Okay, so my girl Avin tagged me with this request...here it goes:

5 Things You Never Knew About Me:

1) I went through a "Thugstress" phase...and it lasted almost 10 years. I call it my "thugstress" years because that is exactly what I was: a thug princess. I was an upper middle class suburban girl that got down with some extra grimey gutter dudes in my day. Dope dealers, wanna be gangstas, kingpins, murderers - you name it. Little girls that read this: don't be misled by the glam sounding title. I've buried too many friends (including 2 ex boyfriends) and got one ex serving LWOP. It's NOT glam and its not cool. It also evokes one of my infamous truths: If someone loves the streets more than they love you - they WILL break your heart.

2) The only monogamous relationship I've ever been in is my marriage. True. At one point or another, I cheated on every single one of my boyfriends, including my daughters father. Before you start passing judgement, let me inform you that most of them cheated on me too (like that makes it okay) and as far as RDB goes, well, he never cheated on me...just cooked up crack in my kitchen using my baby's glass Gerber jars.

3) When I know or feel like someone is being insincere with me...I'll tell them the most outlandish blatant lie. I once saw my 10th grade boyfriends sister on the street and she was so phoney with me, it made me sick. So when she asked how I was, I told her that I was married and that I had four children!! At that time, I was 22 years old, not married, and did not have ANY children. Later, her brother found me on the internet and was like, "so, how many baby father's you got?". I gave myself a headache laughing so hard.

4) Most chicks that don't know me, don't like me. WOW! Typing it makes it feel like some kind of major discovery! LOL. But its true and I'm not even sure why. Ask me if I care...OKAY OKAY...I must admit...I DON'T!

5) I am a deeply spiritual person. I'm not going to claim to be a Bible-thumpin, holy rollin, better than thou hypocrite...cuz frankly, I'm not a very religious chapter and verse kinda person, even though I was raised Catholic. But I am very spiritual. I believe in a Higher Power and that I am here, ultimately, to do His work. I believe that things happen for a reason and unfair as it may seem, sometimes it is not for us to know those reasons.

And there it is...5 things you never knew!

Hate it or love it.

That's pretty much the way I feel about everything and everyone now-a-days. I guess at 33, if it suits me, fine. If not, I'm out. Funny how it took this long to come to THAT conclusion.

For instance: Love the fact that my job is perfect for me. Challenging stuff with plenty of down time for me to pursue other things in my life. Hate that most of my friends despise their own jobs (for whatever reason).

Hate the young bucks on the Metro who terrorize the commuters with their foul language, despicable grooming and overall lack of home training. Especially hate large groups of teenagers, no matter what color or ethnicity they are!

Love that its finally acting like winter. Hate that my car will probably die a long and painful death by the time Puxatawny (sp) Phil sees his shadow. Hell, maybe before then.

Love that my youngest child is quite the scene stealing ham and that someone once told me, "Do you ever look at her and think, 'Yeah - I've got a future Halle Berry right here?'" Hate that she will probably want to be in the entertainment biz and be subjected to all the scrutiny and rejection that comes with it.

Hate that racism is alive and well in the United States of America, as evidenced by the government reaction to Hurricane Katrina. And the lady that gave me the very rude "you wait your turn" finger while going through the revolving doors at the Plaza in NYC. Talkin about hott! I was way beyond pissed!

Love that fact that I am married to an honestly decent man with a conscious and moral values. Sounds kinda corny but if you'd of seen some of the toads I kissed to get where I'm at...well...you'd be proud too (of your man AND of yourself).

Hate the fact that every once in a while my past comes back to bite me in the ass. No, I'm not some witness protection transplant or anything like that...but when I run into someone that says "Oh! I know you! Aren't you..."it just makes me cringe! The size 6, naive and somewhat innocent person I was at 16 is most definitely not the same woman who stands (or blogs, depending on how you want to look at it) before you today. So stop looking at me and whispering, "Dang - she done let herself go!" I have evolved and apparently, you have not.

What to rant about today? Hmmmmm...

Got some bad news about a cousin...don't feel up to discussing that though. Maybe later.

I'm still addicted to The Wire and watched every episode from the first three seasons since Christmas. Got hubby hooked too.

Youngest child is doing better. She's not stealing or lying at the moment. Bringing her homework home most days, too. I'm thinking Grandma bribed her in some fashion.

Middle and oldest children are doing well considering their mother acts like a crackhead, is broke and gots no car or place to live. She is the female equivalent of RDB.

Hubby is ok. I've come to accept the nasty whores on MySpace and the freaks that are getting off to his voice on his radio show.

The other night I tuned into "I Love New York" until the first commerical break. I tried to give her the benefit of the doubt but couldn't take it any more. I've convinced myself that a third of the men on there are playing for the "other" team. Its okay! So stop licking the stamps on your hate mail.

Anyone know of someone willing to invest $50,000 into a gift basket venture? Gimme a holla. Capital is the only thing standing in my way of breaking out!!

Why does it seem I can't be professionally and personally satisfied at the same time? Quite odd since one has nothing to do with the other....Last year, I hated my job and loved my home life. Now, my home life is ho-hum and my new job is sensational. Maybe I'm just carrying on since I haven't had sex this year. I married...what more do you want me to say?

Well, where the hell did the last year go?!

I am pleased to report that Christmas was a major success! My three girls did very well between the presents, cash and gift cards they received. Hubby and I didn't do too bad either! A great time was had by all.

So, I worked two days last week: Wednesday from 9am - 2pm and Thursday from 11am to 4:30pm. Needless to say, it was a highly unproductive week but I didn't mind coming in for a few hours...I actually had year end stuff that needed to be done.

Thursday evening I took my youngest daugther, my niece and my sister to see High School Musical at Verizon Center. The plan was to get plastered before going in but don't you know we were running late and that those tiny bottles of White Zen are $7.00 a piece?! I would of had to commit to a dozen mini bottles to get anywhere near a buzz. So why bother?

First, if you don't know about High School Musical or any other Disney Channel production, you either don't have nary child in your entire family or you've been hiding under a rock. No, really...when it comes to consumer dollars, no one promotes and markets to the under 16 demographic better than Disney Channel. This is the reason every single one of their child stars gets their own show or music video or something...Also the reason The Cheetah Girls sold more records than other popular, more talented acts a few years ago. Don't fake on the power of the tween dollar...they pay a lot of these big execs salaries!

Anyways, back to the show. It wasn't as bad as one might think. Granted, I would not have chosen to spend a Thursday night with 10,000 children three days after Christmas but hey...you do it for the kids. This just so happened to be my 7 year olds very first concert. She was tickled pink the entire time. We had awesome seats on the floor, seven rows from the front of the stage. On the way home she turns to me and says, "Mommy...that was my first and best show EVAH!!!!". It really was a beautiful moment.

Now my thirteen year old, she's been going to concerts for years. Daddy gave her tickets to see Bow Wow on Friday and also the show on Sunday night. She's at the age where you put on the flyy outfit and try to be seen by all your friends at school. Back in my day, it was Go-Go Live, Madness hats and Run Joe. Now its Scream Tour, apple bottoms and Omarion. Go figure.

I found the real reason for the season on that Friday after the HSM show. I had told my three girls that I would take them shopping so they could spend their gift cards. So we headed up to Annapolis Mall and I laid down the shopping rules, gave them all limits and off we went. Boy, when I say we shopped til we (almost) dropped...I mean it! Oldest child got fuzzy boots and matching top for Bow Wow show that night. Middle child got a Spongebob Monopoly game that she's been wanting (who knew?) and youngest got a book(!) and a baby doll. I got a top and paid for lunch. So where you ask, is the joy in THAT?! Well, quite honestly the joy to me, was in the fact that I COULD afford to take my girls on a shopping spree and that we spent a good couple of hours just hanging out together. And we didn't go over budget! I just felt very blessed to be in that position.

If 2006 taught me anything, it was to expect the unexpected! I honestly only have a few goals for 2007. 1) I'd like to get my gift basket website up and running. 2) I'd like to lose a few pounds...like 65, ideally. 3) I'd like to spend more time with family and friends. 4) I'd like to host a Haunted Halloween Party at our house in October. That's it. Doesn't sound too hard does it? HA! Throw in the family reunion cruise, 3 childrens birthday parties and a 5th wedding anniversary and I'm broke by the *what?!* 3rd of JANUARY!