In the Mix with Aaliyah Miller

"You can a lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink." When it comes to addiction, I've learned that you can't even lead the horse to water. Recently, an individual close to me has relapsed. He/she lost their job as a result of going back on drugs. When you find drug paraphernalia hidden among their personal items, it isn't theirs. Drug addicts live in a world that is built on a foundation of lies. They lie to themselves about their addiction, after all it wasn't going to happen to them. When he/she finally accepts their dependence on a drug, he/she goes to great lengths to hide the addiction. I've seen and heard a plethora of stories about addiction. It's the problem that happens to other people until someone close to you falls victim. You can only hide it for so long before the drug catches up with your body, behaviors, and actions. The addict doesn't accept this notion. He/she thinks they can lie their way out of any situation. ...

I don't know about you, but September seemed like a bit of blur to me. Maybe that's because I spent 13 days of it on vacation and when I returned I transitioned into a new job. My new job transition is going well. I'm loving my commute. East Hartford to downtown Hartford is about 20 minutes depending on traffic. While I love audio books on CD, I will no longer need them because I'm spending two hours out of my day on the road. Holla! Working closer to home is also nice because I get to see my Billy and hubby that much sooner. I do like this time of year, especially when a few warm days make an appearance, but it also serves as a reminder that winter is coming and I'm not talking Game of Thrones (I am looking forward to the next season). Winter is my least favorite season. I hate the cold. You would think I'm used to it having lived in this region my whole life, but I'm not. The snow is okay. I actually like to go sledding and make a snow angel every o...

Happy Friday. It's back-to-school time and most kids in Connecticut wrap up their first official week of school today. As I see the school buses pick up and drop off kids it brings back memories of when I used to stand and wait for the yellow banana boat I called a bus.  Although I'm no longer in school I believe in being a lifelong learner. Regardless of your class, ethnicity, race or religion, education lays the foundation for upward mobility and has the power to level the playing field. Unlike money, which comes and goes, once you learn something that knowledge stays with you.  There are many ways for us to learn. It can happen in a formal educational setting, through our parents, peers, or in the form of mentoring. Merriam Webster defines a mentor as  someone who teaches or gives help and advice to a less experienced and often younger person. While the definition gives an understanding of the role it doesn't underscore the importance of mentoring a s a powerful...

Billy takes in the view at a lake. It's hard to believe that today marks 12 weeks since Karim and I adopted our beloved Billy. For the longest time I pushed back on getting a dog. Karim was ready two years ago. I on the other hand thought about the cost of food, having to clean up after a dog or waking up bright and early to walk the dog.  How things have changed. I do all of the above and while the cleaning up after him is a daily occurrence, I don't mind it as much as I thought I would or the a.m. walks. Walking him in the morning helps to wake me up and get myself acclimated to what's ahead in my day. I'm no fan of winter and realize my attitude may slightly shift when the cold temperatures arrive. However, whether its rain, sleet or snow, Billy is a joy to be around. Chilling on Grandma's deck. This is going to sound a bit cheeky, but it was love at first sniff.  I didn't anticipate falling for him so quickly. Karim and I met him at Our Compani...

Great weather. Check. Off Broadway show. Check. Quality time with my besties. Check. Everything fell into place this past Saturday.  Not to hot, not to cool and the breeze caressed my face at the ideal times as I walked around New York City on Saturday. It was picture perfect day that made for a lovely birthday celebration.  Here are some photos to highlight Saturday's events.  The official posters at the gift shop. If I was a Heather...watch out! Via Della Pace's Brushetta Dawn and I outside of the theatr e . After the show with my besties outside of the theatre. Birthday Tiramisu from Via Della Pace.

This weekend I will celebrate another birthday. YEAH for me. I consider it a blessing to be on planet earth another year and look forward to the different birthday activities. I have fond memories of having birthday parties up until around the age of 11. After I turned 12 my mom told me I was too old for birthday parties. That news was a blow to me, but I eventually got over it and started a tradition of celebrating my birthday in different ways.  This year I'm looking forward to a day in New York City with my sister Dawn and best friends, minus one because she lives out of state. Wish you could be there Nat.  The original mean girls. I'm going to see the Broadway show Heathers , which is based off of the film with the same name.  I'm big fan of the film and watched it numerous times with Dawn growing up. Back in 2004, people loved Tina Fey's  Mean Girls . I f you watch Heathers and then Mean Girls , you can see that Tina Fey refreshed the story concept f...

It's been a while. I know. You would think things in my life would slow down a bit know that I have a second masters off of my plate, but instead I keep it moving with a little bit of this and a little bit of that. Although my thesis has been approved I've been working on revisions before I send it out to publication.  I've also had an opportunity to enjoy a few of the freedoms I've missed over the past two years and catch up with family and friends. However, I'm glad to be getting back to the blog. Now that you're all caught up, let me shift gears. I'm both proud and excited to feature Denise Michelle, a multifaceted Connecticut-based performer in today's Emerging Woman Artist Q&A blog post.  Artist Bio: Denise Michelle (aka Denise Dennis and Denise Michelle Johnson) is a talented, passionate performer with an extensive resume who is based in the NY tri-state area. Denise has experience within every facet of the entertainment indust...