I love The View!

The Co-Hosts Celebrate 3,000 Episodes in Style

So I'm sitting here watching The View....and they are airing the 3000th episode! I know that The View isn't a new show, but I hadn't realized there's been 13 season. I love The View. It keeps me up on my current events, and I almost always feel like I'm right there with them. I would have to say my favorite host it Joy because I love her honesty. I respect Barbara Walters for always holding herself together during all the controversal topics. Barbara has been around it seems like....forever. I grew up watching 20/20, so it's like anything that has her name attached to it...I'll watch. Hot Topics is my favorite part of the show. If I could be a guest co-host on The View, I would gladly go. lol...and I would sit next to Elizabeth and disagree with everything she says just cause. lol.

Dag, I wish I was in the audience to recieve these 3D TV's they just gave out to celebrate this episode. smh

*side eye*

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/blog/ball_dont_lie/post/Every-NBA-team-getting-new-uniforms-for-2010-11-?urn=nba-271675

Does anyone care that all the NBA teams will be wearing new uniforms? I certainly don't. I just want to know who is winning. Silly rabbits.

The Pact

Ok, so I just finished The Pact. Jodi Picoult did not disappoint with this one. She did me proud especially since the past few books I've read have been duds.

The Pact by Jodi Picoult tells a story of two families whose lives are drastically changed after their children decide to take a suicide pact. Jodi is awesome with her ability to show how tragedies can make or break families. I found myself getting frustrated because I just wanted to skip to the end and find out what the real truth was from the night that changed everything.

This book brought soooo many questions into my head. The first thing I thought was how....how exactly do you decide on a suicide pact? I just don't see how you can be like "hey, I want to end it all" and then the other person says "Ok...I'll go with you."

Then, as I read deeper into the book, I was totally tripped out when the relationship between the two teenagers was explained. They were high school students, but they really lead an adult relationship. They spent like every waking moment together. I really don't know how to explain it, but as I read I just felt like their relationship was entirely too serious. I felt like the parents were ok with too much stuff. It was almost as if the teenagers had no boundaries to their relationship....which caused me to have more and more questions.

I can't begin to type all the questions I had because it would give away the book. There were three questions that I had throughout the entire book that still stuck in my mind after I finished the last page.

I wondered how do you go through such a big crisis? The very thing that makes a family whole is taken away....how do your survive? How does the FAMILY survive? Those questions still remains unanswered.

Would I recommend this book. Certainly. Without a doubt.

The next book on my list is Getting to Happy by Terry McMillan. I am actually surprised after all these years that Terry McMillan would decide to make a sequel to Waiting to Exhale. I expect good things. I loved the characters from Waiting to Exhale, and I am hoping that this will be a good read. I'll be writing about it soon. :-)

...I want 'cha...

...On a cold day...cute coat...dark skinny jeans....cozy, little heels. I like!

eeeeeeeyuuuuck!

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/39256807


Ummmm....how are these bed bugs traveling....everywhere?? A few days ago I was watching some show.....can't remember the title, but the host was talking about the bed bugs infestation we have going on in America. I'm just trying to figure out how they're getting to a shoe store? Makes me not want to go anywhere...

Shaq being a Celtic....No Bueno!

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/blog/ball_dont_lie/post/Celtics-fans-can-blame-Kobe-for-the-Shaquille-O-?urn=nba-270942

So I just read this article about suspected reasons Shaq signed with the Celtics. How annoyed am I that Shaq is on the Celtics team??? Very. I'm trying to figure out where....exactly....is he going to fit in? No, I am not surprised by Kobe saying what he said. Who ever believed Shaq and Kobe were back to being cool anyway? Certainly not I. Kobe's skills are undeniable. I am not a Kobe fan, but I have already considered him better than Shaq....if you can even do that since they don't play the same position. All I am saying is what are they doing with my team???? I could care less about Kobe and Shaq's love/hate fest. I just do not want my KG, Rondo, Allen....and Piece chemistry messed up. Where is Shaq going to go? Is he going to push Big Baby's slobbering behind back on the bench??? I hope not. What about the Jeezy look-a-like (Perkins)??? I don't really want to see him on the bench like that either. I am just not happy with this move.

Ebony Fashion Fair come back to me!

I love my mother for the things she exposed to me to when I was younger...especially when it came to our culture. She took me to see so many plays, the Alvin Ailey dancers, and so much more. I loved every minute of it, and I especially enjoyed spending that "girl time" with my mom.

My mother took me to my first Ebony Fashion Show (show is what we called it) when I was about 11 or 12. We had great seats, and from the start of the show I was hooked. I loved, loved seeing everyone. Every year, she had tickets. We always made sure we had good seats, and as I got older I would sometimes take a friend. I last attended the Ebony Fashion Fair in 2003.

Being stationed overseas for a few years, I missed out on the good shows like The Color Purple and The Ebony Fashion Fair. Now that I'm back, I am trying to jump right into the swing of going to see great shows. Gives me the opportunity to get fly, spend quality time, and be entertained. Last year, I decided that I was going to make time to hit up some of the shows that I love so much. I searched and searched for the schedule of when the Fashion Show was going to hit a city close to me. Come to find out, the Ebony Fashion Fair is not touring right now. Following the death of the Fair's producer and director, Mrs. Eunice W. Johnson, the show was canceled. I read on another blog that the economy has affected the show's sponsors. *sigh*....disappointment.

I am hoping that the Ebony Fashion Fair will be able to begin traveling again for the 2011 season. If so, I'll be on the third row, with my eyes wide open, and with a homegirl that loves fashion . lol.....if not, I need to find some kind of fashion show to go to. I like the scene.

...browsing...

So in my usual shoe browsing, I came across these little pumps. I can't seem to stop looking at them for whatever reason. I find them to be...interesting. Something like a stand alone shoe. I can't figure out if I think they're cute--but they're so unique that I know rockin' them would be a pleasure.

"I like ya...and I want ya." <--that's for my Boondocks fans. That's what I think every time I see these boots. I happen to love them. I've been eyeing them for a year, and never got around to getting them. Every time I look at them I see the a different outfit. Nice and simple to show off the boot. I'm not letting these go this year. These boots were made for walking...lol

Every now and then, it's like I have a pretty shoe whisper to me. These black boots do just that. ;-)  Black is my power color...and like my mother says "You can never have too many black shoes." lol.
This purse is also screaming for me to put all my little necessities in it like bottled water, kindle/book...and whatever else I can get in that bag. I love huge purses. I think this particular bag is so me.

Wench

A good book is hard to find these days, I guess. I read all the reviews on Wench, and of course I got excited. Well, I didn't like it. The main character made me mad throughout the whole book. Her loyalty to her master was something I just couldn't fathom. In fact, her love/loyalty to her master caused pain for the other slaves she was close to. I feel like that might be what turned me off from the novel all together.

The Wench was a story about women who were slaves/mistresses for their masters. This novel will tug at probably ever emotion imaginable. When I read books like this, I am always happy I wasn't born in those times. I just do not think I would be able to survive. These woman had no other choice but to be strong and do what they had to do survive. I just can't imagine having absolutely no freedom.

I respected the author for writing a book about this part of history, but I still wouldn't recommend this book.

Resuming back to my original list, I'm now reading The Pact by Jodi Picoult. I expect it to be good, so hopefully I will be able to recommend this one. :-) I'll let you know in a few days.

I sooo love classy dresses like this...

,

....pretty shoes...they make me smile..

 

Just My Opinion

So...I was watching the news a few days ago, and I came across this story about the Florida pastor who was planning to burn Korans on September 11th. Here's an article about it.


http://www.cnn.com/2010/US/09/09/florida.quran.burning/index.html?hpt=T2


You know....I'm not going to say a whole lot about this article, but I will say that I found it disturbing. I, myself, am a Christian. I do not understand how burning Korans benefits the Kingdom of God. In my opinion, our focus should be on winning souls for Christ. The things that we do should be done with the love of Christ. I'm not saying that we should endorse other beliefs. I am just trying to figure how we would benefit from burning something that has absolutely nothing to do with our cause. We need to be praying. We need to be studying...and we need to be ministering. Then, and only then, will our message truly be clear.


As for other beliefs, there will come a day when the truth will be what is it. It is written clear as day in The Bible "Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (2 Philippians 2:9-11 NLV)


On that day, no other god will stand before Christ! Until then, we need to be focused on HIM not burning Korans.

So what do I rate this one?

On a scale of 1-10, what exactly would I rate Eric Jerome Dickey's Tempted By Trouble? Hmmmmm....well, while I was reading the book, I felt like it was quite interesting. I really like how Dickey relates his books to what is going on in America at the present moment. All of his books are relevant for the time, and there is usually some realistic current event mentioned in the book. Tempted By Trouble really showed how money can affect marriage and other relationships, and it also showed how this current economic situation can drive people to do very desperate things. That aspect of the story kept me reading. I wanted to know how the main character was going to get back on his feet.


Let's just say the book had me pretty close to halfway on edge until I got to the 90% mark (kindle). This is when disappointment began. I don't know if EJDicky couldn't decide on which way he wanted to end the book, but there was just too much back and forth.  I honestly think he could've cut at least 10 pages at the end and quit it with the flashbacks. When I read the last sentence of the book, I actually turned my face up. Disappointment. I don't feel like it's the worst book that he's ever written, but I do feel like he is so much better than Tempted by Trouble.


What I will say is this: Eric Jerome Dickey's writing is very intelligent. No matter what the subject is, I never feel like I'm getting dumber while reading his books. He definitely challenges my vocabulary, and I like that.


So....weighing the positive with the big negative, I give the book a 6.5. Eh.

I have made a change on my book list. Instead of reading The Pact by Jodi Picoult, I have recently took interest in a book called The Wench by Dolen Perkins-Valdez. After looking the book up, it seemed like it would be in the category with The Help by Kathryn Stockett. Hopefully, this one won't disappoint. I'll let you know.  ;-)

Thoughts

The desert has a way of allowing me a lot of time to reflect on a lot of things. This morning I got up, and I was a little disgruntled about some things. I wouldn't say I was in a bad mood....just a bit disappointed with people. Then, on the walk home from work, I started thinking that the desert can be compared to prison in some ways. It's not that you're on lock down; you still have freedom. You can't, however, buy a ticket home just because you're home sick or to remind people that you still exist. When it comes to most people back home, it's like you're "out of sight, out of mind." While I was thinking that, I wondered if people in prison feel the exact same way....almost forgotten about. I understand how it happens. I don't think anyone who is away ever expects people to drop their whole life and constantly think of the person who is away. I think it's just kind of shocking how quickly people go on with their lives. But really, what can you expect? Nothing has changed in their lives. The only thing that is different is your presence, which come to find out might not be that big of a deal. In fact, without your presence life can and does go on. People may miss you at first, but they get over it. Soon people get distracted by their everyday activities, and I've found that you (the person away) have to find your own temporary life to keep you distracted from loneliness.


When I first got here, I found myself rushing to my computer after work to check and see who I heard from. I stayed up late trying to make sure I was up when everyone on the other side of the world was up. Then, I realized it's just not practical for me. I am working long hours. I need my rest. I haven't had a day off, and really I have a life to live over here. People aren't losing sleep to talk to me, so I need to take care of me first over here.


I think what always hurts the most is the ache that you feel from missing people who have other things to think about besides you.


BUT this is not meant to be a sad message. It's just some of the thoughts that go on in the mind of Kish. These are the times where I am especially glad that I have Jesus. He makes everything ok, and I always can rest assured that I am on his mind no matter where I go.

..I would rock every pair....

Here's what I thought...

So I finished 32 Candles today. How was it? You know how I said I was super excited to read it? We-lllllll (in my Antoine Dodson voice) that excitement died down...and then it came back to life....and then it went away....and then I was like ok, let's just finish this book. I won't sit here and say the book wasn't good. It's just I don't really know if it was good either. What was it? I guess it was interesting and entertaining. I think what really kept me going is finding out if she was going to get her happy ending. After reading the book, I need to watch 16 Candles because there were just so many references to the film.


In my opinion, 32 Candles was about a girl who was perceived as an ugly duckling who against all odds, becomes more than anybody ever thought she would. After each chapter, I was left wondering "ok, is this going to lead to her happiness?" I think there was a whole segment of the book that was super ridiculous. I had a hard time believing some things could actually happen, but I guess anything can happen in a book.

Another thing that I had a problem with is that she had a negative nickname that she actually answered to. Who does that?!


On a scale of 1-10, I think I would give this book a solid 7. Not so bad, but not excellent. I am still undecided on recommending it.....sorry. *shrugging*

My next book on the deployment list is Tempted by Trouble. I have been an Eric Jerome Dickey fan for at least a decade. Although I haven't been super happy with the direction of some of his novels, the books I do like....I really like. I think this one will be a good one. I'll let you know what I think :-)

The next few books on my list are:
The Pact by Jodi Picoult
Getting to Happy by Terry McMillian
Evil Without a Face by Jordan Dane
In My Father's House by E. Lynn Harris
Going Buck Wild by Nina Fox
Holly Rollers by ReShonda Tate Billingsley
Moth to a Flame by Ashley Antoinette
Sunday Morning Wife by Pamela D. Rice
One For the Money by Janet Evanovich
Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert
Sugar by Bernice McFadden


...and I plan to read more out here.

A Journey

I am getting ready to go on my third deployment in six years, and all I can think about is the fact that I am leaving my husband. This past Sunday, it really hit me hard. I walked into the house, and I felt my whole mood change. Then, I cried....and cried...and cried, and I almost feel like crying now. lol. I shared with my husband as well as my best friend that this time it is different. Every time I have been deployed, I have had my husband with me. I have been fortunate. No matter what I was going through at work, and no matter how much I missed home...I had him there. He was my piece of happiness. He was my piece of home away from home. He represented the people who TRULY love me. My smile always meant so much more when he was around. I don't want to leave my home. I don't want to leave him, but I know I have to go.

I go into this trip knowing that God has a plan for me. Before it was meant for us to be together. When we were in Iraq together, I think it sealed the deal on us deciding to get married. I remember noticing our relationship grow so much while we were there. I knew there was a purpose for us being together there.

This last trip, I feel like we were there to support each other. We both had to deal with so many situations at work that is was a relief to see each other on our days off. We were each other's encouragement.

I am thinking that God is going to use this time to really work on us individually. I think the road will be hard, but I know we can handle it. I am anxious to see what God will have for us at the end of the journey. Although I don't want to leave my home, I know it is necessary for whatever God has planned.

I just don't know what to do with it

I kind of find Kanye West entertaining, but when I saw this litte video I just wanted to know what EXACTLY goes on in the mind of Kanye? I know this is called a "90 second moving painting" but what is really going on in the video? I like to be entertained by entertainers, but I just don't appreciate being creeped out by "thriller" eyes and such. I almost thought that the child from the Exocist was going to jump out somewhere on here. I'm hoping that one of these days Kanye will return from this dark place and be halfway happy again. I just feel like the world is getting closer and closer to the end. Seems like people embrace the dark so much right now.

Closer than a Brother

Are you willing to be friends when it's not fun? Are you willing to do friendship even when it's hard or inconvienient? Can you be friends with someone when they need you for more than a good laugh or familiar conversation? Can you be a friend when someone needs you to encourage them in their situation? Can you be friends with someone after they have held you accountable for your actions? Can you be friends when your friend tells you the truth about yourself? Can you be a true friend when your friend's flaws are exposed? Can you really be a friend? These are the questions I ask myself when I consider someone as a friend. Proverbs 18:24 says "There are 'friends' who destroy each other, but a real friend sticks closer than a brother." Which type of friend am I?

I feel like "friend" is a word that is used entirely too loosely. I have always been picky about the people that I choose to call friends. Sometimes I feel like I can be too picky, but once I read Proverbs 18:24 I realized that friendship really should not be taken lightly. To have a good friend is a gift, and to be a great friend is commendable. I have a few friends in my life who have proven themselves as great friends. My great friends recognize when my laugh is covering the pain, and they pray for me when I am not smart enough to hang up the phone and pray for myself. My great friends never make me apologize for who I am, but they still hold me accountable to the morals that I claim. My great friends also know that any expectation I have of them, I am willing to do myself.

What does it really mean to be closer than a brother? I truly think it means to be dependable. When I think of my family, I always think that it's a no matter what situation. No matter if I am mad at my sister or not, at the the end of the day she's still my sister. This means if she needs me, I am there. This means no matter what the situation is that made us ill with each, we must find a way to forgive and move on. Yes, I am aware of her flaws, but I still have to love her and push her to be better. I really think that's how friendship should work. A lot of times, I think people feel like a friend is not blood. Since they aren't blood, there is no need to invest anything in them if they do something we don't like or if they require too much of our time. Being closer than a brother seems like it means going that extra mile for people you call a true friend. Is it always easy? No....but it's love. I feel like that's mainly what Proverbs 18:24 is saying. A friend loves you like kin. When friendship is thought of in that sense, is it a word that we should really throw around?

...Shoe Alert...

Perfection