Life

I hung up on my mom the other day. She was hollering about her plane ticket and I told her to stop yelling. She said she wasn't yelling so I told her to stop talking loud. She calmed down for a second but got excited all over again. No ma'am. End call.

My principal is trying to play me and the other patrol sponsor. We jumped on every fundraiser we could (gormay lollipops, chocklate, scented pencils, car washes, etc) and were able to raise about $200 for each patrol!! That is AWESOME! Whatever the case, all our bills have been paid so whatever merchandise is left is for the patrols to go on another trip after FCAT. Why is she telling us, "go ahead and bring everything to the front office and we'll take care of it" THE HELL YOU WILL! WE'LL take care of it! Not finna be using our money to have Christmas parties at your house...

My Ghanian godfather passed away. Just found out my American godfather is deathly ill. Went to see him today and I just can't believe the shadow of a man that sits where my pillar of a Godfather used to stand. With his baritone voice, not quite as bari as it used to be, we talked about the school district. He's General Counsel for PBCSD and offered some inside info on our new CAO (chief academic officer). I suddenly don't hate him anymore. And dislike my principal even more.

Drew is here. We played wee at best by and it was great. Oh yeah, I can watch TV now!!! So EXCITED!! It pays to have a guy around. They really do earn their keep.

Funny how I got excited but I don't really watch TV... at least I have the option to watch basic programming on the networks.

My children are too smart for me. I'm kidding. They are challenging me to challenge them more than the previous years have. I'm going to have some superstars in 1st grade next year! Things are snapping and trapping in their little brains now. They have schemata to fall upon and we both LOVE it when something from their past comes into their present and it makes sense to them. For example, I read a book titled Mouse-Mess. Talked about different foods, etc, etc. Just yesterday, during the phonics lesson, we talked about things that start with O and I introduced 'olives'. Okay. When centers rolled around and a group was at Big Books, Shy said, "Ms. von K! Olives! I know that that word is! I looked at the picture and sounded out the 1st letter!"

*TEAR*

My reading strategies are working!!

Anyhoo, that's where I am today.

Happy Veterans' Day. My paternal grandfather fought in WWII for the BEF.

Wedding Talk

I know nothing is guaranteed but as a female, I can't HELP but to talk about the day I've been dreaming of!

When at the house, Chole and Lamar popped across the screen. For some weird reason, both my parents knew who they are, all about the situation and even occasionally watch 'Keeping Up* with..." I was so thrown and "thanked" NNC for my temporary discombobulation.

Anyhoot, Klho and Mar prompted BOTH Mom and Pops to ask, "So, where's your wedding going to be?"

Me wanting to have a bangin ass reception with as little food and as much champagne as possible said, "At church, duh. Father said members of the church get to use it as a gift" (or something like that)

Pops: You have to take into consideration who you are marrying. Not everyone wants to get married in church

Me: Well then we'll do church and a temple.

Mom: yeah, you have to get married where you're comfortable and if you want to have 2, so be it. Jews and Catholics do it all the time

Me: yeah, what she said.

Pops: If you marry Drew, you need to have it in a neutral place. It's not right to impose your rituals upon someone else

Me and Mom: It's my/her day!

Pops: You need to think about it.

Me: so what, a hotel ballroom? outside?? in a garden? Stan is already doing the beach and I wouldn't do that anyway, too much sand.

Pops: Just keep neutral places open.

*FACE*

My once 'no charge' venue just might be out of the picture.

*

Speaking of my reception, I want Robin Thicke to sing. If anyone knows someone who knows someone who knows someone who knows him, gon' head and knock that out for me. Please and thank-you :-)

Daytona

Please don't make me go there again.

It was a weird weekend. 2/3 of what was planned didn't happen.

And what did happen was somewhat of a let down because HU didn't bring their band or cheerleaders. So we sat there and watched a horrible football game in a municipal stadium that's the same size as most of our high school stadiums.

HU lost in a watching paint dry kind of way.

According to Drew, both teams had 2 plays total: run up the middle or the screen pass.

On a brighter note, the hotel we stayed at was nice. And we had ocean front rooms on the 11th floor.

too bad the ocean was not pretty. The water looked gray and there was maybe 10 feet of sand. But when the water rolled up on shore, that left you with 4 feet of dry sand. Really? If I wanted to, I wouldn't be able to lay myself on the sand? WACK.

So... Daytona looks like a raggedy ass Jupiter. Like, if Jupiter didn't have as many celebs choosing to live there on the low and more of the redneck population, sooo Daytona. I'm guessing cause it's the Birthplace of NAS*CAR. "That's a niiiiiiiiice car"

I would upload pics but b/c I got a new hard drive, I'm currently uploading 1400 photos and I have 662 left. Daytona pics would be numbers 640-662.

Ugh, just not in a good mood about Daytona. I really wanted it to be better than it was. Doesn't make any sense for an ocean city to be so raggedy. As we were crossing the bridge to get to Day beach, I was getting excited but when we got there, it was like, "Sketch, Seed. Sketchy and Seedy". A waste of my favorite day of the week. #notagoodlook.

249 photos remaining. Maybe I'll make it a photo post tomorrow. I am going to bed.

Friend

Sometimes, I feel like I'm not a good one. and it all stems from my phone use. Or lack thereof.

*

I have two groups of friends. Pre College and During College.

Pre College are the people from home. We met at church, in elementary school or summer camp. WPB being a little big city, I didn't make anymore friends after el. school cause I pretty much saw those same people in middle and high school. If wasn't your friend at ICY or Roosevelt Elem, I'm most likely not your friend now. These are the friends for LIFE who will show up at a moment's notice for whatever is going on in your life, good or bad.

During College are the Hampton Homies. With the exception of Jameil, we all lived in the same freshman dorm, Kennedy Hall. These are the girls I will and have hopped on a plane to celebrate a birthday on the weekend for. Or freeze my butt off for in whatever N.E. city for. These are the girls I've road-tripped for. These are the chicks you hear about meeting in college that will be your friends for life. The girls you lived without for 18 years but can't imagine doing that again.

Now you'll notice I don't have friends from FAM. Yeah, WPB sends a lot of its Black students to Tally. A few might go out of state but for the most part, my pre-college friends were already there getting the place ready for me.

*

My friend Kitty has been calling me all week. Between school, work, safety patrol sponsoring, pops leaving, mom going away, LIFE... I've been missing her calls. I had EVERY intention of calling her back, but me being me always forgot. Then she'd call me again and I wasn't able to answer cause I was teaching or in a meeting or on the phone with mom trying to buy her a plane ticket (she's going to Boston for my godfather's funeral and hanging out till whenever). I'd make plans to call during Planning Period but get caught up in an spur of the moment conference. Okay, I'll call on the way home from school but the day would have me just wanting to get home and not think about anything.

I found out her grandmother passed away Thursday night. How did I find out? On FB.

Oh my heart broke.

Even though she didn't leave any messages, I can only assume she's been calling me to talk about her grandmother being in the hospital this past week.

Way to be there, Stace.

*

I have another friend who I PROMISE you, I haven't spoken to since I was flying out of Jaxson, MS this summer. I know that cause she called me on our way to the airport and I didn't want to be rude by having a conversation in the car. Yep, July. Nearly 4 months to the DAY, I called to wish her a Happy Birthday and the conversation flowed like we talk EVERYDAY. *sigh* I was actually very nervous about calling her cause I know I've been missing her calls and always putting off calling her back (as usual) but for us to laugh the way we did, I know everything is alright.

This post goes out to my FRIENDS. They are the people who know who you are and love you anyway.

Eww, that was such a corny cliche I feel like I got from a forward my mom sent me... (I actually read them)

Thank-you guys for putting up with me. I know we don't talk everyday and I'm glad you aren't mad at me for that :-) I love you!

(Dani, Kitty & Keesha, Martina & Jameil; my Fab 5)

one big fluck

I was just thinking about college. I spent 7 years there. 2 at Hampton doing something I didn't really want to do and 5 at FAM fulfilling (most of) my dreams. In those 7 years, I did somethings I just can't believe I did.

- I used to... light incense. 28B with the Hip Hop Hippies was my spot. Tribe and some fire and I was good. Shaking my head now cause I hate... incense!

*

What really triggered this post was Spring 2003. That was the spring semester of the year I transferred. That was also the 1st time I went to the Champagne Sip. Wait, I need to digress.

What really, REALLY prompted this post was Bacefook. I was thinking to myself, "Dang, have I really been on that thing for 5 years? Since 2004? That seems like a very long time... but it seems right" Then, I thought, "Wow, I'm glad it wasn't around spring 2003. Who knows what that Champagne Sip album would've looked like!"

Man, Spring 2003, I was'nt even 21 yet. I just broke up with a guy who was going to Iraq. Found out his ex really wasn't an ex but more like the wife who knows her husband cheats but is okay with it cause it's her name on the bank account? Yeah, that dumb hoe. "The gas in his car? I bought it." I hate that song, 'Woman to Woman'

anyhoo, not 21 yet.

Kitty and I are invited to an APhi*Que party. It's a dress-up affair so we go and buy ball gowns at our local Ross. I think I even had black opera length gloves... yeah, sit down dinner then dance the night away after sipping on champagne type deal. Oh, did we sip. Sip, slipped, and fell. All over the dance floor. Having the time of our 20 y.o lives. We took someone's shades and had a photo shoot in the middle of the dance floor, we possied up some chicks and guerilla dance attacked dudes (remember when a group of guys would surround you and pelvic thrust you to death? The tables were turned that night! SO MUCH FUN!), we did who knows what else cause honestly, I don't remember the rest. And if it was 6 years ago, I still wouldn't be able to remember. It was that kind of night. But let me tell you how to this day, there are some A*PhiQs who have and will come up to me and say, "Where's your homie? Y'all were the ones with the shades on, right?" Me or Kitty would deny it vehemently cause we wouldn't want him connecting anymore dots. We'd die if he said, "Yeah! That was y'all! and one of you was left with my Frat! Oh yeah!!!!"

See, no.

Spring 2004 had the Eyes Wyde Shut Sip. Now THAT one was LOOSE! LOOSE! Like, Kitty and some others have told me I was sitting on some dude's lap kissing him like there was no tomorrow! AAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!! WTF STACE!?!?!??! and then let's not talk about how I woke up with one shoe, one earring, and a tux jacket on. "Whose is this?!!?" I was in my own bed, but still! Thankfully, FB was around but no-one had digital cameras like that yet. If you wanted pics up, you had to develop and scan them! (LOL). USB cords weren't readily available for the instant upload and twtpic was barely a twinkle in someone's eye. *whew!*

Also in 2004, I entered a pageant. Knowing what I know now, I wouldn't have done it cause I think it messed up my chances to join the sorority I want to do. Me in my eternal naivete didn't know all the politics that go into greek pageants. Oh well, I met, dated and hated a frat boy that Spring. *sigh* I remember going to house parties with him, disappearing and reappearing. Word? You just gon use someone's room like that? LOOSE!

"That" lasted for way too long (as recent as 2006 and messages since day 1). He was born on National Asshole Day (April 10) so we constantly bumped heads. why did I put so much time and effort into him!?? To make myself feel better about that time "with" him, I exacted my revenge for all he did... those of you who have been around know what I used to do...

Spring 2005. Champagne Sip is a bit more ritzy than the year before but that's where I met the musician. UGH. Can we not talk about him? I just know I dealt with some crazy, crazy mess. And did crazy things. *shaking my head*. Yo, I used to ride motorcycles. MOTORCYCLES!! WITH NO HELMET, NO JACKET! Just chilling on the back, leaning when he leaned. Now that right there is TRUST. One false move and you're road kill or at least VERY scarred for life. Can't believe I literally put my LIFE in that sociopath's hands.

I kinda remember a night in Texas. I was drunk and we rode back to the apt. Imagine me being passed out drunk on the back of a bike riding down I-35 going 90 miles an hour. All I remember was getting on the bike on 6th Street and getting in the bed in Round R.ock

What.thee.fluck.

That's another one that had me doing some crazy mess. Both me and Kitty had our share of, "could've landed us in jail" mess. I remember us going to wahlmart to get black sweatsuits and socks.

I'ma leave it at that.

*

Now in between Champagne Sips and "serious" relationships, there were flings. THAT'S what makes me really think about how crazy college is! OMG, it was nothing to hop in the car and drive wherever at whatever time to see whomever! I had a guy fly from Atlanta and another drive from ATL. Not really much of a casual dater, I shake my head at the casual "dates" I had!! OMG!!!! And I was on the waaaaaaaay tame side of things!!!! I'm sitting here thinking about the chicks who are flat out HOES! flat out OFF THE CHAIN!! How can you get down like that and walk the campus the next day? have you know shame!? Hearing stories of how the band gets down home and away? how frats get down with dumb chicks who want to be down with the sister sorority?? (that much I KNEW not to get into)... how people are just nasty like that, it makes me wonder,

Was college just one big orgy?

Why does it change once you cross the stage after shaking your dean's hand?

If I was single, would I really be able to get down the way I used to?

I barely drink anymore!! The last time I would say I "drank" was the ATL Classic. Two drinks. A Pineapple Vodka and an apple martini. Word? I used to be flat out WASTED. I went to one Oil Spill (can't take too much of the Bruhs, esp when liquor is involved), some blue juice jams, and we already know about the Sips. Then there are the 2-for-1 at your fave restaurant or someone's house party, or shit, the house parties Kitty and I used to throw! Between the drinks and the guys, all I can do is shake my head.

College was one big PARTY PARTY PARTY where we all got WASTED. GUCCI!!

Going, going

back, back to Ghana, Ghana



This time it's my Pops.



Yep, it's his turn to make the trip "home". But he won't lose his mind and be gone for a large part of the year; he has work to return to. Mom came back grumbling bout how she wished she had 2 more months. Ummm!!?!?? You STAYED TWO MONTHS LONGER THAN PLANNED!!!! Then she had the nerve to complain about work... well, when you come back to the States in October and school starts in August, I don't know what to tell you!



I don't think either one of my parents have been in the U.S. for a whole year in a looooooooong time... that's what happens when all your children are out the house. Actually, when Mini Me was still in highschool, Mom Dukes was out for a whole summer + some... WHATEVER!



All I know... when it come time from grandkids to make their presence known, SOMEONE BETTER BE HERE FOR THE 1ST YEAR!! Or at least the 1st 6 months! It's the Ghanian way :-)



When I was born, my maternal grandmother was here for 9 months. When StanKK was born, my maternal grandfather was here for 6months. Mini Me? 6 months with maternal grand again. The other adult in the house makes life easier for the new parent. No matter how many you have, another and somewhat outside source of help is a blessing. Imagine being a new mom; hubby is at work and all you have is the house and a newborn. TV gets old and how much can you clean? Unless you have a network of other new moms, you'll probably go crazy. Nope. Not the kid. Bring another being to cook or clean or run errands or provide conversation or drive (in case you got that good c-section) or watch the baby while you get some much needed sleep!



I'm looking on FB at the classmates who are new moms... we see the pics of baby and mommy smiling... I want to see the 3am feeding and baby hollering! and Mommy at her wits end! Of course we'll never see that!!



So while on the subject of grands... why did Mom say she'll take them to Ghana for their 1st year???









Oh Lord.











Can you imagine my children coming back saying, "We're half caste!" Well, they won't be talking that way at 1 year old but you get what I'm saying. Interracial anything isn't the norm over there. My cousin who is half Chilean, half Ghanian had an interesting time when he went, especially since he speaks Spanish. LOLOL!


Anyway, my dad is going to Ghana today. Pray for his safe travels!

Mean Teacher

Sidebar- We know I got a new phone... why did I get it on the day tee-mobile's network goes down? Not just the cydekick server but the entire TEE-MOBILE network?? Why won't the devil leave me and my phones alone?!?!

Is it a sidebar if I haven't even started the post???

Mean Teacher

I have to tell my students I am bringing her out. I write Mean Teacher on the board and I draw a mean face. Them being 'Hater Class, 2023', said,

"Is that your sad face?"

I snapped back, "NO! It's a mad face!! To go with the Mean Teacher you guys are getting tomorrow!!"

We'll see how it goes. I think I might stick with her today. Usually, they behave themselves I don't even get a chance to change colors but today? IT'S ON!

On another note... patrols.

that's that bull isht.

We got played from Day 1. I've said for, going on 3 years, "I got to get out of this place!" This is my 3rd year so I'm good! Holla at your girl! Matter of fact, don't.

Now on to that goal list I said I'd update.

pledge grad chapter

(and I forgot the last one that was on my mind...)

Yeah, it's really a big deal to me. Still.

Marriage = Rocking the Boat

One of my favorite Bob songs is "Satis.fy My Soul". Why? Cause the lyrics are so me

Oh please, don't u rock my boat

Cause I don't, want mai boat to be rocking

I'm a typical Taurus and like things to be stable. I think change is overrated. I am a firm believer in "if it ain't broke don't fix it" and any other saying in the same boat. In an almost OCD like manner, I do things a certain way and get irritated when you "rock my boat".

Case in point, my shower routine. Being the never-nude, I take most of my clothes off in the bathtub and throw them over the bar.

LMAO! I am ridiculous! Seeing that in print makes me crack the fluck up!!!!!

I wash, rinse, repeat x 2*. Kind of like how you should brush your teeth... turn the water off when you're not rinsing?? Yeah, that's me.

Then I partially dry off in the tub, wrap the towel around me and put deodorant on. Then lotion. One pump for left leg, one pump for right leg, one pump for both arms with elbows and spaces between fingers (right elbow, left elbow; right hand, left hand) hit up first AND last (I go over those spots again), then torso. Then underwear, camisole, and the rest is a variable.

Drew came over last Sunday night. I was going to take my shower when he decided he wanted to "help".

"Let me take off your dress".

"I got it. I take my clothes off in the shower."

"But I want to help"

*FACE* "Fiiiiine."

I hopped in the shower before he could "help" with anything else.

*SHOWERING*

Now it's time to get out. I grab the towel and lightly pat dry in the tub. Drew hearing the water has been turned off for good is back in the bathroom.

"Lotion time!"

"Drew! You're going to mess up my routine! I put deodorant on first! and lotion afterwards! IN BODY PART ORDER!

"Routine? Babe, this is what marriage is about! Sharing spaces and time! No rituals here! I'm here to help! Let me take your shower cap off."

*FACE* "Noooooo! I do that last!!!! All the humidity will make my hair puff!!! DON'T TOUCH IT! Damn it, just watch the routine so you don't drive me crazy doing your own thing."

He watched and complained he didn't get a show (I keep my towel wrapped tightly the whole time, lolol). Boooo on you, I'm on a schedule here.

Now it was time to sleep. You know we both wanted the right side of the bed, right?

*FACE*

*BACKSTORY: a sometimes obnoxious homie of mine and Kitty came over our house in Tally. While he and Kitty were watching TV, I decided to hop in shower. Do you know this fool was in the bathroom asking if he could join me? NOOOOOOOO! but why did he stay in the bathroom and have conversation!?!?!? Like, sitting on the toilet (with the lid down) and act like we were sharing coffee in an open air cafe'!?! I was tense but still managed to get my shower when he interrupted with,

"Wait! Did you just shower, rinse, and repeat?!?!"

"If you want to call it that..."

"I was wondering why the water kept going off and on!!!!"

New New

I got a new phone!!! Woo woo!!!

Ever since the cydekick disaster of last month, I've been looking for a new phone. I was thinking of getting the newest one out but thought, "Am I too old for a cydekick? I know people my sister's age who got geeked from my present one" But, I do like the twist up screen and of course the qwerty keyboard for all my unlimited texting needs... and browser for tweets and FB updates... I sighed and thought about starting crack and getting a blacberry. So not my style, though, you know? Plus, I want a separate screen from my keyboard, not one piece of phone!

I looked at the Gee1 but wasn't a fan. I wanted to like it but the total touch screen was not my cup of tea. Again, where's my qwerty? and it seems to try so hard to be a cool phone.

yeah, I said an nonliving thing was trying too hard to be cool. it's my blog, deal with it.

so I nixed the gugle phone. then there's the maiTouch. the one with woopy, phil, and jesse pubbing it.

next.

Drew told me motorolla was coming out with a new phone called the click and it's right up my alley.

Can you hear me now? Good!

I got it yesterday. Plus that good SDPBC 15% discount! OW!!

So your girl got a new new phone. I can watch video and actually post responses to your posts!! Wow! What a concept!

the only bad thing? it has a maispace app. My what???? pass.

I'm on a roll!

It's Monday and I would like to thank Daylight Savings for ending. I was worried all day yesterday cause the extra hour was throwing me off. I woke up at 430am and looked at the clock like, "Word?" Then I woke up at 630am and gave up. Drew and I went for a 45 minute walk on the beach then came back to his place like, "Now what?" It was still ridiculously early.

Well, this morning, the extra hour did me well! I am up, fully rested and POSTING!!! If this was 3 days ago, I'd be on my way to work! Not today! I still have an hour to get my life together!!

*

So last week was a rough week cause the weekend before, I wasn't here to cook and clean for the week. Ugh, I was soooo annoyed at how my place was looking AND I was always hungry for a large portion of the days. I ate sushi 3 times last week (expensive) and Whendy's or MicDonald's or ChickFilA the other days. #notagoodlook.

This past Friday, I hung out with Moms, ate some Whendy's (grrr), took a nap at S.Lakes and came back to my place to meet Drew. His monkey-ass didn't show up till midnight?? Yeah, I was on my way back down to sleep. But I felt the urge to cook something and not waste the day. I butterflied a whole chicken, threw some s&p on it and baked it. Made white rice and ...

you know what I could be doing now??? Simmering some black beans! POLLO TROPICAL!

BRB

Okay, I have beans simmering and sweet corn coming to a roll. Woo hoo! With some fresh salsa, I'm reds to go!

*

Drew and I were talking about marriage this past Saturday. He being the math person pointed out that 50% of marriages end in divorce and of the the 50% that stay married, 25% aren't happy but stay together for children or appearances. "Most people look at their age and say, 'I'm supposed to be married now' so they go marry the 1st person who seems suitable. That's not cool." I being the eternal optimist pointed out that there are happy marriages out there. He agreed and said, "yeah, you have to be like us, just have an awesome chemistry and connection. We're perfect for each other. Wanna go look at rings tomorrow?"

WOW!!!! LOLOL!

There was nothing for us to look at cause I already know what I want! Oh, Mrs. Patti, the ring I want is a round solitaire with tiny diamonds down the visible part of the band :-)

Okay y'all, I really have to start getting ready for work now. Even though our lesson plans are done for us, I never know what BS the district wants us to do! TTYL!