Sickly

I swore last time, about a year ago from today- that I would never throw up at work again, because no one likes a sick person or throw up.

Well... I guess I broke that promise. I felt perfectly fine when I woke up this morning (yes, a little hung over- drank a few glasses of wine with my mom at dinner, but nothing to hold me down). I went to the gym, took a shower, ate a granola bar and was on my way to work. About half way through my commute- I felt like a brick hit my throat. I was nauseous and felt dizzy. I considered stopping on the side of the road. Because the thought of throwing up in my car made me even more nauseous. But the more I drove, the more I felt dizzy and the more I coughed and felt like I would throw up- it was a viscous circle.

Thankfully, I made it to work- got right out of my car and dry heaved outside of my car... in the parking lot of work....real professional.

I figured I was already at my office, so I might as well grab my laptop and go right back home. But no- it's never that simple. The second I got into the building, a wave of nausea came over me, and I ran straight to the bathroom- and threw up.

Obviously I left work and came home, and now just feel like crap....still. So maybe I can keep my promise- I will NEVER throw up at work again... it's still frowned upon, just like it was a year ago.

Peace, love and resting,

B

Avoiding Traffic

Every city has traffic. This is a fact. And every driver gets frustrated with it. Well, yesterday- downtown Atlanta was basically in a grid lock by 5:15- a little earlier than usual, I suspect because of the Georgia Tech football game (why it was on a Thursday I can't tell you).

I had to be at the 4 seasons by 6:00- so I left with a few co workers at 5 to make the less than a mile drive to the hotel. We all knew it would take some time for the short drive. I get to the street the hotel is on, I am talking on the phone, thinking I knew where I was going. I pull into a driveway... that happened to be the wrong hotel- I was only one street off- the Four Seasons was only about a block away. There was a valet circle with a small driveway where hotels like to put really nice cars- now this drive way looked like it connected the two hotels. I could see the 4 Seasons, and getting back onto the actual street seemed impossible with the gridlock- so seeing I couldn't get back into traffic, I started driving down the small drive way. Driving down this driveway helped me avoid traffic and got me closer to the hotel I needed to be.

Everything was fine, until I almost got to the hotel- where there was a sign right in the middle of the drive way. I could't figure out why there was a sign in my way. And then it clicked- the "driveway" I had been riding on.... wasn't a driveway.. No, it was the sidewalk. Yes- I drove on the sidewalk in the middle of downtown Atlanta during the heart of traffic hour.

When I tried to get my car off the driveway, the fellow drivers gave me the worst looks and would not let me back into the traffic. Finally, someone was nice enough to let me back into traffic, where all i did was hop off and then tun right into the right hotel.

Thankfully there were no police officers around to watch my little adventure on the sidewalk, but I did learn a very important lesson- the sidewalks in Atlanta are big enough to drive on. So when the streets are jammed- I have an alternate route.

Peace, love and driving directions,

B

Wonderland

So I got a framed picture and on it there is an arrow pointing into the distance and written in black ink on the arrow is "To Wonderland." I have been thinking of where to hang it- above my bed, near my closet, or anywhere. It has been sitting next to my door for about a week now- hasn't moved an inch, clearly because I have done nothing with it. I just haven't had the time to actually hang it. So there it sits, waiting to be placed.

My picture is kind of in a limbo land- waiting until I am ready to move it. For some reason, everything I do at the moment is in a weird limbo land also. My weekends are planned around visits with my boyfriend (who is done with school in December and fingers crossed and every luck charm, will have a job in Atlanta)- all I want is for him to be here- I miss this summer, when he was available to me all the time- we could get lunch during the week, cook dinner at night and go do fun things. He was here for the most amazing almost 4 months, and then he was just gone. I forgot how hard long distance was the second he arrived back in April- and now I remember how hard it was- and its even harder. And its one of those things that no one else can make better or fix. No matter how late I stay at work, how many hours I spend at the gym or go out trying to avoid missing him- that itch in my stomach to hang out with him and see him every day does not go away. We are a team- and flying without my partner in crime all the time is really hard.

So right now, him and I are in the limbo land- just waiting for graduation, trying everything possible to make the weeks go by faster. We are almost there- only about a month left, he has been gone since September, but for some reason- once November 1st rolled around- everything really sunk in that he was not living here anymore. There are no other words to describe it other than it just plain sucks.

So- for now, yea I am living in limbo- just like my picture. Maybe one of these days the picture will find its place on my wall and point to which ever direction "Wonderland" is. Maybe when my picture finds its place, I'll find mt wonderland. Maybe I will just leave my picture there until my boyfriend finally moves here- and he can help me hang it. Someone has to find there place- so my picture and I might as well find it together.

Maybe its the weather (its nasty outside) or the fact that it got dark outside before I left work- or I just miss my partner in crime right now a lot- just in a really weird funk. Hopefully nothing that a gym session cant fix.

peace, love and Gym Therapy-

b

Whipped Cream

Tonight I went to a cooking class at the Viking cooking school in Atlanta. The theme was french food. We were given a set of recipes for each course and set up in battle style- 2 teams with about 6 people on each team.

The menu consisted of goat cheese and sun-dried tomato crostini for an appetizer, mediterrian bread salad, risotto with porcini mushrooms, chicken breasts with lemon sauce and little chocolate cakes with amaretto cream for desert. The 6 of us were tasked with completing all of the dishes in about 45 minutes- so we split up into teams within our one team- each tasked with a course. I was in charge of the Mediterrian bread salad and the whipped cream topping for the deserts. The salad was no big deal- a lot of chopping veggies and mixing together the dressing... but the whipped cream turned into my master piece.

First of all, maybe this was my ignorance, but I never knew that real whipped cream (like CoolWhip) was actually literally just cream, whipped with a spoon- like actually stirred- for a long time. I had no idea. But tonight, I learned how to make the most amazing whipped cream in the entire world:

Wisk about a cup of creme (for around 10ish minutes) while adding sugar as needed (I had been drinking while cooking, so I basically just kept adding sugar). Once the creme and sugar mixture turned over to be whipped- I added a tablespoon of Amaretto (I had asked out chef for a full cup of Amaretto- once I added the tablespoon, I put the left over into a class with ice... hello amaretto on the rocks). I kept whipping and drinking my amaretto on the rocks until the mixture was light and fluffy, then put into the refrigerator to cool.

Once I pulled the whipped cream out of the refrigerator, my mind was blown. It turned out to be the most amazing whipped cream I have ever tasted- maybe it was the fact that I had been heavily drinking while whipping, but still, it rocked my world.

The other recipes turned out amazing- we all followed the directions but also added a few ingredients by taste (something that I found is not my talent). One thing I learned about myself and cooking- amazing things happen when I follow directions- but even more amazing things happen when I drink and then follow directions, as long as no open flames are involved.

peace love and learning to cook gourmet,

B

Bad Habbits

So I have an issue. I have been battling with this habit for as long as I remember. My grandmother use to tell me that, 'no boy will love hands with bitten nails.' (thankfully- I found a boy that loves my hands with manicured and bit finger nails) I CANNOT stop biting my nails. I have tried every regiment under the sun- bad tasting polish, gum, chewing ice, and much more. There will be weeks where my nails look great- long, well polished and not bitten, and then there will be one day- something will happen and before I know it- all 10 nails are bit off- looking short and stubby.

Yes, its gross and disgusting. I'm aware. I just don't know how to stop myself. Grated, my bad habit could be much worse, but still.... it's gross, and I know it- just don't know how to stop....

My only solution- get rid of all stress and makes me bite them- but maybe I'll try this next week- when my nails finally grow back.

peace, love and wishing for the french manicure-

b

Anonymous Commentator

My last blog sparked a good comment from an anonymous commentator:

To the Blogger,

Why must one have a direction? The protesters are simply advocating that there is a significant issue with our society. They are expressing that there are hundreds of issues that need to be fixed. And the great thing about this protest is that there are passionate people for every issue. Therefore, it is inconceivable for these Americans to pick a "direction" because of the numerous issues. From war to the environment to the financial systems to the corruption of politics and ect.

In addition, the idea that these protesting Americans, who pay taxes, are sleeping in parks (according to dictionary.com a park is an "area of land, for the enjoyment of the public, managed by a city state or nation") is the perfect place for them to express their 1st amendment rights.

Overall, in my mind, this *idealistic directional change* you insists the protesters should have, should not come from them. I believe, the elected officials are responsible for collecting the opinions of all the *people* in their respective county/city/state because it is their "*JOB*".


Sincerely,
A frequent reader of "Brandi Maxine Does Life"

And here is my response to the Frequent reader of "Brandi Maxine Does Life",

To the dearest "Anonymous" Blogger,

I have read your comments and watched your video. And agree that you make very valid points. I do agree that a wonderful aspect of the United States is the freedom to be passionate about whatever subject one would like- weather it be politics, boating or gardening.
I agree with you that politicians are voted into office to be the speaker of the people. But currently, I feel that these politicians have lost site of the people, and have lost site of what is really important and what the majority of this country needs. Democracy is a 200+ year old experiment, and clearly it needs a face lift- needs a force of revamping.

Those who are out protesting are showing their anger and frustration- all within legal limits. There is nothing wrong with the freedom of speech, but I believe that if one wants change, one must make change. I do highly disagree with the way CiTi Bank handled the situation with the customers trying to close their accounts, the customers were doing nothing wrong. But this type of action by the law enforcement, I feel, is in direct correlation with their frustration.The frustration of wanting change as well but also wanting the protesting to turn into progress, not just people sleeping in the park- sitting in drum circles and dancing around.

Not in my life time (or possibly yours...) have I seen a power of someone like Ghandi, MLK, or Roosevelt- who were able to lift the spirits of others, make them believe in a cause, have the right ideas and instate change. This protest, this social movement, is in dire need of a leader, someone with the charisma to articulate the frustrations, to inspire the politicians that might have lost sight of what is important. Sometimes politicians need a little reminder of what is needed, yes they are highly educated individuals- but sometimes need inspiration.

Don't you sometimes need inspiration, someone to sit with you one on one and lay it all out for you- piece by piece, just to see a different angle? Don't you sometimes need support and a voice for when you are not being heard? This is what the 99% is missing, the voice of reason, the voice of the collective- yes, that is what the politicians are for, but it seems to me that they need a little help and a little reminder....

So if I can leave you with one thought it would be this- if you are considering joining the 99%, what do YOU have to offer then other than a warm body in a sleeping bag in the middle of a park? Because it looks like they have plenty of these, but not enough leaders.

Peace, Love and Forever your support,
b

99%

All the protests going on in major cities seem to be for a good cause- but a question that I personally have for the protesters representing the 99% is this: what change do you actually want? Protesting for a good cause, for change or for a better life is all good and dandy, but without a direction, without a clear outline of how to make change, don't you find it a little difficult to actually protest?

My problem with the protesters is the lack of direction. In order to create change, one must have an idea of what to change. What part of our society mush change for the 99% to succeed? America is the land of hard work- NOT the land of beg and you shall receive. Blaming the wealthy does absolutely nothing without a reason to blame them.

I am the only one that can be accountable for my success- this is the same for everyone else. People get where they are by their drive; having the money does help- but not having the money makes the outcome success even sweeter.

This is for the 99%- in order for your cause to be successful, find a direction- you all have the inspiration to protest, but find the drive to describe the cause, not just be a big group of people sleeping outside in parks.

Just my opinion....

peace, love and I hope the 99% finds direction, before they self implode,

B