Busyboding Around

No need to speak too much. I just finished a couple of items I'd like you all to see. All the great sewing bloggers inspired me to start sewing again, so I did that. Had some jewelry that I finished a couple of months ago, so I'm posting that. And, I threw in a pair of extra special stitch markers, so there! Enjoy the pics.

OOOOh! Thanks for all the great compliments on my previous posts. Unfortunately, If you don't leave your email addy I can' t reply to you personally. But thank you just the same!

Pencil Skirt

Pattern: McCall's 5590
Material: Navy Blue Pinstriped Wool Suiting
Notions: 2 grey buttons from stash
Mods: Fully lined with Posh polyester from JoAnns. Since I have junk in the trunk I had to grade out to my size (will not be telling cause it's so far from my ready-to-wear). Have to go back and fix the hem in the front and send it to the cleaners for a good pressing.

Tangerine Pearl Bracelet

White pearls with tangerine and persimmon colored glass beads, sea shell lampworks, and gold wire wrapping. Given as a gift to one of my coworkers.

Earrings

Scrollwork Stitchmarkers

If you would like to purchase any of this jewelry, please email me at kamikak at msn dot com.

Kamika busybodying

Spoiled!

I couldn't tell it if I tried! Ya'll just dont' know how good God has been to me all my life. I can't tell you because there are no words in any human dialect that can express how much I love Him. God is truly my first husbandman and He spoils me with His brand new mercies everyday. Just waking up every morning is a new blessing I don't even have to think about.

As a single woman, whom God has kept directly off the dating scene for a number of years, I have never in my life been more spoiled by any previous lovers. Here's some examples:

1. I asked God in prayer for a vacation (eventhough I hadn't worked in over 2 years and had no money). God blessed me with a free cruise to Mexico.


2. In response to what I wanted for my 30th birthday a few years back I responded with "pearls." I got a full strand of freshwater pearls and earrings.


3. The birthday before that, some sisters and I went to one of my favorite restaurants in Beverly Hills. We were having a great time! At the end of our meal the waiters sang to me and told us to have a great day. Then our waiter went on about his business. When we asked him twice where our check was, he told us (twice mind you, cause we didn't believe him) that a gentleman across the room had paid our check. The gentleman also told the waiter to tell me, "Happy Birthday!" Talk about your heart burning because his motive was only to make our day and not pick up on anyone. I believe that man was my Lord.


4. During the season where I was losing everything in order to come closer to God, I almost got evicted from my apartment. God said no and the judge threw out the case because the landlord had overcharged me $2.50!


5. In that same season I lost my truck and God allowed me to go to a large well known car dealership and get a car that wasn't 2 years old yet for free. Yep FREE! I paid nothing for it and hold the title to this very day!

My most recent expression of His spoiling love happened this weekend. I had been thinking about buying some Gucci sunglasses (ya'll know I likes me some Gucci), but because I wanted to be a good steward of the monies I've received, I decided to wait until the end of the year. Well look what my beloved got me:

I was strolling through Tarjay on yesterday, looking at the sunglasses. I'm just trying on various pairs when I come across this pair and they fit me perfectly. I thought it was odd that they were labeled differently (a big fat sticker directly on the lens) instead of a hang tag. The logo looked slightly Gucciesque but for $16.99 I could only dream. I buy the glasses and think nothing of it until I get in my car this morning and decide to actually look at them. I got REAL Gucci Havana sunglasses that retail for over $200.00 for $16.99! Serial numbers and e'rethang. I know knocks when I see'em and these ain't them.

CAN YOU DIG IT?!!

He's so good to me! It's not about the material things He gives me. But the love I feel when I draw near to Him. He truly does perfect those things which concern Kamika. I would be a fool to not give Him praise.

Kamika not bragging just testifying

FO: #4 Ribbed Top by Vladimir Teriokhin

Wow! I haven't had a knit or crochet FO since June. So as not to come off as a slacker (which I totally am), I too like many other knitters, just haven't felt inspired to knit. I have been crafty in other areas though. Pics to come.

Anyhoo, I finally finished the #4 Ribbed Top from Vogue Knitting Spring/Summer 2008. So without further adieu:

#4 Ribbed Top by Vladimir Teriokhin


Time: June -October 2008
Yarn: Malabrigo Silky Merino, 5 hanks (approx. 750 yds) in Teal Feather
Needles/Hook: 6US
Modifications: Started the entire set of center cables 6 rows later than called for. This ensured that the cables wouldn't disect my bust at an awkward position making it look as if I had 4 breasts instead of 2.
Notes: Now this was a booga bear If I'd ever seen one. I had to rip out half the back over 5 times just to get it right. If you're going to try this one make sure you read the pattern through with caution. and comprehension. You know reading is fundamental. ;-P

My next projects already on the needles. I'll keep you posted.

Kamika finally done

It Should Not Be

I normally don't discuss politics here. I think who on and why someone decides to vote is their personal choice. Needless to say I'm not happy with either candidate, McCain nor Obama. Nor am I happy with our political system that about 8 months ago registered nearly 200+ candidates of varying parties but in the spirit of democracy only decided to spotlight those with money.

No, I'm not a big fan of McCain and his trying so hard, frigid, fashionista Budweiser girl-like wife, nope. Nor am I a fan of Michelle Obama running for president but under the guise of her far less accomplished less experienced husband all because he has testicals and America is not ready for a BLACK WOMAN president. (Yes, you read it right. America is not ready for black women to shine, etc. etc. etc.) Eventhough I think sister-girl is fierce. I think their campaign is contrived and somewhat farsical and the Obamanians are more treacherous than the stans of Beyonce.

But those aren't the issues I wanted to discuss today. I received an email on yesterday that showed pictures of Sarah Palin in various states of undress; holding rifles while wearing Old Glory, booty butt-naked on the cover of an old newspaper, and all tarted up a la penthouse with a head so big and ta tas extra flat and 3 shades of difference in the skin tones. I replied that these pictures looked photoshopped to death! These pictures were later found by another recipient to be fakes. Was this email sent for a good laugh? I don't think so, as the previous senders commented as if they believed the pictures were real.

I opine, it's a shame Americans are more concerned with the character of others but so easily slip their foul, stealing, lying, shameful, and perverse ways under the rug for a chance at being included in the coversation at the grown folks' table. Blessing and cursings coming out of the same mouth. It bothers me that we have to unconstructively tear candidates apart as a rite of passage in order for them to run for any office let alone the presidency like America is this huge fraternity. It bothers me that Americans gossip, snicker, and pass around salacious words without researching them first. I think there is a lot of deception in the atmosphere and that we need to be more aware and stop casting stones. Everybody's hands are dirty! Thus is human nature.

I'm extremely late for work, so I guess I'll have to end my intended short commentary without thoroughly fleshing out that last paragraph. I'll try to expound on it more later. I love America. It truly is the land of the free...and reviling.

Kamika present company not excluded

A Lil of This & A Lil of That

As I sit here coming down off my sugar ecstasy, I figured I bet to get to writing. Not much to talk about but much ado about nothing. Nothing No. 1 being that I haven't had sugar in my system for nearly 3 weeks and have dropped about 10lbs. Sugar is cryptonite and crack all rolled up into one. When I'm fiending for sugar I start looking like Pookie from New Jack City. I'll beat a negroe down for some sugar. I'll cut em if it's got some pecans mixed in. Look at me, giving away all the details. But my Coffee Lovers from Coldstone was good.

No. 2, I hit my 3 year nappiversary on August 28th. I've gone from bald, afflicted with alopecia, to very thick and boring. Yes, I said boring! I need to find a natural stylist to take me and my hair to the next level. I got growing it on lock (eventhough advice is always welcome), what I now need is someone to take my styling back to FLY level, so I can feel more put together. Anybody know of a good stylist in LA that's into hair CARE and styling? It's gotta be both. Patrice asked me about a year ago if I ever straightened. Below is about as close as I get at home. I may consider flat ironing more often though just for a style change. I'm coveting that Chi iron.



No.3, been shopping waaay too much! Peep some of the products I bought. Can you say CHI's my baby daddy and I got the hair to prove it? LOL. I'm so in love with Chi products now. Talk about great slip and moisturizing. You don't need a lot of these products, so a 12oz bottle could probably last you a couple of months. An added bonus is that they smell like a really good smelling mens' cologne. I plan to do a review of them soon.



Stopped at Sephora and got some great makeup on the same outing went down to MAC in Nordstrom's and allowed myself to be bamboozled into a whole bunch more of makeup. I came to my senses just before I was about to plop down another $150 to buy FlowerBomb perfume by Viktor & Rolf. As an aside: At both of these stores male clerks (I know, so passe, but what are they called now?) were rocking the latest in makeup accoutrement. I mean full face with a swish. I was weirded out. It wasn't even dark outside yet. LOL, I kid. I don't think I took pictures of it all.


I may get that FlowerBomb this weekend though.


No. 4, I did my first weave. On DM. For Free. She called it free advertising. I called it slavery revisited. She said, "I'm your momma and I deserve it." To which I responded, "You lying lady!" (in my head of course). She's rocking it though. She refuses to wear her own hair. I have greater respect for stylists now. I'm now at her house every weekend washing and curling her up like she Patti Labelle or somebody. I will not be making this a side hustle. I need my hands to knit.



No. 5, I done did something crazy with my latest knit project that I don't even feel like discussing now.

...and last but not least

No. 6, a fellow blogger asked me why he wasn't in my blog roll. Cause shadetree, I ain't even been to my blog let alone updated my blogroll. Besides, you're in my reader and that's all that matters. LOL Ya'll can check out Dr. Rawdawgbuffalo here and over there ~~> On point southern commentary I think we can all use.



Kamika got those books balanced

Back To Normal

Home is now home again. For a minute there I was seriously contemplating moving. I just couldn't handle the bugs. I believe I may have been having an anxiety attack that was triggered by the bugs and my emotional (suppressed) state after the funeral. Jeeves came over and fixed the problem - one of the sub floors under my closet was exposed and cracked. Since my apartment is directly over the gutter, the bugs were finding there way in through my closet. There was no way I was going to be able to tolerate bugs crawling on my clothes let alone in my home on a regular basis.

The area you see below is where the built-in drawers have been pulled out and this is what was behind them. Jeeves came in and drywalled the wall in and sealed the sub floor.



Large bugs to me are the equivalent of snakes and mice to others. The sound of the crack of a water bug,when stepped on, sends chills up my spine. One came out of my closet and I got the strength to run and get a broom to kill it. It became a war cause it just wouldn't die. I finally swept it outside half dead where it remained on the porch until my sister-in-law SDJ came over (with DM and Jeeves) and full of angry fear stepped on it hard!

Earlier, I hadn't realize I was in such a bad state until I called DM to ask her to send Jeeves over and I couldn't stop crying enough to tell her what I needed. I had to call her back. I went for my morning jog but decided to walk instead and I was crying while speed walking. I had to come home and talk to God. I'm and odd griever. Sometimes I can go years without crying or even acknowledging the vacancy a person's death has left in my life. This time though, I was grieving for her and my own heart state.

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My grandmother Charlene (we called her Charlena) passed on Saturday, August 2nd. She wasn't my actual grandmother but back 33 years ago, when my mother came to California for a visit and ended up staying, she became my mother's adopted godmother. At that time my mom was a soon to be divorcee and a traveling gospel back up singer. She came to California because my Aunt had brought my older brother (PP) here for a visit and refused to bring him back home to Ohio. My aunt was and still is a bit of a wild child. Long story short I came along, my Grandma Charlena introduced us to her church and my parents have been members there ever since (give or take a few years due to rough patches).

Grandma Charlena's life was my first recognizable glimpse into refinement. I remember having Thanksgiving dinner at her house and the long continuous table that fit probably 20-30, well appointed with every crystal glass, fine bone china, and full silverware you would need and then some. She would throw together at least 15 different entrees in addition to the turkey. I was always so excited. Always in awe.

She was a stately woman who talked a lot of trash and wore a lot of tweeds and fur coats. She enjoyed a good stiff drink and to dance. She'd curse a man out in a minute and wouldn't hesitate to tell you you've gained weight but were still pretty. She was also the person who in a time when kids were learning to be fast tails told me that there was nothing wrong with wanting to be smart and creative. When Mrs. Adams around the corner taught me to crochet, it was Grandma Charlena who I practiced with. Twice a month or so she would pick me up in her burgundy Lincoln Bonneville or little grey station wagon and we would go "Goody Shopping." Goody shopping is shopping at yard sales. We would get all sorts of little trinkets and yarn.

I'll miss the woman who for my birthday gave me white panties three sizes too big with ones, fives, and tens dollar bills stick pinned into them; although I won't miss the pain I got when I tried to put them on but had failed to remove all the pins. I'll miss being called Lady Bug. I'll miss the replacement of her curse words with "a oomph oomph and an umph umph umph!" I'll miss her, but God's got it all under control.

Kamika consoled and done grieving

I Desperately Need A Man!!

Oooh Lawd! I got this huuuuuge water bug in my closet!!! I'm scared to death! I'm so scared I called my Momma who's asleep. I ended up on the phone with my older brother who was cracking up at me. I'm so afraid I'm tempted to run upstairs and get the neighbor to come and kill it for me. I HATE BUGS!!!

It took my breath away and had me fighting air and hyperventilating in my bedroom for a cool 5 minutes. I've been throwing 4" inch heels blindly in the closet to try and knock it down off of one of the hangers. I'm not sleepy no mo! I may end up laying on the couch tonight.

I know tomorrow it may seem funny but right now I'm crying. This is me:
(Check out minute 05:30 or try viewing here)

I'm gonna really have to muster up some courage to get dressed in the morning. Being up this late is going to hinder my running. I need to find a local man to handle this kind of mess!

Kamika crying like a baby

Thanks!

I really wanted to thank all of you who responded to my last post. Sorry it took me so long to get back. I've been a little slow lately and so I've had to take to writing a To Do list in order to get things.

I think I may have come off as arrogant, which was not my intention. I think every now and then something emotional triggers you to look at your current situation and wonder if you are doing all that you should be. Could be. Have you forgotten your dreams and become complacent? Are you redeeming the time or just wasting the talents you been blessed with? Have you lost sight of the mission and so haven't learned enough? And lastly, have you learned all you were supposed to, in this season in this place, and therefore have completed the mission and over stayed your welcome which is why others are working your nerves?

A couple of you hit the nail on the head. Finish the lesson. I did ask My Beloved to work out some ugly things in my character. He in His soveriegnty took care of all the details, including the time, place, and people. I'm not ready to go yet, I still have a few more sections in this chapter to learn. Thanks for the prayers!

Moving on. One of The Motel guests passed last week. I have to pay my last respects tomorrow. I'm really missing her but I believe that the day of one's death is better than the day of their birth (Ecc. 7:1). I'm sure she and God are having a good time catching up in Heaven. bet they're goody shopping. With all the mansions in Heaven, I'm sure they have yard sales.

I made some jewelry and worked on my knitting. More upbeat posts to come.

Kamika Contemplative

Getting Restless

I'm getting restless again. It's a mode I get into every couple of years when I feel I need to make a change on the 9-5 front. I'm bored as the dickens and have been having a hard time finding the burst of energy to swing by the Man's house each day. I do get there every morning, although my attitude has been less than stellar. When I get to this point it's usually a quick spiral down into pure judgemental anger against those I work with ending in an all out stalemate.

I hate that about myself. I need to take work and my work environment less seriously but I've always had an issue with being non-productive and having non-productive people around me. I figure since you spend 1/3 or more of your daily life there you need to love it or at least like it. I feel that when I get there I should have things to do that don't drop my IQ 25 points each day. I'm not one of those who likes to come to work and sit around. If you are willing to pay me to do nothing or to surf the Internet, then pay me to stay home. None of this was in the job description.

I don't need to control situations anymore, I've learned that God takes care just fine without my input and usually to my advantage. What I do need is for people to work smart with me and delegate those things which are not their forte before they become chaos. I do not like the voice of our department being the one person who is making the most mistakes and causing delays.

I'm trying to be 100% and not 75% grateful. I need to take this as an opportunity to nip murmuring in the bud and to love people regardless of their shortcomings like others do me. I'm going to working on that today. I'm off as we've had a death in the family and I need to help take care of some business. I'll keep you all posted later.

Question: How do you deal with working in a not-so-ideal work environment? This can include SAHMs as well.


Kamika checking her attitude at the door

Upgrade Me!

Had an eventful last couple of days. This week was my department's "Team Building Week". Something much needed since in our large department is made up of about 5 or 6 smaller departments that look each other in the face each day but have little to say to one another. The ladies who organized it did a very good job of drawing the silly and friendly competition out of us all. I really commend them for their hard work, not only because I myself had goo gobs of fun participating but I know it's really hard getting a whole bunch of pretentious and insanely political folks to work together.

Each day our groups, chosen at the onset by kiddie puzzle pieces, worked together to solve Olympic-like games such as cake decorating and poster drawing. The week culminated in an picnic outing to a very large park and a tour of our lovely city all on board a classic British double-decker bus piloted by two guys in kilts. Seeing as I don't drink, I wasn't too surprised at how wild we got without liquor. I think some of them were cause they were telling all their business the minute someone looked their way. It was all good though. I didn't take pics.

I don't know if Ihad to but I did go out and buy a new computer yesterday. The other night while watching The Boondocks my trusty old computer tried to give up the ghost. It froze on me and said I had a registry error. I resuscitated it but after restarging it made me reenter the Microsoft key and told me it had to restore itself. I knew then that the time had come for me to put my beloved baby to sleep. I had put it off as long as I could. No sense in prolonging the life support.

It didn't help that folks were laughing behind its back every time I talked about it. I began to dread the question, "what are you running?", for fear that I would look out of touch. I would always give my pat answer: "Windows 98, but it's super fast and clean. I've never had a virus, run all the programs I need, and am only looking to upgrade because Microsoft stopped providing support for it nearly a year ago." They would look at me like I was crazy and bust out laughing. Saying mess like, "You don't even have XP?" and "Windows 98?" and "How much memory you got on that thang?" To which I would always want to respond with something smart like, "Does Windows 98 sound like XP?" and "I see you on the memory tip. I'se only got about 11 gigs." The last part alone would make them fall out on the floor again but this time holding the fetal position until they realized how tall and imposing I looked from their position on the floor.

So yesterday I pushed up my scheduled purchasing by about a month and sashayed into Circuit City to look at their units. It would be a unit until I bought it, then it would become my family. I figured now would be the perfect time to buy one because back to school is just around the corner and I should be able to get a good deal. I figured I would hit CC and then swing over to Best Buy to see what they had. I didn't get past my first stop.

After looking at all the "out of box" units (former display units), I settled on 5 that were under $500 dollars. When the manager came over to help me I told him my dilemma. He laughed his sinister laugh. Ha Ha Ha! Then told me that he had to go tell his other manager what I was running, cause that would give him a good laugh and lift his spirits. I didn't know there was a ministry in computer buying. The evidence of God is everywhere. After his bellyrub he told me he felt sorry for me (in much nicer terms) and that he had to bring me up to at least Vista, especially since Microsoft just stop supporting XP about 3 weeks ago. I decided to play the damsel in distress role and appeal to his ego with my Win98 handicap and my obviously somewhat well read knowledge of computers. I was off and running. No batting my eyelashes needed. It was refreshing to him. Silly rabbit!

In the end I won! I left with a computer that was outside of my original 5 choices. The computer I got was $120 higher than the highest I was looking at. He gave me a discount. He offered $100 off so I asked for $120 he agreed. I tried to test my luck at $140 but by that time, he had caught up.

My new fam is a lean mean, computing machine. I now have 720 gigs and can watch high def TV on my computer without squinting. I refuse to pay for cable when the cost of watching TV through your computer is free through your ISP. That's one less bill I have to worry about.

My favorite TV watching spot.

Kamika Upgraded