oh the critics

Oh the critics. Where would we be without them? Happier perhaps? No one likes to hear negative criticism, especially me. It puts you on the defensive, makes you second guess yourself and just all around sucks. But such is the case when you publish something for others to see.

one year later

It's been one year since my grandma passed away. I still remember the last words we spoke to each other. Thankfully words of love. And I can't forget how she looked the last time I saw her face.

hey readers, hey

Remember how I was supposed to update regularly? Clearly I am the queen of  not posting. Did I even post in February? Let the records reflect I did NOT post. Shame on me. I owe you so much more than I am giving. Let me do better ASAP!

Habit recap

Last month's return to NABLOPOMO was a massive fail on one hand. I totally missed a week's worth of posts! It was my napping habit that got in the way. I take naps during the time most people just go to bed. 

However it did somewhat get me back into the habit of blogging. That's a good thing. I won't be posting every single day, but I will make an effort to post a few times a week. Yes, that's a lofty goal considering I didn't even post once a week for most of last year.

Fast chewing habit

I chew my food way too quickly. I practically inhale a plate within 10 seconds of it placed in front of me. I'm not sure when chewing so fast became a habit, but it is one I intend to break.

 I remember an episode of "I love Lucy"said you should chew your food 30 plus times before swallowing. Making it to 20 is greatly pushing it for me.  Clearly this is why I'm thicker than a snicker. I eat my food so fast until my body doesn't realize it's in there.

I keep saying I'm going to start eating slowly, but as soon as a plate is set in front if me I completely forget. I'm not much better with drinks either be it water and juice or wine and liquor. I slurp a cup down in 10 seconds or less.

Skipping habit

Apparently skipping posts my new habit. And I was doing so well. I wish I could say I had a super cool reason for not posting. I don't. I blame it on forgetfulness in my old age (30 is the new 60). And naps. I've been taking lots of naps. But that's a post for another day.

Repeat song habit

When I like a song I really, really like it. So much until I will repeat it over and over nonstop. I have driven for 30 minutes before listening to the same song on repeat. Usually I try to limit replays to three times. But there are times it increases. Here are a few songs I love to repeat:

Encore by Cheryl Lynn

7/11 by Beyoncé

Latch by Disclosure ft. Sam Smith

Rather Be by Clean Bandit ft. Jess Glynne

Get Lucky by Daft Punk ft. Pharrell

Happy by Pharrell

The One by Tamar Braxton

I Feel Good by Mary J. Blige

Safe and Sound by Capital Cities

Diary by Alicia Keys

Bad driving habit

Yours truly never took the road test in driver's ed. Yet somehow the state of Florida gave me a license. Needless to say I suck at driving. It is really a bad habit. Sometimes I worry my self with my driving. This is why I am at home on a rainy Friday night. My bad driving plus rain does not mix. Actually I drive better in bad conditions. But it stresses me out. I need to practice my driving because it's so bad. I wonder if there is a range available for adults?

phone breaking habit

I missed another day! Egads!

Phones are not my friends. I just cannot keep a phone for longer than six months at a time. It seems like my favorite habit is to break my phone. I thought an iPhone would make me change my ways. No such luck. Right now I'm walking around with a struggle phone. The screen is so cracked I can barely see on it. Dropping my phone is the main culprit of how I break it. Clearly I need an Otterbox.

sad habit

I am sad. The cruise has ended, and it's back to the regularly scheduled program. I don't remember how to work.

Plus I'm sad to be leaving after spending so much time with my bestie. She lives in another city, so we have a long distance relationship. Come to think of it, the majority of my friends live elsewhere.

I'm sure it's somewhat a habit for other people to feel sad and melancholy when leaving from an awesome vacation and separating from someone they love.

At least I have lots of pictures to remind me of this great time.

fun habit

the cruise life brings out one of my favorite habits - having fun. notice how i've got my e e cummings swag going on right now. no punctuation today. just fun.

in case you're wondering what fun i've experience - karaoke, dance parties, eating (that's fun to me lol), sight seeing,  reading (another thing fun for me), spending time with friends and much, much more.

i could go on and on about the fun i'm having, but it's never nice to rub things in. so i shall spare you landlubbers the details. also if i keep writing i'll miss out on more FUN!

cruise eating habit

Remember how I was starting the habit of eating healthy? Yeah that went out the window the moment I stepped foot on this cruise. I have been eating everything in sight. It's like my stomach has become a bottomless pit for all this food. And everything is just so good. I don't think I've tasted one bad dish yet. It's like food, glorious food! I tell everyone that a cruise is a fat girl's dream. I will go back to my healthy eating when I return to dry land. As long as the seas have me, I'm going to eat.

hair habit

Each day of this cruise I have two different hair styles planned out. Some people plan their fashion. I plan my hair. Clearly styling hair (particularly mine) is a habit for me. I love a meme that says something to the extent of "Of course I can do your hair. I went to Youtube University and interned at Pinterest." That sums me up to a tee. I love, love, love my hair. I credit being natural for this intense interest. I didn't care a flip about my hair when it was relaxed. My instagram will soon be flooded with pictures showing my hair habit.

Exercise habit

I am proud to say I am exercising on this cruise. Exercising has become a habit for me this new year and I am not about to lose the momentum I've finally gained. Plus it helps keep all the weight down I would probably gain from all this eating on the cruise. This post is short and sweet, because I have a lot going on at the moment - mainly enjoying this cruise! I promise to write more soon.

Cruising habit

I'm on a boat! I'm on a boat! Yours truly is sailing on Carnival Victory even as you read this. Cruise day has finally arrived. 

I am so excited, because this is only my second cruise in life. Who gets to 30 without having been on multiple cruises, especially someone who lives in Florida near multiple ports? This girl right here. 

I was supposed to go on a cruise last March but my grandma passed away. Thankfully everyone in the family is healthy right now. 

My first cruise experience was on Norwegian Cruise line, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Now all I ever want to do is cruise. Family Reunion coming up - let's go on a cruise. Bachelorette party idea - cruise away. Family vacation - how about a cruise. 

This may become a habit, and I don't want to break it.

smoothie habit

A couple of years ago I developed a fondness for green smoothies. Not only are they delicious, but there are health benefits.

This year I started back making a smoothie for breakfast every morning. Unfortunately it's cold, but I am sticking to this habit.

It took me several tries to get the write recipe together. I  love spinach and eat it any way possible. It is at the heart of  my go to smoothie for breakfast. Right now I'm experimenting with using kale instead of spinach. It's interesting to say the least. I like kale, but it can be somewhat overpowering to the rest of the fruit.

At any rate, give this a try:

2 handfuls of spinach
1 cup of frozen mixed fruit
1 banana
8 oz of apple juice
1/2 cup of oatmeal
7 pieces of ice

praise habit

These last few days were starting to look like Toni's Terrible Horrible No Good Very Bad Week. I was in pain, lost my debit card and was told some concerning medical news. It was just getting to be too much for me, so I cried last night and went to bed.

I am happy to say today things are much better. Granted I'm still in pain, but not as bad as before. And I found my debit card. That was a huge weight off my shoulder considering I leave tomorrow for a cruise.

Sometimes I seem to forget that God is in control, and I just need to turn it all over to Him. Finding my debit card and my pain getting better reminded me of that fact. So right now I'm giving God praise for helping me through my situation. For some it might seem minor, but it's the little things.

But it's not simply enough to give Him praise when things get better or going well. A song I really like is "In the Middle" by Issac Carree. The chorus simply states, "Praise Him anyway. In the middle of it." "It" being anything good or bad you're experiencing.

One habit I am working one is praising God no matter the circumstance. Of course it's easier said then done. Bad as I was feeling lately, all I wanted to do was cry out to God for help, not praise Him. I am learning praise should be my first response especially when I'm going through.

Sick habit

I was supposed to post this Monday but life happened - mainly I was wallowing in self pity.

I used to be a very sickly person. It was mainly due to allergies. As a child if my parents had the air running the next day would see me with a sore throat. Whenever the seasons changed I would get sick with a cold, sinus infection or even bronchitis. Airplane rides  always made me sick.

It would probably be accurate to say being sick was a habit for me. Friends knew to expect me with tissue in hand at all times. I was never sick for long - a few days in most cases - but I was always sick it seemed. Being sick was just a state of being for me.

One day I decided to change my situation and get somewhat healthier. I started taking vitamin C in 2013 and have slowly but surely gotten much better. Gone are the things of the weather making me sick. I don't have to haul tissue around as an accessory all the time anymore.

The only problem now is when I do get sick, it lasts for days or turns out to be something major. Such is the case now. I've been going to the doctor and getting tests done since October because of some results. Most of these visits have been pain free. At least that was the case until the visit on last Monday. Whatever procedure the doctor did has left me feeling terrible. And the follow up CAT scan wasn't much better.

Now I'm in pain and discomfort all day and there is now another issue that is going to require more testing at the least. I was fine until my appointment but now just two days before I leave in a cruise I not only hear disturbing news but have to deal with unexpected pain.

It's like my sick habit had returned with revenge.

music habit

I love listening to music. Love, love, love it! My focus will seem off if I don't have music playing softly in the background at work. I also must have music at home, while I'm in the shower, cleaning and so on. And of course I have the music going on in the car. Music is playing even as I type this post.

Typically I like a mix of old school R&B and gospel music. There are times I will mix in some new R&B, pop music and even a bit of hip hop.

Usually I just listen to the music, but occasionally I will sing to my heart's delight. I totally sound like Beyonce (if she couldn't sing).

I have a stash of CDs as well as music on my iPhone, but Spotify is what I regularly use to listen to. Before that it was iHeart Radio. I think I like play lists better than radio stations. The radio will play the same seven songs 11 times. That's not so bad if it's a song I love. But imagine the torture if it's a song you despise.

I truly believe music helps the world go round and round (no Tevin Campbell).

lazy habit

Today, or should I say tonight, I don't feel like doing anything. Not my hair, not read a book, nothing. I had a very busy day, but now I am dirt dog tired. I barely feel like writing this post. It doesn't help that I'm feeling a little under the weather as well. Let us hope me being lazy does not become a habit.