Me, Me, Me!!!

I love taking pictures of myself.

It's not narcissism. I don't always throw myself in front of a camera, either. In fact, there are very few impromptu pictures of me that I like. There's a little part of me that wants to be a model, so I suppose that's why I'm always posing for my own camera (or maybe it's the other way around...).

Why the inspiration to post pictures of myself?

Well, in March I cut my hair so short that my bangs didn't touch my eyebrows and the stylist had to use a razor on the back of it (yes, that short). I was excited to find out yesterday that my hair is now long enough to not only fit into a ponytail (with the help of a few clips, of course), but a curly ponytail at that. It's not anything huge, but it means progress! So I took a few pictures.

In the process of going through my phone to look at the pictures, I found some from the day before I moved back to Dekalb. I was trying to be Miss America's Next Top Model even though I should have been packing (the mess in the room testifies to that).

Well, enough of my rambling. I present to you: What I'm Really Doing With My Time When I Should Be Doing Something Productive!

Yes, I know this one is all goofy looking. I had the phone angled funny. I thought I was being creative. Guess not.

I was trying to look like I have something of a butt. Don't worry, one day I'll get there

This one is my favorite

Don't mind the clothes on the floor. I was actually supposed to be packing to go to school. We see what I was doing instead.

I can't believe my hair is long enough to go into a ponytail already! And a curly ponytail, at that!

Just another view of me and the hair

Facebook Got A Facelift...and I'm not sure I like it

I'm a big advocate of the "if it ain't broke don't fix it" mantra.

I mean, if something is working perfectly fine and everyone is used to it, why change it?

It led to the downfall of Tagged. And now, it could quite possibly be the downfall of yet another popular social networking site.

You guessed it. I'm talking about Facebook.

Of course, Facebook changed it's look a few weeks ago, so I'm a little late to hop on the gossip train on this one. Then again, I haven't really paid much attention to Facebook lately, given my latest addiction to Blogger. And I'd been getting away with not having to use the new Facebook for a while now.

So today when I logged on for the first time in forever, I was surprised to find that things had changed around there. I was most frustrated, though, with the new profile view.

See, I'm also mildly against that stupid minifeed that tells everyone my business all the time. Honestly, who the hell cares who I accepted as a friend in the last month or what bumper stickers I added to my page and when? Facebook is legalized stalking, I swear.

I'm not against change in any way or form. Actually, as long as a change is an improvement, I'm all for it. But Facebook's change wasn't an improvement, it was dumb.

Of course, I can't and won't abandon Facebook completely given that it gives me something to do when I'm bored and it's a much easier way to get out word about events and important things happening than Myspace does. And perhaps I'm not giving the new layout enough of a chance. It, like a lot of things, willl probably have to grow on me.

I do think Facebook should really consider what it's purpose is next time it decides to get some cosmetic surgery, though. May save them a lot of time and their faithful subscribers a lot of heartache.

LG Shines In Design

Sleek, stylish, and powerful are three words that came to mind when I first saw the LG Shine the other day. It's the type of phone that, like the Motorola Razr when it first released, stands out in the crowd.

Appearance

One can tell from first glance that the LG Shine is a phone of sophistication and class, largely because of the much touted mirrored front. The mirrored image is actually rather clear but be careful as the front can easily catch fingerprints and oil (so keep that front clean. Nobody likes a dirty mirrored front).

I've always been a fan of interesting phones (phones that unfold into QWERTY keyboards, swivel phones like my Sidekick) so of course I'm loving the fact that this is a slider phone. In fact, I can't imagine any other style of phone that would be suitable with this phone given the mirrored front.

The keyboard on this phone very closely resembles that of the Razr. The buttons are large and easy to press.

If you're looking for a very classy looking phone, this is your best bet.

Features

Okay, so the phone looks good. But what does it do? Well, it's certainly no smartphone or PDA, but it's about as close as you can get without actually being in that category. This phone is perfect for people who want to stay organized but don't necessarily need or want a PDA to do so. It offers Bluetooth support, a 2 mp camera, a music player, mobile email, calendar, alarm clock, the web, and the radio, to name a few things. Do you like instant messaging? You can do that on this phone as well.

This phone retails with AT&T at about $279 (yowweeee) but the price can be brought down the $50 with rebates and activation of a new two-year contract. All in all, I don't think it's a bad deal, especially if you want the power of a PDA without so many functions to be bothered with.

Be careful with this phone, as the screen does get dirty very, very easily and as I said before, nobody likes a dirty phone mirror screen.

By the way, this post is dedicated to my bff Bushra, who actually just recently got an LG Shine of her own and inspired me to write this post!

Oh, What To Do?

Do you know how it feels to want something so badly for a long time and when you finally get it it gets snatched away?

That's how I felt two days ago when I took my car, my baby, back to the dealership and was forced to leave it there. In hindsight, it's probably a good thing I left it there. That dealership (Bob Watson Chevrolet, might I add) is full of shit. Somehow they let me drive off the lot not once but twice, thinking I was being financed (turns out I wasn't) then called the police to get the car back. Bullshit. So my car is now gone :(. But I've learned a valuable lesson from this. My decision to get that car was hasty and not very well-informed so I know next time to do my homework before I go trying to purchase SUVs. And I also know not to get a car from a dealership that has 83 complaints to the Better Business Bureau in the last 36 months (if you're thinking YOW...don't worry...so was I...).

As if the loss of my very first car weren't enough stress, I came to the brutal realization today that I will not be able to attend classes at Northern Illinois University this fall due to a past balance for tuition that financial aid didn't cover (like I had the mney to pay for that. There's a reason I applied for financial aid in the first place).

So just a few hours ago, I sat at my desk with my head in my hands, with no car, no job, and (then) no education. Boy, am I in a tough spot or what?

Then it came to me...online courses! So I looked into it and I'm proud to say that I've began the enrollment process at Kaplan University. I might even be able to get my entire Bachelor's in Business Administration online! Not that I would, of course, but why would I bother having to get up and go to class when I can enjoy the comforts of living close to a college campus with all my friends and getting an education that's being taken care of by financial aid?

So I'm feeling pretty satisfied with myself right now, based on my success with the online courses. Jus tthought I'd give you guys the update. And I know I really haven't been on here the way I used to, but in just a few days I'll have the time to devote to blogging once again :).

Tropic Thunder is Taking The Box Office By Storm!

I've seen a lot of movies this year, some good, some bad.

This movie has made it to my list of best funny movies of all time but is definitely the funniest movie I've seen all year.

Any movie that makes me laugh until tears flow down my face before the movie really starts is pretty damn amazing.

I'm talking about, of course, Tropic Thunder.



Not gonna lie, the premise sounds a bit...cliche. A group of actors who think they're filming a war movie end up in a real war fighting for their lives. But amazing performances by Ben Stiller (who also wrote and directed the movie), Jack Black, and Robert Downy Jr. just make even this simple premise outright hilarious.


I also think it's fitting to mention a new face, Brandon Soo Hoo. He looks innocent in this picture but in the movie he is a G!!! He was runnin everything. Amardo and I agreed this kid is going to be really really popular one day.


I recommend Tropic Thunder to anyone looking to see a really really funny though sometimes inappropriate movie (then again, that is why it's rated "R"). I would caution anyone wanting to see this movie to relieve your bladder first because I'd hate to see the mess if a laugh happened to get out of control!

New Speakers!

See All Computer Speakers

Look out for the review in the coming weeks...

Back in the Building!

The break is over!

I've been moving nonstop since my last post. Literally.

Friday

That day, I took my cousins to the Museum of Science and Industry (pics coming soon), which is in my opinion one of the best museums Chicago has to offer. Then, I went from saying tearful goodbyes to my aunt and cousins to picking up my bed, dresser, two tables, and a chair from my great-aunt. Having an SUV really pays off. After I got home, Amardo and I went to go see Tropic Thunder, which is almost my favorite movie of the year. Look for the review of that soon as well. I got home between 1 and 2 and packed a few things then went to sleep.

Saturday

I woke up packing. Midday, my aunt texted me and asked if I wanted to run to a picnic with her...and since I'm not one to resist free food, I accepted the offer. We actually had a blast and ate some good barbecue. Then it was back to my greataunt's house to see some cousins from out of town who haven't seen me in years and almost didn't recognize me at first. After I finally got home, I was up packing for a few hours.

Sunday

I was up waaayyy too early, preparing for my first ever drive to Dekalb in my new car, an 80 mile trip. After battling with packing up my car and securing part of my bed on top, I drove out to pick up Andrew and then swang over to grab Amardo and headed out. After the guys moved the stuff into my room, we hung out, went to Walmart, grabbed a bite to eat, and went home (well, I stayed at Amardos for a little before going home). I made it home around 8 (mind you, I'd been up since 8 am packing the car and getting gas and all kinds of stuff) and didn't finish packing until close to 2 in the morning. I was so tired I wanted to die.

Monday

I was back up this morning at 7:30, after not getting to bed until 2. I made a trip to Kmart to return a vacuum, then went back home to pack the car up (which was more daunting and difficult than I had expected, though it was mostly small stuff). When that was done, I finally hit the road (after picking up Amardo) and spent another few hours putting stuff in my room, organizing everything, taking a trip to Walmart again for household items and groceries, and coming back to eat and really organize my room. Look for pics of my room when it's completely clean.

I'm DEAD tired right now. Not quite sleepy, just tired, and not in the mood to go out or do anything right now. Don't worry...I still have a lot of work to do but it's okay, at least you know I'm back to doing what I love: blogging!

Attention Bloggers:

Well blogging friends...

I won't be on the blog for the next couple of days. I'll be able to see comments on my posts but I won't see my shout box so if you leave me a message there I won't be able to respond...so I recommend if you want to say hi or anything comment on this post...

I promise as soon as I get the chance I'll be back to blogging!

Love you guys!!

Demiera

Best Thing Since Sliced...Noodles?

I would like to introduce you all to my best friend:I can't think of a single food product that is a better invention than Ramen noodles. Whether you pronounce it "Raaahhh-men", "Ray-men" (which is how I used to pronounce it and still do sometimes), or "Roh-men"(only ghetto black folk find an "o" in there), the idea is the same. For 10 cents you get a complete meal in a plastic package.

Not only do Ramen noodles come in all sorts of flavors (from chicken to beef to shrimp to oriental to roast beef to spicy chicken to pork to even tomato and more), they are also a versatile meal! You can enjoy Ramen noodles by themselves, with a sandwich, or as part of a meal.

You're not supposed to eat too many of them too often, though; as delicious as they are, Ramen noodles are not a healthy meal choice since they are basically only noodles and lots of salt. But they're perfect for me because I happen to like salt. A lot.

If you've never had Ramen noodles, you're missing out! I suggest hightailing it to the nearest grocery store and buying at least a few packs, if not more. Try some flavors! Start out with chicken; it's the most basic and universally loved. I also recommend oriental, shrimp, and roast beef (or the roast chicken). If you like spicy food, go for the spicy chicken.

Disclaimer: I am not responsible for any thyroid problems, water retention, or excessive weight gain that may take place from a sudden desire to eat Ramen noodles everyday.

Again, this is not a paid advertisement from Ramen Noodles. =P

However, if profits start to rise, a little donation from Maruchan or Nissin wouldn't be such a bad thing...

Google Docs! Google Docs!

I have a problem keeping up with things sometimes...but I've never had more trouble trying to keep up with anything than when I tried keeping up with a flash drive.

Don't get me wrong, flash drives are the shit. I learned how useful they are when I worked at the dentistry and had to save all my files on CD-RW.

By the way... there's nothing rewritable about CD-RW cds. Nothing.

So I got my own flash drive halfway through my senior year. I kept accidentally leaving it in the computer and almost lost it more than a few times. Until I got to college and left it and never saw it again :(.

Life without a flash drive was hard, so I bought another one...and lost it just a few weeks after I got it. By some stroke of luck, someone turned it in and I reclaimed it. All riiight!!

And then I lost it again. *Sigh*.

Recently, I went on a software downloading kick. I downloaded Photoshop, Microsoft Live Small Business Edition, and....drumroll...Google Docs!


After today, I think I'm in love.

I never used my flash drive for anything other than to transfer documents (oh, and music the one time I downloaded some for a friend, but that was it). So of course I was feeling pretty happy when today I uploaded a document to my Google Docs on one computer and came back to my laptop and viewed the same document. Ooooohhhhhh boy.

What's even better is that I can edit my documents when I'm offline. No word yet on whether my edits will still transfer while I'm offline.

But it's still a major step for me (and it was free!)

For the only somewhat technical person like myself who is really just trying to find a way to transfer documents easily without spending tons of money (that would be me), this is perfect. It gets the job done, and is so much quicker than trying to email the document or anything other such method. And did I mention I can edit the documents right there?

Google Docs won't replace my new (and free) choice for word processing software: Open Office. When I have documents to create, interface is everything and I find the Google Docs interface, while bright, to be a little too barebones for my liking. If necessary, I'll use it, but I would much rather use Open Office for larger projects.

And no, this isn't a paid post by Google Docs, either. Just me being me :)

I'll Take You To The Nail Shop...just not this one

I'm a girl of routine in a sense.

I park my car the exact same way every time I park in front of my house. When I go to my aunt's house and park in the garage, its the same story. Turn, stop. Reverse, stop. Pull in, realize I'm too far over, reverse again, pull back in straight. Every day.

I arrive at my aunt's house at almost the same time every morning (literally within minutes).

I'm also a girl of consistency. When I write something, the entire document has to be in the same color ink. A slight variation throws me off.

My clothes are separated onto two clothes racks, seeing as my closet space was pilfered by my grandmother. On one rack are all my jeans, hung neatly from lightest to darkest rinse. My capris and shorts are folded on top. On the other rack are my shirts and sweatshirts, organized by style of shirt and color. Yeah, I know.

And once I find something I like, I don't like to do anything different. Every time I go to a restaurant I order a chicken caesar salad...in pricey places like Cheesecake Factory, it's the safest thing to order. The only place that's ever fucked up a chicken caesar salad was the Rainforest Cafe, although RC can mess up a glass of water.

So last night I had second thoughts as I entered the strange nail shop close to Amardo's house. I wanted to get my acrylics soaked off, but didn't want to waste gas going all the way back to my normal nail shops.

I'm never going there again.

I should have known something was wrong when all the male workers in the nail shop were sitting outside playing cards. So ghetto.

They seem to have one delegate who is the ONLY PERSON IN THE SHOP who speaks English. I had to ask THREE TIMES for a soak before they finally understood what I was talking about.

Then the guy who did my soak had shaky hands. He almost pulled a tip right off my nail, possibly damaging it, but I very visibly flinched and scowled and he put my hand back in the acetone to soak some more.

I asked how much it was for a manicure and a soak. By the time I finally got an answer, I didn't want either anymore.

Then he was filing my cuticles and that shit HURT. I was sure I was bleeding. Luckily for him, I wasn't.

He asked me if I wanted a manicure. Hell no. After this terror I just wanted to get out of there.

I figured the least I could do was get them to shape and polish my nails. That ran me an extra $3, but I didn't care. By the way, did I mention the soak cost $10?? It's $5 by my house!!

I was at the final stage of my nail shop horror journey when the woman asked me what color I wanted. I told her, "the color that's already on the table". She looked at me like I was speaking in Russian. So I pointed and said "the one right there". She looked at me again, stupefied. So I walked over to the table and pointed again. "That one." Still no answer. I had to pick the bottle up and shove it in her face for her to understand what I was talking about.

And the bitch couldn't even paint nails right!! My 10 year old cousin could do a better job. She only did the first coat of color and ran off to help someone else. That's bad nail shop etiquette.

Shaky Hand Guy came over to finish the job, and he fucked up almost as soon as the brush touched my nail. At least he put polish on the whole nail...and my fingertips...

I sat in front of a dryer for 15 minutes, and would still be sitting there if I hadn't asked someone if these nails are dry and if I could please go because I had somewhere to be.

And as I was walking out, it sounded like there was some kind of dispute over whether I had paid the right amount. I was almost out the door to freedom (and less stale air) when Shaky Hand Guy told me to stop and wait a minute. I was hoping to God they didn't try charging me anymore because they would have caught a couple of words, whether they understood what I was saying or not.

The end result of the nails isn't bad. It's nothing I couldn't do myself, though, and for much cheaper.

Oh, Goodness

I'm sure there are people out there who want to know lots of little things about my personal life.
So those people out there should thank KC for tagging me in this quiz thingy that just takes TMI to a whole new level. Goodness gracious.

1. When was your first kiss and where?
I'm pretty sure my first kiss was from MY MOM when I was born. Goodness.

2. When was your first real relationship and how long did it last?
Hmm...eighth grade? It lasted 7 months.

3. What age were you allowed to date?
My mom said 16. Ha.

4. What's the craziest thing you did (for love) when you were a teenager?
Ummm...I KNOW!!! Walked over to my boyfriend's house in the freezing cold getting frostbite on my ear because we were in the midst of an argument and I was pissed.

5. How long is your longest relationship and what's the secret?
A year and a half. Obviously whatever secret was there didn't work so well because that relationship is over.

6. How long did you date before you decided to settle down?
Who gets settled down at 19? I'm settled down in my relationship, yes. There's no ring on this finger though (yet).

7. How long did you know he was the ONE?
Since our first argument when I realized how much I didn't want to be without him (cake moment, cake moment!)

8. Now, at wat age will you allow your kid(s) to date?
With the way things are going now, my kids will be lucky if they get to SEE a member of the opposite sex, much less date!

9. When it comes to your kids dating, will you be a cool parent or a strict parent?
I want to say cool, but fuck that. I'll probably be the strictest parent on the block.

10. What piece of advice can you give to your child when they start dating?
I'm telling my daughter(s) that unless she wants to take a first class one-way trip down a flight of stairs she'd better not do anything crazy. And I'm telling my son(s) that unless he wants his girl taking a first class one-way trip down a flight of stairs, he'd better wrap it up.

I'm feeling pretty lazy today =P so I'm going to just extend this tag to everyone on my blogroll and anyone stopping by who finds this quiz interesting (it really isn't that bad). Have fun!

Random Summer Moments

I love my city. It's absolutely beautiful.

So THAT'S how she was born. Science has been lying to us all along!

The two little chicklits I've been talking about all summer

He loves me even if I go away for months

This lizard is the shit

The Shedd Aquarium in Chicago. If you're ever out here visiting, go there.


A view of the city from the aquarium. It doesn't get much better than this.

*Note: All photos were taken with my lousy Sidekick camera! Guess it's not so bad after all, huh?

Getting Ready To Say Goodbye

Why is it that whenever you plan on something and you know it's coming it still seems to come all too soon??

I feel like I've been home forever...I have. I've been here for 3 months. And now it's time to pack up my things yet again and go back to school.

Last night, I started making my "Move-Out Checklist"...if I don't write everything that I need down, I'll forget something! I got the mattress for my bed last night too...and came to the stunning realization that an SUV and a minivan will not be enough to cart all of my belongings to school...it won't even fit all the big stuff! I don't want to make two trips but it looks like I might have to. With both cars. *Sigh*

Rippin' N Runnin'

Of course, I waited until the last minute -now- to start figuring out just what I need to be taking to school with me and how on earth I'm going to get it all there. So I've basically been ripping and running all week, if not in stores then online, doing everything from writing articles to buying blenders and vacuums to looking for jobs. I've got essentially three days to get to my great-aunts house to pick up my bed frame, dresser, TV stand, and whatever else I want that will fit in my truck. That's gonna take two trips (and besides, I have NOWHERE to put that stuff. Nowhere). I've still got to go to the store when I get to Dekalb, first because I want to drain my mother's Link card* and second because I simply can't carry everything that we need over at once.

*(Note: A Link card is the card for poor people like me. The government puts money on it once a month and you use it to buy food. In fact, before the Link card was a "card", it was called food stamps because the money would come as a book of stamps. It says Illinois Link but it seems the only people who know about the card live in Chicago.)

For now, though, since I'm tied down in this house for the next 9 hours, I suppose it's back to the job search. Woohoo!

Tag Time, Tag Time!!

Thanks, Fab & Furious, for tagging me!!! Here we gooooo..!!

RULES:

1. Add your blog/s to the list. Feel free to add all your other blogs. It’s okey if you only post this questions in one blog as long as you answer them.

2. Get back to Me {YEN} and I’ll add your blogs to the master’s list HERE! Note that you are not ALLOWED to change the link of the here.

3. Copy from Start to End.

4. Tag as many friends online you know. But you don’t need to be tag in order to join.

Copy this Participants List: Me and Mine | Creative in Me | For the LOVE of Food | Little Peanut | Pea in a Pod | It’s Where the HEART Is | Around the World | SugarMagnolias | I Am Mommy | All About The Memories | Enchanted Play | Just My Scrap | Whats Up | Simply Me | Kitchen Deelite | A Mothers Horizon | In Depth | A Life in Bloom | Because Life is a Blessing | Digiscraptology | Joys iN life | Life is What we Make it | Photo Blog | Dancing in Midlife Tune | Pinay Mommy Online | Mommy Earns Money Online | Blessings and Beyond | Posh Post Reviews | Flowersbythewayside |The Fab and The Furious | Common Sense is Not So Common

LAYER ONE:
Name:
Demiera
Birth date:
February 16 (Go Aquarius!!)
Birthplace:
Weisbaden, Germany
Current Location:
USA
Eye Color:
Dark brown
Hair Color:
Dark brown
Righty or Lefty:
Righty

LAYER TWO:
Your heritage:
African American
The shoes you wore today:
Adidas running shoes
Your weakness:
Presenting in front of a crowd
Your fears:
Eternity
Your perfect pizza:
Pepperoni deep dish from Giordano's
Goal you’d like to achieve in life:
To look back on the things I've done with pride, not regret

LAYER THREE:
Your most overused phrase on IM:
lmao
Your first waking thoughts:
Just five more minutes...
Your best physical feature:
Eyes
Your most missed memory:
The fun times I had at school last year with my boyfriend and friends! :-/

LAYER FOUR:
Pepsi or Coke:
Coke! Coke! and more COKE!!
McDonald’s or Burger King:
Mickey D's. The sweet tea is amazing.
Single or group dates:
Single
Adidas or Nike:
Nike even though I'm wearing Adidas now
Lipton Ice Tea or Nestea:
Neither. I like sweet tea. But if I have to choose, Lipton
Chocolate or vanilla:
CHOCOLATE!!! Mmmmmm....
Cappuccino or coffee:
Cappuccino. With extra espresso, thanks!

LAYER FIVE:
A famous person, dead or alive, that you would interview:
Stokely Carmichael
Movie you can watch and say the lines along with the actors:
The Aristocats!!!
Name two of your passions in life:
Writing and making my guy happy :)
Least favorite time of day:
At night when I have to make a decision on whether to eat or sleep

LAYER SIX:
Hairspray or gel:
Both. More gel than hairspray, though
Your favorite meal:
Roast beef, greens, baked macaroni and cheese, corn, mashed potatoes, and cornbread (*drool*)
Color you see when you close your eyes:
Red
Listen to classical music:
Absolutely! Especially when I need to calm down or if I'm learning a new piano piece
Ever said LOL in real life without thinking about it:
Yes! I did it last week on accident when I was talking to my friend *blush*. I've also said LMAO a few times, too.

::END::

Hey, this was fun!! I'd like to now pass this blogging quiz answer thingy torch on to one eighteen, caffeinated muse, KC, Ner, and Vicky!!

Money Can't Buy Knives...But It Can Buy Some Good Laughs!!

You won't need money for these laughs, though.

This is an oooollllddd movie. It came out in like, 1993. I would have been four years old then.

Amardo suggested we watch this movie one day last week and I agreed, not having any better alternatives.

This movie turned out to be one of the best he's ever recommended. It was absolutely hilarious!!! It's about these two adopted boys (Ernie Reyes, Jr. and Nicholas Cowen) and their wacky friend (played by Rob Schneider) who find out from a eyepatched guy who looks like The Matrix meets Zorro that they are really Chinese royalty and that they need to go save their people.

It's got a Power Rangers feel to it with the cheesy evil dictator Colonel Chi (played by Leslie Nielsen) and exaggerated stunts. But maybe that's what makes this movie so enjoyable. Not to mention there are plenty of funny scenes and lots of sarcastic humor, which I love.

It's perfect for when you don't have anything to do, or you're bored, or you're looking for some link to the world of early 90s kid's TV.

You can watch this movie here. Check it out!!

Questions For The Experts

Life, I've got some questions. God, Mother Nature, you too. Gather round, gather round.

1. If you touch, say, your own arm, which sensation do you feel more, the sensation from your arm at being touched or your fingers at touching?

2. I was at the pool yesterday and observed many women spraying themselves with what looked like bottled baby oil and basking in the sun's harmful rays to have skin that looks like mine. Why do they do that?

3. And why do people like me with curly hair do everything we can to make it straight (unsuccessful as some of those endeavors are), while people with straight hair get perms to make it curly?

4. While I've got the three of you here, I might as well ask this: whose decision was it to "bless" womankind with the burdens of monthly menstrual cycles and childbirth? We couldn't have one or the other? I normally like to blame Mother Nature but she's a woman too and I just can't see how a woman would choose to go through this.

5. Why is it that the more sleep you get, the more tired you are the next day?

6. Life, this is for you. How does it feel to be constantly called a bitch?

7. And I would like to know which one of you is responsible for allowing my dad to buy me the dandelion yellow Gameboy Color, knowing that was the ugliest color out. He couldn't even get me the super cool Pokemon version. Good lookin, guys. I thought you had my back.

8. God. I know you have to be tired of people only talking to you when they need something, myself included. Must suck.

9. Mother Nature. You must think its funny to wait until everyone is outside to start pouring rain and then as soon as they get inside you stop the rain. Yuk, yuk, yuk. You should be a comedienne.

10. Finally, to the three of you. How much do you pay your secretaries to keep up with the billions of lives on earth that you supposedly watch over, influence, and ultimately take? That seems like an awful lot of work for really two people, seeing as Mother Nature just plays weather jokes for kicks.

Next time, make sure Father Time brings his old ass in here. I've got some questions for him.

Award Time, Award Time!!

I kick ass!!! HIII-YAAAAHHHH!!!!

Well, according to KC, my blog does, at the very least.



Do you know any bloggers that kick ass?Maybe they've got incredible, original content. Or they're overflowing with creativity. Is it someone that helps you become a better blogger? Or a bloggy friend you know you can count on? Or maybe it's someone who simply inspires you to be a better person... or someone else who sends you to the floor, laughing your ass off.Whatever the reason may be, I'm sure you know at least a couple of bloggers that kick ass. Well... why not tell 'em so?LOVE ON 'EM

*sniff, sniff*

I am touched that I was considered for this award! Thanks so much, KC!!

I would like to now pass on this high honor to one eighteen, caffeinated muse, and Tiklaton for being true kick ass bloggers!!

Life Isn't Fair

Note: I'm normally a mild mannered, nonconfrontational girl. And believe it or not, this post is watered down compared to how angry I actually was (yes, that's possible). Don't worry, I'm not so angry now, but I was when I wrote this:

How did this happen?

Who was the one gathering information about apartments? Who was the one riding with to view them and discuss affordable prices? Who did they put the responsibility of paying rent on?

And who ended up with the smallest room?

"First come first serve". That's bullshit. First come first serve applies to people who don't know each other, people who start out with an equal chance at getting the best. First come first serve doesn't apply to people moving in together when two of them did all of the work finding it.

I can't go back to school yet...because I'm working. I have to stay in Chicago as long as I can doing something I REALLY DON'T ENJOY so that I have money to pay rent so we DON'T GET EVICTED. And because of that, I have to get the smallest room?

Who does my roommate think she is to do NO WORK finding a place to stay, NO WORK viewing apartments, NO WORK making appointments, she DIDN'T PAY RENT last month, and yet she still thinks she deserves a bigger room?? WHAT THE FUCK??

I'm more than mad. I'm more than furious. I am livid. Absolutely downright steam-out-the-ears livid.

It's not even about the smaller room, because in all honesty had we chosen and someone had given me a good enough reason to take it, I would have. I'm just that type of person. What I don't appreciate is not having the choice. I don't appreciate being told "Oh, you have the smaller room. But we're going to give you a small discount on your rent for your trouble".

I HATE FEELING TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF. Anybody that knows me knows I'll bend over backwards for the people I care about. Ask my mom. Ask my boyfriend. Ask my friends. I'm a responsibility taker, even if I get in over my head sometimes. But the point is, I do things for people and I HATE IT when they turn around and do stuff like this. They know that I'm too quiet and nonconfrontational to raise a huge stink about it, and plus, I'm not there! What the fuck can I do 80-something miles away? Drive all the way out to Dekalb and throw the girls stuff out the room? Oh yeah, that's a real good way to settle things.

I feel backed into a corner. The thing is, when I feel like that, I come out swinging. We haven't even started living together yet...these girls don't want me swinging this early in the game.

Givin' Her Something She Can Feel...

There are songs that make me cringe, songs that make me sad, and songs that make me dance. There are songs that make me want to escape from the world and songs that make me glad to be a part of it. Some songs release my stress.

The songs I'm featuring in this post are songs that make me feel good to be a woman. These are songs sung by men who wish to show women that they mean something, that they are special.

1.) You - Jesse Powell

Man, has this guy got some vocal chords in him. I loved this song when I was young, but for a long time I hadn't heard it again. It was the first dance song at a wedding reception I went to Saturday and the song has been stuck in my head ever since.

I just wanna be yours from this day forth...

2.) Cry For You - Jodeci

This song almost leaves me speechless. I was actually looking for "Forever My Lady" by Jodeci but saw this one also and decided it doesn't get much better than this. Good vocals, a great group...we need more groups like Jodeci now.

I don't know what else to say, K-Ci help me sing it!!

3)Whatever You Want - Tony! Toni! Tone!

Yes, this is the same group that came out with "Anniversary". You might be wondering why I chose this instead of Anniversary...well, "Anniversary" is a special song...I only listen to it on the 26th of every month. But "Whatever You Want" is specifically about a guy wanting to give a girl everything she wants or needs to make her happy. It's the song Ludacris used in his "Splash Waterfalls" remix.

I want to be the one who will always be there to give you...

4)Lately - Tyrese

I am a self proclaimed Tyrese hater after he forgot to mention Aquarius in his song "Signs of Love Making" (grrrrrrr). But this song stays stuck in my head. I sing it at least once a day. It's a stark reminder that when couples get caught up in the hustle and bustle of every day life, they tend to forget to tell each other how much they truly care.

Lately lyrics - Tyrese lyrics

Lately Video - Tyrese Music Videos

Music Videos by VideoCure

I hope you enjoyed this list! Expect more lists coming soon!

Smooth Jazz Gets the Groove Back

How are you feeling today? Happy? Anxious? Maybe sad?

I feel...musical. It's been a while since I've felt like this. But I'm not in a rap or hip hop mood, or even rock (and yes, I do listen to some rock from time to time). I'm in more of a smooth jazz mood.

So now I'm sharing three of my favorite smooth jazz songs.

First up is "Summer Madness" by Kool and the Gang. Ahhh. This song, like "Moments in Love", was played over and over again when I was a kid. It's an excellent stepping song (ooo, I see another entry in my dictionary...)



Next on the list is "Forever in Love" by Kenny G. This song is a song played in a lot of African American weddings. It's a simply beautiful slow song, and Kenny G kills the saxophone. Just murders it. Amazing, amazing song. You should really go to Youtube and type in Forever in Love, and see the actual video (I couldn't embed it). The video itself is one of the most touching music videos I've ever seen. Enough of my raving...listen to it for yourself...



The third and final song I'm sharing for now is "Obsession Confession" by Slash. Not only does it have a mellow, chill smooth jazz theme, but it has a flavorful spanish groove (helped by the fact that he played this song using the spanish guitar). Great, great song.



Lovin it, lovin it, LOVIN IT! I get the feeling I'll still be listening to songs like these when I'm old. Simply amazing.

Don't Leave Me Alone!

I love beats.

The first time I hear a song, I pay no attention to the lyrics or who's singing it. Those are important, but for me, a beat can make or break a song. A songwriter can be a lyrical genius but if the beat doesn't do it for me then the song gets put in a pile for review at a later time.

Then, of course, there are the songs with beats that are sick but horrible lyrics (Shawty Lo's "Dey Know", for example).

So when I first heard the song "Alone" by Ja Rule, Ashanti, Harry O, 7 Aurelius and Irv Gotti last September, I was instantly drawn to it simply because of the background beat.

I tell bitches I possess they soul, and they can never leave real niggas alone...

Heard that beat somewhere? If you listen to smooth jazz or eighties music and/or have parents that do so, you probably have. It remains one of those songs you hear all the time and get stuck in your head but because of the lack of lyrics, you can't figure out what the name of it is. Look no more! The name of the song is "Moments in Love" by Art of Noise. And just in case you're not sure we're talking about the same song, here's the video for it:

Though I don't quite get the turtle thing...

I'm not gonna lie, this song gives me chills every time I hear it. It's perfect for relaxing, studying, or even (yes) those moments in love every once in a while.

Who Said That?

I'm going to the doctor today.

I thought "an apple a day keeps the doctor away". Somebody lied.

Well, in all honesty, I'm not the one who needs the appointment...my 10 year old cousin does. She has to get a shot today, and I don't know how I'm going to deal with this...she hates shots.

I'm not a pro at getting shots either but after you've been through a diabetes test (getting blood taken once an hour for 5 straight hours) at the tender age of, oh, about 5 or 6, you get used to the idea of being a human pincushion.

But...

I can understand her pain. I hate ANYTHING dealing with the eyes, so much so that even now, at the age of 19, I require physical restraint to put eyedrops in my eyes. And by physical restraint, I don't mean just holding my arms. I mean that someone would need to sit on me, render my arms and legs useless, and damn near hold my eyes open to apply eye drops, and I'd be more than willing to bet they'd still waste half a bottle trying to do it.

And we can't forget the time I tried to get contacts. The doctor had to almost hold me down to put the stupid things in my eyes (red flag #1), it took two hours to get ONE contact out of my eye (red flag #2), it took another hour and a half to get the same contact back in (#3), and I ended up sleeping in one contact which caused my eye to turn red, swell, and start oozing so badly that I thought we'd have to go back to the doctor to get it taken out. I've never even so much as look at another contact twice since.

So now I have a few hours to prepare myself to be the patient, loving cousin who holds her hand and hugs her and tells her everything is going to be okay and tries to convince that shots are really good for you and that when she gets older she'll be glad she got them.

As always, we'll see how this goes.

The Age of Aquarius

Aquarius - August 4, 2008

Life certainly has its ups and downs, as you well know. But what you need to understand is that beyond the cloud that hangs over your horizon, there is a rainbow of extraordinary beauty. All you need to do is to take some practical steps to ensure that when it rains you don't get too wet. Whatever choices or decisions fall your way today, look after your own interests.

I'm not huge on horoscopes. I read them every once in a while, and as you can tell by my blog url, I do at least identify with my horoscope.

I found today's horoscope interesting, though, so I decided to share it.

"Beyond the cloud that hangs over your horizon, there is a rainbow of extraordinary beauty". Hmm...well, clouds do tend to hang over my horizon whenever I'm sad or upset. I guess there probably is a rainbow hiding out somewhere. With as colorful as it is, though, you would think it would be a lot easier to find.

"...ensure that when it rains you don't get too wet". It's raining outside and I didn't get wet at all =P but I certainly understand the philosophical point. I'm not supposed to let a little bad weather pull me down in the dumps as far as it usually does. I know. I try...

Then it says "look after your own interests". If I could look after my own choices I'd be at home sleeping or some other equally enjoyable action...but I don't have that option, at least not right now.

Ahhh. We'll see how this goes.

New Template!!

Look everyone!! A new template for the month of August!!

I'm back to the dark thing, which I'm actually really excited about right now.

What I'm not excited about is the fact that my shout box and blog list are gone.

*whimper, whimper*

So I'm off now to go get those back.

If you hop by my page and see that you're not linked up, don't be alarmed. Just send me a comment or a message through my new shout box and I'll link you.

By the way...those links at the top of the page do work but I'm going to change them later, as soon as I find a more judicious use for them =P.