Miracles DO Happen!

So...

Last Tuesday I wrote about the horrible experience of finding that my car had been towed. So as not to leave you all on a cliff-hanger, I'll let ya know how that whole thing turned out.

After walking home from the library, and then to the Sheriff's station, I was advised where my car was and that they were closed for the day so I'd have to begin the process of reclaiming my car on the following day.

I wake up on Wednesday morning, and walk to the tow company. They advise me what needs to be done and I realize that I am in for a VERY Long day. My next stop was to walk to the "top secret" location so that I could get my registration (although expired) out of my car so that I could then take it to the DMV.

I arrive at the "top secret" location where I am greeted my a gentleman who ONLY SPEAKS SPANISH. GREAT!!! Thankfully, I know a bit of Spanish but have never had a full-on conversation with anyone. Getting my paperwork was important though, so I made it work. After about 20 minutes, I was inside my vehicle and was able to get the registration.

On my walk to the DMV all I "had a little talk with God", and thanked Him for giving me the words to say IN SPANISH that I didn't even know I knew.

I arrived at the DMV minutes before they opened. I stood in the line that wrapped AROUND THE BUILDING in the hot morning sun. As I stood there, DMV employees came out to advise is that the computers were down STATEWIDE and there was NO ETA as to when they would be back up. GREAT AGAIN!!!

My whole reason for even being at the DMV was to get a "One Day Permit to Move the Vehicle" or something to that effect. Every 20 minutes or so, a worker would come out to update us, with the SAME information. Computers were STILL down, with NO ETA. I was determined to stay, no matter how long it took because I HAD to have my car THAT DAY in order to get done what needed to be done.

Thankfully, after about an hour and a half the computers came up and we were IN.

I got my permit and shortly thereafter, my niece very kindly picked me up to take me to my next spot...the Sheriff's station.

We arrive at the station, I show them my "One Day Permit" and they give me "the clear" to go get my car. So...back to the tow company we go.

There, I paid the RIDICULOUSLY OVERPRICED FEE to get my car back and we headed to the "top secret" spot once again, this time to retrieve and drive off with my car. Phew!!! Thank God!

Next stop was to get my smog check.

I arrived at the place, the guy looks at my paperwork and says, "I can't do the test here. You have to take your car to a 'Star Certified' station."

What??? What's that?? And WHERE is it?

He told me where the nearest one was and I headed that way, only to get THERE and be told that the gentleman would not do my smog check there because my "check engine" light was on.

Are you kidding me?!?

He told me to take my car to a mechanic, get it fixed and come back. I was about to crumble. I had no money to get ANYTHING fixed on my car...and everything needed to be completed THAT DAY. *TEARS*

So I hop in my car and head home, not knowing what to do next, but knowing that it was HOT and I needed to change clothes.

I get home, changed into something cooler and decided that after all my poor little car had been through, she deserved a bath. So I took her to the drive-thru car wash.

When the wash was over I drove forward and happened to glance at the dashboard. Would you believe...the "check engine" light was OFF! What?!? YES!!!

So I hopped on the freeway, making my way BACK to the smog check station and praying the entire way for the light to STAY off.

I pulled into his shop and said, "Look. The light is off now. You can do the test."

He looked at me and asked, "What did you do to the car?"

"I didn't do anything."

"Who touched it?"

"I didn't touch it. The light went off by itself. Now please, do the test."

"If I do the test and it fails, I'm still charging you."

"Fine. Just do the test. It won't fail."

He did the test, and it PASSED! Thank You LORD!!!

I was so happy! After all that had gone wrong, SOMETHING finally went right.

I drove my clean little, newly smog-checked car home and as I pulled into the driveway I heard an odd noise. I parked the car, got out, walked around the car and found...A FLAT TIRE.

Yep. Flat as a pancake.

At that point I was spent. Didn't even bother to deal with it at that moment. I went inside the house, thanked God for making the "check engine" light go out (HE was the one who 'touched' the car), for getting me home safely, and called it a day. Oh but that's not the end of it...I'll tell you the REST next time.

Now it's your turn. Let the DIALOGUE begin: Do YOU know how to change a flat tire?

Talk to me!

Til next time...

My Life, My Life, My Life, My Life...

Yeah...sooo...

Earlier today I posted about my experiences at the library and all that jazz.

Well, once I had completed my task at the library, which was to search and apply for jobs, I packed up my computer, picked up two books that had been on hold for me, and headed to my car.

Well...as I headed toward where my car HAD BEEN parked, I noticed that another car was now occupying the space. WHAT?!?

WHERE WAS MY CAR?!?

I headed back into the library and let the librarian know that my car was missing. She responded with, "Hmmm...it may have been towed." I then let her know that I had specifically parked in the area that did NOT have a time limit so I couldn't understand why it would have been towed. Hmmm again. So she called the police department, gave me the phone, and they proceeded to tell me that they car had been towed due to expired registration. GREAT.

Interestingly, the registration HAS been paid, I just don't have my tags because I still need a smog check and because the "check engine" light has been on I figured that that would mean something needs to be repaired in order for my car to pass the smog. Basically, one thing has snowballed into another.

So...I head home from the library so that I can drop everything off, then I head back OUT to the Sheriff's station where they tell me that they tow company now has my car and they proceed to tell me what I need to do to get it. Oh...but the tow company had already closed today so there's nothing I can do until tomorrow morning. And you know what all that means...MONEY. Money that I don't have. What little I do have was going to next month's rent. So much for that.

It's all quite a mess I've gotten myself into. No job. Now, now car. And possibly...not home. This is more than I can bare...TRULY it is.

But, God's grace is sufficient and if He brings me TO it, He'll bring me THROUGH it. That's really cliche, I know...but it's what I have to hold onto for now before I crumble. And I can't crumble because I have to make my son's birthday cake tonight. Can't go gettin' tears all in the batter, right?

I'll bet you can guess what tonight's question will be, can't ya?

Here goes...Let the DIALOGUE begin: Has your car ever been towed and if so, how much did it cost to get it back?

Talk to me!

Til next time...

Shhh...

Most folks who know me know how much I LOVE the public library. Why? Because there are sooo many goodies there and they are absolutely FREE.

Aside from books, audio books and movies that are available, lately I've been taking the most advantage of the library's FREE Wi-Fi. It's come in quite handy since I no longer have internet at home.

Now that I am a "regular" there's one thing that I've noticed. Well...actually, I've noticed a FEW things, but the one that sticks out most is that THE SAME PEOPLE ARE AT THE LIBRARY EVERYDAY! Some of them even sit in the same spot.

I'm thinkin'..."Don't these folks have somewhere to be?" Then I think, "They are probably wondering the same thing about me."

I pray that SOON I WILL have somewhere else to be...as in A JOB. But until then, I shall find myself planted at the library continuing my job search, and of course...posting The Dialogue Den's daily entries.

Now...Let the DIALOGUE begin: How often do YOU go to your local library?

Talk to me (quietly though...'cause I'm at the library)!

Til next time...

I AM My Hair

Today I did something bold and daring (at least by MY standards).

I went on a job interview and wore my natural hair...in an AFRO.

I know this might not be a big bold move for most folks, but for ME it was HUGE.

Normally I would go to "the shop" and get my hair straightened (all nice and Corporate-European looking), but since my budget is down to ZERO...that just wasn't an option.

I could have straightened it myself but that just takes sooo much time...and it never comes out very nice when I do it anyway, so I figured, "Why bother?"

The REAL reason why I wore my "Natural" (as my Mom used to call it) was because I am tired of Black women THINKING that we have to go into the interview looking like someone we are not. Sure...I get that there are some Black women who truly do prefer to wear their hair straightened because that is what they like. I get it...and I ain't mad at 'em. But I'm talking about the rest (of us). Why do WE feel that we have to go in "looking' a certain way? Why have we allowed society to do that to us?

So, perhaps in a small act of rebellion against "the establishment", I decided to go in as God created me. The interviewers should have had NO problem with that. My hair was CLEAN...I washed it this morning, and it was NEATLY combed. So...like I said before...there should be NO issue.

As I told my friend Judy yesterday, "If Heidi and Buffy can wear THEIR natural hair to an interview, then why can't I?"

So there...I did it!

As for the interview...I think it went well. The office is a lot further than I prefer to drive though, and once I'm hired (how's that for thinking optimistically), I will probably take public transportation to work because there is NO WAY that my car will be able to handle that drive on a daily basis. So...we'll see.

Let the DIALOGUE begin: What's the oddest thing you've ever experienced in an interview?

Talk to me!

Til next time...

Tap...Tap......Tap

It's another night at Starbucks and I'm tryin' a lil somethin' different. Tonight's post is being "single finger tapped out" from my lovely Samsung tablet. I've had this thing for well over a year now and RARELY use it. I didn't feel like lugging my laptop out again so thought I'd give this a try. It's strange because I'm a pretty fast typist on a standard sized keyboard...but THIS thing??? I'm only as fast as my index finger.

So...I'll keep this one short and sweet.

Let the DIALOGUE begin: Do you own a table? If so, what kind and how often do you use it?

Talk to me!

Til next time...

P.S.-The music in this here Starbucks is jammin'! Donny Hathaway,Al Green...the oldies. Lovin it!

Blah Blah Blah...

Sitting here in Starbucks (using their Wi-Fi because mine is out again at home...but hey...I DO purchase an inexpensive beverage so it's not like I'm stealing), and I'm overhearing one of the most BORING conversations ever. As I listen I realize that this isn't the first boring conversation I've overheard. There've been many. Often leading me to think, "Well THAT was a waste!"

And as boring as the call is from MY earshot, I can only imagine what must be coming through on the other end of the line.

I guess some folks just like to talk for the sake of talking.

I dunno. My thing is, if we're gonna be on the phone let's at least make it interesting...otherwise...just sent me a text. ;-)

Ok...no, I'm not that bad, but really...sometimes I wonder.

Anyhoo...that's my Starbucks experience today. Who knows...depending on how long the internet is off I may be stopping in more frequently, and with more "exciting" stories to share.

On a separate note...they sure do keep it COLD in here. Brrr!!! I think that's to keep folks from postin' up in the place ALL DAY LONG. But I've gotten "hip to the game" and I always bring a jacket now.

Ok...enough of that...Let the DIALOGUE begin: What is the CRAZIEST conversation you've ever overheard?

Talk to me!

Til next time...

Time Flies...

On this day 25 years ago I received a welcomed surprise.

At 5:59 a.m. I got the meet the little baby I'd been calling "Matthew" for the previous 9 months. I had only had ONE ultrasound during the pregnancy and that was VERY early on...so in my mind, we were having a BOY.

"It's a girl!", the nurse announced.

I was like, "Huh???"

So they said it again.

Hmmm...

As I was processing the fact that my "Matthew" was actually a GIRL...the next thing I hear is, "Look at this baby's hair!"

What? What about her hair? What's wrong with her hair? Can I see it???

They actually took her OUT of the delivery room to show her hair to the other nurses.

I'm still laying there waiting for MY TURN to see MY BABY that I had just given birth to.

So...they bring her back in and I see what all the fuss was about. I had a little "readhead." A BEAUTIFULLY UNIQUE little REDHEAD.

That was another thing for me to process.

Where did the RED hair come from? NO ONE in the family had red hair...at least no one living. And there hasn't been anyone since.

I gotta tell ya...that hair has been quite the attention-getter...from day one even until now. EVERYWHERE Lauren goes, that hair turns heads.

I still remember the STUPIDITY of people who would come up to me, holding my brand spanking new baby in my arms, or pushing her in the stroller and they'd ask, "Is that her NATURAL color?"

I would just look at them with a face that said, "Are you SERIOUSLY asking that question? SERIOUSLY?!?"

They'd soon get what I was givin' and would realize the ignorance of their question.

This went on for years! Now she gets women who wanna know "What box number" her hair color is...as in DYE. Folks still don't get it.

Anyhoo...my little redhead is 25 years old today and she has made me EXTREMELY proud over the years.

She's a really sweet young lady, loves the Lord, loves children...especially those with special needs. She's a hard worker and just got accepted to Grad school. Yep...my kid's pretty cool, and it is an absolute BLESSING to be her Momma.

Let the DIALOGUE begin: For those of you who are parents, did you get any "surprises" with any of YOUR children?

Talk to me!

Til next time...

And...HAPPY 25TH BIRTHDAY LAUREN!!!