Playing Hard To Get by Grace Octavia

can’t do all of that,” Tamia said, looking at her watch. “I have a new client…and I’m just swamped.”
    “Great, then there’s no better time,” Tasha said. “No more complaining. We need to act.” She waved down the bartender and asked him to hand her the notebook she’d just tossed on the floor. “Now let’s see what goals we can write down. And who will be named the new Queen Bee of the 3Ts!”
    Crowning the Queen Bee: A Little Competition Never Hurts
     
    The difference between a dreamer and a doer is a magical word called “action.” The difference between a friend and a sisterfriend is a magical word called “support.” When you throw these two miraculous words together, in any situation, every sistergirl is bound to come out on top. No one can support you actively pursuing your dreams like your sisterfriends. They hug you and hold you through the process, and when they catch you slipping, they have the loving nerve to say, “Hey, sistergirl, weren’t you supposed to (ENTER YOUR DREAM HERE)?”
    Put this recipe for success to the test by getting some of your sisterfriends together for a little active competition. Breathe life into your dreams by openly sharing with your sisterfriends the smaller steps to achieving them and resuscitate theirs by listening and loving. The goal of the Queen Bee Competition is accountability and bragging rights. The sisterfriend who achieves the most action is the winner, and the other sisters get to say they helped her reach her goal, and continue to work on their own.
    Rules of Engagement
     
    The Check-In: Gather your sisterfriends around to chat about the things you want to do, and discuss what small things you can do to get there. For example, if you want to become the next hot ballroom dancer, it might seem impossible, but sharing smaller goals, like finding a decent class and saving $30 a week to be able to afford the class, might seem more doable. Record all of your big and small goals on a sheet of paper, date it, and agree to meet a short while (a week or a month) later.
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    The Check-Up: At the next meeting, go through the list to see who has put action behind words. Did you find the dance teacher and save $30? Did your bestie pay one of her speeding tickets so she can get her driver’s license back? Did your sisterfriend reapply to take the LSAT so she can finally go to law school? Did Kim lose just one pound? Celebrate the small victories with a round of drinks and applause. Discuss the shortcomings with others to find out where they went wrong and how you can help. Set a list of new short-term goals, date it, and organize another short-term check-up.
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    The Check-Out: One pound a week can equal fifty-two pounds lost in one year! Taking the LSAT, researching schools, applying, and getting accepted can lead to a future lawyer. Paying tickets one by one will surely add up to a returned license. A class, a competition, and a trophy can make you the next ballroom dancing star. After a few short-term meetings, have a final, preplanned check-out date where the long-term goal is to be completed. The sisterfriend who has come closest to achieving her goal is the Queen Bee and must be crowned and celebrated with awe. A most luxurious gift and kind words should mark the occasion. This sister has worked hard, so don’t be cheap or short on praise. Other sisters should be happy too, though. While they aren’t yet Queen Bees, they’ve done something about getting closer to making their dreams a reality, and one more competition could put them on top.

3
     
    Well-behaved women seldom make history.
    —Laurel Thatcher Ulrich
     
    T hough she was only two years old, Toni was fast learning Ulrich’s abovementioned astute observation. When she cried, Tasha looked upset and usually left her alone. When she hollered, Lionel looked heartbroken, and usually picked her up and held her close. For her, this pattern of events provided the two things she wanted