Don't Do Me

Why do some people have such a hard time following through? When you say you're going to do something, you should do it. Period. And, if you're going to break a commitment, there's no need for excuses.

Excuses don't explain. Explanations don't excuse.



Tis all.

We Can't Kick It If You Can't Spell

A long, long, looong time ago, when I was on facebook (in the pre-"note" era) there was an application that mirrored blogs. Now, I'm not sure if the whole "note" thing stuck around from 2006 until now, or left and came back, but I'm hearing that it has only recently become popular. I always have been a little ahead of my time. Regardless, after I graduated and began to mingle with young men in DC, NY and what not, I noticed a sad, sad atrocity. These bamas can't spell.

To me, there is nothing more unattractive than receiving a text from an otherwise cute guy, only to learn that he doesn't grasp the fundamentals of grammar. I know they stopped teaching it in grade school, so I guess I should be upset with our education system or something... but I'm not. I get irritated with the guy who can't spell. Your ability to spell, properly conjugate verbs, and - for the love of GOD - differentiate between otherwise troubling words and contractions, is imperative to me. There's a HUGE difference between "your" and "you're," for example.

I received a handwritten note from a man at my gym yesterday. Not a business card. A handwritten note. Are we in grade school? Clearly not, because ol' boy - excuse me, old MAN - could not spell.

"I think your incredibly attractive. Let's do lunch." Ahem. It should be "you're," sir. Correct me if I'm wrong, but what you want to say is "'you are' incredibly attractive." I appreciate the compliment, though it's bewildering that a guy will approach me in a sweaty t-shirt and booty shorts before he'll approach me in a nice spring dress at a restaurant or something. But I digress. Proper spelling and grammar speaks to a person's educational foundation. Granted, some people slip from time to time, but for the most part, educated people can produce coherent sentences free of grammatical errors. I mean, I wouldn't ever be able to carry on a text or e-mail conversation with you because I'd be too distracted by your grammatical flaws. And we couldn't raise kids, because I wouldn't trust you to help them with their English homework. I would always be correcting you, which in turn, would annoy you, causing lots of arguments... which I would win, because I always win. See, it's the tiny things that we overlook in people that sometimes point to a bigger problem. And, I have girlfriends that make this mistake all the time but I love them still. (I don't plan on marrying any of them... so it's less bothersome. Weird, huh?) On top of that, how can you function in a professional setting making mistakes like that all the time? People might overlook it, but it only means that 1. they, themselves, cannot spell, or 2. they secretly recognize your shortcoming and politely disregard it. I'm just saying...

Whatever. To the forty year-old man that hit on me last night: "you're" is a contraction. When you mean to say "you are", you condense the two words to form "you're." "I know where you're going" = "I know where you are going." See? Grammar is fun.
"Your" describes possession. "I like your ring" = "I like the ring that you possess."

It also annoys me to no end, when immature, crude young men attempt to impress me with their overtly sexual vernacular. "I can't wait to see you butt naked." Sir, it's "buck - naked" and you will be waiting for the rest of your life.

There are also differences between for, four and fore; to, too and two; there, their and they're. Ah. That last trio gets me ALL THE TIME.

"There" is a noun. It's a place. "I love Moods Music in Little Five; Let's go there."
"Their" is possessive. "American Apparel is my fave; I love their clothes."
"They're" is a contraction of "they" and "are." "They're going to dinner after the movie" = "They are going to dinner after the movie."

Dudes - please do not text or e-mail me saying: "Yo - their's a party tonight at Dulce. You should come thru. Their's gonna be plenty of liq, so bring you're girls."

No. No. No. Delete my number! We can't kick it if you can't spell!!!!

Inspirational Haiku

[Preface: Homecoming is quickly approaching. With this in mind, I can't help but reflect on some of my fondest memories as I amp myself for next month's festivities. Homecoming is about more than the game, the Yard, the stepshow... It's about seeing the people who helped you through some of the most trying experiences in your life. It's about those long nights you spent in your BFF's apartment laughing or crying, cramming or drinking... And now, while you may be seperated geographically, should you need your dear friend, they are only a phone call and plane ride away. It's about trying to re-live your college experience in all of three days. ::Smile:: Why isn't it October yet?]

A long, long time ago, a group of college friends sat around after returning from senior year spring break. We were all well-tanned from the Negril sun, and anxiously anticipating our last few weeks as college students. While midterms were finished, and we only had a few finals to complete, our love lives had consumed us. We were intelligent, hard-working, beautiful, successful twenty-three year olds who were focused (with astounding tunnel vision) on the respective objects of our affection. Some of us had recently ended long-term relationships (with ex-beaus who had already acquired new girlfriends), and others of us simply longed for untameable men. All of us, in some form or fashion, were subtly bitter.

But instead of walking around campus as angry black women, we channeled our frustration towards a creative outlet - poetry. Haiku to be specific. Dionne told us that she was writing a book of inspirational poems, and that we should all contribute to it. The book was entitled (drumroll please): B!tch, You Worth Somethin'. Don't Let That N!cka Ufck Up Yo' Life...HO: A Book of Inspirational Haiku.

You have to excuse her sometimes; she's from Memphis. Anyway, I wanted to share a handful of those Haiku with you. While creative expression should never be limited to instances when you're down-and-out, those can really be prime times for creative energy to flow. Using the 5-7-5 guidelines, we poured our hearts, souls and and not-so-subtle jabs at men into a collection of fun poems.

They reek with profanity, but take a gander if you like...



Who is She?
How do you know her?
Why is she always around?
Tell that b!tch to die


That Ho Gone
One day she will die
I know because I killed her
Locked her in the trunk


Just Go
You can go to hell
Mmm, yes. You can go to hell
And take her with you


The Garbage
She looks like pure trash
You know what we do with trash
Throw that b!tch away


Shrek
Your girl looks like Shrek
You must have low self-esteem
Get that b!tch a leash


LOL! Man, in retrospect they sound pretty bad. But, in the moment, when you have a room full of emotionally drained women, a bottle of wine, and a desire to laugh - this is what you get. Fun times! Fun. Times.

The Single Aesthetic: finding ways to creatively express your anger, disappointment and hostility without breaking, punching, slashing, hitting, or smacking something (or somebody). What's better is having a "book" to reminisce over years later. College memories, man. Nothing like 'em.


Look for the Employment Version coming soon!!

Hearts Aren't Made for Sleeves

They can hear it in my voice. I’ve been on the phone with my mother and my former boss, both within the past hour, and they have each said “you sound down”. She could see it in my face. “I can tell you’re anxious about where you’re going to land,” she said in my informational meeting this morning. “It’s that obvious, huh?” I responded. Wow.

It’s like a little parasite that embeds itself in my mind… in my soul. A Virus. I carry it with me every day, it seems. It’s a heavy little burden – seemingly impossible to conceal. I’ve really been working on controlling my thoughts, too. ‘Everything will be okay,’ I try to tell myself. I’ve made some progress… but they’re only baby steps. I so earnestly want to find my perfect fit! But, life is what is happening to me as I search for that unattainable perfection, right? Instead of moping and whining, I should be grateful for the things that I do have, and celebrate them for what they are truly worth.

Well. I’ll rid myself of this debilitating virus with small doses, I suppose. I could start by picking my head up.

Deep Breaths

Everything is going to be okay. Let go of the sadness in your voice. Relax your shoulders. Close your eyes. Clear your thoughts.

Deep Breaths

That “void” in your spirit is really a figment of your imagination. You are fine. There is a light at the end of the tunnel. God is building you; growing you; empowering you.

Deep Breaths
It’s okay. Wipe those tears. Let it go. It’s okay.





It’s okay.

Review: Rosa Mexicano

It's restaurant week! Restaurants all over the city are vying for consumer dollars by offering their delectable cuisine for insanely low prices. Last Saturday a friend and I went to Rosa Mexicano (I'd been dying to go) for dinner. This participating restaurant afforded us the chance to sample three courses of their finest cuisine for 25 bucks. Nice.

While their modified "Restaurant Week" menu was limited, it wasn't difficult to discern that the food here was delicious. He started off with the Flautas de Pollo while I tried the Sopa de Tortilla, a soup composed of grilled chicken, avocado, tortilla strips, and a creamy sauce. Light but filling - it was a good starter. Next, I had the Salmon en Manchamanteles. Organic salmon served over black beans and corn, dressed with tropical fruit. Mouthwatering. Our waiter added rice with cilantro, which was a perfect compliment to the entree. The mango and pineapple flavors blended nicely with the medium-well seared salmon. Though the restaurant is Mexican by name, the cuisine extends far beyond the normal realm of burritos and enchiladas. Every dish, both his and mine, was exquisite in presentation, form and taste. Even the food itself had aesthetic quality.

The Flan de Coco for dessert was decadent. I mean, you have to travel abroad to find flan this good. He tried the "Pastel de Cueso" (cheesecake) which was equally remarkable. Light, creamy, and fresh... unlike the stuff you get at Cheesecake Factory (no disrespect - I like that place too). It was a perfect ending to a tasty, filling meal.

The service was great. Our waiter checked on us frequently enough, but not so much as to interrupt our conversation. Our water glasses were never empty, and his response to our needs was always timely.

The atmosphere was very inviting as well. It was definitely a family restaurant, though couples and large groups of friends could be spotted anywhere. The restaurant is best known for it's homemade guacamole (which, for some reason, we didn't try) and their authentic margaritas (which my friend tried, and enjoyed).

Overall, the place was a winner. It's a little pricey for an otherwise broke girl, thus "Restaurant Week" was the perfect opportunity to finally try their food. And, my pockets may hate me for it... but I will definitely be back.

http://www.rosamexicano.info/

Clearly

You've got me caught up in a daze
And I, can't seem to understand
What I've been thinking
And although you come in clearly now
Hard for me to turn around
And keep from blinking

All that I can do is be there
Heaven knows that I swear
You do something to me
And I'll never ever tell a lie
I'll always be there by your side
It's so soothing

It's clearly understandable
I'm not some type of animal
I'm just in love with you
And heaven knows I'm glad I found you
Loving, and you came around
To do the things that you do

You don't even hardly speak to me
Tell me what could it be
To let you walk away so freely
But you still call from time to time
Tell me why you play with my mind
I know you want to be here with me

All that I can do is be there
Heaven knows that I swear
You do something to me
And I'll never ever tell a lie
I'll always be by your side
Oh, it's so soothing

It's clearly understandable
I'm not some type of animal
I'm just in love with you
And heaven knows I'm glad I found you
Loving, and you came around
To do the things that you do

I just don't know
What I've been doing wrong
In your life
Baby if you give me one more try
I will never ever leave your side