Queen Latifah (Feat. Al Green) - Simply Beautiful

The Cover.....2005

Simply Beautiful - Al Green

The Original....circa 1972

Ch ch changes..

Change #1 for NWMC will be my post titles. They have always been derived from song titles. Most people didn't even notice so I don't think it will be a big deal. I am deciding between using actual lyrics or quotes from books off my bookshelf. I think it may even be kind of fun if someone can guess where I got the title from.

Change#2 I will have a few regular posts every week. Not sure how many but just stay tuned

Change #3 Will be the color scheme. Feel free to comment on my choices....I will probably go through a few before I find the one.

I'm sure there will be more to come but that's it for now. Please leave an opinion anytime on any post.

Don't Make Me Over

I've been thinking a lot about what I want to do with this blog. What I want the format to be. Technically, I've been blogging since 2006 but I didn't touch it for almost a year, so I don't much count that. I didn't start it to be seen by others. However, over the course of the past year more and more visitors have stopped by, some have even stuck around. So I figure maybe it's time for a spring cleaning or an Extreme Blogger Makeover-web edition.

Sometimes I'll look at other blogs and get blogger envy at how smooth and fresh their layout looks. I admire how some are so consistent with their posts. It's nice when I go to Don's blog on Saturday and I know he's doing old school music wars. It's something I said I wanted to do--have regularly scheduled subjects on the same days every week, but as we all know I am the procrastination queen.

I've been asked by various people what's my blog about? I usually don't have a concise answer. It's sort of a hodgepodge I guess.

I don't talk about politics much, even though I am a active voter and have been since I turned 18. I could tell you how I feel about the candidates and all their shenanigans or how I think if you don't vote then you suck, but, it's not where my heart is, at least not today.

I also don't blog about beauty products. I don't think anyone cares what kind of soap I use or moisturizer. Not because I'm not interested in looking hot, I have-somewhat against my will-stopped paying much attention to how I look. I still bathe and comb my hair mind you....but there isn't any effort behind it. So sad.

I also don't really talk about writing or the process of writing I should say. I love writing but don't feel as though I have any authoritative knowledge on the subject to strictly talk about it. Not yet anyway.

I've seen plenty of "Mom Blogs" where women do nothing but gush over how cute their kids are and talk about what hilarious antidote that occurred during dinner. My kids are damn cute and some pretty funny stuff comes pouring out of their sweet little mouths too, but, you'll just have to take my word for it.

I kind of like the fact that I'm not confined to a single subject and I think I will keep it that way. That way I have the freedom to one day tell you that my youngest daughter started walking this past week. Or, that I love Avon thermafirm moisturizing cream. Or even, that I think Obama rocks and I can't wait to vote for him in November.

So maybe I won't do a extreme makeover just a mini dinner and a movie type of restyle. I'll try a few things out and see what works.

Suggestions always welcomed.

Michael Bublé - Home

I LOVE this song..

Home is where your love is....

He LOVES Me....

Here is another peek inside my scrapbook, letters my husband has written me over the years. I swear I fall more in love with him every single day.

My Love,

I was just thinking about you, thinking about how happy you make me.

Thinking about how it is we came to be and how lucky I am to be half of us, I must have done something right in my past life.

There will never be anything better than loving you and there is no high like being loved by you. People search their whole lives for love and happiness, the world is filled with flashlights and night vision goggles probing the darkness on a quest for the greener grass or the sunset ever after.

In front of your face, under your nose, the cliches never seem to be true, even when it's your nose and face.

I was just thinking about how much I love your nose and face.

I kept my flashlight on and somehow it found you and like a magic mirror, having you returned the light to make me feel like I'm glowing.

You will never ever be without me, I have lived in the darkness long enough and I can't live without your light in my life and in my heart.

There was no me without you and there will be no me without you....that's just what I was thinking.

I Love You. Happy Anniversary, both of them! -Your Husband

Teena Marie - Once And Future Dream

Hands down, the best Rick/Teena duet they ever did.

You are, who I dreamed about in the past and the one I dream of being with in my future. Always and forever my one and only love.....

The Roots - You Got Me

Another great love song...

Whitney Houston Mariah Carey When You Believe [tonnycac]

This song goes with the post below.

When You Believe

Attraction is a powerful thing.

That moment when you see someone for the first time and you know that your hand has to touch theirs, that your mouth has to know what his tastes like. It's a feeling so strong you think someone or something is physically pushing you toward that person. Then...the butterflies come, the shiver up your spine from their touch, the childlike giddiness you get every time someone says their name. Infatuation, lust, ecstasy-an emotional roller coaster of a drug like induced high. You'd do almost anything to hold on to these precious moments because everyone knows it won't be this way forever....

So when does an infatuated-attraction become LOVE?

Is there a such thing as LOVE at first sight?

When your heart is full and you step out on faith so to speak will LOVE be on your side?

Some couples take their time and get to know one another. They may first live together, then get engaged, then wait another year and a half to plan their wedding. Finally, they walk down the isle and jump the broom only to divorce a year later.

On the other hand, you have couples who meet, fall head over heels and get married a month later. They get divorced 15 months later.

Exceptions to the rule of course-both couples live happily ever after.

So what's the secret, why do some couples make it and others can't? All seem to start out with the same feelings of euphoria, yet, more then half don't make it.

Relationships are hard work. Marriage is twice as hard. You need to compromise on things you never thought you would have to compromise on. You have to honestly care about how someone else feels--about you cutting your hair, going on a trip or quitting your job. You are no longer an island but more like a peninsula. Attached to another human-feeding off their hopes, dreams, desires and needs while they feed off yours. You, have to be willing to do the work. Both must put 100% of themselves into the marriage and when one can only give 80% then the other has to put in that extra 20%. It takes strength, kindness, a whole lot of patients and of course LOVE.

But at the end of the day...it's so worth it.

Everything

My husband wrote this for me in 2006, yet,even now it still leaves me breathless everytime I read it.

He makes me feel like the luckiest woman in the world. How many husbands write poetry for their wives on a regular basis?

Not enough that's for sure.

Sunrise
By: Tre Jordan

The sun came up this morning and she told me she loved me.
The sun came up this morning and her light brightened my world as if I had been blind since birth and never knew what true beauty really was.
The sun came up this morning suddenly everything seemed clear, no storms, no clouds, just a clarity that spoke of a future of happiness I had never known.
The sun came up this morning and the air seemed cleaner, I felt lighter on my feet with a skip in my step and the grass that seemed greener before now paled in the gleam of her shine.
When the sun came up this morning, I couldn’t help but to wonder why it took so long for me to notice how badly I needed her in my life, as a guide to show me the way, as a teacher to correct my mistakes and as a rod to ground me.
The sun came up this morning and she smiled, she smiled at me, on me and through me making my blood pressure rise higher than my prescribed medication could control.
The sun came up this morning and her touch was warm and soft like a midday summer breeze and her smell was sweet like southern home-cooking.
The sun came up this morning and she kissed me, she tasted like honey, like joy and happiness, she tasted like freedom.
The sun came up this morning and her shine seemed more than my soul could bear, it seemed to go on forever like an Alaskan season, and it brought life to everything around me.
The sun came up this morning and it was you.

Seasons of LOVE

For me, May is the season of LOVE.

The weather is warm, more skin is showing, sunflowers and daisy's are in bloom and its also the month my honey and I said I do.

So to celebrate this season of love all my blog posts this month will be on the subject of LOVE, marriage, finding LOVE, falling in LOVE, staying in LOVE and making LOVE...

I'll do my best to try and not make you all sick with my emotional mush. Reader nausea is not my goal.

A funny kind of LOVE

Photo credit-HBO

Two posts ago I briefly spoke on Polygamy. My goal was simply to give one view on the situation in Texas, hopefully, a non-judgemental one. I have not fully researched the Mormon religion so I will not pretend to be an expert on any of their beliefs. I do, on the other hand, think that HBO's Big Love is a great show. Not the same I know.

I also know, that I wouldn't be interested in having a polygamist relationship myself. Not to say I would mind someone else doing the housework, changing some poopy diapers and scrubbing the toilet. I guess that would be more along the lines of a maid though...

I am an only child and I don't share well with others so having a communal husband doesn't sound like all that much fun. However, I have to admit there have been a few moments when I would have liked to say "Can't you go to your other wife's house for awhile and leave me alone?" Still, I don't think it works like that either.

My point though was/is this, who am I to judge? Especially, when this is their religion and they have a bible to back up their beliefs; we all know the bible can and has been interpreted in many different ways. Baptist, Lutheran, 7th day Adventist all these religions have a somewhat different take on various scriptures. Who's right? Who's wrong? Not for me to say.

Polyomy is practiced all over the world and I don't see any U.S. forces storming the villages of Nigeria demanding that all the children must be taken away. The fact that a man wants to take responsibility for more then one wife and a bus load of kids can be looked at as somewhat commendable. Some men won't claim one.

The newspapers seemed to stress the fact that a large number of these young girls had already given birth and they weren't of age. So.

You can find plenty of young mothers all over Vegas, Detroit, Atlanta, Billings-pretty much anywhere in the United States. At least these girls were married and had the means and family support to care for these babies. I don't think they're out laboring in a bathroom stall or tossing them in dumpsters....

If any of the children were being abused, then yes, they should be removed from that abusive place, but if they are considering underage marriage or polygamy abuse then they need to return the children to their Mothers.

Whoop There It Is!

Okay, so I was tagged early last week and almost forgot about it. Obviously, I've been slackin' on my bloggin'. I don't know how I could forget, because I've been waiting on someone to tag me for the longest. I feel a little like the last kid to be picked at dodge ball....yeah, its that bad.

Anyhoo, I finally got picked! Go me! Thanks SA. For any of you who may be unfamiliar with this game here are the rules:

• Post the rules on your blog


• Write six random things about yourself in a blog post


• Tag six people in your post


• Let each person know they are tagged by leaving a comment on their blog


• Let the tagger know your entry is up

So here goes nothing.

1. I hate birds. No particular kind, all birds in general freak me out. The way their heads move in that spastic sort of jumpy fashion. Besides they've always seemed really dirty to me and where are their ears? The city slickers- like pigeons or seagulls they don't even care if your coming toward them, they won't move-they're not scared of us. Didn't they used to be? They'll try and take the food right out your hands, yes, those bloody bastards will.

2. I'm a pack rat. Not to the extreme point of those people who make the news. You can freely walk through my home and not trip over things-normally. However, I have a hard time throwing things away. Pictures my kids have drawn, old birthday cards, newspapers I haven't read. See, I thought I only subscribed to the Fri, Sat, Sun paper but they started to deliver everyday for some reason. So, since I hate to waste a buck I feel obligated to read it. I may not get to it right away but eventually I will read it. Don't worry, I don't have more then two weeks worth of papers around the house. Gosh, it still sounds bad no matter how I explain it.

3. I'm glad I don't have any sons. I always thought I wanted a little boy and I've even watched half grown young men in the store with their Moms and thought awww, I want one. On the other hand, in actuality, I think little boys frighten me. They're so rough and hard to handle. Of course not all are but the kind I would want my girls to grow up and marry are.

4. I'm glad Taressa didn't tag me. Her tag rules make you list 16 random things! I could maybe do 10 or 12 but I'm not a friggin machine.

5. I think "lol" can be extremely annoying. I use it, but sparingly. Its like salt-if you simply sprinkle it you can avoid an overdose and giving someone the sour face or high blood pressure . There should be a max number of times someone is allowed to use lol in a single blog post, email or comment. The same goes for exclamation points. 2 is my vote.

6. I want braces. I wish I could have had them at the normal time, you know adolescences but some people had better things to spend their money on, I guess. So by my next birthday I will give myself the gift of straight-gap less teeth. I think I'll even get the little rubber bands too.

So there you have it- six random, unnecessary, quirky maybe even slightly disturbing things about me. I'm sure your life feels complete now. Kanette, Sara, Jen, Jules and Suiteb

TAG! You're IT!

Thanks for My Child

Photos By Jenna Dosch/ViewMembers of the Vegas Mommies meet at area parks for outdoor activities with their children. Top, Skyylar Jordan, 4, gets a boost from her mother, Erika, while playing on the monkey bars at the Crossings Park, 1111 Crestdale Lane. Below, Sean Bauer, left, and Cristian Guzman play ball. Both were at the park with their mothers, Miranda Guzman, background at left, and Erin Bauer, background at right.

Last week my daughter and I were in the local paper (The Summerlin View). The photographer took some random shots of the Vegas Mommies group, we get together at various parks around town a few days a week. I wish she would have chosen a better picture but what cha' gonna do....

If

What if?

What if you were a little girl.

What if you were a little girl and someone took you from your Mother?

How would you feel if you were snatched by people you didn't know, who told you you weren't safe in your own home? The place where you have always felt safe.

Told that, your parents were abusing you-but you have no idea what abuse is. All you know is your Momma and Daddy love you. Jesus loves you. As well as the rest of your extended family.

What if you never watched television, never played a video game or even thought to ask for a cell phone for your birthday?

You never had new clothes, only hand-me-downs from other family members, you always helped your Mom with the chores and made sure your sisters and brothers were fed and washed for bed. No makeup or pedicures for you or your Mom.

Do those things, or lack of things make you abused?

You ask: Why do you think I'm abused... Why can't I stay with my parents...Why must I sleep in some strangers house...Why?

Because your parents believe in a religion, all-be-it a way of life that's different from the rest of us.

POLYGAMY.

Never too much......How will I know?

You haven't eaten in what seems like forever, you're starved-no you're ravenous. Everything around you looks and smells like heaven. Your nose is filled with the scents of your favorite foods, sweet potato's covered in sugary-sticky juices, the smoky- mesquite flavor of ribeye steaks float in from the open window. The tart and slightly charred taste of vegetables fresh off a charcoal grill begin to make your mouth water. Cakes and fruit pies still warm from the oven, waiting to be cut into. Everything you ever wanted is sitting there waiting for you to devour. Where do you begin? Do you start off slow with a little taste of this and a spoon full of that? Or, do you pile your plate high and heavy, letting you're inner fat girl show?

Someone next to you begins to pour you a tall glass of sweet tea-"just say when..."

There's your dilemma, how do you know when to say when? When is to much of a good thing just too much? Do you wait until the taste isn't as sweet and the smell isn't heavenly anymore? Until the smell is a little bit rank. Or do you take it slow and hope that there is still some left when you decide to go back.

When you've waited, for what seems like an entire lifetime to do something and the opportunity sits before you--so many opportunities-maybe too many-what do you do? All the old sayings swirl through your brain.

"Don't look a gift horse in the mouth"

"Get it while the getting is good"

"You snooze you lose"

"Slow and steady wins the race"

"The straw that broke the camels back"

"When opportunity knocks...."

You don't want to say no. You need this chance because something else my not pan out. You want this chance because it's all you've ever wanted. However, by saying yes, yes, yes to all these opportunities you may end up selling yourself short. Overextending yourself to the point that it turns more into a job then a first love. Then, in turn, your talent suffers. It's not as good as everyone once thought. I mean, it's not bad--it's just not great!

On the other hand, if you don't push yourself, how will you know what you can do? Maybe you are capable of much more then you know. "Don't sell yourself short" they say. Just think how proud you would be of yourself, if you did it all, and did it well. How proud everyone would be.....

But if you failed......?....what would they say.....?....how would you feel....?...could you get back up...?..or would you be too tired....?....cause you ate too much fucking food.

Working for the Weekend

Happy Friday!

You would think since I don't punch a clock or have regular nine to five, that Friday's wouldn't matter to me. Sometimes, they don't. Today for some reason it does. I can't put my finger on it but all I know is it's been a long week. I didn't do much blogging here this week but I plan to play catch up this weekend. I have had some great idea's for a few posts but since my wireless is having some sort of malfunc, I have to sit in one spot to work. That, I tell you, is a lot harder then it sounds for someone who is used to 'on location' writing. So for all my fellow bloggers or writers out there, my question to you is: Where do you blog/write?

On the potty, at the kitchen table, how about in bed or you a fancy blogger who uses their PDA to write your elegant prose?

You can even post anonymously, if you don't want your boss to know that you spend more time on blogger or wordpad then you do the company website.

Can't wait to read your answers!

BTW: Don't forget to stop by my shows.com blog and check out my interview with Frank Merino (see picture above), the headliner for Las Vegas' comedy show "La Cage".

There is a link in my sidebar under "Other spots you can find me".

I'm Coming Out....

So I have decided to put myself out there.

A really good friend of mine, who seems to have connections to anything and everything gave me a list of freelance job postings to look over. Now, this wasn't the first time she has given me an ad for a writing position. She is always urging me to just send something in...put myself out there....give it a try. I have been hesitant mainly because I don't have any writing credentials. Nothing on my resume says writer. Loan officer?Yes. Waitress? Yes. Flight attendant? Yes again, but writer? Nope. Other then this blog, everything I have ever written is hidden in a folder or a box somewhere. Well I finally took her advice. I sent in some of my writing samples and a blurb about how great I am. These particular jobs were all for freelance positions. Which is exactly what I have been looking for, given the fact that I am of course The domestic diva extraordinaire. Anyhoo, the great news is I got one!

It's a small website called http://www.shows.com/ . They were looking for someone to blog about the entertainment aspect of Las Vegas. You know-who's playing where, the best shows, the whats happening in sin city kind of thing. I posted my first blog last Thursday and had planned to make an announcement here last week, but you know those demons....... So I decided to wait and make sure they still wanted me after I wrote it. Apparently they do. So there you have it I'm finally getting paid to blog. Who would have thunk it? A special thank you to Kanette, for giving me that gentle push that I so desperately need.

My articles should appear every Monday and Thursday under the blog section. So even if your not planing a trip to Vegas anytime soon, stop by and take a look to see what's going on.

Hint-Hint-I get paid for page views.

The pay is very, very, very modest but it's something, and I for one ain't complaining. I mean, I do this blog for free right?

New Friend Request

I recently updated my page on Myspace.com. I have had a somewhat....okay all the way blank page with them for quite awhile, only really so I could keep up with a friend who is in Africa for the next few years. Other then that I didn't think much about it. Someone asked me recently why I didn't have a Myspace page and I didn't really have an answer I just never really liked it, plus I thought I was to old.

MySpace seems to appeal mostly to high school kids and other people who want to publicize their beef with "All those bytches that be hatin' on me cause they man won't stop callin' my cell".

Ghetto fab......with a capital G.

Moreover, there is just so much going on everywhere on the page. The obnoxiously busy backgrounds, bright colors and all that glitter. Just the way the screen scrolls but the background doesn't move is kind of weird. I think what is most irritating is the music. You click on someones page and WHAM! your speakers are blaring some obnoxious song. I keep my computer on mute when I go to Myspace now. Then there is the matter of your "friends". It seems like people have hundreds upon hundreds of "friends". Who are all these people and do they really know each other or are they just trying to make themselves look good? It's a popularity contest...better yet it's like high school all over again. Well I only have 18 friends so that must make me a loser....whatever.

But on the other hand, I have met a number of authors through the site. People who are both interesting and educated. I have "found" some friends from high school and some other's that could have stayed lost. Myspace, I have been told, is a great way to network so that's really my main purpose of using it. Plus, you have to admit it's a helluva lot better then blackplant...what happened to that site? I'm still trying to figure out how to feed my blog over to my page. so if you have any idea how that works please let me know. And when you get time drop by and take a looksy at my page and add me as your friend too :0