Things I've Learned #2: Less is More

Clutter free

Zero VOCs  

True friends

Family time

A home cooked meal

A good book

A child's laugh  

Fresh fruit and vegetables

Thrift/vintage stores

A sunny day

I apologize

I miss you

Thank you

I love you

Yes, less is more.  Give me less and less of more and more.  

What do you want less of more? 

Have a great weekend!

Lost & Found?

Sometimes even I don't have a lot to say.  

How are things in your world?  

40 Day Heathen Reprieve

I do consider myself a Christian, but I've never been one to follow rituals such as kneeled prayer (I believe in praying all day every day) or Lent.  However, as I'm sure it has been with many individuals this past year, life is hitting me kind of hard.  I'm feeling that I may need some rituals and tradition in my life.  It may be just for now or they may become a regular part of my life.  I don't know, but I do know I need a change.

On Monday I began with cutting the TV off during the week (I did watch the President last night.  How could I not?  I heart him and the economy stinks, so I wanted to see what he had to say...that is until I fell asleep).  So, today, thanks to my friend Laura, I am going to begin Lent.  I've decided that I need to do much more than I am doing and I need to be in a constant prayer (if you will) about things going on in my life.  Additionally, a 40 day fast to prepare for my 40th...how apropos.  The one thing I have repeatedly said is that I do not want to take all of the baggage, unhappiness, anxiety, drama and just plain 'ole stuff from my 30s with me into my 40s.  I want to begin my new decade exuberantly and with more life than I ever had.  These 40 days will be in preparation of that.  So, what am I going to give up for the next 40 days:

• Meat and Fish (straight vegan, meat not difficult, fish that's another story)
• Chocolate & Carob (I really wanted cookies today and I was eyeing a chocolate milk)
• Alcohol (the little bit I drank gave me migraines anyway) 
• Complaining (wow, what is that...fake it till you make it saying)
• Excuses (kind of goes with complaining doesn't it?)
• Blogging (reading and writing between the hours of 8a-6p)
• Not Doing a Daily Exercise (I need to do something even if a crunch each day)  
  
• Being a Heathen (making sure I study and pray daily)

As my Pastor said on Sunday, when things are going sideways you need to be in constant prayer, all day, every day, asking God for his guidance and direction.  My way has not worked.  I'm giving up my stuff to be in constant contact with the Big Man upstairs.  

Is anyone else giving up anything for Lent?  

SJP on Oscar Night

I didn't watch the Oscars.  Could care less, but the comments from the blogosphere forced me to have a look-see at SJP Oscar night garb.  Ok.  It may not have been her best look.  Not very Sex and the City more Wizard of Oz, but some of the comments hurt:

• ...as many women her age must do - between her ass and her face, and her face has clearly lost the battle.
  
• The dress was too much with the super tight bodice that made her boobs too high and fake-looking.
  
• SJP looks bleh in her "barely mint" gown. It's barely tolerable.   
• She needs to get back to her Garnier red hair and a softer look. It was harsh last night and didn't look as stunning as she probably wanted to look. 
  

How quickly they fall from grace.  I'm glad I'm a nobody.

What do you think?  

Week 1: No TV

I must admit something I am not proud of, I did allude to this a few posts ago though.  I've been watching way too much TV on a daily basis.  Because I have so many things going on in my life right now that I would love to ignore, I'm using the TV as a crutch to ignore my life.  Unfortunately, it isn't working.  When I cut off the TV those things are still there.  Damn reality!  So, this week (M-F) is week 1 of no TV (I have set up my TiVO though).  I'm going to use the weeks to:

• work on my Rocking 40 List
• pre-publish posts (I really want to make sure you have my rants daily)
• find guest bloggers (a surprise every now and then is great)
• date more (I've gone on 3 dates since the last post 2 were terrible and 1 was pretty good) 
  
• update my ipod
• paint
• garden (food is expensive as you know)
• tackle this pile of clothes that need hems, buttons, etc.
• sleep 8 hours a night
• post items on E-bay & Craigslist 
• and other important life items

Why have I been in front of the boob tube so much?  I have plenty to do!  

Anyone else want to join me?  Don't be "skeerd"!

My Taste of the High Life

Last year I went to an event where I met the eyebrow guru - Erwin Gomez.  He has this fabulous, gorgeous (and expensive) beauty salon in Georgetown.  Ever since then I've been dying to get my eyebrows artistically styled by him.  I am a very picky woman (I'm sure this is a shocker).  I have yet to find anyone who can "style" my brows to my liking, which usually leaves me quite peeved.  So, last year, one redeeming thing an ex did was get me a gift certificate to get my eyebrows styled with Erwin.  

This morning I went and I LOVEEEEEEEE my eyebrows (not my eyebrow above)!!!!!  They are thick, sexy and beautiful!  Yes, eyebrows can be sexy!  I said so.  But, unfortunately, I will never see Erwin again.  You see, a first eyebrow styling with the master is $75 and a follow-up is $50!  UMMMM.... Sigggghhhh.. WTH???? WTF???  I do love my eyebrows, but I am a single woman, saving for adoption, in a recessioned (not a word, but it should be) economy.  I guess, I will just have to keep these eyebrows up the best I can with my little friend from CVS The Finishing Touch while shaving my moustache reducing my lip hairs.  

But I did enjoy the trip back down memory lane to better times this morning where: 

• People said "May we get you a cup of coffee or tea"
• I got to eat all the candy I wanted for free (yes I did at 9:30 in the morning, it was yummy)
• Furniture and paneling was made of real wood
• Furniture was coordinated
• Magazines were current and pages were not torn out
• Employees spoke in complete sentences
• Yarn was reserved for blankets not hair or hair accessories
• Neon green wasn't considered the hot fashion color

Yes, my taste of the high life, with $75 eyebrow styling, this morning was good.  It was real good.  Oh well, as Soul II Soul said "Back to Life, back to reality."  

Have you had any temporary taste(s) of the high life lately that you know you won't get to keep up?  

Have a great weekend!  

She Did, I Won't!!!!!

I know I talk a lot about relationships, hey I'm 39.8 and never married, but one thing I never wanted to do was get married just for the sake of it.  I'm not in love with the "idea" of marriage, frankly it scares the begesus out of me (I have more than a few friends that says it should).  Well, it doesn't scare Linda Lou Taylor, she has married 23 times!  That's right!  Read it and weep...LITERALLY!  YIKES!!!!!  You think she would have learned after the first couple of times.  What is that saying: 

Fool me once, shame on me

Fool me twice, shame on you

Fool me three times, shame on we

Fool me twenty three times, blow my stupid brains out...okay, I just made that up (and not nice I know but apropos me think), but can you think of a better one?  

Sexual Healing Or Not

Love this song!!!!!  I love Marvin's version yet Ben's does it for me as well...hmmm.  Makes me want to call an old flame, but then I remember they are an ex for a reason!  Shiznit!

Game On: Ole' Skool Style

January came and went and I didn't begin much from my Rocking 40 List, but there is always a learning curve.  Plus, I started anew when I received such a fabulous Chinese horoscope.  How could I not right?  

In that spirit, tonight I'm having my first gathering with my friends in years (I used to be a party person but that was many moons ago).  Tonight it's game on; I'm bringing back ole' skool fun monthly!  We are going to play Spades and Bid Whist, those are important card games for black people, so to my friends adopting black kids: make sure your kids learn Spades so they don't get embarrassed when they get around other black kids and say I've never heard of Spades.  Bid Whist is ole' skool, but I hope it has a resurrection with youth because it is so much more fun than Spades, so learn this too.  And you thought I forgot about my adoption on this side of the fence (how can I ever stop wearing that hat? LOL).  Okay, back to the games in house: Monopoly, Super Scrabble, Twister, OutBurst, Boggle, Tri-Ominos, Sequence Dice, Upwords, Rummikub, Shake up, Poker, Tribond, Backgammon, Taboo, and Scattergories!  

The Rageous ones are partying tonight!  Some have babysitters on call.  Some have 2 hour passes from the husbands and wives.  And of course there will be couples and singles!  Maybe we will have a hook up or two.  But all in all we are just looking to have some good ole' skool fun tonight.  

Finally, I would be remiss if I didn't say tonight is in celebration my friend Nicole in Los Angeles and her game lounge Belongals (she made me say that LOL).  If you are out in LA go eat, drink, and play games at Belongals and tell them Tami sent you.  You'll be in great hands.  Trust me.  You know I wouldn't steer you wrong.

What are you doing tonight or this weekend?  Oh yes, Happy Valentine's Day!

FashioNOable?

Women on the Web has come up with a list of 15 Over-40 Female Fashion Leaders of 2008. Madge made the list sporting this fashionable sod green circa Flintstones dress?  Hmmm...I'm all for different, but c'mon me thinks she looks a bit ridiculous at age 49 or 50 (depending on when this picture was taken) in this garb.  Fashion leader? or Fashion flop?    

What do you think?

Jen on Love and Pain

The greater your capacity to love, the greater your capacity to feel the pain.  ~Jennifer Aniston (b. February 11, 1969) 

Oh, that must be why I am always in so much pain.  I love too damn much!  Thanks for telling me.  Better to have loved and lost than to never have loved at all.  Whoever said that...it was a crock!  ;-)  A little bitter coming up on Valentine's Day.   he he he...jokes

Is anyone else feeling the love pain though?  Let me check on my "girl" over at the finding a man in 52weeks.com and see how her progress is coming.  So far my dates have been a bust.   

The Boob Nurse

I spent this weekend being nurse to a pair of new breasts. Umm…I mean taking care of a friend who had a breast augmentation. She is as happy as a clam going from less than an A cup to a C cup, she looks fabulous at 41. She said she never fully felt like a woman and now that she is finished having kids her 40s are about her. I’m not mad at her for finally doing something she has wanted to do after so many years. Next she is getting braces. Wow…go girl!

I have my list of things I’m doing to keep this body up too.  First on my list is teeth whitening.  We are going down fighting! I’m not trying to act like I’m in my 20s or 30s forever, but I’m not giving up. I haven’t gone under the knife for anything, haven’t needed to, but I would be a liar if I said I wouldn’t. If I start loosing my hair…transplant. If I knew I couldn’t get rid of my tummy by working out…lipo. If my face or boobs start to drop (too much)…lift.  

Everyone has their view of any type of enhancements; I don’t knock anyone for what they do.  It's their life and more importantly their money.  

What is your view on enhancements? What have you done or would consider doing? Just remember even hair dye is a form of an enhancement!

My Blog is Fabulous!

Wow…my first award.  

I’m so humbled.

I’d like to thank: my mother for putting up with my smart azz mouth, my aunt for taking me to Planned Parenthood when I was 16, my grandmother for…ok, I’m sorry I broke your mother’s dishes, my bestfriend Kamili for loving me even when I smacked you in college on that drunken night, my other bestfriend Nicole for getting me home safely after we finished partying after our final exams senior year, my first boyfriend for…oh never mind!!!!!!  AND THANKS Katy at Straight Magic for awarding Middle Rageously it’s first…award! 

Now, as the rule goes I am supposed to pass this award to 5 other great blogs. Here it goes:

- Journey to Motherhood- Laura has finally found her voice and now she won’t shut up! Joking! I can always count on her to say something thoughtful, post pretty pictures, and make it seem like her life is exciting even when it really isn’t. Can you tell I’m her friend? I'm just a little bitter that when she was sick she didn’t say I risked my health to take her to Urgent Care and she was diagnosed with strep throat.
- Beautiful Children- I just can’t get enough of those kids and Nancy’s creativity! I mean does she ever stop? I kinda feel inferior already and my daughter is not even home yet. 
- Journey To Family- I never told anyone how much I loved Buffy The Vampire Slayer until I met Julie. She loves Buffy just a little (a lot) more than I do and I love her for that. I’m not quite sure what goes on in this purple house and how they manage to survive with 14 pets, 3 kids, 2 parents, blogs, myspace (I was just told she doesn't do this, but I really think she should so I'll keep it up here), facebook, twitter, homeschooling, a clean house, AND a life…but they are certainly one of the funest (yes I funest) families around. Oh, it’s the Dr. Pepper that does it…I forgot.
- Light-skinned-ed Girl- It’s so nice to read the intelligent banter about being mixed up in a crazy mixed up world. Growing up I got sick of hearing “what are you mixed with” as if brown people couldn’t have long hair. I wish I had a place to B&@#$ about it then, now I do.  Heidi has put together more information than I ever thought existed about having a diverse background.  Now, she’s biracial (I’m not), but I do have a crazy mixed up background so this was a good enough place for me.
- Product Junkie Diva- I’m a tad addicted to products (and this blog) yet I have promised myself to limit the items I test so I simply live vicariously through others. PJD tests so many products, I wonder where she finds the time and if she ever finishes any of those products.  

For all of the recipients of the award, you know in the blogosphere how we like to pass stuff along?  Your turn.  Following are the Rules of this award that you should adhere to.  Now play nicely and congratulations on joining me in Bloscars!  

You have to pass it on to 5 other fabulous bloggers in a post. You have to list 5 of your fabulous addictions in the post. You must copy and paste the rules and the instructions below in the post. On your post of receiving this award, make sure you include the person that gave you the award and link it back to them.

Finally, my five addictions are

1. vintage/thrift shopping
2. TiVo
3. blogging

I can't think of anything else...I need more addictions!  I'm going to come up with a few more in 2009!  

Things I've Learned #1: Never Get A Cheap Dentist

I believe in saving money, but there are just certain places you can not and should not go cheap; one of those places is your teeth!  Through the course of my life I have had notoriously soft teeth.  I could look at a piece of candy and get a cavity.  I went to the dentist, but being that my health insurance was not that great it was usually a dental "hook-up".  Not a good idea.  Years past and many "hook-ups" or cost-effective dentists later and I was paying the price...full price. Bridges, root-canals, implants, on-lays, overlays, and fillings.  The works!  You have never known pain unless you had a toothache!  OUCH!!!!!!!!  Finally, enough was enough.  I looked for the absolute best dentist that I could find!  I didn't care how much he cost, I just wanted my mouth perfect and I didn't want it to hurt again...EVER!  

REJOICE!  I found one of the best dentists in the country who had a specific fellowship, was a cosmetic specialist and held other special certifications that only a few in the world had.  His office was state of the art and his prices were about 20-30% more than a regular dentist.  I didn't care, he was perfect.  He pimped my mouth out and was worth every single dollar I paid him.  I say he pimped my mouth out (you know like they do the cars) because it cost me a small car to get everything fixed.  But it was worth it and I would do it again.  He is now my regular dentist and I tell him each time I see him if he weren't married I would marry him.  

It's time for me to let him tune these babies up and give them a good waxing though.  I'm going to get them whitened in another few months.  I can't wait.  Hey, I've already paid the price I may as well keep them pretty right?  

Does anyone else have any dental horror stories or am I the only lucky one?   

Where Have You Been All Week?

I know I disappeared without a word, a peep, a sound.  That really wasn't nice, but I think my hormone medication is off or something.  No, not joking.  I have a doctor's appointment in a week about it because when they say menopause makes you crazy huh, they aren't kidding.