Real Drama, Part I

“Why didn't you tell me this before now?” he asked.
“I don't know. It....it... just never came up.”
Those were my exact words, when my man of 18 months asked me about my husband.
“Yeah, right,” Daniel mumbled.
“I am serious, Danny.”
“Well... maybe you should have thought of that before now,” Daniel suggested.
“But.”
I was just about to use the explanation I had practiced a million times over in my head. But he never gave me the chance. Which was probably good, because it would have required me to stretch the truth again.
“But, nothing;” “Do you realize the position you have put me in. You watch Oprah Winfrey. How could you do this? I am madly in love with you. But this changes things. I don't know if or when I'll ever be able to trust you again.”
“Dan, let me explain.”
I was going to attempt to explain to him how my husband left me without telling me where he was going and that I couldn't find him in order to get him to sign the divorce papers.
“Ex-Plain.” “Now you want to explain.” “Shoot!” “Oh, you should of thought of that 18 months ago.”
“Well, how could I?” “I didn't know that I was going to develop such feelings for you...baby. Oh, come on Danny-baby, let's not start fighting over this BS. You said that you love me, so that should be enough. You know, love conquers all. So let's change the subject,” I suggested.
“Change the subject(?)....change the subject!' “Baby the subject is just getting started. Why didn't you tell me this before now?”
“Like I said....Dan, It has not been easy for me to keep this little secret from you. It has been eating me up on the inside.”
“Eating you,” shouted Daniel.
“How can you say you love me and you are married to another man?”
“Dan, can I ask you something?”
Again, I was going to ask him did he really love me and suggest we try to work this out.
“I think I should be asking all the questions right now.”
“But.”
“But Nothing!” We are history, finish, done, over, finito. I don't ever want to see you again!”
“But you said you were in love with me,” I reminded him.
“Yeah, I thought I was. Boy how wrong was I. You made a complete fool of me. You toyed with my emotions, disrespected me, and I can no longer trust you. And to think, I was going to ask you to be my wife. Ha! I guess I am too late for that.”
“Oh, Dan,” I sighed.
I can't believe this is happening to me, those were the last words I said to him before he stormed out the door, hopping into his new 2010 sleek black Camaro and sped away into the night to who knows where.

If you like drama; and would like to see how this saga will unfold itself, check back for PART II, a surprising twist!

Something to feed my mind

I need something to feed my mind, because something ain’t right (no pun intended to Keith Sweat). So throughout this entry I will attempt to express in words the many things are going on in my life and things that I hope to happen.

It is late Sunday evening, just as I am settling in for bed; I can’t fall asleep because there are so many thoughts racing through my head. Have you ever felt like something was eating away at you and you know you should do something about it, but something in the back of your mind tells you to not take immediate action, to think things over a little bit more. Anyway, there is something eating away at me this very moment. I can’t exactly say right now, because it would truly hurt someone I care deeply about. Let’s just say I haven’t been completely honest about my feelings and I am having a hard time trying to maintain some sense and sensibility to a certain situation I need to deal with. However, when I do get this worked out I will post more about it. I hope all goes well for me.

Lately my past time has been consumed with reading novels and researching ways to better reach my career goals. I am still waiting to hear back from the University of Texas at Arlington graduate admission committee.

In one of my positngs, I spoke about going to South Africa for six weeks this summer, well that is not going to happen, at least not for right now. Hopefully my summer will consist of going to Washington DC, Philadelphia, New Orleans (?), New York, San Francisco (?), Hot Springs and possibly to Shreveport. Also, I am planning to attend my high school class reunion. So far the summer looks fulfilling.

Well, I am getting restless, though there are many feelings, emotions and thoughts that I am wrestling with I must get to bed and prepare myself for another day in this thing called Life. Life. Life.

Cedric the Entertainer

Cedric The Entertainer On Bush And Clinton - The best home videos are here


I had an opportunity to see Cedric the Entertainer live this weekend at Nokia Theatre in Grand Prairie, Texas. His show was awesome! He is very funny and his comedy relates to real life drama and politics.

In the Mean Time

I have decided to keep a running journal of the books I have completed and wish to complete, thanks to online blogging. For the month of March thus far, I have completed Knowing by Rosalyn Mcmillan who happens to be the sister of Terri Mcmillan. Rosalyn has created a real page turner in Knowing; it is comprised of highs and lows of happiness and sadness that lends itself to the literary elements of suspense and tragedy. Knowing is Rosalyn's first published novel. Complicated is a poem dedicated to prescribe events to follow in the story's underlining plot. The main character, Ginger, makes you want to love her and cheer for her as she tries to find balance in being a good mother, loyal wife and career professional. Which in turn are the personal struggles that show definite parallelism between a fictional character and a real woman in America.

I have enjoyed the company of my all time favorite author J. California Cooper's Family. It took all of two days to read this 230 page slave story. It is not your typical slave story, however, it is a typical J.C.C. Down-home feel good slave story. It is filled with the hardships and kinships of slavery in the South. Cooper's imagination of slavery left me feeling like--- its' a wonder how we got ovah! It's a must read for those needing a reminder of the many African's that did not give in to the institution of slavery to make life as we now know it.

I just started Ida B. by Karen E. Quinones Miller; which is starting out to be a descent dramatized description of events that unfold in New York during the 1990's. Ida B. is an apartment building in Harlem that is rumored to be getting closed down. The author's use of NYC lingo makes for good humor and the understanding of what goes on in the Ida B. apartment homes. So far, I have grown attached to Brenda. She is striving to someday write a book. She keeps a notebook of the events in her life as they unfold. Somehow I feel Brenda is actually the author herself! I'll post more as I continue the story.

Yeah! I finished The Future of the Race, wow!, that was some heavy reading. While I agree and appreciate the many contributions of W.E.B Dubois; Cornell West gave me an an entirely different view of Dubois. West makes a good argument about Dubois's inability to relate to African American people experiences and views. West basically destroys his character and everything Dubois stood for. For all of my radical readers this book is definitely mind boggling and politically incorrect.

I am signing out for now. I got some reading to get to.

Becoming Wiser

The contents below are words of wisdom that I find helpful in making it through some of life's most challenging moments:

The person who leads others must have obeyed others in the past. The person who obeys others can be a leader.
-Cicero

Non-violence must not be put on and off like clothes. Non-violence must be in our hearts, and who we are.
-Mohandas Gandhi

How I use my life shows the kind of person I am.
-Ceaser Chavez

Nobody knows what they can do until they try.
-Publilus Syrus

The best food is food you eat out of your own hand.
-Mohammed

It is more important to have self-respect than to have the respect of others.
-Madeleine De Scudery

You should not be afraid to say you did something wrong. It is like saying you are wiser today than you were yesterday.
-Alexander Pope

It takes wisdom to listen to others.
-Wendell Holmes

Planting a field is just as important as writing a poem.
-Booker T. Washington

When spider webs comes together they can tie up a tiger.
-Ethiopian Proverb

It is easy to have a bad attitude and complain. Let us try to say nice things to others and not blame others.
-Desmond Tutu

I hope you will find these words of wisdom to be uplifting and encouraging in solving conflicts, being a good example, dependability, having self-respect and compassion for others.

Your Girl ,

Lady T.

2009 So Far

For starters the welcoming of 2009 has been interestingly brimmed with wonder and cheer. With the zooming of January's wintry mix, it seems as though it passed by in the blink of an eye.

The last time I posted, I made mention about traveling to South Africa
for a six week journey. By the way, I am still waiting to hear back from the selection committee. However, my completed and submitted application has left me feeling some-what promising.

The inauguration of Barack Obama was most exciting and memorable for
the month of January. His speech was poetically energizing and it left
me feeling hopeful for the future of this country. There were well over
one and a half million people in attendance, WOW!. In awe and disbelief, I
was glued to my television set as he was sworn into office. Speaking of
Barack Obama, Mr. Right sent me his commentary addressing some of the
many issues that he feels Barack should address in order to strenghten
America's Black economic crisis (below I have included my response to
his commentary, please accept my apology; I don’t think it would be very ethical to post his commentary w/o his consent).

“How wonderful it is to know that you respect (or even value) my
opinion whether I agree or disagree with you. In saying that, overall
your article was very sharp and insightful. However, in reading it I
have to admit I totally forgot the question (not saying it was not a
good title/question); Justifiably, I was engrossed with my own thoughts
and objections as I read yours. Hopefully, that was one aspiration for
writing the piece (to get people thinking for themselves).
I was almost convinced that there was no such thing as "Black America,"
( B.O: "there is only one America, the United States of America"),anyhow
just by reading the newspaper, watching television and working in a
predominantly white environment requires me to rethink that notion.
To the case in point. Personally, making a laundry list of the many
things Mr. Obama should/could address would be an awfully long list. In
a real sense, A.A men and women must first be held accountable for their
own success(es) and failures. It would be foolish of one to think that
just because you voted for Barack he should adhere to the numerous
problems faced in the A.A community. Personally, I do not think he
will/can address the "overaching problems" Black people in America face.
As you stated in your article, Barack is a symbol of inspiration for
black people, and it in itself should be a starting point for A.A. I am
in no way suggesting that we should not hold Barack accountable in the
aid of reforming the state of black America, simply put; the man has the
weight of the world on his shoulders. A new philosophy must be adopted
in the minds of the my people, one with patience, unity, tolerance and
how 'bout some understanding!
I can only elaborate on the topics/issues in which I am most familiar,
so I trust that you have thoroughly researched and given much thought to
all others. Nonetheless, I have reservations about the charter schools (
with good reason) and FBI appointments, (mixed feelings...I think you
were a little biased).

February for me has been a time of enlightenment and rumination
spending much of my free time reading and critiquing some of my favorite
authors as well as being introduced to some new talents. Halfprice
Books bookstore has been an absolute treasure trove of great novels that
have allowed my library to grow extensively. Also, my collection of J.
California Cooper's novels, she being my favorite mostly due to the
fact that we have very similar writing styles (reachable and personable)
is nearing completion.

Valentines day was incredible and one of the best I've had in a long
time; Mr. You Know Who made for an enchanting evening filled with lots
of surprises.... Gifts of chocolate and body creams & fragrances from
one of my favorite novelty shops; Fine dining at a Japanese
restaurant, Bennehanna's (magnificent food and display), a play ( The
Man who Saved New Orleans) and to end the night with some music and
dancing.

I am currently reading The Future of the Race by Henry Louis Gates, Jr. It is a very interesting and inspiring read. I will post more thoughts about this book when I have completed it.

Other books on the back burner are Knowing by Rosalyn McMillian , As I Am by E. Lynn Harris, and How to be an Nigerian by Peter Enhaoro.

Thinking out loud

I am still alive and well. Just been a little busy with all of the holiday hoopla and what not. Recently, I celebrated a special birthday; several of my closest friends and family members joined me in a fantastic dinner party and comedy extravaganza.

This Thanksgiving was truly phenomenal (from the food to the soul train-line). The only thing that was missing was Mr. Right (keep reading, you will hear more about that later)

Christmas was a real treat. I am so thankful to have had the joy of Christmas to slowly unfold before my daughter and I. Jesus is the reason for the season.

As the New Year quickly approaches, I think it is about time I create an action plan to reach the many goals I have set for myself (or vice-versa, should I say). I know I need to start working on my PH. D….just haven’t decided on exactly what discipline. Social Work is a field of study that truly holds my interest. With a Doctorate in Social Work I feel it would feed my desire to be a better humanitarian. Giving back to the world is a very important goal that I must accomplish.

As with everything else that is going on in my life, I must learn how to be a better financial planner. Meeting my financial obligations is not the problem; however, I must learn how to save and account for the money I make and spend. It’s easily said than done, but this is one area I will pay closer attention.

My love life is good. Mr. Right and I met one year ago and have been going strong every since. He is so perfect for me; we complement each other very well. Besides being tall, dark and handsome, he is kind, generous and thoughtful. Though we come from very different walks of life, I think that is what attracts me to him most. He is an unselfish and sensible man, which in turn forces me to have a different outlook on life. He makes me feel like I can achieve any and every goal I set for myself.

This summer I have an opportunity to travel to South Africa for six weeks. Of course, Mr. Right thinks it is a trip to die for. I have always wanted to travel to Africa and marvel at its natural beauty and culture, but I have my reservations (will blog about the pros and cons).

Signing off until next time.

Still I Rise

You may write me down in history With your bitter, twisted lies,

You may trod me in the very dirt

But still, like dust,

I'll rise.
Does my sassiness upset you?

Why are you beset with gloom?

'Cause I walk like I've got oil wells

Pumping in my living room.
Just like moons and like suns,

With the certainty of tides,

Just like hopes springing high,

Still I'll rise.
Did you want to see me broken?

Bowed head and lowered eyes?

Shoulders falling down like teardrops,

Weakened by my soulful cries.
Does my haughtiness offend you?

Don't you take it awful hard

'Cause I laugh like I got gold mines

Diggin' in my own back yard.
You may shoot me with your words,

You may cut me with your eyes,

You may kill me with your hatefulness,

But still, like air,

I'll rise.
Does my sexiness upset you?

Does it come as a surprise

That I dance like I've got diamonds

At the meeting of my thighs?
Out of the huts of history's shame

I rise

Up from a past that's rooted in pain

I rise

I'm a black ocean, leaping and wide,

Welling and swelling I bear in the tide.

Leaving behind nights of terror and fear

I rise

Into a daybreak that's wondrously clear

I rise

Bringing the gifts my ancestors gave,

I am the dream and the hope of the slave.

I rise

I rise

I rise.

© Maya Angelou, 1978

Gettysburg forgot about Black Soldiers

This summer I was afforded the opportunity to visit Gettysburg, PA. Prior to my arrival I had great hopes of seeing a large collection of memorabilia that would honor the many African American soldiers who fought during the Civil War.

To my surprise there was very little representation or acknowledgement given to African American soldiers who fought and died to end slavery at Gettysburg just as white soldiers had. Moreover, I was deeply saddened to know that over 103 million dollars was recently spent renovating the Gettysburg’s Visitors Center.

In speaking to our unofficial tour guide (a professor at Gettysburg College) about the lack of African American representation, his only explanation for this oversight suggested that more black people should get involved with the preservation of their history and not depend on others to do it for them.

Wow! That got me to thinking.

Though his statement was quite bold. He is correct.

As I continued my tour through the town of Gettysburg, I noticed there was not a lack of Confederate flags. Which got me to thinking again. Why, in this Pennsylvania town year 2008 would people be bold enough to proudly display the Confederate flag?

There was only one logical answer I could piece together, and it is that these people understand the importance of preserving their history (right or wrong). After all, Confederate soldiers were fighting against the North, so their presence can not be excluded from history.

African American people, we must take a stand and demand for our rich history to be preserved. The first step is to have our voices heard by writing to the Gettysburg Preservation society dneil@gettysburgfoundation.org or by calling 866-889-1243.

They are Listening

What does it say when kids have thrown their support behind Obama instead of McCain?

It says they're listening!

Kids may not be able to vote in the presidential election, but they can give us a pretty good indication of who’s going to win, when the winner of the last four out of five Kids Pick polls has gone on to the White House.

The New, Part I

In celebration of my birthday a couple of friends invited me out for a
night on the town. I was a little reluctant at first, after all we
stayed out quite late the night before. To make a long story short, we ended up at a dance club.

If you have ever experienced the Dallas nightlife, you know the clubs can be a bit
daunting. But for some strange reason that night the atmosphere was
electrifying and the band unbelievable. We were having a
surprisingly good time, with the exception of a few knuckle heads whose
game could use a lot of work.

Moving about the club I finally found a spot where I could see the band
a little better. Then from out of nowhere a tall, dark and very
handsome guy stood next me. We made eye contact, but we didn't say
anything to each other.

Still enjoying the band I decide to do my usual
two-step (I am not much of a dancer). In doing so, I accidentally
stepped on the guy’s foot.

OMG!

I gave him a quick “excuse me,” (or something like that).

He being a perfect gentleman did not get upset. So I
continue moving from side to side. Finally, he asked me to dance
(remember, I am not much of a dancer).

So I politely said, “No thank you.”

Being persistent, he asked me my name and having to speak
above the music I told him. He told me his first and last
name. The first name was easy to pronounce; however, the last name was
unique. From the last name and his spicy accent, I could tell right away
he was not from the states. He told me he was from Houston, and in town on
business. Continuing to make small talk, I inquired about his business,
etc....and he gave me his business card. I was then thinking, this
brother might be all right. We exchanged contact information and left it at that.

As I was leaving the club we made eye contact again. Out of all thepeople in the club, we made eye contact again.



Check back for Part II

Life's Funny that Way

Just as the title suggest, life is funny. I say funny because I have had
many unexpected things to happen to me since I last visited my blog
(still trying to get this thing right, or at least make some sense of it).

With my fair share of ups and downs (lucky for me, more ups than
downs); It is time I revisit those pesky downs and of course
acknowledge some of the good fortunes that have befallen upon me.

So, here goes......

It is funny how getting out of a 14-year relationship has made me feel
like I have accomplished something heroic. Don’t get me wrong; I am in no way saying it was easy. Believe me, the emotional song and dance was enough to make anyone go insane. After all of that played out, that's when the blessings came (I'll
tell you all about the “blessing” later).

“Oh, the lessons.” One very important thing I learned is to put all of my faith in God and believe there is no problem too big or too small he can't fix. Sounds easy, right? Well it wasn’t. There were moments of bitterness, hatred and even some revengeful thoughts. However, the moment I decided to let go and let God; I was then able to receive his blessings.

Life’s funny that way, you have to go through trials and tribulations (bump your head hard enough) to get to the lesson.

Well, there is someone new (the blessing).

My, my, my, Life’s funny that way, out with the old and in with the new.

P.S. My next posting will be all about the new!

I am still here part 2

Hello everyone! I have been so busy with work and other personal matters of the heart I haven't had much time to keep up my blog enteries. But it will get better.

I have so much catching up to do. First, I must say "thank you" to everyone who has been by my side since my last entry.

For future blog entries I will comment on Family, Friends, Love and Life. The headliners will feature things I have experienced personally and things I wish to learn more about.

I am about to get this thing right. I haven't forgotten about Tyra Banks, that sista is doing her thang.

Peace,
TLB

I am Still Here!

Hello everyone,

I have been so busy with work and planning a wedding for my sister, I got a little side tracked. I will post more entries and pictures soon; So hold tight and be cool.

What do you all think about Tyra Banks and her new T-Zone ideas?

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. meets with President Johnson

Each year on the third Monday of January, schools, federal offices, post office and banks across America close as we celebrate the birth, the life and the dream of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. It is a time for the nation to remember the injustices that Dr. King fought. A time to remember his fight for the freedom, equality, and dignity of all races and peoples. A time to remember the message of change through nonviolence. Just as the theme of this page states: "Rember, Celebrate, Act! A Day On, Not A Day Off!" Although many people see this, and other holidays as "a day without home work," or "a day to hang out with friends," it is much more than that; it is the celebration of equality, the celebration of freedom, and the celebration of a wonderful, wonderful man!

Neat Freaks

In my quest to find new ways to deal with my obsession with cleanliness, I came across a very interesting article that I will share at the end of my entry.

My family and some close friends can attest that I cannot concentrate or relax if something appears unclean or if things are not properly arranged. I took an online anxiety quiz to see if I suffer from an anxiety disorder. Luckily, I was only border line.

If anyone who lives with this disorder knows exactly what it feels like to not be able to relax, concentrate and feel appreciated for this unique behavior. I drive my family crazy with my constant complaining about their domestic ways. They are probably fairly neat but for an irreproachable person like myself they are unconscious of their cleanliness.

I am discussing this issue as a way to relieve me of some of the stress that is associated with not confronting this life style. Hopefully I will help someone else who may be coping with the same issue.

The article:

Vijai P. Sharma, Ph.D

"Clutterers," "cleaners," and "hoarders" sometime walk a fine line between excellence and obsession.

Some people are simply particular about neatness, exactness, and the right order and arrangement of things and there are others who are obsessed with it. We will refer to the latter group as "neat freaks," a term I first heard from a neat freak.

Neat freaks live under tremendous stress and spend a significant time, sometimes several hours a day, trying to maintain immaculate neatness, precise order and faultless arrangement of their immediate environment. Be aware such a behavior is not a part of normal spring fever; it is an all season problem.

If you take a peek in his or her closet, you can right away identify a neat freak; socks, ties, belts, undershirts will be all neatly folded and stacked up. The clothes may be color coded or organized by categories. Such an arrangement may not be as simple as all the blue clothes in one place or all pants hanging in one corner. Neat freaks classify and sub-classify them in complex ways.

If you are a neat freak reading this column, I don't have to tell you how much time you spend in keeping everything spotless and organized. Sometime you just want to take a break from the constant pressure of cleanliness and sit down to relax and smell the roses, but you can't. That pressure is nothing short of a slave driver.

The other end of the spectrum is filled with "clutterers," who must stare at clutter in order to relax. Often, the family members of clutterers are bothered because every time they walk in the house they have to walk around the clutter and those of neat freaks are troubled because every time they walk, the neat freaks come after them with a broom and a brush to clean.

Some families break up because of the unbearable acrimony resulting from one partner's uncompromising perfectionism and fastidiousness. Conflict between neat freak parents and children often comes to a head when the former can't stand the "lazy" and "filthy" teen.

Perhaps, you know people, who, even when sick or exhausted with fatigue would get out of bed if they see a speck of dirt on their television or the center table. People develop stress-related disorders because of their obsession for neatness.

So how can you tell whether you are just a neatness lover or a neat freak? The following questions may be helpful: 1) Do you spend more than an hour a day cleaning?
2) Can you stop cleaning when you want to?
3) Do the unclean, dusty or out-of-place objects cause significant amount of anxiety, distress or agitation for you?
4) Is anyone close to you troubled by your insistence for perfect cleanliness?

One of the most difficult things for a neat freak to learn is to learn the difference between reasonable standards of cleanliness and a rather unrelenting and unyielding demand for cleanliness.

If you answered "yes" to one of the four questions, rely on the cues from your loved ones to know when enough is enough. Rather than assuming that others are sloppy and lazy, accept the possibility that you might be overdoing this business of cleanliness.

Be mindful of the anxiety you experience by the thought or the sight of unclean things. Become aware of your tension. Observe it as it begins to build up at the sight or thought of unclean objects. Don't be in a rush to tidy up the place. Bear with the anxiety unless there is something harmful, such as toxic waste or a spilled chemical. If it doesn't pose a risk, you can wait.

Understand that cleaning is the ritual you do to reduce the anxiety that arises from the obsession of cleanliness. When you learn to tolerate the anxiety, the obsession begins to gradually loosen its grip over you. Be prepared for temporary exacerbation in your anxiety because you are not doing the "same old stuff" to relieve your anxiety.

Anxiety is likely to increase before it can decrease. Therefore, don't try to distract yourself by doing something or thinking about something else. Keep your mind on the object that increases your tension and let it complete its full course. The anxiety will peak out if you persist.

And then, you can relax. Likewise, others can relax around you.

You might also discover that you have more time than you ever thought you had. You can use it for more productive things or just enjoy the leisure time.

What's next for me in 2006!

Like most people do every New Year, I make plans to live better and strive to obtain certain goals. I believe the only true way to assure that the set goals are accomplished is by documenting progress and evaluating the differences and similarities (basically the concept of the Venn Diagram).

One thing that I am challenging myself to do this year is to dialogue more about issues that directly impact my very existence. This dialogue will include talking to God more, family, friends and developing more professional relationships with people who are making a difference in the world.

Last year I completed courses towards my masters degree and I thought that would satisfy my academic desires, but there is still a passionate compulsion to keep pushing toward that doctorial stratum of greatness. I heard an appealing conversation on television about this so-called new culture in America called “Black American.” I thought to myself for a minute, what could this mean? I have always considered myself a Black American…Then it hit me. In order to celebrate and empathize with this new culture of being a Black American, it means to stand for something, edify oneself, being economically savvy and to understand where you have come from in order to know where you would like to go. A Black American does not measure himself or herself by the amount of money they have, but by how they are investing it. Investing in your communities, your culture and in the prosperity of other people like you.

What’s next for me will be an array of many things. I have already started documenting and dialoguing through the use of internet blogging. I challenge everyone to take full advantage of this resource.

Happy Holidays to everyone everywhere! 

Daughter

I wanted you, loved you, and dreamed of you,
Long before you were even born.
That was a lot of expectations to put on a child.
But leave it to you to always be your own person,
to have your own mind,
to do things your way makes me want to yell,
"Look world, look at my daughter isn’t she amazing."
You are my legacy, and it makes me pround to know
I have made the world a better place simply by having you.
Happy Birthday

This was in a birthday card sent from my mother on my birthday. Thanks Mom.

TELICIA

Telicia's joy is unique;
Everyone who knows her would
Loftily say she
Is kind, humerous,
Caring, has a good heart and
Interesting in every way,
And today is her birthday.