The Official Countdown Begins... Officially!

Hi, Everyone!

You know, I’ve been so caught up in my studies that I just come to the realization that summer school is halfway over. Having said that, I guess there’s no better time than right now to make my official announcement… LET THE COUNTDOWN BEGIN, BABY!!!

We are officially sixteen days away until final exams, which are on May 30. There’s no way for me to take my finals any earlier, but that’s okay because I return home to Southern Cali on May 31. In the meantime in between time, I’ve got midterms in both of my classes this Friday, and I already know that I’ll be knocking those out of the park, because that’s what I do!

And speaking of my midterms, I guess I’d better go ahead and close up today’s blog post. I do apologize that it’s so short, but there really isn’t a whole lot to talk about. Not to worry, though—there’s always tomorrow and the next day.

Having said that, I’ll holla lata!

Smooches,

Natasha

Reading Really Is Fun...damental!

Good Tuesday Morning, Everybody!

I just got out of my Developmental Approach to Reading and Literacy class, and much like my other classes, it was a gooden. This morning, we talked about various ways to teach reading and writing to younger children. I happened to bring up a commercial that has been playing for the past couple of weeks now. In this commercial, it shows various parents talking to their children—in particular, there’s this one mom who is showing different vegetables to her little baby son, who appears to be no more than maybe four months old. It’s just the cutest thing, and at the same time, it promotes talking and reading to your children.

It also got me to thinking: Although I was two years old, I clearly remember my Grampa Clark singing the theme song to That Girl. Of course, he made up his own lyrics apart from the original, but it still sounded good. To this day, I find myself singing That Girl every now and then. Of course, Mom and Dad talked to me constantly, up to and beyond the time I was able to talk back… and when I say “talk back,” I am referring to holding a conversation with them. That’s not to say that I’ve never talked back—that’s just saying that there is a big difference between back-and-forth dialogue and actual talking back.

I really don’t know how I wound up on that topic, so I’m just gonna close that barn door before any other horses decide they wanna be free… hahaha!

Well, it looks like I’ve got to head to my Creative Expressions for Teachers class, lest I get marked late or absent. I’ll holla at y’all tomorrow, though, so until then, y’all have a gooden.

Hugs & Kisses,
Natasha

Moms Are Special... Especially Mine!

Happy Monday, Everybody!

I trust that you all had a great Mother’s Day weekend.

This is the second year in a row where I’ve celebrated Mother’s Day without my mom—for obvious reasons, of course. I did talk to her, though. Here’s the craziest thing: She called me on Saturday evening, around 11:45pm CST, and we talked until 1am CST. Seeing as how it was already Mother’s Day in Mississippi, I went ahead and gave my Mother’s Day greetings. And just to go on record, I called my mom yesterday morning around 8am CST to wish her an official Happy Mother’s Day (Cali time, anyway).

As for me, I spent this Mother’s Day weekend with my Aunt Donna. I figured that since my own mother is a thousand-plus miles away, I could still celebrate it with a strong motherly matriarch in Memphis. And as per usual, it was some kinda crowded when Aunt Donna and I went to church. The sermon came from Proverbs 31:10, with the subject “Mother Dearest.” Aunt Donna’s pastor preached real good, too; he made mention that mothers are a gift from God, and whether she is alive here or translated to life everlasting, we are to be grateful that The Lord blessed us with that wonderful lady we call Mom.

Aunt Donna’s pastor also said that moms are special, and when he said that, I got to thinking: Everyone with whom I come in contact boasts that they’ve got the greatest mother in the world. Neo Theo talks about his mom with such fondness and respect, and Ruby is not shy of letting the world know that her mom is the greatest of them all. Me personally, I know my mom is the best there is, the best there was, and the best there ever will be, but I must take into account that I can say that about Mrs. Danielle Stewart on account of she is my mom. I’ve concluded that everyone holds their mom in high regard, so there’s no need to get into an argument over why one mom is better than another.

Oh, by the way: When I got home from church yesterday, I told my mom that she was the greatest mama in the world. She laughed and said, “I know I am, Smurfette—that’s because I’m the onliest mama you’ll ever had, and that’s what makes me special!”

Okay, y’all—I gotta get going, but I’ll holla at y’all later.

Peace Out!
Natasha

In Celebration of Moms Everywhere, Especially Mine!

Hi, Everyone!

Seeing as how Mother’s Day 2014 is upon us, I thought I would use today’s blog post to celebrate all moms out there—especially mine!

Remember that sweet little lady in your neighborhood? She lived next door to you, three houses down from you, or maybe even across the street from you. Her name may have been Rosie, Thelma, Vivian, Edna, Lynn, Jo Ann, or Hannah, but no child dared to call her by her first name unless they “put a handler on it.”

She was not only respectful, but she was also respected, by young folks, old folks, and everyone else in between. She was sweet as the pies she was known to bake, yet just as strict when the situation called for it. She kept you company for hours on end—a ten minute visit wound up lasting two hours, but it didn’t matter because she was always a great company-keeper. If she could help out in any way possible, she would do so out of the goodness of her heart. If she didn’t have it, then she would direct you to the one who did.

Of her many characteristics, she was very, very humble. She never boasted about what she could do for others, nor did announce that she was a Christian—you knew that she was a Christian on account of her walk matched her talk. She was the kind of woman who made you feel welcomed when she invited you in her home, and regardless of whether you were hungry or not, she would take you in the kitchen and “fix you a little something to eat.” Whether it was a hamburger or a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, she could throw down in that kitchen. And Lord have mercy—you could literally taste the love in all of her desserts.

Whether or not she had children of her own, she adopted full grown adults as her sons and daughters, and she looked at their children as her nieces, nephews, or grandchildren. If she liked you, she called you “Baby” or “Sweetheart.” Sometimes she spoke in third person, and when she did, you knew that she was serious. More often than not, she mispronounced words, but she still made perfect sense. She listened with an attentive ear and didn’t give any advice unless she felt it was warranted. In giving advice, she would let you know about the goodness of The Lord, and would encourage (or remind) you to “put all yo trust in Him.” She never judged you for your wrongdoing, but she cared enough to tell you when you were wrong. She was Mom’s best friend and confidante; they talked for hours on end, either on the phone or on the porch. As corny as this sounds, little babies and puppy dogs just adored her. She wasn’t ashamed of her age, nor did she mind growing old, “so long as I do it gracefully.”

And on that note, I would like to wish a Happy Mother’s Day to my mom, my aunts, my grandmother, and all of the honorary moms in my life. I love you truly.

Hugs & Kisses,

Natasha

A Rare But Random Blog Post

Hi, Everyone!

Yes, I realize that it’s been a minute since y’all last heard from me, but as y’all know, the life of a Rustite is a busy albeit fun one. And yes, I do realize that I am only taking two classes during summer school, and both of those classes are in the morning, but I’m just sayin’, tho!

Today is just a random blog post today, as there is not too much news around the campus.

First thing’s first, though: I must acknowledge a very special loved one back home in Southern Cali. He is a very dear close friend to my family, and he’s also my mentor and role model. He was also flattered when he found out that my mom had a crush on him… hahaha! And while he proudly admits that he in his fifties, I want to state for the record that he doesn’t look a day over thirty… simply put, I want to say wish a Happy #57 to my goduncle, Mr. Bret George Douglas!

In other news, I finally got a chance to talk to my kindergarten teacher, Mrs. Ingrid Martin. I let her know that I am maintaining a 3.8 GPA, and that I’ve made the Dean’s List for a second year in a row. Y’all should’ve heard Mrs. Martin’s voice go up a couple octaves higher when I made that announcement; she was really overjoyed. Oh, and when I told her that I was making it my mission to visit her when I return to Southern Cali, I could totally envision her smiling when she said: “Oh, that would be so lovely, my dear—you could be my special helper for the day; just let me know when you return to L.A., and we can kick it to the max!”

Ah, dear sweet Mrs. Martin—she’s so hip with it!

Well, y’all, as I mentioned, this is only a short blog post today, but I’ll be back with more, hopefully on tomorrow. Until then, take care and God Bless.

Smooches,

Natasha

A Birthday Blog Post for the People's Champion

Happy Friday, Everyone!

Seeing as how today is Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s 42^nd Birthday, I would like to dedicate today’s blog post to the trailblazin’, eyebrow-raisin’, step off the brake and put your foot on the gas, always ready to whup some candy-ass—the People’s Champ himself!

I think I mentioned that I started watching wrestling when I was five years old. To give you a backstory, it was right around the summer of 1999. I remember it all too well because The Rock was laying down some serious smack in a heavy feud with one Hunter Hearst-Helmsley, who we’ve now come to know better as Triple H. Thanks to all of my uncles and a few of my cousins, I knew that Rock and Hunter had had a rivalry that dated back just a year prior, but things were really heating up between these two legends. You see, Rock had already become a three-time WWF (now WWE) Champion and was looking forward to a fourth reign, but Triple H was looking to make a name for himself and prove that he was World Championship material. These two titans exchanged wins, losses, and championships throughout their feud, and they even teamed up at one point in time. If I recall, it was an episode of SmackDown in which the People’s Champion and the Cerebral Assassin instigated a competition of “Can You Top This,” much to the chagrin and dismay of one Kurt Angle. Both Rock and Hunter were actually fighting over who could slam Kurt Angle’s head the hardest into the announcers’ table.

It was hilarious—y’all just had to see it!

One thing that I can say about The Rock: He has truly lived up to his moniker of being “the most electrifying man in sports and entertainment.” Whether he’s blazin’ across the movie screen in an action-packed thriller, or droppin’ the spine on the pine with a Rock Bottom and following it up with the People’s Elbow, there’s no denying that The Rock is simply the man!

By the way: Do y’all remember that time when The Rock forgot that he wasn’t wearing his wrestling boots? It was an episode of SmackDown, and Rock had just bounced off the ropes and literally slid across the center of the ring, where he dropped British Bulldog with the People’s Elbow! Here’s a clip of it right here!

Yes, I’ve followed Rock’s career from 1999 up to now, and I will admit that over the years, he won my respect, my love, and my admiration for him. Whether he wins or loses, Rock will always be the champion of my heart, if ya smelllllllllllll… la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la, la… what the Vipress-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s… is cookin’!

Smooches!

Natasha

Blog Post #500... Enough Said!

Hey, Y’all!

On December 26, 2012, I celebrated my one hundredth blog post.

On April 15, 2013, I celebrated my two hundredth blog post.

On July 28, 2013, I celebrated my three hundredth blog post.

On November 22, 2013, I celebrated my four hundredth blog post.

And how apropos is it that today is Thursday, May 1, 2014, and we are celebrating my Blog Post #500!  In the famous words of that man from that old Sprint/Nextel commercial… THAT’S PHENOMENAL!!!

Even though we’re celebrating an exciting milestone, I must admit that I don’t really have a special topic—that is to say, there’s nothing really newsworthy to talk about. At the same time, though, I did want to give y’all an update from a post sometime a couple of months ago, in which I talked about running for Miss Rust 2014-2015. Well, y’all, it pains me to break this news, but I missed out on putting my name in the hat. It’s a shame that I didn’t get a chance to campaign, but I’ve been focusing so much on my college goals (both academically and personally) that I just freakin’ missed the deadline. Lemme tell y’all how late I was: It was literally two days before finals that the announcement was made for the newly crowned Miss Rust 2014-15. It never occurred to me until this morning, and by then, it was too late!

I know that I shouldn’t focus on “shoulda-woulda-coulda,” but I really can’t help but think about what could’ve been. Oh, well—I’ll get over it eventually, but for now, I’m gonna kick myself in the caboose… hahaha! I promise that I won’t kick myself too hard, though—heck, at the very least, I’ll probably just throw my pillow across the wall and shout “Dammit!” through my teeth.

But then again, troubles don’t last always, and this too shall pass.

Until tomorrow, y’all have a gooden.

Smooches,

Natasha