If I were a Rich Man

there are many great songs in this movie, however, this is my favorite. When I was younger I'd stand up and sing along with him.  Topol had a great voice.  Thanks for sharing it with the world.

"ya da dee da da

 ya da da

ya da da 

da"

From a GF...great questions

This week's topic: Ask Yourself These Five Questions Before the Year Ends

Dear Friends,

I pray this Christmas will be blessed, joyful and peaceful for you. As we celebrate the birth of Jesus, please remember the reason for the season! We are near the end of another year and I thought this would be a great time to pose five important questions for you. We become wiser when we ask ourselves the right questions and discover answers that focus us in the right direction. The right questions can offer you an opportunity to grow and consider better possibilities for your life. Over the next week, ponder these important five questions as you close out yet another year.


1. What is the biggest lesson God has offered me over the last year?
When we take time to learn the lessons that our trials and triumphs teach us, God is able to mold our character and use us in greater ways. When you ignore the lessons of life, you often find yourself repeating the same mistakes and enduring the same challenges time and time again.


2. What is my "divine assignment" at this stage of my life?
Our purpose can transform over a lifetime. In order to remain in synch with God's timing and purposes, we must seek His "assignment" in the various seasons of our lives.


3. This time next year, what would I like to see different in my life? In other words, what's my vision?
You need a vision for where you are going in the coming year. No matter how insignificant you think your life is, God wants you to be deliberate about setting goals and moving forward. God's word tells us to "write the vision and make it plain" (Habakkuk 3:2). That means we should write it down and make it clear and specific. Don't overwhelm yourself with a lot of "New Year's resolutions." Instead, choose something meaningful, even if it is a seemingly small change, and take deliberate steps forward.


4. What have I been procrastinating about?
Putting off goals and things that God has laid on your heart to do is stressful. Fear is often the culprit and the New Year is a great time to ask yourself if it is time to get unstuck and pursue certain goals or drop them altogether, thus freeing yourself from the burden of an incomplete task hanging over your head.


5. How could I make more of a positive difference in the lives of others in the next 12 months?
Our lives really aren't about us. They are about the purpose for which we were created. What is it that you'd like to do by this time next year that will impact others in a meaningful and positive way?


My challenge to you this week:
Be reflective this week and notice what you've learned and what you've accomplished this year. Celebrate your progress.


Journaling assignment:
Answer each of the five questions posed this week. Is there an important shift or change you need to make as a result of the lessons and events of your life in 2008?

Merry Christmas!

Am I the only one wondering

Why the airlines haven't stopped charging to check bags? If I recall correctly it was due t the high cost of fuel. Sooooo what's the new excuse to gouge the passengers now? Just wondering


Be blessed,

I was in a mall today

Something I try to avoid at all costs. However since my favorite nail salon is there, I screwed up my courage and took the plunge. Including the customers in the salon I think I saw a whopping 25 people in the entire mall!

Wow, are we all staying spending within our means, or pointing and clicking our way into debt?


Be blessed,

Guess I'm no Magician

Ya'll know I'm an extremely blessed Black woman. I know from where my strength flows. I stand strong on the solidness of the love and support of my family and friends. Even Baby Dawg shows me love constantly

However, with all of that I question why am I single? Why is there no "magic" in my life

Maybe I'll find the answer to that question, and from there solve for Mr. Right.

If you are in a happy and healthy relationship, don't take it for granted. Let your partner know they're your blessing.

Looking forward to the holidays! Maybe next year I'll find my magic

Spoke with Elizabeth

We haven't had a good chat in 9.5 years! Anyone listening in would have never guessed it. LOL. We picked up where we left off like we spoke last night. It was wonderful letting my hair down Brooklyn style.

I really do miss my friend. She sustained me though the early, difficult days of single parenthood. Our children were friends, hitting the same challenges and milestones around the same time. A hug was never far away. Cuddling each other's child when they needed it was not only safe, but our boys expected whomever was near to provide them comfort. My son still says "droove" because as he would say "my attorney" says its a word.

I remember to this day, the first time I saw Elizabeth. I remember thinking she's the most beautiful woman I had ever seen. I was right, her inner beauty has far eclipsed her outer beauty, and that's saying something.

Once again, I'm reminded of how very blessed I am.

Once again, I am praying you can say the same.

Yeah I laughed....bet you will too

While shopping in a food store, two nuns happened to pass by the beer, wine and liquor section. One asked the other if she would like a beer. The second nun answered that, indeed, it would be very nice to have one, but that she would feel uncomfortable about purchasing it.

The first nun replied that she would handle that without a problem. She picked up a six-pack and took it to the cashier. The cashier had a surprised look, so the nun said, "This is for washing our hair."

Without blinking an eye, the cashier reached under the counter and put a package of pretzel sticks in the bag with the beer. "The curlers are on me."

For some reason, the clerk's response made me think of my brother KD. I can imagine him saying the same thing to the nuns.

: D


Be blessed,

The yesterday is gone, and today but a few minutes old.

it was a long, exhausting day. I can't believe my feet hurt, despite wearing socks and comfortable sneakers. Got a lot done, still a lot to be done.

Writing that sentence, and looking around my unkempt living room reminds me of a story I read once. It was about a man who had an intellectually challenged wife. He told her that she had to get everything ready because the holidays were coming. Lo and behold two men knock on the door. She asks them if they were the Holidays. I forget the middle of the story, but I do remember that the man returns home from work to find his entire house devoid of furniture and food.

It's a story that pops into my mind when I hear people say they're getting ready for the holidays.

But I digress.

I ended my day by sitting in front of a blazing fire with Princess sleeping on her bed. No one rang the phone, or knocked on the door. It was a great evening...even if I did partially burn the ground turkey for the lasagna.

I'm blessed with a place to live and food to eat (scorched parts and all). In these very hard economic times, I pray that you can say the same.

Be blessed,

Furbabies

This past week a friend of mine had to put her 16 year old cat down. I may have met the kitty once, back in 90's when I visited her one time, but I can't remember.

My heart ached for my friend. She's had a rough couple of years, and even the not so rough ones, have had more bumps than I would have wanted for her.

If you are blessed to have a furbaby, go show them some lovin. Like humans we don't know when they won't be in our lives any more.

Rest in Peace JessieKitty.

Freecycle

I'm so glad it's in existence! I was able to give away a lot of stuff I would have either taken to the dumpster or (eventually) to the good will. I even gave away office supplies.  The best part is the people who want this come to you! HeHeHe!  Works for me.

"Changing the world one gift at a time" is Freecycle's official tagline.

If you don't use them, then get with the program.  Stop throwing away good stuff.

Rest In Peace Mama Africa

Sunrise 4 March 1932
Sunset 10 November 2008

My Old ladies. Y'all missed out by not having them in your lives.

A friend of mine sent a link to me. It was an interview with Bill Withers before his induction into the WV Hall of Fame. The man is still easy on the eye, and his voice can still envelop you. I didn't know he was from WV, but I digress. His song "Grandma's Hands" has always made me think of my Great Grandma, and Grandma's rolled up into one.

Agnes S., Catherine W., Frances S. and Emily K. Women who walk in and out of my mind frequently. I love you all so much. The knowledge that I'll never be loved up by you has me fighting back tears as I type. If my Fuss loves me 1/4 as much as I love you ladies, then I will have been a success as a Grandma.

"Grandma's hands
Used to hand me piece of candy
Grandma's hands
Picked me up each time I fell
Grandma's hands
Boy, they really came in handy"

My blessings started with them.

I'm amazed that your amazed

that the US is in the financial mess it's in.  Look who was in office.  How many jobs has he had that has ended favorably anyone but himself.  At what point did you think he had a change of heart and would put his country before himself.  He didn't freaking show up for his military service!  

I sit here watching my 401(k) and meager stock portfolio tank.  There's not one day in the past 2 months that I've not learned of someone losing their job.   

I'm so very blessed to have found a job.  God has graced me with a wonderful family, a roof over my head, food to eat, and yes an internet connection.  I'm able to pay my bills (on time for the most part), and sometimes help others.  

Yes gas has gone down significantly, but who in the hell can afford to go anywhere? They're weak from not eating the food they can't afford with the jobs they don't have.  Talk about a freaking cure for obesity! 

Our old people are forced to stand up and hand out buggies and stickers at Wal-mart because their retirement plans were turned into dust.  

People are DYING every day in a war that should not be waged.  How on earth did you allow yourself to be hoodwinked into thinking that bombing Iraq was the answer to attack on America, September 11th?  Oh yeah they sound alike right? Afghanistan/Iraq.  Bin Laden/Hussein.   So much our education system. 

New Orleans is still in disarray (Good job Brownie)

Millions of (still) working Americans have no health care.  Parents have to choose between insuring themselves or their children if they do have it.  Medicine is priced out of the reach of many, yet he and his cronies have access to the best health care in the world...provided they don't go to Walter Reed for care.

I remember when he ran  the second time.  There were tasteful black stickers with white writing stuck on car windows.  "W the President" is what they read.  Betcha now you're thinking what I was thinking "W, the Wanker"

So as not to leave you feeling depressed here's two jokes:

Bush, a man for the people

Medicaid/medicare/social security.

hahahahahahahahaha.

Toldja I'd leave you laughing.

My Baby and His Baby

Computer rebate? It's doubtful

Thanks to GF LaVeda and Slickdeals.net Blog for this information

read the article here

Fuss Walks!!!

I can't believe it! My Fussalicious walked yesterday ... and again today! I'm so proud of my little minx.

So blessed to have survived to see this day.

I love this face! She's 10 months old now and into everything. Life is good, and I'm so very blessed.

Hope you can say the same!

Obama Trivia

• He collects Spider-Man and Conan the Barbarian comics
• He was known as "O'Bomber" at high school for his skill at basketball
• His name means "one who is blessed" in Swahili
• His favourite meal is wife Michelle's shrimp linguini
• He won a Grammy in 2006 for the audio version of his memoir, Dreams From My Father
• He is left-handed – the sixth post-war president to be left-handed
• He has read every Harry Potter book
• He owns a set of red boxing gloves autographed by Muhammad Ali
• He worked in a Baskin-Robbins ice cream shop as a teenager and now can't stand ice cream
• His favourite snacks are chocolate-peanut protein bars
• He ate dog meat, snake meat, and roasted grasshopper while living in Indonesia
• He can speak Spanish
• While on the campaign trail he refused to watch CNN and had sports channels on instead
• His favourite drink is black forest berry iced tea
• He promised Michelle he would quit smoking before running for president – he didn't
• He kept a pet ape called Tata while in Indonesia
• He can bench press an impressive 200lbs
• He was known as Barry until university when he asked to be addressed by his full name
• His favourite book is Moby-Dick by Herman Melville
• He visited Wokingham, Berks, in 1996 for the stag party of his half-sister's fiancé, but left when a stripper arrived
• His desk in his Senate office once belonged to Robert Kennedy
• He and Michelle made $4.2 million (£2.7 million) last year, with much coming from sales of his books
• His favourite films are Casablanca and One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
• He carries a tiny Madonna and child statue and a bracelet belonging to a soldier in Iraq for good luck
• He applied to appear in a black pin-up calendar while at Harvard but was rejected by the all-female committee.
• His favourite music includes Miles Davis, Bob Dylan, Bach and The Fugees
• He took Michelle to see the Spike Lee film Do The Right Thing on their first date
• He enjoys playing Scrabble and poker
• He doesn't drink coffee and rarely drinks alcohol
• He would have liked to have been an architect if he were not a politician
• As a teenager he took drugs including marijuana and cocaine
• His daughters' ambitions are to go to Yale before becoming an actress (Malia, 10) and to sing and dance (Sasha, 7)
• He hates the youth trend for trousers which sag beneath the backside
• He repaid his student loan only four years ago after signing his book deal
• His house in Chicago has four fire places
• Daughter Malia's godmother is Jesse Jackson's daughter Santita
• He says his worst habit is constantly checking his BlackBerry
• He uses an Apple Mac laptop
• He drives a Ford Escape Hybrid, having ditched his gas-guzzling Chrysler 300
• He wears $1,500 (£952) Hart Schaffner Marx suits
• He owns four identical pairs of black size 11 shoes
• He has his hair cut once a week by his Chicago barber, Zariff, who charges $21 (£13)
• His favourite fictional television programmes are Mash and The Wire
• He was given the code name "Renegade" by his Secret Service handlers
• He was nicknamed "Bar" by his late grandmother
• He plans to install a basketball court in the White House grounds
• His favourite artist is Pablo Picasso
• His speciality as a cook is chilli
• He has said many of his friends in Indonesia were "street urchins"
• He keeps on his desk a carving of a wooden hand holding an egg, a Kenyan symbol of the fragility of life
• His late father was a senior economist for the Kenyan government

It's been a long time coming

but change has come. President Elect Barack Obama, my heart is so full of hope and my excitement for that change you are bringing is barely contained.



Beyond blessed to be here for this change!

President Barack Obama

We have disregarded the color of a man's skin, and judged him by the content of his character. Dr. King's dream has come to pass.

I'm so full of emotion that I can't find the words to express the hope, and the excitement I feel for and about my country.

We have shown through voting that we can come together as a nation for the betterment of the United States of America.

I pray that God keeps President Obama and his family safe. Please God, shower him with the wisdom, compassion and knowledge he'll need to steer this ship of state.