If You Were In a Bar Fight...

I was listening to the radio the other morning on my way into work and they asked the question: If you were in a bar fight, which 3 stars would you want helping you? The answers were really funny too!! One guy said he would bring in George Bush because since he did such a great job F'ing up the country then he would easily win in a bar fight! Funny, right?! (Well to some of us that is...) Anywho, my three choices are below. I'm going with all ladies on this one!! Hey, we can put it down!! Who would you like on your team and why?

Angelina Jolie - Lara Croft

Uma Thurman - Kill Bill

Linda Hamilton - Sarah Connor - Terminator

WHY??

Why are the views of other people more important to us than how we see ourselves??

Why doesn’t glue stick to the inside of the bottle?

Why do some people love other people in their lives MORE than they love themselves?

Why does your doctor make you change out of your clothes, then tells you to put on a robe just to move the robe out of the way to see your naked body anyway?

Why are the nice people the hurt ones while the ones who treat others like garbage are the most carefree folks you’ll ever meet?

Why do we press the “Start” button to cut off the computer?

Why are families so hard to keep together but people have friendships from childhood that last “until death do they part”?

Why is there a light in the refrigerator and NOT the freezer?

Why is it easier to find fault in others than seeing fault in yourself?

Brandy - "2nd Thought" Lyrics

I've said it before, sometimes music has a way of saying things better than we ever could and this song is no exception. I'm probably one of the few fans Brandy Norwood has left, but that's fine, her music always hits home for me... She's always right on time regardless of when she arrives!!

Ain't it funny how

Ain't it funny how things always come right back around

How the tables turn

With a little time the ones was up will soon be down

Got me thinking bout

What is was that made me think that you were all so great

Had me sitting round

Tryna figure out what you thought was so wrong with me

You treated me like I wasn't open

Thought you were something

You made it seem like Rocka wasn't that thing

Now you calling again and I was thinking

You almost had me for a minute but I

On 2nd Thought I'm alright

Don't hate me cause I changed my mind

I thought that I wasn't working

Now look who's hurting for a chance to be with me

On 2nd Thought don't drop by

I think it'd be a waste of time

Remember you wasn't digging it

Now you so into it on 2nd Thought I'll say goodbye

(Bye, bye, bye, goodbye, bye, bye, bye)

If back then was now

Probably would have said thank you lord for sending him to me

But I found out

That it was better to be hurt back then cause now it strengthens me

So now when you bounce

It was because I put you out not you just leaving me

And you’re back around

Is it because I won't start giving that you’re struggling

You treated me like

You treated me like I wasn't nothing

Thought you were something

You made it seem like Rocka wasn't that thing

Now you calling again and I was thinking

You almost had me fooled for a minute but on 2nd Thought

On 2nd Thought I'm alright

Don't hate me cause I changed my mind

I thought that I wasn't working

Now look who's hurting for a chance to be with me

On 2nd Thought don't drop by

I think it'd be a waste of time

Remember you wasn't digging it

Now you so into it on 2nd Thought I'll say goodbye

(Bye, bye, bye, goodbye, bye, bye, bye)

I could never

Let you back into my life

I would never turn back the hands of time

Some things are meant to just fade away

There's no way you

Could ever change everything you done

Wouldn't matter to me cause I moved on

Now I would see something better

In mind, You don't…

On 2nd Thought I'm alright

Don't hate me cause I changed my mind

I thought that I wasn't working

Now look who's hurting for a chance to be with me

On 2nd Thought don't drop by

I think it'd be a waste of time

Remember you wasn't digging it

Now you so into it on 2nd Thought I'll say goodbye

It didn't have to be this way but

You could have had me anyway but

You chose to do it don't know what led you to it

Now you hurting without me (yeah, yeah)

Should have did me right before now I don't need you no more

Marble and Mayan - 2 yr old Cats - Need Home...

"Life is Not a Race"

My friend sent me this and I thought it was AMAZING!! Thanks Naomi!!

Too many people put off something that brings them joy just because they haven't thought about it, don't have it on their schedule, didn't know it was coming or are too rigid to depart from their routine.

I got to thinking one day about all those women on the Titanic who passed up dessert at dinner that fateful night in an effort to cut back. From then on, I've tried to be a little more flexible.

How many women out there will eat at home because their husband didn't suggest going out to dinner until after something had been thawed? Does the word 'refrigeration' mean nothing to you?

How often have your kids dropped in to talk and sat in silence while you watched 'Jeopardy' on television?

I cannot count the times I called my sister and said, 'How about going to lunch in a half hour?' She would gas up and stammer, 'I can't. I have clothes on the line. My hair is dirty. I wish I had known yesterday, I had a late breakfast, It looks like rain.' And my personal favorite: 'It's Monday.' She died a few years ago. We never did have lunch together.

Because Americans cram so much into their lives, we tend to schedule our headaches. We live on a sparse diet of promises we make to ourselves when all the conditions are perfect!

We'll go back and visit the grandparents when we get Steve toilet-trained. We'll entertain when we replace the living-room carpet... We'll go on a second honeymoon when we get two more kids out of college.

Life has a way of accelerating as we get older. The days get shorter, and the list of promises to ourselves gets longer. One morning, we awaken, and all we have to show for our lives is a litany of 'I'm going to,' 'I plan on,' and 'Someday, when things are settled down a bit.'

When anyone calls my 'seize the moment' friend, she is open to adventure and available for trips. She keeps an open mind on new ideas. Her enthusiasm for life is contagious. You talk with her for five minutes, and you're ready to trade your bad feet for a pair of Roller blades and skip an elevator for a bungee cord..

My lips have not touched ice cream in 10 years. I love ice cream. It's just that I might as well apply it directly to my stomach with a spatula and eliminate the digestive process. The other day, I stopped the car and bought a triple-decker. If my car had hit an iceberg on the way home, I would have died happy.

Now..go on and have a nice day. Do something you WANT to . . . . . . not something on your SHOULD DO list. If you were going to die soon and had only one phone call you could make, who would you call and what would you say? And why are you waiting?

Have you ever watched kids playing on a merry go round or listened to the rain lapping on the ground? Ever followed a butter fly's erratic flight or gazed at the sun into the fading night? Do you run through each day on the fly? When you ask ' How are you?' Do you hear the reply?

When the day is done, do you lie in your bed with the next hundred chores running through your head? Ever told your child, 'We'll do it tomorrow .' And in your haste, not see his sorrow? Ever lost touch? Let a good friendship die? Just call to say 'Hi?

When you worry and hurry through your day, it is like an unopened gift....Thrown away ..... Life is not a race. Take it slower. Hear the music before the song is over.

Vick Signed to Eagles

For all of you who didn't think Michael Vick would be signed to a new team in the NFL... Here's what he says to you:

Get 'em Vick!! LOL!! Sorry McNabb, but after 11 years, it's time...

Tragedy or Murder??

Child found dead in vehicle in Freescale parking lot Police do not suspect foul play and are calling the boy's death a 'tragedy.' By Andrea Lorenz

AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF

Thursday, August 13, 2009

Austin police were investigating the death of a child found in a parked vehicle Wednesday at Freescale Semiconductor on West Parmer Lane.

Someone saw the child in the vehicle, which was parked in Freescale's north parking lot, and called 911 at 4:22 p.m., officer Dennis Farris said.

Police said the child was an Asian boy under 5 years old. Farris did not give the child's exact age. He said homicide detectives are investigating, but no charges have been filed and they don't suspect foul play. An autopsy has been ordered, he said.

"It's just a tragedy at this point," Farris said.

Farris said one of the child's parents left the child in the vehicle, and police are questioning both parents.

Police did not know how long the child was left in the vehicle, "but it was an extended period of time," Farris said.

The temperature in Austin on Wednesday reached 102 degrees.

Farris said there is a child care center at the complex, but he didn't know whether the child attended the center or whether either parent was a Freescale employee.

Don't suspect foul play? Is that what I read above? How could this not be foul play? I've seen people on talk shows who said that it was an accident that they left their child in a child on "accident". How does that happen? One lady in particular claimed that her schedule was routine - she did things the same way EVERY DAY. Her husband usually took the children to school but this day she had to take her youngest to daycare.. For some reason, after leaving the house, she followed her normal course without even thinking/remembering that her kid was in the back seat. She got out the car, locked it and went in to work.. After returning to her car after her shift was over, she then "noticed" her child - dead in the back seat.. WTF? Since this day was out of the ordinary, wouldn't you think that special attention would have been paid to the less than routine day? I don't know how folks minds works these days...

If nothing else counts as "foul play" shouldn't the fact that neither of the parents of this 5 year old boy in the story above work for the company where the child was found? Although it says that there was a daycare IN the company, it probabbly doesn't make it any cheaper to have your children there. (On a side note, I believe more companys should have daycare options available for their employees. Anywho...)

The story also said that it was a steamy 102 outside yesterday!! It fails to mention how hot the inside of the car was when the boy was found. It wouldn't surprise me if it was above 120 in there. That in itself, to me, is foul play...

I know, I know... Someone reading this is either going to say or is thinking "I leave my kids in the car all the time to just run into a store." That situation is not what we are talking about here, although since the point is raised might as well discuss it.. lol... I disagree with that too. There are sooo many different things that could happen in JUST AN INSTANT. So many variables: air condition on or off, car running or not, automatic locks or not, age of children, located in a "good" part of town or not, type of car, etc... It just shouldn't be done. It will be better for you, the environment and your children to NOT leave the car running at all, let alone leaving your children unattended in a car for any period of time.

Teenager’s Dad Kills Her, Foster Dad, Shoots Foster Mom, Kills Himself

Christopher Milburn, 34, killed the 15-year-old, her foster father (Todd Randolph) and wounded her foster mother (Susan Randolph) before taking his own life Sunday. Milburn worked as a counselor at the McDowell Center for Children, which helps at-risk and troubled children. The father was friends with the foster father and had worked for him in the past. Susan has been released from a Memphis hospital on Monday. The Randolph’s have two children who were at their grandparents’ house during the time of the shootings.

The question becomes, if the child had indeed been abused by the father and even if she hadn’t, why place the child in a foster home just a few doors down from where she lived? The fact that the killer was a counselor for at-risk children and then to do this to his own child is just pitiful… What is this world coming to?

Boiling Mad!!

Queens Woman Pours Boiling Water on Cheating Husband's Crotch BY Kerry Burke, Alison Gendar and Bill Hutchinson DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITERS

Tuesday, July 28th 2009, 10:28 AM

In a twisted act of revenge, Oyinda Ojofeitimi, 67, a registered nurse, carried out the crotch-scalding attack to ensure her spouse stopped cheating, cops said.

"She was hurt and angry that after all this time married, he was stepping out on her," a police source said. "She wanted to shut down that possibility forever because he had treated her with such contempt."

The painful wakeup call left Emmanuel Ojofeitimi, also a nurse, screaming in the bedroom of the couple's home on Milburn St. in Springfield Gardens.

"I could hear it through the ceiling," said a mother of two, who rents an upstairs apartment in the feuding couple's house. "It was a physical altercation. It was the woman screaming and him in the background."

"They took him out on a stretcher," said another neighbor, Felix Smith.

The woman immediately regretted the assault and called 911, cops said. She was treating him with cold compresses when paramedics arrived. Her husband, 67, suffered second- and third-degree burns from his knees to his abdomen, police said. He was being treated at the burn unit at Nassau University Medical Center.

Oyinda Ojofeitimi told cops she recently had learned her husband of 20 years had been unfaithful.

Fed up and furious, she awoke at 6 a.m. and boiled a pot of water on her stove, cops said. As her husband slept, she poured the pot on his privates, cops said.

Arrested on assault charges, the betrayed wife, an immigrant of Grenada, was awaiting arraignment Monday night.

Okay... I've been cheated on just like the next person, but never in my right mind have I EVER thought of creating this type of injury to someone! Should she be put away for her crime?! Of course! Do I feel like she was justified for what she has done? No! If the husband is indeed guilty of cheating on his wife, then he is definetly wrong for what he has done, but for her to do this is just CRAZY!! What happened to leaving someone before hurting them whether it be emotionally or physically? People are just NUTS!!

Horrible Precedent?

Mother may be charged with a felony due to her 14 year old weighing 555 pounds. Is childhood obesity a felony? Is this child abuse or child neglect? Please watch the video and THEN decide...

Obama's Conversation with Sgt. Crowley

Obama discusses his conversation with Sgt. Crowley...

Obama's Opinion of Dr. Gates Arrest

I don't know--not having been there and not seeing all the facts--what role Race played in that; but I think it's fair to say: 1) Any of us would be pretty angry. 2) That the Cambridge police acted stupidly in arresting somebody when there was already proof that they were in their own home. 3) What I think we know, separate and apart from this incident, is that there is a long history in this country of African-Americans and Latinos being stopped by law enforcement, disproportionately. That's just a fact. ... And that is a sign, an example, of how Race remains a factor in this society.

That doesn't lessen the incredible progress that has been made--I'm standing here as testimony to the progress that has been made.

And, yet, the fact of the matter is that this still haunts us. ... The fact that Blacks and Hispanics are picked up more frequently, and often time for no cause, casts suspicion even when there is good cause. And that's why I think the more that we're working with local law enforcement to improve policing techniques, so that we're eliminating potential bias, the safer everybody's going to be.

My thoughts are all over the place on this one... I've been reading up on the Gates story since last week when it first occurred. Of course I only know what I've read and what I've seen on the news, because, like most of us, we weren't there to witness this for ourselves. HOWEVER, from what I know, this story is not surprising. It's not surprising because things like this happen everyday, but when things happen to well known people ONLY THEN does it get reported on the news and becomes a big deal.

I know someone reading this will say, "Here you go again, Tiki... Talking about racism." Yeah, you're right, here I am again.. And guess what? I will continue to talk about it until the day it ceases from occuring.. When will that be?? Oh yeah, never... And I did refrain from writing about the black children a couple of weeks ago who were told that they couldn't swim with the white kids in a pool in Philly because they would, as John Duesler - the President of the Valley Swim Club said in a statement "There was concern that the kids would change the complexion... and the atmosphere of the club." There I go on one of my tangents again..

Let me begin with the "Neighbor". Did she not recognize Mr. Gates? Who breaks into a home with luggage? He was returning home from a trip... If she noticed that someone was "breaking in" to the house, shouldn't she have also noticed the luggage? Nosey ass.. Many people that I've heard discussing this have had all kinds of things to say about her like: maybe she didn't want black folks in her neighborhood, she works at Harvard with Mr. Gates - maybe something happened at work that she didn't like and wanted to get revenge... People and their speculations... Unfortunately, her name was published too so maybe she will begin to mind her own business from now on.

The cops... They claim that they arrested Mr. Gates for being "unruly". Now you tell me.. Do you know someone that would be arrested for doing nothing wrong that WOULDN'T be unruly? I know peeps who are unruly for no reason at all. lol!! Why wouldn't/shouldn't he be unruly? He showed the cops two forms of ID both showing his address, proving that he lived there and they STILL arrested him?? Yes, unruly is less than what I would've been... Did they just arrest him for "talking back" to them? This is supposed to be a place of "freedom of speech" or does that not count when dealing with the po po?

The last thing I read about this was that Mr. Gates was not pressing charges.. WTF? I'm sorry, but being arrested for something that I did not do is grounds for litigation. I'll take my punishment like the next man, but when it comes down to me being innocent, that's a different story. Shouldn't he press charges so that this doesn't happen again? So he can make an example out of himself and others in his situation? Oh yeah, you're right... This WILL happen again regardless..

Is Chris Brown's Apology Enough?

I guess since I did a two line post about Rihanna when this madness broke out between her and Chris Brown that I should post something from his side. Below you will find the apology-heard-around-the-world from Chris Brown. The good thing is that he didn't make excuses for his behavior, but do you think his apology will be enough to get his career back on track? There have been many excuses said in the media about him: he's young, we don't know the story, he's grown up with this in his household... None of those work for me. The one that actually "hurt" the most is the excuse that he's grown up with this happening in his house.. IF he saw his mother being hurt over and over again by his step-father, why on EARTH would he want to cause that type of pain to someone that he "supposedly" loves? I'll never understand... Anyway, for those that care, the line by line reading of his apology is below...

Should Micheal Vick Be Allowed to Play in the NFL??

You all that know me KNOW that I love me some Micheal Vick!! Yes, I do! Besides him be fine as all get out, he was a terrific quarterback! He had hustle beyond hustle! He made plays that only he could make! He was fast and reliable! I also know that the Atlanta Falcons did pretty well this passed year without him. I'm not blind to that... There are other teams who could use him, but will they give him a chance to play? Will the NFL Commissioner, Roger Goodell, look passed his issues and give him another chance? He's paid his dues to society.. He has done his time.. Will society look passed his offenses and allow him back into the game and their hearts?

“You want to make sure from a skills standpoint that you’re where you were or better than where you were,” said Baltimore Ravens quarterbacks coach Hue Jackson. “That’s the first thing. The second thing is the speed of the game. Just getting back used to the speed of the defensive backs, the speed of the defensive line, the rush – all the things that come flying at you play in and play out. And then it’s just the preparation. Because for three years, or two years, or whatever it’s been, you haven’t had to prepare. You haven’t had to be disciplined and sit in a video room. Those are the three things that are paramount.”

With his time away from the field, do you think he would have been able to keep up his skills? 23 months is a long time to not have the practice time that others have had to build their strength, to learn the plays, to practice, to build love for the team. Will America forget what he's done and remember the player he was?

REVERSE

Whether the weather is cold or hot

Whether you are young or not

Some people will promise you the world

When they don’t even have a pot

In this world all you have is YOU

And the Lord above it’s true

To depend on yourself alone

And the Lord is what you must do

Friends and Family will help

Quiet as it’s kept

Lean on them when you can

But play the hand that YOU were dealt

Things will get better before they get worse

Tighten up the belt, lock down that purse

Sacrifices will be made, things will be hard

You are not alone… Your problems- REVERSE…

Too Fat for Surgeon General Position??

From Salon.com:

By all accounts Surgeon General nominee Dr. Regina Benjamin is an extraordinary woman. She is an African-American family doctor who has spent most of her professional life serving the people of Bayou La Batre, a poor rural Alabama coastal community. She makes house calls, pays for patients’ medicines, works for free when there is no money. She’s had heaps of honors poured on her head , including a MacArthur genius award. She rebuilt her clinic twice, once following Hurricane Katrina and then a year later when it was destroyed by a fire.

She is an active Catholic and, if her office nurse is to be believed, she is one of the more than 90 percent of Catholics who have no problem with birth control. (I have rarely met a devout Catholic working with poor people who is not an advocate of safe and effective contraception — from nuns in Chile to priests in the Philippines. They get that having children you cannot afford degrades the soul perhaps even more than the body.) This, then, is a near-perfect public face for a president embarking on a controversial last-ditch effort to fix our health care system and serve the poor.

The only problem seems to be that some people think the face is too fat.

From her photos, it appears that Dr. Benjamin will need a generous size 18 military uniform. The anti-fat brigade has been arguing in various online comments sections about her BMI and whether or not the term obese applies. These chattering masses wonder if a country plagued by obesity should have an above average-weight woman speaking to public health.

I'm not sure I have an opinion on this story... Let's see what the blogospere has to say...

Demetrius Butler (Meechie), Why did this day come??

Thinking back on this day three years ago when I heard the tragic news… doesn’t seem like it’s been this long. Things were rough then in my house and didn’t have any means of communication but a pay by the minute cell phone. The morning of July 14th I awoke like every day preparing to go to work when I noticed the phone blinking – the power was low and minutes were basically gone. The meanings behind the basically empty minutes were 7 missed calls and 3 messages. I had just enough power and minutes to get the messages. The messages were - one from my oldest brother, my mom and my dad. I went down to the pool at our apartment complex because I knew there was a phone there (not anymore) and I had change to make the call to my Mom. She was very upset when she came to the phone and I was shocked at this since it was just 6:00 in the morning. She said that she didn’t know how to tell me but she’ll just say it – my cousin (Meechie) had been killed in a car accident.

Now mind you, this wasn’t a “normal” accident where there were two cars or more cars involved. Just one… His… That’s it… Most of my family (uncles, aunts, cousins) live in this relatively small town in Mississippi where every road is a back road. Hardly any street lights, houses spread apart, bumpy unkept roads - some even gravel still… But my cousin grew up there; he knew those roads like the back of his hands. Funny thing is when visiting my brothers and I know those roads too although we didn’t really grow up there. My dad was in the military so we grew up everywhere and nowhere at the same time…

Well, about two weeks prior to this, I took the girls to my Mom’s house in Mississippi to spend the remainder of the summer with her. They were just stuck in the house all day every day and it was quite boring for them. Mom and I decided it would be good for them to visit her and just as good for her so that she isn’t alone either. So lucky for this happening, it allowed me to see my cousin one last time.

Although Meechie and I were not in the same town or the same state, it didn’t stop us from being close. We’ve always been close. My Mom (Gloria) was the big sister of the family and his Mom (Linda) was the next sister in line. Our Mothers are extremely close… Growing up I would make sure during each phone call to make sure I tell him and his brother how much I loved them. When we would go to visit, I would stay at their house and spend my time with them. When we became grown, my mom, his mom, my other aunt (Angie) and me would all be on the phone 4 way – laughing and singing. I would tell his mom, “Make sure you tell my cousins I love them.”

I won’t tell you how the rest of the phone call went. To tell you the truth, I can’t remember how it went. I remember after her saying that Meechie was killed, I remember collapsing on the ground with the phone kind of hanging there – I was crying hysterically… I just never thought... Not him, not then… I made it home some kind of way and when I got there, Ryan came running from the bedroom to me. He was asking what was wrong, what happened... I was still crying and managed to get it out to him what happened. I fell in his arms and we both cried and cried... It was horrible… I made it to work and I remember crying most of the day. I spoke to my boss and took off the remainder of the week. Ryan and I got off of work that day at 4 and made the trip to Mississippi, driving over night with “Monsters” in one hand and the steering wheel in the other…

Now, remember, I said that my girls were in Mississippi when this happened. He died not to far from my Mom’s house – apparently on the way home from his friend’s house. I believe his friend saw the car burning on the side of the road and called Linda. Angie, Linda, and his brother Chris (named after my brother) all went to the scene… and so the phone calls to the family came after that… When we arrived that next morning, we went to the crash site. Still in shock, nothing seemed real… What I don’t remember is when Chris and Don (my brothers) and their families made it – everything is a blur… (I remember certain things after this point, but the order is what I’m unsure of. It was such an emotional time for all of us.) While we were at the sight, we were trying to re-live what could’ve happened to him. Things just didn’t make sense. There were no tire marks, nothing indicating that he hit the brakes at all. The tree that he hit was burnt from the bottom to the top… The grass around was all burnt. It was weird, he hit the only tree there was that could’ve done any damage… The other trees and bushes around the area were too small to do anything… Right across from his tree was a dirt/gravel road. It looked like he was driving down the road, someone/something came from out of the gravel road and he swerved to miss it and hit the tree… Of course these are all assumptions… Looking down that street, looking at the gravel road, looking at the tree, it all seemed so surreal. We were looking for clues to what happened. Looking around in the burnt grass for anything that reminded us of him… Ryan found a piece of clothing and the emblem from the car he was driving – it was Linda’s car. I had written a poem for him and Linda placed it in the center of a reef and attached it to the tree. I made sure to put it in plastic so it would last for a long time against the elements…

Family from all over attended his funeral… It was a horribly sad day. Meechie used to say that funerals were nothing but sad family reunions… He was right. Linda picked a beautiful black and gold casket – one that was perfect for him. His flowers, the words from his friends everything was beautiful.

I think of him a lot. Things he would say, things we would do, songs he loved, singers he admired… Everything about him would cross my mind whether I was trying to think of him or not. He’s always with me, he’s always here… I remembered the dreadful day yesterday when he passed and called Linda to send her my love. I remember this morning, the day I found out of his passing. He will never be forgotten, not now… Not ever… I love you…

Favorite MJ Song - Human Nature, What's Yours??

Human Nature - Michael Jackson

Michael Jackson Memorial

Here are some performances from today's MJ Memorial in case you missed it. It will be airing again tonight. Michael's daughter made a speech also where she said, "Ever since I was born, Daddy has been the best father you could ever imagine." Very well said Paris! R.I.P. MJ!!

BET Awards – PLEASE Tell me you watched!!

I can’t even place into words how FABULOUS the BET Awards were last night! I mean from the beginning with New Edition opening the show to the Jamie Foxx and Ne-Yo performance at the end – just pure fabulousness! To tell you the truth, nearly ALL the performances were off the hook. There were one or two that I would have deleted from the show, but all in all – the best show EVER!! Considering that they re-vamped the entire show just a couple of days prior to when it was supposed to air LIVE to have the show and almost of the performances geared toward Michael Jackson – it was great! Of course there were a couple of instances where the person on the BLEEP button was either to engrossed in the show to hit the button or wasn’t expecting the person speaking to curse and altogether missed the opportunity to bleep – that part of the show added to the humor for me!! Let me break it down by performance, but not in order of appearance…

Jamie Foxx – rocked the house!! He hosted the show and ALL of his jokes were funny! All his performances were off the hook! There was a lag time some time, but considering they changed the show up due to the passing away of Michael Jackson the same week it was scheduled to go live, I’m not mad at all of how the show came out! His moon walk and clothing changes were hilarious! He gave MJ the glory all night! He sang a couple of times, one with T-Pain and again with Ne-Yo at the end of the show. I’m a HUGE Jamie fan anyway, but after last night, I’m an even bigger fan than before!

New Edition (with both Bobby Brown and Johnnie Gill) – WHAT?! I almost couldn’t contain myself! They opened the show and about had me wishing they did more songs! Everyone looked great, except Bobby – no surprise there.. Lol..

GUY – OMG – that almost took me over the edge!! AND they sang my favorite song too – “I Like”. I couldn’t handle it!!

Keith Sweat – What!! Same ole Keith!!

Ne-Yo – Absolutely FABULOUS!!! I mean he has the perfect voice to sing MJ songs! I was impressed by his solo AND his duet with Jamie Foxx.

Keri Hilson – I love love love Keri Hilson! BUT, the last couple of moments of her performance, I could’ve done without. It was her first ever performance, which makes things a little bit better. That last 30 seconds was rough…

Keyshia Cole and Monica – Monica stole the show, and it was Keyshia’s song! Monica, put out a CD quick!!

Drake – Or Jimmy from Degrassi (however you recognize him) did a great job with Lil Wayne. I was surprised!

Lil Wayne – It’s Lil Wayne!! Fabulous!!

Fabolous – I’m not a big fan of his… I usually like the people he sings with than him on his own… I used this time to run to the bathroom and fill my drink.. Sorry…

Maxwell – it was beautiful and I’m not really a Maxwell fan…

Soulja Boy – he was alright.. They had to put someone on there for the younger crowd.

Mary Mary/Queen Latifah – I love this Mary Mary song! The beat is great and Queen was good.

Beyonce’ – I usually LOVE her, but she can sometime go over the top which is what happened last night. Way too much and the ballerina outfit was just wrong wrong wrong…

Jay Z – I’m not a big fan of his at all and his new song is wack… (Yes, I’m bringing “wack” back! LOL)

Ciara – I’m a HUGE Ciara fan, but her performance embarrassed me… She’s mainly a dancer and there were other songs she could’ve chosen to sing… She’s not known for her singing, but her dancing is what made her famous…

O’Jays – who could have anything bad to say about the O’Jays??

I’m sorry if I’m leaving anyone out but with all of the excitement from all the great performances, I’m not surprised if someone has been left out. All in all, a great show! It airs again on Tuesday, June 30th in case you missed it!

Michael Jackson - The Black Elvis (1958-2009)

(This post was written last night..)

Also known as the “King of Pop” – Michael Jackson has passed away. There are some things that don’t surprise you and then there are things that do. Some things you are prepared for and other things that you aren’t. Today was one of those days... There are days that come out of nowhere and knock you on your ass… Today, Michael Jackson died.

The blogosphere, the black community, the U.S. and the world will be in mourning today for the great MJ. I don’t want to talk about what he meant to the world, but what he meant to me instead. I have a lot of early memories of MJ. My Mom loved him which caused me to love him too. I remember how in shock I was when I heard his voice - so high. It was a Jackson 5 tape with “ABC”, “Who’s Loving You”, and “I’ll be There”. As time goes on, his earlier hits from his “Off the Wall” album – “Rock with You”, “Don’t Stop ‘til You Get Enough”, and “She’s out of My Life” were all that mattered at the time. His music encompassed me – they made you feel good when you heard them and they still do today.

Well, then of course “Thriller” comes out and the world has been forever changed. I had "The Making of Thriller" on a VHS (A VHS tape is a tape that is used in a VCR - just thought I'd break that down for those young people reading this. lol) tape and my brother taped over it with a couple of episodes of "Speed Racer". I was soooo mad and I cried and cried! I tried my best to get him in trouble for that. We lived in Germany at the time and only had a couple of channels - so that tape was everything to me. (Hey Toot, you still owe me!)

Yes, there may be some people reading this who would like for me to acknowledge that Farrah Fawcett also passed yesterday. She had been ill for a long time with rectal cancer so everyone knew her death was soon to come. There is a difference when you someone is suffering like that and then they pass. It's like they have been set free from their illness and will no longer suffer. However, when someone passes that is NOT sick, the death is a surprise and harder to accept. I digress...

I believe I was a bigger Janet Jackson fan than Michael fan, but without Michael, I would've never noticed Janet. My room was basically wallpapered full of pictures of Janet Jackson. She is on my mind as well during this time. She spoke of her brother often, shared her love that she had for him several times in speeches and on award shows. (Do you remember when there was a rumor saying that Michael and Janet were the same person?)

There are several songs as I've mentioned before that I loved of his, but my favorite of all time is "Human Nature". I've added it below for you - this version was from a concert he preformed. I love you Michael! Your legacy of greatness will live on. Your musicality and artistry will continue to influence the up and coming artists of today. I hope someone picks up the reigns and follows in your footsteps with the songs that have helped children and adults suffering from hunger and unrest all over the world - "Heal the World" and "We are the World".

Looking out across the night-time

The city winks a sleepless eye

Hear her voice shake my window

Sweet seducing sighs

Get me out into the night-time

Four walls won't hold me tonight

If this town is just an apple

Then let me take a bite

If they say, why, why, tell 'em that is human nature

Why, why, does he do me that way

If they say, why, why, tell 'em that is human nature

Why, why, does he do me that way

Reaching out to touch a stranger

Electric eyes are everywhere

See that girl, she knows I'm watching

She likes the way I stare

If they say, why, why, tell 'em that is human nature

Why, why, does he do me that way

If they say, why, why, tell 'em that is human nature

Pet Peeves

Do you have things that just get on your nerves no matter what you do? A “pet peeve” has been defined as a particular or recurring source of irritation. I have so many, but I'm going to try a list a couple... In no particular order...

1. Going through the drive thru, then having to go back when they screw your order up. (This happens to me almost every time I go through a drive thru.)

2. Drivers who don't use a turn signal.

3. When you genuinely ask someone what's wrong (when there obviously is something wrong) and they respond half-heartedly, "hmmm? oh nothing..."

4. When restaurant staff tries to clear dishes away when you’re not finished eating OR when they come WAAAAAAAYYYYY too often OR not enough… (thin line there…)

5. Having to explain the same thing more than once.

6. People who don't say "thank you" or even acknowledge you when you hold the door for them.

7. Lazy people.

8. People at a store/supermarket who wait in a long checkout line, and then when they finally need to pay they take forever to find their checkbook/cash/credit card.

9. Having to use more than one remote control (one for TV, dvd player, cable box, etc.)

10. Men who refer to "babysitting" their own children.

11. When people don't flush the toilet.

12. Hearing someone eat OR seeing someone talk with their mouth full.

13. People who don't cover their mouth while sneezing or coughing.

14. People who ride their bikes in the road when a sidewalk is right there.

15. People who take up 2 parking spaces.

16. People who don't control their spoiled/whiny children.

17. People who leave shopping carts in the parking lot instead of taking them back to the corral.

18. Unexpected company.

19. Using the toilet paper down to the last few squares without getting a new roll.

20. People who honk in front of a house/apartment instead of getting out of the car.

Well that list got out of hand and the sad thing is I could go on and on... Would you like to add to this list?

Power of Music

Have you ever heard a song and it stir something inside of you that you can’t seem to recover from after you’ve heard it? Does that same song mean something totally different to you at another point in your life whether it is a happier or a more turbulent time? The power of music is so overwhelming to me. Quite frankly, it’s indescribable. If you can put your feelings into words, feel free to comment. Also, name the title and artist of the song if you can… Peace…

Black vs. African American??

Okay, okay, after watching the video, I’m sure one or two of you will think “Here we go again with this racial stuff” or “Why won’t black people let it go” or even “Why is this still a conversation?” The last question, I even ask myself sometimes when I see things on the news or just in conversations. It’s still a conversation, because it still needs to be. On one hand, it doesn’t bother me what people call me or how people refer to me. I’ve never been the type to give a rat’s ass about what people’s opinions are of me, but at the same time – no one likes being disrespected. I’ve heard several times, “It’s not how you refer to me that matters, but what I ANSWER to”. Let’s think about that for a second…

If you care how people view you, what you answer to can make or break you in the eyes of others. It’s all about how you view yourself and how important YOU are to YOU. Your view of you can only be changed by one person – YOU. I’ve been told by more than one person at more than one time in my life that I’m mean or too straight forward. Maybe "blunt" is a better word to use here. I may be blunt, but at least you know what is on my mind and there is no question about where I stand on any particular subject. I’d rather be “Straight Up” with you than considered a liar about anything. I digress…

So Tiki, what do you refer to yourself as? I’d answer that by giving one or more of these answers: a mother, a friend, a listener, a neighbor, a sister, a daughter, an inspiring writer… That list can go on and on. I am all of those things and more and I happen to be black also. Hardly anyone believes me when I say that I’m black anyway. It has always been that way and will continue to be. People always want to know what ELSE I’m mixed with… Then I go into the explanation that both my parents have the same skin tone as me… and so on and so on… In this day and age, is the explanation really necessary? Why not take me for what I say??

I’ve had several instances in my life where my skin tone was an issue. People either automatically hated me or they assumed that I thought I was better than them.. WTF? Because of my skin tone? C’mon people.. I know about the “Paper Sack Test” and the slave who was either in the house vs. outside… Are we still in that era?

I just don’t see things changing anytime soon. “Why can’t we just all be considered part of the human race?” Yes, why can’t we?

Any Regrets??

Regret: we should have no regrets. The past is finished. There is nothing to be gained by going over it. Whatever it gave us in the experiences it brought us was something we had to know. - Rebecca Beard

I agree with this quote by Rebecca Beard, but I also can’t help having at least some regret sometimes over some things… I know, I know, I can’t change anything that has been done, but I can’t help the shoulda woulda coulda’s that I sometimes have. I try to put a positive spin on things, but sometimes you have to look harder to see something although it’s right in front of your face. Although the past is the past, can you ever TRULY get over something that has happened to you that you WISH you could have changed?

“Whatever it gave us in the experiences it brought us was something we had to know…” That’s deep.

Obama Assassination Ad??

Pennsylvania Newspaper Runs Ad Calling for Obama Assassination Friday, May 29, 2009

Print ShareThisWARREN, Pa. — A small-town newspaper is apologizing for running a classified advertisement calling for the assassination of President Barack Obama.

Warren Times Observer Publisher John Elchert says the ad appeared Thursday. It read, "May Obama follow in the steps of Lincoln, Garfield, McKinley and Kennedy!" The four presidents were all assassinated.

Elchert tells The Associated Press that the newspaper's advertising staff didn't make the historical connection.

He says the northwestern Pennsylvania newspaper turned information over to police and that the Secret Service is investigating the person who placed the ad.

A note in Friday's paper says the newspaper "apologizes for the oversight."

Apologizes for the oversight?? Is that all they have to say? I'm not sure what I wanted them to say but I know I wanted more than that.. The things that people do never ceases to amaze me! People are always so quick to want to go overseas and fight the "terrorists" that live there instead of dealing with the ones we have living and breathing in our own country. I wonder if this were another President, would stronger actions have been taken against: the person who, number 1) placed the ad, number 2) who printed the ad, and number 3) for the editor of the paper... Puhlease...

21 Kids/11 Baby Mommas - Just NASTY!!!

Ladies, please remember this face, but with a little conversation, you will know to immediately drop everything and run the other way!! This sperm donor has 21 kids with 11 baby mommas!! Now, one is enough for anyone BUT 21!! GRODDY!! He's disgusting and so are the women! I don't approve of him doing what he's done and I don't agree with all these women having these kids!! C'mon ladies!? His game CAN'T be that good!! We have to begin believing in ourselves instead of letting these men pull the wool over our eyes! I include myself in this. I need a good talking to as well sometimes. I only give advice that I'm not afraid of taking heed to myself. Thanks Stephanie for this story.

This fertile dude pictured up top has eleven baby mothers and twenty one children. His name is Desmond and he is twenty nine:

As if Octomom wasn’t bad enough, a Tennessee man, 29 year old Desmond Hatchett has now fathered at least 21 children he can’t support. Hatchett was in child support court again last week. His name appeared on the dockett 11 times in one day, representing 15 of his children.

Hatchett says he wasn’t out to set a record. He says he never intended to have this many children, “It just happened.” He fathered the children by at least 11 different women and he claims all of the mothers knew about his large family. The children range in age from newborn to 11 years old.

The question Knox County officials now face is how to support all these children. Hatchett works a minimum wage job and by law the state can only take 50% of his paycheck for child support. By the time that money is split 21 ways, some of the mothers get less than $2 per month. That leaves the taxpayers footing a large portion of the bill for these children.

Even though Hatchett can’t support the children he has, there is nothing the state can do to prevent him from having more. Hatchett reports that he had 4 children in one year, twice. He says he’s done having children now, but only time will tell. He does say that he’s a good father and knows the names, ages, and birthdates of all of his children.

All of the blame can’t be placed on Hatchett in this case. One has to wonder about the women who chose to have his children. In the end, the children and the taxpayers of Tennessee will pay for their choices for years to come.

Cali. Man Accused of Biting Out Son's EYE

Associated Press, Published - May 19 2009 12:00AM EDT

A 4-year-old California boy may be permanently blinded after police say his father bit out one of his eyes and mutilated the other.

Bakersfield police say 34-year-old Angel Vidal Mendoza appeared to be under the influence of PCP when he attacked the boy April 28. Afterwards police say Mendoza rolled his wheelchair outside and began hacking at his own legs with an ax.

Four-year-old Angelo Mendoza Jr. told police, "my daddy ate my eyes."

Doctors at Mercy Hospital say it's unclear whether Angelo will regain vision in his right eye.

The boy's mother wasn't home at the time.

Mendoza is due in court Wednesday. Charges include mayhem, torture and child cruelty. Jail officials say they don't know whether he has an attorney.

Thank you Stephanie for the story! I guess there are some times when silence is the only answer to something. I have nothing to say at all except, damn...

My 100th Post!!

What can I say?! Doesn't the time always fly by when you don't want it to, but stays stagnant when you want it to fly?? It seems as though this is my 100th post and I wouldn't have known except that Blogger keeps count!! lol

I would like to thank all of my "comment"-ators that have given their opinions so far and I hope you all remain with me through this journey... You can know people for years and truly not know how they feel on a particular subject until the subject is discussed. Thank you to those of you who agree and those who disagree with me! It is mainly through our disagreements that we grow. If we are never pushed to our extremes, then we can never know our true potential.

I would also like to give love to my "inspiration" whether it be entertainers, fools in the news, or exciting and historic events that have aided me in my writings! I'm sure I'll continue to have something to say about any and everything. Happy reading!

Judge Orders Boy to Doctor’s Evaluation

Daniel Hauser, age 13, has been diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma. He and his family decided to not use traditional medicines because of their religious beliefs. Child Protective Services became involved and accused the parent’s of medical neglect. According to the doctors, Daniel’s cancer had a 90% chance of being cured with the medicine and chemo, however without it, his chances fall to 5%.

“The judge ruled that the boy must be evaluated by a doctor to determine if he would benefit from restarting chemotherapy over his parent’s objections.” (Associated Press) Daniel’s attorney, Philip Elbert had this to say, “I feel it's a blow to families," he said. "It marginalizes the decisions that parents face every day in regard to their children's medical care. It really affirms the role that big government is better at making our decisions for us."

So, do you agree with the Daniel and his parents with the belief that it is their decision whether to self medicate him or do you side with the judge?

Kirstie Alley – Apology Necessary?

Some of us are the most familiar with her role as “Rebecca Howe” on Cheers, but most of us know her as the ex-spokesperson for Jenny Craig. She lost a recorded amount of 75 lbs on the weight loss program and has since gained it all plus more back. I saw the episode on Oprah when she came out in the bikini, saying how happy she was for losing the weight. I’ve also seen the show last week or so, apologizing for gaining the weight back and how sorry she was for letting people down for it. She said that she felt as though she was an inspiration for millions of people going through the struggle and had let all those people down by gaining the weight back plus some. Sorry, I’m a big girl and I don’t want her apologizing to me for being human and having the same struggles as the rest of do. To me, it just proves that famous people are everyday people with a little more loot in their pockets and shouldn’t be placed on this high pedestal for all of us to look up and idolize.

So, do you think she owes the world an apology for her weight gain? I’m not sure if I’m the minority on this one, but her business is her business. On second thought, if she didn't go on Oprah, would I be writing about her now?? I digress...

Discussion question of the week: Steriods vs Implants

I bet you are wondering how those two go together. I did too until I watched 20/20 the other night. John Stossel said “If women can enhance their bodies to win beauty contests, what is the difference with athletes taking performance enhancing drugs to win medals and tropies?” Isn’t that a good question?

There are several side effects for steroids” hair loss, acne, growing of male breasts and the most common – “Roid Rage”. A couple of people who were interviewed on the show said that adults should be allowed to do what they want to their bodies as long as they are not hurting anyone else… Well, if that we true, we wouldn’t have the laws that we do have…

What I thought was funny was when the interviewee was asked if steroids was cheating. He said that he athletes do millions of things to enhance their performance. Tiger Woods was mentioned because he had Lasik eye surgery to improve his vision to 20/15, some professional bikers have said that they sleep in hyperbaric chambers to enhance their bodies and Janet Evans, swimmer, has said that she won her Olympic Gold medal because she was wearing a special greasy swimsuit.

Then, there are those who agree with the rules of “fair play” but do not agree with the government getting involved by telling people what is accepted and what isn’t. Either you follow the rules that are set, or don’t play the game.

So, what are your thoughts?

"Mothers" Something I Wrote in 2007

I was looking back for something I wrote for Mother's Day a couple of years ago, that still seems to fit even now. I decided to repost it. Happy Mother's Day, from one to all!

Saturday, May 12, 2007

Mothers

Current mood: CONTENT

Category: Life

I will not be around a computer tomorrow to tell everyone this, so I'm grabbing the opportunity right now... Happy Mother's Day to all of you who are MOTHERS. To those of you who aren't, then tell your mothers Happy Mother's Day. If your Mother is no longer with us, I'm sorry, but honor her tomorrow in some way or another, for without HER, YOU would not be here!

From one mother to the next, our job is a hard one - we do it well and with honor. Take pride in it, because you should! Love every minute of it and embrace it! Our children will grow up to be great, wonderful adults and they will one day look back and remember everything that we have done for them. They will look back and appreciate the long days we've had, working hard for them and for our families.

I LOVE MY CHILDREN and I tell them that every morning and every night without fail. I also tell my MOTHER how much she means to me and that I love her with every phone call that is made. They know how much I care for them and that is one of the most important things I could give them. To KNOW and FEEL that they are loved and adored. You can't replace that feeling with anything.

So again I say, Happy Mother's Day - enjoy your day and reflect on the GREAT JOB you have - being a MOM!

Love you everyone!

Tiki

Obama - Cutting $17 Billion from Budget

This story is from CNN

The White House today will detail a proposal to save $17 billion next year by eliminating or reducing 121 federal programs, according to a senior administration official. Roughly $11.5 billion of the savings would come from the discretionary side of the fiscal 2010 budget -- that is, from programs that do not receive automatic funding. And roughly half of the savings would come from non-defense programs, the official said.

Among the programs on the president's chopping block:

• A long-range navigation system now made obsolete by the GPS. Cost: $35 million.

• An early education program called Even Start, the performance of which had been poor. Cost: $66 million.

• A Department of Education attaché position in Paris. Cost: $632,000.

• The Christopher Columbus Fellowship Foundation, which only pays out 20% of its funds in awards every year. Cost: $1 million.

• A program that pays states to clean out abandoned mines even after the mines have been cleaned out. Cost: $142 million.

But it was unclear Wednesday whether the $17 billion in savings in 2010 would be used to fund other federal programs or to reduce the country's growing deficit. The House and Senate have agreed to amore than $3.5 trillion budget outline for fiscal 2010, which begins Oct. 1. That's roughly the size of the president's budget request. The proposals Congress and the president are making, however, would push long-term deficits significantly higher.

Florida Man Throws Baby From Car

Florida man charged with murder after baby thrown from car

From John Couwels CNN

(CNN) -- A Florida man has been charged with first-degree murder after authorities say he threw a 3-month-old boy out of a moving car on a Tampa interstate.

Police say infant Emanuel Murray died after his mother's ex-boyfriend threw him from a car on a Florida interstate.

Richard Anthony McTear Jr., 21, was arrested Tuesday, hours after a confrontation at his former girlfriend's apartment in which he snatched the child, the Hillsborough County sheriff's office said.

A passing motorist found Emanuel Wesley Murray's body on the interstate. An autopsy determined the child died of blunt trauma to the head, the county medical examiner's office said.

Video on CNN affiliate WFLA TV showed McTear being led out of a Tampa police squad car after his arrest. He ducked his head as TV cameras surrounded him on his walk into a police building.

When asked by reporters if he had thrown the child out of the car window, McTear answered, "It's a dirty game. A dirty game."

McTear is not related to the child, said sheriff's spokeswoman Debbie Carter.

Police had been called to his former girlfriend's apartment about 3:15 a.m. The mother, Jasmine Bedwell, 18, told investigators that McTear had hit her several times and threatened "to kill the both of y'all," the sheriff's department said in a statement announcing the charges.

McTear threw a car seat containing the child across the room during the fight, causing the boy to fall onto the apartment's concrete floor, investigators said. He then picked up the boy and drove off in his blue Chevrolet Impala, throwing the child out while on the interstate, the sheriff's department said.

The child's body was found around 4:30 a.m.

McTear is facing additional charges of burglary with battery, felony battery, aggravated child abuse and kidnapping, the sheriff's department said.

My thoughts are with this family during this horrible time.

Opinions of Obama's First 100 Days

What are your opinions of President Obama first 100 days? One thing you can’t say is that they were boring or uneventful. From the fumbling of the vow taken at his Inauguration to closing Gitmo, to the Stimulus Package, to the bank bailout, to the end of water boarding…what can I say? It’s definitely been busy at the White House!

Is it too soon to tell how things are really going? Will we need more time to accurately judge? Not sure, but there have been ups and downs as with anything and everyone. I’m still impressed that he wanted the job especially at a time where the U.S. was and is in such a state of disarray.

So, what are your thoughts?

The $600,000 Man of God

The story below comes from "NewsOne Breaking News".

Reverend’s $600k Salary Causes Church Outrage By News One April 22, 2009 10:30 am

Call it the stimulus package from God.

Manhattan’s Riverside Church - one of the country’s most illustrious religious institutions - is paying its new senior pastor, the Rev. Brad Braxton, more than $600,000 in annual compensation.

That’s twice what Braxton’s predecessor, James Forbes, one of the country’s best-known preachers, was getting after running Riverside for more than 18 years.

It amounts to almost 10 times what William Sloane Coffin, the legendary anti-Vietnam War clergyman, was paid in his last year as senior minister at Riverside in 1987.

Braxton was selected in a vote of the congregation last fall and is to be officially installed Sunday.

A group of church dissidents claims the members were never told about the lavish package.

Church sources say it includes:

$250,000 in salary.

$11,500 monthly housing allowance.

Private school tuition for his child.

A full-time maid.

Entertainment, travel and “professional development” allowances.

Pension and life insurance benefits.

An equity allowance for Braxton to save up to buy a home.

On top of that, Braxton immediately hired a new second in command at more than $300,000 a year.

I'm not too sure why this story bothers me, I just know that it does. It bothers me in several different ways...

1. How could the parishoners not know how much their preacher was making? Maybe not the exact number but if it is truly almost double what the previous one was making, wouldn't this need to be a discussion that the church had prior to "hiring" him on?

2. In another report, it was stated that some church members have filed a suit against him to stop the first installment of payment to him. I'm not sure I agree with that either... Afterall, if he has already began serving the church, shouldn't he also receive payment for what he's done? Judge Lewis Bart Stone denied the request to delay his installation, according to the Daily News and scheduled a follow up hearing on April 3.

3. On "The Daily Voice", it states "... the compensation package is too high for a pastor at a church with a history of supporting social justice causes, and especially in a time of recession." Shouldn't this have been taking into account PRIOR to him receiving the job? And to bring up the recession... Did they just remember NOW that we are in the middle of one?

I don't know people, holla at me on this one...

Happy Administrative Professionals Day

To all my fellow Administrative Assistants, may I say happy day to you! The people we support appreciate us and hopefully you work for people who tell you that they do. If not, just know that what you do is important and our positions are a necessity. Keep your heads up, stay focused and represent us well!

TAX DAY IS HERE!!! Have you filed?

Tax Day is here and to be quite honest with everything else going on in people’s lives, I’m not sure if folks really give a damn… Either you have filed, will file by midnight, will ask for an extension to file late or could care less if you file today or ever. Where are you in this group?

I’ve read somewhere that 1 out of every 5 people do not file their taxes. Have I filed? Yes and the check was actually spent for its intended use. There have been times when I couldn’t say that, so I’m proud of myself even in the slightest bit…

If you are one of those folks who will be heading to the post office today, remember not to go crazy in the lines. Be patient and go with the intention of waiting. REMEMBER: It's your fault that you waited to the last minute to get this done, not the people who are working the lines.. Don't give them attitude! (Aren't I the one to talk! Isn't that the pot calling the kettle... lol)

DWI/DUI - Mandatory 90 days - First Offense?

I was listening to a talk show this morning and they were discussing DWI/DUI and suggested that the laws change to immediate 90 days in jail for the first offense. I’m not sure what the law entails now besides a one night stay in jail, but I believe they do not suspend the license until the 2nd offense. (Actually, I couldn’t handle not knowing Texas’ law on the subject so I looked it up and pasted the information below.) The callers couldn’t understand why the radio hosts were so adamant on the change. They were discussing the young 22 yr old pitcher, Nick Adenhart, who was killed yesterday as a drunk driver broadsided his vehicle and 3 people died in the accident. What are your opinions?

First Texas DWI Offense: Texas Criminal Status: Class B Misdemeanor

Jail: Minimum 72 hours, or 6 days if open container is present.

Texas DWI Fines/Costs: Fine not to exceed $2,000. Other administrative and evaluation fees may be assessed. TX imposes a “surcharge” for a DWI on top of regular fines. The surcharge is $1,000 per year for three years for a first DWI offense and $2,000 if the person’s BAC level was double or more the legal limit (.16). Texas License Suspension: Yes, 1 year. Attending DWI Education class may avoid this. Occupational license may be granted based on need.

Violation of Zero Tolerance Law: N/A

Texas Conditional License: A conditional, or occupational license, may be issued based on "essential need" and usually only when the court orders an offender into alcohol assessment/rehabilitation. Offenders who have been granted occupational licenses within 10 years are ineligible. For definitions of “essential need”, see Transportation Code Section 521.241.

Vehicle Impound: None

Texas DWI School: First time offenders must complete a 12 hour DWI Education Program within 180 days of when probation was granted or risk having their license revoked.

Texas Probation: Terms of probation decided by judge or jury.

Texas Community Service: 24 hours required, but no more than 100 hours. Second Texas DWI Offense Plus: Texas Criminal Status: Class A Misdemeanor. A 3rd DUI is a 3rd degree felony.

Jail: 72 hours, not more than 1 year. A 3rd DUI can mean 2-10 years in the penitentiary.

Texas DWI Fines/Costs: Fines not to exceed $4,000. Other administrative and evaluation fees may be assessed. TX imposes a “surcharge” for a DWI on top of regular fines. The surcharge is $1,500 per year for three years for a second DWI offense and $2,000 if the person’s BAC level was double or more the legal limit (.16).

Texas License Suspension: Yes, 180 days to 2 years. Occupational license may be granted based upon need.

Vehicle Impound: None.

Texas DWI School: Repeat offenders must complete a 32 hour DWI Repeat Offender Program.

Texas Probation: Terms of probation decided by judge or jury.

Texas Community Service: Minimum 80 hours, but no more than 200 hours. Other: DWI and Driving with Minor: It is a felony to drive while intoxicated with a minor younger than 15 years of age in the vehicle.

Commercial Vehicle: Over .04 BAC level may suspend a commercial driver’s license for one year and up to 3 years if the driver was carrying hazardous materials.

Under Age: 21

Texas DWI Insurance Consequences: How a DUI/DWI Affects Your Car Insurance.

Texas Open Container Laws: Yes, driver and passenger. This is a Class C Misdemeanor.

How long does a DWI stay on your record? A DWI conviction in Texas stays on your driving record forever.

Driver Responsibility Tax: TX imposes a “surcharge” for a DWI on top of regular fines. The surcharge is $1,000 per year for three years for a first DWI offense, $1,500 per year for three years for a second DWI offense and $2,000 for a first or subsequent conviction if the person’s BAC level was double or more the legal limit (.16).

Ignition interlock device program: Required in order to be released from jail on bond. Required for all second-offenders during probation.

Mother Requests Son's Sperm.. WTF?

Okay, now this is too crazy.. A mother has gone to court to ask the judge to summons the collection of her dead son’s sperm. Her argument? That she will never be able to have grandchildren! Okay, okay.. Let me back up a little… Her son was attacked while being downtown Austin last month. After being punched, he fell and hit his head on the ground. He later died at Brackenridge Hospital. The mother claimed that her son has always wanted 3 sons, whose names he’d already picked out as: Van, Hunter and Tod.

Now I know my readers out there have something to say about this!! What in the world?! The story didn’t say that the son had a girlfriend or a wife or anything so, wassup with that?? Who is going to raise this child and where is the egg coming from?! HELLO, Granny! It takes two things to make a baby and I’ve only read about one of ‘em.. I hope she doesn’t plan on using some of hers and hers should be “Dead and Gone” like the Justin Timberlake song says! Ewwwwwwwwwww ~ Holla back…

It’s the simple things…

So many people aren’t happy in the relationships that they are currently in.. Most of what they are missing is the simple things. Not huge issues that are impossible to fix, but small things that can be corrected almost instantly. Why aren’t these things done? Is it stubbornness, hard-headedness? People are not willing to change even if it could change EVERYTHING for the better… Why is that? People claim that all they want in life is to be happy, but so many of us will not do what we need to do in order to gain that happiness… Wassup with that?

A Poem My Friend Wrote - It's Beautiful

YOUR.....ME - a poem

Apr 2, 2009, 8:58 am

Your smile electrifies and humbles me.

Your pictures tease and excite me.

Your skin reminds me and emboldens me

Your words challenge and rewrite me.

Your eyes reflect and compel me.

Your lips beckon and subdue me.

Your love warms and secures me.

Your vision looks right through me.

Your humor tickles and delights me.

Your strength ensures and impresses me.

Your thoughts calm and compose me

Your mind eagerly undresses me.

Undress me as if I am yours and yours alone.

Your palace awaits, Queen, come sit on your throne.....

by, Jalil al-Asad Amir al-Hamza