I have a Bachelor's degree. I'm 7 months away from a Master's. Today I interviewed for a position today that pays $27,000. The fact that I even found myself in a position where I would considered interviewing for this position boggles me...blows my mind. Is that all my education is worth? I learned $27,000 worth knowledge from Alfrances Sharpe and Frederick Madison alone (for those of you who don't know, those were my most challenging HS teachers, the ones who gave me the hardest time, the one with which I had the most trouble, the ones I learned the most from).
Now, it's easy to blame the economy. Businesses can't afford to hire...blah blah blah. I aint tryna hear that. I've have 3 years professional work experience, WITH my degree, and Kanye aint the only college drop-out making more money than me. Am I bitter about that? Nah. Does it bother me? Slightly. But you know what keeps me going? My faith.
As a faithful tither, I have't missed a bill, a calculation that reaches far beyond my understanding of math because for the past 2 years, my monthly expenses have exceeded my monthly income. Crazy huh? Nah, it's not crazy. It's God. I dare you to try him.
Monday, October 20, 2008
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Technology in today's church
During pastoral observations today, Pastor decided to do an altar call. Now this wasn't exactly unusual, but definately unique. Making note of the many friends and loved ones who may have had a desire to attend church (or not) but were unable - due to illnesses, employment, incarceration, etc - Pastor admonished us to conect with them, right then and there. Everyone pulled out their iPhones, Blackberry, Sidekicks, Razers, Boost Mobiles, Pick-up-and-go's, burners, and made a phone call from their seats. We got Moms, Dads, frat, sorrors, bffs, all them on our phones, brought them with us to the altar, and he prayed.
Just a few Sunday's ago, Pastor viewed all 3 services (plus Sunday school) live via the internet from his sick bed (anyone who knows my Pastor knows he aint tryna miss out on nothing that happens at the Light).
One of our sister churches has a member who is doing some work in India and views her church's services live each Sunday from the internet too.
Oh, and my church has "direct tithing" where your tithes can come directly from banking account.
Church and technology sure has come a log way huh? I'm excited about my church getting that plasma in the fellowship hall so we can watch the football games (after church of course) in high definition on Sundays while we're having our fried chicken dinners between services.
Have you guys seen any innovative technology in your churches or churched that you've visited?
Just a few Sunday's ago, Pastor viewed all 3 services (plus Sunday school) live via the internet from his sick bed (anyone who knows my Pastor knows he aint tryna miss out on nothing that happens at the Light).
One of our sister churches has a member who is doing some work in India and views her church's services live each Sunday from the internet too.
Oh, and my church has "direct tithing" where your tithes can come directly from banking account.
Church and technology sure has come a log way huh? I'm excited about my church getting that plasma in the fellowship hall so we can watch the football games (after church of course) in high definition on Sundays while we're having our fried chicken dinners between services.
Have you guys seen any innovative technology in your churches or churched that you've visited?
Cuddle Buddy Classifieds
How great it would be to be wrapped up in a warm body of masculinity, kept warm and held close until I fall asleep. How much more great would it be to have it be sex-free. I think the idea may be marketable, but is it reality? Opposite sexes, naturally attracted, with a sex-free cuddle routine? I doubt it. Arousel sets in with a mere thought. Throw in a taste of temptation and you've got a recipe for...well, sin (in my case). I don't trust the situation, and I don't trust my hormones. So in light of my confessed weakness, I thank God for affectionate pets!
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
A Condition of Mind
I've come to find that the state of my bedroom is a clear indicator of the conditon of my mind. I haven't done laundry in well over a month. Their are clothes every where, clean and dirty, shoes that I can't wear because I can't find the mate and my bed is never made. But none of this matters as no one ever breaks the barrier of my bedroom door. The rest of my place, outside of my bedroom (at least the living room and bathroom), stay fairly presentable.
Inside my head resides a plethora of ideas, a number of tasks, an endless lifelong to-do list. I haven't had a mental purging of my thoughts in well over a month and there are a few things beginning to spoil and leave a foul smell. Good ideas and bad ideas are all tangled up in a knot that's gonna take lots of focus to separate. A number of items sit on the back burner because I can't find the mate (in this case, time) to complete the task. But does any of this matter? Only to me, because no one ever breaks the barrier of my mind. The rest of me, outside of my mind, stay fairly presentable. I smile. I hold my head up high. I walk like I'm rich and talk like I'm and Ivy League graduation...ok maybe not but, ya know. lol
Inside my head resides a plethora of ideas, a number of tasks, an endless lifelong to-do list. I haven't had a mental purging of my thoughts in well over a month and there are a few things beginning to spoil and leave a foul smell. Good ideas and bad ideas are all tangled up in a knot that's gonna take lots of focus to separate. A number of items sit on the back burner because I can't find the mate (in this case, time) to complete the task. But does any of this matter? Only to me, because no one ever breaks the barrier of my mind. The rest of me, outside of my mind, stay fairly presentable. I smile. I hold my head up high. I walk like I'm rich and talk like I'm and Ivy League graduation...ok maybe not but, ya know. lol
Saturday, October 4, 2008
Million Dollar Martini
Not quite a million dollars, these cocktails are listed as the most expensive in the world (according to Forbes).
Sword Martinis at Jambu's Bar in the Raffles Resort Canouan Island, Grenadines
Price Tag: $300
Ingredients (Classic):Belvedere VodkaDry vermouthLemon twistCactaur root
Jambu's Bar at the Raffles Resort in the Grenadines boasts a lucky 88 martinis, four of which top the price list at $300 per glass. The key ingredient in each is a customized and handmade 14-karat gold sword: The Bushido features a miniature samurai sword; the Old Glory comes with a Civil War-era replica; the Excalibur has a version of its eponymous legendary saber; and the Classic sports a regular sword. Collect them all.
The Ritz Side Car in the Bar Hemingway at the Hotel Ritz, Paris
Price Tag: $515
Ingredients: 1830 Ritz Reserve cognac Cointreau A drop of freshly squeezed lemon
This drink is the holder of the Guinness World Record for the most expensive cocktail, and features some of the oldest cognac in the world. Made from grapes that were on vines well before the phylloxera infestation of the 1860s devastated many of France's finest vineyards, the 1830 Ritz Reserve cognac provides a taste of history and can be found in only a handful of bottles. Over the past three years, the Ritz has sold approximately 60 of these drinks, so they may not last very long.
Magie Noir (Black Magic) at the Umbaba nightclub, London
Price Tag: $630
Ingredients: Richard Hennessy cognac Dom Perignon vintage champagne Créme de mure blackberry liqueur Lemon grass Lychees Extract of yohimbe bark
Barman Giles Andreis devised this wonder at the request of a pair of Goldman Sachs bankers who wanted to celebrate their bonuses with something special. Although the drink now comes with a 24-karat white-gold cocktail pin, purists can order theirs the way it was originally poured on that first big night.
The Red Ruby at Reserve, Chicago
Price Tag: $950
Ingredients: Grey Goose L'Orange vodka Hypnotiq cognac Orange juice Pama, a pomegranate liqueur A splash of Dom Perignon champagne
Pete Gugni, the manager of this nightclub in Chicago's West Loop, has assembled an impressive array of liquid delights for this cocktail. And, drawing upon his background in the jewelry business, he has hidden in their midst a one-carat, A-grade ruby.
Platinum Passion at Duvet, New York
Price Tag: $1,500
Ingredients: L'Esprit de Courvoisier Squeeze of lemon Syrup of passion fruit, forest berries, wildflower honey, and brown sugar Fill with Ruinart Champagne
The Duvet restaurant in New York may be most famous for entertaining its patrons on mattresses, but its signature cocktail may also leave you flat on your back. Served in a chilled champagne flute and garnished with an orchid, the elixir is said to be a favorite of Paris Hilton and Pamela Anderson.
Sapphire Martini in the Mezz at Foxwoods Resort Casino, Connecticut
Price Tag: $3,000
Ingredients: Bombay Sapphire gin (or the patron's choice of premium vodka) Blue curaçao A dash of dry vermouth Blue sugar (for the rim of the glass)Platinum-mounted diamond and sapphire earrings
What turns this cocktail from something tasty and blue into a drink that could change your life (or at least your marital status) is its sterling-silver pick crowned with a 14-karat gold accent ring. Actually, it's not even so much the pick as what the pick is holding: a pair of platinum-mounted diamond (0.8 carats) and sapphire (2.5 carats) earrings.
Diamond Cocktail in the Piano Bar at the Sheraton Park Tower Hotel, London
Price Tag: $4,350
Ingredients: Charles Heidsieck Vintage 2001 Champagne Remy Martin Louis XIII cognac Angostura bitters Sugar cube Your choice of a diamond or ruby
This price of this glittering champagne cocktail will depend on the quality of the gemstone picked to be the garnish: selecting a 0.6 carat diamond will produce a $4,350 drink, "but we could go up to $19,000 if a customer would like to choose such a gemstone" says the bar's assistant manager, Theodore Garcia. In any event, the presence of Charles Heidsieck Champagne and Remy Martin Louis XIII cognac (a blend of cognacs -- some of which are more than 125 years old -- that retails for $1,750 per bottle) guarantees that the flavor will be exceptional.
Martini on the Rock in the Blue Bar at the Algonquin Hotel, New York
Price Tag: $10,000
Ingredients: Vodka Dry vermouth Olive Enormous diamond
A 1.52-carat diamond will do wonders to enliven a regular martini. This cocktail may be the only drink that must be ordered with 72 hours notice, and its price will vary depending on the precise diamond selected. The good news is that the first time the drink was served, the assessed value of the diamond was actually a few thousand dollars higher than the bar tab, so you might actually profit from ordering one.
Dazzle at the Second Floor Bar in Harvey Nichols, Manchester
Price Tag: $51,200
Ingredients: Rose champagne Strawberry liqueur Lychee liqueur Lemon juice Syrup 18-karat white-gold ring with pink tourmaline and diamond stones
This cocktail from the high-end English department store, Harvey Nichols, comes with a side of security guards who escort it safely to the table. The bar now features a special safe to guard the rings, which clients can order according to their budget -- and their desire to impress.
Sword Martinis at Jambu's Bar in the Raffles Resort Canouan Island, GrenadinesPrice Tag: $300
Ingredients (Classic):Belvedere VodkaDry vermouthLemon twistCactaur root
Jambu's Bar at the Raffles Resort in the Grenadines boasts a lucky 88 martinis, four of which top the price list at $300 per glass. The key ingredient in each is a customized and handmade 14-karat gold sword: The Bushido features a miniature samurai sword; the Old Glory comes with a Civil War-era replica; the Excalibur has a version of its eponymous legendary saber; and the Classic sports a regular sword. Collect them all.
The Ritz Side Car in the Bar Hemingway at the Hotel Ritz, ParisPrice Tag: $515
Ingredients: 1830 Ritz Reserve cognac Cointreau A drop of freshly squeezed lemon
This drink is the holder of the Guinness World Record for the most expensive cocktail, and features some of the oldest cognac in the world. Made from grapes that were on vines well before the phylloxera infestation of the 1860s devastated many of France's finest vineyards, the 1830 Ritz Reserve cognac provides a taste of history and can be found in only a handful of bottles. Over the past three years, the Ritz has sold approximately 60 of these drinks, so they may not last very long.
Magie Noir (Black Magic) at the Umbaba nightclub, LondonPrice Tag: $630
Ingredients: Richard Hennessy cognac Dom Perignon vintage champagne Créme de mure blackberry liqueur Lemon grass Lychees Extract of yohimbe bark
Barman Giles Andreis devised this wonder at the request of a pair of Goldman Sachs bankers who wanted to celebrate their bonuses with something special. Although the drink now comes with a 24-karat white-gold cocktail pin, purists can order theirs the way it was originally poured on that first big night.
The Red Ruby at Reserve, ChicagoPrice Tag: $950
Ingredients: Grey Goose L'Orange vodka Hypnotiq cognac Orange juice Pama, a pomegranate liqueur A splash of Dom Perignon champagne
Pete Gugni, the manager of this nightclub in Chicago's West Loop, has assembled an impressive array of liquid delights for this cocktail. And, drawing upon his background in the jewelry business, he has hidden in their midst a one-carat, A-grade ruby.
Platinum Passion at Duvet, New YorkPrice Tag: $1,500
Ingredients: L'Esprit de Courvoisier Squeeze of lemon Syrup of passion fruit, forest berries, wildflower honey, and brown sugar Fill with Ruinart Champagne
The Duvet restaurant in New York may be most famous for entertaining its patrons on mattresses, but its signature cocktail may also leave you flat on your back. Served in a chilled champagne flute and garnished with an orchid, the elixir is said to be a favorite of Paris Hilton and Pamela Anderson.
Sapphire Martini in the Mezz at Foxwoods Resort Casino, ConnecticutPrice Tag: $3,000
Ingredients: Bombay Sapphire gin (or the patron's choice of premium vodka) Blue curaçao A dash of dry vermouth Blue sugar (for the rim of the glass)Platinum-mounted diamond and sapphire earrings
What turns this cocktail from something tasty and blue into a drink that could change your life (or at least your marital status) is its sterling-silver pick crowned with a 14-karat gold accent ring. Actually, it's not even so much the pick as what the pick is holding: a pair of platinum-mounted diamond (0.8 carats) and sapphire (2.5 carats) earrings.
Diamond Cocktail in the Piano Bar at the Sheraton Park Tower Hotel, LondonPrice Tag: $4,350
Ingredients: Charles Heidsieck Vintage 2001 Champagne Remy Martin Louis XIII cognac Angostura bitters Sugar cube Your choice of a diamond or ruby
This price of this glittering champagne cocktail will depend on the quality of the gemstone picked to be the garnish: selecting a 0.6 carat diamond will produce a $4,350 drink, "but we could go up to $19,000 if a customer would like to choose such a gemstone" says the bar's assistant manager, Theodore Garcia. In any event, the presence of Charles Heidsieck Champagne and Remy Martin Louis XIII cognac (a blend of cognacs -- some of which are more than 125 years old -- that retails for $1,750 per bottle) guarantees that the flavor will be exceptional.
Martini on the Rock in the Blue Bar at the Algonquin Hotel, New YorkPrice Tag: $10,000
Ingredients: Vodka Dry vermouth Olive Enormous diamond
A 1.52-carat diamond will do wonders to enliven a regular martini. This cocktail may be the only drink that must be ordered with 72 hours notice, and its price will vary depending on the precise diamond selected. The good news is that the first time the drink was served, the assessed value of the diamond was actually a few thousand dollars higher than the bar tab, so you might actually profit from ordering one.
Dazzle at the Second Floor Bar in Harvey Nichols, ManchesterPrice Tag: $51,200
Ingredients: Rose champagne Strawberry liqueur Lychee liqueur Lemon juice Syrup 18-karat white-gold ring with pink tourmaline and diamond stones
This cocktail from the high-end English department store, Harvey Nichols, comes with a side of security guards who escort it safely to the table. The bar now features a special safe to guard the rings, which clients can order according to their budget -- and their desire to impress.
Friday, October 3, 2008
Unkempt Unemployment
Today as I spent 2 and a half hours at the unemployment office for something that took all of 20 minutes, I experienced the following list of things that should NOT happen at the unempoloyment office.
10. No mother should allow her 3 year old child (old enough to know better) to wonder through the office (under the rope and behind the counter). Get somewhere and SAT DOWN!
9. There should not be any one popping chewing gum.
8. The security guard should not be slumped down in his seat with his head against the wall. I'm the one who's been waiting 2 hours for my name to be called! (Addition: I went back a few days later and this guy was working security.
7. The security guard should not be gray-haired
and in his 60's. I did not feel safe.
6. Men should not be trying to talk to me. You don't have a job. I don't have a job. So let's date? I think not.
5. There should not be any one cracking sunflower seeds and spitting them into her hand. Not only is it annoying, but very unsanitary. I immediately searched for hand sanitizer (to no avail).
4. There should not be more "cell phones on vibrate" signs than there are job postings.
3. The resource area should not be bare. There were signs where job postings SHOULD be, but there was nothing there.
2. The very first job opportunity I see should not be for an exotic dancer.
1. "I apologize for the wait, but we are understaffed" - The unemployment office should NOT be short staffed! All the jobless people that come in here every day and you can't find anyone qualified for the job?!
10. No mother should allow her 3 year old child (old enough to know better) to wonder through the office (under the rope and behind the counter). Get somewhere and SAT DOWN!9. There should not be any one popping chewing gum.
8. The security guard should not be slumped down in his seat with his head against the wall. I'm the one who's been waiting 2 hours for my name to be called! (Addition: I went back a few days later and this guy was working security.
7. The security guard should not be gray-haired
and in his 60's. I did not feel safe. 6. Men should not be trying to talk to me. You don't have a job. I don't have a job. So let's date? I think not.
5. There should not be any one cracking sunflower seeds and spitting them into her hand. Not only is it annoying, but very unsanitary. I immediately searched for hand sanitizer (to no avail).
4. There should not be more "cell phones on vibrate" signs than there are job postings.
3. The resource area should not be bare. There were signs where job postings SHOULD be, but there was nothing there.
2. The very first job opportunity I see should not be for an exotic dancer.
1. "I apologize for the wait, but we are understaffed" - The unemployment office should NOT be short staffed! All the jobless people that come in here every day and you can't find anyone qualified for the job?!
Thursday, October 2, 2008
"I'm Married But..."
This statement just should not exist. While in Target waiting on my male companion earlier this evening, the following conversation took place:
(Random Married Dude double takes THREE TIMES!)
Random Married Dude: I'm married but...you cute.
Me: (puzzled look on face) ok.
RMD: I jus gotta shake ur hand. Are you married?
Me: No.
RMD: Why not?
Me: (now irritated) Because God has not brought me to that point in my life.
RMD: Well why don't you walk with me and tell me about it?
Me: You're married.
RMD: Which is great until I see somebody like you.
Me: (now disgusted) I'm waiting on some one.
RMD: Aw you wit yo boyfriend or something? (pulls at his shirt) and I'm out here looking like a bumb.
Me: You're married!!!
At this point, I'm so disgusted I don't even remember how the situation ended. What has happened to the sanctity of marriage?
(Random Married Dude double takes THREE TIMES!)
Random Married Dude: I'm married but...you cute.
Me: (puzzled look on face) ok.
RMD: I jus gotta shake ur hand. Are you married?
Me: No.
RMD: Why not?
Me: (now irritated) Because God has not brought me to that point in my life.
RMD: Well why don't you walk with me and tell me about it?
Me: You're married.
RMD: Which is great until I see somebody like you.
Me: (now disgusted) I'm waiting on some one.
RMD: Aw you wit yo boyfriend or something? (pulls at his shirt) and I'm out here looking like a bumb.
Me: You're married!!!
At this point, I'm so disgusted I don't even remember how the situation ended. What has happened to the sanctity of marriage?
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