Take it or leave it........

After we got to Memphis Saturday, I informed my mom that the kids had about $100 left from the money their parents had sent down with them. She advised me that I should keep it. I told her that wouldn't be right and that I wasn't comfortable with keeping money that was not intended for me. Now if I found some money in bank bag in the parking lot of a store.....totally different. LOL!!

Mama: Well if you don't want it, I'll take it.

Me: (head cocked to side side) Mother, really..........*sigh*

Mama: I'm just saying with the time and gas you spent picking them up and dropping them back off it's only fair. How about I have a conversation with her in private about it?

Me: Ummmmmm, no. It's not that serious.

Mama: Suit yourself.

I was talking with Mistah about it after I returned and he said that he agreed with my mom. Along with the things she mentioned, he stated that I had taken a week off from work to do this and had dedicated seven full days to caring for these kids. And even though it was paid time, it was still time that I didn't have to take off if I didn't want to.

Exactly. I didn't have to. I could have told her no at any point but I chose to do it. Actually the original plan was for them to drive down to our house and pick the boys up. I opted to drive them back because I wanted peace and rest during the remainder of the weekend. Adding two additional adults (one of which probably would have wanted to cover the entire central AR area visiting folks during the short time she was here) and an eight month old child to the mix would have definitely not allowed that to happen.

$100 is a lot of money to me but not enough to create unnecessary drama....especially when it wasn't mine in the first place.

What about ya'll? Would you have taken the money?

Update on the update and other shenanigans.........

Sooooooooo, I still haven't decided what kind of car I want (thanks for all your suggestions). I don't think I will truly start narrowing down my imaginary list until I get the check. Speaking of, turns out I don't own a dime on the car and got money back. The lien folks said it was because of finance charges and the warranty I purchased. They don't disclose this information unless your car is totaled. Ain't that a blip?! At any rate, I'm not complaining. I'm rejoicing!

I ended up having to go to the doc for back and neck pain. It's nothing major. The human body is amazing....that's all I know.

Mom, drove in Saturday for me to take her to the airport. She'll return with the boys Saturday and they'll head back to Memphis. Even if I haven't purchased a car by the time they are scheduled to come down getting a rental won't be a big deal now. YAY!

Ummmmmmmm, let's see what else. My boss's last day is this Friday. Ya'll already that but I felt it needed repeating. LOL

I didn't get the other job. No worries. Did I tell ya'll I was sitting up in that interview sweating like a banshee??!! LOL

What else? Nothing. That's it.

Big Pimpin

Jersey City Society Hill pimp is sentenced to 18 years in prison

Read the story here

I have SO many thoughts, questions and concerns running rampant through my head about this man right now. Some of which are:

1. How much pro-con gel was used to create that splendiferous hairstyle?
2. Why did he choose a twisted up piece of yarn to use as a 'ponytail'?
3. How did he get said 'ponytail' to stay put?
4. Can you really call those finger waves?
5. Who told him that shit was cute?
6. With waves like that, who needs the ocean?!
7. I don't swim but suddenly have a strong desire to go surfing.
8. How is he pulling anything other than Rasputia's?
9. He lyin!
10. I need to see pictures of his hoes STAT!
11. Don't drop the soap!

Be sure to check out the photo slide show at the bottom of the story. If you haven't laughed today..............

And now for a musical selection!

I hate work meetings

That is all.

YouTube Foolishness: 3rd Ward Edition

I have seen this video before of the Notorious B.U.M. but it always sends me into fit of giggles. And is it just me or does it look like one of his teeth fly out of his mouth at the 10 second mark? I think he does about 3 songs but I only make it through the first one.

I throw my money on the flo'!

Me either!

That's what I said when I viewed this secret on PostSecret (one of my most favoritist blogs!) If you're not in the know about it, it's over there >>>>>>>>>>>>> in my newly updated blogroll.


With the lotto FINALLY coming to AR at the end of this month (can I get an Amen?!), I'm one step closer to my plan of financial freedom. I've got my bills crisp and ready to hand over to any random gas station attendant so when they ask, where dem dollas at?, I can say RIGHT HERE!

One thing I've always said is if, NO WHEN (I must speak it into existence) I win I will request to remain anonymous. No need to have long lost cousins coming of the woodwork. Ya'll see how my g-aunts did their own sister so just imagine what their offspring would do. VICIOUS! Once the money is deposited into my bank account, I will chunk the deuces to my place of employment and make my way to my couch EXPEDITIOUSLY so that I can figure out the next move. I figure I'll set the kids in the family up nicely for college and what not, buy my mom a place outside of Memphis, give my sisters a lil' coin change to spend at the mall and of hook mistah up real nice.

What about you all? Would you want the world to know 'I'm rech beyatch!!' or would you keep it under wraps? What major purchases would you make? Would you give any to the fam?

For some strange reason, I'm getting the vibe that I've done a post similar to this before. Stranger things have happened so just humor me, k? Thanks.

Why They Crying?

Please excuse the poor grammar of the title but that's what always goes through my head when stuff like this happens. Better yet, excuse the use of poor grammar of any post at anytime during the past, present, or future.

Of course you all know about the job layoffs (I know, way to keep beating a dead horse right?). With that comes A LOT of emotions, I understand that. What I don't understand is what people who are being reassigned to different positions within the company are crying for. We had this little mini-welcome/send-off thing with a few people in our department for folks that were coming, going, or being reassigned. After it we wrapped up, a few of us (that were trying to avoid work) were standing around chatting. So we're talking (laughing as a matter of fact) then all of a sudden the AA on our team starts crying. I just looked. So someone asked her what was wrong and she said she was just sad about going to a different floor, she's gonna miss us...blah blah blah. I just kept looking. I just really couldn't muster up any emotion other than wanting to laugh (don't worry I didn't). Sue me. My thing is, hey you still have a job. It may not be what you want but at least you have the security of continuous income and benefits until you find something else (if you choose to find something else). The folks that got the boot can't say the same. She's not the only person that does it though. Another lady came over to my desk and told me about her reassignment and started to cry. I politely told her to get away from my desk until she composed herself because I wasn't about to watch her cry about not losing a job. Hey, I'm nothing if not honest.

A few of my friends told me I'm mean. Whatever, she needed to hear it hell. Z told me he agrees and that's why me love him long time. It's not that I'm heartless and I can certainly understand their disappointment (because I've had it happen to me before (layoffs and internal reassignments due to cutbacks), I just don't get the waterworks. Maybe RehDog can help me understand why they must cry.

Either your in or your out...............................

This week has been a rough one work wise. Layoffs started this past Monday. We've known about them since around ohhhhhhhhhhhh March sometime. I know classy huh? We just didn't know who would be affected. Now that it's all coming out in the wash, it ain't purty. Having to wait has kinda been like a slow work death of sorts. Even though we really weren't supposed to find out that early (gotta love people who leave classified information lying around on printers, lol), the wait has been both a good and bad thing. Good because it at least gave people time to start the job search; bad because is morale has been low.

This week I've seen crying people, pissed people, depressed lookin people, trying to keep an upbeat attitude people, still trying to work through the storm people, I don't give a phuck people, it is what it is people....you get the drift. I fall in the last description. As far as me....so far so good. There's still tomorrow and Friday though so who knows. Our Admin. Asst. came to me a few weeks ago and told me (even though she wasn't supposed to) that her position had been eliminated but that she was offered another position in the company. A lady that works a couple of desks back from me eluded to the same thing today and started to cry. I consoled her but told her to dry her eyes because at the end of the day YOU still have a check coming in and for that you should be happy. You don't have to worry about what the future holds for you, the rest of us can't say the same right now.

My boss has been one of those still trying to work through the storm people. She's a special (ed) chick to put it mildly. As much as she irks my last nerve somedays, I think working with her in this position has (potentially) saved me from the cut.....this time. My spidey senses tell me this is not the last of this though.............

My instincts never fail.........

Tuesday morning I was welcomed to a warm and fuzzy email advising me, and all my colleagues near and far, that a 2nd round of layoffs were on the way. My spidey sense usually doesn't fail and this time was no different as I figured this would happen (1) because the economy has passed the crapper and made it's way to the sewage, (2) receiving an email from massa requesting a time audit is never a good sign, and (3)the first round didn't eliminate enough people. I know that sounds harsh but when you are trying to cut costs, 5 people just won't do. You wouldn't have to make a 25 on the ACT's to figure that one out (is that even a high ACT score? I wouldn't know 'cause math ain't never been my friend.)

Needless to say, the mood at the plantation has been somewhat somber. Folks are doing their best to maintain and put their best foot forward but hey there's only so much fakin you can do when your job is at risk. I've been through this layoff thing a couple of times before (and have even been fired once before) and it doesn't get any easier. Losing your job is never easy but losing a job in this economy...maaaaaaaaan it's gotta be a different experience. And if my layoff pro-fashional tail can be honest, it's an experience that I'd prefer to keep as a part of my past.

One lady I was riding on the elevator with today made a comment (in an effort to make me feel better I suppose) that our department can't get any smaller (there are currently only four of us). I answered, "Yeah, I guess" because I didn't really want to get too deep. I was a floor away from my stop and had no time to chat it up.

Sidenote: The TV is on Fox and American Idol is on. I need to know who put that atrocious wig on Lil Rounds head. It looks like the stay puff marshmallow man went grunge and died on her head.

Anyway, so in my head I was thinking, just because we are a small department doesn't mean we won't be subject to dismissal. Hell, they may decide to do away with all of us. I'm laughing as I type but hey it could happen. The first go round wasn't even supposed to happen, let them tell it, but one day 5 folks just up and lost their jobs and that was all they wrote. What I do hope is that I get to keep my job but also that they don't delay this process any longer than necessary. To cover their butts, they've given themselves until the end of our FY (which is not until the end of June) to make the cuts.....*sigh*. I am certain they are they are reviewing "critical" positions now. And to cover my butt, I've been applying for other jobs. lol I did notice my boss having a meeting with her boss and the big boss the other day. I was going to wait until our regularly scheduled meeting next week to ask but I need to know...like now. My intent was to do it today but both of our schedules have been SO freaking hectic (that's supposed to be a good sign right?). I would have walked away disappointed because she wouldn't have had to time to go into depth like I would want.

Sooooooooo, that's that. Once we go through this next round, I think that will be it as far as layoffs. They have to have enough people in place to actually do the work. And since our work is raising money, it's not gonna happen if they don't at least have a skeleton crew in place. Wish me luck. :)

2009 Stimulus Bill Projects...by state

I know this is not the most stimulating blog topic but I like to keep folks in the know when I can. Click here to view. You can click on a project to see if it was voted critical or non-critical.