5 Things I Loved About Today

A Wiggle in My Toes

2012-02-23T23:57:00.000-05:00

I have been UBER busy.... well more like preoccupied. Maybe even distracted. Definitely off my routine. At any rate, it's been a good couple of days. I've shaken the blah mood and I'm pretty much back to normal - aside from getting back into my regular routine. haha The weather has been amazing so hopefully this weekend I can go out and enjoy it.

I just read this on a blog this morning: "As Anais Nin said, "We see things not as they are, but as we are." Perception!" Such a good thing to remember about ourselves. I need to really put this into context of the last few weeks. Whew.
"Our prime purpose in life is to help others. And if you can't help them, at least don't hurt them." I saw this pop up on my Facebook news feed. Very true.
I went on a nice "meet and greet" as I call it. hahaha
I'm excited about the socks I bought. Strange I know, but these are cool socks! They go over each individual toe. LOL
I love that I have had another productive day.

Rainbows

2012-02-21T22:59:00.002-05:00

Today I was called out on my "blahness mood". I've been in a funk before but as my boss put it, it's never last more than a week. I am now in week two. Hopefully it'll pass sooner. Maybe I'm just dehydrated. HAHA wouldn't it be nice if it were just that? At any rate - let's get on with this list so I can go to bed.. I am worn out!

If you watched Glee, then you know it was an amazing episode! I loved the opening song and scene but it was unfortunate what happened. Lots of "rainbows" in this episode.
I found a new little web show that's pretty interesting. It's on Crackle and it's called Gay Town. It's about a straight guy who is stuck in a town full of gays. Anything he does as a straight man is illegal and he's ostracized for not being gay.
I got to work really early (for me) and was administratively productive today. Like McDonald's tagline, "I'm lovin' it"!
I have been hearing a song a lot lately and had no idea who it was. While watching Glee tonight, I Googled the words, "I'm glad you came". It's actually by The Wanted and well, Glee did a way better version of the song. hahaha
Oh wow... I'm to the last one and I have dozed off three or four times already! I need a 5th item, STAT! OOoh I love that my boss brought in a bag of Swedish Fish... Now that was uber nice of her!

R-E-S-P-E-C-T

2012-02-19T23:24:00.002-05:00

Day Two: Family Visit. I've come to recognize that if I had kids, they'd be trained like my dog Big Mac. LOL I've been amazed (figure of speech cause I'm really not amazed) by how they are. I guess I have an expectation that seems to live in the memory of how my parents raised me. There are certain expectations of children of a certain age. Those expectations exists because you're preparing them for life outside of the nest. I remember learning how to properly wash dishes - dishes are good and clean when they're no greasy feeling left on the item and no food residue. I might add that I was the one who did the dishes because I got to eat for free. So many lessons were taught to me as a kid because I was given responsibility. Oh, and the back talk I'm hearing? I have four words for that - HELL - TO - THE - NAW! Do I hear Aretha singing???? R-E-S-P-E-C-T...

Any how... It will certainly be interesting to see it all works out. [steps off soap box] On to the list.

HULU has me watching The Cleveland Show - the episode, The Hurricane, is pretty good. It touched on the topic of religion - I love how Jr. took on the views that he did on religion. My sentiments are the same. hahaha
My brother made a nice cheesy lasagna. It was tasty AND I didn't have to cook. So that was pretty amazing in itself!
My roommate gave me a belated birthday gift. That was pretty nice of him. It was a gathering of items - one of which is a mandarin/lemon scented candle that smells awesome!
I've seen this video before but I saw it again tonight and remembered how much I loved it - Is Being Gay a Choice?
I enjoyed my visit to Madame Tussaud's and to the Native American History Museum today. It was very informative. I don't think my nephews enjoyed it but whatever....

Rockin' in the Free World

2012-02-18T22:13:00.000-05:00

I've never pledged my allegiance to any one sports team in a long while. I'm not really a sports fan but there have been teams that I have always rooted for - the Detroit Pistons and the Marshall University football team. Today, I felt connected to the George Mason University Mens Basketball team. It was great to watch the Patriots take the win today, the last home game of the season.

On the way to the game I got to sign the banners for all of the graduating seniors on the Mason basketball team.
I got a delicious steak sub from Vocelli's Pizza and it was DELICIOUS!
I am still amazed by this Roku Box. Best. Piece. Of. Technology. EVER!
My niece kicked my butt in Guitar Hero. So much for thinking I was pretty good. hahaha I love how she was so into keeping track of the scores and beating her uncle, which I didn't mind.
Sleeping pills. Check. I love that I had some on hand so that I could sleep like a rock!

Family Fun Time

2012-02-17T23:22:00.000-05:00

Today marks the first time my brother and his kids have visited since I've been in my (semi) newly acquired home. It's pretty cool having them here. I haven't seen them in about 4 years and let me just say - What a difference that time frame makes! They all have gotten so tall and the oldest has facial hair! The others have hit puberty and I'm just floored. I guess that means they've gotten older and so have I. The oldest nephew was born in 1993. That doesn't seem so long ago to me - but geez - he's a grown ass man now. Might not be mature but he can now vote.

I had a series of nice meetings today. I have to say that I think I'm going to enjoy partnering with a new person on an initiative.
I loved seeing that the Program Board event tonight was PACKED. Great job!
I loved that I was able to play video games with my nephew and niece. Clearly, they play these games way more than me LOL I think tomorrow night I will challenge them in Guitar Hero!
Today marked my debut at a voice over artist. hahaha I had to do a series of videos on how to use a program. The videos are for students and I hope they prove to be helpful. really enjoyed making them.
While out to dinner with family, we sat next to a table with a very talkative, yet good-natured Korean guy that made sure we knew he could be "down" with the black folks. hahaha He was kind of annoying (and drunk) however, I loved how he got serious for a moment and got on my nephews case about not going to college. This was a classic moment! A total stranger saying to my nephew, "Man, you should go to college, even if it's community college because a degree will open doors." That was very nice of him to say and while he was annoying for most of the meal, him saying this made a world of difference to me.

Slow News Day

2012-02-16T23:07:00.002-05:00

My eyes are TIRED.. it's been a helluva week. There's definitely been a theme going on here. My body is telling me to slooooooooooooow down. I can't slow down this weekend because I have family in town, but next week you better believe I will. I just need a weekend where I don't do or go anywhere. WHEW.. I'm in need of recharging my battery.

It was definitely a slow "news" day around here too.. but I still found 5 items!

When I got home I was excited to see that I received my Roku Box! WOO HOO! So.. now it's time to hook it up. Unfortunately, I was too tired tonight to focus on doing that.
I made some great guacamole tonight. Those avocados were ripened to perfection!
Great conversation was had tonight with someone in my office. It's was one of those types of conversations where you sense that we both really understood each other a little better.
It rained most of the day but that didn't keep people from being friendly. People seemed extra friendly today. I don't mind that at all. I think people should practice kindness regularly.
When I left campus tonight the traffic wasn't bad at all. I think i got home within 25 minutes.. That's pretty much a record on a Thurdday night. Metro DC traffic ain't no joke!

It's a Beautiful Life

2012-02-15T23:19:00.000-05:00

Simply stated, no matter what you're going through based on your perspective, it's a wonderful life. When I thought about this, I also thought about the Ace of Base song called, "It's a Beautiful Life". Then I wanted to hear the song... hahaha

Enjoy!

What a great song by Estelle. It's a Wonderful Life. I love when people push out positivity. There is just way too much negativity out there... It's like people like to wallow is sorrow. When you really think about things in the grand scheme, it most certainly a wonderful life because things can always be worse.
I desperately needed an oil change. When I left work it was nearing 7PM. The place closes at 7PM. I made it in the nick of time. WHEW! They even informed me of things I needed to get done - a new battery, new fuel filter. I'm glad I got my tax return! LOL
You know, they say that when things feel uncomfortable that those are the times we experience growth. Today I felt uncomfortable. While I don't like that feeling, I love growing and becoming better at what I do.
Today I rocked the preppy look according to Melissa. I like that! LOL
My brother, who will be visiting this weekend, sent me a text to ask about the weather. He then asked if I had a coat he could wear here. Mind you...my brother and I haven't worn the same size since I was in 7th grade. Make another note that he is 8 years older than me. The final note is that I have been, since 8th grade, been larger than him. Now, fast forward to today - we wear the same size! hahaha His weight has gone up and mine has gone down and we meet in the middle. How funny!

Valentine, What? Valentine, Who?

2012-02-14T21:51:00.000-05:00

It's Valentine's Day... AND??

ANYWAY - here's my list for today.

Glee was FANTASTIC tonight.
Good pep talk from the boss today.. I needed that.
I ate the chili that I made on Sunday tonight.. It was totally tastier than that night.
I bought myself the Roku today.. I am sooooo excited to get it and be released from the hold cable has had on me.
I was in University Hall today on campus and there are hallways in that building that were reminiscent of a scene in The Misadventures of AWKWARD Black Girl LOLOLOLOLOLOL I love that that's the first thing that popped into my head each time I passed people!

Facebook Will You Be My Valentine?

2012-02-13T23:49:00.000-05:00

Today was all about technology. I talked about technology at work and then came home to learn about technology. How about that? I LOVE technology! I love Facebook. lol Tomorrow is Valentine's Day and I haven't had a Valentine since 2005. Crazy, huh? Oh well, Facebook, will you be mine?

Out of necessity I have been trying to find ways to NOT have cable. Paying all this money for it is ridiculous. I'm downsizing. I mentioned downsizing on Facebook and learned about Playon.tv AMAZING!! I am sitting here watching 60 Minutes through the internet on my TV. FOR FREE! There are limited commercials, too! You can't beat that with a stick. Cable be gone!
As I talked about the need to remove my cable bill a good friend of mine said she has a digital converter. She offered to send it to me for free! YAY!
Jeffrey Osborne. What a great singer. I was listening to his songs on Spotify. I mean, I had my Whitney fill for the next few days. I was in 3rd grade when this great song came out: Stay with Me Tonight
I am still learning that to live in the present, while challenging, is really the only way to live. I love that that lesson was brought back to my attention today via the Facebook feed. How about that?
It was a good text messaging day. That is all.

Laaaazy Daaaaays

2012-02-12T23:51:00.001-05:00

Summer Breeze, makes me feel fine. Blowing through the jasmines of my miiiiiiiiiiind. Okay, I don't know how many people would get that reference. They are lyrics from a couple of songs from a commercial that. I have this memory of my childhood that could be a novel - I swear! Check out the commercial in my list - I kept doing a search until I found the actual commercial on Youtube. Obviously other people have memories linked to it like me.

So many memories from my childhood come from TV. When I wasn't outside building forts, having dirt bomb wars, playing with fireworks, riding my bike or hanging with friends, I was on the couch watching TV. This commercial sticks out in my mind all the time - LAZY DAYS.... Summer breeze...
Boo-yah! I sold a bracelet to someone in London. I guess the economy is picking up. :0)
I made chicken chili tonight.. it's tasty but that recipe needed a little tweaking.
I love that Adele kicked ass at the Grammys. She's had an amazing year! I remember hearing Rolling in the Deep at a bar in DC and I was like.. WHOA! This song is awesome! Here we are a year and a half since I've heard it and it's won a ton of awards.
Still sad to know that Whitney Houston has passed away. I loved her music. I remember when she started. VEVO Music has put together a nice collection of her music videos. Check them out and reminisce. Video Collection

News from the Metropolis

2012-02-11T23:40:00.000-05:00

Picture it - a sunny day. New tires on my car, a full gas tank and a mind full of determination as I drove into DC. The goal for the day was to visit the Newseum and to go out in the city. I achieved both. Prior to going out, I got a message saying Whitney Houston had died. WHAAAAAAAAAT? I thought it was a rumor. You know, in the sense that reporters sometimes misreport things. So I asked my friend to look it up on his computer and see what the news feeds said. Every couple of minutes that passed solidified the fact that what was hoped to be a rumor was actual truth. An American Pop Icon has passed away. On the radio, DJs played her songs to honor her. Such great music.

Ahh... at any rate, there are still things I loved about today..

I have new tires and all I can say is WOW.. the car drives so much nicer! It was expensive but well worth it even if it is only for the safety reasons!
The Newseum was a great time. There is so much information though. Because it's about news, there's lots of reading. I highly recommend a visit - just be sure to have at LEAST 3 hours set aside for it.
As many times as I have been to DC - it's about time that I know how to navigate my way around a huge chunk of the city. I love that I was able to maneuver the mean streets with ease today because my GPS was NOT cooperating.
I met some new folks tonight. One person in the group actually lived in Huntington, West Virginia at the same time I did. He even claimed to remember me. Well, I can't say the same.. but hey, it was still a fun night out.
There was somethin' cool about hanging out in the mall at Starbucks and having a coffee and just catching up on life with one of my friends. It was very metropolitan.

Frontal Lobe Friday

2012-02-10T23:32:00.002-05:00

I was thinking about my future - my future in my career path. Right now I don't have any aspirations to be anything other than happy. I used to think that it was ridiculous to stay in a role for "X" amount of years. Now I'm starting to think about it differently. I just want to be happy and love what I do. Simple enough, right? hahaha I think that's the bohemian artist in me speaking right now. Ahh oh well... let's get on with the list before I get too cerebral!

I love these pictures... The Carters are keeping it classy! http://helloblueivycarter.tumblr.com/
A friend of mine needed a favor and I am glad that I was in a place where I could help him out. I know how much that meant for him.
Today, since I was home from work, I made a couple of new bracelets that I had thought about creating. I can't wait to post them on the site to see what type of response I get.
Facebook Parenting: For the troubled teen. I saw this video today and was kind of in shock by what the dad did. Then I thought about it and I believe that it's important that parents put their foot down with their kids. It's too often that children aren't held accountable for their actions or parents are afraid to be harsh, etc. I love how this dad kept it old school and took that laptop and blasted bullets into it. Yeah, it was dramatic but he's the dad! I'm sure his daughter won't forget who's the boss. That's for damn sure!
I love that I have made it almost to pay day and I still have money on my Suze Orman "The Approved" Card. hahaha AWESOME!!

Sick and Tired . . .

2012-02-09T23:55:00.001-05:00

Cough! Cough! Ewww.. sickness. Yep, the bug is going around and it made a visit to my body. I have been under the weather for a couple of days. Hopefully it'll pass by Saturday. I have things to do! hahaha The worst part is that it zaps all of the energy out of me. If I weren't typing this, I'd be asleep! But before I sleep, you know what time it is... it's list time!

I love Nyquil. That is all.
Sick Days - Use them. I used mine today and I will use it tomorrow. I'm love that I have them. Hell, I love that I have a job that offers me a lot of time off. I learned that my brother only gets 6 sick days a year. WOW!
The wrap up meeting today was pretty productive. Lots of great ideas to be excited about.
Vietnamese soup - AKA Pho Hoa. I bought some today for lunch and didn't finish it so I also had it for dinner. I hope it helps this sickness.
Lately I've been playing those scratch off lottery tickets. I'm hoping to become a big winner. Part of me even believes that it'll happen. Today I bought two $1 tickets - scratched them off. I won $5. Woo hoo!

That's So Ratchet!

2012-02-08T23:22:00.000-05:00

What a Wednesday! Full of laughs, intrigue, deception, athleticism, and gossip! LOL Just another night at the bowling alley. But hey, it was pretty fun! With all of the fun I had today, I nearly forgot that I'm not feeling well. I do believe some Nyquil is in my near future. However, I am recommitted to my daily blogging - it keeps the spirits up. The power of positive thinking!

I wore an awesome outfit today apparently because I got several compliments. Well, actually I knew the outfit looked sharp! hahaha A nice pair of chocolate brown pants - by the way, why do we feel the need to say chocolate brown instead of just chocolate or just brown? I paired that with a chartreuse sweater and wore my fancy wingtip shoes. I did a presentation to a class this morning and a student slyly said under his breath, "Snazzy shoes." as I was leaving the room. That made me grin.
While in my office today, Corrine and I took care of a project that had been lingering over our heads for a while. Once we finished we started joking about making our own, "Shit Students Say to Student Affairs Professionals". We were DYING laughing. I think I may actually make a script up and film it!
WOO HOO! Day three of not having to buy lunch. BOO-YAH!
Line of the day, "I'm gonna need you to do better." And why did I just learn what "Ratchet" means in slang terms? CRAZY! I thought it meant good - as in you "ratchet something up" as if you're cranking it up. I love how we learn new things every day.
I had a blast at the bowling alley. It was so much fun! Shout out to Travis, Steven, David, and Herb! Y'all are SO NOT ratchet!

What Do You Love About Today?

2012-02-08T18:02:00.001-05:00

I'm just curious - What do you love about today? I list things every day. Some days are harder to list things while others are a piece of cake. No matter the case, I always list 5 things by the end of the day. It keeps me in a good state of mind.

I keep myself from listing the following:

Anything related to living to see another day
Anything about God/religion
Having a job
Having food on the table

The reason I leave those off is because when listing 5 things each day, on the slowest days I could easily fall back on these. Besides that, those are things to be grateful for. I mean, if you were worried about losing your job and you were told there was no need to worry - then YES! LOVE THAT! If you were visiting the doctor for a diagnosis and you were prepared for the worst and it's not the worst - I would LOVE hearing that news.

I like to list things during the day that make me smile, laugh, feel good, or tasted good. I also like to list kind gestures by people that made me feel really good or saving money on something. Who doesn't love a good deal? It's all about spreading the positivity of life and leaving behind all of the negative.

So, what is it about TODAY that you loved? Start with just one item and list as many as you can. It's a great daily exercise.

Routines

2012-02-07T23:07:00.000-05:00

I did it! I posted in the same day that every thing listed in my blog occurred!!! HA! I guess I still feel a little off since last week. It's all about finding routine again. Having a routine brings us comfort in a lot of ways. Here's getting back to routines. Viva la routine!

I love "Some E Cards"! They are so on point with their message and almost always give a good laugh.
While I was at work today I thought it would be cool to entice students to come into the office and take a short survey. I posted on Facebook that if they came into the office and did the survey they'd get a free fleece blanket. Those students FLOCKED into the office! The power of social media is amazing.
I have to say that the more I drink my coffee with the International Coffee's York Peppermint Patty flavor, the more I realize I'm glad I didn't spend nearly $5 on a Starbuck's Mocha Latte with Mint.
My friend Jake contacted me about possibly biking part of the C&O Canal Towpath again in March with some students of his.. I think I might be up for it! It'll be a great way to kick off the biking season again.
I received a, "You're looking like you've lost some more weight" compliment today. I mean.. I don't think I have.. but it felt nice to hear. LOL

FAIL!

2012-02-07T19:49:00.002-05:00

The best part of waking up is... Waking up and going to the gym and actually completing your run as planned! It was a good workout but I definitely felt tired the rest of the day. I find myself completing yesterday's blog tonight at 7:30PM the next day. Wow.. I'm off my routine. I need to get it together! hahaha I can't even think about what I was happy about or loved yesterday. Double Wow!

Note to self: Be sure to do these the day of or in the very least, the next morning.

So Fresh

2012-02-05T23:10:00.000-05:00

Today marks the start of a new week. Man, am I glad! Last week was a bit much but I subscribe to the idea that no matter how difficult things may seem, everything is manageable. I managed to get through all kinds of malarkey (and malarkey isn't a word that you hear very often - I like that!). I feel so much fresher moving into this week.

Oh man. It felt amazing to sleep in. I slept until 10AM. I needed to decompress from the week. I even went back to bed for an hour in the afternoon. I love being able to just rest.
Had a nice time out with a friend. It's always good to see him and find a new Asian restaurant on the fly!
About a week ago I met a girl in a bar and told her that I make bracelets and other little artsy things. Today she placed an order for a bracelet! She's pretty awesome! Thanks, Rachel!
While browsing in Walmart tonight I saw a new coffee creamer. York Peppermint Patty flavor!!!! LOVE IT!
I love that I was able to see Madonna perform the half time show at the restaurant. That was perfect timing! By the way, I feel like I'm one of the few people that likes her new song. I am stating it RIGHT NOW - I think this song will grow on people and will become pretty popular. It's such a catchy song. Check out the video!

My Momma Used to Say...

2012-02-04T23:41:00.000-05:00

All the preparation has paid off. Another great year for the homecoming block party. Now, tomorrow will be the true test - seeing whether the contractors will remove the tents, port-a-potties and clean up the garbage. I sure hope so. I can now rest and reflect.

What a day! I love how everyone in my office were in good spirits at the block party and were extra helpful. It made for a very successful event.
Every single element of today just seemed to fall into place. When things seemed a little off - I remained calm and it all worked out. That's a testament about life. Keep calm - it'll all work out. Someone today said it's about weathering the storm.
Having a busy day like today, I can appreciate coming home to an empty house.
"Many hands make for light work". My mother always said this statement. It's sooooo true and I have tons of gratitude for staff members outside of my office who helped with the set-up and tear down of today's event.
I didn't have to pay for a single meal today. "You can't beat that with a stick!" That's another saying my mother would say. Ahhh, the memories.

T.G.I.F.

2012-02-03T23:54:00.000-05:00

It's FRIDAY! You know what that means? Well, you probably don't actually... but what it means for me is that one of my most difficult weeks ever - riddled with grieving, accusations, annoyances, being thrown under buses, and learning moments. Aahhh - so very exhausting.

One of the good things is that I'm back to posting the daily 5 things I loved/liked about the day.

I like when things just kind of fall into place - like with the delivery of the port-a-potties and the tents. They arrived at roughly the same time which made my life easier.
When I was loading up the truck with supplies for tomorrow's event, several staff members offered to help me without my asking. That was so awesome!
I loved that the staff member leading tonight's event sent me and another co-worker home. She didn't feel like she needed our help. That was sooooooo amazingly helpful. Thanks, Michelle!
The dance tonight started off slow but it certainly picked up the momentum after about an hour. Very excited to see that happen!
I was walking across campus with Sara and saw that the Psychology Department decorated for homecoming. That in itself, is AMAZING! Over 15 departments participated in the Homecoming Office Decoration Contest. This is awesome, too! We've never had this many participants - let alone Academic Departments!

Bouncing Back

2012-02-01T23:23:00.001-05:00

I had to take a day off from blogging. This week has been TOUGH. I can't even get my mind right. I go to work and I'm just "there". I keep saying to myself, "Once Saturday is over it will all be wiped clean." I sure as hell hope so. At least I have fun plans for after Saturday's events. With that said, I may also just take a weekend where I don't go anywhere or do anything.

I saw this on my Facebook feed - it's very cool and this guy has a lot of videos! Check out his cover of the Simpson's theme.
This little picture sums up my week - but alas, I'm not Betty White either.
I'm glad that I'm starting to get back into a routine again. Living in the blues is no fun.
Wendy got me a birthday card and folks gave me hugs today at the bowling alley. I love having thoughtful, caring friends.
I have some very thoughtful co-workers. Barbara brought in some Chai Latte mix for me to try and she's always giving me tea samples. She also brought in a plant clipping from home for me to grow and remember Big Mac.

Bittersweet Birthdays

2012-01-31T00:15:00.000-05:00

THANKS TO EVERYONE who wished me a Happy Birthday. It's been a tough day. I am making a promise to myself to not talk more about losing Big Mac. To focus on that doesn't allow for me to focus on the positive as easily. I did clean up some of the mess around the house after making a quick run to the store for cleaning supplies. It does smell a little bit fresher in here - that's a good thing. Another good thing was doing my taxes today. WOO HOO!

I'm going to bed and will try to get some rest so that I can hit the gym in the morning. So by the time you read the list, I will have run 3 miles! :)

Comfort food = homemade guacamole. McCormick's guacamole mix and two avocados does the trick! That mix is really on point! Oh, and don't forget the hint of lime tortilla chips.
I love and appreciate everyone who has wished me a happy birthday and to offer condolences for the passing of my dog, Big Mac.
Talking with my brother and sister - I proposed the idea of having an annual family gathering. This would be just for out immediate family. We don't see one another often enough and I love the idea of doing something that is a little more routine.
Now, I haven't watched RuPaul's Drag Race in over a year but I am diggin' the season premiere tonight.
I enjoy surprising people with gifts. I'm glad Jason liked his birthday card and small gift. :0)

Man's Best Friend

2012-01-30T23:59:00.000-05:00

The challenge today (01.29.12) is to post five positive things after having lost something or someone. Last night I lost my dog of 4 years, Big Mac. I adopted Big Mac from the Animal Welfare League of Arlington. They offer a great service to the area. Big Mac was an amazingly loving dog. Affectionate, protective, obedient, funny, and one of the few dogs that you can see a smile on his face. He will be missed.

By starting the list in order of the day, I can make the best effort to find all the great things in the day.

I went to Cafe Rio today after a long hiatus - their salads are the bomb! The tomatillo salad dressing is amazing.
Chatting with some friends about the events of Saturday night allowed me to vent. I am grateful for that.
It's always nice to hang out with Myra - we went to Cracker Barrel and to the movies to see "The Gray". I love how we can plan something impromptu.
I am so grateful for the friends I've made in the area. The ones who were nearby came over while I was grieving the loss of Big Mac. I always knew this could happen but you never know how you will deal with it when it does. I love that the experiences of all of my friends helped me to cope with it and to pull it together to take him into the veterinarian to be cremated. Anton, Don, Alan, and Myra - y'all are awesome!
I have never had a pet die that I was the sole caretaker for. When I took him into the vet, they offered to make a paw print of him. At first I didn't want any memories of him but I'm glad I told them that I did want it done. While I haven't brought myself to even look at it, I am glad that I have it for the time I am ready.

This Way, Bub!

2012-01-28T23:43:00.000-05:00

Today I learned a valuable lesson. It doesn't take me much to make me smile/happy. I also understand that I can't make someone feel happy if they don't want to feel that way to begin with. Happiness begins from within. Besides, it's my birthday - and I found happiness in singing songs. I just wish I could remember what the last song was that I sang because it was a new song I added to my karaoke playlist.

Tonight I had a blast running into two friends from work who share my love for singing karaoke. I think we sung about 8 songs total. Luckily the guy running the karaoke machine is smitten with Jen. LOL
I love Annies Paramount Steakhouse. To me, the chicken chili is THE BEST THING on the menu. Second best are the onion rings. Also, I saw my friendly server, Corrina. She's so nice!
If you know me.. you know I'm always meeting people. Last night I met Rachel, Lisa, and some other girl - LOL they bought me a birthday drink while I was singing. That was super nice of them.
I went by campus tonight to check out the ice rink. It was on and poppin'! I loved the response the students had to the event. BRAVO!
Finding a new song to add to my karaoke repertoire! Fastball's, "The Way". Awesome song for my vocal range.

Here's to the Freakin' Weekend - I'll Drink to That

2012-01-27T23:13:00.000-05:00

It's my birthday weekend and with that said - I most likely won't write any entry on the same day. HAHAHA!! Last night I went to happy hour and had a great time. It must have been league night because I saw a few people from the league there. I really enjoyed myself and what's even better - I was home at a decent time.

I talked about it and I have conquered! I woke up and went to the gym at 6:15 this morning. I have to say that I currently feel pretty good. Then again, it's only 8:45 AM. LOL I'm glad I did it though. It's nice to know that I have the rest of the day to myself. I also think that by working out I may be a little more conscious about what I eat during the day. It's kind of like when you're in school and the teacher says "You all start off with As and the challenge is maintaining that grade". I'm starting off with an A for today and I just have to maintain that grade. What a novel concept. I'm going to have to think more on that.
Last weekend I went out and sang karaoke. The song I chose was "The Body Electric" from the film Fame. After my workout I was driving in the car and the song popped into my head. It's such an inspirational song. I really like hearing the string instruments in it and I like the fact that the singers are much like the singers I knew and was in high school - not the greatest but we could hold a note. Right on, Fame!
Pretty glad that I drove home early last night. Driving back from DC late at night is for the birds!
I love that La Nina has been doing her thing. The weather has been fantastic!!
When it's your birthday weekend people like to buy you drinks. Tonight that happened a couple times. Viva La Free Beer!

This Black Guy Says...

2012-01-26T22:40:00.001-05:00

Woo.... the week is almost over. You do know what that means, right??? Oh sure you do! You just have to know. It's my birthday weekend! I'm trying to plan some celebratory moments to ring in the next year of life. I hope I'm successful. Whatever it may be, I'm sure that it'll be fun.

To start getting my mind right for the weekend I checked out this video. Boots and Cats - Check it out for yourself!
LOLOLOL!!!! Okay, the series of knock-off videos for "Shit _______ Say" and here's the "Shit Black Guys Say". I have heard these being said by friends many times over. LOL RIDICULOUS - yet accurate. Always good for a laugh!
I loved having a good laugh in Rosanna's office with a student after work hours. That's one of those moments you can never recreate nor could have imagined.
I learned something new today. This time it was related to website design.
Today I received my first (and perhaps only) birthday present that was truly planned and not a "Oh by the way, since it's your birthday I'll... " type of gift. While I don't knock any gesture, the ones that are thoughtful make me feel special.

I Gotta Feeling

2012-01-25T23:55:00.000-05:00

Where did the day go? Man, I tell you! The days when classes are in session just seem to fly by. It was a good thing and I do like that it was a very productive day - but sometimes you just wish you had more time in the day. I remember how it was as a kid. The hours in one day seemed to creep by like a snail participating in a race. It was never fast enough. I guess keeping busy and enjoying the busyness is the key.

As the president of the bowling league I'm on - tonight was the first night where I felt like I had it all under control and just knew what was up. I like that feeling.
More happy news at the bowling league! We added two new bowlers tonight. How cool is that? We are now completely filled with bowlers to finish out the season. That's an even BETTER feeling.
Now, I haven't worked out in nearly a week and I put on a pair of pants that used to fit a little more snug than I preferred. Wouldn't you know that the pants felt too big?? That's what I'm talkin' about!
I loved that I posted a new contest on Facebook for work and students are really responding to it!
Today everyone seemed exceptionally nice. I don't know what to make of it but I'm just going to reflect upon it. I love when people are smiling, happy, respectful, helpful and king.

The State of Me

2012-01-24T23:24:00.000-05:00

Tonight was the State of the Union address. I'm actually watching it as I type. It's amazing to watch it - it still feels unique/different/amazing to see a black President of the United States. Might I add, it's also good to see that Joe Biden is still around. I was kind of wondering about that. LOL

Today was one of those days that brings revelation. The revelation I had today was that I need to work out in the morning NOT after work. I haven't felt like working out yesterday OR today. I need to buck up and get my ass in the gym in the morning. I will try this for the first time on Thursday or Friday. LOL Probably Friday - I cannot lie. :0)

All of my print materials that I had to redo came in today. WOO HOO! Thank goodness!
The weather outside was amazing today! Who would have imagined people at Starbucks sitting outside with just a light jacket on at the end of January? I grew up in Michigan and this is UNHEARD OF!
Obama rocked it out with that speech! Loved it!
I'm loving this new little magnets I'm making that use the old keys from a computer keyboard. Always good to upcycle.
I found an amazing site to use for web design. I can't wait to create my new online portfolio.

I Like It. I LOVE It. I Want Some More of It.

2012-01-23T23:57:00.002-05:00

Oh wow - I feel like I'm slackin' in the blog department. I haven't really kept track of things that happen each day.. but let me dig real deep and think of 5 things I loved about today. And yes, I like some country music. Many years at Marshall University caused this. hahaha

We got a message about someone wanting us to work on their resume. Yes, Nicole and I are on our hustle and we do resume renovations. I'm glad people are loving our work. Just reminds me that I need to build that site!
Fried calamari. I LOVE IT!
The students are back on campus and it's great to see everyone back and excited. That means that the semester will fly by.
Ooh - I love that I got compliments on my new $11.99 Bubble Coat!
I am finally getting the hang of putting together websites! One of the things I created today was an awesome looking web banner! I made this banner in less than 30 minutes. LOVE IT!

Quiet Please - I Need My Rest

2012-01-22T23:18:00.000-05:00

What a lovely Sunday it was. That is all. HAHAHA just kidding. You know that's not all to my day. There is always something happening. It's not THAT exciting but when you don't leave the house, what do you expect?

While I didn't leave the house I got some rest. Saturday night really wore me out. I'm not that 22 year old anymore! LOL
I talked to a few friends (new and old) on the phone today and that was a nice surprise.
I made a delicious meal - spaghetti and meatballs. Guess what I'll be eating for the next couple of days... hahaha
There's a customer I have who is the nicest! I wish all customers were as kind as she is. I really appreciate that. She's a repeat customer so clearly I'm doing something right!
I heard a Madonna song today - "Dress You Up" was playing. I love this song! "You've got style. That's what all the girls say... " Made me smile inside. :0)

Who Are the People in Your Neighborhood?

2012-01-21T23:16:00.000-05:00

WHOA!! I almost missed a day cause I was out WAY too late.. but here I am... completing my list for Saturday. Today I interacted with a TON of people. Folks whom I am familiar with and folks who are brand new.

This evening I saw the movie "Pariah". A very well done film about a high school girl dealing with her own sexuality. Powerful messages.
One of the things I love to do is meet people. Tonight I met a lot and even though I was drinking I still managed to remember their names: Bartender Mike, Don, Jonathan, and Laurel and Josh - they were on their second date and met on E Harmony. I had to ask Laurel why she felt the need to bring her date to a gay bar and she replied, because she loves it there. I replied, well at least you can see that he's pretty much willing to do what it takes to win you over - including singing karaoke songs that you pick out for him! She in particular was a lot of fun. hahaha
At the gym I was able to increase my weights on the pull down to 100 pounds. I think all the protein I'm eating in the yogurt is increasing my strength exponentially.
I loved how I was able to park my car in the Ballston Commons Mall's parking deck for practically all night and still only pay $1. Great deal!
I got some sort of strange satisfaction of being at that bowling meeting today and saw some folks that don't speak to me anymore. I talked about our league and what we're doing to the board and kept it moving. Kept it classy cause that's how I roll.

The Luck o' the Non-Irish

2012-01-20T23:31:00.000-05:00

Thank God, it's Friday! It's been one helluva week and I survived. The last two days were filled with cleaning up a mistake I made. The mistake is all cleaned up and back in order now. Whew! I'm lucky to have a job that is supportive of its workers in more ways than one.

I'm glad I was able to maintain my cool during the last couple of days as I worked to correct the mistakes with the help of others. I love that our office team are truly team players!
My friend Aric text me today to ask what I would be doing for St. Patrick's Day. I replied that I had no clue because you know.. that's just one of those holidays no one really plans for. HAHAHA. At any rate, he mentioned that he and his wife might be planning a road trip to the area. I love when I get to see my friends - I did see Aric some time this past summer but I haven't seen Holly in well over a year. It might be a good opportunity to get the college gang back together. The last time we were all together for St. Patrick's Day was when I lived in Savannah, Georgia. Now THAT was a good time! Savannah knows how to throw a St. Patrick's Day party.
I enjoyed going to the "Going Away Party" for a grad student of ours. After a week of staff development, our staff feels a lot more closer and that made the party feel that much better.
I FINALLY sold a photograph on the site today. That was exciting. I think I need to post more photos. I've taken some good ones recently. What I loved about the sale is that the customer asked about it and when I listed the item and sent her a message that it was posted, she immediately bought it. Now that's a great customer!
Tonight I ran into Target to pick up a few things. You do know that anytime you say something like that it really means you're going to pick up more than just a few. This one item I couldn't help but purchase - a new sporty winter coat for $11! I loooooooooove a good deal!

His Bar Mitzvah was Crunk and That's the Lesson of THIS Story!

2012-01-19T23:36:00.001-05:00

Such a LONG EFFIN DAY! So many lessons learned. All work related. Growth. That's all I can say.

I love the support and care I received from the goof up that I made with a couple of publications at work. It was MUCH appreciated.
The saga of the "Shit ______________ Say" videos. Today's video showcases DC area people. Check it out.
We made crafts today during our day long retreat. I was in charge of this project and everyone seemed to love it. Whew! I am so glad - I made up the project while at Wal-Mart late last night. Yup, I still got it. The art educator skills...
While at the retreat we played a game of "Win, Lose, or Draw". It's a classic 80s game show where you have to draw out the clues without talking, writing words or numbers. I LOVED this show. Anyway - once the clues slipped into sentences that contained slang words, things slipped into SUPER HILARITY mode! Sample sentence: His Bar Mitzvah was Crunk!
A song popped up on a CD I was listening to in my car this morning. It took me back to my childhood. It also made me think about how, from my perception, kids just don't get thrown nearly as many educational things during the course of their day. I remember watching Schoolhouse Rock on Saturday mornings and loved them - learning lessons through song.

A Delicate Balance and Stuff Like That

2012-01-18T23:29:00.000-05:00

What a busy day! But I ain't complainin'. It beats the alternative ANY day - see, that's that positivity! :0) The thought for the day revolved around influences. I think I seemed to be the only one on staff whose parents have no influence on the decisions they make as an adult. Part of me thought, "We are grown ass people! Do we still seek the approval of our parents?" Then I realized, well yes we do - well some do. I am just not one of them. LOLOL My current influences are Oprah (she's been a long time influence), Maya Angelou, Suze Orman, some of my peers and colleagues I've met along the way, and people I meet and have conversations with day to day. Who are your influences?

Anyhoo - Just a thought I had.

I enjoyed staff time TWO days in a row! How about that? Normally I can't take so much "togetherness" and this week has been pleasant. I think it's because we have been doing more sharing and learning about one another as opposed to doing mind-numbing work.
Okay... So I can't tell you how much AWKWARD Black Girl makes my day. I can't wait to see more episodes. Episode 11 is pretty good with the flashbacks! If I were rich, I'd fund this project just so I can see more.
Last night's bowling meeting went pretty well. I am SO SO SO glad that it is finally on the verge of being back to normal.
The night of bowling had two more things I loved about it - 1. I bowled a 181! 2. A new guy came by the bowling league to ask about joining. The new guy had heard about the league and found our information online. That's a good thing!
I had a good conversation with my graduate student and helped her think through some things. I love having good, reflective conversations. The conversation benefits all those involved.

Fishing in a Sea of Awkwardly Funny Shit!

2012-01-17T00:02:00.000-05:00

Today was pretty good. We had staff training today - although it was more like staff reflection and it was nice. Part of the discussion brought up the FISH Philosophy. One of the points of this philosophy is to choose your attitude. It made me think of my newly cemented way of living - choosing to focus on the positive things that happen every day. I will say that due to this, I maintain a pretty good and healthy disposition. It's healthy to look at the things that make you smile, laugh, and just feel good.

Here are a few feel good moments of the day.

I don't know WHY it took me so long to start watching The Misadventures of an Awkward Black Girl. This mess is FUNNY! It has a big following and it's just plain ol' funny - Lots of profanity though but it's like she's using our own inner voices outwardly. LOL It definitely makes me laugh out loud!
OMG! I just made the MOST delicious Chai Tea EVER! LOVE IT!!! (11:18PM mind you - I just wanted something sweet before bed - sweetened with honey).
A girl at work brought in these sugar cookies for the pot luck. These weren't just your everyday sugar cookies, these were cookies with the likeness of a snowman! These just made my day. I was fascinated with how they were made (although they were store bought and a machine created them).
I love the new knit scarves that came in for the upcoming events on campus... they look supa dupa, fly! There's just one problem with them but in the large scheme of things, it's rather insignificant.
Someone told me I made their day today. It was via email and I honestly could sense her joy through the typed words. One of my favorite things to do is to make someone's day.

I Lift Things Up and Put Them Down

2012-01-16T23:37:00.000-05:00

It's the last day of the 3 day weekend. Am I ready to go back? Hell no! But you got to do these things, ya know? Before I get back to the grind, I have these awesomely fun/great things that happened!

There aren't many commercials that really make me laugh out loud. One of the new Bounce Fabric Softener commercials did that this morning. HILARIOUS! Rawr! Check it out!
Gym time! I did 90 pounds on the pull down bar! That's pretty good considering a month ago I was only doing 55 pounds. WOOT WOOT!
I got an awesome message from a customer of mine regarding the bracelet she purchased. Read her message:
Today at work. A customer of mine admired my bracelet and asked where I got it. I gave her your name and your website to check it out :) also, soon I will be asking you for two orders of size 8 bracelets of the same kind. I'll keep in touch with you about that. Are you able to make more??
A meal with friends is always good. Great discussions.
With my Google+ Account, I offered a free gift to the first 5 people to add my shop. Within a matter of 45 minutes, I had 5 people! I love how quickly it all happened and I'm happy to send out the gifts.

Tech Savvy Sunday

2012-01-15T23:52:00.000-05:00

I woke up with one thing on my mind - MUST. COMPLETE. WEBSITE. I've spent most of the day doing that. I really didn't have much energy to do anything beyond that either but I did find lots of things to love about the day - regardless of the fact that I never left the house.

I was Mr. Social Media today. I did finish adding in the text and arranging the layout of the bowling website. I set up a Facebook group, a Twitter account AND a Google+ account. If you can't find our league, then you must not be looking. LOL I loved that the practice from doing this site prepared me to do my personal site.
Google is our friend. I love search engines and Google is my search engine of choice. While working on my personal website, I was looking for a FREE Word Press template. I found several to choose from. The other problem was how to install it - and luckily I figured that out! :0)
Crab Cakes was what I had for lunch. They were delicious. What made them even better was that I made my own sauce to eat right it. Mayo, sweet Thai chili sauce, and cayenne pepper. Loved it!
I made my contribution to the Obama campaign and ordered a few things. I needed to update my car magnet for sure! I loved the items they had. Wish I could have afforded more - like a t-shirt. Oh well - there's still time for that.
I was thoroughly entertained by The Golden Globes tonight. The movie, "The Artist" garnered a lot of awards - makes me think that I need to see it. I also need to see The Iron Lady. I wonder if I can make that happen soon. Hmmm. I love awards shows for this reason! It heightens your awareness of things you should experience. This is how I learn about the non-blockbuster movies, or a musician, or musical, play, etc.

Get the Max for the Minimum

2012-01-14T23:20:00.000-05:00

Ooh It's so cold outside! I guess it could always be more cold though so I supposed I should really be happy that it's not. Isn't that a great way to think about things? Just be grateful for what you have. Today I felt like I got maximum satisfaction out of the day with minimum amount of effort. As Martha Stewart would say, "It's a good thing".

"Though you may not drive a great big Cadillac. Gangsta white walls. TV antennas in the back. You may not have a car at all. But remember brothers and sisters. You can still stand tall. Just be thankful for what you got." I LOVE THIS SONG! Check it out here!
Today I went to Myra to see the movie, War Horse. Let me just say that this was an amazingly moving movie. I really enjoyed it and yes - I cried a little. It was very touching. I highly recommend it.
TJ Maxx is the place where you can be a Maxxinista. I was that for sure tonight. With Myra's help in picking it out, I bought a nice new shirt. I can't wait to wear it. I love the color - a nice thin lime green stripe on a white shirt.
The best part of waking up is Starbucks in my cup while being in an empty house and reconnecting with my friend in Greece whom I haven't spoken to in months. It was great to spend time with him and catch up. We even used Face Time on our iPhones to chat. Very nice!
I loved spending time with Myra today. We had a good time at the movies and having dinner. I love how we just talk about pretty much anything - including a discussion on religion. That was interesting considering she's a pastor and I am a non-religious person.

Vintage. Love.

2012-01-13T23:09:00.000-05:00

Love knows no bounds and will always prevail. You can hold back for as long as you want and it just has a way of working itself into your heart. On my way to work this morning I was thinking about relationships. It's funny how some people will go for the physically attractive person and not the person whom they are compatible with. This reminded me of some of the younger folks I know (and a couple older). And there are always those times when we compare our own attractiveness to that of others and think, "They have someone and I don't?" but we don't think about all of the qualities that made that person beautiful to them. This reminds me of the movie Shallow Hal. If you haven't seen it, it's worth watching. Hahahaha See, my mind just tends to ramble and the rambles turn into words on a computer.

At any rate, a friend posted something on Facebook that made me think about the topic I opened this entry with. It was a link to gay couples from the past - before any sort of gay rights movement started. These folks were fearless in their adoration for their partners. How amazingly brazen they were to have done something like that then. It just goes to show you that love is ever powerful.

Vintage Photographs of Gay Couples
I loved the sense of "getting shit done" at work today. Very productive day and still, it felt very relaxed. Good combination!
As I was leaving work, a friend of mine who works in another office, complimented me on my coat and said it was very flattering on me. That made me feel really good. :0)
I went to see comedian, Sheryl Underwood last night. She was sooooo funny. Her comedy is more like a good friend who can tell stories with a lot of energy and humor. She doesn't seem to really work to get a punch line in like other comedians. I really enjoyed it. It was also cool hanging out with Dian - Nicole, yes - I steal your friends. LOLOL
I went out after the comedy show and met quite a few new people. Made me feel popular. LOL One was the doorman who also happens to be a personal trainer. I also ran into someone I met last year. Very cool to see him.

Jesus and the Meghan Tonjes

2012-01-12T23:10:00.000-05:00

I woke up this morning feeling good.... the alarm clock played The Dave Matthews Band's song, "Ants Marching" which is one of my all-time favorite songs. I got ready for my day by showering, getting dressed, feeding the dog, and getting my Greek yogurt and coffee made. Then I plopped on the couch to peruse Facebook. I came across videos that a friend posted that were very provocative in their content. I then thought, THIS will be the things I love today. A day dedicated to videos that made me think and feel - and those are two things I LOVE to do. I've featured a video here and there but not like this - until today. Enjoy and open your minds to your own thoughts.

This is something I've always wondered...

I'm far from being a religious person but I love what this guy had to say.
This commercial just makes me feel really good. I smile every time I watch it.

I love that this teacher has created something magical. If only we all could have a teacher like this.

This woman is AMAZING. I love her. This is one of my favorite covers by her. I love how she edited it.

Things That Make You Go Moo

2012-01-11T23:41:00.000-05:00

What a great night of bowling. I actually had a good time AND bowled well. That's such a good thing. Work wasn't too shabby either but bowling was much more fun. The rain today isn't even bad. Why complain about it when others would be just as happy to have it? The Rolling Stones has a lyric that says, "You can't always get what you want - but you get what you need". That's a good statement to live by and a good reason to be thankful for what you have. Just a thought I had today.

I bowled 50 pins over average. That's so awesome! Yay for a 191!
I talked to a vendor today and clearly she and I have built some sort of friendship. I think that's pretty cool. For whatever reason, we began talking about my Etsy site and the next thing you know she was perusing my site and asking questions about selling some of her art on that site. Amazing how these connections just happen.
Hahaha the Shit People Say clips keep coming. This one is. "Shit Nobody Says". Good stuff!
I came home to two packages. One box contained my new boots and the other contained my new Facebook Cards I got from Moo.com http://us.moo.com/. The best thing about the Facebook Cards is that they were COMPLETELY free because of a sale the company was doing.
Someone commented on how trim I looked tonight and I really appreciated that. It's good to know that my exercising is making a difference. :0)

Major Medical Boooooy!!!

2012-01-10T22:51:00.001-05:00

This day was very tiring. Whew! I didn't do too much and I'll leave it at that. Just very tired. It's a slow news day in this household because I didn't go to work but let's see how I can develop a list of 5 out of all of this.

I did go to the gym today but I didn't do a full 30 minutes on the treadmill but I'm glad I did make it to the gym.
A friend of mine sent me a text to say that Target has Chobani Greek Yogurt on sale for $1 each. This makes two people this week to inform me of the sale. I love how people actually pay attention to my Facebook news feed. hahahaha I sure ran over to Target and bought 10 containers of yogurt!
This commercial has been around for a while but I love it. It cracks me up every time!
Another thing I loved that I saw on TV was The Jeffersons. I loved the Jeffersons when I was growing up. While I was lying in bed this morning with a belly ache, George and Weezie made me smile. By the way - I always said my parents looked like the Jeffersons. LOL
Something I noticed today - pretty much everyone I've interacted with has been in a REALLY good, friendly mood. The girl at the checkout at Target who was just nice as could be, the ladies I let walk in front of my car to enter the store that sent a thank you wave, my roommate giving me three pocket hand sanitizers just to be nice, the folks at the gym who wished me a good day, and the folks I talked to on the phone, text message, or instant messenger. Just niceness all around!

Live My Life Like a Burning Man

2012-01-09T23:47:00.000-05:00

It's always the simplest things that mean so much. Someone saying thank you and showing that they are truly appreciative makes you feel good. Not because they were grateful for what you did but because what you did made their day. That is truly a great feeling - to know you made a difference in someone's life.

My Greek Yogurt exploration continues with the discovery of Chobani Pineapple flavored. LOVE IT! I wanted to get another container to eat. I can tell that this will be a treacherous (yet healthier alternative) path. LOL
Yesterday I bought some frozen chicken wonton soup from Trader Joe's. That's some tasty soup. Low in calories, 11 grams of protein, low in fat... the only drawback is that it's high in sodium. You have to take the good and take the bad... you take them both and there you have... bwahahahahaha
The Burning Man - this is something I've always been interested in doing. But why on earth does it always have to be during welcome week of the university? I think it would be something completely cool and memorable to do. One of these years I am going TRY to experience it. I'm sure I could get a few adventurous/bohemian friends to do it. Who's game? My only concern is the drug use that I'm sure takes place. hahaha Now I have the song of the same name by Third Eye Blind in my head.
I love making the day of people and surprising them. I mailed my dad his iPod back along with a couple of things - a t-shirt and a coffee mug. He called to show his appreciation for the gifts and for the music choices that I placed on his iPod. That was really nice.
Today during lunch we all sat around the table in the office and had lunch. It's something we don't always do when classes are in session. It is nice to really get to know each other in a relaxed environment and not have to worry about time constraints as much.

I love this video based on Dr. Seuss's "Oh, the Places You'll Go"

Smart. Sophisticated. Satisfied

2012-01-08T23:59:00.000-05:00

What a great day! It was busy but I enjoyed every bit of it. I always feel so "smart" and "sophisticated" when I do things like this. I've been to many museums but this time it felt different in a good way. I also leave museums with a strong urge to create works of art. I have canvases sitting around the house and they desperately need to be shown some attention. I also have a drawing I started nearly 10 years ago - I think I may have just found some motivation to finish it.

I have to say it again - it was a really nice day. The company I kept. The weather. The food. And now I can add the five specific things I loved about today.

I went to the Phillips Collection in DC. Great museum that was exhibiting works by Degas. I remember Degas's work from being an art major in college. He was one of my favorites - probably the favorites of many people simply because he's just one of the more well known impressionist artists. LOL It's like, you can't mention impressionism without Degas, Van Gogh, Cezanne, Monet, Renoir... They were all on display there. I really enjoyed it. I'm thankful for VG for suggesting we visit.
While at the Phillips Collection I saw the work of Arthur Dove. I had never heard of this man before and I can't say that I loved everything he did from the instant I saw it - but what I did love is his signature. He seems like a very bold man because of the placement of his signature. He signed his name "Dove" smack dab in the center of his painting. He didn't seem to care what was there... he just knew he was going to sign in the center no matter what. LOL When everyone else chose to sign on the bottom left or bottom right corner, he bucked convention. Way to go Dove!
On my way home from DC I decided to give one of my friends a call. I haven't seen Hank in a couple months so I thought that since I was passing Arlington, we could go to Chevy's for happy hour. Cheap eats and drinks ($3 for each item!). It was nice catching up with him.
Now, I'm not one for PDA (most of the time).. but I certainly didn't mind it today at Starbucks. I love how I didn't even think twice about it.
I tried two new food places today. Cafe Dupont and Le Pain Quotidien. Both were good places. I love how Le Pain Quotidien had a dark chocolate spread on the table - so of course I had to order something to spread that chocolate on. hahahaha I ordered a croissant.

An Awesome Day is Any Day You Seize and Sautee

2012-01-07T23:34:00.000-05:00

Oh, what a beautiful morning. Oh, what a beautiful day. It was 68 degrees today! What in the heck??? Such a nice day. It wasn't sunny all day but it was very warm by winter standards so I seized the day. I took down the Christmas decorations, walked the dog, and opened the windows. I can't believe that I am excited to watch the Republican Presidential Debate. hahaha I guess I am just interested in finding out what these crazy folks have to say. I have now watched it and in order to keep things positive, I will refrain from any comments. :0)

My awesome meal I made today. Asparagus, mushrooms and onion.

Since it was an awesome day outside, Big Mac and I went for a walk. 2 miles later and he has been out for the count for most of the day. He looked like he wasn't going to make it during the last 1/2 mile. hahaha I kept having visions of having to carry him the rest of the way home. Luckily he made it. I guess he didn't really understand what we were going to do. It was a great walk though!
I tasted another flavor of Trader Joe's Greek Yogurt - Honey. I have to say that this was a great flavor! LOVED IT! I wonder what it would taste like if I got plain Greek yogurt and put my own honey in it? Undoubtedly, I'd put more honey into it than necessary. :0)
Today, while I was making a bracelet order, I came up with a new look for the bracelet. I was like, "Wow, why haven't I thought of this before?" Once I finished a couple of the bracelets, I took photos and added a new photo to the listing and asked myself, "Why didn't I think of THIS two years ago?" hahahaha Check out the new style here because I love it!
I love me some Lisa Lisa with Cult Jam. I had to watch a couple of their videos and reminisce. She rocked by in the 80s. Wonder if I Take You Home | Head to Toe | Lost in Emotion | All Cried Out
Whoa... I barely at any meat today! That's becoming more of a normal thing. Am I becoming a vegetarian?? hahaha I love that I am enjoying vegetables so much! You still won't sell me on tofu though - you hear me, VG?

Tasty Dairy and Neo-(Soul) Classicism

2012-01-06T23:25:00.000-05:00

Today's weather was amazing. 60 degree weather at the start of January? That's unheard of, unless you live in Southern California, Las Vegas, South Florida, you get the idea. There were a few things that I loved about today and they all took the simplest form - one with probiotics! :0)

Today I tried Greek yogurt for the first time. Barbara, our budget analyst, brought in Greek yogurt for everyone today. I've been doing my best to try new things lately so I gave it a shot. This yogurt is pretty thick! YET TASTY! It was peach flavored. MMMMM, MMMM good! I love how it has 14 grams of protein in it and 0% fat at only 140 calories. You can't beat that with a stick! I went to Trader Joe's to pick up their brand of the yogurt and can't wait to have some tomorrow.
My love for anything from the golden age of television makes my day. Catch this clip - It's truly a classic moment on TV.
A friend from high school bought a bracelet from my shop and received it today. She was so happy with it that she took a picture of herself wearing it. That was pretty awesome - considering it was unsolicited.
Since my housemate is away for the weekend I get to have my house to myself. I am loving having the fortress of solitude back!
I LOVE the Erykah Badu CD - Baduism - takes me back to the year I graduated college. I listened to it after I listened to India.Arie (see yesterday's blog entry). I remember the first time I ever saw her she performed on BET's Video Soul. I bought her CD soon after and I have been a fan ever since. Baduism is in My Top 25 Favorite Albums of all time.

Chill Baby, Baby, Chill!

2012-01-05T09:21:00.000-05:00

This morning I had a thought. Why do people waste energy retaliating, being mean, etc? Because someone has done you wrong doesn't mean you have to crush them - or am I just Mr. Nice Guy? I live by the concept of turning the other cheek. If that doesn't always do the trick, then I turn my back on the offenders and walk away. I hate expending energy on things that are fundamentally not important. An eye for an eye is not my M.O. I'm not a religious person. I don't know Bible verses as well as I know 80s Top 40 music. What I do know is that the law of the universe is, "For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction". I know that living by the idea of "Treat people the way you would like to be treated". I don't think it gets much simpler than that.

I also had other thoughts such as - I need to just chill and not care so much. Why? Simply stated, everything happens for a reason. With or without my direct influence or expectations. So living in those serendipitous moments is what makes life exciting.

Now, although I've said all of that, it doesn't make it any easier to live like that. hahaha

Today I FINALLY received my Oprah's Lifeclass journal. It's a nice little journal. I thought it might have questions to answer in it but it didn't. Oh well, I'm glad I finally received it!
I'm glad that I got quite a bit done today at work. The big event is just around the corner and I hope to have everything settled by the end of next week.
Receiving not one but two compliments on how I chose to wear my jeans today made me smile. All I did was cuff them up about 3 inches because I bought them too long. Who knew I was being a fashionista?
Being able to process specific situations in my life today felt good. To allow myself a little peace of mind made me feel better. We all have a choice. Reminds me of one of my favorite songs by India.Arie. Okay, so maybe my Chi is still a little out of whack hahaha Certainly not blue - maybe aquamarine? Teal?
It's a relatively quite night tonight, which is quite nice. As I was browsing through India.Arie videos on YouTube, I remembered that I loved her cover of Don Henley's, "The Heart of the Matter" and the theme of the song is all about forgiveness - which is kind of what I was referring to at the start of the blog. This guy does a great cover of the song - Gavin Beach. I love listening to new talent, on YouTube no less!! Here's another great cover of Tracy Chapman's "Fast Car" by him. And I LOVE Tracy Chapman!

I think tomorrow will be an India.Arie day.Her Love and Relationships, Vol. 1 album is one of my favorites because it is well-written and has a great theme that is created by the tracklisting. There's not one song on the album that I don't like and it's very uplifting, positive, and reflective.

My Grandma HATES Collards. Wait, is that Racist?

2012-01-04T10:19:00.001-05:00

I've noticed something about my blogs. They are becoming more and more narrative in nature. I guess that's a good thing. I always have a story to tell. Our lives are full of short stories that make up a huge book based on ourselves. Lots of reoccurring themes. I think providing a narrative helps you, the reader, really feel what I've experienced and maybe reflect on a similar experience you may have had.

I love a good laugh and certainly had one by watching, "Shit White Girls Say to Black Girls". I do understand that it's only a matter of time before there's one called, "Shit Black Men Say to White Girls" or any other variation. It's all in fun though (and based in some truths). It most definitely cracks me up.
Ooh, this Load Potato Soup by Progesso = ~~tasty~~, ~~great~~, ~~delicious~~, scrumdiliumptious! I have a new soup to love!
My friend, Dian got us tickets to see comedian Sheryl Underwood at the DC Impov. I'm excited to see her. She is TOO FUNNY. I love her!
Speaking of Sheryl Underwood, I have never been mentioned so many times by a celebrity on Twitter. @sherylunderwood was blowing up my Twitter account and I loved every minute of it!
I do love that Michelle Bachmann has suspended her bid for President of the United States. One of the smartest choices she's made. Michelle Bachmann, this one is for you: Mommy Doesn't Need Fixing.

On that Midnight Train to Mormon

2012-01-03T09:15:00.000-05:00

I eased back into work with no complications. It was cery quiet in the office but I'm sure that will change tomorrow. More people will be back and then it will all start to begin again.

Tonight I had a conversation with VG on religion and beliefs. Very nice conversation. Nice to hear his views and I'm glad I enlightened him on black Latter-Day Saints and one of their most famous members, Gladys Knight. The sound of silence indicated shock and I found that pretty funny. By the way, I am not Mormon - just inquisitive. I can't even say I'm a religious person. That's a whole other discussion for another blog. hahaha At any rate, I'm hear to talk about the five things I loved about today and here it goes!

I read this line today from a blog that I loved and thought was perfect, "Implement the No Complaining Rule. Remember that complaining is like vomiting. Afterwards you feel better but everyone around you feels sick." How true is that??? I have said for the last few years that I can't stand when people choose to complain about things. It could be a complaint about the simplest thing like it's raining. Um, it's raining because that's what the planet does - it's own thing and you're not the boss of it! While we might not like it - it's not worth complaining about because we can't personally change it. Even if we could change things that we complain about, why complain? Just change it and move on. You can read the rest of the tips here.
While I was in the grocery store I saw a shorter, older woman who was eying an item on the top shelf. Since I was right there I offered her some help if she needed it. She said yes and told me what she wanted and I got the two cans down for her. The look on her face, full of gratitude made me feel really good that I was able to help her (and that my parents raised me with manners and kindness). Now THIS does remind me of the Mormon friends and acquaintances I have. They are some of the most wholesome, nicest people! This gesture of mine was very Mormon-esque hahahaha
There was a discussion about The Abominable from the famous holiday stop-action children's program, "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer". I always thought he was ONLY referred to as The Abominable and the other person referred to him as The Bumble. I was like, "The Bumble? He's not called that." She and I were going to figure this out so I headed over to YouTube to find a clip. We found the clip but ONLY after having seen this one The Abominable. I cracked up laughing. I loved that!
I made a delicious, quick and easy turkey chili tonight. I was skeptical about the recipe but it really turned out well. I love ANY meal that takes me about 30 minutes to make.
Oooh - Target had a 70% Off Christmas items and I got a travel humidifier and a comfort massage cushion for $5.99 each. I LOVE A BARGAIN!

24 Little Hours

2012-01-02T23:38:00.001-05:00

If you read yesterday's post about feeling blue - then I'm happy to report that I am feeling better. My Chi must have been off. The Chi is still working itself out but I'm definitely not in that space in my head that I was yesterday.What a difference a day makes.

This new game show on NBC, called "Who's Still Standing" has me cracking up. I like the way they drop the loser in the well.
I went to the gym today and ran 3.66 miles and did a lot of reflection and that's a good thing. It was a double whammy of goodness to love. It got me to really relax about some things and stop trippin'. I tend to get to a point of over thinking. I have to remember to let go and let flow. Woosah!
I love that TV One has grown into their own as a network for black television. I love the show "Unsung" and am thrilled that they have a new program starting called, "Find Our Missing". Find Our Missing, a new, hour long docu-drama series for TV One, will put names and faces to people of color – young and old- who have disappeared without a trace.
Strolling down memory lane again with two friends from high school - one in particular, I've known since kindergarten. Facebook is the great connector!
I made my first terrarium with the moss that I ordered. I'm excited to take it to work and place it in my tidied up office tomorrow. The moss really adds something to the look of it.

Afterall, Tomorrow is Another Day...

2012-01-01T23:55:00.000-05:00

Today's entry presents one of those times when it's difficult to make my list of positive things that happened today. There are two distinct causes for this - 1. I never really got out of bed today aside for grabbing food to eat and to use the bathroom. 2. Things just seem a little off for me. The latter seems that way due to a disturbance in "the force". hahaha Actually a disruption in the typical routines I've been having. Am I sliding into a funk? If so, how will this funk affect me and my postings?

I can't tell you exactly what feels off - I just sense it. I can feel something brewing. Maybe a fully rested me will wake up on the second day of January and this feeling doesn't exist anymore. And if it does, I will coexist with it until it passes.

At any rate - I'm going to make my best attempt at a list tonight then crawl into bed (again) and wait to drift off to sleep.

Laying in bed all day felt pretty good. I loved the warmth of the sheets and the comforter covering me. It felt comforting and well, I guess that's why those special blankets are called comforters? hahaha
I love that I have leftovers in the refrigerator because I didn't really have to do much thinking with regards to what I would eat. Just heat and serve. It was one of those days I ate everything while sitting in bed. You'd think I was hungover or sick and I was neither.
This is totally random but I was looking at my feet today and thought, "I have some nice looking feet!" Now, this thought really did make me feel good for a couple of minutes in an otherwise "feeling blue" type of day.
Since it was a "blue" kind of day I watched an old black and white movie by Abbott and Costello. After watching it I wanted to watch anything with Bette Davis in it. I love her presence on film. Too bad I couldn't find a film on cable with her in it and I don't own anything by her - maybe it's time that I do.
There are so many little things that are floating through my mind to place into this last slot - they all seem so insignificant but I honestly know that nothing in the world is insignificant. There's a sense of connectedness among everything in the world. The fact that I breathe has an effect somewhere on the planet. It's days like this (and some days that are less blue and more magenta) that cause me to get all philosophical. I love being philosophical and thinking of things like how my breathing adds to the breeze someone may feel in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Just like my low energy/mood may affect someone else and bring them down. I am responsible for the energy I bring into the world each day. I watched a documentary by Tom Shadyac called "I Am" that talked about this. It was very intriguing.

Wow - this was a "deep" blog entry. WHEW!

My apologies for the low energy today.

Okay - as Scarlett O'Hara said so famously, "Afterall, tomorrow is another day."

Viva la Vida en 2012

2012-01-01T02:15:00.000-05:00

Well, it's official. 2012 has arrived. It wasn't with much fanfare this year - just with some good friends at home. Sometimes that's all that's needed. A few drinks - Myra made a special drink that was tasty but I shutter to think of how many calories are in it considering it is made with coconut milk :0/ Overall it was a fun night - no kiss at midnight but some great laughs. The 5 of us who gathered for the occasion were definitely 5 things to love about today as well as these other 5.

Myra made some delicious Caribbean Jerk Chicken Wings. Mmmm.. I loved them. The secret was a dash of cinnamon and nutmeg. How about that???
This morning I didn't feel like going to the gym, let alone run for 30 minutes. I had told myself that since I was tired I would only do the elliptical. Then while driving to the gym I told myself I would run for 10 minutes and then do the elliptical. Well, Once I was on the treadmill I just kept going and did the full 30 minutes! I love how I exceeded my expectation - I even increased my speed!
I turned on the Wii video game system for the first time in a long time. It was awesome to play the Karaoke Revolution game again.
A good laugh was had by Herb and I when we realized that when he was making his brie cheese croissant appetizer he left the paper on the cheese! When we took it out of the oven it looked so good! When we cut into it it still looked good. When we took a bite - we knew something just wasn't right. We laughed so hard!
I love that I have been able to consistently post an entry on this blog for what is now the 111th time. Here's to 365 posting of positive things that make life worth loving.

Opportunities Await

2011-12-30T23:59:00.000-05:00

What a day, what a day! I woke up and began cleaning my house. I'm going to tell y'all right now - Never let your home go a long time without cleaning. I cannot stress that enough. It took me three days to clean! Dusting should happen regularly - duly noted. hahaha For 2012, I'm going to work on maintaining a clean/tidy home and committing to weekly cleaning. It takes me back to being a kid and cleaning every Saturday before I could leave the house. I need to commit to that and make that a standing date with my home.

Speaking of dates - I had another great one tonight. Here's to more of the same. Oh, and I love the gift I got. Very thoughtful. You're such a smooth operator. :0)
I just saw the new Robin Thicke video for "Love After War" and the new Monica video for "Until it's Gone" - I love both songs and the videos.
Now that I have a clean home again, I have to say that I really love it. I added new lighting to my bedroom and it looks so much better. You can do magical things with IKEA lighting options. I'll be adding new lights to the living room, too.
OOoh - I have hot water in the house again. Gotta love that! That's one of those modern amenities that humans have taken for granted. When you suddenly don't have hot water you quickly realize how much you depend on it being there. Granted, I had options but I'm happy that I now get to exercise those options in my home again.
I love having this sense of feeling good about lots of things. Life. Creativity. Dating. Friendships. Work. Doing this blog allows me to stay positive about things and opens my life up to many opportunities.

Water Heater Heaven.

2011-12-29T23:39:00.000-05:00

It's funny how things happen in life. Today I needed a new water heater. I knew this day was coming - I had only hoped that it would hold out another month or two. I guess it couldn't go on living this way and after 25 years of service it passed on to water heater heaven. Now I just have to lay it to rest as my wallet gives birth to a new one and birthin' water heaters is NOT cheap!

Here are some other funny (and not as financially draining) things that happened today.

A friend of mind decided that she would post pictures she had scanned onto Facebook. Well, I didn't mind too much. It definitely gave me a lot of laughs. I loved strolling down memory lane. She says there are more to come, too. Scary - but it's like a train wreck. You just can't bare NOT to watch. Flashback with me to the late 90s, early 00s with the pictures below.
I laughed the hardest tonight I was thinking that VG would say he were most like "Samantha Jones" from Sex and the City. I probably woke my roommate up because I was laughing so hard. I love a good belly laugh!
IKEA was packed today. I guess everyone is still off (like I am). I got an amazing deal on a desk lamp. Only $5.99 AND it came with the light bulb. You can't beat that with a stick!
When I was at Home Depot trying to buy a water heater, I asked the sales guy how much delivery and installation usually ran. When he told me it was $350, I couldn't help but laugh. Laughter helps me relax from shock. I was definitely shocked at that amount considering it was more than the water heater. It's important that you find humor is challenging times. I love that I am able to do that.
I love that I now have a date for not only tomorrow night but also Sunday. Great idea, VG. I wish I had thought of it. I'll take care of that next time! hahahaha :0) Great way to kick off 2012!

I'm guessing this was from some formal dance. It's truly a shame that I don't remember. hahaha

What I remember about this photo is that I LOVED this shirt. I had gotten it at Walmart.
Oh, and I'm drinking beer from a shoe. That's just what we did. Don't ask why. hahahaha


Spring break 2000? We were all grad students and went to NYC. I remember it being crazy cold some days. We had a blast though. WV - VA - MD - NJ - NYC all in a week.

Whoa! Who is this girl? LOL I remember don't remember - but clearly I knew her.
Graduate School was some awesomely good times!

All I Got Rid of Were Some Lousy T-Shirts

2011-12-29T10:42:00.000-05:00

Wow. The day got away from me. Between my workout, purging things from my house and phone conversations I went to bed without posting to the blog. I haven't missed an entire day yet and I don't plan on it.. so here we go!

Working at a university (especially in the department I work in) you collect plenty of t-shirts. I bagged up 5 garbage bags of mostly t-shirts. RIDICULOUS! I started thinking about how much cotton that was and what it could potentially be made into by recycling. I also donated lots of pants and a few coats that were all now too big for me to wear (yay me!) Hopefully some folks who shop at the Salvation Army will get some use out of my donated items.
Running every couple of days is showing its benefits. As I was stretching before my run I noticed two things. 1 - I can touch my toes without too much effort now. 2 - My legs are looking so tone! hahaha I love it. I began adding weight training after my runs now, too. I can't wait for the results of this training to show itself.
The cleaning process of my home continues. I have all of this artwork and I haven't done a damn thing with it. That's changing. I'm loving how it's all coming together. After a trip to Ikea, it'll be near completion.
Hahahaha I LOVE this video. MakeHomosexualsMarry. So clever.
I loved the response a couple of my posts on Facebook got. It brought back a lot of memories.

Diamond YoYos

2011-12-27T23:00:00.000-05:00

What a rainy day it was today. It caused me to not want to leave the house - instead I chose to clean. I was doing well there for a while. The area most affected was my office. It's still looking cluttered but tomorrow I will fix that. Then I'll have to clean out my car if it's not raining. You see, this is the time of year where you start to make resolutions. This year, my resolutions will focus on finances and clutter. Both are pretty messy for me right now. hahahaha Time to get real! Where is Suze Orman?

I found a cool "De-Clutter Your Home" calendar online. It gives you one thing to do each day of the week. I'm going to give it a shot. Download it!
Today I learned that dusting is imperative. There's nothing like having friends coming over that you clean your home really well. Gotta love having friends. hahaha This also goes for dates and your vehicle. Last time I wasn't prepared for someone to be in my car but you better believe I'll be prepared this time. hahahahahahahaha
Watching YouTube videos (that are gross and silly yet hilarious) was a good time tonight.
Speaking of watching something - I also watched the Kennedy Center Honors. I love watching this program each year. I always discover someone new. Tonight I learned about Sonny Rollins. I had heard his music before (jazz) but hadn't recognized that it was him until they played his music to honor him. He played with some of the greats of jazz - Coltrane, Dizzy and Miles to name a few. I didn't even know who Barbara Cook was until tonight - although I have heard a lot of her songs. Thank you Kennedy Center Honors for raising this guys knowledge of the performing arts another level. Yo Yo Ma and Neil Diamond haven't been presented yet and I'm excited about those!
Today I went through my closets and pulled out everything that was too big to wear so that I can give them to charity. It's awesome that things are too big to wear but dammit, now I need to replace some of these things. :0)

Let's Get Physical, Physical.. I Wanna Get Physical...

2011-12-26T19:27:00.000-05:00

It ain't the type of physical you might be thinkin'! I was doing some work around the house. I bought the parts to stack my washer and dryer and my roommate helped me with the install. Man that was a heavy piece of machinery! It's up there now. WHEW! My right shoulder is now sore and it's 12:04 AM.. I hope it's not worse tomorrow. My next challenge is to install this new power cord to the dryer - the current one is now not long enough to reach the outlet. The physical work is never done because I'm also supposed to go to the gym tomorrow. Oh well - I'm thankful for being able to be physical. Things could always be worse - but this blog is all about positivity, right? LOLOLOL Let's get to it!

I ventured out to the stores - well, Old Navy that is. I got a great deal on a couple of sweaters and a pair of jeans. I finally have a sweater that's not navy or black. It's green!!
My neighborly neighbor, Don came by to invite me over to drinks. That was really nice of him.
While at my neighbor's, Don's partner's parents were over visiting as well. I love talking to them. They are so laid back and open to topics of conversation. I have always gravitated to talking to the parents of friends of mine. It was a very enjoyable conversation.
That chicken I made in the crock pot yesterday - um, yes, it is STILL delicious. I love a crock potted chicken.
Tonight Big Mac (my dog) moseyed on outside the front door as I was talking with my neighbor on the porch. He went a few houses down until I called his name and he came running back into the house with no complications to get him inside. This dog is TRAINED! I love that and I love that he is such a good boy. When we both got in the house I praised him and gave him two treats.

Do They Know It's Christmas Time At All?

2011-12-25T18:56:00.000-05:00

Had you come to my house you wouldn't have really known it was Christmas. I mean, there are decorations up but there were no excited kids running around - just an anxious dog. I'm sure he has no clue that it's Christmas. He just knows that he got this humongous bone to gnaw on for the next couple of days and he's perfectly content to lie on his bed trying to devour it.

Today I woke up on a mission. To bake a red velvet cake. Mission Accomplished. It's really tasty. I also cooked a whole chicken in my crock pot. Did you know that crock pots make an extremely tender chicken?? Mmm
The second mission of my day was to clear out the laundry area and prep it for stacking the dryer on top of the washer. I should have done this a LONG time ago. I don't know what I was waiting for. Tomorrow it will be stacked and I will gain a ton more space!
If you know me well enough, you know I love popcorn. More specifically - Movie Popcorn with the butter flavoring put on in layers. YUM! Tonight I had that snack as I watched Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol.
One of the gifts that I got today was a gray plaid shirt with a bit of purple in it. I love this shirt and can't wait to wear it.
Is it weird that I spent part of my Christmas weather stripping the doors? LOL They were a bit drafty. I'm happy that I've resolved those drafty issues. Next, I'll tackle my car.

T'was the Night Before Christmas

2011-12-24T18:03:00.000-05:00

It's Christmas Eve and I've been doing things all day. Staying busy and finally slowing down this evening caused me to think about how, in the last five years I have kept myself occupied with a laundry list of tasks. I remember the time when the weekend would roll around and I would be bored - just waiting on the night to arrive so that I could have a night out on the town. The only problem with that is that I would sometimes "do the most" and be out until dawn and recuperating the rest of the day.

Staying busy also helps to pass the time. With it being Christmastime I find myself missing some of the traditional things that used to happen when I was younger that hadn't really happened in over 10 years. Wrapping gifts. Giving gifts. Being around family. Seeing friends. It all sounds a bit sad in some regard - and it is on some level. LOL However, I'm not going to be a Debbie Downer any longer. :0)

Tonight I'm visiting one of my friends who is having a get together. There's nothing like food, fun, and friends - oh and a little wine and other libations!
Wow, someone made a purchase from my Etsy Shop on Christmas Eve. That's awesome! I hope customers do the same thing when the clearance sale starts on Monday. hahahaha
I went to the gym. I was determined. Determination got me to run for 28 minutes continuously. I should also add that I did some weight training, too! Boo-Yaaaaah!
Pinot Grigio - I heart you.
I met three new friends tonight. Gotta love that. I talked to them about what their passion is. One girl bakes for fun and taught me a new type of frosting - ROYAL FROSTING! I encouraged her to look into selling them. Her cookies and brownies looked and were amazing. She has a knack for it.

Crafty McCrafterson Strikes Again!

2011-12-23T21:25:00.000-05:00

It's times like these where you wish you had made plans. Well, I did make plans but I didn't really prepare well enough to execute them. Poor planning on my part. Oh well, I have plenty to keep me occupied this weekend. Namely crafting and cooking. C'est la vie!

Today I FINALLY picked up a reasonably priced rolling pin. You see, I needed a rolling pin so that I can make some homemade dog treats for my dog. It'll be his Christmas present.
I made some pretty awesome looking terrariums today. I got the idea from Pinterest. I happen to love that website!
I ordered air plants this week and when I received them, I wasn't quite sure of how I'd use them. I experimented with a couple of ways and I am loving the results. You can see the results on my crafting blog.
Sometimes I forget that I even have HBO as a channel. Luckily I flipped through the channels and saw that the movie, "Hall Pass" was on. It was pretty silly - but it was funny because it was silly.. It's just what I needed tonight.
You ever have one of those days where you remember a lesson in manners that someone taught you as a kid? Today I had a mini flashback. I flashback on this particular lesson often but today it really struck me. The lesson was holding doors for people - women in particular. I remember my mother teaching this lesson and she always made me open the door for her. If I didn't do it automatically, she would stand there waiting for me to open it. When I held the door for this woman today - she looked so appreciative. Chivalry is one of those things that isn't really instilled in folks these days. I love that I was taught to behave chivalrously.

The Honey Badger Don't Care!

2011-12-22T19:28:00.002-05:00

This morning I discovered "Randall". He's a narrator of nature videos and other random fun clips. It reminds me of the game we played in the fraternity house when we were bored called, "Mute TV". At any rate, it was a great way to start my day - laughing!

If you didn't know anything about the honey badger - know this. The honey badger don't care. He don't give a shit. hahaha The videos (some of them) from Randall are hilarious. Check out these two: The Nastyass Honey Badger, Jem and Crown Eagles are Nasty Bwahahaha!
While walking the dog late this afternoon on a new path, an older man walked by, smiled and said, "hi." Now I know that's not anything unusual to some but I think it's really nice. It's nice to have a stranger smile and say hi to you acknowledges your presence in the world.
I haven't watched X Factor much this season but I did watch the finale. I'm so happy that Melanie won. She sings this song like the champ she is! CHECK IT OUT!
Sara surprised me with some delicious cookies she made for me as a Christmas gift. This is a good thing and bad thing. The bad thing is that I've eaten most of the cookies already. hahahaha
The Governor told us all to have a Merry Christmas and allowed us to leave work at 3PM today. That's one good reason to like him. That's all I'll say about that since I try to keep this blog uplifting and positive. hahahaha

Girl, Listen to this Text Message

2011-12-21T23:21:00.000-05:00

What's better than waking up and realizing that you don't have to go to work today? Well, actually LOTS of things. For instance, winning the lottery (which would come as a major benefit at this point in my life). Since that won't likely happen - mostly because I don't play the lottery. This morning I got a text message from my supervisor to inform me that the office would be closed because of a power outage. I guess that leaves me with more time to reflect on the day's events.

I know some people think they're gross, but I LOVE pork cracklin's. I bought a bag of them today. If you love bacon, you will probably love these.
I'm trying out a new project today. A photo transfer onto canvas. I'm pretty sure it's going to work. It was way too simple! I love easy craft projects. Here's directions on how you can make your own - Photo Canvas.
The woman at Home Depot was so nice and cordial. She has a nice Caribbean accent, too. I felt bad because I didn't always understand what she was asking the first time she would speak. I would ask her to repeat it and she did without getting an attitude. That's how it's done, folks. Just be nice.
Pier One always has some cool stuff. I went in the store tonight and found some cool items on clearance.
A friend of mine posted a clip on Facebook that made me laugh. "Shit Black Girls Say" is hilarious. I guess you gotta know black girls and grow up around them (as I did) to truly get each joke. "Girl, listen to this text message." LOLOLOL

The Girl with the Tattoo in the Haberdashery

2011-12-20T23:25:00.002-05:00

There's not much to say about today other than - "Whew!" I went to an advanced showing of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and all I can say is "WHOA!" There were some gruesome scenes in there. I have the book and hadn't read it yet. This definitely gives me the desire to read it over the Winter Break. Some not so gruesome things occurred today and those are the things that I loved about today.

This morning I received another compliment on my beard. People are really liking it. This time it came from a retailer that the office I work in does business with regularly. She said that my beard looked sexy. Heeeeeeeey! :0)
To find time to really clean up your office is an awesome feeling. What's even better is that I had few interruptions.
Speaking of interruptions, I had a welcome visit from a student who graduated. She and I chatted a bit and now she may be joining the Etsy Online family! She seemed really excited and I love when people get excited about life, learning and possibilities.
Someone said the word, Haberdashery. Now that is a word that you don't hear very often but it is definitely a cool, underused word.
My roommate asked to take Big Mac for a walk, asking if that were okay with me. Hell yes, it's okay and I appreciate you for doing so!

You're A Fun One, Mr. Hicks

2011-12-19T20:10:00.000-05:00

Today was a craving vegetables day. I've been having these more and more lately. Maybe my body is saying it's vitamin deficient. I'm not sure. What I am sure about is that I haven't really cared to eat much meat lately. Don't get me wrong. I still love Mexican food with the ground beef, seasoned to perfection. I guess I have just developed a palate that yearns for good ol' veggies. Tonight, I made what is normally an appetizer for dinner - grape tomatoes, fresh mozzarella and basil with balsamic vinaigrette. Mmm Mmm, good!

Enough of that - let's get to the daily loves!

This morning I was scraping the windows of my car (yes, they were covered in frost) and a neighbor I've never met asked me if I would assist her with providing a jump to a car whose battery had died. I walked over to see what I could do to help out. My assistance wasn't needed but the neighbor and I introduced ourselves to one another - and THAT was the cool part! I got to know another neighbor.
I got an email this afternoon from the Vice President of University Life with the subject line "You are One Fun Guy". That alone made me smile. She wrote:
Hey Dennis - just a quick note to tell you how great you are at keeping
a party lively! I really enjoyed watching you at the holiday party. I
really appreciate your fun-loving spirit!

Have a wonderful holiday if I don't see you!
I didn't even see her there! Nevertheless, it just goes to show you that you should always put on your best face because you never know who might be watching your actions.
Hmmm... text messages from Italy. I like those!
I got my shipment of airplants today and I'm excited for the new projects that will come from them. I have a few things planned and hopefully they will be well received.
Nicole was able to report that she will be going on date #2 with this guy. I love hearing exciting news!

My Sunday Reality

2011-12-18T23:49:00.000-05:00

Sunday was certainly a day of rest, except that my form of resting was working on my 30 Crafts in 30 Days challenge. I didn't leave the house aside from going to my car to get the dog food from it that I bought on Friday. I did have a really good weekend although I just don't know where the time goes!

I created more projects for the craft challenge, one of which I really like and I am considering doing more of.
The Real Housewives of Atlanta is keeping me entertained. I don't watch a whole lot of reality tv but this show just does it for me! lol
I made Orange Chicken from a boxed dinner I bought at Walmart and I am happy to report that it was DELICIOUS.
I was happy to hear that my friend had a great date last night. She deserves it.
I found a quote that I love on Pinterest this is about bravery - if you're not on Pinterest, you soon will be. This site is growing like a California wildfire!

Wool, Warmth and Washington

2011-12-17T23:47:00.000-05:00

Today was a good day and I have at LEAST five things to prove it. Tonight was also the perfect night for the inaugural usage of a real winter coat. I'm already lovin' this coat! It is warm. It is

I went to the gym as planned and ran for 27 minutes continuously.
When I returned from the gym I saw that I had a package waiting for me on the door step. It was my new wool blend toggle button winter coat. Man, it got here fast! Thanks Old Navy!
I had a $20 Off coupon for a clothing store and used it on a shirt that was already on sale. End result, I only paid $20 for the shirt.
Tonight I had the most excellent time with VG. If you're reading this, you can stop smiling now. hahaha
Visited two new places in DC's Logan Circle area - Cork (wine bar) and Masa 14 (Latin/Asian Fusion restaurant). I really enjoyed both places. I'm finding more and more places lately.

Once Got Busy in a Burger King Bathroom...

2011-12-16T23:42:00.000-05:00

It's finally the weekend! WOo HOo! It's been a long, busy week and I am glad to see it come to an end and excited about the weekend.

Day two of roasted veggies for dinner. YUM! This time I added in carrots. Why is it that I want to eat more of it for lunch tomorrow??? I get on small "kicks" with foods. I guess this is a good "kick" to be on.
This particular Friday made for an easy commute. It was almost like a summertime commute. Gotta love that. Only 30 minutes to get to work.
I enjoyed making a few scarves for charity at the community service project on campus today. It made me consider making more on my own. Hmmm
Took Big Mac for a walk today. We walked a new route today so he was pretty inquisitive about the new territory. I like that he felt as though he mattered - and he does. I just have to spend more time with him.
On the way to work this morning I heard a song from back in the day. "The Humpty Dance" by Digital Underground. WOW.. after all these years, that song STILL ROCKS!

Broccoli Does a Body Good

2011-12-15T21:06:00.002-05:00

Today I woke up with two things I wanted. 1. I wanted to continue to sleep. 2. I wanted to eat roasted broccoli. I did accomplish one of those things that were on my list. I managed to get through the day okay.

Well, I roasted that broccoli and it was delicious. A nice way to close out the day. I could think of other ways that are just as good if not better.. lol
I made it to the gym after a short hiatus (I haven't been since 12/10/11). I was able to run even longer today. I need to stop taking so much time between runs because my progress would probably be a lot better. At any rate, I am lovin' that I ran over 3 miles!
Was that our University President wearing a homecoming button at the announcement of his successor this morning? Why yes, it was! That's awesome that Dr. Merten was wearing the homecoming button that I produced.
Speaking of University Presidents, I'm lovin' that we have a young president coming on board AND one whose first language is Spanish. Welcome, Dr. Cabrera!
I love, love , love that my housemate is gone for a few days. It has reminded me of the serenity I once had when I wasn't renting out a room in my house and it was always peaceful.

Rock the Mic!

2011-12-14T23:30:00.000-05:00

When I rock the mic, I rock the mic right! HAHAHAHA I really enjoy performing. Imagine that. I don't care if it's karaoke, hamming it up for a crowd, telling stories, etc. If it's a fun presentation/performance, I thoroughly enjoy it.

As I was walking toward a building a student who was on her cell phone and entering the building. She saw me in the corner of her eye and even though I was more than 5 steps away, she held the door for me. I should do a study on students and how many extend that care to others. By her holding the door for me caused me to pause and consider her thoughtfulness.
While this may serve the ego, as many things in life do, I love how people enjoy my MC-ing the university's holiday party. This was the third year that I've done it. All I really do is announce the different dances and make a few announcements - however, people seem to love it AND remember me from past years. That makes me feel good.
Bowling was fun tonight. It was made even more exciting when a girl bowling next to me bowled 7 strikes in a row! Her score was 218, her highest score ever. It was so cool to see the shock and joy on her face after her accomplishment.
At the university holiday party, the committee tried something new. We did sign-ups for the Homecoming Decorating Contest and had a game they could play to win some homecoming swag. It went well and we have gotten more sign-ups than ever before. I love it when an idea proves to be successful. Way to go team!
Mmm. At the holiday party I tried Baked Potato Soup for the first time in my life. WHAT IN THE WORLD WAS I WAITING FOR? That soup is delicious! I can't wait to eat it again. Oh, it was so good that I even had to give it a shout out to the crowd about how delicious it is.

A Flock of Seagulls

2011-12-13T21:59:00.000-05:00

When you're used to waking up without the assistance of an alarm clock you have to love that type of freedom. Today is one of those days where I had to use that assistance of an alarm that sounds like a flock of seagulls. Yes, it makes such sounds. It feels way more natural (so to speak) than to wake up with a blaring electronic horn.

I have come to love Tuesday night shows on Fox. There's Glee, New Girl and Raising Hope. Tonight I was torn though. Real Housewives of Atlanta has a special episode.
I'm glad I caught that awesome online sale at Old Navy today. I needed a new winter coat because all of my other ones are too big (and that's another thing to love!). I scored the coat I wanted for $35 - regular price was $90! Everybody knows I love a good deal (in Phaedra's voice).
Solidified plans for dinner on Saturday woot woot! I'm excited!
People seemed to be in a really good mood today and I love that. I needed that because I haven't been feeling too well the last couple of days. People in good spirits pass along their good energy.
Happy to hear that my father's hospital stay isn't for something highly serious - although it's serious enough that he's in the hospital.. sounds weird, I know.. but he sounded fine on the phone.

Whores De Vores

2011-12-12T21:48:00.001-05:00

I can't say that I didn't have a productive day, because I did. There was just a whole lot going on before I left for the holiday party. Three cheers for office productivity! Wondering about the title of this entry? Wait for it.... waaaaaait for ittttttt....

Traffic was manageable today. I actually made it to work under 40 minutes on a MONDAY! WHAT'S NOT TO LOVE ABOUT THAT??
I love it when I say something that makes someone laugh and it wasn't intentional. Glad to be of service Nicole! "Womp Womp". LOL
My cake was a hit at the holiday party. I'm glad it didn't disappoint. I'm always a little self-conscious about that. I think my gift in the gift exchange did disappoint though. No one traded for it. That was a little sad. I usually bring the gift that everyone wants. Oh well.. shit happens. LOL
I love that Melissa made that mozzarella, tomato and basil hors d'oeuvres. DELICIOUS!! Oh.. and this reminds me of a funny story. When I was a kid, I was riding with my mother in the car on Michigan Avenue. We were on our way to Detroit and there was this restaurant that had "dancers" for the businessmen lunches. Well, there was always a sign outside on the building that said hors d'oeuvres. I said to my mother with honest naivety, "Look, they have whores devores". hahahaha I had NO IDEA what I was really saying. LOL I have always remembered that.
Tonight I won a bottle of Kahlua in the White Elephant Gift Exchange. #WINNING

Hangover Hell

2011-12-11T23:53:00.001-05:00

Today was one of those days where you wake up and think, "Damn, why did I drink so much?" I certainly asked myself that from 8AM until about 6PM. My hangover was a full days work with no lunch break! Now that my hangover has died down enough to think - I'll list the things I loved about the day.

While I was recuperating in bed with the hangover from hell, I watched "The Help". I love the movie - it would have been even more amazing as a mini-series because I miss a lot of the details that are in the book.
I made a cake today for a work holiday party. I made the frosting from scratch (the best way to make frosting) and it is so tasty! I swear I am channeling my grandmother lately. I have even been looking at getting one of those heavy duty counter top mixers. Hmmm
Received news today that Nicole and I will have our first paying customer in our resume business. That's awesome news! Hustle #3 is under way!
Tonight I had a very engaging conversation with a very interesting person. Looking forward to learning more. That's all I'll say about that today. hahahaha
Tonight I revisited a favorite snack, Hot n Honey Cheesy Poofs. You can only find this in the Dollar Tree - which, by the way, has a ton of cool crafting items. I will be making some new items from a couple of things I purchased soon.

Bargains and Birthdays!

2011-12-10T20:37:00.000-05:00

WOW... Today was amazingly busy, yet fun. So much fun that I am finally writing about it.

Tonight I experienced my first Spoken Word event that wasn't held at a college campus. This one was legit! I really enjoyed it.
I went to a birthday party after the spoken word event and I had so much fun! So much so that I woke up the next morning asking myself, "Did you need to have THAT much fun?". Man.. that hangover SUCKED! hahaha But I loved spending time with some good friends.
Coupons, Coupons, Coupons! I discovered a coupon for $5 Off a Blu-Ray Double Disc of the movie, "The Help". Target had the movie on sale for $19.99 and I had a $5 gift card to help with the purchase.. I got the movie for $10 - I LOVE A BARGAIN!
I went to Busboys and Poets (the 5th and K location) and had one of the best hot alcoholic beverages - the Spiked Chai Tea.. delicious. Best yet, I got the first drink for free!
Gas prices have DROPPED.. at least in Manassas, VA. I only paid $3.09/gallon. WOO HOO!

Boom! Boom! KA-POW!

2011-12-09T21:31:00.001-05:00

Sometimes you just have to ask a question. It's usually just that simple. Today I asked a question and got an awesome answer. Today is all about asking the question that's in your mind.

Lately I've been trying to find a way to teach art. I know I most likely don't want to end up in a classroom again but I just want to teach what I love doing to people who want to learn. After some pushing from a friend I had a challenge in front of me. Today I faced the challenge and looked up the local community center. I saw they didn't have many art classes being offered. Well, with me being a former art teacher, this seemed like the perfect opportunity. So I called the center and found out they had been looking for someone to teach art! Next week I will talk to them about the possibilities. They said I could potentially start in February. How exciting is that???
No matter what - I still love getting text messages from people I like.
I've come to understand that I vibe off of others creative energy and I love the synergy that comes from that.
Rushing out of the office at 6:20 PM and trying to make it to Target to pick up my prescription was almost futile. The pharmacy closes at 7PM - I got there at 6:57PM. WHEW!! I love that I made it there on time.
I love that today is Friday. It's been a crazy week and I am loving that I get to be housemate-less all weekend. I need the solitude.

In a Flash!

2011-12-08T23:19:00.001-05:00

I'm going to make this post SUPER FAST - I'm really tired and it's just been one of those days where finding the things I loved about the day is challenging. I know I can find the things.. I just don't feel like being very verbose.

My housemate is going to military drill this weekend, so that's good news for me. WOOT WOOT!
I made plans for tonight to do something in DC this weekend. Always hoping for the best.
I got paid in cash for some bracelets that I made for someone in my office.
An Etsy buyer of mine left me some great feedback, " Exactly what I wanted! Seller even let me tweak design a bit. Very fast delivery." It doesn't get much better than that one!
You just gotta love $20 Off coupons when you ONLY have to spend $20 to redeem it! I'm hoping for new pants.

Hump Day Happenings

2011-12-07T22:48:00.001-05:00

All this rain makes Virginia seem like Washington State! I'm not gonna let it dampen my mood though. It's all about how you choose to react.

I stopped by Ikea today. The As-is Section was on POINT! I might have to make visits to the store more frequently during the week. :0)
Bowling went really well tonight. I bowled two games in the mid to high 160s. We won't discuss the last game though. hahahaha
I love that I had a pretty easy day at work. Aside from waking up early to get there - it was pretty light work. Just trying to tie up loose ends with regards to an event.
I just LOVE the show Modern Family! It made me laugh out loud tonight! "Look, Looook".... lol "It's my Christmas sweater" LOL
I got a very nice message in my inbox. :0)

Put it in the Bag!

2011-12-06T23:18:00.001-05:00

Lately I've had so much going on that I've been slacking on posting my list of 5 things I've loved about the day. I guess I have a lot of "irons in the fire." I just gotta keep up with my commitment that I made to myself. I have noticed that it makes my disposition a lot better. So I will continue! I do have an idea to help with this. I'll probably debut that at the end of the month when I'm on vacation. :0)

I completed two craft projects tonight! It's some work do keep this up but I love that it's something to do or think about every day.
A phone call at work almost halted an order I put in for 2000 collegiate scarves. Luckily it all worked out in the end. I'm glad that people at work are willing to "make it work". Thanks, David!
In a meeting today, we discussed the possibility of me teaching a photography workshop. It's exciting and scary at the same time. I'll see what pans out from this - I'm just happy that I took a step toward a dream of mine.
I got excited today because I bought etching cream and a paint it yourself bird feeder at Michael's Arts and Crafts. I think I have a problem... but it's a good problem to have. At least it's not drugs, alcohol, gambling, etc. hahaha
Etsy sent me a gift for being Team Captain of the Men of Etsy. The gift was a canvas shopping bag with a cool little pattern on it. How nice and thoughtful.

Thinkin' of a Master Plan

2011-12-05T19:50:00.001-05:00

While running on the treadmill I think of lots of things. Today I came up with a great idea. It's like my form of meditation. hahaha

What better gift to give someone than the gift of gratitude? I thought of this while working out tonight. Basically I'd write a letter about why I'm grateful for the person in my life. It almost moved me to tears while I was running on the treadmill. Part of me is afraid to show the tender side of myself while the other part of me thinks it's the biggest gift I could offer someone this year - to show how much they've meant to me. WOW! That's deep.
I saw a video about job safety today. It was made in Canada and it is INTENSE. Point well taken, Canada! Check out the video here.
I got 4 orders for bracelets today! WOO HOO!! You can tell it's Christmastime!
Today I was able to spend some time chillin' out with some students and that's always a good time. It keeps me in tune - Plus they ALWAYS make me laugh.
I stepped on the scale tonight and noticed that I was down 5 pounds. That's pretty substantial because you usually weigh more at night - so it's probably more like 7 pounds. Heeeeey! hahaha The plan is working.

L.I.F.E.

2011-12-04T19:11:00.001-05:00

L.I.F.E. Loving the Incredible Feeling of Existing. I just thought of this quote tonight. I'm going to have to do something with that acronym.
Who knew that I could have made so many cool little craft projects in one day? I am so excited to make the next project. This is all part of my 30 crafts in 30 days challenge. Check it out here.
I had another talk with my roommate and things have gone back to "business as usual" except for the things that were the issue. I'm glad I started that conversation with him.
The Peppermint Mocha International Coffee Creamer is DELICIOUS!
The spaghetti I made tonight... THE BOMB! That is all.

I Love the Nightlife - I Like to Boogie

2011-12-04T11:39:00.000-05:00

Saturday, how did you slip away so fast? I don't know where the last few days of my life have really gone. I haven't even done these lists on the same day for the last few days! I need to get it together. hahahaha I am definitely tired as can be this morning. I need to rest up and get productive!

Running for 20 consecutive minutes - PROGRESS!
I went out in D.C. and had a good time - sang karaoke (my signature song - Wanted Dead or Alive) and ran into some people I know. I love the randomness of it all!
Who doesn't love Alberto's Pizza late at night? If you say you don't love it, it's probably because you've never had it. hahaha
I love that I have an iPhone. It makes navigating D.C. on foot so much easier.
I went into Home Depot today and found something I had been looking for. It was staring me right in the face. Just like it was waiting for me.

Rockin' the Runway!

2011-12-03T14:33:00.001-05:00

There are days where you are just extremely proud. Last night was one of those nights. While I may not have children, I have students that I am connected with. Last night those students amazed me. They put together a phenomenal fashion show themed around HIV/AIDS Awareness. This is an annual event and this was the 4th iteration of the show. Last year's show was mired in drama. This year's show was drama free, clean of all egos (from what I could tell) and looked pretty damn flawless. Kudos to the Weekends at Mason crew for a magnificent show.

Today I survived 4 back to back, one-hour long phone interviews and we selected some great candidates to move forward in the process. I love it when it all just kinda works out (which it always does, honestly).
I learned how to use Adobe inDesign a little better. It's good to add a new graphic design application to the skill set.
I scheduled a meeting with someone about the possibility of following a dream of mine. Teaching photography skills to students in the context of their own lives. These students would be capturing their lives on film and telling a story much like that of a hip-hop artist. The first step is often the toughest.
I saw a students that I worked with this past summer tonight and it was really cool seeing them involved and being active in the campus community. That was really nice.
I got to participate in the Rock the Runway Fashion Show. I love how it just keeps getting better and better. AMAZING!!

Yesterday. Busy, But Fun.

2011-12-02T11:14:00.001-05:00

I was supposed to start my 30 days of Crafting yesterday and time just got away from me. I also wasn't able to rattle off a blog entry yesterday. It's all good though. There are worst things that could happen. I'll make up for lost time tomorrow because I will do three projects! If you want to follow the adventure - check me out here: http://mantasticcrafts.blogspot.com/

Planning for my crafting adventures I rolled into Michael's and found some items on clearance. I will have to say, one of my concerns about this challenge on making a craft item each day was the money aspect. Well, I'm happy to report that I picked up about 5 days worth of projects for less that $20! I love a good deal.
Dinner at Sweet Water Tavern. YUM! Good food!
When I got home tonight, I saw that the kitchen has continuously remained clean. No dishes in the sink or filth on the counter top. I love that someone decided to keep things tidy (that someone being my housemate).
A student said to me, "You've been working out a lot, huh?" and I replied, "Yeah I have." She then said, "Oh yeah, I can tell. Good job!" That was two comments within less than 24 hours about this. I guess the running is doing what I had hoped it would do. VIVA LA EXERCISE!
I can sense the slowing down of the school year as we approach the holidays. I am so very excited to chill the heck out for a while. Should I take an extra week off work? I have a ton of vacation days. Hmmm... I love having these kind of options.

Brr, Stick 'em Ha Ha Ha, Stick 'em

2011-11-30T22:49:00.001-05:00

Today was like one of those old school hip hop days... and appropriately so (you'll see why). Things just felt so carefree today. Not a worry in the air and very social. I probably spent 3 hours in other folks' offices chillin' and chattin'. Similar to what I would have done on my dirt bike in the summer time - just rollin' up somewhere and hangin' out.

I realized that the shirt I had on was from 1999 today. Someone complimented it and I thought, "Well damn, I bought this shirt my first year of graduate school." Then I thought about why I kept it - the shirt is made of wool; it's gray; it has padded elbows; and when I gained so much weight that it didn't fit anymore, I vowed to make sure it would fit again. It fits again and with ample room. I love that feeling.
I spoke about serendipity yesterday. Today it's still in my head. While there were no happy mistakes today, I certainly connected the concept to my life. I feel good about that.
I sat down in a friend's office today and she mentioned another office which caused me to sit down and ask her some questions about careers. Needless to say, an hour later I left with "homework" to make progress on my endeavors. I love getting a new perspectives.
Sitting in the same friend's office I saw this wall art application tool on her desk that had the rap lyrics, "Brr stick'em! ha ha ha, stick'em". How funny is that?!? Does anyone recall this song? I know I did. It's REALLY old school. Check out the song here.
Tonight my bowling was great! I bowled over average in every game - with one game being int eh 170s. Good stuff!

Marigolds and Mother Nature

2011-11-29T10:30:00.001-05:00

Wow - I just wrote my first full-circle entry. I started the list one way and ended it in the same manner with a bunch of "stuff" in between. It's almost like a Seinfeld episode.

Serendipity means a "happy accident" or "pleasant surprise"; specifically, the accident of finding something good or useful without looking for it. This is a word I live in and thoroughly enjoy those serendipitous moments in life.
"And do not even sweat anything. You are like family and we take care of family and those we love and care about." This was said to me today and made me tear up. I appreciate my friends so much.
This past spring I was so excited to plant some seeds and grow flowers outside of my office window. They did pretty well until it got REALLY hot outside. Unfortunately they all died off after I had a couple of sunflowers brighten my days and then whither away. Today I stepped outside and was so pleasantly surprised. The plants that I thought had died had survived and thrived without any help from me - only the help from Mother Nature. The seeds found their ways to the cracks between the tiles and took root. Nature never ceases to surprise me with its ability to persevere. I take this as a testament to the human spirit. No matter how bleak things may become, over time you'll survive and under the right conditions, you'll thrive. Seeing these flowers made my day and hopefully this picture of them will make yours.
I took about a week off from running and ran today. I felt pretty good and motivated to do my long run on Thursday. Long meaning 20 minute run. I love how the endorphins make me feel.
Some days I feel like I am a freshman in college. You know.. not having a clue what I want to do with my life career wise. While they feel unsure of their path they take classes in the hopes to discover it. In my case, I'm working just because that's what I'm supposed to do until I discover my "path". It's not a bad thing. Sometimes that's just what you have to do. I'm okay with not knowing what I want to do because I know what I love to do. Make sense? Probably not... bottom line - I love being creative and artsy and I'll keep pluggin' away until I experience a serendipitous moment. :0)

Monday, You're Too Funky for Me...

2011-11-28T23:21:00.001-05:00

There was a funk in my spirit today. I didn't want to do a think at work. Why would I need to work after not working for so many days? hahaha I finally got into gear after 4PM and did two solid hours of work. Aside from working in the office I've been working on my plan of action for the 30 days of crafting. The excitement begins in just a couple of days.

I'm glad all of the things I needed to finish for homecoming planning is nearly over. WHEW!
I love that I finally said what I needed to say. What a relief!
I found a new craft site that I love to death... Curbly!
Today Barbara brought me some large mason jars. I love how thoughtful she is. I'm going to have to make her something for Christmas.
The weather today was amazing. It just doesn't get better than that at the end of November in Northern Virginia! 70 degrees????

Super Soul Sunday

2011-11-27T21:22:00.001-05:00

I haven't done a thing today and I am okay with that. Although I never left the house, I did find 5 solid things that I loved about today.

Myra stopped by to return the key. It was nice to chill out and chat with her. She's a good friend in the area.
I saw a video today that promotes marriage equality. It was made in Australia. It was done so well that I had to share it on Facebook and now I'm sharing it here. The video is titled, "It's Time".
I've spent most of the evening looking for craft projects. I'm embarking on a 30-Day challenge to make one craft per day. I've found about 15 strong projects today. Lots of the ideas came from Design Sponge. Heeeeeeeeeeey, Design Sponge! :0)
Waking up early and being able to go back to sleep for a 2 hour nap is something I love. To have no real agenda for the day is awesome!
Super Soul Sunday on OWN (Oprah Winfrey Network) was great today. They talked about Taoism. Maybe I'm a Taoist? I don't know. What I do know is that I was fully engaged in the program.

Smurfiness, Trains and Automobiles

2011-11-26T21:23:00.001-05:00

Oh what a day! I left NYC on the Bolt Bus and 7 hours later, I'm finally sitting on my couch back home. It's been a good day of resting - because I needed it for the trip back - although I kept nodding off most of the way home. There's so much energy in that city. I love it. It's like, when you're around your neighborhood, its not so crazy and it all seems pretty normal. Once you venture out to Times Square, it gets bananas!

I lucked out again on my ride back from NYC. Although the bus was full a skinny guy sat next to me. When my knee started bothering me and I needed to switch seats, he switched with no complaints. I love when people are nice.
My timing on all of the public transportation that I had to take today was impeccable! I probably never waited more than 5 minutes for the next bus or train - in some cases the train would show up just when I did.
The much needed sleep I got before leaving NYC was awesome!
A homeless man was working his hustle when I went to reload my smart trip card at Union Station. I needed just another dollar on my card and he shows up with a Metro Ticket that had $1.30 on it and asked me if I'd pay him for it. We conducted the transaction and I gave him more than what was on the card.
On the way home I picked up a small rack of BBQ Ribs at Giant for only $5!!! I LOOOOOOOOVE that deal.

New York, New York, You're a Helluva Town

2011-11-25T23:23:00.001-05:00

It was 5:30 AM and I was up and at 'em. Ready to conquer the world - well, NYC anyhow and more specifically, Good Morning America. There are many things I want to do during my visit here and today I achieved a couple of them.

We made it to Times Square to check out Good Morning America. I loved getting to see Lara Spencer and Josh Elliot in person. We all got some face time on camera too - I loved that!
I scored a new t-shirt from the NBC Studios Store for $5! You can't beat that with a stick!
I got to see the Radio City Music Hall Christmas Spectacular - all thanks to my friend Colby and a Groupon! We all had orchestra level seats, too. Great job!
I required a nap this afternoon and loved that I got one. It helped me feel a little more refreshed.
We were on a search for a Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf today and found one. YES, we got that red velvet hot cocoa - DELICIOUS!!!

The Day just "Float"ed on By

2011-11-24T23:10:00.001-05:00

Day two in NYC yielded new experiences - one including an "ok" $50 meal for Thanksgiving... yeah.. not too thrilled about that one but there are other things that I loved about the day. So, here we go!

I FINALLY got to see the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. Check that off my Bucket List! YES!!
Getting some awesome pictures of the parade just made my day. It was definitely a different vibe seeing it in person and I got lots of great pictures of the floats. I will say that it DID feel like any other parade in all honesty - but it was something I always wanted to do and I am loving that I did do it.
We went to Greenwich Village for dinner and went to a couple of bars. One bar was the historic Stonewall Inn. It was cool to be in such a historic venue.
After the parade I got a much needed nap. It was good to recharge after being up so early for the parade.
I love that I have cool friends who just want everyone to be happy. I appreciate that.

Big Apple Bonanza of a Day

2011-11-23T22:50:00.001-05:00

I'm super excited to be in NYC! So much so that I've walked a lot of miles already and I've only been in the city since about 2PM. There was once a time where arriving in NYC made me nervous. These days I don't even bat an eye. Stepping out into the Big Apple and taking in everything.

To explore NYC with friends is something I love to do. We visited quite a few places in the short time I've been here (They arrived yesterday). One of those places is Gaga's Workshop at Barney's.
I REALLY love the apartment I'm staying in. It's like the coolest place. Very cute and modern. If it were possible, I'd have my place look a lot like this.
I loved that Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf were giving out free hot cocoa. What made me love it more was that the hot cocoa was red velvet flavored! It was by FAR the best hot cocoa I've ever had. NO LIE!
Walking through Central Park at night with the road closed off was pretty damn cool. There's not many times when a person would get to do that. And probably not many times you'd feel safe doing it either. Luckily the police had everything blocked for the parade!
Foursquare is cool when you check-in at new places and you get badges. Tonight I unlocked 3 badges. What I really loved about the check-in at The Dead Poets bar was that it unlocked a special - one free shot of Wild Turkey!

The Magnificent Metro and the Friends Along the Way

2011-11-22T22:09:00.001-05:00

Today I commented on all of the people listing things they're thankful for. It's a good exercise in gratitude. It's kind of like the reason I do this blog - to find the positive things in life that I'm happy about or grateful for. There are days where I am always trying to dig deep within to find a one or two more situations/items to list as a good thing. It's especially hard if you haven't interacted with many people. Today I'm thankful for friends.

I had lunch with my friend Myra. It's always a good time. She's going to feed my dog while I'm away and I'm glad she doesn't mind.
Staying at my friend, Nicole's tonight so that my commute to Union Station is so easy in the morning. Shaving off an hour on the commute. I'm headed to NYC in the morning! Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, here I come!
I love that Thai Crunch Salad at California Pizza Kitchen. I didn't realize that it had cucumbers in it though.... and despite the cucumbers, I still loved it. Now that's progress.
Sara brought me a brownie with sprinkles on it to my office this afternoon. That was really nice of her.
I loved that I rode the Metro today and I only had to wait about 4 minutes for the train to leave. That's pretty good timing - I guess it's pretty normal during the work week with lots of trains passing through. LOL However, for me, it was something great that happened to me. :0)

The Best Things in Life are...

2011-11-21T22:35:00.001-05:00

It's hard to stay motivated at work when you know you have a big trip coming up! I'm headed to NYC on Wednesday to add another check mark to my Bucket List - The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade! WOO HOO! I'm sure I'll be adding a few NYC things to my daily dose of positivity.

I shared my "cakes in a jar" with staff members today and the best compliment was seeing a staff member running her finger around the inside of the jar to get the frosting out. MY HOMEMADE FROSTING... clearly she thought it was delicious and that makes me smile!
I am happy to have friends around that I can ask favors of. It makes life so much more manageable.
I need more people to get hip to this particular CD, Michael Franti and Spearhead's "The Sound of Sunshine". I heard "I'll Be Waiting" again today and thought, "Man, this song needs to make my list today!" Check out the lyrics.
This afternoon I was interviewed by The Daily Dot today for being a male seller on Etsy. It was pretty cool. Shout out to Lauren Orsini for the interview. The article should be published on Wednesday.
Through a really good conversation with a student, I learned that he enjoys history and educating/mentoring youth. Who knew? The lesson of the day - Never judge a book by its cover. I love when I have moments in life that remind me of the lessons I have learned.

Quotes on Financial Brutality

2011-11-20T19:10:00.001-05:00

I spend a lot of time reading quotes. They give me inspiration and sometimes offers a new perspective. Today, while I was shopping I said to the cashier, "You can't beat this sale" and he responded, "You can't beat it with a stick." And oddly enough, I was buying a dowel rod. At that moment, I instantly thought of my mother because she would always say that phrase as well as a few others. It got me thinking about my own sayings. What is uniquely mine? If not my own unique saying, what am I known for saying? Hmmm... Something to ponder at a later date.

Today I got to see my brother, sister-in-law and niece. They stopped by this morning on their way back to North Carolina. It was great to see them!
Great quote: "Logic will get you from A - Z. Imagination will get you everywhere." Albert Einstein
I made another journal today, better than the last. They just keep getting better.
Today. I. Ran. For. 8. Minutes. Did it twice, too and didn't pay attention to the time. Now that's what I'm talkin' about! Progress.
I bought fabric remnants from Jo-Ann Fabrics and they were on sale for 50% additional off! You can't beat that with a stick!

Saturday In the Park...

2011-11-19T21:20:00.001-05:00

Today started off a little, hmmm... different. Let's just leave it at that. However, I visited the National Arboretum this morning and I'm now wondering why I had never been before! Even though it's autumn, it was still a beautiful place to be. The sunlight on the leaves and other plants were fantastic. I can't wait to upload the images.

Taking a friend's suggestion and visiting the National Arboretum was a great idea. I found this tall plant with feather like fronds and photographed it a few dozen times. AH-MAZING images!
Although I am tired, I still managed to do a lot today. What's my motivation? Being creative. I made the covers for two new cereal box journals. I am getting much better at making them.
Today I decided to try making cakes in mason jars. I made my own buttercream frosting too! YUM! Cake Pops are next - with the homemade frosting!
I listened to Mary J. Blige's song, "Empty Prayers" at least a dozen more times today. It's such a powerful song. I love it. It's my new favorite song. Good ol' song binging! "I try my best to keep you here - but it's hard to hold a shadow."
I made another sale today on Etsy! YAY!!!

Noodlicious Hicks and the Treacherous Drinks

2011-11-18T23:30:00.000-05:00

Date: Saturday, November 19, 2011

Eating the curry chicken ramen at Toki Underground

I am writing my journal entry for Friday, today. Why? Because I wasn't home last night and have a lingering hangover to prove that I had a great time. This might be a pizza day with LOTS more water to drink. Oy Vey!

I tweeted @maryjblige today to let her know that I loved the songs that I heard on the show Private Practice. She retweeted my message! Out of that I got a lot more followers and responses. How cool is that?
I got a phone call from a friend in NYC who is letting me stay in her apartment for Thanksgiving. She called to fill me in on things before I arrive. I love Barbara - she rocks! I'm so excited for this trip and to see the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.
While out in DC, I explored H Street - which is apparently in North East. hahahaha At any rate, I loved exploring the city and finding new places to chill.
Speaking of new places to chill, We went to several bars/restaurants. A couple of them worth noting are Smith Commons and Fruit Bat. Smith Commons is a little "too trendy" and crowded - and LOUD... WHOA! But they have a great Christmas Ale. Fruit Bat has a nice bartender by the name of Angel. She has a beautiful smile and I loved that she was just so personable. She made us some amazing drinks - which is what this bar is known for. Definitely check them out if you're in the area. It's like a quieter Adams Morgan.
Tonight I challenged myself to try Sake and Ramen (not from a wrapper). Sake is actually pretty good! I tried a sweet one and one that is served hot. I preferred the hot sake. The ramen was a curry ramen with chicken. I wasn't sure about it but after that first sip of the broth, I was SOLD!! Toki Underground (Which is actually ABOVE ground over a bar) I will be back!

What Do You Choose?

2011-11-17T21:47:00.001-05:00

There's something to be said about investing in your own life. Investing in your own happiness. Investing in your own ability to be at your best. Today I had a conversation with someone I was dating that needed to be had - on a particular day when I saw a documentary called "Happy". The documentary is about how people in the world choose to be/are/are not happy. How can you truly ever be happy when you're not your authentic self? The unhappiness always seems to spill out and manifest in other ways. Sometimes we compensate with buying "things", making "things", eating "things", drinking "things", fixing "things", growing "things", smoking "things", etc. You get the idea. In this situation someone gave up so that they could avoid the real "things" in their life. It's sad that they don't have the courage to be "happy" - even when their happiness had to be veiled in discretion.

I wish nothing but the best for them while they embark on their journey to self-acceptance and loving themselves enough to be "happy".

With that said - while it may seem difficult to pull from the days events to find some happiness - I can. I choose to be happy.

Today I saw the inspiring and moving documentary, "Happy". I love how it resonated with me and in a way, prepared me for the conversation that I had tonight.
I made someone's day when I brought them some chocolate!
A blog writer contacted me today about interviewing me and some team members about being male crafters/sellers on Etsy. I do the interview on Monday. How cool is that?
I talked to one of my brothers today. We don't talk often but when we do it's pretty cool. I'd like to think that if we lived near one another we'd be closer. This goes for both brothers. hahaha As we get older it's like we put aside age differences in lieu of just general things in common. Today I learned that he always wanted to travel in an RV and see different things in the US like Mt. Rushmore, Yellowstone Park, and the Grand Canyon. Guess what? I do too! We might have to make this happen!
Watching Private Practice tonight gave me two things I loved. The storyline and the three songs they played from the new Mary J. Blige album. Three great ballads on the show! "Need Someone" "Living Proof" and "Empty Prayers"
In further reflection, I loved my maturity in the situation tonight. I acknowledge that the only thing I can change is how I react to things in my life.
I loved how the different lessons I've learned over the years and by participating in Oprah's Lifeclass has really had a major impact on how I navigate through life. One of the lessons is expressed by Randy Pausch.
It's amazing how many more things I can list today as opposed to any other day.

Happy - A Documentary Trailer from Wadi Rum Films on Vimeo.

Small Things Add Up to Big Things

2011-11-16T22:59:00.001-05:00

Today I'm keeping it simple. Actually I have to because I can't think of any major things. Strike that - I can come up with some things to list on this blog tonight. I have to change my view of this because no matter how insignificant something may seem, each thing that happens to a person feeds into more significant matters. It's kind of like when you keep collecting change. It's not significant until you add it all up. Having an understanding that it is all connected is the lesson here.

Today I went to work with a plan of action and accomplished 90% of it all. The 10% that I didn't complete - I at least got the ball rolling. Now that's action!
At the bowling alley, everyone was in good spirits. At the end of the night everyone hugged and wished each other a Happy Thanksgiving. That was a really nice thing to see and participate in.
I got a good bit of news today at work regarding an overspent budget. It's NOT as overspent as I thought. WHEW!!!
I read a comment on a photo I posted on Facebook and it garnered a "Woof!" That's a good thing.
Peanut Butter M&Ms. YUM!

Fall Fabulousness

2011-11-15T14:35:00.001-05:00

I am feeling all fall-like today. I guess it has a lot to do with the tea I'm drinking and the fact that I listened to REM. Some of their songs just make me think of cold, autumn-esque weather. Oh, and well, I had roasted turkey for lunch. That probably helped too.

Twinings of London makes a really good Chai Spiced Apple tea. I'm diggin' it.
The more I look at this photo on the left the more I love it. I am so happy that I was able to capture the image on memory card. It will be framed soon.
Because traffic was so bad tonight, I made a pit stop at Trader Joe's. I'm glad I did because I saw a reduced fat Mac and Cheese that look tasty. Guess what? IT WAS TASTY!! I LOVE TJ's!
Glee doing Hall & Oates songs? LOVE IT! There were quite a few 80s tunes tonight.
I got a sale on Etsy from a friend of mine that I've known since we were in kindergarten. How cool is that? It was quite a surprise tonight (although she has bought other things from me). I appreciate her support and love that I have life long friends like that. Thanks, Misty!

Being a Student in Your Life

2011-11-14T22:35:00.001-05:00

I can't express this enough how much I've learned by watching Oprah's Lifeclass. I find myself quoting parts of the episodes and the lessons taught. I've had friends ask, "Why do you watch that? It's just a rehash of her shows." I respond with, "It's different though. There are these lessons she discusses and it causes you to place those lessons within the context of your own life." I think those words fell on deaf ears. Today I noticed myself discussing how much I love the show, again. I reference the lessons in much of the way a religious person quotes scripture. The only thing that's different is that I don't pray for some being to make my life what I think it should/could/ hope to be - I look within my own being to make it so. I am an active participant in my life. Constantly looking for the lessons and the things to be happy about. Speaking of which...

I'm glad that today everything just seemed to work out. Only proving my point that I shouldn't worry or get all worked up about things. It's never really THAT serious. Even when it appears to be - there's always something worse that could happen. When the worst possible thing you can think of happens - I'm sure you can think of something else that could make it worse. Depending on the perspective, the only thing that's worse is death. If you're a religious person, that's really not a bad thing either unless you believe in hell and you're going there.
Had a really good meeting with students where they recognized a lot of things on their own. YOu gotta love those moments.
Traffic this morning and this evening seemed to be pretty light. I enjoyed just cruising into work in just under 30 minutes.
A lesson worth noting - The life you plan is not necessarily the life you live.
Things I was called today by people - VIP, A Protagonist, Creative, Funny. I never really thought about things people would call me until today. Those are all pretty positive words!

I Hate to Go But I Simply Mustache....

2011-11-13T23:57:00.000-05:00

After several days of skipping out on going to the gym, I made my triumphant return! I am proud to say that I did it and wasn't winded! Ahh yes, progress!
I hung out with one of my friends who just moved to this part of Northern Virginia. I got to show her a new restaurant and where the ABC Store is. hahaha
Tonight posed a great surprise. I got a message from a customer on Etsy who wanted to buy three bracelets. Got it, no problem. Then she messaged me again and asked for another bracelet. WOO HOO!! Who doesn't love making a multiple sale?
With the sale of these bracelets I get to move up in the fundraising boards for Movember! LOVE IT! I get to add another $10 to the mix. Would you like to contribute? :0)
Today I finished working the first resume that Nicole and I have taken on in our resume business. Looks like we got our second one coming in!!