Dreamland-Review

Hello,

I originally started this post on Friday, but I was a little upset because I could not get access to my computer.   Columbus Ohio had a storm blow through and the power was knocked off, so I did the best that I could with the business center at the hotel I was staying at in Tuscaloosa, AL.  Thank God, Blogger saves drafts.   So below is my review about the barbecue place my family stopped at for dinner.

Today, I am making a brief post.   I am making a visit to my family reunion in Tuscaloosa, AL.  No, this does not stop a gal for making a post, but I went to a barbecue place called Dreamland with my parents, brother and nephew.   Now for a little family history:  My youngest aunt's husband loved this place before he passed in 2003, so I always wanted to try it.  When I first saw the food as a teen one summer, I did not think much of it.   The reason why I did not care at the time, was I love the way my father grills, and nothing can take away that feeling.   My father cooks it just right.   I have also had Kansas city barbecue as well.  I ate there in 2007 at another family reunion.

The outside does not look like much, and neither does the inside, which has license plates hung all over the walls.  The place looks like one of those hole in the wall type places.   You know the kind.  This is the kind that makes you wonder what the owner was thinking when they built this place.  One thing that I ask  you to do is to look past the decorum of the place.  If you are not willing to try to do that, I suggest you drive past to a nice, neat place for your barbecue.  Oh and another thing, when you sit down,and you have a large group of more than 2 people, you will eating family style.

My father order for the family a whole slab, which cost around $20.  In fact, not counting that we did not order any drinks, which was $2.19, the total bill was around $34.  Now this is for the people who also follow my other blog, My Crafty Couponer Deals:  for 5 people that averages out to $7.50 per person.   Not bad for a family who has two hearty appetites, my brother and my nephew.   The food was delicious. The best thing about it is the ribs, while the Cole slaw and the potato salad being ok.  As far as I am concern, I will be making another trip to this place, providing that my relatives who live in Tuscaloosa do not find out.  By the way, this article is in memory of my uncle.


I do recommend this place when you visit this town.  

Address:  5535 15th Avenue, East
Tuscaloosa, AL 35405
(205) 758-8135

To Pin or not to Pin, that Is The Question

I have a piece of poetry and it is not the greatest, so do not call me a poet, yet.  When I thought about what I was going to write about, not necessary a poem, the first thing I thought about was how much trouble I was having pinning a purple skirt from a blog.  I take pinning pictures for granted and got frustrated in the process.  In fact, I took Google Chrome for granted as well.  It is much easier to use than Internet Explorer.   Oh well, here is my poem about Pinterest.

Pinterest

Pinning pictures of everything you see of

Interesting things to behold as

Nothing is safe on the internet.

To see something, to pin something, telling

Everyone who happens to follow you of your find.

Racing to see who will pin that bowl of Jell-O first and who will pin it last.

Everything is such a mystery.

Social Media’s newest

Trend.  

Goals, Aspirations, and Dreams: Where Will They Take You?

Think for a moment about the following…

·         To dance on stage.

·         To make a million dollars

·         To have a family of my own

·         To walk on my own

These are all good goals.  Some of these could be considered aspirations, and still others can be dreams.   It all depends on where they carry you in life.   It also depends on your circumstances and how you arrived at this conclusion.

Let’s look at them again…

·         To dance on stage.  Maybe this person started out taking lessons at the age of 2.  It could have been ballet, jazz or tap.  It does not matter and at the age of 12, she decided that dance is where she wants to be.  So she studied hard at her craft, got a few lead roles, and at the age of 18, she got a scholarship to study dance further.  Let me stop right there for the moment.

·         To make a million dollars.   What drove this person to this state?  Maybe they grew up poor and saw their parents struggling to make ends meet.  Their father worked 2 or 3 jobs just to put food on the table while their mom did an occasional temp job.  That person decided that when they grow up, they were never putting their spouse and child through that situation.  Again, I am stopping for the moment.

·         To have a family of my own.   This person was an orphan and went from foster parent to foster parent only to get the wrong end of the stick.  They question themselves about why are they are not adoptable, because they see younger children being adopted.  Another situation could be that they are not able to have children and so far they are not able to get married, and at the age of 35, they wonder if that will ever happen.

·         To walk on their own.   This one is a little tougher.  Perhaps this is a person who was in a car accident and was paralyzed from the waist down.   Doctors have explained over and over again that walking is impossible now.  Still another situation could be a child who was born with cerebral palsy, and cannot run and play like the other children.  They wonder if they will ever be able to play like a normal child.

There is a difference between a dream and an impossible dream in man’s eye, but God see it differently for nothing to impossible with God.   If you look towards Him, He will see to your needs and help you towards those goals.  Let look once more at these examples:

·         To dance on stage-After graduating from college and dancing for several companies, this person was injured during a high point of her career.   A torn ligament in her right leg.   Soon after recovery, the company she danced with said that she was too old to dance.  What does she do?  She did not take up a second major in case something happened during her dancing career.   So after some prayer, she decided to take some business courses, and opened up a dance studio with the money she saved up for a rainy day.  This person took in some students, included some under-privilege students.   One day, she met with an investor.  

·         This investor also had a past.  After seeing his family struggle during his childhood, he was smart enough to get out to get a scholarship to go to college, and learn how to work in finance.  After graduation, he too got a good job, and was able to invest in the stock market and several housing projects, including taking over the building where his parents lived before they died.   The summer of 2008 came, and he found himself struggling after the recession hit.  He too found himself praying to God, which lead him to invest in the dance studio owned by the former dancer.   The two fell in love, and found out that they could not conceive, and struggled with this.   They prayed to God and this led them to adoption.  They decided to adopt special needs children, and they adopted a healthy 10 year old,

·         Who wondered not only if she will ever be adopted, but also if she will ever be able to walk, run, and play like normal children.   So, the couple and their new daughter talked to doctor after doctor, until they were able to find one who was willing to give them hope and understanding about her situation.   The couple actually found out their daughter had been abused as a baby, and through therapy she was able to do most things that normal children do.

Now miracles happen every day, but sometimes, if you want things to happen, you may need to turn to someone who can see your way through it.  It may take some time, but if God says yes, it will happen in His own time, for his time is not like ours.   We want things to happen yesterday, and humans are by nature are impatient people.  It also takes some action.  

Consider this:  If it wasn’t for the dancer being persistent and patient with her career, she could have not gotten that scholarship, which led to her dream of being on stage.   What you did not know was she was also wondering if she would ever have a family of her own.  At the age of 35, she met the investor.  If it wasn’t for the recession which caused this man to lose a million dollars, he would not have invested in the dance studio.   What you did not know was he promised himself and God that he would not work 2 or 3 jobs like his father, who did not believe in the power of prayer.  He did not know that he was also sterile, which he found out only after he married the owner of the studio.   They prayed for a baby, but got a child instead.   What you do not know was the couple tried for 5 years to have a baby and turned to adoption after doctors told them that it was impossible to try further.   This led them to the 10 year old girl who thought she was unadoptable, and unable to play like normal children.   This led to the couple finding out that their child was abused as a baby, by 2 sets of foster parents.  The baby failed to thrive at that point. It was through much prayer and patience that led them to find the root of her problem, and getting help where needed.

No matter what your problems are, or how big your dreams and goals get, God is there for the asking.  He does not have to do it, but He does because He cares for us and He loves us, for we are His children.  He will do it, but there is that time where it cannot be done, because you have not thought it through long enough.  So to ask for a million dollars depends on what you are going to do with it, asking for a dance career is the same concept.  He does not want you to blow it by gambling nor does He wants you to blow it by dancing in a strip club.  Same thing, if He thinks you will abuse a child, after have they gone through years of abuse, or abusing a spouse.  So these requests could have ended with a “no” from God.  

When it is all said and done, He also wants you to thank Him and worship Him too.   Tell others of the miracles that have happened to you, and let them know that you are His child.

Welcome to June

School's out.  Time for summer vacations, graduations, and honoring fathers.   In one month and 20 days will be my birthday (more on July later).   For me, I am nearing the end of the fiscal year for both my businesses.   It has been a stressful year, but a little bit easier than most.  I am looking forward to my consultant's convention in at the end of July.  Not sure if that gets me across the stage for the first time since I started selling Longaberger, but I will find out July 1st.  It does not matter, because I made a personal goal that exceeded over $2,000 more than last year.  last year, I was ready to quit.  The recession has been hard on people who do direct selling.  I feel I am now finally bouncing back from whatever fog I was in with this business.

As for my church, it is time for annual conference.   This is the place where not only do you praise and worship God, but learn about the different missions that happened from July 2011 until now.   If the church I am a member of receives a new minister, we would be introduced to him or her at that time.  I am happy that our minister is not leaving.   Not only is she my pastor, but she and her family have been long-time members of the congregation.  Her husband grew up at Clair, as well as her daughter and grandchildren.   She is a good leader, and I look forward to some of the continuing things we will do for,  not only community, but people who live outside of the community as well.

I cannot believe that 2012 is almost half over and I feel like it is still January.  In my family, I have a nephew who just turned 5, and he will be going to Kindergarten in September. Deonte was one of those early-rising children who used to woke up at the crack of dawn.  he had been doing this since he was a baby.  Now that it is almost time for him to go to real school, Deonte decides that it is time to sleep in.   Go figure.   My niece has never been an early riser.   She will be 4 in September.  My youngest nephew Leon will be a whole 2 years old in August, and has just decided that he is going to be stubborn, while his brother, the 16 year old know-it all named Michael is still into skateboarding and all things teen.  Mike is trying to get a summer job.  Overall, besides my parents celebrating 51 years of wedding bliss, and my sister turning 24 in July, everything seems normal for this family.

So how is your family's summer lining up?   Is it the same old kids sitting there until they bore themselves out of their mind, or is there a family vacation in store for you.   Whatever you do, make it fun and exciting for them.  Make it fun for you too.  Do not stress the small stuff.  Make sure that everything is in place like plane tickets, hotel reservations, and attraction tickets.  No one wants to be stuck and unhappy.  Celebrate life and each other.   If there isn't a father figure present for father's day, make some elderly gentleman happy by visiting a nursing home the day before.  Be sure to get permission first.   If you are part of a congregation, adopt a dad.   I am honored that I still have my dad.  If you are divorced and have children, make sure your children spend time with their dad.  Just because you are not together, that does not mean you have to take it out on the children.  Give them that chance to be together with their dad.  they will thank you later for it.   Have a great June, and I will talk with you later.  God Bless you, and enjoy the start of summer.

What's with the Gaydar...can a person just Be single?

Ok, there I said it.   What's with the gaydar all of a sudden?   I was reading Facebook 5 mins ago (Can you tell I love to read), when I ran across this article on my news feed, "Oprah Admits She is Gay".  So like any curious person, I clicked on it.  It is some video of her talking to Barbara Walters two years ago.  It is edited, but the question to Oprah was is she gay?   I am not going into details with the video, but like I said, it’s edited, and bad editing at that. This is the second time in the past 24 hours I read where someone has reported that a celebrity is supposed to admit that they are not what they are in the public eye.   12 hours ago, I read about Queen Latifah and her personal trainer having a little smooch on the cheek and then she was at the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender event in Long Beach, CA calling them "her peeps".   

What I want to know is when did this country become one great big National Enquirer rag paper?   Did I fall asleep in some alternative universe where gaydar is the norm?  Yes I am calling it right, GAYDAR.  Why are we as a country so concern if someone like Queen and Oprah admit that they are gay.   I know I am not.   So why am I writing this post?  Simple, because this society has this problem that if anyone over the age of 35 who does not have a man or a woman under their arm or mentions they have one, they must be gay.   Well guess what?  I am over the age of 35, I am single, never had a date to save a life, but yet I want a man.   I am not being picky about my selection of men, but I want the right one to come along and sweep me off of my feet.   does that mean I am gay?   I want you to ponder that for a moment.

At the time, I was married to having a career, just like some women I know.  We are not out there running after a man to take care of us.  Hey, if they want to do that, it is fine with me, but I do not except handouts.  Apparently nether do stars like Oprah who want it all.  we are not the generation who were taught that you let a man sweep you off your feet, and then when you get married, you sit down and eat bonbons all day, or if you work, you give hubby the paycheck, and you get an allowance. That went out with the 1970's.  Today, you can get hubby the dinner, be attentive to his needs, and still be your own woman with children.  Marriage is a 50/50 thing, an equal partnership.  Just because some women waited, and still waiting does not mean that we want a woman to keep us warm instead of a man.   I used to think that I would never have a man because they were all taken, and yes, I might have at one time preferred a single man with no children who is part of my race (which is African American ), but now I am open.  He can be divorced, single, with or without children, white, brown, or Asian, but he must apply himself.  He does not need a degree in something, but he needs to be working.  He also has to profess Jesus as his Lord and Savior.   I will not stop going to church, praying or reading the bible because of a man.  I will not stop working because I have a man either.   

Look, even if they were gay, which stars like Rosie O'Donnell, Ellen DeGeneres, and Wanda Sikes have admitted to being gay in the last few years, so what business is it of ours?   They feel comfortable about it enough to announce it on television.  There are some like Robert Reed (of Brady Bunch fame) who went to the grave with it.  (Only a hand few of people know about it until after his death)

So please stop with the gaydar.  If they are, they are, and if not, Oh well.  None of my business.  As they say, different strokes for different folks.  Worry what is going on in your own back yard, and leave everyone else's alone.  Gossip is not good for the soul or your spirit.

I swear...NOT!

I was browsing a website called Seeded Buzz.   This is a website where you buzz (write) about things on your blog and then you place a seed (post) for someone else to read about it.  I have listed that I will do buzzes about my MDN Creates blog, but not this one, because I created the account two years ago.  Just trying to put my name out there.

Well, a little buzz came up about swearing on blogs.  Honestly, I have been taught by my parents (my mother mostly) not to swear at all.   I have listened for the most part, but every now and then, I slip up.  If you are a good Christian you will slip up, but then in your prayers, that is when you ask for God's forgiveness, and he will.  Now I was told there is an unforgivable sin that will ultimately get you thrown into that Lake of Fire that I do not want to see...ever.  That unforgivable sin is blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, according to Mark 3: 28-30, Matt 12: 30-32, Luke 12:8-10, Hebrews 6:4-8, and Hebrews 10:26-29 in the bible.  Ok, that is as far as I am going to get with that part of the subject of swearing.

Everyday swearing (is there such a thing?) 

We have all heard it, and it is not going away soon.   It comes in the form of lyrics to a song, a soap diva calling another one a female dog, and I have heard a couple of cartoons using that kind of language.  It used to be that if you so much have thought of a curse word, your mouth got washed out with soap.  I first got a taste of saying a curse word one day in high school.  I had just gotten my books out of my locker after school was over, when a boy that I was friends with said something to me that made me frustrated, and I cursed him out of the school.  He never thought that I would say such a thing to him, and I never thought that would ever come out of my mouth.   When things do not go my way, that when it hits me, but since then, I have learned to gain back that control, and letting God have his way with my mouth once again.  That does not mean that I am not going to slip up.   This brings me back to the little buzz I just saw on Seeded Buzz.    Surprisingly, I have not sore on any of my posts, nor any comments.   The post I wrote yesterday on the frustration about the negativity  I have seen on a group I just quit, I have not cursed at them at all.  In fact I offered to pray for the women causing it in the first place.   I wanted to make 2012 a year of positivity in everything that I do.  That does not mean I was causing the negativity in my life to happen in the first place.  

Swearing creates that, and is one of Satan's playgrounds.   We are letting everyone get away with it.  Four months ago, I wrote a piece on MDN Creates about my niece who is 3 years old.   In that post, I talked about her giving me and my sister the surprise of our lives when she cursed out loud.   I was not writing it to be cute about the situation.  In fact, me, my sister, and my mother had an intervention on this preschooler.  I think we sort of scared her, because I have not heard my niece curse since that time.   I know this is not the end of her potty mouth (as Super Nanny calls it), but for now, I can rest in knowing that I, nor Miss Nine'na's mother and grandmother do not have to put her in time out for it.

So do I swear?  Yes, when it slips.  In my blogs?  No.  Do I ask for forgiveness from God?  Yes, I do.  I am human.  Is this an excuse?  Of course is it, but I am also forgiven, as well as anyone else who do and ask for that forgiveness, but do not slip up to the point where you utter that unforgivable sin.  Again, I do not want to see that Lake of Fire...ever.   God Bless you.   

Freedom

I am a spoiled person.  So are you, if you live in America.   We have the privilege to say whatever it that comes to mind.  The tongue is a very powerful instrument as well.  When connected to the mind and thoughts of a person, it can be used to say anything from a kind word or two, providing sympathy to a grieving person, or cut a person in two by cursing and swearing with words.  Sometimes we take advantage of that freedom as well.

Yahoo allows like-minded people to come together to form a group.  In these Yahoogroups, you can get together for things, such as a love of gun collection, a particular breed of dog, and sell groups to name a few 100,000.   I just unsubscribed from a group, which I have been a part of for over 5 years.   It is a Longaberger group of consultants, leaders and customers.  This group are not endorsed by the company, so they do not monitor the content coming from it.   Well, in the last few months, the company started some programs that allows a consultant like me to have more ways to grown my business.  Sounds good, right?  I mean who doesn't want more business.  Apparently, these ladies who are also consultants do not, and they have stated that in the group.  From the time I reported nothing but good things that have happened to my business because of two of the new programs, I have had nothing buy negative comments.  Yes, they have the freedom of speech on their side, but I have had it with the negativity, so I left.  Before I left, I wrote the group a final post, explaining why.   I am going to show this note to you, striking out parts that were deemed private:

To the Group:

I have had my last negativity with this group.   You know, they say if you want some positivity in your life, you cut ties with those who do not share in your joy and vision.   I love Longaberger, and I love how things are going as far as they as concern with this company.  People do not like change, and there are some people do not like how this company has been run.  I agree with Carrie about this policy 100%, and there have been times when I have report nothing but good things that happened with my business, and I get people like Robin and mahiler commenting with often times a negative comeback.  Yes, this country is founded on freedom of speech, and yes, this group that allows you to say whatever comes out of your mouth, good or bad.  I can say that for the first time in 4 years that I am finally making my goal, and I thank God for allowing me to work for a company like Longaberger, who believes in their selling team.  I told my NSL who is also my central branch leader that, after I looked at my sales totals, and compared them to the amount I set for the 2011-2012 selling season.   I may not agree with everything that Tami and the rest of the executives decide for this company, but I roll with the punches, and I do try to see where I fit in the big picture, I make the best of it, and make adjustments where I can.   Yes, you are going to say something negative.  I can feel it as I write my exit speech but I am going to say it anyway.  I also agree that if you are not happy, leave, and that is what I am doing with this group.  We have argued about policies of Longaberger, new programs Longaberger has implemented, and other things, and I have weather the storm.  Well I have had enough of it.   mahiler, I am glad that your sales are up despite your constant complaints about the company to this group and your customers.  It is amazing to me, how negative people do not know how to keep their mouths shut, and let others enjoy themselves.  I do pray that you and Robin find solace and some positivity in your business, which in my opinion can use some, and allow others to enjoy theirs.  Do not sell Longaberger product because you can, but because have something to say positive about everything from the products to the company itself.  If it wasn’t for companies, products would not be here in the first place.

I just feel like that at this time, I need to take a well-deserved break from this group.  I do advise that you find that peace, and remember that how excited you were when first started with Longaberger. I hope to see and meet some of you at the Bee in July.   Carrie, I am sorry that I am leaving this way.  You have been a wonderful moderator to me.  Good luck with all of your businesses.

Patricia Logan  

It was pretty straight forward.   This post shows how even with freedom of speech, which again we have the privilege of having in the US, how saying the wrong thing can hurt a person.  So on this Memorial Day Monday, as I said in the letter to the group, find that thing that make you happy and you feel good inside.  do not worry about any one else.  OK, if you are a parent you can worry about your child, but other that than that, find that peace that brings you joy and happiness, and contribute nothing but positive energy and words of kindness to someone who can use it.  I will do the same.