Jesus Loves You!

The other day I stopped at a little corner store/gas station/check cashing place that I have gone to for years, even though now I don't live close enough to walk to it. You know the one, where the owner and the long time employee knows me by name. It was here before the new subdivisions & stores & auto repair shops, and I never buy gas there, because it is more expensive than the Quik-trip that I now live close to, but since I pass it to get to the highway I find reasons to stop.

I needed a cold bottle of water & some lottery tickets (uh-oh lottery tickets & Jesus in the same post?)

When I drove up I should have known it wasn't going to be the normal quick stop. I see a small rusty truck with tools, ladders & the other handyman junk that you typically see. A lady and her son at the entrance to the store, and an older white man standing close to the store reading a paper (hmm that's a little unusual). As I am backing in to my parking space a young man that looks to be in his 20's walks past me (he's black that's normal for this area). He walks toward the man reading the paper. I've finished parking the car.

As I open my car and turn to get out, I am eye level to their hands. OMG did I just see, yes there is a little package in the white guy's hand now. OK, Remnants, act like you didn't see that. Just walk past them and go in the store. Black guy watches me walk past.

What?! Lady with son, "I said the door is locked, but the lights are on, so maybe the clerk is in the restroom. " "Oh, I say," that's unusual." Still pulling on locked door, peering into the store. I am sooo thirsty, nervous, ready for that Mega Millions ticket, and running late to appointmnent.

Whew! When I turn around young man is gone, and white guy is getting in the old rusty truck. I am glad I don't have to walk past them again. I get in my car and pull off, wait for traffic to pass store so I can get on the road. As I speed down the road in my 10 year old clunker, I pass white guy in rusty truck.

Did I mention the signs on the truck? Oh, printed on them were the words, "JESUS LOVES YOU"

Where are the red lights?

Have you ever been driving, and needed to look at the map, a phone number, finish your hair/make-up; and every light was green? Lights that I always catch on red happened to be green this morning. Why you ask; because I had my hair brush in my lap ready for me to finish my hair.
So tomorrow when I am running late I think I will leave my hair undone, and carry my rubber band and a brush. That way I will never sit at a red light again. :-)

Jazz in the Summer

The great thing about Atlanta & surrounding area in the summer, is the fact that there is always something going on in the summer time. A fest or festival of some sort. I went to the Dekalb Blues & Jazz Festival. Well, since I went Saturday, I went on the Jazz night of the Festival. It was at an amphitheater in Lithonia. Yes, it was hot, but as the night progressed it got cooler.

There were some local artists that were really good, a local group called Planet Jazz. The headliners were Al.ex Bu.g.non & Mi.chael F.ran.ks. They both gave great performances. Like I said I enjoyed the performances. But I was also entertained by the people around me. It seems that at concerts you can always have conversations with those around you during set changes and what not.

There was the group on the lawn that had tents with a buffet set up. But in the seats around me, there was a couple that was pretty entertaining, well he was. She seemed to be the calming force for him. There was a couple that was in town (from St. Louis) for Me.ga.fest, but since he had a cooler full of beer, they were cool, and didn't have that holier than thou religious attitude that some people have. There was the drunk woman that was pretty loud.

Couple #1 - where I got most of my non-musical entertainment. He needed ritalin or something, he was yelling at the performers, nothing bad more like terms of encouragement. I think I almost choked on my drink when he said, "Boy am I glad I don't drink alcohol." And someone in the crowd commented, "yeah, so are we." Basically, he was more entertaining than annoying. There was a point that I almost snapped on him though. He was there with another couple, and I know that the man was named Mike, because Mr. Entertainment was calling him. You know like a 5 year old trying to get his mother's attention. But Mike was in the middle of another conversation with his date & the couple from St. Louis.
"Mike. Mike. Mike. Mike. (I am about to snap, like a mother does when the 5year old keeps calling Mommy. Mommy. Mommy.) Fortunately, for him & my sanity. His girlfriend calmly said. "Baby, Mike is talking to someone else right now."

Couple #2 - the couple from St. Louis was very friendly, and just impressed with all the things to do in Atlanta. The things that I tend to forget, because I live here. They went to the King Center, and were impressed with the concert venue. Actually, since it was my first time there I was too. Also, the price was outrageous. $5.00 for lawn seats, and $10.00 on the concrete seats. They were amazed at how affordable it was.

So my goal is for the last few weeks of summer is to enjoy what Atlanta has to offer. The things that I tend to forget about as a resident of the city. I know my writing needs improvement, but hopefully, I can write about my adventures, and you will enjoy reading them.

I am soo confused!

Not sure if I am suffering through a midlife crisis, or if I am terminally confused about what/where I am in life.

That makes me crazy, because I am forty (summting) years old.

I have a few decisions that I am trying to make, and I will write about it in the near future. I am just not ready right now.

Did I Miss That Meeting?

I was home yesterday, and watched the Ty.ra B.an.ks Show. The topic? Tyra went undercover as a stripper. But before she did that they had some guys on the show that frequented the Strippah Clubs. LOL

One guy admitted that he was going too often. I think it was about 5 times a week, so he and his girlfriend had broken up because of it. Of course, Tyra asked him the standard questions. Why? (He said it was an ego boost. He weighed about 300 lbs, he had lost a lot of weight. Tyra didn’t congratulate him on losing all the weight.) The question of the day that had me wondering if I am missing one of the female hormones and the audience’s reaction to his answer.

QUESTION: “Did you ever fantasize about a stripper when you were with your girlfriend?’

ANSWER: “Yes, I did.”
Audience reaction was the collective breath. Not the customary fireworks “oooh”; but the Gasp, like everyone in the audience thought it was terrible.

Was there some meeting on rules for females that I missed? Is it a bad thing to fantasize about someone else during sex? Are there rules for ladies that I didn’t get? I mean the entire audience (all women that I could see) acted appalled. I was well--confused. Certainly, anything can be taken to an extreme. Yes, if you have to fantasize about someone else every time you are with your girlfriend/boyfriend etc. that could be a problem. But I think their reaction was just crazy.

They then cut to Tyra with a make up artist, the kind they use for movies, and gave her a different nose, eyes etc. It showed her getting interviewed & picture taken for the job. She was asking guys questions, while someone gave them a lap dance. She was being a good undercover report asking poignant questions. OOOKAAAY

Then back to the stage with the audience. Now some of the guys that had been at the club were on the stage, and their girlfriends/wives were there too. I think one of the women said she wondered what was wrong with her if he had to go. Then there was the couple that were girlfriend/boyfriend in a fairly new relationship, and she was a stripper. Guess what. She had a problem with her boyfriend going to the stripper club too. When asked why she had a problem, she said that he when he went he wasn’t making money like she was at the club, and she knew what went on at the clubs.

I really have to say I think that particular show made many of the women look a little stupid (the one’s in the relationships as girlfriends or wives.)

Of course she interviewed some of the strippers, as well. And at the last minute Ty.ra couldn’t go out on stage to strip. She left the club…For those of you (guys) worried that you may have missed something. LOL


I don’t think I would want to go with my man to the strip club. (One of the strippers on the show said that some of her regular customers were couples.) But I am not appalled at the idea of a bachelor party, or him just hanging with the guys at the strip club.

Am I unusual? Do most women have a problem with their husband/boyfriend going to strip clubs? I know that anything can be done in excess, but I think if you are secure with yourself & your relationship that it is ok. Am I being too naïve? Of course, I am not in a relationship right now. But even when I was in a relationship, I didn’t think anything was wrong with it.

Finally my post about last weekend!

I am sorry it took me so long to get back here. But the good news is that I had some personal paperwork to do, and I got 2/3 of it done.

I was in Houston last weekend for the Essence Festival. I must say there is no place like New Orleans for that event. I think one of my friends heard Steve Harvey talk bad about Houston too. He made comments while he was on stage. Or at least the statements I caught anyway were funny. That was problem #1 at the concerts. The sound was bad very bad. I guess by the 3rd night they finally got better with it.

I have to say that I didn’t have to hear anything that L.L. Cool J said…Just seeing him was enough for me. Licking his lips, his torn shirt, and the bottles of Da.sa.ni that he poured on himself. Ohh give me a minute, it suddenly got hot in here. LOL Earth, Wind & FIRE was great…at least what I could hear, I think part of it was the audience. But they gave a wonderful show. Or at least Verdine was all over the stage. He has more energy than the energizer bunny. I can’t say much about Yolanda Adams or Mary J Blige, because since the sound was so bad. I kind of tuned them out. The other problem in Houston was that the lounges weren’t as accessible as they are in the Super Dome. That sums up the Saturday concerts.

The next night was Sunday, July 2, 2006; well Chris Brown was a no show, but I was late, so it didn’t bother me too much. Jaheim was ok, but since the sound was no good, and he just sang, he didn’t have a stage presence so I think I tuned out again. (No Verdine energy) ha-ha. Jaime Foxx was good, and at least he acknowledged & apologized for the bad sound. New Edition was great and Bobby Brown was too even with the information about his & Whitney’s sex life, he went over his time, so they turned his mike off in the middle of ”My Prerogative” oh the pain. However, I was so drained from having to strain to understand, I couldn’t stay for the “Pioneers of Hip-Hop” sorry, just couldn’t do it.

The last night many of the sound problems were gone. Sorry guys, I didn’t watch Toni Braxton, although I could see on the screens that she did a few changes of clothes & went to pretty skimpny.  I went to the Lounge acts and caught Musiq. He was great! I don’t think you mess up the sound too much in the Lounges. Charlie Wilson did well with out the Gap band. And you can not close out an Essence Festival without “Frankie Beverly & Maze” all the pain of the previous nights was washed away! They were great, and the only thing that I had to get used to was Frankie in red. I am so used to seeing him in all white. He is old enough to be my father, but he looks GOOD! Really, I don’t usually say that about men that are 55+ years old.

It is good to be back home. “Hasta luego!”

My first meme

Thanks to a very interesting blog that I read. I found a meme that I want to post Thank you Slump Facade


1) What is the first priority when purchasing a shoe, looks or comfort?
It depends on the occasion.
Looks if I am going out
Comfort if I will be doing a lot of walking

2) What is the most you would pay for a “dress stiletto”?
Hmm, I guess about $100

3) Which type of shoes do you own more of, “one-hour wears” or “all day wears”?
all day wears

4) What is more important when purchasing a shoe, designer or look?
Look

5) Shoe preference, “high heel”, “wedge heel”, “short heel” or “flats”?
Once again that depends on the occasion, but for dressing up; I have to say high heel

6) What is the most important piece of your wardrobe, “shoes”, “hat” or “handbag”?
Shoes, Shoes, Shoes, I really don’t do hats, and handbags I don’t buy very often

7) Do you associate “cost” of shoe with quality?
Yes, certainly with many designers you pay for the name, but you will pay more for quality materials.

8) Is your dress style defined by shoes or clothes? If shoes, how do your shoes enhance your “look”, “attitude”, or “personality”?
My style is defined by how well both clothes & shoes go together. I have bought a pair of shoes, and then found the clothes to match.

9) If you only had $50, which would you chose to purchase, dinner or a pedicure?
Definitely dinner, I must have the energy to walk/perform in the stiletto.

10) How frequent are your pedicures, per month?
Spring/summer at least 2x; more if I have a special event

11) How often do you get foot massages?
Not very often, I usually do the inexpensive pedicures, and I am not dating any one right now. 

12) Is having someone paint your toes sexy, why? Also, would you pay to have it done, if so, how much?
I have only had one boyfriend to do it for me, and yes it was very sexy, because he really enjoyed painting my toes. Yes, I pay for pedicures, but no I wouldn’t pay for it to be a sexual encounter.

13) How important is the beautification of your feet to your overall level of confidence?
For my level of confidence I never related it that way, but I don’t feel that my look is complete if my feet aren’t pretty. So if my toes aren’t done, I probably won’t take off my shoes.

14) Do you feel sexier when your feet are made up?
Definitely

15) Do you wear foot jewelry, ankle bracelets? If so, how often?
I do wear ankle bracelets, almost all the time during the summer.

16) If you could purchase a perfume for your feet, what would be the scent?
Not sure, I wear scented lotions, so vanilla I guess

Happy 4th of July

I thought I would have time to Post before I left town to say that I would be back with info about the Essence Fest in Houston. But of course in my last minutes, I was printing boarding passes fo the plane, & didn't have time for the blog.

I am very tired, so I will update probably tomorrow. I hope you did something fun on "Independence Day".