Dreams Come True

Things are happening. One day at a time. Sometimes you think "It will never happen for me", but you gotta keep moving forward toward the dream if you want them to come true. This song has been in my head ever since I watched Pinocchio (for the umpteenth time w/Cara). Now Gephetto made a wish for a real boy, but his wish was not made complete until Pinocchio actually did some "work". He had to prove himself to be brave, truthful & unselfish and to be able to tell right from wrong. When he did that...the "work"...then the wish would be fully realized.

Are you just wishing upon the star and then just waiting...perhaps even complaining that nothing ever happens for you? Or are you making the wish, having the dream and putting action towards it so "FATE" could see you through?

When you wish upon a star

Makes no difference who you are

Anything your heart desires

Will come to you

If your heart is in your dream

No request is too extreme

When you wish upon a star

As dreamers do

Fate is kind

She brings to those to love

The sweet fulfillment of

Their secret longing

Like a bolt out of the blue

Fate steps in and sees you through

When you wish upon a star

Your dreams come true

Is your heart in your dreams?

Thoughts Over Coffee @ Work

* What in the name of God is the fascination with gold teeth. Why are there so many employees here either missing teeth or have them covered in decorated gold. It looks a hot damn ghetto mess.

* Why, for the love of wax, do so many women around here think that it is a good look to actually shave their facial hair like a man? There is NO reason on earth that as a woman, you should have a gotee shadow on your face.

* Furthermore, a woman should NOT be using lotion, moisturizer, vasaline or anything else to lay down your mustash, let alone your "baby hair".

* I'm just gonna start carrying a portable waxing kit or some nair for your face.

* If wearing your pants down round your ankles is a stoopit look for a man, it is especially ignant for a woman. What da hell are you thinking.

* if you are filling out a job application, you should come prepared with your own pen. Seriously. Why you got to "borrow" mine?

* if your forehead starts back at the crown of your head, take the hint that your weave is too tight and your hair is falling out. So, you just gonna keep adjusting where your weave starts till you go bald?

* I'm so confused with all of this madness.

* It just about brings me to tears to see the state that some of our older Vets are in. Thank you for you service, but WE and YOU got to do better. Let's meet half way at least.

* in the future, EMS should really use the freight elevator to transport patients. The public elevator is not the place. TMI for us and the patient.
* Everyone is born with the wealth of health...it is one of the precious gifts from God...guard it with every fiber of your being...cause when it's gone, unlike money, it is virtually impossibe to gain back.
Lisa Steptoe

Live Blogging "24"

*So...let's see how JACK whoops da hell out of "the most deadliest biological weapon known to man". Yeah, whatever...that biological weapon hasn't met JACK.

* "You need to get undressed" OH LAWD, PLEEEEESE.

* Can we at least have a looksie? COME ON!

* Could Cloe please come back and slap the ish outta what's her name - the fake computer geek.

* "Know the psychology of your subject." Good information, multiple uses.

* HOLD ON TONY! You've been through worse.

* Jon Voight has made some serious comebacks in the past few years. Really got the bad guy down pat pretty good.

* The Presidents daughter is the biggest conniving Byatch on the face of the planet. I HATE HER and hope she gets busted soon. NOOOOOOO!!!! You can't trust that heffa.

* Everything on 24 is imminent, immediate, urgent, "NO TIME". Does anyone ever have time to go to the bathroom.

* Why is The FireMarshall poking me and other FB stuff while I am watching/blogging 24 tonight. I WILL SHANK HIS AZZ if he keeps it up. HUMPH!

* I gotta get that clock thing as a ring tone.

* Oh, yeah...she has the hots for JACK too or am I the only one who is seeing this while this guy begs for her back. Uh Huh.

* You can't even say you trust yourself, BYATCH!

* OMG. His ears are HUGE! Let's add catastrophic to the list.

* OH SYHAT! What da hell now. The traitor want to go good now that it has gotton "complicated" and "gone to far". SERIOUSLY. Always a twist, huh. Not quite defibulator status yet, but I'm charging it.

* OH LAWD...throwing myself down...my baby is infected. I wanna touch my boo's scars. She should have hugged him. He looked like he need a hug...or more.

* I got a BAAAAD feeling about this. It is never this easy. Poor JACK. You know if Jack is not there then awful things happen. He probably gonna go anyway. BET.

* Ya know...Tony is hot too...in an moody, bad boy kinda way. SIGH.

* "Let's do it, dammit."; "Copy That"; Famous Last Words: "We're good to go."

* Why is that baztard looking so smug. Told you it was waay to easy. Sometin ain't right. WHERE IS JACK!!!! WHAT! Jack is still at FBI. It's a trap, has to be. GET THEM OUTTA THERE! Told ya. SHOOT THAT LYING MO-FO. Time for a little torture.

* I HATE it when I'm right. BAAAAZZZZZTAAARDS.

* As my daugter said...Now Jack has to go and rescue the FBI from a government funded Military compound with weapons of mass destruction... Such a simple task... I mean damn.... Can this be a challenge pls...LOL

Sunday Musings from the TravelDiva

* I have resigned myself that every nook & cranny in my house belongs to various barbies, stuffed animals & other dolls in various stages of dress.

* My lip was poked out cause I didn't get an invite to have Red Beans with one of my Top Mafia. FINE. I pulled out HER recipie and making my own pot. LOL

* I could not believe how painless it was to go prom suit shopping with my son & his girlfriend. PAINLESS. I picked two suits off the sale rack, he tried em on. Liked the one I liked. Dad came and picked out shirts & ties. DONE in under and hour. Girlfriend was happy too.

* The part in the Sex & the City Movie where Carrie's Top Mafia wisk her off to Mexico after the wedding fiasco and Samantha is feeding Carrie while she is still in the throws of her Mexicoma...makes me tear up each and every time....cause I KNOW that I have Top Mafia just like that, who would save me, protect me, care for me in my time of need. I feel blessed and revel in her "movie" blessings.

* The subtext of that text...BOOOTEH!

* While I may not know some of my "innernet axe murder friends" like my Top Mafia, rest assured that I am working my roladex for some of them in their time of need. Why? Cause we be like the Mob. We roll deep and if it is within my power to help just one more person then I will make it so, number 1.

* I still am surprised at how so many people don't seem to be able to disagree or have a discussion/debate without resorting to name calling, insults & general bytchazzedness to make their point. So far this month I've been a "Ghetto Byatch", a "Classy Ho", an overpaid corporate idiot, "Shorty", told that "my weave it too tight" and so on & so forth. SIGH. WHATEVER. What is funny is that parts of the insults are true...I am a Classy , Short, Corporate Byatch.

* I don't have any weave, but if I did, it still would be MY hair cause I got the receipt. I call it HIB - Hair I Bought.

* So I set up a FB profile for the FireMarshall. Now he is a friggin Crackbook junkie. STOP ASKING ME QUESTIONS. Figure that thing out yourself, Mister Man.

* I've watched Pinnochio 2x today with the Mini-Diva. Ya know there are a lot of great lessons in that movie. You should pull it out.

*When you wish upon a star...You're dreams come true.

Then & Now

Firstie Portrait - 1987--------20th Wedding Anniversary -2007

Family Friday

Every time I look at this picture, I smile and am proud.

Three generations of Steptoe Men...Father, Son & Grandson.

The Easter Egg is Cracked

I am some kind of pissed off about this whole White House Easter Egg Roll debacle. I am all for using technology, but sometimes the good ole fashioned, tried & true method is the way to go. If you are going to use online ticketing system, you would think that based on the demand level for the Inauguration that you would beef up your server capacity or add more. BUT NOOOOO! Here are the other things that the idjit who came up with this online ticketing didn't consider....

* Isn't this supposed to be open and available to everybody and anybody? What about those people who don't have a computer, high speed Internet ect? They could have stood in line like everybody else (FOR YEARS - it wasn't broke, why fix it) to have a chance for tickets. A whole group of people eliminated from a chance at this event.

* Are the people in California who get tickets (or anywhere else out of state) really gonna get on a plane and come here for the Egg Roll? In this here economy? Really. Or do you think that some people will just scalp them on E.B.ay, Crai.gs.Lis.t or where ever to make a buck? And even if the powers that be made that impossible via requiring ID or something, do you think that will stop them from selling them anyway and suckering people out of the event & their money?

* That there are plenty of people looking for anything to hammer another nail into the alleged coffin of our President for the appearance of elitism to an excuse to say that if they can get something as simple as an Egg Roll ticket system right then what makes us think that they can fix something big...like the economy. WHY GIVE THE DETRACTORS ANY AMMUNITION?

And to really piss me off, every time I got back to try again, I am reminded to NOT forget to PURCHASE the souvenir White House Egg. GTFOOH!.

Here is the message I've been getting (or some version of it) for the past 4 hours:

Thank you for your patience. Ticket demand for the 2009 White House Egg Roll is exceptionally high. We apologize for any difficulty in reserving the tickets. If you did not receive a confirmation page then you were not able to successfully secure tickets at that time. Tickets are not available at this time. Tickets will be available at various times through the day ONLINE ONLY. If you were unable to order tickets, please check back later. Please note that only a limited number of tickets are available.

So, after 4 hours of refreshing and trying over and over, I get in around 2pm. ONLY TO GET EVEN MORE FRIGGIN PISSED THE EFF OFF! So you select a time, you select how many tickets you want and guess what you get: "We were not able to find that many tickets in that section." So you keep trying every different time slot for the tickets you want and each time you get the same message, or it times out on you, or your computer doesn't connect and your have to go back and start all over. Then I started trying the minimum ticket number (1 kid, 1 adult) for every available time slot (took 45 minutes of going back and forth) to be told AGAIN that they were not able to find that many tickets in that time section. WHY DON'T YOU JUST GIVE ME WHAT EVER THE EFF IS AVAILABLE FOR THE FRIGGIN TIME AVAILABLE AND LET ME LIVE WITH IT? Take a clue from Ticketmaster...BEST TICKETS AVAILABLE.

This whole system was BULLSHYT and I'm done.

That was the biggest cluster F*&K I have ever participated in. EVER. I'm so hot, you could fry an egg on my forehead. I need a drink. I hope it pours down rain on the White House Easter Bunny. Take your souvenir egg and shove it.

Introducing The FireMarshall

Take a looksie at this classic of THE Original Firemarshall - FireMarshall Bill - and then I will tell you the story of how my husband became affectionately know as The FireMarshall (aka KOJ - "KOGE" - Killer of Joy)

My husband is the resident FireMarshall, Safety Monitor, Killer of Joy. If there is fun being had, there must be a safety violation happening. Never fear, cause the KOJ (KOGE) is here! If he sees fun happening, he is there to give you your safety briefing and to warn you of what horrific possibilities of death & mayhem that could happen if you continue on that path of fun. You can't help but love him for it...he lets me go about my way on my little adventures...and even will come with me (he definitely ain't participating) to supervise...but I always get a safety briefing; he always checks my gear, does the inventory, makes sure I have "call home" money and so on. I always feel safe & loved.

Now, The FireMarshall came by this nomenclature honestly. It started 11 years ago, when we worked at the same pharma company and were launch the famous blue pill. We were doing a dinner program together and a restaurant in DC and something in the kitchen; something plastic, caught fire. The FireMarshall (just plain Mr.TravelDiva then) looks up, starts sniffing the air, declares he smells noxious fumes, and starts evacuating the place. The manager had to run after us to tell us it was just something in the kitchen, the restaurant was NOT burning down and could he help return all the patrons to the restaurant. If you could have seen the FireMarshall's face - the seriousness of his mission - FUNNY AS HELL.

But his mission in life did not end there. Shortly after the above event, we had a major incident at our home. We were living in a townhouse in Columbia and were about to move into our current home. One evening, according to my husband, he smelled gaseous & noxious fumes coming from an undisclosed location. We investigated together and discovered the smell was coming from the water heater - as a former Electrical Engineering student, I knew what that smell was - it was the smell of a blow circuit & melting wires....BUT NOOOOOO!!!! Mr. TravelDiva was not satisfied, he thought it was something much more serious and proceeded to call BG&E. He told the woman that he smelled a "gaseous & noxious fume" coming from the closet where our appliance closet was. What do you think she said? She told him if he smelled gaseous fumes then he should call the fire department IMMEDIATELY.

And that is just want he did. I just wanted to die.

Now, telling the fire department that you have gaseous fumes coming from your home - in a town home community - constitutes a national emergency. We ended up with 3 fire trucks, 2 ambulances and the county FIRE MARSHALL at our front door. LAWD HAB MURCEY! The fire marshall and about 10 fire people entered our home and did a thorough search of every nook & cranny to finally announce "Sir, you have some blown circuitry on your water heater"

My husband, just as calm as he could be, thanked everyone for coming and announced "Better safe than sorry." We just HAD to move.

From then on, everyone in our family has called Mr. TravelDiva.....

THE FIREMARSHALL

Gross Generalizations

Yesterday, this chick posted on her FaceBook wall the following update:

"Why is it that corporate folks that make over $100 grand ALWAYS seem incapable of doing such mundane things like [unjam] the fax machine."

I read it. It made my eye twitch. I just hate when people make gross, sweeping generalizations about a group of people - it smacks of classism, racism, jealousy, hateration, and/or pettiness (one or all of the above). I commented, "Wow. That's a gross generaliztion. I'm one of those corporate folks and I have no problem fixing the fax machine [or anything else] that needs to get done."

Well, it became very apparent that she (and her "friends") didn't think that what she said was a generalization - a statement about all the members of a group that may be true in some or many situations but is not true in every case - and just kept going on about how "they" see this all the time and why (kinda like all black males are theives or worse). Yes, it did hit a nerve - not about being a "corporate folk that makes over $100 grand" but the generalization, the pettiness of it and the fact that it just irks me when people think they can just say any ole damn thing and think that nobody is going to call them on it. They go around just saying hot damn mess and think that everyone around them will just co-sign it.

I'm just not one of those people.

Thus, I decided to use her own words against her to make my point about how that statement was a generalization. I posted this FB thought on my wall:

Why is it that corporate folk who make <100k>100K will or won't do mundane? Classism, Jealousy or lazy themselves? Was that a generalization?

Now that set this chick OFF. I've found that when you use peoples own words back at them to illustrate a point, you find out that they rarely want to hear it and get their panties all in a bunch. "[I} took [her comment] from a generalized comment that [I] should have just brushed off and kept it moving to start attackin [her] personally." See, that is exactly what people who pop off with dribble and nonsense expect you to do. Brush it off and keep it moving so they can continue saying stupid stuff. When they run up on somebody who has the temerity to say something back - you get the screaming, the histerics, the true personal attacks.

I was accused of being one of those lazy corporate folk, of making a personal attack and of being a hater. BWAAAAHAAAAHAAAA! Hate - are you serious? I barely knew this chick. The only reason I friended her on FB was because she had two friends in common with me - two people I respect and personally know - so okay - I accepted. HATER? I don't even know you to hate on anything you have or say. PHULEEEEZE. The only thing I know of you is what you look like from your facebook picture - and I would recommend picking another one, since that one is unfortunate. Since you went on and on about how you didn't have time or want to be around a hater - I helped you out on that front and de-friended your behind AND blocked you. Guess what? DING - you are now free to move about FB without worring about me.

Just a tip here...if you are one of those people that just spouts off at the mouth without thinking, please don't be surprised and get all hostile when someone checks your azz. I'm just saying.

Now, move along people, there is nothing left to see.

Here's What I Know About BFF's

* I don't put ANY conditions/qualifications on what I will do for my BFF(s)/Top Mafia. If I have the time and I tell you I'm going to do something or be somewhere, that's what I'm going to do. I will sit all day with you at your son's track meet (I might whine the whole time), be a good sport, provide running entertaining commentary. I will lay floor with you, put up your wallpaper for you and provide tech support. You can count on me to be the one to live to tell the story and have pictures too.

* I don't always have to have my Top Mafia come to me. While I DO love being the Hostess with the Mostest, I've go no problem going to their place, meeting them at their stuff, out for lunch, whatever. Have car, airfare, I will travel.

* Speaking of traveling...I love hearing about girlfriend trips (Babs is on one right now - SO COOL). I would have no problem rooming up with my Top Mafia on a trip, but since I'm a GAW (grown azz woman) I would probably get my own suite - maybe share a room with one of the Mafia.

* I am a ride & die girlfriend. I GOT my Top Mafia's back. Like I said earlier, if I have to get out the car and back my girls play ("Do we have a problem?"). I will use whatever weapon I have at my disposal - even if it is just my wits - to throw down.

* Since none of my BFF's live in the same state as me, we got to travel to see each other. Yes, I will get in the car/on a plane for their special events and to just occasionally mooch off their wine & food. Why - cause they are my Top Mafia

* My Top Mafia is comprised of some very eclectic people - The Handy HotNess Twins; CityGirl/FarmGirl; The TravelDiva Clan - and I know for a fact that we would all get along fabulously.

* I rejoice and celebrate in my BFF's success and triumphs. I am there with a shoulder and tissue during the challenges and heartbreak.

* With my BFF's, the world does not always revolve around me. Now, in general, the Universe DOES revolve around me; however, when I am with my girls, when I am in their universe - it is about them. I listen, I pay attention, I play nice with my BFF's. The Universe revolves around all of us when we are together.

* I do have some issues & idiosyncrasies. What I don't do is make my BFF's have to manage me & walk around eggshells in order to be friends with me. How irritating would that be to have to follow a bunch of pet peeve super rules in order to be in my presence at any time. I don't mean that you can disrespect me, my family or my home or be nasty/ignant; but I don't expect you to have maintain a list of of "what will set TravelDiva off" items....besides, if I did go off, they are just gonna give me the side eye and tell me to sit down somewhere. OH WELL.

So, how are you with your Top Mafia? Are you ride & die OR are you a sometimey; fair weather friend?

Mini-TravelDiva

Track Meet Trauma

I spent the ENTIRE day at my a track meet for my BFF's son & track team. LAWD HAB MERCY! I had no freakin idea that these things take all dag on day. I'm a Lax mom...we go to a game, it takes 2 hours max, there is yelling, running, screaming, whacking, drama...and it all happens in a 2 hour period. This track meet thing - WOW. We were there all day and it is slow as slow frozen molasses. However, when things were not happening on the track, there was plenty going around me at all times.

Peruse these photos's for a moment:

Here are my random thoughts from the track meet:
* Wow, your momma must really be proud of you and that mohawk. Seriously.

* If you are spending a lot of time (even while running) pulling your uniform out of your ass, then perhaps you should check with the coach about going up a size.

* White lace panties under your see through bathing suit track uniform is just, well, TMI.

* Crunch, burnt, fried, extreme colored hair - I have no more words.

* Sportsmanship - what a concept. You are doing the 300 meter hurdles and are getting your cookies ate...ie...you keep running INTO instead of OVER the hurdles. After the 3rd mess up, you decide to quit, stop running, say eff it, and jump the fence into the stands instead. I think you and your coach are gonna have a real problem.

* You know you are in the hood when they are cooking half chickens and ribs at the concession stand...you also know you are a snob when you are disgusted and yet can't look away at the people eating said items without untensils by any means necessary. Just stop.

* I don't care if you are a coach or not. CONTROL YOUR BAD AZZ CHILDREN and don't get mine involved in your ADD moment. Matter a fact - BEAT DE AZZ.

* Just cause you can, doesn't mean you should. If your entire team SUCKS and is slow as hell, perhaps you should spend more time training than on color coordinating uniforms or spending so much time thinking about making a statement with your socks. For Real, Doh. Run Forest Run should become your mantra...work on it please.

* I learned today that even if you have an entire SVU of junk in your trunk, it does NOT mean that you are gonna be slow. Oh, hell no. It was as if some of these booties had jet packs implanted. These girls could RUN DE AZZ off.

Random Kentucky Sentiments

* I suspect that if you spend 30 min in a store putting something together that you call a tablescape that you watch a little too much HGTV

* It is not a good idea to roll up in your hooptie on the Handy Hotness team and cop an attitude & make geatures at us cause we are not loading our packages fast enough for your ignat azzez. We just might jump out the car (and we did) and ask you if there is a problem. They lucky we didn't have our shanks. Pity da Fool.

* Soros should NOT let other Soros out the house without some spanx. Seriously.

* The 2010 Volvo XC60 is EVERY SINGLE THING & A BAG OF CHIPS. I have spoken.

* From Handy HotNess to Thugs in the Burbs in the blink of an eye.

* The TITB chicks are still confused about the Battlestar Galactica Series Finale. Were they supposed to be angles?

* Just so you know, Thugs from the Burbs DO NOT take on Thugs from the Hood.

The New Face of Crime

This was just so damn funny to me. Check out this commentary on The New Face of Crime....and to all my white friends...please take heed to the advice. Just in case.

Getting There Can Be A Byatch

I love to travel. I love going to new destinations and visiting old favorites.   I HATE the "getting there part". There is always some kind of drama, irritation or irrational thing that happens on just about ever trip I go on. We are flying Southwest Air this time to Kentucky as Ron has a board meeting out there and I get to tag along to visit Handy HotNess. 99% of the time I have absolutely no troubles with SWA, but this go round, they done irritated the bat shyt outta me.   * This flight has been chosen for extra screening so we need to be ready for TSA to come around and do random checks. Random checks of what? Why this flight, inquiring minds want to know. You know what they come around and randomly check. Your boarding pass and ID. Like what da hell is that gonna uncover. We done got this far with the same documents...what is gonna change. Might want to come up with something else if you wanna catch someone with some contraband. I hope they never come up with a thought catcher, cause if TSA caught some of my thoughts about the quality of security they provide...HUMPH...I'd be hauled of pretty damn quick (PDQ).   * Obviously the pilot (or co-pilot - I couldn't tell) doesn't have any kids. Cara is walking on the plane, holding her Pooh Bear and he goes "Hey, what makes you think you can bring animals on the plane. No bears allowed." Now I'm an adult, so I knew he was kidding around. Cara, on the other hand, bout went off of the pilot. If laser beams could come out of her eyes, he would have been a bloody mess from the look of sheer hate and disdain she gave him as she clutched Pooh to her chest. Then she looked up at me with a look that said, "Shank him, Mom - handle yo bizness." I almost hollered when the attendant at the front with the pilot jumped back. Let me just tell ya playa's...WE ARE NOT THE ONES. (at least Cara and I...The FireMarshall might play nice for a few minutes...HUMPH...not me)   * So I got this game to play with Cara (Bailey's Book House) on my computer but I forget to bring the headphone jack splitter. Well I turn down the game super low and we start playing the game. We can barely hear the damn game. The flight attendant come up to me and asks for me to turn down the game. I just gave the heffa the side eye. Why you ask? Cause I'll turn down the friggin computer "so as to not disturb the other passengers" at the SAME MFn TIME YOU AND YOUR CO-WORKER STOP SHUCKIN & JIVVING all loud as a mofo and as soon as you tell all the other passengers to STOP FRIGGIN TALKING cause they are disturbing me. WTF. Obviously, me ignoring her didn't work so she figured she could get on the intercom and remind us all that we should be using headphones. I wanted to stand up and REMIND her snarkey azz that her and the rest of her co-workers should be SEEN AND NOT HEARD as well. Just so you know, Cara and I kept right on playing our game until she got tired of it. STEP OFF.   I guess that is why she didn't bring those wings she promised to give Cara.

Three Hours for Three Minutes

Yesterday, I was interviewd and filmed for the AARP's "My Generation" segment about the unique ways that women over the age of 40 are using Facebook beyond just using it to find your highschool buddies. Did you know that the largest and growing demographic on Facebook is women 40+? Interesting, huh.

The Broke Socialite sent out a message via Facebook about Loretta (owner of the media consulting firm) looking for women in the DC metro area to interview about Facebook. Well, I emailed her, gave her a little background about myself and some of the ways I was using facebook and she immediately emailed me back to set up a time to talk on the phone. After playing phone tag for a few days, we managed to get on the phone, talked some more and then friended each other on FB. She scheduled yesterday for the interview at 2pm.

Loretta and the film crew from AARP showed up promptly at 2pm and the film guys turned a cluttered kitchen with toys and other stuff into a beautiful backdrop with depth and color. Loretta was AWESOME. She made me so comfortable and at ease that the whole time I felt like we were just having a conversation. I was amazed at how much work went into a 3 minute segmant. It took 3 hours of set up & filming for a 3 month segment (of which only 1 minute will be of me since there are two other women involved.) It was a lot of fun doing the interview and it will probably air in May and be available online. I will share the link as soon as it is available.

Thank you to TBS for the hookup and thank you to Lorretta for selecting me. I had a wonderful time.

I Know My Ship Is Coming In

The FireMarshall is one of the hardest working men I know. Ambitious, strategic...a visionary. I have been on a journey with him for almost 22 years now...actually, we sat down and made a plan for our lives, what we envisioned it would look like, where we would be and then we started marching hand in hand; side by side towards that plan. If something got in the way or doing something was going to get us off track, we simply didn't do it. Life happens. It happens to us all, but if you have a plan/a mission and stick to it, then you won't let "Life" get in the way.

This last year (or two) have probably been the most stressful of our lives and things just didn't seem to be going our way. I've had to be stronger than I ever wanted to be. I have had to keep working for someone else, I've had to give up a lot of major things, I have to invest a lot of things that I didn't want to give up to keep us on the path. We have had to sacrifice a lot, yet managed to keep a smile on our face, head up, shoulders back. I thought, for a moment, that our ship would never come in...that all these years of work and sacrifice were for naught.

This morning, Ron got a call & a couple of emails. Then he came into our room, looked me in the eye and said, "It won't be too long." I knew he meant it...and then this song came on and as I listened to the words, I knew that they were true..."It won't be too long...I know my ship is coming in."

Do you have a plan; a vision for your family? Are you doing whatever it takes to make it happen? I hope so, because dreams really do come true.

On The Ocean (K'Jon)
It won't be too long
Now the tide is coming near
I see the waves flowing
Out there on the ocean.
I know my ship is coming in....

Just pass the horizon
And right where te sky ends
Cause out there on the ocean
Knowing my ship is coming in

Luck O' The Irish To You!

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Why I am Additcted to Jack Bauer

I stole some of these from various other places but every single one is EVERY SINGLE THING...cause Jack Bauer is the MAN...MY MAN...and if you mess with me, I'll sic Jack on you and have him torture your dumb azz with a ball point pen.

I am addicted because:

- Jack can convince just about anybody to show up with a weapons package & survelliance kit with no questions asked. That is the kind of Top Mafia I want.

- Jacks Top Mafia consists of some of the smartest, finest BADAZZES in the world: Cloe - computer tech extrodinarie; Secret Service Agent Aaron Pierce; Tony Almeida...and there are some many others.

- Jack NEVER misses. If he didn't hit you then he was trying to hit another terroist 12 miles away.

- If Jack wanted you DEAD, you would already BE DEAD and unable to read this. So sit the eff down.

- Killing Jack Bauer does NOT make him dead. It just makes him VERY angry.

- When you open a can of Whoop Ass - Jack Bauer jumps out.

- If you send someone to kill Jack, the only thing you accomplish is giving him an new arsenal of weapons to kill YOU with.

- Jack was never addicted to Heroin - Heroin was addicted to Jack. PERIOD.

- Jack NEVER needs to sleeps. He takes care of that when he is knocked out or temporarily dead.

- Superman (and for that matter, ALL superhero's) wear Jack Bauer pajamas.

- Jack thinks faster under pressure than a speeding bullet, is smarter (and also has a rugged chexiness) than James Bond, and has access to more technical/electronic gadgets than Bill Gates.

- Jack Bauer could get off the Lost island in 24 hours and Ben would have BEEN dead in the first 2 hours. Probably Jack Sheppard too for being such a pussy when it comes to Ben and getting off the island. He also would have given Sayid tourture pointers.

I'm addicted, so sue me.

HAPPY FOUNDERS DAY

On 16 March 1802, Thomas Jefferson signed the document that founded the United States Military Academy it read, “that the said corps, when so organized, shall be stationed at west point in the state of New York and shall constitute a military academy.”

George Washington first proposed a military academy in 1783, but critics opposed this relatively new idea of a special school to train army officers as too European. They deemed it incompatible with democratic institutions, fearing the creation of a military aristocracy. Finally, two decades after Washington’s first proposal, on 16 March 1802, the United States Military Academy officially opened.

I celebrated the 207th Anniversary of the Founding of the United States Military Academy with a bunch of my 1987 Classmates at the West Point Society of DC's Gala on Saturday. We had a blast!

Happy Founders Day!

The West Point Glee Club 2008 sings The Corp

Yucks from the Yard Sale

So I'm sitting here w/my mother at our local High School Prom Fundraiser Yard Sale...and I have a few observations:

* Its a MFn SALE & FUNDRAISER. No that ish aint free. Show me where you can get a 2-Line Cordless phone for less than the $5 I'm asking and THEN we will negotiate.

* Like my mother said...Everybody wants something for nothin.

* "This purse looks pretty beat up" No it friggin doesn't and no I aint giving it to you for .25 cents. Crackhead.

* Who da hell shoplifts at a damn yard sale. Are times that friggin bad?

* If I'm selling stuff @ the Yard Sale, why did I buy Cara the Barbie Camper and am eyeing the Barbie Castle? Sigh

* It never ceases to amaze me the things that people will buy.

* Seriously people. You know better..No my laptop, BB or bluetooth headset are NOT for sale. Why does everyone want what I aint selling.

* The booth next to us has taken Obsessive Compulsive Yard Seller to a whole new level w/an inventory of every item and she checks off each item as she sells it. I wonder if it is alphabatized.

* The Yard Sale Stalker...the person who comes at the very beginning and stalks your table for hours waiting for you to mark down the prices. NOT HAPPENING.

* How many ways to Sunday do you need to examine that item. And knocking on it does not indicate the it is cracked- STOOPIT.

* I am cracking up at the man who agreed to come Yard Selling w/his wife. When I said " Wow, your still here.". He replied, laughing, '"I'm here with SHE WHO MUST BE OBEYED." Hilarious.

Well, we have finally packed up and escaped. We made about 4 c-notes. Covers my retail therapy from yesterday. Whatever.
Lisa Steptoe

The Perfect Husband

Pattey - AKA HandyHOTNess - is BANNNED. Stop sending me this stuff. I can't get any work done cause y'all got me hollerin over here.

Get Up w/It Cause I'm Staying Homie

I started the morning laughing so hard at this one. You gotta read the words...had me screaming.
"Secret Service we roll deep" Don't get it twisted.

Dirty Jobs

I used to think that going to the "field" when I was in the military was pretty dirty...yucky even. Digging and sleeping in foxholes, not washing (except for out of your canteen cup) for days/weeks, finding sand in parts of your body weeks after you've come home and subjected yourself to home hazmat & decon. DIRTY.

However, my current job as a Clinical Consultant for a wound therapy product has moved WAAAAAAY up the list of not only DIRTY but down right GROSS (and a lot of the time depressing). I spend a lot of time in clinic, consulting with patients and medical providers on whether or not they (or rather their wound) would be appropriate therapy for their wound...and let me tell you, by time they get to me...they definitely need it...BAAAAD. I'm talking about patients (primarily diabetics) that have chronic, long term (some 3 years old +) ulcers (venous stasis, pressure, dehisced - surgical wounds that reopen, traumas to diabetic feet and more) that have stagnated and no matter what you do to them, they don't heal.

I am usually in the room as the nurse or doctor removes the dressings...and BAAAAABY...every time I thank God that I did not eat breakfast or just had something light cause between the gruesomeness of the wounds to the smell (of some) it takes a stout heart not to just swoon. I've been SOOOO close to just running from the room. I keep saying to myself..."Stay clinical list, stay clinical...discuss the quality of the tissue...how the edges look...etc." to stay steady. I've started carrying Vicks in my purse and have learned to hold on to the counter or sit as they take the dressings off. WHOA NELLI! Steady Yourself Girl.

Let me give you a couple of examples:

Monday, I saw one patient that was diabetic, morbidly obese and had just let his legs & feet go because "the home nurse wasn't coming everyday." Listen dood - nobody gets 7day/week home health nurse - especially a man that is ambulatory and can change his own dressings. This man had not changed his socks or dressings in a week. When the nurse peeled off his sock, I thought I was gonna just damn die right there. The bottom of his feet were so macerated (soaked wet) that they skin was falling off (Are you freakin out yet? I was).

Tuesday morning, I saw an 70 year old woman who had a HUGE diabetic ulcer on the bottom of her foot. I sat there while the doctor took a scalpel and a tool that looked like mini-plyers and went to work debrieding (removing the huge callus & dead skin) surrounding the wound bed. The doc was slicing, pulling, snipping, scraping, dabbing up blood like she was carving wood. All the while, I'm chatting with the woman about her friends & grandchildren...she isn't feeling a thing. There was so much blood and skin. JEEEEEEESUS.

Later that afternoon, I had to go and check on the status of a patient that we were planning on using the therapy on, but I had suspicions that I was gonna have to discontinue him because of non-compliance and other various reasons. I was absolutely CERTAIN I was going to have to discontinue him as I rounded the corner for the hallway to his room. I smelled this man's wounds 8 rooms away. He had wet gangrene on both feet. My eyes started to water as I got closer and closer. The Nurse Educator I was with had me wait outside his room and asked me to pray for her while she went in. NOW YOU KNOW IT WAS BAD. I came home and had to immediately put my clothes in the laundry room cause I felt like I could still smell it.

I got me a necessary, quality of life altering -----but DIRTY JOB. Sigh.

Is There ANYONE that STOOPIT?

I am so damn sick of getting these emails out of the blue that I have millions coming to me if I just send some simple information.

Millions, you say? ARE YOU SERIOUS. You found me outta the damn friggin universe, we don't know each other from adam, and you are gonna just ship/transfer via diplomatic courier or "secure" bank transfer MILLIONS to little ole me cause you can't seem to get that money outta your country without MY HELP.

ARE YOU SERIOUS?

Do you really think that there is someone THAT DAMN STOOPIT to believe such a thing. There must be...it would only take one, I guess to make it worthwhile.

Here is the letter I got today (I refuse to edit punctuation or grammer, but did bold some ish that should have your runnin for the DELETE key immediately):

SIR/MADAM,

We are very sorry for the delay of your payment, we are delighted to inform you that your fund is ready for transferred.

In this regards we are going to send your part payment of 5Million USD. To you via our accredited shipping company and I have secured every needed documents to cover the money. Note: The money is coming on 2 security proof boxes. The boxes are sealed with synthetic nylon seal and padded with machine.

Please you don't have to worry for anything, The boxes are coming with a Diplomatic agent who will accompany the boxes to your house address. All you need to do now is to send to me your full house address and your identity such as, international passport or drivers license and your mobile phone number, The Diplomatic will travel with it.

He will call you immediately he arrives your country's airport. I hope you understand me.Please kindly get bac k to me today also with the requested information So that we can proceed on this transaction as soon as possible.

Note: The diplomat does not know the original contents of the boxes.What l declared to them as the contents is Sensitive Photographic Film Materials for security reasons. I did not declare money to them please. If they call you and ask you the contents please tell them the same thing Ok.
(1) YOUR NAME:.....................
(2) YOUR ADDRESS:..................
(3) YOUR TELEPHONE ................
(4) AGE............................
(5) SEX:...........................
(6) YOUR OCCUPATION................
(7) A COPY OF YOUR PASSPORT OR DRIVERS LICENSE.

Email me at contactpaymentunit@gmail.com and I will let you know how far I have gone with the arrangement. I will secure the Diplomatic immunity clearance certificate, which will make it pass every custom checkpoint all over the world without hitch. Confirm the receipt of this message and send the requirements to me immediately you receive this message.

You are advised to stop every communication with any body so that your payment can be delivered to you with out any further delay.

Please i need urgent reply because the boxes are schedule to live as soon as we hear from you. E-mail me immediately.Congratulations.

Best Regards,
General David Mark.

General Mark - ARE YOU FRIGGIN SERIOUS!!!!!. GTFOOH with this ignant ish.

STAY OUTTA MY INBOX. Go directly to spam, do not pass go, DO NOT SEND 5 MILLION USD.

"GOD I'VA"

The Firemarshall went and got me a cup of coffee and one of my chocolate covered strawberries and presented it to me in bed this morning. Here is the conversation that ensued:

FireMarshall: You know they call me Godiva

TravelDiva: Who is they and why do they call you Godiva?

FireMarshall: You know...all the ladies see me and say "God I'va" got to have some of that Chocalate Love

TD: *SMH - spewing coffee threw my nose & nearly chocking to death* D.E.A.D

TD: Stop reading your own press releases, baby.

FM: *Chanting "God I'va" as he flexes and saunters out the room*

SIGH

It's About The Children...STOOPIT

I recently commented on two blogs that wrote about the OctoMom situation. The basic gist of both posts were that the world should back off from this woman, leave her alone and say no more about her...there are bigger fish to fry, bigger problems in the world etc. I agree. There are. I agree with one poster that getting all up in OctoMom's face about her being hysterical about losing her child is over the top. Yep, we have all been in that situation and personally, I saw nothing wrong with her response except that maybe the histrionics were excessive, but that is her emotional make up and so be it. Luckily her son was found.

The other post was just ridiculous. Said almost the same thing as the first, except this blogger went on to list all the reasons that a person should not have a pot to piss in and should, therefore, "shut the f#&k up" and keep their mouth shut about OctoMom's whole situation.

Like I said, some of the OctoMom attacks are just over the top and we should mind out own business, but when it comes to those 14 children - I think we do have a right to be concerned for their health and welfare. Here is what I said on the first bloggers post (and I don't think -and hope she doesn't think - I was personally attacking her):

Honestly, I don't give a rats azz about the woman personally. I am a mother and do have a concept about the demands of child rearing WITH a husband and family to support me. My concern is for those 14 (FOURTEEN) children. Octomom does not in any way shape or form have the mental, physical or financial ability to care for FOURTEEN children by herself. PERIOD.

That is what we should be focusing on...those FOURTEEN children, who in no way, shape or form can have a chance in the situation that she is in. There simply ain't that much "love" and "being present" in the world to make it work.

COME ON...tell me seriously who you would [be able] to care for 8 preemies and 6 other children BY YOURSELF with little or no resources. Neither you nor I could do it. But I guess if she gets a multi-million dollar deal from somebody, this will be all moot.

So, did she have 14 kids in hopes of getting money? Is that not crazy?

I said almost exactly the same thing on the other bloggers post except that I added that I don't have to be quiet about cause I didn't meet her "shut the f#$k up" criteria and after I said my peace, I told her to "shut the f#&k" up. I can't put it here, because she deleted it & decided to go on a hysterical tirade about how I was personally attacking her, calling me a hoe, saying that I was stalking her cause I hated her but was all up in her coolaid and doing stoopit shyat like that. BWAAAHHAAAAHAAA. I didn't hater her previously and I don't hate her now. Her personal issues with another blogger that banned her is between her & the one that banned her. I read cause I felt like it. Other peoples issues or dislike does not dictate what or who I read. I'm a Grown Ass Woman. I can and WILL think for myself and do what the freak I want.

I think she is an insecure, petty, hysterical woman who finds hate, personal conspiracies & drama around every corner. Really. YOU AIN'T all that. Whatever. Trust that I have deleted you from my blog list. It ain't that big of a friggin deal. I'm going to take my classy hoe azz and move along. TRUST when I say that thoughts of you and your existence do not consume my life and I will not have to resort to name calling & byatchassedness to try and make a point.

This has been another public service announcement. You have, once again, been warned.

Umm Yeah, I'm Going to Need You Saturday

I can't add anything more but to say THIS IS EXACTLY HOW IT WENT DOWN for me today. Stab me in my eye.

Confessions from a Medical Conference

* I hate when people come by the booth just to see if you have any good give-aways and when you try to talk about your product they get huffy and walk away. You gonna get pissed cause I don't have any freebies & complain about the cost of medicine and equipment. GTFOOH with your stoopit self.

* Stop telling me that I can't use certain words cause it is "off label"...Synergistic is just a damn descriptor...Go back to "managing" and I'll get back to "selling".

* Location, Location, Location is key when selecting a booth to ensure maximum traffic...so WTF did you think was gonna happen when you were a cheap skate and got the cheapest booth possible. Yeah, the back 40...all back of the friggin bus.

* Please read the fine print next time you register for a booth. YOU NEED TO ALSO ORDER TABLE AND CHAIRS. Could we just pretend for a moment that you know what the eff you are doing?

* It is hard as hell to get out of the heavenly bed to stand in the booth for 6 hours a day. REALLY HARD.

* The hotel bar is an amusing place at the end of the day...a lot more business gets done right there saddled up to the bar.

* I am not amused AT ALL that they think I should come back on a Saturday to dismantle the booth (BY MYSELF) cause they don't want to pay the $500 early dismantle fee AND you wanna get all uptight about me asking for you to "compensate" me for my time. I asked for dinner and you gave me the side-eye. Uh Huh. You want it dismantled OR WHAT!

* I'm getting more pissed as the day goes on.

* Contrary to popular belief...YOU DO NOT PAY ME ENOUGH...not even close...to do all this extra bullshyat. TRUST.

* I let the Genie outta the bottle and it was hard getting her back in, but I managed. Whew!

* I now know why they don't put clocks in the exhibitor hall...it would sheer torture to watch.

Just Some Stuff On My Mind

* FYI - your piss poor planning does NOT constitute an emergency on my part. Thus I do NOT feel compelled to rush, stress myself out or inconvenience myself all to fix your mess. Don't get it twisted.

* I gave up giving a rats azz what other people thought about what I do, how I dress, what I look like (or don't) and a whole host of other mess a long time ago. I really don't give a shyat that you don't like me or whatever I do. Seriously.

* My life isn't perfect. I'm not trying to make it that way. I'm just trying to live and have a great time while doing it. If you wanna come for the ride, be my guest - you & yours are welcome. If you are intent on making me conform to your way - then hit your own highway.

* In this here economy, you best learn to manage up if you have an azz for a manager. This is not the time to be acting like a damn fool and trying to take out someone above you. SMH

*...and I think I've said this before...If you plan on going to war with someone at work, be damn sure to put them down for good. Don't just wound your adversary, they tend to get back up, lick their wounds and come back for the kill. You have been warned.

* I am so friggin excited that I am going to visit my girl & soror, Pattey at the end of the month. The FireMarshall was named to a Board of Directors of a nonprofit and he has meetings in her town. I'm going along for the ride. WOO HOO!!!! Handy HotNESS unites again.

* I miss my baby Maia. GIMMIE MY BABY!!!

* Erin going off to college wasn't so hard. I think Jordan leaving is nearly gonna kill me. Shhhh...don't tell anyone.

* What to wear to the Founders Day Gala? Sigh.

* The FireMarshall is planning a "Victory" Cruise for us in May. I'm so excited.

* I am pissed that the taxes/fees on our airline tickets for Prince Jordan's graduation trip cost as much as 2 separate tickets. Out-damn-rageous.

* Most aspects of my current job I HATE...consulting with patients & veterans is a PURE JOY, especially the new patient I met on Monday. I look forward to working with him and achieving the healing goal he set for himself.

* I want the Geico Cavemen back...I'm not so into the money-eyeball thing.

* Cara snores like a lumberjack. DAAAAAMM Girl.

* There is nothing on TV...guess I'll pour another glass of wine and read.

What I Learned About The Tribe

I went to Atlanta last week for a course at Emory University for my job. When I knew I was going to be in the ATL, I immediately contacted Babs to see if we could get together...and of course, she was available.

We met for dinner & drinks my first night in Atlanta and had a wonderful time. I know that Babs shares with us her daily adventures in living, working & dating with us, but I was honored and humbled by her openness; her willingness to share the details of her recent heartbreak. I was also amazed by her resilience, her attitude and her great outlook on life. I shared with her the history with my sister and the details of her latest escapade. It was great to laugh about it with someone - with A FRIEND.

When I had the "Delta Drama" incident, Babs came to the rescue. I had posted my plight on facebook and she immediately sent me a text that while she wasn't able to pick me up, if I could get to her - I had a place to hang. My tension, my anger immediately subsided because I knew I had safe haven from the Red Roof Inn & trying to figure out how to have a decent meal on $7.

What I learned is that The Tribe is wonderful. We take care of each other. We look out for each other. We are more than just "axe murder friends"; more than just aquaintences - we are The Tribe, we are the Usual Suspects, we are friends. Will everyone be close & become BFF's? No. That is something that takes time, but I know for a fact that I have a wonderful group of new friends.

I love my Tribe. I feel blessed to be part of a Tribe and look forward to nurturing these relationships. Thank you for being a friend.

Thank you for being a friend

Traveled down the road and back again

Your heart is true your a pal and a confidant.

And if you through a party

Invited everyone you ever knew

You would see the biggest gift would be from me

And the card attached would say

thank you for being a friend.