Hardwood Floors & HGTV

I have nothing against laminate flooring. I do dislike most multi-planned new build homes. I have something against presswood furniture.

I was watching HGTV and a cute family in NYC was disturbed because the designer stripped their hardwood floors, added a different gloss and the pattern of the wood wasn't uniform.

It might have just been me but I think I saw a little 'help me hold my muel' flash quickly upon the designers face. Maybe it was Genevieve. She explained to the wife that her home had real hardwood floors, and like real wood the patterns would never be identical. She told the wife that she was thinking of laminate flooring, which is made with the same pattern because it is manufactured. She informed her that real hardwood is more expensive. I think I saw a slice of pride run across the wife's face.

She also explained to her that you can strip real hardwood and change the color. Not so with the laminate.

Mr A has explained to me that most furniture is made of presswood these days because it is cheaper to ship. I adore real wood. I am disappointed by furniture that has wood face, but the back is that weird stuff that is hollow.

When I was looking for TR's crib, I realized that much of the stuff at stores like Babies R Us and Baby Depot was the stuff with a wood face and presswood body. I know babies have made it but if you shake it, it just rattles. I spent quite a while investigating cribs and realized I had to go to the boutique shops to get real furniture. I ended up getting a round crib which I love.

This is why Mr A and I need to be rich. When I consider a home purchase, I consider items like furniture. I don't think it all needs to happen immediately but I can't afford the house if I can't afford the matching furniture.

I can't fathom spending hundreds of thousands on a home and then furnishing it with furniture that arrives flat in a box and that has to be to put together. I want heavy stuff, real wood, stuff that complements the character of the architecture.

I'd feel cheated paying for laminate flooring that was advertised as hardwood. If this lady on HGTV didn't know the difference I wonder if others don't either. Even our apt has real hardwood floors, so I wouldn't want less in the spot I'm carrying total burden for.

I need a older home or I need to have enough cash to build my own.

I guess what I wonder is do people not expect real wood, do they not care, or do they not know. It seems to me the cost for a lot of the fake stuff is not much lower than the real stuff, so it seems like people don't know.

Planning

This planning is going pretty well.

Meal Planning: On Saturday I picked up the items I needed for this weeks menu. I still need to refine my plan so that I use all the veggies I buy. This weeks menu had items like curry coconut chicken, cumin chicken, burritos, snappy cajun shrimp, (one of Fergie's recipes) and pork chops.

On Sunday I was pondering the sparkling white grape juice I purchased a few weeks ago. I asked Mr A what would go well with it and he suggested shrimp. I didn't want
to do the bell peppers and I had a taste for coconut so I found a recipe for coconut curry shrimp with apples. It was very tasty and happened to require stuff I had purchased for my other meals. Stuff like cilantro, which I usually only use once and have to figure out what else to do with it and end up throwing a bunch away. Mr A mixes it with avocado and it makes an amazing dip.

When I am done refining my meal plans, I will have the shopping list prepared by week and make use of all ingredients. I am pleased with my mission to domesticate myself.

Getaway planning
I was looking at the post I did on goals. One of them was a weekend getaway to wine country. I didn't even connect that I had written it down and did it. My cousin offered us use of her time share a couple of years ago. At Christmas Mr A asked her and she made the arrangement the next day. She lives in Oakland and makes regular trips to the valley to relax. I guess she purchased a huge chunk of time because she let us use an extended weekend free of charge and she spent a few days there before we went.

That was a really great weekend. TR got to spend time with her granny and Mr A and I got to taste lots of wine, eat and enjoy.

My other goal was a get away to Vegas. Mr A and I originally thought we were going for a wedding during Valentine weekend but that turned out to be just a couples trip. I guess its just me, but if a man I wasn't married to tried to take me to Vegas I'd be expecting a proposal and a wedding. Once we learned it was not a wedding we decided to stay home.

This weekend Mr A's cousin called and told us to be in Vegas in February. Mr A told him if it was a family event we could make it. His cousin informed him he was getting married. So our Vegas trip has landed in our lap.

Moving

I've been keeping my eye open for places to move. Things have gotten a lot cheaper since we moved here in 2006. One of our neighbors moved and her 1bd/1bth is being rented at $1200. Another neighbor that moved into the adjacent one bedroom/1bth a month or so after us is paying @$1500. The neighbors (actually me) are writing a letter requesting a deduction.

We adore and enjoy our neighborhood, I love our unit which is a large split wing but we decided to rent so we wouldn't be stuck when prices fell and so we could move cities easily. Now that prices have fallen we have to make some choices.

We really don't want to move. We had decided to keep the apt. if we bought in Oakland. I don't want to pack all the stuff we accumulated. Mr A doesn't want to move all the stuff we've accumulated. We moved in with just the bedroom set and some dishes and now we acquired so much that I've been getting rid of stuff.

Both of us do our best to give everything away when we move. I like starting over but we've acquired some stuff that we like.

Now that we have TR I have an entirely new set of requirements for where we live. Random stuff like the positioning of windows and the distance the kids room will be from us.

It turned out warm today, I think TR and I might hit a baby class tomorrow if its still nice. I'm looking forward to summer so we can teach her to swim. She loves the adult bath tub, so I'm sure she will have a blast in the pool.

Not that type of mother

I had assured myself that I would not become the mother that thought I had to send my child to private school or move around the world trying to get into certain school districts.

If my grandmother could receive a good education in a one-room school house in Oklahoma, with 8 grades, than what's up that my kids could not learn in a classroom with 20 kids. My grandmother was able to help my brother do high school alegebra, she had excellent handwriting, spoke great English and wrote it well. She knew history, geography and had a breadth of knowledge of many disciplines.

I don't know the answer to that but I have been investigating schools and its causing me a bit of stress. I feel like I should have started looking years ago.

There is an all girl school that we are going to check out. My cousin went there and I'm still amazed by the wonderful exposure she had. The school is currently about $30k a year, plus activity fees, etc. I'm sure by the time TR gets to 7th grade it will be more. We could end up spending upwards of $200k to educate one child. Can you see why I am stressed? I want to be able to offer such an opportunity to all my kids and I want quite a few kids.

Mr A is a veteran, so like me TR can go to college free unless the fed'l gov't goes broke or something. I think free college gives us a little leeway in funding a pricey primary education.

I need to figure out how I turned into that mother. I'll probably call my mother and ask her opinion. The other reason I don't want to be that mother is because al the children of those type of parents seem to graduate high school and not live up to the grand potential the parents seemed to think they possessed.

I want to be the "do your best" type of parent. I want to encourage my kids to reach their personal potential. I want them to feel education is about gaining a personal benefit.

My other option is to find or build a home school network. My cousin told me about how some parents are getting together hiring skilled teachers and developing programs that provide great exposure to the kids.

I'm opposed to how schools now teach to tests. There is so much missing from education these days because districts and schools are punished when curriculum isn't tailored to the test. I'd be a bored kid if I had to spend a school day doing nothing but math and reading/writing.

I hope this makes sense. I don't feel like rereading.

Not that type of mother

Music of my Moment

Things and Other things

Book Club

I followed the advice of S-30 for organizing a book club and we will have our first meeting next month. I'm super excited. Mr A and I spent our weekend vineyard hopping in wine country and I picked up a Muscat to serve at the book club. I don't really drink wine but Muscat is a desert wine and its very tasty. Hopefully the group will enjoy it. I also learned to pronounce Gewurztraminer and say the nickname. The vintner said people often call it Ger-vert.

Mommy friends

Last week, the A family went to the park and I saw a cute little girl in pink and green. We don't usually see black mommies and babies at the park, so I was excited. Its usually only TR and one babygirl that comes with her nanny. When I saw this baby dressed in pink and green, and her mommy dressed like she cared, I was excited. It's very easy to turn into the SAHM who looks like a SAHM. I struggle with this myself. I was moving slow talking to the woman and Mr A knowing I look for such mommies, sorta got to the point of it. He said he'd been ready to leave the park long before that but was giving us the opportunity to chat. Anyway I got her contact info and invited her to the book club. This mommy recently moved to our neighborhood. Her hubby's job transferred him to L.A. She's actually from the Bay and my age so we have friends in common.

Mr A said if that had been a man, and they discovered a common interest they would have exchanged contact info in a few moments. I guess this is why our cookouts are well attended by the neighborhood men. The men aren't slow about befriending each other.

Anniversary

MLK holiday weekend marks the 5 year anniversary of Mr A and I meeting. I liked his character and strength when I first met him. I knew he was worthy of my trust. My first impressions were right on, only he turned out better for me and to me than I could know. At 2 1/2 years of marriage, we've only just begun. We're still newlyweds. I look forward to spending my eternity with him. I enjoy and love him even when he gets on my nerves.

I thinks its pretty cool that I can look and mark the events that have directed my life, my life with Mr A and leading to TR. Meeting Mr A changed my world. A spur of the moment ski trip to Tahoe changed my life for the good.

I think our paths were destined to cross. We kept just missing each other. It was just a matter of timing. We met at a time that was right for the both of us. We didn't have to make the time right, it was right.

When do we learn?

It's odd to me that people are surprised that Dellums is a horrible, do nothing mayor. He was the same type of Congressperson. I remember being at a party and educated older people said a prayer that Dellums win. I had worked on the other guys campaign and did not join that prayer. How did they forget what a terrible job he did to the Bay Area during his first reign.

the below was written June 2006. link

Oakland/ Detroit | # | Love, Real Life — call2arms @ 4:06 pm
We may have a new black mayor. I am hopeful this is not so. If it is so, we will become like Detroit, perhaps New Orleans. Crooked congressperson and crooked mayor. What is a city to do with local, state and federal, crooks?

His blackness is not the problem. But the history of black leadership in Oakland makes me suspect that we will be victims of decline, neglect, declining property values, skyrocketing crime and theft of public funds for the reasonable near future. His past performance as a Congressman makes me know he will be awful.

There is going to be much corruption, I’ll have plenty to blog about.

The regentrification of Oakland was unsuccessful. The middle class blacks left for a lower cost of living, but we were left with the poor, who apparently can survive anywhere. I guess Section 8 subsidies make the difference.

But its the poor who always get forgotten especially when we have leadership that only focuses on the finances of self and a few friends. At least when we have leadership that works to develop the area, and steal a little, there is economic growth and the fall out benefits everyone including the poor.

Once they start stealing, we’ll see cuts to services. The poor use and need those services most. Here we go again, decline and poverty for at least 4 years

Domestic Diva

One morning my mother and I were out and about. We had to stop back by home for a brief moment. She told me she would be in and out and I told her I would just wait in the car. I needed to change TR so I went inside. When I was done changing the baby and powedering my own nose, I walked into the kitchen to find my mother seasoning meat for dinner.

My jaw dropped because our brief stop home turneed into a bit more. I called Mr A and in shock gave him the details about a brief stop home and asked him to guess the rest. He got the answer on the first try. I asked him how he knew and he said 'because your mom is a domestic diva'.

Well, I'm diva in training. I think wifedom and mommyhood are enhanced when women have that love of things domestic. I grew up never washing a dish or turning the dishwasher on. Never sweeping, mopping or cleaning. I did dust and polish furniture at my grandmothers. We didn't have chores. My mother stayed at home, and she took care of our home well. She's an over achiever in eveything she does. My sister became very domestic but I just enjoyed the fruits of other folks domestic labor. When I lived alone I had a housekeeper who had her own key. I ate dinner at my mothers.

I think I got taken care of because I was the youngest. My brother used to keep my stuff organized so I really had nothing to do but play.

I've developed my own domestic training institute. I've created our breakfast, lunch, dinner and snack menu for the next 7 weeks. Dinner doesn't repeat for those 7 weeks. When I moved in with Mr A, he found us a housekeeper. She was fantastic. Since we moved, we have not been able to find one who doesn't come with a list of what they won't do. Plus even though our apt is smaller than his house was, the people want to charge more because of the area we live in. I think we paid $100 to get the entire house, plus laundry. Here its like $50 per room.

Cleaning is a part of being domestic and I want my baby to have the same nice environment I had. I might ask our neighbor about her housekeeper. In Mr A's eyes, arranging for a housekeeper is also domestic.

Anyway, I read the blog fullbellies and we will be attempting to make butter soon. I say we because we will all have to shake the jar. I'll even let TR have a turn. She can roll it around in her play pen.

I do enjoy the feeling I have when I take care of my familly and home, so my training academy should go well.

For Your Love

Mr A likes my hair long, so I keep it long. I do plan to cut it in a few years. I think long hair is for younger women. I want to embrace my advancing years and look good in them. I think 30 is a time to have fashions that sizzle and announce that you are in your 30's and living them well.

Mr A is opposed to fake hair. He doesn't like hair weaves, extensions, wigs, etc. Fortunately for him I haven't worn fake hair in years and more years. If I braid my hair, I braid the hair that grows on my head. He thinks fake hair signifies the fakeness of the person. I think fake hair on women is about fashion but I can see why a man might think that. I'd question a man with a toupe or fake mustache.

I like my man clean cut, but everynow and again I ask Mr. A to let his hair grow a bit. He does and gets it shaped. Then I like to see him with a fresh hair cut. I love that too. I have a photo of him the day we met and he was wearing his hair a little longer. Not long as in long enough to braid but long as in, you can't see the scalp.

I think its pretty cool to consider someone enough that you want to look good for them and have someone who consider you enough that they want to look good for you.

In other things I've picked up some holiday weight. When I told Mr A I was fat he told me that I was not and that I looked good.

A little bit after that conversation I saw a woman who had an almost 2 year old. I saw her early last year and she was a bit more plump. When I saw her that night she was so thin I was frightened. Mr A said she was skinny in high school. Anyway I want to be trim not skinny and thanks to that visual I will know when to stop with the weight loss.

It's nice that Mr A loves me regardless of size but I don't want to fat or thick, or skinny. I just want to stick with my atheletic yet juicy build. I have to get to work. I want to look good when I'm on the parent committee at TR and my future childrens' high school.

Money

I like money but I enjoy my work not because of the potential cash prizes but because I'm a defender by nature. People do dumb stuff but I don't often think they should suffer a lifetime of penalty for it by someone with a cruel cold heart. It's bad to have a person do you wrong but its a different type of feeling when an entity is behind the wrong. It can make a person feel more defenseless. I think its like having a baby sitter beat you while your parents are gone. You were led to believe you could trust, you let your guard down and were abused.

A few days ago the b.art po.lice shot and killed a 23 year old man. The 23 year old was on his back with 3 officers on top of him. http://www.ktvu.com/video/18406962/index.html This clip is super sad, don't watch if you aren't a soldier. I've been in front of a victim as he was chased by a man with a big black and aimed oozy, I've seen folks shot but that wasn't like seeing someone being held down and shot by(hey I'm from east oak.land and these incidents happened on my way to church where I ran into laid on the ground and called the police and then played the drums and sang in the choir) cops.

These kids were fighting at B.Art, which they should not have done but it was a fist fight. The fight was over and all were down.

The action of this single officer just breaks my heart and such behavior is why I do the work that I do. If you watch the video you can tell the officer had no cause to fear for his safety. The abuses people suffer at the hands of groups we should be able to trust is frightening.

Last summer I handled a criminal case and as we got into it we discovered the police were engaging in illegal activity.

This above scene is what I envisioned when I considered my clients having their homes raided by countless police because of some crooked cops. Imagine hearing the boom of your door being battered open and men yelling and running inside, guns drawn. All you see are guns. You will be nervous and your nervous reaction could get you killed. My client told me how 3 different officers were yelling 3 different sets of instructions at the SAME time.

LAY DOWN, HANDS UP, DON'T MOVE, AGAINST THE WALL, SPREAD YOUR LEGS, BE STILL, HANDS BEHIND YOUR HEAD ............

The police report says my client tried to run into the kitchen but he was most likely flailing about in confusion.

One of my cases has been getting some press and in Oct some person called me to complain about b.art police. I didn't have the resources to handle the matter but I wonder what would have happened if the those b.art officers had known the department was under scrutiny.

Heck what would that officer have done had he known he was being filmed. Darn, idiot!

I know an officer who was a part of a raid. He said the city police found drug paraphenilia but because they wanted to charge the guy with intent to sell, they threw it away. His dilemna is if he tells he can't ever need back up because they won't come. He said he won't lie under oath so if it goes to trial he is in trouble.

I'm more afraid of the police than I am of the criminals. I have given this advice before but if the police get you, get your lawyer involved before talking. Ask for a public defender. I have no advice for when they gang on you. Try to be still and don't try to explain anything. They are scared, some have other stuff going on and a lot of them want to utilize their license to kill.

An-ty-way I'm sad and might go laydown.

The Goals

My goal is to be more organized in business. I am super slow to do the tedious stuff like sending mail but the tedious stuff is necessary.

My next settlement I will hire an assistant. I've had one before, a college student, and I was able to email her work and she would do the stuff I didn't like.

I have been successful at not procrastinating but there is something about a deadline that gets my blood pumping and makes me enthused to work.

Hold grudges openly. Why should I pretend or work to get past stuff. I don't have to be mean and nasty but I don't have to be cordial.

Stop trying to budget. I tried to write the numbers down but that isn't the way for me. I'll just save a percentage, pay all expenses, use the rest how I want. What's the point of saving up for an item if we can buy it. I won't buy it to our detriment but why save up for stuff just to say I did. Our money doesn't come in installments like salaried people and so budgeting like they do is useless.

Write in TR's journal at least once a month, say the 18th. I've been slacking.

Don't get comfortable, always want more. I can't achieve if I get satisfied, I need to want more.

Call my loved ones more often.

Check my voicemail and return calls each day.

Be boldly nosey.

Be bold.

Enjoy TR because she is growing more independent by the day. Her infancy is more than 1/2 over. I might be absent from the blog because I'm playing with my daughter.

Make sure Mr A knows, without my telling him, that he is appreciated at least once a week.

Pay attention to the person I'm talking to on the phone.

Happy HAPPY

Mr and I are at our New Year Eve destination. We are about a quarter tank of gas from L.A. but the home is lovely. TR was invited and most everyone here has their youngun in tow. TR is out of town with my mom. I'm sure she would enjoy this party. There is an almost 12 month old here but she almost took TR down last time they played together. TR was 3 or 4 months then and the other baby was about 7 months. TR moves around better so they might be able to intereact.
I"m already sleepy. We are spending the night here but I don't want to poop the party by turning in early. Mr A and I made gumbo so that is on for tomorrow. Have a blessed 2009 and be safe.

Goals

I have a goal to write a list of goals. I'll have to sir down and think of things I want to accomplish. Mr A and I have goals as a family so I'll likely incorporate some of those into my personal goals.

TR is going out of town for a few days. I wonder if I'm ready. I'm sure she is. Mr A and I, my mother and siblings went to dinner last week and we droppeed her off at my aunt's house. She was sleep when we left and I was concerned she would wake up in unfamiliar surroundings and cry.

My cousin said TR woke up, stared at them and proceeded to play. When we arrived to pick her up, she appeared to be having a great time. My aunt also gave her a full length fur. My baby is certainly fab. I think she has more clothes than both Mr A and myself. I had planned to dress my babe in onesies, but she has full outfits and shoes.

There is more. I'm sure I'll post before the New Year, if not Have a Blessed 2009!

Happy Birthday Jesus!

Merry Christmas to all of you.

I've already opened my gifts from TR and Mr. A. Now I am looking forward to Mr A and my mom opening their gifts from TR.

Seasons greetings.

xoxoxo, The A family

p.s. we are the A family because its Mr A's initials. I wouldn't give my husband my surname, in real life or blogland. I know someone thought A was for Arms. puleeze

I guess this thing can work.

You Should Be a Politician

Confident, assertive, and dedicated - you know what you want in life and how to get it. Stubborn and opinionated, you can stand your ground... even if it's unpopular. And while you have strong views, you never overwhelm people with your opinions. A true charmer, you subtly influence people into seeing things your way. You do best when you: - Work according to your own rules - Can change the world with what you do You would also be a good lawyer or talk show host.

What Should You Be When You Grow Up?

American Boy

I like that song and since part of this post will refer to American Girl dolls, I thought I could be random with the title.

We've been enjoying our Christmas Season. On Friday, our borrow child/goddaughter came over to spend the weekend. Saturday was a fun and full day of shopping. Sadly, I don't think we got gifts for anyone but ourselves.

I got a dress at Loehmans, the dress I had envisioned since seeing a similiar dress in the Neiman catalog. We then headed to the Beverly Center, where we bumped into Keith Sweat. I was never a fan of his crooning but since discovering he wrote that Burger King jingle with the words, Girl you've got a 10=piece, don't be stingy, I've lost respect. I admit to loving that song but I also admit to knowful I shoud be ashamed for humming it in my free time and chuckling.

I wanted to ask Keith, where Lisa Wu, i.e, Real Housewife of Atlanta was. Looking at him, I could see how he might be a wife abuser. He looked vain. But he did look nice and not at all elderly.

The great thing about the Beverly Center is, its rarely crowded. Mr A cites the prices as the reason for that. I know they have a Gymboree, a Sephora and an Apple Store, beyond that the prices don't impact me. I do hit that Macy and one day I want to give Bloomingdales a try. I've only ever browsed that store. I will say the one is San Francisco is beautiful and glorius. Everyone who enjoys shopping must go. It is visually appealing.

One of the great thing about husbands is how they let you plan their outfits. I was able to pick out a couple of things for Mr A and he actually likes them. I was the one that introduced nice colors into his wardrobe and even shoes with some color. I am such a fab wife.


After shopping we went out to the Valley for dinner and then to drive down Candy Cane Lane. The houses were great. It took us a couple of hours because the streets were jam packed with onlookers.

Moving back to what a fab wife I am........
On Sunday while driving in the car, me and TR in the back a woman flags Mr A to roll his window down. He does and neither of us think anything of it. The woman then says.... heyyyy handsome. Neither of us think anything of this either. Then she tilts her head and sees me and her reaction was hillarious. She apologizes and they drive on. I'm in the back cracking up and telling Mr A how I am a great fashion coordinator. I also have years of practice advising my brother.

Later on that day, Mr A went to pick up some food while TR and I waited in the car. Why did a woman ask to sample his peach cobbler. He told her his wife probably wouldn't like that.

I remember being young and seeing a pretty nice looking man in a terrible looking tie and outfit. I told my mom that he must be single because no woman would let him leave his house like that. My mother said his wife probably dressed him that way on purpose to make sure he made it back home every day.

In other things I always found a good test to determine if a man is single is the ash between his fingers. If he is all lotioned up in the spot many men forget about, then he got somebody. If he has somebody and is still ashy....... poor him.

I'll have to get to American Girl later, this has gotten too long.

L.A. to the Bay and Back

Mr A and I are back in L.A. but only for a few days.

I had a hair appointment this morning and the lady was telling me three of her clients called her this morning to tell her they'd been laid off. She said lots and lots of her clients and girlfriends were going through the same.

So far I only know one person that has been laid off. Mr A's old co-worker who had been at his company 18 years. I think part of the reason is the guy wouldn't take any promotions. He was in management and making enough to live nicely so he didn't want to take on more responsibility just for more money.

I understand working for money because we all have to live, but leaving home each day just to get a check has to be destructive to the soul. I really think being able to love what you spend the day doing makes up for salary. I also think if you love what you do, the salary will come.

After my hair appointment I thought I'd do my part to stimulate the economy and do a little retail shopping. I arrived at the store and discovered the lot was full -at 11 a.m.!!  I thought this weather would keep folks indoors.  I headed to the grocery store. It's cold and rainy so I was thinking of foods that keep the soul warm.  

I bought a mini Christmas tree. We'll only be here a few days but I still want a little festivity in the place. I put up a few decorations before Thanksgiving.  I have been away since before

 Thanksgiving. I missed home.

I'm back home now hanging with Mr. A and TR.

Misery Needs Company

I was trying to have a good day but it seemed folks were determined to push me off of my mountain.  In turn I ended up having an attitude with folks that didn't deserve it, namely my mother. I didn't have a bad attitude but any at-ti-tude is unnecessary. Its probably worse when folks are evil to folks who have no idea where the evil arose from.

Oh what a web bad moods weave.  If not careful misery can be contagious.  

Last week my father offered to  buy TR baby food. He asked me for a list. I made a table and told him she eats fruits, vegetables, rice cereal and oatmeal.  I also told him she is on stage 2.  He brought back lots of  baby food with meat and some vegetable items.

I guess he wanted a list to ignore.  He came in and proceeded to spend about 10 minutes insulting me. I wonder if I should tell him why his other children ignore his calls.  I would ignore his calls but my mother answers the phone without looking at caller i.d.

Some of the stuff he says might be acceptable if he had said them when I was a young person interested in listening.  I'm 30+.

I think much of his advice are based on his own regrets and failures. He wants to share his opinions on marriage, family and money.  I guess he can tell me what not to do, but he wants to tell me what TO do.

I'm pretty sensitive to the moods and vibes of folks I am close to.  I'm discovering this can be a bad thing when people enjoy being depressed.

I was visiting my cousins a couple of weeks ago and we were watching Charlie Brown. One of my cousins pointed out that that show had introduced depression to our generation.  I guess that's why I never liked the show. 

Anyway my emotions are just all discombobulated. I need to figure out how to remain emotionally unaffected by folks with misery in their aura. I really want TR to live in an emotionally well-balanced home. I want her to know we can experience sadness or low moments but we don't allow it to  control our life or diminish our spirit. 

I need to get my light back.

Great Dates

 I had a hot date last night. I chose Elephant Bar because I thought we could see a movie at the nearby AMC. It's been a couple of years since I've been to that restaurant but I really enjoyed the meal and our drinks. I thoroughly enjoyed my sexy companion.

 There were no movies we were willing to see. I certainly wasn't willing to waste my movie tickets or an hour of my life on Cadillac Records.  I like Beyonce as a performer but I wish they would quit casting her in movies that have the potential to be good or great without her. The only movie I've watched with her in it was Dream Girls, and now when I watch it on DVD or cable, when it hits the second part were she is central, we stop watching.  It's not right to do that to movie goers.

I'd been meaning to go to Sephora and make use of my coupon. I didn't have the coupon but decided to go anyway. I chose my items and asked the clerk if I could get the money off.  I was able to pull on the coupon on Mr A's phone and they used the gift coupon code to give me the discount. Pretty cool.

Mr A tried not to go into the store with me. I think he is opposed to entering beauty emporiums as part of the man code.  I explained to him that at this point in my life he is the main person I want to look good for.  I like that twinkle in his eye when I'm looking good. I wouldn't want to buy a nail polish color and have him think its terrible every time he looks at  my hands.   I also wouldn't want to get a fragrance that he doesn't like.  I'm not sure he bought that, but since we were in the neighborhood it only made sense that I go buy my beauty goodies.

I don't usually drag him with me on my shopping excursions. I respect the man code. What man wants to go with their woman as she picks out shoes, purses, jewelry or clothes and I'm sure makeup would be an additional type of torture?  I was in and out of Sephora so quickly that any woman would be amazed.

 I married a man like Mr A for a reason. I didn't want a husband that wanted to have an opinion on colors. My mother said my father wanted to help pick out furniture and be involved in her home decor when they got their house. She wasn't prepared for that as that was not how her parents operated. The yard was my grandfather's domain, except for my grandmother's flowerbeds and the house was my grandmothers decorating domain. Mr A opposes too much red but after that its my choice. 

As I think about it last year after Christmas the family went to Palo Alto to shop.  The ladies headed into Sephora and my brother and Mr A hung outside. My great uncle Robert came in, he is  80+ and Mr A made fun of him because when he exited the store he'd been sprayed by the perfume girls.  I think Uncle Robert liked it in there. He was smiling really big.

It's great to have a night out with my sweetums and then come home and kiss our sleeping babe.

More things change

the more they stay the same.

I was checking out my posts from December 7, 2008. They were about business endeavors and getting up early.

I'm cool in the spring/summer months but winter is just difficult. I slept in this morning until about 9 a.m. The days before saw me starting early.

http://call2arms.blogspot.com/2004/12/getting-up-early.html

Here's another post about reaching towards my creative business goals. I still want to do something creative but as I've gotten older my interests changed. I have another fun business idea, that I need to implement.

http://call2arms.blogspot.com/2004/12/spreading-word.html