Lovely Day

I was 100% sure it'd be a great day today when I woke up an hour early and couldn't wait to start sending out emails for work and to friends...

Submitted by: Anonymous

Pop Life

Popular culture passed me by when it became "okay" to refer to women as bitches and hoes. It really knocked me off my feet when I heard that the word nigger aka nigga was a term of endearment....

Lesson learned: I'm 100% sure that pop culture has passed me by too..lol

Submitted by: Torria

un-BALANCED

Congratulations on the 100th Post!

The only thing I'm 100% sure of is the fact that I'm a Libra and I've hardly ever been 100% sure about anything. However, I am 100% sure that I'm tired of seeing the Britney Spears VMA performance.

Submitted by: Nicole

Not that there's anything wrong with it.....

The minute it became OK for "thugs" to swing their hips and snap their fingers when they danced, I was 100% certain that popular culture had passed me by......

Fresh Face

The best thing about new beginnings is that you can be whoever you want to be. No one knows your history, your strengths, or your weaknesses. You can be the class clown, you can be the overachiever, the encourager, or just stand back and watch from the sidelines- it’s all your choice. It’s true that when you leave somewhere you take your bags with you, but you get to decide what to unpack at the next destination.

Submitted by: Lisa Marie

Detach

The hardest part of a new beginning is acknowledging that you have to let go of who you once were.

Submitted by: Anonymous

Globetrotter

When I was younger, my Dad had a job that had us move from country to country. As a child, one of the most difficult things was to leave all the good friends I had made and say goodbye for what could potentially be forever. The only thing that topped that was to go to a brand new country with a brand new language and a brand new culture and have to have a brand new beginning. I learned looking back that once you first open your mind and endure the beginnings, it's always worth it in one way or another.

Submitted by: Siaka Harding

The Good Life

My grandfather passed away last week at the age of 90. There were a few lessons that I have learned from him that I thought I would share.

1. It is better to listen well then to speak well. My Pop-pop always listened to us. He usually didn't give his advice right away but he let us work through situations and learn from our mistakes and our accomplishments. Then he would tell us what he really thought.

2. Always stay active. Up to his death he was an active man. Slower in pace as the years piled on but active still. He played golf through his eighties and even got a hole in one and he played bocce ball and traveled.

3. Set your goals and make them happen. In the 1990's he got cancer and fought through it with surgeries and treatment. He set a goal that he would live to see the year 2000, and became healthy again and accomplished it. Then after my grandmother died in 2004 he set another goal to travel to the Panama Canal. This past March he took a cruise through the canal and loved it.

4. Take time to watch the sunsets. You see them a zillion times but they are beautiful each time and oh so different. His house on the river has a porch where he would sit and watch the sunset each evening. They mark a beautiful life.

5. Err on the side of patience.

The good things in life will come if only you are patient.He was the most patient, kind and considerate man I have ever known. He will be missed greatly in this world.

Submitted by: Whitney

Goonie Adventures

Ever since graduating from college I've had the pleasure of traveling all over the world. Every year my friends and I would make plans to get together and see some of the most beautiful destinations in the world. Hawaii, Mexico, Central America, South America, Europe, Asia-- some of the best times of my life. As great as those trips were, an interesting thing would always happen at the end of each trip-- something I like to call "Return Flight Blues". At the end of each trip I would sit on the airplane on my return flight home and recap all the fun things we did during our trip. Without fail I would get nostalgic, and without fail I would get sad to see such fun times come to an end.

Lesson learned: New adventures never last forever, but I let my nostalgia inspire me to make the next one bigger and better than the last.

Lying in bed & reading

My life is always a little bit crazy with long work hours, board memberships, city council candidates, fundraisers, committees, going to the gym, seeing my friends and boyfriend... the best thing i can do to recharge and spend a little time with just me is to get under the covers and pull out a favorite book, like i always did as a kid. It never fails to bring me some peace and a sense of stability.

Lesson learned: What comforted me way back when, still comforts me now.

Submitted by: Anonymous

Me Time

Now that I'm back on the west coast and have a car, me time is defined by getting in the car and cruising to 89.9 KCRW, Hot 92.3, or in the Bay Area 98.1 KISS FM or 89.5 KPOO. I've been using driving as me time since I first got my car in 1991.

Lesson learned: Some people have retail therapy... some have hygiene therapy... I have carbon footprint based therapy.

Submitted by: Yaosh

Stillness in Time

"Me" time is when I wake up on Sunday morning, looking out my living room window, everything is quiet, no cars on the street, the morning air is crisp, The City seems so at peace, then the "City" of Oakland starts to wake up and I hear the police sirens....

Lesson Learned: When we’re sleep GOD is having his “ME” time.

Submitted by: Torria

Biggest Fan

Preening myself is always good "me" time.

Submitted by: Desiree

Man in the Mirror

Good 'me' time is a Friday night, after work, in the bathroom mirror--- grooming. Getting ready to go out, while listening to my latest Jamiroquai mix.

Lesson learned: Some people have "retail therapy", I have "hygienic therapy".

The Emancipation of LadyBug

Summer 2005 - Mariah Carey - "It's Like That"

Cause it's my night
No stress, no fights
I'm leaving it all behind
No tears, no time to cry
Just making the most of life

Lesson Learned: "Them chickens is ash and I'm lotion"

Summer '07 - A Bay Bay

Submitted by: Nicole

Timeless

My favorite summer song for '07 is my favorite summer song for every year...."Summertime" by the Fresh Prince! Of course! Although it was released in 1991, it is truly a song that never gets old and is still the jam when it comes on the radio. It is a remake of Kool & the Gang B-side, "Summer Madness" from 1975 so many generations can vibe to it.

Submitted by: M

Two Summer Songs...

My fav summer song was "Heartbreaker" by Dionne Warwick. Lately that's been superceded by "The Way I Are".

Lesson learned: Timbaland is the new Bee Gees when it comes to producing hot tracks.

Submitted by: Anonymous

"Let It Go" by Keyshia Cole ft. Missy Elliott and Lil Kim!

It's a good song especially for women because we have a tendency to hold on to men that really don't want us. If he's not treating you right, then you need to let it and him GO! It's not worth the stress especially when there is someone out there that is so much better for you who will appreciate you and everything you bring to the table. Don't block your blessing by holding onto someone that wasn't meant to you be yours anyway!

Submitted by: Anonymous

"Bartender" by T-Pain

I can't even front, I'm a T-Pain fan. Like most people, I totally didn't get this kid when he first came out. He had me thinking that anybody nowadays could get a deal. But then I saw him perform on TRL one day and I can't lie-- dude was mad entertaining. I've been a fan ever since.

Favorite line: "Ooooo, if you're looking for me."

Late in the Evening

Love looks like that person lying by your side when you are awake at night... and whose presence makes you realize that with all of life's challenges, you have been extraordinarily blessed.

Lesson learned: My moments of clarity tend to come in times of peace and quiet.

Submitted by: Anonymous