life

I really did not mean to be gone for so long, but things happen like that.

A couple of good friends have positively pressured me into posting. Peer pressure is dangerous folks.

My overall health is okay, but my sanity is always questionable. The twins are getting over a cold and *drumroll*... pink eye. JT took them to the hospital yesterday and we now have eyedrops for them. William and Keisha are doing a lot better today than yesterday. They just fell asleep to Backyardigans playing in their room. Which reminds me that I need to turn their television off because I can hear it playing now. Pablo is yelling something... or is that Tyrone?

I am tired a lot these days, but according to Kat Williams, when you are a parent you are always tired.

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1. What was the last important thing you were late for?

I was two minutes late for training one day last week.

2. What was the last important thing you were late with?

Last November, I was late with three gifts for a birthday party.

3. What (or who!) is the most frequent cause of your lateness?

Myself. I get easily distracted.

4. Which of your close friends or relatives can you expect almost always to be inconveniently late?

My father.

5. What’s most likely to cause you to stay up too late before bed?

Playing games online, chatting, reading news online, listening to music or blogging.

Thanks for participating, and what took you so long?

Nothing but laziness.

http://www.friday5.org/?p=87

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We spent most of the weekend trying to help William and Keisha fight their colds. It appears that the cold has passed over me this round. Thank God because I usually get a cold from them each time they get it from daycare. Friday evening, the runny noses started... and I was happy that I had just purchased four boxes of Kleenax the previous Sunday. I bought the new tissue with the anti-virus beads in it. How in the hell companies come up with this stuff, I have no clue... but I bought it. I had two coupons, plus it was on sale at Target. I could not resist.

I went back and forth helping William and Keisha blow their noses to get all the gooey snot out. They took turns with their Ewws and Owwws. I kept the Vaseline handy (code name Grease in our household) handy to apply below their noses in order to prevent chaffing. After all of the FDA reports, I have to admit that I am a bit reluctant to immediately rely on over the counter cold medicines for the twins. I kept them pumped with fluids and continued their regular dose of multi-vitamins.

Not too bad right?

But then on Saturday evening, I grabbed William to give him a hug and he felt warm. Everytime William gets a fever, I get scared to death... hoping and praying that it does not get to 101. I went downstairs to grab the thermometer, took William's temperature and it was 100.0. I asked JT to grab the Tylenol and he was on it. When JT went to Schnucks to pick up dinner, he also purchased fruit water. William loves water, but he occasionally gets tired of it. Gatorade is great too, but Keisha and William only tolerate so much of that too. I kind of have to balance out the variety of liquids for them. According the Keisha, her favorite juice is the Yellow Juice. That made me giggle.

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This is an excerpt from a speech by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. called Loving Your Enemies, presented on November 17, 1957.

...So I want to turn your attention to this subject: "Loving Your Enemies." It’s so basic to me because it is a part of my basic philosophical and theological orientation—the whole idea of love, the whole philosophy of love. In the fifth chapter of the gospel as recorded by Saint Matthew, we read these very arresting words flowing from the lips of our Lord and Master: "Ye have heard that it has been said, ‘Thou shall love thy neighbor, and hate thine enemy.’ But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them that despitefully use you; that ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven."

...Now first let us deal with this question, which is the practical question: How do you go about loving your enemies? I think the first thing is this: In order to love your enemies, you must begin by analyzing self. And I’m sure that seems strange to you, that I start out telling you this morning that you love your enemies by beginning with a look at self. It seems to me that that is the first and foremost way to come to an
adequate discovery to the how of this situation.

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1. If you could do one thing in the world, what would you do?

I would become the United States Secretary of State.

2. If you could be any character from a book, movie, or television show, who would you be? Why?

I thought about this for a while and I kept coming up with nothing... but just now, Claire Huxtable from The Cosby Show came to mind. When I was growing up, I really admired her character and her husband, Dr. Cliff Huxtable of course. They raised a family of five children and had successful careers. I always wanted to be like Claire... and I still do, but minus all those kids. I may go crazy if I had five children. I think two is enough, but God willing I would love to have one more. And let us not forget, I do still want a law degree.

3. If you could change one thing in the world, what would it be?

I would end poverty. There are many other things I would end such as famine and nuclear warfare, but poverty stuck out the most.

4. If you could make out with one person of the same sex, who would it be?

Angelina Jolie *ahem*

5. If you could make out with one person of the opposite sex, who would it be?

Dwayne Johnson... hot damn.

http://www.livejournal.com/community/thefridayfive/1466.html

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My morning did not start off so well and I let that mess up most of my day. The Bose alarm clock is set for 4:45 a.m., but I rarely hear it go off. JT is in charge of the alarm, unless I set it for myself. JT will usually turn the radio off shortly after the alarm (music) comes on. I hate the buzzer alarm because it scares me to death, so we wake up to the music instead. On a morning when we do not oversleep, JT will wake up about 20 minutes later. He then tells me it is time to get up.

Over the last year or so, I thought we had come to an understanding that unless it is absolutely necessary, I am not going to get up immediately after he tells me. I guess I was wrong with my assumption. I really hate getting up in a rush. When that happens, I usually get a headache from jumping out of my skin and I did not have an opportunity to get my thoughts together.

I did not argue with JT but deep down I believe that a part of me wanted to. I tried to explain that I just needed a few more minutes, but I got zero sympathy. None. Zilch. Nada. So, I got my pissed off ass out of bed, went into my bathroom, kept the light off, turned the space heater on, locked the door, laid a towel on the floor, put my robe on and laid on the floor for about fifteen minutes.

Then JT went to grab the kids and the next thing I know, I hear William and Keisha knocking on my bathroom door.

Nice move there.

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Today I found out that an ex-coworker of mine passed away. She was not very old... maybe late forties. We were in the same group... at the job that I just left eleven days ago. What was shocking for me is that I also found out that she had sickle cell disease. I wish I would have known that to had an opportunity to bond with someone or share knowledge and experiences. I do not know if she died from complications from the disease. Needless to say, William immediately came to mind. I am feeling very sad.

My thoughts and prayers go to her family and friends. I believe that she has two young sons. I will keep you in my prayers.

I also always pray for a cure for sickle cell disease.

So many thoughts in my mind, but I feel like a wreck.

Rest in Peace D.

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1. Under what conditions can you have the perfect nap?

No music, no television, no other background noise, no children saying, Mommy, Mommy... and fighting, no telephone ringing and no one else talking to me (or trying to talk to me).

2. Under what conditions can you let most of your guard down?

Around people that I have known for a long while and I trust... then I can let my guard down.

3. Under what conditions can you do your best writing?

When I have some classical or jazz music playing in the background, something tasty to drink like a hot cup of green tea and no one disturbing me.

4. Under what conditions would you give away everything you own?

Everything? If I knew that I was going to die at a particular moment, then I would give away special items to loved ones.

5. Under what conditions would you kiss a stranger?

For $250,000. Enough to pay off the mortgage, other debt and buy a car.

http://www.friday5.org/?p=85

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1. What is your favorite fruit?

My favorite fruits are peaches, strawberries, plums and red seedless grapes.

2. What is the last book you read?

My attention span is low these days. I will start reading a book then put it down for something else. The last attempt was a Zane book that I borrowed from a co-worker.

3. Do you like any of your school photos?

Only a handful of them. I like the kindergarten, 4th or 5th, 9th and 12th grade photos. The others make me cringe.

4. Do you ever blow dry your armpits to get the deodorant to dry quicker?

My deodorant dries instantly... people still use the wet roll ons?

5. What was the last film you watched?

The Lake House and Premonition. It was like Sandra Bullock night at our house... I really enjoyed The Lake House... weird but the romantic storyline was very nice.

http://www.livejournal.com/community/thefridayfive/1466.html

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I am truly thankful and blessed to be at a new job. I started this Monday and I have absolutely no regrets. There are only two people that miss me... maybe three. Other than that, I know no one will remember in the long run. Rashaan who? I guess the closest they may come is by saying, what happen to the mother of twins? There is this one kind gentleman that always called me that. For the longest he did not remember my name but he knew me as the mother of twins.

Training for my new job is six weeks but I am excited to do my job and do it well. Over the next few years, I am looking forward to many opportunities to advance in the workplace, unlike my previous position.

I had a weird dream last night. Well, are any of my dreams normal? *thinks* I do not think so... anyway, in this dream, I was dying I was scared to death and I remember the fear. My teeth were falling out one by one and my hair was coming out in clumps. I do not know what the hell caused this in my dream. Was I exposed to radiation? I could not figure out the cause in the dream. I kept asking people to take me to the emergency room but no one did and I kept getting distracted.

Ironically, JT also had a dream that he died... but someone killed him in his.

I did a little dream interpretation search before getting ready for work and it appears that dying in your dreams can be a sign of (positive) change. I place positive in parenthesis because some sources say only change and others say positive change.

I would like to believe that the dream represents a positive change heading in my life. How? I have no clue, but I can still be hopeful.

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