On the Road Again

Next week will be a busy week for me.

I leave for a conference with work at 8am on Monday morning. I come back on Wednesday night and then I head out for the rest of the week to my sorority Regional Conference. It’s here in Philly but I will still be away from home.

Mr. 1969 will be holding down the fort all week. So, this weekend, I  have lots of shopping, packing and cleaning to do.

Gotta make sure there is enough food in the house, beer in the fridge and take care of my men.

I am getting my hair done this afternoon and I need to swing by Tarjhay for a few items….whew…..this is going to be one of those weekends.

I may blog sporadically, I may not

Either way, I will be sure to come back with a bang and lots of pictures.

And to my sorors heading in town for the conference….Miss B, Nina….ahem….uh Roycee, what’s up? I will see you at the Hotel. Call me when you get in!

Have a great week.

What’s it Gonna Be?

If you have ever been around a young girl in her early teens, then you know how serious her music icons are to her. Well, in my day, there were crews.

There was the Ne.w Ed.i.tion crew. These girls were hardcore. They had the buttons on their jackets. Ronnie, Bobby, Ricky, Mike and Ralph were household names. You knew all of the words from Mr. Telephone Man to Jealous Girl.

Then there was the Menudo contingent. If you lived anywhere near a spanish speaking population….then you felt the power of the Menudo experience. The only song I knew was this one sung by lead Rob.by Ro.sa but these boys were HUGE.

And the biggest battle raged between two individuals. You remember……..it all came down to MJ and his Royal Purpleness. Now MJ was a bad boy. He was hands down, one of the best entertainers ever. I mean, Papa Joe was whooping dat azz on a daily basis and it showed. He was near perfection. From the videos to the live performance. He was a born star and rightly so. Everybody loved Mike. (Shouts out for my two favorite MJ songs.)

And then there was Prince. *sigh*

I loved me some Prince. My first brush with him was through this song. After that came Purple Rain and I was never the same  again. From the beautiful words of A.dore to the pure heat of Do Me Baby, Scandalous and Insatiable. No one does it better than Prince.

So after hearing that he needs to have hip replacement surgery this week….it made me feel like my icon was getting older….and so am I.

I hope the recovery is smooth and most of all…..thanks for the years of great music! THIS IS MY ALL TIME FAVORITE. Greatest Prince song eva. Enjoy.

Me, from L to Z

L- Libations. Ahh, margaritas on the rocks with salt, Caribbean rum and fresh pineapple juice. I love a good cocktail….delicioso!

M-Maracas Bay. My favorite place to go in Trinidad. The view is spectacular and the beach food? Phenomenal. It’s a must see destination.

N-Nineteen Sixty Nine. The year I was born.

O-Opinionated. I can’t help it. I think alot. And I usually have an opinion. I don’t mind sharing it with folks either in case you didn’t get the memo.

P-Potlucks. I hate them at work. Old nasty, no hand washing, four cat having folks offering you casserole. YUCK.

Q-Quiz. I am such a geek. I love any type of game. Scrabble, Pictionary, Sudoku, Jeopardy, etc. You name it, I will beat you at it. LOL

R-Reggae. I love Reggae music. From Bob Marley to Barrington Levy to Toots and the Maytals to Gregory Isaacs to Yellowman to Buju. *holds lighter in the air*

S-Shoes. *sigh*

T-Television. I am a TV Junkie. Here is the lineup: Lost, Project Runway, Top Chef, Criminal Minds, CNN, ESPN and the Daily Show.

U-Ugly. Hey, I can’t be cute all the time.

V-Vanessa Williams. The other woman in my marriage. Mr. 1969′s true love. Dat heffa.

W-Wisdom. Hopefully getting wiser everyday. Trying to continue to learn from past mistakes and make better choices and decisions.

X-Xylophone. I used to have one when I was little. You know, the kind with a string that you pull around the house? I remember I tried to hit my cousin Darren with the stick when he kept making me Hutch during our Starsky and Hutch game.

Y-Yellow. Is HOT for the Spring! Shoes, Bags, Etc….

Z-Zia. My Soror who is back to blogging. Love ya Baby Sis.

Me, from A to K

Totally inspired by Ha.ll.e’s interview in In.Sty.le. Here are the first words that come to mind and why.

A-Adventure. I love to travel and experience new things. It feeds my soul. I am always looking forward to the next one.

B-Boys. I live in a house full of boys (Mr. 1969 included). I wouldn’t trade it for anything. So much love, fun, and giggles. But cleaning toilets, laundry with missing socks, holes in new jeans, toy cars everywhere, Tho.mas the tank engine overload, poop discussions and wrestling……do wear me out from time to time.

C-Cooking. I love food. I love to cook. I love all things Culinary. Enuf said.

D-Dresses. Is there anything more fabulous than the perfect dress? From a strappy sundress to the perfect cocktail dress. I love dresses and can wear one for any occassion.

E-Energy. I need some. Can someone please Fedex some to me by tomorrow? Thanks! (see related comments re:Boys above)

F-Feroche Coutoura. There is a designer on Proj.ect Run.way that said if he were a Superhero…his name would be Feroche Coutura and his power would be a super can of hairspray that shoots fire. LMAO. TEAM CHRISTIAN. He is so fabulous. Love it!

G-Graciousness. I believe that the art of being Gracious is fading in our society. People are lacking social graces. Translation……folks ain’t got no damned manners. Writing thank you cards, following up with people, saying please and thank you…..*sigh* Can you tell this is a pet peeve of mine?

H-House. We are currently in the midst of remodeling our home. It is a LOOOONNNGGG process but I love it. The transformation in some of the space has been wonderful. There are times however, that I just wish it were all done.

I-Ish.kabibbles. Best chicken cheesesteak in Philly….served with peppers and onions and real provolone cheese. MMMmmm.

J-Jesus. Some of you need Him. LOL

K-Ka.nebo. The last time I was in Barney’s in NYC (just looking, I ain’t balling like that) I got a sample of this stuff. Let me tell you…there is no lip balm like this . I don’t know if they use fresh angel wings or newborn baby skin in it but it eliminates crusty lips in an instant. So of course, I get hooked on the sample but REFUSE to pay $67 bucks for some lip stuff. Well, I was in Chinatown in Philly and came across a cosmetics store that sells the sample sized lip stuff for $3. YES!!!!!!  These are the moments that make 1969 soooo happy.

It’s my party….

On Saturday, we drove up to celebrate my cousin’s daughter’s first birthday party. We got there expecting fun, cake and kids….we walked into the fancy, upscale restaurant, with table assignments, high end buffet….uh…..wedding reception atmosphere.

*Crickets*

Hey, her grandparents are well off and she’s their only grandbaby….so, hey…do you. Just make sure my name is on the guest list for all of your swanky affairs cause the food was great. (I love broccoli rabe and gnocchi!)

The Tali’s just wanted to run around and play and this was NOT one of those type of affairs. LOL. I spent most of the party trying to erra….contain their enthusiasm.

And what did the birthday girl do? She slept through most of her party. She was recovering from a cold and they had to wake her up to cut the cake and sing Happy Birthday. *sigh*

Who are these parties really for because I think she would have had more fun at Chuck E. Cheese or with Elmo.

Snow Day

I was in a major bind yesterday. You know when you need a huge favor and you are at a total loss for finding someone to help you out?

Just when I resigned myself to the fact that I was going to have to do everything by myself….a friend called me out of the clear blue and offered to help me.  Then this morning, I got another offer of help.

I really was at the end of my rope and somehow, it all fell into place.  Yes, I know I am Blessed beyond belief and so grateful for both of my friends for helping me.

Some days, even I…Superwoman, feel like I am buried under so many things with no one to turn to. I hate asking for help. I hate bugging people. However, you have to ask to receive.

Yesterday, I encouraged young people to seek help when they need it. I struggled with doing just that my whole life. When you are the oldest child, in a home where your parents are divorcing….you don’t want to add to the stress.

I learned to internalize all of my personal issues. I never talked to anyone about them. I just dealt with it or kept it inside.

It took me many years to understand that I was just a kid. I needed direction. I should have talked to someone and forced them to deal with me. Because I was quiet, they always assumed that everything was okay. People are only human. They don’t read minds.

I still struggle with this issue. I am not a complainer and I view needing help sometimes as a sign of weakness. I know I shouldn’t but I do. I feel like I should be able to do everything. Can you say perfectionist? LOL

I am working on it everyday. I hope to raise children that will always be open about their issues and talk to Mr. 1969 and I if they need an opinion or face a challenge.

You could say I plan to grow up with my kids.

Have a great weekend.

For the 18 and Under Crowd

I have been tagged by one of my favorite Bloggers, the fabulous Liz. 

Here are the rules:

1. Post these rules before presenting your list.
2. List 6 actions or achievements you think every person should accomplish before turning 18.
3. There are no conditions on what can be included on the list.
4. At the end of your blog, choose 6 people to get tagged and list their names.
5. People who are tagged write their own blog entry with their 6 suggestions.
6. Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them they’re tagged.

Hmmm….6 actions or achievements I think you should accomplish before turning 18. It’s been 20 years since I was 18. Whew!

1. Volunteer/Get Involved

All teenagers are selfish. I don’t even blame them. No responsibilities, parents to take care of all their needs….life is indeed all about them. To counteract all of that ME, ME, ME…..I think the best thing they can do is volunteer. Get a dose of reality. Learn that life doesn’t hand everyone everything on a silver platter. Interact with those less fortunate. When you help others, it helps YOU even more.

2. Get a Job

Even if it’s a paper route, a part-time job in retail, babysitting your neighbor’s kids. Work. Understand what it means to have responsibilities to someone else. The lessons are so important. Showing up on time, handling tasks, dealing with people. It all goes hand in hand with…

3. Start a Savings Account

When you get that job. Learn to always set aside a percentage of your paycheck. Save your money. Learn the difference between needs and wants. Learn the value of credit early. You will be glad you did when you get older.

4. It’s okay to seek help when you need it.

Not all teenagers come from great home environments and most don’t have the answers. There is no shame in not knowing something. However, when you find yourself in that situation….don’t bury your head in the sand….get help. Find out where you can go. If you can’t talk to your mom about s.e.x, find a resource where you can get information and ask the real questions. If you are getting abused or mistreated…. If you are depressed….seek out an adult or agency that can help you. You deserve to have help and there are people that care about you. If they aren’t in your house…find them.

5. Understand your self worth.

I know your whole world revolves around what to wear to school today and hopefully bumping into that hot girl in the cafeteria. But stop for a minute and understand that YOU are valuable. Your life does matter. You have a future and a purpose. Do not waste your talents by selling drugs, giving your body away to someone you don’t care about, drinking, smoking, killing….etc. Your life is precious and valuable. Even if the future looks bleak today…you can change it. You really can. Today does not define where you are going to be in 20 years. The choices you make do affect your future. Make smart ones.

6. Not all Friends are Friends

Did you read that young people? These are the famous words of Mama 1969. She said this to me on a consistent basis and it has proven true more times than I can count. Just because you call them friends doesn’t mean they are. Not everyone that you hang out with or fall in love with has your best interests at heart. Be independent in your thinking. Learn to lead the pack and not be led. If everyone is about to do something you KNOW is wrong or dangerous…..never be afraid to say….NO. And anyone that advises you to do things your parents are against…..give them the stiff arm treatment. That individual could care less about you. Remember that.

I am going to tag one person because she has been away from her blog for too long. Roycee…..get to writing.

A Grande please!

On my commute home tonight, I saw a young boy standing at the bus stop next to me in a hoodie. He had gloves, a hat and a hoodie. It was freezing and he was standing there shivering.

I asked him if he lost his coat. (I can’t help it, I’m a mom). He smiled and said no….he forgot it at home that morning. I swear the boy was probably ten years old. I asked him if he wanted my scarf. He said no.

I couldn’t take it…..the boy was freezing and he was making me cold just looking at him. His entire face was red. He was shivering. His teeth were chattering. He had a runny nose. I went into the Sta.rbucks behind me and bought him a Grande hot chocolate. Extra Hot.

*sigh*

I’m such a softie when it comes to little boys. By the way, his name is Chad and he’s my new bus buddy. He promised me he would wear his real coat tomorrow.

Getting Closer

If Barack pulls this off…..all I can think about is how fly the First Family will be. How wonderful for our children to see a beautiful Black couple in the White House that aren’t afraid to look….s.e.x.y and in love with each other?

It’ s like a real life Cosby show. Seriously….successful, educated black couple, beautiful children. I am so excited at the possibilities that lay ahead. The change that is on the horizon.

Every night, my oldest Tali asks me if we have a new President yet. “Did Barack Obama win?” As a parent of two young Black males, how proud would I be to be able to show them that we really can accomplish anything in America through hard work and determination? Especially the highest position in the Nation.

Now THAT would be progress. Go Barack, Go.

The Spawn

My baby brother and I are seven years apart. I had all of that delicious time enjoying myself as an only child before he eventually invaded my life and my personal space.

I can’t say that I was thrilled to have him around at first.

Remember those old school playpens made out of mesh? Well, he was about four months old when my mom walked into the living room one day and saw that someone had cut little holes all over the playpen and filled them with flowers as uh……decoration.

There was also that time I used every single one of his newborn diapers on my Baby Alive. (That whooping still hurts!)

Then there was open school night where we were each asked to draw family portraits. My first grade teacher asked my mom how I was coping with the new baby. “She’s doing great. Adjusting very well.” Then my teacher whipped out the picture I drew. My fabulous picture featured me in between my mom and stepdad. Locked in a warm embrace.  If you looked……way in the corner of the page, I drew THE BABY. LOL

So yes, he was the bane of my existence for quite some time.

I remember one day I wanted to go to the mall with my friends. I dragged him in my room and told him I was going to the mall.

“I want to go too.”

“You don’t want to hang out with a bunch of girls.”

“I don’t?”

“Nope. And, if you stay home, I’ll give you this dollar. So when mommy asks you if you want to go with me…JUST SAY NO, Okay?”

“Okay.”

Moments later…..he starts crying super loudly. My mom comes over, scoops him up and asks him what’s wrong.

“I want to go to with 1969 but she told me I better say no when you ask me. WAAaaaaaah.”

*sigh*

So yes, I tortured him for many years. But you best believe I kicked major butt for him all of my life. Nobody messed with MY baby brother…. except ME.

He grew up into a great man. His friendship and support mean the world to me and I would still kick butt on his behalf. I am so proud of him. He has the best sense of humor and NO ONE makes me laugh more than he does.

So on this wonderful day, allow me the opportunity to wish my baby Brother a very Happy 32nd Birthday. Have a great day and I’ll see you on Saturday. Love you!

P.S. You never gave me back my dollar punk!