I celebrated my 42nd birthday last week! I've been making a major deal about my birthday this year on social media - posting #LeoSeason memes and being obnoxious about it. What a blast!! And I got to celebrate with my favorite people: my family and good friends. Oh, and there was a decadent fruit and custard tart involved. YAY. Without further ado, here is the requisite "42 Things About Me" post. I chew my cuticles. It's terrible. I haven't painted my own toenails since law school. Salon pedicure or bust. Apparently I have a nail fixation. I had a Cocka-poo (or a Sp-oodle) named Pepper for most of my life. I've co-owned 2 pitbulls with my husband. I am allergic to casein (the dairy protein). I LOVE ice cream. This proves to be a problem given #6. I dislike audio and e-books. Paperbacks/hardcovers or bust. I minored in Criminal Justice in college. I majored in Telecommunications with a specialization in Television and Radio Production. I've never ridden a horse. I'm terrible at Excel. I have a tattoo of a phoenix on my lower back. I was supposed to go back to add color to it but haven't gone back yet. It's been 24 years. I'm addicted to journals and stickers. I collect coffee mugs and select them for my coffee or tea based on my mood for the day. I have an overstuffed tea cabinet that makes me happy. The first car that I bought was an Infiniti G35 in navy blue with the sport package. I LOVED THAT CAR. I got married at 26. I had my first child at 27. Then the second at 29. And the third at 31. Whew. I have "precipitous deliveries." You don't want to know more. Trust me. I met Hubby at college while working at the campus cafeteria. I'm a year older than him. I am desperate to travel to France. My favorite holiday is Christmas. My favorite season is Summer. I've never had a DVR. My top 5 hip hop albums are: Illmatic, The Low-End Theory, Wu-Tang Forever, Life After Death, Midnight Marauders My top 5 musical soundtracks are: Les Miserables, Phantom of the Opera, Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid, The Sound of Music I wear a size 10 shoe. I've never worn contact lenses. I started wearing glasses after law school. I sleep with earplugs and a sleep mask. I love picnics. The beach is my happy place. I belonged to a dance company through college. My top 5 books are: The Hobbit, Little Women, The Power of One, The Help, Song of Solomon The first concert I went to was Young MC and Maestro Fresh Wes. The last concert I went to was Nas: Illmatic 25th Year Anniversary with the National Symphony Orchestra. It all comes full circle. … [Read more...] about Fortee-Toooo (aka 42)
Blog
My Summer Bucket List 🏖️
Summer came super late for us this year - our school year didn't end until July 21st! Partially because of snow day makeups and partially because in 2016 our Maryland governor delayed the start of the school year until after Labor Day (in order to encourage and extend beach tourism a few more weekends - the drama continues); so, because we start late, we end late. As you can imagine, my crew was more than ready to be out of school by the time last Friday came. I gave them one week to do nothing and laze around (although "nothing" ended up being a day trip to NYC; a visit to the National Museum of African-American History and Culture (aka the "Blacksonian"); a campus visit with their college-bound cousin to Howard University; my son's 11th birthday party and more. Now that I think of it, they are probably exhausted from their week of doing "nothing" LOL. While I am a firm believer in kids having plenty of downtime during the summer, I also don't want their brains to turn to mush, so starting tomorrow I am going to bring out their Summer Activity Kits (that I have yet to create, tee hee). They each have 1 camp that they'll attend in July and then in August we will have a family vacation, God willing. So, in true Mom-fashion, I've got the kids all set - but I have to be intentional and make sure that I enjoy my summer too! Tara of The Self-Care Suite sent out an email newsletter the other day about her Summer Bucket List and I loved that idea - I've been doing that albeit under other names for years. It helps me to not just let the days blur by and to ensure that I get in all of the goodness of my favorite season. So, without further ado, here is my 2019 Summer Bucket List! Fergie's 2019 Summer Bucket List Take in a Festival or Two (or Three). The DC area comes alive with festivals starting Memorial Day weekend and through September - it's the best! There's something about the energy of people enjoying the weather, music and, of course, Festival Food. We've already done the DC Jazz Fest at The Wharf which was super fun. Another fave is the Summer Spirit Festival at Merriweather Post Pavillion. I also am headed to see Nas Illmatic 25th Anniversary with the National Symphony Orchestra at Wolftrap, a part of its Summer Performance Festival in a couple of weeks. It's gonna be dope. Get My Fill of the Beach and the Pool. Nothing says summer like the scent of sunscreen, splashing around in cool water and basking in the sun. The problem here is that my family does not appreciate the beaches north of Florida. They have been spoiled by the crystal clear waters and pristine sand of down South and the Caribbean and so any beach I take them to in the Mid-Atlantic or NE area generates eye rolls and frowns and a refusal to go in the water. It drives me batty. I'm anticipating having to go by myself this summer to a nearby beach. We did make our first pool trip yesterday though. Our normal pool is not in the budget this summer so we found a public … [Read more...] about My Summer Bucket List 🏖️
[podcast interview] building your brand strategy w. businessese
“What is my mission? What is my brand story?” They say that a dream without a plan is just a wish. That a goal is a dream with a plan and a deadline. We're going to say that a business without a dream, a goal, a plan, and a deadline is a mess.A well developed brand strategy ties all of these essential elements together for your business. It refines your why (your overall vision and dream) and your what and when (specific goals on a specific timeline) before nailing down the how with a long-term plan that moves you toward achieving your goals. It can feel like a tremendous undertaking, but once your brand strategy is clearly defined it provides a framework to follow. Your day to day decisions and path to success will become easier and more clearly defined as well. Listen to my tips for building a successful digital brand on the Businessese podcast HERE! Wanna craft a successful brand strategy for your business? Check out my course: 4 Essential Secrets to a Killer Brand Strategy! … [Read more...] about [podcast interview] building your brand strategy w. businessese
giving the people what they want
This morning I was in church with Hubby and got out my phone to take some notes (after all, Pastor Anderson is fiyah!), and saw a text come in from my 14yo. It said: "Mom. Can you make Sunday Dinner today? Thanks." And it was accompanied by 2 photos - obviously from Instagram - of other people's Sunday Dinner plates. I chuckled and had to admit that the bbq chicken, mac and cheese, yams, and cornbread looked good. So I replied back: "Sure!" And started plotting my spread. Fast forward 6 hours and everyone is sitting around in that Sunday-lazy-sort-of-way, after chowing down on smothered pork chops, red bliss garlic mashed potatoes, greens and cornbread. Mission Accomplished. And evidence that kids really do notice and appreciate traditions that you set out to create for them. A great way to kickoff the new year. It's been 7 years since I wrote a Sunday Dinner Diaries installment! Check them out HERE. … [Read more...] about giving the people what they want
solo travel: apparently i’ve been missing out
Over the holiday break I met my friend Monica for brunch to catch up. Somehow our conversation turned to trips and travel and my dirty little secret came to light: I've never taken a solo vacation! Monica was truly surprised and told me that it was a MUST, and she challenged me to add this to my goal list for 2019. I mean, I've been on solo trips, don't get me wrong. Like, traveling to a conference or a business meeting and that kind of thing. But as far as me accompanying myself to a resort for a couple of days and just enjoying my own company? Especially amid all of the energy it takes to be a mom? Nope. It's interesting because I have several friends who do this regularly; it just never occurred to me that I was missing out. My friend Jana used to take herself to the Ritz-Carlton Amelia Island yearly for her solo getaway. And let's not even get started on Jazzy. She is a pro at solo vacays (and even - intentionally - spent Christmas by herself in a beachfront hotel). And so, in the spirit of New Year, New Me, I've decided to make this a goal of mine. Nothing big or major like a trip to New Zealand; I'll be super happy with a long weekend in Destin, FL or Tulum, MX. All I need is the hot sun and a beach! What's your take on solo vacations? … [Read more...] about solo travel: apparently i’ve been missing out
