So many of my close girlfriends are single! What’s so funny is, I was the last person that wanted to get married! I thought I was going to be single FOREVER! The thing is, I was happy with that! I have some jacked up ways, I’m moody and wishy washy! I didn’t think I could ever find a mate to put up with my crap! Lord and behold my hubby came around and we have been together for over 14 years now. Before I was married, I ran the streets, club hopped, and partied hard and use to wonder why I was not finding that right man. I had to take a close look at myself and realize I was doing some things that was wrong to attract a good man. Once I got my chit in order, I had them swarming around me like honey to a bee! Here is my guide for my single girls out there that want to attract Mr.Right. This is funny, don’t take me so serious but I am kinda serious…wink!

• Stop dressing like you are going to audition to be in a Lil Wayne video with your dress up to your butt cheeks! That sends guys the wrong message and you look like a quick one night stand to them! Don’t be mad if they approach you saying the WRONG thing!
• Keep your hair on point! Believe it or not men do pay attention to your hair. Thats how I use to attract a lot of guys. I don’t wear weaves or brightly colored hair, I just keep it simple. Most men do like natural looks.If you must wear extensions,I’m not saying that you have to have the top weave specialist lay out your hair weekly because hell that is expensive. But keep your hair shapely, combed,neat and clean. Don’t smell like pump it up  spritz either! Please stay away from rainbow quick weaves that you see walking around at Bronner Brothers hair shows! How your hair looks will attract that very same type of guy! Trust!
• Learn to speak proper English. If you have too much slang that is a turn off! Don’t talk loud and smack your mouth or sling your neck when trying to get your point across lol.
• Keep your nails manicured! Don’t let me catch you with acrylic nails thats been needing a fill in for more than 3 weeks, chile bye! Keep them short to medium length with a nice color choice. Men like French manicured nails and toes. If you can’t get your nails manicured if you have natural nails, atleast remove the polish and wear a base coat. Men do pay attention to your hands!
• Keep your shoe game tight. I switch it up with heels and tennis shoes depending on where I am going.No ran over heels with peeled up the back banana peels and scratched up shoes please,throw them out! I know from listening to men, they LOVE to see women in heels.
• Have something intelligent to say. Nothing like a girl that just agrees with everything he says. Men find that boring and a warning sign that either you are a push over, or have low self esteem.
• Have standards and rules. If you don’t believe in men coming to pick you up after 9pm then stick to that. Once you let your guard down, men will try to walk over you. Trust me they respect you more when you stick to your guns!
• If you meet a guy and you know he is married or seeing someone else, back off! A real man will respect you for that and if he does break up with that person, he will remember you.
• Try to venture out to other places to meet men besides the local club! Believe it or not I met my hubby in a nightclub but thats another story.Try going to a coffee shop, book store,even grocery store! I’ve heard about some great romantic stories coming out of late night grocery shopping trips!
• Be pleasant. Nothing like a grouchy ass girl thats always negative! Men are listening when you think they are not! Stop gossiping and talking about folks. Believe it or not men don’t like too much drama, don’t bring it.
• Try a blind date or two from a good friend’s referral. I hate these type of hook ups personally, but I am good at setting up my friends! Three of them are still dating the same guys I’ve introduced them to! Ha!

I hope you laughed but took some mental notes in what I said. Trust me I have been there girls! I dated a lot and know its not easy to try to find a good guy. When you are least expecting it, it will come! Don’t look for him, a guy knows when he is ready! You can’t rush them and if you try to be deceitful or shady it will NEVER work out! Till next time. xoxo

I meant to write about this last year so that I didn’t have to go into the new year fussing but this keeps occurring. I thought I would share some light on this situation today. I cover many events in Atlanta and abroad and I’m so grateful and blessed to be invited out to so many things. I have noticed over time that people have no idea that some of their behavior is annoying or maybe they just don’t think it’s a problem. So I wanted to share with you some things that annoy me (and other media buddies of mine) about taking photos at events. Some of you guys need a quick lesson in photography etiquette and a nice reality check when you see someone out with a professional camera at an event. When my media buddies and I are out, we just laugh when we get asked to do some outlandish things. It’s becoming a growing problem and I need to address it head on! I find it comical and the audacity of some is hilarious. I am not mad at all more irritated is the word but read this and learn please. xoxo

• If you ask me to come out to cover your event, please DO NOT treat me like I’m your hired photographer! I hate that! Stop being cheap and hire the real deal!
• I posts pictures/stories when I feel like it, it could be up the next day, two weeks later or NOT at all! I work at my own pace. So please stop emailing me or tweeting me saying “thanks for coming to our event”, as if you’re subliminally reminding me, oh yeah don’t forget about us! I am NOT dumb or stupid! You are not slick!
• If I ask you to take a picture for me for the publication I write for, or for my personal blog and you agree, guess what? No, I will NOT take your photo down!
• If I take a photo of you, it bothers me when you want to see it and want to take it over. We are NOT at a photoshoot! It’s a “candid” photo unless your eyes are closed or your fly is open or something like that, then maybe I will!
• Stop emailing me asking me to add the name of your business with your picture. Especially if it was NOT your event lol. Thats advertisement, pay me!
• I can NOT make you look smaller or better looking in your photo! I am NOT a magician or photoshop expert!
• No I will NOT email you your photo(especially if you DID NOT pay me). You better grab it from my site and be happy! I’m extremely busy, I do not have time for that, so please stop asking me.
• If you have a criminal past, or did something shady to someone, please step away from my camera in advance! Also,I hate when people are in my group shot and one person doesn’t want their photo on the internet. Why are you standing there posed up in the photo then??? Move!
• I do not have a gossip site with rude commenters! So don’t pre-judge me when I’m out and I tell you I have a blog and would like to take your photo.I would NEVER talk about you, or what you have on. I have better things to do…well depending if it’s a red carpet affair lol.
• Stop emailing me asking where is your photo and why didn’t I put you up on my blog. Guess what? You didn’t make the cut! Point blank! It might have been too dark or I didn’t like it.
• Stop following me around trying to get my attention to snap you! I see you but I might be looking for certain type of person for my story! Really?
• When I am out at events, please stop coming up to me, asking me to take your photo and handing me your biz card with your email and where to send…wtf! Who the hell are you? It’s not going to happen! I am not there to take photos of  YOU! I’m there to write about/take photos of the event! It’s not about you, bye!
• If you have lied and said you were somewhere else, cheating on your mate or called in sick at your job but was at an event, I have NOTHING to do with that! No, I will NOT remove your photo! Stop lying then!
• To avoid all the above, think before you get in people’s cameras! Better yet, invest in your “own” that way you can take as many pictures as you like, delete them,photoshop them and you won’t have to annoy us when we are out!

Thanks and Blessings!

Christian Louboutin launched a fancy pair of Sex Pigalle Pumps that is raising eyebrows. The question of the day is why did he have to put the word SEX on the pricey pumps? I personally wouldn’t be caught prancing around town with them on because I think it would send out the wrong message but for a photoshoot or something else just maybe a person could get away with them. What do you think? Are they sexy or sexless? They retail for $1,395.

According to online reports, Now Supermodel Heidi Klum and singer Seal are headed for divorce court! They will file in a Los Angeles court soon! What is the world coming too? I thought they made such a great couple. They were only married for 6 yrs and have three biological kids together! Seal also adopted her daughter from a previous relationship, wow! I hate to see people break up. So crazy too because they where also known to re-new their vows every year! Heidi is reportedly worth over 20 million dollars too, so sad! #Fail

Updated: They have confirmed their breakup stating: ”We have had the deepest respect for one another throughout our relationship and continue to love each other very much, but we have grown apart. “

It’s a New Year and that means a new post on blogging tips! This time around I would like to discuss YOU being the Captain of Your Own Ship. What do I mean by this you’re wondering? Let me explain. I had a very shady experience happen to me not too long ago and I’m going to try my best to make it brief.

A lady invited me out to be apart of a panel discussion not too long ago. I was thrilled. I was running around trying to get my hair and makeup done, find an outfit and more. I posted the event flyer on my blog(which I rarely do for free), on my other media outlet sites I write for and I tweeted,tumblr’d it and facebook’d the event continuously.Why did the night before the event, she had someone call me and say my services would NOT be needed. I didn’t know what to say! I felt violated, used and abused! It was my fault though because as old as I am, I should have smelled the bullsh*t a mile away! Basically she got FREE media promotion out of me and I got NOTHING in return.

Or how about this situation: Have you ever applied for media credentials to cover an event for your blog and then when you get there, the host/event planner/pr person tries to boss you around like you work for them? Yes, that bothers the heck outta me! Don’t fall for it people! Be the Captain of your own ship and speak up! In a nice way you have to let people know that although you are very grateful that they allowed you to cover their event, you are in NO way their employee for the evening! You have no idea how many events I have went to where they treat you like you should be “happy” to even be at their party/event. I beg to differ and a few times I have even walked right back out the door. I don’t need the extra aggravation and these same people will be the ones emailing or calling you the very next day asking for free photos and when are you going to write up the post on their event, chile bye!

Or I hate this one. You agree to come out to an event and stay a few minutes and they try to send you a list of things to do while you are there. WTH? See thats when you definitely have to let them know, look you are NOT paying me(if that’s your agreement) and I think I will pass. Or you can let them know,I still would like to come out to your event but all those activities you have going on, I will NOT be participating in and leave it at that. I just don’t understand the balls of some of these people lol. I do understand that at some events they are giving you a free ticket, or V.I.P. access but come on now, it’s just getting a little out of hand! I also get that people do act like they are for real media and just want to come to a party,eat, drink and network on your dime. I’m not that chic though lol. I don’t drink and I don’t want your snacks. I’m good and I get PLENTY of stuff sent to my house so I don’t want your goody bag either! Smh!

Think about it.If you add it up, by the time you spend money on babysitter,gas,getting an outfit,hair & makeup, valet parking,your time covering the event,snapping photos,editing photos,writing up recap, etc…who is really winning here? No mam!

I’m sharing this information with you because it happened to me and after I had to get a few folks together they have learned now to respect me and my brand. I don’t want you to fall for the okie doke! Speak up,be direct, be firm and let them know in a nice way that you are the Captain of Your Own Ship.Till next time! xoxo