Good Evening,

I'm in Atlanta. It's now 10:27 and I have to be up at 6:30am to begin my day. That's later than I normally get up for work. An extra 45 minutes of sleep. =) I spent my entire day on planes and in airports. There was a bad snow storm in Salt Lake City so we stopped off in Colorado for a while. I think that might have been the first time I've been in Colorado. It was absolutely gorgeous. The mountains dipped in snow. I don't ever think I've seen mountains like that before. Salt Lake City was also covered in snow. Not too much to see there though. Atlanta is the same.
My stomach hurts. Phantom of the Opera is on. I like this movie. I always wanted to see the actual opera. I used to talk about it when I was young. One day... The music is so hypnotizing. I actually might be able to wake up at 7 being that I don't have to rummage through a closet in the morning. It's so much easier when you know exactly what you're wearing the next day. I could use a snack. Dah well.. I'm in my pajamas now and don't feel like changing clothes to find food. Well, I might visit with blog world tomorrow if it get too bored after my meetings. Have a wonderful evening people.

Good night.

Ran-Dumb

It irks me when people who don't know me, call me Jen.
Who told you that it was okay to shorten my name?
Stop acting like you know me.

I'm going to Atlanta tomorrow on business travel.
The only good thing about the trip is that I get to eat well.
Not really too enthused otherwise.

I'm freezing again.
I need an electronically heated sweater.
That thing would be GREAT.
I'd stay warm ALL the time.

My parents 25th wedding anniversary is this year.
I have to talk to my sister about doing something.

The new girl is having a hard time catching on.
I have to go behind her and correct everything.
So tiring, but I'm patient.
Hopefully she'll be okay while I'm gone.
They're making me take a labtop because of her.
I don't want to be contacted. =(

Got a couple of fun events coming up.
My boy's BBQ party.
The Eric Roberson concert.
Omarion's show.
I'm looking forward to March.

I paid off my cc!!!
Go J!

I love photos.
I love music.
I love alone time.
I love receiving packages.
I hate cleaning my kitchen.

I'm sorry Ghana didn't work out B.

To do:
Pick up my heels from the shoe shop.
Pick up suit from cleaners.
Call Yvette.
Set up spreadsheets for analysis.
Analyze Bill of Material.
Pack.
Watch Heroes.

You crossed my mind today.
I hope you're doing well.
You said you would call.
But I haven't heard from you.

Someone said that I'm too nice.
It really is hard to tell people no.

You know where I want to be right now?
Anywhere that affords me the opportunity to look over the ocean.
I just feel like staring into a vast space.
With a little John Mayer or Norah Jones in the background.
Hmm..
Perfect.

Why is there always something wrong with some people?
Everytime you go to check, they're trying to get through something.
Geez.
Maybe it's you that's the problem!

What would you change about yourself?
If you could change one thing...

You guys are lucky.
I miss winter wonderland.
Send a little snow my way please!

What happened to Lauren London ("New New" from ATL)?
Why hasn't she appeared in anymore movies?
She's a talented, pretty, young lady.

I haven't been on other people's blogs in a while.
Hopefully I can visit with you guys while I'm away.

See you on the flip side.

Find The Way

How can I have you? And never really have you? Least not like I want to. Your heart should not be shared. One should not be compared. To any other love that's there. That's just not fair. I'm... I'm down to lose you. For a chance to gain you. Even if all I gain.. is the respect that you see in me. I'm willing to set you free. All I offer you is honesty. I mean that honestly.

You know that I need you. But boy not this way. I want so much more than...what you give today. To show you I want you...I push you away. It's clear to me boy. I trust that we'll find a way.

Too close to move on. But trust me I inted to. Though I'm so deep in you. I hope I find my way. I hope you'll be okay. Holdin on to just what I say. While we're away. Ooo... It's hard to leave you. I feel like I breathe you. I look to survive. Holdin on to my dreams at night. That's the only time I hold you tight. Wakin up just don't feel right. Oh it just aint right.

- Eric Roberson

Vegas - A Girl's Vacation

As you can see, we truly had a blast.

We bonded.

We laughed.

We high-stepped.

We partied.

We drank.

It was GREAT!

THIS IS WHY WE HOT!

VEGAS!!

I'm hype.




I'm hype.





I'm hype. I'm hype. I'm hype.





The hoe-couture is packed. (lol)





The jewelry is gleaming.





The feet are finely pedicured with french tipped toes.





The hair is fresh and bouncy.





The funds are straight.





It's All-Star Weekend Baby!!!!





So to all those who said to take lots of pictures... umm...well... yeah. Ladies and gentleman. I'm not sure I'll be able to be as free with my camera as I have been in the past. It really depends on how risque' we're feeling. [big gasp] I know. I know. But come on! It's Vegas! And I'll be with my girls. And you can drink 24/7. And everyone I know is going. And I never get to stay up all night. And I'm always contained and quiet. And...And...And... =/ Contrary to popular belief, these are NOT excuses. Shoo. I worked for this!!! I'm a GROWN WOMAN! So there.

Let the insanity begin...






Random but Related Question: If I say that I'm a good girl, does it make you believe that I'm not because I felt the need to verbalize it? Just wondering.

=)

I love this picture.

Tax Season

Do your taxes people.

I just did mine last night and I'm only getting back HALF of what I got last year! What in the world is that about? I need to revist the plan. I'm about to find every single way to milk the system over the next week. Just watch me! Ha ha ha ha {evil laugh}.

Thursday's Thinkings

Hey you,

How are you this fine Thursday morning? Well I hope. It's quite foggy in LA today. I had a hard time seeing my car as I was walking towards it this morning. LA seems to experience more and more extreme weather situations lately. I think it's nice. It's a change from the norm. No one can tell me though that California has the best weather anymore. This is the same old stuff that we have to go through on the east coast. People keep saying that you can go skiing and surfing on the same day in California. Well, I do neither so I'm still not impressed.

I'm going to Vegas 7 days. Everybody and their momma is going to Vegas. I just talked to a couple of friends last night on IM and I found out that the whole TYP/CLIMB crew will be in attendance. That's crazy. Next weekend is going to be filled with debauchery. I can see it now. I'm excited to get away with the girls. Jai, Jenn, and I are going to have so much fun. Watch out for the three J's now! Jai is going glam. She's getting a weave and everything. She's going to look fabulous. Jenn already has hers in so I know she's going to work some magic with her curling iron and do the darn thing. People out here can wear them some weaves! I've never seen anything like it. And what's funny is that they look SO Real! Well they are real. When you pay $100 per ounce for a special kind of human hair, it better look real. I ordered a new dress and bought new shoes for the festivities. I hope it's not cold. Most likely it will be though. It's crazy how we females do it. Freezing our butts off, but looking cute as a button. I'll be sure to take a lot of pictures and post the most non-incriminating ones on the blog. =) My friend from college will be there. I'm so excited to see him. It's been 3 years since we saw each other last. I'm extremely proud of him and all of his hard work. He's an incredibly talented man and I'm glad that the Denver Broncos finally recognized that.

I'm now tuned into an artist named Eric Roberson. (click on the name to hear a few tracks. "Pretty Girl" and "Evening" are my favorites.) I wonder if he has any videos. Let me look... Ehh. Not really. He remixed this Lenny Kravitz song, but it's not what I was looking for. (click here if you want to see the Lenny remix.) I really like his style. Listen to the lyrics of "Pretty Girl". Do you always use your smile to get your way?/Once in a while do you use your heart? That's some pretty tough stuff right there? I wish all the pretty girls in the world could hear this song.

Well, that's all that's going on in my world right now. Anything new with you? Hit me up!

J

Love - Part 2

So here's the upside of Part 1. (Click to read if you haven't done so yet.) I just couldn't leave you hangin like that, ya know?

How You Can Find True Love..

So after Part 1, you might be wondering, well how do I do this? How do I find real, true love? What do I have to do to become more lovable, and perhaps not just in a romantic sense? Do I have to get rich? Improve my physical appearance? Well...seduced by advertising and the media, we often look to such goals as solutions. Of course it's natural and proper to care about how you look, but beauty - which is temporary at best - is not the cement to a lasting bond. Neither is money. What DOES help however, is showing unselfish love to others. Simply put, if you want to be loved, SHOW LOVE.

Here's another question. How can we show love? Most of you already know that you can do so by giving of yourself to others, but let's break it down a bit more. In his letter to the Corinthian congregation, Paul revealed that love is dynamic and that it is defined NOT by emotions, but primarily by what it does for others and by what it does not do. Take this verse for example. "Love is long-suffering and kind. Love is not jealous, it does not brag, does not get puffed up, does not behave indecently, does not look for its own interests, does not become provoked. It does not keep account of injury... It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things."

Imagine how you feel when someone is kind to you or when s/he accepts you despite all the little irritating things you do or say. Isn't that a great feeling? Aren't you naturally drawn to people who are sincerely concerned about you, who are not easily angered, and who are forgiving and truthful even when forgiveness and honesty are not easy? Of course you are! So... ACT that way towards others. That's love. Remember the golden rule. All things that you want people to do to you, do to them.

It's not always easy to show love, but the effort is well worth it. Not only will you be more loved by your family, friends, husband/wive, or prospective marriage mate, but you will experience the happiness that comes from doing what it actually right - giving of yourself for others. I know it's a novel idea - doing what it right - but believe me, it actually does make you happy!!

You can also learn to love by imitating the highest authority on love. =) Here's a couple of things He tells us to do that will help us to love and be loved.

"Be swift about hearing, slow about speaking." A survey of more than 20,000 couples showed that the happiest people were those whose partners were good listeners. Communication is key in a relationship. An educator said, "If you want to feel alone in a relationship, be with someone who doesn't have a clue about what you're going through. Or worse, someone who does have a clue but cannot understand why your pain is a big deal." That is why the art of listening is not to be taken lightly. When listening, you learn and begin to actually hear other people's worries, concerns, interest, passions, etc. In turn, you will acknowledge that person's feelings and they'll reciprocate the action. Love is built.

"You are cramped for room in your own tender affections...Widen out." We benefit when we widen out in our love for others. People who have social support - satisfying relationships with family, friends, and their community - are happier, have fewer health problems, and live longer. So meet new friends, take interest in other people, volunteer in your community. Show your care and concern for as many people as possible! By doing so, you are exercising the greatest quality. LOVE.

"Let us consider one another to incite to love and fine works." We are undoubtedly influenced by our associates. So, by spending time with those who show genuine, Christian love, you will experience this quality first hand and learn how you can demonstrate it in your life.

So go out and spread the love around! Associate yourself with people who are full of love! It'll rub off on you! Become a better person! Care for others!! I promise that when you do so, you'll attract every sweet tenderoni out there! (Then you'll have a whole new issue to deal with. LOL.)

How else can we find true love? Any more ideas out there?

credit for ideas given to Awake! March 2006

California Fun Times

Love - Part 1

Why True Love Is So Hard To Find

Before I mention why I believe true love is so hard to find, I'd like to preface this with something...

There is no shortage of advice on romantic love. Therapists, internet web sites, books, magazines, television shows, astrologers, etc. offer guidance on the subject. You might be told that you wil discover "fascinating and incredible secrets" and will learn from "professional matchmakers", "relationship experts", and "love doctors". Books claim to show you "how to make anyone fall in love with you" or offer to reveal how you can find "the perfect partner in just one month." Much of this advice comes at a price though. And many people pay this price twice. Once when paying to receive counsel and then again when the guidance turns out to be flawed and they pay emotionally for the let-down. There is however, a source of advice that when applied, never fails. It discusses the subject truthfully, without making wild claims and unrealistic promises. The author is limitless in wisdom and matchless in love. You might already know what source I'm speaking of. Yep...You're right. It's the Holy Bible. Will the Bible enable us to have a good relationship with everyone? No. Some people will not warm to us, no matter how hard we try. Genuine love cannot be forced. However, by applying the Bible's guidance, we will increase our opportunities of cultivating loving relationships with others, even though this may take time and effort.

Now.. Why Is True Love So Hard To Find?

Reason 1

In one of Jesus' prophecies, He accurately foretold the conditions and trends of our day. He said the world would be marked by lawlessness and wars - the very opposite of love. He also said that "many...will betray one another and will hate one another" and that "the love of the greater number will cool off". Isn't this clearly evident in the time we live in? The apostle Paul also wrote that people would be "lovers of themselves, lovers of money...haughty... disobedient to parents, unthankful, disloyal, having no natural affection, not open to any agreement...without self-control...without love of goodness, betrayers, headstrong, puffed up with pride, lovers of pleasures rather than lovers of God". How many of those traits do you see around you? Aren't most of these pretty common? For these very reasons, there aren't many attractive people out there. Looking for someone who is NOT these things is like searching for Waldo in 'Where's Waldo'. Think about it. Are you drawn to proud, unthankful people or to those who are disloyal or to those who will slander and betray you? Do you warm to individuals who are in love with themselves, money or with pleasures? Because self-centered people allow greed and personal desires to define and govern their relationships, any interest they show in others is likely to be selfish. Wisely, the Scriptures counsel to "turn away" from these.

Reason 2

We're all influenced by the media. Right? We're barraged with fairy-tale deceptions and hard-to-break stereotypes of sex, love and romance in movies, novels, music, advertising, the news, etc. Unfortunately, most mass media portrayals of sex, love and romance shape or reinforce unrealistic expectations that most of us just can not seem to dismiss. Books, movies, and songs rarely present an accurate picture of love. After all, their purpose is primarily to entertain and not to educate right? Sadly though, it is easy to confuse such fiction with reality. That is why people are often disappointed when their relationships do not match those of fictional characters. That is why it's so important to distinguish between fantasy and reality, between media romance and genuine love.

Let's compare storybook love and real love. In books, movies, or plays, the actual love story may vary, but their essential structure stays the same... Part 1 - Boy-meets-girl: a handsome prince meets a beautiful woman, and love is born. Part 2 - Boy-loses-girl: an evil count kidnaps the beautiful woman and flees the castle. The prince embarks on a dangerous quest to find her. Part 3 - Boy-gets-girl: the prince rescues the beautiful woman and banishes the count. The couple marry and live happily ever after. Well, regarding Part 1, a successful author advises writers, "it should be apparent to your reader from the couple's first glance that these two souls belong together". The love-at-first-sight notion implies that true love is just a feeling - an overpowering emotion that grips you when you meet the right someone - that such love just happens and requires little effort or knowledge of the other person. Real love, however, is much more than a feeling. Yeah, feelings are involved, but love is a profound human bond that also includes principles and values that never cease to grow, providing it is properly nurtured and maintained. Moreover, it takes time to ge to know another person. To assume that at first sight you have found the perfect partner smacks of fantasy and usually leads to disappointment. In quickly assuming that you have found true love, you may shut your mind to evidence to the contrary. Choosing a suitable mate requires more than a strong impression influenced by a flush of infatuation. For part 2, the romance writer says, "the main plot of the romance must concern two people falling in love and struggling to make the relationship work". In most novels, the relationship WILL work. We already know that. Obstacles, often only of an external kind (the evil count), are overcome. In real life, there are usually problems of an external AND internal kind. They may involve money, work, relatives, and friends. Problems also emerge when one person does not meet the other's expectations. In fictional characters, flaws are usually minor, but this is not always the case in real life. Further, real love does not carry us effortlessly through trials or differences in views, backgrounds, desires, and personalities. Rather, love involves cooperation, humility, mildness, patience, and long-suffering - qualities that do not always come naturally or easily. Part 3 - The romance novel writer again says, "you need that happily-ever-after ending". =I [that's my blank stare] Years afer marriage, disagreements and a host of other challenges and difficulties may have tested the relationship. As divorce statistics show, many marriages fail the test! So you see, storybook love is relatively easy; real love requires effort. So....Understanding the difference between the two will probably mean the difference between a promising relationship and a doomed one. It will safeguard you against naive, unrealistic expectations. It will also prevent you from making hasty commitments that you may later regret.

So Why Is True Love Hard To Find? Not only are we thrown off by the devastating attitudes of people in this world, but we are severly blinded by our perceptions of love due to false advertisements of love.

Well that's what I believe at least... Do you agree? Can you think of more reasons?

credit for ideas given to Awake! March 2006

Untitled

I was searching in the clouds
for a love so divine
Even the morning dew
knew what I needed
The sun looked down
and spread warmth over me
That's when I closed my eyes
and it all became so clear
You already love me!