whitney2

Yesterday was the season premiere of The Oprah Winfrey Show and it was the first of a two-part interview with singer Whitney Houston. Whitney got real with Oprah and spoke in depth about her addiction and the turning point in her life. She says that after she filmed the movie “The Bodyguard” she began using drugs regularly or “heavy” as she puts it. She revealed things about her marriage to Bobby Bron “He was my drug,” Houston told Winfrey. “I didn’t do anything without him. I wasn’t getting high by myself. It was me and him together. We were partners.” She also spoke about the control Bobby had over her and her family as “The husband” and “The father” She felt it was refreshing.

whitney

I am very proud of Whitney. Her story is the story of many women and hopefully now they can see how she has transformed her life. According to MSNBC Whitney stated, “I had so much money and so much access to what I wanted. I didn’t think about the singing part anymore. I was looking for my young womanhood.” Its sad that a lot of young women lack the guidance and support necessary to develop into productive young women. Yes, the music industry is full of sex, money, drugs, and lies, but you do not have to succumb to any of those vices. Ultimately, it is our decision on how our life turns out, but with proper guidance and positive influences we have a better chance of succeeding. Whitney was in search of her young womanhood, but turned to drugs which only provides temporary pleasure and satisfaction. Eventually, your high will fade and you, in search of that perfect moment, that perfect feeling, begin your addiction and  your downward spiral. At a point in time we need to take responsibility for our actions, which I believe Whitney is doing. She has finally made the decision to break the habit and remove the people associated with that bad habit out of her life. Yes she was the peak of her career when everything came crashing down, but she is trying to redeem herself. Although I was never personally affected by addictions ,I know how they can breakup families, relationships, friendships and even a person’s life based on my interactions with others. It takes a strong person to admit when he/she is wrong and in need of help. I’m glad Whitney saw that she wasn’t only hurting her fans and her family, but she was hurting herself and did something to change that.

Part 2. airs today at 4pm.

change

Hey Everyone! I know you are like…she changed the layout again?!? Yes I did, and it will be changed one more time. I am trying to create a page with the best look that will be easy for you to navigate. So feel free to browse around,  check out the different categories and leave a comment.

Stay SWEET!

Janique

Happy-Labor-DayTake this day to relax and enjoy some BBQ. We work hard all year long so lets enjoy this day. If you are in NY and are going to BK for the parade…have fun on the Parkway for me. I gave that up years ago…I’m getting old….lol. Enjoy this day. Check back tomorrow for updates. 

Yesterday we were taught to MAKE A PLAN before you shop, well today’s lesson deals with what to do when you get there. Often times when we shop, its the spur of the moment and so sometimes we find ourselves aimlessly walking through stores looking through the racks for something to grab our attention. It is then, when we spend unnecessary money on an article of clothing that we probably won’t wear and definitely do not need.

smart

Lesson #2 When You Get There…

  • Keep an open mind on sizes.  Very rarely will you find a designer or label with the same cut. So you may be an 8 in one brand and a 12 in another. I wear a 26 and I have a pair of jeans that fit perfectly that are a 29. When I tried on the 26 and it didn’t go past my knees I was worried lol. I tried the 27 and it reached my hip I was like WTH then went to a 28…I couldn’t breath, but the sales associate explained to me that particular brand is cut very very small.
  • Save time by “bracketing” Take a size higher and a size lower into the dressing room with you. If you try on the size that is larger and it fits a little big, you know that you need the 28 instead of the 29 and it saves you the hassle of running in and out of the fitting room trying on the same garment in different sizes.
  • Choose a fitting room with a three-sided mirror so you can see yourself from all angles.
  • Don’t linger. If you try on something and it doesn’t look good, take it off immediately instead of staring at yourself hoping it would look differently. It’s a waste of time.
  • When trying on the clothes, stretch, bend, squat, do whatever you need to do in order to get a great feel of the item. You don’t want to wait until you wear those jeans and realize that when you sit down, your crack is out. No one wants to see that! Your testing for comfort. If you are not comfortable in it, you won’t wear it and therefore, it is a waste of $$money$$.

Stay tuned for more lessons on shopping smart!

via InStyle…with commentary from HGB

smart2

In this day and age, the recession, the cost of living rising and the salaries remaining stagnant, we need to SHOP SMARTER and become wiser consumers. We would love to have the wardrobe of Rihanna, Sarah Jessica Parker, Beyonce, and the Nicole Richie, but lets face it, some of us are not in the same financial bracket. We don’t have to shop like celebrities to look like them. So I’m starting a series inspired by InStyle’s September 2009 issue called “75 Ways to Shop Smart.” InStyle has given us ways in which we can still enjoy the luxury of shopping with breaking the bank. We can do more than buy hangers or expensive items that we won’t use by becoming wise consumers.

smart

Lesson #1 MAKE A PLAN!

  • Schedule a shopping appointment in pen. If you shop sporadically or on a whim, you tend to buy things that are not necessary. Setting a specific date and time to shop is making shopping a priority and according to D’Souza you’ll shop smartly and more efficiently.
  • Know what you have.Before you leave your home, go through your closets and drawers to see what items you already have. You’ll have a better idea of what’s missing or what needs replacing.
  • Write it all down. Sometimes your memory may be a little foggy, so create a list that will keep you focused on what items you need for your wardrobe. The list will act as your guide and keep you on track, similar to the rules (the pictures) given on What Not To Wear
  • Do your research. Go online and look up new designers, trends, and stores. You will see what is “HAWT” for the season, what is “EXCLLUSIVE” and who has the best prices. Without doing research, you may end up buying something that you regret either because of the price or because it is no longer a current trend.
  • Don’t invite your friends.I agree with this 100% I used to shop with my friends alllllll of the time. We ended up buying the same exact clothes, which is not a problem if we don’t wear it the same day, but I used to put certain items back because my friends would picked them up.  Shopping with friends can be a distraction. Either you grab the same item or you do more socializing than shopping. I’m not saying don’t shop with your friends at all, because I know we need that “second opinion,” but that opinion may go against what you think so it is a Catch-22. Be mindful of when and where you shop with  your friends.