It's that wonderful time of the year!

It is that wonderful time of the year, Christmas time, and I guess I have some disposable income? No, not really, but I have been spending a crazy amount of time during the last few weeks conducting research online and dreaming about getting a new electronic toy. Mind you, the hubby and kids gifted me with a beautiful and shiny HP G60 Notebook (full size) last Christmas which I absolutely love and use daily for my computing needs when I get home from work. You know the deal, Facebook, emails, reading and writing blogs when I am in the mood, listening to Internet music thanks to the Media Player, etc.

My new obsession? Netbook or Tablet? Get an IPad or wait for the Blackberry Playbook or go for that shiny red HP Mini 210 Netbook (in red, of course). HP Mini 210-1095NR 10.1-Inch Netbook (Red). Here's the deal, it looks like the Mini HP is going to win the war of the tech toys this year.

My dilemma, even though I love my current HP and plan to continue using it (at home); I travel for work or pleasure on a regular enough basis to warrant a mini PC for ease of travel; especially with the new Pat and Feel security practices going on at airports, and the nickel and dime strategies of the airlines, one needs ensure to travel as light and as comfortably as possible, so I figured, smaller is definitely better.

I want a light enough but still practical and easier to carry PC that will allow me to be as productive as can be, while I am on the road. Wi-Fi ready is a big plus too, because I hate it when I have to pay $10 plus a day, while staying at the fancy and expensive hotels where our conferences are usually held. You'd think they'll provide free Internet access in your room at those prices!

I am hoping to limit the number of items I carry with me when I travel; with the mini, I would be able to leave my Kindle at home, Kindle Wireless Reading Device, Wi-Fi, Graphite, 6" Display with New E Ink Pearl Technology since I can download the Kindle for PC app, and still be able to read my E-books. Like I said lighter is better! Now all I have to do is convince the family that I really, really do need a new, smaller shiny red HP Mini netbook for Christmas this year!!!

I will let you know how this strategy panned out. LOL! Have a Merry Christmas and Happy Holiday season in case you don't hear from me before the end of the year.

That's what I'm talking about!

Marcia C

Fall Fashion Time of the Year!

I love dressing up, no doubt about it. For as long as I can remember I’ve always paid attention to what will be “in” each season, if only to get ideas since by now, I’ve developed my own sense of style. I know what works for me and my body type, take advantage of it and stick with it; every woman should strive to do the same and stop paying attention to the “experts”. The best expert on your body is no one else but you. This year, I am happy to report that the so called fashion designers finally figured out we are not all a size 0 (BTW, what the hell is that?) I fluctuate between a size 10 and 12 most of the time, I am loaded with curves I love it, and I love myself!

This morning I was watching the Today Show, when I heard Matt Lauer announce a segment about Marilyn Monroe, I quickly backtracked it into the bedroom in order to pay attention. I am old enough to remember when Marilyn’s body type was the norm, and men used to swoon all over her, that’s the “pin-up girl” era of real women I grew up in. My model women were real, they had curves; mind you my biggest fashion model was my mother, she was an elegant woman who knew how to put an outfit together and always looked fabulous! The other older women in my life at the time my grandmother, aunts and cousins where the one I looked up and tried to emulate, to this day when I hear references made to our similarities I beam with pride just relish the thought. If there are any women I must be compared to, it better be my own flesh and blood!

By the way take a look at a picture of any of the women in the public eye back in the day and you’ll see what I mean. Most of them had the famous hourglass figure that seems to be condemned these days, (Tyra Banks, Jessica Simpson) I’ll take a smaller waist, round bottom any day of week instead of the new normal, nothing really looks good on a hanger (real flesh or wire hanger) until you put it on a real curvaceous woman. Say no to size 0, embrace your body, claim it and take good care of it!

That’s what I’m talking about!

Marcia C

Is it Monday? Again?

I do not know about you but to me it feels like it was just Monday yesterday, and I am now looking at Monday again! Is it me? Or days just appear to roll into what seems like hours lately?
Every week on Friday, we are all so excited because the weekend is finally here and we can now  embark on all the fun activities that give us pleasure. In my case, reading, web surfing, cooking and sometimes doing nothing at all.

This weekend it was more doing nothing at all, than anything else because last week was spent sitting in on sessions at a conference hall listening to SMEs instruct us in all the good stuff we ought to know to conduct our jobs in a more efficient manner; don't get me wrong I learned a lot and I enjoyed the conference, but all I wanted to do when I came home on Friday was sleep! I am not sure why but that is what my body has been craving for the last two days and for some reason that got my creative juices going and you are now the recipient of my latest words, lol!

Each time I made an attempt at true productivity, I fell asleep. So rather than fight the urge I gave in to it. On a couple of ocassions, I reached for the Kindle in an attempt to catch up on my readings, to no avail. The magazine stack remained untouched. Finally, after a good 45-minute nap I was back on track. I shall begin advocating for nap time at work from now on. Do you believe I will succeed? Hope so, wish me luck. Lol!

That's what I'm talking about!
Marcia C

Summer reads

I've been home all week taking a break from work. During this time I tried to do as little as possible; no housework for sure, and just about enough cooking to pass inspections from the hubby. You know what I mean, the "You mean you've been home all day, and did not cook dinner?" looks. I did manage to get some laundry done here and there, but mostly I vegged out, and rightly so I need some rest!

Because my job entails a lot of reading and writing (grants) I tend to crash out whenever I can. So this week, I decided to catch up on my personal collection of reading materials. Not only do I have a stack of magazine subscriptions, Shape, Fitness, Essence, Time... to read, I also have a downloaded mini-collection of books on my Kindle which are begging for attention. My Blackberry has the Kindle app downloaded to it, so "it" gets more action for reading, just because we are so attached at the hip (according to my hubby)  LOL!


This morning for whatever the reason, don't ask me why I visited the Kindle store, looking for another book to read. I think it's because I go back to work on Monday to face fifty (50) little summer campers who will be ready to tear the place down, and I am thinking... escape! Reading does that for me, and I had a brilliant idea: download suitable books for the campers to read on their Kindles and perhaps, maybe, we will be able to craft a couple of quality reading hours for the children--and some peace and quiet for me during summer camp, yeah!!! Am I brilliant or what?!

That's what I am talking about!!!

Marcia C

Getting set-up

Even though I anticipate having fun posting my (and sometimes other people's) thoughts in this space soon, really--soon, it is still a daunting task to take on this challenge.

I mean, I always wanted to write about something and always threatened my family members with the promise that one day I would, in fact, write about the things we say and do--especially on the few ocassions when we are all together. Still, it is hard to figure out what to write about and how much to say, it is not a easy as it seems.

First of all, can you really say any and everything you think about? I think not! Not if you want to keep the peace, lol! Yet, I will give it a try, and to be fair to the other members of the clan, the lines of communication will be open for rebuttals, so let the fun begin!

I anticipate lots and lots of fun to be had in the pages of this blog; in true family tradition; after all, that's what I'm talking about!


Be back soon!


Marcia C