The Birth of My Guardian Angel

We all have them don’t we? We experience things that make us ponder if our guardian angel just saved our lives and yesterday was my total experience. I was involved in a bad car accident which left me with bruised ribs and a pounding headache but fortunately my daughters and I are alive. As I sat back and read the numerous messages flooding my inbox I sat back and thought about what some of my friends were saying about the incident. Clearly that I am lucky to be alive and they are absolutely right and even more so that the only two people in the world that I would die for were not injured, actually they were asleep.

Now that leads me to the topic of this article because I am not a very religious person (although I had been in the past) I am very spiritual and I also take heed to the signs that our Greater Power shows us. Some dear friends know a lot about my childhood and others don’t but for the sake of this writing let me share a few things with you.

I was raised in an era in NYC where parents left their children with their parents and partied HARD and as a result I was raised by my grandparents in Staten Island, at ten years old my lifeline at the time passed away and my world crushed beneath me, my grandmother had left the world and left me to deal with the hardships of no parental guidance and no support.

Now here is where this story gets weird.

On October 15th 2003 the Staten Island Ferry crashed into the pier and killed 10 people, I was supposed to be on that ferry sitting on the very side that ripped apart. (I remember the young woman who was killed because we greeted each other every afternoon) I was saved because I had recently graduated college and October 15th was the final day I would take the ferry. I had gotten a message from my career counselor saying that I didn’t need to come because a small accounting firm named Salibello & Broder decided to hire me as their Junior Accountant. (What this meant was I would be on a later ferry not that ferry that crashed.)

She Saved Me.

Present. October 15th 2009 I almost lost my life in a collision in Staten Island. But something stopped my vehicle from sliding all the way into the middle of the street. I escaped with only bruised ribs… ONLY bruises. I pass street poles with flowers on them every day for people who had lost their lives because of such collisions and my children and I had escaped.

She Saved Me.

Ora Lee Futtrell my grandmother who I lost and suffered depression to was born on OCTOBER 15

This writing is dedicated to the woman who shaped and saved me. My guardian angel.

Zanade

Gasp! You can't say that!!!

Dinosaur Blood

She was meant to last
Crucial moment in time she surpassed
It cannot taste no worse
Dinosaur blood quench the thirst
Fever risen to temps hotter than volcanos
Passion drives and a whole new lows
climax high; faster faster
Dinosaur blood not a minute after
No more fucking relaxation
Doing this myself lubricated munipulation
Banging the streets making concrete feet
Making you fear this master of deceit
Think I'm spitting rhyme but it's evidently clear
It's stupendous shots spearheaded in your ear
Reckless actions torn from the mother
Dinosaur blood is your pain from another
No it won't stop because its strength she desires
More and more hate keeps taking her higher
You watching her and she's watching me
Until extinction comes; what will be WILL BE!

Her Alter Ego.. She can get pretty nasty!

With effort they are good liars
Some pack it up and give it to my suppliers
Could you tell me that I'm not thee elite?
And I could tell you it's too good to be seen
But I beg to differ
Just allow me your time and I'll break the Richter
Or better yet tempt me to see what kind of prose you get
Your times a virtue but I'm already set
That's just the purpose behind my madness or free verse as you call it
Given fancy titles and get it twisted like an alcoholic
Or just as dysfunctional as a dynasty
Or an empresses here to ravish the masses
Because no work of art comes without lashes
Turning the tables of the clinically insane
So I suffer so elegantly that you don't know what to say
Straight sending me text's with your blessings
But simply there’s no meaning in your message
And there's nothing more that I can do
But be a heartless bitch that has had more of a bad story or two
Then wrote a killer passage for you to construe
Like the words are in a bottle with a hidden lesson
And I'm always ready for a battle
Picture me by the sidelines with my horse, pads and saddle!

Zanade

Celebrating My 1st No!

It’s a mere matter of opinion to say that a “NO” is a failure, and I would like to challenge their logic. I listen to stories of failure and see progress. Are you confused? Then you cannot possibly be an entrepreneur but that's ok don't feel bad many of us don't think that we are or are capable to be entres as I like to call them but we are! Allow me to share a very personal story with you regarding my new start up Designing Women Inc.

I can honestly say I didn't want to tell too many people about a certain competition I had entered because of the whole bad karma thing but since I lost I guess its ok to share this with you! (Smiling)

Anyway a very good friend of mines referred me to this business opportunity through Staten Island Economic Development Corp. a very well established organization. Apparently the women’s division had an entrepreneurial opportunity for start ups and me being me decided to send the application their way! Thanks Marie by the way!

The requirements were simple enough as they only required a business plan, financial projections and a desire from the applicant to succeed.

“That’s I” says the Cat!
I had all of that so I went for it!

As my mentors and close close close friends read this they will recall me making mention of this competition...

After weeks of research and altering of my IDEA I sent in my 35 page application with my fingers crossed and a strong faith in what Designing Women is all about. Women networking and branding better while being eco friendly and elegant all at the same time!

But other than that the application was out the door and I tried my best not to think about it until I found a letter in my box from the committee chair! What was I suppose to think? Me being illogical at times didn’t realize until just this moment that that letter wasn’t a rejection but rather a confirmation of receipt of my application. Whew!
I didn’t tell anyone about it yet again just to keep the good motivation karma thingy going.

But then I received another letter a month later and it was very thin so I knew what the contents were. I remember an old friend who took the GED test and failed always told me if the envelope is thin its bad news unless it says Department of Treasury ha! So I prepared myself for the very words that mean “No you didn’t get it!”

“Hello Zanade Mann”

“Thank you so much for your recent application to the Staten Island Economic Development Corp we regret to inform you that your business plan has not been accepted into our women’s incubator entrepreneur program”

(Sinking feeling)

I sat back and stared at the letter that ultimately said that your idea was not a good fit for our program. I learned from a very wise man that before you question others you must question yourself and I fell upon that saying and thought of every possible reason that my great idea would be rejected…

Numerous thoughts later I came to the conclusion that my idea is different and totally defies the norms of what the old boys club thinks is correct, I have created a company that is totally new for this totally new world that we as Gen Y’s are inheriting! Of course they wouldn’t “get it” because this idea is not heard of.

Designing Women is a company that incorporates designer products with designer services for the new world! It’s a project that aims to socially connect women to others that will create new businesses, put women in their 20s, 30s, 40s and beyond in better positions of power and make them feel relaxed while moving up that corporate ladder or while they venture into their very own companies. D.W enhances branding of women who dream to be models, actresses or any form of personal recognition. D.W products will help the world while still giving the designer woman a sense and touch of elegance. So how could I expect them to understand my idea if they are still figuring the entire concept out themselves?

Thankfully, being around so many powerful men and women I have learned that you need rejections, naysayer’s and failures and I totally understand why! It helps you more with your daily grind for greatness, it empowers you on the lowest days because you know that if Gates was rejected or even Jobs was turned down then you still have an active chance to get your IDEA started!

So in short I would like to thank Inc Magazine, Don, Samantha, and the rest of you who believe in more for the new world!

I graciously accept the nomination of my official reject for Designing Women Inc.! No sweat No tears just realization and acceptance and words from my celebrity mentor Oprah Winfrey, a woman who at times had failed or been rejected

“I don't believe in failure. It is not failure if you enjoyed the process.”

Later,

Zanade

My Realization

Hey everyone!

Have you ever had random thoughts running through your mind that you needed to share with someone?

Well how lucky the DIVA is to have you!!!

1) When walking through the subway station everyday I notice a loud, blinking sign announcing that a "Brooklyn bound train is approaching Whitehall Street" so like the normal New Yorker I am I jumped down the stairs in 4 inch pumps hoping to catch the R train... But much like a joke I missed it!!! Was I angry yes because everyday I take the same trip and the same sign flashes doubtful words across its screen and to my amazement the train just left!

But today it was a different story and as I walked down the stairs the sign haunted me! "Brooklyn bound train approaching Whitehall Street" and I realized it was full of junk and I slow dragged myself onto the platform HA!

2) I realized that there are some really important people in my life... Some I neglect and I am not ashamed to admit it but I always follow up and treat them all with respect.. But then I see there are people who are NOT important to me and as much as they want my time I don't give it and that being said 2006, 2007 and 2008 are a mere thing of the past.. If you are not in my circle or aspire to be then I have written you off ENOUGH SAID!

3) I realized that it is so much easier to blame others for what kind of life you have, I myself have been guilty on occasion of this but honestly there is no way you can live this way! Over the weekend I had the pleasure is watching Madea Goes to Jail and as outlandish as Tyler Perry may seem he has some awesome messages. He said you can't live your life without forgiving those who have hurt you or you will spend your life bearing what has happened oppose to moving on and being prosperous!

4) Speaking of Mr. Perry... I realize that he is by far ONE intelligent man and an even better entrepreneur! I could go on about him but if you are not aware of what type of business mogul this man is you need to do the research yourself!

5) I realize that my mom was hot STUFF in her prime! At 5'5 long black hair to her behind, chestnut eyes and a nose to KILL for she was IT! Like seriously she worked in the Playboy Bunny Bar!!! I have all the pics to prove it but shhh... DON'T TELL HER!

6) I realize the number 1111 means something... I just have no idea what it MEANS! Remember Jim Carrey's movie The Number 23???

7) I realize that I am the most low maintenance DIVA you know! It doesn't take me much time to dress or apply make-up ...because I look great in anything and I don't wear make-up.. Guys love that for some reason; maybe I should pitch that to Cosmo Mag!

8) I realize that some things I post or my poetry may seem a bit OUT THERE but it is sooo normal to me ..So does that make you weird???

9) And lastly for today I realize that lack of sex can distract you! LOL

Later DIVAS!

Zanade

5 Things the Music Industry Can Teach You About Branding!

We have all been through it... This plagues us all! You can't seem to understand why at 10 a.m. in the morning you hear Beyonce's "Single Ladies" playing in your head! How did you ever come to LOVE this song? Well it is NOT a coincidence rather a successful thumbs up for music industries marketing team!

Throughout the years record labels have used the same methods to DRAW YOU IN! So let's say YOU are not in the music business... and are wondering what the heck does this post have to do with me? Well it is quite simple ladies! I plan to show you 5 key things record labels do to draw you into their BRAND and how YOU can use these same methods to build YOUR brand!

1)Consistency
The music industry thrives on CONSISTENCY. What does this word mean?
Anything that is capable of being reproduced... POINT BLANK!
Your brand should have a consistent message, a consistent image, color, theme, program or whatever you specialize in IT SHOULD BE CONSISTENT or people become confused and shy away!

2)Repetition
What does this word mean? Simply the repeated use of the same word or word pattern as a rhetorical device. It sounds similar to consistency but it can be quite different. You want your brand to be consistent but you always want to show repetition in what you are doing with your brand. Think of Beyonce's "Single Ladies" once more... How many times do you recall hearing this song on the radio? From Hot 97to Z100 to whatever other station you frequent. This was NO ACCIDENT, people tend to become addicted to something when they are constantly reminded that it exists..SO MAKE YOUR BRAND EXIST IN THIS WORLD!

3)Networks
What do I mean? The power of networking is essential in any relationship both personally and professionally. Music industry leaders stay well connected and so should you! When the late Aaliyah needed a new movie script Joel Silver remembered her from Romeo Must Die and instantly called her in for a reading! Her team had maintained a relationship with movie directors etc..
Do the same... value relationships, get connected and most importantly answer your EMAILS!

4) Remember Your Target Market
Whatever you brand is, it must have a specific market! This is important to know... who are you selling/marketing to? Would you see Celine Dion at a Heavy Metal concert singing "My Heart Will Go On?" NO... ABSOLUTELY NOT! And I don't think her label would set that up anyhow!
Market specifically! And be consistent!

5) Keep Appeal Alive
What do I mean? Be able to attract interest or draw favorable attention to your brand! That is what THEY do! Mariah Carey very appealing! D'Angelo WAY appealing! You see where I am going with this? As you watch the growth of your fav artist you can see how much more visually appealing they become! It is not a coincidence!

So get with it ALREADY!

Any specific questions please contact me at zanademann@yahoo.com or hit me up on Twitter!
www.twitter.com/zanade

Love Ya!

This article was penned by Zanade L. Mann
All Rights Reserved!!!

5 Ways To Brand Yourself Right Now!

Ok, if you know me and follow my numerous blogs you are fully aware of Designing Women Inc. and if not then I officially invite you to jump on board to the best business to help you succeed from now to INFINITY!

Side note: Designing Women Inc. is a business of products and services exclusively designed for the OPTIMISTIC woman in YOU! From The Art of Networking, Branding and consulting services to an array of beauty products this company is all ABOUT YOU!

So this blog solely speaks of BRANDING

Do you have one clue what branding is? Yeah you can Google it but I am positive you will be HIT with too many results to decipher which ones are credible... But lucky you Zanade CEO of Designing Women Inc. will give you a head start!

Branding is: The process of creating a unique, positive and recognizable identity for a person, product or service.

So how would you get started?

1) Get to know social networking sites! Who cares whether you prefer Facebook over Myspace... It's all about getting your BRAND out into the social networking world!

2) Create a mantra, a saying, a quote anything that is YOURS! Take me for example many people know me as the Networking Queen that follows the saying "To Infinity and Beyond!" ... So with that being said...create yours and stick with it!

3) Grab a Twitter account! www.twitter.com (Might I add President Barack Obama has a Twitter profile!) Yeah! So get with it! Along with famous people and places like Starbucks, CNN and Beyonce!

Follow me www.twitter.com/zanade

4) Think Different! What is so unique about what you are doing that you know will create buzz???

5) CREATE A BLOG! Now you may not have 200 comments or 15,000 followers but your BRAND will be picked up by Google... FAST! And that builds SEO (Search Engine Optimization) which is very important in this digital world!

Thank you for giving yourself a chance to learn and grow! NOW GO OUT AND CREATE YOUR BRAND!!!

Zanade Mann
Designing Women Inc

A night with a Prince (and some other stuff!!!)

Contrary to popular belief

1) I don't party

2) I am a Gemini

And 3) I am obsessed with nail polish (but we will leave this one for another post!) lol

But last night I decided to have a good time with a good friend without solely focusing on professional aspects of my life, and although he tried to make me talk about work I side-tracked him so elegantly he didn't even notice lol

Let me say it was a long time coming because when I do events or go to galas everything is about work, no matter how many glasses of Merlot you see in my hand! Zanade is the networking Queen so I have to stay true to my title, but last night I let that go so that I could enjoy a moment to relax, relate and release...

1) We have a Black President who not only embodies what many men in this world should but he is strong and has a great woman beside him!

2) My intense workout is going great

3) And for purposes of this blog someone very special to me gave me a night of laughs and true joy... So thank you :-)

Ok, so after I sweated to the oldies for an hour the Prince* picked me up and we headed to the wonderful world that is Union Square. I must admit that my attire wasn't the best (weather conditions) but I made it work... A DIVA always does... with flashy butterfly earrings and flowing hair I was set to thrill!

Prince* took me to this great spot called Spice (if you never had then you must go NOW) For some reason he suspected that I was a bit uneasy with eating new foods but if you truly know me that is never the case. I was just taking it all in; the place was so beautiful I felt right at home. So I normally like to have the man order... I must say I am quite old fashion when it comes to that (my grandfather was such a gentleman) So after 20 minutes of being indecisive and having the waiter prompt us twice to order I let Prince* take care of business. He ordered these great shrimp and chicken fritters with a spicy sauce that was so tasty but eating them was a bit odd... Prince shoved the entire fritter in his mouth and suggested I do the same... so me being adventurous threw the entire thing in my mouth (weird visual I KNOW)

We talked about goals and life and of course he asked "Where do you see yourself in 5 years?" now ladies be careful how you answer this question, because your answer could scare the hell out of that man! Some women go off and start talking about marriage and mortgages (two things that scare the hell out of ME!) So I answered that I intend on living my dreams and having an established business and such. He began to tell me what his plans are and I was intrigued by every moment! Prince* is a very motivated DIE HARD individual so grabbing my attention was easy!

After that he gestured that we go see a movie and of course he said "Have you seen Notorious?" And ... for the record NO! I HAVEN'T! But the next showing was way too late for me so we opted to see My Bloody Valentine (not a great choice but suitable for the time and place)

Side note: When did 3D get so popular again? ;-(

We laughed and jumped at every single thing that SHOT at us (literally) and I must mention he has great arms and I took advantage of holding them EVER chance I could... it was a great moment and I took a deep breath to inhale the wonderful thought provoking.....WEED? What the heck I thought and totally blanked out from the classic horror movie girl-grabs boys arm routine and said "Is someone sitting in the movie theatre smoking weed?"

Prince* so embarrassed says "Yes... Yes it is weed."
I HATE THAT SMELL! I thought and proceeded to ignore or try to ignore what the dumb kids were doing...

OK, Jump to the mid-end of the movie..

Prince* and I are totally confused and he wants to know where did we get lost and I am still stuck at trying to adjust my eyes to see the darn thing in 3D! Then by the end we finally "GET IT"

Disappointed? Not really because I spent the night with a Prince* and like a true man (to my standards) he made sure that I got home safe and sound so that I can pick up bright and early on MY JOURNEY!

Sincerely,

An essential shining DIVA*

Zanade

Top 10 Ways To Corner the Recession!!!

Ok... How are you doing through this recession??? Are your bills piling up? Did you cut back on salon visits? Are you looking for anything to cover your expenses?

Well it wouldn't be silly to say "You are not alone!" But this does not have to stop you from being the optimistic person you are deep inside... Rough times always makes people depressed and needy but I say "Why should it?" Being depressed will do nothing to your current situation... Correct?

Well today the NYC Diva will give you 10 things you can do to better yourself and stay above water!


1) Look for opportunities... Be aggressive in your future don't wait for them to arrive go meet them there!

2) Get into the entertainment arena ...this could be anything.. Because during these times many people are looking for things to make them happy... Like going to the movies or local plays.. Try to fit yourself in those sectors! Reposition yourself!

3) Up your game in Networking! Meet more people be more social... If you need any help with this email me ASAP!

4) Absolutely look into new fields other than the field you are currently marketing to!

5) Look at the relationships you have with people in your contact list! See who can do things for you professionally AND CONTACT THEM! (On tips of what to say email me! zanademann@yahoo.com)

6) Stop being FEARFUL!

7) Invest in associations and professional organizations... it may cost some $ but the long term effect will pay off!

8) See a career coach... (Side note) if you buy a membership with a professional org you may be entitled to a free session with one! Try www.nywici.org if you are in the communications field!

9) Prepare for sudden changes personally and professionally and then your worries won't be that high if something happens!

And...

10) Think of yourself as a brand! ®

I hope this list was very informative for you as it is for me I want to thank those who have instilled this in me over the years! Many thanks to my organizational women!

Later!

Zanade Mann

Any questions please don't hesitate to email the DIVA! Let's help each other!

I Have That Face

Hey all ☼☼☼

Ok... So...I have this crazy notion that I have this look on my face that says "Talk to me!" and that's great truly... I think it is important to connect to people outside the digital world right?

Many of us are so tied into our own worlds that we fail to disconnect the cells, emails and blackberries and connect with ordinary people...so I want to share with you 3 funny scenarios of my theory and invite you to come talk to me!

♥1) I was heading back from this weekend retreat and was quietly reading my notes on an express train back to NY when this lovely Jewish lady started to ask me a series of questions that quickly felt like I was playing Jeopardy, but I welcomed it. She asked if I was married and I said after a bad break up, I preferred to be alone and she looked at me like I was insane LOL "why would you do that?" she exclaimed and I began to tell her a logical reason but then decided to listen because I was sure she had jewels to give me. The old woman said "You see that man sleeping over there?" and I said "Yes" and she continued to say "That's my husband and he is rich!" so I laughed and she said "Never let a man break your heart, I learned that a long time ago." and I asked her how can I do that and she said "The key is to never marry for love marry for money and then your heart will always be safe!"

Now some will agree and some won't but that woman was hilarious! And well dressed for that matter! And I doubt if she goes around telling everyone that tale!

♥♥2)I was at a networking event and everyone was meeting and greeting talking about goals and dreams, family and kids when I noticed one of the guest speakers seemed a bit distant and me being ME decided to approach her and ask if everything was cool... She said with a sly remark "Yeah but these things just bore me, all this blah blah blah stuff about careers drives me nuts!" so I just answered back "Yeah I know what you mean (but not really lol) then she asked if I was leaving anytime soon and I said yes and agreed to walk out with her once I said my goodbyes... We got into the elevator and she began to talk about the event and why she was objecting to everything while sitting on the panel and I was in tears

(Did I mention this woman is a big shot at a large media company?)

She had no clue who I was and didn't care she then gave me her card and said call me when you wanna do some real networking!

♥♥♥3) The very last event I was at I sat next to this wonderful lady who introduced herself by one name only and mentioned this was her first event with the organization. So I began to give her the org's pitch to inform her about us... Now throughout the event the lady went back and forth between the panel and the brochure and was making little comments... Some regarding the size of one's waist and the bad photo-shopped picture on the flyer and all I could do was smile because I didn't want to talk about the guests.
She began to tap me and say "Wow she is terrible!" and I laughed... She had no clue who I was to the org and I didn't mention...She asked me some weird questions and as I started to answer I noticed she was writing it down so I proceeded to ask this lady what network she was with and she responded "I am a reporter" So needless to say I shut my mouth LOL
So the fact that she felt like I was the main source was cool! LOL

Later :-)

Zanade Mann

Top 21 Fiercest Beyonce Verses!

Top 21 Fiercest Beyonce Verses!

We all know and love the ICON Sasha Fierce formally known as Beyonce Knowles because of her diverse talents but let’s take a journey back into some of her hottest verses since she hit the charts!

1)“last week and you stayed at home alone and lonely, couldn’t find yo man he was chilling with his homies, this week and your going out, if he try to stop you your going off”

Jumpin’ Jumpin’ Destiny’s Child

2)“You can't stay, you gotta go, Ain't no other chick spending' your dough”

“Ring the Alarm” Beyonce B’Day

3)“Bragging' on that cash that he gave you is to front, If you're gonna brag make sure it's, your money you flaunt, Depend on no one else to give you what you want”

“Independent Women” (Part 1) Destiny’s Child

4)“if you don't go bragging, i'ma let you have it, you think that I’m teasing, but I Ain’t got no, reason, I’m sure that I can please ya, but first I gotta read you”

“Check on It” Beyonce the Pink Panther

5)“With you next to me, there’s no darkness I can't overcome, you are my raindrops, I am a seed, with you and God, who's my sunlight, I bloom and grow so beautifully”

“Dangerously in Love” Beyonce Dangerously in Love

6)“Know that I can't get over you, 'Cause everything I see is you, and I don't want no, substitute, Baby I swear its Déjà vu”

“Déjà vu” Beyonce B’Day

7)“I'm a train wreck in the morning, I'm a bitch in the afternoon, Every now and then without, warning, I can be really mean towards you”

“Flaws and All” Beyonce

8)“Don't treat me to these things of the world, I'm not that kind of girl, Your love is what, prefer, what I deserve, Is a man that makes me then takes me, And delivers me to a destiny,, to infinity and beyond,”

Single Ladies (Put a ring on it) Beyonce

9)“Now I’m done believing you, You don’t know what I'm feeling, I'm more than what, you made, of me, I followed the voice, you think you gave to me, But now I gotta find, my own.., my own...”

“Listen” Dreamgirls Beyonce

10)“Mission five, Skip to the front of the line, Let me fix my hair up 'fore I go inside (hey), Mission six, Gotta check these chicks, 'Cause you know they gone block when I take these flicks (hey), Mission seven, Gotta make my rounds, Given eyes to the guys now I think I found him (hey), Mission eight, Now we conversate, And we can skip small talk let's get right to the chase”

“Get Me Bodied” Beyonce

11)“Ego so big you must admit, I got every reason to feel like I'm that bitch, Ego so strong, you Ain’t know?, I don't need no beat, I can sing it with piano”

“Ego” Beyonce I Am… Sasha Fierce

12)“I'm a world wide woman WWW you can log on anywhere you're girl can take you there.”

“World Wide Woman” Beyonce”

13)“We like dem boys up top from the BK (BK), Know how to flip that money three ways, (Three ways), Always riding' big on the freeway (Freeway), (Wit that east coast slang that us, country girls we like), Low cut Caesars wit the deep waves (deep waves)
so quick to snatch up your Beyonce”

“Solider” Destiny’s Child

14)“When I walk up to you baby, You seem so shy, What's the problem baby, Never had a, girl like I, I can see right through you, And you know you wanna be mine, So get your act, together, Cause you're running out of time”

“No, No, No” Destiny’s Child

15)“its not hot that when in blocking your phone number, you call me from over your best friends house, and its not hot that I cant even go out with my girlfriends, without you tracking, me down, you need to chill out with that mess, cause you cant keep having me stressed, cause every time my phone rings it seems to be you, and I’m praying that it is someone else”

“Bug a Boo” Destiny’s Child

16)“You could be a sweet dream or a beautiful nightmare”

“Beautiful Nightmare” Beyonce

17)“What is up wit this tell the truth who you wit, How would you like it if I came over wit my, clique, Don't try to change it now see you got to bounce, When 2 seconds ago you said you, just got in the house”

“Say My Name” Destiny’s Child

18)“You triflin', good for nothing type of brother, Silly me, why haven't I found another? A baller, when times get hard need someone to help me out, Instead of a scrub like you, Who don't know what a man's about”

“Bills, Bills, Bills” Destiny’s Child

19)“So since I'm not your everything, How about I'll be nothing, Nothing at all to you, Baby I wont shed a tear for you, I won't lose a wink of sleep, Cause the truth of the matter is, Replacing you is so easy”

“Irreplaceable” Beyonce

20)“I can do for you what Martin did for the people, Ran by the men but the women keep the tempo, It's very seldom that you're blessed to find your equal, Still play my part and let, you take the lead role…Believe me”

“Upgrade U” Beyonce


21)“You thought I couldn't last without you, But I'm lasting', you thought that I would die, without you, But I'm living', Thought that I would fail without you, But I'm on top, Thought it would be over by now, But it won't stop”

“Survivor” Destiny’s Child

Beyonce knows just how to hit em HARD!

I hope you enjoyed the list

Love ya!

Zanade Mann

8 Reasons Not To Let Your Dream Die!

One fond memory that I hold dear to me would have to be my elementary school trips, one in particular. I went to a small school P.S. 13 in Staten Island, New York and my teachers would always bring us on these wonderful exploratory trips. One trip I loved was our monthly trips to the Alice Austin house where there was a mini beach that we walked on. Now I was not interested in running around with my peers or sticking under the teacher because I was more interested in dreaming...

I envisioned where I would be in ten years, what home I would live in and more importantly what people I would encounter on my journey. I must admit I was quite ambitious and eager to become an adult. Then the teacher would blow her whistle to let us know it was time to go and I would leave all my dreams on the sand so that they would drift away into the waters and somehow come back to me as I aged.

Thinking back on those days I now realize that after being tossed through the mighty waters my dreams are now alive and kicking...

It is fair to say that what you want as a child related to your future goals are very pertinent! I don't think for one moment that any dream that I left out on the beach will be forgotten and more importantly I know they will come to pass..

Furthermore I present to you 8 real LIFE reasons not to let YOUR DREAMS DIE!

The waters re-create new life... New patterns in the sand... Things may not work out the way you envisioned them as a child but they can come to pass in whatever avenues they present themselves in!

1) Children are far more creative than adults and letting your creative dream die is not a smart idea.

2) When we are kids we believe that there is nothing "weird" about what we expect to happen when we are older... But for some reason as adults we let the minor things people say deter us from our hearts desire! Why not keep the notions you had?

3) Because this has been your dream for a very long time... Why would you want to start all over finding something that is just not who you are?

4) Because the person who discouraged you is counting on your failure!

5) Because dreams can easily be turned into real life goals and visions...and can even become companies!

6) Following your dreams will inspire someone else to follow theirs!

7) How will you ever be able to throw your hands up and sing Destiny's Child Survivor with a honest smile on your face?

8) And finally ... What about that ambitious child on the beach... huh? Who will answer to her?

Why it’s crucial NOT 2 Sleep in your 20’s!

Hey yall!

I want to give you all a few words of wisdom and give you 10 reasons why it is crucial NOT to sleep during your 20's...

If you have any Goals, Plans or Hopes sleeping won't get you there!

Is this blog meant to entertain? Maybe but the key points I am sure you will get by the end of the post.

Do you remember the night before the first day of school? I surely do! I could not sleep not one minute... Why? Because I was eager to meet my new teacher, show off my new L.A Gears and start a new point in my life.. I look at my life the same was now that I am an adult.. When I put a plan into action EVERY night is like the night before the first day of school! I lay in bed and reflect on what I want... what I expect to happen at the end of year... who have I touched... who's life did I improve or better yet how much did I improve over the past year or whatever timeframe I gave myself. More often than not I complete all my goals and own my accomplishments but I see that many of my peers are not doing the same.

I am quickly starting to Design Women... How you ask? By telling them what they already know... By giving them a chance to appreciate themselves without negative people around to doubt them...

Many of the women I deal with are 20 y/o + and they are having these restful night sleeps and I wonder how the heck they have time for that?

So follow my steps and live a restless, wealthy life!

1) How will you ever turn you DREAMS into real and visable GOALS if you are all wrapped up in your blanket?

2) When will you have time to network, if you are in bed by 9 p.m.?

3) When do you possibly update all your social networking sites if you are sleep by 11 p.m. and manage a 9 to 5 job?

4) There are way too many books at Barnes & Nobles for you to read instead of sleeping! TRUE STORY

5) You can not formulate a business plan if you are in bed BRIGHT AND EARLY! Venture Caps don't give a crap if you are tired!

6) Can you really watch Oprah at 4 p.m. and think that she got a good night sleep in the height of her career? You didn't think that she worked only 3 hour days... DID YOU?

7) You can't relay on Social Security ... so when are you going to become your own boss? And if you say soon ... remember that doesn't include a good night sleep! Trust Me!

8) Because if you had all these random thoughts throughout the day ...when will you get time to blog about them if your sleep? Can't do it at your job can you?

9) During the election with President Elect Barack Obama... do you remember the numerous volunteers... who had no sleep ...fighting for change ... to put that man in office ??? DO YOU THINK THEY GOT SLEEP?

10) And finally ...In your legacy... What story will you tell???

Zanade :-)

Would you pay on the first date?

So me an my friend let's call her Hyper, Hyper has been going on numerous dates and practically emptying her pockets week after week taking these loser dudes on dates! I call them loser dudes because if you let a woman pay for dinner on the first date you are a loser in my eyes!

For me the rule is 1st date you pay and then we will move on from there but there is no way ...let me repeat NO WAY I am paying on the first date...

Ok, I must admit that I am a bit traditional when it come to this notion and a firm believer that notions are generally wrong but this one I can't cross out! I come from a family a rather small family where my grandfather treated my grandmother as a QUEEN. I have never seen my grandmother come out of pocket, he brought the groceries, paid the bills and much much more. When it was time to go school clothes shopping my grandmother gave the money HE HAD GIVEN TO HER TO PAY FOR THE A&S bill! I looked at that as love ... because he wanted to take care what was his! True story... and since then I had followed that same upbringing ... I am a power woman but I still would like to have the man I am with or dating treat me as a QUEEN in that respect.

Now that being said Hyper is going on dates spending money because she felt uncomfortable waiting for HIM TO PULL OUT HIS CC! Is she serious? Me? I would sit there with the glass of wine in my hand like I never saw the check hit the table LOL!

So I have been coaching her on how to cordially bypass the first date bill...

1) When the Waiter comes over he/she will almost instantly place the bill next to the man ... so let him/her do that ...smile at your date and go straight back to your lunch/dinner/latte!

2) He starts to fumble around like the $ just jumped out of his pocket ... get up and go to the bathroom! Enough said.

3) If you notice that after 10 minutes he has yet to pick up the bill ...play the same game until he does... HE SHOULD ALREADY KNOW THE RULES if not then send him MY WAY :-)

So she is ready for her next date ... I told her bring enough for cabfare Just In Case he bugs out LOL and when the check comes pick from the choices above!

Much Love,

A single for a reason gal!

Zanade :-)

Why do I do this to myself???

I don't like to shop with friends believe it or not ...

( SIDE NOTE..I do however like gifts and individual splurges so don't get it twisted boys!!!)

And here is why! I have a friend let's call her Drama, Drama likes to take this long boring trips to these warehouse looking spots such as Woodbury Commons on Black Friday or Macy's after Christmas and this time Drama picked a GREAT place to torture me.. She takes me to a Sean John Warehouse sale at Hotel Pennsylvania in New York City.. and from the looks of the merchandise it looked QUITE BOGUS TO ME!

I am not sure if Drama knew that the clothes were fake but she was excited and I didn't want to burst her bubble ... Sad but true ..because that would have been a 2 hour argument about how I yes I THE DIVA doesn't know the difference between real SEAN JOHN and Fake Sean John.. so I let it be... I posted some pics so you decide!

1) They were only selling men's clothing... no kids no baby stuff just BIG MENS STUFF

2) The packaging looked cheap

3) Drama wanted me to help her pick out stuff for her man and sons

4) I was mad that this dude was trying to holla at me when he was holding a XXXL shirt and while I coldly stared at his stomach ...I had no choice but to just throw on my Armani sunglasses and WALK AWAY!

Some items were really nice but I was not feeling it because she only came out with 3 items (not her fault but still)

Please help me research this! Were average people really capitalizing off of fake Sean John in one of the nicest hotels in Midtown or am I bugging and can't decipher what is real or not????

Sincerely,

A very exhausted DIVA!

You may come in! The 2008* Pink Polka Dot Gala

Ok, I can explain this picture!

I was looking absolutely fabulous and feeling great until ten hours later when my feet started to KILL me lol

However without any complaining I cordially invite you to the Blog of The Pink Polka Dot 2008 Gala!

What an exciting day for me and my staff, we worked so hard for the past 6 months to create a production that would amaze even the most AMAZING people around! We had some wonderful lined up and a sparkling fashion show that was sure to tease the eyes...

This beautiful event was located at The Penthouse Suites in NYC and hosted by PMP Studios Inc. My generous board member John Stavros would provide all the delicious food and we were ready to roll! So I was the head lady in charge and it felt great to work with so many people, from the volunteers to the fabulous speakers. I showed up at the penthouse at about 10 a.m. YES bright and Early ... A DIVA can be late for most events BUT NOT FOR HER OWN! (Lesson Learned, take notes girls!) I did not have on the fabulous dress you see all over the web, but Baby Phat Jeans and a Classic Blank fitted shirt with my gym sneakers.. I had to prepare to run around and give orders.. I must give props to my assistant Kalimah who so graciously brought me a Venti ... Not Grande Latte but the biggest one Starbucks had because I was about to drop.. I didn't mention that the night b4 I had channeled my inner hairstylist and sewed in a head full of extensions for my little sister, and that ended about 3 a.m.

Latte well deserved!

Florence my registration hostess showed up and assisted me and might I say she looked fabulous before and after the event! She had to remind me twice to get dressed because my guests were starting to show up... So I ran into the men's bathroom no less to change into my outfit... Hey I didn't want another little divas seeing me get dressed! LOL

When I walked out I felt amazing ... not because of the outfit or the adoring eyes watching me walk across the penthouse but amazed because I HAD SET A GOAL AND ON THAT VERY DAY ACCOMPLISHED IT!That moves mountains when you can see all your hard work ...work for you!

My very good supporter Laura Allen was there t kick-off the conference and she wowed the crowd, a few of the girls stood up to present their custom made 15 second pitch that was taught to them by Laura. www.15secondpitch.com (shameless plug!)

Briian Dargon the most fabulous man I know did a great presentation although he was extremely nervous! I told you Briian you were a STAR! www.bsixtee6.com (yet another shameless plug!)

Nahal Zamani was so playful with the guests and they loved her! (Google her now!)

David Vernon gave it to our guests by providing the three keys to success! email me for all three! zanademann@hotmail.com

Kristina Leonardi gave her advice on how to follow your passions! www.thewomensmosaic.org (another!)

We even had a networking luncheon just to give every1 a chance to find out who ...who is! We played some of the hottest songs out there and made it more of party event then a dry conference where people want to walk out! LOL

Stephen Knight provided a unique fashion show for our guests and a VERY ENTERTAINING RENDITION OF BEYONCE'S Single Ladies!!!! www.youtube.com/1pinkz

Delilah Williams provided the lovely pics that are circulating the net! http://www.myspace.com/pinkpolkadot_org YES CHECK THEM OUT AND MAKE PLENTY OF COMMENTS! support Pink Polka Dot www.pinkpolkadot.org


Above all the main purpose of the event was to inspire young women ages 5 - 21 and we hit our mark!

To Infinity and Beyond!!!!

Misc Blogging

I have so much to talk about...

let's do some random blog-ness shall we?

I have a girly crush on Trey Songz! Yes it is true he is too sexy and that voice is to die for... ok truth is he reminds me of a hottie I dated in Junior H.S heyyyyy

So the DIVA is going to look fabulous this Saturday at her non profit organizations annual career conference and I am even considering false eyelashes!!! Yes be surprised this DIVA does not wear make-up or fake stuff unless you count a Tiffany necklace I brought from Chinatown a LONG time ago FAKE :-)

My org's career conference is quickly approaching and it will be amazing... Did I mention the shoes I brought... no? wait for pics to come :-)

Met a guy... I think there is something wrong with him though... He thinks what I do is great! Most men think I totally overwork myself and have no time for them... this is true but it is what it is!

I love my board of directors they treat me so well! Whatever vison I have they follow and support which is needed in this self-loathing world.

I re-brought my fav perfume by J. Lo LIVE

ok.. talk soon I gotta go and do my 9-5 work :-(

Love ya!

What Exactly is PMS-ing?

Given our biological nature we have monthly mood swings that your lover or friend calls PMS-ing, but what exactly does that mean? Today the DIVA will explain what it is and give you scenarios that just may indicate YOU are PMS-ing!

Premenstrual Syndrome!!! (Halloween theme song plays in the background)
This syndrome plagues women worldwide no matter what their background or economic status are they all get a little bitchy before THAT time of the month. Is it perfectly normal? Yes! Do some women go overboard with symptoms? Yes!

For those not familar with the symptoms of PMS here is a short list that is not limited to the things you may see yourself or someone you know go through.

1) Mood swings
2) Tender breasts
3) Fatigue
4) Irratibility
5) Depression

The funniest thing I encountered with my dear friend PMS is how I respond to people during that special time. Sometimes I find myself being very snappy and aggressive (see post You Had The Audacity to Speak to Me?)I will admit sometimes I take it to the extreme and I am sure you can agree that some women do as well. Let's look at some instances where a woman has gone to the EXTREME!

Scenario 1 Irratibility

You are sitting at the kitchen table and your husband/boyfriend/lover walks into the kitchen and makes himself a cup of coffee. The entire time you are staring at him coldly. He turns to say good morning and you notice he spilled a bit of java on your newly cleaned countertop. You look at him in disbelief and with the voice of the Devil say "How DARE you spill that on the counter? I stayed up ALL not cleaning!!! You don't care do you? Because I am a woman? You just GET UP, GET DRESSED and JUMP into your clean car, right? I can't take this ANYMORE John!" then slowly lower your head and start crying...

You just BUGGED OUT!

Scenario 2 Depression

You decide to dye your hair for the new Fall season. After its styled you proclaim to your sylist that you love it and you are glad you made the decision to dye your hair. You walk out looking fierce, until you see your co-worker/girlfriend who thinks the new style and color does not suit you. She says it's for a younger looking woman. After you acknowledge her you start walking down the block and someone else tells you they liked your hair much better the other way. You run home and start to analyze what your friends had said to you, you began to feel like an old woman. How were you ever going to compete with the Rhianna's of the world? You storm into the bathroom and begin to mess up your new hairdo by pouring water all over it then you put a shower cap over it sit on the coach and stare up at the ceiling...

You may have BUGGED OUT!

Scenario 3 Fatigue

(Think Deuce Bigalow)

You are out with a few friends and you are pms-ing. You decide it would be really cool to play charades (your childhood favorite game!) and you deside to go up first. You begin to act out a Beyonce scene from Crazy in Love video, you are twisting and turning and then you suddendly PASS OUT! They jump in shock to go see how you are doing but notice that you are sleeping like a baby on the floor! They chack you calender and realize it's PMS time of the month and realize you were just a bit tired. They wrap you in a blanket and go home.

You may have been a litte tired but you just BUGGED OUT!

Now the scenarios are overexaggerated but you get the point, sometimes we can take it too far!

Now that we had a little fun I want to stress of how important it is to keep your cool during these times. 3 out of 4 women experience PMS and many of them let PMS control their lives. That is not a joke. I myself have ruined some relationships because I let the BITCH in me get out of control. But I have learned to calm myslef during those times. I take walks and sorta tune out people for that moment. Hey it works for me! Also make sure you are taking vitamins and getting plenty of rest, because that helps.

Later

Z.

Let's Talk About _____ BABY!

Hey yall!

OK... Don't let the title fool you, but don't you just love that Salt & Pepa song? They were the BOMB in their day right? Anyhow...

I wanna talk about Expensive Taxi rides through New York City! That is the topic of the day. Saturday proved to be one of my challenges as I hoped to attend five events wearing a WHITE pencil skirt SUCCESSFULLY! My day started at 5 a.m and planned to end around 11 p.m so I had to prepare myself with some Pilate's. Let's not stay too long on the first two events and fast forward to the third. It was in the City and it was a GALA so I had to be on point because those women are FIERCE. My WHITE skirt already had a pen mark on it from my prior meeting so I was sorta off point but I was still on point if you know what I mean! LOL

Let's get to the Ring of FIRE! (Finding Nemo lol) I do not like to spend money on taxi's period. Well I do in my hometown of Staten Island but no way do I like to pay for taxi's in the City because they initially charge you $2.50 when you open the door! But as always an unreliable source told me to take the WRONG train and I ended up on the wrong side of town! Now only having 15 minutes left to be at my destination I seductively flagged down a taxi. Ok... After fooling myself thinking that if I waved my hand like a DRAG Queen I would get a taxi ...I just decided to wait until one pulled up. "Hi taxi man can you take me to 21 WEST 111th Street Alain Looke School?" he reluctantly said "No" but I jumped in anyway! I AM AN AGGRESSIVE DIVA :-)

He took me either way!

SO he turns and turns past Central Park in the opposite direction that I assume I needed to go, but magically he ended up at the school in no time. Unfortunately the meter read $11! I was tight $11 bucks? For a few blocks of turns that eventually got me nauseous. I asked him to explain this to me and he had the AUDACITY to say "IF I didn't pay it he would keep the meter running!" HUH "Is that right?" I said and I threw the $20 I had been holding onto on his lap.

Let's get together and call 311!

Let's start the National Coalition Against New York City Taxi Drivers!

NCANYCTD!!!!! Sounds very long and complicated but YOU GET THE POINT!

Later

Z.

In a world so great and large a DIVA explores so little

There is so much in this world that I have not touched yet. My biggest goal perhaps is to tour Japan, it’s been a passion for some time now and the main character in my book leaves her safe space to live in Japan (so there’s my inspiration!)

Besides the long term explorations; I yearn to fully explore New York City. I mean we (New Yorkers) seriously do not appreciate the space we occupy, from the theater district to good old Central Park. Last night I was invited to a private reception at Doyle New York by the President of my organization; this reception would feature modern and contemporary furniture, art and design. I must admit I was never one to enjoy that sort of art per se and I gather it’s because I was never exposed to it so I planned on getting the most out of this event.

I walked around for a bit and viewed the pieces of costume jewelry by socialite Brigid Berlin and dreamed of what could fit on my arm when this very attractive woman asked me if I wanted to try it on. I thought why yes I would but I am not one for giving things back LOL so I kindly rejected. The DIVA♥♥♥ in me cannot stomach WINDOW SHOPPING!

So I moved on to the guacamole treats they had set out for us! I was in sheer heaven. It was near the treats I noticed one of the most amazing drawings I had ever seen… An original drawing by Yves St. Laurent himself! … A coat he had sketched for a friend and it was going for auction at a price of $800! I could only dream… Read previous posts (I am Broke!)

Moving forward I had to get my drunken DIVA♥♥♥ on and headed straight to the champagne table where they offered Pellegrino or white wine hmm…

Are you wondering what I selected? NO WAY

You didn’t have to wonder …

So after 2 glasses of wine I pepper seeded all the way over to girlfriend Susan who was looking at this Japanese vase that resembled test tubes. We talked about what we liked and dislike about the collections and even admired Ms. Roz Abrams who was in attendance (her shoes were FIERCE!)

The night soon ended with the DIVA♥♥♥ having new perspective of the art world and wanting to visit more exhibits. Come to think of it I have a friend who hosts an Albanian Art exhibit in Midtown! I must give him a call!

What are some places you have visited in New York City that a DIVA♥♥♥ may not be aware of? Come on help a DIVA out ….I am in a positive mood today  LOL

Later

Z.