tagged...

I've been tagged. Whoop-di-dooo. *forced cartwheels*

I ain't a big fan of tags... My life is not fancy like ya'lls are. So hopefully we can make this a little exciting. Uh, no... I would have to make up some stuff, and I ain't doing that.

I was tagged by Singlema, so out of the utmost respect for that Oldgirl, I will go head on and do it. Fun, fun, fun...

RULES: 7 random things about yourself, pass the award to bloggers and answer a couple of questions...

7 Random things about me...

1. I can't stand harsh lighting or ceiling lighting in the house. I like the lights from lamps, preferably from 60 watt bulbs.

2. I love peach and lemon scented stuff, whether it be candles, incense, soaps, etc.

3. I don't like noise. I don't do well for long periods of times around loud people. I tend to enjoy quiet activities.

4. I have a bad habit of going to sleep with the lights, television, and laptop on.

5. I feel very strange if I don't pray for a good hour in the mornings. If it's less than that it better be very effective and highly cathartic.

6. I hate being a bother to people. I don't even like the perception of being a bother. Of course this is mostly in my head. I rarely incovenience people and I'm rarely a bother (so I've heard).

7. I have accomplished everything I would like to do in the field of chemistry, and I don't really care that much for the subject anymore, even though it is my profession.

Q and A Session

Favorite Color: Navy Blue

Favorite Song: "You Make Me Want to Love Again"



That song right there has been my favorite song for over 20 years... I've made plenty good love to that song right there. Plenty... That song breaks a tough Oldgirl down. It brangs out the Lady in LadyLee. LOL

Favorite Dessert: Fruit Cobblers (apple, peach, cherry or blackberry)

Biggest Pet Peeve: People who brownnose. People who brownnose me. People who get an attitude with me because I don't brownnose.

When You are Upset, You: Get really passive agressive, go brood somewhere til I can figure things out.

Your Favorite Pet: My boy cat Sugar circa 1974. He looked just like Sylvester the cat and got into a lot of fights out in the street. Granddaddy said that the reason Sugar got caught up in so many street fights was because his name was Sugar. LOL

Black or white: Black

Biggest Fear: Never fully resolving my inconsistent human nature. I really hate how inconsistent I have a tendency to be in many areas of my life.

Best Feature: hands and feet

Everyday Attitude: This is a day the Lord has made, a day that has never been seen before, and I will rejoice and be glad in it... doggonit! Whether I like it or not!

I am committed to sowing seeds of encouragement on a daily basis. I am an incredible asset to my friends. (These are things I concentrate on right now).

What Is Perfection: Fulfilling my purpose in life.

Guilty Pleasure: A good Law and Order Marathon. Yes sir! *cartwheels*

So that's it for the tag... Uh, I ain't tagging nobody. Well maybe one person...

That chicken Serenity! Do the tag, Chicken!

LOL

7 Songs!!

Still on vacation, baby... And it feels GOOD. But I guess I better post, right?

Riiiiiight.

I think I'll do a tag that's been floating around. Luckily, no one has gotten the notion to tag me. For that I am glad!!

The actual rules for those interested are:

"List seven songs that you are into right now. No matter what the genre, whether they have words, or even if they're not any good, but they must be songs you're really enjoying now, shaping your spring and summer. Post these instructions in your blog along with your seven songs. Then tag seven other people to see what they're listening to."

1. "Sweet Sticky Thing" by the Ohio Players.

I like this song for the simple fact that the music is performed by REAL musicians. No doggone sampling. Those were the days. Can we take it back to the glory days?!!

2. "Playing Your Game Baby" by Barry White.

This song is very, very smooth. I like smooth! This is my cruising song right here. I play this when I'm rolling down the highway with the windows down. That's good stuff right there!

3. "Love Hangover" by Diana Ross.

I love songs that start out slow then kick it up a notch. LOVED-ED IT!! With that said, you know I'm down for some Donna Summer, too.

4. "Portugese Love" by Teena Marie.

This is one of my all time favorites. I like the 7 minute version, where it goes all salsa in the middle and slows back down... LOVE IT. And it's one of the songs I play in the cubicle waaay too much, to the point where my cubicle mate Cowgirl Cre calmly says, "I'ma need you to play something else, Lee." LOL!!


5. "Maybe" by the 3 Degrees.

I've ran this song into the ground for at least the past 2 years. I even blogged about it. This is another song that drives my cubicle mate crazy. It is a sad waily song. The singer talks for a good 80% of the song, gets drunk, then proceeds to beg some fool to come back to her. It is something that I imagine sounds much better if you are in the back of a dark club, tore up drunk, and have just broken up with some dude. So, I have no idea why I love it so much. Bizarre.

I left a bootleg CD containing the song in Kentucky's car CD player. The perplexed look on her face was priceless. LOL!!!

6. We've been all giggly at work over this particular song. You have to be between the ages of 35 and 45 to get a kick out of this song.

Hen-Dog has a knack for finding Old school videos. We gather around his computer and watch with glee. We even do some of the complex dance moves, lol.

Check out 2nd 68 on the Casio synthesizer! You the man, 2nd 68!!!

"Inspector Gadget" by Bad Boys featuring K-Love.



Yo, 2nd 68! You're hot on the mini Casio synthesizer. That was HOT! LOL!!!


7. Last but not least:

This right here?

I say, this right here?

This is my all time favorite song. My #1 song.

This has been my FAVORITE song since 1986, when I was a young girl of 16.

This is the best song EVER made (according to me, that is).

"You Make Me Want To (Love again)" by Vesta Williams.



I ***HEART*** THIS SONG!

*Lee passes out on the hard concrete as song plays*

This is strange, me liking this song. I can't relate to it or anything. I ain't running up on an old flame reliving and remembering a DAYUM thang. NEVER. I won't be begging that joker for more loving either... Hells no. It almost sound like a disguised up on the sly booty call or something.

I'm particlarly vexed by that last line where after begging, she croons "I want you to know nothing else will do!" that sound a bit, I don't know. . . stalky-stalky. I imagine her with a gun in her hand and her having dude backed up in a corner. That is disturbing.

But I love it nevertheless. I think I like the complexity of the music, and the emotion in Vesta's voice. That Vesta know she can SANG, man!!!!!!

But that has been my favorite song for the past 22 years. I busted my cassette tape some 15 years ago and haven't been able to get the CD. Oh yeah, I can find it, but Vesta William's first CD is a collector's item, and I keep getting sniped like crazy on eBay when I bid on it. The CD goes for between 100 and 200 bucks when it comes up on ebay.

I like the song, but it's not worth me skipping out on paying my light bill. LOL!!

I'll find it soon... someday.

Those are my faves for the summer right there!

Well, I'm not tagging anyone, ya'll. NOPE.

If you wanna do this one, work it out, man!!!!

The Great Refrigerator Meme!

Tag time...

The rules of this meme are as follows:

*Post the rules before the pictures/descriptions.
*Take a few shots of what's hiding in your fridge..freezer...pantry...cupboards. The more the better.
*You can either simply just include the pictures or even better give some description of what's in there...your favorites...where you shop..how (or how not) it's organized...and/or whatever else you want to include. The more info the better...
*NO tidying up! If you want to turn around things so you can see the labels thats fine...but no re-arranging or cleaning things up. The whole point is to see things the way they actually are...naturally. If there is nothing in your fridge show that... Just keep it real!
*Keep the tag going. Pick 7 other bloggers to join in on the fun and tag them by including their names after your post and by leaving a comment on their blog letting them know they have been tagged. I think it would also be great if you would let the person who tagged you know once you have posted your pictures.


I think I will concentrate on describing bizarre stuff going on in my fridge.

So, here we go!!

On the front of my 'fridge are VERY old photos of my late orange tabby Jeremy Girard and Oscar-Tyrone as a kitten. These photos are 11 years old. I found them while going through an old box of photos.



I want to WAIL whenver I see these photos. I MISS YOU, JEREMY!!

Here we have the usual stuff like margerine and sour cream and cream cheese. I also have some feta cheese for my salad.

I also have a little sliced jicama and ghee. (I'll let you look that up if you don't don't what that is!)


My sister Kentucky likes that little stuff that comes in little containers, like what you see here: apple sauce, jello, and yogurt. There's some cornbread ( I get that for a buck a hunk at the farmer's market. It's better than that doggone Jiffy, Southern black gal!).

There's also a thing of hot ground turkey sausage that I better crack open before it goes bad. I have a wierd thing for expensive salad dressing. I have a pint of Spicy Thai and Mediterranean. They cost 6 bucks a piece. (Don't worry, they last me a couple of months. That right there is enough for the rest of the summer).

In the carton is some leftover Yum's shrimp and fries. I blogged about Yumm's back on Christmas 2006. They got the GOOD $6.95 18 piece shrimp and fries dinner. And it's enough for at least three meals, man!!


I got this thing for pure Cranberry juice.

I don't drink the bootleg Ocean Spray, which is only 10 % juice. (YUCK!). A dash of the pure stuff in a quart of water wakes an oldgirl up every morning! I also see my oatmeal raisin muffins. That will be breakfast for the week. There's a container of cut-up strawberries there also. Kentucky LOVES the Vitamin water.

In the left hand door of the fridge: There's butter, and plenty of it. (I let Kentucky fool with that bootleg Country Crock). I love curry pastes, so I got plenty of that on hand. >There's a small package of Hawaiian Kona coffee beans. That coffee costs $26 dollars a pound. I only bought a fourth of a pound. The date of purchase, per the package tag, is June 26, 2007. So as you can see, I don't drink much coffee. When I make it at home, I like that good Hawaiian stuff, man!

Oh yeah, and there's a bottle of B*tch on that bottom shelf. I have been trying to get a bottle of B*tch to my bookclub sista Kim since January. Once again, we have to wait for another meeting because we couldn't hook up meetings this week.

Moving to the right hand door: Kentucky keep a gang of salad dressing there. We can run a small salad bar with all the types we have here. I got this thang right now, thanks to my Auntie Joyce, for non-alcoholic beer, so I always have bottles of it in the fridge.

There's a bottle of pure muscadine juice on the top shelf of the fridge door. And there's a bottle of muscadine wine. I like to give wine as a gift to the host of whatever gathering I'm attending, but this weekend, we had no host, so uh... the wine just sits there.



Here's Kentucky's cabinet. There's a lot going on- pop tarts, Swiss miss. Yeah, and it's packed tight. I hardly ever fool around in there...
I don't care for regular store spices. I get mine at Dekalb Farmer's market. Why, you may ask, because they waaay more potent than that store bought craziness. VERY STRONG. So I get stuff like cumin, tumeric, garlic powder, coriander, and other wierd ish like that there. Sooo much better! As you can see, there is WAAAY too much stuff going on in this cabinet. WAY tooo much!
And Southern Black gal, look up there in that left corner. That's REAL cornmeal mix. Throw away that bootleg jiffy and get some of THAT. (Just playing. I rarely make cornbread. Jiffy still SUCKS anyhow, but as long as you like it. . .)

The freezer is interesting. . . It needs to be cleaned out or something. Kentucky's liver is about to get tossed in the trash if she don't cook it. That package has been there for six months.
I see there's a GANG of ice! I am ever so slightly anemic these days and I feel an ever so slight craving for ice, nothing like when I was severely anemic. So, I think I will go take my iron pills, and have a small glass of ice.

There's a half gallon of Blue Bell's homemade vanilla ice cream. Man, that is my favorite. But I usually buy the pint size. The store didn't have it, so I bought the larger one. Not good, because that container has been there for 6 weeks. I end up throwing it out before it's done, because it gets all gummy.



Kentucky likes the popsicles. (Eat some of the ice cream, Kentucky!). There are lots of random frozen meats in there. Nothing like mystery meat!


Finally, yesterday, I made some red bell pepper ketchup (no tomatoes, and it tastes much better). I rarely make that, and it's the reason why I wanted Grandma to teach me how to properly can so I can make a gang of it and shelve it.



So Auntie Joyce, you got a pint coming your way! You too, Babs aka "Bobbie Jean" (LadyTee's Mama)

So, I have done a sort of "inventory".

Trash day is tomorrow.

Guess I better go clean out the fridge and cabinets!

An IPOD Meme from my dear "Mister" aka Dat Dyssturbed brutha 2nd 68

Yes, I got tagged.

And this one here is from "Mister", a.k.a., that brotha 2nd 68, who got me all chained up in the castle with the rest of the broads he has designated as part of his beloved "Blog Harem"...

So, in addition to being responsible for cooking meals for Mister and the other chicks in the harem...

I gotta do this here tag.

Rules:

MEME Rules:
1. Put Your iTunes/ music player on Shuffle
2. For each question, press the next button to get your answer.
3. YOU MUST WRITE THAT SONG NAME DOWN NO MATTER WHAT!!!After you’ve answered all of the questions, tag 5 other people and then let them know they’ve been tagged to do the meme themselves!

Be forewarned. This is a long post. And I'm making it long just to make my captor Mister mad.

(Shawty can't stand long posts, you see. And he knows how LONGWINDED I tend to be. It's so long that I didn't even bother to put pictures in. Ya'll know how I like pictures, so it must be SUPER LONG)

And you better read it all, boy. HUMPH.

Song titles in green, personal thoughts in italics. . . and I'll let you figure the rest out.

Let's go, so I can go to bed.

IF SOMEONE SAYS “IS THIS OKAY” YOU SAY?
"Divas need Love Too,"by Klymaxx.

Okay, that could mean any doggone thing. Yeah, Oldgirls need love too.

WHAT WOULD BEST DESCRIBE YOUR PERSONALITY?
"Rapture"- by KRS-1

*LadyLee singing "Step into a world, la la la la la!!!*

(You know I don't know the words, babe!)

WHAT DO YOU LIKE IN A GUY/GIRL?
"Love" - by Keyshia Cole.

If a man can make this Oldgirl's voice crack out of control like Keyshia's voice cracks in this song... yes, that IS love!! Ya'll better slap some sense into me if my voice crack out like that because my nose is probably wiiiiide open! LOL

HOW DO YOU FEEL TODAY?
"Outstanding" by The Gap Band.

I don't feel outstanding today. I am well rested for a change, though. But "outstanding" is definitely something to shoot for in the future, right?

WHAT IS YOUR LIFE’S PURPOSE?
"On our Own" Bobby Brown.

Yes, I'm on my own. I don't want to be as on my own as Bobby Brown, so I will hold steady where I am. LOL!!

WHAT IS YOUR MOTTO?
"If Only You Knew" - by Patti Labelle.

Yes, if only you knew how much I don't want to go to work tomorrow. GEEZ!!!

WHAT DO YOUR FRIENDS THINK OF YOU?
"Time" - by Culture Club.

A bunch of my sista gurls are looking at me real crazy right now. One of my favorite things to do is stand on my soap box and yell for all to here that "Time tells everything! Time never lies."

Yes, that's some "Food for Thought" ish right there... all up in the middle of a tag. Yeah. I might crank out a whole loooong post on Time. (You'd like that, wouldn't you OG Serenity30)

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR PARENTS?
Encore - by Patti Austin

Uh no, I don't want an encore with them. Was all quite confusing and traumitizing, ya see.

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT VERY OFTEN?
"Ascension (Remix)- by Maxwell.

Okay, that can mean anything. Moving right along...

WHAT IS 2+2?
"On and On...Live" by Erykah Badu.

Okay. Whatever that means. Sounds like something that wacky E. Badu would say anyway.

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR BEST FRIEND?
"Listen to the Clock on the Wall"-by the O'Jays.

Now that's funny. There were many times during our teenage years when I was yelling, "Tee you better hurry! Because your Mama may be worried!"

Yes, we were in much mess, and stayed in trouble for breaking curfew. LOL!

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE PERSON YOU LIKE?
"Crazy"- by Miki Howard.

Not really true. The last couple of shorties I liked were not crazy, just a tad bit needy. You want me to act like I'm your wife, when I am not. That sound crazy. So I guess we can equate needy to "crazy". Yeah. Makes perfect doggone sense.

The axis of the world runs smack down the center of my head. Me giving myself over to some dude's needy behind ain't going down after a week of knowing him. Desperation is not on my list of options.

*LadyLee giving the Celie crooked 2 fanger point*

WHAT IS YOUR LIFE STORY?
"Happy Feelings"- Frankie Beverly and Maze.

Isn't that what we are all seeking? Aren't we all on a quest for that "Happy Feeling"?

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP?
"Anyone who had a Heart" -by Luther Vandross.

I want to know when I finally grow up that I took care to operate out of good heart, without wack agendas and bad motives. That's what's hot right there.

Really though.

WHAT DO YOU THINK WHEN YOU SEE THE PERSON YOU LIKE?
"Don't wake me, I'm dreaming" by Christopher Williams.

Yes, I would be dreaming. Because I don't like nobody right now. Maybe in my dreams though. Hmm.

WHAT DO YOUR PARENTS THINK OF YOU?
"Keep your Head up" -by Chaka Khan.

Yeah, that's what they should be saying because they had an Oldgirl caught up in some major dysfunctionality. I turned out okay, I suppose. The jury is still out on THAT one.

WHAT WILL YOU DANCE TO AT YOUR WEDDING?
"Glamorous Life (extended version) - Sheila E.

Let's see, I went to the Justice of the Peace in New Or.leans to get married back in 1999. There was no music. I went ot the Fulton county court in downtown ATL to get divorced in 2003. Now THAT was the song that should've been playing.

"She wants to lead the Glamorous life, she don't need, that Oldboy's touch!"

Whoa. That's deep.

IF I ever get the notion to get married again, there won't be a wedding, just the Justice of the Peace. You won't see me marching down the aisle in a white dress. I ain't quite virginal. I've been around the block, the neighborhood, and the world a few times over. A red dress and Glamorous Life will be playing if I'm forced to do so! LOL!

WHAT WILL THEY PLAY AT YOUR FUNERAL?
"Been so Long"- by Anita Baker.

Yes, I want it to be said. . . That Oldgirl's life been so looooooong!!!

WHAT IS YOUR HOBBY/INTEREST?
"Cutie Pie"by One Way

My hobbies - crocheting, reading, and writing, to name a few. Hmm, tie that into "Cutie Pie" however you see fit, because I ain't smart enough to decipher THAT one.

WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST SECRET?
"Don't Leave me Girl" by Blackstreet.

*crickets*

*Ladylee raises eyebrows, then kicks the HARD eyeroll*

Pump the frickin' brakes. That does not compute, because an Oldgirl don't like other Oldgirls. I like Mens. I have begged a dude not to leave me before, though. This was some 20 years ago. Doing that at my age now is quite laughable.

And you sistas out there better not laugh at that. Think waaaaay back. You've begged a dude to stay. You know you have!!!!!

LOL!!!

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR FRIENDS?
"Strive"-by Kris Styles.

How appropriate! What are the chances of that song coming up.

You know, one of my book club sistas heard that playing on my blog a couple of years ago, and made me send her a CD with that song only. It played over and over, some 20 times.

I think I will put up the lyrics to that, with my Longwinded self. LOL!!!

Sista gurl, I don't want to pressure you, cuz I know that your situation's hard. Understand that you can't get to the end, if you haven't, if you haven't started. I hope your life can be more than what you planned it out to be, yeah. I'm my sister's keeper, I will never leave you, I believe in you.

Chorus: Someday you'll make it through, it's only up to you, you gotta strive and believe you will get by by. (Repeat chorus)

Sister gurl, I want the very best for you, but there's only so much I can say. Look deep within yourself and seek out a brighter day! Go on, get up, and pull yourself together. You can make it if you try, get a grip on your life, your joy, and survive.

You can't stop loving you, loving you, you gotta do whatcha gotta do... So try to believe and you will succeed.

Now, THOSE are some Original Oldgirl Platinum Plus Lyrics right there, baby!

That's a nice way of saying "Oldgirl pull yourself together!" As that newly annointed Original Oldgirl would say.

"Man up and stop being a PUNK!!"

Yes, that's my Motto this year. Thanks for that, LBeezy.

WHAT SHOULD YOU POST THIS AS?
No one's gonna love you, the way I do" by the SOS band.

Yo, on the serious tip?

Check it out:

If we are friends, and you're not trying to use me up, come at me sideways, or come at me with wack hidden agendas and dumb ass motives (Ya'll know how much I HATE that craziness)... And we have history, i.e., we been homies for a few years and we have a history of being a blessing to each other?

Rest assured...

I said, rest assured...

That you can know this. KNOW THIS...

You will hear me standing on the roof of my house screaming from the top of my lungs:

"No one's gonna love you, the way I do, noboddddddddddeeeeeey!!!!"

Not really. That would look a bit STRANGE, me standing on the roof yelling like that.

But. . .

I think my actions wail that pretty loudly.

You got a friend in me.

Yep, that could be an appropriate title for this here post.

Really though.

Alright, 2nd 68, my King, Mister, who's holding me captive. I completed your beloved tag.

Now take these shackles off so I can go to bed. And leave me alone. You gonna have to push up on some of them other broads tonight. No activities, since you got me in here cooking for you and the blog concubines.

Enough said. I ain't tagging NOBODY!

If you got an IPOD, work it out, work it OUT!

Holla at cha!

Cold Getting QUIRKY!!

What in the World?

That "Oldgirl-in-Training" Rosemarie tagged me.

Rules:

Link the person who tagged you.
Mention the rules in your blog.
Tell about 6 unspectacular quirks of yours.
Tag 6 following bloggers by linking them.
Leave a comment on each of the tagged blogger's blogs letting them know they've been tagged

I don't like tags. I freak out upon reading what I must do. But once I sit down and do them, I am okay, and I learn something interesting about myself.

Plus, you know I'm longwinded as all get out. Will I keep it short here? Well, let's just say I will keep it short for me. Yeah, that's the right thing to say.

So being the nerd that I am, I had to go look up the word "quirk" over on dictionary.com.

A "quirk" is defined as "a peculiarity of action, behavior, or personality; mannerism; an idiosyncrasy".

Yes.

I can do this.

The Oldgirl LadyLee has mucho quirks.

So, while I was sitting in the lab, working on some flounder fillet samples (*tightened fist aimed straight at the face of my supervisor The Darth Sista T.*), I wrote out my 6 quirks.

Well, I actually wrote out 12, and could've kept on going...

... But it was getting too personal.

Hmm. Yeah. The Oldgirl is the quirkiest! LOL!

So, I decided to pick 6 "interesting" ones out of there. Some of these quirks are strange, and some bother me to no end.

So... here we go.

Ice Queen. Every morning when I get in to work, I sit at my desk and pull a large ziploc bag of ice out of my bag, and dump it into a large plastic cup. I let the ice melt and sip from it allll day long. This is my way of drinking at least a quart of water while at work. I try to drink 3 to 4 quarts of water per day.

Now, over the past 5 or 6 years, I have been severely anemic, and as a result, I've suffered from pica... which means I would eat ice like CRAZY (craving it like crack, mayne!). Well, we've corrected that problem, and I don't do that anymore. (I know my cubicle mate Cowgirl Cre is happy about that... I know she must've wanted to strangle me for my constant ice crunching activities. LOL)

Quirkiest Habit. I never know when it is time to go to sleep. I simply fall asleep. I sleep with everything on: lights, television, lap top, radio. EVERYTHING. And to top it off, I only sleep 4 to 5 hours a night. So a normal sleep time range for me is 11 to 3 or 4 a.m. (The last time I had some good 8 hour sleep was in October of last year).

Quirkiest Self-Hate Habit. I often beat myself up for making mistakes, especially with people. Much of this has to do with my refusal to kiss people's a$$. (Please don't confuse my "jocking" activities with ass-kissing. For me, "jocking" is a few levels above "utmost respect").

As my blog sista LBeezy (the leader of the Soulja Girls, lol), said something the other day that left me feeling verbally shanked: "Leezie, you beat yourself up over things for which you have no control." Serenity30 followed that up with "I noticed that, too."

Shoot.

*LadyLee kicking rocks HARD*

I spend too much time spinning my wheels, thinking "shoulda, woulda, coulda" said the right thing, coulda cheesed all in your face and you would have NEVER known the difference... then I wouldn't be caught up in a bunch of MESS.

Hmm. Gotta work that out and still be ME.

I totally agree with LBeezy and Serenity30. I suppose I must work on that. But it is an, uh, well developed ingrained habit. At least I am aware of it.

Quirkiest STEALTH-like Behavior. I rarely let a man I meet know my real name. I have an alias ("Judy Smith") or I just use my first name. I refuse to tell a dude where I work, what I do for a living, or God forbid, how much money I make. I also, uh, give him the impression that at least 10 people live with me (brothers, sisters, cousins, grandparents, etc.)

Hate to do that, but it gives me just enough time to figure the dude out and gather information, just enough so to figure out if he is crazy or not.

A guy told me once, "I tell you things I ain't NEVER told a woman."

Uh, yeah. I dig into your brain like that. Funny how you don't know much about me. Hmm.

Quirkiest Obsessive-Compulsive Activity. If I come across a movie I like, I will watch it over and over and over again. (You know how many of us have virtually memorized every line in The Color Purple.)

Right now, and for the past 18 months or so, I've had this thing for my 2 favorite movies, Passion Fish and American Pop. I can watch those all day and not get tired.

I am the same way with music. I pick a song and play it to death. The songs of the moment are Fat Boy's Can You Feel It and Roxanne Shante's Roxanne's Revenge.

Me and My Quirky Emotions. I am VERY guarded with my emotions. I rarely allow myself to become emotionally attached. You might even call me "emotionally unavailable." I always have people telling me "I love you" or giving me hugs. I honestly don't know how to receive all that, and I'm having to learn, as old as I am, to respond back likewise. This is TERRIBLY difficult since I didn't grow up like that. Plus, I think it stems from my having severe trust issues. ~sigh~

Multitasker! I am a super-duper multitasker. Hold your horses, because that ain't a good thing. My multitasking is on some old ADD (attention deficit disorder) tip. For example, if I'm in a meeting, I don't care how important it is, I must be doing something else besides "sitting there". I will do some puzzles, read a book, or work on a story. I have even been known to crochet. (My boss is accustomed to such things. If she got a problem with it, then she can go sit on a fat tack.)

Don't worry, I am paying attention. But I am going to have SEVERE problems if I am sitting there paying attention to one thing and one thing only. Severe!

2 things (or more) must be going on at all times. That's my rule!!

So that's it. I was suppose to do 6 but that looks like 7!

Who I am tagging?

Whoever wants to do it.

But I will follow the rules. SIGH.

Yeah, I would like to see Terry, Deepnthought, Southern Black Gal, The LBeezy, Serenity30, and Carleen Brice.

Work it out, work it out, work it out now. (Only if you want too!)

Knock yourself out!

The Non-Blog Meme Tag

Guess what, Party people...

I've been tagged.

Ick. Don't like tags. Don't like tags. Don't like tags.

But, if I get tagged, I usually do them. And you know how longwinded I tend to be.

I was tagged by Rosemarie, Ms. Miscellaneous Matters herself. This tag confused me a bit for a moment, but I think I understand what is required of me...

The Rules:

1. After your intro, copy/paste this line and the rules below it: The originator wants to see how far it goes so please keep his link intact: http://rileycentral.net/

2. Encourage people to post with the incentive of a link by including those who have passed it along here:(Your link here and so on . . .)

3. Visit at least 3 on the list that’ve written and passed this meme. Leave them a comment..

Damien at Riley Central says, "Today I hereby unblog my mind with this post. One reason MANY of us writers get writer’s block is because we don’t nurture the things that give us joy. We spend too much time on the computer trying to write when we haven’t done anything worthy of writing about! To illustrate what makes me tick, and what gives me pure joy I am choosing 3 things I enjoy more than blogging and writing about them! Pick three things that enrapture, consume, fascinate, or otherwise enliven you more than blogging. Then write a few lines about each to explainwhat the nonblog activity does for you, why and how."

Well, now... I really like to blog, but there are a few things that I enjoy more than blogging:

1.Writing- Now, ya'll know I like to write A LOT. A whole lot. I am a member of the world's best Inspirational Journal Writing group. I am also currently taking writing classes. I have completed the first draft of my manuscript back in March, the infamous Sweet Heat, and I have several short stories/novellas (Leaving Jersey, Fancy That, My Special Auntie, Daddy Matters, etc.) at various stages in the works...

I think my teacher has an issha with me... She looks at me with hooded eyes and pursed lips when I turn in one story, and she expects continuation on another. She wants me to concentrate on ONE piece, and make it the best it can be. I like to jump around a lot from story to story.

Teacher: "What about Leaving Jersey, LadyLee? I miss Danielle! I worry about her, and what happens to her!"
LadyLee: "Uh, I ain't feeling that right now. I want to work on my Fancy That story."
Teacher: hand to chest followed by... **silence**

She's gonna jump up and punch me in the face one day.

I had the NERVE to turn in the revised first chapter of my beloved 1000 page, 273,000 word Sweet Heat.

Teacher: "It's chick-lit, it's romance, LadyLee!!"
LadyLee: **LadyLee grins hard like Celie**
Teacher: "Place Leaving Jersey on the front end of this Sweet Heat chapter. That would be interesting!"
LadyLee: ** LadyLee's Celie grin melts into a Gas face**

Yeah, she's gonna pick up something and knock me upside my head someday...

I think she has a point though. I accept that she knows better than me, because Lord knows, I have learned A LOT from her. I'm just an impatient broad. If I hit a tough spot in a story, I will set it aside and let it marinate for a minute, and work on something else, until I am ready to come back to it. Don't know if that's a good or bad thing, but it seems to be my funky way of doing things... Hmm.

Let's just say... the Oldgirl likes to write! Perhaps a bit too much...

I have my first all day workshop coming up in a couple of weeks, so I am nervous, but at the same time happy about that. I am beginning to see a little improvement, and I am doing better at seeing and fixing problems in my writing.

And that's a good thang!!

2. Reading - I love to read... I try to read a good 40-50 books a year. Haven't read as much as I should this year, because I have waaaaay too many other activities going on. It looks like I'll probably read 30 books this year. Two of my favorites have been Khalid Hosseni's A Thousand Splendid Suns and Martha Southgate's Third Girl from the Left. Hopefully I will come across more that'll knock my socks off like those two did.

It is difficult for me to read books these days because I start looking at the style of the writing. I may find something that will help me with my own writing, stuff like that. So I tend to get bogged down and read slow... That keeps me from reading like I want to read.

My writing teacher stresses that our writing class is a "hard fiction" class... (**Ms. C looks and squints at directly at LadyLee when she says that**). I am suppose to read "hard fiction" and leave my usual fare alone. So she knows I like black writers, and wants me to read some Toni Morrison. I looked at her, **crickets** all up in my eyes. Toni is a bit too hard for me, and I ain't ashamed to admit that. But I read one of her books last year (because Tayari suggested it, and ya'll know I do whatsoever the Queen says), and it was, um, interesting, but required toooo much concentration to read. I read for ENTERTAINMENT, ya'll...

But maybe I will try to read a little more "hard fiction"....

3. Music - I love music. Good music. I am slightly narrowed-minded when it comes to the music I like... I like a LOT of Old School music. I outright REFUSE to listen to today's urban radio, and can't tell you a current popular song or catchy lyric to save my life.

No, I favor old school music. I can usually remember the state of my life at the time each song was popular, so I must say my love for old school is more from a nostalgic perspective. I also create a music list according to what I am writing at the time, something that relates to the mood of the story. My stories usually have a character that loves certain songs or music in general.

And ya'll know that I am always quick to break out with some Mixtapes. LOL!! Really though.



Alrighty then... that's that... I have completed my tag!! Hooooraaaay!!!

And who shalt I taggeth?

I tag the apples of my eye- my three wonderful, fabulous, successful, smart, intriguing, wry, lovely, incredible Blog Sistas:

My #1 Whoadie, The LBeezy.
Super-duper shoe queen blogger and wine mistress Serenity23.
That unbeweavable Chick on the wheels of steel, THE DJ DIVA.

Ya'll broads go head on and get that done, ya heard me???

8 things tag

Alrighty Boys and Girls...

It's tag time.

I don't like tags. I have a tendency to walk around with a Wal-mart receipt in my pocket, scribbling tag points on it for many, many days trying to come up with whatever number of points needed to get the job done.

But once I finish, it's alllll good. I learn much about myself. I throw the nonpersonal stuff up on the blog, and keep the personal to myself. I will do the same here.

Blog fam yells... dang, Ladylee!!!

LOL. Boy oh boy, you all really love that personal ish, don't you? I may or may not put something here.

Believe it or not, I had more than 8 things, so I could pick and choose. And, I should be able to do this tag in one post. We'll see.

But if you are smart, I am sure that you can read between the lines...

So check it out... here we go.

1. I want a doggone Lexus soooooo bad. Not even a new one, mind you. I don't like the new ones. But I want a 2000 Lexus ES300.

There's a problem. I can afford it, but I don't drive much. I am chauffered to and from work by the Infamous Hen-Dog. Plus, I like not having a car note. So I don't see the point... right now, that is.

Therefore... I chill. And ride shotgun with Hen.

2. I hate calling people by their gub'ment names. In other words, I am a nickname fiend. If you don't have a nickname, then I will make up one for you. Not a problem. Not sure where this started. It is a pleasant way in which I entertain myself.

3. My English is incredibly busted, i.e., I am ebononically inclined. Don't correct my english. How dare you even think about correcting my English?*LadyLee takes you by the hand and walks you over to the wall where the doctorate degree so lovingly hangs*

I made GREAT sport of messing with my ex-husband's family in this manner. I swear, they were the most trifling folk I've ever met, yet they sat around correcting each other's english. I would sit there and split verbs and everything else... just to mess with them. They wouldn't dare correct me, and I think they knew that they would look silly if they tried.

Don't get me wrong. I can bust out and speak very properly if need be. I can even kill the southern drawl/accent if I have to. Thing is... it takes a lot of concentration. And I talk real slow when I do that. Either that, or I am EXTREMELY quiet.

I'm not hating on speaking properly. Never would I do such a thing, as it is the right thing to do. I thought the debate about teaching ebonics in school was totally ridiculous. I think I am the way I am because of the people I hang around. I remember when I was 10 years old, my grandmother was in college and was taking English classes. We had the most fun sitting around conjugating verbs, etc... She cleaned her language waaaay up. I respect her for that.

I'm just being me, that's all...

4. I would love to go back to school and get an MFA in creative writing. But I've pretty much had enough of school. It would creep me out to have to actually write for a grade. That is some craziness. I would probably flunk out from bad nerves. It takes me a moment to compose myself to write something for class as it is, and there's no grade for it. Things work a lot differently when I'm doing it just for the enjoyment of doing it.

5. In that same vain, I would love to go culinary school. But like I mentioned above, I just can't wrap my head around cooking for a grade. Now I would do these things on an audit basis. I just pay to go, and learn. But what use is that? Can you do that? Why drop 30,000 to 80,000 bucks to not get any credit. Hmm... I think I will just take my little writing class for now. How 'bout that?

6. I like to change lyrics to songs. I get ESPECIALLY giddy when I can throw "Oldgirl" into the lyrics and bust the English up a bit. I do this mostly when I am alone. No one really knows I do this, except for the Infamous Hen-Dog... He thinks it's funny, and tends to join right in.

Example: I have about 300 songs in heavy rotation on my laptop. One of my favorites is Teena Marie's "If I were a bell". Why? Because I can change the lyrics

"If I were a bell/Baby I would ring/Tell the whole world that you are my everthing."

Becomes...

"If I was a Oldgirl/Oldboy I would ring/Tell them Oldgirls that you is my everything."

Yes, this is stupid. And I am totally suprised that I am sharing this with you. But it is a personal quirk. Alas, another way I entertain myself while I'm out watering the garden or vacuuming the carpet! LOL!

7. I "drill write" like crazy. I like to write a bunch of stuff for no real reason, save for figuring out a character's personality. I didn't know that that was what I was doing until I heard an author at the Atlanta Writers Club mention it in his talk

"You better drill write, drill write, DRILL WRITE!!"

*Ladylee rearing back with a raised eyebrow and looking at him in pure horror. LadyLee knocks the **crickets aside** then furiously writes down the whole concept in her notebook*.

I have all kinds of stories laying around. And what's interesting is that I finish them. I won't do much with them, I like to dissect them. It helps me correct of some of my bad habits, problems, etc. I find two or three interesting things that I can snatch out and use elsewhere. Plus, I may or may not use them for class, etc... I even throw the short stuff up here on the blog from time to time. Most are too long to put on the blog, though. Ya'll would KILL me if I even thought about putting some 25 page ish on here!!! (That reminds me... there's another story week coming up in a few weeks.)

8. I am NOT a technology buff. I don't care for computers, internet, cellphones, none of that. I am STILL trying to figure out why I pay an extra 100 bucks a month for services that I got along just fine without some 10 years ago. When did it come to a point where anyone feels that they can't exist without their cellphone?

You wanna know how I got my first cellphone? No, I didn't go out and buy one. That would've meant that I was looking at the fact that everyone else had one, it's the trendy thing to have, and I just gotta have one. As a result, I refused to buy one.

No, it didn't go down like that. I got a call one day, back in 2001 I believe, from LadyTee. She had a cell phone and had been whining about how much I "needed" one. But I ignored her.

She called me up one day.

Land line phone rings.
"'Sup gal?" (my usual greeting).
"Lee, give me your social security number," LadyTee demanded.
"For what?"
"Shut up and give me your damn social security number."
"Why?"
"N**** shut up and give it to me!!!!!!!!!!!!"
*LadyLee frowning at the pure harshness of her tone.*

I gave her my social security number. Two days later, the FedEx man showed up with a cell phone. THAT'S how I got my cell phone.

The screens were green back then. I remember super shoe queen blogger Serenity23 and I yacking on IM one night and I told her that I still had a "green screen" cell phone, to which she responded with a "WHAT???" It was Serenity23 who taught me the fine art of text messaging, which bothered me for a while, but I do it if I have to.

I finally got a new cellphone a year ago when my "green screen" broke. Still, that does not answer the question... Since when is it that we became so dependent on technology???

Okay... I have offically fulfilled my tag obligations. Did you learn something about the Oldgirl. I have learned much about myself. And that's a good thing. But I am tagging others: Serenity23, Kayla, The DJ DIVA, Microphone Queen Sharon, Rosemarie, Rose, Sister Toldja, Luke Cage, Hassan... That's more than 8, and remember: it is optional...

Do what ya gotta do:)

10 Things...

Sometimes... things happen that make me scream:

What in the world??

I got tagged!!!

Rosemarie of VOMM (Voices on Miscellaneous Matters) notoriety tagged me!

Now I haven't been tagged in at least a year (and don't nobody out there get any strange ideas.)

Tags are a bit hard for me. I usually spend a week or so walking around with a large scrap of paper in the pocket of my sweat pants, trying my best to come up with answers to the question. A few times a day, I scribble down a couple of responses on the page.

The question this time is:

Tell 10 interesting or suprising things about myself (something like that.)

I came up with a few... Don't know if they are suprising or the least bit interesting. I'll let you be the judge of that.

So here we go!

1. I cannot drink any kind of juice without first cutting it with water. Therefore my juice is usually 50-75% water. It all started when I was a teenager. Don't know why, but it is what it is.

2. I am allergic to Kool-aide.Yes I am black, and that is not suppose to be the case, LOL.
It makes me break out in some serious acne or something.

3. I am a fruit fanatic. For instance, here's what's on my desk.


(Yeah, my desk is a mess. So what! Sue me!)

And here's part of my lunch!

Get a lil' closer to the fresh cut strawberries and mango!

Yes, yes ya'll. I am the Queen of Fruit City!

Enough said.

4. I like to wake up in the mornings, grab a broom and sweep the floor and the carpet. This is a funky habit I picked up from my Mama, who wakes up on Saturday mornings at 4:30 am and sweeps the carpet. Use to drive me crazy when I was younger. Now I do it. Go figure.

5. I had another blog once... I've called it my "batcave blog" over in these parts. I miss my batcave blog. I know my blog sistas who were privilidged enough to partake of the happenings over there miss it too. We took care of A LOT of bizness over in those parts!

6. One of the darkest parts of my personality is my tendency to be obsessive compulsive about simple things. I will constantly check to make sure that I have my wallet, or keys, etc. I sometimes don't remember if I let the garage door down, and I must go all the way back home and check to make sure. I am the same way about the stove or doors. Just a quirky fear I have...

7. My worst habit: I go to sleep with everything on: the lights, the TV, the laptop... everything. Nothing scares me more than laying in the dark, alone with my thoughts, trying to go to sleep. Even though I was probably sleepy at the time, I will probably lay there for hours, just... thinking. Goodness.

8. My favorite sounds: The whir of the ceiling fan and the sound of a train in the distance. That whir of the ceiling fan drives a few peeps in my critique team bananas, as I like to use it in my writings sometimes.

9. I have a favorite chair back in my chemistry lab, which is lovingly known by all as the "Queen's Chair".

I talk MUCH MUCH trash if I happen to stroll into the lab and someone is sitting in MY chair. You would think that someone stole my money, and I'm coming for them.

Typical LadyLee rant: "Have you lost your damn mind or something? Get your butt up out my doggone chair, man!"

Typical coworker response: *Co-worker jumps up and pushes chair hard at me*
"Girl, take your ol' stupid chair. Don't nobody like that stupid chair anyway!"

Yes, everyone hates that chair. It has no armrests. The back is not straight. Those seems to be the major quips about it.

I love it. It rolls with minimal inertia. I can roll across the room with one small push. That makes me happy!

I am the Queen of the lab. 'Tis my special chair.

So... Stay out of my doggone chair, you bustas!

10. Finally, a partial interesting thing/food for thought nugget: I love to see people do well in life. I get all excited when I see people accomplish a goal, especially if it is something that they have been praying about. I never get envious or jealous of anyone. Shoot man, if there is ANY way I can help or encourage you, I will willingly do it, i.e., sow some type of seed into your life. I will be happy right along with you. Heck, you would think I was the one who had the breakthrough!!

I feel I should celebrate with people when they make strides in their life.

Why do I mention this at all? It isn't all that interesting or suprising.

I mention it because I think it is a rare thing. We live in a society that promotes getting over on people, dishonesty, hoarding, cheating, jealousy, and hateration.

I promised myself I would work on not being like that. For I feel that whoever is like that has developed in such attitudes over time. And I do not want to look up at the age of 60, and have any of those negative qualities in my life.

And I find as I get older, I have a tendency to surround myself with people who are just like me...

Alright Ms. Rosemarie... I fulfilled my tag obligation.

Who am I tagging? Whoever wants to do this or has the time to do it. Just let an Oldgirl know so that I can come over to your blog and have a look-see.

But specifically, I am tagging (and only if you feel up to it):

That Original Oldgirl Chele. You Mother of the Year You! One of the few people who has the privilege of being continuously jocked by LadyLee. It would be interesting to see what another Original would would find suprising and interesting about herself.

That Super Shoe Queen blogger Serenity23. My baby blog sista, who constantly jocks me (LOL! I am going to get a nasty text message behind that!). We talk so much that I know her funky personality. But I suggest you do it, you fiery-headed chicken (inside joke), since you are up for your Original Oldgirl Platinum Plus card. DO IT, gal... DO IT.

Tayari Jones, Queen of Lurk City.
I layeth prostrate on the ground and I taggeth you, your Royal Highness.

Tayari! Stop getting drunk off of those tequila gimlets in trashy bars and do this tag, mayne!!!

The Queen and the greatest author in the known universe, who is acutely accustomed to being overly jocked by LadyLee. (I can see her yawning in boredom of my worshipping her, LOL! I must up the ante next time!) I hesitate asking the Queen of Lurk City to do such a thang! She is starting a new teaching post at Rutgers, and is about to move from DC to New York or New Jersey (where are you moving to, Celie?) I know you are busy, Miss Celie! So if you can do it... DO IT.

Frank a.k.a. Luke Cage, The Urban Knight, Ruler of the Planet Fantasy Beyond.

You sho nuff lookin' all hard and mean in that picture, bruh.

*Lee running up on Luke Cage and leaping up on his back*

Look here, I ain't scared of you, Urban Knight!!! You hear me?! You do this tag or suffer the complete and utter destruction and annihilation of Planet Fantasy Beyond!!

*Lee pulls out light saber and chases Frank as he runs screaming for the hills.*

Shorty... Let me tell you something. Let the games of "Iron Garden" begin. The Garden Battle is ON! Whose garden will rule? Bring it ON! Man, I expect to see some Superhero muscled-up Holograms all in your garden fighting off crows, rabbits and deer. Get to working, man!! (But do this tag first, LOL. And do it podcast style. That would be PHAT, bruh!)

UPDATE: DJ DIVA has raised her head from the turntables. She sitting on the edge of the fountain, lip poked out, clutching her Oldgirl-in-training card, all mad because she didn't get tagged. She's having candy-coated dreams of the day she will get her Original Oldgirl Platinum Card Carrying Status.

You're unbeweavable, DJ! I've got nothin' but love for ya! Really though!

I had to dig deep in your archives to find this picture. I wish I could've just ran up on you and pushed you into that water. I know how much you like to fight. I would've caught a beatdown for that one!

Keep reaching for your dreams! You can achieve with your weave!!! LMAO!!

You have my permission to do the tag, hon. (Happy now? Geeeeeez!)

Now ya'll get to work... Make it more interesting than my 10 thangs:)

And before I forget!

Happy Mothers Day to all the Mommies out there:)

~from LL:)