I found the missing layer over at evil little monkey's site. He's cool. If I wanted to be in a serious, committed relationship and reproduce ever again, I'd beg him.

LAYER NINE
In a guy/girl..

-- Best eye color? My last love had green, but I'm not real picky
-- Best hair color? Anything natural works for me
-- Short or long hair: Short or none
-- Height: Tall, or at least taller than me
-- Best weight: I don't care. It's what inside that counts, but if I have to move layers of fat to find "the prize" we may have problems
-- Best articles of clothing: The one we just tossed on the floor.
-- Best first date location: Picnic with a few friends, takes some of the pressure off
-- Best first kiss location: On the cheek, soon followed by others.

FRIDAY FIVE

1. What do you most want to be remembered for?
My kids, everything else is just gravy

2. What quotation best fits your outlook on life?
Fuck you

3. What single achievement are you most proud of in the past year?
Not killing my ex

4. What about the past ten years?
I make some pretty babies

5. If you were asked to give a child a single piece of advice to guide them through life, what would you say?
Anyone who doesn't treat you like royality ain't worth it. That's especially true of anyone who wants to sleep with you.

Can you guess the type of mood I'm in today?

JUST CALL ME LINKY LOU...

Bad Baby Names Laugh out loud funny, this one is.
that special moment DoEs It piSs U off "lyk" it DOes mE? (No offense to this girl, I clicked on her site through blogger)
Java Turtle Lynne has zines. I love zines.
Domestic DivaJust because
Disgruntled Housewife Just fun
Shauna She doesn't update anymore, but if enough people bug her, maybe she will

WEBLOG wannabe 2003 weblog award awarded to ebonyblue in the category of "Best Looking Weblogger "

Don't be copying mine! Go get your own award!

IS THIS A SIGN OF THE END?

I was listening to the news while reading blogs and a story about catching a suspected serial killer came on, I turned and looked and the guy is black!!! Seriously, before you dismiss that as a racist comment, name as many serial killers that you can. Take your time........okay, now how many of those were black?

This is a good one.

SITE OF THE WEEK

I love surfing around and finding new blogs to read. TurtleMama is funny and real. She doesn't always hold her tongue so if cussing offends you don't go, if you want to read the blog of someone who is witty and loves her family, check her out.

LAYER ONE
-- Name: ebonyblue
-- Birth date: October 22
-- Birthplace: Columbus, OH
-- Current Location: Once again Columbus, but longing for Virginia Beach
-- Eye Color: Brown
-- Hair Color: Brown, black and slowly going grey
-- Height: 5'6
-- Righty or Lefty: Both
-- Zodiac Sign: Libra

LAYER TWO:
-- Your heritage: African and Native American
-- The shoes you wore today: None
-- Your weakness: Good sex
-- Your fears: Dying alone of some freak accident
-- Your perfect pizza: Founder's Favorite from Donatos--ham, extra cheese, peppers
-- Goal you'd like to achieve: Run a women's shelter

LAYER THREE:
-- Your most overused phrase on IM: I've never IM'd
-- Your thoughts first waking up: Where are the kids?
-- Your best physical feature: Eyes
-- Your most missed memory: Laughing with D

LAYER FOUR:
-- Pepsi or Coke: Vanilla Coke
-- McDonald's or Burger King: McDonald's
-- Single or group dates: I like both
-- Adidas or Nike: I'm not big on tennis shoes, so whichever is cheapest
-- Lipton Ice Tea or Nestea: I hate tea
-- Chocolate or vanilla: Chocolate
-- Cappuccino or coffee: Coffee

LAYER FIVE:
-- Smoke: I quit
-- Cuss: Sometimes a sailor may blush, but I'm getting better because I have kids who repeat stuff
-- Sing: I'd like to think so, tho' others may not agree
-- Take a shower everyday: That is preferred
-- Do you think you've been in love: Yes
-- Want to go to college: Yes, again
-- Like(d) high school: Necessary evil.
-- Want to get married: Not really.
-- Believe in yourself: Sometimes.
-- Get motion sickness: Only if I read which sucks
-- Think you're attractive: Sometimes
-- Think you're a health freak: No
-- Get along with your parent(s): No
-- Like thunderstorms: I do.
-- Play an instrument: I wish

LAYER SIX:
In the past month...
--Drank alcohol: Yes, wine
-- Smoked: Okay, I confess.
-- Done a drug: No
-- Made Out: No
-- Gone on a date: Nope
-- Gone to the mall?: Yes
-- Eaten an entire box of Oreos?: With help
-- Eaten sushi: No
-- Been on stage: No
-- Been dumped: No
-- Gone skating: No
-- Made homemade cookies: No
-- Gone skinny dipping: No
-- Dyed your hair: No
-- Stolen anything: I forgot to pay for my pictures when I paid for the rest of my stuff. Didn't go back when I realized the mistake. Does that count?
-- You sound boring: I am.

LAYER SEVEN
Ever...
-- Played a game that required removal of clothing: Yes
-- If so, was it mixed company: Yes
-- Been trashed or extremely intoxicated: Once, never again
-- Been caught "doing something": Yes
-- Been called a tease: Yes
-- Gotten beaten up: I usually did the beating
-- Shoplifted: Yes
-- Changed who you were to fit in: No, but growing up in the ghetto, going to a white school, having international friends, I can adapt to any social situation

LAYER EIGHT:
-- Age you hope to be married: Not really
-- Numbers and Names of Children: Day Boo and Bubba
-- Describe your Dream Wedding: Get off the marriage kick why doncha?
-- How do you want to die: I don't
-- Where you want to go to college: Any that will offer me a challenge, and that offers Swahili
-- What do you want to be when you grow up: Happy
-- What country would you most like to visit: Kenya

LAYER NINE is mysteriously missing... I didn't leave it out...it was missing when I stole this. Oh well, you get what you pay for...and this was free, deal with it.

LAYER TEN:
-- Number of drugs taken illegally: I tried pot in college. It was not cool
-- Number of people I could trust with my life: 5
-- Number of CDs that I own: No clue
-- Number of piercings: 6
-- Number of tattoos: None
-- Number of times my name has appeared in the newspaper?: None that I know of
-- Number of scars on my body: Too many to count
-- Number of things in my past that I regret: 1 and I'll never tell

Monday Madness

1. What is/was your favorite subject in school? Your least favorite?
In high school, I loved Accounting because my teacher was nicknamed 'Mr Bizuti with the big fat booty', but I probably learned the most from 4 years of Latin.
In college, I loved Swahili. It's a beautiful language and I've been thinking about getting back into speaking it. I also loved my polital science classes with Prof. Carstens, by far the smartest person I've ever met.
I hate math. You can't argue. 2+1=3 no matter what. I need more flexibility is that.


2. What was the most difficult assignment you ever had to do in school? What was it that made it so difficult?
I was a pretty decent student and I can't recall anything that gave me much grief. I did write a 11 page paper in college in an hour and got a C. That was a rush. Who knows? If I hadn't waited until an hour before it was due, I might have gotten an A.


3. When it came time for tests/exams, did/do you get nervous? Did/do you study hard for them?
I never got nervous. School came pretty easily for me. Without studying I could pull off a C or B. There was no getting in my way if I actually studied. The aforementioned Carstens was probably the only teacher who was able to acurately detect my B.S. even then I still got a C. He's the only one I couldn't argue into changing it to a higher grade.

THIS OR THAT TUESDAY

1. Do you prefer silence or do you like background sound (music, TV, etc)?
Most of the time, I need background music. Usually the TV. Sometimes it's music and TV.

2. Bathe/shower in morning or evening?
Either or. If I've had a particularly sweaty day, at night. Nothing gets me moving like a morning shower. I'm not really a bath person.

3. Sleeping in complete darkness, or with a nightlight on?
I used to be real picky, complete darkness with the radio barely audible. Since having kids any sleep is a good one.

4. Lay out clothes the night before, or just grab what's closest in the morning?
Grab and go.

5. Hang up/fold clothes neatly, or just toss them wherever?
Put away neatly. It's one of the thing I'm anal about. It helps make that grab and go thing easier if you don't have to search for, iron, whatever.

6. Work out at a gym, or at home on your own (or do you not bother with exercise)?
Don't bother

7. Talk on the phone, or via IM/e-mail?
Call me old fashioned, but I'd rather talk in person. For long distance friendships, email. I don't IM

8. Are you usually on time, or late?
I am always late. Always.

9. Spendthrift or frugal?
Frugal. Started in my broke collage years, but continued because I enjoy hunting around for bargins.

10. Thought-Provoking Question of the Week: You work with someone who is not in the habit of bathing regularly. The smell seems to be getting worse and worse! Would you: 1. try to do something about it, or 2. try to grin and bear it? If you said 1, what would you do?
It would depend on whether or not I knew them. If we were friends, I would say something, if not, I would talk to a supervisor. This is of course assuming it's a problem in the office. If this person is in contact with customers and it's affecting business something has to be done. If they're just sitting in their cubicle stinking, I would let it go.

NOT AS HIGH AS I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE

THIS IS TURNING INTO A LOVE/HATE RELATIONSHIP

Good Lord!! Can this whole blogger/google messing up the posts, not being able to post, losing templates and just general pain in the ass shit be over already! Gotdamn.

Memorial Day is just a big cook-out day. That just seems wrong. It's supposed to be a day to remember people who have died, specifically those military personal. I get strange looks when a clerk tells me to have a great holiday and I look at them strange. Have a great-remember-all-those-people-who-have-died day!! Am I really the strange one?

Friday Five

1. What brand of toothpaste do you use?
Don't care.
2. What brand of toilet paper do you prefer?
Don't care.
3. What brand(s) of shoes do you wear?
Don't care.
4. What brand of soda do you drink?
Don't care, but I am partial to Vanilla Coke.
5. What brand of gum do you chew?
Don't care.
That was an easy one.

We're still on the search for some GOOD zines. If you know of any, please let me know. ebonyblue@mindless.com

Okay, this is creepy.It's on point except for that good start in life thingy.

You are a warm hearted person, with much love to give. You probably like children, and exhibit many playful characteristics.
I can't stand bad ass kids, if they're not well-behaved keep them at home, please
There may be times in your life when you give in to feelings of sadness or depression.
I've actually took a year plus sabbatical of sorts and this isn't an issue anymore
You are likely to make decisions based on intuition or feelings rather than intellect.
My intuition is strong and rarely wrong
There are inconsistencies in your energy level, possibly triggered by external factors or emotional changes. No matter what circumstances come your way, you have a generally positive attitude which may help you overcome life's obstacles.
Sometimes I want to be dark and moody, but I do still do what I need to do to handle my business
Your optimistic outlook helps increase your problem-solving capabilities.
I handle my business like I said.
You may suffer from low energy, allergies, or some kind of chronic health problem.
Low energy sometimes
You were probably given a good start in life by your parents. This could be based on your general upbringing, or on physical characteristics you inherited.
WRONG. But my grandma did teach me good manners and how to conduct myself in public, at work, etc. And I am kinda cute....
No matter what other factors influence your personality, there is an under lying sense of practicality that you can draw on if you wish.
Practically positive. That's me.

---

See which Greek Goddess you are.

How did your day begin?

What's On...Right Now?

What's On your kitchen counter Right Now?
A computer that I just got fixed (thank you, Jaime!) and I don't know where to put seeing as how we now have 3, coffee maker, microwave, snow cone maker, condiments from the grocery that I haven't put away yet.

SITE OF THE WEEK

I was struggling to come up with a site this week until I found Zengrrl. She likes Buffy, Rachal Ray and Duran Duran?! How could you lose?

---

Any ideas for next week's site? Email me. ebonyblue@mindless.com

You Know You Were a Kid in the 80's if...


I got this from Fourteen dot org

You ever ended your sentence with "psych".
Guilty

You solved the Rubics cube.....by peeling off the stickers.
Guilty

You watched the pound puppies.
I didn't watch, but I was well aware of there existence.

You can sing the rap to "the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air".
Guilty

You wore biker shorts under your skirts and felt stylish.
I just thought my biker shorts were stylish period.

You know that 'Whoa' comes from Joey on "Blossom".
I thought Six was a cool name.

You thought it would be great to have a friend named, "Boner".
Boner was a goofball.

You can sing the entire theme song to "Duck Tales".
Lost me on this one

If you played the chipmunks Christmas album all year long!
Maybe not all year.

You ever watched Fraggle Rock.
Guilty again

You had plastic streamers on the handle bars of your bike.
I was a tomboy. Streamers were uncool on the handle bars. We put them through the spokes.

You remember when it was actually worth getting up early on a Saturday to watch cartoons.
Our local channels have the Today Show and other crap like that. The world is going to hell when you have to have cable to watch Saturday morning cartoons. Hell, I tell ya.

You wore a pony tail to the side of your head.
And knew I looked good too.

You made your Mom buy you one of those clips that would hold your shirt in a knot on the side.
No one made my mom do anything, especially a child.

You had a Kirk Cameron poster on your bedroom wall.
Duran Duran and Prince, thank you very much.

You played the game "MASH" (Mansion, Apartment, Shelter, House) with friends at school.
Huh?

You wore a Jordache jean jacket and you were proud of it.
With the matching jeans. And had my friends sign it

L.A. GEAR
Shut-up!!

Your mother wouldn't let you have garbage pail kids.

You wanted to change your name to Jem in Kindergarten.

You remember reading "Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing" and all the Ramona books.
Ramona was the bomb

You know the profound meaning of "Wax on,Wax off".
These kids today just don't know.

You wanted to be a Goonie.

You ever wore fluorescent, neon if you will, clothing.
What about the shirts that changed color when they got wet, so everyone knew you were sweating.

You took a lunch box to school.
Paper bags just didn't cut it

You have ever pondered why Smurfette was the ONLY female smurf.
Is it much farther now, Papa Smurf?

You still get the urge to use "NOT" at the end of every statement you make.
That would be so cool. Not!

You remember Hypercolor T-shirts.

You remember Punky Brewster.
And was shocked to learn she had a breast reduction!

You loved Howard the Duck.
Do I have to admit to this one? I'm not under oath, am I?

You thought Sheera and He-Man should hook up.
I was Sheera

You thought your childhood friends would never leave because you
exchanged "friendship bracelets".
You could sit down right now with colored thread and make a friendship bracelet without instruction.
A friendship pins, and friendship laces....

You ever owned a pair of Jelly Shoes.
And your feet would be all dirty and sweaty when can in from playing. Oh yeah, those were the days.

After you saw Pee-Wee's Big Adventure you couldn't stop saying "I know you are but what am I?"
I still say it

You remember going to the skating rink before there were inline skates.
And showing off because I could skate backwards.

You ever got seriously injured on a slip and slide.

You know not to mix poprocks and soda (but did it anyway!)
Girl, those are going to explode in your mouth!

You had a Glow Worm or watched the cartoons.

You remember dancing along with the Bangles in "Walk Like An Egyptian".
The Bangles was your first concert. You loved Susanna Hoffs.
I still can't resist when I'm watching Retro Videos

If you remember Heathcliff the orange cat.
OMG!!!

You saw the California Raisins Christmas claymation special.
Who didn't?

You've gone through this list occasionally saying "That wasn't from the 80's."
Okay, I'm glad somebody recognized!

DON'T WORRY, BE HAPPY!!!!!!!!!!!!

You wore socks over tights with high-top Reeboks
The really cool kids wore 2 different color socks. 4 pairs of socks sure were hot in the summer, but fashion has always been more important than comfort.

You wore like 8 pairs of socks at once, scrunched down.
See above

You remember boom boxes instead of CD players.
The bigger, the better

You remember watching both "Gremlins" movies.
Should have been a trilogy

You remember the Transformers.

You know what it meant to say "care bear stare!!" and you had a
favorite.
Grumpy bear.

You remember Rainbow Bright and My Little Pony Tales.
You took your My Little Pony everywhere. Until you lost it. Then you cried.
I wasn't a doll person, but if I was....

You remember Alf, the little furry brown alien from Melmac.
And knew Alien Life Form before his commercial comeback

You remember the large amounts of hairspray used.
Nothing beat Aqua Net

You remember Eve Garland from Out of this World and how she could stop time by pressing the tips of her index fingers together and talking to her dad through a glowing cube in her bedroom.

You remember the begining of New Kids on the Block.
Saw Please Don't Go Girl late night on BET and was hooked.

You remember watching The Cosby show.
Theo was the bomb

You remember Mr. Belvedere.
You were really sad when Christopher Hewett died.

You remember Michael J. Fox in Family Ties and Back to the Future.
You saw Back to the Future in the theater, and remember that it only cost $2.50 for a matinee back then.
I thought it was cool that Family Ties was set in Columbus, Ohio (my hometown) and my best friend's last name was Keaton. We used to pretend they were cousins through marriage. Oh goodness, did I just admit that?

You know all the names of the gang from "Saved by the Bell" !
Zack, Slater, Jessie, Lisa Turtle, Screech and Kelly!

You know all the words to Bon Jovi's "shot through the heart" song.
You know that this could allude to two songs: "Shot Through the Heart" on the Bon Jovi album and "You Give Love a Bad Name" on Slippery When Wet.
Shot through the heart, and you're to blame, darling, you give love a bad name. Bad name.

THIS-OR-THAT TUESDAY

1. Large or small family?
There's only me and my 2 sisters, but there were 10 kids in my mothers family, so I have a large collection of extended family.

2. Potato chips or pretzels?
Chips, please.

3. House or apartment?
I love living in a house because you have more privacy and I can play my music loud while I clean. Apartments are nice too because there's almost no maintainence.

4. Zebras or giraffes?
Monkeys

5. Candles or potpourri?
No home is complete without candles. And tons of them.

6. Flowers or trees?
Flowers are pretty, but I'm a low maintainence kind of gal. I get no pleasure out of gardening. Mad props to people who do.

7. Right or left-handed?
Both

8. Model trains or dolls/stuffed animals?
Neither. I was a tomboy, but I was outside playing kickball, football, climbing fences, etc. I never really got into toys.

9. Comedy or drama?
Drama. Most comedy isn't funny.

10. Thought-provoking question of the week: The city of Boston has recently banned smoking in all restaurants and bars. Would you want to see such a law passed in your city/town/country, or not?
No way. I am a former smoker and in a perfect world no one would intentionally cause potential harm to themselves or others, but let's get real. I'm not sure banning something is the way to go. It surely didn't work with alcohol. When I sit in the non-smoking section, I'm never bothered by the smoke anyways and as any reformed smoker will tell you, we can smell it from a mile away.

THOSE KIDS ARE GONNA LOVE ME...

I found my recipe for Buckeye Bars!!
Soften in the microwave and mix together 1 cup peanut butter and 1 cup buter. Stir in 2 cups graham cracker crumbs and 2-1/2 cups powdered sugar. Mix well. Pat mixture into bottom of 9'X13" pan. ON low heat, melt 10 oz. milk chocolate chips. Stir in 6 tbsp cooking oil. Pour over crust and refirgerate for several hours. Cut into bars.

---

Swiped this quote off another site.

"I confess I am a little cynical on some topics, and when a whole nation is roaring Patriotism at the top of its voice, I am fain to explore the cleanness of its hands and purity of its heart. I have generally found the gravest and most useful citizens are not the easiest provoked to swell the noise, though they may be punctual at the polls."

Ralph Waldo Emerson, 1824

---

Here's an interesting picture.

---

I think Haloscan died. So I had to get new comments. That kinda sucks.

I WONDER IF THE JUDGE WOULD LET HER BABY-SIT?

What's really sad, is that she'll probably go on to have more children. Hope she doesn't get stressed again.

I got this one from What's On...Right Now?

What's On the front of your refrigerator Right Now?
A calender with the kids chores on them.
A picture of my daughter, son and nephew covered in cornstarch.
A picture of me and my sisters taken on my son's birthday.
A flower with her picture that my daughter made me for mother's day.

---

It kind of sucks that my comments haven't worked all day. I hate when that happens.

It's Friday...

1. What drinking water do you prefer -- tap, bottle, purifier, etc.?
I prefer Vanilla Coke. I only drink water when I have no other option.

2. What are your favourite flavor of chips?
Sour cream and onion with ranch dip.

3. Of all the things you can cook, what dish do you like the most?
I hate to cook. I don't really think I have a specialty. I make awesome side dishes, especially baked beans and mac & cheese.

4. How do you have your eggs?
Scrambled with cheese.

5. Who was the last person who cooked you a meal? How did it turn out?
I do all the cooking so I can't even remember this one. We got some wings from BW3 last Friday. They were good. Does that count?

I struggled with moving back home because I didn't want to worry about running into my ex. I left when he decided to hit me. It was frustrating because I didn't stick around to get police reports, restraining orders, etc. He hit me and I was gone. I come from the school that if he hits you once, he'll do it again, I wasn't around for the "again". I did file a report, but the case was dropped for lack of evidence. He claimed that I hit him too and it was chalked up as a lover's spat. Our wonderful system offers no protection for the women who get out in the beginning. At any time he could take me to court for visitation, custody, whatever and according to my lawyer he would most likely get at least visitation because there is no long history of violence. His alcoholism, drug use, etc would be difficult if not impossible to prove. If I could be assured of at least supervised visitation I would be cool, but slim chance. As long as he didn't know where I was, he left us alone. My kids and I were better off for it, but it seems as if I had no reason to be concerned because the suckers in jail for guess what? Abusing his girlfriend. Don't you just love this karma thing?

SITE OF THE WEEK

My choice for Site of the Week is Pioneer Woman With Cell Phone, simply because she reminded me of how brilliant Ashleigh Brilliant is. We also had the same potshot postcard that said, "Appreciate me now and avoid the rush." I used that quote on my old website and it's written in my book of favorites. So go visit Pioneer Woman and don't forget to tell her Ebony sent you.

This or That Tuesday

May 13: *Another Potpourri Edition*

1. Packrat or minimalist?
Definite packrat. It seems to run in the family. It was a nightmare cleaning out my grandmother's house when she passed and my mother's. My storage unit is filled to the brim. My sister keeps the box that everything came in--long after she owns the product. My uncle's house is packed. It goes on and on...

2. Computer: desktop or laptop?
Desktop for sure.

3. Seashore or mountains?
I've lived near both and this is tough. They both have their own benefits. I would probably go for seashore because it tends to be warmer.

4. Carpeting or bare floors?
Would those wood floors be bare?

5. Drinking water: bottled or tap?
Um, I don't really drink water like I should. Like Republicans it's a necessary evil.

6. Shopping websites: eBay or Amazon?
I don't shop online. But I have been thinking about going and selling some stuff on eBay.

7. Cute little kitties or big scary tigers?
The only cat I want is a nice, black Jag that I can sit my ass in

8. Front door or back door?
Okay, this is a wierd question. I like having a front and back door and don't want to pick one or the other.

9. Lots of jewelry, or little/none?
I usually wear a ring and a small pair of earrings.

10. Thought-provoking question of the week: At the last minute, you obtain tickets to an event you're dying to attend. However, you have to work that day! Do you ask the boss for the time off, or just call in sick?
I will ask for the time off. Luckily I've worked in places where I've been able to do that easily.

This is my last quiz for awhile. Today at least.

I'm just having fun surfing the net today and answering questions and doing quizzes...

Monday Madness
1. What make, model, and color of vehicle (price being no issue) have you always wanted to own?
I have always wanted a Jag. I am very disappointed in the new Jags, they have lost their distinctive look and appear to be a regular luxury sedan.


2. If you could add one feature to your current vehicle, what would you choose?
A CD player. It's a pain in the butt having to tape all my CDs to listen to them in my car.


3. You're driving down the road and you hear a police siren. What is the first thought that comes to mind?
Please don't get me for DWB.

Monday Mission

1. Who are your favorite cartoon characters?
I love Marvin the Martian. Mickey Mouse will always have a special place in my heart.

2. Have you yet reached the point where you feel like you are from a different generation than today's youth?
I've always felt a bit different. Most of my friends tend to be older than me.

3. What was the first Music Video that really impressed you? What made it so amazing?
I honestly can't think of any. Music and videos are a form of entertainment and while there are some that I enjoy (any with Tyson Beckford-Toni Braxton and 50 Cent--comes to mind), none have really touched me in an amazing way. It takes more than 3 minutes to do it for me.

4. Name a song and an era that comes to mind when you hear the word "Retro."
"These Boots are Made For Walking" I don't remember the artist. Was it that Sinatra chick?

5. How has your life been affected by HIV or AIDS?
-question by Meredith
I lost a dear sweet friend named Todd to AIDS several years ago and I still miss him as if it was yesterday. I currently have a friend suffering from AIDS. I've met several people with the disease and it's never pretty no matter what stage of the disease they're in.

6. Yesterday in the USA, we celebrated "Mothers Day," a day where we honor the mothers in our lives. If you were on a "special day" nominating committee, who or what would you recommend that we create a day in honor of?
I think Hallmark pretty much got this one covered. Sibling's Day, Grandparent's Day, School Janitor Day, National Grouch Day. Who else is there?

7. Last week, we have several Tornadoes tore through many neighborhoods, destroying homes and devastating the lives of the residents. How would you feel if you lost every possession you owned? Or would it matter? How would you go on with your life?
I've lived in tornado and hurricane country, so the possibility was always there. Of course I would initially be devestated, but I would get over it and start to rebuild. What else could one do? You can't go back and re-take the pictures, my daughter could never again make a footprint at age 3, but the real memories are imprinted in your heart. <./mushy stuff>


BONUS: Do you remember the 21st night of September?
Honey, I can barely remember what I did last week. How about "Thanks to the guy who invented planners so Ebony won't forget everything Day"?

Today's Comment Question: What part of your body would you like to have permanent hair removal performed on?
I'm not really bothered by shaving, so I could care less about this one. If I had to choice, I'd opt for the legs because it takes the longest. I hear women start growing hair on their chins as they get older, so ask me again in a few years.

You are the Marquis Da Sade. Even stripped of
exaggerations, Your real life was as dramatic
and as tragic as a cautionary tale. Born to an
ancient and noble house, you were married
(against your wishes) to a middle-class heiress
for money, caused scandals with prostitutes and
with your sister-in-law, thus enraging your
mother-in-law, who had you imprisoned under a
lettre de cachet for 14 years until the
Revolution freed you. Amphibian, protean,
charming, you became a Revolutionary,
miraculously escaping the guillotine during the
Terror, only to be arrested later for
publishing your erotic novels. You spent your
final 12 years in the insane asylum at
Charenton, where you caused another scandal by
directing plays using inmates and professional
actors. You died there in 1814, virtually in
the arms of your teenage mistress.
You are a revolutionary deviant. I applaud you.


Which Imfamous criminal are you?
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You come from an Ancient Civilization. Egypt,
China, Rome... a piece of all the greatest
civilizations of their time can be found in
you.


Where Did Your Soul Originate?
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I got my new slogan from here.
Lipsmackin' Thirstquenchin' Acetastin' Motivatin' Goodbuzzin' Cooltalkin' Highwalkin' Fastlivin' Evergivin' Coolfizzin' Ebonyblue.
You like?

Mother's Day was very uneventful. As of late, I find a holiday passing me by without so much as as serious thought. It just doesn't seem so important to focus on something for an entire day. So I did laundry and ran errands with my sister.
I think my attitude mostly comes from Bob.
It's amazing the impact someone has on your life and you aren't even aware of it until much later. Bob was a guy that I knew. He was so smart. He was writing his second book when he was killed, he had started a school, attended Harvard and overlooked by society because he was homeless. Every day I saw that man, he told me how happy he was that I was in his life. "I'm really glad your my friend," he used to say all the time. I would respond in kind, but a few days before he died, I felt myself growing weary of hearing these words. I didn't discourage him, but that day I humored him with the response. I was tired and didn't want to be bothered. I liked Bob, I knew how amazing he was, but why did he have to say that stuff every time we saw each other? The day he died, I realized just how smart he was.
He is the only person who left my life that I hold no regrets for. There are things I wish I had said to my mother before she died, as well as my grandmother and Todd, and others who didn't die, but I have lost touch with. I find myself saying, "I wish I knew how to reach so-and-so, I want to tell him...." I told Bob everything. The morning of his death, he was walking to work (yes, some homeless people have jobs, but McDonalds don't always pay the bills), I saw him and stopped to say hello. We exchanged our usual sentiments and went our separate ways. I never saw him again, but I wasn't as saddened by his death because he knew that I valued our friendship. He knew that the occasions that I ran into him and he always had kind words to say that often is what made my day. I would have given him a nice little gift for Christmas, but he died before that day came. So I was waiting to give him a gift, but I hate to imagine if I had waited to tell him how I felt?
That's why I'm so at peace with D being gone. Normally it would be killing me not to be able to tell him how I feel, but he knows. The last time I talked to him, I wanted to reach through the phone and pop him on his head, and I told him that, but I also told him that I love him like crazy and even though he's no longer my lover, he is still my best friend, and his response was, "I know."

be sorted @ nimbo.net

I suddenly have the urge to go write a couple of letters.

TGIF

1. Would you consider yourself an organized person? Why or why not?
I try to be, but I often fail. I am anal about certain things, like the refrigerator and the bathroom, but my bedroom is a wreck.

2. Do you keep some type of planner, organizer, calendar, etc. with you, and do you use it regularly?
I have 2 planners that I alternate each year. Franklin Covey has the best products. Now that I stay at home, I don't use it every day, but it's never too far away.

3. Would you say that your desk is organized right now?
My desk is one of the things I'm anal about. If I can't find my favorite pen all hell breaks loose.

4. Do you alphabetize CDs, books, and DVDs, or does it not matter?
I do my CDs, only because it's easier to find the one I want. The spines of books are usually distinctive enough. I do place like books together, cookbooks, mysteries, etc.

5. What's the hardest thing you've ever had to organize?
I have been trying to organize my sister's house since December. It's hard when I organize the kitchen island and everyone sees it as more space to put more junk.

If Bush were impeached and had to find a job, is this what his resume would look like? And just where are those weapons of mass destruction anyway?

"To announce that there must be no criticism of the President, or that we are to stand by the President, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public." - President Theodore Roosevelt

I love my sister. God knows that I do. There have been times in my life when I wasn't sure how I was going to make it and she came through for me, but she is not a good parent. At all. The longer I stay here, the more apparent it becomes. Her children are 14 and 10 and they couldn't take care of themselves to save their lives. It's very frustrating because she is spending this month out of town, coming home on the weekends so I am running things. I feel like I have 3 six years olds, plus my baby. I have to go behind them when they clean or whatever like I do with my kindergartener, who probably does a better job straightening up than they do. We gathered the trash last night to sit out for pick up and they dumped the bathroom trash, but left the trash can in the hallway. Couldn't even reach right inside the door to put the damn thing where it belongs. This is very typical of what it's like day in and day out. I tell my niece to clean her room and she will go in her room and close the door and go to sleep. I literallly had to sit in her room while she cleaned it just so that it would be done correctly. She's almost 15 for crying out loud! I have to remind myself not to get too angry with them because it's the way in which they have been raised. My sister is living in the same house, but she isn't very involved with raising them. I don't think their homework has ever been checked until I moved in 6 months ago. They are both failing school. By now it's too late to save their grades, but at least I'm getting them to pass tests, turn in homework assignments, etc. Hopefully it will become habit so that when I move they will continue. I want to leave now, but I made a commitment to myself to stay until the school year is finished and I'm sticking with it. Just the few hairs that I haven't pulled out by then will be completely gray. I just have to keep repeating my new mantra: I love my sister, the kids can be saved. I love my sister, the kids can be saved. I love my sister, the kids can be saved....

I am a bit on the shy side, never been called humble, but have been referred to as sweet, but I think it's disgusting to chew with your mouth open. But then I guess chewing with your mouth open would go with the position, yes?

Take the What Sex Position Are You? test by Ley Ley

Here's my site of the week. I picked this one because of the Weblog: The Movie. Go check it out & tell him ebony sent you.

It's Tuesday...
The Media Edition

1. TV or radio?
I would have to go for the radio if you gave me a book. Otherwise I'll take TV

2. On the radio: talk or music station?
The people that call into talk radio usually piss me off, so I'll definitely have to go with music

3. Actual books or books-on-tape (or e-books)?
There is no substitue for actually turning the page

4. Actual newspaper, or web version?
I prefer actual paper, but of late it's been online

5. Wall Street Journal or National Enquirer?
I don't read either, but if I had to choose I'd probably go with WSJ, the Enquirer while entertaining gets down right stupid sometimes

6. TV news...news channel such as CNN, or your local broadcast news?
CNN

7. A movie you've been looking forward to seeing gets bad reviews all around. See it anyway, or pass?
I will see it anyways, I'm not easily influenced by what people think

8. See movies when they first come out, or wait a few weeks for the lines at the theater to get shorter?
I use to be a first timer, but as I age I wait for them to come on TV

9. TV: cable, satellite dish, or just plain old antenna?
Cable, it sucks what you have to go through to get ABC< NBC, etc on satellite and I hate life without my Discovery Channel

10. Thought-provoking question of the week: If you had to choose only one form of media to come into your home, which would you choose...print (newspapers, magazines) or electronic (TV, internet)? Why?
Print without a doubt. Not much thought to that.

My sister makes a good point.

20 Questions

1. What's the best birthday present you've ever had?
It's sad really, but I can't think of any outstanding birthday presents.

2. What do you eat for breakfast?
Cold cereal or frozen stuff, ie waffles, french toast sticks

3. What's your favourite piece of jewellery?
I'm not attached to any of my jewelry. Any piece can (and often will) be replaced my whatever catches my eye

4. What's the best book you've ever read?
I'm an avid reader, so this is a tough one. I love The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran and Malcolm X by Malcolm X told to Alex Haley.

5. Which gadget couldn't you do without?
Everything can be replaced.

6. Which website can you recommend to me?
I like Do-It-Yourself Network

7. Do you have any allergies?
I used to as a child, but it has to be a very heavy dose to bother me now.

8. Are you left or right handed?
Both, but I favor my right more now in my old age

9. Do you have any piercings?
Only my ears

10. What's your favourite painting/print?
This changes on a regular basis. I am partial to VanGogh's Sunflowers. It's nice and simple

11. What was the last thing you ate?
Homemade pizza

12. Where in the world would you like to be right now?
With D.

13. Do you collect anything? If so, what?
Books and writing instruments

14. What type of books do you prefer reading ( e.g. romance )?
I really don't have a favorite. I like everything from mystery to those cheesy series romances

15. Do you have a daily newspaper? Which one?
I don't read the newspaper daily like I used to. I need to get back into that

16. Do you use tissues or linen handkerchiefs?
Tissues

17. What's your oldest possession?
A kid's size wooden chair that I've had as long as I can remember

18. Do you use a fountain pen or a ballpoint pen?
Medium point ballpoint

19. Do you have any pets?
No, I'm not the type

20. Do you have any phobias?
I am scared of closed spaces. I can thank my sister's for that one. The torture I endured at their hands as a child

I am still on a Buffy kick watched all the past episodes trying to catch up--you gotta love FX and the library. Here's Joss' fave's. Of the ones I've seen, I'm not disagreeing with him.

20 Questions

1. What's the toiletry product you wouldn't be without? tampons
2. Do you take vitamins? If so which ones? Sometimes I'll pop a kids vitamin, but I don't take any on a regular basis
3. What do you do if you can't sleep? Read or watch TV
4. If you're ill, is there a 'comfort food' you like to have? Not really, I'll lucky that I don't get sick very often
5. Which childhood illnesses did you have ( e.g. measles )? I didn't have any, goes back to the previous question
6. Have you ever taken a sick day from work when you weren't ill? Gee, who hasn't?
7. Have you ever broken a bone? I broke my right wrist and ankle in a car accident. That's a sorry site, using crutches with a broken wrist.
8. Do you trust 'alternative' remedies? I do believe that some of them can be very effective
9. What career did you want to have when you were a child? A lawyer, specializing in working for children's rights
10. What religion are you? I was baptized Catholic, but I attend a non-denom. church now. I'm still missing Forefront
11.there a luxury item you'd like for your house? I wouldn't mind have a nice comfy recliner. As far as electronics, I have all I want or need
12. What's the latest computer program you bought? I have never broke one. One of the perks of having friends who are programmers
13. What's the last book you bought? Mary Higgins Clark at one of the Friends of the Library sale. Only $! for hardback, you just can't beat that
14. What would be your ideal day out? My ideal day would not be out, but if I had to go it would be thriftshopping with friends, followed by dinner at a nice casual place like Applebee's.
15. Do you vote? If so, which party? Yes, usually dm, but am open to considering a Republican if ever they nominate someone I can like
16. How many meals do you eat a day? 2-3. I sometimes skip breakfast
17. Which drink do you drink most often? I'm a soda fiend. Vanilla Coke is my favorite
18. What sort of cola do you prefer ( e.g. Pepsi )? See above
19. When were you last ill? What with? About 7-8 months ago I had strep throat. I don't consider a cold sick, but if you wan t to I had a cold about a month ago
20. Do you take any medication regularly? If so what? I get headaches, so when they become too much I take a few Advil

I got this from Harambee Journal, but it wouldn't let me link it, so I just copied it over. There are 2 points that I said "Amen" too. First, I don't watch Friends because there are no faces of color. Even in the coffee shop or on the street you rarely see Black folks, and second, the couple of times I did watch it, I thought the same thing as Michael Moore. Chances are good, I wouldn't want to be friends with them anyways.

TV's Ethnic Cleansing:


Here is an extremely thoughtful article from THE GUARDIAN about the lack of diversity in primetime tv. Why is it that white people are surprised that I don't watch FRIENDS because there are no people on there who look like me...until now? Hey, there's somebody black in New York. Stop the presses. Ok, read on. Thanks for indulging me on one of my "soapbox" issues.


Unreality Television
Friends has its first non-white character, but US TV shows remain deeply racially segregated
Gary Younge in New York
The Guardian (UK)


The most segregated hour of the American week is 11am on a Sunday morning, when black and white Americans all get dressed up and go to separate churches to worship the same God.

The next most segregated hour is 8pm on any weekday, when the clock strikes prime time and the nation observes its second favourite religion - watching television.
And now Friends is preparing for the arrival of the first major non-white character to its cast in its nine-year history. This is truly symbolic of developments both on screen and in front of it, as it signifies how little has changed and how long that little has taken to come about For if you're looking for evidence of how deep-rooted segregation remains in America, you need reach no further than the TV remote. Before their behinds have hit the couch, black and white Americans have retreated into separate worlds.

There is only one programme - CSI: Crime Scene Investigation - which features in the top 10 for both black and white viewers. "White" hits like Seinfeld or Will & Grace have scarcely featured on African-Americans' radar. Meanwhile, most white people have never even heard of the most popular black shows like Girlfriends and Bernie Mac.
Friends is the sixth most watched show among white US viewers. But among black viewers, it came only 65th. White characters have long been forced on "black" shows to "broaden their appeal". But, up until now, "white" shows have been regarded as sufficiently mainstream to justify their exclusivity.

So when Aisha Tyler appears on Friends next week as a fossil expert torn between Ross and Joey, she will face the familiar dilemma of black professionals in an all-white environment.
In the course of doing her job, she will be expected to single-handedly integrate an all-white institution, satisfy the frustrated expectations of black people who have been unrepresented and fend off criticisms from whites that she only got the job because she's black (as though the fact that everyone else is white is merely a coincidence). All of this will fall on her slender shoulders - for regardless of your race, all women's shoulders must be slender on prime time.

On one level, the segregated viewing habits and segregated casts do reflect reality. America is a deeply racially segregated country. And while a power differential remains between whites, blacks and Hispanics, the truth is also that much of that segregation is voluntary.
"I like it that there are no black friends on Friends," writes Michael Moore in Stupid White Men. "Because, in real life, friends like that don't have black friends. It's an honest, believable show."

The fact that these racial differences are most pronounced in comedy is a depressing reflection just how little commonality there is between racial groups. "Humour," wrote the Martiniquan poet, Aime Cesaire, "alone assures me that the most prodigious reversals are legitimate. Humour alone alerts me to the other side of things."
But if laughter is a universal language, black, white and Hispanic Americans still need translators.
"Comedies don't cross over," says Doug Alligood, vice-president at the advertising agency BBDO. "You can't tell the same joke ... It shows we come from different places."
This cleavage is tempered by age. I watched Ali G's American show with 30 students from New York University of all races. They all found it as funny and problematic as any British students would. But, in discussion, it transpired that central to their understanding of the humour was the fact that Ali G is English.
"Could an American comedian do this and get away with it?" I asked. They looked at me as as I was insane.
"We'd picket the studio until they took it off the air," said one student, to general assent.

So long as Will and Grace, Chandler and Monica, stay in their houses, their lives were a reflection of this dislocated, fragile, segregated reality. But as soon as they walk down the street, or go to a coffee shop, the surreal takes over. Racial segregation in New York, as in most other American cities, is defined more by culture than by geography. Blacks, Asians, Latinos and whites occupy the same physical space in most of Manhattan for most of the day, whether they are couriers, cab drivers, businessmen or bellboys. Different races congregate even if they rarely coalesce - each individual having a segregated experience within an integrated space.

With white people comprising just over half of Manhattan, and less than a third of New York as a whole, it is difficult to imagine the city without a sizeable non-white population. And yet in all the major sitcoms, they have ethnically cleansed the city of any visible minority presence in streets, bars and cafes. Their selective myopia is contagious. A recent Panorama, shot with the avowed intention of showing what New Yorkers thought of the war, had a panel of 10, of whom one was non-white.

When challenged, one of the producers said: "We do not cast by quota." Casting by intelligence or sensitivity had clearly not occurred to him, either. And, with that phrase, he split my sides, showing that the best examples of
racial humour are not always intentional.