Looking Forward to Spring.......

Mother Nature has been nice to Detroit this year in comparison to how she treated Philly, DC, and other areas of the east coast. Although the weather folks have been claiming that we got more snow this year than previous ones, I just ain't buying it because I remember those snow storms of 1999, 1979, among others.......... I have been enjoying these days, but I am too cynical to believe that it will last. I saw some daffodil sprouts peaking out of the dirt today. The chill of last weekend let me know to still hang on to my coat. I have experienced too many years where things get all nice and warm and after we get used to the climate, we get smacked with a major snowstorm. Not going to be a sucker this year..............

Post from January 2010

Can't be a Shrinking Violet or Dainty Diva any more..........

Recently I dusted off and pulled out my manifesto of the ideal guy that I wrote back in 2006. I had to clean house this year.......It was for the best...... Having and being a booty call is actually what my past relationships had become. I had to realize that I need to withdraw from that and some folks had to go. I have found not being in a relationship does have its advantages. However, it can be lonely sometimes, but I needed to learn again how to enjoy being with myself. I can go to events alone or with my sister and friends. I need to work on improving myself also. I did make some changes in the manifesto and hope that when I put it out in the universe....... and when I am ready, the right guy will feels those vibes and God will lead him to me.....

“Wanted: A Friend, Lover, and Comrade in my Life Required Qualifications:

A person who understands their place in this world, is trying to better it the best way they can without a Superman complex, but is a person of action, a risk taker in moderation who will step up when necessary. Seeking a gentleman that knows that loving someone is the most riskiest thing they can do, but is brave enough to take the chance to put their fragile heart out there, and be willing to carefully accept another's as a gift. Desiring a guy who is physically and mentally tough, but tender also, like when engaging in pillow and baby talk, and witty enough take and sling verbal barbs with cynical teenagers that believe that they know it all. Wishing for someone who is a good conversationalist, diplomat, shrewd negotiator, has a sense of humor (sometimes wicked), along with a sense of compassion/kindness combined with honor/integrity, a curious seeker of knowledge, a recognizer of wisdom/coupled with a belief/fear in God, and is also a self-sufficient/self-aware/self-secure being that does recognize that they have vulnerabilities, but is mentally strong not to let them diminish them as a person.

Skills: Technology adept, understands how to measure, is manual/power-tool handy, somewhat knows their way around a vehicle, a kitchen, and also knows how to use the controls of the washing machine and dryer. Definitely needs to understand the working and pleasuring of the sensitive parts of a woman's body too. Must be able to read/decipher the minimal and abstract assembly instructions that come with anything made in foreign countries and be able to still put the item together without it coming apart. Other qualifications and skills desired that may be obtained later: Masseuse therapist, Horticulturist, and Road Trip navigator.”

As usual, I offer late movie reviews. I finally got a chance to see the movie “The Miracle of St. Anna,” by Spike Lee. I must say that it was really good and I now want to read the author James McBride's book also. I also realized that the establishment did not give the movie much love, but hey, Spike and crew is accustomed to that. Usually I have an issue with some of Spike's movies, but I had no complaint this time. One thing about Spike I admired, was that he keeps his friends and folks working. For once the reporter, portrayed by Joseph Gordon-Levitt (“Third Rock from the Sun” and “Three Things I Hate About You”) did finally look like he had grown up. That young hottie actually looked like he needed a shave!!!!!!!!!!!!! Back to business.............. It really was great to see black men portrayed as soldiers during WWII, because as the movie hinted, those John Wayne movies seemed to not remember or know that we black folks were there.

The casting was great with Micheal Ealy, Derek Luke, Omar Benson Miller, and Alonzo Lanz. I noticed that almost all of them have been or are now doing TV with the exception of Alonzo Lanz who was so sexy in the movie “This Christmas'” even when he was getting beat down by Regina King. But what intrigued me the most about this movie, was this young actor (Tory Kittles) who played Lt Birdsong. He hated the white senior officer and even spit in his water canteen, reminiscent of that scene in the movie “The Color Purple.” Around the end of the movie, Lt. Birdsong almost got strangled by the Omar Benson Miller's character who was losing his mind. The thing that stuck me most about that actor's voice was that he sounded like a younger version of Denzel Washington. He almost looked like he could have been the son or younger brother of Denzel. I had to wonder if he had throughly studied the movie “A Soldier's Story,” because his brief appearance could not be ignored. I had to watch his scenes several times because the resemblance was so compelling.

My younger brother told me that he enjoyed the movie so much that he went several times with his friends to see it. I also watched “The Reader,” and “Nights at Rodanthe.” Although both movies ended tragically, both were well done too. I must say that Kate Winslet did deserved that Oscar, as I teared up when her character Hannah, hung herself. Although I had hoped during the Academy Awards that Taraji Benson would win for her role in “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,” I must give Kate her props for a role well done. I almost did not finish watching that movie, when the young man would not reveal that Hannah was keeping her illiteracy a secret.

Although the revelation of the secret would help her sentencing, her pride, and his fear kept that information buried, and it really did bother me. However after comparing the movie's time setting and now, I was reminded that not everyone is brave. I also doubted that if I was in his position, I would have revealed that as a teenager, I had an affair with a Nazi prison guard either. “Nights at Rodanthe,” had me crying also when the character, Adrianne found out that her new love was dead. I enjoyed seeing Diane Lane and Richard Gere paired up, although seeing them in the movie, “Unfaithful,” was also tragic. Imagining falling in love and then losing the love of your life months later.............? Like many folks, I never want to go through a heart wrenching experience like that, but as the saying goes......."Tis better to have love and lost, than to have never loved at all......”

I have read almost half of Nicholas Sparks' novels and this is one that I have not gotten to yet, but is looking forward to curling up with it. His stuff is captivating and hard to put down, although I found “A Walk to Remember,” movie adaptation better than the novel. My daughter insisted that I watch it, and I was surprised that I enjoyed it. I have still have not seen “The Notebook,” yet and that is the movie I am looking forward to seeing next.

As my ex would say........Here you go again with your conspiracy theories..........

but I have to wonder.......... When I heard that three men died during the October 2009 Detroit Free Press Marathon around the same time, I must admit that I found the situation distressing. My condolences go out to their families. However, I just find it too much of a coincidence that in the first time ever, not just one, but three people had died during that marathon which has been going on for more than twenty years without incident. Now WDIV along with Wayne County is looking into the situation also. I could not help but wonder if someone or something had accidentally or intentionally affected something those runners had drunk, ingested or inhaled. The situation is just too weird and ironic for me. Although the weather was chillier than last year, I don't think that all those guys' health would have been affected that much. I do wonder and hope that a thorough investigation does take place, but I have to wonder if that will happen.

I have always wanted to run a marathon and still plan to do so, although it will may take two years for me to get in shape and be ready. Though there are times my feet tell me otherwise, I hope that God and this old body of mines allows me to bring it back to better running order. One October night, I watched the documentaries on the 2007 and 2008 Ironman Challenge held in Hawaii. Seeing an 78 year-old nun participate in the Ironman really inspired me. She has been doing it for years, and it took a while for her to complete it fully. Just listening to her take on the Ironman, and watching her made me want to do it too. Some of those folks are firemen, college students, military personnel, police officers, teachers, bankers, and farmers. Seeing those plain old regular folks doing that grueling competition made me want to do so also.

But I get the impression that the Ironman is not a cheap sport either. Besides a bike along with other miscellaneous things that I may not be aware of at the present, it requires running shoes, gloves, helmet, a rubber swimming suit, travel/lodging costs, and entry fees. I dream of going to Hawaii and hopefully doing one in my lifetime. However right now, my hope is to be ready for the half marathon at the Detroit Free Press Marathon in 2010. I promised one of my brothers who has ran many marathons that I would run with him in the 2011 Marathon. So if anyone asks me what I need, I already have my answer.............Power tools, Running shoes and a pedometer!

During the Christmas weekend I just chilled. I watched movies and read the book “The Lovely Bones.” The movie version of the book is due to come out next month, and I was curious. When the book first was an Oprah Book Club choice, I was not interested because I just did not want to read about a young girl dealing with her murder at that time. But I must say that Alice Seebolt is a great writer because she really fleshed out her characters. It kept me riveted and I read it almost nonstop. I had to stop to sleep, but I jumped back in the next day. I could tell after reading the book, that the movie version will be ramped up more for dramatic effect.

After seeing some previews on TV, I think that the movie will actually have the father solve the murder and expose the guy, which did not happen in the book. In the book, the family struggles to survive after the murder, the mother takes off for several years, the creepy murderer disappears, stays on the lam until he falls down an incline and breaks his neck, and the family comes back together. In all it was a good read, and Alice Seebolt inspired me to get back to writing again. My hope in the new year is to get back in school, find employment and obtain the funds, supplies, and assistance to fix up my house and my mother's house. I keep praying on it and hope God will let my desires manifest and hopefully help someone else too.

Post from 8/2009

It has been some months since my last entry....

Life has had its ups and downs, but lately things have been on the upside. In May, I found out that my foreclosed house was sold in March for 4K. Initially I was aghast that after HUD paid ! *%$!#! Mortgage Company off for my house, when the owed amount went from 65K to being sold for 4K. But I was so glad that I did claim bankruptcy, although it was done so reluctantly. If I had known during last year how things worked with HUD, I could have saved my money and been able to get my house back this year.

But since the last two years had been rough for me there, I realized that I loved the house but disliked the neighborhood, so I was able to mentally and totally let go then. After I met the young man that was blessed to have the money saved up to buy the house, I was very happy for him. It is his first home. I had met him when I had came to get some of the remaining rose bushes and plants that I had put in. He graciously allowed me to get them. I answered his questions about the house and the neighborhood. The guy was lucky that the house did not get stripped as some others have in the past, like the one next door to it. It is still vacant. The only things that were missing out of my former home were the hot water heater and the shower fixtures.

Three weeks after I had met the new owner of my old house, I was able to get another house. I thank God because I prayed on that house! It is definitely a fixer upper, but it is brick with a fireplace which I had already told myself that my next house would be. However it does needs a lot. But as an acquaintance reminded me, she will need to update her house and it is almost paid off. My house will need a total update before I move in, but it will be well worth it. It needs a furnace, hot water heater, plumbing, electrical update and new windows. I am going to learn how to do some of those things so I will know how to fix them when they need repair or break down. During the summer, friends and family helped me clean it out. I rented a dumpster and we were able to remove rotten and wet clothing and items from the basement. Although I still have not found a full time job yet, I still do some free lance work and teaching. After reading in a June's Sunday newspaper edition that some mortgages companies are making loans under 30k, I was excited for a minute. Realizing it was for those with decent credit and first time home buyers, I knew that I was out of that category immediately. But I will keep searching for grants and opportunities to help me fix up the house.

I am feeling very optimistic and excited about the house even as I struggle to work on it. I had to get rid of a lot of brush growing on both sides of the house. However there are some major landscaping issues with some trees in the back yard. Both trees are on the opposite edges of my backyard and have grown intertwined. I doubt that they are on my property line, but their branches primarily hang over my property. If there was not a sewer problem, like most of these older homes have in this area, those branches would be a nice spot for a hammock or some swings. I had thought of having someone climb up there and cut those intertwined branches down, but as a friend pointed out to me, those limbs are of a major size. So I will have to get a professional to cut them down when I get the sewer replaced. I also need to search for standing water in the backyard or nearby in the alley. The mosquitoes are so prevalent back there right now that I have to wear a jacket, hoodie and sweats to avoid them, or else I can expect at least six or more bites.

Also there is a monster grape vine growing on the northern rear side of the house that I could tell has been there for years. Although it is primarily on my side of the fence, I saw that it originated from the other side of fence which is my neighbor's side. The canes and roots are numerous and remind me of a many armed octopus. I have cut and dug up a lot, but I know that I will have to break down and succumb to using chemicals to kill them. As I looked at the tree on the other side, the vines that have grown on the neighbor's tree are now trying to extend themselves to the leaves at the top of the tree on the other side of my yard!! It was so surreal as I looked at it. I got to cut that vine at the roots because I have seen how invasive it can be. I talked to the next door neighbor about the vine, and he told me that he had been fighting with it for years. He told me that it has damaged the blade of his lawn mower several times. But I could tell from his back yard that he does not do much landscaping besides cutting the grass. And that vine has not been trimmed in years because it is way too much overgrown. The base of it is almost wider than my arm. But with the help of God, this girl is going to get a “You Can Do It” attitude, restore this house and try to get the land in shape. It won't be an easy task, but I definitely feel that I will be able to pull it off.