Honey, I Love

*Waving* Hello Sunflowers =)

Trying this again…

I am learning so much as I enter my last week of Blogging School. I promise I will be back to my regular posting schedule very soon!  In the meantime, check out some of the new things that honey, I love….

♥ GroupMe™ app  – attention all former BBM (Blackberry Messenger) users, this is the app for you! This chat app allows you to chat with your friends and family both individually and in groups. An added bonus? GroupMe works via push (in app) or SMS (text messaging) so that means even your friends without smartphones can join in on the chatting.  Whether we’re ranting about our morning commute, sharing a new recipe, coordinating an upcoming get together or commenting on our favorite TV, I am loving this app as a way to stay in closer contact with my various groups of friends. Download GroupMe™  in the Apple App Store or Android Market.

♥ Awake – this new television series is quickly becoming a new fav: After a car accident takes the life of a family member, a police detective lives two alternating parallel lives, one with his wife and one with his son. Is one of his “realities” merely a dream? Starring several primetime veterans such as Steve Harris, Cherry Jones and BD Wong and small screen newcomer Jason Isaacs this show is the perfect mix of drama, fantasy and suspense.  Check out the trailer below and catch Awake Thursdays on NBC.

♥ The Hunger Games –  I saw the movie on opening day in IMAX. Having only partially read the book, I loved it so much that I couldn’t wait to get home, finish the first book and download the other two in the trilogy! Were there seemingly critical elements left out of the screenplay? Yes. Were there other liberties taken that were perhaps unnecessary? Yes. Did it take away from the overall awesomeness that is at the heart of this incredible story? Not.at.all. As both a book and film lover, I have just come to accept that translating a novel to the big screen will always involve some level of sacrifice. For The Hunger Games it was the depth of the back story and the characters’ relationships that were most obviously missing from the movie. A full combo book/movie review is coming soon.  For now, I definitely recommend that you go see The Hunger Games in theatres now.

 ♥ Robert Glasper Experiment’s Black Radio – …”boldly stakes out new musical territory and transcends any notion of genre, drawing from jazz, hip-hop, R&B and rock, but refusing to be pinned down by any one tag. ” Robert Glasper makes his presence, talent and disappointment in the current state of black radio, known on his fourth album. Glasper and his bandmates accompany some of today’s finest vocalists including Bilal, Erykah Badu and Chrisette Michelle on this 12-track musical gem.  One of my favorites however is Lalah Hathaway’s rendition of Sade’s Cherish the Day. This album is fiiyah!! See the video below for a sneak peek and visit http://robertglasper.com to buy the cd or digital download.

What new things do you love? Are you familiar with any of my loves? Leave your sunshine below.

Random Sunshine

Hey Sunflowers! I’m baaaaaack! I had a blast visiting my sis, BIL and nephew in SanFran 😉 I can’t wait to share my trip with you.  Just stopping through to say hi and let you know to expect several posts over the next few days. My plan is to catch you up on happenings prior to my trip first and then fill you in on the Cali trip next week.

Til then, bask in this musical sunshine…..

What sunshine do you have to share? Leave your sunshine below.

Tag, I’m It?

Hey there Sunflowers!

So….I’ve received my first tag in Blogland. GP over at Gorgeous Puddin’s Ponderings awarded me the Blog on Fire Award and tagged me – thanks lady! Here’s how it works (I think…LOL)

Rules for Tagged:

1. You must post 11 random things about yourself.
2. Answer the questions the tagger set for you in their post.
3. Create 11 new questions for the people you tag to answer.
4. Go to their blog and tell them that you’ve tagged them.

Rules for Blog on Fire:

Reveal 7 things about yourself. Pass the award onto 10 other deserving bloggers.

My reveal/random combo:

1. I don’t like chocolate.
2. Should I ever find myself in the position to not have to support myself with a reasonable wage, I will blissfully return to being a preschool teacher 😀
3. My fiance and I are so very different, yet he is so very perfect for me ♥
4. I have very high professional email standards; email etiquette anyone?
5. I am the world’s greatest plus-size swimmer…..no really.
6. Recent epiphany: growing up all I wanted to do was be “famous”,  instead God surrounded me just enough famous folks to show me that fame is not for me 🙂
7. I have an extremely irrational fear of ——————————–>mice and rats, so much so that I almost had to get someone else to type this *shudders*.
8. I am seriously contemplating auditioning for The Amazing Race (given #5, I’m a shoe-in right?).
9. I have several close friends that I met online  – love y’all.

GP’s Questions:

1. Are you currently doing what you want to do in life? Professionally, not really but best believe I’m making moves. Personally, yes!

2. What is your absolute favorite way to have fun? Spending time with family and friends.

3. How many siblings do you have and what birth order are you? I have two sisters, I am in the middle.

4. What’s your fantasy car? I’m driving it….BMW fo’ life!

5. Where is the last place you vacationed? Atlanta for a family reunion in Aug 2010 (so sad, but I’ll be making up for that this year).

6. Do you wear jewelry and do you prefer gold or silver? Yep, silver all day, every day.

7. What’s the best thing you’ve ever eaten? Cannelloni de Langosta, “7 Portes” at Columbia Restaurant in Tampa, FL. ” Tender cannelloni pasta filled with Maine lobster meat, shrimp, pan-seared scallops and sautéed shallots blended with a lobster sherry cream reduction, smothered with a lobster sherry, Mornay cheese sauce and pieces of lobster.” O.M.G.

8. What colors is your bathroom decorated with? Chocolate and turquoise

9. How often do you exercise? Not nearly as much as I should

10. Do you want children? If you have children do you want more? Yes, I want children. None yet.

11. What is your least favorite food? If you had to eat it for 1 month for a million dollars could you? Chocolate, yes.

Whew….that was a lot. Now, it’s my turn to tag.

Tag, you’re it:

• MrsTDJ
• A Hidden Gem
• You are Such a Pretty Girl
• Lisa is for Love
• Back to Curly
• Peace Love Nicole
• Curvy CEO
• Fabulous You’re It
• The Truth is Stranger Than Fiction
• You Can Call Me Al

Here are my questions:

1. What is your dream job?
2. Why do you blog?
3. Are you most like Pooh, Tigger or Piglet?
4. What would you tell your 18 yo self?
5. What vacation destination are you most looking forward to?
6. How often do you wear make-up?
7. At what time of the day were you born?
8. Do you commute to work? If so, do you carpool, drive, walk or use transit?
9. Would you rather be hot or cold?
10. How do you feel about being “tagged”?

Have you ever been tagged?  Did you read all of this? Leave your sunshine below.

Honey, I Love…

My absolute favorite book from my childhood is Honey, I Love  by Eloise Greenfield.  This book always put a smile on my face and made me feel all warm and fuzzy.  This classic children’s book is a beautifully illustrated collection of poetry written from the perspective of a young girl. The title poem in particular has always served as a reminder to appreciate and be grateful for the little things. As such, welcome to my version of random musings where I will share with you the random things that Honey, I love.

Honey, I Love….

♥ transforming my car into a sauna during Winter. Baaaaaby! There is nothing like creating my own den of heat, especially during my commutes to and from work.  Do you know what the maximum temperature setting is in your car?  I do…..because I have a mind to petition for being able to increase it beyond a measly 90°F….hmph!  Talk about warm and fuzzy, I pity the fool that may need to hitch a ride with me.

♥ Anthony from Project Runway. Currently back on the show for its brand new All-Star season, this man gives.me.life. Everytime he talks I find myself giggling uncontrollably.  He is just so full of life, I love it!

♥ expired eggnog.  Yes, I love fresh eggnog too but thanks to expired eggnog, I have discovered easy, peasy eggnog cupcakes: take your standard cake mix, replace the milk with egg nog, add a pinch of nutmeg and a dash of rum extract.  For some quick icing, mix your egg nog with cream cheese, powdered sugar, nutmeg and rum extract. Oh-Em-Yum!!!! This will now be a staple treat during the holidays 🙂

♥ the way my intelligence quotient skyrockets……as soon as my head hits the pillow at night.  Let me tell you, your girl is a certified genius right before I drift off into lala land.  I can’t even tell you how many brilliant ideas I come up with in my pre-REM state, fiyah I tell ya!  Sadly the brilliance disappears just in time for waking o_O.

♥ Movie Award season. I am a film fanatic, so I am really looking forward to the Critics’ Choice Awards on Thursday, 1/12; the Golden Globes on Sunday, 1/15; the Independent Spirit Awards on Saturday, 2/25; and the Academy Awards on Sunday, 2/26. However I am most looking forward to catching up on all of the Oscar-nominated films at the Best Picture Showcase – a day-long marathon of all of the films nominated for Best Picture. I know this is not an event for everyone but for us serious movie buffs, it is AWESOME!

That’s it for now.  What random things are you loving these days? Have you read Honey, I Love? Who’s interested in funding my research on early sleep cycle cognition? Leave your sunshine below.

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year Sunflowers!

Five days into 2012 and  I am humbled, blessed, grateful and eagerly anticipating what this year has to offer 🙂 Here are just a few things that have brought me sunshine thus far this year:

¤ The new season of Project Runway All-Stars!!!!

¤ The movie The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo – this is a movie that I was hesitant to see because I have read the book and have seen the original Swedish film adaptation.  My main concern was that of the main character, Lisbeth.  Lisbeth is one of the most intriguing, complex characters ever written and I just couldn’t fathom another actress being able to so effectively portray her. I’m happy to report that I was not disappointed.

¤ This quote over on The Good Black Woman: “I believe in the sun even if it isn’t shinning. I believe in love even when I am alone. I believe in God even when He is silent.” -World War II Refugee

¤ Reconnecting with my ♥ of books. I used to read a book a week however over the past few months TV and the innawebs have taken over:-/ SN: when I received my iPad as a gift, I contemplated getting rid of my 3rd Gen Kindle. I am so glad that I didn’t because I really enjoy reading on my Kindle. I’m currently reading Robopocalypse – good stuff!

¤ New music from Anthony Hamilton, Eric Roberson and Mary J Blige. These all came out late last year but given my obsession with love of holiday music, I’m just getting around to listening.

¤ Oh and I got engaged 😀

Here’s to a year full of possibilities and sunshine!

How is your year going so far? What are you most looking forward to? Did you read that last bullet {insert BIG cheesy grin here}? Leave your sunshine below.