Blazing Bootz

Bootz had an accident this weekend :(

I was turning on the stove to start cooking and it was making the "tick, tick, tick, tick, tick" sound that the gas burner makes before the flame comes out.  Bootz heard the ticking and flew to the stove, placing his face close to the burner.  I quickly reached out to move him out of the way but I wasn't fast enough.  The flames burst through the burner and popped Bootz on his whiskers. He ran around for a few seconds in shock as the flames blew out and now he is whisker-less on one side of his face.

I cried and cried and cried and kept asking myself WHY didn't I think to just turn the stove OFF?!  I called everyone I could think of and no one felt bad for me or for Bootz.  Everyone just reassured me that he would be okay and that his whiskers will grow back.  I felt like this was my second cat-neglect moment.  I'm going to be a crappy mom.eh..

A Love Song

Have you ever heard a song so good that you just wanted to play it out until you didn't like it anymore?  I just watched this low-budget movie that had this amazing song that started to play when the two main characters forgave each other with that 'one perfect moment of eye contact.'  It was such a good song that I waited until the whole movie was over just to see the song list in the credits.  Because this artist is like...not mainstream or something (I guess), I had to hunt her down.  So serious - I had to go on Myspace just to find her...no joke.  She only had 5 songs posted and coincidentally, this song was one of them.  What's funny is that they used it as a love song on the movie but when listening to the whole song, its actually a gospel song.  I can't link the song directly on here but you can check it out by clicking on the link to her music page:

http://www.myspace.com/music/player?sid=30567382&ac=now

  Speaking of the topic...I haven't talked to DJ really.  He hit me up last week to say that he misses me (he's out of town).  I don't think I like him that way anymore...guess I'm back to the one-month thing again. -shrugs- what can I do?  Nothing...I know who you're expecting me to bring up right now but I won't (other than this). lol. I'm going to church tomorrow I think...I miss it.

FYI

 Bootz looks dead while he sleeps sometimes.  Creepy

Healthy Attempts

I'm starting to enjoy my weekends a lot more than I used to.  :) This weekend was my first time going grocery shopping since I moved into the new place.  And I am PROUD to say that it was my first time buying healthy foods only!  I actually checked the nutrition facts on almost everything.  I'm really trying to eat better (starting Monday) and this was a big step for me.

The healthy refrigerator :)  

orange juice, water (laying off of sugary juices and sodas), yogurt (my dessert), eggs (for my egg whites), turkey bacon (for my breakfast sandwiches), grapes/oranges/cantaloupe (fruit snack), bananas/blackberries/strawberries (for my cereal), veggie platter (veggie snack), tomatoes/lettuce (for my sandwiches), and shredded/sliced cheese (for my chicken salad wraps).

the healthy cabinet :)

tortilla bread/mayonnaise (for my chicken salad wraps), brown rice (for my stir fry), oatmeal, cereal, Triscuits/100 calorie popcorn/tortilla chips and salsa (snack), applesauce, peanut butter (for my toast), and sweet balsamic vinaigrette salad dressing (i ended up not getting salad. stupid)  

the healthy freezer :)

pepper stir-fry and vegetable medley (for my brown rice) and chicken breasts (for everything. lol)  

I will start with foods and see how things go.  After about 2 weeks of this, I'll throw in some workouts too :p.

Job Transfer

I am finally getting a job transfer to Chicago (I currently work 1.5 hours away from Chicago)

This will save me $400 a month, 60 miles less on my car per day, more hours to sleep, and a greater opportunity to get a part time job close to my house.

I start on Wednesday :)

Is This Why I Blog?

"I think its important to have some daily ritual in your life that gives it a sense of consistency"

The Best Baby?

What the hell is the best baby of all time?  Like...what requirements go into winning that award.

If they don't kiss the grass that she walks on, I don't know whose grass they kiss.

Chase embraces black history

 

I have no idea why this was so funny to me.  Chase bank had this posted on their website.  Of all of the verbage that you could use...how can you place MLK's 'preserving and sharing' comment (in reference to the human race) in the same category as banking?... as if their share plan is as deep as MLK 

In the words of my coworker Chris:

  ‎‎"Chris"[5:39 PM]:  Like...I don't think Martin Luther King said "I have a dream that everyone should have open up a savings account."

Trying Something New

Yesterday I tried a new place for dinner.  It finally registered to me that I am living in this cute neighborhood with all of these adorable cafe's and shops and bookstores.  I should definitely be taking advantage of this and try some new things.  Eventually I want to be able to pass by all of these places and make little suggestions for each of them.  Like "oh this place has the best cupcakes." and "you have got to try the cream soda pop at this place."  -giggles- I'm getting excited at the thought! lol :)

Weekend That I Love

This weekend was crazy fun.  I had so much fun, that I am almost anxious to go back to work!  Two friends of mine (that don't know each other) came to Chicago and kicked it with me.  One of the guys I used to talk to back at home.  Actually, he was the last guy that I talked to from home.  We were cool until I told him that I was moving to Chicago and then he disappeared on me because he said there was no point anymore.  We met up at this StL and Chicago rap event.  It was nothing but guys from my hometown there.  Man, I cant tell you how good it felt to be around people from my city...it was like I was back at home again.  Although short, it temporarily cured my homesickness :).  Anyway, I had a couple of tequila shots with him...silence...definitely not smart because I am a lightweight.  As expected, I got messed up and he ended up driving me home (which he wanted to do anyway).  We started talking about what happened between me and him and he told me that he 'wanted me' back -sigh (bad sigh). Where I am from, he is one of the best guys to talk to  - has his sh*t together, is attractive, confident, swag is ridiculous, doesn't work a 9-5 bec he does his own business ventures.  He's a good catch...he really is...but not for me anymore.


He left and then I went to visit my second friend (who is just a friend-he has a girl and I don't wreck homes).  We just hung out for a while at this poetry reading at this really cool new spot downtown with one of my new female friends up here.  This place was so cute and quaint that I instantly fell in love with it.   Warm colors everywhere with the sounds of jazz music and delicious sandwiches and salads for customers.  They even have a live jazz Friday every week.  I'll definitely be there and I'm thinking about making this my new spot.

After me and my homegirl dropped him off, we went on the southside to find this rap event.  It was like...midnight and we were tripping.  When we got there, we changed our minds because we saw all of these people walking out on crutches.  She says "if this many people are walking out of one spot with crutches, then something ain't right about that spot." lololol.  To make it worse, it was next to a damn clinic!! -lmao-.

She went home and I made one other stop while I was out there...-thinking about what to say next-....Yeah...I'm going to leave that alone.  ;)

Oh yeah! Today I played video games with my friend Chris (I traded in some games for 007) and he tried to teach me how to play the first person shooting games.  That sh*t is bogus.  I hate the warfare games.  I like mystery-mission games only (and zombies)!  But I just realized that most games are going to be shooting games so I need to get with the program.

My night capped at taking pictures for the OZ family at the studio tonight.  More photos to edit. -sigh (good sigh).

-GREAT weekend-  

How Circumstances Impact Your Life

While in the middle of Jahmatik's photoshoot the other day, I started thinking about how much of my life (all of our lives in general) has been affected by circumstance.  There I was...photographing this complete stranger...because of him, facing my fears and taking a chance again at photography.  "How did I get to this moment?" I thought.

..through a music showcase that my friends invited me to

...a music showcase that I only attended because I was still vibing off of a recent event 2 weeks prior...
...and that event I was invited to by a girl (a girl that I never talk to) that I met through a friend
....a friend who just happened to visit me during his trip to one trip to Chicago

For some reason, this girl thought about me when sending out invites to this event...for some reason, I went.  If I didn't, I would not have went to the second event.  If I didn't go to the second event, I would not have met Jahmatik.  If I would not have met Jahmatik, I would not have touched my camera.  If I would not have touched my camera, I would have had the courage to try photography again.  All because of circumstance, something fell into place for me.  Isn't that crazy?  Maybe I am over thinking this. But it made me realize that so much of what happens in my life has nothing to do with just me.  I can say all day that I want 'this' or 'that' for myself.  But until the right people and elements arrange themselves into my life...well...how much can honestly happen?

Getting My Feet Wet Again (Jahmatik photoshoot)

My Valentine's Day Gift

 

update: 2/14/2012: I returned this.  I changed my mind about it.  I think I will wait until I can get the ring that I truly want.