New Year's Resolutions

I made progress with last year's resolutions and will continue to work on them in the upcoming year:
(1) added yoga to my body work. One of my fierce/strong dance buddies suggested I practice yoga to improve my overall physicality and de-stress. I now practice 2Xs per week and recently decided to do more on my own. In the beginning I experienced very intense emotions like fear during the class but I pushed past this. I've always been flexible but now I'm now able to move in new ways and I'm stronger. In the upcoming year I want to develop the discipline to quiet my mind practice own my own;
(2) I was determined in 2007 to begin to invest independent of my employee tax deferred annuity AND independent of the Mrs. I opened a money market account. I've made modest gains and I've proven to myself that I can;
(3)remained conscious of my weight AND refused to hate my body even as it changes.

In 2008 I plan to:
(1) strengthen my back. My lower back holds my body's stress. It's stiffened a bit this past year. I'm not able to ripple it in dance class as I used to. I'm determined to see how fluid and strong it will become with purposeful work. I also want to drop and do 25 GI Jane push-ups without breaking a sweat;
(2) help someone other than myself (that is, go beyond writing checks). It's been two years since the Princess/Big Sister debacle. My calling may not be mentoring young girls but I'm ready to try something again.

Rob Brezsney's has some interesting, wheel-greasing advice http://www.freewillastrology.com/horoscopes/allsigns.html

Addendum: Sociologist's advice on how to honor our resolutions: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=17759821

What's on your mind for 2008?

Warning about Hillary from a PFLAG leader: Her position on same-sex parenting is "dangerous"

Democratic candidates were recently asked if they approved of learning material in public schools which depict same-sex parents. Obama and Edwards stated they are for it. Hillary, on the other hand, said she believes its up to parents to decide how to handle such topics. And this is the same position as the conservative group called the Family Research Institute. Greater Boston PFLAG President, Stan Griffith says, "Hillary's GLBT advisers need to help her get it right. And if they don't get her to issue a clarification then they should resign."

Does Hillary ever have any genuine opinions of her own? Sounds like she's just another puppet legislator ruled by the opinions of the highest bidder and not by what she believes is just and true. What do you think, dis-n-dat-ers?

Click HERE for the full story.

Also, click HERE for Edwards' and Obama's Comments on the same topic.

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas! (I embedded it -- old dog likeses new tricks)

Lesbians' stress levels higher than straight women's during holidays

SUMMARY: A study has found that lesbians experience more stress and depression around the holidays than straight women do [click link to read news story].

Pray tell, what's stressing y'all out so much, sweet daughters of Sappho from the isle of Lesbos? : )

Kicking the Habit: BAD Habits (and how to kick 'em)

Are you a nail-biter (emeesee)? Midnight snacker? Emotional eater? Let the editors of Prevention magazine help you say goodbye to common bad health habits. Click on this link for the full story: Prevention Magazine

10 year old singer

here is a little 10-year old...i can't believe she is 10...

Bomb diggitty golden corn chowder

Ingredients

6 jalapeño peppers
3 cups cubed peeled Yukon gold or red potato (about 1 pound)
2 tablespoons butter or stick margarine
1 cup chopped onion
2/3 cup diced orange or yellow bell pepper
3 tablespoons chopped celery
3 cups fresh corn kernels (about 4 ears)
3 cups 1% low-fat milk
2 cups chopped seeded yellow tomato (about 1 pound)
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
6 tablespoons (1 1/2 ounces) shredded reduced-fat Monterey Jack cheese
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
Preparation
Preheat broiler.

Place jalapeño peppers on a foil-lined baking sheet; broil 10 minutes or until blackened, turning occasionally. Place in a zip-top plastic bag; seal. Let stand 15 minutes. Peel peppers; cut in half lengthwise, discarding seeds and membranes. Finely chop jalapeño peppers; set aside.

Place potato in a medium saucepan, and cover with water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes or until tender. Drain; partially mash potato with a potato masher.

Melt butter in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion, bell pepper, and celery; cook 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Add jalapeño peppers, potato, corn, milk, tomato, salt, and white pepper; cook until thick (about 30 minutes), stirring occasionally. Ladle soup into each of 6 bowls, and sprinkle with cheese and cilantro.
Yield

6 servings (serving size: 1 1/3 cups soup, 1 tablespoon cheese, and 1 teaspoon cilantro)
Nutritional Information

CALORIES 265(26% from fat); FAT 7.8g (sat 4.2g,mono 2.3g,poly 0.8g); PROTEIN 11.4g; CHOLESTEROL 20mg; CALCIUM 230mg; SODIUM 466mg; FIBER 5.4g; IRON 1.8mg; CARBOHYDRATE 41.5g

source: cooking light september 1999

how to post a video

hey there friends...to post a video, when you copy the "link" for a video you may be given the option to copy the "link" or to "embed" the video...so choose the "embed" option instead of the "link" option...

Mary J. Blige Sacks 'Scared' Homophobes

ONE MORE REASON TO LOVE MARY:

Mary J. Blige fires assistants who make homophobic remarks because she insists they can't be counted upon. The R&B diva is a fervent gay rights activist and refuses to tolerate people who have issues with homosexuality. She tells gay magazine The Advocate, "I've heard a couple of guys say foul things, and those guys are not around me anymore.

"When they say things like that, I'm looking at them like, 'What makes you so scared? You don't know who you are?' "I don't dislike them or anything, it just makes me wonder about them period... If you're not sure about that, then you ain't sure about a lotta things."

http://www.topix.net/news/gay/2007/12/mary-j-blige-sacks-scared-homophobes

Best line in "Stomp the Yard"

The film was largely predictable (bad boy meets good girl; bad boy indoctrinated in the ways of the fraternity, blah, blah, blah) Watch it on mute except when they're stepping and crunking. The dance is exceptional and this line made the two hour ride worth all the bad dialogue.

Science is still fun! Gendering in the Discovery store...

Piggy-backing on Reg's posting from The View, here's an interesting story about how the Discovery Channel Store "genderizes" its toys. Check out how the boys' stuff is packaged and marketed vs. the girls' stuff. What do y'all think? Here's the link:


http://shakespearessister.blogspot.com/2007/12/science-is-still-fun.html

Interesting "View"

I hope this works...it is a YouTube video from "The View"...Ms. Sherry Shephard has been raising a few eyebrows with some of her views...curious to know what ya'll think...I have an opinion, but i don't have children (nor a desire to have them) so my opinion is only a theoretical one and could possibly differ if I really had kids that had to navigate a public school environment....

Honk Honk!

Clarence Thomas says his colleagues should "shut up."

http://www.slate.com/id/2178798/nav/tap3/

'nuff said...

You find $1,000 in your recycling bin. What would you do with it?

Here's what I'd do with it:

• $250 to Wesleyan University (This is my alma mater. I would like to participate in giving this experience to another kid. Learn more at: http://www.wesleyan.edu/);
• $250 to the Food Project (sustainable agriculture in the City. This organization rocks. Learn more at: http://www.thefoodproject.org/);
• $50 to Planned Parenthood (even tho my eggs have turned to dust we gotta keep choice legal);
• $50 to ACT Roxbury (support arts, culture and trade in Roxbury. Learn more at: http://act.xbuild.com/);
• $200 to Cyrano's, youngest son, student loans;
• $100 to the rainy day fund (a girl's gotta be prepared);
• $100 would disappear unaccounted for.

P.S. I'm not normally this altruistic -- it's the season for giving so I'm in the mode.

Hello Lover

went to the car show tonite expecting to be completely unimpressed. then i spied this beauty. i've never felt this way about leather and steel before (at once delighted, then enchanted, then totally captivated). oh mini, sweet mini you make my heart sing. how i wish...

Yet another reason to love Jill Scott

OK, so part of my infosnacking is to check out afrobella.com every day. The woman who writes it is great, talks about life, politics and beauty products. I read it to tell Leona what to do for her hair as she grows it out (seriously...).

Yesterday she posted this entry (http://afrobella.com/?p=387) about a Jill Scott interview...you gotta read it. I will always, always, always love Jill Scott for this story & am adding it to my bag o' tricks.

Big smooches to you all in Boston.
xoxo

Merry Christmas

well Oprah introduced her favorite things for 2007...so, in case you can't think of what to get that special someone Oprah has a few VERY expensive ideas. however, some of the items are reasonably priced. I like the refrigerator (#13) but since we still rent I guess that is a bit unreasonable to expect Santa to bring me that. Oh, and i heard that the Cole-Waters love to play scrabble..Oprah recommends a nice little scrabble board....here is the link:

http://www.oprah.com/presents/2007/holiday/gifts/gifts_oft_350_101.jhtml

BEOWULF

Am i the only one who wants to see BEOWULF in IMAX?? Has anyone else seen the advertisements for this new flick?? I feel so butch :)

Girls Talk

Visited my friends at Lady Grace (lingerie store with old saleswoman that fit you for a brassiere by getting up close and personal in the dressing room) this weekend. My mum gently pointed out last week that gravity has begun to wrest control (and that a good bra would fix it).

There's no modesty at Lady Grace. Standing shirtless while your "tissue" is manipulated from left to right is not for the feint of heart. I felt a surprising level of comfort once I accepted my sales woman's commanding non-sexual touch. I would soon win the battle against nature (at least while clothed).

As luck would have it, today I went in for my 6-month mammogram to make sure that the girls were healthy. There were inconclusive findings during my previous two exams and my doc ordered a series of 6-month check-ins.

My radiologist ordered a second round of tests today during which my technician told me I was in the lab for women with "problems". Apparently, she cheerily informed me, there's a whole other facility in the hospital for women undergoing routine tests (and I was not there).

I was forced to wonder Have I lived the life I'd intended? Am I ready to fight if I have cancer? Am I ready to relinquish a breast? As the panic rose and the tears welled I wondered at my fallibility. Was I truly not an Amazon?

I texted Ms. Pamela to come hold my hand. She insisted on working out in a nearby gym (my shero). Thankfully, my radiologist called me in before Pam arrived and gave me good news. The calcification was unchanged. They just needed to be sure.

So there you have it, friends -- I'll live! I can still strut around pretending to be an amazon. My breasts will be adorned with beautiful new brassieres that lift and separate (hey, I even bought naughty-girl red number:-). Sweet.

Time to get on with the business of living the life I intended.

Holiday Cookin'

I've been home for a couple of weeks, which means that I have had time to start obsessing about Thanksgiving Dinner...We don't do anything too big, just us and maybe a friend or two (this year, our pal Shaboo from Charlotte is coming), but I like to cook it up like there's no tomorrow.

The typical Thanksgiving includes me running around Oakland and Berkeley the Wednesday before, trying to find that last container of buttermilk for my knock-'em-dead biscuits (let's just say they were a hit with Leona's sister-in-law in Atlanta...), and then I cook all Thursday so that by the time dinner is ready my tongue is hanging out & I can't enjoy a thing.

I've got a new plan for this year--buying non-perishables last week and this coming week, and then I plan to hit the grocery story around 10:30 am on Tuesday before Thanksgiving to get the fresh stuff. And I'm going to start cooking & baking early too, so that there's just a minimum of preparations needed on Thursday itself.

Here's our menu:
* Game hens (with stuffing, if I get my way, Leona's not that excited about that prospect)
* Collard greens
* Mashed sweet potatoes
* Mac-n-cheese (an awesome recipe--so delicious I could eat the whole pan)
* Buttermilk biscuits
* Pecan pie
* Pumpkin cream cookies (a new recipe from Real Simple--it looks awesome)

Wish me luck!

ok, I LOVE Savage Lov Podcast

Thanks Kathy for suggesting it and thanks Shug for including on your blog list!!

love it!!

time waits for no woman

just noticed this week -- i'm old but no worries, i'm digging it. i'm rolling with the punches!

we had a halloween party in my office this week. my staff organized it. it was a happening! those youngins' turned off the lights, hung up orange x-mas lights, covered the windows with black and orange translucent paper, projected a halloween-themed screen saver on the wall and pumped up the jam with a cd mix of rock, rap, r&b, and alternative. there were witches, pirates, ninja turtles, a serial killer (a person wearing several boxes of cereal with knives thrust into them) and more.

there was a bartender serving champagne , sparkling cider and seltzer (i authorized this:-). everyone brought home-made goodies and candy and we jointly rocked (i baked vegan red velvet cupcakes -- they were the bomb!). it was a great party with a completely fresh, unique tone. as i watched my co-workers, faculty and students socialize i thought "gee, when did i get so old?" i ambled over to the bartender for a bit of the bubbly correcting everyone who asked "are you an angel?" "no, i'm a fairy! i was wearing sequin dusted wings with purple roses and ribbons (some people understood the double meaning...hey, i still got it!

the best popcorn ever

hello blog-mates,

i recently ordered some popcorn from this company that offered two free bags (if i paid for shipping)..well, it was the BEST popcorn ever. So, i am now on this "gourmet popcorn" kick where i can't get enough gourmet popcorn..anyhoo, i recently went to NYC for a class on "missing data" in research (i know, my life is so much fun)..while in the airport I noticed that the company that sells the popcorn has a store in the airport so i stopped by and asked if they had the flavor of popcorn i had just ordered and quickly devoured a few days earlier. Well, the store clerk told me that they don't sell that flavor (toffee and walnuts) in the store because some folks have peanut allergies..so, he gave me a $20 gift card. So you know i quickly ordered more and my tin of popcorn came today and i just opened it and OMG it is sooo good. So, if the next time you see me and I am 10 lbs heavier it is that damn gourmet popcorn (it is soooo good)...well, if they are still doing the promotional where they are only charging for shipping, i highly recommend it. i am sure my current fixation with gourmet popcorn will be gone soon, but for now i can't get enough! oh, and the name of the company is dale and thomas popcorn: http://www.daleandthomaspopcorn.com

learned new word

hey there...we were watching "Drawn Together" this evening and I was introduced to a new word: merkin. What does it mean? well, you might already know what it means....i didn't. Kev and I got a good chuckle out of looking it up :)

Colored Gals Aint in Style No More (and pedalstizing buffoons)

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/14/fashion/shows/14race.html?_r=1&oref=slogin&pagewanted=all

Did anyone see this article? It touches on the fact that black girls "need not apply" in the fashion industry -- just don't have THE look.

Then it got me to thinking about the images of people of color in general that the media aggressively and willingly promotes -- like Flavor (Flavor Flav that is).

Why does this negro command top ratings?

Knowing your value

It's not nice to admit this but I don't have empathy for people that don't value themselves. Life has taught me that you must value yourself before you can expect anyone else to value you.

A few of my bad relationships have been a careful study in "what not to do". What not to do: beg/whine/weedle for respect, reinvent yourself in someone else's image, put your needs at the bottom of the list, soothe with food/drugs/alcohol, remain steadfastly unchanged, avoid truth, and give others the responsibility for making you ________ (fill in the blank; including but not limited to whole/happy/successful/fulfilled).

Self value determines how you walk in the world. You can smell when someone values themselves (and doesn't). It's not lip service. Traveling though life as a victim encourages people to kick us, figuratively and literally.

It's our responsibility to shift this -- by creating situations in which we succeed, are validated and feel our strength. This may mean seeking professional therapy, reading, exercising, daring to speak when we are "normally" silent, avoiding or reducing our exposure to toxic lovers and friends AND accepting that fear is normal and pushing through it.

How we are valued starts with knowing our value...the universe is conspiring to shower us with blessings. See what Rob Brezsney has to say: http://www.freewillastrology.com/beauty/pronoia

And also Maryanne Williamson:
“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that frightens us most. We ask ourselves, 'Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and famous?' Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that people won't feel insecure around you. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in all of us. And when we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

someone having an anniversary

I little birdie told me that someone is celebrating an anniversary....Happy Anniversary Cole-Waters!!!

select a candidate 2008

check out this website..who does this site say you should vote for? According to the site, I should be voting for Chris Dodd...big shock, I barely know who he is...

http://www.wqad.com/Global/link.asp?L=259460

this pic really bothers me...why??

Check out the recent post on jasmyne cannick's website about a few of the boys from the "Jena 6" at the BET awards...its the "October 15 post"

http://jasmynecannick.typepad.com/jasmynecannickcom/

why does that picture bother me so much?!

my daily blog trail

hello gang,

To get the ball rolling here is a list of the blogs I visit daily to avoid working on the dissertation (in no particular order). I will keep it clean so as not to offend ;)


Keith Boykin: http://www.keithboykin.com/
Rod 2.0: http://rodonline.typepad.com/
Jasmyne Cannick: http://jasmynecannick.typepad.com/jasmynecannickcom/
Jack and Jill Politics: http://jackandjillpolitics.blogspot.com/
Perez Hilton: http://www.perezhilton.com/

reg

thanks!!

thanks for blog invite!! I look forward to checking the "dis-n-dat" blog during my daily blog review. is the blog private (i.e. open only for invited members)? What kinds of things are we going to post here?