Presents, Brooklyn, and my guys

1. Rhodney and Renee are the same in that they CAN NOT keep a present a secret for more than 2 seconds. It makes me smile.

2. Excitement of going to Brooklyn

3. My kitties coming home after having spent a month with their aunt and grandparents

End of the Quarter, Family, and Birthdays

1. The fact that the quarter is almost over! I only have a 2 week break but It will be nice… I’ve got tons of things planned for that time…

2. Spending the weekend with Connecticut family that we don’t often see. And feeling sad when I get back to Philly… its nice to know the value of family.

3. Planning for Sungee’s Birthday dinner! Yum!

Evenings of this life, Raises, and ERRO

1. Laying on the bed with Oscar reading my Economics Studies while Sungee sits in the living room stringing basses and singing along to John Mayer

2. Getting a raise! Also nice to be told that my % increase was among the highest in my group… I like to think that this was merit based and not random. Nice to know your work is recognized

3. Listening to Eric Roberson alllllll day long while “doing work and studying”

Couldn’t Hear Me

She would sit and listen for hours as I played guitar yo
Sing my songs up on the radio while she was in her car yo
Her interest will grow She came to my shows
She new every note Each line that I wrote
And suddenly she was in love
In time I met this little girl was attracted to her ways yo
What took years for some couples to build for us it just took days yo
So as time went on I wrote her more songs
Not knowing those songs will soon come along
Leaving me in pain oh...
Show must go on unfortunately
I'm all alone Up from my dreams
Cause she couldn’t hear me over the music
Didn't hear me over the music
Couldn't hear me over the music
She never really knew my song
As time went on she started to see I was not superman no
I may have a gift for these words but I'm no more than a man so
My songs about joy My songs about pain
She loved them the same but to me she changed
Holding on got so hard
I would be up in the studio Some nights she slept alone
She'll get mad, fill with jealously
Cause I'm making love to these poems oh
Now when I do shows it seems she gets steamed
As if I have flings with those girls that scream out my name
And she use to do the same
Show must go on unfortunately I'm all alone Up from my dreams
Cause she couldn't hear me over the music
Didn't hear me over the music
Couldn't hear me over the music
She never really knew my song
If I find love tomorrow hoping it don't follow
The path I've been lost on too many times
Show must go on unfortunately
I'm all alone Up from my dreams
Cause she couldn't hear me over the music
Didn't hear me over the music
Couldn't hear me over the music
She never really knew my song

Renee, Kittens, Sungee,

1. Lunch at Panera with “Hey Ne Ne…” good Lord that woman makes me laugh.

2. The little kittens at the pet store… so amazingly cute! One was black like my guys and Clyde-e-mus... Hope they find nice homes.

3. Sungee’s mid-day phone calls... just because.

Knitting, Pete, and the Random Smallness of the world

1. My current knitting project. (and dare i say... Business school?)




2. This weekend’s vet visit of which both Amani and Kamau received a clean bill of health! And our introduction to Pete… He was hanging on the vet walls…

3. Meeting new and wonderful people and the way that the smallness of the world plays a part… Random Mellow event in Germantown --> Introduction to the coordinators son --> who created new website (the180movement) --> Met someone ELSE at Kaffa immediately after said meeting who knew of the site and just stopped to talk because she saw that I was looking at it… --> Also met an awesome kid from Temple who is joining the Peace Corps after graduation… struck up a 2 hour conversation just because there was no where else to sit!

Losing weight, Funny animals, and Personal Truths

1. Noting that I've lost a little weight. Its a guilty pleasure but a pleasure non-the-less.

2. Sungee's stories of Ernest and Gordon attacking the screen door when the wind blew it open... Animals are extremely funny.

3. My latest "The Way I see it"

Trials of Life, Family, and Confidence in Self

1. A very close friend’s bout with life… in which she exhibited grace, strength, integrity, and dignity... turning a degrading experience and a nasty tattoo reminder into something wonderfully new and beautiful.

2. My family dropping everything to ride back home to Philly with me in order to make sure I hadn’t burned down the Iroquois building. (I had thought I’d left the stove on for hours while trying to boil moisture into my dreadfully dry-aired apartment… whew!) Also got a humidifier so that wont happen again. Good Stuff.

3. Having the confidence to post one of my “Real” blogs (There once was a pig named Hamlet) to a more public place. (My Space)

Mau Types, Lounging, and Discussion

1. Kamau's paw on my keyboard as if hes planning to type something.

2. Waking late, eating pizza hut, and lounging all day with my Sungee.

3. Finding that I have two weeks to do my discussion board assignments for class! oh AND finding that i did well on the last assignment. YES!

Bonding, Laughing at the Texan, ReneeAlise

1. Making friends with other chocolate chip folks and emediately bonding just because they are.

2. Laughing at the Texan with Jim.

3. Seeing a glimpse of the blue shirt Renèe chose for Jasmine on the Oprah promo for today's show!

Bookstores, Ladybug, the Sun

1. Being at the bookstore… sipping hot chocolate and studying Economics while Sungee makes the hot beats.

2. Talking to Lyd who’s spirits have skyrocketed for some unknown unimportant reason. I could hear the smile in her voice!

3. Sun glare… its horrible for driving but oh how nice it is to finally see the sun…

Mel's first 3, Parents on les Phone, and the cat mirror

1. Helping Melody find her first 3BT. She had 5. Wonderful.

2. Talking on the telephone to my parents the entire drive home from work... (Moorestown to Cityline Avenue.) They're great... they make me laugh so hard... Truly two of my best friends.

3. My little cat mirroir from Past Present and Future that Renee got me for Christmas. It sits on my desk at work. Everytime I look at it, it reminds me that she secretly risked life and limb to drive alllllll the way to Ardmore to get it for me on Christmas Eve. What's better than Family?

Inspiration, non-working work, clean windshields

1. I e-mailed Clare, author of the original TBT to ask her how she manages to stay on top of her quest to observe things that give her pleasure… on a daily basis. She responded which I thought was nice since she probably gets a lot of e-mails.

She mentioned quite a few things in her response that are noteworthy, but most memorable are those that point to the idea that NOT finding something beautiful in her day is probably more painful than actually trying to think of something. Simply put, she’s developed a habit so important to her daily life, that to break it has become wrong.

It is a way of recording things that happen in our lives. Blogging in general is of course. But this is a quick and focused way to jot down the sources of joy in each day. She wrote that she writes daily because she knows that it will bring her joy in the future, and also, my personal favorite “thing” that keeps her going…

“I believe that because I write every day, I am a writer.”

*giggle* … I feel the same way. I have a secret desire to be a writer… so maybe if I write every day, that means that I actually already exists as a writer. Go figure! Who knew…

Lastly, she mentioned the following…

“a 3BT doesn't have to be conventionally beautiful. It just has to be one of the three most beautiful things that has happened today. You'll occasionally see things that are not beautiful at all, but are in because they could have been so much worse -- ie, 'Standing ankle deep in mud; because at least it wasn't over my knees.”

2. Talking to coworkers about music and other fun-ness. Things OTHER than work!

3. Figuring out how to replace my windshield washer fluid… by myself. classic

Mani Love + the tragically beautiful death of the 5 spot + love

1. My cat Amani... she's really a beautiful animal. both of my cats are actually. All black with very sleek and shiny coats. But little Amani Love... the girl... she's go this beautiful bright eyes and her fur is a little longer and a little softer. you can tell by the way she sits that she's a lady. she does everything with a feminine edge. as oppose to her brother who is always pouncing a little more roughly than necessary. they really are so so funny.

Amani Love my Kittie

The picture is kinda dark but you can kinda see her. I have tons of pictures of her brother but oddly enough, Amani doesn't photograph well.

2. Proof: Power of the Rainbow.

So the five spot burned down this weekend. Its such a sad moment for so many people. tons of artists got their start on the upstairs stage... especially during the black lilly event. That place means a lot to people on a personal level too. including myself. I wouldn't know half of my friends... and i definitely wouldnt know my boyfriend... i wouldn't have experienced the last 3 years of my life... the good, the bad, and the ugly... had it not been for the five spot.

It will most definitely be missed.

In one of my earlier posts, I mentioned the beauty of the rainbow. In this picture of the burning five spot, a photographer actually captured a rainbow. Its definitely a sign of comfort and hope.



3. its cliche...

I love being in love. Love is beautiful.

Rainbows, the City, and my Baby.

1. Today I like rainbows... not that I've seen one today. but they really are beautiful.

2. The City is amazingly beautiful. From a visual standpoint, with all of the architecture and different people, etc. Philadelphia can be wonderful. I like it especially at night. Driving west on 76 from down town to my part of town... The highway goes almost above and to the left of down town so you can really just glide beside it and take it all in... Lights and skyscrapers... Art museum in all its grandeur... boathouse row. Beautifully beautiful.

3. My man sleeping. His mom thinks so to. I left him sleeping today. Sucked to have to get up and go to work while he got to sleep in. :) but im glad at least one of us got a break today. He works hard anyway so he deserves a day off everynow and then. but yes... he is beautiful when he sleeps. lips and eyes relaxed... and you wonder if he's dreaming and if its a nice dream...
Not sure if its because I love him... but he really is just so peaceful when he sleeps. I guess its possible that everyone is peaceful when they sleep.