In the future...

I hope we're not concerned with who has the flyest Gas Mask. Designer Diddo Velema produced some high fashion gas masks. It's almost laughable, kinda like when I saw designer SARS masks in China, bafoonery I say...I'm gon' get me a designer water tank in the last days...One day you might walk into the hospital and see the nurses walking around in Prada scrubs with Karl Lagerfield goggles and Jimmy Choo croc's. Perhaps i'm taking it a bit far but I never thought i'd see the day when I saw a car with a Gucci logo'd interior, one with a Louis Vuitton logo on the door and all this crazy stuff that people do to help themselves look like idiots. What did Kweli say? "...Like slaves on a ship talkin' bout' who got the flyest chains". On my way to work I stumbled across the Russ Parr show and they were talking about African Americans, and the question of the day was "Are you afraid to look poor?" The went on to read the statistics on consumer spending of African Americans and it says that we spend far more on Cars, Clothes, Electronics and Jewelry than education, investments, books, and savings. It's sad but true. I hate to make this a black issue, but I have to pull from my only point of reference. People were on air denying it, while others chose to keep it real, but most people I know buy Coach purses even if it's fake, the same with sunglasses, if it says D&G people will buy it because it's all about perception. we want to look like we have something. I work in a welfare office where the recipients often look better than me. And Even though I think it's sad, I can admit that I have a spending problem, last year I pulled off the lot in a new SUV, but can barely afford to keep it on half a tank, I mean the thing only gets 17 MPG and it takes close to $100 to fill it up with the most recent spike in gas prices. I say all this to say, we've got to do better.

Small Space BIG Style

this is amazing, now in addition to being a foodie, i'm a teckie, and whatever you call someone who's into art and design, an artie maybe? I wish I had loftier goals, but hey...this is a sofa that transforms into bunk beds...When I get a degree, and move, and buy a new place, it's gonna be modern. I think this is so cool.
You can check out the article at www.notcot.org

Come on Solange...

I couldn't resist...
Are you feeling this look?

This is for you Jahzie...

So according to my best friend Lauryn Hill is the undisputed queen of all queens, so it's fun to bring funny thing to her attention like this... It's a re-make of Ex factor, with Syleena Johnson and RayJ which almost sounds as good as the original, that is...until RayJ starts rapping...Eat your heart out L-Boogie, what do you think?
Follow the link to Soulbounce, I don't know how to upload the player onto this page, as you can from the last post i'm not too great at this...
Copy this url into your browser:
http://www.soulbounce.com/soul/2008/04/syleena-johnson-does-lauryn-hill-again.php

Just in case you have any problems getting there it's on www.soulbounce.com

Gives me Chills...

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This song takes me back to my "deep" days...This song makes me want something more...It makes me anxious, it makes me wanna go to a place where I can be in love, and can be me perfectly, a place where I have thing to do like go to musuems, paint, have dinner parties with friends, have a home studio, travel often, drive to NY to hang out, go to live concerts, write books, sip on double shots expresso while writing a poem on my macbook at a trendy Starbucks or Borders. This song makes me wanna live big and I don't know what does it for me, it could be Jill's voice, or the lovey dovey words...I don't know but since i'm not in the place that I wanna be right now, i'll just settle for watching this video with my eyes closed smiling imagining myself there snapping at the end of her performance...riding the night wind, taking photographs after the show, happy...

Super Sweet 16

As promised, these are the pics from the twin's big day, their 16th birthday. They had great fun with friends and fam. It was a day full of BBQ, tennis, bubbles, kids, dancing, and laughter. Hannah Montana the super mogul is the flippin Bill Gates of the Tween market I tell ya, she dominates the field. The twins had a HM dog tag, purse, cake and bracelets. When they go to sleep, the will sleep in their HM gowns and in the morning they will watch their HM "Make a Wish" DVD...crazy right? Well i've got things to do, until next time...

Happy Birthday Spring...Can't stand lame dudes...

So i'm back at home on the internet...I'm pretty excited about that, so I decided to make a post. It's not about anything drastically important or life altering. Just a reg'lar old post about things like today being the twins' birthday, the great spring weather, the fact that I should be going to church today...The twins turn sixteen, i'm getting old...They will be graduating High School soon, for their birthday I bought a outdoor game set, I think they'll like it. It's a beautiful day, mom's BBQ'ng. Yesterday was nice but today will be better, the sun's already shining. I'm happiest on days when the sun appears to brighten my days. I have so much to be thankful for, which is why I should be at church, I had a long night last night, went to O'Charley's, the pool hall, midnight bowling, and to the waffle house. I didn't come strolling in the house until about 4:00am and then decided to edit some pictures online for awhile before my sweet escape to sleep. Well anyway, i'll post pics of the twins' birthday later on...Oh and one more thing, my cousin's friend (with benefits) tried to set me up on a blind date with his cousin and I think it was the most strange hour that happened in awhile to me, I wanted to be somewhere else, or wish i could've somehow erased the fact that he was sitting next to me. The cousin's friend tells the guy to meet us at the Waffle House, my first impression was of him roughhousing one of his cousins, not in a play play kinda way either. Then he barely spoke, so things just went downhill from there, no formal introduction or anything. So when I sat down, he made some ridiculuous comment about me acting like I did't want to sit next to him, so he sat across from me. I was fine with that but I wasn't acting any particular way at the time. Even if I wasn't feeling the guy I would have still tried to be good company, come on'...So I say something or another to let him know he could join me in the booth, he obliges but reluctantly. His body language was horrible, he acted 15 but looked 4o, had no conversation, and spent most of the time asking me about my coffee. I understood that there was no chemistry, no attraction physical or otherwise early on, like when he got out of his banged up Surburban, but I didn't act like a 7th grader, after awhile, I gave up and started talking to my cousin, we acted as if each other weren't there. The date quickly turned int a casual outing with me and my cousin talking exclusively to each other and them doing the same. The only thing that irked me was that we couldn't have had conversation for each other even if there was no physical attraction, it almost seemed as if he really wanted me to know he wasn't feeling me. This guy didn't have a job, wore some dusty Fila's, had yellow teeth, wasn't attractive in the slightest, had black smokers lips, must have been 40 and is still going to the club, had naked pics of various women on his pic phone, had no intellect, is a dime bag pusher, and is socially defunct. Now tell me why I shouldn't have sat in the car the whole time refusing to participate in this bafoonery? Geez! i've got to move from this town...

A little salty this morn...

It has come. June will be the 10 year mark. Ten years since I walked across a hot, humid, and overpacked gymnasium full of onlookers and supporters to accept my High School Diploma. Our orators were full of hope and advice, by the time I left, I was convinced the world was mine. Perhaps it was, but now...hmm...I have a new perspective, a tad more realistic if you will...I didn't really think much about what I would be doing, but I definitely anticipated having a degree by now, having a husband and established in my career. I'm indecisive, why did I think that? The inability to be single minded may be perhaps my huberis. I don't know, all this is a bit overwhelming for a Tuesday morning, I should probably be working. Yeah, that's what I think i'll do because I need to reframe and perhaps i'll feel better about this whole thing.

LOVIN IT!

So i'm also trying to get tickets to the Mary J Blige/Jay Z concert... Looking forward to summer! Shouts out to Questo for the hot pics and editing techniques, besides being a drummer for one of the illest bands (no pun intended) he is a great photog too... Ain't it hot!!!

Touch the sky

As a self-professed "Photo-fiend" I have got to say this pic made me smile...Touch the sky baby!I love Kanye and frequent his blog but today I was at one of my other faves Okayplayer and gingerlynn took these photos at the JayZ Vegas show in 07'. I'm saving up to buy a digital SLR but i've not been able to get up the revenue to get the one I want. You can donate to the fund if you'd like. I'll post some of my pics soon.

Hilbama

Just a lil' Thursday Humor...But seriously, one of them needs to hurry up and reach the delegate benchmark, because I'm almost getting tired of the debates and justifications, arguing, in-fighting and random ridiculousness.

30 seconds...An eye trick

Ok so I thought this was so cool. First of all that someone could create something that appears to be a negative on a metal surface. But what's even better is that if you stare at her nose for 30 seconds and then close your eyes this picture will be inverted and you'll see the real colors.

Time

I keep fretting about being successful and doing things with my life, things that almost thirty year olds tend to do I guess. Recently i've discovered a new aging me. One that doesn't know how to do more than one current dance (wouldn't look right doing them either btw), who doesn't wear gym shoes and no longer thinks going to the club is cool, that can't drink milk with a good conscience, is discovering smile lines, not to mention i've recieved the invitation to my 10 year class reunion. Guess I should be depressed but I've changed perspectives. I'm approaching my prime I guess. If you look at the clock (pictured and explained below) i'm almost at the halfway point if I should be so lucky to make it past 60 years. I'm now thinking about retirement plans, nest eggs, a family, Legacy, contribution, heaven and hell, dying and most importantly I have recently rediscovered living. I'd like to live well. Anywho, more about the clock read below.

This is "The Life Clock" a clock mechanism slowed down 61320 times (each number represents years) would you get one? As Erykah badu sings, Time a wastin'...

Vote 08

and my last blog for the day says it all....

Now i've got to get back to work!

Vote

I Love You Katt

Ok I'm on a roll now...I just wanted to show Katt williams a lil love, not this mouch tho...

We've got to do better....

Ok so I just wanted to post my version of the Hot Mess of the Day...
Jolly ranchers tho?

I know what you're thinking

This lil girl captures my sentiments exactly...I live in Ohio, but I didn't do it...Sorry Barack!

Obamarama

So today...I'm still sick, it sucks. I don't know what's worse coughing up phlegm or having warm flesh, or the faucet nose or the tightness in my chest that makes it feel concave. I'm so over this flu season, I may even get the flu shot next year ( say that every year and never do). I've been following this presidential bid pretty closely and the more I want to support Obama, I realize that he's still a polititian nonetheless. I still get irritated about politics and how things are over-promised and under-delivered, how orchestrated this all is. But it's a game I must play and I will choose a candidate who seems to sell me what i'm trying to buy. One of my favorite blogs (to the right, the cyincal ones) did a post about going to an Obama rally, it was pretty funny in a sad way, you should check it out.

my annual "Valentines Day" rant (but only when i'm single)

So the word of the day is "Love".
Blood red and mylanta pink are the colors of the month in lieu of this pagan holiday of St Valentine that'll be coming to take our pocket money soon. Valentines day, hmm...I try not to think about it too much but everytime I walk into Walgreens or CVS, i'm bombarded by a fusillade of fake roses, cheap candy, heart shapes, balloons, teddy bears and oversized cards. I try not to be too cynical about it but give me a break. Perhaps i'm a bit on the wrong side because i'm single but i've never been much into it. Well...there's this one year that I made my boyfriend a basket full of indulgences for the bad habits which I despised, it had beer, black and milds, incense and chocolates. He wasn't a teddy bear kinda guy. I felt inclined to give him what he liked.
Speaking of love and relationships, I recieved a forward today that had a few quotes from Oprah, I think i'll keep some of this in mind when I put myself back on the market. Any thoughts? i'll be blogging about some of this later.

If a man wants you, nothing can keep him away.
If he doesn't want you, nothing can make him stay.
Stop making excuses for a man and his behaviour.
Allow your intuition (or spirit) to save you from heartache.
Stop trying to change yourself for a relationship that's not meant to be.

Slower is better.

Never live your life for a man before you find what makes you truly happy.

If a relationship ends because the man was not treating you as you deserve then heck no, you can't "be friends". A friend wouldn't mistreat a friend.
Don't settle.

If you feel like he is stringing you along, then he probably is
Don't stay because you think "it will get better"
You'll be mad at yourself a year later for staying when things are not better.
The only person you can control in a relationship is you.

Avoid men who've got a bunch of children by a bunch of different women.

He didn't marry them when he got them pregnant, why would he treat you any differently?

Always have your own set of friends separate from his.
Maintain boundaries in how a guy treats you. If something bothers you, speak up.

Never let a man know everything.* He will use it against you later.

You cannot change a man's behavior.* Change comes from within.

Don't EVER make him feel he is more important than you are...
Even if he has more education or in a better job.

Do not make him into a quasi-god.
He is a man, nothing more nothing less.
Never let a man define who you are.
Never borrow someone else's man.
If he cheated with you, he'll cheat on you.
A man will only treat you the way you ALLOW him to treat you.

All men are NOT dogs.

You should not be the one doing all the bending...
Compromise is two way street.

You need time to heal between relationships...
There is nothing cute about baggage...
Deal with your issues before pursuing a new relationship

You should never look for someone to COMPLETE you...
A relationship consists of two WHOLE individuals...
Look for someone complimentary...not supplementary.

Dating is fun...even if he doesn't turn out to be Mr. Right.
Make him miss you sometimes...when a man always know where you are, and you're always readily available to him - he takes it for granted

Money never solves a money problem...

Like me, you’ve probably grown tired of seeing a picture of peanut butter oatmeal, so I reckon I should begin a new post. I mostly blog when I’m feeling something. Today I’m not feeling anything extreme, but I am happy that today is Friday. Income tax season is here, this is a time I’ve been waiting on for at least 10 months, yay! A couple of months ago, I read an article on Yahoo from the Associated Press that claimed that tax season could be delayed because of some pending legislation. I think I had an anxiety attack, that was horrible, how could I wait? I needed to pay my tuition so I could start school Winter Quarter, to pay bills and well of course splurge on some annual indulgences that I don’t really need but want nonetheless. So this is it…Christmas in February. And although I have my sights set on techie toys like a 56’ Plasma, GPS Navigational System, The new uber thin Mac laptop, and other sweet indulgences of the home couture persuasion. But hmm, lets see the factual issue in this matter is, that I need to pay the bills to live in the house and drive the car and need the degree to be able to afford the lifestyle that I’d like. By saying that, I mean this, I’ll be paying the bills and the tuition (God Willing).