Have a Happy New Year

It's 2016 everyone! I blogged for seven days straight. This little social experiment is now over, but I am happy to each and every person who read (Sabrina and Cee).

Watch the New Year

I enjoy a good New Year’s Eve party like the next person, but this year I will be attending Watchnight Service at church.

Happy New Year to me

It's my birthday! The Lord has blessed me to see another year. I say my new year starts on my birthday considering it's so close to the actual start of the official calendar year. 

New Year Foods

I just finished chatting with Papa Smurf who was in the store buying black eyed peas for New Year's Day. Naturally that made me think about foods to commemorate the day. Or more specifically what everyone in my family wants on the menu. We are a varied group.

New Year Songs

What does one sing in celebration of a new year, other than Auld Lang Syne? I couldn't really think of anything, so I decided to create a playlist of 20 songs from 2015 I really liked, as well as 15 songs that make me think of a new year.

New Year Tradition

What better way to ring in the new year than with traditions? The New Year has its own set of traditions just like Thanksgiving or Christmas. Here are a few of my favorites.

Can you testify?

It's a new year which means Writing Wednesday is back in full effect. I promise to do so much better than last year which featured numerous bouts of disappearing (blame it on my chronic sickness). One of my goals for this year is to be healthier. That should translate to writing regularly and not owing the Writing Wednesday Pot. Also I plan on writing an additional post at least a few times a month not on Writing Wednesday.

For 2013 I decided to take it back to the Old School for my New Year's Eve celebration. Instead of partying it up I went to Watch Night Service at church. A watch night service is a late-night Christian Church service held on New Year's Eve. Watch night service is especially important to the black community because many slaves were said to have gathered in churches on New Year's Eve,in 1862 to await the Emancipation Proclamation being enacted on Jan. 1, 1863.

The best birthday gift ever

An example of the journal

There's just something about a good gift that makes you feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Now I do so enjoy giving them, but I also enjoy receiving good gifts. I love it when friends and family pick out something that really shows a thorough understanding of my likes. A few years ago a friend made me a bootleg copy of Roller Coaster Tycoon (we were in high school and broke). The other year my Secret Santa bought me a Clawdeen Wolf Doll. The birthday gift I received last year was my absolute favorite.

christmas list - childhood version

"I don't want a lot for Christmas. There is just one thing I need..." Um speak for yourself Mariah Carey. I want a lot. Well my inner child wants a lot for Christmas. A few weeks ago I received the Target, Walmart and American Girl toy catalogs, and the 7-year-old inside of me squealed with glee. I immediately went to work at circling all the things I, uh a yonger version of me, would want. I'm happy to see toy catalogues are still filled with toys. Apparently the children still like them. Of course there were a few tablets thrown in the mix as well, but they were definitely kid-friendly. If I was a child today my Christmas list would look something like this:

pre-thanksgiving poem

With the help of my Play Cousin I wrote a special Pre-Thanksgiving poem. Share it with your family and friends next year.

The night before Thanksgiving.

Sounds of the Season: Part II

I love hearing Christmas hymns at church. You can never sing them enough in my opinion. The annual Christmas program usually features quite a few. Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without some great hymns and gospel songs. Here are my favorites.

52 weeks of memories: Week 5

Let it snow! At least artificially. Each year Lake City hosts an annual event called Snow Day. It features 30 tons of artificial snow so children can experience the cold sensation. There are snow slides, snow piles, bounce houses, food, entertainment, pictures with Santa and more. In the past I’ve had to cover Snow Day for the paper. I got to actually participate in this year’s event on Saturday. My roommate’s church was in charge of volunteers, and I joined in the fun.

Avoid the Holiday Hustle

It will be 10 times worse Christmas Eve.

Being sick is a constant state of being for me. Usually I have some of everything to treat my latest ailment. Such was not the case Monday, and I found myself at Walmart putting together a get-better kit. There were so many people in the store holiday shopping, I thought I would never leave. You could barely move from aisle to aisle, and lines were endless. I only had a few items and waited a good 30 minutes. The whole process made my head hurt. Then it started to hurt even more when I realized I hadn’t even started my Christmas shopping yet. In a few days, I too will be in the mix of the holiday hustle. Just imagine how worse it will be. The mad dash to get those last few Christmas gifts will create utter chaos. I was inspired by the scene and my last minute gift buying to write a new book, “For Christmas shoppers who’ve considered homicide when the super store isn’t enough!” Using the book as a guide you can learn how to miss all the holiday madness. Here’s a sneak peak at some of the chapters:

fatted calf

just stick a fork in me because i am done. i. feel. stuffed. not full, but miserably stuff. this is why i must starve myself until thanksgiving. sure there are other holidays throughout the year that feature a massive feast, but none are quite like thanksgiving.

every year the same thing happens. i eat until i can't eat any more. then i end up feeling miserable. must as i am right now. no matter what i just can't stop. all thah food in front of me is just too much temptation.

the hostess

she's a hostess with the mostess

tired can not even describe how i feel right now. i have been up since 5 a.m.in preparation for thanksgiving. it is now nearly midnight.

my parents thought they were the ones hosting this year's small gathering. puhleeze. i am the hostess with the mostess which means everything just had to be done in a particular fashion. guests must be entertained every minute of their time here. there has to be a variety of appetizers. food has to be cooked to perfection. the list could go on and on with my demands when hosting.

Let Thanksgiving Shine

It’s the most wonderful time of the year. And no, I’m not talking about the approaching Christmas season. My favorite holiday, Thanksgiving, is coming! Thanksgiving combines several great elements, food, family and more food. Don’t get me wrong, I love Sweet Baby Jesus and Christmas, but the holiday has become too stressful and commercialized. I have too many people on the gifts list. I’m going to suggest that we all only buy one family member a gift and let everyone know we’re donating gifts to those less fortunate. But I digress.

A new year theme again

Happy Belated 2010 to my faithful readers (if I may steal a line from Cee, “all four of you”).


I am supposed to “Do It BIG, Then” in all areas of my life this year. Clearly I’ve been slipping on the blog game. Well worry no more. I’m officially back.

Cee is not participating in Writing Wednesday anymore, so official posts will be moved to at least once a week. I’m aiming to keep it on Wednesday, but as the need arises, I will post on other days.

In my quest to “Do It BIG, Then,” I have set a goal of 52 posts this year. So expect several this week. Not all on the same day though. Fan Club Prez dislikes multiple posts as it is, but even more so when I give a three in one special.

Another goal is to write tight. No more 500+ words. This will aid me in my career because space is limited and I have to tell the story as concisely as possible. Don’t worry. It won’t be less than 150.

I hope everyone is enjoying their year so far. If not, take the necessary measures to make it better. I already am by posting back on my blog.

Chronicles of Life ... on TVs this holiday season

Holiday traditions are built around many things. For some it’s in their gift giving. Others incorporate it in their food. In my family, our traditions revolve around the movies and shows we watch. It’s just not the holidays unless we see our Christmas favorites. I present to you the Robinson Family Holiday Viewing List. Perhaps some of these are favorites for your family too.


1. A Charlie Brown Christmas. This is a classic. A tear comes to my eye every time Charlie Brown puts an ornament on his sad little Christmas tree. It reminds us to not let the holidays become too commercialized.

2. How the Grinch Stole Christmas. We watch the animated. It’s all about seeing the Grinch slither like a snake. And why does poor little Max always think he’s going for sleigh ride? Instead, he has to be the reindeer with that one sad antler.

3. A Christmas Story. My mother, brother and I will sit and watch the marathon over and over on Christmas Eve. I think we have to make sure Ralphie is going to get his BB gun and not put his eyes out. My daddy just looks at us and shakes his head. I named my betta fish, Ralphie, in honor of this movie.

4. A Garfield Christmas. Have you ever seen how the grandma laughs? It’s like her whole mouth is eating her head. I don’t know who laughs harder, her or my mom.

5. The Preacher’s Wife. Back before Whitney Houston was a recovering crack head, she had a voice. And she acted decently. The movie is heartwarming. I wish an angel looking like Denzel Washington would come visit my family.

6. Home Alone 1 & 2. I think my dad likes these movies more than everybody else. I feel like we are always watching them. I’m not going to lie, though; these are some of the best holiday movies around.

7. Friday After Next. My parents own this movie. We watch it during Christmas. After Christmas. Before Christmas. Everyone in the family can quote lines verbatim from the movie. Sad, I know. But it brings us oh so close together.

I have several of my own Christmas favorites in addition to the above:

1. Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer. Come on now. You know the Island of Misfit toys does it for you every year.

2. The Year Without a Santa Claus. I know the lyrics and the dance routine to the songs by the Heat Miser and Snow Miser.

3. Frosty the Snowman. I don’t know why I even watch this show every year. I think I just do it out of habit.

4. The Nutcracker. I have to see some variation of The Nutcracker. My grandmother used to take me to see the ballet every year when I was little. It is the very essence of Christmas.

5. A Christmas Carol. I’ve seen the Muppets’ Christmas Carol, A Diva’s Christmas Carol and Scrooged. I watch some variation of this story too. It’s yet another reminder about the true meaning of Christmas.

Whatever your holiday viewing may be, make sure you enjoy it the right way, with your family.