Music Monday: Jaheim "Another Round" & Finding My Way Back

Since I missed last week I'm posting two songs. Have an awesome week.


Jaheim "Another Round" Album in Stores Now


Jaheim "Finding My Way Back" Album in Stores Now

Divine Women of Our time: Cicely Tyson

Cicely Tyson was raised in Harlem, New York by devoutly religious parents from the Caribbean island of Nevis. She was discovered by a fashion editor at Ebony magazine and, with her stunning looks, she quickly rose to the top of the modeling industry. In 1957, she began acting in Off-Broadway productions. She had small roles in feature films before she was cast as Portia in The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter (1968) in 1968. Four years later, Cicely was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress for her sensational performance in the critically acclaimed film Sounder (1972). In 1974, she went on to portray a 110-year-old former slave in The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman (1974) (TV), which earned her two Emmys, making her first African American Actress to win an Emmy award for Outstanding Lead Actress .

Throughout the 1960s and early 1970s Tyson was a frequent guest star on television, appearing in I Spy, Naked City, The Nurses, The Bill Cosby Show, and many other programs. Her film career progressed more slowly. She played the love interest to Sammy Davis, Jr.'s jazz musician character in the 1966 movie A Man Called Adam, appeared in The Comedians in 1967, and turned in an affecting, if brief, performance as a doctor's rebellious daughter in The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter in 1968. But by then, the film industry was entering the period of so- called "blaxploitation" films, which Tyson considered depressing and demeaning. According to People Tyson said "she would rather be unemployed than act in exploitation films like Shaft and Superfly, " adding that "The lesser of two evils for me is to wait, rather than do something that isn't right." For nearly six years, she hardly appeared before the cameras at all, with the exception of an occasional television guest spot. There were no parts being offered that she felt were worth taking--and she was even ready to forsake her acting career altogether, if it came to that. She married famous jazz trumpeter Miles Davis in November 1981 -- the ceremony was conducted by Atlanta mayor Andrew Young at the home of actor Bill Cosby but they later divorced in 1988.

While Cicely has not appeared steadily onscreen because of her loyality to only portray strong, positive images of Black women, she is without a doubt one of the most talented, beautiful actresses to have ever graced the stage and screen.

"Challenges make you discover things about yourself that you never really knew. They're what make the instrument stretch-what make you go beyond the norm." "The choices of roles I made had to do with educating and entertaining. And as a result I found myself working only every two or three years." - on her commitment to choose only positive images in films.

Tyson subsequently had great success on television, particularly with her role in the legendary miniseries Roots (1977) and her work in The Women of Brewster Place (1989). She also continued to do a fair amount of film work, appearing in films like Fried Green Tomatoes (1991), The Oldest Living Confederate Widow Tells All (1994), The Grass Harp (1995), and Hoodlum (1997). In 1997, Tyson again donned old woman's makeup to offer a delightfully crotchety version of Charles Dickens' Scrooge in the 1997 USA Network original production Ms. Scrooge. Two years later, she had another television success -- and another Emmy nomination -- with A Lesson Before Dying, a drama set in the 1940s about a black man sentenced to death for a murder he did not commit.

In 2005, Tyson co-starred in the movies Because of Winn-Dixie and Diary of a Mad Black Woman. The same year she was honored by Oprah Winfrey at her Legends Ball.

The Cicely Tyson School of Performing and Fine Arts, a magnet school in East Orange, New Jersey, was renamed in her honor. She plays an active part in supporting the school, which serves one of New Jersey's most underprivileged African-American communities. Source:Wikipedia.com, answers.com about.com imbd.com
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Divine Women of Our Time is a series to remind us of the rich culture we come from and to celebrate black history month. I will profile strong women that have been apart of building a culture, paving ways for those after them and who have made a memorable impact within their industry. These women were not only leaders, but they were role models for many people at an appointed time. Most of these women are still with us thankfully. Rightfully so, I want to celebrate them while they are here and can understand that there relevance is appreciated as apart of our rich history.

Divine Women of Our Time: Tyra Banks

Tyra Banks (born December 4, 1973) is an American media personality, actress, occasional singer, former model and businesswoman. She began modeling in the 11th grade. She later went to Paris, France to do some runway modeling. Within Banks' first week in Paris, designers were so entranced by her presence on the runway that she was booked for an unprecedented twenty-five shows – a record in the business for a newcomer. She has done extensive print and/or runway work for fashion/advertising giants until she retired from modeling.


Banks was the first African American woman on the covers of GQ and the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue. In 1997, she received the VH1 award for Supermodel of the Year. That same year, she became the first-ever African American chosen for the cover of the Victoria's Secret catalog Banks was a top supermodel of the 1990s, when she became the first African-American model featured on the cover of the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue. Famously curvy even by supermodel standards, she was a regular on fashion magazine covers and in the Victoria's Secret catalog. Banks also dabbled in acting, with appearances in the movies Higher Learning (1995, with Jennifer Connelly) and Coyote Ugly in 2000.

In the new century she shifted her focus to television. In 2003 she began producing and hosting the reality series America's Next Top , now in it’s 14th season. The show was a hit and spawned spinoffs in Germany, Holland, and many other countries. Banks also began hosting her own talk show, The Tyra Banks Show, in 2005. Banks announced her retirement from modelling the same year, saying she would focus on her television career. Since then she has also co-produced reality Tv show True Beauty. In 2009 she announced that The Tyra Banks Show would end its run after five seasons in March of 2010 so that she can focus on producing. Banks will focus on the launch of Bankable Studios, a N.Y.-based film production company currently reviewing possible projects. Sticking to her mission, Banks aims to bring “positive images of women to the big screen,” says an industry insider. Source Wikipedia/Answers.com
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Divine Women of Our Time is a series to remind us of the rich culture we come from and to celebrate black history month. I will profile strong women that have been apart of building a culture, paving ways for those after them and who have made a memorable impact within their industry. These women were not only leaders, but they were role models for many people at an appointed time. Most of these women are still with us thankfully. Rightfully so, I want to celebrate them while they are here and can understand that there relevance is appreciated as apart of our rich history.

Let's Move Campaign!- Michelle Obama fight against Childhood Obesity

Earlier this week Michelle Obam joined President Obama and Cabinet members as he signed a Memorandum on Childhood Obesity. The Memorandum established a task force, headed by the First Lady, to encourage children to exercise more and adopt healthier eating habits. Later she was joined by local students, cabinet members, and athletes to kick off Let’s Move, a new nationwide campaign to combat childhood obesity. Childhood obesity or excess weight threatens the healthy future of one third of American children. We spend $150 billion every year to treat obesity-related conditions, and that number is growing.

Obesity rates tripled in the past 30 years, a trend that means, for the first time in our history, American children may face a shorter expected lifespan than their parents. We need to get moving. Join First Lady Michelle Obama, community leaders, teachers, doctors, nurses, moms and dads in a nationwide campaign to tackle the challenge of childhood obesity.

Let's Move! has an ambitious but important goal: to solve the epidemic of childhood obesity within a generation. Let’s Move will give parents the support they need, provide healthier food in schools, help our kids to be more physically active, and make healthy, affordable food available in every part of our country. for more info http://www.letsmove.gov/

We Are the World 2010 Video

The synergy in thiat room was amazing- I get chills just watching this video. You can donate at http://www.world25.org/ to help Haiti.

Divine Women of Our Time: Jackie Joyner-Kersee

Jacqueline "Jackie" Joyner-Kersee (born March 3, 1962) is a retired American athlete, ranked among the all-time greatest athletes in the women's heptathlon as well as in the women's long jump. She won three gold, one silver, and two bronze Olympic medals, in those two different events. Sports Illustrated for Women magazine voted Joyner-Kersee the Greatest Female Athlete of the 20th century.

As of August 2008, Joyner-Kersee holds the world record in heptathlon along with six all time best results and her long jump record of 7.49 m is second on the long jump all time list. In addition to heptathlon and long jump, she was a world class athlete in 100 m hurdles and 200 meters being as of June 2006 in top 60 all time in those events.

In 1988, Joyner-Kersee established the Jackie Joyner-Kersee Foundation, which provides youth, adults, and families with the resources to improve their quality of life with special attention directed to East St. Louis, Illinois. In 2007, Jackie Joyner-Kersee along with Andre Agassi, Muhammad Ali, Lance Armstrong, Warrick Dunn, Mia Hamm, Jeff Gordon, Tony Hawk, Andrea Jaeger, Mario Lemieux, Alonzo Mourning, and Cal Ripken, Jr. founded the "Athletes for Hope", a charitable organization, which helps professional athletes get involved in charitable causes and inspires millions of non-athletes to volunteer and support the community.

In 1996 she signed on to play pro basketball for the Richmond Rage of the fledgling American Basketball League. Although she was very popular with the fans, she was less successful on the court. She appeared in only 17 games, and scored no more than four points in any game. Even in 2010 her great sportsmanship is still recognized as she is recognized as an NCAA Silver Anniversary Awards honoree.

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Divine Women of Our Time is a series to remind us of the rich culture we come from and to celebrate black history month. I will profile strong women that have been apart of building a culture, paving ways for those after them and who have made a memorable impact within their industry. These women were not only leaders, but they were role models for many people at an appointed time. Most of these women are still with us thankfully. Rightfully so, I want to celebrate them while they are here and can understand that there relevance is appreciated as apart of our rich history.

Divine Women Of Our Time: Deloris Sims

Deloris Sims and Margaret Henningsen

Deloris Sims started her banking career as a part-time teller for Firstar Bank in central Milwaukee, where she had lived since the age of five. Over 28 years, she rose up the ranks to become a vice president and a business banker, developing five Firstar banks in the city. All the while she watched as her own neighborhood, a low-income minority community, steadily deteriorated.

In 1999, she teamed up with two other minority women, Margaret Henningsen and Shirley Lanier, to found Legacy Bank. Their goal was to give the area's poor residents a stake in their neighborhood by financing small businesses and home purchases. The three women raised $6.9 million, bought the former Firstar building where Sims had worked for most of her career, and got to work with Sims as President and CEO.

Among projects Sims has been proud to see the bank support: the 2003 opening of a Ponderosa Steakhouse on King Drive in a lot that stood vacant for decades. The owner, Stella Love, is the only African-American woman in the United States to own a Ponderosa franchise.

Legacy also financed Milwaukee Health Services, which is owned by and serves minorities. The bank's support allowed the MHS to move to a location where they could serve more low-income residents.

In the bank's beginnings, Sims said, "Raising capital was the biggest challenge. None of us were wealthy." To get started, the team bought a preferred trust for $5 million and won awards from the U.S. Treasury Department. Nine years later, Legacy has assets of about $221 million. Year-over-year average deposit growth is 21 percent. In 2007, assets grew by 15 percent and the loan portfolio grew by 11 percent.

This year's efforts to raise capital, given the crises in the real estate and subprime markets, have been "very, very, very slow," Sims says. "With the banking industry the way it is, nobody wants to buy stocks in banks." And yet, based on Legacy's success in developing central Milwaukee, charitable foundations are picking up the baton and running with it. (c) 2008 U.S. Banker and SourceMedia, Inc. All Rights Reserved. http://www.americanbanker.com/usb.html/ http://www.sourcemedia.com/
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Divine Women of Our Time is a series to remind us of the rich culture we come from and to celebrate black history month. I will profile strong women that have been apart of building a culture, paving ways for those after them and who have made a memorable impact within their industry. These women were not only leaders, but they were role models for many people at an appointed time. Most of these women are still with us thankfully. Rightfully so, I want to celebrate them while they are here and can understand that there relevance is appreciated as apart of our rich history.

Divine Women of Our Time: Oprah Winfrey

Oprah Gail Winfrey (born January 29, 1954) is an American television host, producer, and philanthropist, best known for her self-titled, multi-award winning talk show, which has become the highest-rated program of its kind in history. She has been ranked the richest African American of the 20th century and beyond, the greatest black philanthropist in American history and was once the world's only black billionaire. She is also, according to some assessments, the most influential woman in the world.

In 1985, Winfrey co-starred in Steven Spielberg's film adaptation of Alice Walker's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel The Color Purple. She earned immediate acclaim as Sofia, the distraught housewife. The following year Winfrey was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. The Color Purple went on to become a Broadway musical and opened in late 2005, with Winfrey credited as a producer.

In 1993, Winfrey hosted a rare prime-time interview with Michael Jackson which became the fourth most watched event in American television history as well as the most watched interview ever, with an audience of one hundred million. As well as hosting and appearing on television shows, Winfrey co-founded the women's cable television network Oxygen. She is also the president of Harpo Productions (Oprah spelled backwards). Winfrey publishes two magazines: O, The Oprah Magazine and O at Home. She has co-authored five books;

In 1998, Winfrey began Oprah's Angel Network, a charity aimed at encouraging people around the world to make a difference in the lives of underprivileged others. Accordingly, Oprah's Angel Network supports charitable projects and provides grants to nonprofit organizations around the world that share this vision. To date, Oprah's Angel Network has raised more than $51,000,000. In 2005 she became the first black person listed by Business Week as one of America's top 50 most generous philanthropists, having given an estimated $303 million. Winfrey has also helped 250 African-American men continue or complete their education at Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia.

In addition to several acting roles she has done voice overs for Charlotte's Web, the 2006 film as Gussie the goose. She is also the voice of Judge Bumbleden in Bee Movie (2007) In 2009, Winfrey provided the voice for the character of Eudora, the mother of Princess Tiana, in Disney's The Princess and the Frog.

In 2008 Winfrey and Discovery Communications announced plans to change Discovery Health Channel into a new channel called OWN: The Oprah Winfrey Network. OWN will debut at an unspecified time in 2010. It was scheduled to launch in 2009, but has since been delayed. On November 2, 2009, it was announced that Winfrey will narrate Discovery Channel's upcoming documentary series Life, which will air in March 2010. Sorce:Wikipedia
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Divine Women of Our Time is a series to remind us of the rich culture we come from and to celebrate black history month. I will profile strong women that have been apart of building a culture, paving ways for those after them and who have made a memorable impact within their industry. These women were not only leaders, but they were role models for many people at an appointed time. Most of these women are still with us thankfully. Rightfully so, I want to celebrate them while they are here and can understand that there relevance is appreciated as apart of our rich history.

Divine Women of Our time: Mae Jemison

Mae Carol Jemison (born October 17, 1956) is an African American physician and NASA astronaut. She became the first woman of recent African ancestry to travel in space when she went into orbit aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour on September 12, 1992.

Jemison says she was inspired by Martin Luther King Jr. but to her King's dream wasn't an illusive fantasy but a call to action. "Too often people paint him like Santa -- smiley and inoffensive," says Jemison. "But when I think of Martin Luther King Jr. I think of attitude, audacity, and bravery. "The best way to make dreams come true is to wake up," says Jemison

Jemison graduated from Chicago's Morgan Park High School in 1973 and entered Stanford University at age 16. Jemison graduated from Stanford in 1977, receiving a B.S. in chemical engineering and fulfilling the requirements for a B.A. in African and Afro-American Studies. Jemison obtained her Doctor of Medicine degree in 1981 from Cornell Medical College (now Weill Medical College of Cornell University) She interned at Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center and later worked as a general practitioner. During her years at Cornell Medical College, Jemison took lessons in modern dance at the Alvin Ailey school. Jemison later built a dance studio in her home and has choreographed and produced several shows of modern jazz and African dance.

Jemsion was turned down on her first application to NASA, but in 1987 Jemison was accepted on her second application and became one of the fifteen candidates accepted from over 2,000 applicants. Her work with NASA before her shuttle launch included launch support activities at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida and verification of Shuttle computer software in the Shuttle Avionics Integration Laboratory (SAIL). Jemison flew her only space mission from September 12 to 20, 1992 as a Mission Specialist on STS-47.

Because of her love of dance and as a salute to creativity, Jemison took a poster from the Alvin Ailey American Dance Company along with her on the flight. "Many people do not see a connection between science and dance," says Jemison. "but I consider them both to be expressions of the boundless creativity that people have to share with one another. Jemison resigned from NASA in March 1993. "I left NASA because I'm very interested in how social sciences interact with technologies," says Jemison.

In 1994, Jemison founded the Dorothy Jemison Foundation for Excellence and named the foundation in honor of her mother. " One of the projects of Jemison's foundation is The Earth We Share (TEWS), an international science camp where students, ages 12 to 16, work to solve current global problems, like "How Many People Can the Earth Hold" and "Predict the Hot Public Stocks of The Year 2030.

In 1999, Jemison founded BioSentient Corp and has been working to develop a portable device that allows mobile monitoring of the involuntary nervous system. Biosentient has obtained the license to commercialize NASA's space-age technology known as Autogenic Feedback Training Exercise (AFTE), a patented technique that uses biofeedback and autogenic therapy to allow patients to monitor and control their physiology as a possible treatment for anxiety and stress related disorders.

Jemsion sometimes appears at charity events. Jemison is an active public speaker who appears before private and public groups promoting science and technology as well as providing an inspirational and educational message for young people. "Having been an astronaut gives me a platform," says Jemison,"but I'd blow it if I just talked about the Shuttle. "Jemison uses her platform to speak out on the gap in the quality of health-care between the United States and the Third World. "Martin Luther King ... didn't just have a dream, he got things done."[

Jemison is a Professor-at-Large at Cornell University and was a professor of Environmental Studies at Dartmouth College from 1995 to 2002. Jemison continues to advocate strongly in favor of science education and getting minority students interested in science. She sees science and technology as being very much a part of society, and African-Americans as having been deeply involved in U.S. science and technology from the beginning.

Jemison participated with First Lady Michelle Obama in a forum for promising girls in the Washington, D.C. public schools in March 2009. Source:Wikipedia.com
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Divine Women of Our Time is a series to remind us of the rich culture we come from and to celebrate black history month. I will profile strong women that have been apart of building a culture, paving ways for those after them and who have made a memorable impact within their industry. These women were not only leaders, but they were role models for many people at an appointed time. Most of these women are still with us thankfully. Rightfully so, I want to celebrate them while they are here and can understand that there relevance is appreciated as apart of our rich history.

The Romance Challenge Day 10

Today is the last day of The Romance Challenge Tips but not the last day of the challenge for you at home. I consolidated 28 tips into 10 days of post, now you still have the rest of the month to enhance your relationship with your mate. Those of you who are participating I hope that your relationship is in a better place before you started the challenge and I wish you continued success in your relationships.

Tips 25-28

• Public Indecency: Your backyard, deck or patio is outdoors but it’s your property. Get a little risky and see what you and mother-nature can come up with.

• On Demand: Expand your horizons and order a flick, yea that’s right a porno I’m not a fan personally, but for many people this is a way to learn some new tricks.

• Mother of Pearl: Pearls can do amazing things, get some and let your imagination run wild.

• Show Your Love: Sometimes we allow love to be an action word and while that works for some people others need to hear it. Express your love often as possible, let your mate know that you love them through your physical actions just as much as your verbal ones.

As of today you would have recieved 28 tips from me on how to increase the romance and intimacy in your relationship. I’ve laid the foundation now the rest is up to you. Don’t be afraid to mix things up, it will all pay off in the end. Happy Valentines Day!

aakofii THE JEWELRY DESIGNER & JimiKing Trunk Show

The Obamas Cover Essence

"Malia will tell you, my attitude was, if she came home with a B, that's not good enough because there's no reason why she can't get an A..." --President Barack Obama, ESSENCE

ESSENCE kicks off the first of its three-part education series, "Teaching Our Children," with a White House exclusive--an interview with President Barack Obama. In his first interview of 2010, he talks tough with ESSENCE editor-in-chief Angela Burt-Murray, Deputy Editor Tatsha Robertson and Washington Correspondent Cynthia Gordy about holding teachers accountable, closing the education gap between Black and White students, how he and First Lady Michelle Obama encourage daughters Malia and Sasha to love learning, and how you can do the same with your own children. Source:www.essence.com

The Romance Challenge Day 9

Tips 22-24
• Let’s Go Shopping: Go lingerie/lounge shopping together and pick out an outfit for each other. It's not about what you like for yourself it's about what they want to see you in, and vice-versa. Go with the flow get out of your comfort zone, whats more risky than being naked? 

• Blind Play: Use a soft or silk scarf to blindfold your mate while you tickle there fancy, if they will let you tie up there hands to. The sense are extra stimulated when the sense of sight and touch is removed at the same time.

• Oh My Baby Oil: Instead of turning on the water in the bath tonight or after the bath water is out, whip out the baby oil, pour and rub it all over your bodies while in the tub. I'll leave what happens after that up to you.  Be careful when getting out of the tub, but especially careful the morning after. Wash the bathtub out if you can remember before the next use.(non slip bath mat recommended)

Read More from The Romance Challenge Here. Friday is the last days of tips, I hope you have enjoyed the series as much as I have enjoyed sharing with you.

Divine Women Of Our Time: Susan Taylor

Susan Taylor was born in New York in 1946. In her early twenties, the young entrepreneur started Nequai Cosmetics, one of the first companies to create beauty products for African American women. Although her product line was well received in African American communities and in the Caribbean, Taylor was interested in expanding her career. She heard that Essence, a fledgling publication catering to African American women, was looking for a beauty editor. Taylor approached editor-in-chief Ed Lewis for the position and was hired in 1970.

Although Taylor had never attended college, she was a licensed cosmetologist who understood the specific needs and concerns of black women. Her monthly articles were popular with African American females who were historically undervalued and underrepresented by media companies. Taylor soon became responsible for fashion as well as beauty, and in 1981 she was promoted to editor-in-chief, a post she held until July 2000.

Under Susan's expert guidance, Essence experienced phenomenal growth. Its monthly readership soared to more than 5 million, reaching black women all over the world. Capturing the hearts of Essence readers was Susan's monthly column, "In the Spirit," which addressed themes such as family, faith, self-esteem and health. Her motivational features culminated in the popular books, In the Spirit: The Inspirational Writings of Susan L. Taylor and Lessons In Living. She also authored a third book with her husband, Khepra Burns, Confirmations: The Spiritual Wisdom That Has Shaped Our Lives. Taylor also became a popular speaker on the lecture circuit.

In March 1986, Taylor was elected vice president of Essence Communication, Inc. and became senior vice president in 1993. She was the host and executive producer of Essence, the country's first nationally syndicated African-oriented magazine television show, the Essence Awards show and the Essence Music Festival.

In 1993 Taylor collected a number of these essays and new ones for her book, In the Spirit: The Inspirational Writings of Susan L. Taylor. "In the Spirit is a deeply personal book," Taylor wrote in the preface. "It's about my healing and yours. It contains the seeds I want to plant in our hearts and within our universal garden so that we can uplift our people and ease the suffering in our world." Publishers Weekly commended the book, particularly the author's style, warmth, and generosity in revealing herself. Library Journal highly recommended it, noting that it was written "first of all for black women," yet still "appeals to common humanity while encouraging transcendence." In the Spirit became a national best-seller.

Although she recently stepped down from her duties as editor-in-chief, Taylor remains the chief editorial executive responsible for the overall vision, articles and images of the publication. She also maintains a high profile in the community, where she is a staunch advocate for the nation's poor. Taylor is an avid supporter of Edwin Gould Services for Children, a foster-care agency, and serves on the advisory board for Aid to Imprisoned Mothers. Many recognize her tireless work and charitable contributions. Mission Society. Source: Thehistorymakers.com answers.com
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Divine Women of Our Time is a series to remind us of the rich culture we come from and to celebrate black history month. I will profile strong women that have been apart of building a culture, paving ways for those after them and who have made a memorable impact within their industry. These women were not only leaders, but they were role models for many people at an appointed time. Most of these women are still with us thankfully. Rightfully so, I want to celebrate them while they are here and can understand that there relevance is appreciated as apart of our rich history.

The Romance Challenge Day 8

Tips 19-21

• For-Play: Bring out the games and turn game night into the main night. Weather its strip poker, roll the dice, hide & go seek or put a new spin on your favorites, this might be a game you won’t mind loosing.
• Routine No More: Switch up your schedule and surprise your mate with a mid day rendezvous’ or offer yourself as soon as they walk through the door, nightime nookie is a dessert and not the main course anymore.

• Lights Costume Action: Using items around the house, seduce your mate through role playing. Costumes, wigs, aprons anything you can think of to get you in character for the role of a lifetime. Most adult novelty store sell costumes or you can always try party city for cheap accessories you can dress up with.

Read More from The Romance Challenge Here