Blushblog

Let's Hear it for the Boys + My Find

2010-03-17T11:15:42-04:00

Lets Hear It For The Boys!!!

Ok, have you ever been so extremely proud of people that you don't even know that you could just burst out in tears. Alright, maybe not, but I almost did when I read this article. The long and short of it is that at a high school where only 4 percent of the current senior class read at grade level when they were freshmen, the entire senior class has now been accepted to college. Many of these kids were from some of the city's roughest and poorest neighborhoods. That is phenomenal for any senior class. Much less for the senior class of an all male, all african-american, public school. Excuse me. Let me type that in capital letters, just in case you missed it. 100% OF THE SENIOR CLASS OF AN ALL MALE, ALL AFRICAN-AMERICAN, PUBLIC SCHOOL, IN CHICAGO ILLINOIS GOT ACCEPTED TO COLLEGE. WOW!!! They deserve to be celebrated and exemplified by all races and genders.

I heard it noted earlier (sorry I forgot where) that they didn't lower their standards when the administration noticed that many of the students performed below grade-level, they rose the students up. They didn't make the student's settle for less. They had the students achieve more. And now when you factor in what many of them have to go through to even have to get to school, they have overcome more than their counter-parts. They required longer school days and more english credits.

I think that even as adults, we should pay attention. This should be a lesson that we should pass on to our children, nieces, nephews and cousins, even if the school system doesn't. Each of these boys are assigned college counselors from day one. Can we make it a point to do this within our own families? School administrations don't rule our roost. We do. If school requires kids to read one book a week, why can't parents require an additional. A lot of districts are lowering standards. Let's raise them back up at home. I don't have any kids, so it's hard to offer advice, but this certainly provides inspiration.

At one of the assemblies, Jay-Z's "Every Day A Star Is Born, Clap For Em', Clap For Em, Clap For Em, Clap For Em, Hey" blazed from the speakers. How True. How True.

Get it boys! Congratulations! Let's Clap For Em'

Please Read and Pass it on.

My Find

I've been on the hunt for a gaudy, 1980's cognac decanter forever. I felt like goldilocks. Each one that I found was either too light, too streamlined, or not sitcom/soap opera enough. I wanted a real 1980's George Jefferson/Dynasty crystal cut heavy decanter.

I've combed Home Goods, Marshall's, TJ Maxx, CB2, Pier 1, Crate and Barrel, Red Envelope, the list just goes on and on. I found one on Ebay, but wasn't willing to pay over $100 for it. That was just asking too much. I didn't want it that bad.

Alas, I didn't give up the hunt. The good thing about stores like Marshalls, Homegoods, and TJ Maxx is that their inventory changes so often. You have to constantly visit. Last night, I wasn't even looking and I past this little gem. It was like I was on an episode of Falcon Crest.

Sorry, that the pictures are a little blurry. Camera phone photos at it's finest.

I fell in love with the crystal cut and weight. Oh and the $20 price tag.

I think that i'll write them off on my taxes as a security system. I'll take a drink and hit a burglar on the head with it. I think that I'll tie a nice satin ribbon around the neck with a label so that I can remember what cognac I have in the decanter. After a few drinks and after some time, I tend to forget :) I may come up with another system. We'll see.

Who You Callin A Groupie? Me? Oh Ok

2010-03-10T12:11:58-05:00

So a friend of mine went to CIAA a couple of weeks ago in Charlotte and the short story is, she got it in with a well known baller. The player is married, has kids, and is known for getting it in outside of his marriage. I've known a couple of girls that he's gotten it in with but none that he's "taken care of."

Now this female has a job and a college degree. She's cute and just got out of a very long term relationship. Based on her looks, and i'm sure she was glammed up, it doesn't surprise me that she'd catch the eye of said player.

After her weekend she came home glowing and super excited about her night hours with him. She noted that she told him that she was not one of these little groupies trolling through the spot. When he asked her to go to his room. She told him that she wouldn't go unless her friends could go. And that he couldn't talk to her any kind of way. Also that they weren't having sex and that she wasn't taking her clothes off.

Yeah, but after a bit of time, she went to his room.
Alone.
They both ended up naked.
And they ended up having sex.

Now, here's where the age old debate comes in. Does this make you a groupie? If you ask her, she'll say no. She is not a groupie. But what did she do that a groupie wouldn't do? All her no's don't really count if they changed to yes' in a matter of hours.

My opinion to her was, take it for what it was. Chances are, he's going to call you a groupie. He doesn't know you. He's not going to leave his wife for you. You got it in. You're single. You had fun. Don't expect anything from it. At the end of the day, it's just another penis inside of you. It was what it was. Next.

I think that i respect the girl who says, you know what? I want to sleep with LL Cool J. If he asks me to go to his room. I'm going. I'm going to get naked. I'm going to walk out. If he calls me again. I'll get naked again. And that's all there is to it. I don't care what you say. He doesn't even have to remember my name the next day. Granted, you don't have to care what I think about you. But that type of girl plays her position. Way to go. Hell, don't even tell anyone. Just do it. We're all grown.

I mean sitting back thinking about it, i'm sure we all have a groupie list. Someone who is just so damn sexy, we'd drop the drawers for famous or not. Hell. I'm already damn near a groupie for hubba hubba, but he still couldn't have gotten it the other night, but to each his own. I've never had a one night stand, which is what this amounts to, again, famous or not.

As much trash as I talk about what i'd do to Idris Elba and Mike Bivens (yeah..crush from way back). I think that my ego is just too big for me to even begin to be regarded that way. I've met some of my biggest crushes and couldn't even put it out there like that. But when I talk amongst my girlfriends it's girl I'd blah blah blah, and he'd never know what hit him. But at the end of the day. I can't have anyone feel like they have the upper hand on me. And to me, personally, I feel like the entertainer would feel like they have the upper hand on whoever the groupie is.

But my thing with groupies and jump offs is to own it and play your position. Those that know me hear me say it a million times. If you sleep with a dude on the first night, if he's famous, he may think that you're a groupie. If he's not, he may think that you're "fast" as my grandma would say. But if you want him, (and it's my preference that you're both single), screw it, take him. If it develops into something more. You'll laugh about it while you look at your grandchildren play on the floor. I've heard of it happening. It's all good. But don't get mad when others call you fast, a mistress, groupie, or a jump off. Because there's a good chance that, that's what you'll be regarded as. Shrug it off and move on. You wanted it. You got it. Who cares. Problem is, if he belongs to someone else, whoever he belongs to may come along and beat the living daylights out of you. I would. So expect it. Take it. And limp along. You two can limp together. It'll be cute. It trips me out when girls go, "his wife or girlfriend tried to beat my ass." Like they can't belive it. Ummm, if you knew he was married, granted, he deserves to get his ass kicked too, but you are definitely getting a beat down right along with him. Ok, I digress.

My brother's girlfriend and I had a conversation this weekend about "kept women." The kind that are kept by famous single men like Kanye, Diddy, and George Clooney. What if you're like an Amber Rose type of girl. What if people start off calling you a groupie or a jump off, but you get to travel to Europe and around the country and get to chill at wonderful events. Again, if you don't have anything else going on. Shrug it off and live the life. Hell, you don't have any bills to pay. Call me from Italy.

On the flip. What if you meet an entertainer. You get to know him. You hang out and you really like him. How do you make it clear to him that you aren't a groupie. Whereas you would normally sleep with a dude on a third date, do you have to make him wait until the 8th or something? Man. it's a tricky game man. A tricky game. I'd say just do you. If it pans out, it pans out. Famous men deserve good women too. But it's shady on both sides of the coin.

***SIDE-NOTE****
After I wrote the above commentary, I came across this blog post. Love it. Own it. What do you think?

Blushing Ladies Speak:

What do you think? Do you think my friends actions make her a groupie because she played the "no" game first or regardless? Do you think that none of it makes you a groupie and that it's all good? Who would you be a groupie for? And under what circumstances?

~Rae

Speed Dating + Thank Yous

2010-03-08T12:42:15-05:00

Hey Blushing Ladies

This was a very eventful weekend. So friday I went to my very first speed dating event. And boy was it eventful.

There were guys from all walks of life there. None that I see myself wanting to settle down with, but maybe one or two that I can see hanging out with.

For those that have never been to a speed dating event, I'll tell you how this one worked. You were given a sheet of paper. You wrote your name and email addy at the bottom. There were numbers at the top and a column for you to write a "Y" or an "N." You were suppose to write the name of the person that you were talking to and a Y if you would like to get to know them a little more and a N if you didn't.

They sat the women in a room. We all sat on a little bench. The men came and sat next to us. We talked for seven minutes. After seven minutes, the men got up and moved to the woman to the left. The women stayed put.

At first I thought that seven minutes would be a long time, but the time flew kind of quick. After I got there, I spoke to a few of the ladies while I was waiting for the event to begin and realized that the age range was suppose to be 35-45. I seemed to have missed that. I'm 33, so no biggie. But I wondered if anyone else had missed that as well. Umm, they did. There were people from 23-57 in there. Most of the men were sweet and nervous, which was cute.

But anyway on to the men. I won't go through all of them. But the first one that I spoke to was very nice. Very sweet. He's one one of those guys that you just really want to like, but there's just no umph. Hey, you just can't force it. He said hello to a guy who was speaking to a lady next to me, the second I saw that guy, in my head i heard "Hubba, hubba." I mean really. I really heard that. I hadn't uttered a word to him. Hadn't talked to him. Could barely see him. The guy that I was speaking to said "Yeah, he and I grew up together." So anyway. My first speed dater got a no. Again, you can't force it. Today, I'm still thinking of who I can hook him up with. He was so nice. Nadia has this guy who she always tried to hook me up with because he was such a nice guy. And I agree, he was nice. There was just no spark. Another friend of hers said the same thing when she went out with that guy. There was no spark. And it just frustrated poor Nadia so much. She kept trying to strike a wet match. But I know how she feels. When you know two nice people, you wonder why they can't just get together and make nice babies :)

Then there was one guy who had a nervous tick and children older than me..his nervous tick made me nervous...next...

Another one had cute dimples, but he never really seemed to answer all of my questions...I have no idea how old he is or what he does for a living, I know where he went to college, what city he lives in, who he was there with, he smiled a lot, cracked me up, and seemed like he was just there to have a good time. I could get with that. He got a yes. I think that he'd vibe with my friends. I can't see him being boyfriend material (too evasive), but he made me laugh and I think that he'd fit into my circle. It's funny how that little fact snuck it's way in, when I hadn't even considered it walking into the event. But I quickly knew that I probably wouldn't take him seriously and would probably just hang out and have fun with him.

Another guy was young. I thought he was a bit feminine. I'll leave it at that. next...

There was a close talker. next....wait...a little more about him. He was short. And i'm short. So if i'm calling him short. He was SHORT. But he was cute. And he was funny. He would've fit in with my friends too. I should've checked yes for him. But he was there with dimples, so i'm sure that I'll get to see him again. Maybe he was talking close because he couldn't hear me. Dang. Hindsight. Oh well. As I said, I'm sure that I'll see him again. I'm not really interested in dating him, but I think that i'd have a good time with him. And I wonder if he has any tall uncles.

So my last speed date was with hubba hubba. When he sat down, in my head, I heard it again. Hubba hubba. Yeah, so ummmmmm. He has a son and a set of twin girls. Ummm yeah. They are in their 20's. WHAT!!! His son has a new baby. WHAT!!!! Hubba hubba is a grandfather! I'm not sure exactly how old he is ( I think that subconsciously, I was afraid to ask), but he's not 50 yet. WHAT!!!! I know that i said to him at least 3 times that he didn't look old enough to have kids out of college and that he definitely didn't look like a grandfather. He looks like he's maybe in his late 30's. The man has definitely taken care of himself. He is sexy as hell. He was extremely funny. We worked in the same industry, so we had a lot to talk about. He got a yes (like you're surprised). Will there be any long term connection? I doubt it. I don't have any kids, and i'm pretty sure that he's done. But there was a strong attraction, so hey, why not keep myself busy while i'm looking. Have you ever been super attracted to someone and hugged them and they say "ummm" and the hairs on the back of your neck stood up? whew..lol.it was a good hug.

So at the end of speed date. You turn your paper in. If you put a yes for someone and they also put a yes for you, you'll get an email with that persons email address and vice versa.

I only checked yes for dimples and Hubba hubba. So I got my email last night. They both checked yes for me too. So now what? I guess I should wait for them to contact me. I hate this stuff!

So Blushing Ladies what would you do? Would you wait for them to contact you?

Thank You's

I would like to thank the brothers of the Beta Phi Chapter of the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity for a funky good time at their Mardi Gras celebration on Saturday night. The Anything Goes band always knows how to rock a party and DJ Kraze kept it going into the wee hours. The Ques kept it grown folks!

Spring Dresses

2010-03-07T23:39:17-05:00

Ladies, it is time to get your shoulders, arms, and backs together. There are plenty of pretty little spring dresses to choose. Here are a few that have caught my eye.

Shady Practices

2010-03-05T12:12:41-05:00

I just received the following email from Kendall today. It's amazing that these type of things can still go on undetected. Pay close attention

Subject: Cramming

I’m sure you are wondering what this email is about based on the subject. I just found out today while paying my Verizon phone bill, that I have become a victim of what is known as “Cramming”. Cramming is when a 3^rd party organization not affiliated with your phone provider places charges on your bill, typically under $20 so that you will not notice. In my case it was a charge for $16 for “voicemail services”. Typically I would never have noticed the charge because I very rarely read through my phone bill completely. But I had recently changed plans and the total amount was higher than what it should have been.

When I spoke to the people at the “Voicemail Services” company, they were very SHADY! Once I started asking questions, the rep was talking as fast as he possibly could to rush me off the phone. What I was able to get out of him was that “John Minicucci” had signed up for the service online and used my phone number as the billing telephone number. At this point I’m amazed that it’s so simple for someone to bill something to your telephone number without your expressed permission. So after I got off the phone with the con-artist company I immediately called Verizon to get the charge removed and placed a block on my line to prevent 3^rd party companies from billing the line.

Moral of this story is, even though it’s a pain....make sure you read through your phone bill or at least skim through it.

Sincerely,

Your Consumer Watchdog J

Bargain Replacement + A year already?

2010-02-25T12:02:35-05:00

Hello All

Yes, I know that we've been gone for a while. Things have been so crazy for the both of us. It hasn't stopped the usual discussions and debates, so we'll spend the next couple of days getting you caught up on our wonderful finds and discussions that we'd like to share with our favorite friends, YOU!

I got a great little mag in the mail the other day called Rouge. It's put out by Proctor and Gamble. The recent money crunch has encouraged me to experiment with more drug store make-up than department store make-up.

There are some things that i'll never part with, like my Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer. But now, I'm trying more drugstore concealers, lipsticks, and shadows. And most drugstores, like Rite-Aid, will let you return them if you don't like them.

Well, Cover Girl has a "Make Up Match" site.

This site allows you to put in your department store brand and shade, and it'll give you a comparable Cover Girl Shade. Everything is not loaded, but give it a try, you may just find a new brand, and save a load of money in the process.

I recommend purchasing it at a store where you can return it if you don't like it. In fact, I recommend that for all new things. Let me know how you like it.

A Year Already?

Today is the 1st birthday of Nadia's youngest child. The birthing process was humorous, wonderful, and unforgettable. Re-live this experience with us by clicking here