Passion

I know I've been promising to write about passion for some time, but every time I sat down to do it, some other, more interesting or pressing topic came up. So, finally, I get to talk about passion.

Not that stuff that has you doing things you never thought you'd do in a sexual way. Maybe I'll cover this another time. On second thought, definitely not. Some things just have to go to the grave with you.

I'm talking about the passion that reinvigorates your love for life. I have been in social services for twenty years (oh my goodness). I've been able to do it because I have a passion for it. Not that bright eyed, bushy tailed, fresh out of college desire to help others passion. Nope. It's more of a- some folks aren't going to want it, but if I can just plant a seed for change, it will be there when they need it- type of service.

I fell into my passion. I was supposed to go to law school, but got married and postponed it. Of course, you know how that goes. You just don't go at all. Not once have I regretted it. Instead, I was a newlywed with her sheepskin hot off the presses. I didn't have a clue what to do with my liberal arts degree. My mother advised me to get a "good government job" because that's what black folks did back in her day. So, I took her advice and went down to my local department of human services (remember, this was 20 years ago), took a test, interviewed, and got a job. The rest is history.

People used to notice the passion I had for my work. Not so much anymore. I used to love to have the day pass in a frenzy of activity, with a mountain of paperwork remaining on my desk to take home because I would feel like I had accomplished something. It was great in it's heyday.

The last couple of years, my passion for this is waning. We normally call it burn out. It's time for me to do something different. For years, I have waxed poetic about what it would be like to be a full time writer. The trouble is, I was doing more talking than writing.

I started this year with a very small goal in mind. Write something at least five days a week. A blog was a great way to get started. So I did that.

What I found was that the best part of my day is when my fingers are flying over the keyboard, letting my thoughts out for the world to see, if they choose to look. After my blog, I feel exhilarated. I feel content. And what I have found is that I am already thinking about what I'll write about next.

So this month has been a big experiment for me. I needed to see if this was really what I wanted to do ( a resounding yes). And would I be committed (another yes).

Which has led me to decide that beginning Feb. 1, I will start my journey to complete my first novel. I have had many starts and stops, but now it's time to let the rubber meet the road. Since I can't hook my brain up to my computer and let the story write itself, I have to sit down and do it.

I am committing myself to writing 1000 words a day. When it's done, it's done. I'll think about the next phase when I have a completed manuscript.

So, what's your passion? Have you ever considered switching careers in mid-stream? What would you do if money were no object? How do you keep the dream alive?

Can't wait to read your responses.

Find and live your passion. Right now is as good a time as any.

Six Degrees of Oprah

Here is an article from the New York Times regarding Edward Kennedy and his support.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/28/us/politics/28kennedy.html?ex=1359262800&en=f89fefaebba086bf&ei=5124&partner=permalink&exprod=permalink

Now after reading this, I have just two points to make:

1. The Clintons must be mad as a hatter right about now. They had successfully managed to keep Rep. Jim Clyburn (from South Carolina) from endorsing Obama, who ended up giving Clinton a beat down in the SC anyway. And now this?

2. Barack Obama has proven that he is no neophyte. He understands the moving and shaking that needs to go on before the announcement to run ever happens- hence, the mentoring and meetings with Kennedy. Do not sleep on this man, ya'll. He is proving every day that not only does he understand the system, he understands how to move within it. And when you have that knowledge, you understand how to change it (or take it down, if need be). Hence, the distress of the Clintons right about now.

Now, I know you are wondering what in the world this all has to do with Oprah Winfrey. Well, let's just take a stroll down history and who-knows-who lanes, shall we?

Oprah Winfrey met and befriended Maria Kennedy Shriver Schwarzennegger back in her Baltimore days. They are bosom buddies- real friends, not these fake Hollywood friends- they visit each other's homes, break bread together, shop and girl talk. Oprah is in with the family. Ya'll feel me?

Now, Oprah has supported Obama in every way- throwing soirees on his behalf, stumping in Iowa, SC, and New Hampshire. Telling folks that she really believes in this man. She has never publicly endorsed a candidate before.

Also, while I'm sure that Obama would have bumped into Kennedy here and there in the Senate, would Kennedy have been inclined to take the time out to mentor and advise the young whippersnapper so early into his Senate career?

I'm just saying. Ya'll do the math.

I hereby dub Oprah Gail Winfrey the new King (or at least President) Maker. Bet ya'll didn't see that one coming.

Stay tuned for the next episode of the Political Restless. Anything can happen. Don't you just love it.

Caroline Kennedy Endorses Obama

CAN YOU - FEEL A - BRAND NEW DAY? (from the Wiz. Ya'll know how it goes)

Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg went on record in today's New York Times as a supporter of Barack Obama.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/27/opinion/27kennedy.html?ex=1359176400&en=d8a4e6707ba8c7f2&ei=5124&partner=permalink&exprod=permalink

I want you guys to read the entire article for yourself. Her words- not mine.

Make no mistake, this is the equivalent of throwing down the gauntlet in the world of politics. The Kennedys remain a tight-knit family, so I'm pretty sure they are were all on board before word one got banged out on a keyboard. America still romanticizes the Kennedy era. We called it Camelot. A sexy and charismatic youngster from a large political family took America by storm with his beautiful wife by his side. That was 1960. Fast forward 48 years, and a sexy, charismatic, intelligent son of a single parent with a beautiful wife who is an intellectual powerhouse in her own right are doing it once again.

And they aren't taking no for an answer. They aren't letting folks define them. They aren't letting folks pigeonhole them. And make no mistake, Michelle is her husband's biggest asset. She's smart, determined, but most of all, she stays grounded, so that her man can soar. She walked into this with a full understanding of how it was going to go down- and still, she said "I'm in".

Caroline Kennedy pays homage to her father without detracting from Obama's uniqueness. It's a great endorsement.

And what is it about Obama that is causing people to respond in such a big way? It's his energy ya'll. I'm all about the yin and yang of things, and I have to say that his energy is palpable. It's infectious. People are deciding that they can and will do something about the state of our country, and that it is as much our own individual responsibility as it is our leader's.

I think Michael Baisden said it best last week when he said that America is waking up.

And it's about time.

Another One Bites the Dust

That is the song that a local R&B DJ played on the radio this evening in dedication to Barack Obama. I played it loud and sang along!

There is an air of excitement here. Folks understand that we are witnessing history- no matter the outcome. And we are ready. From the young to the old, the black to the white, the male to the female, South Carolina has made it's desires known.

To say I was sweating bullets is an understatement. I stayed away from local TV stations all day, I tried to nap, and just couldn't. Now, if you know me, you know that a nap on a cold, cloudy Saturday afternoon is like crack for me. Nothing could keep me from it. Couldn't do it. I ended up watching a movie instead.

The Diva in Training and I had dinner with The Man, and on our way back, my cell rings. It's my mom with the first precinct results. It was 7:10 and Barack had been declared the winner with only 1% of the precincts reporting. WTF? I was shocked beyond belief. I sat there and watched the primary results come in, getting more and more excited as the numbers grew steadily. There was joy in ChuckTown tonight.

Which got me to thinking, have ya'll been paying attention to the music on your radio stations lately?
- Yesterday on the way to work, the radio played No More Drama (ya'll know that's a former theme song of mine. I had not heard it on the radio in some time).
-This morning on the way to yoga, they played Optimistic. (Ya'll see where I'm going? This isn't a song you hear regularly on the radio these days either.)
-This evening on my way to dinner, just as I was getting off the phone with another Obama supporter and we were talking about the different ways this primary could pan out, Haters comes on.

Now, what is the likelihood of my fav theme songs each being played in the span of 24+ hours? Coincidence? I think not.

OK, OK, maybe I just need to keep my ass home, or start listening to more cds or my iPod in the car. LOL

The only other song I need to hear now is One Nation Under a Groove, and it's all over but the shouting.

Hmmm- looks like I'm getting my play list together for my house party.

Anyway, rock on Barack. South Carolina had your back today.

It's Finally Our Turn

Today is the day South Carolinians cast their votes in the democratic primary! It's 12: 06 pm and my phone has been ringing off the hook since 6:50. That's right, I got my wake up call from The Man on his way out the door to vote. Within 20 minutes, I was out of the house and heading to my polling place. I was in and out in less than 5 minutes. It was all done with military precision. It went a little something like this:

I was met by the greeter (little old man there to say good morning, check your id or voter registration card, and point you toward the correct table- two precincts were voting in one large place), checked off the registration list, and escorted to the voting booth. It was over and done with in five minutes.

We had plenty of booths, plenty of volunteers, and at 7:20 am, a steady stream of voters. It was all very efficient.

As soon as I walked out, I called my girlfriend Adrienne to see if she was heading out. Of course she was, and I talked to her until she got to her polling place. She called me back in what seemed like exactly five minutes and said she was done. We compared notes and then it was on the next phone call. And so on and so on.

The thing about being an early voter (and most of your friends and family being early birds) is that I won't be able to get any first hand accounts of how things go throughout the day. Even my former mother-in-law was seen at the polls before 7:30 this morning.

Which means that I am on pins and needles for the rest of the day. It is going to be a tight race. Last week Obama was estimated to be ahead in the polls by like 20%. Since the weekend and week of stupidity, he is slipping, Clinton is shoring up, and Edwards has even gained considerably. Or so they say. I take everything with a grain of salt. Seeing as I didn't collect the data myself.

Does it sound like I don't trust the media? Good, 'cause I don't trust the media.

Anyway, we are all excited and awaiting to see the results. Even the guy who does my therapeutic massage is excited about today. He's an older white guy who has had a couple of careers. He's now doing what he enjoys, lives by the beach, and he and his wife can come and go as they please. He's usually all about business- letting me enjoy the massage while he works on my many issues (neck, back, or calves from running), but yesterday he was ready to talk. Obama is his candidate of choice. It was one of the most interesting conversations I've had all week. His logic for voting for Obama was sound, and he was even more impassioned than I am about this candidate- and that is hard to do.

So, as I hear it, ya'll will hear it. So far, no need to call out the cadre of attorneys standing by to deal with voting issues. Ya'll knew we were ready. LOL

This and That

Bear with me ya'll. I mentioned that I am going to post about the recession, and I am still planning to do that. However, ya'll know that I like to get it right, so I am doing some legwork. I am not in the business of misinformation- watch television if that's what you want.

So, while I have no socio-political thing to hit you with today, let's talk about American Idol.

First of all, I'm from the Charleston area. My mother was born and raised here. This is where my people live and die. And yes, Charleston has indeed been voted the friendliest city. 'Cause we are.

But- DO NOT for one minute think that those looney tunes on American Idol last night are representative of Charleston talent 'cause it ain't. All those crazy folks were not from Charleston. That was a regional audition, and we were just lucky enough to be prime location. If you've ever been here, then you certainly know why. So, I just wanted to set the record straight. Yes, we have our share of crazy, but just remember that we are a small reflection of America as a whole.

Anyway, after I got my laugh on last night, I decided I better address that mess.

See ya'll tomorrow. And you'll probably get a special weekend report on my experience voting in the primary on Saturday.

Where in the World is Condoleezza Rice?

Have you seen her?
Tell me have your seen her? (thank you Chi-Lites for that back-in-the-day moment)

LOL. Some days I just crack myself up.

But seriously, where is she?

This woman has been kept out of the country for some time. I understand that it's her job as Secretary of State to be out and about, but damn. You've got to come home and recharge your battery sometime.

Here are just a few thoughts I have about Condoleezza:

She has been characterized at times by some black folks as the ultimate sell out. And she is touted by “them” as a rare breed: the Republican party symbol of inclusiveness. In other words, the Republicans are saying: “See, we accept you. We have one of your best and brightest in our camp. We can’t be all bad.” Uh huh.

What I see when I look at Condi (and I hope she doesn’t mind if I call her Condi) is a woman with and abundance of intelligence, a woman who believes in hard work and doing a job well, a woman who held on to her idealism so long that she really started to believe that she could bring about change from within. And that is when the trouble began.

When she truly became a blip on the national radar, there was a twinkle in her eyes. I used to say to myself, “Self- we may actually see something different from those folks.” Unlike Condi, I didn’t hold onto my idealism that long. About five minutes to be exact. Now when I see Ms. Rice, I see a sista hanging in there to get the job done, in spite of the fact that she is not only smarter than her boss, but the majority of his management team as well. You can tell that she now sees the party as they really are: the Emperor and his entire court are booty ass naked. You know this because light has gone out her eyes.

Where is she, and how does she feel about her boss and the current state of affairs in her country? What are her plans for life after Bush? You know he's never going to leave his wife. (I'm just kidding ya'll, I couldn't resist). What are her plans after the end of the Bush Administration? I wonder what she will say in her tell all memoirs. How come she's not on anybody's radar these days? As usual, I have more questions than answers.

What do ya'll think about Condi? Is she a misguided pawn of the Bush administration, or was she fully aware of the "politics" involved from day one? Talk to me. It's lonely in here!

A Letter to Obama

Dear Barack,

It's been a rough couple of weeks for you. I have been watching things very closely. I have been calling folks on their shit left and right. So in all fairness, I have to sit down and have a heart to heart with you.

I know that you are getting your hustle on in this presidential race while I sit at home on my computer ranting and raving on your behalf. I know that you are out there delivering your message of hope, shaking hands and kissing babies. I know that you have been saying from the very beginning that we need to be a nation that overlooks no one. I know that conservatives are people too, and we need to include them in the new political order. I understand all of that.

But, RONALD WILSON REAGAN? How could you? This man was no friend to low-income families, minorities, anybody not a good ole' boy of his. The rich got richer, the poor got pissed on, and the "war" on drugs was on and popping. (Which simply resulted in the increased incarceration of users as opposed to these folks receiving treatment- but I digress.) The list of social and political atrocities during the Reagan era is long, and I don't have that kind of time.

I'm going to charge it to you head, and not your heart. You got caught up in the presidential game. You were trying to walk your talk of inclusion. You got the support of the conservative newspaper that you were seeking. OK. But please get this, those folks are not your friends. They are sitting back waiting on you and Hillary to finish each other off- which gives them plenty of ammunition to use in the general election. Please, please, please leave Reagan where he lies. That comment is going to haunt you for quite a while, but I will see you through.

This is not a show-stopper in terms of our relationship, but we can't go down this road again without some consequences and repercussions.

Your biggest supporter,
SouthernDiva

We Are Not Sheep

Black folks in America, and especially the South, are not sheep. Contrary to popular media belief. On this day of celebration of the life MLK, Jr., I am tired, tired, tired of the news stories, both local and national, about black folks voting for Obama because he is black. Not because he is intelligent, qualified, determined, not the old guard, optimistic, inclusive, calling for change, daring to hope instead of giving us the same old rhetoric. Nope. America prefers to believe that the only thing black folks care about is getting a black person as president- no matter what. Hmmm.

No one EVER questions whether white folks vote for someone simply because they are white. I guess white folks in America are above this, and would of course vote for a non-white if they were the right person. It happens all the time, right? Yeah, right. If that were the case, Strom Thurmond would not have managed to have one of the longest running careers in the United States Senate- the man who filibustered for 24 hours on the House floor against desegregation. But I digress. There are no news stories about whether or not McCain's win in South Carolina last weekend is because he is white. I guess that's because every one of his opponents in the republican race is a white male. Business as usual. But no one ever questions that.

Instead, I am subjected to query after query about the black vote getting behind Obama. And these media folks are serious. I should be hoarse by now from shouting at the television, just between the hours of six and seven alone. You would think that I would turn the damn thing off. I keep hoping that someone is going to call folks on their shit, and get a real dialogue going.

To the majority folks in America in charge of the media, I am standing in the middle of my living room screaming:

WE ARE NOT SHEEP!!!!!!!!!!

Do not assume that we can be herded or corralled.
Do not assume that we are not individuals.
Do not assume that we are non-thinking folks.
Do not assume that we are easily led.
Do not assume that we have forgotten this country's history.
Do not assume that we don't want change as much as our white neighbors.

Don't sleep on Barack Obama or in ten months you'll be doing stories on his "sudden" rise to power because all you can focus on right now is his race.

And we black folks will be shaking our heads at the continued arrogance and ignorance of the white males in power in this country.

Oh yeah, and we (along with all the white folks who vote for him) will be having the house party of the century. (Or should I say White House party?)

HOLLA!

Business Post

Hey People,
I've gotten great response to the blog, and some of you I'd like to answer directly. If you are interested in getting an email letting you know when I've put up a new post, please send me your email address (off blog- of course). No one else will get my email list-so you are safe with me.

You can reach me at:

uscdiva@gmail.com

I'll be back later in the day- 'cause we need to talk about the recession. Or economic downturn. Or economic crisis. Anyway- George Bush is talkin' 'bout sending us some money ya'll. Ain't that some shyet.

The Gym

I joined a gym last month. First time in over fifteen years. Over the last year, exercise has become my main form of stress reduction, so I decided it's time to kick it up a notch and start to reshape my body. Stop laughing. I'm serious.

But you've got to use the tools to get the results. There's always a catch!

We've been in budget season hell since just before the holidays. I am happy to say that today the agency's 2009 budget was given the green light by the Powers That Be. Thank God that mess is over (for now). And now my slug excuse is gone. I could tell my gym partner I couldn't make it because of budget meetings (true), I've got to stay late because of the budget (true), I'm eating lunch in because of the budget (also true), I've got to start from scratch, so I can't hang today (not so true). I'm now officially out of budget excuses for the next 9 months (budget season starts late October for us- the worst part is Dec/Jan).

So, I went to the gym and hit the treadmill for a two mile run. Not bad, right? WRONG! A half mile in, I was fine. When my Nike+ chimed that I was halfway there, I said a hooray in my head, until it hit me that I had another mile to go. It was all over from there. Sweat dripping every which way, shin starting to hurt, earphones coming out of my ear, huffing and puffing like nothing human. It was not pretty. This is what happens when you haven't run in a couple of weeks.

And then my theme song came on. Eminem told me to own it and to never let it go. Success is my only motherf*&^ing option, failure's not. I finished that mile, and then promptly read myself the riot act for giving in to temptation all the time- burgers, shakes, and fries- oh my.

I'll be back in the gym tomorrow- it's strength day. Eventually, I'm going to have to do something about the diet. Damn.

Pimpin' Ain't Easy

Since we're all friends here, let's talk about race, politics, and America...... Damn- ya'll hear that? That was the sound of folks clicking off this blog with a quickness. For those of you still here, I want to have an open discussion. I don't have all the answers. Actually, I don't have any answers at all. Shyet, I've got nothing but questions, but unless we start talking about it, there will be no resolution and no understanding. The single request that I have is that you proceed on with an open mind. Seek first to understand, then to be understood.

Pimpin' ain't easy. It ain't easy for Hillary, and it definitely ain't easy for Barack. Hillary has to define herself as a politician, outside of her role as wife and confidante to the beloved Bill Clinton. Sometimes she gets the roles confused. The Clinton camp wants us to know that a vote for Hillary is not a vote for the non-running Bill. I get that. But many black folks in America may not. The struggle for Hillary will be in not trying to ride her husband's coattails into the White House.

Barack on the other hand has to contend with so much more. He's got black folks complaining about the fact that he does not speak out on "race" issues. He has been accused of trying to "transcend" his race. Now, before I go any further, let us for a moment discuss the word "transcend".

Dictionary.com defines the verb transcend as:

1. to rise above or go beyond; overpass; exceed: to transcend the limits of thought; kindness transcends courtesy.

2. to outdo or exceed in excellence, elevation, extent, degree, etc.; surpass; excel.

3. Theology. (of the Deity) to be above and independent of (the universe, time, etc.). –verb (used without object)

4. to be transcendent or superior; excel: His competitiveness made him want to transcend.

Let's just examine this word, in relation to Barack Obama. Shall we?

First of all, how in the hell is Barack going to rise above or go beyond his race? And let's define race for the purpose of this conversation as: an arbitrary classification of modern humans, sometimes, esp. formerly, based on any or a combination of various physical characteristics, as skin color, facial form, or eye shape, and now frequently based on such genetic markers as blood groups (again with the dictionary.com). When he walks out of his door in the morning, does he get to leave the brown skin, thick lips, and kinky hair at home? I think not. Where he goes, it goes. It's the first thing non-African Americans notice when they meet him. It is a block to check on every legal form in the country. How does he transcend it? He doesn't seem the type to go for skin bleaching and then calling it vitiligo.

Second point: is it really that hard to outdo or exceed the current African American political leaders? Oh wait, there aren't any. Sorry folks, but the title of minister, pastor, community leader does not equate to experienced politician. Now I know I'm stepping on some toes with this one, but someone has got to say it. Politicians hold PUBLIC OFFICE. They are elected, even if it is rigged, and given a salary, perks, and kickbacks to move and shake things at the local, state, and national levels. Don't let me forget- the other way to hold public office is to be appointed by your shyster friend. I can march anywhere I want to at any time, and that still does not make me a POLITICIAN. That makes me a civil rights activist! Big fucking difference, and it is about time we learn this. So again, I ask, is it really that hard to EXCEED or outdo the current level of POLITICAL leadership in the African American community. Not so much. Whycome some of us are still holding on to the fact that leaders in our community HAVE to be ministers or preachers. I don't even go to church, so those folks can't get me to do shit. But that's just me. And don't think I don't know the historical perspective- I do. And I'll break it down for you another day. (You southern Baptists can stop praying for me, my God and I have an understanding.)

I won't talk about the theological use of the word. That's about the one thing no one is accusing Obama of.

Finally, I will say that why should he not want to meet the fourth definition of the word: to be superior or to excel? Who in their right mind would want someone representing them who is an underachiever? Oh, my bad, that's what we've been subject to for the last eight years, courtesy of the republican political machinery. We are complaining that the youth of today don't have ambition, don't have drive, don't want to improve their lot in life. Well, Barack Obama has chosen to excel, to strive for superiority, to do the damn thing. He could have continued on the wrong path and ended up in jail or dead. Instead, he decided to put to use the brains God gave him- and exceed the limits placed upon him by his environment and society. OK. Maybe if we as Americans decided to take this concept on as a national endeavor, Toyota would not be number one in car sales in these United States. I'm just saying.

I know I have only scratched the surface with this race and politics thing. There is so much more ground to cover. I just can't do it all in one sitting ya'll. I gotta give the devil his due so that I can pay my cable bill to keep my internet up. There is plenty more where this came from. Can you say Bob "I was talking about his community service" Johnson (are you fucking kidding me), invoking the name of MLK, Jr., and Tavis Smiley. Ok, ok, I'ma get off of Tavis- seriously. I really do like a lot of what he says and stands for. Seriously.

My questions for today: why is the minority candidate the only candidate required to address race? Do we not expect majority folks to do anything about racial disparities in this country? How come no one is accusing Hillary of trying to transcend her race? Is she not pandering to non-majority folks for their votes? I'm just saying.

I'll see ya'll tomorrow. Be kind with your comments, or not. I'll just delete the really nasty ones. Or not.

How To Support Your Friends

I am a counselor by trade. I've got the sheepskin to prove it. But I swear ya'll, this support thing ain't no joke. I have a diva friend who is going through it right now. It's not life or death or anything like that, but her relationship is in an upheaval, and she is getting conflicting advice from all sides. This woman is like a sister to me and I hate seeing her upset. Really, I do. But, I have a problem. NEVER, NEVER, NEVER ask my opinion about something if you don't really want the answer. I know, I know, big surprise!

You ever have a strong-willed friend acting a little crazy (your words, not hers) and so you decide to drop a little knowledge and get her back on the straight and narrow? Yeah, I know. We all have. Question is, how did that work for ya? I can ask these questions, because I've had to answer them myself.

So, to help myself step away from Other People's Drama (OPD) I've come up with this list to help women who may be faced with a similar situation:

1. Do not under ANY circumstances tell them what you really think until after the storm has passed. Seriously. Break this rule only if you plan on ensuring that you spend three days arguing about how it's not about you.

2. Do not get on the horn and call the Diva Roundtable to order unless asked to do so by the Diva in Distress. Let the DID call everyone one by one and tell them what's going on. Ya'll can get together later and compare notes to make sure everyone got the same story.

3. There needs to be a time limit on the DID's wallowing. After a week of not leaving the house, or returning phone calls, use the lure of shoe shopping and lunch to get her out of the house and talking. This works every time.

4. Chocolate does have a medicinal purpose. Don't let some quack doctor tell you otherwise.

5. A month after the incident in question and the DID is returning to normal and asks what your really think- DO NOT TELL HER! She's in remission, but she's not fully cured yet.

6. Know that when you finally tell the DID how you really felt about the situation, she will get pissed and tell you that you should have told her during the drama, even though you knew should couldn't handle it then.

7. Know that when you are the DID, your friends will be using this list to support you.

I know this doesn't sound very therapeutic, but trust me. You will avoid long phone conversations, uber-long lunches because the DID won't talk about anything else, and emergency Diva Roundtables during the business day in the middle of budget season.

Where Did All The House Parties Go?

When was the last time you went to a house party? Not a dinner party, or a soiree, but a good ole' fashioned "shake the house down to the foundation" party? Umm. I was in my 20s the last time I went to one. And come to think of it, I think I was the host.

This weekend we celebrated the birthday of one of my diva friends. We met at a tapas bar (yes, damn it- tapas bar) and then went to a little dessert cafe afterwards. A good time was had by all. Now, don't get me wrong- no one loves to get their eat, drink, and laugh on more than I do, but at the end of the night, I thought about how we used to do things "back in the day". LOL

So on the ride home, I got into a conversation with Mr. Lover Lover about house parties in general. We started reminiscing about some of the wilder parties that we attended in our youth. He even mentioned one party where they were jumping and carrying on so bad that the wood floor was buckling. Now that's what I'm talking about. When was the last time you got down like that?

When I was younger, my folks had parties all the time. Rent parties, promotion parties, she finally left that fool parties, I can't believe he took her back after sleeping with his best friend parties, Christmas parties, Thank God It's Friday parties. The list goes on. They got their groove on, and their slow drags as well. It wasn't a party until someone played some Al Green for my mother. It was all about destressing.

I don't go to house parties these days. Mainly because people just don't have them. They don't want to contend with the preparation before and the clean up afterwards. Folks no longer have good manners, and we work too hard to get alcohol all over our beige carpets and fine furniture. And do you know how hard it is to rent a metal detector for the door? But dang ya'll, don't you just miss it?

Let's go back for just a minute, shall we?

It's Friday evening. You are leaving work with an air of anticipation. So-and-so is having a BYOB party. Tonight, you are not the designated driver, so you know it will be on and popping. You get home, shower, put on your booty jeans, heels ( or hot ass boots, in my case) a sexy, sleeveless top ('cause you know it is going to get hot in there), and pull that hair up off your neck so that you are not looking like a wet poodle by the end of the night. The girlfriend caravan arrives. You head out to dinner first because you know So-and-so is stingy with the food, and you don't want to be hungry while getting your groove on. After eating, early drinks, and lots of laughs, the Divas arrive en masse at the party of the week. You don't ring the doorbell because they won't hear you over the music anyway. As you wind your way deeper into the house, greetings are shouted out from all over the room. You can't get your purse in the bedroom fast enough because the bass is infectious. You dance alone, you dance with friends, you dance with the hottie with a body, you dance with the brother that you will have to run from the rest of the night. You dance until the cops come knocking or until your designataed driver tells you it's time to go. You get home at 4 in the morning, crash until noon, and call all your girlfriends Saturday afternoon for the after action review, and to plan the trip to the club later that night.

Wow! Remember that?

I'm adding "house party" to my list of things to do this year. Maybe I can bring it back- like hip huggers and afros.

Anybody down for a house party?

Yoga and Me

I had my first yoga lesson today. Lots of breathing, twisting, and bending. Thank goodness it was a private session for myself and three other friends. I'm not sure how I would feel with a bunch of asses in the air all around me. Although, I'm sure that thought is a straight man's paradise.


Have a great weekend. I'll see you guys on Monday.

Hot Under the Collar

Today has been something else. I'm tired, cranky, and just plain pissed off. Stupidity was all around. But enough about work. :-)

I didn't sleep very well last night. Lots of things on my mind: work and program budgets, the kid and her musical theater schedule for the next couple of months, the lover/friend and his well-being, my local diva friends and all they are dealing with, and writing, writing, writing. The word passion kept popping in my head, so I got up, grabbed my notebook and started jotting some things down. After much tossing and turning, I finally went to sleep.

The day started off as usual- rolling down the interstate on my way to the j-o-b. Tom Joyner announces that Tavis Smiley is coming up with his commentary, so I text Yas to let her know. (Side note- I normally don't text and drive, but I wanted Yas to get near a radio.) And then I listened patiently as Mr. Smiley discussed the avalanche of email and phone calls that he received in regards to his commentary on Tuesday. Sounds like Mr. Smiley got cussed out. Sounds like folks ripped him a new one. Sounds like his skin got a little thin.

Now, ya'll know I'm sitting here gloating. I was not one of those folks calling and emailing Smiley. (Damn it- the thought never crossed my mind. I so wish it had.) I simply blogged about it and went on my merry way. But you know how we can be when we get pissed off. We get a little irate and hot under the collar. We don't pull any punches. I should have more sympathy for Mr. Smiley 'cause I can only imagine the content of those messages. I mean, come on, he was just doing his job. Calling things like he sees them. I bet he didn't expect the backlash that he got.

Tavis did a wonderful job of standing fast. Oh, he told us about his track record over the years of calling people out, the Clintons included, and was impassioned about the fact that he was not going to defend himself. But what he failed to admit was that he DID NOT call out any politician on Tuesday other than Barack Obama. I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that is probably what most people were pissed off about. What has Barack done (or not done) that he needed to be put on blast in such a way? Did he lie to the American public about weapons of mass destruction and then invade another country? Did he deny having sexual relations with a young intern that was not his wife? Did he accidentally shoot a hunting partner in the face? Did he get all his rich buddies government contracts overseas? I'm just wondering. When I get in some one's shit, it's usually for something they did or didn't do.

So what has Obama done to deserve Smiley's tirade? Let's see, he's encouraging Americans to be inclusive instead of exclusive (which would be business as usual). He has said that America needs to communicate with folks who don't think like us, or believe the way we do because they are not going to go away just because we ignore them (that's how things get blown up and innocent lives are lost, aside from being an extremely arrogant thing to do). He has refused to deny any part of his heritage to make everybody feel better about him. Yeah, still not finding anything to warrant the disdain of Smiley. But that's ok, 'cause from now on I'm going to start posting on issues. That way I can keep my own score card and not depend on the generosity of Mr. Smiley to keep me well informed.

I'm done with the Smiley/Obama issue for the day, but I need to address one more thing that is not sitting well with me-Tiger Woods.

Now, I know this is going to make some people cringe, but it is evident that this young man did not have an African American mother. Because if he did, he would have gotten his natural Caublanasian ass whupped for letting that freakin' reporter off the hook. This dayum fool doesn't have enough sense to be outraged and pissed off. Are you kidding me? Ms. Tilghman should be fired! The words I have for this female are not fit to print. To Tiger, I say: Man up and stop acting like a little biyatch. You are not turning the other cheek, you are telling folks that it is ok to kill you ('cause that was lynching is, in case you didn't know) because you don't respect yourself enough to stand up for yourself. If you don't do it for yourself, do it for your seed.

I'm going to watch the last episode of Grey's in a few minutes. I'm so glad tomorrow's Friday.

Choices

This is my third attempt at this blog today. I was not going to talk about politics and New Hampshire. I was going to prattle on and on about running and exercise and how it makes me feel. But for some reason, the words just wouldn't flow. How can I not mention Big Willie calling Obama a "fairytale", or Obama responding by taking the high road and acknowledging the frustrations that the Clinton camp was surely experiencing, or how when Michael Eric Dyson's wife (who's name escapes me right now- I do apologize) was asked to talk about Hillary Clinton's political experience when she called into the Michael Baisden radio talk show, floundered and stumbled, and never could provide a direct answer. I wasn't going to write about any of that today. I don't want ya'll getting bored with my political views. But seriously guys, how could I not? This stuff is better than watching the soaps to me.

I need to warn you in advance, with this being an election year, national politics is my thing. It's the Superbowl for nerds like me. I love the debates, the debauchery, and the drama. When my candidate is on top, I'm riding high with him. When he slips in the polls, or is hit with some BS, I'm also with him. I send out positive vibes on the mental airwaves to support him and bolster him when needed. I follow his comings and goings because I have a vested interest in the outcome. Apparently, there are folks all over the country waking up and smelling the coffee as well. I remember some of this from the 1992 elections. I was a 20something and this guy named Bill Clinton was trying to get the Reaganites out of Washington (and we all know Bush Sr. was just an extension of the Reagan era), and the republicans were probably feeling very much like most folks are feeling now after eight years of Clinton- we gotta get him out of there and do something different. But this is serious business ya'll.

There is so much Obama hatin' going on because he has done what others could not- both democrat and republican alike. He has awakened young folks, old folks, the disenfranchised, disillusioned, and the apathetic. He's got people saying to the establishment: "We're tired of this BS, and we are not going to take it anymore". And just how did he do that? By offering a message of hope, change, and inclusion. Say what you like, but America's melting pot ain't all that. I live in the south. You want to see racism and segregation? Come to Charleston for a visit. Ride down Meeting street. You'll get a real view of the haves and have nots, and you won't ever have to leave that one street. Mama an 'nem are just as tired of Bush, Cheney, and pals as the blue bloods who lunch downtown. The impending recession is hitting us all. And if you ask me, we are already in a recession, they just haven't labeled it as such yet. Oh, you didn't ask me.

Obama has reminded us that we have a choice. We can pick business as usual, or we can take a chance on some new blood. Ya'll know which camp I'm in. You keep doing what you do, you'll keep getting what you get.

New Hampshire was not a bust for Obama. It actually let folks know that the ENTIRE country is sitting up and taking notice, and that democrats and republicans better begin to address the needs of the people, or they are yesterday's news.

See ya'll tomorrow. I'll scour the entertainment rags tonight and see what the celebs are up to. I'm sure someone's done something stupid I need to address. :-)

Step Into It

Last year this time, I was promoted to the position of executive manager. To say there was a lot of drama in the agency about it is an understatement. It's not hard to figure out why: a black female who has been with the organization for only three years is promoted over several white males who have been here for 2-3 times longer than that. To a team that is made up of five white males. Never mind said female's professional experience (more varied than some of her peers), or her education (same as her peers). And let's totally ignore her performance. She took a floundering program, with personnel and programatic problems galore and turned it around. Didn't matter. It wasn't her time. She wasn't "seasoned" enough in this area of social services. Sound familiar?

Now, I am in no way comparing myself to Barack Obama, but Im sure you can see the similarities here. I watched the debates on Saturday and saw how Clinton struggled to not go after Obama. She lost the battle with herself and put it out there anyway. And then yesterday, I saw clips on the news of her heartfelt and "emotional" message regarding her desire to see a change in Washington and the country as a whole. I am with her. But who's to say that someone fresh and not a political "insider"can't do the job? In a few hours, we'll have the final words from the folks in New Hampshire on this very subject.

But it's the commentary by Tavis Smiley this morning on the Tom Joyner Morning Show that I want to speak to- very briefly. For the most part, I am down with Tavis and his socio-political views, but for the last year, I've been taken aback on several occasions when he begins to comment on Barack Obama. On one hand, he seems very respectful to the Senator and the way his "following" has grown. On the other hand, I'm hearing a little venom in his words regarding Obama. For instance, this morning, Smiley spoke about the folks in Iowa demonstrating the democratic party's desire to "fall in love" with a candidate- namely Obama. He then goes on to caution democrats to hold their representatives accountable, and to ensure that their needs will be addressed. As you should do in any good relationship. I'm down with that. I really am. But I find it interesting that these comments, in my humble opinion, were Obama specific. I felt like he wanted me to hold Obama's feet to the fire. And that I can do. But my question is- what about the rest of those fuckers? Are we not to hold them accountable because they are the "old guard"? Does this rule apply to everyone or just to the newbies? I'm joking but I'm serious. On many occasions, it has appeared to me that Smiley is harder on the Senator from Illinois than he is on others. Interesting. Could just be my sensitivity. But I wondered why he opened his piece with statistics on Jesse Jackson's run for the presidency in 84 and 88. Ya'll really don't want me to go there. I'm just making new friends here. LOL He briefly mentioned Shirley Chisolm, and no word on Al Sharpton. And I can't think of that republican brother that ran in 04- he was not on my radar at all. I'm just saying, that Smiley is starting to sound like "them"- the old guard democrats- when it comes to Obama. I ain't hating though. I have my opinions, and he has his- he just has a wider audience.

This message is for Obama, myself, and anyone else faced with a bunch of folks arm chair quarterbacking while you're out there busting your ass. STEP INTO IT!! If you have a job to do, or a message to spread that you feel strongly about, STEP INTO IT!!! Do not slide into it. Do not fall into it. Do not ease into it to make other people happy. Boldly step into it. Handle your business and then head home. It's easy for folks to criticize when their lives, family, money, or reputation aren't on the line. And just remember, all of us learn by doing. Just a thought.

Divas R Us...

Let's talk about the word diva. My friends already know this stuff, so they will probably stop reading now and check in tomorrow. The rest of you, hang in there. I'm sure you'll find it interesting.

We all know the negative connotations of the word (people usually get it confused with prima donna, which means: 1. a first or principal female singer in an opera company, or 2. a tempermental person. One who takes adulation and priveleged treatment as a right and reacts with petulance to criticism or inconvenience. Thanks http://www.dictionary.com/). Diva in modern day terms was coined by the Italians to indicate a "distinguished woman singer". It is actually a Latin word and means goddess, or the feminine divine. Now that's what I'm talking about.

When most folks use the word diva, they are insinuating that a woman is demanding, bitchy, or a perfectionist. (Think J-Lo, Diana Ross, or Barbra Streisand) These women are considered high maintenance and occasionally engage in behaviors that are considered extreme ( only a certain type of water, pick out all the blue m&m's, paint my microphone the color of my dress, etc). A few years ago, I decided to take back the term. I started calling myself and my friends divas.

I use the term as one of endearment, a badge of honor and accomplishment, and as a reminder that each woman I know is a Mistress of the Universe. My friends are movers and shakers in their own rights. Some are current and former VPs for Fortune 500 companies, military officers, directors of private non-profits, small business owners, and on and on. Others are stay-at-home moms rearing their kids (and sometimes other people's kids) so that the system never will. Whatever they are doing, they do it well, and they serve it up with the best of them. All of these women have a passion for being a good mother, making a difference in their communities, or just living life to the fullest. They inspire me to do more, give more, and be better than I am.

Finding your diva can be tricky. Most women don't see themselves in such terms. Are you kidding me- the feminine divine?! I had to ask myself about the arrogance of it all. And once I did that, I realized that is exactly why I need to use the word. So many of us fail to recognize the beauty, power, and uniqueness of ourselves. This isn't news. We've been hearing it for years from Oprah and co. in an attempt to encourage women to stand up and define their lives for themselves. Calling myself and my friends diva helped me do just that. I claim responsibility for my life and the direction that it takes, and I encourage my friends to do the same. Now what we have is women calling themselves diva and believing in their role as a goddess- whatever that means to them. How cool is that?!

Embrace your diva today and everyday.

My Life since the Writer's Strike

See, what had happened was, the writers went on strike (which I totally understand and support, even if it is putting a HUGE dent in my ability to procrastinate by television) and all these reruns started coming on and I began channel surfing, and I found Project Runway. The season was starting, and I was hooked. Ok, ok. Let me back up and tell it from the beginning.

I am a lover of television. There, I’ve admitted it. I love shows with great story lines, with snappy dialogue, and with interesting characters. Some shows I love more than others, like Grey’s Anatomy, Private Practice, CSI, and Big Love. Some shows I watch because I want to be able to talk intelligently at lunch or in the hallways at work with my peers, like Desperate Housewives, Ugly Betty, and the new Bionic Woman. (To be honest, I think I was the only one watching the new Jamie Somers. I kept waiting to hear the old school soundtrack when she took off running-never happened.) Any channel, any time, as long as it’s interesting. As a writer, I’m drawn to good writing, and for me, right now Shonda Rhimes and her teams have it going on. (Even though I am really pissed with the way things are going on Grey’s this season, I’m still hanging in there with the hope that the characters will get back on track. In the meantime, I’m loving every minute of Private Practice. But I digress.)

As a result of not being able to get my regular show fix, I started looking for other things to entertain me (as opposed to reading the 100+ books in my bedroom waiting for my attention, or the fact that I have about three books worth of characters in my head dying to get on paper and become real. Sort of like Pinocchio, I guess.) It started with the Housewives of Orange County. Ya’ll don’t even want me to go there. That is a post in and of itself. And then I saw the commercial for Project Runway, and I thought, what the heck, I love clothes and I’ve watched each season of America’s Next Top Model since Eva won. It was all in innocent fun.

And then a couple of weeks ago, Keyshia Cole, The Way It Is came on. I was folding clothes at the time, and I realized that it was a marathon. Even better, I could get it all out of the way in one day. I was mesmerized. First of all, I don’t really listen to hip hop- I’m more an R&B, Smooth Jazz type of diva, but I’d heard my daughter murdering her hit on numerous occasions. What really hooked me was her family drama. The counselor in me could not look away from the dysfunction without completely analyzing each player. But then I really started to pay attention to Keyshia and how she was handling herself and the situations around her. This young lady has opted to deal with her life’s circumstances straight, with no chaser. She is about the business of doing business, as well as taking care of her family. She wants to “break the cycle” and pull them up with her. Truth is often much better than fiction. Before I knew it, the day was over, and I had come to respect the young diva. No one is getting in her way- not even her family. I wish her much luck though. She’s got a big job ahead of her.

As the strike continues on, my hopes of good programming are waning. Each day, I check the web to see if they are any closer to an agreement, and each day, I’m saddened by the news that there is no new news. The downside is, I don’t know how long it will be before my TV friends return to their time slots with new episodes. The good news: I’m running out of stuff I like to watch (are you kidding me, have you seen some of the news shows they are advertising? Like Fox’s “lie detector” game show- The Moment of Truth. They are getting more and more ridiculous. Even I have my limits.) So it looks like I may actually get more reading and writing done. And that wouldn’t be a bad thing.

Get A Theme Song

I know it’s the beginning of a new year, and everyone is thinking about resolutions, goals, and fresh starts. Time to do things differently. Start the year off with a clean slate and all that jazz. Uh huh. For me, that lasts for about three good days, and then I can’t remember what all the fuss was about. I simply stopped making resolutions a few years ago. And nothing bad happened as a result. The world didn’t stop spinning on its axis because I didn’t get on the self-improvement wagon. No one seemed to notice or care that I hadn’t changed my eating habits or started working out. Instead of listing resolutions, I decided to pick a theme song. I have Mary J. Blige to thank for this. Her “No More Drama” cd had been out for a while, and come that following January, I thought it was an appropriate way to kick off the year. It’s funny, but I can’t even remember all the so-called drama I was experiencing at the time, but I can remember feeling empowered about taking a stand. I only needed that theme song until the spring, and then it was on to something else.

Two years ago, I woke up on January 1st with Jill Scott’s “Golden” playing in my head. My girlfriend Trina called me later in the day to wish me a happy new year, and told me about the song she heard first thing that morning. You got it- “Golden”. We adopted it for our theme song. It was a sign from above that things were gonna be different for us that year. It sort of was. Trina got a contract with a dream employer and even got married that year. So again, a very appropriate song. I can’t think of anything traumatic happening for me, so I guess I can’t complain either.

Over the seasons, theme songs come and go for me. The one constant song that I have is “Optimistic” by The Sounds of Blackness. Think Aresenio Hall late night, large gospel group (like thirty something of them folks on stage), Kent cloth, and Ann Nesby, and you’ve got it. I love this song. It just does it for me. When I’m stressed out and ready to hurt somebody, it calms me, when I’m discouraged and needin’ a push, it motivates me. When I’m in a good mood and just in need of some good music, it does the trick. One year, I played this song so much that my staff could tell what kind of mood I was in based on how loud the music was playing as they walked by my office. It was kinda crazy at the office, what can I say.

Your theme song should make you happy. Your theme song should get you jump started. Your theme song should let folks know exactly where you are coming from. Currently, when I get fed up with office politics as usual, I make my way home with Jill Scott’s “Haters”. I love that line where she sings: “I’m gonna do me, don’t be mad, Babyyyy!” Absolutely love it. When I’m running and need that extra push to finish or I find that I am making every excuse in the book about why I don’t have time to write, “Lose Yourself” by Eminem is my power song (thanks Nike+).

Just like a certain style of dress, or hairstyle, your theme song should represent your personality. I found a pink Sak leather handbag that I totally loved years ago. I wore that puppy out. I loved it because it added color to my totally neutral, all the time wardrobe. I didn’t have to worry about it because it stood out and I got great compliments on it. It quickly became my trademark with friends and co-workers. That is what a good theme song should be. When you hear your theme song, the bad-ass you, or the funky you, or the sexy you should be high steppin’ it in the room. You are telling folks that you are here, and get on board or get out of the way. You ain’t takin’ no mess.

So instead of thinking about all that is wrong in your life, or all the stuff that can or should be different (and let’s face it ya’ll, for some of us, that’s a lot), think about what song represents where you are going, what you want out of life, or what you currently hold near and dear. I’m hard enough on me as it is. I gotta remember to focus on the positive. Take the mind and the body will follow. I can’t remember who said that, but it is so true. When I begin to play my theme songs, my mind switches gears, and my body responds. I can’t ask for more than that.

What’s your theme song gonna be for the week, the month, the year? Have fun and hit me up with your choices. I’m always looking for a good song.

Welcome To My World

Here I reign supreme: the queen Diva. A legend in my own mind. Long live the queen. Blah, Blah, Blah. 2008 is the year of my writing. You name it, I’m going to write it, or at least write about it. The world is an interesting place, and while I love to read (books, magazines, the internet, the back of cereal boxes, etc) I don’t see much out there reflecting my thoughts and interests as a Southern Diva. Oh sure, I can tell you how the white middle class male feels about the current state of world affairs- it’s everywhere: CNN, New York Times, local news broadcasts and papers, but anyone got a clue what a forty year old, African American, single mother from the south feels about the same? I didn’t think so. So, I decided to do it for myself. Take it or leave it. The choice is yours. I hope you’ll stick around long enough to tell me what you think.

And now, all about me! I’m divorced, mother of one, friend to many, lover of books (I may have mentioned that already) and movies, and a self-proclaimed runner. Since I’ve only been running consistently for the last six months or so, that one may not really count. I live in my head most of the time. Think Ally McBeal and the surreal moments she would have at the most inopportune times, and you have me. Sort of. Without the law degree, the borderline anorexia (not even close), and the wispy hair in serious need of some cream or gel to deal with the flyaways. Alas, I digress. That will happen a lot here. Get used to it. I’ve got a masters degree in counseling (yes, at one point I thought I could change the world), but I’m a manager in a social service agency. I prefer management to the counseling stuff. Shaking people until they do what you want them to is not considered best practice in the counseling field, and until it is, I’m not gonna do the counseling thing. (At least not for money, anyway. Friends and family- a whole ‘nother story). Of course, shaking has no place in the work place at all (as I am constantly reminding myself), but if you were the only woman on an executive management team, you would understand my desire to shake the stupidity out of others. I know, I know, an exercise in futility, but it would make me feel better, or at least a lot less pissed off. But no more work talk.

Here is what you will find plenty of on this blog:
· Lots and lots of references to all things southern. I’ll school you on the difference between iced tea and sweet tea, the proper use of the term ya’ll, and whining about the heat.
· Socio-political commentary. ‘Cause it’s what I do. Opinions are like ass holes, everyone’s got one.
· Occasional cussin’. Or cursing. Choose whichever one suits you. Please don’t be offended. It’s the defiant behavior I didn’t engage in as a teen coming out. I’m what you call a late bloomer. I promise to keep it in check and use it only when necessary. But you need to know that it will be used.
· Pop culture commentary. I know you didn’t think I wasn’t gonna mention Michael Jackson on the cover of Ebony last month. Did anyone get the name of THAT makeup artist? I mean really- His Weirdness looked totally lovely, in a freaky sort of way.
· Posts about health and fitness because at 40 I’m trying to get fit and stay healthy.
· Stories about the Diva in Training. That’s my 12 year old. And she is a riot! And that’s when she’s not getting on my one good nerve because she’s 12. You can add my friends, family, and lover to that as well. Sometimes you just have to share the madness.
· Whatever tickles my fancy. That might cause some folks who know me to shiver, but since you don’t, it’s all good.

Here is what you won’t find on this blog:
· Lots and lots of sports talk (unless some athlete did something really stupid and it’s all over the news, and that then makes it pop culture. See what I did there?)
· Me ever agreeing with a conservative. OK, I won’t say it will NEVER happen, but Hell will freeze over first. Or I win the lottery and suddenly realize that my only job in life is to keep the government’s hands off my money. Looks like we’re safe.
· My life outlined for you on a day-by-day basis. That crap is boring as hell. This is about entertainment, not reality.
· Can’t think of much else, so I guess that means that everything else is fair game.

And finally, in case you were wondering, “Are you kidding me?” is my standard response to stupidity. I have found myself saying it a lot lately. Seriously. Politics, work stuff, Britney Spears, no new Grey’s Anatomy or Private Practice in the foreseeable future. (Heavy sigh! Off with the heads of these studio and network presidents/CEOs. Stop being so freakin’ greedy and give the writers their due. Reality TV is not good for me. More about that later.)

So that’s all I can think of for now. I’ll be here Monday thru Friday every week, giving it to you straight. Holla at me and let me know what you think.
BTW, HAPPY FREAKIN’ NEW YEAR!!!!!!!!!