The Polychromatic Ponderings of Precious Palette

Goodbye, Michael

2009-06-30T17:16:00.005-05:00

That's all I can say for now...

2008: Year in Review

2008-12-31T13:24:00.005-06:00

Color of Emotion: Purple

This year has been a big roller coaster ride for me. Happy days, sad days, I-love-myself days, I-hate-myself days. Either way, I lived through it!!!

My GREATEST moments of 2008:
• God blessing me with another year of life!
• My man surprising me on our first anniversary. (Marla was in on the surprise, but had a hard time luring me out of the house because I was determined to finish my laundry.)
• Doing freelance work for Deegie's Carma
• Watching KU win the NCAA title ("Chalmers for the tie... GOT IT!!!)
• Barack Obama elected the 44th President of the USA!!!

My GOOD moments of 2008:
• Seeing Maxwell live in concert
• Visiting my girls in Chicago!
• Speaking with my father again after about 4 years. (My choice, but still working on that forgiveness thing.)
• Having my first Five Guys burger! (Reminded me of the Fat Boy Burger days)

My BAD moments of 2008:
• My PawPaw showing early signs of dementia
• Pipe burst under kitchen sink, flooded basement
• Not being offered a job I really, really, really wanted. (Probably a blessing.)
• Losing fellow co-workers due to their jobs being outsourced overseas.

My FUNNIEST moment:
• Mama's reaction while watching the replay of one of Michael Phelps' Olympic races.

My PROUDEST moment:
• Not eating McDonald's, Wendy's, Burger King and Taco Bell for a whole year. (Had the worst craving for that McNuggets-Lovin' the other night! LOL)

What I'm looking forward to in 2009:
• Chance encounter with Reggie Bush!
• Finding a new place to live
• Family reunion in Vegas!
• A better job with better pay
• The 8th season of American Idol
• Everything that God has in store for me!

YES WE DID!!!

2008-11-05T11:23:00.005-06:00

Color of Emotion: Change

Ignorance!

2008-10-01T18:32:00.003-05:00

Color of Emotion: Orange

Need I say more?

Me and My Terrible, Horrible, No Good Very Bad Day

2008-09-11T23:35:00.003-05:00

Color of Emotion: Fighting Red

The moment I opened my eyes to welcome sunlight, I knew it was gonna be one of those days. One of those days when you wanna scream at your co-workers to get their shit together. Today was the deadline for getting files of the magazine to the printer. But OF COURSE these bitches are still selling ad space at the last fuckin' minute!!! Leaving me to do all this damn work that should've been done weeks ago! Now the printer is angry because when we're late getting files to them, it means a late night of work for them. Can you blame them? We go through this EVERY MONTH, no lie. Some aren't always this hectic, yet it's still ridiculous to go through all this stress because of procrastination. I ended up late, but not as late as they expected me to. Everybody else leaves and I'm suppose to stay and work all night? Fuck that shit! The world will still be here tomorrow. So right now, I'm gonna sit back and enjoy this fuckin' mudslide til it's time to close my eyelids.

(Please excuse my French)

ROCK CHALK JAYHAWK KU!!!

2008-04-08T15:14:00.004-05:00

Colors of Emotion: Crimson and Blue

Now it's official: I am a sports fan.

Everyone in my family is a lover of some kind of sport. Everyone except myself. I watch a few competitions here and there, but never to the point where I had to rush home, decline importance events, etc. because I just HAD to see a game. I was referred to as "the only one who doesn't like sports." That all changed when March Madness happened this year.

Last season, I entered my bracket in the pot we had going at my job -- just for the heck of it. I wasn't gonna do it because I didn't know jack about the teams or players, besides what my family may have mentioned around me. But a co-worker said my chances of winning were just as good as anybody's so I did it. Guess what happened? I had waaay too many upsets and picked Gonzaga to go all way. So of course, everybody laughed at me when Gonzaga didn't get past the first round.

Fast forward to this year, I decided to do a bracket again. Only this time I didn't do it for money. I just wanted to see how well--or bad--my picks would be this year. And I refused to share my picks with ANYONE! A few people tried to get me to talk, but I remained tight-lipped.

I knew something in me had changed this past Saturday, when KU was scheduled to play UNC that night. A friend of mine was throwing her 30th birthday party at 8. The game was to start minutes before then. I told my friend that I would join her party right after the game was over. WAIT! Did I just put a stupid ol' basketball game before a friend's party? Yes, I did. Fortunately, she understood. I mean, come on -- KU was on they're way to being the champs this year! That night, KU celebrated their win over UNC and good ol' Roy!!

My stomach was already in knots when I woke up yesterday morning. This is the big day. Kansas against Memphis. The road ends here, the sign said. When I got to work, I listened to "Luv that Crimson Blue", a KU Final Four rap by Bic Media. Then I listened to as much pump-up music as I could on my iTunes. But before I left for the day, I had to hear just one more song that would best signify KU's victory. The song that came next was Trillville's "Neva Eva", the song my sister and I chanted after KU spanked UNC's asses. At that moment, I felt like quoting Tom Hanks' character in "A League of Their Own"... "We're gonna win... We're gonna WIN!!!"

My mother, nephew and I grabbed some dinner from Jazz and rushed back home in time to settle down before the tip-off. The game became more and more intense as it went. KU was leading, then Memphis was leading and so on and so forth. In the second half, it seemed as if Memphis was going to take the title. Then after several fouls from KU, Memphis went to the free throw line. They made the first few, but after my mother decided she just couldn't look anymore, Douglas-Roberts missed. So did the almighty Derrick Rose! My sister demanded that our mother keep her head turned away from the television to keep Memphis from scoring. Then, with less than 4 seconds left in the second half, Mario Chalmers hit a 3-pointer, which tied the game and went to overtime!! I was so excited, I jumped out of my chair, knocking it, my jacket and purse to the floor!! I just couldn't sit down for the rest of the game (but I had to because that's where I'd been sitting the whole night). So what we're a lil' superstitious?

Anyway, KU defeated Memphis 75-68. My sister finally let my mother watch the screen with 10 seconds left of the game. Words cannot express all the emotions I felt watching that game. I suppose other fans across the country felt the same as I did. By the time the game ended, I had a migraine, but that didn't keep me from shouting and acting like a damn fool!!!

Oh--I almost forgot to mention... I had KANSAS as the CHAMPIONS in my bracket! Go, KU!!!

Saying Goodbye to "The Wire"

2008-03-11T20:08:00.007-05:00

Color of emotion: Blue

It's over. Really over. The world's affair with HBO's beloved The Wire is gone after five seasons. I'm still not sure what to say about the whole thing. I can say that "The Wire" is one of my all-time favorite shows -- EVER!! No matter how good or bad the situation, it always captured my undivided attention. People who know me well knew not to call me on Sunday nights from 8pm to 9pm. Man, I'm gonna miss this show!

What I loved most about The Wire is that it kept everything real. Not that I know exactly how things are in Baltimore or the drug game. I kept wishing, hoping and praying for characters like Dukie and Michael to find a way out of the lives they were living, yet it only got worse. It hurt like hell to see Dukie taking a needle to his arm, while Michael became the next Omar, but I suppose that's how life is. And the saddest thing about it is that many people in this country have no idea that there are people -- adults and children -- who live like that.

The series finale seemed a bit rushed to me, but it was still a great one. I was happy, sad and pissed off throughout the whole episode. Happy to see that Bubbles finally earned his way out of his sister's basement; Sad about Dukie; Pissed off that Scott Templeton got a fucking Pulitzer and Alma was transferred for ratting him out! I don't think Marlo can take being a businessman. He'll be in the streets one way or another. THANK YOU SLIM CHARLES, for finally doing Cheese!!

My emotions are still running rampant and I know I'm forgetting something, but I'll just sign off right now.

A Personal Challenge

2008-01-23T20:31:00.002-06:00

Color of Emotion: Yellow

I meant to write earlier this month about a certain goal (or shall I say test) I've set for myself. Last year, I noticed I was spending waaay too much on eating out, especially fast food. One month, I spent over $100 on McDonald's, Wendy's, etc! That's when I knew something had to change. To be more blunt, I needed to get my ass in the kitchen and start cookin' up some shtuff! Right then, I decided to challenge myself not to eat fast food all year long. Well, I didn't include chicken establishments because I love chicken too damn much to give up yet. Maybe I'll work on that next year--ha ha ha! Then I thought about long road trips and other times when I need to eat something and fast food is all that's available... order a salad.

I've done pretty well so far. Haven't had any serious cravings for Mickey D's french fries or a Hardees Thickburger. I did sulk a little when I saw my uncle with a Culver's cup recently. I LOVE CULVER'S!!! And there was that one time when my sister nibbled on a Sonic patty melt right in front of my face. I have shown my face a lot more at Hy-Vee and Price Chopper. Mainly buying things for breakfast and lunch to eat at work, but not so much for dinner recipes. The first 2 weeks I was madly in love with making chicken BLT quesadillas and such. Other nights, my mother, sister and man did the cooking.

So right now I'm pretty proud of myself. Can't say for sure if I'll make it the whole year without fast food. I'm just taking it one day at a time.

Words Off My Chest

2007-02-17T23:43:00.001-06:00

Color of Emotion: Red

...I want you to know how much you mean to me. While you've moved on, I remain in this fantasy of you loving me. The harder I try to come back to reality, the more stationary my wings become. I hate that my heart and mind disagree. Mind knows we just weren't meant to be, but Heart thinks you'll come to your senses someday. I hate you because I love you too much to let you break my heart. But then again, I love you because I hate the thought of one day forgetting what it feels like to be in love.