A "3 Days to Open" Review... Of Sorts

It's no secret that I'm quite addicted to food television. I like competitions [Iron Chef, Top Chef, Top Chef Masters, Around the World in 80 Plates (this one could have been better), Next Food Network Star, Next Iron Chef, Throwdown]. I like narrative stories (Fat Chef). I like makeovers & takeovers (more on that in a minute). I like travel shows (Diners, Drive-ins & Dives; Man vs. Food; Heat Seekers). It's pretty nuts. The thing that keeps my addiction in check is that I can't watch any of them on an empty stomach or I will eat us out of house and home.

Shockingly, though this addiction started with cooking shows (Rachael Ray, Giada De Laurentiis, Tyler's Ultimate, Boy Meets Grill, Barefoot Contessa), I don't actually watch many of them anymore. I don't have the patience to sit through the half hour when I could just get the recipe and make it myself. They share good tips on the show that you won't get with the recipe but ehhh... it hasn't been worth it to me lately.

So my latest obsession is "3 Days to Open." I've come to the conclusion that every consecutive Bobby Flay endeavor will only serve to make me like him more. How awesome is he!?!? Very! The premise of this show is a struggling restaurant is opening in three days but is a complete and utter mess. He comes in to tell them all of the things they're doing that will lead to certain failure, then show them how to fix them. Pretty awesome. You can see how generous he is. These restaurants have many many things in common. Some of these things are so basic that the fact that they've missed them makes you think these people have probably never cooked for someone before, let alone eaten in a restaurant. It's so baffling that Mrs. Count (tumbleweed over there...) and I had a lengthy twitter conversation about how it would go if we had 3 Days to Open. It started with a basic, nay, obvious (?) statement and devolved from there. LOL

Mrs. C: Let me get this straight, your restaurant opens in 3 days and you haven't tested the menu yet? What exactly have you been doing?
Logic will get you NOWHERE! IF they have a menu, sometimes they don't have recipes or don't know how to cook, or have a chef, or...

Mrs. C: I think I'll open a nacho stand. In the mall. Next Friday. I'll start planning tomorrow.
Jameil: Okay... but don't research which mall until Tuesday. Forget to arrange care for [your one-year-old son] Judah, too.
These people always forget or completely ignore some basic details. Procrastination is awesome!

Mrs. C: And I'll get my parents to empty their retirement to fund my dreams! This is such a great plan!
Jameil: LOL! Don't forget to make your sister do all the work for free, without thanks.
There is a heavy reliance on other people. Of COURSE you need help from your family/friends but they are often asking way, WAY too much. There's also always at least one person working at the restaurant (usually for free) who has no idea what his/her role is. These poor people wander around wringing their hands and worrying over your poor planning. Select this person as the one you treat the worst. They can take it. After all, you're probably related! Family has to love you even when you show your entire backside, don't they? At the very least, you have carnal knowledge of the other person and that can usually get you pretty far in any business, yes? Yes? Someone say yes. It must be true because I've seen it on tv!

Jameil: Before I sanction this, I need to make sure you're not working with anyone with any restaurant experience. Not so much as McD's.
Mrs. C: Not at all. My 10-year-old niece wants to be a chef. Can I get her to help me after school?
They never have restaurant experience and sometimes "hire" (remember to use this word loosely!) a bunch of other people who don't have restaurant experience.

Jameil: Yes! Make sure you mention this as part of your business plan!
Mrs. C: Business plan? I don't know what you mean.
Jameil: It's that napkin you wrote your restaurant ideas down on last night.
Mrs. C: Oh, I had to use that to wipe Judah's hands. I think I remember most of it anyway.
Jameil: No big deal. No one reads them anyway. Especially with your parents' money!
Unlike housing, it must still be really easy to get business loans. There is often little evidence that anyone has ever even heard of a business plan, let alone had to create one.

You would think knowing this formula, the show would be less interesting. IT NEVER IS. I have loved every episode for the crazy of the "restauranteurs" and the awesome of Bobby. And can you believe it? I still want most of them to succeed.

Rowland... A Trip to the Country

I learned something about my husband when we were planning our trip to the 5k... and it disturbed me.  He wanted the 4+-hour trip to start from home the day of the trip.  I knew the idea of me waking up to leave at 3 a.m. and sleeping on and off in the car before my first 3-mile run was a bad one so I began looking for alternatives.  But that wasn't what disturbed me. 

I realized my dad's hometown was en route to the festival and I was geeked!  I hadn't been in a good 15 years so I asked my dad where we could stay.  When he said my uncle has a nice trailer that he uses when he's in town, I was ready to hit the road!  I told Rashan it was country... He didn't know I meant cotton field country.  

Rashan was shook knowing cotton fields were in walking distance.

I was incredibly confused.  I thought Rashan knew both of my parents have country roots.  Straight country.  Cotton fields, dirt roads.  All of that.  He was uncomfortable when we hit the first dirt road.  And his nervousness started rubbing off on me.  Not cool.  And that was what disturbed me.  So it's not that you just like the city, it's that you've never been to the country and it makes you uncomfortable.  And most of all, there was nothing I could say to make him relax.  Umm... 

You know what's funny, though?  He asked me if one field had tobacco in it.  Okay.  I know I spent part of my childhood down here and my grandfather used to grow it but what do I look like being able to recognize tobacco in the field???  So funny.  After we dropped our bags, we went to see my grandparents' old house but couldn't find it.  I called my dad and he helped us out.  Turns out it was right around the corner.  It looks nothing like I remember it.  I had been warned it wasn't in the condition it was when my grandparents were alive so I honestly expected much worse but it was still strange.

My grandparents' graves

Next we went to "visit" the grandparents.  I felt like the graveyard wanderer.  Before December 2010, I hadn't seen any of my three deceased grandparents' graves in 15 or more years.  But in the last year I've now seen all of them?  I saw my mom's dad's grave while making my film about him over the last year.  That first visit was really emotional because I had learned more about him in a week than I'd known in my entire life.

At this grave site, I didn't get emotional in part because I kind of remember them but also because I was on the phone with my dad.  You know what he said, though?  That he was honored that I was visiting his ancestors.  Awwww.  I also saw my great grandma's grave (grandma's mom).  She was a landowner and business owner (a store called Rag Mop).  I didn't even know she was buried there.  We also saw the grave of my oldest uncle.  He died the same year as my grandma and used to call me JamesEllen (which at the time I haaaaated) because he said I looked exactly like both of my parents.  I thought of him on my wedding day because of that.  My SIL met my mom and said, "You look just like your mom!"  I said, "Wait til you see my dad."  LOLOL!  My dad walked in and she goes, "Whoa."  LOLOLOL!  So hilarious!  I definitely look like my dad's entire side.  That's cool but sometimes I wish I had some features readily identifiable as belonging to my mom's side.  You can see I look like my mom when I'm with her but I don't really look anything like her side.

The giant headstones

Back to the country in North and South Carolina...  Have you guys heard of South of the Border?  If you've driven anywhere near Interstate 95, you probably have.  It's only 15 minutes from my grandparents' house so it weighs prominently in my memories of them.  So of course a trip down there necessitated a trip to South of the Border.  Dad gave me directions there, too.

I had talked to my favorite aunt, currently the family historian on that side, who told me we have another family graveyard right next to South of the Border... on yet another dirt road.  Rashan was so put out!!  At this point it was quite hilarious!  Can you please calm all the way down??? Please??? Merci!  At this family graveyard, there were two family headstones taller than me (granted I'm only 5'1 but still).  Can I get one of those when I kick the bucket??  I don't know nearly enough about this side of the family so clearly I have some work to do on this side.  My aunt has traced back to 1865 and has agreed to pass it on to me.  Whee!

Sombrero tower ride

After grave time, we headed over to South of the Border!  This Sombrero tower had super cheap rides... IDK why we didn't hop on.  I went through phases with SOTB.  As a kid, of course I loved it.  The stores with trinkets, the rides, the bright colors.  As a teenager, I was obviously too cool for it. I'll let you know, I've turned a corner into nostalgia.  It reminds me of my childhood and the store is filled with things I would buy to amuse myself and others if not for limited space and varying levels of taste.

One thing my grandmother INSISTED when we visited her was that her children take her grandchildren to get ice cream.  So you know I had to go get ice cream, right?  Rashan was like, "But... you have to race tomorrow. You can't get ice cream."  I listened to that about 7 minutes then I said, "Pleaaaaase can I get ice cream????"  Why did I do that?  Like he's my trainer and/or controls what I eat?  I have no idea.  LOL

WE GOT ICE CREAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAM!!  So exciting! :)

The ice cream parlor

Coffee ice cream $1.95

Afterward, we went across the street and wandered around the "pantry".  It was full of Southern jellies, jams, candies and snacks.  Some I approved of, some I was dismayed by...  Want to know some I was dismayed by?  Beet eggs (WAY TO RUIN EGGS!!!!), chicken skin cracklins (I'm crazy for this since I like pork cracklins... it's just that I've never even heard of chicken skin cracklins), packaged boiled peanuts (wait... you BOILED THEM, then put them in a can/bag. no.) and packaged fatback (I love fatback but fatback in a bag????).  I didn't want but was okay with scuppernong grape jelly.  You know what I didn't know you could still buy?  Candy cigarettes.  I told Rashan he should buy some for his nieces and nephews and he declined.  Then almost a week later, I realized they would've been PERFECT for my Donatella Versace costume!  Hater!

South of the Border at night!

My friend pointed out that that picture would've been even better if I was a few inches higher.  That sombrero would've been on my head... HILARIOUS!!!!

We had dinner at a Mexican restaurant about 5 miles south and it was quite good.  Then we headed back to my uncle's place.  Y'all.  That happy face Rashan had?  Gone.  He couldn't get comfortable.  He couldn't sleep for more than 10 or 15 minutes.  Um... what?  He was making me nervous.  I had to go in a room and leave him to get some sleep.  Then I woke up at 2 and couldn't get back to sleep for hours.  I told him he needs to know we will be going to the country again when we go to Mississippi to see my mom's side.  He's not ready.  And I'm not ready for his nervousness.  -_-  Pray for us.

Monday Mindspacing Vol. 104

1) You guys, I LOVE the outpouring of support y'all gave us!  It's so sweet!  Rashan, however, does not love you.  He was going to give me $3 to tell y'all on Friday that we broke up and we're not getting married.  WHAT IS WRONG WITH HIM!??!  I might have considered it... But I love y'all more than that!
2) I sent a request for well wishes to our Prez and I'm hoping he sends us a nice letter!  I will be SO excited!  It'll be framed with our wedding photos! :)  BUT when I did that, Rashan said, "You're just like my grandma."  .... Just what every bride wants to hear.

3) Speaking of brides... I want one of those bride tank tops that just has bride bedazzled across the chest.  Ooh! And a Mrs. MyNewLastName something or other.  Shirt, apron.  IDK.
4) My decision to hand-write our invites?  Oh my haaaaand!  Okay.  Enough wedding talk.  If there was more time, I'd start a wedding blog.  This thing is working hard to consume my life.  Raise your hand if you wouldn't mind hearing about it.  More importantly, raise your hand if you would mind.  Look at our stationery!!!
5) I love talking to people who don't like children.  I like them in small doses when they're well-behaved but I totally get people who don't like them and their conversations amuse me!
6) If I'm ever making potatoes for us, I should just make at least 8 servings because 4 is never enough.
7) Please tell me to stop using recipes that don't have amounts on them, just the ingredients!!!
8) I want some really delicious food!  That I don't have to cook.  Thank God I'm going home Thursday!  Get to work, mom!
9) I'm starting to like tomatoes.  Whaaaaa??  Like raw tomatoes w/some salt and pepper.  When I tell you I NEVER thought this would be me, I mean NEVER!  But they do remind me of these (sometimes) sweet little old ladies from my church, a now deceased mother-daughter duo, who were some of the most awesome cooks and bakers ever!!  Always served up raw tomatoes with fried chicken and homemade biscuits.  They were awesome.  Sometimes I really miss them when I go home.
10) Have you ever watched Match Game 74 on Game Show Network?  It's like the celebrities on that show are drunk!  It can be pretty funny.
11) Have I told you lately how much I love Dwight Shrute?  Watching old eps of 'The Office' from my fave season (2) is cracking me up!!!

Monthly Goals: July

Here's what I set out to accomplish last month in keeping with my yearly goals and my 30 Before 30 goals and what I have planned for July.

1) Work on my relationship with God.  Something really cool is happening.  I have less of a desire to listen to non-gospel music (to the chagrin of some of those I love).  I wanted to have a more than one year Bible-reading plan so I wouldn't try to rush through it.  I decided to use Our Daily Bread as my jumping off point.  I read the verses associated then read ODB, then the chapter or more. There are some great stories and I like to try to figure out how they apply to my life.  The ones I REALLY don't understand, I look up a commentary for (usually Matthew Henry who I only discovered this month even though he did commentary on the ENTIRE BIBLE and died in the 1700s... I feel SO LATE! LOL).  But it's very cool.

What was at first a, "Really???  Why does this chapter have 55 verses???  Let me pick a shorter one." is becoming, "I'll read that one and then the next one because I want to know what's next.  Ooh!  And I wanted to read more of Ecclesiastes!  Let me go find that!"  Anyway, I wanted to bring my total for the end of June up to 60 (partly because I had read more books than I thought I had).  I read a lot faster than I expected.  I got up to 84 chapters in 28 books.  For July I want to get to at least 120 chapters read.  There are enough stories I'm intrigued by that I'm okay not upping the number of books read.

2) Finish my film.  I wanted to get our film festival submissions up to 10-- DONE!!  This month we wait.  We won't hear back from any until August, but the bulk we will hear back by September.  SO CRAZY!!!  So next month this goal won't be on the list anymore.  Wow...

3) Take the next step in my career.  I pitched my film (present it to a panel of executives from various television stations) at a film festival-- HUGE STEP!!  I got some great feedback, learned, saw a lot of  films & networked.  My first film festival experience was a great one!  I'm so excited that there are many more for me in the future!

4) Try new restaurants.  Of course I did well with this.  I always do.  I want to cut back on this to save money but also by virtue of being in 2 cities where I haven't lived full time ever or in years (Charlotte and Atlanta), it's likely I'm going to be trying lots of new restaurants.

5) Cook at least 3xs a week, 2 of those new recipes.  I am SO BACK!!!  I've tried 4-6 new recipes EVERY WEEK!!  So exciting!!  I love it!!  I love the trial and error, I love the successes, I even like (not love) the failures because I learn something.  I really, REALLY like when people ask me for food advice or try recipes I recommended.  SO COOL!!  Recipes and reviews mostly with pictures are up on my food blog, The Record Dish, including my favorites this month, garlicky butternut squash, velvet potato purée, & south by southwest sliders.

6) Watch more movies.  I'm up to 145 on the year.  That means I still have plenty of time to get to 300 (about 180 days).

7) Workout more. I was shooting for 3xs a week and that didn't happen every week BUT I'm a lot closer & really excited about that!!

8) Statecations.  As mentioned, I went to St. Augustine!!  When I move to NC I'm going to carry over the statecations goal and make it double up on some of my 30 Before 30.  For this month, no statecation goal.  I'd kind of like to go to Augusta but I don't think that's going to happen.

9) Contact my grandma once a month.  Last month I was supposed to finally send her a package of my stuff from graduation & screening that she'll love.  I'll do it this month!!  Very cool & exciting! :)

10) Do FAFSA.  ............

December & 2009 Goals Update

It's the last day of the year!  I have enjoyed this year and look forward to enjoying next year even more!  I did my update of my resolutions a few weeks ago but did actually turn some things around: I worked on my film more, celebrated the one-year anniversary of starting my locks (celebrate is a strong word... lol; I remembered it-- December 26th), I worked out A LOT more but back slid a bit on the procrastination tip.  Overall, though, I'm proud of the improvements this year and look forward to setting and achieving more goals in the next year!

So, for the end of the year, here are the goals I set in December and how I fared.

1) Try new recipe twice a week. Seeing as I now subscribe to Every Day with Rachael Ray AND Food Network magazine (which has a ridiculous amount of recipes!!) I should really put those to use. I also have a ridiculous number of RR cookbooks with a new one out this month... I should use this stuff!!!
*If I didn't make it one week, I more than made up with it the week of Christmas, trying 4 new recipes that week!  I enjoy this goal a lot and will continue in the new year.

2) Try new ingredient, spice or dish once a month. I like being adventurous! Since sometimes it's difficult for me to get out of Gainesville, I can at least travel via food.
*I definitely did this!  And relished it!

3) Eat out no more than 3xs/week (4 on Rashan visits). This probably sounds like a lot to y'all. It does to me, too but when I was in class for hours and hours on end and didn't get home until 8 or 9, I didn't feel like cooking. Now that our classes are cut down so we can work on our films, I bet I can do even better than 3-4xs a week but I wanted to give myself a doable goal.
*I paid no attention to this goal this month.  Ridiculous, I know.

4) Work out 3xs/week. It is so irritating to me that I have let this go! It's insane! The gym is ridiculously close. I can and will do better. 
Very hit or miss with this but this month, I'm joining Liz in the fitness challenge!  You should, too!  Together we'll:
a) weigh ourselves on December 1st so that despite holiday binge eating (ahem Rashan... lololol) we will weigh the same OR LESS (my personal goal) on January 1st! 
b) Exercise 30 minutes a day (I totally tried to get out of this!! Lol. But I'll give it a try whether a walk, a class, the elliptical, that doggone Jillian "Murder" Michaels.)  You can also break this into 30 minute increments.
c) Keep a food journal.  You definitely eat better when you have to write down that you had 9 tacos, a burrito & 2 orders of chips and salsa.  I've never done this but read about it and contemplated it. Starting today, I do it!
* Ooh!  I actually did really well with this this month because of the challenge!  Though I definitely didn't work out daily, I DID work out 4-5xs a week which is more than I've EVER consistently done, lost 5 pounds, got my workout mojo back AND got Rashan to join me in the challenge!  I think he's worked out more days this month than I did!  For once, I'm excited about him 'beating' me in something.  The food journal I could not do.  I did it for the first few days and then it just became too tedious.  I was still more aware of my eating habits than usual, though.

5) Dedicate time for spiritual growth.
*I did better but I could do better.

6) Catch up on movies.
*By the end of TODAY, I will be finished!!!!  As of 3:49 am I only have 4 more to watch!! SCORE!!

7) Use a budget. Ahem. Yeah.
*Though I still didn't use a budget this month, I was much more conscious of my spending which means I spent a lot less money than I would have expected, especially going home.  But I also got some income with Christmas gifts from my dad and godmother.


HAPPY NEW YEAR!!  2010 GOALS TO COME!

Yum, Yum Eat 'Em Up!

Before we get into the topic of this blog, I saw a stork on campus the other day. Remember the last time? Very random but I had my camera so I took a pic.


Back to the matter at hand. I love food. I've been cooking my face off lately. I just ate my last chicken burger for breakfast (topped with salsa and with a side of eggs) without taking a picture. Sorry, kids. I used ground chicken, salt, pepper, poultry seasoning, garlic and onion. Topped with mustard and cheddar cheese? DEEELISH!!

Here's another side note. I was looking for the post about the last time I saw a stork and found a post from last year when I was bored out of my mind from working and I said to PCD in the comments, "You're a pretty well-documented hater." HILARITY! Oh blog la familia. I wish you would post more ever.

Last night my classmates and I got together for a year-end dinner. I made green beans, potato salad, meatloaf and chicken provencal. Yes! Got the chicken recipe from my Tyler Florence book and was quite please with how it came out. I wanted to use chicken stock for the beans but there was a vegetarian in the midst so I just used water with onion, s&p, and a chopped clove of garlic. No butter since I also didn't know if she ate butter. It's so PESKY being thoughtful!!



One of my favorite breakfasts is huevos rancheros. Eggs (over medium, please), black beans, salsa, how can you go wrong??? That's right, you can't. I made this a while ago but forgot to share.

I had a tortilla and some rice and ground turkey with the beans, too. I like to mix it up, kids.

I think I'll make spaghetti and meatballs in the near future. Like in the next few days. What's the best thing you've cooked lately?

Top Chef Chicago Ep. 3

I missed the first few minutes of this because of my food obsession... I was at T.rader Joe's. Yes, 1969, I did get the pot stickers. I will let you know how they taste later. I also got the fruit floes popsicles. Mmmmmm!! Strawberry is my favorite. They have real fruit in them and TASTE LIKE IT! Because I missed the first few minutes, though, I missed one of my favorite parts, THE QUICK FIRE!! SON OF A!!

This episode was all about going to people's houses, stealing their food (ok asking for it) to create meals for the annual block party. I don't like corn dogs. There was a group that did those, sliders (mmmm! y'all know how I feel about a burger!), some other stuff and pasta salad. The pasta salad and corn dogs were determined to be the bottom dishes. The giant made the corn dogs. (He still might not be CJ tall. That was a huge man. And the visiting chefs would say stuff like, "You're quite tall chef." And he would say something like, "Thank you sir." Thank you because I didn't notice? If you hadn't pointed that out I might have gotten the 28 shorts instead of the 28 longs? I don't get this. Pointing out to short or tall people that they are so... is stupid.)

There's a lesbian couple competing as separate chefs. I got pissed when at first it looked like they were a team. I was like WHAT IS THIS!??! THERE AIN'T NO TEAMS ON TOP CHEF!! Then I calmed it on down. For this challenge, they were on the same team. The one part of this couple (Z) got left with the wack dish-- the pasta salad. She didn't speak up even though she didn't want it. Here we go again. This week they learned from last week's group challenge to TASTE EVERY DISH. They all thought the pasta was fine, the judges all said it was bland. You all look stupid. They did NOT heed the common sense theme for all reality shows requiring a group, "IF. YOU. HAVE. RESERVATIONS. SPEAK. UP. OR. YOU. COULD. GO. HOME." I'm tired of having to say this. They sent home corn dog man "because you make these every day and should've known they would not hold up for hours." They did not send home Z even though her pasta is bland.

I BLAME THE PRODUCERS!!! They know this early in the show it is more fruitful drama-wise and more people will tune in to watch the lesbian couple than the giant. WACK!! You sent people home for two consecutive weeks for having poorly-seasoned food. One of those also broke the cardinal reality tv rule: SPEAK UP!! This chick did both of those and stayed. I'M CRYING FOUL!! Y'all made me mad producers. Do better next week i.e. STAY OUT OF THE KITCHEN!!

Er um

So I went to the oral surgeon today so he could pull out this bone fragment and... HE GOT IT!! (Thanks to the bloggers for prayin for me!)


Well... 90% of it, but I can eat! That's what I yelled when he pulled it out. He said, "Don't be surprised if you have to come back. They have a way of working themselves out." I gave him this look like, "Skrrrrrrrrrrr!!" But I said, "I'm just glad you got this one out!!

Except when I was tearing up this big juicy burger, I started feeling that other 10%. Ok, no. It's really startin to hurt again!! Y'all trippin!!! I will be going back tomorrow. It's not nearly as bad as the other piece but still not fun. I've received my tentative south Florida itinerary and I am ready to GRUB!! That means get as much of it out as possible (i.e. ALL) YESTERDAY. That's if I can't coax it out myself. Because I AM about to try. Not even caring. Just want to be free to move my tongue and eat and swallow my own spit if I like without cringing or doing like I did on the way to work: throwing a temper tantrum. Why? Because that bone fragment was stabbing my tongue to death while I was trying to drink a MILKSHAKE!! Son of a. It's a bad day when you can't even drink a milkshake.

If you're going to will this bone fragment out with a little manual labor from me (faith without works is dead), let me hear you say YEAH!! (Like Steve Harvey on the Apollo). YEAAAAAAAAAAH!! (It's not working. TRY HARDER!!)

Oh the Pain

We've already discussed, multiple times, how much I like to eat. And the fact that I'm a foodie. SO WHY ME!?!?!

My sockets where the 3 wisdom teeth were (some people have 3, some have 4. one of my co-workers had 5!! glad I was on the low end. I only had 3) are fine. They were okay after about day 2. And I was beautifully unswollen. However, they tell you to look for bone fragments. (The reason why this happens is because when they take out your wisdom, the cut some bone. Ew, right!! Who knew? Not me!) I thought I had one poking me in my tongue way in the back of my mouth and guess what? I was right.

But I thought it would be a quick fix. Um... no. Unfortunately I have to wait for it to protrude through my gum before he can pull it out. (Could I be swollen for a day or 2 instead?!?!) Cutting through the gum will make the situation worse. Hold up. So it hurts now, but it's going to get worse before it will get better? Oh but it does get better.





He doesn't know how long it will take.




*THROWS UP HANDS, STOMPS, FLAILS MADLY WHILE MUTTERING MANIACALLY!!!*



Breathe in Jesus, breathe out peace.
Breathe in Jesus, breathe out peace.
Breathe in Jesus, breathe out peace.



I tried to impress upon him the fact that I'm going to Miami/Hollywood/West Palm Beach/Ft. Liquor I mean Lauderdale for a week and will need not to be bothered with this. Hello!! Food!! He seemed excited for me but didn't offer a better solution. Instead he said, well, maybe it'll be through by then. COME. ON!! BAH!!

So! It hurts to talk too much, and definitely hurts to chew!! That means mostly soup, milkshakes and applesauce. Tired of all three. Especially because the soup can't have too much actual food in it or it hurts because I HAVE TO CHEW!! Seriously, I can't afford to lose anymore weight. I don't want to disappear! I haven't been to the gym in more than a week because I've been too loopy from the drugs and my mom and my line sister were here so bad week for the gym. I do plan on going to the beach and doing a workout in Florida so I'm muy excited-o (brushing up on mi espanol!) about that.

When you can't eat, all you can think about is food, so a post about the birthday will have to wait, loves. While eating last night I made my parents stop in the middle so we could pray that this bone works its way on out by Tuesday. They both looked at me like I was insane. Hey man. Prayer works. So y'all get busy, too, bloggers. I need some peace!!

I Got 5 On It

5 Things You Don't Know About Me

1) I love organization. Purging? I'm all about it! Love it! As long as its someone else's stuff. I'll clean out your closet for you. That's why I love "Clean House" w/my girl Niecy Nash and I used to love the one on TLC "Clean Sweep" but they got rid of the black organizer so I had to push it to the left.

2) I think in song lyrics/titles and movie lines. I would think in more movie lines but I haven't really seen that many movies. Songs? My sister and I sing all day. My godsister went with us to our family reunion in Mississippi one year and was like, "Y'all sing EEEEVVVVERYTHING!!" Yes, we know. Hahahahahahaha. That's the best thing about having a sibling close to your age (she's only 19 months younger). Everything is a giant inside joke.

3) I never had a frozen dinner until I was a sophomore in college. My mom didn't believe in them. She cooked or would bring us Chinese food, but for the most part she cooked. When my parents were married, my dad cooked, too. So no frozen dinners for us. Not even a lot of fast food. That may be why I'm so obsessed with fast food now.

4) I was on the Burger King diet my senior year in high school. Not intentionally. I would save the lunch money my mom would give us to buy a whopper a day. There may be a heroin-like quality to whoppers because I LOVED those flame-broiled burgers. I eat mine with cheese, mustard, ketchup, mayo, lettuce and now tomato. Back then no tomato, no onion. I only eat lettuce from BK and McD's b/c its chopped and almost never wilted and nasty unlike Wendy's which can't seem to find a single unwilted leaf of lettuce in its entire company. My mother used to make me get "vegetables" on my burgers but I hate tomato and onion so I would just give them and the lettuce to her when she did allow us to eat fast food.

5) I wouldn't mind being a stay at home mom. I know this sounds crazy as liberal, I am woman hear me roar as I seem. I'm actually not. And you know I think liberal is a bad word. (BTW I joined Barack Obama and John Edwards' political groups today. Just because you get the chance to meet them if they come to your city. HOW COOL IS THAT?! I'm such a politics groupie. Barack is just cool. Edwards is adorable.) I would love to be able to hang out all day (while the kids are at school) and work when I want to. Trust. I know stay-at-home moms have a lot of work on their hands. Notice I said when the kids are at school. I say I want 3 kids but sometimes I'm not sure. I mean WOW! I just want to go straight to being a grandmother so I can give them back, but alas, there are steps that must be taken i.e. pregnancy, labor, birth. Pesky rules.

In going back for links to earlier posts, I realized I'd done this before. This is why I don't do tags. Who even remembers them? No one. Not even the author. I will not be tagging anyone else. This is my tag version of mindspacing. Do not ask me to do a tag again. I will become very violent and throw sharp objects in the direction of your city.