3/31/10

I Refuse...

I refuse to argue with crazy.

I refuse to even comment on some of that dumb ish/rants/rhetorical questions/ideology. I'm just not going there. See comment above & below this one.

I refuse to even enter into a debate with people so passionate about their "thing" that it borders on psycho. Listen player, it's all you.

I(we) refuse to join another MLM (network marketing) "business." STOP ASKING.

I refuse to allow the pot to call this kettle black without me tagging your azz & reminding you of YOUR indiscretions.

I refuse to be made to feel guilty for your issues cause you forgot to take your meds. I take mine. Get on a schedule, mkay?

I refuse to give you money anymore for whatever you say you need it for outright. If you need money for food, I'll pick you up and take you to the store to buy FOOD. Enough with the lying and scamming. Sigh

I refuse to drink your brand of kool-aid. I do what da hell I want.

I refuse to believe that your way is the only way. You are NOT the only Subject Matter Expert on all things in the universe. Hey you....I am laughing at your superior intellect - (Wrath of Kahn).

I refuse to apologize or reverse my opinion - an opinion YOU asked me for - cause it hurt your feelings or you didn't like my thoughts. DON'T ASK IF YOU DON'T WANT TO HEAR IT.

I refuse to be anything other than me. I love me just the way I am.

I refuse to conform to your vision of what I should be/do/say. I do what da hell I want.

I refuse to allow anybody to pop off at the mouth at me with dumb/crazy/rude azz shyat and let it ride. Oh no playa. It's gonna be on an poppin. TRUST I'm going to fire back with a verbal open palm slap to the mouth.

Stop letting the "nice, pretty lady" fool ya.

I'm not sayin'...I'm just sayin'.

3/28/10

When Sending Your Man to the Store...

...Goes Horribly Wrong:
I sent TheFireMarshall to the store to get 3 items. He came home with one too many. Here's how the converstation went:

FM: "Look what I got for you."

TD: "Really, you got that for ME!"

FM: "Look at me. Now look at your man.
Look at me...Oh! I AM your man.
A man who will smell like he should, not like chick soap.
I am not on a horse."

D.E.A.D Somebody come get him, please.

Are you afraid when you send your man to the store - WITH A LIST - with what he will come back with?

BE AFRAID. BE VERY AFRAID.

3/19/10

Fitness, Fiber & Margarita's

I arrived in Louisville safe and sound and after the plumber left (yeah, Ms.Pattey had a pipe near the water heater burst - just minor drama) we were off to do some shopping and then get back to get some "fitness" in.

I managed to scoop up two outfits for $50 (MsPattey knows all the good spots) and then we went over to the track. I decided to try a new 10K training plan where one of the workouts required me to run 6 x1k (2.5 laps at 10sec/mile faster than my 10k goal pace). I hadn't even thought about what my goal pace was gonna be. Since I haven't been running at anything faster than 12min/mile then that is what I set it to be. I sat there and told MsPattey that I don't think I would ever be able to run a 10 min pace. Surprise, Surprise

I set out to do the workout (we lost daylight before I could complete all 6 cycles - I managed to finished 3 cycles) and completed a total of 2.77 miles at a 10:15 min/mile pace. GET DA HECK OUTTA HERE. I can do it. I CAN run at a faster pace.

I plan on finishing out this 10K training schedule and getting my pace up. I am just so excited. (watch out BK...Imma take that hill at mile 4 of the Clyde 10k with gusto)We got back to the house and....well....all the fiber that MsPattey had put in me (apple, bran muffin, nobake oatmeal cookie and more) over the day had...ummm...caught up with me. Whew lawd.

I told you there is nothing cute after the workout. Nothin' but sweat and endorphins. MsPattey made us a Kashi Pizza that had like a gazillion grams of fiber in it (MORE FIBER), whipped out a blender & some strawberries and said "get to mixin".

We have been enjoying a strawberry margarita while watching movies.

A wonderful day.

3/17/10

All This in Two Days


I was on my way to a f.o.cu.s gr.ou.p event where I got paid a c-note to give my opinion on stuff last night when I got hit by a H.on.da from behind. It sounded probably worse than it was, but I pulled off 2.95 and jumped out the car. WHY ME! This poor soul of Hispanic decent, runs up to me with TOOLS in his hand, proceeds to pop my bumper back in place (it had only popped off the thingys that hold it on) and then clean the marks off. *BLINK* Then, in Spanish, he proceeds to beg me...while opening his wallet...to not call police or the insurance company. Well, after he "fixed" my car - I had no damage. His car, on the other hand was a little jacked. I tried to tell him that he might need insurance coverage more than me. He insisted (in broken English) that he would be okay and wanted to know how much (pulling bills out his wallet) to not call police/insurance.

I just didn't have the heart to take his money. I was good. The truck was good. I told him all was okay and proceeded to walk off (You know I took pics with my phone...just in case). This guy grabs my hand, shakes it, hugs me - "gracias, gracias" and runs back to his car. Go Figure.

The FireMarshall couldn't even tell I had been hit.

Why was I gonna tag the chick sitting next to me at the f.o.cus gr.oup? Byatch...contradict me ONE MO DAMN TIME. HUMPH.

Medical Update: I'm on my meds. I had my girl exam...the fibroid(s) may be back - was scheduled for a sonogram. I'm asymptomatic so WHATEVER. You can have the damn vessel. I'm done with it. Eye exam...SIGH. I need glasses.

I am fighting this aging thing kicking and screaming. FUGG YOU, Father Time. I refuse to go quietly.

I ran with TriBecca today. When she gets this breathing thing down, she's got 3 miles. I hope I didn't push her too hard. I really didn't want her to stop and we did run about 90% of the 2.25miles. She had the audacity to drop off the INSANITY Fit Test "to see how I would do" and then ask me how in the world her friend convinced her to do that workout. Ummmm....the SAME way you convinced me to do even an indoor Tri, the same way I still have the sign up for the DC Tri in my inbox, the SAME COTTON PICKIN way she go me doing swim & spins or runs with her. HUMPH.

I love me some Becca. She motivates me and I'm in pretty good shape. P.S. Thanks for the lookout, concern & advice on the medical stuff. Keep me honest. Keep me focused.

I leave to visit Ms.Pattey on Friday. Lawd Hab Murcey. She gonna give me dat watch.

I sit here with a cocktail, exhaling. It's all good.

HOW YOU DOIN?

3/14/10

Random Musings from The TravelDiva

I had a wonderful day last Thursday. My appointments for work went well. Then I met Sissy for lunch and I hadn't laughed that hard in a while. It is always great to hang with her. After lunch, I found a Starbucks across the street from TriBecca's gym and got 2 hours of work done. That evening I did spin & swim with TriBecca. When I got home, The FireMarshall had made me some dinner.

I slept like a baby.

I went shopping for a bathing suit to train in on Friday. The dressing room had a three way mirror inside. Got the bathing suit on and I immediately had a MELT DOWN. I that mirror (and probably reality) I looked like a whale trying to squeeze into a seal suit. MELT DOWN. It was so bad, I immediately called a lifeline (Ms. Pattey) but she wasn't in to talk me off the ledge. I had to practice some yoga breathing and work on my self-talk so I wouldn't commit Hara-Kiri right there in the dressing room.

I've got work to do.

I had a physical on Saturday. SIGH. Preliminary results say that I am short, fat & hypertensive. "Do you have a headache" is NOT what you want to hear as they take your BP 4 times to confirm. I don't even want to really know the rest of the details from my blood work - I already know that I am a walking ball of death. Do I need a spreadsheet of data to confirm that my head might pop off at any moment. To top it off, I'm peri-menopausal. KILL ME NOW. Please, thank you. My doctor (she is actually a PA) is VERY detailed oriented and gives you a to-do list. I am scheduled for an Echo, Mammogram, Pap & Ultrasound (checking on those fibroids), Thyroid scan (nodule?), Eye exam. She insisted that I keep a food diary, fill these scrips and make an appointment to see her in six weeks.

After a short pity party, I regrouped. All is not lost. I know what I got to do. Exhaling.

Since my iPhone is an extension of my hand and is with me at all times, I wanted to be able to keep & update my food diary on the go (since I'm always on the go). After a little research, I joined Wei.ght.Wa.tch.ers Online which has a very comprehensive online food & activity tracker. I was motivated.

After one day of tracking my food and activity, I realized that I have essentially been eating WAAAAAAYYYYY too much. When you HAVE to log/write down everything that you put in your mouth either as you are doing it or before (I try not to do it after the fact, 'cause some stuff might not get in there, ya know), you have a tendency to snatch your hand back...at least I do. I ain't about to write THAT down (looks around for a better option, or grabs a bottle of water).

The food diary is a good thing. I believe I will rebound. I have faith.

Prince Jordan is home for Spring Break. He is hella-funny.

The past two nights, my house has been the Kool-Aid Mama house as all of Prince Jordan's crew came by to hang out. The carnage thus far has been a devastated refrigerator, a broken mask left on in pieces on the floor and a stolen bottle of MY Makers Mark. The Prince managed to get it back (well, he got a new bottle from the perp), but had to tell him "Ya know, Man, you can't come over any more - I told you not to touch my Momma's ish. She don't play that."

You know The FireMarshall & I have "The Most Wanted" posters up on the wall in the kitchen. We just added a new perp to the roster. WHY do I have to be this way?

Those recipies for Bacon & Shrimp Empanadas and the Blue Cheese & Caramelized Onion Empanadas on Today Show Cooking School were FANTASTIC. Absolutely delish and relatively easy to fix.

Guess what? There is app for that! Today Recipes is an app. Now all my favs are at my fingertips.

I love people who believe they are THE Subject Matter Expert on EVERYTHING. I mean everything and if you are not doing it, participating in it or think on it the same way - you are WRONG. Whatever. I do what I want, when I want. I'm not much for being a big follow them cause dey say so kinda chick. I'm just sayin.

Yeah, I do me pretty darn well.

This whole daylight savings time has me totally throwed off today. I'm so behind on everything...could be that I procrastinated too. HUMPH. I still got that run in.

I'm off. Gotta get it together for this work week, hanging with the Prince and jetting off to Kentucky to get my workout on with MsPattey this weekend. Busy Busy.

What Random Musings do you have?

3/11/10

Workout Hair & UmmFooFoo The Bush Byatch

I was having our daily "workout" converstaion with MsPattey and we got to talking about....HAIR. Her concern today was (and I bust out hollerin) that her head was "perfectly round" and thus the head bands she was using to keep her hair outta her face was falling off. Bandana - a no go too! Everything was sliding of her "perfectly round" head. So, added to my assignments for my visit next week is not only to do some training runs with her, but to solve the dilema of the headband on a perfectly round head. I can't wait.

I started talking about my hair as it relates to all this swimming and stuff I've been doing. In general, I honestly don't really think about my hair very much at all. I taught myself how to do my own hair MANY, MANY years ago (...think White mother, black hair and not about to send me to the hair dresser every week). So, working out regularly, doing Bikram Yoga etc. didn't really give me a moments angst about what to do with my hair. I just washed, blow dry, flat iron, style. Kept it movin.

To me...it is just hair.

However, when I added swimming to the mix after I signed up for an indoor triathalon, I had to start thinking about what was I gonna do with my hair after submitting it to chlorine a couple of days a week.

It was suggested by some to go au natural. Well, I considered my hair natural because I don't have a relaxer. Haven't had one in over 3 years. The only chemical I have on my hair is some color...done by my FABULOUS Master Redken Colorist, Amy at Victoria & Alberts. I thought because I don't have a relaxer that was natural. Well, I have been informed (...and by one or two hair nazi's) that I was wrong. NO HEAT. Ummm, okay.

So, I went ahead and tried to do the wash & wear, no heat route a couple of times. NEVER AGAIN. I tried twisting/braiding - followed by a twist out or whatever you call it. I've tried just going with my natural curl pattern with a little mousse/gel/curl master/blah blah blah. I've tried that with pinning it up, trying different hair styling options. I spent a small fortune trying different products and spent upwards of 2 hours twisting, braiding, squishing, fluffing, arranging my damn hair and I still ended up looking like.....

UmmFooFoo The Bush Byatch...PERIOD. Wild. Crazy. The FireMarshall even remarked "Well, that's okay for the weekend in the house, but when we go out together...will you be putting some heat on that?" DAMN. His preference is definitly NOT the no heat natural look. I'm not gonna knock him for that.

Thus, after all that fiddling with my hair (TOO TIME CONSUMING); after all of those products bought (TOO DAMN EXPENSIVE); after the confirmation from the FM that he would prefer I not go that route...I have given up the ghost. I asked him what he thought about me locking my hair and told me it's my hair, if I want to try locs then go for it but his preference is the way I've been doing my hair forever. Nuff said.

I whipped out that blow dryer and flat ironed my hair back to the way it was. DONE.

Now will I do that to my hair every day...after every time in the pool. NERP. I don't have a problem with H.I.B. (Hair I Bought) at all. I have a reciept, so it is my hair. On occassion I plan on whipping out a phonytail, hair piece or even a wig (I have plenty of HIB to choose from) so that I can keep it movin' in and out of the gym without so much as a care in the world.

I would rather spend 2 hours in the gym or with my family then 2 hours fiddling with my hair to try and get it to look fabulous. I just don't look fabulous like all my natural friends do; I don't care to spend a whole heap of time trying to get it that way - and I'm not ABOUT to go out the house looking crazy as I "work on it". Locking would be the only other alternative and that just isn't FM's preference.

So, to not look like UmmFooFoo The Bush Byatch - that crazy, crunchy haired woman who looks like she don't know what to do with all dat hair - you'll see me rocking my bandana, ponytail or headband at the gym and maybe some HIB later if I don't have time to do my hair myself. My hair WILL NOT EVER keep me from my workout or goals.

It is just hair...to me

3/10/10

Hardcore Workouts


That is your heart...That is also your heart beating rapidly after working out with me...at least according to TriBecca. Yeah, yeah...I've heard it before...I'm kinda "hardcore" with my workouts. I actually think it is more like focused & intense. When I am working out, I ABOUT it. I don't pussy foot around. I'm also not cute when I workout. I'm there to workout - NOT to pick up some guy or to impress anybody else. I'm sweating, my hair is probably wrapped up under some bandana, and if I came from work - then my makeup is probably all running down my face or I don't have any on at all.


NOT CUTE. I'm about business.


TriBecca and I got our workout ON tonight. Seriously. We did a 45 min spin class first. Sprints & Hills. Uggaaaahhhh! We had a great class. Yes, I did look over at TriBecca and firmly declared that she needed to stop bouncing on that seat. She grinned at me with the smile that will get you to do just about anything (like sign up for a triathalon)...but she did add a little more resistance so that she wasn't jiggling up and down.


(Kudo's to the VERY large gentleman to my left for tearing it up in spin; however, I was very concerned for his - ya know - cause that bike seat disappeared for 45 min. I hope you are okay and can sit tomorrow. I recommend the treadmill for awhile, doh)


I really enjoy working out with TriBecca. She inspires me and pushes me to work even harder. We don't talk much - 'cause we busy breathing gasping - but we push each other through.


After we finished the spin class, off to the pool we went. LAWD HAB MURCY. That damn pool gonna be the death of me. 30 min of laps, 800 feet or meters or whatever is equivalent to 16 laps. Yeah, I was DAWG tired. I wanted to turn to TriBecca and say "Ize tired, boss. Dawg tired. Can I rest now." She wasn't having none of that. With that damn GRIN, she replies "5 more minutes." HUMPH. But, ya know, I went ahead and gave her a good 5 more min & 3 more laps.


I may have zapped her in spin, but this new fish lady has opened a can of pool whoop azz on me. How da hell am I 'spoze to hold my coffee cup tomorrow.


I am loving this workout with buddies thing.


Just makes me even more Hardcore!


...Are you ready for me next weekend MsPattey?

3/9/10

StoneWall Steptoe

...because "don't nuttin get past him"

Being the mother of a goalie is one of the most nerve racking, nail biting jobs out there. I manage somehow. Nevertheless, you'll know that I am a huge fan when you hear me yelling "Be Beastly!!!" during the games. Now I have a new nickname to add to "BEASTLY!".... STONEWALL - cause nuttin get's past him - after Indian Tech's win against Perdue.

GO WARRIORS!

3/7/10

It Takes A Village

I talk to MsPattey (AKA HandyHotNESS-Kentucky) almost every day - sometimes 2-3x a day - just depends on what's going on. Lately we have been talking about fitness, working out, eating healthy and just DOING THE DAMN THING to be better - stronger. She has been following TriBecca's Journey and loves the fact that we (some of the Usual Suspects here in the DMV) support each other, workout together, talk with each other and basically help each other stay accountable in our journey of fitness, health and achieving new goals.

She lamented that she wished she had that out her way. She doesn't have a Tribe or a couple of Usual Suspects that she can hang with, run with, workout with...etc. etc. I have to admit that this blog/FB/Twitter thing and the subsequent friendships that I have made here in the DMV and beyond is just amazing. I appreciate it and value the relationships that have come from it. However, right now...I am MsPattye's "Tribe" (and Swaz too).

It takes a village to not only raise up kids, but it takes a village to keep us accountable to our goals and visions...to believe in us when we stumble...to pick us up when we fall and put us back on the road. It takes a village to be a cheering squad, to provide great advice as well as constructive criticism.

...And isn't it wonderful when you achieve that goal - the dream, to have A Village there with you to celebrate. They were there for the journey and they are there at the triumphs (and even the setbacks).

I ask you to join me and add one of my bestest friends in the world to your "Tribe" - your village and follow her as she Embraces the Journey. Check out her blog...and let's all

GET 'ER DONE!

3/1/10

An Act of Congress-Verizon's EPIC FAIL Resolved


Today! we have resolution. After 30 days of no service, 1 service call where the tech didn't really want to do what it was gonna take to make the repair (trace every jack in the house), 3 more scheduled appointments - 3 no shows...I managed to get a tech to come to the house.


What did it take...practically an Act of Congress. I have a friend who is a liaison for a Congressman. This person saw my rants on FB and asked me if she could help. I said I would take all the help I could get. A few phone calls & emails and I had a point of contact at Verizon that had some power/pull to make things happen. I talked with this VERY NICE woman this morning and she promised I would have a tech out to my house today. She even called me twice with updates. I don't know exactly what she did, but the tech told me on the phone (I couldn't believe I was actually talking to the repair man) that someone had freed up his afternoon schedule and moved my call up in line...he would be at my house in 15min.


After all the drama, I was stunned to say the least.


The tech arrived - a very nice young man - who had to test every jack to trace where the short was, rewired some stuff and WHA LA! I was back in business. It took him an hour. He revealed that it was possible that the previous tech knew what it was going to take and how long, knew he had to make more calls today to make "quota" (did you know that those guys have to make so many FIOS & copper calls a day or "they" start investigation you...to be fired? - WOW), and decided to bolt. It is possible.


I even received an email today from a customer service rep telling me when I would be getting a credit for the time I did not have service.


An Act of Congress.


I still have to say, shame on you, Verizon, for the aggravation, for the poor customer service, for the amount of time that it took you to make this repair & for the fact that it took a phone call from a Congressional Liaison to make this happen. What about all the customers who don't have that kind of advocate? I wonder.


Many thanks to my friend. Many thanks to Ms. S at Verizon, who had the patience of Job with me and made things happen.


I am grateful but DAMN - it should NOT have taken An Act of Congress.