The First Ten Years...

It does not feel like it has been ten years since we welcomed in the new millennium. I find it ironic, that I can remember exactly how I spent New Year’s Eve 1999, but I do not remember what I did last year! This decade has had some memorable moments for me. We hosted the first AABCS Cruise in Octobter 2000, and I met some fabulous people who have become a part of my extended family. My son graduated from high school in 2000 and graduated from college in 2004. My father-in-law passed away in 2006, and so did two of my very good friends. I hosted my little sister's wedding at my house in 2007. My husband became very ill in a 2008, and thanks be to God and some good folks at M.D. Anderson Cancer Research Center he is doing great now.

The year 2009 was bittersweet for me. Excited and anticipating the inauguration of President Barack Obama, my father passed away one week before this historic event. Although, I was sad that my father did not live to see our country’s first African American President, I was overjoyed that the hopes and dreams of my father and ancestors were achieved on that significant day.

So, what will I remember about this year? Overall, it was an interesting year. I started graduate school at UHCL in January, and I was inducted into the National Society of Leadership and Success (Sigma Alpha Phi) in May. My goddaughter graduated from high school in June, and the same weekend my hot water heater busted in my attic and really jacked up my house! On the bright side, I finally got the hardwood floors I have always wanted. We said farewell to Michael Jackson, Farah Faucet, Ted Kennedy, Walter Cronkite, and Patrick Swayze. In addition, my family circle said goodbye to a one of our village mothers, Mrs. Ollie Maeon Wilson.

I guess the older we get the more we appreciate the life we have been given. I am thankful for all of the many blessings, family, and friends that I have. If you have taken the time to read this blog, I am also thankful for you.

I wish you many blessings in the upcoming year. I know that 2010 will be phenomenal!

Live Long and Prosper.

Coming in May 2010

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10 RULES FOR THANKSGIVING DINNER AT MY HOUSE

This is an "oldie but goodie" that has been circulating the internet. But it is still funny! I have seen different variations, but this one is my favorite.

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10 RULES FOR THANKSGIVING DINNER AT MY HOUSE

Dear friends and family –

Just wanted to share a few "house rules" with you to make sure that all goes well and flows smoothly for Thanksgiving dinner at my house this year. Strict adherence to the below will make sure the authorities will not have to be summoned.

1. Don't come to my house asking a whole bunch of questions about the food: "Who made the potato salad? Is it egg in there? Are the greens fresh? Is the meat in the greens turkey or pork? Who made the macaroni and cheese? What kind of pie is that? Who made it?" Ask me JUUUST ONE MO' question and you'll get slapped to sleep until Thanksgiving is over!
2. If you can't walk, need assistance to walk or you are missing all or part of any of your limbs, sit yo' narrow crippled behind down until someone can make your plate for you. Thanksgiving is not the time for you to show how "independent you is!" Just sit right there and nibble on those damn pecans and walnuts to hold you over until we get you a plate!
3. If you have kids under the age of twelve, proceed with them immediately down the stairs to the table in the basement. I'm not gonna let those half wild hyena's of yours tear up my house this year! Anybody born after 1995 and is caught upstairs - they gone have to clip the toenails on Aunt LuLu's monkey foot this year. They will not be allowed upstairs until it's time for Uncle Ray Ray's lying behind (sorry Uncle Ray Ray – but you know you be tellin’ some whoppers!) to start telling family stories about their mommas and daddies.
4. We only blessing the food with ONE prayer this year - JUST ONE! We really don't care that you are thankful that you are a 33 year old grandmother and your "baby gurl" just gave birth to a healthy baby; or that your baby daddy just got out of jail. Note that should you volunteer to bless the meal - we have set a 60 second time limit on the prayer this year. If you are still talking after that point, know that you do so at the risk of something hard popping you in the mouth and swelling up your lip for 'bout 20-25 minutes.
5. ake all the food you want - but you best to eat ALL the food you take! Anybody caught wasting this expensive a** food is gonna get a GOOD cussin' out!
6. This ain’t a Sonic Drive through - it's BYOT - bring your OWN Tupperware if you want to fix a plate to go! Don't let me catch you trying to smuggle out food in my good Tupperware - knowing good and dang well you ain't gone bring it back! As a matter of fact - if you dare to bring your trifling self over here empty-handed - don't even let me catch you trying to make a plate PERIOD or it's gone be some probLEMS up in this camp.
7. If you didn’t bring it in wit’ cha - don't even think about trying to take it OUT wit’ cha! Note that all purses and body cavities are subject to search (and if warranted - seizure!) upon entering and/or exiting the premises.
8. Our house is not a drop-in day care facility. All of you parents with "nomadic" tendencies - and you KNOW who you are, you and your child(ren) will be attached with identical monitoring bracelets that will activate a continuous shrill alarm should you become separated more than 100 yards from each other for more than 60 seconds.
9. Our house is also NOT a Motel 6 so you best to make your hotel 'rrangements prior to your arrival into town. At 11:00pm - we turning out ALL lights and laying it down for the night. We will provide two courtesy notices beginning at 10:45pm by politely flicking the lights on and off. If you don't receive mail at this address - let that serve as your notice to start packing it up. You ain't gotta go home - but er um uhhhhh....you know the rest!
10. We are no longer providing alibi's or cover stories for family members. If you are not supposed to be here - or not 'sposed to be here with who you here with - you are on your own as we will not lie to your significant other for you; nor to your P.O. or employer.

Love ya and can't wait to see
y’all for Thanksgiving - mmmmmwah!

Denzel's Back! in The Book of Eli

Guess What I am going to see this weekend?

Stargate Universe

There are two perfect science fiction movies - The Matrix and Stargate. These are the two movies, that I can watch over and over again. So needless to say, I am a big Stargate fan. Stargate the movie, Stargate SG1, Stargate Atlantis, and now Stargate Universe!!! Debuts tomorrow night, I can't wait!

She's Back....

The exclusive premiere of Whitney's brand new video "Million Dollar Bill." Amazing!

(Scroll down to the bottom of the page to turn the music off so you can hear the video.)

The Trouble With Twitter

I came across this cartoon about Twitter yesterday. I think it is hilarious!

We Will Miss You MJ

I have many fond memories of the Jackson 5. My childhood room had J-5 pictures on every wall, my mother took me to see the Jackson 5 in Memphis at the Mid-South coliseum and when they were signing autographs at Southland Mall, she stood in the long lines with me just so I could see Jermaine.

You see, I had planned to marry Jermaine until that damn Hazel Gordy stole him from me! So, Michael would have been my brother-in-law. That was just the beginning of a lifetime of admiration I had for Michael Jackson.

I was 9-months pregnant the week that “Thriller” was released. The album came out on a Tuesday, and I gave birth on that Thursday. No, I didn’t name my baby MJ, but my child’s first outing after we left the hospital was to pick up my album that I had pre-ordered (there had been a waiting list). My baby would wake up out of a deep sleep anytime a MJ song played. Although he couldn’t say Michael, he began calling him “Me-me.”

I would later get a sense of Déjà vu in 1988, when I stood in the long lines at Houston’s Bay Brook mall to get my son a ticket to see MJ. It was a show of a lifetime; I am so happy I had the chance to go and share that memory with my son.

I will miss Michael. I owned every album, and when technology changed, I replaced all my albums with CDs. I love his music, his spirit, and his compassion. May angels surround him; I know there is a party going on in heaven now!

Michael Jackson Facts

Most Successful Concert Series - Guinness Book Of World Records
Michael Jackson sold out for seven nights at Wembley Stadium, London, England in the summer of 1988. A total of 504,000 people saw Michael perform July 14-16, 22-23, and August 26-27, 1988.

Biggest Selling Album Of All Time - Guinness Book Of World Records
Michael Jackson's "Thriller" Album is the biggest selling album of all time, with over 50 million copies sold worldwide. Thriller is also the biggest selling U.S album with sales of 25 million copies.

80's Most #1 Hits
By The End of the 1980's Michael Jackson had more #1 hits than any other artist for the decade.

Michael Awards
Michael has more awards than any other artist.

Entertainer Of The Decade
With the #1 (Thriller) and #2 (Bad) ranked albums in the world Michael was the 1980's Entertainer Of The Decade.

Most Grammy Awards - Guinness Book Of World Records
Michael won a record breaking 8 Grammy Awards in 1984, more than any other artist in one year.

Largest Contracts - Guiness Book Of World Records
$890 million (Sony Music) Contract, with prospective earnings of $1 billion.

Greatest Audience - Guiness Book Of World Records
The highest-ever viewership was 133.4 million viewers watching the NBC transmission of Super Bowl XXVII on June 31, 1993. Michael was spotlighted during the half-time peformance.

Highest-Paid Commercial Spokesperson - Guiness Book Of World Records
Pepsi Cola paid Michael Jackson $12 million to do 4 TV commercials.

Bad Tour - Guinness Book Of World Records
Michael Jackson's world tour brought in a record gross revenue of over $124 million during September 1987-December 1988.

100 Million Records
Michael has sold over 100 million singles and albums outside of the U.S.

Billboard Charts
Michael Jackson is the first person in the 37 year history of the chart to enter at # 1, with his single "You Are Not Alone". Michael broke his previous redord held by his single "Earth Song" which debuted at #5.

Biggest Selling Video
Michael Jackson's "The Making Of Thriller" is the biggest selling video to be released by an artist.

Billboard "Hot 100" Singles Chart
Most #1 Hits by Male Artist (13)

#1 Debuts
Michael's "Bad", "Dangerous", and "HIStory" albums all debuted at #1.

Consecutive #1 Singles
Jackson 5 were the first group to ever have four consecutive #1 singles.

#1 On Charts
In 1983 Michael became the first artist to simultaneously hold the number one spots on Billboard's rock albums and rock singles charts, as well as the R&B albums and singles charts.

First Video
Michael Jackson was the first black artist to have a video aired on MTV.

When It Rains...

... it definitely pours! First hurricane Ike, then micro-burst storms, and now a ruptured water heater! Water here, water there, water-water everywhere. Oh well, thank God for insurance (all types - homeowners, flood, and windstorm).

Go Rockets!

What happen to April (and how did it get to be May?)

OMG, April just past me by. Perhaps it is because April is tax month, and I really would just like to forget it. So, let me catch up on life in the month of a Literary-Shoe Goddess-Technophile.

Last Thursday, I went to the sneak peak of the new StarTrek Movie!!! It was excellent. I went with some of my favorite Trekkies /Techies so I was in good company. It is a must see for old and new StarTrek fans alike.

The Shoe Life

My girlfriend Nina has filmed a pilot for a new TV show called She’s got IsShoes. Nina is truly a shoe diva, and the show promises to be a lot of fun, check out the preview sizzle real at http://www.ninafoxx.com/interview.htm

In January my friend Nina and I joined Kim Kardashian’s ShoeDazzle.com. Much like the old “Book of the Month” Clubs, ShoeDazzle sends you a pair of shoes each month (and why didn’t we think of this?) for the reasonable price of $39.00. Since I joined, several ladies at my office have also joined; I wish they had a referral program. So far, I have received 5 pairs. I sent one pair back, sold one pair, and kept 3. The shoes are very attractive, but not so comfortable. I will give it a few more months to see how it goes.

Tech Talk

Last month I got two new gadgets! A beautiful new PINK Acer Netbook and a Verizon USB broadband modem, so people I am mobile! The net book is so cute, it fits in my purse, but I definitely have to wear readers to see the little screen. Here are the specs:

• Acer Aspire One AOA150-1672 8.9-Inch Netbook
• 1 GB RAM
• 160 GB Hard Drive
• XP Home
• 6 Cell Battery


I decided to load the Ubuntu open source operating system on my old Dell Inspiron 700m laptop, and I am very impressed. I am playing around with it now, and I will have a review later.

Page-Turners

Now that the semester is over, I have a little time for fun reading. In the past few months, in addition to digital media textbooks, I managed to read the first two Twilight books by Stephanie Myers. I really liked the first one, but the second one… not so much. I wasn’t sucked in enough to venture on to the last two books in the series. On another note, I really enjoyed her novel The Host, it was excellent.

Right now I am reading WWW:Wake by one of my favorite authors Robert J. Sawyer. I read some sample preview chapters back in March and couldn’t wait for the book to be released; so far I am not disappointed.



Also, I am listening to two audio books on my iPod, Digital Fortress by Dan Brown and Inspired By The Bible Experience: New Testament which features the voice talent of more than 200 African-American actors, musicians and religious leaders. Notable personalities include Blair Underwood, Angela Bassett, Cuba Gooding Jr. and Samuel L. Jackson.




Digital Media Studies

My first semester in the Digital Media Studies graduate program at UHCL is finally over (whew!); and I must say it was quite enjoyable. I met some really interested people and I really enjoyed the dialogue. I am looking forward to my summer classes.

Also, I was inducted into the University of Houston Clear Lake Chapter of the National Society of Leadership and Success (Sigma Alpha Pi) on Friday, May 1, 2009. The pinning ceremony was held at the UHCL campus. Dr. Anthony L. Jenkins, UHCL Dean of Students, was the keynote speaker for the event. The Society is an organization that helps people discover and achieve their goals.

A Pleasant Surprise

I am going to start by saying I am NOT an American Idol Fan. I probably have never watched an entire episode since it has been on the air (yeah, I know I am a rarity.) However, last night as I was flipping through the channels and complaining about there being absolutely NOTHING I liked on TV (even HGTV which is my favorite) I heard this angelic voice which made me stop in my tracks! It was American Idol and it was Adam Lambert singing "Mad World". I later found out it was their annual “Year of their Birth” show (who knew there was such a thing?) Adam was born in 1982 (which was a most excellent year to be born, as my son was also born that year.) "Mad World" was originally recorded by British band Tears for Fears. I really enjoyed this performance, I hope you do to.

Playing for Change

Today my sister-in-law Hattie sent me a link to view a video on YouTube. I not only enjoyed the video, I really love the concept, I think you will too.

http://playingforchange.com

Tech Talk: Great Article about Future e-book Readers

Page-perfect Touchscreen e-Reader will Revolutionize Mobile Computing

by J.E. Robertson from:

http://www.casavaria.com/hotspring/2009/03/345/page-perfect-touchscreen-e-reader-will-revolutionize-mobile-computing/

3 March 2009 :: by J.E. Robertson

The Amazon Kindle is a nice device, and it handles its job well, but it is just a very clumsy start to what will be a technological convergence few in mainstream media (and publishing) are anticipating, though it may not be far off. The page-perfect, for lack of a better term, e-reading device will make portable electronic reading easier and more comfortable than ever, packing huge amounts of data, as well as wireless downloading and even browsing capability, into an ultrathin tablet touchscreen.

The device may, after one or two initial iterations, come to have the computing power of today’s less expensive laptop computers, and will capitalize on the great discoveries in user-interface technology that have emerged from the introduction of the iPhone into the mainstream consumer market.

Whether it will belong to Apple, or be the next generation of the Amazon Kindle, or whether an as-yet-unknown pioneer in consumer electronics will pull it off, e-paper technology is certainly advanced enough to make it possible, and it’s just a matter of time until someone figures out the best way to market such a product, building on the success of the Kindle, the iPhone, the inexpensive streamlined netbook, and ever more available flat-rate unlimited mobile web services.

What is happening right now in the investigation of e-paper technology, at MIT especially, is promising in the extreme, warranting enthusiasm about great leaps in speed and ease of use, as computing circuitry advances to make the tactile e-paper device more like a fully-functional touchscreen.

What looks and feels a lot like paper and will produce ultra-sharp black-and-white text displays, will also be able to produce high-quality color and a mutable graphic-user-interface that allows for typing, searching, scrolling and all sorts of more agile file-search and manipulation. One-touch downloading and nearly full-sized qwerty-keyboard interaction will make the page-perfect tablet into a replacement for today’s netbooks.

Such a device may even use state of the art plastics and be flexible, so it can be used like a laptop when the user desires and like a tablet when more comfortable for reading. The art of the page-perfect reader will be in its ability to make the experience of reading electronic text more natural and more comfortable for the end-user, mimicking better the experience of reading a magazine or newspaper than today’s smaller-screen, reformatted reading devices.

Molecular or chemical computing advances must also be considered, as their impact on the power of ultra-thin devices cannot be overstated. The ability to pack as much computing power as today’s laptops have into a space literally millions of times smaller, with circuitry operating at the molecular level and with circuits that can process not just 16 or 32 commands simultaneously, but 1024 or 2048 or more, means far higher speeds and far less space needed.

The potential for creating impact-resistant or flex-resistant panels that display text and images with the fidelity of paper, is also advancing. What some saw as pure science fiction in the movie Minority Report, newspapers that adapt and update spontaneously, based on environment, time, and the service’s own updating schedule, will likely be one phase in the convergence of the web, news content and personal reading devices.

It will not happen tomorrow, but such levels of connected browsing and communication are possible, and will be available, possibly within a decade. Engineers of reading devices, mobile phones, and even publication networks, should take into account these many coming advances in order to best shape their projects and offerings to the desire consumers have for maximum potential portability, maximum natural feel while reading, and maximum available information, at the lowest possible cost.

UHCL - Digital Media Studies

I have tried to explain my program of studies to many of my friends, and they look at me with this blank/confused look. Here is a short video about the program. To find out more go to:

http://prtl.uhcl.edu/portal/page/portal/HSH/HOME/PROGRAMS/DMS_Splash/DMS

Stealing Lincoln's Body Reanimates 'Asymmetric' President

My son just told me about this great documentary about Lincoln, and there is a great digital media aspect, read the article in WIRED:  http://blog.wired.com/underwire/2009/02/abraham-lincoln.html

Awww......ain't she cute!!

... and she is smart too!

I never pass up the opportunity to brag on my babies! Here is one of my goddaughters Kohl, with television personality Larry King. Kohl, is pictured with her classmates, who are all graduate students at University of Arkansas Clinton School of Public Service. (Kohl is on the left-end)

Shame on the New York Post!

Yesterday, the day after President Obama signed his stimulus bill into law, the NY Post ran a cartoon depicting the bill's "author" as a dead monkey, covered in blood after being shot by police. You can see the image by clicking on the link below.

Please join me and other ColorOfChange.org members in demanding that the Post apologize publicly and fire the editor who allowed this cartoon to go to print:

http://www.colorofchange.org/nypost/?id=2049-693549
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Mr. Carlucci,

How sad that your newspaper desires publicity so much, you are willing to stoop so low. I was personally offended by the racist cartoon published by your newspaper; Not only as an African American Women, but as an American. We are finally to a place in history, where we are seeing a positive change in our country. More than 50 years after the old Jim Crow South, your newspapers chose to take a giant step backwards. You should be ashamed. You have not only insulted our president, but you have disgraced your friends, family, employees, and viewers.

I pray that you will somehow be enlightened and realize all the people whom you have insulted; I pray that by the grace of God you become bigger person and make a public apology. May God forgive you for your moral transgressions, and may God help me to forgive you as well.

Sincerely,

P. Walker Williams, League City, TX.

Tech Talk: The Kindle 2

I have had my Kindle (version 1) since October 2008, and I really have enjoyed it. Amazon release a new version this week, and while it looks impressive, there are not enough new bells and whisles to make me upgrade. But if you have been eyeing this baby, now is the time to buy. Take a look at this CNET.com Review:

Tech Talk: Trevor Baylis Eco Media MP3 Player

If you live in hurricane country like I do, you may want to consider buying one on these babies! The Eco Media Player gives you the freedom to listen to your favourite music, watch dazzling movie clips, tune in to FM radio stations and thumb through photo albums; all without the need for external power or expensive and environmentally harmful batteries. How cool is that! It is a little pricey at $199.00, but It seems like a really neat device. One minute of winding the eco-power dynamo provides up to 40 minutes play time.

Mallory Walker (May 22, 1926 - January 12, 2009)

We will miss you Daddy.

Daddy, Kameron, and I (1986)

Imagine all of the marvelous things a person can witness in 83 years. Yesterday, my father passed away. He lived a long, healthy, and honest life. He was a good man. This past year his health began to fail, and as a very active senior citizen, I think it was a little more than he could take. I would like to thank his dear friend Ms. Catherine Smith, for all the years of devoted friendship, we love you Cathy, and Daddy did too. I would also like to thank Nurse Karen Drain at Robbins Senior Center. She was my Daddy's angel on earth. Daddy was the last surviving child of John and Cora Walker. I guess, there is a big celebration going on in heaven now, as they welcome their last child home. See you on the other side Daddy.

My Dad and Mama (Marian) - Back in the Day

Me and My Parents (1980)