Christmas Me-Me
I love Christmas! It's my favorite holiday even though folks complain about how commercial it is. I choose not to chase after Christmas sales and stress myself out. I choose not to stand in line and get agitated. I choose "peace on earth and goodwill toward men" LOL.
During the holiday season, I just get this warm feeling inside. I am at peace. I am content. I am thankful.
I lifted from BZ. Come on folks - you know I am unoriginal!
1. Hot chocolate or apple cider? Hot Chocolate with extra marshmallows
2. Turkey or Ham? Turkey - I can't stand ham
3. Do you get a Fake or Real cut it yourself Christmas tree? A nice fake one that we use every year
4. Decorations on the outside of your house? No
5. Snowball fights or sledding? I'm going to say sledding. The kids I grew up with used aim for your face in them snowball fights!
6. Do you like hanging around the fireplace because it's warm? Oh yes!
7. Do you enjoy going downtown shopping? I enjoy shopping everywhere. I am not picky. During the holidays, I shop online because I REFUSE to stand in lines.
8. Favorite Christmas song? "Chestnuts Roasting On an Open Fire" by Nat King Cole
10. How do you feel about Christmas movies? "A Christmas Story" is the best holiday movie ever! (The Chairman hates it though)
11. When is it too early to start listening to Christmas music? Before Thanksgiving.
12. Stockings before or after presents? No preference
13. Carolers, do you or do you not listen to them? We don't really have those around my way. I live in the DC area - we don't roll like that.
14. Go to someone elses house or they come to you? I cook Christmas dinner for my parents, siblings and in-laws.
15. Do you read the Christmas Story the night before Christmas? No
16. What do you do after presents and dinner? Sit around, watch TV, laugh and just bond with the family
17. What is your favorite holiday smell? Those limited edition holiday-scented candles from Bath & Body Works
18. Ice skating or walking around the mall? I can be found in the mall AFTER the holiday madness. Ice skating - not me!
19. Favorite Christmas memory? Me and my sisters opened our gifts before Christmas and tried to rewrap them. My mom was not fooled - nor was she amused. We also didn't have Christmas that year! LOL
20. Favorite Part about winter? Snow storms when we don't have to go to work
21. Ever been kissed under mistletoe? Nope
22. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree? He wraps them *eye roll* Ain't no Santa!
23. Colored lights on tree/house or white? Colored
24. Do you hang mistletoe? No
25. When do you put your decorations up? The Chairman and my daughter put them up shortly after Thanksgiving. I do nothing. I'm lazy.
26. What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert)? All food is good food (except ham)
27. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? I think I was 5 or 6. I saw a black Santa in the mall and that pretty much ended it for me.
28. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? When we were growing up, we opened them on Christmas Eve. Now, the gifts get opened on Christmas Day.
29. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree? Like I said in #25, I do nothing. I just observe the finished product.
30. Snow! Love it or Dread it?I love it when it keeps me home from work. Hate it when I have to shovel it
31. Can you ice skate? Please...
32. Do you remember your favorite gift? A pair of roller skates when I was in the 4th grade and a diamond tennis bracelet from the Chairman Christmas 1999.
33. What's the most important thing about the Holidays for you? The true meaning of Christmas - Christ was born to save the world.
34. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert? Any desssert will do just fine!
35. What is your favorite holiday tradition? Having the family over for Christmas dinner (#14)
36. What tops your tree? A star.
37. Which do you prefer, giving or receiving? Both!
38. Candy Canes! Yuck or Yum? Yum!
39. If you can have one GIFT this year what would it be? Anything from Tiffany & Co - woooo!
50 Question Me-Me
The reason I enjoy these me-me’s so much is that it’s easy for me to tell about myself when people ask me. I’ve never really been good at just volunteering info about myself. I got this off of BZ. (Thank Chica) So here goes….
1. How tall are you barefoot? 5 feet, 7.5 inches tall2. Have you ever flown first-class?Not yet3. One of your favorite books when you were a child?The Cat in the Hat4. A good restaurant in your city?Kobe5. What is your favorite small appliance?Microwave6. One person that never fails to make you laugh?My kids7. What’s your favorite Christmas song? "Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire”8. What was the first music that you ever bought?Gosh… I really can’t remember…9. Do you do push-ups? I should 10. What was one of your favorite games as a child? Manhunt (hide and seek taken to the next level; played best in apartment complexes with about 20 other kids)11.What is the one thing that you cook that always receives compliments?My barbeque chicken will make you wanna jump up and snack your mama – SAY WHAT!12. When you were twelve years old, what did you want to be when you grew up? A Doctor13. Your favorite Soup of the Day?Hot & Sour soup from the carryout14. What in your life are you most grateful for? My family and my health15. Have you ever met someone famous? Do local politicians count?16. Date Of Birth?Winter of ‘7517. Top 3 thoughts at this exact moment:a. I feel like reading Essence b. Can’t wait till this weekendc. What are my kids doing?18. Three people you're thinking about right now:a. The Chairman (can’t wait till our getaway this weekend!)b. My friend Tai-Tai (she just lost her aunt)c. Prof X (My brother in law – is he going to make that pound cake for Thursday?)19. Name five drinks you regularly drink:a. waterb. cranberry juicec. lemonaded. Spritee. ginger ale20. From what news source do you receive the bulk of your news?NBC 421. Current hair? A really cute wig (I’ve been lazy about myhair for a few months now. Sue me!)22. Current worry?Trying to get rid of this sore throat23. Current hate? Road kill and deers that run around my neighborhood like they pay mortgage!24. Favorite place to be? MAC counter, Sephora25. Least favorite place to be? Work26. Do you consider yourself well organized?Not really. I could do better27. Do you believe in a afterlife? Yes!28. Where do you think you will be in 10 Yrs? I’ll be a sexy 40-something year old image consultant!29. Do you burn or tan? I guess I tan (?????)30. Who was the last blogger you hung out with?Notyourmomma31. Are you more optimistic or pessimistic about the future?Optimistic32. Last time you had an alcoholic drink? A glass of champagne at my cousin’s wedding on October 14th33. What songs do you sing in the shower?I don’t really sing in the shower (surprisiingly)34. What did you fear was going to get you at night as a kid? Monsters in my closet. I swore they were in there35. What’s in your pockets right now? Cough drops36. Last thing that made you laugh? Royce’s Daughter latest blog!37. Best bed sheets you had as a child?Can’t remember38. Worst injury you’ve ever had?I fell off my bike while going downhill when I was 10 years old. I scraped my knee up something crucial. You could see the white meat!39. Favorite song? Anything by Sade or Earth Wind and Fire40. How many TVs do you own?Three41. In the last calendar year, how many people have you told that you love them?All of my family members42. Last person that made you blush?The Chairman. He said I was beautiful. I was in bed coughing and hacking up looking right crazy.43. Best Compliment received?Your make-up is flawless LOL44. What song is in your head?"I Can’t Stop Loving You” by Kem45. What is your favorite book?I have so many! Anything by Michele Andrea Bowen; Hadassah by Tommy Tenney; The Color Purple by Alice Walker46. Last meal you cooked for the opposite sex? I made oven-fried chicken for the Chairman last week47. What songs do you want played at your wedding?I had every song I wanted played at my wedding48. What song do you want played at your funeral?"Comforter” by CeCe Winans49. What were you doing at 12 midnight last night?Coughing and reaching for the Robitussin50. What would you like to accomplish with the remaining years of your life? Fulfill the destiny that God has for me (I’m still in the process of finding out what that is); raise my daughters to be beautiful, God-fearing, productive women; be the best friend I can to my homies; travel all over the world; there are just too many things to name!!!!!
Then and Now
When I Was Younger…
I resented the fact that my parents were so strict and overprotective. I swear they used to say “no” to everything! Well, at least it felt like it.
Now…
I am grateful that they taught me self control, the value of hard work, manners, and just basic common sense. I realize that they were only trying to protect me. I am trying to do the same for my daughters.
When I Was Younger…
I hated being the tallest girl in the class. I felt like a tree with my long arms and my jheri curl (hey it was the 80’s and everybody had one!). It was awkward, especially standing next to boys who were shorter than me. Clothes were either too baggy or not long enough. It sucked!
Now…
I love my height! Plus I got to stroll down the runway a few times. So I really can’t complain. Nowadays, there’s not a pair of heels that I won’t wear! Can you believe my baby sister (Ronique) is taller than me??? And thank God for GAP long and lean jeans (and all the other retailers who made gear in long and extra long!).
When I Was Younger…
I was embarrassed at the fact that my family was African. Having my friends call and hear my parents’ accent was the worst! And I wouldn’t dare wear my African clothes in public! I couldn’t bare the jokes. I think I got called every name in the book (african booty scratcher, etc, etc).
(Then the 90’s came along and everybody and their mama got afrocentric. Being African wasn’t so bad anymore.)
Now…
I know who I am. I appreciate the heritage and traditions my mom and dad passed on to me. I know exactly where I’m from. I’ve been to Ghana and visited the villages and towns where my parents grew up. In Ghana, I experienced a peace I’ve never known. I still have a lot of family there. I NEED to go there again. Plus where else can you get your hair braided for $15???????? Say what!!!!
When I Was Younger…
It sucked to have to drag my little sisters (Anecy and Ronique) with me everywhere I went. My mom made me take them everywhere. I wished I was an only child so I could have my freedom.
Now…
It’s not fun going anywhere without them. It’s crazy how we’re so close now. Thanks mama – I guess you were right.
I am grateful for all the hard times, ridicule, constraints, and discomforts that I've experienced. I realized now that it all happened to shape me into who I am today - not that I've achieved everything but I am a work-in-progress.
