Pervert or Sugar?

Is age really just a number? Can you truly embrace and relate to someone decades apart in age from you on a romantic level?  Will you have regrets further down after being apart of a relationship where age is, in fact, a factor?

In this dating game, especially after a LEGAL age of twenty-one, you are likely to meet someone a little bit older or younger than you, or possibly a whole lot older or younger than you! When you're the older of the two and your mate is half your age, you're looked at as a pervert for basically dating a "child". Some may even look at you as if you're taking advantage of the younger person because of your experience and age. When you're the younger of the two and your mate is half your age, you're looked at as being manipulated or taking advantage of, but in some instances you're praised for making a come-up! Possibly gaining a "sugar-momma" or "sugar-daddy" because of the apparent age difference, and assumed increased income bracket that should be present.  

I had a friend whom dated an obvious older man. They dated for the better parts of her life. Now, ten-plus years after she's been with him; she feels robed of her youth. He was older, so his ideals of fun, entertainment, and excitement were much different than hers. Because he was older, the more financial provider, and clearly the more experienced in life; she looked to him for advice, assistance, and leverage which now, costs her years of her life!

Same situation with a guy I knew that dated an older woman. She was financially stable, had her own place, was "grown", took care of him. Let's face it; for a 22 or 23 year older, that's a come up! He enjoyed that life, that is...until he didn't! By the age of 25 he felt trapped and miserable. He wanted out!

I had a friend that dated a much, much younger girl. Yes, she was of LEGAL age, and even had kids, but her circumstances and mind were immature. He enjoyed the "look" of having a younger broad on his shoulder but after awhile her immaturity weighed on him and he wanted out!

A lady I knew dated a younger guy. She enjoyed the "Cougar" title at first but after awhile she felt like a nagging mother asking him to pick up behind himself, taking care of him, etc, etc, etc.

I'm not saying this is the case all the time, or with each situation, but, I wonder...

Is age really just a number? Can you truly embrace and relate to someone decades apart in age from you on a romantic level?  Will you have regrets further down after being apart of a relationship where age is in fact a factor?

Confirmation❤

When you love someone, you show them that love, not just say it! For me; I always say, if you love someone, treat them the way YOU, yourself, want to be treated! I received confirmation today! 

"'And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.' This is the first commandment. And the second, like it, is this: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these.” (Mark 12:30-31)

Maybe I already knew this scripture, or maybe I already lived by this scripture, but there's no greater feeling of your convictions than having confirmation. Love means seeing yourself in the person you love. Placing yourself in their shoes, and saying, "would I want this done, said, or given by me?" "is this my expectation?" "how would I feel if I received this?" 

All those questions should rhetorically be considered when you deal in love!

I love, love! At this point in my life there's nothing I want more than love. God's love for sure...and the rest shall be added!

xoxo,

Khrystian Nichole

ABFF 2013!

Day 1 

Loving the luxury and solitude! I'm having a blast! The American Lounge offers complimentary chair massages, drinks, snacks, pictures, wi-fi, and charging stations! Miami beach....nothing more to say! It's like my beach home, away from home! My hotel today, the Surfcomber, I'm LOVING! The room is spacious, everyone is friendly, if you need ANYTHING they get it, footsteps away from the beach, lounging by the pool, my room is right off the elevator. Today, I've networked and met a few film makers! Their films will be showing this week. I've also met some spectators...this one lady told me she won an all-expense trip here, hotel stay, $1000, ect. She said she always enters contests, and happened to have won this one! Ah-mazing, I thought! I never knew in those contests; you could ever actually WIN! Keep eyes and ears open for Full Circle. It's an independent film from a promising writer/director! You go boy! I'm enjoying my first day! And that massage at the Ritz in the American Lounge hosted by American Airlines wasn't too bad either ;-)

Day 2

Nice complimentary tea and coffee! My only complaint against the hotel is that they told me my resort equipment (towels, chair, umbrella) would be available by 8...turns out it's actually 9...and at 9 there was still no one available, even though I was able to sit on the chairs they'd put out, there weren't towels so, who really wants to get wet?! Lol 

I have two workshops today! Excitement!

The first, The Art of Voice Acting, disappointed me slightly since Cree Summer wasn't apart of the panel as previously advertised. However, the other artists were great too! I met the first black voice of the Joker from the animated series, he's also Barney Rubble, the red-neck white man from Cleveland Show, Lester, and a plethora of others. His name is Kevin Michael Richardson. There was also Louie, the alligator from Princess and the Frog, Mr. Michael Leon-Wooley, whom have a hilarious story of a voice-over ad he had to do. Can't share it with you because he's saving it for Leno! Good luck friend and congrats in advance! Lol! All in all; that panel was informative, funny, entertaining, and I'm grateful for the nuggets of advice they threw out! 

Best Man Holiday was my next workshop and it was not surprisingly packed!! Morris Chestnut, Sanaa Lathan, Nia Long, and Malcolm D. Lee all were interviewed by Shaun Robinson about the two year process of getting the film completed.

Afterwards, I went to dinner with friends and watched the White Hot Miami Heat beat the beloved Spurs in the championship game! Whoo Hoo!!! The energy was Outstanding from the arena to the streets! Parties everywhere! We ended up at a rooftop party dancing the night away :-)

 

 

Day 3

I lounged on the beach and allowed the sun to kiss my skin. Downtime for the majority of the day. Just the ocean and the staff of the Ritz serving these refreshing smoothie shots, or samples. 

Later that evening I attended a private VIP reception sponsored by American Airlines and hosted by Regina King. They served up wine and appetizers! The crabcakes were ah-mazing! There I mingled and met several different people from all over in the industry and out including, but not limited to; Sallie Richardson, Bill Duke, Jawn Murray, and Dondre Whitfield all while still receiving chair massages!

After the two hour reception I met up with friends to attend the HBO Comedy Wings competition where four comics: a gay man, two other men, and a woman competed to earn a spot on. Why, you ask do I mention the man being gay; because it was the basis of his comedy act! Lol! Consequently, the woman, Zainab Johnson won! Look out for her as she's representing for the ladies!! The comedy show, by the way was hilarious and I commend all four contenders for their journey! 

Day 4

This was another beach day for me! I enjoy the relaxation of the sun, sand and waves! Besides, I had to recover from the heavy networking and totally out of the box persona I had unleashed the night before. 

After being drained from the sun I attended a day party where, I was ready to go before I got there! Let's face it; I'm so over the crowded club full of pretentious people I don't know, drinking, dancing and pushing through a crowd! I'm just beyond it. No offense to those that enjoy that scene. 

Day 5

I fully enjoyed the amenities of my balcony suite at the Ritz and spent my morning into the evening lounging at the pool. I'd dip in every now and again. I met a man, an older gay man whom referred to me as, "Gorgeous" that gave me quite a bit of history and the happenings of South Beach than i bargained for. He was a pleasurable companion to lounge with. My evening was spent touring South Beach and the greater parts of Miami on a hunt for photo ops with my own personal photographer LOL.  Notably Brickell where I drank martini's at the Blue Martini.

Day 6

I bid adieu to South Beach and headed home just minutes away from the championship parade. If only my thinking cap would've been on; I would've taken a later flight lol! However, my ride home was good with the exception of the lady that sat next to me smelling of sour cream! Once back in Houston, as fate would have it, the same kind traveler whom I met on the shuttle heading to Miami, the same kind traveler that allowed me to skip the check-in line with him since he was a pass holder, and the same kind traveler that was heading to the same festival as I, is the same kind traveler that I met back up with in the parking lot to pick up our cars! We exchanged our experiences with the ABFF and discussed highs and lows and means of improvements, and decided that we'd keep in touch in preparation for next years film festival!

6 months

Well, as usual, I'm checking in with you all to see how your year is going! We're six months in to 2013! Are you excited? Are you inspired? Have you remained focused?

For me...to be honest; this has been a wretched six months! A devastating six months! Six months full of change, revelations, realizations, heartbreak and heartache!  

So, 2013 has been all about moving forward and leaving things in 2012, and for a lack of better words; I've been forced to do just that! Godspeed...there will be better days ahead! 

Stay prayed up! Listen for God's word! Move when He says! Keep faith!

That's all we can do! I pray your six month check is going well and you're maintaining our New Years Resolution!

xoxo, Be Blessed

Put the spoon down, and walk away from the freezer!

Lord, Jesus please help me to put the spoon down and not want to eat ice cream first thing in the morning!

The phat girl inside of me wants to tear into this Moo-linium crunch! You know the one. It has bits of chocolate, caramel, almonds, and pecans all wrapped and smoothed into vanilla ice cream! 

I rebuke that spirit of temptation! 

I should eat a balanced breakfast instead of ice cream because Lord only knows I don't want to spend my days and nights of my vacation running on a track, although that would appear to be the "right" thing to do! 

Pray for me! The Spirit is willing, but my Flesh shole' is weak!...in this moment that ice cream is calling me! 

Never-Ending Saga

Life is such a gift! You haven't the time nor the energy to focus on negativity, animosity, dissension, excuses or games! Someone once said, "Water in the oceans can't sink a ship full of cargo, unless that same water fills it; likewise, negativity can not take over your life unless you accept and take it in!" Choose NOT to!

Some people, which is funny, because commonly they're the very people that boast positivity, maturity and righteousness; seem to cause their own negativity and then frustratingly blame everyone else! They ultimately are the problem, as well as, the solution but are so busy living in deception (fooling no one but themselves I might add) that they con themselves into believing they're above any and ALL pettiness. Why though?

It's strange...weird... 

These type people- now follow me here:

They do something wrong to you.

You confront them to place it behind you.

They deny, lie or manipulate.

They turn the confrontation around. 

You get frustrated with their manipulation.

They're upset with you that you're frustrated.

They apologize inadvertently.

You accept, tired of frustration.

You pray to forgive them truly.

You move on.

The cycle starts over.

It's a NEVER-ending saga!

That is, unless, you cut them out of your life cold turkey! But since life is a gift, not to be thrown out like yesterday's garbage, you're not evil to them.

Trouble with that is they adamantly continue to regain your friendship and trust through that window you leave cracked.

You, trying to remember Christianity, accept their apologies and attempt to move forward with them. 

...they do something wrong to you....

A NEVER-ENDING saga

*Truth is...people will be people. We are strange fruit* 

:-)

RHONJ

I love me some real housewives! Whether it's New Jersey, OC, Atlanta, New York, or Beverly Hills. I didn't get into DC or Miami, although I watched them over time, they just didn't keep my interest. 

OC, for me, are the originals and everyone after just follows suit; with Vicki being the original OG, but Teresa Giudice from NJ happens to be one of my favorites! I adore her and those four little girls, especially Milania's feisty-bad butt! Lol she cracks me up! What can I say, watching people make a fool of themselves, put themselves out there, watching how other people in the world vacation, live daily, or handle conflict is my guilty pleasure!

Anywho, the morning of Tuesday, June 11th, my mom lets me know Tre will be at Barnes and Noble- Town & Country holding a book signing. "You want to go?" She asks, and of course, I say, "I'm there!"

The last meet and greet we went to was with Ramona Singer of NY, when she held a sampling and signing for her Pinot Grigio (yuck I may add...just not my taste...very bitter!)

Well, my mom figured this book signing would be similar to that one; small scale, quick and easy-meet and greet! The book signing was anything but, as I suspected! I had to remind my mom that Teresa has a larger following, she's a fan favorite, and those that aren't fans; love to hate her! Lol

When we got there the line was wrapped around the book cases and the employee promptly, but kindly, told us all four of her books were sold-out! 

SOLD-OUT!!! 

Egad!! We'd planned to buy books there! Had I checked my Twitter before arrival; I would've seen all the complaints of sold-out cookbooks!

Where to find Teresa Giudice cookbooks?

Well one place was definitely in the arms of these fans. Most had bought all four copies of her cookbooks.  We quickly figured we'd try the stores around the neighborhood and since there was such a long line; one of us could go drive around to other bookstores in the area!

NO luck!

Every bookstore in the area sold-out!

SOLD-OUT!!!

I frantically begin making phone calls to people I knew lived in the vicinity in the hopes to get someone kind enough to stop what they're doing, go to their nearest bookstore, then bring the book to me in the line at the Barnes and Noble!  I called several people-no answer! Other people mid arrival to other locations or in the middle of something! Alas! My sorority sister (line sister) calls back! She's just leaving the grocery store! She's passing a Barnes and Noble as she speaks!! She'll go in to see if they have the book and call me back! 

Mind you, we'd just gotten word that, that book store was sold-out! 

SOLD-OUT!!!

 I almost called Tiffany, my linesister back and said, don't even bother going in, but just as I was about to, she called me to confirm the title of a cookbook she'd found! 

Found one!!!

I was elated! Tiffany said she'd get the book, drop off her groceries and come and bring me the book! Thank God for friends, knowing people, and KIND people! Kind with their resources, time, and energy!

By the time Tiff had gotten there, the line was moving but we weren't close. She confessed she didn't know Teresa was in town and wanted a picture with her too so she joined my mom and I on our quest to meet Teresa! We drank coffee, talked, laughed and finally got to the front of the line. 

But, not before a woman, whom had clearly been drinking heavily before she got there, walks over to us and whispers, "If I give you this twenty dollars, could my gay friend, who loves her get in line with you. He has to be somewhere is all?"

My mom, oblivious to what she says asks, "What?" and I, take the money from the lady and say, "For twenty dollars, ya, tell him to come on." Here we meet Sage. Yes. I know. You're probably wondering why she referred to him as her "gay friend" well...who knows and I don't really care, but that's probably how drunk people talk lol!

Sage goes on to enlighten us about his meetings with Lisa Vanderpump, of Beverly Hills, whom I adore! Now, keep in mind, I've met many a celebrity. Either in casual experiences, because I know them, because I'm going to a meet and greet, signing or VIP function, or mainly just because I'm usually at the right place at the right time! I've WORKED with many a celebrity. Heck, in some instances; I've BEEN the celebrity! It's just a fun encounter when you see the people you watch on a television. I like to compare the "television them" to what my natural eyes see. I like to note their height, weight, quirky features that distinguish them. I suppose it's no different than when I go people sighting at a park or mall. I enjoy it!

We had fun, we met Teresa...and Juicy Joe was even there! It was a tad bit of a scavenger hunt, and we love, love, loved every bit of it!!! 

 

My only regret is that I didn't take a picture of Sage...for memories sake! Lol

Flashdance 2013

I must say, on record, I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE my job at TUTS (or Theatre Under the Stars, for those that don't know) 

I get to perform, sing,  dance, direct, choreograph, you name it; I do it! 

I may not be the best singer in the world, but I'm around those that are and not only do I receive training but I help them to train the voice! What could be better than that. I get to travel, see broadway shows, meet interesting and entertaining artists! It's the best! 

One of my favorite perks, is not only being able to sit in on rehearsals for shows, but being privileged to sit in the audience at shows! Any show that comes to Houston, I might add! Work hard (and it can be hard, no sugar coating), play harder! My motto and I love it! 

The latest broadway show I saw was Flashdance, the eighties cult-classic film about a young girl with no formal training and her BIG dreams of being taken seriously as a professional dancer! I love, love, loved it! 

The story was great, the music good (paying special homage to eighties classics like, hit song, I Love Rock & Roll, hit fashions, like, Tina Turner), what was most entertaining for me...being a choreographer...was the dancing (or choreography) it was outstanding, intriguing, and entertaining! I loved it! I also loved the quirky details the show was sure to include such as the infamous "bra" bit where Alex takes off her bra through her shirt sleeves, without removing the shirt. The triumphant "dance on the judges table" bit. The outstanding movie/box office cover art, where she's in her black dance leotard, fishnet pantyhose, big curly hair, arched back in a chair with water splashing down onto her body! It's those details that make us eighties baby know, that we know, we know the movie Flashdance! 

"What a Feeling" it truly was to experience the actors bring the story to life! I highly recommend you snagging some tickets and checking this broadway show out! Even if you weren't born when the original film was out or don't remember it at all, you're sure to enjoy it. It's not recommended for children under eighteen, in my opinion,because of the strong subject matters, but it's definitely worth seeing LIVE and in living color! 

Enjoy, 

xoxo

Return

What do you do with a "gift" or "surprise" intended for someone else?!

-Return it to them, of course!

Inspiration

This that GOOD inspiration! Even the wild animals know how to love❤

How to Remember When to Use Double Oh: khrystian tidbit edition

I'll chalk it up to the increased use of social media and technology causing the decline of spelling and grammar that many of us don't know, or simply; don't use the accurate difference between common English words that are taught in primary grades!

It must be, right?! 

So often we're trying to place emotion into an emotionless entity and therefore we type broken contexts to infer the broken language we'd like to convey. We've been smothered into 140 characters so we jeopardize value of words to get our point across. For instance:

Wut up=What's up=What are you up to?

I remember being in high school, writing letters and notes to friends (Yes. As if they weren't sitting right beside me and I didn't see them everyday) and I'd write: 

 wuz ^ (an arrow pointing up)= What's up

I get it! It's funky! It's fun! It's short! It's sweet! It's relevant in our fast-paced, you'll get ostracized for actually having real emotions or standards now-a-days- society. 

But I must say this: 

When you aren't using the number two (2) in a sentence; please, please, please know the difference in spelling. 

Two is a number<- Places value. Follows one and precedes three.

To is a preposition<- Comes ordinarily before a noun or pronoun to show relation to the following word. 

Too is an adverb<- Means excessive or in a higher degree than normal. When in doubt; use this spelling interchangeably with "very" or "also". 

This may not mean much if you're texting a nonjudgemental-loving friend, or writing a quick note to yourself, or writing a blog, or even utilizing your social media/technology but accurate grammar and spelling especially means something when you're sending professional emails or any other written, self-expressive form of correspondence. It bodes expressively tacky if your profession is that of Education. (Egad!)