Uuummmm ... I'm sorry?

Okay so you guys knooooow how much I love NPR so a lot of my conversations start with "so I heard today on NPR...". okay so I heard today on NPR a story about methods of achieving success in product development. Blue rooms seemed key ... as well as having a little freedom to do your own thing. Okay so maybe I'll paint a room sky blue and take a little time to do something spur of the moment. Makes sense. I'll be sure to pencil that in. Except for the part where they said red rooms were also effective for problem solving ... Ummm is it blue or red people? The same they are not ...

Something I also heard today was the fact that at one time Proctor & Gamble had more PhDs than any other company -- we'll say in the US because to say in the world just sounds wrong. Anywho I'm always thinking of companies I'd like to invest in. Only problem is I think of these lists it's a list of unicorns I'd like to own. I don't ever do anything about it!!! What's up with that?!?!?!  Such a 70's baby!!  I know what it is though. I seriously looked up P&G while watching Duck Dynasty and chomping down some bbq chips (I counted out a serving earlier ... this time, not so much) ... back to P&G: So you can invest in the company through a broker or directly from the company. I need help guys. seriously ... between the investment options, fees and Medallion Signature Guarantee I'm confused. But I'm GOING to invest in some individual stock before the end on this year. I am. I don't care if you don't believe me. In other news: I got four new cameras this week. New to me. Polaroids .. SOOO excited .. Thanks Scott! More on that some other time. Back to Duck Dynasty now and building my stock portfolio some other time ... 

FINALLY!

So I guess I must have just been waiting to lose all my privacy before I came back to Google... 7:39 and they haven't come to take me away yet ...

So so sorry I haven't posted in a while. I'm sure all three of you really missed me ;) ... my laptop d-d-died and I had to gather my pennies for a new one. My FIRST new one to be exact (all previous have been hand-me-downs). Reminds me of the days when I'd get hand-me-down sneakers  from my sisters. Hey, it just wasn't a high priority. But I will tell you what IS

GETTING FIT!! ... I MEAN DIESEL - CUT - RIPPED - TEN!!!!!! One of my fitness consultants - lol - said I need to start working out 6 days a week - 5 at the least ... ... well, desperate times call for desperate measures and since smoking crack is not a option, 5 to 6 days a week workout has to be. Yes, that's how it goes - exercise or dangerous drugs. At least that's how it appears as I skip fat-burner ad after fat-burner ad in  a popular fitness magazine. i. must. resist.

okay so this is the workout I did today - POP Pilates ... I really needed to take it easy on my knees today ... the workout did grant reprieve for my dear kneecaps. My abs and glutes served their time.

Now I must say, even in the midst of all this fat-burning talk, I do wish I was going to be in Charleston for the Food and Wine Festival this weekend.

I'd just have to lunge from one food tent to another...

Directly above the play dates and meetings, the matches and greetings,
floats the ever changing theatrical splendor of water and ice upon dust.
Dare I say all of us have at one time been constantly captivated
by these endless acts of atmospheric stage?
I must say for better or worse I have yet to lose my
fascination with the cast of
         grey monsters, pewter butterflies-
objects to push and pull into the confines of my imagination -
or sit back, let go, chin arched-play dates, matches and meetings aside -
and watch with eager anticipation.


Slight side:

"Wonder" by color of clouds

Wonder

Whip It ... Cont'd

Pics from the 2011 Carolina Natural Hair Expo!!
It was great - can't wait until the next!!

Whip it Rock it Fro it Chop it

Source

Not since the days of the fistest black afro pick has the concept of going natural been so widespread. Of course everything is relative. I mentioned "natural hair" to a friend today and found it a bit humorous as I tried to explain the paradigm shift that has allowed more and more african american women to embrace their God-given coils and curls, just as they arrive, with both arms, a willing spirit, a search engine, detangler and an arsenal of bobby pins. I jest now but when I coupled growing out my natural hair with morning runs before work, I quickly realized why they call it a "journey". A journey it has been. And while there are many variations of a few reasons to grow and live with yourself without alterations, for me I think the biggest is just to be able to firmly tell myself "you can fry it, die it, cut it and buy it - but just know: you're perfect just the way you are".

If you are natural, contemplating a transition, wanting a big chop or just want to come see what all the new vocabulary is all about, come out to the Carolina Natural Hair Expo in Columbia SC on Saturday October 29th 10am-4pm - Advance Tix are 5 bucks - you can get those here -- I will be shooting the event and selling my photog wares including some new images from my recent trip to Aruba! Hope to see you there! - toj

I got a feelin

Exactly what is it about the coming of fall that creates a ch-ch-chill up my spine?  ummmm the chill up my spine perhaps.?. nooo it's not that cool in the south yet. I just left caribbean waters and am back on dry - very dry - land. But now I've gone back to an added little chill in the air. Just enough to be totally refreshing and exciting. Maybe it's just me. Maybe it's just memories of daddy taking us to the fair or ma wearing her infamous cookie-monster rope. The smell of a sweet potato baking in the oven as I looked for the missing foot to my beloved fuzzy socks. The promise of hot chocolate with extra marshmallows. Oh, I know it's not even close to being that cold but the first little chill in the air reminds me of chilly times gone by. I hope my nieces and nephews have bright colored robes of their own and look for their fuzzy socks and curl up in from of the tv at night with a cup of hot cocoa. It's just one of those things you gotta do. Like bubble baths and roasting marshmallows. Like having someone to scratch your back or comb your hair until their arm gets tired.You certainly can live without them but life's so much sweeter when you don't.

To all the little kids with no mommy or daddy - I hope one day you get your fuzzy socks, hot chocolate, trips to the fair and someone to embarrass you with a cookie monster robe.

Freshman 10

We all know how they get it -- pizza and beer, rinse and repeat ... but hey, you don't have to kiss those glory days goodbye! There's always a chance for a great time and few extra pounds!!! lol

Alas I will not be able to make this event (Jesus may have turned water into wine but I do NOT think he'd miss bible study for a kegger) YOU on the other hand may be perfectly free and in the downtown Columbia SC area ... stop on by ... these art-lovin girls and boys are always happy to see new faces!

and check out their more refined, thought-provoking activities here :)