Sunday, November 12, 2006

I'm back!

So.... this fall I have not been the best blogger.... or the best blog reader.... Life has been distracting me! I have had a dog before when I was growing up and as experienced as I am owning a dog and living with a roommate that had a dog for 3+ years, I think I underestimated the effect of a puppy on my current adult life. I really feel like I have a little furry child but i didn't have to go through labor! I am exaggerating a little bit but not that much......

First, since she is still young, I have to come home everyday at lunchtime to let her out and feed her lunch because she is growing and has a small bladder which has really cut into my work social time. Lunchtime is a major social outing at work and I often used the time to catch up with my friends in other groups and to bond with the folks in my group. That time is gone for now..... Lunch now is normally a Lean Cuisine in between walks/potty breaks with the dog then it is back to work.

I have become one of those dog mommies who talks about their dogs all the time. I often would mention how folks with kids just talk about their kids and kid things all the time and I have become that person, except about my dog. My co-worker humors me, mainly because she has a 4 year old so she sort of knows what its like. So when I come in and talk about how Puppy gained 6 lbs since her last vet visit or how she learned to sit or had her first bath, she kindly humors me. :-)

But i have to admit, I am feeling a little isolated. She hates being in her crate and being left alone so it bothers me a little bit every time I leave her in the house since she barks like crazy so I end up staying at home on my free time a lot more, especially on the weekends. Today friends of mine came over for a little wine and cheese tasting, reminiscent of our Napa trip in June, so I got to have a little adult people time. And Puppy behaved well! They both own dogs so they would have been fine anyway but she slept most of the time they were here and didn't really try to chew or bite on anyone (the joys of teething! ;-)

So, I bet you want to see pictures! Here she is!






Chewing rawhide

Tuesday, October 10, 2006

How much is that doggie in the window?.....

So I have been contemplating getting a dog for a while now but was never quite ready to make the commitment. I had a dog growing up for about 10 years and I know how much attention they require and how much attention I would want to give one and I was not sure that I wanted to give up the freedom I have as a single unattached woman..... I mean, having a dog is similar to having a child. I could not go out after work but would have to come home and walk to dog. I would have to find kennels when I went out of town..... But this is a cute dog! She is a black lab/border collie mix. She sorta looks like this one here (who is not her.)


I don't know about the border collie part. They are longer haired than I would like. I am sometimes maybe allergic to dogs and I think that it would be better to have a shorter hair dog.

Well, i will think on it. I am going to call my aunt who had 2 border collies and pump her for information.....

RSVPs......

So..... its been a little over 3 months since I moved into my house and I had my housewarming this weekend! I was a little intimidated by the number of RSVPs I got.....about 70! So, I went to planning on how to feed and provide drinks for all these people. I decided to not make it too complicated so I went the barbeque route....... the menu included:

Appetizers:
Crab and artichoke dip
7 layer dip
Roasted rosemary cashews

Entrees:
BBQ ribs
BBQ chicken
Roasted chicken
BBQ Meatballs
Corn on the cob
Roasted vegetables with Garlic Tarragon Butter
Potato Salad

Dessert:
Mango Key Lime Cheesecake
Lemon Pound Cake with fresh Strawberries

Premixed drinks:
Peach Sangria
Rum Punch
Margaritas

Okay.... well maybe that doesnt sound all that simple but it is all stuff I have basically made before. I admit, I like cooking for people and somehow, this time was much easier than I expected. I did the majority of the cooking on Saturday.

I would say that the housewarming was a success but...... I had 24 no shows! 24! That is a lot!! Like how can you possibly plan for that?? But I guess I would rather have more food than not enough. However, if you say you are coming then you should come.... or apologize for not showing up and give an explanation/excuse. I have still not heard from some people. I just think that is rude. Am I overreacting about this?? Should I just give up and know that RSVPs just don't mean anything anymore?......
Tequila Lime & Buffalo wings

Friday, September 22, 2006

Second chances......

When do you know when to give a person a second chance?

When they have done something that has hurt you?

When you feel abandoned and rejected?

When you have cried til you dry up.....

When you have moved on.....

You do the only thing you can do, and that is follow your heart and trust in yourself to survive whatever comes next......

Friday, September 15, 2006

Lock Heaven!

Sunday, I stopped by Whole Foods to pick up a couple things and as I was grabbing my bags to leave, I looked up and I felt like I was in Lock Heaven! Everywhere I looked there were locks! the checkers, the customers, the folks dining inside and outside...... It was great!

Thursday, September 07, 2006

Traveling with the peeps...

Saw this article in the Washington Post and thought it might be of interest to you all who are thinking about trips in the upcoming months....

Consider a trip organized by an African American travel club.....

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/01/AR2006090100506.html?referrer=emailarticle

Thursday, August 24, 2006

Enough!

There was a column in the New York Times last week about the promotion of gang/crime culture in the black community, the pertetuation of violence against black people by black people and the dissentigration of the black community. In "A Triumph of Felons and Failures," Op-ed columnist Bob Herbert talks about the magazines and other elements of popular culture that are contributing to the degradation of our black communal spirit and how those who rise up against these forces in their communities are often rewarded with death (i.e. Angela and Carnell dawson of Baltimore in 2002.) The column also mentions a new book by Juan Williams, titled Enough, who talks about the vacuum of leadership and the feverish array of problems that are undermining black Americans. I recommend you take a look at this article at www.newyorktimes.com (I would have pasted it in here myself but too many lawyers read this blog and I am scared of copyright repercusions!) and to pick up this new book by Juan Williams.

This column reminds me of some conversations that I have been having with friends of mine lately..... I am starting to feel older..... Especially when I listen to the radio! I mean, there are songs on the radio today that I just can't believe have gotten past the censors! Now, don't get me wrong.... I have been known to groove to these songs in the club but I also have a enough of a foundation and strong enough self concept to know that 1) they are not talking about me and 2) they are not prescriptions for how I should structure my personal relationships nor pattern my everyday life. I used to always say to myself that I would be a cool mom... like one who was in touch with popular culture but I have to tell you... I am beginning to think that I will not allow my kids to listen to the radio at all! It saddens me but, especially for girls, there are so few positive images out there for black kids these days. I think about how hard I will have the work to counter these images and make sure that my children (when I have them) grow up with positive self images and the ability to filter out the negative. Just thinking....... Please share your thoughts...

Monday, August 21, 2006

No real surprise..... Sad but true....

A post doc student in psychology at University of Georgia did a study on skin tone bias in hiring.... His findings were not real surprise to me or likely you either. But maybe it will be a surprise to some "other"folks and it will make them think twice about their natural tendencies when evaluating job candidates....

http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2006/08/skin_tone.html

This reminds me of my discoveries about racial identity, and racial and skin tone bias as I was growing up. I think all black folks have had these skin tone "realizations" as they grow up and move around society. We all know that it is more complicated than just being black.

So, as you might have noticed, I am on the lighter side of the skin tone perspective for black folks (Duh!) but my parents always did a great job of making sure that I was very clear about my racial identity. I was black. I always knew that. In fact, i remember a story about how I was learning my colors and my mother trying to explain how I was black and the color that I just learned as black were the same things. Very complicated to get across to a 2-3 year old!

In fact, I so valued my black identity that I got upset once when someone in junior high said I was "mixed." Now, let me explain something about my geneology to you all. As light as I may look, you have to go about 4 generations back to actually get to a white person on my father's side of the family. (not that I would expect anyone to know that by looking.) My father's side of the family is from New Orleans so all the lightskinned folks married each other, thus reinforcing these skin tone characteristics. On my mother's side, while my grandmother was fair, my grandfather was dark. So, at that time, when my classmate made that comments I got upset more because I knew it wasn't true than I thought it was something bad. We learned that skin tone didnt often tell you very much about where someones people "came from" or how their brother, sister, mother or father might look. My mother's mother had eight borthers and sisters and they ran the skin tone spectrum from very dark to light with straight red hair. And, my my friend Melinda was darker than I was even though her mother was white. This stuff wasnt simple! In the end, it makes very little difference. All African Americans have a varied geneology, just by the nature of the fact that we who we are and how most of our ancestors got here.

But I was always confronted with the intricacies of skin tone and geneology growing up and I never really valued the so called "benefit" of being lighter.... I have never been a fan of the red undetones in my skin and couldn't wait for summer so I could get a tan and not be so pale! My hair, while it may have been a different color from my friend's requireda relaxer just like everyone else to get straight.

I used to say often in high school that I was a dark skinned girl, living in a light skinned girl's body! My best friend, Pauline, and I were very similar in high school. We were both about the same height, had the same length hair and similar hair styles. We were about the same size, although she was thinner. We dressed similarly, talked similarly, had similar interests. But she was dark skinned. So likely, growing up around her, helped heighten my sensitivity to skin tone preference. I remember one time, we were in the local mall, in a record store, looking around for music. We had bothe been in there a while browsing..... But it was she who got approached by the salesperson, asking if she needed help "finding anything," in a way that was less about good customer service and more about letting you know that they are keeping an eye on you. Meanwhile, I am wandering around that store with no issue. That experience really resonated with me. The fact that her parents were better off financially than mine and that she was more likely to be able to afford anything we were looking at than I was could not be seen and made no difference. It was the difference in her skin tone that got her singled out.

As I have gotten older, I feel like the incidences like this have become less frequent, or maybe just less obvious. I did move away from the Midwest to a large coastal city with more diversity so I am sure that had something to do with it as well. I can't help feeling though, that when white people come up to me and ask me all these questions about my hair some of it has to do with the fact that I am light enough for them to feel comfortable with me. Questions on buses, elevators, in restuarants. Questions like "do you wash it?" Comments like "you must have to get up really early in the morning to all that every morning!"...... But I guess, I would rather they ask me than stay ignorant... Just a few thoughts this morning..... Check out the article and please share your thoughts, comments and experiences....

Wednesday, August 16, 2006

Surprise Bachelorette Party

I have been meaning to post this for the longest time!So, in the midst of starting a new job and closing on my house, in June, I also went on a little trip! I know, I know.... you all are like another trip??? You just got back from Aruba! But, this one was for a special occasion --- it was a surprise Bachelorette trip for a friend of mine who is getting married in September. Yes, I did say surprise! "Well, how does that work?", you might be saying to yourself......

Well, you see, my friend, Shelly, who is the one getting married, has a group of friends from undergrad, who now live around the country but have stayed really close. So, they have this tradition of planning surprise bachelorette trips for each other when one is getting married. One time they went to Puerto Rico.... I can't remember the other places they went.... But basically, the surprisee knows that they are going on a trip but not where. All they know, or are told over time is what kind of weather to pack for and when to show up somewhere with their suitcase. And they get tortured during the weeks before with fake/and not so fake clues.....

So, the story this time was that we were going to Ohio! Each of the participants had an assignment of a clue to send Shelly ----Ohio Buckeye candy, monk-e-mail clues with Ohio trivia, stilettos and hotpants/shorts (don't ask! all will be revealed soon....) and Shelly was totally confused!

The day we left, she was picked up by a good-looking bald guy in a tight t-shirt, driving a convertible --- still didnt know where she was going. When they got to the airport, he handed her a bag --- it contained her ticket and a t-shirt that she was instructed to put on for the rest of her trip. Now, we had all flown in earlier and called her after her flight landed. Here she is when we picked her up!













Check out her shirt! Apparently, it was the source of much conversations on her flights! On the back it said "....in Napa Valley!" So that is how Shelly found out where she was going........

See posting about Day 2 & 3 below. I wanted to keep the posts in order....

Tuesday, August 15, 2006

Surprise Bachelorette Party - Day 2

There were 8 of us on this little adventure -- 5 friends from undergrad, 1 cousin, 1 friend from grad school and 1 friend from in between. We stayed at the house of one of the undergrad friends (who was 8 months pregnant and unable to travel so it worked out perfectly) and her husband was exceedingly patient with us (Thanks, Michael!)

On Day 2, we got dressed and ate breakfast, keeping Shelly in the dark as to what we were doing next .....until the limo pulled up! That's right! We were headed to Napa for a day of wine tasting!
Our driver, Mario, took very good care of us, and even recommended a vineyard to us that wasn't even on our list. It turned out to be our favorite, due in large part to our host, Alan........

Alan, was a trip! He is very lively, and apparently is known for yodeling at his tastings. Thank God he tailored his technique to his audience. So, for us...... he rapped! It was hilarious! And very educational..... He rapped for the entire tasting, tell us about the wines.



And, he freestyled! -- weaving in lyrics about Shelly and us.... and then he took out this little card and a quarter and scratched! (the card had little ribs on it so when he scratched with a quarter, it sounded like scratching on a turntable) Can you say HILARIOUS!!!






We ended the tasting with this singing of the Peju song (sung to the tune of Hey Jude) at the top of our lungs and everyone looking at us and wondering why we were having so much fun!



All in allI think we went to about 6 wineries: Robert Sinskey, Peju, Rutherford Hill, V. Sattui, Beringer, and Rubicon Estate (formerly Neibaum-Coppola) in 8 hours! And we had a great picnic lunch on the grounds of Rutherford Hill. I ended up buying something at each vineyard
except Beringer. Beringer was actually so crowded that we didnt even do a tasting there. But my favorites were Peju and V. Sattui, both local vieneyards that don't do national distribution (just my luck!) but it seems that the shipping laws are being relaxed and I should be able to get wine shipped to me. (Yay!) By the end of the day, we were exhausted!

Surprise Bachelorette Party - Day 3

Okay so...... Day 3 was the best! Did we have a surprise for Shelly! We got up in the morning and told her to put on her hot pants! Boy, was she nervous! Then we drove to South San Francisco to this industrial park, parked and got out. We were early so we had to stand around in the parking lot for a while. Which added even more to the confusion.....

And then the studio opened...... Sedusa Studios specializes in teaching sensual dancing! and we were there to take...... a poledancing class!!! They provided us all with these 4 inch platform stillettos and had us each pick a pole. (Don't worry, the pregnant one sat this one out. She was our photographer.) Our instructor was very good and the music was great.... and it was easy to.... get in the mood! And we all just ran with it! It was so much fun! After we learned all the basics, we put it together in a routine and then broke into teams and performed for each other.... Check out my poleswing! So I found out that they make portable poles and poles that you can take down and put back up. Hey, I have some extra room in my basement! ;-)



After our lesson, we went to Embarcadero and had lunch and walked around and then went home and took a nap! For dinner, we went out to a great dinner in Oakland on the water. Oh yeah, and we took a limo again!




Here I am!





Here's to the Bachelorette!!






And then we hit the town and went dancing!



The next day we all flew our separate ways.... It was such a great weekend, spending time with such a great group of black women. I can't wait to get together again at the wedding!

Hair, hair, hair!.......


So, this story was on NPR this morning and I thought it was very interesting and something that i know we all can relate to....... And it is nice to hear a teenager's thoughts and view of the "hair debate"! Enjoy! And let me know your comments!

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5649817

Go Bianca! And thanks to my friend Greg for sending me the link!

Tuesday, August 01, 2006

My first house guest.....

My friend at work warned me, when I sent out my moving ecard saying that I had a guest room, that i might get more takers than I expected, possibly sooner than I thought. Well, literally 2 minutes after I sent out the notice I got word from my aunt's husband's son that he was going to be in town in 4 days and didnt have a hotel the first night he was there! (be careful what you wish for, right!) He called my bluff! I hadn't even gotten a bed for the guest room yet!

At any rate, Skip slept comfortably on my futon in the den downstairs....

Here's a picture....


Thursday, July 27, 2006

Impulse purchases....

Clothing impluse buy....




It looked so cute in the catalog..... not so much now..... Ugh!

Wednesday, July 26, 2006

Addendum to previous post.....

I misspoke..... There were not only 3 minorities in my group before I started. I forgot that just about the entire testing team (4-5 people) are black too - and the two leads are black women.....

I am not sure if I have ever worked around so many black folks in my life!

Tuesday, July 25, 2006

I'm not complaining but.....

I am beginning to wonder if there is something going on at my job..... It is very weird for me to say this but I am noticing a trend here.

My group is growing really fast and we are hiring like crazy. Since I started in mid June, there are 7 new hires who have come on or will be coming on by next week. And, get this......... they are all minorities..... And not only that, 6 are black and 4 are black women! Now this is an area of the company that is being talked up as the future of the company and they keep hiring black folks. When does that ever happen?

Also, I am in a group of 4, reporting to a white guy and 3 of us are black women and then there is 1 white guy. While I think this is great, I will admit I am starting to get a little suspicious..... I recommended 3 people from my old job for some open positions in my new group, 2 white and 1 black. The black woman got hired..... Maybe I am being a conspiracy theorist but before I started there were only 3 minorities in this group. Now that has increased by 200%! I am beginning to wonder if a memo went out!

Now, don't get me wrong, I have also noticed that there are no minorities in director and above positions in my particular group but there could be a lot of opportunity in this group so it seems likely that some one of us will move up at some point.....

Am I in work utopia? (or something close to it........)

Monday, July 17, 2006

Returning to normal.....

Yeah, well, returning to normal is taking longer than I thought...... But I am almost done cleaning and unpacking!

Or rather, maybe I should say, instead of returning to normal maybe I should say..... figuring out what normal is now.

In a period of a month, I have left a job and started a new one and gone from renting a room in a friend's townhouse to owning a house that has it's own rental unit. I have gone from putting a lot of energy into trying to move from this city to setting up some pretty substantial roots. I have made a couple new friends and, it seems, lost one. Lots of change in a short time....

If someone had told me a few months ago that this was where I would be, I would be very surprised. But, change is good. You never know what life will bring...... I guess you just have to be ready for what comes your way..... :-)

Friday, July 07, 2006

The reason for my extended absence........ My new addition!

So, my patient readers...... I would like to introduce you to the reason that has kept me away from you for a while.....

My new house! (well, new to me!)


Just like any proud mother, I think it is really cute! It was love at first sight and I put an offer down the day I saw it. (which was the first day I was out looking --- talk about fast!) And like any new baby, it is taking up a lot of my time! It needs a lot of cleaning (a lot) and I am still getting organized. It takes a lot of feeding --- houses are expensive! --- and I have friends at Home Depot already! And it is producing a lot of trash --- unfortunately, trash pickup only occurs once a week!

But all in all, I am very happy and very proud of my new addition! :-)

Wednesday, June 21, 2006

Coming soon!......

Sorry, guys! I have a lot to post about but no time to post right now! I promise I will be back in rare form next week! Stay tuned!

Tuesday, June 13, 2006

My new job..... I think this might be a good thing!

So, I started my new job yesterday.......

I knew that I was going to have a full day of orientation, which is already ahead of what my previous employer would do (which is nothing!). Well, before the day was over, we had our ID and security badges, parking passes and computers. We had learned about the background of the company, about office security, payroll, etc...., gone on a tour of the executive floor, gone on a little scavenger hunt, talked to a panel of employees and had cake with our new bosses. I was shown where my desk was and there were already office supplies there! Pretty obvious that I am not in "Kansas" anymore!

I knew that the atmosphere at this company would be different --- it is much smaller, scrappier, and younger..... the average age of employees is 32. It values individuality, initiative and accountability..... When I was there to interview I felt really overdressed in my suit. Folks were walking around in jeans.... and shorts!

Second day on the job and I met with my boss for the first 2 hrs and he gave me an overview of the products we are working on. I didn't have a docking station so I asked him where I could get one. He introduced me to our group's assistant, who was going to order one for me but when i got back to my desk, there was one already sitting there..... Magic! I sat in on a bunch of calls/mtgs in the afternoon. At the end of the day, my boss stopped by and brought me some candy and asked if I had any questions. Very nice..... Maybe it is first week euphoria but it is working for me right now.

Everyone is very nice and friendly and there seem to be tons of black folks working there. In my group, there are 3 of us and 2 of us are black women. The woman sitting behind me is from HR and she had locks..... Needless to say, I have no worries about my hair in this work environment. The CEO wears Hawaiian shirts to work all the time. I am thinking, hoping, that I will like it here!

Monday, June 05, 2006

Living in a house that is being sold :-(

So right now I am living in a house that is being sold.......

My roommate is selling her townhouse and we have to keep everything perfectly neat all the time to be prepared for any potential buyers who would stop by at any time during the the day.....

Also, my roommate's real estate agent is sort of a nazi..... I understand making things neat but we have basically had to totally sanitize the house, meaning get rid of anything unique or unusual. So, I have nothing on the walls in my room now (too distracting) ....... Had to pack up all my cookbooks (too many) ...... Nothing on the sink in the bathroom......

But, if things go as planned, it will only be for the next week and a half! :-) And, at least, i guess it is geting me to make up my bed everyday......

Changes........

So, back from my vacation for a week and what has happened? Lots!


1) I put in notice at my job! Yes, next week I will be starting a new job at a new company! Exciting, yes, because I have been so uninspired by my job it is not even funny. It has not lived up to its promise for the past year and a half and my relationship with my boss has deteriorated as she has continued to poorly manage our group. It is sad because I used to have respect for her as a professional (this is the second time that I have worked for her so she didnt start out this way!)

Anyway, I have been on a job search, but had been looking for opportunities in other cities because I have been interested in moving from the city. But it seems that it is not meant to be right now...... An opportunity (totally unsolicited) presented itself to work in this new company in a new group in the company that has a lot of visibility and is about the only thing there that is of interest to me. So...... I decided to take it..... I negotiated an, albeit small, salary increase despite the fact it is a lateral move. I am ready for new challenges --- hopefully, this will fit the bill! ;-)

2) Change number 2 is that I am now looking for property to buy! (Ugh!) So, since I was planning on moving out of the city, I decide to move in with a friend last year when my rent was up. She has a large townhouse in an area near my (soon to be old) job and the price was right. And it gave me the flexibility to leave whenever I wanted. Well, now that I know that I am not leaving for at least a year most likely, I am being compelled to look at home-ownership. I would probably move a little more slowly if given the chance, for both financial and just comfort reasons, but my roommate has just put her house on the market and wants to sell it in the next couple months so that is putting a little added pressure on me. I am actually looking at duplexes or something that could have some rental income coming in to defray some of my mortgage expense. My agent is trying to encourage me to buy in some transitionary areas on the edge of some really popular parts of town. (He actually owns a duplex nearby.) It is amazing to me that there are new loft buildings right around the corner from these places with units that are selling for ridiculous amounts of money and I get nervous driving down the street to get to it. But apparently the white folks who are buying up stuff in the area do not have the same concern. So, would I be taking a risk buying there? Or getting ahead of a wave of gentrification in that area? Will the neighborhood be cleaned up? How long would it take for the neighborhood to turn? It is all little risky and a little scary.....

So everything is changing, in the matter of a week or so! Whew! I guess I will just hang on for the ride! Wish me luck!

Aruba Inspiration....

Thought I would share a couple artistic shots from the trip......






Some things about Picasa are very cool..... Sepia tone!












My high school art teacher would be proud! Compostion! Perspective! Okay, can you tell I am a litte impressed with myself..... :-)







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Aruba Ariba!



Well, if you have kept up with Brunsli's posts, then you know that we did make it to Aruba and we did have a great time!










Here are a few pictures that you didnt see on her blog....







Me on the dunes on the north end of the beach








During a little off-roading........ Technically, I think we were supposed to rent a jeep or something to go off road but we took our little Suburu Liana and put it to the test! Brunsli handled the dirt roads like a professional stunt driver.









Us at Bushiribana Ruins.....










Let me just say, the sun in Aruba is intense! I saw beet-red white folks walking around all the time, continuing to sunbathe despite the condition of their skin. One woman, who had freckles all over her shoulders to start, was so red I didn't even know that color was possible. And she was sitting in a chair in the shallow water on the beach, reading a book. Can you say skin cancer! I also met this guy from the DC area who was dark (like Morris Chesnut dark -- or a little darker) and has probably never had a sunburn in his life. He was about to put more Cocoa Butter on his shoulders (his first day there in Aruba) and I was like "Boy, you need to get yourself some sunscreen! As dark as he was, you could still see bright red under the tint of his skin. Next time we saw him, he was wearing a t-shirt on the beach. I guess he learned his lesson. Black people be warned, despite all your natural protection, you can burn too!









Me and the sea!
(wearing SPF 50 :-)












Sadly, this is becoming a distant memory already! So much has happened since I got back! Its all sort of been a whirlwind. I will post more about all that in a few.......
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Sunday, May 21, 2006

I just want to get to the beach!!!! Ugh!

Well, my nice long beach vacation is being challenged with flight cancellations! We have given up getting there for the second time in two days (this time with a side trip to Charlotte -- woopee!) Anyway, we are keeping our fingers crossed for our flight tomorrow.

Third times the charm, right?

For more details, check out Brunsli's posts here and here. She is a much more enthusiatic and consistent blogger than I am...... Right now I am more concerned about getting some good food and drink! But I hd to represent a little bit!

Shout out to Soufriere! You definitely got us, dawg!

Thursday, May 18, 2006

My brush with fame......

My roommate saw Boris Kodjo and Nicole Ari Parker with their baby in Whole Foods this weekend. Apparently, people are always running into famous people around here. I have lived here for almost 4 years and the only famous person I have met has been Dominique Wilkins.....

So I was talking to my friend from DFW tonight about this and I was reminded of my only true brush with fame. I was actually in South Africa, taking a tour of Soweto, the famous township in Johannesburg that was the seat of the Uprising against apartheid.


















We had gone to all the spots and, as is tradition with these tours, ended up at Wandi's, a famous restaurant where tour goers eat lunch at the end of their tours and leave business cards up on the walls to mark their visit.




A classmate and I were just leaving the restaurant (everyone else was already outside) and we were looking at the wall for the business cards of our friends who had been there the year before.




I was standing in front of her and was just about to step thru the bright sunny doorway when, framed in the light, appeared the silhouette of a tall slim man with a child riding on his back. I gasped and my friend behind me nudged me, wondering why I stopped.


There, coming in the door, was Will Smith with his son riding piggyback on his back. We said hi and he smiled, said hi, and walked past us into the restuarant and was starting to sit down at a table, his "entourage" behind him. We had heard that he was in South Africa promoting "Ali" but had no reason we would run into him in a South African township!

We decided that we could not let this opportunity pass us by so we went back into the restaurant to talk to him. Will, besides looking even better than he does in the movies, with nice curly hair and little freckles sprinkled across his nose, was very nice. He took the time to take pictures with both of us and invited us to stay for lunch. Unfortunately, we had just finished eating and the rest of our tour group was ready to go so we couldn't stay :-( But I will always have my picture!

Monday, May 08, 2006

Good News!!

The friend of Brunsli and mine, who she mentioned in her post last week, who was shot on the job is out of the hospital! We are very happy that he is on the mend! He had actually been pretty seriously injured, was critical condition for a number of days, and had a deflated lung so we are very relieved. Thanks to all of you who sent well wishes and positive thoughts his way!

Thursday, May 04, 2006

They are dropping like flies!.....

So this past weekend I attended the wedding of a friend of mine from undergrad in Baltimore. Actually, I was in the wedding. I was one of the bridesmaids even though I am friends with the groom. (Originally, he was told that if he wanted me to be in the wedding I would have to be a groomsman and wear a tux but, as you can see, things change....)

We really had a great time. They pulled out all the stops. The rehearsal dinner was delicious and so much food! A four course meal with champagne and wine flowing.... If any of you are in Baltimore you have to go have a meal at Helen's Garden ( http://www.helensgarden.com/V2/) in Canton.

The wedding was in this beautiful old church in downtown Baltimore and the wedding reception was at the Inner Harbor Marriott. They reserved the whole ballroom floor and had a cocktail reception with a jazz band before the dinner. There was also a private reception for the wedding party at this time in another room.

Then, the dinner was another four course affair. They also had an open bar and a vodka luge (see picture below) Very dangerous! And the bartender wasn't mixing martinis and pouring them through -- just mixtures of flavored vodka, straight vodka.



Anyway, their wedding cake was from this renouned bakery called Sugarbaker's so who knows how much that cost and they had a really famous Baltimore DJ for music after the dinner. And it was good music too! We were jammin! Here is a picture of the cake and the happy couple dancing up a storm!




I will see if I can get any pictures from someone else of me getting my groove on because I sure was burning up the dance floor!






Here I am with my good friend, Eve (also from undergrad), and the groom.



As for my hair, I had seen someone with their hair like this and asked her how she did it and this has become one of my formal hairstyles. Basically, you pull your hair back in a ponytail placed about where you want the bun to be and then you take each lock and start twisting it individually. They twist up on each other and stay twisted. when you are done you have this big twisty bun! And, if one sticks out, you just tuck it in. Very easy to maintain. And it passed the hardcore dancing test no sweat. Also, it stays pretty well when you sleep. I decided to take it down the next day though because it was getting heavy and my neck was getting tired. But I love the style. I might have to wear it more often!




Addendum: So..... in response to some of the comments...... it took about an hour or so to twist all the hair up. The bride was actually very practical about the bridesmaid dresses -- the only requirements were that they be black and floor length and we could wear something we already owned if we had it. Halleluyah! So I did, I wore a dress I already owned and had only worn once or twice. Worked out great. As for the bouquet, i was standing right behind the bride but she threw the bouquet off to the left, nowhere near me. Life goes on!

Reply to a comment....

I was asked in a comment to my last post (which was so long ago that I am embarrased) if my hair is heavy when it is wet since it is so long. I have to say that I am really surprised (and others are too) at how light my locks are, whether dry or wet. They are obviously heavier when they are wet but not all that noticeably so. I also try to get as much of the water out of them as I can by using one of those super absorbant travel towels to sqeeze the water out and wrap my head of with after I wash them. I got mine from www.travelsmith.com.

Saturday, April 22, 2006

Sharing......

So it occured to me that probably about all the pictures I have posted on this blog so far are of my hair as it looks when I make it wazy by braiding it and letting it dry that way after I have washed it. I find that I wear my hair like this most of the time but every few months or so I decide to just let it dry "straight." I am in one of those periods now.

So I thought I would share some picture of me after a recent washing and re-twisting.....




Oh, and at the urging of Brunsli and her talk of 600+ SLs, I once counted mine. I am somewhere around 200....

Saturday, April 15, 2006

Catching up........ Should Brunsli trim her hair?

So I was remiss in posting a comment to Brunsli's posts about whether or not she should trim some of her locks because they are uneven. First let me say that I am not a beauty salon type of person. So my approach to this question probably comes from a different place. I would not think, "Should I get my locks trimmed?...." Instead, my thought process is more like this, "My locks are uneven..... Where are my scissors??" So, given that, my advice is as follows:

If your locks are uneven, then trim some. Just pull out your scissors, get in the mirror, pull one of the locks tight and cut! Make sure you account for the bounceback when cutting but go ahead and do it! If you cut one too short, that is okay. Correct on the next one.

Friday, April 14, 2006

Go Susan Taylor!

So I had been thinking about posting my thoughts on Hampton new "hair policy" for business school students, especially in light of my educational background (I have an MBA and recieved my MBA 6 years into having locks.) I am really disappointed by the narrow-mindedness of the university and the discriminatory precedent that it is setting. I have yet to have a problem, either in business school nor interviewing for jobs becuase of my hair and I don't think that we should allow or encourage people to make an issue of it when it should not be. Encourage the students to be polished and put together but to imply that you can't do that and have locks or braids is....... small-minded.

Anyway, I am happy to say that someone of note has stood up against this policy. See below:

SUSAN L. TAYLOR PROTESTS HAMPTON’S HAIR POLICY:
Essence exec against school policy about unacceptable ‘braids and dreadlocks.’
April 14, 2006

*Susan L. Taylor, the editorial director of Essence magazine, pulled out of a speaking engagement at Hampton University recently after learning of its policy on acceptable hairstyles for students in the five-year master's of business administration program.
"Braids, dreadlocks and other unusual hairstyles are not acceptable" is the university's policy as reported by Journalism's Richard Prince on April 12. Taylor, who has worn long braids for years, decided to protest the rule by withdrawing her participation at the school’s 28th Annual Conference on the Black Family held last month.
"I recently withdrew my participation in the 28th Annual Conference on the Black Family at Hampton University,"
"I began receiving emails from numerous sources advising me of disturbing regulations disallowing locks and braided hairstyles for Hampton students,” Taylor told Murray for his Monday BV Buzz column. “One such email included an Associated Press story headlined: 'University Bans Certain Hairstyles for Students.' As a businesswoman and public figure who has proudly worn my hair braided for more than 25 years, I was incredulous and felt insulted. My executive assistant, Debra Parker, contacted the university for clarification, and when she was advised that this was the school's policy, I easily made the decision to cancel my visit.
"The freedom to wear our hair in ways that celebrate our heritage is one of our 'rites of passage.' Students would benefit from learning how to care for and groom locks and braids and wear them in ways that are appropriate in a business setting," Taylor wrote on March 28.
Taylor said she even recommended that Dr. William R. Harvey, the university president, "reconsider this policy and invite informed image consultants to address students in your business program about how to make individual style work in the corporate environment. Perhaps the greatest challenge . . . students will face in the work world is remaining whole and true to themselves in environments that are often hostile to African-Americans. Staying connected to our community and culture is critical. Trying to transform themselves to fit into hardly welcoming environments has scarred countless numbers of Black people."
Ultimately, Dean Sid Credle of the Hampton School of Business is standing by the code, “and said a more clean-cut look can be an asset to almost any student seeking advancement in the corporate world," wrote Ieesha Mckinzie in a March 27th story on Black College Wire.
Story courtesy of http://eurweb.com

I don't want to offend any of you HBCU'ers or Hamptonites out there but...... Boo on Hampton!!! And everyone, make sure your Essence subscriptions are up to date!

Sunday, April 02, 2006

Acknowledging those in your community....

Sorry, it has taken me so long to post something new..... I have been fighting with a browser hijacker virus all weekend.... Please everyone, make sure that you have antivirus, antispyware and firewall software and that it is up to date and actively monitoring. Especially if you are doing a lot of surfing..... Take it from me!! I am still fighting this stupid thing!!!

Anyway, thought I would solicit your thoughts on something, you anonymous readers out there. There is something that I have noticed since I have been here in Atlanta and I am wondering if it is an Atlanta thing or just a change of the times because there are so many more people with locks out there in the world.......

Used to be, a few years ago, when I lived in another city, when I would encounter someone with locks on the street, or in the subway etc, we would acknowledge each other ---- with a nod or a hello --- an acknowledgement of the brother/sisterhood, of our joint membership in a society, an acknowledgement that we had something in common. I would liken it to the nod that black people would give each other when they passed each other on the street --- a sort of "Hey, you are like me. We are members in the same struggle" nod or greeting. (which, by the way, I don't see that much of anymore either...) What I am trying to say is that this doesn't happen to me in Atlanta. I mean, occasionally I will get people, mostly those without locks, coming up to me to compliment my hair but very little acknowledgement from those who have shared in a similar hair journey with me!

So, I am wondering...... Is this a common experience? Is this the same experience that you all are having out there? Or is it really, as I suspect, that Atlanta is different. That for some reason, that feeling of camaraderie does not exist here. I could be wrong and I am open to hear all opinions. So please, let me know what you think and what you have experienced...... I miss it!

Brunsli knows what I am talking about. She wrote about it here a few months ago....

Sunday, March 26, 2006

Oops! I forgot Jamaica......


I got obsessed with getting these pictures posted and forgot to talk about Jamaica. Went to Jamaica with Brunsli and I got called Rasta Princess everywhere we went! After that, then they alternated between hitting on you, trying to sell you weed or both...... Did go to this local restaurant and had someone tell me that I looked like Maxi Priest's sister. Not like I look like Maxi Priest, but that he has a sister and I look like her......

Pictures to go with previous post.....

So, here are the pictures that were supposed to be integrated into the previous post..... I may go back and try now that things seem to be working.....


Sorry, I dont have any pictures from India..... My camera got stolen there.... Long story.....










Turkey: Under thre canopy at Topkapi Palace



















Me in a club called Skuba in Chile! Fun!!!!!















Copacabana Beach in Rio.......












With a Brazilian friend at at y friend's wedding in Peru......

















With the mariachi guy on the Tequila train in Jalisco, Mexico and on the beach in Puerta Vallarta...
















Hout Bay on the southern coast of South Africa, near Capetown! Breathtaking!!!!!!