Random Survey for Now...

Okay so it's been nearly a month since I shot up a real post. A lot has been going on and I havent had time. Then when I 'found' time, I didn't have a topic, so I guess you could say I had a weird sense of 'Writer's Block'. Then I started thinking that I had lost my 'joy' for posting. I'm not really sure. But in trying to post more, I've just done this quiz for starters. Til next time, enjoy.

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The Most Random Survey
What's the first thing you do when waking up in the morning?	Um...I'll go with 'Open my eyes' for 500, Alex
Do you prefer a shower or bath?	Shower
How many times a day do you brush your teeth?	At least twice
How often do you find yourself thinking about your ex?	Next Question
What kind of cell phone do you have?	Verizon Voyager
What would you do with a 10 bill you found on the ground?	Right now? I'd invest in some gas
What would you do with your significant other if you knew today was your last day with them?	I dont know
Have you said "I love you" today?	Nope
What's one thing you actually remember about kindergarten?	My twin, Kenny. Thats how we met...in Kindergarten
Did you cry at your graduation or smile because you were glad it was over?	My actual graduation, I cried because I was leaving everyone early...my ceremony, I smiled
Are you closer with your mom or dad?	My mom by circumstance
Do you prefer the tanning bed or the sun?	I'm already black lol....but I dont tan
Is chocolate really better than sex?	Damn I really thought about this good and hard lol....naaah it isnt lol
What's 2 of your favorite movies?	The Color Purple, Bamboozled
What's the last thing you think about before going to sleep at night?	My future
What would you do if your best friend jumped on your ex the day after you two split?	I would seriously fluck one of them up.* Seriously. *One of them being my best friend. I've got 4 bffs
How many rumors have you heard about yourself?	Ahh the days of rumors.......
Which one did you find to be the funniest?
Does your life seem to revolve around drama?	Lately yes, le sigh
What's a nickname you go by?	'Ms_Slim' and...Not really a 'nickname' but a shortened one: Mal
How do you calm down when your extremely angry?	I usually talk it out, but I havent been 'extremely angry' in a minute, so I can't really recall what I do...
Do you prefer to work hard or hardly work?	lol. I'd PREFER to hardly work...but working hard is necessary
What are 3 places you want to see in the world?	Milan Hong Kong and um...Paris
A movie or a long walk in the park on the first date?	Walk in Park
What are 3 of the first things you notice about the opposite sex?	Whole face (I notice EVERYTHING), Height, and Dress
Where do you see yourself in 5 years?	Alive, having achieved my definition of 'success' and wealthy
In 10?	same thing as above
Do long distance relationships actually work out?	Depends on the length of said distance and how often you see the person
Ever thought you met "The One"?	Yep
What are 2 of your favorite places to eat?	Wishbone and....at home
3 of your favorite places to shop?	Express, online and H&M
Do you currently have a job?	Yep yep
Which would you prefer...be rich and miserable, or poor and extremely happy?	poor and happy, baby!
What's one of your favorite TV shows?	The Game
Does your life revolve around drama?	I see we're repeating questions: Um...Yes
What did you want to be when you "grow up"?	I wanted to be a doctor. Too bad I hate science. Then I wanted to be a teacher. .Too bad I can't stand bad ass kids....*shrugs*
Would you ever date someone covered in tats and piercings?	Nope
What's your favorite perfume or cologne for the opposite sex?	Isymiyaki and anything I buy lol
Do you believe the first kiss tells you everything you need to know about the relationship?	What? No.
Where do your hands go when kissing someone?	Depends on where we are really, but mainly on his head or shirt
Do you know who lives in a pineapple under the sea?	Spongebob SquarePants!
How many showers do you take in one day?	2
Are those better when you've got someone to join you?	Of course
Would you want a house at the beach or in the mountains?	Beach please
Which would you rather have...a huge walk in shower or a jacuzzi bath tub big enough for 2?	Can I have both? I mean because Im so indecisive and all...
What are 2 of your favorite colors?	Red and......anything. I dont really have a favorite color anymore. Any color looks great on me
Do you look up or at your feet when you walk?	Upwards. But when in wind, which is the norm round here...I look down
What do you think about people that are extremely skinny and actually likes the way they look?	Some of us just can't catch a break with a slower metabolism. I can't say so much about a person that LIKES being deathly thin though. Ew.
Who do you prefer...Jennifer Aniston or Angelina Jolie?	Uh what?
What's your favorite ice cream?	Chocolate and Strawberry Cheesecake :)
Do you like Starbucks...or are they just overpriced?	I mean they ARE overpriced...but I love 'em just the same
Are you a prep or a jeans-and-t-shirt type of person?	Can I say, 'jeans and button up'?
What color are your eyes?	Dark Brown with a blue ring (no its not from contacts; its genetics. Dont hate :) )
Do you have glasses or contacts?	I have both
Ever had someone you love tell you they never want to see or talk to you again?	Um yes
How many times has an ex just called you up when you least expect it?	A couple times
Is it love at first sight or lust?	At first sight? I say 'lust'. I really feel like 'Love' takes time
Which do you want...a big extravagant wedding or a quiet intimate ceremony?	Something in the middle again. I dont want a small wedding, but I dont want a 20K one either. Is 300 people a 'big' wedding?
What's the most expensive thing you own?	My student loans and my car
What's the most you've ever spent on a pair of jeans?	160.00
What color are your bedroom walls?	white
Do you ever actually make your bed?	yep. daily
How many pillows do you have to sleep with?	one
Do you prefer to sleep alone or with someone?	Depends
What is one of your pet peeves?	Loud people, Ignorant people, Liars, and being stared at!!! (Sorry; I couldnt just pick one lol)
What could you tolerate...someone who snores or a sleep walker?	Sleep walker. At least they arent making noise all in my ear
What's the craziest thing you've ever done?	I'm not big on 'crazy things'...
Would you rather sky dive or bungee jump?	Um..neither for 200, Alex
Ever been outside of the US?	Nope :(
Ever think Texas should just be part of Mexico?	haha it may as well be...
How much do you think your house would be worth if it was setting in the hills of California?	ahh millions?
What do you honestly think about the kids on Sweet 16?	Not familiar...
Are the shows on MTV too fake?	I dont do MTV
Do you have to have some kind of noise to fall asleep?	Nah not usually
What time is it right now?	3pm on the dot
What's your zodiac sign?	Libra!
How long does it usually take you to get dressed?	about a half hour to 45
Do you prefer to call or text someone?	I prefer to text. I'm always either too busy to call or my attention level is off the wall and I cant sit still long enough to pay attention to the convo. Its a mess. Just text me
Who is your celebrity heart-throb?	Common. Usher. Michael Ealy
Would you have survived 100 years ago?	Yep
What do you think the world will be like in 30 years?	Im kinda scared because of Nostradamus and his prediction. Hit me up in like 4 years...
Do you have to be the center of attention?	Nope. I've been called an Attention Whore...but I'm FAR from one that likes to be in the center of it all
Do you save your money or spend it when you get your hands on it?	These days? Save
Are you a party animal or someone who prefers to stay in?	Ex-PA. I stay in these days
Ever been told you are "The Life of The Party"?	Nahh
Did you get a new year's kiss?	Yea like a few days AFTER the New Year smh lol
What was one thing you wanted for your birthday you didn't get?	I didnt want anything last bday really
Are you a happy person?	Ehn....next question
If money was no option...what type car would you own?	Most likely a BMW or Lexus
Do you think you could actually survive the cost of living in California or New York?	Hmmm....yep I do
How many concerts have you been to?	Not sure. It's been a lot
What are 3 set radio stations in your vehicle right now?	Um...*looking confused*...radio? Whats that? I dont do radio, homie
Do they "wear-out" good songs by over playing them?	In the days I did radio, yep they did!
What's one thing you always said you'd never do but have done?	I'd say that I'm a woman of her word. If I say it, I do it...or don't do it, depending on what I say..
Have you ever flat ironed your hair?	Yep. Without it, it just coils up, ugh
What's the most you've ever payed for shampoo and conditioner?	I dont know. Like ten bucks a pop
Was it actually worth it?	Yep
Ever been told your a flirt?	Yes. And I DONT see it. I've been told that it's my eyes. Whatever.
What have you done that you are proud of?	Early graduation stands out the most right now
Do you go to church every Sunday?	No
Do you have a hidden talent?	'hidden'? No
Are you an adrenaline junkie or someone who plays-it-safe?	Again- Im in the middle about this too. I'm not a 'daredevil/ex-factor/lets be dangerous' type girl at all. At the same time, I'm no prude either. I'm somewhere in the middle. I try anything (reasonable) once
Do you like water parks?	Yep. Can't swim though
What do you normally eat for breakfast?	Fruit. Or my usual: eggs, turkey bacon/sausage, white rice, and toast
What do you think of those people that will actually pay 0 per person to eat dinner?	Nothing. Whatever floats their boat...and their pockets apparently...(did that question really mean to say 'zero' per person?)
Ever been called a tease?	Yep. But that makes even less sense than the flirt thing to me...
What is one of your childhood memories?	Being the only kid on my block that had a certain distance I could ride my bike.
Do you like to cuddle?	Yep
Do you have an actual comforter on your bed?	Yep
Do you like the heat or cold weather?	Heat. I can't even 'middle' that one, because sometimes medium-temp weather is too cold for me
What was your favorite cartoon as a kid?	Looney Tunes
Do you prefer dogs or cats?	Dogs. I hate cats!
When no one is home...do you actually walk around naked?	Not BUTT-naked...but with just my undies on, yep yep!
Have you ever seen a ghost?	I thought I saw each of my grandparents in the first months that they passed
What's the best movie you've seen recently?	Recently like last couple weeks or so? The International. Recently like last year? Dark Knight
Do you prefer scary movies or comedies?	Comedies
Ever had a huge crush on someone and never tell them?	Nah
Did you high school have the clicks like Mean Girls?	Yep. I was a member of one lol
Are you a bashful or outgoing person?	I'm "outgoingly bashful". I'm not a 'shy' person at all, but I observe my surroundings a lot when in an unfamiliar place or around people I dont know. Once I get to talking though, I can go for a while lol
If you could change one thing about your body...would you?	Nah, other than maybe gaining like 6 pounds, my body is kinda really perfect :)
If someone held a gun to your head and asked you..."Do you believe in God?" what would you say?	I'd say 'damn straight!'
Would you drive 1000 miles for the one you love?	Been there, done that
What was one thing you was given as a child and still have?	A teddy bear dressed in a Rocky outfit (see: Rocky and Bullwinkle) that I named Rocky...obviously
Do you have a favorite shirt or pair of jeans you wear over and over?	Not really. Everything I wear is a 'favorite'
Will you move away from your hometown any time soon?	Been there, done that
Would you actually relocate for the one you can't live without?	Not in my next move
Does love really make you act crazy?	Love makes me act 'out of character' but never 'crazy'
How many texts do you send on average a month?	Wow, something like 2500 I think. So glad I've got 'unlimited texts' because that phone bill would be ri-darn-diculous if I didnt
Have you ever talked to a psychic?	Nope. I'm already one.
How many kids do you want?	Three. Thats it and thats all.
What's your favorite name for a girl and boy?	Boy: Dylan Girl: Tyler
Have you ever actually snuck out of your house?	Nope
How many things have you done that your parents don't know about?	Nothing. They found out about everything at one point or another lol
Ever been taken to jail?	Nope
Have you ever had a pen pal?	Yep, back when days were simpler. We had a pen pal program in Grade School
What are you about to do now that this survey is over?	Get back to work
Take this survey or other MySpace Surveys at PimpSurveys.com

Rocking the Red Pump Project!

Today is National Woman and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day. Two bloggers, Luvvie and Karyn have created the Red Pump Project in efforts to spread awareness about the fifth leading cause of death in women ages 25-44.

I realize that I am supposed to wear red today in lieu of my support for the cause....but see what had happened was..........yea. I was rushing for work and completely forgot about it this morning. I do, however, have red nails today. Does that count?

Anyway, I can not stress enough how serious a disease this is. In a world where monogamy seems to be an anomaly, it's truly a wonder how people are still out having unprotected sex so freely. I'm sure unprotected sex may feel better and even be more comfortable, but is it really worth risking your life over...literally? Before anyone engages in the act again, everyone should think on that and the value they really put on their lives to begin with. I read somewhere and it rings true, "sex was a secret thing, then it was a pleasurable thing, and now it's a dangerous thing" -paraphrased by a source I now have forgotten

There will be a Happy Hour event hosted in Chicago as well as in Kansas City. More information on those events are found here.

To donate to the cause, click here.

The Red Pump Project also has gear on deck for those interested as well (doing big things, indeed). For the Red Pump Store, click here or just go to the Red Pump Project site and you can purchase items from the left side module found on the page. Here is the link to the site again: Red Pump Project

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Here are some statistics on HIV/AIDS and the effects of them on women and girls, worldwide:

Statistics used are from the Center for Disease Control's website. Although these stats are only taking the United States into account, globally, HIV/AIDS is no less of a problem, especially for women.

Key Snapshot of the U.S. Epidemic Today

• Number of new HIV infections, 2006: 56,300
• Number of people living with HIV/AIDS: 1.1 million, including more than 468,000 with AIDS
• Number of AIDS deaths since beginning of epidemic: 583,298, including 14,561 in 2007
• Percent of people infected with HIV who don’t know it: 21%
  

HIV/AIDS & Women in the United States
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*There are approximately 1.1 million people living with HIV/AIDS in the U.S. & almost 280,000 are women

*In 2006, there were 15,000 new HIV infections and 9,801 AIDS cases diagnosed among women

*There were 3,784 deaths among women with AIDS in 2006

*Among those who are HIV positive, 35% of women were tested for HIV late in their illness (diagnosed with AIDS within one year of testing positive)

*HIV is the 5th leading cause of death in women in the United States, ages 25-44

*High-risk heterosexual contact is the source of 80% of these newly diagnosed infections in women

*According to a CDC study of more than 19,500 patients with HIV in 10 US cities, women were slightly less likely than men to receive prescriptions for the most effective treatments for HIV infection

*Women with AIDS made up an increasing part of the epidemic. In 1992, women accounted for an estimated 14% of adults and adolescents living with AIDS in the 50 states and the District of Columbia. By the end of 2005, this proportion had grown to 23%

*From the beginning of the epidemic through 2005, almost 86,000 women have died of AIDS and AIDS-related complications.

*The largest number of HIV/AIDS diagnoses during recent years was for women aged 15–39

HIV/AIDS & Minority Women
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HIV/AIDS disproportionately affects minority women in the United States. According to the 2005 census, Black and Latina women represent 24% of all US women combined, but account for 82% of the estimated total of AIDS diagnoses for women in 2005.

HIV is:

*the leading cause of death for black women (including African American women) aged 25–34 years.

*the 3rd leading cause of death for black women aged 35–44 years.

*the 4th leading cause of death for black women aged 45–54 years.

*the 4th leading cause of death for Latina women aged 35–44 years.

*The only diseases causing more deaths of women were cancer and heart disease

*The rate of AIDS diagnosis for black women was approximately 23 times the rate for white women and 4 times the rate for Latina women

*In 2006, teen girls represented 39% of AIDS cases reported among 13–19 year-olds. Black teens represented 69% of cases reported among 13–19 year-olds; Latino teens represented 19%

These statistics were pulled from The Center for Disease Control's website and the Kaiser Family Foundation's Fact Sheets (which cited the CDC). Get more information about the effect of the epidemic from these sites.


Be Safe, Everyone,

Ms_Slim

Insomniac Ramblings Part 194

It's 2am and I've gotta be up at 5 yet.....there isn't any part of my body that is sleepy. At all. I swear I'm beginning to think that this particular bout of Insomnia is only getting worse instead of better. I have my own ideas and theories of why that is but....ah well for now I guess...

Anyway, I'm in my mind tonight and I'm thinking about a plethora of things. I realize also that I haven't written a haiku in years. I "quit" writing them because I reached a point where I felt like the complexity of haikus were both simple yet complex at the same time. They were simple in that they were only comprised of three lines and very few and rather simple words usually. Yet they were complex because (at least for me), when a haiku was written, I never felt like I had enough down...yet, by definition and 'rules' of the haiku, I did.

However, I was talking to one of my homegirls who just so happens to have a blogspot too, VerbFashion, and we got to talking about haikus, so I said I'd throw one up here to reflect my present state of mind. Here goes:

Late night thoughts run by

Seeping through and purging forth

Crevices of me

I'm rusty,

Ms_Slim