Gimme Gimme Gimme

If you know me well, you know my unnatural love of everything karaoke. It all, of course, began in Korea and the Saturday night Norebang sessions with all the homies. Happily, we've brought this tradition across the great pond.



You can imagine my elation when the youth pastor of my new church announced that we were having karaoke night this past weekend! There had been one before at our church but I missed it to go to my homie Aaron Beaumont's CD release (WHICH WAS AMAZING!)But this Saturday, I had convinced myself, was my time to shine! As the new girl, I would impress them with the karaoke skills and they would love me forever.

As per usual, I was one of the first ones to sign up to sing a song, and promptly selected one of my favorite Abba songs from the list. And to be honest, I KILLED IT! People could not take their eyes off me. There was arm waving, singing along, smiles throughout the entire room and, at the very end, a HUGE round of applause! I was in heaven! Until I came to the full realization that these were the words the 13 year olds at church could not stop singing.

Gimme, gimme, gimme a man after midnight
Won't somebody help me take the shadows away
Gimme, gimme, gimme a man after midnight
Take me to from the darkness to the break of the day

Apparently, during yesterday's fund raising car wash, they sang that for 3 hours straight. No one knows if they've yet to stop.

I guess I made an impression. :/

True Love (not the boots, though)

There's one born every minute...

This morning, I got an email from the Body Shop informing me that as a card-carrying "Love Your Body" member, I was entitled to a free lavender body wash and 20%off my entire purchase, should I choose to buy anything. So I went during my lunch hour, just to look.

Then the sales lady showed me their new makeup line, of which I had to get the shimmery eye shadow (set of 4), and a glossy lipstick (it was a toss-up between raspberry and caramel, I got caramel). Then she informed me that if I spend just 5 more dollars I can get 2 points on my card, bringing me up to a total of 4 points, which means a free $15 gift. Well, try finding something at the Body Shop for $5 that you can't get at Target for $1. Being financially conscious, I opted instead for the Seaweed Night Cream (to go of course with the Seaweed Day Cream, the Seaweed Cleanser and the Seaweed Toner that I have at home). My trip, "just to look" ended up in a $40 purchase (I'm on a budget!). I went back to work fuming, but looking fabulous from trying on all the new makeup. But honestly, they really know how to get you, who knew 1 little email was going to cost me so much. I swore that from that moment on, I wasn't going to let myself get swindled and hoodwinked like that! I am, Jael, mistress of my own destiny and wallet and I can totally control myself when these temptations come, now that I know the warning signs!

But tomorrow, I'm going back for the fucking raspberry.

I GOT TAGGED!!!

Ok, so when this whole tag phase started I was a little offended that no one had tagged me. But then I noticed that I was actually tagged about a month ago on mila's blog, I just didn't pay attention. SO HERE GOES!!! I'M SUPER EXCITED!!!



1. IPOD ear buds: hell if I know where the IPOD is. That's ok, it's not mine it's my sister's and she hasn't asked for it back

2. Um-ba-rella-ella-ella

3. Green Walleta- my favorite thing ever-because it took me so long to find a wallet that I REALLY wanted. So much better than that $30 crap at urban (which sucks)

4. Lipgloss from the Body Shop

5. Lotion from the Body Shop (I F'ing love the body shop and everything that they stand for!)

6. Thank You for Smoking by Christopher Buckley- one of the best books I've ever read and if matthew and ellen and that pretencious writer at the New York Times are correct, and they usually are, the reason that I'm still single.

7. Verizon NV- My new appendage. Why I need to check my email in 7 minute intervals, I'll never know BUT GOD BLESS VERIZON!!!!

8. My black pen and Red notebook- recent acquisition to write down my thoughts, feeling, do to lists. But I mostly use it to write funny things I hear on the train. Here's my favorite:

friday april 4, 2008- 7:27pm- the g train

"When a man ask you what yo' favorite position is you say downtown! be real girl and you will have yourself a jolly ol' time! alright?" -Lady holding a Mickey mouse balloon and the hand of a 6 year old

9. My camera case- I always carry it in case there's something interesting to take a picture of, but then I always forget I have it.

10. And all that fits in my bitchin' Brooklyn Bag

I would tag, but I don't know if there's anyone left.

Bad Day

Today during lunch I felt like the world was coming to an end. I was walking down spring street, fighting tears. I’d just had the worst day in a really really long time. What happened? I was on my way out to lunch when an important client, and two phone calls came in at the same time. I had to hold my lunch back five minutes. When I finally got out the elevator I was spent! I walked a couple blocks bemoaning my existence, until on the corner of Spring and Wooster I had the sudden urge to scream “WHAT THE FUCK?! Jael, what’s wrong with you? Being held up for five minutes is REALLY your biggest problem in the world?”

Is it just me, or are there others out there like me? For about 5 minutes I had felt that I was CLEARLY victimized by a client and my telephone. A year ago I was in drowning in a financial bog that I swore I would never make it out alive. 10 months ago at a previous job, one of my clients had a suicide attempt. Was 5 minutes really worth getting into a stink about?! Why is it that when we’re going through, we’re begging God to get us out of this storm, only to complain that the sun is shining way too bright in the calm. I don’t know how God puts up with it.

Fruity Pebbles

I’m finally at that age when everyone seems to be getting married. When I say everyone, I mean EVERYONE but me. And frankly, I’m surprised at my attitude. See, I had a feeling that this was going to happen. I’ve always expected to be the last one of my friends who was alone and fat, but I sort of expected some sort of mental breakdown to accompany the arrival of this day. I mean, as surprising at it sounds, I’m genuinely happy for my friends and I don’t constantly check myself in the mirror for a humpback or a gimpy leg that will forever keep me fat and alone (apologies to all my faithful fat, lonely gimpy-legged humpbacked readers) My one concern is, why am I so unconcerned? By my age, my mother had 6 years of marriage under her belt, 2 children and an accidental child on the horizon (me). Meanwhile, I’m at Pathmark buying Fruity Pebbles because no one can tell me I can’t have them. ( I do carry them home in a cloth bag, which is VERY adult, thank you very much!). But while I’m munching on my fruity pebbles, I can’t help but wonder if there’s something else I should be aspiring to? Why am I not acting my age? How does one act 24? Instead of rolling my eyes at mothers who bring crying babies on airplanes, should I smile at them politely while my ovaries yearn for their good reproductive fortune? Listen, I’m not saying I don’t want domestic life. In some sort of dark distant future, I do want it! But for now, these fruity pebbles are delicious! Is that so wrong?

Negras who throw temper tantrums and the God who loves them...

Today, spiritually, I hit a wall. I was angry and tired. It'd been more than a year that I was ministering to others, but felt so far removed from God. I felt like everything I earnestly asked God for, I got the opposite of. I felt like my will was the opposite of his. Like I had no control over my life, so what's the point of prayer? So I sat on my floor, threw things and told God exactly how I felt.

Then a pang of guilt swept over me. How could I do that? I have an amazing life. I have too much food, clothes, education. I travel too much. Who was I to complain? But on the other hand, this is what I was feeling. Why should I feel guilty for letting it out? Is it so impossible to relate with God that I can't really express how I feel?

Then I went on Youtube and literally just happened upon this video.

I guess sometimes God is not so subtle.



Is it that He's finally speaking to me? Or that I'm finally listening?