It's My House, and I Live Here....

"It's my house, and I live here..."

You remember that song?

The Super Diva Diana Ross got down when she made that song right therrre!

I sing it sometimes when I'm walking around my house...

I bought a new home in the middle of the hood last year, and I've been living there for close to four months, so I thought I would do a series of posts about my experiences in the house, with my lovely neighbors, etcetera...

Just giving you a little look-see at the front porch...I didn't post the full picture of my house because you negroes may try to run up on a sista or something...

I, LadyLee, am a world famous oldgirl, and I like my privacy...

So if you try to pull up on a broad, I got a little sumthin' sumthin' for ya...

*Click-Click...LadyLee cocking the shotgun*

(That especially goes out to that 80's Love Child- Stacy D!)

People are quite suprised that I, LadyLee, being such a Tomboy and all, picked such a feminine peachy-pink color... But I love all things peach, especially peach scented candles, peachy bubble baths, peach incense, etc... Such things bring out the "Lady" in LadyLee...

The builders painted my front door black though, which pissed me off a bit, but it made sense, since they gave me dark screens. It matches quite nicely...

And my house was the BOMB for Halloween... Oh yeah, baby!!!

And I just love trees! I have a huge oak tree in the front yard, and my Mother discovered that I had a nice pecan tree in the back yard...

Yes, I adore trees.... ~sigh~

I forgot trees dropped leaves in the fall, though... I was paying the local crackheads, Mr. Snake and a dude name Bin Laden, to rake leaves. Problem was, damn leaves would fall all over again within a couple of days....

There were a few times I went outside on a fall morning after a windy night, and every leaf and acorn in Georgia would be on my front porch, in my driveway, and in my front yard....
I could've sworn some damn Gremlins were gathering every leaf in the neighborhood, and throwing them in my yard.... So as you can see from the picture, right now, I need to rake...

I'll do that when the leaves stop falling...

Yeah, that sounds like a plan...

So, uh, stay tuned for a few funny things that have been going on sense my move to the hood...

Ladylee :)

True Friendship

“Friends… how many of us have them.”
“Friends… ones we can depend on.”

The song “Friends” by Whodini was one of my favorite songs back in the early ‘80’s. (Gee, don’t you wish there were more rap songs like that one?)

I use to love that song when I was in high school. In high school, I had too many friends to count. I was always yacking on the phone at night and on the weekends with all of those friends. I walked the entire neighborhood on hot summer days with those friends. I hit the skating rinks, the mall, and the amusement park with those friends.

Everything way back then, in the ‘80’s, was about me and my friends.

When I was in high school, my favorite teacher would set aside a few minutes each week to talk to us about the things of life. We were his “smart” class, his physics class of ten students. I guess he thought we had a little potential, and the class was small so he could get away with presenting his opinions to us. I think we were just glad to get a moment to sit back and chill until the lunch bell rang.

Well anyway, one day he said something that really perplexed us all… As a matter of fact we laughed quite hard at him.

He said, “At any point during your lifetime, if you have 5 true friends, consider yourself very rich.”

We HOWLED when he said that. He just stood there stoned face and looked at us.

“Are you kidding?” one student asked. “I got a whole lot of friends!”

We all chimed in in agreement.

You see, back then we ALL had a TON of friends.

He said, “No, I mean true friends.” He went on to explain himself, but we blew him off. We thought he had gone stone cold mad that day…

But some 20 years later I understand what he meant. I think I began to even understand him 10 years later when I was only in my mid-twenties.

I don’t have many friends. Oh yeah, I have a ton of associates, or people I am loosely acquainted with, but I don’t consider them real friends. Heck, some folks, I wouldn’t trust them with the lint on my shirt.

And then, right now, I have a few friends who were long time friends, but I make a conscience effort to stay away from these days… Or we have the hardest time hooking up…


Over the years, I have observed the following about my true friends…

My true friends can take one look at me, or just hear something in my voice, and can immediately tell if something’s bothering me.

My true friends will listen, allow me to cry, and allow me to talk about whatever is bothering me, no matter how silly it may sound. They are never, ever judgemental. Afterwards, they always speak encouraging words, words of life to me, allowing me to get back on my feet, giving me courage to go and take care of the situation.

My true friends share in all my personal victories and accomplishments. They are never jealous, treating my accomplishments as if they were their own.

My true friends know me better than I know myself.

Now that’s true friendship.

I hope they can say the same about me. I hope I give to them just as much as they have given to me.

And you know what? I finally understand, after all these years, what my physics teacher meant about true friendship.

I wish I could find him and thank him for taking a few moments to impart some knowledge to the class that day…

Really, though...

Writing Progress- Chapter 24... "The Perfect Ending"

Dedicated to my bootleg editors Sunshine and Ol' Mean Ass Cynthia...

My homeboy, the Infamous Hen-Dog, called me early one weekday evening...

"Lee."
"What's up, boy?" I asked.
"Call Kim."
My face scrunched up. "For what?"
"I don't know, girl. It's probably something stupid. She just keep texting me, telling me to tell you to give her a call!"
"What for??" I asked, a bit exasperated and confused.
"Girl, shut up and write down the number. I'm tired of her bothering me!!"

He gave me her number. Now, I have no problem with Kim. Me and Kim are cool. She use to live down the street on the corner, next door to the Infamous Hen-Dog. It's just that Kim is a lesbian and her girlfriend "wifey" is a tatted down, gold teeth-ed (is that a word?), braided up buffed homegirl that look like she can break your neck if she gets just a tad bit angry...

...And I don't need nobody thinking that I'm trying to talk to their woman. Especially since I ain't gay... I don't want to catch a beat down from Kim's woman when I ain't even trying to holla like that! No way, no how. Yikes!!

Humph...

Well anyway, I flopped down on the sofa and called Kim...

"What's up Kim?"
"Ladylee," she yelled. "Is that you, girl?"
"Yeah... Hen said you wanted me to call you."
"I need my chapters."
"Your chapters of what?"
"The chapters I haven't gotten since I moved away. I needs my Sweet Heat chapters. I want to know what's gonna happen."
"Oh," I exclaimed, "the Sweet Heat Chapters! Yeah, let's hook up so I can get that to you!"

Kim has been one of the quickest and most useful critiquers. She will write out a couple of pages of notes and questions after she reads on why she hates one character, and why she likes another, trying to predict what's gonna happen, etc. I usually dropped chapters off in her mailbox, but the thing is, she moved a few miles away, and hasn't been able to catch up with me. So I left chapters 18-23 in my mailbox, and she picked them up.

I talked to her tonight... She read chapters 18-23, over one-hundred pages, in two days. She went on and on about parts of the chapters that pissed her off, things she liked... and there was even one part that made her just throw my manuscript down and just scream out in pure shock.

Her saying such things about my writing... Gosh darnit, it made me soooo giddy.....



I was so proud of myself to be able to draw out someone's emotions with my mere written words. ~sigh~

"Ladylee, if there were more men like Samuel in the world, I would have never turned gay!"

"Um... yeah," was all I could think to say.

"Turned gay". Alrighty then!

Anyway, that was just a funny little side story. Typical fare of what I get from my beloved few readers. But on to Chapter 24...

The usual scene at work...

I get to work, and Sunshine is standing there, eyeing me suspiciously, waiting to know if I did any writing the night before. Usually I just pull out my laptop and give it to her. Sunshine is impatient, and has taken to reading as I write. Detroit Meek-Meek, who does not have editor priviledges, snatches the laptop, too. My other bootleg editor, Ol' Mean Ass Cynthia, prefers to wait for the finished chapter.

My critiquers, especially my bootleg "work-for-free" editors, Sunshine and Ol' Mean Ass Cynthia, LOVED chapter 24. Most people, well everyone really, said that I could end the book right there...

I didn't really like chapter 24... I mean it was a'ight. Too Snow Whitish for me.

I like drama, suspense, somebody trying to tare up something...

The girly girls at work like that old Cinderella Snow White ish...

Ewww!!!

Chapter 24 was a Cinderella-ish chapter... Kevin, Vaughn's ex came back into the picture, and she confessed her love for Samuel to Kevin and told Kevin there was no chance of them getting back together. Kevin told her to keep the ring. Samuel happen to hear this whole conversation. The chapter ends with Vaughn and Samuel in her office, all hugged up at the end of the chapter. (Awwwwww... how sweet, so mushy.)

"You should end it right there, Ladylee," my critiquers wailed. "It's the perfect ending."

NO!

"The ending is perfect. Just start book 2, picking up where this story left off."

HELL NO!

That's boring!

I ain't ending it there... True enough, this is going to hit maybe right around 500 pages, so I will spend the rest of the year revising, or paring it down into 2 books... At any rate, there are about 10 short side stories that will come out of this book.

But, um...It's 'bout to heat waaaaaaaaay up, babes. Kevin's not going away THAT quick. No way...

More drama for your Mama, that's what I say...

I thought Sunshine was gonna bust out crying when I said that.

It's okay, hon... Didn't meant to make your sunny day all cloudy...You just keep on reading.

...and just make sure you hold on tight for the rollercoaster ride that's about to start!

Oscar Tyrone... A Lonely Kitty

Poor Oscar...

Poor Oscar-Tyrone...

My orange tabby Jeremy died back in November, and my eight-year old brown tomcat Oscar Tyrone has been a bit upset... and perplexed, every since. He sometimes walks around at night, wailing terribly.

When I get home from work in the evenings, he's always waiting there at the door expectantly, as if to say...

"Hey Ladylee, hope you had a great day! Do you have a special friend for me in your backpack?"

He requires a lot more attention these days, and I have had to force myself to pick him up and spend at least ten minutes a day petting and talking to him...

As I said earlier, I've had Oscar for eight years. Way back in 1997 the day after Christmas, my ex-husband, who was my boyfriend at the time, came home around two in the morning after just getting off from his night job... He turned on the bedroom light.

"Lee," he whispered.
"Um, can you turn off that light, please?" I answered.
"I just had to do it."
"Had to do what?"
"I had to do it."
"I'm not sure what you had to do, but you need to turn off that light," I said.
"I just had to get that kitten I was telling you about," he said.
I sat straight up in the bed. He'd been talking about a kitten for the past two weeks. I believe it belonged to a friend of his who was about to move out of state. "Old Boy, I told you not to bring that damn cat home. You know Jeremy is crazy, and he's gonna lose his mind." We'd discussed the extra cat issue, and it was out of the question.
"But I couldn't help it."
"Where is the damn cat?"
"Out in the car."
I put on some clothes and went out to his Honda and spent a couple of minutes looking for the kitty. I finally saw him, a little brown furry mass almost swallowed up by a white Hartz Flea and Tick collar, sitting up in the back window, looking at me like I was crazy.
I grabbed him and took him in the house.
"Baby, are you mad?" Oldboy asked.
"Nope, but Jeremy is gonna be, um, quite pissed." Jeremy was off somewhere asleep or brooding.
"What's his name?" I asked.
"Oscar."
"Oh, I know you gonna change that shit."
"Why?" Oldboy asked. "I kind of like that name."
"Sounds too white," I said.
"Well I ain't changing his name."
Erykah Badu's Tyrone had just come out. "Well, his middle name will be Tyrone."
Oldboy reluctantly agreed to the middle name.

When we divorced, Oldboy balked at the idea of taking his cat with him. "We can't break up the cats!" he wailed when I asked him if he wanted his cat. That sounded a bit silly. Shoot, we were breaking up.

So I have custody of Oscar-Tyrone.

I've been looking at kittens here and there, but I think I will wait until spring to get a new one.

Until then, I'll just have to hear poor Oscar Tyrone's late night wailings.

Don't worry, little boy... you'll have a friend soon!

No New Years Resolutions here...

If you’re looking for New Years Resolutions…

You won’t find them here.

I don’t know who came up with the idea of New Year’s Resolutions, and I have never known anyone personally who has made such resolutions and kept them ALL. Maybe one or two, but now, ALL.

What I hear more of is “Oh, I made some New Year’s Resolutions, but I messed up right around early February.”

So I choose not to make resolutions.

Instead I set a few small goals for myself. I think of them as things I strive for...They may look like resolutions, but they are not. They are things which I can hopefully attain, and then overshoot if need be…

Some are short-term goals, lasting only for a few months, whereas others are long term and ongoing, lasting years or the rest of my life. I’ve only listed a few, but I have a little over 20, some of which I chose not to post. These are the major ones, though.

So here are my list of goals for 2006…

Read my Bible and Pray for at least 20 minutes a day. I’m sure that I can spare twenty minutes of my precious day to spend a little time reading and praying. Some may think that’s a little sparse, but of course, I’m free to overshoot that time, which I usually do. Sometimes, I look up from getting caught up in reading something interesting and an hour has past. Just remember a mere 20 minutes a day adds up to a little over 2 hours per week, 10 hours per month, and over 120 hours per year…. Time adds up.



Stop putting my job first. What I mean by that is stop being so concerned about it. It is a place where I trade my time and skills for money and I need to just leave it at that. My place of employment has pretty much become a pretty bad soap opera or terrible B-movie. Tired of watching, and of reluctantly being caught up in, such a bad environment with such crazy negativity.

Last year, I made a few changes, like not slaving away for 10 hours a day, or taking time off and going to a Church function that took place during the workday.

This year, I’m not going to worry about being behind in my work or scrambling to catch up. That has been a personal problem for me for the past three months. I am simply sincerely going to try and do my very best, and don't beat myself up about certain things… That in itself is the ultimate goal. As long as I’m being sincere and work hard, well, that’s going to have to do for now.

I haven’t had a soda or carbonated beverage since September of 2004, and I think that I’ll just keep that up. My lil’ sister drinks Coke like it’s water, and it doesn’t bother me one bit to just push those big 2 liter bottles to the side and grab a bottle of water. So I decided that this will be something that's ongoing with me.

I will work on my manuscript at least one hour per day, 4 out of 5 weekdays, and one and a half hours per day on the weekend. When I am consistent with this, I get A LOT done, sometimes over 600 words per day. I’m currently working on Chapter 25 of my manuscript, and I should be finish by late March if I stick to the writing schedule. (My two bootleg “work-for-free” editors are going to have a field day when they read this!! I can feel the harassment kick up a notch already!)

I just bought a new house back in October 2005, and my goal is to have it fully decorated just the way I like it by December 31, 2006. That’s kind of hard for a tomboy like me who HATES to shop or decorate. (Yikes!) My best friend, Lady Tee, is a consummate shopaholic, and carries my bathroom tiles around with her, and she alerts me to deals, etc… so it gets me a tad bit excited to see her so excited about helping me. But my goal is to get a few items per pay period. I started off this weekend by buying a huge plant for my mantelpiece. I’m sure over a year’s time, I will definitely make a lot of progress!

I haven’t had a drink (liquor) in five years. I think that I’ll continue that this year. (Hey, that’s a goal I’m sure to accomplish!)

I will fast one day per week for the rest of the year. This is a goal that I tried last year. Wednesday was my weekly fast day. I did well for 6 months. I fell off the boat (I know what to avoid now :). I’m going to try for a little longer than that this time.

I’m going vegetarian for the month of January. I’m moreso doing this in support of my sister, who is going vegetarian for 2 months. (I might continue with her if I’m not going crazy by the beginning of February). We’re at day 6 right now, and I feel… okay. LOL. I told her I’ll give her $25 each time I messed up (you should have seen the $$ in her eyes). But one of my dreams is to go completely vegetarian… Now that’s a big step!!

Read 40 books this year. That is down from my usual 50 books a year. I just have more on my plate these days. At least 20% of those books have to be spiritual. I had to bring my reading frenzy down a notch.

Increase my giving. I’ve been doing this for the past five years, and this is a goal I’ve always been able to meet. When I say increase my giving, I mean give more of my time and resources to Church and various worthy causes. I joined a book club last year that is very active in the city of Atlanta when it comes to charitable causes.

A lot of these goals are ongoing...

Hopefully, they'll bring changes for the best in me!

Jacks, Part III

Sharon (Ms. Just Write Now!) posted in my New Years Day comment section that she found some metal jacks out in her neck of the woods. (Yo Sharon, where you at, girl??... St Louis, right?)

She wanted to send them to me...

Never mind, girl ('preciate it, though.. good lookin' out!)...

We found some right here in the ATL, way out in the Cobb County suburbs.

Aren't they lovely???

My co-worker, Detroit Meek-Meek, found them way out where she lives.

I was pleased as punch!!!

But you know what was even more lovely????

Ahhhhhhh yeahhhhhh, baby...

I'm shakin' and scratchin' like a crackhead!!!!

I asked her, when she brought in that first pack, "Um... Meek, Meek, um, did they, like, have anymore besides this, um, one pack you brought in??

"Yeah, girl!"

I pulled a ten dollar bill out of my pocket. "Go back and GET THEM ALL!!"

"Alright!" she yelled.

She came back with a lovely bag of metal jacks...

Now, every once in a blue moon, the WHOLE shady supervision staff goes to some off-site meeting..

Next time they go away on their so-called special training...

There's gonna be a straight up Jacks Renegade in this joint...

Really, though!

I. CANNOT. WAIT.

**HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SERENITY 23**

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SERENITY!!!

Yeah, I jacked your picture from your blog...

Yeah, I did it!

What? What? Say somethin'!

*Ladylee standing back doing the Celie Color Purple two-finger point at Serenity 23*

LOL!

*Ladylee trying to duck out of the way but still catching Serenity 23's high heel, strappy "Shoe of the Week" right up side the head*

*Ladylee getting up off the floor*

Happy Birthday, Whoadie!!!

First of all, let's discuss this "shoe of the week" thing you got going on on your blog... Those strappy heels are not for a tomboy like me. Nope. I can't rock those with a pair of sweats... I can't wear those strappy things out in the rain!!!

Now here's a REAL "Shoe of the Week"

As they say in your home state, especially in New Orleans... "For True??"

Yes indeed!!!

Now see here, Serenity... That shoe, that shoe right therrre is a REAL "Shoe of the Week".

No you can't rock that with a dress, but hey, they are comfortable, and you can definitely do a mean crossover and slam dunk in them!! LOL :)

Second of all, your song is playing...

For some reason, me, you, and your girls riding shotgun (DJ Diva and Ladybug) get off on Juvie's "Ha"!!! I think we are all a bit mental. That song is a bit... strange...

"You a paper chaser/You got your block on fire /Remaining a g until the moment you expire/You know what it is to make nothing out of something/You handle you biz and don't be cryin and suffering."

Oh, that might not be too bad... We can pull a couple of life lessons out of that. That's probably why we like that song, ha?

And Finally...

I am down for your blog, man! I wish I was as good a writer as you!!! Ain't NOTHING like The Sundown Gospel of Serenity, Chapter 23! I've learned so much about you, so much about myself through those words you write... You've gotten me to think about some things, examine myself, and make a few changes in my life. Your posts are always so on point, so timely... Thanks for encouraging me to "Cut the bullshit" and for getting me to post some substantial ish!!

If I had a million dollars, I'd give it to you, girl. (Well not really, but I would break you off a chunk of change!)

But you already got my gift of words ("C" parts I & II). Hope my written words could mean to you a fraction of what your written words have meant to me!!!!!!!!!!!

Have a Happy, Happy, Happy, HAPPY 28th birthday!!

From that ticking timebomb....

THE ORIGINAL OLDGIRL... LADYLEE :)

Out with the Old, In with the New!

I'm all giddy about what the year 2006 will bring...

Aren't you??

***HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!***