The Oreo Archives

Twenty-five. Two and a half decades. A quarter of a century. What the f*$! happened?! Everyone is always making a big deal out of the "milestone birthdays" at work. I chimed in with an "I'm turning 25...that's kind of a milestone" and got a few eye-rolls, a "pfttt", and a "call me when you're turning 50!". Well screw you guys - turning 25 is just as scary ! If you're anything like me, you've graduated from college, gotten a "real job", have a dog....and that's about it... So as your 'special day' of the year approaches, all you can think about is all the things so many other 25-year-olds have accomplished that you most certainly have not (married, kids, world traveling, dream jobs, cute brunches with friends, etc., etc.) . Ohh, and let me not forget to mention that my birthday happens to fall on New Year's Eve (yes, every year...Dec 31st is always New Year's Eve...and yes, I get asked th...

December 26th - January 1st As an African American, I have never actually celebrated Kwanzaa, and damnit, I have been missing out! With so many members of the black community coming together this year to fight injustices and stand up for the rights of all, I made a vow to learn more about this holiday and participate in a historical, yearly celebration of my heritage. So, of course, I decided to share the background on my blog as a step  (trying to cross off my Kujichagulia and Kuumba...see below) . Kwanzaa is a holiday that honors our African heritage (here in the US, and across the world) with a week-long celebration after Christmas. The name " Kwa n zaa "  is derived from the Swahili phrase " matunda ya kwanza ", meaning "first fruits". This represents the origination of the celebration as the first harvest to the home, celebrating the bonding, appreciation, gifts, and values of our people. The holiday consists of:  The Seven Principles  (The N...

Earlier this week, I was lucky enough to be given the  Sunshine Blogger Award  by a fellow blogger, Sheila Tagaro, a.k.a.  The Solo Tripper . ( Newbie love - woop woop!)   The  Sunshine Blogger Award  is an award given to bloggers, by bloggers, "who are creative, inspiring and bringers of sunshine into the lives of their readers".  (who...me??)  I am so new to blogging that I didn't know what this award, or really any blog awards, were. So I am very gracious that Sheila voted me as one of the winners! Sheila is the writer of  The Solo Tripper , a blog combining her love for writing and traveling. Her blog contains experiences from traveling alone, discoveries she's made along the way, stories of strangers she's met, destination guides, and even some travel tips. Check out  her website  for some cool stories and stunning pictures of adventures we can all be jealous of. Thank you, Sheila, for nominating m...

"Oh, I can tell you're single" ...The ever-so-reminding phrase that you're as single as Adam before Eve. That was the sweet  response I got from the comical woman behind me in the grocery store checkout line after I told her she could start putting her groceries on the conveyor belt. I guess my frozen meals, three boxes of cereal, and dog food gave away my non-existing relationship status. Is it just me, or does your "single-ness" stick out like a sore thumb during the holidays? The holidays bring cool weather (well, sometimes) , long nights, the best movie releases (like The Last Jedi...go see if you haven't) , and all the lovey-dovey Hallmark movies you can stand - all of which make for perfect snuggling... unless you're single . And we can't forget all of the perfect engagements and beautiful weddings that fill your newsfeeds in sweet December. Oh, the sweet love and warm hearts we feel when we see old friends getting their fairytale endin...

Fresh cut trees, garland galore, frantic shoppers, and S N O W...in Houston ?? NASA Pkwy and Space Center Houston with a beautiful winter blanket 2017 dishing out the surprises all the way to the end! In honor of this oh-so-miraculous winter flurry us Texans had the pleasure of playing in (or wrapping up in a blanket and looking out of the window at), let's run through some of the rarely experienced treasures of well, a REAL WINTER . Top 7 "Woo-Hoo's" of a Real Winter ....even if it only lasts a week... 1. No sweating when you're: Walking from the parking lot to your office Walking the dog Just standing outside or sitting on your patio 2. Similarly, no musty co-workers (or at least less musty...we hope) You know who I'm talking about...those few who wear their summer "stress" on their sleeves, armpits, back, hair, and whatever else causes that B.O. 3. No-shave November? Pshttt, No-shave in Winter  (don't judge...you...

Depression, anxiety, suicide, and mental illness , in general, are not popular topics of conversation in black families. So when you're black and sharing a life with one of these mother f-ers, it can be a very lonely world. And with the way we tend to avoid these topics as a country, it can be a few steps past lonely, a leap across overwhelming, and just plain unbearable. And  holiday season can add a little salt to your hidden wound(s). Personal Struggle My family is filled  with mental illnesses - from bipolar disorder to drug addiction to ptsd - but we don't discuss it much. So fittingly, I've struggled with depression since I was very young (due to unexpected, unfortunate events), never really brought it up, and didn't handle it well. Fast forward to middle school, I started testing the alcoholic waters, thinking my friends and I were fun and cool. I went to a park with a couple friends and drank probably two-thirds of a bottle of flavored-vodka in less t...

*Cough, cough, sniff, hack, cough* Being sick sucks...being sick all by yourself sucks more. I love most things about living with no one other than my pup, but I turn into an abandoned baby when I'm coughing like my nasty office neighbor down the hall, losing my voice, and sneeze-biting my tongue every ten minutes. Nothing screams 'adulting' like getting your own drugs and juice with your eyes half open and phlegm building a castle in your sinuses. Let's walk through some of the pitiful differences of being sick at home by yourself versus being sick with mommy or hubby in the same house, shall we? Top 5! 1. Lose your voice coughing up a demogorgon: By yourself : no calling for delivery or prescription refills, asking "who is it" when someone bangs on your front door, or laughing or yelling at the tv With mom/hubby : THEY are  your delivery service, tell the jackass at the door to "SHHH" because your baby is sick, and...well you're just ...