KCA AIDS WALK

4/30 I want to give a huge "THANK YOU!!!!" to all my family & friends who donated to KEEP A CHILD ALIVE for AIDS Walk NY. My fundraising total is more than I raised last year. But I am still a few dollars short of my goal! The walk is only a few days away and I want to raise more!!! If you are able to donate please visit http://bit.ly/fSlhJ6

Michael Jackson

4/29
Today I met a Michael Jackson impersonator in Aruba ( funny story) anyway, I was just thinking about how many people MJ inspired. I remember a few months ago being at a huge MJ dance party and being touched by how people of different colors, ages, shapes and sizes were dancing TOGETHER to his music. It was so beautiful. I even got a lil emotional.

Beach

4/28 Thankful that God made beautiful places like this to relax!

Mahauganee

4/27 Happy Birthday Mahauganee!!!! (still working on making this a national holiday)
Today goes to my BFF in the whole wide world for 15 years. Though we are a 1000 miles apart, I feel like our brain wave activity is connected. Moe is one of the few people that make me laugh until I cry. She is dedicated to her family, community and academics. (she has a whole bunch of degrees) I love her so much and can't wait to celebrate the big **30** with her this weekend!!! —

Carmen Flower

4/26 Carmen Flower!!!
So thankful for my friend Carmen! We both moved to NYC around the same time and learned the city together. Carmen is so beautiful, talented and full of positive energy. I enjoy our enlightening conversations and our silly ones.

Hollywood

4/25 It has been over a 12 year dream of mine to live in Los Angeles. I was just reminded why. It's totally fine it has taken over 12 years b/c there were people I needed to meet, and lessons I needed to learn.
Now I'm like omg totally ready to be like a Valley Girl!

4/24 Jesus

4/24 Easter Sunday
Jesus... need I say more????? I am so THANKFUL for Jesus Christ!

I'm From That Lou and I'm Proud

4/23 I'm from Da Lou and I'm proud! I rep my STL to the fullest!!! *yeah yeah yeah!! woop-woop!! hoody-hooo & Go Cards!!!! **( Yet I wouldn't want to move back anytime soon)** St. Louis is a beautiful city. I could walk through the park and chill at the Zoo for hours! I love our specialty food like a good ol St. Paul sandwich, toasted ravioli, Vess, could go on and on.... But anyway, my city was hit with a horrible tornado Thank God every one is okay.

4/22 JANET!!!

4/22 JANET!!! So everyone who knows me knows I LOVE Janet Jackson. I have been a huge stalker... I mean a huge fan of Janet for as long as I can remember. I used to play her Dream Street album on my Fisher Price record player. (80's baby) I've been to all of her concerts and I have every album she has recorded. ( I used to know all the dances too). Her music has gotten me through so much. I don't mean all the sad depressing stuff most people use songs for, but the happy fun times too!

4/21 Yoga

4/21 Yoga. It was my 2010 New Years resolution to start yoga... So in November of 2010 I took my first class. Yoga has been so helpful in physical and mental ways. When I have alot on my mind or any pain I am thankful that I can just breathe into it, and through it!

Purple Flower

4/20 Bren you already know why I had to use THIS photo for the album...
This pic sums up howfreaking crazy we are (in a subtle way)! My Purple Flower and I have sooooo many funny stories and freaking amazing times together (like what happened after this picture was taken)
I am so happy we have become closer over the years, and I can honestly say she is like a sister to me. I admire how she values theimportance of family, working hard and getting a good education. I know she is a person I will be friendswith for many years to come!
ttnh

Grandmother

4/19 I finally found a picture of my grandmother!!! She never likes to pose forpictures. I don't understand why because she is so beautiful. I do not knowwhere I would be if it wasn't for her. ( it sure in the hell wouldn't be here). She putme through school, and is the reason I am a journalist. I am so grateful to have herto call for advice and support (and laughs).
It will be impossible for meto explain in words what she means to me. I will justcontinue to live by her example.

Ball And Chain

4/18 My vacation starts today! I get a break from the 'Old Ball and Chain' ***Happy Dance***

Do Not Worry

4/17 One of my chapter Sorors posted this picture with the caption "Matthew 6:26 (right outside my bedroom window)-- DO NOT WORRY..."

It's one of my favorite Bible verses. I instantly got it! No need to worry about how we are going to make it. God always takes care of us. We may not have what we want but we have EVERYTHING we need. I am so grateful for the goodness of God!

And for you heathens Matthew 6:26 goes like this

"Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life"

NBC Page Program

4/16 NBC Page Program: This picture was taken in late 2005 with fellow Pages. I had just moved to NYC for the program. I didn't know anyone, I had no clue what to expect or what would happen after the 1 year program was over. This turned out to be the best job experiences I've had thus far (navy blue uniform and all). I met so many wonderful talented people and got to experience some cool shit that I never even dreamed of (Dateline, Today Show, Saturday Night Live... and lets not forget the SNL after-after parties) I made great professional contacts and even better friends!
I am so thankful for that time period in my life. I enjoyed every minute, the hustle, grind, struggle, laughs and FUN of it all.
Thank's Pat for posting those pics brought back so many memories!)

Let The Good Times Roll!!

4/15 I just got the best phone call today! My friend Shontell from college is coming to NYC for the summer! I'm so excited! As they say in her hometown " Laissez Les Bons Temps Rouler!!!!"

Karaoke!!!!!

4/14 Karaoke!!!!! "I am an artist and I'm sensitive about my shit!"

Every Thursday night faithfully my friends and I could be found at Sylvia's Lounge in Harlem singing our hearts out! (and being overly dramatic) It was our "Cheers" . For the first time in over 8 months we got together like old times. I am thankful for the laughs and classic moments.

This pic was taken in 2008 during my rendition of "Tyrone" ... I have yet to top this performance.

D.S.M.I.S.H.A.P

4/13 I am so thankful for my ships D.S.M.I.S.H.A.P! Nine years ago we crossed the burning sands and became members of Delta Sigma Theta, Inc... Most magnificent LAAAAAAAAAAMBDA Chapter!!!! I love the ladies sooo much!

Soror* Ship*Sister

4/12 I'm thankful for my Soror*Ship*Sister and friend Janine Ross! Janine and I have been friends for over 12 years and boy do we have some crazy stories! We share a love for great food, especially BACON!! The other day I thanked her for dealing with my craziness and her response was "Putting up with you is soo much fun ship"

Mentors

4/11 Mentors: I am thankful for my professional mentor Cheryl Wills. Cheryl and I work together at NY1 News. She is as kind and beautiful in person as she is on TV. She is seen by millions on TV every single day, yet she is so down to earth and keeps it real! She recently wrote a book about her family history. The book highlights the story of her great-great-great grandfather a run away slave who fought for his freedom. I am inspired by Cheryl and all that she does. I am so grateful that our paths have crossed.

www.diefreethebook.com

iPhone over Rice

4/10 While cooking dinner, I dropped my iPhone in boiling water... I'm thankful for the simple fact that it still works :)
I thought it was over... I was changing stations on Pandora then PLOP!! * SCREAMS* I yank it out, and it wouldn't play any music out the speaker but it still worked with my head phones. I tried again after a few hours and it worked.

Alicia Keys and Friends

4/9 Today I selected this picture b/c this afternoon I had a dinner with 10 friends that are close to my heart. When I looked around the table and I thought about how we all met... It was through Alicia Keys. Though her music and KCA I've met so many great people all across the world that I can assign the title of friend. This pic was taken a few years ago at a Grammy Party and I was kinda speechless and didn't get a chance to tell her about the impact she has had in my life. ( I've met her several times thereafter and still couldn't formulate many words LOL) In addition to the friends & connections I've made through her, I have experienced an abundance of blessings and some freaking awesome concerts!

The Desk

4/8 The Desk. I find such gratitude each day when I walk into the building and my id card still works. I am thankful for my job and amazing co-workers! How many people can say they actually like the people they work with? I can!!! This fuzzy pic was taken last summer after we had a group dinner. I wanted to take today to shout-out the people who get the least amount of recognition for the most tremendous amount of work. Today was a good day especially because everyone was full of smiles and positive energy. (Maybe it was b/c of the free lunch and cake)

PAID IN F*ING FULL!!!!!

4/7 PAID IN F*ING FULL!!!!! I Made the final payment on the credit card I got when I was 18. What idiots give a teenager with no job a card with a 10,000 limit? It took me 12 years to pay that bullshit off. I probably don't own or have a single thing left that I charged on that card. Credit Cards are the devil. I'm not debt free, however this is a relief. I hope to educate as many teens as I can about the death traps that these cards create. As a teen you think, "When I graduate college, I'll make enough to pay it off in a short time" however you don't factor in, the interest from the card, rent, bills, food, car note, insurance and student loans... Okay now I'm venting... But yeah, I'm thankful this chapter is closed.

Thank You For Being A Friend

4/6 Goes to my friend Deniece! This pic was taken at a Janet concert last year. Symbolic for so many reasons! She is the nicest person in the whole world. True definition of "FRIEND". She made my 30th birthday one of the best days ever. I tried to sit at home and sulk about getting older but she forced me enjoy my day. I had to send her an email saying "Enough with the kindness... stop being nice and knock it off !" LOL! Deniece your friendship is truly appreciated. I feel sorry for the people who don't have someone like you they can count on.

#NoRegrets

This was me 30 years ago. I am thankful for every blessing and road block. I wouldn't change a thing from the time this photo was taken to this very second. Everything I've experienced made me who I am, and is preparing me for future life lessons.

Trust Your Gift

4/4 This is printed on the back of a T-Shirt I got tonight. It is the motto for the "Cheryl Pepsii & Hot Chocolate Black Velvet Monday's" musicians and singers jam held at the Village Underground. The message is to encourage artists to trust the talent God gave them and use it to the best of their ability. I'm not a musician, however I think this slogan is a great reminder for me to believe in my abilities. I am thankful to have this Monday night spot as a Funk/R&B refuge sanctuary!

This is just a small sample of the hottness that goes on every Monday night

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YcLM-rh29nA

Running!

Day 3 Finished the More/ Fitness Half Marathon (13.1 miles) in 2hrs 28min.... I came in 4894th place (out of 7,500) not too shabby. Just thankful that I finnished and didn't hurt myself.

One thing off the New Years Resolution List

One Great Burger!

Day2... This is by far the best burger I had in all my 29.9 years of life. It's from The Crosby Bar. I ate every last bite, and at the end I didn't even feel like I had the "itus" Today, I'm not just thankful for this meal but the laughs, great company and adventure that came along with it. ( Don't let the salad fool you... I had fries with it too)

30 Days of 30 Years of Gratitude

This month I'm turning 30-Years-BLESSED!!!! Inspired by a Facebook friend Monique who was inspired by her friend Megan...I have decided to upload a photo per day of something or someone I am grateful for in my life.

Day 1...#1 Duh! I'm grateful for my family!!! This is a pic of my mom and brothers (and a painting of my grandmother behind them, she hates taking pictures) I thank God that they are healthy and doing big things. They are always supportive of me and have my back no matter what.

Directions To The Top

My morning routine is to turn on the TV and watch the news as I get ready for work. My eyes are often focused on other tasks however my ears remain alert to the world's news. For the top story the reporter was live from Cairo. On this particular day I heard a familiar voice. My eyes opened wider just to confirm by sight what my ears heard. The reporter on TV was someone who I was an intern with. I jumped up in excitement because I knew the guy on TV! I was so happy for him! We started in the journalism business at the same time. I was happy that someone I knew made it to the big time. Later that morning, when I was riding the subway to work I wondered, how does someone I was an intern with make it to be on the biggest news story, yet I am off to my routine entry level job. All the way to work I wondered what he did differently that I didn't do. What road to success did he follow?

I often ask people who inspire me how they got to where they are in a career. I anticipate stories of hard work and the "big break". Everyone one has a different road to success. Some have discovered a path less traveled or tell the stories of being at the right place at the right time.

I came to the conclusion that I will keep a positive attitude and do my best in the present moment. Not all roads to success are the same. When I ask people how they became successful I'll use their answers as motivation to keep trying. One day I will have my own success story, that will inspire others to never give up and will illustrate a hard work ethic they may want to incorporate into their journey.

Mr. Mean Pants (How do deal with an old dick-head male boss)

There are 100 at each company. They come in all shapes and sizes. Some with gray hair some are bald. They yell, they talk down, they belittle. So what do you do? Here are just a few pointers.

* Don't take it personal. He’s probably has been a jerk all of his life. Know that it’s him, not you.

* Save the tears. Crying means you are taking his actions personally.

* Stand firm in your point and position. Don’t be bullied.

* Don't talk about him to everyone in the office or bitch about him openly. It will just fuel your anger. Everyone already knows he is an ass (whether they openly admit it or not).

*If you have an encounter with him don’t re-play or re-create the scene over and over in your head. It will continue to recycle the negative energy and will just make you more upset!

* Don’t compromise your professionalism or integrity by “Loosing it”. Keep it together.

* You cannot change him, however you can control your reaction to him. He does not have the power to make you unhappy, unless you let him.

This is a temporary situation it will eventually pass away... and so will that old bastard!

On a serious note, notify Human Resources if it becomes harassment.

Filling The Gap

I recently decided to close the large dental gap in between my two front teeth. I am about 1/2 way through my Invisalign treatment and I am now starting to see the physical difference of my smile. This isn't the first time I have committed myself to physicly altering medical treatment to fix what I do not like about my appearance. People have complimented me on my gap, but in my head I took it as a form of mocking. I was told before that my smile is one of my best attributes, however the compliment came from my mother (she has a gap too).

Since I was a kid in school, I wanted to close it because it was the source of cruel teasing. Because of finances braces were never an option. Any time I was teased, my gap would be the point of focus. "Shut up with your ugly rabbit gap teeth" I would get teased more about by gap rather than the fact that I also wore glasses.

No one has teased me for at least a decade, however my gap is a physical unattractive flaw. Although, I'm sure others could not care less about the arraignment of my dental structure, I still feel the need to close it. I know that now I am closing it for me, and not to silence my teasers.

Beauty comes from within, and confidence is the best accessory!

Big Things Poppin!

I am going into 2011 extremely motivated! I feel that this is a time of endless possibility.

Work It On Out

I just recently joined a local gym. My initial reason for joining was to help me train for a marathon. After a few weeks of working out, I can honestly say it feels great physically, ,mentally and emotionally. One day after a great work out I felt like Jim Carrey's character Vera Demilo from the show "In Living Color"

Natural Hair Sunday

I just discovered "Natural Hair Sunday" on Twitter! It is awesome. Natural Hair Sunday is many naturally curly hair women posting positive affirmations about wearing your hair the way it grows from your head minus chemical straighteners. The simple hashtag #NaturalHair unites so many women and their coils.
I am so excited by my new discovery!

Happy New Start?

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!
For some reason I always want to add the "s" at the end and make it Happy New Years! LOL! But here we go again making resolutions. My resolution last year was to save money and practice yoga. I didn't take my first yoga class until the end of November and I ended the year with $75 in my bank account. Sad right? I still felt somewhat accomplished, because I still did it... but just not as glorious as I wished for. (Master Yogi, doing head stands and back bends) I still haven't grasped the basic chaturanga) My thought this year is why bother! Don't get me wrong I still have goals and tasks I plan to accomplish this year. For example I want to run races, and eventually a marathon. I also would like to host a fundraiser or a big community service event.
I feel that I can continue become my best self without naming a resolution.

Umm...does that count as a resolution too?


My favorite quote from Food4Spirit to keep me motivated when going through something difficult.
Jesus did not need a calm sea,...He only needed to get to the other side. If the way to the other side was through a terrible storm, so be it. He trusted God to get him there.