My better half: The Aspiring Politician..sorta

He loved this excerpt and shared it with me, now I will share it with you.

A listener sent in an email, reminding me of this quote from Dr. Adrian Rogers. Rogers was born in 1931, right before our imperial federal government began its massive FDR induced expansion. In 1996 Rogers wrote "Ten Secrets for a Successful Family." He wrote that "by and large our young people do not know either the importance or the value of honest labor." I think Dr. Rogers got this one right ..... at any rate:

The quote: Here you go:
"You cannot legislate the poor into freedom by legislating the wealthy out of freedom. What one person receives without working for, another person must work for without receiving. The government cannot give to anybody anything that the government does not first take from somebody else. When half of the people get the idea that they do not have to work because the other half is going to take care of them, and when the other half gets the idea that it does no good to work because somebody else is going to get what they work for, that is about the end of any nation. You cannot multiply wealth by dividing it."

In researching this quote I noticed some predictable liberal whining; like this one: "So what are the poor supposed to do to survive? Like now, when millions are losing their jobs." So ... government plunder is OK because poor people need to survive.
My research, cursory as it was, let to another quote; this one from Gary North:

"It is true that democracy undermines freedom when voters believe they can live off of others' productivity, when they modify the commandment: 'Thou shalt not steal, except by majority vote.' The politics of plunder is no doubt destructive of both morality and the division of labor."
I just LOVE that quote! "Thou shalt not steal, except by majority vote." That quote should be on the office door of every congressional Democrat; and no small number of Republicans.

Oh Jackie.

My style icon. Jackie Kennedy. She was classy and magnificent if I say so myself. If I had the funds to have someone make my wardrobe, it would mirror hers. That would be a dream come true.

Nature is my pal.

I enjoy hiking and this particular mountain and I go way back. It kicks my rear every time. If you have never visited Kennesaw Mountain in the fall, then you should make plans to do it soon. It is so lovely and perfect right now.

LBG in the house.

Don't lie. You can't live without this bag. I can see it in your eyes. Lucky for you, I know where to get it.
http://www.etsy.com/shop/LBGstudio

You, Me, and Politics.

I stated before that I was gonna touch on the subject of politics. I personally am not going to share with you because I am still learning myself. My better half has taken it upon himself to teach me..it may be a little one sided but he knows I am smart enough to make my own decisions. He is very strongly opposed to our current president and I hear about it daily. So until he can sit his busy self down to write for you, I thought I would post this photo in his honor. More to come. It should be good.

Go Dawgs.

Both kinds. Go Georgia Bulldogs!! Also, you can see a Cocker Spaniel at the top that I called my son for quite a while. He was my little baby. I loved him dearly. Don't fret, he is with his Dad..well sorta. :) Look at that face. It totally screams "LOVE ME"!

That time of year.

Halloween, punkins, chili, and kiddies in costumes. The perfect time of year. My little ladybug up there is a future Gap model. Keep your eyes peeled. Vic and I were total rockstars: P!nk and Carey Hart..we were a total hit. Last but not least, I LOVE chili. It is so hearty, filling, and warm. You really can't ask for more when it's cold outside,except maybe some apple cider.

Sail away, sail away....

The upside to being unemployed (there are few), is that you can take advantage of random things that come up when other people can't. Such as ...your g'mom calling you up and saying " I have points that need to be used for a cruise, but you have to take it in the next three days". Ummm...ok. So Vic and I along with three of his friends went to Miami and caught a boat to the Bahamas. It wasn't exactly what I thought it would be. Lots of eating and gambling and hangin around on a boat wasn't my cup of tea, but it was amazing considering it was free. I had to experience it at least once.

Addict.

I found this recipe on foodgawker and I have made it twice already. I think it has become my favorite because it looks and tastes amazing and only requires minimal effort.

Needed:
brownie mix
reese's pb cups.

I have been sharing them with everyone and they are a crowd pleaser.

Overboard.

The last couple of weeks I have been baking like crazy. I have been staring a foodgawker everyday and getting new recipes. The chocolate rice crispy treats that I made yesterday came from the site. They were divine. I have also improved my pancake making technique since it is Vic's favorite breakfast food (with bacon of course). My Nanny taught me well. They are perfectly brown and light and fluffy. The top photo is Duchess' pancake and the the big plate was for her master.

Popcorn poppin.

It's the PERFECT fall day so what did I do? I did what I do best, baked. Chocolate and caramel along with popcorn and nuts. Oh Dear. I found the recipe on the back of a Kraft caramels bag so I thought I would try it out. It is amazing. Just be sure to use Bakers chocolate because it adds a rich cocoa flavor to the mix. I also added a variety of nuts to make things fun.

My attempt at decorating.

Vic's birthday party was this evening. I spent most of the morning today decorating each little cupcake for after dinner dessert. This is a picture of what was left after all the blood, sweat, and tears. The top cupcake is a devil's food cupcake with Oreo icing that I made. The bottom cupcakes are the product of a tube and tips.

Go on with your sassy self.

No me digas!!! Don't tell me that I can make these!! As soon as I saw them, my mouth started to water, maybe because I like sesame seeds. Who Knows?!! Who cares for that matter, just check out this wicked awesome website full of goodies. I thought it said "A dash of ass" the first time I saw it, but like Ms. Shirley said, get your mind out of the bowling alley.

http://adashofsass.com/

Hillbilly "ashtray".

What you see may not seem real but believe me, it is. Vic and I went to McDonough, GA to visit a place called Buckners. At this place, they serve food on a Lazy Susan (?) on a circle table that the whole family can gather around. They serve the norm, fried chicken, green beans, cornbread, and PEACH COBBLER. Yum. After leaving the fine dining experience, Vic and I stopped for gas at a local gas station. We were standing in line to get "lotto" tickets when Vic taps me on the shoulder and reveals something astonishing.... A Spit Cup...made to fit in your drink holder in your vehicle. I screamed out loud...you're sh!*'n me right? No it was true, someone actually created, and is selling spit cups. So for all of you hard core dippers and chewers...stop by the gas station near Buckners and your prayers will be answered.

Max's Coal Pizzeria

Vic and I visited Max's Coal Pizzeria in Downtown because it received good reviews and it was a new pizza joint for my love. We were very impressed by the atmosphere but the food was average. We were quite disappointed because we felt it was overpriced. Needless to say, we will not be returning but if you have a group who can split a $20 medium pizza then you're in luck because this is the place for you.

Something new to crave.

and it is not a Honda.

I just discovered Diamond Glazed Pecans. They have to be the most amazing things that I have EVER put into my mouth. I used them along with a prepackaged mix for pecan bars and the outcome was phenomenal. These pecans taste just like the are drenched in molasses or syrup. I tried a few and I almost could not put them down. Outstanding. You can find them at Wal-Mart or least that is where I found them. You won't regret it. They have a few stellar recipes on the back such as Diamond Glazed Pecan Chocolate Frosted Cupcakes or Diamond Glazed Pecan studded Cornbread Muffins. I plan to make the frosted cupcakes soon so I will post the photos when completed.

Adventures with the Bitch: Story two

My poor little Duchess has been cooped up in the house or at doggy day care for nearly two weeks due to rain and home remodeling. The sun finally poked through the dark, ugly clouds today so I took her to this super awesome trail down the road. My boyfriend and I noticed one day that there was a paved and lit walkway under a bridge near our house. He checked it out the other day and reported to me that I needed to see it. He was right, I loved it. I took Duch there this morning and the trail runs into some softball/tee ball/baseball fields at the end. I took her inside the fence and locked the gate and she tore out, leaving nothing but mud and dirt in my face. I decided to run inside the fence as well and when I came around to the opposite side of the field there was a lovely little turtle. I affectionately refer to him as "Mr. Turtle". When Duch saw what I was playing with she immediately tried to pin it down and dig Mr. Turtle out of his shell. I took him away to safe place outside of the fence, but the amusing part of this story is that every time we reached that side of the field, Duch and I stopped to check on Mr. Turtle. She would stop before I did every time and sniff at the gate to locate Mr. Turtle. I am sure he has meandered his way back into the woods but I got a quick photo of him which is located above. He was pretty fly for a Testudine.

The Pottery Place.

Vic and I did not take his niece out for her birthday in June, so we decided now was just as good a time as any. I thought Decatur would be a great place to go because I wanted to visit the toy store there called Hoopla. We took a tour around Decatur, stopping at every "child friendly" place. We visited toy stores and candy stores ....and on and on. After lunch, we dropped into a little shop called The Pottery Place. Here, Vic, Alina, and I spent a couple hours hand painting little random ceramics. I haven't had that much fun since I went to 4-h camp. :) I have posted some of the pictures. The staff was so kind to provide a cupcake and ice cream to Alina because it was her "birthday". She had quite a day, little princess teacup.

"Get Coffee"

It's a rainy Saturday, like most of the days have been this week, and Poppy and I had to drag ourselves from the bed to get the day started. I suggested to him that we visit my favorite little local coffee shop called "Get Coffee" in Chamblee. I know is sounds very mundane, but they have the most excellent lattes and they also have sandwiches and breakfast foods. I stumbled upon this place one day when I got lost and fell in love with it. As you can see in the image above, they have funky decor and it is a very comforting and enjoyable atmosphere. The people who work there are super friendly and attend to your every whim. So if you are around the Chamblee area, you should definitely look them up.

http://www.codyrotten.com/getcoffee/

Lesson of the day: Latin Jazz is my Kryptonite

I signed up for dance classes about a week and a half ago. I was so excited about dancing again that I gave 150% of my energy to my first class therefore causing injury. I strained my hip and one day while I was attempting to sit Indian style, my hip locked up and I was in excruciating pain. I had to steer away from high impact workouts for a week!!! Sad but true. Today I felt I was ready to get back in the game. I chose Latin jazz because I am fairly good at shaking my bon-bon or at least I thought I was. They call the beginner courses "discover" so that really new dancers have a class where they can be surrounded by other beginners, unfortunately I did not know that the experienced dancers like to take beginners classes for shits and giggles. Much to my dismay, I was the absolute worst dancer in the class, surrounded by a sea of veteran dancers who blew me away. It was the longest hour ever. Somehow, I kept a smile on face for the duration of the class and then promptly exited while staring at the floor. I want to do hip-hop next but after being disgraced in Latin Jazz...I feel very intimidated. I may work up the nerve by next week. Cross your fingers.

Food for thought: You do the dishes.

Speakin of Brooklyn.....ahhhhhh...... Jay-Z(moniker one of many). Forget P Diddy or whatever he calls himself and I will go as far as to say forget Kanye. I think Shawn Carter is a lyrical genius. Keep in mind that this is coming from a white girl that does not know a great deal about hip-hop, but I think I can recognize talented folks. He has always been a favorite of mine. The Dynasty: Roc La Familia featuring Memphis Bleek and Beanie Sigel was my favorite album. I wore it out. I think I was very disappointed by the Blueprint album which apparently was a "classic" album to some. I honestly didn't dig it. He has collaborated with some of the finest and now successful talents in the world of hip-hop/pop and let's not forget rock (Linkin Park). I was watching his recent video with Rihanna and I was impressed. There was a period of time that he was becoming a questionable rapper (at least in my mind) but it seems that even if he's wrong, he's usually right. So here's to you Hova. Brooklyn, we go hard.

No Sleep Til Brooklyn

It was a convenient coincidence that my better half owned several Brooklyn shirts before I came along. Maybe it was a sign (wink ,wink). Here he is before our evening walk with the Duchess. I think he reps Brooklyn pretty well and he prefers no sleep til Brookelyn. :)

Artist Showcase: Richard Marsh Jr.

Richard has been my friend for many years now and I have always been impressed with his writing and him in general. I think his enigmatic personality makes his writing even more attractive because I never know his intended audience and maybe he doesn't either. He is a wonderful father to the handsome young man in the image above. J is proof that Richie makes beautiful things no matter what he does. May I present the writing of Mr. Marsh. Warning: this piece contains profanity.

"If God was present, and it wasn't my birthday nor Christmas, would the gifts bestowed have any real reason to be given? "

The heavy silver metal rested at a small, circular point on my forehead. It was gleaming with the innocence of a misguided function, like watching a child play with a butcher knife for the first time. From the point of personal contact the gleam extended up a barrel, past the chrome plated trigger, and into a hand robed in a white glove. The white glove was amazingly clean, as clean as what you'd imagine an angel would wear to a dinner party, or one of Jay-z's private party. I wondered, "how could my death, or anyone one else's for that matter, come from a vessel that only has a purpose of function, that's being held by an angel's colour?" The thought made me smirk. That smirk got me smacked down to the floor by the sliver 45.

"The fuck is funny?" "This shit's amusing? Do I fucking amuse you?" The two people tied down and restrained in opposite ends of the room both gasped and screamed. It was as though the pain my cheek bone had then experienced surged through their veins at that very moment. It's funny how being in the middle, only a few feet from those you want to protect, can feel so far from them that you can't remember what it was to actually touch them.

"So what's your answer?" What's it gonna be?" "It's all up to you for now?" "But don't fucking waste my time!" "Someone here's gonna die....and they're gonna die by your choice."

Dazed, dripping, maybe from blood or sweat, and completely at odds, I tried to regain control of the mind that was once mine, but at this moment was in the hands of function....in the hand of the white glove. "Someone has to die. Ok, if I die, but I have a son, people who depend on me, responsibilities, and..." my thoughts were instantly separated from my body with a kick in the chest with a white, steel-toed boot.

"The fuck are you doing!" Without so much a moment of hesitation, he turned to his left and shot one the tied observes in the thigh. "Does that help your concentration?!" "No, I said calmly."

Evidently my response was unnerving to him, cause he darted down to the floor and lifted me to a seated position. Gripping my neck so tightly that the act of breathing now was being controlled by that angelic white glove, he held my head even and steady. "Look at the funny man now," he said as he put the 45 against my eye. "I'm willing to bet you that right about now you're seeing God huh?"

I don't know how to describe what had happened. Maybe I realized that we three would soon die, not so much because of the choices I was going to make, but because of things already decided, acted upon, and reacted to from my past. But, after a couple of seconds of swallowing blood, and focusing my eye on the face of the man who held function with an angelic grip I said,"Nah, all I see is that no matter what I've done, who I've hurt, and how I've lived, we all are gonna have blood on our hands. The only difference between you and I is that I don't, and won't ever try to hide my evils behind the white."

I can't say that God was there when life had failed me, nor can I say that God has taken favour on any of those who have had times too rough to write about. But I can say that, no matter your past, no matter your obstacle, no matter how difficult or insufferable your vision may see your circumstances may see things, you are given a life that you should live as best as you can. You will falter, learn to laugh it off. You will be hurt, learn to cry through it. You will triumph, learn to share it. But always live knowing that nobody, angels, people, fate, nor function wears gloves that are white their whole lives through.

Marsh

Adventures with the Bitch: Story one.

Blindsided in the park.

Duchess (aka the bitch) has been cast to the side recently due to our home renovations. I use to get up every morning and have a cup of Joe and then take her for a jog/run round the hood. Since we have had strangers in the house and she is a complete psycho, she has spent many days at doggie daycare. Her breed in particular (http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/jindo.htm), are very loyal dogs and need to be near their owners. If not, they start acting out and being foolish which really ticks me off. It is literally the nearest thing to having a child. So yesterday I decided to take her out for our daily jaunt, twice. The second time, we left the house and the temperature outside was amazing. It was approximately 6 or 6:30 when we departed. We took the opposite route from the morning walk because I get bored with the scenery.

We stepped out around the corner and headed toward the nice little park area in our neighborhood. We were just going to circle the park and then head down the side street. I must note that the Bitch is very leash aggressive because she was abused before my boyfriend rescued her. With that being said, we take the turn around the park and there stands a medium size dog without a leash. Immediately, I stop to get her under control. The other dogs ears were down in a playful "I'm just hanging out" manner. So I wait a few more minutes and then I see a very large dog, also without a collar, rushing down the hill. I'm in panic mode and the hair on the Bitch's back is standing straight up. Oh NO! I see the owner who is completely unaware of what is about to transpire, coming down the hill, football in hand. The large dog sees the Bitch and realizes that she has already assumed the "I'm gonna rip you into shreds" mode and he starts to charge. The medium size then follows cause obviously that is what is required of him. At this point, I had to let the Bitch go because she would have bitten me if I would have gotten in the way of her rage. Both dogs jump D simultaneously and start biting and clawing and all kinds of craziness. I am standing there dumbfounded and the other owner is trying to pull the dogs off of D. I was also astounded that my little fierce Bitch is cowering under the massive dog that has begun HUMPING her. I think she was a bit shocked herself. She ran to me after that were finished molesting and biting her. NEWS REPORT: no real damage..it was basically play fighting on crack. I brought her home immediately to check for wounds and they didn't even break the skin. Proof that my dog is completely psycho, she was jumping around in the house and standing at the door to go back outside and play fight some more. Crazy Biotch.

A memorable encounter.

People surprise me. Everyday. Sometimes good, others bad. This one I actually enjoyed. Now, let me set the stage...the Walmart that I frequent in my area has some interesting clientele. Most of them are Hispanic and barely speak an entire sentence in English, the others are overworked and underpaid career individuals who are always in a hurry! It's those encounters that make me think that I may actually be blessed to be out of work at the moment so I can reflect on the kind of person I want to be going forward. Thank you crazy people for teaching me something without even being aware.

So the story begins, I am actually enjoying my visit to Wally world (rare) and I am waiting in line behind a couple who is obviously using food stamps and needs to separate their items according to what they can purchase with the card and what they need to actually pay cash for. I am looking at the lady at the register and feel pity for Ms. Regina because I was in her line before when something similar occured. As I look ahead, most likely looking exasperated, the lady behind me (staring at my Vitamin water) says, "do you know that Vitamin Water is just New York water?" At this point I have no idea where this conversation is going I say "why no I did not." We carried on discussing our love for NY and a few other comments on random topics. When I reached the cashier, I said "Regina does this happen to you all day long?" The same situation happened the last time I was in your line. She laughed and the Vitamin Water lady behind me said "the last time I was here I got into an altercation!!" Regina says "I remember that, you were in my line!!" How ironic? So Vitamin water lady said that the gentlemen that she fought with elbowed her so hard in the line that she was bruised the next day. By this time the entire line is involved in our convo saying things like "girl, you gotta be careful people are crazy" or " he could have killed you". As everyone is expressing their disbelief, shock, and horror, Vitamin water lady says I must say "he was very hot". Everyone's face is now in an "O" shape. Did she really just say that? I asked" Did you tell him that?" She said, and I quote, "you are a very handsome man but I am sure you beat your wife!" Needless to say she required a security escort to her vehicle after the incident. I was so amused that I drove home and started banging this story out. Enjoy.

The Olde Pink House/ Fellini's Pizza

Vic and I attended a wedding party in Savannah at a place called the Olde Pink House. I had the most fantastic (hands down) meal that I have ever eaten. I ordered Lamb that is seen in the picture above. It was cooked to perfection. The exterior was crusty while the inside was very pink and tender. It was served with mashed potatoes and asparagus and a light sauce. It was a very simple but extremely delicious. As most of you know, I usually don't eat meat other than chicken, but on occasion I will order meat to switch things up. It was the best decision I ever made and I ate the entire thing until I was at the low point of chewing on the bone (not lying). Vic was shocked and so proud that I became so barbaric. I think he saw my fangs and we had a twilight moment. No he did not ask me to bite him at the dinner table...that came later.

On our return from Savannah Mr. A decided that he must have Fellini's pizza. I of course, could care less about pizza but when we pulled into the parking lot and stepped out of the truck, the smell washed over me and I was "taken". We decided upon exiting the vehicle, that we should sit out under the full moon and gaze into each others eyes (all you haters can kiss it, I love him). I took a photo of his pizza which had a sweet and very delicious red sauce. I only tried the sauce. I am a freak about tomatoes, Love Em. I ordered the salad which is rather boring so no photos, sorry. I enjoyed it immensely. It had a milky/melty mozzarella on top of it that complimented my pineapple and creamy Italian dressing. We ate so well over the course of our weekend trip that we both got sick :( Gluttony is what I think they call it. I believe it is considered a sin.

Handmade.

My g/f V is really into the this whole handmade thing. So I started looking into it a little more and well...I am rather impressed. She turned me on to a website where you can buy all kinds of handmade things. Some of the items that are posted are reasonably priced, others are not but the quality of a handmade product is substantially greater than the things you would purchase at Target (for example). Follow the link below to artfire.

http://www.artfire.com/modules.php?name=Buy

Me and my Minolta

My daddy gave me a Minolta camera a long time ago and I break it out every now and then. I decided to take it along with me on my trip to New York last week. I am not an expert like Jerrod but I gave it a shot anyway. I am posting two of my favorite photos from that trip.

Jerrod Brown Studios

As seen in previous posts, I like to showcase my very talented friends through my blog. My first artist showcase is Mr. Jerrod Brown. I have known Jerrod for many years. He is a very talented photographer and I have always been impressed by his work. The images and the commentary were provided by Jerrod himself.

1. Shot in Ollyantaytambo, Peru in 2008, it's of a Peruvian woman passing through an alley. I loved the shadow and the light, it's mysterious. Notice the traditional Peruvian style, woman wearing the hat and her bag slung over her shoulder.

2.Warsaw, Poland, 2008. I loved the reflection of the cathedral in the rain puddle after the storm.

www.jerrodbrown.com

Madhatter.

Why I love New York... please see images above. On my recent visit to Manhattan I spent two days walking the streets and visiting every store. I took as many photographs as possible in an attempt to get the creative juices going. I have always been interested in fashion. I can't sew or draw patterns, but I have a decent eye (at least I think so). So I rely on others ideas to decide on what is up and coming. I think New York or probably LA are the best places to see new trends. I hope one day I will have something in a store window:)

Sneaks, Pearls, and Norah Jones

Just a few of my favorite things....

I dig sneaks. I think I always have. Just asked any of my friends from back in the day and they might actually call it an obsession. I have had all kinds. I have always liked Nike, especially old school airmax. You know the first ones with the air all the way down the side. I wore my gray ones until they literally fell apart. I am loving these retro sneaks that they are bringin back and I own a pair that I purchased at Urban Outfitters. I think that is the number one joint to find those type sneakers. I ran across a young athletic kid today that had on a pair of sneaks that I had to have a photo of. Nothing wild and flashy, but just my style. They are seen above.

Pearls. Pearls are so classy and simple. They pretty much go with anything if you know how to rock 'em right. They always remind me of my Nanny (grandmother). I have several pairs of earrings as well as strings that I keep in rotation. You really can't go wrong.

Norah. After the crazy weekend I had, me, Norah, and a cup of tea is all I need. Her voice is intoxicating so no booze are required. I might follow her up with a long bubble bath if necessary. But if I need all three, then I might be in the "danger zone". Everybody back off.