***Welcome to Bloggaversary #3***

Yes, Yes, Ya'll!!!!!

Yes, Yes, Ya'll!!!!

And it don't... STOP!!!

3 years strong Ya'll!!!

And you know, ya girl's all

*Giddy*Giddy*Giddy*GIDDY*Giddy

It's my anniversary!!!!!!!

*LadyLee jumps up on table, smashes Punch bowl to ground and screams at the top of her lungs*

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!!!

Someone tugs at my sleeve then grabs my arm. I look down to see who it is, and it's that doggone blogging cop The Dreamy One.

"What you want, gurl?"

"Ladylee," she says. "Honey, you need to stop all that hollering and calm down."

"Let me GO, gal!!" I yell. I try to snatch my arm away but her death grip is firm. Her freshly manicured nails dig deep into my arm. "You're hurting me, Dreamy!!!"

"You need to get your black tail down off that table. Come on now."

I look her up and down. She is dressed to the nines.

"Dreamy, you got your gun tonight?"

"No, Mami. I came here to party."

"Does your black tail have your nightstick or your taser gun"

"No Ladylee. I'm off duty."

*LadyLee shoves Dreamy hard out of the way with her foot and continues yelling*

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!!!!

Come on now, y'all know how I do this!

Can we have some Station Identification !!!

Who am I?

**LADYLEE**

What am I?

**THE ORIGINAL OLDGIRL**


**THE ORIGINAL OLDGIRL**

Ya got that right!!

If you didn't know, ya better ask somebody!!

It's my blog Birthday... My blog Birthday!!! It's my day, and thangs gonna go MY way!!!

"Whew!!"

*LadyLee jumps down off table*

It's hot in here. Somebody hand me one of them church fans.

No, hand me one with Martin Luther the King on it. That will cool me off faster.

"Whew!"

lol

Yeah, you know I have to set it OFF like that, to let ya'll know where you ARE.

You're at the House of LadyLee, where we keep it SMURFY.

3 years. 3 years strong.

Who would've thought.

Now, when I started this blog, it was just something to do that seemed fun. Afterall, I was in the middle of a manuscript and I thought it would be cool to do some extra writing.

Lawd have mercy, who would've thought that it would have developed into the conglomerate that it has become... LOL!

I would've never thought that I'd hook up with some people who have had a most powerful influence on ME.

Some peeps who straight up POUR into my spirit.

Right now, I am running on low, almost on empty. I have only slept 8 hours in the last 3 days... I'm a bit stressed and I got a lot taxing my mind right now. A whole LOT. Hell, I have an interview today at 12:15 p.m. and honestly, I ain't in the mood for it, and I may just walk in there and lay my head on the table.

Yeah, my mental gas tank hit empty just like the next person does... It truly does.

And when I'm like that, which is exceedingly rare (Thank God)... I go have a look at THIS.

People ask me,

"LadyLee, why do you do birthday tributes?"

I do them just to let you know that you are LOVED, and I recognize the importance of you in my life... No, I don't give a damn about your flaws and all that. We all have them (Lawd knows I sho nuff do).

But I want you to know that you are IMPORTANT.

And I want you to be able to click on something and read something GOOD about yourself. Something GOOD about YOU.

Just my way of me "Pouring into YOUR spirit."

And you know that is the overall theme this week...

So in honor of the whole spirit of things... I want to dedicate my bloggaversary to some peeps who have really poured into my spirit.

And they have done it with one thing...

Words...

Words, words, a plethora of words...

Today, I honor the Original Oldgirls and that one Original Oldboy. This list contains a hand-picked few. And there are more to come.

I thought I would do several posts to get all the people in, but i just don't have the time or the energy right now. Plus, I gotta prep for my dayum interview (excuse the language, but that's just how I am feeling right now).

So here's what I am going to do. I'm going to add to this list All the bloggers (and readers who lurk like they done lost their minds) who have had influence on me. If you read me and/or have had personal contact with me, or if I am an avid reader of YOUR blog, your name is on this list.

As Zhane says in the first song of my Playlist... I am Sending my Love to YOU!!!!

But up first, in no particular order...

Now, ya'll know, I'm not only the Original Oldgirl... I am also the SPEEDRACER.



And I have my own personal Superhero, who swoops in when my writing spirit is a bit troubled. The writer who I affectionately refer to as "RACER X".


Also known as "Miss Celie". Also known as The Almighty Queen (of Lurk City, since she lurk on here like she done lost her natural mind)

The baddest writin' diva in the solar system.. That Original Oldgirl Tayari Jones.


Man, I LOVE THIS DAYUM WRITER. All day, er' day. I've been her #1 fan for the last 4 years, and posed a very mild threat (involving guns, shanks, and hot grits) over on her blog for ANYONE who DARES to say different. HUMPH.
Ya'll wanna know how much I appreciate this writer?

She has over 20 tributes to her on this blog. 20. Miss Celie, if you ever feeling low, you can always mosey over the house of LadyLee and read about how WONDERFUL you are.

She is the BEST mentor I've had EVER. And I have A LOT of mentors in different areas of my life. Man, she mentor me so well, I don't even have to talk to her. I just send out telepathic vibes..

*LadyLee squints hard and sends out vibes*

~~~ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZBBBBBBZZZZZZZZZZZZ~~~

I just send out vibes. She gonna call or text me within the five minutes, or she's gonna put up a blog post that answers my questions. THAT's what I call a good mentor.

I am her #1 fan.

Really though. I am a FAN for life.

Girl, thanks for doing all you do to help develop the writer in me. You are always on hand for advice and a girly talk or two... Thanks a BUNCH. I am so glad that even though you are a celebrity, that you and I can be friends. (I'm JUST now getting to the point where I don't freak out when we yack on the phone, lol).

You alright with me, Miss Celie. You sho nuff is, chile.

The Microphone Queen, The Original Oldgirl Sharon: I met Sharon back in 2005 at the NBCC here in Atlanta. I'd gone there (of course) to meet Tayari Jones for the first time and to see her read. (Man, that's the ONLY reason I came up off of 235 bucks for registration fees, lol). But Sharon and I were in a Novel writing workshop together. People who know me, I am notoriously quiet. But this woman was all involved, asking questions. She grumbled something to herself in frustration, and I let her know of a nice book that would help her with her writing issues... I got her contact info and sent her the book...

That was the beginning of an AWESOME friendship. Hey girl, we've had many serious talks over the years that have increased me as a person. And I can appreciate you calling me out on my bullsh**, lol. I can't put a price on it, it's priceless. Thanks for being there for me! Thanks for continuously pouring into my spirit.

That Original Oldgirl Chele: In the back of my major journal, I have my list of favorite authors. Nestled comfortably below Khaled Hosseni and above Kimberla Lawson Roby at #9 is Michele Matthews, aka, That Original Oldgirl Chlele. She has written 2 books, Raymond's Daughters, and Confessions of a Beautiful Woman. Both had me all emotional and crying. That means they were GOOD. Thanks for writing those books. Both poured so much into my spirit at a time when I needed them.

I absolutely love her blog and her self-assessment. Chele, you've taught me to be true to ME. When I'm hurting, I can say I'm hurting. When I'm being trife, I can say I'm being trife. Because I've seen you so often not point the fingers at others but back at yourself and say "Wait, hold up. I'm the one that needs to change here." Thanks for that. Thanks for pouring into my spirit, girl.

That Original Oldboy Hassan: Hassan, Hassan, Hassan.

Hassan is the KING of self-assessment. I would read his blog and be like... "A brother don't look at himself THAT hard". Man, he lays it waaaay out there. This brother has talked about suicidal thought, all KINDS of stuff. And has talked of how he's gotten through it. This brother looks at himself and won't lie about what he sees. I've learned from you, Hassan, to assess myself in that manner.

The most important thing Hassan has done for me is to straighten my head out concerning my depression over my brother joining the Army at a time of war. It was because of you, Hassan, that I was able to find peace on the situation (you remember your comments). You really poured into my spirit at a time when I was REAL upset and truly felt like a failure. (Verbal slaps to the back of the head can do that to you). And now man, you got me about to go out here and start a revolution! Thanks for letting me know it's alright to look at myself, to find the flaws and to fix them. You're the KING of that.

And thanks for letting me know that I am not a failure.

That Original Oldgirl Serenity30: I've read Serenity30's blog since she was Serenity23, lol... It's been amazing to see this chick make goals and follow them through, make more goals an follow them through, and keep it going. You can't get Original Oldgirl status 'til age 30, and this woman was REALLY working for hers. (Yeah, I hope that ain't the only reason she was working so hard, lol.)

I'ma tell you something right now, and this is for you young bloggers who are trying to find your way (*Lee clearing her throat hard* ya'll know who ya'll are): Go read Serenity30's blog from head to toe. I'm talking all 1035 posts. All the way from when she was a straight up chickenhead, kicking rocks trying to tare up everything to NOW, when she's a FULL grown woman making a GOOD way in life.

I promise you, and I'll bet the house on that... You'll develop a VISION for your own life after pouring through that.

I'm just saying. Man, real talk... Ya'll got resources out here. You got a full blog of her stuff. She lays out the EXACT process for achieving whatever you want to achieve in life. And you will see it from the point of where she didn't know her head from a hole in the ground, to NOW, this point in time, a woman depending all God in all matters, with manisfestation of mere dreams abounding...

You go and read that, and are STILL lost... well, you just don't want to be found, or you just don't want to find your way bad enough...

Let me put it bluntly... If you don't go read her entire blog from start to finish and it don't change you or make you say "Gee, I got goal, and now I know I can accomplish that goal, whatever it may be."

If you don't say that?

Then you is just one sorry ass muthaf****.

I am sorry to tell you that, as I don't like opening my book of cuss. Ya'll know we don't cuss too much in the House of LadyLee.

But that is what you ARE. Shoot man, everybody got a goal or two they want to achieve. NEWSFLASH: she got the plan laid out for you, fool!!!

*Lee burying Book of cuss back in her backyard*

I'm just saying...

And she inspires ME, an old Oldgirl, to be better, to want better and to DO better. Thanks for pouring into my spirit, girl.




The Original Oldgirl LBeezy aka LBigga aka LBoogie... First of all, you got too many names. Goodness. Choose one. Thank goodness I know your gub'ment name.

THIS is the blogger who I BITE. When I say BITE, that's an old school rap term.

BITE means "to copy". So when you see...

*crickets* or *gas face* or *LadyLee hurling herself off the roof*

That ain't my "originalness" coming through. That is a technique I bite from LBeezy. Shoot, I don't think she uses it anymore. (She has grown). You know it's a trip when I'm like, "I'ma borrow that stuff" and she's like "Whatever, I don't care." LOL!!

She was one of the big time black bloggers at one time, but a bee-yotch name 'Trina (Hurricane Katrina) derailed a little of that. No, I suppose that ain't the only reason she chilled off blogging and all, but this chick loss everything, had to pick herself and her son up, and move to another state. But when you're going through, well, a damn blog ain't all that important, you know? I've seen her come from losing everything, to building her life back up. She's a successful engineer, who has taught me much about keeping finances in order and is the one person who can say "Lee, let me put my 2 cents in... blah, blah, blah", and it will be the very thing I needed to straighten out my head.

She has a quiet blog (and I know she loves it that way) and I've learned from her that you should do blogging because you LOVE it, and your love for it is pure. You have to have passion for your blogging.

So, LBeezy... I want to thank you ver much for pouring into my spirit.

Well, well, well, that takes care of alllllllll the "Originals"- bloggers who have had a PROFOUND affect on me over the past 3 years.

There are 2 "Originals-in-Training" right now, who will get their Platinum Plus card carrying Original Oldboy or Oldgirl status later this year.

And I will give you a clue to who they are: they are the only 2 WHITE bloggers who read my blog.

**blog family gasps**

Yo, The House of LadyLee is Equal Opportunity!!

I loves the white childrens too!!

LOL!!!

Another is a recent blogger whose blog I LURK like crazy on, and just now have started commenting. I found her through the Original Oldgirl Sharon. (Whoever Sharon rolls with... well, I know they got some dayum sense).

So, look out for those status updates during this year...

UPDATES: See, I was telling the truth! Here are more bloggers!

Terry off in his Cheap Seats: This right here was my Daddy in another life (if I believed in reincarnation, lol). Man, I love your writing, I love that your blog is about what you want to write about, and I love your storytelling skills blended with the history lessons. And thanks for lurking like a MUTHA over in these parts. It is ALWAYS great to see you leave a comment, because I KNOW it is gonna be a good one!!

That Southern Black Gal: The best Lil' Wayne jock ridin' blogger out there. I LOVE YOUR blog. You blend subject matters better than anybody. I LOVED-ED it that, girl!! And you've always supported this Oldgirl. Keep doing what you do!! (And I'm sorry for the Lil' Wayne thing. Serenity rides his jock more than you. I don't listen to todays music, so you gonna have to give me a sanger that you jock. To me, Lil' Wayne represents what is vile about todays music... Perhaps you jock Flava-FLAAAAAV (Inside joke). You know what I mean.

HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!

Kayla: Girl, I've been reading you a loooooooong time. Long, long time... You have written some poetry that has made this Oldgirl smile, and I don't even get off on poetry that much. But with you, when I see a poem posted, I'm like "Oooooh, she wrote a poem!" You make me excited about poetry. Your poetry pours into my spirit..

Frank aka "Luke Cage, the Urban Knight: You know what, man? Your posts are soooo long-winded. Even more long-winded than mine. AND I LOVE THAT, MAN! LOVED-ED IT! And you know, I don't even think or you as a regular man walking around in regular clothes. You always wear your favorite superhero uniform, and a person has to look at you a certain way because you are what I always call you... a hologram. LOL!! I love your posts. You did a podcast all about one of your fears one day, and I will NEVER forget how you bared your heart that day. I was so glad you were MAN enough to share. It really blew me away, and that day, I thought about the things that scared me. Thanks for pouring into my spirit...

ATLien Nikki: Yeah, yeah, I know you scream Brooklyn, but uh... WELCOME TO THE ATL. Girl, you know I love your blog (with your doggone nasty self), and I love your way with words. I could go on and on and on... but one thing I know: I will never forget dinner at Agave, where we talked about things outside of blogland. Glad we could share like that. You got a friend for life that day. Thanks for taking time to pour into my spirit, and for me to do the same for you! I AM DOWN FOR YOU, NIKKI!!!

The 2nd 68: I'ma tell you something. When I opened up your blog, and saw that you had put me in a BLOG HAREM, I was like WTF? But I am very PROUD to be chosen for your personal harem (that still sounds, *crickets*), amongst the other ladies whose blogs you deeply admire. I love your blog, as it is funny as all get out, and I love it more when you lift that ol' 80's Adidas tight t-shirt and show us what's deep in your heart: your undying love for your wife, your love for family, and the need to be happy. I LOVE THAT ABOUT YOU, MAN! Thanks for pouring into my spirit..

Opinionated Diva and Ms. Behaving and Dreamy: I am glad to be in the 2nd 68's blog harem with you three chicks. Why? Because your blogs are FUNNIER than mine. I said it... FUNNIER! When I need a good HARD laugh, I run up on you three. I am proud to be in 2nd 68's harem with the all of you. Yes, all of you need to help me in the kitchen (especially Dreamy's black tail), instead of sitting on ya'lls asses all day and/or taking turns satisfying King 2nd 68. LOL. Thanks for giving me a good laugh at times when I have felt like doing nothing but crying.

Beleiver64: This blogger right here is my spiritual soul sister for life. She has a very keen eye for reading things over here at LadyLee, reading between the lines, and hitting me up on a personal email thread for a little one on one talk. I love those words "Let's explore this, Ladylee." Those are GOOD words. She thoroughly understands my bad habit of retreating into myself on a few matters and does an excellent job of bringing it all back and REALLY ministering to my spirit. She says all the hard stuff, but mixes it with kind words. THANKS, HON, for taking time out with me. As I always tell you... I know God loves me because he sent you from alllll the way across the USA to deal with me... Thanks for pouring in my spirit.

La: Man, La is the truth. Shoot. This is a newly added blog to my blogroll. La is hands down the best pure writer in blogland. Yep. It's true. Hands down.

Now, me and ATLien Nikki were hanging out at the 'Shed tonight (8/14/08), chowing DOWN, when she asked me...

"Lee, have you checked out La?"

"Shoot yeah!"

And all of a sudden, in unison we yelled "LA IS OFF THE CHHHHHAAAAINNN!"

Man, if it wasn't a shame, we both would have jumped up and torn the Watershed down. (But our food was too expensive to be throwing around. The Watershed is NOT McDonalds).

That's how much we like La. I like her so much, I'ma start campaigning for her for the Black Blog award for best writing in a blog.

Reading La gives me the same feeling I have felt after some good lovemaking with a FINE man, followed by a nice fat joint, a COLD Bottle of Boones Strawberry Farms, and a rack of spare ribs.

Yes... the feeling of being FULLY satisfied and satiated. It doesn't get any better that La!!!

This chick somehow found her way over to my blog and left a comment on my last post. It made me want to go curl up in a corner in a tight fetal position. Honestly, my blog is not even worthy of her reading. I'm just honored that she saw something she like. You are the MAN, La!!!

Ms. Blackliteratue.com: I just hung out with her last week. She is a member of Lurk City. I haven't met anyone who absolutely LOVES books as much as this woman, and I mean ALL genres. I can imagine her walking down the street and she sees a tattered book laying on the ground. She will pick it up, dust it off, and hold it close to her bosom, like it is solid goal.

It is a book you, see.

And it is worthy to be cherished no matter how tattered, dirty or skanky it is.

Now THAT's a chick that love books. LOL!!

Ms.Blackliterature.com, you were in town the other night and we enjoyed a good dinner and good convo... You are one smart cookie, you lurker!!! Thanks for pouring into my spirit.

The Good Nurse: This is one of Tayari's homegirls. So you know, anyone cool with Miss Celie, well they gotta be good people. She's just a master lurker. We hooked up at the Watershed, and uh, fooling with her, we got put out (I ain't fooling with you no more, man. LOL). Good Nurse, I called you and asked you about some supplements I was taking, and you took the time to talk to me about it on a level I could understand. Thanks for that, hon! It meant a lot.

Tiffy D: My beloved "Gang Leader" of my Finance group, the Triple F Possee, i.e., the Financial Freedom Fighters (FFF: AcTiVAte!). She is one of my favorite book club sistas, Now, this chick had me emailing her all my posts every morning. She is an AVID reader of my blog, but never comments, making her a master lurker. We kick emails back and forth like crazy about my posts... I learn MUCH from this chick, financial and otherwise. Thanks for pouring into my spirit, Tiffy D.


(stay tuned for more blogger names added here)

I think what I'ma do, is just keep adding to this post, so I won't have to keep doing a bunch of posts, lol... The next post I will do will be on my celebration of my 10th anniversary of my Ph.D.

So come back and look around in this post, above for YOUR name and my thoughts about YOU. I will be adding throughout the day, today and tomorrow.

So with that...

You know how I roll...

GRAB A PLATE.

Let's EAT!!!!!

Now some of ya'll KNOW ya'll ain't "regular". Haven't been to the bathroom in DAYS!! So have some of this good fresh fruit!!






Uncle Cre, pull out the witch kettle and boil up some grease. I want some good HOT fried Tilapia today!!

"No, LadyLee."

*LadyLee's smile melts from her face* "Whatchu talkin' about Uncle Cre?"

"LadyLee, now, I just fried up all that dayum fish last week for that dayum friend of yours. What's her name?"

"Nikki, you talking about ATLien Nikki?" I ask.

"Yes. that was 5 gallons of grease. I ain't frying no more fish! Ya'll shoulda saved some from then. Got me all out here fighting with mosquitos and frying fish. NO!"

"But that was over a week ago!"

"So."

"I want some fish!!!"

"No!"

*LadyLee wails out of control and falls out on the ground and has a SERIOUS tantrum*

Dreamy walks into the room. "Uncle Cre, please fry this child some fish. I'm tired of her black tail hollering like this. And this fruit she laid out is just about gone. I'll drench it in cornmeal, just get that witch's kettle and get the oil hot. Thanks, Papi."

Uncle Cre looks at me laid out on the grown hollering down and shakes his head. "Alright gal, I'll fry you some fish."

*LadyLee smiles hard*

Yo!!!!!!


We got the HOT. FRIED. FISH for the Party People!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Of course I got the grill going. It's still summertime! GRILL, GRILL, GRILL!!!
















And you KNOW there's always someone hollerin' about they don't eat pork. GEEZ!! So for them, I grilled up some shrimp and crab!






I cooked up some gumbo...



And for you REAL country folk: My grandma brought over some chittlins! (Dang. We don't have many chitterlings left over. Blogger 2nd 68 ate most of it before we could get it to the table).



Hold your horses. The salmon and biscuits are almost ready!





And for the super health counscious folks, we have all the stir-fry you can eat!









Good LAWD, there is some good eatin' up in my Party!!!!
"Where the Liquor at, LadyLee!" Blog Fam screams, even though they got a case of the "itis" right now.

I tell you... black folks. You know we love the libations...

I don't drink, so it don't matter to me, but for all you drunks, we got that

Bitch on Ice... So nice so nice.
Come on, sang with me... *Lee does the running man dance*



"Bitch on Ice... so nice, so nice! Bitch on Ice... so nice, so nice!!!"

(Note: Tayari, I have a bottle of that for you. PLEASE don't let me forget to give it to you while you are in town, homie!!)

Grab a plate, and Party ON!!!

Oh, and don't forget to leave room for dessert.

Tiny, grab that ice cream out the freezer!



Party People, make sure you have a few of LadyLee's Oatmeal Raisin walnut cookies and Chocalate Chip Pecan cookies.


And we got a little double chocolate coffee infused cake! Have a slice!!


Whew!!! That was a GOOOD party...

Thank ya'll so much for stopping by and helping me celebrate my Bloggaversary...

Now... you ain't got to go home, but you got to get the hell up outta HERE!!! You can come back for the Ph.D. party on Friday, but right now, I got the "itis" and I need to lay down.

Dreamy shakes her head. "Now, LadyLee, you know your black tail is wrong for this."

"Whatever, Dreamy... you get your blacktail (and your alter egos Ghetto Mary and Creamy), up on out of here."

You can leave your wrapped gifts and love Offerings at the door as you go out...

Make all checks payable to

Dr. LadyLee
2008 Original Oldgirl Alley
House of Lady Lee, GA 30303
USA

Thanks much!!!

(Come back to read the rest of the blogger shout-outs, and come back Friday for the Ph.D. celebration party!)