Monday Recap

Happy Valentine's Day, bloggers. I meant to get on here yesterday and post, but yesterday turned into an all around lazy day. I don't think I could have summoned the energy to post, even if I tried. So, let's review:

FRIDAY: Friday started off pretty uneventful. I should say that LDR and I never even discussed Valentine's Day, and as such I had no expectations. I learned a while ago that if a dude can't show me how he likes/loves me the other 364 days, this one's not gonna make too much difference. LOL!

I was on the phone with a customer in Louisiana who was just as crazy as a bed bug. Really getting on my nerves...I was hungry and aggravated. I got an email from the receptionist stating there was a box for me at the front desk. And in the box was this:


I don't know how he does it, but he never gives away when he has some kind of surprise planned. I had no clue these were coming, and I had just spoken with him maybe an hour before they got here. He's slick! :) I gave away some of the chocolates, 'cause I'm not a big truffle fan, but they looked good.

Here's a pic of the flowers from yesterday, after some of them had opened up more:


Friday evening, I had a meet up with my Natural Hair Group, about natural home remedies. I'll have to do a separate blog on that. She gave some samples that could make their way into my regimen in the near future. I need to use up what I have so far. I was particularly happy to hear the info on dealing with PMS. I have ceased the use of hormonal BC, and now am dealing with the PMS symptoms I haven't dealt with since college. Yikes.

We got some snow that evening. I was supposed to go to a girls' night get together at a co-worker's house, but I refused to deal with the non-driving Charlotteans on the road. So I went home and got some rest.

SATURDAY: On Saturday I slept in. Bogey did not. She decided she wanted to wake me up with her purring and shenanigans. I got up and gave her some cat treats and then I got back in the bed! Then I remembered I wanted to come up to the job to work out. I sent Serenity_23 a text and she decided to meet me up there. LDR called and he wanted to know if I had checked my mail. Uh, no. Why? Now, I'll be the first to tell ya, I don't check my mail on a regular basis. It's generally bills and junk mail. I pay my bills online, and I throw out the junk mail. So pfffft. I told him I'd check it on the way to the gym. I did check, and there was a slip where the mailman had left a package in the leasing office. They weren't open, due to the weather, I assume. So I went on and worked out with Serenity, and then came back.

The package was a box from Dick's Sporting Goods, with a card. Now, he had told me he was going to Dick's to get himself some new sneakers. Sneaky, sneaky! I couldn't wait to open up the box. Inside were these items:


Let me tell you why this is sweet. 'Cause I know you're looking like, um...he sent you some workout gear? Yes, he did. But he sent me things I had casually mentioned in several conversations...heck, I forgot I even mentioned these things. I told him how I lost one of my gloves during the half marathon...I think I told him that in December. I've been running outside since then, and I don't recall complaining about my hands being cold, but maybe I did and I was rambling and just don't remember. He knows I can't stand wearing hats, and I know I have talked about my ears being cold, so he sent the ear warmer. I remember one day he asked me what I was wearing to work out, and I mentioned some crop pants...and that I needed some more. And then, the 'Cuse t-shirt, 'cause sometimes you gotta rep the home town. :) Bigger than the presents is the fact that he LISTENS to me. Even though my rambling and giggling and whatever else, it's like he's sitting there making little mental notes. I love when people do that. I try to do that for others. So needless to say, he gets extra points for that.

Saturday night I went to a birthday celebration for my friend Stacy. Her birthday is actually on the 14th, but you know how that goes. When your birthday falls on a nationally recognized holiday, you generally get shafted. You get those "combination" gifts, or whatever. Apparently she had never had a birthday bash with just the girls, so that's what we set out to give her. She had so much fun, I was so glad to be a part of it. Not to mention, I now have a 2 minutes of video or her dancing around like she's crazy to some teenybopper song...I can't even tell you which song it is. We had lots of food, lots of drinks, and lots of fun. You don't need to hit up the club to have a good time!

As I said, Sunday was a lazy day. I cleaned up around the apartment, and ordered pizza for dinner. I never even got dressed. I decided I wasn't even going to go skating. I had my pizza, my wine, my blanket and my couch. And everything was gravy. :)

Hope everyone had a good weekend!

Monday Recap

Happy Monday, Bloggers!

This weekend was not too bad. I worked out on Friday and then took it on home to the crib. I was feeling tired and I just wanted to veg for a bit. I promised a co-worker/friend that I'd go out with her on Saturday night, so I figured I'd just chill. Now, the last time I went out with her was last Thursday, and that chick had me out until 3:00 a.m. I already told her we were setting a time limit, and I meant it!

Saturday morning I got up for our 6 mile run. I must have had my Wheaties that morning, because I took off for the last 3 miles and finished about 4 minutes ahead of my running buddies. I was just ready to get done. It was starting to rain, and I was DRENCHED the last 1.5 miles. Drenched. I mean, the coconut oil I had put in my hair the night before had dripped down my face. I had to keep wiping my eyes. It rained HARD. Afterwards, I went to Trader Joe's and got some apples, bananas, and some frozen fruit for strawberries. I am not happy with the 9 lbs I've gained. I know some of it is muscle, but not all of it is. I'm on a self imposed ban from cookies and those types of sweets, for the next few weeks. Pray for me.

After I got home from my run, I washed and deep conditioned my hair. Then I did some cleaning around the apartment. At this point, I am talking myself out of going out that night. The person I was going to hang out with (she needs a nickname, I will come up with one) is really nice, and she's sweet. SHe's 29, and sort of "going through" - she's separated from her hubby (he cheated on her). So now she's on this kick to just meet someone, and we keep trying to tell her to slow down, to no avail. So going out with her is interesting, to say the least. But I said I was going to get out and do more. She sent me a text to make sure I was going. I told her my entire body hurt, and I really didn't feel like going...but then she begged and I relented. I told myself, I would just be open to the events of the night and try to have fun.

She came to get me around 9:00. Everyone who knows me knows I HATE parking uptown. If you want me to go, the best bet is for you to drive and I'll help you pay for parking. :lol: We went to this spot called Cosmos, and had some martinis. Nothing was really going on there, so we walked back down to the EpiCenter. This is a new entertainment area they just built in Uptown Charlotte. Restaurants, bars, etc. It really doesn't cater to "us" per se, but still lots of things to do.

I'm a lightweight, so the one martini I had at Cosmos is kicking in, and I told her I needed something to eat. We ended up going to Wild Wing Cafe. Where a 70 year old cowboy, dressed in all black, decided to hit on us. Comedy! Not to mention all the half dressed college chicks. They had a Halloween party this weekend, and I swear most of them came dressed as Playboy bunnies. I was trying to get a picture of this group of girls but the flash on the Blackberry is too bright! So much for being incognegro.

After I got my wings, we decided to go back to Black Finn - this is the place we were at the week before. I wondered why the line was so long, and I realized these fools were charging a cover charge! Um, no. But she wanted to go, so she said, I'll just pay it. OK - suit yourself! We get inside and it's jammed packed. We're like sardines. When they DO play good music, you barely have room enough to move. At one point, we move closer to the DJ booth and I see this guy. Bald head, handsome...but I keep stealing glances at him, because he looks white, but I can't really tell. Yes, that's how bored I was, that I was sitting there trying to figure out if this dude was white.

We kept getting jostled into him because of the crowd. He was just kind of standing there...nursing his drink, and then he left for a little while. But then he ultimately made his way back. My co-worker asked me if he was a bouncer, and I told her I didn't think so. Being the person that she is, of course she asked him. That started the conversation. He told us he had just moved up from FL not too long ago, and this was his first time trying to head out on the town in Charlotte. I could tell he was a little bit older, and probably not wanting to be there with all those dayum college kids. Neither did I! I felt his pain.

Co-worker decided that she was hungry, and wanted Fuel Pizza. So we invited our new friend to walk down the street to the pizza place with us. We got to the pizza place and now I could see him in the light. He actually reminds me of KC, but taller. He told us he was 46...he really does NOT look it. I was thinking, here we go with the folks in their mid-40s. Where are the 34 - 38 year olds??

Florida paid for our pizza and drinks and we sat down to chat. I swear we sat there talking for at least an hour or more. I was telling him about a wine tasting/jazz spot that Serenity told me about, because he mentioned he liked jazz. I could not remember the name of the place, so I told him I'd let him know. He gave us his number and I asked him for his last name (y'all know I got to Google folks). So he gave it to us, and co-worker asked him to repeat it, since it was a foreign name and she couldn't quite catch it. That's when he said he was Nigerian and something Latino (I cannot remember for the life of me), and I was like BINGO! I leaned over and told him, "I knew it!" and we just started laughing...you know how when you are sharing the inside joke with your "colored" friends...LOL!

Once again, Co-worker had kept me out until 3:00 a.m., BUT I've forgiven her for this, because now I may have a new friend. :) Seriously, he seemed really cool and I think I could just actually hang out with him, and that be it. So, we'll see.

I think I got home and got to bed around 3:30, and dragged myself out of bed at 7:15 so I could meet the girls for our 3 mile recovery run at 8:00. We enjoyed our usual ritual of Cracker Barrel after the run, and then I took it to the crib. Co-worker had invited me to the Panthers game, and another friend invited me to go to the hot air balloon festival with her, but I could not muster up the energy for either one. I didn't even go skating last night. I know, right? That didn't stop NY from calling to see if I was going to the skate jam in SC. I told him I was not, and that I was not going to be at the rink next week, either (Mint Condition concert - whoo hooo!). That fool had the nerve to ask me if I had a date for the concert.

So, that was my weekend. How was yours?

Monday's Recap - Feast or Famine!

This has to be short, 'cause I got a boat load of work to do. I am off on Friday and next Tuesday. Going to VA to hang with my sister. All my skate friends are giving me grief, because Skate-a-Thon is this weekend in Atlanta and it's a BIG event. I wasn't excited about it before, but as it's gotten closer and they have been razzing me, now I feel kinda bad that I'm missing it. Oh well.

Smooth and I hung out on Saturday night. We went to TGIF to have drinks and food, and watch the Panthers game. I don't know what kind of season the Panthers are going to have. It's bad when Jake Delhomme is still in the game in the 3rd quarter and you STILL can't get it together. At some point during the game he finally turned to me and said, "can you believe I did that for 12 years?" I told him yeah, I could. He then started pointing out all his battle scars. He told me how when I first got to the rink, he thought I was kind of mean, and that I was skating around the rink looking like I was going to cut someone...LOL! That's not true, I just don't go up to folks and start talking to them right off the bat. I need to see how you are. And Besides, none of these folks started talking to me until AFTER RB started talking to me. Vastly different atmosphere than skating in ATL. We had a good time. He didn't try to get fresh. I gave him a hug and thanked him for dinner, and now he says I owe him dinner. I think this cat just really wants to see if I can actually cook, because he kept throwing hints. Hilarious. He seems nice so far, but I really haven't had a chance to grill him yet.

Yesterday, he did not come to the rink, so that gave NY a chance to swoop right in. For some reason he always shows up late, and right around the time they slow it down for 2-3 songs. I was just skating by myself, minding my own business, and he came swooping in. He didn't even tie his skates all the way up, breaking his neck to get out there. I feel sort of bad - he called while I was working out earlier in the week, and left a message about how he enjoyed skating with me and he really though we had a connection, etc. There's just something about his NY-ness that can be off-putting at times...I can't put my finger on it. At the very least, I could make a new friend. He and one of the other NY skaters worked with me on my trio skating and I had a good time for a little while. But then I got bored, so I took off my skates and prepped to leave early. He knows I'm going out of town this weekend, so he came over and asked to see me before I left. So, we're going to dinner on Thursday night. Should be interesting!

This is pretty much how dating goes in Charlotte (for me, anyway). It's feast or famine. You'll have weeks and weeks go by where no one approaches you, and you can't get a date to save your life. Then all of a sudden, they just converge and you gotta make choices and schedule things. Reminds me of the time in college, when my friend Tiffany convinced me to go on two dates in the same evening. Comedy! I could probably do a much better job with that now than I did back then, but I won't even try it.

Happy Monday, Blogger!

I Got Nuthin'

Nothing exciting happened this weekend, unless you count my third henna treatment. I do think it might be affecting the texture at the front of my head. It was already straight up there, now it's getting straighter. I think I will have to add some amla powder (more than what's already in the henna) and see if we can counter act this a tad.

I didn't get out and about except for skating. There was a skate jam in Raleigh on Saturday night, from midnight to 5:00 a.m. A group of skaters was supposed to have a van going, and it was $11 to ride with them. The more I thought about it, the more I felt like I didn't want to be smooshed up in a van with them for 2.5 hours. And who's driving? I can't just trust anybody's driving, especially at 5:00 a.m. I didn't want to take my car. I just didn't want to drive, period, because I knew I wouldn't feel like driving back at 5:00 a.m. RB was hinting that if I decided to go, he would go too and he could do the driving. Negative! He is finally learning how to stay in the FriendZone, no sense in giving him any extra encouragement. I found out last night that Big Bob was the DJ. Big Bob is a prominent skate DJ in NY...I wish I had really known. I think I would have made the sacrifice to hear him DJ.

NY and I are going to have to have a Come to Jesus meeting. He wants to skate all around the rink all fast, sweating up a storm, and then slow skate with me. That equals his sweat getting on me. No, no, no, no, no. I'm trying to figure out a tactful way to hand him a towel and tell him to handle that. I need to remember to pack an extra towel in my skate bag.

Last week I added an extra day of cardio to my workout routine. So I worked out Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday. I liked just doing cardio on Tuesday, so I think that will become a regular thing. One of my friends from the Natural Hair Meet Up group likes to run outside on the weekends. She has convinced me to run the greenway with her at 7:00 a.m. on Saturday. Luckily, we run about the same pace. I hope my knee holds up. It will be nice to get outside and off the treadmill. I hope I can keep up with her, and I hope I have the cardio strength to halfway hold a convo. :lol:

PSA of the Day: Don't drink wine and cyber flirt at 3:00 a.m. I used to talk to this dude back in 2003-2004. Good ol' Que. We seemed to butt heads a lot. But we had the basic makings of an interesting relationship. He was very smart, and he knew how to push buttons to get me riled up (in an argument sort of way). He ended up moving to NYC. I saw him once when I was living in GA (he was down visiting an old high school friend), but I haven't seen him since then. Apparently he's been working out and is all chiseled up now. Somehow this conversation ended up with him flying down here in September or October for a visit. Um...ok. We'll probably argue half the time. We'll see if this visit actually comes to fruition. I don't know how I feel about it yet.

I guess I better get back to work now. Here's to a speedy Monday and a speedy trip through this week to the weekend. :)

Monday Recap

I'm functioning on about 3.5 hours of sleep. This should be a really fun day!

I got here to work and worked a few files, then went to the kitchen and fixed my oatmeal. I got back to my desk and went to get out my water bottle and my multivitamin/supplements, and realized I had left the bag at home D'oh! So I promptly jumped in my car and got it. It's a good thing it only takes about 7 - 8 minutes for me to get home. :)

Yesterday I told RB that I was contemplating a move to VA. You would have thought I told him I was moving tomorrow! He was straight verklempt. I told him to breathe and focus. LOL! He said he figured I was going to move, but he thought I was going back to ATL. I would, if my family was closer. Moving back to ATL would mean an even further commute to see my sisters. I just feel like right now I need to regroup. Retreat and lick my wounds, then come back out fighting. I just can't do that here. Too many crazy things have happened to me in the QC.

KC is gone...I think he went back home with his dad being sick. I'm guessing he took a sudden turn for the worst, because he rolled out and we have not heard from him in a few weeks. I think the last time I saw him was before the 4th of July. I hope he's ok, but I know he was really close to his dad. I get the feeling that things are not going well.

I jogged 4 miles on Saturday. The last mile was really a struggle. I may have to add one extra day of cardio, since I'm not really skating during the week anymore. We shall see. I guess if I at least put it out there, I'm semi-accountable for getting it done. LOL!

This will be a super busy Monday for me, so I guess I better get to it. Have a good Monday, Bloggers!

Another Weekend Has Come and Gone...

...but it was a GREAT weekend! I left work early on Friday (around 1:00) to drive up to VA. I drove to my sister Pam's house. We were going to go roller skating, but we thought about it too late. We ended up taking my niece bowling that night, and we had a good time. They are running a summer special - games for $1.99. I wish the AMF lanes down here would do that. I'm not sure of anywhere you can bowl for less than $4, without a league discount card. Craziness! My mom flew in from NY on Friday afternoon. She was asleep when I got there, and didn't even know I was there until the next day. When I got up the next morning and walked out of the guest room, she said, "what? What are you doing here? Lookin' like your daddy!" LOL! We all got a good laugh out of that. I do look like my dad's side of the family.

That morning we all drove up to Shell's house. I hate driving on I-95. I don't think there's ever a time when it's NOT congested up that way. Maybe in the wee hours of the morning. The closer you get to DC, the more of a mess it becomes. Ridiculous! We got there around 10:30, which was good - we had to change clothes and be ready to go by 11:10. We were meeting up with some other cars so we could car pool, since Shell's friend knew her way around DC. That was Shell's first time driving the Max, and she had the pedal to the metal! We made good time, but of course, got stuck in traffic. Where we came in, we drove right by the Pentagon. I also saw the Washington Monument. That was my first time in DC. I think I need to go back and see the sights when I have time.

Let me tell you, The Color Purple was EXCELLENT! Fantasia has really stepped up her acting game and I was very impressed. We laughed...we cried...it was just awesome! The whole cast was given a standing ovation, but when Fantasia took her final bow, the applause was just thundering. I didn't realize LaToya London was playing Nettie, so that was a bonus for me. I really, really enjoyed it.

After the play, we went to a restaurant called Sweet Georgia Brown's. It was ok for me. Our waiter was slow as molasses on a winter day. Given the prices, the food was just "ok" for me. But I definitely enjoyed the fellowship. Here's a pic of us at dinner:



Yesterday, we got up in the morning, and initially planned to leave the house around 10:00 a.m. That moved to 11:00 a.m., and then to noon. LOL! I never feel like leaving when I visit my family, but the trek from Fredericksburg to Charlotte is kinda long. While we were home in NY for the family reunion, Pam and I found a baton at my mom's house. We all used to run track back in the day - well, everybody except my oldest brother, but he's fast, too. I know that somewhere packed in a box in my storage area, there is a baton. I tried to find it last time my sisters were here, to no avail. So when we found the one in NY we were psyched. We brought it to Shell's house, to "surprise" her.

Needless to say, she laughed at us and told us she was not gonna participate. But we made her put on her sneakers and come outside anyway. Let me tell you, jogging on the treadmill is nothing compared to sprinting in the street. My abs are sore today, even my shoulders. Clearly, I need to get to the track so I can vary my workouts! Anyway, we got out in the middle of the street and were doing relay hand offs. It was so much fun! It reminded of that adrenaline rush I used to get right before it was time to race. I was the anchor for our relay, from my sophomore through senior years in high school. I loved that feeling when my teammate came around that curve in the 4 x 100. I couldn't wait to take off and bring it home. Of course, it had to be timed perfectly to make sure I got the baton, but Amy and I never messed up our hand offs!

I need to find some type of adult track program. I would love to get back into it. But first, I need to get my knee checked out. It was definitely hurting yesterday. I don't think it was ready for the 5 hour car ride. The problem is, by the time I get the appointment with the ortho, it's not hurting anymore. I'm just going to have to relent and let them do the MRI. I need to find out how much I'll have to pay, though. Right now, the dentist is about to take all my spare cash/change.

Here's a couple of pics of us in the street:


We couldn't quite get ours right...I kept running up on her. It's easier to get the distance right when you're on an actual track, LOL


This was a good one...I wish she had been able to capture the pic right as she handed it to me. And look - I still have calf muscles. Yay! LOL

Happy Monday!

Bright and Early

My alarm was set for 6:00 a.m. I woke up at 5:58. I didn't sleep well, either. But, I got up anyway (I didn't have a choice, lol). I doled out my supplements for the week, and now I'm about to hit the shower, at about the time I would normally drag myself out of bed, after hitting snooze three times.

I haven't packed my gym clothes, and I'm not sure if I'm going to. This jackA$$ knocked me down last night at the rink, and I fell straight on to my stinkin' knee. Of course! So it's a little stiff/sore today. But I'm skipping Friday's work out, since my friend D and T are coming from SC. We're going to hit the shoe outlet and a Natural Hair Meet Up on Saturday. I still have no idea what we're going to do Friday evening. Maybe we will just hit up downtown, and stop by Mert's. D liked it before, when she came up her with her BF, and I sure do love Mert's cornbread. Don't need it, but I love it.

And in yesterday's hilarious moment at the rink - Security (I don't even remember his real name, he just works security at the rink) told me that he'd like to suck my toes. I had to put that status on FB because that was hilarious to me. Of course, my first thought was off the wall. I was thinking, "does he know how sweaty and funky my feet get in these skates?!?" I didn't even tell RB what he said...dude probably would have dropped to his knees and started praying right then and there. I told KC when he got here. He said, "WOW!" :lol: If you could have seen his face, you'd be laughing with me now.

Speaking of KC...yesterday was a very busy day for him at work, given that it was Father's Day. I didn't think he would make it to the rink, but he made one of the other managers stay, and he rolled out. Only to have to get up this morning and drive back up there to do paperwork, then back down here to be with his kids. When he told me of his plans last night, he said, "I just really, really wanted to skate."

I'm gonna take that as "code speak," that he really, really wanted to see me as well. :)

Happy Monday!

It's Monday already?

That's how I felt when I woke up this morning. This weekend went by entirely TOO fast, and I really didn't do a whole bunch. Saturday was spent doing my hair (see previous post) and downloading music in iTunes. iTunes cracks me up. They will have random videos for songs, but not the songs themselves. I was looking for "Right Now" - Al B. Sure. They had the cheesy video, but not the song? How do you have the video available for downloading, but not the song? The same thing happened when I was looking for "Roses Are Red" (The Mac Band). I ended up finding that on another bootleg source which shall remain nameless...but not such luck with "Right Now." Anybody got that song?

RB didn't skate last night. He called to tell me earlier that afternoon, but I let it go to voice mail. I listened to it when I was on the way to the rink. I called him back, but he didn't answer. When I got to the rink, I sent him a text message to ask why he wasn't skating. He said several reasons, and it was too long to text. Um...ok. As I expected, everybody and their momma was coming up to me, wanting to know where he was, and why he wasn't there. I get the feeling that these folks are under the impression that we are dating. And it can't be because we skate together, because I skate with KC all the time and nobody asks me about him. But that could be because we are very incognegro at the rink, and sort of act indifferent to each other. People would be shocked if they could actually hear what we talk about when we are skating. :lol: I don't know what RB is telling these folks, but whatever it is, he needs to stop. He's moving closer to the Come to Jesus meeting, and he doesn't even know it.

If someone could please find my motivation, that would be great. I need to put out an APB. I keep looking at what I have to do today, and then coming back to the blog. I left work at 5:00 on Friday. I got 6 messages between 5:05pm and 5:39pm. Then one fool had the nerve to leave a message yesterday. Fool, what does my voice mail say? 8:00 - 4:30 EST!!! And it says Monday through Friday! Ain't nobody here on freakin' Sunday! I'm really over dealing with all these stupid people. It's time for me to win the lottery. Then I can open up my skating rink/bowling alley.

Welcome to Monday, peeps.

Monday, Monday

I'm quoting The Mamas and The Papas today. All day:

"Every other day, every other day,
Every other day of the week is fine, yeah
But whenever Monday comes, but whenever Monday comes
You can find me cryin' all of the time"

That's how I'm feeling right about now. I'm so tired...but I refuse to give up my skating. My right knee hurts a little bit. Last night, I took some 800 mg Motrin at the rink, to head off the stiffness at the pass. I neglected to have some food in my stomach, so then my stomach was hurting at the rink. Dumb! I will have to sneak in a snack or two on Sundays, if I'm going to take the Ibuprofen.

This weekend was all about the Taste of Charlotte. This would have been something cool to do with KC, but as usual, he was working like a Hebrew slave at the restaurant. RB can be cool to hang out with, when he understands the concept of hanging out AS FRIENDS. I just didn't want to go down that road with him, so I went by myself. I ended up meeting up with one of my friends, who had taken her son down there.

My eyes were bigger than my stomach, and I ended up buying 21 coins. At TOC, there is no "admission fee." You just buy coins that you use to purchase samples from the vendors. Most items cost 2 - 3 coins. They had some kiddie games/rides for the kids, and those were usually 1 coin. (At Taste of Atlanta last year, you had to pay an admission fee, and they gave you this bracelet to wear. After you got the bracelet, you could then buy the tickets to get your samples. That was some frackle nackle bull. Admission fee???) I got down to TOC around 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, and by the time I left at 10:00, I still had 15 coins. All I had that night was some Cake Batter ice cream from Coldstone Creamery, and a Leapin' Lizard smoothie from Planet Smoothie. I used to drink those smoothies all the time when I lived in ATL. We really don't have a lot of Planet Smoothie locations here. And to me, Smoothie King just ain't the same. As for the Cake Batter ice cream, that was my first time trying it, and it truly was like licking the spatula after your mom got finished making the batter for Duncan Hines yellow cake. Yummy! I think I have a new favorite ice cream flavor...

On Sunday, I woke up around 9:30 or so. I called my mom and we talked for a couple of hours. I got her to recap the story of when she first met my dad. So I will consider that entry 1 in the "interview series" I referenced a few weeks ago. Now I have to call my dad and get his version of the meeting. I bet you $5 it's different. LOL! I think this interview project will be really fun. I would like to sit and talk to them when I go home in July, but I don't want to take my laptop on the plane (the keyboard is broken, and I'm using a temporary plug in keyboard, until I get one off the net and get Geek Squad to install it). Maybe I will get one of those mini-tape recorders, and then I can transcribe the convos when I get home.

I wore a white dress to TOC on Sunday. I was so worried about getting food on it, but what I did get on it was make up. I have a habit of touching my face and then forgetting that I now have make up on my fingers, and then touching my clothes. I don't know why I even bother trying to wear white. I used up all but 2 of my tokens. The first stop was Coldstone Creamery (I know - it's a sickness), then I went to Chen's Bistro for sesame chicken and rice. I probably should have gotten that first. I let that digest, and then stopped by Dixie's Tavern, for what they called 'Death by Chocolate Brownie.' It was just so-so, IMHO. A good brownie/ice cream combo for me, means a warm brownie, which melts the ice cream as soon as it hits. The brownie needs to be somewhat rich. Their brownie was dry as the Sahara, and it had walnuts. Boooo! Maybe it's better at the restaurant. I let that settle, and then since I couldn't find anything "new" to use my last 5 coins on, I settled for using 3 back at Planet Smoothie, and got a Leapin' Lizard for the road. I saw one of my Natural Hair Meet-Up group members while I was down there. All in all, I had a good time. I'm going to have to start getting out by myself more often.

KC said something last night that made me laugh, but now I'm thinking about it more. We were talking about his job. Right now, he's managing the kitchen...but he'd really like to be a GM one day. If not with the company he's with now, then with another one. He was telling me about the trials and tribulations of dealing with his co-workers in the small town he's working in. In regard to where he is now, he said, "they think this is a destination for me, but it's really just a pit stop." It was the way he said it, and the context of our conversation, that made me chuckle. This morning I thought about it - is this my destination, or my pit stop? Originally I thought it was a destination. I saw opportunities for management. But now, we've downsized. And frankly, working for a third party administrator is always a little bit iffy. Especially if they are silly enough to only have ONE major client. If that client decides to jump ship, we're screwed. I've gotten to know some of the ins and outs of managing here. The requirements of the managers here are totally unrealistic and outrageous. But I wonder - is it like that everywhere? Decisions, decisions.

OK, this is long as hell, and I need to do some work. Happy Monday, Blogspot!