Decisions, Decisions

I decided to let the rat fink just fade into that good night with nary a word from me. The silence is gonna kill him and that is good enough for me.

What Would You Do?

If a low-down dirty rat fink pissed you off, would you:

A.  Curse them out via phone.
B.  Curse them out via text message.
C.  Send an eloquent, non-profane, yet dismissive email that makes their gonads shrink up and fall off.
D.  Kill them with silence and never have contact with them again.

Are your stockings hanging by the chimney with care?

Is anyone else having a hard time getting in the holiday spirit? Cause I am. I really am.

I'm not depressed or anything, I'm just having a hard time mustering up the energy to decorate for the holidays. I guess it's because I'm a singleton, and all I really need to get me going is the Jackson 5 Christmas on the jukebox. But I can't hang the Jackson's album cover up as holiday decor! Or can I?

See, I bought all of these ornaments last year in the clearance sales, and I remember being so proud of the tree I was imaging in my mind. Last year, I just knew that I would have my tree up the day after Thanksgiving.

And, yeah, Thanksgiving was 13 days ago.

The most I've done is pull the tub of ornaments out of the closet. And now it's just sitting in my living room mocking me. And did I mention I don't even have a tree? Last year, I just knew that I would go buy a live tree the day after Thanksgiving.

Let's all have silent prayer right now that I can get my tree put up soon so Santa can find his way to my house. I'll also leave the backdoor unlocked in case any of you feel a little elfish and want to come over and help me out.

And hey, if you do come, bring the Christmas tree with you, please.

Caramel Weekend

This weekend I sent this text: "This day has been like a piece of caramel--juicy and soft..and just good."

And it was! It really was. I didn't make myself do one thing.

I slept as long as I wanted. I read books. I took a bath. I didn't answer the phone. I just recharged.... and I may even have had a couple of pieces of caramel and a glass of wine or two (not necessarily together, but I could have if i wanted to--it was my weekend).

And guess what?! It was the best.

There's been a lot going on around me and I messed around and let some of that energy get under my skin. But I took two days and put a stop to it. I got myself back. And I am so glad to see me!

What about you? What have you been up to?

Day 30: The End

Today, I'm thankful to be back. The Thanksgiving Holiday was so good that I had to take an extra day off, just to fully appreciate it all. Just in case you were afraid you missed anything, Here's a short summary of my time-off:

Sleep
Grilled seafood goodness
Wine
Wine
Book
Sleep
Just say NO! to Black Friday
Sweet potato pie
Gumbo
Sleep
Book
Sleep
Football
Margarita
Sleep

It was a delight.

P.S. I realize that I kinda dropped the ball on this Thanking thing the last week or so; but I'm bonus thankful that you all still love me--even though I clearly have narcolespy and (writing) commitment issues.

23

Today, I am thankful for flat boots and feet that don't hurt.

Thankful: Day 22

Holy Smoked Turkey & Dressing, Batman, this month is almost over!

How'd that happen? And how did I miss so many thankful days?

Today, I am thankful for sunshine and light traffic on my way into work. I'll be thankful if traffic is light on my way, home, too. (Do you hear me, big guy?)

This past weekend, I celebrated a 7th birthday with some of my favorite little people.

Musical chairs, caramel apples, and s'mores. It was a small party. Nothing fancy for this family. And we had a blast.

And so, I'm bonus thankful for family and warm, cozy fires and chocolate and marshmallows and little children who make fun out of glow sticks and playing after dark on a simple Saturday night.

Thankful to be back! Day 17

Between my work schedule and a much-needed mental health day, I've missed a few days of the thankful challenge. I needed that time though; I hope you'll forgive me.

I took the day yesterday and did a few chores, but after that, I took the best nap!

And that's why I am so thankful for rest and sleeping just like a baby.

(This picture made my womb clinch, but then I got over it.)

See yall later.

...and more Thankful: Days 13 and 14

After this challenge ends, I don't think I'm going to be able to use the word 'Thankful' in a headline for at least a year.

This weekend passed in a warm foggy haze of work, cocktails, Redbox rentals, a marathon nap on the couch and indecision.

I was thankful then, for my prerogative--I can do what I want to do. Which is why I have decided to change my whole color scheme for this room project that I have going (and going and going and going). 

What had happened was, I saw another comforter. And it was orange coral (you have to use fancy words when you're interior re-decorating). The moment I locked eyes on it, I knew I had to have it. I'm sure the folks working the return line at the Maxx hate my guts were so pleased to help me return/exchange/purchase all of my oversized items. 

And so, my virtual friends, I find myself almost back at the beginning. Still going with the fabric backdrop, but the color scheme is changing.

At this rate, I should have my winter makeover done by spring. 

And now, for your listening pleasure....it's Bobby B. (That outfit is something, ain't it?)

Thankfultini: Days 11 and 12

Today, at 6 p.m., I am so thankful for the chance to finally just stop and breathe.

ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh............

The last two days have been work-hectic while I've been working on a huge project for a teen girl website that has content like, "Are You a Mean Girl" and "Discover Your Inner Sparkle."

[insert gas face here]

Needless to say, I'm gonna go find my sparkle in the inner part of a martini glass.

Y'all have a good one.

Day 10: Thanks and other nonsense

These beautiful little pieces of artificially flavored goodness are what I am most thankful for today. My body was possessed by a sugar beastie, so I fed it Jelly Belly candies and it went away. (Don't judge.)

So, yeah, about this room redo I have going on at my house. I discovered something that you may or my not already know. And if you did know this, let's talk later about why you didn't tell me. I found out that you don't have to dismantle an entire ceiling fan just to get a new look. You can just replace the blades and the light fixtures and voila...new look.

This falls under the category of a very good thing because I'm in love with my ceiling fan. More specifically, I'm in love with the fact that it doesn't shake, rattle and roll all through the night. It's so quiet, like a fan ninja. It also looks like 1982 and has long needed to be replaced. I've just been worried that any replacement wouldn't be so considerate of my sleep. Thanks to Google, my fears are no more.

I haven't found new blades yet, but I did find some replacement options for the light covers. And guess what, guess what, guess what?! You're allowed to have an opinion about them. Take a look.

One of them is the kind of neutral I always lean toward and the other one is sexy and mysterious and alluring... a lot like me in real life.

I like them both. What do you think?

Day 9 and counting...

Q: How cute is this room?
A: Too cute.

Today, I am thankful for creativity, energy and bright DIY ideas.

I love this idea of a fabric/curtain/drape backdrop as a headboard. It might be an inexpensive way for me to spice things up, take a break from the norm and generally get my own motor running. Plus, when I'm over it (which won't take long, I guarantee it), I can just take it down and move on to the next thing.

This is beyond gorgeous and if you don't agree with me, then I'm bonus thankful that you kept your opinion to yourself.

Day 8: Thankful and snug as a bug in a rug

Today, I am thankful for bargain-priced comforter sets and drapes and rugs and side tables.

Did y'all know it's fall? Yes, it really is. I'm just telling you so you won't be surprised like I was.

My bedroom still looks like summer. I have a white, fluffy comforter, cotton sheets, and breezy sheers that flutter with the ceiling fan.... The problem, like I mentioned earlier, is that fall came and brought all of it's chilly, shivery cousins with it.

I woke up chilly and shivery on Saturday and knew a shopping trip was in order.

I set off with  Life in Dishes on one of those nothing shopping trips we love so much. You know, it's when we need absolutely nothing that we find everything!

Well, I scored a new comforter set in rich fall colors of chocolate and pomegranate with hints of curry and sage. For those of you who are not as fancy as me, that means it's brown and red with a little bit of yellow and green. I also found a room-sized rug and two side tables (that I'm auditioning).

All for less than $200. Christmas came early.

Well, let me tell you, all of those goodies got me way too inspired. I ended up dismantling my sleigh bed, putting up a different frame and generally changing my whole life.

It's not quite done yet. I'm still auditioning things  but putting it all together really has energized me and I know where I'm gonna be spending most of my time this fall.

Here is a really bad BlackBerry pic of a rug contender. Completely traditional and completely diff from anything I'd ever buy. Who knew I liked traditional? You can't tell a thing about color, but it has a cheerful holiday vibe, and it may be a keeper.

I'll keep y'all posted on how it all turns out and might even invite you over to sit around on my rug.

Just kidding. I don't like company. Just enjoy the picture,  y'all.

30 Days of Thankful: A Weekend of Thankful - Days 6 and 7

I hope you had a happy weekend. Mine sure was a blast!

This weekend, I was thankful...

....for having my Bigmama home from the hospital. She had a nasty cough, but prayer, glorious prayer still works.
...for my comfy leggings and long-sleeved tees. The temps were not nice this weekend.
...for favor. I saw "For Colored Girls" movie this weekend; and there, but for the Grace of God, go I.
...for lemon-scented Pine-Sol. Have you tried this stuff? You should. Seriously. Buy some. Your kitchen floors will thank you for it.

30 Days of Thankful: Day 4

Today, I am thankful for....

...my grandmother. She's under the weather right now,  but the saints are praying baby, and it's working!
...having the kind of dad who used to light the bathroom heater in the morning before I got up to dress for school
...and even though I own my own home now, he calls me in the morning to make sure I am still warm enough.
...the weekend.

30 Days of Thankful: Day 4

Today, I am thankful for Chinese delivery and for Claritin. That is all.

30 Days of Thankful: Day 3

I confess: Today's list was a little harder to come by, given last night's election results. And then I woke up to cold and rain. Even Jesus wept.

Is anyone else checking on flights to Canada? Or, maybe that's just me.


Deep. Breath.


Today, I am thankful for....

... the instant butter-flavored grits my co-worker gave me.
....my polka dot umbrella.
....and my blue raincoat.

Bonus:

....knowing that things often seem darkest just before the sun breaks through.

30 Days of Thankful: Day 2

Today I am thankful for...

.... exercising my right to vote and democracy.
....the good sense to never ever appear on the Real Housewives of Atlanta, any VH1 love competition, or just reality TV in general. Pickles?! Really?!
....Curel lotion for super-dry, alligator-like, scratchy, itchy skin.

Bonus:
....peace of mind, serenity and the blessings of waking up everyday in a stable home.

30 Days of Thankful: Day 1

KJ over at Solo Cruise decided to join a Thankful: 30-Day Challenge and I've decided to join her.

Today, I am thankful for...

....Seedless green grapes with crisp skins that are full of juice and so good!
...A good space at the Shell Station where I park during the week for work.
...Dr. Pepper.

Bonus:

...You, who read this blog.

Snapshots....or where I've been.

I woke up this morning to the sound of my own laughter. I don’t even remember dreaming, so it must have been God tickling me. I lay in bed for a few minutes after that, just listening to the ceiling fan and wiggling my toes.

The other night, I was up late cleaning my house and jamming to the Jackson 5 Christmas CD. Yes, it’s August. Yes, it’s blazing hot. But everyday of my life is like Christmas morning, so what else could I do?

Yesterday, I went to an Indian beauty shop to get waxed. The lovely Indian lady spread warm honeyed wax all over my chin and neck (oh, like you don’t have a few stray hairs), laid a strip of muslin across the top and snatched it off in a waxy flash. Wrick….wrick….wrick….wriicccck. I thought she was done after that, so I started to sit up. She not-so-gently pushed me back down and said, “Oh no, you’re so hairy. Much more to go.” Wrick….wrick….wrick….wriicccck. Wrick….wrick….wrick…. wriicccck. Wrick….wrick….wrick….wriicccck. Wrick….wrick…. wrick….wriicccck. Wriiiiicccck! I’ve decided not to take that personally.

This past weekend, I flew home to visit my Bigmama. It was homecoming Sunday at the old family church. Bigmama wore a white suit with gold embroidery on the jacket and skirt, gold ballerina flats, her gold necklace with the huge diamond pendant, and best of all – a sparkly gold tam on her hair. My chest almost burst open, watching her in that hat, wheeling that big, red Cadillac to church.

So, that’s what I’ve been up to lately. Living through this fabulous and wonderful and chaotic show that is my delighted life.

Are you smarter than a blogger?

Does anyone remember this brain teaser? I saw it on another blog and had to share.

Just post your answers in the comments section, there might (not) be a prize. Okay here goes:


11 was a racehorse.
22 was 12.
1111 race.
22112.


Can't wait to see your answers.

It's too hot to blog, but it's never too late for love

It’s stupid hot outside. I just want to lay right on top of the fan wearing granny panties and a tank top with holes in it. (Oh, like you don't own any....)

I think the heat is starting to affect my brain, though, because I swear I saw a new reality dating show for that Apprentice lady Omarosa and Al B Sure was one of the contestants.



Al B Sure was my light-skinned, curly haired dream lover man of 1988-89 and I just knew he was going to fall in love with 12-year-old me, when I turned 17. (Hey, it made perfect sense at the time.)

I really loved him, and I dreamed about being the girl in the acid-washed denim jacket in this video.



I didn’t even care that he had to roll that turtleneck down around his neck about 15 times or that when he sang, he looked like he needed to take a dump. I was in love.

Now, he’s looking for love on TVOne, and I’m sweating to death in the Atlanta heat. I guess that makes us both hot messes.

If at first you don't succeed, just blame it on Kelis

Kelis wanted me to style my hair like hers.

Why else would she have taken this picture for me to find?


I love the coily, curly style. It stands up to sweat monster workouts and really helps me stretch the time between relaxers. I’m in love with curly coils. I’d marry curly coils if I could.

Ignoring the fact that Kelis’ hair is naturally curly, I went to work on my own tresses with some old friends. Yes, those ARE sponge rollers you see. What else would create the kinda tight curl I need that my genetics chose not to give me?



I shampooed then added gobs of olive oil to my conditioner. I’ve been sweating lots lately and I figured my hair deserved a treat. I noticed some shedding as I combed the conditioner through, but nothing I plan to worry about yet.



I used a blow dryer to damp dry my hair, and then added a little coconut oil for moisture, sheen and smoothing. I used about 30 medium sponge rollers in my hair, sprayed the whole thing with Finisheen and capped it with a silk scarf.

The curls were soft and springy in the morning when I removed the rollers. Most of the sections were smooth, but a few needed more coconut oil as I separated and finger combed the curls into a style.



Ummm….not quite what I expected, but wearable, I guess.



By midday, the coils had started to fall, so this style doesn’t look to have the same durability as the flexi-rods. I may try again later with a holding spray and even smaller rollers, but I can’t make any promises.

I kinda hate you so much right now, Kelis.

Sit-ups and Hook-ups

I’m not sure why I named this post the way I did because I haven’t done either of those things, but I am thinking about them. I figure if I do more of the first, it could lead to lots of the second. Only….not actual hooking up, more like dating hooking up….date-ups? dook-ups?

This post is going nowhere fast. Much like my life.

Oh, wait! I do have one thing to tell you. I’ve been spending a lot of time sweating and roaming around Stone Mountain park. I go about the same time each day and tend to see the same people. There’s this one guy cyclist who wears the brightest clothes I’ve ever seen. I’m talking shock, electric, costume parade fireworks blue. It’s quite a sight, but I use it to my advantage, because I can pretty much pace myself by the number of times he laps me.

I don’t feel bad about it, though; he apparently me has been using me as his personal pedometer, too. The other day I was struggling through my workout, and he flies over a hill and yells “pick it up, pick it up,” as he passes by me.

I should mention that I was STRUGGLING on this particular hill, so I did what any mature woman with nasty funk-water dripping off her body would do. I shot him the bird, blasted him with a hot, sweaty ugly side eye and threw a stick in his tires to make him fall off his bike. That will teach him to keep his mouth shut.

Or, that really didn’t happen. Not the stick part. Now, the ugly sweat glare. THAT happened. But it must have been a good look, because he wheeled his bike around and came back.

He said his name was Rawr or Roar or Roud or Rah, but I couldn’t really understand him. His thick SOUTH AMERICAN accent was getting in the way. Oh, did I forget to mention that he was from the land of the sun? Okay, well, besides his bright blue biking shorts, he has beautiful golden skin that pulls tight across his big, fine thighs when he pedals me… I mean, his bike.

After I stood there looking like the sweat monster, asking, “Whah, what did you say,” he finally spelled his name for me. Turns out, it’s Raul. I spelled my name for him, too, as he put my number in his cell phone. *winks*

There’s not much more to this story except to say we’ve chatted twice and have talked about getting together so he can show me his moves…. His South American DANCE moves, you guys.  Get your minds out of the gutter! There’s not enough room for all us of there.

So, here’s to electric blue biking shorts. Maybe I could get to like them. 

And the winner is....

DANIELLE!!!!

Congratulations for your 100% accurate description of the issue. Since you guessed exactly right, there's no need to keep playing. Please move out of my headspace. You're evicted. Goodbye, forever.

My exact thought when I saw him this day was, "Is that a JESUS PIECE?"

Have mercy.

Closing thoughts:

1. The shirt is tacky but doesn't bother me so much. Style you can fix. State of mind, not so much.
   
2. I'm not sure where the towel came in, but it was New Orleans. Sweat happens.
   
3. You guys are the best for playing along, so how about a drink for EVERYONE? Say Memorial Day weekend? Details to come.

Where there's a Will, there's a weekend (and a prize for you)

So....I have a date Saturday. It's with HIM, the long, tall Texan. That dark, bittersweet chocolate blast from my humid Baton Rouge past is gonna be in town this weekend.

Maybe you've heard of him? No? Well, stick around, chickadees. I'll tell you all about him and us, then and now, after the date.

But here is the test of our friendship, my lovelies. Here is where we put the rubber to the road.

This picture is worth a thousand words. If you know me at all, this picture will tell you everything you need to know about why it never worked before.

Take a good, long look at it. If you can guess correctly what kept us apart, I'll buy you a drink. And I ain't kidding!

All set? Ready?! Go!



Contest closes Saturday at 8 p.m. (At the time our date begins.) Post your guess to the comments section.

We need to talk

There you are. I've been waiting for you.

I need to ask you a question. Tell me the truth now.

Does this nail color make my butt look fat?


‘Cause I don’t think it’s bright enough, do you?


What about now?



Thanks for being you. I’m glad we had this talk.

Me and Alexander

Remember this book?



Yeah, me either, but a friend told me about it and today, Alexander is my homeboy.

First, I ripped my bought-on-sale-such-a-great-deal-cant-believe-it's-so-cheap-and-cute dress. Right at the seams. Right under the bust. Right at work.

I fixed that with some staples.

Then, me and my coworker walked outside for a break and my sassy-flirty-sparkly-casual-friday flip flops tore. Right between the toes. Right when we were a block and the half from the office. Right on a filthy city sidewalk.

After I cringed and hip-hopped on one foot up the sidewalk, I fixed that with some hand sanitizer, then some hot water and then some soap to the bottom of my violated foot. I'm convinced I contracted Ebola.

And, now I'm wearing grungy, dingy, funky gym shoes at work. And a floral dress with staples in it.

Have a better weekend than me and Alexander y'all.

Now Serving: Mimi, Party of 1

I have issues, people. Food issues, to be exact.

You may recall that my dining habits are….quirky….to say the very least. And while I should be ashamed to admit that I once ate meatballs and M&Ms as a meal, I’m not. Not ashamed at all. Those little chocolate buttons taste good dipped in marinara sauce. (I may or may not be kidding about this.)

I am happy to report that things (including my waist line) have gotten better. Well kind of. I eat out more. So that means I eat foods that sort of match and meals that involve vegetables. Oh, and my pal over at Life in Dishes takes pity on me pretty often. She’s a bona fide, certified, dignified personal chef now, so her meals guarantee that I don’t develop scurvy.

The issue is not that I can’t cook. I can. The issue is that I can’t cook meals that are perfectly portioned for the singleton in me, who--by the way--doesn’t like to eat leftovers.

What I know about cooking, I learned from my Bigmama. And meals for our family usually involved serving 15 to 20 people at a time. On a random Thursday night. And I’m not kidding.

Now bring those lessons home to my own kitchen and I always end up with a mighty big pot of just about everything. Which is why I might hate spaghetti forever. I’ve tried using a half-pound of ground meat. A handful of noodles. A half jar of sauce. But I always end up with more than I can eat. Once for dinner, maybe twice for lunch, but after that I’m done. And yet, the pot will still be full. Which is why we had to break up.

The other thing is bread. I like turkey sandwiches. I like PB&J. You know what I don’t like? Buying an ENTIRE loaf of bread. Why can’t they make loaves with exactly 8 slices, including end pieces? That’s all I need. Any way you slice it, though, I’m toast when it comes to meals at home.

So tell me, all you single ladies, how do you do it?

Rise and Whine

I am a genius at finding reasons to stay in bed in the mornings. I try to outsmart myself with tactics like putting the alarm clock across the room so that I have to actually get up to turn it off. That worked for about three days before I realized that if I just keep my eyes closed, I never actually wake up. 

This morning, I got up with the alarm at 7 a.m. but then, I decided that I could lay down again while the water warmed up in the bathroom. The water ran for an hour while I slept. Help me, please.

Also, I have old lady feet. And before you all try to convince me otherwise, tell me that my feet are fine, just take a look at this:

See? Old Lady. (Wait, why is it so quiet. Why aren’t you all trying to convince me otherwise? You agree with me, don’t you?)

Part of the problem is that I’m having a tiny problem with my ankle. It’s nothing major, but the treatment makes my feet swell and I’m forced to wear flats while it gets worked out. 

The result? Old lady feet. And since I was not prepared to deal with this, I don’t own any cute flats that aren't flip flops. 

I guess that means these foots are made for shopping this weekend. But not until after I host an Easter Egg hunt at my house (cause that’s what old ladies do, even when they don’t have kids). 

P.S. Do old ladies get a discount at the nail salon?

Happy Resurrection Weekend, y'all.

EDITOR'S NOTE: For the reader who wondered, the green carpet is at my work not my house. Though I can understand why you'd make the assumption, given the old lady feet on top of it.

Not so hot rods

This weekend was all about adventures in hair styles. I heard a rumor that spring is just around the corner, so I wanted to get a head start on refreshing my look for the season. 

I wanted a fresh hairstyle that would:  

1. Let me extend the time between relaxers.

2. Stand up to the rigors and sweat and steam of working out.

I had a very clear vision of a cute, coily, curly fro look that I was pretty sure would fit the bill. I wanted cute, sassy, soft and touchable. But how to get the effect?

I stopped at a local Beauty Mart and found these soft, bendable rollers called Flexi-Rods. They looked easy to use and painless. As a bonus, I figured if I got tired of sitting under a dryer, I could lay down on them and let my hair air dry.

I used Design Essentials sculpting foam and lots of water as my setting products. It was my first time EVER rolling my hair, and the hard part was figuring out how to get the ends of my super short hair around the rod. 

It took a few tries, but I ultimately ending up using 24 1/2-inch rods for the look. Brace yourself.

I spent about 30 minutes under an ionic hood dryer. Once I figured my hair was all dry, I unraveled the rods, sprayed them with Finisheen and pulled them apart for this finished look. That was about the time that I noticed they weren't dry on the underside, if that makes any sense.

It didn't QUITE turn out as I'd hoped. On the closeup below, you'll see it's a little too frizzy. What you can't see is that the curls in the back just didn't set. I think a lot of that was due to my lack of rolling experience and also the size of the rods I used. With smaller rollers and more time under the dryer, though, I may just come up with a cute, coily summer look.

What do you think? Cute, coily fro or a Granny no-no?

A fool and his fetish

Maybe three years ago, I met this tall, dark and handsome foreign gentleman at a Playdate event.

Nigerian-born, he'd spent time in England, I believe, before he landed here. He was SO my type. His height, his manner, his dress, the way he spoke with the slightest accent. I was so digging him, and couldn't wait until he showed up at my place for our first semi-sorta date.

He'd lost a bet--can't even remember what it was--but the prize was a free car wash to the victor. And so, after weeks of easy conversation and budding attraction, I invited him to my house for the car wash, pizza and drinks. 

During the food part of the night, Mr. Tall, Dark and Handsome got a little hungry for something other than a pizza slice AND in the worst move ever known to a man, he reached over and shoved my fingers into his mouth--the same mouth he was using to eat pizza and slurp beer. It was....a disaster. His mouth was hot and oily from the food and it just wasn't sexy. The date ended about 5 minutes later, and I never saw spoke to or saw him again.

Until...this past month. He started calling and, for reasons I don't understand myself (okay, I was bored), I eventually agreed to meet him in a public place for dinner and a movie. He laughingly vowed ahead of time to keep his oral fetish to himself and my fingers out of his mouth.

Dinner was great. The movie was just okay. But there was a really sexual scene in it, where this hooker is servicing a dirty cop, and the cop is giving her explicit instructions on how to do it. Slightly awkward for a first date after our history, but we got through it. Or so, I thought.

After the movie, he walked me to my car. Still on his best behavior, he hugged me good night, and I was pleased with the way it all turned out. Until...he pulls me close to him and whispers in my ear: "You should come home with me and let me lick you like in the movie." 

I was floored. I was disgusted. I was shocked and surprised. I was PISSED.

I'm never at a loss for words, but outside that theater, nothing came to mind. And so I just turned, unlocked my car and drove away, without ever saying a word.

The last I saw of him, he was standing in the spot where my car had been, looking on as I left him in the dust. 

Refreshing the Spirit of Generosity

I woke up this morning to images of brown bodies piled beside earthquake debris in Haiti. My throat hurt and my stomach ached all morning long before I realized those images were behind my discomfort. Images that hurt my feelings. Images that remind me all too much of other brown bodies, floating after Katrina's devastation. Images that I need to do something about because I can't bear to live with them.

I poked around and found a local organization that is solely focused on collecting feminine products and stuff for babies. Because the least a woman should have after she loses everything is the dignity of clean necessities for herself and her children. And the least I can do is send one little box and a heaping helping of prayers to a woman who is brown like me.

Help, I said to my friends, this is bothering me. And a lot of them said, okay.

My little box is gonna be packed and my feelings are hurt just a little bit less because I found something I could do. Writing this is making my throat hurt again a little bit, but it's a different kind of ache. A full spirit kind of ache. And that is something I can live with.

Happy New Year

Hello my lovelies!

2010 is 6 days old and I'm ready to get it started, get it started in here!

2009 went out with a bang, boom, crack, sizzle, fizzle....well, more like a sputter. I actually went to a party for the second year in a row, and it was just....lame!

Too many women. All dressed up with no dates. Really, it was almost enough to depress me. Almost. Until I started dancing... and then I danced until I had to take my shoes off.

I hear the same thing was true for my girls who went to Las Vegas and Chicago, too, so I don't feel so bad.

But that's all behind me. The best of 2010 is yet to come.

I'm not making resolutions this year. It's pointless. Instead, I'm going to steal an idea I saw on Facebook and come up with a theme for the year.

I've thought long and hard about it (all of 45 seconds) and I've decided my theme will be REFRESH!

Mind, Body, Spirit, Hair and even the Company I Keep. It's all in for an overhaul, so I hope you'll stop by from time to time to read all about Refresh 2010!!!