Toya's Coffee Shop Musings

Right now I am at my second favorite coffee shop. It used to not even be in the running but since I am having a craptaculous weekend and they have been playing Stevie Wonder for the past 20 minutes, they are now my second favorite.

Life can pass by you quickly if you aren't focused. For instance this is allegedly my last weekend living on this side of town and I saw a park that I have never seen before in my life. I've lived in Nashville for seven years and have never been to Centennial Park outside of some event happening there. I am now realizing that I wish I had another year here. I am also realizing that ordering this strawberry italian cream soda was a bad idea. Gross!

How many of us truly know ourselves:know what makes us tick, what drives us crazy, what inspires us? I mean even down to what colors and music brightens our mood, how to best prepare for the day and what do we need to do to get motivated? Everyone is different. For instance, it is impossible for me to think clearly in the morning before I have had a shower. Well this weekend, I had been horribly depressed and distant for two days before I realized that I had trapped myself in the house threatening to pack. If I would've remembered who I was and how I operate I would've remembered that I need to be motivated into long term projects and that I need to put some Stevie on if at all possible. I can't just wake up and go. I gotta relax and prepare myself before I attack anything and I can't stay couped up in the house making myself do anything. That's just not how I'm wired.

Oh I say that I am allegedly moving because my house is still being renovated. Its a long story that I don't want to get into but my landlords are already sick of me and my badgering and I am sick of having to badger. I'm not worried, just frustrated. A girl just walked in here with a wicked black eye. I hope she won.

I am about to be alone for real. I am about to be 33 and living alone. Also because my budget has got to be serious, I can't be going out all the time anymore. My place has GOT to be the place to be. No one should be surprised if they walk into my house and find numerous teas, a few bar stools and a smoothie machine.

Still it's a bit scary for me. So right now I am going to read, relax, enjoy the sun (and Stevie) and calm the heck down. This is gonna be a good thing.

My Other Fictitious TV Boyfriend- Toya

I love me some Turk (Donald Faison). This will never stop being funny, I promise you.

Toya's Random Thought of the Day



Why am I happy about Pam and Jim from The Office like it's ME and Jim from The Office? And if there is a real life Jim Halpert that loves Jesus and brown girls, send him quickly in my direction post haste, thank you. I just got done watching the season premiere and I swear it made my whole day.

I have spoken to several newly married/newly engaged people and I keep hearing "I always said I would never marry someone that was..." and that is exactly the kind of person they married. I guess you never know. I always thought that I wanted to marry someone that was very outgoing and talkative and hilarious and then when I got around someone like that it drove me crazy. I tend to like the more shy, more laid back types(Shy should not read intimidated). Sarcasm is a must or else they will continuously think I'm a jerk. I mean, I can't help it. I'm from New Jersey. We export sarcasm from there.

I guess what made me so happy about Jim and Pam (I guess I am spoiling it for whoever hasn't seen the premiere episode yet) is that although fictional characters, they mirror the kind of relationship that to me is the most ideal. They are best buds. That is so fresh. The thing about that is sometimes (for me anyway) you can meet someone that seems to be best bud material but they may not be someone that you can respect to lead in the long run. Case in point, my best friend for a long time admitted that he wanted us to be together and even though I have never been more comfortable and happy with anyone else in my lifetime, we are too much alike for it to work. He is too much like me for me to be able to respect him and trust him enough to lead in a relationship. I know, issues.

Everytime I think I know what I want I am way off. That's ok I guess. I would rather it be this way than be in and out of relationships. That's too much wear and tear on the human heart. So until it's time, if it will ever be, I will watch The Office and be happy for Pam and Jim.

Random Question of the Day - Tia

Even though I'm still waiting on IT to get back at me to let me know how to get on the network, I still have time to post randomness online. You gotta love working from home.

So here's the random question of the day:

Am I the only one who struggles with trying to figure out what some people type in the way of comments and IMs? I'm not pointing any fingers specifically...wait...let me stop lying. Yes, I am. It's usually the people who were born in the mid 80s. These youngsters are writing comments and things somewhat phonetically and I have to really struggle to figure out what they're saying. I have to sound it out and such. Now don't get me wrong. I'm no master speller. In fact, in recent years I have become so dependant on spell check that it's a bit embarrassing. But the way some of the young bucks write makes me feel okay about myself.

For instance, this was a comment that I read on Concrete Loop that I had to sound out and seriously think about what the girl was trying to say.
IN DA ESSENCE MAGAZINE W/ KEYSHIA ON DA COVER IT HAS A SPREAD DAT READS, 1 PARTIED DOWN AND 1 GREW UP, WILL THEIR FRIENDSHIP LAST? I KNEW 4RM DAT PIC HER NOSE WAS DONE. AND EITHA PEPA GO PULL HER OR SALT GO DO IT, I HAD 2 LET PLENTY OF PPL GO SINCE SAVED

Maybe I'm just too picky or something. I know I've mentioned this before. But I really wonder if I'm the only one who has trouble deciphering.

This concludes my random question for the day.

???? - Tia

I currently have 2 laptops, a blackberry (a device of The Man) and a T-mobile dash in front of me. I have been on the phone with IT twice already today and my scanner/printer/copier is lost in the mail.

How did I get here? Yesterday at this time I was still asleep.

I was minding my own business - Tia

I decided to go to the mall to get some tea. Toya bought me a gift card to one of my favorite stores on earth, Teavana, for my birthday. Since I didn't have anywhere in particular to be after getting my strawberry kiwi tea, I decided to roam the mall for a while.

I was minding my own business, walking through the mall and literally almost fell over my own feet when I walked by this blown up to bigger than life size.

I literally stopped dead in my tracks and almost fell over. I didn't care who was behind me. I didn't care how stupid I looked staring up, mouth agape at a poster. I love Jeremy Piven and have loved him for some time. And a man in a fly suit can do NO WRONG in my eyes. I respect the hustle of a blue collar man but there is something about a white collar man in a precisely cut suit, coming home at the end of the day loosening his tie...HALLELUJAH!!!!

Be it according to your faith....

I promise this is the last one - Tia

I love Grey's Anatomy. As broke as I am, I actually gave up a shift at my night job so that I could be home this Thursday to watch the season premiere. Anyone who knows me knows that there are 3 times a week when you can not call me and if you do you will go straight to voicemail. Mondays at 9 for Heroes. Wednesdays at 10 for Lost. And Thursdays at 9 for Grey's.

My dad doesn't get Comcast so I can't get a DVR and until I get my money right I can't get TIVO. So basically I have to watch the shows when they're on. So that means no calls, no emails, no internet.

Anywho, I was just surfing the blogsphere and came across Mat Kearney's new video. I'm hoping that it will be this year's theme song. As much as I love the The Fray, I think it's time that Grey's got a new song.

So because we LOVE Mat around here and because I adore Grey's like a champ here's the new video. And I promise it is the last one of the day. (I was going to write a whole post (and post a video) about how I love Shayne Ward and other pretty boys of his ilk but I will save that for another time. )

More New Music - Tia

So I have a girl crush on Alicia Keys. For real, that girl is FIYAH. I really can't wait for her new cd to drop. I should be back on my A game November 13th and I fully intend to burn a hole in someones music store. (Random aside: I really miss Amoeba Music in LA. Thus far, I haven't been able to find a store that even comes close to that one.)

I decided to post her new single and some old stuff just because....

Alicia Keys - No One
Uploaded by Alisvideo

I'm sorry, Rob Thomas and Alicia Keys doing Bill Wither's Use Me NEVER gets old for me. I would have been all up in Rob's mouth if he was singing to me like that. But that's another story.

Alicia Keys And Rob Thomas - Use Me
Uploaded by kama-99

And speaking of Rob Thomas, Bent came on my iPod when I was at the gym yesterday and I had to listen to it like 12 times. I remember exactly where I was the first time I saw the video. It was senior year of college. I was off campus at a friend's apartment with a bunch of my girlfriends. The video came on and the room grew VERY quiet. And then there was the scene when Rob is walking against the wind...I kid you not I heard every girl in the room, myself included, gasp. I swear the air in the room got a little thinner. Forget what you heard, Rob Thomas is fine. And I think he married a colored girl. She's Spanish or something. Whatever, I ain't mad at her.

New Music - Tia

I'll admit it. I'm a Rihanna fan. She's cute. Her songs are catchy. What's not to like really?

Her new single, Hate That I Love You is another radio friendly hit. And truth be told, I absolutely love it. And for some reason, it reminds me of something else but I can't figure out what. Maybe it's a combination of things. It's got that same clap beat thingie that Neyo's So Sick had and the guitars and the strings remind me of the Spice Girls song, Mama. Maybe that's why I like it. It sounds like other stuff that I like.

Well, whatever. Enjoy



By the way, does anyone know why I can't buy Umbrella/Cinderella on iTunes? Was that not a legitimate single? They play it on the radio here like it's going out of style. You'd think you'd be able to get it on iTunes.

Que hora es? - Tia

First of all, there is entirely too much stuff on the interweb.

I'm not working today. (That is another story for another time.) So I have plenty of time on my hands to do a lot of nothing. Let me tell ya, so far the day has been great. I got up, had my quiet time, went to the gym and now I'm laying around in my own funk (I will be showering soon) surfing the net and reading my email.

I was on one of my favourite sites in the whole world, crunktastical, and I was reading some ignant behind -ish Adrein, aka Mrs. Peter Brady, said about black history month. The comments on her ignorance are HA-HA-LARIOUS. Anyway, someone commented about a Cedric the Entertainer skit called Que Hora Es? I had never seen it before but I knew where to go to find it: Youtube. You can find just about anything on youtube.

The skits are ridiculously funny. And I think part of the reason that they're so funny is because they're pretty accurate for most people. I mean, I know I can't speak too much Spanish and I took 4 1/2 years of it. I can understand a bit more than most but it's nothing at all to brag about. Basically, if I were in a jam, I could ask you where the bathroom or hospital was, I could find out how much it costs, and I could tell you my name and age. Beyond that it would be a struggle.

My favorite line in the whole thing is, "El pollo loco es muy delicioso." It has nothing to do with anything but it is funny. And El Pollo Loco is good. I miss that from Cali.

Throwback Video of the Week - Tia

It's been a minute since I posted a TVoW. So when this song came on the radio on my way home from the gym this morning I KNEW I had to post it.

Now if this song doesn't or didn't move you at some point in your life, you need to ask yourself where you get your joy from. Because frankly, I don't know if you have any. That's all I'm saying.

Somebody pray for me...

because my soon to be new neighbor looks like Zach Braff and is single. It wasn't until very recently have I been feeling Zach Braff. Back when I was watching Scrubs (before I was without a television) I couldn't appreciate Zach Braff and the fullness thereof (of his lips) because I was continuously distracted by Donald Faison who to me is just unjustifiable hotness. However, a few weeks ago I saw The Ex with him, Jason Bateman and Amanda Peete and was actually able to really see him and appreciate the great creation of God Almighty of which is Zach Braff's mouth. It's a problem. I think I am going to fast on my lunch break and sit at my desk every day this week listening to Joyce Meyer messages on my headphones. Your prayers are much appreciated.-Toya

Listen- Toya
Further proof that Tia and I were meant to be best friends lies in the fact that Beyonce's song "Listen" sends us into hysterics. I think it's the hairbrush in one hand and Mariah Carey song interpretation hand motions with the other while over enunciating the lyrics "I am alone at a crossroads" that makes this song so much fun to make fun of. We are so off. God help the men that promise us forever.

I am in the middle of packing and getting ready to go out tonight but I had to stop and type this blog because I was just reminded of God's goodness. One of the things that I have learned this year is that God is much closer than we think and that He is constantly speaking to us. Sometimes I can't hear Him or notice with my own eyes what He wants to get across because I am too busy daydreaming/worrying/zoning out/napping. We would rather have burning bush experiences (see the bible for the story of Moses if that reference made no sense to you. It's a good one) but I think that God wants us to know that He can speak to us in specific ways according to how unique we are. I have a few friends that have been reminded of God's omnipresence through butterflies in the most odd places. For me however, I am reminded that God sees and knows all things through songs. My Creator KNOWS His child.

If you have not been reading this blog from the beginning, you are probably not familiar with Guy A. Guy A was my first in a string of non-boyfriends I have had in Nashville. I have been blessed to be able to learn relationship lessons without actually dating anyone in a really long time. Guy A is a guy that for the most part my friends thought was feeling me based on how he treated me whenever he was around me. Because I used to have Riker's Island security around my heart, it took a while for me to warm up to him. I would pray for him to NOT show up places and he would. I would try to bounce out of church without him seeing me and I never seemed to be able to get out of his way. Well when I started to let my guard down, I soon endured one of the most embarrassing times in my life. I walked away with a broken heart and he walked away with his new wife. Awesome. For more on Guy A, you can look him up in our posts around 2004. Go into 2004 and hit Older Posts at the bottom to get the drama from the beginning.

One salty day, I decided to buy myself my favorite flower, a peach colored Gerber daisy, and sit in my car on my lunch break and mope and cry and mope some more. This was around the time Justin Timberlake's "Justified" came out, back when I was still calling him Justin Timberlake and not Your Boy and That Joker that Threw Janet Under the Bus. I sat in my car and all of the sudden these lyrics that I had heard a dozen times before suddenly struck me in a new way...

Take It From Here

Sometimes, sometimes the world gets hard
I'm gonna take it from here girl
Don't you worry
I wanna be your lake, for you babe
And any problems that you have I wanna wash 'em away
I wanna be your sky
So blue and high
And everytime you think of me I wanna blow your mind

I wanna be your air
So sweet and fair
So when you feel that you can't breathe Ma, I'll be there
I wanna be your answer, all the time
When you see how I put your life before mine with no question

(Chorus)
When all the love feels gone and you can't carry on
Don't worry, girl I'ma take it from here
Just as sure as the sun will shine every morning, every time
Don't worry, girl, I'ma take it from here

I wanna hold your hands
Review all your plans
I wanna make sure everyone of your dreams will stand
I wanna be your broadway show on review (Why)
So I can act out how God was when he made you
I wanna be your lighthouse when you get lost
I'll be a bright and shining path to help you across
I wanna be your mother, wait
See what I see
When you see that can't nobody hold you like me
Cause I love you

Chorus

Bridge

Give me one reason why we should not be leaving
This world is so deceiving, the time is now
Let's fly away speeding
Through the Garden of Eden
Where all the sweet breathing of love surrounds

Chorus
Breakdown

(I got somethin' I wanna tell ya baby)Love ain't always the way they write in books(No, no)
See there's the good guys And also heartbreak crooks
Your hearts the real boo
Just take a look outside
Cause it's a colorful illustrated guide

So there you go
Don't worry
I'll be the one to help you weather the storm
I'll be there mami
No matter what time, no matter what place
You can always count on me
I'll take it from here

I remember sitting in my car and thinking "Justin is trippin'. Can't no man or woman be all of these things for you but Jesus. Wait...Oh my goodness!!!!! Thank you Lord!" It should be of little shock that the Lord would speak to me through Justin Timberlake. If you look in the Old Testament, it is not the first time He has used an ass. Okay, I know that was an actual donkey but I couldn't resist. I wish I had the time to go through all of these lyrics and put all the scriptures that come to mind upon reading them but I can't right now.

I don't know what anyone reading this is going through but if you think that God is not at all concerned about your broken heart, I encourage you to read back through these lyrics as if the Lord was speaking to you. He wants to be your air and your lighthouse. He wants to make sure your dreams come true. He put them there. He wants you to take a look outside because nature screams of His glory and goodness. And as sure as the sun shines everyday, so does His faithfulness.

I remember crying in the bathroom at church one day (Side note to Tia: We have done more crying at church that has had NOTHING to do with Jesus than any woman ever should. Good grief!) and this woman came over and said I looked beautiful. I was like "Whatever." She then asked if something was wrong and I said I was fine. She looked at me and said "Ok. Jesus knows." I started bawling again right after she left the bathroom. I started crying because it never occurred to me that Jesus has seen EVERYTHING. He knows that when Guy A/Beautiful Surprise/Tag/Mike and all of the other cast of characters have done (or not done things) how that has affected me. We sometimes think that this is all too trivial to bring to the Lord when really He wants us to come to him. The heart is very, very serious business to God. He says that out of it is the "wellspring of life".

I hope that this has blessed someone, even if it's just one. This is not the only song that God has let play in the background of my circumstance that has had meaning and I hope to share more in the future.

Be well and take good care of your hearts.

If God is a DJ
Life is a dance floor
Love is the rhythm
You are the music
If God is a DJ
Life is a dance floor
You get what you're given
It's all how you use it...
-Pink "God is a DJ"

I officially love... - Tia

Lincoln Heights.

I need to be sleeping. Seriously. I have to work in the morning. But I got started watching episodes of Lincoln Heights online. And now I am caught up. And it has absolutely nothing...very little to do with Cassie and Charles.

Six Days and Counting...-Toya

Chaka Khan's first studio record in 10 years, "Funk This" comes out next Tuesday and I can barely contain myself. I swore off sushi, Forever 21 and other frivolous expenses for the next few months because I am moving out on my own but I am buying this the day it comes out. This is NEW Chaka! I need this like I need gas in my car. R&B NEEDS THIS LIKE I NEED GAS IN MY CAR!

The first time I heard the single "Angel", I was driving back from my soon to be new home, worried about the responsibilities of living by myself. I thought that it was an old Chaka song that I had missed somehow. That is how great she sounds and how timeless she is.

"Troubled little angel, inconsistent flying blind most of the time, drama queen"...

"Umm, did she write a song about me?" I thought, a little "saltily" I might add (the truth hurts sometimes). I then imagined Chaka Khan being my fairy godmother singing this too me much like in Cinderella. Wouldn't she be the PERFECT fairy godmother??? Anyway, I love every single track that I have heard thus far. I smell Grammy and I am pretty sure the cut offs for consideration are in October. I cannot wait until next Tuesday! Check out her myspace page at www.myspace.com/officialchakakhan to hear "Angel", her cover of Prince's "Sign of the Times" and the banger, "Disrespectful" with Mary J. Blige.

This is currently my favorite commercial - Tia

Never going to stop being funny - Tia

Someone sent us a comment or email recently (I can't remember which) that said that she'd tried to start reading our blog from the beginning with the intention of working her way forward. First of all I was really touched by that. Seriously, I was. I really appreciate our readers and I hope that we can keep this site going for a long time. AND I hope that we can make it a little more legitimate looking some day in the near future. (Levi, if you still want to design something for us, have at it.)

Now part of me wouldn't recommend trying to read 4 years worth of blogging. I mean even during our off year (2006) we still had almost 100 posts. That's a lot of reading and some of them are so random that I wouldn't even read them. But then part of me wants you to invest in the past. Not just because I want the whole world to know about my adventures with Toya and my random obsession about marriage, but also because some of this stuff is HA-HA-LARIOUS. And it's never not going to be funny. The Rick Springfield story still cracks me up. The story about the time that my rental car got stolen is too classic to NOT be funny. And the time I thought I was going to have to fight the guy in line for some Poison tickets is just classic BGLU.

So if you want, take the time to peruse. If not, just click here to read the funniest Toya mauling an 80s icon story that you'll ever hear.

Normally I don't do this - Tia

There have been a few times when people we know and even people we don't know have asked us to post stuff on the site. For the most part the answer is no. It's nothing personal. But if you do it for one and then don't do it for the other, you run the risk of hurting feelings and alienating people. Besides, it's our site, we can pretty much do what we want. I keed, I keed...okay, not really...

However, my music boyfriend Steve, requested that I post this youtube video as like a Steve's crush of the moment. And I figured I would for two reasons. 1.) I have come out the side of my mouth MANY A TIME and asked him for some insane music request (and Toya has too a few times) and he has ALWAYS come through. ALWAYS. (Oh by the way Steve, can you send me that Joy Denalane again? For some reason the file is missing on my iTunes.) So I figured the least I could do is grant this one request. 2.) I have a feeling that he wanted me to post it to let all of our eligible readers know that he rolls with the brown skinned girls. You gotta love a brit boy who loves music and sistahs, right?

So anyway, this is Steve's crush of the moment.

And if you want to holla at Steve, hit me up. You know I gotta screen y'all for my boy.

Laters

My top 6 baddest bad guys of the 80s - Tia

I don't know why this even came to me. I was on the elliptical at the gym this afternoon and for some reason I got to thinking about all of the bad guys from 80s that I love to hate...Oh wait, I know what it was. There was a commercial on for some tv show that comes on ABC and James Spader plays a lawyer and from the looks of it he's basically doing what he does best, being snide. So I decided that I would do a countdown of my favourite (you like that queen's English spelling don't you?) bad guys from the 80s. You know what I'm talking about. The guys that were the best antagonists in the movies that we know by heart. You couldn't wait to see them get their comeupins...comeupence...come-uppance(I know it's one of those.) So here is a list of the guys that still I love to hate.

6. Roy Stalin (Aaron Dozier) - Better Off Dead
Before he was Lloyd Dobler he was Lane Meyer. And let me tell you I loved me some John Cusack then. I had Better Off Dead on VHS and I used to RUN IT. I loved that movie (and come to think of it, I don't know why I don't own it on DVD.) Lane was the every man. He was sweet and lovable, and he was being tormented mercilessly by the guy his girlfriend dumped him for Roy Stalin. Roy was, in the words of Lane's ex- Beth, cuter, taller, drove a nicer car and he could ski the K-12 and live to tell about it.

Roy tormented Lane at school, at his job and even in a freakin' cartoon. He was blond, and pretty and you wanted to kick his ass. And he is the reason why I had to change my list from my top 5 to my top 6.

For those who have never seen Better Off Dead:


5. Mistah aka Albert (Danny Glover) - The Color Purple
His redeeming act at the end of the movie does not make him any less of a jerk. And he was jerk from the get go, "I ain't never looked at the other one befo'." The fact that he beat Miss Celie and kept her from her sister was enough to make you want to cut his throat while you were shaving him. And don't even get me started on how he raised his son. Got him thinking it's okay to beat on Ole' Sophia.

4. Hardy Jenns (Craig Scheffer) - Some Kind Of Wonderful
Hardy Jenns, "with 2 N's." His name alone made me want to pound his face into the pavement. And he had that chin. That chin that just cried out to be punched. And he had some of the best one-liners. "He's the trash. You're just a whore." This fictional character had the power to irritate me to no end. Every single time I watched it I couldn't stand him. He just thought he was so badass. With his flashy car and his feathered hair and his "please punch me" chin. Dear God, every time I watch SKoW I want to slap the fire out of Hardy. Lea Thompson forever became my girl when she slaps him not once, but twice in about 3 seconds. Hardy Jenns, "with 2 N's"...I scoff in your general direction.



2. Steff (James Spader) - Pretty in Pink
James Spader was able to make every coked out white boy in my school look like a saint. Now granted, I didn't actually get to fully appreciate PiP until I was in high school in the 90s. But when I did, I realized how much I really, really, REALLY hated Steff. If you look up prick in the dictionary, there is a picture of Steff doing a line of coke.

Of course you want to root for Blaine "Blaine...his name is Blaine?!?!?" and Andie to get together. It was a classic 80s movie and that's what you were supposed to do. But the fact the Steff was such an ass and made Andie's life miserable just made you want to root for them even more.

I loathed Steff. I hated his face. I hated his swagger. I hated his white linen outfit. I secretly prayed that he would get hit by a truck the first time I watched the movie. And that's how you know that someone can act their behind off. When you secretly want the character to die, that's a thespian for your behind.

Oh and please don't even get me started on James Spader in Less Than Zero.

2. Johnny -The Karate Kid 1 & 2, Greg Tolan - Just One of the Guys, Chas - Back To School - Billy (I'm a grown-up and I now go by William) Zabka
I realize that Billy Zabka and James Spader are both number 2. I just couldn't figure out who to put where. They both played such colossal jerks that's they're pretty much tied in my book.

You may not have known his name but you darn sure knew his face. Billy Zabka couldn't make a movie in the 80s without playing the biggest, meanest, most arrogant sumuma (that's a King's of Comedy reference for those who don't know.) Every time I turned around he was tormenting some unsuspecting underdog type kid. And he was soooo good at it. It was like he was reading from the How to be a Colossal a-hole handbook.

And I don't know about you but he seemed a little crazy in Karate Kid, no? I'm sure some of it was the doing of his sensei, but a lot of that crazy was of his own making. You couldn't wait for Daniel-san to crane kick him in the face. Especially after the whole, "Sweep the leg" incident. He was dirty for that. (Can I just say that I still cringe at that scene. It really does give me that "OOOOH" sick in my stomach feeling. )



The 80s must have sucked for Billy. Because pretty much everyone must have thought he was a jerk. Every movie he was in he played a total jerk, and played it well. He is the quintessential jerky frat boy. Every movie made in the 90s and beyond that has a bully/jerk/antagonist pays homage to "give him a body bag" Zabka.

1. Sho'nuff (Julius Carry) - The Last Dragon
PLEASE do not sleep on a man that will tell you to, "Kiss My Converse." I mean, the man was the "Shogun of Harlem." It gets no badder than that. And if you didn't believe it he let you know.
Am I the meanest?
Sho'nuff
Am I the prettiest?
Sho'nuff
Am I baddest mofo low down around town?
SHO'NUFF



He was a bad man. Wave Nuveau and all. You did not want to play with him, unless you wanted a good old fashion karate beat down. I know it was only a movie but I was really scared of this man when I was a child. You couldn't tell me that he wasn't serious. I was scared for Taimak the first time I watched the movie. (Cut me some slack. I was only 7 years old.) Clown me if you must, but I bet YOU wouldn't have said anything to him. And if he asked you who the MASTER was, you better had darn sure said Sho'nuff or that was yo' behind.

So that's my list. Feel free to add anyone I may have forgotten.

Why is Amy Winehouse always bleeding? - Tia

I want to know whose ass she was beating when she busted her hand. I love this chick. She is a mess, but I love her.

I really hope this isn't true - Tia


I really hope that OJ wasn't dumb enough to think that he could get away with robbing someone. I really hope this is some big misunderstanding. NO ONE could be this stupid. OJ got away with murder once. He should have taken his tail to another country and sat around living off of his NFL pension. (In case you didn't know, even though he was found liable for Nicole and Ron's death, his pension can't be touched. So it's not like he's broke. )

And I can even understand wanting your stuff back. It's yours. You want it. And I know he couldn't have called the police. The po-po ain't checkin' for OJ. He would have gotten laughed at and hung up on if he tried to call the cops about a stolen jersey.

But despite all of that, I can't beleve that he would be stupid enough to rob someone at gun point for a video tape. I just can't believe it.

But I can believe that the police are going to do everything in their power to put him under the jail this time. Po' thang.

Hallelujah is the highest praise - Tia

I sometimes can't remember what I post on here sometimes. So here's a brief recap. I moved to Atlanta at the beginning of August, happy as pie to be out of LA. I took a job at a preschool (and I use that word loosely) because I was convinced by the director that it was a top-notch accredited pro-education school. I later came to find out that it is a glorified pee-pee daycare. And the money is pathetic. (which is a travesty because we spend more waking hours with some of these kids than their parents do. I have never understood why childcare providers and teachers make so little money. ) And despite working two jobs, which amounted to working seven days a week, I am still (but soon won't be) a special kind of broke. But I am relieved as all get out, scratch that, I am happier than I've ever been to be in a city where women outnumber men something like 7 to 1 and a HUGE percentage of the male population is gay. That is (insert sarcasm here) the BEST for a single girl looking for a boyfriend. I don't know why but I love Atlanta, despite the fact that I started sneezing on Saturday and have yet to stop because allergy season is in FULL EFFECT. Despite the fact that I know more gay men than straight. Despite the fact that I'm broke as a joke right now. I really love this city.

So anyway, while I love the place that I'm in I couldn't overlook the fact that my money situation was fastly approaching dire. (I had to look up the word fastly. Blogger spell checked it but I KNEW it was a real word.) But there was nothing I could do about it other than pray and look for another job. During my quiet time the other morning, I stumbled across the story of Abraham and it really shed some light on the situation.

Abraham acknowledged his situation. He was decrepit and his wife was barren. But he didn't let his situation define him. And he considered the one who had promised him a son (God, for those trying to keep up) to be faithful.(Hebrews 11:11) I realized that I had to acknowledge that I needed a better job and be active about finding another one, but as the same time I had to realize that God is faithful to his word and that when he said that he would supply all of my needs, he meant it. I knew that I was going to get a better job and I knew that I was going to get it soon.

Two hours ago, I got a job offer making almost 3 1/2 times more than I'm making at the preschool...daycare. Oh, and it gets better. I get to work from home. That's right, I get to get out of bed and then walk to my desk. Say it with me now...no commute. The new company is hooking me up with a home office, computer and a blackberry. (The blackberry scares me. That means they can always get me. )

God is so good.

I know this is wrong, but I am going to relish giving notice tomorrow. You know what, no I'm not. God does not like ugly. So y'all pray that I have humility. I feel like I kinda got tricked into working for this busted school but that's still no reason to dance in and throw my letter of resignation in the office in the shape of a paper airplane.

Say what you want...-Tia

But Tommy would have whooped 8 mile's ass. You know I love you, Tommy.

The following was taken directly from Tommy's site.

Yeah!! .....here I am minding my own biz having a great time with my friend Criss Angel (magician) and watching the Mtv awards in the front row saying hello to all my friends......Pamela comes and sits on my lap who I love and adore....and also say hello to my friend Travis Barker and his wife!.....and i get a text from another friend P. Diddy and he says come sit with me.....and he's sitting with Miss HOT AS FUCK!!!!.....Megan FOX!!! So I go over and sit with P!! Not a minute later and Alicia Keys starts her amazing performance...."i apologize sweetie".....i had nothing to do with the timing and disrespect, ......back to the stupid-ness!!....so..... I get a tap on the shoulder from Kid Pebble...i stand up and embrace him with a semi hug and say "Hey dude...What up"?? He punches me in the face.....well if ya wanna call it that!?....more like a bitch slap!.......Wuss!! Anyway....i go to knock this jealous no career havin country bumpkin the fuck OUT....and before I can have a meeting with my fist and his ugly ass mug ....security guards...NOT MINE at the Palms grab me and haul my ass outta the award show threatening me that if I move they'll break my arm......yeah whatever!!....my security guard Bruce grabs them and say's I got him....let go!!! So im fine and of course leave to my room with police and owner George Maloof......the rest is paper work and bullshit!... Anyway...... I would like to apologize to Alicia and George and Mtv for the disrespectful bullshit caused by a piece of shit called Kid Pebble!!Much Love always!!.....Tommy!!

And I don't care what you say, Kid Pebble will never stop being funny.

Trainwreck, I'm a trainwreck for you - Tia
Trainwreck is the title of a song by one of BGLUs favorite artists Mat Kearney. And please believe he was a favorite before he was a VH1 artist you ought to know. We've been trying to hip you to him since '04. I'm just saying.

I need to spend less time online. I know this. But my time spent is sometimes rewarded by little gems like this.

When I tell you that I CRIED with laughter when I saw this please believe me. This child is a trainwreck and I will probably get a good talking to from the Lord about laughing as long and as hard as I did when I get to heaven. But right now I don't care. This is scarily hilarious. It's funny, but it's also really sad. Because if the truth be told if this guy was on fire Britney would not go out of her way to put him out.



And in other Britney type news, Kanye said the same thing that Toya said last night. MTV milked Britney for ratings. They knew good and dangone well that that girl was going to be a mess on stage and they let her perform anyway. They knew she was going to be a walking tragedy.

All jokes aside, that girl needs love so badly. I really wish I could give her a hug and let her know that it really can be okay.

They look really happy...-Tia

for people who filed for divorce.

Toya loves her some Travis. But it's looking like Travis and Shanna (is that that child's name?) are trying to make a comeback. Sorry, Toy.

VMAs update

So it turns out that Tommy Lee and Kid Rock were actually fighting. I would LOVE to know what they were fighting about. Does Pam go home with the winner?

Live(-ish) VMAs ramblings - Tia

- Brtiney Spears performance was WACK!!!!!! They hyped it up all night and it was nothing. She was lip-synching (nothing new there) but she didn't even seem that interested. She almost seemed bored, like she was just going through the motions. And the song itself was WACK!!! I'm not going to lie. I have liked a few Britney songs in the past. Okay, actually only one that I can think of: Toxic. But this song is even beneath the crappy pop she's known for.
Her performance gets a 2/10
Oh and I love how 50 just looked bored and somewhat confused when one of Britney's strippers...oops...dancers was on her pole at his table. He was probably thinking, "I didn't know I would need ones at the VMAs."

- I love that when JT accepted his award he challenged MTV to play more videos. Funny but never going to happen.

- Who do I need to shoot at MTV for not showing Adam's whole performance of Wake Up Call?

- I'm going to need Chris Brown to not be so dang cute. And I must say the carnival background is not helping my dirty old lady feelings. (Shut up Toya! He does not have baby teeth. Omarion DOES still have baby hair though. So there.) And why is CB fronting like he's singing? All that dancing, he can't possibly have enough extra breath to actually sing.

- YEAAAA Rihanna and Chris are doing Umbrella/Cinderella. I seriously love that version. (Where is Shia?) Oh nevermind. Chris is channeling Michael Jackson.

- Should I be surprised that Robin Thicke is sitting by Nelly?

- Am I just out of the loop or should I know who Soulja Boy is?

- I think I'm just not in the right demographic because I don't know who those girls from The Hills are either.

- I like how Justin said he's getting older. What is he 24...25? Sit your young ass down. And did he really just say music is in a good place right now? Whatever. I scoff in his general direction. But I do like that he is not going to let the fact the MTV doesn't play videos go.

- Skee-Lo is performing with The Foo Fighters. If he wants to, I will marry Taylor Hawkins. I have been a Taylor Hawkins fan since he was Alanis Morrisette's drummer.

- I see Shia trying to grow some facial hair. He's precious. Shia just said WORD. Awwww....

- Kanye's performance made me want to go listen to his new album. (Thanks Steve.)

- Travis from Gym Class Heroes straightened his hair. Why am I jealous? And I recognize Travis, Lil' Wayne and the lead singer of Fallout Boy but who are the rest of those people on stage?

- I actually don't hate the song Linkin Park is performing.

- Okay they said the boys from Entourage. And while I love Adrien Grienier and Kevin Connolly where is Jerry Ferrera? Yes, we all know Vince is the cute one and the one the show revolves around but where is Turtle? I will take a Turtle over a Vince any day.

- I LOVE this Alicia Keys song, No One. I seriously can't wait for her new album. I'll admit it, I'm a fan. Have been for a while. And I love that she re-did George Michael's Freedom. Wait is that Israel Houghton and New Breed singing back-up? Get your life right. Jesus is coming back.

- Hand to the Bible, I would hurt Common if I saw him somewhere. I'm late catching the version but best believe it is caught. And I know that Common and Kanye share a record label together, but I would prefer if Kanye would sit down and let Common perform on his own. Kanye just distracts from the whole thing. Nothing against Kanye, but Common needs to stand alone. That's all I'm saying.

- Say what you want but that guy from Fall Out Boy can sing. I mean he's no Ne-yo (who is singing the heck out of the chorus Clothes Off) but that little white man has a nice little voice on him.

- I almost wanted Amy Winehouse to win best new artist. But only if she'd been there. I would have LOVED to have seen her accept the award.

- Did Jennifer Garner just call them Gym Class Fallout? She won't be invited back.

- OH LORD....They gave Miss South Carolina a mike and dialogue. Oh, that was almost as bad as her original ummm....offering. Yeah, that's what I'll call it.

- Not that she doesn't always, but Mary looks so good. I'm glad Mary ain't mad no more.

- Hate on Dre if you want to but you KNOW you know all of the words to at least one Dre songs. And why does Dre look like he just got out of jail? His upper body looks like he's been spending the last few weeks lifting in the yard.

- I really do love Rihanna's haircut. But isn't it just an updated version of T-boz's cut circa 1996 or so?

- Did Kid and Tommy really get into a fight tonight? People keep referencing it. Or are they just talking about all of those other times those two were fighting?

(This has nothing to do with the VMA but for some reason it just popped into my head. Does anyone else think that the lead singer of Silverchair looks like what Satan would look like if he took human form?)

- Are Nelly Furtado's dancers drag queens? I'm seriously not trying to be mean, but the one that was to her left looked like a man. I'm just wondering.

- After seeing JT in concert I can no longer hate on Timbaland. I really have a new appreciation for his songs. And does anyone know who the girl is who sang on the Way I Are? She sang something on video during the concert and I really like her voice.

- JT could have it. I'd be lying if I said anything else. I freakin' love him. Not as much as I love JC but it is a lot. I still don't appreciate how he threw Janet under the bus a few years back but we can chalk it up to ignorance and immaturity, right?

Okay, so overall, I didn't hate the awards. I do wish they'd stop inviting Sarah Silverman to stuff but whatever. But I have to say that this is the first time in a while that I've watched the VMAs. Not too bad of a show.

I am at Cannery Row and I can't type long because Autovaughn is blowing my freaking mind!!!!! Gotta go...

MY BABYYYYYYYY - Tia

My baby Jeremy Piven is hosting Fashion Rocks tomorrow night.

I will be parked in front of the television promptly at 9.

Song of the moment - Tia

The new Rooney song


makes me want to do the Molly Ringwald dance.


That is all.

I want a boyfriend - Tia

(Damn you Steve. I blame you for this. I was minding my own business, being single and planning my European tour and then here YOU come telling me that I need a boyfriend. And now look...)

So I have recently decided that I want a boyfriend. The other day my friend Steve called me and we got to talking about my being single. Now mind you, I have you I have been single for QUITE SOME TIME, much to the disbelief of some of my guy friends. I ran into my ex- a couple of years ago and he said in utter disbelief, "You can't still be single???" Yes, and thank you for being so AWESOME about it.

Steve and I got to talking and he asked me what it is that I want in a guy. He figured that I must have a laundry list of things that I want and that's why I'm single. In actuality the list really isn't that long. I just want him to love Jesus, be taller than me and love music. Everything else is incidental. If, however, he's British that's about a million points in his favor. (I would just like to interject that Let's Chill is playing on my iTunes and let me tell you this song never gets old.) But anyway, for the most part I'm not looking for a whole lot of specifics in a guy. And that confuses people. They figure that there has to be a reason I'm single but since they can't figure it out they remain befuddled. (One of my guy friends said the cutest things to me about why people remain flummoxed about my singleness: "They're just confused because you're pretty." I know it's vain but I giggled like a little school girl when he said it.)

A few days after my conversation with Steve, I was sitting on the couch letting my mind wander and I realized that I do in fact want a boyfriend. Anyone who has read this site knows that I want to get married. I have wanted to be married since I was 8. (Yeah, I was that kid.) But after thinking about it I realized that there is a whole stage that comes before marriage. It's that fun dating/courtship phase. That holding hands in the park, sharing a cupcake at West Egg Cafe, gentle kisses on the neck, hand in the back pocket. I KEED, I KEED...I just wanted to see if you were paying attention with that last one. But for real, I realized that I really want that right now. It's been so long since I've had it. And it doesn't help that I am a hopeless romantic. I want to have a story.

Toya mentioned earlier that one of our friends is getting married soon. She met her husband online. Nothing wrong with that. The stigma from online dating is pretty much a thing of the past. But that's not really what I want. I want a story. I want it to be something like, "Oh we met on the MARTA train to the airport. He looked familiar to me. It turns out we went to elementary school together. We exchanged numbers and a few weeks later we starting dating." Now mind you it doesn't have to be like that. I'm a romantic but I'm also something of a realist. I don't even ride MARTA that often. And I wouldn't pass a perfectly good guy up just because we didn't have a backstory. But in an ideal world, with an ideal situation, there would be a story. And he would be British.

So yeah, I want a boyfriend. And I'm not really ashamed to say it. For a long time I felt like there was something wrong with me for wanting to be in a significant relationship. Though well meaning, (and sometimes not well meaning) a lot of people in the church want to throw that "let Jesus be your everything" at you when you talk about being married. They make you feel like you're not spiritual enough if you still have a desire to have a husband. Well, I'm not buying it. Yes, Christ needs to be first in my life. But having a relationship with Christ doesn't me not having a relationship with anyone else.

(Elliott Yamin just came on my iTunes. He doesn't even know he's in danger.)

This concludes my whining session for this evening.

Have a great night.

XXLmag.com Hip-Hop On A Higher Level » Q-Tip and Common Form New Group, The Standard

I swear someone is trying to sabotage me.-Toya

Baby Love-Toya

Steve, I know you remember Baby Love on New Edition's second album but do you remember Regina's "Baby Love"? That's my cut.

I am going to hell with gasoline boy shorts on for this one. I promise.

Now it's no huge shocker that I am a dirty old lady. I have spoken numerous times about the scholarship "program" I would have for some TSU and Belmont University brothas if I had any less morals. However I have to ask myself upon learning about Shia Lebouf dating Rihanna, have I always detected "the potential" and I was just waiting for him to hit 21? I looked on a few blogs and quite a few sistas were saying that they knew he had "that swagger". Is he the new Justin Timberlake? Lord I hope so.

I have loved me some Shia since Even Stevens but not like THAT. However, I said the same thing about Omarion. Now grant it at times Omarion's baby hair on the sides is laid down finer than my Olan Mills baby picture taken circa 1976 but that brotha is danger. He was a "sweet, good looking kid" when he was in B2K but I breathed a huge sigh of relief when Tia looked him up on Imdb.com and assured me that he had turned 21 cause I was struggling trying to get through that "Touch" video.

Now Tia and I have discussed her crush Chris Brown on several occasions...

I personally can't see Chris Brown; at least not until the Tooth Fairy comes for those front two baby teeth.

I remember interning at a recording studio about 11 years back and Usher came for the week. I think he just stepped out from being Usher Raymond at that point. If I would've known he got down like that, I would've slipped my number to his guardian and told her to holla at me in about 3 years. I KID, I KID! Even I didn't see the potential in Ursh then. Pretty sure my voice was deeper than his and I had about two inches on him.

Pray for me.

You Should Know...Damien Horne- Toya

(Some of yall, including my 80 year old grandmother, should feel really bad about those dirty thoughts that just ran through your mind. He's an ordained minister for crying out loud.)

Anybody that can get me out on the floor doing the Electric Slide is worthy of a mention on BGLU. I have had to break my life long protest of line formation dancing after going to his shows because they are just one great big ol' party. Now grant it, I put my Aunt Lorraine's swagger on the Electric Slide while I am out there (minus the obscene pelvic movements) but it is impossible to see that many people having that much clean fun and not want to be a part of it.

Damien Horne's audiences at his shows are a great reflection of who he is as an artist. At his shows you are likely to see anyone from Muzik Mafia fans (he is a member of Big and Rich's popular music collective Muzik Mafia along with Gretchen Wilson, Jon Nicholson and Cowboy Troy) to college age students on the floor doing the Soldier Boy dance (umm, I really like that dance too. Again, it looks like a lot of people having a lot of fun. I can't help myself.) Damien Horne can rock out like Bruce Springsteen one minute and in the next minute break out into a beat boxing set that can rival some of the best. With infectious hooks (for the life of me I cannot stop singing We'll Get Through), a killer band and the sweet sounds of his backup singers, The Dreamgirls, his shows are a party that you don't want to miss. For tour dates check out www.myspace.com/damienhorne , find out all about his courageous life story on The 700 Club website, and look out for his debut CD to be released soon.

This just in...- Toya

According to Nashville's All the Rage publication, Travis Barker was seen in Nashville driving around in a black Corvette.

WHO IS TRYING TO SABOTAGE ME??? Yes I look fabulous in orange but that does not mean I need to be in jail. Jesus be a peripheral block because if I even think I so much as see him on the side of me it's going to be a severe issue. Someone is trying to set me up, I swear. Next thing you know Matthew McConaughey, Common, Bruce Willis, Mos Def and Gary Dourdan will all be shooting a movie down here across the street from my house.

Thought for the Day-Toya

I was just going through my emails (I am really bad about deleting emails) and found something that I wrote to a friend of mine. It was something that I said that I learned but I am not entirely convinced that I have learned it yet. It said this:

"Love keeps no records of past wrongs so love yourself enough to not keep any against yourself."

I honestly was surprised that I said that because lately I haven't done such a good job at that to be completely honest. Just the other night I went back and read all of our posts from 2004 only to find that I am still dealing with some of the same things that I was struggling with back then. Same script, different cast. I am still being tested in the same areas and have yet to pass with flying colors. Thank you Jesus for being patient and faithful. God is so good. So to everyone, give yourself a break. Let yourself off the hook. Stop bringing up old stuff. You may have embarrassed yourself at one point, put your heart on the line or worn your emotions on your sleeve with the best intentions only to have to endure the worst outcome. It's alright. Love again and live your life looking straight ahead and don't look back. Now if someone would copy and paste this and email this to me in about a week so that I can follow my own advice, I would greatly appreciate it.

Be well.

As if the video alone wasn't enough - Tia

I stumbled upon this video of a guy doing his best Miss Teen South Carolina impression. I have watched it more times than I can count. It's so hilarious. The such-as's are killing me.

Miss Teen USA Spoof by: William Sledd

Add to My Profile More Videos

Don't Say- Toya
This is a song by Jon B that came out almost 10 years ago I think on his album Cool Relax. Jon B still has some bangin' slow jams. It's hard to find a good slow jam nowadays. The last good one I heard was Naked by Marques Houston and that was 2 years ago. Sad. No generation should be deprived the joys of making a good slow jam mix tape.

Side note: I am writing this some place new. Today I decided to head over to where I will be moving soon and check out one of the coffeehouses here. I absolutely hate it. I don't know anyone, the music is wack and there is no diversity. I am inclined to go across town to where I normally go even though it probably is too far for me to travel late at night as I like to do. I mean, I am really sad about this right now. I like a good coffee spot. Oh wait, I did see one person I know. But still...

Don't say what you won't do
You know you'll be the first one to go on through

I wasn't going to admit this to anyone but I figured, why not? I need to talk about it. It's funny. Well to me anyway...(deep breath)....

I tried on a wedding dress today.

The very thing I said I would never EVER do in my entire life if I was not engaged and I did just that. Now let me explain. My friend Becky just got engaged not even 12 hours before we met for breakfast today. After breakfast, she asked if I would go to a bridal shop with her not too far away. I gladly agreed. I am so excited for Becky. She is 38 and has been through a lot. It's funny that I went with her during this time in my life because I am actually at a place where I don't know if I ever want to be married. That's not cynicism, that's just weighing my priorities and the responsibilities of marriage. If I get married, cool. If I don't, still cool. So the reason why I was able to go with her and not get severely nauseous as I did the last time I went into a bridal shop is because there is no longer fear but indifference.

So anyway, we went to the first shop to go see the Bridal Nazi. Becky needs to know that I love her because I bit a whole through my tongue not telling this woman where I would like to "bustle" her. Now, my friend Becky is a hot chick. In fact, Tia and I refer to her as Hot Chick Becky. But like a lot of women she has some body image issues. She's decided to go on Weight Watchers and that's fine but the fact that she was even able to fit into those European sized from satan's minions dresses says a lot. I wouldn't have been able to even begin to zip any of those up and I am a size 10. Well, the Bridal Nazi thought it fit to tell her that she only had so much time to lose weight up until the dress would come in (6 months). That's CRAP! The dress is supposed to fit you; you are not supposed to fit the dress. It was just a sample dress at that. I was PISSED. As she put on this dress which I swear looked like THE dress to me, The Bridal Nazi kept telling her that she looked skinny and that the dress was very effective. What the hell does that even mean, "effective"???? The veil? Effective. The tiara? Effective. I didn't get it. Still don't.

Becky is a youth pastor and was so concerned about showing too much skin in the church that she contemplated getting a jacket to go with the dress. Now I know that she was not there for me to enforce my personal taste on her but I know her and I knew that was going to be a big mistake. Well as I voiced this, Bridal Nazi interrupted me and said something to the effect of this is her choice, her taste, and her wedding. At this point I wanted to introduce her to my very effective back hand, the floor and her teeth that would be on it if she ever snapped at me like that again. Oh, did I mention that I am off caffeine and dieting again? Awesome.

Although the dress in that shop looked like THE dress, we went somewhere else. I liked the next place MUCH MUCH better. The saleswomen were much more down to earth and did not pressure us at all. As Becky was looking at dresses, I peeked through some Vera Wang dresses and found the most gorgeous dress I have seen in a long time. The thing was, it looks nothing like a wedding dress to me. Like maybe if I got married on the beach, this would be my ideal dress. It was just gorgeous and I really wanted to try it on. First I had to wrap my mind around the fact that I was actually considering trying on a wedding dress in the first place. I justified it by saying that I wasn't trying it on with marriage in mind so it was ok. Besides, no one was in the store besides Becky, the two salespeople and me. "Becky I am trying this dress on. TELL NO ONE. I swear, you better not tell anybody." "Oh, I'm telling people." she shouted from the dressing room. You know, you just don't want people to think you are desperate or anxious. I am neither. I just like pretty dresses.

Well the bad boy wouldn't zip up cause it was a size 6 but I was able to pull it together. I stepped onto the block in front of the mirror, took my hair out of its band and pulled it up with long curly tendrils dropping to the side. Everyone said it was gorgeous. And just when I thought about enjoying it, I said "Get me out of this thing before I start breaking out into hives." and ran off of the block before I had a Cristina on Grey's Anatomy moment in the store.