Wednesday, September 24, 2008

I love my H-B-C-U...alright alright alright!


This was a great weekend. Absolutely.


My alma mater came to town to play a local HBCU in football. My alumni folks showed up in numbers...I think we outnumbered the home fans. As far as the football game went, we crushed them...lol. So, by the time halftime rolled around, there was no need to continue to hang out in the stands...so we got to mixing and mingling around the stadium. Plenty of folks were in town for both the game and the Black MBA conference. I got to catch up with old friends and look at potential new ones..lol. My girl was in town and she has a cousin who works at this soul food spot. We swung through there after the game and got some good eating in. This caused a mandatory nap when we got back to the house. We were supposed to go out at 10 pm, but the couches held us captive until after 11...I think it was a setup!

Anyway, we met up with my other girl and made it to the spot before midnight. The party was being hosted by a few alumni members, so it was thick with folks I went to school with. I encountered the guy I had a crush on in school at the door and he loved me up with lots of hugs. I hadn't even gotten inside yet and I was already overstimulated by the evening...lol. Anyway, there's was nothing but good stuff on the inside. We chilled and kicked it like it was the late 1990s and we were still back in school. The DJ clearly had a play list because the song selection was perfect! I saw folks I hadn't seen in forever and we all stayed until the lights came on and the bouncer guy started threatening us to get out...lol. We hung out outside for awhile and then went to IHOP.

By the time I got home and in the bed it was 5am. Wow. Hadn't done that in awhile...this was the most fun I've had in some time. Sunday my mind and body was moving in slow motion. Although we hung out like we were 19, my body was still...30...lol. But, it's all good.

Man. I love my HBCU. There was nothing like it when I was there and there's nothing like it now, as an alumnus. The experience is irreplacable. To all the folks that question the relevancy and importance of these schools...you're way off. I'll post a whole blog about that in the future.

But, until then, I'll be representing my alma mater with nostalgia, pride and joy!

Tuesday, September 16, 2008

Hodgepodge, Hullabaloo and Other Miscellany

1. Are these broads serious about boycotting Oprah??? The Florida Federation of Republican Women have decided that since Oprah will not have Sarah Palin on her show, they will all boycott both her show and her magazine. Read this foolishness/tomfoolery: http://www.ffrw.net/ffrwinthemedia.html. They must be confused...they don't run this...this is Oprah...if Harpo couldn't beat her, they don't have a chance. Lol.

2. I'm in the process of growing my hair out. I've got this little natural that's becoming a bit more of a natural and I haven't figured out what I'm going to do with it yet. Sometimes I feel like this:
Lol...good ol' Monchichi.

3. Sarah Palin. Seriously?

4. Today I could've really used a hug.

5. I know that a man who finds a wife finds a good thing. And I am a bit of an old-fashioned kind of girl. But, where's the line between waiting on that man to find me, his good thing, and being the passive chick on the sidelines?

6. Things aren't always as shiny as they seem on the outside. But, hopefully, sometimes they are.

7. What is this dude talking about? He is so full. It's funny how the man at the top gives up nothing, but thinks it's okay for the regular folks to do so. Maybe someone will call him on it.

8. Hullabaloo means uproar. (I looked it up earlier...lol) I just like the word.

9. I'm sleepy.




Thursday, September 11, 2008

The Case of Mr. Krush Groove

So the latest in my schoolgirl crush on the brown man who works in my building...he will be here after referred to as KG (Krush Groove)...lol.

My two coworkers who sit out front have been on the KG case since they saw me grinning from ear to ear after seeing him a few weeks ago. I only gave them minimal details cause you know once you tell other folks, they start trying to take it farther and faster than you were ever trying to go. They've been like hilarious KG private eyes, trying to figure out who he is. One of them actually had picked KG out, but I brushed it off like I didn't know who she was talking about. I mean, I'm just trying to live my dream right now. LOL.

Anyway, today, KG was on my floor and my girl from the front called to tell me she thought my crush was out there. I came out, plans in hand (cause I had to look like I had purpose!) and sure enough, there he was...chillin against the wall, waiting for a meeting to end. I strolled by, said hello and kept walking. I walked over to my girl and was like...nah...that's not him. Lol. On my way back through, KG and I started chatting. Our official first conversation. We talked about what we did at work, how long we'd been there, the recession, where we were from....and per my usual M.O., his people are from the islands...I definitely have a thing for the brown guys with an all the time or occasional or underlying Jamaican/Trini/African/etc accent. (There's something about a man who knows how to use the word wicked!) He asked me my name and told me his. We wrapped our convo when his official business on our floor came calling. And so we parted ways.

It was cool. But I guess I'm concerned that any additional information could damage my perfect views of KG. Silly, huh? I don't want the girls up front to know cause I feel like they might taint it by trying to push it and get all sorts of information. For now, I'd like to continue to run into him sporadically and giggle to myself...and spot him from the window, tilt my head to the right and think...I like his style...and let him just be my KG with no expectations or disappointments involved. I have enough real life disappointing guys/situations.

So for now, I'll continue to deny their questions and uphold the ignorance is bliss theory. Me and Krush Groove sitting in a tree...yep, I like this better.

Tuesday, September 09, 2008

Where were you when...

As I watched the news this morning and they were talking about the upcoming 7th anniversary of the September 11th attacks, I was thinking about the events that have shaped the lives of this generation. My parents' generation can likely recall where they were when MLK and JFK were killed...when the first man walked on the moon...the Vietnam War...the day when certain music greats died - Otis Redding, Sam Cooke, Buddy Holly...and more.


What were the big (non-personal) events that still remain so sharp to me that I can remember my exact location when I heard? Here's what I got:






  • The Space Shuttle Challenger crashed (Jan 1986) - I was in the 3rd grade. I, my classmates and my third grade teacher Mr. A, sat around the radio listening to the launch, excited about both Ronald McNair and the teacher Christa McAuliffe who were on board. When the space shuttle crashed we were devastated.



  • The OJ Simpson verdict was announced (Sept 1995) - I was in my freshman year at college, in a sociology class of all places. They had brought in a tv so we could all watch the outcome. The whole case was crazy.



  • Biggie was killed (March 1997) - Maybe I'm weird for remembering this, but I do. I was in college and it was spring break. We had gone home with my friend to SC for the week. The tv was on in the living room and they made the announcement...we just stood there with our mouths hanging open.



  • Aaliyah's Plane Crashed (August 2001) - I was living in NC. I had fallen asleep with the tv on and around 4 am or so I heard them say that Aaliyah had been in a plane that crashed. I thought it was a dream until I woke up fully and saw it on several stations.


  • Sept 11th attacks (Sept 2001) - I was living in NC, sitting on the couch watching tv when the news started coming across. I was so confused about what was going on that I called my childhood friend who was also living in NC at the time. We stayed on the land line with each other while trying to call home on our cell phones. We were terrified.

  • Barack Obama elected as president (Nov 2008) - I'll be at a victory party!! :)

I'm sure there are more, but these are the one's that immediately come to mind. Perhaps strange, perhaps not.

Do you remember where you were when these things happened?

Thursday, September 04, 2008

One more song - Necessary Encouragement

Okay, I meant to put this on my list the other day. I wanted to share this song because it is one of the most encouraging, convicting, spirit and anxiety calming songs I've heard. On days where my heart hurts because it just doesn't understand why he wasn't my him and I feel even further, that my heart's happiness is out of reach, the promise of it makes me cry. On days where I'm turned around and unsure about what's next, the promise of it comforts me. A lot of things happen in our lives that we don't understand...but how awesome is it to know that God is in control, that He knows what we're feeling and that He has much greather things in store for us than we could ever imagine. So when you can't see what tomorrow holds...and yesterday is through...remember I know...the plans I have for you. Anyway, enough of my ramble...lol.


So, if you've never heard this song - Martha Munizzi's I Know the Plans, take a listen. And check out the whole cd - The Best Is Yet to Come.


Tuesday, September 02, 2008

14 Random Songs I Like

I don't know why...just felt like sharing these songs this morning. I'm the girl that knows the words to songs on every radio station from R&B to oldies to country to rock to rap to easy listening. I'm feeling pretty random today, so here's a random list of 14 of my random favorite songs...enjoy... :)

Angie Stone - Holding Back the Years (love her version of this)



Martina McBride - This One's for the Girls (great anthem for girls & women)



Marc Cohn - Walking in Memphis (he is KILLIN IT in this live version)



James Blunt - beautiful (love his voice)



Cassandra Wilson - Time After Time (her version of this song is mesmerizing)



Aretha Franklin - Do Right Woman, Do Right Man (I know that's right!)



A Fine Frenzy - Almost Lovers (great lyrics)



Zhane - Everything Happens for a Reason (beautiful song - still wonder what they meant when they wrote it))



Brian McKnight - Never Felt This Way (loved this song since that episode when Martin proposed to Gina in the park)



England Dan & John Ford Coley - I'd Really Love to See You Tonight (don't know where I first heard this, but always loved the sentiment of the song)



Plain White T's - Delilah (just like the sound of this one)



Lauryn Hill - The Sweetest Thing (ahhh Lauryn...come back soon!!)



Wyclef featuring Claudette Ortiz - Two Wrongs (I always sing this song at the top of my lungs...lol)



Norah Jones & the Handsome Band - Humble Me (NJ has such a great and pure voice...you have to catch her live!)