Message from the Editrix
I’m back.
Thank you to the following readers: Joseph, Marge Twain. I appreciated the well wishes especially since you were the only two readers who chose to do so. (And thanks to the rest of the Racialicious team.) As for the rest of you, I see how it is.
Some notes:
* I did not have a chance to read all the comments but I saw enough. Big thank you to the correspondents for stepping in to moderate with no guidance as Carmen and I were both unable to keep a close eye on the blog. However, some things that got through are not cool. I will allow it all to stand, but for those of y’all who were cutting up - don’t get comfortable. Gendered slurs aimed at women? Blatantly regurgitating stereotypes? Rejecting someone’s credibility based solely on racial categorization? Oh no, no, no. That’s not how we roll and most of you should know that.
* I had to drag myself to New York over the weekend and was rewarded - I finally got my hands on a copy of Vogue Italia. Write up and analysis later this week.
* I am also heading to Rock the Bells this afternoon. I am going to probably be wiped afterwards, so here’s how this week is looking: Posting will probably be light, as I have a week’s worth of email in my inbox, a week’s worth of posts to review, and a couple pieces to finish. (I am afraid to think of what my day job inbox looks like.) After this week, we’ll be back tor our regular schedule.
Carmen Van Kerckhove is co-founder and president of 
bfp wrote:
girl, I looked all over for something saying you were gone, and i couldn’t find anything! where were you? Were you not feeling well? I hope that you’re feeling better and loved and ready to rock now, if there was something wrong!!!
Posted 27 Jul 2008 at 1:04 pm ¶
Safiya Outlines wrote:
bfp- Me too! I was thinking: ” Did I miss something?”.
Latoya -Glad you’re back and taking charge. It is appreciated and remember this blog has a lot more lurkers then it ever has commenters, so many people will be silently appreciating.
Posted 27 Jul 2008 at 3:16 pm ¶
queenofsheba wrote:
Me too, I completely missed that you were gone! Retroactive, delayed, and slightly confused best wishes . . .
Posted 27 Jul 2008 at 5:52 pm ¶
untitleme wrote:
I agree with the above reader; I had no idea you were out. And I read the blog every chance I get…hope you’re doing OK!!
Posted 27 Jul 2008 at 7:03 pm ¶
EvilAngelfish wrote:
I thought things seemed a bit scant but I just figured you were busy with real life. Hope all is well…
Posted 27 Jul 2008 at 9:41 pm ¶
turtlebella wrote:
Well, I missed something too! (I was wondering where your posts were but just figured you were bringing in more guests as a matter of course). I’m really sorry. I will admit that I haven’t been reading too much this past week - I wish I could have/would have done more, even though I am only a casual commenter.
Posted 27 Jul 2008 at 9:58 pm ¶
Latoya Peterson wrote:
@all -
LOL, I was aiming that comment to the people on the threads were I mentioned I was sick. Sorry y’all. Everyone who commented here is in the clear.
I spent Sunday - Tuesday half out of my mind, I notified my boss, Carmen, and the team here and that was it. I wasn’t even able to hold my head up until Wednesday. Better now, but still achy. Some kind of food poisoning, don’t know how serious it is yet.
And yes, I was very loved, BFP, my boyfriend took awesome care of me. I owe him some sneakers or something cause he was dropping everything to bring me whatever I could keep down.
Posted 27 Jul 2008 at 10:17 pm ¶
waxghost wrote:
I was perplexed too… but glad that you are feeling better! Food poisoning, it goes without saying, sucks.
Posted 27 Jul 2008 at 11:23 pm ¶
LM wrote:
Glad you’re feeling better, Latoya.
Posted 27 Jul 2008 at 11:34 pm ¶
Falyne wrote:
Mrow…. being sick sucks.
I got an ear infection on Friday. I’d hoped I could make it until tomorrow (err, today, later) to go to the health center at my school to get the scrip written for free. Unfortunately, last night, I couldn’t sleep because of fever, swollen lymph nodes and stuff, and overall ow ow ow, and wound up going to the ER at about 1 am* to get some antibiotics before it ruptured or anything.
Privilege alert: I had my dad’s credit card to pay for the surprise $400 ER-visit bill… I try *not* to spend his money when I can avoid it, since, well, that makes things sucky for him, but I have it for emergencies. My inner libertarian** was annoyed that, say, penicillin couldn’t be had at the drug store, necessitating the expense of the 2-minutes-with-the-doc-but-3-hours-long visit. My inner socialist/why-are-we-uncivilized-bastards was pissed the hell off that we don’t have a national health care system like the rest of the world. I could, in the end, get treatment when I needed it, but if I didn’t have the privilege of the safety net (that is, if I were like a metric fuckload of my fellow Americans), I’d be in one HELL of a lot more pain than I am now. Which is still complete agony (my lymph nodes are swollen enough to push my jaw into a jutting position, owowowow), but, yeah….
*His Noodly Appendage sheltered me: while feverishly stumbling about my studio apartment getting ready to leave, I apparently hip-checked the stove controls. I came back to OMG FIRE!!!, but luckily, aside from a really really badly scorched teakettle and a whole bunch of really really hot stuff on the counter, it was just the burners themselves on fire, and nothing was damaged. If I’d been, like, a half hour later, though….? Yeah, stuff woulda been *bad*.
**Social-only small-l libertarianism. Give the population carrots, not sticks, freedom should fucking well mean FREEDOM, and for Ceiling Cat’s sake, the gays and the mara-ja-wanna aren’t hurting anyone.
Posted 27 Jul 2008 at 11:38 pm ¶
Amanda wrote:
I’m glad you feel better. Hope the aches goes away soon
Posted 28 Jul 2008 at 8:20 am ¶
Jennifer Gandin Le wrote:
Yuck yuck, food poisoning is no fun at all. I’m glad that you’re recouping and back on the site. And hooray for amazing boyfriends who care-take like naturals!
Posted 28 Jul 2008 at 8:31 am ¶
cosmicsistren wrote:
Didn’t know you were ill. I’m glad that you are feeling better.
Posted 28 Jul 2008 at 9:18 am ¶
Ali wrote:
Aw Latoya, you know I was sending you telepathic “get well” wishes. I’m glad your back. I know from personal experience that food poisoning is no joke (NEVER eat at Red Lobster folks).
I can’t wait to read your analysis of the Vogue Italia issue. I perused it with friends this past Tuesday and was muy disappointed to say the least. WTF Vogue Italia, WTF?!
Posted 28 Jul 2008 at 9:59 am ¶
dave wrote:
sorry to hear you weren’t well, but glad you’re better
Posted 28 Jul 2008 at 10:22 am ¶
Daomadan wrote:
Glad you’re back and feeling better!
Posted 28 Jul 2008 at 10:32 am ¶
Winn wrote:
Latoya,
I went back and re-read threads in which you mentioned your illness, and I somehow went on mental vacation and failed to actually type out my mental well-wishes. Glad you are feeling better and that you had such a good caretaker; you were missed and your sure hand guiding us was sorely needed (though, as you pointed out, others did step in to defend your moderator turf!)
Posted 28 Jul 2008 at 10:37 am ¶
Katie wrote:
I add my well-wishes, and can’t wait for more LP-style moderation.
Posted 28 Jul 2008 at 11:17 am ¶
Fiqah wrote:
HEY! On the McGruder comments:
@Latoya: hope you’re feeling better, this could be a VERY interesting thread…
I know it’s not Hallmark, but damn! You mentioned a deathbed, and I responded accordingly, like my mama raised me right and stuff.
Posted 28 Jul 2008 at 11:51 am ¶
Joseph wrote:
Since I blew my welcome back message by posting it on the wrong thread I’ll just say this:
You had to get your hair/nails/face done…while recovering from food poisoning?
Yeah,
I want to hear that story.
Posted 28 Jul 2008 at 12:33 pm ¶
Persia wrote:
I missed the whole thing– I haven’t been hitting the blog much, but so glad you’re feeling better. Stomach things are the absolute worst, IMO.
Posted 28 Jul 2008 at 12:35 pm ¶
tanglad wrote:
I thought you were at a conference or at the beach or something. You know, somewhere fun. Sorry you were ill, and am so happy you’re back.
Posted 28 Jul 2008 at 1:50 pm ¶
gatamala wrote:
food poisoning~~been there
glad you’re back
Posted 28 Jul 2008 at 1:59 pm ¶
octogalore wrote:
Welcome back! I’m sure your BF already knows how lucky he is.
Posted 28 Jul 2008 at 4:02 pm ¶
DiosaNegra1967 wrote:
i’m just catching wind of the illness…..please take care of yourself, eh!
i’m over here trying not to lose what’s left of my mind….after being told that my job is being eliminated (i’ve only been at my spot for a year) due to $$$ woes….
*sigh*
Posted 28 Jul 2008 at 5:09 pm ¶
bdsista wrote:
@Joseph, who said she had to get her hair/nails/face done? LT didn’t say that. But it does make u feel better to get your nails and feet done when you feel like sh*t. Hair too, broke my hip in a car accidents and my hairdresser came to my house and spent six hours putting braids and extensions in, oh, but it was not time wasted, we watched ALL of Eyes on the Prize and had a great discussion on the civil rights movement. She was from Trinidad and had never seen the footage or knew the history. so you CAN raise consciousness and get beautiful too.
Eat some saltines Toya, watch the dairy or better yet do soy for awhile.
Mod Note - Yeah, girl, I did, on the other thread. It’s a story for the editrix letter. Soy messes with my food allergies, unfortunately, but I will take heed. My food is still more liquid than solid though. - LDP
Posted 28 Jul 2008 at 5:18 pm ¶
sfsinger wrote:
Hope you get some rest - didn’t know you were sick but I wondered about the lack of posts and figured it was just down time. Drink plenty of fluids with electrolytes.
Posted 28 Jul 2008 at 5:41 pm ¶
Neil wrote:
@latoya
I’m glad you’re feeling better!
Posted 28 Jul 2008 at 7:37 pm ¶