Life from my view

This year for myself, I added to my vision board reading 1 book a month by black authors. It has been off to a GREAT start so far.  I want to share my reviews of these books so that others can reap the benefits of my readings and I can simply share my opinions. January - "Blackbirds" by Eric Jerome Dickey So, I purchased this book 2 years ago for a friend who was in the hospital. She gave it back, it sat on my shelf for a year.  Eric Jerome Dickey and I have a long standing relationship. I fell in love with his writings in 2005. Books I had no business reading as a teenager, but he talked about things I had no knowledge of such as sex, love and weird family dynamics. I can honestly say he taught me a lot. From "Milk in My Coffee" to "Cheaters" and even "Between Lovers" I could imagine or even see myself in his characters. I spent plenty of summer days curled up on the couch at Cedar Valley College reading his work. So reading this book w...

As I sit here in DFW international airport reading "Don't Settle For Safe" by Sarah Jakes Roberts, I am compelled to write on the importance of setting boundaries. Boundaries keep us safe. Safety is a primary foundational component of Maslow's hierarchy of needs. Basically, we need boundaries at our core in order to survive. Relationships are one of the hardest areas of our lives to create and maintain boundaries. Why is this? Our need for acceptance tugs at our inner being to disregard the natural boundaries that our conscience created for us. Whatever it may be- friends, significant others, parents or siblings we want to be accepted. But at what cost do we pursue acceptance? As I have grown and matured in all things called life, I realized that I had created boundaries that were too loose as well as disregarded others all together. I had to realign myself to think in terms of boundaries when approaching any situation. Here are a few of the questions I asked myse...

Check out this review of LARK on the Park on Google Maps https://goo.gl/maps/6Rb5soDtvrr

Check out this review of Velvet Hookah Lounge on Google Maps https://goo.gl/maps/6SDQJvWLycN2

Check out this review of Fort Worth Water Gardens on Google Maps https://goo.gl/maps/M6WaPVK8LCG2

It is almost 2018 already and I have yet to post my last few trips but tonight I didn't want to talk about my trips, my goals, or any of that. I just want to share my candid thoughts. As I reflect on the last year, I am saying to myself- I never imagined I could be this happy in a relationship, this satisfied in life, this comfortable with my own thoughts. I am thankful for my family and the new friends he has placed in my life. I was challenged with change this year and now it's about to be 2018.... I guess what I want to say is accept the changes that life has for you. Enjoy moments, laugh, cry, be comfortable in your in skin and if your not be confident in your decision to change it. There is so much you all don't know that I don't have time to share tonight but given my new take on life blogging is back, books are back, wine never left and bae is good. I'm just really happy to be happy right now.

First things first- when someone dies it is "Sorry for your loss" Not LOST.... OK CARRY ON... Sept 23, my paw paw left me. He was my first date, my etiquette instructor, my listening ear and my biggest cheerleader. You paid me for my good grades even just this year in grad school. You taught me the importance of having a plan. I had to create a full proposal for you on what I would spend this much needed 600.00 on while in New York- I asked you provided.  You were very much so what I needed in this life. I lost Liz at the age of 13 and now you at the age of 28. I dealt with it a lot better this time around, but it still hurts. I wanted you to at least see me get married, but you can't live forever is what you told me. I will miss your presence in your spot on the couch, I am just thankful for the years that we got.  It was a combination of things that finally made you leave. The heart problems; you suffered through 5 heart attacks in my lifetime alone- 2 open heart ...

Wonderful- Wonderful- Wonderful trip. Very relaxing- great small town feel. Where did we stay- "The Springs Hotel" Ok so we could have chosen a better hotel but it was cheap and "on the strip" Right near the national park and walking distance from most of the other sites. This hotel was archaic but what do expect from a 3 star hotel that raves about dead visitors lol.... it looked like a haunted hotel, the bed had a quilt that looked like my great great grandmother created it, no microwave or fridge, the outlets had rust coming out of them- not sure how safe that is, no hair dryer and one chair in the corner that was forest green- but hey we were not there for the hotel. Things to do: Hike in the national park- we took the "Dead Chiefs Trail" I was tired but bae on the other hand was Mr.Dora The Explorer. We ran into the old navy hospital turned asylum and it looked haunted as well. There is a theme going here. But there were small pockets of hot sprin...

REFINED CARBOHYDRATES AND PURIFIED SUGARS found this on the internet- at diagnosisdiet.com What are Refined Carbohydrates? It is actually easier to define which carbohydrates are NOT refined, because the term “refined” is very confusing. ALL sugars and starches, EXCEPT those that come in the form of a natural whole food like a piece of fruit, a Lima bean, or a sweet potato, are considered refined carbohydrates. If you are looking at a sweet or starchy whole food that you could come across exactly as is in nature, you are looking at an UNrefined carbohydrate. Refined carbohydrates are forms of sugars and starches that don’t exist in nature. They do come from natural whole foods, but they have been altered in some way by processing to “refine” them. Processing methods include industrial extraction, concentration, purification, and enzymatic transformation. It’s easy for most of us to identify sugars, because they taste sweet and usually come in the form of crystals, s...

Habits are hard to break- aren't they? So are routines....so are traditions. It has been quite a while since I have shared any updates with via my blog. I have been living in lala land of falling in love again. With this change has come many changes from experiencing a guy who buys me flowers just cause, to him taking a vested interest in my spiritual life and why I do what I do, to him easily becoming a part of my family from Day 1. Funny what can happen when you prepare yourself to receive the blessings of God. So on to change....it is inevitable right? Yes it is. I have attended the same church since I was 8 years old. This is the church that my parents decided to join and we have made it our home. I met some of my best friends at this church, had my heartbroken, experienced triumphs, celebrated births and even came together to bury loved ones. I have had my share of both ups and downs from being a 20 year member of this church. I have been in ministry, I have experienced se...

My first post of the year. It has to be a good one! Something to motivate others and inspire them or maybe just an update of my life and where I am mentally. I do not know where to start. After leaving this in draft for about a month- I finally decided to share my goals for 2017. I am in the midst this weekend of constructing my 2017 vision board. I am very satisfied with the progress I made on my 2016 vision board. Buying a bike, saving money, Grand Canyon, registering for my very first mission trip, 4.0 in grad school and of course finding love again. My initial reason for this blog was supposed to simply be my travel journal and it turned into my vent stage about relationships, morphed into my online therapy sessions and minor praise breaks. I am not quite sure what 2017 holds or what goals I am aspiring to for lots going on family wise but I am in a state of peace. IDK- we will see. Current artist fave: Ella Mai

Insecure on HBO has become somewhat of my ode to 2014/2015. IF this was not my life..... LITERALLY I was like Issa Rae if you do not get out of my house- like were there video cameras in my past apartment? Needless to say I am eagerly awaiting Season 2. So what are the parallels you may ask. Let's see. 20 something year old, black female, college graduate, dating, wanting marriage eventually, great friends, introvert/extrovert, talented in so many ways, super goofy, can be the life of the party,  somewhat finding myself, not sure who I am in love with or what love really is. Yeah that was me. And I had my own real life Lawrence. My friends and I laugh at it now but yeah my real life Lawrence was full of potential, stubborn, prideful, super smart, well educated, handsome, and just there on my couch just like Lawrence. He was unemployed in search of Gold but too prideful to say yes to entry level positions all while being hot and cold when it came to our "situationship...

My goodness! 2017 is upon us and I have been slacking on this blog thing. I have good reasoning for that though. Grad school, new job, new man just new life all together has been keeping me occupied and pressed for time. This year has been a great one! I set out on a journey, finished some projects, started some others and now I am ready for the next chapter in my life. Let us give me a hand clap for a 3.8GPA in grad school 12 credit hours down all A's..... got my mojo back. Trip wise- I went to the Grand Canyon, took my sister on her first plane ride and locomotive ride- check us out. I also went on my first cruise with the family- check us out- Carnival Freedom!!! Anddd.. Chantel's got a man at home (channeling my inner 90's song list) Chante Moore.... And he's so good to me!  That was unexpected-  The holidays this year have been blissfully wonderful. The entire family know...

I have wrote and deleted and wrote and deleted. It has been a while but I have been on my grind for work, school and cultivating a new relationship. Kind of in my feelings today. Not sure why. Loving my job, in a good place mentally, kind of stagnant physically but that is an ongoing process but all in all life as it is- is good. I am scared of the feelings. I am scared of falling off of the ledge again and being hurt. But the journey is so worth it. Falling in love is what life is about whether it is falling in love with a person or your lifes passion. Love is worth every text message, every argument, every fear, every laugh. I am in this new place and it is scary for me. I know what it is like to be in love and it be unrequited- but I have no clue what its like to be loved and be in love at the same time. It is new territory for me and the LOVE word- let me not. I am so afraid to use that loosely. His question to me- are you happy? I am so for now I will enjoy the journey and tr...

This weekend I had the joy and honor of hosting the Launch Party for "ITM" Dallas. This initiative is a mentoring program geared towards young minority males to provide them with an outlet to be themselves and find their purpose in life. This program is not like others where I call you 1x week and maybe show up to a few games. It is about giving and receiving what you need to succeed.  The premise of the program is to not only mentor young men but for those same young men to then become mentors for a lifetime. The level of accountability is unsurpassed. As a mentee- I can mess up and maybe slack on my goals a little because someone (my mentor) is there to guide me, but once I become a mentor- someone else is now depending on me to be their guide and I now have a true empathy and understanding for their plight as a mentee- because I was there. It is genius. Consistency is the goal and we are committed to changing the world- 1 life at a time. Successful launch party on 10...

This new experience is so refreshing. To be on a journey to find God and he bless you with someone to share in that journey with you. Of course if you read any of my past post- you know that my last two relationships were not ideal but that they taught me a lot and forced me to take a long hard look at who I was and who I wanted to be and I have been on this self discovery journey sometimes a little low but always pulling through. This celibacy journey has really impacted my life in ways I never imagined and now to be the inspiration for those close to me to pursue celibacy and real relationships I am overjoyed and humbled. I am now leading others in the right direction just by living my life the way God wants me to. The peace of mind I have, clear focus- I did not know that I could be so interested in someone without sex....I always saw sex as the means to express my love to someone but its so much deeper than that. Until now- making the conscious decision to wait until...

When its new and refreshing Smiling while texting Foregoing my beauty rest to talk Occupying my mind Making time Feeling safe It's Different Genuine You think you in Alicia Keys early 2000's music videos Feeling 15 Transparent Possibilities Confidence When It Just Might Be...REAL

Family vacay time LOL yep up the street in Flint, TX. 10 miles outside of Tyler, TX. So my parents are a part of the generation that actually bought timeshares... yeah smart right- well this time it kind of - sort of paid off. We got to stay free of charge- just used the accumulated points. Outside of horrible customer service from the Holiday Inn staff- all in all I had a wonderful time with my family. My siblings and I had fun messing with each other and making useless snap chat post, it was relaxing- one of the best naps in life on Saturday and I went a full day without phone service due to my case blocking reception in the woods- weird.  Here a few snaps of our time in Flint. So if you just want to get away from all the noise of the city- but not be too far- visit Flint, take a boat out on to Lake Palestine, stay a night- get some quiet time. #Texasgirlsdoitbetter in honor of this awesome Olympic season we have had....I digress

Was not sure what to title this particular post. So many new things and blessings happening in my life right now. For starters let me say God has really been pouring into my life these past 2 months alone and I can truly say that I tried him. Now-- he is trying me lol. I made 1 year on my trek to celibacy Aug 3, 2016!! It was a struggle, I cried a lot and I had to dig deep in order to get to the root of why I even started having sex before marriage. Past the surface self esteem stuff and actually come to grips with the fact that I was lost. I knew so much and so little at the same time. Wanting to be loved, not knowing what it truly was or how to properly give it. So year 1- done! The level of growth and being able to see these guys for what they are right then and there has truly saved me some time and energy. A (BOY) and I emphasize boy because of his mindset tried for several months to invite himself to my place of residence after I clearly stated my stance on celibacy and even ...

Let me start by saying- wonderful location. In the heart of Oak Cliff- Bishop Arts District- very charming and right by another specialty restaurant VH Pho House so no competition there. Either you want something fried or you want soup.. This review will definitely be my invitation for people to come back into and support Oak Cliff. With all of the gentrification going on- I am definitely taking part in enjoying what my hometown has to offer. Oak Cliff has been known for far too long for negativity; crime, AIDS epidemic and a struggling school district- but no longer. We are making some changes and I am here for it.   The 30-seat dining room is a cozy blend of homegrown (local staff, one page menu with explanation of ingredients (I need that)) and rustic modern (eclectic drink menu, main street patio seating, dallas trolley stop). You can also eat at the 4 seat bar with direct views of the kitchen staff and the stove. Jonathan's menu is by-the-book southern. Grits and o...