Last night it snowed about 3-4 inches (depending where you are located) in the Detroit area. I swear, I moved out West to avoid the snow, and I come here for like a month in December.

Though, from what I read, Seattle schools received a snow day today. I bet it barely snowed there, but those silly Seattlites just cannot handle more than a few inches... Seriously though, I would be scared on those hills, too!

I took some pics from work...

I am finally over the jet lag, but still am going a bit nuts on little sleep here. I wake up way earlier than before, usually around 6:55am, in order to be at work by about 8, or 8:15am. I work in Brighton and from my house in Farmington Hills it is about a 16 mile drive. Luckily it is east to west so I am going against the flow of traffic, but it still takes a good 25 minutes or so, not to mention tons of gas.

I know it is the “Motor City” and all, but people drive way too much out here. What I miss the most about Seattle right now (well, besides R... and oddly enough… the weather), is walking! In Seattle I walk to the market, to shopping, to food, to beer, to wherever... I suppose I could walk here, but from work I think the closest food establishment is about 2 miles away and by the time I got there, I’d probably have frost bite from the teen temps we have been having lately.

I also have yet to spend a nice to myself. I am always running around, here, there, to this, to that. I never have time for myself to just sit and veg out and relax. I do not see it happening until at least Monday night, as my sis is graduating on Sun and I have other family obligations on Saturday. I am going to try to get to the Pistons/Pacers game tomorrow night, we’ll see.

But yes, Monday… Monday the goal is to relax, when I get home, after my 10 hour day at work…

Oh, and this was the temp today, driving into work...

4:11pm

So, I am on a plane, traveling what the airlines tell me is 2019 miles from SeaTac to Detroit. I wonder if that number is really accurate. Anyway, I am on Northwest Airlines flight 212, not really because of choice, but because if I wanted a Sky Team Alliance direct flight, Northwest was my only option.

Northwest used to be my preferred airline. When I first started flying, I would actually choose to fly NWA over most of their competitors. I remember those days… as they were also the days of a good (hot) meal, no checked baggage fees, movies/radio for entertainment, free pillows and blankets galore and friendly flight attendants. Yes, I yearn for those days. Unfortunately, just as I hit my peak travel time in life, they have all seemed to disappear.

Not only is flying a hassle in general these days for reasons like… I am lugging around a 40 pound carryon suitcase that so large it can barely be labeled a carry on… I am on a 5 hour flight, pretty hungry for real food and my only non 1st class option is a tuna fish snack box or some candies, both which require cash, as Northwest is not a cashless cabin like every other freaking major airline. Well, to top it off, I totally started my, ya know, womanly cycle. That sucks in general, but on a flight is even worse! I hate being told when I can and cannot use the restroom because of turbulence or being blocked from the aisle, which brings me to my story.

I am sitting maybe 3 rows from 1st class, as I do not generally get upgraded on NWA flights with my Alaska MVP. I was sleeping until the snack/pop cart hit my elbow and woke me up. I looked at the time and realized I probably should go to the bathroom, to ya know, take care of the lady stuff as I had not done so in a few hours. I looked back and the drink cart was only in the row behind me, there was no way I would be able to make it that long, so, I went to the first class bathroom. Now, I have done this on many other occasions when I am in the bulk head seats and it has never been a problem.

Well, the coach flight attendants did a 2nd drink service and started in my area. I took a look back and I was totally blocked. It would be a 30 min wait before they were done, and there was no way I was going to negotiate the cart. So, I went to the 1st class bathroom. Well, as I am leaving, the 1st class flight attendant says to me… It’s nothing personal, and I am sure you didn’t want to wait for the cart, but for security reasons, you have to use the restroom in your class because you are too close to the cockpit. I replied with, well it was an emergency and I couldn’t wait for the carts.

Oh, wow, she just came by and told me to close my laptop because it was bright and we were landing soon anyway. They haven’t even started to pick up the garbage from the drink service. I’ll finish this when I get home.

Home...


I’ll be home 25 days total. When I bought the ticket, it seemed like a good idea. I could put in some face time in the office, shop for the holidays without being stressed and worrying about shipping the gifts (or paying baggage fees for gifts), hang with old friends and family, etc. I made these plans though before my last minute 2 and a half week trip to Detroit in October. If only I knew…

I am sure I will be a major ball of stress for the next 25 days. In addition, I didn’t anticipate R being in my life, so, I did not count on being away from him for a month… which seems like it should be easy, but in reality… will suck.

Oh and, yeah… “It’s so cold in the D!” (Really, it’s like 20 degrees and snowy…)

It has been quite awhile since I have posted a blog. I have been very busy with work, with life, with travel, etc.

Right now I am home in Detroit. I arrived on Sunday, Oct 5, and am going home Oct 22, which happens to be my birthday. I actually had plans to spend my birthday in Atlanta, but changed those based on the fact that the friend I was originally going to visit got a little bit weird on me.

I am always a huge ball of stress when I come home. I am home for both work and personal reasons. My mom got reconstructive surgery on her ankle yesterday, so I am mostly home to help her out, cook for her, etc... but I am also working out of the office in Brighton, which is nice because sometimes it seems as if I am out of the loop when I am on the west coast.

Speaking of home... everytime I come back here it feels less and less like home. People have changed, some for the worse, and I have changed. Plus, the longer I am in Seattle, the more I become established there and the more it feels like home. Plus, I have something new in my life that makes me yearn to be there even more...

Just 13 more days...

Kwame finally gains street cred...

"What matters to me ... is how the court overall is perceived and how if it was not Kwame Kilpatrick sitting in that seat... If it was John Sixpack sitting in that seat, what would I do?", District Judge Ronald Giles says to Kwame Kilpatrick, my former "Hip-Hop Mayor", in front of a court room packed with reporters from all over the country. (I find it humorous that he said John Six-Pack, and not John Doe.)

Yes, Detroit's "Hip Hop" Mayor is gaining street credit by spending the night in Wayne County Jail tonight. Actually, according to the Wayne County Jail's inmate look up, he was booked at 12:52pm EST.




I first heard about his jail sentence when I woke up this morning from the Freep.com's Twitter Feed. I like being in PST, it is my favorite time zone, because you wake up to tons of news and happenings on the East Coast.

In March, Kwame was charged with a slew of crimes, including perjury for lying about an affair with Christine Beatty, his then Chief of Staff. The two were outed when text messages with City owned phones were made public. Kwame paid $7,500 in bond to remain "free" after being charged with perjury. Another requirement of his bond was just to make a simple phone call and let the courts know if he was leaving the state. Simple, right?

Not for Kwame, who believes he is above all other residents of Detroit. Apparently he crossed the border to Windsor to work out some Border deal with the Canadians.

I cannot understand why this man is still the Mayor? Has this city not been disgraced enough? All he had to do was make a 2 minute phone call, and he probably could have had an assistant or friend (wait, aren't all of his employees friends and family?) do it for him!

So, not only does Kwame have this leaving the country issue, but Mike Cox, Michigan's Attorney General, will tell us tomorrow if he is charging Kwame with assault after he allegedly assaulted a Sheriff's detective who was attempting to serve a subpoena to Hip Hoppy's friend.

Hopefully Mike Cox is also re-investigating the death of Tamara Green, a stripper who was allegedly attacked by Kwame's wife during an alleged crazy Mayor mansion party. It was rumored that she was going to tell investigators the truth about the party.

I read that Granholm canceled her plans/schedule today to have "internal meetings." We can only hope that by internal meetings they mean - figuring out how to get rid of Kwame sooner than his misconduct hearing on September 3.

I know I left Detroit, but it is my home, and a piece of my heart is there... And while I LOVE making fun of Kwame, I have since he was first running for office, I would like to see my city thrive and grow... not be publicly humiliated and shamed.

Yes, the Hip Hop Mayor needs to go... Don't forget, this is the same "Raise the Roof" Mayor (yes, he did that a lot!) that Chris Rock modeled his character after in the movie, "Head of State". Except Chris's character probably did not text...

Oh as a side note, in July 2003, I went to one of the only Eminem shows that year, in Detroit. The show started with a pre-show video:

"The video then cut back to Eminem getting back to his phone call with the mayor to work out a deal to schedule a Detroit performance, and includes Eminem giving the mayor a special invite for a party at his "mansion." The line elicited laughter from those in the crowd who were hip to local news reports about a recent investigation into rumors of a wild party at the mayor's Manoogian Mansion. (The state attorney general deemed the rumors to be nothing but the stuff of "urban legends.")"



Also, I do think that the Detroit News Reporters are loving the National spotlight. Karen Drew, a local reporter for WDIV - NBC (Rescue 4 Undercover), was all over the news out here. I am sure National media exposure can boost your career.

So, good luck in jail tonight Kwame, even though I am sure you will get the Paris Hilton treatment. Hopefully you look hot in a green jumpsuit... and look at the bright side - after tonight, you will get that street credit to back up your Hip Hop Mayor image!

And if you are looking for Kwame Mug Shot swag... Here is the place ... And Here...


*Right Mugshot from March, 2008. Left Mugshot from booking today.

Last night Jeff and I went to the Tigers game to celebrate his birthday a day early!!! Yea!!

Jeff's parking garage for work is in Greektown, which is so perfect.

We walked over to this little sports pub called Pappys'. It is a little sports pub with about 6 or 7 flat screen TV's that were playing a bunch of different baseball games. They actually have a "real" food menu, which is more than just your greasy bar food. I had the chicken kabob, and it was really good! They had some good microbrews on draft. Oh, also, they have a great happy hour from 2-7pm!


We drank a bit there, ate our dinner, then started walking over to the stadium. At the light at Gratiot, we run into this guy, who was trying to sell us CD's. He started talking to us and he was freestyling so I asked if I could take a video of him... He, of course, said yes...



We listened to his cd on the way home, and um, it was not so good.

After that we made our way to Comerica Park, and actually our tickets were not that bad. I had bought them off some Craigslist guy that day. We drank beers, watched the game for awhile... The Tigers were up by a lot, then the Rockies scored... And the Tigers rallied in the bottom of the 9th!

There was a quick rain delay. Jeff and I used it to dance in the rain, and move to really close box seats.

Here are some pics (I love how many fans show up at CoPa!):

From 2008-06-28 Ti...

Jeff and I also hit the batting cages:

From 2008-06-28 Ti...

Then the fireworks!!




Finally we went back to the Hills and partied at my neighbors house, where they had a liquor luge. We drank a bit, then decided to go swimming in my pool. The temp in the pool was 86, but I was freezing! We had the patio heater on, but I still couldn't deal with it.

Jeff slept over and then we just got back from meeting my dad at Moe's on 10, in Novi, for brunch. The brunch is made to order omelettes, some regular staples like eggs, meats, pancakes, fruit, potatoes and then random things like... quesadillas and asian veggies, which were very good. Actually, for a brunch it was very good, and very affordable. Moe's is kind of an "older" person place (I keep forgetting my dad is in his 60's, I never think of him as old??), but the food was good, the service was good and I would definitely go back for brunch.


Now, nap, then, Jeff's house for a BBQ to celebrate his birthday!!

I have been home now since Saturday. It has been hectic. I feel like when I am home, I am always running here, running there, chaos, I am being spread too thin. I have not seen any of my friends since I have been home. I worked, ran errands, worked, saw my Grandma twice and my Great Aunt & her son (who live in the Houghton/Hancock area of the UP).

Everyone thinks that since I am home, I am on some sort of vacation? I am here for work, work paid for it, so the extra things I get to do are just that extra, a bonus, not a priority. In reality, I feel like I should not have told anyone I was home!!

Not to mention the time change. I am great at going from EST to PST, but not PST to EST. I think today is the first day I am not completely exhausted.

So, some fun/weird things about home...

I forgot how much I love a salt water pool (not to mention how good it is for the environment!) My mom has one and I have been spending time in it.

People (my family, mom, boss, friends) keep paying for my dinners when we go out.

When I came into work on Monday there was a dead turkey vulture hanging upside down. Apparently, there were 5 of them, they tore our roof off, and we had to shoot one and hang it upside down in effigy - whatever that means - and it scares the other ones away. We had to get a special permit from the DNR and get the insurance company out because they did like 10,000 dollars worth of damage in 4 days. So, apparently my boss shot the bird, and hung it on our directv dish.

Ha, I just said it worked, and just saw one flying over the lake and then land on our back roof. Apparently, it did not work. Our permit is for 5...



Gas is so cheap here, well, compared to Seattle. I got gas with my mom on Sunday and it was just over 4 bucks a gallon. In Belltown that same day, 4.45.


On that same Sunday, I went to my sis's new house and saw her cat. Her roommate got a new kitten, and he is an 8 week old little devil of a cat. I am not a big fan of cats anyway (in fact, they are a deal breaker when dating!!), but how can you not think this little kitten was cute...


Tonight, I get to get my haircut - Yea!! I haven't had it done since Dec 23, which was the last time I was in Detroit. I just haven't found someone in Seattle, and I really like Denise... and well, I am getting it cut. Then Jeff and I are going to get a late dinner - of all my friends I have seen Jeff the most... which is nice. Saturday night we are going out for a crazy night since it his birthday!!

And back to work for a few mins...