My somewhat eventful weekend!!!

I had a very eventful weekend, not in the sense of clubbing or getting my chill on, in the sense of getting out and about. First of all I found a natural hair salon in Baltimore and really loved the ambiance of it all. The name is Na'Klectic and their site is www.naklecticnaturalhair.com. My stylist was very educated on natural hair maintenance and styling techniques. Yes,  I'm a NAPPY (can't tell in the pic though), 2 years in the making... and loving it!!! I guess I'll do a future post with pics of me about hair, products, and the sites I love.

Getting my Rachel Ray $40 a Day On

 

I've had some of the best veggie food over the weekend. For starters, I ate at a Jamaican restaurant, and for the first time, I had the jerk portabella mushroom platter, equipped with, peas & rice, plaintains, and coco bread. For those of you that have to have your meat, portabella mushrooms have a meaty consistency (so you really can veg). This restaurant took me back to Silver Sands, Jamaica...ummm... memories!!! If you're ever in Lanham, Md. give them a visit, you can also check them out at www.justjerklanham.com. Secondly, I ate at a vegan restaurant named The Yabba Pot in Baltimore. Let me just say... this place was the truth!!! I had brown rice, greens, tofu bar-b-q, and curry potatoes. Give them a visit or check them out at www.theyabbapot.com. So much food so little time!

This weekend I also had the opportunity to play game show host at my cousins-friend-daughter's birthday party. I had sooo much fun with them, ohhh to be thirteen again, let me just say NO BILLS!!! They were the typical newly teenagers, but not too grown, just really into music.

I also got a small piece of shopping done today (Sunday) with my $20 off coupon at Loeman's. I sooo love to get a great deal!!! Once again, I stepped my cooking game up...I made fried eggplant and corn. I really did my thing... eggplant is another vegetable with a meat consistency. Enough about me and my weekend, gotta get to bed! Ciao  

Church Mafia

Yes this sign is true about me, I've been caught red-handed ridin' dirty on the Lord. You see, the reason is, yes I have a reason (I know you're mumblin 'Excuses'). So far, I've haven't had luck finding a church I can call my own. Most of the churches I've visited have lacked something. Either a surface level sermon with no conviction, rude members, or not a real sense of praise and thanksgiving.  You may ask, have I been entering with the right mindset. That answer is yes, I at least try to give the churches two tries before I rule it out. The issue of finding a church has been weighing heavily on me since I've moved, now I'm no Holy Rollie but I do have a personal relationship with God (and you know he ain't through with me yet). In my nightly prayer I always ask God to lead me to a church that I can grow and learn at. I would really like a church like my last in the 'Bany...Shout out to Pleasant Hill Missionary Baptist Church where Rev. Hill is my pastor (I miss you all)!!!  

Well today I visited a church, quit like the church I grew up in, in Columbus. You know, the ole school type. The type with the infamous velvet colors of burgundy & gold, wooden pews, stained glass windows, and the thick aroma of peppermint... hot off the breath!!! The preacher preached from one of my favorite passages 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 NIV.

                 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is                      not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.                      Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always                        protects, always trusts, always perseveres. Love never fails. But where there are                            prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there                  is knowledge, it will pass away.

The sermon was really convicting, the pastor spoke on how we sit right next to each other and hold grudges, yet, we say we love God. The passage above is one of my favorite because God's greatest commandments is to Love. Love is one of those things that is so easy to do, yet, we make it so hard.   

Are we fully embodying God's commandment to love or are we members of the church mafia? The type that preaches one thing and practices another. Although Jesus sees us riding dirty, he gives us an opportunity to change directions.  

School Days

I really wanted to blog, trust me, but with school whupping my a*s and a new job that starts waaay too early in the morning, I had no idea where to begin!!! Let's just say that I can no longer pretend to be a clueless, carefree, wanna be undergrad student, I must accept my fate and know that I am now... a NON-TRADITIONAL student. I may have a undergraduate degree and a year of graduate classes in my respective area, yet I have never been employed full time (7:30-6:00) with a real job while doing so. So, in that aspect, I'm a NON-TRADITIONAL student. What I've learned in the past two weeks about online courses:

*Check your Academic blackboard daily, instead of your blogger dashboard 

*Find alternative sites to rent books, instead of buying ex. www.chegg.com

*Take a day to read and outline course work a week prior to due date

*Things are subject to change

Last weeks' rush to complete my assignments have definitely taught me to stay on top of my school game. I'm actually taking time to read and outline my books to create some type of habit to aid in my studying. I'm actually learning things I can apply to the workforce that will be to my advantage. If there are any other bloggers seeking an HR graduate degree, holla at me, maybe we can exchange books or thoughts on course assignment. Wish me luck!!!

P.S- Haven't figured out the MAC, so I don't know how to add a pic.  

Please teach me how to MAC

Well my computer problems are solved or so I think...NOT!!! Anyways you all know my computer has been off the chain so I finally got a new one, my dream computer, or should I say a nightmare!!! I finally got my Mac Book and I have no earthly idea how to use it at all. I'm actually on my cousins' computer writing this blog, I can't even do simple things like copy and paste or correct the time. This friggin thing is sooo complicated, did I make the right decision? I think I did but only time will tell, and if not I still have 14 days to take it back to Bestbuy. If any of you currently have or use the Mac Book on a regular PLEASE hit me up and give your girl a little help!!!

Does Racism exist more in the North or South?

While working...scratch that, observing at my new job, an Indian guy comes in for service. The guy is older and eye's the seat next to me, his nephew tells him to have a seat, he shoots me the side eye and decides to stand. I'm just like whatever, I know he didn't!!! So he leaves out and then the mofu comes back in to ask for directions, I give him directions and of course he doesn't acknowledge me. By this time he's waiting for directions from a guy without a clue and decides to have a seat, but before doing so, he slides the chair away from me.

Maybe its just me...I know racism is alive and well, but the South isn't even like this. It could be the lack of diversity in Southwest Ga., where everything is pretty much black and white. You know... the Old school plantation-move to the back of the bus-white fountain, black fountain type. The racism I've experienced here is the new school racism, racism
from other minorities towards African Americans/Blacks. With all of the diversity in the area you would think the color of my skin would not dictate racism, especially from another minority...that just irks the hell out of me!!! We were brought here unwillingly, while other minorities decide to move here for a better life, or live illegally, and still have the audacity to be racist as if there is one pure race. Racism has definitely evolved, now White people joke freely with Black people about other ethnicities...WTF? I know Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. is rolling over in his grave, considering, his life was taken while fighting for all forms of equality.

Should I be looking at this in a different angle? Maybe the incident was gender based, but would that really make you slide your chair away from a person? At my previous job I worked with a great deal of Indian males. I won't generalize and say that they all would try to make me feel inferior as a woman, yet alone a black woman, but there was one who did. I'm still not sure if it was driven by my race or the fact that I was an educated, independent, single, black female in the workplace. I know there are several different cultural practices, but please don't impose them on me, especially when I'm in no way a part of the said culture. I know some of my friends will read this and jokingly say I think that everyone who isn't Black, White, Mexican, or Korean has to be Indian, LOL!!! Seriously, some parts of the South are not as culturally infused, and may be viewed as Black or White, with an occasional Mexican or Korean, not at all as diverse as the North.

To any of you who lives in the South and visited the North or vice versa, does racism differ in different areas? Are their characteristics or levels of racism? Are we handling racist incidents the correct way or just dealing/ignoring it? I know most of us claim not to be racist, but we all know what goes on behind closed doors. I think the reality show Black and White, was a great portrayal of how different races view others. There are sooo many misconceptions and stereotypes that have been feed to us through the years,

Examples:
*White people will always look out for each other
*Black people are lazy and won't work
*Jamaican and African men are aggressive and abusive
*Korean and Asians are cheap and are 'pimpin' the black community

AND EXCEDERA, EXCEDERA (in the voice and tune of Arra Kelly)

So will we ever be able to fully embrace the race portion of the famous I Have Dream speech?

Are you Meeting the Browns this weekend?

So Meet the Browns is officially out in theaters today. A friend and I discussed the whole Tyler Perry reign. Am I supporting the movie because he's black, he asked. I guess my answer would be YES, I know he is truly talented but the fact that he's black does play a major role. This man has brought many of black families together with his plays (can't take another though), and Iwill definitely support the big screen , will you?

I wonder what the soundtrack has in store? Does anyone know of any other screen writers doing their thing, let me know so we can start supporting?

Randomly Me

So I'm back once again after vacationing in beautiful Pensacola Beach, Fl. Let me just say I was definitely in my element...nice hotel (with a beach front view)...check, great food...check, ghetto clubs...check!!! I know you noticed I didn't mention the mall...well you can't have everything you want. Back to the clubs...as you know, no one parties like Fl., they have their own type of swag, like a little hood to the max mixed with a bit of countriness. I enjoyed the hood music the most which reminded me of Smallbany (local artist performing in the middle of the club)!!! Some local female artists remixed Hood Ni**a and the club was on a whole notha level!!! It seemed like all the Fl. guys are dreaded, but its all good. I'm sure you're wondering how am I vacationing with no job...answer...Everyday I'm Hustlin, Hustlin (inside joke). Which takes me to my next point...


I have a job (insert excitement...really not really). Why is this job starting at 7:30, at least its close to the house!!! I am trying to move forward with a positive attitude towards work in general. I am still certain I will have my dream job soon!!!


On another note I finally got everything straight to complete my graduate degree. I will be taking courses on line which is totally new for me. I'm trying to move from the area of procrastination to the area of prioritizing. I'm actually a list person, when I write out a list I tend to get everything done but without it, I'm lost!!! Hopefully I'll stick to my guns and try to complete my work on Sundays and have the rest of the week less stressful.


I got GREAT news today, Erykah Badu will be performing in the DMV area. You know I can not contain my happiness!!! Not sure if I want to go to the inside concert or the outside. I will be posting very soon my review of her new album (planned to do so but that damn procrastination) I can not believe so many people have been sleeping on this. WAKE UP (from Spike Lee's movie)!!!


So my computers still acting up, so I took it to Best Buy today. The guy gave me a new cord (Lyric chewed the last and wires were exposed), he also tried to sell me more ram at $149.99 with installation of $35.00, and $29.99 to compress files. I said I would come the next day for the $29.99 service since it seemed to be ok. Lo and behold my computer was fixed (so I thought), only to get back home and brake again...ain't that a ...!!! So please keep my computer and efforts to get a new one, in your prayers...It is officially on the sick and shut in list!!!

A Family Affair

As I was heading to the mall I saw Keyshia Cole's Family Affair coming on, so you know I had to drop my plans and make it do what it do. I was soooo hooked to this show last season and very excited to get another view!!! Although I'm a reality show addict, I appreciate the shows' good quality drama, meaning...it always touched on topic you could relate to

*Crack-head family member
*Marriage Drama
*New found success
*Unplanned Pregnancy
*Need for Counseling

The list goes on and on, way too many issues to name that we all face. This show is a great example that stars are just like us and is very relate-able. Keyshia gave some much needed advice to all that watched...LET IT GO, this is like my new mantra (before she said it, the preacher preached on it). I am sooo happy for the growth and maturity in Keyshia Cole, we all know she was once a HOT MESS, people can and do change for the best!!! I wish her much success and if you don't have her new album you gotta get it. In the voice of Frankie...HOLLA

College Hill- ATL shawty!!!

Tonight was the premiere episode of College Hill, ATL shawty!!! You know I had to watch it...gotta represent that GA. The cast all seem like people I went to school with. W.T.F is up with Andrew, he seems like the weakest link!!! It always amazes me how some guys are so homophobic, like being in the prescence of a gay guy will magically rub off on them. We all have a gay uncle or cousin some where!!!

I am sooo happy the show turned out to be an hour premier, now I can try to get a feel of the house dynamics. I am sooo loving the ATL basement beats, reminds me of home!!! Why was Ashley Ls' face so greasy? Doesn't Ashley R, remind you of Nu-Nu (Lauren London).
And again, who does Dru think he is? I think this season will be drama filled and definitely keep ATL on the map (hopefully in a good way). Judging from the previews I will definitely be tuned in every Tues.!!!!

I'm Back By Popular Demand!!!

I've been missing in action for a couple of days because I've been enjoying the 'good life' of not having to go to a job I hate!!!Also, my computer has been acting like its on its cycle and shutting down in the middle of posts and everything. Is that a sign that I need to get a macbook? I sooo wish I could, but being jobless, the budget will be a bit tight. This past weekend I did enjoy myself in Chocolate City. I ate at an african restaurant, Bukom in Adam's Morgan, in celebration of a friends birthday. The food was great, but the shrimp were too big (I still eat seafood, for now), for me the texture/size determines the food I eat. I don't think I'll be getting those ever again. My favorite thing about the restaurant was the live band!!! Those of you that know me, know I'm a sucker for live music. I secretely wish my friends would have the band call me up to do a number with them one day (hint,hint...make sure my attitude is on point though). Sunday I actually walked around downtown D.C and viewed some of the historical attractions, which was definitely a first. I realized that that area would be great to take a bike ride, although I can't imagine having a bike rack on the back of my car. I also took a lunch break and had middle eastern food in the Reagan Cafeteria, it was my first introduction to lentil, which was pretty good. All in all I give my weekend a 7 out of 10, not quite Ga. but I'm sure it'll get there!!!

F.Y.I- I also stepped my cooking game up another notch by making vegetarian 'meat loaf', if I change a few ingredients I believe it'll be just right the next go round!!! I forgot to tell you all last week I made a portabella mushroom philly, you may as well call me Rachel Ray instead of Special K!!!

P.S- I do have a job and I've actually had it before I ended my last. Its not something I'm totally into, but I still have faith that God will put a few people and positions in place that will lead me to my 'dream job'!!!

P.S.S- Tommorrow night I am going to an Ole School Hip Hop and R&B B.Y.O.I Party. Those of you that didn't get it...Bring Your Own Ipod!!! Anyways, you bring your ipod to the party and you actually have a chance to be the D.J for a minute. So I'm asking you all to provide me with some Ole School tunes that will get the party jumping, leave as many as you like!!!