Angela BensonHi there! I just wanted to let you all know that I’m still alive and kicking. I just cleared out my comment log that had over 1700 spam messages and only two valid messages. I’m in trouble, you all. I have to figure out a way to keep people from posting spam to the blog.
A lot has been going on with me since my last post and I hope to be able to share the details with you in a week or so. Just to tease you a bit–I’ve graduated my first doctoral student, changed jobs, moved back South and started the next phase of my life. I promise to share details as soon as I get settled in my new home and my new office.
Thanks for sticking with me all this time. Why don’t you take some time and tell me what you’ve been doing since we last talked/blogged? In other words, tell me about your summer. I know some of you have some juicy stuff going on.
Angela
Hi Angela!
Glad to hear things are well with you. You didn’t mention writing or your weight loss so I pray all is well with those endeavors also.
What’s up with me? LOTS of reading. I’m going to start writing book reviews for freshfiction.com. Seeking God for direction in my writing because I was going in one direction but I’m feeling tugged (or I should say reeled back) in another. Spending time with family. Getting ready for the new school year. Coming to grips with my own wieght loss issues (which I pray is a precursor to actually losing weight! LOL)
Good to have you back.
HEY ANGELA!
Glad to hear you’re still alive. Sorry to hear you’re moving South.
WORK-SCHOOL – Work is crazy but I still like my job. I’m in the midst of getting my master’s in Higher Ed. Too much reading, too much class discussion; I be falling asleep & have cut a class or 2 :). The good part is since it’s a scholarship, I don’t have to pay for classes, only books.
WRITING CAREER – I self-published my “3rd book” entitled BORICUA MORENA: MEMOIRS OF A HUMBOLDT PARK GIRL, a collection of essays, poems & short stories which I wrote over the years (when I was supposed to be working :)… It’s a thin book, only 90 pages & I’m going to be selling it for $12.00.
The 2nd book (which Walk Worthy) passed on is in hands of Jenoyne Adams, NY agent with Levine-Greenberg. Hopefully, we’re looking at publication next year.
Write back. XR
Hi Angela,
Just a question: Why move back south? A lot of people I know did that and I just wondered what the appeal is?
Gabrielle in MD
Hi Angela,
I noticed you have WordPress. Not sure which version you have, but you might want to consider adding the plugin Askimet. It automatically catches spam and should be included under your WordPress options.
If don’t see it, you can download it for free at http://akismet.com/
Glad to see you back!
-Ty
Hey!!!! Good see have you back!!! Too much going on with me. I got engaged, pregnant, un-engaged, saved (again) and moved all in the last 3 months. I moved south from IL and I love it here. God willing I’ll be 39 this Thursday Aug 3rd and all I can say is “BLESSING BE TO GOD for my all!!!” Take care and stay in prayer while moving and getting settled. You will need it!!!
Much love and happiness,
BlaackSunshine
Hey Angela, It’s GREAT to see you blogging again! 🙂 I have really missed it. Looking at your posting and others’ responses is part of my daily routine. I can’t WAIT to hear what’s going on with you since you’ve moved down south. I live in North Carolina, and I love it! The south is cool.
Well, I’ve gotten engaged to my friend of 18 years. His name is Charles and he’s from Ghana. We won’t set the wedding date until after we finish our pre-marital sessions (just in case he turns out to be psycho)! 🙂 I”m getting married barefooted in the park. Marriage should be interesting. 🙂
I’m reading The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison and I am loving it. Next I’m going to read The Coldest Winter Ever by Sister Souljah. I’ve been reading alot of Christian fiction lately, so I decided to mix it up some.
I’ve been doing my own weight loss program–through changing my eating habits and working out like crazy. After I read Jordan Rubin’s book The Great Physician’s RX for Health and Wellness and Joyce Meyer’s book Look Great, Feel Great, I finally had the determination to take better care of me.
Since MayI’ve lost 7.6 pounds and 7 inches. I’m not concerned about the slowness of the weight loss, b/c I’m gaining muscle and losing inches and I feel so much better. I walk/jog at the track, I’m taking yoga now, I do kickboxing three days a week and I work out on the weights three days a week.
I eat six small meals a day, eliminated fruit juices and sodas from my diet and only drink water (unless I’m juicing fresh fruits and veggies). At first it was hard but now I LOVE water. No pork, no meat, very FEW fried food, lots of chicken, turkey and fish and lots and lots of fruits, veggies and whole grain.
So things are going really well for me. I’ve also decided to run my first 5K in October and eventually a marathon by next year sometime.
Angela, don’t keep us in suspense too long! I’ve really missed you!! 🙂
Correction guys, I meant to say in my blog that I wasn’t eating pork or drinking MILK. I accidentally typed meat. My bad.com! 🙂
I would like to also say I have missed you. It’s great to know you are back. My summer has been up and down. My pastor and my mother have given me their blessings to move out of Southern Illinois and now I am seeking God to see where I will be residing. Of course I have been thinking about different places such as, Atlanta, Chicago, Dayton and even South Carolina. I’ll remain in the area for at least 1 1/2 to 2 years. I want to complete my masters degree. Stay blessed and may God continue to bless all He has your hands to do.
Smooches!
Vyta
It’s so good to see you back on-line. Just during the week that I haven’t looked much at the blogs, you suddenly appear again.
It sounds as if you’ve really had a busy time, so welcome back.
As to what I’ve been doing: not as much as I’d like to. I’m considering a few options in making some money. The weather has put a real crimp in that. My apartment has no a/c, fans and I don’t really get along because drafts freeze up my muscles and the only thing I have is a dehumidifier. However, I keep wondering if that works for or against me since it produces its own heat. I have a feeling that I’ll be permanently clammy. Even a shower increases the humidity in my rooms. Seems to be a no-win situation.
On another front: I was able to talk to my pastor and at least I’m more at peace about the family situation and can think about it without the previous indignation and need for an explanation.
We had at least two thunderstorms yesterday evening and it’s drizzling a bit. So, though the temperature is down a bit, the humidity is still very high. We’ve been having feel-like temperatures up to 115. I went to the library on Tuesday and said to one of the librarians, “Oh, it’s cold in here.” “You won’t feel like that for long” and I didn’t. It still wasn’t as hot and uncomfortable as my place but certainly not cool.
Otherwise, I’ve been reading a bit and sleeping a lot from time to time. I just can’t seem to stay awake during the mornings when it’s finally a little cooler. Yet I’m awake most nights. And I’ve lost more weight too though I’ve certainly not been trying to.
Ah, that was just some cool breeze coming in. Unfortunately, it apparently won’t last long. I’ll enjoy it while I can.
I’m looking forward to what you’ve been doing–besides trying to get rid of 1700 spam comments. Yikes. That’s awful. I know a lot of blogs now have some sort of verification you have to enter. I can’t understand what kind of satisfaction these people get from doing something like that. I still think lack of respect is the biggest problem.
How does this Spam Karma work? I see that it’s already eaten 301 Spams and counting.
And what will disrespectful people think of next? We thought computers would make some things easier for us but they’ve brought us a host of new problems with no end in sight.
GEIGH,
is there a particular reason for cutting out milk? A friend of mine is trying to lose weight too and she can’t figure out why she isn’t losing any. When she said that she loves to drink milk, a red flag came up in my mind. I know some people have long been saying that we are the only species of mammal that continues to drink milk after we are weaned.
I’ve also heard from a reliable source that milk may be a factor in breast cancer. Is it then also a factor in losing weight or is it just something you decided to do?
The Spam Karma is now 374.
Hey Sigrun, yeah you’re right. We are the only species that continues to drink milk after we’ve been weaned from it. Milk has fat and if your friend is consuming high quantities of it, that could be part of her challenge. Many adults develop lactose intolerance when they get older b/c their bodies can no longer handle the milk intake. Many nutritionists say if you still want to drink milk, stay away from cow’s milk and drink organic goat’s milk…you can find it at whole food stores. But with me, I noticed when I would drink milk at night, I would wake up nauseated the next day, so I finally put two and two together. So I found other things to get my calcium from–like fruits, veggies and vitamin supplements! 🙂
Hey Angela,
Glad to see you’re back and rearing to go. As for me, I’ve been doing my darndest to walk in your shoes as far as writing is concerned. Planning to go back to school in the fall and started several new websites and slowly working my way towards “enough already–stop eating!” LOL.
Hope you’ve activated your Akismet for those nasty spammers.
Peace,
Dee
Hey Angela,
Sy Alexander here. Great to hear you are back. Hope you have moved close to us here in Atlanta. I know you have been busy as you indicate.
Have you read my book yet? “Pinksta & The Polka Dotted Pinstriped Pants Wearing Princess” If so please post a review that I might use on my website which will be up soon and on Barnes & Noble. com
Thanks
Sy