As much as I love home I always have the itch to get out of town. Whether I travel to another state or venture to another country it's almost mandatory for my sanity to get out of LA. With such a busy Summer schedule I'm not at liberty to go far so I had this grand scheme to discover the states. Yet, where would I go? Chicago? Perhaps Miami again? Or maybe Denver? No... None of the above. I decided to discover New Mexico.
Believe me, there wasn't much to discover. Yet, I was told that New Mexico was beautiful and full of Native American Culture. I heard that it was also known for great day spas, casinos, & hot air ballon rides. Well, I'm always down for a day of being pampered and an adventure, so I asked the only people that I thought would be willing to go out on a limb and experience good old Albequerque. The next thing you know we boarded a plane, gave LA two fingers like a player, and hours later arrived in New Mexico.
After we got our car rental equiped with the Neverlost GPS, which I named the talking voice "Claire," we ended up in downtown Albequerque. This wasn't the downtown that I was expecting. I immediately felt that we weren't in LA anymore and wished I left my Louis bag at home. In every store there were Native American artifacts that everyone claimed to be one of a kind. Yet, I could find the same turquoise jewelery at the Walgreens down the street. Needless to say the shopping was less than desireable and I hardly gave my credit card any exercise.
Now, we were expecting great Tex Mex food in New Mexico but all I got was canned green chili's in every meal. Every eatery that was recommended by the locals was less than average. In LA we have grades posted in the windows to warn you about that type of food. Unfortunately, both my friends ended up getting food poisoning or some type of stomach flu the second day in. After that it was a wrap for me. I was in the grocery store buying pepto and saltines for my friend and packgaed "safe" food for the trip back. Needless to say I didn't have an opportunity to go to the spa and the new HardRock Casino was nothing to brag about. Vegas has got the Casino/Nightlife game on point. Sorry New Mex.
Fortunately, I can usually make Lemon Drops out of lemons and managed to have some fun doing Dairy Queen runs, taking pictures, and talking to the locals who are by far some of the nicest people that haven't been jaded by big city life. I also enjoyed Happy Hour with $2 stawberry vodka martini's. They get an A+ for the drink specials. The hot air balloon ride was memorable and an experience in itself, but the highlight of my trip was the ride home. Albequerque New Mexico was really nothing to write home about.
So I made it back in one piece without getting sick. Back to LA traffic, real Mexican food, and industry folk. But hey, It's home... Next trip, Trinidad perhaps? Whose with me?
Hearts and Hugs
Januari
Monday, July 19, 2010
Monday, May 31, 2010
Hyenas, Cougars, and Gold-diggers- Oh My!
The epoch of my love life is marked by an epiphany that took place on a crowded rooftop between sips of a Dirty Grey Goose Martini, and Polyester wearing financiers. Rooftops are synonymous with New York City; they stand in as the playgrounds for adults, somewhere in between happy hours, strip clubs, and sample sales in no exact order- and I commence to recess as soon as the bell rang. Once Mother Nature Schizophrenia was treated with medication- it was a beautiful 86 degree, humidity free, perfect day. Apparently, I missed the memo, because “seemingly” every eligible bachelor in New York was out playing ‘tag’ too- and oh so were the women!
As the bouncer ushered me into the elevator roof-bound I noticed the shiny watches, bleached blond hair, polyester suits, and myriad of exposed skin. Yet, it wasn’t until I got to the rooftop that I could accurately express my discombobulated assumption to my girlfriend. *Audible Sigh,* “Girl, do you see this, or am I tripping.” *Audible groan* “No girl, were here now, but umm… he is cute though.” And to the bar we sojourned, to secretly confirm our speculation of female to male ratio, burry it deep in our hippocampus, and hope that the vodka helps us forget that this was ever a topic Katie Couric featured during primetime.
What we saw, was the sorted tale of the dating dilemma in New York, which I teetered on the fence of acknowledging- until now. Visibly, for every one guy standing, sitting, squatting, smoking, sweating, and despite the fact some spat while they spoke- Eww, they were surrounded by women. Literately, for every one man there were two cougars, one Asian, one blond, one gold-digger (noticeable only by the way she kept rephrasing the same question “So which firm do you work for again?” *I thought to myself, poor girl, doesn’t she know that asking a man which firm he works for in this economic climate is like asking an employee at Mc’ Donald’s which position he holds- ROOKIE! Then it hit me, this is the supposed shortage of men “crisis” that is paralyzing Black Women with fear. Is this the “epidemic” all the married anchorwomen on CNN and CBS warn me about? Is this why Tyler Perry and Essence Magazine Editors are persuading me to date a janitor, or a brother with felony expunged from his record?
Hmmm, let me test this theory out real quick.
Waiting for your drink at a crowded bar is always like standing at an open cattle call- you have nothing to do but scope out the scene, again, or pretend like you don’t know people are scoping you out until the bartender blesses you with his/her attention. And since my bartender is a woman- I had a while to pretend like I wasn’t being scoped out. As I face the bar thinking of all the books Steve Harvey sold, and all the horribly written Tyler Perry Plots where the “Good Black Man” is the Mexican Gardner with three kids, a cholo cousin, and they all praise Jesus, who is really the Vigin Mary in disguise- I wonder with anxious amusement- so am I suppose to join the pack of hyenas circling the banker like the Essence articles instruct me too, or… “Hello, I couldn’t leave this bar without getting your name.” My thought was interrupted by the Brother wearing a Rosary being cordial. Unfortunately for him, I don’t do men with Rosary’s- I only date reformed Catholics, long story. Twenty minutes later some Suit approaches me with a line “You look like my Ex- wife, can I buy you a drink?” *WHOA, I HOPE SHE KEPT THE HOUSE AND GETS SPOUSAL SUPPORT WITH A LINE LIKE THAT, NEXT UP TO BAT!*
As we finally sit with our second round I'm approached again, by another young, intelligent, professional, man. Unfortunately, I was not physically attracted to him at all, in fact, not in the slightest. To each, its own. However, like most litigators he was “good with his words.” At some point during the conversation I zoned out, and the dialogue that went through my head was something like this… “F**k you CNN, NBC, Tyler Perry, and Essence Magazine, and any other media institution preaching the Gospel of Young Black Educated Women not being able to find a Black Man.*Note the news sources never give cool adjectives to the men* Soledad, Isn’t your last name O’Brian- What brother did you marry? I mean no disrespect, but how exactly are you black again? Cougars, I’m sorry you didn’t do it right the first time, maybe it’s the stench of desperation your giving off to the next man who will pay for the maintenance of your breast augmentation. Dear, Gold-digger- Get a Job, or Dig Deeper.
My point is not to ‘brag about how many times I was approached by men, trust me for every one night like this, there are three nights of involuntarily social celibacy that plagues me at an event. Seriously, sequentially, maybe for two to three event's straight, I miraculously morph into invisible Girl. My point is this: that despite the Bull Crap our media is feeding Black Women, we still have a pletohra of options, don’t be fooled Ladies. We may out number men, but have you seen what their selection looks like? In short, don’t settle for lies, I still have options.
As the bouncer ushered me into the elevator roof-bound I noticed the shiny watches, bleached blond hair, polyester suits, and myriad of exposed skin. Yet, it wasn’t until I got to the rooftop that I could accurately express my discombobulated assumption to my girlfriend. *Audible Sigh,* “Girl, do you see this, or am I tripping.” *Audible groan* “No girl, were here now, but umm… he is cute though.” And to the bar we sojourned, to secretly confirm our speculation of female to male ratio, burry it deep in our hippocampus, and hope that the vodka helps us forget that this was ever a topic Katie Couric featured during primetime.
What we saw, was the sorted tale of the dating dilemma in New York, which I teetered on the fence of acknowledging- until now. Visibly, for every one guy standing, sitting, squatting, smoking, sweating, and despite the fact some spat while they spoke- Eww, they were surrounded by women. Literately, for every one man there were two cougars, one Asian, one blond, one gold-digger (noticeable only by the way she kept rephrasing the same question “So which firm do you work for again?” *I thought to myself, poor girl, doesn’t she know that asking a man which firm he works for in this economic climate is like asking an employee at Mc’ Donald’s which position he holds- ROOKIE! Then it hit me, this is the supposed shortage of men “crisis” that is paralyzing Black Women with fear. Is this the “epidemic” all the married anchorwomen on CNN and CBS warn me about? Is this why Tyler Perry and Essence Magazine Editors are persuading me to date a janitor, or a brother with felony expunged from his record?
Hmmm, let me test this theory out real quick.
Waiting for your drink at a crowded bar is always like standing at an open cattle call- you have nothing to do but scope out the scene, again, or pretend like you don’t know people are scoping you out until the bartender blesses you with his/her attention. And since my bartender is a woman- I had a while to pretend like I wasn’t being scoped out. As I face the bar thinking of all the books Steve Harvey sold, and all the horribly written Tyler Perry Plots where the “Good Black Man” is the Mexican Gardner with three kids, a cholo cousin, and they all praise Jesus, who is really the Vigin Mary in disguise- I wonder with anxious amusement- so am I suppose to join the pack of hyenas circling the banker like the Essence articles instruct me too, or… “Hello, I couldn’t leave this bar without getting your name.” My thought was interrupted by the Brother wearing a Rosary being cordial. Unfortunately for him, I don’t do men with Rosary’s- I only date reformed Catholics, long story. Twenty minutes later some Suit approaches me with a line “You look like my Ex- wife, can I buy you a drink?” *WHOA, I HOPE SHE KEPT THE HOUSE AND GETS SPOUSAL SUPPORT WITH A LINE LIKE THAT, NEXT UP TO BAT!*
As we finally sit with our second round I'm approached again, by another young, intelligent, professional, man. Unfortunately, I was not physically attracted to him at all, in fact, not in the slightest. To each, its own. However, like most litigators he was “good with his words.” At some point during the conversation I zoned out, and the dialogue that went through my head was something like this… “F**k you CNN, NBC, Tyler Perry, and Essence Magazine, and any other media institution preaching the Gospel of Young Black Educated Women not being able to find a Black Man.*Note the news sources never give cool adjectives to the men* Soledad, Isn’t your last name O’Brian- What brother did you marry? I mean no disrespect, but how exactly are you black again? Cougars, I’m sorry you didn’t do it right the first time, maybe it’s the stench of desperation your giving off to the next man who will pay for the maintenance of your breast augmentation. Dear, Gold-digger- Get a Job, or Dig Deeper.
My point is not to ‘brag about how many times I was approached by men, trust me for every one night like this, there are three nights of involuntarily social celibacy that plagues me at an event. Seriously, sequentially, maybe for two to three event's straight, I miraculously morph into invisible Girl. My point is this: that despite the Bull Crap our media is feeding Black Women, we still have a pletohra of options, don’t be fooled Ladies. We may out number men, but have you seen what their selection looks like? In short, don’t settle for lies, I still have options.
Monday, April 26, 2010
A funny story to share...
My little cousin Chris is 14 now. He had my mom & I cracking up. He said he had a girlfriend but they broke up. Were were like- "what? Already?" Then this is how the dialogue went-
Me: Let me see a picture of her!
Chris: I don't have one anymore. It got deleted.
Mom: Oh, no! Why did you delete it?
Chris: I didnt- my sister Taylor did. She said my ex was ugly.
Me: Well, was she?
Chris: Yea...
Mom: What??!! Then why did you date her?
Chris: I didn't know what she looked like at 1st.
Me: So she doesn't go to your school?
Chris: No, we met on a wrong number
Me & Mom: HUH?
Chris: She called me by accident. Then she said she liked my voice.
Me & Mom: Oh, Lord! *gasp*
Me: So what made her ugly?
Chris: Well, she said she was light skinned but she wasn't. And she has a lot of gaps in between her teeth.
Me: *LMAO!*
Chris: But my dad & grandma said I shouldn't judge people by their looks so I gave it a chance.
Mom: Weren't you worried because she was a complete stranger.
Chris: Yea, my cousin kept joking about how when we finally met she was gona be 30 yrs old & nothing like she said she was.
Me: Do you even see each other?
Chris: Yea, that's why I started going to church cus she goes to my mom's church.
Mom: Oh, no Chris! You only started going to church to see a girl?
Chris: Yea
Me: *LMAO!*
Chris: When we 1st met at church I got scared cus her mom's name is Valerie too & she introduced herself to me & I really thought she was 30 & got scared. But then she said she was Big Valerie & her daughter was Lil Valerie
Me: Ghetto!
Mom: So how long did you date this girl
Chris: Ever since 2009
Me: *jokingly* What? Since December of '09? * lol*
Chris: Yup!
Me & Jeanie: *LMAO!!!!!!*
I was laughing my ass off at this conversation because my lil cousin was dead serious & so innocent about the whole conversation. It was too cute!
Me: Let me see a picture of her!
Chris: I don't have one anymore. It got deleted.
Mom: Oh, no! Why did you delete it?
Chris: I didnt- my sister Taylor did. She said my ex was ugly.
Me: Well, was she?
Chris: Yea...
Mom: What??!! Then why did you date her?
Chris: I didn't know what she looked like at 1st.
Me: So she doesn't go to your school?
Chris: No, we met on a wrong number
Me & Mom: HUH?
Chris: She called me by accident. Then she said she liked my voice.
Me & Mom: Oh, Lord! *gasp*
Me: So what made her ugly?
Chris: Well, she said she was light skinned but she wasn't. And she has a lot of gaps in between her teeth.
Me: *LMAO!*
Chris: But my dad & grandma said I shouldn't judge people by their looks so I gave it a chance.
Mom: Weren't you worried because she was a complete stranger.
Chris: Yea, my cousin kept joking about how when we finally met she was gona be 30 yrs old & nothing like she said she was.
Me: Do you even see each other?
Chris: Yea, that's why I started going to church cus she goes to my mom's church.
Mom: Oh, no Chris! You only started going to church to see a girl?
Chris: Yea
Me: *LMAO!*
Chris: When we 1st met at church I got scared cus her mom's name is Valerie too & she introduced herself to me & I really thought she was 30 & got scared. But then she said she was Big Valerie & her daughter was Lil Valerie
Me: Ghetto!
Mom: So how long did you date this girl
Chris: Ever since 2009
Me: *jokingly* What? Since December of '09? * lol*
Chris: Yup!
Me & Jeanie: *LMAO!!!!!!*
I was laughing my ass off at this conversation because my lil cousin was dead serious & so innocent about the whole conversation. It was too cute!
Saturday, March 6, 2010
Ghetto Weddings- Why?
I absolutely love weddings. Not because I've always dreamed of my own wedding as a child- I usually dreamt about being famous & traveling the world. But I love weddings because of the detail & coordination that goes into this elaborate event that the bride and groom plan for months.
I look at the choice in colors and wonder if the bride chose to accommodate the masculinity of her future husband or if she just picked her absolute favorite colors. I observe the carefully crafted wedding favors that the bridal party put together & admire the creativity. You can't go wrong when you go to a wedding in which the food is spectacular. Not to mention the flower arrangements and centerpieces. They are a work of art in addition to the layout of the reception and the detail of the cake. I mean, weddings are some of the most thought out events.
Now, I say all this to get to my next point. Well, it's actually my pet peeve... I can’t stand ghetto weddings. Now if you're offended by the cliché or the worn out use of the term then call it what you must. "Low budget wedding." "Quickie wedding." "Last minute- let's send out a text message & order some chicken wings wedding." You know what I'm talking about especially if you've ever been to one.
Now I'm not opposed to having a small budget friendly wedding. It is a smart thing to do. With the money you spend on weddings you could put a down payment on a house or pay off student loans & have the best honeymoon ever! But I'm opposed to "tacky." I'm dam near allergic to it.
So here's a list of things that I've seen in the past and that I hope not to see from any of you in the future. We can consider it "The no-no list:"
1.) Having your wedding in the hood in which you're guest would rather get dropped off than park their car outside.
2.) Having your wedding at a hall with multiple rooms in which the Quinceanera music next door is louder than yours.
3.) Having your wedding in the dead of summer in an old church that is under construction and has no central air.
4.) Sending out your invitations 1 month in advance. E-vites are unacceptable so please don't give the excuse of going "Green"
5.) Papier-mâché party favors from Party World as decorations. Ex. The ones that fold out into bells and streamers.
6.) Martinelli's Apple Cider from the 99-cent store in which you have been stocking up on since the proposal.
7.) Having guest “BYOB in a cooler” (I've seen it done & my mouth dropped)
8.) Wearing a Tiara when you're over 30 and on your second marriage with two kids. You are no longer daddy's princess & you shouldn't even be wearing white but we'll let that slide. (Ok, I threw that one in there due to personal preference).
9.) Registering at Bloomingdales, Neiman Marcus & Tiffany's especially if #'s 1, 2, & 3 apply to you.
10.) Having your cousin who just learned to DJ play a mixed CD.
11.) Having plastic flower bouquets.
12.) Running out of food that your family prepared for the reception because you sent out e-vites that were forwarded to any & everybody. I warned you about that.
... And lastly (I know you thought there would be more)
13.) Forgetting to send out thank you cards. How uncouth!
If you feel that you're in need of proper etiquette training or that you just don't have the funds to go against this list, please contact me. I would love to be of service and spare you the risk of being talked about via text message at your own reception.
*This blog is based on my opinions & does not reflect the beliefs of the members of CC Publishing in its entirety. Or does it?
Hearts & Hugs,
Januari
I look at the choice in colors and wonder if the bride chose to accommodate the masculinity of her future husband or if she just picked her absolute favorite colors. I observe the carefully crafted wedding favors that the bridal party put together & admire the creativity. You can't go wrong when you go to a wedding in which the food is spectacular. Not to mention the flower arrangements and centerpieces. They are a work of art in addition to the layout of the reception and the detail of the cake. I mean, weddings are some of the most thought out events.
Now, I say all this to get to my next point. Well, it's actually my pet peeve... I can’t stand ghetto weddings. Now if you're offended by the cliché or the worn out use of the term then call it what you must. "Low budget wedding." "Quickie wedding." "Last minute- let's send out a text message & order some chicken wings wedding." You know what I'm talking about especially if you've ever been to one.
Now I'm not opposed to having a small budget friendly wedding. It is a smart thing to do. With the money you spend on weddings you could put a down payment on a house or pay off student loans & have the best honeymoon ever! But I'm opposed to "tacky." I'm dam near allergic to it.
So here's a list of things that I've seen in the past and that I hope not to see from any of you in the future. We can consider it "The no-no list:"
1.) Having your wedding in the hood in which you're guest would rather get dropped off than park their car outside.
2.) Having your wedding at a hall with multiple rooms in which the Quinceanera music next door is louder than yours.
3.) Having your wedding in the dead of summer in an old church that is under construction and has no central air.
4.) Sending out your invitations 1 month in advance. E-vites are unacceptable so please don't give the excuse of going "Green"
5.) Papier-mâché party favors from Party World as decorations. Ex. The ones that fold out into bells and streamers.
6.) Martinelli's Apple Cider from the 99-cent store in which you have been stocking up on since the proposal.
7.) Having guest “BYOB in a cooler” (I've seen it done & my mouth dropped)
8.) Wearing a Tiara when you're over 30 and on your second marriage with two kids. You are no longer daddy's princess & you shouldn't even be wearing white but we'll let that slide. (Ok, I threw that one in there due to personal preference).
9.) Registering at Bloomingdales, Neiman Marcus & Tiffany's especially if #'s 1, 2, & 3 apply to you.
10.) Having your cousin who just learned to DJ play a mixed CD.
11.) Having plastic flower bouquets.
12.) Running out of food that your family prepared for the reception because you sent out e-vites that were forwarded to any & everybody. I warned you about that.
... And lastly (I know you thought there would be more)
13.) Forgetting to send out thank you cards. How uncouth!
If you feel that you're in need of proper etiquette training or that you just don't have the funds to go against this list, please contact me. I would love to be of service and spare you the risk of being talked about via text message at your own reception.
*This blog is based on my opinions & does not reflect the beliefs of the members of CC Publishing in its entirety. Or does it?
Hearts & Hugs,
Januari
Sunday, February 28, 2010
V-DAY...Hmm?
I woke up early Sunday morning with an insatiable need for espresso and sunbeams, but since I reside in New York sunbeams are scarce, but my café sells a Jim Bean which will complement my espresso well. As I rushed through 30 degrees to my favorite café, I was caught off guard by the lack of people on the streets. My Brooklyn neighborhood is busy, bustling, and boisterous at all hours of the day, so it's safe to assume when you see less than two people per a one block radius... something is up. Where is everyone, what block party is all of Brooklyn participating in today, except me? I soon discovered two blocks later whose guest list I was not on...Cupids. Once I reached a commercial street all I noticed were couples, everywhere I looked there was a couple. There were old couples, young couple, ugly couples, fat couples, gay couples, and yes, I even spotted a crackhead couple who were out celebrating their love or high- whichever came first for them. Ahh, so this is what slipped my mind today. Cupid had completely missed me with his arrows of love, lust, or compassion for such a Hallmark holiday. By the time I got to the cafe I was over anything red, pink, floral, and of course any living organism uncaringly partaking in PDA.
I was elated to find the café de-valentined-there was no sign of Cupid anywhere. The walls were just as drab and plain they were before Cupid descended upon the earth. The room was filled with normal crowd of writers, artist, and playwrights, who obviously woke up, with no recollection of ever circling February 14th on their calendar as well. Yet, scanning the room I noticed more people drinking Jim Bean than coffee bean, and after taking a closer look- they were all women. I had to ask myself did they really forget, or are they trying to make themselves forget? Before I could think too deep into the matter I had to answer my phone. It was William, my Valentines date. I managed to make it from Brooklyn to Chelsea in twenty minutes. I arrived to the restaurant completely underdressed, and burning with questions. After observing the couples in the dimly lit restaurant, what is the big deal about Valentines Day? Some of these couples look as if dinner with they’re spouse is a chore. I’ve never understood its purpose. Shouldn’t a person show their partner that you love them everyday, and if so then why is February 14th so special?
I was elated to find the café de-valentined-there was no sign of Cupid anywhere. The walls were just as drab and plain they were before Cupid descended upon the earth. The room was filled with normal crowd of writers, artist, and playwrights, who obviously woke up, with no recollection of ever circling February 14th on their calendar as well. Yet, scanning the room I noticed more people drinking Jim Bean than coffee bean, and after taking a closer look- they were all women. I had to ask myself did they really forget, or are they trying to make themselves forget? Before I could think too deep into the matter I had to answer my phone. It was William, my Valentines date. I managed to make it from Brooklyn to Chelsea in twenty minutes. I arrived to the restaurant completely underdressed, and burning with questions. After observing the couples in the dimly lit restaurant, what is the big deal about Valentines Day? Some of these couples look as if dinner with they’re spouse is a chore. I’ve never understood its purpose. Shouldn’t a person show their partner that you love them everyday, and if so then why is February 14th so special?
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Valentine's Day gets no love!
I've never "not" been a fan of a holiday. I enjoy them all, even Columbus Day, although I'm not sure why its a National holiday ( we all know he didn't discover America). But any day off from work or a chance to be festive is fine by me. I sport my green on St. Patty's Day & have a beer for fun. I've got my 4th of July plans in action every year. I always have a healthy appetite around Thanksgiving, & I shop for Christmas in October. Then there's Valentines Day. Some people can't stand it. They feel that it's commercialized but hey, what holiday isn't? Macy's would have a Groundhog's Day sale if it meant they could make some extra revenue. I personally have a good relationship with Valentines Day. It treats me very well. Whether I'm in a relationship or not I've always had fun dressing up in my pink & red & giving out Valentines Day cards. I definitely adore receving chocolates like See's, not that Russell Stover chocolate that you can buy at CVS, yuck! I enjoy sending my girl friends Valentines Day cards & surprises. Sometimes I'll even go out with a group of friends and celebrate with everyone whether you're single or a couple. So, what's the big deal? Is the reason why people don't like Valentines Day because they don't have someone to share it with? Or does the commercialism really bother you that much? What's it all about people?
Hearts & Hugs (Especially for Valentines Day)
Januari
Friday, February 12, 2010
Only in LA...
I woke up this morning anticipating rain and got what looked like the Universal Studios back lot. You know, where the water hoses are strategically placed in the trees and water comes rushing down the hill by the gallons. Oh, my! Will my 8£ Top Shop umbrella from London suffice? That would be a no! Not a second after getting out the car to go to work does my umbrella get turned inside out by a huge gust of wind. What a way to start out the day.
After work on my way home the skies are blue and the sun begins to show its face. As I drive down Sepulveda Blvd I'm cautious about rolling down my windows in the event that a cop is nearby. I absolutely love my tinted windows and couldn't stand to be without them despite my countless “fix it” tickets. Uh! In Atlanta you can dam near tint the front windshield but that would absolutely be doing the most.
As I get to a stoplight I smell that sticky- icky. It seems like folks in LA smoke weed as casual as smoking cigarettes. You know, in the car on the way to the grocery store, at the park while chillin in the car, in the drive though at PopEyes Chicken, in the club on the dance floor, you know- just anywhere! Rolling a blunt midday at the stop light is as common as a California roll at a stop sign.
I decide to go to the Grocery store where they apparently sell everything you need aside from groceries out in front. A child approaches me to buy chocolate for a school fundraiser before I can even get out my car. I'm all for the cause but its 2pm & school isn’t even out yet. I have suspicions about that chocolate & kindly lie to the kid & say- "Sorry, I have no cash." As I approach the door a young brutha hits me up to buy his mix tape & an entrepreneur attempts to hit me up for incense, 20 sticks for $5. "No thank you- no thank you" I reply. Geesh! I almost forgot what I came to the store for. Inside I recognize the security guard who used to steal alcohol & sell it from the trunk of his car on his break. I think, “Is he still working here?” I shake my head but wonder how much he's selling a bottle of Hornitos Tequila for. On my way out I'm hit up once again for yet another scholarly cause. A young man has a worn out binder with laminated documents asking for me to sign up to receive newspapers or for donations towards his college education. I nicely suggest that he apply for financial aid & to Google the FAFSA website. Really people! Really?
I finally get home after 20 minutes although I live less than 2 miles away from the store. Aw, yes LA traffic. It has spread from the freeway to the streets. If only I could take back all the time that's been lost in traffic. And I dare not text or e-mail because Oprah wants everybody to pledge to make his or her car a text free zone. Well, and I would hope not to injure anyone on the road.
I decide to take a jog in the neighborhood and get some exercise before the sun goes down. Up in the hills I approach a view to die for. To my left is LAX. To my right are gorgeous mountains and between them both, the Pacific Ocean. Was it not raining just hours ago? I decide that I should pick up the pace and run my ass home before a monsoon hits. I've got this curly weave but who's to say that the Santa Monica winds won't snatch it right out.
So, tomorrow’s weather forecast is set to be clear skies until the end of the week. My schedule is jam packed with a To Do list that would put Ryan Seacrest to shame. Why am I working so hard again? Well, Vegas has fortunately made its way into my blackberry calendar this weekend.
Hearts and Hugs,
Januari
After work on my way home the skies are blue and the sun begins to show its face. As I drive down Sepulveda Blvd I'm cautious about rolling down my windows in the event that a cop is nearby. I absolutely love my tinted windows and couldn't stand to be without them despite my countless “fix it” tickets. Uh! In Atlanta you can dam near tint the front windshield but that would absolutely be doing the most.
As I get to a stoplight I smell that sticky- icky. It seems like folks in LA smoke weed as casual as smoking cigarettes. You know, in the car on the way to the grocery store, at the park while chillin in the car, in the drive though at PopEyes Chicken, in the club on the dance floor, you know- just anywhere! Rolling a blunt midday at the stop light is as common as a California roll at a stop sign.
I decide to go to the Grocery store where they apparently sell everything you need aside from groceries out in front. A child approaches me to buy chocolate for a school fundraiser before I can even get out my car. I'm all for the cause but its 2pm & school isn’t even out yet. I have suspicions about that chocolate & kindly lie to the kid & say- "Sorry, I have no cash." As I approach the door a young brutha hits me up to buy his mix tape & an entrepreneur attempts to hit me up for incense, 20 sticks for $5. "No thank you- no thank you" I reply. Geesh! I almost forgot what I came to the store for. Inside I recognize the security guard who used to steal alcohol & sell it from the trunk of his car on his break. I think, “Is he still working here?” I shake my head but wonder how much he's selling a bottle of Hornitos Tequila for. On my way out I'm hit up once again for yet another scholarly cause. A young man has a worn out binder with laminated documents asking for me to sign up to receive newspapers or for donations towards his college education. I nicely suggest that he apply for financial aid & to Google the FAFSA website. Really people! Really?
I finally get home after 20 minutes although I live less than 2 miles away from the store. Aw, yes LA traffic. It has spread from the freeway to the streets. If only I could take back all the time that's been lost in traffic. And I dare not text or e-mail because Oprah wants everybody to pledge to make his or her car a text free zone. Well, and I would hope not to injure anyone on the road.
I decide to take a jog in the neighborhood and get some exercise before the sun goes down. Up in the hills I approach a view to die for. To my left is LAX. To my right are gorgeous mountains and between them both, the Pacific Ocean. Was it not raining just hours ago? I decide that I should pick up the pace and run my ass home before a monsoon hits. I've got this curly weave but who's to say that the Santa Monica winds won't snatch it right out.
So, tomorrow’s weather forecast is set to be clear skies until the end of the week. My schedule is jam packed with a To Do list that would put Ryan Seacrest to shame. Why am I working so hard again? Well, Vegas has fortunately made its way into my blackberry calendar this weekend.
Hearts and Hugs,
Januari
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