Reflections

So as I stood in my bathroom this morning sewing my son's Halloween mask back together after he broke the strap...it hit me, once again, that I am someone's mom. I had one of those "A-HA" moments that Oprah is always talking about.

I am somebody's mom. Crazy right?

Me. The girl who likes to go out in her hot outfit, have some cocktails, travel the world and dance until the sun comes up. Pick out the hottest guy in the room and buy him a drink just because. Write poetry and short stories and then rip them all up. Take the business world by storm and one day be mega, filthy rich. Dance on the beach in my bikini singing songs at the top of my lungs. Me. 1969. The fun loving, free spirited, carefree girl is someone's mama.

Sometimes, when I am hugging a four year old at 2am while they throw up, or making hot chocolate with marshmallows and whipped cream, or playing power ran.gers vs. spi.derman....it hits me that I am really the MOM.

I know, I know....who would have thunk it? Most people that know me say they always knew I had it in me. Well I sure as heck didn't. I could barely balance a checkbook let alone start a 529 plan for someone's future. How did I get here?

The journey has been amazing. I have grown up so much in the last four years. Marriage will teach you some things but you can still be selfish. You can still sleep in late, choose to not cook dinner, lay around all day in your jammies, buy a new pair of shoes just for the hell of it....you know...do the things you want to do.

Kids force you to grow the hell up.....and fast. You no longer are responsible for just yourself, you are now forced into being....a MOM.

So as I woke up and grabbed the cupcakes for Taliban 1's party at school, while I adjusted the mask I had just sewn back together, grabbed the pizza money for Taliban 2's party at school, adjusted his cape for the 15th time, held the car keys betwen my teeth, walked them to the car, strapped them into the carseats and still made it to work by 7:30am.....I really had to stop and give myself a pat on the back.

I think I finally found something that I am good at.

So Whatchu Sayin?

Well, I took 40 customers to the game yesterday. Two of my co-workers did absolutely nothing for the event. Basically, they showed up after I had everything set-up and then they both snuck out at halftime.

I got to work at 7am to make sure the breakfast, transportation, gift items, etc were all set-up and done. They strolled in when the customers started arriving...at 8:30am. We had arranged for everyone to park here and then be transported by bus to the field. One co-worker who has a 6 month old baby decided she would follow us in her car because she had to pump breastmilk before she left and she didn't want to hold everyone back. No problem. However, in actuality, you wanted to follow us with your car because you wanted to LEAVE at halftime and drive right over the bridge into NJ and be home faster.

I don't care if you want to go home, but just be honest about it. My 2nd co-worker, showed up at 8:30am. She rode up from Baltimore for the game, broke out at halftime.
Okay, why would you waste a $100 ticket for only half a game?

Most of the clients were theirs. I was stuck getting everyone back from the stadium to the Hotel. Nice. Not to mention that I won't be doing this job in a few weeks. They need these accounts, I don't.

Typical.

Can you tell I am not going to miss some of these individuals?

That's why the Eagles Lost....Hmph.

GO GIANTS!

The Cow and the Chef

Happy Halloween.

Let's hear it for REAL singers

I was browsing You Tube and saw this. I know I may be old school but who is out there still singing like this? Ruben held his own but Peabo is representing. One of the best voices ever.

A meme

The Incredibly Weird What If Question Meme (stolen from T.Cas)

1. You can flip a switch that will wipe any band or musical artist out of existence. Which one will it be?

Elvis. Overrated. Stole from Black Artists. The So-called King?

2. You have the opportunity to sleep with the movie celebrity of your choice. We are talking no-strings-attached sex and it can only happen once. Who is the lucky celebrity of your choice?

Morris Chestnut

3. You have the opportunity to sleep with the music-celebrity of your choice. Who do you pick?

Why ask? Maxwell, of course

4. Now that you’ve slept with two different people in a row, you seem to be having an excellent day because you just came across a hundred-dollar bill on the sidewalk. Holy shit, a hundred bucks! How are you gonna spend it?

Right now, I would say a new pair of shoes.

5. You just got a free plane ticket to anywhere. You have to depart right now. Where are you gonna go?

The French Riviera

6. Upon arrival to the aforementioned location, you get off the plane and discover another hundred-dollar bill. Shit! Now that you are in the new location, what are you gonna do?

Have a fabulous dinner, near the Mediterranean, watching the sun set with an excellent glass of wine.

7. The Angel of Death has descended upon you. Fortunately, the Angel of Death is pretty cool and in a good mood, and it offers you a half-hour to do whatever you want before you bite it. Whatcha gonna do in that half-hour?

Spend it with my husband and kids.

8. You accidentally eat some radioactive vegetables. They were good, and what’s even cooler is that they endow you with the super-power of your choice! What’s it gonna be?

As much as I like to travel, I would want the ability to transport myself from place to place.

9. You can re-live any point of time in your life. The time-span can only be a half-hour, though. What half-hour of your past would you like to experience again?

I would relive the first time I held my son in my arms.

10. Rufus appears out of nowhere with a time-traveling phone booth. You can go anytime in the PAST. What time are you traveling to and what are you going to do when you get there?

I would love to have actually heard the Martin Luther King "I Have a Dream Speech" Live.

11. You can erase any horrible experience from your past. What will it be?

Nothing. It is what it is.

12. You got kicked out of the country for being a time-traveling heathen who sleeps with celebrities and has super-powers. But check out this cool shit… you can move to anywhere else in the world! Bitchin’! What country are you going to live in now?

Trinidad, Home Sweet Home

13. The constant absorption of magical moonbeams mixed with the radioactive vegetables you consumed earlier has given you the ability to resurrect the dead famous-person of your choice. So which celebrity will you bring back to life?

Malcolm X so the chickens could come home to roost.

14. What’s your theme song?

Golden-Jill Scott

You Betta Work

I love fashion. I love clothes, shoes, purses. Seriously, I am a fashion junkie.
While I could live in a pair of jeans, crisp white shirt and some flip flops....I can appreciate how it's all put together. I think in another life...I could have been a stylist.

I have an eye for how to pull a look together. I love it all, from the Isaac Mizrahi shoes at Target to the Marc Jacobs clutch. When I look at clothes....I see art. Sculpture. Poetry in Motion.



When I see a well pulled together woman or man pass me by in the street...I have to give them a nod. The small details...a nice pair of suede loafers with those jeans and tshirt, a great bag worn with your sweats. The look of casual elegance. Sleek sophistication. You know...that....Oh this? I just threw this on. LOVE IT! I am such a fashion junkie....

Sweet Potato Pie.....MMMMM

Okay G.Mo. I am going to try to be gracious but HOW BOUT THEM NY FOOTBALL GIANTS?
That sweet potato pie is gonna taste really good......

I will post some more later....

Get me a cup of coffee...

I spent last night up with Taliban 2 until 2:30am. He cried and fussed until he finally fell asleep. Teething is not fun. So bear with me as I grab a cup of coffee and try to jump start my day.

YAWN.

Okay, where was I? Oh yeah....I think all of blogland is going on hiatus. What's up with everyone? We all seem to have writers block and need a break from each other.
I love the fact that we all need a break from folks we don't know. LOL
I hope that everyone gets the time they need. With the new position, I may be blogging less too. We'll see how it goes.

Halloween is approaching. My kids are going as Batman and Robin. Only the baby will be Batman and the Older one will be Robin. Yeah, Yeah....we thought it would make for a great picture. Mommy and Daddy like to torture the kiddies....

So Taliban 1 is currently obsessed with ALL things Halloween. I mean I watched Casper, Scooby Doo 2:Monsters Attack, Spongebob Halloween, Harry Potter...you name it, we watched it...all this weekend. He only gets to watch TV on the weekend so he tried to make up for it BIG TIME. Then during all of the scary parts he would say "Mommy are YOU scared?" Ha ha.

Are adults into Halloween? I hate to admit it but I like dressing up. We have a work party and I have won best costume twice. (First prize is $500). Last year I went as Forest Gump. I had a bench, box of chocolates, everything. People kept sitting next ti me and I would ramble on and on. One year, I went as a Christmas tree. I wore forest green clothes and strung lights all around me, ornaments, had a star on my head and carried a battery pack. They didn't know what I was until the judging when I plugged in and walked in all lit up. LOL

This year, my co-worker is going as a cow and I am going as the Butcher. Don't ask...
but I will try to post pictures. Yeah, 1969 can be a little warped. Shhhh, I really am a geek, don't tell anyone.

Good News

I got the job! I am now, Director of Group Strategy for the Philadelphia Region.

After 15 years in this industry, starting out as an assistant in the Sales office, I am now one of the top dogs. I can't believe it. To top it off, I am the ONLY black woman to have this position in the REGION.

I know that to whom much is given, much is expected. The job is totally different and I have a LOT to learn. There will be many people hoping that I will fail (my current bosses are extremely SALTY that I am leaving their team).

All in all, I am relieved that it's over and thanks to everyone for the positive thoughts.

I'M RICH BEYOTCH!

What the FUDGE?

Sunday morning, I got up and went to my local college track to jog. Taliban 1 asked me if he could come. So after getting him dressed and grabbing his soccer ball, we headed out to the track.

When we get there, there are a group of adults playing a pick up game of soccer. On the other side of the field, some kids are playing football. At first I was pretty happy to see the kids organizing themselves to do something. At least they weren't on the street hanging out. As I got closer into the park, all I could hear was "Throw the F*cking Ball." "You catch like a p*ssy" "F*ck you b*tch *ss n*gga"

The kids probably ranged in age from 9 to about 14. All boys.

I started to jog and probably got around the track twice before I couldn't take letting my son play soccer on the same field. The cursing was so extreme.

When I went and got my son, I overheard the men playing soccer say "If these kids were playing organized football, they wouldn't know what to do with themselves."

Now I applaud these kids because, like I said, they organized themselves to come together and play a game instead of being out and getting into trouble. I just wonder if the language stems from videos and the current thug culture. I strained to remember if I cursed like that at that age. I really don't think I started cursing until college and actually dating some sorry Muthaf*ckas. LOL

Seriously, are we failing the kids? Why are 9 year olds so freaking angry? Do they need to say "F*ck you n*gga"? Is that the only way to express themselves or am I just being sensitive to it because I am a mom? WHAT THE FUDGE IS GOING ON?

The Randomness

**yawn** I really should have called out

Why did Delishus or whatever the hell her name is on Flavor of Love look like Michael Strahan from the NY Giants?

Where are all of the trash talking Eagles fans today?

Where the hell is Lincolnshire, IL and why will I be spending a week there on business next week?

Why do adults show up at kids' birthday parties and then eat all of the pizza and cake? Poor kids.

Why did my son call 911 (cause he learned about it in school and wanted to dial something) and hang up and then have the nerve to be terrified when the cops showed up?

How come everytime I attempt to eat healthier, someone brings donuts in to the office?

Why is LOST the best show on tv and no one watches it?

Will I have a new job by Friday?

Is Dunkin Donuts better than Starbucks?

My baby can now say "Nose, mouth, fish, daddy, uh oh, up, down, outside" and still can't say Mommy.

Am I the only one looking forward to the VH1 Hip Hop Honors show?

And why is Da Brat doing the tribute to MC Lyte?.........LOL

Freaky Friday

Today is Friday the 13th. To me, it's just another day. To some folks....they need to be extra cautious.

The interviewing process is done and I am waiting to hear. I did find out that another co-worker has also posted for the job. They need to run her through the interview process also. She's a good candidate as well...although I have more experience. Hey, the best person will get it. I laugh in the face of competition HA HA! No decision until mid to late next week. I'll keep everyone posted and thanks for the positive vibes!

On a different note, I have come to grips with the fact that my body is no longer the high metabolism fat burning machine that it used to be. I used to eat and eat and never gained an ounce.

Two babies and 37 years and my metabolism is shut down. I am not out of shape due to my love of the gym. I work out regularly but I do know that I could be so much better if I stopped eating donuts!

I need to start eating healthier. It's great to workout but I have had the mentality that I can eat what I want because I know I will burn it off. I am starting to figure out that I need to eat to be HEALTHIER and live longer.

***Sigh,**** I need a lifestyle change......

Game Time

Hope everyone had a great weekend. The reunion was nice. My hubby went to a small private school, graduating class of 48 people. He was the only black person in his class. Amazing how these rich folks act.

My hubby's parents were hard working folks. His dad was a bus driver and his mom owned a daycare. They saved and sent him to private school. He spent the day around kids of privilege and then came back to the hood. LOL

No wonder he can flow so easily in any scenario. More importantly, he knows how to play the game. Walk the line with the Euros.

Which is a great lead in to today......I am going through the first round of interviews. I have two set up today with the Regional Vice Presidents. Tomorrow, I have four interviews scheduled.

I have the navy pinstripes on. Shoes are buffed. Hair is conservative.

You know....I actually look like I know what I am doing? Ha ha.

Thanks for all of the support and kind words. I will keep you guys posted.

P.S. G-Mo....what happened to the Cowboys and the Redskins??????

Brushing shoulders off....

I walked in this morning and POSTED for the Director position. After a rough week of going back and forth....I made a move!!!

My boss was highly attitudinal (is that a word) but after researching the position, I have decided it is the right move for me. I can't pass up the opportunity. CHANGE IS GOOD.

I feel so much better now that that's over. WHEW.

My hubby's 20 year High School Reunion is tomorrow so we will have a busy weekend and I have to walk in there looking good. Make the hubby look like he did a little something :)

Have a great weekend Blogfam.

How did I get here?

I am currently in a work dilemma. I inquired about a raise and a title increase within my Department. I did a presentation to my two bosses regarding why I felt I was ready for the promotion. (It's between me and another candidate). That was two weeks ago. The following week, someone from another Department came and offered me a better job, Director title and more money.

The dilemma is that I love my job right now. Having more money to do this would be great. The new title would have made me happy.

The new position means more visibility. Bigger title. Now more involved in Strategy and Planning as opposed to selling. No more clients. No more numbers hanging over my head. Maybe $20,000 more in salary and I go from suits everyday to business casual.
More flexibility. Ability to work from home. However, I will no longer be in front of the customer. No more business trips to cool locations. More number crunching.

As I put everything down on paper, there is no way I am not going to post for it. In addition, I am their first choice.

So on Friday, I need to go to my current bosses and say....thanks but no thanks. I am going after the 2nd job.

I don't have a problem doing it....business is business. I have to do what's going to make me more marketable. But it still makes my head hurt. It's been a crazy couple of days.