ICRAVE !!!

I use to have the Apple iphone when it first became available about 3 years ago. Having the phone for 2 years I reduced my monthly budget and eliminated my iphone bill. When I bought my new touch screen it did not compare at all to my iphone and I was never satisfied with the performance. In June 2010 Apple released the new version of the iphone called the 4G. After reading that the new iphone was being released I was very excited to see what upgrades were made. Some features that I love about the new phone is the appearance is beautiful, it’s cool, the screen resolution is amazing, its faster in web browsing, the front facing camera, and the longer battery life. Unfortunately, I have also heard bad reviews about the phone as well regarding the antenna. The reviews state that the reception is bad due to the way the antenna is installed inside the phone. I believe that the iphone 4G is the best smart phone out today. After the phone is on the market for three to six months and Apple has worked through its early issues, I will definitely be getting the iphone. But until then I have to be content with the phone that I currently have.

TIME

When I decided to make the decision to go back to school I thought that it would be a piece of cake. I knew that I would have to make certain sacrifices but I never knew that it would be this difficult. Between working a fulltime job and attending school the change has been very stressful. The biggest adjustment that I have had to alter was learning how to have time management. I have to learn to prioritize my responsibilities and know that I will not be able to do everything that I want. Adjusting to a different schedule, meeting academic demands, and lack of a social life has demonstrated to be my new every day schedule. On a daily basis I have to work forty hours a week, go to school, manage responsibilities at home, complete four to eight hours of homework for each class and in some way fit sleep in there as well. Finding the time to complete all of my day to day tasks is one of the hardest goals to conquer for me. It just seems like it’s never enough time in the day for everything. However, I realize now that time management will be my greatest asset to succeed in and out of the classroom.

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.