Sugar N Spice

Obama Health Plan Decision

A friend of mine sent this to me a couple of days ago and I laughed my ass off. So, if you haven't read it, enjoy.  --SUGAR

The phone rings and the lady of the house answers. 

"Hello?" 

"Mrs. Sanders, please."

"Speaking." 

"Mrs. Sanders, this is Dr. Jones at St. Agnes Laboratory.  When your husband's doctor sent his biopsy to the lab last week, a biopsy from another Mr. Sanders arrived as well.   We are now uncertain which one belongs to your husband.  Frankly, either way the results are not too good." 

"What do you mean?" Mrs. Sanders asks nervously.
 
"Well, one of the specimens tested positive for Alzheimer's and the other one tested positive for HIV.  We can't tell which is which." 

"That's dreadful!  Can you do the test again?" questioned Mrs. Sanders. 

"Normally we can, but the new health care system will only pay for these expensive tests just one time." 

''Well, what am I supposed to do now? " 

"The folks at Obama health care recommend that you drop your husband off somewhere in the middle of town.  If he finds his way home, don't sleep with him."

Your Cell Phone's Bugaboo Blocker

If you are one of millions of Americans who opts to only have a cell phone, then you know the importance of not wasting valuable minutes. I remember when I first got my cell phone, I would have cell phone bills of $200+ on top of the cost of my home phone. All because I was going over those damn minutes. I am pretty well covered where solicitation calls are concerned now because I've put my name on every do-not call list you can think of, although every now and then one slips through. But, it's the calls from people who I know, but wish I didn't know, that get on my nerves the most! Especially when they try to switch it up and call from another number. Like the Nino Brown wannabe I mentioned here a month or so ago. This fool still calls from time to time, working my nerves like a 9 to 5, but I usually just hit "ignore". Problem is, it's the actual ringing of the phone that gets on my nerves the most from those calls. The balls he has to keep calling even though I'm obviously not interested.

Now, I'm going to tell you about a little secret that your cell phone may be hiding from you that will put a  STOP to those annoying rings from Bugaboos. My cell phone service is with AT&T and the phone that I currently have is made by Motorola, so I'm not sure if this is exclusive to them, but I kind of doubt it.

So, here's what you do. Go to the "Settings" option on your phone and then click on "Security". Then, scroll down to the "Restrict Calls" option and click on it. You will probably be prompted to enter an "Unlock code". If you haven't ever changed it, the code will probably be either 1-2-3-4 or 1-2-3-4-5. If that doesn't work, call your provider to get the code. They should tell you what it is. You will then see options to restrict either Outgoing calls or Incoming Calls. Select Incoming Calls. Then, you will see "Allow" and if you click on it, three choices will appear. The option to Allow "All" calls, "None" or only the calls in your "Address Book". If there's someone you've been trying to shake for YEARS and they just aren't catching the hint, simply delete said bugaboo from your address book, restrict your phone to only receiving calls from those who are in the list and let everyone else roll to voicemail just like the bugaboo. Ain't life grand?

I need to get a new phone this weekend, but from now on, I will only buy cell phones that have this option. Who says you can't buy peace of mind? --SUGAR

Fat Joe and His Sexy New Track

Fat Joe holds a special place in my heart because over the years, he has consistently released hot, syrupy, sticky sweet songs with beats that would make even the oldest granny wiggle her tailfeather. His latest collaboration with J. Holiday, "I Won't Tell" is an instant classic. J. Holiday's voice is a perfect compliment to the sexy beats that play throughout the song and Fat Joe is well, Fat Joe. Cool, confident and slightly playful, making his songs always great for airplay--and foreplay........

If you haven't heard "I Won't Tell" yet, pull up a chair and sit a spell. Well, you probably won't be sitting once that beat drops, but it won't hurt to try. --SUGAR

Another GREAT Day for the Hillary Campaign

Today marked another great day in this country's history as Hillary Clinton soundly won the Nevada caucus by 6 points. The two campaigns are sparring a bit over the delegates, but the numbers don't lie and the people of Nevada have spoken--despite all of the trickery being pulled to try to force the Culinary workers against the wall. Congratulations to Hillary!

I spent the better part of today down at the Pre-Primary Caucus for delegates in D.C. I don't live in the District proper, but you didn't have to in order to help out and it was an experience that I will always remember. First, it was so awesome to see so many African-Americans filing into that gymnasium in support of Hillary. Men, women, young and old, they smiled and told me, "Keep up the good work girl! You got the right one!" It did my heart good to receive those words of encouragement and to be able to talk it up with others just like myself who have decided to take the "road less traveled".

The next few days leading up to the South Carolina primary are going to be heated. I predict, it's going to get down-right nasty. I was trying to decide for sure whether I wanted to drive down to be an on the ground volunteer in S.C., but after my experience at the D.C. event today, as a South Carolina native, I almost feel an obligation to go. I'm sure I will run into members of my family and friends who will once again call me a sellout and a fool, but I know in my gut that I'm making the right decision. Hillary Clinton is the best candidate for the job, hands down. While I was at the event in D.C. today, an older Black man, maybe in his late 40's, very early 50's was walking out of the gymnasium with his son, whom he said he was in the 10th grade. A very sharp young man by the way. He looked JUST like Ludacris and I meant to tell him that, but I didn't know if he thought Ludacris was attractive, so I thought better and decided to keep that to myself. But, the man and his son start asking me why I'm supporting Hillary and I laid it down to them. By the time I finished my pitch, the dad had softened in his Obama rhetoric and admitted that he too thought she would be an excellent president, there wasn't a way in hell she was racist and there was no way Obama really had any business being in the White House, but he wanted to support him because "he's a brother". I told him about how much I love "our people" as well, but this is not the time to make a decision so important with such light regard. By the time we finished our conversation, which probably lasted close to 30 minutes, far longer than is usual, we had hugged and wished one another good luck. There was no screaming or name calling. We just talked and I'm willing to bet a whole lot of money that most Obama supporters, also know that he really isn't well enough prepared to take on this very important job in light of the state that this country is in. But, I know how it is to not want to admit that maybe you've been wrong about a thing. Lord knows, I have a hard time doing it, but I always do. Nobody who knows me can ever deny that.

I'm about to head to Priceline to see if I can find myself a room in S.C. for a great price. If you are reading this and you haven't ever thought about truly getting involved in this amazing democratic process, other than to cast your vote, I encourage you to find out what you can do in your neighborhood or state for your candidate of choice. It's an experience that can't truly be described. The Democratic National Committee has launched the "Democratic Neighborhood Leader" program and I will be signing up for that in the coming days as well. Get involved and truly make a difference.

Next stop, South Carolina! I have a feeling that things aren't going to go as swimmingly as the Obama camp would like. I talked to an awful lot of Black folks who are not too happy with the way that brother has been presenting himself...Time will tell the story. --SUGAR 

A Nina Simone Kind of Day--Sinnerman

Yesterday, Hostess had a post entitled, "Sin Now or Later" or something like that, and Nina Simone's, "Sinnerman", has been stuck in my head ever since. That's one of my favorite driving much too fast songs and it will be good company during my drive to Philly this morning. With that song playing I'll get there in no time.

Check it out below and get that blood really pumping! Only one more day to work this week and then we'll all have a nice long weekend to enjoy and reflect on Dr. King's legacy. Oh, and start looking for something constructive to do that day right now. Something other than watching the Maury Povich Show and The Young and the Restless! --SUGAR

Candidates Act Like Adults, Oprah Does it Again

I felt a bit more proud to call myself a Democrat after last night's debate had ended. There was none of the ridiculous bickering and arguing that has been the tone of the campaign, viciously set by the mainstream media in my own opinion, over the past few weeks. Although I feel like Hillary handily won the debate, it was refreshing to see them all actually talking and actually pointing out that no matter how much any of us doesn't like one of the Democratic candidates or another, they are all eons better than any of those goddamned Republicans. I hadn't felt like that in days, but tonight I was able to have hope in my beloved party again. We've got a long way to go, but last night was a start. Gives us all a little breather before the gloves come off again in a few days. Because don't kid yourself, everybody on that stage last night wants to win.

I'm heading to South Carolina, my home state, to do my part for the Hillary campaign next Friday and I'm really excited. I hope to take lots of pictures and capture a lot of video of my experience. We'll see if there's time to be doing any of that horsing around. I kind of doubt it, but we'll see.

On to Oprah. In American Gangster, we constantly heard Denzel Washington as Frank Lucas, saying,  "My man," to exclaim any range of emotions. Sometimes it meant he was happy and sometimes it meant he was pissed and was about to kick your ass, but it was a very infectious phrase and I heard people saying it all over the place after the movie came out. Last night, I opened my weekly newsletter from the Oprah Show and immediately said, "My girl," when I read the news that she would be partnering with Discovery Networks to launch the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN) in 2009. What amazing news! I mean, who can boast, other than Ted Turner (right?) of being able to own their own network and have it named after them? And, the acronym of your name and the word network spells out OWN? Hot damn! If that isn't by divine design I don't know what is.

Now, I could be way off the mark, but seeing as how Oprah is a woman all about empowering women and recognizing the accomplishments of women past and present, I don't think it was a coincidence that this announcement was officially made on the 100th Anniversary of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated. I could be wrong, but I'll bet I'm not. Oprah has not ever aligned herself or accepted invitations for honorary membership from any of the Black Greek sororities, but I'm sure she is well aware of what those Dynamic women accomplished when even as the African-American community as a whole was an afterthought, women were that much less of a consideration in any of the plans for progress in the country. Yet, the founders of Alpha Kappa Alpha had the intestinal fortitude to do what I'm sure many told them they couldn't do, they shouldn't do and they wouldn't do.

Congratulations Oprah!! You are an inspiration to many and my true hero. Now, let me go get my resume together... --SUGAR

January 15th 1908--Black Women Take a Stand

It's taking everything in me not to type a long and certainly annoying to some (lol), skeewee, in the opening of this post, but I'm filled with a sense of joy and pride on this day that is really difficult to put into words. Today, is the 100th anniversary of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated. The first African-American sorority in the country. Really let that soak in...One hundred years ago, slavery having only ended a mere 43 years before. On this day, 100 years ago, 9 Dynamic Howard University women embarked on a journey to give Black women at colleges and universities an identity, a way to serve their communities as the country continued to pick up the pieces left behind by slavery and the continued denigration of the Black race by still present Jim Crow laws and segregation.

I feel so filled with emotion now it is nearly indescribable. As I mentioned here last week, when those 9 women put their heads together with 7 other Dynamic women on Howard University's campus, creating one of the most powerful African-American women's organizations this country has ever known, it meant something for Black women all over the land. Something that has lasted and stood the test of time. Just a few days ago, the country's second African-American sorority celebrated it's 95th anniversary and others will be celebrating milestone anniversaries soon. Certainly, we all have differences, but at the heart of them all is service, sisterhood and empowerment. Alpha Kappa Alpha women, my illustriously far-sighted founders, helped start a movement that has changed the face of this country and college campuses, historically Black and otherwise, forever...

I mentioned in the comments yesterday that I truly hope that Hostess [See "The Afterparty" in the blogroll on the left.] is involved with the Obama campaign, as he is her candidate of choice, because that's what we all promised we would do when we swore allegiance to our respective organizations. To get involved and do our part to make a difference in our communities and the world. I've been so moved in recent weeks in light of the presidential campaign in ways I never have before. I found out on Sunday that Hillary Clinton's Senior Policy Adviser and Attorney is none other than one of my very own sorority sisters and a very powerful, up and coming woman. A force to be reckoned with. That's the kind of women Alpha Kappa Alpha women are. Not withering violets, afraid to take a stand on an issue and stand firm when doing so. There are those who do not always understand why we do things the way we do them, but if you have to ask, you'll never understand.

When I became a member of this most honorable organization, the necessity to work was instilled deeply into each of my and my 14 ls's subconscious thoughts. Maybe I might have done those things with or without having become a member, but it could also be argued that maybe that's why we were all drawn to the organization. Because we all had that thing deep down inside of us that makes an Alpha Kappa Alpha woman operate the way she does. Over the years, I've watched Spice do some selfless things without prompting, whether it be calling a lonely old lady to lend an ear or giving a young student of hers the hope that someone does care about him or her well after the doors to the school have been closed and in the back of my mind, I know. It's because we, Alpha Kappa Alpha women are all cut from the same cloth. A cloth that demands that we wear it proudly and regally. A cloth that demands that we not hide it and ignore its prompting as it flaps in the cool breezes of a January day, urging each of us to move forward, ever cognizant of the fact that there are "greater laurels to win, greater tasks to begin".

So, today, I say Happy Anniversary to my sorors of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated. We all have so much to be proud of. Take a moment today to reflect on the exact time when you realized you would become a member of this incomparable fellowship of women. What made you want to become a member [other than the fact that you look hot in pink and green :)]? What drives you still? Take stock of your place in history in this great organization because even though we are 100 years old today, we are not an organization that hands out memberships as simply as the stroke of a pen. We are very much a group of only some of the finest this world has to offer. Cherish that fact and let it be your guiding light as you take on this country and the world in the days, weeks, months and years to come. Very, very Sisterly. --SUGAR

Match Dot Com Has Lost Its Mind!

I know I'm all January 2nd with this, but Happy New Year. I haven't really been in a blogging mood and my absence from the plantation for over a week has not given me my usual drive and necessity to pass the time with one of my favorite mistakes...blogging. So, sue me. I hope that if you stop by here on a regular basis, you had a great, safe holiday season. I will be stopping by your blogs this evening to sneak a peek at what you've been up to. I hope I haven't missed too much, but I'm sure I have. And, if you are stopping by here for the first time today, I hope you enjoy the view and I hope you too had a safe and joyous holiday season.

Let me first say, YouTube is a bitch. Without rehashing the sordid details, let me just say it took everything in me not to slash tires and bust out windshields all in a fit of shock at how wrong I was about one man. How bamboozled I felt. Anyway, I'm over it now, but a word of caution to anyone reading this. Think twice about what you post up on YouTube...feel me? Good.

I've had a nice long vacation that included lots of rest and relaxation and I think I'll be able to head back into the office tomorrow renewed. I'm excited about the year ahead and I'm glad to be alive. I have so much I want to say, especially with regards to dating and all the like, but let me delve into one subject briefly before I head to Giant to get some crab claws to cook up in here this evening. They better have them in stock too...damn, I hadn't considered that they may not have them. Isn't it the worst when you have your mind set on something only to find out you can't have it?

I was driving my car yesterday, listening to the radio after having donated blood getting the year started off right doing my civic duty and all (don't forget to donate some rice!) when I hear a commercial that I initially thought must have been a parody or something. It was a commercial encouraging people to sign their friends up for Match dot com in order to help them get hooked up. The horror!!! Can you imagine? Can you just imagine? Let me tell Spice and any of my other friends who sneak and read this blog and yet act like they don't--sign me up for some Match dot com without my permission and I will beat yo ass to a pulp. A soupy, slightly lumpy pulp.

I mean, what a horrific thing to do to a person! Have you heard this commercial? Would you do this to a friend? Would you be angry if someone did it to you? Just terrible! Check out Scarface, "Girl You Know" below...just because this song really needs an entire blog to itself, but I don't have the energy today. *sigh* Damn you Scarface!! for making a song that is so damn slimy, but with a beat that can't be ignored!!! --SUGAR

Donate Some Rice! For Free!!

I've been busy spreading the word all day about something I read in the myriad of newsletters and solicitations I receive on a weekly basis. Only this one is actually good! Back in October, a site was launched called FreeRice.com that uses cause-marketing to generate rice donations for the needy. The site developer has partnered with the United Nations World Food Program to do this deed.

In short, I love the site so much because it is a vocabulary game that allows you to donate 20 grains of rice towards the effort with every question you get right. I'm a vocabulary queen [despite the grade C public school education I received] so I'm already addicted, but it's also about knowing that I'm doing something good. When I see those little bowls stack up on that screen! Mmmmm. Makes my soul feel good. I'm trying to get my co-workers to establish a team so that we can see how much rice we can donate towards the effort.

Anyway, check it out when you get a chance and spread the word (www.freerice.com). Now, if only we can get a FreeBeans.com started, we'd really be getting it done! --SUGAR

500TH Post! Now, Git!!!

It seems canines, dogs, bitches (female dogs....shuddup!), what have you, have been a part of an unspoken and unintentional theme around here in the past few days. So, I figure the title of this milestone post should probably keep with the trend. Telling a dog to "GIT!" is as southern as pecan pie and it's also what I wish I could just say to the new guy. Nino Brown hasn't called since earlier this week when I ignored his call on the first ring and failed to call him back. I think he knows. But, in case he has any question and decides to call this weekend I'll let him now. As for the new guy, I wish I could just pick up that phone, tell him that I'm really not interested and then say, "Now, GIT!" That shouldn't leave him with any questions about whether I'm just being coy now should it? Might leave him thinking I'm crazy, but I couldn't give two shits.

Is Sugar gone have to choke a bitch? Question. When dining out with co-workers, especially you white folks, why in the hell is it customary to split the bill evenly among all parties even though everybody didn't eat the same damn amount of food!? You know how it goes. When it's time to pay, ya'll want to just get one check and then split it among everybody evenly. I'm hear to tell you, many Black folks ain't with that! I've been biting my tongue about this for a shitload of years and I've had it!!! At least here in the blogosphere. I mean, what am I going to do? Tell my co-workers, "I didn't eat no damn lobster raviolis and I AM NOT paying for that!" Everybody needs to get their own damn bill and pay accordingly. It doesn't take that much longer for those separate bills to be printed out. Enough already! If I'm dining with friends, that's one thing. But, co-workers?! It's too much!! Don't get me started on the tip...trust me.

Anyway, enjoy your weekend as we near the Christmas, Kwanzaa and Hannukah holidays. Be safe and use your head before you whip out that plastic. I know you want to make your loved ones eyes glisten with delight when they see what you've bought them, but you will have to pay your rent or your mortgage after those jingle bells have been put away. If you come home and find your shit set out on the curb, your eyes will be the ones glistening--but it ain't gonna be from delight. And the check cashing place is not your friend...Now, GIT! --SUGAR