Lots to be Thankful for!

Thanksgiving was good! I ate good. I slept good. Even got some work done. Good laughs with family and friends. And I partied good too. I got in Tuesday night and went and chilled with one of my oldest friends. Her little girl has gotten bigger and is THE CUTEST and so sweet unlike her mama:). Wednesday, my cuz, my mom and me headed to my dad's mom to spend the day. Wednesday night we hit my mom's mom about two hours away and had a ball Thanksgiving day. Friday I told my mom we needed to head back home because I was getting my hair done early in the morning, which was true, but I really wanted to get back so I could party in the hometown! You understand. Me and my mom only stopped for a second at the mall, but I did get these BCBG pants for a STEAL! and some lil leopard peep toe flats (you know I love my animal print) and a cute lil tote.
That night compound was SO FUN! Saw too many familiar faces which made me feel semi-important. Aint nothing like walkin it out in Atlanta! That place was huge.

Saturday I got up and got something done to this head, shopped at my fav thrift shop. Yes - got this so sexy mustard sweater, this tigerish sweater and this leopard blouse (I already told you I love my animal print . . .well just call it country chic) and some great little vests and layering pieces. Heard Lupe on the radio saying he was doing his first show in Atl and we had to go! HE was great but the crowd was disappointing. Sunday went to church and they made me feel like a star:) Got home and spent time with my lil sister, the break dancing 7 year old Deja Boo. She convinced me to put up the Christmas tree so we did that. I was DEAD tired and went to sleep though i was suppose to go out that night . . .my bad. Flying back Monday was cool. Atlanta airport CRAZY as usual. I rode the supershuttle back to campus with this really interesting elderly (i had old at first but it seemed mean) black lady who use to work in the VP house back in the day. I am mad at myself that I missed class cuz I thought Oprah was doing her favorite things and she didnt! :( So yeah, the break was good!

It was also a time of revelation:
1) I will NEVER EVER do my own hair again. Though it got me by, Ms. Sheila had a time washing that mess out of my head. Let the professionals do what they know how to do. Im just lucky she has skills cuz I would have come out bald if I had a tried.

2) There really is no place like home. Though I'm looking forward to being a Harlem girl (and even wore a shirt today that says "I'm so Harlem" Ill always be a Georgia Girl. I love Atlanta! the older I get the more I appreciate the city. Only when I go home now do I get to really learn the nightlife.

3) Let me also add. . . Atlanta is SLOW. Im in shock that my hands sold me out because I never would thought I would think that. I always thought we were bustling and misunderstood. Heading out last Tuesday somebody said they liked Atl but it was slow and I scoffed. Then Saturday night, going downtown to see Lupe, I was freaked out that I did eenie-meanie-minie-moe for a parking spot on the street. It was 11:00 and downtown was EMPTY. wtf? And to pay to park was only $5.

4) speaking of Lupe he seeing him in person reminding me of something. Though I always jokingly say "You can't have it all. Im pretty and Im smart so I gave up good eye sight" I do believe there is some truth to that. Part of the price of enlightenment is being around people who cant understand that. That's how I feel Lupe feel's. He was cool, but not overly charismatic. He's serious about his shit and I respect that . . .but that also leaves little room to play about his stuff. Like our 'dope girl fresh' look:)?

5) Your Parents and Family are real people . . .really. What made our thanksgiving dinner SOOO good was all the stories of my mom and her sisters and her cousins growing up. From Prom horror stories till how my grandad let boys visit but they had to be out by 9, so 5 minute before my aunt would put the record "its time to say goodbye" on so that was there cue:) Also the one where my mom was suppose to be taking names, someone came in the class and asked where the teacher was, she answered, then the class put her name for talking and she got a whopping had me on the floor. I stole this pic of my parents from my grandma's album with all these pics of my mom and dad all over Europe looking pretty fly. Why didnt my mom save me any of that stuff???????????

SO yeah, thanksgiving was nice, Real nice! Cant wait to get back for Christmas. I have a list of all the people I am going to hook up with, fa real . Let me get back to thesis, writing out Christmas cards, especially if I am going to NY this weekend. Guess who's going to a screening of Dreamgirls!!!!!!!!

Queen of thee Fried Turkey People

Going Home . . .

That's how I felt when I made my way back to NY over the weekend. Yes, it was so much fun and just got me that much more pumped to get my grown and sexy on (read broke and employed) after May 12th. I'm in a good moment.Our magazine group hit up Maxim and Complex and lunched with our sexy and hustling Howard alum one the online editor at King and the other an EA at InStyle.com.Thursday was good but trying to lead 17 people with many of them 18-years-old let me know I am not sure I want to chaperone my kids fieldtrips.Trip highlights . . .

* forcing our VP who's favorite magazine is King to go say hey to the EIC who we just happened to see eating lunch and who was real cool with me and her when we came to speak.

* Returning to ESSENCE was really like going home. The ladies (and the fabulous Patrik) made me feel like I really was a part of the team. If you get a second, check my byline on page 72 in the December issue with Diddy and Kim. Though it was sad to be there as they waited on confirmation about Gerald Levert, it was so uniquely and beautifully Essence. I also met the new online editor who was really nice, and as Time Inc and all magazines make that push to online, it is something anybody wanting to go into magazines should definitely be open to.

*SHOPPING!!!!!!!!! I got these gray suede above the knee boots that are sic. I am not that chic who can't wait to wear new stuff as soon as she gets it and have been known to not wear new stuff for months. However these two shirts I got from Necesarry Clothing, one of my fav spots in SoHo, I wore right away. One Friday and the other Saturday night:)

* Morning tea at the Harlem Tea Room with my cousin who is the closest I have to a big sis and Im so glad to have her (and not just cuz she let's me crash whenever I come to the city or treats me to awesome meals) We really had some deep convo, devling in to why our brothers are so clingy to the nest. Her financial wisdom will definitely guide my meager earnings when I get to the city. And if you know anyone in need of an awesome floral designer tis she! Friday night she took me to this asian place called Room Service that was so sexy, strong drinks and great food!


*Brunching with my former ASME program buddies Saturday and pumped for when we are all back in the city and magazine-employed. And I guess I could have put this in shopping, but after strolling through the East Village and making our way to SoHo, this dress I have been eyeing since the summer at Club Monaco was on such a serious sale I wanted to run to the register before they realized their error.

*Saturday night still makes me smile. Reuniting with my homie-sister-friend Zee was great. We didnt party like we did all summer because it was a Saturday and we never partied on Saturday nights:) People think they know how much fun we had from facebook pics, but they dont do the summer justice. At this soul food/Caribbean spot Maroon's we did a full meal with like four courses and drinks all around. We caught up on the drama in each other's lives (she has me beat!) and the truth like only real friends do. The beauty of our friendship is that we call each other on the things we do, like when we were talking about how time is flying and I said, "Yeah the year is almost over, I mean, the December magazines are already on the newsstand." lol. And I was so serious.
*Running to the 7am bus as it was about to pull off Sunday morning and being the last one on it wasn't a highlight, but reading more of Babylon Sisters by Pearl Cleage (one of my favorite authors!!!!) and planning out the rest of my week on the ride was great.
Just writing this post brought back all those memories and has me ready to get back to NY. Right now I am at the Law School library with my friend Ashley. Suppose to be studying but after that beautiful weekend, what was I doin . . .looking at Harlem apartments on Craigslist. I know Im wrong, but can you blame me:)?

Is Dating Dead?

Sitting here watching Drumline after catching Borat last weekend. I don't mean to brag, but watching Drumline always makes me nostalgic for High School and proud I went to the best school ever!
Really, I could have been in the film a lot more than a little dot during the BET Classic in the Georgia Dome and been in the A&T band- had i actually stayed in my high school band.
But that one little claim to fame wasn't worth the serious hours and dedication my friends had to have to be in the almighty Southwest Dekalb Band. And I'll admit it. I like the spotlight. And if I put in all that time I need a solo or something:)
Watching the movie I love seeing friends and people I know and more importantly just something I can relate to even more now that im actually in college.
But the part that got me inspired to write was when Zoe Saldana busts out "We don't date, we have boyfriends." Now I'm all for making it official with your boo of choice, especially as it starts to get colder, but how do you get to boyfriend status without testing the waters first? And why would you want that type of commitment from a stranger?

I am just now getting in to the swing of dating. Though I may have a crush I'd love to settle down with, for the time being I am enjoying seeing what's out there. I honestly feel black people don't date like other cultures and that's where we mess up

Maybe I need to stop watching movies for insight into relationships, but in this other movie I was watching (don't laugh, but yes, hilary duff was in it), one of the guys said, "Love is Friendship Set on Fire." I thought that was a really interesting way to categorize a good relationship. I mean, we all want to marry someone who have we have a great friendship with, but for me it's been harder to do the friends route because I clam up more because you already know me. And that crush? Well I know I put it out there that "I don't want no Fly guy, I just want a shy guy," but I didn't mean too shy to holla. Geesh. Must I do all the work:)?

Thanks for listening.
Rambling Queen.

Relax. Relate Release.

See this guy knows what's up. Or maybe some Denny's customer got excited writing this caption, either way I needed the chuckle I get from looking at this. Im stressed. Got lots to do which has been the story of my life since school started. We did the show today and it was HOT. be sure to check out the blog!!!!
iknowtheflavor.blogspot.com

I am probably so stressed because I have a lot to do before heading to NY with the magazine group on Thursday. One of the things I need to do is write letters of recommendations for two people I like for a program I did. Just last year I was in there place and was blessed to have a great friend and mentee do the same for me. Pay it Forward guys!
I had a great weekend and a really nice date take me to the Baltimore Harbor. Courtin is fun but I want a boo! ya feel me?