° In this time in my life, this article was right on point. It's titled "How To Love." I think that I needed to see this. Because clearly I haven't gotten it right in my life. The article was a great read. ° I am not a fan of Angelina Jolie. I think she is mostly overrated as an actress, although I did love her in "Taking Lives." But, she has done something that takes incredible courage. She had a preventative double masectomy. Her story is incredible. Breast cancer is a huge issue in my life because it runs on both sides of my family. Taking the BCRA1 test is a huge deal. I have been contemplating getting the gene test done. After reading this, I thought about what I would do if it were me. And, I think I would do what Angelina did. It would save my life. Great story. ° Andriod is changing. There are so many new things coming to the Andriod system. This article talks about some of the things. Also, just read this article that states BBM, the Blackberry messenger system, is headed to Andriod and iOS systems this summer. BBM is the one thing that all BB users loved. It is a quick group messnger service. I would love this. It will be free via Google store. ° One of my favorite groups Danity Kane may be on their way back. The group was broken up by dream killer Diddy a few years back. The girls only released two cds. Both were great and I still listen to them. The word is the girls have new management. I would love for this to happen. They were a dope group. ° The first trailer for "The Best Man Holiday" (follow up to the classic "The Best Man") is here. It comes out in November. I cannot wait to see it. I loved all of the characters and the first movie. Great movie with Black actors. ° BET and Debra Lee have made another erroneous mistake. TJ Holmes' show "Don't Sleep" has been cancelled. It was a very intuitive news show that aired a few nights a week. From the tone of this article, it sems like there is bad blood between Holmes and the network. For a network that is called "Black Entertainment Television," the network has been steadily declining in its focus. There is no news coverage on the netwrok. I am sad that they did this. I really enjoyed the show. I am a fan of TJ's. I hope he lands on his feet. ° I think Zoe Saldana is a gorgeous woman. She is an ok actress. But, she has been in the news lately for all the wrong reasons. Pretty woman saying stupid things. I just want her to stop it. Oh and pick up a dictionary, por favor. ° The idiot who shot 19 people at a second line here was arrested Wednesday night. His bail is set @ $10 million. Frankly, he gets what he deserves. Asshole. ° I have been a fan of JasFly since I watched her on Jumpoff Tv on Youtube. She is now on VH1's "The Gossip Game." She wrote a very dope open letter about colorism and Black people. She talks about the divide of Black people. This whole light skin versus dark skin Black people issue is stupid. The bottom line is that we are all Black people. Great read.
° My heart is still very heavy days later . The Boston Marathon Bombing is just so sad. How cruel and evil can people be? I do not unerstand and I never will. An 8 year old child is dead. None of us should be afraid to leave our houses. This has to stop. ° Republicans are dumb and stupid. I say this with no remorse. Senate failed to pass a law to increase background checks for purchasing guns. President Obama was not happy at all with this. He looked pissed. I totally agree. What about the kids in Sandy Hook and the movie theater patrons in Aurora or the daily gun murders in the US? Do the Republicans jus not care about human life? ° Kid Rock (who I thought had stopped making music) is in the news for 2 things lately. He is on tour (why?) and his concert tickets are now $20. And for bashing the prices of the Jay-Z/JT concert. Ummm, sir? How much have you charged in the past? I hate when folks want to forget from whence they came. Shut up, dude. ° The Galaxy S4 launch date is near. I cannot wait because I really want this cell. I signed up for the pre-order with Sprint. April 27th is the day! ° Forget your education, find a husband. Yes, that's what this author wants women to do. It's laughable on so many reasons. If I would've married the guy I was with when I wasn 19-21, I would be a 33 year old divorcee. That is the truth. Read for a laugh. ° There is a new African-American natural hair care blog launching soon. It is MadameYou.I will be very interested to see what info is available here. I am always looking for a new site to read on care for my hair. ° The fact that President Obama had to take timeout to answer such trivial questions makes me sick. The fact that Jay & Beyonce's trip to Cuba is national news. We have got to do better. Seriously. ° I am watching this North Korea issue closely. It kinda scares me. You guys should pay attention too. ° I am NOT a Kobe fan. But, even I hate to see his season end like this. [Drake voice]"My n***a Kobe, I hate it had to be him." Hope he gets well soon.
I am a voracious reader. Whether it is books, magazines or online, I am almost always reading something. I wanted to share so interesting things I ran across this last week or some on the web. Hope you guys enjoy it.
° Terrilynn Monette is STILL MISSING. It's been weeks. No trace of her has been found. Not her cell or her car or her purse. It's like she disappeared into thin air. This story hurts. Because she was abducted from my city, she's in my age group. I've seen her Mom on tv her night since she was reported missing. The not knowing has to be killing her family. There is more info here and here. ° The road to overturning the groundbreaking law that Roe v. Wade set is coming. Just last week in North Dakota, the Senate passed a law that outlaws abortion at all stages. You can read about that ridiculousness here. I really have no words other than this is stupid. I am pro-life for myself but always pro-choice for other women. It's our bodies and our choice. We do not need the government's input. ° Zerlina Maxwell has been speaking on the culture of rape in this country and teaching men how not to rape. Her argument is a good one. She was featured on Sean Hannity's Faux News show. You can read about her stand here.
° Adria Richards, a Black woman, was at a tech convention when she overheard some sexist and demeaning remarks. She took the guys pictures and tweeted about the situation. It led to one of those guys being fired. A few days later, Richards was publicly fired. Her employers fired her by way of Twitter and Facebook which was beyond unprofessional. Her story is here.
° The Stuebenville rape case had the world watching. I can say that I am not happy with the outcome. I think those two young men deserved harsher punishments. What I am more appalled with s the way the media has covered this crime. CNN reporters have basically coddled these young men. IT's ridiculous. Read more here.
° A lot has been said and written about Beyoncé's "Bow Down?I Been On" tracks. I am a fan and I like it. Maybe becase I am from the South and I know all about Htown's screw music. It has a def Houston hip-hop feel to it that I dig. She is an artist. This is her art to do what she please with. This article feels the same.
° One of the best players on the Baltimore RAvens team has left. His name is Ed Reed. He is now a Houston Texan after 11 seasons. He took out a full page ad to thank his fans. Read it here. I thought that was nice and dope.
I am a voracious reader. Whether it is books, magazines or online, I am almost always reading something. I wanted to share so interesting things I ran across this last week or some on the web. Hope you guys enjoy it.
° Is There A "Right" Age To Have Children? Clearly, I should not have read this article. It talks about how Black people should wait until they are between 30-35 to have kids. Just great, I'm already halfway through those ages. Anyway, good read.
° The "natural hair movement" is a hot button issue in the Black community. This article takes a deeper look into things. It was a very interesting read. I find that White people are more intrigued about my hair inits natural state than anyone else.
° I, for one, have not forgotten about Trayvon Martin. I am keeping up with the case. I just read this article that states that his parents are planning a civil suit against Zimmerman, the man who murdered their child. The trial isn't coming fast enough for me. I want justice for Trayvon and his parents.
° Also, the Jordan Davis case has my attention as well. This article focuses on the parents of Davis on what would have been his 18th birthday. Less than 3 months ago, Davis was killed for no reason by a white man. This is another trial that I will be watching.
° Necole Bitchie runs a very successful entertainment blog. This article talks about her journey. I loved the insight on her.
° Just so you guys know, this could not have been me. An old, clearly drunk White man called a toddler a n---er and slapped the kid in the face on a flight. You can read about it here. I would have blacked out on this man. How do you slap a kid in the face and think that it is ok? What is wrong with people??
I am a voracious reader. Whether it is books, magazines or online, I am almost always reading something. I wanted to share so interesting things I ran across this last week or some on the web. Hope you guys enjoy it.
° Read a great inspiring post on YouHeardThatNew.com. It was about dreaming big. A kick in the pants it was. You could get something out of it too. Read it here.
° I have so much to say about the whole Kanye & Kim's baby. But, I think Demetria Lucas summed it quite nicely. You can read her take here.
° In this day & age, celebrities STAY putting their foot in their mouths via social media. Fantasia is the latest in that group. She posted some very choice word on her Instagram. Miss Jia has a section on her website for open letters to celebs. This is what happened next.
° After NJ Governor Chris Christie blasted Boehner for his inaction of Sandy aid, I just knew that his re-election would not be feasible. I was wrong...
° Because Speaker of the House John Boehner narrowly won his re-election bid. I am surprised because, well, he's a douche who does not do his job. But, then again , the GOP owns the House right now.
° One of my favorite bloggers, Necole Bitchie, has a personal blog that is filled with gems. She posted this a while back. But, it is always relevant. It's about getting out of your comfort zone.
° One of my favorite professional football players, Ray Lewis, is retiring. This story makes me incredibly sad. Lewis has been a beast on the field. He gave his all to the Baltimore Ravens for 17 seasons. I have watched him almost since the beginning. He is, however, moving into a new position with ESPN in the booth. The story is here.
° It's no secret that I love our First Family. They are picture perfect in my mind. The White House has released a great pictorial on the Obama's and 2012. You can see the wonderful pictures here. The one below is my favorite. It was taken at a wedding. The First Lady is all into the vows while the President is all into her. Gotta love Black Love!
I am a voracious reader. Whether it is books, magazines or online, I am almost always reading something. I wanted to share so interesting things I ran across this last week or some on the web. Hope you guys enjoy it.
° I really loved these two articles: "25 Ways to Communicate Respect To Your Husband" & "25 Ways to Communicate Respect To Your Wife." Am I a wife? No,` but I am in a committed relationship. Am I super religious? No, but I am deeply spiritual. Both lists are full of common sense advice with Biblical backup. I truly enjoyed reading both. I think they are great guidelines to any one in a relationship.
° I blogged about the lessons I learned from "The Alchemist" here. This article reminds me of one. It is this "When you want something all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it." This is what the law of attraction is all about. This article touches right on that. It also links to Oprah talking about the LOA as well. If you haven't read "The Alchemist," I suggest you do.
° As a music lover and blogger, I am always looking for places that combine the two. I was in luck when I read my girl BK's blog yesterday. She blogged about a situation that a music lover as myself could get into. "To All The Artists I've Loved Before...I Thank You" comes from a place of deep love for music and artists. I loved it because I feel the same. Read and enjoy.
° I am a worrywart. I think it developed once I became an older sibling. I cannot shake it if I tried. Trust me, I have. And, currently still. Any way, this article was all about worrying about the wrong things. It is good. It also led me to this article which is a funny, tongue in cheek way that explains things not to worry about. Both really gave me some insight.
° If you do not know the name Angela B. Murray, you should get familiar. She is the former of Essence magazine, current editor of CocoaFab.com. The website is bright and informative. I love sites that are dedicated soley to women of color. The articles are geared towards my needs, concerns, thoughts and likes. Murray did a wonderful job at Essence and I have no doubt that her website will flourish as well. Check it out.
° If you know me then you know I am an SATC fanatic. So, in the first movie, Jennifer Hudson's character Louise is always getting hot bags from a site called Bag, Borrow or Steal. I literally did not know this was a real site until last week. It's a novel idea. But, I love my bags too much to have to send them back. I get the appeal though.
° I have no real words for this. All I can say is DMX. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. Remix. Just watch. Enjoy LOL!
° My favorite singer/performer/entertainer is on her way back. Beyonce' will be everywhere come February 2013. First, she will be headlining the halftime show of the Superbowl om February 6, 2013. A week later, her new documentary will premiere on HBO. You can read about it here.
I have been a fan of TJ Holmes since he first blessed my screen on CNN. I loved his passion for reporting about stories that meant something to him. He was always passionate about everything. I was shocked when I heard that he had left CNN for BET. What? I saw this as a step down. Not a lateral or upwardly mobile move. CNN is the upper echelon of news reporting. BET is not known for any true uplifting programming. And, truth be told, other than "The Game," "Reed Between The Lines," I do not even watch the channel. BET is suffering from bad leadership I believe under Debra Lee. A channel that was developed for African American based programming is lacking so much depth. But, that is another topic for another day. Holmes new show "Don't Sleep" premiered on October 1st as a 1/2 hour news driven program.
I tuned in early and often. I liked the format, the set and the host. Hated the name. I mean really "Don't Sleep?" It's silly and childish. I think the name should have been rethought. It just doesn't pull you in. Also, Holmes' closing line is corny as hell. "You can go to bed, but don't sleep." It's just not enough for me. My biggest gripe about the show is that it is too short. Only 30 minutes for news programming, BET? Why? The following half hour is being filled with reruns of "The Game." I wanted an hour. My prayers were answered when I read this Washington Post article. Finally, I get an hour. But, here comes the bad news. The show is being pulled from nightly showings to a once a week hour long show. BET still cannot get it right.
There is no other original programming being shown on the network right now. Why wouldn't the powers that be leave the show on all week? I do not get what sense this makes. I haven't been very happy about the programming options on BET for years now. It has progressively gotten worse. "The Game" fired Tia Mowry-Hardrict, the lead of the show. I most likely won't be watching the 6th season of the show. BET ruined it. Tracee Ellis Ross is not coming back for the second season of "Reed Between The Lines" which will leave a huge hole in that show. Ever since the Johnson's sold BET to Viacom, the channel has been on a fast decline. "Don't Sleep" is being dealt the same horrible fate. I want to have hope that the show will stick around. But, this latest move doesn't give me much hope. I am sad. But I will still watch for as long as it shows. You should too. Remember, "Don't Sleep" will now air every Wednesday at 10pm. Get into it and TJ Holmes.
I am a voracious reader. Whether it is books, magazines or online, I am almost always reading something. I wanted to share so interesting things I ran across this last week or some on the web. Hope you guys enjoy it.
° This article made me smile. It made me stand a little taller with my unique and weird name. I haven't always felt that way. It had more to do with the idiots I have came across in my past. The ones who decided that my phonetic name was too hard to pronounce or that it was fodder for comedy. I do love that I have a name that if you hear it, you never forget it. My name is my name. This author's story is one I've sorta experienced. So, I get her outrage and her pain. I also am soaking up her sunshine when it comes to taking a stance about her name.
° I was enticed by this article on feminism and submissive. I feel that I am equal part feminist and submissve woman. I have no problem playing both of those sides because they are both a part of me. I can stand up for women's equal rights and fight the good fight all while being a domesticated lady. It's not even a choice for me because I am who I am. My favorite quote from the article is this:
I want to be gentle and not crass, to possess a quiet strength and a soft power; I’d rather purr than roar any day.
° Women and babies are always a topic of discussion. This article sets out to destroy that myth that women have to have babies. Granted, I am of the mind that children are a part of my future. I do not judge those who choose differently. It's interesting to read that more women are happily childless. I get it. I am happy now. I just want the experience of being a mom. That is a dream that I only recently totally embraced. Very good read though.
° This happened here the other day. I am sick about this. I will never understand the mind of a parent that takes the life of their kids. Why?? Also, if the life of the parent is so horrible, why don't they ever just take their own lives? It's always young kids. This Mom shot her 3 y/o son in the head and drowned her 4 y/o daughter only because the gun jammed. A 4 y/o and a 3 y/o are now dead because no one stepped into help, to fight for them. If the Mom was known to have mental issues, why was she still in charge of her kids? Stories like this always piss me off because they could always be prevented. *sigh* What is wrong with folks?
° This blog chronicles one woman's journey through breast cancer. It is a great real life look into a devastating disease. It's still Breast Cancer Awareness month. It's a big deal and a cause that I support. It has affected my family in so many ways.
° My favorite rapper started his own youtube channel a few weeks ago. Elliot Wilson, editor of RapRadar.com, has a series called "The Truth." This episode focuses on veteran rappers putting out subpar material. I totally agree with everything he says in this clip. He talks about LL Cool J's new track "Ratchet" which is ridiculously awful. From the song title to the actual track, none of it works. Uncle L is too old to be dropping mess like this. It was followed by the Fat Joe's "Instagram That Hoe." Which is also a mess. I just don't get this nonsense from vets. I cannot do anything but shake my head.
There has been so many things going on in the news lately. Sometimes I get so wrapped up in CNN and the like. None of its good for my blood pressure. I am a recovering news junkie. I try not to take in too much because I get so upset. So, I just want to touch on a few topics quickly.
* James Holmes is an evil mass murderer. He shot 70 people in a dark theater for no reason. I do not care about his mental state. I do not care why he did it. There is no reason he can give to make his heinous crime ok. I also hate the way the media is covering this. It's like they want him to be mentally unstable. If he were a Arab or Muslim, he would've been labeled a terrorist from the first report. If Holmes were any other race other than white, this story would be slanted in a total different direction. Also, the fact that a man who was caught in head to toe protective gear and guns is constantly being referred to as a suspect drives me insane. A suspect really? He is guilty as surely that I'm a woman. He is the perpetrator. He is the murderer. He is guilty. I'm disgusted. And, incredibly sad for the people who lost their lives and were injured.
* The whole Penn State/Sansusky/Joe Paterno scandal has been one of the sickest things I've ever heard of. I'm not sad that the school & its football program were so severely punished. It's never ok to harm kids and to cover it up. Everyone who helped hid this scandal deserves to be punished. I'm sorry I don't feel sorry for the program. Penn State made a great amount of money via their football program. The victims deserve to be compensated for their pain, silence and their years.
* The Westboro Church has no morals. These "Christians" will boycott any and every thing as long as there is a television camera there. What is the point if showing up in Aurora, Colorado to protest? I do not get there agenda at all.
There are other political things that have me riled up. But they deserve their own blog post. The above mentioned items are the ones most pressing on my mind. I'm sure there will be more about these things. The Holmes case is just starting. It will be headline news for a while. It will be national news. Ok, my wrap up is done.
There were some huge media stories this year. Many captured my attention for months. I always seem to get caught up in stories that have to do with the law, politics and crimes. There were more than a handful of those things year. Some had really happy endings, some did not. Some of these stories still make me angry to even write about them. These are, however, the ones who held my attention and all of my opinions.
° Casey Anthony Not Guilty - One of the biggest miscarriages of justice I've ever seen. The bottom line is Caylee is dead. She was killed and there was no justice served here. The evidence in the case was circumstantial but there was clearly a body. The trial was a media circus. And, I truly believe had Casey been a minority woman instead of a white one, she would be behind bars on death row. I'm disgusted with our legal system. There is no reason that Caylee should be dead and her Mom is not in jail.
° Troy Davis executed - This man's trial and conviction were another sad injustice case. Eye witnesses recanted their stories. He was granted a few stay of executions. This year, his luck ran out. Troy Davis was executed and there is a great chance that he wasn't guilty of what he was charged with. The difference here is he is a Black man accused of killing a white cop. Justice is not blind. I never believed that. But I saw it clearly this summer.
° Amanda Knox freed from Italian jail - This case made everyone I know rethink any long extended stays overseas. I believe this woman was falsely accused, prosecuted, and jailed. She spent for years in an Italian jail n a murder charge. Besides the fact that the victim was her flatmate, there was no physical evidence linking her to the crime. She was railroaded for being a young American girl who had a appetite for sex. The Italian papers depicted Amanda as some sex goddess and the murder as a crime of passion due to illicit sex. The conviction was overturned and she is back on U.S. soil. I would never leave home again if I were her.
° Herman Cain/Michelle Bachmann/Sarah Palin/GOP clusterfuck - The Republican party has become a joke. There is not one leader amongst the group of contenders for the 2012 elections. It is literally a group of clowns. One worse than their predecessor. The Tea Party is even more of a joke. I never thought I'd see the day that a Black man would run my country. I'm so glad I lived to see it. I also never could have predicted that the plethora of closeted racists would show their true colors when this happened. I am appalled at the actions and words of people who literally hate President Obama. The closer it get to the election day, the crazier they will become. Just watch and see.
° Watch The Throne cd/tour - Biggest thing in music this year. Great cd from two amazing artists. Even greater concert. Incredible music, especially performed live, makes me happy. Watch The Throne was all of the above for me. I may be biased by it is what it is. The night WTT dropped, I remember being on Twitter. It was the ONLY topic discussed. It was amazing to experience the music at the exact same time as everyone else in the world. It was the only cd I listened to for weeks on end. Three months later, I was in the Arena to experience it first hand. There are no more words I can write about it.
Yes, a lot of things happened this year. The weather was crazy. Mother Nature freaked out multiple times. I saw plenty of sad stories on the local news, in the newspaper and online. But these are the things that stuck with me. They are the ones who caused a reaction within me. 2011 was on intense year. 2012 has got to be calmer, right? Prayers sent up on that one. From my mouth to God's ears.
