Celebrity 2009 Year in Review

2009 was a year of many first - too many events to count, celebrity news, and untimely deaths. As my blog has unfolded I've done less celebrity news and more writing about me. I decided to take a quick year in review on just a few of this years celebrity happenings.

Lets take a look back

Falls from grace:

Chris Brown - beating up Rihanna and then complaining on Twitter that his album wouldn't sell.

Tiger Woods - cheating with high priced prostitutes and tacky blonde barmaids

Joe Wilson - who became instant idiot overnight shouting "You Lie" in a public forum at President Obama

Plaxico Burress - receiving prison time for shooting yourself in a public nightclub. Plaxico Burress translates to "idiot" in swahili you know.

Kanye West - who stole Taylor's Swift's moment of glory then promptly went AWOL. At least for a moment.

Deaths:

Michael Jackson

Walter Cronkite

Brittany Murphy

Naomi Sims

Senator Ted Kennedy

Ed McMahon

Farrah Fawcett

DJ AM

Steve McNair

Wayman Tisdale

E. Lynn Harris

Billy Mays

Natasha Richardson

Chris Henry

Alaina Reed Hall Amini

Percy Sutton

Mr. Magic

Come Ups:

Barack Obama - Need I say More?

Mo' Nique - Not only her own hit talk show on BET but her performance in Precious was simply amazing "Precious, take your a** to da welfare" - CLASSIC!

Twitter - A social watering hole that allows "celebs" to amass a following and believe they are much more important than they really are while giving us "I'm drinking the coldest water ever" and "Jesus is my homeboy" updates 24/7. Twitter creator is the definition of come UP!!!

Susan Boyle - 48 year old Scottish chick who has never been kissed. She stuck to the "young newbie idols" to the tune of 3 million units (and counting)

Sonia Sotomayor - First Latina Supreme Court Justice who makes more waves in 4 months than Clarence Thomas has done in 18 years.

The Kardashians - I have a blog ban on these no talent chickenheads but you can't deny they were EVERYWHERE in 2009

Whitney Houston - the voice is still a bit raggedy but at least she is trying and produced a sellable album and at least she doesn't look like this - anymore.

Tiger Woods "Jump offs" - They are already counting the loot they will be making in expose interviews, playboy photo shoots, and reality shows to come.

Just Go Away Already:

Octomom

The Gosselins

Sarah Palin

Balloon Boy

Frankie and
Neffe

Rappers that add nothing to a social discussion (looking at you Gucci Mane and Souljah Boy)

Happy New Year!

End of Year Horoscope

I enjoyed reading this about myself so I thought I would share.

"You are conscientious, oberservant and always immaculately dressed. You quickly determine who can help you climb to the top. A loyal friend, you dislike showing vulnerability, which can make you seem cooly detached. You're compatible with Taurus, Virgo, Pisces and Scorpio. Cancer, your opposite feels like THE One, but the crabs mood swings wreak havoc on your controlled existence.

The Year Ahead: Your transformation is long overdue. Its time to complete projects, including taking college courses, writing that great American novel.

Love: You are superorganized but stop scheduling romance down to the minute. Work: Honing your skills will give you staying power. Money: Start a savings plan. Inspiration: Don't second guess your role in someone else's journey.

Hhhhmmmm, interesting if I do say so myself.

One Minute Writing Prompt

Found a great new site called The One Minute Writing Prompt . I love it. It gives you a chance to set your timer and write on the topic of the day for one minute. I love the fact that the topic is provided. Makes my brainwork just a little bit.

figured I would try it today. Today's topic "Carpe Diem" (Seize the day)

One minute - here we go -

Wake up at 6am and thank my Lord for another beautiful day

Hope up and eat my yogurt, hit the gym and crank it out for a few hours

long hot bubble bath, favorite jeans, track jacket and my pumas

Long drive to my favorite tunes to the movie theatre to enjoy a

large tub of popcorn, nachos with jalapenos and drink

great dinner for the fam, wrap up in a blanket with my feet in front

of the fire and the little ones head on my lap

put em all to bed, blog about my perfect day and do it again tomorrow.

Carpe Dieam!

Reflection for the Occasion

So yeah, uummm 36. Not feeling it!

I feels really... old

and I just thought I'd share (in a slightly humorous tone) the lessons I've learned "so far" (No big explanation for each, just try any one of them and I bet you'll either get a positive result or you'll feel better about life):

1. Be good to people.
2. Upon first glance, give everyone the benefit of the doubt.(-Im working on this)
3. God first, family second, everything else will take care of itself.
4. Give more than you expect.
5. Invest into the life of your children(it will pay off huge dividends).
6. Talk to total strangers. (Yeah I know, it is the exact opposite of what we were taught as children...)
7. Be brave.
8. Have a good cry now and then-sit in your shower and let it flow but don't tell anyone, they'll think you need Zoloft.
9. Buy yourself little treats(if you wait till Christmas and don't get them you'll be bitter).
10. Diets make you crabby and no fat on your body makes you moody.
11. Leave notes of gratitude to waiters/ tip more than expected.
12. Work harder as a volunteer than you would as a paid employee.
13. Choose being humble above being right.(It shuts them up faster too)
14. Write about it.(I do even if I don't undraft)
15. Take lots of pictures.(And download them too)
16. Go to a great movie with a large tub of popcorn by yourself. If feels GREAT!(First movie I ever saw alone was Kill Bill-loved it)
17. Strive to learn something new every week. It's empowering
18. Love. For God's sakes... LOVE!
19. Eat Chocolate. Yes...because chocolate=endorphans=happiness.
20. Trust in God with everything you have and all that you are, and watch Him take care of the rest.(Did I say that already)
21. Hey...your parents: they know what they are talking about. LISTEN.
22. If you like it, DO IT even if no one else agrees. If you don't you'll be an old fart that wished you had.
23. Nap.
24. TV really can rot your brain. Read a book.
25. God created you, and He loves you, so it is for the benefit of all mankind that YOU love YOU as well. You are a good thing...God said so.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!

Last one for 2009 - Likes and Dislikes

LIKES
great conversation
this year is almost over
getting my point across
the perfect verse over a tight beat
music that moves me
a game that comes down to the last point
kit kat (no longer a reeses fan - they added to much peanut butter)
new lotions and oils
cute socks
people who actually listen
a great book
a surprise ending
those who allow me to be me (is this you?)
a great smile
good that come with the bad
my privacy (at times)
space


DISLIKES
plain oatmeal
cheap bread
Oakland Raiders/ their fans
bad drivers
people who text while talking to you
people who ask to use my cell phone
selfishness (even my own)
arguers
fried okra
yellers
arrogance (I don't think I'm arrogant - is that arrogant?)
bad that comes with the good

Simply Truth

I can be irrational and difficult.
Moody and over-analytical.
Guide issues of the heart with the logic in my head.
Sometimes I will use too many seconds doubting and not enough of them noticing that someone thinks I'm perfect in all my imperfections.
simply....still...I am quite happy with who I am at the end of 2009.
I am continuing this work...on me...
Still an emphatic YES.


DISCLAIMER: sometimes my writing means nothing to anyone but me - I wish it were more intuitive at times.This is my continued therapy and as always it keeps me sane. Still I love you

Feliz cumpleaños mi amor - Happy Birthday

I sat down this morning and tried to think of something moving to write so that a reader could truly understand my journey with the twins. How much they have saved my life and how much I adore them. The are no real words to describe how I truly feel. Until today I didn't think 16 was ever coming...meaning, I felt they would be my babies forever.


That's probably why I finally gave into the promise to allow Twin A to get his ears pierced when he was 16. I made the deal at 12. He never forgot. I did. He started reminding me last Wednesday. CRAP! Thank God, I had enough sence to tell him he will never be allowed to get a tattoo as long as he lives in my home.

In all seriousness though, I looked back at some letters I wrote when they were still in my womb and how much I loved them before they even arrived. It's still tickles me to think of myself breaking down crying on the ultrasound table when they told me it was twins. I couldn't imagine how in the world I would ever complete this huge assignment the Lord had chosen for me. Instead I cursed God and asked him why he had done this to me. God is good and he only gave me one busy baby at a time. When one cried the other smiled, when one screamed the other slept, when one swing stopped rocking back and forth the other kept going. When one bottle was empty the other was full. Twin A walked a month before Twin B and Twin B talked 2 months before Twin A uttered a word. It has been like that their entire lives.

How far I've come in raising these two and no matter how many mistakes I make they continue to love me regardless. Our daily talks, or laying on the bed in silence or my loud mouth in the stands at their games make me so happy.

This year I promised myself I would baby them less and allow them to grow up a little and not shelter them so much but it's been a internal fight sometimes. When I see Twin B not working his hardest on the field or court, even though I know he is one of the most talented out there, I no longer want to beat up the coach because he is an "idiot" and doesn't know true talent. I look to my son and say "work harder, no one is going to give you anything you have to take it". I also make sure to reward him when his grades continue to rise because I want him to know that hard work pays off and an athletic scholarship is not the only way to college.

I'm still working on not coddling Twin A so much. He needs his hand held just a bit longer academically but with God's help, my continued push and some more maturity I'm sure he will be as successful in the classroom as he is on the field.

I've often said if you make them into one they are SUPERHUMAN but they are two and each have their own issues, traits, and qualities. No matter the situation they realize if that I love them so much and they love me. Tonight they have planned a dinner...including dates and a movie with friends for their 16th birthday. I guess I should enjoy the chauffering that I'll be doing tonight as next year they'll probably ask if they can use the car.


Twins - Mommy loves you more than you will ever know. Happy 16th. Love Mom.

Christmas Craziness

I'm a sleeping bear that hasn't been to sleep yet. I'm slightly crazed from lack of sleep, my back is in pain, my pockets are empty, my nerves are on edge and my christmas shopping is one present away from being done!

This week has only just begun. Last week ended Friday with Twin A bombing his Final in history which means he will be seeing Semester 1 of Modern History again in summer school but still pulling out a fairly decent GPA. Not good enough in my opinion to earn his driver's education classes yet or double my insurance but good enough to earn his phone back for the Christmas break.

Twin B however finished great but still didn't pull the 4.0, I would have liked. When I caught myself jumping on his case about just missing a perfect GPA, I had to remind Miss Nesha that I was such a dingbat in school I didn't even have friends that got all A's, let alone get more than an A in PE myself so to have a son battling for it each semester and missing it for bombing his Geometry final was still reason to be proud.

Now back to Christmas Craziness. I'm still finalizing a few school and sports projects that I'd like to get done before I hope out of town and I have one more gift to get before I blow the joint on Saturday morning....oh did I mention I'm heading out to see my beautiful mommy and handsome daddy in Texas? I can't wait.

My twins will be 16 on Wednesday. Wow! I get a little teary each time I say that...what frightens me even more is that they requested a Red Lobster birthday dinner with 6 friends (are they all gonna order crab????) This is a triple date! Even my shy baby boy Twin B has a date. I'm not ready for this. While overhearing a conversation about the digs they will be wearing for the dinner, Twin A said we need to tell the girls to wears skirts. My mind..."filthy"...said WHAT!!! I leaned into the conversation and said, "any girl who shows up in a skirt in December to Red Lobster is getting sent home, just FYI". I kept a straight face, even when they both gave me and each other a quizzical "What's she talking about" look. Hmpf! I know what I'm talking about and ain't no damn skirts going on! I know I was born at night...(HINT - December 25, 1973), but not last. I'm probably wrong but the little hooches still need to wear jeans. (insert smirk here).

Why does it always feel like even when you are done with your shopping that you have one last gift that you forgot? I even find myself getting stuff like a box of See's, a gift card at Starbucks or a candle just in case I forgot someone and I can't gift wrap it quickly. Feels weird saying it's Monday and I'm done. I'm sure I'll have to grab something tomorrow.

Until then, I'm working on my list of things I've learned for this year. Hopefully it will be published by Christmas!

I wanted to catch up with long post but I'm seriously just wanting to lay it down.

Love and hugs to all

The Blind Bat "Situation"

So for those of you who don't know me I think I truly need to explain myself on this "glasses situation". Problem is, I hate them. I hate little ugly spectacles sitting on my face. They annoy me. They are just not cute and above all they make me feel old. Problem is, that I cannot see a darn thing without them.

While my boys are playing football or basketball I know who they are from their build, the way they stand and move, but I can't actually see ANY of their features. I can't read the score clock, I can't see how much time is left, I can't see a friend waving to me across the gym to come sit next to her.

While driving, I know where I'm going because usually I've been there a million times but I can't actually see what the name of the streets are. When I go to a new place I'm so lost that I can't see the number of the house, so I stop in front of each house, I can't see the street until I actually pass it, or the exit to get off on.

Next problem. At the gym women think I'm mugging them and men think I'm staring at them. For this reason alone I try not to make many facial expressions at the gym, mall, store and just plain out in public because quite honestly people believe I'm looking at them when I can't even see them.

I've been known to say is that 'Suzie" and the boys laugh and say, no mom, that's "Sally".

I realize it's MY FAULT because I won't wear the glasses but I hate them. Picture this. I put them on right before the game begins and then the minute I go to the snackbar I snatch them off. Next issue, everyone is going to the snackbar at the same time - halftime-, so they think I'm snubbing them because my eyes are adjusting from taking my glasses back off and I walk right by them.

You know those phoney people who let you walk up on them and you know they saw you 10 minutes before you saw them and they say "ooooohhh, hey girl, I didn't even see you". Well really, I didn't see you, so please don't think I'm one of "those" people.

At one point it was my dream to be a police officer but my horrible vision put an end to that dream. Last year I almost couldn't renew my driver's license because I refused to tell them I had a eye prescription and I couldn't see the letters. I actually memorized the sign before the start of the test (darn shame huh).

So I hear you - Get lasik. I've already had the test and my vision is so bad that it wouldn't work for me. Wear contacts - my eyes are so sensitive that I can't wear them. I've tried 6 different times now and I walk around all day looking like the Grinch because my eyes don't make enough water to keep them moist and I have bottles of contact wet drops everywhere yet my eyes are still dry.

So I continue to complain and wear my trifocals (good thing is they make them really thin now so they don't look like coke bottles) and I sit here blind and making excuses for not wearing them. I've resolve to at wear them while driving, but I haven't given up my dream of walking to the snackbar and still looking cute.
Typical Diva. To know me is to love me! Check out some of my favorite glasses commercials.

Beware of the Skanks in Training

If you follow me on facebook at all you'll know that I was enraged at the end of my day yesterday regarding Twin A's new little love interest. I'm being polite in the decription of my post regarding the FSOA club (future skanks of america).

Here is a brief summary. Twin A who almost never texts unless its to me, dad or to ask a friend about an assignment a practice or to his ya-ya about his touchdowns had been on his phone texting away for about a week...night and day. His new quarter grades on powerschool left a lot to be desired as well and in my opinion he's been more than distracted the last couple of weeks. Add to the pot my lovely school VIP's who make sure I remain in the loop who also stopped by to throw me the skank alert flag, and my beams were on fire. The alert was not only was the girl not the most attractive chickenhead in the group but her reputation for already being a squirrel (you know what squirrels like to eat) had already made it around the school. She's a freshman and its November for Pete's sake.

After some detective work and checking my facts (you know we have our ways), I approached Twin who basically told me "mom I heard it all, she a nice girl and I like her". I gave him the benefit until I got my last phone call before I had my second discussion with him in which it went something like "I trust your judgement and will support whatever decison you make because I've raised you right but please know that for every rumor there is some truth to it and I'm not sure how you feel but the thought of kissing a girl who may even have possibly given bj's or anything else to some or even one of your friends should make you throw up in your mouth a little bit". He sat quietly and told me he would think about it and soon went to bed.

I got a text about an hour ago that said "mom, I love you I had to cut her".

I'm sure I can't chase all the hoes in training away forever and his emotions will eventually over rule my scenarios and visuals but for now it worked and all I can do is continue to put some type of morsel into his mind about what is appropriate to bring home.

Hey, Whatcha Talkin Bout!

Tiger, Tiger, Tiger, What can I say? NOT A DARN THING. It's none of MY business and none of your's. Tiger don't pay my bills and I don't golf so why do I care about Tiger sleeping with some little chickenhead waitress. If Steve McNair didn't teach you about sleeping with broke waitress I can't help you. Nuff said.

Ron Artest - dude. You trippin. You coulda said you were a head case without telling ALLLLL THE BUSINESS! Dang dude!

Obama? Why you gotta go give them a date we gonna pull out. I see gold diggers hang around a raggedy rich dude for 18 months. You think terrorists don't have 18 months to wait it out. Jeeeezzzz. Keep some secrets to yo' self...PLEASE

Who in the HELL want Allen Iverson on their team? 76ers musta forgot all that ruckus he was making. They'll remember in a minute when he starting shooting everything he touch again and laying out in the floor having a temper tantrums. I'm just shaking my head. Allen needs to follow Latrell Sprewell into the land of disappear. He's quite raggedy now but Philly will learn soon enough.

That's it. I'm done for now. Going to bed. I'm exhausted

Baby It's Cold Outside

Love subjects you to the worse kinds of treatment. It completely bashes you sometimes doesn't it. It is literally a call to submit one's will to that of another. That may mean forgiving an offense quickly. Biting your tongue when misunderstood in order to prevent more hurt. Embracing when you're not ready to. Love never looks out for itself...it is constantly, intentionally self-less. Easier said than done huh?. Oh, it's quite easy to give your last dime when you don't have any issues standing in the way of you and the person in need. It's pretty effortless to give Love in the middle of June, on a gorgeous beach...as you and your love stretch out next to one another; picking out clouds and deciphering their shapes. Sure. But, to me, Love is sometimes the dead of winter. Two embittered people stung by circumstance and hovering together underneath one umbrella...while the harsh cold winds blow and the stinging snow comes down unmercifully. There is a chance for survival, because they are in it together. Chance. There will be times where the other person will slow his/her pace. Or get weary. And will need encouragement and a strong arm to hold them up. Soon, it may be your own feet that drag from the journey in the cold. Can't do this anymore. Love knows that it will die without exercise or freedom of movement. Freedom.

So, in the cold it moves as much as it possibly can...But what if there's only one person?

A solitary soul...out in the cold.

"...if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone?"--Ecclesiastes 4:11

What happens to a person that has no other to keep him/her warm? To aid him/her along in the journey? Always possessing the Source/Creator of Love, but having no one to exercise Love to? Or having a body to keep warm, but receiving no warmth themselves in return? How does a heart survive without true empathy, selflessness, and kindness?How long will that soul travel the streets before someone stops to join him/her?

10 More Honest Things About Me

I was pondering -

1. I love that our family's roots are from the south. Wouldn't trade it for any other geographic affiliation in our nation.

2. I can't imagine my life without being a mother. I felt I've been here my entire life. It's hard to remember how life was before them.

3. I love the news and it's been years and years since I started my day without watching it. Whether good or bad I need to watch it and read it each morning.

4. I am surrounded by opportunities to force friendships. And I can't do it anymore. I'm sick of pretending that I have connections with people that I just don't. And that makes me sad....

5. I spend many moments of the day reminding myself that I am okay just the way that I am. I take up too much of my time actively trying to evolve/grow, but it's when I completely let go, that I forget what I lack; unconsciously trusting that it's God that adds to my heart daily.

6. I love writing. (Duh....but. Really. I do.) Even it's I'm just jotting down drama. I know I don't make since sometimes but it just feel so good to write and clear it out.

7. I don't know why Jesus loved me enough to die for me. Or why He still loves me. Or why He promises to love me always. But whatever the answer is...it is, by far, the hope of my life.

8. The more I'm extremely picky about what music I listen to/buy/download, the more gems I find. (I.e. Deemi - Soundtrack of my Life)

9. I'm starting to loathe the whole gift part of Christmas. I don't want a thing this year, I really don't want to buy anyone else anything this year either. Ba humbug

10. I love my momma and daddy. There's no one else I look up to more.