Would I change me right now?

No, I'm in such a good place right now. The realization hit me like an "aha" moment. A light went on in my spirit and said, "I like me."

I was hanging out with a friend and amazingly, this city is full of big butt women. Of course, we can't tell which booties are real and which ones are fake anymore. Needless to say, butt shaping panties are the hot purchase of the decade according to twitter, Elle magazine and Oprah. Anyhoo, with all of these booties passing to and fro, he let a few words escape his lips jokingly and freely: "You need a bigger butt." Last year, or even last month, I would have mulled over it and probably become a little self-conscious, but my brain immediately processed, "No I don't, I like it just the way it is."

I really do like it. I like me. Of course, I had love handles and a petite booty, but I work out daily and eat right. This is the body that I have right now and I have to love it. Heck, nobody else would love it if I didn't. Everybody won't have a Selma Hayek, Jennifer Lopez or Halle Berry body unless they visit the local plastic surgeon. We're not in Brazil where women would rather stay in poverty while every dime is used for cosmetic surgery and I'm not that into redesigning what God created. My friend teased, "You better do some squats, they'll make your butt bigger." Yeah, if that were the case I'd have a big booty by now. I even had a fitness trainer who worked me half to death with lunges and squats and guess what? It didn't get bigger! Besides, peruse a fitness magazine and you won't find a fitness competitor with a big apple bottom - a muscle bottom, yes!

As I was saying, I'm in such a good place right now. I was a fat, fat kid growing up. My mom was this tiny doll with big round eyes and gorgeous hair. Me? I was a little butterball. I grew up self-conscious about my size. I yo-yo'd all my life. I've done diets, tae-bo, Jane Fonda, The Firm and even remember dancing to Richard Simmons! But through all of that, I come to realize that I am sexy even if I only see it. Heck, if I feel it then I am!

The body I have right now is maintained through dance fitness, Zumba and a few sculpting video's (that I admittingly could do more frequently). Trust me, I dance hard and love the way my petite frame is shaping up. I was up to 140 lbs. while employed with BOA (working for the devil who didn't wear Prada, Bob Vanderberry). I was depressed, overweight and lacked self-confidence. But today? Ask me about today? Because today I'd tell you that I'm in a good place, I love looking at my body in the mirror and seeing the transformation...I love my natural locs and take pleasure in embracing the styles/loc jewelry that my sista-friend Kesha designs for me...I love my smile with the crooked front tooth...I love me!

EEOC - Equal Employment Opp. Commission

Here's the background...I'd been working for Bank of America. When I started, I was placed in an area called, "The Cage." For real. The place reeked with oppression. I knew then that I didn't want to work there no longer than five years.

March of my sixth year, I got hired for Robert Vanderberry as his Administrative Assistant. Now, before him, I was an admin for THREE executives and excelled. By the end of March I was calling HR for help. He liked nothing I did and when I tried to approach him about my job performance, he'd give me the okey-doke. My job was to monitor his emails and I'd found one to his old admin that read: "I know you don't regret your decision to leave, but I do every single day..." I read between the lines and knew what was coming down the road. Therefore, I began to keep a paper trail.

Bob did everything he could to sabotage me. It got so bad that my doctor wrote me out for depression and anxiety. HR did nothing. I sent detailed letters to every manager of Bob's all the way to the CEO...and nothing. Bob even violated my associate privacy by emailing his old admin, "Alicia's out on short-term disability...I'd offer you the position in a heartbeat if I knew that that was your desire..." Ugh, he was so crude and ugly.

After I came back from STD, Bob immediately handed me a three page document of "Does Not Meet Expectations." He told me that he was giving me 30 days to find a new job or else I'd have to voluntarily resign. (Which was against policy, but HR did nothing.) What the heck?! I'd been gone for several months and before then, I received all "Meets" on my performance review.

So, I went to the EEOC to file a complaint. Do you think the EEOC will be able to help me fight against a large corporation? Will Bob ever be happy even if his "Precious" never returns? Will he ever find a wife away from home that will cater to him the way she did?

You know, I knew from the beginning that I didn't want to be there longer than 5 years and God said, by way of Bob Vanderberry, "Time is up...move on."

Pic of where they brought the slaves (Charleston, SC)...I'm posting this pic instead of The Cage or my old desk.