Good Monday morning.

Man... sigh. HARD SIGH.

I'm limping into the week, saying that, man.

My weekend was WACK. Wack, wack, wack.

I was so tired after working all week. Just so wiped out that it scared me a little. And I have to recognize that I'm trying to just get back in the swing of things. So this weekend, I didn't plan correctly. I went across town to run errands and forgot a few things. So that means I have to go BACK across town and get this stuff.

GAS TOO HIGH FOR THAT.

*lee finding a notepad and making a list and checking it twice from now on*

So it went by like a blur.

I don't feel good about that. So I will learn from it. I have to put myself on a plan. For my week and my weekend. And that is the solution to the problem.

I must admit, I really enjoyed the sunny weekend, Lovely!! Even turned my car AC on!

I made cookies last night. They are for my WONDERFUL interim boss who we are having a party for. Her last day is Thursday. Doggonit I might just write a story for that chick. I want to touch her and ask "Are you real? Are you an angel?"

Lo and behold, we are all attending her party. This chick treated us like we were HUMAN BEINGS. We gonna be all sad, all gonna be crying and blowing snot.

Because our regular management BLOWS. That is all.

('Scuse my feelings. You should hear my prayers. "Lawd forgive me how I feel about these IDIOTS!!!!" (You don't want to hear the answer to THAT one.)

(My coworkers feel worse. If I told you what they felt, this post would get flagged as inappropriate. So I'm the "optimistic" one of the bunch. I'm working on that... inconsistent but getting there).

Quote of the Week: This one right here blew me away. My twitta sista Lady K sent an email to me last night about something, and it was in her signature.

"A woman's heart should be so close to God that a man has to seek God to find it."
I love simple statements. This one is less than 20 words long, but it made me... pause.

Imagine having a heart so close to God, so in tune with His ways and direction for your life that a man has to seek God just to get next to you.

Must mean that man's heart is close to God too. It speaks to priorities and motivations. That ain't even a religious statement. It's a relationship statement.

Gee whiz, we can talk about that quote all day long. But we won't. Because it ain't all that important to most of us, is it? But it is a most interesting statement.

Moving right along!

Song of the Week: I was watching ol' crazy Dionne Warrick on the Apprentice and thought of one of my favorite songs by her: "Deja Vu"




This song is funny to me. A few years ago, I use to play it everyday in the cubicle, and my cubicle mate would look over her shoulder and whine "Lee, you need to play something else." She knows I will play a song over and over and over....

And this is one of those songs. Very nice, very easy going. I think I confused my cubicle mate when I did a slow raise the roof dance to it. LOL!!!

So that's it for now. Stay tuned for pics, etc. Still culling them, and gonna put them up. Not all that satisfied with my pics, but we'll give it a go!

Have a GREAT week... on purpose!

Friday Freestyles: Earthquakes and Fairytales. Breathe In, Breathe out.

Friday at last.

The weather has been strange, a bit windy, bit rainy and a bit cold. It's been around 50 degrees all week. This is cold to me, since I dealt with 90 degree temps all last week! Sigh.

One work week ALMOST down.

And it hasn't been a bad as I thought it would be.

We have a VERY good interim supervisor right now. I almost wanna touch and ask "Are you real?" LOL. She's getting much done for us, and she isn't a drag like the rest of management. Her detail is done on next Thursday. We're having a big pizza party for her. I may even bake cookies! Oh joy!

The next supervisor is a terror. That's all I'm going to say about that. It's a member of our workgroup, and let's just say I do ALL I can to stay out of her way. She likes to cut me off at my knees, and then smile in my face. (Ya'll know I can't stand no fake mess like that). Sigh. Whatever. It's gonna be fine, man!

All this pales in comparison to waking up this morning and watching the total devastation over in Japan. An 8.9 earthquake hit over there. Man, I've NEVER heard of an earthquake rating that high. Have you? Wow. It really just takes my breath away.

A tsunami will hit the Hawaiian islands at about 8:04 AM. A tsunami will hit the West Coast at about 10:24 AM. It amazes me how they predict these things. Thank God for technology. It is amazing indeed. It means that the coastal folks have time to get themselves together and move to higher ground. I don't think these are massive devastating waves (at least that's what the weatherman says), but just the same, it is something to hear that.

This immediately brought to mind an interesting answer to a prayer I had a few years ago. Well, not an answer, but more of a statement. I get these short statements here and there, and they are seemingly simple, but it takes me YEARS to really understand them. I mean YEARS.

And that is: "Everything and Anything can happen in the very next breath you take."

Something like that. Should've wrote it down. But that is simple enough, ain't it?

Yet it's complex. Very. It could mean something totally different to each one of us, can't it.

Just thinking about it, I could probably write pages and pages of food for thought on it.

I was reminded of it this morning. I slept with the TV on last night (one of my worst habits), and I woke up to a breaking news announcement about a devastating earthquake in Japan.

And then they showed people in their offices, going about the business of their day, when all of a sudden, the office shakes, monitors are falling off the walls, books are falling off of shells, people are running to and fro.

One moment, calm.

Next moment, chaos.

One breath, calm.

Next breath, chaos.

Breathe in.

Breathe out.

And it just amazes me. And I understand that simple phrase a little more. Just a little more.

Tragedy can occur in the very next breath you take.

At the same time, something good can happen in the very next breath you take.

I was also reminded of this yesterday, when blogger Ladidahdi, (who I simply adore... and stalk to no end), had a soapbox rant on twitter concerning how us black women sit up and play into the relationship guru foolishness, most notably, how we pine after folks like Ste.ve Ha.rvey, living on every word he gives concerning relationship advice. We run out and buy his book and take whatever he has to say as pure gospel.

Now I don't knock the man. He has found a niche, and I'm sure in his heart he thinks and knows he can offer good relationship advice. Probably so. But I, like Ladidahdi, am a bit more upset with us as women. Somehow our self worth has become attached to whether we have a man or not. It's very sad. Sad indeed. Because it's simply not true.

So we panic. Get desperate. And when one man like St.eve Ha.rvey, who has issues of his own (and I hear he about to get divorced AGAIN. What is this, the third or fourth time? And that may just be a rumor, but doggonit, if it's true, then...) tells you why you don't have a man, then you take it as fact.

When, it really comes down to... you can meet the man of your dreams, the man made just for you, your perfect mate....

Next year.
Next month.
Next week.
Tomorrow.
Today.
In the next hour.
In the next minute.
In the next second.
In the very next breath you take.

"You sounding crazy, Lee," you may holler.

Is that so? Really.

You just saw a earthquake hit. 10 years ago, you saw 2 airplanes hit the World Trade Center.

You just cut your finger on a piece of paper.

You just burnt your tongue on a spoonful of soup that was a bit too hot to eat.

Someone was putting on their clothes this morning, getting ready for their day, and had a massive heart attack.

Someone just got a call about a new job. Someone opened the door and it was the Publishers clearing house peoples with your million dollar check.

Things happen suddenly. Sometimes when you least expect it.

Breathe in.

Breathe out.

All in one breath.

As young girls we were sat down in front of the television, and made to watch Cinderella, Snow White, and Sleeping Beauty, and their dire situations, and all of a sudden a man comes along and rescues them and they ride off in the sunset and live happily ever after.

When in reality, it runs more concurrent with one of my favorite songs by Anita Baker, "FairyTales"



I think I would've learned more from Snow White, Cinderella, and the crew if I would've seen how they dealt with the issues of life AFTER riding off into the sunset, and how they made it through life's "earthquakes" and disasters together. Hmm.

("Get back to what you were talking about, LadyLee!" Blog family screams)

Yeah, yeah... This is Friday Freestyles. Free to speak whatever is on my mind. It all ties together though. You make what you make of it, man.

We love our fairytales. No wonder we trip out and get desperate... and worship at the feet of Ste.ve Har.vey...

Because he is the one who can teach me how to get this to happen.

Hmm...

I think, with us so called desperate women, we ain't upset that you don't have a man. We're upset because we think we'll NEVER have another man the rest of our lives.

When it comes down to on the serious and real tip... We can't see around the corners of our life.

And that one true desire you have, meeting that man, can happen in the very next breath you breathe. And hopefully, it's at a time when you are loving yourself, loving your own worth, and working hard on your personal inner peace.

What a great place to be in our life... instead of desperate. Ugh.

And I don't think we would panic if we knew something nice was around the corner.

Because you never know what may happen with the very next breath you take.

Hmmm... Something to think about for your weekend. I'm STILL trying to understand the breadth and depth of that simple statement above in green.

Things happen all around me that bring it to mind.

My prayers are with the people of Japan as they recover from this devastation.

You all remember to be thankful for the life you have, even if it's not what you expected.

I know I will.

You have a good weekend... on purpose.

Grand Turk Port Pictures, Part I

I am finally getting to the point of dumping my pictures out of my camera.

There will not be much rhyme or reason to them. I have close to 500 pictures. I'm just going to categorize them the best I can and keep it moving. It may take me all of March to get my pictures up, so like I said, I will mix them with my regular posts.

So these pics are basically pictures I'm putting up for my friend the Green Eyed Bandit. This was their annual family cruise.

I do a big takeover, and make it my birthday cruise, lol.

So here are your family pictures, Bandit, ol' buddy, ol' pal!! Wish you were there!!!

Enjoy!

Our first stop was Grand Turks. We were soooo happy to get off the boat that we immediately began taking pictures.

All the Sister Bandits and a Cousin bandit on the far left.

Cousin Bandit was my roommate. She was a GREAT roommate. I especially like how she would jump out of the bed all sprite in the morning and get ready for her day...

I loved how she'd yell "You coming to breakfast, Lee1?"

I'd tell her no. I wasn't as sprite. I have to get up, go hang out on our room's balcony and read a little. Watch the Today Show. Catch a little Regis and Kelly. Do some more reading. Play on my laptop. Do some writing. Then get up and get myself together to go to breakfast.

(Yes, it takes a moment to get my day started).

Baby Sister Bandit.

We were tripping, yelling "What's with that pose, girl??"

Yeah, we mighta had to watch her. She look like she ready to party, get her vacation on!

Green-Eyed Bandits 3 sisters.

Man, all of their names are so similar that I just don't even bother to say them. (I wonder if they picked up on that? I don't know.) I would just holler "Hey!"

Sister Bandit and Bruh-in-Law Bandit.

She's pregnant! Green Eyed Bandit, why didn't you tell me this!! And she's pregnant with TWINS! Yay! They have a couple of teenage kids, and a younger child. Here we go with twins. I think they want girls, since there are so many boy grandchildren.

This was exciting to me. First time I've known anyone pregnant with twins.

A picture of me. You know I never put up pics of myself. You better catch it while you can, honey.

Bruh-in-Law Bandit again! This dude is HILARIOUS!

Jokes for DAYS! Such a commedian!

Mama Bandit and Auntie Bandit!

Mama Bandit and her daughters.

Doggonit Green-Eyed Bandit! You should've been there! I don't think I have a picture of all of you together :(

Cousin Bandit, Sister Bandits, and another Auntie Bandit!

That Auntie Bandit was a riot. She was my favorite to hang around.

One last picture of the crew...

These are the BEST folks to travel with. Why? Because they are CRAZY!!

I tell you what. With all this revolution jumping off in various countries, I don't have to be worried.

You would never hear me hollering "Help! We're stuck! The citizens are revolting, and we can't get out of here!"

No. These folks will fight their way out of there. Break legs off tables and whoop some heads! And they will hijack the boat and sail us back to the USA. They don't play. That's who I like rolling with!

LOL!

So those are pics of the traveling crew. I didn't get everyone. There were 34 people in our group, and I think there were only 5 more family members lingering around. Wish I could've gotten pictures of everyone!

Stay tuned for more pictures!!

Semi-Wordless Wednesday: Hair Care

I was walking through a grocery store in Aruba and saw this:

Whoa!

They're perming their hair in Aruba!?

LOL!!

*all the natural hair sisters promptly walk away from this post*

LOL!!!!!

Furious Handclaps!

Okay, uh, yeah... I'm trying to sound smurfy for you today.

Yes indeed. LOL .

And it's time for me to sow something into someone's life. That's just something I loooooooove to do. I just get a kick out of it. It makes me cheese hard like Celie. It makes me do the high rockette kicks. It makes my heart beat extra fast!

It makes me break out with the furious handclaps!

It's just my way of honoring you for taking time out of your day to read my rambles. (I may do a post on honor. We will see.)

I just love that. Why?

Cause we living in a time when Ninjas always trying to get over on you. Seems like dogging people is the norm these days. You always gotta watch a sucka.

SIGH, man! Hard Sigh.

"I cannot stand that!!!" I holler through clenched teeth, with my fists balled up tight. "Makes me want to kick Oscar-Tyrone or kick a wall!"

But me...

I'm LadyLee.

Your Friendly Neighborhood Oldgirl.

I ain't like that, babes.

I wanna do you good! Make you feel a mite bit SMURFY!

And it allows me to step outside of myself, and think about somebody else!

So guess what? I did the drawing for the workbook by Priscilla Shirer, He Speaks to Me: Preparing to Hear from God.

Winner: Lisa B.

Alternate: Jennifer

Give our winners a strong handclap!!!

*ladylee standing up and clapping furiously*

I have an alternate winner because Lisa B, uh.. I think she one of Serenity's clientele, and she's a chicken that wanders over on over to the front porch of the House of LadyLee and sits a spell. So I don't know how to track her down. Honey, you better email me at my Oldgirl email: oldgirl_1@earthlink.net.

Holla my way if you want that book.

Alternate is Jennifer: I know Jennifer's email. So I can harrass her at will. LOL!

Jennifer is funny to me. She's a reader that showed up out of nowhere, and uh, I was talking about an interesting sermon I heard on depression, and she asked me to put up my notes. And I think it was anonymous, not sure.

My first thought was... "Who the hell is this?!?!?!"

(Scuse my language... I am working on that... inconsistently, I may add).

Then it was like... Uh, oh. Let me shut up. Let me zip it QUICK.

Why do I say that? Because there is a most interesting verse in the bible. Very interesting indeed.

Hebrews 13:2 NLT Don’t forget to show hospitality to strangers, for some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it!

So instead of cussing hard, I shut up... and typed up my notes. Might be a frickin' angel jumping up out of nowhere. You never know.

And you know... there's a reason for everything.

Really though.

This was important. Because I think it was the first time I typed up notes over here. I'm funny about that, because this ain't a spiritual blog, even though that's what I think about most of the time. I use this blog to massage my creative writing skills. I have a batcave private blog, and it was for spiritaul things specifically. But I kept that seperate from the House of LadyLee.

So as Serenity touched off all my Food-For-thought series, Jennifer touched off the "Please post your notes" saga. LOL.

So when someone asks in the comment section to posts my notes that I mention that I found interesting, shoot man... I AM QUICK TO DO IT.

Why? Because it's helpful to me. I end up digging something extra out with it that I didn't see before. And then, it's helpful to you.

And we can all sit around and be blessed.

*lee throws flower petals in the air*

So she and I formed an interesting email friendship. Turns out she was going through something that I had been through, and we were able to talk about it.

So Ms. Jennifer is responsible for that.

Let's give Jennifer a handclap!

*lee clapping hands furiously*

Happy to know you, Oldgirl. You helped me more than I helped you. Believe dat.

And you're a twitter friend now. I remember seeing your twitter avatar and thinking... "So, she's real. She ain't a angel with a laptop afterall."

LOL

So, uh... hit me up on my Oldgirl email, Lisa B. Don't be lollygagging around now! If I don't hear from you, then you miss out, babes! Holler at me!!!!!!! I wanna do you good today, gal!

Jen, you got my gub'ment email. Holler at me. If Lisa B. drag her feet, that's your book! If she get it, I may throw a sack of cookies your way or something, Oldgirl...

That is alll for today. I am STILL trying to organize my vacay pics.

Stay tuned for vacation posts mixed in with my regular posts!