Archive for July, 2007

Regis Philbin doing the Snap dance with T-Pain and Kelly …Hilarity and hi-jinx ensue.

Continue sending your e-mails to pumpsandgloss@yahoo.com with the subject line “M.A.C. Lipsticks” for our first ever Pumps and Gloss giveaway.

Continue to have a great weekend!

I was talking with my friends and the question of having sex before marriage came up.  Let me say this:  we were not discussing whether it’s moral or immoral. We were discussing the advantages and disadvantages of sex before marriage. 

The major advantage to having sex before marriage came as no surprise because basically everyone agreed that you know exactly what you are getting and there are no surprises. Nothing more and nothing less and you are able to determine if you and your partner are sexually compatible.  One other advantage to having sex before marriage was relieving stress on a regular basis resulting in better health. 

Now some of the disadvantages for having sex before marriage are

• Getting STDs (if there are multiple partners)
• Not being “pure” for your spouse
• Feeling guilty (I don’t know too many people that feel guilty about having sex before marriage, maybe with the people they decided to have relations with)
• If people have pre-marital sex with their spouse-to-be, there is a chance of less sex during the marriage because there was nothing to look forward to
• Sex can get boring with the same person because you already know the moves of your partner

I am not telling anyone what to do with someone, but I do want your thoughts as to what are some advantages and disadvantages to having sex before you get married,  Remember people, I am not making this a moral or immoral issue.  I am just looking for the basics of should you have sex with an individual to know whether you are sexually compatible.

Do you wait a while? Or do you make it happen?  Give us your thoughts.

Sensual Element

The Ladies of Pumps and Gloss are excited to present our first giveaway! It is no secret that we are fans of M.A.C. Cosmetics and here is your opportunity to win a fabulous collection of 3 M.A.C Lustre Lipstick: Flutterby (a soft pinky-beige hue), See Sheer (a pinked grapefruit hue), and Sweetie (fluffy tone pink).

Mix Maven and Sensual Element are both born on the 17th of their birth months. Therefore, the 17th e-mail we receive at pumpsandgloss@yahoo.com with the subject heading “M.A.C. Lipsticks” will be our winner. Please include your name and City, State/Province.

Please only one entry per person. Open only to US and Canadian residents!

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Pumps and Gloss

This is why I adore Kelly Ripa.

Scroll to 3:39. Oh Snap!! Rapping “This Is Why I Am Hot”

This I why I love the Kells… she is fearless… She loves to get her “freak on”! Watch her learn a new dance from Kat DeLuna.

Laughing My Tuckus (sp) Off,

Mix Maven

As a youngster, I watched the Iran-Contra hearings on television. I have always been captivated by government and politics. My dream as a child was to major in Political Science and/or law. Then I realized that I love color and needed to be very creative.

As a teenager, I acquired a strong affinity for Canadian sketch comedies on CBC (that is how I learned about the Canadian government), PBS, NPR, and C-SPAN (Cable-Satellite Public Affairs Network.) Man o man, do I love the C-SPAN or the SPAN, our term of endearment. My dad and I would watch C-SPAN on the weekends. I was quite miffed when I learned that there was a C-SPAN 3, but the station was not on the local cable channel listings. I am glad Mr. Maven likes C-SPAN as well. When on road trips, we find ourselves listening to C-SPAN on XM between the 2 Amy Winehouse CDs, India Arie, Lemar, Terri Walker and Musiq. One time, we listened to a great program with African-American historian, John Hope Franklin being interviewed by Brian Lamb, CEO and founder of C-SPAN. That was 3 hours well-spent. He told a fascinating story about meeting W.E.B. DuBois. DuBois did not even bother to look up from eating to acknowledge him. He recounted the story later to him and DuBois did not remember meeting him. It goes on…. watch C-Span.com for the rest of the story.

C-SPAN is great because the programming is varied: from Senate and House committee hearings, to legislation sessions, symposiums, conferences, lectures, and my favorite Prime Minister Questions. (That is some funny stuff to view.) I love the book fairs. We saw Al Franken get into it with Bill O’Reilly. On the SPAN, We “met” Molly Ivins (RIP), heard Dr. Mae Jemison, Dr. Cornell West, Rep. Keith Ellison et al speak the truth, noticed that someone’s lawyers last names had my first and last names.

Tavis Smiley, the King of Verbosity, hosts a wonderful all-day State of the Black Union conference each February. The panelists include Black leaders in academia, politics, religion, law, entertainment, and activism. The purpose of the sessions is to create real solutions for problems plaguing the African-American community. Check out Smiley’s The Covenant with Black America and The Covenant in Action.

Interesting to say the least!

I implore in you in these trying times we need to be an aware and educated electorate. We need to stop listening to menial sound bytes and begin to read and learn for ourselves. We must stop confusing being affable with competence.

Live Triumphantly,

Mix Maven

I was reading a magazine and ran across this article talking about sensuous suggestions for women. These suggestions come from Dr. Hilda Hutcherson, M.D. who composed Pleasure: A Woman Guide to Getting the Sex You Want, Need and Desire. I thought it would be interesting to see what some the good old doctor has to say when it comes to women and sexual satisfaction.

1) “Traditionally, we’ve been told sex is for procreation and male pleasure.”

What about female pleasure? Women its time to learn how to initiate sex- it’s normal and healthy. Good sex is a woman’s birthright.

2) “Many women deny masturbating; we think it’s nasty.”

It’s not. Women who are sexually frustrated have increased the risk of hypertension and heart disease, as well as insomnia and anxiety.

3) “Sex shouldn’t end at menopause.”

You’ve got to keep the juices flowing. Use a lubricant. Get a vibrator if you don’t have a partner. Regular orgasms keep the vagina from shrinking and drying out.

4) “Women need to talk more about sex…”with our partners, friends and children. Desires, consequences and safer sex practices should be discussed frankly.

5) Oral sex is fun “not just for his birthday.” You can bring a strong man to his knees – it’s so powerful.

Personally, I believe women should be open to discussing what excites them and try out their sexual desires. Why as women do we believe sexual topics are taboo? I believe it goes back to being a lady at all times. I believe we can be a lady in the streets but when it comes to the bedroom, its time to unleash the rebel that we hold inside. When you really think about it, what do you have to lose? You may actually discover something you like and want to include it on a regular basis for sexual gratification. I’m not saying if your man wants a ménage a trios to be like Nike and just do it. You have to want, desire and need it yourself. Not just because your man wants to indulge. I’m going to purchase her book to see what else she has to say about women and their sexual satisfaction.

Sensual Element

Hey P&G friends,

(Often times, I think of my blog post titles before I write them because the titles help me to create the content. I was in the car on the way to the airport returning home from the wedding.)
Last week, I alluded to my cousin’s wedding. We had loads of fun. The wedding and reception were elegant and fabulous. Congrats to R&S!!

KJ, my chum, needed to get some shadows for the wedding. She loves orange, so I recommended Firespot (MoonBathe). We decided to hit up a M.A.C store/counter. I noticed that there was a Macy’s very close to our hotel, so we went there. Man, we were disappointed, when we were learned that there was no MAC counter in the store. We decided to go to an upscale mall in the area. (It is a nice mall and if you are ever in that area, you must go there.) So we found the MAC store. Most of the MoonBathe was sold out. We hightailed ourselves to the Macy’s, once again there was no MAC counter. Finally, a store with a MAC counter, Nordstrom, YAY for Nordie!! Well, this counter was also sold out of Firespot. I had to think quickly. (I am glad that I am MAC devotee) I was able to recommend a combination of Fab and Flashy (C-Shock) with Amber Lights to achieve a similar look. I also recommended a blush that she loves. I am glad that I was able to use my powers for good!

Ok here is why I was truly vexed. You, lovely readers, voted on the hairdo I was to wear to the wedding. Rihanna was selected. I was cool with the pick.

Went to get my hair done on the Wednesday and the ‘do had to be modified. No problems. Thursday on the plane, I am trying to position myself, so I will not interrupt the chignon. Everything is going fine! By Friday, my chignon was popping out of the pins and band. Shucks, the hair did not hold up for the wedding. I had to wear the hair down for the wedding. (All I needed was a wind machine )

I asked Mr. Maven to take a picture of the ‘do Wednesday, but the picture never happened. Therefore, I have no record of the chic-looking bun. I will publish some approved photos in a future entry.

Have a wonderful Fourth of July (Independence Day) celebration. The day is also Mama Maven’s birthday, so Mr. Maven and I will be hosting her BBQ/Birthday Celebration, which means I will be cooking all night. Have fun and be safe!

Living Freely,

Mix Maven

From SOHH.com

Roughly three weeks after his demise, a medical examiner has ruled that former lead singer of the R&B group Hi-Five, Tony Thompson, died accidentally while “huffing” Freon.

Thompson, 31, was found dead near an air-conditioning unit outside an East Waco apartment complex on June 1.

According to The Waco Tribune, Dr. Reade A. Quinton, a medical examiner at the Southwestern Institute of Forensic Sciences in Dallas, determined that Thompson died from “toxic effects of chlorodifluoromethane,” or inhaling a toxic amount of Freon.

Thompson’s autopsy report showed that he had a history of “Freon huffing.” No alcohol or illegal drugs were found in his system. However, the autopsy showed Thompson’s blood stream had a small amount of methadone, a synthetic narcotic used to treat drug addiction.

Thompson and Hi-Five enjoyed national success in the 90′s with hits like “She’s Playing Hard To Get” and “I Like The Way.” After the group disbanded Thompson pursued a solo career and released an album in1994. He would restart Hi-Five with new singers in 2005 and had reportedly been working on another solo project.