

Copyright © 2013 Michelle Matthews Calloway, ASwirlGirl, All rights reserved.

 

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Filed Under: NaBloPoMo Challenge, Series, Uncategorized Tagged With: Black, Black women, Black. White, Cajun, Cajun Country, dance, dance lessons, dancing, interracial, interracial dating, interracial marriage, interracial relationships, lessons, Louisiana, Music, NaBloPoMo, Southwest Louisiana, swirling, White men, zydeco

Come Wake Me Up

June 21, 2012 By Michelle Matthews-Calloway 10 Comments

I just sit in these flames,

            and pray that you’ll come back,

Close my eyes tightly, hold on and hope that

            I’m dreaming . . . Come wake me up.

 

 

 

The new Rascal Flatts’ CD has been in heavy rotation this week. I have very eclectic tastes in music, and my music tastes are as wide-ranging as my moods. Several of the songs are so good that I keep them on repeat while I’m driving – and for me, this repeat mode can last all day. #dontjudgeme

There’s a method to my madness: When a song is worthy of this highly concentrated repeat mode, it’s because I’m meditating on the words, extracting meanings and applications for my life, or even using the song to gauge how much I’ve advanced (or haven’t) in dealing with certain situations or emotions. Let me give you an example:

A “break up” song like Come Wake Me Up one has three cycles:

Stage 1: Tears are flowing; this song speaks the sentiments of my heart, blah, blah, blah. Pass the tissues, please.

Stage 2: I’ve passed through Stage 1, but the song is still too painful to listen to and can potentially put me back in Stage 1 if I’m not careful. *Skips the song on the CD*

Stage 3: The sound is turned up, and I’m singing along, hitting all the high notes. I’m happy as a clam because I’ve made it through the first two stages, and the fact that I’m enjoying the song lets me know that the heartbreak cycle is over.      

Today I’m adding a Stage 4: The words of the song give me a revelation.

Yes, I know the original meaning of Come Wake me Up is to convey that the singer wants his lost love to come and “wake him up” from the pain he’s experiencing at losing her. How many of us can relate to that??? The aftermath of a breakup is surreal; so much so that you sometimes want to pinch yourself and wonder if the fact that you and your S/O are no longer together has placed you in the Twilight Zone. Surely, surely you’re dreaming, and you want him or her to “come and wake you up.”

Break-ups are usually traumatic and emotionally draining, even when there’s no accompanying drama. Allowing yourself to go through a period of healthy introspection, evaluation, and release is a must. To each his own, but I don’t advocate jumping from one relationship immediately into another. Instead, face the pain. Get reacquainted with yourself. The same love that hurts is also the same love that heals. Once you direct love inward, towards you, at some point you’ll be again able to direct it outward, and hopefully this time towards someone who is worthy of that love.

 

So, let it hurt, because the good news is that you’ll find that you come to my Stage 4 epiphany, where Come Wake Me Up loses its negative connotation and becomes positive.  Come Wake Me Up is what your heart begins to sing to the  good guy out there; the one who makes himself emotionally available to give you the love that you need and deserve. The one who won’t take you for granted or abuse you, but will appreciate and cherish you. The one that you can give to without fear of exploitation, rejection, or desertion. A love that gives back. That’s the kind of love we all want. The kind of love that will come wake us up, and then say, “Come away with me.”

 

 

 

Join the fray: What area of your life need to wake up, and why?     

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Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: Black, breakup, hurt, interracial, interracial relationships, lost, love, Music, negative, Norah Jones, positive, Rascal Flatts, Twilight Zone, Wake Me Up, white

Let the Good Times Roll! (2011 Festival International)

May 4, 2011 By Michelle Matthews-Calloway 2 Comments

This past weekend I had the pleasure of attending the 2011 Festival International in Lafayette, Louisiana. This was the 25th year for this annual event and I had a BLAST! So many sights, sounds, colors, food, and people!

Here’s a blurb from the website (emphasis mine):

 “Festival International de Louisiane is truly a community event drawing together approximately 1,500 volunteers from all segments of the community to work together to celebrate both our diversity and the common human experience that binds us together. Through the arts presented and the joint efforts to produce it, the festival contributes to the spirit of community that is so unique to the Acadiana region.

The annual 5-day festival is held during the last full week of April. Historic downtown Lafayette, Louisiana, is transformed into an entertainment complex featuring six music stages, food court areas, street musicians and animators, arts and crafts boutiques, art galleries, beverage stands, cultural workshops, international cooking demonstrations and a world music store.

All programming for the festival is designed to celebrate cultural expression in a variety of forms and to encourage understanding and appreciation for different cultures. Festival International events are free to the public and designed to encourage family participation from all sectors of the community.”

Think about it: Five days FILLED with experiencing and celebrating diversity, community, the arts, cultural workshops, and international cooking???

I think you get the picture.

The Southwest region of Louisiana, also affectionately known as “Acadiana,” hosts annual festivals based on a variety of different themes and local specialties. For instance, Crowley, LA, known as “The Rice Capital of the World,” annually hosts the “International Rice Festival.” Rayne, LA (shout out!) boasts that it is “The Frog Capital of the World,” and correspondingly hosts annually the “International Frog Festival.”

[Sidebar: Any excuse to throw a party is better than none . . . .]

There was a ton of things to see and do so I was able to capture only a mere smidgeon of what the Festival offered. I hope you enjoy the photos and videos.

Upcoming Festival line up:

Festival Acadiens et Créoles – October 14-16, 2011

http://www.festivalsacadiens.com/index1.html

International Rice Festival – October 20-22, 2011

http://www.ricefestival.com/

International Frog Festival – November 9-13, 2011

http://www.raynefrogfestival.com/site/

Acadiana Film Festival – November 17-20

http://www.acadianafilm.org/festival/11/

I love festivals and cultural events, but I must say my love for this genre has increased since meeting my SM. He is a master at finding these events, researching the high lights, and making sure we capture the best and most essential parts. I can hear the wheels turning in SM’s head even from here. I’m a native Louisianan, but I can guarantee you that when it’s all said and done he’ll know much more about these festivals than I do. 

Avec SM, je peux vraiment laisser les bons moments de rouleau! 

(With SM, I can really let the good times roll!)

These sculptures were SO lifelike . . . .

  


Join in the fray:

How do you “let the good times roll?”

So lifelike . . . so eerie!

They stalk the streets . . . .

What fun!A little Mardi Gras flavor . . .

A few brave souls joined in the Indian dance . . .

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Filed Under: Festivals and Events Tagged With: Acadiana, Art, Black, Festival International, Festivals, Film festival, interracial, interracial dating, interracial marriage, interracial relationship, Lafayette Louisiana, Louisiana, Music, white

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Welcome!

I’m Michelle Matthews-Calloway, and I’m A Swirl Girl! Greetings to you from The Swirl World. We encourage Black women to expand their relationship options by dating and marrying interracially. Our overarching mission is to see Black Women live their best life. Come Swirl with us in The Swirl World™, where we celebrate Black women and the diverse men who love us!™

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