CANDY MEMORIES .....

I grew up in Indiana in the 80s and there was always someone in the neighborhood who had a "house" candystore. Whether it was in the house garage or in the middle of the livingroom, a candystore was there, and you could get pickles, Mary Janes, Now and Laters, Lemonheads, Boston baked beans, Red Hots, Chicosticks, and of course Alexander the Grape aka GrapeHeads; which is my all time favorite. I remember the very first time I tried Aleaxnder the Grape candies. They were tart, sweet, and full of flavor! Everyday after school I used to stop by the candy store on my way home to buy Alexander the Grape for ten cents a box. I was always fascinated with the purple tongue that the candy gives when you eat it. I would eat the outer coating and leave the hard inside. After I was done I would fold the flaps inside the box and blow inside to make a funny sound; which was hilarious. Alexander the grape was affordable and I could get a couple of boxes and have money to spare. Don't get me wrong I used to love all sorts of different candy like Lemonheads, CherryHeads, and the AppleHeads, but GrapeHeads fascinated me the most. Nowadays, I still think of Alexander the Grape candies and they will always remind me of the great times I had in my childhood.

PEAS IN A POD........

Peanut butter and jelly, macaroni-n-cheese, all undeniably synonymous with each other as me and my bestie are to one another. We have seen many stages in life, some fun some boring some happy some sad and some together and some apart. No matter the stages in life we always find comfort in each other. It’s always been nice having her near to me; Just a hop skip and a jump and we would be in each other’s presence doing our own thing. Well today things are a bit different, the love remains the same but the distance is large. I live in Atlanta and my bestie recently relocated to Louisiana. This happens to be the furthest from each other (in distance) that we’ve ever been. This distance, at one point, began to put a major damper on our everyday lives. Used to being at each other’s disposal at all times, our new restraints became emotionally draining. Now that we acknowledged the distance and the challenges it could hold we are ready to take whatever steps there are to keep our friendship and love growing happy and healthy. Even as the road may be bumpy our love and respect for each other stands steadfast. So for now our pods stretch across many states but the peas stand together as one.

WIERD SCIENCE

While enjoying my vacation on the beautiful gulf coast today, suddenly I felt as if I were out of place. Here I was trying to enjoy the many small wonders of the world with no distractions of my everyday life, I suddenly began to observe people with cell phones, laptops, handheld gaming systems, and even portable televisions. I began to question our now undeniable codependency upon modern technology. My mind then wandered to a more simpler time. A time when phone calls waited until we got home, and the only way to send mail was through the parcel service, and video phones only occurred on television cartoons such as The Jetsons. Today leaving the home without ones cell phone or laptop could handicap an individual to an extent of the entire day being non-productive. Now please don't misunderstand me, I believe the ability to multitask using technology is is a vital part of today, but is it necessary in every situation? In life there should be balance, a time to work and a time to play. As for this weekend, I will continue to be an "outcast", because I'd rather sit back and smell the roses than google a pic of them.....

A PERFECT GETAWAY

I am sitting here on the patio of my condo rental in Panama City Beach, Florida listening to the waves of the ocean and thunder of the clouds. Yes it's raining in Panama City Beach! I decided to come to Florida to get some well needed relaxation and fun. I woke up early this morning to watch the sunrise and take my first walk on the beach enjoying the beautiful white sands and blue-green water. Upon my arrival to the elevator I noticed a flyer which stated that Starbucks would be having a frappucino special for two dollars. I rushed through the double doors, walked down the boardwalk and in to Starbucks to be informed that the machine was broken. I was so disappointed until I was greeted by my family and friends who cheered me up with smiles and hugs. Being with family and friends are the moments that I cherish the most. I cannot tell you how many pictures I took today, but I know it was well over a hundred. My friends had me busy all day participating in various activities, which I enjoyed. We loved playing in the ocean, jet skiing, and para sailing; Boy was that a blast! This has been a wonderful experience so far and wish it could never end.

Yesterday I had to attend my cousin's baby shower. Before going I had to stop at the store to get a gift for the two new additions in my family. I am so excited because these babies are the second set of twins in my generation. When I went to the baby section of the store, I realized how much stuff a baby requires and it was a bit overwhelming for me at first. I walked aisle by aisle to figure out what I wanted to get even though I know that whatever it was it would be needed. I picked up the pampers first and then realized I had to figure out what size, what brand, and then on top of everything I had to decide if I wanted regular, sensitive, and huggies even had natural pampers with organic cotton. Next, I decided to visit the baby wipes section and I encountered the same dilemma. Baby wipes had a bigger variety to decide from; regular, sensitive, supreme, natural, soft skin, and even naturally refreshing. I walked around one last time to make my final decision for my gift. I looked at clothes, bottles, bath needs, pacifiers, blankets, car seats, music cds, baby monitors, and I also looked at a device where a new mom can listen to the heartbeat of her unborn child. After being in the store for over 2 hours, I decided on getting a 6 month supply of baby wipes and clothes. At the baby shower, when my gift was opened, my cousin's reaction was very happy and grateful.

ISLAND PARADISE

Have you ever wanted to go to a place so badly you can invisine yourself there before you even get there? Well, The FIJI Islands is my dream place to go and visit. I have been to alot of places in my life so far but I have never been able to go to this beautiful island paradise. I was watching a show on the travel channel about 4 or 5 years ago and they were showcasing the beaches, eateries, and hot spots that can be suggested to visit if you are on vacation in FIJI. I was so taken by the different sites that were shown I just knew that I wanted to go there someday. The Fiji Islands is made up of 330 islands many of which are inhabited located in the South Pacific. Fiji is renowned for its stunning beaches, beautiful warm climate, and unique relaxed island atmosphere. There are over 50 resorts that spread over the different islands. The majority of hotels are located on the main two islands in Fiji called Viti Levu and Vanua Levu. The other islands contain smaller number of hotels or even in some cases have a single resort. Fiji is a great way to experience days relaxing by the pool, nights strolling on the beach, or dining in style. Through the various virtual tours this island paradise will definitely be my next destination.

"What'chu talkin' about, Willis?"

I was watching an episode of Different Strokes and thought how sad it is to have lost a fallen icon. Gary Coleman was best known for starring as Arnold the adopted son of a wealthy Park Avenue family. Gary was also adopted in real life and raised in Zion, Illinois. He appeared in local TV commercials before being discovered for the soon to be hit series "Different Strokes". Every episode contained the popular phrase made famous by Coleman ""What'chu talkin' about, Willis?". The show ended in 1986 after eight successful seasons when he was 18 years old. Gary attempted to appear on the big screen but was unable to reach the same success as the television series. In the upcoming years Gary made guest appearances on TV shows and landed small parts in film. He married in 2007 to Shannon Price whom he met while filming a movie called Church Ball in 2006. In 2009 Gary starred in Midgets v/s Mascots which will saddenly become his last film. On May 28,2010, he died at the age of 42 years old suffered from a brain hemorrhage after falling and hitting his head. Gary Coleman the child star that touched hearts and brought joy to many families will be missed.

EYES WIDE SHUT ..............

It is 1:30am and I'm trying my best to close my eyes and finally go to sleep. I'm lying in bed exhausted but with my eyes wide open staring at the ceiling listening to the never ending sound of the clock ticking. Unfortunately, for the last two days I've had a case of insomnia. If you have ever experienced this you know exactly how difficult insomnia can be. Insomnia is a common condition in which you have trouble falling or staying asleep. This can range from mild to severe, depending on how often it occurs and for how long. I don't have problems sleeping often but when I do I can tell you it is a difficult experience to have. According to Womenshealth.gov there are two types of this condition which are called primary and secondary insomnia. I also found that insomnia can be triggered by life events, medical, physical and emotional changes. It can also effect your daily activities the next day making you feel tired, unable to focus, emotional, and feeling of anxiety. After researching, this condition can be treated through prescription sleep medicines, over the counter sleep aides, and natural remedies. According to well.com simple insomnia techniques such as drinking herb tea, playing soothing music, or taking a warm bath before bed are simple tips to help with getting a good nights sleep. The next time I have trouble sleeping I will try one of the natural remedies so I will be able to close my eyes and fall sound asleep.