friends...how many of us have them???

Now this was my jam back in the day. I had it as a ring tone for my "friends" at one point in time.

Now I ask myself if I really have friends other than my 2 BFFs and my Bestie.
I'm always the one the "others" depend on. Yes others. There is this one Other in particular that made me write this post.
One ex-co worker and I became cool outside of work. We would walk around the track attempting to bring sexy back, go to breakfast, go shopping...girl stuff. Then the "taking advantage of my kindness began". When we went out to eat, I was paying for both of us, I didn't mind, breakfast is cheap.  She would drive along to the grocery store to get out the house, and packs of Kool-Aid, bottles of pop or any other miscellaneous snack items end up in my cart. I cook, she will come eat, even if uninvited. I put my kids coats on layaway last winter, she was with me and she put her kids coats in with mine. Well it got cold earlier than usual and I called her to let her know I was taking the coats out and to have her part of the money..."Ok, I'll get the coats from you Thursday when I get paid" This was September...Thursday didn't come until April when I was on maternity leave. In April, ON TAX DAY, I did 3 previous years of federal and a previous year or 2 of state taxes for her boyfriend, and 2 previous years of state taxes for her BY HAND. (Barely got a thank you for that) but was told, "I got you when I get my refund". HMPH...never got "got". I even allowed her to use my bank account info to pay her car note since she didn't have a bank account. I think that last act of kindness allowed her to believe it was OK to ask me to write a check for her rent until the next day-NOPE and NOPE. I don't play beat the bank. She was pissed about that no for a couple of weeks, probably still miffed about it to this day...Oh, well....so after this she really hasn't spoken to me much, other than an occasional comment of FB, but nothing in person.
 Sooooo....let's fast fast forward to Friday... I receive a text:
Her: I received a letter from IGC (Indiana Gaming Commission) stating I have to file my 2007 state taxes or I will lose my job. Do you think you will be able to do them this weekend?
Me: You gonna pay me?
Her: $5. All I have is $40 in my pocket.
Me: More than that, if u do recall I did multiple years of you and ur BFs and you didn't pay me then, I need compensation now.
Her: Well, I don't have the money, so I guess I'll do them myself.
Ya damn skippy pippy! Get to reading that instruction booklet honey. Maybe from now on you will file your state taxes with your federal  so you won't be in the predicament in the future.
Whenever Neev asks for something (even though not needed) : "I don't have it".
*OutKast Player's Ball playing in the background*
you thought I'd break my neck to help yo neck?
9 times outta 10, those ain't the words, but that's what I heard! LOL
I guess her days of asking me for stuff are over, makes me no never mind!

Now Neev is not the type of person to do something and and expect something in return, but I do believe I have every right to use the word NO every once in a while. I probably should have stopped saying yeah after the coat situation, but I didn't, so I lived and I learned.

One Other down...a few more to go....

All for nothing...

I planned a potluck for today...sent a FB invite at the beginning of the month, got responses. No one showed. I made turkey, dressing, collard greens, baked macaroni & cheese, 2 sweet potato pies and a 7-up cake. All I asked is for the attendees to provide extra sides and liquor if the wanted to drink. It's funny how you can invite some and say you are providing everything and they all show up, but as soon as you say you have to contribute to the cause, you can't find them. I could have made a "regular" Sunday dinner and saved $200. I bought more stuff to cook, but my mom kept me from cooking it, I'm glad she did. I guess when times get hard, I know I'll have food. My daughter's great grandmother made my favorite Puerto Rican rice, other than that, nothing else. I was so mad, I was gonna throw the food away. BBJ-my mom-stopped me. 2 cousins came to eat, but they are teens so they don't count. One friend, who has been on hard times, told me she wasn't coming yesterday. I forgive you.
I guess I'm more so hurt by the fact that no one had the decency to say they couldn't make it. My sister didn't even show. I talked to her yesterday and she said she would be here when it started at 4, I sent her a text at 5:30 telling her the food was ready, she responded at 6:45 saying she just got out of church. I suppose I can't be too mad at her because she was celebrating her church's 100 year anniversary, but you know damn well anniversary celebrations last YEARS. I told her not to come since no one showed up...an hour later she responds " I still want some food" REALLY??? Ummmmm no, it's already late (8:30-ish), its gonna take you 2 hours to get here because you ain't gonna leave when you say you are gonna leave, and I'm shitty because no one showed up. Save your gas, I'll see you Thursday. 
I'm already some-timey around this time of the year. Today just threw a monkey wrench in my 2010 holidays. I hope this funk will pass, because it is Gio's first Christmas and I want to make it special for my little guy (even though he won't remember it).
I was reminded by a FB friend that I cooked for the people that matter-my mom and my kids-she is right. As I stewed over that, my mom turned to AFV and we started a laugh-fest, then in the middle of that, Gio stood up, in the middle of the floor without support for about 15-20 seconds....that changed my mood totally-and he did it a couple more times, but not as long.
So I guess in the end, it might not have been all for nothing, but earlier, it really did feel like it

has it really been a month?

Soooooo....I thought I would be a better blogger than this. I figured I would post at least once a week. But we can see I haven't done that. I admit, I am a total FB whore...yeah, I'm addicted. I have wonderful randomness while at work that would be great blog material, but I haven't quite figured out how to post from my smartphone...guess it would help if the owner wasn't such a tech dummy.

Quite a bit has happened in the span of a month...the most important to me was Gio "passing" his 2 food challenges-rice and chicken-yeah who is allergic to these two foods and his skin clearing up-for the most part. He still needs the Epipen in case I introduce new foods, but this broadens his diet. He still can't have fruits. I may try pears and peaches again because his RAST results were low for these, I do believe it was lower than chicken. But I guess if it ain't broke, don't break it. Certain foods flare up Gio's eczema, I think chicken is one of them....his ashy patches are trying to return. Also revealed by the allergist is that staph lives on the skin...REALLY???? YUCK!!!! That is another factor in his atopic dermatitis (yeah the terms drive me nuts) REALLY?????  The dr said it like "it's a normal thing" I heard: "yo baby is dirty".  They recommended bleach baths, REALLY?!?!?! Yall tryna MJ my baby? I may try them, or I may spray him down with Lysol...don't judge me. Seriously, there are so many creams and ointments prescribed for him I think I may scream. I don't want to use them all the time because I don't want his skin to become thin. I have tried natural moisturizers for him because my pediatricial loves them and my e-friend Cass has helped me lean toward non-petroleum  based products for myself, she even made him a shea/cocoa body butter that worked but I started using the Eucarin because of the allergist and it seemed to do the trick. Or it might have helped I stopped giving him the foods that made him flare up...LOL.
I just rambled on that last part....but I learned how to add links...I hope they work! LOL