My First Period

For those not interested in the female anatomy....STOP READING NOW!!! But for those interested, especially women who are on a birth control of some form, you should find this post quite interesting.

You may remember that I blogged back in April about if I was going to continue on my birth control. I had gone for my regular three month appointment to get another Deprovera shot. The doctor asked me why I was taking it if I was not dating, in a relationship or having sex. And she had a point. Was why I stopping nature's flow?

I haven't had a period in three years because three years ago an ex screwed me and mine over so badly I said I never wanted to be put in to a compromising position like that again. Of course I didn't feel comfortable telling the doctor that. So I told her I just liked not getting a period. Which was partially true.

In June I decided to skip my appointment and not get another shot and see how long it would take my body to reverse itself. I've heard it can take as long as two years so I was a little concerned. Well I must be blessed or cursed because I got my first period in three years and it took a little less than three months.

So now I need to make a doctor's appointment and decide what form of birth control I'm going to go back on. I'd rather be safe than sorry and relying on condoms alone is not going to work for me. And as a former gynecologist informed me I seem to be highly fertile. Wonderful news to my mom who wants 4 or 5 grand kids out of me. Not wonderful news to me because just because I can afford to have kids doesn't mean I'm ready to have a family of my own....just yet. Of course I have some time to decide because as I blogged earlier I'm dateless in Harlem so the odds of me having sex are pretty slim.

I hate taking pills so I probably won't go back to that. I just came off the shot so I'm not ready to go back on that. I think the once a month shot is stupid and time consuming. Who wants to have to go see their doctor every single month. I'm leaning towards the patch but when I was on it three years ago my skin was very sensitive to it so there were only 2 places on my body I could wear it AND somehow I got pregnant with twins. Not sure if that was the patch or user error. But I know no matter what form of birth control I choose it will always be paired with the use of a condom. Because it is not just about preventing pregnancy but preventing STD's as well.

To all the woman reading...all birth controls are reversible...even if you have your fallopian tubes clipped they can be reattached. The human body is an amazing thing and no matter what meds we take to reverse our natural flow it will return to normal in due time.

You, Me, Mario & Kelis

After another thrilling Sunday evening of Celeb Reality, German Girl hits me up. There is a CD release party for Kelis at Lotus. I was interested in the watermelon martinis so when GG asked me to go I was game.

It was a fun and funny night. Like how the hell we ended up in the VIP booth with Mario and Kelis is beyond me. And I met this fine guy...and just when I was going to ask for his number he stepped to this other chick. Okay...you know I sweat no one.

As I'm leaving he grabs my arm. "I know you aren't leaving." I said, "Yeah, I'm out." "You can't leave without giving me your number." I said, "You're with her, you don't need my number." He said, "(Insert my gov't name) please give me your number." I was impressed that he remembered my name. That meant he had actually been listening. So I slipped him my business card and headed home. It was hella late so I knew Monday morning would be a bitch.

I don't really expect to hear from him but I still had a great time and you can view the pictures here. There's even a picture of me sitting next to random dude :)

Dateless in Harlem

What does a smart, sexy sistah have to do to get a date?!??!

I have not been on a date in SEVEN MONTHS!!!! That is a dayum shame. Part of the blame goes to my former job. Working nights and weekends was just not conducive to having a social life, a dating life...any life outside of work.

I haven't been on my new job a month yet so I'm still trying to get my feet wet in the social/dating pool. But why is dating so dayum hard? First you have to meet someone and as many people as there are in NYC it is actually very hard to meet people. We walk around in our own little worlds oblivious to those around us.

Second, it's hard to meet quality men. Men pass by me on the street, see me in the subway... every day, but how many of them would even come close to qualifying? Third you have to match up schedules to actually go out on a date. I know I'm hard to catch. I haven't been in NYC a single weekend since I started the new gig. So if anyone was trying to date me they would have to meet up with me during the week or catch me once football starts.

You might say that lunch outing I had the other day with the guy I met on a plane counts as a date but I'm going to say no. Anything less than 2 hours is not a date.

Rejected but not really

A few months ago y'all may remember my endeavor to go to graduate school. Well I didn't get accepted...or so I thought.

Before I started my new job I got an interesting email followed by a phone call from Drexel. They were asking me if I had resubmitted my GRE scores. I was like you rejected me why would I resubmit my GRE scores. They basically told me I was rejected but not really. If I retake the GRE I'm in.

At the time they wanted me to take them again in time for September enrollment. With a new job I just didn't feel there was enough time to prepare for the GRE. Then they said I could wait for Spring admission meaning I would have to retake the GRE by March. I'm about to head in to football season so I don't think I can really prepare for the GRE now. BUT Time Inc. will pay for my GRE class. So I really have to decide what I want to do.

When I had initially thought about going to graduate school I wasn't happy with my job at the time. So I really have to ask myself am I at a point in my life where I'm ready to sacrifice some me time to go to grad school.

Guy on a plane

I hate blogging because no one ever comments but I know y'all...out there...in the great unknown are reading it because of the page views. So that is why I no longer make it a priority to blog readily. That being said here's my blog for the day...maybe the week or even the month....

So I met a guy...on a plane...during one of my recent trips. He sat next to me, he seemed cool...we had a good conversation. Being the pseudo peach that I am I gave him a ride and he thanked me with a meal at which his boy met us so he could scoop him to his final destination.

A bit of time passes...we talk every now and then but he has more baggage than Erykah...I meet him for another meal...conversation is still cool...his drama is still the same. I can't say I'm feeling him...I can't say I'm not feeling him...I'm real neutral on guys in general right now...but he's not bringing anything to the table to make me want to change gears. I'm focused and coasting...2 miles an hour so everybody sees me.

Are You Ready for Some Football?

Football, I mean fall, is my favorite season of the year. So join me in celebrating and welcoming the bestest (that's right I said bestest) time of the year with the launching of the NEW and IMPROVED NFL Team Pages at Sports Illustrated.com. And be sure to drop me and line and give me some feedback. I have been working very hard on this project and critiques are always welcome.

10 Dates

I have talked to a few of y'all about this concept so I decided to finally blog about it.

One evening as me and my friend Myshell (name change obviously) were waiting for the subway. She said, "I have a new dating rule." "Okay," I said. She said, "I have to go on 10 dates with a guy before we can have a blockbuster night." My first thought...10 dates is a lot of dates. But when you think about it you can have 10 dates in about the course of two months and really get to know a person.

But this is New York and quite expensive so 10 dates is a lot. How about after 5? She said there are plenty of free and cheap things to do in NYC if the guy is creative. The kinds of dates he comes up with or y'all come up with together says a lot about the person. You have to start a situation off right because if all you do from the start is chill at each others places y'all will never go out. She had a point.

I think I'm going to start and stick to a 5 date rule before you can come up in my crib. But what do you think of the 10 date rule? What are some fun and cheap date ideas?

Weekend in the A-T-L

I hate going to Atlanta. Because as soon as I get there I have to come right back. The entire time I am ripping and running.

I said I need to come back to ATL in September and Mz. B said, "Why do you NEED to come back?" I told her she didn't love me...lol. I don't NEED to come back but I NEED to come back. I just don't have love for NYC like I do for ATL. I'm sure that's only a matter of time but I still hold on to my ATL connection.

Highlights of my trip:
- Met a very nice guy on the plane...he has dating potential (more about him in a future post)
- Sweet upgrade at Hertz courtesy of Airtran had me riding in style
- Big Sister Gorgeous 1 made me breakfast
- Got to see one my girls from Carolina
- Got to see the majority of my friends at the ASB reunion
- Granddad hooked the food up :)
- Smoochie came through with the "Smoochie Cookies"
- Unk T hooked up my Ipod

All in all I enjoyed every second I was there...and of course I'm missing it now.

I Know Why I'm Single

Single people get asked all the time why they are single but few actually know the answer to that question. The same reasons why I should not be single is exactly why I am single.

I am single for three main reasons.

1. I CAN BE INTIMIDATING
I'm 26, single, no kids, college educated, great career (notice the word career and not job), I own a home in Atlanta and I have a very nice apartment in NYC, my credit is on point. So basically if a guy doesn't have his stuff together meeting a woman like myself can be very intimidating.

2. I KNOW TOO MUCH ABOUT SPORTS
When I tell guys I work in sports their eyes light up. They THINK having a woman that knows sports is a dream come true. WRONG. Guys won't admit it but they want a woman with knowledge of sports not a woman that really knows sports. They want a woman that knows what a touchdown is, the basic rules, etc., etc. so she won't ask questions and interrupt the game. They don't want a woman like me who can offer real analysis and back my arguments up with statistics, etc.

3. I DON'T KNOW HOW TO COOK
My momma did not raise me to be in the kitchen. She raised me to be a studious working gal. As a result she nor anyone else ever bothered to try and teach me to cook. I'm not home that much so my frig stays empty. But my feeling on the cooking issue is that we will never go hungry cause I always know some place to eat. And it's not that I'm not willing to learn but no one has ever bothered to teach. One of my ex's would say I may a pretty good assistant in the kitchen. And please believe I make up for my lack of cooking ability in other areas.

At the end of the day guys really just want to be the knight in shining armor. They want a woman that needs rescuing in some form. That chick ain't me. Cause if I'm with you it's because I WANT you not because I NEED you. If I seriously, seriously NEED you then there is a big problem. You can't have two incomplete people come together to form a whole. God wants us to be complete within ourselves before we are paired with another complete person. Two is only better than one when the strengths of the two combine to be greater than the individuals.

Mini Vacation

I told y'all about my first day at work but I need to back it up. I was incognegro for an entire week between jobs and I loved every minute of it. Since I referred to my former job as a plantation I will describe my vacation as days of freedom.

First day of Freedom
I had a spa appointment in the morning to get a facial and a one hour back massage. It was great. After the spa I met CosmoGirl to see a free play called "Beer for Breakfast." It wasn't that bad and given that it was free I really can't complain. We then went to eat at Olive Garden.

Second day of Freedom
I went back to the spa and as my specialist at the spa would say beauty can be painful. So this was not fun. I got waxed (leave that one to your imagination), got a pedicure and I tried sunless airbrush tanning. Later that afternoon I got my hair washed. And I met a former coworker for dinner and happy hour at my favorite spot...Dave & Busters in Times Square.

Third day of Freedom
I went back to the spa...no I don't have a spa habit...I can't afford to have a spa habit. I got another application of the sunless airbrush tan...I don't think it really worked...oh well, it was an experiment. I finally got my cable/internet installed at home...I had no need for either at home before because I was ALWAYS AT THE PLANTATION. That evening I met up with CosmoGirl to do a little shopping. I bought a few things to wear to work and a cute top for an event later in the week. Scroll below for more.

Fourth day of Freedom
I went shopping...I know...a shocker...cause anyone that knows me knows I hate shoppign and I hate spending money unnecessarily. But it was all CosmoGirl's fault. She gave me a coupon for Express so I HAD to use it. I bought a few tops to wear at the new job...and thank God I did. I also bought 2 pairs of shoes. Total money spent - $100 :) Later that night I met up with SistahBiz. She took me to this great spot close to work that has good food AND 2 for 1 Martini's...y'all know I was in heaven. German Girl met up with us and after GG introduced me to one of her very fine friends and then we headed to Chevy's for a lite mexican snack.

Fifth day of Freedom
I did absolutely nothing...but sleep. Well I did do some chores but mostly I slept. Needed to get as much sleep as possible because the weekend was coming and I wanted to be ready. I got my last New York Times paycheck :( so I paid bills as well...at least the rent is covered :)

Sixth day of Freedom
I had no choice but to go and get my nails done because somehow I had cracked one and it was lifting badly. That evening I went to the UNC Black Alum happy hour at Kanvas and had a blast. It was so good to see everyone. My office spouse from Forbes joined me and I introduced him to one of my friends that is Business School at Columbia since he would be starting there in the fall. After, me and a few peeps went to grab something to eat at Caliente. I really like that spot...you know I'm all about good eats and drinks. I ended the night off at Triumph Room for CosmoGirl's birthday bash. I set the party off in the cute top I had bought earlier in the week, a jean mini skirt with matching jacket and the cute shoes I had also bought earlier in the week. It was a great day...my first Friday of Freedom and I enjoyed every minute of it.

Seventh day of Freedom
I went to a rooftop cookout and then hit up this club Eugene's. The Video Vixen was back in full form. This was part two of CosmoGirl's birthday weekend bash. I was just so happy to be out and about in NYC.

Eighth day of Freedom
I spent it with the family. I was so broke at this point that my momma bought me a tank of gas and some groceries. Then she and one of my neices came over to the city to hang out with me. We had brunch at Cosi and just enjoyed driving around the city like I used to do with my family when I was little. German Girl also cooked. So after I dropped the family off I headed to her place for some pork cooked German style and a bomb ass banana creme pie. It was so good I had to get 2 pieces.

So as you see, the basic theme of my mini vacation was drinks, food and fun...and I had plenty of each.