Every Year, Every Christmas

I know, I've been missing in action.It's that time of the year again. Today my sister and I finished our Christmas shopping. There was so many people. I mean dayam. I really didn't want to be out there because last minute shoppers,really tend to lose their minds.Fortunately,we weren't out too long.

My nephew will be here this year. I haven't seen him in 2 years. It will feel good to sit down and talk with him face to face. I've missed that.

You guys know I miss you as well.I hope your holiday is filled with love and laughter. I hope you smile so much that your faces hurt. I pray for your health and safety. Be Blessed people.

Have a very Merry Christmas!

My Everything

I'm loving Chrisette Michelle's" Be Ok "and Mary's "Just Fine".



I spent the day with the parents yesterday. They are finally going on the cruise that we planned to send them on over a year ago. The journey we took to get them to this point has been one hell of a ride.

The first thing was getting a birth certificate for my father.That's easy enough right? Wrong, my father had been under the impression his entire life that he was born in Patterson N.J. So my sister and I sent for his birth certificate from there. Well it turns out they had no record of him.We went back to my dear father and explained that someone must have told him wrong because he was not born in Patterson. So now we had to figure out which parent told him wrong where the heck he was really born. You can find out an awful lot about someone on the internet.After finding his birth place was actually Jersey City we were elated! We received his birth certificate.

The second thing was getting a Passport. We soon found out that the passport couldn't be issued because the birth certificate was filed a year after his birth. Still him, just a year later. Go figure.Made no sense at all to me, but this was our gov't at work. Urggh!

So now they needed two other forms of proof of citizenship. Not marriage or work records. Not social security or pension records. Not Teamster membership or dues paid. A whole lifetime of memories none of that mattered. What they wanted was school records or baptismal records. Are you kidding me? Keep in mind my dad is no spring chicken. The school he attended to my surprise was still standing however the records ( over fifty years old)had been archived or destroyed. So we tried repeatedly to no avail to get some help from the people who originated the phrase " Hold Please".

Finally, in a last ditch effort to make this cruise a reality we called the church were he was baptized, some 70 years ago and the woman who answered the phone actually remembered the pastor and knew where the records were kept. Ain't God good?

We received his passport. They are already packed and just waiting to go.I told them both I want them to party like it's 1999 from the first moment they get on board until they get back.

I'm glad that we are blessed enough to be able to do this for them. I can't wait to send them off.

Let Your Hair Down

Hair Trauma- Before you guys start clowning me. YES I do have hair! Long thick uncooporative hair. So I like to wear wigs and weaves. They are more manageable for me. I don't have to fight, plead and wrestle with them. Most times...

You get what you pay for. You would think as long as I have been sitting in the weave chair that I would know better. But honey, Sista Lee had a sale on the hair and I lost my mind gathering packs. I used my new cheap hair for my doo for Thanksgiving. After seeing Queen Latifah's hair on the American Music Awards, I had to have that style. Intially, my hair was the bomb! I couldn't quite get it like Queens but it was cute.

Friday - Took a shower, water hit my head. No biggie. I will just flatiron and go!

Uh oh, Houston we had a problem . Now, although Sista Lees hair said 100% human. I don't know which human it came from, because I sat there for 30 minutes with the bumpers and could not get this hair to bend or flip. So I decide to wrap it and sit under the dryer.

Saturday- Wrap didn't work, and the weekend is coming to an end and I'm looking at myself in the mirror saying what are you going to do with this hot mess?So I decide to roller set it. Lawd, why was the hair melting, sticking what the hell ever to my rollers? WTF!!! That is not supposed to happen with human hair!!!!

Saturday night- Pulled weave out head, because the disaster that was once a hairdo has gone to far to save. So now I am sporting hair that sort of looks like this...
as a matter of fact it looks exactly like this. Being I'm not going to any casting calls for the live version of the Boondocks I'm pissed and wondering what I am going to do with not only my hair( which looks like its ready for a fight) but all this hair I bought. Because you know they never take it back, no matter what the reason is. No matter if you have a receipt. The answer is always no!

Sunday- Bushy Ponytail. (Hell, I got some of it to lay down and behave. I can't push it.)

Monday-I'm still pretty hot about my bargain hair. I visit Sista Lee and let her know about my hair don't experience. I explain to her that this hair cannot possibly be human. Perhaps,its marked incorrectly. To my surprise, Lee takes the hair back. (I guess looking at my head was enough to soften her heart). Or the fact that I have put at least one of her children through college . I don't know, but I leave happy. With new hair, yay!

Tuesday- New doo, and lesson learned... again.

Stop In The Name Of Love

I absolutely love this time of year! It's the time when peoples hearts are a little softer. Their smiles are genuine. They aren't as rude. I love Thanksgiving because I get to spend time with my family and friends. ( And I get extra days off) that is always a blessing. I wish we could all just slow down and enjoy it all. I have seen so many Christmas decorations and heard so many Carols you would think it was Christmas here. Forget 12 it's The 90 days of Christmas-

I appreciate Thanksgiving, and not just because of the Charlie Brown special with its cool jazz piano.

I appreciate Thanksgiving because it gives me a chance to reflect on my life. I'm am grateful to God everyday for my blessings but, on Thanksgiving I can share those blessing with my loved ones. I wish we all could just stop for a minute, and forget about stuffing ourselves with so many calorie filled entrees and just notice the love that we are surrounded with.Don't just break bread with your familyor friends but,talk with them.Tell them how much you love them. Forget about the sales for a minute ( I know some are irresistible) and think about all the things you have in your life that you are truly thankful for.

I'm not knocking on the sales or Christmas. I am crazy about the day Christ was born. But we have to , to coin a phrase "Remember the reason for this season." Enjoy each holiday. Give each one its due. Nothing is promised. But if I am fortunate enough to be here years from now, I want to be able to reflect on holidays, spent with my people and how much it meant to me.

So go have your Turkey day. Enjoy your families and your friends. Look at your football games. Eat till you (almost) bust. I'll see you at the gym. And thank God for the day.

Have Happy Thanksgiving...Be Blessed.

These Three Words

These may be the three most important words in the English language. Parents say it to their children. Lovers say it to each other. Teachers say it to students. Every now and again some may even say it strangers.

Some people find it hard to say. I don't know, I think because of the way I was raised it comes so naturally for me. Whenever I feel its needed in someones life I share these words. As I watch so many wandering aimlessly through their lives I often find myself wondering if anyone ever said it to them. I feel like yelling it from the rooftops sometimes. Especially if they are young people. Just chillin' not knowing what to do with themselves. Not realizing if only someone had just mentioned it. Things might be different. If only someone cared enough about them, or set that example for them.I remember when my parents first said it to me; I was complaining as youngstas sometimes will about things I wanted. Not needed ,wanted. My father called me into the den sat me down and said. "GET A JOB".

It stung a little at first I admit. So used to having my hand out( and having it filled). But hey, it was what I needed to hear.

You want to eat...get a job
You want a house...get a job
You want a car...get a job
You want nice things..get a job

Simple huh???

Ohh Lalala

Being I have been complaining, some of my girls have decided to "hook" me up. These are people who are supposed to know me, and yet they don't know me. You know?

Coworker M- decided I should met her cousin, how many times have you,people I have never met in my life read here"YOU MUST HAVE ALL YOUR TEETH???!!!" This is not an option. So dude shows up, he's dressed nice. He smells nice.Then he opens his mouth and the left side is just missing in action. Teeth just gone. And dude has adjusted to this and has trained his lip to try and cover it.So he looks sort of like looting lenny to me. And I'm waiting for him to say "Psst, can I holla at you for a minute". He was nice enough on the phone. But I couldn't get beyond the missing teeth.Are you kidding me? Keep it moving Brah, keep it moving. When I asked M had she lost her mind, she looked a little pissed. But damn, don't show me pics of your people from back in the day and present day is tore the hell up.

My girl L- Now this is what I am talking about. She is feeling me. Brotha had it going on. Currectly has a MD after his name and currently working towards adding esquire. Yes!!! I ain't saying I'm a golddigger. So we decide to meet for drinks, damn this dude boring. I mean dayaaaaaam, it was all I could do to keep from falling off the stool. When I went to the bathroom, I was ready to start a fire so they could evacuate the restaurant. Brotha had no conversation beyond his work. See, I told you I'm not a GD.

So I figured I would have to just go back to doin' me. Because my folks were obviously confused. I decided to go to the movies with Dude I met at the gas station. I need to get over "pretty boys" for real. This playa, kept trying to convince me to come back to his place. How many times do I have to say it Damn! I'm just so damn pretty ( I am) and he just didn't want the date to end. Do I have UMFUFU written on my forehead? In what lifetime would I come back to your place to talk? You couldn't possibly have anymore to say because you talked enough during the damn movie. I wished I had an eject button. His ass would have been airborne.

The struggle continues....

Fairytales

While reading in the blogosphere,I was reminded by Blujewel
of the woes of the dating game. Sometimes we as women get caught up in the fairytale.Most young girls dream of a prince ( so to speak) their own personal princes' coming to sweep them off their feet.Dating becomes harder because of the fairytale. Once we believe that we have connected with a person, we look for the next level. We want to define ourselves. Who am I to you? If we believe he is our Prince, well then I must be your Princess. But because of agenda,timing, gameplay, whatever the reason sometimes we just disconnect. The reality is there are no princes, there aren't always happy endings. When we realize this we are caught off guard, because we believe in our heart of hearts that if we do all the things needed to make our relationships work then everything will be fine. How many of our girlfriends have we listened to, and how many have listened to us going over where it went wrong? Sometimes there just isn't an answer dammit. You did everything right, you just happened to be with a toad. So what do we do? We walk around with one damn glass slipper searching for the prince again because we are holding fast to the fairytale. Heartbreak is a powerful thing. No one wants to be hurt. For some it breaks not only the heart but also the spirit.We as women have to ugh...for lack of a better term "man up". We have to stop letting our hearts be our guides because the aren't always on point. Being the more sensitive sex allows us, to forgive and forget more easily, all in the name of love. Let go of the Princess and become the Queen. How powerful I am? Once you realize this you free yourself. You will not allow toxic relationships to continue because you love yourself. You will not be so desperate for companionship that we will lower your bar and settle for whatever comes your way. You will not compromise your beliefs.You will not attract a prince,with his limited power but a King, who appreciates you and all your glory. Your story will be your own. And you will smash all the fairytales and that one slipper to pieces.

I just love the man

Denzel is too fine. He is getting better with age. I just spent the past two hours with him. Just he and I having our quality time. I love just watching this man walk. I'm no stalker. I say again, I am no stalker. But,I could easily become one for him. Now, I'm going to go pray on this. Stay Blessed and go see this movie. Bootleggers are running rampant!

Arthur

I used to be able to dance for hours. I was< the energizer bunny. Now, I have a three dance limit. I remember power walking from parties I told my parents we had a ride home from and making my Cinderella curfew!I remember playing endless games of handball. Running a million suicides,( although I hated them and my coach for making me do them)I couldn't do one now if you paid me.Not one ache the next day. As I listen to my body snap, crackle and popping, like my name IS Rice Krispie,I recall my great-grandmother talking about Arthur.

Arthur is bold, ruthless and ageless, he doesn't introduce himself and try to get to know your likes and dislikes. He just enters your life, he doesn't ask permission to hold your hands, rub your knees, back, legs or hips. He just grabs hold and he doesn't care one bit if you like it or not. Arthur entered my life around 38, and although I've tried to leave him many times, his jealous, stalking ass won't let me be. Each time he comes back, he comes with a hard lesson he wants to teach me. When I ignore him, he becomes downright abusive, sending sharp pains my way. I swear if I could catch him slipping I would bust him in the forehead with one of my cast iron pots. He knows, and every time he gets me it's on a sneak tip.

Most days I'm fine. Something about cold weather makes him even more evil.As I am typing this, this punk is messing with me. Making my fingers tingle and numb. Making my knees throb.

I used to be able to dance for hours...

Just The Two Of Us

I'm going to talk about breast so men,turn your head if you don't want to read about my woes. I've had these breast of mine for some thirty years now. I was an early bloomer, real early. I disliked my breast at first because I wanted to be like the other little girls and wear tiny little "T" straps. I couldn't. The problem was in 5th grade there were only two other girls who had developed as much as I had and we all earned the nickname "boomboom". Boys were dumb to us then, and their fascination with my breast caused me to fight them. By the time I was fifteen, I thought I would like them but large breast and basketball was causing me some problems. Other than tapping them down, I had no choices.Lord knows I should have invented the sports bra.At least been in on the prototype.
When I had finally grew into my breast. I learned to love them. But, I still don't know when they started to take on a life of their own. So to speak. I mean I've always had to deal with men staring at them,Talking to them instead of me. Fighting with them for attention is probably why I don't wear anything low cut, nor do I show much cleavage. They just ARE, and always have been.

I know I shouldn't complain beacuse women pay ( huge sums) to get what I have been blessed with but, sometimes I wonder why. Like today for instance. Now keep in mind I don't buy any cheap bras. Those just don't work for large breasted women. But this beautiful bra I had on today,ladies you know the cute sets we buy, it was sooo pretty. But this one must have been irregular. I have a mind to take it back because something is definitely wrong. I know my size and have for some time. I've been measured for goodness sakes! When I put it felt a little snug but I figured that was because it was new. By the time I got where I was going The TWO were trying to peak out from the bottom of the cup. No biggie I figured I would adjust the strap. Lawd,what did I do that for? You ever see women with that third breast thingy going on? Well I had a fourth. Of course I was too cute, to have four breast today so, I readjusted the strap. When I did that the TWO decided to really act a fool. They didn't want to stay even or inside. So there I was Four- breasted, lopsided lady. You can't get your flirt on looking like Quasimoto (hump reversed). So I decided to call it a day. The TWO are on punishment for showing out in public and I have tossed yet another beautiful bra in the don't even think about it pile.