Shirataki Noodles

There is this new product everyone is raving about. Shirataki Noodles are noodles made from tofu and they are low in calories in fat. One cup of shirtaki is 20 kcal where as most other noodles are about 200 kcal/cup. However that is only fabulous if they taste good. I decided to try out a recipe. 

The noodles come in a package surrounded by water and they smelled fishy. I drained them and patted them dry. To a pan I added a teaspoon of olive oil and sautéed some onion. I added broccoli, shrimp and the Shirataki noodles.  I my stir fried it all together with black bean sauce. I did not like the texture of the noodles and the fishy smelled lingered. Maybe  I needed to boil the noodles for a different texture.  I was not impressed by these fake me out noodles. Anyone who knows me knows I don't like fake foods. I had hope for Shirtaki because tofu in noodle form does not qualify as fake in my book. 

Rating: D

Up Next: I lucked up on a Wii Fit during my holiday shopping so look forward to many more posts about that subject. I'm thinking about doing a Wii Fit weight loss and tone challenge for the first three months of the new year. 

So I've decided this is going to be a food and fitness blog. In 2008 I lost 22 pounds. I have more weight to lose to get to my goal but,  I know I should share with others how I got there without really going to the gym. Well obviously part of it involved a bike.  I think I will start posting up my favorite things so others might have some ideas. 

So this week I discovered Skinny Cow Ice cream. I'm not a big fan of "fake" foods. However I've been craving real sweets.  So I leave you with a review of Skinny Cow and  a dessert recipe. 

Skinny Cow makes ice cream sandwiches and bars that are low in fat and taste good enough for me. My friend used to eat them all the time but I preferred the real thing in smaller portions. However, there are times when I just want to grab and go. A good part of weight loss is portion control and Skinny cow comes all ready portioned so there is no temptation for me to try to fudge the measurements. At only 140 calories and 97% fat free,  it's a big win in my book. However it does contain high fructose corn syrup which I prefer not to eat. 

When I'm ready to bake but don't want to spend a lot of time I have put together a basic cobbler recipe based on lots of recipes I've tried. This one involves peaches but you can use any fruit you like. It doesn't have thick crust but you get that crust flavor which is the important part. 

Skinny Peach Cobbler

6 Medium Peaches Cored and Sliced

1/3 cup of sugar plus 1 TBSP

1 TBSP Cornstarch

1 TSP Cinnamon

1 C Flour

1.5 TSP baking powder

3TBSP Margarine

1/2 C 2% Milk

1/2 TSP salt

Preheat oven to 375ºF.

 

In a large saucepan, combine peaches, 1/3 cup of sugar (5 1/3 tablespoons), cornstarch, lemon juice and cinnamon; toss to coat peaches. Set pan over medium heat and bring to a boil; cook until mixture thickens, about 1 minute. Remove pan from heat; transfer mixture to an 8-inch square baking pan.

 

To make topping, combine flour, remaining tablespoon of sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Work in margarine with a fork until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add milk; stir until flour mixture is evenly moistened.

 

Drop 8 tablespoons of topping mixture over peach mixture. Bake until topping is golden brown and filling is bubbly, about 20 to 25 minutes. Cut into 8 pieces and serve.

about 150 calories 2gm fat

What's Bicycle Girl been up to?

Well she hasn't been riding her bike.  Her office went business casual and she hates changing her clothes. I'm' not one of those girls who will ride her bike in suit pants and heels. I also hate changing my clothing no the bathroom stalls. 

Second,  I have been helping B with is new Bar and Lounge. So I've been waitress, stock girl, dish girl and confidant. It's been fun and so tiring. I've also consumed an inordinate amount of fried chicken, fish, fries and beer. Thank goodness I have to walk and up down the stair everyday. So I don't think I gained any weight. Well I won't know until I get on a scale. 

I've even tried to eat healthy  before getting to the place but the smell of fried foods are too tempting. I can't stay away. I guess I should try and go there uncomfortably full. I have to do something before I reverse all my progress. I have about 16 weeks to lose 17 lbs. I can do it but this is a real challenge.  

Nate

Well again I'm home on a Friday night. Well not for long. So I was just instant messaging with a friend of mine I hadn't seen in a long time. So I asked him how his girl was doing. Well about 3 years ago his girlfriend was in an accident and was in a coma for quite sometime. When she came out of it she had to re-learn everything. How to eat, walk, talk. He told me he had just come back from visiting her and he showed me some short videos he took while he was there. She's still not able to really talk but she is able to express herself. He's making a lot of jokes and she's laughing at him. He warned me that I would cry and I didn't.

Whenever I'm having a rough day I think of Nate's strength. I might run into him twice a year these days but I always remember it. I don't know very many people who would stick around through a coma and her rehabilitation. She's moved back home to another state but he continues to be there for her. When I think of his strength that's what makes me cry. I've never met someone so selfless. I'm crying now because Nate is awesome person. I'm sad that when he had huge crush on me I ignored him, lol. I did tell him he could date me on a date to Wendy's dollar menu.

In a lot of religions we are asked to believe in the unseen. When I think of Nate I don't think I have to. I see God in him and the way he lives his life. I just didn't know I would see it in a skinny kid who wore trucker hats and knee high socks.

Yes You is Loud

So I ran into my landlord outside. I hate the fact that she's my age or even younger. Well she ask me how's it going. I say it's okay. I tell her that I'm not used to living under people. I didn't want to go too hard and say how bad it was. It's a basement and it's my fault for not properly investigating. So she asks a few questions to which I answer in the affirmative.

Is it the walking?
Is it the talking?
Is it the TV?

So she looks at me awkwardly and I say "Well I now know you have a Nintendo Wii." We made some small talk about the Wii. I think that was a good way to put it in perspective for her that I can hear things that clearly. She said that she has asked all the previous tenants and none of them ever admitted to that it was a problem. She smiled awkwardly to signal that she appreciated my honesty. I went inside and she continued to garden.

As soon as she came inside it was like the biggest ruckus ever. I giggled because I have feeling that it's just a crappy home and that they aren't really that loud but it's that there isn't a sound barrier. She mentioned that there might be some construction and I guess I should suggest to her that they maybe put in a layer of insulation.

I had no idea the people upstairs had a Wii too.

So someone just asked me why I was home on a Friday night. I stated my reason now I wish I was out on the town. My landlords have a Wii. I have one too so I know all that's involved. Well now they are upstairs making their character called a Mii. I know how fun and exciting that can be. I remember the cackling that happened when we set up one for B. Short, skinny, freckles, big noses, chinese eyes and a kung fu beard. You can make all kinds of crazy looking characters. Unfortunately there is no sound barrier between my space and theirs. They have a friend over I think he stomps his foot every time he laughs. They haven't even played any games yet. It's bound to be worse when they start moving around. It's sad that in 30 minutes the voice of Sarah Palin will sound great to me.

I have no idea why I thought living in a basement was the move. Seriously no one warned me about it. I've known a couple of people in basements but none of them mentioned the noise factor. Everyone talked about bugs and floods. I was enticed by the price. I thought I was giving up closet space. No peace and quiet is gone. An inconvenient truth. What's the point of living solo if you have voices in your living room? Luckily I only have 5 months to go. Maybe I should look more forward to work travel.

How to Make an Aloo Paratha

This is one of my favorite indian dishes but it's not found on many menus around here so I am going to attempt to make it myself. 

Hains Point Conquered

Well Hains Point is flat so I did the loop three times so I put in about 10 miles. I went pretty slow compared to other cyclist but I don't care. I just needed to do something. I may have big legs but they aren't that muscular.  The whole point of riding is to get them muscular. 

Well to that end, I'm brining on a new addition to my workout routine. I'm going to start Exotic Aerobics at a studio 3 blocks from my house.  On the surface it seems really sketchy to go to the basement of someone's home to pole dance. However, I went to the website and the woman who runs it is simply a personal trainer and decided to get on this pole dancing fitness craze.  She's also Black so that's a plus. You know how I love Black businesses. Well I'm going to start with her Body-licous which is a strength training class. I know what a squat and some crunches can do for me.  January 27th will be one year since I went on this weight loss journey so I'm hoping I can make it to my goal by then. At that rate it's one 1lb a week. I think I can make it. 

That Negro Tried to Kill Me

If you are reading this, I'm still alive. Well this morning I woke up to a slight discomfort. It was my overweight lover with his arm around me. Usually that isn't a problem but today his elbow was poking into my side. Well it was starting to hurt so I wanted him to move it. I tried to say his name and I tried to move. Well I was suffering from sleep paralysis yet again. As the pressure became too much to handle I yelled and screamed. However, he couldn't hear me as nothing was actually coming out of mouth. Nor was I moving around. Finally I snapped out of it as I was beginning to panic and think "This Negro is going to rupture my damn appendix."

I'm going for that confidence ride now.

Battle of the Arboretum

So yesterday I got off my rotunda and bought a new bike wheel. In the process I discovered that you could buy wheel locks. They aren't bolted on but you have a key that releases them fairly quickly. I'm excited by the prospect of my wheels being difficult to steel but in my heart it still doesn't seem that secure.

So this morning we decided we would take a ride around the National Arboretum. Well I thought rolling among the flowers would be a leisurely thing to do. Boy was I wrong. It's quite hilly and after not riding or doing any type of exercise for 3 months that thing nearly killed me. After 20 minutes I was done with those hills and I wanted to go some place else that was  flat. What a confidence killer. In the process I realized that my brakes were rubbing which greatly contributed to how challenging the arboretum trails felt. Well at least that's the story I'm sticking to.

We were near B's friend's house and this guy rides a lot. So we went to his house for some light bike repair. We loosened up the pad on my breaks. Well B went riding around a bit and I see him walking back up the hill. His chain was broken. So much for going out for another ride. Instead I decided I was hungry. I said "let's find some brunch guys". B says "woman why don't you cook?" Well I don't think he expected me to go upstairs to his friends kitchen and whip up a meal. No his friend is a bachelor but he has enough food for a family of 4. So I made potato and onions, scrambled eggs and Eggo waffles with a banana caramel sauce. Mighty good if I do say so myself.

So tomorrow I'm going to sneak out the Mall early and ride by myself. I can't be embarrassed the way I was this morning. I need to get my bike mojo back. So the first step is education. I decided to look over this tutorial on how to shift gears to make sure I'm doing it right.

I let a white coworker try to tell me that Diana's famous song is "I'm coming UP". Here is your answer JM.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FdKeGAoWEg8

I love the Internet

I woke up in the middle of night and I realized that missed Obama's speech. What the hell? Such a historic moment and I missed it. Well thank god MSNBC has the whole thing.

In other news I woke up at 6 am and it's pitch fucking black outside. The crickets are still chirping. I'm not sure I will make it in this basement apartment. From bay windows to only one window that lets light in. I curse B every time. However, I'm going to probably be cursing everyday when he leaves his clothing in the middle of the floor everyday.

The End of an Era

So Cheryl aka Shurrryl moved to Arizona last week. I'm not sad as it was probably time for us to seperate. She wanted to leave DC and I'm beginning am in transition in my life. So no more spontenous barbeques, drunken walks to Ben's and not stopping each other from eating Taco Bell.

So this week I am moving into my last apartment as a single woman. It's for 6 months. Don't ask me why because I'm kind of sick of answering that particular question. I am that's it. I'm moving to a part of town that is very different from every other place I've lived in DC. While I am not that far from the metro I'm much further than I've ever been. It's also an area that doesn't have many small businesses. Therefore I won't really be walking for late night runs to anything. While I could get along as many people do without my car. It will be much easier to just get in the car and ride to Popeyes. That's one thing that I will hate. My options for convient healthy eating have gone down. Well I am only moving a mile away but things get sparse on this side. It's pretty sad. 

Dear Barack Obama Supporters,

I would like to inform you of why I am voting for your candidate. I'm voting for him because he is a Democrat and he's Black. When it came to the primary I voted (well i was going to vote) for Obama because Hillary and Bill were playing dirty. If you go to the the various websites that track voting history Obama and Hillary are barely indistinguishable. I also would have voted for Obama because he's been in politics for less time than Hillary. It means that he hasn't made as many back door deals. He hasn't been out there playing the politics game for that long. It was obvious that Hillary had "bought" many of the black Dems along the way and now they are mad they put their money on the establishment. Obama has made deals, he just doesn't owe as many people as she does. Also I'm voting for him because he's Black. I cast a vote for Jesse in the Girl Scout mock election in 1988 because he was Black. Well times haven't changed that much and I am going to ahead cast my vote for Black again Why not ? People vote based on race everyday. I think anyone voting for change hasn't thought about it really hard. We have a government that is slow and has three branches. Although in the Bush presidency he's wielded the power of the executive very heavily, I doubt Obama will be doing the same.

Signed,

Aisha

P.S. Of course Edwards cheated I knew that from the first day I saw him. He's a young, politician, rich, good looking with a $400 haircut and a great smile. Uh Duh.

It's been a long time...

Yesterday I attended yet another bachelorette party. I'm really warming up to them. Obviously I can't talk about what happened but there is one story I must tell. When I arrived at the hotel, I was in the elevator with two guys. We made small talk and they made jokes about coming to the bachelorette party. They exited on the 6th floor...6th Floor Boys. Later on the bachelorette party attendees were banished to the lobby so that when the stripper arrived. I guess word got to the 6th floor that there were 20 fine ass ladies in the lobby. There was not a single ugg mugg among us. Next thing I know there are lots of men in the lobby including the guys I was previously on the elevator with. I made small chat and they said they were at the liquor store with me earlier as well.

When the ladies are asked to returned to the suite, somehow 4 of us are on the elevator with the 6th Floor Boys. So apparently I had been to the liquor store and now to the in the elevator twice. So they start making jokes about being our pre-entertainment. One lifts up his shirt and I had a couple of ones in my hand so I decided to stick it in the waist of his pants. Well what I didn't count on is that he didn't have on underwear. I didn't really look as I reached in and there it was, pubic hair. Here I am essentially grabbing the pubic hairs of a strange. An accident but typical Aisha.

It's here....

I found a Wii in Providence, RI. So for the last 6 months I've been casually looking for a Wii. I'm so glad I found it. 

Bummer

So some asshole stole my bike wheel again. I'm so pissed. This time they used bolt cutters to take it in broad daylight from one of the busiest intersections of the city. So that's another $80 plus I need to buy a heavy duty lock.

Then I was walking from the Metro and this guy said "girl i'm glad your pants are too tight." So he implied that he was happy that I decided to squeeze myself into this pair of pants for his viewing pleasure. Like I was one of those tacky DC girls who sports a constant muffin top an booty about to split the pants. The thing was that my pants weren't tight. In fact when I put them on I thought about how they were finally the perfect fit and were no longer too snug. But the hell with him I lost another 2.6 lbs for a total of 16.4. I'm only .4 lbs away from being able to say. I've lost 10% of myself. Awesome. I'm going to celebrate next week with sushi.

So this week someone stole my front while. What a downer. But my boo is taking care of it for me. He rocks.

In other news my weight loss is still continuing. Yesterday I was wearing this dress and I swear there was a little midget following me. That's because since my waist is getting smaller it's making my lower body that much more prominent. Also in a dress the hind parts are able to run around freely. It's such a catch 22.

...and today we have turkey burgers
i don't measure for this so here we go

1 lb ground turkey
Worcestershire Sauce
Dijon Mustard
chopped Chives
1 egg for binding
Grill Seasoning
Salt

This works best in a grill pan.
They look so pretty.

Making Easy Food sound Fancy


So let's talk today about frittata. According to wikipedia.com:

"frittata is a type of Italian omelette that frequently features fillings such as meats, cheeses, and vegetables. Like a traditional French omelette, a frittata is prepared in a skillet. However, whereas an omelette is cooked on a stovetop and served folded, a frittata is first partially cooked on a stovetop but then finished under the grill (broiler) and served open-faced."

So essentially it's a non folded omelette by another name. So let's talk about how to make a frittata.

The essentials: Eggs, milk, cheese salt and pepper
The optionals: ham, turkey, onion, spinach, bacon, tomato..... whatever you like in your omelettes

How to:
Preheat oven to 375
Whisk 6 eggs and two egg whites in a bowl with 1/4 cup of milk.
Preheat a 10 inch ovenproof skillet on medium heat.
Add some oil (any type will do even nonstick spray)
Add your "optionals" and cook them
Add the egg mixture over the "optionals"
Let the frittta "set up"....wait until the sides look firm but the top still jiggles
At that point put it in the oven for 5 minutes
Remembering that the handle is hot, take it out and sprinkle cheese on top
Put back in the oven until the cheese has melted
Remov from oven and let rest for 2 minutes
Cut, Serve, Enjoy

My Life via Hood Films

1.Remember when Ricky (Morris Chesttnut)got Shot in Boys in the Hood and he took a piss right before that? That was my back gate he pissed on.

2.Remember the house Jada Pickett lived in Menace to Society? That was across the street from my Elementary School.

3.Remember in White Men Can’t Jump when Wesley and his wife are looking to upgrade to a new house ? It was just 1.5 blocks from our house. Every house was a California bungalow or craftsman so they look very unique because architectural details were often maintained.

4.Remember in Love and Basketball they both Monica and Q play for Crenshaw in High School? I also dated a star basketball player from Crenshaw.

5.Also do you remember in White Men Can’t Jump when Wesley meets with the Tile Salesman at Oki Dog? That place was one block from my grandmother’s house. So I would always try and get her to take me there. I can’t believe I used to want a burrito filled with hotdogs, chili and cheese.

6.Remember in Traning Day when Denzel goes to see his child in the hood. Well that was in Jungles near my other elementary school. The Jungles were considered very dangerous as it was a bunch of cheap apartments right on top of one another. Lots of drug dealing but I never felt unsafe around there but I would watch my back a little bit more after passing King Blvd.

7.Remember in The Wood when they go into the 7-11 to get breath mints….well that was like the only 7-11 in all of the hood. Seriously there aren’t very many. In fact I think “The Wood” has 2 and that’s all we get.

I am truly a heathen.

Today was condom distribution day once again. So we were walking around a shopping center handing out condoms since it was raining today. I hand one to this brother and he hesitates on taking it. I tell him if he doesn't need it maybe someone else he knows does. So he walks away with it and brings it back a few minutes later and says "I wanted to give this back since I won't need it and someone else might." How nice of you "such a fine specimen of a running back with a squeezable booty."

We continue to hand out condoms and we run into him and his companion again. We thanked him again for returning the package. He stops and talks to us more about what we are doing. He asks us if we ever promote abstinence since that is the only sure fway to not get HIV. So we rap a taste about different things and we have some good laughs. Something tips me off that he is a man of God. So I asked him if he was a part of a ministry. He tells me he goes to the church up the way and I joke with him about the church causing ungodly amounts of traffic on Sundays.

Now I have only been to church twice in the last 5 years. In my lust, I seriously contemplated attending this church sometime soon. Not to catch a sermon but to catch a glimpse of this fine man again. Generally people invite folks to their churches or say "you should attend" but I'm sure he read the message across my boobs "There is no religion but sex & music." signed, Sting. Thus I wasn't invited to church.

This is also not my first foray into trying to corrupt men of God. (I may have posted these stories before but I don't care, lol.)_The first time was in college when another fine specimen of a man walked into the sanctuary and there was only one seat left in the church that wasn't on the first row. So I assumed I could point him to it. I see him looking around so I try to flag him over. He walked right up to the front row. Damn Damn Damn. I figured I'd try and talk to him after church or something. Well before the service was over he was introduced as a minister in training. Well goodness gracious. So after church he actually walks up to me because he said that he recognized from school. How had I not seen this man on campus? It was an awkward chat as I was nervous that he was coming up to me. I was kind of curt with him but, I should have been more friendly because being a first lady sounds like a cush job.

The 2nd time this happened I was attending a pentecostal church for the first time. They had these praise singers and one of them looked aight. He was a tad too mixed looking for my taste. When church was over and I was leaving he ran through the crowd just like OJ running through the airport to try and talk to me before I left. Then I attended a gospel concert in the park and I was having a hard time finding my friends in the crowd. So I ran into him and his mom and just shared a blanket with him. So we exchanged numbers and emails and what not. So we were sorta kinda talking to each other but he too was a minister in training. So we could never get anything popping off because he was trying to stay on the straight and narrow. Me not so much.

"Hey JP you are so tall when you really get into singing I get nervous because you always look like you are going to bump your head."

"Aisha how do you even notice that? You should be deep in prayer and worship and not paying attention to me."

Whoomp Whoomp Whoomp

He probably prayed a lot to take the temptation named Aisha away. One day at work I was talking to a coworker about the situation and I mentioned his full name since it's of french origin, very unique and sexy. My coworker starts screaming so I'm thinking she saw a rat run by us or something. No here I am talking to her about her cousin. Well it all ended right there. His mom was white how was I to know he was Haitian? Well yeah his name but I thought his mom might be French or something.

Someone asked me the other day if I still get tempted. My answer was obviously yes but I would never act on it but I was truly having some visions earlier today. Whole "flicks" running through my mind as we talked. We were talking about sex...I mean sexual health the whole time. So the words, penis, vagina, head, cigar & blue dress were sprinkled in the conversation.

Clearly I need the Lord. I can't even go into his house without lusting over someone. The church the guy was talking about actually has a webcast....yeah I went to their website and looked through the photos, lol. Maybe I'll catch a webcast so I can see what the church is about. I'm serious I won't be scanning the crowd for the dude...well I'll try not to.

Lots of Random Things

I forget what it's like to be a teen sometimes until I get to talking to the girls at the afterschool program.

1) The Senior who got the "itis" so bad that I hope that the colleges don't rescind their offers.

2) The sophmore whose mother died of cancer and now her family is split up.

3) The sophmore who has a 21 year old man trying to talk to her and she tells me he wants her to be involved in some questionable things of a sexual nature. He's also been to jail three times.

The first two will probably work themselves out but the 3rd I'm feeling the need to intervene. So I'm trying to get her a job that will involve her spending 8 hours a month with me. So it's kinda like she will be getting paid to be my mentee. Hopefully that all works out.

I have to question when something positive happens


So my uncle and I have never really had a relationship. If I went to my grandmothers or my dad's and he happened to be around we might chat for 5 minutes. So I basically would see him for 5 minutes once a year. No calls or anything in between.

So 3 years ago in that 5 minutes I tell him I have to buy a new car. I get back home and there is an envelope from him with check for the down payment.It was odd because in over 27 years he'd never given me anything. Not even a few bucks for the ice cream truck. I thanked him profusely for the check.


So now he calls me every so often, like once a quarter and that 5 minutes has turned into 1 hour every time I'm home. So he called two weeks ago when I changed my number he called again today. So I should be ecstatic that we are building a relationship now but something feels so strange about it.

How to make your own Lean Cuisine

So at first I was just trying to get my sexy back. Now I have to figure out how to make my food taste good without adding a lot of salt. I also spend a ton of money on food and I need to cut that out. My savings account is larger than it’s ever been but I know I could trim back even more.

So I’ve been trying to take my lunch but I’m so lazy I can’t seem to get it together. So instead of sitting in the bed listening to NPR I got up and made breakfast and packed a lunch while I listened to the news. So I got this great idea for making my own Lean Cuisine.

1/2 cup frozen brown rice
6 medium frozen cooked shrimp
3/4 cup of frozen asparagus tips
1 smashed clove of garlic
2 ½ TBSP of low-sugar orange marmalade (no artificial sweetener)
1 TBSP rice wine vinegar
1 TSP sesame oil
Black Pepper
2 frozen ice cubes of chicken broth

Place all of this is a microwaveable plastic dish. While it sits in the fridge at work all the ingredients will start to defrost. Microwave with a top on for 3 minutes or so (you just have to figure that part out). Mix it all up and you have a yummy healthy meal. You might have to adjust the flavoring to your liking. I’d even say add a little soy sauce but I can’t eat that.

I have a pretty decent pantry so it’s a little easier for me to throw stuff together. Also chicken broth only lasts a couple days in the fridge so if I know I’m not going to use the whole carton I just freeze it into ice cubes and have them on hand.

It's not really about being fat.

So I'm sure we've all looked at people who were obese and thought things about them. Thinking they are so unhealthy ecetera. However, what if all the tests say everything is okay? No diabetes, high blood pressure or high cholestrol.

Then there is me. Always trying to get B to be more active because his size signals to me he might be unhealthy. Then I go to the doctor to find out I have high blood pressure. I'm the one who exercises all the time and tries not to eat processed foods. I'm the one trying desperately to get fit and stay fit. I'm doing all the things I should and none of it seems to matter.

So now I have to give up more than ever before. I now understand why father appears to eat a tasteless diet. He probably had this same moment I'm having. No more pickles and olives. No more bacon, not even turkey bacon. No more bloody Mary's. No more lunch meat. Who really wants to eat low salt peanut butter?

Get Money

So I keep wondering should I buy a condo to live in until I walk down the aisle because I'm not one for shacking up. However, it seems silly because I probably wouldn't live in all that long but I guess there is rental income potential.

I also have a friend who wants to buy something in my neighborhood. So she asked me to help her figure out the market. You can look up the tax assessment values of a property but they are usually a little lower than what the market rates are.

So I just google my address and up pops a document of area revilization. In this document it talks about the revilization on my neighborhood. So I know for sure my landlord was able to get the place I am renting through one of those first time buyes low income specials. Let me remind you that low income in DC is like 62K. So in the document it says the place was sold for 150K. She I know she is renting it illegally because she told us that she had to wait three years to rent it but her daughter needed her to live with her fo the next couple of years and then she would move back in. So in essence she's pimping the system hard. We are paying more than three times her mortgage to rent this place. She got the place well below market rates and is renting for market rate. I can't begrudge anyone getting money but damn.

The lady below us treats us like renters. It pisses me off even more because now I know what her mortgage payment is roughly. So she always has a roomate which means they are probably paying her mortgage for her. So she needs to get off her high horse because we I could pay her mortgage and then some. She treats us like we are some poor stupid renters.

For the better part of three days I've been stuck at home hacking and coughing. I thought I would clean up or read but I managed not to do anything. But I don't want to talk about being sick I hate it. The good news is that I finally found a doctor. I'm so excited to go in at the end of the month. Time to finally face the facts about some of my health problems.

But I really want to talk about mommy syndrome. I know that little kids love me because of my hair. I think it excites them when I really think I should scare them. Part of me wants to know what excites them so. Generally I expect children to point and stare and say "Mommy look at the funny lady." But on at least two occasions children have tried to get out of their high chairs at restaurants to come to my table. In one case the mom got sick of the kid and just pushed him over to eat at my table. He sat there played with the pancakes and was cool when he was with me. The same thing happens at grocery stores, kids trying to get out of their shopping carts. Then there are the random kids who run up and squeeze my legs saying "mommy". I stand there dumbfounded like "umm who's kid is this?"

It really bothers me because I try to pretend like I hate kids. But I guess it's not true. But I have not idea why children find me that interesting, ready to abandon their mothers and run of into the world with me. A stranger. Ninety percent of the time they are white children. Do I remind them of their Black nannies? Or am I around white children 90% of the time?

I've been told I have motherly instincts but I say it's all hogwash. However, my bestfriend is pregnant and I had the answer to every question that husbands asks. How much is a car seat? Do we need to get a bigger car? What about diaper services. I seem to have all the answers. I guess that's what happens when you've been an Aunt since 5. So I've said all this so say...ha ha...to say *shrug*

Oh also let me plug my new favorite blog: postbourgie.com

One post a month? Wow this is really piss poor.

So in today's news...

I sat in a meeting for 6 hours with wet pants. I had to drive to a meeting and I spilled a bottle of water on my crotch. Oh joy.

Can I say I'm going to have more bike clothing than regular clothing very soon? It's no fun being sweaty in regular clothing. It makes it so uncomfortable.

I also lost 8lbs in February. I need to make sure I keep it up for March.

This year there are so many weddings happening. I can't wait to help everyone celebrate their love.

Getting Things Done

On a general weekend I get nothing done. I say I'm gonna take care of this or that but it never happpens. Well today I accomplished the following things.

1. Dropped off Dry Cleaning
2. Dropped off donations to Goodwill
3. Replaced my license and renewed my registration (2 damn hours)
4. Handled some over due personal gromming
5. Picked up my prescription and that much needed pack of toilet paper
6. Picked up the dry cleaning I dropped off this morning

I know it doesn't seem like a lot to some people but on a general weekend I might do one of the 6. Tomorrow I hope to accomplish about 2 big task around the house and pick up a couple of things from the mall but I doubt I'll do it all. But I'm about to play hard tonight. I'm going to attempt to go out with my girl tonight after a dinner.

Bad News

I'm not registered to vote. I'm pretty pissed. Last February I filled out the application at the DMV when I got my license. So I realized that I didn't know my polling place so I went online to check. Well it says they don't have a record for me. So I can't vote for *********** on Tuesday. I'm pretty disappointed. Ironically I'm going to the DMV tomorrow because I lost my license. Well I won't be filling my voter registration application again because apparently they don't submit them. Really I should have checked earlier but when you apply you just assume you are registered. Yeah I'm pissed.

Close Encounters of the Racial Kind

Now for the 2nd installment. Again I have a Vietnamese nail technician asking me "Is that all your real hair?" I guess the weave queens are the pevailing image in their minds. So I got intot he waxing room and now she's up close up and personal. She comes over to examine my brows and has to move my from out of the way so it doesn't get waxed. I've seen hair like yours before but I've never touched it. Well you can't really go off on the person about to put hot wax near your eye.

In other good news I lost 5lbs this week. I worked hard and my efforts paid off. It was actually a lot more weight that I thought I would lose. I stll managed to eat out and drink alcohol in the process. So whil I did change somethings there was no serious restricting I had to do. I'll share the plan with you at some later date.

It is 49 degrees in DC at 5:30am. Instead I'm in Akron, OH and weather.com say it is 15 but feels like -6. Yeah really this sucks. I'm going to freeze my ass off.

In other news I took a Confident City Cycling class Saturday. It really sucked. Dude just sat there and read to us. We didn't get on our bikes. He did show us how to change a tire. I really couldn't do it myself if I had to based on his demonstration. So me and my girl get on our bikes to ride home. In the process of speeding down 18th Street in Adams Morgan we had an encounter with a bus. We followed dudes directions and we nearly were taken out. Then something popped off my girl's bike and flew across the busy street. I was able to stop and cross the street. There was a dude about to illegally parking. I get over there and he gets nervous and inquires "Are you parking enforcement?" Well that solidified my dork on bike status. I apparently I'm the adult version of a hall monitor. There I am trying to get her bike parts from under a parked car in the middle of 18th street. Well after all that we made it home safely but didn't feel any more confident that before we went to the class.

Today is a day when I would have taken a ride to work but instead I'm in Akron, OH. On my way to the airport I had a how not to holla moment. Well this person didn't holla but I was offended by his remarks:

"Where did you get your cuteness from? I mean I'm know you are black but what else are you? I can tell you aren't just black."

So today I was reminded that if you are cute surely you just can't be Black.

Go Wizards

I really hadn't realized that basketball season started. Seriously I really didn't realize that it was January and well the season starts in October. Wait that's a lie, I was trying to get Wizards tickets back in October. Well basketball just hasn't been on my radar.

Well yesterday after a moment of crisis I ended up in Ben's Chili Bowl for dinner. They have the Wizards vs. Celtics game on. I knew they were at the Garden which meas that they would have their road jerseys on but I still squinted because I didn't recognize the uniforms. Well these new uniforms are just awful. I hope they are some sort of temporary uniforms or something.

So there is yet another thing I need to add to my social calender. I try to go to at least 3 games a year. Hopefully I can end up in a luxury box again this year.

I'm typing this to you with tight arms. I went on a 10 mile bike ride yesterday. The only thing that hurts right now are my arms. It feels good but I'm surprised my legs don't hurt. I really think my arm hurt from putting my bike on the bike rack on the car. I have women's style bike but that makes it hard to put it on the rack.

After the bike ride I rushed home to cook some chicken and to take it to Girls Night Out. I was invited by a friend to night of women just hanging out and building with one another. You know they say women are catty but this night just proved everyone wrong. We had a nice time.

A part of this included a male stripper. This dude was well known. All the girls had seen him before. I guess I'm missing an adventure here in DC. They all go to male strip clubs. I've only seen them at house parties and really I don't like them. Something about them makes me timid. I'm so not timid. But dude was just okay. I didn't like his look and that's half of the fantasy. But I enjoyed his show.

I'm typing this to you with tight arms. I went on a 10 mile bike ride yesterday. The only thing that hurts right now are my arms. It feels good but I'm surprised my legs don't hurt. I really think my arm hurt from putting my bike on the bike rack on the car. I have women's style bike but that makes it hard to put it on the rack.

After the bike ride I rushed home to cook some chicken and to take it to Girls Night Out. I was invited by a friend to night of women just hanging out and building with one another. You know they say women are catty but this night just proved everyone wrong. We had a nice time.

A part of this included a male stripper. This dude was well known. All the girls had seen him before. I guess I'm missing an adventure here in DC. They all go to male strip clubs. I've only seen them at house parties and really I don't like them. Something about them makes me timid. I'm so not timid. But dude was just okay. I didn't like his look and that's half of the fantasy. But I enjoyed his show.

Well I've changed the name of this blog again to more correctly reflect my life. I'm hardly having adventures these days. Right now I spend more time with my bike than anyone else. There was also this strange incident where a random group of strangers called me Bicycle Girl. I resisted the name but now I'm stuck with it. It also allows me to refer to myself in the third person quite easily.

What has Bicycle Girl been up to?

She had a fabulous time in California.

Since my mother passed going home has been rather stressful. I am not able to go to the childhood home I grew up in and I don't feel like I'm going home anymore. Most of my family has moved to other parts of the city so their homes don't feel like home anymore. These aren't the homes that they lived in for the 17 years I grew up in Los Angeles. My dad's house kind of feels like home only because he hasn't really changed my grandmother's house since she passed nearly 15 years ago.

Sometimes I feel disconnected from my family because my path is totally different from those close in age to me. These are my 2nd cousins. I try not to look down at folks I just want them to do better. I don't want them to have kids and then depend on a welfare check to take care of them. When I hear folks saying things like "I think I should have another baby so that I don't have to work." That shit is not cute. I get disgusted and doesn't make me proud to be a Dones family member.

I want them to provide more for their kids than they had. Instead they are content on providing less for their kids than what they had themselves. I want them to get up everyday and go to work. I know no one wants to do that especially at a low paying minimum wage job but I know that children need to see their parents work. Your parents retired from jobs after work there for 20 to 30 years and you've never held a job for more than six months. For shame. I want them to choose good male role models for their children. Not just find a man they can hustle into paying their bills and buying them coach bags.

It also bothers me that my older family members who enable my cousins not to do better. I know they don't want their grandchildren to suffer but they are also making so that their children don't have to do better. I can see getting your children out a rough spot but paying others rent and mortgages has got to stop. I know parents can competely control their kids but don't make it easy for them not to be productive people. If you want to contribute, pay your daughters childcare so they can go to work. I could rock with that.

Can you see why I think welfare reform wasn't such a bad idea?

See but I don't want to look down on folks right? I don't want to be Bill Cosby with mine but it boogles my mind that my family is hustling backwards. I don't really want to agree with Juan Williams. But I am close enough to this to know this is about the choice to struggle. I'm not sure why they are in love with the struggle.

But Bicycle Girl what about your sister?

Well Bicycle Girl's sister fits in here to. The only difference is that I to my knowledge my mother didn't enable her. She did take care of her first child but soley because the child had special needs and wasn't going to live past age 5. The child is 23 now. It's one thing to have a wayward child. It's another thing to enable your child to be wayward. In fact I think my sister had an untreated mental illness. But that's another story altogether.

But Bicycle Girl aren't there any positives in your family?

Well of course. I'm hopeful for the kids under 10. They have really taken a liking to me. Everyone was surprised when Cousin Bougie joined the line dancing during the Christmas festivies. Well actually it was odd because we have never danced during the festivies. We used to sit around and talk and after aunt passed who used to hold the party people started playing games. We played family trivia and sang Christmas Carol's. This year they tried to get children to sing. We laughed as lil DeMaya told us that on the 8th Day of Christmas we get 2 cameras. I agree with her, maybe the song needs a little updating. After that someone got the genius idea to play some of the classic line dances that black people loved to do. There was shock when I go up there and joined in. They were even more shocked when I didn't need anyone to show me how to do them. What Cousin Bougie knows how to do the booty call? Yes I right foot stomped my way back into the family. Soon all the kids were just dancing away and Jada danced her heart out. She's needs to get into dance classes. She's destined to be the new little girl in the Missy Elliot videos. I'll put up the video of her dancing in another entry. Then there is Imani. Imani already has a job, she does commericials. At 6 she came up to me to tell me that she's was too nervous to dance. She was so sincere. They all made me smile a lot.

But Bicycle Girl this isn't what you set out to write is it?

No really I wanted to talk about how badly I want a Nintendo Wii. Nintendo is pretty smart. They make something a low price point, easy to use and fun. So I really want one and I can't have one because they are sold out. Gamestop and Walmart are running a hustle where you have to buy a bundle to get one. Umm no I'm not spending $600 just to get something that cost $250. But when I get one everyone is welcome to come over and play. I will whip your ass in boxing and I'm not too bad in Tennis either. I spanked my nephew's ass right before heading to the airport and well he really wasn't sad that I was leaving anymore. He was just like "Bye Auntie. Have safe Flight."