TALKIN' VIDEOS

At times when I watch episodes like this, it's hard for me to fathom that all of life's problems can be fixed in the matter of 30-60 minutes. But then again, every self-help guru ain't Iyanla Vanzant.

Vanzant has always been a person that I admired. Of course, she was placed into my consciousness to due Almighty Oprah, but there's something about her that makes a sista wanna just sit down with her and have a good soul cry. I think Cheryl was right, if Vanzant couldn't help them mend their 20+ year relationship, then who could?

While packing for the their Pennsylvania getaway, Sandy acknowledges that they will not be allowed to bring cell phones, nor will they be able to watch television. She seems to accept this, but is taken aback when they arrive and Iyanla informs them that they will be fetching their own bags. She still tries to get her bags lifted out of the limo for her. This is supposed to be about change, Pep!

Sandy and Cheryl are here to finally lay it all out on the table; their inner (and not so inner) frustrations that they have with each other, as women and as groupmates. The first thing that Iyanla has the ladies do is some trust exercises involving a ladder, some extremely tall trees... and a blindfold. Whatever happened to the "I'll fall back and you catch me" exercise?" I thought I was gonna die when Iyanla said:

"Isn't it great to be higher than your problems?"

What's interesting is that Salt is the one blindfolded, and she has to trust that Pep will lead her across the limb to safety. She has to do this because -- as we've all adressed many, many times-- she has control issues.

Well, riding a rollercoaster blindfolded will make me feel like I've lost control. Scooting blindfolded at about 20 feet in the air with Pep as my guide will make me lose control too-- of my bowels!

The exercise that made all the ish come out started when Iyanla gave them stick figures and had them write down all of the things that they cannot say to each other... and then she makes them say them aloud to each other in the morning. Let's call them The Riot Acts.

Here's how it went to down, in a nutshell:

SANDY TO CHERL:
"You don't acknowledge my true worth."
"You shut me down."
"You're selfish."
"You're a quitter."

CHERYL TO SANDY:
"Salt-N-Pepa is not an answer to everything."
"You are a part of the reason why I left the group."
"Friends don't compete."
"I need to be an individual. I'm doing what we used to do."

Of course, the tears start shedding at this point-- when Cheryl poses the question/fear that Sandy won't love her if she decides not to do business with her.

Iyanla, however, throws it firmly in Sandy's face: "She didn't come back to be 'Salt' to your 'Pepa'!"

Then Iyanla brings up something about Sandy that I didn't know (DID Y'ALL?). Sandy is a survivor of child abuse. Whoa... that pretty much explains all of her behavior on the show, the free-for-alls, her sporadicness, the infamous "rapping-in-the-crotch" escapade. On a serious note, in some way, shape or form, victims of child abuse never fully grow up. And we all know what person who perfectly proves that thesis.
Damn. In good consciousness, it's gonna be hard for me to rag on her after that revelation.

In the gist of things, Pep felt like a neglected child (similarly to what she may've felt when she was younger) and Cheryl even acknowledged this, but was deeply torn because that the same time she had to do for herself. Now that I can personally empathize with, wanting to make everyone else AND follow my own path.

By the end of the episode, Cheryl and Sandy have forgiven each other, and even go through a form of pledged vows cermony. They even go to the process of burning those stick figures that they wrote in the fire place. Cheryl even acknowledges the fact that "there could never be another Pepa than this Pepa". Aww. Gag me.

Honestly, while watching, I thought it was pretty sincere. But now while I'm writing, I'm like, well damn... in reality, how long is it gonna be before they're back at it again?

What do y'all think the future holds for Salt N Pepa now? I'm starting to think that maybe, for the sake of their friendship, they shouldn't even continue to do biz with each other. I dunno.
I'd kinda miss the antics, though.

Here's food for thought though: what they NEED to do is make a second trip to Rev. Dr. Iyanla and bring DeeDee along. Catching up with baby sis every few months for some high shakin' and rolling ain't gonna cut it after awhile. I understand that had to heal within themselves before dealing with anything else, but how long are they gonna let that situation fester? Y'all tell me.

Anyway, I'm out for the weekend. Don't forget to check me Monday for the penultimate episode of The Wire... from what I hear, THIS one should've been the last, but we'll see...there's a scene in the ep that's supposed to be pure poetry...

Holla @ me here or Breezylovesyababy@gmail.com