Thursday, June 30, 2011

Video - Javier Colon Audition "Time After Time"

Picture of The Day - Congrats Javier Colon!


Congrats To Javier Colon! The First Winner of NBC's The Voice!

Real Talk Quote of The Day

"The difficulties and struggles of today are but the price we must pay for the accomplishments and victories of tomorrow." -William J.H. Boetcker

Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Cell Phone and Water = Not A Good Combination

This post is to help anyone that may drop their cell phones in water. I am talking like a puddle, shower, or sink. I am not talking about if you drop it in the pool or anywhere that it is submerged for an extended period of time. Recently a friend and myself were having dinner when she said she had told a friend to put her cell phone in rice after she dropped it in water. Of course me being the silly person I am, I thought she was joking and began to laugh. She said, no I am serious. So of course I had to find out if it worked and yes, it did. So from that experience we now have a blog post. Hence, the reason this blog was created in the first place right?

Putting a wet phone into a sealed container of rice dries it out. This works because the dry grains will absorb moisture. It is best to get a sealable plastic ziploc bag or container. Fill the bag or container with enough rice to cover your phone and bury your phone in the rice. You will need to make sure you place the battery and other parts in the rice too. Once you have done this then you will need to wait for a minimum of  24 hours for the rice to absorb the water. It probably wouldn't hurt to wait 48 hours. My friend said her friend waited 24 hours and that was enough time for her phone to dry out. The good thing is that rice is rice so it doesn't matter if you use white or brown rice. Please note that you may get some pieces of rice in some small crevices of your phone but the alternative of having to file a insurance claim and pay a deductible is more of a headache in my opinion. Plus, who cares if you have to clean out a piece of rice or two, it is worth it to have your phone back!

Video of The Day -Saturday Night Live - Digital Short: Shy Ronnie - Video - NBC.com

Picture of The Day - Raven-Symone Is Back!

Real Talk Quote of The Day

"If you greatly desire something, have the guts to stake everything on obtaining it." - Brendan Behan

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Maya Angelou's Best Poem Ever!

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ...
enough
money within her control to move out
and rent a place of  her own,
even if she never wants to or needs to...


A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ...
something
perfect to wear if the employer,
or date of her dreams
wants to see her in an hour...

A WOMAN SHOULD
HAVE .
a youth she's content to leave behind....


 

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ...
a set of screwdrivers, a cordless drill, and a black lace bra...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ..
a past juicy
enough that she's looking forward to
retelling it in her
old age....

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ..
one friend who
always makes her laugh.. and one who lets her cry...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE ...
a good piece
of furniture not previously owned by anyone else in her
family...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE .
eight matching plates, wine glasses with stems,
and a recipe for a meal,
that will make her guests feel honored...

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE .
a feeling of
control over her destiny..

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD
KNOW...
how to fall in love without losing herself..

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
how to quit
a job,
break up with a lover,
and confront a friend
without;
ruining the friendship...

EVERY WOMAN
SHOULD KNOW...
when to try harder... and WHEN TO WALK
AWAY...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
that she can't change the length of her calves,
the width of her hips, or the nature of her parents..

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
that her
childhood may not have been perfect...but it's over...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
what she
would and wouldn't do for love or more...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW....
how to live alone...
even if she doesn't like it...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW.. .
whom she can trust,
whom she can't,
and why she shouldn't take it personally...


EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
where to go...
be it to her best friend's kitchen table...
or a
charming
Inn in the woods....
when her soul needs
soothing...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW..
What she can and can't accomplish in a day...
a month...and a year...

Video of The Day (Flashback) - Water Runs Dry - Boys II Men

Picture of The Day - Let's Go To The Beach!

Picture of The Day is dedicated to everyone that had thunder as an alarm clock
this morning like some of us here at Real. Life. Woman. Talk. Hopefully
this visual will help the clouds go away.



Real Talk Quote of The Day

"If you are the smartest person in your group, you need a new group." - Les Brown

Monday, June 27, 2011

Deals! Deals! Deals! Deals! Deals!

Free 3 pack sampler of Aveda hair care products at participating
salons & spas, also online with $30 spent via checkout
promo code: SMOOTH (Expires: 8/31/11)


$10 off $60 and more at Finish Line
online via checkout promo code:
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$25 off $75 and more at Lane Bryant online via
checkout promo code: SASGCLB (Expires: 7/10/11)







$10 off $70 on supplies from Party City online via
checkout promo code: PCAY643 (Expires: 6/30/11)


$10 off $25 at Yankee Candle online via checkout
promo code: KJKVF (Expires: 7/3/11)

Video of The Day - Top 5 Monday Wake Up Songs (Rock Edition)

Picture of The Day - Oh, Crap Was That Today?

Today's picture of the day is straight out of my office....it is Monday after all! This is how I feel most Mondays around here. I know I can't be the only one. Happy Monday! 

Real Talk Quote of The Day

"It is a dangerous thing to ask why someone else has been given more. It is humbling - and indeed healthy - to ask why you have been given so much." - Condoleezza Rice

Saturday, June 25, 2011

The Michael Jackson Influence...

Today marks two years to the day that Michael Jackson died. Even though I never had the opportunity to meet him in person or see him live in concert, his life had a tremendous influence on mine. As I reflect back on the past two years since his death, I have come to realize that his influence did not die when he did and that makes me smile. Before I go any deeper into this post, I want to say to the people that don't like Michael Jackson to stop reading here because this post is not for you. This post is for the people that have the ability to open their minds up to how big of an impact this man had on the world. He was a giant among men and to somehow minimize that would not be fair to his memory. Let's face it, it will never be another Michael Jackson. He was not perfect and neither is anyone else so I will digress.

As a child born in the 1970s, this is the only time in my life that I know that Michael Jackson will not be releasing a album, guest appearing on a awards show, or being honored for breaking a record for something. Throughout every decade of my life, Michael Jackson was on the charts, releasing new videos, or performing on stage during a live event. As far back as I can remember, each time I knew Michael was going to be involved in a event, I was glued to the television. Why? Because I knew I would see something that I never saw before. Some of my favorite childhood memories include Michael. My cousins and myself used to play a game with the Rockin' Robin lyrics. I know I am not the only one that used to practice his video dance moves. He made me fall in love with dancing. Even now, when I hear Beat It or Thriller I try to go back and do the dance steps to those videos. I cannot forget as a kid when me and my bestie practiced the moonwalk during recess the day after we saw it for the first time during the Motown 25 celebration in 1983. Yes, this little country girl from the South became a fan in one night. That is all it took.

Thinking back on my life I cannot recall of one time that I have ever heard a Michael Jackson song and didn't have a happy memory. The only exception was that damn Thriller video that scared the living crap out of me. I am still not a fan of scary movies so the dancing zombies were not my thing. When I hear music today or see videos there is a Michael Jackson presence still that is obvious to a real music lover. Song after song I hear references to Michael so I know his influence on today's music will live on. Some examples that come to me right off the top of my head are: "She Michael Jackson Bad" - Lil Wayne; "Got the gold thriller, Mike Jackson on these n****s, all I need is a f*****g red jacket with some zippers." - Drake; "This is bad, real bad, Michael Jackson" - Kanye West; "I'm off the wall, I'm like a young Michael Jackson" - Jay Z...see my point is Michael Jackson will live forever. Even my 7 year old knows the words to majority of his songs and recently requested for more of his songs to be on her iPod. The music will live forever and so will he because one thing that does not age is good music. The one thing that Michael Jackson had plenty of, was good music so play on Michael play on!

Man In The Mirror - Michael Jackson

Video of The Day - Usher Tribute to MJ "Gone Too Soon"

Picture of The Day - Remembering Michael Jackson

Real Talk Quote of The Day

"Weekends don't count unless you spend them doing something completely pointless." - Bill Watterson

Friday, June 24, 2011

Bad Teacher


Anyone who has seen the previews for this movie, it is as funny as it looks. If you haven't seen previews for this movie, don't bother just go to your local theater and watch it.  Cameron Diaz stars as the "Bad Teacher" Elizabeth Halsey. At the beginning of the movie Elizabeth is ending her 1st and only year as a teacher and engaged to marry a very rich man. When the engagement is broken off she is forced to go back to her teaching job. As the school year begins, we are introduced to what is to be Elizabeth's posse whether she likes it or not. Her across the hall neighbor and arch nemesis throughout the movie "Amy Squirrel" is played by Lucy Punch. Justin Timberlake plays the mutual love interest of the ladies, Scott Delacorte - the son of a fashion mogul. The Office's Phyllis Smith and Jason Segel are great supportingRoles for the story.

The movie title implies she is not the most dedicated teacher, but she is super motivated by money. Ordinarily she is lazy but if there is money involved she snaps to action.  How could I almost forget the cast of characters playing minor supporting roles. The best of which is Modern Family's Eric Stonestreet like you never imagined him. Molly Shannon, John Michael Higgins and a hilarious cast of kids really helped make this movie what it is. The movie definitely seemed a little chaotic but out worked for what it was.

Bad Teacher is in theaters right now! Go!
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Video of The Day - Rock My World (Extended w/Chris Tucker)

Picture of The Day - R.I.P. Michael Jackson

August 29, 1958 - June 25, 2009

Real Talk Quote of The Day

"I believe that everything happens for a reason. People change so that you can learn to let go, things go wrong so that you appreciate them when they're right, you believe lies so you eventually learn to trust no one but yourself, and sometimes good things fall apart so better things can fall together." - Marilyn Monroe

Thursday, June 23, 2011

What's Up Doc? Stay Healthy Tip

Have you always had to shave your legs, but now shaving is unnecessary? Have you noticed that hair doesn't grow on your legs anymore? Do you experience pain when you walk? If so, this may be a sign of poor circulation. You need to go see your MD. Have A Healthy Day!

Video of The Day - Beyoncé - Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)

Picture of The Day - When Name Calling Isn't Swearing

Real Talk Quote of The Day

"As a well-spent day brings happy sleep, so life well used brings happy death." - Leonardo da Vinci

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Phenomenal Woman - Maya Angelou

As women we sometimes forget our own strength. To all of you, today I dedicate Maya Angelou's poem Phenomenal Woman, because that is what you are, Phenomenal!

Phenomenal Woman

Pretty women wonder where my secret lies.
I'm not cute or built to suit a fashion model's size
But when I start to tell them,
They think I'm telling lies.
I say,
It's in the reach of my arms
The span of my hips,
The stride of my step,
The curl of my lips.
I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

I walk into a room
Just as cool as you please,
And to a man,
The fellows stand or
Fall down on their knees.
Then they swarm around me,
A hive of honey bees.
I say,
It's the fire in my eyes,
And the
flash of my teeth,
The swing in my waist,
And the joy in my feet.
I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

Men themselves have wondered
What they see in me.
They try so much
But they can't touch
My inner mystery.
When I try to show them
They say they still can't see.
I say,
It's in the arch of my back,
The sun of my smile,
The ride of my breasts,
The grace of my style.
I'm a woman

Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

Now you understand
Just why my head's not bowed.
I don't shout or jump about
Or have to talk
real loud.
When you see me passing
It ought to make you proud.
I say,
It's in the
click of my heels,
The bend of my hair,
the palm of my hand,
The need of my care,
'Cause I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

Real Talk Quote of The Day

"Love all, trust a few. Do wrong to none." - William Shakespeare

Monday, June 20, 2011

Picture of The Day - Kissing Couple During Riots

This has been one of the hottest shots I have seen in a long time! 

Real Talk Quote of The Day

"Life begins at the end of your comfort zone!" - Neale Donald Walsch

Nashville Pride 2011


This weekend I attended Nashville's Pride celebration. In past years I have attended this festival when it had been in Centinial Park and it was fine there. However, in recent years they have moved it downtown to the Riverfront. I had my doubts about the logistics of that but I think it turned out for the better. For starters, instead of putting a fence along First Avenue, they set it up so festival goers could go in and out of the back entrances to the businesses and bars on Second Avenue. This was a great idea, and had it been especially hot that would have come in very handy for cooling off. People usually end up crowded in the one beer tent because that was the only place you could drink at pride. They had drink vendors all over the place this time and of course the bars were available. We found a good crowd ended up at Coyote Ugly. I've been to this bar before but seeing some cute lesbians up on that bar was definitely much better this time!

The best thing about pride for me this year was the music. They had a few stages set up for musical acts, and I have to admit there were some really great acts. That said, I have to mention and give a shout out to Heidi Burson and Reverse Halo Effect. I really loved seeing both acts perform. There was also a band that sounded so much like Abba we thought it was a recording. Even though I'm the complete opposite of an Abba fan - I hate them with a fiery burning passion only a Scorpio could handle - I have to give them props for this. At any rate, I'd say this festival was a success despite the rainy weather. The daytime festival is a good time for the whole family ( both traditional and not so traditional) to come have a good time at the Riverfront. Of course the next part of pride is everyone going out on Saturday night to kick it. This is where this story ends, cause what happens in the club stays in the club.


Sunday, June 19, 2011

Thursday, June 16, 2011

Video of The Day - Team Ceelo's Everyday People!

The History of Juneteenth

Ever wondered what Juneteenth was all about?  IvyLeague has your answer courtesy of http://www.juneteenth.com/.

Juneteenth is the oldest known celebration commemorating the ending of slavery in the United States.  Dating back to 1865, it was on June 19th that the Union soldiers, led by Major General Gordon Granger, landed at Galveston, Texas with news that the war had ended and that the enslaved were now free. Note that this was two and a half years after President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation - which had become official January 1, 1863. The Emancipation Proclamation had little impact on the Texans due to the minimal number of Union troops to enforce the new Executive Order. However, with the surrender of General Lee in April of 1865, and the arrival of General Granger’s regiment, the forces were finally strong enough to influence and overcome the resistance.
Later attempts to explain this two and a half year delay in the receipt of this important news have yielded several versions that have been handed down through the years. Often told is the story of a messenger who was murdered on his way to Texas with the news of freedom. Another is that the news was deliberately withheld by the enslavers to maintain the labor force on the plantations. And still another is that federal troops actually waited for the slave owners to reap the benefits of one last cotton harvest before going to Texas to enforce the Emancipation Proclamation. All of which, or neither of these version could be true. Certainly, for some, President Lincoln's authority over the rebellious states was in question.  For whatever the reasons, conditions in Texas remained status quo well beyond what was statutory.

General Order Number 3
One of General Granger’s first orders of business was to read to the people of Texas, General Order Number 3 which began most significantly with:
"The people of Texas are informed that in accordance with a Proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free. This involves an absolute equality of rights and rights of property between former masters and slaves, and the connection heretofore existing between them becomes that between employer and free laborer."
The reactions to this profound news ranged from pure shock to immediate jubilation. While many lingered to learn of this new employer to employee relationship, many left before these offers were completely off the lips of their former 'masters' - attesting to the varying conditions on the plantations and the realization of freedom. Even with nowhere to go, many felt that leaving the plantation would be their first grasp of freedom. North was a logical destination and for many it represented true freedom, while the desire to reach family members in neighboring states drove the some into Louisiana, Arkansas and Oklahoma. Settling into these new areas as free men and women brought on new realities and the challenges of establishing a heretofore non-existent status for black people in America. Recounting the memories of that great day in June of 1865 and its festivities would serve as motivation as well as a release from the growing pressures encountered in their new territory. The celebration of June 19th was coined "Juneteenth" and grew with more participation from descendants. The Juneteenth celebration was a time for reassuring each other, for praying and for gathering remaining family members. Juneteenth continued to be highly revered in Texas decades later, with many former slaves and descendants making an annual pilgrimage back to Galveston on this date.

Courtesy of www.juneteenth.com

Picture of The Day - General Order No. 3

Real Talk Quote of The Day

“Behind every great man there is a woman rolling her eyes.” - Bruce Almighty

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

For All The Girls 30 and Over....

This is for all you girls 30 years and over... and for those who are
turning 30, and for those who are scared of moving into their 30's...
This was written by Andy Rooney from CBS 60 Minutes.


Andy Rooney says:

As I grow in age, I value women who are over 30 most of all. Here are
just a few reasons why:

A woman over 30 will never wake you in the middle of the night to ask,
"What are you thinking?" She doesn't care what you think.

If a woman over 30 doesn't want to watch the game, she doesn't sit
around whining about it. She does something she wants to do. And, it's
usually something more interesting.

A woman over 30 knows herself well enough to be assured in who she is,
what she is, what she wants and from whom. Few women past the age of 30
give a damn what you might think about her or what she's doing.

Women over 30 are dignified. They seldom have a screaming match with
you at the opera or in the middle of an expensive restaurant. Of course,
if you deserve it, they won't hesitate to shoot you, if they think they
can get away with it.

Older women are generous with praise, often undeserved. They know what
it's like to be unappreciated.

A woman over 30 has the self-assurance to introduce you to her women
friends. A younger woman with a man will often ignore even her best
friend because she doesn't trust the guy with other women.

Women over 30 couldn't care less if you're attracted to her friends
because she knows her friends won't betray her.

Women get psychic as they age. You never have to confess your sins to a
woman over 30. They always know.

A woman over 30 looks good wearing bright red lipstick. This is not
true of younger women.

Once you get past a wrinkle or two, a woman over 30 is far sexier than
her younger counterpart.

Older women are forthright and honest. They'll tell you right off if
you are a jerk if you are acting like one! You don't ever have to wonder
where you stand with her.

Yes, we praise women over 30 for a multitude of reasons.

Unfortunately, it's not reciprocal. For every stunning, smart,
well-coiffed hot woman of 30+, there is a bald, paunchy relic in yellow pants
making a fool of himself with some 22-year-old waitress. Ladies, I
apologize.

For all those men who say, "Why buy the cow when you can get the milk
for free". Here's an update for you. Nowadays 80% of women are against
marriage, why?

Because women realize it's not worth buying an entire Pig, just to get
a little sausage

Video of The Day - Paul Simon "You Call Me Al"

Picture of The Day - Happy Wednesday!

Real Talk Quote of The Day

"You can't trust someone who lies to you. But don't lie to someone who trusts you." - Unknown

Monday, June 13, 2011

Stop...and Smell The Roses

Day in and day out I find myself rushing from one place to another without paying much attention to my surroundings. Going in to this past weekend was no different, making a checklist and marking off what I needed to get accomplished before Monday morning hits. So today, just like many other past Mondays, I am reflecting back on my weekend and realize that I checked many things off my list but "living" wasn't one of them. In the book, The Color Purple, Alice Walker wrote, " I think it pisses God off if you walk by the color purple in a field somewhere and don't notice it." If that is true, then I have been pissing God off a lot lately.

Why is it as we get older that we forget how to slow down and just enjoy the moment? Isn't that what life is really about? We are only here on this Earth for a short amount of time and yet we go through it wishing our lives away. Today is Monday and somewhere, someone is already wishing it was Friday. We need to start appreciating each day we have and stop dreading getting out of the bed. There are more things that are worse than having to get up out of the bed on a Monday morning. One of them is to NOT be able to get out of bed on a Monday morning. I am sure as thousands upon thousands of people dread to get out of bed on a Monday, somewhere there is a person that didn't wake up at all on Monday. Think about that for a moment.

All I want to get across in the post today is please start to slow down just a little. Just enough to know that when you lay down your head at night to go to sleep that you can smile and know that you enjoyed your life today. Tomorrow is not promised. There is someone that may not lived to see Friday and it may be you. If you see some flowers today, stop and smell them. I do not know anyone that doesn't enjoy the smell of fresh roses. If we take our time and begin to enjoy each moment we are alive then we should not have any regrets. We all need to remember that life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the number of moments that take our breath away."

Video of The Day - Dallas Mavericks Trophy Presentation

Picture of The Day - Congrats Mavs!

Real Talk Quote of The Day

"Excellence is the best deterrent to reacism or sexism." - Oprah Winfrey

Saturday, June 11, 2011

Real Talk Quote of The Day

"The more you recognize and express gratitude for the things you have, the more things you will have to express gratitude for." - Zig Ziglar

Friday, June 10, 2011

What's Up Doc? Stay Healthy Tip

Take the time to speak with older people and ask them about their lifestyle. Each time that I have a patient over the age of eighty, I ask them what they did to live so long. Most reply, stay active and hang out with young people. Increase your health and longevity, GET ACTIVE and HANG OUT with young people! Have A Healthy Day!

Video of The Day - John Hughes 1980s Montage


Picture of The Day - The Last Great Decade: 1980s





Real Talk Quote of The Day

"Arrogance and rudeness are the training wheels on the bicycle of life, for weak people who cannot keep their balance without them." - Laura Marquez

Wednesday, June 8, 2011

Video of The Day

Picture of The Day - Will and Jada

Real Talk Quote of The Day

"Lust is easy.  Love is hard.  Like is most important."  - Carl Reiner

IF A MAN WANTS YOU


If a man wants you, nothing can keep him away. If he doesn’t want you, nothing can make him stay. Stop making excuses for a man and his behavior. Allow your intuition (or spirit) to save you from heartache. Stop trying to change yourselves for a relationship that’s not meant to be. Slower is better. Never live your life for a man before you find out what makes you truly happy. If a relationship ends because the man was not treating you as you deserve, then heck no, you can’t “be friends”. A friend wouldn’t mistreat a friend. Don’t settle. If you feel like he is stringing you alone, then he probably is. Don’t stay because you think “it will get better”. You’ll be mad at yourself a year later for staying when things are not better. The only person you can control in a relationship is you. Avoid men who’ve got a bunch of children by a bunch of different women. He didn’t marry them when he got them pregnant. Why should he treat you any differently? Always have your own set of friends separate from his. Maintain boundaries in how a guy treats you. If something bothers you, speak up. Never let a man know everything. He will use it against you later. You cannot change a man’s behavior. Change comes from within. Don’t EVER make him feel he is more important than you are…even if he has more education or a better job. Do not make him into a quasi-god. He is just a man, nothing more, nothing less. Never let a man define who you are. Never borrow someone else’s man. If he cheated with you, he’ll cheat on you too. A man will only treat you the way you ALLOW him to treat you. You should not be the one doing all the bending….compromise is a two-way street. You need time to heal between relationships…there is nothing cute about baggage. Deal with your issues before pursuing a new relationship. You should never look for someone to COMPLETE you. A relationship consist of two WHOLE individuals….look for someone complementary- not supplementary. Dating is fun….even if he doesn’t turn out to be Mr. Right! Make him miss you sometimes. When a man always knows where you are, and you’re always readily available to him, he takes it for granted. Never move into his mother’s house. Never co-sign for a man. (Hallelujah, thank you Jesus!!!!) Don’t fully commit to a man who doesn’t give you everything that you need. Keep him in your radar, but get to know others…

Author-Unknown