1. Don’t expose your hand. We know that spring makes us friskier. This is no reason to stop acting like ladies. If your real goal is a long term relationship, you cannot carry yourself as weekend fling.

2. Be clear about where you want the relationship to go. You may not foresee marriage but you need to let him know if you are seeking something long term. It may seem doing this sooner than later runs off your candidates faster but there is no point getting attached to a guy who neverplanned to stay.

3. Stop giving your contact information to men you do not like. I know it may appear I am channeling my older brother, but know it is a misuse of effort. Once you told him you are not looking for someone and he appears to settle for being your friend, do not be confused: He is still trying to get with to you. You have just given him a different entry door. If you have no romantic intentions for the guy and that was his goal, understand that still remains his goal. My advice: Nice, pleasant, cute, or sweet, if you do not believe him to be good date material, kindly decline exchanging information. –It will save you a faked headache in the future.

Laugh and live bold. Be clear about what you want for yourself and keep mixed signals to a minimum. Spring is a great time to get back in the mix of dating if you are a single woman and you understand how to navigate the tides.

We all have items we want to accomplish. Our multi-tasking, high paced, high stakes culture can compel us to believe the world is ready to crumble around us. Here are a few ideas on how to stay focused on your personal vision without falling victim to the madness:

1. Trust your own gut. Your friends and family are well-intentioned but they do not know what you truthfully know about yourself. If your inner voice tells you things are not actually bad, they are not. No one else can tell you how to feel about your situation. Stop borrowing their poor perspective and stick to your own positive outlook.

2. Be consistent. Being consistent is tough, especially if you have a friend skilled at telling a thrilling story. This is where you turn to the group for support. Your circle should feature like-minded individuals that surround you with the awareness you are already successful and success continues to flow your way.

3. Release dead weight. We all have at least one someone that no longer serves a purpose in achieving our best life. If Jane only has something dreary to say, she should no longer be your primary confidant. Sure, we are comforted by the familiar but, you know you want something more—you want to hear something encouraging. Let go.

4. Be both realistic and optimistic. What you are trying to do may require you to retrain your thoughts. You may have been the “old” you for years, while your new positive self may seem foreign. Positive change and transformation will take place. Keep in mind it sometimes takes time to adapt to the “Let them talk” approach. Hold tight to realization you always have the power to walk away from things that do not serve your highest good.

It is my belief that all people must forgive in her/his own way. As I sat listening to one of the messages on forgiveness being shared, I realized too many of us are waiting for the day we can say we were benevolently forgiven for attacking someone. We become overly consumed with worry over begging someone’s pardon. Why do you refuse to forgive yourself until someone else states it is okay to do so? It is the reason “Forgive me not” came to mind. That day may never come. What are you to do then? Ask yourself that question with all seriousness.

Since we have all been the antagonist and felt like the victim at some point, I suggest we attempt to broaden our perspective. In instances in which you have felt like the victim, do not expect or solicit an apology. If one comes, all the better, however, work to expend no effort in waiting or feeling it was due. Forgive yourself for feeling guilty, ashamed, or hurt by the situation. In instances in which you sincerely have been able to recognize your fault, you should apologize. Whether or not that apology is well received is of little consequence. “How is that so?” you may wonder. Keep in mind, that other person honestly has no power over you. The real work is in forgiving yourself. You do not have to hear the other person ever say, “You are forgiven.” You and the person may never resume any sort of relationship. That, too, is okay. Forgive yourself to grant yourself peace. Guilt clouds your judgment and fuels self-doubt. You are deserving of the best life possible. Forgive yourself to work to make it so.

Single

It is time to do something that you have never done before. Take some time this week, put on your sexiest outfit and go out with your best girlfriend(s). The first attractive man you see, walk up to him and give him a big juicy kiss. Then, write your email address (not your number) on one of his body parts. Walk away very slowly while moving your hips in a seductive manor. If you’ve made a connection, he will contact you within 48 hours.

Its’ Complicated

Make it less complicated by making a decision.  Whatever person you choose, give them a night they will never forget. After you are done loving on the one you have chosen, call the other guy and tell him you are done with his bullsh_ _ and don’t ever contact you again. Now it is time for you to take action, delete his information from your phone, facebook, twitter, email, and any other form of communication.

In A Relationship

Take your relationship to the next level by doing something totally unexpected. Start to love on him like you want to be loved. Let him know that he is the only man in your life.  Kama Sutra has two positions that I want you to try this week with your lover, Standing Wheelbarrow and Suspended Scissors. I promise you, when done correctly both positions will totally rock your lover’s world.

Common Law Married/Shacking

Either “Shit” or Get Off the “Pot”!

Married

Surprise your husband by preforming 12 Naughty Acts; perform at least one act every few days. Ladies make it all about your man, so whatever he likes to do in and out of the bedroom, I want you to preform it to the next level. So if he likes to make love in a public location, find the perfect area and only wear 3 things; your tallest heels, a black thong, and your winter coat. You my chose to stay inside and rock his world by masturbating while he watches March Madness.

Divorced

Just because you are not married any more does not mean that you can’t have fun. It is time for you to do something wild and totally out of character. Pick a night during the week and put on one of your sexiest outfits and a pair of lipstick red pumps. Drive to your local grocery store, Wal-Mart, or Target and find a gorgeous guy…walk up to him…ask him if he is single (if he is) …give him the wettest kiss on the lips…write your number on his hand…and then just walk away.

Open Relationship

It is role play time. Both of you must dress up like the others favorite movie star. Pretend that your lover just won an Oscar and you’re his leading lady and you want to recreate a passionate moment between him and his lovely co-star.

The Law Camp, which is designed to provide high school students with an enjoyable and comprehensive introduction to the challenges of a legal education, attracts students throughout the United States from diverse backgrounds. ”If America is to become a true melting pot, the legal system must lead the way. This can be done only when diverse groups of people bring their cultural, ethnic, and social backgrounds into the equation. Therefore, although the camp has an open enrollment policy and is available to all students, its emphasis is on empowering students of color.”  Please call (202) 842-3900 if you have any questions. Applications due March 29, 2013.

For More Information:

http://www.nationalbar.org/index.php?q=crump_law_camp

National Urban League Summer Internship Program

The  summer internship program provides an insight into the world of non-profit management for college students, from the New York City metropolitan area and in Washington, DC.  The National Urban League is looking for candidates interested in a career in the not-for-profit sector, or in understanding the connection between non-profits, corporations, and government in the work of our nation. This is an eight week paid program (June 10th through August 1st, 2013).

For More Information:

http://www.iamempowered.com/talent-management/internship-program

The Generation Google Scholarship

The Generation Google Scholarship was established for aspiring computer scientists to excel in technology and become active role models and leaders in the field. Selected students will receive 10,000 USD (for those studying in the US) or 5,000 CAD (for those studying in Canada) for the 2013-2014 school year. As part of the scholarship, recipients will be required to attend Google’s Computer Science Summer Institute (CSSI) in the summer of 2013.

For More Information:

http://www.google.com/intl/en/jobs/students/proscho/scholarships/uscanada/generation

College Textbook Scholarships

Fortunately, there is relief for college students having trouble paying for books.  Prudent buying strategies help ease the impact of textbook costs, and various forms of financial assistance can be applied to textbooks and related classroom supplies.

For More Information:

http://www.collegescholarships.org/scholarships/student-books.htm

Riley Leadership Awards Application Materials

Awards are given to any graduating senior high school student who both resides in and attends school in the District of Columbia. Public, private, and charter school students are eligible. Applications will be judged based on the student’s leadership abilities as demonstrated by their contribution to their school and their community, financial need and academic achievement. Finalists will be interviewed by a panel of business and community leaders to determine the scholarship winners. Awards: More than $33,000 in cash scholarships will be awarded including a top award of $15,000. Students selected as finalists will receive a new laptop computer that will be distributed at the awards presentation.

For More Information: http://www.kiwanisdc.org/

Today, I just want you to do. Do what? Do. Do whatever it is on the list. Stop whining internally or externally about why it is hard. Stop saying, “But I haven’t done whatever else first. Stop saying it takes up too much time. Just attack the task.

You know you can do it if you stay committed to the task. You know you will feel a peace in your being for having done what you wanted to accomplish. You know that even if you take a break and restart will feel better than never starting. Do it. Today, instead of feeding your mind ideas of why not, give yourself reasons why it should be. It will be tough at first to recondition your thoughts but, it does become easier. If at any point you feel overwhelmed, you may stop, embrace your emotions, ask what reoccurring thought is attached to the emotion, remind yourself you are able, breathe, and then restart. To fight through something does not mean to ignore the issue; it means no longer pretending the issue does not exist.

Through all of this, know you can and will do it. Accomplishments will be at your own rate, in your own time–as they are meant to be. Today is the day. Do it.

We will start at the top. I will not waste time asking how many of you have had a professional bra fitting. Instead, I will remind you that many better department stores offer this underrated but much needed service. Even if you are not a major department store shopper, there are simple steps you can take to ensure the best fit.

7 Key Tips for Choosing the Perfect Bra

1. Try Before You Buy – Try on your bra or bras before buying them.
2. Level Check – Once on, check to see if your bra is level. The back should not rise up higher than the front.
3. Position Matters – Check to see that your breasts are positioned at a height that falls evenly between your shoulders and your elbows.
4. Check the Compass – Just like the needle of a compass always faces straight forward you need to make sure your breasts are facing forward and not outward. If you discover they are going east and west (–or goodness forbid, south), the bra lacks adequate support and should not be purchased.
5. Cup Test – If your bust is pushing or spilling out of the cups, you need a larger cup size. If the cups are gapping or dimpling, move to a lower cup size.
6. Band Bliss – Make sure that the band well crafted and does not slip or cut into your shoulders. The store is where the bra will work its best so if you are uncomfortable before you even leave the store, chances are it is only going to be downhill from there.
7. Strapless Formula – Select the proper cup size and pick a band size that is one lower than usual when choosing a strapless bra. This easy trick will keep the strapless bra from shifting during wear and ensure a smooth fit.

Wondering whether taking these measures is worthwhile, consider the benefits. A supportive bra makes you look slimmer. Your posture improves with a well-fitting bra. Imagine eliminating back and neck strain normally created from wearing a poor quality bra. Of course, your clothes will fit better. A good bra is one of the most affordable body lifts you can obtain.

What we quickly found was that managing this was difficult when you had two people with different buying habits and different priorities. For instance, I wanted shoes and things for the house which were more predictable and moderately priced and he wanted electronics and food to eat on the go which were usually unplanned stops and in some case could be very pricey  This ended up meaning that I kept better records then he did since he in many cases could not remember where he placed the receipts or eve if he had stopped by Chipotle on the way home or not. Oddly enough, his bigger purchases were easy to track and made less waves but those small purchases her and there of $10 or less dollars we so easy to forget and ended up costing the most.  After a few months we needed to re-group and figure out how to make things work without racking up tons of NSF Fees.

5 Tips for Couples Sharing Bank Accounts from the Savvy Sister Girl

Here are the 5 tips to help couples with sharing bank accounts:

1. Create Rules Before You Open Your Account – Sounds like a no-brainer but we did not do this and it would have helped us tremendously. Basically, I recommend at having a plan for how you both will use the account together. (Note: if you already are sharing account it is not too late to set up some simple rule for the account… it pays off in the end)
2. Record Everything – end if you buy 1 postage stamp with the debit card, you must right it down. those few cents could end up costing you $35 a pop.
3. Reconcile Your Purchases Weekly – Each week you two should sit down at the kitchen table and log on to your online banking account and reconcile all purchases together  This will help you better understand where your money is going and how your mate spends money.
4. Set Up Overdraft Protection – Almost every bank these days has some form of overdraft protection program. You can either link a savings or credit card account to your checking account to make sure if you make a mistake that your bank will automatically transfer money from and existing account to cover your overage. The fees for this are usually much lower than NSF Fees and are only charged once per day instead of for each item that overdraws the account.
5. Be Understanding – You and your mate are not the same people so you both see money in different ways. Make sure that you are patient with each other and communicate your purchases. And try your best not to belittle each other when the inevitable mistake in record keeping occurs. And it will happen…hopefully when it does your love is greater than your overdraft fees.

These tips will help you as you merge your finances, and remember even if you run into a hiccup along the way, you love each other and can work it out. Just be open minded and understanding.

We would love to hear from you, Have you join bank accounts? What do you propose as tips for other couples? What has worked for you? Please share below!

The Fox Theatre was alive with the sounds of classic songs like “Money Ain’t a Thang” (JD & Jay-Z), “Jump” (Kris Kross), “Yeah” (Usher, Ludacris, Lil Jon), “Who Can I Run To” (Xscape), “I Gotta Be” (Jagged Edge), “Welcome to Atlanta” (JD, Ludacris), “Give It 2 U” (Da Brat), “I Think They Like Me” (Dem Franchize Boyz), “Coming From Where I’m From” (Anthony Hamilton) and so many more!

The stage was like a “who’s who” in chart-topping acts, as everyone from Jay-Z, Mariah Carey, Usher, Ludacris, Young Jeezy, Nelly, Lil Jon, Monica, Kris Kross, Bow Wow, Anthony Hamilton, Da Brat, Jagged Edge, Xscape (Latocha and Tamika Scott), T-Pain, Lil Scrappy, Youngbloodz, Bonecrusher, Dem Franchize Boyz, J-Kwon, Dondria, and Pastor Troy took the sold-out crowd on a musical trip down memory lane.

Photo Gallery

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The new Black Barbie looks like she just stepped out of the latest episode of Real Housewives or Atlanta, Love and Hip Hop or better yet Basketball Wives. She comes complete with a blonde lace-front,  a sleek tailored “Power Suit” with plunging neckline blouse, gold jewelry and what looks like a knockoff Louis Vuitton bag. Only thing that she is missing is a hubby ex-baller Ken and some over-sized Gucci sun-glasses.

The internet is already a buzz with black bloggers noting the obvious nod to Reality-Show-Couture. Which had use wondering what you thought about the make over of the new Black Barbie. Check out the images of the New Black Barbie along side those of the past and let us know what you think about the recent change. Do you love or do you need them to “Do better”???

But for now we have nicknamed her the Basketball Wives Barbie. (I guess the blonde sow-in makes it Evelyn, LOL)

Black Barbies Gallery

More TV Barbies

Just For Fun We Paired other Barbies with your Favorite Shows. Check them out below (do you think we guessed right???):