Beeline2Beauty

Weight Loss Journey 2009

Today I spoke with a dear friend from high school.  She informed me that she was on a weight loss journey that would last three months and hopefully shave off a whopping 40 pounds.  I was very excited to hear this, because my weight loss has remained steady, but the extra pounds are holding on for dear life.  If you recall, I started a weight loss journey in August of 2008, which took a sudden and unfortunate detour during the holidays.  I could write an entire blog about that journey alone.  It started at Halloween when all the extra candy was left, and didn't stop until after the New Year's holiday. Thinking back, I feel like I was on a sort of Willy Wonka holiday, with no treats off limits.  Now that the holidays are behind me, I am going to recommit myself to the idea of shedding pounds.  How will I do this you ask? Well, with a combination of exercise via my elliptical, and a diet low in fat and high in fiber.  I feel like I am up to the task, but only time will tell.  Let's support each other and break the scale (no pun intended).  Oh yes, and don't forget to drink lots of water!

What's In Your Closet

I need to revamp my wardrobe for school.  As a   teacher, I have to keep it conservative, but not too stuffy.  I have lots of pieces of clothing, but it seems like I never have enough .  As we all know, when you look great, you feel great and your confidence shines through.    I was going over my wardrobe and it is truly all over the place and needs a serious overhaul.   I have lots of pants, blouses and suits that are hanging in my closet.  Some sit there in hopes that I will lose about twenty pounds.  Others are just hanging around for no apparent reason.  Since I can't call on Finola from "How Do I Look," I will have to venture out on my own to recreate a wardrobe that is more in line with my professional life.    Here are some of the wardrobe staples that I found on the net.

• formal dress
• blazer, single or doublebreasted
• cable knit sweater
• knee length skirt
• summer dress
• jeans (dark hued, so as to match everything, the cut which suits you best)
• button down shirt (see if an offwhite or cream colors flatters more than white, it is just as classic, and often looks better on warm complexions)
• button down cardigan
• three piece suit (skirt, pants, jacket)
• camisole
• dress pants
• cocktail dress
• long skirt
• shirts ( try on scoopnecks, boatnecks, cowls, sweetheart, see what looks best on you)
• a trench, or a peacoat

This is definitely a start, so I guess I will have to go shopping when I get over my cold.  Do you have a staple piece of clothing or accessory in your closet.  Perhaps you have fifty pairs of stiletto's, or your closet is adorned with super large handbags.  I'd love to know what works for you.  Perhaps it will work for me too. 

Less Stress, More Candles and Music

Whew, today was another depressing day for the Dow Jones.  Down almost 200 points and counting.  What's a girl to do with all this bad news?  Well, let's not run to the bridge just yet.  To curtail the stress of all the lay-offs and economic downturns, I recommend a great bath.  A bath complete with lots of candles and some great spa music.  There is a fantastic CD, which is simply called SPA, which will whisk you away to the land of beautiful nothings.  Now, it's not a permanent solution, but it's a great getaway that's zero cost to you.  You might even try a bit of yoga before your beauty bath, or some exercise to enhance the effect.  I promise you will feel better and clear your head.  And remember, we're really all in this together.  I've never seen an economic situation that has impacted so many people simultaneously.  I really believe in spa baths and I know they work. The key is to just sit back, relax and let the candles and music take you away. 

Stupid Is As Stupid Does!

I'm not really sure how I became aware of the cruel intended "drunk negro cookies"  video on YouTube, and it's so blatantly racist that I  have no words for it.  Check it out and let me know what you think. 

I've Got A Virus

Believe it or not, but I recently became the victim of a computer virus, which has all but taken out my hard drive.  For those of you who do business on the web, or simply communicate with friends, this can stop you dead in your tracks.  Thankfully, I have more than one laptop, so I am working on another one.  I'm not sure which dreadful virus has attacked my hardware, but it re-directs my internet search and takes me to all sorts of places of its choosing.   Shame on me for letting my anti-virus protection software overlap.  Um, I guess it would have been worth the $49.00.  Now that I realize the importance of computer protection, I want to install virus software, but I can't even do that.  I am going to have to take my sick computer in for some serious virus removal. 

Let this be a warning for anyone who thinks anti-virus software is not important.  I'm lucky because I have a back up.  If you should get one of these viruses and you are operating on one system, you will be completely shut down.   Learn from me and save some $$$.

First Kids

The New Royal Couple

Barack and Michelle Obama were so regal for the Inaugural balls.  I was blown away with Michelle's dress.  She is not following in the footsteps of Jackie O, but she is showing that she is a maverick of fashion, with a clear sense of style.  Michelle is becoming a trendsetter and if she wears something, it will be sold out the next day.  She personally chose the two outfits for Inauguration day and night.  To her credit, she chose two people who are reaching for the American dream.  For the swearing in ceremony, she chose an ensembo by Isabel Toledo.  For her evening gown, she chose a dress made by Jason Wu.  

The President looked so handsome in his black tuxedo.  He just has that swagger that  every man wishes they had.  He was so poised, gracious and humble and has not forgotten how he made it to the White House.

President Obama and Michelle are the perfect couple.  Yes, girls, they are the perfect couple.  No matter how many times, you Photoshop her out of the picture and replace it with your own, Michelle has shown that she is sticking by her man.  It is so nice to see such a youthful, vibrant family in the White House, and it's even nicer to see two people who truly love and respect each other.  

Martin Luther King's Birthday

Today is the celebrated birthday of civil rights leader, Martin Luther King Jr.  It comes this year on the heels of the first African American President, Barack Obama.  I  truly believe that this is part of the dream fulfilled.  Of course, there is much more work to do, but we cannot deny or ignore the accomplishments and progress that has been made towards civil rights.  It is such a heart warming feeling  as his "I Have a Dream" speech resonates loudly with not only people of color, but all people.  I think that the new President embodies many of the ideas of Martin Luther King.  Being a bi-racial individual, he has experienced first hand, the best and the worst of people in regards to color.  He knows well that it is not the skin color that makes someone evil or good, but rather what's in their heart and what they do in their actions and deeds.  Let us take a moment of silence and celebrate a great human being, who also happened to be an African American, Martin Luther King Jr.  Gone too soon, but the dream lives on.

Inauguration 2009 - 44th President, Barack Hussein Obama

View all Washington DC events at Eventful

 

Tomorrow is the Inauguration of President-Elect Barack Hussein Obama.  It is a momentous occasion to be sure and it will be celebated not only here in the states, but across other continents as well. Many people have already flooded to Washington to see the event up close and personal.  I am hearing that there could be as many as 3-4,000,000 in Washington for the event.  For those of us who weren't so fortunate to have a front row seat in Washington, we have to scurry to find a location suitable for celebration.  For those of you who are still not sure where to go, check your local churches and colleges.  Many of them have decided to host an Inaugural event and have invited their congregation and communities to join in the celebration.  I am not sure where I am going yet, but wherever I am, it is sure to be a memorable moment. 

 

 

Movie Review - Notorious

Hey all, I was going to write this post last evening, but I wanted the movie to marinate, so I could give it a full review.  The movie Notorious did not disappoint.  It was a riveting biopic, which gave us several snapshots into the life of Christopher Wallace, Notorious B.I.G. aka Biggie Smalls.  Newcomer, Jamal Woolson was truly believable as Biggie Smalls.  He looked and sounded exactly like the Notorious B.I.G.  I also enjoyed Angela (best actress on the planet) Bassett who played the part of Biggie's mom, and Derek Luke who played the part of Sean Combs.  I applaud Naturi Naughton for playing Lil Kim.  That was a tough job and a hard sell, but I think she pulled it off.  The movie gave a nice account of Biggie's life and all the East Coast, West Coast rivalry and drama that led up to his untimely death.   It also shows how entertainment and the drug world sometimes co-mingle, and what happens when you are a young man with a whole lot of money.  Whether you like rap or not, this is a wonderful story of a talented young man, but it is also about survival, sacrifice, friendship, loyalty and love.  It's all those things and maybe more.  Definitely worth the price of a ticket and a bucket of corn.

WARNING.....

Oh yes, this movie is rated "R" and you should leave your children at home.  I had enough sense to go while my daughter was at school and it was a sound decision because the sex scenes were a bit much.