The Sunday Spin

1. Yesterday was my first day off in two weeks! And I spent it .....

2. ..... SHOPPING! I bought some new perfume, some bath/body stuff and this book, which I'd been patiently waiting to read.

3. Unfortunately, I had to complain to management about the antics of some of my new neighbors. I learned tonight that I'm not the only one who seems to have a problem with them ...

4. There was a note on the front door that said: 'STOP PROPPING THIS DOOR OPEN! WE KNOW WHO YOU ARE, AND YOU KNOW WHO WE ARE. STOP IT OR WE'LL HAVE PROBLEMS! -NOT MANAGEMENT'. Sigh

5. We have a new Whole Foods (also known as Whole Paycheck) near my job and it's the stuff dreams are made of! I mean, it is HUGE. I did one of those Build Your Own Sandwich deals and it made my heart flutter.

6. Job Deux is helping me realize that standing is hard work. Whenever I leave a shift there -- one that's as little as four hours -- I'm in need of a nap.

7. The customers at Job Deux make me forget there's a recession going on. This one lady spent $630 like it was nothing. I was astonished. But I was able to put her in one of the special customer booklets and get kudos from the higher ups.

Don't Give Up

I love the elderly. They can bring out the best and worst in you. In my family, it’s the gray-haired ones that give the best compliments, the biggest hugs and the most honest advice. But sometimes in my work life, I have to deal with quite a few seniors that make me wanna holla.

A few months ago, I had to go to an art exhibit for something that was work related. Basically, this senior citizens activity center was holding a reception for the artist, a woman who was 80+ years old. I had to talk to the artist and she wasn’t in a talkative mood and gave me one word answers – which is the last thing I need for my line of work – so I politely told her that I’d give her a minute to collect her thoughts and then I’d get back to her.

She had about a dozen paintings and several people stood around, marveling at each piece. There was a man, who about the same age as the artist, who kept coming up to her and asking questions that I couldn’t hear. She brushed him off and he eventually came up to me and asked why I was there. When I explained that it was to see this artist, he begged me to come see a portfolio of his work. I agreed and he literally took my by the hand to his table.

I had no choice but to sit still as the man sifted through page after page of his artwork. He had a bunch of pieces he built with his hands and set up in his garden. I remember being impressed, but I can’t remember further details of his work. Each time he flipped a page, he’d say “I completed this when I was 54,” “I did this one when I was 62,” or “It took me 20 years to do this one and I was 78 by the time I finished.”

When we reached the end of his portfolio, I thanked him for his time and prepared to get back to the original artist. But the old man stood and grabbed my wrist, so I had no choice but to hear what his next words. “I say all this to you for a reason,” he said. “No matter what you do, don’t ever, EVER, ever give up.”

Excellent advice coming from a stranger. And words I definitely needed to hear. I nearly forgot about that moment until earlier today. An art teacher at the senior center called me to discuss another upcoming event. Unfortuantely, I won’t be able to attend. I hope that whoever gets to go meets this guy and gets hit with this same advice.

The Sunday Spin

1. Happy Mothers Day to all the mommies out there!!!

2. I'm on my way to mamasan's house, to deliver my gifts.

3. I got her two DVDs -- 'Chicago' and 'Moulin Rouge' ...

4. ... as well as a funny card. On the outside it says: "Hey Mom, remember all those times when I was little and I used to help out around the house?"

5. The inside reads, "Nah, me neither. Happy Mothers Day." Tee hee.

6. TBS has been playing Kill Bill Vol. 2 repeatedly. I forgot how much I love those movies. I may have to add them to the collection.

7. Lately, I've been stalking a coworker for the recipe to her blueberry coffee cake. I've worn her down and she's agreed to give it to me. I can't wait to give it a try. It's yummy!

The Sunday Spin

1. I got 13 hours of much needed sleep last night, complete with one nightmare, one interruption due to my bladder and another interruption because of my neighbors' getting busy.

2. It is raining hard and that's temporarily diverting my plans to go to the grocery store. The cupboard is seriously bare.

3. New TV obsessions: Being Erica, Celebrity Apprentice, The Amazing Race.

4. I made my first sale at Job Deux this weekend. Hooray!

5. Time to start thinking about a Mother's Day gift. Hmmm ...

6. Currently reading Ha Jin's 'A Free Life', which revolves around a family of Chinese immigrants.

7. I need to see the following movies: 'Star Trek', 'Wolverine' and 'American Violet.'

The Paper Route

To this day, the best job I ever had in my life was working at Blockbuster Video. Decent pay that went to double time if you worked a holiday and there was the extra benefit of all those free movie rentals. My best times were spent closing up that store after midnight, blasting that Best of Bob Marley cd and goofing off with my coworkers as we cleaned up. Good times.

Of course, it probably wasn’t that fun for the Grown Folks. I was in college then and using the job to keep me afloat. But we had quite a few Grown Folks working there – full fledged adults with full time jobs who worked here as well. My favorite was Clover. She was in her forites and had that sweet, mothering thing going for her. I just couldn’t wrap my mind about why she needed a part time gig. She had a husband and what seemed like a good full-time job, and I judged that based on the fact that she dressed up to go to work and had a secretary. I never understood why she’d need extra money. I didn’t ask her, but once she mentioned how her credit card debt got out of control and she’d indulged her children with gifts when they were younger. She was using this job to help pay for that.

Fast forward a few years and I’m in a similar situation. I wouldn’t say my credit card debt is out of control, but it is definitely above the zero mark. And I do want to buy a house, so any additional money I can gain will be a huge benefit. So recently I started working at my own part time gig, which I call The Paper Route or Job Deux.

On the surface, things at The Paper Route seem easy enough. It’s a women’s retail establishment, so ideally all I’d have to do is greet folks and ring stuff up. Right? Hah! I went to training the other day and was somewhat overwhelmed by my responsibilities. I have a packet of information to study so that I know certain things about the store’s specialty, their fancy pants. I’m not paid on commission, but folks will take note of my average daily sale. There is also a strategic way to put the clothes out just so, so that it attracts the customer’s eye. Sigh.

Training Part Deux of Job Deux starts this weekend. I hope I get used to it fairly soon. I’m a smart woman, I should be able to handle this. And I’ve already told myself that I’ll do the part time thing for no more than six months. That should give me enough time to have a big enough financial cushion. At least, I hope so!

Photo from http://img.tfd.com/wn/D6/6794D-paper-round.gif

On Fear

I was talking to someone about fear the other day. We all have them, no matter how small. For instance, I have a relative who is absolutely terrified of driving on the highway alone. She told me that she couldn’t visit her grandmother in the hospital because everyone in her family had gone already. When I asked her why she didn’t drive to the hospital – which is only about 15 minutes away – she said, “I don’t be traveling like that.” Then she explained her fear.

A coworker once told me she knew someone who was afraid of banana peels. Something about them just freaks him out. I also know of several people who are afraid of clowns. Sometimes, I can relate to that one, because I remember Stephen King’s 'It.' I also know of someone who is afraid of certain kinds of seafood, like shrimp, octopus, etc.

Anyone who knows me well,knows that I have several fears and "issues." For instance, milk. It creeps me out to see another human being drink a glass of that stuff. I can only handle it in my cereal, but I'll never just pour a glass of milk to quench my thirst. Just the thought of that makes me shudder. I can trace that fear back to my childhood, when someone (my mother! yeah, i'll put her on blast) mistakenly fed me sour milk. I'm overly cautious about that dairy product these days. I'm very careful to keep milk from spoiling in my fridge and I have strict rules about using it after the expiration date. (One day after is fine, two days maybe, but three -- it gets TOSSED!)

One of my overwhelming fears is that someone is watching me. I can’t explain it, but there are times that I feel like someone is out there lurking on my every move. When I close my blinds, I check them several times to make sure they’re all the way closed. When I’m in my car, sometimes I’ll stare into my apartment window, just to see what the general public sees. Recently, the maintenance staff at my apartment complex gave us new fire alarms. They put one in my bedroom. Sometimes, I stare up at it and wonder if it’s actually a hidden camera.

I know this seems a little strange, but hey, we all have our quirks. I'm better with mine these days. There was a time I'd go to extreme lengths to prevent my "watchers" from seeing me get dressed. Now, I just relax and hope they're getting a good show. I just hope I don't wind up on youtube.

Photo from http://www.geocities.com/Hollywood/Cinema/2636/clown1.jpg

Baptism Backlash

So, today was the first day of my official godmother duty. The goddaughter is Catholic (actually, her father, Homeboy, is a lapsed Catholic and her mother, Homegirl, is down for whatever), so myself and her godfather had to join the baby's parents at their church for baptismal training. When Homegirl told me about this training, I expected it to be no more than instructions on where to stand on the day of the christening and who was going to hold the baby and where. Boy, was I wrong.

We get to the class five minutes early, but you'd think you were late from the way the session leader, Miss Christine, shot daggers at us. We rushed to take our seats as she fired out questions: "Why do you want to be a godparent?" "What's the role of the godparent?" "Why do we even have to get baptized in the first place?" She shouted out these questions at random. Of course, she got to the Godfather first and he explained that he was a Catholic, and he was devoted to Homegirl and Homeboy, as well as their little baby. He said he'd do everything he could to make sure goddaughter walked a straight and narrow path. Now, I just met Godfather before the ceremony and he told me he was an atheist. Not only was he an atheist, but his wife was wiccan, before she decided to be an atheist too. Yet somehow, he won Miss Christine over with his line of hogwash.

I was about to laugh until Miss Christine called on me. She wanted me to tell her why I wanted to be a godparent, my relationship with Homegirl and Homeboy aside. I stumbled through a few things on how I just wanted to be there for the baby when she grew up and stuff like that. When I mentioned I was a Baptist, a gasp came over the room. Then Miss Christine explained that the church only wanted Catholic parents to be godparents to Catholic children, but I could still do it, since Godfather was a Catholic. (Hah! If she only knew!)

Miss Christine mentioned that Homegirl's stepson also needed to be baptized and they needed godparents for him as well. Miss Christine eagerly nominated Godfather for the position. When Homeboy and Homegirl selected me as the godmother again, she was less then eager. "Well, I guess that'll work ...." she practically whispered.

After about an hour of enduring the Sunday School SATs and answering questions about sin and original sin, we learned that Homegirl and Homeboy were unable to get the baby baptized this weekend anyway. They got their dates confused and would be out of town. Plus, they just realized they needed to find a name of a saint to give to the baby and that would be read on baptismal day. So they have alot of work cut out for them.

Miss Christine was nice enough to give me some paperwork to look over while I wait for baptism day. I think she's hoping I'll be a full-fledged Catholic by then. Nice try, lady.



Photo from http://media.bigoo.ws/content/image/cartoon/cartoon_77.gif

!!!It's My Birthday!!!!

There was a time I got so excited about my birthday that I couldn't even sleep. The words March 24th just seemed to have that special flow to the, a flow that would get me all riled up. Sometimes, I'd look at my watch at 3:24 and make a mental note that it was my birthday. Of course, this was back when I was a kid. (Yes, I know I have issues)

The birthday excitement dwindled over the years. The one thing I do like to do every year is flip through the papers and find out which celebrities have my birthday (Mr. Roper and/or Mr. Furly from 'Three's Company', Star Jones, Peyton Manning, Allison Hanigan, Mase, Annabella Sciorra, Harry Houdini) and that's a list that grows every year.

For whatever reason, I was particularly excited about my birthday this year. I don't know why, there's nothing really special about being 32, other than being older than all the days on any given calendar month. But whatever, I checked my watch at 3:24 each day and told folks it was my birthday. Naturally, they looked at me like I was crazy. I went to New York for the weekend and had an AWESOME time seeing The Lion King and catching up with old friends. I took the entire week off and I'm spending it doing whatever the heck I want.

Today, I took myself out for sushi and went to the mall. While I was at the mall, I ran into this woman who was looking at me strangely. Then she came up to me and said I had beautiful eyes. She was a Mary Kay consultant and wanted to know if I'd be interested in modeling for one of her lines.

I paused because this brought me back to a painful college memory. A female friend and I were singing Mint Condition's "Pretty Brown Eyes" and she said the song was about her. I told her it was about me also, but she said that it wasn't about me. She proceeded to say that the song couldn't be about me, because I don't have the "pretty brown eyes" that she does. Her eyes are light, mine are dark. Even though this happened years ago, I still think of that whenever I hear this song.

Anyway, I said yes and gave the lady my telephone number. Maybe she'll call, maybe she won't. Either way, it was a good birthday gift for my self esteem. Hooray! Now all I need is a new wardrobe, and shoes, and a massage, etc etc etc.


(Photo from http://images9.cafepress.com/product/119695959v2_350x350_Front.jpg)

Broadway Bound

My birthday is coming up, so I’m doing what I like to do during that time of year: Get outta town! I’m heading up to New York City to see ‘The Lion King’, which I hear is one of the greatest Broadway plays of all time. The best part of the experience is that I’ll be like 10 rows from the stage!!! That and I’ll be hanging with one of my homegirls from college, the ultra fabulous La Bianca. Can’t wait!


In the meantime, here’s a vid. I spend my mornings flipping between the Today Show and Vh1 videos, which always give me songs/artists to obsess over.

Rejection. It Feels Kinda Good This Time

I've been sending my short stories out like a mad woman, as I'm on that desperate hunt to get rich and famous. Or at least pay off my loans and live comfortably. Heck, I'll settle for something as simple as sushi and a massage.

Because I've been doing this, I've had my fair share of rejection letters. I used to have a shoebox with the words "HAKUNA MATATA" (it means 'no worries' -- Swahili) painted on the sides. I covered it with wrapping paper and taped all kinds of motivational phrases on it. Inside, that's where I kept all of my rejection letters. The idea was to keep the rejections locked up safely in there. Then, once I got a letter accepting my work, I'd look at these rejections and laugh. Ok, that's the nice version. I'd probably set the rejection letters on fire.

I've moved quite a bit since I had that box, but I still stock up my rejections. (I do save my winning letters too.) Recently, I submitted a short story to a website that posts fiction that meets their guidelines. I posted to them before and was rejected, so this time I sent something different. I was turned down again, but I'm not mad. Actually, I'm smiling a little bit. Here's the rejection letter:

From:	submissions@XYZFICTION.com
Sent:	Sat 3/07/09 5:49 PM
To:	Strength C.

Dear Strength:

Thanks for submitting "Up the New Jersey Turnpike" to XYZFICTION*.
While this story doesn't suit our needs at this time, I hope that you'll
keep visiting the site and keep sending stories our way. As we update
weekly, we're always looking for new fiction.

Thanks again,
Jason Reynolds

PS- While we don't have time to respond to every submission in detail, I
wanted you to know that "Up the New Jersey Turnpike" made it through
several rounds of reading and impressed a number of our editors along
the way. As such, it'd be great to see your name in the inbox again.

Best,
Jason

So yeah, that postscript made a sista feel geeked. And don't you worry, Jason. I'll be blowing up your inbox, best believe.



*Note: Name has been changed

!!!! Happy Valentine's Day!!!!!

I hope everyone enjoys their special day. I've said it before and I'll say it again: I LOVE THIS SONG!! I've seen the video 7458475487 times, but I finally found a version on youtube that I can post. It's not the best quality, though. I'm a bit disturbed that the singers never appear together, but whatever. It's still my jam!

Bookworm

I mentioned in a previous post that I read alot. What I haven't mentioned is that I've become completely incapable of reading one book at a time.

Because of my habit, I'm a frequent patron of the library. I've been reading the Southern Vampire Books (HBO used them to create "True Blood"), but I usually have to add my name to a waitlist to get them because they are so popular. And because so many people want them, I can never renew my checkout time for these books, so I'm seriously under the gun. Recently, Club Dead, which is book 3 in the series, became available. So I had to pick that up and add it to the rapidly growing list of books I've been reading.

So far, here's what's on my reading list these days:
"Jane Eyre" by Charlotte Bronte
"Reading Like a Writer" by Francine Prose
"Spike Lee: That's my Story and I'm Sticking to It" by Kaleem Aftab
"Unaccustomed Earth" by Jhumpa Lahiri (short story book, recently completed. loved it!)
"Club Dead" by Charlaine Harris

Yes, that is quite a bit. I'm hoping to clear out of this pile soon, so I can move onto required reading for school, i.e portions of Chaucer's "Canterbury Tales" and Jane Austen's "Pride & Prejudice." (I give both books an early YUCK. Jane Austen and I don't get along. The movies are fine, but I've yet to get through one of her books) I also have to read "Wuthering Heights", but I think that'll be easier since I saw and loved the movie version with Sir Laurence Olivier. I'm also eager to move onto my copy of "A Mercy", since I'm a Toni Morrison fanatic. *Sigh* I hope my eyeballs don't pop out of my sockets!


(Photo from http://school.discoveryeducation.com/clipart/images/big_bookworm.gif)

Discoveries

I read alot alot alot ALOT. (More on that in a future post) And one of my favorite books is "Lion's Blood: A Novel of Slavery and Freedom in an Alternate America", by Steven Barnes. It is not an easy book and even though I've highly recommended it to a few friends, they had to give it back to me unfinished because it was too heavy.

Basically, the story revolves around the idea of Egypt defeating the Roman empire, therefore causing Africans to have European slaves in what is known as the New World (aka United States). The story revolves around Kai, whose family owns a plantation known as Dar Kush, and Aidan, a slave who lives there. Despite the circumstances, the two become friends. The story includes some historical figures like Shaka Zulu. Anyone who has seen the Shaku Zulu movie (the first one with Henry Cele, not the Grace Jones version) hundreds of times like I have will get a kick out of his antics in this book. There is also a sequel, "Zulu Heart", which is equally good.

I mention this book because it introduced me to the 14th century poet, Hafiz. I don't mark up my books much, so when I do, it's got to be a special line. There's a scene in the book where Kai is chatting with his brother's fiancee', also the woman Kai loves. They begin reciting Hafiz, eventually leading to a poem I now know is called "No Other Kind Of Light:" Find that flame, that existence/That wonderful man/Who can burn beneath the water./No other kind of light/Willl cook the food you need. Beautiful! So yes, I underlined page 425 in pen, a clear no-no by my rules.

I did some research and became a fan of some of his other poems that are posted online. He has a timeless poem that I'm sure alot of people can relate to. It is called "Find A Better Job:"

Now

That

All your worry

Has proved such an

Unlucrative

Business,

Why

Not

Find a better

Job.

There are two other Hafiz poems in "Lion's Blood", but for the life of me, I can't figure out the titles. Here are the lines: We are exquisite coral reefs,/Dying when exposed to strange/Elements/Allah is the wine we crave -- we miss/Flowing in and out of our pores. The other poem goes like this: Why all this talk of the beloved/Music and dancing, and/Liquid ruby light we can lift in a cup?/Because it is low tide,/A very low tide in this age/And around most hearts. If anyone knows these titles, or knows how I may find more of Hafiz' poetry, please let me know. In the meantime, I do plan to check out "The Subject Tonight is Love: Sixty Wild and Sweet Poems of Hafiz."

Dead Man Walking

I'll admit it, there are a few dead men that I have mad love for. Actually, I can only think of two or three at the moment, but I'm sure there are more. Let me clarify. I'm not talking about any freaky vampire/corpse stuff. I'm talking about men who are dead now, but have my love just the same. Does that make sense?

Let me start by talking about Bruce Lee. I was always a fan of martial arts movies, particularly the low budget ones that would air at noon every Saturday in my neighborhood. The plots either went one of two ways. First there was the "Don't Mess With My Woman" plot. That story revolved around the movie's Hero who had a relationship, or a crush on, a beautiful woman in town. But the enemy would either rape/attempt to rape or kill said woman, angering the Hero. The Hero would take revenge and by the end of the movie, all the enemies would be gone and the Hero and the woman would ride off into the sunset together.

Second, there was the "Don't Mess with My Friend/Teacher" plot. That story revolved around the Hero who has a good friend or teacher that is just as skilled in the martial arts as he is. Then, along comes the enemy, who uses dirty tricks to kill/maim/severely injure said teacher or friend. The Hero takes revenge, killing all of the enemies in sight and then the credits roll. (Jean-Claude Van Damme is famous for these plots, i.e. "Kickboxer" and "Bloodsport", which are virtually the same movie)

The movies were cheaply made and they had that famous out of sync voiceover for us American audiences. But I still loved it. Eventually, I discovered Bruce Lee and I was never the same. I can't remember the first Bruce picture I saw -- maybe it was "Enter the Dragon" or "Fists of Fury." Either way, I just couldn't take my eyes off of this beautiful bundle of energy that was killing everyone in sight. I made it my mission to see every single one of his movies and I even caught a few flicks with Bruce Lee imitators. I was heartbroken when I learned about the circumstances surrounding his death and I made it my mission to learn as much about him as I could. If I ever decide to visit Seattle, seeing Bruce's grave is at the top of my list. Morbid, I know.

The other day, I was at Walgreen's and I saw a Men's Fitness magazine with Bruce on the cover. (I think it's the April edition) Naturally, I stopped in my tracks. They had several pictures of Bruce -- old and young -- that I'd never seen before. Yummy! I think the article was talking about Bruce's workout routine and what he did each day to sculp that physique. Dude was serious. Oh Bruce, if only we had lived in the same time period ....

Speaking of, anyone ever seen "Somewhere in Time" with Christopher Reeve and Jane Seymour? Well, I'm about to tell you all about it, SPOILERS and all. The movie is filmed in the 1970s and it starts out with Christopher, a playwright, celebrating his most recent play. This old old OLD woman he never met before approaches him and says, "Come back to me." He doesn't know what she's talking about and she gives him one of those turn of the century pocket watches. The lady leaves and he does some research to learn that she was this famous actress from the 1920s and 1930s. He sees her picture (it's Jane Seymour) and just can't stop staring at it, he immediately falls in love. So he finds this scientist and finds a way to go back in time and meet her. He's transported to her time when both are young and limber and the sparks fly! Of course, something happens and his transported back to his time. He's so heartbroken that he stops eating and drinking an dies. Then the movie shows them being reunited in heaven.

Sorry, I'm rambling now. No, my love for Bruce is not that deep. But it was the only movie I could think of to justify having a crush on a dead man.


(photo from http://images.art.com/images/-/Bruce-Lee--C10104019.jpeg)

Overheard, Or Just Being Nosey

"I'm definitely washing my hands after this!" -- Little girl in the bathroom stall next to me.

"What were they doing? Were they changing clothes?" --Coworker's young sibling's response to learning that a politician was found naked in the back seat of a parked car with a woman.

"I only have one penis to worry about with him. But I have all the penises in the world to worry about with you." -- My cousin, explaining to her teenage daughter why her younger brother is allowed to have female company but she can't have male company.


"KH can't believe she has to beg for a ring after 9 years. Either way, if I don't get one by Saturday, I'm gonna be single." -- A high school friend's Facebook update, talking about the father of her child. The next day she was listed as "engaged", the day after that "single."

My Third Blogday!!!

It’s my 3rd BlogDay! I’m now out of the Terrible Twos and can officially be called a toddler. Hooray!

I’ve done some research and found that as a 3-year-old, I should be moving out of babyhood into childhood, demonstrating my rich imagination, developing a sense of humor and moving away from the 2-year-old trait of having temper tantrums. Hmmm. I think I’m on track. I've matured. I've tried to get a little bit more creative. I get in a few laughs, from time to time. But hell, I'm still prone to the occasional rampage. But like me, this blog is continuosly a work in progress! I can't wait to see what my fourth blog day has in store for me. Or even better, my fifth -- isn't that when I'll start kindergarten?

Either way, thanks for visiting!

The Return of the Shady Friend

I've mentioned before that I have a friend whom I rarely see. And when I do see her, we get involved in some kind of whack scenario that either involves her kids or we have lunch dates that end with me not eating. I haven't talked to her in awhile, so imagine my surprise when I have an email from her.

Her oldest daughter -- she has two girls, oldest one is the one with the attitude -- is selling $20 tickets for a bowling party they're having soon. It's to fund her college tour trip, or something like that. Anyway, it's coming up soon and they're asking everyone to buy tickets. Now, I would happily just give her the $20 and be on my merry way, especially since I don't know what to expect from this bowling party crowd. Is it going to be teenagers or adults? What kind of adults? 'Cause I've been around her crew before and ... well ... it's interesting.

So, I have to make a decision sometime soon. In a perfect world, I'll say I can't attend, but give her money for the college tour and make "lunch" plans with my friend. (I put lunch in quotation marks because the last time we hung out, yours truly continued to starve) Knowing me, I'll forget all about the email and miss the deadline. But we'll see what happens.


Photo from http://content.pyzam.com/graphics/insults/MJZ1272.gif

Contagious

I got a facebook note from my friend H, and without opening it, I already knew what it said. I presumed that H, who once worked at the place where I’m currently employed, had heard about the layoffs/furloughs/other drama that we’re experiencing. It was an easy assumption, since after our company woes have been announced, countless people have come up to me and offered condolences, as soon as they realize where I work. It’s always weird to have a complete stranger try to get all up in your job situation, but I handle it. Things are different with H. We go way back, back to when I was an undergrad and she was a grad student. We both worked at the same internship, where our robotic (but charming) supervisor whipped all of us – grad and undergrad students alike – into shape.

But when I called H, she had some bad news of her own. She got laid off from her company and wanted to know if they were doing any hirings at my place of business. Bummer. I had the unfortunate task of telling her about how things have changed here and how the company has its own troubles keeping us on the payroll. Bummer. Then we commiserated about the State of Things and complained and complained and complained. Then we picked each other up and exchanged suggestions for coping. She got a part time gig, may return to school, may even start teaching.

I hope things work out well for H, since she has much more experience in this industry than I do. I’ve been trying to leave this industry for years, but she loves it. Unfortunately, lay offs are contagious. Hopefully, the rest of the year won’t be so sour, employment wise. And I’m talking for the entire country, not just my little space in the universe. Either way, I’ll be thinking positive thoughts and praying for the best.

"Lucky"

I like catching up with music videos as I'm preparing for work each morning. Most days, VH1 plays the same stuff, but with this song, I'm not complaining. I LOVE IT!

Goals

So, it's early February and I'm already tackling my monthly to-do list like a fiend. See, my February list mainly contains holdover tasks that I planned to complete in January, December, and maybe even November and October. That's sad, I know. But I plan to do better this time.

The two tasks I'm most anxious to complete is sending out at least three resumes and at least three short stories to various publications. So far, I've sent out one resume for a position that may be worth my while, and two short stories. I've mentioned before how job security is a new worry of mine, so I shouldn't have to explain why I'm trying to get the heck out of there. I'm also toying with the idea of getting a part time job to help with expenses. *Sigh*

On the short story front, I'm going through my box that holds my rejection letters and sending them some new material. The more stories I have circulating, the better my changes are of publication, right? My mom said this will make me a little like Prince. You know how he has 9679454958 unreleased songs, and he releases some at his concerts? Yeah, that'll be me by the time my book gets published. One complete novel and 95475948 short stories. Hah! We'll see how that goes.

(Photo from http://www.idratherbewriting.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/01/goals.png)

Video Moment

For whatever reason, this song popped into my head the other day. Check it:

Top 25

So, a couple of people on Facebook have tagged me into doing this note and I haven’t responded. I figure I’ll do it on here and let my Facebook friends wonder about my ‘mysterious’ life.

The rules are that you’re supposed to list 25 random facts about yourself and tag a few people to do the same. Don’t worry, I’m not tagging anyone. So, here you go:

1 My favorite color is red

2 I dislike green, particularly lime green

3 I’m left handed at heart

4 What that means is that my parents took the pen from my left hand and into my right

5 Basically, they did this nature vs nurture thing because they wanted me to be “normal”

6 But my dad was left handed, so I feel like he should’ve fought harder for my left-handed status

7 I do feel a tremendous bond with lefties and often give them my sob story

8 In fact, I find it extremely attractive when I see a man writing with his left hand.

9 No, I can’t explain it

10 Yes, I know our new president is left handed =)

11 I really have trouble with Rapid Leg Movement Syndrome

12 I don’t have the condition, but I can’t tolerate being around anyone who does

13 It freaks me out to watch someone sitting there, their leg just constantly vibrating

14 The thought alone gives me the chills

15 I’m anal about strange things

16 I’m no neat freak, but I refuse to have dirty dishes in my sink (I’ll either be up all night washing them, or I’ll hide them in the microwave or the oven)

17 At work, I absolutely hate it when people dispose of their trash into my trash can. *GRRR*

18 Because they know it irritates me so, my coworkers do it quite often

19 Recently got into comic books again

20 Am not ashamed to admit that I’m a grown Harry Potter fan

21 But I am ashamed to admit that I stood outside in a long line to get Harry Potter book #7

22 Yet I wasn’t willing to do the same on President Obama’s inauguration

23 In my defense, there was an extreme difference in the weather at those two events

24 I’m sure the president understands

25 Sometimes I wonder what my life would be like if I stuck with that left handed thing

Photo from http://www.themonkeycage.org/obama.jpg

Breaking Up Is Hard to Do

Imagine that you’ve fallen head over heels for someone, someone who is beautiful, charming and a bit eccentric. This is someone that your immediate circle would never have picked for you. In fact, your friends and family are less than lukewarm about this partner. They shun your Thursday night dates and mock your anticipation for this certain someone. On several occasions, they make subtle jabs that imply the same message: “You can do better.”

Eventually, things change. Your friends/family realize that they’ve misjudged this special someone. Now, they constantly talk about how wonderful this special someone is, and they even join in on your Thursday night dates. But, things have changed for you. You don’t feel the same way about Special Someone as you once did. In fact, you’ve told a few people that you’ve considered calling it quits. Yet mere talk of a break up sets your friends/family into a tizzy. “How can you do this to us?” “We’ve grown to love Special Someone, now you’re going to jump ship?” “If you don’t love Special Someone, then you don’t love me.”

Folks, I am talking about Grey’s Anatomy.

In the beginning, I was one of the few people in my crew who watched. No one else took an interest in it, thought it was kind of pointless to have yet another medical program on the airwaves. Then my mother became obsessed with it, so did a close friend. Each Friday, our conversations would revolve around the previous night’s Grey’s Anatomy. We loved George. We hated George. We loved Izzie. We hated Izzie. We loved McDreamy. We dropped McDreamy for McSteamy. We loved Denny. We hated Denny’s ghost. We continue to hate Denny’s ghost.

But I have reached the point where I can collectively say: I don’t care anymore. This has truly been the worst possible season for Grey’s. Last year, it started out bad, but got better in the end. This season, I wait, I wait and I wait, but the show has not moved me. In fact, I continuously yell the following phrase at the television: “DIE, IZZIE! DIE!”

Dropping Grey’s would require some shifting on my part. I’m from the old school tradition of excellent Thursday night viewing. From the Cosby Show Days to New York Undercover, I’m used to having a good Thursday TV experience. I do like ‘Ugly Betty’, which comes on before Grey’s, and ‘Private Practice’, which comes on after. So I guess I’ll have to find something productive to do 9 p.m. to 10 p.m. Thursday nights. Hmmm ….

At some point, I’ll have to let folks know that Grey’s and I have broken up. I’m not sure who will take it harder, Mom or Dee. But I think they’ll survive.

Photo from https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUfaY6tKpG69-3wGARFRe_Ltx8wR-YmbH08xzpjqPcyO40XElpbwn-zMgwQqzLBjH4LenIiH1CzrCAW2qnxq1vNGoE1pcsTBzZ2nXDr9W7udRXX_PZuLjnC8F3MRXuUU1Jmo9G/s400/greys-anatomy-season-5-cast_472x400.jpg

The Bro-mance

I had quite a few last minute offers for Super Bowl parties this year. But because I don't care about either team, I didn't really commit to any of these invitations. I was hoping to go visit my Mom and stepdad and let them indulge me with food. Little did I know, they had other plans.

See, my stepfather is engaged in some hot and heavy Man Love with Cousin Bob. Because my extended family is so large, I only met Cousin Bob a few years ago. Cousin Bob is a nice guy who is in his 50s and each summer, he and his wife throw a huge barbecue for the entire family. I've never gone to these parties (it's the 45 and older crowd) and each time I see Cousin Bob, he chastises me for my absence.

Anywho, during the last few family get togethers, Stepdad and Cousin Bob fell madly in love. They spent most of their time separate from all of us, engaging in the most sacred of Man Activities -- talking about sports, chest bumping, etc. It was cute to see, since Stepdad had two of his best Man Friends die in recent years. He has little tolerance for my uncles, so, in alot of ways, Cousin Bob is all he has.

Tonight, Cousin Bob is having another one of his parties, but this time, he only invited my parentals. They extended the invitation to me, but I politely declined. I'm sure five is a crowd in the Man Love Handbook.


(Photo from http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2362/2451987723_4920565b6c_o.jpg)

Letters From the Darker Populace (#4 Set the Mood Right)

Dear Mr. President,

I want a baby. There, I said it. And not just any baby, I want your baby.

Wait -- Don't cut me, Mrs. Obama. What I mean to say is that I want you and the Missus to have a baby. Clearly, I'm not the only one who desires this. I mean, have you checked the rumor mill lately? The general public would like to see the first black White House baby!

Now, I know Michelle might be thinking that she's done having kids. I mean, she is in her forties and not looking forward to doing anymore potty training. And clearly young Sasha is not keen on giving up her baby status anytime soon. But think about what such a thing would do to your approval ratings! There are so many people out there preparing to have an Obama Baby, wouldn't it be great if you set the trend?

So, I'm going to help you out a little, Mr. President. Over the next few months, I'm going to flood 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue with some items that may inspire you. I'm talking about a little something like this, this and this. I'll even send some tunes that are sure to get the conception mood right -- Al Green, Barry White, Prince, Wu Tang Clan -- whatever rocks your boat.

Well, I'll leave you alone now. Clearly, you have a lot to do, and I'm not just talking about running the country. I expect you and the Missus to have a little fun every day through Valentine's Day. Come mid March, I want her to be puking her lungs up. Then, by the end of the year, I'd like to see the latest Obama enter the world. That's not too much to ask, is it?


peace and love,

s/c/w



Photo from http://youbetteraskher.com/very%20black%20pregnant%20woman.JPG

The Fallout

This week, my company truly laid down the gauntlet with a mandatory meeting. We all sat around wondering what it could be -- a. layoffs? b. furloughs? c. job changes? Well, our answer was d., all of the above.

It was a terrible feeling to listen to the bosses announce to the entire workforce that they would have to let some people go. It was even worse when they gave us all lists of the laid off folks, and we were asked not to look at them as they packed their desks, and give them a moment of privacy. It hurt to see my Partner In Crime given a brown paper bag to put his stuff in, then ushered out the back door. Two of my supervisors were also given the heave ho. I was in shock until Bill, a sweet guy who'd been working there 28 years, came around to say goodbye to all of us. I gave him a big hug and we all started crying. Ugh. Sometimes, work sucks.

We later learned that we were getting five furlough days this year, the first one starting on Presidents Day. The others are to occur once a month after that. It's truly been a miserable work week. But while my colleagues have been gathering at the bar to commiserate, I've been going straight home to make sure my resume is on point, then searching for whatever jobs there are out there. The problem? There aren't too many.

In the meantime, my new supervisor is a grizzled Vietnam Vet who is rumored to carry a knife in his cowboy boots. He works 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. and no one has ever seen him do regular human functions, i.e. eat and drink. So these next few months will be interesting.

Furloughs? Lay Offs? Pay Cuts?

I try not to write too much about the job on this here blog. Overall, I enjoy my workplace, but if I were to write about it here, it would only send me into a neverending cycle of complain-dom. And who wants to read about all that?

But today, my colleagues and I got an email from the Man In Charge requesting that we all make ourselves available tomorrow for a mandatory, companywide meeting at 1 p.m. *UGH* So, being the nosy investigators we are, some of us googled our company's name and came up with some dire news. The other subsidiaries that fall under us have announced to employees that they'll have to take five days off without pay because the company has been doing so poorly on the financial level. Each subsidiary under our company has been handling the financial situation differently. Some are shutting down for five Mondays in a row, in addition to administering 2 percent pay cuts and not granting raises. Some are keeping employees from using their birthdays as paid holiday leave. (Of course, that's a luxury my place of business hadn't afforded us) We've already been told that no raises would be granted this year.

So we're all sort of antsy about the Big Scary Meeting that awaits us tomorrow. One of my coworkers emailed the Man In Charge and asked him if the furloughs would affect us. He said "I cannot confirm or deny that." Great, just great.

But I will keep my head up and look at the bright side of things, until we learn our fate. On a positive note, I would enjoy not having to go into work on a weekday. I could happily use that time to do some writing or better yet, head to a job interview.


Photo from http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj297/mrjayz0930/Motivational%20Posters/unemployment.jpg

Letters from the Darker Populace (#3 Give Em Hell)

Dear Mr. President,

Have a great first day!

love,

s/c/w

PS This is shamelessly stolen from a VH1 promo I saw this morning.

Photo from http://img.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2008/02_01/obamaMOS0202_468x649.jpg

Hello Panic. I’ve Missed You!

Sometimes, I get crazy ideas in my head. Awhile back, I was chatting with some close friends about this yummy new recipe I made. They thought it sounded good and were eager to try it. So, I made plans for these two to come over for dinner.
But the idea evolved. I began thinking that perhaps I should invite Homegirl, the friend who lives fairly close that I never get to see. I couldn’t have Homegirl over without also extending the invition to Girlfriend. And I knew I’d feel really bad if Oh No She Didn’t found out about my little get together from someone else. The same thought applied to Keeping It Real. By the time I got finished creating my invite list, there were 12 people on it.

Well, I sent the email out and I did what I normally do, I panicked. Not all of my friends know each other, so I couldn’t help but worry about what would happen if Homegirl and Sister, Not Sistah didn’t get along. I have the same concerns about It’s Because I’m Black and the white guests I’ve invited.

I also have worries about how I’m strategically going to fit this amount of people in my apartment. I’ve had people over before, but never for something as simple as dinner. In one of my weaker moments, I googled ‘hosting a dinner party’. Not a good idea. Now I’m also worried about the meal I’m serving, the playlist I’m making (Is Lil Wayne not good dinner party music?) and those two plates I have don’t match my existing set. And God forbid I serve She Caught The Vapors when everything is not up to parr.

In the end, I’ve decided to stop overthinking it. This is a get together of friends for food, convo and laughs, nothing more. Hopefully, it’ll stay that way. Yes, I’m still freaking out on the inside, but that’s what I do. My first task? To start cleaning this apartment!

Photo from http://www.bealesgourmet.com/images/gallery1/Dinner%20party%20in%20the%20garden.jpg

Happy New Year!

I, for one, am happy 2009 is here. Don't get me wrong, the '08 treated me the same way as all those other years -- I was up, I was down, I was happy, I was sad. But the '09 has arrived, so it is time to put away last year's news.

For New Year's Eve, I did something most folks would think strange. I bowed out of a party to go to the movies -- by myself. I caught a double feature of 'Marley and Me' and 'Slumdog Millionaire.' (I enjoyed both, cried at both) I wasn't particularly in the party mood, and I don't know the guest of honor too well, or her guests, so I managed to dodge it without any hard feelings. I hear the folks that went had a good time. Well, good for them, it just wasn't my scene.

The other day, I opened an email I wrote to myself a few months ago about the five goals I wanted to accomplish by the end of the year. It was a difficult list, but I put some of my marching orders into action -- I eliminated certain people from my life and I finished drafts five and six of my fiction novel. There are some goals I haven't even touched yet, but I'll get there.

However, goal #3, which I titled 'Fish don't fry in the kitchen/a bean don't burn on the grill,' which is pretty much my way of saying I'm going to start cooking more. I'm off to a good start, but there is something about eating out that just makes me feel warm and fuzzy all over. Ah well.

Here's to a healthy and prosperous '09!

It's Over

It was good while it lasted, but the lovely and exciting 2008 is over. I've had some good times, I've had some bad times and I've had some downright mediocre times. But either way, I'm glad ya'll were with me as I've documented my ride on this thing called life.


Like I've done in past year-end posts, I'm going to lists a few things that have made me happy this year. In no particular order, here they are:


MOVIES: "Slumdog Millionaire" is the best movie I saw all year. Actually, I can't remember the last time I've been on such an emotional roller coaster in a movie theater. I laughed, I cried and sometimes I just said "awwww". EXCELLENT flick. I'm sure there are other movies that I really enjoyed, but I can't think of 'em right now.

TV SHOWS: There are so many I can mention here that it ain't even funny. Ya'll know I'm obsessed. In the past, I've neglected to mention how great the show 'Dexter' is. In short, it's about a serial killer who only murders people who deserve it. I've also become a fan of .... *cough, cough* ... 'Gossip Girl. I like how they use this unnamed narrator to tell the life stories of these rich kids. I also like that they play around a bit with the Madonna/Whore stereotype. There's Blair Waldorf, who can be so evil and conniving that she reduces her freshman followers to tears. She's also a virgin. There's her former best friend Serena, who sunny, bubbly and innocent. But Serena's past shows that she had quite the reputation. The series starts off with the two hating each other and pitting other students against each other. This is only a BRIEF summary of season one. I haven't started watching season 2 yet, so nobody ruin it for me! Last but not least, I need to mention 'True Blood', which is all about a telepath female (Sookie Stackhouse) and her relationship with a vampire. The show is based on a series of books revolving around Sookie. (Yes, I'm also reading the books. Yes, I love the books as well!) I've also discovered 'Mad Men' (Don Draper is hawt) and 'Weeds', to add more dysfunction to my life. I'm also watching some old tv shows on DVD -- shows like "Gilmore Girls" and "Buffy, the Vampire Slayer." (Yes, I see a vampire theme here)

BOOKS: Between going to school and reading for pleasure, I've consumed ALOT of books this past year. Aside from the Sookie books (I'm only on book 2), there are a few standouts like The Brief & Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, Sula, Not Without Laughter, Acacia, and Perks of Being A Wallflower, to name a few. This was also the year I gave in to suggestions from my coworkers and started reading graphic novels, but I'll expand on that in later posts. The series I enjoyed most was Y: The Last Man (soon to be a movie starring Shia LaBeouf) and Ex Machina, which isn't finished publishing yet. The best stand alone comic book/graphic novel (I'm still struggling with the terminology) I read this year was 'Blankets'. Yes, I'm a geek. No, I don't care.


MUSIC: Hate it if you want to, but I love Kanye West's '808s & Heartbreak.' Yes, he's pseudo singing and that's what some folks consider blasphemy for a rapper, but whatever, I enjoy it. It's clear through the songs that he is tore up and depressed over a lost relationship. I mean, the chorus of his song with Lil Wayne ('See You in my Nightmares') is literally "I'm telling everyone I know/that I don't love you no more." Dang. But as I've said before, pain makes the best music. Kanye, I remain a fan.


HOBBIES: I'm still taking guitar lessons and they're going pretty well. I'm a much better swimmer than I was before, thanks to those swim classes I took before. However, I'm thinking about taking some more swim lessons sometime soon. Practice makes perfect, right? But I also want to learn belly dancing and I've seen a few classes that are right up my alley. Hmmm. We'll see.


RANDOM MENTIONS: In a few days, I'll be finished draft 6 of my novel. That means it'll be time to start doing an agent hunt and finding out how people really feel about my writing. It'll be an eye-opening experience, but I'm up for the challenge. I got an A in my literature class this semester. I'm finally done my academic coursework, but I still need to write my thesis (still revising it for approval) and take a test before they hand me my degree. I can't wait!! And in case you haven't heard, BARACK OBAMA IS PRESIDENT!!!! I'm giddy all over again! *CHEESE*

Well, that's all I can think of for the time being folks. I hope everyone has a safe, healthy and prosperous 2009!


Photo from http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v304/gbeast/new-year.jpg

This Crept Up On Me....

but now I can't let it go. I've started watching VH1 videos in the morning and they tend to play the same videos every day. The first time I saw this video, I thought it was weird and utterly depressing. I still feel the same way, but I have greater appreaciation for it now. Maybe it's because I've learned more of what the song is about. But I didn't know that some interpretations of the term 'chasing pavements' caused it to be banned in several countries! Dang, is Urban Dictionary that powerful?


Anyhow, I hope you enjoy this song by Adele. It can be found here.

Back In The Day ...

Ok, I can't help it. My last Soul Train video has me obsessed. Man, I used to love Soul Train! Well, love it probably isn't the right word. As a little girl, I'd stand there and watch the television in awe, surprised that someone's mama would let them out the house in such outrageous outfits. I'm sure I'm not alone when I say my favorite part was the Soul Train line, which was reenacted at practically every wedding I've ever gone to. Of course, the Electric Slide eventually replaced that.

There were always a few common dancers on Soul Train. The most recognizable was probably Cheryl Wong, commonly referred to as "that Chinese girl on Soul Train." Those were the days. Anywho, check out this back in the day vid, particularly the Jheri Curl wearing dude in the blue sweatsuit, and the alleged Obama lookalike at 3:25. Enjoy!

"She said her name was Donnie but her shirt said Marie'

Sometimes, a random song lyric will pop into my head and get stuck there. Well, for about a week I had this old song in my head. Whenever I started the lyric, no one could help me out as to where it came from. I eventually remembered that it was an obscure track on an old Jazzy Jeff & Fresh Prince album. (For the youngsters: Fresh Prince and Will Smith are the same person)

Anyway, this is a song that was never released on the radio, just on the album. It's a pretty ridiculous song, but it makes me laugh, which was its goal. And of course, I know all the words.

So here is your Obscure Old School Moment of the day:

Let It Whip

There's nothing wrong with an old school moment every now and again. So I'm going to hit you with some OOOOOOOOOOOOLD old school! There's a reason as to why this song has been in my head lately. Perhaps I'll get to that in another post. But for now, check out this video:

Merry Christmas!!!

I hope everyone is having a wonderful and safe holiday. Mine is off to a good start. I can't wait for a yummy dinner. And I also got two gifts that I'm excited about -- a Garmin and some Archie memorabilia.

Strangely enough, I'm having more fun with the latter gift. I've mentioned before how Archie has a special place in my heart. Again, Merry Christmas!



Photo from http://i.ehow.com/images/GlobalPhoto/Articles/2148977/christmas-tree-main_Full.jpg

Close. But Not Close Enough.

So, I know I said before that I was going to post everyday for the month of December. I was doing well, churning out blog posts left and right. In many cases, I stated posts and returned to them days later, which saved me dozens of time in the past.

But recently, I made a fatal error. I forgot to track back on one day, friggin Dec. 30th. ARGH! So that means, I'll have 30 posts for the month of December, instead of 31, which was my goal. Crap! Ah well. I'll finish these last few posts with meaningless dribble. I'll try this Post A Day challenge again in February, which is the shortest month of the year. HOORAY!!

Free Falling

In case you haven't noticed, I'm trying to do a new blog post a day for the month of December .... I saw a website that was rewarding people for doing this ... I should have picked a shorter month like February... It is really easier said than done to come up with 31 things to write about ... It's especially harder when you're like me and you track back ... Basically, I start posts and then return to them in the future ... For example, in the real world, it is Dec. 30, but this post says Dec. 23... At least I think that's what the date is ... So I'm torn between writing about current stuff or writing about 'future' stuff .. * Shrug * .... I'd made plans to go to a New Year's Eve party, but I'm not sure I feel like going ... In fact, I KNOW I don't feel like going ... The bash is in a place where parking is SCARCE ... And I really don't want ot fight the hordes .... I need to go to the movies.... I just saw 'Seven Pounds', which is a quick and easy way to fall into a depression ... I didn't enjoy the flick, but I'm sure there are plenty who did ... Have I ever mentioned how much I love 'Family Guy'? ... It's hilarious... 'Adult Swim' is the main reason why I can never get to bed early ... At 11 and 11:30, they play 'Family Guy' .. Then at midnight, they play 'Moral Orel', which is another crazy show ... But I like it ... Ok, time to go ... Off to watch 'Family Guy'