Snazzy Shopping Finds

I shop rarely. I work often. When I shop, I want to share cool finds.

In the past week and a half, I found some of the cutest things and I had to share.

Nothing cost more than $10.

Magnetic leather pen holder from Heyrtz Laptop Bags, $7.99

It's a two pack sold on Amazon. They both live on  refrigerators - one in the kitchen, the other on the mini-fridge by my desk. These make it SO handy to grab a pen for writing down grocery items. I found a 10% off coupon on Dealspotr.

Football bowls, shaped like a football from the Dollar Tree that just opened up next to Casady Square. For real, these adorable bowls were $1 for a pair.

But wait. Because they had all this football themed stuff and I picked up this wastebasket, too. Yes, I am a grown woman, but one who LOVES football. I mean, I sleep in a football jersey, so this has my heart. It cost a whole $1. Also, from the Dollar Tree.

I am eating my popcorn out of this popcorn tub while watching "Friday Night Lights." (Man, that show really holds up.) It was another Dollar Tree find. $1.

I know. I sound like I moved into DT. I went in for washi tape because if you scrapbook, that IS the place for washi. You get a pack of five for a buck. That is a bargain.

The frosted candle holders came from the Dollar General about a block from 1492. I went in for detergent and damn if I didn't walk out with these two frosted glass candle holders. $2 each.

This is what happens when you wander the aisles instead of just zipping to the thing you went in to get. I promise, if I see Coach on sale, I will report it here.  Same with Land's End. In the meantime, explore the unknown. Okay, explore dime stores and Amazon. You can find awesometastic little things. And the little things mean a lot.

Outdated White Knights - Here`s 12 Steps to Dating a Career Bitch

The concept of a knight in shining armor is far outdated. In today’s world, a career woman like myself typically looks for a sane, really hard-working, successful guy who has his shit together, nice eyes and a nice ass. A guy who will respect her career, be morally supportive of it and actually also make time for a real life, real world relationship.

Because dates and sex matter.

Reality only bites if you do not have your shit together.

I look at basics that let me know if a guy is genuinely worth my time.

1. He has a successful career and works – a lot. That is so I never have to listen to crap like “Are you done yet?” “When will you be ready to go to bed?” “What do you mean dinner is not ready?” See, a successful dude is WORKING. He does not care whether dinner is ready because he picked it up from an Italian restaurant to feed himself at his desk while he worked late, too. He also does not have the stupid, outdated idea that the woman should cook. My cousin Derald is the chef of their household.

2. He loves football and hates computer games and shit like WoW. Wow, I find that computer and gaming system crap BORING. I love FOOTBALL so much that I sleep in an XFL Renegades jersey, have the ESPN, NFL, XFL and Tune In Premium apps because I only miss a game when someone is paying me to do so by either having hired me for PR, consulting or I have a book deadline. He would be the kind of guy who would road trip to games with me like my guy friends Danny, Loy and Zahid did for YEARS. I was the only girl on the trips and I fucking liked it that way.

3. Oh yes, he is deadline driven. I never have to hear drivel from him. He would understand that I have SHIT to do. Major to dos to do. And my so-called knight in shining armor would GET THAT. He would shut up and work. No excuses, as my fav football coach would say.

4. He talks to me IN PERSON, FACE-TO-FACE. Sane people do that, you see. That is how one DATES. The ONLY reason I would EVER have to take time off from running my two businesses and writing books would be to go on an actual date to a nice restaurant like 1492 which is a few blocks from my home in the city. Dating is how you get to know one another. It is how you figure out if you want to have sex with the person, if they could conceivably make it through a fundraiser at the Met without embarrassing you, what their butt looks like in a suit, whether they can carry on a decent conversation, who their favorite football teams are, their favorite coaches, if they actually watch the games and know strategy. (I mean, if a fucker does not know why you should throw into the sidelines if your route is blocked and they are okay with the QB messing up and throwing straight down field, they are NOT the GUY for me. At all. Also, if their knowledge of sports comes from EA or Fantasy Football, it is a no.)

5. He would have to be un-offended by the time he reached this point. He also needs to not fucking care that I curse. Just when it is me talking as myself. When I present weather research, I am all business. When I represent a public relations client, I am all business. When I am around the house, I sit like a guy, wear sweats and curse like a sailor. You think I am kidding. See the football jersey photo.

6. He will ONLY contact me according to MY choices of contact – telephone, texting, email, Twitter, Facebook, Linked In and Instagram. (Okay, this applies to EVERY person.) He would do it himself. I balk if a guy has his secretary or one of our friends or his family member, etc. pass me along a message. We are not in fourth grade and I would be dating HIM. Not his mama, not his buddy, not his personal assistant. If he is unable to take the 20 seconds required to text me, there is no hope for a relationship. I appreciate one-on-one interaction. It would be him sitting across from me at the dinner table and only him I would have sex with, so I expect that EVERYTHING else would be PRIVATE between JUST the two of us as well. I am fine with posting a selfie of myself with a guy, but I am a big fan of having complete control of my private life, so I decide what to share. I would never give my sister or friend a message to give to someone. I expect the same respect.

7. That last word is the biggest thing. It is the most important. I give R-E-S-P-E-C-T to the guy I am with and damn, I expect the same thing from the guy. If he cannot respect the rules of even getting to know me, how the hell could I ever expect him to respect me as a person? My careers? My deadlines? My needs?

8. He pays for himself. I pay for me. I have supported myself since I was 18 years old. I am proud to say I am 51 now. (Oh, and that pic is undoctored and taken two days ago.) My parents had separate bank accounts. They had a joint bill paying account. They traded off who picked and paid for the car once they whittled it down to having one. He will live nicely because I do and I am not paying for someone else. I do not expect him to pay for me.

9. He can have quirks like wanting to do it on the 50-yard line, but I draw the line at egregious shit like lettering or numbering people (jersey numbers excepted). I also grant an exception to my great-grandparents who got away with naming my poor great aunt Tina “Fifteenus” which she legally changed to Tina at 18. I kinda get that, sweet lady.

10. He must accept that I go some odd places for weather research. (My NCAR WAS*IS profile.)  I mean they can

get outright scary. He will not be able to go to unless he does the same thing for a living and I do not want to date another researcher. EVER. Just realize when I say on the phone that I have to go chase tweakers out my forest so they do not knock over my rain gauges, I am being literal. I usually carry a butcher knife to do so. Also, if I say I have to get back to someone because I am knee-deep in mud on the side of a mountain by a lake in a forest, realize that I am NOT being facetious. I am being literal. Respect that I need to wade out of said mud to high ground before a flash flood and just fuck off. (Selected research presentations.)

11. Dudes that I will date do NO DRUGS. EVER. I am clean and sober. I want a guy who is the same. You cannot be good-looking if you suffer from meth mouth or are constantly drunk. (Trust me on this. After six years of sobriety I have learned people look really ugly and stupid when they are drunk. The alcohol just makes them THINK they look cool.) I am okay with a guy who has a couple of drinks per WEEK, but if you drink every night, you are not for me. Period. No discussion. Leave me alone.

12. I am straight. Let me say that again – STRAIGHT. I expect the guy to be, too. None of this bi shit. I expect a monogamous relationship. That means just the guy I date in real life, face-to-face and me. Two people. A couple of which I am half. You really would not believe how many times I have had to explain this. I do not know WHY it so damn hard for people in the 21st century to understand. Maybe it is that I started out as a model and okay, fashion is kinda wild. I give you that. I am happy for ALL of my friends and colleagues who have found love in any format they choose, but that is totally for THEM. So, I have a fashion designer friend who is married to a guy and a girl, and the three of them live with their creative brood of kids in one house in the city. Totally cool for them. Not for me. I would want to date a straight guy who enjoys monogamy with ME.

13. Live in reality and function as a sane person. (I know I already mentioned the sanity thing, but damn, you sane fuckers seem to be in short supply.) Use your imagination at work. When it comes to us, I want serious, intelligent conversation, on the telephone and in person. My reality is awesome to me. I like it. I research. I write. I love it. If you need to live in your imagination and cannot handle reality, leave me the fuck alone. I like sane, serious-minded people who shut up, focus, concentrate and let me do the same. I do NOT role play or RPG. Avoid pretending to be someone you are not. If you use somebody famous' name, realize that I am not a dimwit and I will simply ask why you do not just message me from your verified social media. IF you really were the person you say you are, you could do that. DUH. DO NOT LIE. Lying is stupid. I have an IQ of 157 the last time it was tested. I am a smart bitch. I will report you to the poilce for being an asshole perpertrating identity theft. I will also use my access to the various publicists and artists and sports representation agencies to turn you in to them, so their clients whom you stupidly tried to fake being can SUE YOU UNTIL YOU HAVE TO DIG THROUGH GARBAGE FOR DINNER. I think of the ass who created a fake duplicate account of the actor Ray Liotta and followed my Twitter to try to hit on me. It was a well done COPY, but still was not the REAL ONE and not verified and since I have good sense, I knew that since I followed the actual verified account at the time. If you were anything like Mr. Liotta, you would be just as hot, just as sexy, just as successful, just as accomplished and you would already have your OWN *verified* ACCOUNT with which to follow people. Be yourself, but be fucking awesome because I have no free time, so you MUST be amazing in real life, in reality, for me to make any time for you. You must be the real thing. The actual person.

If you read this far, cool. Thanks. If you actually meet the criteria and think I am cute and you are not put off by a bitch who knows her own worth and adds taxes, contact me in one of the methods appropriate methods described in number six because I am exceedingly tired of idiots. Have your shit together. Do not waste people’s time. If you are an agoraphobic living in the countryside, we are never even going to speak because I love the CITY. The bigger the CITY, the better.

Someone asked me years ago why I was still single. I answered that I had yet to meet a guy who actually loves me, who I also love, and who would willing do what I consider totally basic shit like respect me, my careers and my needs. I will stay single until one amazing motherfucker comes along IN PERSON to date me, fuck and get married. Because I would MUCH RATHER BE SINGLE THAN SETTLE. Period. Now, please have the Fortnite players stop following me and the dipshits who pass messages through others fuck off and the asses who want a long-distance relationship only to fuck off. Because I refuse to let any person waste MY TIME.

Because as the fav football coach points out, I OWN my own time. I say none of you get any of it until you rise up to meet my standards. Think of this as the 12-step to being my friend, colleague, or future boyfriend. Man up. Send a friend request or go fuck a lesser bitch. A real man would not be offended at this post. He would be happy to know that a babe exists who would whip up an awesome breakfast after hot sex the night before who has books in the library and bookstores, businesses to run and would respect his own early mornings, late  nights and have balls to run the show and handle shit without blowing up his GD celly with stupidity like Ron White jokes thta his ex-wife constantly did.

If I sound pissed, I am. I am sick and tired of dumbasses and their female friends and families interrupting me living my life my way while they try to get me interested in a fucker I would NEVER date because he hasn’t the BALLS to have just followed my Facebook or Twitter and instant message me or who CLEARLY is not a guy I would ever WANT to date. Because MY OPINION is the ONLY ONE that matters - it being MY LIFE and MY BODY and MY MIND that would have to spend time with him. Maybe it is that I worked as a journalist for so long and have no problem picking up the phone to interview a total stranger, but DAMN… the Internet is free at EVERY library and email and social media are FREE. But, if you have the income of a guy I would date, that would not matter. You would not NEED shit to be free.

Still, it does mean that there Is NO EXCUSE for some ignorant bitch or ass interrupting my work constantly to chit chat to get to know me. You do not GET to get to know me unless I WANT to know YOU. Now, I have deadlines to meet and articles to write and three books due to my publisher in the next couple of months, so unless I could Google you and get pages of results and you have the BALLS to walk up, talk to me in person and DATE in person, just fuck off. And, please, have your kids do the same and your friends’ kids, etc. Because unless you meet all 12 criteria I am NOT INTERESTED. And I do not run a dating service, so I am NOT HELPING YOU or ANY OTHER PERSON find somebody. Kindly, meet all 12 criteria or fuck off. Because I have become that bitch. Goodnight.

Set Realistic Expectations for Writing Earnings

So, I had a friend who has worked as an editor in print for decades say she has a goal of $1 per word writing. Y'all, only once in a blue moon for a print publication will you get that rate for writing. If you want to write, land an agency or two and go the assignment route. You will make 2¢ to 10¢ per word. Query letters are nearly dead. Print buys very little now. If you want to make a good rate per hour, join Upwork or Freelancer.

Writing is not a get rich quick scheme. You need a degree in journalism and experience to earn well.

Many book publishers use agencies now to headhunt experienced writers. The game has changed hugely. The glut of self-taught bloggers killed rates. Be ready to sweat next to them and work long hours. Hit me up in this message or in IMs if you want to get started writing content, articles or you have book goals. I am always happy to share what worked for me because I want us all earning.

Introducing the Boxed Set of the Hip Hop and R&B Series

Hey y'all,

I don't ususally use my blog for self-promotion, but I did want to let folks know why I have been so busy the last few months and really not posting as much as I had. I was blessed to write a five book series dear to my heart - it's on music and how celebrities can change things with their public voice and philanthropical work. Each book is a biography on a popular Hip Hop or R&B artist. For those of you who have known me a really long time, you know that in the 1990s I covered entertainment and sports and politics for The Oklahoma Daily, stringing for a couple of other newspapers in the state of Oklahoma and writing for a few regional magazines. I finally got back to covering entertainment with this book series.

Preview my new book series on Hip Hop and R&B artists on Mason Crest.

My publisher, Mason Crest, has a nifty preview feature on its website that you can use to flip through the first 14 pages of each of the books in the new Hip Hop and R&B series. Oh, and I think this is so cool - you can get all five books as a "boxed set." The biographies are on:

• John Legend, 
• Lil Wayne, 
• Travis Scott,
• Nicki Minaj,
• Post Malone.

They're targeted toward 7th to 12th graders, but in a good way. Rather than trying to sell some toys or merch to an age group over-marketed to, these books look to inspire them, educate them and help them get started on their own careers in music, writing, acting or any other pursuit.

Each chapter has what the journalists know as "breakout boxes" - a special set of paragraphs that explain a topic in the main text. In this case, I got to write about political issues and history. For example, I wrote about the history of the events behind the John Legend song, "Glory." 

Every chapter has educational activities at the end of it. They encourage kids to explore the topics discussed further or to find a performing arts high school near them like the one Nicki Minaj attended or to join the local chapter of a philanthropy for which their favorite performer volunteers.

They make fun reads and the hard covers have QR codes that lead kids to more content - online. All of it is clean and appropriate for the age group. I, personally, chose each of the videos the books link to while writing the content. I skipped over any with explicit lyrics or videos. I have friends who home-school their kids due to religious reasons and although that is far from my own attitudes, I wanted to write something that they and their friends could feel comfortable using. To me, it is all about the audience. I take a far different attitude writing for adults. We deserve all the good stuff and naughty words. Kids need to be kids though.

I hope these books do the same thing that the ones like it did for me as a kid. Junior high school me, living in tiny Cottageville, SC, read the paperback version of these on Andy Gibb and KISS. Not only did it awaken an interest in music writing, it set me on a course that took me halfway across the country to attend college and establish businesses in Oklahoma. I've met a lot of interesting musicians since I began writing entertainment in 1990 and sports in 1993. (Many thanks to StubHub for giving me an outlet for that this year with its NCAA football updates.)

So, here's the link to my publisher and its nifty preview. I hope you enjoy reading these as much as I enjoyed writing them. Thank you to Mason Crest for giving me the opportunity to make a dream come true. I hope these books help another small town girl make hers come true, too.

http://www.masoncrest.com/site/index.php/thematic-biographies-50/hip-hop-r-b-culture-music-storytelling-at-2020.html

All the best,
Carlie Lawson

AirBnB: The Rise of the Micro Bed and Breakfast for Everyday Travel

You may have heard the college kids next door talking about the swank AirBnB they landed for spring break. Perhaps the new marketing exec at the office mentioned the vacation home his wife and he rented at AirBnB. Someone at the country club might have mentioned leasing their vacation home on the site. If you’re wondering what makes AirBnB so popular, or even what the heck it really is, read on.

While I was tucked away on the side of a mountain by a lake in a forest for five years doing embedded research, the world changed. A lot. When I left, my favorite actors – Ray Liotta and Tony Denison – were mostly known for movies. Starbucks still made you earn Green level. If you wanted somewhere nice to stay when you traveled, you had to shell out the money for a three-, four- or five-star hotel or you had to have a friend who was willing to put you up in their swank digs.

Fast forward to, er, now. Liotta and Denison became known for TV roles – on “Shades of Blue” and “Major Crimes” respectively. I walked into Starbucks at Green Level, but I am already more than half way to Gold because I suck down coffee like a vacuum cleaner sucks down dirt. AirBnB has made finding a cute room with a view a mouse click away rather than an art.

What the heck is an AirBnB?

The “air” in AirBnB refers to the cloud – as in virtual space. The “BnB” refers to bed and breakfast – small hotels or hostels located inside someone’s home. They dot the northeast of the US. Most bed and breakfasts are the sole business of the owner and rather massive operations with eight to ten rooms to rent. As the name suggests, they include breakfast with your stay.

The newer trend is to open a micro bed and breakfast. This type of BnB offers only one to three rooms for rent at one time. The owners may or may not live there. Some do not include breakfast but allow guests use of the kitchen to prepare their own.

AirBnB provides a central database of micro bed and breakfasts worldwide. A homeowner can register with the site and offer their rental – one room or an entire home or anywhere in between. The homeowner sets the rental price. That ranges between $10 and $1,000 per night. They also choose the level of amenities although AirBnB sets minimum standards that must be met.

What’s available?

My sole experience with a bed and breakfast before this year was having watched the old Bob Newhart TV show. That inn located in Vermont was the sum total knowledge of my BnB experience. It is actually nothing like that, rather like staying in a boutique hotel is pretty much nothing like staying at Fawlty Towers. It is not comparable to anything on TV because micro BnBs are so new. One AirBnB rental is not comparable to another – even within the same price range – because every micro BnB differs in construction, décor, owners, amenities and location.

What’s available includes everything from an RV lot you can rent on which to park or pitch a tent to whole homes in the nicest neighborhoods of a city. Any city. Pretty much any country. Anywhere.

Since my three or four day trip to Oklahoma City turned into an utter fiasco of three or four months – drug out by disastrous weather, bouts of both flu viruses – one survived by me, the others by friends whose health was required for access to my stored stuff, copious amounts of work (yippee!!!) and other very random delays, I decided to make the best of it. Sure, I held up in my favorite boutique hotel for the equivalent of a couple of months. I also devoted time to learning about and trying out AirBnB. I have stayed in three different properties now to test the waters of the service. Rather than go hog wild, as my dad would have put it, I did what I think most people would. I set a budget and stuck to central locations that provided access to the majority of the city. I used my favorite little hotel as a budget cap. It’s a three-star hotel in the central city about ten minutes from the airport. It used to be a Hilton. Then it was a Radisson. It’s cute. It’s nice. It offers everything including its own outdoor running track for a rack rate of $81 per night. Rented weekly though, you can stay there for $199 per week, plus $100 deposit. It welcomes kitty cats.

In general, my AirBnB rentals cost far less than that. They ranged the spectrum of bare bones room to opulent amenities. To give you an idea of how nice a place you can rent on a tight budget, I’ve included all three of the properties in which I stayed. I wanted to be in the city proper, preferably the northwest. I did make one exception for a home in the southeastern part of the city that had rave reviews on AirBnB. I am glad I did. It was the best of the experiences, so far. Every room I rented allows pets with no additional charge or deposit required. Yes, Silly Scamper traveled with me as my little furry research assistant, so each AirBnB rental also got her small paw of approval.

The Swank Spot in Edmond

My first stop lasted a few weeks mostly due to availability because no one rents in Edmond. A micro BnB in an upscale subdivision run by a Millennial couple offered one room for rent for $30 per night. They have since begun renting all three of the home’s bedrooms. Appointed in black, white and gray with plush carpeting and an ultra-modern kitchen, this smart home provided a cozy bed and simple furnishings. I’ve bedded down in two of its available rooms. Both offered walk-in closets with two tiers of hanging rods, plus floor-to-ceiling cube shelving. Both rooms offered a double bed dressed in well-appointed linens. Silly liked both since they were the right height for leaping onto easily and she curled up and slept with me on the bed each night. The first room listed on AirBnB features a television with a gaming system which I never used. The second room I rented there features a six drawer dresser. Room rental includes the shared full bathroom next door to the two bedrooms.

The couple who owns the place have a dog and a cat, both of whom lived there with them at the time.

They were only allowed in the common areas of the home, but the cat continually tried to finagle his way in to my room to flirt with Silly and get high on her catnip. That provided some hilarity and hijinks. There was no breakfast or other meals, or snacks provided. I purchased my own groceries and cooked in the kitchen. Laundry privileges were included in rental, so I caught up my travel wash. Exploring the neighborhood proved both fun and safe since it’s in one of the best areas of town. I discovered a tasty Thai restaurant two blocks from the home. A few doors down from it, I picked up basic groceries. A couple of full scale grocery stores were located a less than one mile walk from the home. That’s handy if you do not want to have to Uber everywhere and you are not on a road trip.

The Bare Bones Room in The Village

Okay, people, not the M. Night Shyamalan “The Village.” The Village is the slightly less uppity neighborhood next to Nichols Hills which is, essentially the Beverly Hills of OKC. So, think of The Village as Hollywood Hills, but in Oklahoma City which – like Los Angeles – is hugely and massively spread out and pieced together from a ton of smaller localities that were annexed. In fact, Oklahoma City’s bigger. It offers up 606.4 square miles from which to choose to Los Angeles’ 468.7 square miles.

The two story home in The Village boasted a balcony with my room. Bonus. It is winter, but it is Oklahoma, so there were actually a couple of days perfect for sitting on the balcony – one in the 50s, one in the 60s. The single bed had cozy blankets and a comforter. Silly mewed a bit each night because the platform bed was too high for jumping onto easily. She doesn’t like being placed on the bed because she’s a cat, therefore independent, and likes to come and go as she pleases. She slept under the bed.

The vast room rents for $20 per night. Other than the bed, it held only an oak Windsor back chair. The room featured a full size closet of its own which the homeowner had stocked with body wash, shampoo and conditioner for guests. It features three rented bedrooms in the home, two of which were held at the time by long-term renters. Both regular renters have dogs and the person the homeowner contracts cleaning to struggled to keep up with cleaning up after them. The AirBnB room remained clean though because the dogs were not allowed in it. All renters share the full bathroom on the second floor and the half bath on the first floor.

Again, laundry facilities were included. I did a load of laundry while there. Everyone also shared access
to the kitchen which may be where I picked up the flu. In homes where the homeowner does not live on the property, I learned it is more important for them to include cleaning supplies like sanitizing wipes and bleach wipes. All rooms shared the fridge space, too. I didn’t cook despite the kitchen since the presence of all the other renters did nothing to encourage my culinary creativity. There was an easy to walk to neighborhood of shops, stores and restaurants. The Aldi would have been a mile hike, but a 7/11 provided basic groceries with only a four block jaunt.

The Hidden Treasure in the Southeast Part of Town

I’m lucky to know Oklahoma City relatively well. I lived here for my senior year of high school. I also did both of my “tours of duty” as an AmeriCorps volunteer in Oklahoma City. That’s the domestic version of the Peace Corps, ya’ll. One of my two assignments was at Southeast Area Health Center (SEAHC) and my time there has lent me a decent knowledge of a much maligned area of the city. My most recent bed and breakfast is located about 14 blocks from my former AmeriCorps assignment, in the heart of Oklahoma City’s Hispanic district. When I worked at SEAHC, I got used to INS helicopters buzzing me as I walked from the bus stop to the health center. They did weekly buzzes to try to spot illegals. I also got to know a series of neighborhoods of extremely hard working, lower middle income individuals and families. While my college buddies were aghast that I schlepped between the bus stop and office each morning, I rolled my eyes. They were working on gossip and innuendo instead of actual, firsthand knowledge of the neighborhoods.

The C3 Annex and the C3 Guesthouse are both located in the heart of Hispanic Oklahoma City. They overlook one of city’s largest parks with a playground, soccer fields and an activity center. You’ll find three churches, including the massive Iglesia de Dios, within a two block walking distance. You can also walk in either of two directions and reach groceries in a couple to six blocks. The C3 stands for Craven Three – the last name of the family who own both homes. The three stands for mama, Steffie, and her two children – one daughter and one son. The C3 Annex began as her Habitat for Humanity home. In it she reared her two children alone. Her now adult children help her run the Annex and Guesthouse. Her son is the handyman and repairman. Her daughter helps clean, organize and purchase for the homes. Ms. Craven turned her home into a business, plus she rents space in her current home, as well. She decorated both over time and her love of decorating shows. You’ll feel like you are visiting New Orleans. She features a skull motif and French street name prints throughout the home. She purchased, then refinished, each furniture piece. One entire wall of the hallway stands testament to the many visitors who have benefited from her goal to provide travelers with a safe, affordable place to stay. That wall features a bulletin board full of messages from all who have stayed there – tips, hellos, encouragement.

The C3 Annex features three bedrooms for rent each going for $30 per night. They’re all well-

appointed, fully furnished, cozy and comfortable. Though I jaunted down to one of the grocery’s for goodies, you do not need to do that. Ms. Steffie provides bagels, oatmeal, popcorn, snack crackers, milk, juice, tea, coffee and hot cocoa for all who visit. All bedrooms come with access to the kitchen and laundry. Everyone gets use of the shared living room and dining room.

Silly loved the ottoman that matched the chair in our bedroom. Although the bed was as high as the one in The Village, it meant she could jump up onto the ottoman, then jump up onto the bed. I had a happy cat because she could cuddle her Meowmie as she slept. We both dug the huge closet we had to ourselves. All bedrooms shared the full bathroom. It is also stocked up with goodies you’d need while traveling – body wash, shampoo, conditioner. The complimentary Netflix subscription attached to the big screen TV in the living room rocked.

The Sum Up

Oklahoma City provides a huge array of choices on AirBnB. Some things are a given. The website requires its homeowners to provide each guest their own towel and soap. The bed has to be made with clean sheets. You’ll get a place that meets AirBnB minimum standards, no matter what. Beyond that, you can find a spot that suits basic needs to your most opulent, wildest dreams. Only your budget limits you. While researching for this blog, I have stuck to homes with extremely reasonable prices. I think that most people who travel frequently or need to travel on short notice probably need or want the reasonable price. I also only chose homes that allowed pets and offered free WiFi. WiFi is a necessity for getting work done and catching up on Liotta and Denison television appearances. I am currently working my way through both “Shades of Blue” and “Major Crimes,” after having left the world as we know it an addict to “The Closer.”

I also figured out through my extended trip to Oklahoma City that not everyone knows about AirBnB or my other new fav app – Uber. (That’s another blog.) AirBnB continues to grow though and as it does, it grows its usefulness. It recently added a “For Business” division making it easier to book for others, for groups and to process travel claims for stays on the site. Even some of my Uber drivers didn’t know how common AirBnBs had become.

So, as spring conference meeting times dawn and summer’s conventions pack your itinerary, save yourself some money. Oklahoma City provides only one example of the prevalence of micro bed and breakfasts throughout the US. You can easily find a place to stay for less than $50 per night, in many cases, for less than $30 per night. Students rejoice. You do not have to pack yourself into a hotel room like sardines in a can to afford to attend AAG, AMS, ASAA or any other alphabet soup of academia. (My friends and I had to do that. It sucks.) You can even get a meal thrown in for good measure.

AirBnB even provides you with a travel credit when you sign up through an existing member. (The link is me giving you that credit.) You get a $40 credit on your first stay of $75 or more. That means you could get a couple of free nights if you pick a cheaper place or, at the very least, one free night. You also get a $15 credit toward your first “experience,” which refers to the bike and walking tours or cooking classes, etc. the site also offers.

While AirBnB started as a spot for managing unique rentals and vacation homes, it has morphed into a business traveler’s mecca of affordable and cushy digs. Do check out the Italian villas and East coast beach houses, too, though. You could also land the perfect vacation spot. Or, use the same link to get started offering a room in your home or your whole house for rent as a micro bed and breakfast. Put it to work for yourself and others.

Carlie Lawson writes about tech, mobile and online video, entertainment, sports and fashion. She wrote for JollyJo.tv, Keysian and Movitly for a combined seven years. A former newspaper journalist, she now mostly ghost writes for her clients via her company, Powell Lawson Creatives. Invalid Inputs is her first independent, formal blog. She earned BAs in Journalism and Film & Video Studies from the University of Oklahoma. She also earned her Master of Regional & City Planning at OU. She has worked as a model since she was 17.

Uganda's "Ghetto President" Wine Similar to Che and Marley in a Way

If you read The Economist, you probably read its insightful coverage in the August 25th to 31st issue on the arrest of musician turned politician Bobi Wine. The 36-year-old Ugandan, whose real name is Robert Kyagulanyi SSentamu, committed the crime of original thought. Officially he's charged with treason. In a country bereft with bush wars where people die so young that the median age of the country's residents is 16, Wine advocates peace, freedom and employment opportunities.

He began his musical career emulating the topics of American hip hop - fast cars and hot chicks. He turned his career toward more important topics though, using it as a catalyst to support the political opposition to current Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, 74, an aging leader with little understanding of the problems faced by the majority of the country - unemployed youth wanting opportunities to earn and feed themselves and their families.

"Where is my freedom of expression? When you charge me because of my expression?" ~ Bobi Wine, lyrics from "Freedom"

Don't get fooled by statistics that claim a low rate of unemployment for the country. The majority of its 41.49 million residents engage in subsidence agriculture, meaning they grow enough food to feed themselves. According to the US Embassy, its 2013 unemployment rate was 9.4 percent, but 72 percent of its population claims agriculture as their work.

In the same year, a little more than 7.3 million of that population fell between the ages of 15 to 24. The unemployment rate for the 15 to 24-year-old age group is 83 percent. According to Ugandan Youth Statistics, 77 percent of its population is 30 years old or younger.

If you read of the government's growing fear of Wine, you're reminded of others from history who challenged the status quo of their countries. He's a bit Che and a bit Marley, openly challenging the way of thinking that force and warfare can bring order to the country, openly smoking weed and using music to spread a political message. His politics differ from both, but you can see the parallels of greater thought. Che Guevara favored overthrow of any government that amounted to an empire out of touch with its people. While he resorted to guerilla warfare, he also advocated social justice, also a Marley trait. Bob Marley filled his music with political messages and authored some of the best-known protest songs. His lyrics, "Get up, stand up! Stand up for your rights!" remind one of Wine's current situation - arrested, beaten by soldiers so that he could not walk without help when he appeared in court.

How fearful has Uganda become of its recently elected independent parliament member? It tried to assassinate him but killed his driver instead. It occurred when both he and Museveni were in Arua for a by-election. Members of the crowd threw stones at the Museveni vehicles. In the ensuing diversion, a gunman fired on Wine's vehicle, missing him but not his driver.

What subversion has Wine wrought for this? You can listen to his main anthem online. It's called "Freedom." It's banned in his home country of Uganda.

Carlie Lawson writes about tech, mobile and online video, entertainment, sports and fashion. She wrote for JollyJo.tv and Movitly for a combined seven years. A former newspaper journalist, she now mostly ghost writes for her clients via her company, Powell Lawson Creatives. Invalid Inputs is her first independent, formal blog. She earned BAs in Journalism and Film & Video Studies from the University of Oklahoma. She also earned her Master of Regional & City Planning at OU. She has worked as a model since she was 17.