White Board Member Again Challenges Black Member

SECOND Sighting on December 30, 2014 of Jane Ryan seated in her parked car in front of my hair salon.

Actions speak louder than words.  As you can see Rosedale Meeting Street Homes Association Board member Jane Ryan is pictured in her car parked in front of my hair salon yet AGAIN after I kindly asked her and the other Board of Directors not to park directly in front of my salon even if it is the last parking space on the block.

So within two days of my posting an article and video asking the All White Board of Directors to discontinue any type of loitering or parking in front of my hair salon,  Board member Jane Ryan disrespects my wishes and parks in front of my salon again.

The members of the Association should know that a lawsuit can possibly bankrupt our Association, and then every member can possibly be assessed a special assessment to build our reserves back up.  This statement does not serve as legal advice, but I do encourage others to seek counsel on any questions that they may have.

I personally think that it would be smart for the members to speak up about this reckless behavior of its current Board of Directors. Jamie Darche Warren and Jane Ryan both need to be removed as soon as possible.  I have compounding documentation relating to these two Board members.  The remaining three Board members have been silent to me.

Some members of the Association do not want to be involved in any foolishness.  I respect that.  When and if this situation escalates to the point that it starts to affect each member of the Association, please remember these communications.  The management company is a third party vendor who pays our bills.  Whether we are happy or sad, they still get paid.

Anyone know of any television producers?  I would love to be getting paid for all of this drama.

December 23, 2014 Sighting of Jane Ryan's car parked in front of my hair salon. (different day from the picture at the top of this article)

All White Board Continues to Ignore Black Member

Rosedale Meeting Street Townhomes Association Board member Jane Ryan decides to park directly in front of my salon.  Even if it was the last parking space, I feel that she should respect my grievance against her and the Board of Directors as a whole by parking anywhere except for in front of my salon.  While I can not control their loitering or parking in front of my salon, I can continue to document this blatant disrespect for me as a Black member who has voiced a series of complaints on unethical behavior by the Board.  I have seen no effort by this current Board to obtain a reasonable resolution. I encourage other members to plan to run for a 2015 seat on the Board.  There will be three positions up for renewal.  Below is my third video addressing the Board  and the Association. Every voice matters.  Happy Holidays.

Money Making Trend: Donating Blood Plasma

 Blood plasma is used to create plasma based medicines.  Apparently, plasma can not be produced in a laboratory nor any artificial environment so certain pharmaceutical drug companies may be dependent on a continuous plasma supply.

So plasma donation centers are set up to pay "healthy" people money for their plasma.  Many people who need extra monthly income may go weekly to give a donation and to collect much needed money to supplement their current income.

 I see a lot of the ads soliciting for donors on the public transit buses and in mass transportation areas.  Many of the plasma donation centers are apparently on a public transportation route so that all people can reach their locations.

From what I have heard, pharmaceutical drug prices continue to go up, but the amounts that these centers pay to each of the blood plasma donors have decreased over the last year or so.

It may be a profitable business model for the plasma donation centers, but it makes me feel as if they are almost "freeloading" off of the poor to probably make significantly more profit for their administration.

Of course, the people who need the extra money are grateful that they can make an honest dollar without selling their souls or hurting someone else, but I can not help but feel that the plasma donors are getting shorted in more than one way.

Black Member Addresses All White Board of Directors

I did not realize that I was rolling my neck until I re-watched the video, but the point of this video is that lawmakers need to find a way to regulate or get rid of homeowner associations.  I do not see where they add any value to the community.  They take the neighbor out of neighborhood.  They integrate politics into one's personal community.  The management companies are making plenty of money on managing subdivisions. Certain attorneys are also making plenty of money off of neighbors fighting.

I do not see the value in homeowner associations.  The management companies are vendors that pay bills.  They don't care who is fighting.  Websites such as neighborsatwar.com and hoaowners.org document national issues with homeowner associations.  Please join the fight!

Overweight Blues

Overweight Blues

Poem by Benita Blocker

Bumper cars sit too low.

The elevated height of the SUVs means taking it slow.

Restaurant booths fit too tight.

Toilet paper lost in your crack; just isn't right.

Putt Putt playing becomes a chore.

Reaching deep down for the ball is a lot of bending to endure.

Carnival rides require a boost,

and tug o'war begins when shoestrings come unloosed.

Sit-ups and Leg lifts are a great start.

Especially when bending over too quickly delivers a fart.

Increasing water intake flushes the toxins away.

Skipping out on dessert prevents the fat from an added stay.

Hopefully, these few tips will aid in getting you ripped.

And by next year, you will be be ready 

to skinny dip.

***END of poem***

Poet Note:  Benita Blocker writes poems for special events and special occasions such as retirements, etc 

Please contact for pricing.

Bill Cosby- Public Character Assassination

No arrests, but Bill Cosby was the cover story for People magazine and Us Weekly magazine for December 2014.

Now suppose that Bill Cosby "did have a habitual problem" of sexual assualt, the keyword being "did" is past tense.  What good would it do to admit it now?  The "slave masters" for decades were sexually assaulting Black female slaves.   Sexual assault is wrong and emotionally traumatizing for the victim; however, 2004 seems to be the last incident that Cosby is accused of committing an indecent act according to  People magazine December 8, 2014 edition.

With that said, would I recommend a woman to be cautious if they found themselves in an one on one setting with Cosby, then yes, caution would be a great idea.  However, any man, whether doctor, minister, coach, etc. who schedules a one on one has to understand that they open themselves up for sexually assault allegations, and the female in the one on one setting is putting herself at risk for sexual assault.

Alleged victims seem to be coming forward so that people will know that Cosby's "lovable father" figure has been a facade.  Many abusers are in positions where people want to trust them.  Abusers take advantage of this trust.

I, personally, do not care if he is guilty of decades of violating women as long as he is recovered from whatever sickness that caused it.  In 1997, he and his wife endured the painful death of their son Ennis.  Some may say that maybe this untimely death was God's intervention for righting some of the alleged wrongs.  If people want Cosby to feel pain.  I think that he has.  The incredible press coverage highlighting 20 women coming forward has to be painful.

Cosby has talent.  I hope that he can use those talents in the future to make people laugh.  If he needs counselling then I hope that he gets counselling.  I have not read of any alleged assaults outside of ten years ago, so maybe we should all just let "the past" go.  We all have sinned.  Forgiving is key.

Black Member Speaks about Rosedale Meeting Street Homes HOA

As a long term Board member and past Board President, I needed to get my Homeowner Association story exposed to the masses.  Stories like mine are nothing new.  Homeowner Associations do NOT work.  They are not regulated enough.  They have no checks and balances. Organizations such as www.hoaowners.org have been lobbying for years about the abuses of the homeowner associations.  I hope that our law makers will read my stories and listen to my appeal for fairness and ethics as I address one of the communities in Huntersville, North Carolina US.

Board member Jamie Darche Warren seems to have no problem with holding a conversation in front of my salon nor walking back and forth in front of my salon after unseating me at our last 2014 Annual meeting using an unethical political approach.  Apparently, she still does not feel that my complaints are any concern to her.  However, I hope that the Jamie Darche Warren and her new Board will learn that "Black people do have value!"

Female SuperStar Celebrity Pledge

Picture from the November 2014 publication of Ebony Magazine- 

Article called "Dirty Little Secret."

Female SuperStar Celebrity Pledge

Poem by Benita Blocker

Female Superstar Celebrities 

using the illusion of sex for sale

while remaining untouchable 

behind a computer screen, magazine or a television frame.

Leaving sex slaves ages 12 to 14 to satisfy men 

who were left visually stimulated and erect on a bed frame.

Is there no shame?

Underage sex has always been around.

Yet, in the past, there were more men with integrity 

to stomp sexual violations into the ground.

Children could be children and be safe in their own home.

Yet in this century, safety seems seasonal and home- no where to be found.

Young girls who have yet to finish high school do not know where to run.

Barely finished puberty and sex trafficking is all around.

So Female Celebrity Superstars, it is time to pledge to shut down,

the money-makers,

the goldmines,

the rump-shakers,

the shot-callers, and

show these girls about self-worth and what it takes to be a role model.

Female celebrities of the past banded together - showing a lot of class.

Their dress for success had less to do with self-expression and sex appeal.

But more to do with sisterhood, talent, and smarter deals.

By taking this pledge, you start silent reparations 

to aid our young girls in preparation

to become whole again.

Black Board President Ousted at Secret Rosedale Meeting in 2006

In 2006, I, Benita Blocker, served as President of the Board of Directors for the Rosedale Meeting Street Homes Association until Jamie Darche Warren, Brian Warren (husband) and Jane Ryan met secretly at Jane Ryan's home to oust me from my title for no reason at all except they just didn't like my leadership style. The meeting minutes are pictured above.

Now, it is 2014, and "holding secret meetings" are nothing new for Jamie Darche Warren and Jane Ryan.

I recently called on the Rosedale Association members to remove these two for unethical actions, but I have received no support.  It is humorous at this point because the Board leadership always expect a low turnout because historically the members of the Rosedale Meeting Street Homes Association just do not care to be involved.  I did NOT want to believe that our members don't care, but despite all of my efforts to communicate this long-term dictatorship by the Warren's and Jane Ryan, no one seems to care.

I have been singlehandedly trying to watch over how our Association money is being spent over the decade, but with the last "political play" that Jamie Darche Warren and Jane Ryan made surrounding our 2014 Annual meeting, I can no longer protect our Association nor can I offer a different perspective.

Rosedale Meeting Street Homes Association members, you either stand now for someone with longevity on your Board or just continue to fall for everything that Jamie Darche Warren and Jane Ryan want to feed you.

The choice is yours!!!!

My Response to the Rosedale Association Feedback

According to our Rosedale Association Bylaws Article III Section 2, 

association members can request in writing for a special meeting to be held.

Why should you make a written request for a special meeting?

1. To meet with your current Board of Directors.
2. To find out who are your officers.
3. To find out what happened at the October 2014 Annual meeting.
4. To find out why we did not have an Annual meeting in 2012.
5. To find out why you received a petition to remove select Board of Directors.

Who should you send this written request to?

1. Someone who has served on your Board of Directors for ten years ---> Benita Blocker
2. Someone who actually attended the last Annual meeting in 2014 ------> Benita Blocker
3. Someone who has been passionate about ethics and fairness ----> Benita Blocker
4. Someone who has gone above and beyond to communicate to you -----> Benita Blocker

I understand

1. Some members are uncomfortable with removing members of the Board without a special meeting.
2. Some members feel that I am showing a lot of emotion, but I assure you that it is my passion about doing things in order so that all members feel respected.
3. Some members just hope that everything will just correct itself on its own, but it has been a whole month and the most recent elected Board has not made any announcements to the Association.  
4. Some members have called Key Community Management confused.
5. Some members can not grasp what happened in the October 2014 Annual meeting.
6. Some members can not grasp the unilateral decision making that has been taking place in the name of our Board under select Board leadership and condoned by the property manager for years now.

We, the Association, deserve have professional, ethical leadership.  Let's talk about it.  Let's get a special meeting called.   

Just send Benita Blocker a simple correspondence card with 

• your statement " You request a Special Meeting of our Association."
• your name, 
• your property address,  and
• your signature

Please use the address from your most recent petition to get your request to me.  I will collect these Special Meeting requests and present to our property manager.  As Article III, Section 2 states we only need nine (9) members to request this special meeting.

Let's Find a Resolution Together by Requesting a Special Meeting!

Board President Described as Way too Personal in the Past

History repeats itself again.  As you can see from the picture above in October 2005, Jane Ryan resigned from the Board because Jamie Darche Warren's response to another Association member was "way too personal."  Since 2005, Jamie Darche Warren and Jane Ryan have had a long standing relationship, even a friendship as I would describe it.

Jamie Darche Warren managed to "steal" the election in our 2014 Rosedale Annual meeting last month.  Maybe her historical behavior of becoming "way too personal" was the driving force behind it?  Maybe Jamie Darche Warren has been on a "power trip" for "way too long?"

Our Board attorney states she has to protect our elected Board, but two-thirds of our Association did NOT elect the current Board.  Only about 9 members of this Association elected this current Board.  They continue to hide behind the property management, the Board Attorney, and their Executive Sessions.

We, as an Association, need to have Jamie Darche Warren and Jane Ryan removed from our Rosedale Board of Directors.  If you so choose to vote them back in at a special meeting, then at least, let us do it the right way.

In the latest efforts by your current Board of Directors, they were upset about my postings on what was our Association page on Facebook since my unseating happened during the "runaway" election at the last Annual Meeting. So the Board attorney takes out time to let me know that

 "the Association has an obligation to seek a court order for a temporary restraining order against any person who improperly represents him or herself as acting on behalf of the association by creating a page in the name of the association and including improper, shameful, and untrue content on that page."

As you all know as a long standing past Board Director, I created that page on Facebook and have managed it for over a year.  It has had as many as FIVE followers.  Yes, 1-2-3-4-5 followers.  Did the Current Board of Directors have anything better to do than to waste our Board Attorney's time over a tiny page on Facebook?

In response, to the Board attorney's request, the page on Facebook has been promptly renamed, and I will continue to manage it as I have always done for the last year.

There is one thing that I do agree with the Board Attorney: 

we do not want this gridlock to negatively affect the values of our properties or cause buyers to look to buy elsewhere.  Our neighborhood has seen a lot of turnover in the last ten years.  

With that said, Key Community Management was NOT helpful in providing me the mailing addresses for the other half of the members who no longer occupy their units.  It is a great thing that property ownership is public record.  I have had to put in a lot of overtime to lead this effort to get our Board back.  

Rosedale members: Please mail me your petitions as soon as you can so that we can get this gridlock taken care of before Christmas 2014.  Thanks for your patience and commitment to our Community.  Please feel free to run for the potential Board vacancies.  At the special meeting, if the community wants to vote for a full clean slate of a Board, then it may not be a bad idea.

Historically, we have had the same old problems from the same set of Board members, it is time for fresh, ethical leadership in Rosedale.  Kindly do your part in taking our Board back!

Are Rosedale Board members on a Power Trip?

Over a year ago on November  5, 2013, Jamie Darche Warren made a motion as a part of her hidden agenda, and Jane Ryan seconded that motion.  The motion showcased their ignorance of our Bylaws.

In order to cover up their incompetence, two sets of Meeting minutes were generated as either suggested by Jamie Darche Warren herself or Key Community Management.  I am unclear who originated the idea.

So in summary, there are two sets of Meeting minutes for 11/5/2013, one- that you as an Association member are designated to receive upon request, and then there is a second set of "executive" meeting minutes that reveal additional details of the incompetent motion that was carried.  I also have in my possession the original set of Meeting minutes revealing the true power trip that Jamie Darche Warren and Jane Ryan orchestrated in November 2013.  I did not feel that it was appropriate to post Board meeting minutes online, but I would be happy to share those documents and more at a special meeting.

Also, for the record, I feel that having two sets of meeting minutes is unethical, and who is to stop this current Board from continuing to hide unethical actions?  Certainly not, Key Community Management.  Their duties are to follow orders from one Board member: Jamie Darche Warren or whomever is the designated Board point of contact. This approach is quite disturbing especially when that point of contact is on a power trip.

In further support of my findings, you see in the email above that Jamie Warren implies that Benita Blocker is not respected as an equal member of this Association.  If Jamie Warren does not respect me as a "Board member at Large," then how can I expect her to respect me as a non-Board member.

How can any member of this Association expect to be respected by Jamie Darche Warren, Jane Ryan and the new Board who secretly took over?

 It is time for our Association to take our Board back.

All Rosedale Association members except the current Board members plus three members who refused my last mailing should receive a petition in the mail shortly to remove both Jamie Darche Warren and Jane Ryan from our Board.  If any of the eight members who have been excluded from my mailing want to join my effort to bring back order to our Association, please let me know, I will be happy to mail you a petition.

Note to Jamie Darche Warren:  You have spent over a year trying to get me off of the Rosedale Board.  Congratulations, you succeeded.  I hope that your victory is as sweet as you have ever dreamed it to be.

Note to Rosedale Association members:  Our Association deserves transparency, fairness, and a code of ethics.  Jamie Darche Warren and Jane Ryan have ruled our Association long enough.  It is sincerely time to take our Association back.  Please sign your petitions and send them back to me.  Upon removal of these two Board members, Key Community Management should call for a special meeting to fill the two vacancies.  If you are curious about how transparent our Association is being run, you can ask Key Community Management about the two separate meeting minutes for November 5, 2013, then let me know what they say.

In the meantime, consider joining our Board.  We can use a fresh perspective.  I do not know many of you, and you do not know me.  I assure you that I stand for the greater good of our Community.  Please support me, and thank you in advance for your patience.  We can get our Board back together!

Makeup Artistry Workshop Taught By Benita Blocker

 Model/MUA Instructor: Benita Blocker, MUA/Student: Toniette Green, Lighting: Indoors, Photography: Toniette Green, Photography Cropping: Benita Blocker, 2014

 Model/MUA Instructor: Benita Blocker, MUA/Student: Toniette Green, Lighting: Outdoors (the sun was in my eyes), Photography: Toniette Green, Photography Cropping: Benita Blocker, 2014

My before shot, 2014

Makeup artist and Class Participant Toniette Green completed my final look during an eight hour make-up artistry workshop that I teach for $120 USD.  She was introduced to everything from eyebrow kits to BB creams to fixation sprays.  I wore black attire so that she could feel free to choose whatever color scheme she so desired.

Congratulations  Makeup Artist Toniette Green 

on the successful completion of Applebaum's Hands-on Cosmetics Workshop!

Was a Secret Meeting Held in Rosedale?

On Tuesday, October 14, 2014, Jamie Darche Warren brought in six absentee proxies to the annual meeting.  The names of Kathy Lenze and Nathan Diehl were on all six proxies.

Facts:

1. Both Kathy Lenze and Nathan Diehl were ABSENT at the OFFICIAL Annual Meeting.
2. Association members did NOT receive advance notice that Kathy Lenze and Nathan Diehl were candidates.
3. There were only six members of the Association present at the OFFICIAL Annual Meeting.

Concluding Facts:

• Jamie Darche Warren and six other Association members decided prior to the Annual Meeting that they wanted Kathy Lenze and Nathan Diehl on the Board.
• There were more Association members present at this "secret meeting" than there were present at the official Annual meeting.  At least, 7 members present at secret meeting versus 6 members present at the Official Annual meeting. 
• Those seven Association members secretly conspired to steal the Board election, and they sent Jamie Darche Warren into the Annual meeting with their results in the form of absentee proxies.
• Some may say that Jamie Darche Warren was lobbying to unseat the Board members up for re-election, but Jamie Darche Warren as Board President did NOT inform the existing Board members of her lobbying efforts.  How disrespectful can a Board President be to its existing Board members?

I am lobbying to have both Jamie Darche Warren and Jane Ryan removed from our Board because our Association deserves decent, fair, ethical people on our Board.  I am NOT secretly hiding my efforts to get these two Association members removed.  I am making sure that the current Board is aware of each article that I post.

Many of our units within the Meeting Street Homes Association are NOT owner occupied. Formats such as this one are more effective than trying to knock on everyone's door.  Please join me in making our Board better.

What questions do you have?  Key Community Management is a vendor who pays our bills.  They do not attend Board meetings.  They can only tell you third and fourth party information and  biased history based on the Board President's viewpoint.

Got questions, comments, or opinions?  Please feel free make your comment in writing.  I have served on your Board for several years.  Thank you for your continued attention on this matter.

Backstabbing Behavior is Typical of Board members in Rosedale

 In March 2014, Annie's Salon which offered body massages was in the location of where Applause! Hair Design is now.  As you can see by our Association's Covenants, Conditions, and Restrictions Article X Section 2(b), massage parlors are forbidden within our Association.

As a Board member, I had been pushing to get this business relocated within a ten month timeframe to keep our Association in compliance with our rules.  Board member Jane Ryan who admitted to patronizing the legitimate massage business challenged my motion repeatedly. So in March 2014, a massage table box apparently blew into the area behind my salon with the address for Annie's Salon listed on it.

I addressed the lady at Annie's Salon about the box, and she told me that someone (being a Board member) had already mentioned this to her.  So in summary,  I addressed the Board about the massage table box and then someone from the Board goes behind my back and mentions the box before I could talk to her about the debris.  Furthermore, after finally getting a motion approved to set a date of around March 2015 to get the massage business relocated, the massage business moves out within weeks of that Board decision.  How coincidental is that?  Someone on the Board had to have told her and the homeowner about the Board decision.  The next thing I hear is that a Black Beauty Salon is going into that space.  Of course, how coincidental is it that a potential "direct" competitor of my beauty salon business is now going into that space? It felt to me like a "revenge" move by the other homeowner for me trying to bring his unit in compliance with our Association's Covenant, Conditions, and Restrictions.

Anyway,  Applause! Hair Design  takes over the  spot.  You can see in the picture below that it is the same address.

Unfortunately, as I stated in a separate blog article, the new husband/wife team are not hairdressers, and they initiated an aggressive solicitation campaign on our block.  As I was getting more and more annoyed with the solicitation, I addressed my fellow Board members in this letter below asking for feedback.

This would have been the perfect time for Jamie Darche Warren (board President) to discuss with me about her "free enterprise" belief, but she did not.  Instead she went behind my back and addressed the Applause! Hair Design salon owners who are NOT members of the Association and told them about "free enterprise" and they could solicit fliers on the block if they wanted to.

As you can see by the letter below from the female salon owner, Jamie Darche Warren went into their salon representing our Board unilaterally.  Our Board had NOT agreed for Jamie Darche Warren to visit Applause! Hair Design salon. Nor did any Board member give her permission to undermined my request for solicitation to stop.

My request for solicitation to stop as an Association member speaking to non-members was to protect my business of ten years from this new business that was not even 60 days old.  Furthermore, the female salon owner makes false accusations with no supporting documentation in her email.

In addition, if I harassed anyone's children, then I need to see a police report.  I might add that the husband/wife team sometimes go out of town and leave their hairstylists running their salon.

So in a nutshell, Board member(s) Jamie Darche Warren and Jane Ryan have consistently gone behind my back as a fellow Board member to undermine and disrespect me.  Both of these backstabbing acts were centered around a unit that Jamie Darche Warren used to own as detailed in a previous blog article.

I feel that both Jamie Darche Warren and Jane Ryan should be removed from our Meeting Street Homes Board of Directors.  I ask that Association members please join me in my cause.  I want fair treatment for all of our members. Not all of our current Board members embrace equality.  I have not had any Board member nor management company representative to attempt to resolve my grievance at this time.

Huntersville, NC 2014: Who Eggs Anymore?

So someone egged the side of my Huntersville, NC salon within the last month and a half.  Who? Why?  Eggs are too expensive to buy, and then waste a good egg on the side of a building?   Wow!

Huntersville, NC has been in the news lately because another Black homeowner had her Kay Hagan campaign side burned in her front yard. When the news reporter interviewed her, she mentioned that her campaign signs had been stolen from her yard before but never burned.  She has surveillance footage, but she needs the public to help identify the person.

And on a separate note regarding campaign signage:

I saw these campaign signs of two Black candidates on the ground at the library in Huntersville, NC.  It could have been the wind that caused them to fall down.  Who knows?

Race Relations in Huntersville, NC should be monitored for rising tensions.  I have felt victimized in the past.  I feel victimized now, and I will remain optimistic that community relations will get better.

I was asked recently am I considering leaving the area.  My response for now:  I prefer to deal with the "devil" that I do know versus the one that I don't know. My faith continues to stay in God's Hands.

Rosedale Board Members are definitely Facebook Friendly!

As you can see by this public Facebook post entry, that newly elected Board member Nathan Diehl wishes veteran Board member Jane Ryan 

a distinguished birthday wish.  

Then newly elected Board member Kathy Lenze also gets a good laugh out of Jane Ryan's birthday wish from Nathan Diehl.

This birthday greeting seems to imply that the new Board is going to be ran like a tight knit social clique. 

Diversity helps to keep decisions fair across the board.  I am hoping that more members of our Meeting Street Homes Association members will step up and support me to help make some changes in this newly elected Board of Directors.

I have not heard anything from the current Board about keeping the "neighbor" in the term "neighborhood."

All White Board Attempts to Violate Black member's Right to Lobby in Rosedale

The new 2014-2015 Meeting Street Homes at Rosedale Board of Directors consists of

Nathan Diehl

Kathy Lenze

Jane Ryan

Jill Vanzandt

Jamie Warren. 

(in alphabetic order)

At the publishing of this article, I believe that Nathan Diehl is a White male.  Two requests for him to correspond with me have been sent to him by US Postal Mail, and I had no response to date.  All other members of the Board are White.  Only Jill Vanzandt and Jamie Darche Warren were present at the last annual meeting where Nathan Diehl and Kathy Lenze were elected using six absentee proxies in combination with the six members present including myself as described in a separate article on this blog.

I have been lobbying to have Jamie Darche Warren removed because she has attempted to violate my rights as a member of this community.  The details of this personal violation is also described in another article on this blog.

Apparently, this all White Board of Directors voted to have our Board Attorney to send me this letter above.

Thank God that the Board Attorney did not charge our Association to send out this letter implying false accusations and attempting to violate my right to lobby.

The Board attorney and I had a brief discussion, and she clarified that

1. I have a right to lobby
2. Defamation consists of speaking untruths, and 
3. I have the freedom of speech to tell the truth.

As far as harassment and abuse that is mentioned in this letter, I have seen no police reports.  The new Board can either deal with me as a paying Association member and as professional adults on a private basis or they can answer to the public in a forum such as this blog.  The choice is up to them.

Our Association deserves good leadership, fair treatment for all of its members, and protection of the rights of all of its members.  Any members of the Meeting Street Homes at Rosedale Association that want to support my petition to remove Jamie Darche Warren from the Board of Directors, please feel free to contact me.

Any Board members who want to meet with me to work out a plan to move our Association forward together should also contact me.  I will continue to keep you posted on articles such as this one.

NOTE:  I protected the identity of the Board Attorney because she did not charge our Association for this letter and her time to counsel us on our rights, and if she has to continue to deal with this disagreement, then our Association money will be spent to pay for the legal fees.

White Board member Targets Black Board member in Rosedale

Jamie Darche Warren seems to have spread untruths about me, Benita Blocker, within the Rosedale community based on the number of  "cold shoulders" that I have received.  So I am writing to shed some light in case some members of the community are interested in my side of the story.

In the email above, Jamie Warren
1) is incorrect in who made the initial complaint about the new hair salon that recently opened.
2) tries to control me which intrudes on my rights as a member of this community.
3) complains about my actions to protect my business and my rights as a member of Rosedale.

Jamie Darche Warren should be removed from the Board on the grounds of dictating rules to other members such as myself.

In my email above, I correct Jamie Darche Warren on the fact that my complaint initiated others to complain in response to my complaint.

 In the email above, I complain how Jamie Darche Warren believes that she is my "momma" or that she has supremacy over me.  Jamie Darche Warren does not respond to me.

 In the email above, I explain to Jamie Darche Warren that I am also entitled to "free enterprise" since she went behind my back and told the renters that they could solicit on our block after I told them that their aggressive solicitation practices had become annoying to my clientele.  She had no financial investment in the matter, and she personally wanted to see the renters and I argue.

Now, that I am standing up for my rights as a member of this community, Jamie Darche Warren who was NOT up for re-election conspires before the annual meeting to gather SIX (6) absentee proxies to bring to the annual meeting.

So at the annual meeting, there were six votes present and six votes counted from absentee proxies for a total of 12 votes.  I was up for re-election, and I was the only one present at the annual meeting that was running for re-election.  Without the six absentee proxies, I would have won or at least tied to remain in my Board position.  However, because Jamie Darche Warren brought in the six proxies with names of members that were not even present, two new members were elected to the Board who did NOT even show up to the annual meeting.  This move to unseat me on the Board is probably legal, but it is "dirty" and political as can be.

None of us are paid for these Board positions.  As the only Black on the Board in Rosedale, I felt that diversity was important as well fair treatment enforced for all members.

Our Board deserves better than Jamie Darche Warren who allowed one of our properties in the community to go into foreclosure, and our Association had to absorb her delinquent HOA dues.  How do you get elected as President of the Board when you are not even a role model for the community?  Maybe Jamie Darche Warren wanted to befriend the tenants occupying her former foreclosed unit because she still feels a bond as the original owner of the property?

Regardless of whatever delusion that Jamie Darche Warren is under, as a Black member in good standing, I demand that my rights as a member of this community be respected. I have a lot of documentation supporting other discriminatory actions that I have suffered under Jamie Darche Warren's leadership.

 Members of our Rosedale community can make a difference by having Jamie Darche Warren removed from our Board.  Again, we deserve better!

Jamie Darche Warren refused to resign prior to the publishing of this article. She refused to apologize to me for violating my rights as a member of this community.  The new Board members have not reached out to resolve my written complaint mailed to them. Political games can ruin the "neighbor" in "neighborhood."  Members should take action before you find your own rights disrespected by this new Board.

Not so Good Cover Letter

*Beginning of Body of Cover Letter*

I am writing to you to express my interest to work full time or to teach upper math courses in your department.  I have a rich ten-year working experience in the mathematics field, and I have soaked myself in measureless perception in the mathematics area over the years.

My experience in totality has been extremely enriching and rewarding as I have put in a great deal of efforts in all my endeavors.  Sincerity and hard work were the virtues that were inculcated in my character since the beginning, and as a result I never shied away from challenges.  Learning on my own and sharing my knowledge with others has been most worthwhile, which I believe will work towards my advantage in the future.

To conclude, I have attached a copy of my transcripts.  If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to let me know.

*End of Body of Cover Letter*


So what do you think? How did you like the "soaked in measureless perception" comment?  My thoughts: "are you applying for a role in a Shakespeare play?"  If not, you need to "Keep it Simple" especially if you are applying for a mathematics position.

This cover letter is not the worst ever written mainly because there was no misspelled words, but there are some minor grammar challenges and a sense of wonder as to what the heck is the applicant talking about. Hello?.

This is an example of what not to write as a cover letter. Team work references and a progressive work summary can go a long way.

The new Publix in Market Square Huntersville

Publix Food and Pharmacy at Market Square Huntersville, NC opened this month. (October  2014)

This new Publix store opened in the old Bi-Lo grocery store building.

The positives:  Great Hot Meal Selection, Popular submarine sandwiches, and Kellogg's granola cereal!

The negatives:  NO Indoor seating for the public, NO salad bar, and their store brand beverages are not double sealed like the neighboring Harris Teeter grocery store does.

Harris Teeter double seals their beverages.  Publix only has the white cap and no "peel" seal.

As you can tell, I plan to patronize both grocery stores for different reasons!

The ComeBack

The Comeback

by Benita Blocker
 2014

You say

my brows - too bushy

my walk -  too mushy

my fashion - too boring

my shoes - nonscoring

my purse - too dated

my hair - too inflated.

I say-

the depth of my eyes captivate as much as

the warmth of my smile.

The fullness of my lips mesmerizes like

the brilliance of my mind.

The smoothness of my skin accentuates

the twists and turns of my curvaceous body.

Dizzy watching the dimples in my cheeks?

Makes this comeback complete.

Proper protocol when filling out a check

So do you see anything wrong with the check in the picture?  I purposely covered up personal, irrelevant private information on the check.  I am just focussed on the dollar value and the written text of the dollar value.

Well, the proper protocol for filling out this check is that the $35.00 dollar value should be written out as
"thirty five and 00/100"
versus
 "thirty five dollars and 00/100" which is seen in the picture above.

The word "dollars" is already embedded in the check line so the word dollars should never have to be duplicated.

Of course, you are thinking how petty is this?  Well, surprisingly, I had a "White" vendor who was quite impressed by the fact that I did not handwrite the word "dollars" on my check.  He mentioned that many people duplicate the word "dollars."

I would have never paid any attention to my clients' checks until this particular vendor started making me more conscious of how others write out their checks.

People pay attention to the strangest things.  Don't they?

The Truth About Applause! Hair Design

On or around August 8, 2014, a new African American operated hair salon called Applause! Hair Design opens up four entrances from my hair salon storefront which has been operational for ten years in the shopping center.  It is a husband/wife team that runs it and neither one has a license to provide hair services.  So they are completely dependent on keeping a staff of hairstylists very happy despite the fact that some are new to the shopping center, some are new to the Huntersville area, and some may even be less than a year out of cosmetology school.  

So because they opened the salon on our block which is not known for foot traffic, they have aggressively solicited as many people as they could by handing out fliers/flyers focused in our block even to the point of knocking on my clients' car windows to give them a flyer/flier while they are listening to a webinar.

As you can see by the fliers/flyers above, I have started collecting a few of the fliers/flyers from my clients.

My clients really do not want to be confrontational.  They feel that it is easier to take the flier/flyer and toss it in the trash.

I have had at least one of their hairstylists run down my clients to give them fliers/flyers.  Of course, I have repeatedly told the owners that the soliciting on our block is really a conflict of interest.  I understand that they are new, and that they don't know who is my client or not.

But the fact remains that my salon is almost double the size of their salon, and I have three stations available for booth rent.  Did this strip with low foot traffic really need another Black owned hair salon that is half my salon size? Not sure, but they shoved six small styling stations, three shampoo bowls, dryers, sitting area, desk and storage area into the salon, and according to their Facebook page, they are the "hottest salon in Huntersville."

Pictured above is their "hottest salon in Huntersville" Facebook entry.

I was even told by a local beauty store that the new salon owners came in for a few items, and they were quite aggressive about letting everyone in the store know about their new salon, and they were even willing to recruit the store cashier to work in their salon.  Apparently, the world centers around Applause Hair Design, and they have no respect for ethical business practices.  At least, my salon has not been the only one to witness the aggression. 

The term "free enterprise" has come up, but most styling studios ask that salons do not solicit within their facility or their block because if all of the salons solicit at the same time, people would feel harassed.

From day one, I have only asked Applause! Hair Design to discontinue aggressive solicitation on our block.  It was a simple request, but the female owner would not agree.  She does not want me in her salon.  She has written a long letter to our Board that had me startled because some of the statements was so far from the truth that I had to read it twice and slowly.  I am amazed at this "all time low" that Applause Hair Design has stooped too.  

On August 8, 2014, many of the local media publications such as the Charlotte Observer, the Citizen, the Herald all announced the grand opening of the Applause! Hair Design location.  The event started on a Friday around noon.  So in the middle of our medical business area, a moon bounce is set up and cones are put out to block street traffic which prevented my clients from parking in front of my salon.  Of course, eventually, the police came out to move the cones that was blocking traffic.  Also, the moon bounce was also taken down shortly thereafter.  I am not sure if they had received town permission to block the street off.

It looked like a block party for part of the day with "Peanut, Ray Ray, and  Pookie."  I had never seen anything like it in all my ten years of being on the block.   

Oh yes, I almost forgot that they informed me that if I paid them $50 to $75 that my clients could have some of their hamburgers and hot dogs as a part of their celebration.  I opted out of donating since it was looking to be a complete waste of my money.

All of my efforts to get along seems to be met with them describing me as "harassing" according to one of the emails that the female owner sent to our Board.   So my question to Applause! Hair Design is this: if I was harassing them, maybe a series of police reports should have been filed so that we could all be aware of each harassing incident.  Why did they open up shop practically next to my salon anyway?  Did they just want to feed off my clientele?

The fact remains that they have NOT been in business for sixty days yet, and they certainly are not focused on co-existing with my salon.  It is such a shame that our hair industry is subjected to such pettiness and disrespect.  I have tried discussing my frustrations with them as two/three adults, but they have severed that tie.

The Ego Tripping Mentality

The Ego Tripping Mentality

by Benita Blocker

All your past girlfriends were dimes,

So you say that I should be happy that you gave me some time.

Can a man be sentenced over a piece of ass?

Most men know that it's hard to prove rape, take notes, you're in class.

So she wins the child support payment increase, now he's mad.

Using rape to show his power, how sad.

Sometimes familiar territory gives false permission,

Forcing another into submission.

Passed out people can not give consent.

Under aged is statutorily indecent.

Handicapped means no.

A protective order means there was a violation before.

No means no
ego tripping mentality.

The Elevation Church Experience

I  recently experienced worship service at Elevation Church on the Lake Norman campus. It was a new age experience. Beautiful and scary all in one. They seamlessly seem to connect different church locations by live feeds. (Providence, Blakeney, and Lake Norman) Amazing. From putting on my car flashers to signify me as a first time visitor for VIP parking as well as receiving my church T-shirt as a departing gift, the energy of this church was a full-time high. The kids were just as active in ushering  and greeting as any adult was. This experience is a sign of how a new World Order is probably not too far away. The technology is here.

As far as the message, both Lead Pastor Steven and Holly Furtick had a table talk presentation about being "called."  I especially loved the new CEO meaning - Chief Encouragement Officer.  As a wife, mother, and/or friend, we are called to be CEO's  at various times of our lives.

This church was like nothing that I have ever experienced, but in a good way.  I think everyone should experience Elevation.  It was a great adventure.  I plan to visit again.  I was told it is a dynamic church,  and I can hardly wait to see what going to be new about the next service when I visit again!