Thursday, October 15, 2009

Man Date...

Well actually, a woman date. My mom, gosh how I love her, is trying to set me up with one of her co-workers. I just adore the phone calls - she's really nice, enjoys fun activities and I told her how you like to find FREE events to attend. Um, yeah mom - most of my free events are nerdy, don't involved straight boys and are held outside. She continues - she has a son and lives in Spring.

Screeching halt - no kiddies and no folks who live on the opposite end of the world - that's like a day drive and I have to pack snacks. No thanks. I know I should expand, but when planning spur of the moment events - kids and distance becomes a major snag.

But I gotta love her for trying. She's over me whining about not having that many female friends, so she's always looking to hook me up.

So she's passed along my number. We'll see what happens.

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Black Girls Rock...

Or at least they need to learn that they do because after yesterday, I'm just not too sure any longer.

Would someone tell me what the heck has happened to so-called Rap music these days. Yes, I listen to my share of Jay-Z, Kayne, Common, Nas, and even some Luda but after hearing some current songs on the satellite this weekend, I think I'm switching back to straight jazz with just a hint of real-school rap and new wave.

Knowing that a majority of kids are growing up in single-parent homes and not being a product of that environment, I can not understand how any woman can let her daughter listen to the music on radio station today. It's bad enough we have body image issues do to the video vixens and super models, but now these girls are trying to live up to some of the song lyrics - it's just mind-blowing.

But what really nailed the coffin for me, listening to a middle school girl walking home with her buddies loud-talkin. So loud I could hear her over the bass from my bombing system. Holding court like a grown-ass woman...she said things that would make a sailor blush. Such rude/crude language coming out of her mouth.

Yes, you can say she learned it from TV - more than likely MTV, BET, and VH-1 when these girls are aspiring to be on the next Rock of Love, Charm School, or Flava of Love (why the heck would anyone stoop that low, I can't fathom). It took ever fiber of my being from walking back outside, following her home and kicking her momma in her butt for allowing this nature.

While roaming a bookstore yesterday, I ran across a title (I can't quite remember the correct one) that was something along the lines of A Tainted Southern Girl's Guide for Not Dressing Your Daughter Like a Slut (or maybe that was the chapter I flipped to). But it led me to think - why the heck don't people dress their tweens (gosh, I hate that term) like the little girls that they should be not the strippers they will soon become? Why? Oh yeah, because finding t-shirts that come to below the navel and jeans that come up above the butt-crack is so hard to find. Let alone sneakers that dont like up like stripper shoes - wth?

Yes, I cuss and speak loudly. Yes, I've worn clothing that accentuates assets. Yes, I turn up Biggie Smalls and Tupac and even some Kiss, Def Leppard and Poison super loud so my system is booming just to annoy my neighbors - but I'm adult and know when it is and isn't appropriate to act as if I was raised with no manners at all. But that's me and, frankly, I know better.

What do we do about these young black girls growing up who have no clue that their current behavior is abhorrent? Thank goodness for groups like Black Girls Rock and people like Michaela Angela Davis who will help young women change their self-perceptions and grow up to be ladies.

Thursday, October 8, 2009

Jack of all trades

I am being tasked with writing my own job description and having a difficult time not writing Jack of All Trades being poorly paid (well, maybe not poorly paid). My father's advice is to write it so no one else seems qualified to do my duties, but honestly, a chimp can do this job. Ok, ok - I know I'm putting down my job and I shouldn't - especially in this economy and when jobs are so difficult to come by. But there are times when I feel that anyone can sit at my desk and perform my duties - how difficult is it to answer the telephone (the one duty I despise)? I do pride myself on organization (although the current state of desk does not attest to my organizing skills) and the fact that I can multi-task and put out fires.

Prime Fire Extinguishing example: boss arrives at airport today, experiences major computer malfunctions and glitches, gets semi-checked in only to be told he has to pay for his ticket - WTH? I booked this trip over a month ago in order to get the steeply discounted fare. Through his numerous calls, I am on the line with the travel agent, get ticket number, call him back, explain to counter agent and alas - all is well. I have had previous bosses act like 3-year old babies over travel agent ticketing glitches, so I am glad my current office hubby was calm and collected and let me handle the pending disaster - like a shipper's bs slogan - when it absolutely has to be there overnight (what a joke) - he will get there on time!

I have decided the best course of action is to start by listing my various projects together and making a semi-detailed list of what's needed to complete these duties. I did not think this would be difficult, but to think of what is needed to complete a few tasks on my list is taxing. Thank goodness for checklists.

Do you take the time to reflect on your previous, current and possibly future job duties or just go with the flow with what seems to be second-nature daily tasks? How would you develop your job description if required to do so?