The Ex Factor

"By all means, move at a glacial pace-you know how that thrills me!" 

I love that line from Devil Wears Prada and it is most appropriate for my topic on the Ex Factor. I was talking with a girlfriend the other day and this topic has been on my mind recently. The topic I am referring to is how long do you have to wait for a ring before he becomes the "Ex Factor?" I dated my last guy for about 3 years and we hardly ever talked about engagement and if we did it was in third party. Come on give me a break? I have learned sooooo much about myself and what I want going forward and for starters I certainly am NOT dating for 3 years and counting on a ring. That is just absurd. Don't you know if I'm the one within the 1st year? I get wanting to wait awhile, perhaps move in together, meet the family, check out the credit history etc but even all that can be done in two years. What's the sense in playing house if you don't want to settle in it? I'm getting older and as I approach my 30th birthday I continue to think about two of my future goals 1. Getting married and 2. Having children and most certainly in that order too! As I unpacked my Opera gift bag this morning from Saturday night, I came across a b card entitled Ex-cessories, which sounded interesting so of course I went on their website and Ta daaah I was faced with luxurious jewls given to women by their ex's LMAO this is great! Their modo is "Don't get mad....Break Even!" How appropriate for a woman scorned whose been wearing her engagement years for the past 5 years and he won't set a date.......

Visit their site at www.ex-cessories.com

Minique~

The Female Hater

I'm starting with the famous question, "Can't we all just get along?" Apparently NOT! I love females as friends and being one myself I think that it's nothing greater than a genuine and long lasting female friendship. Even one of my best friends is none other than my 2 che partner, J.Genese and I don't even see her annually either. We chat over the phone and online mostly but I still feel a strong connection to her regardless. I thought of this concept of the female hater stemming from my work experiences. I experienced subtle and blatant hate at my last employer and most of it was quite comical. It came from peers and a supervisor alike and I viewed it as 'hate' all the same. I mean why can't a woman give another woman a compliment on her shoe you just eye fcked instead of rolling your eyes or if you admire another's shape because she doesn't have the muffin top you've been carrying around for the past 5 years or the fact that her real hair is actually more luxurious than the wig sitting atop  your dome or that she is a professional- looks the part and certainly speaks it and you think she's a sell out trying to be white. Get a grip speaking, English is not selling out ladies. Read a damn book! Oh and let's not forget the famous fashion inquiry of "Where did you get that?" and you are met with the response of Paris or Milan or something totally ridiculous and facetious. Yeaaaah right, find it on a map &itch! lol I  thought recently with the possible opportunity to work in an all black establishment that "Oh this is going to be sooo cool working around my sistahs!" but then I had a conversation with some female friends who explained that the 'hate' factor might just get kicked up a notch. I was so disappointed in hearing this but I can't even front like I didn't get a few dirty looks during my 4 day working interview. I'm looking for an applause when I walk through the door and my suit makes you wish you could change lol It's so disheartening when I hear females say I only have male friends because females are so 'catty." So I ask again, "Can't we all just get along?"

Minique~

WEEZY F BABY

Anyone who knows me knows that I love hardcore rap music. Over the years I've been playing the same ole' Clue cd from back in 98 but my favorite rapper of all time has to be Lil Wayne aka Weezy F Baby! I just love his swagger, his lyrics and that infamous laugh he does on the records. I adore that "I can't feel my face" cd he produced with Juelz Santa. Wayne is not only a great rap artist turned rockstar but also an intellectual as well as I learned on his interview with Katie Kurick.


Minique~

The Gold Package

Let's see what your packing....

Now all the ladies know that there are some men out there living in a false reality when it comes to size. We've all heard the infomercials "Does size really matter?" lol Um heck yeah lol and this is only the start of the issue. Where shall I begin? I'm sure you've encountered some that maybe in their dreams, feel that their penis is large and packing…hefty enough to be worthy of Magnum brand protection; however the branding clearly states XL on the box so if you are swimming in it then maybe you need something more the size of a small waterballon perhaps. You know the kind that you had to struggle to fit over the faucet to fill when you were little lol I don’t know what’s so special about this particular condom anyway but I’m convinced that the gold foil packaging has something to do with it. Anything with gold foil says, “Exclusive,” especially to the unsuspecting woman that doesn't know he can't fit the bill. Ladies get excited when they see the gold foil come out because they are thinking logically that "Oh my he needs to wear a MAGNUM hmmm he must be large and in charge." But…I and other women feel that some of you are abusing the Magnum Gold Foil Membership. And you know who you are. LOL

Minique~


Footnote-inspired by Black Girl in the City

I wanna be a stripper when I grow up!

Last night I went to Opera to attend the Pole la Teaz demonstration. I was invited by a friend that is a member of their gym and I've heard rave reviews. Last night the class was focused on sexy walking and moves to stimulate your partner. Now while the instructions were very elementary for me lol I can see the benefit of attending one of the more advanced classes. I've been to quite a few of the clubs here in Atlanta to name a few: Body Tap, Magic City, Dirty Rats lol, and Dancers' Elite. I've learned a thing or two from just watching but I imagine that there is nothing like actual hands on learning! They have a class entitiled "Jiggle It" that focuses on how to work a woman's greatest asset "her ass." :0) I think I will sign myself up for one of their casual classes for $15 and see for myself all that Pole la Teaz has to offer. Clear heels here I come! lmao

visit their website at www.polelateaz.com and see if they have a show on the road near you ;0)


Minique~

Meet me on Lafayette

Who said work attire has to be stuffy? I came across Lafayette 148 New York in a magazine I flipped through today, sorry don't remember the title but I did remember this clothing designer. I thought their designs although some are rather pricy the sale section is not half bad. Meet me on Lafayette and I will be wearing one of the fly outfits posted below. Visit their website at www.lafayette148store.com

Minique~

Put a spring in your step with Peter Som 2009 collection

www.petersom.com


Minique~

Competitive Advantage....

Think you know your competition? Think again. What gives you competitive advantage over your competition in your business and personal relationships? I read the book cover of Competitive Advantage and this title sent a blaring alarm off in my head. It's rather catchy and makes perfect sense. I thought about it from both perspectives of business and personal. On the business side marketing and technology is key. Long gone are the days where you can survive without a website and referrals can only keep you afloat for so long. Shoot even a day laborer might get more business if he had a vcard! You have to get your brand name out there so it becomes a household name and even so outside the normal circles in which you do business. I learned while working at RBC that you should keep a pipeline of leads and this pipeline is fed by your inner circle. As it relates to that particular business your inner circle would be a real estate agent, lawyer, physican, insurance agent and other bankers. These five professions in relation to banking would help to generate new business for you. Think about what businesses you patronize and how they can in turn help to grow your business. I love learning and applying it to other avenues which brings me to the personal side of things. Personally I like to support black businesses first. I'm so tired of hearing how little the dollar is circulated in my community before it ends up back in general population. I even sport at "Bought Black" button on my members only jacket and often get comments and inquiries on it. Although I originally got it from buying Jay Z's black album it has alternative meaning for me. Also when I think of personal relationships in terms of courting you market yourself to the best of your ability in order to attract those that you wish to 'patronize' your business. We do this alot better in our personal pursuits than on the business front and I think if we can figure out a way to marry them both we could discover a goldmine.

Minique~

Black and White and Sometimes Grey

I was just thinking about the differences 'if any' there are between black and white businesses. I've had the pleasure of working for a black owned small business this past week and was truly inspired by being in the company of such an intelligent African American CEO. After getting my barrings together and being more comfortable in my environment I started to think to myself of how 'different' it felt being in an all black corporate environment. Over my career I've had several supervisor's and only one was African American. I don't know if by default but she was my favorite and mostly likely it is because of our chemistry and mutual respect for one another. I noticed that when you take away the 'racial barrier' it has been my experience that I felt free to really perform to my best ability and not feel as though there were underlining meanings to feedback and certain instances that can occur. At my last employer there were times where I would be speaking to a co-worker and the supervisor would walk by and the co-worker would almost scurry back to their desk almost as if to motion "Let me get back in line before Massa get's mad!" lol Now I am making light of the situation here but it did bother me enormously that there was always a feeling of walking on eggshells in some corporate environments. I pray that I am hired FT at this new BLACK place of business so that I can grown and reach my best potential being mentored by one of my own. ;)

Minique~

Emotional (Wo)MEN

When it comes to emotions, its women that are usually pegged as being "overly sensitive", or "too emotionally attached", and so on and so forth. And while I will admit that I do have my fare share of emotions, I many times find that it's MEN who are just as, if not even more emotional than women are. I need a strong, confident, supportive man. I cant tell you how many men I know that act more like a (wo)man than I do. Sensitivity is all well and good, and I love a man that can express his feelings with you and show a softer side, NOW AND THEN, but there is nothing worse than a whinny, complaining, super sensitive, overly dramatic man! Come one! Who's really wearing the pants here? I always find it funny when I hear my girlfriends complaining about how they just wanted to have sex (ill say that instead of the 4 letter word of choice), and the guy wanted to cuddle and caress! Or when I have (wo)men catching a hissy fit because I didnt return or answer there phone call or text them back in a timely manner. Isnt it supposed to be the other way around?, according to what men say? Pleeease!, Ive had (wo)men show up at my doorstep, friends houses, or other places where they knew I would be just because I didnt answer their call!, lol....now Ive never been that emotional!...

....so I guess its safe to say that when it comes to being emotional, both sexes are guilty as charged!...what do you think?...

~J. Genese