President Obama

With all the excitement over the last few days, I hadn't a chance to sit down and write. First let me say how elated I am that President Obama's inaugural ceremony went off without a hitch.

Just by staring out into the sea of people, I could feel Obama's positive energy being reflected. He is a genuine person, a good husband and father. If he approaches the presidency with the same valor he uses as a family man, he will do a hell of a job. Not only is he eloquent and intelligent, he knows how to hand a suit too. The Prez as we like to say around the way, has swagger. When he walks into a room, he owns it. He commands attention and when he has it, he doesn't let the people down.

With so many issues to deal with, mainly our economy and the war in Afghanistan, President Obama has his work cut out for him. I am confident though, not only will he make get the job done, he will look good doing it. He has a team of exceptional leaders by his side and as long as he stays true to himself, the people, and this country, he cannot fail.

Obama's Inauguration Events

SATURDAY, JAN. 17

_ President-elect Barack Obama and his family ride the train from Philadelphia to Washington, stopping in Wilmington, Del., for Vice President-elect Joe Biden and his family. Train will stop in Baltimore for speech before heading south.

_ BET Honors, an awards ceremony, at the Warner Theater.

_ People's Inaugural Gala Celebration at the Grand Hyatt Hotel.

_ Will.i.am "Yes We Did" concert.

_ Concert with Mary J. Blige, Common and Nelly at nightclub Ibiza.

SUNDAY, JAN. 18

_ Obama will kick off inaugural activities with a welcome event on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial on Sunday afternoon. The event begins at 2:30 p.m. Beyonce, U2, Bruce Springsteen, John Mellencamp, Usher, Shakira, Sheryl Crow, Josh Groban and James Taylor are among the musicians scheduled to perform.

_ Presidential Inaugural Luncheon and Fashion Show at the Ritz-Carlton.

_ EMILY's List Inaugural Luncheon with scheduled guests including Cabinet appointees Hillary Rodham Clinton and Janet Napolitano, Sens. Kay Hagan and Jeanne Shaheen, and North Carolina Gov. Bev Perdue.

_ African-American Church Inaugural Ball at the Grand Hyatt Washington.

_ 2009 Latino Inaugural Gala with Marc Anthony at Union Station.

_ Aloha Inaugural Ball, organized by former Obama campaign workers, held at the Wardman Park Marriott Hotel at 7:30 p.m.

MONDAY, JAN. 19

_ National Day of Community Service event: To honor Dr. King's legacy, Obama, Biden and their families, joined by Americans across the country, will participate in activities dedicated to serving others in communities across the Washington, D.C. area.

_ Black Tie & Boots Inaugural Ball, sponsored by the Texas State Society, at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center.

_ Green Inaugural Ball at the Donald W. Reynolds Center for American Art and Portraiture. Ball hosted by former Vice President Al Gore.

_ Huffington Post preinaugural ball at the Newseum.

_ Hip-Hop Inaugural Ball at the Harman Center for the Arts. Hosted by the Hip-Hop Summit Action Network, Russell Simmons, LL Cool J, among others.

_ A children's evening concert at the Verizon Center honoring military families. Event hosted by Michelle Obama, who will attend. Miley Cyrus, the Jonas Brothers are among the entertainers.

_ Obama to attend three private dinners to honor former secretary of State Colin Powell, Biden and Sen. John McCain, the 2008 Republican presidential nominee, for their public service. Dinners at the Hilton Washington, National Building Museum and Union Station.

TUESDAY, JAN. 20 (INAUGURATION DAY)

Gates to the Inaugural Ceremony open at 8 a.m. The inaugural festivities are scheduled to start at 10 a.m. on the West Front of the U.S. Capitol. They will include:

_ Musical selections of The United States Marine Band, followed by the San Francisco Boys Chorus and the San Francisco Girls Chorus.

_ Sen. Dianne Feinstein provides call to order and welcoming remarks.

_ Invocation by the Rev. Rick Warren.

_ Musical selection of Aretha Franklin.

_ Biden will be sworn into office by Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens.

_ Musical selection of John Williams, composer/arranger with Itzhak Perlman, (violin), Yo-Yo Ma (cello), Gabriela Montero (piano) and Anthony McGill (clarinet).

_ Obama will take the Oath of Office, using President Lincoln's Inaugural Bible, administered by Chief Justice John Roberts. Scheduled around noon.

_ Obama gives the inaugural address.

_ Poem by Elizabeth Alexander.

_ Benediction by Rev. Joseph E. Lowery.

_ The National Anthem by The United States Navy Band "Sea Chanters."

After Obama gives inaugural address, he will escort outgoing President George W. Bush to a departure ceremony before attending a luncheon in the Capitol's Statuary Hall.

The 56th Inaugural Parade will then make its way down Pennsylvania Avenue from the Capitol to the White House.

Later that day, the Presidential Inaugural Committee will host 10 official inaugural balls:

_ Neighborhood Inaugural Ball at the Washington Convention Center.

_ Obama Home States (Illinois and Hawaii) Inaugural Ball at the Washington Convention Center.

_ Biden Home States (Pennsylvania and Delaware) Inaugural Ball at the Washington Convention Center.

_ Midwest Inaugural Ball at the Washington Convention Center.

_ Mid-Atlantic Inaugural Ball at the Washington Convention Center.

_ Western Inaugural Ball at the Washington Convention Center.

_ Commander in Chief's Ball at the National Building Museum.

_ Southern Inaugural Ball at the National Guard Armory.

_ Eastern Inaugural Ball at Union Station.

_ Youth Inaugural Ball at the Washington Hilton.

Unofficial balls include:

_ Congressional Black Caucus Inaugural Ball at the Capitol Hilton.

_ Creative Coalition Inaugural Ball at the Harman Center for the Arts.

_ Recording Industry Association of America's ball for Feeding America.

_ BET's Inaugural Ball at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel.

_ Africa on the Potomac inaugural celebration at Crystal Gateway Marriott in Arlington, Va.

_ American Music Inaugural Ball at the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel.

_ Inaugural Purple Ball at the Fairmont Hotel.

_ Human Rights Campaign's Equality Ball at the Renaissance Mayflower Hotel.

_ Inaugural Peace Ball at the Smithsonian National Postal Museum.

_ Impact Film Fund ball.

WEDNESDAY, JAN. 21

_ The president, vice president and their families will participate in a prayer service at the Washington National Cathedral.

10 Reasons Why You're Single (Or Unattached)

1. Your attitude. Your attitude determines your altitude and if you keep saying you're going to be single forever, you will be.

2. Your standards are too high. You want the perfect man/woman, yet you are far from perfect yourself. If you did find Mr./Ms. Perfect, why would they want you?

3. You're holding onto past hurts. So you broke up with your college sweetheart five years ago and they got married six months later. Get over it. It wasn't meant to be. For whatever reason God placed that person in your life to show you a thing or two and now it's time to move on.

4. Bad Karma. You messed with other women/men's boyfriends/girlfriends/wives/husbands and it's coming back to bit you in the a$$. Leave people who are in a relationship alone. Most men do not leave their wives and some husbands are deranged enough to want to kill you. Stick to single folks.

5. Your parents marriage failed or your parents never married. People often fear a real commitment because they paternal figures relationship's failed. It is not your fault, so why are you letting it stop you from getting into a relationship.

6. You Wanna Ride the Freak Train one more time. Some people honestly feel they are missing out on something if they get into a relationship. Enjoying yourself is fine, but who wants to be the old man at the club or the old h** at the bar?

7. You're selfish. You're to shallow and insecure to care about anyone let alone let them into your life.

8. You use your career or education as a disqualifying factor when choosing a mate/date. You think because you're making tons of money and are able to do whatever you want that you don't need nobody. Well your paycheck is not going to keep you warm, nurse you when you are sick, or listen to your bulls*** at the end of a bad day. So you have 3 master's degrees, good for you. Don't throw your education in someone's face, especially when they are trying to get to know you. While real men/women won't be intimidated, your constant rants about him not being educated will keep you in the single market. Encourage your partner to get a degree if that is what they want to do. And sistahs don't sleep on the blue collar bruthas!!

9. You listen to your family and friends too much or have them in your business. Taking bad advice, especially from someone who is not in a healthy relationship is a bad idea. Men, keep your mama/sister/auntie out of your kitchen. If you have a woman, it her duty to feed you, not your mama's. And men, please remember to do man things. No, we do not want to take out the damn trash! It's cold outside and somebody might grab me, plus our heels will get dirty! Women, you can be daddy's little girl without running to him for everything. Men want to be needed. If you need an oil change, ask your man. He will be more than happy to do it. And for goodness sake, LEARN HOW TO COOK and CLEAN! It ain't that hard to do.

10. You're unattractive. Not in the literal sense, but your energy is off and you don't exude the excitement of positivity a relationship requires. You have to use what you've got to get what you want, but this goes beyond a big booty or bank account. People of no substance will never be happy in a relationship. You have to have something to offer.

7 Things to Do for Your Relationship in '09

Get the year off to a good start in your relationship. After all, everybody deserves a clean slate! Here's a few ways to do it:

1. Keep your business, your business. As tempting as it is to share certain aspects of your relationship with friends or family, keep most things to yourself. Letting people know too much of your "tea" gives people something to talk about and you might not want everyone else to know about it.

2. Keep your family out of your business. Trust me on this one, I've seen the demise of several marriages due to one party's inability to keep their family out of their mix. Set boundaries and let family know only things that are truly a joy to share or if your partner is causing you some sort of harm.

3. Have "us" time. Us time without anyone else around is how couples get to know each other. Relationships take a lot of work and if you want yours to last, you have to block out all the outside influences from time to time and give yourselves breathing room from the rest of the world.

4. Spend time apart. You don't have to be in each others faces all the time. Spend time with yourself and oyu will be a better mate.

5. Communicate. There's nothing worse in a relationship than a lack of communication. Your partner is not a mind reader so don't expect them to know what you are thinking, and don't assume. If there's something going on in your life that has you in a bad mood or feeling low, share it with your partner so they will know to help you work it out or steer clear.

6. Get intimate. This doesn't just mean have sex. Sex is fine too, but you can be intimate without having sex. Massages, head rubs, even snuggling are ways to connect with your partner. Let them know you're there.

7. Settle your differences. Don't play emotional games in your relationship. That is not the business. If there is a problem, address it. No one likes to be left in the dark when it comes to a problem. Addressing it sooner rather than later helps prevent anger and misunderstandings.