6~What Is Your Idea of True Love?

Deep caring Total attraction to that person's spirit Always willing to be truthful Utmost respect A will to sacrifice for that person Inability to stay upset with them Truly loving them unconditionally. You know the beautiful things about them and the unsavory things about them and you still love them the same.

5~ Favorite Romantic Movie

I also have several of these, but today? Right now? I'd have to say Brown Sugar with Taye Diggs and Sanaa Lathan.

It's a story of best friends who first really bonded through the beginning of hip -hop. Their friendship has lasted into adulthood and relationships with other people. In the end they realize that their love for each other was there all along, they just finally decide to act on it. The soundtrack is BOMB too! Here's the trailer...

4~ Favorite Love song...and why?

I have many favorites, but this song touches my soul. It isn't singing about some perfect love, it speaks of a real love with challenges and working through them.

Here are the lyrics to Stars by Kindred the Family Soul So many times you could have walked away But I didn’t have to say word To convince you to stay 'Cause you know & I know this thing is real So we continue to learn And our love grows deeper still Each day I watch you Get better at this Each moment I’m more & more convinced We trusted love We took the risk We ran our own pace We won our race And could never turn away [Chorus] We come so far The stars look up at you baby My heart belongs Right here next to you baby [Verse] If I had just one wish It would be to stay together Stay together let’s grow together And it’s not much to ask of us I know we can do it I always knew it Always look at me the way you do today Treat me like a friend and listen to what I say ‘Cause girl I’m with you all the way All the way But I could never turn away [Chorus] Bridge Always look at me Same way you do today Treat like a friend Listens to what I say Say oh yeah I could never turn away [Chorus]

3~ Last/Most Recent Love...what they meant/mean to you...

They mean nothing to me. It wasn't real. It was cool while it lasted, but it definitely doesn't go down in history, LOL. In fact, it doesn't even get a song connected to it. Whoo wee, I was sure tore up about it last year, but this year? Hmmph...

Day 2~ Best Love...what they meant/mean to you

I apologize, somewhere along the way, Blogspot stopped recognizing paragraphs. Pfft.

The last time I did this challenge, I was looking at romantic love. I've realized since, the best love I've ever felt in my life (aside from family) has been the love of two of my very best friends in the world. To know that no matter what you do, no matter what you say, there may be some tense feelings at that moment, but to be able to talk it out, get past it and to really KNOW that that person still loves you? That's priceless. I have said and done some effed up things and guess what? They tell me about it and keep it moving. We pray for each other, especially if one of us is going through challenging times. We pray when things are great. If there is such a thing as unconditional love, this has got to be what it feels like. My greatest joy in each of these friendships is doing things to make them smile. I love them both so much! Some people can't have two close friends like this without one getting jealous of the other. The one I don't talk to so much understands and doesn't require my constant attention for validation of our friendship. Not that the other person does, we simply talk much more. It is such a blessing to be loved so much by people who don't have to.

30 Day Truth and Love Challenge: 1~ First Love (of course!)...what they meant/mean to you...

Looking back, I realize that the one I considered my first love, really was simply the first one I loved. He said he loved me, but his actions proved otherwise. I mean he proposed, then cheated. He came back and then married someone else. Does that sound like love to you? Me neither. Seems it was what I once considered my second love that was really my first. Perhaps I'd have realized that sooner had our lines of communication been better. I was 17 and he 21. My 17 year old mind was about the moment and his 21 year old mind was thinking about the future. He was trying to be a provider and being that I had parents already, I don't know if I saw him as trying to control me or what. Honestly I can't remember, but looking back, I could see that he wanted to "do" for me and I wasn't really accepting it because of my fierce independence. I didn't realize it then, but that's how he showed me he loved me. I know that as much as a 17 year old could really know about love, I loved him too. Still have a place in my heart for him.

The Second Time Around: 30 Day Truth and Love Challenge

June 3, it will be a year that I decided to become a single woman again and a year that I will celebrate(?) celibacy. Define celibacy? Some will argue that if you say you're celibate, it means you haven't had sex, no self-love etc. You've done absolutely nothing. Well, the World English dictionary says that to be celibate is to abstain from sexual intercourse and the definition of sexual intercourse is genital contact, especially the insertion of the penis into the vagina followed by orgasm; coitus; copulation. So that's the definition I'll go with. So yeah...It hasn't been easy, but I am in the mindset that no one gets the goodies unless we're in love. In "like" just doesn't get it for me anymore. Which brings me to this...I'm pretty sure I'm in love with someone and I don't know what to do with it. I'm not sure they feel the exact same way about me, but I'm not sure they don't either. I'm interested in learning how my opinions and feelings have changed about certain persons and situations since I last took this challenge and I invite you to do it too.

So here are the questions: 1~ First Love (of course!)...what they meant/mean to you... 2~ Best Love...what they meant/mean to you... 3~ Last/Most Recent Love...what they meant/mean to you... 4~ Favorite Love song...and why? 5~ Favorite Romantic Movie 6~ What is your idea of true love? 7~ Have you ever been deeply in love? Explain 8~ Do you think you can be in love with two people at the same time? 9~ Tell us about the first time you ever made love (not had sex) 10~ List 10 people you love and explain what they mean to you 11~ Whom (no names, if you prefer) did you love, who didn't love you back? 12~ Do you believe in zodiac compatibility? Who is your best match from experience? You worst? 13~ Do you believe in unconditional love? 14~ Recreate your most romantic date (a real one)... 15~ Can you live without a love relationship? 16~ Do you believe in love at first sight? 17~ Do you think young people can fall in love and it be true? 18~ Have you ever been in a love triangle...with you as the object of desire? 19~ What do you love to do the most? 20~ Do you believe in Long Distance/Internet Love? Why or Why not? 21~ What is the most romantic location you would want to visit? 22~ Create the perfect love scene 23~ Do you think love and marriage are synonymous? 24~ Have you broken anyone's heart? 25~ Looking back on your life...who taught you the most about what love is/isn't? 26~ If your young daughter or son came to you and told you they were in love with someone your age...what would your response be? 27~ Does anyone you've broken up with still love and pursue you? 28~ If you had a choice between a love relationship and just sex [guaranteed]...which would you choose? 29~ Write a Love letter to your soul mate (whether you feel you've met them or not) 30~ Did this love challenge teach you anything? If so/not...what/why?

Why Are You Here?

She/He is acting funny... So and so ignored me... I'm not happy here... She/He said this, but I know this is what they really meant... I’m going to delete so and so… All things I've seen and heard on Facebook and other sites. Takes me right back to school days. Seems that some people don’t get along with folks any more than they did when they were younger. You know what that means? Those are the problem people. I mean really, is it that hard to get along with people YOU chose to connect to? Really? Why are you on these sites anyway? My thought was to socialize with people you already know or other sites, to meet people online. Why bitch and moan about an online friendship to others? If it doesn’t work, delete. You don’t need a general consensus of what to do. You won’t be charged if you delete someone and quite frankly, the people who DO feed into the mess, need to not be connected to me! As for folks who do tagging…ya don’t get paid for that either! Tagging “wars” are stupid. Everyone has their own unique style and everyone’s style does not appeal to everyone. Get over it! I personally dig a lot of the styles I’ve seen, but I prefer to teach myself how to do my own. I’ve heard there is a lot of discord behind the scenes and if this is true, I tell you, PLEAD even, GROW UP! 30+ and still nitpicking and arguing over simple things means….YOU’RE SIMPLE! Get a life, cuz you obviously aren’t about this one! Why ARE you on social sites?

A-Z: Y and Z

AND

I'm ready for this to be over with already, LOL. I've been having a hard time thinking of just what to write and I was daggone sure not going to do two more posts on this challenge, let's git'er done! You-I challenge you to find a challenge, be it a 3 day, 5 day, whatever and blog on it. It clears your head and it makes you think about some things sometimes. Post a link to your blog here and I'll check it out. Zydeco-Zydeco is a form of uniquely American roots or folk music. It evolved in southwest Louisiana in the early 19th century from forms of "la la" Creole music. The rural Creoles of southwest Louisiana and southeast Texas still sing in Louisiana Creole French.

Zydeco combines elements of an even older American musical style which began in the late 1700s: Cajun music, which comprises French fiddle tunes, Irish Celtic fiddle tunes, German button accordion, Latin rhythms, and Appalachian styles. Zydeco music was born as a blend of Cajun music and two other "new" American music styles: blues and rhythm and blues. Zydeco (French, from the phrase: "Les haricots ne sont pas salés", means "the snap beans aren't salty". This phrase is a colloquial expression that means 'I have no spicy news for you.'[citation needed] It has alternatively been referred to as meaning "I'm so poor, I can't afford any salt meat for the beans." When spoken in the regional French, it is spoken thus: "leh-zy-dee-co sohn pah salay...") "In fact, the first Zydeco-ish recording was Clarence Garlows hit "Bon Ton Roula," issued in 1949 on the Macys label."[1] Zydeco music pioneer Clifton Chenier, "The King of Zydeco", made Zydeco popular on regional radio stations with his bluesy style and keyboard accordion. Usually fast tempo and dominated by the button or piano accordion and a form of a washboard known as a "rub-board," "scrub-board," "wash-board," or frottoir, zydeco music was originally created at house dances, where families and friends gathered for socializing. Creoles do not consider themselves part of the black culture, but rather a mixture of Haitian, Native American, French, and Spanish known as "Quadronne" or "four-way".[citation needed] The original French settlers came to Louisiana in the late 1700s, sent by the King of Spain to help settle the Louisiana Territory. Arriving in New Orleans on seven ships, the settlers quickly moved into the bayous and swamps. There the French culture permeated those of the Irish, Spanish, Native Indian and German peoples already populating the area.[2] Sometimes the music was performed in the Catholic Church community centers, as Creoles were mostly Catholic. Later it moved to rural dance halls and nightclubs. As a result, the music integrated waltz, shuffles, two-steps, blues, rock and roll, and other dance music forms of the era. Today, zydeco integrates genres such as R&B, soul, brass band, reggae, hip hop, ska, rock, Afro-Caribbean and other styles, in addition to the traditional forms.

A-Z: X

The eX-Factor

That's the name of a song by Lauryn Hill, that I love... The exes...a couple of them are pretty good friends now, but obviously something happened for them to be an ex, right? Yet, it's so easy sometimes to remember the good times. Especially when they can be so extra sweet years later. I look at breakups as life lessons. You learn something about yourself and in some cases you learn about the other person. When they are the vulnerable one, you often see an unseen side in their reaction. Alas, I have learned to face the reality that ain't enough fixin' in the world to make me go back, so fellas stop trying and let's be friends, m'kay?

A-Z: W

This is probably about to be more of a short a rant, I don't know. I'm heated about something and I want to write it out. I've been in improvement mode today. You know, when you aren't happy where you are right now, you sit down and decide how you want to change that. Yeah... Well apparently the only person I shared that info with sent me a message later this evening in response to something I'd said earlier. At the time, I had stepped away from the phone and when I was in proximity of it again, I was driving, so I hadn't seen the message. The person assumed I wasn't answering because I was still in a mood, which wasn't the case at all. I was trying to decide if I felt like going out. But they basically told me to quit pouting. Maybe I'm wrong, but I got pissed. First of all, I wasn't pouting, I was talking to someone else and how dare they act like I don't have the right to have a moment or two and even more, how dare they snap because I didn't respond right away. WTF? When I brought it to their attention that I'd been away, all I got was a "my bad" and an "Oh, I thought this was..". I ain't gonna lie, my feelings were hurt. What? My bad? All you care about my feelings is a dry ass my bad? I really expected more of this person. What happened to I'm sorry? To me, "my bad" is not an acceptable response and I despise the day that someone decided to use it instead of I'm sorry. To me, "my bad" basically dismisses the other person's feelings and says Oh, I didn't mean to say that out loud. I guess I just needed to get that out. My feelings are still a bit hurt, but I'm not even really that mad anymore. I'm going to bed for real this time. Goodnight.

A-Z: V

I get busier and busier, but dangit, I'm finishing this challenge! LOL Today is the letter

When I think of the letter V, I almost always think of Valentines Day.

That's a day that I love and despise at the same time. I love it because it celebrates love. I love love. I love to be in love. I love to show the one I love, that I do, in as many ways as I can find. I despise Valentine's Day because so much emphasis is put on this one day. I can't turn my feelings off and on and I can't celebrate the one I love really well one day and just ok the rest. I just can't turn off the feelings I develop after getting to know someone just because they don't show me the same (you knew this wasn't just going to be about V-day, didn't you?) LOL Psyche! I'm not going there. I just want to know where is your Valentine now? Is he/she waking up next to you every morning? "So in Love" that morning breath, crusty eyes and conversations from the toilet are a non-issue? Good for you! I love that! Does he/she still call every once in awhile, just enough to make you feel like it's ok to have sex every once in awhile and not have to "break" someone else in? Lose em. Not worth your time. Not really. You deserves someone who thinks more of you. Did you have a Valentine at all? Did you just fantasize of a relationship with someone you fell for? Well, what are you waiting for? Either make a move to let them know you're interested, or fuggetaboutit! Don't waste time pining after someone who doesn't know you exist or knows you exist and in almost 3 months' time, not shown interest in you any other than friendship. Enjoy the friendship and keep the love life moving. No on really gets an epiphany when they assume a person they might dig, will always be around. You'll never win. They always have the comfort in knowing you'll be there. Force yourself to open up to new possibilities. Get ya mind right. There's supposedly someone for everyone. Put yourself out there so your someone can see you, instead of keeping your hopes up that the one you're feeling might one day wake up and have feelings for you.

Vacation (also called Holiday) My most favorite vacation by far, has been to Montego Bay, Jamaica. That pic above looks exactly what the shoreline looks like from a jet ski about a mile out into the Caribbean Sea. Just absolutely beautiful. I haven't really been able to take a vacation since then. I was gone for 4 days and because I do take care to follow my kidney diet most of the time, I didn't have any issues. I'd love to do something like that again, but I refuse to go alone. I have a few friends/acquaintences that I'd love to visit, but I won't do so without an invitation. So I decided to just do a weekend, incorporating a concert of one of my new favorite jazz singers and one of my favorite Sister friends. I think we'll have a heck of a time and I can't wait! I'm sad though, because I'd love to spend a week in Jamaica or some other international location and without a transplant, it's just not possible. I have to get back on my grind...