Snow Crazy Thoughts

I may have on 40-11 layers but my gloves ARE trimmed in leopard. Don't get it twisted. I CAN still be cute while shoveling 2 tons of snow.

Quarter mile of driveway + 38" of snow. 48 hours after it has stopped snowing and still no bobcat. We gonna be here for awhile.

Rescheduling EVERYTHING. Sigh.

Congrats to the Saints. However, if it wasn't for the fact that one person braved the 38" to come over and we had all this food, we would have just watched movies. I'm only die hard for Army Football.

From the National Weather Service (I hate them with the burning heat of hate from the center of the sun) - A WINTER STORM WARNING MEANS SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF SNOW ARE EXPECTED OR OCCURRING. THE COMBINATION OF SNOW AND STRONG WINDS WILL MAKE TRAVEL VERY HAZARDOUS

NO SHIT SHERLOCK

*Slams head on desk* at this news...WINTER STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM NOON TUESDAY TO 7 PM EST WEDNESDAY.....ACCUMULATIONS...10 TO 20 INCHES.

Kill me now, please & thank you.

Damn dog gonna need to figure it out. I made you a damn space. I don't wanna hear 'bout you don't go in the same spot twice. Move the damn snow yourself, playa. HUMPH.

Two broke/cracked shovels with 10 to 20 more inches makes for an irritable Diva.

Completed Week 6 of my SixSigma Master Black Belt coursework and I'm a week ahead on my project. Updated www.theblackknights.org website. Washed both Princess Cara and my hair. Styled. Shoveled. Fixed dinner. Time for a drink.

Princess Charlee went and picked up more teens for the potential extended "snow in". SHUT UP CreoleInDC! HURSH! I love and hate being the Kool Aid Momma house. They did go to the Giant and pick up more supplies...on their own dime.

I have spent WAAAAAYYYYY too much time during Snowpocalypse 2010 on the phone, FB, Twitter, Google Reader and have found that I might need to limit my exposure cause....

Imma need some people to stop saying you are my friend when you can't say what you really think of me to my face. Telling others (gossiping) or making snide remarks off to the side & pseudo anonymous (passive aggressive) makes you a hypocrite & phony. Be about it or be gone.

I am more that you will ever know by just watching from the sidelines. Sigh. Moving On.

One of the reasons I have a love/hate relationship with being the KoolAid Momma House...."Momz is the Yellow Madea". I hate them all.

My infamous line of the day - "....and with that, we just spiraled into the black hole of WTF."

Picked up from my kids..."I'm so blown."

I'm So Blown.

Views from Snowpocalypse 2010

Snowpocalyspe Randoms

It amuses me to find out who people stay "friends" with/follow after you have personally been kicked to to the curb. Looks to me people are just plain messy; can't handle real talk; are easily intimidated; passive aggressive; like to surround themselves with kiss azzes or all of the above. Messy likes messy. People are funny.

That you wish to be removed from the diversity distro list because the focus of the messages "appears" to be too much on African American graduates.....Bwaaahaaahaaaahaaahaa. Boy Bye. If your azz would participate instead of complaining and whining about what you don't see...Whew! might be a different story. Stop talking 'bout it and BE 'bout it.

No you can not have open access. Let me send you the sponsorship packet. Put up or go away.

Elliott Stabler leaving CSI. *TEARS*

Loved this from @CrimsonPurl: "I love thinking about running. I love getting ready to run. I love finishing my run. I hate running." Some days, those are my exact sentiments.

You have the most beautiful eyes in the world. Always have. Forgive me for staring.

I also find it amazing (and sad) that there are a few black service academy grads that find the idea of a reunion offensive. Oh, you are one of those grades. HUMPH. Whatever. Don't come then...but don't EVER call not one of us for nuttin, hear.

If you are not calling me for money then why are you asking me for $50 on your Vi.s.a Bu.x.x card in exchange for the $50 Food Kitty card you got for Christmas. Huh?

I'm going to go up in the gym and run intervals on the treadmill. The snow is not going to be an excuse to not exercise.

It is finally looking like we are going to really get those 30" after all - if it keeps falling at this pace.

We are still having our Super Bowl party. The food & fun will be here...if you can get here.

I'm trying NOT to make the rum punch now so that there is some left for the party. Good thing I have some Makers Mark. All mine.

I have an awesome opportunity that has presented itself. I have to run a small gauntlet but it will be worth it. Say a prayer for me.

I ain't feeding all these teenagers who decided that it was cool to crash at True Blessings for the blizzard. Sometimes I wish I was not the Kool-Aid mom house. However, one kid did bring his own backpack full of snacks. High Five. I like him.

Princess Cara has a cold. I haven't seen this much snot in decades. I gave her her own box of tissues and a little personal hand sanitizer. She thinks she is so cool. I find it funny what kind of stuff she thinks is the HotNESS.

I rarely understand any of Prince Jordan's FB posts. I have decided to stop trying.

The new FB changes just showed up on my page. *Shrug*

What's the weather look like where you live? Are you in the midst of the snowpocalypse or enjoying fairer weather?

Valentine Day Promo

I often (for either my job or for the National Sales Network) have to find, review & select promotional products as give-aways, prizes or awards for various types of events. For instance, my chapter is having our State of the Organization on Feb 13th and we have networking game that we are going to play and I have to select appropriate prizes for the event.

I was recently asked to select and review a keychain from WholesaleKeychain.com for their Valentines Day promotion.

I was to choose from the following:

Broken Heart Keychain

Photo Frame Keychain

Metal Heat Keychain

Crystal Heart Keychain

Heart Keychain Charm

I selected the Metal Heart Keychain - why...I don't know - because it was the one that seemed most "business like" of the selections for my event. It also allowed for 3 lines of engraving, a max of 11 characters per line.

The picture does not do justice to the actual keychain. The pic makes it look kinda thin and rinky-dink. The real thing - the heart is of nice weight & thick, the strap is real leather. I was duly impressed. I was a tad disappointed in the engraving. I submitted the following 3 lines:

Forever
Yours
Forever Mine

All I got was "Forever". I guess my engraving request got lost in email translation; however, on the website there are 3 separate boxes to enter what you want engraved so there really shouldn't be any confusion when ordering.

I doubt that I would buy a keychain for a Valentines Day present unless there was a key to a car, house, safe deposit box...you get the point...attached to it. The Crystal Heart Keychain would be nice for that purpose. However, I would purchase them for a business event as a giveaway.

3 readers will have the chance to win one of these key chains if you leave me a comment on what you would use it for or how you would use the keychain (business or pleasure) and which keychain above that you would choose. Leave me a comment by Monday, Feb 8th.

You get an extra entry if you twitter about it. Leave a comment that you sent a tweet to ensure your extra entry.

Hate contests and just wanna get your own when ever you please then go to WholesaleKeychain.com before Feb 16th, 2010 and enter the coupon code - vday2010 - and you will get 10% off your entire purchase.

Verizon = FAIL

Verizon does NOT make progress every day and in fact, they were a big fat fail on that whole customer service thing. So one of the phone lines in my house went down. No dial tone. No nothing...AND NO, there is no dial tone at the junction box either so the problem IS with ya'll stuff (despite the fact that your autobot says there is nothing wrong with the line).

So finally I get a live person on the phone to schedule a service call...The earliest they can come out is....

Wait for it....

February 24th or 25th.

ARE FRIGGIN KIDDING ME?!!!!!!! DA HELL. A FRIGGIN MONTH?!!!!!!

What if that line was connected to my alarm system? What if I was elderly and needed that line to call for help? What if I need to use the damn phone? A MONTH.

And you still want me to pay my bill?...Oh, you'll give me a credit. SURE YA WILL.

A MONTH for service? How'd you feel if I took a month to pay? Bet you'd cut that phone off PDQ, huh.

VERIZON - you are a NO GO at this station. FAIL.

Famous Family Resemblance

There is this thing going on over on FB where you are requested to post a picture of a famous person you look like the most. Some of the pictures have been down right hilarious...if not delusional. Are you serious? Some of them are almost exact replicas. Well, I didn't do it and wasn't planning on it until someone commented on our Christmas photo that we looked like the Huxtable Family from the The Cosby show.

Here is the comparison...what do you think?

On The Menu

I've been doing some cooking lately. Trying to eat out less and to have some good ole family fun. I love the family dynamics, the interactions...I love just laughing and talking with my family and that seems to happen most when we break bread together.

Thus, I've been planning meals and cooking more.

One of our family favorites is something that is fast and easy to put together.
Roasted Veggies.
Don't ask for a recipe. Just pick your favorite fresh veggies, drizzle with some olive oil, season and throw in the oven (400 for about 25 min - if you add some red (or any cubed) potatoes I recommend that you cube them, and microwave for 10 min before tossing in with veggies so they are done when veggies are). We usually do broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini, yellow squash, green beans, carrots, mushrooms and sometimes add a meat (beef cubes or chicken - or both). I also season with Mc.Cor.micks Montreal Steak Seasoning. You pick your own, this is what we like. It is absolutely delish.

Also on the menu this week was Gumbo. I pulled out CreoleInDC's Simple Gumbo Recipie and opened my Good Housekeeping Cookbook (my Gma gave it to me when I got married 23 years ago - yep, I still have it and use it) and put it together TravelDiva style. Since I wanted to make this on a weeknight where we had a lot of other stuff to do, I adjusted so I could make it in my crockpot.

I have found that crockpot cooking is the jack of a solutions to a busy lifestyle. It removes any excuse about either not cooking cause you don't have time (work, kids activities etc) or not exercising/spending time with friends & family/participating in an activitiy - blah, blah, blah. You see, you throw it in the pot, turn it on low, go do what ya gotta/wanna do and WHA LA! -a couple of hours later (or less) - Meal Time.

For the gumbo, I started at about 4pm, took 30 min of prep time (chop to pot), walked away to a school play and other stuff and at 7pm we were having the most absolutely devine gumbo EVER!!!

Here is a synopsis of what I did with my alterations:

• I ended up using two crock pots with the recipie as is. You will have to half it if you want to make it and it fit in only one LARGE crock pot. I have 3 on hand, 5 if I include my moms.
• I used Swanson Organic Chicken Broth
• Pour broth in crock pot & turn on high while you prep all the other ingredients. Heats up the broth while prepping.
• I added some "Island Creole Seasoning" that I had bought in St. John to the broth. Season as you like. We like spicy.
• Chop, cube all of your ingredients and have ready.
• Make Roux
• Add peppers, onions, celery, garlic to roux and saute for 10 min
• Add mixture to broth, add all of your meat (we did crab, smoked sausage, shrimp & chicken)
• Cover, leave on high for approximately 2 hours or chicken is cooked thru.

I have to say it is even better the next day.

So, what's on your menu?

PREVIEW: SOTU Talking Points

SOTU Talking Points
Rescue, Rebuild, Restore - A New Foundation for Prosperity

· The President is going to talk directly to the American people about restoring security for middle class families after a lost decade of declining wages, eroding retirement security and escalating health care and tuition costs.

· The President will talk to the American people about steps we need to take to build on the work we did this past year to bring the economy back from the brink of a depression. While the worst of the economic crisis has passed, for too many American families and businesses the wreckage remains.

o He’ll call on Congress to pass a jobs bill to jumpstart private sector job creation with:
§ Investments in small businesses,
§ Investments in Green Jobs and clean energy;
§ Investments in road, bridge, rail and port projects; and
§ Policies to spur more exports of American manufactured products.

· The President will talk to the American people about meeting the challenges that have hurt middle class families, and those who aspire to it, by building a New Foundation of prosperity for American families and businesses.

o He’ll call on Congress to pass Education reforms that transform families and strengthen the country;

o He’ll call on Congress to pass meaningful Financial Reforms that hold Wall Street accountable, makes sure no bank is ever too big to fail and provide clear rules of the road that give the American consumer the clear information they need to make financial decisions;

o He’ll call on Congress to enact Energy Reform that creates the jobs of tomorrow, increases our energy independence and reduces pollution;

o He’ll call on Congress to enact fiscal reform that recognizes that the deficits and debt exploded the last decade before the President took office. He’ll propose measures to deal with the costs of bringing the economy back from the brink of a depression and call on Congress to engage in the bi-partisan work required to address the debt that was accumulated in the last decade.

o He’ll ask Congress, Democrats and Republicans, to continue the work on health reform. He’ll remind all members that premiums will continue to rise; businesses will continue to drop coverage and more families will deal with insurance company abuses if we don’t act.

· The President will also speak directly to the American people and to Congress about changing the way business is done in Washington so that the American people know that their interests always come before the special interests. He’ll call for more transparency so that the public is always aware of what’s being done on their behalf.

· The President will talk about his efforts to better protect the American people. After inheriting two wars and a growing terrorist threat, he will review the steps that he has taken to increase the pressure on al Qaeda, and refocus on Afghanistan. He will discuss the progress made in carrying out his plan to end the war in Iraq. And he will announce a new plan to protect the American people from bio-terrorism and infectious disease.

· The President has renewed America’s alliances and standing in the world. He will preview the progress that we are poised to make as we near completion of a landmark arms control agreement with Russia, and prepare to host a Nuclear Security Summit in April that will rally the world behind the goal of securing all loose nuclear materials. He will also speak about America’s leadership on issues like global economic growth, climate change, and human rights.

· For over a decade, American families have been working harder and falling further behind. As college become less affordable; retirement savings become less secure; home values plummet; health insurance premiums and co-pays eat into wages and the cost of living explodes, the standard of living for American families continues to decline.

· While they meet their responsibilities and play by the rules, they have seen the special interests and those with political access in Washington get farther and farther ahead. Rather than seeing policies that encourage responsible behavior, American families have too often seen Washington reward irresponsibility while passing on debt to future generations.

· The President will talk about the need for change that the American people want and expect. For a decade, American families and businesses have experienced an erosion of the economic security that has been at the core of our prosperity. Tonight the President will lay out his vision on what steps are required to restore that security and how Washington should do its work in a way that reflects the best of our people and our democracy.

When You Catch a Charge with Someone...

...Press Play.

I laughed so damn hard that I couldn't be mad anymore. Bwaaahaaahaaahaaa!!!!!