My adorable little boy is about to turn six months old! I can’t believe it. He is so much bigger and acting all grown. But, all that changed when I took him swimming. He’s been around a pool once before, but didn’t get in. He just got comfortable with the bathtub. I’ve taken him to the pool of my apartment complex the last two days and he is really not a fan of it. I can understand though, because I used to freak out just like that before I became a fish last year in Hong Kong ;) So he was holding on for me for dear life!! and climbing up to the top of my shoulder. He actually semi-calmed down here.
Finally, he actually started swimming, but it was really just to get to the edge of the pool so he could hop out as soon as possible. I let him take a couple of breaks and walk around the deck. The first day he went terrorizing some little kids. He was scared and thought they were trying to pull him back in and they were just plain-ol scared of him. I had to grab both of the kids and hold them away from the ledge. It was hilarious though!
For some reason, swimming gives him all of this extra energy and he loves to run laps around the house after. He’s so cute and probably hates me for making him swim, but he’ll be extra jealous when all of his bdff [best doggie friends forever] are all doing laps in the pool without him.
Last weekend I went home again to celebrate Allyson, my best friend’s birthday. After shopping in Canada at Windsor Crossing (expensive for no reason) and Devonshire Mall (fantabulous!), I returned with her gift and hurried right down to MGM Casino for Ultimate Ballrooming. All the girls (and a few guys) sang happy birthday and danced the night away with lots o’ line hustles aka line dances. We sang happy bday and popped some champagne. It was a lot of fun. The next day we had a leisurely stroll downtown and a nice lunch at Starter’s Downtown (never get the peach lemonade, eww).
Then, I was on the road to Cinci. My line sister Kristen and I hung out for a little while before going to a Cincinnati Reds baseball game (clearly I enjoy baseball). It was a lot of fun and a really good game that went to the 10th inning! Afterwards, we watched the beautiful fireworks. Also, that night at 1am, we took Cooli to the 24-hour emergency Vet They said he had a cold and gave him a shot and some medicine to take every 8 hours <difficult when you are running around a city on vacation>.
Saturday, we ran a couple errands around the city and ate a very cute brunch place named First Watch. We went home and rested = nap after playing with Cooli. We had plans to attend a day party, but got dressed in enough time to meet Kristen’s friend Allison before heading into the Macy’s Music Festival. We barely walked in on K’Jon (Detroit), we got food and drinks during EnVogue (old and sweaty), and sat enjoying Raheem DeVaughn (my boo), Erykah Badu (weird but love her) and finally Frankie Beverly and Maze (jamming). After leaving around 1am, we strolled through an after party where I saw a couple of people that I randomly knew. It was super cramped and uncomfy. We headed home to sleep the night/morning away.
Sunday, we again went to brunch at Indigo Cafe with Cooli O. where I got to make my own fabulous pasta and Cooli got to enjoy the shade on the patio. I met up with my long-time friend Darnell for some mango sorbet at Graeter’s. After just walking around and telling stories, I lost my phone out there!!! Thankfully, the gas station attendant helped me out before I got too far away.
The weekend was super fun times and helped to keep me distracted from all the foolywang that was happening in other aspects of my life.
I have a couple blog posts that I’m working on, but this one is specifically for those that I love for many-a reasons, but the main ones are:
They always share their feelings for me, but don’t share their opinions. This is my favorite. They let me know how much they love seeing me happy and want everything around me to encourage that. However, they never put anyone down or talked me out of what I thought was right.
They are always standing with open arms even after I leave them stranded. I can not talk to them for months, but as long as the number hasn’t changed I can always call when I’m ready.
I can do everything that I love doing with them. Dancing, Sports, Laughing, Travelling, People-watching and Game Shows make me feel the happiest.
They don’t just support me, they encourage me. It would be kind of awful for someone to agree with everything that I said. Instead of only supporting me and my beliefs, they urge me to take my dreams to the next level.
We get down on the dance floor! I’m so glad that all of my friends have rhythm and get jiggy with me. It can be from ballrooming, to stepping, to 1-2 stepping, to the windows, to the wall.
I love you all and appreciate each day for all that you ladies have done to encourage me to get through this.
Of course it was another great weekend with my boyfriend except this one was extra special because his birthday is next week, but I won’t be able to be with him… So, we celebrated this weekend (when his boyz wouldn’t be able to take him away). Friday night when I arrived, I gave him a golf-inspired greeting card and a golf glove (and popcorn, he just loves popcorn). We then went to Hooters (delishis wings) and the movies to see Inception. The movie was fantastic. I’m really into learning about the human mind and how people put mind over matter, especially in ways that are perceived as negative or giving them a disorder. Other movies that do this is are Shutter Island (also staring Leo) and Identity.
Saturday morning, I gave him a baseball-inspired card where the punchline was “chalk up another one” as the guy on the front of the card was chalking the baseball diamond. Attached to the card were 2 baseball tickets to see the Detroit Tigers that night. He had been talking about going to a game all season (and even made it his facebook status, lol). The Tigers ended up losing the game, but it was really worth staying through the end. That was my first time in Comerica Park. It was quite different from the Indianapolis Indians’. It was huge and a lot more people. Earlier in the day we made a random stop at Pizza Kitchen while on our way to Hood-Mart (the rat-tastic WalMart). He later made me a Salmon feast before the game!
Sunday, we were going to go golfing at 8am, but it was still raining/wet, so we just went to breakfast. Before church, I gave him a third card with fortune cookies on it. It’s an inside joke and I wanted to throw him off the scent for the big gift. I got him a watch to replace his that got “mysteriously lost” in the mail. [After he left it in Indy, I mailed it to him and our thought is that it was stolen along the route, O_o.] He loved it! We then trotted happily to church. We visited Second Ebenezer Church at the 10am service. We didn’t get there until 10:45ish, just in time for the A&B selections. The sermon was really good by Bishop Vann (although more drawn out than it should have been) and he was finished by noon! Oh, until… he did the call to worship and wouldn’t stop calling, nor singing until 25 people (and counted them) came to the alter to give their lives to Christ. I’m not sure if he ever made 25, but it was 17 when I stopped listening. He then had 3 people in particular tell their stories, at about 10 minutes each. We were ready to leave as the clock neared 1pm. He kind of guilt-tripped people into staying saying that this was a test of “spiritual endurance”. False!! Right before offering, I left my donation and we dipped! As the dip was occurring, he also felt the need to shout out “Where yall goin?” in front of a church of at least 1,000 and many more at home or online. LMAO!! If we ever go back, it will be for a conference like I had been to previously, but I would recommend to stream that faith so you can leave as you please.
I had a random thought this morning about one of the girls I tried out for the Colts’ Cheerleaders with. Lots of the girls were unemployed, students, or house wives. One girl was a Secret Shopper. In my plan to be a stay at home wife and mom, I thought I’d do a little premature research.
I googled “Secret Shopper” and popped up a bunch of sites asking me to do it, and 1 that stood out with “Secret-Shopping Scam” by MSNBC. That article talks about one secret shopper’s experience that led to a scam. Basically, 1. The Company sends him a check for $2,500. 2. He cashes the check at his bank. 3. He keeps $250 and sends back $2,250 to secret shop and evaluate the local MoneyGram. 4. After the check has been sent to The Company, the check to your bank account bounces. 5. The Company has your money and you must repay your bank from your own pockets! Sucks right?!
After seeing that stuff, there was a link on the page talking about Working From Home using your computer. I went to their page where there is a great story by a beautiful woman holding a baby with a caption about her losing her job (with which of us can relate). There is a big banner of their “accreditations” about being seen on NBC, Reader’s Digest, Good Morning America, and The New York Times. Their site connects to their main web page with even more references. Of course, being a good blogger, I wanted to do a little research so you guys don’t have to I found these 2 failed searches on The New York Times and MSNBC before I got to a very good news report on the work at home scam. The embedded video shows the same “mom” in a Buffalo news report. There still is nothing that tells the actual detail of the scam, but that was enough for me.
I have actually been scammed before with Primerica, an insurance company. Don’t feel bad or embarrassed if you’ve been hustled. I ended up getting all of my money back, but it wasn’t without hassle. I thought because I went to high school with the guy that invited me, and it is approved by the Better Business Bureau, I was golden. It was indeed a pyramid scheme from which I would get little to no profit.
In conclusion, there’s no job bandwagon that you can just jump onto. If it’s too good to be true, it probably is. I think the only companies that you can really guarantee won’t scam you are ones that you start on you own in a highly desired field!
…To the ballgame! This was my third baseball game to watch the Indianapolis Indians. I went with Jes and Aja. The Indians played the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs (really what type of mascot is that?). This was the best game that I’ve ever been to, and the first time we stayed past the 7th inning stretch, and furthermore, to the end of the game. We came into the park in the third quarter surprised to see that the Indians had scored 4 points in both the first two innings. We thought this would be a blow-out so we went straight to the concession stand to fill our bellies greatly delighted to see that they have a $1 Monday special on hot dogs, chips, Cracker Jack, popcorn, and peanuts (or just get the popcorn and peanuts and make your own Cracker Jack)!!
Aja believed it was okay for the Iron Pigs to get one free run, but then they just took off and I continued to blame her, lol. After singing <wonderfully>, we weren’t budging. After the 8th inning the score was 7-8. The two supertall (6’5″ and 6’6″) brothasDomonic Brown and John Mayberry get on base. Bases are loaded after “we” intentionally walk. 2 outs, 2 balls, and 2 strikes later Brian Bocock hits a triple bringing 3 guys in! Everybody was sooooo outdone! We still had the bottom of the 9th for us, which led to nothing… Folks were just standing in the bleachers with the straight face like when Michigan lost ::reserves mean words::. The girls and I were pretty unfazed (a real word) and left our graveyard of hot dogs, pops, peanuts, popcorn, and an elephant ear with full bellies and smiles on our faces.
My family doesn’t really have family reunions on my dad’s side. It’s kind of sad because there are 12 siblings. On my mom’s side, we just happen to reunite if we go visit Alabama at the same time. My brother and I are going to try to plan one for our dad’s side since we haven’t seen most of our cousins in almost 10 years. We’re trying to decide if it should be in the location of origin (granddaddy is still in Mississippi) or if it should be where most of the family is (Houston, TX). We were also considering doing something different and having it during the colder months to let us snowbirds get out of the cold and it will be a time not consumed with summer vacations.
This past weekend, I enjoyed Corbin’s family reunion. I had already met his parents, brothers, neices and nephews, and some cousins, but this time I got to meet even more of his cousins. Everybody was really nice and it was kind of refreshing to see them all enjoying each others’ company.
Friday, we went bowling and back to his parents’ house for convo, fish and shrimp (fantastic), and bones (dominoes). Saturday morning, I had breakfast and went shopping with his aunt and cousin in Frankenmuth while the boys went golfing. Then, we went to the cookout where all of the little kids LOVED Cooli and kept picking him up, but he never nipped at anyone. He just gave me the sad face like “mom, help”. Then, we drove back to Detroit and rode on the Detroit Princess with his cousins and brother. There are 3 levels of seating and dance floors. It was nice, but the music was just not doing it for me. I had more fun just out on the deck talking with Corbin. Then, all of us flocked to MGM Grand Casino to “make some money back”. We had some success and just went home.
Sunday, we didn’t wake up until about 2pm, smh. We ran to Corbin’s Favorite restaurant, The Clique before his review session. I caught up a little with my brother and he told me about his sky diving experience, and the movie Jesus Camp and recommended a few others. I then drove back home and stopped by Steak ‘n Shake where I was so into the fantasticity of the Banana Split Milkshake and all of its 435 Calories that I missed my exit on the freeway!! That was a great way to finish off the great weekend I had with the new fam?.
So as promised, over a year ago, I decided to go natural! It has been the best hair decision ever! I have loved every bit of it. I continue to wear my hair in a variety of styles, but it is great to know that there is no more damaged stringy something or others under it all. My plan is to go through every hair style that I can. I’ve done braids, twists, weaves, wigs, wretched perm, curly hair, straight hair, short hair, long hair (don’t care). Two more styles that I still plan to do are the super low fade/ taper (I still don’t know the difference for real) and dreadlocks! I’m really excited for the locs because that will be a style I will keep for years. I’m just waiting to see the potential of my loose natural hair and seeing how low it can go. Luda
My “nappiversary” is today July 12, 2010!! One year prior, I had finally did the big chop and my main inspiration Monique cut off all my damaged, permed-straight ends when I visited her for the Philly Greek Picnic. I had been growing out my hair (as promised) the entire time I was in Hong Kong–2 months in a sew-in weave, and 2 months in braids. When I got back to the States in June, I re-braided my hair one last time (and it looked really bad). I then finally saw my hair and did a curly wet set for my trip to Philly. The first day was cute, then it began to fade especially during my delicious slumber on the airplane. I was already frustrated with the look and it was only day 1 of a 4 day trip. I had decided at that point, the BC was going down that weekend. Mo had the idea of giving me a frohawk with my curls. It came out good for going out that first night, but it wasn’t going to work for normal daytime. So it was back to my favorite, and only, wig at the time Brandi, who is always a crowd-pleaser. The day before I left Philly, Mo reluctantly cut it piece by piece until I was done!! I washed it again and slapped a little Kinky Curly Curling Custard that Mo had lying around and this is how it came out…
At first, I wasn’t so sure that I made the best aesthetic decision, but I knew it was best for my hair and me. Now, my hair is full, and healthy and already to the bottom of my neck (in the back). In a year, my hair is already longer than my hair has ever been during the 12 years that I was relaxed. At times, I wish my hair had looser curls, but I realized people with that hair texture wish they had tight coils like mine. So, I’ve just learned to be satisfied and happy with what I have and embrace my diversity of styles. I have learned how to care for my hair and do all of the styles with mostly the help of youtube.com (Keyword: Natural Hair Journey). A few of them are shown below…
A week ago, I went to Charlotte, North Carolina with my boyfriend Corbin:) This was really our first trip “together”. Well, we didn’t travel together, but instead met there since we were coming from our respective places. His best friend lives there so we all just hung out for the 4th of July holiday.
We arrived Saturday and went straight to get some BBQ! I had a delish pulled pork sandwich and Corbin being on his anti-swine tip got the “Beer Can chicken”= Bizzomb! Then we went to a little cookout hosted by Playdate Charlotte at Marshall Park. There’s also a chapter in Detroit that I went to last year. It’s usually a lot of fun with board games and musical chairs or hula hooping. After that, we had fun at Wet Willie’s and walked the streets of downtown until we found a fabulous Polish Sausage to accompany our walk back to the car.
Sunday morning, we drove 4 hours to Myrtle Beach. By the time we got there we spent about 30 minutes on the beach, and then 30 minutes on food before going back to the hotel to change clothes. Next, we drove another 30 minutes to “The Boat“. I spent most of my time hanging out and watching the boys play blackjack. I spent none of my money on that foolywang. The ship sails for an hour to get to international waters and we sit for about 3 hours to gamble before and hour trip back.
Monday, we ate at the worst IHOP ever then after the 4 hour trip back, I needed to take a dip in the pool to satisfy my water/sun intake for the weekend. We then went to the FAB Cheesecake Factory before bidding adieu and checking into the BEST HOTEL I’VE EVER BEEN TO, Aloft Hotels. Of course my romantic bf got us a corner room on the 12th floor because he knows I love views!! It was really amazing!! {let’s just say happy tears were involved}
Tuesday, we just took a cute stroll around downtown and stopped for a bite to eat where the tuna salad sandwich was really good. [Okay, I love food, geez] The boys spent some time at the driving range, and I was enhancing my tan and reading… until we all broke out in a full sweat because it was over 90 degrees! We then got cleaned up before heading to the airport. In summary, Charlotte is great with some really good eats. I’m still partial to San Diego, “America’s Finest City”, but it’s definitely on my Top Ten so far.
As of May 9, 2010, my boyfriend and I have stopped drinking alcohol! It really hasn’t been that difficult for me. I was already cutting back before that. Then I had 1 last hurrah before I said no, no to the Alcoh. There have been a couple times where I was challenged. At my co-worker’s going away party a round of patron shots were bought in his honor. I also love me some wine, and was slightly tempted by a glass of wine when mellowing out at The Jazz Kitchen. But other than that, I haven’t really had the desire. When I go clubbing with the girls, I just order me a glass of straight cranberry juice and throw a little lime wedge in it for some flair. It passes really nice and beats just drinking water if I want some flavor. A couple of times I’ve actually indirectly rubbed off my girls and we had an alcohol-free night just by avoiding the bar.
A few have asked when I’m going to start back. I don’t really plan to start back, but certain vacations I may get a glass or two of wine. This probably will include my cruise that I’m taking later this year. Other than that, I haven’t really wanted to drink and remember how gross it made me feel when I would get sick. This has just been a personal choice. I don’t look down upon those that drink, and I actually like being the designated driver so I can be more certain that I will get home safely. All in all, it’s been going pretty well and keeping those extra calories off the tummy, isn’t so bad either.
They said he had a cold and gave him a shot and some medicine to take every 8 hours <difficult when you are running around a city on vacation>.
I found these 2 failed searches on 
