Woman of the Week Award

Aminah Nichols: Woman of the Week (that's ME)

-Submitted by JoAnn Wilkes

Aminah Nichols, Coordinator of the College Reach Out Program, was WKTK98.5's Woman of the Week for her extraordinary work not only at Santa Fe but in the other projects that enrich our community. Below is an excerpt from her nomination for Woman of the Week:

Aminah is the most incredible young woman who is the Coordinator of the CROP - College Reach Out Program. But she is much more than just that. She provides spring and summer activities coordinated with UF and Santa Fe to provide educational experiences for middles school students who may be at risk. She provides warmth, counseling, direction and support. Aminah is a role model for them and for the tutors who work for her. Her family is extremely important to her and she drives to South Florida for all family events. Aminah is strong, intelligent, giving, going far beyond what is required of her. There is so much more to this amazing young woman but I wanted to ask you to celebrate her and the brightness she brings to others. Thank you.

Happiness Begins With Me!

Check out my blog on my cousin's website:  http://keepahappyhome.com/2012/03/26/happiness-begins-with-me/ I really hope you love it!

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My Motto!!! 

Philly Pictorial Reflections

Hanging Out!!

Touring the city!!

Rocky Steps :)

Returning to FL

Jim's Steak House

So what better way is there to close a visit to Philly then a visiting the infamous Jim's Steak House off South Street? And that's exactly what I did. Its my last day and I awoke tasting the delicious, oily, legendary Philly Cheesesteak. We couldn't get there quick enough. Like a real tourist I excitedly waited in the cold for nearly 45 minutes for my cheesesteak with peppers. "Upstairs to the left" one of the employees shouted, directing me upstairs to the sitting area. And like a kid in the candy store, I rocked amd smiled as I took my first bite :) I had my first real Philly Cheesesteak!!! and it was DE-LI-CIOUS :)

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city of brotherly LOVE

So part of my Philly trip (outside of spending time with my little brother) was me looking for closure. And while it didn't happen the way I expected it to, it happened nonetheless. God is AMAZING because he always has the master plan and knows best. And in hindsight, as I come to grips with me achy heart, I realize this was the best way for it to happen.

Thank God for FREEDOM!!!

William Penn of Pennsylvania

Today we toured Philly on the Philadelphia Sightseeing Tour Bus! It was a little ambitious of us to choose to ride the top level of the double decker in 40 degree weather but it was well worth it. 

We learned of the cities history and the Quaker foundation on which William Penn's built the city. He had 3 focuses which still hold true today- Freedom of Expressions, Freedom of Religion and 

Freedom of something else I can't remember. lol! (sorry) 

Moving on... they showed us the initial city limits, first churches, homes and market places that are still standing and in use since before the war. We also saw the building that was Franklin's home, printing press and first city post office while  he was in Philly back in the 1700's. We didn't get a chance to visit the Franklin Institute, Constitution Center, Liberty Bell or Please Touch museum, but we did see them and learned about the cool facts and exhibits they each behold. When I return, visiting each of those will be first on my list!!! We did however climb the Rockie Stairs :)))) That was fun! And when you reach the top, the view of the city if breathtaking. It's not a complete skyline view, but it's a panoramic view of many scopes of the city! 

We ended our night with Tootoo's pizza and wings and lounging at the Landmark- a lounge in downtown Philly off Market and 34th in the Drexel University Area. We enjoyed laughs, drinks and great conversation with our friends!

What a day :)

I be SHOPPPINGGGG!!!

I'm so ashamed. I've been in Philly for less than 24hrs and I've overspent in the mall already. I'm heavily considering taking some items back. These items are definitely a keeper though!!!

It's my fedora hat! I finally found one that I LOVEEE and looks well on me :) And that's a Steve Madden sea green hidden platform pump. I just couldn't resist that color!!! I'm such a classic sheik chick when it comes to my closet and these were fine pieces :)

Now I must get dress. The hat will probably make it out for our day of tours since it's so windy!!!

~ Chiao

G-Town Philly + Billy = Home

Its about 4:30, I just touched down in Philly about 3 hours ago to visit my brother Billy and it feels like home already. As he pulled up to the airport terminal to scoop me, my attention immediately drifted away from the cities windy chills to the warmth of my brother's hug. In an instance, this big foreign city that I've never visited became home to me. After riding around downtown, enjoying a great lunch at a cute Southern Amerian cusine restaurant name Jones and riding through the hills to get to his place- I now realize I still haven't taken in the scope of the city. I've been blinded by the comfort of my loved one!

It was an amazing feeling when I realized the truth in the statement "home is where the heart is". Typically as a tourist I would have a heightened senses for the new city I'm in carefully taking in the structure of the buildings, make up of the highways, diversity of its citizens and uniqueness of the area. But ironically, on this occassion I've been been completely oblivious and everything feels strangely familar instead of interestingly new. I contribute that to me feeling as if I was home. And I attribute that feeling to the presence of my brother.

I'm so excited to be here and I can't wait to soak up all this trip has to offer. For the next few days I'm not vacation- I'm just at my home away from home :)

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Charlotte- My Connector!

I always love traveling and stopping through random cities by flight because there isn't a more diverse place then the airport. This is the one time when all people of all ages from all different kinds of walks gather in one place with one common mission- to reach their destination. Some are traveling for business, others for personal reason and the rest for vacation. As I walk the isles of the plane and the concourse of the airport I see worrisome parents with their active children, I hear business men and women partake in executive discussions. Theirs your carefree voyagers who looK as if they've done this a million times and your novice travelers that I over hear marveling at the sight of the planes outside and snapping pictures of billbords. The enthusiasm mixed with fear that rest on everyones face is classic. Never will America find another place where all people are seemingly equal dispite our differences!!

I was inspired to write since my connecting flight to Philly today was in Charlotte and it is one of 3 of my favorite places to visit; even if it is only for a breif moment of walking through the airport. Its so refeshing as a black woman to walk into an establishment and see a myraid of my black brothers and sisters working hard and being afforded equal earning opportunities. To see a sea of blacks- well intermingled with other Americans- that are happy and productive and without looks of settlement or weary discourse on their faces. The sight of such justice makes my world a better place. When I see this, I think to myself 'We made it, finally! Thank you Jesus'. And for the first time in a long time the world seems right!

How amazing this would be if I could see the same successfully functional diversity everywhere; all the time!

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Choice + Chance = Change

New opportunities and ventures are afforded to me daily and while I'm ready to cease some, I'm not so sure about others. It's amazing the experience we go through when being pushed and elevated. I'm almost a little fearful of the change that my choices and chances would bring. So here goes nothing!!! Let's see what happens :)

Live for NOW

I LOOOOVVVVVVE this movie and this photo represents why!!! :)

Enjoy your Valentines Day Everyone.

Motivation

Hot Pink Party

Hot Pink Calla Lillies... 

DIY Pink Rope Chargers and Gold Utensils..

Pink Candy Party Savers

a little happiness in my day :) 

Daily Bible Devotion» Blog Archive » TUE: Beyond Your Imagination

Daily Bible Devotion» Blog Archive » TUE: Beyond Your Imagination:

This car situation, among others is really taking an emotional toil on me! Yesterday's discovery of lawyers, me paying out of pocket and the lack of protection based on Florida No Fault Law was the straw that broke the camels back for me. But today's devotional was the surgery that began to put me back together. I'm so glad that God is Greater :)

Happy Tuesday All

'via Blog this'

Sometimes Life Isn't Fair :(

First, Happy New Years Everyone!

I began 2012 with a new outlook on life and a mission to be a bit more true to me. This will include- amongst a few other things- blogging more and exploring the creative side of me. But before we get to all the good, let me update you on my car!

So Autumn has been doing well. She was happily accepted by all of my loved ones and although she's greedy (I gas her up once, sometimes twice a week) we have no complaints. Well, in the short 3 months I've had her, the past 2 weeks have been trying for us both. On Jan. 19th, she was backed into and the tail light was broken so quite naturally, her bumper and trunk is damaged as well. I didn't assess the damages to be too major and blessedly, the young lady who hit Autumn left an apologetic note and number to call to cover the expenses. We'll I naively left the scene without filling a police report, and contacted the young lady for her to fix it. Numerous friends and acquaintances asked me if I trusted this girl to cover the damages and gave me the "you're too nice look" when I said I do. And in the beginning she proved me right continually by having positive and constant communication of intent to cover the damages until I presented her with the quotes 5 days later :(
Now, she and her family are no longer resuming responsibility for the damages and I'm going to have to go through my insurance and pay myself to fix my $1200 damages :( COMPLETE BUMMER right?!!! I was outraged!!!!

I've done all that I could do over the last few days. I've called her to do her and pleaded for her to do her part,  part but to no avail. In fact- her father then called and threatened me with harassment. (That has to be a joke)!!!...  I've filled a police report and meet with the chief of police for the area but apparently there's very little they can do after the fact. I've transcribe all voice mail, personal and text message and submitted a claim with my insurance to go after her. But I'm still going to have to pay for this myself everyone says. And so to Small Claims Court we'll go!

Sigh- this is discouraging and annoying. All I want is for my car to be fixed and Autumn to be better! It seems the world would rather punish me for 1. going to work and 2. for being too nice to believe this young lady would do her part as promised. Why is the Florida No Fault systems contrives against the victim. It makes no sense that we may for other's mistakes. But it seems to be the law. Life can be so unfair!