FUNNY TO ME: The CVS holyghost, FACT or FAKE?!

Not that there is anything funny about the holyghost or taking God or Jesus' name in vain but this pulled a little more than a giggle from me. If you've ever been in a store or public area where someone gets rambunctious for no reason, I hope you can appreciate the video below.




Who wants to bet she got this way because her meds weren't ready?

My only complaint after watching this video is that it lacks audience reactions. Could you imagine *thinking* you were going to make a "quick" stop at your local CVS and getting caught up in her behavior? I'm not ever lucky enough to catch things like this on video, but I am thankful for those who are!

Like I said, its funny to me.

Daily Inspiration

GREAT morning folks! Here is today's quote:

No matter how good or bad you think life is, wake up each day and be thankful for life. Someone somewhere else is fighting to survive. -Unknown

Don't wait until the calendar tells you its time to be thankful before you start to give thanks. Start your own initiative to be grateful and stick to it. Make a promise to yourself such that you never allow a day to go by when you don't acknowledge your blessings. Commit to being grateful for the things you have. Moping about what you don't have doesn't change it so why bother with doing it? Accept that things are not as you would like to be without initiating a self-pity party. If you're honest with yourself, you can acknowledge that you have so many other wonderful things to celebrate. Being humble and thankful will take you far.

I recognize that staying encouraged and being grateful can sometimes feel like a job but  thats life. Life is not perfect and no matter how many people "like" your FB updates proclaiming such, no one has a life absent of trials and tribulations. 2011 may not be panning out the way you planned and thats ok. I'm not asking you to confess your troubles or your triumphs to me or anyone else. I want to empower you to be grateful. Don't waste time focusing on negative things, its time you won't get back.  Take it from me, use your setbacks as motivation to keep pushing. If things don't work out the way you planned, it doesn't mean you failed. The only way you can fail is if you quit.

There is ALWAYS something to be thankful for.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving!

Today's Song Choice: Let Go-DeWayne Woods

Talented Generation's Thanksgiving Rules

You've heard it a hunnid times by now: THE HOLIDAYS ARE UPON US. They are so upon us that businesses are erecting Christmas trees and radio stations are playing Christmas music. Don't bother fighting the power, just embrace all of the elements for the next few weeks. If that doesn't work, take comfort in knowing the holiday season makes people nicer. 

As of the past few Thanksgiving holidays, I have realized people get a little crazy and they don't even know it. Their behavior gets irrational and egos end up bruised. Before you carve the turkey and risk getting trampled on Black Friday to save $20 on an iPod, take a few moments and review Talented Generation's Thanksgiving rules. 

DON'T bring your 'holier than thou' vegetarian views to dinner. The holiday season is one of the few times people get to pig out and break their diets without fear of judgment. Don't ruin it with talks of the suffering of the dead animals. Understand we are not bothered when you sit in the corner and eat your cauliflower & beets alone. 

DO ask what is going to be on the menu before you arrive. You don't want a surprise vegetarian meal when you were expecting turkey, chicken and beef. 

DON'T bring a dish to dinner that doesn’t “go” with everything else. If you know the theme is soul food, don’t bring sushi. This is not the time to be different or to try to make your dish stand out by bringing something that doesn’t mesh with the theme. If the theme centers around a traditional Thanksgiving, bring traditional Thanksgiving food or stay at home. Neither you nor your sushi will be missed. 

DO make sure there won’t be too many multiples of the same dish. Everybody can’t bring macaroni and cheese. Everybody can’t cook good macaroni and cheese anyway. Everybody can’t make rice that tastes good. Everyone can’t bake a good sweet potato pie. Too much of one thing means someone will be offended when they realize no one touched their dish. 

DO encourage people to stick to their signature dish. This is NOT the time for people to venture out. If they made the salad for the past 5 years, they are the official salad maker.

DON'T make people wait for the food. If you slated dinner to start at 5pm, people will come ready to eat at 5pm.  

DO make sure everyone knows who made the potato salad. 

DO enforce your RSVP list. You don’t want to give people the opportunity to “crash” your holiday dinners or to bring unexpected and unaccounted-for guests. 

DON'T be afraid to turn "Anti-RSVPers" around AT.THE.DOOR. If you can't respect the RSVP policy, don't bother loading up the car. Keep your non-RSVPing a$$ at home. 

DO make sure everyone knows who-made-what. To avoid a big scene, introduce dishes with the person's name who made it, i.e: "Katherine made the baked beans, Tonya made the potato salad" and so on. This will save a few egos. Trust me. 

DON’T arrive late and then get upset when all the food is gone. 'Nuff said. 

DON’T have the audacity to ask to take the host's Tupperware home with you. Everyone knows about your borrowing tendencies-you don't bring ish back. If you want a to-go plate, your best bet is to bring your own to risk taking home a leaky paper plate wrapped in saran wrap. 

DO have the courage to ASK if its ok for you to bring a dish. Not sure if you need to ask? Here is the standard: If you and your spouse have been together for less than a year, you need to ask OR if you have never cooked a dish for a family get together before, you need to ask too. Chances are, people don't trust your food yet and debuting it at such a large event is not a good idea. Wait until a smaller holiday like Secretary's day.  

DON’T try to skip out before you get a chance to help with clean up. Do this, and your ungrateful a$$ won’t be invited back for Christmas dinner.

DON’T arrive empty handed. Even if the host tells you he/she has everything they need, err on the side of caution and bring something anyway. Ignore this rule and everyone will judge you. Depending on the temperament of your family, you might get called out and kicked out.

DO brainstorm about what you’re thankful for. Nobody likes the person who holds up Thanksgiving dinner because they can’t think of anything decent to share.

DON’T volunteer your house for dinner if its not big enough for the amount of people you’re expecting. Despite what you may think, you can't comfortably entertain 20 people in your studio. 

DO make sure your host site is fully equipped to handle guests. Fully stock everything from toiletries to eating utensils. Make sure everything is clean and in normal working order. People MIGHT not judge you if you run out of forks. They WILL hate you if you run out of toilet paper. 

DO be thankful for everything you have. Even if it isn’t much, there is always always always something to be thankful for. Start with the fact that you have the sanity, intellect and internet access to read through this post. 

Follow these rules or risk certain death. Ok, its not that serious but you get the point. 

Sharing is Caring: Iyanla Vanzant's 7 Rules of Power

Source. 


Many of us think that our power is a tool or a weapon, but, in fact, power is a state of being, the way you see, hold and handle yourself in the world that then determines your experiences. The external world can only respond to the way you hold and handle yourself internally. If you show up as weak, broken, confused and dazed, the world is going to respond to you that way. If you show up as confident, kind, compassionate and loving, then the world is going to respond to you that way. 

This is why we have got to understand that you do not have to do anything to have power. 


The rules are excerpted from my new favorite show Oprah's LifeClass on OWN. The author and relationship expert offers her insights on the one strength every person in the world possesses. 


That said, there are some surprises when it comes to your power, ones that, if understood, can improve your ability to tap into it: 

1. Power is your birthright. Your power goes back to something very simple. 

At the highest spiritual level, you are made in the image and the likeness of the creator—whatever you call that creator—the source of life, the source of all things. You are one with that source—the same source that makes trees, tornadoes, sunshine, the ocean, the mountains, people. You have the same capacity, the same inherent light and the ability to create. This is your birthright. You were born with power. No one can take it away. 

2. The only thing that can diminish your power is your belief that you do not have it. Repeat this to yourself. Every day. 

3. Gold stars do not affirm your power. The way life is designed, we are programmed, conditioned and educated out of our power because we have been programmed, conditioned and educated to please others, to do what others say and to do what others are doing. Here's my classic story: When I went to school, they used to have a board where, if you did your work well, you got a star. There were gold stars, silver stars, green stars, blue stars, red stars. Now, red stars were not good stars. But at least you got a star. Well, when it came to writing, I could never get that little hook on that a. I just couldn't do it. I don't know why. I always got green stars: great effort, just not perfect. It confirmed my belief that I wasn't good enough because I couldn't do what somebody else could. What I know now is that comparing ourselves to others is an act of self-violence, as is living up to the expectation of others or not listening to your gut. These acts are about other people. These acts are all about external validation. Power is you. Power is standing up as your true self. 



You can read the rest of the rules, here. 

The Holiday Jobs Report

The holidays are upon us and seem to be approaching at a faster pace than usual. OR maybe thats just the last minute shopper in me talking. Moving on. The holiday season is an excellent time to pick up a second job A recent survey from snagajob.com found that 51% of hiring managers are filling season jobs this year.

BEFORE you go looking at me sideways, I know retail jobs are notorious for paying low wages while requiring a lot of work but its all about how you look at it. You can either sit at home for hours on end doing nothing and making nothing or you can earn a few hundred bucks working a few hours a week. This is not the time to get choosy.

Target plans to hire 92k season employees nationwide to staff its distribution centers as works and store team members. They accept online applications.

If you're in Kentucky, Zappos is taking application for its 3k temporary jobs at its fulfillment centers in Shepherdsville, KY. The pay is $8.25-$9.00 depending on shift. It may not sound like much, but its better than making nothing

Macy’s is hiring 78k temp works to staff Macy’s and Bloomingdale’s stores, call centers, distribution centers and warehouses. Positions may require overnight, evening or weekend shifts. Online applications are accepted.

Best Buy will add 15k hourly associates; its phone support and distribution centers will bring on more than 3k employees to provide customer support.

Toys R Us is hiring 40k plus toy demonstrators and sales associates. The toy seller is also hiring for 10 distribution centers, including the one in McCarran, Nevada.

There is sure to be an increase in package mailings so check with package handling services like FedEx, UPS and DHL.

If you're in an area that offers outdoor activities, look into working a ski resort. If you need tips on how to search for seasonal jobs click HERE.

TIP: Instead of the old school door-to-door search (the old school way still has its perks), you should maximize the number of applications you complete by checking for a "Career Opportunities" section on the company's website.  Do a follow up call to the company and get a clear idea on the way they usually process applications and to show your interest in a position.It may also help to ask at the places you frequent like various retail stores.  This should be easy because you're already a regular so swallow your pride and ask to speak to a manager. Make sure you do this when you're dressed professionally and prepared for possible on the spot interviews.  

Keep in mind that some temp seasonal jobs have the potential to become permanent positions. Treat them as such.

FUNNY TO ME: Apple's Siri Gets Caught in An Argument

In case you've been living under a rock or you're not a slave to Apple products like the rest of us, Apple's iPhone 4S features an amazing voice command feature nicknamed Siri. The folks over at College Humor created a parody of the Apple promos for Siri. Check it:

See all the CollegeHumor Original Videos here.

Remember, don't drag Siri into your messy arguments.

Like I said, its funny to me.
Source: College Humor

Music News: Bey Drops Vids for "I Was Here," & "End of Time"

Beyonce is releasing snippets of her performances from her concert taped live at NYC's Roseland in August in the form of music videos for her latest megasuccessful album, "4"

Check the vids below:

I Was Here



The video features , the superstar shared personal footage from her life, including her childhood, her early days as a performer, her rise to fame with Destiny's Child, her fantastic solo career, various performances, charity work and her romance with Jay-Z including footage of her wedding dress. Love this video!

End of Time

This is also a snippet of her performance at Roseland in August.

By the way, the Elements of "4" 2 disc DVD set will be available starting November 29.

Bonus: Countdown





Gotta love Bey! She still REIGNS!

Report: DC Shooting Suspect Could be Threat To Obama

Source.

ABC News has learned authorities are increasingly concerned that a man sought in connection with a bizarre shooting incident on the Washington Mall last week may pose a threat to President Obama.

The Secret Service now suspects that a bullet fired in this incident may have hit the White House after a bullet round was found in a White House window, though the round had not yet been conclusively linked to the incident.  The round was stopped by ballistic glass behind the historic exterior glass, while an additional round has been found on the exterior of the White House.

Police believe the suspect, 21-year-old Oscar Ramiro Ortega of Idaho, is mentally ill. Ortega has an extensive record, ranging from domestic violence to drug charges. Sources say a police investigation has uncovered evidence suggesting Ortega has a fixation on the White House.

At 9:30 p.m. Friday, police received reports of shots fired in the bustling area of 16th street and Constitution Ave.

Authorities would later find a car in the area. The suspect had fled, but what police discovered inside the vehicle left them deeply concerned: an assault style rifle and empty shell casings.

Police linked the car to Ortega and have been hunting him ever since.

It’s unclear whether Ortega is capable of launching a sophisticated attack, but police are still fearful of what he might do next.

Authorities suspect Ortega has been in the area for weeks, coming back and forth to the Washington Mall.  Before the shooting, he was detained by local police at an abandoned house. U.S. Park police say Ortega may have spent time blending in with Occupy D.C. protesters.

President Obama, who is currently on a visit to Australia, was not present at the White House at the time of the incident, and in fact has been out of town for the past week. Secret Service officials are not taking any chances with the security of the President and the White House, though, and want Ortega off the street.

**UPDATE: Recent reports state the suspect will be charged with attempted assassination of the President or a member of his staff.
---


I'm not sure why or HOW people are taking this lightly. This guy obviously had a deep seated hatred for our President. He posed a viable threat as he was able to shoot bullets at the White House and doesn't appear to be remorseful.  This is NOT one of the things that should just be passed over. 


There are irrational and violent people who lose sleep at night thinking about the fact that a black man is America's leader. Ok so maybe my southern upbringing left me jaded and maybe I suspect things to be racial more often than I should but this is not about me.  The guy could dislike President Obama for other reasons, I just can't think of any right now. Perhaps my passion is fueled by my support for our President and there will be plenty of time for judging me at a later time. 


I would be lying if I said I wasn't afraid for him and his family. People are willing to do some crazy stuff for media attention and to further a sick agenda. Even if those sick people don't pull the trigger, I'd bet money they would train someone who is willing to do so. Just like this person exists, you BETTER believe there are others like him.  

Dr. Drew's LifeChangers gets REAL

Source: RollingOut.com

I'm not much of a talk show buff but this episode was particularly interesting. In short, a couple has a heated argument about who cheated and brought home an STD on Dr. Drew’s ‘Lifechangers.’ It gets ugly. Watch for yourself...



I'm tempted to search for the show via OnDemand and catch up. Just tempted tho.

Report: Is Congress Trading stock on inside information??!

60 Minutes recently did a documentary on how members of Congress can legally trade stock based on non-public information from Capitol Hill. To some its old news, but to others its a wake up call about how absolutely CORRUPT our government has become. As the report discusses, Congressman get a "pass" on insider trading and that is the reason they seem to be particularly good at trading stock.

Congressman have unparalleled access to the non-public information that affects the market and they legally capitalize upon that information.

I'd like to call for a system of checks & balances to be put into place to eliminate unethical practices like this but I know better. I know better than to ask for such a thing because I'm not sure I would write a law that makes it possible for me and my closest to go to jail for doing something 400 other people have been getting away with. Does this make me a bad person? Does it make the corruption ok? I think not. Does it mean American greed is alive and well? Does it mean I want my piece of the proverbial pie? You can bet your bottom dollar that the answer to both questions is YES.

I digress...

Daily Inspiration

GREAT morning! Happy Monday! Here is today's quote:

Again, you can't connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something - your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life. -Steve Jobs

One lesson I have learned on my life journey is to trust my instinct.  By instinct, I mean that feeling you get in your gut when you're trying to assess a situation. Its that little voice in your head that tells you to exit an urban establishment after witnessing the argument between two men escalate. Just me? Ok.  I know it sounds basic and maybe some of you are far beyond learning to trust yourself... thats excellent; I am on my way to becoming like you.

We are all born with basic instincts and sometimes we ignore them in favor of whatever we can justify. Its like all the lessons our parents taught us but we pretended not to listen to because thats what teenagers do. If my "gut" is telling me something doesn't feel right chances are my gut is right. Now I have to admit, I'm still learning to speak the same language of my instincts so I read it wrong sometimes. Its a journey I think everyone should go through. Too often we ignore our instincts in favor of following someone else. So, with that said I challenge all of you to turn up the little voice inside of your head and turn down the white noise from everything else. Learn to trust yourself because you know more than you think you do. Learn to trust your instincts because you can accomplish more than you're limiting yourself to. As Steve Jobs said, it will make all the difference in your life.

Now if only my instincts could do something about my poor sense of direction I'd be much better off *giggles* =)

Spread Love!

Today's song choice: Rihanna-You Da One

FuNNY TO ME: Funny or Die Spoofs Herman Cain's Campaign Promises

Herman Cain’s Campaign Promises with Mike Tyson from Mike Tyson


For those who don't know me, I'm quite fond of the folks over at Funny or Die. I'm so fond that whenever they create a masterpiece such as the one above, I feel compelled to share it as I have just done. This time they have used the hilariousness of Mike Tyson to spoof the ridiculousness of the character/GOP hopeful (but won't ever make it) Herman Cain. Take a look. Laugh with me. You're all welcome =)

Daily Inspiration

Hello my loves! I hope you're having a FANTASTIC and MAGNIFICAL week! Here is today's quote:

Believe in yourself! Have faith in your abilities! Without a humble but reasonable confidence in your own powers you cannot be successful or happy. -Norman Vincent Peale 

Ask yourself: How do you feel about your life? Are you content or are you settling? Are you happy or are you delusional. 

I'll give you a second to answer...

Times up! I hope all of you were able to answer that you're happy. being happy doesn't mean you have to lie when you say things like "I love my life." It doesn't mean trying to convince everyone that everything is perfect.  It means finding joy in the things you have. It means making a conscious decision to live as a happy individual. It means to accept things as they are today while continuing to work towards a better tomorrow. 

It means empowering yourself to wake up your inner strength. Understand that there is a higher power, a divine power if you will, working in your life and you must get in touch with that power in order to understand your purpose. You will experience let downs because sometimes you need to be broken before you can be molded and re-pressed. Recognize that it is healthy to have your own personal goals, but it is also necessary for your personal goals to ALIGN with your spiritual path. If you have a goal to become something you weren’t meant to be in the first place, you WILL be knocked off of it. So if you’ve been knocked off of our path accept it as a moment of reflection. Open up your heart and your mind to re-evaluate where you are in your life. Have you been forcing yourself into a direction you know should be running away from? 

The same goes for relationships and love. Don’t force yourself onto something that obviously wasn’t meant to be. How many times does your spouse have to tell you a lie before you accept that they are a liar? Be content with that. Accept that they are a liar and don’t waste your time trying to change that. How many times does your spouse have to cheat or deceive you before you’re ready to accept that they are not worthy of your trust? How many times do they have to violate you or disrespect you before you wake up and say enough is enough? 

Life is too short to live without joy. Be grateful for this new day and each new day you are blessed with. Fall in love with your experiences for they will make you strong. 

If no one has told you this yet today, I want everyone reading this to know that greatness is within you. Your current circumstances do not define who you are or where you can go from here. Take your setbacks in stride as a set up to make a HUGE comeback. 

Today's Song Choice: Mariah Carey & Whitney Houston-When You Believe


P.S. I want to first apologize for the lack of consistent posts lately. I'll share the deets when everthing pans out but just know its been really hectic on my end lately. As much as I'd like to stay up late and write posts, I don't have the energy like I used to. 

Daily Inspiration

GREAT morning everyone! First off, let me start by saying ITS MY BIRTHDAY so that makes it an even GREATER morning!!! Yay me! Second of all, its my birthday!!! Ok ok ok, I'm done I promise! Here is today's quote: 


Everyone and everything that shows up in our life is a reflection of something that is happening inside of us. -Alan Cohen

Forgive me, but the post below is a wee bit lengthy. I felt inclined to share. 

Its amazing what you remember when you allow your mind to stop and think. 

I remember the time when my older sister and I tried to ride our bikes through the mud and we both fell. I remember throwing away our clothes because we knew we'd get in trouble. I remember seeing my stepmom in the hospital deteriorating from Stage IV lung cancer. I remember how I felt when she hugged me for the last time.I remember how I felt when I hugged my first niece after she came home from the hospital. I remember falling so deeply in love with her  that words couldn't explain. I remember my first love, and my first heartbreak. I remember the times I felt like God was mad at me. I reflect on those moments now as a time of growth for me. I learned to listen to myself and trust my gut. I've learned that even when it seems like my world revolves around something, its still considered one of the "small things" when I take a step back.    

Its amazing what you remember when you allow yourself to be humbled.

I never realized how easy it is to forget how far you've come. I remember growing up in Belle Glade and being teased for looking so different. I remember crying to my father because I didn't feel beautiful. I remember my first day of college. I remember how many times I wrote my personal statement for law school. I remember staying up late nights studying for the LSAT while still balancing a full course load. I remember how I felt when I first got admitted to Howard Law. I remember calling my friend so elated that one of my dreams had come true. I remember how I felt when I first hit 100 page hits on my first blog.  I remember how it felt to dance with my father at the Debutante ball back in 2004. I remember teaching my younger sister how to ride her bike and the first time she rode without training wheels. Its amazing what you remember when you humble yourself. I remember not getting the score I wanted on the LSAT the first time. I remember not leaving "on time" to move to DC.

I said all that to say that I want all of you to stay humble. Stay in touch with who you are at your core. Most importantly, keep God first (or if you don't believe in God, keep your faith at your core). Its easy to praise him when things are going your way, but I challenge you to thank him for the challenges that shape your character. I challenge you to find joy in your life EVERY SINGLE DAY. I challenge you to NEVER allow yourself to go around feeling sorry for yourself. I challenge you to be grateful. I challenge you to be humble. I challenge you to be good to yourself and to live a lifestyle that works for you. My birthday wish is that you will accept this challenge and go on a journey to create a better life for yourself. 

Peace & Love

SN: I'm maddddd late but CONGRATS to my HUSL (especially Section III) folks for BEASTING their bars! From Florida & Georgia to NY to Cali and every state in between I am proud of all of you! #swag