"Eat, Drink and Be Married..."

Loving these looks!

2012-01-31T21:22:00.001-05:00

From the Tommy Ton Shoots the Street-Style Scene at the Couture Shows on style.com
Slide show here: http://www.style.com/trendsshopping/stylenotes/011112_Pitti_Menswear/

My personal favorites:

Okay, brothah. Jazzy in your burnt orange

LOVE. LOVE. LOVE - this look. I'm a sucker for elbow patches.


Love the idea of going to a fashion outing clashing in an intelligent "take me or leave me" statement piece

Love the simplicity of her fur and flats.

This coat is such a big thing of chaos - I love it.

Handbones - tribute to classic Hollywood or gangsta rap?

Article of Interest

2012-01-28T23:10:00.001-05:00

Read this article and really wanted to share!

January 25, 2012

Marie Claire

A Tragic Baby Boom

After the 2010 earthquake, births in urban Haiti skyrocketed. Part of the reason? Rape babies. By Jocelyn C. Zuckerman

On the heels of the devastating quake that claimed more than 200,000 lives in January 2010, Haiti experienced a population spike, with the birth rate tripling in urban areas within months. But it's been hard to find many ecstatic dads pacing delivery rooms. A shocking number of these newborns have been the products of rape.

According to new data, rampant sexual assault continues to plague the country's women and girls, especially those living in the overcrowded displaced-persons camps that dot the capital of Port-au-Prince and surrounding areas. Since the earthquake, some 1,000 rape cases have been documented in 22 of the 800-plus camps, according to the advocacy group Commission of Women Victims for Victims, or KOFAVIV. (Because the majority of rapes go unreported, this is just a grim snapshot.) In another sickening finding, of 2,000 pregnant adolescent girls surveyed by PotoFi, a global coalition of Haitian women, 64 percent said they had conceived through rape.

The camps are unsafe due to inadequate lighting, lax security, and tents that are too easy to access. Adding to the lawlessness is the breakdown of the family structure, say aid workers. "The men don't have jobs, and they smoke pot and drink," explains Malya Villard-Apollon, a cofounder of KOFAVIV. "When they're high, they act on their frustrations."

KOFAVIV has recently organized brigades of men and women who patrol camps at night armed with flashlights and whistles. The group is also teaching women how to navigate Haiti's byzantine justice system should they decide to pursue action. (To make a rape arrest, the police require the victim to get a certificate proving she sought medical treatment within 72 hours — a high bar for women who are essentially homeless.)

Also attempting to improve conditions, the U.N. has set up police stations in the seven largest camps and has installed hundreds of solar-powered lamps. And Villard-Apollon notes that some 40 men have been arrested for sexual assault, among them a police officer who raped a teen. To much of the world, that might seem like scant progress, but in the camps of Port-au-Prince, that's 40 fewer men to have to survive on the way to the bathroom at night.

WHAT YOU CAN DO
Donate $30 to the Commission of Women Victims for Victims' parent organization, MADRE (madre.org), to provide solar flashlights and whistles to five women.

Am I Filling or Fueling?

2012-01-26T11:47:00.002-05:00

This morning during my devotional an idea hit me (after I put in my Weight Watchers points) - last night I filled my body, but did not fuel it. Like I ate a bunch of delicious food that filled me up, but didn't have a lot of veggies, fruit, drink 64 oz of water, or whole grain (fueling foods). The fueling foods are those that are going to keep me going - make me healthier, live longer, and all around the foods that God gave us to eat freely. Let's put it this way, I ONLY ate foods that are good and fun, but not making me a better me. Now of course there needs to be filling foods in one's diet, it makes food fun (for most of us), but one's daily dietary intake should be mostly (on most days 90%) fueling foods.

This then made me look at my entire day, yesterday, and I realized I didn't take very much time at all to fuel my spiritual, my mental, my creativity, or my professional existence. I did take time, however, to fuel my relationships - yipee! Yesterday, I had a very filling and fun day off - there wasn't a moment of down time - but many of my hours (not all) were not spent making anyone (including myself) better. I didn't put fuel into my tank - I just filled my day with stuff. This is not to say, that there isn't a place for sitting on the couch consuming trash television and junk food, but I will admit after a day or two of filling binges I feel lazy, gross, blah, and like I need to do something with my life.

All this to say, after jotting down all this in my journal - I decided I need a BIG reminder - so, I made a fun chart for myself. Just to remind myself to think twice about my choices (I've never been one into major discipline). This way at the end of the night or in the morning, I can make a decision or reflect on whether I have been fueling or filling.

Sexy, Cute, Pretty, Beautiful, Attractive...

2012-01-25T15:17:00.001-05:00

I'm finally getting my sexy back.

Many young girls sought out to be pretty. I was always different - I wanted to be sexy. My parents were amazing - they protected me from a lot and (my mother in particular) tried to shield me from all things "too sexual/violent/crazy" and I appreciate my parents for that; however regardless of their protection my desire was to be sexy.

It's a natural desire - for I am the granddaughter of Norma Jean Yancey, one of the sexiest women alive. A woman that always knew the right look, perfume, and outfit for an occasion. She never shied way from wearing a skirt that cut up her leg or a bright red form fitting dress. To this day, one of her favorite dresses is a little sheer sheath dress that has a little tie bow on the shoulders - "this number drove your grandfather mad" she says with a giggle. I realize that this dress had to be only 20 years old...

All this to say, while "pretty," "attractive," and "beautiful" have always been compliments (I've never been a fan of cute - in a "you're so cute" way) - from a very young age - my aim was to be sexy. As a little girl, my favorite activities always included bright lipstick, make up, high heels, making over my friends ( including Ashley and Renny) into "sexy girls" and standing in front of the camera/video camera/mirror with my hands on my hips, puckered lips, and one eye brow up. I was the girl that ran to middle school and threw on lip stick (thanks Claire's) as soon as my mom drove off. My uniform was always slightly matured - I made my own "uniform" rules :)

This behavior continued into high school - when I totally cut off all my hair in order to differentiate myself - I didn't want to be seen as "cute" or a little "pretty" girl. I wanted to deviate from the other "ninth grade girls" - be sexy. Now, let me be honest, this need to be sexy totally manifested in some ridiculously hilarious trends - I loved licking a lollipop in the club (YIKES), wearing all white in teen clubs (so my outfit would light up), dancing on the stage whenever possible (this transcended into college - wowzahhs), covering my body in body glitter (although no one was seeing anything), practicing my sexy look for hours in my mirror, an unreal addiction to leather and memorizing sexy moves from videos.

All this to say, since joining the food industry - no make up, no jewelry, pastries galore, a make up, and random hours - I feel like that desire to be sexy disappeared. And when the desire fades - the sexy routines fade (shopping, working out, me time, what ever your sexy routine includes) - next is the confidence - after confidence is the sexiness...

Because let's be clear - sexy has everything with a mix of confidence, routine, desire, and nature (all in order of importance). It's about a person that recognizes what nature has given them - whether it's freckles, an awesome laugh, long legs, a killer smile, voluptuous body, or great skin and then confidently playing that feature up - giving their victims just enough to pull them into their trap. All while seeming completely effortless.

WELL, GUESS WHAT. The desire is back, friends. The routines are back. The long looks in the mirror are back. How did they come back? Prayer, music and a little inspiration from another (equally sexy childhood favorite) Norma Jeane "Marilyn Monroe":

These quotes totally fueled my fashion, style, and characteristic inspiration:

“Imperfection is beauty, madness is genius and it's better to be absolutely ridiculous than absolutely boring.”

“I don't mind being burdened with being glamorous and sexual. Beauty and femininity are ageless and can't be contrived, and glamour, although the manufacturers won't like this, cannot be manufactured. Not real glamour; it's based on femininity.”

“I don't mind living in a man's world, as long as I can be a woman in it.”

Uh-Oh, I think we may just be bougie.

2012-01-23T13:28:00.003-05:00

Thanks fabulousduo, two very fabulous and possibly bougie women...lol.

Finally found a video that definitely rings true to my girls. Although I don't think that we are bougie - I've definitely HEARD my girls say all of these... "You have got to do better."
"

SSS Stats: Research Finds Early Risers..

2012-01-21T12:02:00.001-05:00

Early Risers are thinner, happier, and less stressed...

Which makes sense, because my mom is all of these things and she is an early riser. My earliest memories of childhood Saturdays include: Kenny and I wake up (probably around like 8 am) for Saturday morning cartoons, we drink the last sips of mom and dad's wine from their Friday fun (yikes), watch cartoons (Ninja Turtles, Heman, to name a few), mom gets home in aerobic gear with groceries/donuts for the family (except me)/coffee for her and my dad/a bagel for me, family breakfast, chores, and more fun.

This to say, by around 9:00 am my mom was totally finished with her morning gym session, had been grocery shopping, and breakfast shopping.

Any one that knows Lynne knows that there are very few people happier or less stressed. As for "thin" is concerned - let's put it this way- her "pre" and post-wedding size are consistently the same. She stayed her size until the birth of Kenny, after which she added two dress sizes.

Comparison: I am a size 4/6 and could barely get my hips in her wedding dress but after some sucking and tugging, I got in it but could not ZIP up my mothers wedding dress - LIKE AT ALL...

All this to say, although researchers found this fact true - I've found it true in my own life.

The early bird DOES gets the worm...and the happiness that goes along with being less stressed and thinner.

How to make women work out.

2012-01-18T16:00:00.000-05:00

Congratulations! You have spent 2000 calories! Whew this would definitely get me spinning.

Day, n. A period of twenty-four hours, mostly misspent. (Ambrose Bierce)

2012-01-17T22:32:00.000-05:00

"For disappearing acts, it's hard to beat what happens to the eight hours supposedly left after eight of sleep and eight of work."

- Doug Larson

Seriously. It's 2012. I just turned 28.

I am ready to go to the next level in every aspect of my life.

My two obstacles: time and money.

Where do they go?

Once you realize where your put your time and money- do you figure out who you are? Who/what your idol is (what/who you worship)?

I can tell so much about someone (character, priorities and future) based on what's in their grocery basket.

I'm sure time is like a grocery basket - once you realize where you place your time - you realize your priorities, character, present situation, and (quite possibly) future predicament.

Now, what to say about me? I hope, I'm not the only person that doesn't even know where my time (or money) goes :/

Time to figure out time..errrrrr....

Because I don't want to be killing time, while time quietly kills me (Dion Boucicaultu).That's fo sho.

Looking for Fun Ways to Celebrate...

2012-01-16T22:32:00.000-05:00

Dr. King and I found this...it's perfect.

True Love Captured in Pictures.

2012-01-13T10:33:00.001-05:00

So! Here recently, Scott Schuman of The Sartorialist, got to work with Tiffany & Co. to create True Love In Pictures. Boy, the results were fantastic. Although there are only a few pictures - I think they truly speak of romance. Not sure about love - but romance, indeed.

The website: http://www.whatmakeslovetrue.com/love-is-everywhere/love-in-pictures/

Here are a few of my favorite.

The Stuff People Say...

2012-01-12T00:02:00.000-05:00

Recently, my cousin hipped me to these little clips. Both of them have a part 2. After hearing all the hype and having people suggest that I watch them, I finally watched and just about died...so true! Women have a universal language - Mike is obsessed with the "black mother skit" - they are hilarious and all on youtube.com. Enjoy!

Girls:

Black Girls:

2012: No Funds Because Of Black Cast

2012-01-10T23:59:00.000-05:00

Any Truth To The Statement that...

Black people won't go see big budget movies, esp. if there isn't a man dressed as a woman AND non-black people don't go see movies with an entire black cast.

Well, Hollywood sure does think so - hence the lack of support for the movie "Red Tails."

Read this Huffington Post Article:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/10/george-lucas-hollywood-di_n_1197227.html

In an appearance on The Daily Show last night, George Lucas said that he had trouble getting funding for his new movie, "Red Tails," because of its black cast.

"This has been held up for release since 1942 since it was shot, I've been trying to get released ever since," Lucas told Jon Stewart. "It's because it's an all-black movie. There's no major white roles in it at all...I showed it to all of them and they said no. We don't know how to market a movie like this."
"Red Tails," which stars Cuba Gooding, Jr., and Terrence Howard, is based on the Tuskegee Airmen, the group of pioneering black pilots who fought in the United States' segregated armed forces during World War II. The movie is directed by Anthony Hemingway, the rare black director getting a chance to direct a big-budget feature.

Last week, Lucas told USA Today that he was worried that if Red Tails was a failure, it could have negative repercussions for black filmmakers. "I realize that by accident I've now put the black film community at risk [with Red Tails, whose $58 million budget far exceeds typical all-black productions]," he said. "I'm saying, if this doesn't work, there's a good chance you'll stay where you are for quite a while. It'll be harder for you guys to break out of that [lower-budget] mold. But if I can break through with this movie, then hopefully there will be someone else out there saying let's make a prequel and sequel, and soon you have more Tyler Perrys out there."

The Two Things Standing In My Way.

2012-01-09T11:23:00.003-05:00

Huffington Post and Sojourners (let's not even talk about newspapers, magazines, and watching a three movies in a row :/)

Sitting at a tea house -
In order to avoid going onto the web and checking out my new obsessions.

Now, I am in the midst of closing my first book, BUT every time I come home there are a few sites that I must check out. And here lately, due to the elections and my overall interest, I've been staying on these sites far too long. If I'm spending 45 min. on Huffington Post (specifically first page news, black voices, and the religion page) than jumping to Sojourners for another 45 min. (not to mention making my comments) - I've spent at lease an hour and a half of reading time on these sites. I may have to find a way to add periodicals to my goal - I guess I can always just say 50 pages of articles = 50 pages of a book! PROBLEM SOLVED. Oh yeah.

P.S. Read this article on Sojourners a few days ago and literally can't stop thinking about it. It's a quick read - but will definitely push some buttons. I'm sure some people will find this really offensive - but I think others will stand and applaud and say, "IT'S ABOUT TIME some one said something!!!" Which group do you fall into?

Quote from the Read: "The point is that one can fill a life full of spiritual activities without ever, actually, trying to become a more decent human being. Much of this activity can actually distract one from becoming a more decent human being. In fact, some of these activities make you worse, interpersonally speaking. Many churches are jerk factories. "

Wowzahs.

Read the whole article by clicking "read more" or going here: http://sojo.net/blogs/2011/12/27/bait-and-switch-contemporary-christianity

The Bait and Switch of Contemporary Christianity

by Richard Beck 12-27-2011 | 9:21am

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Image by Cathleen Falsani

To start, a story.

A few years ago a female student wanted to visit with me about some difficulties she was having, mainly with her family life. As is my practice, we walked around campus as we talked.

After talking for some time about her family situation we turned to other areas of her life. When she reached spiritual matters we had the following exchange:

"I need to spend more time working on my relationship with God."I responded, "Why would you want to do that?"Startled she says, "What do you mean?""Well, why would you want to spend any time at all on working on your relationship with God?""Isn't that what I'm supposed to do?""Let me answer by asking you a question. Can you think of anyone, right now, to whom you need to apologize? Anyone you've wronged?"She thinks and answers, "Yes.""Well, why don't you give them a call today and ask for their forgiveness. That might be a better use of your time than working on your relationship with God."

Obviously, I was being a bit provocative with the student. And I did go on to clarify. But I was trying to push back on a strain of Christianity I see in both my students and the larger Christian culture. Specifically, when the student said "I need to work on my relationship with God" I knew exactly what she meant. It meant praying more, getting up early to study the bible, to start going back to church. Things along those lines. The goal of these activities is to get "closer" to God. To "waste time with Jesus." Of course, please hear me on this point, nothing is wrong with those activities. Personal acts of piety and devotion are vital to a vibrant spiritual life and continued spiritual formation. But all too often "working on my relationship with God" has almost nothing to do with trying to become a more decent human being.

The trouble with contemporary Christianity is that a massive bait and switch is going on. "Christianity" has essentially become a mechanism for allowing millions of people to replace being a decent human being with something else, an endorsed "spiritual" substitute. For example, rather than being a decent human being the following is a list of some commonly acceptable substitutes:

Going to church
Worship
Praying
Spiritual disciplines (e.g., fasting)
Bible study
Voting Republican
Going on spiritual retreats
Reading religious books
Arguing with evolutionists
Sending your child to a Christian school or providing education at home
Using religious language
Avoiding R-rated movies
Not reading Harry Potter.

The point is that one can fill a life full of spiritual activities without ever, actually, trying to become a more decent human being. Much of this activity can actually distract one from becoming a more decent human being. In fact, some of these activities make you worse, interpersonally speaking. Many churches are jerk factories.

Take, for example, how Christians tip and behave in restaurants. If you have ever worked in the restaurant industry you know the reputation of the Sunday morning lunch crowd. Millions of Christians go to lunch after church on Sundays and their behavior is abysmal. The single most damaging phenomenon to the witness of Christianity in America today is the collective behavior of the Sunday morning lunch crowd. Never has a more well-dressed, entitled, dismissive, haughty or cheap collection of Christians been seen on the face of the earth.

I exaggerate of course. But I hope you see my point. Rather than pouring our efforts into two hours of worship, bible study and Christian fellowship on Sunday why don't we just take a moment and a few extra bucks to act like a decent human being when we go to lunch afterwards? Just think about it. What if the entire restaurant industry actually began to look forward to working Sunday lunch? If they said amongst themselves, "I love the church crowd. They are kind, patient and very generous. It's my favorite part of the week waiting on Christians." How might such a change affect the way the world sees us? Think about it. Just being a decent human being for one hour each Sunday and the world sees us in a whole new way.

But it's not going to happen. Because behavior at lunch isn't considered to be "working on your relationship with God." Behavior at lunch isn't spiritual. Going to church, well, that is working on your relationship with God. But, as we all know, any jerk can sit in a pew. But you can't be a jerk if you take the time to treat your waitress as if she were your friend, daughter or mother.

My point in all this is that contemporary Christianity has lost its way. Christians don't wake up every morning thinking about how to become a more decent human being. Instead, they wake up trying to "work on their relationship with God" which very often has nothing to do with treating people better. How could such a confusion have occurred? How did we end up going so wrong? I'm sure there are lots of answers, but at the end of the day we need to face up to our collective failure. I'm not saying we need to do anything dramatic. A baby step would do to start. Waking up trying to be a little more kind, more generous, more interruptible, more forgiving, more humble, more civil, more tolerant. Do these things and prayer and worship will come alongside to support us.

I truly want people to spend time working on their relationship with God. I just want them to do it by taking the time to care about the person standing right in front of them.

Richard Beck is Professor and Department Chair of Psychology at Abilene Christian University. He is the author ofUnclean: Meditations on Purity, Hospitality and Mortality. Richard's area of interest — be it research, writing, or blogging — is on the interface of Christian theology and psychology, with a particular focus on how existential issues affect Christian belief and practice. Richard's published research covers topics as diverse as the psychology of profanity to why Christian bookstore art is so bad. He blogs at Experimental Theology, where this post originally appeared.

Favorite Bible Passage

2012-01-06T14:28:00.000-05:00

So far, I have to say that there hasn't been a bible passage that has hit me as much as Proverbs 20. I feel like there is so much to learn, some of my favorite verses are:

1 Wine is a mocker and beer a brawler; whoever is led astray by them is not wise

3 It is to one’s honor to avoid strife, but every fool is quick to quarrel.

4 Sluggards do not plow in season; so at harvest time they look but find nothing.

5 The purposes of a person’s heart are deep waters, but one who has insight draws them out.

6 Many claim to have unfailing love, but a faithful person who can find?

www.godandtacos.com

17 Food gained by fraud tastes sweet, but one ends up with a mouth full of gravel.

18 Plans are established by seeking advice; so if you wage war, obtain guidance.

19 A gossip betrays a confidence; so avoid anyone who talks too much.

The entire scripture is here: Proverbs 20: World English Bible

1Wine is a mocker, and beer is a brawler. Whoever is led astray by them is not wise.

2The terror of a king is like the roaring of a lion. He who provokes him to anger forfeits his own life.

3It is an honor for a man to keep aloof from strife; but every fool will be quarreling.

4The sluggard will not plow by reason of the winter; therefore he shall beg in harvest, and have nothing.

5Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water; but a man of understanding will draw it out.

6Many men claim to be men of unfailing love, but who can find a faithful man?

7A righteous man walks in integrity. Blessed are his children after him.

8A king who sits on the throne of judgment scatters away all evil with his eyes.

9Who can say, "I have made my heart pure. I am clean and without sin?"

10Differing weights and differing measures, both of them alike are an abomination to Yahweh.

11Even a child makes himself known by his doings, whether his work is pure, and whether it is right.

12The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, Yahweh has made even both of them.

13Don't love sleep, lest you come to poverty. Open your eyes, and you shall be satisfied with bread.

14"It's no good, it's no good," says the buyer; but when he is gone his way, then he boasts.

15There is gold and abundance of rubies; but the lips of knowledge are a rare jewel.

16Take the garment of one who puts up collateral for a stranger; and hold him in pledge for a wayward woman.

17Fraudulent food is sweet to a man, but afterwards his mouth is filled with gravel.

18Plans are established by advice; by wise guidance you wage war!

19He who goes about as a tale-bearer reveals secrets; therefore don't keep company with him who opens wide his lips.

20Whoever curses his father or his mother, his lamp shall be put out in blackness of darkness.

21An inheritance quickly gained at the beginning, won't be blessed in the end.

22Don't say, "I will pay back evil." Wait for Yahweh, and he will save you.

23Yahweh detests differing weights, and dishonest scales are not pleasing.

24A man's steps are from Yahweh; how then can man understand his way?

25It is a snare to a man to make a rash dedication, then later to consider his vows.

26A wise king winnows out the wicked, and drives the threshing wheel over them.

27The spirit of man is Yahweh's lamp, searching all his innermost parts.

28Love and faithfulness keep the king safe. His throne is sustained by love.

29The glory of young men is their strength. The splendor of old men is their gray hair.

30Wounding blows cleanse away evil, and beatings purge the innermost parts.

Lisa Ling.

2012-01-04T12:30:00.000-05:00

In 2000(ish) - I found one of my professional role models: Lisa Ling.

When she quit The View to become an international reporter - my admiration grew. I watched all of her special reports and read all of her articles. As a journalism student with a minor (one credit short of a major - y'all know I had to say it) in political science (specifically international politics), I found myself constantly channeling this amazing woman.

I would sit in the newspaper office - writing about local Oxford news (listening to Norah Jones) drinking a Pumpkin Spiced Coffee from the UDF's cappuccino machine (Ohio folks stand up) - thinking "wow, I can't wait until I am an international reporter - I'll probably be cool with Lisa by that point (we are just ten years apart)."

Then life happened.

I'm no longer that young crazy journalist excited about doing ride-alongs with the police or fighting to do "riveting" interviews with Spike Lee, Bebe Moore Campbell (shortly before she died), Coretta Scott King (didn't get the interview but got to cover a small group conversation - you win some/you lose some), and more. It's been over seven years since I sucked up my own sadness and pain and wrote about a missing Alzheimer victim's remains (shortly after my grandfather died).

Almost six years later, I no longer sit around thinking about how I am going to change the world; how I am going to shine a light on injustice or even risk my own life for the lives of strangers. I rarely even sit around and think of "celebrity" influences.

However today instead of meditating on the future, I'm reflecting on my past...thinking about dreams...God's destiny and purpose for my life...and who I am as a woman...and I couldn't help, but think about my dear friend Lisa Ling.

The One Quantitative Goal That's Juuuuuust Right.

2012-01-03T11:06:00.000-05:00

Once upon a time, there was a little girl named Goldilocks. She went for a walk in the forest. Pretty soon, she came upon a house. She knocked and, when no one answered, she walked right in. At the table in the kitchen, there were three bowls of porridge. Goldilocks was hungry. She tasted the porridge from the first bow:

This porridge is too cold! (google images)

(

This porridge is too hot! (Insanity Website)

This porridge is juuust right! (google images)

I stopped writing quantitative goals around three to four years ago. For me quantitative goals felt extremely superficial - "I will go to the gym 5 days out of the week." When I didn't make the goal - I was upset and thus put an arrow through the bulleted item. The "arrow" meant that the goal was officially thrust into the "next year" goal list.

This said, for the last few months - I've been looking for a big project or goals. The goals/project could not have anything to do with work.

At first, I wanted to get into puzzles. Start with a mildly difficult puzzle and work my way up to a crazy hard puzzle.

Next it was INSANITY® - the workout not the mental state. Nothing like working out and accomplishing nine weeks of ridiculous workout sessions.

Then I got my mind wrapped around creating kitchen furniture. I've always enjoyed working with wood and Mike is quite the handy man, so I thought this would be awesome.

But then I got an even better idea - remember when we were in school and had to read a certain amount of books and write book reports? I USED TO LOVE THAT. In fact, my mom used to give me and Kenny additional summer reading (and yes, we had to do book reports as well). All this to say, I found my challenge/project/goal: I WILL READ OVER 35 BOOKS THIS YEAR. I figure I will have around 56 hours/week to read a book (give or take) - given I sleep for 8 hours, work 50 hours, and eat dinner one hour. Because that 56 hours is extremely tight - I've given myself room - therefore I need to read a book within (on average) 10 days. Totally doable...right?

GUIDELINES:

To make it very school like - I will write a report (blog post) on each book and will reward myself after every 10 books I read.
If When I hit 35 books - there will be a huge prize awaiting myself :) not sure what though.
Minimum pages to be counted as a book is 50 pages.
SLACKER CLAUSE: After every 300 pages - it counts as another book. For instance - my bible is 1540 pages, this would count as five books.
I will read at least two books totally out of my comfort zone.
I will read at least one book from each genre

Poetry
Nonfiction:

Informational
Autobiography
Biography

Fiction:

Fantasy
Realistic Fiction
Historical Fiction
Traditional Literature
Mystery
Science Fiction

If you have books on your goal list or are interested - please let me know - I'd love to have a partner in crime :)

(I think) Chuck Swindoll said:

2012-01-03T00:34:00.000-05:00

“The challenge of the Christian life is that it is so daily.”

My reflection: It's really the same challenge that I face when trying to live a healthy life - every day I have to watch what I put into my body and what comes out.

New Years wasn't so great for Alisha and Karen. Hope they speak soon.

2012-01-02T16:12:00.000-05:00

I found this argument so interesting. Wonder what you guys think?

If he liked it - would he put a ring on it?

For New Years my friend, Alisha*, went out with her friend, Karen*. Alisha was finally happy to have Karen to herself. Karen and Alisha are very close college friends. In fact, there is about five girls in their clique. Karen was always known as the headstrong, independent, got it all together, "let's-get-it done," successful friend. In college, Karen dated, but never seemed to have her heart broken like the other girls. In fact, she was the heart breaker. The other friends always saw it as Karen's perfect family dynamic. She grew up with two parents that adored one another - to the point that Karen saw herself and her brothers often playing the third wheel during family outings. All in all, Karen's life story (as the girls saw it) was amazing - upper middle class, prestigious historically black college, equally prestigious grad school, great job right out of college, an active dating life and a tight female circle.

This said, Karen meets Brian*. Brian is an up-and-coming magazine editor. A man that knows all the "it" places, people, events, and cities. Just like Karen - he's on top of his game. No shock to the girls, Karen falls hard for Brian. They do long distance for a while, but that no longer makes sense for them. So, they move together in his booming city and amazing apartment. She gets a job (of course) and they are working hard to create, as she puts it, "a life together."

In the meantime, Alisha and two of "the girls" are super happy about this, because Brian lives in the same big booming city as them. This means, Karen is no longer two long hours away from her girls.

But then something crazy happens, Karen sees Alisha less than she did when they lived two hours away. Karen is constantly with Brian. And when she isn't with Brian (who is out and about pretty often), she is setting up the house: cooking, laundry, cleaning, hanging out with his mother, sisters, cousins, etc. Karen has no interest in clubs, parties, or outings where her girls are "man-hunting," because she already has a man. In fact, when she is out, all she talks about is Brian's "soon-to-be" marriage proposal.

All this to say, it was a shock when Karen agreed to go out with all the girls for New Years. Well, kinda a shock, Brian needed to go to LA "for business." So they go to a "hot" spot, the girls are enjoying the party until...

Some females, acquaintances, approach the table. During the conversation, one of the girls mentions her school - happens to be the same school Brian attends. Karen immediately asks whether she knew Brian. And this conversation ensues:

Random Female A: Of course, I know Brian. Ladies, (to her friends) y'all remember Brian...you know...Briannnnnnnn from the store...

(all the women begin to smile)
Random Females B and C: oh yeah...

Random Female A: I can't believe he is still on the market - that man is too fly to be single.

Karen: Well, he's not on the market (attitude starting to show)

Random A: Oh my bad, I'm just going by his facebook status and the fact that you don't have a ring on your finger - nor does he.

A passive aggressive argument erupts.The ladies leave.

Karen is sitting with her girls. Alisha tells her how out of hand that girl was. Karen agrees and says, there's no difference between my relationship with Brian and being married. Alisha and Karen's friend, Taylor, speaks up: "yes there is." Karen is shocked by Taylor, the quiet, studious, married friend. "What are you talking about?"

Taylor simply says, there is a huge difference between being someone's girlfriend and being married...

Karen, making a low-blow says:"I do more for Brian than you do for Mark (Taylor's husband). I'm more a wife than you are."

Alisha immediately jumps in (possibly pent up emotions), "that's the issue - you aren't a wife at all.
If Brian never comes back to home - he owes you nothing. If Mark leaves, he owes Taylor half. Like if Savannah breaks up with Lebron (this is before the engagement), because he is cheating - she is owed nothing but child support. And she was with him before he went pro! Whereas Vanessa met Kobe, after he went pro, and she is getting half. Why? Simple: Marriage!

Karen: "dang money-hungry...it's not about money with us - unlike the broke man you dealing with. Plus, why you all in celebrity business - you need to be taking care of your situation. I don't see a ring on your finger and how long has it been with Ben?"

Taylor: "let's leave it here - marriage is different than boyfriend/girlfriend - at least to Brian - if it wasn't than he would have proposed..."

Alisha: and changed his facebook status.

Taylor: "Clearly there is something that is holding him back from that with you - regardless of how great you are at doing wifely-chores. P.S. Technically speaking, if you aren't married than you are single with a boyfriend or a fiance."

Karen: shouts and says some more hurtful things (about how a ring doesn't matter, because Taylor's father never even wears his ring, does that mean he's single?) and storms out.

They haven't spoken since.

Wowzahhaas. Alisha totally doesn't know what to do at this point. She misses Alisha, but doesn't know what to say to bring them back together. Happy New Year, I guess...

*Y'all know these are some fake names.

Happy New Year!

2012-01-01T13:08:00.001-05:00

Woo-hoo! I believe that 2012 is going to be the best year of my life - I'm so excited. Already it's been incredible. Hope you all are enjoying your New Year!

Benefits of Tea Tree Oil.

2011-12-28T15:49:00.002-05:00

I've been looking into natural skin treatments (eczema, acne, hair moisture) and there is one oil that continues to pop up in my research: tea tree oil. I've seen this oil in many health stores and I've even tried a sample of it. It worked well. Since, I know a bunch of beauty/health kings/queens read this blog - thought I would share the information. If you've tried tree oil products - please shoot me a line; I'd love to hear your experience.

What is Tea Tree Oil?

Latin Name: Melaleuca alternifolia

Other Names: Melaleuca oil, Australian tea tree oil

Tea tree oil is an essential oil obtained by steam distillation of the leaves of Melaleuca alternifolia, a plant native to Australia.

Historically, the leaves were used as a substitute for tea, which is how tea tree oil got its name. The part used medicinally is the oil from the leaves.

What is Tea Tree Oil For?

Tea tree has a long history of traditional use. Australian aboriginals used tea tree leaves for healing skin cuts, burns, and infections by crushing the leaves and applying them to the affected area.

Tea tree oil contains consituents called terpenoids, which have been found to have antiseptic and antifungal activity. The compound terpinen-4-ol is the most abundant and is thought to be responsible for most of tea tree oil's antimicrobial activity.

People use tea tree oil for the following conditions:

Acne
Athlete's foot
Dandruff
Vaginitis
Thrush
Periodontal disease
As an antiseptic
Boils
Lice
Eczema
Psoriasis
Yeast infection

Read more here: http://altmedicine.about.com/od/herbsupplementguide/a/TeaTreeOil.htm

One Ingredient Foods.

2011-12-27T19:08:00.000-05:00

Tony Horton, this man is definitely 53...

Read this article in the Huffington and thought it was super easy and really helpful; however right now I am trying to understand the "whole grain" aspect within healthy eating. I do know that whole grains begin as seeds thus come from the "good earth," but I find whole grains pretty difficult to navigate. Additionally, the argument behind vegetarian vs. lean protein consumption is one in which I'm trying to fully grasp and I definitely want to pick a side. Either way, I really enjoyed this read.

Quick-and-Dirty Tips for Clean Eating
Tony Horton, Creator of P90X®
Posted: 11/ 3/11 07:10 PM ET

Let's start with the real-deal truth. There's no better grocery than Mother Nature's Market -- this planet. Whole, natural foods are simply unbeatable staples in any healthy diet. If it doesn't come from the good earth or from a tree, then it's not worth dropping in your shopping cart. In fact, don't even put it on your shopping list.

While we're on the topic of whole foods, here's a good rule of thumb. Select foods that contain one ingredient. Next time you're in the frozen food section, grab a pack of frozen peas. It may state something like this on the back, "Ingredients: Peas." Now that may seem like a no-brainer, but it's exactly the kind of food that we should be buying for ourselves and our families. Keep it simple. Apple, spinach, avocado, etc. One ingredient.

Make it a point to prepare as many meals as you possibly can. This will help you curb the temptation to run out and hit up the nearby fast food joint -- the purveyors of the quick, easy, and "lazy food" that's so prevalent in American culture. Making your meals also allows you to do the next point...
Know what's in your food to control what you put into your body. You wouldn't put window cleaner in the fuel tank of a high-end sports car and expect it to perform at its top level, right? That wouldn't make any sense. That product has no business being in that car. The same applies to the human body. That chemical ingredient you can't pronounce in that junk food in your hand doesn't belong in your body, either. Respect your body. If you see a mysterious ingredient, and an image of guys in white lab coats holding beakers comes to mind, you should probably steer clear of it and not volunteer yourself as a guinea pig.

Some of us see cooking as a chore. A bore. Tedious labor. Well, it doesn't have to be that way. Spice things up in the kitchen. Or take it outside. Have an outdoor feast or a picnic. Invite a neighbor or friend over for dinner. I'm still amazed at the number of people who believe that healthy food can't be tasty food. Know someone like that? Cook something for them and prove them wrong. Whatever you decide to do, make it fun.

For the times you find yourself eating out, stick to the basics. Lean proteins, leafy greens, veggies, whole grains, healthy fats and oils, etc. Don't be afraid to tell your waiter how you want your food prepared. And be polite. After all, they're working to make sure your dining experience is great.

Waiters and waitresses love generous tips, and if you play your cards right, they'll be willing to move mountains for you. Explore your menu options. If you don't ask for what you want, you won't get it.
Eating clean is also about drinking clean. Clean water, that is. Drink plenty of it. Like it's going out of style, especially if you're working out hard. The elixir of life. It works wonders.

High fructose corn syrup? C'mon, people. You know the answer to that one. Don't touch the stuff. It's hard, though. I know. It's in just about everything these days, but if you're diligent, you'll find the right foods and send HFCS packing. Evicted from your diet. If you're drinking soda of any kind, stop. Period. End of discussion.

And don't forget to treat yourself every so often. You're working out. You're making wise dietary choices. Pat yourself on the back once a week or so. Throw some fruit and yogurt in the mix, instead of artificially flavored (and extremely sweetened) desserts. Keep it natural and whole, and the rest will take care of itself.

Seclusion.

2011-12-23T19:45:00.000-05:00

So, I'm talking to my cousin, Mia, and she tells me about one of her friends, Apple, that came to their lunch with a hangover. When they asked Apple to tell them about her big fun night, she said "It's pathetic. I literally sat around my room drinking and painting...drinking and painting...all day. I came up with some great pieces and a hangover."

My thoughts - I don't condone hangovers when one is by themselves or with others...but there is something awesome about totally locking yourself into a room and creating...

I know that I talk a lot about living under a rock, moving into the woods, or disappearing into some foreign and remote place where I can totally avoid all adult responsibility, social obligation and expectations. This idea of seclusion is nothing new for me.

I still stand by the beauty of boredom. For those that stumbled onto this site and have no idea what "the beauty of boredom" means, pretty much I believe some of the most creative, interesting, and genius pieces of art (blogs, writings, novels, art pieces, cartoons, etc.) were created out of boredom. I think the lack of downtime and social interaction is sucking the brains, heart, and soul out of our generation.

All this to say, I wonder what I could come up with if I literally sat in a room all day - no television, no social interaction, just me... do you ever think about that? What could you create? Write? Read?

A little Christmas Giving.

2011-12-21T17:51:00.000-05:00

Christmas Card Display (from Martha Stewart)

During Christmas, I've noticed many of the people around me start looking outwards instead of inwards. Simply stated, people start thinking "what can I do or get for others," instead of our daily grind towards self-gratification. Now, although most of us think about gifts and cards, there are other ways of giving back. Take Gina Williams, she created www.motorcycleaccident.org in order to educate people about the risks of riding a motorcycle. Gina's story is below:

The effects of my friend’s death were eye opening. Not even 21 yet, everyone who
knew him was uneasy when he bought his motorcycle. Despite coming from a family
of “motorheads” who loved motors and speed, his father would call my friend every single
time he heard a helicopter; helicopters often mean one thing: Life Flight.

Sadly, his family and friends’ concern turned out to be rational. Driving too fast over an
overpass one day resulted in the loss of his life. For over a week he lay in an ICU bed,
slowly healing from severe head trauma, all the while his friends and family by his side.
Then medical complications occurred and he was gone.

It was this experience that led to my starting my website. After the accident, I began doing
research; I saw the way his choices changed the lives of everyone around him permanently.
The idea of anyone suffering through a loved one’s death over something like that led me
to want to prevent others from making similar mistakes.

I decided that the best way for people to think twice was through education. I, of course, do not want to deter people from riding; however, I do want people to take every safety precaution they can and be aware of the existing dangers before they choose to ride and if they choose to ride.

Not many people understand just how dangerous motorcycle travel is in comparison to
other travel options; and no matter if you’re riding for the fuel efficiency, for fun, or for the
convenience, you need to be aware of these dangers.

According to the U.S. Census in 2009, there were 246,282,886 passenger vehicles and
7,883,446 motorcycles registered in the United States. In that same year, the National
Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported that 23,885 passenger vehicle
occupants and 4,462 motorcycle occupants were killed in roadway accidents. So, in 2009,
for every 1 registered motorcycle, there were about 31 registered passenger vehicles, yet
motorcycle fatalities represented 13 percent of all traffic fatalities.

Motorcycles are more dangerous than passenger vehicles for a number of reasons. They
don’t have seat belts, they offer no structural protection to drivers, and they aren’t easily
visible to other vehicles. According to the NHTSA, motorcyclists are 25 times more likely to
experience a fatal road accident than other vehicle types.

Based on data analyzed by the NHTSA between 2001 and 2005, 56 percent of motorcycle
fatalities were the result of a multiple vehicle accident; and 89 percent of multiple vehicle
accident motorcycle fatalities involved only one other vehicle. Excessive speeds, alcohol,
and times of the year were among a few of the many causes of accidents. Perhaps most

imperative for motorcyclists to know is that many accidents are caused by other motorists
failing to yield to a motorcyclists; “For the passenger vehicle drivers involved in two-vehicle
motorcycle crashes, 35 percent of the driver-related factor was failure to yield right-of-way
compared to only 4 percent for motorcycle operators.” Additionally, 85 percent of the time, the
second vehicle in 2-vehicle, fatal motorcycle crashes was a passenger vehicle.

The above information is only a fraction of the information motorcyclists need to know in order
to prepare and protect themselves on the road. And I believe that it is only through education
that motorcycle accidents can be prevented.

Gina Williams is a guest post and article writer bringing to us the dangers associated
with motorcycle riding. Gina spends much of her life writing about motorcycle accidents.

"He finds a wife finds what is good and receives favor from the Lord" (Proverbs 18:24)

2011-12-21T17:35:00.000-05:00

Marriage Chances Rise with Your Salary By Constantine von Hoffman

With fewer and fewer Americans getting married, what's the best way to improve your chances of finding someone to put a ring on it? Stay in school and get rich.

Barely half of all adults in the U.S. are married, an all-time low, according to a new study by the Pew Research Center. In 1960, 72 percent of America's adults were married; today, it's 51 percent. If trends continue, married people will soon be in the minority for the first time in U.S. history.

While the number of marriages has declined, the desire for marriage hasn't. More than 60 percent of unmarrieds say they want to get married. And, while more people than ever think marriage is "an obsolete institution," that belief doesn't alter how much people want to participate in it. Nearly 40 percent of Americans agreed that marriage is going the way of the rotary phone (up from 28 percent 40 years ago). However, 47 percent of the unmarried adults who said this also said they'd like to get married.

If you want to increase your chances of that happening, stay in school. Once upon a time education had no impact on whether or not you got married. Fifty years ago, 72 percent of those who never went to college got married, which was just 4 percent less than rate for those who did. Today only 48 percent of those with a high school diploma or less get married, but for college graduates the rate is 64 percent.

Given the correlation between education levels and income, it is easy to see that the more you earn -- or potentially earn -- the more likely you are to take at a walk down the aisle. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median weekly earning of someone with a college degree is $1,140 -- nearly double that of someone who only graduated from high school. (Also, 24.8 percent of Americans have college degrees today, that's more than twice the number 50 years ago.) Not only does income increase the amount of marriage, marriage also increases the amount of income. Married people tend to earn more and also benefit from economies of scale -- sharing the costs of housing and utilities for example.

We're number 1...well, 50...womp...womp

2011-12-20T00:30:00.001-05:00

I'm talking Life Expectancy Rates. I cop'd these stats from the cia.gov

For more information or to see the complete chart - go here: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2102rank.html

Country Comparison :: Life expectancy at birth

This entry contains the average number of years to be lived by a group of people born in the same year, if mortality at each age remains constant in the future. The entry includes total population as well as the male and female components. Life expectancy at birth is also a measure of overall quality of life in a country and summarizes the mortality at all ages. It can also be thought of as indicating the potential return on investment in human capital and is necessary for the calculation of various actuarial measures.

To see the top 50 countries and their life expectancy, click read more

Rank	country	(years)	Date of Information


1	Monaco	89.73	2011 est.


2	Macau	84.41	2011 est.


3	San Marino	83.01	2011 est.


4	Andorra	82.43	2011 est.


5	Japan	82.25	2011 est.


6	Guernsey	82.16	2011 est.


7	Singapore	82.14	2011 est.


8	Hong Kong	82.04	2011 est.


9	Australia	81.81	2011 est.


10	Italy	81.77	2011 est.


11	Jersey	81.38	2011 est.


12	Canada	81.38	2011 est.


13	France	81.19	2011 est.


14	Spain	81.17	2011 est.


15	Switzerland	81.07	2011 est.


16	Sweden	81.07	2011 est.


17	Israel	80.96	2011 est.


18	Iceland	80.90	2011 est.


19	Anguilla	80.87	2011 est.


20	Bermuda	80.71	2011 est.


21	Cayman Islands	80.68	2011 est.


22	Isle of Man	80.64	2011 est.


23	New Zealand	80.59	2011 est.


24	Liechtenstein	80.31	2011 est.


25	Norway	80.20	2011 est.


26	Ireland	80.19	2011 est.


27	Germany	80.07	2011 est.


28	United Kingdom	80.05	2011 est.


29	Jordan	80.05	2011 est.


30	Greece	79.92	2011 est.


31	Saint Pierre and Miquelon	79.87	2011 est.


32	Austria	79.78	2011 est.


33	Faroe Islands	79.72	2011 est.


34	Malta	79.72	2011 est.


35	Netherlands	79.68	2011 est.


36	Luxembourg	79.61	2011 est.


37	Belgium	79.51	2011 est.


38	Virgin Islands	79.33	2011 est.


39	Finland	79.27	2011 est.


40	Turks and Caicos Islands	79.11	2011 est.


41	Korea, South	79.05	2011 est.


42	Wallis and Futuna	78.98	2011 est.


43	Puerto Rico	78.92	2011 est.


44	European Union	78.82	2010 est.


45	Bosnia and Herzegovina	78.81	2011 est.


46	Saint Helena, Ascension, and Tristan da Cunha	78.76	2011 est.


47	Gibraltar	78.68	2011 est.


48	Denmark	78.63	2011 est.


49	Portugal	78.54	2011 est.


50	United States	78.37	2011 est.