Dear Santa...

One Christmas morning I will awake...and someone will have gift wrapped one of these beauties in my driveway.... A Girl Can Only Dream!

(1961 Mercedes SE Cabriolet)

(1968 Dodge Charger)

(1961 Lincoln Continental)

Happy Holidays!

let.him.live

Show me a guy who's afraid to look bad,

and I'll show you a guy you can beat every time.

-Lou Brock

LDL Fave:: Lombardi on HBO

It's almost here....HBO airs their documentary on Lombardi Dec. 11th - and I for one will be glued to the screen...I've used Lombardi for inspiration on the blog before(check post here) because he has inspired people both on and off the field. Check out Lombardi on HBO for full deets.

cant.get.right :: the single with no mingle.

In two nights flat I've questioned everything I've EVER done. Why I've done them, and what drives me to do the things that are supposed to make me happy. Humans are such dynamic beings- we can have it all and still fall flat on our faces- we can have it all and still feel like we have nothing - and on the other hand we can have nothing and feel like we're on top of the world.

I feel like I fall right in the middle, I continue to judge myself based upon the 'norm' and yet I tend to forget how much I've gained without even following the 'norm'. But the million dollar questions are- is it just by luck? will my luck run out?

I had a talk with a friend last night about how I felt like I don't measure up- dating has especially gotten me all wound up in figuring out what do I really have to give to a person? I wonder what they think of me given my past experiences? I poured my heart out to this friend and shared that I often feel like I'm up against the wall of China. How come people can put so much weight on occurances that was before they even existed. Obviously I'm not talking about past porn stars or drug addicts, but at times I even feel like the fact that I've been engaged counts against me.

So you're holding it against me that I fell in love and thought I found the one? How does that affect you? Because someone has held my heart before, well in that case you can't date just about anybody! Why don't people applaud my courage to take such a leap of love and faith, and then to turn around and have the same courage and wisdom to not enter into a union before God that would not have been a sustainable relationship?!?! My ex-fiance is a wonderful man-genuine, caring, intelligent...all the above..and I wish him the best and more- so I have not ONE regret. If anything he has made me a much stronger and supportive woman, and I wouldn't trade those experiences for the world----BUT there is a reason why we didn't walk down the aisle and for that I am grateful.

It hurts sometimes feeling like I have something to prove...I think men need to see WAY more then women do in the beginning. It easier for a woman to see potential, and to differentiate a man's actions while dating/single and how he is trending to perform in a relationship. Men tend to need to see the whole damn farm before they are even willing to negotiate moving further..and thats just so unfair.

No, I won't cut off every male friend so that you can feel like I'm all about you-how does that help me in the end?

Now what I CAN do is continue to put my time and energy into getting to know you, and conveying that I am indeed interested in something real, while still keeping my friendships in tact. That should be enough right??? WRONG!

I've had 3 failed attempts of playing the whole fast and loose scheme! I give said male ALL my time, attention, affection, and support - while still being able to juggle male friendships...and yet I still got the "you got too much going on" speech! Funny, because all I had going on was YOU!

Then, it immediately counts against me because I'm an attractive female (*backed by recent studies*) - so then everyone assumes that every male friend either wants more, has had more, or could get more in the right situation.

Well let's see...um....how is this different from me just walking around the world..everyday! This applies to all situations...work/gym/church..I could go on. I can't be locked in a box so that in the event and opportunity presents itself..I'm thoroughly protected o_O

This is why I think more people should practice ARROGANCE. Be so damn arrogant that when you are dealing with a person, Jesus himself could tell you that he or she is looking elsewhere and you think... O' no...it's me...I got this! lol Perhaps maybe not that arrogant, but why not just have a sense that you have enough to hold one's attention, you have enough for one to perhaps turn down the advance of another because they'd rather be on your arm, or just to know that if someone can pull another away...they were never yours.

*Disclaimer*: There was a day where I felt like I did indeed contribute to the "you got too much going on" speech...and I learned a lot from those situations. I feel like being young, I thought it was better to show that other people were willing to wine & dine in hopes that it would in turn light a fire under the one you're really trying to persue....and um...it lights a fire alright...set that whole relationship up in flames...I mean CRASH AND BURN! lol But I quickly learned from that, so these feelings are stemming from actually NOT playing the field and really just having true friends around that are only there for the purpose of a friendship.

I digress...but one of my issues is intimidation. I often look at one's accomplishments and think "Am I good enough for him to take me serious?" "Am I really worth his time"...and my good friend last night looked at me stunned and said "Are you serious?" LOL

Amazingly that's all it took for me to put down the crack pipe!(I was not actually smoking crack for any idiot that may use this joke against me) What am I thinking? Where did that come from? I had a 4yr relationship-years ago- where I spent the whole time trying to be good enough- thinking that I needed to prove that I could be just as successful- two things happened:

• I became VERY successful
• WE BROKE UP -surprised?? I didn't think so

The moral being he generally had nothing to do with my drive, that was already in me, but what he did do was make me feel like I had something missing when in fact what I was missing was a supportive significant other. So since that situation I've learned to not put a value on myself based on someone else's equation, and it's not to use that as an excuse to be mediocre, but to really judge myself only for myself. I still have tons of things I want to accomplish, but I am dead set on ONLY doing things unless I truly WANT to not because everyone else would think it's awesome.

I know plenty of people who just do stuff because they want the 'glory'...nah I'm good.

I may not have all the fantastic things that look awesome on paper(don't be confused...see resume attached..lol) but I have something in me that shines so bright..and the key is to find the right person with just the right vision to see what's really inside of me.

(my next tattoo by the way)

I'm still young, but I am certainly hoping to find someone to share life's ups and downs with- moving to Chicago has been a huge transition for me, and it would be nice to have a shoulder to cry on, or a shoulder to hide in during a movie..but I'm not sacrificing any part of me for a damn shoulder-until I come across the *right* person I'll just be content on getting on my dog Marleys' nerves!

What's your TYPE?

Found a typographic dope site called Typeinspire :: a showcase of typography and text effects

I always peruse through typography sites when I'm looking for party inspirations..(invites, placecards, decor- oh my!)

Check out a few of their images below that I found to be pretty sweet...Enjoy!

When in Rome....

From my first business trip to the Chi..I knew I was an outcast! My perfectly paired interview look (or so I thought) was a black button up blouse, white skirt, pearls and ofcourse my Louboutins...

Can you spy the missing link??? Tights!

I swear I was the only woman on Michigan Ave with bare legs, and I stood out like a sore thumb. See, me and tights have had a roller-coaster love affair- either I think I'm too slender for them, or I wear them and they set off a itch-a-thon on my poor legs..but moving here meant the end of bare legs and I am determined to make this work!

My first go at it was last week..I wore a black blouse, my *new* tan suede skirt(that I LOVE) and *TIGHTS* with black booties!

Now, I wish I could say this was a complete success, but 85% of the day I was scratching away at my legs...I'm hoping perhaps after a few more try's perhaps my little chicken legs will learn to love tights.

I stumbled upon this great blogpost via Chicago Now, titled "Winter Shorts:IN or OUT"

I used to not get this whole style at all...but now I'm totally digging it! Especially the look below!

(via Who, What, Wear)

So my next bout with tights will be with Winter Shorts-I''ll keep you posted...and check out the link for a cute little lookbook!

60616 :: LDL in the Windy City

Last time we spoke, I was in Cincy heading to Vegas for a quick trip...Today...I've began the trip of my life...Relocation to Chicago!! Alot has happened in the past 11months...and I'm back and ready to share my whirlwhind.

Summary:

No.wedding.

(Pardon.My.Back)

I'm Single.and.ready.to.mingle.

Turned.25.

Left.P&G.

(Deuces)

Moved.to.Chicago.

Joined.Weber.Shandwick.

(First.Day.of.Work)

That's a lot for under a year...but I'm happy to report...I'm happy.

I have about 11 posts in draft, and I'll be kicking them out shortly...but I'm back at it...so stick around Lovies!!!

LDL.out

::Paris,Tokyo::

the.view.from.above.---I call this--Vegas.patiently.waiting.

<-TRAVEL IS FOOD FOR THE SOUL->

Checking.In.to.Only.Check.Out

*LDL*

::LDL Love::

Days Like This You Have To Acknowledge That One True Love-Even If You Didn't End Up With That Love-Or Even If You May Not-I Believe There Is Only One! And Today I Know I've Had It And If There Is An After-I Know There Will Never Be Another Quite The Same

-LDL

Yeahh, Oh

Lalalalala lala

Something about the way you look at me

Tells me that I just might be worthy

Of feeling you despite uncertainty

Despite the way that you might hurt me

I want to take your love and mix it with mine

And maybe have a Coca baby

I just want to put this all on the line

Make sure that you appreciate me

If it's a question of your pride,

Put that thing aside

Just let your guard down now,

Let me show you how much I want you

Oh Take my hand and dim the light,

For the rest of the night

We'll be making love the way that we're supposed to yeah

I wanna give you all my love

Even if I don't have all your trust

I want to give you all my love (ooh)

Even if I don't have all your trust

I know it's hard to trust me, why should you

Especially after what you've been through

I know it's hard to believe I'm not the same

You think about it when I'm with you

Everything that he did, throw it away

Coz I know how to love you better

Give me your heart, the past will fade

And we gon get it right together

If it's a question of your pride,

Then put that thing aside

Just let your guard down now,

Let me show you how much I want you (OH)

Baby Just take my hand and dim the light,

Coz for the rest of the night

We'll be making love the way that we're supposed to

I wanna give you

I wanna give you all my love (all my all my love)

Even if I don't have (yeah) all your trust

(And all I wanna give you) I want to give you all my love (baby all my love)

Even if I don't have all your trust

I'm thinking we should,

I think that we should turn the lights down

I'm thinking we should,

I'm thinking we should turn the lights down

I'm thinking we should,

Thinking we should turn the lights down

Turn them down, turn them down, turn them down

Cause I wanna give you all my love (I wanna give it to you baby)

Even if I don't have (even if I don’t have) all your trust (all your trust)

I want to give you (wanna give you) all my love (all my love)

Even if I don't have (even if I don’t have) all your trust

*All My Love*-Ryan Leslie

::Silenced By The Man::

Lately I've been feeling like my voice is dwindling...maybe because of exhaustion...but I have to take a moment and gather myself before it's too late. I've been hiding from things that are already written all over my face- only because I felt I had something to prove or at least I just didn't want to have the burden of having to answer dumb questions. But the only person that will be disappointed in the end...will be ME. I've learned that you can't throw your hands up and continue to take part in things that your mind-body-n-soul completely disagree with--with that said..when I turn the page, I'll keep reading as if there was no period! This was def a personal post....maybe I needed a second to breathe...or maybe I needed a second to speak freely...but nonetheless...I spoke

and now..it's over

-LDL

::DAYBREAK::

All labor that uplifts humanity has dignity and importance and should be undertaken with painstaking excellence.

- Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Please Give to Haiti :: If not your time/money-then at least give them a moment of prayer!

::Light vs Dark::It Ain't Only Skin Deep::

Disclaimer: I obviously can only speak from my own point of view- which is that of a light-skinned woman-yet I encourage a young lady of a dark-skinned shade to comment with her point of view to gain a clear understanding!

I know what you're thinking...are we still on this?? How do I know this, because that's what I think daily. My Dorothy Dandridge post really got my wheels turning after reading up on her struggle in the entertainment industry simply because she was a light-skinned black woman--and it made me want to explore whether or not we've made any strides both intra-racially and within society as a whole. At first glance--HELL NO--and its quite sad.

For clarification, I am in no way speaking of preferential things, such as dating- I am speaking of the way that people truly judge a person based on their shade.

For starters (and I plan to be very candid and honest) from youth to my adult years I do believe that when dealing with the Caucasian race, I can without a doubt say that I have considerably been treated better than fellow darker skinned classmates and/or colleagues when placed in the exact situations. From my perspective it seems as though they are more comfortable with dealing with lighter-skinned African-Americans because stereotypically we are perceived to be more easy-going and softer spoken. In reality- this stereotype is absolutely absurd and has no basis, but we are a part of a society that has such deep rooted stereotypes that typically began in slavery that at this point it's almost a lost cause.

Now with that said, I do think that some individuals--weak individuals--allow this to dictate how they identify with society. In my younger years it made me more comfortable with having more of a diverse group of friends, which in some ways stemmed from the fact that other children in my elementary (mostly darker skinned children) seemed to always have some type of unwarranted disdain for me, so it caused me to almost have to play more with the white kids in order to have a set group of friends. But as an adult- to still hold this as a reason to place myself above or even below someone else would be ridiculous and senseless.

It's certainly obvious where most of this comparison stems from, but it's not obvious why we continue to live within these unspoken boundaries.

I can't explain how annoying it is for EVERY single person to take one look at me and immediately label me as booshy or conceited because I have light-skin-light eyes-and not to mention a small frame. (THIS IS A WHOLE OTHER POST FOR ME...I HATE THAT PEOPLE THINK IT IS OK TO CONSTANTLY DISCUSS HOW 'SKINNY' I AM-NOW IF I TURN AND SAY HOW FAT YOU ARE WOULD WE STILL BE SPEAKING?? I'M JUST SAYIN...OK BACK TO THE POST)

It appears that this topic will forever be a sore spot. Many would say that the dark-skinned will continue to feel neglected as long as the lighter-skinned are subconsciously celebrated; the lighter-skinned will continue to feel persecuted by their darker siblings merely for being so.

Time will tell if we will ever overcome this nonsense-but I think it begins with each of us individually looking at a person for who they really are, and not the shade of their skin!

Peace Love and Soul

(was that Black enough for ya! LOL)

-LDL

::Don't Judge Me::

I am really gonna work on this...but nonetheless...DONT JUDGE ME...

::LDL Inspiration::Dorothy Dandridge::

A timeless beauty.....

O So What....

Don't judge me for my lack of content...it's getting harder and harder to stop and take a moment to share all the goodies that run through my brain. I vow to make a post atleast once a week...it may just be 'a' word..but I promise it will be a BIG word!

::Hair'em Scare'em::

"Hair'em Scare'em presents an extraordinary exploration through the fascinating beauty and inventive possibilities of hair as a medium for artistic expression in contemporary art and design. The book documents this palpable trend into a visual sourcebook that presents a captivating collection of hairy works in graphic design, photography, illustration and art as well as interior design, fashion and jewelry design. The extraordinary works featured in this book are the best indication of trends in hair outside the mainstream." (c) Gestalten

I figured since we were still on the topic of hair, I would spotlight this uber dope 'coffee table book' that I recently had the pleasure of viewing...if you love art,hair,or anything at all...you'll love this book. Go check it...like now!

::Hair Evolution Pt.2::Strand by Strand::

Before Hair Evolution Pt.1, when someone asked what was my favorite or best asset, I would have said my eyes hands down, but after seeing how many hair transformations I've gone through...right now today I would definitely say MY HAIR! As much as I hate my hair-along with the rest of the world-I love it just the same. Forget those catchy lyrics 'I am not my hair...' I am every bit of my hair...every strand. I believe a woman's hair directly relates to her beauty overall, or at-least the persona that she is trying to portray. Whether she is literally bald or has hair to her ankles, it's all a part of the package.

When life hands you lemons....pass the scissors!!!

Have you ever found yourself in the salon chair solely because of a break-up, or just some random life happening?(which of course at the time you thought was the end of the world). I wasn't so much of a scissor happy person, I was the one to reach for the at-home dye kit! For years my hair color was chosen simply to reflect the 'phase' I was in, or more so my mood of the month and/or year.

I began dying my hair in the 4th grade with my Mother's burgundy rinse, and yes you read that correctly...the 4th grade,(I'm the youngest child..don't be jealous of my freedom..lol).

From then on I was in love with different colors and shades, and even just curious to see how far I could push my strands. I quickly found out how far in Junior year of high school when I relaxed my hair and permanently dyed it in the same night; needless to say I had a weave over the middle of my hair for about a year!

Since then,(knock on wood), I haven't experienced any severe hair breakage during my color escapades.

Over the years I gradually focused more on styling and trying different lengths instead of my usual different color hair every week. I thought I had found tried-and-true regimen for growing my hair out only to find out from a REAL professional stylist that my theory was completely backwards. My regimen for a good 3-4yrs, mostly during college, was to wash my hair 1-2 times a week, wrap it and let it air dry, and then to grease my scalp. I only used grease when I was trying to grow out my hair, and I really thought it was the grease that was causing my hair to grow, but I've learned that it really is the stimulation from my fingers while greasing my scalp..ah ha! Well money down the drain for all that grease..lol

Then there's the point in life when you get a 'real' job...where all of a sudden you have to stop and think about your styles and/or color, simply because you have to show up in-office...ugh..the worse....lol. Honestly, I'm glad this point came along because now I get to explore a whole new road...much less traveled by me...this street is named Healthy Hair Avenue! During this exploration I began to use the Pantene Relaxed & Natural Shampoo and Conditioner, and now you can't get me to use anything else. It keeps my hair really soft, and I don't know how, but I feel like it protects it from the heat usage. Now I actually go to a stylist and she has worked wonders..I may even go natural(brace yourselves for foolery if I do)....my hair goal now is to have it a little pass my shoulders by July, so then I can start from there and cut it! LOL--Classic Me!

Throughout all the changes, there have been equal changes personally that I know played huge roles in the way I kept my hair. The average person has between 100k-150k strands of hair and I look at that as a 100k-150k ways to express myself! So carry the 3, divide by 2, round up...I should have about 124,845 more changes in my lifetime!!

::Bread and Butter::

It's that time of year..when my mind goes to paper and words(LOL)..why you ask?? Because it's invite season..well atleast it is for me...and this letterpress from Bread and Butter has definately got me in the mood for some partying!! Check out their collection over on Etsy.com.

Who's coming??.....You??...'HELLS YEAH!!!

::LDL Hair Evolution Pt.1::

Since I started my new role at work...my mind has been on nothing but HAIR..So I thought I would explore my very own Hair Evolution...some GOOD...some REALLY BAD..lol....I plan to break them down and figure out what hair regimens worked the best throughout the years! Enjoy..helpful info..the first pic is from 2003 and then it gradually moves thru the yrs stopping at now in 2009.