First Date with a Dead Waste Collector

Questions! Questions!! Questions!!! Come & Get Your Answers!

Q: Would you rather be a Mortician vs Waste Collector as a Profession?

A: Mortician because I get chatter & peace & quiet from humans. I'm an ambivert. When the Talking & Emotions from the living become too much, I know the Silence from the non-living will give me the same moments to reset.

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Don't forget, if you have any questions, email them to C.OUT.SPOKEN.DIVA@gmail.com or leave them in the comment section below or on the social media site where you see this post. I will answer them.

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As Always Talking to You in Adult Terms!

Best of Restaurant Bias: The Dessert List

I'm not a major fan of most "Best of" lists, especially when it comes to restaurants. And what is a meal without a little dessert? Well, that is how this series will end, with a little something sweet.

In DFW, many of us think we can bake. Have you ever had my sweet potato pie, caramel nut cookies, & diabetic apple cinnamon cake? No? You have missed a treat. It's not a socioeconomic issue here. Well, maybe because even in the food desserts in the area, I can name a baker & sweet shop within it, but I digress. There are so many choices for bakeries & bakers in the area. And I have to force my favorites in the City of Dallas down to 3.

Cretias There are 30 Cake Flavors, 34 Different Pies, & 26 Cookies & other Goodies like Breakfast Rolls at this bakery & lunch spot. And if I am in the Bishop Arts area even if I am supposed to get a tasty salad only, a Scandinavian Almond Bar somehow comes home with me. LoL

Le Bon Temps Beignets and Coffee There is a little sugary slice of New Orleans in the Deep Ellum area. I suggest for your first visit start with the sugary Classique & the flaky Le Boneignet. If you're a coffee drinker, grab a fragrant one. And I promise you it is worth its wait.

Cake Bar  How does one become so favored that you have to create a vending machine for after Trinity Groves' hours of operation? And there are cookies & ice cream too. Oh, my go-to flavors are Old-Fashion Chocolate & Wedding Cake.

Well, that was Sweet!!! And if you put your favorite dessert places in the comment section would be even sweeter.

As Always Talking to You in Adult Terms!

Talk About It Tuesday (Make Us Feel Good, Fatty. Not Yourself)

But y'all know this. This lesson is so old. Yet, y'all refuse to learn. *sigh*

And I Don't Look Anything Like Martha Walsh (or Tamela Mann)🙃

As Always Talking to You in Adult Terms!

Juneteenth & the Healthier Side of Freedom (OUTSPOKEN Diva's Favorite Recipes)

Hibiscus-and-Ginger Iced Tea

Ingredients

• 1⁄2 cup water
• 1⁄2 cup sugar
• One 3" piece of fresh ginger, peeled and grated
• 4 hibiscus tea bags (I like TAZO)
• 8 cups water, room temperature
• Ice

Directions

Ginger simple syrup:

1. Combine the sugar and 1⁄2 cup of water in a 2-quart saucepan.
2. Bring to a boil and let syrup cook for 3 minutes, stirring until all of the sugar is dissolved.
3. Remove the pot from heat and add the grated ginger.
4. Let syrup cool completely and strain. Set the syrup aside.

Hibiscus tea:

1. In a 4-quart saucepan, pour 4 cups of water over the tea bags and place the pot over low heat.
2. Bring the water to a slow simmer and let cook for 5 minutes.
3. Turn off the heat and let the tea steep for another 5 minutes.
4. Strain into a pitcher and add in the remaining 4 cups of water.
5. Fill the pitcher with ice.

Baked Catfish Fillets

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
• 3/4 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 4 catfish fillets (6 ounces each)
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon reduced-fat butter, melted
• 1 garlic clove, minced

Directions

1. Combine the first six ingredients; cover the fillets on both sides with the mixture. Place in a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish. Combine the lemon juice, butter, and garlic; drizzle over the fillets.
2. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 15-20 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork.
   
   
   

Simple Black-Eyed Peas with Collard Greens

Ingredients

• 1 large bunch collard greens, chopped (about 4 cups)
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 green or red bell pepper, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic finely chopped
• 3 tablespoons canola oil
• 2 (14.5 oz) cans crushed or diced tomatoes, low sodium
• 1 (14 oz) can black-eyed peas
• 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon thyme
• 1 teaspoon black pepper

Directions

1. Wash collards, remove stems, and slice leaves into strips. Cut across strips to cut leaves into bite-size pieces.
2. Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add bell pepper, onions, and garlic, and cook for 3-4 minutes.
3. Stir in collards to coat with oil and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring regularly. (Add water if collards start to stick to the pot.)
4. Stir in tomatoes, cover, and cook for another 10 minutes.
5. Add the black-eyed peas, cider vinegar, and spices.
6. Stir well, cover, and simmer on low heat until collards are tender.
7. Serve on a bed of rice.

Strawberry Spinach Salad (Because what is the holiday without the fruit)

Ingredients

Dressing:

• ½ cup white sugar
• ½ cup olive oil
• ¼ cup distilled white vinegar
• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
• 1 tablespoon minced onion
• ¼ teaspoon paprika
• ¼ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Salad:

• 1 quart strawberries - cleaned, hulled, and sliced
• 10 ounces fresh spinach - rinsed, dried, and torn into bite-size pieces
• ¼ cup almonds, blanched and slivered

Directions

1. Make the dressing: Whisk together sugar, oil, vinegar, sesame seeds, onion, paprika, and Worcestershire in a medium bowl. Cover and chill for 1 hour.
2. Make the salad: Combine strawberries, spinach, and almonds in a large bowl.
3. Pour dressing over salad; toss to coat. Refrigerate for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.

Happy Juneteenth!!! Healthy Juneteenth!!!✊🏽

As Always Talking to You in Adult Terms!

Talk About It Tuesday (Pause...Be a Man)

What? Was I not supposed to say that? Oh Well!

As Always Talking to You in Adult Terms!

A Praise for Praise This

It's Black Music Month, And the "church girl" in me wants to talk about Gospel Music. The movie god of Sister Act 2 & The Fighting Temptations blessed us with another tale about redemption via choir competitions. The movie is called Praise This. It's a Peacock Original about Sam (played by Chloe Bailey) who was taken to Atlanta, Georgia by her father due to getting in trouble with the law in Los Angeles and is forced to join the Praise Team at church as punishment for getting caught lying to her Aunt and Uncle. And yes, there are some Good, Bad & Diva (shout out to Andre of Black Nerd Comedy) moments in this one. Let's see about them, Ok.

The Good:

The most popular acting names in this movie are Chloe Bailey & Tristan Mack Wilds (PG) So, it was refreshing to see faces that are associated with Gospel & Rap comfortably stand toe to toe with them.

I want to see Quavo (Ty), Jekalyn Carr (KiKi), and Koryn Hawthorne (Fallon) in more roles. They were fun to watch. This movie is a redemption tale but that was not the only lesson taught 

• Being a Truly Nice Person
• Grace & Mercy
• Teamwork
• Loyalty
• Unity

and the main character is the only one learning them. "There could be a room full of baddies, but there is still going to be a weirdo". ~Slim Let's talk about that weirdo aka my favorite character in Praise This, Jess.

In another reality in the Metaverse, my biological name acts like Jess. She is unapologetically herself no matter what the hockey puck others may think or say. She stole the show. The music is great. There is a little love/attraction for the BHM, Big Handsome Man in the movie. The ladies loved Aaron (played by Druski) There are traditional Gospel songs, Rap music, & Rap & R&B music flipped with Gospel lyrics. Can Chloe Bailey do an album flipping music covers? This a story that gives a glance at the lives of the kind of church girls (and boys) that Beyonce sang about. They aren't pretending to be perfect Christians. They are just living a believable Christian lie.

The Bad:

This movie obviously concluded by making the viewers feel there has to be a sequel. I mean there is "wanting more" and there is "unfinished" in cinema finales.

The movie ended unfinished. In the 3rd act, a character makes a dating confession and the movie gave us ellipses when an easy period could've been placed in the end with a wink or peck on the cheek. (Oh if they do make a sequel, can we also get a particular bodyguard to admit his attraction to the non-baddie in the room) Also, Mental Health Therapy is referenced but not seen practiced. 4 characters live in a home of a psychologist. We see some of them sing, paint, party, & pray but no counseling.

The writers could have just been shown as church folks and never referenced to their jobs. I know their behaviors  personalities had to help explain the actions of the singing teams. But the pastors' interactions, "beef", & snark was annoying.

The Diva:

"You're not serving a look?" made me cackle. It had to be said. Because one character's choice of wardrobe was too on the nose for me.

I was over the thot knots but preferred the fun jumpsuit and tucked-in fitted tees. And I want Jess's cat jumper made with books for myself. Now, there was one competing group called The Promise Ringtones whose dresses got 10s across this blog's board every time. They were cute, current, and still showed some skin.

And who let the Prodigal Bros in the competition? I would've had to bind the spirit of lust in Jesus' name from my heart & other parts at every performance they were at. Gosh, they were handsome. *wink*

Praise This is a fun movie. Happy to add it to the list with The Fighting Temptations & the Sister Act series.

Who has seen Praise This? What did you think? What would you like a sequel? And what would like the plot to be? Alrighty, Praise Him!

As Always Talking to You in Adult Terms!

Talk About It Tuesday (That One Death Question)

Well...

As Always Talking to You in Adult Terms!