It's funny, no?

I'm covering this story today that's taking place at the local high school. I'm walking down the hall trying to find the auditorium and a man in a tracksuit stops and points at me.

"Hey, you!" he yells.

I turn around. "Yes?"

"Aren't you supposed to be in class?"

"Um...no. I don't go here."

"Sure, sure. Get to class. Don't let me catch you in the hallway after the bell rings again."

What? Man, I know I look like a baby, but to be yelled at while covering a story is a new one for me.

Job interviews require new clothes...

Despite the fact that I have close to zero dollars in my bank account (okay, let's call it like it is - I'm broke), I'm trying to go shopping to get some clothes that are suitable for a college graduate. Right now, my wardrobe consists of hoodies, 20-25 pairs of jeans and more college T-shirts than I know what to do with.

I will admit that over the past year, I have definitely improved my shoe collection, with more ballet flats and fewer flip-flops. I have a beautiful pair of chocolate Nine West wedges that I can't WAIT to wear to work. I wore them last summer during my internship and my feet didn't hurt after eight-plus hours in them.

But I want to go out and (slowly of course) buy clothes that will help me throughout the next five-ten years or so. Classic pieces, you know? I already have the trendy stuff covered.

So I've been looking at stores trying to pick one as "my store." Truthfully, my store used to be Old Navy. I would buy everything from there, but I think I'm outgrowing them.

I'm thinking Express might be it. They have the best jeans EVER and their stuff is cute without looking too young. I also like Charlotte Russe, but some of their things ARE a little cheap. But I did find this trench that is almost too cute to pass up.

I even looked at Beyonce's House of Dereon to see if there was anything there. Bee always looks put together and I thought there might be some pieces that I could work into my wardrobe.

Um....no.

I checked out the collection, but I could only find a few things worth checking out.
These pumps are cute, and I could definitely see my feet in them. Ahh the joys of having tiny feet!

So I'm going to (slowly) grow my collection of cute clothes and one day I'll look like the put-together, fresh out of college journalist that I am!

Really random things that are on my mind...

No real theme here today, just things I've been thinking....

1. Grant Hill and Tamia are expecting! How cute is that?! I love this couple and I think they are a perfect match. Of course I don't know what goes on behind closed doors, but on the surface they just look like they are very much in love. I also saw Tamia on Montel Williams show and she was very honest about being a mom and wife while also maintaining her career as a singer. She seems really down to earth. I like that. I don't think I would be intimidated if I met her, which is more than I can say for Miss Beyonce. I love Bee, but I would be so nervous meeting her. She's way too fly for me. :)
2. Can I just say I'm loving Tia Williams' blog? I mean, wow! I can not WAIT to have that type of career. I want to do it all - blogger, entrepreneur, author, editor, photographer, etc.
   I want to have the ultimate career. I look up to her as one of the people in this ultra-crazy biz. I love reading her commentary on everything from love and life to makeup and hair tips. She even inspired me to do something with my hair besides my current two options of up in a ponytail or down in a soft bob. And THAT'S saying something.
3. Less than two months away from graduation! CAN.NOT.WAIT! This is something that has been years in the making and I can't wait to have that piece of paper in my hand that says I am a college graduate. Now the next phase of my life begins.
4. Don't tell anybody, but I think I found my blog soul mate. He's funny and charming and he probably doesn't realize I've got my eye on him as a potential blogging buddy. I've just been lurking on his site for the past two weeks, but he's got serious potential. He's a dad, and has a pretty, successful wife. Exactly what I'm looking for!
5. I need a job. In the worst way. Even though my hospital bills were wiped out, I was depressed to discover my bank account is quickly dwindling, faster than you can say, "Can I hold a dollar?" Hopefully, my new endeavor will help me out in this department. (More details on that later....)

Well, I just put the little one to sleep, so I guess I'd better catch up on that beauty rest myself. Maybe tomorrow I'll give you some details about my upcoming project. Stay tuned!

Which One Do You Choose?

If you were forced to choose, do you change your race or your gender?

For instance, if I had to choose, do I become a white woman or a black man?

Hmm...I think I'd become a white woman.

If you had to choose, which would you keep? Your race or your gender?

My hubby said he'd die before being anything other than a black man. Wow. Guess I'm not that attached to being black. LOL.

BET to receive an upgrade?

I don't really remember exactly when I stopped watching BET. Maybe it was freshman year of college, senior year of high school. I'm not sure.

But I do know that I outgrew the channel. There just wasn't anything interesting enough to keep me coming back day after day. I had seen all the Jamie Foxx and In Living Color episodes the first time they came on. The music videos were all the same - it's like they said, "[Insert name of rapper] stand here, big-booty girl dance there, bring in the insanely expensive jewelry and rented cars, throw your cash around......aaannnnddd ACTION!" Every single time.

But now the Washington Post is reporting that BET is getting a boost in funds for original programming. Which is great news to me. I think BET is having the same problems as Ebony and some of the other black media outlets. They've done the same thing for so long that are on the verge of being obsolete. What's current about BET? Nothing really.

In the Washington Post article, they talk about some new shows, such as "Wifey" starring Queen Latifah and Terrence Howard. An animated show voiced by Vin Diesel is also in the works.

But what about news? Good movies? Specials with our favorite entertainers that actually make us think? I hope BET can make some much-needed changes. I'm excited to see what will come of it...

Prayers Answered!

My hubby comes home for lunch today. In his hand is a container of Chinese food and a few envelopes. Bills, I'm assuming.

He shuffles through them, looking for the ones with my name on it.

"Please don't," I say. "I'm not in the mood to look at bills right now."

Being the ever supportive, good listener that he is, he hands me the bills anyway. I take a look at them. One from the Cleveland Clinic, one without a name.

I open the one from the clinic and this sentence stuck out: "...you qualify for a 100% discount on your incurred medical services...."

Just the other day I was worried about how I was gonna pay all this, and today I find out it's been taken care of because the hospital finally figured out how poor I was.

God is sooo good to me.

Journalisticks.com - why didn't I think of this?

An online community for journalists of color. Man I had that idea about two weeks ago and now I see it already exists.

It was founded by Chloe A. Hilliard, who has written for such publications as The Source, King, Vibe and Vibe Vixen and appeared on news programs CNN Headline News’ Prime News, Our World with Black Enterprise and ABC News Now’s Speak Freely. (Man I wish I could say all that. One day I will. )

“As an editor at an urban publication, I had a difficult time finding young writers of color. There was no one place to find them. This site will change all of that,” Hilliard said.

She's inviting young journalists to come on board and submit content.

All I can say is sign me up!

PayPerPost, ReviewMe, other sites under fire?

Stumbled across this article today from the LATimes that talks about bloggers writing sponsored posts and asks the question: Is it ethical?

It's a really good article, one that I think asks a lot of good questions. Is it ethical to write about something and not disclose that you were paid to write about it? I like the little buttons PayPerPost designed to go at the bottom of posts, which makes it easier to spot the sponsored posts from the unsponsored ones.

My favorite quote in the article comes from Jason McCabe Calacanis, who co-founded Weblogs, Inc.: ""PayPerPost versus authentic blogging is like comparing prostitution with making love to someone you care for deeply. No one with any level of ethics would get involved with these clowns." I don't particularly agree with his statement, but it really sums up what he thinks, that's for sure.

Since I do consider myself to be a journalist (hence the URL) I don't really feel right about getting paid to write about a certain topic. But for others, who blog mainly as a way to get income or just as a side hustle, I see no problem with it.

Read this bit of the article, written by Josh Friedman and decide for yourself:

Blogger Colleen Caldwell rants and riffs about whatever strikes her fancy —
a run-in with her child's school principal, the rising price of Girl Scout
thin mints, an upcoming movie that caught her eye.

"Has anyone out there read a book called 'The Ultimate Gift'? I just heard that a movie is being made of the book (which sold 4 million copies)," she wrote in a recent post on her site, Simple Kind of Life.The 30-year-old software analyst from Brooksville, Fla., went on to praise the inspirational message of the Fox Faith film, which opens today, about a trust fund baby who discovers the joy of giving.

Caldwell noted that each member of the opening-weekend audience was being allowed to direct a dollar of the ticket price to a charity of the filmgoer's choice.One thing Caldwell didn't mention: She was paid $12 to build buzz about the movie's opening and the charitable campaign — bringing her blogging-for-dollars take to more than $7,700.Thousands of bloggers are writing sponsored posts touting such diverse topics as diamonds, digital cameras and drug clinics. The bloggers are spurred by new marketing middlemen such as PayPerPost Inc. that connect advertisers with mom-and-pop webmasters.Some of their fellow bloggers are critical, saying the industry is polluting the blog world and misleading consumers by blurring the line between advertising and unbiased opinion.

You can read the rest of the article here.

Questions of Identity

Here is an essay I'd written for Essence magazine that was rejected. I'm still holding out hope that one day I'll be able to write for them, but until then, I'll just share it with you all...

Questions of Identity
Not too long ago, a friend told me that my voice sounded “Anglo-Saxon-ish.”

In other words, I sounded like a white woman. It didn’t surprise me.

I had been hearing similar comments for most of my life.

It was always, “You dress like a white girl.” Or my personal favorite: “You listen to that white people music.”

Growing up, I always felt like I wasn’t black enough. No matter what I did, I wasn’t part of that “cool” black crowd. I liked to read and I always had good grades but I never let my friends catch me reading a book or get a glimpse of my report cards. In their minds, reading strictly for leisure and earning A’s were things white people did.

I wore Reeboks when all the black girls were purchasing Nike Air Force One’s.

I wore Tommy Hilfiger when the rest of my friends wore Marc Ecko.

My parents always encouraged me to expand my mind and think beyond what I saw. They assured me that a huge world existed beyond my block in a predominately white, but still culturally diverse, suburb of Cleveland. Who can blame me for wanting to explore it?

My friends would call me to ask me to see the latest black film that had been released. We would go and I would feel uncomfortable because the films never reflected my reality. I didn’t know any drug dealers. I lived in a two-parent home and we were middle class people in the ‘burbs. Watching Boyz N the Hood made me feel like I was living the “white” life.

It pains me to think that I didn’t discover my “blackness” until I went to college. I took a class in the Pan-African Studies department and it truly opened my eyes. Discovering the rich and varied history of some of America’s most prominent African-Americans made me feel more in touch with myself. After taking the class, I understood it was my heritage that made me who I was. It was already a part of me and I didn’t have to prove anything to anybody. There was no way for me to act “black”───I was black.

I had to understand that black people don’t fit in one mold. We are multi-dimensional, have different values and socioeconomic positions. There are black people in the hood and black people in the ‘burbs. We were all black; we simply had different addresses.

Like I said, when my friend made that remark, I wasn’t surprised. But for the first time, I wasn’t offended. When it comes down to it, I know I am Black and proud of it. The absence of hip-hop music in my CD collection or urban clothing in my closet can’t change that.

My wedding song...

In less than three months, I'll be walking down the aisle at my wedding.

Wow.

My hubby's brother has offered to sing a song for me as I walk down the aisle. He chose "You For Me" by Johnny Gill. (You've heard it if you've seen Madea's Family Reunion...it's the wedding song at the very end.)

Click here if you'd like to listen to it. Let me know what you think!

Can you pay my bills?

Sigh.

There's nothing I hate more than debt. I hate owing people money. A few months ago, I got a bill asking for about $100. I immediately went to my purse and wrote a check. I put the check in the envelope and demanded that my husband go mail it - IMMEDIATELY. Granted, it was about 7 p.m., so it wouldn't be mailed until the next day, but it was important to me that it get out in the mail IMMEDIATELY. He said he'd take it first thing in the morning, but I insisted the bill leave the apartment that very minute. I actually shouted, "Just do it!" like I was some psycho woman.

I just can not stand debt.

So I had a kid right, and apparently, I have pretty good insurance because what was once a $27,000 bill for all the costs associated with having my daughter, was reduced to about $2,000.

But (and let me be honest with you now) I only made $8,000 for the entire year in 2006. That's it. So for me to come up with $2000 is a bit of a stretch. I only have $124 in my bank account right now. That's it.

Needless to say, I'm stressed.

I'm trying to figure out ways to boost my income, because I don't start working until May and when I do, I don't want my first few paychecks going straight to the hospital. I'd like to have a little bit to save.

And yes, what about the hubby? Some of you may ask. Right now, our finances are kinda weak. Between regular life, student loans and now these bills, we're a bit tapped out.

So just pray for me. Pray that I find a way to cope...

Grey's Anatomy....Before The Scrubs, Part 2.

I first saw Chandra Wilson in an episode of Sex and the City. Samantha, the sexually adventurous blonde (played by Kim Cattrall) had just given her heart to Richard, only to walk in on him, how should I say - pleasuring another woman. To pay him back Samantha posts flyers all around Manhattan that call him a liar and a cheater.

Chandra Wilson plays the cop who tries to stop her from posting flyers. Her role is brief but funny.

Now Chandra plays tough-as-nails Miranda Bailey on Grey's Anatomy. She said in an interview on Ellen that the role was originally intended for a short, blonde white woman, but she aced the audition and got the part. Good for her!

Chandra Wilson was also on the show "Bob Patterson," the brief comeback vehicle for Jason Alexander. Only five episodes aired.

Looking through her works, not much surprises me. She got into acting at an early age, landed this great role and the rest is history.


But Chandra Wilson inspires me. Not because she got a role on a hit show that wasn't intended for her, not because she's a black woman succeeding in Hollywood, not because she's curvy and doesn't apologize for it. Nope.

Because she is able to watch FOUR HOURS of TV every night. On Ellen, she said she has to watch all her soaps every day or her world won't be right. I'm tying to figure out what I'm doing wrong because I can't seem to find the time to watch ONE show at night, let alone four, and I'm not even on TV....

The mystery continues...

More about Martin Lindsey

I met Martin Lindsey while I was surfing MyBlogLog looking for interesting blogs to read. His smiling face drew me in, and his meaningful posts are what kept me coming back to read more.

Martin is a sweet guy, and has some of the same goals and dreams that I do. He wants to help people in all areas: spiritually, emotionally and financially. I interviewed him a week or so ago to learn more about the man who hosts the growing MartyBLOGs website. Check him out after you read the interview:

What are your ultimate goals in life?
My ultimate goals in life always include having a successful marriage and raising outstanding children. In purely personal terms I'd like to become an internationally known blogger and public speaker (a combination of motivational and humorous). I'm going to be the National Champion of Public Speaking in 2008. I'm learning the process and stages I have to go through in Toastmasters in order to reach that objective.

How will your blog help you accomplish these goals?
Blogging won't help with being a good husband and father but it will address part two of my first answer. Writing a quality blog and making a "bloggy reputation" for myself will help the ultimate career goals. I hope that includes opportunities like this to generate publicity for myself and my blog. I believe in reciprocity and virtual interviews and blog backlinks provide the opportunity for bloggers to support each other's causes. That community feeling is one of the reasons I like to do it.

What do you do for fun? Hobbies? What do you enjoy?
I like to read, write and speak. That's why I like to blog. It's a natural offshoot for me and now I have an audience to share with! I love the great outdoors. Haven't had enough time for fishing or hiking since the kids came but now that I'm the Cub Master that's all about to change. Haven't had time for a garden in five years but now that the kids are older I'm going to try and find some time where we can can go out in the back yard, dig up a patch and play in the dirt together.

Who or what has been the biggest inspiration in your life?
I'd have to say my mother by far. I have more respect for her every day. She and my father divorced when I was younger than either of my children. The way she managed to successfully raise my older brother and sister and me by herself after that is plain heroic. I never thought so when I was a child or a young adult but I do now. Only as a married man with just two kids have I been able to appreciate what she did with me and my sibs.

What do you see for yourself five years from now?
The next five years I'm honing on extreme expertise in my passions. I'll reference some famous people to give you a better feel for where I'm going with it. I see myself as a John Maxwell, Les Brown, James Dobson amalgamation when it comes to the things I believe in and want others to be better in.

What have you realized about life that you wish everyone else knew?
Have a positive silver lining attitude and stop being uptight about what other people aren't doing right morally or socially. Address a situation if you're able to but don't lose any sleep over it because, in the end, your life example is better proof of how things should be than a lecture. Thus, my personal tagline, "be an actionist."

Name some people you want to meet? (Famous or not)
I'll do famous and I'll tell you why I'd like to meet them and, for that matter, interview them. Oprah Winfrey (our modern day Carnegie), Bill Gates (our other modern day Carnegie), Joyce Meyer, Joel Osteen, Creflo Dollar and Fred Price (all prominent, positive, encouraging Christian leaders who live the Word in their actions and ministries), Richard Branson (entrepreneur with no mental boundaries on life's possibilities), Bob Ballard (I'd like to go on one of his deep sea exploration adventures), Dr. Ben Carson (his story sounds similar to mine..'nough said), General Collin Powell (the classic warrior and a man of principle...nothing but respect for the man).

What are your favorite blogs to read?
I'll go with the blogger's names. Tara Pringle of course. I like to see young people like you doing positive things. It's encouraging and uplifting for me. Paula Mooney, blogger mentor extraordinaire. Glad to be a coat-tail-hanger-on in her world. Bonnie Calhoun, professional writer and great blogger who freely shares helpful hints with us blog rookies. Darren Rouse because he's the first blogger I read and who inspired me to get started. The writer of Single Mom and Money Blog - haven't picked up on her name yet - because she writes practical financial advice from her life perspective and that's what I do with mine as well.

Name one thing about you that would surprise people you just met.
If I could gather the funds - huuummm, online fundraising campaign - for a reservation I would buy the first ticket on Richard Branson's civilian space craft. The last time I checked, Virgin Galactic was still in the design phase of their version of a reusable shuttle type ship. They were also getting all the other ducks in a row business wise.
So that's my story. Hope it's worthy of your expectations!

Head on over to MartyBLOGs to read more!

My new favorite picture of the munchkin!

3 months and counting!

I'm looking for my soul mate....

Okay, so I've already got a hubby.

"Well, isn't he your soul mate?" you ask.

"Yes."

"So then why are you still looking for one?"

"Well, he's my soul mate, but I'm looking for an online friend."

"Online friend? Isn't that cheating?"

"No, not really."

"Yes it is. It's like Adult Friend Finder or whatever it is that pops up when you try to look at porn."

"I'm not looking to meet this person. I'm looking for a guy who's a fellow blogger who writes about his personal feelings - not celebrities, not SEO, not design or anything else. I just want a guy who understands me."

"But, um, what about the hubby?"

"Why do you keep bringing him up?"

"I'm just saying..."

"Well, don't."

Basically, all that dialogue just goes to say that I am looking for a new blog. Someone who's a witty writer, who understands the basic rules of grammar, that updates at least once or twice a week, and who writes about things I can relate to.

Is that so hard to find?

Probably as hard as finding my soul mate was.

Why Don't I Fit In?

I'm so old.

Not really, not physically, but mentally. I swear I'm about 21 going on 65. My friends ask me the "grown-up" questions, you know, things like when to file taxes, how to apply for graduation, can you proofread my resume, etc, etc. Things I know because I'm "older."

Which is weird because all my friends are at least my age or a few years older. But I'm telling you, I'm maturing faster than everyone else and I always have.

I think it might be because I started school a year early, so I was always trying to keep up with my friends who were doing things that I shouldn't have been attempting for at least another year.

But somehow it made me old. Just the thought of going down to the bars on Thursday or Friday night makes me want to head right to the bed and snuggle under the covers with a thick glossy magazine. And I'm okay with that.

I've only been out to clubs twice. Maybe three times. That's it. My younger sister at Howard has been to more parties her first semester freshman year than I did all four years of college. Wow. Mind you, she did all that partying without even being 18 most of the semester (not to say she participating in underage drinking, 'cause she wasn't...and if you were, I'm gonna get you!).

I guess I'm saying all this to say three things:

1) I'm graduating from college and I've never been drunk. Something seems odd about that. I've barely had any liquor these past four years. My first actual drink was about two months ago, when the hubby and I had a rare date night and I ordered a strawberry daiqiuri.

2) And speaking of my other half, maybe that's why I feel so old. How many college students do you know that are married? With a kid? And under 25? It's not too many of us out there....

3) I know what a lot of people think. Truthfully sometimes I think it too. They look at me and wonder why I settled down so early, why I had a kid before I had a degree, why I had my wedding ring before I had my honor cords. But things don't always happen the way we want in the order we want when we want it to happen. That's one thing I've learned over this past year. I had to stop trying to force things to happen and let life take over.

Grey's Anatomy....Before The Scrubs

I'm curious about people who hit it big. How long did they toil in obscurity before some casting agent, some h.r. manager, ANYONE, noticed they had talent?

I've decided to start a little feature I'd like to call, Grey's Anatomy - Before the Scrubs. I started with Katherine Heigl, who plays cute and perky and hilarious Izzie on the popular ABC show.

I did a little digging on her background and guess what I discovered? Does anyone remember this movie?

It stars Gérard Depardieu as the father who takes his teenage daughter on vacation to the Bahamas in order to spend some quality time with her, only to find out that she's spreading rumors that he is in fact her boyfriend, in order to look cool to a guy she has her eye on.

I used to watch this movie all the time, and it never hit me that Katherine Heigl was in it! She was Nicole - the daughter! She beat out a lot of other actresses for the role, including Alicia Silverstone.

Ms. Heigl was also a series regular on "Roswell," which I never watched. According to imdb.com she doesn't have any upcoming projects, which might be because Grey's Anatomy is keeping her so busy.


NEXT UP: Chandra Wilson

So remember that interview I had a few weeks back?

Well, congratulations to me because I start May 1! Step one of my quest for world domination is complete!

So I changed the template....

...but I still can't put a picture in the header. Someone tell me what I'm doing wrong!

In Need of A Change....

I want to change the look of my blog. Too many times I check out someone else's blog and their page looks like mine. Don't like that. Not at all.

Sooooo.....

I'm not at all web-design savvy. I mean, I barely understand HTML, and I don't even know where to begin. If you have any suggestions, please let me know.

If there's something you particularly hate about my current layout, please tell me. Maybe I can fix it and then it'll look better? Who knows....

Graduation Here I Come!

Today was the Imagine Graduation Fair, where soon-to-be graduates line up and get all the information they need for the ceremony: cap and gown, pictures, rings, announcements etc.
I am so happy now, 'cause you know what I picked up when I was at the fair?
MY HONORS CORDS!!! Yes, I will be graduating magna cum laude (I have a 3.74 GPA) and if I do well enough this semester, I might be bumped up to summa cum laude. I feel so smart. Amazing what some funky little rope cords can do for your self-esteem, right?

This college experience has been great and I can honestly say I'm graduating with no regrets. Well, almost no regrets. Okay, I have a few. But they're small. I can fix it within a year. So there.

71 days til I walk across the stage....Can't wait!

How I Know I'm Getting Old: Reason #233

You know on certain blogger's sites, you have to enter in those characters that you see in the box above when you try to post a comment? Like this one:

I can never do it right the first time. Never. I think I'm going blind. So for all those who have the comment verification on your site, please don't take it personally if you can't tell that I've been by.

I'm just getting too old to comment.

How I Know I'm Getting Old: Reason #232

Ground beef was on sale this week and I got excited. The day I was in the grocery store and saw that green peppers were on sale 4 FOR $1?!?!?!?!? I went crazy!! I think I bought 20.

Yup, I'm getting old.

YouTube is for the people!

I read an article today in Variety about the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences (you know, the people who bring you the Oscars every year) giving orders to YouTube to shut down all unauthorized clips from Sunday's telecast on their site. Some of the most popular were Beyonce's and JHud's performance, the Jack Black/Will Ferrell/John C. Reilly song and dance number, and host Ellen DeGeneres' opening monologue.

I'm all about copyrights. As a writer, I understand. But I think YouTube is a great tool.

Let me explain.

So the Oscars this year were about seven years too long. Who could sit through all that? I tried to hang in there as best I could, but I went to bed sometime after Jennifer Hudson won (which was the primary reason I watched) so I missed the Dreamgirls performance.

I went to YouTube the next day and watched it. It was good.

Which brings me to my point: just because I watched it on YouTube doesn't mean it diminishes anything about the Oscars. YouTube is great because it fits in with the "I can get it when I want it" attitude that we seem to have about news and entertainment. I don't think unauthorized clips should be plastered all over YouTube, though. I think more organizations should join forces with YouTube. Can you imagine what YouTube would be like if you could go there for sports highlights (as the NBA is trying to do), Oscar speeches, MTV performances, etc? It'd be great.

Of course, the only other option in this day and age is to have these individual websites (I'm looking at you Oscar) beef up their content. Does it hurt them to put acceptance speeches on the site? Or all the performances? I don't think so.

Besides, if YouTube gets rid of all its unauthorized clips, what am I supposed to use for my blog? LOL.

4 Reasons Why I Blog:

After reading Paula's blog the other day where she detailed the five reasons why she blogged, it made me think. Why am I doing this? What do I hope to get out of it? Why do I attempt to post something new just so people I don't know can read it?

Here's my shot at the truth:

1)So I can write. This seems to be an obvious reason, but no matter how many things I write, it feels like I can never write enough. I like the way the keys feel underneath my fingers and the tap-tap-tap sound is so soothing I don't need to meditate.

2)To become a better wife. This blog helps me analyze my feelings, much like having a journal. On here, since my husband doesn't read the blog, I can vent about what scares me, what frustrates me, and then when I talk to him, I know what I want to say and then I am free to just speak. Since I started blogging daily (well, almost daily) I have to say that I don't harbor so much resentment anymore. I can articulate my feelings with much more certainty.

3)Because it's popular. Yes, I could write in a journal, but that doesn't necessary give you fans, now does it? Now don't get me wrong, I definitely don't do this for the fame (Do you see any paparazzi stalking me? No, I didn't think so....) but it's nice to get compliments on my writing from people I don't neccesarily know. The fact that blogs are the new way to communicate, share ideas and meet people really appeals to me.

4)To practice for the day when my writings will actually mean something to people. From a young age, I've felt that I was destined to be super-successful. When I was around 13, 14, I used to write interviews where I'm pretend to interview myself, where I was a mega-celebrity hanging out with Diddy and Usher. I loved it. I'd pretend to be a rapper, a chef, a singer, a writer, whatever. In those fake interviews, I was fierce. These interviews were really long too. I'm talking like 10-11 pages of a Word document. One day I'll BE that supersuccessful writer and these blog posts will be like a "Before I was Famous..." piece....

Rats!

This is why I don't eat at fast food restaurants anymore...




This was right up the street from me this past summer when I lived in the NYU dorms. I'm so glad I didn't eat there. Just gross....

CONGRATULATIONS!!!

I called it and then it came true....

Megachurch, megamessage...

Watched Joel Osteen this morning, the charming pastor of Lakewood Church in Houston, the megachurch of megachurches. I don't normally watch pastors on TV, but something about his message shook me. "How to handle criticism" was the message, and it was something I needed to hear.

"Not everybody is going to be your cheerleader," Osteen said. "You have to learn how to shake it off."

He quoted a verse from Matthew (sorry I couldn't remember the exact verse or phrasing), but basically it said "If you are in a place where you encounter criticism, shake the dust off your feet when you leave."

It's a simple concept, but I needed to hear something like this at this time in my life. I'm trying to make something of myself and everywhere I turn I hear people judging me or saying I can't do it. I hear people say, "Oh, that's difficult, are you sure you are up for it?"

I got the perfect approach from Osteen today. He said: "No matter what you do or don't do, somebody is going to be critical. So you might as well do what you need to do and let God handle the critics."

Amen!

"I have always dreamed, but never this big..."

...so said Ms. Jennifer Hudson when accepting her Best Supporting Actress Golden Globe for her show-stopping role Dreamgirls. Well, you better get your acceptance speech ready, JHud, 'cause this weekend I'm predicting you are going to win an Oscar, my dear.

I spent some time today at JHud's official website, www.jenniferhudson.net and listened to some tracks of hers. I think she might have a few hits on her hands. Her voice is more powerful than any I've heard in a long time. I think her website design could use a little work. Although I'm not an award-winning graphic designer, I know her site isn't up to par with what a future Oscar-winner's site should be.

So let me be the first to congratulate Ms. Hudson on all her success so far. And if for some reason the Academy decides not to give JHud the honor of an Oscar with her first movie role, you still are blessed.

Keep your fingers crossed people!

It's time to be a professional...

I've had a particularly rough week covering a story. Y'all know I never go into specifics, but here's the gist: I've been interviewing people who aren't quite used to being interviewed. It's hard. I've gotten cursed out for calling and one person hung up on me in mid-sentence. I almost cried. I gotta get a thicker skin. This is crazy.

I've never had such a hard time getting people to talk to me. I'm nice when I call to try to set up an interview. It's not a controversial topic: so why am I having so much difficulty?

I'm just trying to keep my head up and plow ahead. This has to work out. It just has to.

I Finally Get It...

It took me a while, but I finally understand:

I'm a mommy now.

After I came home from class today, I peeked in at my daughter sleeping in her crib. There is absolutely nothing that will make your heart melt as much as watching an infant sleep. They are so peaceful. It's all I can do not to cry as I watch her.

I wasn't always this mushy. I have to admit, when I first held my daughter after a long labor and an impersonal C-section, I didn't feel that rush of joy many mothers claim they felt. I didn't feel that special connection. You know what I felt?

Fear.

Fear that I wouldn't be a good mom. That I wouldn't be up for the biggest responsibility of my life. That I had just made a mistake and I didn't know how to tell my daughter that her mother just wasn't ready to be a mother.

I was too scared to be happy. All I could think about is how I should've taken that breastfeeding class. Now I didn't and my baby is going to starve. I should've watched my hubby when he installed the car seat. Now I don't know how to do it - how do I know if it's secure? I should've, I should've, I should've...

But now the time is here where I don't worry as much as I used to. It took a while, but I am definitely more confident than I used to be. I actually feel like a mom.

As I watch my daughter sleep, all I can think about is how I want the world for her. How much I want her to be happy. That is all I care about now. If she's happy, I'm happy. I wish everything else was so simple.

5 Weird Things About Me...

1) I can (and have) sit on the floor at Barnes & Noble or Borders or whatever bookstore happens to be around and read an actual book cover to cover. Yes I can. I read Karrine Stephans Confessions of a Video Vixen at Borders in about an hour and a half. Yes, I can read that fast.

2) I'm addicted to chewing ice. No. Seriously. I have about 5 ice trays in the freezer 'cause we can't ever seem to have enough for me. I've joined online support groups for the hope that I could figure out why I'm doing it and try to stop, but instead I just found people just like me who are addicted and have no intention to stop. They even post recipes for ice. ICE. As in, frozen water. But apparently there's a science to the temperature and things like that. I'm so addicted that I actually tried it. If you need someone to make slushy ice cubes, I'm your girl. It's a wonder I don't have dentures already.

3) I pick my lips all the time. Used to be just when I was nervous, now I do it when I'm uncomfortable, bored, hungry, stressed, etc. My lips are gonna fall off one day.

4) I can remember just about anything and therefore I don't really "study" for tests. I never have. I can remember lectures verbatim and never really realized how great this skill is until I became a journalist. When I'm taking a test, I just replay lectures over in my head. Weird, right? Yeah I know.

5) I'm nominating myself for TLC's What Not to Wear. I don't think I look that, but my wardrobe has seen better days. I need a new look, new clothes. I'm a new mom, a soon to be college graduate and I need to look the part. Boy, I hate wearing jeans every day with a different shirt. I want to look stylish and pulled together every day, instead of looking like I still shop at the Junior's department. I don't I swear!

Tony Parker and Eva Longoria do everything together....

Let's try an experiment. Head over to Google and do a image search for either Tony Parker or Eva Longoria. How many pictures on the first results page features a picture of BOTH of them? Quite a few, right?

It's not like they aren't an attractive couple. I mean, look at them....



It's almost too perfect, almost too cute. They're getting married in France!!! I mean, come on. On their invitation were the words "Please remember passports are required for international travel...." You know what my wedding invitations say? "Eat before you come, 'cause we're only having cake..." LOL.

My hubby is the biggest ESPN fan and he watches EVERY NBA game. For some reason, the Spurs are ALWAYS on TV, which means every time Tony Parker scores a basket, there's a shot of Eva on the sidelines standing up and cheering. I swear she should win an award for Sixth Man of the Year or something.

I Don't Know What The Future Holds...

I can't believe I am thisclose to graduating. It seems like these past three and a half years have flown by. I've done everything I wanted to and then some. When I was a naive little freshman, I had no idea that by the time I was finished I would have been editor in chief of TWO publications, been an intern at one of the largest magazines in the world, Reader's Digest, had a wonderful daughter and found my soul mate.

Nope, I don't think I could have predicted this...

But now the question is, "What's next?" What's next for me? Until this point, my next step was always plotted out for me. After elementary school, I knew I had to go to middle school, and after that it was high school and then college. But after college, what am I supposed to do?

Last summer when I was in New York doing my internship I hated it. "Why?" you ask. Well, for one thing I was pregnant and homesick and it just wasn't a good time to be stuck in a city that never freakin' sleeps when all you want to do is go home, put your feet up and relax until your due date. Now that I have my daughter, I'm actually considering moving there.

I don't really want to raise a child in New York. I know I could wait until she's a little older, but I do plan on having more kids eventually so at least one of them would be considered a New Yorker. The idea of raising kids there frightens me.

I mean, from the time you are pregnant its a logistical nightmare. I mean, if you go into labor, what - do you call a cab? When you go home from the hospital, do you call a cab? What about car seats? Strollers? I looked at amazement at moms struggling down the steps to the subway with strollers, diaper bags, shopping bags and kids hanging from their arms. It was like I was looking at a Supermom convention. I saw little kids every day catching the subway to and from school. Little kids. Like eight years old carrying Dora the Explorer lunch boxes. I don't want my daughter riding the subway where God only knows what could happen to her.

So what do I do? Do I move to New York and let my daughter turn into a New Yorker, or do I stay in a fairly large city that's not the Big Apple and pursue my dreams there?

I really don't know, although I wish I had some answers.

Britney Spears - Back in rehab?

How did this girl....


...turn into this woman?


Britney Spears has checked herself into a treatment facility. Wow.

After a few months of bizarre behavior, including last weekend when the Britster shaved her head completely bald, many have spectulated that Ms. Spears was having some sort of mental breakdown. Try as I might to defend her, I have come to the point where I have just decided to pray for her and her kids.

I mean, I remember running home after school to see the "Oops I Did It Again" video, featuring Britney as the provocative schoolgirl. I watched her progression from the former Mickey Mouse club member to the sultry pop starlet who landed more half-naked magazine covers than anyone except Ms. Jackson If You're Nasty, including this Esquire cover, which I felt was actually kind of classy.

I mean, I would have killed for Britney's abs, which she maintained by doing a rumored 500-1000 crunches a day. She seemed to have it all. A great career, relationships, money...so what happened? Was it K-Fed? The Madonna kiss? Hanging with Paris and Lindsey?

But perhaps the better question is: Why do we care so much?

Is chivalry dead?

I've been investing a lot of time trying to put some of the "spark" back into my marriage. You know how it gets after a while: the same things your partner did at the beginning of the relationship that you found oh-so-adorable suddenly become the things that you abhor the most. The wining and dining stops. Your conversations revolve around baby poop and "Guess what Junior did today?!" At night you collapse into bed, too exhausted to do anything but dream.

One of the things I told my husband was that he should open the car door for me. This was one of the reasons I fell for him. He was the first guy (besides my father) to do those things for me. When we were first dating, he would open the door for me, walk next to me when we went somewhere, and when we went out to dinner, he would grab the check and refused to let me see how much the tab was because "a woman shouldn't worry about those things." Can you see why I fell hard for this man?

Now? Oh boy. He'll walk in the door ahead of me and 6 times out of ten I have to scurry before the door hits me. Ha. He walks ahead of me now, complaining that I "walk too slow." And now when we go out to dinner, the check will just sit there and we'll have the ultimate Stare-Down to see who reaches for it first. (I don't know why he bothers 'cause he pays all the time anyway. Love you honey!)

So is chivalry dead? Do men do these things throughout all the stages of the relationship?

And is it important? I laugh about the fact that my hubby used to try to impress me with all these gestures. Are we headed for divorce court because he doesn't hold the door? I don't think so.

So I'm asking: Is chivalry dead?

Same sex marriages - too hot to touch

I don't judge people. I refuse to. Even when I hear some outlandish things people have done, I try to refrain from saying, "What were they thinking???"

The most judgmental thing I think you can say to someone is, "You're going straight to hell." Yet, those words slip from people's mouths everyday as they condemn the actions of another.

When I opened my MSN home page today, I saw this headline, "Civil unions for gays now available in N.J."


New Jersey is now the third state in the U.S. to offer civil unions, which gives same-sex partners the legal benefits of marriage without the actual title.

I don't keep up with the status of same sex marriages in this country and I tune people out when they bring up the topic of homosexuality in the realm of politics. But something caught my eye and made me read the article, perhaps because just yesterday I was asking how young is too young to be married.

How do you feel about same-sex marriages? To me, I don't believe God hates gay people. Nope, not at all. God made us all. Why would He hate what He created?

Feel free to debate amongst yourselves...Leave me comments, even if you disagree! ESPECIALLY if you disagree. Debate is nothing without opposite opinions.

How young is too young to get married?

Got up early today to feed my daughter, and as I always do, I turned on the TV to see what could possibly be on TV at 7:00 on a Sunday morning. I stumbled across MTV's "Engaged and Underage." I had heard of this show, but my first impression was that MTV was following around a couple that was under 18 and headed for the altar. Then I watch today and find out the couple, Josh and Bre, I believe, are 21 and 20, respectively. They're my age.

Hmm.

MTV shows them picking up a marriage license, buying a house, planning the wedding and lets Bre discuss why she wanted to wait until marriage to have sex: "I was a huge Jessica Simpson fan...."

They don't seem to be the most mature couple, but perhaps it's the editing, which purposely altered the footage to make it look like Josh is a goofball and Bre is a tad naive.

But I think the key to a good marriage is when you marry your best friend.

I'm fortunate in that I met my husband my first day of college when I was moving into my dorm. I thought to myself (and later told my roommate), "I'm gonna marry that man and give him a bunch of babies..."

Fast-forward four years later and here we are with a little one in tow. (By the way, that is a much cleaner version of my ring up there...) Over the years, my husband became my everything. He was the one that made me laugh, made me think for more than just today, made me appreciate what a good man was. He taught me everything I know about football (blech), made me an authority on ESPN (I watch, or rather sleep through, SportsCenter every night), and helped me appreciate saving money.

I tell him anything and he won't judge me. In fact, I have told him everything and he hasn't judged me. And I don't judge him.

So does that mean we shouldn't be married because I'm 21 and he's 26? I like to think we're not your average young couple, because, well, he's not that young to me. He has his Master's degree and a full-time job and I'm 10 weeks away from getting my degree (magna cum laude in four years, thank you very much!) So what's too young to get married?

I remember when we were about to get engaged and my husband gave me a bridal magazine to look through. My dad saw it and flipped out, saying, "You don't need to look at that," like it was a porn magazine or something. He was just saying that I was too young. Of course, I was 19 then and my hubby was 24.

So maybe I was too young. But I don't regret being an "old married lady" at the ripe old age of 21. We're happy. Isn't that what counts?

Sweet Gyrl - helping "gyrls" live their dreams since 2005

I had the pleasure of interviewing Ms. Kimberly, founder of SweetGyrl, Inc. I found her on MyBlogLog and was intrigued by the organization she had on her site, so I asked if she would mind if I put her interview on my site. Fast forward two weeks and here it is! Read on to find out more about SweetGyrl and how you can help!

What exactly is SweetGyrl?
SweetGyrl Inc, is an organization that promotes health lifestyle and living for young women. It's a venue that really gets them steered away from the grown up stuff that so many of our young women get caught up in.

For example, often times gyrls have hidden gifts like playing the flute, singing, gymnastics, acting. They have dreams, however they may live in an enviroment or go to a school enviroment that does not support that. Your friends are all having sex, your friends are all in juvenile detention, your freinds are all haters and fight another group of girls, your mom was a teenage mom and is now living a life of struggle.

That becomes your reality, that becomes your way of living and being. Your best friend just brought home a new baby and she is beefing with the baby's father cause he is messing with another girl and she wants to fight her. All of this happening at 16!! Whew, how can you even begin to really dream or want more out of life. What you see is who you become - it's unfortunate but it's true. It happened to me, it's my story. SweetGyrl is my story to simply put. Having worked as a Psychotherapist and in the school setting, I see it over and over and over again. It breaks my heart it really does. SweetGyrl is about dreams, helping gyrls live their dreams, keeping their dreams alive. So therefore, I created SweetGyrl Inc.

Is it mainly online?
SweetGyrl is all over the US online, its a forum for gyrls to have healthy chats and read about the struggles of other young women and be able to ask "Wow, I am going through that, how do you cope with that?" We are also working to make SweetGyrl more like an after school program or to go even further more like an affordable Sylvan Learning Center but for gyrls, that is our long term vision.

So basically someone could buy the SweetGyrl product, logo, curriculum, etc, and set up shop and service youth in their community. All of this is in the works now, I have been looking to reach out to celebrities that believe in the idea for support, endorsement, and possibly sponsoring gyrls for the program. It's huge and I love it, it takes time thought, but I really have vision for this program.

When was it founded?
SweetGyr was founded by me in 2005 at home in Maryland.

Did you come up with the idea by yourself?
Yes I did, I woke up one morning really early and it was put on my heart to create SweetGyrl, I wanted something that was really gyrlie and really fun, something I could dive into, something that felt soft and giggly and sweet. So I used the name SweetGyrl. I was working as a Psychotherapist for a wrap around company (social services) keeps youth in the home by giving them home services.
I woke up and said I want to create a training company that caters to gyrls only right now. So I hired an assitant and I told her what I wanted and we got to writing and thus SweetGyrl was born. Please check out www.sweetgyrlnetwork.blogspot.com for updates, I am also writing a book called "The Truth behind SweetGyrl" and also the website, www.sweetgyrl.org.

What type of promotion are you doing to spread the word?
Well since its only me, I have been doing blogging, and joining online forums. I also contacted Eva Longoria's publicist Liza Anderson, and we tried to get Eva, but her schedule did not permit. So now we are basicially trying to revamp and restructure our marketing approach.

What do you hope to accomplish with this?
I am hoping that young women will see this program as their way of saying, "Yes, I can still live my dreams!" We offer assessments that help gyrls get to the core of what they really want and dream big dreams. We help them set up goals that bring the dream alive! We help them stay focused, no matter what it is they want, and we point out to them that what they see right now does not negate their future at all. I want gyrls to dream and enjoy this time with themselves! They only get to be gyrls once, enjoy it RIGHT NOW! See www.sweetgyrlnetwork.blogspot.com for updates and ongoing information on the meat and potatoes of how SweetGyrl came about and what's happening.

Go to www.sweetgyrl.com for more information!

6 Tips for Surviving the First Six Weeks of Motherhood....

• When your child cries and you find yourself getting frustrated, just remember that your child is not crying just to aggravate you, but because, well, babies cry. They cry when they're hungry, when they're tired, when they have gas, or just because they feel like it. They can't cry forever. They'll get tired. If all else fails, put them in their crib and go outside. They'll be okay.
• You know that age old advice new mothers always get, "Nap when the baby naps?" Ha! That is the funniest thing I've ever heard. Chances are, when the baby is awake, you are either feeding or burping or changing him or her, which doesn't leave much time to other things you need to accomplish. So when the baby does go to sleep, you feel like THIS is the time to get all that stuff done, right? Right.
• This one is pretty basic but it's sooo true. ACCEPT ALL THE HELP YOU CAN! If someone offers to hold the baby, unless they are suffering from leprosy, LET THEM! It'll give you a chance to do whatever you need to.
• Accept the fact that you will not look like or feel like your old self for a while. You will not fit into your old jeans right after having a baby, your boobs won't look the same (sigh), and if you get in a shower every day, well, I just plain envy you. In the first couple weeks of motherhood, I took a shower TWICE. I knew it was time to put the baby down and hop in the shower when I went to feed my daughter and she wrinkled up her nose at me as if to say, "Mom, you smell." I wanted to be cute and put together like those moms on the cover of the pregnancy mags, but it.just.wasn't.happening.
• Water is your friend. The more water I drank, the more I felt refreshed and ready to go. It just made me feel healthier and more energized. I also had to pee a lot, but my skin has never looked better!
• Take lots of pictures, even if you don't feel like it. You'll be so tired and drained those first weeks, but looking at pictures will make you think, Hey, that wasn't so bad. My daughter and I had "photo shoots" where I'd be the photographer and she'd be the model and I'd pull an Austin Powers-type shoot. "Yes! That's it! Goregous! Work it!" She laughed and it made me feel better....

Basically, do whatever you need to do to feel happy. The first few weeks are the roughest. You don't know what you're doing, you feel like crap, you're sleep deprived, recovering from childbirth, etc. I think all mothers are troupers for getting through it alive. I have a newfound respect for my mother for going through it three times.

Anyone else have any suggestions? Leave 'em in the comments below!

Who's your "person"?

I cried while watching Grey's Anatomy tonight.

When Cristina told Burke she wanted to tell Meredith about her engagement, because Meredith was her "person."

"If I murdered somebody, Meredith is the one I would call to help me drag the corpse across the living room floor," Christina said. "She's my person."

Who is your person? Who do you call first when you have great news? Who do you count on when you're sad? When you want to do something fun? When you want to celebrate? When you just want to be yourself?

I'm fortunate because I have a "person." In fact, I have a few. My husband is always there when I need him, whether it's giving me a hug after I feel overwhelmed on my first day of classes or digging my car out of the 4-foot snow drift. He's my "person." I know no matter what I do, or what I say, he'll be there and that means a lot. Like my sister said, my husband is not obligated to love me. He chooses to love me. He chooses to be there for me. Just like I choose to be there for him.

So who is your "person"?

America's Next Top Model Cycle 8...

It's hard to believe there have been 7 cycles of ANTM. I never really watched the show until Season 3 (or whatever season it was that Eva the Diva won). I actually cried when Tyra named her the winner, and the first time I saw her Cover Girl ad I was so proud it was like her victory was my victory.

But like my friend Bob has pointed out again and again, ANTM has gone downhill in recent years. He has made some excellent points about the show. Here's my take on what can be done to make ANTM better:

*Tyra tone it down - A big part of this show is Tyra's credibility. She's BEEN a top model, she knows the business, she is arguably one of the hottest models ever. So we all know how great she is, and it's time for her to tone it down a little. I used to love the episodes where Tyra would come to the photo shoots and give advice, but know I feel like now it's about her too much.

* Better photo shoots. Some of the photo shoots from last season were a bit too out in left field. The one in Barcelona where they had to pose in a bull ring? Totally stupid. They had a live bull in there, but they Photoshopped in the cape? Why couldn't they have Photoshopped in the bull? Why risk their safety like that?

The new cycle starts Wednesday, February 28 with a two-hour premiere on the CW network.

Here are the girls....Who do you think will win?

Tyra marks 10th anniversary of her SI cover on Monday's show

Remember this photo?



Tyra looks so fierce on this cover! Can you believe it was 10 years ago that she landed the cover, becoming the first African-American woman to get a solo cover?

Tyra will mark the 10th anniversary of her solo Sports Illstrated cover by wearing the same bikini, with a little fabric added, instead of going on a crash diet. Amen! Work with what you have now!


Here's the article from MSN:

LOS ANGELES -- Tyra Banks marks a modeling milestone next week, and is donning a decade-old bikini to celebrate the special anniversary.

Ten years ago, Banks became the first black supermodel to appear alone on the cover of the Sports Illustrated swimsuit edition. The 2007 edition features 25-year-old singer-actress Beyonce on the cover wearing a yellow-and-pink bikini.

Banks, 33, recently returned to the Bahamas to recreate the shoot that landed her on the coveted cover, even wearing the same red polka dot bikini — with a few adjustments.

"I was about 140 pounds on that cover ... and I'm 161 now," the 5-foot-10 TV host told The Associated Press on Tuesday. "I'd say I looked like a stripper when I put it on."

Banks said some extra fabric was added to make the bikini a little less itsy-bitsy.

"They covered the sides of my chest so that it wasn't so much hangin' out. And they put some extenders on the sides of the bikini bottom so it fit," she said.

Last month, Banks, who hosts the syndicated "The Tyra Banks Show" and the CW network's "America's Next Top Model," was mocked on the Internet for unflattering photos showing her in a one-piece bathing suit.

In the AP Radio interview, Banks said she considered going on a crash diet before the Bahamas shoot to look the same as she did 10 years ago, but then thought better of it.

"I think there's more power in embracing what I am now and showcasing that," she said.

"I'm thinking that I should probably do this every 10 years," she continued. "So, in 2017 maybe I'll get in the swimsuit again and I'll have to get them to add a little more fabric."

Banks will show the results on Monday's episode of her talk show.

Maybe I should take a cue from Ms. Banks. Instead of fighting my natural body shape I should accept the fact that I will never ever be 125 lbs unless I starve myself. 130, maybe. But definitely not 125. I love cupcakes too much.

Jennifer Hudson strikes again....

Yes! Go JHud!

The Dreamgirls are IT right now....Beyonce lands the cover of SI

first JHud on the cover of Vogue, and now Beyonce on the cover of Sports Illustrated.



Here's the story from MSN:

NEW YORK -- Beyonce has hit another high note, claiming the coveted cover shot of this year's Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue in a yellow-and-pink bikini.

"The Dreamgirl As You've Never Seen Her," a cover headline teases. There's also a photo spread inside the magazine.

The 25-year-old singer-actress ("Dreamgirls") posed on a Florida beach in the bikini designed by House of Dereon, the fashion label she started with her mother, Tina Knowles.

The 2007 swimsuit edition continues with a music theme inside, featuring scantily clad models posing with Kanye West, Aerosmith, Kenny Chesney, Gnarls Barkley and Panic! At the Disco.

All I can say now is: where's the shine for Anika Noni Rose? She held her own as Lorell in Dreamgirls and her voice is just as powerful as JHud and Bee. I wanna see some covers for her too!!

Another day, another cover - Jennifer Hudson on the cover of Vogue?

Oh my goodness...this can't be real. I heard the rumblings around the Internet, but when I finally found a picture of the illustrious singer, Miss Jennifer Hudson herself, gracing the cover of Vogue, my jaw dropped.


Miss Jennifer is amazing. Is there anyone who is living bigger dreams right now? I think not. I am so proud.

Transformation...

Funny how three months ago, this was my reality....


and now she is....



Life is really amazing...

Let It Snow!

Even though I'm a winter baby, I hate snow.

But I get giddy as a little kid when I see tons of snow piled up outside. They just announced that Tuesday evening and early Wednesday morning classes are cancelled. I don't have class until 11 a.m. tomorrow, but maybe those classes will get cancelled too. I have a ton of work and it would be nice to catch up, sit inside with my daughter sipping hot cocoa.

But I guess I better hope I don't wake up tomorrow and look outside and see something like this....



My grandmother used to live in Buffalo, New York and she would regularly send me pictures like this. Once she couldn't barely open her side door to her house because five feet of snow had fallen overnight.

I can't wait until summer!

Oprah's "Building A Dream" to air on ABC

Mark your calendars. ABC will air "Building A Dream: The Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy" Monday, February 26 at 10 p.m. It will highlight the journey Oprah went on to found this school for economically disadvantaged girls in South Africa.


When it opened, a lot of people tried to criticize Oprah for building the school in South Africa, instead of here in America. But you know what? It's her money, her prerogative. I personally can not find fault with someone who is only trying to make the world a better place and find it intriguing that people will continue to find things to complain about. These are the same people who, if she had chose to build the school here, would have complained that she didn't do enough for the people in Africa.

I say, do your thing Oprah. You inspire me.

So make sure you check it out and as always, let me know what you think.

Jennifer Hudson on the cover of GIANT magazine...

Now it's no secret I'm a huge fan of Jennifer Hudson and I will be on the couch dressed up on February 25 watching the Oscars waiting for them to announce Ms. Hudson's name for Best Supporting Actress.

JHud is on the cover of the February issue of GIANT magazine, where she talks about (what else?) her newfound success, Beyonce and Dreamgirls. Here's the link to the article.

Jennifer Hudson looks amazing in these pictures. Just goregous. I don't read GIANT magazine all that often, but I might have to go out and pick up this issue. I'm loving all this black star power right about now...

But what I really love about Jennifer Hudson is that she seems so down to earth. I know all this fame is new to her, but she seems like a genuinely nice person. I wouldn't mind hanging with her. But I think I love Jennifer 'cause she shows what can happen if you don't give up. I can't wait for her album to come out. I believe she said on Rachael Ray's show that she starts working on it in March and it would be out in the fall.


I hope she doesn't go the route of another American Idol, Fantasia. I used to be a big fan of Fantasia and I think with the right management her career could skyrocket, but I think she needs better material to fit her voice. Fantasia doesn't do anything to make herself stand out in terms of song material. I hope Jennifer has the songwriters behind her to give enough more weight to her powerhouse voice.

Am I a serious blogger or am I just playin'?

I've been updating almost daily for about a month now. Why? What am I hoping to accomplish from this? I have to admit, I do enjoy writing on a regular basis, writing things that won't be graded or judged too harshly. I like writing about what I think is interesting, and sharing my opinions with others.

At the beginning of this year, I made a vow that THIS would be the year that I elevate my financial status - in other words, I'm trying to get paid! I love writing, so I figured this is the way to do it. I'm blogging, writing for a couple of sites, trying to land a steady writing gig somewhere, just trying to get my name OUT THERE.

It's hard though and I find myself getting discouraged. My page views are much much lower than I would like them to be. I'm praying on it and trying to be patient but anyone who has known me for more than five minutes knows that patience isn't my strong point. I want success so bad I can taste it, I can hear it, I can feel it and it isn't enough for me to sit back and wait.

I see successful people and I study their stories and their background and I try to see what they did to get to where they are. What books do they read? What do they believe? What are their prinicples for success? How did they do it?

I believe this is just who I am. I'm always striving to improve. Like that Toyota motto, I'll move in any direction, as long as it's forward.

I have to be successful. I come from a long line of people who are just full of potential but one roadblock or another kept them from achieving greatness.

I don't want to be like that.

I WANT a better life.

I NEED to be successful.

I WILL be successful.

Recipe of the Week - You Won't Be Single for Long Vodka Cream Pasta

I finally feel caught up with my schoolwork and what do I do? I load my Recipe of the Week a day early for you. Yes, I love my readers. I'll also try to put pictures with the recipes from now on so you can actually SEE what it is I'm talking about...Next week I promise I'll use a different person's recipes....

Here is Rachael Ray's You Won't Be Single for Long Vodka Cream Pasta. Try it and let me know how it is!

This recipe will make enough for 2 couples. If you plan a romantic evening where more than two's a crowd, reserve half the sauce to freeze for another supper before the addition of basil, and only cook 1/2 to 2/3 pound of penne.

Courtesy Rachael Ray and Food Network
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, once around the pan in a slow stream
1 tablespoon butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 shallots, minced
1 cup vodka
1 cup chicken stock
1 can crushed tomatoes (32 ounces)
Coarse salt and pepper
16 ounces pasta, such as penne rigate
1/2 cup heavy cream
20 leaves fresh basil, shredded or torn
Crusty bread, for passing


Heat a large skillet over moderate heat. Add oil, butter, garlic, and shallots. Gently saute shallots for 3 to 5 minutes to develop their sweetness. Add vodka to the pan, 3 turns around the pan in a steady stream will equal about 1 cup. Reduce vodka by half, this will take 2 or 3 minutes. Add chicken stock, tomatoes. Bring sauce to a bubble and reduce heat to simmer. Season with salt and pepper.
While sauce simmers, cook pasta in salted boiling water until cooked to al dente (with a bite to it). While pasta cooks, prepare your salad or other side dishes.

Stir cream into sauce. When sauce returns to a bubble, remove it from heat. Drain pasta. Toss hot pasta with sauce and basil leaves. Pass pasta with crusty bread.