So I took my dad to Olive Garden the other night. I ordered the Tuscan Garlic Chicken. A new entree. I saw the pic, with the whole roasted garlic cloves. That made me a bit wary, but I said what the hey? After a disgustingly long wait, (btw i wanted to get the stuffed mushrooms as an appetizer but she didn't bother to ask so I didn't bother to order), the food finally came. She says,
"those hard pieces on your plate are garlic. i think there are 10-15 pieces. you don't have to eat them."
Excuse me?
FIRST of all. i know wtf garlic is!!!!
2nd they are not PIECES they are CLOVES.
3rd there's a HEAD of garlic in my kitchen right now.
4th since you don't know they're cloves, you probably don't know garlic comes in heads which you break apart to get the individual "pieces" actually known as cloves.
5th ever heard of rachael ray? yeah she taught me 90% of the food tricks and language i know. she's the garlic queen so please believe i KNOW!!
6th i watch food network more than any other channel, style network takes a close 2nd.
7th, and most importantly...
*insert hip hop dalmatians, "she don't know don son! she don't know!"*
I'M A FOODIE!! I was too through. That's why her tip got cut down. And I didn't order the drinks I wanted or the dessert I considered all because I didn't want her to get any extra money. I left her 18%, but i would've left more if she had been a decent waitress. When someone tells you they want water for now, you come back and ask what they want now about 15 minutes later. Ugh. Cnel! handle my light work son. and i'm out.
9.05.2006
9.03.2006
Part II
Ummm... because I started it a while ago, it posted below. Here's the link to part II of my trip.. Enjoy! :D
8.29.2006
In Memoriam... One Year Later
On August 29, 2005, thousands of people died. This time one year ago we were watching the images of a beaten and battered Gulf Coast. Places I had been were destroyed. Biloxi and Gulfport, Mississippi, New Orleans, Louisiana. No one thought the damage would be this widespread or still be in place one year later.
You only had to have the television on for a few minutes today to become bombarded with the images of what people from the Gulf have to deal with everyday. The clean-up continues and there is a long road ahead. Let us never forget. You already know I feel the pain of Katrina victims through the lives of my friends and family every single day. I'm obsessed.
Today I spoke to one of those friends from New Orleans about how she feels. She's going through the stages of grief. Last year she was just sad. This year she's more upset. Its hard to watch such a vibrant person go through this. Her parents are going to rebuild even though they know the city will never be what it once was. That's the hardest thing. The New Orleans of her childhood, the Biloxis, the Gulfports, the Pass Christians of so many childhoods, forever decimated.
Throughout the night, as the levees continued to leak water, 75 to 80% of New Orleans was underwater, including the homes and schools of two of my closest friends in college.
That same day, Dr. Kenneth LeVar Riddle, a 2004 Hampton grad from the School of Pharmacy died. Kenny was a wonderful person. He was nice to everyone, spoke, remembered your name, always had a smile and abounding energy. I cried and cried and cried when I found out he died. It was just so unbelievable. I made arrangements to go to his funeral near DC. The church was filled with beautiful young Hamptonians whose lives he'd touched. I have no problem with saying good-bye. I've been doing it since I was six. But this was one of the hardest funerals I've ever had to attend. I almost chickened out the morning of, but Morgan wouldn't let me. I'm glad I went.
Every morning, Kenny did this Daily Profession of Faith.
I AM WHAT GOD SAYS I AM:
I am the head and not the tail.
I am the lender and not the borrower.
I am above and not beneath.
I am healed, I am healthy, I am delivered, I am forgiven. I am redeemed. I am restored. I am blessed. I am highly favored. I am prosperous.
I am a MAN of GOD.
I am a friend of GOD.
I am a great MAN of valor and integrity.
I ama spirit being seeking after the likeness of GOD.
I am consistenet in the things of GOD.
I am a changing person in a new place.
I am intelligent and divinely creative.
I WILL DO WHAT GOD SAYS DO:
I will bless them that curse me.
I will pray for them that despitefully use me.
I will love the Lord God with all my heart, all my mind and all my sould.
I will love my neighbor as myself.
I will bless the Lord at all times, and His praises shall continually be in my mouth.
I will walk worthy of my calling, with meekness and lowliness, with longsuffering, forgiving and forbearing one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
I will honor the Lord with all my substance and the first fruit of all my increase.
I will trust in the Lord with all my heart and lean not to my own understanding.
I will acknowledge Him in all my ways, believing and expecting Him to direct my path.
I will be a good steward of my mind, my body, my spirit, my soul, my territory, my mouth, my gifts, my annointing, my time, and my relationships.
I will walk by faith and not by sight.
I will make my calling and election sure.
I will choose life and speak life.
I will meditate on the word of GOD both day and night.
I will obey the word of GOD.
I will sacrifice for the promise.
I will manifest the word of GOD in my life THIS DAY.
I will be an example of the body of believers in word, conversation, faith, charity, spirit and purity.
I DECLARE: ALL IS WELL, IT IS SO!!!
His mother and fiancee were the vision of beauty and strength that day. Both of them were able to speak about Kenny. This is an excerpt of the message his mother put on the funeral program about watching him lying in a hospital bed after his car accident, before he died.
"As I watched you lying there in a body that was once so full of life, creativity, imagination, praise, intelligence, dance, humor, oratorical skill, class, style, warmth, care, prophecy and worship... I thought to myself an angelic bus is coming and he's making the decision to leave me... The Lord has been grooming you for this move and I will bow to His will... Kenneth, you'll be glad to know that I'm manning up and staying with it! (smile) God is giving me strength, peace and comfort on a daily basis... We'll part company for a few, but I know we'll meet again."
That is DEEP y'all. That is some kind of strength and faith.
Rest in peace Kenny, and the more than 2, 000 other people who died one year ago, today.
You only had to have the television on for a few minutes today to become bombarded with the images of what people from the Gulf have to deal with everyday. The clean-up continues and there is a long road ahead. Let us never forget. You already know I feel the pain of Katrina victims through the lives of my friends and family every single day. I'm obsessed.
Today I spoke to one of those friends from New Orleans about how she feels. She's going through the stages of grief. Last year she was just sad. This year she's more upset. Its hard to watch such a vibrant person go through this. Her parents are going to rebuild even though they know the city will never be what it once was. That's the hardest thing. The New Orleans of her childhood, the Biloxis, the Gulfports, the Pass Christians of so many childhoods, forever decimated.
Throughout the night, as the levees continued to leak water, 75 to 80% of New Orleans was underwater, including the homes and schools of two of my closest friends in college.
That same day, Dr. Kenneth LeVar Riddle, a 2004 Hampton grad from the School of Pharmacy died. Kenny was a wonderful person. He was nice to everyone, spoke, remembered your name, always had a smile and abounding energy. I cried and cried and cried when I found out he died. It was just so unbelievable. I made arrangements to go to his funeral near DC. The church was filled with beautiful young Hamptonians whose lives he'd touched. I have no problem with saying good-bye. I've been doing it since I was six. But this was one of the hardest funerals I've ever had to attend. I almost chickened out the morning of, but Morgan wouldn't let me. I'm glad I went.
Every morning, Kenny did this Daily Profession of Faith.
I AM WHAT GOD SAYS I AM:
I am the head and not the tail.
I am the lender and not the borrower.
I am above and not beneath.
I am healed, I am healthy, I am delivered, I am forgiven. I am redeemed. I am restored. I am blessed. I am highly favored. I am prosperous.
I am a MAN of GOD.
I am a friend of GOD.
I am a great MAN of valor and integrity.
I ama spirit being seeking after the likeness of GOD.
I am consistenet in the things of GOD.
I am a changing person in a new place.
I am intelligent and divinely creative.
I WILL DO WHAT GOD SAYS DO:
I will bless them that curse me.
I will pray for them that despitefully use me.
I will love the Lord God with all my heart, all my mind and all my sould.
I will love my neighbor as myself.
I will bless the Lord at all times, and His praises shall continually be in my mouth.
I will walk worthy of my calling, with meekness and lowliness, with longsuffering, forgiving and forbearing one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
I will honor the Lord with all my substance and the first fruit of all my increase.
I will trust in the Lord with all my heart and lean not to my own understanding.
I will acknowledge Him in all my ways, believing and expecting Him to direct my path.
I will be a good steward of my mind, my body, my spirit, my soul, my territory, my mouth, my gifts, my annointing, my time, and my relationships.
I will walk by faith and not by sight.
I will make my calling and election sure.
I will choose life and speak life.
I will meditate on the word of GOD both day and night.
I will obey the word of GOD.
I will sacrifice for the promise.
I will manifest the word of GOD in my life THIS DAY.
I will be an example of the body of believers in word, conversation, faith, charity, spirit and purity.
I DECLARE: ALL IS WELL, IT IS SO!!!
His mother and fiancee were the vision of beauty and strength that day. Both of them were able to speak about Kenny. This is an excerpt of the message his mother put on the funeral program about watching him lying in a hospital bed after his car accident, before he died.
"As I watched you lying there in a body that was once so full of life, creativity, imagination, praise, intelligence, dance, humor, oratorical skill, class, style, warmth, care, prophecy and worship... I thought to myself an angelic bus is coming and he's making the decision to leave me... The Lord has been grooming you for this move and I will bow to His will... Kenneth, you'll be glad to know that I'm manning up and staying with it! (smile) God is giving me strength, peace and comfort on a daily basis... We'll part company for a few, but I know we'll meet again."
That is DEEP y'all. That is some kind of strength and faith.
Rest in peace Kenny, and the more than 2, 000 other people who died one year ago, today.
The Birthday Trip Pt. II
You'll want to start at Part I...
... I walked in... and everyone turned... and stared. One second... I don't recognize anyone. Two seconds... ok I recognize her but I don't think she'd come to a party in my honor. Three seconds... oh, there's Ashli. Four seconds... there's CC. The floor fan blows my tulle skirt a la Mariah Carey videos of the last 5 years.... "SURPRISE!" Blank stare from me. Blink. Blink. Blink. "Girl we were tryin to surprise you, damn!" <--- But who are you? Didn't know this person from Adam. I said to the bf, "Who are all these people?" He said, "I don't know. I don't know half these people either." Huh? Hilarious. Then Jamar came into view. I said ok that now makes 4 people who I knew before the bf started working at ESPN. Most of my friends couldn't come because they were so far away. I expected that from most people. There were a couple of people I was looking for who weren't as far away.
I had asked for a surprise party including his friends and my friends. For awhile there were a lot of people I didn't know. I was kind of confused. And when I walked in I was actually scared. I love to be the center of attention. This is true. But everyone stared at me for 5 seconds without saying anything, just kind of grinning. Some of them were looking around the room. Probably b/c they didn't know this was for me... hilarious. CC and Ashli brought me an earring and necklace set, a sweet card and a cute black and white striped tank.
I walked in said to the college bartender extraordinaire, "Make me a drink." She says, "Do you want some Hennessey? Umm... no. So Ashli took a barcardi concoction with pineapples in it, put it at the bottom of an infamous red cup, then poured a generous helping of Tanqueray Silver on the top (that's right, we only drink the good stuff), gave it a stir and handed it to the guest of honor. Whheeee!! This is gonna be a great night! I took a preliminary sip, and said, "mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm so good." I proceeded to drink that. Then the bf pulled out two champagne flutes, and popped a bottle of Moet. Oh boy! That's what I'm talkin about! I finished one glass, then filled another. I also had Ashli make me another drink.
Word to the wise (and I already knew this), champagne does not play well with others. I started doing Hampton cheers with one of the other Hamptonians, who I met that night. "Rock the Blue and White, Rock the Blue and White!" then "Pump it up, go head, go head, pump it up go head!" then "If your team's alright, alright let me hear you one time, yeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah whoo!" Oh I was on fi-yah! I wished Classy Jojo was there. She never hesitated to join me in doing the cheers in the stands sober as the day we were born.
The bf tried to get me to eat but I wasn't interested in food at that point. I later grabbed a hot dog, but didn't eat much of it. Some random girl was calling herself the dj playing all this slow music. It was horrific. Somebody sit her down. Ashli, another drink please. And I got a tour of the house. Very cool. Exposed brick walls. Lovely.
Laid out on the cool red couch. Convinced the bf to leave at like 130. Y'all know I can't hang anymore. My bedtime is like 3 pm. The next morning definitely had the angry stomach. GRRRRROWL! We went to McD's for breakfast, watched "Boomerrang," then headed to the grocery store to shop for our mini dinner party. I made honey-glazed pork chops, rice, and broccoli. I picked up the organic broccoli. The bf says, "Organic? What does that mean?" "No chemicals." "No chemicals?! But does it still taste good? The chemicals make it taste good." "What?!" Wow... really? The chemicals make it taste good. Hilarious. A city child. Oh yeah, I also made my now famous peach lemonade. People love it. Minute Maid frozen lemonade, fresh peaches and lemons, sugar and people lose their minds. Why did his friends walk in and have to turn on LIFETIME so they could watch the Fantasia story. Oh HELL no. Appalled. And one dude was taping it for some girl. I was like y'all did not have to watch this. Foolishness. At dinner the bf announced my promotion... I'm now a producer. Are you proud? :D
The next day we hung out, watched the Fantasy Football Draft Special on ESPN. It was hilarious. Bought some beer, then we went to a restaurant downtown. I think it was Max Downtown but I can't remember the name. It was in the same restaurant family as that restaurant in Hartford. Then me, him, Ashli and CC went to open mic night at this bar. A black bar. This guy was horrid. Like seriously no one should have ever let him on the mic!! Someone should have told him in life. Like maybe his family. A sister, a cousin. Someone should have said, "You can't sing. Don't ever go in public. Thanks."
The next day I left. Fabulous trip, even more fabulous bf! :D
... I walked in... and everyone turned... and stared. One second... I don't recognize anyone. Two seconds... ok I recognize her but I don't think she'd come to a party in my honor. Three seconds... oh, there's Ashli. Four seconds... there's CC. The floor fan blows my tulle skirt a la Mariah Carey videos of the last 5 years.... "SURPRISE!" Blank stare from me. Blink. Blink. Blink. "Girl we were tryin to surprise you, damn!" <--- But who are you? Didn't know this person from Adam. I said to the bf, "Who are all these people?" He said, "I don't know. I don't know half these people either." Huh? Hilarious. Then Jamar came into view. I said ok that now makes 4 people who I knew before the bf started working at ESPN. Most of my friends couldn't come because they were so far away. I expected that from most people. There were a couple of people I was looking for who weren't as far away.
I had asked for a surprise party including his friends and my friends. For awhile there were a lot of people I didn't know. I was kind of confused. And when I walked in I was actually scared. I love to be the center of attention. This is true. But everyone stared at me for 5 seconds without saying anything, just kind of grinning. Some of them were looking around the room. Probably b/c they didn't know this was for me... hilarious. CC and Ashli brought me an earring and necklace set, a sweet card and a cute black and white striped tank.
I walked in said to the college bartender extraordinaire, "Make me a drink." She says, "Do you want some Hennessey? Umm... no. So Ashli took a barcardi concoction with pineapples in it, put it at the bottom of an infamous red cup, then poured a generous helping of Tanqueray Silver on the top (that's right, we only drink the good stuff), gave it a stir and handed it to the guest of honor. Whheeee!! This is gonna be a great night! I took a preliminary sip, and said, "mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm so good." I proceeded to drink that. Then the bf pulled out two champagne flutes, and popped a bottle of Moet. Oh boy! That's what I'm talkin about! I finished one glass, then filled another. I also had Ashli make me another drink.
Word to the wise (and I already knew this), champagne does not play well with others. I started doing Hampton cheers with one of the other Hamptonians, who I met that night. "Rock the Blue and White, Rock the Blue and White!" then "Pump it up, go head, go head, pump it up go head!" then "If your team's alright, alright let me hear you one time, yeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah whoo!" Oh I was on fi-yah! I wished Classy Jojo was there. She never hesitated to join me in doing the cheers in the stands sober as the day we were born.
The bf tried to get me to eat but I wasn't interested in food at that point. I later grabbed a hot dog, but didn't eat much of it. Some random girl was calling herself the dj playing all this slow music. It was horrific. Somebody sit her down. Ashli, another drink please. And I got a tour of the house. Very cool. Exposed brick walls. Lovely.
Laid out on the cool red couch. Convinced the bf to leave at like 130. Y'all know I can't hang anymore. My bedtime is like 3 pm. The next morning definitely had the angry stomach. GRRRRROWL! We went to McD's for breakfast, watched "Boomerrang," then headed to the grocery store to shop for our mini dinner party. I made honey-glazed pork chops, rice, and broccoli. I picked up the organic broccoli. The bf says, "Organic? What does that mean?" "No chemicals." "No chemicals?! But does it still taste good? The chemicals make it taste good." "What?!" Wow... really? The chemicals make it taste good. Hilarious. A city child. Oh yeah, I also made my now famous peach lemonade. People love it. Minute Maid frozen lemonade, fresh peaches and lemons, sugar and people lose their minds. Why did his friends walk in and have to turn on LIFETIME so they could watch the Fantasia story. Oh HELL no. Appalled. And one dude was taping it for some girl. I was like y'all did not have to watch this. Foolishness. At dinner the bf announced my promotion... I'm now a producer. Are you proud? :D
The next day we hung out, watched the Fantasy Football Draft Special on ESPN. It was hilarious. Bought some beer, then we went to a restaurant downtown. I think it was Max Downtown but I can't remember the name. It was in the same restaurant family as that restaurant in Hartford. Then me, him, Ashli and CC went to open mic night at this bar. A black bar. This guy was horrid. Like seriously no one should have ever let him on the mic!! Someone should have told him in life. Like maybe his family. A sister, a cousin. Someone should have said, "You can't sing. Don't ever go in public. Thanks."
The next day I left. Fabulous trip, even more fabulous bf! :D
8.25.2006
The Birthday Trip Pt. I
I bought my plane ticket for Thursday night. I later found out the bf had planned a movie screening surprise birthday party for me at the 40/40 club. That's right THE 40/40 club. But he had to cancel it and our NYC hotel room because my flight came in too late. I would've changed it but he wouldn't tell me why he was so upset about me getting in late. I'm not saying give away the surprise but you can say you have something planned for that night! 40/40?! Geez.
Thursday was a rough day. I felt much better when I realized I would be going to Connecticut to spend a fabulous vacation with my bf for days. Yay! So get their Thursday night. Because of my day, I walk into Kyle's room, turn on the light... and there's a bag. A gold bag with black writing. It says Kay. WHEE! For my birthday, I'd asked for an Ipod first. Then I changed my mind. I told him I wanted diamonds. Silence. Hilarious. So I laughed. Then I said, I just want something pretty. He said, "What does that mean?" I said, "Something pretty." Which in my defense, is infinitely more guidance than he gave me! So hmph!
Anyway, I said, "Is that for me?!" :D Of course the answer was yes so I shook the bag, peeked inside, took out the little box wrapped in gold, took off the wrapper, shook the box, looked at the bf, opened the box, saw the little blue velvet box, shook that, said, "What is it?" Then opened the box to see princess cut diamond earrings winking at me! Do you know what he said, "Do you like them?" Do I like them?! Lmao. Lolololol Silly man.
Then we watched "Something New." I liked it. Then we went to sleep. But first he told me we were going to Boston the next day. So we woke up early, got dressed, went to breakfast, then got on the road to Boston. We checked into the hotel, took a nap (because I love naps), then drove to the Alewife station on the T. We rode the redline to Park St. since we didn't have much time that night. We got off there to get some dinner at the Beantown Pub. We walked in, walked toward the back. It was the weekend of the 5 games between the Red Socks and Yankees in one weekend at Fenway Park. A huge weekend in Boston. Little did they know the team would be clobbered the first two games, and beaten the next 3. The game was on, the rap music was blasting. It was nearly a full house. The waitress directed us to additional seating. The bf said, "What did she say? I could barely understand her." I said, "Oh that's because she's from a different country. I think she's British or something."
We wandered back around to the entrance and took a seat there. The aforementioned woman was our waitress. She took our orders in this bizarre accent. The bf said, "I had to watch her mouth to understand what she was saying." I said, "Yeah, she's from a different country." The bf says, "No she's from Boston." He said the look on my face was priceless. I was floored. Flabbergasted even. "No she's not." "Yes she is. That's what their accents sound like." "That strong?" "Yes." "But that's nothing like I've heard them on tv. Are you joking?" "(Laughing) No." Appalled. Anyway I ordered a sandwich with ham, turkey, and swiss. Sooo yummy. He ordered a meatball sandwich. We both got Sam Summer, a seasonal beer. Yum.
Then we went to this cheezy nightclub called "The Big Easy." The lamest Yankee caricature of what they imagine New Orleans to be. I got sleepy (as usual) so we left. The next day, went to breakfast, then back to the T. This time we rode to Fenway around game time. Red Sox fans filled the streets and poured out of "Game Time" and another nearby bar. We walked around the area. I got a sausage dog, the bf got a steak sandwich from a cart outside the park. Both were yummy.
Went to a pastry shop owned by a former White House pastry chef, called Truly Jorg's, got a piece of raspberry cheesecake. MMMMMMMM. For no reason. The bf got a slurpy from 7-11, which as a VA native he was overjoyed to see. It was hilarious. Got back on the T, rode to the car, then went back to CT. He was rushing me. He never rushes me. I always rush him. So I knew something was up. "What is your problem?" "Just come on." "You have something up your sleeve. What time do we need to be wherever we need to be?" "I don't have anything up my sleeve. There is no set time." "Ok. Well, I hate my hair. I need a blowdryer." So we stopped at the mall, then went back to his place so I could wash my hair and rock the fro.
Then he told me we were going to "Barcelona" in Hartford to take salsa lessons. I was so excited... ish. I was being rushed and I wasn't being given any information. That made me cranky. So he rushes and rushes me and rushes me and we finally get out of the house. We head toward Hartford, park the car, then walk to the club. There's no one there. Including his friend we were supposed to meet there and Ashli isn't answering the phone. Which is further pissing me off. We go inside... its empty. Only the staff is there. And they're sitting down looking confused as to why we're there. I'm looking at him like shoot I don't know why we're here, either.
He says, "Well C lives down the street, let's walk up to his house." I'm like, "I don't feel like walking." "Its only a couple of blocks. Come on Miss Crankypants." *sigh* "Fine." He says, "I don't know which building it is, he just moved here." I say "Why don't you just call him." "No. Let's just walk around here." *larger sigh* He grabs my hand, we walk around. Then I see balloons... and hear music... and see smoke wafting into the air in the backyard. My heart starts pounding. We walk up to the door and I'm trying to suppress my smile. I'm thinking, "Is this for me? But maybe its not. Maybe he's just chillin at his house before going to the club. That's pretty cool." The bf knocks on the door, then pushes the door open....
Thursday was a rough day. I felt much better when I realized I would be going to Connecticut to spend a fabulous vacation with my bf for days. Yay! So get their Thursday night. Because of my day, I walk into Kyle's room, turn on the light... and there's a bag. A gold bag with black writing. It says Kay. WHEE! For my birthday, I'd asked for an Ipod first. Then I changed my mind. I told him I wanted diamonds. Silence. Hilarious. So I laughed. Then I said, I just want something pretty. He said, "What does that mean?" I said, "Something pretty." Which in my defense, is infinitely more guidance than he gave me! So hmph!
Anyway, I said, "Is that for me?!" :D Of course the answer was yes so I shook the bag, peeked inside, took out the little box wrapped in gold, took off the wrapper, shook the box, looked at the bf, opened the box, saw the little blue velvet box, shook that, said, "What is it?" Then opened the box to see princess cut diamond earrings winking at me! Do you know what he said, "Do you like them?" Do I like them?! Lmao. Lolololol Silly man.
Then we watched "Something New." I liked it. Then we went to sleep. But first he told me we were going to Boston the next day. So we woke up early, got dressed, went to breakfast, then got on the road to Boston. We checked into the hotel, took a nap (because I love naps), then drove to the Alewife station on the T. We rode the redline to Park St. since we didn't have much time that night. We got off there to get some dinner at the Beantown Pub. We walked in, walked toward the back. It was the weekend of the 5 games between the Red Socks and Yankees in one weekend at Fenway Park. A huge weekend in Boston. Little did they know the team would be clobbered the first two games, and beaten the next 3. The game was on, the rap music was blasting. It was nearly a full house. The waitress directed us to additional seating. The bf said, "What did she say? I could barely understand her." I said, "Oh that's because she's from a different country. I think she's British or something."
We wandered back around to the entrance and took a seat there. The aforementioned woman was our waitress. She took our orders in this bizarre accent. The bf said, "I had to watch her mouth to understand what she was saying." I said, "Yeah, she's from a different country." The bf says, "No she's from Boston." He said the look on my face was priceless. I was floored. Flabbergasted even. "No she's not." "Yes she is. That's what their accents sound like." "That strong?" "Yes." "But that's nothing like I've heard them on tv. Are you joking?" "(Laughing) No." Appalled. Anyway I ordered a sandwich with ham, turkey, and swiss. Sooo yummy. He ordered a meatball sandwich. We both got Sam Summer, a seasonal beer. Yum.
Then we went to this cheezy nightclub called "The Big Easy." The lamest Yankee caricature of what they imagine New Orleans to be. I got sleepy (as usual) so we left. The next day, went to breakfast, then back to the T. This time we rode to Fenway around game time. Red Sox fans filled the streets and poured out of "Game Time" and another nearby bar. We walked around the area. I got a sausage dog, the bf got a steak sandwich from a cart outside the park. Both were yummy.
Went to a pastry shop owned by a former White House pastry chef, called Truly Jorg's, got a piece of raspberry cheesecake. MMMMMMMM. For no reason. The bf got a slurpy from 7-11, which as a VA native he was overjoyed to see. It was hilarious. Got back on the T, rode to the car, then went back to CT. He was rushing me. He never rushes me. I always rush him. So I knew something was up. "What is your problem?" "Just come on." "You have something up your sleeve. What time do we need to be wherever we need to be?" "I don't have anything up my sleeve. There is no set time." "Ok. Well, I hate my hair. I need a blowdryer." So we stopped at the mall, then went back to his place so I could wash my hair and rock the fro.
Then he told me we were going to "Barcelona" in Hartford to take salsa lessons. I was so excited... ish. I was being rushed and I wasn't being given any information. That made me cranky. So he rushes and rushes me and rushes me and we finally get out of the house. We head toward Hartford, park the car, then walk to the club. There's no one there. Including his friend we were supposed to meet there and Ashli isn't answering the phone. Which is further pissing me off. We go inside... its empty. Only the staff is there. And they're sitting down looking confused as to why we're there. I'm looking at him like shoot I don't know why we're here, either.
He says, "Well C lives down the street, let's walk up to his house." I'm like, "I don't feel like walking." "Its only a couple of blocks. Come on Miss Crankypants." *sigh* "Fine." He says, "I don't know which building it is, he just moved here." I say "Why don't you just call him." "No. Let's just walk around here." *larger sigh* He grabs my hand, we walk around. Then I see balloons... and hear music... and see smoke wafting into the air in the backyard. My heart starts pounding. We walk up to the door and I'm trying to suppress my smile. I'm thinking, "Is this for me? But maybe its not. Maybe he's just chillin at his house before going to the club. That's pretty cool." The bf knocks on the door, then pushes the door open....
8.18.2006
I'm Here!!
So I'm in the cafe at ESPN, the world wide leader in sports typing this blog. How many of you are salivating? I know Jarrod is. Wipe ya mouth baby. We're going to Boston today. Tomorrow I have a surprise! I'm so excited!! Whoo hoo!! And since I had a rough day yesterday, I got my birthday present early.. diamond earrings! :) yay!!! princess cut of course b/c he pays attention. Good boyfriend.
I have absolutely nothing to talk abt. Children should not be allowed to fly until they can articulate proper sentences. This two year old was running around, screaming, general child-like behavior. I don't have the patience for that at this stage in my life.
I forgot to tell you guys I just discovered Gloria Naylor. LOVE her writing. I started with Mama Day. One of the best books I've ever read. Now I'm reading the Women of Brewster Place. I like that so far too. Very good reading. I suggest it for anyone.
Oh yeah. We walked past the basketball court (yes they have a bball court here. how ridiculous is that? there's also a play station center. hilarious). Some guy said hi to the bf. The bf asks, how you doin? The guy says, its hot, but not as hot as you (to me). Hilarious! LMAO.
He's back. GG. Adios!!
I have absolutely nothing to talk abt. Children should not be allowed to fly until they can articulate proper sentences. This two year old was running around, screaming, general child-like behavior. I don't have the patience for that at this stage in my life.
I forgot to tell you guys I just discovered Gloria Naylor. LOVE her writing. I started with Mama Day. One of the best books I've ever read. Now I'm reading the Women of Brewster Place. I like that so far too. Very good reading. I suggest it for anyone.
Oh yeah. We walked past the basketball court (yes they have a bball court here. how ridiculous is that? there's also a play station center. hilarious). Some guy said hi to the bf. The bf asks, how you doin? The guy says, its hot, but not as hot as you (to me). Hilarious! LMAO.
He's back. GG. Adios!!
8.14.2006
The most hilarious faux chef EVER!!!!!!!
My friend's daddy makes the most hilarious combinations!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! today she got scared when she walked in the kitchen and saw these ingredients in front of chef boyardaddy: canned salmon, peanut butter, wheat bread, rice with some ish in it, oh yeah, onions, carrots. shut up!! hilarious.
i know y'all been cursin my name, callin me everything but a child of God. but i been busy! can a girl not blog for a week w/o gettin death threats, STACIE VON KUTIEBOOTS!!!!!! there are a million things i was going to talk abt but since this is day 6 of 9... i think i'm just gon chill. y'all might have to wait until thursday. and guess what happens on thursday.... i go to CONNECTICUT!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and my birthday's in 11 days!! 24 here i come!! whoo hoo!!!
and its taking every fiber of my being not to beg, cajole and CONVINCE my friends to send me a copy of the email he sent them abt my surprise. i know he's surprising me. i'm horrible w/surprises b/c i don't ever want to wait. and he loves to try to surprise me. so sweet that one!!
i know y'all been cursin my name, callin me everything but a child of God. but i been busy! can a girl not blog for a week w/o gettin death threats, STACIE VON KUTIEBOOTS!!!!!! there are a million things i was going to talk abt but since this is day 6 of 9... i think i'm just gon chill. y'all might have to wait until thursday. and guess what happens on thursday.... i go to CONNECTICUT!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and my birthday's in 11 days!! 24 here i come!! whoo hoo!!!
and its taking every fiber of my being not to beg, cajole and CONVINCE my friends to send me a copy of the email he sent them abt my surprise. i know he's surprising me. i'm horrible w/surprises b/c i don't ever want to wait. and he loves to try to surprise me. so sweet that one!!
8.07.2006
Nip/Tuck
No, not sp's favorite show. The actual procedures. Why doesn't anyone want to be old anymore? I really don't get it. Now I have an inkling it may have something to do with the fact that people are well aware that sun causes spots, wrinkles, unsightly bags, freckles, moles, cancer... To quote Gnarls Barkley, "And I could go on, and on, and onnnnnnnnnn, but who cares?" They obviously don't. The people who give themselves these skin nightmares I mean. Maybe, no I'm sure I don't get it because I'm melanin blessed. I mean I see the pale Nicole Kidman skin. I can understand why you wouldn't want to look ghostly white, give Casper a run for his money. I do not however understand why you would run for the sun or the tanning booth for the rest of your life knowing your fate.
Now we know black don't crack. My favorite? Essence magazine once a year does the black don't crack article. That's not what they call it of course, but its all these black women who look 35 and are 98. Or look 12 and are 38. That's what I'm talking about. That's who I wanna be. Plastic surgery is up 444% in the U.S. since 1997. 444%. Wth? That's ridiculous. Everyone wants instant gratification. This will sound foolish. But I wouldn't mind losing 7 lbs. I don't hate those 7 lbs. If I don't lose them I won't die and I won't be heartbroken, but it would be cool. Do I want to do the work for it? Not particularly. Am I obsessed with the 7 lbs? Nope.
And I know what you're thinking. She bought that mini-skirt, put it on and thought she was fat. She listened to the girl who said she had thunder thighs. Nope! Lol Though your responses to that were quite hilarious. I'm just not one of those people who thinks she should wear something unflattering just because its cute or trendy. Plus I'm not some shapeless 12 lb. child.
We've all seen the tv shows with the people who are already 5'10" 112 lbs. and think they need to lose some weight. I was watching Celebrity Fit Club 4 last night. These people are crazy. Why on earth would anyone want to be a celebrity? I mean I know the money and the fame. But they have some serious issues. Some of them are a size 8 or 10 feeling fat because they're surrounded by youth and perfection. Why would you want to put yourself through that?
People used to think body image issues didn't effect black people. Wrong. We're not immune to it when surrounded by other people who have the same issues. Botox is the most psycho thing in the world to me. Um... foreheads are SUPPOSED to have lines. It is not normal to inject a CHEMICAL into your FACE to PARALYZE it. WHAT?!!! Bizarre. Surgery-free face-lifts and such. Odd. Just saw a close-up of Paula Abdul's face. Definitely botoxed the forehead. PEOPLE!! We grow old! Its called life. Be glad you still have one. That is all.
Now we know black don't crack. My favorite? Essence magazine once a year does the black don't crack article. That's not what they call it of course, but its all these black women who look 35 and are 98. Or look 12 and are 38. That's what I'm talking about. That's who I wanna be. Plastic surgery is up 444% in the U.S. since 1997. 444%. Wth? That's ridiculous. Everyone wants instant gratification. This will sound foolish. But I wouldn't mind losing 7 lbs. I don't hate those 7 lbs. If I don't lose them I won't die and I won't be heartbroken, but it would be cool. Do I want to do the work for it? Not particularly. Am I obsessed with the 7 lbs? Nope.
And I know what you're thinking. She bought that mini-skirt, put it on and thought she was fat. She listened to the girl who said she had thunder thighs. Nope! Lol Though your responses to that were quite hilarious. I'm just not one of those people who thinks she should wear something unflattering just because its cute or trendy. Plus I'm not some shapeless 12 lb. child.
We've all seen the tv shows with the people who are already 5'10" 112 lbs. and think they need to lose some weight. I was watching Celebrity Fit Club 4 last night. These people are crazy. Why on earth would anyone want to be a celebrity? I mean I know the money and the fame. But they have some serious issues. Some of them are a size 8 or 10 feeling fat because they're surrounded by youth and perfection. Why would you want to put yourself through that?
People used to think body image issues didn't effect black people. Wrong. We're not immune to it when surrounded by other people who have the same issues. Botox is the most psycho thing in the world to me. Um... foreheads are SUPPOSED to have lines. It is not normal to inject a CHEMICAL into your FACE to PARALYZE it. WHAT?!!! Bizarre. Surgery-free face-lifts and such. Odd. Just saw a close-up of Paula Abdul's face. Definitely botoxed the forehead. PEOPLE!! We grow old! Its called life. Be glad you still have one. That is all.
8.01.2006
Goooooooo Bucs!
Hmmm... I wonder if black people know bucs is a synonym for pirates. B/c in my nearly 24 years of exposure to the Hampton University Pirates, I've never once been encouraged to call them Bucs. Ever. And yet, all the white schools I've ever visited who's mascot was the Pirates i.e. East Carolina University, Charleston Southern University, as well as the Pittsburgh Pirates, I always here "Gooo Bucs!"
So tonight I went to the Pirates/Braves game. Looooooved the Braves as a kid. For you baseball heads, the pitchers were Smolz and Snell. The bf told me I have to know the pitchers. You know I don't care. But that little bit of info before the game actually helped me sound really smart to my dad's co-workers. Can you believe I posted twice in one day? Aren't you proud? I know. Me too. D's job gave us the tickets. Parking: $10, peanuts: $3.75, ny style kosher hot dog: $5, 12 oz. bottle Coors Light: $6. Wow.... trippin. We actually didn't drink. That is amazing for both of us. We love our beer. But I did get a hot dog and he got peanuts. The hot dog was quite yummy.
Gangsta white boy. Maybe 7 years old. Sitting in the row in front of us (3rd base side, row L, GORGEOUS view of the city. For no reason. If you go to Pittsburgh ever, you have to 1) holla at your girl, 2) go see PNC Park. You will be impressed even if you don't like baseball). Back to the gangsta white boy. I don't know who his momma is. He didn't have a tint to his skin. Daddy must be redneck because the first thing I saw him do was fill his sweaty Pirates baseball cap with water, play with it to see if the water would drain out through the other side. Then he looked at it, smelled it, brought it close to his face, took a preliminary sip and then... that's right. Drank it right up. EWWWWWWWWWW!! LMAO!! Me and my dad. So disgusting.
Why do I say gangsta and question his maternal roots? Well you know how each player gets to select a song to come out to when he goes to the plate, right? Well, one player's song was Chamillionaire. Do you know this lil boy put on his ill grill/mean mug and sang along, "Patrollinnnn, they hatinnn, (unintelligible), tryna catch me ridin dirtayyyyyyy, tryna catch me ridin dirty, tryna catch me ridin dirty...." LMAO!! Me and D's Texas homeboy. Hilarious. Another player's song was Sean Paul, here he goes, "I got the right temperature..." What???? Who have you been hangin with?! Lolololol
You know who won. The Braves. The Pirates are horrific. This is their 14 consecutive losing season. 2 more and they will have the MLB record. The score was 4-1 when we left in the top of the 9th. I know you guys want to know what I was wearing. Pink tank top, brown woven belt, Sergio Vallente stretch denim skirt w/a longhorn on the right back pocket, 4 1/2 inch wedge sandals. I know. I couldn't help it. My dad said, "Gee Jameil. Thanks for dressing down." I said, "Oh, you're welcome!" Then I looked over and he was giving me the face. Heeeeey! I tried. I can only dress down so much. You know who I am. I can't help the fly." When we're leaving, this guy says to me, "I like your longhorn." Then blushes. Yeah... that definitely tells me you were looking at the booty. Should've kept that to yourself. Men.
So tonight I went to the Pirates/Braves game. Looooooved the Braves as a kid. For you baseball heads, the pitchers were Smolz and Snell. The bf told me I have to know the pitchers. You know I don't care. But that little bit of info before the game actually helped me sound really smart to my dad's co-workers. Can you believe I posted twice in one day? Aren't you proud? I know. Me too. D's job gave us the tickets. Parking: $10, peanuts: $3.75, ny style kosher hot dog: $5, 12 oz. bottle Coors Light: $6. Wow.... trippin. We actually didn't drink. That is amazing for both of us. We love our beer. But I did get a hot dog and he got peanuts. The hot dog was quite yummy.
Gangsta white boy. Maybe 7 years old. Sitting in the row in front of us (3rd base side, row L, GORGEOUS view of the city. For no reason. If you go to Pittsburgh ever, you have to 1) holla at your girl, 2) go see PNC Park. You will be impressed even if you don't like baseball). Back to the gangsta white boy. I don't know who his momma is. He didn't have a tint to his skin. Daddy must be redneck because the first thing I saw him do was fill his sweaty Pirates baseball cap with water, play with it to see if the water would drain out through the other side. Then he looked at it, smelled it, brought it close to his face, took a preliminary sip and then... that's right. Drank it right up. EWWWWWWWWWW!! LMAO!! Me and my dad. So disgusting.
Why do I say gangsta and question his maternal roots? Well you know how each player gets to select a song to come out to when he goes to the plate, right? Well, one player's song was Chamillionaire. Do you know this lil boy put on his ill grill/mean mug and sang along, "Patrollinnnn, they hatinnn, (unintelligible), tryna catch me ridin dirtayyyyyyy, tryna catch me ridin dirty, tryna catch me ridin dirty...." LMAO!! Me and D's Texas homeboy. Hilarious. Another player's song was Sean Paul, here he goes, "I got the right temperature..." What???? Who have you been hangin with?! Lolololol
You know who won. The Braves. The Pirates are horrific. This is their 14 consecutive losing season. 2 more and they will have the MLB record. The score was 4-1 when we left in the top of the 9th. I know you guys want to know what I was wearing. Pink tank top, brown woven belt, Sergio Vallente stretch denim skirt w/a longhorn on the right back pocket, 4 1/2 inch wedge sandals. I know. I couldn't help it. My dad said, "Gee Jameil. Thanks for dressing down." I said, "Oh, you're welcome!" Then I looked over and he was giving me the face. Heeeeey! I tried. I can only dress down so much. You know who I am. I can't help the fly." When we're leaving, this guy says to me, "I like your longhorn." Then blushes. Yeah... that definitely tells me you were looking at the booty. Should've kept that to yourself. Men.
RootsKellyMexicanFellUponThieves
So... I know you're all wondering how the Roots were. I would love to know. It was sold out. Who knew the Roots would sell out in Pittsburgh? Talib Kweli didn't. And I see how crunk people get over Jeezy. I just knew for certain they wouldn't care about the Roots.... but they did. So I didn't get to go. I went to sleep. And tried to make plans to see them in a different city. First I tried Cincinnati. But then I realized how far that is and that I would have to go by myself. Then I saw Philly. The bf and I were planning a trip to Philly for my bday. Then I decided I wanted to go to Connecticut and see him, go to Boston and have a birthday party. So who knows when I'll finally be able to see the Roots.
That Wednesday I went to see Kelly Clarkson. VIP. Very nice. Row P for free. She was actually really really good. Very down to earth. She went into the audience and put on the shirts two people gave her that said Kelly Clarkson 2006. It was so cute. Not an American Idol fan. Its also very hard for me to listen to the station that plays her music for more than 15 minutes, so I didn't know very many songs. Still enjoyed it. She can sing.
Friday: Went to Mad Mex w/my dad. A Pittsburgh/Philly/State College/Columbus Mexican restaurant. It's actually very yummy, tho I hear it depends on the location you go to. The menu was hilarious. Los wingos?? Word?? Los booze y brews?? Friends don't let friends drink cheap beer??? Drink responsibly, have at least two??? Practice safe mex??? Lololol. I had a peach margarita and the dance marathon burrito. It was chicken, spicy spinach, rice, black beans, portabello mushrooms. Yummmmmmmmmmmmm!! So delicious!! Or excuse me. For Stace and Karamale, muoy delicioso! Hahaha bitches!! I know you guys thought I was going to mess it up. Stop hatin on me.
So after that, I met a co-worker in the Oakland section of the city to go to a bar. We were supposed to go bar-hopping but her sister's friend's band was performing at Peter's Pub. We went there but it turns out they were last... so we were stuck there all night... wow... The band wasn't bad. None of them. I just don't want to sit at a bar listening to rock music for 2 hours when that wasn't the original plan. I would like to recognize a single song. But I was glad to be out of the house! Ahhh yeah!
Last week was pretty uneventful. One of my favorite coworkers is moving to Orlando :( so sad. So I'm in charge of planning the longest good-bye ever. It started Sunday at the Grand Concourse. Yummiest brunch ever. Would you like to know what I had? Here we go. 3 mimosas (stop hatin, everyone had 3), lemon chicken w/mushrooms and artichokes, hashbrowns, eggs, sausage, bacon, chicken fingers, penne pasta, smoked blue fish, hot apple dumpling, french vanilla ice cream, key lime pie, fudge brownie, white chocolate cheesecake. Now before you start gettin all crazy wondering where I put it all. For the meats, I only had one piece of each. For the dessert, I had one small square of each except the dumpling. I ate all of it. Yummmmmm. Still a lot of food right? But it was soooooo yummy. And clearly I left some stuff. We're going back next week. Round 2 son.
Then we went to Bar Louie for another drink. I had a strawberi fizz martini. Stoli strawberi, cointreau, champagne, strawberry puree and a fresh strawberry. Yummmm. Wednesday we're doing drinks somewhere. Thursday, Chili's, Bar 11, Jack's Bar (classic Pgh bar on the South Side), and Town Tavern. So get ready for those details. I'll stop being so lazy and post more often. Or I'll try anyway. I make no promises.
That Wednesday I went to see Kelly Clarkson. VIP. Very nice. Row P for free. She was actually really really good. Very down to earth. She went into the audience and put on the shirts two people gave her that said Kelly Clarkson 2006. It was so cute. Not an American Idol fan. Its also very hard for me to listen to the station that plays her music for more than 15 minutes, so I didn't know very many songs. Still enjoyed it. She can sing.
Friday: Went to Mad Mex w/my dad. A Pittsburgh/Philly/State College/Columbus Mexican restaurant. It's actually very yummy, tho I hear it depends on the location you go to. The menu was hilarious. Los wingos?? Word?? Los booze y brews?? Friends don't let friends drink cheap beer??? Drink responsibly, have at least two??? Practice safe mex??? Lololol. I had a peach margarita and the dance marathon burrito. It was chicken, spicy spinach, rice, black beans, portabello mushrooms. Yummmmmmmmmmmmm!! So delicious!! Or excuse me. For Stace and Karamale, muoy delicioso! Hahaha bitches!! I know you guys thought I was going to mess it up. Stop hatin on me.
So after that, I met a co-worker in the Oakland section of the city to go to a bar. We were supposed to go bar-hopping but her sister's friend's band was performing at Peter's Pub. We went there but it turns out they were last... so we were stuck there all night... wow... The band wasn't bad. None of them. I just don't want to sit at a bar listening to rock music for 2 hours when that wasn't the original plan. I would like to recognize a single song. But I was glad to be out of the house! Ahhh yeah!
Last week was pretty uneventful. One of my favorite coworkers is moving to Orlando :( so sad. So I'm in charge of planning the longest good-bye ever. It started Sunday at the Grand Concourse. Yummiest brunch ever. Would you like to know what I had? Here we go. 3 mimosas (stop hatin, everyone had 3), lemon chicken w/mushrooms and artichokes, hashbrowns, eggs, sausage, bacon, chicken fingers, penne pasta, smoked blue fish, hot apple dumpling, french vanilla ice cream, key lime pie, fudge brownie, white chocolate cheesecake. Now before you start gettin all crazy wondering where I put it all. For the meats, I only had one piece of each. For the dessert, I had one small square of each except the dumpling. I ate all of it. Yummmmmm. Still a lot of food right? But it was soooooo yummy. And clearly I left some stuff. We're going back next week. Round 2 son.
Then we went to Bar Louie for another drink. I had a strawberi fizz martini. Stoli strawberi, cointreau, champagne, strawberry puree and a fresh strawberry. Yummmm. Wednesday we're doing drinks somewhere. Thursday, Chili's, Bar 11, Jack's Bar (classic Pgh bar on the South Side), and Town Tavern. So get ready for those details. I'll stop being so lazy and post more often. Or I'll try anyway. I make no promises.
7.27.2006
Thunder Thighed Amazon Stallion
So... I really don't like super skinny teeny tiny midget-like people. Because they are bananas. They really don't get it. Now I love my homie I'm bout to talk about. I'm not fat by any stretch of the imagination. I'm a size 4. And I don't have any body image problems. But my home skillet almost gave me some accidentally. I said, "I'm so young. I need a mini-skirt. Why don't I own a mini-skirt?" She said, "Why girl? Because you got them thunder thighs?" "Them what?" "Them thunder thighs." "Excuse me?" "What? That's not a good thing?" "I have no issue w/my thighs but it is inappropriate to refer to anyone's thighs as thunder." "Oh... sorry." "Yeah..." In the same day, she referred to someone tall as a stallion, and another as an Amazon. I'm quite short, too. 5'1 1/4" Yep. That small. Its very cute. But my grandmother and 2 of her sisters are 5'11 or taller. So I'm sensitive to the tall ones. Also, Michelle says I'm a tall person trapped in a short person's body. Can't you tell? Doesn't my personality leap off of your screen? No? Get a higher speed internet.
7.23.2006
How I Knew
A common question is how do you know when you're in love. I've been really inspired to write lately. I've just been too tired to get it all out. Here's how I knew....
i knew it was love w/the bf when i couldn't imagine my life w/o him. and when i realized he was my best friend and if i married someone else i wouldn't be able to have the same relationship with him. and when i compared every other man with him. and when i wished every man i was with WAS him. and when no girl was ever good enough for him. certainly not as good as i could be. so i stopped fighting it.
If you asked for the chili recipe, scroll down. Its below.
i knew it was love w/the bf when i couldn't imagine my life w/o him. and when i realized he was my best friend and if i married someone else i wouldn't be able to have the same relationship with him. and when i compared every other man with him. and when i wished every man i was with WAS him. and when no girl was ever good enough for him. certainly not as good as i could be. so i stopped fighting it.
If you asked for the chili recipe, scroll down. Its below.
Chili Recipe
Several of you have asked me for the highly touted chili recipe from the chili cook-off at work. Don't ask why they had a chili cook-off on the hottest week of the year. Shouldn't this be something we do in like October or something? Its starting to get cold there finally. This was my first chili recipe from a mix of two food network recipes. One was called firehouse, the other 6-pack chili. This is very spicy. So if you don't want that level of heat, omit all but one of the jalepenos.
2 tbsp. ea. cumin, oregano, chili powder, paprika
6 cloves garlic, chopped finely
one large onion, diced
1 ea. red/green/yellow bell pepper, diced
3 bottles of beer (I used Amber Bock)
4 tbsp brown sugar
5 jalepenos, seeded and finely chopped
1 small can chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, finely chopped with sauce
1 large can of kidney beans
1 large can of tomato paste
1 large can of tomato sauce
2 1/3 lbs. ground beef
worchestershire sauce
salt
pepper
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine first four dry ingredients, garlic, brown sugar, jalepeno and chipotle peppers, tomato sauce and paste and beer in a large saucepan. Brown ground beef w/last 3 ingredients. Add to sauce. Add kidney beans and another bottle of beer. Saute red, green and yellow peppers with onions. Add to sauce. Bake for 1/2 hour. Add final bottle of beer. Bake another half hour.
Serves one million (i guess). Probably closer to 10-15.
2 tbsp. ea. cumin, oregano, chili powder, paprika
6 cloves garlic, chopped finely
one large onion, diced
1 ea. red/green/yellow bell pepper, diced
3 bottles of beer (I used Amber Bock)
4 tbsp brown sugar
5 jalepenos, seeded and finely chopped
1 small can chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, finely chopped with sauce
1 large can of kidney beans
1 large can of tomato paste
1 large can of tomato sauce
2 1/3 lbs. ground beef
worchestershire sauce
salt
pepper
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine first four dry ingredients, garlic, brown sugar, jalepeno and chipotle peppers, tomato sauce and paste and beer in a large saucepan. Brown ground beef w/last 3 ingredients. Add to sauce. Add kidney beans and another bottle of beer. Saute red, green and yellow peppers with onions. Add to sauce. Bake for 1/2 hour. Add final bottle of beer. Bake another half hour.
Serves one million (i guess). Probably closer to 10-15.
7.17.2006
MINDSPACE!
I know you guys have really really missed journeying through my mindspace. So here is another trip. Enjoy the ride.
I have been off for the last three days. I have been soooo productive. Oh its great. I've done... ok I'm lyin. I've done nothing. Sit around and watch tv and get on the internet. Oh and talk on the phone. Today I'm gonna pay some bills. Matter of fact. Let me take care of that right now. Hold on. Ok paid some bills. I've now been productive during my time off. Oh yeah, I'm washing clothes right now, too. Y'all can't see me!!
How bout one of my girls needs to call herself da Illest. She's always catchin some weird disease. In college, she got chicken pox. CHICKEN POX! Those things effect you after 12?? Who knew. Her ass looked so funny. She tried to get on 2 or 3 different planes to go home for the holidays but had been blackballed. Oh it was hilarious!! I was dyin laughin. Her dad had to fly up and drive her 18 hours home. Good times, good times. Then she caught mono. She's also had strep throat a couple of times. I had the other throat disease. I can't remember what its called. Not throat gonnorhea. Tonsilitis! I couldn't remember. I got it every March for the last three years. This March was the first time! Whoo hoo! Anyway. Guess what she has now. Guess. You'll never guess. TB. That's right. My dog has TUBERCULOSIS!! I didn't even know that ish still existed in the free world! LMAO!! She found out when she tried to get a job at a hospital last week. DYING!! She was so pissed. Didn't even want to fill out her meds. But she did. And she starts work in 2 weeks. And wanna know the most hiliarious thing? The hospital was like, "Yeah, you have TB." Really nonchalantly. Like I had the roast duck with the mango salsa for lunch. Fu-NNY!! What's next? Measles, mumps, rubella?
I entered a chili cook-off at work. I didn't win but several people told me it was delicious. My news director said mine was the best by far. One woman even asked me for my recipe! How cool is that?! :) I was so excited. So I'm going to give it to her tomorrow.
Today is the Roots concert. I'm very excited. Its my first Roots concert. I only own one of their cds and I bought that 3 weeks ago when I found out about the concert. I loved them on Dave Chapelle's Block Party. My friends have seen them so I'm tres excited. I'm trying to figure out what I'm going to wear. I'm heading to Target today to see if I can find anything interesting. I was thinking abt being a stereotype. Big afro, pick w/the clenched fist, fake kente cloth around my hair, cowrie shell jewelery, shirt that says "black and proud," red/green/yellow wristband, jean skirt and jesus sandals. Think I'll fit in? lmao. So I was thinking about going in a completely opposite direction. J-loed out, pressed hair, pencil skirt, 3 inch stilettos, lots of gold bangles and all gold accessories. Lots of bling. Perhaps I'll meet somewhere in the middle. Can't rock the stilettos b/c its a standing concert at a club-type venue. You know how they do. And tickets were only $10! That's what I'm talkin bout! Ahhhhh yeah!
Wednesday I'm going to see Kelly Clarkson. A girl at work got some really good tickets so I'm going with her. Now I likely will rock the heels to that because I won't have to stand. And you know I gotta be fly.
Can I tell y'all the people are in danger of going crazy here today? The record high for this date is 93. You read that right. How hilarious is that?!! I was dyin laughin. Its already 87 at 12:50 so you know that record is in danger. I've heard all sorts of "hot weather" teases on the different news stations here. So funny.
Ok so remember the wedding I talked about in my last post? Yeah... well I saw the pictures today. Pretty. But scary!!! WTH?!! I was like I can't do this! I just wanted to reiterate the idea of getting married like tomorrow is scary. Do you feel sufficiently re-introduced to my mindspace? No?
Let me tell you how much I love Project Runway!! I neeeeeed it in my life. Like seriously! Wow... And Austin from the 1st season would absolutely be allowed to design my wedding dress if I wasn't designing it myself. How bout I got pissed watching the Best Man the other day b/c that dress looked like the one I have in my head. Now what on earth is that about?!!! I don't appreciate that!! So I'll have to tweak the design. Good thing I have a few YEARS to take care of that!!! hahahahahahaha.
Also... the birthday is a mere month and some change away, AUGUST 23RD BIOTCHES!, and I need some suggestions. Y'all have had some gangsta celebrations. So let's hear it.
I have been off for the last three days. I have been soooo productive. Oh its great. I've done... ok I'm lyin. I've done nothing. Sit around and watch tv and get on the internet. Oh and talk on the phone. Today I'm gonna pay some bills. Matter of fact. Let me take care of that right now. Hold on. Ok paid some bills. I've now been productive during my time off. Oh yeah, I'm washing clothes right now, too. Y'all can't see me!!
How bout one of my girls needs to call herself da Illest. She's always catchin some weird disease. In college, she got chicken pox. CHICKEN POX! Those things effect you after 12?? Who knew. Her ass looked so funny. She tried to get on 2 or 3 different planes to go home for the holidays but had been blackballed. Oh it was hilarious!! I was dyin laughin. Her dad had to fly up and drive her 18 hours home. Good times, good times. Then she caught mono. She's also had strep throat a couple of times. I had the other throat disease. I can't remember what its called. Not throat gonnorhea. Tonsilitis! I couldn't remember. I got it every March for the last three years. This March was the first time! Whoo hoo! Anyway. Guess what she has now. Guess. You'll never guess. TB. That's right. My dog has TUBERCULOSIS!! I didn't even know that ish still existed in the free world! LMAO!! She found out when she tried to get a job at a hospital last week. DYING!! She was so pissed. Didn't even want to fill out her meds. But she did. And she starts work in 2 weeks. And wanna know the most hiliarious thing? The hospital was like, "Yeah, you have TB." Really nonchalantly. Like I had the roast duck with the mango salsa for lunch. Fu-NNY!! What's next? Measles, mumps, rubella?
I entered a chili cook-off at work. I didn't win but several people told me it was delicious. My news director said mine was the best by far. One woman even asked me for my recipe! How cool is that?! :) I was so excited. So I'm going to give it to her tomorrow.
Today is the Roots concert. I'm very excited. Its my first Roots concert. I only own one of their cds and I bought that 3 weeks ago when I found out about the concert. I loved them on Dave Chapelle's Block Party. My friends have seen them so I'm tres excited. I'm trying to figure out what I'm going to wear. I'm heading to Target today to see if I can find anything interesting. I was thinking abt being a stereotype. Big afro, pick w/the clenched fist, fake kente cloth around my hair, cowrie shell jewelery, shirt that says "black and proud," red/green/yellow wristband, jean skirt and jesus sandals. Think I'll fit in? lmao. So I was thinking about going in a completely opposite direction. J-loed out, pressed hair, pencil skirt, 3 inch stilettos, lots of gold bangles and all gold accessories. Lots of bling. Perhaps I'll meet somewhere in the middle. Can't rock the stilettos b/c its a standing concert at a club-type venue. You know how they do. And tickets were only $10! That's what I'm talkin bout! Ahhhhh yeah!
Wednesday I'm going to see Kelly Clarkson. A girl at work got some really good tickets so I'm going with her. Now I likely will rock the heels to that because I won't have to stand. And you know I gotta be fly.
Can I tell y'all the people are in danger of going crazy here today? The record high for this date is 93. You read that right. How hilarious is that?!! I was dyin laughin. Its already 87 at 12:50 so you know that record is in danger. I've heard all sorts of "hot weather" teases on the different news stations here. So funny.
Ok so remember the wedding I talked about in my last post? Yeah... well I saw the pictures today. Pretty. But scary!!! WTH?!! I was like I can't do this! I just wanted to reiterate the idea of getting married like tomorrow is scary. Do you feel sufficiently re-introduced to my mindspace? No?
Let me tell you how much I love Project Runway!! I neeeeeed it in my life. Like seriously! Wow... And Austin from the 1st season would absolutely be allowed to design my wedding dress if I wasn't designing it myself. How bout I got pissed watching the Best Man the other day b/c that dress looked like the one I have in my head. Now what on earth is that about?!!! I don't appreciate that!! So I'll have to tweak the design. Good thing I have a few YEARS to take care of that!!! hahahahahahaha.
Also... the birthday is a mere month and some change away, AUGUST 23RD BIOTCHES!, and I need some suggestions. Y'all have had some gangsta celebrations. So let's hear it.
7.13.2006
The Illustrious Trip Part III: What Everyone REALLY Wants to Know (According to Wise)
Wise says despite the detailed description, i managed to leave out what everyone really wants to know (which i might say is hilarious): How did you feel about the convo about moving closer together?What was the post-visit recap from dear ole Dad?What the hell was this whole diamond tutorial all about? And did you bring him by your job to shut up that loser who was trying to claim you? :)
Let's take it in order. How did I feel about the convo about moving together? I loved it. Despite my confidence in our relationship, everyone needs reassurance we're both interested in the same thing. Human nature. In one of my fave movies, Superstar, Will Ferrell comes to Mary Katherine Gallagher's love interest as God and asks, "Why did I make everyone so insecure?" It was actually quite hilarious. We want to be closer to each other, and are willing to move to make it happen. But it has to be within the bounds of both of our careers. Because neither of us wants the other to sacrifice upward career mobility. We know the other will be around. Not in the sense of taking each other for granted. More in the sense of comfort and stability inherent with the type of relationship we have.
Post-visit recap from dad... It actually had to wait awhile b/c of our conflicting schedules. My dad is wary of him. Mostly b/c he's a man. I said what do you think about him? He said, "Mmm... he seems like an ok young man." What the hell? Really daddy? I had already talked to mommy. So she told me he didn't know what he thought which was hilarious. Then he says, "More importantly, what do you think about him?" I said, "I love him." D, "OOOOOOH! You love him? That's a serious word." "I know." "Well, if you love him, then I guess I better learn to like him." There it is. "Does he always talk like that?" "Like what?" "Like he was talking." "*laughter* No, he was trying to make a good impression." "Ohhhh. Well that's good." I could see his estimation of the bf rising. I value my father's opinion, but it wouldn't be the deal breaker. Mommy would be the deal breaker. And she loves him. I think daddy is afraid the bf will take me away. That's just the wanna be psychologist in me.
The diamond tutorial... Wise was right on this one. This was by far the most commented on. But only by the women. Dudes don't care. It was exciting because its true, diamonds are a girl's best friend. But I didn't look too deeply into it. I learned a lot. The technical aspects and about myself. I hate marquis cut (football-shaped) and anything that looks like a shape not found in nature (i.e. heart or star). I don't like round/brilliant cuts b/c they're boring. I thought I liked emerald cut, but it doesn't sparkle enough. I LOVE princess cut. It looks like a regular square. I now know for certain I don't want anything smaller than 1 1/2 carats. But I don't need a huge ring. Set in white gold. So there it is. I know I want to be with him and vice versa. But neither of us is ready to get married.
This girl from college, one of those serial monogamists, got married this past weekend. She's a friend of a friend. But we were never really close. I started thinking about what it would be like to be married at 24. That is SCARY!! Why would I want to do that? Why rush? That is a permanent commitment for me. There are no practice runs or first marriages. Only marriage. I want to KNOW. And I need to have my independence first. I can't move out of my parents' house and into my house with my husband. This wasn't her situation. These are just things are started thinking about. I want to go to a wedding because I think they're pretty. I'm just in no rush to head down the aisle myself. Just typing that scared the crap out of me. Men are programmed to think women always want to get married. Don't kid yourself. Women like weddings. All women do NOT think you're the one.
Did I bring him to the job to shut up the loser? Nope. He had no desire to meet box boy. Plus when I was asking box boy places to go, he was like, I can show you guys around. I keep the bf apprised of all situations w/men who claim to want to "be my friend" or "show me around." Always lies. So he knows about box boy and was wary of him before I was. Actually I was wary the first day I saw him. But I have this pesky thing about giving people the benefit of the doubt. Its very wack. I really should stop. My first feeling is never wrong. So knowing all of these things, let's say the bf was less than excited abt meeting box boy. As in didn't want to at all. So we didn't. He actually met no one from work. So they probably think he doesn't actually exist. Lololol. Any more questions?
Let's take it in order. How did I feel about the convo about moving together? I loved it. Despite my confidence in our relationship, everyone needs reassurance we're both interested in the same thing. Human nature. In one of my fave movies, Superstar, Will Ferrell comes to Mary Katherine Gallagher's love interest as God and asks, "Why did I make everyone so insecure?" It was actually quite hilarious. We want to be closer to each other, and are willing to move to make it happen. But it has to be within the bounds of both of our careers. Because neither of us wants the other to sacrifice upward career mobility. We know the other will be around. Not in the sense of taking each other for granted. More in the sense of comfort and stability inherent with the type of relationship we have.
Post-visit recap from dad... It actually had to wait awhile b/c of our conflicting schedules. My dad is wary of him. Mostly b/c he's a man. I said what do you think about him? He said, "Mmm... he seems like an ok young man." What the hell? Really daddy? I had already talked to mommy. So she told me he didn't know what he thought which was hilarious. Then he says, "More importantly, what do you think about him?" I said, "I love him." D, "OOOOOOH! You love him? That's a serious word." "I know." "Well, if you love him, then I guess I better learn to like him." There it is. "Does he always talk like that?" "Like what?" "Like he was talking." "*laughter* No, he was trying to make a good impression." "Ohhhh. Well that's good." I could see his estimation of the bf rising. I value my father's opinion, but it wouldn't be the deal breaker. Mommy would be the deal breaker. And she loves him. I think daddy is afraid the bf will take me away. That's just the wanna be psychologist in me.
The diamond tutorial... Wise was right on this one. This was by far the most commented on. But only by the women. Dudes don't care. It was exciting because its true, diamonds are a girl's best friend. But I didn't look too deeply into it. I learned a lot. The technical aspects and about myself. I hate marquis cut (football-shaped) and anything that looks like a shape not found in nature (i.e. heart or star). I don't like round/brilliant cuts b/c they're boring. I thought I liked emerald cut, but it doesn't sparkle enough. I LOVE princess cut. It looks like a regular square. I now know for certain I don't want anything smaller than 1 1/2 carats. But I don't need a huge ring. Set in white gold. So there it is. I know I want to be with him and vice versa. But neither of us is ready to get married.
This girl from college, one of those serial monogamists, got married this past weekend. She's a friend of a friend. But we were never really close. I started thinking about what it would be like to be married at 24. That is SCARY!! Why would I want to do that? Why rush? That is a permanent commitment for me. There are no practice runs or first marriages. Only marriage. I want to KNOW. And I need to have my independence first. I can't move out of my parents' house and into my house with my husband. This wasn't her situation. These are just things are started thinking about. I want to go to a wedding because I think they're pretty. I'm just in no rush to head down the aisle myself. Just typing that scared the crap out of me. Men are programmed to think women always want to get married. Don't kid yourself. Women like weddings. All women do NOT think you're the one.
Did I bring him to the job to shut up the loser? Nope. He had no desire to meet box boy. Plus when I was asking box boy places to go, he was like, I can show you guys around. I keep the bf apprised of all situations w/men who claim to want to "be my friend" or "show me around." Always lies. So he knows about box boy and was wary of him before I was. Actually I was wary the first day I saw him. But I have this pesky thing about giving people the benefit of the doubt. Its very wack. I really should stop. My first feeling is never wrong. So knowing all of these things, let's say the bf was less than excited abt meeting box boy. As in didn't want to at all. So we didn't. He actually met no one from work. So they probably think he doesn't actually exist. Lololol. Any more questions?
7.08.2006
The Illustrious Trip.. Parte Deux!
So... in case you haven't been to my blog in months or years, or even days, the bf came. this is part ii of the illustrious trip. If you haven't been paying attention, catch up: Part I.
When we left off, I was getting ready for the club, wearing pink shirt w/a low back and a halter, drape neck front, cuffed denim, brown faux snakeskin peep toe stiletto heel w/gold chain detailing right? We hop in the whip and head to station square. Now he was requesting a "black club" but there aren't really any of those here. It's always more like black night. And I hate the local radio station parties. Know why? Because you're always in there w/the seedy underbelly of the city. The wack part. Not the cool drug dealers. Joking guys. Lolol. The stuff will be really lame. Not like I've ever been anywhere in Pittsburgh club or party-wise that I was terribly impressed with but that's neither here nor there.
It was either the Strip District (no there are no strip clubs in the strip district. not that i know of anyway), which I had already driven him through, or Station Square. So we headed to Matrix. There's a top 40 room, a reggaton room (for that night), a techno room and an 80s room. PEOPLE!! No knowledge of personal space. I mean, i know we're in a club and all but black people work not to step on your feet and keep walking; not to drop a cup full of ice on the floor; not to step on your open toed stilettos w/extremely ugly black stilettos. I think I would've been happier if at least she had cute shoes. So we had an ok time. I was ready to go pretty soon after we got there b/c I was sleeeepy.
Sunday:
I wake up at 8. I was very proud. That's sleeping in for me now. We went to Cracker Barrel again. Best grits at a place in the north. Thank GOD! I love grits. Yummmmm. After Cracker Barrel, we went to the Mall at Robinson. Walked around, learned about diamonds. The 4 C's (clarity, cut, carat weight, color) and all that. **sidenote: i'm watching run's house right now... one word. lam.bour.ghini!!!!!! gimme now!! mmmmmmm**
We rode around trying to find something to do to kill time before my fellow Hamptonian's parents' cook-out. We rode around downtown and considered going to the regatta. But by the time we got over there, it looked like it was over. So sad. So we head back to my dad's to get directions to the cook-out. I showed him my myspace page and we looked up a few people. Then we bond some more and figure out what we're going to do about being so far away from each other and our future.
We head to the cook-out. Did I neglect to tell you what I was wearing? Black bubble skirt, black chiffon tank w/blue and green flowers on it and a lime green trim, silver flat sandals. She'd told me her parents were having a big backyard barbeque. We pull up and have to park two blocks away because there are so many cars. we walk up to the beautiful house. I didn't know there would be a live jazz band poolside, a dj, and a huge spread of food and most of the liquors you would ever want to taste. Too bad I had to drive. The band was fabulous. Really more of a three-piece combo. Keyboard, alto saxophone, fabulous singer. Smooth, silky voice. Toni pulled up a poolside table for the two of us (me and the bf). It was great. We had to leave early because I had to take the bf to the airport.
I drop him off and we talk about when/where we'll see each other next. I pull off. About 10 minutes later I get a phone call telling me to come back?? His flight was cancelled. WHOO HOO!!! ANOTHER NIGHT TOGETHER!! :) The airline put us up at the Airport Hyatt in a $200/night room. It was beeeeeeeeeyoutiful! We went to the hotel restaurant for dinner. He had the shrimp arrabiatta with a tomato concasse. I had the chicken saltimboca with cheesy polenta and steamed green beans. It was parfait!! So delicious. The room also had on demand and fabulous cable. We tried to stay up all night to watch but fell asleep at about midnight.
Monday: Woke up around 7. Went to the airport for breakfast at this cafe in there. I wanted to go to Au Bon Pain, but he needs actual breakfast options like pancakes. Wow... get it picky. Breakfast was ok. Went back to the room to watch some more tv, chill, relax. I took a nap. We got my car. I dropped him off and left. It was a great trip. I can't wait for the next one! :)
When we left off, I was getting ready for the club, wearing pink shirt w/a low back and a halter, drape neck front, cuffed denim, brown faux snakeskin peep toe stiletto heel w/gold chain detailing right? We hop in the whip and head to station square. Now he was requesting a "black club" but there aren't really any of those here. It's always more like black night. And I hate the local radio station parties. Know why? Because you're always in there w/the seedy underbelly of the city. The wack part. Not the cool drug dealers. Joking guys. Lolol. The stuff will be really lame. Not like I've ever been anywhere in Pittsburgh club or party-wise that I was terribly impressed with but that's neither here nor there.
It was either the Strip District (no there are no strip clubs in the strip district. not that i know of anyway), which I had already driven him through, or Station Square. So we headed to Matrix. There's a top 40 room, a reggaton room (for that night), a techno room and an 80s room. PEOPLE!! No knowledge of personal space. I mean, i know we're in a club and all but black people work not to step on your feet and keep walking; not to drop a cup full of ice on the floor; not to step on your open toed stilettos w/extremely ugly black stilettos. I think I would've been happier if at least she had cute shoes. So we had an ok time. I was ready to go pretty soon after we got there b/c I was sleeeepy.
Sunday:
I wake up at 8. I was very proud. That's sleeping in for me now. We went to Cracker Barrel again. Best grits at a place in the north. Thank GOD! I love grits. Yummmmm. After Cracker Barrel, we went to the Mall at Robinson. Walked around, learned about diamonds. The 4 C's (clarity, cut, carat weight, color) and all that. **sidenote: i'm watching run's house right now... one word. lam.bour.ghini!!!!!! gimme now!! mmmmmmm**
We rode around trying to find something to do to kill time before my fellow Hamptonian's parents' cook-out. We rode around downtown and considered going to the regatta. But by the time we got over there, it looked like it was over. So sad. So we head back to my dad's to get directions to the cook-out. I showed him my myspace page and we looked up a few people. Then we bond some more and figure out what we're going to do about being so far away from each other and our future.
We head to the cook-out. Did I neglect to tell you what I was wearing? Black bubble skirt, black chiffon tank w/blue and green flowers on it and a lime green trim, silver flat sandals. She'd told me her parents were having a big backyard barbeque. We pull up and have to park two blocks away because there are so many cars. we walk up to the beautiful house. I didn't know there would be a live jazz band poolside, a dj, and a huge spread of food and most of the liquors you would ever want to taste. Too bad I had to drive. The band was fabulous. Really more of a three-piece combo. Keyboard, alto saxophone, fabulous singer. Smooth, silky voice. Toni pulled up a poolside table for the two of us (me and the bf). It was great. We had to leave early because I had to take the bf to the airport.
I drop him off and we talk about when/where we'll see each other next. I pull off. About 10 minutes later I get a phone call telling me to come back?? His flight was cancelled. WHOO HOO!!! ANOTHER NIGHT TOGETHER!! :) The airline put us up at the Airport Hyatt in a $200/night room. It was beeeeeeeeeyoutiful! We went to the hotel restaurant for dinner. He had the shrimp arrabiatta with a tomato concasse. I had the chicken saltimboca with cheesy polenta and steamed green beans. It was parfait!! So delicious. The room also had on demand and fabulous cable. We tried to stay up all night to watch but fell asleep at about midnight.
Monday: Woke up around 7. Went to the airport for breakfast at this cafe in there. I wanted to go to Au Bon Pain, but he needs actual breakfast options like pancakes. Wow... get it picky. Breakfast was ok. Went back to the room to watch some more tv, chill, relax. I took a nap. We got my car. I dropped him off and left. It was a great trip. I can't wait for the next one! :)
7.06.2006
The Illustrious Trip Pt. I
thursday:
i picked the bf up from the airport around 8pm. i made sure i was extra jazzy. rhoyal blue tube dress, gold earrings, gold purse, beige muslin wrap 3 in. wedge heels. gotta help the him remember how much he misses me, my beauty and my fashion sense. this girl told me i had on a great outfit. he had on these fly "s dots" white w/blue and gray checker-type pattern. we went to the telly to get settled in but first he saw the posterboard-sized sign i painted and covered in glitter for him. then we went to the telly. he had a piece of the cake i baked him (vanilla w/vanilla frosting). i couldn't eat any b/c i hate frosting. i will only eat cream cheese frosting and sometimes chocolate. but i'm extremely picky. when i was little, i only got bday cake for my parties b/c everyone else liked it. i never ate any. my mom didn't know this. when she found out, she wouldn't let me do that anymore. from then on it was ice cream cakes (i had a face one year w/a cone as the nose-- adorable!), pound cake and cheesecake.
anyway. y'all know stace calls me sidetrack bob for a reason. we went to a place called "wings, spuds and suds" next to the hotel. got some wings and a pitcher of yuengling. wow... can you spell full. i can. m-e t-h-a-t n-i-g-h-t. dang. both of us. we pretended to go to the club but were too full. and i had been up for nearly 24 hours. i fell asleep. po thang.
friday:
i woke him up at 5 am. i couldn't help it. i was wide awake. and i let him take a nap later. bob evans for breakfast. i had on my green and white polka dot (luuuurve polka dot) tie front silk tank (featured in the bailey's commercial w/jill marie jones where they're looking for a dd) w/low rise jeans and the great shoes. when he wakes up he must have brekky, no matter what time. ain't that crazy? but i love the brekky so i say whatever homie. it was kinda burnt tho. not cool. then we went to heinz field (where the steelers play) and pnc park (where the horrid pirates play. they haven't had a winning season since the 1990s!!) we also looked at the roberto clemente bridge where they have mats on the sidewalk and large banners in the spans. then we walked down to the waterfront to look at the gorgeous view. we had a drink at atrias. horrible bartender. she was not friendly, gave no drink suggestions, and actually made the drinks too strong (ain't that a switch). now i'm a drink connoisseur. so if i say a drink is too strong, its too strong. with a well-made drink you can taste every element. this cosmo had far too much liquer (that's the alcohol-laced flavor additive for you non-drinkers, not to be confused w/liquor).
then we went to oakland (section of the city that's home to university of pittsburgh and carnegie mellon university). i wanted him to see the colleges. and what it must be like to go to college on a ginormous campus in the middle of a large city (pitt). then.... i took him to meet my dad. he (d) did not behave. when i went upstairs for like 2 seconds, my dad said, so... you're the one who stole my baby girl's heart. ok what? baby girl? you have never in yo life called me baby girl. bf: yes, but i gave her mine too. (nice answer!) when i came back downstairs, my dad hummed (quietly enough that i didn't hear, partially because i walk hard and climb and descend stairs like a herd of elephants... a large herd. my nickname as a small child, think from the time i could walk until like five... was "lil poundin feet." i got indian in my family, y'all. LMAO!!) so anyway. he hummed, "here comes the bride." when the bf told me that later, i was ready to fight. like for real.
so dad took us to dinner at this yummy restaurant in monroeville (eastern suburb) called john harvard's brew house. deee-lish. the waitress told me i looked pretty. when we left, the bf told my dad, he plans on being around. isn't that sweeet? i have the sweetest bf in the world, y'all. asleep by 9 again. so sad!! lololol.
saturday:
we just went wild. breakfast at cracker barrel's (my FAVE!! i could eat there 6 days a week. no lie. maybe even 7.) he loved it too. i had on a canary yellow tank w/a sweetheart neckline, jeans, a turquoise scarf around my head, large faux pearls notted around my waist, and silver flat sandals. then we went to kennywood for about 2 1/2 hours. its a very old amusement park-- kind of county fair-ish. i liked it and wanted to stay longer but he didn't so i didn't hold him hostage. we did get a funnel cake, tho. i also discovered i still have allergies. i started sneezing... a lot. i didn't know i still had these allergies b/c i don't go outside. i don't like elements. cold or hot. the weather is parfait here. no warmer than 80 for the last week or two. no colder than 72. that's what i'm talkin about. i don't like to sweat or be cold.
there were some old scary ass rides. i'm not a roller coaster girl. i don't like my stomach dropping. but i don't like to be left out so i go on rides and scream like a banshee the whole time. he begged me to get on the skycoaster-- see amusment park bungee jump. he said, "its so fun! first it feels like you're going to die, for only a couple of seconds, then it feels like you're flying." honey. baby. sweetie. sugar. doll. THAT. is not the way to sell an attraction! you feel like you're going to die?!! die?! what?! naw. you trippin.
anyway next we went to the waterfront shopping complex. we saw "the devil wears prada." the fashion.... OH THE FASHION!!!!! omg!! the fashion!! i'm convulsing on the floor right now. fab. u. lous. for no reason. just wrong. i loved the movie. he liked it too. darker than you might expect, particularly if you read the book (which i did). afterwards we went to the improv to see "sommore." she was hilarious. HILARIOUS!! a lot of sexual humor. i had a cadillac margarita. it was sooooooo yummy. THAT was a well-made drink. i tasted the cuervo (i love tequila), and lime perfectly, with a little salt on the rim. he had a jackie gleason (that ain't nothin but a jack and coke). they had a lot of fun drink names. i wanted one of everything. except whatever the blue one was. it had blueberi stoli and blue curacao and some other crap. i don't like blue drinks. they look like windex.
back to the telly to change. i got super fly. pink shirt w/a low back and a halter, drape neck front, cuffed denim, brown faux snakeskin peep toe stiletto heel w/gold chain detailing (ninewest of course). he looked delish too w/a black and gray vertical striped button down w/dark denim. ok this is getting ridiculously long so we'll have to make this part I. part II to come.
i picked the bf up from the airport around 8pm. i made sure i was extra jazzy. rhoyal blue tube dress, gold earrings, gold purse, beige muslin wrap 3 in. wedge heels. gotta help the him remember how much he misses me, my beauty and my fashion sense. this girl told me i had on a great outfit. he had on these fly "s dots" white w/blue and gray checker-type pattern. we went to the telly to get settled in but first he saw the posterboard-sized sign i painted and covered in glitter for him. then we went to the telly. he had a piece of the cake i baked him (vanilla w/vanilla frosting). i couldn't eat any b/c i hate frosting. i will only eat cream cheese frosting and sometimes chocolate. but i'm extremely picky. when i was little, i only got bday cake for my parties b/c everyone else liked it. i never ate any. my mom didn't know this. when she found out, she wouldn't let me do that anymore. from then on it was ice cream cakes (i had a face one year w/a cone as the nose-- adorable!), pound cake and cheesecake.
anyway. y'all know stace calls me sidetrack bob for a reason. we went to a place called "wings, spuds and suds" next to the hotel. got some wings and a pitcher of yuengling. wow... can you spell full. i can. m-e t-h-a-t n-i-g-h-t. dang. both of us. we pretended to go to the club but were too full. and i had been up for nearly 24 hours. i fell asleep. po thang.
friday:
i woke him up at 5 am. i couldn't help it. i was wide awake. and i let him take a nap later. bob evans for breakfast. i had on my green and white polka dot (luuuurve polka dot) tie front silk tank (featured in the bailey's commercial w/jill marie jones where they're looking for a dd) w/low rise jeans and the great shoes. when he wakes up he must have brekky, no matter what time. ain't that crazy? but i love the brekky so i say whatever homie. it was kinda burnt tho. not cool. then we went to heinz field (where the steelers play) and pnc park (where the horrid pirates play. they haven't had a winning season since the 1990s!!) we also looked at the roberto clemente bridge where they have mats on the sidewalk and large banners in the spans. then we walked down to the waterfront to look at the gorgeous view. we had a drink at atrias. horrible bartender. she was not friendly, gave no drink suggestions, and actually made the drinks too strong (ain't that a switch). now i'm a drink connoisseur. so if i say a drink is too strong, its too strong. with a well-made drink you can taste every element. this cosmo had far too much liquer (that's the alcohol-laced flavor additive for you non-drinkers, not to be confused w/liquor).
then we went to oakland (section of the city that's home to university of pittsburgh and carnegie mellon university). i wanted him to see the colleges. and what it must be like to go to college on a ginormous campus in the middle of a large city (pitt). then.... i took him to meet my dad. he (d) did not behave. when i went upstairs for like 2 seconds, my dad said, so... you're the one who stole my baby girl's heart. ok what? baby girl? you have never in yo life called me baby girl. bf: yes, but i gave her mine too. (nice answer!) when i came back downstairs, my dad hummed (quietly enough that i didn't hear, partially because i walk hard and climb and descend stairs like a herd of elephants... a large herd. my nickname as a small child, think from the time i could walk until like five... was "lil poundin feet." i got indian in my family, y'all. LMAO!!) so anyway. he hummed, "here comes the bride." when the bf told me that later, i was ready to fight. like for real.
so dad took us to dinner at this yummy restaurant in monroeville (eastern suburb) called john harvard's brew house. deee-lish. the waitress told me i looked pretty. when we left, the bf told my dad, he plans on being around. isn't that sweeet? i have the sweetest bf in the world, y'all. asleep by 9 again. so sad!! lololol.
saturday:
we just went wild. breakfast at cracker barrel's (my FAVE!! i could eat there 6 days a week. no lie. maybe even 7.) he loved it too. i had on a canary yellow tank w/a sweetheart neckline, jeans, a turquoise scarf around my head, large faux pearls notted around my waist, and silver flat sandals. then we went to kennywood for about 2 1/2 hours. its a very old amusement park-- kind of county fair-ish. i liked it and wanted to stay longer but he didn't so i didn't hold him hostage. we did get a funnel cake, tho. i also discovered i still have allergies. i started sneezing... a lot. i didn't know i still had these allergies b/c i don't go outside. i don't like elements. cold or hot. the weather is parfait here. no warmer than 80 for the last week or two. no colder than 72. that's what i'm talkin about. i don't like to sweat or be cold.
there were some old scary ass rides. i'm not a roller coaster girl. i don't like my stomach dropping. but i don't like to be left out so i go on rides and scream like a banshee the whole time. he begged me to get on the skycoaster-- see amusment park bungee jump. he said, "its so fun! first it feels like you're going to die, for only a couple of seconds, then it feels like you're flying." honey. baby. sweetie. sugar. doll. THAT. is not the way to sell an attraction! you feel like you're going to die?!! die?! what?! naw. you trippin.
anyway next we went to the waterfront shopping complex. we saw "the devil wears prada." the fashion.... OH THE FASHION!!!!! omg!! the fashion!! i'm convulsing on the floor right now. fab. u. lous. for no reason. just wrong. i loved the movie. he liked it too. darker than you might expect, particularly if you read the book (which i did). afterwards we went to the improv to see "sommore." she was hilarious. HILARIOUS!! a lot of sexual humor. i had a cadillac margarita. it was sooooooo yummy. THAT was a well-made drink. i tasted the cuervo (i love tequila), and lime perfectly, with a little salt on the rim. he had a jackie gleason (that ain't nothin but a jack and coke). they had a lot of fun drink names. i wanted one of everything. except whatever the blue one was. it had blueberi stoli and blue curacao and some other crap. i don't like blue drinks. they look like windex.
back to the telly to change. i got super fly. pink shirt w/a low back and a halter, drape neck front, cuffed denim, brown faux snakeskin peep toe stiletto heel w/gold chain detailing (ninewest of course). he looked delish too w/a black and gray vertical striped button down w/dark denim. ok this is getting ridiculously long so we'll have to make this part I. part II to come.
6.29.2006
Sooooo Excited
I'm too crunk right now. The bf will be here in 6 hours and one minute. I CAN'T WAIT!! I got money, I baked a cake, got gas yesterday, washed dishes, cleaned the kitchen, dammit i forgot the candles! he'll be alright. i had to go to the store TWICE for that cake and buy two cake pans. today we'll just go to dinner. tomorrow we're going to legacy square (at pnc park-- home of the 13 game losing streak pittsburgh pirates) where there is a tribute to negro league players, to the roberto clemente bridge (formerly the 9th st. bridge) to look at the all-star game banners (the all-star game is here on july 11th), to kennywood amusement park (i got free tix from the job), and... to meet my dad. they've never met before. oooh! lol.
what's left? i still gotta pack and frost the cake. and i'm gangsta tired. like sooooo sleepy. i need a nap. aight y'all i gotta go. peace.
what's left? i still gotta pack and frost the cake. and i'm gangsta tired. like sooooo sleepy. i need a nap. aight y'all i gotta go. peace.
6.26.2006
Bad Blood
this is not how i wanted to spend my 100th post. i wanted to do something miraculous. something amazing. something that would make the people wanna come back for more. something that would get more comments, questions, and concern than a little bit. i even consulted with stace. i mean i talk to her as much as or more than the bf. she's absolutely one of my closest friends. i said what should i post about? we batted a couple of ideas around. another state of black america. why i love the bf. something i've been withholding. and those are coming but it just wasn't time.
for a while now there's been something bugging me. really bugging me. and i don't feel i have the freedom to talk about it. but suffice it to say i'm feeling used and unappreciated and i need to go back to church. matter of fact i need to find a church here. but then my mom's been telling me that for the last year. on july 8th i will have been in pittsburgh for a year. but i still don't have any forever friends here. there's one girl at work i'm closest to who may be someone i keep in contact with when one or both of us leaves. but the other people, i know if we ever keep in contact, we'll eventually let it go. which doesn't bother me so much. but it does bother me i haven't really made a connection here. despite myself, i like pittsburgh. i just don't want to live here. i would love to visit. in preparation for the bf's trip here on thursday... yay! :) i asked people at work about stuff to do. they gave me 3 pages of ideas. so many i'm exhausted on top of the ideas duck gave me, many of which were the same.
and i miss him. immensely. i know he'll be here in three days, but i mean beyond that. he was one of my closest friends first. when i don't talk to him for one day it feels like forever. yeah, i know. i've got it bad. but he does too so its ok. sometimes its overwhelming. i'm used to being around a lot of people i know and love who love me back. to being the life of the party who always knows where the party is and who to party with. i don't have that here. its discomforting. and kind of scary. if my dad wasn't here i don't know what i'd do. july 8th marks a year. one entire year. that's amazing. and there are things i need to do. some re-evaluating. and that's scary.
so where does the bad blood come in? i'm just going to leave it at there is an unsettled part of my life that needs to be changed. when the time comes, i'll let you all in.
for a while now there's been something bugging me. really bugging me. and i don't feel i have the freedom to talk about it. but suffice it to say i'm feeling used and unappreciated and i need to go back to church. matter of fact i need to find a church here. but then my mom's been telling me that for the last year. on july 8th i will have been in pittsburgh for a year. but i still don't have any forever friends here. there's one girl at work i'm closest to who may be someone i keep in contact with when one or both of us leaves. but the other people, i know if we ever keep in contact, we'll eventually let it go. which doesn't bother me so much. but it does bother me i haven't really made a connection here. despite myself, i like pittsburgh. i just don't want to live here. i would love to visit. in preparation for the bf's trip here on thursday... yay! :) i asked people at work about stuff to do. they gave me 3 pages of ideas. so many i'm exhausted on top of the ideas duck gave me, many of which were the same.
and i miss him. immensely. i know he'll be here in three days, but i mean beyond that. he was one of my closest friends first. when i don't talk to him for one day it feels like forever. yeah, i know. i've got it bad. but he does too so its ok. sometimes its overwhelming. i'm used to being around a lot of people i know and love who love me back. to being the life of the party who always knows where the party is and who to party with. i don't have that here. its discomforting. and kind of scary. if my dad wasn't here i don't know what i'd do. july 8th marks a year. one entire year. that's amazing. and there are things i need to do. some re-evaluating. and that's scary.
so where does the bad blood come in? i'm just going to leave it at there is an unsettled part of my life that needs to be changed. when the time comes, i'll let you all in.
6.21.2006
State of Black America Part VI: Education
"If you want to hide something from a Black person, just but it in a book." How many times have you heard that phrase? How many times did you think it was true? The most offensive thing about that phrase is the truth. There are many people, Black and white who take pride in the fact that they don't read, or hate reading. Reading made me the person I am today. Inquisitive, argumentative, intriguing, wordy, you call it. You would be hard pressed to find me going anywhere without a book right through college. Not even riding to church was book-free.
I had my own ideas about reading and education. It probably helped I grew up in a predominately white neighborhood where I was never teased or berated for asking questions in class or preferring a book to playing outside. But who knows. I may have become the person I am no matter where I grew up. And yet there was still the underlying assumption athletes were way cooler than smart people. In elementary school I was in the Chess Club and the Computer club. In high school I was invited to the Honor Society, given the French I, II, and III awards for excellence, captain of the Debate Team, Vice President of the Physics Club, drum major in the band, Sophomore Board, and Junior Board. Nerd right? That's exactly what I said. I hated telling people younger than 25 my activities. I wanted people to think I was cool, too before they got to know me.
I should explain the Physics Club thing. I hated Physics. I had a horrible teacher who was "too smart" to teach anyone who couldn't grasp it through osmosis. That means me. She made the Vice Presidency like a bank. You know how banks have multiple VPs? You give $5 to charity, you could put Physics Club VP on your college application.
Remember the episode of Fresh Prince of Bel-Air where Will hid his books in a pizza box? It was never that serious, but who wants to be that nerd? They want to be celebrated like the athletes. In other countries parents and students alike risk life and limb to educate themselves and their offspring. And even in America, in other cultures, education is far more highly valued. And its not just the affluent who try to give their children that extra push. We need to be doing the same things.
Two of my friends teach in "inner city" schools. One at a middle school in Greensboro, NC, the other at a high school in Baltimore, Md. Both schools have problems with student and parent involvement, extracurricular activities, math, science, and reading. They're both english teachers. Both have children who can barely read. BARELY READ. 11th grade students can't read. In America. In 2006. I asked her if she failed anyone. She said yes. I said, "Well, they can't go to the next grade, can they?" She said, "Technically, no, but they always find a way around it." Hmm... so social promotion is still alive and well? Oh yeah says my other friend who talks about all the hoops you have to jump through to fail a child. This is after the study sessions, letters to the parent begging for conferences, phone calls home, notes about lack of school work, any other way you can think of to try to drive home the importance of the child's education.
And how one student who has been in the 6th grade three times will just be promoted because he's getting too old to be around children that young. And what will we do when he has to just drop out because he doesn't understand it. And he has to sell drugs to make any decent money because he has no desire to work at McDonald's for $6 an hour for the rest of his life. And no one's ever told him he needs his education to avoid that life. And that better things are possible no matter where you come from or who your parents are. What about all the juniors in that Baltimore high school who don't believe they can go to college? Even the smart ones who work hard? Or what about the fact that the honors class includes students who have a C average or better? Or the fact there are no Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate programs in these schools and may never be? How long can we continue to not fight for equal education.
Swann v. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education started in my home school system in 1971. Its purpose was to enforce busing as a method to integrate schools since separate but equal was anything but. It was passed, helping Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools become one of the best public school systems in the state for all children. But you will still see a marked difference between the predominately black schools and the predominately white ones if for no other reason than they have better teachers they can retain, parental involvement leading to matching corporate funds for activities. About 6 years ago, a white parent complained the Swann ruling discriminated against her child because the child was kept out of some school because she was white. So it was overturned or re-worked to revert back to neighborhood (see segregated) schools. The decline has begun.
History is cyclical. If you don't know your past, you are doomed to repeat it. There are people in positions of power who have never had a Black person in their homes, never been to a Black person's home, would discourage their children from Black friends or dating Black people, and most famously, have used the phrase, "Some of my best friends are Black." And in some cases, they don't even know what they're saying and how their actions speak louder than their diversity words. One visiting professional to Hampton talked to us about how she was often the only Black person and sometimes only woman in boardrooms. She looked at a magazine and saw no Black faces. She asked if they wanted Black people to read the magazine and buy the products? Of course they said yes. She then pointed out there was not a single Black face in the entire magazine. Because they were all white, and all male, they hadn't noticed. It doesn't directly impact their lives so its hard for them to see. That's why we're a necessity. Not only in boardrooms, but in every other decision making arm of our nation that shapes our future. Attorneys, law enforcement, journalists, publishers, accountants, politicians, executives, TEACHERS. Our future is too important to but into someone else's hands. It starts in the classroom.
Previous State of Black America Posts:
Part I: The Athlete
Part II: Katrina
Part III: Hair
Part IV: Rapists and Child Molesters
Part V: Names
I had my own ideas about reading and education. It probably helped I grew up in a predominately white neighborhood where I was never teased or berated for asking questions in class or preferring a book to playing outside. But who knows. I may have become the person I am no matter where I grew up. And yet there was still the underlying assumption athletes were way cooler than smart people. In elementary school I was in the Chess Club and the Computer club. In high school I was invited to the Honor Society, given the French I, II, and III awards for excellence, captain of the Debate Team, Vice President of the Physics Club, drum major in the band, Sophomore Board, and Junior Board. Nerd right? That's exactly what I said. I hated telling people younger than 25 my activities. I wanted people to think I was cool, too before they got to know me.
I should explain the Physics Club thing. I hated Physics. I had a horrible teacher who was "too smart" to teach anyone who couldn't grasp it through osmosis. That means me. She made the Vice Presidency like a bank. You know how banks have multiple VPs? You give $5 to charity, you could put Physics Club VP on your college application.
Remember the episode of Fresh Prince of Bel-Air where Will hid his books in a pizza box? It was never that serious, but who wants to be that nerd? They want to be celebrated like the athletes. In other countries parents and students alike risk life and limb to educate themselves and their offspring. And even in America, in other cultures, education is far more highly valued. And its not just the affluent who try to give their children that extra push. We need to be doing the same things.
Two of my friends teach in "inner city" schools. One at a middle school in Greensboro, NC, the other at a high school in Baltimore, Md. Both schools have problems with student and parent involvement, extracurricular activities, math, science, and reading. They're both english teachers. Both have children who can barely read. BARELY READ. 11th grade students can't read. In America. In 2006. I asked her if she failed anyone. She said yes. I said, "Well, they can't go to the next grade, can they?" She said, "Technically, no, but they always find a way around it." Hmm... so social promotion is still alive and well? Oh yeah says my other friend who talks about all the hoops you have to jump through to fail a child. This is after the study sessions, letters to the parent begging for conferences, phone calls home, notes about lack of school work, any other way you can think of to try to drive home the importance of the child's education.
And how one student who has been in the 6th grade three times will just be promoted because he's getting too old to be around children that young. And what will we do when he has to just drop out because he doesn't understand it. And he has to sell drugs to make any decent money because he has no desire to work at McDonald's for $6 an hour for the rest of his life. And no one's ever told him he needs his education to avoid that life. And that better things are possible no matter where you come from or who your parents are. What about all the juniors in that Baltimore high school who don't believe they can go to college? Even the smart ones who work hard? Or what about the fact that the honors class includes students who have a C average or better? Or the fact there are no Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate programs in these schools and may never be? How long can we continue to not fight for equal education.
Swann v. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education started in my home school system in 1971. Its purpose was to enforce busing as a method to integrate schools since separate but equal was anything but. It was passed, helping Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools become one of the best public school systems in the state for all children. But you will still see a marked difference between the predominately black schools and the predominately white ones if for no other reason than they have better teachers they can retain, parental involvement leading to matching corporate funds for activities. About 6 years ago, a white parent complained the Swann ruling discriminated against her child because the child was kept out of some school because she was white. So it was overturned or re-worked to revert back to neighborhood (see segregated) schools. The decline has begun.
History is cyclical. If you don't know your past, you are doomed to repeat it. There are people in positions of power who have never had a Black person in their homes, never been to a Black person's home, would discourage their children from Black friends or dating Black people, and most famously, have used the phrase, "Some of my best friends are Black." And in some cases, they don't even know what they're saying and how their actions speak louder than their diversity words. One visiting professional to Hampton talked to us about how she was often the only Black person and sometimes only woman in boardrooms. She looked at a magazine and saw no Black faces. She asked if they wanted Black people to read the magazine and buy the products? Of course they said yes. She then pointed out there was not a single Black face in the entire magazine. Because they were all white, and all male, they hadn't noticed. It doesn't directly impact their lives so its hard for them to see. That's why we're a necessity. Not only in boardrooms, but in every other decision making arm of our nation that shapes our future. Attorneys, law enforcement, journalists, publishers, accountants, politicians, executives, TEACHERS. Our future is too important to but into someone else's hands. It starts in the classroom.
Previous State of Black America Posts:
Part I: The Athlete
Part II: Katrina
Part III: Hair
Part IV: Rapists and Child Molesters
Part V: Names
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