2021 and Done

Shout out to my Pure Romance consultant & college NACWC sister, T for the meme. In the year 2000, Try Again by Aaliyah was the number song on my birthday. Good to know I will have some inspiration to keep me going all year long.

"You Do Your Best Growing in a Dark Place" ~ Bishop T.D. Jakes, Inflection Point (Sermon on December 12, 2021)

I couldn't wait to type that statement when I heard it.

I was cleaning up as a result of the ebony spot I was in this year. Being in the shadows didn't comfort me. And whenever I am uncomfortable, I know my departure from that area is coming up.

And even though 2021, 2021 us up a wall, it has to be wrapped up. I decided to bundle it up with a couple of life tools.

Write Down Accomplishments and Lessons Learned

• Got a Grill Pan And I have grilled almost everything. Grilled desserts are weird to me. But when I grilled bread I knew I was having so much fun. And fun I shall have.
• Took October Off and Got Down to Facing Some Issues & Grief I knew for while I was functioning in a depressed state. To the point, where I could look around and say, "I am on some B.S.". And it has to be cleaned up and I am still scrubbing.
• Read 10 Books Past My Goal I feel like I can truly say I am an Avid Reader again. There are too many years I barely met or didn't meet my goal. And to reward myself, I bought a book. LoL
• Foundation Church can be Normal at Funeral From my Facebook on May 27, 2021, Transparent Moment: The Weirdest Stuff Warms My Heart! Some people know I'm horrible at keeping up with the past. And I know look the same, but others do not. But I loathe & cringe at, "You act like you don't know me" as a greeting. Because if I say, "I don't", I'm the a-hole.😏🙃😏 But Not Today! Shoutout to Foundation church aka ____the church's initials____ for being warm & ____my biological name___-defined normal, today. Just a bunch of acceptable "Who", "Child...", a confused "How are You", "Hey...", lots hugs & chuckles. *nice sigh*❤

🤚🏾Raising My Hand😁

Grill Pan Action

Write Down Gratitude

• Life It doesn't go without saying. We are functioning like we deserve to live. Like everybody will be here forever. And we don't & won't. In 2021, I said goodbye to 5 people I can't believe are really not here in the world. I said, "Do What" & 'Aww No" so much. And as I watch loved ones, including my own, figure out the world without them, I keep being reminded of the statement, "Life is But Vapor. Take it in While You Can".
• The Vaccine Yes, I am a Moderna Maven. I mean if I want the world to be healthy, And the way these variants are coming in, I am grateful for the protection. I have to do my part. Now, I need my Tetanus booster updated. Can't be getting lockjaw from a rusty nail. My masks won't protect me from that.
• Strength to Keep a Closed Door Shut 2020, I set a timed fuse to blow up a friendship. I had to for my heart's sake. Sometimes, I will retie strings I cut & get knotted back up. So, I dared me not to turn around and check on that person. Nobody said the person died so, I guess they are okay. I do hope they thrive in their world. I just know I have no business looking at them do it.
• Ability to Choose Me Yeah, there were many times I said "No" to invitations. Went on with my plans though preferred people weren't going to be there. Admitted I was tired and made myself rest. You noticed I didn't blog about all the salacious topics. Made scheduled days I don't talk on social media. I put some text threads on mute and checked on them eventually. I decided a few times to need small wants. That felt good. And going back to being a good steward of my finances. *refreshing sigh*

Youtube Me would like a word.

If You Don't See The Video, Click HERE

Oh, trust me I am not ignoring the state of the world we are in currently. How could I? January 6th was the "I Told You So" lawmakers & the like didn't want to listen to. The Texas Icemaggedon scared me. One of those days my home was power-free for 8 hours. But we made it. Meagan Good & Devon Franklin are divorcing. And while the "sexed" decide not to have the empathy for the "sexless" that they want to receive themselves, I will still believe, "If I am grown enough to do so, I'm adult enough not to do so". Know folks' stories before you wag fingers. And I give the "sexless" the same advice. Oh, and I didn't get on here and tell y'all "Couples Goals are a Scam". But if one more of you guys faves do something else to break y'all heart, I Will!!! Because somebody should.

I had to wrap 2021 more positively. I entered the year knowing the previous was going to linger over for a little while. I underestimated the timing by a whole year. I can admit that. But God Kept Us!!! One day the world will be well again. Until then, I'll keep making & fulfilling wanted & needed plans. I'll strive to read to my heart's content. And I plan to come here to yap about whatever moves me to do so. And you will or won't enjoy it. And that's that. Alright 2021, Alright!

As Always Talking to You in Adult Terms!

Humorous Holidays

I mean for you say I am "Hard to Shop For", there is my list. Matthew 7:7 told me what to do. So, I did it! LoL

Many always talk about the joy, love, & wonder of this time of the year. And though this is not my favorite holiday season (It's Easter), I love the humor that pops up. 

It starts in November for me. Since I am one of those who are determined to celebrate Christmas after Thanksgiving Day, I feel the need to be snarky towards those who must play Yuletide tunes too early. I don't understand why we can't take time to be at least grateful for the Christ child & what his father, the comforter sent to us, and he does for us for a month. (Yeah Woke Folks, That's why I celebrate Thanksgiving) It's Wild! But while I'm being snarky along comes to these business geniuses with their "Need a Holi-Date" ads. I love those ads. They crack me up. And I won't lie, I jokingly considered entering that field just to see the response I would get. Then Covid-19 forcefully came to life and I decided to enjoy other's promos in my Coronavirus safe home.

I do want to know has anyone taken these seriously. I am nosey like that.

Then Thanksgiving is over and I allow Christmas time into my space. Joking memes about this time of year help make the season bright. Especially those things that are nostalgic. We know sometimes we feel "Bah Humbug" grumpy. I think it's almost required once in life.

But feeling like cracking up like Clark Griswold in National Lampoon Christmas Vacation is a level of adulting nobody prepares us for. Truthfully, I don't think they know to tell us. But I know I've been there. One way to calm me down is the holiday tunes. As soon as I hear melodious voices of The Temptations' version of Silent Night or Donny Hathaway sing This Christmas (the Original & the Best) and other songs that soothe any holiday angst I have. But to see memes about them tell me somebody else has likewise good tastes in Yuletide music. These are my holiday people.

Oh, and there are us who even jokes about what we want for gifts via humor. Y'all think I am rapping if I say I want 

12 hundred dollars

11 pairs of shoes

10 fingernails

9 packs of weaves

8 male strippers

7 bus passes

6 diamond rings

5 months free rent

4 bangles

3 pocketbooks

2 earrings

And a man with a lot of money

I think K-Nock had a timeless list in the song What You Want For Christmas by Quad City DJs. And I would like those things. But when I make a meme about my wants like the top picture, folks want to be interested. Maybe one day I will receive one of these things. I just know I miss making list but I know what catches people's eye.

And the humor doesn't stop because we take the lights, mistletoe, & trees down. Others might be New Year, New Me. I'm the Same Me because I have a chuckle or two you might need.

Especially the churchy folks like me. NYE & First Sundays of the year we are ready to the cliché saying that will be believed every day before Martin Luther King Day, I mean All Year. (Yes, Laugh) Remember, "1999, God's Going to Blow Your Mind. *refreshing sigh* Nothing like the Good Ol' Days. I can't wait.

Good humor knows what it is doing. It's one of the gifts that keep on giving. I rather focus on that than the troubles of the world. Have a Happy Holidays, guys. Go Laugh!😁

As Always Talking to You in Adults Terms!

My Favorite Christmas Movie (Re-Issued)

I keep getting the questions What is Your Favorite Christmas Movie, Song, & Activities, etc. Well, I know I did the work and there are posts about songs, movies & even the commercial. You can find songs & the commercial HERE & HERE. My favorite activity is Making the Christmas Games for my family. Christmas is not my favorite holiday, Easter is, and being the "games organizer" is my way of getting back at all of them for getting on my nerves. Hey, it's telling people they got a wrong answer or be a grinch. That's What I Thought.

But I can't be rude to you, the readers this year. So I reposted my favorite Christmas movies. So here is the post on "Scrooged" & "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever.

I'll say it again I am a fan of a few, very few remakes & reboots. Scrooged, an 80 version of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol is one of those few. I Love this movie!!! It came out in the late 80s and it gives me warm memories of my childhood with my older sister, A (in the original, her blog name was Anju), my cousin, D.D, and I watching it on cable. Even as a child, I got the jokes.

Basically, Frank Cross, played by Bill Murray controls a US TV station that is preparing a live adaptation of Dickens' Christmas Carol. Frank's childhood wasn't a particularly loving one, and so he doesn't really appreciate the Christmas spirit. With the aid of the ghosts of Christmas past, present, and future, Frank understands he must change. It has a Marly character.
The Bob Cratchit character is played by Alfre Woodard and she has a mute son named Calvin instead of a Tiny Tim on crutches.
Of course, there are the ghosts.

Past

Present

Future

My favorite ghost is Present. The little fairy knocked the crap out of Frank Cross to get his attention. Oh, she pokes him in the eye, punches him in the jaw, and bashes him with a toaster.

If Carol Kane can act in all the movies she wants, she will always be the Ghost of Christmas Present to me. This movie also was packed with the all-stars of the time. Buddy Hackett from Beverly Hillbillies, Olympian Mary Lou Retton, Jazz artist Miles Davis & David Sanborn, and even the Solid Gold Dancers. 
(I'm telling my age. LoL).

"Scrooged" also dealt with some social issues that are still very relevant today.

Corporate Greed

Unemployment

Homelessness

A Struggling widow trying to make ends meet

Childhood Mutism

How to get antlers to stay on a mouse LoL

The movie may be dated, now but no one can dispute that "Scrooged" has the best ending ever. I mean with the great song "Put a Little Love in Your Heart" by Al Green & Annie Lennox in it (Hear my jam HERE), how can it Not be the best. Spoiler Alert!!! A touching moment with Tim and somebody goes to heaven.

Again I Love this Movie. Yes, I will be watching it this holiday season. I own it!!!

Another Great Christmas movie from my childhood that I love is

"The Best Christmas Pageant Ever"!!! Cute movie!!! The Herdmans are the worst children in history! They use profanity, they smoke, they torture animals and other people. Oh, and they want to be in the Christmas pageant at church, even though they have never heard the story of Christmas. This movie is the epitome of the true meaning of Christmas. You can find it on YouTube (HERE) or DVD.

Leave your answers in the comment box. Oh, and What are your favorite holiday movies? 

As Always, Talking to You in Adult Terms!

Toxic Toy Beliefs

If there is ever a wonder why I like Twitter better than Facebook, the following post from the site should be sufficient reason. If you are a long-time reader the name & face of the poster have been concealed because they won't ever have a chance to be famous off my blog.

Whenever controversy is started on Facebook, it is Always the most extreme views out there. You doubt me. Go look at where QAnon hides. But unlike Twitter and its ever-changing Trending Topics, when the views blow up, they stay awhile. This particular one was started two days ago, I heard about it on Twitter (because Black Twitter was roasting the poster like 98% of those 😆 reactions the post received on Facebook) the next day and I saw the first meme above today on Facebook.

Let me take a viewpoint less taken. Because I tell y'all All The Time about teaching kids the value of learning to cook. And folks act like I speaking in alien. But I looked THIS article up because I could've sworn this belief was discussed at length years ago because of the color of Easy-Bake Ovens. So, Hasbro makes them now in gender-neutral colors.  I don't know where the poster was in life during this in life but can somebody slide him the info.

People always want to put gender & sexuality on children's stuff. Leave Children Out of All of Your Screwed Up Opinions. That mess is old. Men cook for their families. Women mow the lawn.

The picture I think cause the foolish post

Gone are the days that boys can't play with dolls & teddy bears & girls don't play with cars & trucks. And how does any of that tell them who to sleep with? These Are Children!!! Oh & since we are here, Get your daughters a play tool set. As a heterosexual woman who can change a tire...It might save her life.

Maybe the person who posted this foolishness needs to ask a gay man who can't cook what did he play with. And also ask a man who had a kitchen playset which gender(s) he prefers having sex.

But that makes too much common sense to do. Posting asinine statements about what children should play with is much easier.

Yo, Fisher-Price please go ahead make that Play Bartender Set. I Need a Drink!!!

As Always, Talking to You in Adult Terms