Wednesday, January 30, 2013

A Taste for Cabbage

So I was in my local Whole Foods and I saw some interesting cabbage.


*buggie screeches to a halt*

Cabbage.

Conical shaped cabbage. Last week I posted up some strange geometrical cauliflower. I guess the geometric veggies are all the rage now, lol.

I tell you, folks know they be experimenting, don't they?

Cabbage is suppose to be round.

This is actually a type of cabbage called caraflex cabbage.

I didn't buy any. I only stared at it.

It is a space saver type of cabbage, but it's suppose to taste like cabbage nevertheless.

It would save space in the fridge, though.

Like I said, I didn't buy any.

But I might the next time I have a taste for cabbage...



Tuesday, January 29, 2013

I am From...


I am from a place
A most interesting place
On the Southside of town
SWATS
Ben Hill
College Park
And a few places in between.

I am from a time when we were afraid to walk the streets.
Terrified that “the man” was gonna get us
That the man was gonna reach out from wherever he stood
And snatch us
And kill us all.

I am from a family shattered and fractured like shards of broken glass
Broken, smashed, busted into too many pieces to count
A family so dysfunctional that God shakes His head
And looks over at Jesus and wonders aloud,
Could they every put this thing back together again?

I am from string wrapped and wound tight into balls
String woven together with shiny hooked needles into something warm and soft…
I am from string crocheted into something to cherish…
Blended into something that will last forever
Gifts that lasts a lifetime.

I am from wet ink
That flows from a pen that careens freely across this page
Freeing words that have been closed up in my heart for far too long
Words that spill freely from my heart
When allowed to break free, that is.

That’s where I’m from…


From Women of Color Writers Workshop, June 2012.

5 minute writing prompt: Write a story or poem that begins with the phrase “I am from”


I liked this one. It allowed me to write about things I love and things that have bothered me.

Monday, January 28, 2013

Items (Not Wanted)

From time to time I find items in my yard that I don't want.

Much of it is a result of livng in the hood.

An empty potato chip bag, a used styrofoam plate, an empty soda can...

You know, stuff like that. And you know how folks in the hood finish whatever they are drinking or eating and drop the trash whatever.

You know how we do...

However, other things get dropped off in my yard.

I came home one day after work and found a blue hurbie curbie (that's what we call them) in my yard.



For some odd reason, the City of ATL has gotten the notion to run a recycling program.

Humph. I don't recycle. It's just me. I don't have enough going on to recycle.

It even came with instructions.


I perused those. That's just too much going on. They trying to make me think about my trash. That's not going down. So I decided to just leave the blue recycle hurbie curbie in the backyard.

They better not be charging me extra on my yearly waste bill for that. They can come right on back and get that sucker.

*reminding myself to call the city of ATL waste department to see what's up*

So... I was leaving for work one morning and saw something blue on my porch.

I stop the car in the middle of the street and ran up to see what it was.


A little bin. I don't know WHO left it. I looked around at all the other houses and everyone seem to have one.

So no one was marking my house for robbery or nothing like that. And at the same time, I don't know who left it. Now this was around Christmas time. Was I suppose to fill it with canned goods or something? And what does "Tycoon" mean? Hmm. No one said anything.

Looks like something some little kids group made for the community. Interesting little project. They at least need to say something.

And it is still sitting out on my front porch. I'll bring it in the house in a couple months.

Then there's the RATCHET mess that's left in my yard.

So, I was pushing my trash to the curb, when I saw something in a corner near the driveway and the retainer wall. I walked over to see what it was.


Some doggone hair brushes!!

Somebody stole some brushes and dumped them in my yard!

What the world?

And no, I didn't move them. Didn't touch them. Left them right where they were.  (Although I did try to see if there was a type of brush there that I use, lol)

Somebody scooped them up a couple of months later.

I'll probably see more of that since the empty house next door to me is a popular cut through to the next street. Sigh.

I would say something to those jokers, but I don't need them targeting me. Humph.

Just a few of the "not wanted" items that appear in my yard from time to time.

There are also those unwanted items that show up and go away...


That's a stray cat. He fancies the rough welcome mat on my porch. I leave him be.

Ah yes... Living in the 'hood is all good.

Let me just be glad no discarded weapons have been thrown in my yard.

Saturday, January 26, 2013

Saturday Seven (Saturday Love!)

I didn't do a post yesterday...

Thought I would do one today!

I will show you some Saturday Love... with a Saturday Seven.

I am thinking along the lines of what I've done today, or what I plan on doing.

1. I prayed for 2 hours this morning. That NEVER happens. I am good for an hour. By the time I was finished, I wanted to get up and do a church shout and a church spin in my living room, honey! Really!

GLORY!

2. I crocheted this morning.I am trying my darndest to finish this baby blanket.



I measured only 5 more rounds left, and I did 2 rounds this morning, I suppose. I did that during my prayer time. Praying and crocheting has some additive synergistic effect. Not sure what's up with that.

I have my yarn for a new blanket, and I am eager to start on that. Maybe tomorrow. I plan on finishing this one this weekend.

3. I juiced this morning. I had a sweet potato, orange and pineapple juice. That was REALLY good. It was a version of "Mama's Morning Star", back when I let PlayMama give me some suggestions for my morning juices. I posted about some of those last year, along with this one.  That is one of my favorites.

4. I had a fun time texting with Singlema this morning. Always a joy to talk to her. I call her the "Gazelle intense chicken". She is intense like a gazelle trying to escape the jowls of a lion. Intense with her goals of the moment. That is a good thing for me to witness, and a quality I admire, as it is a quality I lack... severely lack.

5. Scripture of the day: My favorite that I discussed this morning:

Proverbs 4:23  Keep and guard your heart with all due diligence, for out of it flows the issues of life.

Other versions:

Be careful what you think because your thoughts run your life. (NCV)

Carefully guard your thoughts because they are the source of your life. (CEV)

Whatever I continuously feeding my heart and mind shows up in my life. Can't get around it, man. Nerp.

You know you can't. How the world are we getting mad when we see all this mess going on in the world? All that started with thoughts... some well fed thoughts over a period of time. Prove me wrong on that one.

Me and you... we form a skydiving club... meet once a week... discuss skydiving articles, movies, etc... view a few skydiving youtube videos... keep on doing that...

We are eventually going to go skydiving.

That is all.

Moving right along.

6. Favorite activity of the morning: Going over and reading and blogging out of control in the comment section of Bliss' Living the Next Steps blog. I know she has to be rolling her eyes and hollering "That doggone, Ladylee! Danggonit!!"  LOL.

Shoot, man... she's doing a daily juicing challenge for herself. And I am being quite nosy. I've been trying some of the ones she is trying. And some new concoctions. I am loving it. If I can cop ten good ideas from her, I'm GOOD.

Me and my piggyback riding self. LOL

7. Movies I watched today...

Charlotte's Web (2006 version),


Double Jeopardy


Double Jeopardy is one of my favorite movies. I would love to write something like that. Man!

I like the cartoon version of Charlotte's web much better. Loved it as a child. This one was okay.

That's it for my Saturday Seven! Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

Thursday, January 24, 2013

Cold Weather Fashions!

Is it cold enough for you outside?

YES IT IS.

So you better dress warmly... albeit fashionably.

Now, I am by no means the fashionista... FAR from it.

But I know many who are.

And I am always fascinated by... interesting gear. You can be warm and be cute at the same time.

For instance, there's my PlayMama. I saw her for a couple hours this weekend! (Yep, jumped in the car and headed one state over! Gotta write about that!)

She is sporting a special hat that she made.  It is called a cloche.


Me and my cubicle mate CowgirlCre have been discussing this very fervently!

"What the heck is a cloche?" I said as I looked up the definition online.

It is a hat. One that fits close to the skull, or is shaped like a bell. It was first popular in the twenties.

"Cre, you could wear that hat!!" I said.
"No I can't, girl," Cre said. "I'm not the fashionista!"
"Don't mattter, Cre. You just trying to stay warm. And that big flower can block the wind!"
"I'm not trying to wear that! That's a church hat. And I'm not trying to go to church. Just give me a regular skull cap."

*much laughter*

CowgirlCre shook her head. "I can't wear that out to see Felix [her horse]. He might try to snatch that out of my hair. Heck, I feel funny wearing synthetic hair around him. So I know I can't wear that."

*hearty fits of laughter*

(I know the other people in the cubicle area are going "What the world?")

We learned something new today. "Cloche".  That was unexpected.  I will need to know that if I go on a game show or something.

Anyway, my PlayMama made that hat! And she has them for sale... for all you fashionistas out there!

So on to something else fashionable...

We tend to give the youngster in my workgroup a hard time. Well not really a hard time, but I know when she sees us coming her way she is bracing herself. There's no telling what we have to say. (Yes, we are... special).

Me and CowgirlCre call her "Sushi".  And depending on what she's wearing that day, an adjective gets added to that. She has been "Tokyo Sushi" for a minute.  She was looking like she was leaving work for a night out on the Hong Kong streets!

Yes, we are fascinated with her. What is she wearing today? is our constant question.

So she comes in one day with these boots on.


I like those. They will match anything. I would like some black ones, though. I would get these cream ones mad dirty.

Hmm... We had to come up with a name for her.

"Eskimo Sushi!" CowgirlCre said.
"No, you gotta have the coat, the hat, the gloves and the boots to be Eskimo Sushi."

I called her Downtown Sushi! (Although I do fancy Eskimo Sushi).
Now I was really suprised by the logo on the side of the boots.



O_O

A Nike swoosh? What the world? When did Nike start making fashionable boots?

I tell you... Nike has already cornered the atheletic shoe market. They trying to branch out.

You can stay warm AND go for a run in those suckers. Multipurpose!!

She made our day with those boots.  And if Nike makes the full outfit, I know she will get it.

That's my version of the winter fashions...

Your fashions for these cold weather days!

Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Of Fallen Limbs...


So this here tree in my backyard... Sigh.


It is a culprit of sorts. If you look at the very center of the picture, you can see where something looks like it broke off.

And it did... this big giant limb.



It doesn't look very big. But it's a good 20 feet long.

I couldn't take one picture of it. I had to take two pictures to get the whole thing.



Sigh.

Pam the Protege was in the back of the driveway, some 4 feet from the tree. Thank goodness the limb didn't fall

Thank goodness the limb didn't fall on the green bootleg house in the picture. Don't want to mess up people's liquor, you know. LOL

This limb... doesn't look bad, but it is a heavy thing. And I need to at least cut it in three pieces to get it up to the street.

So the more I think about it, the more it makes sense to go buy a CHAINSAW.

I have 2 trees in the backyard. I wish I could get those trees cut down... But uh, that's $2400 per tree. Uh, nerp.

I am concerned about these storms, though. Don't want anything falling on my house...

Or that bootleg house, you know.

So we will see what's up. Real soon.

Monday, January 21, 2013

Oh Happy Day






How befitting

Inaguration Day is the same day as King Memorial Day

Oh Happy Day

Friday, January 18, 2013

Friday Freestyles

FRIDAY!!

*supersonic cartwheels*

And it's PAYDAY!!

*high rockette kicks*

AND I have a three day weekend coming up! How AWESOME is that!???!

*breakdancing and spinning on my head*

LOL.

Alas, even though it's Friday, it's another workday. I get off at 6:30 pm. And I'll be watching the clock until then.

Tic, tic, tic.

Sigh.

My week is ending well, but didn't start off great. I had a doctor's appointment on Tuesday, and got ripped by my doctor. I wasn't in the mood, and I told the dude who does my bloodwork that Doc better be glad I got good manners, cuz I would've opened my Good Book of Cuss on her. (I am amazed at my personal growth over the years. I have a very violent personality, and it is under control. GLORY!)

She knows I am slow, but I get things done. She knows that I have to plan all my medical stuff. I told her that last year was a dental year, and this year I plan to get around to other things.  I can't do everything at the same time. Money don't grow on trees, you know.

She didn't like that. And she went off.

She will be alright. I feel fine. Go have a seat.

But I told her I would do better. Now that my dental work is out the way, lol.

I am just fine. Bloodwork looks fine. She will be alright. But I will have done what she needs me to have done by my next appointment in late march. I can do that.

You know lately, instead of getting pissed about things like this, I've decided to ask myself a very specific question on purpose:

What is the solution to the problem?

And I have made the decision on purpose to concentrate on the solution only. Not how I feel, not the fact that I'm irritated or pissed, none of that. 

What is the solution to the problem?

And that has been working out WELL for me and my heart. Really though.
We have been having a winter storm scare the past couple of days. Just a scare, nothing going on. I went home early yesterday just in case, because you know us Atlanta folks can't drive. I'm not worried about me, but I'm worried about ya'll hitting me.

I did have a big tree branch fall in the backyard. Glad it didn't hit the house or Pam the Protege, who is parked in the back of the driveway. The tree branch was big enough to put a dent in her.

I suppose I need to go buy a nice chainsaw and cut that sucker up, you think?

That seems dangerous. I don't want to hurt myself. And I am a tomboy in the grandest definition of the word, but I don't care for dangerous stuff. I can't stand yard and lawn labor, where I have to get dirty. I'll do it, but I won't be happy about it. And then with me trying to figure out how to work a chainsaw. Uh, yeah... I'll pay a local to deal with that foolishness.

Current Events. I tell you, the year is only 2 weeks old, and already there is tomfoolery on my TV screen. Bothers me to turn on the television, and instead of seeing something worthwhile, I have to wade through the hot topics of the day.

Who is this Te'o fella?


And why are ya'll so caught up in his story? I don't have an opinion on it. I don't know the fella. I don't know if he was catfished, if he made all of this up, or if he on the downlow. It is anyone's guess.

Any which way it goes... this type of thing happens all the time.

How does it feel to be in the spotlight, young fella? Private life is no more!

And that's what is sad to me.
What's up with Lance Armstrong?

I watched part of that interview. I was thinking, "Gee whiz, he's a soci.opath. I don't need to be watching this. Let me turn my TV to something more positive."

They called him that, a socio.path on Morning Joe this morning. I can usually spot so.ciopaths a mile away. Been around that, don't care to be around it, and I stay far away from them.

I hope the people he stomped on and sued in the past feel vindicated now. He was only doing what sociopat.hs do, you see.

Who would've ever thought these things would have been at the top of the news all week? Sheesh.

That's all for today. I have NO idea what I'm doing with my three day weekend. I want to go to the movies. I WILL do a yarn run, for sure. I have to go to the Wal-mart. And I need to go grocery shopping.

GOOD grief! Yes I do know what I'm doing with my weekend!

3 day weekend! Glad of it!

You have a good one... on purpose!

Thursday, January 17, 2013

Balloons



I remember balloons.
I remember their beauty.
I remember the plethora of colors.
Today they are much more fancy, all metallic and crinkly, bent and squeezed into funny shapes.

But I don’t like balloons.
Because in 1973, me and my best friend at the time were sitting on her living room floor blowing up balloons.

We were little things, no older than three, you see.

And my friend, she blew up her balloon and it popped in her face.
And she screamed, her scream louder than the loudest fire or police siren.

And I haven’t been the same since.

I remember balloons.
I remember their beauty.
I remember the joy they bring.

But some 40 years later, the terrifying scream still rings in my head.
So I admire them from afar.

From Women of Color Writing Workshop, December 28, 2012… 
Writing prompt: Memory lane: Use one of the following sentences as the first line in your story.

I remember learning.
I remember biting
I remember balloons.
I remember falling.




Afterword
That is actually a true story. I don't like balloons AT ALL. And it all stems from that incident way back then when I was 3 years old.

I've been able to steer clear of balloons for the most part. I have been at parties over the years where people start popping them. I don't bust out crying, but I think back to that time so long ago.

I know one time, back in 1996, my boyfriend surprised me with a bunch of balloons for Valentines day. I didn't have the heart to tell him that I didn't want them. I remember leaving his place with all those balloons in the back seat of my car. I was completely unnerved. I took them home and left them in the living room. (I had a small place, but I stayed out of the living room for the most part). I threw them away one by one as they deflated.

But there was this one lone balloon... a big metallic heart shaped one with the words "I Love You" in big red cursive letters splayed across both sides. That sucker would not go down.

And it would float all over my little place.

I'd wake up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom, and I'd run right into it.

I'd wake up in the morning, and it would be there in the bedroom.

Just floating.

And I would walk around it. Way around it.

My boyfriend, when he was over, would holler "That's a good balloon right there! That one holds the helium."

"Uh yeah," I'd mumble.

"I'll have to remember that the next time I buy you some balloons!"

O_O

LOL

That balloon finally went down. I remember throwing it away. Happily.

He didn't buy me balloons again. Thank goodness for that.

Ay yes. One of my phobias. Not rushing to get over that one unless I get a job blowing up balloons or something like that.

Then I'll work on it.

 Otherwise, it was good for a writing prompt subject!

Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Farmers Market Adventures, Part 2

I really love Farmers Markets.

And the one in my neighborhood ended in mid December.

*heavy wails of sorrow*

Anyway, it was good while it lasted. And I think it picks back up again in the spring.

But I saw some... interesting things. And you know me, I like to try new things.

My favorite was the multicolored carrots.



Those were GREAT because they had just been pulled out the ground.

I roasted those with a little butter and cinnamon. And that was good for me, because I don't like roasted root vegetables.


But this worked out!

So...

I was walking through our local farmers market, perusing the fruits and vegetables, and taking pictures. I was drawn to a table full of greens and beautiful broccoli.

I was a bit... confused (yes, that's a good word), by the light green-looking vegetable on the left-hand side of the photo.

I stepped a little closer to the table.


I was still confused. I peered a little closer.


Then I stepped back.

What the world?

"What is that?" I asked the guy behind the table.

"An austrailian cauliflower," he said.

I said nothing. That didn't look like no cauliflower I ever seent.

It looked like some alien spawn. Or something off the bottom of the ocean.

"It's seven dollars."

I wasn't paying seven dollars for... alien spawn or ocean fodder.

I walked away.

You know... I don't even like cauliflower. And that one?  Well, it looked suspect.

I like trying new things, but for me to try that, I'd have to try that at a restaurant.

And YOU would have to order it. And let me taste a little of it off of YOUR plate.

Otherwise, I think I will pass on that.

I looked that vegetable up. It's actually a roman cauliflower. It is rich in vitamin C, vitamin K, fiber and cartenoids. 

And it is highly mathematical. It is a logarithmic fractal... whatever that means.

(I am more interested in that, since I am a scientist. *ladylee cheesing extra hard*)

Still looks like some alien spawn.

Or something found in the bottom of the ocean.

So now you know what it is. I'll let you all try that out..

Me? I'll stick with my carrots.

Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Food for Thought: Gasoline and Water

So...

I was watching Joel Osteen a good month ago. Not my normal thing to watch him, as I don't know what time he comes on. But I was switching channels and happen to catch him.

He had the most interesting sermon that day.

And it has stayed on my mind.  It has been heavy on my mind every since.
Maybe it has stuck with me because it was concerning a subject/activity I absolutely loathe. I mean, I really hate this subject with a vengeance.

He said something interesting.  (And I am paraphrasing):

"Every person has two buckets, one in each hand. One bucket is full of gasoline. And the other bucket is full of water. And when gossip comes your way, you have a decision to make. You can either pour the bucket of gasoline on it and fuel the fire (gossip)even more, or you can pour the bucket of water on it, and put the fire (gossip) out.  It's your choice what you do."

Then he went on for 30 minutes in severe detail concerning that statement... and the personal choices you have to make in the situations.

He didn't have to even do all of that.  Shoot, he coulda just stopped right there with that statement.

Because that statement says it ALL.

Yes indeed.

I don't care for gossip. And at the same time, I noticed that we are mentally conditioned to do it. It starts with gossiping about the popular people in our culture. And it filters down to gossiping about people around us who have some interesting things going on.

We rarely gossip about the positive, about good news going on in people's lives...

That's just not interesting, you see.
Let me rephrase that: That's just not juicy.

I myself have worked pretty hard on staying away from it. A few years ago, some bad things were said about me, and it got back to me. And I have to admit that it stuck with me, got on the inside of me, and it hurt pretty bad. It took a good part of a year to get over it. But I did. And I learned that I must not invoke that same feeling upon another. I don't want to hurt anyone with malicious talk.

I have a tad bit more work to do it. I notice I gossip out of frustration. I am trying to get to a point where if it bothers me THAT much, then I need to spend time praying about it. I should spend time praying about if I could be helpful somehow. And that is a hard prayer to pray.

That is one reason I loathe the subject matter. Another reason? To me, it points to some interesting self-worth or self-esteem problem. You see... I have to dig up things on you, so I can run around and tell everyone about it (and add my own little opinions, pontifications and flowery falsehoods concerning it), and spread it to as many people as possible.

That way... you know... I feel better about my own stuff going on.

Because what I got going on isn't as jacked up as what you got going on... and that's a good thing.

(RED ALERT: Self-esteem issue!)

And is it just me, or does anyone kinda see that the people who are the most gossipy are the most guarded about their own businees? I mean, they are private as all get out, but talking hard about everybody else business. 

What does that say?

Hmm... Interesting.

Anyway, what Pastor Osteen said, his very much loaded statement, made me think.

We DO have a choice concerning the situations.

Do we pour our gasoline on the gossip, thereby fueling it up and making it worse?

Or do we quench the gossip with our bucket of water?

In other words, does it stop with us?

Or do we motor it forward? And make it much worse.

Hopefully we make the right choice in these situations.

Hopefully.

I have purposed to do so. A lot of work, but it can be done.

Anyway, this caused me to go look up some biblical scripture on gossip. Interestingly, I came across 140 scriptures in 20 translations.  I took the liberty to post some of them here.

Some of them are... eyebrow raising, to say the least. I am most concerned about how gossip gets down into your "innermost being".  And all the references to fuel and fire. Hmm.


Psalms 35:20 MSG No good is going to come from that crowd; They spend all their time cooking up gossip against those who mind their own business.

Psalms 41: 6 NLT They visit me as if they are my friends, but all the while they gather gossip, and when they leave, they spread it everywhere.

Proverbs 4:24 Don't talk out of both sides of your mouth; avoid careless banter, white lies, and gossip

Proverbs 16:27 CJB A worthless person digs up evil [gossip] it is like scorching fire on his lips

Proverbs 16:28 GNT Gossip is spread by wicked people; they stir up trouble and break up friendships.

Proverbs 18:8 GW  The words of a gossip are swallowed greedily, and they go down into a person's innermost being

Proverbs 18:8 MSG Listening to gossip is like eating cheap candy; do you really want junk like that in your belly?

Proverbs 20:19 GW Whoever goes around as a gossip tells secrets. Do not associate with a person whose mouth is always open.

Proverbs 26:20 NLT Fire goes out for lack of fuel, and quarrels disappear when gossip stops

Proverbs 26:22 GW The words of a gossip are swallowed greedily, and they go down into a person's innermost being.

Ecclesiastes 7:21 MSG Don't eavesdrop on the conversation of others. What if the gossip's about you and you'd rather not hear it?

Ecclesiastes 10:20 MSG Don't bad-mouth your leaders, not even under your breath, And don't abuse your betters, even in the privacy of your home. Loose talk has a way of getting picked up and spread around. Little birds drop the crumbs of your gossip far and wide

Ephesians 5:4 MSG Though some tongues just love the taste of gossip, Christians have better uses for language than that. Don't talk dirty or silly. That kind of talk doesn't fit our style. Thanksgiving is our dialect.


I thought those were interesting, and definitely worth considering. There are some interesting characteristics of gossip scattered within there. 

Here's a song I really like, one that I've been playing all week in the mornings.

It is an interesting song. This is how I would like to treat my friends and people in general, and how I would like to be treated.





Best part of the song to me: "I won't harm you with words from my mouth".

A good declaration indeed.

Anyway, that is Today's Food-for-Thought.

Have a good Tuesday!

Monday, January 14, 2013

Happy Monday Afternoon... Go Falcons!!

Happy Monday Afternoon!

Hope your Monday has been a decent one! It is all muggy and rainy here in the ATL. Not happy about that at all! But thank God for this rain, nevertheless!

This was a good weekend!


Go Falcons!

YEAH!

Well, I am more so whispering a "Go Falcons".

Why? Because they got through this playoff game by the skin of their teeth.

And I hope they KNOW that they can't do this booty clencher, edge-of-your-seat, breath holding gameplay. That is NOT gonna work this weekend against the 49ers. Man, that 49ers quarterback is VICIOUS. Not to be played around with. No mistakes, Falcons. No mistakes.

However, I am happy for the win. I still think the only way for them to get any REAL respect from the football community at large is for them to win a superbowl. Sigh.

Shouldn't be that way. But it be that way sometimes!

Sigh.

Friday, January 11, 2013

Friday Freestyles...The Hush Puppy and Price Edition

Friday!!!

And the only thing that would make it better would be if it was a PAYDAY!!!

Alas... it is not.

I think to myself quite often: I wish I could make what I make every week instead of every two weeks.

If I did, I would be sitting on some Carribean island right now...

Because this ATL weather, well...

It sucks.

The temperature is all over the place. Hot. Cold. I got off work and it was rainy.

The little bitty stinging rain.

I am confused. I need steady temperatures.

(High class problem).

Movie of the Week. Anyway, I saw a fantastic movie this week!

Beast of the Southern Wild

My interest was peaked because I had been hearing Oscar Buzz this week. Most notably for the young lead actress Quvenzhane Wallis.

It's the story of a little girl named "Hush Puppy". She lives in a community affectionately known as "The Bathtub". It is the story of how her and and her father, who's raising her alone, deal after a bad storm/hurricane hits and floods out there community.

That is not a good synopsis. Go elsewhere if you want eloquence.

It's a very unique film, narrated by Hushpuppy.  Interesting!

So I thought, let me see what this little sister is about. Let me rent it on my kindle.

Man! THAT was s GOOD movie. WOW. Wish I could've seen it on the big screen!

That young lady did a great job.
Now that hair right there? That's some real natural hair. No special oils and creams. No Miss Jessie's available, honey. None.

The folks in that film were the most impoverished folks I had ever seen in a movie.



I knew Hushpuppy and her daddy Wink were... interesting when I saw the "square boat" they were flossing.

Yeah, the bed of a pick up truck. Took me a minute to figure out that one. You do what you gotta do, man. We gotta fish... the best way we can.

Quvenzhane cleans up well. I didn't recognize her! Whoever did the film makeup and costumes is the bomb.  And she's already won a few awards for her role.

Now if this 9 year old wins the Oscar for best actress? I'm taking the day off.

We have overcome... for real.

But if you haven't seen that movie, rent it. VERY good. My coworker watched some of it. We've been talking about it.

I been running around hollering a line from the movie... "My name is Hush Puppy and I live with my Daddy in the Bathtub!!"

LOL

Song of the Week. Some Kelly Price!



Old Kelly Price, that is. That song has to be 15 years old. I've never heard it before. I like it for the SCREAMING chorus.

I was sitting in my cubicle and listening to this. I snatched off my headphones and told my cubicle mate The CowgirlCre, "You know, I do believe Kelly Price has a good 10 songs about her GOOD friends stealing her men."

CowgirlCre thought that was funny.

"I wanna ask her 'What kinda friends you got, Kelly? Them not your friends! Stop calling them that, honey!!"

CowgirlCre laughed harder.

This song looks to be the original song for one of those remixes with Mr. Bigg and R. Kelly.

Still... I know she got a bunch of songs about her man being stolen by her friends.

Get some new friends, Kelly!!

Shoot. Some ratchetness, I tell you. But good songs!

What do you have planned for weekend?

Me? Not much. Flying by the seat of my pants.

It's suppose to be a nice weekend. I need to go on a yarn run. I may go to a movie. Haven't decided yet.

We will see.

All I know... I'm going to make it a great weekend.

On Purpose!!!!

Wednesday, January 09, 2013

Laugh

I was born on the very cusp of the Great Depression, on Valentine’s Day, a day set apart for the giving and showing of love.

And I remember as a little girl, my Daddy looking into my face and saying “Sweetie, there’s no school today.”

And I was sad because I loved school. I loved wrapping my three schoolbooks in a leather belt fastened tight with a rusted buckle and skipping off to school.

But I didn’t quite remember why he said that. I just remembered staring into the face of a man whose face mirrored mine – white, fair-skinned, with concentrated splotches of freckles.

I understood later that times were hard and with Momma dead and gone, Daddy could barely afford to feed us eight kids, much less send us off to school. We all had to work, and pick vegetables from the ground alongside the Negroes.

I met the best negroes out in those fields.  They were real people just like me.  One little negro girl, who had become my best friend for the next seventy-two years, told me “I like the way you wrinkle your nose when you laugh!”

My friend, my dear friend...  she passed last week. And I just got home from her funeral. My eyes were still moist and wet with tears. I cried so much that there were no more tears left.

But I remember my friend. And what she said the first day we met.

And to this very day, nearing the ripe old age of eighty, standing at a mere 5’4” tall, and at a healthy 175 pounds, I know how to make myself happy during bad times. I know where my joy is:

I stand and look in the mirror.

And I laugh.




from my Women of Color Writing Workshop, December 28, 2012.  7 minute writing exercise...
Writing prompts: use the following in a story.

Age: 80 years old
Height, weight: 5'4", 175 lbs
Day: Valentines day
Looks: white, fair-skinned, with concentrated splotches of freckles

Tuesday, January 08, 2013

Food for Thought: Wine, Kibble... and Gratitude

So you know who my favorite author is...


Yes ma'am! The Great Tayari Jones! Author of Silver Sparrow!

*LadyLee falls at her feet and weeps uncontrollably*

Blog family hollers, "Stop jocking, LadyLee!"

Oh hush. Look, LadyLee don't jock many folks. But I sure jock her. Why, I worship the ground she spits on.  And I will tell her that. On the phone. To her face. Through mental telepathy.

I AM the Number One fan. All day, everyday!

Me and the scarfed chicken shown here, Serenity Chicken, jock her something awful.

My eyes... they grow wide like Serenity Chicken's eyes when I see the Great Tayari Jones. All I need is a beautiful red scarf for my head. LOL

But I've known her for several years, now. My showing up at readings and book signings crying uncontrollably... well that gets me noticed.

(Yeah right)

I tell you what. She has become not only a great mentor, but someone who makes me think and strive for more on a personal level.

Case in point? We had a pretty good conversation recently. One of those that I term "massive". Unbeknownst to her, it was one of the most important conversations I had last year.

~fuzzy wavy lines, jumping a couple months back in time~

So...

I was at work. Or I was at home. I think I was at home.

No... I was at work.

I was watching CNN on my computer.  And they were talking about this crazy hurricane. Hurricane Sandy. Superstorm Sandy. Something like that. They had been talking about it all day. It was the top of the news. The newspeople were on location, clutching their microphones tightly and talking over the wind. And it was raining.

This storm was was heading straight for the New York and New Jersey area. They mentioned where Tayari lived.

O_O

I picked up my phone and dialed her number.

After a few rings, she picked up.

"Whassup," she said.
"Hey... are you watching the news?"
"No."
"It's like, a storm coming your way, Celie!"
"I've been traveling and on tour," Tayari responded. "I didn't know, Someone just text me about it."

*momentary silence*

"Uh," I said slowly. "It's suppose to be bad."
"I've been traveling," she repeated. "Just got in."
"Girl! Storm coming your way. Get ready! You got some supplies?"

* momentary silence AGAIN*

"I got a case of wine," she said matter-of-factly.
"What?" I said. "You joking, right?"
"Got a case of wine," she said again. "I'm all good."

Then she talked about her cat. She has a new cat.

Canela Jones. 


Better known as the "Drama Princess".


She looks... dramatic. Like she's deep in thought. Like she is contemplating... something.

She is Canela Jones.

MISS Canela Jones if you nasty.

Maybe she was concerned about the impending storm. Yeah, that's it. She's pontificating the storm.

"My cat has 30 pounds of dry cat food," Tayari said. "And I have my wine. We're good."

I screamed.

Silently to myself, of course.

"Uh, yeah.. Tayari. This here look a bit serious. A bit more drastic than cat food and wine."

"I have my case of wine."

This must have been some good wine. But I was staring at my computer screen. And becoming increasingly afraid of the storm. And afraid for her.

"Why you didn't drive home, Man? Get in the car and drive to Atlanta."
"I don't have my car anymore," she said. And we talked about that.

"Where is Mama and Papa Jones?" I asked. "I'm gonna have to call them. Next time, we will have to run up there and get you."

She went back to talking about this wine again. "I have a case of wine. I'm good."

"A'ight, now," I warned. "You gonna be sitting up in there drunk and eating cat food."
"Yuck," she said.
"Yuck is right," I said. "Yuck, and nasty!"
"I made some black-eye peas and rice."
"No, that won't do. You can't heat that stuff up if the power go out."
"Oh. That's right," she said.
"Yes, I know I'm right!"

*momentary pause*

"There's a grocery store right across the street. I can see it from my window."
"Well," I said. "Go get some stuff. You don't know how long you gonna be stuck in the house."
"But I don't want any vienna sausages," she said.
"UGGGGGH! Celie!" I yelled.

(I know those in the cubicle area were like "What the world?")

"You don't have to get no vienna sausages. That's nasty anyway. Go get something. You don't know how long you will be stuck."

We semi-argued/discussed this.

"Go look out the window," I said. "Is the wind whipping? Is it raining?"
"No," she said after a moment.
"Well do me a favor. Go run over there for just 10 minutes. Just look around. You may see something you like. Just get a few things. 10 minutes."

She agreed to this. Honestly, I thought she was like we all are when we get in from travel: just want to sit down and chill for a minute. And go to sleep.

Or have a glass of wine.

"Wine and cat food! Wine and kibble!" I hollered a few times.

Just to make sure she would take her behind to the store.

Before we hung up I asked her to give me her home phone number again. I had a new cell phone and had lost most numbers. I only had her cell number because we had been texting back and forth.

She has this awful rotary home phone. She dialed my cell phone from that number... and set her cell phone next to the rotary phone. "Listen to this," she said.

And I had to hear the "Click, click, click" of the rotary phone dialing. I swear, I haven't heard that since the early eighties.

"Would you stop that?! Dang!" I yelled.
She laughed.

"I will call you when this over. Please go to the store. And charge up everything. Everything you got. Iphone, Ipad. Everything!"

"Okay," she said.

We hung up. I like talking to her. We have hilarious conversations. You would think we were cousins or something. You don't want me to talk about our writing craft convos. I call with some question, try to argue her down when she gives the answer, then I have to admit that she is right after I go back and do what she says. LOL.

I tried calling when the storm was about over, but my calls went straight to voicemail.

I waited a couple of days. I finally reached her. And we talked about what happened with the storm.

She was on a nonflooding side of town. But her power went out, and she decided to get to a hotel.

"It got cold, Nettie," she said. "It was cold! Had to get up out of here."

But you know what? She wasn't as concerned about herself as she was for her friend. You see, her friend had just had major surgery. And I tell you, weathering a storm is a hard thing when you are suppose to be recovering.

Tayari had already been helping out and doing things, like taking food to her friend.  The friend's mother had come down to take care of her. Tayari was thinking of ways to help out.

The mother had left. And the storm had arrived. We had a long conversation about them making it up the road to a hotel. And about how they scored a room, and all they had to do. Her major thing was to make sure that her friend was alright. And safe. And able to rest in a warm place.

Tayari and I are alike. We will work hard to help folks, but sometimes we wish we had that extra help. I didn't know she thought about things like that.

"But when it was all said and done," she said, after we had talked about it all, "I went home and wrote about it in my gratitude journal. I was thankful I had the strength to do what I needed to do for us."

That made such a HUGE impact on me.

Why?

I hear more complaining than thanksgiving and gratefulness from people these days. It reminded me to be thankful in all things. It helped me to understand that even if I can't do much for my friends and loved ones, I can do something positive and helpful in the midst of any situation.

I have learned this from her over the years. Look, she has taken time to take me under her wing writing-wise... whether I am surly or receptive. LOL.

But it was an important conversation. When I hung up with her, and was satisfied that she was all good, I promised myself that I would crank out my old gratitude journal. I remember at one time purposing to write one sentence a day in there, but after a few weeks, I found myself writing a full page here and there about things I was thankful for that happened that very day.

And I realized great things happen everyday... even when we are conditioned to whine and complain.

There is always something to be thankful for.

Right now, my friend and blogger The Green-Eyed Bandit has formed a "Forever Grateful" page on Facebook, where people post what they are grateful for on a daily basis, where the theme is "As we get back to our daily routines, remember to make it a routine to be grateful for all things big and small."

We can find something in our lives for which to be thankful. And you know what I like? When I meditate on those things, it tends to drown out the negative. The negative loses its power. The negative isn't allowed to rent space in my brain. There is only room at the mental inn for the positive.

Gratitude must be practiced and constantly kept in mind.  Until it becomes a habit. Until it becomes routine.

So thanks, Tayari. Our conversations have a positive affect on me.  You continue to be a formidable asset to me in many ways. You reminded me of what was truly important.
More than you will ever know.

Monday, January 07, 2013

Happy Monday Afternoon Randoms

I meant to post this morning.

Uh... didn't work out that way. Oh well! How swell!

Happy Monday Afternoon!

All is well in the ATL. It is actually nice outside. It's been all rainy for the past two weeks. Ugh.

Well, it was nice out on Saturday and Sunday. An Oldgirl didn't leave the house, though.

I've been trying to get over this funky cold. I am no longer hacking and my lungs are not rattling. Thank goodness. It feels good to be able to breathe freely.

I attribute getting over the hump to my dandelion!


My coworker Lieutennant By has been giving the side-eye over this. He thinks I am eating flowers and the parts that you blow into the wind (You remember doing that as a kid?). Uh no. Just the leaves. I juice those up. I wish I would've had some when my cold first started. It is a very good natural expectorant. Get that mucus out quickly. Please and thank you.

They are awfully bitter. I try to eat them in salads, but the taste is too sharp. I rather just juice them. I have to temper it out with some pineapple or carrots. Even tried pears. That works out pretty well.

I spent the weekend doing chores and reading. Singlema texted me last week about a book she was reading titled Sugar Blues.


I ordered it on Thursday, and got it on Saturday.  As you can see, The Original Oldcat Oscar-Tyrone is NOT interested. Not in the least.

It is an old book, but it is a very good historical read concerning sugar and our societal addiction to it. Very good information, as I have seen or read a little here and there about sugar, and I am trying to cut a lot of the sugar and refined processed foods out of my diet. She did a good review of the book over on her blog. Go check it out!

I haven't completely given up meat, but I have cut it out some 95%. It sure has done wonders to help with my lupus. But the whole refined and processed foods, cutting that down? Man, that is a whole nother story. This book helped me realized that. I think I will do even better if I could bust the sugar and refined process foods intake waaaaaay down. Much better. 

And I lean in that direction anyway. People who know me well will tell you (as they are always telling me), that I am not particularly a sweets person.

I am also working on the cutting out the dairy, too. I don't eat a lot of dairy. I don't drink milk, as I prefer almond or rice milk. I have a gallon of blue bell vanilla icecream in my freezer that I bought for Christmas. That will last until March. That is how long it takes me to go through ice cream. But I don't think I will buy anymore after that. I have learned to make my own sorbets and cashew ice creams. I can buy that too, if I really want it. So I am looking to decrease all of that as the year moves along.

I am hoping for a productive work week. The last two weeks have been O_o. I have good days, and I have bad days.

The biggest thing is not to let the bad days weigh on my mind.

Today is a new day, and it is a good day. That is all.

And that's how I will look at it... on purpose.

Friday, January 04, 2013

First Friday Freestyles

First Friday of the New Year!

Everybody got their resolutions in full swing?

You better get on it, babes! We are 1.3% into the year. You better get started on going on that stuff.

LOL.

I myself am trying to kick the last vestiges of this hellacious cold. And work at the same time.

Trust me, it ain't cute. But I don't feel like using sick time. So negroes gonna just have to hear me hack, hack, hack away!

Humph.

Work is getting back to normal. More people are coming back from vacation, so the cubicle area is not as quiet. We haven't had much work to do, so that's a good thing. Right now, I'm finished for the day, as far as I'm concerned. So my deal now is probably to leave early.

Sigh. Shame on me!

I don't have much to say today! I just wanted to check in.

Oh, and guess who just had a birthday on January 1st?

My nephew! Milk and Cookies 3.0!

He is walking now! And as you can see, he is feeding himself!

Look at his wispy hair! Where is his doo-rag?

Sometimes he needs help from his big brother, Milk and Cookies Jr.

LOL.  Happy 1st birthday, Milk and Cookies 3.0. You are getting big!

The first weekend of the year is at hand. I don't know what I got going on. The goal is to get in the house and out of this cold air. And to continue to try to get back to 100%. Goodness!

This year has been a good one so far. I have had some AMAZINGLY good heart searching, heart wrenching conversations, starting from 2 days before years end. I think some of it fell on deaf ears, but somehow it was good for me, and some interesting changes I need to make. So that's what I am thinking of, and hoping for, for this year.

Good organic relationships and conversations.

They bring about growth. And that's a good thing.

Ya'll can have the resolutions.  An Oldgirl needs a revelation.

Have a great weekend... On purpose!

Wednesday, January 02, 2013

Cliff Avoided

So, we didn't fall off the cliff.


Just like I thought. I swear, these attention grabbing antics of Congress, man. I tell you, they do this everytime.

I must admit that I don't understand much of what is going on about this. So I know I must go do some reading. But, the can was kicked on down the road.

And I must admit that I was just watching it all to see how much money I would lose out of my paycheck. After watching them crunch the numbers, I almost wanted to send a certified letter to the IRS stating "Ya'll bustas just need to go head on and put me on a one year payment plan because ya'll done lost ya'lls cotton pickin' minds if ya'll think that I'm writing a tax check THAT big to you!"

LOL.

It's the truth. It was at that moment that I thought that now, if I'm thinking that, they REALLY about to have a ton of problems out of people. I can afford to pay my stuff. Some folks can't.

I already got my pay stub for Friday's paycheck. Already smaller. Yep, the 2% SSI increase has kicked in.

Hope the government does something good with it. They took enough out for me to pay a bill with. Humph.

But we avoided the cliff. And that's a good thing.  Or at least I hope it is.

Tuesday, January 01, 2013

Happy New Year!


STAR DATE: 2013

Feels strange saying that.

2013

I remember being young, and not even fully comprehending the year "2000".

And here it is, 2013.

I know one thing...

I am looking forward to a great year!

ON PURPOSE!

You have a great year, too!

ON PURPOSE!