I Ain't Said Nothin' But A Word...

This year flew by. I can’t believe just how fast it got away from me but the 2007 year is waving a hearty goodbye as Baby New Year is readying himself to take over. This definitely wasn’t one of my best years so I can’t say that I’m sad to see it go. In fact, I’m so ready to see it long gone that I will be welcoming in 2008 with bells on. I took a quick minute to reflect back on my resolutions from last year. Clearly I was on some serious drugs when I even imagined myself attempting to keep them. I think I took wishful thinking to an all-time high. The only resolution that I remotely kept for the entire year was not sweating the small stuff and that’s probably because I didn’t have much small stuff to angst over. My pot of big stuff however over flowed frequently this past year. For 2008 I’m going to fall back on old people wisdom and just let life do what it’s going to do. I’m not going to promise to diet and exercise. Like my granny said, “Girl, you might be big but you’re healthy. N

I'm off for the holiday. The to-do list is miles long and I am quickly running out of time. As always, I can't just take off and not leave you with a little holiday cheer to sip on. Enjoy and may each of you have a safe and blessed Christmas and may your Santa grant all your wishes and many more. MERRY CHRISTMAS, BABY!

I find myself doing a lot of research on weddings and honeymoons. I'm always looking for ideas for some story or another that showcases just how beautiful the union of matrimony could be. Different things inspire me. The colors in a wedding bouquet. A gorgeous wedding gown. The beautiful bride and groom. A wedding cake that veers from the traditional. I like to find these things to piece together my own interpretation of a perfect wedding. I happened upon this photograher's blog site via another author's blog. I have just been captivated by Ross Oscar Knight's work, returning time and time again to explore his space. The man is exceptionally talented and I admire what he can do with a camera. I have challenged myself to translate such beauty into words, much like he has translated it to film. Click the link below. I had to share this with you. It is truly a wondeful piece of photo-telling! What Ross had managed to capture through his lens is just breathtaking. I could

Music burns in perfect syncopation, Fragrant metaphors of whole and half notes Inciting tapping toes and snapping fingers. I choreograph a solo performance, Because you will not dance with me, And there is no audience to cheer us on. I’ll wear my best tap shoes, With the delicate heels That balance my love for you on shaky legs, And when I pirouette out on stage, At least you will know that I was there... ...Willing to dance...for you…

* Taking your boy’s phone call before your woman’s is not cool. Hanging up on your woman to talk to your boy and then forgetting to call your woman back, is not cool. Calling your boy and not calling your woman at all, is truly not cool. To paraphrase Erykah Badu, the next time you want some ass, call your boy, your woman is too through. * When your woman is craving your time and attention, wanting to spend some quality one-on-one time with you that doesn’t amount to just an afternoon quickie in a back room, don’t get her hopes up and then disappoint her. It doesn’t take a brain surgeon to realize when you’ve made your woman an afterthought behind your family and friends. You’re woman isn’t a brain surgeon and she’s figured it out already. * A woman likes when you do that thing you do when the two of you are doing that thing you do. You need to do it more. * I will not entertain the thought of putting my life on hold while you try to figure out what you want to do with yours. I wil

Imagine being given an opportunity for a life-changing experience and then being unable to participate because you do not have the funds. I have a young friend who is in that position at this very moment. T’Keya Fox is an exceptional young woman, doing some exceptional things. She’s a seventeen-year old high school junior who is striving for excellence in every aspect of her young life. I haven’t met many young women with her drive and initiative and from the first introduction I was truly impressed with her. T’Keya has some lofty goals for herself and continually demonstrates her intent to achieve each and every one. T’Keya was recently selected to represent her Burlington, NC high school and community as a National Scholar at the National Young Leaders Conference in Washington, DC this spring. T’Keya’s academic excellence and extraordinary leadership potential was recognized by the high school teachers who nominated her for this honor. Being afforded such an opportunity comes with an

I fully intend to rock the cutest little black dress come New Year’s Eve. Every muscle in my body feels like it’s been twisted in two since I went back to the gym to try and get myself in shape. I’ve been exercising everyday now and I hurt. But it’s going to be well worth all my efforts. No matter what it takes, me and my little black dress are going to make some heads turn. I don’t have me a New Year’s date yet, and no New Year’s place to go celebrate, but whether I have someone to wear that dress for or not, I fully intend to be cute in it.

Years ago Oprah had a relationship expert on who stated that couples needed to focus on themselves first and their children and families second. I remember well the gasps and declarations from an audience of women who couldn’t fathom putting any man’s needs before the needs of their babies. It was explained that a couple who focused first on themselves was better equipped emotionally to take care of those children and all the other external issues that a family needed to face on a day to day basis. I remember balking at the thought myself. Wasn’t enough love in the world to get me to think of my children’s wants and needs only after I’d considered their father’s. I just couldn’t wrap my mind around the concept. Then I met Sheila and her sister Bev. Both were married with children. Bev’s husband had her full attention twenty-four seven. Sheila’s children had her attention first and her husband was an afterthought in their relationship. Needless to say Bev had a much better marriage than