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

Thankful to Debate

The Answer is Great than Good because Food is the Rhyming Word.

Let's talk about the blessing of having opinions (Well, at least the ones based on common sense, truth & logic). Everywhere we turn somebody is talking about their feelings on some topic. I believe wholeheartedly in this truth, "Facts are not opinions and Opinions are not facts". But I also believe you can learn something from everyone's opinion (Even if it is "They have no clue what they are talking about"). And that is refreshing to me. 

Macaroni & Cheese

Pecan
It is just overly sweet
goo & nuts

And this time of the year can be very opinionated. As you see I gave mine to the pictures provided. You might disagree but I don't care if you do. It's just a difference of opinion. Most of those are based on our knowledge & experience of a topic or subject. And there is a big blessing in them & what we do with those impressions.

Macaroni & Cheese
I'm scared to say Sweet Potato
because the Pie version will go Bye-Bye
But Candied Yams shouldn't get too comfortable

I'm like the Old El Paso Soft or Hard Taco Commercial
How About BOTH?

We are blessed that our minds are in such a state that we can think with. And not with just function but with emotion also. And debating and smartly arguing means that we are engaging with one another. After a time where life forced us to be physically away from one another, our different beliefs about everything still pushed & pulled around the world. And guess what?  They are some of the things that kept us, no, are keeping us together. Because we like giving our opinion, we make the time we have on this rock we call a world rather thought-provoking

With Final 2 being
Sweet Potato Pie & Lemon Ice Box Pie
Sweet Potato Pie WINS!!!

Just like one of my favorite Thankful songs says, there is So Much to be Grateful For. And Opinions are one of them. And you can't disagree. Or can you?

If you can't see the video click HERE

BECAUSE IT IS

Oh and back to the first topical picture. Good is Great & God is Good. And whether or not if you Thank Him for Your Food. For me, there is no debate about what he is. He's Greatly Good!!! Alright! Ok!

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

As Always Talking to You in Adult Terms!!!

Watching November, Thanks 📺

Christmas movies get all the attention, but Thanksgiving movies have all the heart for the holiday season. It is no secret that I am no fan of celebrating Christmas before Thanksgiving. Not until after I see Santa at the end of the Macy's Day Parade do I want to hear & enjoy This Christmas by Donny Hathaway aka the Best Secular Christmas song. I prefer entertainment that tells tales about the Holiday of Gratefulness. There are many, many songs about giving thanks but what about films. Oh, they exist. And I have a few favorites.

Tower Heist So, while the Macy's Day Parade is going on, a luxury condo manager leads a staff of employees to seek revenge on the Wall Street swindler who cheated them. What could go wrong? It's hilarious to find out.

What’s Cooking? This movie moves around to four different Thanksgiving meals, all thrown by families from diverse backgrounds(Black, Jewish, Latinx, & Vietnamese) who think they have a few things in common: stress, food, and stressing over food. But they find out they are tied to one another in ways never seen.

Planes, Trains, and Automobiles This is the most known Thanksgiving film. All Steve Martin's character wants to do is make it home for the holiday. But along comes the late, great John Candy's character and shenanigans ensue.

Pieces of April On Thanksgiving night, this is what I watch. I love this movie. Quirky & former rebel, April lives with her boyfriend in a low-rent New York City apartment away from her emotionally distant family. When finding out her mother has a fatal form of breast cancer, she invites the family over for Thanksgiving. But while her family travels into the city, April, a beginning cook runs into kitchen problems and must ask neighbors for help. All I have to say is come for dinner but stay for the cooking.

There are a couple of small-screen gems I like also, A Royal Family Holiday on TV One & Friendsgiving on Netflix. 

But entertainment media act as though there is no value in Thanksgiving movies. I wish they would change their minds. They act like Holly Robinson-Peete & Candace Cameron-Bure only like turkey dinners with a side of Jingle Bells and not with a Cornucopia. Oh well, until November is filled with Thanksgiving movies, I'm bucking the system & watching what I prefer. And I'll do with gratefulness in my heart.

As Always Talking to You in Adult Terms

 

Best of Restaurant Bias: The Fish & Seafood List

I'm not a major fan of most "Best of" lists, especially when it comes to restaurants. It took me a while to do this list. It is no secret fried catfish is on my personal "burned out" list and only eat it occasionally. And there are many fried catfish establishments in the area. But they aren't the only non-meat protein game in town. So, these restaurants were picked out weeks ago. Truthfully the hold-up was, I had to decide the direction I wanted to tell why I dislike Best List for this topic.

I think too many Best of Seafood list perpetuates the incorrect belief that all protein that comes out of the water are seafood.

Don't believe me, ask the average person about their favorite seafood & listen to freshwater fish get named. Hence why I classified my list in the way I did, Fish & Seafood. Freshwater places aka rivers & lakes are not the sea aka oceans & gulfs. So, places that only sell catfish, trout, bass, etc., should not be on the Seafood list. Stop allowing consumers to be stupid. Let them be properly educated.

My Top 3 Dallas Area Fish & Seafood

Top Cat: One of the few Fried Catfish eateries that aren't using lab & farm-raised Swai & Tilapia as replacements. (Yes, I said it. Fish should be flaky and not meaty in texture.) It is fried golden & it is seasoned nicely.

Bucky Moonshine's:  Want some delicious crawfish or shrimp etoufée this side of the TX/LA border. This is the place to be. They have nice land items but their seafood & fish dishes are so tasty.

Hook, Line, & Sinker: A "catfish place" that knows it can be made in other ways than fried. Yes, there are shrimp & fries. But there are Grilled catfish, trout, & salmon, and kabobs also. And they taste lovely. I really wish the others would catch on. But until then, Hook, Line, & Sinker is #1 in my book.

Let's remember! All fish is not from the sea. So, that's not seafood. It's just fish. Outspoken_Diva doesn't want you guys speaking foolishly. Especially because these "food insiders" are leading you to. When you know you better, you do better. (I Love That Quote.) Now, I want a few shrimp & veggie kabobs. Oh, Hook, Line...

As Always Talking to You in Adult Terms!