The Convertible Dress

Have you ever had a dress, wore it and then its stuck in your closet waiting for the next big event??

With the convertible dress, you have the option of dressing it up, down or making it sexy. I am a big fan of the convertible dress simply because its figure flattering and looks absolutely fabulous on big, medium or small frames. For the petite person, the convertible dress is also available in short lengths.

This dress is available at www.monifc.com.

The Isle of my birth!!!

Recently I had a chance to take a look at the Island of my birth, Montserrat. Although recently devastated by the volcanoes, Montserrat still has allot to offer in terms of scenery, peace, tranquility, the lush green beautiful trees, the tasty fruits and vegetables, the friendly people and of course the food.

Because most of the population migrated, the general consensus is that there is no one left back. Yes! there are significantly less people on the island than what was there before, but the island is one of the BIGGEST secrets out of all the Caribbean islands. It has not been influenced by any group but its own.

The fact that it has remained authentic throughout the years says allot about the people, the place, the experience the island, the land of my birth!

Here are some pictures. See for yourself!

Project Runway

Everyone, Its that time of the year again when the premier of Project Runway is about to premiere. This season promises to feature 16 new designers, with more sas, more talent, and more drama. Season 6 will be a special one for me as it will feature a designer that I have had the pleasure of working with (See Picture). Qristyl Frazier of Qristyl Frazier Designs will be one of the 16 new designers featured this season. To see some of her work, click on the link below. Please join me in congratulating her and wishing her good luck. Make sure to tune in on August 20th at 10pm for the premiere.

http://www.mylifetime.com/on-tv/shows/project-runway/project-runway-designers/qristyl-frazier

Slim Down (a lot) for Summer

Make friends with your swimsuit! This seven-day diet plan will shape you up by August — even if you have plenty of pounds to lose.

Did someone say beach season?! Your first response may be to book a fast flight to Siberia, where no one dares to leave the house with arms bare, legs bare, and no sweater to disguise the extra belly bulge. But this year, consider a new possibility: that by the time swimsuit weather arrives, you'll be ready. Really. This unique plan lets you customize your meal choices, exercise habits, and calorie intake to match your personal diet goal, whether it's five pounds you're looking to lose or 20. So get out your calendar, circle August 1 — and let the weight loss begin!

Note: Repeat meals plans (in any order) for the next five weeks. Be sure to take a multivitamin and a 250-400 mg calcium supplement daily. Water, diet soda, and coffee are allowed in unlimited quantities.

The meal plan listed under 15 Pounds to Lose is designed to take off 15 pounds in six weeks. If you're aiming to drop only five or 10 pounds, add in the extra foods listed under the appropriate categories. Twenty or more to lose? Follow the 15 Pounds to Lose meal plan, and check out our mega-calorie-burning exercise program, The Procrastinator's Summer Slim-Down.

Breakfast

15 Pounds to Lose
Ham-and-egg sandwich: Inside 1 split, toasted English muffin, layer 2 thin extra-lean ham slices (1 ounce) and 1 egg, fried or scrambled (in nonstick skillet coated with butter-flavor cooking spray).
4 ounces calcium-fortified orange or grapefruit juice

10 Pounds to Lose
1/2 grapefruit sprinkled with 1 teaspoon sugar

5 Pounds to Lose
1 pear

Lunch

15 Pounds to Lose
1 whole-wheat pita stuffed with 1/4 cup hummus, 3 slices tomato, 1 slice red onion and salad greens
1/2 cup calcium-fortified low-fat cottage cheese
1 apple

10 Pounds to Lose
4 vanilla wafers

5 Pounds to Lose
3/4 cup fat-free frozen yogurt (100 calories per 1/2 cup)

Dinner

15 Pounds to Lose
Honey-mustard chicken: 6 ounces roasted skinless chicken breast, sliced; drizzled with a mixture of 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon honey and 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar.
Toss 1 small tomato, diced; 1/2 cucumber, diced; 1/4 cup chopped onion; and 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup croutons and red wine vinegar.

10 Pounds to Lose
1 small (1 ounce) whole-grain roll

5 Pounds to Lose
1 small (1 ounce) whole-grain roll
1/2 cup canned pineapple, packed in juice

The meal plan listed under 15 Pounds to Lose is designed to take off 15 pounds in six weeks. If you're aiming to drop only five or 10 pounds, add in the extra foods listed under the appropriate categories. Twenty or more to lose? Follow the 15 Pounds to Lose meal plan, and check out our mega-calorie-burning exercise program, The Procrastinator's Summer Slim-Down.

Breakfast

15 Pounds to Lose
2 frozen low-fat waffles, toasted and topped with 1 1/2 tablespoons reduced-calorie pancake syrup and 1/3 cup sliced strawberries
1 cup fat-free milk

10 Pounds to Lose
1 tablespoon reduced-calorie syrup
1/4 cup blueberries

5 Pounds to Lose
1 tablespoon reduced-calorie syrup
2 slices crisp bacon

Lunch

15 Pounds to Lose
Chicken salad with pears: Dice 4 ounces cooked skinless chicken breast. Combine 1/4 small pear, diced; 1/4 cup sliced celery; 1 tablespoon plain fat-free yogurt; 1 teaspoon light mayonnaise; 1 teaspoon honey mustard; and 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger. Toss with chicken. Serve on salad greens.
5 reduced-fat Triscuits
5 ounces calcium-fortified orange juice mixed with seltzer

10 Pounds to Lose
2 cups raw vegetables
2 tablespoons reduced-fat dressing (50 calories per 2-tablespoon serving)

5 Pounds to Lose
1/3 cantaloupe, filled with 1/2 cup calcium-fortified low-fat cottage cheese

Dinner

15 Pounds to Lose
4 ounces broiled or grilled flank steak
Pasta-and-vegetable salad: Combine 2/3 cup cooked ziti; 1 small tomato, diced; 2/3 cup diced zucchini; 2 green onions, sliced; 2 teaspoons lemon juice; 1 teaspoon olive oil; salt and pepper to taste.

10 Pounds to Lose
1 1/4 cups mixed berries

5 Pounds to Lose
6 large shrimp with 1 1/2 tablespoons cocktail sauce
2/3 cup mixed berries

The meal plan listed under 15 Pounds to Lose is designed to take off 15 pounds in six weeks. If you're aiming to drop only five or 10 pounds, add in the extra foods listed under the appropriate categories. Twenty or more to lose? Follow the 15 Pounds to Lose meal plan, and check out our mega-calorie-burning exercise program, The Procrastinator's Summer Slim-Down.

Breakfast

15 Pounds to Lose
1 1/4 cups Cheerios topped with 1/2 banana, sliced
1 cup fat-free milk

10 Pounds to Lose
1/2 banana

5 Pounds to Lose
1/2 banana
1 tangerine

Lunch

15 Pounds to Lose
Salad Niçoise: Over 3 cups salad greens, arrange 4 ounces drained water-packed tuna; 1 tomato, cut into wedges; 3 slices red onion; 1 cup cooked green beans; and 3 small cooked potatoes (5 ounces), sliced. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar and 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil.

10 Pounds to Lose
6 black olives, sliced over salad
1 kiwifruit

5 Pounds to Lose
6 black olives, sliced over salad
1 cup light yogurt

Dinner

15 Pounds to Lose
Jamaican jerk pork: Coat 6-ounce boneless loin chop with a mixture of 1 teaspoon light soy sauce, 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, 1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon Jamaican jerk seasoning and 1/4 teaspoon oil. Broil or grill, turning once, until pork loses pink color.
Curry rice: Add 1/2 teaspoon oil to 1-quart nonstick saucepan. Sauté 1/2 cup chopped tomato, 1/4 cup chopped onion and 1/2 teaspoon curry powder about 3 minutes. Add 1/2 cup water, 1/4 cup rice and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender (about 20 minutes).
1/2 cup steamed spinach tossed with lemon juice

10 Pounds to Lose
1 frozen fruit-juice bar or 1 apple

5 Pounds to Lose
4 ounces low-fat rice pudding topped with 3 strawberries, sliced

The meal plan listed under 15 Pounds to Lose is designed to take off 15 pounds in six weeks. If you're aiming to drop only five or 10 pounds, add in the extra foods listed under the appropriate categories. Twenty or more to lose? Follow the 15 Pounds to Lose meal plan, and check out our mega-calorie-burning exercise program, The Procrastinator's Summer Slim-Down.

Breakfast

15 Pounds to Lose
3/4 cup frosted spoon-size shredded wheat cereal topped with 3/4 cup plain fat-free yogurt and 1 cup sliced strawberries or raspberries

10 Pounds to Lose
1/2 grapefruit sprinkled with 1 teaspoon sugar

5 Pounds to Lose
1 banana

Lunch

15 Pounds to Lose
Grilled cheese sandwich: Between 2 slices whole-grain bread, layer 1 1/2 ounces cheese, sliced; and 2 tomato slices.
Grill in nonstick skillet coated with butter-flavor cooking spray until golden on both sides.
1 cup health salad (coleslaw with vinaigrette dressing)

10 Pounds to Lose
1 cup vegetable soup (about 70 calories)

5 Pounds to Lose
2 slices crisp bacon (add to sandwich)
1 cup vegetable soup (about 70 calories)

Dinner

15 Pounds to Lose
Carrot-topped fish: Mix 1 carrot, shredded; 1 teaspoon olive oil; 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice to taste; 1/4 teaspoon dried dill; and salt and pepper. Spread over 7-ounce fillet of sole. Bake in preheated 450 degree oven until fish is opaque.
1 1/2 cups steamed green beans
3 small round potatoes (5 ounces), boiled, steamed or roasted

10 Pounds to Lose
1 frozen fruit-juice bar

5 Pounds to Lose
3/4 cup fat-free frozen yogurt (100 calories per 1/2 cup)

The meal plan listed under 15 Pounds to Lose is designed to take off 15 pounds in six weeks. If you're aiming to drop only five or 10 pounds, add in the extra foods listed under the appropriate categories. Twenty or more to lose? Follow the 15 Pounds to Lose meal plan, and check out our mega-calorie-burning exercise program, The Procrastinator's Summer Slim-Down.

Breakfast

15 Pounds to Lose
Smoothie: In blender, combine 4 ounces fat-free milk, 4 ounces plain fat-free yogurt, 1/2 cup blueberries, 1/2 banana, 1 teaspoon honey and 4 ice cubes.
1/2 English muffin, toasted

10 Pounds to Lose
1/2 English muffin, toasted

5 Pounds to Lose
1/2 English muffin, toasted
2 teaspoons jam (spread on muffin halves)

Lunch

15 Pounds to Lose
3 cups baby spinach leaves topped with 1 cup canned three-bean salad (70 calories per 1/2 cup) and 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
1 whole-wheat pita bread
1/2 mango

10 Pounds to Lose
1/2 mango

5 Pounds to Lose
1/2 mango
1/2 cup calcium-fortified low-fat cottage cheese

Dinner

15 Pounds to Lose
Scallops with asparagus: Coat nonstick skillet with 1 teaspoon olive oil. Stir-fry 8 ounces sea scallops until opaque. Remove from pan. Add 5 ounces asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces; 2 tablespoons orange juice; and 1 teaspoon light soy sauce. Cover and cook over low heat until asparagus are tender-crisp. Return scallops to pan and stir in 1/2 cup orange segments. Heat through. Serve over 3/4 cup cooked rice.

10 Pounds to Lose
4 vanilla wafers

5 Pounds to Lose
4 ounces low-fat rice pudding topped with 3 strawberries, sliced

The meal plan listed under 15 Pounds to Lose is designed to take off 15 pounds in six weeks. If you're aiming to drop only five or 10 pounds, add in the extra foods listed under the appropriate categories. Twenty or more to lose? Follow the 15 Pounds to Lose meal plan, and check out our mega-calorie-burning exercise program, The Procrastinator's Summer Slim-Down.

Breakfast

15 Pounds to Lose
1/2 cantaloupe topped with 3/4 cup calcium-fortified low-fat cottage cheese
1 slice toasted whole-wheat bread spread with 1 teaspoon jam

10 Pounds to Lose
2 tablespoons raisins (add to cottage cheese and cantaloupe)

5 Pounds to Lose
1 slice toasted whole-wheat bread spread with 1 teaspoon butter

Lunch

15 Pounds to Lose
Warm egg sandwich: In 1 teaspoon oil, cook 1/2 cup chopped onion until golden. Toss with 1 hard-cooked egg, mashed; 1/4 cup shredded carrot; and salt and pepper to taste. Spoon mixture into 1 whole-wheat pita; stuff with baby spinach leaves.
6 ounces light yogurt topped with 1 kiwifruit, sliced

10 Pounds to Lose
1 cup gazpacho or other vegetable soup (about 70 calories)

5 Pounds to Lose
1 cup gazpacho or other vegetable soup (about 70 calories)
1 frozen fruit-juice bar

Dinner

15 Pounds to Lose
Shrimp with pasta: Coat nonstick skillet with 1 teaspoon olive oil. Cook 1/2 cup chopped onion and 1 minced garlic clove for 3 minutes. Add 4 ounces large shrimp, cleaned and deveined; 1/2 cup chopped tomatoes; 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar; 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes; and salt to taste. Cover, simmer 3 minutes or until shrimp are opaque. Serve over 1 cup cooked spaghetti.
1 1/2 cups steamed broccoli sprinkled with 2 teaspoons Parmesan cheese

10 Pounds to Lose
1 1/4 cups melon cubes (any type)

5 Pounds to Lose
1-ounce slice Italian bread
1 cup melon cubes (any type)

The meal plan listed under 15 Pounds to Lose is designed to take off 15 pounds in six weeks. If you're aiming to drop only five or 10 pounds, add in the extra foods listed under the appropriate categories. Twenty or more to lose? Follow the 15 Pounds to Lose meal plan, and check out our mega-calorie-burning exercise program, The Procrastinator's Summer Slim-Down.

Breakfast

15 Pounds to Lose
1 split, toasted English muffin sprinkled with 1/4 cup shredded cheese (any type). Broil until cheese melts.
1/2 mango, cut into chunks

10 Pounds to Lose
1/2 cup blueberries (mix with mango chunks)

5 Pounds to Lose
6 ounces light yogurt (mix with mango chunks)

Lunch

15 Pounds to Lose
Spread 1 tablespoon light mayonnaise on 2 slices whole-wheat bread. Between bread, layer 4 ounces turkey breast or extra-lean ham, thinly sliced; 2 tomato slices; lettuce; salt and pepper to taste.
1 cup fat-free milk or 6 ounces calcium-fortified orange juice

10 Pounds to Lose
8 baby carrots
2 tablespoons hummus (for dipping)

5 Pounds to Lose
8 baby carrots
2 tablespoons hummus (for dipping)
20 grapes

Dinner

15 Pounds to Lose
Grill or broil one hamburger (made from 5 ounces extra-lean ground beef). Arrange on bun with lettuce; tomato and onion slices; and 1 tablespoon ketchup.
Cut 1 zucchini into 1/4-inch slices; coat with cooking spray, sprinkle with dried oregano, salt and pepper. Grill or broil until golden, turning once.

10 Pounds to Lose
1 medium ear of corn

5 Pounds to Lose
1 medium ear of corn
1 dill pickle
1 large nectarine

Find this article at: http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/summer-slimdown-diet-plan

My Top Picks for Summer 2009 Sandals

Below are my top picks for sandals for Summer 2009. Take a look and enjoy!

Summer is around the corner...What should you wear to the beach?

Top Five Plus Size Swimsuits for 2009 #1- Twist Front Bandeau

This beautiful plus size swimsuit was featured on the Oprah show because of its beautiful design and flattering fit. The swimsuit has rouching across the front as well as a mini skirt both of which are slimming for the plus size woman. The bathing suit is available in a variety of colors and in sizes 16W to 26W. This plus size swimsuit retails for $79.00.







Top Five Plus Size Swimsuits for 2009 #2- Penbrooke's Not Too Square Plus Size Tankini

Tankini's are great swimsuit options for plus size women because they give them the coverage of a one piece swimsuit with the comfort of a two piece. This plus size swimsuit has a beautiful and sophisticated brown square pattern on the top and has a simple black bottom. This plus size bathing suit retails for $59 and is available in sizes 18W to 24W.







Top Five Plus Size Swimsuits for 2009 #3- Plus Size Swimwear from T.H.E.-Floral Swimdress with Adjustable Straps

Larger busted plus size women will love the extra support this plus size swimdress offers with its full coverage and adjustable straps. The plus size swim dress has a fun Hawaiian type floral print in brown and blue. This plus size swimsuit is available in sizes 18W to 32W and retails for $79.






Top Five Plus Size Swimsuits for 2009 #4- Monif C Plus Size Trinidad Bathing Suit

For the plus size woman who wants to show a little cleavage and sexiness this low cut plus size swimsuit is perfect. The swim suit is low cut and the cleavage is enhanced by a ruffled edge and ring detail across the front. The plus size bathing suit is available in red and brown and in sizes 14W to 24W. This plus size swimsuit retails for $107.50.





Top Five Plus Size Swimsuits for 2009 #5- One Piece Palm Springs V-Neck Bathing Suit

This plus size swimsuit is an excellent choice for a plus size woman because it has both a tummy tamer and a waist minimizer. These make the woman wearing the swimsuit look thinner and more toned. The plus size swimsuit is available in a variety of colors and in sizes 16W to 24W. This bathing suit retails for $59.

Do you Agree???

Are Black Women Scaring Off Their Men?
(A Fighting Spirit Is Important, But Not At Home)

The Washington Post By: Joy Jones

Have you met this woman? She has a good job, works hard, and earns a good salary. She went to college, she got her master’s degree; she is intelligent. She is personable, articulate, well read, interested in everybody and everything. Yet, she’s single.
Or maybe you know this one. Active in the church. Faithful, committed, sings in the choir, serves on the usher board, and attends every committee meeting. Loves the Lord and knows the Word. You’d think that with her command of the Scriptures and the respect of her church members, she’d have a marriage as solid as a rock. But again, no husband.
Or perhaps you recognize the community activist. She’s a black lady, or, as she prefers, an African American woman, on the move. She sports A short natural; sometimes cornrow braids, or even dreadlocks. She’s an organizer, a motivator, a dynamo. Her work for her people speaks for itself—organizing women for a self-help, raising funds for A community cause, educating others around a new issue in South Africa. Black folks look up to her, and white folks know she’s a force to be reckoned with. Y et once again, the men leave her alone.
What do these women have in common? They have so much; what is it they lack? Why is it they may be able to hook a man but can’t hold him? The women puzzle over this quandary themselves. They gather at professional clubs, at sorority meetings or over coffee at the office and wonder what’s wrong with black men? They hold special prayer vigils and fast and pray and beg Jesus to send the men back to church. They find the brothers attending political strategizing sessions or participating in protests but when it comes time to go home, the brothers go home to someone else.
I know these women because I am all of these women. And after asking over and over again “What’s wrong with these men?”, it finally dawned on me to ask the question, “What’s wrong with us women?” What I have found, and what many of these women have yet to discover, is that the skills that make one successful in the church, community or workplace are not the skills that make one successful in a relationship.
Linear thinking, self-reliance, structured goals and direct action assist one in getting assignments done, in organizing church or club activities or in positioning oneself for a raise, but relationship- building requires different skills. It requires making decisions that not only gratify you, but satisfy others. It means doing things that will keep the peace rather than achieve the goal, and sometimes it means creating the peace i n the first place. Maintaining a harmonious relationship will not always allow you to take the straight line between two points. You may have to stoop to conquer or yield to win.
In too many cases, when dealing with men, you will have to sacrifice being right in order to enjoy being loved. Being acknowledged as the head of the household is an especially important thing for many black men, since their manhood is so often actively challenged everywhere else. Many modern women are so independent, so self-sufficient, so committed to the cause, to the church, to career or their narrow concepts that their entire personalities project an “I don’t need a man” message. So they end up without one. An interested man may be attracted but he soon discovers that this sister makes very little space for him in her life. Going to graduate school is a good goal and an option that previous generations of blacks have not had. But sometimes the achieving woman will place her boyfriend so low on her list of priorities that his interest wanes. Between work, school and homework, she’s seldom “there” for him, for the preliminaries that might
develop a commitment to a woman. She’s too busy to prepare him a home-cooked meal or to be a listening ear for his concerns because she is so occupied with her own.

Soon he uses her only for uncommitted sex since to him she appears unavailable for anything else. Blind to the part she’s playing in the problem, she ends u p thinking, “Men only want one thing.” And she decides she’s better off with the degree than the friendship. When she’s 45, she may wish she’d set different priorities while she was younger. It’s not just the busy career girl who can’t see the forest for the trees.
A couple I know were having marital troubles. During one argument, the husband confronted the wife and asked what she thought they should do about the marriage, what direction they should take. She reached for her Bible and turned to Ephesians. “I know what Paul says and I know what Jesus says about marriage,” he told her, “What do you say about our marriage?” Dumbfounded, she could not say anything. Like so many of us, she could recite the Scriptures but could not apply them to everyday living. Before the year was out, the husband had filed for divorce. Women who focus on civil rights or community activism have vigorous, fighting spirits and are prepared to do whatever, whenever, to benefit black people. That’s good. That’s necessary. But it needs to be kept in perspective. It’s too easy to save the world and lose your man.
A fighting spirit is important on the battlefield, but a gentler spirit is wanted on the home front. Too many women are winning the battle and losing the home. Sometimes in our determined efforts to be strong believers and hard workers, we contemporary women downplay, denigrate or simply forget our more traditional feminine attr ibutes. Men value women best for the ways we are different from them, not the ways we are the same. Men appreciate us for our grace and beauty. Men enjoy our softness and see it as a way to be in touch with their tender side, a side they dare not show to other men. A hard-working woman is good to have on your committee. But when a man goes home, he’d prefer a loving partner to a hard worker.
It’s not an easy transition for the modern black woman to make. It sounds submissive, reactionary, outmoded, and oppressive. We have fought so hard for so many things, and rightfully so. We have known so many men who were shaky, jive and untrustworthy. Yet we must admit that we are shaky, jive and willful in our own ways. Not having a husband allows us to do whatever we want, when and how we want to do it. Having one means we have to share the power and certain points will have to be surrendered. We are terrified of marriage and commitment, yet dread the prospect of being single and alone.
Throwing ourselves into work seems to fill the void without posing a threat. But like any other drug, the escape eventually becomes the cage. To make the break, we need to do less and “be” more. I am learning to “be still and know,” to be trusting. I am learning to stop competing with black men and to collaborate with them, to temper my assertive and aggressive energy with softness and serenity. I’m not preaching a philosophy of “women be seen and not heard.” But I have come to realize that I, and many of my smart and independent sisters are out of touch with our feminine center and Therefore out of touch with our men.
About a year ago, I was at an oldies-but-goodies club. As a Washingtonian, love to do the bop and to hand dance styles that were popular when I was a teen. In those dances, the man has his set of steps and the woman has hers, but the couple is still two partners and must move together. On this evening, I was sitting out a record when a thought came to me. If a man were to say, “I’m going to be in charge and you’re going to follow. I want you to adjust your ways to fit in with mine” I’d dismiss him as a Neanderthal. With my hand on my hip, I’d tell him that I have just as much sense as he does and that he can’t tell me what to do. Yet, on the dance floor, I love following a man’s lead. I don’t feel inferior because my part is different from his, and I don’t feel I have to prove that I’m just as able to lead as he is. I simply allow him to take my hand, and I go with the flow.
I am still single. I am over 30 and scared. I am still a member of my church, have no plans to quit my good government job and will continue to do what I can for my people. I think that I have a healthy relationship with a good man. But today, I know that I have to bring some of that spirit of20the dance into my relationship. Dancing solo, I’ve mastered that. Now I’m learning how to accept his lead, and to go with the flow.



Red Beans and Ricely Yours,

Dawn D. Domengeaux (pronounced doh-manh-ZHO)

It Spring.........Well Almost!!!

Sorry for the long pause, but I did a bit of traveling and I am also working on keeping myself educated, so school has me a little busy. However, none of that has kept me from being fashionable.

So the Spring time is almost here and when most of us think of Spring we usually think of color, especially pastels. Spring is usually the time for Easter dresses, coupled with a perfect pair of shoes and HATS!!!!!!!!!!

I have talked about everything from shoes, to dresses, swimsuits, accessories and even lipstick, but I have never talked about hats. Although I am not big on hats, I think it can be worn with sophistication and grace and nothing carries off a beautiful Easter dress better than the right hat.

Below are some of my favorite hats for your viewing pleasure. Send me pictures of your favorite hats so that I can post them. (I just had to throw in the hat that was worn by Aretha Franklin on Inauguration day!)

5 Minute Management Course

Management Course:
Lesson 1:A man is getting into the shower just as his wife is finishing up her shower, when the doorbell rings. The wife quickly wraps herself in a towel and runs downstairs.When she opens the door, there stands Bob, the next-door neighbor. Before she says a word, Bob says, 'I'll give you $800 to drop that towel.'After thinking for a moment, the woman drops her towel and stands naked in front of Bob, after a few seconds, Bob hands her $800 and leaves. The woman wraps back up in the towel and goes back upstairs.

When she gets to the bathroom, her husband asks, 'Who was that?''It was Bob the next door neighbor,' she replies.'Great,' the husband says, 'did he say anything about the $800 he owes me?'

Moral of the story:If you share critical information pertaining to credit and risk with your shareholders in time, you may be in a position to prevent avoidable exposure.

Lesson 2:A priest offered a Nun a lift. She got in and crossed her legs, forcing her gown to reveal a leg..The priest nearly had an accident. After controlling the car, he stealthily slid his hand up her leg.The nun said, 'Father, remember Psalm 129?'The priest removed his hand. But, changing gears, he let his hand slide up her leg again. The nun once again said, 'Father, remember Psalm 129?'

The priest apologized 'Sorry sister but the flesh is weak.'Arriving at the convent, the nun sighed heavily and went on her way.On his arrival at the church, the priest rushed to look up Psalm 129.

It said, 'Go forth and seek, further up, you will find glory.'

Moral of the story:If you are not well informed in your job, you might miss a great opportunity.

Lesson 3:A sales rep, an administration clerk, and the manager are walking to lunch when they find an antique oil lamp.They rub it and a Genie comes out. The Genie says, 'I'll give each of you just one wish.' 'Me first! Me first!' says the admin clerk. 'I want to be in the Bahamas, driving a speedboat, without a care in the world.' Puff! She's gone..'Me next! Me next!' says the sales rep. 'I want to be in Hawaii, relaxing on the beach with my personal masseuse, an endless supply of Pina Coladas and the love of my life.' Puff! He's gone.'OK, you're up,' the Genie says to the manager.

The manager says, 'I want those two back in the office after lunch.'

Moral of the story:Always let your boss have the first say.

Lesson 4: An eagle was sitting on a tree resting, doing nothing. A small rabbit saw the eagle and asked him, 'Can I also sit like you and do nothing?'The eagle answered: 'Sure, why not.'So, the rabbit sat on the ground below the eagle and rested. All of a sudden, a fox appeared, jumped on the rabbit and ate it.

Moral of the story:To be sitting and doing nothing, you must be sitting very, very high up.

Lesson 5: A turkey was chatting with a bull. 'I would love to be able to get to the top of that tree' sighed the turkey, 'but I haven't got the energy.''Well, why don't you nibble on some of my droppings?' replied the bull. They're packed with nutrients.'The turkey pecked at a lump of dung, and found it actually gave him enough strength to reach the lowest branch of the tree.The next day, after eating some more dung, he reached the second branch.Finally after a fourth night, the turkey was proudly perched at the top of the tree.He was promptly spotted by a farmer, who shot him out of the tree.

Moral of the story:Bull Shit might get you to the top, but it won't keep you there..

Lesson 6: A little bird was flying south for the winter. It was so cold the bird froze and fell to the ground into a large field.While he was lying there, a cow came by and dropped some dung on him. As the frozen bird lay there in the pile of cow dung, he began to realize how warm he was.The dung was actually thawing him out! He lay there all warm and happy, and soon began to sing for joy. A passing cat heard the bird singing and came to investigate.Following the sound, the cat discovered the bird under the pile of cow dung, and promptly dug him out and ate him.

Morals of the story:

(1) Not everyone who shits on you is your enemy.

(2) Not everyone who gets you out of shit is your friend.

(3) And when you're in deep shit, it's best to keep your mouth shut!

THUS ENDS THE FIVE MINUTE MANAGEMENT COURSE