• awards,  meme,  my view

    Me? Over The Top

    Super brave American, Frau on a West Family Adventure in Germany was kind enough to bestow this Over The Top award on my blog. At first I thought it was Over The Hill (hmm sensitive much?) but now I know it’s a nicey nice blog award with a fun ONE word challenge. I look it as a fast and furious psyche test. Here I go:

    1. Where is your cell phone? Bed

    2. Your hair? Difficult

    3. Your mother? Ha

    4. Your father? Heaven

    5. Your favorite food? Rich

    6. Your dream last night? Lost

    7.Your favorite drink? Diet Coke

    8. Your dream/goal? Joy

    9. What room are you in? Bedroom

    10. Your hobby? Photography

    11. Your fear? Mediocrity

    12. Where do you want to be in 6 years? Bestseller

    13. Where were you last night? Movies
    14. Something that you aren’t? Calm

    15. Muffins? Banana-Nut
    16. Wish list item? Cartier

    17. Where did you grow up? NYC

    18. Last thing you did? Read

    19. What are you wearing? Jeans

    20. Your TV? Old

    21. Your pet? Wild

    22. Friends? Blessing

    23. Your life? Turbulent
    24. Your mood? Uneasy

    25. Missing someone? Sometimes

    26. Vehicle? Truck-light

    27. Something you’re not wearing? Shoes

    28. Your favorite store? Anthro

    29. Your favorite color? Green

    30. When was the last time you laughed? Yesterday

    31. Last time you cried? Recently

    32. Your best friend? Cherished

    33. One place that I go to over and over? Church

    34. One person who emails me regularly? BFF

    35. Favorite place to eat? Johnny’s

    Now I have to pass the award along to six Over The Top Blogs that I really like. Too bad it’s only six. I like so many of you. Like Frau said, if you’d like to play along too, feel free to join in. If not, NO pressure. Cut and paste these questions to your post. Please let me know if you play along. Today’s picks are:

    Ina in Alaska http://ina-offret.blogspot.com/
    Amanda McCabe
    http://amandamccabe.blogspot.com/
    Deidra at Jumping Tandem
    http://www.jumpingtandem.com/
    Tam Styles at Get It Girl Style
    http://getitgirlstyle.blogspot.com/
    Kate at Babbling about Books
    http://kbgbabbles.blogspot.com/
    The Broke Socialite
    http://thebrokesocialite.com/

    Best,
    Kwana

  • meme,  my view

    Aww Shucks

    What’s Jack up to? Jack’s been a sweetheart this weekend. It seems he’s now getting used to his new food and finally coming to terms with it. Guess he gets it’s the only game in town. So the fussiness has died down. Now lets hoop the food will actually make some type of difference for him.

    My friend, Mel Francis author of Bite Me from over at Mel Frances Bitchin Fiction was kind enough to nominate me for a Kreativ Award. Took me more that a few seconds to figure by looking at the word what the award meant. I know the spelling of Creative is completely whacked but whateves. I’m still very thankful and saying aww shucks. Thanks, Mel!

    Here are the rules for the award:

    1. Thank the person who nominated you for this award.
Done!

    2. Copy the logo and place it on your blog.
Done!

    3. Link to the person who nominated you for this award.
Done!

    4. Name 7 things about yourself that people might find interesting. Eek! Hate that part


    5. Nominate 7 Kreativ Bloggers.
Ok.

    6. Post links to the 7 blogs you nominate.
Ok again.

    7. Leave a comment on each of the blogs letting them know they have been nominated. Ok again. sorry to be a pain.

    Now for my 7 semi interesting things-meh:

    1.I have pretty ugly feet. No really they are but I now get pedi anyway and wear sandals. Life is too short I’m getting over it.

    2.I Don’t like okra. Never have, doubt I ever will. I don’t care how you cook it. Sorry, it will still be slimy to me.

    3.I love Wham. No that’s not all the interesting or surprising with my love of 80’s music, but it’s all I got tonight. Have you all heard this Careless Whisper remake? So different. Yet the same.

    4.I’m highly unorganized. (seems Mel and I share this) I’m a huge piler. It’s a big problem for me. I always have bins and piles of papers around. Heaven for me would be a weekly cleaning service. I’m no domestic goddess. It’s not in my DNA.

    5.My mind works faster and better than my fingers. I wish I could write as well as I think. My thoughts never come out on paper like I’d like them too. Maybe one day.

    6. I’m slightly (maybe not slightly) neurotic. Oh I just am.

    7.I find this task very hard after having a blog for a while. Seems I’ve already let way too much out and am wondering of that’s a bad thing.

    Now for my nominees:
    1.Katie
    2.Debra
    3.Megan
    4.Amanda
    5.Lenore
    6.Frau
    7.Deidra

    Best,
    Kwana

  • jack pics,  meme,  motherhood,  my view,  teens

    Six Things

    Happy Monday! Does that saying make any sense? I guess it does in the fact that Monday can be thought of as a day of new beginnings and all that. See I’m still working on that optimism thing for the New Year. Go me.

    That said, I’ve spent a lot of time not sleeping this weekend. My Gemini mind was racing, racing, racing with all the things I want to do, need to do, have to do. Not to mention the worrying, which goes against what I wanted for the New Year, but that’s going to take a bit more than just wishing to make it so. Grrr… teens!

    One of the thoughts that came flipping through my head at about 4 AM is the fact that I hadn’t responded to a meme I was ever to sweetly tagged on by Great Dame back in December. So sorry, Great Dame. I hope to lick this procrastination thing one day. Sigh.
    Now this type of Meme I had done before, but being the New Year I decided I can give it a go again. I hope I don’t repeat myself. Sorry if I’m a bore.

    Here are the rules:
    1. Link to the person who tagged you.
    2. Post the rules on your blog.
    3. Write six random things about yourself. (See below)
    4. Tag six people at the end of your post and link to them. (See further below…)
    5. Let each person know they’ve been tagged and leave a comment on their blog.
    6. Let the tagger know when your entry is up.

    Here I go…
    1. I was taught Irish literature in high School by Pulitzer Prize winning author Frank McCourt. (1b. I’m a name dropper. I just learned that about myself. Go figure.)

    He was an amazing teacher and gave me a deeper love of literature and writers that I didn’t have before his class. Thanks Mr. McCourt! (not that he reads this blog) And yes, our desks did look like that in the old school.


    2. The same Frank McCourt was responsible for directing me to my job where I then met my DH. Thanks again Mr. McCourt.

    3. As a teenager I had a lavender room which was really a converted dining alcove. On one wall was a life sized poster of Prince. On the opposite wall was Debbie Harry.

    4. This was my phone. I had it in white and adored it.

    5. I’m crazy about sexy historical romances even though I write contemporary (I just can’t imagine doing all that research and getting it right). I just picked up this one: Vanquished by Hope Tarr after she gave a wonderful talk on her writing process at our RWA NYC chapter meeting on Saturday. I can’t wait to dive in.

    6. I’m really not a dog person. The whole Jack thing boggles my mind. So please don’t let your dog just jump all over me and I won’t let mine. I know he’s absolutely crazy.

    I’m not going to tag anyone because I think this tag has gone around a few times over and I don’t want you all to throw tomatoes at me. Instead I’m going to put out a challenge to any brave souls out there willing to pick it up or any of you just looking for a subject to post on, feel free to tag yourself. Just put a comment here and let me know you’re doing it. I’d love to read a few random facts about you.

    Have fun!

    Best,
    Kwana

  • jack,  life,  lipstick jungle,  meme,  tagged,  videos

    I’ve been Tagged!!

    What’s Jack up to? What is the wild dog not up to? He’s been into so much lately. Right now I’m throwing out a stuffed toy that for some reason he picked tonight to rip to smithereens. Oh well. Your loss Jack.

    I’ve been Tagged!
    How did that happen?
    Oh that sneaky Jax that’s how. I’ll get you back somehow, Jax:)

    Ok here goes…
    Here are the rules:Link to the person who tagged you. Jax.

    Post the rules on your blog.
    List 6 unspectacular quirks you have.
    Tag 6 bloggers by linking them.
    Leave a comment on each person’s blog to let them know they’ve been tagged.

    And now, to my sadly unspectacular quirks:

    1. I’ll sort of steal the first from Jax. I kinds of like room tempature water. Too cold water gives me a headache.

    2. Speaking of headaches I can get one from the sun. You won’t catch me sunbathing on a hot day. I’m like a Gremlin running from the bright light.

    3. I’m such a child of the 80’s. I just love 80’s pop. I have an 80’s playlist on my iPod and can remember the day when MTV came on for the first time. I like totally would run to the tv at the first notes of this song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p5zeBVffDl4 . I was going to marry HIM. What did I know? What did any of us know back then?

    4. I have this quirky thing with styling continuity when watching shows. For example it really bugged me when watching Lipstick Jungle this week with how the girls multi-strand pearls kept tangling and untangling as they walked. In the bumpy cab ride Nico even switched to a single strand mid bump. I cringed
    5. I’m really messy, but like a neat silverware drawer. Quirky, huh?
    6. I can’t stand the taste or smell of mint of any kind. Strange, but true. Don’t bring it near me.
    Ok, there are my quirks. I shared. Are you ready to share yours?

    Don’t hate- embrace!

    Best,

    Kwana
  • jack,  meme

    I’m Tagged

    What’s Jack up to? This morning he’s Mr. Jump-A-Lot, as usual. Hopping from the floor to the couch. I’ve taken up my rugs so he’s having a fine time scooting around then jumping back on the couch. Oh Jack!

    So I’ve been tagged again. This time by the lovely Michelle Lauren . I won’t pretend to be interesting or that you’ll want to read this, but I’ll give it a go.

    Here are the rules posted at the beginning. At the end of the post, the player then tags 6 people and posts their names, then goes to their blog and leave a comment, letting them know they’ve been tagged and asking them to read your blog. Let the person who tagged you know when you’ve posted your answer.

    1. What was I doing 10 years ago? Let’s see my twins were 4 and I was still working in fashion. I think I was probably trying to figure out what I was doing with twins and heading off on factory trips to Turkey where there were already armed guards everywhere. It was crazy. The mind is slightly fuzzy.
    I’d work than rush home to pick the kids up from pre-k and have a bit of quality time with them before getting up and on the train to head back to the city to do theme boards and fittings for buyers the next day. Trust me wasn’t much glamor involved in the job. And yes, the devil did wear Prada.

    2. What are 5 things on my to-do list today? Only 5? Insert snort here.
    Write, Laundry, Knitting, Feed family (inc. dog), Write some more. I could go on and on…

    3. Snacks I enjoy: chips, California rolls , chocolate, pasta, bread, popcorn, really anything salty and crunchy

    4. Places I’ve lived: I’m a Native New Yorker. Harlem Girl and Washington Heights now living in the burbs. Don’t know how that happened.

    5. Things I would do if I were a billionaire: Travel the world and still write. Buy a vacation home near some water. I’d give to lots charity, but be really careful about it and personal. I’d like to see the money really touch people in communities close to home first them go more global. There are so many hurting right in our own backyards. Our food banks are stretched so thin you know. It’s a shame.

    6. Peeps I want to know more about: I’m so dang nosy. Can’t you tell? Well, they don’t say alive or dead so I’d be all about asking questions of Jesus and folks like Gandhi and MLK because I think people are always twisting around their words for their own selfishness.

    I’ve always loved Josephine Baker (Nana’s name is Josephine) and have you seem my own hair on most days? I’d love to talk to her about guts in the face of adversity and having all those kids also dancing in bananas!


    You know I’d like to really know Lady Oprah and also Barack Obama because if he’s going to be our next pres I’d like to have a sit down.

    Okay. I’m tagging: LoveWorkMom, Wish List Mom, Megan, Louisa, pbw and David Dust. Have fun. Don’t throw tomatoes!

    best,

    Kwana

  • Books,  jack,  meme,  tagged

    Saturday Meme – I’m it!

    What’s Jack up to? He’s having the Saturday crazies with the kids at home. Extra wildness ensues. Fun huh? Not.

    Well, Jack won’t be too wild, in fact, it should be fairly sane around here for part of the day since the DH has to work and he’s going for daddy of the year by taking the DD into the city with him for the day and leaving me with little league duty and the DS. It’s cool and I can get some work done if I decide to hang at the field with my laptop.

    Thanks so much to you all for checking in with Ask The Agent yesterday. If you missed it please scroll down and check it out. It was fab if I do say so myself.

    So I’m been tagged yet again. This time its by the sly Elizabeth with the page 123 book tag that’s been going around. Here are the rules:
    1. Pick up the nearest book.

    2. Open to page 123

    3. Find the fifth sentence.

    4. Post the next three sentences.

    5. Tag five people and post a comment to the person who tagged you once you’ve posted your three sentences.

    OK here goes…

    This tag is perfectly timed because although I’m reading, like, 4 books right now, I just came from the library to pick up some books I had on hold and I was so excited to get A Moment on The Lips by Phyllis Bourne Williams my new blog friend whose book I’m going to dive right into. Yippee!!! Do any of you do that to? I’m so crazy.

    So, page 123…

    He gently removed the melting ice cream come from her hand and wiped her palm with a napkin.

    “The doctors said I had a stroke.”

    “What?” Grant asked skeptically.

    That’s it 3 sentences. Don’t you want to know more about this ‘her’ that had the stroke and this Grant dude that’s gently removing melting ice cream cones from her hands? I sure do and I will. Yes!

    As for tags, This has really been going around so I’m going to leave the tagging to you all. If you care to play have at it. Leave a comment and say you’re tagging yourself. I can’t wait to see who plays. Have fun!

    Best,
    Kwana
  • jack,  Marley Gibson,  meme,  Reality tv,  survivor

    Quirky meme and Oh Crap!

    What’s Jack up to? He’s probably still laughing his behind off from yesterday.

    Well, I took him for a quickie walk around the block before running out again to run errands. Jack was having no part of doing his business. I swear he was lifting his little legs for the fun of it. A regular kickstand he was. We went to all his usual haunts and no real action, if you know what I mean. So I told him, “too bad too sad. I got things to do, people to see.”

    Right when we were about to go in the house, Jack took in our newly fertilized grass and decided the time to go was now! So he goes and all was right with the world.

    I had Amy Winehouse going on my ipod so I shoved that in my pocket while I pulled out a bag to pick up the, sorry people, steaming poop from the lawn.

    Well, somehow without thinking I misjudged the whole baggy thing and reach down and ended up with a bare hand of steaming hot poop!!!

    OMG!!! How much did I throw up in my mouth? How many hand washings did it take with how many different products to get the smell from my hands? The DH is still cracking up and won’t let me touch him, but believe me he’s bound to come around sooner or later. I have my ways 🙂

    Now onto the Quirks

    The Very Cool Carleen Brice aka The Pajama Gardener tagged me for a meme.

    Here are the rules:
    Link the person who tagged you.
    Mention the rules in your blog.
    Tell about 6 unspectacular quirks of yours.
    Tag 6 following bloggers by linking them.
    Leave a comment on each of the tagged blogger’s blogs letting them know they’ve been tagged
    So here goes a few quirky thinks about me (believe me there are plenty more):

    1. I cant stand the taste or smell of mint. Don’t bring it near me. You might get hurt.

    2.I must take a bath every night. I shower will do in a pinch, but I prefer a bath or I don’t sleep well. I hate getting between the sheets dirty and don’t want anyone getting next to me dirty either.

    3.I don’t like gum chewers. It just bugs me although every once in a while I will have a bit of gum but only bubble gum.

    4.Like Carleen I must have everything in plain site. I’m a piler. If I put it away then it’s forgotten about. Take today for instance. I had been admiring a lovely black satin trench on a knit club buddy, T, the other day and thinking how I need a new swanky black coat for spring. So I’m pondering this really hard, trying to figure how I can find one in the free 25 minutes I have during the day when it dawns on me that I already have one- right in my hall closet. It’s perfect. Black, satin and pretty new from Vera Wang when her Kohl’s line first came out. And I totally forgot I had it. Outta sight outta mind. That’s me.

    5.I’m a huge procrastinator but one that works really well under deadlines. No deadline no workie.

    6.I can’t stand opinionated people, but I’m so major opinionated myself, but I like to think I’m open-minded. What up with that? Hmm. Shrug?

    So for this quirky meme I’m tagging Megan, Mel, Louisa, Elizabeth, Leanna and Maureen. Don’t hate me Y’all. Have fun.

    Have a great weekend. I’m off to Boston for Ms. Marley’s launch Party for her Sorority 101 books with, K , my oldest BFF. We’ve been buds since I was in 3rd grade. Can you believe that? I’m leaving the DD, DS, DH and Jack and she’s leaving her own DH sweet, but totally 2 1/2 year old DS and dog named Morty.

    Mama’s flying the coop for girl’s getaway. Yay!! Watch out world.

    Best,

    Kwana

    PS- Last minute add on- Survivor. Did you watch? Poor James. De-railed. Then Alexis- De-railed? Dis-cuss! Sorry Eileen.