Talk about something absolutely crazy!
If you read about the crazy incident at Pinetree last year, you are in luck. The Capital Gazette reached out to us and did an article, which was picked up on the NBC wire. Eddie and I was fortunate enough to tell our story and just finished a podcast with Sarah Fraser.
Check out the link below and give us your feedback :)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Du0BRXr8i48
Saturday, May 23, 2020
CoVid-19 Musings
Hey there!
Just wanted to give you and the universe some love and tell you about little ol' me.
The year is 2020, also known as the Twilight Zone. We have a reality star as president and most of the country is under a stay-at-home order.
My dream: Having a home to call my own, working on my coursework and my business, traveling to locations where my boyfriend and I can be nudists.
The Reality:
The only thing that went 'okay' is the fact that I completed the semester. Only one more semester to go for my Associates degree is Hospitality Management. MY son is slated to graduate in December as well, but that may change to May 2021. My boyfriend is right by my side, and I appreciate that.
All of my hustles have practically came to a standstill. My wonderful dream job came to a screeching halt in April. I tried to file for unemployment in my current state (MD) and that was a bust. Since I haven't worked for more than 18 months in the state of Maryland, I am unable to claim unemployment. So I go to Virginia, my last resident state. Although I worked in the state for more than 18 months, I am unable to draw unemployment there either. However, I was employed for all of the 2019 year with the exception of 6 weeks. I can't get anything from either state.
Yeah, you can't make this stuff up.
As a last resort, I tried to get a small SBA loan for my event management and photography business. Unfortunately, I didn't get far with that either. Because I did not have a legitimate business loan through a bank, I couldn't even qualify. I know of other business owners that fall into this situation as well. We are all shut out.
I believe in words have power, and what you put into the universe is what you will receive from the universe.
I pray that all of us survive and thrive once again.
Namaste.
Thursday, November 28, 2019
Giving Thanks
This is something I normally write in my personal journal than online. So please bear with me.
One year ago, I had made up my mind. I wanted to host my very first Friendsgiving in my forever home. Things did not work out as planned, but I am still thankful. I am thankful for the following things:
My family:
My son is taking big steps in his life. He is in Masters' Program and I couldn’t be any happier. My sisters, although they mean well, will annoy my soul every chance they get. I thank my aunties and my mom for teaching me about hard work. (Yeah, I was paying attention.)
My tribe:
I am thankful and grateful for my hunny bunny, Ambassador Eddie and the cast of characters that makes up my tribe. From all the people that I have met in my walk, I learn from each one of you and I hope that I have made a positive impact.
My business crew:
From the people that I've met through my 13 years at the PTO, My WOTR crew, to my event management crew, Miss Connie, and to all the others that have supported me and all of my business ventures all these years. You are the ones that keep me going.
My life has been blessed with knowledge and overcoming the fears of life. I am thankful for a new job, a new look on love, and the pursuit of happiness. I’ve had some failures along the way, but I am still here.
I am thankful, humble, and still on the grind.
Tuesday, November 12, 2019
Putting this into the universe
As I juggle school, work, and other business items, I reflect back on the first time I thought about my adult life as a businesswoman.
Ever since I was in junior high school, I always wanted to become an entrepreneur.
I remember being a part of the Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA), and running the school store at Hine Junior High School in Washington, DC.
I recall turning in a paper telling my teacher how I wanted to "run my business".
I wanted to live and work out of a warehouse. The place needed to have at least 3 floors. The first floor I wanted to have a club called Erotic City. At the time, my favorite movies were Purple Rain and The Last Dragon, and wanted to pattern the club after the clubs in those movies (First Avenue and 7th Heaven, respectively). I wanted to create a location for the youth in the DC area to have a safe space to showcase their musical talents. The second floor was for my "creative space". This would be my photography studio, my corporate offices, an open gallery area for anyone to rent, and a commercial kitchen for caterers to use or to rent. I wanted the kitchen specifically for my mom, who likes to bake and would help out others with catering. The top floor was my "fortress of solitude", my actual home where I reside.
When my teacher asked me how I was going to fund this multiple streams of income, I told her that it would be from my job as an Artist and Repertoire (A&R) representative for either MCA, Epic, or Motown.
Of course, I didn't make it into the music industry, much less become an A&R rep. I stopped playing piano at the age of 20.
However, I still have the dream of being an entrepreneur, so I grind, and I hustle.
Ever since I was in junior high school, I always wanted to become an entrepreneur.
I remember being a part of the Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA), and running the school store at Hine Junior High School in Washington, DC.
I recall turning in a paper telling my teacher how I wanted to "run my business".
I wanted to live and work out of a warehouse. The place needed to have at least 3 floors. The first floor I wanted to have a club called Erotic City. At the time, my favorite movies were Purple Rain and The Last Dragon, and wanted to pattern the club after the clubs in those movies (First Avenue and 7th Heaven, respectively). I wanted to create a location for the youth in the DC area to have a safe space to showcase their musical talents. The second floor was for my "creative space". This would be my photography studio, my corporate offices, an open gallery area for anyone to rent, and a commercial kitchen for caterers to use or to rent. I wanted the kitchen specifically for my mom, who likes to bake and would help out others with catering. The top floor was my "fortress of solitude", my actual home where I reside.
When my teacher asked me how I was going to fund this multiple streams of income, I told her that it would be from my job as an Artist and Repertoire (A&R) representative for either MCA, Epic, or Motown.
Of course, I didn't make it into the music industry, much less become an A&R rep. I stopped playing piano at the age of 20.
However, I still have the dream of being an entrepreneur, so I grind, and I hustle.
Wednesday, November 6, 2019
My Adventure to PineTree
I know I haven't blogged in a while, and I truly thought this was posted to the general public and not on Facebook.
My boyfriend and I are nudists. So we are always looking for locations that we can do a day trip without busting the budget. In Maryland, there are 2 locations, Maryland Health Society (MaHeSo) and Pinetree. Just read about my experience at Pinetree below.
Here is my take on Pine Tree.
On their website, you have the option to either call or fill out an online form if you wanted to visit and take a tour. No one responded to the email request to visit. However, when we arrived at the gate, they immediately knew who we were.
We filled out their visitors form and gave the front desk personnel our driver’s license and AANR card. When I informed the front desk personnel that I was on my menstrual cycle, she told us that although she didn’t care, it would be at the discretion of the membership committee couple taking us on a tour. When the membership committee couple came in, I immediately informed them of my situation, and asked could I keep on my bottoms. The male half of the membership committee couple said it was either take off the bottoms or come back another day. The tone that he used was very abrasive. The female half of the membership committee couple never responded to me. I obliged by going back to the car and taking my bottoms off.
While on the tour, the membership committee couple gave us a history of the place. The male member of the membership committee couple made it a point to say that we can “work off” a portion of the yearly fee by “gardening” or cleaning up the property. When Eddie informed them that he didn’t know anything about gardening and were tech-savvy, the male member stated “once you join then we can find something for you to do.” *insert side eye glance*
The membership committee couple did not show us the entire resort. They only showed us the common areas and the campground. Their campground area is way smaller than Sunnyrest Resort’s Tent City area.
When the membership committee couple showed us the community board members, we noticed there was no black people, and all was well over the age of 65. There is absolutely NO DIVERSITY here! So, these people are looking at us as a tool to get more of “us” to come and join.
When we told the membership committee couple that we were AANR members, they looked at us like “fuck”. When we asked about AANR related discounts, they nicely informed us that our fee is reduced "even more" when:
o Another couple joins the resort or
The fees to join is $1,477.00 per year. PER. YEAR. This includes the amenities, a keycard to access the area, and some other lame shyt. This sounded like a sales pitch that they give for a timeshare.
Side Note: There is a discriminatory practice against single males. However, Pine Tree does welcome lesbian couples. Their rationale is that they want to keep the ratio of women to men level. So if I wanted to invite a gay male couple to the resort, I better have females with me to even it all out.
After the tour, we were invited to stay for the happy hour and Independence Day cookout/pool party. There was 2 black people there outside of us. One appeared to be thankful that he was not alone, while the other acted like he was the guy with the hat on in Get Out. He was from Temple Hills. He had no problem talking to Eddie individually, but was too scared to talk to the both of us freely.
Most people held what I call social chatter (hi, how are you? Where are you from?, etc) with us. When Eddie mentioned that he was a retired Navy veteran, most people began chatting with him like they were old buddies catching up with each other.
A few ladies chatted me up and told me how nice the place was and they needed more ‘diversity’ there. They asked how long we been a couple.
One older gentleman very nicely told us “once you come inside the gates, you have stepped back in time 30 years". That is when he proceeded to tell us that they’re old-fashioned. The membership committee just approved body piercing a couple of years ago. Mind you, the pamphlets still state “No genital jewelry is to be worn on Pine Tree grounds”. Other people assumed that we were visiting from somewhere else. When we told them that we were local, they were like 'OK, hmmm'.
We ran into the couple that updates the social media page for Pine Tree. They immediately recognized Eddie from an earlier post about Pine Tree. Because of the inclement weather, the social media couple offered to allow us to stay in their cabin until the storm passed. We informed the social media couple that we were not shown this area of the property when we were on our tour. The social media lady told us that they are slowly using social media to promote the resort and asked us if we could help them out by telling folks about Pine Tree. Eddie told them that he was an elite Yelp reviewer and that he would write the review for them.
Would I go back? Only if Sunny Rest and Gunnison Beach was inaccessible and was too broke to go anywhere else.
Would I recommend BNA to hold an event there? Nah fam! I like y'all a little bit too much to subject you to the real life edition of Get Out.
My boyfriend and I are nudists. So we are always looking for locations that we can do a day trip without busting the budget. In Maryland, there are 2 locations, Maryland Health Society (MaHeSo) and Pinetree. Just read about my experience at Pinetree below.
Here is my take on Pine Tree.
On their website, you have the option to either call or fill out an online form if you wanted to visit and take a tour. No one responded to the email request to visit. However, when we arrived at the gate, they immediately knew who we were.
We filled out their visitors form and gave the front desk personnel our driver’s license and AANR card. When I informed the front desk personnel that I was on my menstrual cycle, she told us that although she didn’t care, it would be at the discretion of the membership committee couple taking us on a tour. When the membership committee couple came in, I immediately informed them of my situation, and asked could I keep on my bottoms. The male half of the membership committee couple said it was either take off the bottoms or come back another day. The tone that he used was very abrasive. The female half of the membership committee couple never responded to me. I obliged by going back to the car and taking my bottoms off.
While on the tour, the membership committee couple gave us a history of the place. The male member of the membership committee couple made it a point to say that we can “work off” a portion of the yearly fee by “gardening” or cleaning up the property. When Eddie informed them that he didn’t know anything about gardening and were tech-savvy, the male member stated “once you join then we can find something for you to do.” *insert side eye glance*
The membership committee couple did not show us the entire resort. They only showed us the common areas and the campground. Their campground area is way smaller than Sunnyrest Resort’s Tent City area.
When the membership committee couple showed us the community board members, we noticed there was no black people, and all was well over the age of 65. There is absolutely NO DIVERSITY here! So, these people are looking at us as a tool to get more of “us” to come and join.
When we told the membership committee couple that we were AANR members, they looked at us like “fuck”. When we asked about AANR related discounts, they nicely informed us that our fee is reduced "even more" when:
o Another couple joins the resort or
o ”Work off” some of the dues by beautifying the property. *insert side eye*
 |
| No, no, no, no, no……. |
The only “incentive” that was shown to us was that we were in-state. Even that did not bring down the fee.
The fees to join is $1,477.00 per year. PER. YEAR. This includes the amenities, a keycard to access the area, and some other lame shyt. This sounded like a sales pitch that they give for a timeshare.
Side Note: There is a discriminatory practice against single males. However, Pine Tree does welcome lesbian couples. Their rationale is that they want to keep the ratio of women to men level. So if I wanted to invite a gay male couple to the resort, I better have females with me to even it all out.
After the tour, we were invited to stay for the happy hour and Independence Day cookout/pool party. There was 2 black people there outside of us. One appeared to be thankful that he was not alone, while the other acted like he was the guy with the hat on in Get Out. He was from Temple Hills. He had no problem talking to Eddie individually, but was too scared to talk to the both of us freely.
Most people held what I call social chatter (hi, how are you? Where are you from?, etc) with us. When Eddie mentioned that he was a retired Navy veteran, most people began chatting with him like they were old buddies catching up with each other.
A few ladies chatted me up and told me how nice the place was and they needed more ‘diversity’ there. They asked how long we been a couple.
One older gentleman very nicely told us “once you come inside the gates, you have stepped back in time 30 years". That is when he proceeded to tell us that they’re old-fashioned. The membership committee just approved body piercing a couple of years ago. Mind you, the pamphlets still state “No genital jewelry is to be worn on Pine Tree grounds”. Other people assumed that we were visiting from somewhere else. When we told them that we were local, they were like 'OK, hmmm'.
We ran into the couple that updates the social media page for Pine Tree. They immediately recognized Eddie from an earlier post about Pine Tree. Because of the inclement weather, the social media couple offered to allow us to stay in their cabin until the storm passed. We informed the social media couple that we were not shown this area of the property when we were on our tour. The social media lady told us that they are slowly using social media to promote the resort and asked us if we could help them out by telling folks about Pine Tree. Eddie told them that he was an elite Yelp reviewer and that he would write the review for them.
Would I go back? Only if Sunny Rest and Gunnison Beach was inaccessible and was too broke to go anywhere else.
Would I recommend BNA to hold an event there? Nah fam! I like y'all a little bit too much to subject you to the real life edition of Get Out.
Thursday, December 15, 2011
Stars Girl
You know I am listening to the song by Tank called "Stars Girl". He talks about how he ran into a chick that chose to live the life of being a groupie. Here is an excerpt of the lyrics...
Don't act like you ain't seen the videos
Don't act like you ain’t heard the songs
Don't act like you change, you ain't different hoe
Motives still all wrong
Don't act like you ain’t heard the songs
Don't act like you change, you ain't different hoe
Motives still all wrong
Always felt attracted to the paper
Attracted to the goons....the hustlers and the shakers
Rappers couple singers....some Dodgers and some Lakers
Yeah, everybody knows you by name
You're a stars girl
You go with a few but you're good at what you do
You’re a stars girl
Always on the scene different camera every week
You’re a stars girl, yeah
And I can't front on how you look
The way you work it got me shook as a stars girl...stars girl
You fine girl...not a wife girl...but a stars girl
I had to rewind it a couple of times just to make sure. The last line got me..not a wife girl but a stars girl.
There are women out there that made their name in that manner (eg. Karrine Steffans..lying ho). They began running with the crowd that allowed them to become popular and famous because they are on the arm of a baller. At the same time, they are comfortable with being someone's ho for a few minutes until they find someone better. But in the end, she will not be someone's wife, but just a ho to the stars.
I'm sorry. I would rather be a wife girl any day than a stars girl.
Thursday, December 1, 2011
How many do you have left?
In the song “The 12 days of Christmas”, take the number of lords a-leaping minus the geese a-laying. How many do you have left?
a. 5 golden rings, but gave one away
b. 4 calling birds
c. 3 French hens and a partridge in a pear tree
d. 4 lords that didn’t get geese for dinner
Answer:
Now how many of you actually sung the song to figure out the numbers?
There are 10 lords a-leaping and 6 geese a-laying, so 10-6=4
Ok, I made this into a trick question. Ladies and Gentlemen, all answers are correct!
Monday, November 28, 2011
Had to vent
People apparently like to be bold whenever they get a chance. A blog that i posted years ago still sees the time of day. I had to tell these idiots to stop acting like little bitches and put his or her ass, well their names, on my page.
Thursday, October 13, 2011
just my 1 cent regarding my busted vacation....(explicit)
Yeah I didn't go to the beautiful island of Jamaica. But, in a way, I am sooooo freaking glad that I did not go. I swear with my evil temperament, I would have been sitting in a Jamaican jail cell singing spirituals. Why you ask!?!? All because Black people wants to show the salty, bitter, bitchassnigger (write it down, new word lol) inside of them. Like Chris Rock said, I don't mind dealing with black folks, but I hate niggas!
How are you going to demand the names of the people that was in my group so that you can tell them to "get off my resort". The last time I checked, YOU DON'T OWN THE DAMN RESORT! They paid their money just like everyone else, including your stupid asses, to be on the resort. We had our own 'reindeer games' going on, so we didn't need to roll with you all. If I would have been there, I would have been drooling over the 2011 Mr. Caribbean Competition anyway. By the way, be glad that you did not say to me "stop eating my food" when we were at the buffet line. Your simple minded ass would have been a part of the damn buffet spread.
(whooosahhhh, had to get that off my chest)
How are you going to demand the names of the people that was in my group so that you can tell them to "get off my resort". The last time I checked, YOU DON'T OWN THE DAMN RESORT! They paid their money just like everyone else, including your stupid asses, to be on the resort. We had our own 'reindeer games' going on, so we didn't need to roll with you all. If I would have been there, I would have been drooling over the 2011 Mr. Caribbean Competition anyway. By the way, be glad that you did not say to me "stop eating my food" when we were at the buffet line. Your simple minded ass would have been a part of the damn buffet spread.
(whooosahhhh, had to get that off my chest)
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
DID YOU GET MAD?
DID YOU GET MAD?
After The 8 Years Of The Bush/Cheney Disaster, Now You Get Mad?
You didn't get mad when the Supreme Court stopped a legal recount and appointed a President.
...
You didn't get mad when Cheney allowed Energy company officials to dictate Energy policy and push us to invade Iraq .
You didn't get mad when a covert CIA operative got ousted.
You didn't get mad when the Patriot Act got passed.
You didn't get mad when we illegally invaded a country that posed no threat to us.
You didn't get mad when we spent over 800 billion (and counting) on said illegal war.
You didn't get mad when Bush borrowed more money from foreign sources than the previous 42 Presidents combined.
You didn't get mad when over 10 billion dollars in cash just disappeared in Iraq .
You didn't get mad when you found out we were torturing people.
You didn't get mad when Bush embraced trade and outsourcing policies that shipped 6 million American jobs out of the country.
You didn't get mad when the government was illegally wiretapping Americans.
You didn't get mad when we didn't catch Bin Laden.
You didn't get mad when Bush rang up 10 trillion dollars in combined budget and current account deficits.
You didn't get mad when you saw the horrible conditions at Walter Reed.
You didn't get mad when we let a major US city, New Orleans , drown.
You didn't get mad when we gave people who had more money than they could spend, the filthy rich, over a trillion dollars in tax breaks.
You didn't get mad with the worst 8 years of job creations in several decades.
You didn't get mad when over 200,000 US Citizens lost their lives because they had no health insurance.
You didn't get mad when lack of oversight and regulations from the Bush Administration caused US Citizens to lose 12 trillion dollars in investments, retirement, and home values.
You finally got mad when a black man was elected President and decided that people in America deserved the right to see a doctor if they are sick. Yes, illegal wars, lies, corruption, torture, job losses by the millions, stealing your tax dollars to make the rich richer, and the worst economic disaster since 1929 are all okay with you, but helping fellow Americans who are sick...Oh, Hell No!!
ps. This one definitely needs to be circulated just as a reminder.
After The 8 Years Of The Bush/Cheney Disaster, Now You Get Mad?
You didn't get mad when the Supreme Court stopped a legal recount and appointed a President.
...
You didn't get mad when Cheney allowed Energy company officials to dictate Energy policy and push us to invade Iraq .
You didn't get mad when a covert CIA operative got ousted.
You didn't get mad when the Patriot Act got passed.
You didn't get mad when we illegally invaded a country that posed no threat to us.
You didn't get mad when we spent over 800 billion (and counting) on said illegal war.
You didn't get mad when Bush borrowed more money from foreign sources than the previous 42 Presidents combined.
You didn't get mad when over 10 billion dollars in cash just disappeared in Iraq .
You didn't get mad when you found out we were torturing people.
You didn't get mad when Bush embraced trade and outsourcing policies that shipped 6 million American jobs out of the country.
You didn't get mad when the government was illegally wiretapping Americans.
You didn't get mad when we didn't catch Bin Laden.
You didn't get mad when Bush rang up 10 trillion dollars in combined budget and current account deficits.
You didn't get mad when you saw the horrible conditions at Walter Reed.
You didn't get mad when we let a major US city, New Orleans , drown.
You didn't get mad when we gave people who had more money than they could spend, the filthy rich, over a trillion dollars in tax breaks.
You didn't get mad with the worst 8 years of job creations in several decades.
You didn't get mad when over 200,000 US Citizens lost their lives because they had no health insurance.
You didn't get mad when lack of oversight and regulations from the Bush Administration caused US Citizens to lose 12 trillion dollars in investments, retirement, and home values.
You finally got mad when a black man was elected President and decided that people in America deserved the right to see a doctor if they are sick. Yes, illegal wars, lies, corruption, torture, job losses by the millions, stealing your tax dollars to make the rich richer, and the worst economic disaster since 1929 are all okay with you, but helping fellow Americans who are sick...Oh, Hell No!!
ps. This one definitely needs to be circulated just as a reminder.
Adrian Spruill
"Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we've been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.."
Friday, September 30, 2011
Feeling in the Moment
"Yes I'll be on my way
I Won't be back to stay
I guess I'll move along...."
All this week I have been feeling some kind of way about everything that has taken place. I have talked to my peeps and my family about the situations that has taken me this far off my path. My peeps were concerned, and they have every right to be.
"I've thrown away the blues
I'm tired of being used
I want everyone to know, I'm looking for a good time...."
Its time for me to be like the Commodores and Sail On. For those that are directly affected by this, this is what you need to know and learn from me...
"Don't follow me home nigga
Stop ringing my phone nigga
Just leave me alone, nigga
I wish you well but, right now I'm just bitter"
Storm :-)
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Turning the page....
This has been a year of drama, issues, and other various moments courtesy of Murphy's Law and other peoples karma catching me in the crosshairs. My paperwork sits in an envelope on my desk at home, ready for the check to go in it and be mailed for my LLC. My class schedule is right next to it, waiting for me to go over to PGCC and enroll. The life map, which is tacked to my board at home, shows only 5 checkmarks, where the thing should have been halfway filled.
I think it is time for me to start tweaking my 2012 calendar. I will not let the bullshit that has plagued me all this year follow me into the next.
Sunday, September 25, 2011
The Lazy Person Guide to Patents - Part Two
Part Two - Types of Applications and Filing Online
- Provisional
- Utility (also called Non-provisional)
- Design
All of the applications require the same items to be submitted. I will break them down for each section, along with the forms that are required to be filed along with the application. For additional information, you can visit the website at www.uspto.gov/patent/process/index.jsp . Here you will find a flowchart that will show you the various patents and the guide to filing that patent application. All forms are on the web site at www.uspto.gov/forms/index.jsp#patent
Provisional
Cost: $125
This application is the most basic of all applications that you can file. The documents that are required for a successful filing is below:
- Provisional Application Cover Sheet (form SB16)
- Specification (written description of your invention)
- Drawing (no photographs)
- Credit Card Authorization form (form PTO-2038)..PLEASE DO NOT FILE THIS FORM IF YOU ARE GOING TO FILE ONLINE!!!!
A provisional application gives the inventor patent pending status for one (1) calendar year. The office will not perform a search nor publish the application. To continue the patent pending status, the applicant will have to file a utility application.
Utility (Non-Provisional)
Cost: $530 online, $625 paper filing
This is the standard patent application. A patent search will be performed by the USPTO and examined for patent-ability by a examiner. The documents listed below is what you will need to file. The items in blue are what is required to file if you are filing via mail in paper form. Note that the fee is higher to file by paper.
- Utility Patent Application Transmittal (form SB05)
- Specification
- Claim (statement that claims what your invention can do)
- Abstract (150 word summary of the invention)
- Drawing (no photographs)
- Oath and Declaration of Invention (form SB01)
- Fee Transmittal (form SB17)
- Credit Card Authorization form (form PTO-2038)..PLEASE DO NOT FILE THIS FORM IF YOU ARE GOING TO FILE ONLINE!!!!
Design Application
Cost: $265
If you have designed an item, such as a building, then you will need to file a design application. This type of application protects how an item looks.
- Design Patent Application Transmittal (form SB18)
- Specification
- Claim (statement that claims what your invention can do)
- Drawing (no photographs)
- Oath and Declaration of Invention (form SB01)
- Fee Transmittal (form SB17)
- Credit Card Authorization form (form PTO-2038)..PLEASE DO NOT FILE THIS FORM IF YOU ARE GOING TO FILE ONLINE!!!!
Filing Online
You have typed up all of your documents and have saved them to you computer. If you want to file online, extra steps have to be done to your documents to ensure that they will be received properly. If you are not technically savvy, or you are not comfortable in maneuvering around your computer, just mail in your application.
1 - Convert them to PDF!
Don't say that I did not warn you! The online filing system, called EFS-Web, will only accept documents in PDF format. Now most of the forms will be in PDF format already, so you just need to make sure that they stay in that same formatting.
If you do not have Adobe Acrobat installed on your computer, then you can install Cute PDF Writer. This is a free PDF converter that acts like a printer on your computer. You can download the software from www.cutepdf.com. Once the software is installed, open the document, go to File>Print, select either Adobe PDF or CutePDF from the printer list, then click OK. It will prompt you to rename the document. Once you click OK again, it will create a PDF rendering of your document.
2 - File Naming Convention is incorrect.
This is a very common error message. If you receive this error message, then the file name (the file name that you gave the document) has incorrect characters, such as a space separating the words. For example, if you name your file "my invention.pdf", then you will need to change it to my_invention.pdf. Simple, my dear Watson.
3 - Do the Math and Pay your Fees!
Please make sure that you calculate your fees properly. I would rather for you to call in to the Electronic Business Center and ask for help than to screw up on this screen. If you do not calculate your fees properly, the system will "assume" that you do not owe fees and once you submit your documents, you will not be advanced to pay fees online. If this occurs, then you will have to fax in the Credit Card Authorization form via fax before midnight THE SAME DAY as your filing.
Contrary to popular belief, you do not have 24 hours to pay your fees. Regardless of how you file, ALL FEES ARE DUE AT THE TIME OF FILING! Once 12:00:01 hits the next day, you owe a surcharge for not following directions.
The Lazy Person Guide to Patents - Part One
Hey there!
Told you that I was going to do a blog about patents :) First I am going to give you some rules of the road. Then I am going to tell you how to file your application properly. If you have a question, or is just unsure, just drop me a line. I will be glad to answer any and all your questions. If I don't have the answer, I will point you in the right direction.
First: Before attempting to do anything, ask yourself this question, what is a patent?
A Patent is a set of exclusive rights granted by a state (national government) to an inventor or their assignee for a limited period of time in exchange for the public disclosure of an invention. This prevents third parties from taking the patent holder's intellectual property without permission and exploiting it for their own benefit during the period in which the patent is in effect.
Second: Perform a search on your patent to see if anything has been created. There are a few ways of doing a patent search. I will give you the easiest ways.
USPTO Full Text and Image Database
(patft.uspto.gov)
This will take you to the main online database at the United States Patent and Trademark Office. There you will have the option to search under issued patents or applications that are still in the process of being patented. Use distinctive keywords during your search to get the best result. (People have called into my office asking what is a keyword, or even asking me how to perform a search. If I have to tell you what a keyword is, then I will assume you have never done a research paper, or quite frankly, any paper where you had to write for English where notations are involved.). For those that looks at the screen and don't know what to do, use the second option.
Google Patents
www.google.com/patents
This website is more user friendly. When you go to the website, just type in what you are looking for. Google uses the same data base that is on the government's page, but it a neater view.
Note: The USPTO will not perform a search for you unless you have filed an application. So don't call to the USPTO and ask the agent to perform a search over the phone. Most agents will tell you to contact an attorney, who will be more than happy to perform a search for you - for a fee.
Once you have done you research, and have decided that you have a unique invention, then you can go to the next step, which is writing and submitting your patent to the United Patent and Trademark Office.
Saturday, September 17, 2011
Holding the bag
I am sitting here copying and pasting messages to people for the past hour, informing them that the trip to Jamaica has been cancelled. Why you ask? Because my 2 compadres don't want to do it. Ironically, these 2have been the ones striking demonic deals to everyone, from discounted rooms to plane tickets. I tried to keep a straight face in all of this, being as honest as I can with every one. The only thing I'm officially guilty of is telling an incorrect price. Now I feel even more responsible because I was ill-informed about every thing else that was happening. If I could turn back the hands of time, I would have told these crazy people not to go into a contract that they could not handle. As a side note, you simply cannot promise a free room and airplane tickets to everybody.
In my first official year of business, I am having a Murphy's Law kind of year. EVERYTHING THAT CAN GO WRONG, HAS WENT HORRIBLY WRONG!!! From a botched wedding over a wedding dress, to a vacation that was cancelled due to lack of finances. I have learned my lesson twice over, and I'm trying not to make the same mistakes for a third time.
Well now I am going into hiding, so I can sort a lot of things out. If you would have asked me in January what my outlook was for this year, I would have simply said that it will be a good year. Now, with the final quarter left in the year, it has went from sugar to shit.
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
trials and tribulations
I never knew that there were so many hateful, spiteful people in the world. This time in January, I was sitting on top off the world. I had reconnected with a childhood friend, I was filing the papers for my new company, and life was full of roses. Then the fire and brimstone comes and falls all around me. I am pulled into a world complete with lies, reputations thrown into the fire, and people simply alienate themselves. As much as I try to escape, and walk away from the entire scenario, I am getting deeper and deeper, like quicksand. I have started to become withdrawn, because I don't want my personal hell to be passed on to others. I know that this insertion doesnt sound like me, but I am not in my typical me space.
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Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Monday, February 21, 2011
this and that....
Damn its been a minute since I posted something. I really need to get back on the ball. Its my version of therapy.
A sister have been a little spazzed out lately. I was on a roll with my classes and got slapped with a failing grade on one of my test. Yeah, I was a little disturbed. Thankfully, I could retest and was able to pass the second time. Now I am sitting here telling myself to take a step back and take my time. Be patient. Things will fall into place soon enough.
Then that dreaded day came around. Yeah that day called Valentine's Day. I treated myself cause no offers came up to do it for me. So I had 1" thick angus steak, shrimp, and the works for my dinner. Fixed it myself, and enjoyed it fully. Even had Coldstone for dessert (mmmmm). I had a total of 6 people to send me V-day notes. One was different, however. He actually blasted on me, telling me I should have demanded from the closest men in my life, except for my son, to be catered to my every need because I deserved it. When I told them I hold no position in no one's life to warrant that, he simply said "cut those niggas. They don't even deserve your friendship much less anything else you give them. They don't even deserve the brain cell that you have given them. You deserve a hell of a lot more. You should be number one in their life instead of a number when they need you." It was stunning for the most part, but it was true. I deserved all of that. I thanked him for the insight, but I was emotionally raw from that 7 minute phone call. I could not dwell on that, not for long. I had to push on.
Now I'm back to the grind, forgetting about the issues that I have with my male species that I have to share Earth with. I'm looking forward to hosting an event with my HSS crew in March, seeing David Tutera in Charlotte, and of course my birthday. Right now I'm looking for anything with Chococat from Hello Kitty.
Saturday, February 5, 2011
final transformation.. new career move
Well I am doing the damn thing!
Right now I am working on getting my career on its way. I am currently taking classes to become a wedding planner. I thought that planning regular and lifestyle events was tough. There is SOOOOOOO much more to learn about wedding etiquette, planning and coordination that it boggles the mind. It is definitely keeping me focused on my ultimate goal and my mind busy.
Right now I am working on getting my career on its way. I am currently taking classes to become a wedding planner. I thought that planning regular and lifestyle events was tough. There is SOOOOOOO much more to learn about wedding etiquette, planning and coordination that it boggles the mind. It is definitely keeping me focused on my ultimate goal and my mind busy.
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Sunday, January 9, 2011
2011....new year, same haters
Well 2011 is already off to a good start. I have connected with childhood friends, made connections, reminding myself that there is someone out there that deserves my time and attention, and is creating a foundation for my new career.
Why is the same damn bitches that hated me in 2010 is STILL hating on me in the new year??? I mean really, can y'all concentrate on somebody else? Then again, you are my biggest fans. You are the only ones that seem to keep my name in your mouth. I have never said a bad thing about you, welcomed you into my house, allowed you to get lifted, gave you money when you needed it, and yet I am the scum of the earth. You won't talk about that, will you? In the end, I treated you like a human and you took that as sign of weakness.
This year, while I am still doing me, still making connections, still going about my business, I am going to be the better woman. I will still stay hello, I will still invite you over for drinks, and still treat you like a human. Go runtellthat!!!
Why is the same damn bitches that hated me in 2010 is STILL hating on me in the new year??? I mean really, can y'all concentrate on somebody else? Then again, you are my biggest fans. You are the only ones that seem to keep my name in your mouth. I have never said a bad thing about you, welcomed you into my house, allowed you to get lifted, gave you money when you needed it, and yet I am the scum of the earth. You won't talk about that, will you? In the end, I treated you like a human and you took that as sign of weakness.
This year, while I am still doing me, still making connections, still going about my business, I am going to be the better woman. I will still stay hello, I will still invite you over for drinks, and still treat you like a human. Go runtellthat!!!
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