todays room: the home office



near floor-to-ceiling windows:



two-door drop-leaf cabinet:



Kasmir Console Table, near entrance:



Library Cabinet:



Chavin Cedar Rocker, near library cabinet:



West African Ottoman, near rocker:



My desk:



Rangoon Chairs, opposite my desk:



and of course, lots of bamboo plants:



and orchids:

the 'relaxation' room...



Dakar Fabric Pendant Lamp



Ventana Lamp Curtain



Library Ladder with Baskets for books



Mango Square Low Table. in center of room.



Elements Fountain



Vase for Walls



Bamboo Etagere



Convertible Sofa

and finally:



Chaise with Table

so my dear friend 12 days of christmas countdown because she is doing one in her forum

most of the stuff i want is posted in there... but everyday i'll add one item to my own little list over here. partly because i want to have a virtual christmas where i get everything i want... partly because with packing and holiday stuffs im really busy right now but i still want to keep my post-a-day promise.

so without further ado...

on the first day of christmas, even though ive never had a truelove that could give this to me... we'll just pretend that my truelove gave to me...

this beautiful bedroom set

Mahogany Four Poster:



with Canopy:



and Mandarin Stool at the foot:



and Brazilian Colonial bedside tables:



Toulouse Candelabra:

this is why i love post-secret and i love panda!

and no, i did not send that in.

Happy Holidays and welcome to new members!. And browse through the December Fiction | Poetry | Writer's Work information provided here about publishing, volunteering and/or grant opportunities.

And simply, try to enjoy us as we do you.

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The Writing Exercises around the board, updated .11.30.05.

Riddle: I Seek | Fill Ins: Surreal Words | No...I mean Yes: Things Fall Apart
Lexicon: Urban Lyricism | Continuation: Love and Loss | Magnetic Poetry: Erotica



The Newness in Built To Spill

Gon' get your dare on. All the cool kids are doin it.

Something made you laugh today? Share it so we can laugh too!

We loooooove hygiene! Share your thoughts on sharing toothbrushes, sharing drinks, saliva on your smokes, and those nasty cotton mouth kisses

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Heard the latest in Third Eye Stage?

listen to the first podcast show | submit to the next show

or if you feel like listening, hear joints by

mr.trin | time | truly i | lowercase


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Whats goin on in Hip Hop

this weeks quiz. its allllll mixed up. can you figure it out?

got a premier track? list 'em up

and really. who do you think shot tupac?

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Puff Puff

are you into s & m? i'll bring the oil if you add five and stir

or if whips and chains and hot oil isnt your thing...

visit any of the other threads in Puff Puff Pass and keep the rotation going.

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The Writers World

new updates in the December publishing opportunities, a list of current information on the many non-fiction and fiction
publishing opportunities that are available out there.

or try one of the excercises in our collection of ACTs and give your pen some practice.

and in Urban Lyricism you can check out the updates in the December Poetry Publishing Opportunities
if you are looking to get one or more of your poems published.

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Relationship issues in Lost in Translation

So do you think that objectification is a bad thing? Or is it something natural?

How are gender roles decided in your relationships? Are you more the traditional male breadwinner female housemaker type? Or something different?

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Current topics in Of Water and the Spirit

check this weeks horoscope, complete with the daily cosmic calendar.

ever had a tea reading? with the help of this site, now you can!.

have you taken the Kiersey yet? You really should. im nosy and wanna see your personality type

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Arts and Entertainment in Eternal Sunshine

want to find out what came out this week? check out these new releases
to discuss what’s opening at the box office.

if you need some daily inspiration, or just want to see cool pictures, visit the daily.stretch thread and participate in a creative activity.

and how dope are these rooms??!! seriously, they are pretty cool pictures. even though some of them scare me.

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Discuss Community and Society in the Famished Road

the December Writer’s Work Information Opportunities thread has awesome info
on ways to affect positive change in the world around you… through writing.

Do you think that cursing in public should be grounds for a fine? or is that taking things too far?

and what about this? bombs in the trade center basement on 9/11? What do you think?

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Get creative in Open Veins!

My favorites?

Make your own comic strip!

or a cute snowflake!

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Revelation - A Journal

share the bonds of sisterhood and discuss one of the most important issues that women face daily

have you read the Lost Gospel of St. Thomas?

"If a haiku is an insight into a moment of experience, a haibun is the story or narrative of how one came to have that experience."

oh how i loooove haibun.




the word substitute is both noun and verb. and minds can justify its use in terms like love and affection. when hands seek out skin under nights covering, bodies combine while eyes lock. we make promises with these eyes. agreeing to the charade of goodnight phone calls and hand holdings, pet names and promises. temporary, like place holders, we masquerade as lovers in a dance neither of us care to finish.

sweat slicked skin
resting in his arms.
pretending.

i never thought i would be headin that far east on the 10 again. when i left new orleans and travelled that very same interstate all the way back to cali... i didnt, or rather couldnt, even bare to look back. it took a lot to leave and now... im goin back. true, its to Houston this time, but still. there are nagging fears at the back of my mind regarding this migration. the same sort of feelings i had when i finally decided to leave nola. the doubts, the 'what ifs'... and all of a sudden, all these new reasons to stay.

its as if everytime i put my mind to leaving a place, knowing that the move is for the best, all these new things manifest to make me start to doubt my decision. all of a sudden, there are reasons why staying seems like such a better idea. and i am very indecisive and yet at the same time... very decisive. if that makes sense. i can never make up my mind but i'll change it in a split second. and i know i cant listen to that little nagging voice thats saying "stay! it will be fine if you stay" because what i really need to do right now is get the hell on the road. i guess its just the overarching issue of doubt and fear that ive always been plagued with. i hardly ever reallllly plan things out so there is always that big element of the possibility of failure that looms over any decision i make. but then again, if i were to plan something out over a long period of time... as soon as the time came to take action, i would have long since talked myself out of it.

so right now, im feeling as if the days cant pass fast enough. three more weeks and im on the road and those weeks cant pass any quicker. seriously. because right now i cant get tracy chapmans "gimme one reason to stay here" out of my head.

and thats daaaaaaaaaaaaangerous business right there.



tagged: life

my friend and i were discussing the state of the 'dating' scene today... and it was such a depressing conversation. honestly, is it too much to ask for to want something more than dinner and a movie? because i'm really starting to lose faith. whatever happened to creativity? to courting? to putting thought into something? nowadays it seems like everyone is in such a rush to do things that everything is being relegated to mediocrity. and i hate mediocrity. i remember a while back i was watching the movie Hitch with my ex and we got into discussing what a womans idea of a good date would be compared to a mans. all i kept thinking the entire time was... man, these men need help. and with each thing he said i kept remembering all the reasons why our relationship was so boring when we were together.

dont get me wrong... i enjoy the whole stay at home with a movie and some pizza type night. but every once in a while... its nice to go out and do something spontaneous. something that requires some form of thoughtfulness on your mans part to put some excitement into your dates. and im not opposed to doing it myself, but i always run up against the "nah bay, lets just stay home and get blockbuster". and going back to the movie Hitch... i remember watching Will Smith's courting of Eva Mendes and thinking, damn... if i ever met a man that did half of that... i'd marry him on the spot. but no. i get dinner and a movie - if im lucky.

houston houston houston houston houston houston houston houston houston houston houston houston houston houston houston houston houston houston houston houston houston houston houston houston houston houston houston houston houston houston houston houston houston houston houston houston houston houston houston houston houston houston houston houston houston houston houston houston houston houston houston houston houston houston houston houston houston houston houston houston

if you knew me... you know would know that this is how my mind works.