eBook or Paperback?

We could include hardback (hence the photo) in this debate too, but for the sake of making a point I wanted to ask the question-- do you prefer eBooks or Paperback books?  I could go either way to be honest with you.  However, if I had to choose---I actually like paperback books better.  For me there is nothing better than turning a page.  Especially when you reach that climactic moment in the story where the sentence trails off at the very end of the page and you're dying to know what is going to happen next.  That "page turn" sort of adds a little drama to that moment for me.

I also like bookmarks.  I have a ton of different kinds in various colors, shapes, and sizes.  I have metal bookmarks, furry bookmarks, diamond-studded bookmarks, magnetic bookmarks, etc.  You name it---I probably have it.  I also like the option of doing "dog ears" on the pages if I misplaced my bookmark.

I owned a  Nook when it first came out, but then it broke down on me a year later.  I now have an iPad and I read books from the Barnes & Noble Nook app as well as a few other eBook apps you can find in App Store.  The cool thing about eBooks are the convenience of getting a book within minutes.  Books tend to be a little cheaper in eBook format rather than paper or hardback.  You get the option of changing illumination settings if you read in dim light.  You also can bookmark the exact point where you left off, which can be annoying sometimes when you go back to a book and reread the same paragraph from the day before because you lost your reading point.

And let's be honest---if you're a hardcore bookworm it saves on having tons and tons of boxes and shelves filled with books.  I can't begin to tell you how many books I've given away to help conserve space.

But I prefer being ol' school and sitting down with a book in hand and turning it page by page.

What do you prefer?  eBook or Paperback?

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Rescuing Fiona

A dear friend of mine emailed me this video and it stuck me so deeply, that I had to share it with each of you.  I'm a dog lover and own a rescue myself, so this video of a dog being rescued by Hope For Paws was so special to me and hopefully will be just as special to you.

Rescue doggies are truly the best dogs.

Take a sigh break and watch the video below.  Be prepared to have a tissue ready.

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Beyonce's Heat Perfume Review: By Andrea

Heat was the first fragrance launched by Beyonce in 2010 and was created by two Givaudian perfumers: Claude Dir and Olivier Gillotin, who also created Curious by Britney Spears and Mariah Carey's Forever respectively.  With other celebrity perfumes in mind, like the ones of Paris Hilton and Britney Spears, I was expecting an explosion of fruity strawberry Hubba Bubba notes, but it was nothing like that: the target age is higher here, and so is the level of sophistication.



In fact, there is a fruity note of peach at the start, but it’s mixed upfront with dense florals. The result is neither extremely dense, nor sweet, as if the two sides were preventing each other from standing out too much.  The fruity and floral notes are covered by a warm and slightly animalistic blanket of musk. And this is where the name Heat can really be related to the personality of the fragrance (that’s not always the case with perfumes, unfortunately), because this one really is warm, one can (almost) literally feel warm air coming out of it.



Heat Perfume by Beyonce is sophisticated but not to the point of being inaccessible. Some find musk a bit too “dirty,” especially when it comes out at an early stage – like in this case – but Heat is very controlled, like the rest of the notes.  It’s versatile enough to be used in everyday situations, but if you are the type of girl who wants to be seducing by not doing it openly, then perfume Beyonce Heat will be a great accomplice.  Warmth makes it sensual, and also dark, but just enough to be attractive. I loved it because it will seduce by being discreet rather than by being loud.



And the dry down will be a surprise. Far from the usual musk-plus-vanilla formula of many perfumes for women, it goes green instead: green and woody, but also sweet, and with still a presence of musk in the background. A great finale for a great fragrance: so much for all the detractors of celebrity perfumes.



About the author: Andrea writes perfume reviews - masculine and feminine, designer and niche - at Yournextperfume.com.

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Accepted Racism on Twitter

This may be a controversial post.  I guess any topic with the word "racism" will be controversial.  However, I'm sick and tired of seeing Twitter be the hub of accepted hate in the social networking world. Now Twitter can't take all of the credit for being a shelter for verbal haterade---let's give Facebook some credit too.  However, I'm seeing the verbal attacks appearing more on Twitter than any other social networking website.

The sad tragic killing of Trayvon Martin has brought to light once again the debate on racism in America. Americans are now having that discussion about the perception of Blacks in this country.  It reminds me of the time during the Rodney King beating how polarized we were in our opinions on race.  I would expect there to be a very heated debate about what Whites think about Trayvon's death compared to Blacks. I've noticed though---for the most part---many Whites agree that Trayvon's death was a senseless killing by a very ignorant man who used racial profiling as a way to justify his actions and narrow in on the teenage victim.

While looking through my Facebook news feed, a friend posted an article about misinformed fans of the popular best selling book "The Hunger Games" that premiered last Friday in movie theaters.  Apparently fans of the books went to Twitter to express their discontent for the Black actors in the film played by Lenny Kravitz, Amandla Stenberg, and Dayo Okeniyi.  The disillusioned fans believed that the characters Cinna, Rue, and Thresh were all White.  For those fans that took to Twitter with their racial rants looked like complete morons when they allegedly read the novels and felt the need to correct the casting director in their choices.

Okay first of all---I read the Hunger Games before I even knew who was cast in the film.  It was very clear that the character of Rue was black.  It was mentioned not once, but twice that she has dark skin and brown eyes.  Second of all the author of the books Suzanne Collins helped write the screenplay and was also a consultant on the film.  Wouldn't this be a major gaffe on her part if the film incorrectly depicted the ethnic background of the characters?

Someone was clever enough to create a Tumblr Page to point out how ignorant these tweeters really sound ---thanks @HazelGoddess for sending me that link.

Bottom line is this.  Let's get over bigotry people.  Life is too short to hate.  Fill up that time and space with love instead--you'll be surprised how better you feel. As for Twitter and other social networking sites for that matter, there has got to be a way to filter out the hate.  I'm not saying ban someone's 1st Amendment right, but simply fizzle out malicious hatred that serves no purpose and no meaning behind its message.  Let's have a little integrity Twitter.  It can't be that hard to do.

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Best 80s Intro TV Theme Songs of All Time

Every now and then I like to totally geek out and just blabber to my friends about things I loved in my heyday.  Remember back in the day when TV shows actually had an introduction?  Where the TV show or series would feature the cast of actors under a bed of music?  Or show montage images from clips of episodes or photo slideshows of the character's freeze frames?

Let me clarify.  The 80s and 90s had shows that actually had a theme song.  There are still some shows today that carry their theme songs from their heyday (i.e, Law & Order, Grey's Anatomy and CSI).  However, I miss the campy images of actors smiling in front of the camera under a cheesy instrumental.  Is that just me?  Why did the TV theme music go away?  Are we now in an ADD society where networks are afraid viewers will channel surf just to avoid listening to a 90 second TV show into?  Or am I just geekin out way too much over here with this blog post.  I don't know.  I don't care---I own my nerdiness.


Here are just a select few of my favorite 80s TV theme songs of all time (wish I could add so much more):





The Greatest American Hero





Facts Of Life





 Growing Pains





 Golden Girls





Night Court





 Reading Rainbow





Quantum Leap





 St. Elsewhere




MacGyver

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5 Types Of Nerdy Girls

The Recluse -  She's the wallflower at parties and any other social occasion.  She comes off as stuck up and prudish because of her reticent nature.  She modestly orders a glass of water and a light meal at a restaurant.  She's more self-conscious than she needs to be.  It may take some time for this flower to open her petals and she remains a bud for a long time before she opens up to trust you.  Once she breaks down her walls she's actually one of the sweetest people you would ever know.  She's the type of person that would give you everything she has if she became your best friend.

Likes: Being a hermit.
Dislikes: Loud people.




The Fashionista - She's nerdy on the outside and is proud of it!  She is obsessed with the latest geek chic trends and has many pairs of faux geeky frames in all types of different colors to match her retro Adidas she buys every other week on Zappos.com.  She prides on looking the part more than acting the part, and is often mistaken for being a poser.  She loves to talk about anything retro and is often seen shopping in thrift stores and yard sales.  She's a great girlfriend for fashion advice, but sometimes tries to boss you around in how you construct your own appearance.

Likes: Wearing faux hawks
Dislikes:  Monochromatic colors




The Bookworm - She spends several hours a day reading.  She has so many books in her apartment, that she uses books as coasters on her coffee table.  Her dusty TV set is not only outdated, but barely is used.  She's always recommending the latest best-seller book and she thinks Oprah's book club selections are way overrated.  She's usually seen at a Starbucks or inside of a Barnes and Noble reading a book and not confined to a laptop.  Her favorite author is Toni Morrison and prefers that books never be made into movies.  She has an expanded vocabulary and sometimes forgets that her vernacular can come across as intimidating to others.

Likes: Reading e-books on her Nook.
Dislikes: TV



The Soul Sista - She's real through and through.  She refuses to wear hair extensions or fake nails.  She loves her natural fro and uses all-natural products not only in her hair but on her skin.  She can be seen in a store purchasing hemp products, lightly scented oils, or even making a quick stop at Carol's Daughter.  She listens to neo-soul music and loves to write and recite poetry.  She's typically a vegetarian or even vegan and is a regular at Whole Foods.  She's very spiritual and has a very deep set of beliefs in a Higher Power.  She's soft-spoken and listens attentively before she speaks and always has something profound to say.

Likes: Yoga
Dislikes: Social Networking Sites



The Feminist - She's not a man-hater she just embraces and empowers women.  She's an activist and is seen at every female-empowered event on your college campus.  She's always an advocate for some social cause and is constantly sending you invites on Facebook of the latest event she's attending.  She's not much of a girly girl and doesn't like to wear a lot of makeup.  She's always got your back no matter what you may be going through, and she's the last one to leave the room at a social event.

Likes: Progress and Social Acceptance.
Dislikes: Archaic Ideas

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The Kind of Nerd I Like

I’m of the belief that nerds are attracted to other nerds.  And nerds come in all, shapes, sizes and colors.  Some even come incognito, but you don’t know this when you meet them.  I love men and I’m attracted to all kinds.  I don’t discriminate.  Beauty is what it is, and lies where it’s supposed to.  Attraction is what it is and it may come as a surprise.  A man who does not fit the standard definition of nerd may be a full-on t-shirt waving, flag-carrying, card-holding member of Nerds, Inc.  It’s easy to pass judgment on what we see; we all do this every single day.  

Which leads me to question, “What is a nerd?”

Here’s what Wikipedia has to say about it:

“Nerd is a derogatory slang term for a person typically described as intellectual, socially-impaired, and obsessive who spends inordinate amounts of time on unpopular, obscure, or highly technical pursuits, or relating to topics of fiction or fantasy, to the exclusion of more mainstream activities.  Nerds are considered to be awkward, shy, and unattractive. Thus, a nerd is often excluded from physical activity and considered a loner by others, or will tend to associate with a small group of like-minded people. As with other pejoratives, nerd has been reappropriated by some as a term of pride and group identity.”

Google:

“A foolish or contemptible person who lacks social skills or is boringly studious: "one of those nerds who never asked a girl to dance".

An intelligent, single-minded expert in a particular technical discipline or profession.”

Dictionary.com

“a stupid, irritating, ineffectual, or unattractive person.

an intelligent but single-minded person obsessed with a nonsocial hobby or pursuit: a computer nerd.”

Notice how dictionary.com contradicts itself.

It’s a damn good thing I don’t need validation from anyone else.  It’s even better that I can define myself.  For me, a nerd is someone who is intelligent and focused; someone who has an interest in intellectual pursuits and can identify with several aspects of pop culture.  And the nerds I know have multiple interests; they’re not single-minded in their fandoms or hobbies.  Being a nerd has absolutely nothing to do with one’s appearance, and only an idiot would think so.  

I’m a nerd, loud and proud, and I’m not shy, not foolish, and for damn sure not unattractive.  I am a loner by choice, and I’m studious because I want to get ahead in life and not be stuck in the quicksand of banality; something most people are.  Nerds work hard because they dream big; only underachievers see the trees. 

If I get boo’ed up, trust me when I say that said boo will be a nerd like me.  He may not wear glasses, and he probably won’t be awkward-looking.  He certainly won’t be unattractive and he will definitely be a fanboy.  We’ll have a lot in common and we’ll learn from each other.  He’ll look the way he looks because I’m attracted to wit, intelligence and strength.  He could look like Morris Chestnut or Tyrone down the street, but if he’s a nerd, then he’s got me.

Which leads me to this:  Characteristics that I’d love for my nerdy boo to have.  Disclaimer:  These are just some sub-traits; by no means is this the official list.

• Be a lover of books; fantasy, horror, sci-fi, gothic, supernatural, and other dark subjects.   There’d be no end to the book wars we’d have.
• Be a lover of movies of the above genres.  We would spend a crapload of cash at AMC or Movie Tavern.
• Be a lover of B-grade and/or cheesy movies with bad F/X, horrible acting and terrible dialogue.  The SyFy network is great and a component of a perfect weekend.
• Be unafraid to laugh at himself or be goofy in public.  Because I’m not.

I’m also not greedy.  Any combination of these traits is winning. 

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BGN Girl: Amber Riley

Amber Riley is an actress and singer best known for her roles as Mercedes Jones on the Fox hit TV series "Glee".  She was born and raised in the city of Los Angeles and has aspired to be a singer most of her life.  At the age of 17 Amber actually auditioned for the 2nd season of another hit Fox show "American Idol".  Amber was rejected by the show's producers.  She went on to perform singing backup for clubs along L.A.'s Sunset strip while working a day job at Ikea.

Riley, 24, landed the role of Mercedes Jones, the "brassy, full-figured, confident diva" with powerhouse pipes on the hit musical comedy Glee. While she's delivered memorable renditions of "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" and "Bust Your Windows" on the series, the singer-actress struck a chord with Gleeks during a recent episode in which her character bucks orders to drastically drop 10 lbs. and ultimately learns to be comfortable in her skin.

In 2011, Riley acted as a campaign spokesperson for http://www.Dosomething.org and VH1 Save The Music Foundation's second annual "Battle for the Bands." Riley starred in a PSA campaign and engaged fans through social media to participate in the campaign that mobilized young people in the fight for keeping music education in schools. 

Recently, only a few days after the tragic death of superstar Whitney Houston, Amber Riley covered Houston's biggest hit, "I Will Always Love You," for the FOX musical's Valentine's Day episode, in which her character, Mercedes, says goodbye to both her current boyfriend Shane and ex-beau, Sam.  The show is currently filming a tribute episode dedicated solely to Houston.

Amber Riley dropped 2 dress sizes recently after being diagnosed with chronic stomach aches.   She made it up in her mind to start eating healthy and diminish the fast food in her diet.  Despite what critics may say, Amber is confident about her body and her size.  "I've always been comfortable with my size," says Riley. "I just decided it was time to get healthy."

Courtesy of People

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Fashion Friday

TGIF my frenz!  Have a fantabulous weekend!

Photos courtesy of http://prettyblackgirlsinglasses.tumblr.com and http://takeachancebreakaway.tumblr.com/

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Donate Blood!

Evening all!

I am imploring to everyone to please go out and donate blood and register for the bone marrow registry. Since I was 18, I've tried to donate blood on a regular basis. Granted, I really hate needles. I think getting my finger pricked is a 5 second hell that I constantly trying to squirm away from. However, when I went to college, one of my closest friends revealed that her life was saved by blood donations. Someone else very near to me is saved on a regular due to blood transfusions.

Sickle cell anemia is a blood disease that plagues so many African-Americans and most people don't even know what it is. They require blood transfusions sometimes every few months in order to help their body "rebuild" themselves. They suffer through debilitating pain for days, sometimes weeks, at a time when they go through a pain crisis. If a crisis isn't properly treated, they may die. Family members, friends, and significant others also suffer when their loved one has it. They may not carry the disease themselves, but they still live with it. I'm giving a very rough overview of sickle cell anemia but if you'd like to know more, please go here. This is just one of the ways a blood donation or being on the bone marrow registry may save a life. This just happens to be one cause very near and dear to my heart.

There are not enough minorities out there willing to donate and save a life. So I'm seriously asking you to go and donate and if for some reason you can't, volunteer at a Red Cross. Raise awareness. Do something.

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KONY 2012

A friend of mine emailed me this video to watch and I was blown away.  I can only do the right thing and pay it forward by sharing it with all of you.  I can't believe that I've never heard of this war monger before and that the government has made little effort to stop his war crimes against children.

Social networking now gives us the power to DO SOMETHING and we must make Kony famous!  Watch the video if you don't quite understand what I am talking about.  Let's take some action by making the invisible----VISIBLE

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Celebrities Impersonating Other Celebrities

I love celebrity impersonations.  I love it especially when celebrities impersonate other celebrities.  I remember as a kid watching people like Rich Little impersonate all of these other celebrities.  I even tried in front of my mirror to mimic other celebrities, but I was always terrible at it.  I also like imitating accents---I know this may be a very nerdy thing to say---but I LOVE New York accents.

Is it weird that I would prefer to have a Northeastern accent instead of my Southern one?  I don't know--I just love accents.  I also love English accents.  French accents are sexy too.  Okay enough for now.  Here's some YouTube clips of celebrities impersonating other celebrities.  Enjoy.



Kevin Spacey does a "bofer" both Christopher Walken and Jack Nicholson



Matt Damon does Matthew McConaughey



Eric Bana does Orlando Bloom





Tracey Ullman does Celine Dion



 



Dwayne Johnson (The Rock) does Arnold Schwarzenegger





Jay Mohr does Tracey Morgan and a little of Christopher Walken

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Learning to Love My Hair

Almost two years ago, I did the Big Chop.  For those of you unfamiliar with the term, it means I cut all of the relaxer out of my hair so I could be completely natural.  It ended up being about nine inches’ worth of perm.  The resultant cut was a short, stylish combination of loose and tight spirals.  It was about an inch and a half in length and very easy to maintain.  Finding the right products to maintain and grow my nat…not so much.

I started out using Miss Jessie’s, but you practically need a loan application to purchase her products.  Then I moved on to Mixed Chicks, which claimed to loosen the curl and didn’t.  From there, I tried Jane Carter and Garnier Fructis, and then “Organic” Root Stimulator products.  With each iteration, my hair did something I liked and something I didn’t.  These products claimed to work for natural hair, and being naïve, I spent my hard-earned cash because I wanted my hair to “do right.”  Not really knowing what that meant.  

I’m not a fan of the ‘fro; I have a big head and I don’t think it looks good on me.  So I started twisting my hair using pomades and hoping that my curls would loosen and my hair would fall.  Instead, I had a curly afro.  The quest to find something—anything—to detangle the “kitchen” (aka the back of the head) led me to the Natural Hair Show in Atlanta.  Again I spent money and again, I was dissatisfied.  It was not easy being natural for me, but I was determined to find something that worked.  I couldn’t bear to put any more chemicals or heat on my hair. 

Then in October, after a week-long war with the nat, I said fuck it and got kinky twists.  At this time, Noob (who is also a nat), found out about Naptural85 on YouTube.  Naptural, an absolutely stunning beauty, makes her own hair products using over-the-counter supplies.  Noob tried Naptural’s Shea Butter Pomade and loved it.  So when I took my braids down, I made some of my own.  I spent about $20 on the oils (there are 5) and shea butter.

*cue angels singing*  REVELATION!!!!

The first time I tried the pomade on my hair, I saw immediate results.  First of all, my hair fell instead of ‘fro-ing up.  Two, the natural curl pattern actually showed itself.  Three, it felt fantastic on my scalp.  Four, it was made of nothing but truly natural ingredients.  When I went back and looked at the ingredients on all the other products I’d used, there was nothing organic or natural about any of it.  I couldn’t pronounce half of the compounds and I’m a baby chemist.  So using something as clean as Naptural’s Shea Butter Pomade in my nat was like giving my hair a colonic.

Then I went further and used two more of Naptural’s suggestions: apple cider vinegar pre-rinse and honey-mayo-egg conditioner.  Again, an instant difference in the texture and gloss.  I added banana and olive oil to the mix and this is what I’m currently using.  From there, I went on a quest to find an all-natural shampoo to supplement the conditioning.  Naptural recommended black soap…and that is what I currently use.

The shea butter soaks right into my scalp and gives it all the nutrients it needs.  The conditioners enhance the curl pattern and add body and gloss.  The black soap cleans it without killing it.  I twist my hair after liberal use of the pomade and my curls are loose and spirally.  It’s grown about two inches since I started making the shea butter in December of 2011.  My hair looks great and feels wonderful.  It doesn’t feel yucky or sticky and doesn’t ‘fro up.  I’ve gotten used to the fact that my hair is not neat; it sticks up in odd places regardless as to what I do.   It is what it is and I don’t fight it.  My next step is to make Naptural's flaxseed hair gel  (She also has marvelous suggestions on easy natural hair styles and maintenance).

A marvelous side benefit of all this is that I use the black soap as bathing soap and the shea butter as lotion and lip balm.  So when I’m done with my hair, I just move on down.  My skin tone is even and smooth, and my skin is soft and supple.  I no longer get ashy. I have saved so much money!!!  Winning.

For those of you on the fence or struggling in transition, I highly recommend Naptural 85.  Everything she does is cheap and simple and requires just a little time.  When I make a batch of pomade using one container of shea butter, it lasts me about six weeks (and this is using it for my hair and as lotion).  It’s totally worth it.  My adventure with my natural has taken me places I didn’t think I could go; the main one being cognizant of what and how I eat, but that’s for another post.  

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Society and Today's Black Girl Nerd

Society puts women in a box. Society puts black women in an even smaller box. With that said, black girl nerds are in some kind of weird triangular thing off to the side by themselves. We do not fit into the way society sees us and to an extent, that bothers me. I cannot tell you how many times I have gone to a predominately black area and feel like I stick out like a sore thumb. Or if I'm hanging out with a group of black people I've just met, they often comment how I speak "white". This is something I could never understand. We dress weird, we talk "white", we wear glasses, we like Dr. Who but will still watch Basketball Wives and keep up in both conversations. It's a spotty world we live in.

In recent years, I've noticed that there has been a huge surge in black girl nerds. Now, this is a movement I support wholeheartedly. As a female that works in a prominently male workforce, it has often saddened me to see very few women at conferences or holding a position of power. There are even fewer black women in attendance and I am often easily spotted and remembered because of the lack of diversity floating around. My work life aside, even when I go home to North Carolina, spotting one of "our kind" is few and far in between. Dating within our race? Pulling teeth. Trying to get your family to just grasp that you don't want to go to an HBCU cause you just KNOW you won't fit in and you'll get dirty looks? An everyday occurrence. Having people look at you funny because you can keep up in a technical conversation? All the time. However, the other week at work I had an epiphany. I saw a black girl nerd. She was just like me. We didn't even speak but just looking at each other said so much. Yes, I know this sounds like a romance novel but I became seriously giddy.

I would LOVE to organize some sort of "conference", ok not a conference but at least some nice kind of get together, for like minds to meet, eat, drink, and be merry. And nerdy. In the spirit of nerd fellowship. Seriously. If you all are interested in trying to have some sort of get together, please let me know! I'll do all that I can to organize something cost effective and fun for us to do!

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I'm Thinking Of Going Vegan...again

I've decided I really need to start taking care of my body and restoring my temple back to its lovely energized and healthy self.  In October of 2010, I saw an episode of Oprah Winfrey's Show where a large number of her staff members went vegan for 30 days.  It was a very profound show for me at that time. I also saw Alicia Silverstone make an appearance and talk about her book called "The Kind Diet".  I ordered the book off Amazon immediately after the show aired and I decided I was going to go vegan.

At that particular time I had a restricted red meat from my diet for almost 6 months.  I limited my intake of pork and chicken to once a week and I had a diet primarily of fish, grains, and veggies. The transition to going vegan would not be too difficult.  I also decided to reinforce my radical decision by watching a feature length film documentary called Food Inc.  The documentary was actually featured on the show and its an inside look as to how farm animals are treated shortly before they are slaughtered.

I'll be honest, I chose to go vegan for selfish reasons and there was no humanitarian effort or cause behind it.  I just simply wanted to be healthy.  Well I did go vegan for 3 months.  I never intended to make it a lifestyle, because to be honest, I love chicken and I cannot go without an occasional trip to a sushi restaurant.  However, I thought making the effort will at least be worth it.

The following changes happened in my body when I went vegan for 3 months:

-My fingernails were clearer and the enamel was harder
- My energy level spiked
-My skin cleared up dramatically (and I've had a long struggle with acne most of my life)
-I was regular (nuff said)
-My heartburn disappeared
-My chronic stomachaches and headaches disappeared
-Lost 15 lbs with very little exercise

I also did a body test from before I went vegan and after and my blood pressure and cholesterol levels dropped.

When I stopped I went crazy and started eating like a mad woman.  McDonalds and I became best friends.  I didn't get sick or anything with the sudden meat in-take, but I started feeling the symptoms I used to feel whenever I ate greasy processed foods.

What is very discouraging for me as someone who flirts with the idea of being a vegan is the fact that the lifestyle isn't exactly cheap.  Also almost everything that sits on a grocery shelf has animal fats in it.  Even Jell-O has animal product in it.  The price of a stick of Earth Balance butter (vegan) compared to Land O' Lakes butter (dairy) is almost $2.00 more!  The same goes for Veganaise compared to that of regular Mayonnaise.  It's difficult being vegan on a budget.  If there is a way to pull it off---someone let me know, because I still haven't figured it out.

In the Spring of this year, Whole Foods is coming into my neighborhood and that may change things.  I absolutely love Whole Foods and even though its not exactly a cheap grocery either---I still feel it would be less expensive there than going to a specialty health food store to get my vegan treats.  I'm going to start flirting with the idea again.  I haven't crossed that bridge yet again, but I surely do miss the perks that came from the results of healthy eating.

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*Under Construction*

Please forgive the BGN blogsite at this time.  I'm currently doing some tweaking to the the site and creating additional material to keep this blog fun, lively, and engaging to readers.  Some links may be missing or broken during this process.

In the meantime, the posts will continue and enjoy looking forward to seeing new material and updates from myself and other contributors about being proud to be a NERD.

If you have any suggestions for the site or topics you would like for me to talk about, feel free to email me at jamie@blackgirlnerds.com.

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Fashion Friday

 Photos courtesy of: http://blackgirlsrpretty2.tumblr.com/

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I Miss Nintendo

Remember Nintendo?  Yes, I know I date myself every time I bring up 80's fads, but I used to be an avid gamer back in the day.  I've converted myself from being a video gamer to a PC gamer and the games are not as cool as they were back in the days of Nintendo---at least in my opinion. Yes the graphics are atrocious and the programming is sub par, but man c'mon how can you not appreciate these games?

Here are my personal favorite Nintendo games of all time:



Super Mario Bros/Duck Hunt combo game pack


 



Super Contra


 



 Double Dragon


 



Metroid


 


 Monster Party


 


Mike Tyson's Punch Out


 

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I Love Sushi

It's not really a strange addiction per se---but I have a thing for  sushi.  I was introduced to sushi four years ago by a friend of mine at a Park Slope restaurant in Brooklyn.  He said give it a try and if you don't like it, then you never have to eat it again.  I fell in love!  I had a glass of plum wine with a sashimi tray filled with tuna, salmon, and california sushi rolls.  Delish!  Of course at that time I drowned my sashimi and rolls in soy sauce and I always ask for way more wasabi than I actually need.

I've toned it down on the soy sauce and just enjoy eating my raw seafood for its natural flavor.  Some of my friends think I'm weird for loving sushi so much, but why is that weird?  I don't know---I guess sushi isn't everybody's thing.

If it were up to me, I would eat sushi all day everyday.  I would have a few rolls and miso soup for breakfast, a sashimi tray for lunch, and fried rolls with some beef teriyaki for dinner.  I'm getting hungry just writing this.  I miss going to "Go Sushi" in NYC.  It was like the fast food stop for sushi.  I know the term "fast food" and "sushi" should never go into the same sentence, but trust me---it was always fresh and always soooo yummy.

I'm not a huge fan of going to Harris Teeter and getting my sushi there---its not the same.  I prefer going restaurant style.  Oh sushi---how I adore thee!

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