Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween, people! I am not a huge fan of this holiday. I do not mind the candy or the kids dressing up in costumes, or even the trick-or-treating. I think all of that is cute and fine. I do not like the scary, dark mood of the day. I am not a fan of scary movies or being scared in general. Haunted houses freak me out. People jumping out of the darkness to scream or grab me is not my idea of a good time. I get why some love it. I haven't been to a haunted house in years for that reason alone. I love to see my nieces and nephews in their costumes. And, I always scream when they attempt to scare me. It's cute because they are kids. Halloween is the most fun to me when you are a kid. Halloween costume parties are great for adults. Now that's my idea of fun. Happy Halloween, folks!

I Do Not Approve of Herman Cain

Herman Cain is running on the platform that he is the "anti-Obama." He is right about that. He is nothing like my President. There is nothing inspirational or hopeful about Cain and his platform. I wouldn't even delve into what his platform is. My main issue with Cain is his attitude towards Blacks. He has said that Blacks are "brainwashed into voting for Democrats." To me, that comes off as we cannot think for ourselves. As if we are too stupid, ignorant, uninformed to make an intelligent choice when it comes to voting. I hate for a person to underestimate my intelligence. Herman Cain seems to look down on the 99%, especially Blacks. That is an ultimate no-no in my book. I also see what the Republicans are attempting to do, split the minority and youth vote that got President Obama elected in 2008. I simply do not approve of Herman Cain.

Journalist Toure' tweets "It baffles me how Cain can attack Black people—call us brainwashed, deny racism, deny Obama's Blackness—and still some Blacks loooove him." I totally agree. As a dark skinned Black man who denies that racism exists says a lot about Cain's character. Yes, we have a Black President. But, we still live in a country full of racists. I would be a fool to believe that President Obama's election erased all of the racism in the U.S. That is beyond absurd. Any Black person who believes such an outlandish tale is silly as well. I live in the real world. I leave fairy tales for the kids.

That picture of Herman Cain & Uncle Ruckus is a perfection depiction in my mind. Uncle Ruckus hates Black people. I'm beginning to believe the same thing about Cain. His delivery and condescending attitude grates on my nerves. I also do not think he has a chance in hell of actually securing the GOP nomination. He is being used as a ploy. Sad, that he does not see that. Anyway, I have a very adverse reaction to this man and every thing he says. He is a cartoon character to me. I will be voting for President Obama in 2012. Wish I could vote for him again in 2016. Either way, I would never vote for Herman Cain. It has less to do with him being a Republican and more to do with the fact that he is a joke. I'm not impressed. And, I actually feel sorry for the GOP. There isn't one strong contender in that whole group. Not Perry or Bachmann or Romney. None of them have it. That makes me smile. Oh, yeah just fyi, Obama in 2012!

Classic Music: Mary J. Blige "My Life"

I was thinking about what cd to feature for my second Classic Music post. The artist was easy: Mary J. Blige. I have been a fan since the first time I heard her voice and saw her video on The Box. I may be showing my age with that reference but oh well. Mary has always been a favorite of mine. There was a rawness in her voice that pulled me in. She was ratable. Picking a cd was hard. I narrowed it down to two cds: "My Life" and "Share My World." These are my two favorite Mary cds. I went through them track by track to finally chose one. "My Life" won out slightly on tracks that I absolutely love.

Mary's sophomore cd was epic in so many ways. "My Life" was dark and moody and filled with heartbreak. The songs were just awesome. I was only 14 when this cd was released. I had not felt any of the emotions Mary was singing about but that did not stop me from feeling her words. Her singles were all wonderful. But, I always seem to love the unreleased tracks on cds. They are the hidden gems to me. I would play this album from beginning to end almost daily. It played an integral part in my sophomore year of high school. I would play "My Life" and write this deep, dark poetry. I was very empathetic to what Mary was feeling. Outside of Teena Marie, Mary was my favorite singer.

"My Life" was definitive to Mary's career. I believe it positioned her firmly in her role as the "Queen of Hip Hop Soul." There hasn't been another soulful singer that possessed everything that Mary has. Granted, she wasn't the best live singer in the beginning and her drug/alcohol problems didn't help. But, here we are almost 20 years after her debut, and she is still here. She gives a great show nowadays. I have seen her many times. I like the newer songs but live for the early Mary tracks. They always get me so hyped. "My Life" may have been a dark time in Mary's life, it's great that she came through to the other side. Below are a few of my favorite songs from that cd. Listen to some vintage Mary J. Blige and enjoy!

Adventures in Cooking: Chicken Fettucini

I love Italian food. I have for as long as I can remember. Pasta is something I can eat and feel full all day long. It's also one of the few dishes that I will actually eat as leftovers. Italian food, to me, always taste just as good 2 days after. I want to invest in a pasta maker. I know that it would get a serious workout in my house. Crazy as it sounds, I prefer Italian food to soul food any day. With all of that being said, I took on the feat of another Italian dish. This week in cooking, I try my hand at Chicken Fettuccini.

I used Bertolli's Fettuccini cream sauce in the bottle. I wasn't very sure of my skills when it came to making my own. This was an easy dish to make. The ingredients were simple as well. All I needed was a pack of fettuccine, a bottle of sauce, skinless chicken breasts, and a few spices. Before I cooked my chunks of chicken breast, I started with a little butter, minced garlic and onions in a skillet. I seasoned the chicken lightly with salt and pepper. I added the chicken to the hot skillet and cooked until it wasn't pink anymore. I added the chicken to my sauce to cook some more. I was also waiting on my noodles to come to a boil. Once it was ready, I added it to my sauce and chicken. I tossed the entire mixture until all of the fettuccini was covered with sauce. It smelled so good.

It came out just perfectly. I was very happy with my results. I did forget to add parmesan cheese on top after I plated it. But it was wonderful without it. The only thing that I will change the next time is my sauce. have to admit I went the easy route. I used store bought fettuccini sauce. I did find a great recipe for the homemade kind on allrecipes.com. The next time I will be doing that. I did add a lot of spices to the sauce though. I like spicy food. I guess it has something to do with the fact that I am a New Orleans girl. But, I added cayenne pepper (more than a few pinches) as well as Tony Chachere's to my sauce as it was cooking. Homemade sauce will make it that much better. I'm sure of it. I do not know what I will attempt to cook next. But, I'm sure I will be blogging about it. What are you guys cooking? Any recipes you'd like to share? Feel Free!

Get Into It: "Milk + Honey"

I love finding new things. I had this feeling when I first heard about the new web series ""Milk + Honey."" It is executive produced by Idris Elba and brown paper dolls production company. It premiered its first webisode last week. It is a scripted series. I was pulled in from the opening scene. It is a very interesting take on the lives of 3 Black women pursuing their lifelong goals in Los Angeles.

The series focuses on the lives of 3 friends. Nia is intent on becoming an actress. She is also in an on-again, off-again long distance relationship with her longtime Chicagoan boyfriend Will. He is played by Lance Gross. Nia's roommate is Samirah, a DJ/Photographer. The third in this trio of friends is Harper. She is a budding powerhouse agent. They are three moderately successful women pursuing the next level in life. In this first webisode, we are also introduced to the legendary Debbie Allen's character Eva Monroe who is an acting coach. she is over a class that Nia desperately wants to get in to. Bryce Wilson of Groove Theory fame also shows up as entertainment attorney Jonathan. We are giving a sneak peek into these peoples lives in the first webisode. I was drawn in by the acting and the diversity of shades of color on the screen.

I cannot wait to see what develops for these characters. They all see as if they have a story to tell. I would love to see the depth of each of them as the series goes on. I am not sure how may webisodes will be shown. I just know that I will be watching. I pray that the following webisodes are much longer. They def need to be. The actors are good as are the writers. With the lack of quality Black programming on tv, any positivity is welcomed. I think everyone should check out the "Milk + Honey" series. Please get into it!

Congressional Reform Act of 2011

There are some emails I receive that are just too good to hold on to. Sometimes I have to share. The below email is definitely one I want to share. It expresses my exact feelings about Congress. It's amazing that a man has rich and influential as Warren Buffet clearly feels the same. I love all of this. This would make Congress totally accountable to the people for which whom they work for. Read and enjoy.

"Warren Buffett, "I could end the deficit in 5 minutes," he told CNBC. "You just ...pass a law that says that anytime there is a deficit of more than 3% of GDP, all sitting members of Congress are ineligible for re-election. The 26th
amendment (granting the right to vote for 18 year-olds) took only 3 months
& 8 days to be ratified! Why? Simple! The people demanded it. That was in
1971...before computers, e-mail, cell phones, etc. Of the 27 amendments to
the Constitution, seven (7) took 1 year or less to become the law of the
land...all because of public pressure.

Warren Buffet is asking each addressee to forward this email to a minimum of
twenty people on their address list; in turn ask each of those to do
likewise. In three days, most people in The United States of America will have the
message. This is one idea that really should be passed around.

*Congressional Reform Act of 2011*

1. No Tenure / No Pension. A Congressman collects a salary while in office
and receives no pay when they are out of office.

2. Congress (past, present & future) participates in Social Security. All
funds in the Congressional retirement fund move to the Social Security
system immediately. All future funds flow into the Social Security system,
and Congress participates with the American people. It may not be used for
any other purpose.

3. Congress can purchase their own retirement plan, just as all Americans
do.

4. Congress will no longer vote themselves a pay raise. Congressional pay
will rise by the lower of CPI or 3%.

5. Congress loses their current health care system and participates in the
same health care system as the American people.

6. Congress must equally abide by all laws they impose on the American
people.

7. All contracts with past and present Congressmen are void effective 1/1/12.
The American people did not make this contract with Congressmen. Congressmen
made all these contracts for themselves. Serving in Congress is an honor,
not a career. The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators, so ours
should serve their term's), then go home and back to work.

If each person contacts a minimum of twenty people then it will only take
three days for most people (in the U.S.) to receive the message. Maybe it is
time.

THIS IS HOW YOU FIX CONGRESS!!!!! If you agree with the above, pass it on."

This has got to be one of the best things I've read in a while. I wholeheartedly agree with Warren Buffet. And, let's be real, dude is a billionaire so he knows a little something about money and business. Maybe Congress should take heed to this. I would definitely back this. I am a huge President Obama 100%. I just wish he would show a little more flex with the GOP. They are not respecting his Presidency. He should make them. It really disgusts me because the only reason that they are seemingly undermining him is because of his race. Anyway, I think Congress members forget that they work for us. We elected them. We can get them out if we do not feel that they aren't doing their job. I thought this was very enlightening. I just wanted to share. Hope you guys feel the same.

The Scenario: The Cheating Confessional

Ok, here's the scenario. You are friends with a married couple. You've known one longer than the other. But, you are really good friends with the wife and the husband. You are privy to the fact that the husband is cheating. What do you do?

This scenario was brought up in a conversation last night. It's a conflicting situation. Being friends with both of them complicates things. As a friend to the wife, I feel obligated to tell. Because if I were a wife, I would want to know. I know it would break my heart but I still would want to know. I just feel like cheating where you are married is the ultimate no-no. It's the lowest thing you can do to your mate.

On the reverse side of that, is the fact that me telling could cause me to lose two friendships. There is no guarantee that me exposing this affair would be a good thing in any way. The couple could decide to stay together and not speak to me anymore. It's one of those situations that could fall into the "its not my business" category. It's a very sticky situation.

So as you can see, I never came to a clear cut answer. I think that it's one of those hypothetical situations that I would have to be in to answer. It's very complicated. But I do know that if I was the wife in the situation, I would want to know. Cheating sucks. Those who engage in it are really not good people. I can honestly say that when I was younger I did whatever I wanted to. I did not care about cheating. Thank God I grew up. Wisdom does indeed come with age. What would you guys do? Tell or keep it to yourself? Let's talk about it.

Degree of Separation

(Me graduating from College!)

"A degree does not indicate intelligence. It signifies completion." (some random person on Twitter). o_O Oh, really? I wholeheartedly disagree.

This was retweeted onto my timeline on Twitter. I instantly made me feel some kind of way. My initial response was "What?" I'm sorry but it signifies a whole lot more than completion. That is just about the simplest thing I've ever read. No one completes a degree course by chance alone. This statement is always thrown out by people who've never attempted college courses or who've never completed them. I totally disagree with the statement. My college degree mean I was intelligent enough to complete 125 credit hours. That means something.


(Me graduating from High School!)

No, I do not believe my degree makes me better than others? Not does it give me a superiority complex. I'm proud of myself for obtaining it. I worked by proverbial ass off for it. Now, it seems that people without a degree feel some kind of way towards those that have them. I do. It look down on people who don't have degrees. I know some who feel inferior because they do not have them. But that's their issue not mine. I went to college for myself. I completed the hours and work for myself. I will not play small for someone else to seem big. If you have a problem with my education, and you should do something about yours. I will be pursuing post graduate degree as well. That's my choice. I am intelligent enough to get it.


(Me graduating from Kindergarten!)

I do not think that I'm more intelligent than people without degrees. I know how much as work goes into completing a degree program. Hard work alone will not get you there. Intelligence plays a huge part. That is a given. I think its dumb for others to downplay what it takes to earn a degree. I will never understand that. I am extremely proud of myself and no one can ever take that from me. I guess people will always feel some kind of way on the matter. And, I guess since I have one, I will always be on this side of the fence? My intelligence, perseverance, incredible study skills and hard work got me my degree. And, I'll be damned if anyone makes me feel bad about it.

Randomly: Early Sunday Morning Ramblings

It's almost 7am. I've been wide awake since 5:01am. I have no clue as to why. And, furthermore, I'm not even sleepy anymore. Last night, I blogged about pole dancing and how piqued my curiosity has been with the latest phenomenon. Those youtube videos that I watched really resparked that flame in me. I realized I want to be able to do that. I wanna conquer the pole for myself. The added bonus is that I would be able to share my new found talent with my Love. That is a great motivational tactic. I will succeed.

I love my family. I realized just how much on Friday. There were a bunch of phone calls and texts as we all banded together for a common cause. My sisters and cousins are beyond awesome. I just love knowing that we will always have each other's backs in any situation. We're more than family, we're friends. That is not something that's required but it's great that it happened. These women are a huge part of me and vice versa.

I am a true musichead. I blame my Father for that. It's the gift and the curse. I cannot wait for the release of some big Hip Hop artists to drop this Fall/Winter. Drake's "Take Care" drops in November 15th, Wale's "Ambition" drops November 1st, and Young Jeezy's "TM 103: Hustlaz Ambition" drops December 20th. I'm so excited to hear all off them. I do not purchase a whole lot of Hip Hop because most of it is cap. But, there are certain artists that I will always support. These 3 guys fall into that small group. Good music resonates with me.

The sun isn't even up yet. And, my mind is going in a thousand different directions. I do not know why I'm up so early. I think I'm just missing HIM. He's still asleep and I can't seem to wake him. So, I just decided to blog about some of these thoughts.

I've read some really great poetry over the last few days. It has inspired me. I absolutely love when that happens. That's the point of great poetry for me. It's motivation for me to do better, for me to create more poetry. I always need that. I live to write that one piece that someone feels deep in their heart. Poetry has always shared the title of my first love. I want to be able to pass this gift down to my future kids. It's apart of my legacy. My words are how I want to be remembered.

Ok, I think I've rambled enough. Hope you guys have a great Sunday. Go out and enjoy it.

Pole Fitness

Pole Fitness is a growing craze. I used to have a very negative view of strippers. In recent years, I have changed my mind. Those women work. That pole is serious business curiosity has been peaked by the matter. I think I want to master the pole. It's, of course, very sexy and sensual. That is the main motivation for me. But, I'm also sure that it is a great workout. It's a great way to get into and stay in shape. Pole dancing is an art that I believe any woman can conquer. It's actually quite wonderful to watch. I am in awe.

I watched a few youtube videos of some women pole dancing. I can only say that they have inspired me. I was especially moved by the youtube videos of this one thick girl. This chick is great in the videos below. I think any thing that makes a woman feel sexy is a great thing. Pole fitness falls into that category for me. I always see advertisements for pole classes. I've never been assertive enough to just do it. I'm beginning to think that I'm changing. I want to learn how to do the things the women in the videos below are doing. They are amazing to me. Watch them work the pole. Enjoy!

Create Something Beautiful

I LOVED this the minute I saw it. To create means "to cause to come into being, as something unique that would not naturally evolve or that is not made by ordinary processes or to evolve from one's own thought or imagination, as a work of art or an invention." It is what i do every day I write, blog, and whenever I let poetry spill out of me. I am a creative being. I do not know how to be or do anything else. It is the talent that I was born with. I also happen to love the word "create." It is such a small but beautiful word. It's meaning is so much bigger than the diminutive of its actually spelling. Whenever you can, you should create. It's a wonderful feeling to be a creative being. To know that whatever it is, came from you, your mind, and your hands. How wonderful is that? So, do like the picture says and create something beautiful today!

Ladies Love Lyrics: Bridget Kelly "Stranger To Love"

It's no secret that I am a sucker for a good lyrical love song. Bridget Kelly gives me another one to add to my ever growing list. This song stayed with me because it describes the beginning of my relationship perfectly. Because I've felt these exact moments, I feel like I could have penned this tune myself. I love the music as well. I am clearly a fan of BK's. She just released this song as a part of her "Every Girl" EP yesterday. I cannot count how many times I've played this track. I love it. I think you will too. Enjoy!

"Was suffocating and then you gave me life
And now I crave for, for only you inside
Can't put my thumb on exactly how I feel
It's unfamiliar but pleasantly surreal

{Chorus}Keep putting smiles on my face
I'm constantly amazed by what you do
And I can't keep up with my heart,
it's beating me into someone brandnew
I love how you just knooooowwww
how bad I need to take this slow
like I'm a stranger to love

Restored my strength and
managed to kiss me weak
You woke up the woman
and put the girl to sleep

{Chorus}

Every day I get down on my knees and pray,
Baby, I'm thanking God
for sending you to me
And it's only getting better, better
Never knew love could take me this far

{Chorus}

And how you always see beautiful, beautiful in me
You could have any woman in this world
but you chose me, me, me
Showed me how to let go
But I'll never let go of you baby
Any woman in this world
but you chose me
Showed me how to let go
But I'll never let go of you baby

I was suffocating but then you gave me life...."

"The Cosby Show" Revolutionized My World

From the opening credits, I was pulled into the greatness of what "The Cosby Show" would eventually become. I remember being totally amazed while watching the premiere episode of "The Cosby Show." They were funny and successful and affluent and most importantly Black. There was a family on my television who looked like me and my family. I was definitely an instant fan. I loved everything about the show. The show would go on to tackle issues I knew nothing of. But, afterwards, I was well informed. I literally learned so much about so many things from "The Cosby Show."

I identified mostly with Rudy. My little cousin Juan thought that she and I were one in the same. He asked his Mom "Why was My Kenda in the tv?" Everyone I knew was a fan of this show. It was like nothing any of us had ever seen before. "The Cosby Show" changed my perception of what life could be at the age of barely 5. These people were like me but they also weren't. I embraced the similarities between their family and mine. The show also planted a seed in me about what I wanted my future family and life to be. They focused on education a lot. That was a huge theme in my hope before I even entered school. In many ways, I saw a lot of Claire and Cliff in my Mom's parenting skills. I knew that no matter what, we would all sit and watch "The Cosby Show" as a family.



I learned so much from this show. there was always great art adorning the walls of the Huxtable house. I was introduced to a different genre of music via this show. Jazz was a favorite of Cliff and Claire. The children were encouraged to pursue higher education. Not attending college wasn't really an option in that household. In a way, the Huxtable's set a new norm. A family that was functional and happy and together who just happened to be Black. No one had ever seen this before. The world was as open to it as my family was. "The Cosby Show" single-handedly revived the sitcom genre. It was the biggest show of the 80's. It's been 27 years since it premiered and I still love it. It is still running in syndication. It is also available on dvd. This introduces a new generation to the greatness that is "The Cosby Show."

The world is missing that kind of television programming. We have fallen into the reality tv world. Reality tv has killed the scripted sitcom. I do believe that it will be making a strong comeback. We need it to. I still watch "The Cosby Show" and still laugh at jokes that are almost as old as me. They never get old. Funny is always funny. I loved the show from beginning to end. I do prefer the earlier seasons though. I'm sure that has to do with my favorite character being Rudy and the fact that she and I were the same age. It is one show that I need to get all 8 seasons on dvd to add to my small collection. That way I can watch and reminisce about my own childhood. "The Cosby Show" will always remind me of the simplicity of my life then. It made things so much better. How could it not with a Dad like Cliff, a Mom like Claire, and kids like Sondra, Denise, Theo, Vanessa and Rudy? Gotta love them!

Classic Music: Usher "Confessions"

There aren't too many albums that I would refer to as "classics." That is a very small and dignified group. Usher's "Confessions" is definitely in that group. The cd is certified Diamond. It has sold 20 million copies. That is a rare feat. There hasn't been a Diamond album since this one. From his infectious first single "Yeah" featuring Ludacris and Lil Jon debuted, it was clear that Usher's cd would be a hit. "Confessions" sold 1.1 million copies in a week. This was a new record as well. I was a fan from the first listen. I loved every song more than the one prior. I was sold.

"Confessions" was full of club hits and ballads. It was the perfect balance. I never skipped a song. I would let it play from beginning to end. I loved it. And, 7 years later, it still holds up. I love the songs today as I did then. I had high expectations of the cd based on the first single and all the hype surrounding its release. I had never been disappointed in an Usher cd so I was very excited. When I finally got my hands on this cd, I was esctatic. Usher delivered in spades. I was sold. I played it nonstop for weeks on end. It was released in March and I played it until the concert in August daily. My neighbors knew the entire cd thanks to me. I converted some people into Usher fans after "Confessions." It still makes me happy.

One of the best concerts that I have ever attended (and I've been to more than I can count) was Usher's "Confessions" Tour which also featured a newcomer Kanye West. The guy danced, sang, and performed his heart out for over 2 hours. We never sat down. He did almost every song off of his new cd as well as past hits. I had been a fan of his since he released "Just Call Me A Mack" back in the day. I was super impressed with his skills on stage. Usher was it for me that night. We listened to "Confessions" all the way to the Arena and all the way home. We could not get enough. That, to me, defines a classic cd. Universally, everyone seemed to love it. The tour sold out like crazy everywhere as did the cd.

I was reminded of the cd yesterday. So I wanted to share a few of my favorite non-single cuts from this cd. If I didn't make that distinction, I would post every song lol. I can't help it. I just really enjoy great music. This cd exemplifies that to me. I am sure 10, 20 years from now, I will still feel the same. I hope you guys enjoy the youtubes as well. Usher's "Confessions" is a classic in my eyes. I wonder if any of you feel the same. Let's discuss it!

Casting My Vote Again For Hope

Truer words have not been written. This picture really caught my eye. It expresses my exact thoughts. I have been a President Obama supporter since the first time I saw him at the DNC 2004. His demeanor, voice and aura intrigued me.I began looking into his background. I loved the things I found out. I voted for him in 2008 because I believed in him. I will cast my vote for him again in 2012 for the same reason. I did not solely vote for him because he is a Black man. There have been other Black men who have attempted to run. They failed. There is another Black man hoping to get his party's bid for 2012 right now. He won't get my vote either. Mainly because I think Herman Cain, just like Michael Steele, is the Republicans ploy to split the minority vote.

I am voting for Mr. Obama again in 2012 because I think he is the most qualified for the job. A non-politician like Cain has no experience. This is Mr. Obama's job to finish in his second term. I was never one of the people who saw him as a savior or the Messiah. He is just a man with a plan. A plan that Republicans have tried to block at each turn. That saddest thing about that is that the Republicans are opposing him on principal alone. They haven't offered any resolutions either. So, in the end, the 99% suffer. I still believe in President Obama's mission. I will still be voting for him. What about you? Will you have his back in 2012?

Get Into It: ROC Nation's Own Bridget Kelly (BK)

Bridget Kelly is basically a newcomer on the music scene. The 23 year old is ready to take the music industry by storm. I first got wind of her when she was on tour with Jay-Z filling in for Alicia Keys during the "Empire State of Mind." She was so good as Alicia's stand-in that it took me most of the song to release that she wasn't her. BK has an edginess to her voice that makes it that much more interesting. She is currently signed to ROC Nation. She dropped her first buzz single "Thinking About Forever" which I wrote about here earlier this summer. The single def amped the buzz up around her. I, for one, could not wait to hear more from her.

BK is also releasing her first EP "Every Girl" today on her website. The EP consists of songs. After a first listen, I am even more of a fan. "Seek and Destroy" is a great song. It describes the way a woman feels after having her heart broken and starting a new relationship. The lyrics are very realistic. I can identify with them. I feel like BK will be around for a while. She has a great voice, she writes her own material and she has great stage presence. "Every Girl" consists of 8 tracks. Two of them are songs that I've heard before. I am in love with "Stranger To Love," it is a great ballad. I am digging the rest of the tracks as well. While her ep is a great introduction, I cannot wait to see what ROC Nation has planned for her debut release. Below are a few BK tracks and remixes. Listen and Enjoy. Go download her free EP "Every Girl" Go ahead and Get Into BK!

"Seek And Destroy"


"Fall In Love"


"Quickie Remix"


"Stuck"


"Empire State of Mind" with Jay-Z

I Will Wear Pink Until There's A Cure!

"I wear PINK for both of my Grandmother's who are survivors." These pictures are catchy and funny. But, the cause they stand for is serious. It is a cause dear to me. I just wish someone could find a cure for it. Cancer is a horrible disease. Women are dying too young and too frequently from breast cancer. We all need to do what we can to help aid in the cure. We are heading towards the end of Breast cancer Awareness month. So I just wanted to reiterate how important the cause and the cure are to all of us. I wear PINK for all the women who have survived and all those who have perished. I will continue to wear pink until there is a cure. You should too!! October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. We all need to be more aware of things.

Common Sense...Ain't So Common

This may come off as uppity or stuck up but it's my truth. I abhor stupidity and ignorance. It is clear that common sense ain't common to everyone. I know some folks who clearly stepped out of line when God was handing common sense out. IT irks me. It bothers me to no end to have even small conversations with folks who fall into this category.

Perfect example, there is someone in my extended family who fits the description to a t. This "woman" is the epitome of a bird brain. I have decided to just not to speak to her at all. I felt as if I was losing brain cells when I was engaging in conversations with her. I have never heard her say anything that evenly remotely makes sense. I get frustrated when I have to deal with simple people. You cannot even reason with a person who doesn't possess an ounce of common sense. So, I respectfully bow out. I am beyond done with her.

My tolerance for stupidity is ridiculously low. I just cannot stomach it for more than a few minutes. I try my best to eliminate those people and their conversations from my life. My main issue with it is that they refuse to learn. They aren't open to the possibility that someone knows more than them on any and everything. I love to learn. In return, I love to teach. My favorite uncle once said that "the most beneficial relationships (either romantic or strictly platonic) are the ones where each person learns something from the other." That has been my standard for people since I was about 12. It's a really simple concept. Teach me and I'll teach you. Knowledge of anything is a beautiful thing. It makes me very happy. So, anyone who impedes that avenue for me is not welcomed in my circle.

Common sense is truly not common to everybody. I sit and stare in amazement at folks sometimes. I'm not saying that I do and say everything correctly. But, I definitely put some actually thought into my words and actions. So win or lose, I am confident that my actions were the direct response of my own thought process. I wish others followed that same wavelength. This entire blog was sparked by the dumb actions of the same said family member. I just needed to vent here before reacting to her. This is my outlet for issues such as this. *sigh* I needed this. Have any of you encountered such people? Let's dish!

It's All About The Cypher!

I am not a fan of 90% of the crap that BET plays. The station that once was about BLACK entertainment television has been falling off in many ways. There are many reasons why I don't watch the channel much. But, I digress. The Hip Hop Awards were shown last night. This televised edited version comes almost two weeks after the actual show happened. This is a problem. In the social media driven world we live in, people already know who won, who performed and what happened. I only watched for the cyphers (2 in particular) and the return performance of T.I.

The best cypher of the night goes to Shady 2.0 hands down. This was the only cypher I was looking forward to. The main reason is Joe Budden. I have been a fan since the first time I heard dude spit. There is something in his voice that pulls me in. I love the way he lays his heart out in everything he drops. This is not to say that the rest of the crew didn't bring it. Yelawolf, Crooked I, and Joell all spit great bars. But, I love Royce and Eminem (outside of Joe) the most. Shady 2.0 was ill. After it played, I tweeted that BET should just run their cypher back. Also, they were the only crew that got a different beat. BET saved the best cypher for last. I loved it. Can't you tell?



Second place easily goes to the MMG cypher. Well, not to Rick Ross cause he kind of sucks to me musically. But, I liked what the rest of his crew had to say. I may be biased because I am a Wale fan and am slowly becoming a Meek Mill fan as well.



Busta Rhymes, Luda, Reek da Villian, and 2 Chainz are in the next cypher. I LOVE Busta's freestyle. He never disappoints in my mind. Luda is a favorite of mine. He showed out as well. This was my first time hearing of Reek. He was cool. It took me all night to figure out why 2 Chainz looked so familiar. It's because he was formerly known as Titty Boy. I am not here for him only because he has no real skills and the fact that he named himself Titty Boy to begin with.



Chris Brown showed up in a cypher. His bars was a media laced rant that I can definitely get into. Also in his cypher was Tyga, Kevin McCall, and Ace Hood. I'm not a Ace Hood fan and his part was a throw away verse to me. I wasn't impressed at all.



The cypher that was filled with newcomers was interesting as well. It featured Big K.R.I.T. Machine Gun Kelly, Tech N9ne, Kendrick Lamar, and B.O.B. This was a very interesting cypher for me. I had never really heard Kendrick rap. I didn't know BOB and KRIT could spit like that. And, I have never laid eyes on MGK before this.



Another quirky cypher was the next one. blind fury, of 106 & Park Freestyle Friday fame, was teamed up with SkillzVa, the dude who does the end of the year wrap up rap. There was also Dom Kennedy who I am becoming a fan of and a throwback with the appearance of Lady of Rage. Remember her?



Anyway, the cyphers were the highlight for me. The throwback performances of DMX and Heavy D were amazing as well. I could take or leave the rest of the show. I think BET should expand the cyphers into a longer format. I would so approve and support that. I was underwhelmed by the awards as a whole. There was another cypher filled with folks I do not know nor did I feel. So I decided not to post it. I mean it featured the singer Estelle rapping, a female raper who dropped a line about "dropping bombs like Saddam" (guess no one told her that Saddam is dead) a Christian rapper and a French rapper who rapped entirely in French with subtitles. So, yeah BET could've missed me with that one totally. Hope you guys enjoy the cyphers as much as I did.

Get Into It: "Reed Between The Lines"

I miss the old Thursday night tv lineup. I'm talking about "The Cosby Show," "A Different World," "New York Undercover," "Martin," and "Living Single." Quality television programming featuring Black people. As a kid, I was enthralled with "The Cosby Show." People who looked like me that excelled at academics, marriage and family was amazing to me. I could not get enough of it. At different points in my life, the above mentioned shows have had a profound affect on my life. Somewhere along the line, people who looked like me weren't showing up on TV. Tonight, BET gave me some of that back. "Reed Between The Lines" premiered tonight. I am instantly a fan.



"Reed Between The Lines" is a new sitcom about a blended family. Tracee Ellis Ross plays Dr. Carla Reed. She is a psychiatrist. She is married to Dr. Alex Reed played by Malcolm Jamal Warner, an NYU English Professor. He teaches online and also homeschools their youngest daughter Alexis. Carla has a set of 14 year old twins, Keenan and Kaci from her first marriage. This show is clearly a modern take on "The Cosby Show."

I loved the first two episodes. The kids are cute and hilarious. Tracee and Malcolm are great. I am glad that when I see them that I don't see Joan Clayton from "Girlfriends" and Theo Huxtable. Carla's wardrobe is top notch. But I knew that nefore even seeing a scene. Tracee has impeccable taste in fashion. It shows in her character. There is a cuteness with this show that I really dig. Seeing a positive portrayal of Black families on television is a wonderful thing. Its something that I didn't have growing up. But from as far back as I could remember its what I've aspired to have. This new tv family has the potential to be great.



"Reed Between The Line" is a funny, greatly written show. I laughed a lot through the whole hour. BET did something right. Their original programming is just about the only bright light on the channel. Maybe this means the powers that be are finally listening to their core audience. I applaud Tracee and Malcolm for being producers as well. They are handling all anglea on this project. I will be watching for the rest of the season. You guys should as well.

Customer Service

Customer service will make or break a business. Bad customer service will be talked about endlessly. I know when I've encountered bad customer service, I will tell all who will listen. Nobody likes bad customer service. If I am spending my money at a business, then you better believe that I expect and deserve good customer service. If I do not get it, I will no longer be a customer. I will not pay to be mistreated by any one. That makes no sense at all. I thrive on good customer service. It makes me very happy. I will become a regular customer.

Perfect example of bad versus good customer service. I have been a Sprint customer for almost 7 years now. for the most part, I have never encountered any bad customer service until now. In July, my Evo's power button stopped working. I took my phone into a Sprint store. the tech "claimed" that my Evo wasn't working properly so he ordered me a replacement phone. In the week that it took for the replacement to arrive, my Evo was working perfectly. So, when the replacement arrived, I called the 1-800 # in the box. I talk ed to a rep who told me that I could return the replacement since my original was working fine. I placed everything that was in the box into the envelope that was provided. I handed the package to my mail carrier on July 9th. A week later, I called the same 1-800# to confirm that it had been received. I talked to another rep who told me that my package was back in the warehouse. Done deal right? Wrong! Almost two months later, I had a $375.19 charge on my bill for failure to return equipment. Say what now?!? I was livid!!

Thus began my month long calls to Sprint to get the charge removed. I spoke to no less than 25 associates. None of them could give me what I wanted. none of them had any answers. I was given a credit for the inconvenience but not a credit for the replacement Evo. If my sprint bill had been a month overdue, Sprint would not have been calling me daily to pay my bill. They would've interrupted my service quickly. It took almost a month, countless hours and 25 associates before I ever received GOOD customer service. Finally, I was able to speak to Rebecca in Mobile. She is the saving grace of this story. We spoke for over an hour. She was the only associate who was able to not only locate the returned merchandise (it was still sitting in the warehouse that I returned it to) and credit my account. She was nice and professional. She exemplified a great customer service rep. She saved me from being a "former" Sprint customer. She has restored my faith back into a company that I was beyond disgusted by.

I am a customer and a consumer. I am paying my money on said company's product. I want the company to do the job it is being paid for. That is not too much to ask. I deserve, demand and expect good customer service when I am spending my money. Bad customer service has pushed me into shopping online more. There are no reps there. It's that important to me. As a customer, I feel that I should be served in kind. I think if I had to talk to another Sprint customer service rep that I would have lost all of my cool. It would not have been pretty. but, I do not like to be overcharged. Especially when I am dealing with a clearly defective Evo right now. Good customer service equals a return customer. Isn't that the whole idea of consumerism?

Save The Ta-tas

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. This is a cause that is dear to me. Both of my Grandmothers are Breast Cancer survivors. This is a disease that needs a cure like yesterday. Cancer is a horrible disease. I am not sure how I stumbled upon Save The Ta-tas.com. But, I am so glad that I did. I love their message and motto. This is another way to support a very serious cause.This new foundation Save The Ta-tas. I love their message. It is cute and catchy. I like the idea of supporting another breast cancer foundation. "Save the Ta-tas Foundation is committed to fighting cancer at every stage—including education, prevention, research, community outreach, and emotional support for those struggling with the disease. Our first year goal is to donate no less than .90 cents per dollar to support new gene research through a partnership with The Concern Foundation. Innovative and new, our organization is determined, like its founder ta-tas® Brand Clothing, to end this devastating disease, with a smile of course! Laughter heals, save the ta-tas!"

I have been giving myself breast exams since I was about 14. The disease has ravaged my family. The women in my family have mostly survived. At the age of 24, I found what I though was a mass in my right breast. I was beyond scared. I was also experiencing these sharp shooting pains in my breast. My doctor examined me and thought that it was only mass tissue. He sent me in for my first mammogram to make sure. It was one of the scariest experiences of my life. I was so glad that my Mom was with me. I have never prayed so much in my life. I, of course, thought of all the ways it could go wrong for me. I was only 24. I was too young. It hurt like hell and I think it is a horrible experience. I received my results that day. I was fine. there was nothing there. I was so relieved. I thanked God right there in the waiting room. Cancer scares me more than anything.



I purchased this Save The Ta-Tas shirt 2 years ago. I do what I can to support the cause. It is important to me. There is a plethora of merchandise available on the site. The prices are decent to say it is to support such a great cause. It is important that women give themselves exams. Also, for women over 40, it is important that they get regular mammograms. I am not looking forward to that process. Seriously, that machine hurts!! I think that with all the technology that a new gentler machine could be invented. I do not think that breasts were meant to be smashed flat!! That is not a good look. Support the cause. Get into saving the ta-tas!!

Ladies Love Lyrics: Mary J. Blige "25/8"

I'm a sucker for a good love song. Mary J is better known for a heartbreak song. She does manage to deliver on occassion (I've Found My Everything, Never Been, You Are Everything). Her newest single "25/8" is a perfect love song. I totally get the lyrics. I feel them. Especially "I can love you with my eyes closed
I see your heart through a blindfold." This was an easy pick for Ladies Love Lyrics. It will appear on her new cd "My Life II." Get into this people!

"I can love you with my eyes closed
I see your heart through a blindfold
I ain’t never ever met another better
So my baby ain’t no way that I’ma let go
From the north to the south pole
On the east or the west coast Every area code, all over the globe
Ain’t no way on the planet you can go that I won’t

From sun up to sun down
I’ll always be around
Every minute of every hour Still it ain’t enough time

Cause I got days and days of love,
for you boy
And I don’t wanna have to rush
But 24/7 ain’t enough
Cause I got so much love for you boy
I need another hour and a day So I can love you 25/8, 25/8

You ain’t gotta worry about me, no
Ain’t no question at my loyalty You been there for me, even when nobody cared enough to check and see if I was breathing
See don’t nobody really know me, know me
You and me, we got history
So I give you a part for loving me boy,
Put your hand in my hand
I'll lead the way out."

Moment of Music

Today I heard some great music. All of the songs made me smile. A song by Justin Timberlake has popped up on the net today. I am a big fan of his. This kinda gives me hope that he will give us a new CD soon. I miss his voice something terrible. Just a few songs that I am currently feeling. New music makes me so incredibly happy. Wanted to share them with you guys! I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.

Justin Timberlake "Words I Say"



Tristan Wilds "Fall 4 Her"



J. Cole ft. Missy Elliott "Nobody's Perfect"



Beyonce' "Countdown"



Melanie Fiona "4 AM"



Jay-Z & Kanye West "Gotta Have It"



Wale ft. Miguel "Lotus Flower Bomb"



Wale ft. Rick Ross "Tats On My Arm"



Drake "Headlines"



Estelle "Thank You"



Trey Songz "Top Of The World"



Monica "Until Its Gone"

Tried And True

Friendships are a wonderful gift for the people involved. Through life, friendships change. Some evolve, some fade away, others become more like family. True friends will stay the course. These are the people who will always be along for the ride no matter what. These are the ones you cherish.

I have friends that have been here for at least 20+ years. They are my family. I love them for many varied reasons. I love them because they are always 100 with me about everything. There is no sugarcoating going on here. We could not speak for weeks on end. But one phone call and we are all caught up. There is never any weirdness between us. The conversation just flows. We know each other so well. We laugh the same way we always did. We discuss everything. This to me is the epitome of a real, authentic friendship.

I know that I'm blessed to have my friends in my life. I am so thankful for them. They have been there to lend me plenty of sympathetic ears, a million shoulders to cry on, and more hugs than I could count. There aren't enough words for me to express how much they mean to me. How much those random check up calls make my heart smile. Friends are angels that God places in our lives. We have to be sure to recognize the real ones.

Social Networks = Cheaters Paradise??

Social networks are supposed to be all fun and light. Somehow people missed that message. There are people who are letting Facebook and Twitter ruin their lives and relationships. Seriously? How dumb is that? A cheater is going to cheat. This is a fact. Social networks may have opened up a new avenue for them to explore. But you have to know that this was already in that person. I like social networks. I like interacting with and meeting new people.

There is nothing I've said on any social network that I wouldn't say in real life. Also I'm not ashamed of anything I've facebooked or tweeted. I have no problem with my significant other seeing any of it. I'm unapologetically me all the time. I'm a flirt. This is a known fact. But, when I'm in a relationship, I know when to pull back. I know what is appropriate and what isn't. There has to be a level of respect for oneself and their significant others. That is the most basic rule. If that is lacking, there will be nothing good that can happen. That goes for social networks as well as in real life.

My Facebook postings and/or tweets will not be a factor in my relationship. Neither will his. I respect him way too much for that. I think that the people who let social networks come in between their relationships were already on their way out of them. Facebook was just an easy out. If you're dating someone who has cheated on you before then you already know what you're gonna get. If you stay, aren't you getting what you asked for? I do not condone cheating (physical or emotional).



But, I also feel like cheating on your s/o with someone off of a social network is beyond low. Its despicable in my book. And the fallout is always horrible. To see a couple breakup via Facebook is awful because, they will spill all the beans. Now all of your friends know all of your business. That is never a good look. In the last year, I have seen this scene play out one too many times. I'm actually ashamed that I know these adults involved. People need to do better.

Social networks are a great way to reconnect with old friends and make new acquaintances. They are not there for folks to hook up and cheat. You have to be a special kind of person to fall into that category. I think its sad that something so awesome has been dragged into the mud with unscrupulous cheating people. Cheaters are just bad people who will have bad karma attached to them.

I Love Me

I've never been the girl who measured her self worth against the next chick. My foundation has always been very stable and concrete. My Mom made sure that I knew my self worth. She instilled in me that I was unique, special, and beautiful. She said that my chocolate brown skin was perfect in every way. Those words help me grow up with confidence.

You could meet 100 women but I guarantee none of them would be Kenda. I am so myself. I've never consciously compared myself to another woman. She isn't me. I could never be anyone other than myself. I hate to be compared to another woman. It literally irks me. It may come off as arrogance but I just know who I am. I love me. Even on my worst days, I still like who I am. I'm able to look at myself in the mirror and be happy about the reflection staring back at me.

I'm sure that my friends love me from who I am. Sometimes I'm too protective of those I love. Often, I am too blunt for my own good. I can't help that. Its the Sagittarius in me. But everything I am comes from a very real place. I speak my mind and heart. I'm passionate and feisty. I laugh a lot, sometimes at the most inopportune moments. I cry at the drop of a hat. I correct peoples grammatical errors. I'm not a know it all but I know some things. I'm intelligent and I think that is an amazing quality.

My own self worth has never been influenced by anyone else's opinion of me. If anyone is in my life, it's because they like/love what they see and who I am. I'm a great daughter, sister, cousin, friend, woman. Hopefully, I'll be an even greater wife and mother. I'm still growing and I'm open to all that I will become. They say confidence grows with age. That excites me thinking about who I will be. The most important thing is that I love me and my people love me back!!

Get Into It: Gotta Glam

Twitter has the power to connect people. I randomly clicked a link someone I follow posted. It led me to the Twitter profile of Gotta Glam. Gotta Glam is a cosmetics company. From the first picture, I was hooked. The earrings had my complete attention.



From the Twitter account, I found the company's website. They offer earrings, rings, and necklaces. All very different and unique. I liked a lot of pieces at first glance. I tweeted to the owner about how excited I was to place an order. She tweeted back and offered me a discount code. However, I had already ordered my Zeralyn's. They are gold hoops with gold and silver circular pieces on them. She was nice and professional. I received my package in 3 days. That definitely made me happy as well. The earrings are great quality and weight. They looked and felt great. I received many compliments on them.



I kept my eye on the website because I knew I wanted more. Between my first and second order, the owner and I tweeted fairly frequently. I ended up placing a special order for two pairs of earrings. They were the black Toni's and silver Calen's. The black Toni's are black hoops with black sparkly balls attached too them. The Calen's are silver dangling earrings. It was handled quickly. And I was also given a discount. Again, my order arrived very quickly. Both pairs are cute enough to be dressed up or down. That versatility works well for me. I like to have options.



I love great customer service. It makes me happy. It makes me want to spend money with that company again. Gotta Glam is on that list. I will most certainly place more orders in the future. I will continue to give out the web address of Gotta Glam to all who inquire about my earrings. So do yourself a favor and check it out. Get Into It: Gotta Glam!!

Butterfly = Happiness

Happiness is a simple concept. Humans tend to mess it up. I saw this quote and it struck a chord in me. Sometimes we complicate things, life, love and everything in between. Maybe happiness isn't to be chased. In the pursuit of happiness, we tend to miss out on life. It is what's happening while we chase this idea of happiness. That's the message I got from this quote. I love the idea that happiness can be as close as a butterfly. I stop chasing the idea of it and started living my life. Happiness found me in so many unexpected ways. I've smiled more in the last few years. I've laughed so much more. My happiness shines from within. What more could I ask for? Take time to stop and smell the tulips (I don't like roses lol). Simple but true! Heed the message, people!!!

My Pet Peeves

Pet peeves. Those little or big things that others do that irritate me. I try my best not to be ocd about them. But there are a few that are like nails on a chalkboard to my entire being. This is just a small list of pet peeves.

1) "Grammar and language misuse." - I am no fan of people making up words or using them incorrectly. For instance, "conversate" is not a word. The base of conversation is converse. I wish more people knew this. I can't stand when folks use homonyms in the wrong place. For example, "they're/there/their" and "your/you're" are not interchangeable. They do not mean the same thing at all. I'm sure this is the writer & lover of the English language in me.

2) "People who think they know things but are consistently wrong." - The ones who would argue with Jesus about his birth. It's like talking to a brick wall...a total waste of time and effort.

3) "Asking me questions that they can clearly find out for themselves." - If it's something I know about, I will answer. But if you know me you know what things I find important or interesting. Other than that, people should stop being lazy and consult google.

4) "Undermining my intelligence." - It's a sure way to piss me off quickly. I'm a smart chick. I expect people to regard me as such. People that don't learn a quick lesson from me.

Now I'm sure that there are other pet peeves. These are the things at came to mind while I was sitting on hold. I do think that I've gotten much better at dealing with them. It's not always easy to over look them. But I work on it daily. What about you guys? What are your pet peeves? Let's talk about it!

When Did You Fall In Love With Hip Hop?

Music has been a huge part of my life for as long as I remember. As a child, I was all about R&B. That was the music of my parents. It flooded my house all the time. The music of the 60's, 70's & early 80's were stables. Then music began to change. I was introduced to Hip Hop. It was new and the music was hard to describe. Hip Hop was just a baby when I discovered it.



Hip Hop was making an impact in New Orleans. I could not get enough of MC Lyte, Salt 'N Pepa, Queen Latifah, Big Daddy Kane, There style was so different & unique. Their sound drew me in. Their lives were different than mine but still somewhat the same. I was very intrigued by this new sound. I would listen so intently to their words. I loved their passion and storytelling. Hip Hop was this new and amazing thing. I was enthralled.



There were a lot of artists who's music made me move and think. I was officially a fan. I couldn't get enough. This new genre was amazing to me. Then there came a rapper who caught my eye and my hear. Tupac was that guy. There was something in his voice that drew me in. "Brenda's Gotta Baby" was storytelling at its finest. Pac was the first rapper that I supported. I had to have his music in my hands. He was and will always be one bof my favorite rappers.



My marriage to R&B was being undermined by my growing love affair with Hip Hop. The more I heard, the more I needed to hear. My first semester of college introduced me to the man who would become my favorite rapper. Jay-Z's debut "Reasonable Doubt" became a staple for me. It was everything. Eve, DMX and Ruff Ryders were also favorites of mine. I was also still into New Orleans artists, such as Juvenile, BG, Mystikal, Mia X and Fiend.



As you can see my love affair with Hip Hop has been a long one. I don't see it ending anytime soon. Granted there isn't a whole lot of greatness going on in Hip Hop today. I will continue to support the artists I like. Hip Hop has been evolving since its inception. I don't see that changing anytime soon. It's no longer just about music, it's a lifestyle. I love that about it. Hip Hop is a culture. It has influenced almost everything. So tell me, when did you first fall in love with Hip Hop?