The news, two newspapers, going to work, people on the train, my morning coffee, meetings, the work day, things I'm writing, things I'm reading, things I want to be writing or reading, great lunches, more meetings, the bus, going home, TV shows, recipes, Jamaal, the gym, Mixed Martial Arts, family, friends, DC, Chicago, etc. etc. etc.
I have what some like to call a "high class problem." As I'm sure you've noticed, I haven't blogged in a really long time- not because I haven't thought about it. I think about it all the time. Not because I'm not inspired either-the merciless list above are all the things that inspire thoughts or feelings that I want to write about every day. Time is, unfortunately, an issue at the moment but l'm trying to work smarter not harder and squeeze in some mobile blogging in during the day!
Just to update-Jamaal and I are great! The move proved positive for the both of us. We're acclimating well to DC. It has a progressive charm to it - but it can't and won't ever replace Chicago.
I successfully cooked my first real Thanksgiving dinner, something I've never had to do by myself before. I had some great recipes and it was actually a lot of fun. I feel so grownup now!!!
This year has provided me with some challenges and some amazing new opportunities. I am eternally thankful for the friends and family that supported me through both. I hope you had a safe and happy Thanksgiving - time for Christmas!!
~S
Friday, November 27, 2009
Monday, September 14, 2009
There is always a method to the madness...
Post-VMA morning, I have a few thoughts about last night's show - bullet-point style because I have to run to a meeting...
- I thought the Michael Jackson Tribute was highly appropriate and definitely a celebration moreso than a memorial. I can only imagine that it was emotional for Janet but the entire performance was very thoughtful and executed well. Plus, "Scream" is one of my top 3 MJ songs so it was a treat.
- I would be okay if they never asked Russell Brand to host again - I think the world isn't quite ready for him or the other way around....
- Kudos to Wale as the House Band. I admittedly don't know much about him and am still trying to get a grasp on the DC music scene but it's nice to know that there is a scene that is getting noticed.
- Although he didn't win, I expect Kid Cudi will clean up next year. Check out his album on Tuesday when it's released!
- Lady Gaga - whoa. Different but interesting - talented yet strange. At any rate, since I don't know much about her, I will need to do some research.
- Oh, Kanye. At the end of the day, he was outrightly rude and inconsiderate. He did apologize on his blog however it could have totally been avoided. He apologized to her mom and plans to call her today to apologize (per the blog). I am somewhat of a closet Taylor Swift fan and I think she deserved the award she won. To be 17 years old with that type of talent is something special. At the basic level, if you have to have an outburst, at least have an outburst that makes sense. Rightfully so, he was escorted out the building and watched the rest of the show on TV like the rest of us. Given that it wasn't a category that he was nominated in or even related to (he didn't write, produce or direct the song or video), it was in poor, poor taste. But when I woke up this morning, I thought "Kanye strikes again." I believe that Kanye West is one of the artists that truly believes that any publicity is good publicity. He was nominated for a couple of awards that most people wouldn't remember the next day for a video that most people didn't like (I happened to like it but I'm only one person) - and didn't win in either category. He didn't wear anything outlandish. He attended the VMA's with Amber Rose, no shock there. He needed something to keep people interested in him. So today, blogs, radio shows, websites and television shows will all be talking about him. It doesn't matter that it's not favorable - without his stunt, no one would have a memory of him at the show. But there is a not-so-fine line that he crossed. As in life, you don't burn bridges in the industry because you just never know what may present itself later. You know that I am 200% a Kanye fan but I can't respect a lack of integrity and respect. I am still a fan of his music because I think he is way more talented than he is humble or appropriate. But be forewarned, you always have to remember your karma, Kanye.
- Although I was not a huge fan of the song or video, I believe that Beyonce did what she does best with her performance. And kudos to her for allowing Taylor to reclaim her moment and formally accept her award. She handled the situation with grace and poise and saved her karma.
- Still undisputed, Jay-Z also did what he was born to do in creating a live art through music. Always simple and understated in the physical sense, his songs and performances transcend most in taking you along on a personal journey with him that chronicles his life and the story of where he has come from. You don't have to a be a rapper or even from New York to understand a struggle. Can't wait for the tour. (Alicia Keys looked great and was a nice accompaniment)
- Just a little suggestion for MTV - please brief your security on who is and is not allowed on the stage during said performances and distribution of awards. It was really out of hand. Really.
Now that Kanye has got you talking, check out his performance with Jay-Z and Rihanna tonight on Jay Leno. Have a great Monday!
~S
Friday, August 21, 2009
Just some Friday thoughts...
Living in Maryland and working in downtown D.C. I have the pleasure of taking a 45 minute train ride to and from work. I don't mind it because unlike the CTA (no offense, Chicago) it is much, much quieter and most people are commuters so they respect the serenity. Because I can't sleep on the train, I'm wide awake and take advantage of the time for good people watching. Some of them are pretty amusing so I thought I'd share.
As a pretty motivated commuter, I move at a moderate pace. Not because I'm in any particular hurry but because I guess that's just what commuters do. However, I am amazed and even sometimes appalled by the commuters who will literally knock you, a child, a blind person and an elderly couple over to catch the next train. Understand that D.C. Metro trains are on schedule practically down to the second and one comes literally every 4 to 5 minutes if not sooner. Seriously crazy commuter, is it that awful if you have to listen to one additional song on your iPod until the next train comes!
A fan of technology, I get to observe a number of really cool gadgets in the variety of phones, Mp3 players and PDA's that D.C. business people are glued to. Earlier this week, I saw something that I had never seen before. A man was standing reading what looked like a book but there was light coming from it. I peeked over and saw that he had the Kindle. I first learned about the Kindle around Christmas last year and had seen ads online but I hadn't seen one in person. Initially, I thought it was a complete waste of money. (FYI-The Kindle is an electronic device that allows you to purchase books that same way you purchase songs for your iPod, download them and read them on the screen.) Retailing at about $300, I felt it wasn't a huge deal to continue buying standard books like everyone else. Originally a skeptic, let me tell you, this thing is pretty f'ing cool! I'm not sold enough to run out and buy one but I must say, good job Amazon!
I can't forget my fellow iPod listeners whose music is so loud that everyone around them can hear it and I can hear it over the music I'm listening to on my own iPod. One thing that Apple does well is sound quality, it's not necessary to listen to your iPod at its most exaggerated level, no matter how much you like that new Lil' Wayne song.
Because it's summer and it's summer in D.C., the city is ridden with tourists. Every afternoon I leave my office feeling like a celeb walking through a crowd of paparazzi (not in a good way) with all the tourists taking pictures. (It's kinda creepy to think about how many vacation pictures I'm probably in the background of. ) But you gotta love the tourists that get caught on the Metro during rush hour. I can't help but to feel bad for them because it is immediately evident that they're not from D.C. nor from a large city with a large public transit system. If you look close enough, you can literally see the joy and delight on their faces turn to horror once they enter the underground tunnels of the Metro. I have literally seen families huddle together so as not to get eaten alive by the D.C. commuters. But I usually flash them a smile and answer their directional questions to try to reassure them that it really will be okay.
Every day is different but the 45 minutes is usually pretty well spent. If nothing else, I get a few giggles out of it in between reading my newspaper. As if I didn't know this already, people are really interesting. If you observe long enough, you can learn a lot about someone you don't even know. So, the next time you have a free moment, instead of struggling to fill the time with doing something, sit back and observe. You may learn something about someone else or even yourself.
~S
As a pretty motivated commuter, I move at a moderate pace. Not because I'm in any particular hurry but because I guess that's just what commuters do. However, I am amazed and even sometimes appalled by the commuters who will literally knock you, a child, a blind person and an elderly couple over to catch the next train. Understand that D.C. Metro trains are on schedule practically down to the second and one comes literally every 4 to 5 minutes if not sooner. Seriously crazy commuter, is it that awful if you have to listen to one additional song on your iPod until the next train comes!
A fan of technology, I get to observe a number of really cool gadgets in the variety of phones, Mp3 players and PDA's that D.C. business people are glued to. Earlier this week, I saw something that I had never seen before. A man was standing reading what looked like a book but there was light coming from it. I peeked over and saw that he had the Kindle. I first learned about the Kindle around Christmas last year and had seen ads online but I hadn't seen one in person. Initially, I thought it was a complete waste of money. (FYI-The Kindle is an electronic device that allows you to purchase books that same way you purchase songs for your iPod, download them and read them on the screen.) Retailing at about $300, I felt it wasn't a huge deal to continue buying standard books like everyone else. Originally a skeptic, let me tell you, this thing is pretty f'ing cool! I'm not sold enough to run out and buy one but I must say, good job Amazon!
I can't forget my fellow iPod listeners whose music is so loud that everyone around them can hear it and I can hear it over the music I'm listening to on my own iPod. One thing that Apple does well is sound quality, it's not necessary to listen to your iPod at its most exaggerated level, no matter how much you like that new Lil' Wayne song.
Because it's summer and it's summer in D.C., the city is ridden with tourists. Every afternoon I leave my office feeling like a celeb walking through a crowd of paparazzi (not in a good way) with all the tourists taking pictures. (It's kinda creepy to think about how many vacation pictures I'm probably in the background of. ) But you gotta love the tourists that get caught on the Metro during rush hour. I can't help but to feel bad for them because it is immediately evident that they're not from D.C. nor from a large city with a large public transit system. If you look close enough, you can literally see the joy and delight on their faces turn to horror once they enter the underground tunnels of the Metro. I have literally seen families huddle together so as not to get eaten alive by the D.C. commuters. But I usually flash them a smile and answer their directional questions to try to reassure them that it really will be okay.
Every day is different but the 45 minutes is usually pretty well spent. If nothing else, I get a few giggles out of it in between reading my newspaper. As if I didn't know this already, people are really interesting. If you observe long enough, you can learn a lot about someone you don't even know. So, the next time you have a free moment, instead of struggling to fill the time with doing something, sit back and observe. You may learn something about someone else or even yourself.
~S
Thursday, August 20, 2009
I'm baaack!
If my blog were a plant, the poor thing would have died after not being taken care of since the beginning of June. I know a number of people who just don't have a green thumb and end up tossing out dead plants and buying new ones at Home Depot for a fresh start. Well, I just got back from Home Depot.
The past couple of months have been a whirlwind. Just a little over three months ago I was recovering from graduation and had learned that I had just secured a position with a new employer that I had been literally dreaming about for almost two years. The next few weeks involved packing like a mad woman and building a new life for me and Jamaal in the Metro DC area.
Well, three months later, we have moved and started a new life that I never saw coming a year ago. I look forward to each day and I sleep like a baby at night. The air I breathe in the morning is fresh and energizing and I feel fortunate to have the opportunity to enjoy it. I miss Chicago of course but if all goes as planned it will be there when the time comes for a visit in a few months.
For graduation, one of my dear friends bought me a journal with quotes on each page that I keep at work and write important details in each day. All the quotes are timely but yesterday's quote seemed very apropos:
"Unless you walk out into the unknown, the odds of making a profound difference in your life are pretty low." ~Tom Peters
I say all of this to say that change is never a bad thing, challenging sometimes but not bad. And albeit risky, if it doesn't work, do something different!
~S
P.S. - My deepest apologies to everyone who I appear to have ignored on Facebook - not intentionally though I promise! After receiving a sad little email from Facebook itself, I plan to rejoin the social networking world soon.
The past couple of months have been a whirlwind. Just a little over three months ago I was recovering from graduation and had learned that I had just secured a position with a new employer that I had been literally dreaming about for almost two years. The next few weeks involved packing like a mad woman and building a new life for me and Jamaal in the Metro DC area.
Well, three months later, we have moved and started a new life that I never saw coming a year ago. I look forward to each day and I sleep like a baby at night. The air I breathe in the morning is fresh and energizing and I feel fortunate to have the opportunity to enjoy it. I miss Chicago of course but if all goes as planned it will be there when the time comes for a visit in a few months.
For graduation, one of my dear friends bought me a journal with quotes on each page that I keep at work and write important details in each day. All the quotes are timely but yesterday's quote seemed very apropos:
"Unless you walk out into the unknown, the odds of making a profound difference in your life are pretty low." ~Tom Peters
I say all of this to say that change is never a bad thing, challenging sometimes but not bad. And albeit risky, if it doesn't work, do something different!
~S
P.S. - My deepest apologies to everyone who I appear to have ignored on Facebook - not intentionally though I promise! After receiving a sad little email from Facebook itself, I plan to rejoin the social networking world soon.
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Life's critics
Happy Friday! And it's sunny!It's a gift and a curse but we live in a world that is full of unique people - different goals, different approaches, different attitudes, different personalities. In this world, most of us have to work. We have to work jobs where unfortunately, we work for other people. Because we spend so much time at work (and because we're not robots), regardless of your field, it's near impossible to not bring some of who you are into your work. Is it a bad thing - no, I think it's a beautiful thing. But herein lies the problem, when people don't know what "constructive criticism" really is, are they critiquing you or your work? Is there a difference - maybe or maybe not.
This week I have been reading the infamous February issue of Vibe on my afternoon train rides (in hopes of finishing it sometime this year). In the article, Sean Fennessey asks Kanye about his work and what the critics have said about the turn he took in making 808's and Heartbreak. Brilliantly, he responded:
"When you make a record like Love Lockdown, it's like you're not
even trying to pass a test. You just do a Basquiat painting over the whole
test. And sure, every answer is wrong, but look, it makes a beautiful
picture."
Work is hard because it's work. But you don't have to change who you are to complete a task. Do what you have to do to live but don't lose who you are in the work. Artists like Basquiat were great because they lived and worked in their own greatness - not because of what someone told
them. So, go forth - work to pay your bills - but live and thrive in the greatness in and around you!
Monday, June 1, 2009
So many ideas, so little time to blog
Since my last blog post, many days ago, I have thought about blogging every single day. Not so much what to blog about, more what to blog about first. I have been reading and have gotten 2 Real Simple's off the reading list.
But I'm still reading this damn Vibe from February! The high class problem is that (1) outside of the fact that Kanye is on the cover, (2) it also contains an article on The-Dream, who is also one of my favorites and (3) the writing is SO GOOD! I hadn't read Vibe in a really long time and the writing has evolved incredibly and I just don't want it to end.
I can say that I have at least started the article that is actually about Kanye West (starting on page 59) and my new high class problem is that not only is the writing phenomenal, this is one of the most introspective interviews with Kanye that I've ever read. His responses to each question are mind blowing and each line prompts a hundred thoughts for me. In my ideal world, I anticipated reading the article and blogging about it but because it's my blog and it's a free space, I guess I can write about any and all of it! Seriously, I believe there is a lot of richness to this article that has been inspiring to me and maybe it will be for you too...
The article starts with a full page, black and white headshot of Kanye with an Andy Warhol quote laid out over it: "They always say that time changes things. But you actually have to change them yourself." Besides the fact that Andy Warhol is a genius in his own right, this quote summarizes the story of my life.
Let me explain - I have this unrealistic fear that I'm always running out of time so I have to do as many things as possible to make sure that I'm prepared no matter what. Dangerous thinking - sure. But I think I'm in the minority of people who actually benefit from this thinking. When I started my Master's degree in Psychology, I wanted to be a therapist. I wanted to help people. I wanted to help people find solutions to their problems. About 6 months into the program, I realized that I don't have the patience to do therapy - and freaked out because I thought I had made a $40K mistake. I just couldn't see myself, seeing patients, week after week, month after month, year after year, trying to help someone.
I am not insensitive and don't want to appear that way. It would just be frustrating for me to see insurmountable potential and strength in someone that they can't see in themselves to overcome obstacles and make the changes necessary to have the life they want. I love people and I still want to help people. But I guess I take the stance that time is a divine gift that we're given to create and live the lives we want. At the end of the day, you decide how you spend your time.
But I'm still reading this damn Vibe from February! The high class problem is that (1) outside of the fact that Kanye is on the cover, (2) it also contains an article on The-Dream, who is also one of my favorites and (3) the writing is SO GOOD! I hadn't read Vibe in a really long time and the writing has evolved incredibly and I just don't want it to end.
I can say that I have at least started the article that is actually about Kanye West (starting on page 59) and my new high class problem is that not only is the writing phenomenal, this is one of the most introspective interviews with Kanye that I've ever read. His responses to each question are mind blowing and each line prompts a hundred thoughts for me. In my ideal world, I anticipated reading the article and blogging about it but because it's my blog and it's a free space, I guess I can write about any and all of it! Seriously, I believe there is a lot of richness to this article that has been inspiring to me and maybe it will be for you too...
The article starts with a full page, black and white headshot of Kanye with an Andy Warhol quote laid out over it: "They always say that time changes things. But you actually have to change them yourself." Besides the fact that Andy Warhol is a genius in his own right, this quote summarizes the story of my life.
Let me explain - I have this unrealistic fear that I'm always running out of time so I have to do as many things as possible to make sure that I'm prepared no matter what. Dangerous thinking - sure. But I think I'm in the minority of people who actually benefit from this thinking. When I started my Master's degree in Psychology, I wanted to be a therapist. I wanted to help people. I wanted to help people find solutions to their problems. About 6 months into the program, I realized that I don't have the patience to do therapy - and freaked out because I thought I had made a $40K mistake. I just couldn't see myself, seeing patients, week after week, month after month, year after year, trying to help someone.
I am not insensitive and don't want to appear that way. It would just be frustrating for me to see insurmountable potential and strength in someone that they can't see in themselves to overcome obstacles and make the changes necessary to have the life they want. I love people and I still want to help people. But I guess I take the stance that time is a divine gift that we're given to create and live the lives we want. At the end of the day, you decide how you spend your time.
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Summer Reading List
Summer is only 32 days away! You may recall my reading inventory from March which was diverse but a bit unfocused. With my newfound,post-graduation mental clarity, I've decided to take care of some unfinished business and take another look at my reading list:
Angels and Demons
You'll be happy to know that I finished Angels and Demons not a moment too soon before the movie was released last week! (That movie was phenomenal by the way! If you haven't seen it, go! Ron Howard is a true visionary.)
VIBE
Pretty sad - I'm still working on the February 2009 issue of Vibe with Kanye West on the cover. I did read some articles since March so I'm a few steps closer!
Real Simple
I did finish the 'Timesavers" mini-mag and the January 2009 issue. I am working on the April 2009 issue between typing!
Women and Money by Suze Orman
Sadly, not much progress with this one.
I believe that progress is relative and even slight progress can feel miraculous. With that being said, me being the person I am, you know I've picked up some new readings along the way! I'm keeping it pretty light and with focus, I can get through them in the next few weeks!
Actually, I'm not really into using the word "goal" these days because once I reach one, I like to take some time to reflect on the work it took and how grateful I am to have done it as the final step. Goals are in no way an indication of finality for me so let's just say, I am committed to finishing these to make room for a new list and new opportunities to learn about myself and the world.
How are your lists coming?
Angels and Demons
You'll be happy to know that I finished Angels and Demons not a moment too soon before the movie was released last week! (That movie was phenomenal by the way! If you haven't seen it, go! Ron Howard is a true visionary.)
VIBE
Pretty sad - I'm still working on the February 2009 issue of Vibe with Kanye West on the cover. I did read some articles since March so I'm a few steps closer!
Real Simple
I did finish the 'Timesavers" mini-mag and the January 2009 issue. I am working on the April 2009 issue between typing!
Women and Money by Suze Orman
Sadly, not much progress with this one.
I believe that progress is relative and even slight progress can feel miraculous. With that being said, me being the person I am, you know I've picked up some new readings along the way! I'm keeping it pretty light and with focus, I can get through them in the next few weeks!
- Real Simple: Beauty secrets from the pros (May 2009)
- Real Simple: Get organized. Stay organized. How to control the clutter for good (June 2009)
- Suze Orman's 2009 Action Plan: Keeping your money safe and sound
- Complex (with Kanye West on the cover) Yes, the one I asked you to read and yes, the one my friends Erica and DJ graciously gave me to feed my Kanye habit!!
Actually, I'm not really into using the word "goal" these days because once I reach one, I like to take some time to reflect on the work it took and how grateful I am to have done it as the final step. Goals are in no way an indication of finality for me so let's just say, I am committed to finishing these to make room for a new list and new opportunities to learn about myself and the world.
How are your lists coming?
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Florida 2009
So now that life is becoming the sanctuary I've tried to build over the last few years, I've been able to spend time with friends and family and relax. During these times, people have asked me about my recent trip to Florida. I've answered their questions probably with a really weird look on my face until I realized that people still have questions about this trip because I never told them about it. So here you go!!
It was a bit more than brisk on the Friday morning we left for Florida but it was some of the most glorious sunshine I had seen in months when we got there!
We had a blast at a bar on the beach called Bukkets (yes with 2 K's) Enough fun to go twice in one day! We went to the beach every single day and it got better each time.
The hotel was pretty basic to be close to the beach but the pool was amazing and so serene. We spent some great time with Jamaal's family and a full day of games, Go Karts and Mini Golf at Adventureland. Jamaal beat me in mini-golf by 5 points but no worries, I will regain my title!
The food and drinks were phenomenal as always. Some of the best seafood in the world! We ran into some weird weather in Atlanta on the way back and the pilot had to circle for over an hour. It all worked out when our connecting flight was upgraded to First Class. There is nothing wrong with complimentary cocktails, free food and extra leg room! All in all, it was a relaxing precursor to a busy week of activity!
Check out the rest of our vacation photoshere!
It was a bit more than brisk on the Friday morning we left for Florida but it was some of the most glorious sunshine I had seen in months when we got there!
We had a blast at a bar on the beach called Bukkets (yes with 2 K's) Enough fun to go twice in one day! We went to the beach every single day and it got better each time.
The hotel was pretty basic to be close to the beach but the pool was amazing and so serene. We spent some great time with Jamaal's family and a full day of games, Go Karts and Mini Golf at Adventureland. Jamaal beat me in mini-golf by 5 points but no worries, I will regain my title!
The food and drinks were phenomenal as always. Some of the best seafood in the world! We ran into some weird weather in Atlanta on the way back and the pilot had to circle for over an hour. It all worked out when our connecting flight was upgraded to First Class. There is nothing wrong with complimentary cocktails, free food and extra leg room! All in all, it was a relaxing precursor to a busy week of activity!
Check out the rest of our vacation photos
Monday, May 18, 2009
Time really is my friend!
For the past three years, I have been at constant odds with time. I think I have good time management skills however managing my time has felt like a series of battles in a neverending war.
Work, naturally, takes up your time. If you work full-time, you know that you spend about 25% of each week at work. If you work and have a family, another 30-40% of your time - gone. If you're like me and you work, attempt to attend school full-time, build a family or spend time with family and have a social life - kiss your time goodbye.
Because I felt that I didn't have the luxury of being able to focus on one thing at a time, I became an incessant multi-tasker. Don't get me wrong, multi-tasking is a great skill - to a point - but when you live your life that way, it is exhausting and creates undue pressure that there is ALWAYS something to be done. Is there always something to be done - of course. But do I need to be one doing it? Not so much.
As many of you know, I graduated with my Master's on Friday. For about two weeks up until that point, I would talk to people and they would ask me how I felt. I didn't feel that different and usually responded with something that seemed appropriate to the response they were looking for. "School" had become this overarching force - something to hide behind or a way to describe what I was doing with my life. And it was coming to an end. Where had the time gone?
It was not until Saturday afternoon around 3 p.m. that I truly understood what the wonderful, dynamic, inspirational Kenny Leon meant in his outstanding keynote speech at my graduation. "If you're constantly planning, you're missing opportunities to live in the moment." For that same two week period, I had visions of sitting around, no school to hide behind, feeling restless and not knowing what to do. After three years, the answer was clear - nothing. It was finally time to do nothing. The cleaning was done, the grocery shopping was complete, we had eaten lunch, things were organized and now it was time to do nothing - but enjoy the moment.
Standing on the bridge of my future, I am employing myself and everyone I know to do just that. It's time to slow down. Enjoy - the happy moments in your life because you'll miss them when you're sad. Enjoy - the sunny days because you'll for sure miss them when it's snowing. Enjoy - the positive, supportive, loving people in your life becasue you'll miss them like hell when they're gone.
I've made my list (a small one) of what I must accomplish today and now that it's done - I'm off to enjoy the rest of my day with my new best friend, Time.
Work, naturally, takes up your time. If you work full-time, you know that you spend about 25% of each week at work. If you work and have a family, another 30-40% of your time - gone. If you're like me and you work, attempt to attend school full-time, build a family or spend time with family and have a social life - kiss your time goodbye.
Because I felt that I didn't have the luxury of being able to focus on one thing at a time, I became an incessant multi-tasker. Don't get me wrong, multi-tasking is a great skill - to a point - but when you live your life that way, it is exhausting and creates undue pressure that there is ALWAYS something to be done. Is there always something to be done - of course. But do I need to be one doing it? Not so much.
As many of you know, I graduated with my Master's on Friday. For about two weeks up until that point, I would talk to people and they would ask me how I felt. I didn't feel that different and usually responded with something that seemed appropriate to the response they were looking for. "School" had become this overarching force - something to hide behind or a way to describe what I was doing with my life. And it was coming to an end. Where had the time gone?
It was not until Saturday afternoon around 3 p.m. that I truly understood what the wonderful, dynamic, inspirational Kenny Leon meant in his outstanding keynote speech at my graduation. "If you're constantly planning, you're missing opportunities to live in the moment." For that same two week period, I had visions of sitting around, no school to hide behind, feeling restless and not knowing what to do. After three years, the answer was clear - nothing. It was finally time to do nothing. The cleaning was done, the grocery shopping was complete, we had eaten lunch, things were organized and now it was time to do nothing - but enjoy the moment.
Standing on the bridge of my future, I am employing myself and everyone I know to do just that. It's time to slow down. Enjoy - the happy moments in your life because you'll miss them when you're sad. Enjoy - the sunny days because you'll for sure miss them when it's snowing. Enjoy - the positive, supportive, loving people in your life becasue you'll miss them like hell when they're gone.
I've made my list (a small one) of what I must accomplish today and now that it's done - I'm off to enjoy the rest of my day with my new best friend, Time.
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Seriosuly, this time it's been way too long!
I apologize for the grandiose delay but I've been a busy lady! I've thought a lot about blogging, just haven't been quite sure what to blog about. The past few weeks have been full of activity from work and school - I even managed to go on a little vacay! (which I will blog about sometime in the near future)
I'm not really sure what that should be as of yet but I think I'll start with the many organizing projects I started yet ever finished. Jamaal and I are committing to starting "Sundays at Borders" where we spend some quiet, quality time at Borders. I plan to write and he plans to read but some days maybe we'll switch it up! I sometimes wish I had actually been making a list over the past three years when I would say, "When I am done with school, I am going to...".
Who knows, maybe I'll find that list while I'm organizing?!?
Have a great Friday and Happy Mother's Day!
I set up mobile blogging on my phone so I could make good use of that time on the train, waiting at the salon, etc. but I have substituted that potential blogging time for finishing "Angels and Demons" before the movie comes out next week.
Graduation is only a week away and it still isn't really registering. I had a dream last night that I was soooo busy trying to get my friends and family organized and prepared that I forgot my graduation cap - seems minor, but in the grand scheme of consistency with graduations, it can be a big deal. Although I CANNOT fathom writing another paper or doing an assignment, it's almost inevitable to have the sneaking hint of anxiety...about what to do next...I'm not really sure what that should be as of yet but I think I'll start with the many organizing projects I started yet ever finished. Jamaal and I are committing to starting "Sundays at Borders" where we spend some quiet, quality time at Borders. I plan to write and he plans to read but some days maybe we'll switch it up! I sometimes wish I had actually been making a list over the past three years when I would say, "When I am done with school, I am going to...".
Who knows, maybe I'll find that list while I'm organizing?!?
Have a great Friday and Happy Mother's Day!
Monday, April 20, 2009
Respecting my elders
Sometime within the same year of working at McDonald's, my mother decided that it would be beneficial for me to spend some quality time with the senior citizens at the rehab facility she was working for at the time. From what I remember, I started as a volunteer once or twice a month assisting the Activities Director with...activities.
The activities themselves were pretty straightforward - sing-a-longs, card games, bowling (with a ginormous plastic ball and pins), Bingo, Pokeno, storytelling, or whatever felt like a good thing to do that day. The people there were really sweet, some a little challenging but nothing that wasn't manageable. The hardest part was working with the Activities Director, although good natured and well-intentioned, her voice sounded like opera - all the time, in regular conversation, nonstop. Imagine asking someone a question and they reply by singing their response, in an operatic tone. Yes, that is what it was like. If you want to take it a step further, many of the senior citizens had hearing problems, so she had to speak louder so they could hear her. So, now imagine opera amplified.
To my surprise, she hired me part-time as an Activities Assistant - great news but guess what else, more opera than I knew what to do with. It all worked out because the more experience I got, the more she pulled away and I coordinated the Activities by myself.
The moral of the story is that there really isn't one, it just makes me laugh when I think about the operatic Activities Director. Plus, spending time with the seniors wasn't a bad use of time either.
The activities themselves were pretty straightforward - sing-a-longs, card games, bowling (with a ginormous plastic ball and pins), Bingo, Pokeno, storytelling, or whatever felt like a good thing to do that day. The people there were really sweet, some a little challenging but nothing that wasn't manageable. The hardest part was working with the Activities Director, although good natured and well-intentioned, her voice sounded like opera - all the time, in regular conversation, nonstop. Imagine asking someone a question and they reply by singing their response, in an operatic tone. Yes, that is what it was like. If you want to take it a step further, many of the senior citizens had hearing problems, so she had to speak louder so they could hear her. So, now imagine opera amplified.
To my surprise, she hired me part-time as an Activities Assistant - great news but guess what else, more opera than I knew what to do with. It all worked out because the more experience I got, the more she pulled away and I coordinated the Activities by myself.
The moral of the story is that there really isn't one, it just makes me laugh when I think about the operatic Activities Director. Plus, spending time with the seniors wasn't a bad use of time either.
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Getting back on track...
So by the time summer #3 rolled around, I was 16 and was eligible to get a "real job." One of my close friends worked at the McDonald's in the town I grew up in so I applied there, she put in a good word and the rest was history.
People get really frustrated with me when we go through a drive-thru and I don't know what I want and I ask the person to wait for just a moment. I know this is not unreasonable because I did this - for over 2 years! I started at the bottom at the register but when they realized how efficient I actually was, I worked the drive-thru. When you work at a fast food restaurant, especially in the drive-thru, there are time standards for how long it should take to process an order from start to finish. I believe the average is 2 minutes, believe it or not! I mastered the drive-thru and saved their processing times if I don't say so, myself!
There were some fun times and "challenging" times - as you can imagine. But in the end, I believe it set the tone for the development of my work ethic and interactions with different types of people.
Project management, conflict resolution, accounting, goal setting, tracking and managing productivity, anticipating clients' needs, sales, marketing, etc. are things that people may $30K+ for in an MBA program. My only cost for learning these things was a little hard work at my local McDonald's.
People get really frustrated with me when we go through a drive-thru and I don't know what I want and I ask the person to wait for just a moment. I know this is not unreasonable because I did this - for over 2 years! I started at the bottom at the register but when they realized how efficient I actually was, I worked the drive-thru. When you work at a fast food restaurant, especially in the drive-thru, there are time standards for how long it should take to process an order from start to finish. I believe the average is 2 minutes, believe it or not! I mastered the drive-thru and saved their processing times if I don't say so, myself!
There were some fun times and "challenging" times - as you can imagine. But in the end, I believe it set the tone for the development of my work ethic and interactions with different types of people.
Project management, conflict resolution, accounting, goal setting, tracking and managing productivity, anticipating clients' needs, sales, marketing, etc. are things that people may $30K+ for in an MBA program. My only cost for learning these things was a little hard work at my local McDonald's.
Monday, April 6, 2009
My Personal "Role Models" Story
Although I didn't see the actual movie, just from the previews I could tell that it was built on truth. My second job was the following summer working as a park district camp counselor for grade school children.
Growing up in such a large household, I thought I had a good idea of how to work with and interact with children. The first couple of weeks were spent planning and preparing for the camp...then the children arrived. For the first week or so, everyone was on their best behavior, taking time to get to know each other and settling into their environment. The weeks after that were some of the hardest days of my life.
I understood that some of these children were dealing with some real issues, being adopted, experiencing divorce or just being dropped off every day so they weren't a burden to their parents. So the days would start out fine - energetic, fresh and curious. By the morning snack, all hell would have broken loose and someone would be crying - sometimes one of them, sometimes me.
We had some good times, even some great times but we also had some challenging times. I do think about those kids sometimes and as a result I have nothing but the utmost respect for anyone who works with children. They also reminded me of what it was like to be a kid and how impressionable and vital guidance is in those years.
Although it exhausts me to think about it, I also think about how clever and imaginative children are and I do look forward to being a parent someday.
Growing up in such a large household, I thought I had a good idea of how to work with and interact with children. The first couple of weeks were spent planning and preparing for the camp...then the children arrived. For the first week or so, everyone was on their best behavior, taking time to get to know each other and settling into their environment. The weeks after that were some of the hardest days of my life.
I understood that some of these children were dealing with some real issues, being adopted, experiencing divorce or just being dropped off every day so they weren't a burden to their parents. So the days would start out fine - energetic, fresh and curious. By the morning snack, all hell would have broken loose and someone would be crying - sometimes one of them, sometimes me.
We had some good times, even some great times but we also had some challenging times. I do think about those kids sometimes and as a result I have nothing but the utmost respect for anyone who works with children. They also reminded me of what it was like to be a kid and how impressionable and vital guidance is in those years.
Although it exhausts me to think about it, I also think about how clever and imaginative children are and I do look forward to being a parent someday.
Thursday, April 2, 2009
It's April!!
One of the things that Jamaal often says to me is that I'm not spontaneous enough.
What can I say - I love my plans!! But when something doesn't go as planned, I have some "difficulty" accepting it. So starting with this very blog post, I'm going to do it! I originally wanted to set the tone for my theme this month (as planned) but I had a new thought as I talked to my friend, Erica today.
Although I am not that old, I can't even count the number of jobs I've had. Some were worked one at a time and some were simultaneous. Although most people wouldn't choose to work, you have to admit that working does afford you some funny stories over drinks on Friday nights. So in order to figure out truly how many jobs I have had, I am going to start at the very beginning and write about each and every one of them!
My first "official" job was when I was 14 years old. The school district sponsored a summer work program that placed students in a number of positions sponsored by the school and park districts.
I worked in the office of a grade school superintendent. It was here that I put all of my skills to work and felt "official." I had plenty of experience talking to my friends on the phone so taking calls and messages was no problem! I had always enjoyed reading so reading manuals to learn how to do things just after being assigned to do them was right up my alley. Growing up with six siblings was a constant challenge of efficiency and being the oldest, I was always tasked with maintaining order if/when my parents were away. Before I knew it, I was running the office!!
Although somewhat of a faint memory, this job was meaningful and important to me and thus shaped my work ethic as an adult.
What about you - what was your very first job?
What can I say - I love my plans!! But when something doesn't go as planned, I have some "difficulty" accepting it. So starting with this very blog post, I'm going to do it! I originally wanted to set the tone for my theme this month (as planned) but I had a new thought as I talked to my friend, Erica today.
Although I am not that old, I can't even count the number of jobs I've had. Some were worked one at a time and some were simultaneous. Although most people wouldn't choose to work, you have to admit that working does afford you some funny stories over drinks on Friday nights. So in order to figure out truly how many jobs I have had, I am going to start at the very beginning and write about each and every one of them!
My first "official" job was when I was 14 years old. The school district sponsored a summer work program that placed students in a number of positions sponsored by the school and park districts.
I worked in the office of a grade school superintendent. It was here that I put all of my skills to work and felt "official." I had plenty of experience talking to my friends on the phone so taking calls and messages was no problem! I had always enjoyed reading so reading manuals to learn how to do things just after being assigned to do them was right up my alley. Growing up with six siblings was a constant challenge of efficiency and being the oldest, I was always tasked with maintaining order if/when my parents were away. Before I knew it, I was running the office!!
Although somewhat of a faint memory, this job was meaningful and important to me and thus shaped my work ethic as an adult.
What about you - what was your very first job?
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
It's Amazing...So Amazing!
Dear Blog Followers:
Accept my apologies for the extreme delay in attending to the blog. Last week was solely dedicated to finishing my thesis - which is finally done!! I can now rid my home of all the books, articles and research-related things that I have feared I would need to refer back to in a last ditch effort to get my thesis done and defended.
The defense went well - a million thanks for all of the well wishes. I'm sooo glad it's done but it feels weird. I now understand the wicked web of research; answering one question only brings about three more. I'll table that for now and maybe save it for a doctoral program.
Now for today's thoughts - it's now April and time for a new theme, I'm not sure what it will be just yet but March's theme of Determination proved to be successful especially in seeing the light at the end of the tunnel with school/my thesis. In getting all caught up with all the things in the world that make me happy, I realized I couldn't end the month of Determination without paying homage to Mr. West and his "Kanyeisms."
Check out his spread in Complex - it's absolutely mind blowing and shows why he is just one of the best!
Happy April
~S
Accept my apologies for the extreme delay in attending to the blog. Last week was solely dedicated to finishing my thesis - which is finally done!! I can now rid my home of all the books, articles and research-related things that I have feared I would need to refer back to in a last ditch effort to get my thesis done and defended.
The defense went well - a million thanks for all of the well wishes. I'm sooo glad it's done but it feels weird. I now understand the wicked web of research; answering one question only brings about three more. I'll table that for now and maybe save it for a doctoral program.
Now for today's thoughts - it's now April and time for a new theme, I'm not sure what it will be just yet but March's theme of Determination proved to be successful especially in seeing the light at the end of the tunnel with school/my thesis. In getting all caught up with all the things in the world that make me happy, I realized I couldn't end the month of Determination without paying homage to Mr. West and his "Kanyeisms."
Check out his spread in Complex - it's absolutely mind blowing and shows why he is just one of the best!
Happy April
~S
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Am I being Punk'd?
So my Monday started unlike most other Mondays, sleepy and wishing it were Friday already. Work was...work. I left work at 4:15 p.m. to study for a midterm that I started to mentally prepare for at 8 a.m. that morning.
I parked my car on Wabash (parallel to the curb) between Randolph and Washington (as I always do), paid at the paybox and put the little ticket in the front driver's side window. The area that I parked in was north of a fire hydrant which was not marked with yellow paint. However, there were natural breaks in the sidewalk at points that gave you an indication of where and where not to park. I went to class to take my midterm and planned to return to my car within an hour or so.
An hour later, I took the midterm and returned to my car. As I approached the area where I parked my car, I almost passed out. I seriously thought I was being Punk'd. My car was not parallel to the curb where I left it - it was now parked diagonally ON WABASH in the east lane of southbound traffic!!!
I was so shocked that I didn't know what to do. As people walked by and looked and pointed, I was so embarrassed that I just jumped in and took off (which is why I didn't take a pic to post on the blog). Herein lies the issue, because the City of Chicago does not necessarily hire the most competent people, it was evident that the tow truck driver pulled my car out of its parking space to tow it, realized that I was legally parked and left it in the middle of the lane and went about his (or her) business. Unbelievable!
While a large part of me was thankful that my car was still there, seriously it was so ridiculous and unnecessary that I couldn't help but to be annoyed. Shortly after Jamaal and I went to Bar Louie for burgers and drinks and all of this was a faint memory but nonetheless ridiculous!!!!
The moral of the story is, Mondays is 1/2 price food and drinks at Bar Louie so our bill only came to $19!!!! A great end to a Monday.
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Do you have an hour to spare?
Hi friends! In addition to the wonderful arrival of Spring, it's time again for Earth Hour. I remember seeing ads for this last year and planned to look into it but it didn't happen.
Over the past few weeks, I have been seeing these ads again; specifically, a billboard that I pass on my way to and from work each day. Back in January, while I was thinking New Year's resolution type thoughts, I remember thinking that I wanted to put some time into understanding my carbon footprint and how I can decrease it. I hadn't delivered on that promise yet either so now that Earth Hour is only 5 days away, I have another opportunity.
What is Earth Hour?
People from around the globe are committing to turning off their lights for one hour this Saturday, March 28 at 8:30 pm, their local time, to promote global action on climate change.
How can you participate?
Whatever is easiest for you. There are no strict guidelines or requirement to sign up. You can read tips and suggestions for participating on the Earth Hour website.
I hope the weather is nice so I can enjoy an outside activity but if not, a little candlelight would be nice too!
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Today is your day!!
Today is your day! A MILLION THANKS to everyone who has showed me so much love on the blog. As of yesterday, readership has increased more than 5 times of what it was for both the months of January and February. This equates to more than 30 hits per week. (Which is huge to me!)
My blog is very special to me and I'm so happy that each of you (I assume) are enjoying it and returning for each new post.
So, today is your day - I give you full permission to ignore your RSS feeds and take a break from my blog. The sunshine today is absolutely gorgeous. You should enjoy it - because that is what I will be doing today. I am spending time with my family this weekend and we have a margarita machine!! So, enough said. See you on Monday!
~S
My blog is very special to me and I'm so happy that each of you (I assume) are enjoying it and returning for each new post.
So, today is your day - I give you full permission to ignore your RSS feeds and take a break from my blog. The sunshine today is absolutely gorgeous. You should enjoy it - because that is what I will be doing today. I am spending time with my family this weekend and we have a margarita machine!! So, enough said. See you on Monday!
~S
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Hey, what are you reading?
I'm a girl that lives in a neverending world of multi-tasking. I try to focus solely on certain things (i.e. spending time with family and friends and enjoying the things that make me happy) but some things I think are such great ideas and if I don't start on it right away, I'll somehow miss the opportunity.
Angels and Demons by Dan Brown (The movie starring Tom Hanks is set to be released in May so I have to finish this!)
Guilty as charged - Real Simple is my secret pre-mommy magazine.
One of those things is reading. I challenged myself to read more this year. So "what am I reading" you ask? Here is the list! (All being read simultaneously with no end in sight!)
Angels and Demons by Dan Brown (The movie starring Tom Hanks is set to be released in May so I have to finish this!)
Vibe (February 2009 Issue) with Kanye West on the cover
Guilty as charged - Real Simple is my secret pre-mommy magazine.
- Real Simple Solutions-Timesavers
- Real Simple (January 2009 Issue)-Feel Calmer Now: 20 essential lists to organize your life
- Real Simple (April 2009 Issue)-Back-to-basics cleaning: 78 easy ideas to make every room shine-fast
Women and Money by Suze Orman
This is something that fits nicely into the "Determination" theme - I need to get at least one of these off the list by the end of the month!
What about you? What are you reading right now? (List all that apply!)
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
The "Mail" Persuasion
At the end of a long day or a day that didn't go so well, nothing can lift my spirits like receiving mail. Not bills or junk mail that I don't have a use for but mail that was sent to me personally and intended only for me.
It doesn't have to be super-surprising, it can be as simple as when I've ordered things online and they have arrived. Although it would be nice to get a letter, that never happens because of the wonderful magic of e-mail, text messages, Facebook and Twitter. (Although I'm not complaining!) Sadly though, even sending holiday and birthday cards are becoming a lost art. For the last few years, I have been an offender but I redeemed myself this past holiday season.
I have many things on my "One day I am going to" list and I won't go too far into what has and has not been done but I will add sending cards and handwritten letters. I feel like it's one of those things that people talk about doing but I only know 3-4 people that actually do it. There are also the people who do it because it's the "fashionable" thing to do; especially when Kate Spade is designing stationery and note cards! (They are cute though - click here to view)
You can get note cards pretty much anywhere. For those extra special people, you can even get some that were created with the passion of making something special, like the ones designed by my friend, Erica (Shown here. Check out her designs at Littlepretty.etsy.com)
I guess my point of this whole thing is that it really doesn't take that long or cost that much to brighten someones day with a note to let them know you were thinking of them.
~S
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Still working on this whole "Determination" thing: Today's "Kanyeism"
Happy St. Patrick's Day! Kegs 'n Eggs 2009 was crazy fun (Thanks again, Brittany!) so I won't be celebrating much today but I will be getting back to this business of determination.
I'm still working on Kanye's "2 Keys 2 Happiness" (Please refer last Friday's blog post if you're not sure what they are) and Point #2 is making slow progress and Point #1 is...let's be honest-I'm probably further away from reaching that than I was 3 days ago. Sad.
In assessing what today's "Kanyeism" was going to be, I had some new insight that I thought I would share. (FYI-assessing involves me taking out the book and dropping it on my desk. Whatever page it opens to is what I choose. I guess it's a Kanye eight-ball in a way!)
I've been having a number of challenges in the past eight months or so, they range in severity and difficulty but the source is the same. I've come to many conclusions in order to make my peace with the situation but it's one that won't be changing until the time is right. Some days are okay and some days, I'm crying when I get out of bed and I'm crying when I go to bed at night thinking about it.
After spending more time trying to find a solution and seeking counsel from those I love and trust, the reality is I cannot control this situation so I have to tailor it to fit my needs, a.k.a. Point #1 of the "2 Keys 2 Happiness." That brings us to today's "Kanyeism".
One of my flaws since I was a kid is that I take things very seriously. I wouldn't call it naivete but I expect people to act and react the same way I do. The main way this plays out is the consideration and respect that I give to people. People have told me that I often treat people who don't deserve it with respect. And as Jamaal eloquently put it, "It sad, but it is unrealistic to expect people to respect you the same way you respect them."
I am in no way perfect but I grew up with the understanding that it is important to treat people well. So, here is where the breakdown comes - when people don't treat me in a way that I feel is appropriate, I cannot handle it and feel that I cannot tolerate it. (Not good progress toward Point #1 especially because I can't control that) With that being said, I think the goal in upholding this theme of Determination is that:
Every day is a new test and today is undoubtedly a new one. I will do my absolute best to remember the "2 Keys 2 Happiness" and that I must "Embrace My Flaws." For now, that is all I can promise, because I am only human.
I'm still working on Kanye's "2 Keys 2 Happiness" (Please refer last Friday's blog post if you're not sure what they are) and Point #2 is making slow progress and Point #1 is...let's be honest-I'm probably further away from reaching that than I was 3 days ago. Sad.
In assessing what today's "Kanyeism" was going to be, I had some new insight that I thought I would share. (FYI-assessing involves me taking out the book and dropping it on my desk. Whatever page it opens to is what I choose. I guess it's a Kanye eight-ball in a way!)
Embrace Your Flaws (pages 25 and 26)
"Recognize and embrace your flaws so you
can learn from them. Sometimes it takes a little polishing to truly shine."
I've been having a number of challenges in the past eight months or so, they range in severity and difficulty but the source is the same. I've come to many conclusions in order to make my peace with the situation but it's one that won't be changing until the time is right. Some days are okay and some days, I'm crying when I get out of bed and I'm crying when I go to bed at night thinking about it.
After spending more time trying to find a solution and seeking counsel from those I love and trust, the reality is I cannot control this situation so I have to tailor it to fit my needs, a.k.a. Point #1 of the "2 Keys 2 Happiness." That brings us to today's "Kanyeism".
One of my flaws since I was a kid is that I take things very seriously. I wouldn't call it naivete but I expect people to act and react the same way I do. The main way this plays out is the consideration and respect that I give to people. People have told me that I often treat people who don't deserve it with respect. And as Jamaal eloquently put it, "It sad, but it is unrealistic to expect people to respect you the same way you respect them."
I am in no way perfect but I grew up with the understanding that it is important to treat people well. So, here is where the breakdown comes - when people don't treat me in a way that I feel is appropriate, I cannot handle it and feel that I cannot tolerate it. (Not good progress toward Point #1 especially because I can't control that) With that being said, I think the goal in upholding this theme of Determination is that:
(1) I have to learn to not take things personally that are not that important to me in the first place.
(2) If someone doesn't hold my feelings, talents or skills in high regard, I shouldn't dignify their ridiculousness with my time or attention.
Every day is a new test and today is undoubtedly a new one. I will do my absolute best to remember the "2 Keys 2 Happiness" and that I must "Embrace My Flaws." For now, that is all I can promise, because I am only human.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
King of Determination: Today's "Kanyeism"
As you may or may not know, this month's theme is Determination. I am still fighting the thesis battle (and I think I am winning) - it made it through first round approval! And dealing with some other challenges but trying to be mindful that there is a light at the end of the tunnel.
In times like these, I definitely am thankful for the wonderful support of my friends, family and Jamaal. But when it's just me and these challenges, I need something to remind me that I am bigger and better than the negativity around me. So, I consult "Thank You and You're Welcome", Kanye West's book of "Kanyeisms" - his thoughts on the world and how to interact with it. He is the King of Determination and these 30 second pieces of advice have saved my sanity many a time.
Today's Kanyeism (from page 23 and 24)
Spoken from someone who has embodied determination. I usually do okay with the second point. I try to keep my time away from work or school as my time and not cloud it with things that make me unhappy. But the first point, I need to work on desparately.
I wasn't spoiled by my parents into thinking that everything would be go my way all the time however I have always worked under the assumption that I don't have to deal with things that I don't like. The older I get, I realize, not true (all the time). So in addition to my commitment to Positive Thinking (which is still kinda questionable), I am adding my commitment to working on Mr. West's first point.
In times like these, I definitely am thankful for the wonderful support of my friends, family and Jamaal. But when it's just me and these challenges, I need something to remind me that I am bigger and better than the negativity around me. So, I consult "Thank You and You're Welcome", Kanye West's book of "Kanyeisms" - his thoughts on the world and how to interact with it. He is the King of Determination and these 30 second pieces of advice have saved my sanity many a time.Today's Kanyeism (from page 23 and 24)
"2 Keys 2 Happiness"
One...Being able to tolerate things that make you unhappy.
or
Two...Being able to change things to make you happy.
Now, if you have a low tolerance and don't have the ability to create
change, there's a good chance that you will be unhappy!
Spoken from someone who has embodied determination. I usually do okay with the second point. I try to keep my time away from work or school as my time and not cloud it with things that make me unhappy. But the first point, I need to work on desparately.
I wasn't spoiled by my parents into thinking that everything would be go my way all the time however I have always worked under the assumption that I don't have to deal with things that I don't like. The older I get, I realize, not true (all the time). So in addition to my commitment to Positive Thinking (which is still kinda questionable), I am adding my commitment to working on Mr. West's first point.
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Talk about cleansing your karma!
WARNING! If you have not seen the movie, Seven Pounds, and plan on seeing it and don't want to know what it is about, you probably shouldn't read this blog post. However, I'm only going to give an overview because I want you to watch it for the specifics.
In December, a close friend told me about a morning radio show she had listened to that recommended that everyone see "Seven Pounds." I had not heard anything about it besides the fact that Will Smith starred in it. She said the radio host said it was one of the movies that he saw that he had seen and couldn't hold back tears. We began to talk about something else, I didn't see it and never heard anything else about it.
In February, while visiting my parents and watching the Super Bowl, my dad suggested that I see it. I took note and put it on my "To Watch" movie list for a lazy day. A couple of weeks ago, Jamaal and I decided to watch it.
Essentially, Will Smith plays a successful engineer who has it all - great job, great car, great house and great fiancee but he doesn't appreciate it. He works all the time and has difficulty separating himself from his work. On the night he proposes to his fiancee, he continues to check his Blackberry while driving down the curvy hills of Southern California. Before he can stop, he runs into an SUV and kills the 6 people inside plus his fiancee.
In an effort to cleanse his karma, he sets out to save 7 lives as penance for what happened. Posing as an IRS auditor, he "tests" 7 different people to see how worthy they are of being helped in a way that will change and even save their lives. He forms strong bonds and even falls in love with one of them without any of them knowing his plan. Mysteriously, he disappears as each of the 7 people are helped in a domino effect while learning that he died to give each of them a gift. (You'll have to watch it to find out what the gifts are!)
I had not cried from watching a movie like this in ages. It was deep. I recommend that you watch it. It's definitely worth the $4 rental fee at Blockbuster or putting it on your Netflix list.
I love my blog and hope you do too! I NEED YOUR COMMENTS!
In December, a close friend told me about a morning radio show she had listened to that recommended that everyone see "Seven Pounds." I had not heard anything about it besides the fact that Will Smith starred in it. She said the radio host said it was one of the movies that he saw that he had seen and couldn't hold back tears. We began to talk about something else, I didn't see it and never heard anything else about it.
In February, while visiting my parents and watching the Super Bowl, my dad suggested that I see it. I took note and put it on my "To Watch" movie list for a lazy day. A couple of weeks ago, Jamaal and I decided to watch it.
Essentially, Will Smith plays a successful engineer who has it all - great job, great car, great house and great fiancee but he doesn't appreciate it. He works all the time and has difficulty separating himself from his work. On the night he proposes to his fiancee, he continues to check his Blackberry while driving down the curvy hills of Southern California. Before he can stop, he runs into an SUV and kills the 6 people inside plus his fiancee.
In an effort to cleanse his karma, he sets out to save 7 lives as penance for what happened. Posing as an IRS auditor, he "tests" 7 different people to see how worthy they are of being helped in a way that will change and even save their lives. He forms strong bonds and even falls in love with one of them without any of them knowing his plan. Mysteriously, he disappears as each of the 7 people are helped in a domino effect while learning that he died to give each of them a gift. (You'll have to watch it to find out what the gifts are!)
I had not cried from watching a movie like this in ages. It was deep. I recommend that you watch it. It's definitely worth the $4 rental fee at Blockbuster or putting it on your Netflix list.
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Sunday, March 8, 2009
Thoughts on a Rainy Day
It's Day 2 of crazy rain in Chicago and although it sucks, a friend pointed out that it is better than snow. So I digress...
On top of it being another rainy day, there are only 19 days left to get my thesis done. As promised, I have worked on it every day like the "Finish Your Thesis in 15 Minutes a Day" book and another friend advised me. It's definitely moving along but more and more I see why people don't work and go to grad school at the same time.
I look forward to the day when I don't have t keep carrying it - and the 20 articles that support it - with me every day for those rare times when I'm stuck waiting for something and want to feel productive. It will be nice to have a "normal life" - whatever the hell that means.
Sitting at work and at home (working on said thesis) and in the car (driving to work or school) has definitely had an effect on the fact that I have not been getting as much exercise as I need/want. I was getting some good runs in once a week for a while but that came to sad halt when the thesis and sleep rose to the top of the list as the number one priority.
I know - I've read more books, magazines, websites, blogs, etc. that I can count that tell you that exercise must be a priority and you have to schedule it along with everything else on your calendar. Sounds good but not always ideal for me. This week, I have resumed my research on capoeira. (If you don't know what that is, click here to view a video)
No doubt intense, I think about studying it at least twice a year. No time is ever really a good time and it's quite evident that although I will be less busy at some point, I will always be busy to some extent. There is no better time than the present (I think) so I think I will pull the trigger and start this week!
Until then I will let you know how it goes - with the thesis and the capoeira.
Enjoy your Sunday,
S
On top of it being another rainy day, there are only 19 days left to get my thesis done. As promised, I have worked on it every day like the "Finish Your Thesis in 15 Minutes a Day" book and another friend advised me. It's definitely moving along but more and more I see why people don't work and go to grad school at the same time.
I look forward to the day when I don't have t keep carrying it - and the 20 articles that support it - with me every day for those rare times when I'm stuck waiting for something and want to feel productive. It will be nice to have a "normal life" - whatever the hell that means.
Sitting at work and at home (working on said thesis) and in the car (driving to work or school) has definitely had an effect on the fact that I have not been getting as much exercise as I need/want. I was getting some good runs in once a week for a while but that came to sad halt when the thesis and sleep rose to the top of the list as the number one priority.
I know - I've read more books, magazines, websites, blogs, etc. that I can count that tell you that exercise must be a priority and you have to schedule it along with everything else on your calendar. Sounds good but not always ideal for me. This week, I have resumed my research on capoeira. (If you don't know what that is, click here to view a video)
No doubt intense, I think about studying it at least twice a year. No time is ever really a good time and it's quite evident that although I will be less busy at some point, I will always be busy to some extent. There is no better time than the present (I think) so I think I will pull the trigger and start this week!
Until then I will let you know how it goes - with the thesis and the capoeira.
Enjoy your Sunday,
S
Friday, March 6, 2009
Chickpea: A Little Mediterranean Getaway
In sad celebration of my intern's last day, some colleagues and I took her out to lunch. At the request of a friend/colleague, we went to the new Mediterranean getaway: Chickpea.
My go-to Mediterranean place has always been Sultan's Market (the Wicker Park location). But as you know, while the food at Sultan's is amazing, the restaurant is somewhat small and parking can be tricky but it's a trade off for the eye candy who we affectionately named "Beirut."
Located near Chicago and Damen Avenue, finding parking on Chicago Avenue was fairly easy to do. Because it is so new, it doesn't have a sign yet so we just went in assuming that it had to be it. The decor is a mixture of Middle Eastern fixtures and retro movie/comic book posters. Interesting combination.
When we walked in, we were slightly confused because no one was there to show us to a table. The host told us we could sit where we liked and came over shortly thereafter to give us the lowdown: Chickpea is designed to be somewhat like your home, no waiters or waitresses because they want you to feel like a part of the process. You order at the counter, grab your silverware and beverage and reseat yourself.
Prices were not exorbitant and quite reasonable, approximately $10 per person. The menu contains a statement that says that the food is prepared by the owner's mother. We wondered if there really was a little Mediterranean lady in the kitchen cooking all of this food or was there a chef just making the food according to her recipes. Although we did not see her, my friend that had gone there before confirmed that in fact, his mother is the cook and she is the one that makes all of the food. Amazing!!!
The food was incredibly fresh with very crisp flavors. I ordered the Mufta sandwich which has beef and lamb, roasted vegetables and hummus. It was extremely good! However, when I tried to order a falafel on the side, to my disappointment they told me that they don't sell them a la carte (although they do at Sultan's). We ordered the falafel platter and shared it. The platter came with 6 falafel and a duo of sauces that were quite good. The hummus was wonderfully fresh and creamy. The only other disappointment was the lentil soup that my colleague ordered.
Of additional interest is the bathtub in the washroom - a clear indicator that the space was an apartment that was built into a restaurant. All in all, it was a great experience. I will definitely go back and I wish them luck!
Correction: They do have a sign - it was on the ground written in chalk. We noticed it when we left. I tried to take a picture but I couldn't capture it without casting a shadow over it.
My go-to Mediterranean place has always been Sultan's Market (the Wicker Park location). But as you know, while the food at Sultan's is amazing, the restaurant is somewhat small and parking can be tricky but it's a trade off for the eye candy who we affectionately named "Beirut."
Located near Chicago and Damen Avenue, finding parking on Chicago Avenue was fairly easy to do. Because it is so new, it doesn't have a sign yet so we just went in assuming that it had to be it. The decor is a mixture of Middle Eastern fixtures and retro movie/comic book posters. Interesting combination.
When we walked in, we were slightly confused because no one was there to show us to a table. The host told us we could sit where we liked and came over shortly thereafter to give us the lowdown: Chickpea is designed to be somewhat like your home, no waiters or waitresses because they want you to feel like a part of the process. You order at the counter, grab your silverware and beverage and reseat yourself.
Prices were not exorbitant and quite reasonable, approximately $10 per person. The menu contains a statement that says that the food is prepared by the owner's mother. We wondered if there really was a little Mediterranean lady in the kitchen cooking all of this food or was there a chef just making the food according to her recipes. Although we did not see her, my friend that had gone there before confirmed that in fact, his mother is the cook and she is the one that makes all of the food. Amazing!!!
The food was incredibly fresh with very crisp flavors. I ordered the Mufta sandwich which has beef and lamb, roasted vegetables and hummus. It was extremely good! However, when I tried to order a falafel on the side, to my disappointment they told me that they don't sell them a la carte (although they do at Sultan's). We ordered the falafel platter and shared it. The platter came with 6 falafel and a duo of sauces that were quite good. The hummus was wonderfully fresh and creamy. The only other disappointment was the lentil soup that my colleague ordered.
Of additional interest is the bathtub in the washroom - a clear indicator that the space was an apartment that was built into a restaurant. All in all, it was a great experience. I will definitely go back and I wish them luck!
Correction: They do have a sign - it was on the ground written in chalk. We noticed it when we left. I tried to take a picture but I couldn't capture it without casting a shadow over it.
Sunday, March 1, 2009
This is going to be like "Rocky"...Times 10
(Imagine the Rocky theme playing in the background for effect)
It's March 1st! Time for a new month and a new theme. I did some thinking and I think this month's theme will be "Determination."
With all that my life demands right now, I do actually get a lot done in an amazingly short amount of time. But sadly, it's truly crunch time. I'm so ready to graduate and can see the light at the end of the tunnel. People ask all the time, "When will you be done with school?" and I excitedly answer, "My thesis has to be done by April 1st so only a month or so. How exciting!" Well guess what, it's March 1st so I only have a month to get my thesis done!!
I've worked on it in spurts, here and there and even bought the "How to Get Your Thesis Done in 15 Minutes a Day" book. But now it's time for the rubber to meet the road. So today is the beginning of my 30 day countdown (all to culminate with a celebration at the end of the month of course!) to getting my thesis done.
I'll be asking all of you to keep me accountable and motivated and definitely, Determined!
Hasta manana,
S
It's March 1st! Time for a new month and a new theme. I did some thinking and I think this month's theme will be "Determination."
With all that my life demands right now, I do actually get a lot done in an amazingly short amount of time. But sadly, it's truly crunch time. I'm so ready to graduate and can see the light at the end of the tunnel. People ask all the time, "When will you be done with school?" and I excitedly answer, "My thesis has to be done by April 1st so only a month or so. How exciting!" Well guess what, it's March 1st so I only have a month to get my thesis done!!
I've worked on it in spurts, here and there and even bought the "How to Get Your Thesis Done in 15 Minutes a Day" book. But now it's time for the rubber to meet the road. So today is the beginning of my 30 day countdown (all to culminate with a celebration at the end of the month of course!) to getting my thesis done.
I'll be asking all of you to keep me accountable and motivated and definitely, Determined!
Hasta manana,
S
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Love of Self: My 25 Things (the good, the bad and the not so bad)
Getting back to February's them of Love. If you've been on Facebook in the last month or so, you've either written or tagged your friends to write their own "25 Things About Me" list. I've read quite a few and thoroughly enjoyed them but just couldn't find the time to think about and write my own.
Now that I've been tagged so many times, I must do my due diligence:
1. I have a constant fear of being unprepared - for life, for love and for success.
2. I wholeheartedly believe that the paparazzi should be outlawed.
3. Actualmente, hablo espanol muy bueno cuando necesario. (I actually speak Spanish really well when necessary.)
4. I've never loved anyone the way I love my current partner, Jamaal.
5. Breakfast is my favorite meal.
6. I sometimes sing in the car out loud and pretend that I'm in my own music video!
7. No matter how busy I am, I tend to feel as if I'm not doing enough.
8. I used to think my favorite "shade" was black but now I'm starting to think that my favorite color is purple.
9. My name is from the Bible and is technically spelled "S-h-e-m-a-i-a-h" and is actually a male name.
10. My favorite book is "Crime and Punishment" by Fyodor Dostoevsky.
11. I am extremely put off by people who don't say, "thank you."
12. At least once a week, I realize that I am turning into my mother!!!
13. I abhor (yes abhor) small animals that are bigger than they are supposed to be. Abhor not to be confused with loath; they literally make me nauseous. Oak Park tends to have larger than life squirrels and I've gagged when I've seen them.
14. No matter how my career shakes out, I want to write a book someday.
15. I do want children but being a parent scares me to death.
16. I think that fish are beautiful but most likely won't be able to own an aquarium. I had a fish in college that I loved and for some reason or another, it got sick. I would come home from class and tap the class and it wouldn't even swim. I couldn't bear the thought of coming home and finding it dead so I flushed it. :(
17. I am highly annoyed by people who don't use the 5x5 rule in Power Point (if you don't know what this is, you may be guilty). When Power Point hit the scene, it was introduced with a 5x5 rule. Power Point is a visual outline that prompts the presenter on their talking points. There should be no more than 5 bullet points on a slide with no more than 5 words in each line. If you have to put a book on a slide, make copies and distribute as a handout!
18. Although I am getting a Master's degree in Clinical Psychology, presumably to be a therapist, I don't think I am cut out for it. I am generally a very patient person. I have a variety of friends and am able to relate to them all differently but I am not able to truly connect in the therapeutic setting. I admire people who can though!!
19. Out of all my experiences with relationships, personally and professionally, (knock on wood) I believe my current relationship is very healthy.
20. Although I don't always have the time, I do love to cook.
21. My favorite book is "Thank You and You're Welcome" by Kanye West.
22. My most life changing experience was working for a month in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. The strength and endurance I saw in the people there changed my life.
23. Paper makes me nervous. Anything that I can maintain electronically, I do. I love to shred and keep paper at a minimum.
24. I haven't read an entire book (more than 50 pages) in 3 years - but I'm rectifying that now with "Angels and Demons" (in advance of the movie release in May)
25. I seriously don't think I could live without the Internet!
So there it is. 25 things are pretty intense - but here they are nonetheless! :)
Now that I've been tagged so many times, I must do my due diligence:
1. I have a constant fear of being unprepared - for life, for love and for success.
2. I wholeheartedly believe that the paparazzi should be outlawed.
3. Actualmente, hablo espanol muy bueno cuando necesario. (I actually speak Spanish really well when necessary.)
4. I've never loved anyone the way I love my current partner, Jamaal.
5. Breakfast is my favorite meal.
6. I sometimes sing in the car out loud and pretend that I'm in my own music video!
7. No matter how busy I am, I tend to feel as if I'm not doing enough.
8. I used to think my favorite "shade" was black but now I'm starting to think that my favorite color is purple.
9. My name is from the Bible and is technically spelled "S-h-e-m-a-i-a-h" and is actually a male name.
10. My favorite book is "Crime and Punishment" by Fyodor Dostoevsky.
11. I am extremely put off by people who don't say, "thank you."
12. At least once a week, I realize that I am turning into my mother!!!
13. I abhor (yes abhor) small animals that are bigger than they are supposed to be. Abhor not to be confused with loath; they literally make me nauseous. Oak Park tends to have larger than life squirrels and I've gagged when I've seen them.
14. No matter how my career shakes out, I want to write a book someday.
15. I do want children but being a parent scares me to death.
16. I think that fish are beautiful but most likely won't be able to own an aquarium. I had a fish in college that I loved and for some reason or another, it got sick. I would come home from class and tap the class and it wouldn't even swim. I couldn't bear the thought of coming home and finding it dead so I flushed it. :(
17. I am highly annoyed by people who don't use the 5x5 rule in Power Point (if you don't know what this is, you may be guilty). When Power Point hit the scene, it was introduced with a 5x5 rule. Power Point is a visual outline that prompts the presenter on their talking points. There should be no more than 5 bullet points on a slide with no more than 5 words in each line. If you have to put a book on a slide, make copies and distribute as a handout!
18. Although I am getting a Master's degree in Clinical Psychology, presumably to be a therapist, I don't think I am cut out for it. I am generally a very patient person. I have a variety of friends and am able to relate to them all differently but I am not able to truly connect in the therapeutic setting. I admire people who can though!!
19. Out of all my experiences with relationships, personally and professionally, (knock on wood) I believe my current relationship is very healthy.
20. Although I don't always have the time, I do love to cook.
21. My favorite book is "Thank You and You're Welcome" by Kanye West.
22. My most life changing experience was working for a month in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. The strength and endurance I saw in the people there changed my life.
23. Paper makes me nervous. Anything that I can maintain electronically, I do. I love to shred and keep paper at a minimum.
24. I haven't read an entire book (more than 50 pages) in 3 years - but I'm rectifying that now with "Angels and Demons" (in advance of the movie release in May)
25. I seriously don't think I could live without the Internet!
So there it is. 25 things are pretty intense - but here they are nonetheless! :)
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Vegas Baby!
It finally came! Time for me to take my annual trip to Las Vegas!!! But this year was a little different...
The Surprise: The surprise went off without a hitch and it was such a relief to be excited outwardly after keeping it a secret for a month!!
The Trip: The Good, The Bad and the Amazing
Worst picture ever!! Best drinks in the world- 4 words: 99 Cents Margarita Bar. We saw this sign and figured, "Those have to be the most watered down margaritas in the world." So when we went inside Bill's Casino and Gambling and saw the subtle droves of people heading for the bar, we thought, "99 cents, it couldn't hurt." While we were in line, we met a nice gentleman who informed us that we should get the "double." Good thinking considering we anticipated minimal alcohol in each drink. What we didn't know was that (1) the "regular" 99 cents margarita was stronger than the $8 margaritas we had been buying all day and (2) the "double" was no more than a scoop of frozen margarita mix that served as a base and they filled the rest of the cup with straight tequila - all for $2. Best thing ever!!
We're not huge gamblers, we toyed with some Blackjack and Roulette in the Pleasure Pit at PH (Planet Hollywood) and some slots here and there. Home to "The Lions", I always make a stop at the MGM Grand. One of my favorite Vegas bars, Centrifuge, is there as well and is good for a decent drink if you just need a place to relax.
The Bellagio was amazing in its all grandeur. The fountains are always a highlight. The indoor garden was Asian th
emed and gorgeous as usual with animal scenes made totally of flowers. The Bellagio is totally lavish and always makes me want to go to Europe.
The Backstory: Valentine's Day was February 14th, my six month anniversary with the love of my life, Jamaal, was February 16th and my sweetie's birthday was February 20th, not to mention it's been a hell of a winter. What a better way to celebrate all of these milestones than a trip to Sin City!!
The Catch: I had been to Vegas 2 times before with friends but Jamaal had never been. Anyone who knows him knows that he is one of the most calm, gentle, caring people that you'll ever meet. (But make no mistake, he is still very bad ass!) I wanted the trip to be special so I asked him to take his birthday off from work and planned it as a total surprise to him until 9 pm Thursday night, only 6 hours before we needed to be at the airport!!!!
The Surprise: The surprise went off without a hitch and it was such a relief to be excited outwardly after keeping it a secret for a month!!
The Trip: The Good, The Bad and the Amazing
The Flight
To get decent flight times and be somewhat fiscally responsible, I booked our flights on Southwest (which I had never flown on) - bad mistake. Unorganized, crowded and overbooked on the way and on the way back. You get what you pay for I guess. What is with the weird "groupings" and "positions"? Just assign seats!!! The only saving grace was the flight attendants on the way there who were very engaging, funny and attentive. They acknowledged first time flyers with humorous gift bags and the obvious bachelor parties who started the party way early. Unless it's an emergency, I am pretty sure, we won't be flying Southwest anymore.
To get decent flight times and be somewhat fiscally responsible, I booked our flights on Southwest (which I had never flown on) - bad mistake. Unorganized, crowded and overbooked on the way and on the way back. You get what you pay for I guess. What is with the weird "groupings" and "positions"? Just assign seats!!! The only saving grace was the flight attendants on the way there who were very engaging, funny and attentive. They acknowledged first time flyers with humorous gift bags and the obvious bachelor parties who started the party way early. Unless it's an emergency, I am pretty sure, we won't be flying Southwest anymore.
The Hotel
In a word: PHENOMENAL. We stayed at the Westin Casuarina, slightly off the strip and one of the only hotel/casinos in Vegas that is smoke-free. The staff there is more than hospitable - opening doors for you in and out of the hotel and anticipating all of your needs whether it's unlimited bottled water to save yourself from dehydration or taxi service that is readily available Lincoln Town Cars and Navigators to take you where you need to go.
The hotel room was a oasis as we were surrounded by white, soft greens and spas - very zen. The Hibiscus Spa located inside the hotel was out of this world, definitely a hidden gem. More bottled water, Starbucks Coffee and Tazo Tea and more towels than we knew what to do with. This is the view from our hotel (picture taken at dawn because we never went to sleep that night!)
In a word: PHENOMENAL. We stayed at the Westin Casuarina, slightly off the strip and one of the only hotel/casinos in Vegas that is smoke-free. The staff there is more than hospitable - opening doors for you in and out of the hotel and anticipating all of your needs whether it's unlimited bottled water to save yourself from dehydration or taxi service that is readily available Lincoln Town Cars and Navigators to take you where you need to go.
The hotel room was a oasis as we were surrounded by white, soft greens and spas - very zen. The Hibiscus Spa located inside the hotel was out of this world, definitely a hidden gem. More bottled water, Starbucks Coffee and Tazo Tea and more towels than we knew what to do with. This is the view from our hotel (picture taken at dawn because we never went to sleep that night!)Included in our hotel reservation was access to the sauna and steam room, robes, slippers, more bottled water, juice and 3 different varieties of trail mix to enjoy in their "Relaxation Rooms." The Relaxation Room (RR) consisted of soft lighting with chaises and couches for you to relax and enjoy the plethora of magazines or snuggle up with one of their chenille throws or just sit back in think about nothing. There was some light socializing and if the staff needed to speak with you in the RR, they whispered so as not to disturb you or the other guests. When I get a house, I want a Relaxation Room!!!!!!!!
The Food
Vegas isn't Vegas without the food!
Vegas isn't Vegas without the food!
We had lunch at the Oyster Bar at Penazzi located inside Harrah's Casino in honor of Jamaal's birthday. A die hard fan of seafood, specifically oysters, he was amazed at how fresh and abundant they were. The very nice chef, Rick T. from Brooklyn, was incredibly personable as he explained that they get their oysters from Washington State. I had their take on "Fish and Chips", whitefish that was battered, covered in potato chips and fried (unbelievable!) and we shared the crab cakes which fell apart on top of the salad because the crab meat was so huge!
If you're on the West Coast, no matter where you are, you have to go to Fatburger or In and Out Burger. I usually save my In and Out trips for L.A. so we opted for Fatburger. Fresh, delicious, well worth the $10, good people watching, too.
A horrible mistake on our part because it was close was the breakfast buffet inside Imperial Palace - uninspiring, fresh out of the can, school lunch-type items. Not good. :( Especially because there are really amazing buffets in Vegas like the one in Treasure Island now known as T.I.
Redemption came with All You Can Eat Sushi at Ah-Sin inside Paris Las Vegas. You choose your first 3 rolls and they bring you 2 thereafter until you are done. If you're into to sushi, you know 3 rolls will run you about $24 so it's a deal from the start.
The Drinks
Disclaimer: Jamaal and I are both of age to purchase and consume alcohol and did so responsibly. :)
Disclaimer: Jamaal and I are both of age to purchase and consume alcohol and did so responsibly. :)
Worst picture ever!! Best drinks in the world- 4 words: 99 Cents Margarita Bar. We saw this sign and figured, "Those have to be the most watered down margaritas in the world." So when we went inside Bill's Casino and Gambling and saw the subtle droves of people heading for the bar, we thought, "99 cents, it couldn't hurt." While we were in line, we met a nice gentleman who informed us that we should get the "double." Good thinking considering we anticipated minimal alcohol in each drink. What we didn't know was that (1) the "regular" 99 cents margarita was stronger than the $8 margaritas we had been buying all day and (2) the "double" was no more than a scoop of frozen margarita mix that served as a base and they filled the rest of the cup with straight tequila - all for $2. Best thing ever!! A Strip favorite is always Coyote Ugly in New York (you purchase your cup that comes filled with the frozen drink of your choice and if you keep the cup and bring it back, you only pay for a refill, extra shots only $2). After bringing my cup from Chicago, we had to go there and waited in line for about 20 minutes but it's totally worth it. Good flavor, good price.
The Casinos
We're not huge gamblers, we toyed with some Blackjack and Roulette in the Pleasure Pit at PH (Planet Hollywood) and some slots here and there. Home to "The Lions", I always make a stop at the MGM Grand. One of my favorite Vegas bars, Centrifuge, is there as well and is good for a decent drink if you just need a place to relax.
The Bellagio was amazing in its all grandeur. The fountains are always a highlight. The indoor garden was Asian th
emed and gorgeous as usual with animal scenes made totally of flowers. The Bellagio is totally lavish and always makes me want to go to Europe.In my opinion, one of the best hotels on the strip, The Wynn is unparallelled with those waterfalls. I could sit there all day. The hotel and casino and its restaurant choices are just lavish!! Sometimes tiring, as usual, Vegas was amazing and although it is somewhat surreal, it is nice to have a true escape. See you next year, Vegas! (or maybe even later this year!)
You can check out the rest of our Vegas photos on my Facebook page!
You can check out the rest of our Vegas photos on my Facebook page! Monday, February 9, 2009
Grammy Surprises - Post Grammy Night
You know I have thoughts about the Grammy's!! If you read my previous blog post, you know who my favorites are.
First off, Adele was phenomenal. I'm so happy for her. She is so adorable and crazy talented!! I expect many more wonderful things from her.
Lil Wayne was one of the best of the night. All of this work over the past year truly paid off. He commanded the stage and received the attention he deserved.
M.I.A. was the cutest mom I have ever seen. I knew that she was pregnant. I knew that her baby was due the day of the Grammy's and I also knew that she was performing pregnant. But she was very pregnant! Good for her to still perform and with tons of energy!
With 5 nominations, Jazmine Sullivan did not prove to be victorious to my disappointment. However, she has had a lot of momentum in the past few months and if your album is good enough to glean 5 nominations, you can only go up from there.
There were a lot of good surprises:
First off, Adele was phenomenal. I'm so happy for her. She is so adorable and crazy talented!! I expect many more wonderful things from her.
Lil Wayne was one of the best of the night. All of this work over the past year truly paid off. He commanded the stage and received the attention he deserved.
M.I.A. was the cutest mom I have ever seen. I knew that she was pregnant. I knew that her baby was due the day of the Grammy's and I also knew that she was performing pregnant. But she was very pregnant! Good for her to still perform and with tons of energy!
With 5 nominations, Jazmine Sullivan did not prove to be victorious to my disappointment. However, she has had a lot of momentum in the past few months and if your album is good enough to glean 5 nominations, you can only go up from there.
There were a lot of good surprises:
- Estelle and Kanye West's performance of "American Boy" for which they won a Grammy for. (I'm still not quite sure how I feel about Kanye's hair... but Estelle was adorable)
- Good to know that Blink 182 is getting back together!
- Although some of my favorites were eliminated in the process, I am not against the success that Robert Plant is receiving for his new endeavors.
- Green Day in all of their glory didn't look half bad to be approaching 40's.
- Daft Punk received 2 awards which speaks to their increased success on the dance music scene.
I cannot write about the Grammy's without discussing Coldplay. I'm as much of a Coldplay fan as the next person. I even have "Viva La Vida" but with all of the amazing music that has been released over the past year, there is no way that Coldplay should have won that many awards. I'm over it. (and their outfits were ridiculous) Now I'm really over it.
My highlight of the night was a culmination of my favorites with a performance of "Swagger Like Us" - M.I.A. in all of her pregnant glory, Jay-Z in its infinite hip hop wisdom, Kanye West my hip hop saviour, Lil Wayne the future of hip hop and T.I. the King of the South. (Sorry Ludacris) Hip hop at its best.
All in all I thought it was a well executed show that brought music's past and present together in a meaningful way.
Until next year,
S
Saturday, February 7, 2009
Transcendentalism at its best: My Love of Music (Pre-Grammy Night)
On the eve of the 2009 Grammy awards, it seems appropriate for me to discuss one of my life's loves (other than my current partner) : music.
I seriously can't imagine life without it. To say that I love it is putting it mildly because it is such an integral part of who I am. I've been thinking for some time about what specifically I wanted to blog about as it relates to music. As I was making breakfast this morning, I felt that I need some background noise and decided to watch Dave Chappelle's Block Party while I cooked. An oldie but goodie any day of the week if you are a hip hop fan.
The movie itself is a concert movie where Dave walks you through the steps he took to put this concert together in the Bedford-Stuyvesant section of Brooklyn. Dave visited his hometown to recruit past neighbors (some with little to no exposure to hip hop) to attend the Block Party including the marching band from Central State University. Dave's premise for organizing the Party was that he wanted to create a concert composed of artists that he wanted to see and share that concert with the world.
For true hip hop fans, you could die after seeing this because it just doesn't get any better: Kanye West, Common, John Legend, Dead Prez, Talib Kwali, Mos Def, Big Daddy Kane, Erykah Badu, Cody Chestnutt, Jill Scott and The Fugees all backed up by the musical stylings of The Roots. Pure magic! I can't help but watch this movie with a smile the entire time because the respect and love that these artists have for each other is breathtaking.
While all seasoned veterans in the music industry in my book, I am continuously impressed with each new album that is released. With that being said, I am so excited about this year's Grammy nominations. Although I could go on for days about this, I won't. But I will share with you my Top 4 this year:
Adele - I was home on a Saturday morning cleaning when I decided to download some music from Ruckus. That day, the "artist to watch" was Adele. I wanted something new, it was free so I figured "why not?". I was almost moved to tears. The clarity of Adele's voice is unlike anything I've heard before. Her delivery presents a range of emotions that we can all relate to. I'm so glad that she is getting the recognition she deserves. Watch her performance of "Chasing Pavements" at the Grammy's. Trust me, she will be a legend.
M.I.A. - (Warning! Her website will give you motion sickness.) Over the past six months or so, I have fallen in love with music from the U.K. M.I.A. is no exception amongst the number of dance music goddesses hitting the U.S. scene (i.e. Kid Sister, Lady Gaga, etc.) Hailing from Sri Lanka, her music is as intoxicating as she is gorgeous and has caught the attention of rap mogul, Jay-Z, in a number of collaborations. Don't be to dazzled; she is incredibly intelligent and strong-willed and uses her music to tell her personal story and the story of other Tamils facing genocide. Watch her perform (pregnant!) on Grammy night with nominations for "Paper Planes" featured on Pineapple Express and Slumdog Millionaire.
Lil Wayne - I am a self-proclaimed Lil Wayne and I don't care who knows it! Admittedly, this was not the case until the release of his last album, Tha Carter III. Not to say that I didn't listen to his music before then, it did not speak to me the way this album did. If you're a true hip hop fan, you recognize real hip hop for what it is; and it's not always guns, drugs and disrespecting women. Hip hop, more specifically rap, is an expression of thoughts and feelings that must be captured that same way an author writes a novel. In this album, his metaphors are clever and fresh yet complex - all vital ingredients for a hip hop masterpiece. With nearly 10 years in the music industry already, 2009 proves to be another great year for him. Welcome to Wayne's World.
Jazmine Sullivan - As much as I love music, I am admittedly a music snob. I love a ballad just as much as the next person but it has to be quality. This is the approach I took with Jazmine. I had no problem downloading "Need U Bad" from iTunes but felt that it wouldn't go much further than that. Her album did pick up momentum but I still wasn't sold. On Thanksgiving, after numerous requests from him to listen to it, my uncle gave me a copy. Very unfortunately, I listened to it for the first time 1 week ago. Very unfortunate for me to have missed out on some of the most soulful, heartfelt music I've heard in a long time. After learning that Jazmine is only 21 and was the primary songwriter for her album, she is more than a force to be reckoned with.
Watch the Grammy's tomorrow night on CBS at 8/7 pm central. Check out your favorites at http://www.grammy.com/
I seriously can't imagine life without it. To say that I love it is putting it mildly because it is such an integral part of who I am. I've been thinking for some time about what specifically I wanted to blog about as it relates to music. As I was making breakfast this morning, I felt that I need some background noise and decided to watch Dave Chappelle's Block Party while I cooked. An oldie but goodie any day of the week if you are a hip hop fan.
The movie itself is a concert movie where Dave walks you through the steps he took to put this concert together in the Bedford-Stuyvesant section of Brooklyn. Dave visited his hometown to recruit past neighbors (some with little to no exposure to hip hop) to attend the Block Party including the marching band from Central State University. Dave's premise for organizing the Party was that he wanted to create a concert composed of artists that he wanted to see and share that concert with the world.
For true hip hop fans, you could die after seeing this because it just doesn't get any better: Kanye West, Common, John Legend, Dead Prez, Talib Kwali, Mos Def, Big Daddy Kane, Erykah Badu, Cody Chestnutt, Jill Scott and The Fugees all backed up by the musical stylings of The Roots. Pure magic! I can't help but watch this movie with a smile the entire time because the respect and love that these artists have for each other is breathtaking.
While all seasoned veterans in the music industry in my book, I am continuously impressed with each new album that is released. With that being said, I am so excited about this year's Grammy nominations. Although I could go on for days about this, I won't. But I will share with you my Top 4 this year:
Adele - I was home on a Saturday morning cleaning when I decided to download some music from Ruckus. That day, the "artist to watch" was Adele. I wanted something new, it was free so I figured "why not?". I was almost moved to tears. The clarity of Adele's voice is unlike anything I've heard before. Her delivery presents a range of emotions that we can all relate to. I'm so glad that she is getting the recognition she deserves. Watch her performance of "Chasing Pavements" at the Grammy's. Trust me, she will be a legend.
M.I.A. - (Warning! Her website will give you motion sickness.) Over the past six months or so, I have fallen in love with music from the U.K. M.I.A. is no exception amongst the number of dance music goddesses hitting the U.S. scene (i.e. Kid Sister, Lady Gaga, etc.) Hailing from Sri Lanka, her music is as intoxicating as she is gorgeous and has caught the attention of rap mogul, Jay-Z, in a number of collaborations. Don't be to dazzled; she is incredibly intelligent and strong-willed and uses her music to tell her personal story and the story of other Tamils facing genocide. Watch her perform (pregnant!) on Grammy night with nominations for "Paper Planes" featured on Pineapple Express and Slumdog Millionaire.
Lil Wayne - I am a self-proclaimed Lil Wayne and I don't care who knows it! Admittedly, this was not the case until the release of his last album, Tha Carter III. Not to say that I didn't listen to his music before then, it did not speak to me the way this album did. If you're a true hip hop fan, you recognize real hip hop for what it is; and it's not always guns, drugs and disrespecting women. Hip hop, more specifically rap, is an expression of thoughts and feelings that must be captured that same way an author writes a novel. In this album, his metaphors are clever and fresh yet complex - all vital ingredients for a hip hop masterpiece. With nearly 10 years in the music industry already, 2009 proves to be another great year for him. Welcome to Wayne's World.
Jazmine Sullivan - As much as I love music, I am admittedly a music snob. I love a ballad just as much as the next person but it has to be quality. This is the approach I took with Jazmine. I had no problem downloading "Need U Bad" from iTunes but felt that it wouldn't go much further than that. Her album did pick up momentum but I still wasn't sold. On Thanksgiving, after numerous requests from him to listen to it, my uncle gave me a copy. Very unfortunately, I listened to it for the first time 1 week ago. Very unfortunate for me to have missed out on some of the most soulful, heartfelt music I've heard in a long time. After learning that Jazmine is only 21 and was the primary songwriter for her album, she is more than a force to be reckoned with.
Watch the Grammy's tomorrow night on CBS at 8/7 pm central. Check out your favorites at http://www.grammy.com/
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Insight on a Page: My Love of Writing
Sorry for the delay, it's been a quite a week!
In the spirit of February's theme of Love, I just wanted to share my love of writing with you. When I was a kid, I was all about reading: anything and everything all the time. Naturally, as I got older I started to understand the work that goes into writing these wonderful things to share with the world and developed a profound respect for the art of writing.
As a superfan of all of our available technology, I risk sounding like a hypocrite when I say, "People don't communicate personally anymore." Writing a letter, thank you note, poem, epic takes time and in a busy world, many of us feel that time is not a luxury that we can afford (myself included).
I can't even count how many times over the past few years that I've thought about journaling. I've bought journal after journal, lost them, used them for To-Do Lists, given them away as gifts yet never found the time to write a single word on the page. So you can imagine my undying excitement when blogs hit the scene, personal expression and technology: the perfect marriage!
Even after 2 years of grad school and working full-time on communications, you would think that I would have my fill of writing. But for me, herein lies the difference. Writing is like any other art form, meant to be a wonderful, complete personal expression, free of criticism and parameters. For me, no matter how passionate I have been about dissociative identity disorder or the psychological effects of domestic violence on women or my desire to get my thesis done, writing according to someone else's standards is not the same as writing for yourself.
Writing is one of those things that is contagious. I am absolutely thrilled with this blog because even if no one reads it, it is my personal forum to express myself. Writing has opened up creative channels that were previously closed to me. I am able to think clearer and my dreams are even more vivid. It's very magical.
So if no one but you reads it, write. Write when you're happy and when your day didn't go as planned. No one can edit your thoughts and feelings - and neither should you.
In the spirit of February's theme of Love, I just wanted to share my love of writing with you. When I was a kid, I was all about reading: anything and everything all the time. Naturally, as I got older I started to understand the work that goes into writing these wonderful things to share with the world and developed a profound respect for the art of writing.
As a superfan of all of our available technology, I risk sounding like a hypocrite when I say, "People don't communicate personally anymore." Writing a letter, thank you note, poem, epic takes time and in a busy world, many of us feel that time is not a luxury that we can afford (myself included).
I can't even count how many times over the past few years that I've thought about journaling. I've bought journal after journal, lost them, used them for To-Do Lists, given them away as gifts yet never found the time to write a single word on the page. So you can imagine my undying excitement when blogs hit the scene, personal expression and technology: the perfect marriage!
Even after 2 years of grad school and working full-time on communications, you would think that I would have my fill of writing. But for me, herein lies the difference. Writing is like any other art form, meant to be a wonderful, complete personal expression, free of criticism and parameters. For me, no matter how passionate I have been about dissociative identity disorder or the psychological effects of domestic violence on women or my desire to get my thesis done, writing according to someone else's standards is not the same as writing for yourself.
Writing is one of those things that is contagious. I am absolutely thrilled with this blog because even if no one reads it, it is my personal forum to express myself. Writing has opened up creative channels that were previously closed to me. I am able to think clearer and my dreams are even more vivid. It's very magical.
So if no one but you reads it, write. Write when you're happy and when your day didn't go as planned. No one can edit your thoughts and feelings - and neither should you.
You have to try this at home!
Happy Super Bowl! (Go Steelers!)
It's February 1st, Super Bowl Sunday for most and for those who have been following the blog, Day 6 of Positive Thinking. Days 1 and 2 were a little rocky but once I let go, stopped making excuses and just did it - something magical happened. Actually, several magical things happened - I actually got more things done, I could think clearer, time slowed down and I was actually able to appreciate what I had accomplished and believe that everything else would get done.
While mainly in jest, it was also scary when I realized how much time and energy it took to focus on all the things that I could not control or that weren't going my way. I've never really been sold on the opposites attract concept and my attempt to change my thinking has showed me a different side.
One of the things that I am blown away by is that the more positive I become, the more opportunities present themselves to eliminate negative energy. The more I'm laughing the less I'm crying. The more I'm smiling, the less I'm frowning. The more time I'm spending on accomplishing goals, the less I feel that I'm running out of time. Time is one of many things that cannot be recovered and it feels irresponsible to spend it focusing on things that aren't healthy. Although January is over (which is so weird), I will continue my personal journey to Positive Thinking.
That brings us to February. I have made the executive decision that February will be devoted to Love. Each blog post will focus on my experience with Love - people, places, things, new experiences, memories, etc. My goal this month will be to focus on love - giving it, receiving it, expressing it and cherishing it.
Now that the tone is set for the month, I will return to watching the Super Bowl (Go Steelers!) with my family, as I love them and they love me. The older I get the more I realize that no one will love you like your family.
See you tomorrow!
It's February 1st, Super Bowl Sunday for most and for those who have been following the blog, Day 6 of Positive Thinking. Days 1 and 2 were a little rocky but once I let go, stopped making excuses and just did it - something magical happened. Actually, several magical things happened - I actually got more things done, I could think clearer, time slowed down and I was actually able to appreciate what I had accomplished and believe that everything else would get done.
While mainly in jest, it was also scary when I realized how much time and energy it took to focus on all the things that I could not control or that weren't going my way. I've never really been sold on the opposites attract concept and my attempt to change my thinking has showed me a different side.
One of the things that I am blown away by is that the more positive I become, the more opportunities present themselves to eliminate negative energy. The more I'm laughing the less I'm crying. The more I'm smiling, the less I'm frowning. The more time I'm spending on accomplishing goals, the less I feel that I'm running out of time. Time is one of many things that cannot be recovered and it feels irresponsible to spend it focusing on things that aren't healthy. Although January is over (which is so weird), I will continue my personal journey to Positive Thinking.
That brings us to February. I have made the executive decision that February will be devoted to Love. Each blog post will focus on my experience with Love - people, places, things, new experiences, memories, etc. My goal this month will be to focus on love - giving it, receiving it, expressing it and cherishing it.
Now that the tone is set for the month, I will return to watching the Super Bowl (Go Steelers!) with my family, as I love them and they love me. The older I get the more I realize that no one will love you like your family.
See you tomorrow!
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
The World is Our Canvas - Paint Your Dreams!
It's Day 1 of what is left of Positive Thinking Month and it didn't start out so great...
- I was tired and cranky therefore annoyed that I have to get up and go to work.
- I was annoyed that it was snowing.
- I just KNEW (before even getting in the car) that it was going to take me 2 hours to get to work.
- Because it was going to take 2 hours, I needed to get in the car asap and not have breakfast.
- Once in the car, nothing good was on the radio and I couldn't find my Ipod.
- I was so annoyed that nothing was on the radio and while I was grumbling out loud, I came across a Kanye West interview...
Eureka! Anyone that knows me, knows that I am a Kanye West superfan! The primary purpose of the interview was to promote his new line with Louis Vuitton, Pastelle, to be released in June 2009. (Check it out at http://www.kanyelive.com/category/pastelle)
He talked about how one of his life's dreams was to work with Louis Vuitton and the launch of this line is truly a dream realized (sound familiar?) . I had to ask myself, "What is my life's dream?" A life's dream is very different than a goal. I have plenty of goals but I will need to think about a life' s dream.
He went on to talk about how his dreams have progressed as each one before it came true. As I listened, I was blown away by the genuine passion and belief he had in dreams and that they can come true.
So feeling renewed, I'll start again with my Positive Thinking. As much of a believer in fate as I am, I believe that if you are not in a place to appreciate where you are in that moment, you won't know that your dream is coming true. Back on the Positive Thinking train, I'll leave you with 2 of my mantras to support my Positive Thinking (coincidentally both are followed by Kanye West as well):
"Reach for the stars, so if you fall you'll land on a cloud" and "The world is our canvas - paint your dreams!"
See you tomorrow!
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Allow me to reintroduce myself
(Just a quick homage to my hip hop superhero Jay-Z)
So it's been a whole week since my last blog post and it's not that I didn't have things to say, just little time to say it in. Admittedly, this post is about 4 weeks late as I meant to post it much earlier. However, it's content is timely year-round.
Every year most of us start the new year with the dreaded resolutions - work out more, eat better, get a new job, go back to school, finish school, read more, cook more, start a blog, etc., etc., etc. I put some thought into a resolution but at this point in my life I don't have room for one more thing on my to-do lists these days; especially one that I most likely won't do. With that being said, I still felt compelled to do something different in 2009 based on what I learned in 2008.
So I decided to set some goals (yes, more goals than I already have). Not just any goals, goals that if achieved, would restore my faith in myself, other people and the world as a place of limitless opportunities and happiness. I decided that each month of 2009 would be dedicated to a different theme for the month to be practiced and expounded upon throughout the year and for the rest of my life.
January's goal is: Positive Thinking. I like to think that I have a fairly positive outlook on life but I could definitely improve. Seemingly minimal, I consciously and subconsciously complain from sun up to sundown during the average workday:
So it's been a whole week since my last blog post and it's not that I didn't have things to say, just little time to say it in. Admittedly, this post is about 4 weeks late as I meant to post it much earlier. However, it's content is timely year-round.
Every year most of us start the new year with the dreaded resolutions - work out more, eat better, get a new job, go back to school, finish school, read more, cook more, start a blog, etc., etc., etc. I put some thought into a resolution but at this point in my life I don't have room for one more thing on my to-do lists these days; especially one that I most likely won't do. With that being said, I still felt compelled to do something different in 2009 based on what I learned in 2008.
So I decided to set some goals (yes, more goals than I already have). Not just any goals, goals that if achieved, would restore my faith in myself, other people and the world as a place of limitless opportunities and happiness. I decided that each month of 2009 would be dedicated to a different theme for the month to be practiced and expounded upon throughout the year and for the rest of my life.
January's goal is: Positive Thinking. I like to think that I have a fairly positive outlook on life but I could definitely improve. Seemingly minimal, I consciously and subconsciously complain from sun up to sundown during the average workday:
- "I don't want to get out of bed."
- "I don't have anything to wear."
- "My hair isn't looking good this morning."
- "What the hell is the hold up?" (while getting coffee at the local Starbucks, Dunkin Donuts, or let's get real - really any caffeine peddler!)
- "Why is there so much damn traffic?"
- "Oh God - it's only Tuesday."
- "I wish I was at home in bed."
- "I'm hungry - I wish it was lunch time."
- (after lunch) "I'm so full - I wish I could take a nap."
- (at 3 pm) "I'm hungry again."
- (at 3:30 pm) "Why isn't it 4:30 yet?"
- (at 4:30 pm) - Well, I actually don't have too many complaints at 4:30 pm!
- "What am I going to have for dinner?"
- "What am I going to wear to work tomorrow?"
- (about my thesis) "I hate this! &@#%!
- "I wish I didn't have to go to work tomorrow."
Shameful. Although these thoughts don't have detrimental effects, subconsciously I'm conditioning myself to never be happy with any situation when things really aren't that bad. I am highly fortunate in this economy to still have a job, to still be on target to graduate, to be surrounded by a wonderful family and amazing friends, to be in love with a breathtaking, fantastic, magnificent man who loves me unconditionally, etc., etc., etc. The list could really go on. So there it is - January (what is left of it) is devoted to Positive Thinking. We can do it!
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