What About Your Friends?

What about your friends
Will they stand their ground
Will they let you down again
What about your friends are they gonna be low down
Will they ever be around or will they turn their backs on you
(Chorus from “What About Your Friends” by TLC)

Alright, so this topic comes as a request from one of my faithful readers. The question is, if you knew your close friend’s bf/gf were cheating, would you tell?

Without a doubt, my answer would be yes! I’ve actually been in this situation before and without hesitation, I told my friend that I knew her boyfriend was cheating. As her friend, I felt it was my duty to share that information with her.  For the few people I truly consider to be friends, I practice the utmost loyalty towards them. My friends’ significant others are not my friends, so I in no way feel indebted to them. Why would I withhold information from my friend that directly affects him or her? If the roles were reversed, I would expect my friend to do the same.

I’ve never cheated on anyone in my life, but I’ve been cheated on several times. It’s an awful feeling and no one should feel that way, especially if they don’t deserve it. The thought of a relationship being built on lies is enough to break down some of the strongest people. Not to mention, if those who know keep the information to themselves, they’re also contributing to the lie. Furthermore, being lied to is not the only concern involved in cheating. The fact that you’re having sex with someone outside of your relationship can ultimately put everyone’s health at risk.

These are the things I kept in mind before I gave the news to my friend. I knew that the information I had would hurt her, but it was something she should know so that she could find means to protect herself and deal with the situation. I truly consider my closest friends to be an extension of my family. I want the best for them and will help them to achieve it.

However, I realize that not everyone will share the same sentiments. There are people who would not say a word to their friends about their cheating partner. I have no idea why a “friend” would withhold that information, but to each his or her own. I just know that I better not have any of those types of “friends” on my team, even though I’m sure I don’t.

Cherish the friend who tells you a harsh truth, wanting ten times more to tell you a loving lie.  ~Robert Brault,

Miami Heat 2012 NBA Champions

Congratulations to the Miami Heat on becoming the 2012  NBA Champions. Before anyone jumps to the incorrect conclusion, I am not a Miami Heat fan. I am a fan of basketball. My favorite team is the Orlando Magic and my favorite player is Ray Allen. With that said, I can without any hesitation send a congratulatory notion to the Miami Heat.

During the regular season, the Miami Heat were #2 in the conference and #1 in the Southeast division. Now, they are the 2012 NBA Champions. As a team, the Heat  had to overcome some obstacles from Bosh’s injury to Wade’s long-lasting leg pains. However, in my opinion,  the Miami Heat absolutely deserve their newly achieved title. Overall, they had a good regular and post-season.

While I understand that Lebron James alone did not win the title, I’d like to briefly focus on him mainly because he’s faced so much criticism since he decided to take his talents to South Beach.

I think Lebron James is an outstanding ball player. He has his ups and downs, but overall he’s great. I won’t dare compare him to Michael Jordan because LJ is an amazing player in his own right. I’m glad that he won a ring in his second season with the Miami Heat, especially after the let down against the Dallas Mavericks last season (Though, I have to admit that I was happy Dirk finally won a ring). It was a long trying journey, but Lebron got the job done.

I don’t think Lebron’s critics will stop antagonizing him just yet, but at least he’s achieved something that a lot of them thought he was incapable of doing.  That should at least bring the criticism down a notch, but it won’t completely stop.

Negativity always seems to outweight positivity when it comes to a lot of people’s perceptions of the world. Unfortunately, there’s not much we can do to change the opinion of others. All we can really do is continue to move forward and not allow others’ opinions to deter us from accomplishing our goals.

My Top 10 Must Haves for Summer 2012

We are nearing the official start of the summer season and unfortunately for the those of us living in Florida, summer weather actually seems to be year-round. I’ve come up with a list of ten things I think are necessary for this summer season. These are by no means arranged in any kind of order.

 

Numero Uno: Bright Nails!!! Bright hues on your nails is essential this summer and this is definitely the season you can get away with it. Right now, I’m wearing a shade called Sunshine, and it’s just that!

 

Two & Three: I combined these simply because the picture engulfs two things I think will be hot this summer. It’s a maxi dress and the print is tribal. Tribal print seems to be making a huge splash as we leave the spring season and enter the summer season. Furthermore, summer screams maxi dress! This dress is gorgeous and I hope I can find it!

 

Quatre: wedges. WEDges. WEDGES! I absolutely love wedges. They’re my favorite type of shoe and I wear them year around. However, I try to stay far away from cork during the fall/winter seasons, but will most certainly rock them during the summer season. Cork wedges are a hot commodity and should be included in any summer wardrobe.

 :خَمْسَةٌ I know this article of clothing will be a flash back for all those who were subjected to the wild 80s trends. Well, it’s back again. Unfortunately, as soon as hits stores, they usually sell out quickly. I had to find an old jean jacket and cut the sleeves off to be apart of this trend. The jean vest can be worn in other seasons of course, but I think it would be a nice addition to a cute floral print dress.   

 Bronzer! Try applying bronzer instead of the normal blush application. I’ve recently become a fan of blush, but I was introduced to bronzer a little while ago. I have a darker complexion, so I try to pick a bronzer that is deep in color. I usually apply it to the T-Zone and my cheek bones. It gives me a glowing look that I can’t get from my blush.

                                                                  Sette e Otto :  I’m going to hit two birds with one stone for this. To the right is an asymmetrical sheer top. Asymmetrical cuts have made their way back onto the fashion scene and they’ve come back in full force. I’ve seen asymmetric shirts, skirts and dresses. I’m not a big fan of asymmetric skirts and dresses, but I do own a few tops. I think they add a bit of flair to my wardrobe that I’m unable to get with my regular cut tops. Sheer tops are always a must have in any woman’s closet. I absolutely love the combination of the two styles!

 

Tisa: In order to find the perfect pair of sunglasses for this post, I googled “Grandma Sunglasses”. Grandma glasses are a cute way to accent your summer wardrobe and keep the sun out of your eyes. I’ve noticed that this type of frame has been pushing out the aviator and Ray Ban style glasses!

 

10: My final item that is a must have for the summer is a smile. As easy as it is,  a smile should always be the finishing touch to any wardrobe.

Daddy’s Girl [Father’s Day]

I am truly blessed to have grown up in a two-parent household. I can’t imagine who I would have become had I not had both of my parents.

Unfortunately, in my circle of friends and the community I grew up in, it seems that two-parent households is a rarity. I’ve observed what I believe to be the effects of not having a father; again, I say I am grateful.

My father has always been a valuable part of my life. I don’t think he can fully grasp how important his role in my life has been or how much I admire him.  He is the epitome of a good father. Now, I’d be a liar if I said that my relationship with my Dad has always been peachy. As a teen, I went through a “I can’t stand him” phase. Anything my Dad said or did annoyed me tremendously. I always had a bad attitude when it regarded him. I could not tell you why I was so nasty towards my Dad, but I do know he didn’t deserve it. I know that phase of my life had to be bothersome to the man I was always running behind. Eventually, I grew up.

As much as I resemble and model after my Mom, I am very much a product of my father. Basketball and watching movies are two hobbies of mine that I can attribute to him. He’s also instilled in me the value of hard work and doing things wholly. My sense of humor is a quality I inherited from him too. The list goes on.

As my eyes get watery while looking over pictures of he and I, I realize how happy I am to have my Dad. We’ve shared a lot of tears and laughs. We’ve had our ups and downs, but my Dad has a vital role in my life and I don’t know where I’d be without him.

I wrote this post because I wanted to share with everyone that good fathers do exist. Logging into Facebook, I am constantly reminded that there are a ton of deadbeat dads and the chatter only seems to heighten when Father’s Day nears. While, I am fortunate to have my father in my life and know this is not the case for everyone else, I just don’t understand why there has to be continual bashing of fathers as we near Father’s Day. I’ve noticed that those same sentiments are not shared when Mother’s Day approaches. Is it because the percentage of children raised by their fathers is so small that their voices aren’t heard? I don’t know. If you don’t have a father who is worth celebrating, divert that attention to someone who has assumed that position and deserves to be celebrated. I know that a lot of people recognize their Moms on Father’s Day, which is understandable. The day was made official to celebrate the well-deserving fathers (or the person(s) who assumed that role) not the shortcomings of the fathers who are unworthy of recognition. Allow this holiday to be a positive one, focusing on the men (and women) who have provided for their children and have committed to being the best father they can be.