Monday Night Ramblings

Yes.

I am STILL on a quest to post every day! Every single day for 31 days.

Even though right now, I'm feeling like this:

I feel like he looks right now. It's how it is when I'm up all hours of the night on the weekend, and then I try to adjust. Not a good look..

Today was a good day. Quiet and slow... but good overall.

Something made me laugh today. Out loud.

I have a couple of glass bottles for my juice.


That's tomato juice. It is a bit pinkish. I always expect it to look like V8 juice, but it doesn't. Humph.

Anyway, I like my juice stored in glass rather than plastic. Tastes better, you see.

I was telling Lady Lifetime about this. "I need more glass bottles. I know where I may be able to get some. Up at a bootleg Sams up the street from me, where the ice cream man and restaurants get all their stuff. But I don't wanna buy a case of glass bottles, when I only need 4 or 5."

"Well," she said, her eyebrows raised. "I know what you can do."

I listened closely for her answer.

"Digging in trash cans, girl. Dumpster diving."

Okay. It took a second to hit me. I was thinking, uh... where's the punchline here.

She was serious.

Man, I laughed hard.

I DON'T NEED GLASS BOTTLES THAT BAD.

I always have a fear of being caught in some mess by someone, most notably LadyTee. That girl can jone like no other. She would never let me live that down. Wow!!

I can remember that that is how my mother got her boxes: driving back behind the grocery store and looking around the dumpster. Ugh. Didn't care for that at all.

Nope. No dumpster diving for me, man. I will just buy the occasional glass bottle of juice, drink it, and keep the bottle for my own fresh juices.

That sounds like a winner on this here Monday night.

Yep.

That's it. Short ramble, even for me.

Have a good week... on purpose!

9-1-1

So...

Last night I went to church. In by 7 out by 8.

And I was driving homes afterwards, thinking about the message I heard...

And I was a little annoyed because I drove Pam, and Pam is a 4 cylinder.  It feels like I have to push the accelerator just a little bit harder than I do with Lucy, who is a V-6.

Humph.

Anyway, I got off the freeway one exit earlier, as there was a Braves game going on at that time. I live a stone's throw from the ball field and my usual exit may have been blocked and/or congested, and I really didn't want to have to deal with all that.

So I got off at an earlier exit and turned into my neighborhood on a street that is usually a bit busy. People are always walking. There may be a prostitute or two out there. And the street is thin, and I don't really care to do all that navigating.

Last night when I turned the corner, there were at least 100 people out there.

They were mostly young people. And they were running towards something.

You know me. all nosy. I was trying to look and see in the darkness, while at the same time trying to not hit people.

Two young girls, I guess around the age of 12 or so, were fighting in a yard.

Hmm... Not sure what that was all about.

I guess the right thing to do would've been to jump out the car and stop it.

No. That's out of the movies. No way was I jumping out of my car to stop anything. I turned on a side street, since I couldn't get through the crowd, and I drove on home.

Now, there was some type of big party going on... there was one of those big colorful air jumping thingys where kids can take their shoes off and jump around.

(I don't have kids. I don't know what that's called. But I could see it from my house, and they had been in there all day, jumping and hollering.)

So I guess there was a family gathering of some sort. Looked family reunionish.

So I parked my car in the back of my driveway and got my things out the car.

Then I heard 3 gunshots.

"Whooa," I said out loud. "Tis time to go in the house."

But I called 911.  They needed to come break all this up, and see who and if anyone got shot. At least send a cruiser through. I didn't want to hear anymore gunshots...

I dialed 911. My phone had a picture of a BRIGHT red siren on it, which lit up my whole area.

And then I was put on hold.

What the????? O_o

Man, I could've been getting my head bashed in, and I had to hear a recording... one telling me NOT to hang up and my call would be answered in the order received.

911 was acting like I was calling a utility company trying to get my bill balance.

What the world???

Anyway, after a couple of minutes, an operator answered.

"Hey," I said. "I was driving on Harvey street over here and there were some folks fighting. Then I heard 3 gunshots. I suggest ya'll send a cruiser over there to see what is up. Not sure if somebody got shot or if someone was shooting in the air to break up the crowd, buy ya'll need to figure that out."

She said okay. And that was it.

Not sure if they sent anyone. I went in the house and went to bed.

I live in a inner city neighborhood. In the 6.5 years I've been here, there have been 3 murders on that particular street, which is a cross street with my own street. So everytime I hear gunshots it's like O_O.

The last time, Tiny came to get me, and we walked down there. By the time I got down there, the body was gone. It was interesting to talk to some of the prostitutes. They are... very interesting people.

The neighborhood has been quiet over the last year. I walked outside tonight to get something out the car, and you can hear a pin drop. Not sure what's up with that.

But like I said, I don't know what became of that 911 call. I did NOT roll back down the road to see if the crowd had indeed broken up. And there was nothing on the news about it.

But it reminds me of LadyTee's detailed instructions when calling 911. Her little cousin's best friend's Daddy and his friends would get drunk and get to fighting in the parking lot of her apartment complex.

LadyTee doesn't like tomfoolery. So she makes a call.

"Never call 911," she said. "Get the direct number to the precinct. Call them."

"Then act and sound like a really old white woman."

"These nigras, uh, I mean, these black people!" she said in and old shaky voice with a thick southern drawl. "They out here fightin'! They fightin', I tell ya!"

"And I can't find my medicine! And they fightin'! Oh lawd, where is my medicine?"

I laugh at her everytime she does this.

"Then just hang up the phone. Don't say nothing else. Just hang up.  Every policeman in the world comes screeching around the corner in a couple of minutes."

"I bet they do," I said.

"Bet Shaheed's Daddy and his folks won't be out there fighting no more after that. I called everytime they got crunk outside. Shut it all down quick."

"I bet they won't," I repeated.

One time, she had a problem with someone outside her house, bouncing a ball out in the street at 2 in the morning. She couldn't sleep. She made her special call.

"Bet they won't be bouncing that ball at 2 in the morning no more."

"You wrong for that, Tee."

"They wrong for bouncing that ball at 2 in the morning."

LOL.

I made my call. Not to the precinct. Maybe I need to get that number.  Anyway, all was quiet in the hood an hour later. I suppose the crowd dispersed afterall.

The good operators at 911 are doing their best, I'm sure of that. And it always saddens me when they play the 911 calls on the news when something serious happens. It is good to have those recordings. But it's a reminder that all things are recorded. Luckily I didn't have to hear my own voice on a call on the news that night.

But that was my bit of of drama downtown on a hot Saturday night. I'm glad I don't have to call them on a regular basis.

Glad of that indeed.

Jealousy

I was thinking about a definition of jealousy that I heard a few months ago...

Jealousy is you counting other people's blessings and neglecting to take the time to count your own.

Hmmm...

That brings a lot of interesting thoughts to mind.

Many interpolations there indeed.

I will post my thoughts on that sometime next week.

For now I will leave you to ponder...

Friday Night Ramblings

I'm not sure why I wait so doggone late to post.

Easier to post before bed.

I don't have the mind to put anything useful together right now. So I will ramble.

1. What I'm doing right now: I am laying across the bed. The ceiling fan is going and it's not helping. I am wondering if I need to go turn on the air conditioner. It is amazing that just earlier this week, I had to turn on the furnace because I was SO cold. This weather is so... ugh.

2. What Oscar-Tyrone the cat is doing right now. He is stretched out at the bottom of the bed. He appears to be sleeping, but his tail is flicking something awful. He must be dreaming hard about something.

3. What I'm watching right now: CSI: NY.  I love any show where some mess go down in the beginning, and the rest of the show involves figuring out what happen.  I love that!

4. What I'm about to do: Watch Beaches if Play Mama can get it together over there in Alabama. She's never seen it before. That's one of my favorite movies. What a tear jerker. I will watch with her on my kindle... if she can get it together and figure out how to work her DVD player. SMH. Come on, man. Before I get sleepy!

5. I have to go get groceries tomorrow. I am low on veggies. I don't want to have to eat Oscar's food. Bleh.

6. Today was Payday. I like Payday. Even though my bills are set to automatic. No fun in that. I would really like to ball 'til I fall.

7. Best thing I heard all week: "We have to pray, so we don't become prey!"  (thanks, Dee)

8. Books I'm reading right now: Idiots Guide to Plant Based Nutrition and Immediate Fiction.  Gotta eat right and I gotta write right, man.

9. I hate being lied to. Man, I just don't like that. Tell the truth. It's much easier. Humph.

10. Juice for the day: lettuce-beet-carrot-spinnach-apple. That's called throw whatever is in the fridge into the juicer type of juice.

11. Plans for the weekend: Clean up. Clean out the fridge. Wash clothes. Chores, chores, chores...

12. Song of the week:



That song can be applied to anything you like to do in life... and the people who hate on you for doing it.

13.  I did great this week. There were some ups and some downs, and that is okay.

Next week, I will do better... on purpose.

"Holy Thursday" by David Axelrod

Advice... Part II

Continued from Advice...Part I


After all the craziness of Kentucky's senior year of high school...

And after much advice dished out by yours truly...

I sat Kentucky down and gave her one final piece of advice before her folks drove her down to college.


"This is going to be a very interesting year for you," I said. "This is a year when you will really get to know yourself. It is a time when no one is around to tell you what to do, when to study, or what decision to make. And this will be a year that you see your true self."

That advice is sage enough. And I imagine, it's the most common piece of advice given to a student going off to college for the first time.

But I took it a step further.

"At the end of the year, and better yet, at the end of each semester, take some time to your self to critically think about the time that has past. Learn to get real honest with yourself. Think about the good, the bad and the ugly that has gone on. Think about what has uplifted you and what has hurt you. Assess your successes and mistakes. Just spend some time being mindful of the year. Because it's a time when you will see your true self.

And sometimes our true self may be someone that we don't like.

And that's okay. At least you were honest with yourself... And you can then take the time to make the proper adjustments."

"Okay," she said, in her usual quiet tone.

I wished her well, and told her we would talk when she got settled in. I always checked in on her, and she checked in with me.

I pretty much forgot about the advice. She was getting along well.

But I remember us talking at the end of the year.

"Lisa, you were right about what you said," she said. "That was some year, and I learned so much about myself."

And we talked about it. I was amazed at how much she had thought about things, and the things she needed to improve. She didn't have to share her thoughts with me, but I was honored that she did.

And that she took my advice to heart.

You see, I didn't go away to college after high school. I was only 16 years old, so Mother said I was too young to go off to school. Even though I was accepted to a couple of colleges in state in Georgia where I would've had to live in a dorm, I didn't go.

We simply didn't have the funds, and I knew that.

For me to take a full load for a quarter of school at my alma mater some 26 years ago in 1986 was $483 dollars.

Affordable.

And maybe one of the best things my mother did for me. I was too young to go off to school.

BUT I moved away at 21 for graduate school. It was at the ivy league school some 30 miles across town, but THAT is when I really really got to know myself... the good, the bad and the ugly.

And that's from whence I derived the advice I gave Kentucky.

Those first years away are troubling at times... especially when you're trying to find your footing emotionally and mentally. Very trying times. There are many good times, but sometimes those bad times seem to drown things out... cloud your mind in crazy ways.

I was trying to get Kentucky to take the necessary action to clear out those clouds...

So she can get a good view of the sun that's always there.

But it takes good hard honest work... necessary work.

And you know, some 12 or 13 years later, she STILL talks about that advice I gave her... in incredible detail.

And she spends that critical time assessing, honing and pruning what needs reshapened and taken care of...

And of course celebrating her victories and triumphs.

Interestingly enough, her friends criticize her about these things.

"Kentucky, you're always trying to gain perspective on your situations. You always thinking about stuff."

I get on a soapbox whenever she tells me this, which is often... all these years.

"Why you trying to discuss thangs with them chickens, man!?"

That always leads to...

"And you see what happens when you don't think. Look at your friends. And that's what happens."

That is always followed by "Don't discuss your uncommon dreams with common people! If you gotta get in here and talk to Oscar-Tyrone, then do that. He won't sit up here and put you down or call you crazy!"

He'll look at you like you crazy...

But the cat won't talk back!

LOL.

I am just amazed that she uses that advice... and has held on to that way of thinking for dear life.

So dear Chele? These last 2 posts were for you. Don't worry too much about your baby going off to school. yes we were silly ourselves back then, and yes... she has to grow. But be confident what you have instilled in her will go a long way.

A very long way.

All of young people need good advice form those who have been through it all... and still going through it...

And still yet learning from it all.

Thanks for your poignant post, Chele. It had me remembering the days of old when I had to give my sister some wise advice... and had me hoping that all we instilled in her would carry her through.

Advice...Part I

*warning: Rated PG for use of cuss words*

For Chele...

I was reading a post by one of my favorite bloggers, that Oldgirl Chele the other day
. 
Her youngest child The Princess is going off to college in the fall.

Sigh. She has been hit with the realization that her baby is going off to school.
I feel for her.

I don't have children.

However, my best friend since age 10, LadyTee, is always QUICK to holler "Yes you do! That doggone Kentucky and that Kari (Milk and Cookies)! Those are your kids!
Oh be quiet, LadyTee. Goodness gracious, Lawd knows that girl goes on and on about such.

But while reading Chele's post, I reminesced on my own travails in getting Kentucky ready for college some 13 years ago.

I know I was living in New Orleans at the time. And I had to do much for her during her senior year through my friends and through the mail. So LadyTee took care of all her prom type stuff. And CowgirlCre's hubby Timmy Tim went and made sure she made it back and forth to any of her special programs.

Kentucky's Daddy and StepMama were some trifling negroes, uh, I mean, special people. Her stepmother was the type who figured Kentucky was not her child, so.....

You get the picture.

The first piece of advice to her during the time she fell out with our Mama and went to live with her father was:

"Look... Ruby is not your Mama. All Ruby have to do is allow you to live in her house. That is all. Don't expect nothing more. It is what it is."

And that is how Ruby treated the situation. Kentucky was a stepchild. Better be glad you got a place to sleep. That is all.

That was one piece of advice gave her.

Her stepmother was stuck up. I didn't like her at all. And she was always calling me by my "Dr." title. That was something special to her, you see. Meant I was important in her eyes I suppose. (This is probably why I don't use my title much).  I wanted to holler "I'm Lisa, woman! Geesh! Cut this out!"

Another piece of advice was given concerning her father and stepmother again.

Her father was one of those wanna be black panther jokers. I remember the Klan marching through College Park when I was a child, and he and his friends put on their dashikis and went down there and threw rocks and protested. He didn't like those "Blue eyed White devils."

This confused me as a child because I had white friends at school.

I didn't like him much anyway.

But anyway, Timmy-Tim, who would swing by and pick up Kentucky and make sure she got to various education functions on the weekends (they wouldn't take her themselves, you see). So seeing that I was in another state, Timmy Tim had promised me that he would get her to wherever she needed to be. And he did a good job at that.

Kentucky could go stay the night with him and CowgirlCre and it wasn't a problem. I knew he would look after her, made sure she ate, etc.

The problem was that Timmy-Tim was white.

O_O

Kentucky's father didn't like this. "How dare you go anywhere with that white devil! I see the way that devil looking at you! You with him?" he yelled for her.

Hmmm...

When I got wind of that from a distraught Kentucky... I gave more interesting advice.

"Don't say nothing else to your daddy. When I get back to Atlanta, I got something for his azz!"

I was PISSED, man. PISSED.

I came back to Atlanta, took her Daddy outside, and went off on him. I gave him some extra special advice.

"This man drive damn near an hour to come get her, and take her where she need to go because you won't take her. How dare you disrespect him like that to Kentuckhy. He is ME in my absence, while I'm working in New Orleans. That is my brother, and you will act like you got some damn sense in your head..."

I am a quiet oldgirl. Not that day. Cussed him up and down. He was quiet.

Uh... let's just say, when he saw Timmy-Tim at her graduation, he was running up to him shaking his hand, being all friendly.

Yeah. You better learn how to act. Please and thank you sir.

THEN, Kentucky called me, saying her stepmother wants to speak to me.

*LadyLee rolling eyes hard, as LadyLee don't like Kentucky's stepmother AT ALL*

This woman got on the phone and said "Your sister is going off to school, and you should be doing some things for her."
I let her go on and on...

Because I was letting her say whatever she needed to say... I needed her to get it all out, you see...

Before I open my Good Book of Cuss...

Say what you got to say, babes.

I let her finished, and I gave her a piece of advice...

"Look here, let me tell you something. Don't you worry about me and my sister. Me and my sister is none of your damn business..."

I said what I had to say, sprinkled  LIBERALLY with many cuss words...

One of those moments in life where you... black out.  Yeah, one of those moments.

"Now... put Kentucky back on the phone."

Kentucky said "Yes?"

"That broad better not EVER dial my number again, you hear me?" I told Kentucky... rather loudly. "NEVER! Because if she think I'm crazy now, she ain't seen crazy yet. I got some crazy for that ass. Don't let this happen again!"

"Okay," Kentucky murmured.

You see, here was my thing. I was sending  Kentucky $100 s month allowance during her senior year in highschool (cash hidden in an envelope), plus whatever extra she needed. (Do NOT beg these trifling folks for help with extra stuff,

I always said. Call me instead).

We had agreed for this to continue. PLUS we found out there was a Penneys in the southern Georgia town where her college was located. So, I put her on my Penney's account. I knew she was a buisness major, so if she needed clothes for special events, or whatever else she could get from Penneys, she could use her card, and I would pay the credit card bills.
The whole catch was for her to keep tight lipped about it. This was me and her. Her folks were rachet.

Kentucky can't hold a drop of water in a swimming pool, but you best believe we kept that under the table. After her stepmama called me, we had no more problems with that.

I guess Kentucky didn't like me cussing folks out. I don't like to cuss my elders, but sometimes it's all about principle. Folks in their 40s should not be doing stupid stuff. I was late 20s at the time. That was my problem with them. I can't stand folks who are selfish when it comes to their children. Children should come first. They don't ask to be here.

(I was young and hardheaded then. Still in my dark 20s.I don't cuss folks out anymore.  I will go pray about things now... and brood. No cussing people out).

But with all that tomfoolery and good advice given, I sat Kenyanee down before she went off to college.

I gave her some advice before going off to school...

She is 30 years old now...

And some 13 years later... she still clings to this advice...

All these years later...

Really shocks me how keenly she still follows this advice... to this very day.

This is what I told her...

To be continued.

Presenting Your Republican Nominee for President

There you have it...



Your Republican nominee for president... Mitt Romney.

*ladylee stops watching CNN, MSNBC, and FOX news commentary suddenly*

I'm really not fond of this guy. The republicans are not particularly fond of him either.

I've said it before, and I'm trying to tell you... if he is on stage and his arm falls off and there are a bunch of wires dangling around, it wouldn't surprise me at all.

He doesn't seem the least bit real. I can't relate to him at all.

Although there was much attention thrown his way when a political analyst said his wife had never worked a day in her life.

Now listening to that comment, I knew what the comment meant: that this woman had never worked a day in her life outside the home.

No she hasn't.

My first thought was, uh, isn't she Mormon? I've only known one Mormon, and his wife didn't work. I wanted to sit down and talk to him about his faith, but decided against it. I wasn't as bold as I am now some 20 years ago.

Then my second thought was... Uh, aren't you all, like, filthy rich? Did you have a staff of nannies and nurses to help you?

We'll never know the answer to that. These are some tight lipped private people...

And at the same time, maintaining privacy and running for president... uh, I'm not sure that's a good combination. Folks are apt to think all kinds of things.

His wife did say something in an interview when asked about this. Something to the affect that she never had to worry about financial security.

Bingo.Some of the mothers whose opinion I asked about this were saying she had the finances and staff.

But does that discount that she wasn't a great mother to her children?

No. She was a mother and raised five children.

I'm not sure she should be trying to relate to a mother who is sitting down robbing Peter to pay Paul, and trying to find the money to feed and clothe her children. She could relate to a mother who is raising kids and at the same time fighting serious illness.

Better work that angle. And work it hard.

We all have our stories. Single mother, a mother who can stay at home... there are so many different types of mothers. All have their own assignment to raise their kids. Some have done it with limitless finances, tight finances, a husband in the home, no husband in the home.

They are still mothers. From any and every walk of life, with their own specific stories. And that is how I will look at.

So as we drag through this campaign season, we have to deal with the Romneys struggling to relate to common everyday people, who don't happen to be members of the elite 1%.

It's the reason I loathe the campaign season... It's just people saying what they think you want to hear to get your vote... I can't stand the whole pimp game.

I already know who I'm voting for.

I'm just glad that in 7 months, this game, uh, I mean this campaign, will all be over.

Sunday Commentary

I have no idea what to post today.
Someone suggested "hey" and "by".

Uh, nope.

I went to church on Saturday and Sunday evening. This is interesting because it starts at 7 pm. Someone sangs a good short song, whoever is preaching says a prayer, and then they have about 50 minutes to preach. Say a prayer at the end, and we are GHOST at 7:59 pm.

No talking much about offering. Give as you leave. GOOD-BYE.

LOL. Fine by me. I live 15 miles away. I am at home chilling by 8:25. That's the business.

I like this saturated way of doing things. This went on some 8 years ago for 30 days and I got a lot out of it. I have a TON of notes.  So I think I will post a few things that were said from the Saturday service that I found interesting.

From a sermon entitled "How Green is Your Garden"

Wisdom is the ability to skillfully apply what you know.

A garden is a patch of dirt that you pay particular attention to. Your heart is like a garden.
Your garden (your heart) is going to produce what you plant in it or it will produce whatever the wind blows its way (weeds and briars). So you better be paying attention to it. Something is always going on in your garden.

[That made me think of my favorite scripture, Proverbs 4:23- Guard your heart with all diligence for out of it flows the issues of life].

The activity you are graced to do in this life will produce peace in your life.

A negative outcome in a situation does not give you the excuse to cuss people out. You cannot walk back across the bridges you burn.

Faith is the sum total of your behavior from the point of having a thought/desire in your mind about something to seeing that thing desired manifested in your life.

Interesting stuff. 

Not bad for one hour on a Saturday night.

Saturday Night Special: Saturday Seven... Thoughts:

I said I would post everyday. And that I will...

Seven things I'm thinking about on this Saturday night...

1. I have been in a funk all week. I think it's the weather, as it's been overcast all week.

2. I stayed in the bed until 5 pm today. Wait, no I didn't. I actually got up to hit the bathroom whenever necessary, and to make some juice, as I had NO appetite today. I had lettuce-apple-parsely juice for breakfast and tomato-carrot juice around 3. Nothing for dinner.

Somehow I think I'm going to wake up in the middle of the night, jump in the car and go a searching for a bowl of chitlins. Sigh.

3. I went to church tonight. In and out in an hour flat. I got a couple of good pages of notes. Most important thing I heard. Most interesting thing I wrote down:

"Wisdom is the ability to skillfully apply what you know."

I realize I know much, but I need to be consistent with the application of the knowledge. Go figure.

Me and my consistency problems.

4. I washed and folded 3 loads of clothes today. And I washed dishes. So maybe I did get out of the bed today for more than bathroom breaks and freshly juiced juice.

5. I had an hour long conversation with my sister Kentucky this morning. She wanted to know how to sautee kale. I broke down my usual version (even though I've been juicing it lately... hope I told her right). She's working hard on eating right, and getting lined up with the church fast.  I'm happy for her. Her big sister LadyLee is sitting over here going rogue.

6. There has been an interesting highlight of my so-so week. One of our security guards read my story Watch and he talked my ear off about it. I've never seen someone's eyes light up like that. I think I would've been late for work if CowgirlCre wasn't coming in at the same time and uh, highly suggested that I walk away.

We discussed the story in detail later on.

He said, "Man oh man, I am so glad and so honored to have met someone like you."

No, it wasn't a pick up line. But I've heard that before. And it shocks me. Because i'm just your friendly neighborhood Oldgirl, LadyLee. And I've heard it in the vein of me being such an incredibly unique individual. It is rare to meet someone with such a mind and heart and accomplishment level such as mine. And then I go off in some other direction and craft up stories... hmmm...

I feel that way about a few folks in my life. They are like points of light that waft through the darkness... and I'm increased and enlightened by them passing along my path, if only for a moment.
That just all made me think of that... and be thankful for that.

7. This song has been on my mind lately...



Here's the link to the video on youtube if you can't see it.

That doggone Pandora. Sitting in lab, crunching data, minding my own business, and this song made me pause.

Usually when this happens I'm thinking... hmm, that would add the layer I need to a particular story. But that's not really the case here.  Why?  Because I think this has been every woman's story at some time in her life. Not sure why, but it is so...

"Why does my body ignore what my mind says... I try to keep it intact but I'm up in this bed."

Hmm... You may be all perfect. But I ain't. And I'm not afraid to admit to it.

Been THERE. Done THAT. Numerous times.

It reminds me of a bit of advice I gave to my sister Kentucky at one time, and to a couple of other young ladies caught up off in some ratchetness with a man...

We all go through mess. But there is a time when you find that you get brutally honest with yourself and admit to yourself that you are caught up in some mess.... then, and only then (after you get over the embarrasment of what you going through with that fool... or maybe you're the fool in the situation) can you start the process of separating yourself from that which is not good for you and going on with your life.

That latter part is what's critical...

Getting your heart and mind back together... and getting YOU back...

And moving on.

That's what's critical..

We still talk about that. It's amazing how she remembers and holds on to advice I give her.  Getting my thoughts and opinion on anything is like pulling teeth and she has that knack of staying in my face until she gets my thoughts...

It's interesting the thoughts that some songs can trigger... and that wasn't even Jill's premise for the song. Hmm...

Those are my Saturday Seven Thoughts for this Saturday evening... didn't expect them to be THAT long.

I guess I'm thinking about much today...

Little Milk and Cookies

I was cleaning out a box the other day. I came across this photo:
It is my brother, a young Milk and Cookies circa 1997.

This picture was taken at LadyTee's apartment. I made him stand up against the closet door and smile. That was a funny evening. We use to mess with him something awful.

That night LadyTee made him take out the trash. The problem was that the dumpster was very far away.

 And it was pitch black dark that night.

"But it's dark outside!"

You could see the fear in his eyes.

"That's alright, just take the trash out, boy," LadyTee said.

"Shoot. Man!" he whined in his high pitched voice.

"Yeah, take out the trash," I added. "If we don't hear from you in 15 minutes, we'll come out there and look for you."

He was not pleased. His usual reply was "Women! I swear!"

LOL.

  I miss the old Milk and Cookies. He is a grown army man now, with kids of his own.

I was talking on the phone to him a few weeks ago and I was thinking "Goodness. He got a lot of bass in his voice now. He sounds like he's somebody's Daddy."

Which he is.

I miss the little boy. I wish I could get those days back, if only for a moment. If only for a moment.

Dancing to the Edge...

So I was in the lab, crunching out some data. An interesting song came on my Curtis Mayfield station on Pandora...

I got a little excited. "Hold up, this that Snoop Dogg "Next Episode" right here!"

Not quite, though.




I frowned. I thought "Hold up, why is Snoop's "The Next Episode" on the Curtis Mayfield station? This is suppose to be all oldies!"

No, it wasn't Snoop. He sampled this cut by David Axlerod.

Then I was thinking. "Oh Snap! President Obama's campaign manager makes records on the side?"

Nope. They just have a name in common.

I told my cubicle mate CowgirlCre about it. And I emailed the youtube cut of it.

"This sounds like some 1960s strip club music, where the women are standing up on the table dancing," I said.

*LadyLee and the CowgirlCre sitting at desk with waving our hands in the air... chair dancing seductively*

"Club all full of smoke, and ladies dancing," said CowgirlCre.

Thank goodness management didn't happen upon us and see our chair dancing techniques...

O_O

I told Play Mama about this song. "It is fantastic," I said. "It's excellent."

She saw *crickets*. She said it sounded like some people tripping on acid.

Let's just say, she didn't share my glee over the song.

:(

That's alright. I told her, she too young to appreciate such good music! LOL

However, I like the above version much better than Snoop's version.





Much better. More drama and more layers!

I like it much better!

*throwing Snoop Dogg/Dr. Dre version out the window*

My Uncle Tweet

I ran into my Uncle at the memorial service on Saturday.



I wasn't expecting to see him.

I told my sister. She said, "Uncle Dellas Junior was there? He don't never go nowehere."

It trips me out everytime she calls him that. I heard my siblings calling him that a few years back, and I flat out asked him, "Look, they calling you Uncle Dellas Jr. That's too long for me to say. I've been calling you Tweet or Tweekie. Is that alright with you?"

"Sure," he said with a laugh.

Hence, when I see him, like when seeing him at the memorial service, it's always...

"Hey Tweet!!!"

When I see him, even in my 40s, I think "FUN! IT'S TIME TO HAVE FUN!"

LOL.

That's because when I was little, I was his running partner at times. I think he had to be in his early 20s at the time. No one else wanted to go to Six Flags or swimming or to the park or all these fun places with him.

"Lisa will go with you!" someone would say.

Sure would.

*lisa scurrying behind Tweet, trying to keep up with him as he walks out the front door of Grandma's house*

I told his oldest child, who is 10 years my junior about this. She looked at me like I was crazy. Her memories are not the same.

I hate that.

Because I hold on to my memories of that time of my young life.

Hanging with Uncle Tweet was always a lot of fun!

Breakroom Ettiquette... Hmm...

Me and The CowgirlCre were putting our lunch away in the breakroom fridge this morning when we saw a most interesting sign hanging on the fridge door:

You can't see that all too well unless you blow it up.

Here's the list:

1. Clean up after yourself.

2. Do not pester coworkers about work.

3. If you empty it, you refill it.

4. Everything is first come, first served.

5. The refrigerator is for short term storage only.

6. Do not gossip.

7. Do not steal someone else's food.

8. Leave the seafood at home.

9. Learn how to make popcorn.

10. Take the whole cookie.

LOL!!!

We were like, what is this.

And The CowgirlCre was a bit perplexed by #6 above in red.

Do not gossip.

Man, we hollered!

She started reading from the bottom up and didn't make it past #6.

"Look, LadyLee!" She pointed at #6 hard with her finger. "Look!"

We hollered some more.

I at least read the whole list... and wandered aloud who the heck put it up.

We still don't know.

I don't sit in the breakroom because of #2.

Do not pester coworkers about work.

Many years ago, when I was trying to eat in the breakroom, people would run up on me and ask questions. It was especially annoying when the boss ran up with a questtion.

Especially.

I sit at my desk now.

But we are still stuck on the "gossip" part.

That's like telling people around here not to breathe.

And we know that ain't happening.

At the end, it has "A good Morale booster"!

So was it a joke or was it real?

Hmm. I don't know.

And I won't be hanging out in the breakroom to find out.

CowgirlCre pointed at #6 once again.

And we laughed. And walked on out of there.

Monday Night Special...

Aww yes...

Another Monday Night special.

What is my problem? The problem is that I usually load up pictures on Sunday evening. That way, I can just write on Mondays. I dread loading up pictures. I loaded up 2 pictures for this post tonight and it took 20 minutes.

Sigh. Alas, a Monday night special.

My weekend. It was strange. It seem to go by in slow motion. Not sure what was up with that. Well it is over now, so I won't harp on that feeling.

This weekend I attended the memorial service for my grandmother's oldest niece. The woman was over 70 years old. I didn't know her well, but she was always nice to me. (I can't count on one hand the times I've seen her in my life. Mostly at funerals).

Anyway, I decided to go, just out of respect for Grandma. I don't know that side of the family well. All I know is that it's a LOT of people. Her sister had 10 kids, and you know the offspring out of that is infinite. So I went. Our funerals are our family reunions.

And my Aunt, who had moved away, was in town. So I got a chance to see her.

I had a humorous argument with my sister Kentucky. I just knew she was going, but she said no. I'm not going to tell you what she said. But me and CowgirlCre were rolling with laughter in the cubicle.

CowgirlCre said "She's going to go. She's probably going to be in the program. She's going to walk up and say 'I'm have prepared a poem for you...'"

Kentucky was not pleased. I've never heard her uh, speak so loudly to me. LOL

Anyway, like she said, she didn't go. This is odd, since she is the white sheep of the family, and I am the black sheep. I'm usually the one that needs to be convinced, not her.

Although I myself almost didn't go. Grandma couldn't find the address of the church.

"It's on Wesley Chapel Road, Lisa," she said when I called her. I'd just finished talking to a very unhelpful Kentucky about this.

"Mama, Wesley Chapel Road is a very big road," I said very calmly.

I was laying across the bed and I wasn't going to put my clothes on until someone called me and told me exactly where to be.

She found the address and directions and called me. Thank goodness for that. She knows how I am.

I went and out of consideration for the plethora of elderly there in the church, I decided to stand in the back, as there were not enough chairs.

This lasted only 45 minutes, as it was Color Purple church hot in there.

I needed my Obama church fan.

I went outside and sat in the car under a tree and watched a movie on my kindle.



I piped the sound through Lucy's sound system. You would've thought I was ON the Starship Enterprise!

*parking lot ushers walking by and peering at LadyLee... curiously*

LOL.

Anyway, I saw people pouring out of the church. So I got out of the car.

My mother was calling my name. And I didn't recognize it. (My family nickname is "Lisa" (sometimes "Lee"). I am more use to my gub'ment name).

I saw my grandma, looking all nice!

And I saw my Mother and Auntie. Hadn't seen Auntie in a couple of years.

Mother has gray hair now, which always shocks me. It shouldn't, as I myself am starting to gray around the edges. I guess I still think of them as young, instead of in their sixties.

I talked to them for about 20 minutes, and met a bunch of relatives that I will not see until the next funeral.

Sigh. I wish we had family reunions. But we don't.

I left there and went home. And for some reason, I took a long nap. A much needed nap. There may be a reason for that. I've been juicing a certain vegetable every day that has an opiate in it. Something most of you eat everyday. I've just been juicing it which makes it more concentrated and potent.

O_O

I will post about that later this week.

Sunday was... Sunday. I needed to do a fruit and veggie run. There was a horrendous wreck on I-285 and I had to figure out how to get to the Eastside the street way.

A 25 minute trip ended up taking 45 minutes.

I don't complain about such things. Why?

IT COULD'VE BEEN ME IN THE ACCIDENT.

But it wasn't. Hence, I shut my mouth. I don't complain.

It ain't all about me.

The struggle to get that done took up my Sunday. I came home and replaced the string in my weed trimmer and tested it out. I'm not sure if it's a good idea to knock the bark off trees, but it seem to take care of the vines growing at the base of the tree in the process. So, uh, it's working just fine. I suppose.

Today is the beginning of a 31 day fast at church. It was called out of the middle of nowhere, and I was a bit O_o. This is always interesting, because it doesn't really apply to me. Fruits, veggies and water are the norm for me. But it looks as if meat is allowed. Even game meat.

With that in mind, I saw a squirrel leap from the fence to a tree in my yard. I was getting out of the car and I paused.

I was wondering if I could bust him in the head with my cell phone... make a good hearty stew of sorts.

No, not a good idea.

No dairy is allowed. This is GREAT for me, as I am trying to kick dairy out of my life. Same for refined foods. So I may participate on that tip, but I really don't see myself participating.

Why? No beans allowed. Man, I like my chickpeas and white beans. I can live with that but uh... no fair. Shoot. Oh well. We will see. I buy those beans raw and soak them and cook them from scratch. So if I hide them from myself, I may be alright.

One of my coworkers and fellow church members said he hadn't looked at the list and directions. I scolded him about this. I told him me and LadyTee scrutinize this stuff hard. (And you know me, I try to find the holes in things. Didn't work this time, lol).

He said, "You know, I eat my oatmeal every morning."

I laughed at him. "That's on the don't eat list, bruh! You better get that Quakers in before Monday, dude!"

He looked perplexed. I just laughed.

Like I said, I'm not sure how I will deal with all this. What I am interested in is the preaching twice a day. That happened 8 years ago. WOW. Got to see some interesting people preach. I suppose that's why I have a penchant for loving to see some of the deacons and mothers preach. Such wisdom there. A LOT to soak up. So I am interested in attending a few sessions a week of that.

But for myself, just thinking about it over the last week, these times are good for me because I tend to soak my life with useful activity during these times. I've decided to tackle a few personal goals over the next 31 days. A few that are pretty consistent, but some have been stumbling blocks and some have just plain outright irritated me. So I use these times to make a few changes in my life.

Of course, Play Mama is working with me on this. She is a hard nose accountability chicken. She will wear me out with questions. EVERY single day. EVERY. Can't be slack around her. She's not having it.

So... one of those goals? Blog for 31 days straight. Nope it ain't religious. But you know how I feel about religious norms. I tend to be a little rogue., as you can see. One of my coworkers was getting over into legalism the other day. I was screaming inside, but I held my cool.

Lots of food for thought there. And if I don't have anything to post, I will post a piece of interesting scripture, like:

Jesus wept.

2 words. Full of meaning. BUT it does constitute a post.

Doesn't it?

LOL.

So stay tuned for that.

And I am sowing some seed at the end of that... Hmm...

SOMEONE out there denied my seed sowing tonight. HUMPH. YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE!

*throwing my juicer at YOU cuz I know you reading*

So stay tuned for my 31 days of blogging... I got a lot on my mind, man.

But for now I'm going to bed.

You have a good week... on purpose.

Notes from the Peanut Gallery: Pam, Lucy, and the Houses

So my cars, Pam the Protege and Lucy the Lexus were parked in the driveway. Lucy usually stays in the garage, but I was doing some reorganizing in the garage and needed her out of the way. I had just finished cutting the grass, so it was a good time to get any garage and other outside chores done.

So I took a picture.





Pam and Lucy! Lucy and Pam!

This photo precipitated a few "Notes from the Peanut Gallery" conversations.

One of my coworkers, Lieutennant By, was a bit upset about the fence.

Lieutennant By: "Uh, look at that fence. You need to get out there and paint that."

*CowgirlCre and LadyLee look at Lieutennant By like he crazy*

Ladylee: "Boy stop! This ain't karate kid! Ain't nobody painting no doggone fence. When I find my hammer, I'ma nail up a loose board. That's it. Not painting a doggone thing!"

LOL


Now what's particularly interesting about this picture is not Pam and Lucy...

It's the two houses in the picture... the houses on the other side of the fence, the green house and the white house.

The white house is a church.

The green house is a bootleg house. My coworker Lady Lifetime frowned when I said that.

Lady Lifetime: "What's a bootleg house?"
LadyLee: "That's a house where you go get your liquor on Sundays when the liquor store is closed!"
Lady Lifetime: "Why can't they just get it on Saturday?" she asked.
LadyLee: *laughs hard* "Because it's cheaper. Good when you want one beer!"

Or some moonshine!

I understand why she asked. They just passed a law here in Georgia for Sunday liquor sales. I wonder where that leaves the bootleg houses scattered around the neighborhoods?

Hmm

CowgirlCre and I thought of this a little differently.

LadyLee: "A bootleg house next to a church! That's funny!"
CowgirlCre: "Sure is!"
LadyLee: Folks come out of church hollering 'Pastor sho preached good! Woooo weee! I gotta have a drank after that sermon!"

Ha! Ha!

I'm sure that doesn't happen....
Hmm.

Monday Night Special

I meant to post something up this morning.

But it didn't work out that way.

Sigh.

I had a very nice weekend. And that is good because I had a couple of bad days last week. I don't know, I just don't care for my job that much anymore. I think it's because I've been doing too much writing. I've been really engrossed in that which I'm passionate about, and it makes me REALLY happy inside.

Really.

So sometimes the job becomes like walking in a room and seeing a smashed roach smeared in the middle of the floor...

You see how you just frowned up at the visual of that? Yeah, that's how I was feeling last Tuesday. Like "What the world?..."

It is very rare for me to feel that way. But when it happens, I am a bit ticked off.

I'd rather be writing.

Ugh. Thank goodness this is rare. And those are days when I think about the next day and how much better it will be.

Maybe we will chalk it up to PMS. Yeah, that's the ticket. And many people were off last week, most notably ones I look forward to seeing every day. If it wasn't for Lady Lifetime's presence, I think I would've slit my throat and jumped out the window.

And my boss came back today after a week off. You know it's not a good thing when I am excited to see management. STRANGE. I yabbered on about some things I got done last week like I was talking about the bargins I found at the mall. Yeah. Odd and strange.

Anyway, I had a very nice weekend.

Saturday. I went down to check on Play Mama, who had surgery last week. She is doing okay, and she is on bedrest. So I paid her a visit.

And I really needed to put Lucy the Lexus on the road. My sister says "Run Lucy out to Texas and back!"

But Texas is a good 12 hours away. Too far. Birmingham would have to do. A good 300 mile round trip is enough to let me know if Lucy won't stall out.

So I headed that way, and you know me... I come with a whole LOT of stuff. I brought cookies and lots of goodies from the Farmer's market, lots of staples and spices. Her mother, Grandma Donna, just had a birthday, so I had a care package for her.

That's where things got funny. We were all sitting in the den. Uncle Tony came downstairs and one of the kids asked "Is Grandma outside?"

He said yes. And like a herd of cattle, we all headed up the stairs hard and fast out of the den and out the front door. The girls were eager to show off the Easter dresses they'd purchased earlier that Saturday morning.

I'd been wanting to see her for a different reason. Not only to give her her gift, but to see her car.

She has the sports convertible Lexus.

(((ladylee's eyes glazing over like a drug addict)))

"I got a Lexus too, Grandma Donna!" I hollered, as I pointed a bit too hard at Lucy. "It's old, and not as nice as yours, but I got one too!"

"Yes, I see," she said. "And it's really nice."

*Lee cheesing EXTRA hard*

LOL!!

We were ALL excited to see her. She brought over food for easter. Made me want to spend the night so I could get my eat on too!

We sat and visited with the sick and shut-in for a little while.

But I was interested in that Lexus. I ran my hands across the soft tan leather. I wanted to rub my cheek against it, but thought better of it.

"Grandma Donna, this here is that real Italian leather,. It's from good Italian cows. The leather in my lexus is that Georgia leather. It's made from cows from Camp Creek Parkway and East Point, College Park. You know, the cows in the hood. My leather doesn't feel like this! This that good stuff!"

They laughed hard at me. But it was the truth.

It's the hard top convertible. She pushed a button, and the trunk opened backwards on a hinge and the hard hood folded and disappeared into the trunk.

"Whoa," I moaned, as I jumped back from the car. I had to blink back tears.

"It's like a bug, like one of those transformer bugs! It transforms!" Uncle Tony said.

"Sure is. I want one of those," I whispered.

What an experience.

We watched Grandma Donna drive off, and we all headed back in the house.

"Ya'll all left me!" Adrienne said later.

"Yes we did. It's alright. The dog stayed with you!"

LOL!

We didn't do much. She's is on total bedrest. We crocheted and knitted, and watched movies on the biggest flat screen I've ever seen. I felt like I was in the movie!

And we did that lazy thing: everybody falling asleep... doze in and doze out type of sleeping. It was that good sleep, where your head is leaned back, and your mouth is wide open. Good sleep, babes!

That's what I'm talking about!

What a good day it was. I'm a little salty behind her not making up an errand list for me. I was down for doing some running around for her. But oh well. Next time!

We had such a good time. I usually bring my own food whenever I go somewhere for a long time. People usually give me a HARD time about that for some reason, but they didn't. Although I think it horrified her oldest daughter when I slapped a mound of broccoli sprouts on my sub sandwich! ("Eww, what's that, Miss LadyLee!!!??")

I thought I was going to have to pick that child up off the floor when I asked her "You want a bite!?"

Ha Ha!!

I spent about 9 hours there then drove Lucy on home later that night. I got home around midnight. What a nice trip. I found out that Lucy goes 100 miles an hour with no problem, lol. Let's just say it was a fast trip. And Lucy makes the round trip on only a half a tank of gas. Good job, Lucy!

Honey, get well soon. Make SURE you follow the doctor's orders! I was glad to see you. And you won't hear me wailing anymore about how "I gotta go see 'bout my Mama!!"
LOL.

Sunday. I didn't do much on Sunday. I was bone tired after that drive. (Not sure why. It's just driving). Anyway, my goal on Easter Sunday was to get outside and cut the grass in the backyard. I managed to do that. But my trimmer ran out of the plastic wire. So I bought a new spool today from Home depot. Gotta get that jungle weed by the fence hacked down, man.

I knew it was Easter, but didn't realize it really until I left and ran an errand. There were lots of family gatherings in my neighborhood. It made me wish that our family had gatherings. We don't. Makes me sad sometimes.

I do believe I would've eaten a piece of Easter ham that day. Woulda tore my stomach to pieces since I rarely eat meat, but hey, it was Easter.

I happen to talk with my Grandmother on Easter evening, though. Her oldest niece died. The woman was around 70 years old. So we talked about that. She has a slew of nieces and nephews. And it's always a good time to talk to her about her family history. When you ask her about people, she don't like to mention illegal stuff, tomfoolery, or ratchetness. But there is A LOT going on. It's like you gotta drag it out of her. She only wants to say good things about people.

"Martin... That's your Uncle John's son. He's one of those children, that you, uh... uh... one of those children you have before you uh... get married."

"That boy Charles, he's in a convalescence home. He and some boys, they were uh.. they were uh, running from some people or someone, and uh... he, uh... *moment of silence*... he fell off an overpass onto the freeway onto his head. Been under care every since."

Wow. Falling off an overpass onto a freeway. O_O.

We had a good talk. She said she was feeling like she'd been slothful, and was working on not being such. She hasn't been meeting her goals like she'd like. And she was acknowledging it all.

I kind of went off. "Mama, what are you talking about? You 83 years old. You old. You're not lazy or slothful."

But I knew what she meant. I told her I was working on things too, and I'd been talking to my siblings about such. And we talked about my bad day last week.

"Mama, it's like walking from Atlanta to California. Big goal, but just get headed in that direction, honey. You'll get there! One step at a time."

Even at 83 years old, she thinks about getting and doing better. Never mind going through the depression, world wars, civil rights movement. She looking forward to doing better each day.

And I can learn a lesson from that, When I have bad days, reflect on them, and look forward to a new day. Yeah, I didn't do as much as I aimed to do, but I know it and I own it, and tomorrow is a new day. A day where I may do better, if only for a little bit.

A little food for thought from a convo with my grandma!

And that's a good thing.

A good weekend indeed!

I'm looking for a better week also... Not like last week...

I'm going to have a good week... on purpose!

Happy Easter!

Excerpt from "Leaving Jersey": People and Money

I posted a quote last week:

People were their bank accounts. And their bank accounts told the whole story.

CowgirlCre, my cubicle mate, had become interested in a draft copy of a novel I was finishing up, and she read the chapter that contained that quote. That really drew her attention, and we had a lively discussion about it.

So I thought I'd post the page from whence the quote came from...

Enjoy!

Craig didn’t have many wants and dreams for his life. But if he had one wish for the human race, it wouldn’t be peace on earth, good will to all men, but it would be for each and every human being to spend at least a year of their lives working as a bank teller.

That’s because he himself had been a teller for five years, and had been promoted to head teller last year. And the one thing he understood is that people were not always what they seemed.

People were their bank accounts. And their bank accounts told the whole story.

People were diverse.

The female tellers oohed and ahhed at the tall, dark and handsome brother in the two thousand dollar Versace suit despite his bleak account, eaten alive by the twelve-hundred dollar a month car payment to Mercedes and countless charges accrued from blazing through every bar and club in town.

All they knew was that he was fine.

“He could get it,” was their constant commentary.

They didn’t pick up on the fact that these same striking men always came to Craig’s window, and spent time flirting with him, long past the completion of their transactions.

That happened at least once a week. Craig wanted to tell them all that he wasn’t interested in men. And if he was, he wouldn’t give the time of day to one who flunked high school personal finance.

No, it was against the rules for tellers to peruse the customers bank accounts. But when a customer leaned forward and quietly asked for his bank account to be checked to make sure a certain check had cleared, or for money to be transferred between accounts post haste, it wasn’t hard to put two and two together.

People were their bank accounts. And their bank accounts told the whole story.

Craig knew and understood that with the utmost clarity.

Money was to life like blood was to the human body. And the general population needed to understand that too.

If they did, the world would be a better place.


Personal Thoughts:

You know, I actually came up with the idea about this from a few sermons I heard on money here and there, most notably about concerning working on the debt issues that have plagued most of our lives at one time or another.

Everything always starts with: look at your checkbook registry. Look at where your money is going. Your treasure is usually where your heart is. You have been praying to God for help, but what are some of the practical things you can do, or stop doing, to be a better steward and manager of your money?

And it's followed by deciding when, where, and how to cut out all the unnecessary fat from our spending. And let's face it: if you make a good salary, and money is running through your hands like water, there may be a habit that needs to be squashed.

Interesting.

But it all didn't make as much sense to me as when my little sister Kentucky began working at a bank. Especially at the call in centers where she had to look at people's bank and credit card accounts. I remember her whispering "Lisa... you wouldn't believe some of the things people are doing.

I heard tales of people moving hundreds of thousands of dollars around to get the lowest interest rates. People you thought had going on were in all reality neck deep in debt.

I told her that I was glad that she had the opportunity to work there. She needed to see that people weren't always what they seem. People can put on some serious airs. But you check that bank account and they are literally in a state of poverty.

I know it gave her the courage to work on the debt she had. "Lisa," she said. "You know, this little stuff we dealing with ain't much. We can knock it out."

Sure can, Kentucky. That's what I was trying to tell you, Kentucky.

"I'm glad you had those few years of working at the bank, Kentucky," I told her one day. "You learned some things that the rest of us will never understand fully. And it will always stick with you. Always."

It's like digging a ditch with a toothpick. Even if we're removing one speck of dirt at a time, the important thing is this: progress is being made, albeit slow.

And this morning I was watching TD Jakes before leaving for work, and he was saying that we all had "sacred cows" in our lives, and that a man may be fine, but he had problems, that would come out sooner or later. He wished people would come with side effects warnings, like they have in the drug commercials.

That man is gorgeous, and here are the side effects: he is violent, got a bad temper. He's gonna beat you. His money is messed up, and he will mess up your money, etc....

Goodness. That's a lot going on. Aint that the truth. Everyone has side affects. His statement made me think of this passage I wrote.

I can look at my bank account... and that bank account tells it ALL.

Money is to life like blood is to the human body.

Hmmmm....

Craig is a very minor character in Sweet Heat. I love exploring the lives and thoughts of seemingly quiet minor characters in my stories. They are always good for a good offshoot story. He has some very interesting thoughts about money, doesn't he? He's a very interesting character, one of the smartest and at the same time, darkest I've ever written.

And I learned some powerful lessons from him.

Cat and Fruit

Look closely at who's on the ottoman....

Oscar-Tyrone is KNOCKED out. Even with the television all loud, and it being the middle of the day, that cat was sleeping hard.

I wanted to pick up that grapefruit...

And throw it at him...

Just to see what happens....

LOL.

(No I didn't do that. That would be... cruel).

Monday Night Special...The Kentucky Cantina Edition

Good Monday Evening!

I had a great weekend, bursting at the seams with activity!

Saturday. I hung out with my sister Kentucky on Saturday. And that's always a treat.

She brought over some of the most interesting german chocolate brownie cupcakes. Look closely at the list of ingredients...



They contain spinach! LOL. And they were great. She's been raving about them!


She took me to one of her favorite restaurants in the East Lake/Oakhurst Village, The Matador Cantina.



I was a little skeptical about the skull above the door. Hmm...

But if Kentucky really likes a place, you best jump a fence trying to get in there, because that means it is REALLY good. She is a very particular diva. Very.

I was also a bit perplexed by the strange skull mural up on the wall...

Look a little closer...

That is very pretty and quite cool. A very creative mind came up with that. I would have never thought to place a skull in a flower motif. Never. Very pretty, very vibrant...

and there is a metaphor for life in there somewhere.

(But it had me thinking... Uh, where in the world has Kentucky taken me?? O_o)

There's that skull again... Got me antsy.


But Kentucky frequents this place. She loves the atmosphere. (It's very open. And there's rock music. I would appreciate some Earth wind and fire, though.) So you know I'm game.

Salsa, chips and bean and cheese dip were very good.


But I was VERY interested in the Vegetarian menu...

I had the last menu item, the 3 veggie tacos.

The strangest taco, the one on the far left, had a filling of black beans and plantains. That was WHOA! Soooo good. I would've never thought to put those two items in a taco together, but it was a great combination. I like the tofu and avocado one, and the refried bean taco, but I could've ordered 3 plantain/black bean tacos and I would've been just fine and dandy!

But it was great to hang out with my sister, and just talk. She let me chauffeur her around in Lucy the Lexus. (And rightfully so, since she negotiated my price for it, lol).

Now what's interesting is that the place is about 2 blocks from my father's house. My sister directed me that way. I was wondering if I would see him walking around. I've told him in the past that I had driven by his house, and if I saw him outside I'd holler his way. But he wouldn't know me.

"I would know who you are," he said.

"I am 39 years old, Milton. You wouldn't recognize me."

"Yes I would. I'll always recognize the baby."

O_O. That still makes me laugh REALLY hard.

Kentucky and our mother frequent that taco place, and they went walking around that neighborhood. I asked her why. And she just said that it was a reminescing type thing for my mother. And I think that was a good thing. That type of thing is always cathartic.

Must be hard to think on life over 40 years ago. Gotta be something else walking those same streets. Cathartic and hard.

(There's a writing prompt in there somewhere).

I love hanging with Kentucky. We are older now, and I gleen so much wisdom for her. Such a joy to have discussions with her. I come away a little smarter and wiser every time.

Now on Sunday? I spent the afternoon doing yardwork. I bought an electric hedge cutter some 2 weeks ago. All I gotta say is - Watch out now! Don't come near me when I have that sucker fired up and going. I ain't nothing nice!

I didn't wear myself out this time. Maybe it was the carrot-beet-kale-cucumber-apple juice I had that morning. Or maybe it was because Aunt Flo wasn't visiting at the time, like last time. I think the latter wore me out the last time. So that will not be the deelio ever again, mayne. Nerp.
But it was a pleasant weekend indeed.

I was remotely thinking about making this week a Food for Thought week. The first quarter of the year has passed, and I have been thinking about what I have learned so far in 2012. I won't promise that, as I have other things I want to post. But I will sprinkle some Food for Thought in the midst.

Song of the week. I LOVE this song. My sister absolutely HATES it.





Hilarious! *lee turns it up REAL loud in the car while we're driving just to annoy Kentucky*

I just really love really good pure singers... not these studio singers. Kelly Price is a pure singer. And this song tells an interesting story. I like that, man!

I hope everyone had a great weekend... on purpose...

And I hope you have a great week... on purpose!