A Week In....

January 31, 2012

I've been at my new job for a whole week now! *happy dances* I have some slight observations already.

1. Training is VERY boring. I think it would be a lot better once we start getting into the practical parts of it....like the computer systems.

2. God blessed me with the gift of figuring things out quickly. He gave other people different gifts. That's all I'm going to say. I'm working on not being so.....brash this year.

3. My benefits and perks package is SWEET! Discounts on travel, gym memberships, phone service, PLUS affordable health, dental and vision. I died and went to heaven.

4. This call center is a little messy. That's fine...as long as my check clears and the commissions keep rolling.

All in all, I'm having fun. Meeting new people is great. The best part is that Boo Thang and I are T-minus 2 months from our own spot. As soon as my probationary period up.....FREEDOM!


30 Day Music Challenge: Day 30 - Your Favorite Song From This Time Last Year

This song was EVERYTHING this time last year. It never got old for some reason. In fact, I'm listening to it right now and getting that old feeling back!! I LOVE CHRIS BROWN!!



So that concludes my 30 day music challenge and I actually finished one!!! So proud of myself. How are you guys doing on your reading challenges? I've been paying attention....I know some of you are behind lol.

30 Day Music Challenge: Day 29 - A Song From Your Childhood

January 30, 2012

Now THIS is the R. Kelly that I grew to love. I can honestly say that being a child of the 80's and growing up in the 90's, we truly had the LAST of the greatest music. I used to listen to this song all the time. This was back in the day when I didn't have CDs and had to record it off the radio. *sighs* The good old days, lol.....


30 Day Music Challenge: Day 28 - A Song That Makes You Feel Guilty

January 29, 2012

Now this song makes me feel just a tad guilty. I am miles away from home and sometimes I don't even call. No one but my brother calls me....so sometimes I only feel the need to make sure I talk to him on regular basis. This song is all about families...relationships that I really don't have.


30 Day Music Challenge: Day 27 - A Song That You Wish You Could Play

January 28, 2012

This is a song that I tried to master for years in tryouts for different honor bands when I was younger. My fingers DO NOT move this fast, lol.


30 Day Music Challenge: Day 26 - A Song That You Can Play On An Instrument

January 27, 2012

I started playing the clarinet when I was 10 years old. I learned to play other instruments, but the clarinet has always been my principal instrument. When I was a music education major, this piece was my jury/performance piece. It was a real challenge to learn because college was the first time that I ever had to learn to play with an accompaniment. I actually miss those days....

30 Day Music Challenge: Day 25 - A Song That Makes You Laugh

January 26, 2012

I heard somewhere that this song was supposed to send a message to people, but it was really stupid. What I really think was that someone got fed up with a couple people they knew personally and made a diss song. Either way the result was HILARIOUS to me. Sometimes when I feel a certain way about a person, some of these lyrics pop in my head. I can't help it. I'm rude inside my mind.

"Read a book, read a book, read a *%*^#*^$# book!"


30 Day Music Challenge: Day 24 - A Song That You Want Played At Your Funeral

January 25, 2012

This is totally contrary to my stance right now....which is that I do not want to have a funeral. I have a real aversion to them at this point. Cremate me, have a nice memorial, and go to KFC. But in all seriousness, if I had to choose a song to play it would be this one.

30 Day Music Challenge: Day 23 - A Song That You Want To Play At Your Wedding

January 24, 2012

My Latest Greatest Inspiration - Teddy Pendergrass

I know this sounds very "The Wood" of me to want this song played at my wedding, lol. The first time that I ever remember hearing this song was when I heard first saw this movie. However, this song has special meaning for me and Boo Thang. This song was playing while we were expressing the deepest of our real feelings for each other for the very first time. It was the moment that we decided to look at our own happiness and let our respective toxic relationships go and get together. Every time I hear it, I smile.


30 Day Music Challenge: Day 22 - A Song That You Listen To When You're Sad

January 23, 2012

Take Me (I'm Yours) - Johnny Gill

This is one of those "baby, baby, please...I've done wrong, I'm sorry" songs. The emotion in it just makes me cry when I hear it. Johnny meant that shit!! This song definitely lets me stay inside my feelings.


30 Day Music Challenge: Day 21 - A Song You Listen To When You're Happy

January 22, 2012

Good Life - Kanye West f. T-Pain

How can you not cheer up when you hear this song?! It always puts me in a good place mentally. I may not be living my ultimate version of the good life, but I have life. That in itself is a happy day.


30 Day Music Challenge: Day 20 - A Song You Listen To When You're Angry

January 21, 2012

Caught Out There - Kelis

This song allows me to express so much anger and pain!! Just the screams and anguish. It does a body good sometimes. Mostly it allows me to tire myself so that I'm too tired to be angry. Where is Kelis?


Review: Triangles

January 20, 2012


Triangles
Triangles by Ellen Hopkins

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



Triangles is my very first book of 2012. Although I started reading this book in December's, the majority was read after the new year.

This book was an interesting read for the mere fact that it was written totally in prose. I loved to see how the poems from one character wives themselves and intermingled with the poems of another character.

This book centers around 3 women in their forties, heading toward a midlife crisis. Holly is a housewife with 3 loving kids and a husband who loves her. However, she is seriously bored with her life. This boredom added to a dramatic weight loss leads to get seeking happiness outside the relationship. Andrea is Holly's best friend. She is a lonely single mother, who can't get on board with Holly's new lifestyle and ponders taking Holly's neglected husband off her hands. Marissa, Andrea's sister, is also a housewife with a distant, alcoholic husband, a homosexual son, and a terminally ill daughter that leaves her asking many questions of her life. This book has plenty of spicy, erotic scenes for those who are into that and other heartfelt moments.

I originally rated this book 5 stars when I first finished. Just thinking about the book a few days later, I have to drop it down to 4 stars. What I didn't like about the book was the fact that it was so ling (529 pages) and after all that the book ended with no real solutions or conclusions for the characters. Still a very good read in my opinion.



View all my reviews

30 Day Music Challenge: Day 19 - A Song From Your Favorite Album

Talking In His Sleep - Toni Braxton

If I had a favorite album of all time, I would have to say it was Toni Braxton's Secrets. I dub this album my favorite because no matter how old I am, I can pop this CD in and jam out like it was.....well 1996 when it came out lol. It is hard to believe that I was 13 when this CD came out. THIS ALBUM IS 15 YEARS OLD!!!  How can you not love it? Unbreak My Heart, How Could An Angel Break My Heart.....magic!!!


30 Day Music Challenge: Day 18 - A Song You Wish You Heard On The Radio

January 19, 2012

Hear My Call - Jill Scott

This song would have me reflecting every day. This song does something to me every time I hear it. It makes me want to stop, be still and just pray. Crazy enough, it really isn't a gospel song in the traditional sense. The video just embodies everything that the song is. It's just her, asking for a little help. Every now and again we all need that.


30 Day Music Challenge: Day 17 - A Song You Often Hear On The Radio

January 18, 2012

4 AM - Melanie Fiona

This song plays A LOT. I'm glad she is getting a lot of radio play because I love her as an artist but I don't think that she gets the recognition that she deserves. At all. When is the next single coming out? I would hate to put her in the Kelly Rowland category....


30 Day Music Challenge: Day 16 - A Song You Used To Love But Now Hate

January 17, 2012

Motivation - Kelly Rowland

Will she go away already? Or will the radio at least stop playing it? This song is months old at this point. If I hear it again, I might scream.


30 Day Music Challenge: Day 15 - A Song That Describes You

January 16, 2012

Diva - Beyonce

This song has been my unofficial theme song from the moment I bought I Am...Sasha Fierce and gave it a listen. Whenever I'm feeling myself and am getting ready, I cue it up to put me in the optimum frame of mind. My Twitter name has diva in it. My blog title has diva in it. I consider myself to be a leading lady in the way that I carry myself and the way I am taking charge of my life.


30 Day Music Challenge: Day 14 - A Song No One Would Expect You To Love

January 15, 2012

Electric Feel - MGMT

As far as music goes, I listen to a little bit of everything. HOWEVER, as a black person, people tend to expect me to only love R&B and Hip Hop. People who know most of my music preferences expect me to only listen to neo-soul. I really do love this song though. Something about it just gets under my skin and makes me groove. I heard this song for the very first time while my guy was playing NBA 2K10. It was on the soundtrack of the game and I loved it.


30 Day Music Challenge: Day 13 - A Song That Is A Guilty Pleasure

January 14, 2012

Round Of Applause - Waka Flocka Flame

Sooo....everybody knows that I can't stand garbage rap. *in my Phaedra Parks voice* When I say garbage rap, I mean Gucci Mane, Waka Flocka, Lil' Boosie, [insert your up and coming Southern rapper here]. So when this song came out....AND I liked it....AND it was Waka Flocka, I had to do some soul searching. The saving grace has to be the verse by Drake (at least that's what I tell folks when they catch me listening to it). It is definitely a guilty pleasure. My feelings for him as a person have not changed.


Blissful Ignorance

January 13, 2012

Ignorance (or witlessness) is a state of being uninformed (lack of knowledge). The word ignorant is an adjective describing a person in the state of being unaware and is often used as an insult. -- Wikipedia

One of my gripes with my stepmother is that she refuses to let my dad be himself. My dad is one of those people who watches the news DAILY. I'm talking about morning and night. He also has subscriptions to many newspapers. He reads Black Enterprise, TIME, Reader's Digest, and a plethora of other magazines. In short, my dad is a guy that still has a thirst for knowledge at his age. This is a major issue for his wife. *blank stare* She thinks that he is wasting his time doing all that because none of those things has anything to do with him. *blank stare* When my dad told me this, I immediately placed her on the "basic bitch" list. (More things that I have learned from my brother have led me to believe that no amount of help will get her off this list, but I digress.) I thought that this mentality was based off the fact that she was older and has a small world mentality. I was wrong. More and more I find that this is more common than I thought....in MY age group and younger.

My parents raised me in manner that I think has benefited me over the years. The motto of the house was: "If you don't know something, look it up. There is no excuse to be ignorant." My dad encouraged reading, so there was never a shortage of newspapers, books, encyclopedias and magazines in our house. My mother was an interactive learner, so anytime we expressed interest in something, she bought everything National Geographic video on the subject. My brother took an interest in Pearl Harbor and the whole house became World War II enthusiasts (helped me out in history classes throughout my life!). I took an interest in space and the whole house was able to name all the Lucky 7 astronauts and when they took off on the first Apollo missions. But I get that everyone was not as lucky to have parents like mine.

There is a common trend that being ignorant to the happenings of the world is okay as long as it's not directly affecting them. Then those same people get upset when other people around them follow what's going on in the world. I think it's crazy to be that way, but I don't get mad people for it. I just don't get too close to you because I enjoy rational conversations on a regular basis. There is only so often that I can talk to someone on a subject (usually that they initiate), realize they know absolutely nothing on it, and try to prevent attacks on my character because I actually read up on it. As technology grows, I am amazed at how it's being misused. You go on Facebook, Twitter, and MediaTakeOut to find out "news" and spread it. Then get mad at me because I tell you it's false. There is a such thing as Google....you're on the internet all day anyway. *in my Everest College commercial voice* If you don't like some of things that the media reports, be selective and not buy into all of it. That doesn't mean that media is bullshit or that everyone else is crazy. We all just have preferences.

It's time out for people preferring to know nothing because it suits them. At least if you plan to be willfully ignorant, don't be mad at me because I like to find these things out. As my dad said, there really is no excuse.

30 Day Music Challenge: Day 12 - A Song From A Band You Hate

Dog Days Are Over - Florence + The Machine

WHY DO PEOPLE LIKE THIS?!?! I have listened to this pale, weird looking lady yodel her way through all my award shows and mess up tribute performances for artists that I really love. Who likes this voice? I'm all down for the British invasion of artists. I love them all.....EXCEPT THEM.


30 Day Music Challenge: Day 11 - A Song From Your Favorite Band

January 12, 2012

Jodeci - My Heart Belongs To U

There aren't many bands out there right now. Well....they aren't many that I particularly care for so I had to go old school with this one. I was a Jodeci fanatic back in the 90's. I STILL have their first two albums on cassette tapes, lol. Their last CD, The Show, The After Party, and The Hotel, was my very first CD. My parents bought it and my first CD player for my 13th birthday. (Oops....I'm telling my age.) When they saw the album cover, they threatened to take it back!! This is my favorite song of all time from them.


The Shit You Say!

January 11, 2012

The more I travel through life and as I get older, I realize that people will say damn near anything to you and think it's okay. Over the past couple of months, I have noticed that Boo Thing and I have endured what I feel like is verbal warfare! Maybe that's how they do things in down here, but where I come from, some of the things that people let roll so freely from their tongues is grounds to get that head beat to the white meat  get cursed out. When people say things to me that I feel are ridiculous or ludicrous, my general response is "the shit you say!!" 

Example: Friend: Girl, did you hear that Diddy was a part of the Illuminati and sacrificed Biggie so that he could get famous. Me: *side eye* The shit you say! (I have to work on my profanity at some point.)
I have tried to laugh it off with the person (since obviously laughter from the speaker means that I shouldn't get upset *sarcasm*). I have tried the blank stare and silence method (which prompts people to keep going to get a response). My next method is going to be the snap back method, which I happen to be very good at. Boo Thang chooses the blank stare and silence method over all else because.....well to put it nicely, Boo Thang's verbal jabs are the equivalent to a fatality in Mortal Combat. They are hilarious to me, but it hurts other folks feelings, so he chooses not to.

Here are some examples on the lovely game of The Shit You Say:

  • Why are you coming outside looking like a drag queen? When is this EVER something that you say to a woman? To her face? Now it would have been a different story if I had on outlandish clothes and a ton of makeup. I was wearing jeans, t-shirt, an Ole Miss hoodie, and a pair of Clarks Wallabees (that are least 6 years old at this point). My hair was in a wrap with that little mesh holder thingy. My point is....I WAS SLUMMING IT. Now if you want to tell me that a lady should leave the house looking better than that, fine. If you want to say I look too dressed down, fine. But a drag queen? Get cussed out. 
  • I don't know why you sitting around doing nothing and not trying to take the bar exam again. First of all, the fact that you know I am not going to a 9 to 5 every day doesn't give you the license to assume what the hell I do with my time on a daily basis. Since you're so concerned about my career, go on ahead and give me $550 for the exam fees and the $1900 for the prep classes. Can't do that? Sounds like you need to find you some business then, huh? 
  • Every time I see you, looks like you are getting bigger and bigger. Too easy. When you go from a size 26 to a 0 Jennifer Hudson style, only THEN may you comment on my weight. Until then, you need to get your fat ass out here and walk 3 miles a day with me. 
  • You must be content to let Boo Thang make all the money? When our monetary decisions start to affect you, then you ask me these questions?
I try to be nice, but folks make it hard. 

Have you experienced this? Are people too quick to overstep their boundaries with you? Let's discuss!



30 Day Music Challenge: Day 10 - A Song That Makes You Fall Asleep

Garden Of Love - Raheem DeVaughn

If I need music to soothe me to sleep, a Raheem DeVaughn album is definitely the way to go. Something about this song is so soothing to me that I fall asleep before the song is over. It is sensual and sexual. So if I use at other special times....I'm still poised to go to bed extra happy!


30 Day Music Challenge: Day 9 - A Song You Can Dance To

January 10, 2012

VIC - Wobble Baby

It seems like the songs that I dance to nowadays make no sense whatsoever. This song reminds me a lot of those old line dance songs of the 90s. Something mindless that everyone can do. Mostly I just freestyle it out to this song because of the beat. If you have booty skills, this song would be the perfect song to show them off to, lol.


30 Day Music Challenge: Day 8 - A Song You Know All The Words To

January 9, 2012

Jill Scott - The Way

There are MANY songs I know all the words to. Today I having a hard time trying to figure out exactly which one I would choose. Pandora helped me out! I love this song because the emotions conveyed make me feel some kinda way....

 

30 Day Music Challenge: Day 7 - A Song That Reminds You of a Certain Event

January 8, 2012

From Dixie With Love - Ole Miss Band

Hearing this sing makes me think of Ole Miss football in general. More specifically, it makes me think of the 2002 Florida game. I remember standing in the stadium with pride as we beat them for the first time in years, in my band uniform playing this song. This song embodies the pride I have for my alma mater.....even when folks won't let me have any. HOTTY TODDY!

30 Day Music Challenge: Day 6 - A Song That Reminds You of Somewhere

January 7, 2012

Rick Ross f. T-Pain - The Boss

This song reminds me of Miami, summer 2008. I took a week long vacation there and this song got HEAVY rotation on the radio (obviously). It was the perfect theme song for the trip. Windows down, hair back...memories. Just how many songs does Rick Ross have with the word 'boss' in it?

 

30 Day Music Challenge: Day 5 - A Song That Reminds You of Someone

January 6, 2012

Cool - Anthony Hamilton

This song has to be the theme and anthem of me and Boo Thang's relationship. When I hear this song I instantly start to smile. There was a time where we took a trip with two other couples to Gatlinburg. The other two girlfriends got into a fist fight and were bickering the whole time we were there. THREE. DAYS. WORTH. OF. BICKERING. It almost put a damper on our vacation (that we saved months for, might I add...), but we heard this song and everything was alright with the world. Anytime outside forces come in to damage our collective psyche, we just play this song and keep it moving. I love him.


 

30 Day Music Challenge: Day 4 - A Song That Makes You Sad

January 5, 2012

Marvin Sapp - Never Would Have Made It

This song was played during the slideshow at my mama's funeral. It was her favorite gospel song at the time. She turned me on to Marvin Sapp. Every time I hear this song, it takes me right back to that day looking at her casket. It's a true story though. I wouldn't be who I am without her.


 

30 Day Music Challenge: Day 3 - A Song That Makes You Happy

January 4, 2012

Wop - J. Dash

This song has little to no lyrical content. I have NO idea how to do the dance, yet every time I hear it on the radio I feel like dancing. No matter what mood I'm in this song can get me through the rest of my day in a mini car jam session, lol. For 2012, I am going to learn how to do this dance.....so I can jam at home!




30 Day Music Challenge: Day 2 - Your Least Favorite Song

January 3, 2012

Tony Montana - Future I HATE this song with a passion! It makes me not even want to listen to the radio anymore. What does it even mean?

30 Day Music Challenge: Day 1 - Your Favorite Song

January 2, 2012

I love today's song....Ready Or Not by After 7. It has been my favorite song since I was 8 years old. I heard it for the first time at a local pageant and have been hooked ever since. I want this played at my wedding reception.


 

Happy New Year 2012!!!

January 1, 2012

Happy New Year!!!! It's a new year, new set of challenges. I don't want to get into the whole "new year, new me" trend that happens every January 1st. Most people declare "19-- is gonna be my year, 20-- is gonna be my year!" I'm starting to wonder when is it going to ever be their year. Instead of making such gradiose statements this year, I'm just going to work on making myself a little better, a little bit at a time. I am a procrastinator in everything that I do...so I have yet to come up with a working list of goals for 2012. That is coming in a later post. I got time, lol. 


What I am going to start doing (and I promise this EVERY YEAR) is to start blogging a lot more. I am going to do another 30 day blog challenge to help me get into the swing of posting regularly. I rarely ever finish them....but I am making a goal to do just that. It is a 30 day Music Challenge.....which is right up my alley. I started this on my now dead Tumblr. So I figure I can do it over.....since no one saw it over there anyway lol. 


Day 1: Your favorite song
Day 2: Your least favorite song
Day 3: A song that makes you happy
Day 4: A song that makes you sad
Day 5: A song that reminds you of someone
Day 6: A song that reminds you of somewhere
Day 7: A song that reminds you of a certain event
Day 8: A song that you know all the words to
Day 9: A song that you can dance to
Day 10: A song that makes you fall asleep
Day 11: A song from your favorite band
Day 12: A song from a band you hate
Day 13: A song that is a guilty pleasure
Day 14: A song that no one would expect you to love
Day 15: A song that describes you
Day 16: A song that you used to love but not hate
Day 17: A song that you hear often on the radio
Day 18: A song that you wish you heard on the radio
Day 19: A song from your favorite album
Day 20: A song that you listen to when you’re angry
Day 21: A song that you listen to when you’re happy
Day 22: A song that you listen to when you’re sad
Day 23: A song that you want to play at your wedding
Day 24: A song that you want to play at your funeral
Day 25: A song that makes you laugh
Day 26: A song that you can play on an instrument
Day 27: A song that you wish you could play
Day 28: A song that makes you feel guilty
Day 29: A song from your childhood
Day 30: Your favorite song from this time last year



Are you going to do it with me? What are some of your challenges for the new year?
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