Category Archives: Friends

I think I was saying, "C'mon son..."

My Day as a Model!

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A couple of weeks ago, I forced my favorite photographer in the world to take pictures of me had the chance to step out from behind the camera and get in front of it for a change. Those of you that know me well know that photography is one of my passions, and I am in the process of making it a legitimate endeavor (even if it kills me first), and one of the things I desperately needed was an update to my personal photos. As in, I hadn’t had professional pictures taken of me since I graduated from college in 2009. How much has changed since then? I mean, I lost weight, I completely changed my hairstyle, I don’t dress the same…so in a nutshell, a lot changed, and it was time for me to go out and make some magic happen!

I knew that I wanted to do a set in a dress and do a set in everyday clothes – representative of how I have this newfound love and appreciation for dresses, but how I still love to wear my jeans and cardigans. The best photography mentor in the world, Keith, took me (and my makeup artist, Ca’Vette) out to a barn to get started. Yeah…you read that right…a barn. Now of course, the photographer in me was like “oh yeah, this will be epic…” I trekked on through, and this is what he created for me!

 

Me in a dress is still a miracle...

 

My sexy, serious face. ;-)

I think I was saying, "C'mon son..."

 

The smile looks fake, but it really isn't! I promise!

(All photos copyright of Keith Estep Photography)

Cute, right? I happen to think so too! ;-)

Here are some of my post-shoot thoughts:

1. It was FREEZING out there. DC had gone through a bit of a warm-up, but of course when it came time for my shoot, it felt like it was 32 degrees outside. :-| I mean, you see I had on a dress…my entire BEING was cold. I swear, even after I changed into the jeans, my teeth were still chattering, and I thought I was never going to thaw out, although I eventually did.

2. Ca’Vette BEAT my face! Looking at myself in the mirror before I got dressed was surreal enough, but then to see it on the computer screen?! The girl has skills. And she’ll make you laugh while she’s doing your makeup! ;-) I completely didn’t recognize myself, but it was in such a good way! Seriously, if you need your makeup done, whether it’s for photo shoots, events, weddings, whatever it is you need…hit her up. I promise you won’t regret it.

3. I don’t even know where to begin with the absolute admiration of my photos that I have. I don’t know if you can tell, but in real life, I’m really shy, so my first 10-15 minutes in front of the camera, I was like a deer in headlights. To get me over it, he joked on me (for the rest of the day) and started hamming it up with me. Seriously, he created a masterpiece here (and creates one every single time he gets behind a camera…), and I am forever indebted to him for this. He makes me sick on a day-in, day-out basis because I’m trying to get my pictures to look like his! I’m glad to have him in my corner and to be working with him, because I’d hate to have to go up against this dude…

If you love my photos, please give a major shoutout to Keith (and go book him for your own!). It wouldn’t have been possible without him! If you love my makeup, please follow Ca’Vette on Twitter, hit her up, and she will be more than glad to work with you. As for me? When I finally get my own photography thing off of the ground, you guys here will be the first to know!

Until next time…

 

 

Turkey Day Thoughts

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Ah, Thanksgiving. The time of year where most of the leaves are on the ground, turkeys in all the grocery stores are gone before Wednesday of the week of the holiday, football comes on so many times in one week that I have a permanent smile plastered on my face, and Twitter becomes a peek into what people have sitting on their dining room tables (whether it’s edible or not is an entirely different post). Fun times, if you ask me. This Thanksgiving, however, is a tad bit different for me. For starters, it’s the first Thanksgiving week in the last 9 years that I’ve actually looked forward to. Ever since I lost 3 very important people to me in 2002-2003, the holidays just simply have not been the same. I always said that they wouldn’t go back to “normal” for me until I had a family of my own, but I’ve at least temporarily proven myself wrong for Thanksgiving this year. (We’ll wait until Christmas to see if I’m totally correct.) I think this year has gone back to “normal” for me because of another first – this is the first year of me being out on my own, and therefore, the first year where my mom (or another parent, whether it be a family member or friend) isn’t solely responsible for dinner. Amazing, right? With that being said, I have to dive into something I’ve wanted to talk about for a while on here: food.

For those people that know me outside of the good ol’ internet, they know that I’m famous for my cornbread, and can throw a pretty decent dinner together whenever I feel like cooking. In the summer, I’m good for salmon with a watermelon/mango/arugula salad on the side; in the spring/fall, I make a nice peach bbq chicken with sweet potatoes and corn; in the winter, I’m good for a Italian sausage pasta bake with a variety of veggies…and throw some other random meals in there; I just wanted to give you an idea of what I like to make. To be honest, I just started cooking a little over 2 years ago. And I started because I got bored. I had just started grad school, and didn’t have a job, so once my graduation money ran out for me to go out and have fun, I was basically stuck in the house. I got hungry quickly, so I figured I’d start cooking for myself. I mean, I had made things for myself before, but this was when I started cooking on a consistent basis, and when I started inviting people over to eat the food. The first meal I made for other people was bbq chicken, rice, and cornbread. I took it to a studio full of hungry men, and needless to say, I walked out empty-handed. Score!

That was the day I realized that me cooking for someone means something not only to the person eating the food, but to me as the person preparing it. It is actually an extension of how I feel about them or a way for me to show someone that I care about them. When I sit back and think about how much preparation, taste testing, time, and effort it takes to pull together a great meal…how could I not care about someone that I’m cooking for? In another sense, cooking is one of those things that’s therapeutic to me. That may be why I’m not building a tent in my feelings about Thursday – I (along with my roommates) get to prepare food for somewhere around 10 people, and I know it’ll take all day. Most people want to run away from the thought of having to spend all day in the kitchen, but now that it’s almost here, I really can’t imagine another way to spend my day. I’m really excited about this being my first Thanksgiving dinner that I’m preparing, and I’m truthfully thankful to have the opportunity to do this. I’m thankful that I’ll be surrounded by people that love me and care about me on this holiday, and that I’ll get to put my soul into the meal I’m making for them. :-)

No matter what your plans are for Thanksgiving, I hope that everyone reading this has an amazing one, and that you’re all surrounded by people you love, and by amazing food, football, and fun. I’m thankful to have each of you as readers, and to call most of you my friends. I’d lost sight of what this holiday is supposed to be about over the last few years, but I think I’ve finally gotten it together this year.

 

Share with me in the comments some things you’re thankful for! Enjoy the holiday!

One Year Later…

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a year ago, I was here.

 

It’s only been a year.

But it feels like a lifetime.

I mean that in the best of ways. A year ago today, I started a long weekend down in Florida with Nick, Cheekie, Max, and Shon. I’ll spare you all of the details, since I wrote about that already. What I’m going to talk about today is my girls and how I feel about them. Thinking back over the last 365 days, it almost seems impossible that that was the first time I’d met these ladies, due to how integral each of them are in my lives today. It literally feels like I don’t remember most of what my life was like before they got here. I think that after I met them, the person I used to be got swept away, and made room for the woman that I am becoming today. It may seem hard to believe that 5 people that met in the chat function of a UStream could become sisters in the matter of 3 days, but that really happened. That weekend proved to me several things that I never thought were possible.

First, it proved that women really can get along. I mean, we were in a hotel room with one bed, a pull out sofa, a bajillion bags of luggage, one bathroom, umpteen containers of makeup, a million shoes, and one TV. And yet, everyone came out unscathed and loving each other at the end of the weekend. If THAT’S not a miracle, I’m not sure that they exist. Second, it proved that sometimes the best things for you come from the most unexpected places. I had no expectations when I went to Florida other than to have a good time digging my toes into sand in 80 degree weather in October. As long as I got my nap on the beach, I was good. I got more than I bargained for. As a result of that trip, I gained four sisters, the opportunity to meet *many* other people that I consider to be my sisters/friends, a gang of girls coming to DC, a trip to Toronto, most of them coming back to DC for my birthday, and an open invitation to various cities across the country and in Canada. How amazing is that? Off of the 5 of us coming together for this one trip, I’ve gained like 20 friends. I’m personally amazed at the reach that I have now, and how many people from all different walks of life, professions, and parts of the country that I truly do love as a result of the trip.

I’m blessed beyond measure to be able to call these 4 ladies my sisters. They’ve seen me through some of the hardest times of my adult life and have been there for some of the best times I’ve had as an adult. Although we don’t talk every day, we all know that each of us is just a phone call/text message/email/GChat away, and it makes me feel overwhelmingly happy to know that I have that type of support from women who weren’t even on my radar at the beginning of 2010. They’ve pushed me to become a better writer, a better steward, a better friend, and a better woman, and for that, I’m forever indebted to them. There’s something to be said about the solidarity of the friendship between women, and as the youngest member of the group, I have some fantastic role models to look up to.

Nick – Even though you and I don’t talk every day like we used to, I still love you just the same. I love hearing you get mad and your Jamaican accent coming out, and to hear you laugh seriously sends me into a fit of laughter. You’re hilarious to me, and absolutely gorgeous, and an all-around amazing person. You’ve been through a lot in the short time that I’ve known you, but you’ve always kept your head above water, and have come out on top thus far. I know it gets hard for you, but I want you to know that you are amazing, and serve as an inspiration to me every single day. You inspired me to go ahead and create this blog as a dot com, and to let my voice be heard even if it seemed like no one was listening. I don’t take anything that I’ve learned from you for granted, and I look forward to all that the future has to bring both of us. You’re awesome, I can’t WAIT to see you, and I love you!

Shon – Over the last year, you’ve become my voice of reason even when it seemed like I couldn’t be talked down. I love that you listen to me, and hear me out, and give me practical solutions to problems I surely won’t care about in the next few years, all while reminding me that it’s normal to feel this way since I’m only 25. You’re one of the wisest people I have ever met, and you have such a loving, giving, caring, and beautiful spirit that it truly radiates from the inside out. It is a joy to be able to spend extended amounts of time with you, and you have truly edified me and given me counsel in ways I can’t even express. I love watching you be in love, and you deserve every single grain of happiness that is already here and that is soon to come. I absolutely love the fact that you’re here in DC with me, and I can see you so we don’t go through withdrawals. ;-) I love you!

Max – I almost have no words. You’ve been open arms for me throughout so many of my horrendously awful situations, been the tough love I’ve needed to get back in shape, and been my biggest cheerleader. Most of all, you taught me how to believe in myself in spite of what other people may do, say, or think about me, and that has proven to be invaluable. I can only hope to be as magnificent, poised, blunt, honest, and unbelievably hot as you are when I hit my 30s; with you in my corner, I know I have no choice! I love you for loving me in spite of myself, and for always being there with open arms just when I need you. I can’t wait to see you again and have that long, drawn-out hug that we always do when we see each other. I love you honey!

Cheekie – Lord have mercy. Who knew that a year later, you’d have turned into one of my best friends? You bring out the best part of me, and the part of me that I thought left when my father left this Earth. I can be as silly, as ratchet, as funny, and as open with you, because it’s really like we’re almost the same person (scary, right?). You’ve given me the inspiration to write again, to find my voice, and to get back to what I know I have a God-given gift to do. From the depths of my heart, I sincerely appreciate everything that you have done for me and my life over this last year. All of the gchats, tweets, phone calls, co-blogs, Tumblr posts, and visits have truly made me a better person. I don’t know where I would be without you, and I’m glad I never have to find out. I know since we’re silly all the time, I don’t tell you enough, but I love you girl!

All of these women here have had an indelible impact on my life. From sharing cocktails and breakfasts by the pool a year ago, to sitting in our respective homes reading this blog today, their influence is all over every single aspect of my life. I thank each and every one of them for sticking with me on this journey, and for being a part of one of the best years of my life. I love you all, and here’s to many more years of friendship! :-)

the birthday recap.

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By the time this post pops up, I’ll have been 25 for a total of 6 days. 6 whole days to sit and reflect about just how awesome my birthday weekend was. I mean, in the back of my head, I sorta kinda knew that this weekend was going to be epic, but man…the entire weekend exceeded all of my expectations.

For starters, my twin Cheekie came all the way down from Chicago for me! And for my birthday! I knew she was coming, but it wasn’t real to me until I picked her up from BWI and got the weekend started. Friday night brought my birthday dinner at Bridges Restaurant across the Bay Bridge. Now, the weather had turned seasonably cold, so I was a little sad that the ambience wouldn’t be just the way I wanted it to, but I knew I would still have a good time. Thirteen of my closest friends graced me with their presence at the restaurant, and we showed up and showed out.  One of my best guy friends, B, came all the way down from Pittsburgh for my birthday, which made me feel completely awesome. For once in my life, I put on a dress, and everybody complimented me on it. Way to make the birthday girl feel special, huh? The food at Bridges is absolutely amazing, there was live reggae, and apparently my group of friends is irresistible because there were 2 ladies and 1 guy who would not stop coming to the table to get us to dance. I mean, I couldn’t even finish my food in peace! There was so much shade throwing and epic side eyes were given from my table, which only made the night that much better.

Then we get to Saturday…my actual birthday. I was SO EXCITED when the clock hit midnight, and it was extra hard for me to fall asleep. After an hour and a half of trying (and a stint on Twitter and a conversation with my roommate), I finally did. When I woke up the next morning, I took some time to type my homework out (-_-), and Cheekie and I lounged around most of the morning and early afternoon. We were waiting on Max and BP to land in DC from New York, where they were to celebrate Max’s birthday the night before. For some reason, it was taking them an extra long time for them and Shonnerz to get to my house, but they finally made it! I squealed when I opened the front door to my apartment and saw Max, BP, and Shon…but who else was standing there? My other Canadian ray of sunshine, Keisha Brown! :-D I was SO surprised and SO geeked about it that I just stood there laughing for the longest time. Man…for someone that says they can’t be surprised, they sure did surprise the hell out of me. After that, I took the girls up to Baltimore to the Oyin Handmade store so they could get their goodies for their natural hair, and then we came back and did a quick takeout dinner so we could get ready for the party.

What party? Glad you asked. Panama Jackson of VSB fame and his team throw an all 90s music party called Reminisce on the first Saturday of every month down at Liv on U Street in Washington, DC. From the minute I walked into the door until the minute they cut the lights on at the end of the night, I PARTIED. Within 5 minutes of being there, the biggest shot of vodka I had ever seen in my life was in my hand. Every time I was without a drink, someone was handing me another one. I took a kamikaze shot with PJ. I had at least 2 rum and pineapples, and can’t quite remember what else there was. I dropped it low on almost every guy that was part of my party.  Hell, I dropped it low on my girls, too! (*shrug*) I had on a t-shirt that said “How many licks does it take?” with a picture of the Tootsie Roll owl on it. There were lines of people dancing with each other. I got to shake a lil somethin’ to all the hits of my childhood, which was epic. I was completely ratchet all evening, and I loved every minute of it! My friends were in full support of my ratchetry, and it made for one of the best nights I’ve had in a while. I got sandwiched in between my two best guy friends, got my happy birthday dance from an old friend from high school, and tugged on collars and ends of shirts of fine men. SO MUCH FUN. What I loved most, however, was the outpouring of love people showed for me by showing up. My best friend lied to me all week by saying she couldn’t come down, but ended up coming all the way from Pennsylvania to come to the party! Of course I jumped up and screamed like a little drunk girl, but I was sincerely happy. I had people there from Toronto, Chicago, California, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, varying parts of Maryland, and DC. All there for me. It seriously meant the world to me to have that many people there to help me celebrate my day.

Though this is one of the longest posts I’ve written, I still can’t adequately find the words to describe just how much fun I had, and just how much the entire weekend meant to me. When it was all over To everyone that told me happy birthday, to everyone that was involved in pulling off the events, to everyone that came to either my dinner, my party, or both, thank you. Your presence definitely made my 25th what it was, and I honestly will never, ever forget this birthday. I can only hope that the rest of 25 is as fabulous as the beginning was…

Until next time, folks…

The Essence of the Takeover

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*taps mic* Is this thing on?

Hello there folks…for those of you that follow me on Twitter, or know me personally, you know that this past weekend, I and a few of my closest e-friends descended on the city of Toronto for Caribana 2011. After I read Cheekie’s epic recap of the trip, I almost decided to leave well enough alone and just bask in the memories she put out there, but then I decided to just go on and put my 2 cents into the TO rememberance basket. So without further adieu, I give you my Top 7 T.O. Moments (in no particular order):

1.) Travelpalooza –  Let’s just say that I had a 13 hour travel day on Thursday to get to Toronto, and a 13 hour travel day on Monday to get back to my house just outside of Washington, DC. And I had to be to work on Tuesday morning. There was a delayed bus heading to Toronto, and two delayed flights leaving out of Buffalo to come home. In both directions, I was just ready to be there! What a way to start and end the trip…

2.) The Food – We all know I’m an unofficial foodie, so I was so hype to get some good eats in Toronto…and the city didn’t let me down. From the epic lasagna and red velvet cake on Thursday night to the awesome omelette and fried potatoes at The Counter and my grilled shrimp and watermelon salad, ribeye steak and shrimp, and cheesecake from Joe Mama’s on Friday to the beef patty that saved me from certain death on Saturday, to the epic picnic food on Sunday for Keisha Brown’s birthday cookout. Not to mention the dill pickle chips, all dressed chips, and red cream soda…I seriously need to get someone to ship me some snacks.

3.)  The Purple One – At Joe Mama’s on Friday, the ambience was really nice, really subdued, really well lit, and pretty cozy. That is, until they played Prince. When Doves Cry came on the sound system, and you would have thought the entire table was at karaoke. Especially BP, Lala, and Miss Bougie. When I tell ya’ll I was recording the entire thing cackling at the table at them? Good times…

4.)  City Life – It wasn’t a shock to me that our only method of transportation while in TO for the weekend was public transportation, but there were a couple of things that set it far apart from DC Transit. First of all, the price. $3 to do as many transfers as you need to do to get where you’re going. So if I needed to take the bus from the house to the train station, take the train down to the streetcar, and then get off the streetcar to get where I’m going, it only cost me $3 each way. Try that on Metro if you want. That, and Toronto’s subway system is so FAST. The longest I had to wait on a train no matter what time of day or night was 5 minutes. 5 minutes. That doesn’t happen around here! Oh, and they can eat and drink on the train, and they have recycling bins and trashcans at each station. Boss.

5.)  The Parade – One word can sum up the parade for me. Hot. It had to be at least 100 degrees with the humidity. In spite of the heat, there were some amazing costumes out there, everybody was having a good time, and it was sort of surreal to finally be there. I just wish I had eaten sooner so I wouldn’t have been so ready to go after only being there for four hours. Somehow the entire group was together one minute, and then the entire group split apart almost immediately, so it ended up being just me, BP, and Lala trudging our way through the crowd trying to get to the food vendors. Needless to say, by the time we got to the vendors, we just wanted to get our food and bounce. I got some great photos while I was there, and I’ll definitely have to go back to get some more Caribana parade experience.

6.)  Bonding – So it’s not really a trip if I don’t get a chance to bond with my girls. There’s one specific event of bonding that sticks out in my mind days later. After I almost got run over at the parade and was all sticky and sweaty, I ended up at Max’s house. And what did I get there? A bunch of awesome conversation with the girls in her house, and her EPIQUE (there’s my inner Canadian showing) breakfast! Her scrambled eggs and fried potatoes are OUT OF THIS WORLD! Seriously, people can show me how much they love me by the food they make me. And if that plate was any indication of Max’s love for me, then well…I’m REALLY loved! :-)

7.)  Party Rock is in the House Tonight… – While in TO, I had the chance to go to two parties. The first one was on Friday night, and it was fun, but the highlight of my partying experience happened on Sunday night. All the girls got all fancified at Keisha Brown’s house, then took some pictures, hopped in a friend’s truck, and headed for her other friends’ hotel room to pregame proper. How proper, you ask? Well…I had some vodka I had never even heard of before (Tag?) mixed with some cranberry juice, and some other random punch, and her friend had a karaoke machine. That’s right. A mobile karaoke machine. This man got on the mic and acted as the DJ for our pregame session, and me and Cheekie had to show our inner African-American and do the entire Cha Cha Slide and Cupid Shuffle in the hotel room. o_O. After getting slightly buzzed off of the drinks, we headed for Icon at Mansion and got there to a packed house. We had to go all the way down to the bottom floor, but it was SO worth it. Max looked gaw-juss in her dress and heels, and I literally partied from the time we walked in around 12:15 until we left close to 4. I came out of my heels real quick, but I ain’t even care. Some of the highlights of the party:

- A guy asking me and Cheekie if we were sisters after we both decided not to dance with him. -___-

- Me being told that I was “cute and dangerous.” What?

- Watching ALL of Keisha Brown’s Jamaican come out anytime reggae came on.

- Various sandwiches that happened with the guys and girls in the group.

- All the girls sharing 3 paper fans because it was hotter than Satan’s upper lip in there.

I literally could keep going on and on about this party, but just trust me when I say, it’s one of the best parties I have ever been to. Ever.

As you can see by this book I’ve written about my trip, I had an amazing time. This vacation came right on the edge of really stressful situations at work and somewhat introspective situations in my personal life, so it was good to get away from home for a minute to clear my head and to have some fun. To each of the ladies that I experienced this trip with: I love you all like sisters. Some of you I spent more time with, others I didn’t spend as much as I wanted to, but I am glad that I got to lay eyes on each of you this past weekend. It still amazes me that a conversation between strangers on UStream has evolved into something as interconnected as this. You are all amazing people, and I wouldn’t have traded experiencing this with you for anything. (Well, maybe except if some of the other e-ladies were there…) Here’s to all of the memories of Caribana 2011, and the ones that are soon to come!

Until next time, folks…

 

 

Feature Fridays: Summertime (So Hot)

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Ah, the smell of burgers and dogs on the grill, the sight of girls in sundresses and sandals and guys in Polos, shorts, and their best pair of kicks, the blazing hot sun burning on the back of your neck…there’s no season like summer, and I’ve always loved it. Ever since I was a kid, I’ve always associated some of my happiest memories with summer, and all of those memories involve music. Now that summer has officially hit, I would be remiss not to do a summertime song for this week’s feature. The all-time summertime anthem is now, and forever will be, DJ Jazzy Jeff and Will Smith’s Summertime, but I think this song I’m featuring here will become a close second, at least for me. This week’s Feature Friday is “Summertime (So Hot)” by Eric Roberson featuring Chubb Rock. Now, I had actually heard part of this song maybe about a month and a half ago when Eric did a Ustream that I was able to catch because I was off work, and ever since then, I was hoping I’d be able to hear it again. Lucky for me, Eric decided to release the song for download a couple of weeks ago.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rsHqSXCDzn0]

Now that you’ve listened to it, try and tell me that you don’t hear summertime all up and through it! It’s almost as if they peeked into the future and captured the very essence of summertime and laid it on a track. As soon as the beat drops, I’m ready to stop whatever I’m doing and either a) 2 step around the room, b) go to the nearest car wash and clean my car, or c) drive down the highway with the sunroof open and this blasting from my speakers. It’s such a smooth, fun song, and I am absolutely in love with it. It conveys the spirit of summertime perfectly, and a smile can’t help but to spread across my face when I hear it. The song just makes me want to gather some friends, have a cookout, and sit and just enjoy each other from the daylight until dusk (and of course get up and dance with this comes on). I make a lot of playlists for general purposes, but I have to create a Summer 2011 playlist just to add this song to it.

After listening to it, and reading how I feel about it, I hope that you go download the song (it’s free), and that you add it to your cookout playlists. Speaking of summertime tunes, what other songs do you quickly associate with summer? I have an entire arsenal of songs that remind me of my favorite season, but I’ve done enough talking. Leave me some good songs in the comments, and I’ll see you all next week!

I Have Questions…

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Those of you that know me well know that I spend almost all day listening to music. Whether it be on YouTube, on my iPod, on Pandora, or on the radio, I always have my headphones in or my music in the car blasting. Music is one of the only things I can relate to all the time! Well, it dawned on me not too long ago that there are a lot of lyrics out here that I just don’t understand. I don’t know where the writers came up with them, don’t know why they were included in the song…I just get really confused sometimes. I chatted my good friend Cheekie up on Gchat hoping that she’d be able to help me find the answers to the questions that I have. Maybe you all out there can find some clarity in this as well…

Stevie Wonder – Ribbon in the Sky
Cheekie: tell me who put a ribbon in the sky for stevie wonder’s love? Like, he couldn’t afford a jet? You know Stevie be PAID and he just threw a ribbon up in the air?
me: LMFAO
maybe that’s how the Goodwill Blimp got started
#shrug
Cheekie: probably so… I’m just saying… Stevie was like, “yeah just toss a ribbon up there and she’ll be cool. Ribbons are purty… I’d imagine.”
me: LOL

Mary Mary – I’m Walking
me: ok, so…Mary Mary…in your new hit, you state a minimum of 87 times that you’re walking. well…where exactly are you walking to? Target? Grocery store? Down the Green Mile?
Cheekie: HAHAHAHA
me: to the bus to head to church?
Cheekie: That is the longest walk evah. Like, they be struttin.
me: to the crossroads?
if they galloped, they’d get there faster
Cheekie: If they going to the crossroads, st. peter gon’ be there like… “ok which mary are you again? Hol’ up! That ain’t eeem your name.”
YES! Galloped. Mr. Ed game proper
me: LOL

Joe – All The Things (Your Man Won’t Do)
Cheekie: aight, so tell me THIS. How come Joe be all philosophical in “Things Your Man Won’t Do” talmbout “what good is a diamond, nobody can see?”
that is some tree in the forest SHAT
me: *ponders the meaning of life*
i mean…
geez, i’m at a loss, that’s truly deep.
Cheekie: I bet. In fact, I think Kay Jewelers should change their slogan to that
better yet…
their competition Cue Jewelers should do it.
I’m not sure if this exists
but my point is, it’s a great slogan
me: you can start a business!
there’s your slogan, BAM
Cheekie: I should!
Be like Cheeks Blings: How prosperous is a diamond, that Stevie Wonder views?
circle of life
pow
me: EEYAHMUNEHHHHH bam!

YC feat. Future – Racks
me: ok i have a question of the young fellow that squawks raps “racks”
the entire gist of the song is racks on racks on racks
well…racks of what?
spice racks? clothes racks?
racks of ribs?
Cheekie: lamb?
mint jelly up in this piece
me: maybe Chili’s can use that song for their new jingle
we got racks on racks on racks of ribs
Cheekie: YESSSSSS
girl call up corporate NOW
me: *scribbles down a note*
Cheekie: as they send you a gift card to thank you
me: hahahaha

Ace Hood – Hustle Hard
Cheekie: girrrrrrl.
i still don’t understand why they say hustle hard. i can’t imagine how anyone could possibly hustle soft
it’s not a hustle then!
me: unless you hustle toilet paper, teddy bears, goat cheese, or pound cake
Cheekie: not pound cake doe
*drools*
but anyway, i guess you can hustle soft because he claims to do it “each and air’way”
so i assume that includes hard, soft, just right
it’s the goldilocks of rap
me: thats what she saiiiiid!
Cheekie: HA!
i do wonder how many different ways it is to hustle, doe. Like, can i hustle even when i’m breathing in and out?
i guess that’s when you have asthma
me: or bronchitis
Cheekie: hmm, which i’ve had
so i can relate
me: can you hustle underwater?
or is that reserved for Michael Phelps?
Cheekie: synchronized swimming?
me: oooooh good one.
Cheekie: phelps is gangsta
i also think dirk nowitzki is related to him somehow
perhaps a distant cousin
me: i’d agree

Nicki Minaj – Did It On Em
me: ok nicki…in your new hit “Sh*tted on Em”, you state repeatedly that you have, in fact, sh*tted on em…well…don’t you think that’s kinda disgusting? doesn’t that violate a health code somewhere?
did no one have toilet paper for you? who hurt you?
Cheekie: i think she should’ve considered hustling soft and she would’ve had toilet paper
and it is quite disgusting. she has a large rump. imagine what comes outta THAT a-hole. lawd.
actually don’t
don’t imagine it
me: yeah, thanks for ruining my appetite for the next 3 days.
Cheekie: it’s called the “gross out” diet. Hopefully it works for me. lol
me: like she tells us she sh*tted on em, then says “man i just sh*tted on em”…is that for emphasis?
do these people have access to a shower?
Cheekie: like the “man” makes it official
oh gawd i hope so!
YMCA!
me: right apparently before that man was added, we weren’t sure if she had, in fact, sh*tted on em
LOL
Cheekie: *snort*

So as you see, we have questions! I mean, we tried to answer them for each other, but…we didn’t get too far. Can ya’ll help two lacking all sense ever sistas out? Drop a line in the comments and let us know!

Living for the Weekend…

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Ah, the weekend. It’s the best part of the week if you ask me. Sometimes the work week can be so long and mundane that I’m practically begging for Friday to come back around. On the weekend, I don’t have to get up early (at least not early like I would if I was going to work), I can lounge around in bed if I want, and it gives me time to do the things I really love to do…like writing, taking pictures, and hanging out with my friends. But this past weekend? This past weekend was unlike any other weekend I’ve had in recent memory. It was chock full of things I’ve never done before. Now normally, I wouldn’t be particularly intrigued by me doing random things on the weekend, but this time is different. Things happened this weekend that I swore in a million years would never happen, and I’m still in awe that they actually happened. Well, are you going to tell us what happened?

Glad you asked! For starters, I went thrift store shopping for the first time ever in life. Peebz sent out a Facebook invitation for people to join her at the Unique Thrift Store in Silver Spring, MD, and I figured what the hell? I’ve never done it, I’ve heard that people have gotten great deals on clothes, and I wanted to go do something different. While there, I finally met my Twitter buddy Eric, and me, Peebz, her daughter Tee, and Eric all traipsed around the store, finding random hilarious things along the way, and having a ball roaming around that HUGE store. I had a really fun time thrifting with them, and I got somewhere around 8 pieces of clothing for just about $60. That definitely wasn’t the last time that I plan on doing that, and I now have friends and family members that want me to take them with me the next time that I go find some more things out in Silver Spring.

Although I’ve lived in the DC Metropolitan area my entire life, I don’t take the time that I should to properly explore my city and surrounding areas. Going thrifting on Saturday and taking Peebz back home allowed me to see parts of the city that I haven’t seen in a while, and I really enjoyed the experience. Far too often, I just hit 50 West, head onto New York Avenue, make a right on Florida, end up on U Street, or keep going to Adams Morgan, and I’d forgotten that DC is so much more than that. I saw parts of the city that I had never seen before, and other parts that I hadn’t seen since I was a kid…I’ve got to take some time out this summer to go to the less-traveled, but exceedingly authentic parts of where my family is from.

To round my weekend out, I went to and participated in One Degree From Me’s DC Quarterly Flow Dating event. Now, anyone that knows me knows that I don’t even go to work alone (my mom and I commute in together to save money – stop judging), much less go to a dating event alone, but guess what? I did it! And to top it all off, I had an amazing time doing so. It was so nice to meet different people from all parts of the country that ended up in DC, as well as people that had been here their entire lives. There were people from all different walks of life, from all different professions, and at all different points of their lives with one goal in mind — to have meaningful conversation with other like-minded individuals. I got to meet some very friendly men and women on Saturday evening, and the entire atmosphere was warm, inviting, and pleasant. I was especially proud of myself for actually engaging people in conversation…I love talking to people, but sometimes my introvert starts to show and I end up in the back of the room just taking it all in. I didn’t let that take me over this time. I started conversations with people, maintained ones with others, and ended up with contact information for a couple of guys and a couple of women. I’m sitting here in anticipation of the email that I’m supposed to get with my mutual interests’ contact information in it, but regardless of the outcome of that email, I’m extraordinarily proud of myself for getting out of my own way and doing something I never thought I was capable of doing. It was just the boost I needed to not only become an active participant in my dating life, but to get out there and to try new things and see what life has to offer me. I have to give a special shoutout to Paul Carrick Brunson and his One Degree From Me team for putting on an amazing event, and him for being such a warm and inviting person, and for striking up conversation with everyone that came to him wanting to talk.

Takeaways from the weekend? 1) Try new things – there’s no telling what can happen if you just go out there and do something that you were previously afraid/skeptical of doing. 2) Have some fun – I literally spent all weekend laughing, joking, talking, and with a smile on my face. That doesn’t happen often, but I’m making it my priority to see to it that it happens more often than not now. 3) Get out of your own way – I don’t know how many times I had to tell myself this on Saturday night, but I’m certain that if I didn’t, I wouldn’t have had as much fun as I did. All of these lessons can be applied to my life, and I have faith that they can be applied to the lives of you all reading as well. If you’ve gotten this far in the post (I salute you), let’s talk about what things you think you can do to add some variety back into your life, or some things you’ve always wanted to do, but have always been too afraid to attempt.

Until next time…

An Amazingly Simple Night…

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It’s been a while since I’ve put some words on this here e-crib of mine. Blame a full time job, a full time school load, and trying to maintain some semblance of a social life for that one. I decided to break my unintentional hiatus here with some thoughts that popped up this evening while on my drive home…

This evening I had the pleasure of finally meeting the boyfriend of one of my “big sisters.” Funny how I call her my big sister, but she needs a stepstool to hug me. ;-) Anyway…he and I clicked like we had known each other for years. I guess all of the trash talking we had done through her for the last couple of months built our rapport before we ever met each other. This isn’t about me, though. It is 100% all about them. What I witnessed tonight was one of the most beautiful displays of love I think I’ve seen in a very long time. It’s not because there were rose petals laid out all over the floor, or overt displays of affection (neither were present), but just because everything felt so…right. Anybody that knows me knows that I absolutely hate being a third wheel. Something about being single around a couple has always rubbed me the wrong way, but this time? Not even. They were so at ease with each other and with me that it felt like it was just three friends sitting around joking, laughing, and waiting to eat dinner, rather than a boyfriend, his woman, and her friend doing the same. The air in the house was just…light. No time for arguing, no time for ridiculousness, just genuine time spent with one another (and with me), and it was just absolutely perfect.

To be honest, it gave me hope. If I’m going to be honest with myself, I know I get really despondent about relationships sometimes, but watching them renewed my faith in a sense. It reminded me that true love doesn’t have to have this element of discontent and contention to it. I really feel like my friend and her man have the whole concept of “it’s the little things that matter” down pact. While I was engaging with them and cracking jokes the entire time, I was also taking mental notes. The way they talk to each other, the way they consider each other’s opinions, how hospitable each of them were to each other and to me, how you can literally feel the love they have for one another as soon as you walk into the room where both of them are…it left me feeling inspired. I needed to be reminded that it’s possible to feel that way about someone and to have them feel that way about you, and for it to just be…right. Man! I wish ya’ll could have been there…

Needless to say, I’m extremely happy for my friend. I’m so happy that he makes her happy and treats her well and that she walks around with a constant smile on her face because she deserves it. They fit each other well, they compliment each other well, and I feel like they work really well together. I’ve gotten a glimpse into what I hope my future looks like one day, and I am so extraordinarily blessed to have been in their presence for the short time that I was…thanks for the hope and the excellent example that you’ve set for me…

Between The Foreign Exchange being in heavy rotation, and having witnessed an amazing couple tonight, I feel like I’m going to have some great dreams. Everyone reading this – remember love is possible, necessary, and beautiful. Until next time, I leave you with one of my favorite lines from The Foreign Exchange that sums up exactly how I feel after tonight…

“Good people/good lovin’/good music in my life/
It makes me happy/so happy”
The Foreign Exchange – Happiness

Happy Thanksgiving!

1 Reply

Well folks,

It’s that time of year again…where turkey is on the table, and all of my favorite sides are on the table…yum. By the way, no holiday is complete without Canada Dry Cranberry Ginger Ale…not none of that Cranberry Sierra Mist crap, getchu some of the original. :-)

I figured I would take a little bit of time out to say what I’m thankful for this year. 2009 was a rough, rough year, but I am extremely grateful that 2010 has been loads better. I’m thankful for the learning and growing process that I’ve been on all year, and I’m extremely thankful that I’ve gotten to know and love myself a whole lot more than I used to. I’m thankful for every single experience, both positive and negative, that I’ve had this year. Some of them changed my perception for the worse, some of them changed who I am as a person for the better, and the person I am today thanks all of those situations for making me who I am at this point.

I’m so thankful for my family (which includes my friends). I don’t know where I would be without the support and love from them all, even when I make some ridiculous decisions. I’m thankful for all of the conversations, the late night/early morning counseling sessions, the ridiculous rantings on GChat, and every other way possible that friends and family can support me. I’m so thankful that my friends held me down when I didn’t have a job, and when I didn’t know how I was going to be able to afford certain things. From the bottom of my heart, if I call you my friend, I love you and I thank you.

I’m thankful that I finally got a job this year! Not only one job, but two! I’ve finally gotten into the sector I want to be in, and here’s hoping that I can make the transition into the field I want to be in within the next year. Professional experience is a monster like none other that I’ve encountered, but I’m happy to finally be getting some…

I’m thankful for the power of social media. Yeah, that sounds strange, but without it, I wouldn’t have like 7-10 of the friends I have right now, some of whom I have yet to meet. Between Twitter, UStream, and the blogosphere, I have met some of the most amazing, intelligent, and hilarious people, some of whom I actually spent days with in Florida. I’m thankful that we all mesh so well together, and that I now have a new support system that keeps me grounded when I get out of hand. :-)

I’m also thankful for these meals (yes, I said meals) that I’ll be eating this evening. With that being said, I may just need to wrap this post up and get to peeling four pounds of potatoes for mashed potatoes. :| I hope everyone who reads this has a fantastic holiday, and that you all have something to be thankful for! I am thankful for each one of you that comes across this blog and happens to read whatever rambling I decide to put up on here. Thank you so, so much, and have a Happy Thanksgiving!