DoinWhatYoDoes

FOODIE: Looove cookie

2010-02-19T08:00:00.002-05:00

I wanted to make some cookies for some of the kids and staff at the school I sub at a lot in Oak Park. So I made a cookie with everything good in it. I used wheat flour, Hershey bar pieces, Reese chips, chocolate chips, grounded oatmeal, walnuts, brown and white sugar and unsalted butter. Yay! This is a love cookie :) Just make a base for the cookie dough then add all the things you love!

IF MY VAGINA COULD TALK, IT WOULD SAY...: Breaking up is hard to do,especially when the sex was so goood!

2010-02-18T08:00:00.002-05:00

So I met this 27 year old Nigerian Muslim Texan who captured my attention the summer of 08. I was immediately intrigued and taken by him. I had a full body attraction towards him. It was not sexual but sensual. He seemed innocent and had that southern charm and "yes ma'am charm" that I have loved since I was a lil girl. I knew he was a little Antoine Fisher-ish but I still f'ed with that. So turns out he was really Muslim- like I pray 5 times a day and want my wife Muslim kinda real. Okay.....I can so NOT do that but lets see how long we can ride this out- I was open. I fell in love/lust, hell I am still not sure but next thing I knew I was in deep. The kinda deep that I am not about to express on this blog, just yet at least. So he dumped the hell out of me the other day b/c I confronted him about his "friendship" with an "ex-stalker" of his and b/c his "separated" wife, yup he was married, served him divorce papers and he blamed me! So although like he expressed to me "this is my out", I am still having a hard time with it. I mean this man has been not my life but my time filler and excuse for not doing shit like job or soul searching for over a year and especially the last 5 months, they have been intense. I was gonna go to Egypt with him!! So now I have to figure out a way to "move on".

So the process of moving on can be done two ways: constructively or destructively. I usually love the destructive way which is to party and cry and continue to procrastinate. But I really want to turn the love I had for him and make it make me do positive things such as active goal setting and taking care of myself. I have blogged about being sick recently due to stomach issues that I know have something to do with my dairy and gluten filled diet. It has been getting bad since last week so my body is demanding I act while my heart is demanding I not. My heart aches and when it is broken it loves wine, martinis, pasta and chocolate! yum! But the fatty comfort sloppy looking kind. But I also love speciality food items such as Alo drink and dark chocolate so if I could just eat that.....

It is a struggle. I am a crazy Gemini trying to move away from Doinwhatyodoes to DoinwhatyoNEEDtodo :)

So oh yea, breaking up is hard to do when the sex is sooo good! I mean this boy gave it to me so good on a regular that I would have wet orgasms on the spot. His kisses were so passionate always. I have been cuming for the last few months every other day! If I do not go into some serious rehab of mind and spirit then I will be slutting the F out very soon b/c my flesh is wanting dick and some good dick like his. I hope to God he does not call me and offer me some or just call and I offer him. The flesh is weak.

Speaking of dick, have you ever had a time where you were getting passionate with a guy and he couldn't get hard? hat does that mean. A friend of mine, no she isn't ugly or fat, had this problem recently. Just asking b/c I know i hate wasting a number. All women have a number of partners that she does not want to surpass. So before you give it up to a guy, you have to ask yourself , "is he worth up'ing my number for?"

Anywho, I will miss his dick. We had some goodtimes. ByeBye my love :( I am being so ridic right now b/c of course I know that once I align myself spiritually that I will unite with my husband and our sex will be mag-ni-fic b/c blessed by God :) But for now.......Just pray for me

The hardest thing for me is with time. I did not realize how much time I spent with him so now that he is not here, I am like how do I occupy this time. We never slept together at night for obvious reasons so I wont miss that. But I did see him everyday and talk to him several times a day. Now every time my phone rings and it is not him, I feel a little sad. I just have to re-program myself and begin new rituals. One thing that does work is distractions and a positive one for me is my niece and nephew. My niece is hilarious and witty, much how I was at her age of 2 and my nephew is 5 months and just laughs and fills my heart with the sweetest joy, I cannot be sad with them around and it so happens that they will be here til next Wednesday b/c their parents are going out of town :)

I miss him already. We had fun together. He was exciting to me. But that time has passed. it was not good anyway. It did not align with my future goals but does very much well with my immediate self gratification goals so if he calls..........

Wish me the best!!!

FOODIE: Battle of the Dips

2010-02-15T07:30:00.001-05:00

BATTLE OF THE DIPS: Tyrese's Buffalo Chicken dip vs Yolanda's spinach and artichoke dip

So during the superbowl, My friend tyrese and I were too tired from waiting for pizza for over an hour from Papa Johns to do much when we got back to the house. So yesterday we had extra time so we both decided to do our favorite dips. My dip was one of my favorites I would get at Olive Gardens or Friday's back-in-the-day. Many are made with cream cheese and mayo but I decided to follow the advice of Emeril and use milk and make a rue cheese sauce then add the veggies and bake. Yum! I also fried, well actually had Tyrese fry b/c I hate to fry anything, my own corn tortillas which was fun.

Tyrese used chicken in a can, red hot sauce, cream cheese and blue cheese dressing.

mix everything and bake for 15 min

Mixed Chicken and cream cheese

add blue cheese and hot sauce

Here is a video of us frying the tortillas:

IF MY VAGINA COULD TALK, IT WOULD SAY...: HAPPY VAGINA DAY

2010-02-14T08:00:00.003-05:00

So Hallmark is making tons of money this weekend, not from me tho! I am not celebrating V-day as Valentine’s Day but as Vagina’s Day. My vagina and I talk all the time, mostly about sex, but also about healthy eating and exercise. My vagina loves to run outside, swim, in the pool or pond not the ocean, and drink speciality drinks such as Alo. Lately my Vagina and I have been chatting about consistency. I have been experimenting with eating gluten and dairy free and I have not been running outside. I have created this excuse for my inconsistency by blaming it on (nurture) incidents such as my car accident on Christmas 07 or (nature) innate personality traits such as being a Gemini with a twin personality. Neither are good excuses b/c I am consistent- consistently inconsistent.

So I have yet to make the decision to unwrap and explore Yolanda, right now I am DoinWhatYoDoes.

So Wednesday I did not have to go to work as a substitute teacher b/c all the schools were closed due to 10 inches of snow from the day before. So I sat in my bed and read some of my cousin Shelly's, founder and CEO of Naturi Beauty, blog post for the day. Her post on Food/Energy/Vitality got me thinking about my inconsistency with my career, love life and health- overall being. She posted the question "does food serve you, or do you serve food?" I answered, food serves me!

Well for the last few years, post Brazil 2006 where I ballooned into a toasted marshmallow due to my over consumption of Caipirnha and Fillet Mignon, food has served me. I have had bloating and stomach aches post Mexico 2004 after having tape worms due to eating on the street and now suffer from IBS and maybe have been always suffering from a dairy and wheat/gluten intolerance. My pudgy stomach shows this :) I have been trying to get the strength together to focus my energy towards molding Yolanda instead of using the excuse of DoinWhatYoDoes. I need to do a gluten free, meat and dairy free diet for two- four weeks and monitor how my body feels. Once I make a commitment to health by exercising and eating correctly for my body CONSISTENTLY, then I will feel better inside and out. I always have felt at heart that I am a vegan b/c I love beautiful colors and tastes of fruits and veggies but at the same time I know I would like to be a flexitarian where I eat a mostly vegan diet but allow myself to have controlled portions of other dishes that I crave occasionally. I mean we eat to live, not live to eat, right?

I love beautifully plated small plate meals, I want a beautiful kitchen in my home, I look forward to making green lunches for my children in the near future. So first I have to conquer this inconsistency and move toward a consistent or better yet balanced Yolanda.

My vagina is looking forward to her.

FOODIE: gluten free vs spicy cracker salmon cakes

2010-02-13T08:00:00.000-05:00

So my friend and I made salmon croquettes or cakes. I made my gluten free and he made his with crackers. We used can pink salmon. He used wheat crackers and I used cornstarch to make it stick. We just seasoned with salt, pepper, garlic powder and egg. Delic!

FOODIE: gluten free banana nut muffins

2010-02-12T08:00:00.001-05:00

So this is my first gluten free baking experience after trying to start a gluten free diet. Gluten is a protein that helps bread to rise and form. People that are allergic to gluten have celiac disease or have a gluten intolerance or allergy. I believe I have an allergy towards dairy as do most humans and intolerance towards gluten like my dad! My dad has asthma and a very serious allergy to gluten and maybe also malt so he cannot smell or consume wheat or he will have an allergy attach and his throat will close. He has had many close calls but he still lives. So I have decided at 26 to experiment with gluten free cooking. Gluten free baking mixes are interesting b/c they use different types of flours and xanthum gum to make bread.

So the batter taste good but while baking.......there was no smell of bread? That made me sad. It was heavy and full not light like bread but a heavy mushy banana wetie ball. I liked it tho. I think I will use natural sweeteners such as Agave next time.

Like I said my tummy would be better if I lived a dairy and gluten free lifestyle but I am eating a cookie as we speak....

THOUGHTS OF A SUBSTITUTE TEACHER: So how do you make the word "ranch" plural?

2010-02-11T08:03:00.000-05:00

Question: So how do you make ranch plural?
Answer: Dressing

So I was in a 3rd grade class in Oak Park, MI and I was teaching a lesson on how to make nouns plural. The kids were having such a hard time. So I asked one young man, "how do you make the word "ranch" plural aka more than one?" And when he answered "dressing", I knew exactly what he was thinking about! These kids first response is what they know- ranch dressing.

To give the boy an excuse, we did just have a discussion on health and why ranch dressing and bbq sauce is not good.

I make sure to discuss health and give the kids a health lesson everyday and usually use my lunch and morning drink as an example :)

ACADEMIA: Applied to USF

2010-02-10T08:04:00.001-05:00

So I totally cannot sit my a-s-s down enough to really study for the GRE and get out my applications for PhD programs. I could only get out one application and that was to University of South Florida which has the only applied program in the country. I also applied to a fellowship called a McKnight which will give me monies for five years. Yay! So I will know by March/May if I get them both. If I do, I'll be in Florida, if not I will have to pay $1,000 for a GRE class and time to do applications. I still want to do UM joint social work/anthro program. Ummm a PhD in social work, MSW and PhD in anthro would make me so marketable :) So we will c.

FOODIE: falafel sandwich w/purple cabbage

2010-02-09T08:01:00.002-05:00

I looove falafels so I decided to buy some falafel mix and make my own falafel sandwich. I am trying really hard to go slightly, a little bit, gluten-free. So instead of eating falafel on pita, I ate it on an organic lettuce leaf. On the leaf is garlic hummus and a falafel ball and on the top is purple cabbage/carrot/lentil mix. YUM! I loove brightly colored veggies :)

FOOODIE: juicing green and red to live long!

2010-02-08T08:00:00.002-05:00

I love to drink fresh JUICE but I hate to make it so thank God for daddy's! My dad juices like 3-4 times during the week. My two favorite juice mixes are my GREEN GODDESS mix and BEETlicious mix!

GG is a mix of cucumber used as a coolant, spinach as a strengthener, green apple as a sweetener and celery as an awakener! YUMMY and you can add parsley and lemon. I also looove Odwalla superfood and Bolthouse green goodness and Naked green machine. Other versions such as Trader Joe's and health food sections of stores have "green" smoothie drinks too!

My beet juice mix is organic beets as a detoxant, red apple as a sweetener and carrot as a goodie :) Be careful with this mix b/c beets are so strong as a juice. My organic beet was small and I only used 1/4 of one for 30 ounces of juice. Make sure to water it down!

Enjoy!

FOODIE: Food review of goat milk ice cream

2010-02-01T22:39:00.005-05:00

For the last few weeks I have not eaten any dairy besides yogurt. Dairy aggrevated those like myself with allergies and cow's milk is crap anyways! Who drinks or consumes milk after infancy besides humans? It is not easy for the body to digest! I do love cheese tho but I am laying off for a while.

I have enjoyed almond and soy milk. Not a big fan of soy yogurt but I am of soy chocolate icecream and bars. I got an e-mail from Oprah's newsletter and it talked about guitless ice cream, as an ice cream lover and person that is limiting her cow dairy intake, I wanted to try it. This ice cream that she spoke of is Laloo's. I planned to order some from the company and try their signature flavor- Black Mission Fig-but I went to Whole Foods to check it out first. They had a strawberry flavor called Strawberry Darling and I told one of the workers that I wanted to try it. I thought he was going to give me a spoonful but he just gave me the whole carton :) I love getting free good food! It cost like $8. Wooooo! So not a part of my budget. Anywho, the flavor is strawberry ice cream with balsamic vinegar swirls and it works. It is one of those smooth textures, creamy yogurt like sweets that you just want to eat by small spooonfuls and a mini scop is enough. The balsamic vinegar is a lil tart and tangy and the strawberry is a sweet yogurt taste. I like it!

FOODIE: Yvvone's imitation lemon pie

2010-01-22T08:00:00.000-05:00

This is a pie that my 90 year old Godmother- Yvonne Barber created it in 1999. She said she came up with the idea when her friend did not like the meringue in lemon meringue pie. She tasted squash and realized it did not have that much flavor to itself so she realized that like tofu, it absorbs flavor! So thought squash was good to make into something else like a lemon pie. Sorry no pictures! I have no idea where they are, I took them tho!

Yvonne's Imitation lemon pie
Ingredients:
2 cups of diced Yellow sun squash
Juice of 3 lemons
Few drops of lemon extract
Pie crust for top and bottom
1c of white sugar
3 Tbsp of flour
1/2 stick of melted butter
NEED:
Shallow pan to cook squash
1 small and medium mixing bowl

Peel the yellow squash, slice down the middle and scrap out the seeds and dice and put in a shallow pan. Cover with lemon juice and leave in refrigerator over night to get lemon flavor. Shake up a few times to cover evenly.
Drain lemon juice off the squash but don’t throw away, set aside. Taste squash to make sure it tastes like lemon!!! Mix white sugar and flour. Pour the sugar/flour mix over the squash. Place into uncooked pie crust. Add rest of lemon and lemon abstract. Don’t make too juicy. Pinch crust on top. Make a nice design. 350 degrees til brown like 20-35 min. let cool before cut. Taste it and see if you got lemon pie!

Dont come unless u announce yo self fool! D town

2010-01-08T22:17:00.005-05:00

CHECK OUT THESE RAP VIDEOS ABOUT DETROIT

BLACK HAIR: cold weather is killing my hair

2010-01-04T18:44:00.003-05:00

You know how people would say that Black hair felt like a brillo pad? Well mine does, it has never felt like this before but between the cold weather and my protein treatment I did last week, my hair is extremely dry :( I did deep condition after using the egg whites in my hair for protein but that was not enough. I should have done that a few days later too!

So I consulted with my cousin, founder of Naturi Beauty, and asked her what I should do about the dry hair. So she told me to use coconut milk and aloe vera and a little bit of conditioner and moistize my head for an hour then rinse out and moisturize with aloe vera and shea butter. So i tried it and twisted it. I will keep it covered when I am outside too. I will do it again in a few days and hopefully it will feel better. But I have to listent o my hair b/c it felt funny when I washed it last week and was kinda crunchy when I was putting it in straws so I have to be careful.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT: sexting

2010-01-01T15:44:00.006-05:00

I just finished watching an episode of SVU about DV and sexting. I used to watch it a lot in 09 but I stopped b/c it created negative thoughts in my head.

Watch the episode and think about:

prison industrial complex and how the prison system works as a business

check out this child abuse awareness and prevention blog for an analysis of the episode and info on child abuse.

Do you think sexting should be illegal?

I was just talking to my undergrad partner in crime about our days of complete craziness and how thankful I am that Facebook did not exist. We would have posted some beyond inappropriate pictures and comments. It scares the health out of me to think about. We were so out of control that in a computer class we took before our Freshman year, we had an assignment, to create a website. Mine is still there. I swear teens and young adult have no sense. I was just wild as hell but at least I graduated and traveled and was done in 3 years. But sexting is serious. The growth of technology has created new ways for people, especially teens, to express their sexuality and sexual desires. Lord knows I be sexting and have had inappropriate pictures taken of me and sent to people. Like I have said before, I could never be Michelle Obama, pictures starting from 2000 would pop up! Funny but not. Now Kwame and Tiger Woods sexting was funny tho, but not illegal b/c they aren't minors, but cost him big. Gosh I have to stop text flirting. Number one reason why: Nothing is private. phone convos and texts. anything you post on the Internet is there forever! Technology has it where if I curse out my daughter for her short crouch showing skirt. she can google me and find a picture of me in a short skirt. Scary!! Would making it ilegal make teens stop doing? Do we need to threaten them to get them to stop? Will it change their morality?

FOOD FOR THOUGHT: What the Holidays are really about

2009-12-30T08:59:00.001-05:00

The Holidays are really about reminding us that life is about being surrounded by loved ones. I am taking the time to spend time with my family, mainly my niece and nephew, and get updates from friends that matter. I still get caught up in the useless relationships with certain dudes and drinkin a lil to much in the strip club but mostly I have been concentrating on just talking with friends/family.

My mom wants to start new tradition where we bake cookies with her grandchildren the day before Christmas and that we all gather as a family the Sunday after a major Holiday. This year we had a karaoke machine with songs such as "Can we talk" Tevin Cambell, "Feelin on yo Booty" R kelly and "My girl' Temptations. So that was fun and will continue to be fun! Anywho, baking the cookies was cool. We made lemony chewy sugar cookies. The recipe came from Boastful Baker blog from Fallen Souffle blog . I bought some nasty icing to color and use to decorate, we did not really let her eat the icing tho. It was just for her to do. We will get better as the years pass.

Side note on Holiday shopping: Around Christmas people spend money they do not have in their bank account on useless gifts for themselves and family. My family and I stopped giving gift a long time ago. Now I only give gifts to my mother and niece/nephew and a friend that deserves it. I do not expect or want anything in return, just appreciation and the gift of giving. I also do like to bargain shop and the Holidays is an okay time to do it, the sales really arent that great especially in MI. so I plan to go online to look for things I really want such as leather boots. From now on, I plan to get good quality pieces of clothing and budget to buy them. So I have to budget now for my $250 to $400 boots I want. Buying premium boots from the actual designer or department store such as Barneys, Bloomindales or Nieman Marcus really pays off because the department store or designer will do repairs on the shoe for free. Right now Bloomingdales is fixing my Via Spiga Layla style boots.

Happy Holidays-purpose of life

2009-12-29T10:02:00.004-05:00

I have been doing a lot of thinking about the purpose of life. I have read the books, Who Are You Really, And What Do You Really Want by Shad Helmstetter and The Purpose driven Life by Rick Warren. I have a lot of extremely selfish people in my life so I have been working on learning from them how I do not want to treat others. Those that are selfish friends, I let them push themselves away but those that are close family such as my father, brother and sister-in-law, I try to encourage myself to pray for them and find the strength to speak encouraging words. Since I believe in God and that God is love, I believe all humans purpose on life is service-oriented. We were created to serve others. I enjoy hosting (hospitality) dinner parties and "talks", volunteering with organizations such as Special Olympics and Girl Scouts and working with pre-teen girls with self esteem and health issues, special needs kids in public schools and teaching college and influencing them to be global citizens. This is the avenue that I naturally have taken to give service to others. I have always been involved in community service and diversity focused conferences since I was in junior high. I am working on consciously being more thoughtful to those that deserve it and kind in general to all. I really love helping people but it have been difficult for me to find a straight path that will allow me to take care of myself and be dependent therefore have a known agenda that will allow me to do service in the best way possible- with consistency.

For Thanksgiving as well as Christmas, my family members at the house and I stand around the table before we eat to say what we are thankful for. This year I am thankful for remembering my purpose in life. To be of service to others. But first I have to care for myself. My finances, my health, my attitude. I plan to use my God given talent everyday. Everything I do should be purpose-driven.

BLACK HAIR: braided twist- twist out look

2009-12-28T14:42:00.001-05:00

So I got my hair done last weekend. The lady braided the scalp part and twisted the rest of the hair. It was kind of tight and not my normal puffy twist but it worked out. I curled it with straws. At first I wore it in tight curls for a few days (pic to the left) Then I started to unravel the twist part and let the braid stay on the scalp so that way it was like a Afro like twist out. I really like that. I keep moisturizing it. But the longest I will keep a style is two weeks b/c I have to wash my hair. So it was a cool Holiday look.

FOODIE: chocolate cupcakes

2009-12-24T19:30:00.001-05:00

It was my brothers b-day and he loves chocolate. I made chocolate cupcakes with my niece a few days prior and everyone loved the recipe so I used it again. It is really similar to Hershey's cake recipe instead I used Ghirardelli chocolate. I melted some of it into the batter and put a few Ghirardelli chocolate chips into the batter. For the chocolate butter cream icing, I used cocoa powder and melted Ghirardelli chocolate pieces. They were so delic. I also learned that if you want a chocolate crust at the bottom incorporate chocolate pieces into the batter but if you want to chocolate incorporated into the cooked cupcake, you have to use chocolate chips. Happy B-day Mike!

FOODIE: Princess and the frog cupcakes

2009-12-22T00:35:00.004-05:00

My sister found a Princess and the Frog cookbook. There was a recipe for "Foggy-in-the-water cupcakes" so I made them! I got the recipe for some great chocolate cupcakes from a Children's Baking cake recipe book. I used butter cream icing and dyed it blue with blue food coloring. I took green gumdrops and split them in half for the eye, Mentos and black icing for the inner part of the eye. It is cute and easy. I added extra bling by using edible blue glitter. I let my niece, 2 years old, do about everything, it was so much fun!

FOODIE: lemon ricotta pancakes w/ blueberry compote

2009-12-20T11:00:00.000-05:00

So I previously posted about this restaurant called Cafe Muse? I had lemon ricotta pancakes with blueberry syrup. Delic! I was actually surprised to see it on the menu b/c I was just discussing with my sister that I wanted to make some after seeing Curtis Stone make hotcakes w/blueberry compote on Wendy Williams. I took ideas from both Curtis and Cafe Muse and made lemon ricotta pancakes w/ blueberry compote.

Doinwhatyodoes Recipe for Lemon Ricotta Pancakes w/Blueberry compote

PANCAKES

1.5 c of flour

2.5 tsp of baking powder

pinch of salt

1 zested and juiced lemon

1 tbsp of butter

4 eggs seperated

1 c of ricotta cheese

1 c of milk

1 tbsp of sugar

BLUEBERRY COMPOTE

fresh or frozen blueberries

1/4 of cornstarch to every cup of sugar

Have 3 bowls. I medium and two small. Put ricotta and egg yolks into medium bowl and whisk. Mix milk, butter, lemon juice and zest, and sugar and add to medium bowl w/ricotta/yolk mix. Mix flour, salt, and baking powder and sift into medium bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat the egg whites with sugar until peak forms. Fold egg whites into batter in two batches. Batter will rise and be puffy. After cooked, it will be thick and yum!

Sorry I had really good pictures, but somehow they erased! :(

For compote, I put frozen blueberry's in a saucepan and sifted in sugar and cornstarch. Once it boils, put on low and simmer for a few minutes. It is thick enough once it coats a spoon.

BLACK HAIR: new hairstyle

2009-12-19T15:03:00.004-05:00

I asked a co-worker who gets her hair twisted for the # of the lady who does her hair, so I tried her out. She does not do hair for a living but she used to work at a salon and now does a few people at her house. I am never satisfied with my hair, especially for the price, when I get it done so.......
I tried something new. Cost $50. It is like a braided twist. She braided the scalp then twisted it. Its okay, I am looking for a more grown up style tho. Also I am noticing with these styles that it would look better with a slimmer face. I just dont want to look too boyish either or dykish.

FOODIE: holiday nicker nacks for guests

2009-12-16T08:14:00.000-05:00

One of my mom's friend is a older woman who bakes. She have us holiday bags filed with chocolate peanut butter balls and pretzels. YUM! These are good snacks to have at home to offer guests. The chocolate has to stay chilled tho.

two undergrad college snacks for the holidays are:

puppy chow and fried donuts. My friend Siabhon has made both.

Puppy chow is rice chex mix mixed with melted peanut butter, butter, chocolate and smothered with powdered sugar.

Fried donuts are Pillsbury biscuits fried in oil then dunked in cinnamon and sugar mix.

Enjoy!

FOODIE: young boys are hunks of meat

2009-12-15T13:59:00.000-05:00

I swear my younger brother is T-Rex, he eats no veggies. Yesterday and today he ate ribs for dinner with no starch or veggie. It was so gross. He is a Freshman in colleges so that already climates good eating habits. He does not have a kitchen to cook in and he is also a picky eater. Not a good picky eater like asking questions rather something is organic or not but a bad picky eater meaning that he only eats chilly cheese fries and honey buns. I swear seeing him eat meat, makes me want to be a loosely defined vegan. I have always been a vegetarian at heart tho b/c I secretly hate meat and do not like it with every meal, I prefer vegetarian meals mostly.

ACADEMIA: Busted the GRE today and stilll bsin'

2009-12-14T23:43:00.003-05:00

I swear Yolanda, you will be living in your momma house with no car until you shape up. Just exercise, shut your mouth from talkin crazy, leave the hood Detroit guys alone and get a 9-5 in a higher ed setting and put real effort into your app's. That's it! SIMPLE! Then you can have the lifestyle you want.

This is my ideal lifestyle now (kinda like my cousin Shelly :) )

THIS WOULD BE NICE NOW….
I wake up out of my big fluffy white pillow top bed to drink some electrolyte enhanced lightly chilled water. I grab some mint from my mint plant and place it in my water. I open my window to receive a light breeze and the sun was rising as I put on my Pilate's pants to go to my Pilate's class. I run about an hour after my Pilate's class and walk back into my apartment on my hardwood floor into my huge kitchen with stainless steel appliances and make an apple/beet/ginger juice. I get on skype to talk to Gabrielle and my mom to discuss our weekend plans together before class at UM for my PhD in anthropology and social work. I take a shower and exfoliate my skin with my self made brown sugar scrub. I look through my walk through closet for my almond colored Capri dress pants and mint ruffled fitted sleeveless blouse. I fluff out my curly afro and put some moisturizer on it. I grab my yellow diamond gemstone studs and ring and quickly fix one of my many art pieces that I took – this one being a picture of myself-and walk out my door, lightly rubbing myself with egyptian lotus. I drive my sea blue colored Audi to class. In class I meet with my professor to discuss my thesis and make plans for my trips to S India, Japan and Brazil. I rush home to prepare for my dinner party. I put on a short dark blue silk robe. I prepare the lemon herbed leg of lamb with balsamic glazed baby carrots, hot mustard mustard greens and roasted fingerling's w/ a truffle drizzle and spiced dark chocolate truffles. I check my email to confirm my girl scout camp registration and to check on my students in my on-line class and update my Blog. My neighbor stops by to ask if I can babysit her cute cross eyed pug for the weekend! I tell her I can after my pole dancing class on Saturday. I change into a dark grey backless tight knee length dress with round glass buttons going down the butt and Burberry printed pumps and meet my few friends (who are dressed beautifully) at the door with lemon drop and white grape martinis. We have dinner and chat on a predetermined topic-my latest blog entry or book or their latest whatever. As my guests leave, I kick off my heels and I take a bathe in my free standing bath tub with a lemongrass-mint bath crystals. I put on an organic soft white t-shirt and socks. I twist up my hair. I sit on my coach and sip white ginger tea with a lemon. I look at my row of mirrors on my wall and take a second to dance to a hot Afro-Brazilian beat. I read for 30 minutes, say my prayers and light my burner filled with eucalyptus oil and have sweet dreams on my white huge soft pillow top bed with dark mahogany bed posts.

THOUGHTS OF A SUBSTITUTE TEACHER: FROM Reading, Writing and Arithmetic TO Rapping, Rolling and Rebounding

2009-12-14T23:32:00.003-05:00

In a conversation today at Bible study, my mothers best friend from childhood, a special education educator and administrator of over 15 years, spoke on the concern for this upcoming generation. A recent stat about Detroit public school student's test scores raising concern over their ability to contribute to society. Their inability to read and lack of social skills are widening the gap between the have and have-nots and contributing to the disappearance of the middle class. I myself worry about who will interact with my niece. I guess I cannot blame this on the Rap Snacks b/c they do promote that "reading is fundamental" on the chip bag.

FOODIE: my appetite is back

2009-12-13T00:06:00.002-05:00

So last week when I was sick, I had no appetite but now it is back! I have hunger pains and the desire to indulge in sweets again. The only thing is that my stomach cannot handle it. I ate a donut and hummus and my stomach hurts! Heavy foods, meats and sweets are not my stomach's friend but are my eyes best friend. I really want to eat good most of the time and just rarely engage in sweets and processed food, only when its worth it. Like if its something I never had before or sampling someone's cooking. I am working on it....

One way I am fighting it is with herbal tea. When I get a craving, I drink tea. It helps b/c it soothes my tummy too!

THOUGHTS OF A SUBSTITUTE TEACHER: 3 random thoughts

2009-12-11T15:59:00.001-05:00

So there are always interesting fashion trends that surface. I have seen the kids lately wearing children backpacks and book covers. I have known some highschool girls that like certain characters but it is too funny when a tall Black young man has on a small sized Superman bookbag :)

Also I have had previous posts about names. This one tops it all. How would you pronounce this name? La-a. He name is LA DASH AH. yes, you actually verbalize the dash when saying her name: La-a. Wow!

I have also previously talked about ghetto snacks and blue drink. But I think I found the hoodest of them all : Rap Snacks. OMG.

FOODIE: for the sick

2009-12-10T06:50:00.000-05:00

FEEL BETTER, EAT THE WAY GOD INTENDED!

So since I have had the flu, I have not had much of an appetite. This is rare b/c I always think about food and have some sort of daily craving. But not now, I just want God's natural food. Look at me above in Rio de Janeiro in a fruit market! That is heaven! Since Saturday, I have eaten mostly only fruit salads and fruit smoothies. I have tried chicken noodle soup, deli sandwiches, crackers and cheese but only eat like a 1/3 of it and that's to make sure that the Motrin does not eat up my stomach!

I definitely haven't had the desire to eat any meat, junk food or comfort food. I love Bavarian cream filled donuts, ice cream, cupcakes, mac n cheese and all that good stuff but nope, not now!

It really has me thinking, maybe I should revert back to my natural cravings. My bodies natural cravings for fruits, veggies and healthy food such as salmon and brown rice. I am a dairy girl but with my allergies it is not good for me. And again, with the flu, I have not wanted dairy including yogurt and cheese! So my body is telling me something.

I am going to propose something to my family and jogging partner for January. To try to eat as natural as possible. So not processed meals, sauces, condiments, dairy, snacks such as sweets or crackers. It means cooking more and using creativity. I also plan to juice more, well get my dad t juice for me! There are so many alternatives and I know them! So we will c how I do. B/c even pizza does not sound good right now and that is so not usually me, or is it?

So today I ate Salmon and short grain brown rice mixed with chopped asparagus and it felt good. I also drank some POM with it. POM is so strong so I just drink a little bit.

So we will see how I do from now on. I am an emotional eater so this will be a text. I also don't have the funds or resources (no good grocery stores or even farmer markets around in Detroit) to buy certain ingredients. That does not mean I cant eat well and healthy just not as gourmet as I like too. Doesn't fresh produce just look good?

GEMINI ~ISH- I don't usualy take drugs but...

2009-12-09T07:37:00.000-05:00

So I am not an advocate of taking any type of labatory created "drug". I don't take tylenol for cramps, Thera Flu or Nyquil for colds or take non-mandatory shots. i always look for the natural remedy to any kind of ill physical and mental feeling I have. I am on BC tho and hopefully one day I will get off.

So I have been diagnosed with the flu. Maybe a kid coughed in my face, maybe I touched a shopping cart at the grocery store, maybe I did not wash my hands enough. I am always rubbing my nose due to allergies. I have to be more mindful.

My family has been pissing me off b/c they keep joking around but seriously tellling me to stay in my room. My dad said he has chills but that negro never sleeps and has ashma so it might not be me. I have a baby nephew and niece that my mom watches here so she is thinking of going to their house to care for them until I feel better.

The aches and sweats and fever and sore throat (when swallow hard and it gets swollen feeling) and pressured head feeling are horrible. I just cry and hold myself. Until...I take motrin. It works wonders! I was taking a nap, b/c I get so tired and the aches hurt, and was awaken with body aches and this sore jaw feeling. I was also so cold and had chills. I just cried for a second then looked at the motrin bottle and had to take one. I was in so much pain. I tried to tell myself that there are people the world over with greater physical and mental pain than I but i literally had no appetite and could not move or do my work. So I took two motrins and in 10 minutes all my symptons decreased. The only thing is that I sweat like crazy. I had to strip down to draws! I am sweating now and eating fruit. Today I tried to eat a falafel and lentil soup but wasnt in the mood. So I am eating a fruit salad, smoothie and water. I also tried chic noodle soup and cheese and crackers but I am not too interested. The fruit feels so good. I have to force myself to drink the water tho. Also I don't sleep too well and sweat a lot at night so I sleep naked. My boo is in Egpyt and there is a 7 hour difference. When I go to bed at night, he is starting his day :) We saw each othe ron Skype today and he was like OMG, you look crazy. There is such a difference just in my face that shows whether I took motrin or not. Without the motrin the pain makes my eyes close and I am totally covered and with the motrin I am my normal naked self. I hate taking it and try to leave it alone but damn, it allows me to function. I also really dont get my appetitie til after 7pm and this is when I am most productive.

Besides the motrin, I am taking Tami Flu. I dont want to but I work with kids and have children in my home :( They are giving it away for free at Miejers with a prescription. I started having symptoms of aches and fatigue saturday afternoon and just slept. so hopefully I can be better by Friday and go to work.

GEMINI ~ISH- Need to laugh? Check out these videos

2009-12-08T00:40:00.002-05:00

Jonas Brothers beat up by Mickey Mouse

Baby cursing

GEMINI ~ISH: Ahhhh, I dont feel to well

2009-12-07T18:13:00.005-05:00

I am a little under the weather. Body aches, fever, sore throat. The flu is trying to take over my body. My mom watched my brothers babies so I have been confined to my room. The aches just make me want to sleep all day and I hate sleeping! should I have taken that H1N1 shot? Naw, it is what it is. I do not have swine flu but diagnosed with the everyday winter time flu. But, I refuse to accept this flu and I will continue to pray for myself and search for natural remedies. I am drinking smoothies, juicing, drinking tea with raw honey, drinking water and burning eucalyptus oil. I will not claim that I have the flu by verbally confessing it. I am in god health :) I need to go back to work b/c I cannot handle missing money!! Besides missing out on money, I take the G.R.E next week and have to force myself to study and I cannot cook. I was making tomato soup today :( Dang it!

BLACK HAIR: wash and twist

2009-12-06T09:35:00.000-05:00

So I washed and conditioned my hair with Redken for curly hair. Conditioned it with a placenta/henna conditioner and a Queen Helene conditioner with a gold cap.The gold cap is a foil hair cap that holds heat to give my hair a hot treatment. I left that on for an hour then washed it out. I then moisturized my hair with the karenbodybeautiful cream and put it into large twists and covered it up with a scarf and hat. The next morning, I took out the twists and it looked like a cute lil afo? IDK

FOOD FOR THOUGHT: Should Tiger blame Solomon?

2009-12-05T15:04:00.004-05:00

After tutoring, on the way home, a convo was struck up about Tiger and the cheating. A question was posed, " Can Tiger blame Solomon for his love of women and sex?" Solomon, the son of David, was a very wise man but he was also a very sexual man. He loved up hundreds of women. Was that Christian like? Is that morally all-right!?

I think this points back to the points I made before in the other entry about Tiger, that men of power have to learn to deal with the large amount of women poo poo thrown at them daily. Women are attracted to power and men seek power and wealth to get women.

FOODIE: quickie lunch after tutoring on a saturday

2009-12-05T14:34:00.004-05:00

After tutoring today, I tutor English and Social Studies/Government for Upward Bound through Wayne State, I was famished. My throat started hurting a few days ago and after running 3 miles yesterday, my body ached really badly. I feel like I may be coming down with a slight cold. I just popped a Vit C, which I am supposed to take 3 a day, and thought about what to eat. My throat does not hurt when I talk yet hurts when I swallow hard, like taking a gulp. So I was going to make a sharp cheddar grilled cheese, I really want to make a white cheese truffle grilled cheese like I saw in Gossip Girl. Luv truffle oil. So instead, I made a deli sandwich. I used a thick seeded wheat bread, tomatoes seasoned with pepper, baby spinach leaves, red onion, sliced turkey and Swiss cheese. For condiments I use mustard. I love mayo but its no good for ya! Instead season some yogurt with herbs! I also love avocados and alfalfa sprouts on it too!

I have made chicken noodle soup and chic n dumplings (my fav!) but did not feel like making it today. So instead I ate whatever was in the cabinet, which was Progresso chicken noodle soup. I like Progresso but it is too salty! So I use at a little.

Great for a lunch for a teacher too!

FOODIE: curry fish

2009-12-04T20:11:00.002-05:00

So a month ago I went to an Indian restaurant that also had a grocery store. I love coconut milk so I looked for a recipe that called for coconut milk. I found a box that had a mix for curry fish (yellow curry). I had already made curry chicken (red and hot curry) so I wanted to try a fish dish. I had no idea what kind of fish to use so I looked up some for curry chicken and still did not know. So I went to the fish store and got cod and pickerel. I am not sure if I am a fan of either. One of them was kinda fishy tasting. They weren't the best fish for the fish curry. The curry mix was okay but was not the best. The coconut milk flavor did not stand out either. I just didwhatyodoes! I put the curry fish over basmati rice. Luv basmati rice! My chicken though curry dish is so good tho!

FOODIE: are gourmet cupcakes just nasty?

2009-12-03T21:19:00.002-05:00

I have been to like 10 different popular cupcake places in Chicago, all white owned and they all taste like cornbread. It also reminds me of French or European pastries, it just doesnt have the taste I am one- used to and two-like! These tend to be heavy but not in sugar. they are also ascetically beautiful. I went to 10 different cupcake places to make my sister a cupcake tower for her bday! and Yuck! I don't know about you but I miss the good ol' soft springy and light cake. I dont know what it is about these upscale cupcake places that they all taste like this. I rather have a boxed cake or a lil old Black woman or southern white woman making my bumpy looking cupcake. what do you prefer? The fancy cupcake above or the homemade looking friendly cupcake? I prefer the latter, Im done with gourmet cupcakes. My favorite bakery here in MI is Knudsons Bakery on McNichols (6 mile) in Detroit. So delic! There donuts are so bomb and cupcakes are light and good!

FOOD FOR THOUGHT: response to Beyonce's new video- Video Phone

2009-12-03T19:55:00.002-05:00

WOW! In my previous posts, I wrote about Beyonce. I and jen asked if she was a jezebel and bad influence on our youth. So she confirms it in this song and video, yes, jezebel. Again, Beyonce is a hard worker but does she have to make her living at the expense of youth everywhere? I mean it is partially not her fault b/c she is a robot. Her father trained her to gyrate/ jirate for money early and taught her about hard work. And isnt she getting a little old for this? She look sexy but not in a classy sweet way but in a slut-like, gettin fucked in the club (which her and Usher did sing about) kinda sexy.

I think that Beyonce created Sasha Fierce to have an excuse to put this filth out here. She can say, "That isnt me jirating but Sasha Fierce. She doesnt influence youth b/c they know she is made up- just for show. I am respectable b/c I am married." Take responsibility woman!

Now lets look at this video: Metaphors are all about penis' squirting cum. I wonder if she got the idea from "super soak that hoe"? She is riding a horse, dressed like a super hero "captain suck yo dick" and shooting a gun which is a dick with sperm squirting out.

Hell, I am scared for teens b/c then sex cant be "normal" looking at this video. She is saying that sagging pants "are grown man" and advocating for youn men to exploit women by taping them on their phones and making it seem acceptable to be taped.

ACADEMIA: GRE update and I got another job!

2009-12-03T19:16:00.003-05:00

So I take the GRE on the 4th and I haven't studied a lick. It is a good chance I wont do shit b/c I am .....a)lazy b)crazy c)self destructive. IDK it is hard for me to really sit down and complete something. I have great talent and many people with great talent waste it. It is those that work hard that make it and they are usually just hard workers without the natural talent. The GRE is not a cram test, it is something that should be studied for in order to understand how it works at least 4 weeks in advance. Me, I bs. So either I will make it outta this one and get into UM or I wont and I will have to pick a time to study and take it apply again next year.

So I may be working for the census. I will either enter data or go door to door trying to get these Black folk to admit to how many people be at their house. Ill let you know about that :)

THOUGHTS OF A SUBSTITUTE TEACHER: these kids need some PBS

2009-12-03T16:01:00.002-05:00

PBS- Positive Behavior Support

At an elementary school I was at, the kids get PBS points when they are respectful, safe and responsible. It works too!

FOODIE: restaurant review

2009-12-03T15:23:00.000-05:00

I went to Beverly Hills Grill, in Beverly Hills, MI for breakfast. Skipped work to hang with my dude before he left to go out the country for a month for work. This place got high reviews when I searched for good breakfast spots in the Detroit area, so we decided to go. It is a small diner looking place with a very small, one page menu. At first my honey was skeptical about the size of the menu and variety. Either a small menu meant 1.) the cooks aren't creative 2) they do what they do well. It was 2. he had the pancakes with seasonal fruit and i have the Crab benedict. Yum, yum. My benedict was perfect and his pancakes were all right. they were good but not buttermilk-like to me but good huge thick pancakes not light tho. The oj was fresh but not sweet and my hot chocolate was average but the fresh whipped cream was good. The apple chicken sausage was good too!

BLACK HAIR: so you want to be natural?! here is some advice

2009-12-02T19:26:00.004-05:00

A few blogs on natural hair:

Thank God I AM NATURAL

Nappy in the City

NATURI BEAUTY

Curly Nikki

MotownGirl

These blogs will give you information on products to use, how to make natural products, videos on how to style your hair and hair stories of women who have "gone natural". Feel free to contact the blogger and get advice from her!

In this blog under "Black hair" I talk about my own hair and products I am using. I am trying to go all natural, which to me means that I am trying not to put heat on my head. My hair is really damaged from a bad winter and stress so I am letting it rest and trying to care for it. I try to be as natural, simplistic and simple with my routine as possible.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT: response to Tiger cheating

2009-12-02T19:03:00.003-05:00

Okay, so my mom says he shouldv'e cheated and there would be nothing to catch him on.

TMZ thinks that he is a winner and will be an even bigger star 6 months from now.

I say, don't they all cheat? Men of power, high status? They may not all cheat but there sure is a heap full of opportunity, much more than the average man. These women are like vultures, they smell power and I know myself and other women get so turned on by men of power. I get more turned on by a man in a suit on his way to work then a a man naked. Women see the potential, power while men see the physical body b/c they are visual and looking for instant gratification sexually.

Kobe and Letterman and President Clinton careers are still fine. So why not Tiger's? I mean he cheated which is morally wrong to hurt his wife and family but are we watching Tiger thinking what a good man he is or what a good golf mogul he is? Golf mogul. I think we need to stop idolizing people in the lime light.

Birds of a feather flock together. His running boys are two of the biggest whores ever- Micheal Jordon and Charles Barkley. Yuck!

Also Tiger's wife should look into baseball b/c she beat the hell out of his car. She must have been listening to Jazmine Sullivans-Buss your Windows :) Also tiger thought he had some meak quiet White girl but this heffa went psycho on him. See it ain't just Black women who will tear a cheating man's sh*t up. Also, she crazy for hitting him, he worth too much money to damage! wasnt this heffa a nany before this?! Also supposedly he is paying them both to quiet down about it! Thats sad.

GEMINI ~ISH: white folk joke

2009-12-02T10:07:00.002-05:00

QUESTION: Whats up with those PITA folk? Why do white people look animals so much?

ANSWER;b/c they can no longer train and play around with nigggers. But wait, there are niggas to laugh at

This isnt really funny b/c its true

FOOD FOR THOUGHT: good motto

2009-12-02T10:06:00.002-05:00

THINK LESS, PRAY MORE

THOUGHTS OF A SUBSTITUTE TEACHER: ummm, do they mess up my checks on purpose?

2009-12-01T20:08:00.000-05:00

So I am officially a hustler! I have like 3 jobs and still more is coming. I tutor, teach online and sub teach. So I need all my little checks to pay the minimum balance of my credit card debt. They have messed up on my checks three times! I am stilll missing money back from October!! Come on, can I get my money?!

THOUGHTS OF A SUBSTITUTE TEACHER: if I have a class they would say this everyday

2009-12-01T20:03:00.000-05:00

I am a global citizen
I can accomplish anything I desire b/c I try my best
I love myself and show it by respecting others
I am beautiful, intelligent and honorable
I walk with pride and talk with strength
I am confident b/c I know who I am
African royalty, Am I
An image of God, Am I

FOOD FOR THOUGHT: movie review of the wrestler

2009-11-30T19:58:00.001-05:00

What do you do when you can no longer do what you have always done in your life?
Find another avenue. If God has given you a gift, then he will provide a way for you to use it. May not be the way you want or the way you used it in the past, but there is a way!

FOODIE: which is better Lays or Better Maid chips?

2009-11-29T20:26:00.001-05:00

Which do you like better?

FOODIE: resturant review

2009-11-29T20:12:00.000-05:00

So I went to Cafe Muse this morning, Oprah and Gale's made famous restaurant in Royal Oak, MI. It was pretty good. But the food came out so fast that it made me think that it wasn't made to order :( I liked the food but as usual, it made me think, "hell, I can make this!" And I plan to. They had lemon and Ricotta pancakes with a blueberry syrup and he had a waffle with vanilla bean cream and fresh fruit. I loved both. The lemon in the pancakes was fantastic b/c it wasn't tart but had a lemony taste. The bluebery syrup was a must! The waffle was crisp and the vanilla bean frost was aroma heaven. I love vanilla beans! I put a used one in my sugar to give it a vanilla flavor!

So on one Saturday or Sunday morning. I plan to make them both!

Oh, I also love crab or salmon egg benedict. They had a crab benedict like item on the menu and the crab was good but it totally was missing the hollandaise sauce.

GEMINI ~ISH: what is your favorite ghetto corner store snack?

2009-11-28T19:27:00.002-05:00

You know, those goodies that you can only get from the corner store. A certain brand of "drink" or chips or candy. My favorite corner store snack is Jenny's caramel dittos :)

Today Lindi and I felt like some snacks. We went to the corner store to get eggnog. Yes, hood corner stores carry everything from eggs to tampons, chicken wings to porn and advil. They didnt have eggnog so we just started to look around and laugh at all the hood snacks. Shamefully we had to admit that they are good. I got the jenny's popcorn and she got the Vitners hott cheetos and Hostess powdered donuts :) These snacks are okay once in a while but not everyday! We also got Boone's fuzzy navel, yuck!

THOUGHTS OF A SUBSTITUTE TEACHER: me, a secretary? AND ok, I love the kindergarten class

2009-11-27T20:45:00.000-05:00

So I was excited to go to an elementry school b/c I have been in middle and high schools with rude ass kids and I miss my sweet little ones. And they were sweet. But first they asked me, "what are you secretarial skills lookin like?" I am like "uh, I sound nice on the phone." I was really thinking of how I sound sexy on the phone at night :) But really i am pleasant over the hone and I learned that from my momma. people always think she is the answering machine when they call. LOL

I did okay but a few parents were like, "why the hell are you here and you dont know who I am asking for? I dont have time for this, Im running late for work!" I feel them. So I just tell them to hold till I get help and smile :)

But I love the kiddies! 33 kindergarteners! Wooooo! I read them a few stories, which I love to read out loud. FYI parents: Please don't not braid your little girls hair towards her face. I had a kid crying and I didn't even need to ask her why. I just took her two braids and pinned them back with her barrette.

GUEST RANT: Is Beyonce a lady, are you?

2009-11-27T18:11:00.002-05:00

"you're beautiful" "you're smart" " you're a good writer" people love
affirmations and complaints and for adolescents many of them build
there self esteem, and identity on the words that people
use to describe them. Adolescents love to imitate and emulate, a role
model or mentor really helps them to fashion a sense of self and
one of the largest class role models for adolescents particularly Black
adolescent girls is Beyonce. Her new song "Video Phone" speaks to the
salicious attitude that she attempts to mask through her "Sasha
Fierce" persona... Ladies, there is no such thing as Sasha Fierce just
as much as there are no other personalities of you... It is just
Beyonce as it is just you. You are your character, habits the things
you betray and Beyonce betrays a girl on a mission for open sex.
Whoever the coolest guy at the club can surely pick her up and do
whatever including taping her having sex with him or herself on her
video phone, all his friends can see it, matter of fact she wants them
to. Beyonce has allowed herself to be manufactured into the
"seductress instructor" her duty is to teach all little girls how to
seduce and be salicious. But what she should be doing is helping them
understand the power in their sexuality and the history of their
sexuality instead of modernizing Jezebel. The song "Video Phone" will
aid in the 1-4 HIV rate in Detroit between the
ages of 15-24, a population that is increasing in STI's and lacking in
ACT's. Young girls need a role model who humanizes them, not objectify
them. Beyonce do better!

What would you want for your daughter? For yourself?

FOOD FOR THOUGHT: movie review on New Moon

2009-11-26T20:31:00.000-05:00

WHO IS FINER?
I like the youngin! his face is beautiful and look at that bod!

Taylor Lautner or Robert Pattinson?

FOODIE: Thanksgiving brunch!

2009-11-26T16:02:00.010-05:00

We decided to do a brunch this year and I we had a quiche, waffles, buttermilk pancakes, omlette bar, fruit basket (so easy). My buttermilk pancake recipe is in previous "foodie" blog and is based off Martha Stewart's best buttermilk pancakes . The omlette bar was ran by my sister Jen.

The hashbrown crusted quiche idea was from Paula Deen. We made three and cut it up and places it on a serving tray

Hash brown turkey bacon and spinach quiche

1 c heavy cream
3 eggs
tablespoon of garlic
a few onion pieces
tablespoon of olive oil
like 5 pieces of cooked and cut up turkey bacon
few handfuls of spinach cooked down
1.5 cups of cheddar cheese

I use frozen hashbrowns so I unthaw them overnight or in microwave. You can shred your own potatoes if you want but you have to make sure they are dry before you put them in the pan or it wil be soggy (trust, I did it before). Then butter the pie pan and season the hashbrowns with s+p and put into the pie pan and mold it out like a pie crust. put in oven at 450 until brown like 10 minutes. Then put the eggs in a bowl and beat and add heavy cream and season with s+p. Put olive oil and garlic and diced onions into pan to saute. add cooked bacon, cheese and spinach and stir. slightly mix with a fork. put pan mixture into pan and then pour egg mixture on top at 350. do not open the oven while cooking b/c the quiche must rise. you willknow when its done bc it will rise and brown- like 30-40 minutes. Feel free to use various cheeses, meats or veggies in your quiche or even a regular dough crust.

The fruit basket was too easy! You can look uo various videos to get help. I learn more and more each time i do it. You can mix various fruits together, scoop fruits like balls, or separate the fruit and cut into cubes.

An omlette bar is all about the presentation. You need the right appliances.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT: I am thankful for clarity and love

2009-11-26T11:54:00.003-05:00

What are you thankful for today?

I am thankful for clarity and being in love. I have been yearning for a consistency and clarity in how to execute my purpose in life. I know that with a personality like mine, I am meant to touch the world in a very intimate way. I also have a very scattered energy where I do a lot but do not put all my energy in one project or place. So I am consciously working on that. For example, for the first time in my life I am taking complete control over my finances. yay, for me!

LOVE! I am so in love with my nephews and niece. Babies fill me with such a beautiful joy that any worry or bad thought or ill feeling I have - vanishes. I feel such a peace and know that it is b/c I am in the presence of God. My nephew Kellen, whose mother lives in Canada (which for the longest I thought was an extension of US not a separate country mainly b/c I live in Detroit and it is like right there and went there to get a tat and a pierced tongue) and I had only seen once surprised us this afternoon with his sweet presence. I missed him and Thanksgiving could not be complete without this member of our family. I am truly blessed to see him and be able to spend time with him and his mother, who is a gem unlike my other sister in law (that will be another blog, I am being thankful right now). I also love a man (that will be expressed later as well). I am thankful for him b/c he has shown me what love is and isnt.

FYI: We had a quick discussion on homosexuality and DV. Lets first discuss DV and I will have a later blog on homosexuality.

My sisters boyfriend parents discussed DV and Carl's father had a good point.

He made the following argument: the road to hell is paved with good intentions

Dont be with a woman that you feel that you would hit? if you know you have buttons, don't be with a woman that loves to push them

Little girls hitting boys in junior high, are the same girls that grow up to be women and hit men. Men should never hit women but also shouldn't put themselves in a place where they would be pushed to do so.

BLACK HAIR: my hair is officially threw!!

2009-11-26T10:56:00.005-05:00

I paid $85 and it didnt last no days! Look at me! I ran the Turkey trot and I look crazy after one run. It was bad yesterday and even worse today :( And I am going out tomorrow WTF!!!! This is sad..... I mean my hair is okay b/c I wear my hair in a messy look but I can do that myself. Its like fuzzy hair with randon cheeto twists. lol

GEMINI ~ISH: running turkeys!

2009-11-26T10:54:00.006-05:00

So for the second year in a row, I did the turkey trot with my running partner Tyrese and his two friends! It was so cold but colder last year. This year I had my Nike Plus system which I love! I wore Nike plus running pants and a wick shirt with thermal fuzz type stuff inside my running suit. very warm, I used to wear it during the winter last year when it was snow outside in Chicago. It was hundreds of people. People dressed as turkeys, superwomen and superman, santa claus, whatever. Sorry, didnt take pictures. I run slower now than I did last year but my friend Tyrese has gotten so much better and many of his friends run now. He is my only running friend here in MI :( It was a good run. I was energized and high spirited. My favorite songs to sing while I was running was "Pour some sugar on me" and Creed "with arms wide open". I was jamming! We did it in an hour 2 minutes (Tye) and me 1.11

FOOD FOR THOUGHT:different religion but similar worship

2009-11-25T21:25:00.007-05:00

Here is a special man giving a speech about being thankful. Check it out (quality isn't the greatest)

Any who, it was funny b/c it was at a Catholic church with all these corny white folk but it was nice. What I loved about this event was that it was the 23rd annual Interfaith Thanksgiving Service. There was a representative from the Muslim, Christian, Jewish, Hindu, Buddhist and Baha'i Black men. All of these people of different religions gathered together to share with each other and show how they personally pray and show worship to God. Rather it is through dance, song or simple discussion with God- all of these forms of praise were very similar. So how could we hate each other due to religious differences when the faith aspect of worship is so similar? I found each religion to be beautiful.

Here is the Hindu Dance called NRITYANJALI, which is an offering through dance

FOOD FOR THOUGHT: are you a dumb hoe or a smart hoe?

2009-11-25T07:43:00.004-05:00

What is a hoe? Not the garden tool. My societal definition of the word is a woman who gives the pussy up to a variety of men. Now I hate this word, especiallly b/c I know so many men that are hoes. I say they are hoes b/c they sleep with any vagina including ugly and not too clean vaginas and many do not use condoms. Many men would say that a woman that has slept with more men that she can count on one or two hands is a hoe. To me, whore is a stronger word. A whore can be a married women that cheated on her man and her husband finds out and slaps her screaming, "whore." Or a whore is a skank looking druggy prostitue that a guy just finished nutting on and as he cums and throws the money at her, he screams, "whore." Now the word hoe is a little more casually used, it refers to a girl in high school that likes attention from boys and maybe a little too much from the popular girls boyfriend on the football team and as she confronts her with her entourage of mean girls, she approaches her as "Now, hoe listen....". Or a hoe is a girl that is approached by a boy in her class and is asked to be his girlfriend and she laughs no and so his boys laugh at him and he says, "man, she was a hoe anyways."

So are you a dumb or a smart hoe? A hoe fucks, regardless of the reason. rather she is expressing her liberation and like or sex or she was abused and is loooking for love. According to my ex, she is a dumb hoe. A smart hoe fucks for whatever reason but gets money-she a smart hoe.

Do you agree? How do you define a hoe?

THOUGHTS OF A SUBSTITUTE TEACHER: Ms. Chapman you don't seem like you are from Detroit!

2009-11-24T21:07:00.001-05:00

So I am a little different. Always have been! I am outgoing, friendly, eccentric, and spirited. I like to do and wear a vast of different things. You might catch me eating a tofu salad at Whole foods wearing my giant blue scarf and afro and another day catch me at the bar with my flat ironed hair at a local bar doing saki bombs :) I like them both and am looking for a better balance between the two!
So sometimes I might wear a bendi on my forehead or have on a colorful scarf that a friend got me from overseas.

My hair might be in a fro..... but you will never catch me in urban wear. Not my thing. The side weave ponytail and Rocawear or Apple bottom jeans. No thanks! I guess I am not the typical :pop and chip" Detroit girl.

So the kids always kinda look at me like "wtf". Some come up and ask me, "what are you dressed as?" or "you have a neosoul type of style". But this kid today in Oak Park asked me, "where are you from?" I replied, "Detroit!" he looked at me crazy and I said, "6mile". I asked why he was so shocked and he told me " you look like you are nice. by what you are wearin and your speech you seem too classy to be from Detroit." Now I get what he meant. he typical style in Detroit seen by these kids are jeans, fake Coogi wear and weaves. My hair is natural, I wear colorful scarfs and sweaters and my speech may be a little more academic like.

So this is why it is important for those of us that are not ignorant to stick around the inner city. How can a child aspire to be like someone they have never seen? I am an example of success and natural beauty to these kids. I am patient and willing to talk to them on their level about sex, fashion and career choices. I plan to keep working with the youth, after all they are our future. I rather they be inventing cures than creating illnesses.

BLACK HAIR: I hate getting my hair professionally done and it doesnt turn out right!

2009-11-24T20:46:00.009-05:00

AHHHHHHHHHHHH! So the comb twists are coming a part. I called and told Happy to be Nappy and they told me to come in. the girl that did it is not there so I talked to another girl and she is like "it looks fine". Ummm, not what I wanted tho. Sje just re did a few and I was out the door. :( It still looks straight and why? B/c there is no curl product in it. yes,I have a soft hair texture but with curl product such as Miss jessie curli meringue or Karenbodybeautiful hair butter or NaturiCurli. So basically when i try to take a part the comb twist, they look like loose crinkles instead of a tight twisty curl like I had when I went to urbanbella in ATL.

Happy to be Nappy comb twists with no curl product, just shea butter

they did tiny comb twists using shea butter mix and put under dryer for 45 minutes. two days later the sidies and back started coming loose and instead of being a tight fro look, is a crinkled look like it was braided. and looks kinda straight. puffy curls

At Urbanbella, they gave me large comb twists and drenched my head in a jar of Miss Jessie curly meringue and I had to sit under the dryer for like over 2 hours and when I sat down and he pulled it a part it was hottness! I had a head full of crazy afro curls I could style around for the whole month. Also alll the women who worked there had gorgeous curly hair while at Happy to be Nappy they hood looking heffas with nappy weaves. But they can do natural styles, they just dont look natural. Imma have to play with it and add product and see what I can do

ACADEMIA: the award for biggest procrastinator goes to...ME!

2009-11-24T20:41:00.002-05:00

So wasnt I supposed to seriously study for the GRE back in 06! It is damn near 2010 and I am still the biggest BS'er. IDK what I am going to do. I havent studied a lick. The GRE test is not a test of how well you will do in graduate school but a test of how well you do on the GRE. It shows that you can study hard and seriously for something. With practice over 4-8 weeks you can improve your score. The first and only time I took it, I prepared none and so scored like a 4.o on writing and 450 on both verbal and math :( I know if i practice I can do it! So shall I wait another year or just go ahead and take it next week and recieve the same score? A 1200 and 5.0 on the GRE will get me money and a better chance in competing for a graduate program.

Keep you posted

THOUGHTS OF A SUBSTITITE TEACHER: beyonce is a role model for future jezebels

2009-11-23T18:45:00.000-05:00

A jezebel is defined as a wicked women who promotes and encourages promiscuity and sexual immortality. Does Beyonce Knowles do this? I am not a hater. I recognize that she is beautiful, has a decent voice and she has a career. So she is beautiful naturally. Her face is hott and through eating right and exercising with a personal trainer and discipline she has curves. Tho her butt is not big, it is wide. My butt is fat, not hers. Many girls in detroit got fat asses but not her- its wide. And her teeth are so little- I hate that but when she has on jeans and her hair pulled back with natural tone make up- she is pretty. And she has no tits- my girl Siabhon has great tits. my friend jessica from highschool has gorgeous full tits- not her. So again she pretty and this pic is hott.

Her voice is decent. Meaning she has skills and can sing. She has a natural good singing voice but so do some bums on 7 mile. It has been her dedicated father and his upper-middle class resources that has given her the opportuntity to be this mega star.

She has a career. She has income as a result of that career. She is recognized world wide as a performer but not artist. Alicia Keys and Pink and Whitney, Mariah Carey and Christina Aguilera, John Mayer are artists. A performer puts on a show and an artist voices carries the show. Beyonce is more about the glitz and drama.

So why could Beyonce be considered a jezebel? Like other performers, she sells sex but she is the singing Jenna Jameson of selling sex. She has it so that little girls and feminine boys want to be her. Not the real her but the so called Sasha Fierce. They want to be sexy by jirating their bodies to songs filled with lyrics about sex. Her videos objectify her, making the male gaze global. I cannot go to any country outside the US without being called Beyonce. Is she the image of the Black woman? Well, maybe now I can be called Michelle Obama. I mean like Lil Wayne, rather she wants to or not, she is a role model. Kids are not loooking at her career as a job with a made up image but as a career choice and way of life. saying you want to grow up to be Beyonce is cool if you just mean you want to be successful but not if it is saying you want her route to success which is having your father clap and encourage you to be half naked and jirate for millions of people.

I mean her last song just sent me over the edge, Video Phone. She is encouraging men to video tape women with their camera phone and saying its cool for women to allow it.

So some fellow Beyonce lovers are young teenage girls. I had to have a talk with a few 7th grader girls about sex b/c they were discussing blow jobs in class. So last week I was a sub in a room. The kids were not allowed to talk so some of the girls passed notes. I took them without reading them. The girls decided then to tell me what it said. They told me that it wasnt nothing but they were discussing how a boy in the class had a big booty and how they wanted t get on. Do girls look at booties like that? I just got interested in booties. My man now has the best ass ever. I cant describe why its nice but its perfectly sized- not big like a girls but not all small. And then one girl called the other a hoe bc she said she liked the boys butt. and she stood up and was like, u suck dick. I was just like " OMG". So then the girl giggled and laughed and wa slike whatever. Then I said " I hope yall not out here having sex?" And they were like "naw but she is, she give blow jobs. she having sex" I just told them to be quiet and not call out each other.

So a few days later. I asked the assistant principal if I could talk to the girls about what happened. I got two of them, unfortunately not the "dick sucking" one, she was absent. So I took them to his office and asked them if they knew why I was asking to speak with them. They were like yea, about sex. So I told them that we could have a little girl talk. They told me they were interested in talking about sex bc they think about it and get aroused by boys. They both had older sisters to talk to but wee not getting the info they needed. I told them that boys will always be there and really at this age they arent to interested in girls, they rather play a video game. I told them sex and speaking about sex is not the best way to get noticed by a guy. They thanked me for speaking with them.

This made me think about how I was in middle school and there was just three girls talking about sex and having sex. There was also definitely many girls that were nasty talking tho like my momma just found a nasty story my friend kelly and I made up in 8th grade last month. So at this age, young girls are starting to think sexual but these days girls are acting on it and when I was younger girls were just thinking. But it is a huge jump from 7/8th to 9th. I think there should be a program for that transition. I remember how innocent I was in 8th grade. a girl that was so grown, having sex, grown demeanor and dress, was telling me over the phone that she had to make up her bed for company. I was like "oh" and she was like "nevermind, you dont get it". And I didnt. I really did not think about sex. But my friend down the street did. She went to public school and she had low self esteem bc her adopted momma was crazy and her sisters were hoes. I mean sleeping around like crazy-one was a stripper (she is so gorgeous tho) and the other got 5 kids with 3 different baby daddys. Now she was having sex but lied about it. I later found out she was raped by her step brother, along with the two other adopted daughters. They are all beautiful girls but fucked up realities. So I swear I was not interested in sex at all in 8th grade and kissed two boys and felt nothing really but in 9th grade I was all about it and looking for it and got it (ill have to go into deep detail in a future book). I also remember during the first week of high school how the Black girls had a discussion about boys. In a jist, "get head, dont get it" Ummmmm.....well now the girls are a lil more open. I mean Black girls lie, especially about giving head. In that same week, I learned from the white girls about golden showers.

FOODIE: chocolate expo at the Ritz-Carlton

2009-11-22T20:52:00.014-05:00

So I called a bunch of bakeries in Detroit to see if I could get some experience with baking. I am too much in debt to go to culinary school for baking and cooking skills. I much rather just go to some one's house and learn technique from someone. So in calling these bakeries, Rochelle the owner of Cakes and Creations, was sweet enough to let me intern with her. Today she was participating in a display contest at the Ritz Carlton in Dearborn for an Alzheimer fundraiser. I missed out helping her bake and decorate Friday and Saturday b/c I had birthday http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=4363813751421376705parties to attend but I did get to attend this event. There were cupcake and chocolate booths from bakeries and bakers from all over MI. I tried all of the booths and boy am I tired! Everything such as chocolate covered pretzels, fondues, banana cake, chocolate mouse, chocolate covered cheesecake and granola. Weight watchers was there and I so wasn't interested! Anyways so we had the best display but Just Baked in Novi won! Huh? WTF? We had a wedding cake, to cupcake stands, we were colored coordinated and had to huge flower displays in the back. It was gorgeous and very grown. The Just Baked just has a tree tower of bumpy cakes that weren't even decorated and on the rest of the table they just had plates of cupcakes. Look at the displays and you decide who was the best?

Also here is a shout out to a fellow UM alum, Sierra Taylor who just opened her bakery called UNE PIECE MONTEE (French for wedding cake). I loved the white chocolate and Bavarian cream cake bites! yum!

Here are some pics of the cupcakes we had: German chocolate, red velvet, vanilla, strawberry cheesecake and carrot cake

FOOD FOR THOUGHT: Morehouse new dress code!

2009-11-22T13:00:00.001-05:00

The all male HBC Morehouse is enforcing a new law where they ban student's from wearing women's clothing, sagging pants and headwear. Google "morehouse new law" to see what other bloggers have to say about it or check out the review on Bossip

Has metrosexual taken a different term? I remember 2007 New years I said it was the year of the me trosexual. Metrosexual men would wear men would get a mani=pedi, facials, wear skin moisterizer, wear tight t-shirts, take a long time getting dressed, coordinate their wardrobe really well, be aware of women's fashion, and have clean facial hair. But have men moved beyond being concerned with their looks and now have become like women?

Okay so I agree with the sagging pants. Who wants to see a nigga's draws. Sagging pants were a physical way that Black men were degraded during slavery. It was a tactic used to humilate them and keep them b/c their clothing did not properly fit and a way to keep them from running away b/c their pants would fall down. Today, this same tactic is used but now by choice. No longer are white men making these former slaves wear big pants but they are purchasing and choosing to sag their pants as a fashion statement. Black males that sag their pants appear to be immature and ignorant. I believe that no woman with goals or employer will interact with these men. Police are laughing b/c they say it makes it easier to catch men running from them b/c they trip or run slower due to the sagged pants. Louisiana, Nashville and Flint Michigan have thought of passing laws that fine men sagging their pants. Nothing is cute about this to me!

So back to the cross dressing. I do beleive that everyone should have the right to express themselves in a physically manner through fashion and clothing. But Morehouse being a private has the right to enforce what laws they want. I do agree that a young male wearing high heels, make up or anything traditionally worn by a female can be distracting. But hey, at least you know what u got...aint no guessing he gay :) I mean I know that in ATL I got complimented more on my shoes then my fat ass, that a problem!

Can Womens Clothes make the Morehouse Man?

GEMINI~ISH- Surprise Bday party

2009-11-21T21:42:00.005-05:00

So today I went my my friend Lindi's mom surprise 60th b-day. She is a sweet and giving woman who was well deserved of a surprise b-day. She gives out good so she got it back. She raised a daughter that is like her so Lindi did something that she herself would do. Check out the first video, she was so surprised! It was wonderful! The second video is of her dancers she used to train that came back to honor her on her b-day. Love the drums and moves!

VIDEO OF HER SURPRISE ENTRANCE

VIDEO OF DANCERS

BLACK HAIR: My visit to "Happy to be Nappy" salon

2009-11-21T11:25:00.015-05:00

So I had to get my ends clipped which is not the same as a trim. I am not looking to even out my hair b/c it is much shorter in the back than in the front. I am just looking to get my dead ends cut off so that my hair can grow properly which it has not. I blame a lot of my hair issues on Chicago's winter and harsh water. Really, Chicago has horrible water. My hair was its best in Brazil 06 and ATL 06-08 because of the hotter and more humid environment- hair grows best in the summer. So anyways I looked up Naural hair salons in MI and came across Happy to be Nappy. This is a natural hair salon in Detroit. Their hair shampoo was okay but I would have liked a deep conditioner. I did get a tea tree oil rinse which was nice. They also used a shea butter and herb mix to comb twist my hair but it was a little to greasy for me. It cost $85 for the style and $5 for the trim.

I also went to Too Groovey and Urbanbella in ATL.
Too Groovey is great b/c they have a technique in flat ironing the hair which makes it shine. I also love their products. They also do naural, not pressed styles but I never tried them b/c my girl Lindi and cousin Shelly, founder of Naturi Beauty, did my hair.

I went to Urban Bella once b/c I wanted to try a natural style by a professional and get my ends trimed. They used my Miss Jessie to do my hair and I still like the product but sometimes the mint smell gets too strong and my mom doesnt want it around my niece. Thats strong chemical smelling. I also like Karenbodybeautiful hair butter to two strand my hair with. I get the egyptian musk scent. My cousin also has her Naturi Beauty hair products that I like also. So when I went to Urban Bella in 07 I got comb twists. I wore them big for awhile (which made me look like a butch lesbo) then I had them pulled a part and I loved it b/c every strand was a nice curl. I did a little mohawk style and just wore it out for a month. It was nice b/c while I was working on my thesis I did not have to think about my hair at all.

THOUGHTS OF A SUBSTITUTE TEACHER: roaches!

2009-11-21T11:23:00.000-05:00

Okay so I was a gym teacher again but at an Oak Park school. The teacher instructed me to just let them play free time basketball b/ they were learning how to play. So there was this little boy, he look like a Jerome. he was short and really silly. I swear this little boy gene line was intertwined with a roach. No, not seriously, but in a funny way. He was ashy like and unattractive. he would whine and fall out and roll on the ground when I would tell him he had to sit out. He bugged all the other kids and when i would come to get him, he would run really fast behind the bleachers in the dark. So I call him roach.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT: Black kids say they feel invincible regardless of recent news

2009-11-20T06:24:00.007-05:00

So in recent news in Detroit, a young woman was killed after leaving a bar with two men

Women, young ladies. Please let the story of the young women being killed after leaving the bar with two men she just met get you to think. NEVER leave any place for any reason with a man or woman you do not know. This was a tragedy. You be smart and encourage your girl, "if we came together, we leave together." You cannot force anyone but you can remind them of certain dangers. I remember being in Mexico and my roommate being drunk and pantiless on a table and these guys saying they would take her home. I was like "bitch, u crazy. I am not going to
tell your momma and daddy that I was the last to see you." I grabbed her ass and put her in a cab with me to go home. In the morning she said i was trippin, I said I saved your life. But we have all made mistakes, and some of us are just blessed that we are able to tell our stories. She was my age......

a Hig hland Park man killed his son after being accused of molesting his young daughter.

Many of my students knew him and some had met his father. Most say that the father was quiet and kinda wierd and all say that the boy was a sweet baby faced kind child. What went wrong? So the mother of the 3 year old told the father that the boy admitted to messing with the girl. Okay so what do you do next? you just learned that your baby boy touched your baby girl. First, confirm the validity of the accusation. Supposedly the baby girl was taken to the doctor months ago and nothing was found. This can be b/c he touched and did not penetrate her. This could be a result of misplaced curiosity or him doin what was done to him, meaning he was abused and was repeating the cycle of abuse. Did the father just snap? I know many of you fathers or fathers to be quickly claim that you would "kill a nigga dead" if he touched your baby girl. But what if it was your son? Whoever it is, if you kill him, what does that do? You will be in jail leaving your baby girl out there to find a daddy figure in the wrong places. You cannot protect her from jail

Also the way he killed his son is another example of ramifications of slavery. Also people of African descent that live in the US- Black folk- are no longer in slavery and have more opportunities to fulfill life dreams that people of African descent in other countries- the mindset that was created to destroy the Black man is self administered by Blacks today. No longer does master have to directly and bluntly administer thought into our heads but we put them to each others heads. This man took his child pistol whipped him terribly then had him strip naked, lay on the ground and shot him in the head. If that isn't some slave owner kills nigger type shit, than what is?

Now I brought up these stories to a few of the young Black highschool males in my class. We discussed the stories, scary/demonic movies and getting on girls. After a few minutes in discussing the recent news, one boy said that " I feel invincible". He said that he feels like things such as this won't happen to him b/c he isnt stupid and he is careful. I let him know that the people in these stories probably thought the same way - "not me!" He also said that he does not want to live in fear and have to constantly worry about everything. I agree but You cannot prevent life from happening but you can minimize certain things from happening.

THOUGHTS OF A SUBSTITUTE TEACHER: I called a kid a coon today

2009-11-19T17:57:00.001-05:00

So, I called a kid a coon today. The middle school kids in Oak Park public schools are so immature, it is ridic! I believe part of it is the administration. As I was discussing the immaturity and unruliness of the school's kids, the assistant principal thought it appropriate to ask me out for drinks. WTF? It caught me off guard, so I'm like okay. Then he had the nerve to call me in the classroom and ask if I have a minute? No! b/c your bad ass kids don't listen. Then he is like "well, write this down real quick." Im like okay as I fake write down the number. Negro, I am not calling you! One, I dont do light skinned. Two, I am seeing someone. Three, and most importantly I hate your school and think part of the craziness is the fault of the administration so I couldn't respect you. And you kinda got that Southfield grimminess about you.

So I usuallly call the kids immature, tell them they remind me of HP kids and tell them they remind me of my 1st graders. But in my head, I am thinking coon. It hurts me to see how these kids act. It is such a result of post slavery; a self administered and sustained way of being that was directed by white folk during slavery and immediately afterwards. These kids jive and talk jibberish! So the kid I caled a coon was being punished for not telling me who was whistling or as he called it not "snitching" so he had to stand up. SIDE NOTE: what is the deal with this snitching? These kids will not tell who cursed in class or if you are a sub wont give you the name of the person who you had to kick out but will not help their so called friend by helping them study or speaking to them positively. Part of coon behavior.So while this kid was standing, he drank his blue drink (refer to the blog on Nigga Juice) and started shuffling like a coon. You know that dance! I lost it and shouted, "sit down coon." He just looked at me crazy and sat down. The class had no idea of what I was speaking about.

Seriously tho, these kids do not realize that their behavior is self destructive- the random repetition of rap songs, the baggy booty showing prison looking clothes, the vernacular, the misunderstanding of what it means to "disrespect" someone, the drinking of blue drink and flammin hotts. I swear many of the schools remind me of a zoo and I feel like a probation officer or babysitter instead of an educator.

FOODIE: importance of eating fruit in the morning

2009-11-18T10:06:00.003-05:00

So I read this book called "Fit for Life." I love health and wellness magazines and books. In this book Harvey and Marilyn Diamond bring up a point about mixing food and what to eat for breakfast. They state that eating fresh fruit (in raw state or natural juice) only in the mornings, by itself and before noon, will make you fit for life. Why?

The body can focus on elimination of waste and not digestion b/c fruit is quickly and easily digested by the body and turned into instant energy. If mixed with other foods, it will be mixed in and take longer to digest. eaten alone on an empty stomach creates instant energy from the absorption of the nutrients. He says that certain foods are not compatible for digestion so we have to be conscious on how we food combine. For example carbs and protein do not mix well such as the American favorite of meat and potatoes- instead have meat and salad or potatoes and salad.

So try eating just fruit until noon everyday and see how you feel!

GEMINI ~ISH: donating cell phones for 911 use

2009-11-18T09:55:00.002-05:00

Okay so I have volunteered at a domestic violence shelter in AA and ATL. It was an enriching and eye opening experience. I also "go green" so I recycle everything, doing my part. So I have a few old cell phones in the house so I looked up how to donate or recycle the phones. I found an organization called Cell Phone Bank. They recycle and give away cell phones for 911-emergency use for those in need. If the cell phone cannot be used, it is recycled. So if you have an old cell phone, donate to a dv shelter or recycle it - check out Earth911!

GEMINI ~ISH: running outside

2009-11-16T07:31:00.000-05:00

I started runing outside last summer while living in CHI. At my job, we had a 40% off at a nike outlet. A coon like co-worker wanted to go too so he drove us there. I got nike plus running shoes and an outfit that would be fit for running in the winter in the snow :)

These last few months, I have been running with a friend from the neighborhood at 530 am during the week 2-4 miles 3 times a week. Its been okay but the last two weeks I havent been feeling like it but I always do like to run. But I am much slower this year than I was last year so I have some conditioning to do. Wish me luck this winter!!

FOOD FOR THOUGHT: Barack Obama picked the right woman!

2009-11-15T23:41:00.006-05:00

Any person in the public eye, celebrities and politicians, and especially spiritual or world leaders such as a president, are subject to having their private lives made public. People that do not personally know them are judging them. For example, the person running for President gets every aspect of their personal lives dug into tracing back to what they ate at lunch one time in 2ND grade. A person does not decide to be president one day but plans and prepares for it. Barack Obama knew that his personal life as well as the personal life of his family and especially wife would be dug up. He had to make sure to pick a mate that had a clean background like himself. She couldn't have had a freshman experience where certain suspect pictures pop up.

So ladies, I ask you- Ar e you a Michelle? Can you get with a man like Barack, political leader in the public eye?
I question this for myself b/c I ain't no Michelle.

I have pictures I know about, those I forgot about and those I do not know about. I feel that at any time, at any point of my life, and I know damn well if I got some publicity and people wanted to get paid, that all kinds of pictures and stories, real and unreal, would pop up. For example, I could be labeled an alcoholic- loook at that martini in her hand! or a freak, look at that guy bending her over and putting he is penis on her. Well that martini was pineapple juice and a splash of pucker and that guy is gay and we are in Brazil actin like madis gras. So the pictures arent holy but they arent too crazy tho but I do have crazy one. SCARYYY!!! I need a man that is secure in his self to be able to shake off a nigga coming to him saying his wife a freak or him seeing a picture on the net. But what if your man is secure? but he just knows that if he gets with you, a woman with a public past, that he cannot go too far in his political career. Now, there are freaks out there but a man does not want to marry a publicly known freak.

Now there is a double standard b/c so many men have gotten caught cheating and jus apologize and the world forgives and forgets but remembers all the good highlights of his wife. A woman would be publicly shamed for the rest of her life. British queens were beheaded for cheating will the kings stuck it in all the land.

So, could a guy with a goal to be in the public eye as a political leader be with me? Probably not, I would have to make a radical change such as becoming Muslim and covering to make a visible stance that I changed. So my best bet is to not be ashamed of my past but not glorify it either. and if I decide to change a behavior, allow my new consistent behavior to speak for itself b/c there will always be people that want to remind you of how you used to be. I am still figuring everything out

FOODIE: red pepper pasta sauce and white fish

2009-11-15T17:07:00.000-05:00

So while at Whole Foods with my man to buy fruit, he decided he was hungry. I said "I will cook!" But before I could dart off to get my key ingredients, he saw the gleam of $$$ in my eyes. He was like, "Hey now babygirl, we are not paying $100 for one meal." I sighed and agreed. He told me that he didnt one of my experimental meals but a proven good meal I have made before. Well, there really isn't a dinner that I cook well b/c every meal is experimental mostly :) So I just made up something and it turned out to be one of my best meals!

fillets of white fish- white fish has a great natural taste so do not add much seasoning. I added a lil s+p, flakes of fresh grated Parmigiano-Reggiano(Parmesan), a dried herb such as basil, thyme, rosemary

red pepper sauce- slice red peppers and put into a pan with olive oil. after a few minutes, add sundried tomatoes and capers. after the peppers start to soften, add heavy cream and season with s+p and a few flakes of parmesan. Put in food processor or blender and mix and return to pan on low. Serve over whole wheat penne pasta

This was so flavorful and the flavor in the fish and sauce got better two days later

ACADEMIA: what is my next step?

2009-11-15T08:25:00.001-05:00

So I am having this huge dilemma. Same dilemma I have had since I was in undergrad> What do I do next?

At first when I was younger in middle and high school, I thought I would go to law school. I always knew I would go to college b/c I attended private school, discussed college at home and attended a college prep high school. So it was a part of my socialization and outlook that attending college is a natural progression and step after high school like middle school is for high school. I understand that this is not the case for many students, especially those in low resource public schools. If you do not know anyone thta attended college, your parents do not discuss it with you and you are barely making it through high school, it is a part of your environmental scope to not think of college. Many kids think they cannot afford it and that the work will not be hard but that they dont have the credential to get in. I would like this to be a part of my mission, to help this generation succeed, after all, they will be caring for my old ass one day :)

So looking back, I have realized that I just did what yo does. I did what I wanted and not needed and rarely planned for the future. I found out my junior year going into the second semester that I was graduating a year early. So whats next? I wasn't sure, but I knew I wanted to go to graduate school for a PhD social science such as sociology. I really did not know what it took to get into a phd but I knew my friend Ravi did. Both his parents are PhD professors and he had it all together. I remember seeing him in Angel hall one day holding colored clear binders with application material for his professors who were writing him recommendation letters. I was like "wow." He was so organized. He now graduated from Brown with his PhD in political science in 3.5 years :) I love him! He had an organized plan and stayed focus. He put his energy towards his goal. For me, I knew I wanted to do the same but my energy, thoughts and actions were scattered. I remember thinking, I had GSI who could write my letters but rarely did I speak with professors. I actually worked with a famous professor but at the time did not know it and we did not get to know each other well. So all the resources were there but I did not know how to ut them to use. I am getting it now.
So when I graduated I got a job as a special education resource teacher for DPS. It was a great job and I loved working with the social workers and psychologists and teachers to help kids. But again, I wasnt focused. I attended the trainings and did my job but I did not think about the future. I should have made direct contacts and networked and gotten certified. I was young and unappreciative of how gravy the job was and how many opportunties I had to move up in the field. I messed up! I did not think through what to do with my checks or the benefits of my job.
So, I decided after a year that I would pursue anthropology. I had taken a course with a famous biological anthropologist and loved it. He spoke of race in terms of a social reality. I decided this was way better than sociology. So I had already gotten rejected from PhD in sociology and the school of social work at UM so I decided to just get my masters. I talked to the secretary at the anthropology depatment and she suggested that I read on anthropological theory before applying and dedicating my academic career to it. So I applied to Gstate for their masters program. I picked this school b/c my friend went to Gstate and I wanted to be in ATL. I visited it once and got in- one reason b/c of my rec letter from a famous anthropologist and my gre scores were the pits! Also it was paid for bc my mom was so against me going but I was like its free so I'm going. But again, I didnt focus on it. I did not study at all and the gre test is about repetition- you have to practice it and get familair with the style to fo well. I am still not studying at the moment :(

anywho so I loved the program and had a great time in ATL (recking up debt like a mug too bc living lavishly off of financial aid that I am currently putting in forbearance to pay back later) So when it was time to graduate, I was like once again "whats next?" I decided that I would go to Brazil for the year and I drove home. So, I did many unresponsible things b/c again I wasnt thinking about the future. I just wanted to rid of all my stuff, so i last minute sold my furniture and kitchen stuff and tried to sell my clothes. What was i thinking? I burdened my friend by leaving some stuff with her for months n months and I disrespected my mom for selling things she bought for me for real cheap when i should have planned to store it and today my brother could have had some or I would have it home in MI. I also did not plan to go to Brazil. How was I going to fun my trip? I did not save for it- I had no idea where all my money I was making was going. plane ticket? living expenses? bills at home? I just planning to be an unresponsible baby and have my mom cover my bills, like she been doin. I have just taken responsibility over my bills in the last few months :) I cant believe how crazy and selfish I was! Oh, and I got in a car accident on the way to GA. I found someone to ride with me and I packed my car to the brim with my stuff but agin this was a rash decision. Second car I wrecked- but the first my dad was screaming at me to turn and I was 16 and a new driver.

So what was next? unemployment and realization of debt. After my accident, I was really bitter and lost. I realized I couldnt go to Brazil so had no idea what to do with myself. In 06, I began to sub teach with DPS in the summer then I was unemployed so I decided to go to Chicago. this would be an adventure and I had plenty of friends to stay with. Lets sum up that experience- slept on 3 different friends coaches, looked like bag lady, cold as hell, found no job except for sucky underpaid part time job as youth worker aide-couldnt eevn get a temp job or job at whole food, took public transit, hung with friends, towards end had to leave b/c was going insane and acne break outs! I was physically and emotionally exhausted. So in March 09, I came home. I had made a few contacts with the city colleges to teach so I got a gig teaching online with City Colleges of Chicago. I also got a few offers to teach a few classes but it was never steady on what classes and if I would teach every semester so I couldnt get an apartment base don shaky income and plus I had bad vibes with Chicago. Lets just say I havent been back since. So now I sub teach, teach an anthropology class online and tutor with UB. I am a jamaican hustler but I want to have one job to have a steady schedule and pay off debt of 100,000 and be headed towards a career. So, whats next? How do I do this?

So should I go to school or get a job? I have been exploring both. I have had so many phone and in-person job interviews but never been offerd a job. Makes me question my interviewing skills. For example, i have had 4 interviews with DePaul University, but never hired!!! WTF? Is it the competition or do I suck?

So right now I have my lil jobs and am trying to motivate myself to apply to a few PhD anthropology programs which entails writing a focus statement of purpose and studying for GRE. I am so bad at focused studying and writing concisely. I have a good CV- masters, teach a class online so I know I can get in somewhere but I only will accept getting into a top program. This is b/c- I am to lazy to search for smaller schools with professors that interst me ( I can do this while at a top school) and b/c I looked at profesors that teach at UM and they all attended top programs.

I am still acting a lil crazy socially and am scattered brained but I am aware of my financial situation now, am running outside, thinking about my career future and improvin my baking/cooking skills. i also like that I am home to spend time with my niece and nephew but I gotta get from under my moms roof to be more independent. Maybe even one day be a good example to my sister and develop a better relationship with her like I desire. I am also now aware of that desire. I was an emotional terrorist to my family and community :( I cannot say why b/c I was loved but had a hatred for myself that was evident through self destructive behaviors. As an adult now, I am reflecting on my past and present behaviors in hope of understanding why I do certain things and stop certain behaviors to replace them with better ones :)

So I am in the process of beginning to apply to PhD programs- at least 3 and definitely UM. I tell myself that if I apply and don't get in that i will focus 2010 to getting ready to apply so that I can pick my school and get full funding. I am also constantly applying for jobs in education, not in ATL tho. I did in CHI but I really don't want to live there anyways but I constantly look in detroit at the community colleges.

Lets see how it goes for early 2010. get into a PhD program? Get a teacher certification? Get a 9-5 job? I have to do one of these things so I can start focusing on my side goals such as being a personal chef, improving baking skills, starting a NP, writing a book.

Gemini's I tell ya, they something else

BLACK HAIR: Peace out flat iron, hello natural curls!

2009-11-14T12:26:00.000-05:00

Bye, bye pressed hair! So I am trying to make the conscious effort to give up the flat iron look for awhile.and embrace my natural curls. I am doin this for two reasons. One b/c my hair is really unhealthy right now and the shortest it has ever been and I think this will make it healthy and second b/c I love curly big hair! So I am in the transition phase. I have stragly straight ends when I twist my hair, my hair is significantly longer in the front than the back so my fro is lop-sided and I desperatley need a trim but will have to find and go to a natural hair salon b/c I need a trim or trust a friend to do it (Black hair stylist generally cut off to much hair trying to even it out instead of just riding od split ends and perserving the length). I know I need a hair routine! So here it is:

I will wear my hair in twists, unheated straw set or messy fro. I will use the same products to wash, condition and style my hair with.

Before I wash my hair, I will detangle my hair with my fingers dry. Then wet it with water or diluted conditioner to further detangle. I wash my hair once a week with a diluted carol daughter shampoo, until I find another product I like then I will use that. I will then put in a leave in conditioner such as carol daughter. I will then moisturize my hair with hair milk or a shea butter or olive oil mix. I may start to use karenbodybeautiful products or my cousins Shellys . I am still unsure on how i will style it myself. b/c it needs to be nice enough for work and for weekend when I go out. I am in the "awkward" stage.

Today I started my monthly routine of clarifying, applying a protein treatment then deep moisturizing my hair.

FOODIE: a good strawberry cake for laughs but not for your husband

2009-11-14T07:05:00.001-05:00

STRAWBERRY EXPLOSION CAKE

Okay. So I was planning on making a cake for my Godmother's 90th b-day. I wanted to make something special but I know that my decorating skills are a little shaky. I have made doable cakes and desserts in the past, maybe I can post those later. I was really nervous about making this cake bc I wanted it right for her b-day bc she is so special. I had a substitute teacher that is in culinary schools and loves to bake! She has awesome pics and she offered to help me. I wouldnt do it at her house tho b/c it was a hood disaster! But on the day she was supposed to help me, yesterday, her bf was found dead in the house. yet, another reminder of how important it is to savour the now. So I was on my own and I had an idea of the cake I wanted to make. I saw this picture on food network here. So I was going to decorate it like that. I have also made strawberry cakes in the past. One was from a recipe from whole foods, see it here. This came out flat, probably b/c I overcooked it and the strawberies created too much juice. It still tasted okay though but was not fluffy, moist cake at all. My cakes tend to come out like shortbread. Maybe bc I beat the batter or bake it in the oven for too long. I also make a really good victorian sponge cake with sliced strawberries.

RECIPE FOR VICTORIAN SPONGE CAKE:
Delia's

Abby Girl

I made one for a tea party for pregnant teens: cream is whipped whipping cream and strawberies

My mom's b-day: the cream in whipping cream with a hint of smashed strawberries

Friend's Chuoh bday on valentines day weekend last year: had milk choc shavings on top and whipped mascarpone cheese and strawberry compote in middle, surrounded by giant strawberries glazed in apricot jam.

Okay back to this cake. This cake has strawberries in the batter. Like I said I tried a recipe for this before. The one I tried for this cake is here. I only used the cake recipe. I did not use icing recipe, instead did buttercream, here. The cake recipe is from one of my favorite food blogs- Smitten Kitchen. So it doesnt look like that picture but the batter is delish. I cooked the cake for too long bc it was pink so looked raw so I let it cook 7-10 extra minutes. It was a little burnt around the edges but still pretty good. So I am impatient. It was 11pm and I was tired. At this point the three cakes, pink icing and strawberry compote (I bought the strawberry glaze stuff and just added smashed strawberries, drained juice for strawberries too so wouldnt be too juicy).

strawberry compote and icing-

The cake once I added the icing and strawberry filling- looked so so crazy! It started cracking and I was peeling off burnt parts. see how that whole side is missing? :(

and I had cooked one of the three cakes in a different pan (the black one in the pic) and it came out significantly smaller! It is like a crown. lol

so I had to rename it "Exploding volcano cake". I rename my cakes after they dont go to plan :)
My godmother just laughed and laughed when shew saw it. She wants me to print her out a copy so that she can look at it when she needs a laugh. But she also said that it was the best part of her b-day b/c it made her smile and she appreciates my effort. But warned me to never give my husband such a messy cake. Now thats food for thought. Do women think like that anymore??

doesnt it look normal in this pic? lmao

still tasted good but had to remain refrigerated b/c of strawberries, otherwise it tastes spoiled, so a friend so kindly told me

GEMINI ~ISH: enjoying another culture

2009-11-13T07:30:00.000-05:00

Okay so I like to dress how I feel. I love the pencil skirt, heel, blouse, flat ironed hair look

But I also like the funky fro, wide leg pant, earthy look

So today, I felt earthy. I like bindi's!

I went to India through a study abroad program in 03 and feel in love with the beautiful colors of fabric and jewelry there. I was given a few bindi's a s a gift from one of the women we worked with there and loved them. Its origin is Sanskrit means drop. The bindi is a decorative or plain Burgundy dot worn by Hindu women to represent that they are married or used for decoration by Indian women or other people from different cultures like myself. So my hair was a mess, dry and unmoisterized, b/c I did not want to do it since I was washing it the next day. So I decided to wear a head wrap in order to get make it look cute. I had a matching short and long wrap so I put one on my head and the other on my waist. This was kind of risky b/c some schools would consider this unprofessional. I felt I could get away with wearing it b/c I dressed so professional before and got complimented on it.

So at the mostly white school I went to at Oak Park, everyone wanted to comment but no one said anything except for a fat loud Biracial Black kid and cutsie white girl. She asked," what was I dressed up as?" I told her as myself, I told her it is just another form of expression. She said, ok, cute! Some kids asked if they could ask me a personal question and got close t my face to tell me I had a dot on it! lol. I told them it was decoration. The Black boy told me I couldnt wear that dot b/c it was Indian and that I wasnt Indian therefore cant wear it. I told him that many other cultures enjoyed Black culture (clothing, music) so why cant we as Black people enjoy other cultures?

Hmmmm.....

FOODIE: salmon and baked zucchini and squash

2009-11-10T22:08:00.000-05:00

I want to lose some weight and salmon is so good for you so I decided to make some for lunch tomorrow. Since I am sub teaching right now, I find it useful to eat a dinner like meal for lunch. Having my heaviest and biggest meal for lunch helps me avoid junk food, lessen my appetite for later in the day and keeps my energy going. I am too hungry at lunch after dealing with kids. This meal was so quick!!!

This was frozen salmon and I just seasoned it with this king salmon mix I got from Sams club. I cut up the zucchini and squash and put it on the same baking sheet as the salmon.

THOUGHTS OF A SUBSTITUTE TEACHER: security guards know the deal!

2009-11-10T21:55:00.000-05:00

So I was at an Oak Park school today. I have been wanting to go to Oak Park schools b/c it pays a little more (93 compared to 90 for HP) and b/c I thought the kids would be better.
Ummm, I was wrong. Just b/c geographically it is in the burbs does not mean that it isn't hood. The kids today reminded me of Highland Park, minus the bomb threats.

So the guard listens to me express my shock at the Oak Park kids behavior. They wouldnt listen nor be quiet. They weren't threatening or cursing just more unruly. Here is his explanation for the kids behavior:

1. CAUSE-it is the result of the aftermath of the crack affecting the Black community in the 80's
2.RESULT- Grandmothers are raising the kids and they can only do so much; kids have no parents
3. RESULT-boys are feminine b/c there is no man in the house or if there is a man in the house he only gives the child L.O.T- left over time. He might be like "damn, let me go say hey to this nigga on this commercial break."
the kids dont realize that right now in middle school they running from a security gaurd and get a slap on the wrist but they are setting up themselves to start running from police and get a cuff on the wrist
4. SOLUTION- the children are like a flower that is limp. you have to put a stick and tie a string about it (which represents love) and it will grow straight, how it was meant to

what are your thoughts?
4.

FOODIE: Indian food!

2009-11-09T19:47:00.000-05:00

I went to Tamil Nadu India in 2003 through a study abroad program at U of M. We studied the identity of Dalit women and discussed with them African American identity. I was 17 years old and I was taking Malaria pills, so I was out of it! I remember going to a gold store with gold jewelry fit for kings, trying on silk sari's and eating rice with alot of different sauces and the mangoes- better than Jamaica! So today I was in the mood for some India food. I made red curry chichen thighs with a potatoes mixture, palak paneer and had some Indian tea

CURRY CHICKEN
Chicken thighs-skin removed
2 sweet poattoes
3 white potatoes
onion
sliced baby carrots
red, yellow or green peppers
curry powder

clean, remove skin and season chicken thighs with s+p, ginger, curry powder and a few cardamom pods(optional). put in bowl and set aside

saute veggies together, after they begin to brown add curry powder and s+p

add poatoe mix into a casserole dish then place thighs on top

cook covered on 365. take out when chicken is done. you may want to pour out some of the water and uncover after the first 30 minutes or slow cook

PALAK PANEER
green sauce with paneer cheese. green sauce-coriander leaves, onion garlic, green chili, spinach, cumin, turmeric. paneer is cottage cheese

follow the directions on package.mix in bowl. season the paneer with a little s+p and fry in pan with butter for 2 minutes then add sauce to paneer and simmer for 5-7 minutes.

I mixed some tea with a masala spice blend and milk. I also bought some naan! good meal:)

BLACK HAIR: Kay's hair story and routine

2009-11-09T08:30:00.000-05:00

Here is the story of another sista gone natural:

I wash and condition my hair at least once a week as long as my style permits. I also apply a hot oil and deep conditioning treatment at least once a month. Protein treatments is applied once every six weeks.

To style my hair, I apply hair milk, leave in conditioner, and massage hair oil into the scalp. I don't apply heat to my hair other than a hair dryer from the protein treatment and deep conditioning. That's it. Far as clipping my ends, I feel I shouldn't have to do it as much because I don't press or flat iron my hair. So I clip my ends once every 3 or 4 months.

My hair story is short. I received 1st perm in sixth grade from grandma and two years later hair was broken off badly. Decided to get hair professionally done without a perm freshman year of high school, hair grew and was in great shape for 4 yrs. Went to college, decided to get a professional perm because of the climate. Thought I was cute but hair slowly broke off again, after 4 years then I said enough was enough no more perm. I went back to the press and curl for two years but hair was not as thick as it was when I last had my press and curl. Decided to wear cornrows braids, did that so 6 month, hair line started to recede. Then 11 months ago went natural. That's my story hope it helps you Yolanda :)

THOUGHTS OF A SUBSTITUTE TEACHER: what happened to home economics?

2009-11-09T08:23:00.001-05:00

What ever happened to home economics and wood shop? Arent those skills still of great value? I know that back in the day that it was essential that women have home maker skills since they were to stay home. Although there are much more women attending college and working in a professional field outside the home, these skills are still very much needed.

Home economics now known as family and consumer sciences (FACS) teaches "practical skills for the real world" b/c it teaches cooking/baking, fixing household stuff such as lightbulbs, sewing, business management/finances/personal living, social etiquette, fashion, house design-going green, nutrition/exercise and parenting(reproductive health)/sex ed. Each topic is taught in a separate class as an elective. These subjects cannot be taught in gym or health class. I do not believe that this should be an elective but a core class with math and science. With the high independence of students due to lack of parent involvement b/c working late or dead beat, kids need to know how to care for themselves and younger siblings. It is a personal living class.

I spoke with Dawn Ferrell, a teacher at Hartland High school who is a great Home Ec teacher. She has a background in art and home design. we spoke about the importance of team or co-teaching classes. Specifically with home economics, it is important to include special needs children. I think that home economics would greatly benefit special ed kids and teachers.

What do you think?

Check out:
The American Association of Family and Consumer Services

Family Career Community Leaders of America

If you are interested in degree programs look at MI State (no longer avail.), Madonna, Western and Central in MI.

THOUGHTS OF A SUBSTITUTE TEACHER: dress to impress!

2009-11-09T07:51:00.000-05:00

As a young professional and in order to set a good example, I make sure to dress very professional, appropriate and fashionable to work everyday. Especially at the very urban, low resource schools I dress up b/c the students appreciate it b/c they do not see many young Black professionals. I want them to be able to look at me see someone that want to and are able to emulate.

Also teachers like it when substitutes dress nice. Every class I have sub'd in has called me to come to their class again b/c they said I naturally work well with kids, dress professionaly, incorporate morals, enforce rules and follow class curriculum well. It is all part of looking the part of a professional. I had teachers stop me in the hall and clap for me saying "It is so nice to see someone look like that." and students stop me in the hall and ask if I can come to their class.

What do you think?

FOODIE: macaroni and cheese

2009-11-08T09:52:00.001-05:00

So one day I was watching Food Network and i heard the word "rue". A chef was talking about making a rue sauce for the mac n cheese. A rue sauce is like nacho cheese. My family is one of those Black families that like what they like. My mom and I had a food challenge. I wanted to try to rue mac n cheese and she wanted to do the cheddar chunk and bake typical mac n cheese. She made me make a small dish b/c she thought no one would like it. They alll did and now I make it all the time for all my family members.

After being up all night with a talking toddler on my chest, then preparing for my three mile run, I made this mac n cheese for my mom who reminded me that she is my mother and I have to cook for her! Here it is!

DOINWHATYO DOES Cheesy mac n cheese bake
16oz box of mac n cheese
2 c of shredded cheddar cheese
2 c of milk
1 tbsp of olive oil
1 tbsp of butter
3 tbsp of flour
a few pinches of cayenne or paprika
1 basil leaf
s+p to taste
a squirt of mustard
small chopped, sauteed onions(opitional)
1 c of cooked spianch (optional)
pieces of bread slices seasoned with s+p, garlic powder, basil, parmesean or buy bread seasoning. I bought a bread seasoning from Publix in ATL

Boil the pasta in salted water. While pasta is boiling, make the cheese rue. Put the olive oil and butter in a pan on medium heat to melt. add the flour and whisk together. slowly add milk, squirt of mustard and basil leaf, whisking constantly. add cheese. add onion and spinach if you want. season with s+p and cayenne/paprika. cut low and let sit for a minute. take out basil leaf. pour the drained mac n cheese into a casserole dish and pour cheese on top and mix. Now, it is already cooked. so I add the seasoned bread on top and put on broil in the oven until brown, 2 minutes

YUM!

FOODIE: chocolate smoothie and Jiffy

2009-11-08T09:40:00.000-05:00

So I went over to my friends Tyrese for left overs from yesterday. I also had a craving for iffy muffins. You like those? They are good but a little too sweet. I have made cornbread a few times before also.

So here is me with my jiffy. I was fat and put oilve oil butter spread on top :)

Tyrese decided to make his favorite smoothie. Peanut butter, chocolate soy milk, ice cubes and a banana. Its yummy! Here is him making it:

FOODIE: Challenge-My pancakes vs. IHOP

2009-11-07T17:09:00.000-05:00

Which pancakes are the best: IHOP or doinwhatyodoes?

Okay, really though I know mine aren't better b/c IHOP pancakes are so so delic! Many of nights in ATL, I would go to the IHOP in Buckhead after a night of partying. I would get the chicken fried chicken, eggs, hashbrowns and pancakes! If I was too out-of-it to eat then ! would at least eat a pancake :) IHOP pancakes are so buttermilky and soft and tasty. My pancakes are good and buttermilky but idk, something isn't as fluffy?

So I have made these pancakes dozens of times. I was on my way to tutor at Wayne State and was running late so I threw them in a container so I could eat them in the car. The rest of the batter I gave to my friend Tyrese to make, those are his on the orange plate.

The idea for my recipe has come from Martha Steward recipe here which is also on smitten kitchen blog here

DoinWhat YoDoes buttermilk pancakes

3 tbsp of sugar
1 teaspoon of baking soda
1.5 teaspoon of baking powder
2 c of flour
1/4 tea of salt
3 tbsp of unsalted butter
2.5 cups of buttermilk
1 tbsp of olive oil
1 egg

Mix all of the wet ingredients. mix all of the dry ingredients. add the dry into the wet in two parts. mix well.

NOTES
Baking powder and soda are chemical leaveners. I add a little more baking powder b/c I was told it helps it to rise more.
If you don't have baking powder, it can be made with baking soda/cream off tartar/cornstarch
If you don't have buttermilk, it can be made from 1 c milk and 1 tbsp of acid such as lemon juice or white vinegar. If you buy it, it lasts about a month or buy powdered form
For the sugar, i recently used a vanilla bean and after taking the beans out; I dried it and put it in the sugar and now it is vanilla flavored! I do not like the taste of cinnamon or vanilla in the mix.

SUGGESTIONS
For a fluffier pancake, seperate the eggs and beat the egg whites until fluffy. Still mix the wet ingredients together with the yolks. then add the dry to wet and fold in the egg whites last.
Top with honey or agave instead of syrup. Add fresh fruit or greek or plain yogurt on top. Gently add blueberries on one side or mix mushed bananas into the batter.

THOUGHTS OF A SUBSTITUTE TEACHER: blue drink

2009-11-07T17:04:00.003-05:00

I work at a Detroit Public School and am always irritated by what the kids eat. They eat Flammin hott cheetos and colored "juice" drinks. One day, I saw a student drinking a blue drink. I asked him what he was drinking and he replied juice. I asked him to see the bottle and on the label it said "contains 0% fruit juice". So I told him, that ain't juice but a flavored drink. He was like "fo real, but it good" and kept drinking it. Then she saw the name of the drink. OMG!!! It was called "Quenchy" wtf? Look at the label. What do you think the advertising committee was thinking...coon juice? This type of drink, along with Hugs ( a brand now sold at Sams Club in a variety of colors. I think I had one bore. You know those small barrell looking plastic bottles with foil on top) is not juice but worse than kool-aid, a dyed sugar water. This "Quency" is only sold in the hood hood. Like at the gas station where they sell wings, t-shirts, porn and blunts.

It looks like a noose with a coon faced drop of blood. Drink up niggas!

THOUGHTS OF A SUBSTITUTE TEACHER: teachers talk shit??

2009-11-06T07:58:00.000-05:00

So I have sub'd at this school in Redford Union a few times, I love it b/c I am getting to know the students and it is close to my house, and so now I attend these committee meetings where students are discussed. Those meetings are so funny b/c teachers just kick it. They bitch about problematic students, praise ood readers, disucuss how to deal with a kid that "talks to his dead auntie", discuss medicines for ADHD and sex! So how does sex fit in? Well teachers are very busy people during the day. They play the role of the parent, social worker, psychiatrist, life coach and friend to many students throughout the day then go home to run a family! So during the long school day, they discuss their life outside of school such as with sex. This on teachers loves to relate everything to sex such as spanx. saying that the use of spanx is for easy access not for peeing. HAVE YOU USED YOUR HOLE IN YOUR SPANX?

Also the teachers lounge is hilarious! This one Italian teacher came in pissed b/c students were throwing spit balls. she cursed and fussed for 10 minutes then apologized to me, the new girl, but expressed this is how she feels when kids are ungrateful and after 40 years as a teacher she wants to see results. But also teachers do not always directly see the results, but just being there-loving, caring-does a lot.

So I was a little shocked but hell, I work with kids and I have a very active lifestyle ;0 I know a young woman that is a kindergarten teacher but strips on the side. LOL. So I think we have to remember that teachers also have personalities and hobbies. I think we have been socialized through media images especially through cinema to view teachers as boring, strict and plain like white rice.

This is not the case!

THOUGHTS OF A SUBSTITUTE TEACHER: Lock it down!

2009-11-05T19:12:00.000-05:00

Okay so I was a math teacher at a school in Redford Union today. I looked in my substitute folder for class notes and there was a sticky note about a "lock down"drill at 1:20 pm. What is a lock down???? Is this part of the "bomb threats of flammin' hott cheetos"??(former blog I wrote). So another teacher explained that this was a safety procedure that schools practice along with tornado and fire drills. So in a lock down drill, teachers are supposed to:
1. have all the children in the classroom move to the back of the class, away from windows (purpose: so they cannot be seen)
2. lock the door (purpose:so the perv or crazy cannot come in)
3. cut off the light (purpose: so it appears that no one is there)
4. be silent!!!!!
5. do not let students use phone

This frightened me and had me thinking b/c it is a possibility that it could happen b/c it has happened!! I told the kids that they should really reflect on it.

SIDE NOTE: Remember Y2K and how everyone went out to buy water and chips :)? Remember the East Coast blackout in 2000? and how we felt that we might go back to stone ages with no electricity? I remember my mom going to get old burgers from Burger King and over paying for a gas station that still had gas

FOODIE: a good homecooked meal for educators

2009-11-05T08:51:00.000-05:00

So my friend and I are both teachers and tutors. we also run togehter in the mornings before work at 530 am. We find ourselves so hungry at work! So since I love recipes, I suggested that we start to cook a good meal in the middle of the week. So we cooked parmesean tilapia, garlic mashed potatoes and brussel sprouts.

I did not follow a recipe but just instead. I did what yo does!

tilapia- wash fish and lay on baking rack. either cover baking rack with olive oil or wax paper. mix parmesan reggiano (use a grater to get medium size flakes. I HATE that green container parmesan- dont use!!), s+p, herb such as parsley/basil and olive oil. dip tilapia in mix and place back on rack with sliced lemons to bake at 350

mashed potatoes- wash then peel poatoes. boil water then add potatoes and boil unter tender. If you want whipped mashed potatoes use smaller poattoes and boil unter they fall apart and then whip with a hand mixer. After poatoes are tender, drain out water and place poattoes ina large bowl. add butter, s+p, something wet such as milk, soy milk or buttermilk. For an added kick, I put in dried parsley flakes and garlic- YUM!

brussel sprouts- I made sure to pick the tight smaller brussel sprouts and wash in cold water then pick off rough leaved and cut off nasty short stems. I then took chicken stock and s+p and soaked brussel sprouts in the bowl. then I placed them in a skillet and let them cook for 10minutes.

GEMINI ~ISH: karaoke

2009-11-04T23:54:00.000-05:00

funniest video ever!

THOUGHTS OF A SUBSTITUTE TEACHER: GOT H1N1? If you work with kids you do!

2009-11-04T19:57:00.000-05:00

Hey teachers!

Do you work in a dirty public school or clean public school bldg? Well since I have been subin' I have been to both and they both have nasty kids. But the messed up public schools have no hand soap or tissue to wipe your butt so they have more room for the H1N1 to get us!

My special friend who is a nurse asked if I was going to get it? Naw, I rather wait and see what the side effects will be. I also am against shots and medicine in general, nothing can beat natural remedies. Well, except for malaria. i took my malaria pills when I went to India!!! Anyways what is this new super flu? Is this a result of the earth deterioation and is Y2K back?

Let me know how you feel about the shot and what you know about H1N1

ACADEMIA: GRE, ya gotta do it!

2009-11-03T19:47:00.000-05:00

So for the first time in my life I have to seriously study for a test! This is the kind of test that most people have to study for to get a decent test. It cost $120-150 to take. I have all the study books- Princeton, GRE cram, ETS, GRE for dummies, Vocab builder- but I haven't cracked not a one. Then i talked to a professor and he gave me a reality check. I will not get into a top ten school with poor GRE scores and if I do it will be with no or little funding! So either I score a 600 and apply with bomb rec's and persoanl statement and statement of purpose or I prepare myself to make my application stronger and take my time preparing for the GRE.

My plan right now is to look at the GRE cram and the Princeton and take a few practice ones and see how I do then take the test in a month. I have to take it b/c I met with a bunch of professors and my one advisor friend and they all said I have to take it and that will detrmine if I should apply if I want funding but for the joint phd/sswk deadline is DEC 1. I wonder if they would take my scores late?

Regardless, my first step is to study, then I can take myself seriously.

Have you taken the GRE? How was your experience with the GRE or other Standardized stupid tests? Really, all the test is an indicator that you can take the GRE well, not an indicator that you will excel in graduate school. But ya gotta do it!!

IF MY VAGINA COULD TALK IT WOULD SAY: i need some shea butter!

2009-11-02T19:42:00.000-05:00

Okay, so like I said in a previous blog, I have been waxing. I tried to nair, shave, electric shave my vagina hair and none is as smooth as a professional $50-$100 wax, not hard wax tho- that sucks. So I think my last attempt to shave my hair with an electric shaver failed. My skin gets really dry in the winter and so I guess so does my vagina lips! I know how dry my legs get after I shave with dove and a Gillette razor. I have to put shea butter and olive oil on them. So basically my advice is to moisturize the vagina lips!

IF MY VAGINA COULD TALK IT WOULD SAY: This is what I want in a man

2009-11-01T20:50:00.000-05:00

This is my list that I have formed over a few years. whats yours?

He has to be more than this .................. ;)

WHAT I WANT/NEED IN MY MAN

(NOT IN ORDER)

1. FINANCES
1. Honest-does not steal
2. know how to work together on money
3. both have good paying jobs and do not need to depend on e.o for money
4. doesn’t just spend money to front, is practical but enjoys fine things
5. never uses money to get back at me
6. Will allow me to stay home with the kids but bloom in my career as well
7. good credit or willing to work towards it, rid of loans

2. CAREER
1. Entrepreneur
2. a hustle, has side gigs- has extra income
3. has a vision for his career and encourages/supports mine

3. HEALTH CONSCIOUS
1. doesn’t take pharmaceutical and non prescription medicine
2. willing to explore natural pathways to health and healing -natural remedies
3. regular exercise and fasts and health regimes-no fast food and whole foods
4. no allergies
5. no family disease- our bodies are compatible

4. THEORIST
1. humanitarian-activist
2. has commonsense
3. analyze politics and government
4. interested in world issues
5. reads and wants to read with me- we can have a book club and reading room in our home
6. tries to understand and fight racism/sexism
7. gets upset about social problems and works to remedy them through everyday actions
8. likes to volunteer
9. feminist- wants to break gender hierarchy
10. has comments and opinions when I talk
11. has a university degree
12. loves black people and wants to learn of our power loves to learn and
13. wants to read with me
14. likes to talk about white people and socially aware

5. STRONG SEXUAL AND SPIRITUAL CONNECTION/ATTRACTION
1. orgasm-body, vagina, clitoral
2. spark
3. butterflies
4. cuddler
5. no Vienna sausage or flat ass
6. no diseases
7. when he calls me or I see him I smile and have butterflies
8. no porn, not many sex partners
9. that crazy lustful connection where it seems we been havin sex forever, so comfortable, feel at one like meant to be
10. get lost in his eyes, wanna hold him close always, love his smell and desire to lay on his chest and easily fall asleep
11. its just something about him…

6. SUPPORTS ME
1. Shows me off
2. Will celebrate my accomplishments
3. Takes interests in my interests
4. he supports my dreams and love my ambition and wants to work on them with me
5. he helps me to understand and improve myself
6. appreciates and love my personality
7. he celebrates me and loves the fact that I have many interests and needs to be able to handle all this, doesn’t crush/tolerate(its jus the way she is) my spirit but embraces and supports it

7. LOVES ME
1. Thinks I am more beautiful than Tyra Banks
2. he feels so blessed to be with me
3. we compliment each other
4. like Christ loves the church

8. COMMUNICATOR
1. will be open to talk to my family about things and our relationship
2. he never curses/disrespects at me, never belittles me, have upmost respect for women, never makes me cry and so sorry if does
3. expresses feelings in a productive and respectful way
4. we never argue we just disagree
5. he understands how relationships work, willing to go to counseling, know how to work things out ( doesn’t talk at me but to me)
6. can handle stress and will talk to me about any issues, isn’t afraid and knows how to appropriately express emotions

9. PERSONALITY

a. is not a pussy bitch or bitch ass nigga but a man of God

b. charming

c. romantic

d. sense of humor but not a smart ass

e. he isn’t needy or finicky or tit for tat

f. he is a leader that knows when to follow

g. he isn’t vindictive, a jerk, or bad guy, or seem sweet but really crazy ass fuck guy

h. no temper, knows how to properly express his anger

i. THOUGHTFUL JUST B/C- as giving, thoughtful as me..enjoys the cutsy stuff in life..gets me gelato, a pretty dress for dinner, frango chocolate

j. cares for me when im sick

k. likes to plan but is spontaneous

l. can sing

m. can dance like a stripper

n. isn’t cheap – likes to spend money at bar but is responsible, pays for my good friends, doesn’t mind

o. not depressed, knows how to bounce back

p. positive- optimistic realist

10. LOOKS
1. “brown” skinned
2. handsome
3. clean cut, smells good
4. twinkle in eye, sweet smile
5. nice teeth
6. has tattoos
7. nice lips
8.
11. ADVENURUOS
1. wants to live abroad
2. loves to cook and try different foods
3. comfortable with our relationship and secure in self that its okay for me to go abroad alone
4. wants to travel the world and interested in learning about culture
5. like me but not just like me so that he can introduce new, interesting, different stuff to me
6. wants to be multi-talented…sing, dance, write, live in country, have dinner parties
7. able to switch style-rocker,dress up, smooth sweaters, urban wear rarely
8.
12. FAMILY
1. is a great dad and loves kids and first kid is with me
2. he respects his mother

13. SPIRITUAL
1. wants to get into church and believes in God
2. interested in other world religions
3. we are very similar in beliefs
4. christian

14. HAS A SENSE OF SELF
1. knows what a man is and what kind of man he wants to be and works on being that
2. is a protector and provider

15. PROFESS, PROVIDE, PROTECT

GEMINI ~ISH: gas stations selling clothes?!

2009-11-01T20:37:00.001-05:00

Why do gas stations sell clothes in the hood?

And at korean beauty supply stores!

Are you offended!? I am!

Partially it is a service b/c where there is a demand, you have to supply! Bill Cosby would say, "Come on. people."

ACADEMIA: Grad Application suck!!

2009-11-01T20:26:00.000-05:00

So I am applying for PhD programs and applications are hard! This is how the weed people out b/c the app is so much that you be like F it. I mean it does take you a good few months to get everything together. I miss school. I love learning in classes and I want my phd so I can teach in higher ed at a top 10 university. Community college is cool but I want to get into research in academia. So with PhD programs, you do not have to be book smart but you do need to be savvy. meaning that you have to learn to work the system b/c higher ed is nothing but a business. I am trying to have the mindset of "doin what I have to do now, to be able to do what I want to do later". I am 100,000 in debt. Wooooooo! And it from credit card and living in 1,000 apartments not from paying for school b/c I got scholarships :( So i just started really learning about how to pay it off and getting into the reality of where my debt came from. So I tutor English for 18/hr (10 hrs a week), teach an anthro class online (2,800 for semester-280/2weeks) and SUB teach every day for about 90 a day! I am busy! I may take a retail job too. I am doing all of this until I get a salary job or eneter into a phd program, whichever comes first. Oh, and I dont plan to pay for it.

Anyways though. Be careful when you are on a computer all day. Buy one of those things to sit it on, you can get it from IKEA. B/c those rays fry your womaness and maness and fry your brain. I cannot stare at the compuetr all day and be sane!

One thing that helps me is to eat right! I am eating salmon, dates, brown rice, deli sandwiches and naturally flavored waters and plenty of fruit all week :( no desserts, maybe a lil :)