Hey ya'll.  This is the holiday weekend as ya'll know and I'm taking a break.  Things have been hectic in my life and school has started back for me.  I'll take this weekend to catch up on some much needed reading and writing.  Ya'll can expect a post everyday next week, that is if I don't get too wasted.  So everyone have fun and be safe.  No drinking and driving.  The life you save may be your own. 

Remember to thank God if you're blessed with a career or job that allows you to take off.  If you visit an establishment and someone else has to work please be extra nice!  It could be you...

I'm off to enjoy my three day weekend! 

Hey ya'll.  It's that time again, Limeades for Learning.  This program is sponsored by Sonic Drive-in yearly in efforts to give back.  Per Limeades for Learning website:

SONIC® and DonorsChoose.org are working together again to support public school classrooms. Last year, SONIC donated more than $600,000. By October, SONIC customers, friends and fans will have directed more than $1 million dollars to support teachers in local communities across the country.

Now if ya'll anything like me and my Friend, then you love a limeade.  Our favorite is a strawberry limeade with light ice and extra strawberry.  Now that's hot.  Okay.  So here's how it works:

Voting begins Aug. 30, 2010, and ends on Sept. 30, 2010. During the five-week campaign, SONIC will fund the top vote-receiving projects for SONIC Teachers on Sept. 3, 10, 17, 24 and Oct. 1. If SONIC reaches 1 million votes from SONIC Teacher project by Sept. 30, SONIC will unlock an additional $100,000 donation. That means an extra week of voting Oct. 1 – 7. SONIC will award more than $500,000 to the projects receiving the most votes during the entire promotional period. Votes will be counted every Friday and at least $100,000 will be funded each week among eligible projects winning the most votes. If a project is not funded, then all previous votes for the project will carry over to the next week.

It's that simple.  You just go to Limeades for Learning (www.limeadesforlearning.com) daily and vote for your favorite project.  Now Sonic has made it easy to break the projects down.  They have fixed it where you can go in and find projects in your state and in your city.  Now if your local school system is anything like the Memphis City School system then they need these votes.  So get to voting. 

Its giving time...

If you're anything like me then you loved some Destiny's Child back in the day.  Yeah I see yall lip syncing, "Can you pay my bills?  My telephone bill..."  LOL!  I see you.  But seriously my favorite song by far is Survivor other than Soldier that is.  Shhhhh.  But seriously, Survivor is my favorite.  I don't know about you but "life for me ain't been no crystal stair." 

My Manna Monday Confession:

I'm a SURVIVOR! 

My life by far hasn't been easy.  But, I see the big picture and it's puurty (pretty)!   Whatever life throws at me, I vow, I'm going down fighting and getting back up to do it all over again...  Yep, a real survivor. 

What's your Manna Monday Confession?

Have a great week ya'll! 

Here's one of my favorite poems by one of my favorite authors.

Mother to Son by Langston Hughes

Well, son, I’ll tell you:
Life for me ain’t been no crystal stair.
It’s had tacks in it,
And splinters,
And boards torn up,
And places with no carpet on the floor—
Bare.
But all the time
 I’se been a-climbin’ on,
And reachin’ landin’s,
And turnin’ corners,
And sometimes goin’ in the dark
Where there ain’t been no light.
So boy, don’t you turn back.
Don’t you set down on the steps
 ’Cause you finds it’s kinder hard.
Don’t you fall now—
For I’se still goin’, honey,
I’se still climbin’,
And life for me ain’t been no crystal stair.

Ya'll I love Charles Barkley.  In my head he is my uncle.  You know that uncle that will leave you in stitches that everyone hates to see coming because he is going to talk about everyone.  Oh and he will more often than not tell the truth.  You know who I'm talking about.  He might even be your family's version of Uncle Ruckus.  LOL!  He might not be your uncle but we have one in every family.  Well Charles Barkley is my uncle.  I would love to hang out and drink with Charles and just pick his brain about certain issues.  Ya'll just don't know.  Okay, I'm stepping away from the 'puter and breathing. 

*I'm back and taking slow and paced breaths* 

Ya'll I promise, I hate for basketball season to end because that means I can't hear my Charles on a regular.  My love affair with Charles Barkley started when I was a youngster.  I remember watching T.V. and he was doing an interview.  Charles proudly announced to his critics, "I am not your kids role model.  You should be your own kids role model."  I loved him instantly.  I was a kid at the time.  Strange?  I know right.   I fell in love with Charles because he was a rebel.  He said what he meant and meant what he said.  Gotta love it. So through out the years I would watch Charles play and wait for those sound bites that he was sure to give.  He kept me in stitches.  Oh and he still does.  (Don't hate me.  It's one of my guilty pleasures.)

So tonight I fired up the DVR and decided to watch Shaq vs. for the first time.  This is a show on ABC featuring Shaq competing with various celebrities.  On this episode, he challenges Charles to golf.  Man I laughed so hard.  Shaq and Charles are too much for me.  Shaq said he could whip Charles in golf because he was a putt-putt master.  Go figure. This episode is hilarious.  

Oh and by the end of the golf session, Charles was walking like he he had long necks in his shoes.  I instantly thought about that scene from Life. 

Thank you Shaq and ABC for giving me a fix.  Man that was the dope I needed.  I laughed so hard.  I can't wait to see Charles running the beach in those pink bikinis.

 
Oh and ESPN can you outbid TNT and get Charles so I can see him year-round with all his jokes and foolishness.  I will watch you every time he is on.  I promise.  I might even leave the T.V. on ESPN while I'm gone.  Naw.... My fault, I'm trying to do the green thingy but you get my drift.  I will heart you forever.  But if you decide not to take him from TNT, I'll just wait for him to come back to me and give me the fix I need. 

My Manna Monday Confession:

I AM FUNNY!

I love to laugh.  I love to make people laugh. (Ask Browngirl) Yep, in my last life I was a comedian. 



What about you?  What is your Manna Monday confession?  What are your good qualities?  Please share!

Hey ya'll.  I'm playing with time again because I really need to get out of here so I can beat rush hour traffic.  But I couldn't go with out sharing my news with you.  I recently entered a contest on Black Web 2.0.  I found out about the website at Blogging While Brown this year.  (Post on my experience will be up soon. I know I'm late.)  So any hoot, I entered to win a HP Mini 210.  I entered a lot of times, LOL!  I especially wanted this net book when I say Angela with her pretty pink one doing a vlog on BW 2.0.  Angela had previously purchased the HP Mini 210 and then HP turned around and sponsored a giveaway for one, well two.  So as you can see I won!  I'm so excited.  I've been wanting one for a minute but I really sacrificed to attend Blogging While Brown in June and then I'll be attending Show Me the Blog in October.  That post to come soon, as well.  So again, I WON! 

This is just a prime example of asking for what you want from God.  I asked for THIS net book.  When I saw the giveaway, I asked specifically for this one.  I've come to realize that when I ask God for my desires and needs with my mouth, He shows up every time.  So  I don't take this lightly.  It is a blessing.  I'll let ya'll know when I get it with pictures and the whole bit.

Thanks Angela, HP and my Father who art in Heaven!  

I'm sad to announce that according to The Tulsa World, Robert Wilson of the GAP Band died of a massive heart attack Sunday.  Wilson was known around the world as the "Godfather of the Bass."  If you've been anywhere other than under a rock then you know that he could lay it down on the bass.  The instrumentals to their songs are just as good as the song with vocals.  I'm not sure what this means for the GAP Band but I know we have lost another legend too soon.  He was just 53.  My prayers and blessings go out to the Wilson family. 

My favorite GAP Band song is Yearning For Your Love.  Share your favorite GAP Band song or memory of the GAP Band. 

Hey ya'll. I'm almost ready for the final presentation of the new blog.  I'm working diligently to make this a great site.  As a part of the new me I wanted to offer some weekly inspiration.  If you're like me, Monday is your hardest day.  I can never go to bed at a decent hour on Sunday night so I'm up to wee hours of the morning.  Any hoot, if you're anything like me, you shy away from compliments.  I've also noticed lately that when people ask me to say something good about myself I fumble for words.  It seems that everyone has something good to say about me but me.  So I'm changing that pattern today.  From now on, every Monday I'll post my weekly Manna.  So please join me by saying something good about yourself.  Not what others say about you but what you know about yourself.  So  without further ado, here's Manna Monday. 

My Manna Monday confession:

I AM LOYAL!

I work hard.  I love hard.  Yep, I AM LOYAL! 

What about you?  What is your Manna Monday confession?  What are your good qualities?  Please share!

Thanks for stopping by Notorious Spinks Talks.  I'm currently undergoing some major changes.  Please be patient.  If you're looking for my book reviews just click the tabs that says books.