My Focus for the New Year

It's a new day my beautiful people. Happy New Year and be blessed!

This year has been surprisingly robust, sometimes challenging, but altogether a blessing for me. This blog has definitely helped me grow as a woman, intellectual, student, sister, daughter, and as a friend. I thank you so much for sticking around, taking the time out to read our thoughts, and just being involved with our growth as women. 

As my friend Zipporah let it be known; the term "resolutions" is like setting your self up to fail. So I don't have any New Year's Resolutions. I have foci. And yes that is a word.  Here are my Foci for the New Year. And of course, you all will be some of the first to know when I succeed and fail. It's a process and hopefully I'll be successful and able to maintain focus.

1. Have my own place. It's nice (and basically free- though I do help with bills) living at home, but I need some freedom. I'm a grown ass woman (I like to tell myself) and it's time for me to be able to fully do me. Because we all know that all of us hide some of ourselves from our parents. 

2. Lose 40 lbs. So I totally fell off my Kanye West Workout Plan and have just had a glorious time eating and drinking whatever I could get my hands on. And this started before the holidays, so I have no excuses. I could blame the treadmill that broke a few months ago, but I was just too lazy to continue my exercise regime. But I'm definitely going to get back on the horse. It's past time.

3. No soda or juice (unless as a mixer) or candy. Following my previous vein of thought; when I started my workout plan I had cut out soda (though I usually only drink diet anyway), juice, and candy. And it was going splendidly. When I started that again....well let's just say it was an epic fail. So I need some discipline. And since I will continue to need a drink here and there, I'll only indulge in the sugary goodness when I need to booze.  

4. Water, water, water [1]. I am the absolute worst when it comes to drinking water. I can go a full day without having a glass, easily. We have a purified water pitcher at home that has helped me with drinking more water. And I take a bottle to work with me every day. But I need to increase my intake but at least 3 glasses a day. Hopefully that will help with my headaches/migraines. 

5. Pay off at least a third of my student loans. This one is definitely a must if I hope to count myself as being financially secure. I am accruing more loans from being in grad school, so I need to be a nice dent into the loans I already have. I've been doing really well so far and hopefully I can continue.

6. All A's in my classes. Dear Grad School. WTF are you so hard? I mean I finished my first quarter with a 3.85 GPA, so I'm not doing badly at all. But damn. Grad School is hard. 

Well my loves, that's it. I think it's a pretty reasonable list of foci. I just need to discipline myself and plow through it.

[1] I know y'all remember that. Those were the good ol' days of tv.
Forgive the spacing everyone. It took me a good 2 hours to get to the final product and I am far from happy. Not sure if it is blogger, the computer, or chrome.


Do You Have Any New Year's Foci?? Any last year regrets?

Happy New Year!!! The Year in Recap.

Oh Hey 2012. What's really good?

Happy New Year everyone! 

We'd like to thank you for all of your support in 2011. You have been good to us. Look out for even more thought provoking, humorous, and just random posts. We hope we can continue to make you laugh, cry, and inspire some aha moments.

So here is a recap of some of our (and your) favorite posts:

1. Safe Sex Commandments
2. Occupy Wall Street- My Story
3. Mississippi Goddam!!!
4. Pig-Pen
5. Why I Hate Chris Brown
6. Personal Libraries
7. PSA for Black Mothers
8. Facing Execution: The Story of Reggie Clemmons
9. Troy Davis: The Death of My Brother
10. Fiore Scott Files: When You Touch My Hair (Part 1)

There's plenty more of course and we will definitely have more to blog about as the year goes on. Thank you for hanging and escaping with us.


What were some of your favorite posts? 

Getting in the Mood: Holiday Music

So I'm definitely that person who starts listening to Christmas/Holiday music as soon as it gets cold or in the case for this year, as soon as the first snow falls. With our October "Nor'easter", snow coated the ground, and especially in my area it basically looked like a winter wonderland [1]. A large part of my was appalled, since it was not even November yet and because this more than likely means that this is going to be a cold ass winter[2]. The other smaller part of me welcomed it only because that means my favorite two holidays (other than my birthday of course) are approaching, Thanksgiving and Christmas. And so Christmas music is officially on deck.

As I watched the snow fall outside, I thought about my favorite holiday jams. The kind that make you all warm and toasty even when it's bitter cold outside and the kind that make you think of all the holiday memories you have with family and friends. Here are my top 10 Holiday Jams because it's never too early to enjoy some good music.

1. The Temptations- Silent Night

I believe that this is one of the greatest Christmas songs ever written/done. And what a group to do it. The soul that just comes through the speakers leaves me breathless every-time. This song always plays on Christmas eve at our house, filtering throughout the downstairs and I often catch myself just staring at our Christmas tree and swaying to the music. It's a beautiful beautiful song, and I love how they also focus on the Jesus aspect.

2. Vince Guaraldi- Peanuts- Oh Christmas Tree

I am one of the biggest fans of the Peanuts Gang (especially Snoopy and Woodstock) and their holiday movies are classics, and I fully believe the music definitely makes each movie even better. The Peanuts holiday soundtrack is ridiculously amazing and this one here is my favorite.

3. Donny Hathaway- This Christmas

Donny Hathaway has one of the most amazingly soulful voices. Unfortunately his life was too short but he managed to leave us with many gems, this being one of my favorites. That man can belt a tune and make you all warm and fuzzy inside. This is the song my siblings and I would come down the stairs to as my father taped us. Every year without fail (even now).

4. Thurl Ravenscroft- Mr. Grinch

What's a Christmas without some holiday cheer and the occasional grinch. Whether I'm feeling super happy or moody as hell, this song always reminds me of the wonderful childhood holidays. And sometimes I'm feeling extra grinchy and I'll have this song on blast so everyone knows how I'm feeling.

5. Nat King Cole- The Christmas Song

If you don't have this man's Christmas CD- GO BUY IT NOW. There I said it. I mean, this man had the voice. There is no Christmas without this song. (Sidenote: I also suggest listening to his other music. It. Is. Stellar. A favorite mine is Stardust.)

6. The Nightmare Before Christmas- What's This

I'm a huge fan of Tim Burton and this movie was the beginning. One of my favorite animated films. And the song is just so darn catchy.

7. Dean Martin- Baby It's Cold Outside

I have a love affair with Dean Martin. If I could go back in time...I would buy front row tickets to see him (and the Rat Pack) perform.This song is also perfect whenever I'm cold or it's snowing, like this past Saturday, and I'm feeling in a chilly silly mood.

8.The Drifters- White Christmas

I first heard this song when I watched Home Alone way back in the day as a youngin'. I only just realized found out that this group was black and it blew me away. It's actually quite interesting what popular 50s musicians/groups where actually black. Anyway, this song has always stuck with me and my father and I always end up singing this together, me taking the falsetto and him the bass. It's lovely.

9. The Temptations- Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

You can never have too much Temptations. And this song is another favorite of mine. Soulful and fun, this song always leaves me full of Holiday cheer. There have been many versions, but none have done it better. 

10. Kurtis Blow- Christmas Rappin'

I know every lyric to this song and am ready to start a soul train line whenever this comes on. This is my jam.



Honorable Mention: Adam Sandler- Chanukah Song

After hearing this song for the first time on Saturday Night Live, it has always stuck with me. It's witty and totally makes fun of how serious people take holidays. It never gets old.


So there you have it folks. I'm sure some of you *cough* Zipporah *cough* are complaining about it being too early for Christmas music. Whateva you bunch of Grinches. But to all of you out there who get it, this is for you. I may not be one of those people with Christmas decorations outside on November 1st (no shade) but you can bet that my speakers will be having some Christmas tunes blasting in between all my other music.

[1] I always thought this was a dumb name. 
[2] And you know how black folks feel about the cold.