Hey folks! Since I’m really only able to post like once a week.. I decided to go ahead and hit ya’ll with a long one. First… just a catch up on some things with me. Second.. a meme/tag I stole from Insanely.. my bad Nsane Lee Sane.

I’m loving my new job. My co-workers and supervisor are mad cool. My work load is so low compared to my last job… and what’s crazy is that my day still goes by fast because my co-workers make it fun (and I read ya’ll blogs of course!) Everyone there is really helpful and although I don’t have a clue about our systems… I don’t feel loss like I did when I was at my last job.

My brother is SUPPOSED to have a party next Saturday (August 5th.) Honey-Libra if something goes wrong… I’ll definitely let you know! But the details are: Ladies FREE before 11PM and $5 after. Fellas $5 before 11PM and $10 after. It’s supposed to be at Gossip’s (I have to get the address.) Black people…. That’s all I’m going to say about this party. It was supposed to be at the 347 Club… but they never really squared that away. My brother is checking TONIGHT to make sure they can get Gossip’s. All I have to say is if they don’t have his party next Saturday… whichever day in August they decide to have it… I won’t be there because I have too much shit going on with me next month and I won’t be able to make it.

Today GTL and I are going to a cookout. OH I CAN’T WAIT!! I haven’t been to a cookout (other than intimate ones with family & close friends) all summer!! And they’re going to have all types of stuff there!! They went over the menu but it was too much to remember to list for ya’ll. I know I’m on a mission... but that won’t matter today. LOL!

I’ve been slacking on my mission anyways. My mother an I took a 2-week vacation from Curves! LOL! We just didn’t feel like going. But we’re going to be back at it come Monday… so all that I eat today, I will soon work it off.

This week is Baltimore Restaurant Week. It’s where you can go to a select few expensive restaurants and pay $30 per person for a 3-course meal. We went to The Capital Grille . OMG! That food was so great! And we (or should I say he.. LOL) paid like half the price of what we would’ve paid on a normal night. But it was so nice in there – no jeans anywhere!! The governor of PA was there as well. We will definitely be going back because the food was delicious and well worth what they would normally charge. Some of the restaurants that were listed got over on people because Phillip’s Seafood Restaurant (the buffet) is already only $33 – so if you went during this week thinking you were saving some money – you only saved $3. LOL! And I think Uno’s was on there – they are far from expensive…

Wednesday, GTL and I will be going to see MJB. I can’t wait! I heard that it’s a really good show and that Jaheim tears it up! I love me some Jaheim! His music is wonderful – he just needs to come out w/ a new CD. LOL!

I think I’m done rambling… so on to the tag: Then And Now.

Ten years ago today, it was July 29, 1996. I was going into my freshman year of high school:

1) How old were you?
THEN: 13
NOW: 23

2) Where did you work?
THEN: I was too young to work!
NOW: Lockheed Martin

3) Where did you live?
THEN: I just moved to Randallstown that month.
NOW: I’m still in Randallstown

4) How was your hairstyle?
THEN: I was a big-time hooper, so if not in micros, a snatch-back – LOL!!
NOW: A wrap or corn-rows… but come next Sunday some Goddess Braids

5) Did you wear contacts?
THEN: Nope, not yet
NOW: No.. don’t feel like going through the hassle in the morning

6) Did you wear glasses?
THEN: Sometimes... Only when I REALLY couldn’t see. I was self-conscious about my appearance with glasses.
NOW: When I drive at night or in the rain. When I’m in school. And when I go to shows/events (like next Wed!)

8) Which of your pets were still alive?
THEN: Parakeet – Ice Cream
NOW: None

9) Who was your boyfriend/girlfriend?
THEN: CJ (and not Cjay64 LOL)
NOW: GTL

10) Who was your celebrity crush?
THEN:
Allen freaking Iverson!

NOW:
Allen freaking Iverson!

He still sexy as hell to me!

11) How many piercings did you have?
THEN: 1 (or 2 – depending on how you look at it) I had one hole in each ear
NOW: 3 (or 5 – depending on how you look at it) I have two holes in each ear and I have my navel pierced

12) How many tattoos did you have?
THEN: None
NOW: 2

13) What was your favorite band/singer?
THEN: I really can’t remember
NOW: Beyonce (I guess – I don’t know – I don’t really have a favorite because I like a lot of music!)

14) Had you smoked a cigarette?
THEN: No
NOW: Once and never, ever again

15) Had you gotten drunk?
THEN: Yup! I started that summer. LOL
NOW: I don’t drink unless I’m going to get drunk and I don’t party unless I’m drunk (and ya’ll know how much I love to party!) So that’s a HELL YEAH!

16) What kind of car did you drive?
THEN: I didn’t even have a learner’s permit! I was too young! LOL
NOW: Black 2005 Chevy Malibu

17) Looking back, are you where you thought you would be in 2006?
I didn’t know what I’d be in 2006… Didn’t think about crap like that until my 10th grade year. Only thing that’s true that I didn’t want back then is that I am still kid-free!

Good day folks!

So Saturday was my mom’s surprise birthday party. It was a HUGE success. My pictures didn’t come out great so you’ll have to wait a little while until I get some from my family/friends to post (I realized why my pictures don’t come out – most people don’t realize that w/ a digital camera, there are 2 flashes and they move right after the 1st one and fuck up my picture…. I have to start letting people know!)

Saturday morning… I was up bright and early getting everything together. My mom thought I had to work, so she wasn’t concerned about where I was. My friends really came through for me. Tarisa and Kiya helped me set up and Sheneka did all of the running around for me (cake, chicken, meat/cheese platter, ice…. Whatever I needed – she picked it up!)

I had an attitude right around the time people were supposed to come. My brother (the DJ) was late. Not late in the sense that he wasn’t there before my mother, but late in the sense that he said he’d be there at 5:30 and he didn’t come until 6:45PM/7PM – but I really couldn’t be mad b/c he worked for a bottle of Hennessy…. But still!!! And then! I heard my one cousin wanted to bring her daughter (5) even though the invitation said NO CHILDREN UNDER 14. So I had to relay a nasty message to her. Then I was a little disappointed that most of my family weren’t there to yell Surprise…. It was my friends and my grandmother friends and a handful of my family members.

7PM… SHOW TIME! People started coming. Another reason I had an attitude… I said ARRIVE AT 7PM… people were still coming at 7:20 >:-{ Luckily James took his time with her. The plan to get her to come without suspecting anything was to say that he wanted to throw me a surprise birthday party in September and that he wanted her to look at some halls with him. They went to this one tavern, were there for a while, then went to this small club (more like a bar w/ a dance floor) but they were all in the area. They arrived about 7:40ish. As soon as she hit the corner… SURPRISE!!!! She really was surprised… she had no clue! And I made sure that she wouldn’t suspect anything because her birthday was Friday and I made sure that it was a good one. I got her hair done for her in the morning. Gave her her gifts and took her to dinner at Phillip’s Seafood Restaurant. So she thought I was done…

The expression on her face was priceless. She was so happy. After she changed into the outfit that I bought for her, we ate & drank and the party began!! My mother really enjoyed herself. My one girlfriend Kiya is Beyonce whenever we got out. Any Beyonce or Destiny’s Child song that comes on…. She’s doing the “Beyonce.” Well my brother played “Crazy in Love” and Kiya started doing her thing. My mother went up next to her, watched her for a few seconds and was doing it with her!! That was the highlight of the night!! LOL! And what’s crazy… she was doing it better than my homegirl! And then my dad was there. He kept saying to my aunt how he wanted a dance with my mom… well she danced with him alright! She backed his ass up! LOL! James was like “Your mom is showing off!” I was like... that’s that Hennessy she got up I her! LMAO!!

She got so much stuff for her birthday… And she’s still smiling about the party. My friends thought that she was going to cry… but my mom’s a soldier… she didn’t cry, but she didn’t stop smiling the whole night!

Whenever I get better pictures… I’ll make sure I post them. Next events: Cookout, MJB concert, Crab Feast, my brother’s party, Niagara Falls….

Update: I forgot to mention, after my mom's party, we had an after party at James'... so much fun! It was crazy.. by time my brother & I got there after my mom's party.. the place was packed!! I was sooo drunk! People didnt leave until 4AM! So Sat was definitely a good day :-)

So Saturday was the White Party on the boat. I had a blast, but of course nothing can ever go all as planned. We were supposed to board at 11PM and depart at 11:30PM. Well there was a wedding or reception or something on the boat before us and therefore the boarding was delayed by about 15 min. That was cool… no big deal. I figured we would still leave at 11:30 or 11:45 at the latest. Do you know we didn’t depart until 12:15AM?!?! WTF! And it wasn’t because the boat wasn’t ready, but people were really coming at 11:45/12 O’clock!! I told James (that’s GTL if ya’ll didn’t know) that my friends would be pissed at me because if it were my party and I told my friends 11:30 – that’s what the fuck time we would’ve been leaving and I would’ve left their asses and not have gave a fuck about the $50 that they paid to go. Why can’t black people be on time for shit??? And then… not everyone got the memo that it was an ALL WHITE party. Some had on black. Another had on red. Another had on black and white. The birthday girl had on pink or peach (which I can’t be too mad at b/c she probably wanted to stand out since it was her birthday.) Last complaint… we were on a cruise in the BALTIMORE Harbor. Why did the DJ play go-go??? If you’re not from the Baltimore/Washington region, you don’t know what I’m talking about, but a lot of you are. Go-go is a type a house music that is birthed in DC. Not saying that I wanted to hear club music, but again, we were in the BALTIMORE Harbor – so if you’re going to play ANY type of house music… it should definitely be club music, not go-go. But it was open bar & the bartender wasn’t stingy with the alcohol, so once the Hennessy & Coke got the flowing… I definitely had a ball!! Without further ado… here are the pictures…

The Birthday Girl - Torrie


James & I


James& I with the Birthday Girl
Aint my RocaWear Purse the cutest thing?!?!

Don't You Just Love When A Man Can Dance... & He Dances For & Sings To YOU! :-)


James & Shawanda


Janna & Carlos


Corjuan


Silesha, Carlton, & Tuere


The Booty Call & The Few People That Didn't Get the Memo that it was an ALL WHITE party


Disclaimer: They dimmed the lights on me before I got a good picture of me in my outfit (so ya’ll can’t appreciate my gorgeousness from Sat. LMAO!!) All of the pictures that were taken under the dimmed, yellow light did not come out great... as ya’ll can tell… but fuck it. Hope you enjoyed them!!

There were more pictures... but of the same people & as I said b/c of the yellow light, they all didn't come out as well as I would've liked....

I’ve only ever been to three happy hours. And at all three, I was bored out of my mind. Yesterday was OK… but after about an hour, I had enough. Drinks aren’t really that cheap. There aren’t any food specials. You get a couple of drinks and for the most part stand until someone frees up a table for you. I can go to my favorite bar and get $3.20 Hennessy & Cokes all night for that & at least I’d have a place to sit. But I appreciate my husband throwing the happy hour for me – I really do – happy hours just aren’t my place to be.

After the Happy Hour at the bar, GTL threw me a surprise party at the apt. It was funny though, b/c he kind of hinted to me that something was going on at the apartment... that he wanted it to be surprise but he wanted to make sure that I didn’t plan anything else. Some of the people that were at the party came to the happy hour too and all I can say is that I’m glad I knew about it b/c they would’ve ruined the surprise. One girl said to me, “I don’t remember how to get to GTL house, so you’re going to have to remind me.” If I ain’t know I had a party coming, I would’ve been like “Why you need to know how to get to GTL’s house?” One dude was like, “I think I’m going to stop at the bar on my way to GTL’s house, or does he have drinks there already?” If I didn’t know… I would’ve been like, what are you talking about. When/Why are you coming over? LOL. GTL made it seem like they ruined the surprise for me. LMAO!

One good thing about having a happy hour in your honor is that you don’t pay for ANYTHING!!!! And then the greatest thing about have a party in your honor is that you get 3 fifths of Hennessy & 1 fifth of Hennessey Privileged. One and quarter of the fifths are gone. The other one is going to my brother (thanks everyone – now I don’t have to spend $20!) And that Hennessy Privileged will NOT be shared. It’s ALL mine! (Thanks Kionne!)

Tonight is the boat party. I’ll try to get the pictures up tomorrow. Hope everyone has/had a great weekend!

1st Up – My Last Day

This Thursday is my last day at T. Rowe Price. I gave myself a 3-day weekend to relax and physically get prepared for my new career. I’m so excited. GTL is planning a happy hour for me so I can say bye to TRP with some drinks! I shouldn’t have to pay for a thing. And we all know how I love FREE DRINKS!

2nd Up – My Mom’s Surprise Birthday Party

Two more weeks… I’ll be giving my mother a surprise birthday party on July 22nd for her 50th birthday. She’ll be sooo surprised b/c I’m sure she doesn’t have a clue. I want to give a special thank you to all of my friends that are helping to make this possible: GTL is the one to get her there. He’s going to tell her he wants to throw me a surprise birthday party & he wants her to check out the different places with him. My brother is DJ’ing the party for me – for free – well not free, but cheap. I’m getting him a fifth of Hennessy b/c he knows I can’t pay him like I should. Ericka, Sheneka, Kiya and Tarisa will be helping me decorate that day and prepare all of the food & stuff. (Wonderful friends I tell you! Because my family isn’t doing much of anything but showing their greedy asses up!)

July is a busy month for me. Today I had a baby shower to go to. Next weekend, I have a white party on a boat to go to. The following weekend is my mom’s party. And the weekend after that, I have a huge cookout to go to – not to mention working each weekend (except the weekend of my mom’s party) And then August isn’t much better… Aug 2nd GTL and I are going to see MJB. That Friday, we have a crab feast to go to. That Saturday, my brother is throwing a party. GTL and I are hosting a dinner party that month. And then on the 18th, we head to Niagara Falls. Time flies when you’re having fun b/c the following month will be my birthday!!