isn't she lovely?

my 2012 grant

2012-01-20T09:57:00.000-06:00

back in 2004 i posted 50 things about myself. then, i updated it in 2007. and again in 2008. life is constant change, so here goes my 2012 grant.

1. i'm still a christian; now i'm focused on a deeper growth in Christ

2. i'm 32, but i think i could pass for 26 ;-)

3. i'm african-american

4. i enjoy writing again

5. i help market and promote a garden center for a living

6. i'm currently dating one of the most awesome guys ever

7. i'm content with a life that is not based on goals

8. i have only one sibling - a younger sister

9. i have only one niece - and she spells her name with a y too

10. my grandfather knew little richard before he was little richard

11. i've lived in germany on two separate occasions

12. i've visited the leaning tower of pisa

13. i've visited euro disney

14. i've visited disney world three times

15. i have been on a roller coaster once, and i think i waited too late in life to try it

16. i have arthritis

17. i wear contacts

18. i've never worn braces

19. i have tmj that was triggered by a chiropractor's visit

20. i don't believe in chiropractors

21. i've overcome the fear of desertion and enjoy quiet times with my own thoughts

22. the only times i've been to las vegas are for work-related events

23. i wear a little more make-up now; i need the enhancement

24. i really enjoy cooking with organic herbs and spices

25. i like to write and edit resumes ... the side gig is good - all referral based

26. i like to sing out loud now - as you get older you start to care less about what people think

27. i have a pomeranian; although she's showing a lot more gray now

28. i recently learned that books on an ereader are pretty cool

29. i believe most people are prejudiced (not racist)

30. according to myers-briggs, i am an ENFJ

31. i buy out of necessity rather than desire

32. i love salsa, mushrooms and spinach (sometimes individually and sometimes wrapped up in a tortilla together)

33. i love ice cream

34. my favorite color is pink

35. i'm not crafty

36. but i am creative

37. my high school and college are less than 5 miles apart from one another

38. i make my check marks backwards

39. i tend to overanalyze things

40. i like dramas, comedies and love stories

41. i like to play card games

42. my all-time favorite movie is the green mile with michael clark duncan and tom hanks

43. i believe communication solves most problems

44. i tend to over communicate

45. during birth i caused my mother's leg to become paralyzed temporarily

46. in elementary school, my teachers wanted me to skip a grade, but my mom refused to allow it

47. i have a master's degree

48. i love the warm weather, which is why i live in texas

49. i've learned that people always disappoint, but God is forever constant

50. my new life motto is: make no plans

growing where God planted me

2012-01-20T09:39:00.000-06:00

nearly five years ago, a major event occurred in my life, those who are close to me know what event i'm referring to, after which i threw myself into my career. i joined professional associations. i took continuing education courses, viewed webinars and networked like crazy. i was busy. and i was crazy. and then i realized - what i do for work is not who i am.

Image: scottchan / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

the company i currently work for falls under the horticulture industry. in addition to selling gardening products, we educate the public on gardening efforts. one tip we share in texas this time of year is that it's best to plant trees in the fall and winter season so the roots have a chance to take hold during a period of dormancy when the ground is not as warm (although 2012 is shaping up to be an anomaly with respect to the "winter" temperatures).

five years ago, i was growing like rapid fire. i was warm, heck, i was hot. my goal was to be the go-to pr girl in dfw. and then i just decided to stop. i wasn't happy. i was busily filling my days with things that didn't result in internal joy. i refocused on what was really important - developing meaningful relationships with other people and God. so, i slowed down. i went dormant. i cooled off. this was essential so my roots could take hold and i could grow in Christ. this is still a work in progress for me.

it's not that i don't find value in professional associations, education, networking and the like. it's just not as important for me anymore. i don't have to be melyssa aka the go-to pr girl. i am just fine being melyssa, the daughter; melyssa, the sister; melyssa, the aunt; and melyssa, the friend.

to be honest, i like her a lot better than melyssa, the pr professional.

reflecting

2012-01-01T13:23:00.001-06:00

as i move into 2012, i am reflecting on some things that made me happy this past year. i know happiness is temporary, but 2011 brought some fun times!

Singer, John Legend; me
Image Credit: UT-Arlington Photography

1. meeting john legend
2. the mavs winning the championship
3. spending time in ft. lauderdale with true friends
4. my niece's 5th birthday party
5. floor seats at the aac and an awesome mavs' win!

here's to more happy moments in 2012!

my life changers

2011-12-31T14:58:00.002-06:00

the last day of 2011. what a year it has been. i can't say it's been my worst year at all. actually, a person who was once close to me said his years kept getting better and better. the 20s better than the teens, the 30s better than the 20s and so on. now, i've had some set backs, but overall my years keep positively progressing. in that spirit, i have created 5 resolutions or as i like to call them life changers as resolutions tend to last no longer than the season. so, here they are ....

1. develop a better relationship with God

earlier this year i began attending bsf, and it has tremendously changed my life. i vow to continue learning and growing in the word, volunteering at church, sharing the gospel and building a better relationship with God. i am a better person when i walk with God. i know this is vital for my spiritual well-being.

2. take minimalism to the next step

i am committed to getting rid of the clutter in my life. i have been blessed with many things, but i need to focus on keeping the things around that truly make me happy; give me joy. i will build meaningful relationships with people i care about. i'll spend more time investing in people. no more gadgets, no more guilty pleasures. my focus changes in 2012. i know this is vital for my mental well-being.

3. lose 15 pounds (aka get healthy)

i know, i know. this is so cliche. but if i am honest with myself i have not been in the best of shape in the last quarter of 2011. i have discovered some new recipes, and i've overindulged in old favorites. exercise has not been at the forefront, and that has to be adjusted. i know this is vital for my physical well-being.

4. remove toxic people from my life

i do enjoy connecting with people, but i must get rid of some people who haven't been a positive influence in my life. those who are constantly complaining or just being negative overall. no more trips with unstable people who take out their aggressions on those who appear passive. no more socializing with male counterparts who have drama or diseases and then think it's ok to mistreat me. basically, it's all positive going forward (with healthy conflict when necessary). i know this is vital for my emotional well-being.

5. maintain a positive life center

with the ubiquitous stream of negativity in the media, anyone can get easily caught up in what is wrong with life. but there are many good things that happen everyday, and i plan to accentuate the positive and de-emphasis the negative. i have much to be thankful for. i know this is vital for my overall well-being.

so, these are the things i'm focusing on in 2012 and beyond. they will not only help make next year better but also help me grow as a person. i wish the best to those who might read this. stay true, keep your faith and be blessed. happy new year!

smelling the roses of life

2011-12-20T06:37:00.001-06:00

"get busy living, or get busy dying," andy defresne, the shawshank redemption

patience is something i've struggled with my whole life. when i was a kiddo, i was always looking toward the next big event - the next birthday, the next christmas, the next school year. when i encountered puberty, i was excited to reach an acceptable dating age, then driving age and later drinking age. a few years down the road, i became anxious about getting a bachelor's degree, a master's degree, a m-r-s. degree, and a m-o-m degree.

and then i stopped. i stopped rushing. i stopping worrying. i stopped anticipating. all i was doing was speeding through my whole life hurrying to the next big thing. i stopped. and i started living.

i believe we all have a predetermined amount of time on this earth. and our lives are not dvrs. there are no convenient rewind or pause buttons. and our time doesn't always correspond with the time of our loved ones.

so, today, i relish in every moment. i appreciate a child i hear laughing. i am thankful for the quiet times in solitude at home. i carefully listen to stories passionately shared by coworkers. i reverently pray for my friends and family. i savor the defining (and simplistic) moments with my niece - whether we're having a scoop of ice cream together, or i'm watching the expression on her face when she realizes she has two aunts - me and trina!

life truly is short. but it's also quick if you're constantly rushing to the next "first down" in the game of life. so, slow down and smell the roses today and everyday.

i quit!

2011-12-15T13:28:00.001-06:00

as many of you know, i have embarked on the road to minimalism. i am spending more time focusing on developing meaningful relationships and finding inner contentment than purchasing a bunch of things that only provide temporary happiness.

as with most things in my life, i have to take baby steps to complete the task at hand. one of my first steps - unsubscribing from all those darn coupon website emails. every day my email inbox was inundated with emails from groupon - one from fort worth and one from dallas, living social and all of the local area publications that have embarked of this revenue-generating scheme.

i just had to say no. is "couponing" bad? no, it can actually save you tons of money. however, in my opinon, groupon is just like group think. because many people are "biting" at these offers and many more companies are advertising on sites like this, you think it must be good. everyone can't be wrong. but sometimes, everyone is.

these sites survive on the basic principles of advertising.

1. there's something wrong with you, and you need fixing. so buy this ___________ (insert your favorite beauty treatment here: teeth whitening, eye surgery, waxing, etc.) treatment, and you'll be one step closer to perfection.

2. immediate call to action - you must buy this deal now or miss out forever.

3. all of your friends are doing it (the deal is on!), so you should too!

but the truth of the matter is i didn't need any of those services or products. i am ok just as i am. the savings were not that great in return for the service i got because the service provider was so overwhelmed with redemptions. and who cares if all the cool kids are doing it? we, as a culture, should embrace and celebrate the individuality and uniqueness of people.

so, in my quest of ridding the clutter in my life; i disengaged from the coupon/money-saving frenzy. and you know what? i don't even miss the emails. i actually hadn't even thought about groupon until i noticed an advertisement on cnn.com's webiste today. i guess the ad was effective for brand awareness, but it didn't move me to the desired action. instead it motivated me to write! so, thank you, but no thank you. here's to a clutter-free life (and inbox!)

my brothas, my brothas!

2011-12-05T11:54:00.001-06:00

the past few days have not proved to be good pr for a few black men in the spotlight.

herman cain
i am not sure if he actually did what all has been alleged, but i do think where there's smoke there's fire. i know he's not in the same political party, but he should have learned from jesse jackson. you have got to keep your nose clean if you're going to join the political race. it's a dirty one! and most african americans know we have to pay the black tax*. i'm not a member of any political party. i typically vote on the issues. however, i am an obama supporter. but it sure would have been historical to have two black men running against each other. oh well. such is life.

bishop eddie long
anyone who knows me knows i completely despise people who hurt children, the elderly or animals. the fact that long settled with these accusers speaks volumes to me. and now, it appears as though his wife is leaving him. this saddens me so. the breakdown of a family and the recent allegations of abuse against children in the recent weeks. what is the world coming to, really?

it looks like for the time being these guys are being judged by the "color of their skin and the content of their character."

*the black tax is commonly referred to in the african american community as having to do twice as much to reap half the benefits when compared to our caucasian counterparts.

how a facebook share got me back to blogging

2011-12-01T13:49:00.001-06:00

if i am brutally honest with myself, i totally dropped the blog on blogging at this site. i started back in the summer of 2004 and was pretty faithful for several years. (i didn't post one single time in 2010!) then like an 80s hairstyle, i just dropped my blog. but (like most most things - e.g., bell bottom pants), i've come back around in hopes to be an even better blogger, writer, thought leader (like flare leg pants).
several months ago, one of my facebook friends shared an article from the minimalists blog. from that simple share i clicked and my mind was exposed to the world of minimalism. without sounding too dramatic, that one click truly changed my life. i realized that my life was (and sometimes still is) too consumed with superficial things that can't sustain my happiness, my joy. almost simultaneously, i started attending a wonderful bible study through the recommendation of a co-worker. and from that simple recommendation, my spiritual life has been greatly enhanced. these two events have truly changed my life. as ted mosby, a character on how i met your mother, said, "there's a lot of little reasons why the big things in our lives happen."
so, emotionally - where am i? i am not so consumed with finding a life partner anymore. i am not over-driven with making a certain dollar figure or attaining a certain job title. i am not concerned with having a specific type of car or owning a large home. now, i am more concerned with spending quality time with those i care about, developing more meaningful relationships. i'm more concerned with who's in my house rather than how large it is. i'm more concerned with dwelling in the house of God and developing a mature relationship with him.
what has motivated me? many things, and i am motivated to share them via this blog. as i mentioned before, the blog and the bible study were also moving. finally, i was particularly enlightened by, minimalism: essential essays by joshua fields millburn and ryan nicodemus. i will later share some lessons learned from their compilation.
why don't you join me as i being my blog journey again, resurrect my writing and shed light on what has made (and kept) me joyful?

30 days of thanks

2011-11-30T22:39:00.001-06:00

day 30: the 30-day challenge. it made me focus on the important things. now, i blog!

30 days of thanks

2011-11-29T21:15:00.001-06:00

day 29: God's grace, mercy and blessings

30 days of thanks

2011-11-28T21:21:00.001-06:00

day 28: good eats

30 days of thanks

2011-11-27T16:50:00.001-06:00

day 27: a mighty word from God!

30 days of thanks

2011-11-26T22:32:00.001-06:00

day 26: additional time for much needed rest

30 days of thanks

2011-11-25T08:33:00.001-06:00

day 25: quality time with niece rather than black friday madness. things that really make you happy!

30 days of thanks

2011-11-24T10:32:00.001-06:00

day 24: family ... 'nuff said

30 days of thanks

2011-11-23T18:02:00.001-06:00

day 23: extra (and needed) rest!

30 days of thanks

2011-11-22T12:05:00.001-06:00

day 22: credit card fraud protection - good looking out bank of america!

30 days of thanks

2011-11-21T19:08:00.001-06:00

day 21: my organizational skills

30 days of thanks

2011-11-20T23:11:00.001-06:00

day 20: girl time and manicures!

30 days of thanks

2011-11-19T18:51:00.001-06:00

day 19: candid conversations

30 days of thanks

2011-11-18T13:35:00.001-06:00

day 18: supportive friends and family (everyone else can kick rocks)

30 days of thanks

2011-11-17T17:50:00.001-06:00

day 17: a birthday niece

30 days of thanks

2011-11-16T17:03:00.001-06:00

day 16: good lunches with good friends

30 days of thanks

2011-11-16T04:53:00.001-06:00

day 15: god's grace

30 days of thanks

2011-11-14T21:39:00.001-06:00

day 14: conversations with friends

30 days of thanks

2011-11-13T12:11:00.001-06:00

day 13: family time

30 days of thanks

2011-11-12T10:21:00.001-06:00

day 12: password recovery

30 days of thanks

2011-11-11T18:33:00.001-06:00

day 11: home improvement projects

30 days of thanks

2011-11-10T22:57:00.001-06:00

day 10: clarity

30 days of thanks

2011-11-09T19:52:00.001-06:00

day 9: laughter

30 days of thanks

2011-11-08T16:00:00.001-06:00

day 8: opportunities!

30 days of thanks

2011-11-08T06:26:00.001-06:00

day 7: for half birthdays!

30 days of thanks

2011-11-06T15:44:00.000-06:00

day 5: quiet times

30 days of thanks

2011-11-05T19:49:00.001-05:00

day 5: wolves in sheep's clothing revealing themselves

30 days of thanks

2011-11-05T10:01:00.001-05:00

day 4: long conversations with friends far away

30 days of thanks

2011-11-03T21:01:00.001-05:00

day 3: true friends

30 days of thanks

2011-11-02T18:53:00.001-05:00

day 2: god's grace and mercy

30 days of thanks

2011-11-01T23:00:00.001-05:00

day 1: b.s.f.

three things

2011-05-14T23:54:00.000-05:00

1. good food
2. good eats
3. good friends

three things

2011-05-13T23:03:00.001-05:00

1. education
2. celebration
3. john legend!!!!!

three things

2011-05-10T22:58:00.001-05:00

1. great students
2. good friends
3. a sense of accomplishment

three things

2011-05-06T23:44:00.001-05:00

1. mavericks
2. birthday surprises
3. life

three things

2011-04-24T21:52:00.001-05:00

1. salvation
2. forgiveness
3. time to change perspectives

three things

2011-04-23T22:29:00.001-05:00

1. friends
2. food
3. family

three things

2011-04-19T22:34:00.001-05:00

1. life
2. love
3. protection

three things

2011-04-18T23:04:00.001-05:00

1. new beginnings
2. true friends
3. great attitudes

three things

2011-03-12T05:38:00.001-06:00

1. justice
2. nieces
3. repairs

three things

2011-03-03T22:07:00.001-06:00

1. friends
2. forgiveness
3. laughter

three things

2011-02-28T22:00:00.001-06:00

1. protection
2. forgiveness
3. second chances

three things

2011-02-20T21:05:00.001-06:00

1. my family
2. my church
3. insight

updates!

2009-04-04T17:21:00.002-05:00

i updated the blogroll. to get more recent updates on me and my life ... follow me!

entertainment wins again!

2009-02-25T15:19:00.002-06:00

according to cnn.com duke ellington beat out abolitionist frederick douglass and astronomer benjamin banneker for the new quarter distributed by the u.s. mint. read story here: http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/02/24/duke.ellington.coin/index.html

when will african americans be celebrated for more than just entertainment?

really now?

2009-01-08T16:06:00.001-06:00

from cnn.com

article 1:
riots erupt in oakland after slain father laid to rest: http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/01/08/BART.shooting/index.html

article 2:
racism is still tolerated: http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/01/07/racism.study/index.html

a quick iphone rant

2008-11-08T22:53:00.000-06:00

the iphone does not support multimedia messages, and it's really starting to tick me off. whenever someone sends me a photo or a video, i get a text message with an obscure message id and password that i have to input after navigating through the browser. and because the iphone does not have a copy/paste function i have to memorize the id and password (which is hard to do because it's obscure), write it down, or wait till i get to a computer.

for two freakin days now www.viewmymessage.com/2 has told me that my id and password are incorrect. i have double and triple checked. i'm putting in the right information. att is just weak cheese!

argh!

setting the stage

2008-10-30T09:48:00.001-05:00

rosa sat so martin could walk...

martin walked so obama could run...

obama is running so our children can fly!

don't be a sap. go vote!

my 2008 grant

2008-10-14T11:56:00.005-05:00

back in 2004 i posted 50 things about myself. then, i updated it in 2007. then, i had some major life changes. so, here goes my 2008 grant.

1. i'm still a christian

2. i'm 29 years young — and noone lets me forget it

3. i'm african-american

4. i'm an adjunct lecturer

5. i work for an electronic component distributor

6. i'm currently dating one of the most awesome guys ever

7. i'm an overachiever

8. i have only one sibling - a younger sister

9. i have only one niece - and she spells her name with a y too

10. my grandfather knew little richard before he was little richard

11. i've lived in germany on two separate occasions

12. i've visited the leaning tower of pisa

13. i've visited euro disney

14. i've visited disney world three times

15. i have never been on a roller coaster

16. i have arthritis

17. i wear contacts

18. i've never worn braces

19. i have tmj that was triggered by a chiropractor's visit

20. i don't believe in chiropractors

21. i overcame p.c.o.s.

22. the only times i've been to las vegas are for work-related events

23. i wear a little make-up now; i need the enhancement

24. i might be a workaholic

25. i like to write and edit resumes ... i'm launching a new web business soon

26. i like to sing out loud now - as you get older you start to care less about what people think

27. i have a pomeranian

28. i recently learned that i like to dance

29. i believe most people are prejudiced (not racist)

30. according to myers-briggs, i am an ENFJ

31. i like to shop, but i hate to spend money

32. i love salsa

33. i love ice cream

34. my favorite color is now pink

35. i'm not crafty

36. but i am creative

37. my high school and college are less than 5 miles apart from one another

38. i make my check marks backwards

39. i tend to overanalyze things

40. i like dramas, comedies and love stories

41. i like to play card games

42. my all-time favorite movie is the green mile with michael clark duncan and tom hanks

43. i believe communication solves most problems

44. lou diamond phillips studied at my college

45. during birth i caused my mother's leg to become paralyzed temporarily

46. in elementary school, my teachers wanted me to skip a grade, but my mom refused to allow it

47. i have a master's degree

48. i love the warm weather, which is why i live in texas

49. my favorite dish to cook is baked chicken and rice because it doesn't really require much "cooking"

50. my new life motto is: make new plans

don't believe the hype

2008-10-06T20:01:00.000-05:00

obama might be leading, but you still need to get out and vote. no one can afford to stay home on nov. 4th. in fact, go vote early if you can!

don't be tense

2008-10-06T19:54:00.000-05:00

a few months ago another african american woman joined the marketing department at my company. since day one, it has been very difficult for our boss (older white male) to look her in her eyes when he communicates with her or give her any direction as to what he expects of her. so, in the midst of a rant the other day, i think i have finally figured out what the issue is. as time progresses, it has become more difficult for white males to see african american females as their equals, or even competent, in the workplace. i think it has become increasingly difficult for our boss to accept the fact that there are now two highly educated african american women who know what they are doing and could, quite simply, run circles around him. times are changing and we are coming into our own. and as he gets older and looks back, he just can't reconcile the fact that we are who we are. it's a simple case of cognitive dissonance. we're young. we're black. and we're women. we should not know more about our industry than he does. he can't synthesize.

but, he better believe. because we are young. we are black. we are women. and we are the real deal.

apple is losing a fan

2008-08-27T20:05:00.003-05:00

if you read my blog, you know that i purchased the first generation iphone when it was hundreds of dollars. at the time i purchased it, i purchased a leather incase case to protect it. several months after having it, my little 7 pound bundle of joy decides to chew it up. whatever, i buy a cheaper silicon case to replace it.

yeah, the silicon stretches with time so that the iphone display doesn't work properly because the sensors for the display inactivation settings get all jacked up due to the stretchy silicon. so, i'm like, fine. i'll purchase another $35 leather case. this is after the release of the new, cheap, faster, better 3g iphone. i go to best buy - can't find any cases. i go to radio shack - can't find any cases. go to the brand new apple store in ftw - can't find any cases!

oh yeah, the apple store isn't stocking any first generation iphone accessories. nice. first apple sticks it to us by dropping the price on their phones and providing better technology to boot, and now they won't even support the $500 and $600 product after one year. bastards!!!!

hey apple - word of mouth marketing can be extremely effective.

one tough day

2008-08-27T19:35:00.002-05:00

yesterday was the first day of my class. it was doomed from the beginning. i had meetings all day at the full-time gig. before i left i logged on to the university's website to get the latest attendance roster. i am looking at 44 students; however, when i downloaded the file i have 55 science students. so, i have to create the roster by typing in the correct 44 names by hand. i manage to get it done.

i get to the school and make ample copies of the syllabus. ok, things are looking up.

i get to class. my stool is gone. i teach a three-hour class. the stool is mandatory. (i teach in a class with stadium seating.) the desk is gone. i need the desk to set-up my laptop. so, i go "borrow" one from another classroom. i manage to simulate my set up.

i plug my laptop into the projector. no show. try the laptop settings. no show. try the projector input settings. no show. call classroom support services. someone is coming to my rescue in about 15 minutes.

in the meanwhile, i start class with my icebreaker activity. the guy from classroom support services shows up and adjusts the projector settings so that my presentation shows. ok, things are looking up.

i continue with class introduction. i start to introduce myself. the fire alarm goes off. we all must evacuate the building. long story short, there was a chemical spill at an adjacent building. i ask my students to come back to the classroom and get the syllabus so we can all go home. what a bust. it can't get any worse.

oh. yes. it. can. i walk out to the parking lot defeated. i get to the trunk of my car and click the remote. no go. click it again. no go. walk around to the driver's side door and click it a third time. no go. oh my goodness! my remote battery has died and i can't get in without the alarm going off. wait a minute. i don't park with my tires crooked.

yep, wrong car. my car was two rows up in the same spot. same make, same model, wrong row.

after the day i had, i was a little afraid to drive home for fear that i'd get into a car accident. i hope to manage better next week!

on being proud

2008-07-29T13:36:00.002-05:00

so, back in february the following statement was attributed to michelle obama:

"People in this country are ready for change and hungry for a different kind of politics and … for the first time in my adult life I am proud of my country because it feels like hope is finally making a comeback."

i can see where she's coming from. in a country where michael vick is sent to prison for dog fighting, but the NYPD can openly murder an unarmed black man, there's not much pride in that.

in a country where it's ok to call young, athletic, educated women nappy headed hos, there's not much pride in that.

in a country that has a federal government that has finally gotten around to apologizing for slavery and jim crow laws, there's not much pride in that.

in a country where a south carolina judge refers to crack addiction as a "black man's disease," there's not much pride in that.

and in a country where you have to fight twice as hard to get half as much, there's not much pride in that either.

maybe she didn't word it the best. and maybe the right-wingers made her take the heat for it. but i can definitely understand where she's coming from! and maybe it's nice to see a man with african american heritage have fighting chance at holding the highest title in the united states. - it gives all americans a little something to be proud of.

what i've been up to?

2008-07-13T11:51:00.005-05:00

since school is out, i have been working on various projects around the house. i've had rain gutters put up (texas best rain gutters is the best!), planted flowers in my flowerbed, fertilized my yard, hung shelves in my garage for better organization, purchased a new desk for my office, and purchased a ceiling fan. i haven't tackled assembly or installation on the last project just yet.

i've also been working on getting my career consultation business off the ground. a friend is going to design my website. i hope to have something to launch by mid october. exciting times!

oh, yeah, and i guess i've been a little busier at work due to a recent promotion. it took forever and a day, but a change finally did come.

obama resigns trinity united church of christ

2008-06-02T14:50:00.001-05:00

another black man pulled from the church, which, ironically, is exactly where we need him to be. what a sad day.

hating jc penney

2008-05-17T19:23:00.004-05:00

so, in february of this year i ordered some rust colored sheers to put up in my newly decorated living room. they were on back order till may 23rd. but i thought i'd wait it out because 1) i'd already ordered them once i'd learned they were back ordered and 2) they were gonna look really good with my new rust colored accent wall. well, i was all too pissed to learn on may 13, yes may 13 that jc penney isn't going to stock those simple looking sheers anymore. argh! so, now i must start over looking for rust colored sheers and rust colored runners for my wood floors. but, i'll tell you this, you can bet neither product is going to be purchased from jc penney since their customer service skills are obviously lacking. it's really a shame that i am going to have to now put them on my boycott list because they do have some nice looking, inexpensive clothes and purses.

look who's got a new hobby

2008-05-17T19:15:00.002-05:00

yep, that's me with a putter in my hand. it's almost funny because i typically have no coordination. but i'm not too bad at golf! and even after all the years at band camp/rehearsal, i still can't stand the sun to be in my eyes.

goings on

2008-05-08T22:10:00.005-05:00

new hobby

three weeks ago i started taking golf lessons. and, to my surprise, i actually enjoy the sport. and i'm not too shabby. so, i went out and got some clubs and gear.

work
things are busier than ever, and to quote sam cooke, "a change is gonna come."

school
i survived my third semester of teaching. and i guess like wine, i'm getting better with time. thanks to my students for a great spring semester

love life
it's come and go. i still have hope though.

aging
oh yeah, and yesterday started the beginning of the end of the 20s. ack!

not anna nicole

2008-04-13T22:24:00.005-05:00

so, the other day i was at lowe's* trying to find a quick and cheap repair for the anti-siphon valve on my outdoor faucet so i can water my backyard. (if anyone has any tips on this besides replacing the entire unit, i'm all ears.) so, anyway, i'm at lowe's headed to the back where the plumbing section is when this 70ish guy in one of those motorized scooters is staring me down. so, i figure the alzheimer's is setting in and i just smile and say hello. (i mean, i do know about respecting your elders and all. plus, if we're lucky we'll all live long enough to be old one day.) but i digress. so, as i say hello he says, "you are pretty." i say, "excuse me." "he says you are pretty." i smile and continue walking and he says, "come back here, i am serious." i stop, turn around, and say, "mister, you are way too old for this type of behavior." and continue walking.

hey, i get lonely from time-to-time. but i've already had to take care of one old geezer husband. i am not looking to make that mistake again. and i am not some bleach blond stripper from** texas either!

*i refuse to shop at home depot because their customer service is deplorable. they installed my hardwood floors and carpet, but that is the last of my money they get. i'll save the rest for another post/rant.

**thanks ms. correct it.

she's speechless, but not muted

2008-02-29T15:37:00.002-06:00

well, it took nearly 30 years, but it's finally happened. i can't talk. remember the crup? (if not, scroll down one post) i'm healed, but for some reason the drainage from the crup took away my voice. wednesday my fever was down to 97.9. thursday, my voice sounded kind of hoarse. this morning, it was very dry and weak. this afternoon, it's a little above a whisper. no one can understand me. not even my best friend. so, why in the world would i attempt to go through the drive through lane at the local hamburger joint during the lunch hour? momentary mental lapse, i guess. so, i went inside and ordered the old fashioned way - face-to-face. and poor tootsie, she probably thinks i'm mad at her because i wasn't talking to her this morning.

it's kind of weird not being able to talk as efficiently as i usually can. but fear not! this minor setback hasn't stopped me from spreading my two cents about any and everything on which i have an opinion.

thank goodness for email, text messaging, and blogging!

i got the crup

2008-02-26T21:18:00.001-06:00

i got the crup. or whatever it is that is going around. fever of 99.1
today, which may not sound bad except my normal body temp is 97.5. no
one ever believes me, but it's true. my blood pressure is
exceptionally low also. i guess i'm an under average kind of girl!

well, i'm going to try to tackle work tomorrow. but no one better push
me cause i got the crup!

p.s. thank goodness for puffs plus with lotion AND vicks. :-)

i bet xerox isn't happy

2008-02-22T11:14:00.001-06:00

"If your candidacy is going to be about words then they should be your own words," she said. "...Lifting whole passages from someone else's speeches is not change you can believe in, it's change you can Xerox." - Hillary Rodham Clinton

i vividly remember from my communication law days in college that xerox fought aggressively to eliminate the use of their trademarked company name as a verb. the premise was that they did not want the term to become a generic word such as band-aid (note: when you buy the generic kind at walgreens, it's an adhesive bandage, not a band -aid).

i just find it kind of ironic that clinton would use the term in this manner, especially when referencing and attacking obama's word usage and potential plagiarism. if memory serves me correctly, she went to law school. perhaps she didn't specialize in comm law. but she should know better.

and for inquiring minds, the appropriate usage would have been "copy" or "photocopy," but i suppose the rhythmic value of her statement would have been lost if she would have watched her words.

i'm tired

2008-02-04T10:18:00.001-06:00

i'm tired. i'm so tired of trying to make my place in corporate america. i work at corporate headquarters in the marketing communications for a medium-sized company. i coordinate development and distribution of our collateral materials to the field. on the back of every collateral piece we list all (40+) branch locations and their phone numbers. this sounds pretty simple and logical, right? well, the branches are constantly moving and forgetting to tell marketing. inevitably, we distribute a piece with a wrong phone number. so, in the latest batch two phone numbers were wrong. the branches screamed to the corporate product department vp, the vp screamed at me, and i submitted the new information to our graphic designer to change the template for the next go round. so, the graphic designer must point out to me that one of the phone numbers did not change. ok, well then don't change it, it's obviously right. but no, we must point out this error. the vp must point out the error to me and the graphic designer must point out the error in the error. seriously! an entire morning of electronic communication over this. people are dying in iraq! i don't have the patience to deal this morning. i really don't.

moral of the story: white men can't jump, but they can correct!

my humble political thoughts

2008-01-28T09:42:00.001-06:00

ok, i've quietly sat by and refrained from making any comments about the current presidential race, but silence i can no longer keep.

bill clinton - while very charismatic and obviously successful in winning two presidential elections -- he is not america's first black president, and he is not running in 2008. hillary is. i think it is ridiculous that he has taken such a dominant position in her campaign. for someone who is trying to become the first female president, she sure is relying on her husband a lot. as a woman, she should be able to stand on her own two. if she's gonna play with the big boys, she needs to do it independent of her husband's political status.

bob johnson - i support the right for each and every eligible american citizen to vote for their candidate of choice. and no matter how much emphasis the media try to place on race, african americans (the author of this blog in particular) are capable of researching the issues and candidates, then making an educated decision. (and one a sidenote, every eligible african american should be researching and voting, if only to honor those who fought and died for us to have this opportunity). however, for bob johnson to think that bill and hillary are "deeply and emotionally involved in black issues" may be a bit of a stretch from reality. in this america obama is seen as a black man by most. and his experiences as a "black" man are more similar to the the black population at large. bill and hillary can sympathize all campaign, but they can never truly walk in a black person's shoes.

race - the election should be about the issues. i would think after all these years of struggle, we have moved beyond the color of one's skin and onto the content of one's character. but perhaps i'm just another clueless african american woman who must decide to vote based solely on race or gender rather than choosing the best candidate.

we are at an awesome point in history that both a woman and an african american can have a viable chance at becoming america's next president. let's not relegate the presidential race to gender and race. let's focus on the real, pressing issues at hand - and there are many on which to focus.

still alive ...

2007-12-09T22:18:00.000-06:00

it's been forever since i posted. i don't have much to say, but i feel i should say something. i am just about to finish teaching for the semester. finals are this week. the full-time job is going ok. everyone is leaving. i feel like i should too, but i need to stay put at the moment. i got all of my christmas decorations up ... finally. i'm really excited about that.

which brings me to a mini rant. the three old ladies in my department were having a whine session last week about not being able to call greeting cards, christmas cards or have a christmas tree image on them because it is offensive to some people. they said that people who don't believe in or celebrate christmas should "go back home." while i do believe that people get easily offended now a days, i do find it humorous that the three old ladies want to send all of "these people" back home. don't they realize that there is a large population of americans (born and raised here) who don't celebrate christmas?

sometimes i wonder if the world will get more tolerant as the old geezers die off or if these ignorant thoughts will be passed on to future generations.

where has she been?

2007-10-12T20:54:00.000-05:00

life sure does throw you some curve balls. where have i been for the past three months? i've been getting ready to teach for the fall semester. i've been busy with work. i've been working with the african american chapter of my alama mater's alumni association.

and i've been getting a divorce.

after nearly two and a half years of marriage, my husband woke up one morning and said he could not be married ... to me or to anyone. he said that he no longer had love in his heart for me nor was i on his mind. he did not want to go to church, he did not want to have children, he did not want to pass go, he did not want to collect $200. so, after several weeks of being in denial and playing the passive aggressive role, he secured an attorney and 60 days later the man who i thought was my knight in shining armor left me ... for no good reason.

so, i did what i do best. i went into solution mode. i moved in with my folks and started looking for a new home. i found one, and now i am in the process of remodeling and moving in. so that's where i've been and that's how i've been.

am i angry? yes. am i embarrassed? yes. am i sad? sometimes. but i'm not bitter, and i refuse to be in a slump. i must pick myself up and move up and on. life is too short. god has bigger plans for me. i'm thankful we did not have children. i'm thankful that i was smart with money. and i'm thankful i have the support of family and friends who love me.

it's been a long process, but i can now actually type the words. i am divorced. but i am not broken.

guess who got a new toy?

2007-07-10T18:42:00.000-05:00

not that kind of toy! get your mind out of the gutter!

i, yes frugal me, got an iPhone. on debut weekend, i was visiting my cousin in virginia. but i must step back and tell you the whole truth and nuthin' but ...

as i left my home for the dfw airport i received a voicemail message from the local airline that i was flying to alert me of a gate change. ah! technology is awesome indeed. so, i arrived two hours early, checked in just fine after being felt up by tsa, and the plane boarded and departed right on time. i get to va. and to my surprise my cell phone was not working. yes, it's a motorola v220, yes it's old, but it was working five hours earlier! so, i assume it must be the coverage even though i subscribe to the cingular - the new at&t, more bars, yada, yada, yada. anyway, i fiddle with it from the airport to my cousin's house. at this point the phone will power up, let me dial a number, and promptly power down. after 48 hours in va. with no cell phone, my cousin's girlfriend takes me to the mall where there's a very nice apple store that just happens to have plenty of iphones and NO line whatsoever. i decide this must be sign from god or the shopping goddess or some higher power. and i, yes frugal me, purchase an iphone. and what a glorious fabulous purchase it's been. i've been back in texas for about a week and there are no iphones to be found. desperate people are visiting every at&t and apple store in sight and they cannot get their grubby little hands on one. i'm not bragging though because i do have one small problem - while most of my contacts were saved on my sim card, some were saved to the phone. so if i haven't called you in awhile, send me your digits!

my new grant

2007-06-05T18:59:00.000-05:00

back in 2004 i posted 50 things about myself. it's 2007, some things have changed ... and rightly so!

1. i'm a christian

2. i'm 28 years young — and noone lets me forget it

3. i'm african-american

4. i'm an adjunct instructor

5. i work for an electronic component distributor

6. fema killed my mother in law

7. i've been married for 2 years and counting

8. i'm an overachiever

9. i have only one sibling — a younger sister

10. my grandfather knew little richard before he was little richard

11. i've lived in germany on two separate occasions

12. i've visited the leaning tower of pisa

13. i've visited euro disney

14. i've visited disney world three times

15. i have never been on a roller coaster

16. i have arthritis

17. i wear contacts

18. i've never worn braces

19. i have tmj that was triggered by a chiropractor's visit

20. i don't believe in chiropractors

21. i suffer from p.c.o.s.

22. the only times i've been to las vegas is for work-related events

23. i wear a little make-up now; i need the enhancement

24. i might be a workaholic

25. i like to write and edit

26. i like to sing (in the privacy of my car and home)

27. i have a pomeranian

28. i own two operable microwaves

29. i believe most people are prejudice (not racist)

30. according to myers-briggs, i am an INFJ

31. i like to shop, but i hate to spend money

32. i love salsa

33. i love ice cream

34. my favorite color is blue

35. i'm not crafty

36. but i am creative

37. my high school and college are less than 5 miles apart from one another

38. i make my check marks backwards

39. i tend to overanalyze things

40. i like dramas, comedies and love stories

41. i like to play card games

42. my all-time favorite movie is the green mile with michael clark duncan and tom hanks

43. my sister and i are both married; our dad's family name no longer exists

44. lou diamond phillips studied at my college

45. during birth i caused my mother's leg to become paralyzed temporarily

46. in elementary school, my teachers wanted me to skip a grade, but my mom refused to allow it

47. i have a master's degree

48. i love the warm weather, which is why i live in texas

49. my favorite dish to cook is salmon patties

50. as i'm typing this, gorgeous is sitting right beside me and my pom really wants me to throw the ball ... so i better go!

ponderings about the news

2007-06-02T19:45:00.000-05:00

tb guy
ok, he's extremely rude, self-centered, and unethical ... this shouldn't surprise america, he's a lawyer. but does anyone wonder the mental state of his wife? come now, wives are supposed to be the voice of reason.

students denied diplomas
i think there is something really wrong with that school in galesburg, ill. denying those students their diplomas because their family and friends were hooping and hollering during the graduation ceremony. come now, this is america. we are loud, obnoxious, and excited at graduations. it's the american way! lighten up galesburg high and give the students their well-earned diplomas!

cnn.com
i'm worried about cnn.com. this past week they're reader poll included a question about britney spears and if she'd truly hit rock bottom. and today the poll question refers to the readers' belief in the loch ness monster. i thought cnn was a national news source. seriously, can they not think of any better poll questions? it's not like we don't have serious issues to cover like the war, the upcoming election, immigration, etc. also, what's the deal with all of the video clips serving for news stories? did they fire all of their writers?

another year older

2007-05-07T22:29:00.000-05:00

today is my birthday. isn't it funny how after 21, it's just another year gone? i'm happy with what i've accomplished thus far in life, but i have miles to go before i sleep. miles to go before i sleep. thank the lord for new mornings!

i've never been so relieved...

2007-05-06T16:27:00.000-05:00

...for a semester to be over! you'd think cramming the thesis down my throat last summer was difficult. ha! trying to finish teaching a freshman level course faciliated at a school where are large majority of the students are not motivated has BEAT ME DOWN. i survived the battle, but i don't think i'll entertain this again. not this class at this school, anyway.

in other news ... tomorrow is my birthday. i'm turning 28. i can't believe i'm going to be 28. the years really do go faster the closer you get to the end.

gorgeous and i are getting all excited about going to seattle this summer. i think we're going to have a good time on this much-needed vacation.

sadly enough, that's all that has been going on.

feliz cinco de mayo!

in 2007, it's still all about the skin color

2007-04-01T08:20:00.000-05:00

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/wireStory?id=2972401
NEW YORK Mar 21, 2007 (AP)— A couple can proceed with a lawsuit against a fertility clinic they filed after the wife gave birth to a daughter whose skin they thought was too dark to be their child, a judge has ruled.

the other day i read this story on abcnews.com and just got enraged! this couple, the husband white, the mother hispanic (although the picture that was posted on abcnews.com's homepage at the time showed the mother to be darker than me -- i thought she was black before reading the article) went to a fertility clinic and received sperm from a black man rather than the father.

don't get me wrong. i can understand their frustration and disappointment. after paying the fertility clinic large sums of money, they trusted them to do the right thing. we're all human, but some professions call for perfection (or really close to it).

what fired me up were a couple of direct quotes in the article:
The couple says that they have been forced to raise a child who is "not even the same race, nationality, color … as they are," the judge said in the ruling.

do they realize how many people there are who would just love to be blessed to have a raise a child ... no matter what color? like i said, i can understand the anger, but let's look at the bigger picture here.

the article reports further:
They say that "while we love Baby Jessica as our own, we are reminded of this terrible mistake each and every time we look at her; it is simply impossible to ignore," the judge's decision said.

so, they see their daughter as a mistake. are they forgetting that while her father may not be her biological father, her mother is? plus, there are so many men in the world who step up and serve as father or male role models for children who are not biologically their own. again, i understand this is not what they bargained for when they forked over the dough. but this is what they think about a child that the wife bore for nine months.

perhaps, someone from above was trying to tell this couple something when they couldn't have children on their own. if this is truly their mindset, maybe they don't need to be raising and influencing a child. this poor baby is going to grow up in a home where her parents don't even love her unconditionally, and then she'll be forced to go out into a world that is much more cruel than that.

i'm not bashing fertility clinics. i am bashing this pathetic excuse for parents. sometimes i do think people should have to pass a test before raising a child.

argh!

what's been going on?

2007-02-17T09:49:00.000-06:00

today i'm going to pick up copies of my first exam. yes ... my first exam. the teaching experience has really been awesome. i've learned a lot about myself as well as the students. it almost seems surreal that i am going to pick up copies of an exam that i composed. even more, that my students are stressing and/or studying for the test that is scheduled for next week. it's really amazing how life turns on a dime.

i'm a little nervous myself because what if they don't do well? that means i'm not doing a good job. however, one of my students did tell me i was a good teacher the other day. i don't think she was saying it to suck up. i think she really meant it. that made my day.

at the full-time job, i'm busier than ever. it's a crazy year for us. we're trying to move from print to online for the majority of our marketing and advertising initiatives. it's great to be busy because it was so slow when i first started working there.

gorgeous got a plaque the other day for his successful emergency landing in october. it's sitting on the mantle. it's pretty nice. it's also pretty cool to have a mantle again.

life is good.

happy new year and superbowl buzz

2007-01-31T21:27:00.000-06:00

happy new year! here's to a wonderful and prosperous new year!

isn't it sad that it's news that there are two african american coaches in the superbowl? traditionally, african american men have not been placed in coaching or quarterback positions. this is not because there were no qualified men. it was, moreover, a stereotype that african american men aren't thinkers and better suited for physical positions. we know this to be untrue now. but the situation begs to question how and why the first african american coach superbowl appearance became the first head-to-head african american superbowl coach appearance. maybe america just isn't ready to see a black man outthink a white man. too intimidating, huh?

in other news, gorgeous and i will be hosting the first-ever superbowl party. we're really excited.

and in other news, i've been crazy busy teaching the speech sections, but it's going really well, and i feel really fulfilled.

till next time ...

merry christmas!

2006-12-26T18:27:00.000-06:00

this is me. i'm cooking my first christmas dinner for the whole family! we had loads of fun, but boy was i beat after the day was over. so much so that after i slept in this morning, i indulged in a japanese cherry blosssom bubble bath this morning.

what a day! i love christmas!

news news

2006-12-18T21:03:00.000-06:00

i promised i was going to be more faithful to this blog once i finished school, but maintaining a new home is more time consuming than researching and writing thesis ... whoda thunk? additionally, i've been in a real funk lately. i haven't been doing all the things that i should, like working out, praying, reading the bible, etc. i don't know if i'm depressed, stressed, tired, or a combination of all three. but i've made a vow to change my ways!

so, let's see what's been going on? i'm still plugging away at decorating the house. many of my relatives are coming for christmas, so i've got to make it look semi-decent and fast! in the midst of this two teaching jobs kind of fell into my lap, so i'm extremely excited. i'll be teaching two sections of a speech class at the local community college and one section of a pr class at my alma mater. too too exciting!

i'm an aunt! my sister had her baby in november. little miss wonderful said hello to the world on nov. 17 at about 8 in the evening weighing 8 lb. 2.4 oz and 21 inches long! i never thought i'd be an aunt before a mom, but such is life.

till next time ...

a good read among other things

2006-11-22T19:40:00.000-06:00

a good read
i read mitch albom's, for one more day, in one day. it was absolutely wonderful. i would definitely recommend it as a feel-good read if anyone is looking for a quick read this holiday season.

at work
a few weeks ago one of the vice presidents at work was hiring a new person for his department. this vice president and his staff sit in the same area as i do. another coworker and i were talking to vp when he mentioned he was hiring someone new, and the conversation went a little like this.

vp: i'm hiring a new person. her name is erica taylor.
me: oh great.
cw: that is great news. so, tell us about her.
vp: she's currently employed in another town and has been working for a large company in the same capacity that she would be working here.
cw: uh huh
me:
vp: she's from another state and has decided to move here.
cw: great.
me: yeah, that's great vp.
vp: yeah, i really think you'll like her, melyssa.

now fast forward to 6 p.m. at the dinner table.

goregous: how was work?
me: pretty good. vp is finally getting some more help. she's a black girl.
gorgeous: how do you know this?

and then i share the whole story. this one line "i really think you'll like her, melyssa." was what gave it way. so it was no surprise when about a week and a half later a young lady who could not be mistaken for any other ethnicity joined our little area. is vp racist? no. is vp prejudiced? no. he's just stereotyping. now my post-thesis brain is thinking of a way that i could turn that into a study/experiment!

in the news
so, this michael rogers (or whatever his name is). i'm talking about kramer from seinfeld and his recent foul-mouthed tirade. i don't know if it's really necessary to sue him. but i do believe he's prejudiced and his true colors were exhibited last friday. it just amazes me that people will do and say stuff like this in 2006. especially with cameras, internet, cell phones, blue tooth, etc. technology allows for news and/or rumors to travel at about the same speed as light. so, why oh why do people act like this when they know at some point they are going to have to apologize. it may not be today, tomorrow, or the next day but it's going to bite them in the rear sooner or later. i just don't get it.

i could also comment on the oj simpson thing, but i've already spent too much time on it. stupid, stupid, stupid.

on thanksgiving
i won't eat much because i'll be too busy chatting away. everyone have a wonderful holiday and don't forget it's about being thankful and being free. so, please remember to say thanks to whomever or whatever you worship and send a little prayer or thought up for our troops at home and abroad who serve, often giving the ultimate sacrifice.

am i psychic?

2006-11-08T06:44:00.000-06:00

i think not! it's just common sense that britney and kevin's marriage wasn't going to last.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15609347/

http://madefromlove.blogspot.com/2005/12/joys-of-being-boyfriend-stealer-and.html

happy halloween!

2006-11-01T19:49:00.000-06:00

so, our first official trick or treater was a football player. goregous had a blast passing out candy to all of the kiddos. we had a pretty good turnout for such a new neighborhood.

war wounds

2006-10-24T21:54:00.000-05:00

well actually, home wounds.

- a complete roll of packing tape fell from the top shelf of a closet and hit me in the lip ... the soreness is finally going away

- the extension cord plug hit me near the eye

- i'm afraid to do anything else because i might lose a tooth or something worse!

news bits

2006-10-15T11:41:00.000-05:00

(sports) - lidle - isn't it best to do one thing and do it well? you can't be all things to all people. you just can't.

(weather) - cool front - the smell of the crisp fall air, the sound of cheering football fans, and the beat of the drum. it goes on and on and on.

(race) - ut-1l party - when are people ever going to learn. you'll be found out and forced to apologize in order to save face, even if it is an empty one.

(entertainment) - gibson - give it up. your rep is forever tarnished. HE will forgive you, but others may not.

smelling the roses

2006-10-09T19:12:00.000-05:00

things are finally starting to slow down, and i am able to enjoy a realistic pace to my life. this weekend, the dryer was delivered ... finally. as previously predicted, we encountered a problem. when ge attempted to deliver it a few weeks ago gorgeous noticed that it appeared as though it had been dropped. well, the delivery guy said he would leave it so we could dry our clothes and ge would deliver a new one. good idea, except odds are when you drop a dryer, it probably isn't going to work properly... or at all. we were the lucky recipients of the latter. so, after a 30-minute phone call to home depot (word to the wise - don't buy appliances here. hd is good for a water hose, paint, and the like, but stick with someone more reliable like sears for appliances. but, i digress.), we were provided with a loaner dryer (it webbled and wobbled but hey, it dried!). this saturday we got the real deal, and now have a matching set of energy efficient appliances to do laundry. now, if we could just get the door handles on our bottom-freezer fridge replaced next weekend without incident, we should be all set.

in other delivery news - last week gorgeous oversaw the two-day installation of our sprinkler system. it was almost uneventful, except the cut the phone line. good thing we have cell phones and cable internet. and even better thing that verizon fios was quick to come out and repair the line for us.

now, that everything is in place, we are working on decorating the house ... making it a home... detailed pictures later. we are also enjoying tivo again, and loving every minute of it.

as for me, because i'm a career student, i am working on editing my thesis down so that my chair can help me get it published. this is good, and the projects on the horizon are things that i can focus on at my leisure. i also plan to be more consistent with posting to this blog - making it a true online journal rather than a sporadic rant and rave depository.

life is good. and roses can bloom beautifully in the fall.

it's always something

2006-09-24T16:41:00.000-05:00

it has been quite an adventure the first week in our new home. i am sans gorgeous as he's out making a way to pay for our new abode.

this week started out full speed ahead.

i had a one-day trip to south carolina to make a presentation to one of our most important suppliers. i came home to find out that gorgeous had taken it upon himself to make a tuesday morning appointment for the garage door opener to be installed. so, i was two hours late to work on tuesday. the phone, internet and cable people came by on tuesday afternoon. thankfully, my mom was able to house sit for us for those appointments so i didn't have to miss work.

wednesday - the fully tatooed, very late, taking personal phone calls during his 5-hour installation security guy came by to install our home security system. i was able to put in four hours of work that day.

thursday - i was finally able to get to work on time, but had to take a two hour lunch for my eye appointment. (i'll have to upload a picture of my new specs!)

friday - this day was actually normal. i turned in the keys to the expensive and noisy apartment. i was really happy to do so, but it was kind of sad because it was the first place goregeous and i lived in together.

now, if the refrigerator, washer and dryer will get delivered without incident on wednesday, we should be back in business!!

but somehow i have a feeling that something else will come up ... because it always does. ah the pleasures and adventures of being a homeowner!

we're homeowners!

2006-09-17T21:31:00.000-05:00

yay! thanks to everyone for the well wishes. now i'm busy unpacking and organizing. i'm sans internet access till later in the week. i'm on borrowed time right now, so more later ... i know i keep writing that, but i truly mean it.

fun with numbers

2006-09-10T09:45:00.000-05:00

so, we've got 5 days ... yes, only 5 ... till we close on the new house. i am running around like a chicken with no head as i try to pack up all of this stuff we own. i realized this weekend that our apartment is pretty disorganized because we were cramming 2 individuals in to 1 living space. the good news is this has been a time to purge, regroup, and truly become 1 household. the bad news is it is a lot of work!

i'll write more later ...

feeling like a loser

2006-08-27T21:59:00.000-05:00

i was packing up some things today in preparation for the big move to our new house in september when i ran across an old journal and some old high school paraphernalia. of course, i took a break from packing to stroll down memory lane to revisit some of that stuff. i'm beginning to think i should have left it in its own time and place.

i realized that i never dated in high school. this was evident by the two empty pages in my senior memory book that were reserved to write about old boyfriends. then, i flipped over to the prom page. this action initiated the memory that i didn't have a boyfriend, so i didn't go to prom. however, i made up some lame excuse about the event being too commercialized and me being an individual by not going. later i was reading an old journal and noticed that when i finally did start dating in college, none of the guys ever really liked me. i think most of them went out with me out of pity.

it's amazing how time gives you persepective on these things. but maybe i'm just destined to lose. now, i'm married to a man who has a job that requires constant travel, so i'm still flying solo ... at least 50% of the time.

then i started thinking about what my sister said yesterday at my graduation celebration. she said, i hope my kids get brains like melyssa. earlier on saturday, my aunt had mentioned something about me picking up some weight. (basically, i'm the sister with the brains, not the beauty.)

so, the point of this ramble is i'm not feeling too terribly good about myself. actually, i'm feeling pretty down. and yes, i'm feeling like a loser. maybe that's why i've been able to excel at school because i suck at the social aspect of my life. i wonder why this is bothering me so much. at 27, i should be secure in who i am, shouldn't i?

lessons learned

2006-08-18T20:13:00.000-05:00

people come into your life for a reason, a season, or a lifetime. determining which one of the three roles the person plays is the most difficult part of life. you can get hurt if you misjudge. but in the end, it's all a part of living.

"get busy livin'."

oh the places you'll go!

2006-08-17T06:43:00.000-05:00

-by dr. seuss is my favorite graduation gift, especially after high school graduations. you should go read a copy. and really think about it.

more later, i'm finally come down off my natural high.

a little q&a debrief

2006-08-09T18:03:00.000-05:00

1. was graduate school difficult?
a. yes, especially while trying to work full-time and manage a home, among other activities.

2. what did you learn in graduate school?
a. a ton of theories. how to conduct research. but most importantly, patience. i also learned the system, and that life is never fair.

3. what else did you learn in graduate school?
a. i learned more about myself. i learned that i push myself hardest when it comes to academics, and that's not always a good thing. i learned that i appreciate fairness. i learned that research can actually be therapeutic.

4. would you do it again?
a. absolutely. however, as with all things, a few minor changes.

today is aug. 3

2006-08-03T22:14:00.000-05:00

yes, today is aug. 3, and it's a good day.

it's been a whole month since my last post. what have i been doing? finishing what i started. to quote damomma - five years ago i finished college magna cum laude. the freshness must have worn off because two years ago i lost my mind and decided to do it all over again ... except i must really like torture because i decided to do it master's style with a 4.0 this time. well, my mama always said, there's not like a job well done. and it's done ... finished ... complete ... finito. my thesis is complete. i've passed my defense. and on aug. 12th i will be hooded.

this comes while working full time, planning a wedding, losing my mother-in-law during hurricane rita due to ovarian cancer, and having a heart attack scare with my father. so, if i'm a little teary next weekend, the people closest to me will understand.

gosh it feels good to be done. i can't quit smiling :-)

till the natural high wears off ...

2006-07-03T17:31:00.000-05:00

what now?!

2006-07-03T17:30:00.000-05:00

i'm a model.