Weight gain

I can't believe this.

I just stepped on a scale near my co-worker's desk and was shocked when the needle went past 125, past 130 and right on up to 140! Well, 139 to be exact.

Now, I will admit that I haven't weighed myself for over a year. The last time I went to the doctor I weighed in at about 127.

I knew I had gained some weight lately, but 139?!

An exercise plan is in the works for sure. The problem is I'm not very disciplined. It's hard for me to stay with a routine, so these next few weeks that I try to implement one will be more than a little difficult.

Any advice, or motivation, is much appreciated.

On a happier note...

Some friends and I got together at Photographer Val's to celebrate the 25th birthday of a fellow reporter last Friday. It wasn't much - just food, drank (yes, I said drank), conversation and laughs.

Here are some photos from the party entitled, "David joins the '25 is awesome' club."

The birthday boy and his cake.

Doesn't everyone look like they're having a really good time?

Paparazzi Val (who shot all these photos) strikes again.

Quite a few folks dropped by.

Me and the b/f.

Huddled in the kitchen is where we stayed most of the night.

The party also served to break-in Val's new house, which she bought last month. She's so grown up. Shoot, at 25, I guess we all are.

He's gone...

So, the boyfriend left this morning for his 6-month deployment. Around noon he started on a series of flights that will eventually land him in Iraq.

It was kind of weird this morning when we said goodbye. It was very similar to any other morning that he’d leave for work except the hug lasted a little longer, I had tears in my eyes and we both knew that instead of him coming back at the end of the day, he won’t be back until the end of the year.

I don’t know what I was expecting. Some long, drawn out proclamation of love? A promise of a blossoming future? I think we both knew we have to deal with the situation at hand and though those other thoughts and feelings have to be put on a back burner right now it doesn’t mean they don’t exist or aren’t important.

I’m really not handling it as well as I thought I would. I’ve been crying off and on since he left at 7:30 this morning. (Those that know me know that I’m EXTRA emotional.) I really want to be the strong girlfriend that knows this separation is only temporary and is confident her boyfriend will be back in December, unharmed. For some reason I just can’t be that person right now no matter how hard I try.

This weekend was spent packing, cleaning and just enjoying some down time. He even took me on a mini-tour of his job, showing me their training tools, different types of explosives and their equipment, like the robot they use to disarm bombs. Seeing some of that stuff gave me a better understanding of what he does and, I thought, calmed my fears a little. But all of that was forgotten this morning as he left my apartment.

But, I guess it may be too early to tell since this is only the first day. I can only hope that it gets easier and I can be the person he needs me to be.

Still, December 17 can’t get here fast enough.

It's not just for old ladies

What do you think about when you hear somebody talking about book clubs?

Me, I think of a bunch of older women gathered around a table talking about the plots, similes and allegories in a book I would probably never read.

Well, last month my friend Ashley started a book club and I'm enjoying it. The first book, Things Fall Apart, was a rough one for our group. Not that many people read it (Including me...sorry!) so the discussion was short.

But this month we read The Coldest Winter ever by Sister Souljah and it was drastically different.

I'd read this book before, but I read it again to refresh my memory and really enjoyed our discussion afterwords. Our group of seven had a lengthy discussion and other readers bought up topics, situations and ideas I hadn't thought of before.

For June we're reading my pick, The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold.

So, once again my assumptions about something have been wrong. Our group is young, lively, opinionated and even has a couple of men.

Book clubs definitely aren't just for old ladies...

Forget Los Angeles

Yep. Forget Beverly Hills, all the glitzy events and swanky, exclusive night spots.

I live in Hollywood South.

Since Hurricane Katrina destroyed New Orleans, a prime location for movie production, Shreveport has not only acquired more than a few evacuees, but a substantial portion of the movie industry as well.

It seems like everyone's been in town lately. Rob Corddry from The Daily Show, Mike Epps, Martin Lawrence, Denzel Washingon, Jessica Simpson and Queen Latifah have all been in town or still are, filming movies. And that's a very short list of actors that have come to the area.

Just today I was walking into Starbucks and who was holding the door open for me? Forrest Whitaker.

I was so shocked, I didn't even have time to get star struck. I said hello. He said hello. He was off with two other men, back to whatever they were doing.

I guess that was better than my episode with Rob Corddry, where I followed him to the bathroom in a downtown bar.

Now, I met these two when I wasn't even trying. Just going about my everyday business. I wonder what could happen if I actually tried to put myself in the places I know they're going to be.

Hmmm...maybe I should start carrying around a camera to capture these moments and post it on here for ya'll to see.

Then maybe ya'll will want to move to Hollywood South.

I.S.O. real journalism

I graduated from college with a load of debt, a print journalism degree and visions of what I thought a career as a journalist would be like.

I’m starting to think that those visions were naïve if not completely outdated.

Classes and research on journalism of the past had me thinking that I’d be able to change the world with tough, hard-hitting stories. I thought I’d have the time to do in depth series and features on issues of concern to the world. I thought that at the end of the day, everything I did, and my newspaper did, would all be in the name of quality journalism.

Nope.

I don’t have time to do those stories I dreamed of, instead I’m bogged down with a lot of other random stories and tasks. And I feel like even if I did have the time, there wouldn’t be the space. Advertisements and obituaries sometimes seem like the priority since they bring in the money.
It’s all about the bottom line, everywhere I go.

Maybe my original visions of journalism do still exist. Maybe I’m just not at the point in my career where I can do what I want. I guess I’m still paying my dues.

I hope that’s the case and not what many have suggested – that the world of journalism that used to exist and inspire is no more.

Either way, I’m going to keep searching until I find it…

Never say never

Like most women I had a detailed idea in my head of my Prince Charming and never thought I’d stray from what I wanted.

Someone who’s…
…college educated
…employed in corporate America
…taller than me – at least 5’10
…equipped with a great sense of humor
…a hopeless romantic
…sensitive
…caring
…blah, blah, blah

Unreal.

As I continue to meet people I realize that part of growing up is realizing that no one is perfect. Not even me. (Can you believe it?) So who am I to expect perfection when I can’t offer the same?

I also realize that prince charming comes in different shapes, sizes and backgrounds and my prince charming could be the next girl’s frog.

Now I’m with a man that is hilarious, taller than me, and caring, but…
…never went to college but is smarter than me most days. (Ok, everyday. Lol)
…doesn’t wear loafers or button ups but has his own style that I love just as much.
…isn’t a hopeless romantic but does things in his own way that makes me feel special and cared for.
…doesn’t work in corporate America but works to defend his country everyday and is trained to do things most folks can’t do.

This is my prince charming and he’s nothing that I imagined or expected – he's even better.

(Thanks Bestest!…our conversation earlier today got me to thinking and made me want to write this.)

The other N word

Nappy.

That word has the country in an uproar right now after Don Imus' comment about the Rutgers University women's basketball team.

So like everyone else , I guess I'll add my .02 cents.

"Nappy-headed hos."

I think I may be one of few people who is more upset that he called those girls hos than nappy-headed. As I said in my blog for work, nappy just doesn't hold as much weight as the more offensive N word.

I can't believe he called them hos. I really can't. He knows not one of those girls to judge and publicly degrade them that way.

I've sat around for the past day or so listening to other people's take on this whole thing.
Most have joined Team Al Sharpton and feel the statement was racist. One person even suggested she would delete the word nappy from her vocabulary, similar to the movement to stop using the other N word after the Michael Richards' rant.
For some, it has brought to light the way we, as blacks, talk to eachother. For even more, this is a 1st Amendment issue and Imus should be free to say whatever he wants.

My stand? Imus has a history of saying racist and ignorant things and he's been allowed to continue. It needs to stop. Yes, there is such a thing as freedom of speech, but along with that, especially for the media, comes a certain responsibility.
I'm not really for taking nappy out of my vocabulary. I mean, I don't say it a lot as it is, but I don't see a point in not using it. I mean, sometimes my hair gets tangled, kinky...nappy. It is what it is.
But all in all, I don't really find his comment racist. Just ignorant as hell.

On another note: I'm tired of people saying the most ignorant things publicly, that they know aren't acceptable, only to turn around and apologize profusely as if that will make it all better. I know the basketball team has agreed to meet to accept his apology, but I wouldn't be down for it. He's not sorry he said it, just sorry it created such controversy, which in my book means he's not sorry at all.

So, I guess we'll wait and see how what happens in the next few days. Call me a pessimist, but I'm sure everything will go back to the way it was. Imus will continue his show. People will continue to listen. The girls from Rutgers will go back to life as national champs.

And I'll keep using the word nappy.

As promised...

Here are some pics from my portion of the "Quarter Century Celebrations of 2007."


Me and Ky, the Aries of the group. (Yes, that's a tiara on my head...lol)

Me and Marlie at lunch in the Galleria where we made a new friend that gave us that strawberry cup. lol

Hangin out at Firewater Bar & Grill

Us doin' some line dance at Firewater

Naudia, Tywana and Marla our first night at Pappadauex

My birthday pastry at Grand Lux Cafe

Next up...Kyla turns 25 next month back in my old stomping grounds on the east coast.

As you can tell, I love my friends. I mean, I have to. I wouldn't do this for anyone else. This celebration endeavor is becoming very expensive...lol.

I'm officially 25

And I don't know how I feel about it yet...

I had a great weekend. My friends came down and met me in Dallas where we shopped, ate and partied the weekend away.

(More pictures to come...)

Then I came back yesterday and spent some time with the boyfriend - a simple and refreshing dinner and a movie.

I'm old now, and here are just a few things that happened this weekend to prove that fact...

1. On Saturday, after an awesome dinner at Grand Lux Cafe in the Dallas Galleria, I (and all of my friends) climbed into the bed and took a nap before going out.

2. When we did go out later that night, it was only for an hour or so. Then we headed back to the hotel and got back in bed.

3. After getting home around noon, I took another nap.

It's weird, but I feel myself slowing down and not wanting to hang out like I've always done.

I'll take watching a movie at home with the boyfriend, a quiet afternoon with a good book or just a good nap over hanging in the streets.

Guess I just can't do it like I used to...