Monday, July 07, 2008

I need a favor.........

I don't know about you but that phrase always makes me cringe. Why? 'Cause favors people ask of me always seem to be bit much IMO.

Example 1:
My eldest sister: Could you do me a favor?
Me: Depends
ES: Would you mind taking off work, flying up to STL to help me drive from STL to Atlanta? I don't think I could make it all that way having to deal with both boys.
Me: Ummmm, don't you have a husband?
ES:So I guess that means no.
Me: *silence*

Example 2:
Co-worker: Could you do me a favor?
Me: Depends
CW: Could you drive me to (insert restaurant name here)? I need to pick up the lunch ordered for boss lady and I don't how to get there.
Me: *trying not to blow my breath and roll my eyes* I'll go with you but you're driving.

Example 3:
Friend: Could you do me a favor?
Me: Depends
Friend: Would you mind helping me with a shower I'm throwing next weekend? It's for such and such I used to work with.
Me: Who?
Friend: such-n-such. I don't think you met her or maybe you did, I don't remember
Me: Hmmmmmm, where's it at?
Friend: In Sherwood
Me: Hmmmmmmmm
Friend: My sister-in-law will be there to help to but I think I may need an extra pair of hands
Me: Hmmmmmmmmm, I'll think about it and call you back.


Example 1 was cut and dry no for me because my sister was going to a family reunion of some close family friends. My mom was also going but she was flying....as my sister should have. All of us had been invited but I had chosen not to go (and had told her this on several occassions). I still cannot wrap my head around why she asked me to help her drive down there. My folks work my nerve.

The request in example 2 really wasn't so bad but it was just the fact that she asked me to drive? The hell??!! If YOU need help, then YOU are driving....case closed.

Example 3 just happened yesterday. I told her I would think about it so that's what I'm doing now. As stated, she is throwing a shower for some girl she used to work with. I don't know the girl and if I ever saw her when I used to stop into the shop to visit with my friend I don't remember her. She told me her name but ummmm yeah...it didn't ring a bell. I asked her where it is being held for a reason because I thought maybe it was going to be in the town where I live (In Conway about 30 minutes away from Little Rock). Sherwood is on the other side of North Little Rock (which is just across the river from LR)....basically a nice little drive.

My first thought is hell no. My thing is this, I wouldn't ask my friends to go out of their way like that, especially for someone they didn't know. I was talking with Z about it last night and he said that there is no right or wrong response to her request but maybe it would help if I thought about it from the aspect of even though I don't know the girl, my friend needs my help. Hmmmm, true but still. Either way I'll let her know something by tomorrow at the latest.

What do ya'll think? Am I being mean? Please be honest.....it's always better than the giving the "right answer" in my book. Thanks!! :-D

Sunday, July 06, 2008

An Afternoon at the Movies: Hancock


Z and I finally got our ish together and went to see "Hancock" yesterday afternoon. True to form, we got there with only minutes to spare. We had a game plan though. We were going to go inside and use the machine, which the theater just got a few months back, to get our tickets so we wouldn't have to wait in line. That would have worked out great had the thing not been broken. Soooooo, back outside we went to wait in the now even longer line. After waiting for about 30 seconds, I said let's just get tickets to a later show or just go home because we are not going to have good seats. After waiting for about 10 minutes to get up to the front of the window because these school age children were to dumb to realize they needed two people working the window and not one *eye roll* we got tickets. Z went ahead and bought them for the 4:30 show....*even bigger eye roll* We walk in and it's packed, I turn around to give him that "I told you so look" and he is gone. lol He's outside talking to the people at the window and they just tell him we can go ahead and go to the other theater it's showing in @ 5:15.
He turns around and tells me...see babe, we get to see it in comfortable seats and for the matinee price.
Me: "You sneaky mf'er, did you plan this?"
Him:" hee hee hee".
Me: " I can't stand you, lol"
Him (after he stops laughing): "Nope, didn't plan it but you gotta admit, it worked out nicely"
Me: "I suppose....sneaky mf'er, lol"
The movie was pretty good. I'd read the reviews of the "pros" and other bloggers so I knew what to expect. As predicted, it starts off funny and ends not exactly how I would have liked. I'm pretty sure by now everyone knows the gist of the storyline....a drunk superhero who tries to revamp his image. There are not a lot of twists and turns to make your jaw drop, everything was pretty predictable (to me anyway). Case in point, when Charlize Theron's character makes her first appearance, you know that she and "Hancock" have a history of some sort. It was written all over her face. At that point it's just a matter of when this fact will actually come to light and what exactly their connection is/was. Speaking of Charlize, Z had me dyin' laughing in the theater. I was laughing so hard I had to cover my mouth because I didn't want folks laughing at me like we laughed at the man in the theater last weekend when we went to see "Wanted".
Z: "Hey isn't that what's her face?"
Me: "I don't know anyone by that name"
Z: "You know....uhhh uhhh...."
Me: "Nope, still nothing"
Z: "No Kevin..... it wasn't the wine Kevin...."
Me: *hollers"
Z: *laughing*
Me: *trying to contain myself*"Yeah, that's her"
If you are not familar with that line, it's what Charlize Theron's character tells her husband in "The Devil's Advocate" when she is trying to convince him that the ladies she was just out shopping with turned into demons. Both of us happen to love that movie and love that line from the movie even more. It's a line that we use all the time around here when we are feeling goofy (which is a lot of the time). Yes, we are wierd. lol
Annnnnnnnywaaaaaayyy, I that's about all I say about the movie. I won't say you shouldn't go see it but I won't say that you should either. I dunno, use your own judgement (like you wouldn't anyway) on this one. FYI....if you do go catch it at the theater, be sure to stay seated after the credits start rolling for a minute as there will be a brief cameo by Mike Epps.
AR Gal rates this one: It could have been worse

Saturday, July 05, 2008

I've Got More Ailments.....................

............than the law should allow. My potential plan of going to Memphis is all but out of the question. My back and/or my hip is feeling rather funky. Feels like it's cracked or something I swear! lol Bending over is a pain in the butt! I'm trying to think of what could have happened. I went walking yesterday but didn't jog so that's out (I guess). I didn't fall, I didn't bump into anything (yes I have to consider this as an option because I am really that clumsy) so I have no clue what's going on. Maybe I slept in a bad position....*shrugs shoulders* So as of now, I'm doped up on Excedrin with a massager/heating pad thing on my back side. I have some prescribed pain pills I could take but if I took those I would be asleep until at least 9 p.m. tonight......I'm not feelin it. If it becomes extremely unbearable I suppose I will be making a trip to the E.R. but that will be THE last resort and I'm not at that point right now. Let's face it, noone likes going to that place especially me. I've had to go there before, for myself and for others, and there is only one time I can count that I was in and out in a reasonable amount of time.

We still have yet to go see "Hancock". At the rate we are going, we may as well just wait for the dvd to come out and from what I've read, that may be a better option. We were going to an early afternoon show yesterday but by the time we had dragged our lazy behinds from a seated position, we only had 10 minutes to make it to the movie. Bump that. Z went ahead and threw some hotdogs and hamburgers on the grill for us. I made a salad, baked beans, and bought some potato salad (what!? Last time I made some it came out looking like creamed potatoes, lol), had a little watermelon for desert and that was that. We decided to forgo anything else because we usually don't eat it and end up giving the food away to his friends. I am still craving some ribs though....oh well. Maybe next time. He grills all the time so I'll be able to feast on some sooner or later.

Ironically, I'm watching Untold Stories of the E.R. on Discovery Health. If you've never seen the show, they reenact multiple stories that happened to featured doctors/nurses at hospitals in an episode. The story they are showing now is about a lady, that's kinda off in the head, that came in saying she had worms. Well, while the doctor was checking her out, he noticed that she had "tunnels" in her arms (which were so dirty and infested they were pitch black). As he was looking at one of "tunnels" in her arm, he finds out she wasn't lying. Ole' girl had worms.....as in earth worms she had lodged up her arm. Can you say ewwwwwwwwwwwwwww. *vomits* As he was taking them out, the lady got upset because she had bonded with them and had actually named the durn things. lol So the doc finishes up the one arm and is taking off his jacket because he thought he was done when the lady hauls off and says she's got worms and holds up her other arm. lol All he could do was look.

Can you imagine being that far gone mentally that you would do something like that to yourself. I don't know about you but it makes me count my blessings. Sure everyone has a lil bit of crazy in them but still........that's just....ion't know. It just makes me thankful that I'm still somewhat in my right mind.

UPDATE: I thought they were done with the story of worm lady. Ends up she had some in her thighs too. Lawd! lol

Friday, July 04, 2008

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!!!!


I found this pic online and just loved it. I wish my furbabies would be patient enough to actually let me put a flag in their mouth AND let me take a pic of it. lol

Today has been pretty slow for us for the most part. I took the pooches out this morning for a good long walk and and just missed getting rained on. That happened to us last weekend and while it was somewhat invigorating it got old real quick. We were all soaking by the time we got home.............not fun. Anyway, it's supposed to rain on and off all day today. It needs to lay off for a little while because I want to at least get my mouth on a bbq hotdog. lol

I decided to go ahead and take off Monday just in case I go to Memphis tomorrow to see the fam. I'll be honest, I don't really feel like doing shit, especially driving a semi-long distance, but my niece, who I haven't seen since the end of March, is there. She is usually at her dad's during the summer but she is headed to high school in the fall and is in band so she has to go to band practice and all that jazz. They take band REALLY serious there. My two youngest nephews (their Mom, ie my sister) are there and I haven't seen them in what seems like forever. Guilt will probably reign supreme and we'll be driving our happy asses up I-40 tomorrow. *sigh*

Anyway, I'm off to wash my hair so that it will look cute when we go to the movies this afternoon to see "Hancock". The plan was to go last night but true to form at the end of the work week, I was tired as hell. I don't know why but this happens almost every Friday (well Thursday this time). It's like that's my designated night to sleep away the troubles of the world.....so stranjay.

Anyway, have a happy and safe fourth. FYI....be on the lookout for crazy people. To show you exactly what I mean, check out Pajnstl's post about her version of "The Fiddler on the Roof". lol http://pajnstl.blogspot.com/2008/07/police-just-left-my-house.html

Tuesday, July 01, 2008

Stuff that Makes Me Laugh.......

After wasting precious brain cells blogging about HWSNBN (see below), I found something that made me laugh. Thanks to FreakyD, I went and dug this up.....it never fails to make me fall out laughing.

Kick Rocks!


Ya'lls president was in Little Rock today. I say ya'll 'cause I don't like claim him.....never have, never will. My president is Al Gore. I chant everyday in hopes that American's (or at least the majority) will someday wakeup and come to the realization that the man who has taken up space in the White House for almost the last decade is not the Commander in Chief (unless you count the crack rocks he used to smoke (and probably still does) back in the day).

Anyhoo, he was here on official business to discuss the nations housing crisis and the effect it's had on Arkansans. Here's a clue.....petro biyatch! Perhaps if you actually made a half ass effort to bring some REAL phluckin relief to your constituents, people could afford to pay the mortgage and not have to hang in the chow line.
UGH! I can't stand his ass.....just die already...JUST DIE!!!

Sunday, June 29, 2008

Afternoon at the Movies: "Wanted"


I'm gonna cut to the chase and tell you that I loved, Loved, LOVED this freakin movie!!! I'm ready for it to come out on DVD or even get a bootleg copy just so I can watch it again. This film WILL keep your attention from beginning to end without any problems. It's humorous and action packed....you can't beat that with a wooden stick. One thing I will say is that there are a lot of scenarios that, in real life, seem a little far fetched but honestly those things are what make this movie so great. I won't give any of the plot away this time (surprising I know) but I will forewarn you and say that if you do not care for a lot of bullets going through people's heads and a lot of blood, then this is not the movie for you. What I do know is I wanted to be Angelina Jolie's character in this movie in THE worst way.....she's a bad bitch, period.dot. lol

One funny thing I have to mention is this guy that was sitting in the theater. He was SO funny and didn't even know it. This dude would just crack up laughing at the most random parts of the movie and what made it even worse is that he was loud as hell! lol The first time he did it, Z and I just looked at each other and tried to hold it in because we had the same question going through our heads.....what in the hell was he laughing at? I mean seriously, dude would laugh at the craziest lines like, "I'm gonna kill you"....bwahahahahahahaha. "Curve the bullet"....bwahahahahahaha. "Hello"......bwahahahahahahaha. This couple sitting behind us would also start laughing at the man because well, I guess you just had to be there but it made for an interesting experience.

Anyway, I'll reiterate that I thoroughly enjoyed this movie. "The Hulk" was good but this was MUCH better IMO. And the theatric bullshit that is "The Happening" can't even hold a candle to it.

AR Gal rates this movie: Get up off yo seat!!

Thursday, June 26, 2008

Hey There, Hi There, Ho There……..

……blame the title on The Steve Harvey Show. I was watching bits and pieces of it this morning. I just love Lydia Lyza Gutman, she cracks me up. Lol

To answer some questions from the previous post:

Freaky, no I didn’t go bowling. I was sore as hell by early evening so that maybe became a definite no. Maybe I’ll give it a try this weekend.

LadyNay, I eventually went to sleep that night. I dunno what was up with me that day. I was just wired up I guess. J

The weeks having been passing by rather quickly wouldn’t you say? I’m glad because the 4th of July weekend can’t get here soon enough. I’ve been debating about whether or not to take the Monday off following. Most people are like why wouldn’t you but I figure no one is going to be here at work (ie the boss) so that day is pretty much going to be a free for all. I think I’m gonna just save taking off for my birthday. It falls on a Saturday this year, so I think a 3 day-er will be just what the doctor ordered. Oh but wait, Labor is that Monday, so a 3 day weekend is guaranteed. I could take the Friday off and have a four banger! I’m down! Lol I’ve been searching for events going on that weekend but have found nothing other than Chaka Khan in Memphis so far. I love Chaka but don’t know if that’s the kind of concert I want to see though. I’m gonna have to keep looking.

Did anyone watch the BET awards? I’m not a regular viewer of that network at all but I tuned in about midway. The entire show was a m.e.s.s supreme from Rick Ross with his repurposed santa suit and man boobs to Lil Wayne taking off his shirt at the end *vomits profusely* I dare someone to try and prove to me that he is sexy……I DOUBLE DOG DARE YOU and will call you a lie! Lol Did anyone hear those kids from Baldwin Hills reading the teleprompter? You couldn’t understand ish they said but someone please tell me why one of the girls read the ellipses. Ya know……………. She actually said “dot dot dot”. I almost fell off my bed ‘cause I was laughing so hard. Folks, BET is detrimental to your children’s well being…..block it from them! lol

I tell you I’m getting feeble in my old age. I’ve got one foot over 31’s threshold and I’m losing my mind already! Lol I called to schedule a hair appointment last week. I thought I had scheduled it for 7/1 so it would be right before the holiday and was extremely surprised when the reminder went off on my phone tell me it was for this PAST Tuesday. *sigh* What is I’m gone do??!! I need some help. Someone told me to try Ginkgo Biloba (sp?). I’m going to have to do something because my brain is slowly starting to disintegrate. Lol On a brighter note, my stylist told me I looked like I was losing weight. Hey, I’ll tip to that! Lol I’m just glad this work I’m putting in is paying off. Don’t ask me how much I’ve lost because I have NO idea. I don’t do scales. Just call me Queen Latifah…I’m a size trying to get healthy. Lol

I ate McD’s for lunch yesterday and my tummy started feeling weird about an hour after that. It felt like heartburn in my tummy, that’s the only way I can explain it. It was just weird. So once I got home, I worked out but my stomach still had that same strange feeling. Dummy me decided to take the dogs walking but I only made it around the block before I gave up (and that was a struggle in itself). Z told me before I left I wasn’t going to be gone long because I didn’t look right. Lol I got back to the house and just laid on the floor in the den for about 30 minutes and then got up a took a shower. I ended up sitting in the tub while the water ran (retarded I know) because I couldn’t take it. Then it dawned on me that this is the same way I felt when I ate that pizza a few months back so I did the same thing I did then. I checked to see if I had another toothbrush and proceeded to the back bathroom to make whatever this was get out of my body. Just like the time before, I instantly felt better, thank goodness! Z made me some chicken noodle soup that hit the spot and I went to lay down for the rest of the night. I guess it’s a sign that I need to leave fast food alone. I doubt if that will ever happen because I know me BUT if it’s any consolation I don’t eat as much of it as I used to. :-)

Saturday, June 21, 2008

Fragment Sentences.......

I've been up since the crack of dawn....literally

Z went into work this morning @ 6 and I was wide awake

I went to sleep pretty much after I walked in the door yesterday

I slept 12 hours almost straight through with the exception of waking up twice to pee

Decided to go walk the dogs since it was nice and cool this morning.

We walked about 3 miles

Got back to the house and decided to clean up

Did that for an hour

Realized that my fav repeat on All Star Workouts (FitTV) was coming on

It was with some chick named LaDonna doing an Afro-Latina workout or something like that

I did that for the next hour while continuing to clean during commercial breaks

**Random Thought** Why do they tell you to keep working out during the commercial when all they know you are gonna do is sit down or do something else until the break is over?

Finished working out

Decided I hadn't done enough so I switched onto On Demand to do some crunches with Gilad

Dude has been around for a long time

I hope what I did made up for me skipping working out Thursday and Friday

Finished cleaning up

Washed the dogs

Ate lunch

Showered/washed hair

**Yes I ate before I got clean....I was HONGRAY!!! LOL

Starting washing clothes

Last load is drying now

I'm still not sleepy

Might try and take a nap anyway

Just my luck, I will sleep through the night again. lol

I hope not

I feel like I am missing stuff

No plans for tonight

Bowling was mentioned

Not sure how I feel about going

I have to be in a certain mood to do things and I don't think my mood says bowling

My mood is not really saying anything but to just be

Hmmmmmmm, we'll see........

Monday, June 16, 2008

Afternoon at the movies: "The Incredible Hulk"



Afternoon at the Movies: “The Incredible Hulk”

Z and I decided to double up on our movie going experience this weekend and go check out the Hulk film Sunday afternoon. I figured anything had to be better than “The Happening” and I was right. I was pleasantly surprised. It had enough action and suspense to keep my attention so that was a plus. I also discovered that the man that plays Bruce/Hulk in the movie, Edward Norton, is pretty fly for a white guy. As of June 15, 2008, he is my new white man crush. It was Kevin Spacey for the longest after seeing him doing bench presses in the garage with his shirt off in “American Beauty” but Kevin has gotten old and it’s time for his replacement so Edward is it. I know it may seem like I have weird taste but these guys make me swoon. You’ll just have to see what I mean, ‘cause dude looks sessy with his shirt off. What can I say? I’m weak for the flesh!! Lol

I won’t spoil it for those that have not seen it but the movie is basically about the military trying to track Bruce Banner down. He’s been in hiding five years and is finally discovered after he cuts himself and some of his blood gets into a soda at the plant he is working at. The person drinking the soda with his blood dies or something and so Bruce Banner is discovered. Really random I know but hey, it’s the movies. From there on out, there’s just a lot of running, shooting, and him going back and forth from Bruce to the Hulk. Speaking of Bruce, the original man that played him on the show makes a cameo (and he’s still just as beefy lookin as he was back in the day), as does Sam Lee (the guy that originated Marvel Comics). Also making a brief appearance is Michael Williams, aka Omar Little from “The Wire”. Okay, so it was more like an extra’s part as you just see him on the side walk during one of the fight scenes but hey I’ll take it. I miss seeing him on the small screen.

All in all, it’s a pretty good movie. AR Gal rates this one: I’m glad I got off my couch.

Saturday, June 14, 2008

Night at the Movies: The Happening


I had mixed feelings about whether or not I wanted to see this flick but alas there was nothing on tv last night to keep my attention so off Z and I went.

The movie was scheduled to begin at 10:10 but of course that includes previews so I'm thinking after about 5 minutes we would be good to go. HA! The audience had to sit through 20 daggone minutes of previews and I will go on record as saying that it was annoying as fuck! As with any preview, most movies are either (1) already out or (2) have been playing on tv as well so as much as you don't want to see them, you just endure and hope that the last one that plays is the very last one before the movie starts. This was just like a bad dream played out in life. I damn near grabbed my purse and went out into the lobby to wait them out. lol I do believe I was in a cranky mood anyway so this didn't help. After the torture, the movie starts. Just to give a background of what the film is about. An airborn gas is suspected to be floating in the air in the NE part of the country causing people to kill themselves so everyone is trying to outrun it or take shelter and hide from it. Cool enough plot. I figure it could happen in real life (nothing surprises me these days).

I was pleased with the fact that they didn't make you wait for the "meat" of the story to be played out. The good stuff started happening pretty much in the first couple minutes. What I wasn't pleased with is that they touted this film as M.Night Shalamar's (that's what I call him) first "R" rated film. For what might I ask? A thin line of blood going down someone's head from a self inflicted bullet womb and watching what was supposed to be a horrific scene (it was anything but....trust me) of someone's arms being bitten off by lions at the zoo just didn't cut it for me....I'm sorry.

Even though the film was not intentionally meant to be funny, I found myself laughing throughout most of it. Case in point, there is one scene where the main characters are looking down on a group of people running into the home they just left. Well, they weren't running quite fast enough and the "the happening" catches up to them. One of the men in the group decides to off himself by turning on a lawn mower and falling down in front of it for it to run over him. Yeah, I know that's not funny but the way he fell down on the ground had me hollerin in the theater. It was kinda like how you would imagine Blaine Edwards and Antoine Merriweather from "Men on Film" on In Living Color passing out....I swear! lol lol lol I also was gifted a lot of giggles from Mark Walberg in his delivery of certain lines.

I suppose you will just have to watch it to see what I'm talking about but I definitely wouldn't pay top dollar at the theater to see it. If I knew then what I know now, I would have been calling up my local Homeboy Network to boost a bootleg copy....either that or wait for it to come on cable. I should have known better than to agree to see this after one of my friends told me about the fuckery that is "The Strangers". Two...two....two duds in one! (shout out to "A Different World"). We almost went to see that ish last week too! lol

So anyway, you've been forewarned. Waste your hard-earned dollars at your own risk.

AR Gal rates this movie: I should have stayed my black ass at home.

Wednesday, June 11, 2008

If you are in need of a good laugh.........


http://view.break.com/516661 - Watch more free videos

My black @ss just about fell out my seat watching this. Dude flipped the script and went from his professional Mr. Tibbs voice to Debo in about 5 seconds.

FYI...if you are at work you may wanna turn the speakers down or slap a pair of headphones on.

Sunday, June 08, 2008

Back Home!

After two delayed flights, I finally made it home Friday evening around 7:30-ish. I'm sure there is a method behind the madness of airlines and flight scheduling but for the life of me, I will never understand why I had to fly alllllllllllllllll the way down to Atlanta just to fly allllllllllllllll the way back up to Kentucky. D.e.l.t.a airlines is notorius for doing this. I cannot recall a time, even when I was younger, that we did not have to fly into the hub in the Atl, to make our connection to another fly to arrive at our destination. If I took the time to sit and thing about it, I'm sure I could come up with a logical explanation but at the end of the day is still rather retarded IMO.

*sigh*

I didn't so diddly squat Friday evening and barely left the house once yesterday. I was in bed until around 1 p.m., (1) because I was tired and (2) because my contact scratched my left eyeball (I have gas perm's, ie I'm blind as hell!) so anything that was light and bright affected that eye. It's hard to open and even if you are standing close to a ray of light, this shot of pain runs from the scratched part of your eye up through your head. It's kinda of like when you get your eyes dialated but you can see. This has happened a few times before so I did what I always do, squeezed eye wash directly in my eye (I did this a few more times through the day), patched it up, tied a bandana around my head to black everything out and caught some zzzzzz's. lol I'm happy to report that this morning, all is well. Z and I were considering going to the movies to see "The Strangers" last night but I wasn't feeling 100% and didn't think I would be able to enjoy the movie with my eye the way it was so we postponed going to see it until today......maybe. :-)

The carpet needs to be cleaned so we (ie he) will be working on that later this evening. I will do my part in doing some run throughs with the vacuum. I still need to unpack my suitcase but that usually never gets done until the following week. Maybe I will be inspired to do it earlier this time around. lol

Anyway, I'm audi 5000 for now. Hope your weekends are going well.

Wednesday, June 04, 2008

Checking in........

So far Louisville has been as nice as expected. I haven't really had a chance to do much outside of the workshop since we are at the facility all day with the exception of lunch. By the time we finish up @ around 4:30-5'ish, most of the touristy stuff is closed.....even the zoo! Sheesh. I've still got one day to make it Six Flags though. lol

The workshop is going as well as expected. It's a workshop, it can be interesting yet boring as hell at the same time. lol I'm still overwhelmed and really have no phluckin idea what I'm doing BUT I am doing what I came to do which is to (1) get an understanding of the grant writing process (which I have done) and (2) write a proposal. My boss told me that she wasn't really expecting anything on the level of a seasoned grant writer, she just wanted to see how I write so she could better assess my skill level. That took some of the anxiety I had away before leaving but I'm still pushing myself to put my best foot foward. Please believe that I know these folks ain't spent all this $$$ for me to come up to KY to take this ish lightly. :-) So now we are past the lecturing/exercise point and we are writing our proposals. I intially started out by myself, then the facilitator paired me up with some other chick. I knew that wasn't going to work because our areas of non-profit were different but whatever I just rolled with it. When it came down to get to the bulk of it, we both decided that it would be best if we wrote our own individual prop's instead of doing a collaborative one. We still use each other as support here and there but overall I'm happier with the current arrangement. :-)

During my down time afterwards, I've been trying to fit time in to utilize the gym next door, do a little site seeing, eat, sh*t, shave, shower, and do some research/work on the proposal. I'm not this busy when I'm at home. lol




I mapquested Churchill Downs yesterday and took a drive to go check it out. I have oodles of pic's but of course dummy me left my cable cord at the house. I found a pic online that looks really close to one that I took yesterday. I tried to see if there was a way that I could sneak in to get better pics of the track but no dice. It's just as well though, with my luck they probably would have arrested my tail for trepassing or something. lol


Today I ventured downtown to find the Louisville Slugger museum. When I googled it to find the address to map, I was instantly fascinated because the home page shows a pic of the museum with a gigantic LS leaning against the building.


**Sidenote....ma.p.q.ue.st sucks major tittayballs! They give pretty decent directions until the end when you are close to your destination then they drop the ball so you're forced to find the crap yourself. Good thing I'm pretty good directionally (is that a word? Who cares).
Anyway, after taking a wrong exit, I still ended up downtown so I just drove around until I found Main street and continued to drive until a saw that big bat. lol After taking pic's across the street to get the full bat on camera, I crossed over to see the thing up close. I was on the phone with my sister and told her that I wanted to see if it was made of real wood or not. lol Much to my dismay, it is just tons of metal. If I thought I had enough time, I would try to run down there before my plane leaves to get Z one. I'm hoping that we will not be in the workshop until one o'clock like she says because my plane leaves a couple of hours after that. Even if she's not, I'm still leaving. I'm red.ta.go.home. I miss my man and my dogs and I am not about to miss my plane foolin around with this stuff. lol
Someone had mentioned that there was a Muhammed Ali museum/center/something like that. I didn't map it and didn't really feel like looking for it. Instead I parked the car to walk to the Ohio river to get some pic's of it. Maybe, I'll ride back down tomorrow to try and find the Ali place. I don't know why though 'cause it's gonna be closed....*sigh*
I'm hungry, even though I ate earlier. I had leftovers from The Cheesecake Factory last night. I wish I had something sweet to eat on. I've got a granola bar in my purse but you know as well as I do that's not the kind of sweet I'm talkin about. As much as I've been going on about wanting chocolate cake, I didn't even get any last night. I took one look at my plate of food and knew that wasn't gonna happen. I ate about half of my food and was stuffed!! Maybe I'll go get some tomorrow. Scratch that...I WILL go and get a slice tomorrow. lol
So anyway, that's what's up. Everything and nothing. I'm rambling at this point.
**Note to self: this is what happens when your sugar is low....must eat chocolate cake.
Hopefully the next time I post, I will be at home. I hope they don't put me on one of those raggedy @ss planes again that I was on the first leg of the trip. I can't stand riding in those things.....they make me nervous.










Sunday, June 01, 2008

I'm in Louisville......


.....Kentucky that is. Home of the Louisville slugger (or so I've been told, lol). I'm here for work to take a grant writing workshop. Since that is part of my new gig, they felt it would be best if I get a better understanding of what the process involves. The workshop I will be attending is the best from what I've been told by co-workers so I'm hoping to learn a lot. Now that doesn't go without saying I'm not a bit nervous, okay maybe a lot because I don't know diddly squat about writing grants. I know what grants are and I know how to write in English so I'm hoping that gives me a bit of a headstart. lol

After a bit of a delay at the airport in Little Rock, I arrived safe and sound (as did my luggage thank goodness!)

Sidebar: I've had luggage that I've checked go lost before and on a direct flight no less. I'm here to tell you that shit ain't NO fun...AT ALL! After I went postal on the baggage claim folks and left the airport (still without my suitcase), I hit up the mall and Wally World to buy a few items to hold me over until I returned home. My luggage was returned the day after I made it back home. I suppose it was just good that my stuff got returned but it still sucked major tittayballs!

Anyway......since I will be here until Friday my suitcase was full of stuff that I just couldn't live without so of course it had to go under the plane. After seeing my bag and thanking the heavens that it got here with me, I went to the rental car place. The chick at the counter was trying to get me to do upgrades, gps units and all that jazz. Ummmm, no sweetie not unless it's free. I mapquested all my routes prior to my departure and I can learn a city pretty fast so yeah....thanks but no thanks. I told them just to point me in the direction of the main interstate and I was good to go. I was at my hotel about 15 minutes later. It would have been 10 if the durn sign to the hotel was facing in more than one direction. I actually passed the place because of that. Anyway, I check in and bolted off to find the center where the workshop would be and to grab me something to eat. The center actually took longer to find than the hotel because it is not directly on the street that it says it's on but off the street. I mean like waaaaaaaaay back off the street. I would explain further but I'm tired so you will just have to take it how I'm dishing it out right now. :-)

So here I am now....nervous, tired, and hon-ga-ray might I add. I ate at like 5 and it's durn near eleven pm here (I'm on EST) and I've got the munchies. If I were at home, I would drink some milk with Nestle hot chocolate mix to make chocolate milk. FYI......that is like the best little nightcap in the world! I know another thing I would be doing if I were at home right now....sleep. So that's what I'm going to do.

Wednesday, May 28, 2008

Just what the doctor ordered……….



Sorry for the delay. This was to be posted Monday but I was enjoying the weekend WAY too much to worry about actually blogging. Lol Now reading blogs….that’s a different story. :-D

This past weekend turned out to be relaxing (for the most part). After a presentation Friday morning at work and little else to do Friday afternoon (and more importantly after my boss left), I bounced and my weekend finally began. That evening we did little much other than enjoy the fact of knowing that we had 3 more days of doing nothing that we didn’t want to do.

We eventually made it out of the house on Saturday at around 12:30-ish to go climb Pinnacle Mountain. We were supposed to leave earlier that morning but you know by us being black folk and all, CP time reigned supreme. Anywho, we loaded up the pups, got on the road, and about half-way there it starts drizzling. Seriously?! UGH! I look at Z, he looks at me and we both decide to keep on and just play it by sight. I was going to wash my hair that day anyway so It really didn't matter. By the time we arrived, the rain had stopped as we guessed it would.

Any of you that live in AR that have ever climbed Pinnacle know that sucka is a beast and a half. Unless you are a freak of nature, you seriously will be breathing like a gorilla by the time you reach the half-way point or before. Lol Little did I know this was going to be THE most trying climb I had ever experienced. Problem #1, my mind tricked me into thinking that just because I can do a Tae-Bo dvd straight through that I would be fine. Problem #2, I decided to wear my N,i.k.e tennis shoes that matched the workout capris I had on. Why not be cute and sweaty at the same time….right? Wrong!!! Cute will kill you and it almost did me in! Now I knew that these shoes were not comfortable in any shape, form, or fashion to workout in. Even walking the dogs in them makes my arch hurt but oh noooooooooo, I just had to match. *sigh* So we are going up, my breathing is becoming more labored and then I feel it. Damn. I tried to push through the pain but those shoes were testing me. I tell Z to hold up for a second (or 180) so I could rest. He asks if I’m okay, I say no but told him we could keep going. As we continue up, we hear thunder and see lightning so we are hurrying (read I am trying not to keel over) to try and make it to the top. By this time my feet are killing me and I, for the first time ever climbing this thing, throw in the towel. I tell Z to go on ahead and I’ll wait until he gets back down. He has that are you serious look on his face to which I answered, yes I’m serious. Lol I couldn’t take it anymore. He told me we could just start going back down but I told him to go ahead and that I’d be fine. Hell I was high enough to get the same benefit as being at the top. Lol He just laughed and said okay and that he wouldn’t be long. After I caught my breathe a bit, I take Emma, who wasn’t the least bit tired might I add, over closer to the edge of the cliff so I could at least take some pics. (I’ll have to post those later. I forgot my camera today). While we are waiting on Z and Cochise to come back down, I am looking at the scenery and also watching people as they come up and down. There was one family that had kids from about the 7-12 year age range. One of the little girls was bawlin as she made her way up. Her face was red and all she kept saying was “it hurts, it hurts” and her mom said “it’s supposed to hurt”. The child was a bit on the chubby side so that I am pretty sure that was the most exercise she had ever had in her life so far. I felt bad for her though, cause I truly felt her pain. Lol I hope she made it up okay.

Z finally makes it down and tells me that I wasn’t that far from the top. I look at him and look up at the steep incline of boulders and rolled my eyes. I take a few pics of him and the down below shot but refuse to let him take any of me. I told him next time we come, which will be sometime again this summer, he can take as many as he likes because I will make it to the top in my raggedy tennis shoes this time thank you very much. Lol As we are going back down, Z asks me if I see that snake. I ask where and he points it out. After making sure it wasn’t hanging over my head or right in front of me, I took off like I was in the Olympics. But what about your feet you say? Shooooooooooot, I wasn’t stuttin nothing but the end of that trail by then (which we were fairly close to at that point). I didn’t get too far running because it started raining and I didn’t want to slip and fall. (FYI....I'm rather clumsy and walk into walls regularly) I figured I had gotten far enough away from the snake so I slowed down until I made it to the end. By the time Z caught up with me, he was still laughing his @ss off at me running away from the snake. I told him to KMA, because what I saw was thick, long, black, and in no way resembled anything I wanted near or around me. Well, unless it…………nevermind.

So that was our walk. The rest of the weekend was just really laid back with a trip to the movies to see “IronMan” (it was a’ight) and a little BBQ on Monday. It was just what the doctor ordered.

Update: Pics from close to the top Pinnacle






Sunday, May 25, 2008

Ain't No Way in Hell!!!

Take a look at this vid and please tell me how/why this kid is still breathing? I laugh at a lot of stuff I see kids do (and thank the lord they ain't mine) but this right here had my blood pressure shootin up through the roof! (Please note the 1:59 minute mark) I had to stop the video for a minute to catch myself. I was about to damage the laptop screen to reach through to slap both of these Dr. Phil watchin dummies. lol

What would you all have done? All I know is Z summed it up for me by saying if we had kids that did that, we wouldn't have none no mo'! lol lol lol lol lol



And for the record, I highly doubt if that was the first time the kid did that. Surprised my ass.....


I'll post about the climb tomorrow. We are headed off to the movies.

Saturday, May 24, 2008

Climb every mountain..................

Today is the day folks. Z, the pups, and I are going to climb Pinnacle mountain.









I haven't seen this place in a good year since we last came out to climb. I figure if we do it today, I will still have 2 days to recover physically (just in case) before it's time to go back to work. I've been doing Tae-Bo for a good month and a half now so I am going to put Billy's dvd to the test to see if it was worth the 9.99 I paid for it @ Wally World. lol I think I'll be fine though. I can make it through the work-out without stopping or having to drink any water....that's a good sign right?

Wish me luck. Have a fun and safe holiday weekend!

Thursday, May 15, 2008

WOOOOOOOOOOOOW!

This is SO not shocking but still it amazes me to see the ignorance and blatant racism live and in living color that still exists in this country. These people did everything short of just coming right out and (calling Barack a n****) saying they would not vote for Barack because he is black. What is really evident to me is that the people featured in this clip are truly just a product of a racist mentality (and possibly inbreeding) that has been passed down from generation to generation. Not ONE, and mean NOT ONE of them could give a decent reason why he should not be president.

Just listen…..you’ll see what I mean. Please be sure to listen up to what the women at the 3:07 minute mark says. All I could do was laugh……for real.


Tuesday, May 13, 2008

Giving you what I got....musically