Wednesday, January 30, 2008

Good morning, Sunshine.

Lately I haven't been able to get to sleep. I've been trying to go to bed earlier because I have several morning classes where paying attention is critical. So, I finally decided to get some sleep aid, Unisom. I finished everything I was supposed to do last night earlier than I expected and thought it'd be the perfect night to try the pill. So I popped it around 9:50, saw the end of The Biggest Loser, saw the beginning of Law & Order SVU...and that's all folks! I probably fell asleep before 10:30. This morning I woke up at 7:30, 9 hours later, refreshed and alert. This is an amazing feat considering that I haven't seen the 7 o'clock hour in what seems like forever. I usually go to bed between 3am and 4am. So I'm excited to have the whole day ahead of me. I have made a plan for my day and hopefully I'll stick to it as best as I can. Just wanted to let y'all know that Unisom is on point.

Tuesday, January 29, 2008

Who Should I vote for?

This survey didn't solve anything for me. Hillary and Barack are still hella close. Well, the primaries are a-coming and I've got to make a firm stand one way or another. Maybe I'll do a little research and re-take the quiz. Some of the questions that I just left in neutral, I could probably have taken more of a stand on. We'll see.











Bill Richardson - 78 match

You must be looking for a moderate liberal with impressive credentials. If you live in Iowa or New Hampshire, you could have voted for Bill Richardson. Otherwise, you're out of luck. After finishing 4th in both states, Richardson dropped out of the presidential race.

Experienced in state, national, and international politics, Richardson has been a Congressman, an ambassador to the United Nations Security Council, and is now the governor of New Mexico. He is pro-choice, strongly favors rights for the LGBT population, advocates for affirmative action in government contracts, and even championed the idea that Congress should revoke the original authority it gave to go to war with Iraq. Richardson also supports the death penalty and gun ownership rights.

Hillary Clinton - 74 match

Hillary Clinton is a liberal democrat who is unpopular among conservatives for advocating universal health care, abortion rights, and civil unions. She is resented in the anti-war crowd for having authorized a military strike in Iraq and not apologizing since. People see her as power-hungry and willing to do anything to get to the top, even stay with her unfaithful husband. However, Clinton has 8 years of experience in the White House, 25 years in national politics and is currently serving her second term as a popular New York senator. She knows how to make and deliver policy which puts her ahead of the inexperienced presidential hopefuls.


Barack Obama - 71 match

You must be ambitious and idealistic, like Barack Obama. Obama is a liberal democrat who, unlike his rivals, opposed the Iraq war from the start. With only 3 years in the Senate, his inexperience worries some and sometimes reveals itself in the debates, but he also has the charisma and popular support that the others lack.


Take the test.

Friday, January 25, 2008

Friday Rap Up - Get Boo'd Up

Another one of my resolutions for this year was to get boo'd up. Translation: Get me somebody to love on. Heh. I'm still working on this one.

Thursday, January 24, 2008

A letter to Iraq.


I met a guy online yesterday. He sent me a Yahoo instant message and we chatted for a while before he let me know that he is currently serving in Iraq. He was really nice (and cute) and we actually had some great conversation so I was pleasantly surprised. Then he asked me something that took me back a little bit; he asked if I would write him a letter.

OF COURSE!!! I probably haven't written a letter to someone since 10th grade, but I love (LOVE) writing letters. With everyone having email, IM, and all this newfandangle technology, the art of letter writing has almost become extinct.

The thing is, I don't know this guy. We did chat for about 2 hours, though, so I know a few things. I know he likes music and women with dimples. He went to Morehouse and before the Army he worked at CNN. Usually when you write a letter to someone, you know them. You share some interests, know the same people, have memories together, something. With this guy, I don't have the luxury of any of those things. I guess I'll just write from my heart.

I'm sure he'll be excited to receive something at mail call, in the same way that I'm excited to be writing a letter to a soldier in Iraq.

Tuesday, January 22, 2008

The Ex Factor.


As you all know from previous posts, I have an ex-boyfriend. A major ex-boyfriend, considering the fact that we were together for 7 years. But I don't think I've ever mentioned my previous ex. He was my "thug love." The guy that got caught undressing me in my bedroom when I was 15, the guy that "borrowed" some of my checks and said he'd let me know when I should report them stolen. This was also the guy who gave me his entire semester's book of math homework to do two days before it needed to be handed in, and blamed ME when he didn't pass.

They say when it rains, it pours. And they were not lying. I received a random phone call from "thug love" one day last week. We talked it up, chatted about old times and WHAM!! He hit me with, "So when can I come visit you?" Huh? Really? Because I haven't seen you in 10 years. So I kind of tip-toed around the question and we concluded our conversation nicely.

THEN...
As I was saying bye to "thug ex," "Major Ex" beeps in. I'm thinking to myself Is today Ex's Day? (Which should totally be a day, if it already isn't.) So I click over, and tell him how weird it was that he called because I'd just gotten off of the phone with the other ex. I told him "thuggie" kept coming at me with his whole "second chance skit" and I wasn't feeling it. "Major Ex" asked if he was also guilty of the "SCS" when he calls me. Easily I replied, "Yeah." I don't know if he thought I would be so direct about it, but who cares. Then, as if I'd reeled him in with some sort of possibility bait, he starts going on about how people that were together as long as we were shouldn't just lose all communication. He wanted to see me. He still had love for me. Blah, blah. And for a second, just one, I found myself agreeing with what he was saying. What could be the harm in meeting for lunch? I mean, we were together for 7 long years. And we hadn't seen each other since we broke up. Why not?

**record scratch**
He has a girlfriend. It's not we couldn't be friends regardless, it's just that his motto is "Men and women can't be just friends." And there it was. I knew he wouldn't be telling his girl about our meeting and I didn't want to be the ex who was having secret meetings with her man. EW. That is sooooo not me.

Maybe he doesn't think we broke up fairly; maybe he feels I gave up too easily; maybe he thinks we should have never broken up. But I don't. That's why I don't call you, that's why I don't want to meet up with you, and maybe "Major Ex," just maybe, you need to try to make the relationship you're in better than the relationship you had with me.

To all of my exes: You are my ex for a reason. Believe that. I've learned my lesson.

Friday, January 18, 2008

Friday Rap Up - 4 pounds

I resolved to lose weight this year (again), but actually do it this time. In order to get 'er done, I've been doing Slim in 6. You have to do one of the videos 6 times per week. I've also been watching what I'm putting in my mouth. I wouldn't say I'm dieting necessarily, but I'm making much better choices. I started the program on Jan. 1st, and my workout coach (from the Beachbody message boards) advised me to only weigh in twice a month. I weighed in on the 15th, and in 14 days, I've already lost 4 pounds and 7 inches (2 whole inches in my waist alone). I know it's going to be a long, hard road. But this time, I think I've actually prepared myself for the trip.


Thursday, January 17, 2008

This tagging stuff has got to stop.

Two Names you go by:
1) TracieMae
2) GooGoo (only by the MooMoo)


Two Things You Are Wearing Right Now:
1) Slippers
2) A t-shirt from an old radio station where I worked


Two Things You Would Want (or have) in a Relationship:
1) the ability to communicate openly
2) No-nonsense silliness that any man dealing with me would have to also have a little bit of.


Two of your favorite things to do:
1) Watch TV
2) sing (oh yeah, I'm Beyonce in the shower! YA HEAR ME!!)


Two things you want very badly at the moment:
1) A gazillion dollars
2) Someone to cuddle up with


Two pets you had/have:
1) Kitty, my first cat that I named appropriately
2) Armani, my dog, that is the sweetest little pup pup (even though he's huge)


Two people you think will fill this out:
1) No
2) Body (because I'm not tagging anyone)


Two things you did last night:
1) Chatted with a new friend
2) Washed my hair. It's a very long process.


Two things you ate today:
I haven't eaten yet, but I plan on eating...
1) Cheerios, my teacher talked about them in class the other day and I had to go out and get some (oh the power of advertising)
2) A loose meat burger. Remember on Roseanne...yeah, one of those.


Two people you last talked to:
1) My friend Jade. Today is her birthday.
2) My new classmate Ruby, which is ironically Jade's first name....hmmmm.


Two things you're doing tomorrow:
1) Washing clothes...my bedroom looks like my closet threw up.
2) Working out. I've been doing fabs y'all.


Two longest car rides:
1) Jackson, MS to Charlotte, NC, in the rain all the way. It took me and my ex 12 hours and it should have only taken us 9. And he is not somebody you want to be in a car with for a long time, believe me! Not. Fun.
2) Chicago, IL to Jackson, MS. This is when my life changed. I'm still trying to figure out if the change was for the better.


Two favorite holidays:
1) Crimmuh
2) I also like St. Paddy's Day, AKA my gramma's birthday.


Two favorite beverages:
1) Sprite
2) Koolaid

Both of these drinks are no longer in my fridge...but oh how I love them.


Two people no longer alive who you'd like to talk to:
1) Gramma
2) Aaliyah

Friday, January 11, 2008

Friday Rap Up - I don't feel good.

So, I'm sick. Not like a cold sick. Not like sniffles and cough sick. It's more like nausea and a major depletion of energy sick. I'm surprised I even got through this rap up. It was really hard.


Wednesday, January 9, 2008

The 48 hour challenge.

One of my teachers challenged us to not use our cell phones for 48 hours. He talked about how times have changed and improvements in technology have basically enslaved most of us.

It just so happened that morning before I went to school I called the MooMoo who had called me 16 times during the night. She'd left 3 voice messages and 1 text urging me to call her immediately because it was important, very important. When I called her back, praying that no one in my family had passed away, she began scolding me for her loss of sleep. She claimed that I had her "sick" because I didn't answer the phone (in my sleep). I then found out that she had called my apartment complex to have them check for my car in the parking garage and to knock on my door. Luckily she only got the answering service because she called before the office had opened. Now mind you, I have a home phone that didn't ring ONCE.

Now there's a "call me everyday" mandate. How...fun.

The newly issued mandate, takes me out of the challenge but otherwise I think I could go 48 hours without using my cell phone. Internet, though, would be a different story. But aside from the occasional call from Kuh Reel Yuh, my friend Jade, and the MooMoo, no one calls me. It's really a sad situation. What's extra upsetting is that I am now used to it.

It was issued to me, so now I issue this challenge to you. Could you do it? Turn your phone off for 48 hours and not use it for anything? Or have you become addicted to technology?

Monday, January 7, 2008

This is crappy.

I finally got my nerve up enough to watch the internet-renowned video 2 girls 1 cup. I don't know if everybody has seen it but I definitely do NOT recommend viewing the video. (But I did link it so that you all can suffer through what I had to witness.) I decided to record my reaction for your viewing pleasure. Enjoy!


Friday, January 4, 2008

Friday Rap Up - Get Tested

Okay y'all sorry about that.
I was entirely beat yesterday.

Anyway, everybody knows I went to Planned Parenthood a couple of weeks ago. Well, I got my HIV test results back: NEGATIVO! Thank you very much! I am not a statistic.
But I got to thinking if I could've been. I'm always safe, but there are times when you're with people you trust that you could be like, 'don't worry about it,' and your whole life could change in that one instant. I told you before that while I was in Planned Parenthood, I saw a young couple who were there to be tested together. I thought the young lady was very smart for doing that (okay, it could've been the dude's idea, but I doubt it). And I think the next man I'm with is going to have to show and prove. I'll go with him and get tested again if he wants me too, but I gotta see some paperwork.

Wednesday, January 2, 2008

I just realized...

...that I hadn't given y'all any kind of hair update AND I never gave the link to my Fotki hair album like I said I would waaaaaaaaaay back in the day.

So, it's been 16 weeks since my last relaxer. That's 4 months for the calendar-challenged. The new growth is coming in full force and is basically taking over. I also have not used any type of heat on my hair in 12 weeks. I've just been twisting or rolling and air drying it. I don't even miss the heat. But this new growth is getting out of control. I no longer can just slap my hair in a ponytail, or wear it out without repercussions. The other day I tried the "Rudy Huxtable" big hair thing and I was looking a hot mess. The "Rudy" used to be my thing. Now, no more.
I think I now have about two inches of new growth, but the BIG CHOP is coming soon peoples. I can't divulge the exact release date, but when it comes out...cop that, cop that!

Here's what my new growth looks like today:


Here's the "Rudy Huxtable" look that I miss so much:


Check out MY FOTKI PAGE for more pics. Go there, comment, give me advice, HELP ME!! Thank ya kindleeee.

I'm addictive.

The video that I posted just 4 short days ago has already had almost 5000 views according to YouTube! Wow! That's amazing to me. I also have 250 subscribers on YouTube who want to be notified whenever I post a new video. What a way to start the new year! Hopefully I'll only go up from here. YAY!

So the weirdest thing happened...

Y'all know how I think I'm a little bit psychic right? It was one of those 101 things about me.

Well check this. Ever since I moved to this apartment (last May) I couldn't find one of my favorite workout DVD's (Turbo Jam). I even went on Ebay to try to get it in an auction but I lost every auction where I placed a bid. I knew I wanted to start doing this DVD when the new year started but I just couldn't find it anywhere.

While I was in Mississippi I had a dream...."that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice"....oh wait, child that wasn't my dream, that was MLK Jr. Heh. In MY dream I was flipping through a photo album and my Turbo Jam DVD fell out. When I woke up I remembered it (which is amazing all by itself, I usually never remember my dreams) and I thought about it all week.

As soon as I got back to Atlanta I went to the drawer where I keep my photo albums. I reached in and lifted up the pages of one of them and started to flip through and lo and behold my TURBO JAM was right there. I'd been looking for that DVD for 7 months and I finally found it after I dreamed exactly where it was. I was so spooked. Tears welled up in my eyes, I clutched my chest, and had to lean back on the door for balance. I couldn't believe what had just happened. But for me...it solidified that I'm not just making stuff up; somebody or something is telling me stuff. *insert scary music here*

Tuesday, January 1, 2008

My New Year's Resolutions


I can't believe it's 2008! I graduated high school 10 years ago! Geez!

I really have to get it together because time is flying by, life is short, and blah blah, all that stuff.



In 2008 I resolve to:

-Get boo'd up. It's a term I heard Kuh Reel Yuh say. Translation: Get myself a man.

-Lose weight. I think this has been on my resolution list since '99...shameful.

-Stay HIV negative

-Work harder and smarter at school

-Cut off all my relaxed hair and be fully natural

-Go to Vegas

-Win something (not necessarily while I'm in Vegas; it could be a scholarship or whatever)

The Holidays are over...

My holiday went okay. I wasn't extra surprised by anything that happened, it was mostly just a time to visit people and chill with moms and nem.
While I was in Mississippi I visited two babies: Baleigh and Bria
I've already introduced y'all to Baleigh, but Bria was just born Dec. 19th (I think).
And then on my way back to Atlanta, I stopped in Hueytown, AL to visit my long time best friend's baby Raven. The funny thing is when I was telling my mom about all the babies I had to visit we had this exchange:

Me: I have to go see 3 babies while I'm here.

Mom: Yeah, everybody's having babies huh?

Me: Yup, one day I'll have one.

Mom: I wish you'd hurry up.

Me: Uhm, I don't even have a boyfriend.

Mom: And?

Me: Well, a boyfriend is usually how a husband starts out.

Mom: You don't need a husband to have a baby.

Me: WHAT! Are you telling me it's now okay to have a baby out of wedlock?

Mom: You're old enough...

Me: After all those years of yelling, "You betta not bring no babies home," now it's okay?

Mom: Well, you were in highschool then. Now you're old. You're almost 30.

Me: Damn.


Me and the Baleigh Bop

Introducing Ms. Bria Riley



Bria and her daddy. (notice the little puppy on the couch too, I believe her name is Diva)

Introducing Ms. Raven Amber born Nov. 5th.