The Handy HotNESS - Episode 2

The Ladies of Handy HotNESS Install a Ceiling Fan....

The Handy HotNESS

...Also known as "Friends Don't Let Friends Lay Flooring Alone:

Girlfriend Weekend!

I'm so excited. I'm running away from home for the holiday weekend and going to visit with my BFF in the whole world. The Bluegrass State of Kentucky don't know what they are in for with the two of us running amok...and all in a dry county. That won't keep a pair of good women down.
Pattey and I have been friends (let me get it right this time) for 20 years. She is my Big Sister from when I pledged AKA grad chapter at Ft. Knox and has been my running partner ever since. The only thing that keeps us apart is a couple of states between us. Man, back in the day when we were residing in Radcliff (off post housing), we used to spend the weekends shopping, hunting for stuff, building something (DIY projects), hanging. We have been on several adventures together that we still ROTFL about - (invariably it involves me doing something stupid and Pattey documenting/living to tell the tale) - We still talk about the time we rode jet skis together in Hilton Head - we smiled and laughed so hard I think a burst a kidney and Pattey's teeth almost popped out of her head; the trip to the Grand Canyon and the helicopter ride back to Vegas - were I swear she was gonna slap me silly for wanting to play with the instrument panel; the NYC trip where we got up at the crack of dawn to try and be on the Today Show and where I acted like a complete tourist on the subway taking pictures and almost broke some art that looked like a dresser at MOMA; the trip to Cancun, Mexico where we got silly tipsy on the Catamaran trip and I decided to go para sailing off the back of the boat. I hit the water so hard, I knocked the wind out of my lungs and my bathing suit top off my ta-ta's. Pattey was there to capture it all.

We don't get to hang out very often, but we do manage to talk on the phone to each other at least, uh, I dunno, maybe everyday. We are always plotting our next DIY project and have no problem breaking out our tool belts and working together on a project. We are both camera junkies and both have a love for a good alcoholic beverage. Go figure.
What do we have planned this weekend. Nothing much. I'm bringing my entire camera ensemble so we can play together with our cameras and get our recording, downloading and editing skills (especially Pattey's - read the manual) down pat. We will probably do a project at her house (she has a list but she is leaning towards drywalling and finishing the bathroom. Not a problem. We are planning a "sit around the TV" party for the DNC and getting the phones & computers ready so we can participate in the "Word on the Curb" (see side bar). We will probably go out and scoff at men folk - uh, rather see if we can find Pattey a boy toy. Loverfreak (inside joke) is waiting for ya, Pattey.

My flight won't get here fast enough. Stay tuned for updates from my Kentucky Adventure!

P.S. Pattey - remember we are not to acted shocked when we see the size of our butts in real life. Just grin and say - Wow, Girl! You look prosperous. LOL.

Like a Good Neighbor...

Today my neighbors packed up the last of their worldly possessions and have left to embark on a new adventure in their lives - they are moving to Singapore (career move). They have sent their son off to college, their daughter is getting ready to go to law school and they are running away from home and going across the world on a new chapter in their own lives.

We are really going to miss Brian & Lynn. They were not only good neighbors but they were also good friends. We have spent a many nights on one of our patio's sharing a bottle of wine and our lives. We were there when things were hairy with David and when things got better - we were there to witness a wild, out of control boy become a thoughtful, considerate, reflective young man. We watched over each others houses, each others kids & our pets. We searched together when a pet was lost. They were there like rocks when I got laid off the first time. We were there when Lynn retired and started her own florist business. We broke bread. We supported each other. We were neighbors, we became family.

It was hard saying goodbye...but it really wasn't goodbye. It was a see you real soon. They invited us to visit them in Singapore and use their place as a jump off to see parts of Asia & Indonesia and Ron whipped out the Nation.al Geo.graph.ic atlas and started making plans. I love him, ya know. Their son is going to school in Denver and we hooked him up with my step-brother, Steve, so David would have someone to hang with if he just needed to get away and decompress.

So, while we lost a neighbor - we still have our friends. Ron and I will miss you, Brian & Lynn. See ya soon!

American Prayer

If you get to the top of the mountain....remember me...

Slicker Than Snot - easySCAN

EasyShop, originally uploaded by dannieg4.

I walked into Gi.an.t today to do some grocery shopping and there was this huge kiosk near the front door with a bunch of handheld scanners on it. Two guys in black G shirts were there eager to explain this new system of shopping:

"Save time while you shop! Our revolutionary new easySHOP system lets you scan and bag your groceries as you shop, then simply pay and go. You get groceries faster than ever before."

I have a bagging groceries pet peeve...I HATE eveybody else who bags my groceries. I don't need 3000 bags for 5 items. Uggaaaahh!! I usually do the self scan so that I can bag my own groceries and/or put them in my own bags that I brought. It makes me CRAZY when some helper comes along and starts baggin my ish. If I wanted you to bag my stuff then I WOULD HAVE GOT IN A REGULAR DAMN LINE. *exhale* So, when these guys explained that I scan my groceries as I go, put them in my own bag or the ones they provide, pay and walk out - I was like - Okay, lemmie give it a whirl.

I loved it! I scanned and packed as I went - the way I like my groceries and was done in no time. No fuss, no muss and you can even use coupons. Slicker than Snot.

This is also slick for G,ia.nt too. They need less cashiers, less employees period. You buy groceries in their store & do all the work yourself. Ain't that some ish. Somebody got a big bonus with this idea at HQ.

Whatever. I'm hooked.

My Yearbook Photo: Live or Memorex

I saw this over at CreoleInDC's site and roared at the pics. At first I thought they were their "for real" yearbook photos, but after closer inspection, they were created at http://www.yearbookyourself.com/.

The real scream came when I went and yearbooked myself and the dag on picture came out the same as my real senior picture. I'm still on the floor.

Stop the madness. Imma be chuckling all day.

Mom's Got WAAAY to Much Free Time

Another Project Done....

1st Day of School.

Today is the 1st day of school for my "babies". Prince Jordan, heir apparent, is a Senior. He is driving his "hooptie" to school and fussing at me..."Oh, Ma, I'm gonna be late. Hurry up." Princess Cara, on the other hand, was eager to have her picture taken in her school uniform.

Ain't they just so handsome/cute...

2008 GI Film Festival

Another WestPointer doing great things. Laura Law-Millett is the Co-Founder & Director of the GI Film Festival.

The GI Film Festival (GIFF), a 501 c(3) non-profit organization, is the first film festival in the nation to exclusively celebrate the successes and
sacrifices of the American military through the medium of film.

The GIFF will present films from new and established international and domestic filmmakers that honor the heroic stories of the American Armed Forces and the worldwide struggle for freedom and liberty. Some of the films screened will be fan favorites. Others will be screened for the first time. All will in some way express the courage and selflessness of our fighting men and women and the value of their work.

The GI Film Festival is open to filmmakers of every experience level, from first-timers to veteran directors and producers. Prizes will be awarded to winners of three main categories: feature, documentary, and film shorts.

In addition to presenting feature, documentary, and short film screenings, the GIFF will also present panel discussions, educational forums and special events, including:

Movie screenings by international and domestic filmmakers.

Awards presentation featuring a special celebrity major motion picture screening.

"War Stories" educational panel featuring untold personal stories of heroism from the front lines.

Kick-off cocktail party and VIP award ceremony

Press junket, exhibitions, Hollywood "meet and greets," and
more…

Wife Road Rage

Whenever Ron and I go somewhere together he always drives. I like it that way. Very chivalrous and manly thing to do, despite the fact that he generally drives slower than cold molasses and he likes to stay in the same lane behind the slowest car on an interstate (4 lane) highway. Sigh.

To keep the peace, I usually just look out the window at the scenery and/or fall asleep. However, there is one thing that my man does on our road trips that simply irks the ish outta me and always causes me to make my protest known...

...At the first sign of traffic he immediately reroutes like the GPS on my BB. He will go 30 miles out of his way, over the river, through the woods, and into another state to avoid one second of traffic. He would rather it take 4 hours of constant movement than to sit 15 min in the same spot or inch alomg for 30 min at 10 mph.

It absolutely makes me insane. Tonight there was a backup on 95. Ron immediately starts moving over so he can get off at the next exit ramp and "go thru the city". Ahhh hell. Now a 50 min trip will take 2 hours.

By the grace of God I was saved from the road trip from hell. As we pulled on the ramp, you could see that just 500 meters ahead, the traffic cleared. Everyone was just trying to get around a car stalled in the middle of the road. I made Ron do a u-turn and get back on 95.

Is it just a Ron - AKA - Killer of Joy thing, or is it a man phenomenon. Help me to understand.
The TravelDiva
Lisa Steptoe

Good Sport & Bikram Yoga

So....Ronnie Bear has been whining and complaining about his back, his knees, his lack of flexibiltiy and so on and so forth...to the point where he sounded like a man of 80 not of 43. Earlier this week he "did something" and his back was all flickted and he wanted to go to the chiro and get "adjusted". He was whining big time, so I tried a few yoga poses on him that I've learned from class....and ALAS, he was feeling better.

So today, he was limping around, sniveling and ish. I convinced him to come to my Bikram Yoga (Hot Yoga) class this afternoon.

Imma just say - my man is a good sport and he gave it a good try. Really. Actually, he did really well for his first time. He didn't run screaming from the room and he actually attempted at least 40% of all the poses. The other 60% was spent just standing there looking at us like we was from Mars. There were some funny moments where I couldn't even hold my poses looking at him TRYING. HIL-UCKIN-LARIOUS.

Now, several hours later, he is saying he feels good and wants to give it another go. Uh Huh. We will see if I have another convert or just a johnny come lately.

Isn't She Lovely....

I recieved a package today with my AKA Centennial Barbie. She is very pretty and WILL NOT be coming out of the box. Cara immediately eyed her and was looking for some scissors. Oh, no you don't, playa.

Get yours now, while supplies last. It is a limited edition. Here is the write up from http://www.barbiecollectors.com/:

Alpha Kappa Alpha made history in 1908 when it was founded as the first sorority for Black women. In the following century, AKA has led social action initiatives and advocacy programs that have touched countless lives. Their overriding qualities of Energy, Sincerity, and Passion continue to empower this great Sisterhood to greater service, justice, and social good. In commemoration of a 100 year legacy of sisterhood and service, AKA Centennial Barbie® doll celebrates all the women of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., wearing a gown of chiffon layered over charmeuse in the sorority’s official colors of salmon pink and apple green. Sparkly accessories complete the look.

Prince Jordan - Who's Ya Goalie?

Prince Jordan's NCSA Scouting Report has been updated with Highlight Video from one of his tournaments this summer. So, Who's Ya Goalie?

Check out his scouting report in its entirety at: http://recruit-match.ncsasports.org/fasttrack/profile/profile.jsp?clientID=18507

Or just check out his video here.

Think About It...

As ya'll know, I went to a business conference last week. In addition to the over abundance of fun that I had with my peeps, there were a lot of great workshops and lectures. I take notes when I'm at these kind of events so that I can remember what was said, go back and review & reflect...so that I may grow professionally. You've always gotta be "Sharpening Your Saw". When you let your blade get dull, that's when you get passed over for that promotion, hit the ceiling, get poor reviews, get put on a performance plan....all the while standing there looking like a deer in headlights, wondering what had happened.

Here is some things that I jotted down in my "handy, dandy notebook". I'm not going to expound on them much (if at all). Most of them will speak for themselves. I hope you will take a moment and think about them, but application is what sharpens your saw:

• If you don't network, and you don't relate to people & share information/resources - then you just don't get it.
• Invest in Key Relationships - "Solo - Oh, No!", Watch who you spend your time with and what that relationship is doing to you.
• Navigate beyond obstacles, distractions and small thinking. Get out of the box you build for yourself.
• Watch who you share your vision with.
• Figure out the game and learn how to play it.
• Be Mentally Prepared, Be spiritually Prepared, Be visible
• Maximize your Brand - What's Your Brand
• Stop hanging around people who "glorify ignorance"
• Do a scathing self-inventory. - find out what your are doing to get in your own way.
• Your checkbook & calendar will tell on you. -Think about it. What you spend your money & time on will tell loads about you. Are you saying one thing and conducting yourself another.
• Monitor your Conversation - What does your conversation say about yourself.
• People who talk about people are smaller than people who talk about ideas.
• Performance is the great equalizer

Commit to Self - Improvement - Constant & Never Ending Improvement.

Welcome to Dallas, TX

Enjoy these pictures from the National Sales Network 12th Annual Conference in Dallas, TX. Tomorrow I'll compile some of the "Lessons Learned" & "Key Take-Aways" from this awesome conference.

Clutch N Pearls - Episode 2

gerber_daisies, originally uploaded by salesdiva.

Check out Episode 2 of "Clutch N Pearls" where we discuss Babs, Adrienne, Dimitri, fixing up guys, cooking, home training and evolved clubbing...among others. :)

Remember, this is a work in progress and we are still working on format, length, etc. Please tune in and let us know how we are doing.

What topics would you like us to clutch our pearls about?

http://web.me.com/creoleindc/Clutch_N_Pearls/Podcast/Entries/2008/8/18_Scattered_brains_-_Episode_2.html

UPDATE: Some Things Never Change

Email from Mom:
Guess Who Called.....?.......Right!!!! L. called at the office. She denies all knowledge of any apartment incidents and is supposedly calling me tonite for the name/phone number of the detective. And the beat goes on!!!!

Check in with mom on phone call....sis didn't call back.

Phone call from Daughter:
Ma! L's parole officer called and said that she has not been in to see him for 3 months and if she wasn't in today (Wed) then she would be violated back.

Sis has not checked in. A warrent is probably issued. If they can find her.

Some things never change....

Picture of the Week

You both will be missed.

Clutch N' Pearls Blog Talk Radio

I am reprinting the post from CreoleInDC right here on our new venture - Clutch N' Pearls Blog Talk Radio.....

Shhhhhhhhhhhhhh...QUIET PLEASE! WE'RE TALKING!

Yesterday we did a run through of the topics we're going to be talking about on "Clutch N' Pearls," our blog talk radio channel during the next month. We hit each topic really quick to see what kinda chemistry we have before we introduce YOU to the fray.

That's right...I said YOU.

"Clutch N' Pearls" will have it's first on-air show Sunday, August 24th at 6:00 pm. We will take callers to get yall's opinion and...to get to know you better. You can join in if you'd like...or...just listen! There will be times when YOU will be asked to be a guest host or an expert on something.
Basically...it will be just like our blogs...only difference? You can hear us and we can hear you! LOL!

Again...this was just a@��
�����<���auge our chemistry with each other. After the program, the program will be available via podcast so you can subscribe and download it to your iTunes and upload it to your iPods.

It's coming folks...be very, VERY afraid!

"Clutch N' Pearls" Blog Talk Radio...Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh...QUIET PLEASE! WE'RE TALKING! http://web.me.com/creoleindc/Clutch_N_Pearls/Podcast/Entries/2008/8/12_THE_BEGINNING_OF_THE_END!.html

(Note...if you have a slow server...it will take a while to load as it is a very large file.)

I had an awesome time with these ladies and look forward to future podcasts. I hope you will tune in to our rants and musings, but if you don't FINE! Get your glass of wine ready, pull up a chair and join us as we discuss a myriad of topics. Hope you can keep up.