I had to pause for a moment...

...and say how beautiful the weather is in B-more today. For the first time in a few weeks, I walked to my car without becoming drenched in sweat the moment I walked out the door.

It was a beautiful 72 degrees with a gentle wind, bright and sunny. Yes, this is the type of day my picturesque vacation is made of. Because of the rain the night before, (uh, scratch that, it was more like a torrential rain storm) my allergies weren't bothering me at all.

I felt the need to run away and do something fun. I so wish I didn't have to work today.

What would you be doing today if you weren't working???

Music flashback - "Don't Be Afraid"

Listening to my iPod this morning, my random play came across this '90s gem, Aaron Hall's "Don't Be Afraid". Originally on the Juice soundtrack, there were so many versions of this song, I have totally forgotten which is truly the original, the one on the soundtrack or the one on his album. There was certainly a range of versions. Fast tempo ones for the club, a slow version for the bedroom.

I wasn't really an Aaron Hall fan, especially after he left the group Guy. His solo efforts were so-so for me. Not terrible albums, just not albums that I would be playing 10 years later. And I didn't find him as attractive as so many other women. Blasphemy, I know. I just thought he was nasty. He was the "nasty man" after all. But he ain't got nothing on the music coming out these days. Male singers these days don't merely suggest what they want, they find the most raunchiest way to say it.

Anyway, I found a couple of versions of the song on YouTube and wanted to share. Enjoy!


Nasty Man's Groove Version



Jazz You Up Remix



Slow version from the album

Family friendly...sex toy store???

A family friendly sex toy store? The idea is to take the sleaze out of the sex industry. This store in particular apparently blends into the neighborhood. There are no over the top sexual images, no big banner signs advertising "XXX videos here" like most places. But, of course, there are people in the neighborhood who have a problem with it, even though you would probably not know what the store sold just from looking at the outside.

And the inside, from the video I saw, was very tastefully done. It seems to take away some of the embarrassment most people feel when entering a sex toy shop.

Here's more of the story.