Hey blog family... sorry I have been away so long. I just never realized how few hours there are in a day when you are working six days straight of 12-14 hour shifts! I am working until Friday, and then I can enjoy the New Year celebration without concern of unpaid insurance claims, mixed up medications, and customer servicce nightmares for at least three days. I wasn't able to do my grateful Wednesday this week, so I figured I would just tell you guys what I am thankful for this Christmas.
- another year of life
- the hospitality of others who were willing to share their holiday and their family with me
- a fresh new hairdo... yall KNOW a sister couldn't go into the new year with old hair!
- old friends with new conversation
- new friends who call just to see what you're doing and then spend an hour on the phone playing Truth or Dare
- busybodies who really don't mean any harm; they just want to know EVERYTHING that is going on in your life!
- grandmothers who get better with age
- the memory of a mother who just plain ROCKED!
- fathers who, despite their faults, really do try to look out for you
- growth and evolution. That old thorn in my side is GONE, and I have never felt better! So Merry Christmas to you too :)
- Serendipity because I think Kelly and I might be hitting them up on Friday... hear they have the best hot chocolate in town
- Dreamgirls, even though I have to wait until Saturday to see it :(
Tuesday, December 26, 2006
Sunday, December 17, 2006
Christmas Tag
1. Egg nog or hot chocolate? I LOVE me some egg nog. Spiked or not, doesn't matter... LOVE IT!
2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree? Santa? Who the hell is that guy? I haven't had a traditional Christmas like that in TOO long.
3. Colored lights or white lights on tree/house? Definitely white. My mommy always said that the colored ones were too busy, and as an adult, I tend to agree. In Jersey City they have wrapped the trees in these really beautiful periwinkle colored lights... those are cool too.
4. Do you hang mistletoe? Always thought that was exclusively for white people. But hey, I am half white, so I guess I should start embracing that side of my heritage... bring on the 'toe!!
5. When do you put up your decorations? I don't, but if I did, I would probably wait until about two weeks before Christmas. Trees and lights the day after Thanksgiving is just a bit too overwhelming.
6. What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert)? My mommy's macaroni and cheese. Hands down.
7. Favorite childhood holiday memory. The year that I got four Cabbage Patch dolls at the same time. My neighborhood was BUZZIN!!!
8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? I really have no idea.
9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? As a child I never did. Now I really don't get gifts, so I never have the option.
10. How do you decorate your Christmas tree? White lights and gold ribbons.
11. Snow: love it or dread it? Love to look at it, hate to drive in it.
12. Can you ice skate? I went ice skating in 2000 and tore two ligaments in my knee. Enough said?
13. Do you remember your favorite gift? Not really. I was an only child, so it was always so special for me.
14. What’s the most important thing to you about the holidays? Making sure that I speak to the people who matter the most to me, no matter where they are in the world.
15. What is your favorite holiday dessert?Egg nog.
16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? We didn't really do the tradition thing. But the family that i spend holidays with now has a spades tournament at every family gathering, and that is RAPIDLY becoming my favorite thing. They have a trophy and everything :)
17. What tops your tree? I don't have a tree, but if I did, probably nothing.
18. Which do you prefer: giving or receiving gifts? I love to give gits, but it has been a while since I've received anything.
19. What is your favorite Christmas song? "Oh Holy Night"
20. Favorite Christmas movie? A Christmas Story. That little boy is HILARIOUS!
2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree? Santa? Who the hell is that guy? I haven't had a traditional Christmas like that in TOO long.
3. Colored lights or white lights on tree/house? Definitely white. My mommy always said that the colored ones were too busy, and as an adult, I tend to agree. In Jersey City they have wrapped the trees in these really beautiful periwinkle colored lights... those are cool too.
4. Do you hang mistletoe? Always thought that was exclusively for white people. But hey, I am half white, so I guess I should start embracing that side of my heritage... bring on the 'toe!!
5. When do you put up your decorations? I don't, but if I did, I would probably wait until about two weeks before Christmas. Trees and lights the day after Thanksgiving is just a bit too overwhelming.
6. What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert)? My mommy's macaroni and cheese. Hands down.
7. Favorite childhood holiday memory. The year that I got four Cabbage Patch dolls at the same time. My neighborhood was BUZZIN!!!
8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? I really have no idea.
9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? As a child I never did. Now I really don't get gifts, so I never have the option.
10. How do you decorate your Christmas tree? White lights and gold ribbons.
11. Snow: love it or dread it? Love to look at it, hate to drive in it.
12. Can you ice skate? I went ice skating in 2000 and tore two ligaments in my knee. Enough said?
13. Do you remember your favorite gift? Not really. I was an only child, so it was always so special for me.
14. What’s the most important thing to you about the holidays? Making sure that I speak to the people who matter the most to me, no matter where they are in the world.
15. What is your favorite holiday dessert?Egg nog.
16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? We didn't really do the tradition thing. But the family that i spend holidays with now has a spades tournament at every family gathering, and that is RAPIDLY becoming my favorite thing. They have a trophy and everything :)
17. What tops your tree? I don't have a tree, but if I did, probably nothing.
18. Which do you prefer: giving or receiving gifts? I love to give gits, but it has been a while since I've received anything.
19. What is your favorite Christmas song? "Oh Holy Night"
20. Favorite Christmas movie? A Christmas Story. That little boy is HILARIOUS!
Thursday, December 14, 2006
Delayed Date Details
Sorry, guys... I wasn't intentionally leaving the few of you who care out of the loop, but I honestly forgot that I never posted the date details. So now that I have been on several, let me tell you about the first.
Background: I go to a church where the pastor and first lady are close family friends. "Lady B" as the church folk call her (and my second mother) has made it her personal mission to find a man for me ever since I moved to New Jersey. So unbeknownst to me, she and her husband had approached this man (who will henceforth and forever more be called "Bishop" because my friend Jen thinks it's hilarious that I'm seeing a church goer) and asked him if he would be willing to meet me. Apparently he said yes, so one night after Bible study, she introduced us. I had actually noticed him at the church before, but felt a little funny about it because whenever I saw him, he was on his way up to altar call. You know, nothing says "heathen" more than having lustful thoughts while others are throwing themsleves on the mercy of the Lord at the altar during 10:45 service. So we chatted for a bit and he gave me his business card. Now me (having NO game whatsoever), put the card in my purse and proceeded to forget all about it. The next Sunday, I was gathering my stuff together after the service when I looked up and saw him standing in the aisle by my pew. He asked me what I was doing that day and I said "nothing." So then he asked me if I wanted to have lunch with him. Wowwwwwwww. I almost passed out (but I was afraid it would be mistaken for a delayed catching of the Holy Ghost, so I remained erect), but I managed to say "sure" with a somewhat confident and composed look on my face.
The date: So I followed him to a restaurant not too far away (I actually don't remember what it's called because I was so nervous!!!). We both parked in the parking garage where he proceeded to let me have the space closest to the exit (okay, I see you with the manners!). When we were walking through the garage and out on the street, he insisted on walking on the outside so that he would be closest to the traffic, and when we got to the restaurant, he held the door, helped me with my coat, AND pulled my chair out for me (and they say chivalry is dead). When I got up to wash my hands after ordering, he stood up from the table, and when I got back, he stood up again until I was back in my seat. At this point, things are looking up... I am having brunch with a handsome, older man who is very well mannered and quite charming. We chatted about our lives while we waited for the food to come, and I realized something very early on: older men don't have time for all the game playing. Now this may not be true for ALL older men, but this one definitely doesn't. From the minute we started talking, he was very open and honest about his life and where he is right now. Not too long ago, he lost his wife (she died of an asthma attack - does it get any sadder than that?) and he has a 12-year-old daughter who lives with him. Five years ago, that would've had me making a mental note to delete his number from my cell phone. But I have realized something very important in the last few years: everybody has a past and everybody has a story. Some are more interesting than others, and some are less benign than others, but we all have something in our past that others might not want to deal with. So if this is a Black man who is living as a single father, taking care of his daughter while owning his own business and attending church on a regular basis, then I'm not going to be so quick to hit that delete button, ya know? I won't bore yall with every little detail about the lunch, but it really was a lot of fun. We went into the restaurant at 2:00 and didn't leave until close to 6:00 (and for the one who I KNOW is reading this and snickering to himself, no, it wasn't like THOSE four hours! We were still in the restaurant). As we were leaving, we were talking about movies, and I mentioned that I wanted to see the new Denzel Washington movie that was coming out the next week. He said, "Oh, we should go! Are you free Wednesday night?" Well, I guess that was my cue that the date was a success. He was already making plans with me to go out again, and I didn't even have to wait that anxious week or so for the next phone call! We got to my car where he gave me the money to pay for the parking garage (MANNERS.... LOVE THEM!), and he said that he had a really good time. I was very interested to see how he was going to handle the goodbye, so I lingered by the car door with a little more conversation. Finslly I made some comment about how it was getting cold, and I really should be getting home. So he leaned over and kissed my cheek, and then said that he would call me Tuesday night to talk about the movie on Wednesday. And just like that... he was gone. About five minutes later, he called to make sure that I knew where I was and wasn't having any problems getting home.... sweet. Then later that night he sent me a text message that said, "I enjoyed the brunch and your conversation very much. I look forward to the movies on Wednesday."
The end.
SIGH. I went on a date. Yeah! And it was fun. Really fun. And I didn't die! And I didn't do anything too stupid and embarrassing! So here is what I have decided that I like about him in the 25 days since that first date...
He's handsome. Really handsome. He's older than me which I thought I would never want again. After the fiance, I swore off all oder men because I was conviced that the only reason they wanted me was because they were going through a midlife crisis! Bishop is 37, and for the most part he acts his age. But every now and then I catch a glimpse of the twenty-something Bishop, and it's cute. He's considerate. He calls when he says he's going to call, and he doesn't when he knows that he doesn't plan to. He checks with me to make sure that I have gotten home safely and he always asks me if I remembered to set my alarm for work. He's funny. Yall know how I love a comedian! Bishop isn't funny in a Dave Chspelle sort of way, but he's funny in a "Aw... that's funny" kind of way. He makes me laugh when he is being silly, but everything he does isn't funny. He is in love with his daughter. He is a very stern father, but I can really tell how much he cares about her. Single fathers are sexy, especially when there's no baby mama drama! He goes to church. I never realized that I cared about that before, especially since before I moved here, my attendance was sketchy at best. But Bishop talks alot about how church has changed his life, and how his relationship with God has opened doors for him that otherwise would've remained closed. I like to listen to him talk about his walk because it makes me more hopeful about my own. He loved his wife. I mean he REALLY loved his wife. He mentions her from time to time, and I can always tell how strongly he felt about her. He is still close to her mother (she lives nearby), and he still carries their wedding picture in his wallet. I would've been bothered by that, but I look at it like this: if I were married and then suddenly lost my husband, I can't IMAGINE how long it would take for me to remove that last piece of him from my everyday life. He talks sometimes about how hard it has been because he felt like he had finally learned how to be in a relationship and be the kind of husband that he should be. He was opening himself up to someone and allowing himself to completely share his life with her when he blinked and she was gone. Plus, he wanted to have more children and when his wife died, she was pregnant, so that was a double blow. I guess Bishop is not the kind of man I would've ever chosen to go after if I had known his story beforehand. But even though I didn't know about it, someone was trying to pull us together. Only he knows whether or not he is ready to move past his grief over losing his wife and look at another woman in a potential dating situation. But time will tell, I guess... for now, the brunch was fun. The movies was a good time (even though the actual film was a bit of a disappointment). More dates? Stay tuned...
Background: I go to a church where the pastor and first lady are close family friends. "Lady B" as the church folk call her (and my second mother) has made it her personal mission to find a man for me ever since I moved to New Jersey. So unbeknownst to me, she and her husband had approached this man (who will henceforth and forever more be called "Bishop" because my friend Jen thinks it's hilarious that I'm seeing a church goer) and asked him if he would be willing to meet me. Apparently he said yes, so one night after Bible study, she introduced us. I had actually noticed him at the church before, but felt a little funny about it because whenever I saw him, he was on his way up to altar call. You know, nothing says "heathen" more than having lustful thoughts while others are throwing themsleves on the mercy of the Lord at the altar during 10:45 service. So we chatted for a bit and he gave me his business card. Now me (having NO game whatsoever), put the card in my purse and proceeded to forget all about it. The next Sunday, I was gathering my stuff together after the service when I looked up and saw him standing in the aisle by my pew. He asked me what I was doing that day and I said "nothing." So then he asked me if I wanted to have lunch with him. Wowwwwwwww. I almost passed out (but I was afraid it would be mistaken for a delayed catching of the Holy Ghost, so I remained erect), but I managed to say "sure" with a somewhat confident and composed look on my face.
The date: So I followed him to a restaurant not too far away (I actually don't remember what it's called because I was so nervous!!!). We both parked in the parking garage where he proceeded to let me have the space closest to the exit (okay, I see you with the manners!). When we were walking through the garage and out on the street, he insisted on walking on the outside so that he would be closest to the traffic, and when we got to the restaurant, he held the door, helped me with my coat, AND pulled my chair out for me (and they say chivalry is dead). When I got up to wash my hands after ordering, he stood up from the table, and when I got back, he stood up again until I was back in my seat. At this point, things are looking up... I am having brunch with a handsome, older man who is very well mannered and quite charming. We chatted about our lives while we waited for the food to come, and I realized something very early on: older men don't have time for all the game playing. Now this may not be true for ALL older men, but this one definitely doesn't. From the minute we started talking, he was very open and honest about his life and where he is right now. Not too long ago, he lost his wife (she died of an asthma attack - does it get any sadder than that?) and he has a 12-year-old daughter who lives with him. Five years ago, that would've had me making a mental note to delete his number from my cell phone. But I have realized something very important in the last few years: everybody has a past and everybody has a story. Some are more interesting than others, and some are less benign than others, but we all have something in our past that others might not want to deal with. So if this is a Black man who is living as a single father, taking care of his daughter while owning his own business and attending church on a regular basis, then I'm not going to be so quick to hit that delete button, ya know? I won't bore yall with every little detail about the lunch, but it really was a lot of fun. We went into the restaurant at 2:00 and didn't leave until close to 6:00 (and for the one who I KNOW is reading this and snickering to himself, no, it wasn't like THOSE four hours! We were still in the restaurant). As we were leaving, we were talking about movies, and I mentioned that I wanted to see the new Denzel Washington movie that was coming out the next week. He said, "Oh, we should go! Are you free Wednesday night?" Well, I guess that was my cue that the date was a success. He was already making plans with me to go out again, and I didn't even have to wait that anxious week or so for the next phone call! We got to my car where he gave me the money to pay for the parking garage (MANNERS.... LOVE THEM!), and he said that he had a really good time. I was very interested to see how he was going to handle the goodbye, so I lingered by the car door with a little more conversation. Finslly I made some comment about how it was getting cold, and I really should be getting home. So he leaned over and kissed my cheek, and then said that he would call me Tuesday night to talk about the movie on Wednesday. And just like that... he was gone. About five minutes later, he called to make sure that I knew where I was and wasn't having any problems getting home.... sweet. Then later that night he sent me a text message that said, "I enjoyed the brunch and your conversation very much. I look forward to the movies on Wednesday."
The end.
SIGH. I went on a date. Yeah! And it was fun. Really fun. And I didn't die! And I didn't do anything too stupid and embarrassing! So here is what I have decided that I like about him in the 25 days since that first date...
He's handsome. Really handsome. He's older than me which I thought I would never want again. After the fiance, I swore off all oder men because I was conviced that the only reason they wanted me was because they were going through a midlife crisis! Bishop is 37, and for the most part he acts his age. But every now and then I catch a glimpse of the twenty-something Bishop, and it's cute. He's considerate. He calls when he says he's going to call, and he doesn't when he knows that he doesn't plan to. He checks with me to make sure that I have gotten home safely and he always asks me if I remembered to set my alarm for work. He's funny. Yall know how I love a comedian! Bishop isn't funny in a Dave Chspelle sort of way, but he's funny in a "Aw... that's funny" kind of way. He makes me laugh when he is being silly, but everything he does isn't funny. He is in love with his daughter. He is a very stern father, but I can really tell how much he cares about her. Single fathers are sexy, especially when there's no baby mama drama! He goes to church. I never realized that I cared about that before, especially since before I moved here, my attendance was sketchy at best. But Bishop talks alot about how church has changed his life, and how his relationship with God has opened doors for him that otherwise would've remained closed. I like to listen to him talk about his walk because it makes me more hopeful about my own. He loved his wife. I mean he REALLY loved his wife. He mentions her from time to time, and I can always tell how strongly he felt about her. He is still close to her mother (she lives nearby), and he still carries their wedding picture in his wallet. I would've been bothered by that, but I look at it like this: if I were married and then suddenly lost my husband, I can't IMAGINE how long it would take for me to remove that last piece of him from my everyday life. He talks sometimes about how hard it has been because he felt like he had finally learned how to be in a relationship and be the kind of husband that he should be. He was opening himself up to someone and allowing himself to completely share his life with her when he blinked and she was gone. Plus, he wanted to have more children and when his wife died, she was pregnant, so that was a double blow. I guess Bishop is not the kind of man I would've ever chosen to go after if I had known his story beforehand. But even though I didn't know about it, someone was trying to pull us together. Only he knows whether or not he is ready to move past his grief over losing his wife and look at another woman in a potential dating situation. But time will tell, I guess... for now, the brunch was fun. The movies was a good time (even though the actual film was a bit of a disappointment). More dates? Stay tuned...
Grateful Wednesday (Just on Thursday!)
Sorry guys... this new job has got me ALL to pieces lately, and I completely forgot to post yesterday. So this week, I am grateful for...
- Christmas being in a few days. Even though it's not the same anymore since I'm not a kid and my family is so far away, I still get mildly excited about the holiday.
- Pay day after I worked 50 hours. I have soooooooo many bills it is ridiculous.
- Puppies. My friend just got a new dog for his daughter, and he is sooooo cute :)
- Finding out that those who were always judging you have actually fallen a little short their damn selves. Karma's a bitch.
- Finding the money in my bank account to get a full tank of gas tonight before I ended up pushing my car over the Pulaski Skyway.
- Tasha finding an opening for me to get my hair done back home before Christmas, cuz my kitchen is ON FIRE!!!!
- 60 degree days in the middle of December (even though my friend SWEARS that it's influenza weather)
- Other peoples' blogs because they keep me up to date... I have really been slacking lately, but I am trying to do better.
Happy holidays blog la familia!!!!!
- Christmas being in a few days. Even though it's not the same anymore since I'm not a kid and my family is so far away, I still get mildly excited about the holiday.
- Pay day after I worked 50 hours. I have soooooooo many bills it is ridiculous.
- Puppies. My friend just got a new dog for his daughter, and he is sooooo cute :)
- Finding out that those who were always judging you have actually fallen a little short their damn selves. Karma's a bitch.
- Finding the money in my bank account to get a full tank of gas tonight before I ended up pushing my car over the Pulaski Skyway.
- Tasha finding an opening for me to get my hair done back home before Christmas, cuz my kitchen is ON FIRE!!!!
- 60 degree days in the middle of December (even though my friend SWEARS that it's influenza weather)
- Other peoples' blogs because they keep me up to date... I have really been slacking lately, but I am trying to do better.
Happy holidays blog la familia!!!!!
Wednesday, December 06, 2006
Grateful Wednesday
Although it is still a little early and I am procrastinating on getting ready for work, I decided to get my grateful list down first. Today I am grateful for
- Honesty.
- Having a job to go to even if it does involve standing on your feet for 12 hours straight.
- Having hair on my head even if I am ready to go INSANE waiting for the back to grow out!
- Tomorrow being my mother's birthday. Even though she isn't here with me anymore, it always gives me a whole day just to sit and remember what a phenomenal person she was.
- Season Five of 24 being out on DVD FINALLY even though I am so broke that it will be next week before I can cop that!
- First dates (and yes, I will eventually give you those details, I promise).
- The ability to recover from unexpected news with style and grace.
- I can't remember when I got the results in the mail, but I think it was after last Wednesday, so today I am grateful for passing the NAPLEX and being one step closer to getting my pharmacist license.
- Being the subject of conversation at the Hampton University Alumni Reception at ASHP in Anaheim. I LOVE having haters :)
- Trish's example... she's gone now, but I still read her stuff and learn something different every day.
- Strong Black fathers who take care of their responsibilities because they WANT to and not because they were ordered to.
- Friendship.
- Honesty.
- Having a job to go to even if it does involve standing on your feet for 12 hours straight.
- Having hair on my head even if I am ready to go INSANE waiting for the back to grow out!
- Tomorrow being my mother's birthday. Even though she isn't here with me anymore, it always gives me a whole day just to sit and remember what a phenomenal person she was.
- Season Five of 24 being out on DVD FINALLY even though I am so broke that it will be next week before I can cop that!
- First dates (and yes, I will eventually give you those details, I promise).
- The ability to recover from unexpected news with style and grace.
- I can't remember when I got the results in the mail, but I think it was after last Wednesday, so today I am grateful for passing the NAPLEX and being one step closer to getting my pharmacist license.
- Being the subject of conversation at the Hampton University Alumni Reception at ASHP in Anaheim. I LOVE having haters :)
- Trish's example... she's gone now, but I still read her stuff and learn something different every day.
- Strong Black fathers who take care of their responsibilities because they WANT to and not because they were ordered to.
- Friendship.
Tuesday, December 05, 2006
Well I NEVER!!!
I got this from Terrance, so if you don't like it, send him the hate mail, NOT ME!!! But I think it's pretty cool, so PLEASE participate or else I look like the lame-o with no blogger friends :)
You ever played that drinking game called "I Never" (reference an old episode of Girlfriends where Joan had never gone to a nude beach, so they all went and she ran into her DAD!!!)? Basically, you say something you never have done, and if the people playing with you have done it, they have to take a drink. I wanna try something a little different on the blog. I am going to say something that I have never done and if you have done it then I need you either to tell us about it on your blog or in the comments section. Please be sure to let us know that you posted about it. Also, once you have answered truthfully, it is your turn to say something you have never done. It'll be either fun, or incredibly annoying. I'll start off with 3 things I have never done. Let's see how far we can spread this across the blog community.
I never had a one night stand.
I never went to Africa.
I never skinnydipped.
If you did it, tell us all about it. And then give me an "I Never" and I will write about them later in the week. Have fun!!!!
You ever played that drinking game called "I Never" (reference an old episode of Girlfriends where Joan had never gone to a nude beach, so they all went and she ran into her DAD!!!)? Basically, you say something you never have done, and if the people playing with you have done it, they have to take a drink. I wanna try something a little different on the blog. I am going to say something that I have never done and if you have done it then I need you either to tell us about it on your blog or in the comments section. Please be sure to let us know that you posted about it. Also, once you have answered truthfully, it is your turn to say something you have never done. It'll be either fun, or incredibly annoying. I'll start off with 3 things I have never done. Let's see how far we can spread this across the blog community.
I never had a one night stand.
I never went to Africa.
I never skinnydipped.
If you did it, tell us all about it. And then give me an "I Never" and I will write about them later in the week. Have fun!!!!
Friday, December 01, 2006
Celebrate Good Times, COME ON!!!!!!!!!
Well, well, well.... the long awaited NAPLEX results have arrived, and I, friends and neighbors, HAVE PASSED!!! Goody gumdrops and all that other stuff. NAPLEX, done. Nest up is the New Jersey law exam. And then.... I'm done.
The Centennial
Hey yall... I am soliciting ideas for my 100th post (this is #92). Seems like I should write about something meaningful and deep to commemorate the occasion, but I do that on any regular day (I think!). Any ideas??????
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