The best part of Christmas

LEFTOVERS!!!!!

Homeward Bound

Again im getting on a flight- this time headed to Los Angeles California. And though i dislike Xmas and ive resorted to emailing Amazon gift cards to my family- it'll be nice to see my family.

My flight leaves at 9:10 and its 3:30pm. I plan to leave here at 6:30-allowing me at least 1.5 hours on the MARTA. Also for the long lines... I get to Los Angeles at 11:30 pm which is going to inconvienc my family but ill persevere...

Sigh. Its so quiet in this house. Silence is creepy to me- as is darkness. I keep forgetting to pick up a night light.

I've been so into this Discovery Channel 6- Part Documentary about climbing Mt. Everest. Its so fascinating. White People are crazy!!! There was a controversy over the summer that csome climbrs passed up a dying man on the mountain. Now i can understand how something like that can happen...

I'm so tired for no reason. Its been a long weeknd but i got to see some of my old friends that i hadnt seen in awhile-i also looked into a mirror. Now i can see what they all see. And after a 2 hour phone call with my sisterand a conversation with Shan I think i have a new understanding of everything- good preperation for 2007. I'm a stubburn ass Aquarian- but theres potential...

I have concluded that I dont make friends very easily. That I am very distant thus not very easy to connect with. That i live life in a protective buffer zone that keeps me from getting hurt but also prevents me from really feeling anything. I'm also extremely sensitive. Hmmm. I told my sister that like money, investing in a realtionship and getting no return leads to bankruptcy. But what happens when you are too disheartened to invest in anything? I heard once that Pessimists are usually right but Optimists are more sucessful. Hmm more food for thought. My best friend is the biggest optimist i know. And i admire her for it. But optimism seems to often lead to disappointment and failure is scary. But i guess i just have to learn to deal with that too.

So i have my hopes UP for 2007. That i can genuinely connect with the people who have reached out to me with friendship. Especially the people who havnt given up on me yet. That I can open up enough to feel a connection with others, even if it times i gt hurt or disappointed. THat i can speak from my heart and not be so peripheral with people.

A journey of a million miles begins with one step...

January 1, 2007

ZZZZZZZZzzzzzzz

So yeah- this insomnia is getting a little out of control. After varying success with warm milk, sleeping pills, gin/vodka/rum, NYQUIL, Tylenol PM (not all at once) I decided to try a more natural alternative.

sleeping pills reminded me too much of the methylphenidates i was forced to take back in high school which resulted in me dropping some 10lbs and caused a creepy zombie effect, according to my friends. Methylphenidate makes you feel as though your brain is asleep but your body is awke. Sleeping pills is the opposite, my body is asleep but my mind is awake. Kinda like being in a coma.

Alcohol works very well but after watching intervention a few too many times- i get scared even looking at a package store. Besides, im trying to preserve my liver and i dont have enough money to be an alcoholic at the moment.

last night on a late night trip to publix, I was wandering the aisle looking for some sea salt and i ended up in the tea section. The stock guy asked me what i was looking for and i told him, i was looking for the tea 'with the bear wearing pajamas on it'. Its the kind my mom used to have in the house but i never made it. I'm not a big fan of teas(they taste too watery) but i figured, ill give it a shot. So he hands me this box of Sleepytime EXTRA that comes with Valerian....hmmm

Now to me, Valerian tea sounds like something that can only be ordered from a Starfleet replicator. (In fact, I googled/wikied Valerian Tea and wouldnt you know, Valerians are a humanoid species from the Alpha Quadrant, allies to the Cardassians- it is also TNG's Deanna Troi's favorite tea. )

Okay but back to the valerian tea, I made some (put soo much honey in it it probably tasted like koolaid) last night and i was asleep in about 45 minutes. In full disclosure, the night before i had only 2 hours of sleep. So its maybe a bit too early to tell. but hopefully this will prove to be a much more gentle alternative benydryl.

Get them sit-ups right.

I've been eating too much and not exercising at all. Sure ive gained a few pounds which im a little excited about but i feel sluggish. The other day i ran up the street to catch a bus and i felt like i was running in slow motion. Even with my bad knees that was unacceptable. By the time i reached the bus(less than half a block) i was panting and could barely get on to pay the driver. On the good side though- i havnt eaten red meat in nearly 3 monthes. Thats a big deal. I have been eating a lot of fish though. Especially fish tacos and Mexican chicken soup which is a weakness for me. And i still like sushi...

So next month ill hopefully be in my/ our new place. Were working out minor details like where are we moving. I really like Decatur Sq, East Atlanta, Inman Park, East Lake, Edgewood/Candler Park and (note these are all MARTA stops for a reason). Midtown would be cool if i found somewhere walking toward the marta station. But I'm a little prejudice toward places on the Eastbound line. I dont like buckhead though. Lenox/ Buckhead white people are wierd to me. They creep me out.

Other news-im piecing together a work situation for next semester. I'm trying to do little jobs that interest me vs. a 9-5+ school situation. I do long for a steady paycheck though. School seems so irrelevant but so important. Its so hard to keep focused when im ready to graduate but my credits arent. Sigh- if there is one thing i have consistently battled in my life it is school. I don't know what it is about school but i have struggled with it since kindergarten. But ill graduate. I have to to do what i want to do...

Well thats all i have for today-that felt good...

Airplane Survival Kit

Airplane Survival Kit
Originally uploaded by Alison G..

I'm back from Boston. I'll blog all about it later. In the meantime. Tomorrow i have to go make up hours i missed for Merry Corps

Next stop, Georgia State

Next stop, Georgia State
Originally uploaded by Alison G..

So this is home. Home in the 'I'm being present in my life kinda way'. Sometimes I sit and think, I can't believe I'm here. Moments are cosmic- in that way that they cant be recreated. Perhaps thats why i like pictures so much. Of all the places i could be- right now i am here. And thats home.

Alice Walker...and Guy-Sheftalls Hair

IMG_2702
Originally uploaded by Alison G..

yesterday after an especially stressful day at work i got back to find Moyas place surrounded by police cars...Oh shit- i thought-this can't be good. So instead of going back into the aprtment i decided to walk around first to investigate. ON the way i asked the groundskeeper, what happened and he replied that 'they was up there wrestlin and they somebody bout to get arrested. " I said which apartment- he said- the one 2nd floor (the floor MB stays on) I thought oh shit. So i go back to the apartment to check on her and it turns out it was the apartment across the hall. As i walked past there was a woman laying on the floor with a white blanket over her...

Go figure.

I dont know what happenned but im assuming shes alright because i saw a woman later joyfully speaking on the phone. But my grandfather told me that men who beat women are the lowest forms of humans. I feel bad, scared and saddened for her. Because thats some bullshit.

Today i took a mental day off to calm my nerves and decided to go hear Alice Walker speak over at Emory. Alice Walker is my favorite writer. Im not a big Color Purple fan- i dont connect with fiction very well. I do like her short stories and essays a lot. They were comforting to me when as a teenager attending a school that was about 3.8 percent Black and living in a town that was 1.3 % Black, that a Black woman was talking about Spirituality and sexuality in a way that did not have boundaries. I appreciated her freeness and individuality and though i didnt always agree- I loved how she wrote about everyday situations and her appreciation of moments. That being said- I 'm not into meeting people just because i like their books. Neither do i like getting books signed. But i decided why not-it might be nice to get a preview about whats in her next book. So i went and enjoyed it.

Next week im headed up the coast to Boston. I'm not looking forward to the weather nor the 'frozen chosen' Northeastern people of Massachusetts. I am not looking forward to walking past people and not being acknowledged nor the loud screeching of the T. But hey its home.

I am looking forward to hearing the hard accents, the fresh air, the people who i know and havnt seen in ages, my old church, my old town and everything Old. I want to see how a state with a Republican Morman Governor has gay marriage and health care for the entire state. I want to see how that same state thats 6% black just elected its first Black Governor- the second in the country. Such a little state trying to do big things...

Go Boston, go Boston

'Tis the season to be broke

So perhaps this may offend people. And i'm slightly apologetic but not really. Don't take it personally.

The other day I turn on the radio and theyre playing Xmas Carols. mind you, by the other day i mean back in October. The songs made me nauseaus. They were the quintessentioal Xmas songs complete with bells and high excited voices talking about a time when we were dashing through the snow, in a one horse open sleigh. As far as I'm concerned, no one I know has ever dashed through some damn snow with a fuckin horse so stop singing like you've done it...

Christmas gives me a headache. It is my least favorite Holiday of the year. And yes there was a time when it was high on my list (presents and school breaks) but now it has dropped to the bottom- right underneath Columbus Day. I prefer Thanksgiving-even though I hate thanksgiving food- at least I know that just showing up is good enough. During Xmas- I wish I could disappear and wander off to a tropical island where i dont have to be bothered.

In addition to the headaches, excessive retailism, TV commercials, hyper Xmas displays in stores and wild children trying to jump on Santas lap, Xmas is just a sad holiday. It feels forced and desperate. I usually end up poor and destitute after trying to buy everyone a gift and wished i had more money to buy better gifts, then I end up feeling bad that i never had enough to buy them in the first place. Its supposed to be a happy time but I'm too busy scrambling to see everybody and get gifts that its more stressful than relaxing.

It wasnt always this way.

My mom all but stopped celebrating Xmas when we moved to Boston. We started off with big trees and as we got older, the Xmas trees got smaller. I remember when we bought Jr. a 2ft tall Charlie Brown tree that looked more like a branch that fell off a real tree. Every xmas we would drag it up with as much excitment as a traffic jam. We would look at each other and the tree and grudginly wrap some yarn around it. And though we despised it- it became a sort of family pet that sat in the corner far into the next year until someone decided to bring it back down into the basement. My moms gifts were always simple. She made us journals and wrote us lengthy cards that expressed how much she loved us, that she was proud of my sister and I. They were beautiful. I always kept them.
So in my little family (my sis, my mom and I) Christmases were realistic, simple and quick. I miss that.

A few years ago I stopped celebrating xmas and began to give out New Years gifts partly because New Years is my favorite holiday and partly because everything is cheaper after xmas. Its hard not to celebrate xmas in a country that forces you to celebrate it but I'm learning. When i say that I dont celebrate xmas i usually get blank stares and looks of confusion.

"Why" they ask, all concerned or assume that I'm pagan

"Because i dont want to"- I reply. I mean realy- who says I have to?

Bah Humbug

Dems don't vote in the rain, but whats on your sonny- do list?

*I lost my original blog so bear with me as I try to recreate the feeling*

I woke up Tuesday morning(hey some people don't you know) and I looked out the window- damn- its raining. Well shit-thats an excuse not to vote. Especially since the polling place is a mile and a half down a highway with no sidewalks (talk about accessibility). It was cold, dreary and i was not in the mood. I headed to the train station, picked up my daily and on the coverpage theres a huge article that says Democrats less likely to vote in the rain- Damn. I get to work and I see JB's Blog which again worked on my conscience. It didnt help that i just saw American Blackout on Monday. How dare my black ass dont show up to the polls after what your ancestors did for this right...

Okay okay. But who the hell was I gonna vote for? Georgia has a 2 party system, Republican and More Republican. Or maybe it seems that way because I just left a very liberal area of California. the 'Democrat' (and I use that term loosely) didnt seem to have much more to offer me. Well in fact i didnt vote for either- and half my ballot was left blank because I refuse to vote for people I ave never heard of. Evidently Georgia doesnt send out a voters guide that explains whos running and what they what they'll do in the extra time when theyre not having affairs with male prostitutes and teenage pages. I mean I would love to know what issues will finally be addressed in the last 4 monthes of their term. Since i consider my self an educated voter- I tried to go to the AJC Newspaper website and look at their voter guide. Their non partison voter guide asked the hard hitting questions like 'whats your favorite TV character' or 'What recent gadget can't you live without'. Shit that made me really want to go out and vote.

I got home and watched a little local coverage of the election. I saw long lines and stories about broken machines. I was excited. There was gonna be ACTION at the polls. I bought my camera along to capture it all. Well I get the polls around 5 'o clock. I mistook rush hour traffic for people rushing to the polls. I parked far away, anticipating no parking available at the church. Well as i walked to the church- and crossed a 3 street intersection there was hardly any parking. In fact, there were non- handicapped parking right in the front. I walk in- no line. There were 10 poll workers and 6 people voting. There were extra machines. I filled out a voter certificate and i was given a card and it took less than 4 minutes. It was too easy- There were no broken machines- nobody fighting, no one being denied a provisional. This shit was boring.

I left. I'm not political in the sense that I believe politicians make the changes. I don't think my vote really counts and i dont want to hear- 'what if everybody felt their vote didnt count'. I voted libertarian(you can do whatever you want were just not paying for it party) twice because i dont believe in the two party system. I'm not strategic, I vote for people whose views i share, are earnest and sincere even if they have no chance of winning. I usually vote democratic because of the social programs (or to try to get bush out of office) but I really dont think the democrats have done enough to get my vote. But maybe that'll change with them neing the majority.

But the good news is that I voted- and most important, I got a sticker

Pomegranate

Pomegranate
Originally uploaded by Alison G..

Fall is not my favorite season...Summer is. Anybody who has spent time in the Northeast knows that Fall is just another term for Winter. California has Autumn- Indian summers and all that niceness but I have been traumatized one too many times by Fall. Fall Field Hockey practices(in short skirts)- our cleats crunching through the icy grass, Trick or treating with a snowsuit on over your costume and raking every 3 days because the leaves rather commit suicide than subject themselves to a long winter...

But there are some highlights. I love pomegrantes(sp?) They used to remind me of red corn kernels and i loved popping them and feeling the juice squirt in my mouth. The other day at the store, I saw pre cut pomegrantes- i thought- well shit- that takes all the fun away. So i bought one home and peeled it myself, Savoring each kernel and trying not to stain the carpet... not as easy as it looks

WRRC 25 Years 002

WRRC 25 Years 002
Originally uploaded by Alison G..

The Womens Research and Resource Center had its 25th Anniversary last weekend- and I'm late with the blogging (to be late is unacceptable). I had a great time, even if i didnt make half the panels ( i have an extremely short attention span mixed with bad hearing). It didnt help that i was bitter and irritated at my camera that didnt come in time for me to get the good shots, but me and the canon powershot worked it out. Highlights included seeing some friends, seeing some friends, smelling the tailgate, seeing friends. The scholars, especially Leslie Feinberg whose book was hte only book i didnt resale to the bookstore when i took a queer theory course at UC Santa Cruz. Leslie had an amazing presence and actually particiapted in all the events. Bell Hooks- i really like her books...
It was exciting.

I have a few pics up. This one was taken by MoyB. It seems that people have found the flickr account but if not- you can click on the picture and it should take you to the rest of the WRRC 25th.

Until next time,
me

I have a feeling this is the beginning of a beautiful relationship

dark leaf II
Originally uploaded by ali_turtle.

Just got my new baby- a Nikon D50. To celebrate, I've decided to get this flickr account up and running so I can share some of the pics and hide others for just my friends and family(pretty much anyone who reads this blog)

This pic was taken in the middle of the night- not a bad flash sensor- and the sharpness, the clarity-Nikon is a bad mutha (shut yo mouth).OMG i'm so excited!!!! my hands can barely touch the keys- and ive only had it for a few hours!!!

I can't wait- I can't wait!!

This weekend is going to be insane!!! And I dont get I'm real interested and curious in seeing Leslie Feinberg in the context of Spelman's Women's Research and Resource center. Yesterday we ran into an old friend- she asked who I was excited to see this weekend- I said Moya. And I guess Dr. Guy-Sheftall because no matter how much I see her day to day, I never get tired of listening to her speak. NEVER.

Monday I went to the Homecoming Fashion Show...

(For some reason I still cant upload photos.) But i had a great time- even if it was a hot mess....

I'm so tired. I woke up early to do my little computer outreach project and one person showed up. She had alzheimers so nothing really stuck. It was interesting.... :) I have so much to do today- and after this, I still have to go to school and finsh some stuff over there. I prolly wont get back until about 8- thats 13 straight hours! Breathe deeply- it could be worse...

but soon im going to have my baby! They said she can be delivered tomorrow or Monday!!!! I'm so excited!!

whats progress

Its getting hard to avoid corporations. Each time corporations merge or get bought out- the customer has a smaller voice, fewer people have jobs etc. The US is homogenized- but hey I'm sure this isnt anything new to people. I miss when traveling to a different state meant getting different stuff- or there was something unique about it. Even simple stuff like hearing different music. And though i do notice a slight difference between hyphy ass 106 KMEL and Lean wit it V103, there isnt that much of a difference. There are so many developments in Atlanta- they all look the same. I like the older houses in Atlanta with the triangle attics and big porches. I like the big trees and lush lawns that spill over into the street and force me to walk in the street. i like the old Marta sign posts that even bus drivers dont know where they are. When I was younger and took a trip to Atlanta, I took a picture of them because they looked like miniature Washington monuments. I dont even pretend like i'm from Atlanta, according to the census, something like half the people in Atlanta aren't from here. Atlanta natives are a hard find at times. If i were from here- i would be pissed..


I digress...

AT&T is trying to- or about to about out BellSouth- i'm not really excited. They say a few thousand jobs will be lost. This shit happens everywhere. I could go on this isnt any new insight.

Recently we've had some problems with the Digital cable. Half the channels were blocked off. Actually they're still not working and its 2 days later. I have called comcast twice and the first time i was put on hold for 23 minutes- only to get hung up on. I called back and got a recorded message that said- were experiencing difficulties and then the phone just hung up. So then i called back and instead of saying i needed assistance, i pushed 2 for 'If you are interested in starting service' I was immediately connected, only to give my piece of mind to an operator who problably hads little to do with the problem. you cant even complain to comcast? what kind of business shit is that? Well i already know the answer to it.

Yesterday I recieved a new cell phone in the mail. Unfortunately it was the wrong phone. so i called Tmobile and after i selected 1 for English- I was immediately connected to a service person. Have you ever called somewhere expecting a machine and someone picks up? Its so rare i didnt even know what to say. I told him the problem- he looked up and ADMITTED they had sent the wrong phone. He APOLOGIZED(it was sincere) and credited my account and put a new one in the mail. He also suggested some new phones that might be cheaper.
????

I was so shocked. The whole transaction took less than 5 minutes. It was beautiful.
So this is my list of companies that i deal with and how there service compares with customer service. This is subject to change the next time i have to call them. this is strictly based on callnig them- not their services

Excellent Customer Service
Southwest Airlines
T-Mobile
Sushi Ave, Figo Pasta Decatur and

Decent
Scana Energy- not always nice but they usually work shit out
Salvation Army-They would get a better grade if they didnt talk so much.

Bearable
Bank of america- (the operators are fake nice but usually im mad because b of A fucked up my account and they dont fix it)
Rent-a-center - i called them to pick up the speakers after the party and he kept asking how i looked and how he is looking for a girlfriend

Needs to be shot at
COMCAST
DELTA
SPRINT- I hate when people, who are clearly not in the US call and say their name is Jack Brown and can barely pronounce it. i dont mind accents- i do mind liars.

Here are my tips- theres a website that has all the phone keystrokes to get you to a human. find it.

When dining- dine with white people(or moya because everybody seems to love her), bring a journal and pretend youre taking notes or a camera so you look like a food critic.

Complain youre ass off. Remember PUSH (Pray until something happens) The same applies here.

one thing leads to another

Anmother Milestone
The other day i went to Walgreens to pick up another 500 picture binder bringing my total picture count to more than 2000 pictures. So i have more than 2000 pictures since the 8th grade. Damn. I have pics from my 8th grade semiformal- this was an important time in my life because it was here that i made the transistion from glasses and corn rows to long silky black hair and contacts. All in a matter of a few weeks. I had had thick glasses (i have a -6.00 contact prescription) since elementary school and this was the first time i could look in the mirror and see myself without glasses. And that coupled with my new perm- i swear i looked like a princess

(speaking of hair. I dont know what the hell to do with mine. My friend Uzo-amaka is gone so i no longer have a personal natural hair stylist, (as if they are so hard to find in Atlanta). An afro is a whole lotta work-so i decided to just lock it back up so i dont have to deal with it every day...more on that later)


Idle hands are a devils workshop...
So i picked up a little freelance gig yesterday (one of these i-woulda-done-it-for-you-free- but-since-you-offered-to-pay-me... situations) But im really excited because its enough money to finally be able to purchase that camera ive been dreaming about!!!!!!!

Yesterday I bit my tongue to go see a free screening of the movie Catch a Fire about a South African man who blew up the water treatment plant to protest apartheid. Its based on a true story and the guy who the film was based on was at the screening along with Derek Luke(oh he's so cute). Afterwards, there was a question and answer period(I'm not a big fan of Q & A's) where some white people got up and said some of the dumbest shit i've heard...

Well i've been kinda lax with the photos lately. But I swear if i get a new camera- y'all will be so sick of seeing pics- i might have to move my blog to flikr. Here are some October pics

.....

....

So blogger doesnt want to upload my pics- well i guess there wont be any pics today. I really need to figure out how to get the flickr on the blog thing together

I was made to love her

or was she made to have me.

So for awhile i've had this slight obessesion with a camera. Her silver body with all the right curves, 10 megapixels of pure beauty. Everytime i go into Ritz Camera to pick up my prints, she whistles at me like a crack whore from her spot on the second shelf behind the glass.

"Alison baby, take me home, ill do things to you...."

"naw" i say, i have a wife and two kids at home I have a private education to finance

I look at her longingly from the line as she dances on a pole in front of me- shaking her goods side to side. I stand there, bills in my hand ready to tip her and hopefully bring her home. But the bouncer Ritz camera sales boy stares at me- reminding me to keep a safe distance.

For monthes i pick up the Ritz camera sales quarterly, scanning the pages like a dirty magazine. Cutting out pics and hanging them on my mirror- 'one day ill have you, just you wait. Imma rescue you from the Decatur store and we can live together and frolick in the hills...'

i pick up my prints and turn around for one more glance of her. She winks at me

next time baby,

next time

*i learned from summer the strikethrough
*I learned from jalylah the importance of astericks at the bottom of the post

The freaks come out at night.

Tonight was a full moon. I'm a moon fanatic. And though im fron the west coast and love watching sunsets over oceans and bays, there is something ever so fascinating about this giant white ball sitting in the sky. It changes shape, sometimes you cant even see it but its there. It reminds me of the passage of time. Its no coincedence that womens cycles are 28 days as well.
It controls oceans...Need i say more.

During my sleepless nights i see the moon peeking at me, waiting patiently for me to close my eyes and loose myself in slumber. Sometimes i do, sometimes i dont, but through the blinds its always there...



I wish i had a telescope, especially with a camera at the end, but i dont. But that didnt stop me from snapping a picture with my trusty digi cam....

I don't get it

I mean wasnt the first one annoying enough?

Can I please graduate

Why is this shit taking so long. Let me rephrase this question, why am I dragging this shit out? Why are most of my friends in Ph.D. programs and I have yet to get out of undergrad?

So a few weeks ago I was with my friend, we were going to Georgia State so that she could get me one of those seriously underpriced MARTA cards. I was looking around thinking hmmm should i transfer here? Its a much better enviroment for a student over the age of 23. I could focus on classes minus the social. I could take some fascinating classes that you can only take at a state school. And lastly, Georgia State is less than 3000 dollars a semester for tuition. Simply a matter of economics. Spelman avergaes about 7000 semester. Shit my americorps stipend would almost clear out a semesters full-time tution at GSU.

MY reasons for staying at Spelman are quite superficial. Really the only reason i'm staying is because I want SPELMAN on my diploma. In addition- I have met some fabulous people and great friends and learned a lot about feminism. Its also nice to be in an all black classroom. Spelman can feel very familial at times. Most of all I worked to hard to get here- I need to commit to something, follow through and graduate. It is something that i'm very bad at doing. I usually get within inches and then somehow pull out.... I've got to finish this race.

But GSU, is a great school. It has some classes that I find really interesting. It's a quite a bargain. I can just go to class then come home- no socializing required. They have great facilites (gym and performance halls) and all kinds of other goodies. Plus I can get a cheap MARTA card(hey thats a deal breaker).

So thats whats been circulating in my head lately.

Other things:

I stole another another newspaper from the MARTA station this morning(money collector thing sometimes doesnt work so you can just pull it open and grab a paper. The station agent tried to yell at me but i responded 'it didnt want my money 'then took off like an arthritic track star. Off all the things i could shoplift, I choose a newspaper? I'm gangsta forreal)

But really, how are you gonna act all brand new when the machine takes my money, like you have nothing to do with the AJC but then act all crunk and committed when i take a paper for free.

I'm just saying.

One last thing. It is 75 degrees out and the library still wants to blast the air condition. Why do people insist on putting on ac in the winter time? I am not a piece of meat that needs to be shipped across the country so why do i feel like one in this 61 degree computer lab? I HATE HATE HATE AC. AC should only be used when it is 85 or over. And even then it should be used sparingly. I fucking have goosebumps!!!

until later- when i'm feeling decisive...

me

BWD

Blogging while Drunk

well not exactly- just slightly lifted

It's 3:25 am and i have resorted to a glass of Vodka and Madea goes to Jail to try to encourage some sleep. But damn, Madea is too funny. Or is it because i've been drinking?

Nah- this shit is hilarious

I did two weeks with blockbuster internet movie delivery- I did the free trial (suckas!!) then promptly quit after two weeks and now i'm on Netflix's trial even though if I want something bad enough- i will alter MB's quene and some how my movies rise to the top. Netflix is cool though- I'm on the 5 at a time plan which will end next Saturday at 12:01

So next up I have a slew of documentarys including:

Lost Boys of Sudan- Kinda like a real life "Coming to America" okay maybe not.

Trekkies 2- A follow up doc to trekkies, a movie about trekkies

A life without Pain- I seent this girl on Oprah not to long ago- she didnt feel pain and it was rough

and Madea (which moya has repeatedly knocked off her Quene evrytime i sneak it on there)

Okay so if i dont blog for a second its because im trying to see every movie on Netflix that i can before next Saturday

Damn-still aint sleepy.

A house is not a home

My grandparents had their 55th anniversary today. They have been married 55 years-DAMN. when I was 2 years old I went to live with my grandparents- they have lived in the same house for more than 50 years. They raised two girlls- both girls who got married and each had two girls. There are no uncles on that side of the family, no boy cousins, just four little girls.

This post aint really deep.

But I love my grandparents, they filled in the gaps- paid for gymnastics lessons, team uniforms, violin lessons and sent me long johns in the long Boston Winter. When we were in a car accident 1 year after moving to Boston, My grandmother hopped on a plane and stayed in Boston to care for my sister and I while my mom was in the hospital. My grandfather was my first track coach, at age 4 he brought me across the street and had me running through a vacant field while he held his stop watch to see if i was getting any faster. When I decided I wanted to do little league, he pulled out his old wooden bat and took me to the park to teach me the technique. My grandfather was an archivist, but not really a historian. He still has some of the early videos of my birthday parties, my first solo at church and even vacations.

I dont know who i would be without them.

#45

Students protest Spelman's silence on rumors of rape


I don't even know what to say

9/20

8:45 a.m. Wake up to the Today show

9:oo-a.m play around with my hair until my hair and I come to an agreeable style...my hair usually wins

9:30 Walk out house to catch the bus to the train station

9:31 Chase the bus down the street because its early

9:31 Bus drivers laughs "get a good workout?' he asks

9:42 arrive at Marta station-the AJC newspaper vending machine takes my money but wont give me a paper which sends me into a violent rage

9:46 still no paper

10:00 Give up and go catch my train with no paper. Instead i read a brochure about a new Schizophrenia medication the whole ride there

10:37:Arrive at work with no badge- New security guard doesnt recognize me and is forced to call someone downstairs to let me in

10:45 -Make it upstairs to the computer lab where one patron is overjoyed to see me-

11:00-7 people in the lab needing one on one assistance and I'm the only one there

1:30-Tired and exhausted- the Womens Health Initiative,( a work program for women recieving TANF) shows up for their class which I end up teaching

3:00-Class is over and I am in serious need of a break so I call it a day and go home

3:05-I remember I have to email women about outreach so I spend another 30 minutes working on outreach

3:30- I meet Jazmine downtown and start the 50 minute commute back home

4:30- I make it back just in time to see the second half of Oprah and the Jim McGreevey interview

6:20- MB comes an we go to the grocery store

7:00-MB cooks spaghetti and I eat my first meal of the day

8:00- I email potential References asking if I can use them, polish up resume and compose a coverletter

9:00-watch a little miscellaneous TV- including nip/tuck

11:57- Assist MB with her PowerPoint Presentation

12:30 Katt Williams special on HBO

2:15 decide to write in my blog

According to my clock it is 4:01 am---and yet I'm still not tired

sighhhhh

I'm still here

I'm not dead

SI'm not in the mood for writing anything deep right now. Its 2 am and tomorrow i dont have to wake up early because Wednesdays are my sanity days. My little slice of paradise in the middle of the week.

So I'm just going to list a few things that make me happy.

My mother,
my father
My 6 year old sister who made 5 goals in her last soccer game
My 21 year old sister who is on track to graduate soon
The rest of my family and friends
My health (considering i dont have health insurance)
My Marta Pass to the world
ATM machines that still give out 10 dollar bills
Bank of Americas check scanner on the ATM
Patrons who already have their resume on a disk and just need help attaching it to an email
The 30 dollar library fine that I managed to get knocked off my card
Lower gas prices 2.19 ATL as of 9/19
Idlewild Soundtrack and Hollywood Divorce
Project Runway
Katt Williams
Star Trek The Next Generation and Deep Space Nine....I dont fuck with Enterprise yet
Fayetteville Ark (especially Dickson St and Hornsby Drive)
Jeans and T-shirts
My AmeriCorps Team, the ones that are still standing
God/Nature
Good questionsThoughtful answers,
New Job opportunities
Noah's Ark-especially Noahs fine ass
Moyas cooking- especally her pastas

and the list goes on...I'll add to it later

Movin on up

Have you ever seen your house naked? Today I stood in my house waiting for Hafeeza to roll up and help me move the matresses out. There was nothing there- just my infamous matresses that just yesterday seemed to be making the trek from Alysia's house, in Ambers rental truck down Peachtree, to my house where i turned 15 backflips. It sat there- saw its share of company, friends, family and then they were reloaded onto Hafeezas black pick up truck(if u look closely you can see them in the pics) where we delivered them to its current location.

I will miss my house, isnt she cute? Her hard wood floors and wood molding. Her nonfunctioning fireplaces and exposed light fixtures. Her big kitchen where my roomate would make me meals because i couldnt cook. The large windows and porch and yard. I wont miss her shabby insulation and cracks where those giant flying roaches would crawl under the door and fly into the house like a pigeon in a subway station. I wont miss that $358.00 heat bill that came during christmas and stole all my christmas money.

I had neighbors- not to be confused with people-who-live-next-door. We once called our neighbor over at 11 pm to kill this scary ass bug that was too high for even my 5'10 roomate to reach. When he came over he laughed at us west coast transplants hiding in the corner and shreaking everytime the bug moved.

My roomate has moved on- found another place after doing the impossible. I will truly miss her. And of course the dog who had more friends than me and Feeza combined.

I'm so sad- I miss my house already :(...

If i could get paid in thank yous

Then i'd be set. But of course that shit dont pay the rent. Today i did get two hugs and some nice comments from some great patrons,

Last week Moya came and volunteered with me- she helped so much. She's a natural.

I'm looking for a new place-moving out in two weeks. Having to say goodbye to a beautiful home and a great roommate...tear

All the new places are either too expnsive, roomates are kinda wierd or male, too many goddamn people living there, not near a MARTA station or damn near in Alabama. My current house is a lovely two bungelow with a huge kitchen and hardwood floors in the West End minutes away from the city. I think i got spoiled by having just one roomate who was similar in age. That can make a huge different.

I havnt had a white roomate since that crazy broad at UC Santa Cruz from Fresno who hung up on my mother when she called or the other roomate who wore cat ears around and decorated our room with Death Metal posters...Yeah that shit lasted a good week.

This post is rambling.

So back to apt hunting. Now im all picky. I want a two bedroom house preferable with hardwood floors, near a MARTA station- but not so far that no one can visit. I would like a cable set-up, utilities included, all electric, fun loving roomate with minimal 'guests', something that resembles a backyard, a porch, a good neighborhood where i can concievably walk at night without ending up on the 5 o'clock news or casket...just something nice and stable.

Got futon, will travel!

I want you forever....

I dont know shit about pool

This blog isnt really about anything.
Thursday i took a mental day from work-to presearve my sanity for the upcoming week. Though i love working them- the situation is becoming incresingly difficult. Sometimes i'm on the verge of quitting but then a patron thanks me and i feel guilty for even entertaining those thoughts. Sigh. Damn conscience.
The weeknd was cool. F iona had her book release party, I'm so very proud of her. Moya cooked a killer lasagna . I was able to connect with a few people i hadnt seen in awhile, visited friends. Aghh-didnt get to go swimming though.
Tomorrow im beginning my water aerobics course to get into shape. I'm beinning to feel like a potato. I should not be huffing and puffing up a flight of stairs.

Thats all- im leaving you with pics of us playing pool-this shit is real amusing...at least to me. Black Kortney takes a shot at the White ball

Shan shows us how its done ATL style

MB holds it down for the lefties with Jaz and Gazelle by her side

A little homesick (02478)

Sometimes i get homesick- like when I see Boston on TV or when I asked Jazmine this morning for a strahrw. I can instantly hear Downtown Boston, the load hard accents, the snowplows scraping the streets, the 'T' screeching on the tracks, the way the coins hit the bus fair box, the sirens that go off when theres a snowday, the smell of clam chowda, the taste of whole clams(not to be confused with clam strips), the feel of snow creeping into my rubber boots...

my childhood, frozen in time

I want ot go back so bad...

Pride can be so anticlimatic

just like anything really, spring break, 21st birthdays, graduation, life...

Like you know how you and your friends spend hours getting your hair ready, trying on 5 different outfits and putting on makeup b4 going to the club and then when you get there its like...why was it more fun getting ready with your friends than the club itself. Maybe it was the anticipation....or maybe its just me.

It's always, i can't wait to go to pride! There's gonna be HELLA girls, and we gonna be out partying all night long, its gonna be fuckin bananas!!

And then pride comes...and then it goes.and yeah..or maybe its just me

It wasnt prides' fault this year that it rained all weekend which made me want to be around the homos even less than i ordinarily do. And neither do i mean to say that i dont have fun.I just think that a lot of times over anticipation leads to disappointent.

but sometimes joy pops out when you least expect it. And thats what keeps me from being too pessimistic.

This pride i went to two great house parties and spent some time with Alysia and her sisters. I didnt make it to the park, or the club or even the parade.

It was my favorite pride ever.

Suga suga, That's my sista

She said sprinkle me sprinkle me..

(For real that song came out 11 years ago? Who knew that the highlight of my trip to the bay would be hearing E-40 blasting in downtown oakland)

The girl under the sprinkler is my littlest sister. Six year olds can appreciate a sprinkler on a hot day. A six year old can, in the middle of the day and without warning, run upstairs, find her bathing suit at the bottom of her drawer and throw it on in less than 60 seconds with the suggestion that she may be able to go outside. Said kindergarten gradute can, with all her strength, pull a woman twice her weight and 4 times her age outside to enjoy the sprinkler with her...


Sure we have mothers day and fathers day-maybe ill create me a holiday just for sisters and it isnt limited to biological sisters. She's not heavy, she's my sister...

(Peep the gold slippers with the tube socks, thats what i'm talkin about :))

East Point and we gone

Today i woke up early- because I was supposed to go to East Point library and teach this class. It takes an hour on the marta to get there from where I stay. Its a fucking ridiculous commute but thats besides the point.

I just barely missed the bus- i ran- with my best track skills combined with my arthritic knees and tried to catch it but failed. Just choked in the brown exhaust it blew in my face.

Theres no recourse- had to wait 20 minutes for the next one.

I sat on the train angry at myself, watching the minutes tick by resisting hearing shoulda coulda wouldas in my head. When i got to the train, the station was installing their breeze system forcing me to walk around the entire opposite end of the station just to get out...insult to injury right? I dont make excuses but I' hate when i mess up. I sat there on the train nervous- for being late and about teaching this class by myself. I got there- they were all there, ready to learn. Out of breath i started my course.

It's all over and the only thing i can do at this point is do better next time.

I fdont know how my teach for america roomate teaches everyday to second graders. I would kill myself.

look i'm online

I'm so tired. Tomorrow i have to get on that plane. Flying takes a lot of mental energy for me- i'm so afraid of flying. I might try to get drunk and pass out- thats what i usually do.

Tomorrow ill get to see family. My cuz is graduating stanford. Favorite is already out there, im dying to take her around the 'town'. And ill get to see how hyphy Angel has gotten since she moved there a year ago to this month.

Bay food, bay music, east bay, bay weather, bay views, bay clubs, bay gays and bay fam.

sincerely yours

Sunday i had the fortune of hanging out with some people i havnt spent time with in a looong time. We had fun- danced. I met my twin. A young woman from South Carolina who looks eerily similar to me and also mannerisms.

Speaking of sisters- i get to see them...alll of them this weekend. I love my sisters. I am so blessed. I also get to see my paretns(both of them) grandparents, aunties...a mini 5 day family reunion.

Work is tiring, i'm really looking forward to going on this break. And thouhg i love it and enjoy the patrons, sometimes i feel like i'm on the verge of burning out. Sometimes its like my patience is being set on fire,

Alysia came by and latchooked my hair all up so that i can resume jumping into the pool every 3 days without all my hair unraveling.

I'm back in glasses. I'm trying to save up to go to the optometrist and get a new prescription so that i can actually see.

I'm moving soon- from my beautiful West end neighborhood to a not yet determined location- prolly inman square or that neighborhood. Its going to be a hard parting- the west end-my room w/ fireplace and porch. So many memmries and friends who came through there. And my roomate.,,

Oh Kathy griffin is on- gotta go

Ali's Sun

I havnt been blogging lately mostly because its been so nice out. That hot humid Georgia heat is starting to creep in and i walk around in shorts and tanks, my brow wet with sweat, the stearing wheel burning my hands. It isnt hot enough for that air condition but just give me a few weeks.
My skin is starting to get that black girl summer glow, and being someone who is a (not-so) undercover nudist, its giving me an excuse to walk around in nearly nothing.

Last week we jumped in the pool with Alysia. Floated on our backs and let the water hit our hair. My(our) hair is starting brush the top of my back and i can even put most of it back..(okay 80%- im still working with the bobby pins.) They've come a long way. Sometimes i contemplate coming them out then i remeber my natural hair and how much maintenance it took to keep it out my face. I really hate hair being in my face- sometimes i used to swat at my bangs thinking they were bugs flying in my face...

Work is lovely. I find myself enjoying teaching classes- its not so bad. I taught a class in East Point Atlanta to 8 seniors who were crunk as hell to be on the computer. They were a great bunch 7 ladies 1gentlemen. Since school is out, i been looking for another job. This morning i had an interview for a postition(another library) that i semi want though the pay is good and there are benefits. There were 100 applicants for 2 positions and they finish interviews on Monday. My interview went alright, they asked me like 4 questions, ( what do you plan to do with your degree? how do you go about establishing credibility within your new work enviroment? give an example of a time you were detail oriented? and two more about previous jobs i had.) I gave answers, i was excitied because i had a similar position at the Berkeley Public Library so most of what the job required i had already done before. One of the interviwers seemed interested, the other one, looked like she was not feeling me at all. So i dont know how well i did. I hope i didnt come off as insincere or a know it all. I talked more than i usually do.

The Gemini JAM Birthday party turned out to be a lot of fun. i was stressed as usual, hoping that the BBQ pit wouldnt blow up or someone break a window or some other freak accident. Alysia and I started the evening with a watermelon seed spitting contest though we promptly ended when we realized that the white people were eyeing us suspiciously.

the rest of the night was music, spades and bbq boca burgers. It was great seeing people and i have a few pics to put up.

So thats been my week

i'll be in cali soon-seeingfamily and old friends

life is good today

TO MY FAVORITE

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

Until I can save up for a new one, ol trusty by my side

If you cant be with the one you love

Love the one your with

Ain't no sunshine when she's gone...

so shes gone again. Washinton DC stole her for the weekend, Its quiet, its lonely- great time for introspection. I guess.

Moya has about 200 friends(exagerration but not really)- thats about 195 more than i do. I've never had many friends, i usually pick up maybe 1 or two good ones whenever i move. Moving to Atlanta proved to be interesting. In a 4 year college with 2000 other black women. A bit overwhelming.

So in January of 2005, I wandered into her room like a stray dog looking for some company. I knew her only as the girl who had been nice to me at lunch despite my ackward attempts at small talk. She invited me in and we talked and i knew i had a friend...

So i had one whole friend. I was happy. And besides, with my one friend i had already met 50% of my friend quota.

time went by, i went from being nobody to 'that girl whose always with Moya'. Her friends had their suspicions about me...(um moya, who is this girl and does she actually talk??)... A few befriended me- like Alysia. Some were just nice to me out of politeness. But they were still and always will be, her friends. I have never consdeed her friends to necessarily be my friends but sometimes being around all the time them gives me the illusion that they are.

I guess what im trying to say is that when moya leaves, its like she takes all her friends with her. Like the Verizon network. And sometimes i get lonely. Like today when the phone never really rang, exceptmy mom. I sat and watched some tv, ate and thought about the 4 friends i really have and called them.

theres no point to this blog entry except to say that i really miss her. and that i need to make some friends- though im not really great at it. When i asked moya how to make friends, she laughed her usual gentle laugh and replied, 'well you can start by answering your phone when one of them calls you'.'and if by chance you actually talk to them, stop putting the phone on speaker and saying uh huh every 7 seconds while watching tv'

really moya..that easy?

ain't no sunshine when she's gone/ and she's always gone too long/anytime she goes away

I interrupt your day to announce...

I have a gray hair!!!

I was washing my hair just getting ready to pin it up and i ran across this little sucker. I am 23 years old! not 73. I immediately called my dad to complain. ..he just laughed like it was the funniest shit in the world. He claims he never saw a gray hair on his head until he was well into his 30's. I then called my mom to see if she gave me the defective early silver gene. no luck there. As i continued pinning my hair, i found 3 more!

Well are you gonna pluck it? she asked...

Naw,

it's kinda cute. sittin up there all by itself. Looking all confused. she is the wise one. and besides gray hair is like natures highlights...

:)

thats all,

me

Up above ma' head, I hear music in de air

There must be a God somewhere...

Moya left for the week. I forget how much of a friend she is to me sometimes, and when shes gone, I'm lost fumbling around like a lost monkey. A pathetic site to behold. But she came back...small miracles.

I was driving my friends car the other night. The tire blew out on Peachtree. After arguing with crackheads for 25 minutes as one of them picked it up and tried to resale the hubcap back to me for 5.00, I managed to get the car into a drivethrough. Lucky for me- there were two lovely young men around 22 years of ag (complete with white tees and gold teeth)who helped me crank the car up high enough to change the tire. Sometimes in the midst of things, I forget about that good southern comfort. And thanlks to my dad who again bailed me out of a potential disaster..

Alysia graduated and treated us to maggianos. Yum yum. I'm so very happy for her as I await my own march down that isle...

This blog aint finished but i gotta go.

peace

Take that David Blaine

Awww early Georgia spring

so yes im late to get on the bandwagon

my coworkers/teammates managed to get me onto ebay.

Thus began the end of my life.
Skeptical at first(um how do i know these fools are going to send this shit?, and exactly how does the payment work? ) I called my dad to get the go ahead. ( I trust that he wouldntset me up to be the victim of identity theft)

-I have purchased a set of balls to
juggle with $.99

-a pair of abercrombie khaki pants that actually fit my short legs 1.59

-11 pairs of stud earrings from claires $.99

-Block Party SDTK for $.99(and i never buy cd's...thats what limewire is for)

-a spelman shirt for$.79

-a brandnew navy blue polo shirt $9.00

not doing so bad. This solves a few of my problems...not having money, my intense hatred of malls. I like the idea of paying 5 dollars to some 13 year old white girl who shoplifted a polo from the hollister store in colorado. Its an industry i dont mind supporting.

Now im searching around my house looking for stuff to sell off...

So i have this job which puts me on the computer for about 5 hours out of the day and gives me ample time to follow auctions. I've learned the art of getting on ebay and stealing something 15 seconds before the auction ends. Evil villain laugh....

im pleased to say, everything came in under 6 days...usually 3 days. Nothing looked like it had been malled(sp). The clothes generally fit. No complaints yet...well maybe the shipping charges.

So ive dedicated this year to stepping out my comfort zones. Why not. When my friends and I were talking along the pool, my diving coach, used to walk behind us and push usinto the water talkin bout the water is yout friend.
Muthafucka
but the 6 times in gym were enough to demystify the water. At least for me to dive into it backwards


Since January ive been trying to remove the word 'can't(usually disguised as im not the kinda person who will...") and just going for it. Today was another step. I facilitated a discussion at school. 4 students. Small step.

I'm have patience for days yet when it comes to myself...

This month has taken me all over the place. From female breakers, to Spelman's 125th. From down jackets to a bikini. Agnes Scott to Emory to Pam's bros house. My first anti war march followed by the march for women. I went to a Common concert, helped Dr. McFadden cook Tofu and sipped wine and absolut vodka. Taught 3 different classes at the library, went to a pool party and tanned at Candler Park. And all that shit was free.

April- makes me feel so aliiiive!

For the first time iin a long time im feeling optimistic.

misunderstandings

I'm not quiet. Moya will tell you thatI talk to much. That i never shut the hell up. Funny how that is.

She likes people- Im sort of indifferent to them. I dont always understand why we get along.

Its been so warm out. I'm starting to tan. I got my first mosquito bite.
Took another journey through Atlanta on a bus. Ended up at a pool prty with 400 pther people. But I left after realizing it wasnt my scene. Theres much power in realizing that you dont want to be someplace and leaving. Not that i'm one to stick around or linger...

My insomnia is back which is why im typing this

There isnt a such thing as news anymore

I've had to take a lot of pictures off my site because its taking too long to load. Its unfortunate because I cant write.

I revisited my past today because Boston is smaller that Atlanta.

The tetris game on my phone is more addictive than crack/myspace

Sometimes the hardest thing is dealing with myself.

Easter is tomorrow. When i was younger I told my Sunday school teacher that I didnt understand Jesus. To this day, I've never gotten a good answer. Easter doesnt make any sense to me. And i know it should.

I need to get my eyebrows done. I look like a grizzly bear.

Its 3am

to Spelman on her 125th

Pearl Cleage began her poem asking the sudience to reflect on their first day of Spelman. To remember coming in as first years and walking through the gates. Moving into their first dorms. It was a beautiful poem. My first day of Spelman involved me wandering around Five Points MARTA station asking how to get to Spelman. Which bus to take. I remeber it was a cold January morning and all I had was a flier that said come to orientation. I didnt have housing, or a place to live, just the admission letter and 1000 my dad had given me to find a place to live. The bus driver missed my stop and gave me a pass to turn around and go the other direction. I wandered through what I thought was Spelman which was actually Clark. School hadnt started so the campus was ghost. I squeezed my tiny body through the gates and found Cosby.

I found my way to lower level Cosby- hte girl politely handed me a transfer packet. 6 pages long and handed me a folder for my parents. I told them my parents werent able to come and she was like 'well thats okay'. I walked in the room with 15 other girls and their parents and sat in the back row. I was sad, though not that much. I was grown. For the first time I was anxious. With no place to live or my parents I was suddenly scared of getting lost. When the nurse pulled me aside and said i needed health clearance. I told her that I had no idea where my vaccination record was. She looked at me and told me that I would not be able to stay on campus in emergency housing until I retook those 12 shots. Thr shouts were going to cost 500.00 if i got them done at Spelman. She suggested I go to College Park and get them all done for 200.00. Yeah, but where the hell is College Park and I dont have a car.

Thats not what stands out in my mind about my first day. Another girl from Ohio needed to get some shots too. she and her entire family had driven down from Cincinatti to drop her off. Her mother saw the nurse talking to me and she asked me if i needed a rided to the clinic in college park. I said, sure. We squeezed in her car and drove down to the first clinic. They were closed. Droce to the second clinic, they didnt have the meningitis shot. Drove to the third, and the mother ,a pharmecutical saleswoman for Merck, somehow managed to talk the nurses into staying just a little longer so that we could get our shots. When she saw me counting cash, she instructed me to pay as much as I could and she would pay for the rest. I put down 100 she put down 200. And she didnt even know me

Spelman College turned 125 today. 5 generations 9 presidents. Still educating Black women. 125 thats old but thats young. in 1981- the school turned 100. I look at old pictures in the archives, stare at Harriet Giles old faded journals and listen to the hollow steps of Rockafeller. I see pictures of my old dorm room in old pictures and think about the women before me. Maybe thats just me- I am in love with history. But it means something to me....

Spelman College, this is not the Oscars
Yesterday the college hosted its grand celebration at the Ocean Ballroom of the brand spanking new Georgia Aquarium. It was 250.00 a head. Moya, with some strategic planning, managed to sneak me in through the backdoor and seat me at a table in the front row between Susan Taylor and Mc Lyte.
Words cant describe the venue.( I'll try my best to describe it in words becaue my shoes made my feet hurt and low batteries made it impossbile to walk around and get good images) The walls were actually fishtanks to the aquarium so every so often a big beluga whale or giant sea turtle would float past. The stage had a cascading waterfall with the Spelman logo projected onto it. The ceiling would change color throughout the night while maintaining this beautiful sea Blue. There were video feeds and closed captioning. A five course meal with wine. I recieved a gift bag with signature Spelman pen and other goodies.

Mostly alums in their shimmery dresses. Felt like a bougies ass prom. It was supposed to run from 7:30-10pm. yet it didnt start until 9pm and lasted until 12am. I'm sure theyll have pictures on the website soon. but here are a few of my own.

Don't save her, she dont wanna be saved"

Ooooh its sooooo hot.
I'm burning up down here.

(As I put down my glass of sweet tea while sitting on my porch)

Let me cool down and jump in a pool.

naaaw

Ill just listen to the birds chirp, the bees buzz and call all my friends in the 50 degree areas and ask them to send some sunscreen.

Is that mean?hehhehehehhe

So i went to my first protest. Despite living in the bay where the anti war marches can easily top 500,000 people, i have never actually participated in one. Being the crab that i am, i decided to ditch my shell and join in. Of course my camera had to come along.
Overall the march was good. Eye opening. It went through low income areas which was real difficult for me to deal with. On the one hand- us, the marchers were marching through the streets yelling 'this is what democracy looks like!!' while some o the poorer residents stood outside and watched us. Some marchers ignored the residents, while others waved at them like they were in a parade(white people be killin me sometimes!). Part of me wishes we hadnt marched through those areas while another part of me feels like we needed to see that area. But while were yelling stop the war in iraq, there were problems as close as the uneven pavement we walked on.

If you are wondering what some of these pics are.
Mostly friends and other BLACK people(i want to make sure to note that WE were there.) If you were wondering what happened to Ms. Scott-King, she is resting peacefully at the king center. Some pics are of us marching through the neighborhoods. One is of Sarah making a speech. and the rest you just gotta figure out for yourself.
-alii

My camera be misbehavin

and im pissed because it was during toni cade when it decided to break.

So i didnt get those good papparatzi shots

some i was able to salvage.

(aren't we just a colorful bunch?)