Eat, drink and be safe!

 

This might seem petty or childish to some but I'm just being REAL, you can't eat every one's food this holiday season (or EVER actually)! With the holiday party invitations rolling in, it might put some of you (like me) in a compromising position on WTH are you going to eat at these parties???

I've never been a fan of eating other people's food unless I really know the person and how they live. The truth of the matter is I've seen and heard of some outlandish things happen to people when they've tried to eat someone else's food  that they "know" (i.e. food poisoning, animal hair, human hair etc.). Honestly, we all take a risk everyday when we dine outside of our homes but the difference is you could actually sue an establishment, right a bad review (Thank God for Yelp!) and report them for not being sanitary but how do you sue a friend or coworker? You can't really without it getting messy and awkward.

Here are some survival tips for any occasion where questionable food is served:

1) Eat something before you go. If  you have to "question" the menu of this invitation, then eat a nice meal or heavy snack before you go. This way, you aren't obligated to full out dine when you get there and you can always use the excuse, "I had a big lunch," take the food to-go and toss it when you get home! Keep snacks in the car or in your purse in case you get hungry.

2) Listen to your gut.- If you have to play a guessing game of "what is that?" or if the label doesn't match the visual presentation of the food, don't do it! Save yourself and your stomach the agony and walk away. You'll thank me later.

3) Follow your nose.- Again, if it doesn't smell appetizing to you than you are better off skipping it all together. There is no sense in wasting food that someone else could enjoy.

4) Look at what's been eaten the most.- If you notice something that a lot of folks are digging, it could be an indicator that this is something safe to eat. However, there is always a chance of disappointment so don't pile it on your plate until you've sampled it. If you like it, come back for more while supplies last.

5) When it doubt, fruit, cheese and veggie it out. People really CAN'T mess up a veggie/fruit/cheese tray especially if they were prepared by the grocery store. These are always safe staples at any holiday party so load up on those if you find yourself challenged. Crackers are good too! They'll hold you over until you make your escape.

6) Volunteer to bring something! If nothing else seems appetizing to you, at least you'll know you can eat on whatever you bought. I'm sure the host will appreciate the gesture. After all, this is the season of giving and cheer right? This goes for drinks as well. If you're not a fan of eggnog (I hate EGGNOG with a passion), you could always bring your own booze or sip on something non-alcoholic like soda or water.

I hope these tips were helpful! Have fun folks.

Photo Courtesy of Flickr.com/By Guowen Wang

Have you been to the 13th Floor Baltimore?

It's not everyday that I write about my foodie adventures but I have to say I had one of the WORST customer services experiences at the 13th Floor Baltimore, Md. (also known as the Owl Bar). The name already has a negative connotation attached to it considering some people are superstitious about the number 13 which correlates with being bad luck. If you aren't familiar with The 13th Floor, it is located in downtown Baltimore, inside of the Belvedere Hotel. It's funny how this restaurant uses the tagline "Lucky You" when in fact, there was nothing lucky about my recent experience.

Pros:

1. The restaurant has beautiful panoramic views of Baltimore and it almost makes you feel like you're in a glass jewelry box looking out to shiny gems (or in this case a lit up town). 
2. They have live music (jazz to be exact) so it sets the mood of being a classy atmosphere. You can even dance to the sweet tunes if you want!
3. It's a small floor (the whole floor is the restaurant & bar) so there is a sense of intimacy. You won't have to worry about too much of a rowdy crowd, this is for a more mature audience.
4. The duck fat fries were amazeballs!

Cons: 

1. Service is extremely slow! Like I said it's not an large restaurant nor was it that busy but don't bet on getting a drink order (not even a glass of water) in the first 10 mins. Nope! You'll likely have to get up and ask a hostess/host to find your server. 
2. This place is strictly a small bites type of restaurant (this didn't bother me) but the menu is extremely limited. Also, I really wanted to try the mussels but they were out of them by 9:00pm??? It really grinds my gears when restaurants run out of something that they know is a popular dish on the menu. Maybe if the server was more attentive, I could have gotten an order in before they were out. 
3. The BARTENDER has the worst attitude EVER! Like I said, I waited for a very long time to even get a drink order in and once I got my drink (wine), he shorted me on my pour. After waiting again to speak with my server who never came around, I decided to go to the bar to get this corrected. Instead of making the situation right, he gave me an attitude then he decided to give me a lesson in pouring AND he asked other customers for THEIR opinion on the amount I was given. He was a straight up a$$hole! He claims he gave my table extra pours because of the wait (everyone received this but me, I even asked him to come to the table to see how he poured everyone else's glasses) and all I wanted was for him to make it right and be fair but instead he decided to be A-Hole about it. He eventually gave me two extra oz but it left me EXTREMELY annoyed. I asked for a manger which brings me to point #4.
4. I asked for a manager ALL night after this episode! I explained the situation to my server who was nice about it but still didn't send the manager. The hostess even came to ask if the bartender ( I think his name is Dean) came by and the manager and I said "no" and she still didn't send anyone. I kept getting excuse after excuse that the manager might be busy but no manager showed up! As a paying patron, it should not be my job to seek out a manager when I have an issue with my dining experience. The matter should have been addressed promptly and they failed to put the customers needs first in this situation. This is something that I do not take lightly so I resorted to writing this post. 
5. The food was meh! There was nothing overwhelmingly great. I tried the nightly special of bacon wrapped scallops but the dish was kind of cold when I got it. I didn't order anything else because at this point, I was OVER IT. 

Based on Yelp, this place has a mixed bag of reviews. I'm a huge stickler for customer service and since the manager never came by my table, I felt the need to put it out there for those of you who might be interested in visiting this place (still would have wrote about them anyway). I will NEVER dine here again so beware.

I'm a Psychic Magnet

For some reason, I always attract psychics when I'm out and about running errands or out on my travels. The other day, I was approached by a middle-aged woman who first stated that she's seen me around before. It was weird because I've never seen her but no, she was extremely confident she has seen me before. THEN she proceeded to name drop a couple of stores in the area that she thinks she saw me at recently. I thought it was a lucky guess but she was specific and she was right! (All of this happening before she told me she was a psychic).

So then she asks if I go to these stores often and I said "occasionally but it's been awhile." This is when she said well "I'm a psychic and I'd love to give you your reading if your interested." I quickly said "no, thank you" and moved on with my errands. At the end of the day, I've been approached by psychics on several occasions and I do not know why! I remember one psychic told me she was getting "strong vibrations" from me and another one being overly pushy in getting me to sit for a reading.

I don't believe this is normal for most folks but I thought I would put it out there to see if anyone else can relate. Better yet, has anyone of my readers had a psychic reading before? Was any of it true? I am too creep'd out to sit with one...yikes!

Photo Courtesy of Flickr.com/By Victoria Pickering

My Gripe with Black History Month

As much as I love Black History Month, I still have a slight gripe in how it is celebrated year to year. It is a time to honor the past and future Black figures as well as historical events, however, I think a lot of times many people (knowingly or unknowingly) tend to highlight the same people but what is more annoying is that some people think learning/teaching about slavery IS Black History Month. Slavery is a PART of Black History but it does not DEFINE Black History Month. 

Instead of teaching or showing videos about the treacherous life of slaves, there are plenty of documentaries/movies and unknown Black History facts/figures who don’t widely get promoted or recognized for their great achievements. For example, some people do not know a Black man created the first traffic light, a Black woman invented the ironing board, a Black man invented the refrigerator truck system, a Black man created the gas mask or a Black man invented the “Super Soaker.”  

The point is there is a great deal of Black History that is being overlooked everyday and we need to remedy this by bringing this information to the forefront for all to see and hear. There are plenty of African Americans in leadership roles in the corporate world as well as in the global community who don’t receive enough recognition for their achievements. Black History is happening everyday and I believe it's time we change in how we spend this month reflecting on its historical value to the world. 

With that said, it is going to be my personal mission this month to research and share Black History facts on my blog that highlight people, events, achievements that I did not know. 

What are your thoughts?

My Gripe on Award Shows

Honestly, I enjoy reading award show commentary on social media more than I do watching the actual program these days. Furthermore, I only watch the red carpet fashion because that’s usually all I can tolerate (and sincerely enjoy) at this point. If it’s a performer(s) I would like to see, I might tune in for a few minutes to watch but other than that you can miss me with the rest of the program. Some of my acerbic comments are in lieu to the fact that I feel as though a lot of quality actors, musicians, artists etc. are nominated (in some cases not even nominated) but in most cases, end up snubbed.

Also, the quality of programming these days has gone down tremendously and I think it’s due to the fact that many of these artists/actors are TIRED themselves of being a part of dry productions that don’t fairly depict or honor their peers as they deserve. Oh and the HOST is everything! If your host is dull, then expect low ratings because people want to see someone who is entertaining. The host quarterbacks the show so they determine the success of it.

Until these award shows wake up, they’ll continue to see a decline in ratings or they’ll continue to be ridiculed on social media. These nomination committees have got to become more diverse (i.e. talent, skills, AGE, race, sexuality, gender etc.) and make fairer decisions about who is deserving of an award. It’s becoming too much of a game of favorites or who is more mainstream then others etc. Finally, the programming staff (again, diversity in talent, skills, AGE, race, gender etc.) for these award shows need to stretch themselves creatively in putting together a quality show. 

Scary Selfies

I touched on this topic the other day via Twitter; however, I felt the need to expand what exactly bothers me about the selfie movement. I do NOT think there is anything wrong with selfies what so ever; however, it bothers me when the selfies are creepy! For those of you who are not hip with the term “selfie,” it simply means that it is a photo that you take of yourself with your smart phone and it’s uploaded on a social network site for all to see.  

In order to have a strong selfie, I believe it’s all in the eyes but when your eyes look creepy the selfie is some scary s---t! If you choose not to smile or even show an inclination of happiness (or whatever emotion your trying to radiate) without smiling but only give a blank stare into the camera or look off then it frightens me. Yup! They say the “eyes are the windows into a person’s soul” so if your eyes look lifeless, angry, or empty it makes me afraid to look at your selfie. I’m just being honest and I realize all I can do about it is unfriend, block or turn a blind eye myself to the situation. Oh dear!

Feeling Drained

Some may call this a rant, others, may find this curt but the reality is there is a big difference between being a needy person vs. a person in need. I’d like to think of myself has dependable, nurturing, giving and sincere individual; however, lately, I’ve just been feeling drained. At first, I thought it was the day-to-day hustle and bustle in life that was causing this but after a self-inventory; I realized that this was just a fraction of the cause.

Majority of my drainage stems from me feeling like I’m overextending myself emotionally and mentally to needy people friends. The sad part is that people, who are needy, don’t see the symptoms of their actions nor the impact it has on someone who is TRYING to help them in every way they can. I even think that some needy people forget that the person or friend that is trying to help them has a life beyond YOUR needs alone-they have NEEDS too!

Here is what I learned from Wiki How about the profile of a needy person:

·         During social situations, he/she likes to be absolutely stuck to your side. Or does he/she always assume that when you're going out, he/she is always part of the group (even if you only want to go out with people from work, for example)?

·         Your friend's decision making always has to involve your input.

·         Your friend opts to spend time with you versus pursuing a romantic relationship. Has your friend turned down dates or other events to hang out with you? Or does your friend constantly need your approval and/or advice about romantic connections?

·         It seems that your friend requires a tremendous amount of your time on a daily basis. From lengthy phone calls to daily visits after work, you feel as if your friend is always “there” and you hardly have time to socialize with other friends and perhaps even with family members OR YOURSELF! (ßI ADDED THAT)

Psychology Today also provided tips on how to deal with a needy person.

For the record, my definition of a person who is in need is someone who is temporarily unable to provide or care for themselves due to economic situation or lack of support from family and/or friends. In most cases, these people do not have the financial means to pay for food, clothes, medicine/health care or shelter etc. As a result, some may also suffer from debilitating health issues (i.e. mental health or other diseases) that prevents them from caring for their self in a safe and healthy environment.

And do LOVE helping others in need!

Has anyone else struggled with this? How did you handle the situation? 

Where Are All the Healthy Snacks in the Movies?

Why don’t movie theaters today have healthier snack options? Don’t get me wrong I love the popcorn (and that’s health if you don’t add a heap of butter and salt) and the other guilty goodies but why can’t we change the menu up a smidge? With everyone on a health kick nowadays, I believe it just makes sense by now that movie theatres would have aligned with the movement. 

Just about every restaurant and even fast food restaurant in America offers healthier food options and I feel like this should translate in the movie theaters as well. It’s bad enough that the price you pay to be gluttonous is almost like a $25 in snacks at the movies but it would sit so much better with me (literally and figuratively) knowing that I’m investing in my healthy for each buck.

An alternative menu I’m thinking of (the equal sign does not mean they are equal in calories!):

• Hot Dogs = Vegan Dog, Veggie Burger or Turkey Burger
• Nachos =  Small garden salad or Caesar salad w/dressing, veggie sticks & sliced apple packs with your choice of dipping sides in peanut butter, greek yogurt or low-fat ranch dressing, hummus
• Candy(ies) = Sugar-free candy, yogurt cups, cottage cheese w/fruit on the bottoms, nuts, apple sauce, fruit cup, parfait w/fruit
• Soda = Smoothies! Veggie and/or fruit smoothies
• Popcorn = Popcorn is healthy without all the extra stuff or minimal inclusion of it but think about, veggie chips, pita chips w/hummus, kale chips, sweet potato chips, crackers & cheese w/grapes or sliced cured meat
• Pizza = Veggie pizza or flatbread pizza, fruit pizza

Would you eat healthier at the movies if these or other healthy menu options were made available to you or nah?

Photo courtesy of Flickr.com/By Christopher Blodgett

The “Good morning” text…

Is it just me but does any other girl find the infamous “good morning” text corny? Perhaps I’m a little ‘noyed because I’m not really a morning person and when this text flashes across my screen I don’t get the least bit excited. Am I supposed to? Now let me clear up one aspect of this…I don’t mind if the text is coming from a friend, family member or my significant other but if it’s from a some guy I’m getting to know from a dating aspect then…yeah I can’t get with it.

To dudes who date and do this, please stop! I get that you want the girl you are dating (or talking to) to feel special and yeah it’s nice to know that someone is thinking about you when they first wake up but that type of stuff doesn’t easily move me. Truth is, in the back of my mind I’m just thinking to myself that you are full of it and you look like you are trying too hard. Furthermore, the real question is before you send me that text is has the toothpaste and toothbrush met your mouth prior to texting me?

Don’t get off tasks with your am routine sir because it’s not that serious! For me, I appreciate the more organic texts or phone calls from a guy that actually has something relevant to say to me.

I’m just saying… Please text me responsibly.

Natural Girl Nightmare: Hair Appointment From Hell

Never in my twenty-something years of life have I felt more upset, disturbed and mortified by a hair appointment! This had to be the WORST hair appointment in my entire life! It all started Saturday morning when I was scheduled to get my hair professionally straightened by a stylist who "claimed" to specialize in healthy natural hair care and blowouts. Before I dive into this story, let me give you all some background details my hair journey.

Three years ago, I kicked the "creamy crack" habit and decided to go natural with my hair. In the African-American hair community, "going natural" is when you no longer use chemical products (better known as hair relaxers/perms) on your hair so that it will relax or lay straight.

While becoming natural wasn't an easy journey, I am happy everyday that I no longer depend on chemical products for my hair. My hair has been the healthiest it's ever been and I truly enjoy my curlicious locks. Additionally, since I've gone natural I've saved tons of money and time that would usually be spent at a salon.

With that said, let's get back to the story! While I've been natural for three years I have somewhat experimented on my own in straightening my hair but never had a professional touch my hair since I've been natural. So today was the day, I was going to give a stylist a chance to work their magic. I was already nervous because I don't trust just anybody with my hair but I said was I was going to be open about the appointment and the experience.

I got there on time and she was just finishing up a client right when I walked in. I waited for like 10 mins then she says to me, "you should really comb out your curls while your hair is dry." This was my first red flag and I challenged her by saying "it's better to detangle my hair when it's wet with conditioner." She said, "oh so are you tender-headed then?" I reply, "not really, it's just that my hair detangles better when it's wet with conditioner."

In my mind, I'm thinking that this lady has it all wrong when it comes to basic natural hair care 101. Even if you claim to have over 20 years of experience in hair, it doesn't mean you really know about MY hair let alone natural hair. After challenging her technique, she decided to just wait till I got in the shampoo chair and this is where things went really LEFT...

I hopped in the chair, she puts the apron on me and she begins to aggressively go to town on my hair. If you know anything about curly hair, it's highly advise that you wash curly hair a certain way (usually in sections) so it won't end up a knotted, tangled mess but no, this lady just scrubbed my scalp something crazy. I was already a little perturbed with her and I felt like it was getting worse as she washed my hair.  She then proceeds to say,"see, I told you should have combed your hair out while your curls were dry because now I can't run my fingers through your hair. I asked you to comb it out because you've never had your hair blown out and the cuticle of you hair is really curly so it's going to be difficult and time-consuming to finish you hair." She really TRIED to chastise me y'all! -_-

At this point, I was literally appalled by her comments. It took everything in me not to just hop out of the chair mid-washing and slap her but I tried to give her the benefit of the doubt  but it got worse. She then says, "In all my years of doing hair, I've always asked girls who are getting blown outs for the first time as a natural that they comb their curls out while their hair is dry to prevent this issue. I say, "even if I combed out my curls dry, my hair still would have reverted back to curls." She then says, "well, this is really taking up my time and time that I don't have because I have other clients. I book clients every half hour and I'm spending too much time on yours now."

Meanwhile, her noon appointment walks in so I'm sure she's annoyed now. She puts conditioner in my hair and says, "well, since you said it's easier to comb your curls out with conditioner, I'm going to give you a comb to begin that process." She passed me a wide-tooth comb and let me do my own hair. I was floored and I couldn't even utter another word to her because I was going to lose it with her. I quickly hopped out of the shampoo chair and rushed over to a hair station to begin detangling with a wide-tooth comb. The whole time I'm thinking, I'm PAYING YOU to do a service for MY hair and you are asking me to do MY own hair at this appointment? Where do they do that at?

This was terrible customer service and there is just no way in hell that you believe that I'm going to pay for an appointment when the hardest part (detangling) is what you have now asked YOUR client to do their self. She then rushes over to me at her station and I guess calls her self helping me "detangle" my hair. She says, "you detangle the section and I'll braid it so it doesn't get in the way." I didn't say a word. She picks up a brush which I told her not to use on my head and tried to detangle my hair, "I prefer to detangle it with a wide tooth comb, thanks," I say. She starts trying to make small talk and say nice things about my curls but then she proceeds to talk about how once again this process is taking up too much of her time. I don't say a word because at this point I'm fuming.  Y'all I would have given her a piece of my mind but I have my reasons as to why I couldn't...just know the thoughts were in my head ok!

We get through maybe like 4-5 sections and at this point, I am so mad with this entire experience that tears started forming in my eyes. I was THAT mad! I just saw CHUNKS of my hair just coming out of my hair I couldn't take it anymore.All that time and hard work to grow health hair just seemed like it was getting stripped away as she raked through my hair with no care in the world. This may sound harsh but I literally felt like I was getting "hair raped" and that just didn't sit well with me one bit. I knew I had to stop it or I was going to walk out of that salon bald and with breakage. She asks, "is there something wrong?" I say, "yes, I had a change of heart, I can't do this." I got up with conditioner and braids in my hair and sat in the waiting area taking the braids out.

Once I was done, I walked out and I didn't pay a dime! I was so livid that I just burst into tears on my way out because I couldn't believe that I experienced such a horrible hair appointment. I called a friend and told her everything that happened (she's also a natural girl so she can relate) and she too was upset that I had to go through such a thing. The more we talked I learned that she too has experienced similar antics from stylists in her area. It's a sad y'all!

This experience has truly tarnished my thoughts and my trust towards stylists who claim to specialize in natural hair! BEWARE my curly girls!

For the record, while I am a huge advocate for natural hair, I have no preference on what people decided to do with THEIR hair. If you relax it, braid it, weave it, wig it, twist it, loc it, color it, cut it, grow it out, shave it...it's YOUR hair and you have the right to do whatever you want with it. BUT if you are ever at an appointment and the stylist expects YOU to do your own hair, LEAVE!

"Twerking" is Getting Out of Hand....

Well guys and dolls, I said I wasn't going to speak about the latest dancing epidemic (it's actually nothing new, see point #2 below) "Twerk/Twerkin'/Twerking" but after watching this clip yesterday, I felt the need to address some things:

1) Watch this clip..."When Twerking Goes Terribly Wrong" -Viewer discretion is advised.



2) Society is LATE! As much as I love former Disney darling gone sultry singer Miley Cyrus, "twerking" actually did not originate from her! Even Miley had to learn about it from somewhere. Twerking has been around from years, in fact, I've known about twerking since I was in grade school! Yup... (don't judge me!). I would also like to add there were many songs from African-American artists back in the day that created songs to simply just "twerk" to (i.e. Uncle Luke/ Two Live Crew).

And if you really want to go back in twerk history (LOL), most folks in the urban community would say that the crown of twerking reigns with the infamous "Twerk Team" (BOW DOWN).  They are the pioneers of reviving twerking and so many Hip-Hop artists today continue to reference them as inspiration to their music. All of the heavy percussion instruments and bass in Hip-Hop music today have been inspired to get you shake your derrier!

3) Twerk Responsibly! Everyone has their own opinions about twerking...some like it, some don't but I say...live your life! Dancing in general is fun and great for your health so whether you like twerking, salsa, waltzing, tap dancing etc... whatever, just do it responsibly! And can we all please take a lesson from this clip above! I truly hope this girl is ok but guys, seriously consider the environments you twerk in especially if you are going to record it. Remember what you record can always be published and if it's something you don't want the world to ever see THEN DON'T DO IT!

Is Too Much Education Hurting Your Career?

Night's like this where I should be roaming the streets as a 20-something, I'm in my bed and in my thoughts about education and careers. First, let me make it clear that I do believe in education affordable education for anyone who wishes to learn more about a subject for personal and/or professional reasons. Two, I believe that society has a screwed up outlook of the education system which directly impacts our economy and ultimately impacts jobs/careers.

As a kid, most of us were trained in the womb that getting an education was no doubt the way to go! Our main job in life was to go to school to better ourselves, right? So some of us did go (or tried it and left) and some of us are still continuing our education or thinking about going back for more but in this catastrophic economy the need for education has been coming up short. It's sad to see more and more educated professionals getting laid off or having a hard time in finding a solid job (because they are over qualified) and yet, we made the investment in money, time and work in what we believed would guarantee us a stable life....not so much! 

It's sad that I even know people with at least three degrees or at least one  and still can't find employment! What is happening to our world? I still believe in the need for education but gone are the days that it should be revered as the gate-keeper to a good-paying job, let alone a stable career. I certainly hope things change because we are living in a time of so much uncertainty...smh

Photo Courtesy of Microsoft Office Clip Art

No Flip Flop Shall Prosper in the Winter...

Okay...this is my first rant of the New Year and I have to say this subject doesn't get old, in fact, it gets more absurd as time goes on. If you've been following my blog for sometime now then you are probably familiar with my great distaste for flip flops being worn all year round (here is an old post about my thoughts) ESPECIALLY in the winter time.

I'm definitely not going to sit here and rehash my thoughts about this subject again but just know I saw someone this past weekend who was in complete violation (ahhhhhh). Maybe the question isn't WHY do these violaters choose to wear flip flops all year round?

Maybe the better question to ask these violaters is...WHAT is it about flip flops that makes you feel more comfortable to wear them all year round rather than weather appropriate shoes?

I've seen violaters wear a puffer/down coat in 25 degree weather, snow on the ground (possibly ice), scarf, hat and gloves on and thennnnnn flip flops???? It's just not adding up!

What are your thoughts about this guys?


Photo Courtesy of Flickr.com/By white_shadow_photog

Top 10 New Year’s Resolutions People Break

New Year’s Resolutions?—how many of us have them? An even better question is how many of us keep them? I get everyone wants to start the new year off on a good foot (and believe me, that’s great) but why do so many of people make resolutions that they KNOW they aren’t going to keep past the second day of the new year! Especially, to all of you common resolution offenders who make the same resolutions every year and never hold up to them.

Just for fun, here is a list of what I believe to be the most common resolutions that are broken by the second day of the New Year. Do you all agree? :

(In no particular order)

1) Exercising more/weight loss
2) Healthy eating
3) Stop smoking
4) Stop swearing/cursing
5) Saving money
6) Stop drinking/drinking less
7) Enjoying life more
8) Learning something new (like learning a new language, changing a tire etc.)
9) Helping others/volunteering
10) Spending more time with family and friends

P.S. Just remember guys, you don’t have to wait till the New Year to make a change in your life. Any day of the year will honestly work, go for it! Goodluck. Xo

Photo Courtesy of Flickr.com/By Dawn-Ritchie

What's with the moustache movement?

I know I have been out of the blogosphere for quite some time; however, I’m seriously confused with the mustache accessories movement that’s going on right now. Everywhere I turn, I see moustache rings, bracelets, shirts, socks, shoes (well… the graphic is on it), tattoos (yeah…it’s real) etc. but I don’t get it. Is there some sort of joke going on that I don’t know about? Enlighten me folks because I’m so confused. If you are into the trend, what’s the most interesting moustache piece(s) you own?

P.S. How many guys are raising awareness about prostate cancer by participating “No Shave November”? Staches for a cause…now that makes sense!

 

Photo Courtesy of Flickr.com/By Paul Mutant 

Keep your PERSONAL life PERSONAL!

One thing that annoys me to no end is when people broadcast their life issues in detail on a social networking site BUT THEN get mad when people comment on it! First and foremost, I understand everyone has the 1st amendment right to say whatever they what (well almost anything) but that DOES NOT mean you shouldn’t use a filter. There is nothing wrong with self-expression or your “opinion;” however, have more sense to decide what is appropriate. Second, you can’t expect people NOT to say something about what have you posted because you made your PERSONAL business PUBLIC. IF you don’t want to hear side comments from other people, THEN DON’T post it….duh! It’s a SOCIAL network site, so people are going to socialize about whatever they want! And furthermore, why are you mad anyway? You can’t be mad at someone’s comments about your post, when you are the main person that puts it up there for the world to see! What I really want to know is WHY? Why do people expose their business on a social network anyway? Is it for attention? If it is, go buy a pet or pick up a new hobby, hell, read a new book! You have got to find a better way to deal with your issues Facebook, Twitter, your blog is not the way! The last time I checked these were not virtual group therapy sessions so please, stop putting your business out there. It’s just not a good look for you!

Photo courtesy of Flickr.com

Why do people CONTINUE lose their life for shoes?

I will never in my twenty-something years of life understand why people continue to endanger their life for a pair of shoes (brand(s) will remain nameless) .You all hear the stories all the time about someone either getting killed, robbed, shot, stabbed etc. over a pair of $200-something pair of shoes. I just don't get! What baffles me is that people will actually stand in line for hours and days just to have the latest and yet, they claim their broke five minutes later but will be BACK IN LINE AGAIN for the same stupid shoe. Where are the priorities? If people in this country invested more of their time,energy and money into important things then we would be much further along than we are now. It's really sad how people think. Don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with wanting nice things or even working hard for them IFyou have it but all I ask is that you have your priorities together. Don't let shoes come first over your life, it's not worth it. Don't let shoes come before your bills and other responsibilities! Don't let shoes be the reason why you NEVER go anywhere outside your zip code! Don't let shoes be the reason why you DON'T give back to your community and the world! This whole shoe pandemonium thing is just dumb and we have go to do better people THE END.

Photo Courtesy of Flickr.com/By Chigmaroff

Why I HATE Black Friday!

Ok...so I'm never excited about the day after Thanksgiving which is better known as "Black Friday" because people go absolutely crazy! And let me remind you guys, I don't DO crazy, therefore, this day will NEVER EVER appeal to me. I just don't get it! Why is it one day out of the year people go crazy in public all for a sale. And furthermore, what makes people so excited to camp out the night before, wait in long lines and potentially risk their lives for the latest and greatest gadget/toys for the holiday season...I JUST DON'T GET IT!!!! You always hear about people getting killed or trampled to death, ran over by shopping carts, tazered (yeah I heard about this today), pepper sprayed (happened this year too), fighting (this happens EVERY year) over some of the most meaningless things. It's not worth it! It really is disgusting that people even carry on this way in public especially for a "sale" or "deal." Why can't people act civilized when they go shopping any other time out of the year? So what if this ONE day offers the lowest deals on items, it's not like another sale isn't ever going to happen in the world sheesh! I'm over it...

Memo To: STALKERS!!!

I really and I mean REALLY can't stand dudes who are sooo annoying (and guys I'm sure you can relate too with crazy girls)! I will never understand in my twenty-something years of living why people think that being OVERLY persistent will get them cool points in getting a girl/guy to notice them. I can't speak for everyone (because some people actually like someone to constantly talk to them 24/7) but I know I can't STAND IT especially when I have made it known to you that I'm NOT INTERESTED. I don't know what's more disrespectful: you not listening or paying attention to signs that I'm not interested OR you still contacting me ALL DAY, ALL NIGHT 24/7...it's just weird and crazy! If you act like this then you will not hear another peep for me...believe that! It's really hard for me to hold my tongue but I'm trying this new thing called "trying to be a better person" but the level of irate is hard to control...so sometime I have to be extreme in making my point known.

Soooo...yesterday I blocked my first number! I never had to do this before because usually "he" would just get it that I'm not interested but this one just didn't even have a Blue's Clue to even notice! Shame! This is why I don't give out my number because I usually end up with a crazy every now and just my luck it happened...again! I was straight up with this dude and then he became crazy. Texting all the time, calling, talking to my vmail etc...it just seemed like he was obsessed and that's not okay! Take the the hint...I'm just not that into you and it's okay...it's not the end of the world if one person isn't interested in you, there are tons of other possibilities...so go that way. Thanks!

P.S. In case you DON'T know if you are showing stalker tendencies, let me share some symptoms:

1) This person has already expressed a disinterest in you or dating you BUT you still bring it up AND still try to make it happen. Dead wrong!

2) You call, text, tweet, email or leave vmails at all hours of the day! Texts are usually short because you expect them to contact you back quickly (i.e."Hey," "What's up," "Good morning"). You may do a phone call and a text or tweet then a text and call...multiple times...yeah crazy!

3) You probably think about this person all the time (like fantasizing/daydreaming...ewww) AND so it encourages you to contact them (#2 above). You might even look at their Facebook, Myspace or even Twitter avi all day just so you can look at them all day! *barf*

4) You believe in your mind that you are being "persistence" and you don't see that you are actually being "obsessed." If your friends are encouraging this then they may not be your friends...they actually might be stalkers too! Birds of a feather...shame!

5) You lose sleep or loss of time which effects your overall productivity of YOUR day but it doesn't bother you because you feel like it's something you HAVE to do and you believe in your mind that the person would actually like to HEAR from you. This is an automatic fail to win anyone over!

Children on LEASHES??? WTF!!!

I will never ever EVER ever understand why adults think it is perfectly acceptable to place their young children on leashes! Let me first just say I not a parent so I probably shouldn't even be bringing this topic up but...it's my blog so I say what I want! (:p) Anyway, I think putting your child on a leash is one of the most demeaning things you could place on your child in public. Why people why? Your child is not an animal, your child is not a toy-your child is a HUMAN and deserves to be treated as such in public.

It baffles me that someone in their right mind really thought the creation of a human leash would be okay to strap around their child. From what I observed (recently) it looks like people use these leashes to keep their child close (like a person does with a dog) but PARENTS, if you can't control you child without a leash then I question your parenting. Seriously! I said it! Why aren't you able to keep up with your child in public? Why do you feel like you can only control them in public with a leash? Did holding your child's hand go out of style? I just don't get it *scratches head.* You (the adult) look like an idiot or like you don't have control over your child, so QUIT IT! The warmer it gets outside, it seems like I see more children on leashes and it is so not cool. You know when you put your kids on leashes, it just confuses them to act like an animal in public. I'm just saying...lay off with the leashes and maybe your child will behavior better in public. THE END.