Help! My Layout Went Wacky!

Ok, I have no idea why my layout went haywire! I had links and other stuff on the right side of the blog page and now they seem to have gone to the bottom! I am really confused as to how to get it back to where it was. I know someone out there probably knows. Holla!
Peace,
Diva

Back to Basics.... Let's Talk About Smoking Today

Well, just when I was thinking that a cigarette was sounding really good I turned on the TV and happened upon an old episode of "America's Next Top Model" that I purposely had refused to watch when it first came out. Anyone who knows me knows I am a huge reality TV fan and I refused to watch this particular episode because I was still smoking at the time and didn't want to see Tyra Banks being, in my opinion, VERY hypocritical with her stand on banning the girls from smoking on ANTM cycle nine. Don't get me wrong, I love America's Next Top Model and it has been on for nine different seasons and nothing was EVER said about smoking until cycle nine? Come on, the girls have always sat outside and smoked up a storm while talking shit about their competition. I mean really, why wait nine or ten years to make the girls do a photoshoot that depicts the worst of smoking related health problems? I mean, if she was REALLY that concerned with ANTM girls being role models, I think she would have taken the stand against showing models smoking "to look cool or to lose weight" long before she did. I was left with the feeling that a lot of the "ban" in the house was to improve Tyra's own image and the image of the show as well as ratings ploy.

Anyway, after all the being said, watching the girls do the photoshoot made me REALLY grateful that I have not picked one up lately. The pictures show the glamorous image of a smoker and in the mirror, it shows the health risks and the not so glamorous side of smoking. I got pretty grossed out and these images definitely made me think: Here are a few of them:

Coughing up blood is oh so glamorous....

Premature aging is great for modeling.....

Being a burn victim is great fun.....

Chemotherapy makes your hair look fantastic....

If you lose your hair, simply rock the bald look!

My Personal Favorite is the oxygen mask. What a sexy accessory don't ya think? I used to see people with these things and it used to really freak me out!

Anyway, this episode definitely gave me something to think about. I hope everyone is smoke free or on there way to being there. As I put together more days I need to remember that I am one cigarette away from being a pack a day! I have not smoked in seven months and I really want to keep it like that!

Peace, Diva

13 States I have Visited (Part Two Thirteen Thursday)

8.) Philly, Penn: I I was in Philly a couple of years ago to learn all about our founding fathers...I like to fondly refer to them like my students do, " Those dead white dudes who wore white wigs, only bathed on average once a month but had some really good plans on how to be rebels!" I love Ben Franklin.....he thinking was way out of the box before people could really see how brilliant he was. He was one of the first people who thought bathing frequently would help fight disease.

9.) New York I used to go to New York all the time! I have not been there since they cleaned up Times Square which was probably ten years ago. I used to go to New York City and Queens and some other spots with a friend of mine who was an exotic dancer. I remember when Times Square was nothing but strip clubs! My friend knew how much I loved it there and she used to book her tours so I got to go during every season....winter, spring, summer and fall. I knew a ton of people who had either moved there or were local to the area so I had quite a few ties and tons of people to visit. I have some of my best memories there and LOVED the idea that the clubs pretty much stayed open 2-4-7. The great DJ's and nightlife of this city was what made me want to be a DJ.

10.) Connecticut: I was in a little town called Milford once and its supposed to be one of the most amazing and affordable suburbs on the east coast. It was really pictorial.

11.) Maryland: II love Baltimore! The crabcakes and soft shell crab sandwiches are the bomb! I also love that it is the hometown of John Waters and the most famous drag queen ever Divine! For those of you who do not know about Divine, John Travolta reprised his role in the new version of the film Hairspray.

12.) Minnesota My mom's family lived in a small mining town called Hibbing. Lets see, there was one bowling alley, one high school and most women didn't sit around in bars drinking and smoking cigarettes which is EXACTLY where I headed to when got a second to get away from my family. Being the alcoholic I was, when I realized I was stuck in that one horse town for two weeks, I was like damn! Every time I snuck off to the bar I couldn't figure out why me and my sister were pretty much the only women there. I knew the guys looked more like truck drivers than gay guys so I asked the bartender why the bars had mostly men in them. The bartender informed me that , "women stayed home with their children." I was like damn, Dorthy, your not in Kansas anymore! No wonder my mom moved to Los Angeles as soon as she got the chance!

13.) Utah: Lets just say that Park City and Ogden Utah are big ski places but some people really should not be left to their own devises while wearing skis. I am one of those people! I do not get how and why people are so excited about this hobby.

I will be adding Massattutes to my list of states visited this summer! I am super excited to be going to see Cape Cod and Boston and Cambridge. Well, this has been fun. I won't be doing another Thursday Thirteen for awhile.

Peace,

Fierce Diva

Thursday Thirteen--Thirteen States I have Visited

Since I never do this post, I decided to so it this week because I saw it on Maggie's Mind and hers was about the 13 states she has not visited. I thought I would use Maggie's idea but do it in reverse and list 13 states I have visited and why. I was working on this last week and a lot of it got deleted so I decided to try and get it up this Thursday, June 12th. Ok, here goes:

My favorite hotel in Vegas is by far the Venetian. Not that I have ever gotten to stay there and it would probably be a waste of money but I did love going on the gondola ride in the center of the hotel. The boat driver sang opera and the song "Santa Lucia" to me and my date and it really was romantic!

1.) Nevada I really love Vegas and I usually go there at least twice a year. I like everything about Vegas...the cheap food, the entertainment and I love to play the slot machines and roulette! I like everything except that people can still smoke all over the place. I am not used to hearing, "Smoking or Non Smoking" when I go out to eat. When I quit smoking cigarettes, it was a challenge to go to Vegas but when I did go, I noticed less people smoking! It seems that more and more places in Vegas are banning or regulating smoking. I used to be able to walk anywhere with a lit cigarette hanging out of my mouth but there are a lot more places that have banned it altogether. Big ban spots are: shopping mall sections in casinos, restaurants, tourist spots, etc.

2.) Louisiana I went to New Orleans with some friends and unfortunately did not get to stay for the actual Mardi Gras festivities but I did get to visit at the beginning of Mardi Gras season. I got to enjoy King Cake and visit a lot of historical sites that were amazing! The friends that I went with went there more for the party aspects so I had to beg them to go on the Marie Lavou Voodoo Tour to see her grave at one of the above ground cemeteries. I really want to go back and see some friends who live there. I have one friend who just moved back after leaving for two years after Hurricane Katrina destroyed her family home as well as some of her other family members homes (They all lived on the same block.) Another friend of mine who grew up there during the 50's during segregation and is retiring and returning home to New Orleans. It will be cool to have some people to go and see because I really like this city. I love the food in New Orleans...can you say Creole or Cajun? Either is fine with me! I took a cooking class when I went to visit and learned to prepare a mean Jambalaya! I was recently online trying to order some of the spices from the culinary academy. The seasoning I love most and ran out of is called "Joe's Stuff!" It is a really awesome blend that I get TONS of compliments on and I am not even all that into cooking! For all you cooks out there, it is well worth the $10.95 plus shipping!
If anyone ever gets to New Orleans. go to the New Orleans School of cooking where you not only learn how to prepare some of the best traditional Creole dishes, you get to eat your creation in a really nice sit down lunch. Make sure to pick up a big bottle of "Joe's Stuff!" Its by far the best seasoning I have ever used and am ordering some this week.!

3.) Arizona I had an ex that was a semi truck driver and I used to go to Arizona like twice a month for the longest time. I would pack up all my papers and chill out over the road. I really liked these once a month road trips and loved that there was a really comfortable bed in the truck. I could sleep, grade papers on a little mini desk and even watch TV and play PlayStation 2 games. I mostly used to sleep and just relax and listen to music and watch the scenery go by. Its amazing how plush some of those trucks are inside and I love stopping at truck stops!

4.) Hawaii I went to Hawaii once. I don't know much about this trip or even much about what I saw or did. I do remember it being beautiful and I am dying to go back. I have no idea if I went to Pearl Harbor or not but I do remember going to a volcano and snorkeling at the beach. I don't remember much else because I had only been off drugs for only a few months when I went on that trip. I spent a lot of time attending AA meetings on the beach and trying hard to not want to "suck em up..." the drinks I mean! That is the motto while on the island! I really wanted to try one of those Blue Hawaiian drinks but fortunately, I did not give into temptation! I ended up in Hawaii because my dad wanted to do something nice for my sister and I because my mom had recently died and my dad knew I was really trying to get my act together. He gave me and my sister a trip to Hawaii as a surprise. My pops was like that....a really wonderful guy who never had a ton of money but was super generous with what he did have. I miss him more than I care to think about. I can honestly say I had the best dad in the whole world and wish he was around to see me finally grow up and get my act together.RIP Dad....You really did do a good job raising me...I am more like you in every way than I ever thought possible!

5.) Illinois: Last summer when I went on a trip through the Federal Government's "Teaching American History" grant program, our trip started in Chicago. We learned a lot about industrialization and immigration. We went to the Jane Adams Hull House and also went to Pullman Village. At Pullman Village, we learned about how George Pullman tried to create Utopia for his workers by creating one of the first experimental factory town. The homes even had real indoor plumbing! As the Pullman luxury cars became more and more popular, George Pullman wanted to keep up the productivity of his workers and protect them from the commonplace strikes of the industry and the city. His aim was to prevent labor unrest by creating ideal living conditions. He developed the first self-sufficient factory town just south of Chicago at Lake Calumet. The town had everything from churches and stores, to butcher shops and libraries. The only thing missing were bars. Mr. Pullman felt it would lower productivity. The only bar in the town was in the hotel, and only visiting businessmen were allowed to be served. To make sure people were not living a wild lifestyle, Pullman workers would go in and do home inspections. In truth, the town was considered more of a business venture for Pullman than anything else. Everything remained Pullman's property, including the church. In 1894, he was forced to layoff workers, without lowering rents. Pullman's workers went on strike. The strike received national attention and a visit from Federal Troops. So much for giving people everything they want!


These are pictures of the historic Pullman Village as well as the award he got for creating a model town for his loyal employees.

6.) Tennessee This was the second stop on the Civil Rights Tour that I went on. It was definitely surreal to be at the place Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was shot and touring Graceland that very same day. I always did want to go see Graceland and everyone was getting ready for the big Elvis week which celebrated the 30th year of his death. I liked Tennessee and I am going back to Nashville this summer. Here are some pics from Graceland. My favorite part of the tour was the Lisa Marie plane. Ah if I were a rich girl!




7.) Alabama This state was the last stop on the Civil Rights tour I was a part of last summer. If you were to tell me I was going to end up in Alabama, I would have never believed it. My travel list did not seem to have that destination on it and really had no desire to go to this state but I had a great time there. There is so much history there that its amazing! We went to Birmingham which is better known as "Bombingham" Alabama and Montgomery Alabama. There is really something to be said for people in the South. The "Southern Hospitality" thing is for real. I left a bunch of souvenirs in Birmingham along with my notebook so I called the Civil Rights Institute hoping that the lady who had handled our tour could see if it was found and mail it to me. I was more than willing to give her money to send the items to me. Instead she insisted that she meet me in Montgomery the next day to personally deliver my stuff to me. That would NEVER happen in LA! The group I went with also met an amazing chef and artist who catered our farewell dinner. Her name is Michelle Browder and she made the best soul food I have EVER eaten! Amazingly enough, she specialized in cooking healthier versions of soul food classics! She served grilled Talapia fish instead of fried catfish and her riblettes were the best I have ever eaten. I went online to order her "Sweet Jesus Iced Tea" and some "Good Lawdy Lemonade" and guess what? I found out she had closed down her restaurant and catering company as well as her art studio to travel across the country campaigning for Obama! Here is an excerpt from the article I found:

"Other volunteers, like Michelle Browder, had traveled the country stumping for Obama and have been in Billings for weeks to close out the primary election season. Browder, a restaurant owner from Montgomery, Ala., said she closed her business, PJR’s Fish and Barbecue, last July after hearing Obama speak deciding to campaign for him. She sported a straw cowboy hat decorated with Obama pins. In her right hand, Browder held a wooden, red white and blue Obama purse the size of a dinner plate. She was happy to be in Montana."

I always love to see people follow their deams! This lady was one of the most talented and hospitable people I ever got the privilege of meeting. She and her family made our farewell dinner and time in Alabama something I will always remember.

Well, I thought I would get this entire post done tonite but I am tired so I will finish it up tomorrow. It has kind of been fun going back into my travel journals...makes me wanna plan my next trip, how about you? Let me know what you think of my kinder, gentler colors too...I miss posting but damn it takes awhile to write! I am definetly an all or nothing kind of girl!

Peace,

Diva

I Miss Everyone Hitting Me Up With Comments...Let Me Know Your Still With Me!

OK, another dirty little secret, I miss you guys hitting me up with comments about my blog posts. Perhaps I am feeling needy today but I am starting to feel like an only child! For all you lurkers and readers, it would be nice if you could say hi and let me know that your still reading my posts and what is on your mind. I hate to admit it but even though I have 200 days under my belt, I still need support! Maybe I am just feeling alone today. Better yet, Maybe I should let people ask me random questions like Maggie did a few months ago. Just to let you all know that I am not nuts, I have wanted to smoke this past week so I guess I just need some additional support. I hope everyone is still smoke free and committed to staying away from the NicoDemon! Some days it is definitely easier than others.
Peace,
Diva

My Dirty Little Secret...200 Days Off Cigarettes and I Ca't Seem to Give Up My Fake One!

When I started using Chantix to help me kick the habit, I used to have major anxiety attacks when I would get in the car to drive. For me, driving without lighting up was like breathing and getting no oxygen. To help me get over this problem, I got a ceramic cigarette that is normally used to sneak a toke of weed. I keep it in my car and when the cravings really start, it helps me to just hold it and inhale "air." Yes, imagine it....a girl driving down the street listening to loud music.....smoking air. I know, it s0unds weird but it make the driving experience SO much easier to handle. I figured I might as well come clean and tell you all that I still have my fake cigarette and still use it from time to time! I know, I have been off cigarettes for over 200 days and I still need my "security cigarette" on long drives; particularly when I get stuck in traffic! Yesterday, I was driving down the street puffing on my ceramic cigarette and someone in the next lane looked at me like I was crazy! Well, it may have looked a bit weird but at least I wasn't smoking the real thing! I do not know if you guys still have any major triggers left and what you do to deal with them but I thought I would ask. I guess I should not beat myself up too much over it but I am wondering if I am ever going to feel "normal" driving without a cigarette.

Peace,

Diva

I Was in the Middle of Thirteen Thursday and Part of It Got Erased!

Man, sometimes I really love blogging and other times I hate it! I had just finished my blog for "Thirteen Thursday" and about half of it got erased. The autosave mode does not work while I am at work....talk about a bummer! I will have to redo the parts that were not saved and then post it later. It was good too! Oh well, lets hope I get it finished and posted by today.

Peace,
Diva