Blessings, affirmations, grace, and reflection

So, we left off on Friday with a recap of Thursday night.Friday after work I met up with my former boss and we had dinner and cocktails in Chelsea at his favorite place . I ordered the Pork Tenderloin and he ordered the Hangar Steak (the menu is constantly changing so it probably isn't on the online menu pages) and both were decent as were the cocktails. We were both exhausted so after dinner and cocktails we called it a night and agreed to meet up the following day. After two nights of dinner and too many cocktails on Friday night I spent most of Saturday at home relaxing. My cohort went upstate to Dobbs Ferry to visit another former coworker. By five I was recoverered and we met up again for dinner and cocktails. This time we wound up at The Place (again). Instead of the salmon that I ordered the two times before I was convinced to try the Free Range Chicken with Mashed Potatoes. I was not disappointed. The chicken was well seasoned and cooked to perfection. It was juic...

Banana Dogs I never knew that dogs like bananas until this morning when I saw a woman walking three pomeranians who were treated to a banana from the fruit stand. It was the cutest thing ever to see them practically begging for the sweet fruit. Fire Drills I guess we never get too old for fire drills. This day in age better safe than sorry. At least it wasn't too miserably hot out yet. Crusty Pastries There is a coffee shop that I stop in a few times a week for their yummy coffee. They have delicious coffee but twice I have bought pastries from them and they have been stale.Not a good way to build business. They are a busy shop so there is no reason that they should be selling subpar products. So from now on I will buy my cup of coffee and leave the pastries alone unless I have inspected, selected and approved it before leaving. Today I threw away a muffin uneaten because it looked old. I don't have money to throw away, trust. Heat Today we were about 90 degrees in the s...

I was just  appalled by what I just witnessed when I went out for my lunch.  This disgusting little strumpet put her nasty little fingers all up in the goldfish.  That's why I don't like salad bars because of inconsiderate little heathens like her.  Why did she think there was a serving spoon in the dish?  As a matter of fact I think she may have moved the spoon out of her way so that she could dig her filthy little fingers deep into the goldfish bowl then dropped them in her mouth.  It wasn't like there weren't containers for her to put the goldfish into so she could eat them like a person with hometraining. Guess who won't be eating behind those trollops again? Parents, please raise your children right.  I'm done. 

A real post to follow this afternoon tomorrow. 1. Do you have a photo blog? If so, feel free to share the link with us! Yes and it is on Flickr. I also have one on webshots. 2. How many pets do you own, and what are their names? If none, have you had a favorite pet in the past? I have a fish. I had more but she killed them off. I just call her lady. Favorite Pet was probably my cat Kwame. He was such a sweetie pie. 3. How many times a week does the carpet in your house get vacuumed? No carpet How many times a MONTH do your floors get mopped? Lately, not enough but typically about 4 or more times. 4. Which room in your house do you spend the most time in? My bedroom unless I spend a lot of time on the computer. 5. Have you read any good books lately? Let's rephrase that question. Have I read lately? The last book that I read and I am still working on finishing is Fortunate Son: A Novel . I am on the last chapter but can't seem to finish it up so I can move on to the next one ...

I could totally find a nice warm corner to curl up into with a soft cuddly blanket right now.  I am so sleepy.  Last night my co-worker and I went to dinner at The Place (see earlier post) and I wound up staying out past my bedtime.  Well not really but she is such a chatty Cathy that she makes me tired. Of course I dominated the first part of the conversation talking about the Supastar (shush Bloop!) because he is doing some exciting things these days.  Then she went on and on about how she and hubby are trying to have a baby and all the fertitlity stuff they have to go through...blah...blah...blah.  Hubby's daughter from previous marriage has been acting out...blah..blah..blah.  So, needless to say I can only take her in small doses.  We meet up once every few months for a dinner and that seems to work fine. Afterwards we went to this place where she ordered a chocolate hazelnut gelati and I had a canoli.  The gelati was sooooo good but I ...

Note: I would post the lyrics but Curtis Mayfield's estate will not authorize publishing them. Hmm, too bad considering the lyrics are "oh so beautiful". Listen: Oh So Beautiful

Link: James Moody on NPR I've been feeling moody lately. Not sure what to attribute it to. More than likely just really missing the Supastar. The longer I know him the more I like him. Our relationship really has been an evolution and it continues to evolve. I think time is the biggest factor that contributes to what we have. We took the time to develop a real friendship. We have a lot of respect for each other and he seems to sense that I need a lot of coddling in order to build and hold my trust. But yeah, slowly we are moving forward as it becomes more clear that we really do like each -- a lot -- and I feel really good about him and the relationship that we are creating. It stems from taking the time to let it grow -- organically. Not forced, no fillers, no additives. There is nothing worse than being bullied into a relationship. This is one of the most peaceful and respectful relationships that I have ever been in. We know each other's boundaries and respect them. Maybe it...

I'm just going to knock out a bunch of these at one time for the sake of sanity.   1. I won't eat past  7 o'clock in the evening. 2. My favorite subject for photographing is Nature . 3. I use nothing most often to edit my photographs. 4. If I'm having trouble sleeping, I usually get on the computer . 5. When I'm hungry for a snack, I usually eat whatever I have a taste for .       What comes to mind when you think of the following colors? RED: Apple BLUE: Sky GREEN: grass YELLOW: sun PURPLE: Prince PINK: The singer ORANGE: fruit BLACK: funerals WHITE: fluffy clouds   What is your favorite framed object in your house? My Joysmith prints 2. If you had a choice of being a carnivore or a herbivore , which one would you be, and why? Herbivore...easier to gather grubs than to hunt and kill animals. 3. Who do you think should have won the FIFA World Cup ? Or, don't you care? Don't care although it would have been nice if Ghana had won. 4. What...

Odwalla Super Protein Vanilla Al'Mondo. I love these expensive things especially when they are icy cold! Only complaint is that they can be slightly chalky but I love the blend of the banana and almond flavors. PMS. Is there such as thing as post-menstrual syndrome? We all know about premenstrual but lately I've been getting the symptoms after the visit from our least favorite aunt. Speaking of, I love the episode of "Sex and the City" where Samantha thought she was all dried up and she came down while sleeping with some guy. Paraphrasing the line: "Either you are virgin or you just had a visit from your Aunt Flo". Summery Fragrances. Last summer my favorite domesticated Aussie (Saffron) recommended this fragrance which has been the scent of the summer. A hot blogger recently recommended this one so I am going to swing by this afternoon to sniff it out. Looking at the prices though I may have to add this to the wish list if I like it. Can I just say that...

I normally don't listen to morning radio but today I was flipping around the dial and just discovered that the " Steve Harvey Morning Show " comes on WBLS. Why didn'tI know that? Why is he is so country? I just might start liking morning radio again! Yolanda Adams was on there talking about how people have been criticizing her for singing "Sweet Thang" on the BET awards. Don't those folks have anything better to do with their time? You know, like blog or something. Happy Tuesday!

So the Supastar who I have mentioned (subtly) in the past has flown into town on business. Of course I want to see him but I feel red flags going up.  You see, it feels similar to Mr. Ontour who I briefly mentioned in the Ex-Factor post. With Mr. Ontour it was phone calls from out of town and brief encounters when he was in town.And it felt good knowing that I was on his mind.   The main difference between Mr. Ontour and Supastar is that I know him much better.We were good friends (without benefits) for 5 years before we moved into a different situation.  We have an unspoken understanding about the time and distance involved and we just deal with it.  But let me tell you, as much as I respect his hustle I do find it hard to not miss him when he is away.   I've never been good with LDRs.  The problem with these quicky trips is that at the end of the relationship you've spent more time apart than you did together. Of course spending a litt...

I don't usually like to spend a lot of time reflecting on past relationships but lately I have had a couple of exes pop into my mind that just won't leave. Not that I am wanting to get back with them since we aren't together any more for a reason but memories remain that linger like the scent of honeysuckle on a warm summer breeze. Lauryn Hill got it right with her song "Ex-Factor". It could all be so simple But you'd rather make it hard Loving you is like a battle And we both end up with scars Tell me, who I have to be To get some reciprocity No one loves you more than me And no one ever will This time last year I had reached the end of a relationship that was not working -- at all. It seemed as if no matter how hard I tried I couldn't satisfy this man. I did all the things I thought I was supposed to do to make him happy but it always just fell flat. Sometimes he would turn the tables and make it seem like what I thought were loving gestures were the opp...

discern v. discerned, discerning, discerns To perceive with the eyes or intellect; detect. To recognize or comprehend mentally. To perceive or recognize as being different or distinct; distinguish. See Synonyms at see 1 . Sometimes I think I am too perceptive for my own good. I can meet a person and pick up their underlying intentions right away. I don't always voice it but I can feel it. This causes me to be less trusting than others. A coat of armor in a sense but with that coat you aren't privy to developing the same types of relationships as others who are more superficial. They don't really care about other's intentions because they have their own agenda in mind. Unless it is is a business situation, I rarely have an agenda when I meet people. Establishing lasting relationships takes work because they require trust, a comfort level with the other person and respect. Missing any of those factors affects the nature of the relationship and in my opini...

Well, it's the time of day when I have read about everything there is to read and in an unsuccessful effort to "look busy" I am here to offer a Thursday afternoon wrap up. Wednesday afternoon/evening Lunch consisted of a horrible (and overpriced) tuna fish sandwich that partially wound up in the trash. This left me starving by the time 4 p.m. rolled around. So, I decided to check out this place which I'd heard had an early bird special for under $10.00. Not true. Turns out the prices went up and they were charging $11.95 instead. I didn't really want to eat that much food anyway so I ordered the pumpkin ravioli which I have eaten elsewhere and was actually very delicious. Once again, another disappointment befell me and I wound up eating past, boring raviolis that would have embarrassed Chef Boyardee. I can say that they did have yummy pomegranate mojitos though. After I'd eaten I headed south to the event I'd posted about yesterday. For some unexplained ...

Moving slowly this morning, I took time to smell the roses on the way into the ice box. I saw the funniest thing.  A woman was walking her dog.  Coming towards them were three police officers on horse back.  As the horses passed the dog you could see the dog looking over his shoulder at the horses like, "what the heck...those are the biggest dogs I've ever seen in my life."  I just got a kick out of watching the dog watching the horses. On the ride in this morning I listened to the Corinne Bailey Rae CD.  Nice smooth subway music to keep you from wanting to beat someone for blowing morning breath in your face, stepping on your exposed toes, ramming their bag into your back or rattling a newspaper in front of you.  If anyone else has giving it a listen I am curious to know what you think about it. I didn't feel like spending money on coffee this morning so I made a bootleg (becoming my favorite word these days) la...

Everyone's feeling pretty It's hotter than July Though the world's full of problems They couldn't touch us even if they tried From the park I hear rhythms Marley's hot on the box Tonight there will be a party On the corner at the end of the block Lyrics to Master Blasting Jamming by Stevie Wonder On the hotttttesst day of the year I find myself in an incredibly cold air conditioned environment yet bored senseless. I am wearing the cutest pair of black flip flops with pink hearts (hee-hee) and suffering from an annoying case of ajita from a delicious but very impractical lunch of corn chowder and jalepeno cornbread. Hopefully the cup of green tea I just drank will calm it down. Last night I had the best dinner I have had in a long time. I went to this place and enjoyed a three course meal for $20.06. That's right folks, three courses for $20.06. When you look at the prices on their regular menu you know that was a real deal. And can I say the food ...

Several bloggers out there (Clay Cane, Prodigal Son, and Nikki of Infinite Ink) are notorious for writing hysterical celebrity look-a-like posts. I won't even attempt to enter into their realm, but living in a New York I see a lot of celebs and look-a-likes around town. Those who read my old blog [R.I.P.] know that I saw "ANTM's" Ev.a in K-Mart on 34th Street,To.cca.ra (post-"ANTM" and pre-Celeb Fit Club) in the grocery store near my apartment. I also saw Freddie Jackson in the grocery store by his apartment across from Central Park West. I've probably seen even more bootleg celeb look-a-likes but the follow immediately come to mind. First on the list of celebrity look-a-likes is the bootleg version of T.I. He used to "work" in the meat department of the grocery store where I saw To.cca.ra. He was a bit taller than his twin the rapper T.I. and I never saw him working --he would just stand around with his cap cocked slightly askew trying to lo...

Don't know why I am posting this but whatever. I deleted the ones I didn't want to be bothered with so if you copy this note that it is incomplete. Where were you born? Califas How tall are you? 5'6 Where is your ideal house located? Cali Last person you talked to? Ms. A. Have you ever taken pictures in a photo booth? Yes. My ex and I used to do it all the time. When was the last time you were at a concert? Last year I think (hmmm, another one for the archives) What are your keys on your key chain for? Apt and mail box What do u wanna bitch about? Right now, folks who want something for nothing. We all have to work for what we want. No exceptions. Where is your current pain at? My heart. Do you like mustard? Not especially. Do you prefer to sleep or eat? sleep Whose your favorite person to drunk dial ? Dang, I had to cut that business out but whoever would answer their phone! LOL Usually my cousin M or my ex A Do you say the word ..'biznatch? Like, whateve...

Let me be patient let me be kind Make me unselfish without being blind Though I may suffer I'll envy it not And endure what comes Cause he's all that I got and tell him... Tell him I need him [yeah] Tell him I love him [tell him] And it'll be alright *Background singing* Telll himmm be alright be alright Tell him tell him I need him Tell him I love him It'll be alright Now I may have faith to make mountains fall But if I lack love then I am nothin' at all I can give away everything I possess But left without love then I have no happiness I know I'm imperfect [I know I'm imperfect] & not without sin [& not without sin] But now that I'm older all childish things end and tell him... Tell him I need him [yeah] Tell him I love him [tell him] And it'll be alright *Background singing* Telll himmm be alright be alright Tell him tell him I need him Tell him I love him It'll be alright Bridge I'll never be jealous And I won't be too proud C...

Revisiting this from post from the beginning of the year: 1. Count your blessings. 2. Strive for progress, not perfection. 3. At least once a day, sit and do nothing. 4. Celebrate all birthdays, no matter how old you get. 5. Don't forget to say, "Thank you." The magic words! 6. Diminish your wants instead of increasing your needs. 7. Cry when you feel like it. 8. Keep good company. 9. Look into the eyes of the one you love when you are talking to them. 10. Remember that one is a whole number. 11. Do a kind deed for someone else. 12. Be patient. 13. Change what you can and leave the rest alone. (working on this one!) 14. Slow down and enjoy the present. 15. Walk in other people's shoes before judging them. 16. Don't let other people's opinions shape who you are.(I truly need to work on this one!) 17. Never attribute your accomplishments to LUCK. Every good and perfect gift comes from a higher power. 18. Know when to say NO. 19. Look on the positive side of nega...

Another post revisited from last year: Pain Finally allowing myself to feel it and release it. Exhaustion After a long day but trying to keep my energy up and my attitude positive. Relief When I finally hear your voice and see your face. Anxious Wondering if our relationship has changed for good. Swamped Under piles of papers. Excited The way I will feel when I finally see you again. Horny *What I will be feeling until I see you again. Creative *Finding creative ways to occupy my time and keep my thoughts clear. Restless *Ready to travel and make some major changes to my life. Guilty *Feeling like I am holding back a little when you are willing to give 100%. Joy *Feeling so blessed that you have been in my life for so long and that we can continue building towards something stronger than what we already have. Pumped *When we will finally get to spend more time together. Lonely *The feeling that will take takes over me when I start to miss you. The feeling of comfort and peace that yo...

I have been on a musical journey all week. Want to know where it is leading me? I'll never tell but it is an utter state of bliss. I have fallen back in love with music. New playlist coming soon. Hope you are enjoying Dwele. I know I am. Smoothed Out Sunday Soft and Sensual via Webjay Postscript: In addition to the free daily download in the side bar don't forget to visit Jazztime.com to get free downloads of Jazz singles. Currently up -- Marion Meadows and Pieces of a Dream . Ursula Rucker's Humbled is still up as well.

After a busy Saturday I decided to spend Sunday immersed in music. The result is the new playlist. Light a candle, snuggle up with your sweetie and enjoy. Note: scroll down the sidebar to stop music player before starting video. Videos by vMix Member: TahirJahi